I’ve not written about how I, like hundreds or maybe thousands of others, have hung on every word Eric Meyer has written about his second daughter since last August. Short of missives that say “I hear you” or “I wish I could take your anguish away,” what could I add? Eric’s always been someone who writes with confidence, clarity, and eloquence. Today, I can say something, do something.
Read MoreNon-Fiction
The idea for this Dunged post came from reading questions posed by another Seattle writer, Becky Selengut. The curious among you can see the original discussion in a November 2012 post in which Selengut made these inquiries: “Where did the expression bat-sh%t crazy come from? What is it about bats? Why does their excrement seem to imply some form of mental break?”
I wondered too and I asked my favorite word snooper, Lexie Kahn, to see if she could dig up the answer. I’m passing the keyboard over to her to explain what she found.
Photo courtesy of Lexie Kahn, also known as Judy Herman. Some rights reserved.
It rained today, the first day of March, in Seattle. Shocker, I know. This morning’s precipitation felt more like a heavy mist than a moderate rain as I stepped outside to take a stroll. No breeze of any significance moved the droplets from their lazy drift downward. Too cool to call it warm, the courtyard air was comfortable and smelled like wet loam and earthworms.
Photo courtesy of Eva Ekeblad. Some rights reserved.
My first camera, one I still occasionally take out to shoot with, is the Pentax Spotmatic my father gave me many years ago. He invested in this model with the then brand-new, through-the-lens exposure metering to cover sports events when he was a college student. Dad taught me how to manage the manual adjustments of that old 35 millimeter SLR while taking cues from the needle of the TTL light meter.
Seattle Sounders fans in rival territory
I hit the road for all sorts of reasons this year: to drum up new business, to meet people, to reconnect with family and friends, and to escape certain realities. This year has been tough. Not for the obvious reasons. I haven’t lost someone close to me and I still have a roof over my head. I eat well and take great comfort in my relationship with my most beloved.
Photo courtesy of Mike Russell All rights reserved.
I interviewed five fair trade activists earlier this year about the meaning of the movement in the coffee sector now, nearly a quarter of a century after the first seal was launched. The split of Fair Trade USA from Fairtrade International and this year’s launch of the Small Producers Seal increased the number of certification bodies to four in North America. Will this increase in the number of players bring a return to solidarity about what it means to trade fairly?
Photo courtesy of puuikibeach. Some rights reserved.
Disappointment. This is what my brother suggested I write about when I confessed I had no idea what to blog about today. All the clichés popped straight into my mind as I accepted this topic. It stings, doesn’t it? Disappointment. It’s that sinking feeling too. The feeling in the pit of your stomach that something didn’t happen the way you wanted it to.
Read MoreIncreasingly, I am spending time doing research. Much of this takes place online and one of the best tools available, as a Seattle resident and library card holder, is using the Seattle Public Library website. What I didn’t realize until today was that being a member also gets me access to museums in the area.
Photo courtesy of Mike Russell All rights reserved.
The landscapes of my youth invaded my dreams last night. Having these images—of red brick buildings and expansive lawns, of the sepia of dawn or dusk, of the amber hues and shadows underneath the trees and shrubs—show up as the scenery for some moment of nighttime revery usually signals a shift. I woke up with Ohio on my mind.
Read MoreAlready, dear readers, you know I have a fondness for putting bubbles and bitters together. Sometimes, the occasion calls for something a bit stronger and more nuanced. This week, I’m drinking another favorite cocktail that combines bubbly with bitters. This one features Kentucky whiskey and is sweetened by an orange-flavored liqueur. Top that all off with a healthy pour of champagne and garnish it with a twist of lemon to complete this pre-prohibition classic.
Photo courtesy of Brian Hoffsis.
