Vingettes from a Work Picnic

Yesterday we had our annual summer picnic at my lovely workplace.  Some stories:

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Pam and Faye. They sit next to each other. Faye and Pam.  They do very similar jobs.   Pam and Faye. They both talk alot about their grand kids. Faye and Pam. I see them clearly in my mind's eye, but I get their names confused. ALL THE TIME.

I was in charge of a craft activity so I was talking to alot of people and kind of distracted.  I called Pam by the name of Faye twice.  The third person in their section, Joan, said:

"Do all Black people look alike to you?  Can't you tell the difference.  I can tell all you white people apart!"

Joan is my bud, and I always remember her name because I call her Joni Mitchell or Joan Crawford.  I have other coworkers I call by celebrity names. She was joking, but I believe there's always a little truth in jokes. 

My response was "That's so racist."

NPR "That's Racist" 

I'd heard this story on the radio the night before, so that explains my response to Joan. The story plays a clip of a 30 Rock episode in which Liz Lemon thinks Tracey Morgan can't read.  When she confronts him because he was faking illiteracy to get away from the office, he says that assuming he, a black man, was illiterate was racist.  Absolutely hilarious.

More lovely work stories to come.  Next up bottom pinching.

Swell Season Documentary

I'll start off by saying I'm privileged to live near the American Film Institute in Silver Spring, Maryland. I've seen Hollywood classics, remastered film noir,  features by obscure French directors, and South American horror flicks.

One of the AFIs best offerings is the SilverDocs festival.  Last night I attended the encore showing of The Swell Season.  From the SilverDocs press release:

Directed by Nick August-Perna, Carlo Mirabella-Davis and Chris Dapkins, The Swell Season follows musicians Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, Oscar winners for their song "Falling Slowly" from Once, on a two-year tour.

The black-and-file was beautifully shot, and there are nice scenes of Glen with his dog.

I wished it explored the dissolution of the relationship between Glen and Marketa more.  In an interview Marketa talks about how, in the beginning, she followed Glen's lead, adopting his opinions on certain things.  She felt it was time for her to have her own take and more independence. There are a few scenes in which the couple argues.  But if you compare their handling of the relationship to Glen's frankness about his father's alcoholism, it makes the omission all the more striking.  It's their prerogative to keep private information private, but it just left me wondering.

See this movie if you are a big fan of Swell Season or a big fan of behind-the-scenes tour movies. Otherwise, wait for Netflix.

Via

My Good Qualities

1. Humor
2. Physical Health
3. Good Work Ethic
4. Take good care of my dogs
5. Sensitive to animals and others
6. Creative
7. Intelligent
8. Learning Espanol
9. Inquisitive
10. Pay attention to detail
11. Handy around the house
12. Environmentally conscious
13. Frugal
14. Self-sufficient
15. Loyal
16. Trustworthy
17. Committed
18. Explorer
19. Sometimes a risk taker
20. Kind

Boys For Pele

This weekend I listened to Boys for Pele for the first time in over a year.  What pure genius.  The layering of sound, the composition, the changes of tempo, the intricate melodies, the unexpected.  I wonder how one person can come up with this, what force of the universe channeled through her brain and out her hands.

Look Alikes: Christina Hendricks and Peter Paige

Best known as Emmett Honeycut on Queer as Folk and Joan Holloway on Mad Men, I've noticed a resemblance between these two.  The looks their characters give and the chin dimple are what does it for me.

Via

Via

The Tiniest of the Tiny Toads

I found this critter in my backyard.  It was the size of my thumbnail. It strongly disapproved of the whole situation.

Saana

This word came to me in a dream. It is a natural feature of Finland.

A view to Saana and Ala-Kilpisjärvi from the Finnish national road 21 (E8) near Muotkatakka on a frosty day in 2009 February. By Ximonic, Simo Räsänen (Own work)

Does my future hold a climb in Finland?

A Year Later

About a year ago I checked myself into the hospital for treatment of major depressive disorder.  I was in the hospital for 6 days and the out-patient program for almost 2 months. I've struggled with dysthymia and depression since my elementary school years. However in mid 2010, it got to the point I was not able to function.

I feel like I've walked through the fire and come out the other side. Even though I've technically been an adult for over 15 years, I felt like a girl or a "young adult."  Now I feel like a woman with a spine of steel and strength to take on life.

I wanted to celebrate a year of hard work getting myself back on the good path, dealing with painful issues, and learning (slowly) to love myself.  I really don't need any more material possessions.  I have just about everything I want.  I also didn't want to throw a party.  That's just too much work. I've decided to give gifts to the people who have been there for me over the past year:

Coworkers L and D:  A dinner lunch at Joe's Crab Shack on me (done)

Coworker B:  A 16 x 20 framed print of one of my photos (three horses in a field of buttercups) (done)

Former Boss B and his family: A minor league baseball game on me (done.  the evening included a corndog, ice cream, caramel popcorn, a few near misses with foul balls and dozens and dozens of crotch grabs)

Mother: A hummingbird statue for her collection

Hospital Outpatient Program: A box of art supplies so the current patients do not have to make due with crappy colored pencils

My current therapist: A hearty "Thank You" during a session (done)

My current psychiatrist: Another hearty "Thank You"

Friend A: Ultra Juice Green powder.  Well, I'll give him something else too.  I gave him the power because I couldn't hack it.  I'm on the capsules instead.

I'm glad to celebrate this way!