to blog, i think

I've been reading the archives. (Does it get more narcissistic than reading your own archives?) And I'm remembering things I've liked about blogging.

Remember when I used to have amusing stories to tell about the meaning of life? I also had gobs of valuable advice to dispense, about the evils of small talk, how to be kind to your children when naming them, choosing carnival food wisely, and proper sports etiquette. I once dared to question the mania of adult women's Twilight fandom - remember that? I've shared the highlights of my exciting employment history, including the illustrious title of "Poetry Judge" - how could you forget? Remember being regaled with tales of travel adventure, including photo documentation of Europe's trend toward the unsightly mullet?

Good times.

I'm almost re-converted. Pretty sure Woodland will continue to be an occasional dumping ground for my disorganized thoughts and anecdotes. (Thank your lucky stars!) Now all I need is some inspiration. It seems I've used all mine up already. What have you got for me?

to blog, or not to blog?

Sometimes I think personal blogging is brilliant, useful and entertaining.

Other times I decide that the whole idea of keeping a personal blog is weird, almost narcissistic, and so 2007.

In the beginning I loved that blogging gave me a way to keep up with so many friends, and to quickly and easily share info about the life and times of me. It was nice to feel connected, with minimal effort.

Then blogging inadvertently became a primary means of communication with people that I used to actually talk to, on the phone or by e-mail, or even in person. (Sad.) Yes, I could still call you, but what would we talk about? Not only do I already know every detail of last week's trip to your parents' cabin, but I also know which park you took your kids to this morning, and what you ordered at dinner last night.

So, blogging. I'm back and forth. Mostly back.

But today, I miss it.

I want to write something trite, and send it out into the world! I want someone to comment on it! I want to post a picture of myself looking cute and autumny in my black suede boots! I want you to tell me how cute they are! On the picture thing, I think I can refrain. But not so much, I'm afraid, on the writing something trite. So go ahead. Read it. Validate me. Pretty please.

And then later, if you don't mind, I should probably just call you.

insert interesting post title here

The trip to Sweden:

It was the perfect mix of familiar and new. Shay and I traveled down one side of the coast and up the other; did a lot of sight-seeing and wandering and hostelling. Later we spent several days in Karlstad, my Swedish "home," and we got to spend the midsummer holiday with friends there. All things considered (including the part where we had to wear SWEATERS and COATS for several days in JUNE), the trip was a sweet success. In a word, delightful.

Right this minute:
I'm huddled in a library cubicle at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. Shay is working on a research project here, so we've been staying on the U of I campus this week. I've found Champaign to be a rather dull place. The city is small, and eerily empty in the summer. Luckily I brought books. Lots of books. Also looking forward to a day trip to Chicago on Saturday.

Up ahead:
Utah, we love thee! Shay and I are making a road trip out of our summer pilgrimage to the Homeland. We'll be in southern Utah for almost two weeks, from July 18 - 30. I would love to organize a get-together if any Utah friends want to get-together. E-mail me if you're interested and give me some dates and times that you're free. Alternatively, we can just assume that we will probably run into each other at least once at Cafe Rio.

And now:
I offer you my standard-issue slide-show travel report, complete with shaky, grainy video (thanks, Shay!) and mediocre snapshot photography (that's my specialty!) So wait for your motion sickness meds to kick in, be sure to use the restroom before starting the show (it's lengthy), and buckle up. It's going to be great.

possibly still lost, soon to be found

It's entertaining to imagine my wide-eyed, 20-year-old self, still wandering around somewhere in Scandinavia. I spent so much of my time there completely and wondrously lost... the idea is not that far-fetched.

I'm off to see if I can catch a glimpse of that me. I'll let you know what I find.

if i twittered

Everything you didn't want to know about today, conveniently packaged into installments of 140 characters or less.

8:23 I dreamed a dream. It had to do with airports. Also, zucchini. That's about all I can make of it at this point.

8:50 Taking Shay to the dentist. I fear this could be the most exciting outing of my day.

10:14 You did not just open your car door and set your big gulp, half full of Pepsi, in the parking lot before driving away. Common decency, people!

10:52 You go, Harold Meyerson. Nice editorial.

11:46 I'd say summer smells overwhelmingly like honeysuckle.

1:15 I refuse to swim until someone skims all the "cotton" out of the pool. A little gust of wind and it all happens so fast. Blasted cottonwoods.

1:17 I must be bored. I'm on facebook. Also just googled "cottonwood" plus "Kansas."

1:18 Turns out the cottonwood is the state tree of Kansas. Maybe I should have more respect for it now?

1:19 Shay says, "Cottonwood? Am I supposed to find that interesting?" Glad we can have respectful & productive conversation about important issues of the day.

4:05 Hotly contested battle for the title of "Most Exciting Outing" today. Will the bike ride to the public library win it all?

6:20 Coleslaw. I am newly converted.

8:30 Remember back when people used to answer their phones? Those were good days.

10:00 The Chocolate Chip Cookie will be the death of me. Mark my words.

because I'm tired of looking at that silly sign

Would someone post here already? I have gotten a little bored with blogging and don't have much to say. But I check back here sometimes, hoping I'll see something new.

gateway arch - st. louis - some random hot guy

missouri botanical gardens - really lovely - made me sneeze

There. That's better.

there's a recession on

Last week, we noticed several of these signs springing up in our neighborhood.

I'm definitely interested, but a little confused. Not quite sure whether there are just so many children available for sale that the event is going to be huge (there are, after all, more than 100 families in on the venture), or if the actual kids being sold are expected to be larger than average. I think more careful wording would have prevented this kind of confusion.

happenings

One happy Easter weekend, the idea could strike you that it would be fun to dye Easter eggs using random foods and spices. I say, let the idea pass, and buy yourself a nice $.99 box of dye tablets. It was an interesting experiment, but mostly it was a pain in the butt. And in the end, all you'll have to show for your efforts are a few hard-cooked eggs covered with a clumpy film of spinach.

Instead you should invest your extra feelings of domesticity into making your own girl scout cookies. We made the thin mints, and mmmm. They were tasty.

(recipes here via Chelsea)

broadcast yourself

I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that the stall adjacent to mine in the restroom at the public library is the wrong place for this phone conversation:

"Hi. Where are you?"

"Oh. I'm still at the library."

"I'm actually [lowers voice]... I'm actually just calling to tell you that Shawn is cheating on you."

[Bathroom noise]

"Well I've heard about it from two very reliable sources."

"No, I'm not... I didn't call you to start a fight. It's just that [sniffle] I care about you [sniffle, sniffle] and I thought you would want to know."

[loud flushing noise]

[yelling to be heard over flushing noise] "Stop saying that! I know you don't want to hear it, but it's true! He's definitely been cheating on you. For awhile."

[while washing hands, shares intimate details about the nature of the infidelities]

[walking out the door] "No, I swear to you, I haven't said anything to anybody else. You're the only one I've told."

excited about nothing

Do you see this? All those little spaces on next week's calendar are blank. No plans. No appointments. No meetings. Not even any to-do lists. Just two precious words: Spring Break. Hallelujah. Can I get an amen?