Too cold for "spring"

But you wouldn't know it from the display put on by these flowering
currant bushes on the Burke-Gilman. Many people get excited by the
invasive blackberries fruiting in the summer along the trail (and many
of those people become hazards themselves as they weave from one side
of the trail to the other in their tunnelvisioned quest for berries).
I look forward to the blooming of the mighty Ribes sanguineum. I have
a smaller version in my own garden, reminding me that spring is here,
eventually overcoming my skepticism.

Geeking out

This is what it feels like not to have commitments every night. Other
than self-imposed ones, that is.

With no class or RCB or gym this week, I'm able to focus on what I
really care about. I can listen to music, create songs, reflect on how
music makes me feel and how it helps me cope with all the sadness and
loss in the world.

I hate this guy!

Just had a slight argument with the barista at Trabant when I showed
him this photo. "I kinda liked this guy," he said. "I'm really kind of
a libertarian."

Well, I've seen a lot of libertarians, and Ron Paul is no libertarian!
He's more a right-wing isolationist nut job, as The Stranger has noted
more than once. The fact that he was able to garner support from so
many otherwise intelligent folks says a lot about how little we pay
attention in this country.

Good riddance, asshole!

Garden begins to awaken

I'm not entirely happy with this photo, but then again I'm never
entirely happy with my garden either. This PJM-relative rhododendron
is blooming better than last year, but it's been several years now
since it's bloomed in full. It's such a sweet plant otherwise that I
don't have the heart to remove it.

Luckily, it's about to be joined in bloom by these white tulips I
planted last fall. If there is anything I've learned through years of
planting successes and failures, it's that you can't have too many
bulbs.

Everybody poops

This sign has been the talk of our office (well, of the men anyway).
What does it mean? How does one use the toilet "inappropriately"? I'm
sure I don't want to know...

Satan! Satan! Satan!

Having just tried Ginger Teriyaki for the first time, I think I know
why people are staying away in droves. It's not the location, which is
primo (45th & the Ave). It's not the décor, which has been nicely
redone for a hole in the wall. It's not even the teriyaki, which is as
good or better than any other place on the Ave.

No, the problem is the radio. KGNW. God Talk over AM. Testimonials
about home schooling. Why we get mad at God more than he gets mad at
us. Aaaaugh! I can't take it. At least at the dry cleaners, I only
have to listen to Xtian radio for a minute while picking up my pants.
At Ginger Teriyaki, I'm stuck until I wolf down my whole chicken bowl.

Then again, maybe it's just their way of clearing tables (as if they
need any help). Or maybe they want to move to a takeout-only business
model.

In any event, their nondenominational God appears to be losing to
Taqueria Mi Charrito's telenovela/futbol-fueled Catholic one, if this
sign comparison is any, uh, sign. Viva mi charrito! (Their taco al
pastor rules.)

Night off

I so seldom seem to have time to myself these days. Rehearsals two
nights a week, class one night a week, and other random tasks or
social obligations filling up the rest.

I have a presentation due on Wednesday night, and I was going to spend
tonight working on it. But then I had a brilliant idea: Why not take
Wednesday off? It seemed too simple. It WAS simple.

So I'll finish the presentation on Wednesday at my leisure. Tonight
it's the Zombie War.

Recording Session

Yesterday was our first time recording since we lost Dream. 

Our friend Jason, ex-Red Stars Theory and Sun Vow, graciously agreed to practice his audio engineering skills on us, and brought along his Pro Tools rig.

We decided to lay the bass down first, so Kaley had the joyous task of playing her part over and over again.

Three hours later, I was ready to do something completely different, so I went over to Rachel & Lyle's house for their moving/art sale. Rachel is pictured here, overjoyed that I have offered to buy a meat purse from her. 

Pre-funk

Gin, soda and new tattoos at CC's pre-Comeback. This is apparently the
first night that Sean has worn shoes since his latest tattoo.

Bridges of Seattle

For the first year or two I lived in Seattle, I was entranced by the
canal bridges. I would always hop out of my car whenever the bridge
went up, to have a closer look at whatever boats were interrupting the
traffic flow. I'm sure some people thought I was nuts, but what the
he'll else are you gonna do while waiting for the bridge to go back
down?

Recently I started getting out of my car again when the bridge goes
up. Something about being reminded that life is too short. Here's the
lone sailboat that caused the Ballard Bridge to go up yesterday.

The master plan

I would like to have pleasant smells and colors greet me whenever I
step out my front door. But there isn't nearly enough of that in late
winter / early spring. So last fall, I finally followed the advice of
Julie's hero Ciscoe Morris, among others, and planted as many early
spring bulbs as I possibly could. At least 100 bulbs I reckon.

They are just now starting to make themselves known. Here are one of
the clumps of crocuses I planted last fall. There are also narcissus,
tulips and allium.

Wasting time

I needed to buy extra equipment in order to edit my Sibelius score, so
I decided to hit the U District (as if I don't get enough of it during
the week). I passed Thai Tom just as they opened, so NO LINE. And I
was out of there in 20 minutes.

Frigging gorgeous day

I was thinking about going to an Obama fundraiser after work, but I
was wiped. Having seen the incredible sunrise this morning through the
windows of the IMA but not having had easy access to my iPhone's
camera to record it, I decided on a slight detour from my regular bike
ride home to take in the sunset at Gasworks. It was well worth the
additional two minutes' ride.

So many good times yet to be had

There are so many people complaining about what Seattle has become,
and I can't really disagree that it's expensive and filled with people
who feel profoundly entitled.

But all of the money and attention have brought great changes to the
bar/restaurant scene. Ten years ago, who would have thought one could
hang out on Capitol Hill and enjoy a wild boar sloppy joe and a glass
of garnacha in the spot previously occupied by the worst Mexican joint
in town?

The allure no longer escapes me

My friend and fellow trumpeter Doug got an iPhone months before I did.
I don't spend as much time browsing and texting as he is does
(demonstrated here), but I do find myself reaching for the camera
quite often.

My life as defined by where I buy coffee

Over the course of the last 15+ years, I've frequented a number of
coffee establishments, including Vivace (every location, even the long-
defunct cart downtown), Bauhaus, Victrola (both locations), Pegasus,
Lighthouse (still my vendor of choice for beans), and the new
Stumptown on 12th.

But few places balance atmosphere, enthusiasm and fine coffee like
Trabant in the U District. I've become addicted to stopping there
after lunch each weekday for a nonfat iced latte or one of their
featured varietals made in their trendsetting Clover machine. (I hear
that Starbucks is even testing one at a store in Greenwood.)

Trabant is another nicety of the U District that I will miss. I will
miss the employees as well, including sweetheart Jonathan here.

One of the things I love about working @ the UW

Almost every weekday, I take a bus to the Ave to eat lunch. The lack
of cheap ethnic food is perhaps the thing I like least about our
office's impending move to South Lake Union. Well, that and the extra
20 minutes it will take me to bike to work every day.

I know that most of the teriyaki joints are owned & run by Koreans,
but this place, whose name I don't know despite walking by it hundreds
of times, serves Korean food almost exclusively. I seldom eat Korean,
so I decided to give it a shot.

I had the beef hot pot. Very hearty, if a bit too sweet.

Despite the bad jokes and too many birthdays

I really enjoyed Darcelle's. She's quite the Portland institution at
age 77.

More Portland

I brought watercolor paint by numbers sets for my cousins Spencer and
Avery. Avery loved painting her inner princess.

First order of business in PDX

I always seem to have to stop at Stumptown in Southeast first thing
whenever I come to Portland. This even though there are now two of
them in Seattle. I think this one makes the best lattes of all of
them. And it seems the most neighborhoody.