badgerbag

Semantics, Gender, and 'Cis' - a very good post!

Yesterday hung out all morning wiht rae_beta. We poked around in the garden. I was walking super well and am really, really happy with that. Actually I"m a bit terrified to lose it, because it was convenient and I get to beetle around so much quicker doing things as they occur to me to do instead of planning "getting up now" trips out of bed. I folded a million loads of laundry and fixed the dishwasher and put stuff away and then we made wreaths out of lavender and gossiped. By the time we hit the salvadorean place for late lunch I was back in the wheelchair. Then I had a nap, she took off, Rook came home, Moomin came home, Zond-7 came over, Rook fell asleep.



Zond7 and I went out to see his current favorite comedian (or one of them) Maria Bamford in San Jose. She was even better in person than in video clips! I highly recommend you go and see her or watch a whole DVD length performance ! She was great! David Garcia was very good too. I wasn't too into the other guy Larry something, though he did okay. Z. has spent months looking at comedian clips and so I have benefited from his massive effort of filtering and only have to watch Stew Lee, Maria Bamford, and Tig Nataro. Other good ones will be reported as discovered!

We thought about hanging around San JOse to analyze its weird trying to be cool "scene" but were both too tired to stay out. Came home and I had sort of a fight with Rook. That's all I'm going to say about that I guess. This morning we all went off to the parade which was amazing as always. There are so many different and often slightly pathetic parade participants. Like there'll be two people holding up a banner and then a little knot of other people behind them. Maybe with funny hats on or deelybobbers or riding in a classic car with the name of a local business hung off the back. There were shriners in little cars (and segways) and marching bands and girls with batons, a slightly smaller than usual falun dafa contingent, a lot of small groups of either military branches or odd "Lodge" or veterans groups (my favorite definitely the pearl harbor survivors on top of a huge truck, all very old, happy, and wearing hawaiian shirts) The floats this year weren't as good as some previous years - the theme was Music and somehoe that didn't lend itself to extravagant floats. the best was the one done up like a fake pink cadillac with fins, a jukebox, actual human dancers, giant root beer float, burger, hot dog, and fries. Like, each fry a huge foam thing as big as a person. Hilarious. That was the only float that could rival the best year which was Highway 280 where every one made floats with landmarks from the highway. And isn't that a weird theme for a parade??? The ultimate best thign from this year was "Recology" which was a big shiny red garbage truck and about 12 dudes with metal trash cans who did a sort of dance routine with their trash cans. They ran quick march to the back of the truck, and then up again in front, clashed their cans together in groups of 4, twirled the cans around... Holy crap. It was sexy and hilarious. I was laughing so hard!



The outfits of the Chico Bavarian band were worthy of note. Black suede shorts with tassels and embroidery! Really amazing!



Nothing better than Los Trancos Woods marching band tho, fantastic outfits that filled me with love and awe, all running around and playing kazoos and stuff.



Rook's classmates are coming over for backyard bbq. it's hot out but we both watered the patio and i'm hoping it'll cool off in an hour or so... as long as I don't actually have to cook anything... I'll cut up watermelon or make smoothies maybe.

I'm exhausted too but resting up and can certainly be social for a while longer!

maybe a smoothie now and a chess game with Moomin...

This entry was originally posted at http://badgerbag.dreamwidth.org/305461.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

Semantics, Gender, and 'Cis' - a very good post!

Fredrick Douglass speech from 1852 4th of July! Great!

The blessings in which you, this day, rejoice, are not enjoyed in common. The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity and independence, bequeathed by your fathers, is shared by you, not by me. The sunlight that brought light and healing to you, has brought stripes and death to me. This Fourth July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn.

Yesterday hung out all morning wiht rae_beta. We poked around in the garden. I was walking super well and am really, really happy with that. Actually I"m a bit terrified to lose it, because it was convenient and I get to beetle around so much quicker doing things as they occur to me to do instead of planning "getting up now" trips out of bed. I folded a million loads of laundry and fixed the dishwasher and put stuff away and then we made wreaths out of lavender and gossiped. By the time we hit the salvadorean place for late lunch I was back in the wheelchair. Then I had a nap, she took off, Rook came home, Moomin came home, Zond-7 came over, Rook fell asleep.





Zond7 and I went out to see his current favorite comedian (or one of them) Maria Bamford in San Jose. She was even better in person than in video clips! I highly recommend you go and see her or watch a whole DVD length performance ! She was great! David Garcia was very good too. I wasn't too into the other guy Larry something, though he did okay. Z. has spent months looking at comedian clips and so I have benefited from his massive effort of filtering and only have to watch Stew Lee, Maria Bamford, and Tig Nataro. Other good ones will be reported as discovered!

We thought about hanging around San JOse to analyze its weird trying to be cool "scene" but were both too tired to stay out. Came home and I had sort of a fight with Rook. That's all I'm going to say about that I guess. This morning we all went off to the parade which was amazing as always. There are so many different and often slightly pathetic parade participants. Like there'll be two people holding up a banner and then a little knot of other people behind them. Maybe with funny hats on or deelybobbers or riding in a classic car with the name of a local business hung off the back. There were shriners in little cars (and segways) and marching bands and girls with batons, a slightly smaller than usual falun dafa contingent, a lot of small groups of either military branches or odd "Lodge" or veterans groups (my favorite definitely the pearl harbor survivors on top of a huge truck, all very old, happy, and wearing hawaiian shirts) The floats this year weren't as good as some previous years - the theme was Music and somehoe that didn't lend itself to extravagant floats. the best was the one done up like a fake pink cadillac with fins, a jukebox, actual human dancers, giant root beer float, burger, hot dog, and fries. Like, each fry a huge foam thing as big as a person. Hilarious. That was the only float that could rival the best year which was Highway 280 where every one made floats with landmarks from the highway. And isn't that a weird theme for a parade??? The ultimate best thign from this year was "Recology" which was a big shiny red garbage truck and about 12 dudes with metal trash cans who did a sort of dance routine with their trash cans. They ran quick march to the back of the truck, and then up again in front, clashed their cans together in groups of 4, twirled the cans around... Holy crap. It was sexy and hilarious. I was laughing so hard!



The outfits of the Chico Bavarian band were worthy of note. Black suede shorts with tassels and embroidery! Really amazing!



Grupo Folklorico dancers, all ages!



Nothing better than Los Trancos Woods marching band tho, fantastic outfits that filled me with love and awe, all running around and playing kazoos and stuff.



Rook's classmates are coming over for backyard bbq. it's hot out but we both watered the patio and i'm hoping it'll cool off in an hour or so... as long as I don't actually have to cook anything... I'll cut up watermelon or make smoothies maybe.

I'm exhausted too but resting up and can certainly be social for a while longer!

maybe a smoothie now and a chess game with Moomin...

Moomin in "journalist hat", in tie dye waving a flag

This entry was originally posted at http://badgerbag.dreamwidth.org/305898.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

Drove Zond-7 to Milbrae, came home and cleaned up a little and so on. Hung out with Moomin taking photos of spiderwebs and bees.



I was feeling sad and tired but then perked up for our party. Rook's classmates are super nice and fun and I like to be a party host. so that was awesome. We did bbq chicken and sat in the yard, which wasn't too hot but instead was stunningly perfect weather suddenly at 5pm when they started to show up! People in their 20s! a bunch of them ! Lively! I am old... They have all just moved here from other places into dorms and student housing at Staffnord and over the course of the party all sidled up to me to say how nice it was to be in an actual home. I felt the full force of girlycon-esque feelings wash over me. They have now all gone off with Rook (taking Moomin, appallingly past his bedtime) to see fireworks. I love fireworks passionately but am not physically up to a giant trek in crowded and cold and damp conditions (they are over the water out at the port and VERY lot of traffic etc, only worth it if you go hours before hand with blankets and food and establish yourselves). rae_beta went to emperor norton's grave and then likely out somewhere in SF with people. I already miss her and she's only stayed in my house 2 days!

*** a wad of classmates came back ***

The best bit of the party aside from the school folks being nice was Nukie's cousins coming over. His small cousins were afraid to come into the yard full of grown ups. "Don't LOOK at them" Nuku advised. "Just walk by. There are MARSHMALLOWS." We made s'mores. The small cousins got more comfortable and then the big teenage cousins drifted in like big awkward hulking almost-teenagers. I think the biggest one who often ends up here is maybe 12 but he looks almost adult - I feel very happy to give him popsicles and have him run with the little kids. Rook disarmed them with some good questions about the rules of the ball game they play in the street, which is rugby and which is what they play in Tonga. They know a lot and are very willing to explain it, which broke the ice! THEN... I pulled out some snaps (the kind you throw on the ground and they explode) and rolls of red paper caps for cap guns. "The experts should dispense them to the others" ... "I'm an expert! I'm an expert!" but no one had ever done it. The older kids were extremely bold in taking rocks so big they're boulders and dropping them on a whole roll of caps unrolled & then folded over. Anyway, picture us all sticky with marshmallows and it being about 9pm - dusk - and me in my wheelchair in the driveway maniacally snipping off pieces of red gunpowder papers. And let's see, Moomin and Nukie, the two small cousins, and then at least 3 older ones, kind of flipping out with rocks and gunpowder. SO AWESOME!!!!



I felt much better about the day!

I got to feel a bit like Mrs. Piggle Wiggle, which I always enjoy (but which I have mixed feelings about sometimes because it's a lot of work and I don't have as much energy as I'd like to spare.)

read a little bit of the "free range kids" book which is not useful for me because I already think that way but which might be a good present for several children I know. Perhaps E. or her friend Octavia.

rae_beta gave us a rubbing of emperor norton's gravestone! it's hanging on the wall! we are sad to see her go!

This morning I gave Moomin two dollars in quarters for folding laundry and helping me sort through a tub of old bits of toys. He sat on his bed holding the quarters and contemplating our cat Rocket who was sprawled in a patch of sun. "Ah... what I wouldn't give to be that cat! Lying in the sun! Happy as can be! No worries about money! Not a care in the world!" Moomin sighed. Luckily he didn't look up to see my face...

You may imagine me giggling afterwards in the kitchen as quietly as I could.

Now his friend T. is over. They're discussing the technicalities of wood elves vs. swamp elves.

I feel lucky to have so many amazing kids in my life!

This entry was originally posted at http://badgerbag.dreamwidth.org/306013.html. Please comment there using OpenID.