I may serve Starbucks coffee but if I have the choice, I prefer Caribou. For many reasons, but right now it's for their new advertising slant. It's all positive and good vibes and happy thoughts. Their slogan has always been "Life is short. Stay awake for it." And right now their napkins say things like "Stay Awake For: maxing out your passport, ghost stories around a campfire, adopting a four-legged friend, playing an instrument, break dancing, luscious, oh-so-delicious chocolate." They also have post-it's up around their shops, filled out by customers asking what do you stay awake for. And then they have some that say "Life's too short for: grudges, fake anything, putting profits before people, over-roasted coffee, crabby people, waiting for change, wifi you have to pay for."
I totally dig their minimal company plugs with the coffee, chocolate, and free wifi listings. But I just think this advertising slant is so brilliant. Happiness and good things really are simple. Seeing as how I frequent Caribou's more often than I would like to admit, this has gotten me thinking. What do stay awake for?
1. Laughter with my beau
2. Baking cookies with his kids
3. The new show Treme on HBO
4. A good book
5. Yoga, then a bubble bath afterwards
6. A glass of wine. Or 4.
7. Rearranging my one-room palace and creating more space.
8. My new sinfully delicious discovery, cheez-its and cream cheese.
9. Outdoor baseball games
10. New music
11. Cuddling
12. My cat calmly sitting in my lap
The list goes on. What do you stay awake for?
Monday, April 26, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Baseball and my boy
It's official. Baseball season has started. And last night I went to my first outdoor baseball game. Ever. I was raised at the dome and went to a Saints game once but was only there for about 3 innings, so I don't think it counts. And let me tell you, the new outdoor stadium ROCKS! It is so awesome, I spent a good chunk of the time jumping up and down in excitement!
At the entry gate. And yes, that is the boy I'm dating.
The view from our seats. I don't think we sat down until the 7th inning, too busy walking around the stadium and checking it all out!
I heart baseball!
We have a lot of fun together.
Seriously this stadium is so fantastic! You can get your beer, and then turn around and watch the game. There is no big wall or doorway to block your view. And the big screen in the outfield has to be the clearest thing to ever grace baseball. And the hotdogs, oh man. I loved the Dome Dog, but these new ones are grilled the way a hotdog should be. I don't think I watched much of the game, I was so excited to be at the new stadium. Outdoor baseball with a clear sky, beer, hotdogs, my new boy, lots of laughter, sounds like a wonderful night to me!!
At the entry gate. And yes, that is the boy I'm dating.
The view from our seats. I don't think we sat down until the 7th inning, too busy walking around the stadium and checking it all out!
I heart baseball!
We have a lot of fun together.
Seriously this stadium is so fantastic! You can get your beer, and then turn around and watch the game. There is no big wall or doorway to block your view. And the big screen in the outfield has to be the clearest thing to ever grace baseball. And the hotdogs, oh man. I loved the Dome Dog, but these new ones are grilled the way a hotdog should be. I don't think I watched much of the game, I was so excited to be at the new stadium. Outdoor baseball with a clear sky, beer, hotdogs, my new boy, lots of laughter, sounds like a wonderful night to me!!
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Happy happy joy joy
I am happy. Genuinely happy. And have been busy being happy. So haven't had time to think about things and write about said things.
Happiness. Big fat smiles. Honest, hearty laughs. Joyful feelings inside and out. I highly recommend it.
Happiness. Big fat smiles. Honest, hearty laughs. Joyful feelings inside and out. I highly recommend it.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
I haven't/I have
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."
I haven't blogged, I've rarely written anything new, I haven't gotten very far in book number 3 of this series I'm reading, I haven't cooked much at my place, I haven't gotten that volunteer thing off the ground (although I'm looking at other options), I haven't done anything all that exciting.
But I've been out living and having a wonderful time. I've been cooking up a storm with a friend and making delicious food I might add! Our own BBQ sauce, potato salad, homemade pizza, stir-fry. It's been fun to hang out with someone who loves to eat as much as I do.
I've also been laughing. A LOT. That really doesn't say much considering two things. One, I'm a riot. And two, I laugh at everything. But laughter is better when shared.
I've genuinely enjoyed my days. When not at work (work has been very busy lately, which we like,) but when I'm off I tend to spend that time with a big grin on my face.
I've sent in my second piece to a magazine. I sent a piece written about the Minneapolis public transit system and human connection and I sent it to a local magazine. I'm not going to say which one until I get notified of a yes or no. Keep your fingers crossed!
I've also noticed that spending money on cat toys is stupid. You know when you give a kid a giant present and all they do for the rest of the evening is play in the box it came in? Well my cat is kind of like that. The toys I buy consist of foam balls, catnip filled mice, feathers on springy poles.
The toys he plays with are his tail, twist ties, rubber bands, my hair ties, that damn spring door-stop that is on the bottom corner of many household doors. He will also stalk my sock-monkey slippers as I'm walking around my apartment. It's a very clumsy sneak attack to my ankles and then a mad dash in the other direction. Poorly played, Kitty, poorly played.
But man is he cute. And funny. And snuggly. Best purchase I've made in a long time.
I haven't done much that I thought I was going to do. But I've been having a fabulous time doing everything else!
I haven't blogged, I've rarely written anything new, I haven't gotten very far in book number 3 of this series I'm reading, I haven't cooked much at my place, I haven't gotten that volunteer thing off the ground (although I'm looking at other options), I haven't done anything all that exciting.
But I've been out living and having a wonderful time. I've been cooking up a storm with a friend and making delicious food I might add! Our own BBQ sauce, potato salad, homemade pizza, stir-fry. It's been fun to hang out with someone who loves to eat as much as I do.
I've also been laughing. A LOT. That really doesn't say much considering two things. One, I'm a riot. And two, I laugh at everything. But laughter is better when shared.
I've genuinely enjoyed my days. When not at work (work has been very busy lately, which we like,) but when I'm off I tend to spend that time with a big grin on my face.
I've sent in my second piece to a magazine. I sent a piece written about the Minneapolis public transit system and human connection and I sent it to a local magazine. I'm not going to say which one until I get notified of a yes or no. Keep your fingers crossed!
I've also noticed that spending money on cat toys is stupid. You know when you give a kid a giant present and all they do for the rest of the evening is play in the box it came in? Well my cat is kind of like that. The toys I buy consist of foam balls, catnip filled mice, feathers on springy poles.
The toys he plays with are his tail, twist ties, rubber bands, my hair ties, that damn spring door-stop that is on the bottom corner of many household doors. He will also stalk my sock-monkey slippers as I'm walking around my apartment. It's a very clumsy sneak attack to my ankles and then a mad dash in the other direction. Poorly played, Kitty, poorly played.
But man is he cute. And funny. And snuggly. Best purchase I've made in a long time.
I haven't done much that I thought I was going to do. But I've been having a fabulous time doing everything else!
Sunday, March 21, 2010
My Certificate
I DID IT!!
And there is the proof.
I spent a few hours this morning editing a few of my pieces from this finished class to send out to magazines. Am I really going this? Am I really ready to submit my stuff? I guess so.
Wow, I'm proud of myself.
And there is the proof.
I spent a few hours this morning editing a few of my pieces from this finished class to send out to magazines. Am I really going this? Am I really ready to submit my stuff? I guess so.
Wow, I'm proud of myself.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Discrimination in schools
And these people teach our children.
I have found this story thanks to the miracles of facebook. But I have also responded to the schools superintendent and the principal with an email thanks to Dan Savage of Savage Love. You can ignore the first few letters but scroll down to the CONFIDENTIAL TO SAVAGE LOVE READERS section.
I find it so hard to fathom that we really are still sitting in a place of ignorance and hate in this country. I just re-watched the movie Milk last weekend. About the first openly gay person elected to public office, Harvey Milk. He was killed by another public official. All Milk wanted was equal rights. I don't think that is too much to ask.
And here 30 years later, we are still telling people who they should let into their hearts, be attracted to, love. It's ridiculous!
Here is my letter to the shallow people who told Constance she couldn't go to prom with her girlfriend.
Dear Teresa McNeece and Trae Wiygul,
You don't know me and we probably will never meet. But I am writing as a supporter of Constance McMillen. I am appalled at the school for telling Constance "no" when asked if she could take her girlfriend to prom. She was mature enough to ask, that should have been enough for a "yes." I'm appalled at the school board for then canceling prom. What a way to be adults and bury your heads in the sand about an issue that is so much bigger than a dance.
Constance doesn't only deserve to take whomever she chooses to prom, but she also deserves the support of her mentors, her teachers, her guides throughout the tough years of being a teenager. But instead she is pushed aside by adults and now bullied by her peers. It's hard enough to be a teenager, to suffer through high school, but to do it as an openly gay teenager, the people who do that are some of the bravest souls around.
You should be ashamed of yourselves. This has become a nation-wide issue, you and your fears are known to so many others. Constance can come to my city of Minneapolis and go to any prom she would like. I hope you slap yourselves across the face, realize the damage you have done, swallow your pride and your words, support your students, ALL your students and allow each and every one of them to not only go to prom but also to care for one another.
Sincerely,
Sarah Riley
I have found this story thanks to the miracles of facebook. But I have also responded to the schools superintendent and the principal with an email thanks to Dan Savage of Savage Love. You can ignore the first few letters but scroll down to the CONFIDENTIAL TO SAVAGE LOVE READERS section.
I find it so hard to fathom that we really are still sitting in a place of ignorance and hate in this country. I just re-watched the movie Milk last weekend. About the first openly gay person elected to public office, Harvey Milk. He was killed by another public official. All Milk wanted was equal rights. I don't think that is too much to ask.
And here 30 years later, we are still telling people who they should let into their hearts, be attracted to, love. It's ridiculous!
Here is my letter to the shallow people who told Constance she couldn't go to prom with her girlfriend.
Dear Teresa McNeece and Trae Wiygul,
You don't know me and we probably will never meet. But I am writing as a supporter of Constance McMillen. I am appalled at the school for telling Constance "no" when asked if she could take her girlfriend to prom. She was mature enough to ask, that should have been enough for a "yes." I'm appalled at the school board for then canceling prom. What a way to be adults and bury your heads in the sand about an issue that is so much bigger than a dance.
Constance doesn't only deserve to take whomever she chooses to prom, but she also deserves the support of her mentors, her teachers, her guides throughout the tough years of being a teenager. But instead she is pushed aside by adults and now bullied by her peers. It's hard enough to be a teenager, to suffer through high school, but to do it as an openly gay teenager, the people who do that are some of the bravest souls around.
You should be ashamed of yourselves. This has become a nation-wide issue, you and your fears are known to so many others. Constance can come to my city of Minneapolis and go to any prom she would like. I hope you slap yourselves across the face, realize the damage you have done, swallow your pride and your words, support your students, ALL your students and allow each and every one of them to not only go to prom but also to care for one another.
Sincerely,
Sarah Riley
Monday, March 15, 2010
Warning: Not for children's or prudes ears
Nutty the Neighbor is at it again! It's now warm enough where she will sit outside on the stoop for hours, (with no cushion, my rear falls asleep and it's not comfortable) with the lap top and her headphones. Which isn't all that odd, I sit outside too. But I wonder what she can be looking at online for hours. I get bored after a while.
But today was a doozy. I was walking back up from starting a load of laundry and I hear her singing. Now before I give you the link to the song that was spouting from this extremely tone deaf woman's apartment, I need to give warning. First off, it's by Lil' Kim and she is the epitome of nasty. This song is dirrty. (When there are 2 R's you know it's really raunchy.) This song is very inappropriate. If you are easily offended, know that I gave you full warning to NOT click the link and you have no one else to blame but your own curiosity.
And you'll know when you get to the lyrics that Nutty was singing.
THE SONG
Now imagine if you will, that song sang with no key signature chosen, and loudly. Like can hear her around the hallway corner. It's like she stands at her apartment's door and thinks "What can I do that will shock people?" She'll sing that. She'll give the building the Miranda Rights. Yep, it happened. She'll just yell out "I fucked your mom." Heard that too back when I first moved in.
If anything she is entertaining. Well, that's because she's crazy!
But today was a doozy. I was walking back up from starting a load of laundry and I hear her singing. Now before I give you the link to the song that was spouting from this extremely tone deaf woman's apartment, I need to give warning. First off, it's by Lil' Kim and she is the epitome of nasty. This song is dirrty. (When there are 2 R's you know it's really raunchy.) This song is very inappropriate. If you are easily offended, know that I gave you full warning to NOT click the link and you have no one else to blame but your own curiosity.
And you'll know when you get to the lyrics that Nutty was singing.
THE SONG
Now imagine if you will, that song sang with no key signature chosen, and loudly. Like can hear her around the hallway corner. It's like she stands at her apartment's door and thinks "What can I do that will shock people?" She'll sing that. She'll give the building the Miranda Rights. Yep, it happened. She'll just yell out "I fucked your mom." Heard that too back when I first moved in.
If anything she is entertaining. Well, that's because she's crazy!
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