Hotter Than a Pepper Sprout

I'm learning that I may be more of a fan of anniversaries than the general population, and this year is a rather big one for anniversaries. On one hand, I think I just appreciate any excuse to celebrate, and being more conscious about the passing of time makes me feel slightly more in control. So gentle readers, be advised that this may be the first of many (more) posts about anniversaries and milestone in the life of Amy.  One of this year's big anniversaries is the 15th anniversary of my employment as a public librarian with "my" current library system. (According to Hallmark, traditional presents for this anniversary are crystal or watches). Oh my thoughts about being a librarian are myriad and complicated, and (I have realized through hard life lessons) any blog post about such needs to be scrupulously screened by my inner voice of reason (and most importantly, Chad). Let me start with all the stereotypes about librarians...I know every practitioner of every ca...

I've been thinking a lot lately about what I keep and what I do with it, and what I try to let go of. Not only did I have to do this recently with my work possessions (please see previous post for all the exciting details) but it's a central theme of the one-act "Bird Icon" that Chad and I are in the midst of re-booting. (Marketing alert: you can still come see this show this weekend in Cottage Grove and Forest Lake: http://minnesotaplaylist.com/performance/audience/daddy-issues-library-edition )  Claire pondering keep or toss in "Bird Icon" The play opens with my character, Claire, going through her recently deceased father's things and deciding what to keep or toss. Claire is much more on the ball about such matters than I am. My mom died fourteen years ago today, and I finally took some time this afternoon to go through a stockpile of her jewelry, thoughtfully saved for me by sister, Jenn. Although I didn't specifically remember or recog...

"After changes upon changes we are more or less the same." -- The Boxer by Paul Simon That lyric has stayed with me since I first heard it (well) over thirty years ago. I go back and forth on how accurate I think it is, but I've certainly kept one characteristic through all the many changes of my life: my inability to keep a neat and organized space. This is sometimes painfully and sometimes hilariously demonstrated by the disarray, clutter, and plain old mess of any environment I inhabit: my car, my house, and work space, whether it's an office, desk, or locker.  My out-of-control work space was an issue recently when I had to pack up my cube in preparation for new carpet installation. The angst was intensified by a deadline: we had to get our space cleared by 5:00 p.m. on a specified day. Of course I waited to the last day to work on this project because I apparently unconsciously crave self-inflicted drama. My cube, mid-packing. If you look closely you ...

What do you think people will say at your funeral? What do you want them to say? Or would you prefer they forgo words and express themselves through interpretive dance? Today I attended the funeral of a friend's stepdad. I got the impression he was an amazing and multifaceted man who led a long and complex life filled with love and service, and also a fair amount of difficulty. Not for the first time, it made me wish that I had known my dad more fully, not just as my dad, or my mom's nemesis, or as Goodtime Gordie, but as a unique and real person. Of course I wish I had known my mom better, too, but my dad was always more of an enigma.  If I have any advice to give to those whose parents are still living, it's not to love your parents or appreciate them more. Oh sure, if you can do that, that's awesome, but you probably are already loving and appreciating them as much as you can. But are you paying attention? Try to learn about them, and notice them, and see them no...

Yesterday Chad and I scored an unexpected find: we discovered spicy locally made You Betcha Kimchi for sale at the NE Farmer's Market. I'm happy to be on the kimchi bandwagon. In fact, I'm a fan of food trends in general. Even when they are silly and annoying, they often increase our awareness of and access to foods that are new to us. Okay, the trend to put pumpkin flavor in everything may be out of control, but it's also become a rather comforting and familiar sign of fall. As far as I know, no one is selling pumpkin-flavored kimchi. Yet. But last fall I did try some acorn squash with kimchi and it was pretty good, So maybe there is some kimchi and pumpkin combination that will work...ooh that could be the flavor I enter in next year's Lay's potato chip contest ! While I'm happy that the joys of kimchi are now being brought to the world at large, I'm not a kimchi fan because it's trendy. I've been loving it for over twenty years, long bef...

"Do something uncomfortable today. By stepping out of your box, you don't have to settle for what you are--you get to create who you want to become"-- Howard Walstein This quote greeted me on Facebook last Wednesday, posted by my awesome friend Sandy. It's hard to imagine something more appropriate, as I was about to do something that made me uncomfortable in many, many, ways (including a little physical discomfort, squished in the van for a four hour trip):  I was off on a road trip up north, WAY up north, to act in my first murder mystery dinner theater.   Those of you who have known me for a long time probably get what a stretch this was for me, for several reasons: I don't enjoy interactive theater or audience participation, at least not as a member of the audience. When confronted with audience interaction (which only happens if I have misunderstood the nature of the performance) I try to sink in my seat and pray I don't get chosen, without sinking...

Chad and I have lived in our house in NE Minneapolis for fifteen years, as of this May. Sadly, I totally spaced this momentous anniversary, and missed the opportunity to commemorate it with a party, or an outing, or even a toast. Oh well, maybe next year we can do something for our "Sweet Sixteen." I know fifteen years isn't necessarily that long in the grand scheme of things, or even homes, but it should be long enough to get to know a neighborhood pretty well. So I'm often surprised when I realize there are still so many things (and by things I usually mean bars) about my little corner of the world that I still don't know.  Today I made a small dent in decreasing my ignorance by doing a bit of exploring on the trails along the Mississippi about two miles from our house. I won't spend too much time trying to write about geography and location and all that jazz. Given my lack of understanding of these things, it would just be frustrating and confusing for al...