this ain't livin'

Sweetwater | 25Jun07

A friend and I decided to go to Sweetwater last night, pretty much on a whim. The awesome thing about open public tubs is that you can do that, so we trundled on down the road to Mendocino in the evening to see what there was to be seen. He had never been to Sweetwater before, so it was an introductory visit. I’m pretty sure he’s hooked now.

Most locals know about Sweetwater. It’s been around for, well…ages. I don’t really know how long. But you go down this winding flower lined path and you enter a warm womb with a fireplace, and you give people money and they give you towels, and you slip through a door into the public dressing room and get naked. It’s a cozy place, not ritzy and super nice like some public tubs I have been in, but very clean and comfortable. I almost feel like I have been invited to someone’s house for the evening, honestly.

I’ve always had an affinity for public tubs. It’s not that I’m an exhibitionist or something, it’s just that I have spent a lot of time in cultures with public baths, and I like the idea. I like meeting people from my community, chilling out in the sauna and talking, or just zoning out. I never know who I’m going to meet there, or what we’re going to talk about. It might be martial arts, tamale recipes, or local politics. I miss the ornate hammams of Turkey, with tiles and cucumber slices and everything nice.

Unlike a lot of public baths, Sweetwater is not segregated. People of all ages and genders are always welcome, and everyone stays fairly mellow. Most of the people in the public tubs are locals, some of whom come on a regular basis. I’ve never seen anything untoward or objectionable there, or felt uncomfortable. This might be because I’m oblivious, or because most of the people at Sweetwater are there for the sauna, the tub, or both, but not booty.

We started out in the tub and then headed over to the sauna. It’s been awhile since I have been able to sauna, so I couldn’t stay in terribly long, but it felt fabulous. I love sitting on the top shelf, slowly drying and then becoming glossy with sweat. It sounds like a hippie thing, but I really can feel the toxins leaching out of my body. It’s awesome. Then I run and take a super cold shower to close my pores. Mmmtastic. After a cooling period, we hopped back into the tub to relax, idly conversing with someone whom I couldn’t identify without my glasses on, and then we drifted home, tub high and comfortable.

I always sleep so well after I sauna, it really makes me want to own a sauna so that I can do it every night. Alas, this house is far too small for any sort of logistical sauna placement, unless my landlord wants to let me take over the tool shed. Speaking of landlords, I also learned that my old landlady was recently in the hospital, and I hope that she is doing ok. She is very active in the community, and a generally awesome lady, so I was sad to hear that she was not feeling well. Those of you who are into praying and that sort of thing might want to think of her, since I defy anyone to meet her and not adore her. She is one of my favourite people in the entire world, personally, and I am really sad that I am no longer living above their kitchen, furtively skulking home in the middle of the night and hoping I don’t wake them as I stumble up the stairs.

Crafty Pluot | 25Jun07

Major dairy producers in France are proposing to change the AOC rules for Camembert. Booo. Hisss.

A new book is set to reveal the seamy underbelly of the Mondavi family, and the wine industry is nervous.

A handy quick overview of common spices.

If you like chewy brownies, this recipe is kitchen tested and approved. But add an extra ounce of Baker’s chocolate. I promise you won’t regret it.

Our beloved Secretary of State says that the world is dropping the ball on Darfur.

Bidding wars over the price of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows are erupting at chain bookstores in the UK.

Evan Almighty | 24Jun07

We went to see Evan Almighty last night, and I must say, it was a rather enjoyable film. And so was the preview for Order of the Phoenix that ran before it…

Although the movie clearly reads as a spinoff of Bruce Almighty, I think that it also stands on its own. The basic premise is that Evan is a US Congressman approached by God with orders to build an Ark. Naturally, he is generally made fun of by the community, since he happens to be building an ark in the middle of a drought. And oh ho ho, how we all laugh. No, seriously. You should go check it out. There’s a good balance of wit, physical comedy, and cultural references. There were also some great cameos, sometimes in surprising places.

I also think that the film had a subtle, but excellent, overtone of environmentalism. There’s a scene in which God contrasts a housing development with how the land looked before, and a subplot involving greedy, thoughtless development of land at all costs. The movie was also carbon neutral, which I think is pretty darn sweet. It’s a bummer that the carbon neutral thing wasn’t mentioned in the early part of the credits, because I think it would have been a great way to increase awareness of carbon offsets. The website does invite visitors to donate money to plant trees, though, so that’s pretty cool.

Given all the animal scenes, I was curious to know if American Humane had monitored the film. There were certainly some sketchy scenes with animals, so I was a bit concerned. Apparently, Hollywood is wising up to people who are concerned about the treatment of animals, because American Humane did in fact monitor it, rating it outstanding. (Don’t click on that link if you care about small spoilers, but the rest of you can go on ahead!) Did you know that American Humane is the only animal welfare organization with on-set jurisdiction? And that it has been doing film monitoring since 1940? Fact of the day!

A few parts of the movie were a bit heavy handed, but when they lightened up and stopped taking themselves seriously, it was a lot of fun. I also really liked the, er, bit at the end. You’ll see what I mean if you go to see it. Although apparently no one else was as into it as I was. Which was…disappointing.

I also note that Coast Cinemas has finally joined the twenty first century, with those sweet flip up arm rests and squishy seats that almost every movie theatre on earth already has. Hooray!

[Evan Almighty]

Combative Lilacs | 24Jun07

Should we be keeping cultural artifacts from other nations? I really struggle over this issue, because I think that actually seeing artifacts is a great way to bring cultures alive. However…the concentration of artifacts in First World nations makes me a little bit uncomfortable. Surely, the people in those nations would like to keep their own artifacts?

The declawing ban in Hollywood has been upheld in court.

Audacia Ray talks about feminist porn. She also contributes content to an assortment of sites, arguing that: “There is a way to take a smart approach to sexuality, not just ‘how to give your man a good blow job,’ which I find irritating.”

Water is a growing issue for the entire planet, not just developing nations with water access issues. Therefore, it would be nice if we could work together on it, eh?

Slate has a neat slideshow of photographs which changed the world. Some of these are familiar classics, but others are a little more obscure. I dig it.

Speaking of photos, this vintage set from England is quite entertaining. Oh, the 1970s.

Jubilation | 23Jun07

I woke up grumpy this morning, mean as a snake sizzling across hot pavement.

Sometimes it happens. I’m not really sure why. It’s not just waking up on the wrong side of the bed, it’s waking up on the wrong side of life. I’ve been feeling a bit grumpy all week, actually, for a variety of reasons. I think I probably need a warm bath, a good massage, and a hot chocolate.

So, anyway, I decided that I would do all of the things which make me grumpy today, since I was already grumpy, and that way maybe I could enjoy tomorrow. I mopped the floors, scrubbed my recalcitrant toilet, cleaned the litter box, vacuumed, and rounded up laundry. I was far too grumpy to even consider subjecting someone else to my presence by using them for a ride, so I loaded all my laundry into my backpack for a trek to the laundrymat.

Doing my laundry makes me grumpy. I got briefly spoiled on the Island with our washer and dryer, but now it’s back to the laundrymat, and I hate the laundrymat. It smells funny, it’s loud, it’s dirty, my clothing never seems to get clean, there are strange people, and it eats a huge chunk of my time. And, not having a car, I have to traipse down Franklin Street in front of Pete and everybody, teetering in and out of the gaping holes filled with gravel and cigarette butts while loaded down with 40 pounds of laundry. I arrived, started a machine, and retreated deep into my book, glancing up now and then to see if my laundry was done. It was hot. I smelled bad. And the laundry seemed to take forever before the machine finally unlocked so I could stick it in the dryer and continue sulking.

Haddock interrupted my sulking briefly with a hello, although my slightly frenzied look and fugue state may have discouraged further conversation. Sorry, Haddock. I hope the Sardine is well, and enjoying the sun right now. (By the way, my bad, Haddock, it was Wednesday, not Thursday. The event to which I was referring. And I am still enjoying the bacon. Oh, yes. Every night is carbonara night in the hobbit hole!)

Even with a brief fishy distraction, I was eventually forced to fold the laundry and load it all back up to hit the pavement again, tromping in the painfully bright sun because I forgot my sun glasses. I figured that as long as I was in the neighborhood, I might as well swing by the post office and pick up a bunch of depressing bills I couldn’t pay, since, you know, I’m already grumpy.

When I opened my mailbox, I did indeed find two bills, along with a thin envelope from my nice student lender*. I don’t like thin envelopes. Thin envelopes suggest some sort of major, pressing problem which could not wait until my next statement. Like a returned check, or a sudden change in my terms. I think my fear of thin envelopes stems back to my college application days, when everyone knew that a thin envelope carried bad news. (Never fear, my college applying friends! My first thin envelope also contained my first acceptance, so this piece of urban lore happens to be wrong.)

I opened it with a sigh right there in the post office, my backpack creaking.

“Dear s.e.,” it said.

“Congratulations on repaying your Group C education loan(s) with [lender]. We will mail you a formal confirmation letter regarding the paid in full status of your Group C loan(s) within sixty days.”

Yipeee! Hoooray! One student loan down, two to go! I cannot fully express in text how happy this makes me, although my exuberant use of punctuation is probably a good indicator. I mean, it was a small loan, and the remaining loan with them is rather large, because it is a consolidated loan, but still. I remember signing the loan paperwork so long ago, not really recognizing that I would have to pay it back someday, and I remember getting my first statement and thinking “ah, fuck, they really do expect you to pay for college. Wait, college cost HOW MUCH?!” So I am really quite stoked to have paid this loan off. One might even call the event a milestone, or the light at the end of the tunnel.

Clutching the letter in my sweaty fists, I ambled outside, where the sun was gently shining and there was a faint breeze. I saw someone I knew and waved and smiled before strolling down the freshly poured sidewalk, briefly sidestepping a section that hadn’t been done yet. I was only mildly irritated when I noted that the City had persisted in putting in that horrible fake wood stuff at the corners. I spotted Baxt in the window of her work and waved, shrugging when she gestured at my backpack and raised her eyebrows. I might even have caught myself whistling as I moved down Laurel Street, and stood at the corner of Main and Laurel by those idiotic fake cast iron lamp posts waiting for the light to change.

When I got home, I shit you not, there was a giant butterfly chilling on the porch, tormenting Loki, who was sitting in the window. The flowers were bright and perky, and the peaches on the mystery tree are growing larger. My laundry is clean, my bed smells of lavender, and all really is right with the world. So right, in fact, that I am going to go sit on my sunny porch with a personal watermelon and eat it while reading a book, so that I can finish before the library closes and return it.

*I have two student lenders. One is a nice, awesome, super cool student lender whom I love to pieces. (Which is a weird thing to say about a company you owe a lot of money to, I know.) The other is a mean, nasty, horrible student lender who refused to sell my ONE LOAN with them when I consolidated with Nice Lender. I’ll give you two guesses as to which lender is administered by the federal government.

Noisy Yoghurt | 23Jun07

More raw milk rebels, this time in North Carolina. (I actually looked for raw milk in Harvest the other day, but they didn’t have any. I wonder if any suppliers will deliver up here.)

Someone hacked the Pentagon’s email.

Britain is uncomfortable with the niqab, raising questions about the practice of Muslim faith in Britain for me. I think that if a woman wants to adopt the garment as a show of faith and solidarity, she is entitled to it, but other people feel differently…

Hate crimes just never seem to go away, even if they aren’t widely reported.

Ooops! A developer claims that land is clean…and citizens find dangerous pollution. I think that this will become a recurring problem.

Speaking of eggs, this blog post documents an intrepid taste testing adventure, comparing supermarket eggs with farm fresh. Verdict: farm fresh wins. Duh.

Rowling has leaked the ending! (To her husband, which I suppose is reasonable. I also would not be surprised to learn that a photogenic cancerous kid or two might know the ending as well…)

Sights of Fort Bragg | 22Jun07

Wandering Fort Bragg to pay my PG&E bill yesterday, I saw all sorts of neat things. I mean, I didn’t really wander to pay the bill, I know where the PG&E customer service center is, and it was a fairly straight shot. But it was such a nice sunny day that I ambled in the streets a bit before returning home, since I wanted to avoid the inevitable work that I knew I would have to plunge into.

I came across these kit cars parked in the Skunk Train lot:

They were really quite majestic and beautiful, very sleek and spotless. I felt like I was in some sort of strange 1920s movie, and I looked around the corner for rum runners before sidling up for a closer look:

I think that the owners were probably on the train, which is a bummer, since I would have loved to talk to them about their cars. It was very obvious that they invested a lot of time, energy, and money making the cars so gorgeous, and it would have been neat to learn more about them. As I understand it, a kit car is kind of like a grownup model car, since you send away for the parts and build your own replica car. These cars all had Mercedes hood ornaments, so I’m not sure what to think about the whole business. Someone who knows more should feel free to educate me.

I also saw this, which ought to be captioned “Area Cat Enjoys Sun”:

Something about this cat just struck me, I think the sheer happiness it was visibly exuding. I’m not much of a “bang on the window to make the animal look at me” kind of person, but I think, if I had, the cat would have slowly opened one lazy green eye, glared at me frostily, and then gone back to sleep. Which is, you know, something I respect.

[Fort Bragg]

Small Apriums | 22Jun07

The Colorado Springs Independent has a feature article on living childfree.

Is No Child Left Behind effective? Most teachers agree that it is not, and as this article points out, a lot of kids are being left behind by the draconian measures of the act.

More parents are ditching the snip in the United States than ever before.

MSNBC, of all places, has an article about phthalates in vibes.

Freegans rocking the Times. A pretty balanced article on dumpster diving, actually.

1.8 million veterans are uninsured and unable to get access to basic services at the VA. Uhm, not cool.

Refugees have unique health challenges which can make treating them difficult for American doctors who are unaccustomed to dealing with parasitic infections, tuberculosis, and other such endemic problems in troubled nations.

The Economist (one of my favourite mags) looks at suicide.

A first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone just sold for around $14,000 dollars. Man, I should have kept mine after all!

30 Days | 21Jun07

Exactly one month from now, I will be done with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, having snagged it at midnight from a local independent bookstore* and stayed up reading until I was done.

I am both excited and sort of sad.

I first met Harry Potter in 2000, when I was traveling in Ireland with friends. We were stuck far from civilization without a car, and I hitched into Kenmare one day to do some shopping. I also browsed at the bookstore, and picked up an assortment of books that looked interesting, including a piece of children’s fiction about a boy wizard. Sadly, I left my first copy behind in Ireland, although I have since replaced it.

I sort of forgot about Harry Potter until several years later, when I picked up another book, dug it, and decided that I needed to read the rest. In 2003, I waited with eagerness for the release of Order of the Phoenix, shamelessly waiting with bated breath at midnight, along with numerous children. At work the next day, everyone asked me how it went. After several glares from members of the public who obviously had not read it yet, I started taking coworkers to the back room one by one for the review. I did the same in 2005 for Half Blood Prince, staying up all night before an important job interview to read it. (I didn’t get the job, in case you were wondering, but I don’t think it was Harry Potter related.)

It will be an odd moment to close the cover and think well, that’s that, then. How much stranger it must have been for Rowling, who has been working on the series for over 10 years. And strange indeed to know what is going to happen to all of these characters while the world goes crazy with speculation, rumours, and elaborate hoaxes. I’m sure that some of our blathering must seem highly amusing to Rowling.

I may not be nearly as fanatical about the books as some zealous individuals, and that is probably, upon reflection, a good thing. (Have you ever searched for Draco/Harry slash fiction? Eek. I mean, yikes.) But it will be fun and deeply satisfying to finish the series at last and talk it over with other fans of the books. Years of gleeful dissection lie ahead. I firmly believe that Rowling is a highly sophisticated and mature writer, and I am looking forward to seeing how she thinks things should end. I am also looking forward to the howling cries of rage from the fan community, no matter what she does…

This is kind of an aside, but I wonder if Rowling’s first and middle names were initially published as “J.K.” to allow little boys to imagine that the books might have been written by a man, a la “Franklin W. Dixon” and the Hardy Boys? Have we come so far, as a society?

*Amazon, as soon as the post office is willing to deliver millions of books simultaneously at midnight, you let me know. Until then, this is yet another clear instance of the independents having you beat. If you haven’t located one yet, Potter Parties has a listing of Harry Potter release parties across the country, and in some parts of the world as well. For some reason I don’t see Gallery Bookshop’s party listed (hey guys, someone on staff should probably submit!) This seems to be a general trend with independents, which are slacking on the advertising. Bad call, guys!

Greenish Wellies | 21Jun07

Teachers don’t stay in the classroom, costing school districts a lot of money. Hey, bright idea, pay teachers more so that they will stay!

A number of liberal arts schools are dropping out of the US News rankings. Interesting, says I. Very interesting.

A hacker claims to have unearthed an electronic copy of Deathly Hallows, and has posted the ending here: please do not click this link if you don’t want to read potential spoilers! The publishers, of course, warn that it is fake, and they are probably right. Expect a lot of this sort of thing in the 30 days to come.

Baked eggs? I am intrigued, and I will have to try it out when I get a chance.

Grist has a good overview of environmentally sound sunscreens.