I like US magazine. I picked up on it in grad school - pizza, US, and Britcom - total vegetation on Friday nights.

Anyway, all the people in there are pretty. As Shawen points out, I compare myself to them, all of our imperfections, an egotistical narcissistic indulgence of mine (do I have it right Shawen?).

At the pool today I was sizing myself up in the smaller suit I dug out. I am not a pillar of physical perfection, but I am happier and more content than some of those rich pretty folks. Just because you have a nice body and 300 facebook friends doesn't mean you are happy and get to have hot sex.

I have been busy painting the kitchen, or at least grumbling about painting the kitchen. The color I picked out, Pelican Bluff, ended up being "urple" on the walls (lavender, with a touch of urgh, like Barney barfed). We took the paint back and had them create a custom color (aka, please dump some yellow in this). Shawen labeled it dysfunctional gray (because of my dysfunctional color picking out ability, etc.). I am dubbing it sick seashell.

No, really, it's a lovely neutral color (at least there is a color instead of white, and it's not gray, it has a touch of mauve, a tad of peach, a dollop of stormy cloud, or perhaps that's sapphire, with a hint of beige?). If I ever finish, I mean, when I finish in three days, perhaps you can come and see it.

AAhh! My eyes! What is that bright orb in the sky?! Oh wait, here Abby, quick, before it goes away. It's called "the sun". I remember it from my youth.

Did you know you can stretch your Achilles tendons? When Wai Lana says to do it, I try. She says "feel the renewed energy in your ...fill in the blank...." When she says that, I know she really means "you will feel pain later."

I can hear her chiding "work at your own level....be careful not to over do it", but it's hard when she makes it look so easy. I assure you, it is not easy! She just makes it appear that way.

Just breathe.

It's so cold when I get into bed. I wake up sweating because of all the blankets and cats piled on me though. I tried sleeping with Abby lately, but she stirs, I stir, she talks in her sleep....it hasn't seemed to work yet.

I feel like I should write an end of the year entry, but I think it would just end up being very long or ridiculously short.

This coming year I will keep reminding myself of last year's resolution - what was it?! Oh yes, have faith and let go of my anxieties (and maybe those around me will feel less anxious).

I have one for this year too - pura vida.

Popcorn, Dots, and chocolate - pre-holiday dinner. Yum.

Pizza - Christmas.

Chinese food -Boxing Day.

Turkey - it was free, cats love me.

Deer and salmon - another gift, a new year.

Thank you secret Santa.

Ice ice baby

I went on a walk Monday (yes, the horizontal rain day) on Near Island at Rotary Park. I was walking up the hill, which I claim to be the iciest spot on the island, thinking how I was planning on getting down, and just thought I would slide down on my butt like I did the last time. It was great fun.

So I go leave, and this time I start at the very top of the hill. I suddenly realize I am going VERY fast, and that the last time I had on my crampons which acted as breaks. I was not wearing crampons. I could not slow down, let alone stop. I grabbed at the ice and longingly looked at the blurry bushes as I passed.

I am still flying down the hill wondering what is going to stop me - a tree, a ditch with thorny notka roses, a tree (ouch)? I finally see that indeed it will be gravel. I tell myself to relax, no need to tense up right? I skidded to a stop, and realized I was ok. Woo hoo! That was fun!!! I then realized I ripped my only pair of rain pants and slightly sprained my ankle.

Good fun, not sure it was worth the rain pants though. I can't even pay the electric bill, let alone get another pair of rain pants. What's next? Oy.

Is there anything cuter than a sleeping baby?

Check out Abby's cornrows. I know, hard to see, but I got her to pause for second to get a photo.

Another fun day at work. I'm scooping up dirt so we can dismantle the diorama.

Pre-complaining

No complaining about the weather? No, it's been great! However, an arctic blast is headed our way, and alas I am not so gleeful about it for two reasons. First, it means I cannot fire the kiln, and I am scheduled to do so, which means Christmas gifts will be late. Second, brrrr. Urck.

"For now, though, the Tiger story has reached a natural stopping point. We can take some time over the holidays to breathe deep, stop wondering about how many more mistresses will come out of the woodwork, and -- thank you, heaven -- stop hearing lame Tiger jokes." From Tiger Words in the News: tabloid revelations and blind eyes by Jay Busbee. I read it on yahoo.

It's hard to see, but Abby got a fabulous hairdo at daycare.

I can't imagine why it's hard to photograph her.

Last night's appetizer.

Lately, harvesting local food has been a topic that has come up a bit. Not only did Inland Journeys just open at the museum (come and check it out), but a co-worker is a good hunter. In recent weeks he has given me deer tenderloins, ptarmie you see up above, red salmon, and potatoes from his garden. In the past he has given me goat, elk, halibut, various greens, rhubarb, amongst many other treats. He is very generous and I appreciate it immensely. I talk about going hunting. Fish I can off, I think most birds I could handle, but when it comes to cute furry things....oh those big eyes!

Abby's like her dad, she likes to watch TV. One of the shows she likes is Ni Hao Kai Lan, and instead of Ni Hao (hello in mandarin Chinese), Abby says Me-ow.

Put up a little fake Christmas tree. Even listened to Christmas music while doing it. Abby was bad the whole time, but has figured out it's only for looking at, not tearing apart.

No=Unhappy.

Yes=Happy.

"In my nothing, you meant everything." T.R.

Abby likes Alutiiq petroglyph faces and words. Our logo, along with a word I cannot pronounce, is on a PJ t-shirt I wear. She points to the faces and giggles, then points to each letter so I can tell her what it is "Q-I-K....."

Tnxgving

Marnie is not making homemade pie crust this year, even though I know it will turn out. No turkey or fixins either. No means, no time, no family, no interest = no dinner. Kept it low key and went to a communal dinner. Don't worry, I ate plenty.

ANC

I had fun in the big city. It was all good. Smooth as silk.

In the last two weeks I have lost five pounds, reaching my original weight loss goal. Unfortunately, now that I’ve reached it, I realize I got ten more to go.

I don't feel like I need food. It's another f-word that has me. Without, I will starve, proverbially or literally.

H-O-T

Last night in her ducky tub bath, Abby picked up of one of her rubber ducks that has a heat sensitive patch that changes color and reads "hot" if the water is too hot. She looked at it and said each letter, H-O-T, and then said "hot". That's pretty good for just turning two. She loves abc's.

Things you don't expect to see at work

Unless you work at the museum here.

Yes, goat horns in the fridge.

Check out our new exhibit next month and learn about how closely Alutiiq culture is tied to the natural resources of Kodiak Island. It's pretty amazing how people lived here without ANY of the tools and technology to which we are accustomed. Although modern-day Islanders have the tools, subsistence is still a way of life. Before coming to Kodiak I didn't realize it even existed at all. I just thought of Ohioan deer hunters, who in general ain't out shootin' the meat for subsistence.

Elmo as crayon storage.

Sit here Sully!

Thanks grandmum for the stickers and PJs!

You are so beautiful Abby!

ap·ro·pos

adj.

Being at once opportune and to the point. See Synonyms at relevant.

adv.

1. At an appropriate time; opportunely.

2. By the way; incidentally: Apropos, where were you yesterday?

prep.

With regard to; concerning: Apropos our date for lunch, I can't go.

---

[French à propos : à, to (from Old French a, from Latin ad-; see ad-) + propos, purpose (from Latin prpositum, neuter past participle of prpnere, to intend; see propose).]

The Spot.

My view out the living room window. Despite the obvious obstructions, I am not complaining, for once.

Happy Abby enjoying the playground. There will be fewer playground visits with winter beginning. This summer we were going about every other day. We'll still go, but not as much. She has mastered pretty much everything she can physically reach. She even does the large slide by herself, to my dismay. It's very scary to watch, but she's little Miss Independent.

Castelo de São Jorge, Lisbon

Nice weather, Zen garen-like atmosphere, impressionante.

Abigail has a good memory. It's hard to believe that she won't remember this year.

We were watching Elmo on Youtube and suddenly she started saying "dad, dad, dad" (grandad), and I could not figure out why she kept talking about Morgan. I then looked at the advertisement, which was displaying a Flip videocamera. Morgan had ruthlessly used it to capture Abby when we were in Ohio (he's a videographer by trade). She associated him with the Flip video camera, even though it wasn't even in the same color. I barely recognized it!

Bram Stroker's Dracula, film.

NIN, Perfect Drug, video.

Old favorites, ring true.

It is really howling outside. Of all the nights, why tonight?

Alone in my hovel.

There's a difference between a goose chase, and a wild goose chase.

I have to accept and learn, still.
Tick, tock, tick, tock.....

Handpainted Alutiiq petroglyphs on the museum's magnificent storage unit in front of a golden Pillar Mountain, topped by our eco-friendly wind turbines.

Piccadilly Circus, London, 1949

Marnie has been listening to too much KMXT (World Cup Café, etc.). Here are some songs she likes:
Kings of Leon, Closer (Shawen calls it the whoop whoop song because of the music, but she likes the moodiness. It reflects her feelings well, thank you.)
Miike Snow (yes, that’s two I’s), Animal (also could be called whoop whoop song)
The Killers, Smile Like You Mean It (isn’t that a cover of a Cure song, wait, she doesn’t like The Cure)
Yo-Yo Ma, et al, Summer in the High Grassland

The other night for some reason I watched an old documentary about how strippers maintain their bodies. Some did aerobics and yoga, and some just danced as it’s pretty much a work-out. You should have seen their guns; hanging upside down on a bar with legs spread takes strength.

Now, I am sure there are a few cranked out strippers in the world, but the girls they were following were just women with good bodies who enjoyed being openly sexual eye candy cock grinding girls for a living. Simple, is it not? They don’t want to know why you left the house, when you’ll be back, and a dollar makes them happy. Wouldn’t that be nice at home? Hearing complaints about never helping around the house, bam, whip out a dollar, it’s all better.

Simple, just like 2 Live Crew’s Can a Nigga Get a Table Dance. Really, can a man just get a table dance please? He’s been waiting all week for that shit. Just got paid, and now wants some booty shaking. Pure and simple, no BS. Like it. In fact, others must too. Luke Entertainment Group, which brought us such songs, is listed in the NASDAQ.

Lady GaGa

Oh Lady GaGa how I love thee, Bad Romance indeed.

Kodiak autumn

Fade to brown.

Wary

Wary - marked by keen caution and watchful prudence, unwilling to confide; "they were wary in their movements"; "a wary glance at the black clouds".

Bitten

Gay pride jello shots.

Attending a party, a friend of a friend had quite a horrified look on his face. He looked shocked, explaining that a woman he had just hugged said to him, “Oh, I probably shouldn’t have hugged you, I have fleas.”

I guess that's another kind of party favor.

Pure Abby

Melon head

These were not done on purpose. Both taken the same day.

Abigail likes to see pictures of herself. I am posting these for her so she can look at herself online.

I was just reading earlier this week about the National Park in American Samoa and was thinking this might be a good place to work. A tsunami hit there today and many of the workers are missing. Quite sad. Even though it's so far away I feel like they are our neighbors. It could have easily been us.

Zombies

Marnie zombie?

Night of the Living Dead zombie girl.

What is it with Zombies? Ok, so I happen to believe this particular version of Armageddon will be the one, but why am I not the only one to be particularly fascinated with these blood-hungry dead people? It seems like I should be the only one drawn to the horror of postmortem cannibalism.

It began with George Romero's Night of the Living Dead, well, I guess it did for most. For me, it's the way the terror begins, the young couple unknowingly driving to meet their end. Then of course subsequent popular films continued prepping us for the infection - Resident Evil (Mila is hot!), 28 Days Later, and there's many more, everything from Redneck zombie's to Astro-zombies.

Exploration of possible past and future outbreaks of zombies is found is a variety of forums. For example, there is a page on Archaeology.org website: http://www.archaeology.org/online/interviews/zombies/
Now, I work at an archaeological repository, and everything we say is true, so how could I possibly ignore the archaeological record of zombie outbreaks?

So what is it about Zombies? They don't feel any pain and unrelentlessly pursue their desired object to no end.

Almost two

Here's Abigail on her 1st birthday. I can't believe in just about a month she'll be 2. I am very excited for my little darling stinker.