- Deb in Mad City (journal)
- ...because democracy... (political opinion)
- photos (favorite photography)
If you have subscribed via email, no changes are necessary, I am just sending to the Yahoo group from FeedBurner instead of from Blogger.
Monday, April 30, 2007
This blog has moved!
Now that I have fewer Madison-specific posts (settling in!), I've consolidated my 3 blogs:
If you have subscribed via email, no changes are necessary, I am just sending to the Yahoo group from FeedBurner instead of from Blogger.
If you have subscribed via email, no changes are necessary, I am just sending to the Yahoo group from FeedBurner instead of from Blogger.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Moving on!
I have never been more miserable in a job than I have been in the one I currently hold. In fact, I
don't think I have ever been miserable in a job at all. Not even at Burger King! :-)
Of course, this is not something one blogs about until they have an alternative... So yes, I am pleased to tell you that I am leaving the startup tech company (the one that was acquired 8 weeks after I started) for an opportunity with an very well-established health care services firm. I'll be managing the staff overseeing their IT infrastructure (about 250 servers and a large storage environment) - work similar to what I enjoyed at DOT.
My new company seems like a great organization. They involved all the staff I'd be managing in the interviews, which says a lot about the company, and allowed me to meet what seems to be very talented, dedicated team of folks. When I discussed the importance of regular hours and having a life outside the office, my boss's boss reassured me by noting that, by interviewing me past 5:00, I had triggered cell phone calls from his wife wondering where he was! The benefits are good, and include domestic partner benefits, so Susan won't have to go back to self-insuring again.
Here's hoping this will be the job I long for -- challenging and rewarding work as part of a cohesive team, and work that does not follow me home every night.
I am so grateful for the support that Susan and others have given me in this extremely trying period. This job has had me tied up in knots for months, with Susan nearly single-handedly giving me the energy I needed to make it through.
Lucky. I am lucky.
don't think I have ever been miserable in a job at all. Not even at Burger King! :-) Of course, this is not something one blogs about until they have an alternative... So yes, I am pleased to tell you that I am leaving the startup tech company (the one that was acquired 8 weeks after I started) for an opportunity with an very well-established health care services firm. I'll be managing the staff overseeing their IT infrastructure (about 250 servers and a large storage environment) - work similar to what I enjoyed at DOT.
My new company seems like a great organization. They involved all the staff I'd be managing in the interviews, which says a lot about the company, and allowed me to meet what seems to be very talented, dedicated team of folks. When I discussed the importance of regular hours and having a life outside the office, my boss's boss reassured me by noting that, by interviewing me past 5:00, I had triggered cell phone calls from his wife wondering where he was! The benefits are good, and include domestic partner benefits, so Susan won't have to go back to self-insuring again.Here's hoping this will be the job I long for -- challenging and rewarding work as part of a cohesive team, and work that does not follow me home every night.
I am so grateful for the support that Susan and others have given me in this extremely trying period. This job has had me tied up in knots for months, with Susan nearly single-handedly giving me the energy I needed to make it through.
Lucky. I am lucky.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Home cities old and new
What a phenomenal day! Many, many people were at the first day of the farmer's market today, but Susan and I spent the morning out on 
the porch with our coffee, reading the paper, catching up on e-mail, relaxing as music streamed from the iPod dock through the open windows of the house (David Bowie's "Boys Keep Swinging," from Lodger, is still in my head). Neighbors came over to join us for a bit.
The winters here are cold for some people, but I am so, so grateful for the beautiful spring and summer here, days when I can be outside and active, comfortably. It was in the mid-70's today, which is more summer-like here. So after our leisurely morning, we set out on our bikes to go a
couple of miles down the bike trail to the Earth Day celebration at the Habitat for Humanity Re-Store. After browsing the tables and getting some leads on earth-friendly building resources, we came back past the house and rode on to the Weary Traveler, a neighborhood bar we hadn't made it to yet, for an early dinner. Like so many of the bars here (no smoking, yea!), they serve not only good beer, but good food; we shared the Thai Tom Ka Tofu soup, I had the Walleye sandwich with rosemary potatoes, and Susan had the vegan chili and cornbread -- all outstanding. Such a wealth of riches we have!
the porch with our coffee, reading the paper, catching up on e-mail, relaxing as music streamed from the iPod dock through the open windows of the house (David Bowie's "Boys Keep Swinging," from Lodger, is still in my head). Neighbors came over to join us for a bit.The winters here are cold for some people, but I am so, so grateful for the beautiful spring and summer here, days when I can be outside and active, comfortably. It was in the mid-70's today, which is more summer-like here. So after our leisurely morning, we set out on our bikes to go a
couple of miles down the bike trail to the Earth Day celebration at the Habitat for Humanity Re-Store. After browsing the tables and getting some leads on earth-friendly building resources, we came back past the house and rode on to the Weary Traveler, a neighborhood bar we hadn't made it to yet, for an early dinner. Like so many of the bars here (no smoking, yea!), they serve not only good beer, but good food; we shared the Thai Tom Ka Tofu soup, I had the Walleye sandwich with rosemary potatoes, and Susan had the vegan chili and cornbread -- all outstanding. Such a wealth of riches we have!But enough about my "new" city -- last weekend we returned to DC to visit with friends and family, about a year after our move to Madison. We flew in Thursday morning, and headed to the Eastern Shore to visit Susan's grandmother, Marion. We also got to see Aunt Kate and cousin Sammy! 
(Check out this picture of Susan and Marion -- some family resemblance, eh?) We also had a chance to stop in at 2 of our favorite spots in Easton: Coffee East, and Legal Spirits (for crab soup -- yep, Susan fell off the veggie wagon for that!). How lucky we were, that upon our return to Northern Virginia, we got to borrow Deb and Courtney's house while awaiting their return from Bonaire. Consummate hostesses, those two -- we were invited to make ourselves at home, and had at our disposal detailed instructions on everything from coffee-making to TV remotes (we made good use of the former, but chose their XMradio player for media instead)!
On Friday, we had breakfast with my stepfather, Vic. This was a very significant event, as we hadn't seen each other for 15 years; it was great to re-establish that connection.
(Check out this picture of Susan and Marion -- some family resemblance, eh?) We also had a chance to stop in at 2 of our favorite spots in Easton: Coffee East, and Legal Spirits (for crab soup -- yep, Susan fell off the veggie wagon for that!). How lucky we were, that upon our return to Northern Virginia, we got to borrow Deb and Courtney's house while awaiting their return from Bonaire. Consummate hostesses, those two -- we were invited to make ourselves at home, and had at our disposal detailed instructions on everything from coffee-making to TV remotes (we made good use of the former, but chose their XMradio player for media instead)! 
On Friday, we had breakfast with my stepfather, Vic. This was a very significant event, as we hadn't seen each other for 15 years; it was great to re-establish that connection.After breakfast, we went by a couple of Susan's former workplaces, Human Technology (not as scary as it sounds) and the Whitman-Walker Clinic. We also stopped by Susan's former neighborhood in Falls Church, and I literally wept for all of the perfectly good homes that were demolished in favor of new starter castles. It's one of the area trends that made us both want to move, and it only seems to be accelerating.
Food and friends was the theme of the weekend. On Friday night, Kyle & Peter allowed us to sate our long-deprived appetite for yummy food and margaritas at Austin Grill on Old Town Alexandria.
Saturday morning, we had brunch with Richard at Fireflies in Del Ray, then chili at Hard Times with Kris and Christina. Richard is one of the most influential people in my life, and although we aren't the best about regular communication, the connection remains strong. Kris is another of my oldest friends; we met in a traffic jam on the way out of my first (and last, thankfully) concert at Nissan Pavillion in the early 90's, soon after it had opened. This is a theme in my life, connecting with people around music... Susan introduced herself to me at a concert as well!
After lunch we met Kyle at Artomatic . If you're in the area, go; it's not as big as it's been in the past, but a much better space. These were some highlights for me:
After lunch we met Kyle at Artomatic . If you're in the area, go; it's not as big as it's been in the past, but a much better space. These were some highlights for me: - Rose Marie Salinas's birch paintings
- Diane E. Tesler's oil paintings
- Peeps on a train and the other Peeps art
- Aluminum can tab chair
- Christopher Chen photo
- "Walking Home with Pete"
Outside of the Artomatic venue (the old Patent Trademark Office building in Crystal City) before the show, Kyle was good enough to take a few pictures of Susan and I -- here's the one Susan submitted to her Lutheran high school reunion committee. :-)
After Artomatic, we went across the street to Roberto Donna's Bebo Trattoria for dinner with Richard and Michelle. I've never been to Donna's famous Galileo restaurant, but he opened this more casual Italian restaurant in Crystal City while its sister is being renovated. Most of the food was very good, although the service was pretty spotty.
On Sunday, Eva and daughter Melissa treated us to breakfast in their new house. Eva is a single mom who just recently bought a house in the DC area -- Susan and I are both in awe.
We returned to Deb & Courtney's to relax before our gathering at Whitlow's. I think I spent more time with those busy girls on this weekend than the whole time I knew them in DC, and it made me just that much more appreciative of their hospitality.
Late Sunday afternoon we had invited friends to join us at Whitlow's on Wilson. We were so very grateful to have a great many friends take us up on the offer. We had a great time catching up, and I don't have words to describe how much it meant to see you all there.
Late Sunday afternoon we had invited friends to join us at Whitlow's on Wilson. We were so very grateful to have a great many friends take us up on the offer. We had a great time catching up, and I don't have words to describe how much it meant to see you all there.While at Whitlow's, Courtney & Deb were exercising their substantial culinary skills on our behalf -- I know, how ridiculously lucky are we?! We enjoyed a fabulous meal featuring a salad with excellent homemade vinaigrette, 
roasted pepper soup with fried polenta croutons, and a main course of fettuccine with asparagus, shrimp, feta, lemon, basil... wow! I must admit, it was better than the meal at Bebo Trattoria - very impressive. (I made the sidecars!)
You can find more pictures of our trip here, and I'll let you know when all of Susan's pictures are up.
roasted pepper soup with fried polenta croutons, and a main course of fettuccine with asparagus, shrimp, feta, lemon, basil... wow! I must admit, it was better than the meal at Bebo Trattoria - very impressive. (I made the sidecars!)You can find more pictures of our trip here, and I'll let you know when all of Susan's pictures are up.
Saturday, April 07, 2007
Going meta
My bicycle post was quoted on the home page of our groovy local free paper, the Isthmus (analagous to City Paper, for those in DC):
The first mention (Madison Guy) is a blog post associated with a Flickr photo that I had seen among my RSS feeds and commented on earlier in the day. The building he photographed is, in my opinion, one of the least attractive in the city, but it's a great shot.
The first mention (Madison Guy) is a blog post associated with a Flickr photo that I had seen among my RSS feeds and commented on earlier in the day. The building he photographed is, in my opinion, one of the least attractive in the city, but it's a great shot.
Friday, April 06, 2007
Bicycles and Buffleheads
Susan is on retreat in Kohler, WI, celebrating 20+ years of friendship with Scottie, and I have been asked to tell you about our crazy bicycle ride in a hail storm.
(Ok -- it wasn't a hail storm.)
Last weekend, we were determined not to go to the gym. How determined? Well, temperatures had plummeted since the record-setting highs we enjoyed during Shelley and Natalie's visit, but when we awoke last Saturday morning we found ourselves basking in fabulous sunlight. Yes! In spite of seemingly unending forecasts of clouds and rain, we had sun! It was still only 30-some degrees, but we had sun! We could ride our bikes today instead of using the dreaded cardio machines at the gym.
So, we had our coffee. Ate breakfast. Read the paper. Put on our gear.
Um hmm. By the time we were ready, it was cloudy. But just cloudy. Neither of us fear rain, so off we went. We rode toward Tenney Park, excited to see that the Yahara River Parkway path, which will go all the way from Lake Monona to Lake Mendota with underpasses at major roads, has almost been completed. Amazing to think that we had not yet made it to Tenney Park, just on the other side of the isthmus from our home! (I'm telling you, it is amazing how much there is to do here!)
Of course, as we made our way out to the lock, it started to rain. As we proceeded out to the lake, and got excited about all of the water fowl near the shore (more buffleheads*!), it began to pour, and the wind was gusting, I dunno, maybe 30 or 40 mph.
Now, here's where I'm supposed tell you how we proceeded on our ride without hesitation. Except we didn't. I biked myself to shelter, Susan good enough to follow, though of course she had to take a few photos on the way. That's my girl!
So, out of the wind for a minute or two, a bit warmer, we shoved off, on our way, determined to get to State St. for shopping (gifts, yea!) and Chipotle (a shared guilty pleasure in this land of few chain stores).
Perhaps it was the promise of Chipotle that inspired us. But we rode back across the isthmus, short-cutted up Monona Terrace (again, a minute in the bicycle-friendly elevator to warm up...), out toward the capitol. Down the other side, toward State St. Still pouring, harder wind!
But yes! We made it. Bought our gifts. Ate our burritos in warmth, and rode back home, with a story to tell.
* bufflehead ducks are cool... they dive completely under water, and pop up several feet away!
(Ok -- it wasn't a hail storm.)
Last weekend, we were determined not to go to the gym. How determined? Well, temperatures had plummeted since the record-setting highs we enjoyed during Shelley and Natalie's visit, but when we awoke last Saturday morning we found ourselves basking in fabulous sunlight. Yes! In spite of seemingly unending forecasts of clouds and rain, we had sun! It was still only 30-some degrees, but we had sun! We could ride our bikes today instead of using the dreaded cardio machines at the gym.
So, we had our coffee. Ate breakfast. Read the paper. Put on our gear.
Um hmm. By the time we were ready, it was cloudy. But just cloudy. Neither of us fear rain, so off we went. We rode toward Tenney Park, excited to see that the Yahara River Parkway path, which will go all the way from Lake Monona to Lake Mendota with underpasses at major roads, has almost been completed. Amazing to think that we had not yet made it to Tenney Park, just on the other side of the isthmus from our home! (I'm telling you, it is amazing how much there is to do here!)
Of course, as we made our way out to the lock, it started to rain. As we proceeded out to the lake, and got excited about all of the water fowl near the shore (more buffleheads*!), it began to pour, and the wind was gusting, I dunno, maybe 30 or 40 mph.
Now, here's where I'm supposed tell you how we proceeded on our ride without hesitation. Except we didn't. I biked myself to shelter, Susan good enough to follow, though of course she had to take a few photos on the way. That's my girl!
So, out of the wind for a minute or two, a bit warmer, we shoved off, on our way, determined to get to State St. for shopping (gifts, yea!) and Chipotle (a shared guilty pleasure in this land of few chain stores).
Perhaps it was the promise of Chipotle that inspired us. But we rode back across the isthmus, short-cutted up Monona Terrace (again, a minute in the bicycle-friendly elevator to warm up...), out toward the capitol. Down the other side, toward State St. Still pouring, harder wind!But yes! We made it. Bought our gifts. Ate our burritos in warmth, and rode back home, with a story to tell.
* bufflehead ducks are cool... they dive completely under water, and pop up several feet away!
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Seen on my Wisconsin tax return
Taxes were extra fun this year... filing part-year returns in VA and WI, home sale, home purchase, 3 jobs plus a 1099 for a side-job. Wee!
So imagine how excited I was to get a laugh out of seeing this on my Wisconsin return:
Look at that! There, among endangered resources and gender-equitable cancer research, is my opportunity to contribute to the Packers' beloved Lambeau Field. (If it were Madison-centric, it would have benefited the beloved Badgers' Camp Randall, which at a capacity of 80,000+, is bigger than any NFL stadium - and fills it easily.)
So imagine how excited I was to get a laugh out of seeing this on my Wisconsin return:
Look at that! There, among endangered resources and gender-equitable cancer research, is my opportunity to contribute to the Packers' beloved Lambeau Field. (If it were Madison-centric, it would have benefited the beloved Badgers' Camp Randall, which at a capacity of 80,000+, is bigger than any NFL stadium - and fills it easily.)
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Music and friends
We went to see one of our favorite artists, Jeffrey Foucault, at one
of our favorite places, Cafe Carpe, this past week. We were especially excited because Hayward Williams, highly recommended by Peter Mulvey, was opening the show. Well... suffice it to say that this guy is really terrific, and we are looking forward to catching up on his work thusfar, and watching to see where he goes from here.
The photo was taken by a gentleman sitting beside me in the back row of this tiny venue; click the photo to follow a link to more of his snaps. That's Williams in the middle, with Foucault on the right and David Goodrich, guitarist extraordinaire, on the left. David was playing acoustic tonight due to airline foul-ups, but he sounded great to me.
Next up is Patty Griffin at the Barrymore in a couple of weeks. Her CD, Children Running Through, seems, at first listen, a return to form after a dissappointing follow-up to one of my very favorite albums, 1000 Kisses. And Kris Delmhorst will be in town in May, at Cafe Monmartre.
Besides going out to see music, I continue to exhaust myself by working too much. In combination with Susan's classes and both of us trying to get to the gym regularly (and together whenever possible), we've been much too busy, but we're both making efforts to remedy that situation.
The gym, at least, continues to pay dividends; I've escaped the plateau I hit a few months ago and started losing weight again, to the point that I'm buying new clothes again... yea!
Next weekend our friends Shelley and Natalie come to visit from Massachusetts! We are very excited to have them come see this new city of ours, which we love so much.
It's been a year since we bought the house here, and 11 months since we moved... if you haven't come to visit , will you think about it?
We'll come see you, too... for those of you in DC, we'll be there for a long weekend in April; if you have time to meet up with us, send me an email and I'll let you know where we'll be.
of our favorite places, Cafe Carpe, this past week. We were especially excited because Hayward Williams, highly recommended by Peter Mulvey, was opening the show. Well... suffice it to say that this guy is really terrific, and we are looking forward to catching up on his work thusfar, and watching to see where he goes from here.The photo was taken by a gentleman sitting beside me in the back row of this tiny venue; click the photo to follow a link to more of his snaps. That's Williams in the middle, with Foucault on the right and David Goodrich, guitarist extraordinaire, on the left. David was playing acoustic tonight due to airline foul-ups, but he sounded great to me.
Next up is Patty Griffin at the Barrymore in a couple of weeks. Her CD, Children Running Through, seems, at first listen, a return to form after a dissappointing follow-up to one of my very favorite albums, 1000 Kisses. And Kris Delmhorst will be in town in May, at Cafe Monmartre.
Besides going out to see music, I continue to exhaust myself by working too much. In combination with Susan's classes and both of us trying to get to the gym regularly (and together whenever possible), we've been much too busy, but we're both making efforts to remedy that situation.
The gym, at least, continues to pay dividends; I've escaped the plateau I hit a few months ago and started losing weight again, to the point that I'm buying new clothes again... yea!
Next weekend our friends Shelley and Natalie come to visit from Massachusetts! We are very excited to have them come see this new city of ours, which we love so much.
It's been a year since we bought the house here, and 11 months since we moved... if you haven't come to visit , will you think about it?
We'll come see you, too... for those of you in DC, we'll be there for a long weekend in April; if you have time to meet up with us, send me an email and I'll let you know where we'll be.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Saturday, March 10, 2007
WP: Madison Named 'Most Walkable'
[click link above for full AP article]
Prevention Magazine rated Madison the most walkable city in the U.S. in its annual Stroll Poll. Madison is the only city not in the South or West to even make the top 10, having apparently overcome the weather factor with its other virtues.
I love the end of the article:
Speaking of the weather, the temperature reached 47 degrees today, and it felt like springtime. I sat out on the porch with Indy dog and Molly cat and read the paper. Tomorrow it'll go into the low 50's, and I can tell you I will be joining many outside in it. The days of walking on the lake are soon behind us. Canoes and kayaks will soon be towed to the lake, by foot and by bike, instead.
Prevention Magazine rated Madison the most walkable city in the U.S. in its annual Stroll Poll. Madison is the only city not in the South or West to even make the top 10, having apparently overcome the weather factor with its other virtues.
I love the end of the article:
Zac Stencil, 23, a senior at the university, said he walks about two miles every day to and from classes. "You can meet cool groups of people who are walking beside you," Stencil said. "Plus, when the lakes are frozen you can walk right across."
Speaking of the weather, the temperature reached 47 degrees today, and it felt like springtime. I sat out on the porch with Indy dog and Molly cat and read the paper. Tomorrow it'll go into the low 50's, and I can tell you I will be joining many outside in it. The days of walking on the lake are soon behind us. Canoes and kayaks will soon be towed to the lake, by foot and by bike, instead.
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
It sorta looks like this,
everywhere. 16+ inches over the weekend, and more on the way. I know this is kind of how some of you think of Wisconsin, but it's actually the biggest snow in Wisconsin in 17 years.
They just...don't...stop...
...bicycling here! Seriously... I love seeing the bicycle tracks everywhere between the feet-high banks of snow!
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
An eventful week
I told you about our busy weekend last week, and it followed through to the week. Monday was my birthday, and Susan baked me a cake (she says the picture had to be bad because the cake was... but you can't fault her for trying the organic cake and icing, right?). She made a fantastic Senegalese peanut soup for my birthday dinner, though!
The beautiful flowers and locally-made card to the right were from our neighbors across the street.
This weekend was equally eventful, but in a different way... my first Wisconsin blizzard. We had about 7 inches of snow on Friday, another 7-9 yesterday, another 1-2 inches today, and another 1-2 inches tomorrow... wherever will we put it all?! We can only know that Susan will capture lots of it in pictures. (I really loved pictures of the DC snow by friends Deb and Greg - check them out!)
The best part of the weekend was the reinforcement of everything I love about our neighborhood... Neighbors helped us clear the walk and the driveway... had us over for breakfast after shoveling... welcomed us for veggie chili and home-brewed beer... for hot cocoa and cookies. Yes, yes, this is my place.(Just for the record: Susan's chocolate chip blizzard cookies more than made up for the less successful birthday cake.)
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Music, dance, food and fun
Had a fun weekend... somehow managed to do lots of fun stuff without too much frenzy, always a challenge.
On Friday, we went to Himal-Chuli, one of 3 Nepali restaurants in Madison. It's tiny... 24 seats, and the tables are thisclose together. But the food! I had a sampler platter of dal, momochas, samosa, and roti... and the rice pudding with flax seed for dessert. Outstanding. Can't wait to go back, but Madison has a ridiculous number of restaurants, most of which we haven't been to yet. Poor us.
After the meal, we went to see Ron K. Brown's Evidence dance company at the Overture Center. I like strong, athletic dance styles, and really enjoyed Brown's African-influenced choreography. But there was one dancer -- Juel Lane from Atlanta -- I just couldn't take my eyes off of him. He made everything seem effortless. I kept thinking how incredible to stand out even among such incredibly talented people!
One of the songs in the show was Me'shell NdegeOcello's "When Did You Leave Heaven," a stunning jazz track sung by Lalah Hathaway on the album Dance of the Infidel. That'll be joining our collection for sure.
On Saturday we went to Cafe Monmartre to see Satchell Paige Mitchell open for Natalie Zukerman. We'd heard good things about Zukerman, and I was glad to finally get to see her, and to see more of Mitchell, who was great with Peter Mulvey in LaCrosse.
1500 Madisonians jumped into frozen Lake Monona on Saturday, raising more than $250,000 for Special Olympics. Having experienced the air temperature of late, and seen people walking and skating across the lake for days on end, I somehow have an even greater appreciation for how completely insane this activity is. Good for them!
Now, though, the temperature has seemed downright balmy, in the 40's. It's funny how I've acclimated. When it got above freezing I actually started contemplating whether I should bother to zip up my coat.
Photos of our LaCrosse trip are up (mine; Susan's) , go check out the bluffs, the Mississippi River, our B&B, Peter Mulvey, and other fun stuff!
On Friday, we went to Himal-Chuli, one of 3 Nepali restaurants in Madison. It's tiny... 24 seats, and the tables are thisclose together. But the food! I had a sampler platter of dal, momochas, samosa, and roti... and the rice pudding with flax seed for dessert. Outstanding. Can't wait to go back, but Madison has a ridiculous number of restaurants, most of which we haven't been to yet. Poor us.
After the meal, we went to see Ron K. Brown's Evidence dance company at the Overture Center. I like strong, athletic dance styles, and really enjoyed Brown's African-influenced choreography. But there was one dancer -- Juel Lane from Atlanta -- I just couldn't take my eyes off of him. He made everything seem effortless. I kept thinking how incredible to stand out even among such incredibly talented people!
One of the songs in the show was Me'shell NdegeOcello's "When Did You Leave Heaven," a stunning jazz track sung by Lalah Hathaway on the album Dance of the Infidel. That'll be joining our collection for sure.
On Saturday we went to Cafe Monmartre to see Satchell Paige Mitchell open for Natalie Zukerman. We'd heard good things about Zukerman, and I was glad to finally get to see her, and to see more of Mitchell, who was great with Peter Mulvey in LaCrosse.
1500 Madisonians jumped into frozen Lake Monona on Saturday, raising more than $250,000 for Special Olympics. Having experienced the air temperature of late, and seen people walking and skating across the lake for days on end, I somehow have an even greater appreciation for how completely insane this activity is. Good for them!
Now, though, the temperature has seemed downright balmy, in the 40's. It's funny how I've acclimated. When it got above freezing I actually started contemplating whether I should bother to zip up my coat.
Photos of our LaCrosse trip are up (mine; Susan's) , go check out the bluffs, the Mississippi River, our B&B, Peter Mulvey, and other fun stuff!
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Ok.... NOW it's REALLY cold (LaCrosse, WI trip)
Susan caught this... possibly malfunctioning... temperature reading during our trip north to LaCrosse, Wisconsin. We had gone up to see Peter Mulvey at the Pump House regional arts center. We had seen the Saturday date on the tour schedule and thought, "hmm, that'll make a nice get-away weekend, and we can see more of our new home state!" Of course, it was the coldest weekend of the year. Still, there was not precipitation, so a few extra layers and we were good to go.
We stayed at a terrific B&B in the historic downtown. The proprietor was very nice and her daughter was adorable ("the guests! the guests!" she said as we came downstairs). The room had lots of light and was comfy -- I picked it specifically because it lacked all of the frilly antiques of most B&Bs.
On Saturday we dropped off our things and wandered around town. We found key resources for a good weekend vacation: good music (Deaf Ear Record Exchange), good food (Hackberry's Bistro over the People's Food Co-op), good coffeeshop (Jules' Coffee), good bookstore (Pearl Street Books, next door to Jules', great used and new book selection).
Saturday night was the concert; Peter had a cold but sounded good and exhibited his typical wit. Fellow Wisconsin singer-songwriter Satchell Paige Welch joined him on the trip and on stage. The audience was, I think, mostly patrons of the arts center unfamiliar with Peter, so it was a pretty low-key affair.
On Sunday, we enjoyed a fabulous breakfast at the B&B, and headed out to enjoy some of the places we'd spotted the day before (coffee, music, coffee, food, coffee, books).
We had a couple of suprise treats on our way out of town. First, we stopped at Grandad Bluff, a LaCrosse landmark that left us grateful that the roads were clear enough for us to drive up and get great shots like this.
From the top of the bluff, we could see into neighboring Iowa and Minnesota.
Next, we drove across the Mississippi River and up the Minnesota side from LaCrescent to Winona, as recommended by our neighbor, friend, and pet sitter, Kate. Even though the Mississippi is smaller up here, it is still impressive, and seeing it frozen over is rather amazing. And the bluffs all around, the ice clinging to them, a bald eagle... wonders everywhere.
Finally, on our way home, we accidentally found our way onto the scenic route home, and decided to stick with it - a fortuitous choice, it was a wonderful drive, and we'll likely go that way again next time.
In all, the weekend seemed to last for days -- we crammed a lot into it, but still came away relaxed.
Susan will have all of the pictures on Flickr soon... when she does, I'll post the link here.
We stayed at a terrific B&B in the historic downtown. The proprietor was very nice and her daughter was adorable ("the guests! the guests!" she said as we came downstairs). The room had lots of light and was comfy -- I picked it specifically because it lacked all of the frilly antiques of most B&Bs.
On Saturday we dropped off our things and wandered around town. We found key resources for a good weekend vacation: good music (Deaf Ear Record Exchange), good food (Hackberry's Bistro over the People's Food Co-op), good coffeeshop (Jules' Coffee), good bookstore (Pearl Street Books, next door to Jules', great used and new book selection).
Saturday night was the concert; Peter had a cold but sounded good and exhibited his typical wit. Fellow Wisconsin singer-songwriter Satchell Paige Welch joined him on the trip and on stage. The audience was, I think, mostly patrons of the arts center unfamiliar with Peter, so it was a pretty low-key affair.
On Sunday, we enjoyed a fabulous breakfast at the B&B, and headed out to enjoy some of the places we'd spotted the day before (coffee, music, coffee, food, coffee, books).
We had a couple of suprise treats on our way out of town. First, we stopped at Grandad Bluff, a LaCrosse landmark that left us grateful that the roads were clear enough for us to drive up and get great shots like this.
From the top of the bluff, we could see into neighboring Iowa and Minnesota.Next, we drove across the Mississippi River and up the Minnesota side from LaCrescent to Winona, as recommended by our neighbor, friend, and pet sitter, Kate. Even though the Mississippi is smaller up here, it is still impressive, and seeing it frozen over is rather amazing. And the bluffs all around, the ice clinging to them, a bald eagle... wonders everywhere.
Finally, on our way home, we accidentally found our way onto the scenic route home, and decided to stick with it - a fortuitous choice, it was a wonderful drive, and we'll likely go that way again next time.
In all, the weekend seemed to last for days -- we crammed a lot into it, but still came away relaxed.
Susan will have all of the pictures on Flickr soon... when she does, I'll post the link here.
Friday, February 09, 2007
unique feeder
This is awesome.... Susan snapped this in the neighborhood... part seasonal decoration, part animal feeder. Very cool.
Monday, February 05, 2007
Ok.... NOW it's cold
Today, the high was -3. No, that's not a smudge on your screen... today's high was 3 degrees below zero (yes, I understand that is not significantly better than 3 degrees above zero, but still). Wind chills below -30. It was so cold, schools were closed.Now, I know that a lot of people thought I was crazy for moving this far north, but I have been loving the weather, truly. The spring (what we were here for), summer, and fall were all fabulous. And winter has been fine. On the rare occasions that temperatures fell into the teens, I grimaced a bit, but it was bearable. But now... now it is some 25 degrees below normal. I am earning my midwest bona fides.
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Monday, January 29, 2007
Looking for work in Europe?
I always enjoy perusing the Economist's job advertisements. Here's my favorite, ever (click the photo for a clearer image):
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Strict Vegan Ethics, Frosted With Hedonism - New York Times
Mother Fools, my favorite Madison coffee house, serves exclusively vegan food (for drink, they offer cow's milk, but soy milk is no extra charge). Their cupcakes look insanely great, but it's Jennie Capellaro's soups and the East Side Ovens cookies that I really love. Susan sipped a cup of their dill dahl on her way to class this very evening, but the tortilla soup is our favorite ("are you sure there's no cheese in there?")!
All that is to say: here's an article for you about vegan punk bakers; I am amazed that they don't live in Madison.
Strict Vegan Ethics, Frosted With Hedonism - New York Times
All that is to say: here's an article for you about vegan punk bakers; I am amazed that they don't live in Madison.
Strict Vegan Ethics, Frosted With Hedonism - New York Times
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Back to the big city
Now that my company headquarters is in Chicago, I've had to make a couple of trips there for meetings. The HQ is on LaSalle St., in the heart of the old financial district, across from the City Hall (with its green roof) and a few blocks from the Sears Tower.
It's about 150 miles from Madison to Chicago, but during rush hour is a 3-1/2 hour drive. The only positive thing I can say about that is that it serves as a reminder of the traffic I left behind in DC! I do not miss the regular honking of car horns.
The people, too, are different. I have been so spoiled by this wonderful, smaller city, with its friendly people who greet strangers, hold doors, and give thanks when others do the same. Simple things can make life so much more pleasant.
My next trip is tomorrow; I have to make a presentation at the company meeting (eek!). Two presentations, actually; a short one before the entire company (150 people) on Monday and long (30 minute) one for just my division (90 people) on Tuesday. Public speaking is not my thing, and I've had very little time to prepare... I'm going to have to imagine Tim Gunn over my shoulder... "make it work!" Send positive vibes my way, won't you?
It's about 150 miles from Madison to Chicago, but during rush hour is a 3-1/2 hour drive. The only positive thing I can say about that is that it serves as a reminder of the traffic I left behind in DC! I do not miss the regular honking of car horns.The people, too, are different. I have been so spoiled by this wonderful, smaller city, with its friendly people who greet strangers, hold doors, and give thanks when others do the same. Simple things can make life so much more pleasant.
My next trip is tomorrow; I have to make a presentation at the company meeting (eek!). Two presentations, actually; a short one before the entire company (150 people) on Monday and long (30 minute) one for just my division (90 people) on Tuesday. Public speaking is not my thing, and I've had very little time to prepare... I'm going to have to imagine Tim Gunn over my shoulder... "make it work!" Send positive vibes my way, won't you?
Monday, January 15, 2007
Winter has arrived...
Susan and I walked down to Lake Monona with Indy dog on this cold, snowy afternoon.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Harmony, Neighbors, and Football
Harmony BarWe're going to the Harmony Bar tonight to see Spin Cycle , an improv comedy troupe that an acquaintance of ours is in. We love the Harmony... fantastic food (four cheese pizza featuring bleu cheese is phenomenal, as are the walnut burgers), and a really friendly diverse group of people on both sides of the bar. Here's a good recent review with more detail, and some pictures of one of the most interesting, comfortable, friendly places in our neighborhood.
Neighbors
Speaking of the neighborhood... our next-door neighbors, who have lived in their home for longer than I have lived, are putting their house on the market. I keep telling myself what a good thing it is that this is such a big deal to me... after all, neighbors came and went in the DC area and it never really mattered much, because they didn't generally interact anyway...
Favre update
Surely you've heard the latest... the local news reported that Brett Favre has allowed his golf club membership to lapse, prompting speculation that he is planning to retire and leave the area. No, seriously, that was reported on the news.
NFL Playoffs
Very awesome that New Orleans won yesterday's playoff game, although I was kind of rooting for the Eagles because I'd love for Jeff Garcia to be "Super-Bowl-winning QB Jeff Garcia" if he ever comes out. Still, a Redskins fan will never complain about an Eagles loss... and the Cowboys went out so fabulously painfully last week that it makes the Redskins' futility a bit more bearable.
I was also glad to see the Colts beat the Ravens - any opportunity to force humility on Brian Billick is welcome.
Who do you want to see at the SuperBowl (Susan's answer here)?
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Lake Monona, winter
Susan was out taking pictures in the first snow since October (!). Love this one of a foggy, snowy backdrop of lake behind the sharp image of the tree... she notes the "line of waterfowl, in the curve of the lake."
Capitol Peek
Susan took this one! "Looking SW onto the Capitol Building from the US Bank Building on the Capitol Square."
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Christmas, extended
Susan and I both received Amazon.com gift certificates from the family for Christmas, so we decided it would be fun to exchange them and buy each other gifts so we could still have surprises! I got my package yesterday, full of neat stuff.
I am thrilled to finally have the book Inspirability: 40 Top Designers Speak Out About What Inspires, which I believe I first drooled over at the Nat'l Building Museum. I admit, I was drawn in by the furry green hardcover, but the glossy, graphically fascinating interior pages also serve their subject well.
I also got Design Like You Give a Damn: Architectural Responses to Humanitarian Crises; Pieta Brown's latest CD, "In the Cool"; David Bowie's "Best of Bowie" DVD (can't wait to see the old videos again -- what is it about that guy?!); Stephen King's "Insomnia" (I was never able to keep up with SK, so Susan is helping me negotiate the better releases); and, most altruistically of all, "Blue Velvet" on DVD (I only had it on Laserdisc before... are you old enough to remember those?).
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
already?
In a post about my new job a few weeks ago, I said I expected that my new company would "like most IT startups, either fail or be bought out by a larger company." Well, sure enough... I've been in limbo for a couple of weeks until it was official and I could tell people, but we did indeed get acquired. (Scottie: call me!)
My job appears to be safe -- I take nothing for granted, but there is very little overlap with the parent company (still small, 150 to our 50 people), so the biggest change should be that I'll have a new boss and we'll be headquartered in Chicago (2.5 hours away) instead of Madison. I have been to the new HQ once already for planning meetings, and will go again for the annual company meeting later this month, but hope not to have to venture to the big city too often!
So, 8 weeks into trying to learn my new environment, I am tasked with integrating a whole new set of services and people into it. I will be very busy for a while, but ultimately the organization and other resources the new company brings could make my job a bit easier. And I have far fewer concerns about the funding of the new company (which is, like the other, still a venture-capital-backed startup), because it has been extremely successful in its own niche of providing PCI services.
Oh, and they offer domestic partner benefits if Wisconsin's new constitutional amendment in defense of the sacred institution of marriage doesn't invalidate them...
Sunday, January 07, 2007
iPod surgery
A little over a year ago I finally broke down and bought an iPod. I was holding out for lower prices, more storage, a sign that enhancements leveling off, and more assurance that music I bought online would be playable in the next decade.
I bought just before the video iPods came out and never looked back. I love my iPod. I love NPR podcasts (and others). I love being able to shuffle and not know which of the 6000 songs loaded so far will pop up. I love creating auto-playlists by genre or artist.
And then, I turned it on one day and got the frowny Mac. Charged it up... nope. Reset it... nope. Ugh. And it seems that out of warranty, Apple basically charges you the cost of a refurbished iPod (about $250) to repair anything beyond a battery. I am sure this is great for business, because many who can afford to do so must simply toss the old one in the landfill and upgrade. I hate supporting the wasteful model that is Apple's continuous upgrade business strategy. I started looking for alternatives.
I did lots of research trying to find anything comparable, and came up empty. The iTunes interface is still lacking obvious features (very little of my music can be described by a single genre; why in the world can't I create subfolders for organzation?), but it's still better than anything else I've seen. (Zune may fill the void, but that remains to be seen.)
So, having come to grips with my dependence on this device, I persevered... researched, decided it could be the battery, took a chance, and bought an repair kit here. Saw these instructions and got nervous, but proceeded.
The toolkit itself was useless. Susan ended up opening the damn thing with a butter knife. :-) Then things got interesting... pull the audio cable, move the hard drive and motherboard, take out 6 teeny tiny screws, untape stuff... aha! the battery! Replace, reassemble, think good thoughts, turn it on... YES! Success.
If you've made it this far, your reward is this: if you are going to own an iPod, extend your warranty. Do it. If it's too late, seriously consider mailing your device in to PDASmart or others for cheaper repairs than Apple. Or if you just want to upgrade, people will buy your old one on eBay and repair it, keeping it out of the landfill. But don't try to replace a battery yourself unless you are extremely comfortable working with electronics and in tiny spaces!
Do you have an iPod story to share? Is there another music player or other software or online music stores that you like? Share in the comments!
I bought just before the video iPods came out and never looked back. I love my iPod. I love NPR podcasts (and others). I love being able to shuffle and not know which of the 6000 songs loaded so far will pop up. I love creating auto-playlists by genre or artist.
And then, I turned it on one day and got the frowny Mac. Charged it up... nope. Reset it... nope. Ugh. And it seems that out of warranty, Apple basically charges you the cost of a refurbished iPod (about $250) to repair anything beyond a battery. I am sure this is great for business, because many who can afford to do so must simply toss the old one in the landfill and upgrade. I hate supporting the wasteful model that is Apple's continuous upgrade business strategy. I started looking for alternatives.
I did lots of research trying to find anything comparable, and came up empty. The iTunes interface is still lacking obvious features (very little of my music can be described by a single genre; why in the world can't I create subfolders for organzation?), but it's still better than anything else I've seen. (Zune may fill the void, but that remains to be seen.)
So, having come to grips with my dependence on this device, I persevered... researched, decided it could be the battery, took a chance, and bought an repair kit here. Saw these instructions and got nervous, but proceeded.
The toolkit itself was useless. Susan ended up opening the damn thing with a butter knife. :-) Then things got interesting... pull the audio cable, move the hard drive and motherboard, take out 6 teeny tiny screws, untape stuff... aha! the battery! Replace, reassemble, think good thoughts, turn it on... YES! Success.
If you've made it this far, your reward is this: if you are going to own an iPod, extend your warranty. Do it. If it's too late, seriously consider mailing your device in to PDASmart or others for cheaper repairs than Apple. Or if you just want to upgrade, people will buy your old one on eBay and repair it, keeping it out of the landfill. But don't try to replace a battery yourself unless you are extremely comfortable working with electronics and in tiny spaces!
Do you have an iPod story to share? Is there another music player or other software or online music stores that you like? Share in the comments!
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Growing pains, shrinking gains
A couple of months ago, the NY Times was singing Madison's praises as "the new Berkeley" , but yesterday's front-page story describes some of the less desirable aspects of Madison's growth, as "thousands of young professionals, retirees
and former suburbanites have moved to glistening condominium buildings in the shadow of the state Capitol’s dome and only a few blocks from the University of Wisconsin’s main campus." The key issue is perceived to be concentration of population in the small downtown area, and its large population of bars. The state government is seeking to decrease the number of bars by changing licensing laws.
An article about downsizing of another sort was in the NY Times Magazine a few weeks ago. The city of Youngstown, Ohio is purposefully downsizing itself to match its current inhabitants, now half of the 170,000 people who lived there when the steel industry reigned. A creative approach, and I hope it works there and elsewhere. Short article is below:
and former suburbanites have moved to glistening condominium buildings in the shadow of the state Capitol’s dome and only a few blocks from the University of Wisconsin’s main campus." The key issue is perceived to be concentration of population in the small downtown area, and its large population of bars. The state government is seeking to decrease the number of bars by changing licensing laws.An article about downsizing of another sort was in the NY Times Magazine a few weeks ago. The city of Youngstown, Ohio is purposefully downsizing itself to match its current inhabitants, now half of the 170,000 people who lived there when the steel industry reigned. A creative approach, and I hope it works there and elsewhere. Short article is below:
THE 6th ANNUAL YEAR IN IDEAS; Creative Shrinkage
For decades, depopulated Rust Belt cities have tried to grow their way back to prosperity. Youngstown, Ohio, has a new approach: shrinking its way into a new identity.
At its peak, Youngstown supported 170,000 residents. Now, with less than half that number living amid shuttered steel factories, the city and Youngstown State University are implementing a blueprint for a smaller town that retains the best features of the metropolis Youngstown used to be. Few communities of 80,000 boast a symphony orchestra, two respected art museums, a university, a generously laid-out downtown and an urban park larger than Central Park. ''Other cities that were never the center of steel production don't have these assets,'' says Jay Williams, the city's newly elected 35-year-old mayor, who advocated a downsized Youngstown when he ran for office.
Williams's strategy calls for razing derelict buildings, eventually cutting off the sewage and electric services to fully abandoned tracts of the city and transforming vacant lots into pocket parks. The city and county are now turning abandoned lots over to neighboring landowners and excusing back taxes on the land, provided that they act as stewards of the open spaces. The city has also placed a moratorium on the (often haphazard) construction of new dwellings financed by low-income-housing tax credits and encouraged the rehabilitation of existing homes. Instead of trying to recapture its industrial past, Youngstown hopes to capitalize on its high vacancy rates and underused public spaces; it could become a culturally rich bedroom community serving Cleveland and Pittsburgh, both of which are 70 miles away.
Youngstown's experiment has not gone unnoticed. Williams's office has already fielded calls from officials in a few of the many American metropolitan areas that have experienced steep population drop-offs. When cities hit rock bottom, it seems, planners can find new solutions for urban decay -- if they are willing to think small enough. BELINDA LANKS
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