its okay that you want to do a zillion different things.
i am the same way.
and that doesnt make us flighty.
that makes us curious and so totally not boring.
and besides, there are enough people walking down the same road,
wearing the same hat, and following the rules perfectly.
i say we try it all on and take what fits and toss what doesn’t.
i think the way you are is absolutely brilliant.
have at it girly,
have at it.
this is YOUR life, not theirs.
CHESTER — Elizabeth Alice Thomson died on Tuesday, July 15, 2008, at home. She was 83.
She was born on July 3, 1925, to the late Alice T. (Force) and Alfred H. Young, in Netcong.
She lived in Chester for the past 60 years.
Mrs. Thomson worked as a foreman for Co-op Industries in Chester.
She was a loving mother and grandmother.
She was predeceased by her husband, Harry Thomson in 1977.
She is survived by her son, Harry G. Thomson; her daughter, Eileen A. Crotsley; her granddaughters, Kathleen Thomson, Lauren A. Crotsley, and Megan E. Reilly; and her husband, Christopher J.
There will be visiting from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday, July 18, at the William J. Leber Funeral Home, 15 Furnace Road (Corner of Rt 206), Chester, N.J., 908-879-3090.
There will be a 10 a.m. funeral service at the funeral home, on Saturday, July 19. Interment is in The Somerset Hills Cemetery, in Basking Ridge.
In lieu of flowers, make donations in memory to: Visiting Nurses of Northern New Jersey, 38 Elm Street, Morristown, N.J., 07960.
For directions and online condolences, visit www.williamjleberfh.com.
(post title due to my musical tourettes… never actually heard bjork’s version of this, but Charlotte Martin sings part of it with one of her other songs.)
This weekend was full of wonder and joy and love and music and adventure…
Friday I helped take pictures of the Morristown Critical Mass bike ride.
The art show afterwards was fun as well, despite the heat (an ice cream from the ice cream truck helped ;o)
Saturday, Random and I had an adventure in NY – Figment was going on, an arts festival run by burners and artists on Governor’s Island. It was the second year for it, and apparently Saturday they broke the record for the most visitors to the island on one day! While we didn’t get there until early afternoon, and we ended up staying in one area (Just like at Burning Man, when an event is limited in time, you always miss something really cool and feel like you didn’t do/see enough!), I had such a blast.
There were art installations everywhere, the rose petal pool was in action again, and we settled down at the Disorient sound stage. Groovehoops had hoops out for everyone to enjoy. I didn’t bring mine, thinking I wouldn’t use it enough to warrant carrying it. Well I was wrong… The music was perfect – mellow yet you wanted to move to it, and picked up in energy a little later in the day.
Now I’ve been learning the hoop, I obviously enjoy it when I pick it up, but often I am discouraged by the lack of “tricks” that I know, or that I can’t keep still facing one direction or the hoop will fall (I dance/move with the hoop). But a combination of the perfect day, perfect music, perfect mood. I LOVED hooping there. Even with hoops that were too small/light/slippery (no gaffers tape) for my taste. It was seductive, it was sexy, it was… pure joy and love. And seeing the crowd of people hooping, from hoop dancing pros to hoop virgins, it was so wonderful.
I think this woman couldn’t waist hoop, but she was so joyful just hooping above her head like this!
With poi, I’ve moved into a place where I’m more into the flow and dancing with it. And there are times that energy feels really great. But the hooping I experienced that day just had a different energy to it. I’m sure it was a combo of many things, the music, the energy, my emotions… I plan on bringing my hoop (new collapsible! yay) many more places with me.
See the resemblance?
When we weren’t hooping/spinning/sticking (Random is getting amazing at devilsticks!) we lounged and watched/listened, or chatted with friends. I enjoyed spending some time with Scratch – who I’ve met twice at NYC Santacon and friended on tribe, but finally got to have a real conversation with him.
Thumbnails (click for larger version) – first meeting with Rudy-tooty (Scratch) was a pic with a stranger in ’06, and running into each other on subway in ’07. Missed getting a pic with him this time! 😦
I loved Figment because while it totally had the burner vibe, it was a public event and it was clear people were there who didn’t know what was going on and it was their first experience with anything like this. I wish that every town, every park, every city was more like this. Artwork surrounding you and found in every crevice when you looked carefully. Strangers smiling and laughing with each other over hooping attempts, the weather, anything. Back on Manhattan it was hard to repress the openness to strangers and urge to smile and hug everyone. Which could be dangerous there. But Figment gives me hope that this “vibe” I keep mentioning IS possible in more areas of our lives, and not just at events like Burning Man and regional burns.
So yes, it was time to leave the island… It was getting close to the end of the event, and we could smell/feel a few raindrops. By the time we reached the ferry, it was a full blown thunderstorm. Because it was so hot and humid, and we were dancing/playing around, it felt really nice actually. From the ferry we could see that the NY waterfall installation was blowing so hard in the wind, it was adding to the “rain” people fought through to reach the boat! Wanted to take a pic, but moreso wanted to keep my camera as dry as possible…
In Manhattan, we grabbed an awesome dinner (Beckett’s bar & grill, Stone Street, NY) and went to the afterparty at Castle Clinton in Battery Park. The band was good, but didn’t fit the mood I was in so much (what??? I’m preferring house over a live band? I’m being brainwashed…. ;o) Of course they were back to the DJ by the time we decided to head out. But the party would be wrapping up and moving to Brooklyn, and I did not have the energy for that late of a night. Played with poi (and soyboy’s triangular hoop! that was a blast) and taught someone else some basic moves, and then we wandered home.
Damp from rain/sweat, drained, but still smiling from the amazing day.
There’s so much more to this amazing weekend, but that’s all I can attempt to put into words for now. But next year? Get your ass out to Governor’s Island. It’s worth it! (Free ferry to the island and no admission fee for Figment. MORE THAN WORTH IT!)
Next Friday, I’ll be attending a special solstice event. Kristin Hoffmann is an outstanding musician who has really developed her interest in healing music, meditation, and yoga – and ways to incorporate all 3! She’s been offering YogaSong classes in CA and NY, but I haven’t been able to attend. I do have a copy of her music meditations from these classes, and it’s very calming and great for meditation or sleep.
This special event will have a yoga class, all levels are welcome, and a concert following. You can attend one or both for just $20.
If anyone wants to go with me, just let me know. I’ll be doing both.
Only when you are open to change are you being true to you.
Jenny Ludders,
Tofo, Mozambique
For some more universal truths and photos as Ida travels the globe, visit her blog daily.
Ahhhh… two weekends in a row full of fire and friends. Last weekend was the backyard burnhouse burn, this past one was a housewarming (and BOY did we warm it up! ;o)
Last night the fire conclave rehearsed using fire for the first time. I was really nervous. Not sure why – just the idea of having so many of us so close together, and an audience of people passing by in the park who stopped and watched. As soon as we lit and got in positions though, the nerves went away. Still I focused more on just burning safely than always being 100% in time with the other poi performers – timing will come to us.
My new fireheads burn longer and brighter/hotter, a little nervewracking when I have to stop in a position (can’t keep them hanging in one spot or my hands will get too hot!) or when we are close in a line up, but I am getting used to them and really love them. I’m suddenly really excited to be part of this performance – not that I wasn’t before, but it’s becoming more real. I never was much into doing fire for performance, but the idea of being part of the circle spinning in front of the Man was exciting. Now, I’m really appreciating the practices (despite the commute) and spending time with so many amazing people.
(If you are near Philly, you are welcome to come watch a practice. I’ll be there the next 3 Sundays for sure, 6-8, western Philly area. Contact me for details.)
I am at work (last hour or two is always nice and quiet, immediate neighbors are all early morning folks and they are gone) and realized I had a hair elastic on my wrist still. Not usually an issue but these brand are heavy duty (and yet still have trouble staying in my hair 
figures) and I don’t wear them on my wrist because it cuts off circulation. Well I put it on last night intending to put it in the drawer next time I got up (the kitten is a thief and LOVES hair elastics!) and forgot about it. It hurt as soon as I took it off, but I never noticed the constriction until now.
Made me start thinking of things we adjust ourselves to accepting as normal, and it can hurt to stop/get out of the situation, but once we do we know we’ll be better off….
Yeah. Deep thoughts over a piece of elastic. Well it’s monday afternoon what do you expect?
Phoenix Rising and PDF are just around the corner…. I can’t wait, and yet I know I won’t be ready when it’s time. But it doesn’t matter what I end up wearing or eating, I just want to be around my fire family and spin some fire! Burned the last two nights and know what? Even though my hands/wrists are a little sore (different hold on the poi, and heavier heads – just need some time to get used to it), I just want to go out and do it again and again. ;o)
Just the usual Friday night… NOT! ;o)
This was in my office yesterday. OK so it may have been 2 degrees cooler where I sit, but still.
91 deg.jpg, originally uploaded by k8et.
oh. my. god.
impulsive? me? nah.
so you know I love Neil Gaiman. (stalker love. pretty much. although I’m polite about it and respect his privacy. usually.)
so you know I love/am addicted to this crazy perfume line. (Found them through someone else actually. But the creator knows Neil, enough that she’s collaborated with him and there are scents inspired by his stories for sale, benefiting the CBLDF – a great group that’s about protecting the freedom of speech.)
there have been times when it’s announced that there’s an exclusive BPAL scent for some event, and it’s difficult or impossible to get on the second hand market because of the small production and great demand.
I found out today that people who bought a VIP pass to a reception with Neil at NYC Comicon before his reading/auction for CBLDF, there’s a goody bag.
A goody bag with all sorts of amazing stuff, including a hand drawing by Neil, his autograph, a T shirt, a scent locket from BPAL, some of the BPAL scents that are up for sale already… and an exclusive one. For his new piece, “Orange”.
And then I was trying to purchase a $500 ticket to see my lover favorite author. and the site wasn’t letting me. Customer service had just gone home, and the site said ticket sales end at midnight tonight. I emailed/called every email address/phone number I could find, for Comicon, CBLDF, everyone.
Finally I reached Joe. Joe was at the event office and said he’d help me. He called back a few minutes later, but apparently we miscommunicated about which VIP pass (not the EVENT VIP, but for Neil’s reception). A bit later, Alison calls me. A VIP ticket has been set aside and is waiting for me tomorrow afternoon/evening.
Is it worth $500? If it were just for the reception with Neil, no. (Sorry dear! Remember stalking is free, except for the bail…) If it were just for the exclusive perfume? no. But together? With a T-shirt from his shop, a locket (which runs $70 on its own, and I’ll either keep or resell depending on which one it is), an original drawing, and possibly MORE? On a night I had nothing concrete planned, located 30-45 minutes from me, and doesn’t require missing any work (thanks to the overtime I put in last week, I can leave an hour early)?
Oh fuck yeah, it’s worth it.
k8et's ramblings 