It's taken me a little while to get this blog entry up, and I hope Patricia will forgive me for it.

If you recall, I had my hair cut, colored, and highlighted at Embellish last January. It was a glorious thing. I reveled in my gorgeous hair.

And then Frinklin and I were both suddenly unemployed. And my hair cut/color/highlight budget became non-existent. I managed to maintain the illusion of presentable hair for a few months but it soon became obvious that my hair was not exactly living in a natural state.

I went through a horrifying year of progressively grown-out roots. I initially tried to cover this by wearing my hair up, but it eventually began to look as though I had a mismatched hair addition clipped to my head. Half of my head was naturally dark brown (with a few gray hairs that simply were NOT there previously) and the other perfectly colored and highlighted. I hated my hair.

Then one day the owner of Embellish, Patricia Lecy-Davis, inquired as to where I had been. She hadn't seen me in the salon in a very long time. I confided to her that I simply could not afford anything extra out of our tight budget. Her quick response was to call and make an appointment, and not to worry about the cost.

I wish I could say I immediately took her up on her offer, but I was truly ashamed of what was happening on my head and procrastinated for another month before setting a time and date.

Thanks to Patricia and Sae, the amazing and awesome woman who cut and colored my terrifying and scraggly mess, I am transformed. My hair is again healthy and shiny. It's a gorgeous dark chocolate brown with burgundy highlights. I can't stop looking at it. Or playing with it. Or accepting compliments. It is officially the BEST HAIRCUT I HAVE EVER HAD.

I cannot thank Patricia, Sae, and Embellish Salon enough for the complimentary cut and color. If you are in the Tacoma area, I highly recommend you check out the team of Daymakers at Embellish.

Posted by: Ensie at 05:11 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Today is Curb Day! What is Curb Day, you ask? It's the day to place all your unwanted, useable items on the curb for others to take. It's a pretty cool idea, even if Curb Day seems to be everyday in Tacoma.

http://www.curbday.com/

Posted by: Ensie at 08:41 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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1 In Tacoma, every day can be curb day ... because the City's Call2Haul program allows for up to two scheduled pickups or drop-offs of large items or large amounts of small items, at no extra charge. http://www.cityoftacoma.org/Page.aspx?hid=1227

Posted by: tacomachickadee at May 27, 2009 08:12 PM (32qEf)

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I'm inviting all of Tacoma to the Join the Impact Anti-Prop 8 Rally taking place in Seattle this Saturday morning at 10:30 AM. The march starts in Volunteer Park on Capitol Hill and will end in Westlake Center downtown around noon.

This is part of a national event that will be taking place to show the country how Americans feel about gay marriage and gay families.

Local information can be found here.

Frinklin and I will likely be going and will have room in our car. Want to carpool? Email me at ensie1@gmail.com.

Posted by: Ensie at 05:59 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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There have been a few posts on Feed Tacoma about the blog 5 Views and his unpopular opinions on a number of topics. It doesn't surprise me. Republican by Default has an extremely conservative, right-wing viewpoint that just doesn't jive with a number of people who blog about town, including me. And he's entitled to that opinion, just like anyone on the blogosphere.

The thing that gets me is that Mr. 5 Views has comments enabled on his blog. That may not seem so out-of-the-ordinary to you, but for anyone who has gone the distance and left a comment on 5 Views, you may have noticed that most comments receive a decidedly chilly reception. Unless your comment is in total and complete agreement with Republican by Default, you are more than likely going to find yourself threatened with being blocked for one or more of the following reasons:

- Profanity
- Not following the topic of the post
- Abusive behavior

Never mind that Mr. 5 Views doesn't need to follow these rules (and why no comment FAQ to at least clue people in, BTW?). He will repeatedly be rude, refer to anyone he *thinks* might even lean in a liberal direction in a nasty way, and head off on tangents, which, when you attempt to discuss or defend will get you banned becuase you must, "Stick to the topic of the thread."

Most recently I found myself embroiled in a discussion about Barack Obama's executive experience, which eventually gave way to a conversation about abortion. Once it became clear that I wasn't just someone who was just going to spout of generalizations, but actually knew what I was talking about, I was threatened more than once with being banned, as it was not the topic of the original post. However, Mr. 5 Views himself was the one who brought abortion into the discussion:

Republican By Default Says:
October 13th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
When Obama votes four times to withhold medical care for babies born in botched abortions, are we supposed to forget that because he says, “that’s above my pay grade”?

At first, RBD refused to approve my moderated comment, but after I complained he finally approved my second comment on the topic. He continues to argue the point, then insists that I am the one off topic every time I try to defend my point.

RBD has a habit of ignoring the arguments he knows he can't win, or conveniently discounting them as somehow liberally slanted. Take this discussion regarding the history of abortion during colonial times. It is a well documented fact that abortions were legally offered and performed for women before "quickening" (when women felt the baby move within) in both England and the colonies. I offered two books that state this fact and offer information to back up this fact.

ensie Says:
November 8th, 2008 at 2:13 am

The Constitution doesnÂ’t mention abortion. Not even once. If the Supreme Court only interpreted the Constitution literally as it is, they would be an archaic institution irrelevant to our modern day issues. Understanding how the Supreme Court works, as our laws are challenged, the Court hears the cases and comes to a decision. That decision interprets the law, which they have done. Understandable, you are upset that this decision does not agree with your doctrine. However, it does not invalidate the process.

Republican By Default Says:
November 8th, 2008 at 2:41 am

The constitution doesn’t mention abortion because if anyone had brought it up they would have been thrown out of the discussion as being too sick and demented to be part of something so important (or even be part of a civil society). I was referring to the supposed ‘right to privacy’ that was the basis for the Roe vs. Wade decision regarding abortion on demand. It’s not in the constitution. It was dreamed up by political activists who happened to sit on the supreme court.

ItÂ’s the constitution that invalidates the process used in that decision. What I think of it doesnÂ’t matter.

ensie Says:
November 9th, 2008 at 6:06 pm

On one point you are flat out wrong. Just because the Constitution doesn’t mention abortion doesn’t mean it was because it outlawed the practice. In fact, at the time the Constitution was adopted, abortions before “quickening” were openly advertised and commonly performed (That information can be found in this book, written by a Constitutional Law scholar). The practice of abortion dates back centuries, to ancient times in fact. Abortion in America: The Origins and Evolution of National Policy also notes that abortions were legal under English Common Law until quickening, which extended to “the Colonies”.

Republican By Default Says:
November 9th, 2008 at 10:44 pm

So you think that the historical practice of a procedure makes it acceptable? Should we then resort back to leaches and bleeding to cure disease? Lobotomies to cure insanity? Electroshock? What about medieval torture? Burning people at the stake? How about cutting off the middle finger of all men on the losing side of a battle? Drawing and quartering?

There are a lot of sick practices, whether in the name of medicine and healing or in the name of politics and nations, that should not be continued. Abortion is done in the name of both. And IÂ’m not about to believe you or a politically motivated book about historical practices in medicine, nor about their applicability to the current debate.

Now stick to the topic or I will block you. IÂ’m tired of wasting my time with your prattle.

ensie Says:
November 10th, 2008 at 4:12 pm

I also have to say that when a counter argument is brought up that you canÂ’t argue against, you just ignore it and move onto another point. ItÂ’s extremely frustrating. I kept it relating to Obama and the Constitution, you took the argument into history, and I corrected you on a historical fact. The books I mentioned are far from politically motivated. As I stated, they are written by those looking at historical fact (one of which written by a Constitutional Law Scholar), something you refuse to acknowledge. These are far from internet rumors or liberal talking points. You are welcome to look up the information yourself to confirm it.

Also, you should note that modern medicine is indeed using leeches again in medical practice and electroshock therapy is still in use. I believe the majority of witch burning and midevial torture was done by religious organizations looking to punish or convert, respectively (or not respectively, depending), yes?

If you head over to 5 Views and read the entire comment thread, you'll get to hear lots more threats and insults. Considering the fact that I have a rather quick temper, I'm pleased to say that not a single one came from me. I've remained polite and friendly throughout our entire exchange, and have really tried to understand the other point of view.

Republican by Default has made it more than clear that what he's really searching for on his blog is an echo chamber, not an intelligent debate about any topic he would like to discuss. His childish and petulent attitude toward anyone with a diffence of opinion, and inability to handle even the slightest joke lead me to believe he is someone without any ability for empathy. It's unfortunate, as RBD could work to bridge the gap between left and right, but it's obvious he will not, or cannot do so.

UPDATE 11:27 PM:

The end of our discussion:

Republican By Default Says:
November 10th, 2008 at 7:22 pm

ensie, I did not ‘threaten’ to block you. They same rules applie to you that I said to maggie except that you are not on your last warning.

Your comments are often off-topic and so I feel obligated to respond to what youÂ’ve said, which you then respond to taking things further off topic.

In response to your last comment I will say three things:
- You argue for a president and a party that has abortion-on-demand as one of itÂ’s foremost planks, so some of my comments are directed at that rather than directly at what youÂ’ve said;
- You have not been completely cordial or polite, you have been rude on several occasions;
- Nothing in your last comment has anything to do with ObamaÂ’s executive experience (or the tremendous lack thereof).

Unless you have something new to add to the appropriate subject, this thread is done.

ensie Says:
November 10th, 2008 at 8:46 pm

This does not qualify as a threat?

Now stick to the topic or I will block you. IÂ’m tired of wasting my time with your prattle.

Please let me know what qualifies in my earlier posts as rude so that I will not make the same mistakes in the future. I do not want to be blocked for being ungracious in the future. I have taken pains to be polite in our discussion, making sure I focused on the arguments, and going out of my way not to make personal attacks. However, I felt on several occasions you made jabs at me personally simply for stating my case.

Examples:

Your attempts to defend him make you look as sick as he is.

But then youÂ’re a liberal so rules donÂ’t matter to you. Those for everyone else.

Maybe you could post a comment FAQ in order to let people know exactly what crosses the line?

Republican By Default Says:
November 10th, 2008 at 11:14 pm

Ok. Take a deep breath. Take a moment and relax.

Then try to explain to me:
a) how any of that last comment relates to the subject of this thread, and
b) how that comment was polite.
[rhetorical question, of course]

Do you need to have some meds adjusted?

This thread is done. So go get a life and quit wasting my time.

I thought I was being polite? The suggestion for a FAQ was real and I wanted to discuss his suggestion that I had been rude during our discussion. Republican by Default's extremely hurtful comment about "have(ing) my meds adjusted" points to the fact that he knows little about the blogging community he is a part of. I have been on anti-depressant medication for years, something he might know if he bothered to read my blog once in a while. So, thanks for that, asshole.

Again, the point of blogging, and especially the point of blogging with comments enabled is to hear the thoughts of others. Those viewpoints may differ from your own, and you should be ready to engage those in a thoughtful and respectful way (although I'll make exceptions from time to time). Being an aggressive dickwad isn't the best way to find or keep readers.

Posted by: Ensie at 03:38 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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Conversation heard on the way back to my car from the Downtown Farmer's Market:

Teenage Boy #1: Where the fuck are you going?

Teenage Boy #2: [mumble]

Teenage Boy #1 suddenly looks up and notices a man in a suit standing next to him at the street light.

TB #1: Hey, man. Do you know anyplace that is hiring?

Suited Man: Excuse me?

TB #1: Do you know anyplace that has jobs available?

Suited Man: Uh, no.

TB #1: Man...shit! (Jumps around and yells)

Me: [laughter]

What an excellent plan for getting a job. Wander around the city being obnoxious with your friend. Be obscene in front of someone you are going to ask about a job. Get visibly pissed off when that person tells you he can't help you.

You're half way there!

Posted by: Ensie at 02:46 PM | Comments (7) | Add Comment
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Squeeee!

I'm totally in the new Tacoma City Arts magazine this month - the July issue with Deborah Ritchie on the cover. It's now monthly, and it's just out. Apparently copies are now available at the Stadium Thriftway, but I haven't seen them anyplace else yet.

Looking through the current issue, it looks like a really good one. The piece on Deborah Ritchie of Deborah Page, the highlight of Frost Park's Chalk Off, the preview of the Tall Ships festival...I'm really looking forward to reading through the entire thing.

And why am I in the mag you may ask? Just a quick question about what I'm reading recently, in which I mention Jenette Faluda's book Half-Assed: A Weight Loss Memoir, which you can see a preview of here:

You can also check out her blog Half of Me here, where she goes by the handle "Pasta Queen".

Her book is an interesting look at what it's like to go from over 300 lbs. to half that weight, and the mental and physical adjustments that come with that change. Faluda lost the weight on her own, without the help of diet programs, and continues to maintain her weight loss, holding herself accountable to her own conscience and her blog readers.

Posted by: Ensie at 12:42 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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I fear I'm about to duplicate Tacomamama's review of the Horatio Theatre's new show Hypothesis. This time it's not a play, or even a musical; it's a magic show, which is something a bit unexpected (or maybe not) from Erik Emery Hanberg's theater company.

I'm not a big one for magic shows, and I have to admit I was a bit apprehensive after watching the far too long "preview" on Exit 133. I made it about 2 minutes in. It's not that the idea of watching someone get into a body bag and get out across the street isn't interesting, it's just that watching someone in a body bag for 8 minutes on a relatively minute screen on a computer tends to try even the most patient of tempers.

However, internet previews are one thing, and real-life magicians are another.

Watching Geoff Kanick on stage was an entirely enjoyable experience. He has charisma and (most of the time) doesn't take himself too seriously, which makes for a good combination. Kanick worked the small preview audience of about 15 people well, asking at least half of them to join him on stage during different points of the show.

Combining a mixture of traditional tricks with interesting psychic feats kept the audience on their toes. I could quibble here and there with timing issues, but over all the show is fun and funny with a gasp here and there.

I highly recommend a trip down the rabbit hole with Mr. Kanick!

Definitely worth the low price of $10 a ticket, available at the door or at Brown Paper Tickets.

Hypothesis with magician Geoff Kanick
June 13 7:30 pm, June 14 7:30 pm, June 15 2:00 pm
Live at McAstocker Theater, Bellarmine Preparatory School
2300 S Washington
Tacoma, WA 98405

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It appears that laundry problems are going around.

A little over a week ago my less-than-a-year-old washing machine died what appeared to be a relatively undramatic death. The spin cycle ceased to work, prompting a call to an appliance repairman. I hoped for a belt replacement or the like, but after a relatively short inspection, it was declaired that the machine's computer had died and it would be at least $450 to repair with labor. Considering the fact that I had paid less than that for the entire machine just a short time ago, replacement, rather than repair sounded like the better option.

Frinklin and I hit up the Sears Outlet off of Sixth Ave to find a (hopefully) inexpensive replacement. There was very little to choose from in our price range, and after a pushy salesman pushed a little too hard, we walked out without anything.

What I really wanted was to find the man that sold me my original washing machine three years ago. He refurbishes old washing machines and dryers and when we moved to Washington and needed something cheap and fast we found his number in the paper and bought an old (15 years plus) machine for very little.

While I was on vacation in San Diego over the last week Frinklin spent time doing laundry at a local laundromat. Things went fine until the last day when he took in our 8-year-old feather bed that exploded in a washing machine and left a huge pile of feathers behind - enough to fill an entire laundry basket. The owner of the laundromat was less than happy with him.

It was time for us to find a washing machine - pronto.

Luck was on our side. After a couple of phone calls to numbers in the News Tribune, we found Bill, the gentleman we had bought our original washing machine from years ago. After some assistance moving out our old machine from Mr. Freitas, we picked up a brand new machine in Lakewood, its only problem being a punctured cabinet from a forklift accident that has since been replaced. Bill gave us $50 for our old machine (Yay! No lawn ornament!) and a one year parts, labor, or exchange warranty. Kevin was once again on hand to move the machine upstairs, I connected the water hookups, and everything was a go.

Our new washing machine is fantastic. It's much better balanced than our last and hasn't balked at taking on our king sized comforter or a couple of massive dog beds. If anyone needs a good place to buy a washer or dryer, I highly recommend Bill in Lakewood.

Posted by: Ensie at 08:11 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Frinklin sent me something ever so fun to play with.

Head over to the Walk Score website and enter in your address. It will map our your home and surroundings and the "walkability" of your neighborhood, taking into consideration the convenience of the nearby destinations. You receive a score from 0 to 100 depending on just how fully walkable things really are. Their scale is broken down like so:

90 - 100 = Walkers' Paradise: Most errands can be accomplished on foot and many people get by without owning a car.
70 - 90 = Very Walkable: It's possible to get by without owning a car.
50 - 70 = Some Walkable Locations: Some stores and amenities are within walking distance, but many everyday trips still require a bike, public transportation, or car.
25 - 50 = Not Walkable: Only a few destinations are within easy walking range. For most errands, driving or public transportation is a must.
0 - 25 = Driving Only: Virtually no neighborhood destinations within walking range. You can walk from your house to your car!

My score was 57, which is reasonable. We have a lot of restaurants and a few shops as well as a hospital (if one might walk there) well within walking range, but grocery stores are pushing the limits of walkability when you start to talk about carrying a lot of stuff back with you. I would assume that most of Tacoma is fairly walkable.

You can actually get a map to place on your blog. I thought it would be funny to see the walkability of my parent's neighborhood. They live out in the boonies:

They scored a 6. Not so walkable there.

Posted by: Ensie at 12:31 AM | Comments (9) | Add Comment
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1 Now, there's a Sizzler within three miles so it's not all bad! My mom's address scored a 25. A little better than your parents but still pretty awful. The house I grew up in scored an 8. I'd say that's about right!

Posted by: Jenyum/Tacomamama at May 24, 2008 08:23 AM (LMqvC)

2 We got a 51 ... but two restaurants listed aren't really there. I'm guessing there's a N/S switch going on. Though I'd love to have Gateway to India and a teriyaki as close as it SAYS. I know I'm in the suburbs of the Proctor District ... sigh.

Posted by: tacomachickadee at May 24, 2008 09:49 AM (nWV/l)

3 The house I grew up in got a 2, but I think only because it counted an asparagus farm a mile away as a restaurant. Otherwise I think they'd be at 1 or 2. The nearest thing of any category was several miles away. In case any of you wonder why I'm perfectly happy in T-town with a score of 51 ...

Posted by: tacomachickadee at May 24, 2008 09:53 AM (nWV/l)

4 That's a great tool to objectively determine how "walkable" an area is. As an example, Fife has installed some great new sidewalks and treees but the distances between uses is so large its hard to walk to anything so every trip ends up being one in a car.

Posted by: Erik B. at May 24, 2008 10:53 AM (OVI7B)

5 Wow! Our site for cohousing (1002-4 S 12th St) got an 85! They are a bit funky on the search criteria though. Under schools, they listed Bates about 10 times (probably for the different "majors", and an LLC with Park in the name was listed as A PARK! All together, though, I'd say we picked a good place. Still looking for members!

Posted by: Earthdaughter at May 24, 2008 11:08 AM (JllhC)

6 Walk Score: 5 out of 100

Posted by: Eden at May 24, 2008 02:25 PM (BDCWt)

7 My home address gets a 60, which is better than last year when it left out even more, but it still leaves out Dave's market and Lowell elementary, which would probably boost it considerably. Lowell is actually much closer than Grant, but both are easily walkable.

Posted by: Jen at May 24, 2008 05:52 PM (LMqvC)

8 Yeah, there are definitely some glitches in the alogorithem (is that how you spell that?) that is used to figure out the acutal walkability. But it's still interesting to look at. My parent's house actually has some sort of odd "Quality Hydroseeding" place listed as a school nearby, which I don't believe has anything to do with education.

Posted by: ensie at May 24, 2008 09:35 PM (0Y/90)

9 Just for fun, I looked around on walkscore's site and found this interesting information on how they arrive at their scoring. http://www.walkscore.com/how-it-doesnt-work.shtml We can actually help them "fix" some of the errors in our neighborhoods and improve the accuracy for Tacoma. (P.S. It's algorithm.)

Posted by: Patricia J. Menzies at May 25, 2008 05:24 AM (JllhC)

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When I was new to the Pacific Northwest and still missing absolutely everything Southern California with an ache that would never end I went on a cereal eating binge. I lived on cereal. And not just any random cereal. For some reason I chose Honey Nut Shredded Wheat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for over three months (apparently I'm not the only one to do this). I went through a box every couple of days, four or five boxes a week. I would supplement occasionally with meals out, but that was essentially what I lived off of.

At the time I was severely depressed and didn't have any friends in my new home to find my behavior odd. Just one husband who gamely kept me supplied and a therapist who told me that as long as the cereal wasn't hurting me she didn't see anything wrong with it. After three or four months I found the right mix of medication, the homesickness began to lift, and the cereal hunger lifted. I still wanted cereal, but just for breakfast, and maybe could I have something different?

Until last night I hadn't touched Honey Nut Shredded Wheat in two years. But last night there was a Cereal Party at the House of Freitai and as a nod to those sad months I brought a box of my OCD food of choice for others to share. I also brought along a box of my current fav - Special K with Strawberries, which I have each morning.

Frinklin brought a couple of his favorites, as did everyone else. We each gave a quick speech about why had brought our specific choices before diving into the selections. Surprisingly with nine different types to choose from, no one had duplicated anything. Sarah brought bananas and there were several options for milk - nonfat, reduced fat, whole, soy, and chocolate.

I didn't grow up in a house where sugary cereals were allowed and because of that sugary cereals taste SO sweet to me. We didn't have anything overly sugary represented last night other than CoCo Puffs, which I didn't eat (other than a bite of Kevin's terrifying chocolate nightmare). I did enjoy small bowls of Cinnamon Toast Crunch (sweet, but not overly so), Rice Krispies (with a bit of honey, the way my Grandma used to make them for me), Apple Jacks (yuck), mix of Rice Krispies and Cocoa Krispies (OK, but I don't like chocolate cereal).

I'm sure this will become a regular tradition. As you can see, we are serious about our cereal.

Posted by: Ensie at 04:00 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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I have a long history of locking myself out of things. I'm really good at locking myself out of various vehicles. I went through a stretch where I did it weekly, sometimes twice a week. Twice I did it while the car was RUNNING. I'm pretty proud of that accomplishment.

I've been locked out of my computer more times that I can tell you. Or various websites that I swear I can remember the password for, but upon my three attempts suddenly find that I need to call customer service because I no longer have any type of access. I finally had to create a hidden secret "cheat sheet" that I use to get to the various portals around the internets.

I thought I'd really done it a couple of years ago when Frinklin and I locked our selves IN our house. Yes you read that correctly. IN the house.

The deadbolt to the front door broke due to shoddy workmanship of the previous owner (a reccurring theme) and since we don't own a key to the back door, and our back gates are padlocked shut (a detail that will become important later in this blog entry) we were trapped. A very kind locksmith came and removed the deadbolt, re-keyed the front door, and fixed the crappy job the last owner had done with the whole thing. I highly recommend Jack at Security Lock, Safe, and Alarm.

I really didn't think it would be possible to top locking myself IN my house. But yesterday I did it.

Yesterday I locked myself in my backyard.

Really, it was all the cats' fault. But lets back up.

Remember how I told you earlier that there is no key to the back door and the gates are padlocked shut? We've been having issues with the back door not shutting all the way unless the deadbolt is thrown. The wind will push it open and 4 of our 5 indoor only cats will sneak outside to frolic on the deck, eventually making their way under the house.

Yesterday I happened to be walking past the back door and noticed it was waving gently in the afternoon breeze. Immediately panicking I jumped into action and ran outside. All four adventurous cats were outside. Making a grab for the one closest (Clyde), I felt fur and threw him in the house, slamming the door behind me. One down and three to go! An orange streak flew past my feet. Percy! I snatched him up and grabbed the door handle, leaning in to open the--ow! Open the--

Oh for fucks sake. I hadn't latched the deadbolt, but the small doorknob lock was thrown and it was good and closed this time. As Percy squirmed in my arms I grabbed for another orange kitty and picked up a clawing mass of Barney. As his talons sank into my body I thought, "this is bad." Turning to the right, I watched as Moby slipped under the house.

As I lost more and more blood from Barney's slashes I realized I was going to have to let the cats go, even if they did go under the house. I was either going to need to try to climb through a window (all locked), climb the fence (six feet high), or find a friendly neighbor with a cell phone to help. Fortunately, a friendly neighbor happened to be standing just on the other side of the fence.

"Excuse me?" I called, trying not to look insane with orange cats dangling from my limbs. "I have locked myself in my backyard and am in need of a phone. May I borrow yours?" Hopefully proper grammar and being the picture of politeness would help my cause.

"Uh, IN your backyard?" replied the kind neighbor.

"Yes. You see, my door is locked from the inside and I lack a key (Ow! Barney stop it!). And my gates are padlocked (Dammit! Ow!)." (Big smile)

"Sure." Kind neighbor tosses cell phone to me over fence. I should explain at this point that Frinklin was out assisting friends with their 72 Hour Films Festival (tickets on sale now!) submission. I called him. And called him. And called him. Angels be praised - on the third try he picked up. I make no apologies for the messages left that sound something like, "Iamtrappedinthegoddamnbackyardandyouarenotpickingupyourcellphonewherethefuck
areyourightnowIreallyneedyoutocomehomeandhelpme!" To his credit as soon as he did pick up the phone Kevin, Joe, and Frinklin did rush home to rescue me. I sulkily entered the house, sans cats.

Ah yes. The cats.

The next three hours of my life were devoted to cajoling two stubborn kitties out from the tiny (non) crawl space of the house. Percy decided he'd had enough of the great outdoors and came quietly, but Barney and Moby found a playground of smells, sights, and a possible doorway to a wonderland of adventure through that little gap in the concrete. I'd like to say that Frinklin and I tempted the cats by calling their names and offering them treats, but that did absolutely nothing for 2 hours and 45 minutes. Also ineffectual; lying on a towel to avoid dirt and other backyard debris while peering under the house with an industrial strength flashlight (although I got a close up look at one of our air vents). The best technique was to stand absolutely silent and still for 10 or 15 minutes, pretending to be a part of the house, then pounce when the cat came out to explore. Good to know for future reference.

I really need to get the back door re-keyed so that we can unlock it normally. And probably need to have the entire thing worked on so that it actually stays closed when the wind is blowing. Hopefully I'm working a good average and I won't lock myself back there again for another three years, minimum.

Bonus trapped in moment! Trapped IN my pants!

Posted by: Ensie at 12:50 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
Post contains 997 words, total size 6 kb.

1 Dang. What a crazy afternoon/evening. And you handled the situation much better than I would have. At the point I would've realized I'd locked myself in the backyard, my head would've just asploded.

Posted by: Cassioposa at May 04, 2008 04:54 PM (/fI+2)

2 damn. I would have.... um... I dunno. Uttered alot of curses. Many of them well-conjugated strings of cursewords. I can demonstrate that curse-conjugation skill for you someday, if you like, though I suspect you may have the skill within you.... Nice to know your peaceable kingdom is all well again

Posted by: JCBetty at May 04, 2008 09:46 PM (lvOTL)

3 This is something I would do. Glad you got all your various cats back inside.

Posted by: Jenyum/Tacomamama at May 06, 2008 03:58 PM (LMqvC)

4 JCBetty, Oh, I uttered A LOT of swear words. Don't worry. I may have even been speaking in tongues at one point. It was not pretty. I'm surprised I didn't scare away the Kind Neighbor. Fortunately I didn't though, and he stuck around long enough to lend his phone.

Posted by: ensie at May 07, 2008 12:49 AM (0Y/90)

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This morning started off rough.

Frinklin got up early to help out friends with their 72 hour film festival submission only to find that one of our cars was broken into overnight. It was nothing terribly dramatic, and unfortunately (or fortunately, since it meant there was little damage to the car) it was a situation where one of the doors didn't close properly and was jimmied open. Everthing in the vehicle had been rifled through but the person who broke in only stole my expensive and very cool pea coat. Note to self: don't leave expensive and cool stuff in car.

In the grand scheme of things this isn't a huge deal. The car is relatively unscathed, nothing major was taken, and both Frinklin and I are mostly just annoyed. But it's unsettling to have someone violate your privacy and your space. This is the second time that Frinklin and I have been robbed. Both times it has been due to a door left ajar; last time it was in an old apartment we couldn't wait to move out of in 2001.

Before moving to Tacoma I received a lot of half-joking warning about the crime rate here. I, myself, have joked about livng in a city where crime is just considered part of daily life. A few months after moving here Violet came to visit from Chicago (where she was terrified of living in her own haunted house and somewhat crime-ridden neighborhood alone). Her first night in town we told her we lived in "the good part of Tacoma" with a lower crime rate, "less violent crimes."

Frinklin went on to say, "We do tend to have a lot of kidnappers and serial killers though," naming Ted Bundy and a couple of others. We laughed it off (I know I'm going to hell) and got ready for bed.

Just as we were readying the pull-out couch Violet looked outside and asked, "Are those police lights?" We all rushed to the window to see cops blocking off our street and officers with German Shepherds marching up and down our block. A helicopter began circling overhead and spotlights swept the ground. Frinklin called the non-emergency police number and was told in a stern voice to, "Stay inside. Lock the doors. Do not exit the house unless instructed to by a uniformed police officer." Oh. Great.

Violet told us the next morning she slept better that night than she had in months.

"The police were everywhere! I felt so safe!" she smiled.

The TPD is no longer hovering around my house and even when I call them to report a prowler they don't bother to stop by. I've had my car egged twice, my mail stolen, the guy trying to get into the backyard, and now the car, all in three year. But I feel relatively safe due to the 90 lb. German Shepherd/Pit Bull (who's my puppy?) that doesn't like strangers sleeping next to me at night.

It's just emotionally draining to have someone violate your space and have to put your stuff back together again. And there's the enevitable "what if" thoughts that haunt you. What if they come back? What if they took something I didn't notice? What if they try to break into my house next? What if they hurt my animals? What if they hurt my husband or me?

I'm tired of thinking these thoughts. What I'd really like to do is leave a big 'ol sign on my car that says, "Hi. This message is for the person who broke into my car and stole my coat. I've lived in Tacoma long enough to know that a video camera is the best way to keep your property safe. Bring back the coat - put it on the front porch. I've got you on tape breaking into the car. If you don't return the coat within 48 hours, I'm turning in the tape to the Tacoma Police Department. Thanks."

Posted by: Ensie at 12:14 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Tacomamama invited me to attend the James Howard Kunstler event this evening with her and I happily accepted. However, unlike some who have bathed in the words of Kunstler recently, I have avoided all books, YouTube videos, blogs and podcasts, preferring to go to the event with virgin ears. This paid off, as he apparently reused a lot of his jokes this evening.

I found Kunstler to be interesting, especially when speaking about architecture. The second part of his presentation was better than the first part. I really wish he had spoken more in specifics about Tacoma since he had spent the day in the city. At times he came off more like a grumpy old man with a, says Tacomamama, "very us-against-them" mentality. He appears very confrontational and not someone very approachable or adaptable to change.

Mr. Kunstler started off his speaking engagement this evening by addressing the energy crisis, or what he calls "The Long Emergency". Focusing on the depletion and hoarding of oil in various world sites, he notes that a day of reckoning is coming where we will no longer have the resources available to fuel the systems we currently have in place (tonight he specifically focused on our transportation systems, especially cars and planes).

When confronted with the argument that technology may provide us with alternate energy sources (or "save" us), Kunstler is very adamant that TECHNOLOGY DOES NOT EQUAL ENERGY. One cannot fill a gas tank with technology; which is a completely illogical argument, but who is going to jump up and argue with the man while he's on stage? At this point he told an anecdote about speaking at Google's headquarters. Harping on their "kindergarten like" atmosphere and making fun of their executives stating that they dressed like "skate rats", he laughed off the fact that these "children" told him, "but we have technology!" I would have liked to ask him if would conceed the fact that technology can lead to innovations that may provide alternate energy sources that we have not discovered yet...

I believe at this point Kunstler began the second half of his presentation, focusing on where and how we live. He had several points:

- The age of suburbia is over. Going forward we will have only urban and rural. Cities will be more compact and rural areas will begin to be used for agriculture again out of necessity.

- We must get out of our cars and choose public transportation. Trains are the most logical choice (but we are not ready for anything more plain old regular rail transport - nothing fancy).

- Architecture should be purposeful, functional, and interesting. Use historical buildings as a guide and you won't need to hide ugly buildings in strip malls, in spaces that have been "greened up" and the like.

- Parks should be away from freeways, busy intersections, etc. People want to get AWAY from these things when they are in parks.

- In order to get people to use outdoor spaces, the space must be clearly defined. Building create walls, businesses create services (edges) and a reason for being.

Many of these are so obvious, you wouldn't think these would be wild and outrageous suggestions, but they are! Looking at his slides of the hideous schools (prison-like), public space (perpetually empty Boston amphetheater bearing a striking resemblance to Tollefson Plaza), and blank walls (I believe it was Boston City Hall with a block's length of blank wall) you start to despair of good design.

I know there has been discussion locally regarding the Proctor Safeway redesign. Currently Tacoma requires that any buildings along Proctor have windows along the street, however Safeway has requested a variance allowing them to have a solid wall along the West side of the building, among other things. I'm not sure what the progress of their request is at this point in time.

There were examples of beautiful and intricate architecture this evening as well. In addition to historical examples Kunstler had shots of windows and rooflines from his hometown, and he talked quite a bit about The Congress for the New Urbanism. The CNU appears to be working to create a new type of infrastrustructure that encompases neighborhoods, wildlife habitat, and farmland. You can check out their work on their website.

I'm sure there are plenty of things I'm forgetting from tonight, but these are the things that stuck this evening.

Posted by: Ensie at 12:30 AM | Comments (9) | Add Comment
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Today I received an e-mail direct from Sadie, our former kitty who it appears now has her own e-mail address (!) at Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital. Princess Sadie Thumbs (as she is known for her attitude and extra toes) is now living at the vet's office while she waits for a new home. They graciously offered to house her there as they do for a certain number of Tacoma Humane Society kitties that are up for adoption.

Dear Ensie, Frinklin & the crew,

Life is good here at Met Vet. My food bowl is right next to my bed -- I don't even have to stand up to eat. My litter box is two steps away, so I use it always. I feel like a princess here.

Sometimes the staff makes me walk around for exercise, but I discovered if I try to eat their plants, they let me go right back to napping in my room.

I could live like this forever!

Love,
Princess Sadie Thumbs

As you can see, Sadie has happily taken over their office.

You can e-mail Sadie at Sadie(at)metvetpets(dot)com, especially if you're interested in adopting her.

Posted by: Ensie at 11:49 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Tonight I had my first bad experience at The Hub. Which is really unfortunate, considering the fact that I've had really great experiences there previously. I wouldn't normally write about one bad time at a restaurant, except that not only was the food not good, but the service was bad too.

First - let me say that I was there the week The Hub opened in a group of 8 people and our waiter was fantastic and the food was delicious. Then was back last week and the waiter was almost oppressive he was so attentive. Kevin declared his steak "possibly the best in Tacoma" which is saying a lot considering what quality steaks there are to be had. I had pizzas both time and both were good.

So tonight I sat in the bar side of The Hub for the first time with Frinklin, Cassioposa, and Angela. Cassioposa got there first and ordered a glass of wine, only to be told five minutes after ordering that her chosen red was not available. After choosing another the waitress returned again and told her, again, that they were out. Cassie finally asked, "What is available?" and was told, "Oh, pretty much everything..." Not helpful. Fortunately her third choice actually was in stock.

Once we were all seated and ordered drinks it took a good 15 minutes to flag down our server. Granted, the restaurant was busy, but not frantic. We placed an order of fries as an appetizer and proceeded to order our entrees. A ceasar sald for Cassie, a pizza for Frinklin, chicken picatta for Angela, and the flat-iron steak for myself, asking that the fries be substituted with mashed potatoes. I sensed trouble as our waitress didn't bother to ask how I preferred my steak.

Our fries never came. When our food showed and I asked I was told it was a side order. I love it when servers tell you what you ordered. It's not that there can't be a misunderstanding - it's just that I know what I wanted, so I'm not the one that's wrong. The order for fries finally went in at that point.

My steak came, as did Angela's chicken picatta - with fries. When I stated that I wanted mashed potatoes my steak was sent back, only to be returned shortly with word from the kitchen that the restaurant was out of regular potatoes. It was just that no one had informed the wait staff. There was no opportunity for them to warn any patrons that their meal may need substitutions or the like.

At this point we were all starving. I ate my steak (tasty, but cooked more than I would like) with sweet potato frites and three of the saddest asperagus you have ever seen. As Angela said, "I would have been embarrased to plate those!" She half-heartedly picked through her over-peppered, tomato covered, so-so chicken picatta. Frinklin's pizza and Cassie's salad were pretty good, although Frinklin noted his pizza was a good couple inches smaller in diameter than it had been in the past. Our french fry appetizer (made from yams, lest you believe they had received a shipment of regular potatoes) showed up half way through our meal.

When our checks arrived our sever was kind enough to discount my steak and remove the cost of the appetizer completely. It was explained to us that the Head Chef walked out earlier today and that the Bar Manager had also quit. That could definitely explain the irregularity in our meals. While we sat and discussed this development and our meal our drinks were collected and table began to be bussed as though we were not sitting and chatting. There was no reason to throw us out, as there were plenty of empty tables, but we took this as our cue to leave.

I don't know exactly how much the Head Chef and/or the Bar Manager have an effect on the Serving Staff at a restaurant, but it seemed as though our waitress had no idea what was going on this evening. I don't think I'll be sitting in the bar section again. I hope it was just a fluke and that The Hub find a new Head Chef and Bar Manager soon.

Posted by: Ensie at 09:18 PM | Comments (9) | Add Comment
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It is currently only raining on the Eastern half of my house. The Western side is completely dry. And when I say raning, I mean pouring - wind blowing, rain slanting down, etc. But looking out the Westside window - nothing.

Weird.

Posted by: Ensie at 04:42 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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How come Seattle has Ellen Forney doing their public art and we get...this when it comes to art?

WTF?

Posted by: Ensie at 12:24 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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In an exciting collaboration with Seattle Purebred Dog Rescue (SPDR), the Seattle Humane Society is providing FREE spay and neuter surgeries for ALL pit bulls in the Puget Sound region for a limited time!

You can view the PDF here.

Direct from the flyer:

Pit bulls account for approximately 30% of lost, stray, and abandoned animals in our community's shelters today.

TOP FIVE REASONS TO SPAY OR NEUTER YOUR DOG:

1. Your dog will live a longer, healthier life.
Spaying and neutering virtually eliminates breast and uterine cancer, testicular cancer, and prostate disease if performed before six months of age.

2. Your spayed female won't go into heat.
Females in hear vocalize, urinate, and produce a foul discharge.

3. Your male dog won't roam away from home.
Intact males are highly likely to roam, risking injury in traffic or fights with other males.

4. AND he will be much better behaved too!
Unneutered males mark their territory with urine (inside the house and out), mount your family and guests, and are more likely to develop behavior problems.

5. Spaying and neutering your pet will NOT make your dog fat or lazy.
Your pet will remain fit and trim as long as you continue to provide exercise and monitor food intake.

In addition to the FREE spay or neuter, dogs will be microchipped for FREE during surgery.

If you have an unaltered Pit bull, or know someone who does, call the Seattle Humane Society at 425-649-7560 to make an appointment.

Posted by: Ensie at 08:40 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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With all the "Go Local" talk lately, I've been giving the idea a lot of thought. No one can argue that supporting your local businesses is good for your neighborhood, your community, and your city. It supports local commerce, encourages further economic growth and development, and it makes you feel good.

In some circles, it appears that "Going Local" has become more of a clique or a status symbol (some might even say a fetish) instead of something people do as part of their daily lives. When did we forget that "Going Local" is part of living? And who made the rules so freakin' strict?

In the course of living one's life it's desirable to incorporate going local into daily activities. Stop by local stores. Eat at local restaurants. Buy local art. But should you need to go to a big box store to get an item, do not be ashamed. If you need to enter the Tacoma Mall to find clothing, do not feel the need to flagellate yourself upon the trunk of your car directly afterwards.

I believe a good philosophy to follow when it comes to going local is "Do Your Best" (but don't beat up on people when they don't - or can't - go local all the time). As a vegetarian I followed this axiom for years and found it suited me well. Not sure that soup is 100% vegetarian? But the restaurant thinks it is - do your best!

There are a few specific points that come to mind that can make "Going Local" especially difficult:

-- TIME: Please show me the person who has time to run errands to all the different places that one trip to Target can fulfill? Show me the local store that carries toilet paper, hair care products, cat litter, electronics, gardening supplies, storage containers, razor blades, light bulbs, greeting cards, underwear, Vitamin Water, and detergent. All of which were on my shopping list the other day.

-- MONEY: Price is a factor for many people. It's been pointed out over and over that big box stores undercut local businesses when it comes to price. I hate WalMart as much as the next good liberal, but that doesn't change the fact that people have a need for cheap goods.

-- ACCESS: Accessibility can be an issue for those who work odd hours or weekends. Locally-owned businesses that close at 5 PM or on Sundays can be difficult to shop for many people. I know I've been thwarted more than once when trying to hit up a downtown location or local restaurant on a Sunday.

In the past few weeks while attending the Go Local or Die event and reading all the "Go Local" campaigning I've been ashamed to admit that I work for a large company. I shouldn't be as Bob's Hogs, while we've had our differences, is a pretty good company to work for. I've been with them for almost eleven years. When Frinklin and I decided to move to the Pacific Northwest they created a position for me where there was none. I'm proud of the hard work I've put in to reach the position I have and I shouldn't have to hide that fact.

So this is a coming out of sorts. I'm admitting that I work for a Fortune 500 company that has several locations all over the Puget Sound. While I enjoy shopping locally, I also will hit up the Tacoma Mall from time to time as I don't see many Tacoma clothing shops that carry a variety of clothing that cater to women who wear anything over a size 14. You can typically find Frinklin and I eating dinner in one of many locally owned eating establishments, often joined by friends. But occasionally we'll feel the need to hit up Carl's Jr. or Panda Express.

Lets be realistic and inclusive with our "Go Local" campaign going forward instead of making lists and shutting people out who may have reasons for spending their dollars outside of local businesses. If I feel uncomfortable talking about what I do for a living because it's not local enough, I'm sure there are plenty of other people who aren't bloggers who feel exactly the same.

Posted by: Ensie at 12:00 PM | Comments (35) | Add Comment
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1 BRAVO! I agree with you 100%; I think "doing the best you can" is as good as it gets whether it's trying to live a greener existence, trying to lead a more healthy lifestyle, or trying to parent a kid-- we're all human. Myself, I try to use indies & local establishments as much as I can, but I'm a huge Fred Meyer fan, have been known to purchase basic clothing items at the Gap, shoes and makeup at Nordstrom, and kid's clothes at a variety of mall places-- and Target-- from time to time. I find I have to work to get the best balance for our budget and our lifestyle, and I do the best I can.

Posted by: jcbetty at March 12, 2008 11:51 AM (lvOTL)

2 I agree, completely. I don't know why "Go Local" campaigning has been turned into something by some folks as a "Go Local Exclusively" campaign. As you suggested, that approach is bound to generate guilt, frustration and a sense of exclusion, among other things. And that's not what's going to inspire pride amongst the masses for making local choices. Taking a tip from various recycling campaigns around the nation, the "every little bit helps" goes a long way. And I'd be willing to bet that the messaging that results in adding a little bit more local-conscious shopping to everyone's routine will yield far better results for local businesses than setting some kind of "local exclusivity" goal that only a small number of this area's demographic can realistically attain.

Posted by: Cassioposa at March 12, 2008 12:06 PM (/fI+2)

3 There is, as with anything, a balance to be struck between cost, convenience, and other social and ethical considerations (and I say ethical here in the personal sense... as in if you choose to go local, that is your personal ethic, rather than suggesting that not doing so is broadly unethical). Stadium Thriftway, for example, shows that balance for me: I go there because the location is convenient, and I'd rather support a local shop, but I trade off for a smaller selection and higher prices. Or, to take an example of personal investment, I make a point to buy all my comics at Comic Book Ink. The fact is, it's the farthest away Tacoma option I could choose, but I like to support it. BUT I've never been of the mindset that I must not support the competition if I can't support them, which seems to be the demand of some Go Local folks. There are comics that I can't find at CBI that I will go to Borders for. There are products that I can't find at Stadium that I will go to Fred Meyer for. Despite Mr. Blue's recent declaration, there really are products that no local store carries, nor should they be expected to, either because the product is not local and shipping costs are prohibitive to non-national companies, or simply because of store size. All the people insisting that local is the only way to live remind me of that couple up in Canada who decided to live entirely off of food grown within a 100 mile radius (or something like that) for a year. Right up until they discovered that they couldn't eat anything with sugar in it.

Posted by: Joe Izenman at March 12, 2008 12:37 PM (/fI+2)

4 I love the story about the Canadian couple.

Posted by: ensie at March 12, 2008 12:58 PM (yNgp+)

5 Leave it to my brilliant and pragmatic wife to inject a small dose of sanity into this. Again, we support local business to the best of our ability, but not to the detriment our own lives. Besides, what local store carries absurdly overpriced Dolce and Gabbana handbags?

Posted by: frinklin at March 12, 2008 01:10 PM (yNgp+)

6 Oh yeah. That's me. Pragmatic. Ask them at the Volcano how pragmatic I am. And let me note - Nordstrom is local to the Pacific Northwest.

Posted by: ensie at March 12, 2008 01:13 PM (yNgp+)

7 Well said! I keep thinking I have paid a price for not putting some sort of big clobber you over the head Go Local notice of some sort on my site indicating that it is, in fact, all about local things, but then I think a) If you actually read it regularly you have to be a dumbass not to notice that b) If you don't read it because it says mama or some such stupid thing, I don't think you're going to notice it anyway c) It would only look preachy and alienate people. d) everything you said. Lord knows I spend some time in Target.

Posted by: Jen at March 12, 2008 01:50 PM (LMqvC)

8 Ur, that is, not referencing the "Go Local" campaign specifically, I didn't mean to be bashing that, more the idea of branding my site as all about that.

Posted by: Jen at March 12, 2008 01:51 PM (LMqvC)

9 Guilt is not the catalyst that should be used for going local - I agree! I'd also say that buying locally or even what we individually get out of going local is only part of the whole idea behind going local. Unhealthy relationship with the middle east, pollution, minorities having a political voice, and social disconnection that psychologists are saying is leading to epidemic levels of anxiety and depression are just a few issues that going local lies at the center of a solution for. If we were going to talk about what we get out of it individually, or purely economically, we could start with the greater life that comes from living in a holistic community instead of the craziness that spreads us out over ten different ones with lots of different groups who only know us a little bit. Also, with China and India developing a middle class that has the potential to be eight times the size of ours, we are only seeing the beginning of the likely economic shift in this country. Wood and most raw resources going up as much as quadruple in two years is nothing compared to what could happen if we still live in a system that is based upon cars and we are reaching peak oil like many experts say. Add China and India's middle class modeling ours and oil can become a much more scarce resource. Practicing things like import substitution may be the only way to simultaneously bring growth to our local economy and invest in a locally sustainable system, because our current American economic model is not sustainable. The writing is on the wall. So while going local might eventually challenge what we think is truly valuable in life I think it will be worth it. I'd gladly trade more random stuff for less quality, truly necessary items that I know my neighbor made and I can see him as I walk by on my way to work. Eventually going local will have to be more like being local. I just hope we choose it.

Posted by: Justin at March 12, 2008 02:06 PM (ZcPDH)

10 Lets be realistic and inclusive with our "Go Local" campaign going forward instead of making lists and shutting people out who may have reasons for spending their dollars outside of local businesses. If I feel uncomfortable talking about what I do for a living because it's not local enough, I'm sure there are plenty of other people who aren't bloggers who feel exactly the same. Don't feel bad about working for a large company. I have always been uncomfortable with "buy local" campaigns because it has made the issue being one sympathy buys for inferior products and services that are better and cheaper elsewhere. The do gooder guilt ridden "buy local" campaigns have some flaws in them. They are also unsustainable because people will not act on such a motivation very consistently or for very long. How ofetn is someone going to buy a $8 candle they don't need? I am trying to look at "going local" the same way one puts oil in their car: for self interested reasons not because they feel bad for the car. If you don't put oil in your car, it blows up. If the "go local" campaigns can configure themselves so that it won't have to be based on guilt any longer but rather one of self preservation and larger visions of self and community interests. Here's my latest reason to "go local": I am too busy to take the time to "march against crime" in my neighborhood from bizarre behavior in the parks and commercial areas. It is far more cost and time efficient for me to support the businesses in my neighborhoods so they stay alive and keep the area in check than me having to put dozens of hours in block watches. That does not mean I wouldn't attend a block watch if pressed or if necessary. Sometimes that may be required. But really, I would like my neighborhood and city to have enough stability so that it is not necessary.

Posted by: Erik at March 12, 2008 03:35 PM (9r3vh)

11 "...Show me the local store that carries toilet paper, hair care products, cat litter, electronics, gardening supplies, storage containers, razor blades, light bulbs, greeting cards, underwear, Vitamin Water, and detergent..." I can give you 2 options, if you like. 1) Thriftway (Based in Tukwilla) 2) TOP/Haggen (Based in Bellingham) Also on the List is Fred Meyer (originally out of Oregon). Even though they're owned by Kroger, I think we can pull the "best you can" card on them

Posted by: Cromletch at March 12, 2008 04:45 PM (nWrtG)

12 Why all this talk about "Exclusivity" and guilt. No one should feel bad about working for a large company, and I love Target as much as the next girl. Sometimes shopping at a large store just makes financial sense. The whole reason this campaign was centered around "Go" instead of "Buy" was for the very reason of avoiding the pitiful plee of "Buy from me instead of a large corp." There needs to be a balance between small business, large corp.'s, non-profits, and government agencies. None of us should be extremists. It is important for us all to co-exist. "Going Local" is more about the connectivity of a community, and the gifts you receive by being AWAKE to what your community has to offer. Sustaining that community by keeping as much of our dollar and resources in it, just makes for a better more rich existence. Decreasing our carbon footprint at the same time as fostering new relationships, is a Win-Win. Nobody is trying to polarize anyone else by "Going Local". the fact that there are so many misconceptions and misinterpretations tells me that "Go Local" is doing it's job of creating awareness. If it wasn't so interesting and challenging, we wouldn't be discussing it so aggressively.

Posted by: Daymaker at March 12, 2008 08:51 PM (DS1It)

13 Thanks Daymaker. I know who you are in real life, and I think you're right. The message that you are spreading is a good one, it's that some people have taken your message and run with it in a different direction - that of exclusivity and one-upsmanship. I'm tired of it, and that's what I'm speaking up about.

Posted by: ensie at March 13, 2008 07:15 AM (yNgp+)

14 yeah i felt immediate regret for using the term "go local" in my above comment, which made it sound like I was talking about your campaign, which I'm not! But there's no edit button. This is about a blogger pissing match, really, that kinda cheapens what you're trying to do.

Posted by: jen at March 13, 2008 08:00 AM (LMqvC)

15 Sometimes words get minced. I also know the person who started the list, and know that there was no intentional malice. Please just everyone put down the rocks and add to the list. It gives us more to enjoy. If you're not on the list, then someone hasn't experienced you yet. Let's change that!!!!! I'm an only child, so i don't have a lot of baggage about being "left out" I was always "out". I've just learned to fight real hard to be "in". "Go Local" /"Grow Local"

Posted by: daymaker at March 13, 2008 08:12 AM (DS1It)

16 No. I refuse to add to any sort of insider list that leaves anyone on the outside for not living up to some imaginary standard. Regardless of the initial intention. What the hell is the point of making a list if there aren't people/businesses/things that are on and off the list? Out of curiosity, how would I and the Fortune 500 company I work for be welcomed to the list, as it is clearly a place for small businesses? And my post isn't just referring to the list, as there are other people in the community who have taken the "Go Local" campaign and are using it to shame those who may buy from larger organizations. "But, because they had stars, all the Star-Belly Sneetches Would brag, 'We're the best kind of Sneetch on the beaches.' With their snoots in the air, they would sniff and they'd snort 'We'll have nothing to do with the Plain-Belly sort!' And whenever they met some, when they were out walking, They'd hike right on past them without even talking." --Dr. Seuss Exerpted from "The Sneetches and Other Stories"

Posted by: ensie at March 13, 2008 01:39 PM (yNgp+)

17 Add to the list? I hate the idea of a list. I'd like to burn the list down. The list is inherently exclusionary and that's what irritates me and many others.

Posted by: frinklin at March 13, 2008 03:20 PM (yNgp+)

18 I won't list it, I'll live it. I'll live real, I'll try to live in balance. Rather than write about a local business, or give it props (which I will do from time to time, but not every time) I'll nip in, chat, spend, and do my business *on a daily basis.* I think , what I find insulting (and not guilt-inducing, actually) is the list-making premise that seems to say, "this is what I'm doing, you should do the same." We don't all live downtown. We don't all live the same lifestyle. We don't all frequent the same version of "local." My local might be embarrassingly un-hipster, compared to someone else's. And I'm FINE with that, and...to a degree, loathe to share my world with the hipster masses who would mock it. For me, there's enough to balance without having to worry about creating a list and have others judge it. It's not about throwing stones, to me, it's not about *not* giving props to those who deserve it. It's about balance, and life, and just doing the best I can do.

Posted by: jcbetty at March 13, 2008 10:26 PM (lvOTL)

19 Daymaker: You so totally made my day. Sigh. And you remind me that I'm way overdue for a visit to your shop ...

Posted by: tacomachickadee at March 14, 2008 07:08 PM (nWV/l)

20 Why just because someone lives downtown and wants to give props to it's local homies, are some of you so desperately defensive. "Going Local" is not just about downtown, It's about activating wherever you deem local to be, and within whatever lifestyle you chose to have. It's an act of engagement and celebration. I'm sorry that lists make some of you feel so excluded, guilty,or insulted. Maybe you should seek a local therapist about it. I went back to DB's original post to get a handle on how all this started. I am now even more confused, because what I read was a statement about nurturing the relationships with people and businesses he trusted, while questioning his own ability to really know what or who to trust, but having the faith that he is right. He also allowed himself the possibility of being open to trust things and people he hadn't yet allowed himself to trust (sounds pretty open minded and inclusive to me). In closing he seemed to invite you, and the rest of the local public to share your opinion on local assets and social capital that you find value in. It really saddens me that such a great little town can stir up so much ridiculous animosity within itself. I hope this thread ends soon, cause I'm embarrassed. Tacoma (Like Rome) wasn't loved because she was beautiful, she was beautiful because she was loved. I'm going to chose to believe that all of this passion (even if negative) is truly deep down because we love Tacoma, we just have different ways of showing it.

Posted by: daymaker at March 14, 2008 11:10 PM (cC/WU)

21 Allright. I give. As I feel like I've done so often lately. I'm not making any Goddamn lists. But I'm not arguing anymore. Daymaker - You may be absolutely right. And I'm already in therapy. So maybe I'll come to terms with all of this someday. And either way, I don't want to make any sort of enemy of you. Embellish kicks ass, I get my hair done there, and I admire what you've created and the work you do in the community. Truce.

Posted by: ensie at March 15, 2008 12:31 AM (yNgp+)

22 I will stand next to Ensie happily as a non-listmaker. But I don't wish to make enemies, either, especially of people that should be friends! Not when I need a hair cut, for sure.

Posted by: Jen at March 15, 2008 08:38 AM (LMqvC)

23 well, I am genuinely sorry if I took things in a different spirit than they were originally intended and appeared "desperately defensive" as well as "insulted, guilty, and excluded."--(and yes, I was in therapy, which is probably how I felt strong enough to come forward with my own honest opinion based on intuition that I feel compelled to follow.) Thing is, I've had a reasonably long-term run of "going local" and I have, actually, been told, "oh, no, you shouldn't enjoy *that* restaurant," and, "why do you get your hair done there?" "why do you get coffee there? You should go there," --as well as a host of other comments challenging my taste in doing what I do as I do it, where I do it. These comments can run the gamut, from from my choice in gyms to parenting and daycare choices to lifestyle choices, so it's not just a go local thing, as I've experienced it. There's a certain inner-circle-ness about our fine city that I think can sometimes feel off-putting; as a pretty rah rah Tacoma individual, myself, I've seen some of the different ways this tight-knit community can, in the spirit of "embrace" actually "exclude." I have absolutely no issues with the message or the messengers, I just, in this particular instance, choose not to be a list-making joiner. (and yet, I appreciate that the dialogue that has transpired has been thought provoking, and isn't having thoughts provoked, and keeping an open mind, a good thing?)

Posted by: jcbetty at March 15, 2008 01:19 PM (lvOTL)

24 Jen, Ensie, and jcbetty, IT SURE MAKES ME PROUD TO BE A FELLOW TACOMAN WITH YOU. I had no idea this would end up in a verbal acknowledgement to each other that respect and even fondness is possible regardless of views. Thank you for renewing my faith in "Girl Power". you gals rock! i am also glad to hear that you frequent embellish. good thing you decided to forgive me I would hate to lose you as clients. I just started this whole blog thing when this conversation started, so I am (or was not) even sure who any of you were. It may sound woo woo, but i feel like we can co-exist even if we don't see eye to eye. I'd love to have lunch with you gals sometime. Maybe Quickie too for a crazy Jamaican and herbe' matte? i promise i won't ask any of you to make any lists. Deal?

Posted by: daymaker at March 15, 2008 05:33 PM (cC/WU)

25 Oh and invite tacoma chickadee!

Posted by: daymaker at March 15, 2008 05:39 PM (cC/WU)

26 I'm game! maybe a Quickie too-go before a park take-over? or just a good convo...because girl power is good power.

Posted by: jcbetty at March 15, 2008 08:20 PM (lvOTL)

27 Daymaker, Thanks much. We can definitely share the same blogosphere and the same city, even if we don't share the same viewpoint. And seeing us argue this thing out really does just show how passionate we all are about where we live (which I think you may have pointed out earlier). Jen, jcbetty, Tacomachickadee, Cassioposa (Kevin Freitas' wife - she left a comment early on) and myself make up the Council of Loudmouth Women, which meets once a week for friendship, wine, and America's Next Top Model. I think I speak for all of us when I say we'd be honored to have you as a guest member for a luncheon in the near future. jcbetty recommended before a park takeover might be a good time to do so. I know she'll be out of town next Friday, but possibly the one after that?

Posted by: ensie at March 16, 2008 12:25 AM (yNgp+)

28 Thanks girls. I would be open to hosting a girls night at the building in our Theater too. You pick the flick, and I'll make the popcorn.

Posted by: daymaker at March 16, 2008 12:04 PM (cC/WU)

29 You guys have a theater in there too?!?!?! That purple building is amazing ... All I can say is your daymaker term is way WAY appropriate!

Posted by: tacomachickadee at March 16, 2008 07:34 PM (nWV/l)

30 Thanks so much Daymaker! I had no idea you had a theater in there! We'll definitely have to schedule something!

Posted by: ensie at March 17, 2008 07:58 PM (0Y/90)

31 Call me girls. I may not get back to this thread, or others in the near future, and I'd hate to lose this momentum. Let's get it on the calendar. 576.4006 I'll also be at the park Friday.

Posted by: daymaker at March 17, 2008 09:48 PM (cC/WU)

32 won't be at the park (will be in a sunny netherworld), BUT would like to be a part of future conversations, wherever they may be. y'all know how to get me...

Posted by: jcbetty at March 18, 2008 06:18 PM (lvOTL)

33 Call me, I don't know who you are.

Posted by: daymaker at March 19, 2008 11:58 AM (cC/WU)

34 Daymaker ... We'll introduce ourselves to you Friday if you can make it to Frost Park ... Or I'll be at the purple tower at 10 am Saturday for a long overdue hairchop!

Posted by: tacomachickadee at March 19, 2008 10:21 PM (yNgp+)

35 Hey girls are we on for Juno Wed the 7th??????

Posted by: daymaker at May 05, 2008 07:11 PM (bGoVD)

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Because Natasha is wrong. And I'll tell you why.

Essentially Natasha has composed a piece telling us all that we don't deserve economic development downtown because we don't appreciate what already exists. We don't shop in the stores that already exist, we don't ride the LINK rail, and we fail to provide appropriate feedback to the business owners when unhappy with their current practices.

To start with, she specifically targets bloggers, and I'd like to start by adressing that issue.

To quote the article:

I notice people who are blogging all day long, talking crap about the businesses in Tacoma without ever trying a place out, or without providing feedback on poor experiences directly to the restaurant manager, opting to talk s*** online instead. I think all of the above is weak.

Where exactly are these blog posts with people bitching about about various local businesses that they have never patronized? Let alone people who are posting them "all day long"? I can't even find the terrible experiences that would require someone to talk to a restaurant manager or business owner. Can someone direct me?

What I have found are several posts of local bloggers organizing and meeting up to support local businesses. In fact, there was even concern that local bloggers had overrun one restaurant during their grand opening (it turned out that the restaurant was expecting the lunch rush and was very happy with the extra business).

As a local blogger, and as someone who hangs out with local bloggers, I can guarantee that we definitely eat and shop at local businesses. As my husband noted in the first comment on your post, in the last few days me and my blogger friends have spent time (and money) at local businesses the Red Hot, Herban Cafe, The Helm, Satellite Coffee, PSP, Hello Cupcake, Comic Book Ink, Sushi Revolution, BKB, Next to Nature and that's just to name a few. Not all of these are downtown, but we like to spread our dollars around. Along the way we either spent time with or ran into In-Tacoma, Tacomachickadee, jcbetty, Tacomamama, Cassioposa, Kevin Freitas, Izenmania, and Tacoma Urbanist.

Those Tacoma bloggers. Stuck in their homes, glued to their computers.

Ms. Gorbachev also points out that people need to use the public transportation systems we have in order to have them "improve[d] or extended". I'm all for extending the Link rail system, considering the fact that it travels something like 12 - 15 blocks and unless you're in a hurry walking makes far more sense. I don't mean to seem ungrateful, but lets get a workable system that doesn't just ferry homeless people around all day long. I don't think I should have to ride a relativelessly useless public transportation system in order to get a useful one.

I know Erik of Tacoma Urbanist has pointed out that he prefers to walk for exercise, and can walk across most Tacoma in 10 or 15 minutes. Walking is even better for the environment and people's bodies than public transportation. If people want to walk, I say more power to them. Sorry if that fucks up the economic development plans.

Lastly, there is the issue of crime that was discussed in the article.

I recently attended the Go Local or Die event downtown (Sorry Natasha, I did not see you in attendance). It was a fascinating speaker panel that also allowed much of the audience to talk about what they would like to do to build up their neighborhoods and community as well. One of the ideas that came out of those conversations was taking back Frost Park from drug dealers as it is scheduled to potentially have a fence put up to keep undesirables out.

Shortly after the Go Local or Die event, a takeover of Frost Park was organized online at Feed Tacoma. After putting the event off for a week due to scheduling issues, more than 30 people met up for lunch at noon in Frost Park last Friday. About one-third of those involved were bloggers. Proof that information posted on Feed Tacoma (and blogs) is not only reaching other bloggers, but community members as well.

This Friday we'll be meeting at Frost Park again at noon to take back the park. It's bring your own lunch. Pink cookies to be provided by Gretchen of Herban Cafe. After a month of meeting in Frost Park the plan is to move onto Fireman's Park, then onto another location. Everyone is invited!

My point is - people are ready for economic development now. They are working on all the areas Natasha took us to task for in her article. We're shopping and eating in downtown businesses. We're frustrated at the crappy public transportation (and we've written a lot about it as well as joined groups in order to change things). And we're working to make the crime situation better, and it's getting there. I don't believe it's unreasonable to expect the city to put plans in place right now for future development.

Don't just knock bloggers for writing about the situation. We're community members who are working in other ways too.

Posted by: Ensie at 12:01 AM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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