Tag: fun

Pike Schemes found some good postcards.

I sent postcards when I was in Boise, but Pike Schemes found theirs in a different location than I did.  Two arrived today.

Get it?

(Um, in retrospect, you might not get it if you are not familiar with the touchy nature the natives of Idaho’s capital city feel about the pronunciation of their city name.   But for those of us in the know, it’s funny.)

Signs!

I love that the Boise Rescue Mission has a neon sign.  It’s one of the things I never found odd while living there, but seems strange now.

(prompt) ends. Broadsheet Published.

For the past 10 weeks I’ve been taking a writing class called (prompt) given by Write Around Portland.  It’s been a fabulous experience and this night was no different.  Tonight we got our broadsheets, which feature work by everyone in the class.

I was quite happy with my (prompt) experience and in the future I will publish a few of the pieces I wrote during the class on the blog.  In the meantime, thanks to Write Around Portland, my fellow class participants and especially Matt Blair, our instructor.

Crazy Hair Day.

She’s pretty much the winner of crazy hair day. (not that we ever have “winners” at my school).
Might I remind you the K/1 classes are studying birds?

I twisted my hair up into 12 individual twists making nobs on my head. But I forgot to take a picture. I was a bit horrified when–despite the lack of product and my completely dry hair–I had a huge head of hair when I pulled them out at the end of my day. My hair likes to follow orders.

Saying goodbye to the chicks.

 Today is the last day the chicks will be at school, they are going to live on a farm.
 
We have been teasing the teacher about animals living “on a farm” but it appears that it is a farm where they will not become chicken dinner.
 
They’ve grown up so fast.
 
Getting their real feathers.
 
One of them really likes to perch on things.
 
I tried to get the rest of them to do that too, but they weren’t ready.
 
Have fun with your new life, chicks.
 
The children named them, so you can see how incredibly creative they were.
 

Laurie Notaro

Kelly and I wandered down to Powell’s for our third Laurie Notaro reading.  She was funny as ever, in her hilariously charming over-sharing way. If you are looking for a bit of a pick-me-up any of her books of essays will do.

ps.  The gallery installation behind her was incredible.  A whole heap of author portraits done by two artists. I especially loved the style of Allison Bruns (the top one pictured here).  She was great at capturing expression.

More pictures of the exhibit.
http://powells.tumblr.com/post/51569909347/travelingbookgirl-powells-city-of-books

Have you been to the Good Stuff bakery?

Unless you happen to work at, or attend the school where I am employed, I’m guessing you haven’t because this bakery is run by a fifth grader. He takes orders from Tuesday through Thursday and delivers on Monday.  No exceptions.
 
And when he delivers, there is branded packaging.  He knows his marketing.
 
And his craft.  Those Almond Toffee Bars are delicious.
 

Community Sing-Along

It’s the last Saturday of Spring Break, I’ve got a dress to finish ASAP, food to make for Easter tomorrow, and potatoes to plant today.  I also need a nap.  I have no time to sing along with Pink Martini in Pioneer Square.  
But guess what I did?  I didn’t work on the dress.  I didn’t get all the food made.  But I did plant potatoes, nap and sing along with Pink Martini in Pioneer Square.
The first 300 people got songbooks.  And very nice songbooks they were, too.  They had words AND piano music.

We had the bonus of having both China Forbes AND Storm Large lead us in song.  Also, the Von Trapps were there (four fresh-faced, college-looking members).  And former Governor Barbara Roberts was up on stage too, singing her heart out.  Members of the Oregon Symphony were there too.  It was a very full stage.

In my haste to leave, I forgot my camera, so these photos are taken with the cell phone.  I was delighted at the earnestness with which this deadlocked-haired youth sang along with the lyrics.  I was simultaneously disturbed because the song we were singing at the time was “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad” which apparently he’d never been exposed to?

In case of rain, local umbrella makers ShedRain gave away free umbrellas.  It was not at all rainy, but at one point everyone put up their umbrella for a photo op.
And we sang!  We sang nearly every song in the songbook.  The songs ranged from classic sing-along songs:  “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad,” “Home on the Range,” “On Top of Old Smoky.”  There were also songs from musicals:  “Edelweiss,” “Summertime,” “A Spoon Full of Sugar.”  And there were great surprises that were incredible sing-alongs:  “The Theme from All in the Family,” “Copacabana,” “The Gambler,” “Nine to Five.” Aside from all that singing we did, we got performances of Pink Martini songs, as well as Sound of Music songs performed by the Von Trapp singers.
At one point, Thomas Lauderdale referred to Edelweiss as one of five songs that everyone knows.  I emailed him, curious to see what he thinks the other four are, but he has not responded.  What five songs do you think everyone knows?

fun. is fun.

It’s a sunny Wednesday afternoon.  Where am I going with a backpack?
 
The fun headboard, the painted walls, the lamps.  I must be at a McMenamins Hotel.
 
Indeed it is.  It’s the McMenamins Crystal Hotel located in downtown Portland.
 
Each room is  named after a song and I was excited to have the “Louie, Louie” room.  The very nice desk clerk told me that the song was recorded just up the street.
 
Here’s a map of the whole hotel layout.
 
 And here’s my room’s “Louie Louie” painting.
 
Why am I here on a weeknight?  Why to see fun., of course.
 
You know, FUN.  The band’s name is fun.?  It’s the worst name ever, because no one has any idea what the band’s name is.  It’s like a mini “Who’s on first” conversation every time I bring them up.  But if you have been anywhere near radio (including pop radio, alternative and adult contemporary formats) in the last year, you’ve heard fun.

Notice the ticket says “A December To Remember”?  And notice it’s March?  The show was postponed twice, I was supposed to go on December 19, but they moved it to March.  Because I decided too late I wanted to see the band, the show was sold out, so I stayed in the hotel and was able to buy a ticket.

How was fun.?  fun. was fun.  The band Family of the Year opened and they were great to watch. They said we were an “amazing” crowd.  This was very flattering, although I’m sure they say that to all the crowds.  Here’s a clip from the show.  This song was clearly their big hit as the sing-along got very loud.  I particularly enjoyed watching the bass player, whose hair and stage mannerisms were straight out of 1994.  I say that with love.

fun. was a good time.  They were apparently jet-lagged, but enjoyed us as a crowd as evidenced by this clip. I was interested to see how they would sound live as there are only three of them, and yet many more sounds on their songs than three musicians can make.  They solved this by having additional musicians on stage.  I particularly enjoyed watching Emily Moore (at least that’s what Wikipedia says her name is) who played a lot of instruments.  I learned the lead singer’s sister lives in Portland, which was an interesting fact.  And I particularly enjoyed hearing “The Gambler.”  Here’s a clip of “Carry On.“