Happy My High School Reunion is this Summer Friday

A few weeks back, I received an invitation to my 10 year high school reunion.  Now, I know what you are thinking.  Surely, this woman who writes with all of this advanced wisdom must at least be the ripe old age of 29.
But no, my dear Friday Friends, I am a mere 28, though I do appreciate all of those lovely compliments about my wisdom and vast maturity.

Anyway. 

The invite came as a surprise to me.  Not because I cannot do math (I can, thankyouverymuch) but because I don't know a lot of people from high school anymore and so it hadn't occurred to me that it has actually been 10 years.  I, like many others, didn't love high school and the only person I still see from that time (my Romy or my Michele, depending on the day) is my friend Maddie, who I've known since second grade.
Since getting our highly personalized Facebook invitations to the reunion, Maddie and I have had several debates about whether or not we should attend, mostly based on which peers we would like to catch up with versus those we (ok, really I) have a kind of carwreck curiousity about - perhaps hoping that they are living on a lumpy futon in their parents' basement. 

GASP!  you might say.  Who would have thought a mature, wise, 28-year-old-who-seems-like-she's-29 might take such an approach to seeing her fellow graduates?

I think what it comes down to for me is that there are so many definitions of a successful life.  I see mine as successful right now.  I feel strong and secure in my job.  I own a house in the city.  I live independently.  I learn something new every day.  I am happy and I find a lot of joy in the things I do each day.  That said, I know that for some of my fellow graduates, the definition of a successful life has more to do with their marital status and number of children.  Let me be clear, I think those things can be part of a successful life.  They just don't happen to be part of my version of it.  And when we're only 10 years out of high school, it feels like the difference still matters.  Thus the debate.

To help Maddie and I decide whether or not we should attend, we watched Romy and Michele's High School Reunion in order to be well-researched. Our class had its fair share of delicious drama, but I don't think that anyone will be meeting Alan Cumming there to do an interpretive dance to "Time After Time."  Or seeking out their own mysterious Minnie Driver or John Cusack after 10 years apart. 

Then again, perhaps Romy and Michele and Gross Pointe Blank have spoiled my idea of what a high school reunion should be.

In the end, Maddie and I still haven't decided whether to go.  Perhaps we'll decide the day of.  I can say that I feel grateful to have a Romy (or Michele) to go with or not go with and pretend to have invented Post-Its,

images from here and here.

Happy Victorious Return of ME Friday

It's been nearly a year since I've posted anything here.  Which is terrible.  I'd apologize, but I wouldn't really mean it.  I've missed writing silly posts about silly things so here I am!

A quick rundown of some of the things that have happened since July 13th, 2012:

• The Dark Knight Rises
• I moved into the city
• We all survived 12/21/12
• I got hooked on the new Doctor Who
• Got promoted
• A new season of RuPaul's Drag Race began and ended
• Portland had a Comic-Con
• My favorite blog about comics shut down (possibly)
• Iron Man 3
• My favorite blog about nothing and everything returned (possibly)

Alright.  Now you are all caught up and we are Friday friends again.

Today, May 24th, is Brother's Day!  Which seems particularly appropriate because I just learned recently that my wonderful younger brother was accepted into an MBA program!  Congrats to him.  He is much smarter than I ever gave him credit for when we were younger.

Happy Comic-Con Friday!

Happy Friday!

It’s been a dream of mine to go to the San Diego Comic-Con for years now.  This is the weekend of 2012 Comic-Con and so, in true geek nature, I’ve been stalking all of my comic blogs to absorb every possible detail about what’s happening in the San Diego Convention Center.

This year, the hype is all over the map.  Dark Knight Rises comes out a week from today.  The Walking Dead comics and show.    Neil Gaiman announced that he’ll be writing a new Sandman book. Wreck-It Ralph.  The Avengers, Thor, Captain America, Iron Man…

Yes yes, it’s all geek speak.  But I think there is one thing that almost everyone can get on board with. 

Geeks in costume rock.

Image from here.

Happy Above Ground Pool Friday

Do you remember above ground pools?  For those of you who still have one (or access to one) this won't be difficult.

When I was younger (read: grade school), my friend Maddie had an above ground pool.  One friend had a VERY dangerous trampoline that we would put a sprinkler under during the summer, but Maddie had the only pool.

The BEST game we'd play though, far better than Marco Polo or any of that was running laps around the edge of the pool to create a big whirlpool.  I’ll tell you, get 8 Girl Scouts committed to making a whirlpool and you’ll have one within seconds. 

After all, our motto was “Be prepared…” (to make unnecessary, semi-dangerous vortexes in an above ground pool). 

Once it got going, we'd let it carry us around the edges for a while, running into each other and the walls until someone bruised their shin, hit their head, or we got bored and hungry.

Of course, all of this whirling took place before the days of sunbathing while sipping an unhealthy amount Diet Pepsi instead of swimming.

Sadly, I think I’m too old (read: tall) now to enjoy an above ground pool.  I’m certainly too afraid of germs (and kids) to go anywhere near the actual water in the Salmon Street Fountain.  But I appreciate the bravery and joy that I see there all through our Portland summers.

Happy Friday all!

Images from here and here.

Happy First Day of Summer Friday!

Wednesday was the first day of Summer!

I firmly believe that there are few better places to be in the summer than Portland.  Having spent big parts of my childhood in the Chicago suburbs where the humidity during the summers smashed you flat against the sidewalk, summer here always feels like a big, wonderful, blue sky-filled breath.

Now, admittedly, as I write this, it’s cloudy and kind of sad out, but Wednesday was 80ish degrees.

So I’m going to do some suggesting for all of us to take advantage of the UH-MAY-ZING things that happen in our lovely hometown (or adopted hometown, as the case may be).

Movies in the Park – which start next Friday

Trek in the Park – totally nerdy, but super funny and a great crowd attends

Shakespeare in the Park – this year it’s Hamlet, which is one of my least favorites of the Bard’s plays because he’s such a whiney fool, but still.

Brew Fest – 25^th anniversary this year, which is kind of cool.  And usually the weather is lovely.

Concerts in the Park – Some of these are a little more my parents’ flavor, but you know.  probably lovely.

Sand in the City – The beach.  In the city.  And for a good cause.

Also, in general, the Portland Art Museum has free admission the fourth Friday of every month and there is a Farmers Market in NW Portland on Thursday afternoon evenings-ish.

Image from here.

Happy Father's Day Friday

It’s been ages since I put up a Friday post, so I’m happy to say I’m back!

This is my dad.

He’s pretty great.  Just like mom.

This upcoming Sunday is Father’s Day (or Grandfather’s Day, or Uncle’s Day, or Brother or Brother-in-Law, Foster Dad, Adopted Dad, or Significant Other, or Cousin, or Great Uncle, etc.)

Recently, my dad has decided to take up blacksmithing.  To be clear, my dad works for a software company.  He’s a geek (in a super cool, 3D modeling, computer game playing, sci fi watching, home theater building kind of way). 

What I’m say is this blacksmithing thing came as a big surprise to me (although, mom didn’t seem surprised at all).

Part of this new hobby is that he spends a lot of time talking about different types of hammers and trying to decide where in their backyard he would like to put his forge.

Let’s spend our weekends thanking them for putting up with all the years of eye rolling and embarrassed, exasperated shouts of “Daaaaaaad!  You’re embarrassing meeeeeee!”

(Like when they ask your friends whether they think the 3 pound or the 1 pound hammer is better.)

This is my mom.  She’s pretty great.

This upcoming Sunday is Mother’s Day (or Grandmother’s Day, or Aunt’s Day, or Sister or Sister-in-Law, Foster mom, Adopted Mom, or Significant Other, or Cousin, or Great Aunt, etc. whatever makes sense for your family).

In our family, Mother’s Day actually lasts the entire weekend. Which is lovely, and a little funny.  Those of you who have been anywhere near me during my birthday month, now understand why my birthday lasts much longer than a day.

Over the last few years, she has decided that instead of gifts, she wants to give and receive experiences.  I love this idea and so as I was preparing for the upcoming Mother’s Day weekend, I was looking forward to hearing about what we would be doing.  Spa day?  A day at Powell’s?  A trip to the beach maybe?

Nope!

This year, we will be visiting the exotic, adventurous, and exclusive…

Mom’s Office.

My mom is a photo fanatic.  She has been working on a picture project for the last several years to collect, preserve, and share family photos. 

So Mother’s Weekend this year will be spent crowded around mom’s computer, sorting, editing, and otherwise fantastic-izing thousands of pictures.

Let’s wish them a happy day/weekend and thank them for putting up with the phase we went through when all we would do in pictures is stick out our tongues or give the thumbs up.

Happy 90's Music Friday!

Hello Friday Lovers!

Even though I was born in the 80’s, I am, without a doubt, a child of the 90’s.  My favorite color is flannel.  My favorite band will probably always be Third Eye Blind.  Secretly, I think Val Kilmer was a pretty good Batman.  And let’s be honest, the two best, most relatable movies ever are Reality Bites and 10 Things I Hate About You.

Recently, I’ve been back on a 90’s music kick. (ok, fine, I’m always on a 90’s music kick.  All the good music stopped in 2000).  And I have created the world’s greatest 90’s music playlist.  In the midst of clicking “add to on the go” a couple hundred times, I came across a few gems that I had to share with my Friday Friends.

Pick your favorites.  Watch.  Listen.  Enjoy.  And believe me when I tell you that your favorite Friday-er was the best flannel-and-torn-up-jeans wearer ever.

Peaches by the Presidents of the United States of America

No Rain by Blind Melon

Steal My Sunshine by Len

Buddy Holly by Weezer

I Will Remember You by Sarah McLachlan

Wear Sunscreen by Baz Luhrmann

Image  from here

Happy Titanic Friday

In April of 1997 I was 13 years old and, just like every other girl I knew, I was in love with the movie Titanic.  I can tell you with certainty, I saw it at least 6 times at our local theater.  Which means 3 things:

1) I somehow convinced someone’s parent to drive me to the theater 6 different times to see it (probably with my friend, Emma, who saw it 9 times)

2) I spent $27 on movie tickets ($4.50 X 6 = $27)

3) Clearly I knew the value of my allowance dollars.

In 2012, 3D movies cost $14 (if you’re luck)

X 6 showings (I’m not going 6 times, if I’ve learned anything in the last 15 years, it’s the value of my allowance dollars)

= $84!!!

Can you imagine?

I went to see Titanic in 3D last night after work.

And it was JUST AS EPIC AND AMAZING as I remember it being when it debuted in 1997.

Go.  Enjoy.  And know that my heart will go on.

Image from here.

Happy Easter Friday

I know that Easter means a lot of different things to different people and families.  But today, I want to tell you about how it works for the Kross family.

I have had the same Easter basket since I was 6 months old.  My mom made it for me out of blue, pink, and white yarn.  That Easter basket has travelled with us from Illinois out to Oregon, moved between at least 4 houses, and is older than my brother.

So, every year, my mom pulls out the Easter baskets from her secret holiday stuff hiding place: my pastel macramé basket of joy, a stand in for my brother and his wife, and usually some additional basket for an orphan friend or two who joins my family for the holiday that year.  She fills them with that weird shredded green plasticky stuff, and anxiously waits for us to show that same excitment from 1989.  The best Easter baskets I ever had were filled with Reese's and Lego’s.  There are few greater gifts in the world and I'm grateful that this part of Easter hasn’t changed.

Now that my brother and I are grown, the big thing that has changed for my family is that Easter is a pretty casual holiday.  It no longer requires that I wear an ugly dress chosen by my grandmother but instead, I get to wear sweatpants while my dad makes "Easter Paella.”  A few years ago, Dad travelled to Spain on a business trip and of all the things that happened on that trip, Paella is the thing that stood out for him.

Happy Friday.  Happy Easter.  Happy Lego’s.  Happy Reese’s eggs.  And perhaps, if you’re lucky, happy Paella.

Image from here.

Happy Beware the Ides of March! Friday

During my Sophomore and Junior years of high school, I had the BEST English teacher.  Mr. West was strange and rebellious.  He played Pink Floyd for us on vinyl, had us write insults about each other on slips of paper and seal them in a jar he hung from the ceiling to “loom over” us for an entire semester. 

But the best thing about Mr. West was the fact that he went out of his way to scare the hell out of us.

When we read Moby Dick, he came to class for that entire unit wearing one white shoe, limping, and yelling at us like Captain Ahab.

The insults in a jar event was intended to teach us that we shouldn’t want to spread rumors about each other after we read The Crucible. (That one didn’t work though.  They may have “loomed,” but we were still 15)

Then there was the time that we read Julius Caesar when Mr. West started telling us to “Beware the Ides of March.” 

It wasn’t until we got to the part in the play when the soothsayer warns Caesar of his own impending death courtesy of his BFF, Brutus on March 15^th (a.k.a. the Ides of March) that we really started to get nervous. 

As it turns out, the “bewaring” was just that we spent weeks being afraid of nothing, but it was admittedly pretty effective for the week leading up to the breathless moment when the bell rang and nothing happened on March 15th.

Happy Ides of March were yesterday Friday everyone!  I hope you bewore (? Bewared?) them.

Image from here.

Happy Oreo Friday!

On March 6^th (Tuesday) the Oreo cookie turned 100 years old!  You can use the link below to read the real, “official,” version of the cookie’s history.

But let’s be honest.  The question that matters is: do you dunk or twist?

Personally, I’m a twister.  When I was a kid, my grandpa taught me how to twist Oreos apart and stick the two sides with the most frosting together to make one giant Awesome-eo.  I certainly inherited my sweet tooth from him.

Celebrate Oreo’s birthday with some serious milk-and-cookie indulgence.  Out of respect for such an important institution, I am officially giving you permission to break whatever cleanse/diet/no sugar thing you are currently working on.

Images from here and here.

http://bites.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/06/10587326-chefs-celebrate-the-oreo-on-its-100th-birthday

Happy Presidents' Day Friday

Really it’s Monday, I know, but this year I actually have something to say about Presidents’ Day.  Apparently, the holiday used to be only about George Washington but is now meant in some states to celebrate multiple presidents.  So I’m going with that definition.

I went to the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana for college.  I love my university.  I love being a Fighting Illini and I still bleed orange and blue.  U of I was big and noisy and full of Midwestern behaviors that are odd to me now.  Because Illinois is the “Land of Lincoln,” we had a lot of Lincoln-themed locations on campus.

The one that stands out the most though is Lincoln Hall on the Main Quad.  When you would walk in the front doors, there he was, his skinny, beardy face peering at you from in between a split staircase leading up to the main auditorium.

We took a lot of final exams in Lincoln Hall and would rub his nose for luck as we walked up the worn marble staircases into the auditorium.

Whether his nose was really good luck for us, I don’t know.  I must admit I am a bit superstitious, so I probably would have rubbed his nose anyway.

So for Presidents’ Day, I’d like to say: thank you, Mr. Lincoln, for helping me get solid grades on my Women’s Studies 200 and Survey of American Literature Pre World War I finals sophomore year!

Image from here.

Happy (pre) Valentine's Day Friday

Hello Friday-ers!

Do you remember those silly/sad valentines that you would buy in a box to hand out to all of your classmates in grade school?  The ones you’d tape to boxes of chalky conversation hearts or pieces of off brand chocolates?  I remember having to give one to every kid in class, even the weird kid and the boy who threw rocks.  They got the ugliest valentines from the box though.

I don’t know about you all, but I spent one year trying to make my valentines by hand.  And when I say “by hand,” I mean glue-sticking ugly doilies to red and pink paper, then coloring them in.  Don’t ask me why I had doilies.  I’m sure they belonged to my mother.

Sadly, these were not a hit, nor were they worth the time I spent on them, so from that point on, my classmates got valentines that were mostly Disney or Batman themed.

Happy Valentine’s Day my Friday Friends, from the bottom of my secretly 8 year old heart.

Images from here and here.

Happy Science Friday

Hello Friday!

I’ve always liked science.  Not the kind I had to take in school though.  I hated dissecting worms in Biology class, and Physics will never be something I fully grasp (though, if I’m honest, that might be because I spent all of those class periods screwing around in the back of the classroom with my buddies).

I remember taking field trips to OMSI with my grade school class.  We’d get a chance to play in the water shed exhibit and the earthquake house assuming it was all in the interest of fun.  We would stare up at the enormous animatronic dinosaurs (before they were sadly obsolete) while learning that they were really closer to birds than snakes or lizards and other gross slimy things.

On Wednesday, I went to see Body Worlds at OMSI After Dark with some friends.  I had never seen the exhibit and frankly, didn’t quite know what to expect.  While I was there, I was struck by the incredible strength and power of the human body.  Even the most delicate pieces, like our capillaries, and spinal column are so tiny but do so much. I am amazed how, even when our body hurts or when we are battling illness, our bodies respond and try to save us.

However, the best part for me was the fact that, in true Portland form, the whole place was FULL of grown-ups playing with science toys.  That water shed exhibit?  Still there.  And this time, it was surrounded by people my age and older learning about the water cycle.  The earthquake room?  Full of adults bracing themselves against the walls and laughing as “I Feel the Earth Move” by Carole King played. 

Go to OMSI.  Go play for the sake of science and learning and playing.

Happy Friday!

Image from here.

Happy Pre-New Year's Friday!

I AM GOING TO DISNEYLAND FOR NEW YEAR’S EVE!

A few of my friends and I have been talking about taking this trip in very vague dreamy terms for several years now.  But this is the first year that any of us took any of the others seriously enough to make a plan.  And so suddenly “wouldn’t it be cool to go to Disneyland for New Year’s?” turned into shopping for hotel/park pass deals online and assessing how much we all had in our savings accounts to make it work.

And so it is!

When I was younger, New Year’s was always one of those lame holidays that came with obligatory gatherings, but no one really cared about.  For many years, we just drank too much Martinelli’s sparkling cider and tried to look fancy.

As my friends and I grew up, we came up with our own traditions, including spending time out at the beach in Manzanita, having family dinners, drinking cheap champagne, and playing HOURS of bitter and spiteful Monopoly or trying not to freeze while watching amateur fireworks outside.

Be happy and safe as this year comes to a close and a new one begins.  I will see you again in 2012 my friends!

*image from here

Happy Virginia Friday

I read the Yes, Virginia letter every year.  More than any movie, song, or epic sweater, it makes me feel the merriest and least Scrooge-like.

I’ve always really loved the idea of Santa Claus.  In my family, he is still very real and very well-represented on Christmas Eve.  I’ll be honest, if I had my way, I would still believe in Santa.

So, even if Christmas or Santa Claus aren’t part of your life, I encourage you to read this.  It’s really about the Spirit of the season.  

Be jolly and joyful.  Enjoy whatever lovely break you may have from work and have a beautiful, healthy, happy, and safe end of the year, however you celebrate it.

image from here.

Happy Halloween Friday!

Halloween is just 4 short days away!

I love having Jack-o-Lanterns on my front porch, orange and purple lights around my fence, and way to many skull and crossbones around the house.  Thankfully, my roommates are avid supporters of all of these things and usually help me put it all up on October 1^st.

The one part of Halloween that is AWFUL is the pumpkin brains.  I have “problems” with touching, smelling, or really going anywhere near the mushy stuff (well, mushy stuff in general).  Because we love roasted pumpkin seeds in our house, this usually means that one of my roommates ends up sifting through all the brains to pick out those delicious little seeds of yumminess while I hide in a different room pretending that I’m totally fine with the mush piled up all over my dining room table.

  

I also always start out with lofty goals of lovely creative pumpkins to put on the porch, like this one. However, what I end up with usually is a bit closer to one of those “oh how cute, a child must live in that house” kind of pumpkins.

  

 

 
 

 Happy Halloween Friday everyone!  Enjoy it and save me some of these:

*images from here and here and here and here.