Last night we drove to Home Depot around 9:00 and bought a new washer and dryer. We went with an ocean-blue-colored Energy Star pair from LG. It's our first new, modern, energy-efficient appliance. And our first improvement to our house.

The bonuses: using a coupon we got in the mail two days ago, we got ten percent off. So that covered more than the sales tax. Also, they are running a promo for appliances, so we got a $200 gift card. PLUS we will get $100 back from Puget Power for buying an Energy Star washer.

In total, over $500 in discounts. Word.

This morning, I put on a dress. No tights, it's 70 degrees. I inspected my legs; haven't been shaved since I don't know... February? That's what happens when you never wear skirts. And don't care that much.

So I stepped into the tub and shaved below the knees, still dressed. I am awesome. Much smoother.

Wearing new yellow flats. For a first time on my feet, actually fairly comfortable, and cute. Though I'll probably need to treat my heels with aquaphor a little later.

Tags: homeownership, shopping

VIKING FEST STARTS TOMORROW

OMG.

I live in a town that has a VIKING FEST.

Also it's gonna be like 82 degrees. *bounce bounce*

"A number of factors lead us to this conclusion. First, the exclusion of same-sex couples from the designation of marriage clearly is not necessary in order to afford full protection to all of the rights and benefits that currently are enjoyed by married opposite-sex couples; permitting same-sex couples access to the designation of marriage will not deprive opposite-sex couples of any rights and will not alter the legal framework of the institution of marriage, because same-sex couples who choose to marry will be subject to the same obligations and duties that currently are imposed on married opposite-sex couples.

"Second, retaining the traditional definition of marriage and affording same-sex couples only a separate and differently named family relationship will, as a realistic matter, impose appreciable harm on same-sex couples and their children, because denying such couples access to the familiar and highly favored designation of marriage is likely to cast doubt on whether the official family relationship of same-sex couples enjoys dignity equal to that of opposite-sex couples.

"Third, because of the widespread disparagement that gay individuals historically have faced, it is all the more probable that excluding same-sex couples from the legal institution of marriage is likely to be viewed as reflecting an official view that their committed relationships are of lesser stature than the comparable relationships of opposite-sex couples.

"Finally, retaining the designation of marriage exclusively for opposite-sex couples and providing only a separate and distinct designation for same-sex couples may well have the effect of perpetuating a more general premise — now emphatically rejected by this state — that gay individuals and same-sex couples are in some respects “second-class citizens” who may, under the law, be treated differently from, and less favorably than, heterosexual individuals or opposite-sex couples. Under these circumstances, we cannot find that retention of the traditional definition of marriage constitutes a compelling state interest. Accordingly, we conclude that to the extent the current California statutory provisions limit marriage to opposite-sex couples, these statutes are unconstitutional."

I don't miss much about San Francisco. I do miss the availability of Peet's coffee, the shopping in Union Square, the Ferry Building Farmers Market, Arizmendi bakery, Golden Gate Park ... and I miss the Giants.

I didn't fully realize it til the season started and I found myself missing listening to the Giants broadcasting crew call the games. Even though the Giants are a fairly subpar team, I know I'm a real fan because I miss them anyway and wish I could still watch all their games.

I didn't cough up for the mlb.tv package, but I paid $15 for a full season of radio streams, so I will still get to hear Kruk and Kuip, Jon Miller, and Dave Flemming. I am convinced this is the best baseball broadcast team in America. The Mariners crew pales in comparison, sorry.

These guys not only have smooth radio voices, but always have something smart, insightful, descriptive, or funny to say. I remember last season listening to Flemming just after a particularly awful performance of the national anthem, dryly commenting that he hoped the song didn't make anyone drive off the road. Heh.

Yes, I am a huge baseball nerd, thanks for asking.

OMG! I'm a Giants fan for life!

Tags: baseball

Vivace usually has amazing cupcakes in their pastry case, by Cupcake Royale in Ballard. But only rarely do they have the elusive lavender buttercream chocolate cupcake by the time I get there for daily coffee break.

Here is a picture of one posing with my purse last winter, at the West Seattle shop.



It also can be seen in my LJ icon.

If Vivace has one today, I'm getting it.

Sometimes the haze is just right and I can look directly into the sun. It followed me on my bus ride home, blinking through passing columns of trees.

Today at work I started on my newest project: redesign of forum pages. Also known as bulletin boards or communities or whatever you want to call it. Basically threads and posts, something I am extremely familiar with. The templates and CSS are rather horrifying and I am hopeful that it's simpler than it seems. Today I made a couple of mockups. Which look awesome.

I didn't get much checked off on my house list this weekend, however we did finish cleaning up my dad's house/yard in time for his impending return. Also had a great time yesterday meeting my old friend Brenna's lovely family. They live in Bremerton, not too far away.

My house list has a bunch of stuff on it like dusting window blinds and vacuuming rugs and chipping away at the clutter in my office. I know I'll have everything organized soon enough, just a matter of making myself get to it, making no excuses. Having a tidy house means having time for leisure activities like reading and writing, which have been sadly neglected since our move.

I'm listening to the Mariners game, things are going poorly, again. Will they walk 13 batters in this game? Yes!

This book sounds great



1. Remove toxic products from your home and garage
2. Clean, declutter, clear and organize your home
3. Buy/use environmentally friendly products
4. Learn how to place objects to manifest change in your life

We are well on our way.

Tags: green, homeownership

GW Bush, who cured his alcoholism with "prayer", must be so jellllus

This is much funnier when you imagine the part of me being played by Larry David.

Monday morning, I got off my bus and walked to the ferry terminal to await my boat. I reached the double glass doors and when I stepped inside, saw that the corridor was being blocked by a few people. I wanted to get by them and stand on the other wall, where I wouldn't be blocking the exit. So I said "excuse me" and moved past. One guy I passed kind of jammed his elbow into me as I went, but I thought whatever, it's crowded. I stood by the other wall and waited to walk on.

So, we're all walking on to the boat and going to find seats or whatever. The guy who elbowed me came up next to me, going, "Excuse me, miss" so I looked at him. He was an older guy with a beard and glasses.

"I would appreciate it if you would have said excuse me when you walked by me. You bumped my arm."

"I did say excuse me," I said.

"No, you did not."

"Yes, I did."

At this point I noticed he's wearing A HEARING AID.

"No, you did not," he said again.

"I did," I said. What else could I say? I decided this conversation was now over and went past him to find a seat up front. I was a little shaken -- why was this guy so fucking upset that his arm was nudged by a woman half his size? Are his bones hollow?

Later I thought about it and realized this is the shit Larry David is always putting into his show, except if I were him, I probably would have pointed out to the guy that maybe, just maybe, he did not hear me saying "excuse me." And then I would have hung on to my argument like a pit bull until f-bombs were dropped.

Then later on I would have run into the guy again and he would have exacted his revenge on me or something.

I love that show.

The end.

I gotta get to bed but tomorrow I have a story about something that happened to me earlier this week that easily could have happened to Larry David in an episode of "Curb Your Enthusiasm."