Chris' mom Jan handmade me a pair of mittens from Salvation Army sweaters, I love them! (Mine are the blue/gray) and she's working on loads more in other colors. I wish I had that Martha Stewart gene, but I can't even color within the lines of a coloring book.
One of the best lessons I've learned my whole life, I learned this year, and that's that down time doesn't have to get you down. Earlier this year when my job was eliminated, I wasn't sure exactly how the coming year would play out, but I had been expecting the news for three months or so, and I knew anything was better than the waiting to hear.
About a month after I was "let go", I emailed Women's Bean Project, a non-profit I've always liked in Denver, to see what kinds of volunteer opportunities they had. I was impressed that for a relatively small-staffed entity, the Bean Project has their volunteer ducks in a row.
They asked me to join the Communications Council, a small group of women who help with media, marketing and communications projects. At most we each dedicate about one day a week of our time. I also have worked at a handful of art fairs on the weekends, selling the WBP products (bean soups, spice packets, dips and salsas, cookie mixes, coffee beans, jelly beans) which is fun and easy. Everything makes a great gift idea, and people (including myself!) are quickly sold after one taste of the chocolate covered espresso beans. Women's Bean Project's goal is to give women from backgrounds of chronic poverty in Denver job training, life skills and work experience in the food industry, but they also have given me (their mere volunteer!) good work experience while I'm unemployed, and something unusual to speak to interviewers about. I'm beyond grateful that this mutually beneficially opportunity intersected my life at the right time.
I've also met an incredible amount of interesting people throughout my job search, many who when they call to tell me they're proceeding with another candidate, have genuinely and generously offered to keep an eye out for opportunities in their own network for me.
Last week I met with a small group of volunteers that make up a Young Professionals Council for Make-A-Wish Foundation who invited me to join their council next year. This opportunity wouldn't have come into my life if I hadn't interviewed at Make-A-Wish earlier this year. My favorite thing about this org is their mission, that's so eloquently put: "To enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy".
So jobless or not, things are really working out for the best and lately I feel entirely grateful. I wish you all to have as much to be grateful for as I do, both this year and in the new year.
It really pains me that so many companies are coming out with the cutest reusable tote bags now when we all already have too many of the cheap and ugly 99 cent ones from Safeway, etc. Actually I use a couple of LL Bean XL boat totes for my groceries which are an investment up front, but like everything from Bean, guaranteed for life, so sturdy and so practical.
The best totes I've spotted yet, however, turn into a floppy eared rabbit when not in use as a bag! Everything should be this cute. Of course if we lived in Japan, everything would be this cute.
It's kinda funny that I've been unemployed three-quarters of a year and the biggest problem I have is I can't get my iPod under 30 Gigs. I keep adding more music I find at the library and in spite of having oodles of time to delete and shore it up, I'm still about 1,000 songs over what fits. (Sigh).
In realer news, for those of you not reading my twitter or facebook rants, please make sure you read HALF THE SKY. I read a lot about global issues and women's movements but even just the introduction to this book profoundly affected my understanding of the issues at hand threatening women and girls globally. I just had no idea how enormous the gender discrimination still is.
Yikes, I have been neglecting my blog! Damn you, Facebook, you've got me abbreviating everything and writing in little blurbs. Here's some photos and notes from the last few months. I usually don't talk about weather this much but this year has been an odd ball.
Lessee... in August I flew out to visit two new additions to my college dormmate family, Luba's new twin boys, Caleb and Gideon. This trip was an obvious lesson in how accustomed I am to Colorado's dryness because we were walking around D.C. in 98 degree weather and 98 percent humidity which I couldn't shut up about. I found myself taking a freezing cold shower for a good five minutes at night before I could even begin to cool down. I also learned that if I move to Virginia, my preferred vanity license plate is already taken.
Monterey had the most unbelievably perfect weather while I reunited with bff Stephenie in September. Those of you who know Monterey know a fogless week is practically impossible, but we had one, even all the way down in Pebble Beach. Coincidentally my British cousin Katie who I hadn't seen in 10 years was also in town and readily available to go kayaking where we spotted quite a few otters and just sat there watching them in "aww". Add on the Greek Festival and lots of spare time to walk on the beach and laugh w/ Step, on top of the outrageously warm days, and the trip was one of the highlights of my year.If you click on the otter picture, he's definitely either picking his nose or giving me the finger. He's probably sick of being cute for tourists. Jacque the shrimp from Finding Nemo is apparently alive and well at MB Aquarium.You might think at first this is seaweed but the two yellow and dark green things in the center of the picture are in fact sea dragons -- similar to sea horses but incognito.sunset after dinner from my parents' balcony family all together & orangey for the christmas card...My mom and her adorable friend and student, Yu Jin, who she's been tutoring for a couple years.Denver's first dusting of snow around October 1, on some cubist bears at Northfield Stapleton mall. They look alive to me.So many cold days, so many tea choices. I love blueberry tea, ROT's Comfort & Joy (aptly named), and a homemade rose tea which I'm concocting these days from Savory Spice Shop rose petals. I've also been meaning to try Denver's new brand, Teatulia.Mom and her friend Kathy came for a 24 hour visit en route to Aspen for the annual J.D. Festival in October.Chris and I caught up with the critters, including baby mountain goats (kids?), at the Denver Zoo on his birthday, 10/17.On October 29th we were hit with a steady 48 hours of snow coming down which amounted to at least 24 inches in Littleton. The air was just cold enough to freeze, but surfaces were warm enough that snow slipped off in odd drooping shapes which resembled frosted gingerbread houses (at least the sloppy kind that I make). Our staircase looked like someone draped streamers on it. The air conditioners looked like Mario Brothers characters.The roofs had four, five, six, seven feet of snow at times hanging over the ledge but not falling off. I've never quite seen anything like it.Our trees were pretty and the neighbor's snowman perfect. The two days were lots of fun with the dog, though Chris was out in San Diego for business and missed it all!In mid-October, Kate came to Denver for a visit and we spread the love at a couple art museums, lots of small-end city shopping, and the New Belgium Brewery in Ft. Collins. outside Denver Public Library, Kate color coordinated well with the civic centery artinside Denver Art Museum, we caught local artists in the process of finishing the latest "Embrace" exhibit. Our favorite thing was Rex Ray's Discolaria at Denver's Museum of Contemporary Art, a few pictures here. It's plain to tell Rex Ray's colorful collage technique has huge potential for success in commercial art (and of course, he has already been extremely successful), he was the guest editor of Coppola's Zoetrope magazine this month, he has stationery through Chronicle Books, and if I may suggest, the raindrop pattern below would sell great on just about anything(dresses, placemats, shower curtains, pillow cases) if he were to partner with Target next. Just a thought, Rex.The last day we visited Folly headquarters, New Belgium Brewery, which I swear, every time I visit there nearly convinces me I've got to move up to Ft. Collins. What a cool and unusual place. Every employee has their own limited edition NB bike. 99 bottles of beer on the ceiling, 99 bottles of beer...Kate doesn't quite have the foot photography down yet, but I give her super snaps for giving it a shot... : ) mine...The tour ends in a helter skelter slide if you're lucky and get one of the cool tour guides.Below, a super sour Belgian beer known as "La Follie" which is brewed in gigantic 2-story wine barrels, that true Beeristas admire but made us pucker... and caused us to laugh uncontrollably, maybe the seven samples were sinking in.The beers on tap vary wildly each time I've been to New Belgium in the past year, including always-different limited time "Lips of Faith" flavors designed by employees at an annual contest. This one was a Dandelion un-hopped beer which after enough sips, Kate took home in a growler! Last but not least, a few photos of Derby's park in our neighborhood whose colors seemed unusually spectacular this year but maybe it's just my perspective from having a lot of days off this year. As I type this now, Colorado just came off a week of 70 degree days and yet at the moment, it's snowing in white fuzzy clumps like a Christmas card and we're expecting at least six inches by morning. The dog is sitting at my feet eager to go out for some play but mostly he'll do nothing but gulp it down.
clothes drying in the snow
me in my new blue Christmas coat and somebody's rogue monkey in the window behind me... Meg's chilling in the snow in the reflection
One of the best lessons I've learned my whole life, I learned this year, and that's that down time doesn't have to get you down. Earlier this year when my job was eliminated, I wasn't sure exactly how the coming year would play out, but I had been expecting the news for three months or so, and I knew anything was better than the waiting to hear.
About a month after I was "let go", I emailed Women's Bean Project, a non-profit I've always liked in Denver, to see what kinds of volunteer opportunities they had. I was impressed that for a relatively small-staffed entity, the Bean Project has their volunteer ducks in a row.
Women's Bean Project's goal is to give women from backgrounds of chronic poverty in Denver job training, life skills and work experience in the food industry, but they also have given me (their mere volunteer!) good 
work experience while I'm unemployed, and something unusual to speak to interviewers about. I'm beyond grateful that this mutually beneficially opportunity intersected my life at the right time.
volunteers that make up a Young Professionals Council for Make-A-Wish Foundation who invited me to join their council next year. This opportunity wouldn't have come into my life if I hadn't interviewed at Make-A-Wish earlier this year. My favorite thing about this org is their mission, that's so eloquently put: "To enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy".
Monterey had the most unbelievably perfect weather while I reunited with bff Stephenie in September. Those of you who know Monterey know a fogless week is practically impossible, but we had one, even all the way down in Pebble Beach. Coincidentally my British cousin Katie who I hadn't seen in 10 years was also in town and readily available to go kayaking where we spotted quite a few otters and just sat there watching them in "aww". Add on the Greek Festival and lots of spare time to walk on the beach and laugh w/ Step, on top of the outrageously warm days, and the trip was one of the highlights of my year.
If you click on the otter picture, he's definitely either picking his nose or giving me the finger. He's probably sick of being cute for tourists.
Jacque the shrimp from Finding Nemo is apparently alive and well at MB Aquarium.
You might think at first this is seaweed but the two yellow and dark green things in the center of the picture are in fact sea dragons -- similar to sea horses but incognito.
sunset after dinner from my parents' balcony
family all together & orangey for the christmas card...
My mom and her adorable friend and student, Yu Jin, who she's been tutoring for a couple years.
Denver's first dusting of snow around October 1, on some cubist bears at Northfield Stapleton mall. They look alive to me.
So many cold days, so many tea choices. I love blueberry tea, ROT's Comfort & Joy (aptly named), and a homemade rose tea which I'm concocting these days from Savory Spice Shop rose petals. I've also been meaning to try Denver's new brand, Teatulia.
Mom and her friend Kathy came for a 24 hour visit en route to Aspen for the annual J.D. Festival in October.
Chris and I caught up with the critters, including baby mountain goats (kids?), at the Denver Zoo on his birthday, 10/17.
On October 29th we were hit with a steady 48 hours of snow coming down which amounted to at least 24 inches in Littleton. The air was just cold enough to freeze, but surfaces were warm enough that snow slipped off in odd drooping shapes which resembled frosted gingerbread houses (at least the sloppy kind that I make).
Our staircase looked like someone draped streamers on it. The air conditioners looked like Mario Brothers characters.
The roofs had four, five, six, seven feet of snow at times hanging over the ledge but not falling off. I've never quite seen anything like it.
Our trees were pretty and the neighbor's snowman perfect. The two days were lots of fun with the dog, though Chris was out in San Diego for business and missed it all!
In mid-October, Kate came to Denver for a visit and we spread the love at a couple art museums, lots of small-end city shopping, and the New Belgium Brewery in Ft. Collins.
outside Denver Public Library, Kate color coordinated well with the civic centery art
inside Denver Art Museum, we caught local artists in the process of finishing the latest "Embrace" exhibit.
Our favorite thing was Rex Ray's Discolaria at Denver's Museum of Contemporary Art, a few pictures here.
It's plain to tell Rex Ray's colorful collage technique has huge potential for success in commercial art (and of course, he has already been extremely successful), he was the guest editor of Coppola's Zoetrope magazine this month, he has stationery through Chronicle Books, and if I may suggest, the raindrop pattern below would sell great on just about anything (dresses, placemats, shower curtains, pillow cases) if he were to partner with Target next. Just a thought, Rex.
The last day we visited Folly headquarters, New Belgium Brewery, which I swear, every time I visit there nearly convinces me I've got to move up to Ft. Collins. What a cool and unusual place.
Every employee has their own limited edition NB bike.
99 bottles of beer on the ceiling, 99 bottles of beer...
Kate doesn't quite have the foot photography down yet, but I give her super snaps for giving it a shot... : ) 
mine...
The tour ends in a helter skelter slide if you're lucky and get one of the cool tour guides.
Below, a super sour Belgian beer known as "La Follie" which is brewed in gigantic 2-story wine barrels, that true Beeristas admire but made us pucker... and caused us to laugh uncontrollably, maybe the seven samples were sinking in.
The beers on tap vary wildly each time I've been to New Belgium in the past year, including always-different limited time "Lips of Faith" flavors designed by employees at an annual contest. This one was a Dandelion un-hopped beer which after enough sips, Kate took home in a growler!
Last but not least, a few photos of Derby's park in our neighborhood whose colors seemed unusually spectacular this year but maybe it's just my perspective from having a lot of days off this year. 
As I type this now, Colorado just came off a week of 70 degree days and yet at the moment, it's snowing in white fuzzy clumps like a Christmas card and we're expecting at least six inches by morning. The dog is sitting at my feet eager to go out for some play but mostly he'll do nothing but gulp it down.