I remember the first time I ever saw a deck of tarot cards. I was a teenager standing in the back corner of Vacaville’s Lesbian Bookstore. Next to a case full of silver pendants with all sorts of mystic meanings, leather-bound journals that looked primed to receive and contain life-giving knowledge, and a rack of … Continue reading saving things…
I’m on a second day of full rest. Which sounds dramatic. But it’s because I left my house on Monday. This isn’t a story about a bad driver.Or a death threat.Or even the adrenaline crash that followed. Though it does contains all of those things. It’s about what happens after the body decides it was … Continue reading contact not required…
Yesterday I went to brunch and the ballet with two of my dearest. In the process I was around thousands of people. I watched them. I got to know everyone in my vicinity in my own quiet, introverted way. I named people. Formed attachments to humans who may not have even noticed I exist. I … Continue reading masking monday: showing up
When I was a kid, we had drills. Fire drills. Earthquake drills. Soviet-bombing drills. That was pretty much it. I’m nearly fifty now. The active shooter and lockdown stuff came later, when my daughter was in school. Back then, there were only two moves: Get the fuck out of the building in an orderly fashion. … Continue reading dispatches from hell… sorry, I mean, Portland… 01
words swarmingstinging for attentionnot in turnen masse. if I couldI’d compile themcollect themalign themfor battlefor beautyfor sense. alas I never will write a poemyou know… because of the tism.
This week, WordCamp US nestles into Portland, Oregon for the first time, so I thought I should take a moment to welcome all of you to Portland. Stumptown. Silicon Forest. Bridgetown. Rose City. Little Beruit. Rip City. Portlandia… Whatever you call it, Portland, Oregon is the big town I call home. Welcome. I’m so glad … Continue reading Welcome to Portland…
Mother’s Day in a global pandemic isn’t really looking fun and relaxing for me. As a mom I feel like I’m on triple duty right now. Quadruple duty. All the duties. Mired in working, parenting, managing a household in super weird times, being a partner, supporting my family and friends, and trying to keep myself … Continue reading are you my mother?
I've never been quite sure why, but particularly in times of stress or uncertainty my brain functions as a long series of lists. I have this mental image of those unending scrolls that would roll out in a movie about Santa neatly filled edge to edge with list after list after list. All the work … Continue reading the sabbatical lists…
It started off as a fairly typical Monday morning. Typical within Monday parameters anyway. My kid wasn't home Sunday night. Rick stayed over but got up early to head into town for a standing Monday morning meeting. I snoozed. And then in typical Monday fashion I woke on my own shortly before 8:00 AM. I … Continue reading that time a guy with a red goatee broke into my home…
Brunch. That perfect lazy combination of breakfast and lunch. Decadent breakfast foods with a lunchtime sensibility served up with steaming coffee, a delicious assortment of carefully crafted cocktails, and a greatly reduced amount of food related guilt. I mean come on, it's the weekend. And I'm sure that huge buttery meal I just had with … Continue reading The five stages of brunch line grief…
CamiKaos 