Ratty Thoughts

Peace?

Thanks to my friends, and, most notably, one friend in particular, I’ve been reconnecting a bit with my artistic side. I’ve been pulling myself out of the shell I crawled into and becoming more myself again. When invited to do new things and push my boundaries, I’m going along instead of running the other way. I’m getting more comfortable sticking out again. I won’t ever be that crazy, punk high-schooler barking on a cafeteria table at strangers again, but I can be less self conscious and more at ease with myself. In the meantime, it means some rather fun and odd experiences (and pictures).

Rat...

Rat & Rainier.

Today, I had the pleasure of going down to Rainier National Park and hiking up to Spray Park. It was a perfect day, with the sun out and the temperature in that sweet, warm-but-not-hot spot.We left just before 9am this morning and started the hike about 1040am.

The hike (WA Trail Association link) is about 3.5 miles, opening up to a gorgeous seemingly endless meadow of greenery and wildflowers. The hike up is a series of switchbacks and two highly recommended detours, one veers one-tenth of a mile off to Spray Falls and the other is a short path to a gorgeous lookout onto Rainier itself. It’s a relatively easy climb, and we passed hikers of all ages and types. The route up is also mostly shaded, which kept us cool.

Once up in the park, the views are amazing. The area still had some snow as well since it’s been an especially rough summer weather-wise. We arrived to a bit of a commotion as apparently a bear cub was frolicking along the path ahead. We hung back with some other hikers for a bit before forging ahead, but never saw the cub. The flowers were out though, and sadly, so were the mosquitoes. Interestingly, I wasn’t bit that much, as they seemed more interested in just swarming. I’m not sure about the rest of my party, but I got out largely unscathed.

On the way back down, we stopped at the lookout and ate lunch. It was a quick descent (always easier than the ascent) and it was nice to relax on the drive home. I’m very thankful to live so close to Mount Rainier, even if one day it decides to erupt and kill us all. This area is so gorgeous and having Rainier as part of the horizon is such a treat. I only wish I could get out to it and hike more often. That said, if you have the chance, take the time and check out Spray Park. It gets a fair amount of traffic, but is totally worth it and everyone spreads out fairly quickly along the trail.

Check out more photos on flickr.

Dirty.

Despite my urban preferences, I do not mind hard work. In fact, getting my hands (or feet) dirty is at times very rewarding. Manual labor has its place I feel, and many of us have gotten too complacent about it.

I recently trekked back out to eastern WA to help out on some property a friend’s mother lives on. I was out last year to help finish up some projects with the property (and the main house/cabin) and enjoyed myself immensely. It was long days with hard work, but it was really rewarding. The property is also in the middle of nowhere, so cell signals, internet access, television is not so easily accessible. The region is gorgeous, and the property is completely off the grid, utilizing solar and propane.

As a student for the past year or so, I haven’t worked much, if any. A majority of my previous work has been of the non-manual sort as well. The time I have spent engaging in manual labor has been nice though. I’ve done cleaning and overnight stocking positions, as well as the overnight cleanup shift at a foundry and working at a hydroponic sprout company. All of these positions were great short-term solutions, but longer term, not really my style.

I don’t mind getting dirty, but I realize it’s something I want to be optionally engaged in. I love the rewards of manual labor (like landscaping the house back in Illinois), but I don’t want it to be a job. Part of the reason I do enjoy it is because it is by choice. Sunday was made so much better by grabbing a shovel and attacking a pile of dirt that needed to be moved. My own self-therapy involves cleaning my apartment, a very manual process. I just feel so connected and grounded when engaged in physical labor.

I find it fascinating that we all tend to shy away from anything remotely physical. Generally speaking, we don’t walk unless we have to, we prefer sitting to standing, we’d rather someone else to do the physical work. I’m no better at times, but I can usually nudge myself into it. It helps that I know I’ll feel good after, even if sore or wounded, and that the cleansing, connected feeling associated with the work is worth the effort. So, when all is done, I can peel off my socks, see that layer of dirt, and feel proud of what I have accomplished.

On Friday, I had the pleasure of seeing The Apple as part of the outdoor cinema series at Cal Anderson Park. The film was made in 1980 and somehow was unknown to me, despite being a campy romp and a cult classic. A couple of weeks ago, I watched Xanadu as part of the series and was super-excited to see the Apple.

After watching the Apple, I’m still not quite sure what exactly happened. The film attempts to keep a fast pace by having a song every 2-5 minutes (seriously), but the songs themselves are random and varying in style. It keeps your interest, but starts and stops along the way. Yet the first 1/2 to 3/4 of the movie manages to be fairly cohesive before the whole thing kind of falls apart.

The entire movie is also an attempted allegory, with the apple, an Adam and Eve type couple, and the temptation of fame. The movie doesn’t focus solely on this as it progresses, but at the end embraces it completely, leaving the audience in a “wtf just happened?” state. Still, the movie, despite its problems and overall badness, manages to hold the audience’s attention overall. A few of the songs are also fairly catchy as well, with lyrics that are filled with multiple meanings. Like the one below.

In conclusion, I’m tempted to buy the Apple, as I feel it deserves a place on my shelf alongside Can’t Stop the Music and Shock Treatment. It is just good enough to be bad enough for my collection. Oh, and it is on Netflix (Instant Watch!!), so grab a bottle of wine, some friends, and check it out.

Let me hear your body talk. *groan*

Wisconsin
Last night, my home state continued with the recall process, holding recall elections for six Republican senators. Next week will wrap up this cycle of recalls, with two Democrats facing Republican challengers. This entire process, from back in February when the Democrats fled the state to avoid a budget vote until now, has been amazing.

While the goal to gain control of the state senate by ousting three of the Republicans was not reached, the amount of effort involved in making these elections a reality is of note. Eight Republican senators were eligible for recall and Democrats gathered enough signatures against six of them to trigger the election. It isn’t over yet either.

I’m proud of my home state. Though the argument can be made that these officials were elected and that the effort involved in recalling them should have been present during the general election cycle, the fact remains they are being held accountable. To me, staying involved post-election, to ensure that those elected are being held accountable, is what matters most. Most of us can’t be bothered with more than researching an election a week or two before the vote, filling out the ballot and then going back to our lives. What’s happening in Wisconsin is involvement on an almost daily basis. Let’s hope it continues.

Washington
In my current state, and more specifically, my current city (Seattle), an ongoing struggle for transit and infrastructure is taking place. The Alaska Way Viaduct is needing to be replaced, as is the SR 520 Bridge. King County Metro is facing a budget shortfall that could cripple its efficiency.

Starting with the viaduct, its replacement has become the dead horse that no one will stop beating. At the moment, an epic tunnel that could sink parts of downtown while being bored is the accepted replacement. The tunnel would also be toll-based to help cover the costs. Aside from environmental issues and the budget issues, is the huge question of transit. This option puts pressure on the surface streets since it limits access (hard to put exits on a tunnel). I will not claim to be any sort of expert, but I feel that the Cascade Bicycle Club has a fantastic write-up on the tunnel option. Currently, Seattle is voting on Referendum 1 which would endorse the tunnel. The catch is that the state is moving ahead with the project, though many issues and questions remain. More info: WSDOT-Project Page.

Speaking of projects the state is moving ahead with though many issues and questions remain, that brings up the SR 520 Bridge. Though mostly settled, it is another project that neglects transit. SR 520 is the most direct route from Seattle to Microsoft out on the east side. The initial bridge replacement options didn’t include lanes for transit (and still doesn’t have a dedicated lane for transit, just a joint HOV/transit lane) or a bicycle/pedestrian path. The final solution is less than ideal, but again, the state is moving ahead. More info: WSDOT-Project Page.

That brings up transit and King County Metro. The little bus system we love to hate is facing a budget shortfall. The impact of this shortfall would mean that 17% of Metro’s service could be cut. I’m not going to argue Metro’s efficiency, but I know it is a vital piece of many people’s daily commute. More info: WSDOT-Project Page.

To me, this is where citizens get the most bang for their buck. Investing in transit options, and thinking with our feet and not our car tires, is the direction we need to head. I’ve gotten into many an argument with this line of thinking, but simply put, a car-centric view is part of the problem, not the solution. The amount we invest in car alternatives is practically pennies comparatively. The roughly three billion dollars needed for the tunnel project is an excellent example. In the end, replacements are needed, as are alternatives, and moving forward we need to find the balance. Transportation budgets and their projects need to reflect an awareness of this balance.

One of the best things about being single is being able to have music playing whenever I want and at whatever volume I choose. Just like my taste in film, my taste in music swings from great to cheesy to in between. I know that I post to blip.fm, as well as facebook and twitter with all sorts of music, but I wanted to share some here as well. Kind of a summation of the last month or so.

This is a playlist with five videos in it. We’ll see if this works as intended…

I’m going to start with someone I feel is really under appreciated, Robyn. Granted, with videos like this, she isn’t doing herself any favors. The song itself is great, and one of my newer favorites, but the video, man, oh man. First, I’m not sure if she’s trying to dance, exercise, or just tweaking out. Also, that outfit, including the poor Muppet that was sacrificed for that coat, is pretty special. Maybe it’ll be my Halloween costume. Robyn, I love you, and I keep watching this video, but it’s because it’s so bad and the song is so good.

Second in the list is BOY, who I discovered through europopped this week. I really like the simplicity of it. It’s a cute video, and a well-crafted song. The third, is in this list because it is pure comic genius. Enough said. Fourth is Cut Copy with Need You Now. The video makes almost no sense, but the song itself has been on repeat quite a bit here. Finally, I close with Marit Larsen – If A Song Could Get Me You. I’ve loved this song for a few years, and it’s just an adorable video.

Well, even though I said the most about Robyn, I am glad to share all of these. Feel free to check me out on youtube (link on the side). I’m going to attempt to be more proactive about blogging things. Or at least, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.