Soul-crushing losses...soul-finding dog

Tonight, as Ariel and I were taking our nightly walk around the corner, it occurred to me that I have suffered some amazingly difficult, potentially paralyzing losses in the past year. First, my mom. While I am still not ready to publicly discuss how much her death has affected me, I am finally willing to admit that no matter how much I thought I was "ready" for it, on June 21, 2010, it hit me like a ton of bricks. Then, less than a week later, a move 1300 miles away from my job, partner, friends, and family, and a best friend's new baby (I jokingly call him my "god-nephew," because we are as good as sisters). And a few months ago, the loss of the most beloved cat on the planet, my baby boy Nelson. As I was taking my moment to wither and get lost in my own grief, Ariel turned around, mouth open, and looked at me with total dog happiness. That's when it hit me: yeah, I've had lots of reasons to grieve...but I've also had some great moments in the past year. I have met people that I know will be my friends for the rest of my life, no matter how far away we might be. I am about to finish my first year of veterinary school, which is something I've wanted to do since I was a kid. And then there's the dog, looking back at me in complete contentment. This crazy mutt that I was never "supposed" to have. People say that everything happens for a reason...and when you're grieving that sentiment seems like complete crap. When you're experiencing a moment of amazement, it makes perfect sense. Just when I was losing myself again, she found me. And through her eyes, I have re-discovered the beauty in the world. Playing is fun again. Naps are totally worth it. Grass in the wind, leaves floating by, birds in the air...well, they're amazing to just stand and watch. The other day Ariel put her entire muzzle into a flower. After chuckling at her, I sniffed it to see what all the fuss was about...heavenly. (Then, I sneezed, and she "laughed" at me!) The dog training books all talk about those moments where you effectively communicate with your dog, and how incredible they are. In the past 6 months, I have watched Ariel blossom from an untrusting, submissive young pup into a remarkably mature, social, friendly DOG. I have to admit that my pride swells when I pick her up at the clinic and the student that "played doctor" with her for the morning can't stop talking about what a sweetheart she is and how much "personality" she has. While I'm sure that much of this is simply due to time, I am well aware of how much of myself I put into her training and development. And I realized that we are now a unit. Temple Grandin talks about human/dog relationships being symbiotic in her book Animals Make Us Human, which I have been reading a lot lately. It occurred to me that while I have given Ariel food, a warm dry place to sleep, and lots of love and treats, she has given me LIFE. At least one that's worth living, anyway. I could be sinking deeper and deeper, but I am not. She is what gets me up in the morning (often, literally, as she has taken to standing on my sternum when she wants her breakfast). She is what gets me out for runs when it's the last thing I want to do. And SHE is what motivates me through vet school, as I quietly remind her that someday, I won't have to drop her off somewhere unfamiliar to get her vaccines.

I know that most people have incredibly close relationships with their animals. And I know that people say that dogs are "man's best friend." I am not in anyway ashamed to admit that Ariel is my best friend, and every single day I thank my lucky stars (and my friend Jenny!) that we were able to find each other in this huge world we live in. I am totally in love with my fabulous dog...and I'm pretty sure it's mutual ;)

Love your Mother

If you know me at all, you know that I am not "religious" in the technical, direct sense of the word. I had a boyfriend in high school who used to tell me all the time that I could be "spiritual" without taking part in an organized religion. I didn't understand what he meant until much later. These days, I am perfectly comfortable with my belief that there is something greater than me, but I am unwilling to name it. I feel that labeling something often takes away its value. To me, spirituality is still mystical, which is as it should be. I don't understand how the cosmos "banged" together and how life formed and how we evolved to get to this point. I mean, I understand the science (well, mostly), but I'm always left with the question: Yes, but how did it START? There is no right answer. I think the beauty of that is in the reality that we can never truly know. What I DO know is that as far as we are aware, we have only one Earth, only one planet which can sustain human life. And we are slowly killing her. I'm not even going to go into the politics of the situation (I'll save that for my partner, who does a great job of it here). But we are quickly approaching catastrophe, and nobody is doing anything about it on a large enough scale. Gas prices here in Mississippi are topping $3.60, and nobody is changing their habits. How high do they have to go before people realize there's a supply and demand problem (that is also politically fueled, but again, I'm saving that for others more knowledgeable)? Our resources are dwindling, but until it affects us directly, I'm sad to say that most Americans won't give a damn. But I give a damn, and I'm going to keep fighting.



As with most feelings I have, there's an Indigo Girls song that matches perfectly. Here's a video featuring that "perfect" song.

Happy Earth Day everyone. Try to take time out of every day to appreciate our planet and bask in the wonder.

My weather education

When I moved to the South, I knew I was in for a change. They speak a different language here, live a different pace, and have wildly different social and cultural beliefs. These are things I knew. What nobody told me about was the weather. OMG, the weather. The first time I heard a tornado siren go off, it woke me up out of a dead sleep the night before an exam. My roommates were not in town, and I was alone. I dragged 2 cats and a dog into the bathroom and sat there for at least an hour while straight-line winds and rain rattled the house. This past Friday, we were pulled OUT OF CLASS to evacuate to the basement. That was only the first of 4 tornado warnings that day. (P.S. A watch does not mean a warning - a watch means it might happen, but a warning means the sirens are going off and you better take cover.) And now today:

This is the shit that just passed us (and it's only the tiniest piece of what's been going on since 4am). It included ridiculous-sized hail, flash floods, and tornado warnings. Awesomeness. I really do hate this weather. What's amazing is that my dog really doesn't seem to mind the weather. We had a FLASH of lightning accompanied by some thunder that sounded like it was IN the bedroom, and she didn't even flinch. What she does mind is the tornado sirens. But at least she understands that she's supposed to seek shelter when they're blaring.

I have a feeling that she would cover her ears if she were able. Doesn't that look just say, "Make it stop!" If only, Ariel, if only. I'm getting tired of the whole business as well. We will be home in 2 weeks, just in time to catch the beginning of New England summer and hit the beach before the tourists get there. Perfect.

Just say no to Hershey Kisses...and wine with honey...and...

While I did not transition into veganism cold turkey (there was still some yogurt and coffee creamer left over in the fridge - and I am a poor vet student), I did make a decision to choose new items that were vegan. Which is why, at 8am today, I passed up three (count them THREE) Hershey kisses. Our epidemiology professor passed around a bag to demonstrate a point about sample size, and we each took one. And then came the second bag. And the third. By the end, I had three kisses sitting in front of me (one of them was even caramel!). But what are they made of? MILK chocolate. And I thought, "Crap." I know there is vegan chocolate, but Hershey's milk chocolate kisses (some of my faves!) are not in that group. So I took mine from the bag (I'd hate to screw up a good class example) and passed them down to a friend. And the more I thought about it, the better I felt, until I started thinking...

I wonder sometimes...how much impact does my decision not to eat or use any animal products actually have? I passed up 3 Hershey kisses in class this morning. But the bag was already bought, the cows already milked to make the chocolate, their manure already in the environment. The system had already been supported. I'm curious as to how other vegans deal with this reality. The world is not vegan. There will be people who continue to eat meat, regardless of the environmental and social impacts (whether or not they are aware) until it becomes unavailable, or extremely cost-prohibitive. Does my conscious decision even matter? If I really think about it, I KNOW it matters - at least to me. I feel so much better about my life, health, and spirit, knowing I did not contribute in any way to the suffering of any creature, no matter how many legs. But still...I can't help but wonder if my choices will change anything. I'm sure this is something many vegans feel in the early stages. In the end I can only hope that there are enough of us to make a difference. Mother Earth needs help, and we have the power to give it to her, if only we stop thinking of ourselves for just a moment...

Vegan dog treats? You betcha!

I know I mentioned transitioning from vegetarian to vegan in my last post. I've kicked this idea around several times in the past, but never really with much conviction. A while back I realized that all I would have to "give up" is eggs, cheese, and yogurt. The eggs and cheese are easy. But yogurt? I LOVE yogurt (especially Stonyfield Farms!), and every variety of soy yogurt I have tried in the past makes me want to gag. Recently a friend turned me on to Whole Soy yogurt, and it's not half as bad as the others. With that hurdle behind me, I began pitching the last bits of shredded cheddar and looking into common vegan substitutes (which can be hard to come by in Starkville, Mississippi, let me tell you).

Another part about my lifestyle that doesn't sit well is what I feed my pets. If the reason I'm not eating meat is that I can't support "factory farming" on a social and environmental level (let alone animal welfare), why am I feeding meat (and byproducts and other nasties) to my animals? My dog Ariel, a terrier mix I adopted six months ago, LOVES store-bought organic vegan treats. Her favorite are these pumpkin blueberry crunchers . I like them because she has to actually CHEW instead of simply inhaling the way she does anything else edible (and sometimes inedible, but that's for another time). She also loves fresh blueberries and gets them often. So...I started to do some research. I learned that there's a lot of fluff out there. For instance, I discounted certain websites that told me cats can subsist on a purely vegetarian diet. I am in vet school, after all, and they do teach us that cats are obligate CARNIVORES. This bothers me, as I still have to feed my cat meat, but it is nature. But I digress. After realizing that it was going to take me lots of research and a seriously long time to transition Ariel to a vegetarian diet (p.s. dogs are omnivores like us), I decided to start small and make my own treats. I found this recipe for blueberry banana oat treats. I substituted whole wheat flour for the rye flour because I couldn't find any, and almond milk for the cow milk. Not only were these super ridiculously easy to make (with the aid of a trusty hand blender - lifesaver! - and a cookie dropper), but they are almost the perfect consistency for dog treats. I waited until they cooled off a bit and tried a bite myself - not bad! When I called Ariel into the kitchen and offered her a bite, she sniffed, then gulped. More, please! What a hit. She followed me around the house for a full 5 minutes afterwards! When I realize how little the ingredients cost and how much this one batch made, I think I will definitely try this one again. And maybe some others!

The first step is admitting you have a problem

Hi. My name is Caitlin...and I'm...a procrastinator. It's such a dirty word, and we hate to admit that we fall into the group of individuals who puts off projects until "tomorrow" (and isn't there always a tomorrow?). I, however, fall into the worst category of procrastinators: I get super-excited about a project, start it with more gusto than anyone thinks is possible, and then let it fizzle into nothingness. And the most difficult part is that afterwords (sometimes days, sometimes weeks) I feel guilty. Then I spend inordinate amounts of time thinking, "You should really pick that back up again," instead of actually DOING the thing I'm putting off. The sad part is that I do this with just about everything - from academic work to personal projects. Recently, I learned HOW to knit, and then actually KNIT a baby blanket for the son of a dear friend of mine, and I am more proud of the fact that I finished it than of how gorgeous it is. And let me tell you, it is perfect. Have I finished a project since? Resounding NO. Have I stocked up on more yarn than I could possibly use in the next 3 years while I'm in vet school? Of course! The current situation: in the next 2 weeks (the LAST 2 weeks of my first year of vet school!), I have 6 exams. Am I studying? Not exactly (but I am absolutely feeling guilty that I'm not studying). Instead, I am trying to transition from vegetarian to VEGAN, train for a 5k (in 75 degree weather that I'm not used to), form an alternative veterinary medicine club at Mississippi State CVM, and not worry about moving into a new place (that I can't even move into until after my exams are finished).

All of this brings me to the reason for the current post: I did not let the blog fizzle because I am uninterested. It simply fell into the category of "forgotten." But it is not gone, and I am not gone. I am never at a loss for things to talk about, and strange things spark my crazy train of thought and interest daily. I'm going to start writing them down, and sharing. Seriously, this time.

Why I am doing this

I knew when I began this blog that updates would be sporadic at best, but I did not anticipate that I would feel guilty about that. Life as a vet student is absolutely crazy, and time is remarkably limited. Lately I've been wondering what the hell I'm doing down here, in Mississippi, 1300 miles away from home and the man that I've been completely in love with since the day I realized it was possible. I've been wondering why, at twenty-eight, I decided that MORE education would be a good thing. And then I remember my childhood. I remember wanting to be a veterinarian, pretending to "bandage" Bandit's legs with ribbon (she was the only tolerant one, bless her). I remember deciding, upon the death of a beloved pet, that I could never handle that aspect of medicine. Now, after having been a technician in two emergency practices, I better understand that the ability to ease suffering is a gift. I remember why I am doing this, and it gets a little easier. I try not to simply study for a test, but to LEARN the material and store it away for some future use. They told us during orientation that you enter the veterinary profession the day you send in your acceptance; now I realize how very true that is. This is my life, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Happy Birthday, America!

There's nothing like a major holiday weekend to teach you everything you need to know about the new town you've moved into. Last Sunday, I learned that just about everything here is closed. (Presumably because everyone's at church in the morning and family barbeques in the evening.) THIS Sunday, July 4, I discovered some things: #1. The WalMart down the street is 24/7 and is only closed on Christmas Day (because we have to celebrate Jesus, ya know); #2. In September of 2009, Starkville began selling alcohol on Sundays, from 11am to 10pm; #3. In Mississippi, beer is sold in grocery stores and convenience stores. If you put all this together, you figure out that despite the fact that it's the Fourth, I was able to go into my local WalMart and purchase this:

After damn near killing myself this morning as I drove around Mississippi State University and the town of Starkville, hanging my head and my camera out the window (photos below), I thought it might be a nice, quiet, refreshing way to celebrate Independence Day in my new (temporary) home. Inside, of course, because it's 92 degrees out there and I'm just not used to that yet.

This Morning's Endeavor: "Moving Photography"
(and yes, I was actually driving for most of these shots)

Drive up to the Wise Center, where MSU-CVM is housed

Downtown Starkville (the old part). Thank god it was a holiday or I'd have killed somebody.

Pretty houses in the older section

Talk about pride! Even the water tower roots for the Bulldogs.

I think this sign is hysterical on so many levels.

That, in a nutshell, is the town as I see it. The vet school, the pretty southern stuff, football, and barbeque. And really, to a point, that's been my experience this week. Who knows what's to come?

(I was going to try to come up with something witty to close this one, but the photos took so long to load I'm halfway through the second Mike's and about ready for a nap. See ya!)

Ch-ch-ch-changes

I'm sitting here in my new room, listening to Jack Johnson and watching the cats take over my tiny bed. I've talked to Pat 3 times and my dad twice. I made dinner, did dishes, had a glass of wine and read 10 pages of immunology (class hasn't even started yet). It didn't occur to me how much I became used to a certain way of life with certain people in certain places until those things all came out of the equation, one way or another. Life feels different. Not bad, but not the same. Definitely going to take some getting used to. That said, I'd rather everything get shaken up at once than just get settled down and turned upside down again. I miss Pat, and Bailey and Lucas and Obe and Bella. I miss my mom so much it actually HURTS when I breathe sometimes. I wish she could have seen me getting coated and been proud that I was doing the thing I've always dreamed of doing. I wish she could have seen me yesterday, flying down a zipline after shouting my nickname, "Petunia zipping!" It's going to be hard remembering that I can't call her; my fingers know the way so well. But - and there's always a but - life moves forward. No matter how much I'd like for time to stand still, just for a little while, I can be sure that it won't. Grief is a funny thing. It comes and goes, washing over you in waves. Sometimes it makes you a little shaky and other times it just bowls you over. But you have to keep moving, because you know in your heart that if you slow down, or stop, you'll sink in and never be able to climb out. Which is why I'm here, in Mississippi, doing this vet school thing, and trying to keep moving.

A long road

According to AAA, it is 1273.2 miles from Kingston, Rhode Island to Mississippi State University in Starkville. This seems like a very long way. 19 hours, not counting stops, delays, and an overnight. Nike says she is not looking forward to the journey (she's not sure she can sit still that long). Heck, I'm not sure I can. And if you've ever taken a road trip with me you know there will be about a million "pee stops."

When I went to college in Frederick, Maryland, it felt like a world away from home. But all my friends were dispersing across the country to their own various colleges, so it didn't seem too bad. Now, I have to accept that I'm the only one leaving, and I'm leaving behind one of the only people who has supported me throughout this entire endeavor, despite his own reservations and selfishness. This makes it so much harder. The closer it gets, the more I hope I'm up for this...

Procrastination and Neglect

Yeah, I know. I totally stopped posting photos. But that was because I stopped taking them. While I feel like a major loser, it occurred to me that I'm going to have to keep this blog going if I'm going to continue to knit. And move to Mississippi. Does anybody know what Mississippi looks like? I've only seen it once.


And now, I'm about to head into that red spot (it's called Starkville) for at least the next 4 years of my life to attend Mississippi State's college of Veterinary Medicine. Wow. I remember the days when I used to fake bandage my pets. Now I'm going to be doing it for real! I figure the only way my friends and family are going to be able to keep track of me is through my posts, so I'll try to be good about it and let you guys live vicariously. Stay tuned!

project365 (week6)

This week there are lots of animal pictures because, let's face it, they're cute and they do silly things.

10.19.09 - Everybody LOVES that scarf!

10.20.09 - I spent the better part of the afternoon/evening in the ER with mom. She was in the pediatric room, and there were Dalmatians on the wall. Since I had to stare at them for 7 hours, I took a picture.

10.21.09 - She hasn't done this in MONTHS. Probably since she was a kitten. But with Mom in the hospital, Obe was staying with us and she didn't particularly like that fact. Nike spent lots of time in the bathroom screaming her head off. When I went in, this is what I found. And her, on the toilet, looking at me with that, "Who, me?" expression. Priceless.

10.22.09 - Another funny thing that happens when there's a dog in the house. Kitties are curious, but cautious. Surprisingly, this was actually the favorite spot of THREE kitties! (But Nelson is the cutest. Of course.)

10.23.09 - We took Obe to the beach and he ran...and ran...and ran.

10.24.09 - Ellis Paul at the Iron Horse in Northampton. Amazing, as always, and with a hurt foot!

10.25.09 - There is a really big bird in that tree.

project365 (week 5)

I know I'm posting these a week late, but hey. That's what you get when one of your photos reveals a big secret and you've sworn not to put it up until the coast is clear. Here you go...

10.12.09 - This is dinner. And I'm proud of it because the only parts that weren't grown or produced locally are the couscous (under the veggies), the naan, and the wine. (Someday when I have a cellar, I'm going to try my hand at home-made wine, but it's not time yet.) And it was GOOD!

10.13.09 - BIG news of the day (and also the big surprise)! Congrats to Liz and Sean. I can't wait to spoil your little one rotten and tell all kinds of silly mom stories!

10.14.09 - Watching TV.

10.15.09 - This will be a picture of the sleeve of Pat's sweater. Eventually.

10.16.09 - Melissa came to visit for the day and when we took her back to the train station, the RI Statehouse was lit up in purple. Is it always purple? I don't know. Maybe it just knew she was in town.

10.17.09

10.18.09 - Our neighbor's door. Getting ready for Halloween!

project365 (week4)

I can't believe it's already been a whole month since we started the project. This time there are more pictures of the cats. In fact, all four have some representation this week! And for the first time, photos of people. Real, human PEOPLE! Enjoy.

10.05.09 - I've moved 3 times since college and finally had a chance to go through some boxes. I I unearthed a lifetime supply of Disney music, George Clinton, and several things I taped from the radio in junior high school. Yes, this actually says "Junior High Radio Mix."

10.06.09 - I love CSA pickup days. You never know what you're going to get. These little peppers always make me smile.

10.07.09 - Two beds are better than one!

10.08.09 - This is the tree in front of the Chafee Building at the University of Rhode Island. It's always the first to turn and it's always this brilliant orange color. We got quite a bit of wind the day before, so I wanted to catch it before all the leaves were gone. (Dina, this one's for you!)

10.09.09 - Musical beds in Kingston (see 10.07.09)

10.10.09 - Bailey and Nike on their half of the couch.

10.11.09 - Pat and Mackenzie FINALLY getting to enjoy some time together.

I don't normally like rap, but...

So, I'm aware of the concept that blogs should have "themes." And most blogs do. Not this one. I was driving home from work today and I heard this on my radio. And I checked the station. Yep, that's NPR. Why am I listening to rap music? Because our government held a video PSA contest for flu prevention. And Dr. John Clarke and his rap won. I can't wait for this to be on television!

project365 (week 3)

The latest photos from our little life...

09.28.09 - Nelson drinking out of the bathroom faucet like the weirdo he is. If Nels had his way, he would have fresh, cold, Brita-filtered water at all times. I think he's lucky to have found a family that will tolerate his kind of nonsense.

09.29.09 - Yummy acorn squash that Pat made me for dinner!

09.30.09 - Oysters in a bucket, not feeding (as I asked them so nicely to do).

10.01.09 - Pat's little dragonfly from Oaxaca. We found him in pieces on the floor in the morning and Pat put him back together. This is what he looked like in the evening. Kitties like the dragonfly.

10.02.09 - Gel stained for protein. See the big blank space to the right? Yeah. There's supposed to be something there.

10.03.09 - This is what I looked like when I got home from working at V-E-T-S. An Australian Shepard named Paisley stepped on a broken beer bottle and cut her foot. It was bleeding everywhere. As you can see. I finally retired those pants.(Note: The dog was fine. Foot wounds bleed like crazy.)

10.04.09 - I went to grab a banana before heading to work and saw this sticker. Chiquita's new marketing strategy? Jackpot.

Go, veggies, go

So here's the deal: If you know me well, you know that I've had sort of an indifferent relationship with meat for most of my life. There were times I called myself a vegetarian. I was reading a novel recently in which one of the characters referred to herself as a "former carnivore with occasional relapses," and adopted that as the easiest description. But things changed last night when I took a bite of beef and almost gagged. Not my finest moment, but certainly a defining one. Here's the whole story...


I grew up in a fairly meat-and-potatoes household, and mom's chili ALWAYS contained ground beef. As a teenager, I announced to my family that I was no longer eating meat, to their astonishment and indignation. My parents worked very hard to make sure I was healthy and nutritionally fulfilled, and it worked for a while. Until they discovered that I wouldn't eat onions. Or mushrooms. Or tomatoes. Or broccoli. And I wasn't happy about spinach. Needless to say, my picky eating habits limited choices for dinner; soon Mom and Dad got fed up with creative cooking, and I can't say that I blame them. I was a pill. There's a fantastic restaurant in the next town that serves several meatless dishes, and we went there often. Crazy Burger was always quite good at making veggie alternatives to staples like hamburgers that actually tasted great. Dad wasn't as successful and I'm suspicious that at some point they started sneaking in chicken. And that was that - no more meatless meals.

When I got to college, the veggie options were salad bar, salad bar, or salad bar. EVERY DAY. You can only eat so much brown lettuce before you start to go insane. As a matter of survival, I began eating meat again more regularly and discovered just how much easier it was. Hot food is good!

Living on my own was a different story. Meat is all well and good once it's cooked, but raw? Yuck. You mean I have to touch that? Gross. No way. I think I purchased ground beef a total of one time in the two years I lived in my little apartment. (And even that was to make for someone else.) As an adult, I discovered that I did, in fact eat onions and mushrooms (as long as they're cooked). And tomatoes and spinach are some of my favorites. Still not a broccoli fan, however. Even still, I learned that I could cook a variety of things without meat. I discovered Thai and Indian foods made with beans and tofu, and used those as alternatives in stir-fry and other meals. It felt good to make dinner for myself and not be disgusted by the process.

Lately, I've been leaning towards an all-veggie diet again for several reasons. I went nearly 2 weeks without eating meat and didn't even realize it. Twice. I've never been a big consumer of meat to begin with - certainly not within the past 2 or 3 years - so cutting it out is tremendously easy. When I think about the reasons why I don't like handling raw meat, it comes down to the fact that it's muscle. Plain and simple. And sometimes it even has fat around the edges. No, thank you. Finally, as I'm coming around to vet school applications and trying to finish my Master's degree before I go, I'm finding that I'm not as healthy as I thought I was. My allergies are worse than ever, and despite the fact that I'm running almost daily (again, another thing I dropped in college for no good reason) I feel heavy. My energy level is in the basement. With all that, I've decided to go veggie again, and see where it takes me. Pat is mostly on board after reading The China Study, and we even bought some tofu! Now all I have to do is tackle the 700+ page vegetarian cookbook (encyclopedia is more like it) and try some new stuff. Fun adventure.

project365 (week 2)

Here are the photos from the second week - it is autumn in New England, so there are probably many more of the beach and fall foliage to come. At this point you should probably just be impressed that they're not all of the cats.

09.21.09 - I really love fall evenings at the beach when all the tourists are gone.

09.22.09 - Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies


09.23.09 - Our lab all has different dietary "things" and this is one local take-out place's way of dealing with us.


09.24.09 - Pat and I have been watching this tree start to change for a few days and I wanted to catch it mid-turn.


09.25.09 - Clyde's Cider Mill in North Stonington, CT is definitely a fall staple for us. Mom and Pat and I definitely enjoyed our hot cider and apple cider donuts! We even picked up a few bottles of their special apple wine.


09.26.09 - Pat and I went to see Mary Gauthier (say "Go-Shay," y'all!) at Common Fence Point Community Hall in Portsmouth, RI. Not only was it an amazing show, she did a totally stripped-down "Mercy Now" as an encore, and the audience sang along. Perfect!


09.27.09 - Pat's knitting pattern for the sleeve of his sweater. He actually worked on this most of the weekend. At least now maybe it'll fit!

Playing for Change

Is there any doubt that music has the power to change the world? Music breaks down barriers, minimizing the distance between people of different geographies, economies, spirituaities, and ideologies. Music serves as a uniting force that transcends the tension among groups to connect us as HUMAN BEINGS, and therefore has the ability to inspire peace. This is exactly what Mark Johnson has done with Playing for Change.

As Pat and I were discussing the magnitude of this album and trying to explain it to my mom, we realized that there are very few women involved in the project. I'm not sure what to make of that - whether it says something about the lack of female "street musicians" or about the producer's bias - but it is definitely something interesting to note. I think there has been an historical dearth of women in blues in general, and they certainly are not as well-known as the men. However, I do think it's more common to see women come together as a community. This is exemplified by the women's group from India that sings on this record. Check out the website and take a listen to some powerful stuff.

project365 (Week 1)

A while back, I heard of a collective of photographers who took photos every day at 7pm, no matter what they were doing. In trying to dig up their amazing website, I found this guy. How incredible is it to think that something as easy as a photo a day can turn into history? I kept a written journal nearly every day for over 10 years and have severely neglected it as I've gotten older and busier. But in these days of technology, digital cameras make photo journals a piece of cake. In light of this, Pat and I have decided to start our own project365, taking a picture of something - anything! - at least once a day, and posting them for the world to see. I know I've been lax about this blog in the past, but I'm hoping this is a way to keep me on my toes. We'll see...

09.15.09 - Kale, potatoes, and cabbage from the week's CSA pickup

09.16.09


09.17.09 - Workin' it


09.18.09


09.19.09 - Bailey and Lucas in the office chair at bedtime


09.20.09 - Obe enjoying the new toy I bought him!