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August 31, 2005
Banff it up
Last week Ted, Naomi, Isabel and I flew to Banff for Steve and Nhadine's wedding. Whenever I would tell people I was going to Banff, they invariably said one of two things:
1) Oh, it's so beautiful there.
2) Oh, I hear it's so beautiful there.
And guess what I'm going to say from now on? Because it really is stunning -- Tahoe and Yosemite pale in comparison. These pictures don't do it justice, but here they are anyway.
One of the best parts about the weekend is that we got to share a chalet at the hotel with Rebecca and Brett. Besides the general chalet cachet, we scored a full kitchen, daily breakfast guests and fluffy bathrobes. One morning our friend Gillian taught Isabel what a bear says (hint: it's a lot like what a lion says, but with hand motions).
The wedding itself was amazing -- in a meadow with mountains everywhere. Steve set a new bar for future grooms by writing a beautiful (but not sappy) song to surprise Nhadine. We love you, Tender Steve!
The reception was not too shabby either. Open bar: check. Vegetarian feast: check. Goofy speeches: check. Lionel Richie conga line: check!
Posted by emily at 3:26 PM | Comments (2)
August 22, 2005
Cheerio, mate!
My new favorite thing, to amuse Mark but mostly myself, is to try to work British words and expressions into my everyday conversation. After one disc of "Footballer's Wives," I might even be getting the hang of it. See example below.
Yesterday Ted, Naomi and I headed to Alameda to see if there was any sun shining across the Bay. Ha! Not bloody likely. Isabel, at least, got some serious park time with her friends Kelsa and Sydney.
Posted by emily at 2:42 PM | Comments (2)
August 19, 2005
The coldest winter
The point is not whether it was really Mark Twain who first said "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco." The point is, it has been freakin' freezing for what seems like weeks. It's better than an East Coast heat wave -- I think -- but it's really getting me down.
Oh well... I'm taking next week off of work, so that should make my outlook, if not my actual physical environment, much sunnier.
Posted by emily at 11:40 AM
August 18, 2005
The Topper
The last couple of days "Dilbert" has featured a character named The Topper -- anything you say, he can top it. I love The Topper!
Click on cartoon for bigger image.
Posted by emily at 1:51 PM | Comments (1)
August E.M.
Back to The Attic, with a vengeance.
Posted by emily at 10:20 AM
August 17, 2005
Bumper stickers
I've never been a bumper sticker person. I am certainly against them aesthetically, but I don't usually like the content either. The messages always seem to be too braggy (My Child Is An Honor Student), bossy (Eat Organic!), preachy (Live simply so that others may simply live), smug (Of course I don't look busy... I did it right the first time), tired (Electricians do it with the lights on), or outdated (Gore/Lieberman 2000). Even the sentiments I agree with normally, I tend to disagree with in bumper sticker form.
Anyway, there is one small 2-block stretch of my commute that seems to be a real haven for bumper sticker-ed cars. Chattanooga Street between 22nd and 24th -- I don't know what's possessed the neighbors, but the car:bumper sticker ratio always seems exceptionally high.
Last week, on one day, I saw:
Your Silence will not Protect You
Real Women Drive Trucks
Start Seeing Bicycles
That was Zen, This is Now
Those Who Die with the Most Heart Win
Skydive!
Kerry/Edwards
You cannot simultaneously prevent and prepare for war
Question Consumption
Share the Road with Bicycles
Wild 94.9
Question Reality
Impeach Bush
Okay, we get it! But actually, in this quanity, it's (kind of) cute. Long live the San Francisco psuedo-hippies.
Posted by emily at 4:13 PM | Comments (3)
August 11, 2005
A guy's Guy
At our family dinner on Monday, I casually mentioned to Ted that we needed to make plans with Guy this week. My dad's head spun around: "Guy is in town? Why didn't anyone tell me that Guy is in town?"
I didn't realize time with Guy was such a hot commodity, but I'm not surprised. No one is nicer (and not in a boring way, either). During their hectic week of family and other obligations, I was honored to get a private audience with Guy and Laura and baby Elliott. Sorry, Dad... maybe next time.
Posted by emily at 11:21 AM | Comments (2)
August 8, 2005
Here I am now, entertained. Finally.
Anyone who knows my mid-thirty-ish, homebody-ish self could be forgiven for thinking that I must have been cooler when I was younger. Alas, that is not the case. I do remember when Kurt Cobain killed himself -- some people I knew were so upset that they left work early that day. Me, not so much. As a good Entertainment Weekly reader, of course I knew about grunge, Kurt, Courtney, and Frances Bean. But it seems I never really heard Nirvana's big hit, from beginning to end, until a few weeks ago. When, it is embarrassing to admit, it was featured in a story on Morning Edition. About Paul Anka.
This is probably 14-year old news to everyone else, but "Smells Like Teen Spirit" is a really good song.
Posted by emily at 12:00 PM | Comments (1)
August 3, 2005
11 years and counting
Rebecca and I celebrated our 11th anniversary as friends yesterday. Steve introduced us originally -- he and I had been pals for about a year when he told me I would really like his new roommate, who was new to SF and didn't know many people yet. I was skeptical, but only until he arranged an outing for all of us -- Thai dinner and then "Dr. Strangelove" at the Castro. Now Reb and I go out for Thai food at the beginning of every August to commemorate that night.
We have become better friends each of the 11 years. I wouldn't say that we are turning into the same person, but she has adopted my love of bike commuting and public libraries, and I now make "the Rebecca face" when I'm mad and do daily push-ups at work. We even dress alike -- though not usually as alike as in the picture below.
Happy Anniversary Rebecca!
Posted by emily at 3:21 PM | Comments (2)
August 2, 2005
Welcome to the A.C.
We had a mini-family vacation in Angel's Camp this weekend. Happily, there was lots of time to play with Izzle and even more time to read (thank you to Jenny for "Random Family" and "A Big Storm Knocked it Over"). Less happily, I now know all the words to Raffi's "Singable Songs for the Very Young." Not happily at all, they seem to be on permanent shuffle play in my head.
Posted by emily at 12:38 PM | Comments (1)