Jan. 31: Month in review

January 2014 is almost over. I’m kinda glad.

I’m also glad that today is Friday, because we all need a little Ponch now and then, right?

You’re welcome, Fancy Lori™. I know you like the Ponch pic. ;)

Special days I celebrated this month and how:

• New Year’s Day was celebrated in high style here at the House of Manullang. Three of the four of us were sick and napped throughout the entire day. Wheeeee. We’re the funnest.
• Jenn K’s birthday! We went to a wine bar, where I tasted a wine I actually like. I took a picture of the label so I can look for it in stores—so far, no luck. Figures. Time to place a special order, and I don’t even know how or where to do that because I’m so wine-stupid. After the wine bar we checked out a new local place, Valley Growlers. Big thumbs up for their fab selections! I think Jenn K had a good birthday, but none of us really remembers for sure, including her.
• I went to a baby shower for Erin, my niece. So fun to celebrate a new baby, even though he made me a great-aunt and that makes me old. More on Baby below.
• There was a celebration in our family when the Seahawks won the NFC championship, and there will be more celebration this weekend when they compete in the Super Bowl. As I am neither a Seahawks fan nor a Seahawks hater, I was not a celebrator nor a throw-things-at-the-wall-er (Loveliest Lori, I’m looking at you…). It sure is nice to have such happy boys in the house though. I also like seeing happy Seahawks-adjacent Facebook posts from happy Kim F’n, happy Melodie, happy Jordan family, happy every Manullang/Nienhuis, and happy neighbors. Happy is good.

I saw things with my eyes:

• Downton Abbey and Sherlock have started up again on PBS, and that makes for some happy Sunday nights here. The If-Downton-Abbey-Took-Place-Entirely-On-Facebook summaries that appear the next day at this site are priceless.
• I watched, for the first time, Mommie Dearest. Wow, I say, both for Joan Crawford’s awfulness and Faye Dunaway’s ridiculous over-acting. Still, it was oddly entertaining. One of the best things about Amazon Instant Video is having access to lots of movies (mostly trash) that I’ve never gotten around to watching.
• Last year I watched (and kinda loved) the documentary Grey Gardens, and this month I finally saw the Jessica Lange-Drew Barrymore movie version of it. Both were fascinating in that train-wreck/I-can’t-look-away way.
• Who needs to wait for the DVD release of Frozen, like a sucka? It’s online! Bootleg video, anyone?
• Armistead Maupin’s final tale from his Tales of the City series was published last week, and he was at Powell’s the other night for a reading and signing. He was as entertaining as always—I love that man. I’m thinking about re-reading the first eight books before I start the new one, just to experience the whole series in one great big delicious bite.
• I read Amy Tan’s latest novel, The Valley of Amazement. It contained a bit more detail about life as a courtesan than I really needed to know, but was beautifully written, as her books always are.
• I’m not entirely sold on e-books; I like holding actual books in my hands, turning pages, the eyestrain, all that. However, if a book is interesting enough, I’ll attempt to read it on my iPad. I just finished When You were Older, by Catherine Ryan Hyde. The story is set in the months following 9/11; I thought the author did a good job capturing the emotions of that tense time. (Someday I hope NOT to associate certain books with whether or not I read them on my Kindle app, but this was the second I’ve read start-to-finish.)

This month’s good and bad:

• NEW BABY NEW BABY NEW BABY NEW BABY!!! Erin & Kevin’s son was born four weeks early, but he’s doing well. I met him when he was two days old, and OMG, I forgot how lovely it is to hold someone else’s newborn! What a little sweetheart. Picture proof:

Baby Max (with Erin’s piggies in the background)

I love this pic of a very tired Erin and her sweet boy
(Totally stole it off their blog, but with permission)

• Debi visited! We need to see each other more than once a year. Boo.
• I opened an Etsy store and am going to sell my gemstone jewelry creations. I’ve been beading like a madwoman—it’s a very fun creative outlet. I’ll post the store info here when it’s all ready for shopping and sharing with your friends. I feel like I’ve been asking a lot of favors lately, so I apologize in advance for yet another.
• There aren’t enough creative new ways to use four-letter words that convey our frustration with the results of my PET scan. The cancer is back. I have a biopsy next week, and will meet with the oncologist soon after to decide on our next course of action. I’ll do my best NOT to turn Stuff Jen Says back into an all-cancer-all-the-time blog, but will also try to share news as it happens.
• And while I’m on the topic, I’d like some credit for not using more of those four-letter words on my blog. They sure come out of my mouth more than they end up here. Somebody praise me for my restraint RIGHT NOW.

I likes to share the silly stuff:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Time to enjoy some February. You should do it too. Laterz.

Nov. 15: Daybook

In the interest of trying to find some normalcy in my life, I’m attempting a plain ol’ blog post. You can watch TV if you get bored.

Today…

Outside my window... it’s getting to the part of fall I do not enjoy—the mess of slippery, wet leaves on the sidewalks, the bare trees, the very few blooming flowers, etc. Ugliness. However, I don’t mind needing a jacket, and I love weather that makes me feel like eating soup. So there’s that.

This weekend, I… hosted Jack’s birthday party. This involved making a two-colored cake (he chose yellow and green because this week he likes the Oregon Ducks) and cleaning a lot of areas of the house. Yesterday I mostly relaxed, because my back was hurting a bunch after all the stuff I did Saturday. I also watched Vic do the laundry, and that wore me right out. Whew.

I am thinking... that having hair is suddenly not such a cool thing. I got a call from the school today to inform me that Katie has head lice. As you can imagine, this was horrifying news. Jack’s clean. Victor and I appear to be clean as well. I don’t know where Katie picked up the little buggers, but I was a little bit relieved to see there were no actual bugs, just eggs. The bugs would’ve grossed me out. Anyway, since 2:15 today I’ve been doing laundry and applying homeopathic crap to Katie’s head and scratching my own head like you would not believe. Just the thought that there might be lice in our house is making me itch itch itch. Now we’re all shampooing with tea tree oil and sleeping on freshly washed linens and praying to the insect goddesses that we’ve combed out every egg and prevented any hatchlings.

I am thankful... for the confidentiality the school promises when they have to call you to say you have lice. I hate that we would otherwise be “that” family. Who knows? Maybe we already were.

I am working on... a flyer that’s supposed to go home in backpacks tomorrow, and getting the budget updated for the membership meeting on Wednesday afternoon. It’s all-PTO, all-the-time ‘round here. When we’re not annihilating head lice, that is.

I am going... to get up super-early tomorrow morning for my PET/CT scan. Please chant with me: No OJ! No OJ! No OJ!

I am reading... Mary Ann in Autumn, and I love it so far. I’m taking my time reading it because I already don’t want it to end.

I am hoping... that tea tree oil doesn’t give head lice superpowers. If it does, we’re super-screwed.

I am hearing... Casey and Oliver “play,” or as Casey calls it, “why does that asshole keep jumping on me?” They’re so loud when they romp, but it’s actually very cute. Casey doesn’t hate it nearly as much as she wants us to believe.

Around the house... everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, is getting washed. Such fun.

One of my favorite things... is coming home to something warm in the crock pot. Today it was a pot roast.

Plans for the rest of the week: a little radioactivity, a little PTO, a little poker night with the Buzos and Fukais, and a little Sunriver. Happy happy!

Here’s an image I want to share:

Want to blog your own Daybook? Here’s the info: The Simple Woman’s Daybook.

Nov. 13: It’s Saturday

Life is still leaning toward “suckage,” but here and there I’ve been blessed with things that make me oh-so-happy. I’m glad to have something to write about that doesn’t involve me kvetching non-stop. You probably are too.

• One of my favorite authors, Armistead Maupin, was at Powell’s last night and I went to see/hear him. It was my third time to see him in Portland, and my second time to see him with my good friend Ed. I don’t get to see Ed nearly as often as I should (that would be approximately every minute of every day), and our last-minute plan to meet up for the reading made my day. Yay! Maupin’s newest book, Mary Ann in Autumn, is (basically) the eighth in the Tales of the City series, and as this is one of my favorite book series, I’m thrilled to have another one to read. If you’ve read the first six books, you know that Mary Ann goes from charming and likeable to a total bitch; I look forward to seeing where Armistead takes her in this book. I think it’ll be good.
• Today is Jack’s ninth birthday. How that kid got so old so fast, I don’t know. He was kind of a spaz today, and I had to keep reminding myself why I love him, because more than once, I wanted to send him outside to play in the traffic. He planned most of his birthday party this year, and although he originally asked for another rainbow cake, I talked him down to two layers/colors and he was happy. Whew.
• I’m pretty sure if we stopped talking about Kanye West that he’d go away. Who’s with me?
• We’re going to Sunriver next week. It’s been a long time since we’ve been anywhere, and I’m determined that this trip will be all relaxing and lovely. I can hardly wait.
• My back has been killing me the last couple weeks. I don’t have trouble sleeping (hooray for my new sleeping drugs), but the walking/standing/working stuff is sometimes unbearable. On top of that, I have the general achiness of the flu, but none of the other normal flu symptoms. Also, I’m supa-grouchy.
• I did the PTO’s taxes this week. We normally have a CPA do them, but I decided to try it this year, and I got them done all on my own, like a pro. I’m totally patting my own back, I know. It was actually a little bit fun. Because we’re a 501(c)(3), the forms were different than most I’ve worked with, and the information they asked for made it challenge-y. Yes, “challenge-y” is too a weird, Fancy Lori™.
• My PET/CT scan is Tuesday. Cross your fingers for me, please. We don’t want to see O.J. anymore. We don’t want to see him EVER AGAIN.

That’s enough for now.

Apr. 16: IDCEAYWTPFriday

Time again for I Don’t Care Enough About You to Write in Transitioning Paragraphs Friday.

• I felt like you-know-what most of this week, but yesterday things improved a bit. I don’t hurt when people hug me anymore. I don’t hurt when my back touches the pillow. I still feel low on energy, but at least the constant screaming has stopped.
• My mom came up Wednesday. She was on her way to visit friends in Walla Walla, and she left her giant dog, Gilly, with us until she gets back on Sunday. He’s a great dog—super sweet and well-behaved—but our critters hate him and it changes EVERYTHING about our house when he’s here. The only thing I really mind, though, is the increased toxicity of our home’s air. The dog farts are absolutely intolerable now.
• Last night we saw Dreamgirls. I didn’t watch the movie before we went, but I’m watching it right now and it’s surprisingly similar—not as many plot changes as you often see in the movie version of a stage musical. I thought the stage show was good, and Victor did too, but we agreed that it’s not one of our favorites. One really disappointing part last night was when Effie’s microphone went all wonky during And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going. Couldn’t have happened at a worse time.
• I’m hope-hope-hoping that my chemo on April 27 will be my last one, but we won’t know for sure until we see the results of my scan on May 4. I wish I could really truly celebrate being done, but I know that even if it is my last chemo, I’ll still have to go in for IV meds for a while. My last day in the chemo chair will probably end up being a bit anti-climactic, as it sounds like I’ll taper off over some time. Either way, we’re planning to do some celebrating on the day we’re calling April 27 is Jen’s Last Chemo. To add to the excitement, my sister is going to be there—she’s flying in from Denver that morning, and flying back in the afternoon. Fortunately, my doctor’s office is five minutes from the airport. I’m thrilled that she’ll be here! You should probably drop by too, y’know. Jus’ sayin’…
• The season premiere of The Deadliest Catch was this week. Knowing Captain Phil’s fate makes his scenes so sad! I don’t know how long it’ll be until they cover his hospital stay, but I’m sure they’ll dedicate at least one episode to his death. It’s gonna be a bummer of a season. I remember bawling over last season’s episode when that one deckhand’s little sister died, and we didn’t even know her. Captain Phil was my favorite of all those grizzled dudes.
• Speaking of The Deadliest Catch, here’s Mike Rowe (the narrator) performing a dramatic reading of Tiger Woods’ texts. Ha.
  
  
  
• Darlene is taking Katie and Abby (Katie’s cousin, Ted’s daughter) to the American Girl Fashion Show in Bellevue this weekend. Katie’s been eagerly preparing; this involves putting together the perfect ensemble in which to outfit her American Girl doll, not to mention herself. She even got up early one morning this week to work on it. Oh, the horror if either of them are not properly attired!
• Have you read the Tales of the City series by Armistead Maupin? I’ve mentioned the books many times in the history of my blog because I enjoy them so much. I was thrilled to read the latest, Michael Tolliver Lives, when it came out ‘07, and to hear Maupin announce at his reading that he was working on another book that would mostly be about Mary Ann. This new novel, Mary Ann in Autumn, just popped up on Amazon and is available for pre-order before its release in November. Hooray! Here’s the quickie review I wrote of Michael Tolliver Lives, and this is what I posted after attending Maupin’s reading on his last tour. Love that guy.
• It’s sunny and warm outside right now, but the weekend weather is supposed to be so-so. We’ll see. I’d love some sunbathing time to get some color on my noggin, but it’d probably just burn anyway. I think my wig’s uncomfortable anyway; I can’t imagine if my scalp was peeling underneath it! Itchy itchy itchy. That’d make me bitchy bitchy bitchy.

That’s enough for now.

May 27: A delightful evening

Armistead Maupin is doing a book tour for Michael Tolliver Lives, which is a follow-up to the beloved Tales of the City series. Tonight’s stop was in Portland.

I saw him a few years ago when he toured for The Night Listener, my first time seeing a big-name author. He read a chapter, talked a little, answered some questions, and autographed books. In the Q&A portion I was annoyed by some in the crowd—you know the types, they want everyone to know that have some tiny connection to the author so they ask an obscure question just to show off. Bleah.

Tonight he followed a similar schedule. The chapter he chose to read was when Michael goes to see his mom in the nursing home in Orlando, and I loved hearing “her” voice—all sass and thick Southern accent, and so different from the way it read in my head!

None of those in attendance tonight were really obnoxious know-it-alls, thank goodness. There were lots of questions about the TOTC characters’ fates, the miniseries, and personal questions about Maupin’s life. I could have listened to him talk for hours, and I think he would have liked to. While many authors may prefer to be admired from afar, Maupin seems to be an open book and will talk about virtually anything. I respect that so much.

Some of the things you Armistead Maupin fans may care to know:

• Someone asked what he thinks about people like Perez Hilton that “out” closeted celebrities. His reply was, “Can we use someone other than Perez Hilton as an example? I can’t stand that little worm.” His complaint with Perez’s manner of pushing celebrities out of the closet is that he is mean-spirited about it even when he has the chance to do it in a much kinder way.
  
• When asked when his next book will come out, he says he has a title for it, but that’s all so far. His plan is to finally redeem Mary Ann. Circumstances will bring her back to San Francisco and the book will be primarily about her. He’s planning to call it Mary Ann’s Autumn.
  
• He said he found Laura Linney to be the embodiment of Mary Ann, and now hears her voice (rather than his own) when he writes her. Linney was a big influence on his decision to start this next book.
  
• There is a Broadway musical based on Tales in the works. One of the Avenue Q writers is involved, as well as the lead singer of the Scissor Sisters. It is planned to be part of the 2009-10 Broadway season.
  
• He and his husband were married in Vancouver last year and are planning to be married in California this summer.

I asked him to sign my copy of Michael Tolliver Lives (see crappy phone pic). He saw my bookplate and read my name out loud (brave guy). He wondered about the origin of “Manullang” and then asked with a smile, “And ‘Saltmarsh’ is the name you took on during your hippie phase in college?” He almost didn’t believe me when I told him it was my maiden name. While he was writing, I told him I had recommended his books to several “Lenores” (the name of Michael Tolliver’s ultra-conservative sister-in-law) and he laughed. I said, “I just tell them the truth—they’re good books—and hand them over without any warning of the elements I know will freak them out.” He said he’s actually been praised by conservative critics for not writing those kinds of characters unfairly. (Maybe he’s a little too nice???)

On the way home I got this text message from April: Pls ask armistead what-the w/the end of night listener. Well, on the last tour, he wasn’t willing to give too much away about the truth behind the novel. This time he came right out and gave the facts. April, you can check out the details here.

Best part of the evening, besides our short chat: he opened with the hilarious story of his sister’s mother-in-law, who wears a bag over her head during gynecological exams. If you ever get a chance to hear this man speak, it’s worth it just to hear that story.

Linky linky...

Tales of the City (1978)
More Tales of the City (1980)
Further Tales of the City (1982)
Babycakes (1984)
Significant Others (1987)
Sure of You (1989)
Maybe the Moon (1992)
The Night Listener (2000)
Michael Tolliver Lives (2007)
Wikipedia: Armistead Maupin
Wikipedia: Tales of the City