my fascination with duck races lives on. i want to organize a benefit rubber duck race in portland, that would be super great...and i promise i would go fetch all the runaway ducks.

oh, and i have a real job now!
that is the most exciting part of the week (sort of). it's just nice to know that there will be a regular paycheck. that doesn't mean (however) that the duct tape will suffer...don't you worry!

big checks, cute kid, corporate super hero, adorable dog. click here.

things that are *good*
rain, rain, rain
riding a fender-less bike in the rain and getting water in your pants
cabbage soup
sleeping at 9.45
riding bikes
olive bread
hot chocolate (dreamy)
new duct tape inspiration and products
blooming pink flowers
cleaning & washing my bike
cadburry eggs
weekend npr
wait wait don't tell me! and tea
bruises
organizing
thinking about moving (and having a studio)
possibilities...

so, these past few days have been full of cheerful (graceful) graces.

yesterday i lit a kitchen towel on fire because it was next to the burner and i didn't notice. i caught it in time (phew) but it was a bit frightening (that i could be so thoughtless).

i also did something else equally graceful that i can't remember right now.

today was the topper. upon leaving an interview, where i'd spent the previous 30 minutes talking about my sweet cycling skills, i fell off my bike. the first time falling off my bike since i was in third grade. it was also infront of lots of people. don't worry, i'm a-ok. but i just thought it was hilarious.

and hopefully i'll remember the rest of it later.

this might be one of those rather long, boring, sentimental, whispy, look-back-and-smile posts. sorry.

it's the middle of march, 2005. ally and i talked on the phone this past week, we both happened to think of each other at the same time. a year ago we were roommates in new haven, with no idea of what kind of adventure we would be up for in the next year. and it's been about one year for us to be settled in our normal people lives again.

one year ago, ally came home from new york with an idea...bike across country to do voter registration and education. the excitement built immediately, and bike the vote was born. in two weeks i gave notice at work, as did she, and we were full swing into planning something that was an unknown adventure into the great big world. these past 365 days have been packed with action, growth, adventure, overwhelming emotion, learning & exploring.

the ironic thing is that before thoughts of bike the vote even surfaced, i was thinking about moving to portland. sort of randomly, because it sounded like a neat place, and because there was a chance i could transfer there for work. but then that all sort of turned into a pipe dream with the biking plan and the need to get back to working after that...but wait...i ended up in portland. life is so amazing sometimes!

this is what i remember of the past year, and the hazy whir i remember it in. 2 months of working two jobs and planning a big trip...fundraising, making t-shirts, website stuff, commuting, not sleeping too much. the warm days of late spring, being at home organzing all day, making calls, tying up loose ends, fundraising, planning. packing up and moving out. kick-off with granny d, and actually leading a ride of about 30 riders despite not actually having really ridden my new bike more than 14 miles before. getting sandy dipping tires in atlantic ocean. 84 days of bike riding & voter registration. meeting new people, learning about other folks, talking with people who served their time and letting them know they could vote, having a flow, sleeping in a different house (or chinese food restraunt, boat locker, or church rectory) every night, peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, hospital visits, dips in the river, state line crossings, media events, inspirational community members.

crossing the city limit into portland, riding up streets i now live in, and turning at that crazy intersection that made no sense...our last turn in portland...arrival with a finish line, friends, family, champagne, cake and lots of emotions. not being sure about what would happen next.

volunteering then working for almost 2 months on the campaign to stop the oregon constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage...more meeting people in the community and on the campaign, phone banks, canvassing, recruiting volunteers, voter registration, constant moving (not by bike!) and actually feeling at home in portland. the sad loss on election night. saying goodbye.

driving to la. thanksgiving foodpoisoning. driving to portland. car accident in idaho. charlotte, nc. new haven, ct. charlotte. driving driving driving (and not nearly enough biking!). los angeles. portland. los angeles. the loss of a much loved family member. family time. portland.

and after over a month of being here, i finally feel like i am at home, and that the whirlwind of the past year is just a breeze, and life is back to its "normal" pace. there is no way a year ago i could have forseen the experiences my life would take me through. and it's always nice to have time to reflect. it's also a good reminder to take a risk, make uncertain plans, and take a chance on the possibility of something good.

i am so grateful for the experiences i have had, the lessons i have learned about life and about myself in the process. the amazing people who i talked to for minutes, but have impacted my life forever. and the people i met and still have the pleasure of knowing. i'm amazed at the lessons that can be learned from each day of life as long as you have your eyes open for them.

and now i would like to take a nap.

today i learned: hot yoga is not for me. well, one day, when i get past the woozies and the fear of passing out, maybe it will work for me, but not until then! but i can't say i didn't try.

I can’t quite figure out why some designers create strange things that most people won’t wear — like Vanessa Jean’s collection of handbags and accessories crafted almost entirely of duct tape says pamela hulse andrews, publisher/founder of cascade arts & entertainment...well, at least include a link to these designs that you can't imagine anyone making! (which isn't included in the original online editorial).

fine living recommends the vanessa jean clutch as a great bridesmaids gift. cheers to that!

exciting press, the vanessa jean goods have been featured at she finds dot com, yahoooo!