MSP to PHX: Frontier Airlines v. US Airways

I go back and forth to Phoenix too much. By too much I mean way too much: I miss my dog and missing my family on either end of the trip. That being said I've taken just about every carrier back and forth with the exception of those that do more local routes. And I've just about had enough of crummy customer service...and happily I'd like to share some exemplary experiences along the way.

This last trip, I took Frontier Airlines on the way down, with a layover in Denver. On the way back I took US Airways non-stop. This gave me the ability to very easily compare and contrast the two journeys and I'd love to get us to begin a dialogue about our own experiences so that we might better understand which carriers work best for our situation.

Frontier:

• Leather seating in all classes
• Efficient, perfunctory operating airline attendants
• Efficient layover, easy hub airport to nav
• Seats normal size and legroom also normal size. I was in 18a and 14a for each leg and it was just eh. Normal. I always get window because then I can lean against the window since I'm not aggressive enough to fight for my space like you have to in the aisle seat.
• Bonus: I do like that the jets are referred to by their tail animals, it's a cute addition even though I couldn't tell you what animals I had after the fact.
• On time.

Overall impression: Economy operator, customer service far from exemplary but obviously trained in efficiency.

US Airways:

• Leather seating in all classes
• A321 refurbished and the legroom was extraordinary. From what I overheard a flight attendant telling another passenger, this was one of the first flights this particular jet had been on since refurb and it showed. The regular seats I was in 10A so exit row and it was of course even better. Bonus: unlike other carriers, I didn't have to pay extra for exit row.
• Flight attendants....wow. I can't say I had any particular need of them, or there was anything specific where they went beyond the call of duty but that was what made the deal for me. They were just so sincerely happy to be there. That fake 'Hi,' 'Welcome,' 'I'm not really Southern but affecting the accent makes me seem more nice," really get on my nerves. These people were so very...happy. My kind of people. I watched them happily most of the while we were in the air (I had already finished my books and the battery on my lappy was misbehaving and I'm trying to give up my iPhone games addiction.) and they liked working with one another and their jobs. Absolutely highest marks.
• On time.

Overall impression: Airline of preference for the MSP-PHX route and maintained that position with this week's experience. I'd love to shake the hand of either their customer service training team or the individuals who consult for them.

What routes do you fly? I'm sick of poor customer service and never being on time (yes I mean you, Continental) and think I speak for all of us with that. Let's use the internet to collectivize our experiences and make sure to give our business in these trying times to companies that live up to our expectations instead of let us down!

Mixed Vintages, Single Vantage

We went on Thursday in celebration of a birthday as well as my possibly having some fabulous personal news (TBA at a later date) to Armitage in DC Ranch. I had been there before and chosen a 'safe' Malbec that I already knew I liked so was willing to come back and be a bit more adventurous this time.

Among our group we tried:

2 flights of bubbles

1 'worldly reds'

1 'fun whites'

We started off with the Ahi Tuna Carpaccio...meh. The Ahi was fantab but absolutely drowned in their sauce so the inherent (very strong) flavors were overwhelmed. So meh. But really it could have been worse, they started off with great ingredients so even overdone it was still totally lovely. Let's say 6-7/10.

At this point we got our wine flights...and the presentation on the customary wooden boards was completely nice. They numbered them (not a novel concept but totally useful) so obviously were accustomed to having a large volume of patrons doing flights at the same time. I approve.

The flights themselves...the bubbles were nice but nothing really novel. But fun for a night out with your friends. Sort of like roast beef with vegetables...you have to do something really horrible to make it go wrong, but by the same token you aren't going to have done something memorable without reinventing with a crazy twist or offering something like a Kobe roast. They hit the target but that's about it.

Next we'll go on to the 'worldly reds,' and I'd like to point out that despite everyone's assumption, this was not my flight. I did try all of it though of course, as any friend of mine well knows wine is meant for sharing. Yours is mine and all that. The tempranillo that started it off tasted off, the French Côtes du Rhone that followed was completely uninteresting but at least I have hope that had it either aged or opened more there might have been some delicate beauty. The malbec that finished...bleah. Yes, you heard me, I said bleah. I love malbecs. I am even gentle with their critique because so often the vintner is still learning but there is a lot of hope. This one...I really have little to say other than bleah it had a green tasting overtone and I don't mean in the nice white wine way. I mean in a taste that made me think of moldy logs in the forest and the strange green smell of a marsh. No thank you.

Now I, I chose the 'fun whites' flight for one reason and one reason only: I was feeling nostalgic. During grad school in Oz I discovered Brown Brothers Winery and their Orange Muscat and Flora. Up until we made each other's acquaintance, I found most muscat/moscato to be just too cloyingly sweet. I had a similar experience once upon a time with ports. Then I found Brown Brother's version and fell in love. Fabulous sipping on a hot day or snuggling in on a romantic evening or writing a dissertation in the hot tub. Yes I did just say that. So the muscat involved was quite solid but surprisingly so were its friends, the pinot gris showing a lot of character for such a light wine and the blend really I would have preferred paired with a more robust meal to showcase...my salad just didn't do it justice.

All in all, Armitage is what it purports to be: a decent wine bar with surprisingly decent prices for the area that also has nibbles. Wait staff is a bit snooty as one would expect but at least schooled well in serving.

...oh and the picture? Plum wine on the patio.

Rhiannon Blog Reloaded

Up until this point my blog has been very generalized. My thoughts, my comments, places I like and don't like etc. But no purpose or specificity to content other than whatever's been in my head at that moment. This will change from this point forward.

My blog will now serve as a forum for these topics fairly exclusively:

• Travel - Airlines, restaurants, and other service industry professionals that perform...and those that don't. Places that catch the imagination and what is special or repulsive there.
• Millenial perspective armchair philosophy.
• Living the good life - Working within your budget to enjoy the wines, music, furry friends and comfortable surroundings that are important to us.

This divergence is in large part a response to my reprioritizing my perspectives and parts of my life. I want to help myself and therefore help my friends live a better, more wholly examined life...furthering my path toward self-actualization and along the way having great memories is what is important to me.

Please as always feel free to respond with your thoughts...hopes and dreams and happies and dislikes. If there is anyplace in the world where we can express our thoughts as equals it is on the web.

Happy discussing!

-Rhiannon

Museums and Memory

The MIA is playing host the the travelling collection, The Louvre and the Masterpiece. Now however wonderful it was, I'll saw it was entirely not what I was expecting.

Back story. I love the MIA, it is to me what an art museum should be: lots of marble, lots of quiet and there's a very pregnant sense of hope that you the visitor will achieve some deeper understanding of the heights to which humans may ascend and the depths to which their souls may shatter. This is probably from spending many wide-eyed trips there as a youngster and marvelling at the beauty, this massive place where everything was organized and beautiful and the common world of disorder and chaos and meanness that I tried so hard to pretend didn't exist just fell away. It was as beautiful an escape as my books.

The exhibit was well organized (yes, organization to me is very important...without it the rest almost matters for nothing) with each gallery leading well into the next. There were works representing most every major form of visual art: sculpture, painting, sketching, metalsmithing/gemcutting, drawing, etc. They led stories from pieces of masterwork to forgeries and lesser pieces, and obviously the show was a product of unimaginable years of research and study. I dutifully read each placard, each explanation and listened to my headset like a good little nerd. But. But, but, but.

Here I'm going out on a limb to explain something I am not entirely sure about. I left the museum that day feeling unsatisfied with the exhibit and I couldn't put my finger on it then but I think I've figured it out now, after being in the Houston Museum of Fine Art. That story to come.

In the other exhibits, including the others at the MIA (notably their architectural and Native American are amazing) there was enough homogenity for a person to get a real footing in the subject material. To be overwhelmed and consumed by it. Having only these several rooms of VERY disparate objects didn't let the viewer or at least me, completely immerse my mind in any specific subject with any sort of completeness to forget the externalities. And for me, that's what it takes. So while the pieces were amazing beyond any of my meager words, the exhibition did not have the same immersive power of many others I have been in and that was sad indeed for all the obvious planning and work that went into the execution.

Should you go? Without a doubt. Maybe your brain is less OCD than mine, and you can focus with more ease.

Dear Chino Latino:

Thank you again. I love your family portions and atmosphere, and good god I think my ribs distended to accomodate you. It was perfect celebrating my beautiful mother's birthday with you ! Thank you.

Your humble servant,

Rhiannon

Alexis Bailly Vineyard

I grew up in Hastings, MN. I am also back in that lovely little ville and am exploring it again: both the things that I loved as a kid and the things that I didn't experience before. One of these latter gems is the Alexis Bailly Vineyard. Sure, I had sampled their wines before but I hadn't visited the vineyard.

As most of you are quite well aware...this is a girl who is very much a part of the sensory world. And by a 'part of' what we really mean is that she thrills at tastes, touches, smells, sounds and is often enraptured in her own little world enjoying these things. She is often also appalled (thank you, upset doggy tummy) by some of the concoctions she comes across. Now, does this mean her palate is necessarily more educated than yours? Nope. Just means she is seeks out new sense experiences like a lot of people seek new WoW trophies. Polite cough.

Well it was a beautiful day in October in Minnesota, not one of those few that snowed. Our heroine puts herself with her parents and heads out into that sparkling blue afternoon over cornfield and soybean field and arrives. The approach is quite respectable: a horse and her rider on the dirt road out front, bare older vines as we make our way down the long drive to the house. It's rustic and charming, a dark red log-cabin that while is probably new looks like it could be the home of a well-to-do farming family from way back when.

We park and that's what hits me first: there are probably 20 cars in the parking lot. I wasn't expecting this, I thought it was little bitty. Hm, deserves more thought. So we walk through that clear fragrant air, the skin underneath my coat chill but in that pleasant way when your insides are still warm and your skin is just breathing in the open air. It takes a moment for my eyes to adjust from the bright outdoors to the dark interior but I see my first impression about it being a beloved farmhouse are once again affirmed: gleaming warm woods gleam from every surface. Not the hyper-polished kind of cherry, but pines of rough-hewn tables loved under many hands and glasses, and oaks from the barrels surrounding the tasting room and the darker walnut (a guess) of the towering wine racks.

We belly up to the bar and order a couple tasting flights. I find out later that this particular bartendress who looked so familiar is someone who used to be in our neighborhood, she's just a couple years younger than me. So it is townieland and that brings me back to myself for a little bit, but que sera. The first light whites are pleasant, entirely drinkable but nothing that thrills my soul. Don't take this as extreme disparagement, in point of fact for a white to be at all acceptable to me is quite the feat. Normally I find them bland and without interest, or cloyingly sweet or overly oaked in lieu of real flavors. Specifically the Seyval Blanc was quite nice, and I can see how with the right fruits on a summer afternoon I'd want to sit out on the patio with a glass (fine, bottle) of that and a good book. Especially if George R. R. Martin actually can finish the stupid Song of Ice and Fire series because until he does it will occupy a part of my brain that I need for something else. /rant off. Anyway.

So we get through the whites and onto much more pleasing territory for these tastebuds, the reds. The means reds. Wait no, that's another thing altogether. The red wines, that's what we're here for or at least I am. Again, I'm pleasantly surprised at the generally palatable nature of these wines FROM MINNESOTA..actually, I'm going to digress again for a moment to give some kudos. The vineyards up here have decided to fight the good fight against Old Man Winter and a short growing season in which the sugars don't have anywhere near the same amount of time to work their magic multiplying act on the vine. These vintners have done some great work researching grapes and working hard at their craft, and I am so pleased at their result. Nay, tickled. That's what happened with Voyageur, a gorgeous red that I can't wait to try with a good ribeye. After maybe it sits for a little while as it was still a little peaky, but I have faith in that mellowing with a bit of decanting and/or aging. I'm pretty sure what we were drinking in the tasting room was 2006 so quite the baby.

The dessert wines I'm not going to get wax on about for the simple reason that I think my palate is in a state of flux and the clear sweet ruby ports and things I used to love just aren't holding me the same way. It could be also that after so many wines I just was feeling full and the heavy desserts just wasn't what I wanted.

Either way, if you are in the area I recommend you go and visit Alexis Bailly, if you aren't, come visit me.

Playing Catch-up

I'm sorry I've been remiss lately, heck I've been even neglecting Facebook! (For those few of you who read me here, Facebook imports my blog and most of the commentary is to be found there.) I will attempt to catch us all up through a series of short posts rather than one long rant. Which would be normal for me.

Thanks and happy Fall!

For All the Ladies...

Why do we let ourselves play the fool?

Letterman apologizes to wife...

I'm sorry, I can't be mad at men for this. It's pretty well established in my mind that a person who will cheat will cheat given the opportunity...whether man or woman. More often than not though, it's some woman or women involving themselves with married/involved men. Here we are, letting ourselves be the victim. I say STOP IT.

Enough with the being a victim in things already, take a look at the situation and go hmm, if this is a person of substance and if they truly respect themselves and others they do not willingly harm and deceive others. In this case I don't really mean this to the wife as it seems she was unaware, but to the other ladies involved. If this man cared about you at all, he would not act so disrespectfully towards you and other people like the aforementioned wife. So ladies if we truly are enlightened and on level with men, we don't allow ourselves to be victims. I know this'll piss some of you off and no, I am not saying that this issue does not become more complicated with specific circumstances.

Instead, let's just be more logical and respectful to each other. Men are the creatures who've convinced us that there is some scarcity out there and we have to let ourselves be the fool to get what we want and we know that just isn't so. Show some love to your sisters and don't let any man put you into a position that can only end badly for you and them.

Absence and Complete Presence

As many of you know, I took a week or more out of touch with the world and then a couple weeks on either side getting my head on straight. I can't say that I can offer any grand insight into the way the world works, but I can offer insight into my mental state coming out of this 'time out of life' as it were.

I am here again. I am present in my life and an active participant in living my life as I need to be. Blah blah blah, she says. What this introspection really just means is that sometimes I go away. Most of you who have known me for any length of time know that sometimes I am fully a part of the world around me: I am energetically involved in everything I do, I sing and dance because I am happy, I am 'up to trouble,' and I am reading and learning and not just doing marking time activities like web surfing, video games and television. Basically I wake up and I am the Rhiannon everyone likes best.

The catalysts for me going away inside my head are many, I am fairly sensitive. They do not merit assessing, nor are they the sort of extremely private matter that I would put into this sort of forum. But it really is also that they don't matter for our discussion here. What matters here is I am awake, and I've noticed many of you are as well. It's part of the path towards self-actualization that many of us are on and will continue on all our lives. So understand if I go away in my head, I will come back. And I'll probably come back like I am right now....

ALIVE AWAKE ALERT ENTHUSIASTIC and ABSOLUTELY THRILLED AT THE OPPORTUNITIES AND ACTUALITIES IN FRONT OF ME!

A Girl Provoked

Last weekend as many of you know, I spent a bit of time out of the world and was up at a friend's cabin on the lake. A big thank you to Lou for his hospitality and the town of Waupaca and King for hosting me and my tomfoolery. The weekend was spent swimming and boating and generally running amok with my darling Orion at my side. I have learned that despite living the majority of his life in the desert, he is indeed meant to be a boat dog with his mama once she has her boat in the far distant future.

I brought along with me the newest book by my favorite author and undergrad mentor, Hugh M. Curtler. Provoking Thought (currently on sale through the publisher even!) is a book that allows the reader insight into the mind of an exceptional man, an exceptional academic and a vantage on some of the issues we are all dealing with all our lives. I will write a full review soon, for now I will say that if you want to think about your own life, whether you agree with the perspectives he promotes or not, read this book. It will do what it's title promises (how often can you say that something lived up to its promoted intention?) and give your mind a wander along the imponderables that make up our society and modern lives.

I didn't make it through as much as I intended due to a paraplegic man in a kayak coming along, commandeering my attention, and as the conversation meandered to what the soul of a human can and will accomplish if one refuses to let it be vanquished...I gave him my copy and offering him a peek into the thoughts of a man obscenely more learned and adept a thinker than I. For now then, I reorder and am happy with the sale, and will patiently await further edification.

Thank you, Hugh, for everything you give and gave each and every one of your students and the human race.

Mehndi Continued

And on our right, we have a very pleasant-looking Caroline footie. She, being what she is, asked for a peacock. This time worked much better than previous and the dye took to her skin very well. Also, control increases with practice, this is good to know.

Also good to know, man my thumb got tired with the jacquard bottle, I might have to try using a cone...

Beginning Mehndi

This year I've decided that I won't bring my oil paints with me to the desert party, so instead I ordered myself a mehndi kit (which came whilst I wass away!) and decided that I would love to learn this beautiful art.

Brief synopsis, mehndi is the Indian name for painting the body in intricate patterns with henna. On a complete aside, I found out in the process of researching how to do this, what to get, blah blah blah, that www.mehndi.com is a dating site. A quick perusal yields the following result: not a single blonde. Back to our regularly scheduled programming. A great store I found is Beachcombers, they sent their pre-mixed product along with all manners of adorable literature and were quite fast. I like fast.

So I have 5 weeks to learn how to do this and fairly limited amount of time in which to do it, but I am reassured by the results thus far. While not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, and I definitely need to work on the patience to make the thinnest of lines and be good at it at all, I believe this is a decent enough start to continue on with this project. Please understand, if there is any stranger coming at me from a strange land who does not know me that I am not playing cultural

voyeur, I will talk about later my theories on cross-cultural borrowing of the aesthetic variety as well as the philosophical, but it is done on my part with respect to the origination cultures and actually as my own little homage to the beauty that others create. To summarize, to me beauty is beauty and I really

don't care where it comes from. Why should it matter if it comes from across the globe? It is beauty and in this world deserves being treasured and shared among whomever can appreciate it.

Well off that soapbox and on to the images! The first is my hand, done with a random pattern of paisleys and swirls and pods and leaves and a half-lotus type flower at the base of my palm. This was my first effort and I am aware of its lightness and that was planned. Since I'll be doing many experiments over the coming weeks I couldn't very well have my most valuable canvas obscured! What I learned in this is that my hands are not steady enough for the finest of lines, I really need to learn that. Also, that I have a lot of lines on my palm, but that's different.

This photo is my friend Lou's foot. I asked him for a thematic element and he said 'fish, since

y

ou are making fishheads anyway.' So I made a koi, then added kelp to the bottom and other random elements l

i

ke a lotus on his big toes and some leaves on the others. I am noticing that I very much like and prefer curvalinear forms to anything geometric.

You will also notice that his foot is INFINITELY darker than my hand. This is because A) I rinsed my hand (a HUGE no no!) due to me needing to make dinner for my fambly tonight and B) because I am a cold-blooded reptile. Basically you are looking at the difference between the body chemistry in an ice-queen v. a hot-blooded Mediterranean-type. Hold your jokes, please.

I'll keep working, bear with me while I try to get better in time for the party! It will not be as easy to do this on the playa as I had originally thought as they do need a long time to 'cure' but I think will still work for my purposes.

Things I've Learned...

As I opened the door to the oven in hell today, I mean, when my plane landed in Phoenix this morning and I debarked, I realized that being away from someplace for one month is enough time for it to stop feeling like home. This saddens me immensely, even though I knew the risk I was running in being away. What gives me pause though, is that very concept of home itself.

I have always been a nester. I find a place that will be my habitation and I endeavor to put it to an order that I can deal with, have homes for all objects and in general make it a comfortable and serene environment wherein I can exist and recharge. I have found that not everyone does this, nor does everyone knowingly miss it when they do not have it. For these people the creation of a sanctuary just hasn't registered as a priority, nor do they usually understand what the importance is.

My interest in this concept comes up because lately I have run into a lot of people for whom either they never had a 'nest-home' and when I try to promote the concept, they do not understand. It seems there is a disconnect in this conceptualization, as with many abstractions, and sometimes language just isn't adequate. I explain my mental malaise at having all my things in boxes and the internal tension with not having homes for each of my normal use items like my paints, my office stuff, etc. and to them this disorder should cause no duress as it is their modus operandi.

Where this gets interesting to me (probably not for anyone else) is that the few people who I have forcibly even though softly (ahem, ex-boyfriends and the like) created for them order and habit, very much have enjoyed this newfound 'nest-home' and its absence causes the same malaise for them that it does in normal for me. Which brings me to: are we all looking for our nests and just might not know it? Was Madame Bovary simply never nested so she couldn't conceptualize making one for her family? Do children that are exposed to and taught nesting behaviors seek to form more lasting and permanent bonds than those whose twigs had no down to cover them?

I seek understanding.

Props to my friends Jess and Josh and their adorable baby Oliver for coming down and playing games with us. It brought to my attention two things, first that we haven't ever established some awesome games. Secondly, that Jess and Josh have created a delicious and simple margarita that I'll share with you all so you get the happiness too.

Games to play over and over again:

Risk (classic, Mary-Kay Commandos always rule!)

Blokus

Rumis

Qwirkle

Settlers of Catan (expansion packs always welcome)

Nuclear War

Farkle

Cribbage

Sequence

Rummikub

Ticket to Ride

Set (my perennial favorite, please if I haven't played with you and you enjoy doing such, let me know!)

Please let me know other games that will make us happy. I love trying new things.

The Good Nite Margarita - Happiness and Simplicity:

Simply Limeade

Tequila

Triple-Sec

Ice

The end.

xoxoxoxo

Party in the Desert - Costumes and Unacceptable Activities

Strange way to do it, but I figured that this would actually be the most expedient method of making sure I don't miss any of you.

If you have any costume requests, need any alterations, etc. for the party in the desert this year, please get them to me within the next 2 weeks. After that I'll try and fulfill needs but may or may not have the time available, especially for larger projects.

Please also keep in mind that if I haven't done costuming

for you in the past, I might not have your measurements

on file and we'll need to coordinate in time to do that as well since I'm working from afar.

Also just as a reminder, there will be no accosting Rhiannon with cold sunscreen this year, so please take note that any perpetrators of this evil, vile, reprehensible and cruel act will be summarily disciplined, probably at 0700 when she wakes up and you've just gotten to bed.

You are warned.

Oy, Jerkface! Your Dog Stinks!

Okay okay, so I am neither angry nor am I frustrated. But I got your attention, now didn't I?

What I really am interested in is getting the word out about Marilynn Macdonald, Dog Groomer Extraordinaire. Not only did Orion come home all sniffing right and adorable, but I didn't have to cut his furs and make a mess everywhere! Not to mention that he looks way better than I have or ever could make him look. Beyond that, rather than the either just shy or over $100 per session that I was looking at in Phoenix, for his furcut and bath it was $38 plus tip. She is loving and affectionate and even I, as neurotic about my dog as I am, feel comfy leaving him in her care.

She doesn't have a website, and I am not going to post someone's personal contact info on the webby, but please, if you are anywhere in the Hastings/St. Paul/S Suburbs you really want her info, just drop me a line.

Please help continue the progression of American energy.

American Clean Energy and Security Act

Use the script on the right, no need for nerves. But we all complain that we aren't doing enough to promote sustainable energy and keep up with the ever-increasing energy needs of the American public. So make sure your Congressperson is working for you!

On a side note, kudos as always to Obama's media team for getting the word out in as many social media fashions. Keep up the great work in getting your voting public involved!

Summertime....

...and the living actually feels like life.

Work a lot, play a lot. That's my modus operandi. This summer has so far been good for my spirits and soul. And to prove that Minnesota has decent weather, I submit the following: proof positive that this freeze-baby can exist in this climate. Enjoy!

Note: yes I know that not only are my sunglasses huge and ugly but also askew...remember that my little eyeballs are very sun sensitive. Even more proof of decent weather occassionally!

New product alert.

And what I mean by new product alert, I mean OMG I NEED THIS! Especially for the art festival coming up in August.

Wine Bra.

Yes, yes indeedy. Integrated Camelback-type bladder replete with bitey straw, made into a bra. Oh boobies, we'll never be the same!

Rock bands and drunken hijinks

Last night I went to go see Skinny Molly, away up in Forest Lake, MN. When I say away up, I mean about an hour outside of civilization, a great vacation spot on the lake with your family in the summer for summer activities lke boating, hiking and the like, in the winter for things like snowmobiling and...um, icefishing? Anyway, an idyllic forested area (hence the name, one supposes) but not exactly a cultural or venue mecca.

Regardless of these facts, the trek was made to go the the great norte to see this band. And I definitely am glad I went. The show itself was great, the performers all lively and obviously had their hearts entirely involved in their music. Absolutely lovely to watch, and the music was solid and kept us going happy. Now we come to the really interesting parts.

So one of the St. Paul/Mpls larger radio stations, KQRS, was there promoting the event. Several of the guys would get on stage and announce something or other, different philanthropic ventures as well as just random announcements. Can't say I really listened or paid too much attention at all. After all, I wasn't interested as well as I had my iPhone so was a happy little texting girl. Well later on, one of the announcy guys came over to me and asked me if I wanted to meet the band. I said no, first because I wasn't interested in accompanying a strange man anyplace as well as secondly, I just am a little too shy to be that kind of person who would want to be all ga ga over any bandpeople. Thanks I reserve my reverence for puppies.

Well, I'm standing in the crowd forever and two notable events happened. One, some very large, disgustingly drunk yokel lady, with frizzy bleached blonde hair and the early 80's bangs to match wet herself near me. Now, do I say this because I have absolute evidence? No. I say this because she had fallen over herself many a time already, and then suddenly, she was standing there and the back and bottom of her acid-washed jeans were wet. In a spreading manner. Ew.

The other interesting thing was there was an older gentleman standing next to me most of the night. Looked native american in heritage, medium-length hair, and wearing a jacket with jeans and sunglasses and a generally 'too cool' manner. Well the only part that actually made him interesting was that he had a red rose boutonniere. Of course I had to inquire about it when the show was over. So I asked him about it. Simple question, and he looks down to me and slowly says, "Don't you know who I am, honey?" I of course could not answer in the affirmitive so I apologized and said no. He pats my cheek like you do with a toddler, and said something to the effect of 'I'm Gene Simmons..." there was more to it than that but I am horrible at verbatim recollecting. So anyway I am all atwitter because I feel like a fool but confused. Short story long, he was not Gene Simmons but some sort of local look-alike but I still felt silly. It was a funny time.

After many and more caffeinated beverages I was inside warming up and getting water in me before the long trek home and the band came in near me. We chatted and they were very nice guys, it was a good time!

So glad Gene Simmons hasn't fallen to the level of the Forest Laker. Sad times for him and his family when he does.

iFitness and Lose It!

I have become at least a person who frequently enjoys climbing in this last year. My already sizeable upper arms are more defined, I can pull my body weight up, I know how to belay and am solidly intermediate in my climbs. However, what does Rhiannon always want? To be better.

In light of this, Kevin had started the trend of working out more outside of the gym and losing weight for the sake of having less to haul up the wall and I've made that my chosen method of getting better at climbing. Makes sense, no?

So I turn to my iPhone for answers, as I often do. I had looked at a couple of different apps and finally settled on these two for my needs: iFitness to specifically target muscles for strengthening better than I can do without a personal trainer, (who has the money for that constantly!?) and Lose It! to make me be honest with myself for my intake. This is day 4 of utilizing these tools and although I have to make myself stop and log things, they make it really easy. And both have very comprehensive resource lists of foods and exercises so it makes it way easier for me. I like easy.

For 1.99 I don't think I can call this anything but a success. Now hopefully my other efforts will similarly be.

OMG WHEN DID I BECOME THE OLD LADY?!

So last night I went on a lovely excursion reacquainting myself with some of the best parts of Minneapolis. Started at the Sculpture Garden and paid homage to the cherry on its spoon newly back from the cleaners, read all the inscriptions in the benches and thought again how much I'd like to meet the authors. Built up a bit of an appetite with all this Great Outdoors, so went over to Bar Lucat for a little nip and a nibble (lovely inexpensive by-the-glass Malbec that had my toes dancing!)

From there it was on to an old Rhiannon and Mike haunt: Chino Latino! Now, let me back up a moment, before I left for my Australian adventure this was a favorite place of the former Dynamic Duo of Rhiannon and Mike to go, meet up with other friends, hang out, nosh, what have you. They have/had happy hour nibbles and drinks for way cheap and the joint was always jumpin'. Well, it was still packed to the gills after all these years, but upon walking in I realized I was among the probably 90th percentile for female age. At 28. D'oh.

Men, well you people are always with pretty young things so that's a different discussion, but man oh man was it an eye-opener. I can't say I felt badly at all, but damn did it make me laugh my ass off to be deferred to by the younger jetset.

Dinner was fantabulous as always and the only annoying factor was that the doors to their little teeny tiny outdoor smoking patio/table area had some manner of hydraulics to keep it from snapping shut on the servers' heels. Now I understand this and it is an admirable function, however with the little bit of breeze going on it had to be manually closed each time it was opened which of course in a busy place the waitstaff didn't have time to do. So chilly willy the Rhiannon kept suddenly getting the shakes.

More adventures in new-home to come.

Silk Soy Products

I have been a fan of Silk soymilk for many many years. As most of you know, cow milk and I aren't exactly on a first-name basis. I started drinking their original soymilk, then along with the explosion of coffeeshops and the like in my early adolescence, started having their vanilla soy in all of my latte products, especially my chai. As an aside, Professor Java's in Hastings, MN used to make a Miel Latte that I've never found duplicated, and generally coffeehouses are loathe to make for me: 2 shots of espresso, honey and a mix of allspice/nutmeg/cinnamon then fill the rest with steamed vanilla soy, delicious!

Yesterday I was at the grocery getting a couple things and I found...Silk yogurt! I was apprehensive, I've tried some rotten soy cheese and rice cheese products over the years, and despite Silk and Tofutti's best efforts, soy cream cheese and sour cream just don't fulfill any of my taste needs. I bought a couple so that I could try different flavors in case I am unhappy with any of them, but the first one I tried, black cherry, was awesome! Happiness is. So I have a new food for breakfasting and snacking, and although 150 calories it definitely hits the spot.

Thank you Silk, for a fantastic new(ish) product!

Sundance Channel's Eco Trip with David de Rothschild

Okay, I absolutely am in love. The Sundance Channel has done a series (all available online, except mysteriously Episode 5, The Light Bulb clip 2) on what our modern lives really cost and impact. David de Rothschild presents EcoTrip on common life topics like bottled water, gold, lights, salmon...and what really drew me in: cell phones.

As most but not all of you are aware, my academic interests and social interests are in people who are kept in a low position by forces outside of their own control. Effectively this means puppies and kittens, children, underprivileged adolescents, and among the plethora of other things, localities in the world where the indigenous people are at the whim of externalities.

My master's thesis was on the Congo and the external forces keeping it destabilized in this world that purports order and democracy for all. Don't get me wrong, I believe in democracy, and I believe in the eventuality of order to come...it's just a matter of at what cost. Take the experience in the US for example, how many lives were lost in the fight against slavery and are still lost in promoting equality for all regardless of race, color, religion and creed? It's the same thing elsewhere, just different problems. Maybe that's oversimplifying but hey, at least we are still on the same page.

So here we have a people who have been kept topsy turvy since the point of their 'discovery' by the Western world (for a start on discussion, easy reading but will break your heart "King Leopold's Ghost") through decolonization and the process of self-government that has been impeded by outside influences since. First there were Cold War interests to protect, then there were just the resources. The resources persist, the people are trying. On the surface of it, the movie Blood Diamond while set in Sierra Leone could just as easily be about the DRC.

In addition to diamonds and other obvious mineral wealth like copper, the DRC is home to vast reserves of Coltan and de Rothschild's EcoTrip brings to light this issue in his episode on cell phones. His program also focuses on the plight of the mountain gorilla, but my interest is in the plight of the humans who live among them. Yes, I know, this is a bit more heavy than my usual post, but it really is worth watching and I am proud to know that someone in the public eye is bringing these issues up. The more we have an interactive dialogue, the less they can be hidden and the truth controverted.

Life-changing events

Way back when, when I was in college, I had to do some analysis of the stressors in my life and their relative magnitude.  At the time I was in the very high stress level, it took into account things like job change, moving, relationship upset and the like.  Well I am fairly certain I am in another one of those periods of flux: moved to MN semi-permanently, close to my family again, new clients, my dog is having to share attentions with other dogs, all my relationships have shifted all around me...but you know, I feel less stressed now than in a very long time.  

What stresses you out and how do you cope?  I've been reading a lot more again and back to my 'drink tea all day to be a good girl and not snack' diet, (before I get flack, you all well know I don't deprive myself of food and just control myself carefully so don't fuss) working out regularly and competing with myself that way, and having the kind of relaxed social interactions that are more my style.  Oh and going dancing with Tim, Amy and Autumn before I left was a lifesaver!  Thank you again!  

Social Media for Rhiannnons

We all know I'm a little slow on the uptake as well as absolutely paralyzed by fear at having my private life shared in an uncontrolled manner.  And yet, here I am thick in the middle of a public blog, in a public internet, sharing my thoughts and life on Twitter, LinkedIn, my blog, Facebook as well as countless messengers and emails.  What's happened to our private little Rhiannon?

Well, the best way of explaining it is by posing a question: Why hoard information to begin with?  Of course there's the security issue and not wanting some dastardly person to be able to break into my world and steal my life.  But you know what?  I'm pretty sure if the person were smart enough and had enough of a reason to that they could no matter how carefully I act on the internet so that's out of the way now.  Is it because I am somehow ashamed of myself and don't want people to know what I really think and do?  Um, nope.  I am unfortunately unabashedly me as you all well know.  So my reasons are gone for being secretive, and I'd like to know your reasons.  What got you to put yourself out there on the internet?  Do you think it's safe?  Have you had any experiences in the last couple years that have made you more wary?

Artistic expressions

Sorry folks, but I need a little divergence from the theme this week. I've been talking at length about art and its meaning and what constitutes art and who gets to judge that etc. I realized my opinion is a darned wishy washy position and I was curious about what my assembled think tank thinks.

First, the questions: What is art? Who decides? What is *not* art? (sometimes it is easier to define the negative before the existent) That being said, can there be something which is art by definition, but is *bad* art? I'd really like to open a dialogue on this subject. I know in Hugh Curtler's Aesthetics class and others we spent a great deal of time on the subject, and in most philosophy/art classes this is also true. I don't want to reinvent the wheel but I am curious what my friends and loved ones think.

Now, for my opinion. Skip this part if you haven't already come to your own conclusions, I don't want to taint your response. Please if you do read it let me know where you think I commit a fallacy or in another way you disagree. Note that all below is my opinion, so I am leaving out the 'I think' statements as it is inferred to be inclusively such.

What is art? Art is something which a person, heretofore the artist, defines as art. This might be definitional through their act of creation such as in the cases of painting, sculpture or a ballet dancer, or it might be through the act of capturing something found or natural and manipulating it or leaving it as-is in the classic case of photography, found driftwood made into furniture, (direct from class, and that almost 10 years ago!) a crazy amazing sunrise that you alone see and declare to be a visual art, sea-glass on the beach that is sharp on one side and totally smooth on the other so reminiscent of the killer/gentle principles of the ocean itself, whatever. But the act of defining something as art makes it so, regardless of the qualitative nature of your opinion as a third-party looking at it. You might not find something compelling about it but that doesn't mean that you can disqualify their definition. The other definitive aspect would be that the artist has to be compelled by their art. They have to find something to communicate, to elaborate, to showcase, to convey, to 'compel' them to that definition. This might seem overly restrictive but if you think about it, it is necessary to pull in the parameters and also continue on the tack of artistic expression. It doesn't matter if the viewer understands the same thing the artist does, so long as the artist earnestly believes. This is what differentiates art from mere decorative objects or random acts.

With a definition that broad, can there be bad art? Like, totally. Sorry, the tenor was getting too serious and I needed to cut it a little to maintain my humor today. Anyway yes, you as the viewer can define something as bad for you. It does not speak to you, it is sloppily effected, it is generally of poor quality next to others of its type...whatever. Much of the abstract and modern art world is this way to me...much of it is not. Sometimes it's just that I don't understand, sometimes I understand and it just is poorly done, sometimes it just isn't an idea/concept/etc. that I find compelling in their communicative fashion. Whatever the reason, yes, for you there can be bad art. There can even be art that 99% of people say is bad, and it can still be art.

Enough is enough, Rhiannon! Why does this matter to me?

For one, in this global world of ours more and more we are exposed to things which are beyond our knowledge and experience. It pays in spades to be able to look at these and analyze them without having to always feel like you understand them. Heh, maybe that's part of what makes me so flexible: I accept I don't understand most of the world around me and don't let it hang me up too much. Now people, that's another story...

Saving Money #3: Impulse buys

How to not buy more shoes: Stop going where shoes live, little girl!

The end.

Actually, it's more of a 'if you know you have a hard time resisting something, don't go where you can aquire it unless you intend to buy them, because you will.' Invariably there will be a good deal that you cannot resist and you will find yourself purchasing more shoes, stereo equipment, motorcycles, handbags, makeup....whatever. If you stay away from it and don't give yourself access, you won't find the deals and therefore feel compelled to get whatever it is. In this consumer-driven world, there is always a good deal to be found that if you wait you'll find again, I promise.

Now, to save yourself from picking up that one little extra thing each time you go to Target for laundry soap, just don't go into any other aisles. Don't browse, don't linger. Do what you need to and get out! There is so much marketing intel that goes into the layout of stores as well as the displays, you really just don't have a chance. Wonder why the milk is always way in the back of the grocery? Well of course because then you have to go past everything else to get there and just *have* to have that bag of potato chips or cookies. Same deal just a little more sneaky elsewhere.

Again, you need to think in the macro. Does it matter that you spent another extra $15 dollars on that eyeshadow you just had to have? Not particularly as a one-off. But when you add it up over the year and you do something like that every other week...it adds up. So think about it as it's drawn out amount. Eyeshadow every 2 weeks...$390 a year. Starbuck's twice a week...$520. Crazy deal on Vera Wang display shoes twice a month..$360. Extra adult beverage when you really only needed 1 with dinner, once a week...$520. Already there we have a ticket to Bali, wouldn't that be better?

Saving Money #2: Dining in for Dummies

So you're at the grocery once again, and the only things that seem appealing are the pre-made deli dinners, and you can't imagine cooking every night for just yourself when PBJ is still available? You can eat like a human and still save money and calories (there are so many needless calories in pre-made food unless you are really paying attention you can easily overeat every day of the week) if you plan it out right.

My friend Jack reminded me how frustrating living by yourself and trying to cook can be, but you don't need to cook every day to have homemade food. Especially if you have some friends.

Cook and freeze. We all have several favorite things that we make as our staples, but that are simply too time-consuming to make every time we need a little sustenance. What you can do is choose one night a week, or every two, to have as your cooking night and cook 3 or 4 dishes with enough to be able to freeze a portion or two of each, about 2 servings. Then before you go to work, take something out of the freezer, and you've got a serving for dinner plus for lunch the next day! But not so much you get sick of it or waste any. If you don't finish everything you need to before the next scheduled cooking day, well then, it just means you've got more diversity to choose from. :)

As for items that I know freeze well:
Savory and hearty soups with clear broths (not milky) like beef stew, chicken and dumplings, Thai peanut soup, and many many more.
Carne adovada, one of my personal faves. If you want the recipe, let me know.
Crock pot items will be covered in another post, but often are very good frozen
Red rice and beans with turkey sausage
Roasted poultry
Roast beast
Broiled/roasted root vegetables

Let me know if you'd like specifics, I'd be happy to share.

Due to multiple requests, I am posting a couple recipes. These are as close as I can get to exact, anyone who's seen me cook knows that I can't be exact to save my soul. Okay fine, anyone who's seen me do much of anything knows I have a very...erm....fluid way of doing things. Note: all these recipes are meant to either serve 4+ or be frozen. Also, none of these are my own creations although they might have been tweaked some from their original sources. If I know where it came from exactly I will link, no intention of slight exists, if you find the reference please let me know so I can give credit where due. :)

Carne adovada:
4-5 lbs of roast beef, any type will do. I've even used flank steak and similar when it's on sale, since it slow cooks forever, it really just becomes a happy mush so those types that are usually more tough just really work as well.
2-3 cans of El Pato (you can find it in the Hispanic foods section, if it ends up too hot, substitute equal part tomato sauce)
2-3 cans of hatch or roasted green chiles (feel free to substitute equal quantities of fresh, I just get a little lazy)
1 can jalapenos (to taste, leave these out if you don't want it too hot)
1-2 T minced garlic (IMHO the more the better!!!!)
Salt to taste
Cayenne/black pepper to taste
2-3 t ground cumin
1/4 cup tequila (optional, but it adds a nice counterpoint)
1/2 minced onion (optional, it depends on my mood, sometimes I just don't feel like onions and they make my tummy hurt)

Remove the fat from the beef, the more lean the better to me. Leave anything within the grain unless it is larger than 1/4" in width/depth. Cut the beef into cubes and brown in a pan with the garlic. Drain the fat and put into slow cooker. Add all the other ingredients and stir. Put on medium-high for 4-8 hours or longer if you need to. Stir when you can, but doesn't need it more than every several hours. If you can only cook it for 4 hours, it might not have wholly become mush. If not, just use a spoon (I generally prefer wooden cooking implements, it's a preference) and squish the beef against the wall of the cooker, it will just shred and fall apart. If it's been longer, it probably could use some mushing anyway, but just tamp it down a little with your spoon, that should be all it needs. Serve with tortilla chips or as burrito/enchilada filling, salt to taste.

Coq au vin
Note: this won't be anywhere near as pretty as traditional coq au vin, and the sauce doesn't end up with that sugary stickiness that's kinda awesome, but it definitely does the trick.

4+ frozen/fresh chicken breasts. Don't need to be thawed if still frozen.
1/2 bottle or dry red like merlot, zin, cab...etc. The rest can be used to create a glaze for any side dish or just drink happily. Remember that if you can't drink the wine because it's horrible, it won't make any better of a cooking wine.
Garlic and more garlic, minced please. On that note, I cheat and use the pre-minced that comes in jars. No muss, no fuss. Probably about 2-3 T.
2 t ground thyme
2 cups (about) of chicken stock or vegetable stock. I never use boullion as I haven't had success with it as a consistent quality ingredient so always just get either the stuff in cartons, make my own or in cans.
1 can tomato sauce (some people like more tomato-y, I prefer to have the wine speak the loudest)
1 whole yellow onion, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Put the onions in a pan and cook until tender, I use about 2 T of olive oil to achieve this. Then put everything into the slow cooker and cook 6-8 hours. The chicken will far apart too easily, part of what makes it not as pretty, so be careful taking it out of the dish if presentation is a consideration. Then thicken the sauce, heat up a couple T of water, then mix in an equal part of cornstarch until it entirely dissolves. Put this solution into the liquid in the slow cooker, strain to get rid of chicken fats and little solid chicken bits that fell off, again, if presentation is a consideration. Otherwise pour to taste over chicken.


Mild green chile pork loin

3-4 lbs pork loin (or more, just increase quantities)
2 cans green/hatch chiles, for interest, I prefer the ones that are roasted for a more mellow flavor
3-4 t cumin
1-2 T minced garlic
1-2 C water
salt and pepper to taste

Place everything in the crock pot, cook for 4-6-8-? hours, whatever you have. Remove pork loin from liquid and enjoy. Note, I actually kinda like the liquid taste, so I generally reserve some of it and keep it with the pork. That way even reheating it stays extra extra moist. Stupid word, moist, but useful.


For soup recipes, the book I like I am still trying to find online, so bear with me a mite.

Saving Money #1: Flowers and vases

Due to underwhelming demand and overwhelming ideas...I've decided to begin a series on saving money in these trying times while still being able to enjoy yourself and maintain a lifestyle that allows for happiness and exploration. I hope you enjoy!

Saving Money #1: Flowers and vases
Even in these trying times, there are still birthdays, holidays, Mother's Day, dinners and about a million other occassions where the gift of flowers is still the social requirement. That being said, paying a florist to arrange for me a bouquet, mixed or single flower, has always galled me unless the issue is distance and I'm sending it from afar. Unless we are talking the highest of the high-end where the florists really are artists, I feel like there is not so much that the layperson florist can do that I can't. Research a little on the internet, visit their cooler and see what's interesting and happy at the moment, then work a little magic and voila! Save beaucoup bucks and end up with something more personalized and special. Martha Stewart has done countless articles on traditional hand-tied bouquets as well as the practice of creating it in the hand (completely useless for giant arrangements, but for your average small-medium one that you normally see and give, perfect!) to keep symmetry.

The flowers you choose also determine the cost to a great degree. Flowers, like all natural items have seasons and when in-season, are often infinitely more expensive than when they can only be hothouse grown. Do you just HAVE to have those lilacs in September? Expect to pay more and get lower-quality. Flowers are shipped from all over the world it's true, and actually getting somethign which is locally grown is only going to be possible at your farmer's market, and that even rarely. The only exemption to the relative cost difference is roses. They often are fairly statically priced except for around the traditional rose-giving holidays like Valentine's and Mother's Day, when they spike up exponentially. Instead of long-stemmed sweetheart red roses that she's seen over and again, why not try gorgeous spray roses in a myriad of colors, mix them with some alstromera for a backdrop and happiness is. Both pretty inexpensive but jubillant. Are orchids the thing, or callas? Again, while they are both breathtaking, often the expense is a bit prohibitive. Try either an orchid plant, it'll last longer, or taking a couple stems and mixing a dark or vibrantly colored orchid/calla set within an arrangement of small all-white flowers to off-set their unique beauty.

Saving money on the vase for presentation is also easy. It takes a little but more patience and forethought, but can be done. If you buy the vase at the florist or a craft store, you are often paying a premium for mass-produced items. Why not stock up whenever you find someone having a sale? Or when you find a bargain at a discount department store like Marshall's or TJMaxx? They often have high-end vases that maybe they only had one left of, or it's an odd color, or whatever that you can get for a song. A couple bucks and you have a stunning foundation on which to build your fanciful creation. Just pick them up whenever you see them and have a stable to choose from when it's time. Your recipient will appreciate not having to disturb the arrangement to place it in water, as well as the thoughtful augmentation of the beauty.

Another thing to pick up when you find them cheap in antique stores, second-hand stores or craft stores (becoming more scarce) are floral frogs. Simple to use and vital with heavier arrangements for keeping things in place, they are also a reminder of gentler times gone by.

More tips and tricks to come, but just remember: You were invited to someone's house for dinner they are especially preparing for you, why would you show your gratitude and affection by bringing a bottle of wine you'll drink half (at least!) of anyway?

Women's Clothing

To my women friends: Please email me your current bra size. Include your age and other normal measurements if you know them and feel so inclined.

Now, onto why. As most of you know, I have a personal war going with bra manufacturers. Hell, clothing manufacturers in general. I do not believe in the vanity sizing going on for one simple reason: I never know what size I wear unless I only shop at the same stores. And that frustrates and annoys me. Men's sizing is done by numbers that actually have meanings, like you know, measurements. So we had standard sizing, but then as we have gotten larger in all dimensions as Americans (I wish I only meant up!) we have tried to alleviate some of the psychological pain and trauma associated by making the sizes be smaller and smaller. I am not against women feeling good about themselves, hell no, it's just that the size of your clothing should not dictate how you feel about yourself...not to mention that it actually I think makes us look worse. Here's why.

A woman walks into a store. At the stores she normally shops at, let's say she wears an 8-10. Now at this store, they size a little differently. Say she's curvy but has a thin waist and they cut their clothing more straightly. So here she has to wear a 12-14...she gets angry and frustrated as she found a shirt she REALLY likes but won't wear the 12. So she buys the 10, thinking she'll squish into it and oh, maybe she's just having a fat day. She wears it but never feels good about how she looks and feels even more fat because of it and spirals from there. So not only does she end up not looking as good as she could since she is dressed in ill-fitting clothing, but she also feels like crap besides. This situation works for no one as she is now less likely to buy from that store again or even go in there, citing that their clothing 'just doesn't fit.'

Now, add too that women have just been getting larger and larger. I don't only mean outwards but also upwards. For example, my mom is 5'10" which isn't that tall these days but tall enough that she has continual sleeve and trouser leg problems and finding things that fit often takes precedence of EXACTLY what she wants because that just is impossible to find even if there were unlimited time and money...which just isn't the case for anyone. On the other end of the spectrum, I'm sort of shrimpy and finding pants that don't sag in my bottom or sleeves that begin to fit or bodice tops of shirts that aren't too long and just look sloppy is always annoying. Incidentally it's a bit easier for me because most places have genteel 'petite' sizing, and add to that my ability to sew most things with just a little modification I'm good to go. But still, the point is that people's bodies are custom-shaped, every time.

Now, specific angst re: bra manufacturers. So they have all these aforementioned problems with sizing but add another: no pair of breasts are the same. So there are a bazillionty natural variants of bra shapes and dynamics to support these most personal of figure aspects. But the darned sizing needs to be exact and moreover we need to have a full range of sizes offered to us. Now I understand the theories of retail stocks and inventories. I understand that just because I am a strange size doesn't mean they should carry all of their products in all sizes all the time. However, having a sample to try on and THEN sending someone to order via the internet does seem like a much more logical solution than sending your customers to the internet retail environment for an item which by its nature must be tried on.

Where does my collection of your sizing come in? Well you see, I'm on a mission. I've had enough of limited retail sizing so I want to do something about it. I don't know what the name for our little organization will be (taking suggestions, I'm horrible at naming things) but I do know that I want to show these retailers that the average American woman no longer has breasts of 34B exclusively. We have adorable pert 30A, some of us have friendly 32DD and some of us have fluffernutters of 40G. I don't care what you are, you deserve representation.

Legislative Powers

Hm.  So not very long ago we had King George I.  I harumphed and grumbled loudly at his and his branch's power grabs and interesting view on executive authority under the Constitution.  I make no bones about that, nor do I pretend to be someone else or someone who generally believes that the power dispersion is set that way for a reason: checks and balances.  Duh, I know, but moving on.  

So here we are today with all manners of hubbub (bub) about the extensions of rights the Treasury is trying to make to encompass not only strictly banks but also other manners of financial institutions within their purvey.  I believe strongly that they have a right to do so, even if the laws set forth in regards to this in the 30's/40's did not necessarily allow them these privileges.  Perhaps it is that I believe the whole banking/financial system has so fundamentally changed over the last 80 years that I believe that now these companies (AIG of course being the specific top name, but there are many many) really should be liable to similar structuring as banks themselves and these companies have so comprehensively taken over our lives in many ways that we are all affected by them.  Of course evidenced by the current economies.  

Again, more thoughts than anything.  I hate to be hypocritical and allow some to be expansionist while others I deny, but in this case I see less abuse potential than the denial of basic human rights or the insidious secretive snaking into peoples' lives.  So too, I see this as a necessary step in the evolution of our financial institutions.  They have changed drastically in this immediately post-industrial world and our regulatory systems don't seem to have kept up.

I'd be interested to hear from any of you economic minds out there or just thoughts.  As usual, most of you respond to me privately since you are all private people, but I still want to know.  

Coordinating -or- On Herding Adult Cats

The majority of my professional time these days is spent chasing my tail.  I'm actually not complaining, I guess I should say that I am pretty sure I've always been chasing my tail, it's just more obvious these days.  Coordinating people and projects is a passion, and I recognize that it isn't one everyone shares.  It's herding adult cats who have no interest in what you offer and are fairly busy with their own interests besides.  

This makes me happy.  Indulge me for a moment.  I like doing things that not everyone else likes to do, it's a strange sense of accomplishment.  I am not saying that I seek the things that are unpopular and specifically do those, it just feels like I always end up in the position of enjoying something that others do not.  Take for instance this whole schtick I've happily fallen into: the vast majority of my time is spent on the phone and emailing following up on things, searching for things, etc.  Then the occassional creative work to keep me happy and we're off again.  Very strange.

Nothing too earth-shattering today, just ponderings.

So the line is, "Every form of refuge has it's price," (courtesy of The Eagles) and I can't help but wonder if that's one of those unfortunately too true statements. Actually, before I begin analyzing this, perhaps I should explain for my dear readers who are unfamiliar with my concept.

Statements which are too true are those which are too true are those which are made and although possibly made as a jest, or made as a statement of fact, reverberate more deeply into our little souls than the speaker intended. Instances of these in my own life include pretty much everything I've said that causes too much pondering after the fact and you lot have noticed my chagrin. For instance, the other day I was talking with someone about Orion and said something to the effect of that it's because of him I saw this last year through. Then I turned around and thought about it again and again and again afterwards and hugged my little bear with all my might once I got to him. It's those statements which one makes off-the-cuff often that turn into fodder for extended thought. Clear as mud?

Now, back to the point. I'm not going to lie, I've run away from things in my life. I also think everyone has but my fight or flight pretty much always means flight. There is one pivotal situation where I fought and fought well past the point I ought to have, but infinitely more often than that I flee. I get bored, I get anxious, I get wanderlust...all these things. At this point I've tried very hard to analyze my motivations before I do something and make sure I understand the why of it, but that doesn't mean sometimes I don't want to run away. I also pretty much think that's a natural thinking person's reponse so it doesn't trouble me in and of itself. What does though, is the possibility of fleeing to a refuge that turns into a cage.

To some extent, I think we all run to what we think is safe. We all construct air castles in our heads and then try to effect them in our lives. Again, not a problem. But you have to know the cost of the castle you are building and the effect it'll have on your own life. I guess this is what I think about a lot when I analyze a situation I want to put myself into: will moving/loving/puppy/new client/whatever make me pay a price for it that is more dear than I can pay? Is the cost of being without it more than I can bear too?

(if you made it this far, Ian and Juliuli, this is what the tattoo question was about and no I won't)

Here's to looking for your refuge, and hoping it isn't costly.

Puppies, fairytales and things.

I am a firm believer that people need a focus. Now, for most of us that is our family, our jobs, our dreams, whatever. But I do believe everyone has a central theme in their life and sort of fall into a couple categories. Bear with me as I explain these, and then you hopefully will see why I think it's important to understand these motivations of self. Quite probable that we are all some of each, just in different proportions, but you'll understand my drift.

People-centric. These are the lovers. They might be introverts or extroverts, (polite cough inserted here) but either way they live to love. People might be their family or friends that they make their family, but it gives them a great deal of happiness and satisfaction just to give affection. It makes them feel accepted and like their life has some importance if there are people for them to love. In the absence of people to love, they tend to become withdrawn and unmotivated. These people are me.

Goal-centric. These people have things to do. They very directly have things they must get done in this life and nothing will stand in their way. I thought I was one of these people for a long time, much to my detriment. This still comprises a good deal of my functionality, but it is not who my soul is or how I keep going day in and out.

Thing-centric. Okay okay, so most of you probably read that and think I am being mean and going to deride this, but that's not the case. This discussion is not about people of mean spirit, (note: I mean that in the sense of having a spirit that is less than on its way to enlightenment, a spirit that is not on the path to understanding itself, one that is basal, not mean in the sense of the evil or malevolent overtone) but just about different sets of people as self-actualized as can be. Back to the point. These are people for whom the acquisition and investigation of things can be its own end. I understand this the least but I've seen some people capable of deriving pure pleasure out of things: understanding their mechanics or enjoying their benefits or enjoying the possibilities they offer...etc. These are not inherent things of the items themselves but rather can act as catalysts for these individual, tools, if you will.

Now, I can't say that I do or ever will understand EVERYTHING about anyone, including myself. However, understanding these basic motivations is a very useful tool in helping you to understand how you can best snuggle someone you care about.

Case in point: I only just over the weekend watched someone I care very deeply about find her focus again. I don't mean she had lost it, but hadn't obviously had it in her life for some time. She got a puppy and I watched all of her loving personality bubble up to the surface and just cascade out of her. For reasons we all have from time to time, she had been holding back her love (and she's one of the first sort) looking for a repository, and KABAM! here it was. In the form of a small cuddly baby pup. Puppy for the win.

I think this is actually what fairytales are all about. We have things we are seeking in this life, and when we find them it's almost like the stars align and Prince Charming is Sean Connery and we are all happy. It's finding whatever your proverbial pot of gold is, and then making sure to keep it as long as you are able. For me, his name is Orion. He'll let me give him all the love I have to give and not complain. Mainly because he can't speak and has no thumbs to run away, but hey, let's not split hairs. Some day I'll have more, I know that. But for now, this is enough, it's enough. (for full understanding of the last statement, see 'Love Actually')

Meeting people

I love people. I love listening to people tell me their stories, I love talking to people...maybe less so sharing mine but it's all the same. Doesn't matter if it's a streetwalker in Brisbane who seemed to have s0omething going on in her eyes that caught my attention or the guy sitting next to me at my wine bar where there are NO strangers, I just have to know. This being said, I'm sort of reserved. I feel like most of the people who are people persons like me have less of a consideration to what other people are thinking or how they are coming across...or more likely that they just care less. Whichever way it is, the fact remains that I am often stymied into silence or smiling and nodding because I am afraid to seem as foolish as I think I will come off as.

Now most of you are saying, is this our Rhiannon? Our Rhiannon who does pretty much what she believes and thinks all the time and marches to not her own drummer but her own jazz combo? Yes, yes it is. Usually if you will notice in conversation with me (Tammy, Dad, and Stu you don't count so just hush) I don't share too much personal data. I've been working on changing that over the last several years as that ONE big life-changing event brought to my attention that this unfortunately has the side-effect of concealing things which should be publicly aired and mended. Anyway, back to the point.

So for my occupation, I very specifically am in a position where I speak with new people all the time and I like doing that. I like the small social interactions and the surface discussions, it's just those that require something more soulful to be bared that I shy from . What I think is that these soul-interactions and their relative frequency is actually coming to fore more because of the internet and the changing, immediate ways in which we are now communicating. Doesn't make sense? Think of it this way. When you snail mail wrote your lover who was gone to war, did you want to waste his time on the vaguaries of your existence, and waste his mental space on the whimsy of your mood? Probably not. You thought things out a little bit more, because you wouldn't be able to just take back what you said or change it for clarification two seconds later. When calling long-distance was costly, did you move a zillion miles away from those you love, and then have a spat over nothing via an instant messenger that was really all built on a misunderstanding due to the impersonal nature of IMing? Or one of my personal favorites, did you decide you knew your soul friend without ever meeting them or actually speaking with them and all your communications were digital?

Hardly. These communicative tools (that's what they are, people, just remember that) were created and have helped us get things done and simultaneously procrastinate, and keep and make our relationships stronger. But what they've also done is allow many people like me who get apprehensive when on too personal footing have a little crutch that they can use to keep from having to give up too much information and too much of their little souls. So all around us, especially those in technical fields, people have these strange relationships that are absolutely something new. E-friends are a classification in and of themselves, akin to pen pals but often much more deeply rooted and definitely more frequent in contact, but often lacking that basal mutual trust as the shared experiences just aren't there. I have some e-friends I've literally been talking to over a decade whom I've never met and don't know if I intend to. They know a lot about the details of me, but without those base shared experiences and the trial of just face-to-face communication I wouldn't say that they know my soul.

Now, those things being said I'll expound upon the virtues and usefulness of e-friends and electronic communications and tools for communication and relationships. But just right now I am feeling lonely, with my soulpieces far away, and let me think on this.

Partial mystery solved....

As many of you are aware, my sassylassy at thatoneawesomecompany dot come address has gotten numerous messages for someone other than me. I had thought for some time that they were all for the same person but come to find out they are not. Well, at least once I found that person she denies the more interesting ones and I have no probable reason to disbelieve her.

Sigh. I really wanted to know who this person with the MUCH MORE interesting life than mine own was....tant pis, peut-être un autre fois...

The Taxman Cometh

My name is Rhiannon Rawling, and I like numbers.

So when I was in school, I thought 1) I sucked at math and 2) I hated math. Come to find out once I started Physics my junior year I love things that make sense, and abstraction in the realm of abstraction never does to me. I just always wanted to know why and how, not just 'here nyou go, this is how it is.' There has to be some grounding in conceivable reality and then it's clear as mud. Not saying I am elegant in my thinking, nor that this is unusual, merely that it explains...

....why I might be the only one who likes to do taxes. I like pulling my file out and adding up the numbers and filling them in. It just is a sense of accomplishment to make all the little numbers play together to equal one of my favorite things...money. Well, favorites as a useful tool to get the things I really like, you know, like kibble.

Social sites as networking tools

It interests me a mite too much how possibly useful networking sites might be to companies now that they have evolved past MySpace. It has been documented again and again how inter-generationally Facebook is being used, and now with Twitter augmenting our blogosphere...the sheer opportunities out there are endless.

Some companies are already well taking advantage of these tools, articles are being written and professional marketers the world over are examining new ways to network themselves and their clients best with these tools and still maintain the confidentiality and privacy required to operate business effectively. What really interests me about this is how it also builds accountability into the system. Way back when I was in school, (I'd say get off my lawn but I live in the desert) we learned about how free-market capitalism thrives by having the social needs of the populace taken care of by the various religious organizations, special interest organizations, and yes, by companies taking care of their employees. We saw that fall apart time and again, and the government stepping in to fill that role...regardless of the country.

Now, I wonder. We have a tool which allows us to easily communicate with one another and to large groups of people quickly, almost instantaneously. We saw this used throughout the last election here in the US to disseminate vital information and completely useless information moment to moment. (While it is interesting to me how much Cindy McCain's ensembles cost, I can't say I felt it was useful election information) Companies now are doing this, and being held accountable by it. Most obviously, the individuals, companies and organizations which donated to Prop 8 in California were called out by a group of social networkers. This leads me to believe that this sort of communication can be used as the converse of this and with the organization itself promoting itself and its thoughts and its beliefs (look, if a corporation has nearly the same legal rights as a person anyway, this isn't much of a stretch) rather than the pithy one-line 'corporate culture' statement of yore.

While I don't look to see too many taking part in a grand diaspora of information...it would be to their advantage to post things relevant to their sectors and get a following of people interested in their product and moreover the solutions/advantages that it can offer. Looking forward to new developments, as always.

Alcohol-free fun

I decided to give up drinking for awhile, no, not 'I'll never drink again, I can't believe I did that to myself!' But just 'Hey, I think it's time for a good body detox, ingest less meaningless calories, and spend less money on something I don't need.' So this weekend was my first over-weekend of it, and I think it went smashingly.

Friday night just stayed in and watched a couple girlie movies (yes, Boogie Nights counts as girlie) and was going to go over to a girlfriend's house and hang out but she was basking in me-time and I wasn't going to interrupt that for all the tea in China. Little desire to socially drink anything, although the beautiful tawny port that I had gotten myself to imbibe in over Superbowl was waving at me a little bit. Not too strongly though, so yay!

Saturday daytime was FULL! Went hiking in the morning, Silly Mountain with Erin and Orion and his sniffer was in overdrive. Such a shock, I know. It's just gorgeous weather around here, a bit chilly but the sun is shining in overdrive and I could still hike in long pants and shirtsleeves so that is good enough for me. Then to the puppy park with a picnic lunch, Orion got humped by a strange Shiba Inu and was none too pleased about it. Home for a nap then futzing around getting laundry and such done before I went over to some friends' for a party. Fantastic party, danced until the wee hours to everything from some good oldies, some swing, techno and trance, 80's kitsch...you name it we had it. Amazing what iPods and iPhones can be used for now. They had a hookup into their sound system so we all just had a turn as the night went on. I brought a couple bottles of 'kid's wine,' sparkling apple and sparkling grape and was a happy little camper. Came home and crash landed.

Sunday got up, made a quiche (and yes I admit thought about how phenom it would be with one of my mimosas or hibiscuses) then went over to the Asymmetric offices to finish a product photo shoot for my solar panels to homogenize their looks, didn't get home til nearly 7, wolfed some food down then went to see Coraline 3D. It was good....but, I guess not as spectacular for me as some people thought it was. I thought it was really neat and if it hadn't been hyped so much I probably would have enjoyed it more as I would have had lesser expectations. Meh. Came home, worked with the images digitally, sent a couple work emails and crashland. That was my weekend, I'm curious how much time will pass before it is no longer a habit to have a drink here and there all the time......

Video

So the video is very much a work in progress. My theme is/was/were a search all over for the beauties of the Great Barrier Reef. I did the intro today by the pool in my wetsuit with my finnies on, and started putting it all together. I chose 'Octopus' Garden' by The Beatles as the music doing a voice-over for the rest.

I'm a little frustrated though...I had these visions in my head of something marvelous...and it just looks...common. Sigh. Keep working tomorrow.

Drug-laced dreams

I've had a cold for what seems like forever, but it's really just that it keeps coming and going. Fine, I can handle that. Well I had a fever again last night so on top of my Mucinex with sudafed in it (maximum strength time-release, woo hoo!) I decided to take Tylenol Cold PM. Well, I knew the risk I was running...any of those make me loopy and if I don't pass out quickly the probability of bed spins and basically hallucinations is high. That's okay, usually that's kinda fun.

Last night I had none of these. I watched some Firefly, or at least had it on with my eyes open but I can't really say I was watching it...then decided to just give up the ghost and sleep. Well that worked well for awhile, but then I heard voices. Now, when I say 'heard' I don't mean like heard with my ears. That's the strange part. I mean, they were parrying and whirling around one another in my head like the dancing hippopotamuses from Fantasia. What I was actually listening to was my roomates having a conversation, but I didn't grasp that til this morning when I woke up tittering at the images in my head.

Fun times, fun times.

iPhone. Stupid annoying frustrating angry-making iPhone you have....waitaminnit. I like my iPhone: I love love love the interface, love the apps, love the ease of use. So what's my beef?

The service. I've been with Sprint always, and while their customer service leaves so incredibly much to be desired that really whenever I think of poor customer service they are my template. However, the actual phone service was always functional to me. Few dropped calls, and fewer disturbances once connected. Now, with my iPhone, I get feedback all the time, echoes, (if you've ever listened to yourself talk on the phone, it is categorically an unpleasant experience) and it feels like I drop one of every four calls. So AT&T, is it your end of the bargain that is not being upheld?

Step it up, I am getting angry.

Dinner Parties and Success

I had the exceptional honor of being invited this past Saturday to a friends' place for a dinner party. The food, the conversation, the hosts...all were exceptional. I've come to realize that with these people, there really is no possibility but that they will succeed and everyone they are with with always have a fantastic time.

There seem to be these people in the world as rare glimmering points of light: these people who just are effusive and generous in their affections and act as beacons of light to the rest of us. To me, these seem to be the most successful of all. This will be my homage to the light-bringers of the world, the extroverts or at least those who act in that manner. This will be my thank-you.

Thank you for sharing your hearts. I've never figured out if it is that you know what it is like to be lonely, and that is why you are so open with your affections, or if it is simply that you know a thing or two without having had the pain but whatever it is, thank you.

Thank you for learning the nesting arts. You light-bringers always seem to have warm and comfortable surroundings and manners that engage and relax. There is a vitality to your nests like a heartbeat that encapsulates those you take within and make calm.

Thank you for the goodies. Okay, this one is mainly because my palate and tummy are a great deal of how I think and perceive things, but thank you for always knowing that a hungry soul sometimes has a hungry body as well that resists icky manna. Yes, icky.

Thank you for making each individual in the crowd believe he or she are special and especially necessary to the success of the gathering. This might seem to be an encompassing comment rather than a specific tell of what you do, but it is not. You take the time each time with each guest to introduce them to the others in your nest, and to make sure that they know they are special to you by word and action.

This is a form of love, a facet of care that not many can be capable.