tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35240352008-06-26T03:55:02.761-07:00Stevenoreply@blogger.comBlogger436125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3524035.post-86526048492739159012008-05-30T17:28:00.000-07:002008-05-30T17:57:13.741-07:00

For about two years, in the late 90's, I worked at a restaurant in Hollywood that shall remain nameless.  It was less a restaurant and more a "chicken shack", as we called it not so much affectionately, and at night it turned into *the* place to be if you were a young, hot movie or TV star, hip Scientologist, or poor drunk unemployed actor.  I served cocktails to Kristie Alley, Tina Fey, Jenna

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11366615913156528631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3524035.post-1047530732668194722008-05-27T21:27:00.000-07:002008-05-27T21:55:38.600-07:00

So, it's been ages, I know, and with sunshine beckoning (which means everything from gardening to trips to the coast to cruiser-riding) I just don't know if I can do better by this blog. Also, even though I've had no compunction in the past about writing about everything from heartache to surgery on my bum, I've finally learned that not everything should be public domain.  That, or I'm just

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11366615913156528631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3524035.post-24282860244457069632008-04-23T21:38:00.000-07:002008-04-23T21:54:18.471-07:00

I've been experiencing a profound restlessness of late, and not the usual Michelle-boring-garden-variety "whatever should I do with my life?" kind of restlessness.  It's been a physical restlessness, that no matter how tired I am from my day, no matter how sleepy I get at night, I can't seem to rest.  I get home from long days at work and I can't sit, can't burrow into my fantastically

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11366615913156528631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3524035.post-54043759671191586842008-04-22T22:02:00.000-07:002008-04-22T22:21:56.994-07:00

I've had a strangely long and emotional day.  I didn't sleep last night- truly, tossed and turned and looked at the clock most of the hours of the night- because of the fear of today.  Today was, at work, a very charged day, for a number of reasons, and I spent most of last night talking myself out of giving in to fear.  Fear of anger, fear of disappointing people, fear of retribution, fear of

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11366615913156528631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3524035.post-35975778845442600792008-04-19T12:28:00.000-07:002008-04-19T12:39:21.534-07:00

Just a few of my favorite things... Barnaby's smile: Sweet Hildy's unconditional love: Barnaby "making eggs" in the bath: Barnaby putting up with Aunt Michelle's adoration:

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11366615913156528631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3524035.post-42616668072530042442008-04-15T20:56:00.000-07:002008-04-15T21:04:07.827-07:00

Three breezy days in a city where things actually happen.  The company of people from all over the state who are smart, seasoned, and yet who also see this as a learning experience.  The finding out that the five of us were chosen from forty, that maybe we are just a little bit special.  The finding out that my organization won another grant... and finding out face-to-face with the program

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11366615913156528631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3524035.post-50960811119761290772008-04-13T18:59:00.000-07:002008-04-13T19:14:58.399-07:00

A desolate pool surrounded by empty chairs and a nodding, creaky "WARNING" sign that no one has thought to properly bolt down in years.  A still, unseasonably hot afternoon, after hours in the car.  A quiet walk to a small, dark hotel room with mismatched everything including a tired white duvet paired with a long brown velour body pillow. The sadness of friends gone back to foreign lands, and a

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11366615913156528631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3524035.post-42427713322381142172008-04-10T21:23:00.000-07:002008-04-10T22:13:53.241-07:00

I've had a roller-coaster of a week, and even though tomorrow is Friday, I don't feel like the crazy is going to end anytime soon. One night this week, I had to speak in front a body of planning commissioners.  This is not unusual, but I knew that I had both supporters and detractors in the group, and it came at the end of an already-stressful ten-hour day.  But I prepared like crazy for it, as I

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11366615913156528631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3524035.post-44995891539074556932008-03-30T15:45:00.000-07:002008-03-30T15:48:51.623-07:00

I’m on the train from New York to D.C., which is one of my favorite legs of this annual NY/DC trip. This is the third year running that I’ve come back east this time of year, first to New York to see family, and then on to D.C. for a conference. I love traveling by train, and I’m lucky enough to have had an hour in the car with Sean on the way here, and then a sunny window seat for the three-

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11366615913156528631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3524035.post-65670430255595943172008-03-27T21:10:00.000-07:002008-03-27T21:35:05.384-07:00

I was smart enough to bring my camera, but not quite smart enough to remember the cord that connects my camera to my computer, so it looks like you'll all just have to wait to see the latest pictures of the cutest 15-month-old boy in the history of the universe.  Two delightful things have happened to me so far on this trip: one, Barnaby smiled at me within about two minutes of seeing me for the

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11366615913156528631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3524035.post-89534207511915809752008-03-25T22:11:00.001-07:002008-03-25T22:28:05.684-07:00

Sometimes my brand of crazy feels like Lois Lane in the first Superman movie, when Lois does her whole "can you read my mind?" monologue as she and Superman are flying around Manhattan.  Sometimes my brand of crazy gets trapped up in being the fittest woman in the world who has never been able to get rid of the extra chub, not in decades.  Often my brand of crazy manifests in the deep of the

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11366615913156528631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3524035.post-71371556132304945332008-03-18T19:22:00.001-07:002008-03-18T19:52:19.086-07:00

Last month, I was a "Community Leader Reader" at a local elementary school.  During their read-a-thon, this school invites local folks in to read to kids in a few classrooms.  So for about two hours, I wandered from class to class, reading "The Frog Prince: Part II" to 2nd through 5th graders.  It was such a lovely experience, and the kids were SO. DAMN. CUTE.  Today, I got the most wonderful

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11366615913156528631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3524035.post-8276764634098564202008-03-16T22:20:00.000-07:002008-03-16T22:30:54.784-07:00

Things I'm realizing I look for on a first dinner date (beyond brilliance, humor, curiosity, liberalism, and passion): 1. Decent teeth2. pre-90's pop culture references3. demonstration of knowledge of how to use a knife Tonight at dinner, my date watched with fascination as I, apparently, adeptly ate my salad using BOTH implements available to me; he then tried to follow suit, but having never

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11366615913156528631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3524035.post-16562618491082453392008-03-11T20:39:00.000-07:002008-03-11T20:51:19.911-07:00

For the last six or so weeks, I've been involved in a pilot program for a new Master's degree program in Organizational Development. Tomorrow night is the last session, which means my seminar paper is due at midnight tonight. I've just posted my paper- 3 1/2 hours under the wire- and I have four more chapters of reading to do before tomorrow, but all I really want to do is watch "Bones" and eat

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11366615913156528631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3524035.post-59795253656057718812008-03-09T21:09:00.001-07:002008-03-09T22:03:38.632-07:00

Try to not be jealous. It'll be hard, but try. I just spent a few lovely days with much of my family down in Venice, CA. The Lucy and Barnaby show was extraordinary, as was just simple time spent with so many brothers and sisters-in-law. One of the highlights of the trip was going for a bike ride with Steve, Ian, and the two little ones in a "chariot" behind Ian's bike. Lucy and Barno spent

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11366615913156528631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3524035.post-11116170292345561042008-03-07T16:48:00.000-08:002008-03-07T16:49:21.263-08:00

My colleague sent me this picture today.  Proof positive of the Senatorial hugging- and of the Napa Valley art.

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11366615913156528631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3524035.post-89407289869188914982008-03-05T17:59:00.000-08:002008-03-05T18:39:43.669-08:00

A few hours ago, I was hugged by a Senator. Today was California Arts Advocacy Day, organized by the terrific folks from California Arts Advocates, which is an extraordinary arts advocacy non-profit. These folks make it possible for those of us who care deeply about arts in our communities to work toward strengthening the arts on a state-wide level.  And the stronger the support we have from our

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11366615913156528631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3524035.post-22321030692061988522008-03-04T22:23:00.000-08:002008-03-04T22:34:21.844-08:00

I am hereby never allowed to travel without a camera, ever again.  This is the second time I've been in Sacramento where the Governator has unexpectedly shown up, when I didn't have a proper camera.  And the second time I couldn't record the amazing events happening 'round me.   Last time it was for Katrina disaster relief Red Cross training, this time for the California Arts Council conference/

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11366615913156528631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3524035.post-70444948541035518192008-02-27T20:28:00.000-08:002008-02-27T20:46:05.811-08:00

What do you think?  There?  Or maybe... I need to go away, a real, true vacation, sometime this spring or early summer.  I need to go somewhere warm, somewhere peaceful.  I can't decide if I want to go to Hawaii or maybe Mexico for a week, just a week- or if I want to go on a yoga retreat.  I have a wee tax return coming my way, and while I could absolutely put every dime into savings, I

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11366615913156528631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3524035.post-33808074542587453232008-02-25T21:21:00.000-08:002008-02-25T21:32:46.868-08:00

I just finished yet another 13-hour day, but a little something makes it all better.  A little something called the Back to Basics TEM500.   What is it?  Ladies and gentlemen, it is a combination egg poacher and toaster.  I hear tell there is also a "meat warmer", but not being a bacon person, I've yet to try out that feature.  This beautiful, precious little machine times the poaching and

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11366615913156528631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3524035.post-79639696032559252262008-02-23T22:46:00.000-08:002008-02-23T23:19:27.522-08:00

I have a jacuzzi tub.  It's one of the top, oh, fifteen or sixteen reasons I pay the rent that I do- so that whenever I darn well please, I can have a jacuzzi bath.  Tonight was one of those times.  I do my best to relax in the bath, not let that quiet time be interrupted with all of my ongoing anxieties, so one of my tricks is to listen to meditation tapes, or, like tonight, put my iPod on

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11366615913156528631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3524035.post-65803004955594961172008-02-20T20:36:00.001-08:002008-02-20T20:58:59.317-08:00

I've recently started participating in a pilot program about "Leading Teams" for a possible new Master's program in Organizational Development.  And while I crave being in a learning space, crave being coached, and crave the feeling of my learning curve stretching ever upwards, at one point in tonight's session, I put my head in my hands and said, "I think I'm seeing the bliss in the ignorance."

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11366615913156528631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3524035.post-80584261303876490182008-02-16T19:45:00.001-08:002008-02-16T20:07:49.432-08:00

"HELLO?" "Hello?" "HELLO!" "Hi, Lucy?  Is this Lucy?  This is your Aunt Michelle!" "Hi... Aunt Michelle." "Hi Lucy, what are you doing?" (Long pause) "I'm talking to you." "Okay, well, yes.  So, is your mama and daddo there?" "I'm with Laura!" "Oh, great, where's mama?" "She's in her office." "Where's daddo?" "He's at the store.  He's buying a coke.  And a little present for me too, I think." "

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11366615913156528631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3524035.post-69665651717501731732008-02-12T21:23:00.001-08:002008-02-12T21:50:26.153-08:00

Ahem. Sorry about yesterday's blog. Sometimes my fantasy life simply has to take over my factual life, and in that fantasy life, Viggo Mortensen comes riding in on Hidalgo (but as Aragorn) and whisks me away to fight very clear bad guys so we can save the world. Instead... well. My life is slightly different than that. This blog goes out to my dear friend Stacey. I met Stacey (although she

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11366615913156528631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3524035.post-48743439939622926952008-02-11T22:28:00.000-08:002008-02-11T22:31:47.389-08:00

*sigh* You want a blog about important political events, the perils of organized religion, or reproductive rights?  Tonight, look elsewhere.   I mean, really. *dreamy sigh*

Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11366615913156528631noreply@blogger.com