superphoebe

Lighter, Rustic Saag Paneer Recipe

2011-12-17T22:49:00.000-08:00

This classic North Indian dish is one of my personal favorites. These days, most of the recipes you see or saag you order at restaurant calls for a lot of half&half, buttermilk, and tons of other heavy ingredients. This recipe simply uses full-fat yogurt and leaves you with a lighter, more rustic vegetable dish that still fills you up and leaves you quite satisfied!

I find it too messy to and time-consuming to make the paneer myself, so I opt to just buy it premade. You can find it and garam masala at Indian and gourmet grocery stores like New Seasons (Portland), Whole Foods, etc.

Ingredients

   * 4 pounds fresh spinach, well rinsed and thick stems removed, or 30 oz (3 packages) frozen spinach
   * 8 cloves garlic
   * 2 red onions, roughly chopped
   * 2 serrano chiles, seeded or tablespoon+ red pepper flakes
   * 4 teaspoons (approx) ginger root, peeled and roughly chopped
   * 2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil
   * 1-2 teaspoons cardamom seeds
   * 3-5 whole cloves
   * 2 bay leaves
   * 1 cinnamon stick
   * 2 tablespoons ground coriander
   * 1 tablespoon ground cumin
   * 1 teaspoon turmeric
   * 1 teaspoons salt
   * 4-5 canned tomatoes, chopped (about 1/2 large can, but not the juice)
   * 1 cup whole-milk yogurt
* 4-8 oz paneer cheese (you decide!)
   * 2 teaspoons garam masala

Preparation

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook until heated or defrosted depending, then drain thoroughly. Set aside in colander to completely drain.

4. In a food processor/blender, mix garlic, onions, chiles, ginger, and 1/4 cup of water to make a paste. Set aside.

5. In a large pot ( I used our wok) over medium heat, add oil, cardamom, cloves, bay leaves, and cinnamon. Cook until spices darken, about 2 minutes. Add onion paste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens and darkens, about 15 minutes.

6. Stir in coriander, cumin, and turmeric. Cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomato and 1/2 of yogurt. Cook until thickened slightly, about 3 minutes. Stir in spinach and salt, and then add remaining yogurt. Turn heat to low/simmer and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until flavors are blended, about 30 minutes to an hour.

7. Cut paneer into small cubes and gently stir into spinach mixture. Cook until paneer is heated through, about 2 minutes. Add garam masala. Serve hot, with naan or rice. Add black pepper, salt, more pepper, or even lemon to taste!

BraceFace: Straight Teeth!

2011-12-06T21:39:00.001-08:00

So, over the course of my invisalign, from the end of March this year until today, I took 100 random pictures using Daily Mugshot to illustrate the process!

Daily Mugshot

Homemade Hot Pockets for Leftovers!

2011-11-28T22:39:00.001-08:00

No, they aren't pretty. But, these little homemade hot pockets I made with our thanksgiving leftovers are delicious! And, the freeze very well!

I had some frozen pizza dough, so I just thawed it out, let it get to room temp, and cut up a whole bunch of our leftovers and mixed them into two big batches- one for the ham, and one for the turkey!

Recipes (based on leftovers at hand) To Make 2 Batches- about 18 or so lunch-sized pockets
2 batches pizza dough, biscuits dough, or savory pie dough- you decide
(Pizza dough is harder to work with as it doesn't like to roll out as much as other doughs, but that's what I went with!)

Mix together:

Ham Pockets
1.5 cups more or less diced ham
1/2 medium, crisp apple, diced (leftover from the apple pie!)
about 1 cup shredded cheddar/other cheeses
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon oregano
1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary (from the front yard)
Salt & pepper
Random veggies- either thawed frozen mixed veggies, spinach, brussels, green beans, whatever you like! I used spinach, and made sure it was dry.

Turkey Pockets
1.5 cups more or less roasted and diced turkey meat
1/2 medium, crisp apple, diced (leftover from the apple pie!)
1/4 cup chevre cranberry log & up to 1 cup brie (appetizer leftovers)
1/4 cup gravy (less if too runny)
1/2 cup sweet potatoes or mashed potatoes- you decide!
dash of cranberry sauce
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon oregano
1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary (from the front yard)
Salt & pepper
Random veggies- either thawed frozen mixed veggies, spinach, brussels, green beans, whatever you like! I used mixed frozen veggies that included peas, carrots, tiny green beans and corn which was perfect with the mashed potatoes.

Preheat oven (according to dough instructions- pizza should be 400-425 degrees) and lightly grease a cookie sheet with olive oil.

Roll out your dough into little circles (size by eye) on a well-floured surface. Then, spoon very generous portions of the mixture into each circle. Fold over to a half-moon shape and pinch the edges until sealed. Transfer to the cookie sheet, poke the tops with a fork for venting, and brush with a little olive oil. Bake until browned a bit and crispy, 20 minutes for the pizza dough, probably about the same for other doughs as well! Make sure to cook and allow to come to room temp before freezing. If freezing, wrap in parchment or wax paper, then put in freezer bag and enjoy having some leftovers through the winter!

PDX ETSY Cyber Monday Sale!!!

2011-11-15T19:00:00.000-08:00

PDXEtsy, the Etsy street team for Portland artists, is putting on a Cyber Monday sale of awesome proportions! More than 80 shops from our team will be offering discounts.Get your shopping list ready today! And, you can beat the crowd by previewing the entire list of participating shops offering you loads of online savings, deals or freebies this November 28th!

Check out our Facebook Event page for details, and cruise this treasury I made of just a few of the lovely things that will be on sale!

of course, me:

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Recipe: Cabbage & Apples Simple Slaw

2011-10-19T12:39:00.000-07:00

So, I really love apple season, too!

Cabbage & Apples Simple Slaw
Ingredients:
1 head cabbage
2 apples
4 tablespoons lemon juice
2-3 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon of mustard powder
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste ( i like to make it without, and then add these as I eat it)
Optional -add a little heat! (cracked black pepper, red peppers, etc.)
Directions:
Slice cabbage & apples into very thin strips ( food processor is great for this.) Toss with lemon juice and spices. Allow to marinate for 30 minutes or overnight.

cross posted from our group salad blog at: http://its-alotta-insalata.tumblr.com/

Baked Ginger-Garlic Mahi Mahi & Tomatoes in Foil

2011-10-15T20:20:00.000-07:00

I am REALLY enjoying tomato season this year! (Even though it wasn't so great in our backyard...)

Scaled for one, easy to multiply:
Ingredients:

1 mahi mahi (or any fish) fillet
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2-1 teaspoon ginger depending on taste
1 teaspoon black pepper (or more to taste)
1 medium or small sliced tomato
juice of 1 lemon
sea salt to taste

Directions:

Place mahi mahi on top of a large sheet non-stick aluminum foil.
Blend garlic, ginger, and pepper loosely. Optional to whisk together with olive oil.
Top the fillet with the seasonings.
Place tomato slices on top of seasoned fish.
Drizzle the squeezed lemon juice all over your tomatoes and fish.
Close up aluminum foil into a pocket so that the top and ends are completely sealed around your delicious fish.
Bake at 425°F for 10-15 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. T(iming depends on thickness of steak.)
Sprinkle thick sea salt to taste all over your tomatoes after you pull it out of the oven and enjoy!

Ten years ago in Belize, we caught live lobsters in the shallow waters and made our way to the shore, where we wrapped the tail meat in foil with wedges of tomatoes and lemons and sprinkled them with garlic salt. After cooking them in beach campfire, we enjoyed one of the most delicious meals of my life! This recipe really reminds me of that dinner and the spicy ginger helps make it perfect for winter!

Cajun spicy shrimp & Stewed tomatoes

2011-10-13T22:57:00.000-07:00

Delicious Dinner!

1 large heirloom tomato
1 serving of shrimp (you decide how much!)
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1/4 t paprika
1/4 t cumin
sea salt to taste
cracked pepper to taste

Simmer a little water (and maybe a titch of oil if you'd like) in a pan at medium heat, stir in and whisk the cayenne, paprika and cumin together.
Toss in thawed or fresh shrimp, tails and spines off, stir occasionally until cooked, just a few minutesat the same time
While shrimps are cooking, cut up your tomato and toss into another pan on medium heat, cook just until warm
Now the shrimp should be good and cooked and spicy!
Toss the tomato & shrimp together in a bowl and sprinkle your salt and pepper over the whole meal

Obviously, this is incredibly easy to make and scale, and only takes about ten minutes total! It is also quite, quite tasty!

Macaroon Mini Muffins (Recipe)

2011-08-16T13:00:00.000-07:00

Tasty little gluten-free vegan coconut macaroon mini muffins!

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups coconut milk ( I like the real-deal regular coconut milk)
1/4 cup or more to taste honey or agave (optional)
1 tablespoon water, or as needed if using very creamy, thick coconut milk- DO NOT USE IF USING LIGHT OR RUNNY COCONUT MILK
2 teaspoon vanilla (also optional)
1 1/4 cups white rice flour
2 packed cups shredded unsweetened coconut (you could also use sweetened to make it less of a muffin and more of a macaroon) Add 1-2 more cups if using coconut flakes or mix of both shreds and flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white or turbinado sugar, for sprinkling on top or one packet stevia instead (optional)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray mini-muffin pans with cooking spray.
(I used baking cups initially, but they're much better with spray as they get just a little crunchier.)

2. Mix together the coconut milk, honey/agave and vanilla with the water in a mixing bowl. Stir in white rice flour, coconut, and salt. Spoon the mixture into the prepared mini muffin cups, and sprinkle with sugar if desired.

3. Bake in the preheated oven until the tops are golden brown and crusty, about 20-30 minutes.

thanks to DelishD. for introducing me to the general idea for these, from a Malaysian recipe!

Recipe: Vegan Gluten-Free Macaroons

2011-07-09T23:29:00.000-07:00

Last week, I made some delicious macaroons, and it was also very fun to make them! This recipe, adapted from several across the internet, makes about 20 nice little ones:

Ingredients:

two cups sweetened shredded coconut
one cup full-fat coconut milk
two tablespoons agave nectar
two tablespoons coconut flour or other GF thickener
one-two teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon or nutmeg (optional)

Preheat oven: 350˚

Make sure coconut milk and fat is well blended.

Whisk together the coconut milk, agave nectar and salt in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.

Add the flour and whisk thoroughly.

Heat the mixture to a full boil, and continue to boil for about two minutes or until it has thickened.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla and coconut.

Roll the gooey mixture in small balls and place onto the baking sheet.

Bake the macaroons for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.

The macaroons will set up best if refrigerated for a couple of hours.

Recipe: very hippie brown rice crispy treats!

2011-06-16T19:15:00.000-07:00

have you seen my friends' Jen & Jenn's food blog, LaKitchenette? Well, it's filled with fantastic recipes that satisfy those comfort food cravings with food that is not so harsh on your body. I've been doing a little detox cleanse diet this month, and really wanting something sweet and snacky, so I was thrilled to try tweaking Jen Wick's recipe for sesame rice krispy treats.

I decided to make mine coco-choco flavored, and I ran out of agave, so I used honey. I found them to be just a tad too sweet, but most of my coworkers really liked them! Here's my version:

2 Tbls coconut oil (or butter)
3/4 cup almond butter
3/4 cup honey (reduce to 1/2 cup if you prefer less sweet & sub in just a little more almond butter)
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 tsp. holy kakow chocolate syrup (or any flavoring you like)
5 cups brown rice crispy treats (in bulk at your fave co-op)
1/4 cup unsweetened powdered baking cocoa

Combine coconut oil, nut butter and liquid ingredients in saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently until uniform and glossy.

While it's getting nice and warm, toss the brown rice and cocoa powder until the rice is evenly coated in it.

Allow warm mixture to cool slightly before pouring over brown rice krispies.
Pour into lightly greased pan and flatten the top with a spatula. Refrigerate overnight to firm. Cut into squares.

10 Years of Blogging- what?!

2011-04-27T15:12:00.000-07:00

Ten years and three days ago, I wrote my first blog entry. I didn't know they were called blogs at all. Not sure the term had been coined yet. Susan Ploetz had just returned from one of her many exciting and exotic trips around the world and said: "Everyone is keeping diaries online, it's cool. You should do that."

So, I got myself on Livejournal and started documenting my ups and downs of making Tammytown, which I continued to do spottily all the way through 2008- overlapping with this here blog. Reading those posts from back then is kind of embarrassing, heartening, fun and silly. You can see the internet was a different thing (at least to me) just ten years ago. I certainly wasn't as "branded" as I am now. None of us were. There weren't blogs about blogging and how to do it. Uploading photos was either impossible or really hard to do, too. But Livejournal was f*cking awesome and fun to use from my hot pink, er strawberry, iMac!

Kale, Chard, and/or Hearty Greens Salad

2011-04-25T19:42:00.000-07:00

Around here, hearty and delicious greens like kale aren't out of season just yet, and chard is booming! The rainbow chard at the farmer's markets is lovely right now! And, it's great to do something different than cook the greens down. This salad allows you to have zingy raw greens that eat like a meal (hugely thanks to the bacon ends!) Also, the recipe could be made with pine nuts or something else crunchy instead of or in addition to the bacon.

Dressing:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Scant 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Greens, etc.:

head of kale, chard, or hearty lettuce
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped or diced cooked bacon ends

Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, syrup, mustard, salt, red pepper flakes and black pepper in a nonreactive bowl. The dressing can be prepared one day ahead; cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature 30 minutes before using. (I actually made a double recipe of the dressing as a single recipe didn’t coat the leaves very well.)

Tear or chop the greens into bite size pieces, or to your liking.

Place the dressing in a salad bowl and whisk well. Add the kale, cranberries, and bacon ends and toss to coat greens thoroughly with dressing.

Happy Easter! Peeps Rice Cereal Treats

2011-04-25T12:52:00.000-07:00

Two Heavy-Hitter Veterans of the German New Wave Release 3D Documentaries

2011-04-12T19:27:00.000-07:00

Wim Wenders' "Pina" is a 3-D documentary that explores the legacy of the late modern-dance pioneer and Werner Herzog has directed "Cave of Forgotten Dreams," an exploration of ancient paintings in the Chauvet caves of Southern France.

Wim Wenders' writing were an early inspiration to me when I was young and just becoming interested in filmmaking, and Herzog was as an artistic father to Kidlat Tahimik- my ultimate inspiration in filmmaking! So interesting that these filmmakers choose to embrace 3D, and for documentary no less! I'm not even a little bit sure of how I feel about it.

Check out the trailers:

BraceFace!

2011-03-23T15:44:00.000-07:00

So, I did it! I started Invisalign last week. I'm going to start taking a daily picture as well so that I can track my smile's progress too!

Daily Mugshot

Help Japan

2011-03-14T18:08:00.000-07:00

Buy This Beautiful Poster, Support Japan!
Designed by Max Erdenberger
Printed by Steve Denekas and Walker Cahall

40" x 26" 1-color screenprint on Neenah Environment Ultra Bright White 80# Cover.

100% of the donations go directly to support those in need in Japan via the w+k office in Tokyo.

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes with Cream Cheese/Whipped Cream Frosting

2010-11-29T21:43:00.000-08:00

This year, I'd already had my fill of impossibly delicious apple pie just a couple of days before Thanksgiving, so I decided to mix it up with these yummy cupcakes. I modified the following from the wonderful cookbook Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, but this recipe is not vegan. it is just a seriously fantastic cake cookbook for vegans, veggies, and everyone alike.

Here's the recipe for 24 cupcakes (because we go to a 20+ person dinner each year!):

Cake Ingredients:
2 cups or 1 can pumpkin
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk (or soy milk)
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 & 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 or 2 teaspoons cinnamon (to taste)
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt

Frosting:
8 oz heavy whipping cream
a spoonful or more- to taste powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon or just a dash vanilla
4 oz cream cheese

CAKE DIRECTIONS (so easy!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees f, and line muffin pans with papers.
Stir pumpkin, oil, sugar, milk, and vanilla together in one bowl, and sift the dry ingredients- flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a second bowl.
Stir both mixes together gently with a spatula or fork. Don't use a hand blender, as it will make the batter gross and gummy, and the cake will be hard and all yuck-city.
Fill each cupcake paper about 1/2 to 3/4 full. Bake for 20-24 mins depending on your oven/etc. Check with a toothpick to make sure they are baked through, then cool on a wire rack.

FROSTING:

Blend together the cream, powdered sugar and vanilla for a very, very long time with an electric mixer until it is very thick and tastes good but maybe a tad too sweet.
Add cream cheese and blend even more until it is perfectly smooth and blended and fluffy.
Put it in a pastry bag, or pack into a sandwich bag and snip off one corner to create a pastry bag. Pipe frosting onto cupcakes once they are completely cool, and sprinkle a little bit of cinnamon on top.

Video Roundup recent favorites

2010-09-23T12:30:00.000-07:00

YES PLEASE! I want this surprisingly professional massage service

Most Insidious, but Rad! (new Peanut Butter Jelly Time?)

Cat Tongue Chocolat! (kocici jazycky)

2010-09-20T13:12:00.000-07:00

Maddy and Eric brough me back this amazing chocolate from their honeymoon in Prague. Kočičí jazýčky means cat tongue, and the little Orion brand chocolates inside are supposed to shape like little cat tongues. The chocolate was slightly minty and fairly to moderately pleasing. The packaging, well, needs no words, speaks for itself.

Yum, thanks guys and congrats!

most amazing, most tiny animation by Aardman

2010-09-16T10:32:00.000-07:00

The campaign for the Nokia N8 features this amazing piece by Aardman called 'Dot', which is shot entirely on the N8 using CellScope technology - and features a tiny 9mm girl. Dot is, they believe, the smallest-ever stop-motion animated character in a film.

Professor Daniel Fletcher has created the CellScope - a microscopic device which, when attached to the Nokia N8 handset, produced life-saving technology. With his invention, he has helped diagnose fatal diseases in remote areas of developing countries. Amazing!

And, the making of is amazing as well:

500 Friends of Reading Frenzy!

2010-08-11T14:52:00.000-07:00

Reading Frenzy is a wonderful, tiny little bookstore and zine resource that is practically a nonprofit. I love this place!

New Favorite website

2010-08-04T21:21:00.000-07:00

Hilarious, a little too true: http://whatthefuckismysocialmediastrategy.com/

Airplane Videos

2010-08-01T17:53:00.000-07:00

Landing in PDX from Phoebe Owens on Vimeo.

I captured this footage on a lovely day- landing in PDX after my trip to Cali last month.

Hilarious new video for awesomely funny iPhone app

2010-07-19T15:07:00.001-07:00

Old Spice Guy plus books equal Librarians swooning everywhere!

2010-07-14T15:41:00.000-07:00

Dammit! These are just so good!

"I'm handsome. You're pretty. Let's eat peanut butter. ... All of these simple statements and requests would never be possible to communicate if it wasn't for the words stored in books that are available for free en masse at libraries," he explains.

Brithday Cake by Lauren

2010-06-21T18:37:00.001-07:00

Brithday Cake by Lauren, originally uploaded by superphoebe.

Check out this amazing surprise from my friend Lauren. If you are wondering WTF?, then go over to http://www.cakewrecks.com/ for some reference. You should laugh until you cry, if you're human.

Olympia!

2010-06-21T13:37:00.001-07:00

Jen & Phoebe were here, originally uploaded by superphoebe.

What a wonderful weekend!

Jen Davison and I ventured up to Olympia for the day on Saturday to see Jenny Jenkins and Aaron Kruse get married after 13 years of courting, dating, fighting, loving, and becoming BFFs among other events and experiences. It was a lovely, charming wedding with lots of fun and laffs. Jen and also made sure to leave behind some evidence of our visit to Oly, as seen in this image- proving that not much has changed over the past decade and a half since we first made fliers together in Olympia for one shenanigan or another!

TAITR is in the home stretch!

2010-03-21T19:49:00.000-07:00

The Adults in the Room, the narative/doc hybrid I've been producing this past year is done! We're going to hit some really great festivals, and we've been included in a very cool crowd-funding project called Kickstarter for our very last push! (titles & HD transfer)

Click on this widget to see more:

See The Adults website for screenings and other information.

And, thank you for considering pitching a couple of bucks our way to do the final final finish and get us to fests! Very exciting!

Cargo- best store ever!

2010-02-13T11:30:00.000-08:00

So, one of my favorite places in Portland is this 10K foot warehouse store filled with goodies from around the world. Going into this place is like playing Katamari Dacamcy, but with greater danger to your wallet. (But, you do get to take it all home!) I've tried to be at Cargo for under an hour, and it is impossible! Anyway, they are having a monster sale through the end of the month- 25% off of everything! So, if you've never been- now is the time to check it out. If you have been, well, then you know....

also- they now carry my lamps!!!

Is the Blood Drying in Haiti?

2010-01-26T20:15:00.000-08:00

I saw this tweet last night right after seeing the Mercy Corps volunteers working the front entry to the Oregon Symphony last night, and right after getting a direct message from a friend asking advice about how her school group can volunteer locally to help out with Haiti. So, from my perspective here in Portland, the voluntary sector and nonprofit community is still abuzz with concern. But, what is going on with the rest of the world? What is going on in Haiti?

Seems that conversations have shifted to the difficult topics of colonialism, control, slow aid and politics while thousands still clamor for tents to sleep in and water to drink! Check out the trending on twitter.

Working the phones for Medical Teams International gave me an interesting view of how people in the US are connecting to the crisis. I was surprised by how many people wanted to be sent to Haiti, and stunned by how many inexperienced, even non-medical people called in angrily demanding to be sent to the disaster area! But, as frustrating as it is for nonprofits to spare extra expense to take those phone calls, it was also a reflection of how helpless so many people feel- watching this trauma unfold and not knowing what fate will befall Haiti.

Read more about our day of service at Medical Teams International (that continued through the weekend) at my coworker's blogs here:
Marie Deatherage: http://omaried.wordpress.com/2010/01/14/a-day-for-helping-haiti-we-need-an-app-for-that/
Grant Kruger: http://thirdworld.livejournal.com/258680.html

Here's hoping Haiti's fate isn't decided in the next two weeks, and here's hoping the Haitians get the food, water and shelter they should have.

Cool New Tool for Cancer Patients

2010-01-19T21:08:00.000-08:00

Looks like I can be proud of my dear friend Marika aka "sn0tty" for getting involved with the fight against cancer. Marika recently turned me on to a pretty cool new resource she's put some of her great energy into called Navigating Cancer.

Navigating Cancer provides essential cancer-related information from authoritative sources to help patients learn about their options once diagnosed, and tools for patients to partner with their physicians, allowing them to be more in control of their cancer treatment and care. Navigating Cancer also provides a forum for patients to connect with other cancer patients to learn and share from their experiences, ask for help when needed and keep loved ones updated on their journey.

As a librarian and web geek, I am always thrilled to see companies and organizations creating resources that decrease information disparity. As a human with a history of health issues, I'm really glad to see a resource that aims to empower patients- focusing on care and best practices. I was really impressed by how easy and user-friendly the patient dashboard is. I think this would have really been great to have many years back when I was misdiagnosed with MS. (F.U. big Wa state HMO- you know who you are!)

It's unclear exactly how this company/site is monetized and what the for/nonprofit status is. It seems to be a lot more user friendly than Google Health--which offers some of the same services. It promises to be more like wiki communities and vaguely reminds me of ediets before that site ditched its own user-friendliness for crazy design and overcrowded adspace. But, it looks like a promising front runner for what is sure to be a growing sector of the semantic web.

Check it out, tell me what you think and see what you can do to support those you love, or like, with cancer.

And, read about Marika's thoughts on being an online community manager here. As the resident tender of the connectipedia garden, I can really really empathize!

xo

my heart is breaking for Haiti right now

2010-01-13T12:07:00.000-08:00

Photo Uploaded to Flickr on January 12, 2010 by Globovisión

Unless you've been in hiding or too wrapped up in all that late night teevee BS, you know Haiti has suffered a horrible earthquake with a tremendous loss of lives and horror for about 3 million people. Like most of the people watching, helpless, I looked for ways to respond this morning- wondering- could I give at least $50 and get by on the remaining fumes left in my checking account until payday...

Whitehouse.gov is endorsing the mobile giving program to the Red Cross, and it is set up by an org called mGive, which is waiving the usual fees for all donations. if you have never given by SMS
message, there are some things to know (like you have to tell them to stop texting you alerts and updates)- read the fine print here: http://www.mgive.com/Partners.aspx

Mercy Corps is also endorsed by the Govt. but is asking that donations be given online. All proceeds- 100% go directly to relief! https://donate.mercycorps.org/donation.htm?DonorIntent=Haiti+Earthquake Mercy Corps is incredibly nimble and resourceful. This is where some of my cash is going.

I will be spending the day volunteering for Medical Teams International tomorrow- http://www.medicalteams.org/sf/Home.aspx and I've asked my employer to expedite matching funds for my volunteer time. If your employer matches funds for time or cash, please ask them
to expedite the match!

NPO superstar Britt Bravo has compiled a roundup up ways to give here: http://havefundogood.blogspot.com/2010/01/how-to-help-haitian-earthquake.html

Furthermore, Etsy artists like myself and Ryan Berkley are marking items to go to Haitian relief. So, you can buy art and support folks, why wouldn't you? A simple search using the term "Haiti" on etsy returns pages of results. Be sure to ask the seller to email you his/her donation confirmation. This seems like a really good way to put some art where my mouth is, in lieu of money!

Do you have more ideas and ways to make us all feel a little less helpless? What do you think about emergency response and the internet?

New Podcast Review with Donovan: We Live in Public

2010-01-08T21:21:00.000-08:00

Once again, I was a guest reviewer for Erin Donovan's lively podcast for her excellent film reviewing blog Steady Diet of Film. We reviewed Ondi Timoner's documentary We Live In Public. The movie follows the rise and fall of supposed visionary (really tremendously privileged douchebag) Josh Harris. I f*cking hated this movie and the dillweeds in it like poison, but Erin found it compelling, and we somehow met in the middle in our review, rather than wrestling each other to the ground like usual.

Read Erin's comments and listen here.

CRAFT SHOWS!!!

2009-12-04T12:05:00.000-08:00

Holla! I'll be at Crafty Wonderland AND Handmade Bazaar next weekend- selling my goods and being surrounded by a bajillion lovely handmade things by other craft artsits! If you're in the 5-0-3, these are the places to be!

✂ Handmade Bazaar ✂
Saturday, December 12th
11am-4pm
@ Mississippi Studios
3939 N Mississippi Ave.

❉ Crafty Wonderland Super Colossal Holiday Sale ❉
Sunday December 13th 11am-7pm
Oregon Convention Center
777 NE MLK Jr. Blvd, Hall D
❉200+ vendors, crafty workshops & goodie bags to the first 200 shoppers!

The Unfriendly Skies of United Airlines!

2009-12-02T19:35:00.000-08:00

Several years ago, I nursed a United Airlines wound when they refused to honor my 9/11 ticket. I was supposed to go to Boston on that day, and United told me that I'd have a mulligan for life. A couple of years later, they told me they had changed their system and deleted any record of it. And, ultimately it was my fault for not going to Boston sooner. (Incidentally, haven't been back there since 2000.)

So, I avoided flying with them. I so regret not taking Frontier when I went to Nashville! Earlier this week, I was left, with several other passengers, stranded at O'Hare airport over night, with no assistance from customer service. In fact, we received insults and I really thought they were going to yawn while talking to us. They almost mimed boredom and apathy.

Basically, what happened to us is:

Our flight from Nashville to O'Hare was running late
no one at United made any attempt to to help customers get from one gate to another (it was the
same airline both flights)
In fact, gate crew told us to "run for it" when it was already too late
no one at United even tried to contact gates for connecting flights
We missed the doors closing by 3 minutes- and the flight left early (In fact, it arrived early in PDX that night!)
it was speculated that the flight left early becuase there were a lot of employees flying stand-by
customer service reps told us to shut up and move along after denying us help with hotel, meals and even denied overnight toiletry bags
some customers were offered flight vouchers, first-class upgrades and miles, others, including myself were offered nothing!
United desk agents tried to cajole us into booking later flights than the first one out the next day

I tweeted my pain, called one of my best friends in the world who happens to live in Chicago, and bid farewell for the evening to my fellow strandees that would be sleeping in the airport, or maybe staring angrily at United employees!

I have lost a full day's wages due to this, missed meetings and scheduled time prepping for my craft sales, and had to pay ground travel, lodging, and meals for that night in Chicago. It was only made worse by the poor customer care I received. I wasn't even treated well on the flight that I finally made home! I feel overwhelmingly wronged, and I feel very strongly that United Airlines needs to extend an apology to me and my fellow strandees as well as some sort of compensation. I am not naive enough to ask for cash- I know full well that many of these policies and poor customer service experiences are related to the poor economic state of the airlines. I never even received any form of apology- not even a fake one from the horribly rude employees!

So, I wrote them an email (they have no option to speak to people in person anymore) and hope to hear back from them. I'm not holding my breath after looking around the internet at other people's grief!

And, is it just because I re-read Asimov's Foundation, or is it true that the airlines are backsliding into barbarism? United- you are the harbinger of the decline of society!!!

if you tweet, please send @untiedairlines a message like : hey @unitedairlines, please apologize to my friend @superphoebe for bad service when you stranded her at O'Hare!

Update- thanks for this Lauree- LOLz!

Nashvegas!

2009-11-30T15:54:00.000-08:00

Went to visit the family in Nashville, TN for the Thanksgiving holiday. It appears I may have been the only person there with pink hair-- such a commonplace silliness in PDX!

Thank god the New York Times had a great "36 Hours in Nashville" article just a few weeks ago for us to refer to, as our relatives have been either too busy working or too busy being a toddler to get out for much exploring beyond parks and kiddie places. We did really love the parks, though!

We spent the first couple of days lounging around the house and getting periodic doses of Dora the Explorer. (Toddler meth- she MUST be stopped!) After a lot of delicious food made by Kim, we ventured out and explored the town.

We hit the up-and-coming 12-south neighborhood, strolled along in 68 degree weather, and cooled off with delicious hand-made posicles at Las Paletas. Absolutely worth trying, these delicious treats had many many custard flavors like caramel and avocado, but I couldn't resist fresh raspberries with yogurt and hibiscus. The swings in Sevier park are also most fantastic for the toddling type!

Other highlights were Belle Meade Plantation, Southern Bred family restaurant (nicest waiter EVER), Noshville- the NY style deli, and downtown of course! My biggest disappointment was the Grand Ole Opry tour, which was cheesy on account of us coming at the wrong time of year- when they don't show you the backstage and the country shows are all downtown at the Ryman Auditorium. I got some good CDs though, and nothing about it was painful. Also, that place is basically a huge freakin' mall.

On the very last day, today, we visited the wonderful, delightful Hatch Show Print on Broadway, where I got to peruse some of the best letter-pressed show posters made over the last 100 years! We had lunch at the Hermitage Hotel- empty, lovely, and well-priced. The, we finished out the trip by getting some pretty fabulous cowgirl boots!

If you find yourself headed to music city for the first time, that NYT article I mentioned will steer you right. If you've already been, tell me what you loved most!

see more pics at my flickr set.

Fantastic Mr Fox- reviewed and chewed

2009-11-27T17:59:00.000-08:00

Erin Donovan from Steady Diet of Film and A Million Movies a Minute took me to see an early morning screening of Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox on a Monday a couple of weeks ago. I was very happy and intrigued to finally see this movie that has generated so much gossip over the years. I went in with mixed bag of mistrust of Anderson (due to his preciousness and apparent fondness for the trappings/culture of colonial rule- like servants and complete disregard for others, women etc.) and thrill for the amazing team of animators that got to make a lovely feature using old-school flocked puppets and hand-crafted sets. Also, I used to be a big fan of Anderson's- all the way through Royal Tenenbaums- which I loved in spite of myself and my feminism.

So, it seems, in other reviews that everyone just LOVED this movie, but I still have mixed feelings. I was thoroughly entertained, only annoyed a little bit by the things I expected to be annoyed by- I'm so over those yellow titles and other played-out gimmicks. But, maybe I'd have enjoyed them or at least forgiven them if I wasn't still so irritated by Anderson just thinking about him, before a cell of film rolled.

The animation was flawless, rich, lovely and a testament to the possible genius of directing a stop motion feature via email. (Would Coraline have been done on time if Selick had been to precious and neurotic/whatever to come to Hilsboro, Oregon?) The puppet work, sets, and motion was exemplary, and I never tired of watching that perfect work.

I'll hand this to Anderson- the direction of the actors was refreshingly perfect. I have often wondered when watching animated films if the voice work was even directed. Sorry, but you can almost hear Terri Hatcher turning the pages as she reads, rather than acts, for Coraline. And, it's only made worse by Dakota Fanning's excellent work- resulting in a large cast of voices that are all performing in different films. I'm using Coraline as an example here, but this could be said easily of many, many animated films and short programs of the last 70 years or so. All of the brilliant performers in Mr. Fox were clearly well directed, not just good performers. They were in the same film, the same story, and performed at the same level and quality- which was high.

You can hear Erin and I discuss this film in greater detail here.

Go see it in the theater if you love stop-motion, wait for rental/cable/library if you love Roald Dahl and/or kids movies. Or see it in the theater because there really is little else of any apparent quality in the theaters right now!

Fall Line-Up 2009

2009-10-04T00:13:00.000-07:00

Oh man! I love my DVR so much! I feel I really am getting the most out of a season that brings so so so many new shows. The writers' strike definitely had a lasting impact on the refresh cycle, right? Also, it is so nice to see so much less reality TV taking up good prime time space. (Don't get me wrong- I'll be the first to admit- I LOVE Project Runway, and occasionally get sucked into the Biggest Loser...)

So, back to the DVR, and, it's worth mentioning that I also got a brand new, shiny HD TV at the same time! This was a huge deal for me. Even though I've been an admitted lover of television for over a decade, I've never owned a TV that I paid more than $50 for, and I've had the same one for years now- with a broken remote and a strange, intermittent AC hum. I still love that TV. But, I really really love this new one. It's a a Toshiba, and it's fantastic!

Oh right, the DVR. These are the shows I've started to check out this fall:

The Soup- I love Joel McHale, and this is a great digest of the week's total crap.
Bones- I just started getting into this show, and I really enjoy the performances. The stories are pretty formulaic, and I'm creeped out to know it's based on a real woman- Kathy Reichs. The ensemble cast is fantastic, and it is wonderful to watch them work together and make their characters into interesting and lovable people.
Mad Men- I don't know why I like Mad Men sometimes. I love Joan. She's interesting and I've never seen anyone like her- male or female- hot or not- that is anything like her.
Dollhouse- I hope it doesn't get canceled, but I'm fairly sure it will. I hated this series initially, because Eliza Dushku's performance was just too much for me to take. By the end of the first season, I was loving it, and totally enjoying her development of the character. I've also noticed that they've changed the ditzy and annoying way she says "Did I fall asleep?" this season. Srsly, thank god. It was awful!
FlashForward I've only seen the first episode of this show. It's pretty, has great actors, and a great premise. In it, everyone on earth blacks out at the exact same time and sees their future for just a few minutes. Unfortunately, the dialogue is painfully bad, and the story construction leaves a lot plot holes and implausible red flags. The actors are good, but struggling with bad material.
Life and Times of Tim This is a wonderful and adorable animated show on HBO. It's really funny and simple in a refreshing way. Even though it follows the now typical formula of a selfish guy who gets into trouble and everything is uncomfortable, it is done right. Take notice Larry Daivd! You kind of invented this genre, but you've lost your way and I find your show unwatchable.
Leverage Oh man, what a drag this show is not so good, but at least it's fun. Because this show is shot in Portland, and hires my friends, I really really really want it to be good. Unfortunately, it's kind of the A-Team for dummies, and without the fun characters. The dialogue is horrendous, and the plot holes are canyons of stupid. Also, Timothy Hutton looks like a creepy old lesbian with really awful hair. I really hope they tone down his makeup and cut his hair before next season.
Warehouse 13 Cute, kinda dumb, but exactly what it promises, and the actors keep surprising me with better performances each episode. The female characters are strong. This is a good one for when you're falling asleep and want to be lightly entertained in a nerdy way. It's also great for steampunk geeks and general sci-fi dorks.
Project Runway This show and Kathy Griffin were the only reason I wanted Bravo. And, now this show is on Lifetime- which has the most annoying TV ads on earth! So, thank god for the DVR and the ability to fast forward through all the crap. Also, the show itself is so filled with product endorsements, I get really bored with the lack of actual content. They do the straight interviews really poorly, but the design work is great to watch.
Glee Cute, silly, pretty good. Very light, very trendy & topical writing. Sometimes I get sick of the musical numbers, funny enough. The cast is delightful, and I'll never get too much of the fabulous Jane Lynch!
Community Did I mention I love Joel Mchale? I do. I remember him from Almost Live! in Seattle, and it's great to see him taking TV comedyland by storm. This is a fun, smart, original show.
Bored to Death OMG, this show bored me too death. It's so fucking precious and ironically humorless. What a waste of some pretty good actors and an HBO time slot! Barf
The Office Still going strong, not done with it yet...
Heroes Um, getting pretty bored. This show really hasn't been that intriguing since season 1. I save it for when there is really nothing else on.
Modern Family This show is adorable! A bit of an Arrested Development knock-off, but really fun characters, plots and bits woven together with a good sense of humor, timing and refreshing sweetness I miss in comedy.
The New Adventures of Old Christine I'm just getting into this one, too. Mainly because I love Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Wanda Sykes. They're both geniuses that have changed the game in TV for women. Well, so far, it's a pretty good watch! Funny, smart, and the characters are great. It's nice to see such good actors who are obviously in a flow with each other. The show seems to be made with love.
Stargate Universe Well, the ads for this already hinted that this is a Stargate series made to look like Battlestar, and once I watched the premiere, I saw how much they're really going for it. True Stargate fans should be disappointed, as well as truer Battlestar fans. I fit into both of those categories. It was interesting enough, though, and looked good enough, that I will probably watch again. Ultimately, though, it was pretty empty.

Is there anything I'm missing and should be watching? What are your faves this fall?

F-Bombs for everyone!

2009-09-27T14:35:00.000-07:00

I think "keep fucking that chicken" will be the new "keep on keepin' on!"

I have a hard time actually watching SNL while it airs. I hate waiting in total boredom through the combination of bad ad spots and bad skits for the few gems. It's like panning for faux gold. maybe I'll start saving it now that I have a DVR- we'll see...

Madmen is so clever!

2009-09-16T14:07:00.000-07:00

And funny, and pretty...

This absolutely brilliant ad campaign for Madmen swept facebook and twitter like a pretty pretty virus just in time for the season 3 premiere. I loved that, just like Joan, I could make myself curvy!

(of course I had to pink up my hair myself!)

"ADULTS" ONLY: A benefit for The Adults In The Room

2009-07-26T11:39:00.000-07:00

Join me & director Andy Blubaugh (Sundance selections Hello Thanks, Scaredycat) as well as the cast and crew of his debut feature The Adults In The Room, for an intimate evening of food, drink, and debate benefiting the production. Get a first look at rough cuts from the documentary portion of the film, bid on one-of-a-kind art items in our silent auction, and engage in a lively debate about this genre-defying and controversial film.

Admission is free, but a suggested donation of $20.00 will be rewarded with a limited edition signed and numbered DVD of Andy Blubaugh's award-winning shorts.

Sunday, August 9th, 7:00 PM
La Merde (at Le Bistro Montage)
301 SE Morrison, under the Morrison Bridge

For more information, visit theadultsintheroommovie.com

I'll be featuring the work of artists that are contributing here- stay posted!

The Adults In The Room

2009-07-24T13:52:00.000-07:00

I am super happy to be joining forces with Portland Director Andy Blubaugh to help produce his first feature film!

I've been itchin' to work on a feature again for awhile, and this film is really giving me the opportunity to throw a lot of the knowledge and experience I gained from making Tammytown and working on other projects into something extremely worthwhile. Several people kept suggesting that I join the film, but I wasn't sure I could do it. Then, the opportunity for the 4-day work week presented itself, and next thing you know...

I was compelled to start working on it after I read up on it, then fell in love with the script, and have similar warm fuzzies for Andy. It's his very personal story about his secret relationship as a teenager with a man twice his age. The unfolding stories (a present-day documentary mixed with a dramatic retelling of the past) is intriguing, tender, painful, raw, complicated and loving. I was pretty much enthralled from the moment he said "well, it's more Harold & Maude than 'To Catch a Predator'!"

Follow the film: Facebook Twitter Vimeo

Hot Tub Dance Remix Video!!!

2009-07-17T15:21:00.000-07:00

Hot Tub Dance Remix from Sugar Shapiro on Vimeo.

Director Sarah Shapiro introduces us to the amazing world of Sugar Shapiro and her sexy thug cat! (I produced it, and I'm so thrilled with how it turned out and how fun it has been to work with Sarah & the whole Hot Tub team!)

New Builders and the Butchers Video

2009-07-17T10:39:00.000-07:00

So, I very minorly pitched in on this video directed by Alicia J. Rose, and I am so impressed by how fabulous it looks! It premiered on spinner.com today! Congratulations, Alicia!

2009-07-09T13:06:00.000-07:00

Get Your Cyborg Name

Sugar Shapiro! My New Favorite Artist!

2009-07-08T19:57:00.000-07:00

Yes, that's a cat!

So, I recently decided to dive back into the producing world- but only for things that really get me excited, of course! And, I am just THRILLED to have worked on this video for Sugar Shapiro's dance remix of the hypnotic and ass-shaking song "Hot Tub."

And, we get to premiere the video next Wednesday, July 15th at Doug Fir with amazing art collective Men and super fun band Boyjoy!

I hand screenprinted merch for the show, and I'm just tickled pink that I got to be so creative with this. Come join us! wil be totes mega fun!

awesome free event!

2009-07-02T17:39:00.000-07:00

7-16-09 6:30 PM downtown PDX- oldtown

"Interested in how copyright law affects creative work? Itching to write your own version of copyright law? Curious to know how musicians and artists might talk to an entertainment attorney, and vice versa?

Join the UO Portland Library and Learning Commons at 6:30 pm on Thursday, July 16 for “Free Culture: Creating Copyright and Copyrighting Creation,” a lively discussion of copyright and the arts. UO alum and entertainment lawyer Peter Shaver will talk with Portland-based electropop trio YACHT, and will engage the audience in a real-time redraft of copyright law. We’ll also enjoy great local food and great drinks from local brewery New Old Lompoc.

This event is co-sponsored by the UO Portland Library and Learning Commons and UO Academic Affairs. It’s part of a larger series of summer events around themes of creativity, sustainability, and urban culture. To learn more about the series, please visit http://pdx.uoregon.edu/index.php?p=news_summer_spotlight. "

I became familiar with attorney Peter Shaver through my old coworker, friend & all around awesome PDX rocker Todd Morrissey when I really needed help working out the licensing for Tammytown. He was so delightfully un-lawerly and very helpful. And, after working in a law library with big fancy shmancy expensive lawyers who couldn't give a crap about the intellectual property issues of us small time artists, I was very impressed. I tihnk he's the best thing going in Portland for musicians, filmmakers, and most artists in our area.

Also, YACHT is AWESOME!!!

Cutest Store EVAR!

2009-05-07T20:13:00.000-07:00

POPPY & IVY!
There are an outrageous amount of fabulous little stores in Portland that I love to wander into and get lost in. Lately, I've been thinking about how important it is that I shop at and support the wants that I want to survive these bullshit times. Poppy & Ivy is just about as delightful as it gets, and conveniently right around the corner from my house!

I recently bought some antique wooden snack bowls, an exquisite ceramic light chain pull, some lovely little tree stump picture holders, a miniature alphabet stamp set and a great tote bag. It was so hard not to snatch up the vintage embroidery & cross stitch patterns, fun toys, vintage ephemera, and more. This is the place that you could find a very unique gift at almost any price level, and it is also the place where you could get unique craft supplies and fun fascinations! And, don't even get me started on the jewelry!

09NTC Notes From 04/28/09 PM: The Rational Pursuit of Change

2009-04-28T17:30:00.000-07:00

The Rational Pursuit of Change: How the Web requires new tactics, not the evolution of current ones
04/28/09 PM

description:
The Internet has a proven ability to shift the balance of power between individuals and organizations. But for online activism to reach its full potential, we – and our constituents and supporters – need to go beyond low-hanging, traditional online tactics. It’s time to go back to basics and figure out how to effectively organize. This session will revisit the challenges of collective action in an era of “open source activism,” and highlight how the Web can help overcome those hurdles. It's up to us to redefine how people can participate in movements that actually do something. Takeaways: 1. Engagement: The paradox of tactics (such as "easy petitions") with a low barrier to entry – they don't drive engagement or long-term relationships. Learn how to engage people that stick around to support your mission. 2. Action: Giving people the right tools at the right time only matters if you ask them to do the right thing. Learn solutions for moving your audiences forward on a unified front towards a shared goal. 3. Togetherness: The dream of the Web is a model maps our influence and values to appropriate collective action that has reached its tipping point. Learn the best ways to crowdsource your mission and measure progress toward your goals.

Twitter hashtags (the internet went down about 1/2 way through session, so this is limited):
#change#09ntc

panelists:
Qi Diaz, Ben Ratcher, Amy Sample Ward, Jake, Joe

this is a fun and lively group
-digital advocacy, civics 101 is just not cutting it anymore

Ben:
the history of online activism is the history of petitions

ladder of engagement, getting the right data, encouraging deeper engagement, recognizing the psychological impact of getting involved

from Amy:
insights on individual engagement, she's been paying attention to how individually powered/centered tools are impacting organizations and informing the way they engage with their members and peeps

sms and text messaging used for service delivery. for example, a short code for contacting an AIDS nonprofit for information

open source community need- the good gym, won the social innovation camp in December in the UK

really focus on the "how do you want us to engage with you?" model

Joe:
orgs can really be empowering to change-makers around the world. take the wiki model for example- gets that one guy going strong, coordinates the community so that we have the strength of a crowd and a groundswell

"the world is on fire, there are 7 billion people, we all need some help, and we are all in this together"
started the social actions, change the web contest for/with techsoup

they used polldaddy to listen as they worked on their project, and they had a volunteer wiki- simple tools, useyourvoice.com - you can create a feedback button in a snap for your website, very cool

Jake (from idealist)
he loves Larry Lessig & Vince Cerf
Vince: "power corrupts, and powerpoint corrupts absolutely"

too many nonprofits, and too many actions going on- especially a bunch that kind of suck to engage with
think like a movement- lose control of your brand- send it and see what folks do with it

US Marines ethos: "everyman a rifle man" as in you have evangelists and advocates you don't even know about yet, top-down, bottom up emerges when you let your control go

ignore the online and offline divide, look at all of the programs together, and get the staff in the same rooms together.

email and videos still rule

"fail harder" (he credits W+K's lobby poster)

09NTC Notes From 04/28/09: New Video Platform for Nonprofits

2009-04-28T15:30:00.000-07:00

This was awesome, but I only caught the tail end of the session:

session description:
New Video Platform for Nonprofits
See3 will unveil its partnership with Kaltura to address the video needs of nonprofits and social causes. Join Michael Hoffman, See3 CEO, and Ron Yekutiel, Kaltura CEO, for a discussion and demo of the cutting-edge open-source video platform. This new platform integrates with Drupal and other content management systems , allows users to upload video directly from other sources such as YouTube, and has increased viral distribution capabilities. Well also walk through the web-based video editor and other advanced functionalities that help organizations connect to constituents. Come share your video needs , give feedback, and witness a hands-on demonstration of this exciting video opportunity.

See3 video stuff

um, rad!

online video editing
Kaltura: http://corp.kaltura.com/
"open source video solutions"

remixamerica.org, dogooderTV, See3 communications,

dogooderTV player

customized playlist module, creates a widget you can make

highly customizable, many applications being built and developed,

quality goes to HD, total flexibility, compress down to FLD after uploading by FTP

you could create an FTP option! you could RSS videos that are already uploaded at other sites, and even have it auto grab from feeds

webcam capture quality is pretty good- on par with youtube

integrate in Drupal & Wordpress- and can configure to have users be able to post both text and video responses!

this also allows a good way to restrict content

internal audiences solutions

creating a private space is successful here

Kaltura has enlisted See3 to be their big channel to the nonprofit world- ambassador, service that gets it to the folks. they specialize in nonprofit video production

09NTC Notes From 04/28/09: Multivariate Testing

2009-04-28T15:00:00.000-07:00

When you want your buttons pushed: How to optimize your site with multivariate testing
04/28/09

session description:
Ever wonder if your site’s landing pages are too long, donate button is too small, or images are sending just the right message? This session will provide key insights to help you decide whether it’s time for your organization to begin optimizing key action pages with multivariate testing. Stop making decisions by committee or letting the HiPPO (Highest Paid Person’s Opinion) lead the way and start making choices through solid evidence based on your own users’ actual behavior – the results might surprise you! Takeaways: 1. MVT can help you dramatically improve conversion rates. 2. MVT takes the guesswork out of copy, color, location, headline, format, and other key decisions. 3. MVT tests range from fairly simple to highly complex.

-multivariate testing is for when you have many questions about different elements on your page
-ask users in real tim
-generate evidence-driven results based on your users' behavior
-share sample size (get answers more quickly)

Survey of possibilities

-A/B concept testing: better than no testing. problems arise because you have to make assumptions about why users favor something or not

multivariable testing looks at multiple areas on a page at the same time. not just flipping things around, but being able to completely move things around. layout changes, types of content, content itself

content & design are all in the same process

elemental concept testing at Delta
asks: Did we do harm? (with new content)

stop wasting design time, ask does it matter which icon we use? more features or more simple?

offer the beta for people to peruse before launching, may reduce actual changes. you get to understand what matters to your core peeps

the order of copy blocks has substantial impact

moving something like search boxes around the page- does the left-hand side top work best? typically, yes

condense forms by removing non-essential fields (fax #?) always look for opportunities of simplification

sometimes "assurance language" fails (it reminds folks spam exists for example)

images of people tend to have a positive effect when associated with org branding, but some images do not add any value or brand equity to a product.

PHOTOS REALLY REALLY need to be tested.

again, remove distractions (especially on home pages)

some rich media is too much of a distraction, and will carry people off of your site

make a button look like a button. use obvious image metaphors

help people engage, and be very clear about it

interesting & subtle point- understand the interactions- sometimes it's the combination of things on a page that make the difference. if you don't test the items together, then you miss out on good insight

getting started:

1. choose a goal
2. Identify conversion pages
3. select the right tool

lots of different testing tools. google website optimizer is free, starting with free can be really great

case study: ACLU
their goal was grow their list and increase donations, increasing traffic
internal considerations, resourcing, ID highest priorities, IT considerations

design dilemma, when can they use testing to prove out key design concepts
she learned you really have to keep tweaking, changing

09NTC Notes From 04/28/09 AM: Liveblogging Website Usability Testing for Small Orgs

2009-04-28T11:26:00.000-07:00

Website Usability Testing for Small Orgs

this was really a great tool, but problems arose as the wifi kept failing throughout the entire conference, boooo

09NTC Notes From 04/27/09: Cloud Computing 101

2009-04-27T16:00:00.000-07:00

Cloud Computing 101 04/27/09

"Cloud computing is the “new” new wave of information technology. It promises lower costs, faster “time to market,” greater flexibility, and improved efficiency. Some claim it will also help you win friends, lose weight, and freshen your breath. What’s hype versus true value for nonprofits? How much can cloud computing actually deliver? Leading cloud computing experts will lay out the basics, wring fact from fiction, discuss cloud computing’s impact on mission-based organizations, and show how it can work for you. Takeaways: 1. What is cloud computing? 2. Why should nonprofits care about cloud computing? 3. Who are the premier cloud computing vendors? 4. How should nonprofits make the leap into the clouds?"

idealist guys

the term is used and abused quite a bit, and it has it's own meaning in the context on npo's

cloud computing: dynamically scalable resources provided as a service over the internet

"like owning a car vs. leasing a car"

applications, platform, service

context: moving into this environment, so many benefits came up from mainframe to client servers to the cloud platforms
amazon, google, force.com, windowsAzure, facebook, (um wikis)

particularly good cloud services offer open APIs that can be customized and used by others. these APIs act as as doorways between the platforms
successful cloud computing involves APIs, customization

Cloud Computing Costs less because:
-data back ups not required
-access anywhere in the world
-intermingle hardware (mac, PC, linux, etc.)
-intermingle software
-upgrades are automated

Flexibility- scale up & down with mission and org needs, staff needs (pricing models really accommodate this)
Choice- a la carte style service packages
Capacity- skills needed are closer to your mission
Security- more is putting into these platforms to have state-of-the-art security (think like gmail's spam filter)
Upgrades- automated, driven
Ongoing Investment- R&D is driven by many many clients

do your research on a solution and read reviews from objective sources like nten, techsoup, idealware

Does cloud computing replace custom VPN solutions? time to re-evaluate whether or not you own the responsibility for your own server... the whole point is that you don't have to manage, own, or fix the problems with your hardware, software, whole systems really

thousands of nonprofits are already in the cloud. they see a lot using google products

getting into the cloud:

strategic planning
understand your business process
assess your capacity, budget & must-haves
review options, trials, nten, techsoup, idealweare
engage with a partner if/as necessary

business process is really key

cloud-based backup. people love mozy a lot

helps you leverage your IT staff better, put them onto better projects, training, etc. (don't most IT guys hate being sysadmins?) so true that npos are already bare bones when it comes to IT staff & resources

this makes me think about questions about medical health records- HIPPA and security. this will be a huuuuuge issue, especially with current administration wanting to streamline HRE's
so, do we suggest to npo's that they join the cloud rather than invest in their own solutions? start to look at major cloud computing vendors, not sure open source is really getting into this at a fast enough pace: http://www.openhre.org/

cloud vs. outsourcing, hmmmmmm

seems interesting that we haven't talked about open source platforms in the cloud, very product-based? what does this reflect on the open source field?

I think of wikis as ultimate clouds

http://www.salon.com/tech/giga_om/tech_insider/2009/04/12/the_enterprise_impact_of_cloud_computing/index.html

09NTC Notes From 04/27/09: Nonprofit Careers workshop

2009-04-27T15:00:00.000-07:00

04/27/09 Advancing your career & earning what you deserve
James Weinberg- CEO of commongood careers
cgcareers.org

went to this as a response to all of the unemployment issues we've seen & discussed at work-

Oregon has one of the highest unemployment rates, and the nonprofit sector is going to suffer further jobwise

looking for resources to pass along & add to connectipedia's growing employment section

specific to non profit career information

Agenda:

short goals, long aspirations
core competency inventory
ID & remove common obstacles
pursue professional dev
moving up internally
information interviews to new positions
defining market worth & negotiating compensation

and moving from volunteer/intern to employee

short goals/long aspirations:
define your ideal role, where, what X2, when, how, why?

short term:
-challenges: clear, achievable, compelling
-Support: management, resources, staff
-Colleagues: especially in nonprofits, this is key- (um, word!)

long term:
-nature of the work: time, management, area, etc.
-work/life balance: support to life outside the office, family, etc.
-Epitaph: in the end, what do you want to have done? what is your desired impact?

compensation- further discussion later

books participants like: "What Color is your Parachute" Bolles

Core Competencies:
major tenant of HR & hiring- elements that affect your ability to function in a role- as in functionally and behavioral capacity based on 4 factors:
-Skills: technical skills
-Experience: what have you done
-personality: how do you fit with teams and cultures?
-potential: where are you still growing?

create an inventory map for each area, group into categories, prioritize, refine to 3/4 major elements, have friends review & discuss

conclusion- what are the trends, common threads and where are the gaps vs. goals

make sure this is relevant to the job you are going for as well as the career goal

one IT director/HR attendee says that she comes up against too much exaggerated technical skills, and that someone who is humble about skills can show a core personality skill that is more attractive

Obstacles:
ID & remove these in your career and short term job issues
what are the common obstacles?
lack of understanding from the org you're in, lack of value in professional dev. don't rely on your org- be the change, flip it, etc.

-planning: failure to identify goals is #1 obstacle
goals usually fall short, shoot higher, push yourself- it breeds success
-confidence: take your goal & triple it
-skills: get through ed or experience
-experience: be proactive in and out of your org
-family: work/life balance
-boss: if not being developed, speak up or move on
(identify needing a mentor or needing to be a leader for me)
-money: ed expensive, next step may require a cut
-networks: broad/deep essential to advancement
-resolve: keep advancing, but stay flexible

seeking out growth experiences could help break down obstacles
(but, sometimes you just have to suck it up and be patient)

professional Dev:
-Grad Programs: expensive, wide range of quality, be careful (too expensive to pursue just for making more $$$)
-workshops: can be expensive, look for certifications, ratings
this can be better than grad school
-self ed: books, online courses, depends on type of learner (I love lynda.com)
"combined with volunteering can help you produce something demonstrable"
-In-house mentors: find colleagues & supervisors that can teach
(this is something I ask for in interviews now) this can be really simple-

-Outside mentors: structured relationships work best
this can be better because they aren't caught up in the culture & drama
-Peer networks: organize colleagues in similar roles
gr8 way to meet folks in the same boat with new ideas
-Management: free interns can be a way to start
#1 looked-for skill for folks considered for advancement. I have found grad interns to be fantastic for projects as well
-Consulting: side project experiential learning
-Volunteering: easier and more flexible alternatives
the point isn't to get a job, but to build experience, core competencies. project-based volunteering can lead to having something demonstrable

Moving Up within an Org
-Valued competencies: management capacity (people, projects, process, budget), performance, passion, initiative, team playing/leading/strengthening
-Being essential: try to understand your org's strategic priorities and align your work directly- move your job in the direction of your org's goals
-Connections: id decision makers and influencers, cultivate relationships, don't be shy- look externally too
-BE DIRECT! communicate your aspirations, build your case, work with your supervisor on a plan for advancement, find horizontal career ladders- which are very possible in small orgs

my personal reflections on this:
have a personal plan and be transparent about it with your company- have a personal mission and vision plan that reflects the org's, and/or develop these for your dept.

Informational Interviewing to New Positions
-systematize: track who you meet, when, who they connect you to
-network mapping: list out folks you know, who they know, who you want to know, cross-section of your industry (social media can be helpful for tracking)
-Outreach: email introduction, with resume, clear that you're not asking for a job, but for information, requesting short phone calls, follow-up if needed
"mini-mentoring" 15-minute mentoring are approaches that can be less intimidating, stressful
-The conversation: research, prepare several smart questions, be engaging, fun, and deferential
never ask, "so, what do you do?"
convo should definitely display critical thinking skills. your Qs say more about you than your answers
-Follow-ups: discuss next steps, ask for others to meet

my reflections:
be comfortable, organic, find that balance so you're not a lame-$@*, watch out for being an email dork

Compensation
- 3 salary numbers: absolute minimum, market worth, and reasonable aspiration
- Info Interviews: best way to determine market value (ask), highly specific by role, experience, location
- Public Salary Data: industry surveys, guidestar's 990's
- Perspective: for individuals, comp is about respect; for orgs it's about equity & balance (so good to understand)
- Alternatives/x-factors: non-slaray options include benefits, expenses, vacation time, flex time, flex location, flex schedule, other things that matter to you, work-week hours, sabbaticals, perks
understand that compensation is a broad package of values, and know what matters to you
-Approach: honest, clear, logical, supportive data

what to do when asked for salary information:
be honest, but you can frame it in a variety of ways.

how important is the job title you have?
depends on where you are and what you actually do

what to do with bouncy resumes:
use what is relevant, use the other stuff to tell a narrative that could relate

good compensation sites:
glassdoor.org, salary.com, professional organization sites

social networking has opened up the networks- increases competition for the individual, ups the game

Notes From 04/27/09 AM: Social media metrics- mapping social media

2009-04-27T13:00:00.001-07:00

04/27/09 Beth Kanter's session
social media metrics- mapping social media

success stories, specialized listening

check out David Armano- his blog

Listen, Learn & Adapt: Insight must happen before investment, track & reap insight

Listening:
use monitoring tools, RSS, etc.
value- know what people think of and expect of your org
feed hashtag rss to your reader, keywords, etc. real-time search is awesome!
do folks share with others? "not rocket science, just practice."
they create a digest of information for their org & chapters, contact experts about relevant information
Amy uses a delicious account & tags relevant searched articles with key words- helpful to program people
google alerts with keywords, keeps an internal page with those searches in rss
media citation reports- clippings, digests
technorati authority

how much time listening?
2-3 hrs AM concentrated listening, then constant background monitoring
even small npo's should have a half-time person who spends 1/2 of their time just listening/monitoring (10 hrs)
15-20 hrs for a largely online org (concentrated)
Amy uses netvibes- engagejoe- feed digest- ning for dummies- workflow

Learning:
If you don't try, fail, you don't learn. think like a rocket scientist, document your learnings, sift through qualitative data like an anthropologist.
document on the fly
test & tweak
pick the right metrics
harvest insights
look at what others are doing

*Pick the right social media metric
page views are dead- (HITS- how idiots track success)
engagement metrics: critic, recreating, commenting, connecting, clicking

The Social Organization- Rachel Happe- good resource for lists of social media metrics collecting data with purpose is important, tracking takes time
some folks keep a spreadsheet of data
Yammer- twitter for groups, rather than sharing with one, sharing with many
Amy uses (to share) delicious- send tags to each other, tag "to amy"

story time- using the right metrics to track:
important to measure based on a goal. offer real-time info to the public during a disaster. are people getting info they need? not about $ raised.
-checking for retweets
-ask people to use hashtags, spread stories, engage folks, track mentions & hashtags using hashtags.org
bitly, popurl
Laura Lee Dooley? sp?

url shorteners for metrics?

gradient6, pretty graphics, but manual research is best
boardtracker, icerocket, twitter search, technorati
web stats, FB stats (handmade)
more resources- wearemedia.org, beths blog (listening techniques)
look for ideas that pop up from your peeps, and find the right internal channels to hear about what you are listening to
internal resistance to new tools takes patience, persistence, education

good to ask- how many hours per week do you spend listening? Is this a part of your social media plan?
co-creation networks
ladder of engagement- number of views & engagement
what are people really engaging in? what are they clicking on? when they click, make sure there is really good engagement, fun & reward on the other end of that click- tighten it up, and revisit it periodically

offline data? how to report offline influences, events, components. wildlife has an offline component for everything, and there are mobile components as well, look for blogs that report on related offline events and things

Adapting:
(most stated: tweak constantly!)
Beth recommends- carrie lewis- go friend on FB
of course, be nimble, fail formally, then document that- what worked, what didn't?
you can use APIs very well to integrate to your own sites, campaigns, events
don't keep doing what worked over and over, forever, always evolve, be committed to innovation
explore multiple channels for people to engage & don't think something doesn't work ever just because it wasn't the biggest draw for one instance
although, streamlining your channels can also streamline your investment of time- it's all about finding a balance
LinkedIn turned out to be a time waster for one group, so they dropped it. always tweak your program
"you can't be satisfied, ever!"
there is no secret sauce here either. no one plan fits everyone, duh
Robin from Oregon trail chapter of Red Cross is a great person to watch and learn from
everything can be scaled for global and/or geographically-based groups
if you have internal resistance, find ways around it, but don't try to force people to use tools when it doesn't feel natural for them.
bell curve of adoption in technology is a good thing to be sensitive to. Beth has been writing about it a lot on her blog.

great links:

Beth's blog: http://beth.typepad.com/

Rachel Happe: http://www.thesocialorganization.com/

Yammer: https://www.yammer.com/

Amy Sample Ward's blog/her notes from this session: http://www.amysampleward.org/2009/04/27/live-blogging-09ntc-mapping-your-social-media-strategy/

Twitter real time search results for #09ntc: http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%2309ntc

09NTC Notes From 04/27/09: Clay Shirky

2009-04-27T10:13:00.000-07:00

4/27/09 Clay Shirky

group action just got easier

"once the problem is solved once for one, it gets solved for all" (FB example of HSBC problem)

the hive mind idea for wikis

here's how it works: not an anthill, there are a few or one super active users, then a few who do extremely little. a huge number of folks who care a little, a few people who care a lot

(I hope Clay Shriky & BJ Fogg are friends)

the ability to consume is the ability to produce is a big big change- democratizing the media, tools, and channels

"we wanna be an internet org, so we'll just take our org and add some internet"

there's no metaphor that fits the particularity-

(FB is like FB, not like other situations, and not "the round")

flash mobs as a critique of hipster culture- Bill from NY/Harper's Magazine

"nothing says dictatorship like arresting people for eating ice cream"

only took 3 years to turn it from a mockery into a real political tool

it's when the tech gets boring that the use gets interesting- when we start to take the tools for granted

thinking your brand is sacred is 20th century mentality in a world of 21st century tools

your members, users, can talk to & connect with each other, without you

the loss of control that your fear is already in the past-

commitment to failure

failure and scale

small and good, then grow, not big and awful to make it better
trying to be too much, not grown organically from the roots up

a control-freak approach makes too much of a framework, hierarchy- implies too many restrictions, so the ability to grow organically, have fun, and learn is all restricted

(side note- google moderator is very cool)

experts really have to create their own value- be relevant, you cant just know most anymore
staying power- how do you stick, and last. convening power plus continuity

sometimes its just a bit mysterious what takes off and what doesn't

hire true enthusiasts, talk to your own employees, your own 23 year olds and actually listen- they are assets (w+k is smart about that, obviously)

OK- so If I'm not the decider, how do I get my org to listen to the younger folks, the hidden assets?

Bacon Apple Pie: the Recipe

2009-04-13T17:55:00.000-07:00

Michael and I first saw this recipe on the internet. When Easter rolled around, we decided this would be the perfect dish to bring to our friends' annual gluttonous Easter brunch. We loosely followed the recipe from the EliCooks blog(http://elicooks.wordpress.com/2008/10/09/bacon-really-does-make-everything-better/ ), and our modifications are posted below.

Serves:
many people, especially because you really have to be a champion eater to make it through a whole piece!

Ingredients:

1 9″ pie crust (we used two premade pie crusts rolled together in a smaller pan so that we could make a large rim of dough to tuck the bacon into)
5-6 medium to large tart apples, cored and sliced (peeled, if you prefer, will make it more like traditional pie filling.)

1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
2.5 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp Scotch (You want something noticeably smoky.)
1/2 cup real maple syrup (fake would be extra gross)
6-8 slices bacon, depending on how thick. (best to just buy a package or full pound- you know you'll eat the rest anyway!)

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spread the pie crust in a 8 or 9″ pie pan and leave the overhanging edges.
Mix together the apple slices, brown sugar, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, cornstarch and scotch. Spread over the pie crust.
Pour the maple syrup evenly over the apples.
Arrange the strips of bacon over the top of the pie crust in a lattice, then fold the edges of the pie crust over the bacon and crimp.
note: The bacon lattice really doesn’t want to stay tucked in around the edges of the pie. We left alot of bacon hanging off the edge. And, we tried to tuck it down the inside of the crust to help keep it together. This is where using extra pie dough to wrap it over the edges of the bacon lattice really came in handy! There is a LOT of, er, shrinkage.

Bake for about an hour, until the bacon on top is nicely crisp, the crust is browned and a knife pushes easily into an apple slice. (Happily, these should all happen at roughly the same time.)

Thanks so much to the EliCooks blog for pioneering this disgusting and amazing awesomeness!

Up next: another gym report/repentance!

Depression Cooking comes to DVD!

2009-03-09T11:45:00.000-07:00

I just adore watching Clara Cannucciari cook and talk about her life and simple recipes in webisodes called Great Depression Cooking with Clara. I'll be pressuring my local library to order a copy, you should too! Not only is she completely inspiring, but the production value of the show's episodes is really fantastic.I believe the creator is her grandson?

Acclaimed documentary FOOD FIGHT opens February 28th at the Hollywood Theatre

2009-02-23T10:09:00.000-08:00

"When we walk into a supermarket, we assume that we have the widest possible choice of healthy foods. But in fact, over the course of the 20th century, our food system was co-opted by corporate entities whose interests do not lie in providing the public with fresh, healthy, delicious food.

Fortunately for America, an alternative emerged from the counter-culture of California in the late 1960s and early 1970s, where a group of political anti-corporate protesters--led by Alice Waters--voiced their dissent by creating a food chain outside of the conventional system. The unintended result was the birth of a vital local-sustainable-organic food movement which has brought back taste and variety to our tables. Food Fight is a fascinating look at how American agricultural policy and food culture developed in the 20th century, and how the Californian food movement has created a counterrevolution against big agribusiness. "

For more info visit (warning, lots of obnoxious flash intros) www.foodfightthedoc.com

The Hollywood Theatre is located at 4122 NE Sandy Blvd. in Portland. General admission is $6.50, $4.50 for seniors 65+ and children 4-12. Monday night all shows are just $4.

Coraline!

2009-01-26T22:37:00.000-08:00

Man, Focus Features really outdid themselves with http://www.coraline.com/

You can "button your eyes," view trailers, and it looks wonderful! I'm starting to think this is totally going to be a really big movie. I really can't wait to see it, but I will make sure (wait if I have to) I see it in 3D. I saw about 1/3 of the film in 3D while making those dang ol' Scotty dogs, and it was stunning.

Opens Feb 6th! (Also opening PIFF)

20 days later

2009-01-26T22:09:00.000-08:00

I had my check-in tonight with Lea. OK, just about 3 weeks in, after working out six days a week: I'm pleased to report that I have lost 5 lbs and 1 full BMI unit. The calipers also indicated a good .75% drop in bodyfat. And yes, I know all these measurement systems are pretty bullshitty, so...

My pants are fitting very differently- the baggy ones are now too big. Basically, my weight loss is not too significant in the very typical way that I am experiencing fat-muscle conversion. My thighs and heart feel the most affected. (And frankly, that is what matters most!)It's pretty remarkable how quickly you can feel reassuring results, even though it takes a while to see really healthful results. I also found that turning the corner from hate & pain to feeling good happened very quickly. I was hating it like poison last Monday, and craving it Tuesday. My legs are now hungry for action, and it's great! Now, we're off to Cozumel for 5 days or so!

Gym Follow-Up: My First (official) Trainer Session

2009-01-09T17:31:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia I had my first official trainer session since becoming a member at the gym last night. Lea started me off by getting all of my deets and I made sure to have the old "seriously, I don't care about numbers and other misc. bullshit- I just wanna be healthy" talk with her. It's so disturbing to me that I've had to defend that common-sense position many times over the years, but she was totally down with it, even if she thought I was at least a little full of shit. She was extremely patient and gracious throughout our session- even when I forgot to turn off my foul-mouth switch and proclaimed that "my gunt hurts!"

I have to say, this arrangement makes me feel completely set-up for success. Having appointments to make forces me to be accountable, and my only current homework is to drag my butt in there at least once a week on my own to do 45 mins of cardio work. I find this and the general way Lea works to have such a basic logic and simplicity to it that I can't resist complying. The way she managed the counts on my workout moves made it sound absurd to not just do 5 or 10 more of whatever, or hold for 15 more seconds. This week, that has been the best motivator, with a lil bit of not wanting to be the biggest wuss in the place coming in second.

ps- my abs totally hurt today, and this is really good!

Portland Gym Search is Over

2009-01-06T12:20:00.000-08:00

Image by superphoebe via FlickrSo, I used to have a bunch of health problems. Basically, I think that high stress, a bad diet, and a lifetime of sleep problems manifested as all kinds of mess from pancreatic issues to fibromyalgia to even being misdiagnosed with MS!

My only real problems that remain are annoying allergies to just about anything indoors and outdoors as well as food allergies to poultry and eggs. These things are controlled well by allergy pills and avoiding poultry and egg, so everything is pretty hunky dory.

I got on the road to wellness by getting care at Nature Cures clinic in Portland. They are seriously the only ones that ever helped me make lasting changes in my health and comfort. My treatment worked so well that I went from testing horribly to having textbook perfect results on my bloodwork at the UW medical center. It was there that the Doctor said, "Well, you're really very healthy. Just fat- that's really the only thing you have left." (OK, he probavbly didn't use the word "fat," but whatever...) And, sadly, or happily, this is true.

So, with a new-found spring in my step, I embark on my next health journey: fitness! It's true that I've put on a buncha weight since moving back to Portland, but that is really just the physical evidence of poor cardiovascular health and overall fitness resulting from too much computer sitting, a poor diet, and not enough running around and getting awesome on a physical level. Work & graduate school are my ass' enemy.

I have spent the last month investigating gyms in the Portland area to see where I will be getting awesome on a physical level. After much deliberating and comparison, I have chosen the big, somewhat douchey 24 hr Fitness in the Pearl. Why? Well, it came down to locations/convenience, a saltwater pool, price, and the personal trainer I met- Lea.

I plan to continue with at least one more blog post, maybe upload my little spreadsheet to compare and contrast Portland gyms for anyone interested, but I would also love to hear from y'all about your gyms and your workout preferences in the comments.

Do you use a gym?

Which one?

What is your favorite workout?

Do you use/have you used a personal trainer?

Holiday Handmade Shopping Guide: Winglion

2008-12-12T18:02:00.000-08:00

OK, this is true holiday craft at it's most delightful! I was unimaginably thrilled to get my new set of Christmas tree napkins in the mail recently. These things are so much clever fun, and not detail is overlooked by the creators at Winglion.

These napkin sets, table runners and quilts are made by two sisters right here in Oregon!

Holiday Handmade Shopping Guide: Pearly Grey

2008-12-12T13:44:00.000-08:00

It's highly possible that you, like me, know a ton of folks who are in the baby-making craze right now- just trying to get their families going before their clocks explode. This is my, at least, third round of baby-making in my groups of friends over the years. And, I have never been able to get anything more adorable, smart and truly useful than the great baby clothes, soft toys, blankets and other accouterments made by Jen of Pearly Grey!

I make a regular habit of getting the hospital takeout kit for baby showers, and I always win! She is highly skilled at making the cutest things that never fall apart, and you can find her, along with me and 180 other vendors at this Sunday's Crafty Wonderland Holiday Show!

Crafty Wonderland this Sunday! Get your shop on, and get free stuff!

2008-12-10T11:53:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to be vendor at this year's Crafty Wonderland Super Colossal Holiday Sale, sharing a table with Ladymade and sitting next to PDX Softgoods! My brother Phil and I went as shoppers last year and nearly passed out from the energy and super-sweet deals flying around. I hope I get to shop it as well as sell my goods! For those of you not selling, you should know that the 1st 200 folks will get goodie bags filled with excellent, real-life items from many of the 180 vendors there! This will be a really great time, rain, shine, or flakes!

as Sister Diane of DIY alert sez:
Winter Wonderland Indeed!
You know Portland's craft culture has arrived when our beloved Crafty Wonderland holds its Super Colossal Holiday Sale at the Oregon Convention Center. Yup, it's that big.

If you attended last year's sale, you know that this Sunday will offer a mind-blowing array of creative locals, selling all kinds of awesome. The first 200 people through the door get goodie bags! And the OCC will give us all plenty of room to shop and chat. Get all the details over here.

1st Craft Show of the Holiday Season

2008-12-04T09:44:00.000-08:00

I'm very excited to be selling my goods at Handmade NW's super fancy, elegant & lovely craft show & sale this Sunday! Stop by to say "Hi."

Why formal? It's in a historic 1920's ballroom, with live classical music. A wide range of local artisans will be there, and once you've selected your gifts, you can stop by the gift-wrapping table and get them all packaged up. Proceeds from the gift wrapping, by the way, will benefit Habitat for Humanity.

Holiday Handmade Shopping Guide: Autumn Comfort Candles

2008-12-01T17:46:00.000-08:00

Image of Autumn Drey Autumn Comfort candles are made from all-natural soy and palm waxes, with lead-free wicks. Candle maker & mother of 2 boys Autumn Drey hand cuts and paints wine bottles to form beautiful, durable holders. Her hand poured all natural soy candles are made in small batches to insure consistent quality and made with the most delicious, high quality fragrances and essential oils in beautiful frosted glass jars, unique tumblers and fabulous hand decorated, hand cut wine bottle jars. She is always thinking of ways to recycle, upcycle and use natural and safe ingredients while making the world a prettier and nicer smelling place!

Autumn's from Portland, so I've had the good fortune of picking up some delightful candles from her at one of the many, many craft shows she does. And let me tell you this- her prices are eye-poppingly great! Here is example of getting very nice, and nice-looking gifts that deliver great bang for your buck! Just try not to bite into the blueberry cheesecake one- I dare you!

cool upcoming craft show!

2008-11-27T16:45:00.000-08:00

I Know what I'm doing on my lunch break next Tuesday! Anyone wanna meet up for some shoppin'?

Join us on Tuesday, Dec. 2nd at The World Trade Center Plaza for a fabulous holiday gift shopping experience! This event is downtown just 3 blocks away from Pioneer Place during the heart of the season. Join us for a celebration of ingenuity and thoughtful gifts. A handmade gift is the finest way to express your appreciation of friends, family and community this holiday season, and we've gathered some of the northwest's most innovative and talented crafters to make your winter warmer. Over 50 fabulous local artists and shoppers will enjoy large booth sizes and wide aisles for a day of local & handmade shopping as well as:

gift wrapping provided by Habitat for Humanity!
a glass-blowing demonstration by Aquila Glass School!
refreshments provided by Peet's Coffee & Tea!

This unique weekday art and craft fair is a great opportunity to take a long lunch from work and do some crafty shopping. All kinds of wonderful goodies made by local, Northwest artists are for sale. Visit the website for more information.

Look forward to seeing you there!

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

10am-6pm

World Trade Center Plaza
121 SW Salmon St
Portland, OR 97204

www.HandmadeNW.com

2008-11-26T16:09:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-26T14:46:00.000-08:00

One Laptop per child is on Amazon with buy one, get one!

2008-11-16T13:53:00.000-08:00

It's so exciting the the OLPC has a site on Amazon now in which you can buy a laptop for a kid and get one for yourself! And, they're only 200 bucks! It's not in my budget at the moment, but I am excited at the possibility of playing around with this super cool, little, extra-durable machine that runs on a cool new feat of user-centered design: sugar. There are no files, folders or applications. The unit of interaction is activity! We got the benefit of checking out sugar in my Human-Computer Interaction class at UW a couple of years ago, and I was impressed by the approach then. I am even more delighted now by the improvements in sugar as well as for the hardware of the laptop, which is especially designed for harsh conditions, bright sunlight, you name it. There is no way I wouldn't be getting this if I had kids. There is much likelihood I will get one even though I don't have kids!

ouch!

2008-11-08T14:16:00.000-08:00

This lil critter is so cute it's hurting me! Behbeh QT pygmy hippo

classic and awesome

2008-11-05T20:23:00.000-08:00

star spangled PDX

2008-11-05T14:52:00.000-08:00

Check yer cynicism at the door! Portland is thrilled!

This is so cool it makes me want to cry happy...

2008-11-04T13:43:00.000-08:00

Portland Hope Meadows is one of the projects/orgs supported by my work, and I was lucky enough to catch a brief news story about the first Hope Meadows which serves as the model for this amazing venture. Basically, honorary "grandparents" give about 6 hours a week to mentor/help out foster/adopted kids and their families in this intergenerational community.

Portland Hope Meadow's Mission is to develop and sustain intergenerational neighborhoods for adoptive families of foster children that promote permanency, community and caring relationships, while offering safety and meaningful purpose in the daily lives of older adults. Find out more here.

The Portland Hope Meadows is in the fund raising and getting the word out phase to create this amazing place for these kids. You can help, even without money! If anyone can find the video from the news story, or if you happen across it, can you post it here?
OK thx bye

Don't Vote?

2008-10-31T15:13:00.000-07:00

So excited to see Tammytown on Netflix!

2008-10-30T09:34:00.000-07:00

Check it out! Once again, we/I never know what's going on with ol' Tammytown out there due to Indiepix not having talked to any of us for almost a year... I'm not cranky about it, though! No, really! So, once upon a time we had been told we might be on Netflix, and it is unclear whether or not you can really get it... But, it can be added to a cue or saved or something. So, please save away! This is almost as exciting as when Timberland bought it, performed original cataloging, and thus got the movie entered into OCLC's worldcat! (As a librarian & nerd, there is little more that could get me this jazzed!)

Also, whoever wrote the description of the movie as seen in the Netflix catalog made me green with envy! I really wish I had written it! "Lesbian pal" is alittle cheesy, but the rest is awesome!!! I will be using that from here on out!

In 1989, transfer student Tammie Pritchett (Anna Kaye) upsets the delicate social balance of Hellgate High when she unwittingly attracts boys away from her hell-bent rival Tammy Sylvester (Jessica Aceti). While Tammy fights to bring down the newcomer, Tammie stays afloat with the help of a new lesbian pal. The laughs -- and the hair -- are big in this affectionate salute to the '80s high school experience, shot on location in western Washington.

Yay! Also, if you want to buy a copy, let me know as I have tons left over from last year's screening parties. I will throw in a free soundtrack CD that I screenprinted myself!

This is too funny! (for animation and editing nerds)

2008-10-29T09:26:00.000-07:00

You've probably heard of Autodesk. They're the people who created AutoCAD.
They also created the most popular 3D program for video game creation, 3ds
Max. They recently purchased Alias, which created Maya, the biggest 3D
program for filmmaking. In the past week, they purchased another major
program, Softimage, by a company named Avid. Needless to say, they are
consolidating all the commercial 3D apps.

vote how you like!

2008-10-28T15:00:00.000-07:00

Who wants to see Greening of Southie with me this weekend?

2008-10-10T13:16:00.000-07:00

Hollywood Theatre - Portland
41st Avenue at NE Sandy Blvd, Portland, OR, USA
1:15 OR 3:15pm

Posted about it last week.

I'm thinkin' 3:15 on either Sat or Sunday, but I'm still waiting to find out about landlord walk-through with old roomie before M moves in. Everything is going on at once!

To space or double space- it's driving me crazy!

2008-10-10T10:32:00.000-07:00

It has been years since this has come up so frequently in my life, but over the past few months, I have been surrounded by the confusion of spacing after punctuation in word processing. It is mainly in several of my friends' resumes and cover letters that this has come up but also in blogs, personal emails/letters and even twitter!

So, I went straight to my old Moms for the straight dope on spacing. (She's been a Professor of English and Grammar for decades now. She was even referred to as "the Grammar Nazi" at one school.) And, I got this response:

One space after end punctuation. The 2 space deal was for typewriters, but word processing programs automatically adjust for the space. You can use my street cred— associate prof at UMUC.

And, how many spaces after colons?

Single.

I also heard this discussed in my grad program. Several of my teachers hated the improper use of double-spacing.

My Q's for you, dear friends:

Do you agree with this? Why or why not?

So, does this mean that it is weird if I know some actual millennials who double-space after everything but commas?

Do you still double-space and/or believe it is more proper?

When did you switch, if you did?

I have a vague memory of being told to stop the double-spacing sometime in college- possibly 1994? I pretty much accepted it and never looked back. I like the single space. You?

I miss my garbage pail kids!

2008-10-09T08:37:00.000-07:00

Please to look at Garbage Palin!

Cuteness shared by Grant

2008-10-03T11:45:00.000-07:00

Come See The Greening Of Southie!

2008-10-02T17:30:00.000-07:00

OMG! My King Corn pals have their new movie coming to Portland! And, it's got some really great time lapse and animation. Looks incredibly interesting and entertaining!

T he Greening of Southie (Documentary)
NOT Rated, 82 min.
Showtimes: Mon-Thur, Oct 06-09: 7:30, 9:15
Weekend showtimes TBA - filmmaker Curt Ellis in attendance at all shows, Sunday October 12

MultCoLib is growing an eco-roof!

2008-09-30T16:51:00.000-07:00

Check out Multnomah's Central Library Eco-Roof
You can get a tour of it, too!

Laugh-Out-Loud Cats #950

2008-09-26T12:44:00.000-07:00

Laugh-Out-Loud Cats #950
by Apelad

Conan doing the lord's work!

2008-09-26T10:09:00.000-07:00

hahaha aflac!

Wikiality- one of Colbert's best!

2008-09-26T10:05:00.000-07:00

Mom pointed this to me- so funny!

dude! have you seen this site?

2008-09-24T09:41:00.000-07:00

http://www.perspctv.com/#charts

keeps you up to speed on all things election and looks good to boot. Nice infographic pron, btw!

High Fructose Corn Syrup ads

2008-09-23T15:30:00.000-07:00

Jen & Greg and I almost spit our cane-sugar sweetened apple pie across the room the other night when we saw an actual ad for HFCS!

The Diabetes Mine blog really sez it all so perfectly.

I heart Michelle Obama!

2008-09-23T15:18:00.000-07:00

Pure f-ing genius!

2008-09-21T00:16:00.000-07:00

This is some of the best editing evar! really worth watching through the whole way!

Weekend Plans!

2008-09-19T10:30:00.000-07:00

Sat: Thinking about riding bikes over to Wilshire Park for Russell St BBQ fundraiser for Community Cylcing Center 12-4pm, looks fun! and, um, yum!

I'll be one of the vendors at:

Mini Crafty Wonderland at Fir Fest!
Doug Fir Lounge presents their semi-annual FREE outdoor music & art extravaganza!
With music by LOCH LOMOND, BARK HIDE AND HORN, Y LA BAMBA
plus Arts, Crafts, Fashion & more!
Come see the mini Crafty Wonderland and enjoy some live music!
Saturday September 20
Show - 5pm - 10pm
FREE! 21+
On the OUTDOOR Jupiter/Doug Fir patio
Cocktails by Dewars

work is cool where I work!

2008-09-16T17:16:00.000-07:00

Today we went live with the new staff section at work.

You gotta love a place where peeps can be arty and goofy and fun! I got to do the redesign, for the most part. I loved playing with everyone's pics. It was also a perfect way to get to know all of my new coworkers. I'm feeling like I've got it pretty good where I am! Not only is my job serving me up lots of creativity & geekery opportunities, but it is really hitting me how good it feels to work for good, not evil, or even shmevil. MMT just gave out over $2 million bucks!

Crafty Wonderland!

2008-09-11T17:08:00.000-07:00

I'll be showcasing a fresh batch of new lamps and the usual cuteness this Sunday, AND next Saturday for Fir Fest!

Sunday, September 14th
11am - 4pm
at Doug Fir Lounge
830 E. Burnside in Portland
All ages - Free admission!
more details and a full vendor list at:
www.craftywonderland.com

ha ha ha ha I totally love Gina Gershon, who knew?

2008-09-11T13:46:00.000-07:00

See more Gina Gershon videos at Funny or Die

Stop Palin before she stops you!

2008-09-10T13:07:00.000-07:00

(god I wish this photo was real...)

A Repost from an email I received today:

Friends and compatriots,

We are writing to you because of the fury and dread we have felt since the announcement of Sarah Palin as the Vice-Presidential candidate for the Republican Party. We believe that this terrible decision has surpassed mere partisanship, and that it is a dangerous farce-on the part of a pandering and rudderless Presidential candidate-that has a real possibility of becoming fact.

Perhaps like us, as American women, you share the fear of what Ms. Palin and her professed beliefs and proven record could lead to for ourselves and for our present or future daughters. To date, she is against sex education, the pro-choice platform, environmental protection, alternative energy development, freedom of speech (as mayor she wanted to ban books and attempted to fire the librarian who stood against her), gun control, the separation of church and state, and polar bears. To say nothing of her complete lack of real preparation to become the second-most-powerful person on the planet.

We want to clarify that we are not against Sarah Palin as a woman, a mother, or, for that matter, a parent of a pregnant teenager, but solely as a rash, incompetent, and all together devastating choice for Vice President. Ms. Palin's political views are in every way a slap in the face to the accomplishments that our mothers and grandmothers so fiercely fought for, and that we've so demonstrably benefited from.

First and foremost, Ms. Palin does not represent us. She does not demonstrate or uphold our interests as American women. It is presumed that the inclusion of a woman on the Republican ticket could win over women voters. We want to disagree, publicly.

Therefore, we invite you to reply here with a short, succinct message about why you, as a woman living in this country, do not support this candidate as second-in-command for our nation.

Please include your name (last initial is fine), age, and place of residence.

We will post your responses on a blog called "Women Against Sarah Palin," which we intend to publicize as widely as possible. Please send us your reply at your earliest convenience-the greater the volume of responses we receive, the stronger our message will be.

Thank you for your time and action.

VIVA!

Sincerely,

Quinn L. and Lyra K.
New York, NY
womensaynopalin@gmail.com

Iron Artist this weekend! Support SCRAP

2008-09-09T15:32:00.000-07:00

OMG! cat heaven!!!

2008-08-28T21:45:00.000-07:00

support cat heaven! http://www.cathouseonthekings.com/index.php

No cages, no kills, just adoptions and frolicking!