Particle

Today is another Woot-Off so I am keeping an eye on email and the site in general... just in case.

So far? This caught my eye. No, not the product itself... look at the product description.

It's... "Particle Man" by They Might Be Giants (a relic of my high school years... yes I was - and still am - one of the nerdy kids).

For those unfamiliar with the original song, check out the spoof/video from another relic of my teenager-hood... Tiny Toon Adventures. (I miss that show!)

Swim

Divot learned to swim today.

Silly me, not bringing the camera with me! All it took was a stick tossed into the water*... and off she went. At first she looked surprised by the water, and hurried out once she got her stick. After she got over the initial shock and got the hang of doggy-paddling she slowed down and paddled around a bit after nabbing her stick.

Now my car smells like wet dog. Phew!!

*She LOVES to play "getcher stick!" (Or "getcher ball" or "getcher pine cone"... she is not picky!) But not fetch. That would imply that she lets you have "her" stick back...

thump-date

Today I got an email update from the good folks at thump!

If you haven't checked this place out yet... it's highly recommended. Things have really come together nicely. It's a great crew; the coffee is always piping hot and very tasty.

I am really excited for an upcoming art installation. For a while they have had pieces of cedar out, and have asked customers to write down their wishes. Coming up on May 1 & 2 they are going to hang the installation, which is based on a traditional Japanese art form. Should be pretty cool.

Anyhoo... there is a whole list of cool events coming up. They have been kind enough to let us post COWPU notices so it's only fair that I spread the word for them, right? It's kinda long, so click here to read the rest!

May @ Thump Events

Tuesday, May 1 and Wednesday May 2

ART: Mark Bernahl, 6-8pm
Come watch (and help!) as Mark Bernahl hangs his “Wishes” installation.
Based on a Japanese tradition, customers have been writing their
heart’s fondest desire on pieces of cedar, which will be suspended from
the ceiling at Thump throughout May.

Bernahl has been showing his artwork in Oregon and New Mexico for nine
years: “I make art out of discarded objects of all sorts. I have
created eclectic work from discarded seconds and worn out firsts of
milled wood, metal, fabrics and now, books. It really excites me to
make something beautiful and interesting out of something someone has
thrown away.”

---------------------------

First Friday, May 4

MUSIC: Always Hallways, 6-8pm
Sonic acrobats Matt McConnell and Jason Friedman perform an acoustical,
eclectic mix of ad lib jazz fusion blues. They said that we could play
around with the wording of this description, but we like it just the
way it is.

ART: Justyn Livingston & Mark Bernahl
Surround yourself with art this month at Thump. Bend-based mixed media
artist Justyn Livingston’s organic abstractions grace Thump’s walls.
Mark Bernahl’s “Wishes” kinetic sculpture, created from pieces of wood
inscribed with customers’ wishes, is suspended from the ceiling.
http://www.justynlivingstondesign.com

-------------------------

Sunday, May 13

CUPPING: Mother’s Day, 1:30-3:00pm
Learn how to taste coffee like a pro at this special Mother’s Day
cupping of Stumptown Coffees from around the world. This is a fun way
to better appreciate all the hard work that goes into growing,
harvesting, processing, roasting and preparing the perfect cup. Slurp
away!

------------------------

Saturday, May 19

POLE PEDAL PADDLE: Team Thumpista (shop will be closed)
Come cheer for Team Thumpista at the Pole Pedal Paddle. The entire
Thump staff will be competing together as a team. Fueled by Thump
Coffee, of course.
http://www.mbsef.org/events/ppp/index.cfm?page=about_the_race

-----------------------

THROUGHOUT MAY

ART: Justyn Livingston
Bend-based Livingston describes her process: “Most often I approach a
blank panel without any particular imagery in mind. However, there is a
particular emotion or impulse upon beginning, which may or may not be
carried forward. Through the movement and layering of colors, the
painting ‘comes to’ on its own (if I can keep myself from attaching to
an outcome). There is an underlying meditative quality; an unfettered
focus I experience in this process. It is this unexpected and cathartic
exploration which motivates me to paint.”
http://www.justynlivingstondesign.com

ART: Mark Bernahl
Bernahl has been showing his artwork in Oregon and New Mexico for nine
years: “I make art out of discarded objects of all sorts. I have
created eclectic work from discarded seconds and worn out firsts of
milled wood, metal, fabrics and now, books. It really excites me to
make something beautiful and interesting out of something someone has
thrown away.”

FEATURED COFFEE: Ethiopia Misty Valley Idido - Organic
Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee, and if you saw the documentary
movie “Black Gold,” you’ll truly appreciate this farm-direct organic.
Roaster Stumptown Coffee describes this as “a very unique dry-processed
coffee from Yirgacheffe, with flavors of strawberry, lemon, starburst,
black licorice, and a thick syrupy mouthfeel. We almost thought we were
playing Candyland at the cupping table.”
http://stumptowncoffee.com/
http://blackgoldmovie.com/

Thump Coffee is located at 25 NW Minnesota in Bend (downtown next to
the old Fire Hall).
For information, call 388-0226 or visit http://www.thumpcoffee.com

Keep on Thumpin'

COWPU!!!

It's almost time for another COWPU meeting...

This month is pretty exciting! My buddy Simeon from Portland is coming to Bend and will be speaking at the meeting. Sim is a certified Kung Fu Code Master... and and all around nice guy. A long-time Coldfusion developer, Adobe Instructor, and "Flex-pert", he has recently branched out and started working with Ruby on Rails. This should be a great learning experience for anyone interested in getting started with RIA's - or even those of us already building RIA's but want to learn more about RoR.

This month we will be meeting at BBC - the front room is reserved so we will have plenty of space for folks to relax, have a pint and a bite to eat, and get their geek on with the group.

Here's all the details. Hope to see you there!

Where: Bend Brewing Company, 1019 NW Brooks St. Bend, OR, 97701 (541)383-1599
When: Thursday, April 26
6:30pm - Networking and discussion
7:00pm - Presentation by Simeon Bateman

Curveball

A sure sign it's spring somewhere... and baseball season all over!

Curveball Kolsch (a seasonal brew by Pyramid Brewing) is currently available. I know bottles are on sale at Fred Meyer but I am not sure if anyone has this on tap in the Bend area. I picked up a 6-pack last night!



Cheers!

Roll

I have been meaning to try The Sparrow Bakery for a while now. Today the timing finally clicked and I stopped in on my way to work after an errand.

First of all... Stumptown Coffee!! I am so glad that more shops are picking up their coffee as it's one of my favorites (along with Allann Bros.). I had a "regular" coffee which is brewed with a French Press. It was delicious, smooth and served piping hot. I brought the Sherpa the usual - a soy mocha - and it got a thumbs up as well.

I was also ready for a late morning snack so while I was waiting for the coffee I perused the deli case. They have a lot of unusual items, and some standards with a unique twist. I decided on an Ocean Roll.

Does anyone know what is in those? If you haven't tried one... I think this tasty treat alone is worth the trip. It looks similar to a cinnamon roll. At first bite I noticed something extra in there that gives it a savory kick. So you get a little sticky sweetness followed by some (extremely mild) peppery/herby heat, and a savory aftertaste. In the end my sweet tooth was satisfied without that overpowering need to drink a huge glass of water to wash away the sugary aftertaste. (Yeah, I am weird that way.) It was

so...

very...

tasty!


The proprietors are laid back and friendly. They are getting ready to expand and it sounds like there will be additional seating (indoors and outside) as well as space for outdoor music during the summer. Which is good because their current space is TEENY - only four tables with little standing room.

So... on the days when thump is just a bit too crowded (yeah, it's getting there) I would recommend giving Sparrow a try.

Spring

Did you know that it's Spring?

We spent a rainy day in Eugene visiting the University of Oregon. Over in the Willamette Valley... it's spring! Everything was green, and flowers were blooming all around us. And did I mention that it was raining?

Raindrops on Rhody's...



Peeking at trees through the sculpture Akbar's Garden in the Straub Quadrangle.


Tulips


A dogwood flower gathers rain


Flowering cherries rained pink petals


Tulips on tour

Sheepish

As per Jen Ponderosa's request... here is my recipe for roast leg of lamb. Actually, it's partly Betty Crocker's (she has the best roasting timetables!), partly Grandma's, and a little bit mine.

Quality plays a huge role in the flavor of your roast. I generally get a 5 lb leg as that is plenty for dinner and leftovers. I highly recommend the organic product from Newport Market over the cheaper alternatives found in other grocery stores. I suspect that Nature's and Wild Oats probably have comparable quality meat - but I just happen to love shopping at Newport, so that's where I buy lamb!

Lamb

Via Andrea's Monday Mission... write a post that is all anecdote: no rumination, no epiphany, no resolution. Hopefully I did this correctly!

Last Easter was the first time I attempted to prepare - and serve my family - leg of lamb. It had been a tradition for my grandmother to prepare this for me as a child when we visited her home. She had passed a way a few months earlier and it seemed a proper homage.

I scoured the Internet for recipes. Most were very simple, so I shopped for the meat and side items, wondering what my family would think of this new dish.

In the end I chickened out, and didn't even tell them what it was. Scott knew of course, but the kids had no idea. Until halfway through the meal J.J. asked, "Can I please have some more of, um, the meat? What is it anyways?"

Four sets of eyes settled on me. I asked, "Does everyone like it?" Four heads nodded.

"It's lamb."

Stinky looked at me curiously, "You mean, like a baby sheep?" I nodded. "Oh! Well it's really good, can I please have some more too?"

Everyone had seconds (and some had thirds). We had lamb for Easter dinner this year too!

Hunt

This morning we made our way down to the Old Mill District for their Easter Egg Hunt. The weather was cool and a little drizzly. Being good Oregonians this didn't slow us down, we figured if it really started to rain then there were plenty of shops where we could hide from a passing storm. We arrived a bit before 10am and were among the first to arrive. We passed the time walking along the river watching geese, ducks and otter.





As time passed there was more activity related to the hunt. The kids were happy to see the Oregon Ducks mascot in the main plaza; Boo also liked meeting "DC" (the Deschutes County Fair mascot), Red Robin, and of course the Easter Bunny.

Finally it was time for the hunt. The kids were divided by age. Boo headed to the area for kids aged 7-9; J.J. and Stinky were at an adjacent area for kids aged 10-12. If not for Boo I would have been hesitant to take J.J. and Stinky as I think they are getting a little old for Easter Egg hunting - but the age limit was 12 and all the kids are still in that range!

Most of the kids seemed extremely well behaved in the crowd - it was a very pleasant group! Everyone - parents and kids - seemed very laid back and like they were just there to have a good time.

There were a lot of kids in Boo's age group. At the "ready, set, go!" a swarm of kids swept across the grass, scooping up plastic eggs filled with goodies. It took less than a minute for them to clear the area. Boo collected about 20 eggs.



A short distance away, in the big kids' area, there weren't nearly as many kids. J.J. and Stinky scooped eggs and each collected two bags full - almost 80 eggs each!



Once the little kids in Boo's group caught on that the big kids were still hunting, they swarmed into the area and made short work collecting any leftover eggs.

Stinky compared it to the scene in The Bear Circus when the grasshoppers appear and swarm through the area, eating every bit of food in sight and left nothing for the koalas and kangaroos. It was amazing to watch that herd of little kids sweep across the grass!

I was really surprised how large the big kid area was, in proportion to how many kids were there. I guess I think of Easter Egg Hunts as an event for the little ones. But... our kids went to the event knowing that whatever they collected was to be shared with the family. When we got home everyone helped "crack" the eggs open and sort through their loot.

They netted a large bowl of chocolate eggs, two passes to the Working Wonders museum, lots of stickers, and about $50 in "Bird Bucks" (Red Robin coupons).

Happy Easter, everyone!

360|Flex

In early March I attended the 360Flex conference in San Jose, CA. It was such a big success that another is being organized for August... this time in Seattle, WA. If you are at all interested in Flex, or even just RIA development in general, I highly recommend attending. Visit their website for more info.

I am looking forward to reuniting with old friends as well as seeing new faces. Hope to see you there!

Limo

On Thursday (which also happened to be Moogy's birthday... Happy B-Day Moogy!) Boo got to go on a field trip that involved riding in a limo (a stretch Hummer, to be specific) to Pappy's for lunch. It was a reward for selling a crapload of cookie dough and other assorted food items for a school fundraiser. (Since I took the order form to work and my co-worker's bought MOST of the crapload of cookie dough, shouldn't I get to go in the limo too?)



She's the one closest to the door, just as she was landing from jumping out. The thing was frakkin' HUGE!!

(Thanks to the Sherpa for buying a lot of the crapload of cookie dough. There. Do you feel better now?!)

Donor

Via Elise...

Are you an organ donor?

Are you sure that you are an organ donor?

Like many people I have a D on my driver's license, indicating that at my death I would like to be an organ donor. BUT, this only indicates your intent. Legally, that isn't enough for any donation to take place. A family member or legal representative has to sign off first.

This can cause problems. For example when my dad passed away some time passed before my mom arrived at the hospital. By the time all of the information was processed and she signed off, only his eyes could be used.

But even that was lucky. Often people die without sharing their wish to be a donor with their family, so nothing is donated.

Now, I understand that this option is not for everyone. And if you don't want to be a donor... that's OK. But it's important that if you do want to be a donor, you do two things:

1. Tell your family
2. Register on the Donate Life NW website (if you are an Oregon or Washington resident)

According to the Donate Life website:

This registration will serve as a document of gift as outlined in Section 2. Oregon Revised Statutes 97.952(2)(b). A document of gift, not revoked by the donor before death, is irreversible and does not require the consent of any other person. It also authorizes any examination necessary to ensure the medical acceptability of the anatomical gift.

Folks, this means they don't have to wait for your mom, your spouse, or whomever to appear and approve. This is a legal document indicating your consent for the donation. How cool is that?

I already signed up. If you are (or think you are) an organ donor... I hope you will too.

Thanks to Elise for passing the word along!

Naked

What does your blog look like... naked?

In observance of CSS Naked Day '07 I have stripped all of the CSS styling from this site. What's the point? Simply put - to promote Web Standards. So far there are more than 1500 participants. Visit the Annual CSS Naked Day website for more information.

Blacksmith

Via Andrea's Monday Mission... this week's challenge is to write a post in the reverse of traditional blog format.

I was full in the best way. The type where a pleasant warmth rises up from your core, but not so stuffed that it hurt to move. The last few bites of chocolate and freshly-made Bailey's flavored ice cream hit the spot but I was very glad that the other goodies on our dessert plate - cookies and some peanut brittle - could be boxed up and enjoyed at home... much, much later.

It was one of those truly great dinners, I had decided. When a server brought the food to the table she asked, "You really don't know what you are getting? That is so cool!" The risk was worth it. The trout dish selected by the chef was done very well, and was something I wouldn't order for myself. It was accompanied by a delicious rice dish. The beurre blanc sauce was slightly sweet and light, enhancing the flavor of the fish well. Scott's pork chop and mac & cheese tasted as good as it looked too. With a second apple-pear martini at hand I dove into the dish and savored every bite.

When the second "surprise nibble" appeared I was impressed again. We were served a black-pepper pasta made into a ravioli, filled with a marscapone cheese mixture, served with capers and sun-dried tomatoes. Delicious and tantalizing - I wanted more. I had been considering the pasta dish from the menu but now was undecided. I made a big decision - and asked our server to find out what the chef recommended. They were more than happy to oblige.

Shortly after my first apple-pear martini and Scott's beer were served our waiter reappeared with a surprise. The chef had prepared a special amuse-bouche for us - a seared diver scallop served over an asian slaw with mandarin oranges. The sauce was slightly sweet and the scallop was creamy. Yummm... if everything was going to be as good as this starter then dinner would very good!

The timing couldn't have been better. After a somewhat stressful first few days of the week we decided that it was finally time to use the gift card for the Blacksmith Restaurant that was given to Scott. We had originally planned to go on Wednesday night but found out that a friend recently started there, and would be cooking on Thursday. He strongly recommended that we change our plans and come in on Thursday. So we did!

Evil?

Is my cat evil? Or is does my dog just have an itchy head?

This morning, the cat bit the dog's head...

But this afternoon, the dog came back for more...

You be the judge...