On the day of ....

So we had snow -- what a way to start the day, magical yet vexing.

Lucky for me, a seat opened up out of LA, so I get to experience LA and the various and sundry irritations involved with transiting through a 3rd world airport.

There is something comforting about flying into a landscape with which you are familiar. The grid of the valley, the getty as hill town, sinuous Wilshire from the ocean through Tehrangeles and to Beverly Hills. For such a planned and deliberate landscape, the vast green spaces are a comfort.

I will admit that I promised four different sets of friends and relations that I would come down and visit. It looks great from the air but I am not sure that it all can be taken in one week, let alone a week.

Baby steps.

We're off...
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I am avoiding doing anything I need to do.

Why is the 90210 back on the air again? Didn't they kill off half the characters?

Yeah, I'm avoiding doing minor things like packing, writing checks, straightening up.

Things that I should have no problem doing, but for some reason I am suffering from
a great case of ennui.

Tomorrow I will be flying to Paris. Really. I'm not quite sure what I will do once I get there - I believe there will be eating, walking, photo taking and a stroll or two around the Tuileries.

I'll be back in five days. Keep the home fires burning.

nm

365.50

365.50
Originally uploaded by flora and flying

Thursday seemed to vanish. Days seem to either drag on forever or
whiz by. Sometimes I wish I could just slow things down enough so that I could either savor a sunny dog walk or make sure I could leave work with an empty desk.

Today I could have stayed at work until 10pm and still not complete the tasks I had laid out for the day.

No, I did not bite off more than I could chew -- the world handed me more crap that had to be dealt with now.

Well, at least the laundry is done.

Tomorrow also will be nice, good thing the weather craps out on the weekend. I wasn't really planning on leaving my office.

365.48

365.48
Originally uploaded by flora and flying

Bribery will get you somewhere.

Tired and behind as usual. Not looking forward to the end of the week as I think I'll be working most of the weekend in order to feel like the following very short week is deserved.

365.47

365.47
Originally uploaded by flora and flying

Yeah, it was sunny and warm. I am loving February, a month I typically despise.

Lunch has been confirmed at Robuchon. I love a hotel with a decent concierge -- one you can email on a regular basis to get these things straightened out or arranged. I especially like one that you can hand a package to (prepaid of course) and it will be mailed for you.

I sometimes I think that I appreciate these things more than the actual city. I also realize that when traveling I don't like surprises.

More on that later.

nm

I'm thinking tis better to stop blogging and keep on taking pictures.

What do you think?

back and gone

I am back from Hawaii -- fabulous b&b, no show tunes, just plain old fashioned amazing hospitality and great weather and avoiding Kona is the best thing you can do, trust me.

We're home for three days and then back off to MCI for my brother's wedding.

I cannot wait to see my extended family and meet the rest of J's family.

Should be a fun weekend of beef and what not, including cupcake deliveries and fusing Persian and American wedding customs.

I am looking forward to my eighteen days of staying in the state before leaving again.

Other than that, spring is coming and that gives me some more hope.

nm

Again, nothing of note.

My brain is on vacation for the next four days. I'm sure by Saturday my body will follow.

No, let's be serious. It may be as early as Friday morning.

I cannot torture you too much with pictures of papayas from the interwebs, so you will just have to be patient.

Really. I promise to come back refreshed, recharged and with something witty to say.

Try at least to check out my flickr stream. I have been having deep thoughts there, just ask Mony.

xo,

nm

I have nothing to say of note. When I went back and read my live journal postings from 2007 I realized two things -- I have more to say there than here and two -- the more things change, the more they stay the same.

On the horizon --- five glorious days in Paradise. We're staying in two gay b&bs that came with great accolades, but my greatest fear is that there will be show tunes belted out randomly and card games and you know how I feel about that.
Oh yeah, after that there is that wedding thingie going on. I have dresses (note plural) and shout outs to B and TH who kindly gave thumbs up or down and Miss C. for finding myshape.com which ended up being a great resource for this P shaped body --note the Beth Chapmanesque bobs.

Now, if only my new Choos will get here in time, I'm good to go.

nm ready for anything in a medium heel, light on the dressing.

Today I was quoted in print.

Seriously.

I am glad I didn't say anything stupid.

It has been a really long week and because of it, I'm leaving early and going back to work.

I can't wait.

I did laugh my ass off with Yassi, drink way too much with Lori and finally meet the not so angry Joseph Stains, Tanner T. and their lovely apes.

I also gave two posters, one stressful talk and moderated two sessions, answered a few questions about assessing land use and land cover change, made some interesting contacts and ate way too much.

Yeah, my breasts are heaving and I'm okay with it. I can start exercising again and eating better to deflate the girls, but you can't capture laughter, hanging at the Valley HO! and gustoing mucho with the Stains with such ease.

thursday suckitude

Today sucked for various and sundry reasons, but overall when you think about Darfur, Gaza and the state of the economy, its a nano sucking day that really only affects me and those who hear me roar.

I'm wishing I could retrieve back the last three weeks, skipping the holidays and getting my brain back to normal. It feels like the last few months have been a foggy conglomeration of bits and bobs that slowed my brain down to molasses.

Well, short of being a short tempered cranky type A, I'm feeling better and sharp.

Now if I could only go to the gym.

Maybe next week or the week after. We'll see.

I'm off to pack for Phoenix. I have one poster session, one talk and two sessions to moderate. My sessions will be over on Tuesday and I can relax for the rest of the week. We have a taco truck excursion on Tuesday and some catching up with one of my best friends this weekend.

nm

Hey, is this thing on?

Its twelfth night here. I am about to take down the tree. TH is somewhere on the border of LA and MS tonight. She went to the Waffle House known for its hash browns. Color me jealous -- locally produced pasta with sun dried tomato pesto sometimes just doesn't hit the spot the way hash browns and eggs do.

I would have probably taken the tree down earlier than twelfth night this year. Frankly, I was over Christmas this year by say, Christmas. I think it may have been cabin fever, the inability to get the dog and the fact that everyone felt that money was tight and that Christmas couldn't be the same without the usual plethora of presents.

Honestly, I think it was just the weather and the anxiety produced by the monotony of snow.


On Sunday night, it snowed again. Lovely, lovely snow. We went out to dinner at a higher elevation and by the time we emerged, there was about three inches on the ground, we managed to get home okay. We even took the dog for a romp. We even lost power. Our neighbors created some awesome snow people in a short period of time. You know the best part -- it was gone by the time I went to work. That is the snow I love.

So, snow. Why do you care? I don't really. I just want to share.

Oh my resolutions. More of the same.

This year I am participating in a cool photo project. Come visit my ordinarily dull existence.

nm

365

2009.

I started out the year with the stomach flu. It has improved drastically since.

more later.

nm

Wanderlust

Travel year in review.

Miles flown --- 91K.
Miles flown on average the last seven years -- 150K.

Not bad, not good, but just enough.
Miles redeemed for awards --- 260K
Money saved by redeeming -- 30K


Best trip -- Southern France in March - landscape, food, company, weather
A trip I would rather not repeat - a six hour delay to Kauai in February which basically sucked the life blood out of a short trip
Most memorable trip - Greenland, as if.

Best Hotel stay -- Versailles - March - Marie Antoinette's sheep! Versailles by myself!
Second best -- Four Seasons Lanai - The Lodge -- croquet anyone?
Third Best -- Camp Eqi - facing the glacier - Greenland - glacier, glacier, glacier?

One that we would never wish to repeat -- November, Westin Seattle
Another one -- The Youth Hostel - Ilulissat Greenland

Best Flight -- BA F to London, CPH and back - definitely worth the price of admission
Crap Flight -- Hmm, let me count the ways --- waiting for Air Iceland Nuuk - Rekyavik, Seattle to Lihue with major delays, anything over two hours that wasn't in seat 1A.

Best food experiences -- too many here - New Orleans, lurchery breakfasts, Ducasse in France, Roman trattorias, anything that involved a ripe papaya, anything at home or with friends

Trips planned for 2009 -- nothing major so far -- babies, weddings, work, economy and what not.

Butte, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Vancouver, Boulder, Berkeley, Portland, Kailua-Kona, and Lanai are pretty much happening. Oh yeah, Paris at the end of February, thanks TH!

So, what are your favorite trips or travel experiences of 2008?

nm holder of various pieces of plastic that make me feel entitled

All it takes is emptying your kitchen to do a remodeling job to realize that there are things you haven't seen in 17 years, but they have such sentimental value that you can't bear to get rid of them.

What do you do?

I guess you move them forward and enjoy them.

I will be drinking from venetian glass purchased in Rome ca. 1995 and supping on
plates from the 1930's and worth a mint for the next few months. Yesterday, I relived trips numerous trips to Italy; my last serious relationship and the ensuing breakup spending spree; TH's father's lovely Christmas gifts; cafe au lait bowls purchased in France and wrapping the Portmeirion pottery I purchased piece by piece as a starving student and brought back in my luggage from London.

Ernest is back, ringing, I have a pizza in the oven, TH has lamb chops from Oxboro to supp on.

Life, though packed in boxes and stacked in the main floor bathroom , is good.

nm

hey

I can't say it enough.

May your days be cheery and bright.

TH and I spent the day making sure my parents had yogurt, bread and ham. The ham is something that is new to them. We'll see if we can get to it tomorrow. The plan is to meet at their house and try and do something festive with some friends and family.

If only the weather would cooperate.

Last night, a few of us gathered to feast. Bravely our guests trudged through rutted streets with varied tire gauges. It was a good and needed thing. Everyone had tired of their walls, their spouses and their freezers, we all needed a break.

Today driving around felt like we were taking a land rover through the Kalahari. I have never really had an appreciation for AWD until this week. Tonight, with all the water on top of the slush and ice proved to be challenging, but doable.

My parents have felt completely trapped this past week. I'm not sure if its lacking the confidence and sure footedness of their youth or twelve years in the 92037 that have made them so timid. All my mom wanted to do today was to go Christmas shopping and to see others excited. All her paranoid daughter could anticipate was her slipping on the slush in the parking lot or on the variable yet, urbanely planned slick surfaces of the pedestrianized retail experience.

As the weather abates, I will try and take her out, braving the crazed post-Christmas shoppers, but only if its dry and over 42 degrees.

Its been hard to watch the be cooped up, at least my mom has a sense of humor about the whole thing. My dad, as much as he's happy to be with his kids etc., misses the warmth of Southern California. I remind him of the wildfires, the smog and republicans and he nods and then sighs at the weather map.

At least he's regained his appreciation of polarfleece jackets and my mom has two new down vests on order, they are de rigeur for this climate.

According to the Norad reports, Santa just stopped by the 98105. I better wrap this up and make sure the milk is at a temperature to his liking. Things are a bit difficult since we removed the wood stove. He leaves his presents on the front porch and I better check that the dog gate is pulled back, I wouldn't want him to trip and hurt himself.

nm happier this holiday than many others

arrested delivery

Happy Christmas to me.

December 22, 2008	05:56:00 AM	REDMOND WA US	Arrival Scan
December 19, 2008	06:30:00 PM	REDMOND WA US	Arrival Scan
December 18, 2008	05:53:00 AM	REDMOND WA US	Arrival Scan
December 18, 2008	04:27:00 AM	REDMOND WA US	Arrival Scan
December 18, 2008	03:53:00 AM	SEATTLE WA US	Departure Scan
December 18, 2008	12:46:00 AM	SEATTLE WA US	Arrival Scan
December 17, 2008	06:36:00 PM	PORTLAND OR US	Departure Scan
December 17, 2008	03:04:00 PM	PORTLAND OR US	Arrival Scan
December 16, 2008	10:50:00 PM	SPARKS NV US	Departure Scan
December 16, 2008	05:00:02 PM	US	Shipment has left seller facility and is in transit
December 16, 2008	04:33:00 PM	SPARKS NV US	Shipment received by carrier

On truck, returned to truck, never to be seen again.

On the other hand, I used B&N pick up in store option for later. Much more satisfying.

Local retailers are doing great thanks to the shit weather. A toy store and some twee furniture stores are the closest to us, so very little use to either of us. Maybe if we needed a recovered empire style chair or legos.

Alas and alack, I burned TH's croissants.

I have lots of very important things to say, but really, it is getting too late and I'm tired.

I have very little motivation to do the things that I need to feel like the holidays are complete. I have a few presents to wrap and those last minute things are not going to be here by Wednesday. I guess we'll be having 12 nights of giving chez nm.

So, after dinner we created the first of four things I have committed to make for Christmas. One recipe I followed to the T and the other I hacked.

Both look mighty tasty.

I'm waiting for sexy whipping pictures to upload to flickr.

Be patient.

Tomorrow is a work day, the roads are treacherous, but we're still to report in.

Should be tons of fun.

nm slip sliding away

Sunday wrap up

Cabin fever sets in
U vill for sheer entertainment and exercise
Green chile stew thanks to N, M and I
Eggy crumpets for breakfast a al Kerri
lots of snow shoveling
Incredible levels of sloth all around
Remembrances of last year's rudolph ramble in the same amount of snow and 16 F!
Negotiations for the release of Ernest for technology
Wondering if the snow will ever abate
Realizing that tomorrow is an adult snow day, but there are piles of work to be done
Wishing and hoping that friends make it home wherever that is
Stay warm and dry people

nm
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A snowstorm paralyzes Seattle, however at our local grocery store yogurt cups, milk and string cheese is still on the shelves.

Have my friends' kids moved onto goat cheese, hummous, pita and beer?

I sit here with a nice cold courtesy oh the TH, a dentist appointment at 9 am, lunch at a lovely restaurant that I fear has a windy road or major hill as obstacles and a crap load of work to do.

Ernest is three mountain passes with traction devices required and a wind storm to contend with. Hold tight bud, you may be spending Xmas with your bio family.

Yeah, I am whining.

I have plenty of food, electricity, a warm house, clothing, the ability to drive a AWD vehicle if I choose to. I also have great restaurants and local diversions if I get really get bored.

Others are not so lucky. The merchants who had a crap last weekend because of the snow, those who have to be at work or do not have the option of telecommuting, or those who can't get adequate amounts of food or shelter..

Reach out to your circle of friends -- wait go even further and check with your neighbors and see if everyone is okay. Sweep or shovel past your house if you need a diversion, it is the neighborly thing to do.




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