New Signs

Scott, the manager, said this was creepy. I guess so many of our customers are really old and don't want to be reminded of their frail condition.









I always wanted velvet theater curtains for my bedroom. It was really fun to make these.







This might be my favorite sign ever.

moe's birthday

Moe just turned 30. He looks a little sleepy-eyed here, but maybe it's because he had that Lasek eye surgery. I think it's analogous to how you can see vampires, but they don't have a reflection in a mirror. Lasek people look normal in real life, but sleepy-eyed in photos. Maybe Moe is a vampire.



We got Ethiopian food. It was delicious. Note: the part of Chloe was played by Tiffany this year.

New SIgns

These are the new signs I made at work. The regional guy is coming for a visit and my boss wants to spruce the place up.








These are Kent's demented Valentine's Day signs. I know I enjoyed them:

It's hard to tell, but the woman in the above picture is cross-eyed.

Israel part 5

Here's the sweatshirt I designed for our group. I thought they would object to the little bird with a gun, but what they didn't like was the yarmulke. They thought it made the bird look too religious/ too orthodox.



The flight home.

This plane is starting to smell.

Israel part 4

Camel rides in the Negev desert. "Yeah your culture and history and religion are all really beautiful, but what really excited me was the camel ride!"


We slept in a Bedouin tent one night. It was freezing cold and really uncomfortable. Here is a Bedouin man telling us how hard it is nowadays to have two wives because they will both want a Mercedes and who can afford two Mercedes?


Chloe's book jacket pose. She is the author of such books as "Your Path to Longevity Through Nature Stewardship" and "Character Building through Muscle Building". In her spare time, she enjoys grooming the JNF forests and lives in the pacific northwest with her two dogs and three cats.


Chloe loves nature. Here she is looking out for nature.

Our new friend, Lane, loves nature too.


Ah, I really love nature!


No wait, nature is really boring.

Israel part 3

Blasphemous kippas (yarmulkes)


The Western Wall in Jerusalem.


People leave notes in the wall because they believe it's the closest one can get to God on earth. When they leave, they walk backwards to avoid turning their back on the holiest site in Israel.


An oasis in the desert.


A mud bath after swimming in the Dead Sea is supposed to be great for your skin. It was freezing there, but it was our only chance to do it. The Israelis politely declined.

Israel part 2

On the beach. I guess the St. John the Baptist pose isn't really appropriate here.



This is Oleg. He was one of the armed soldiers that came with us everywhere. He is Russian born and said in a dry tone, " I want to understand your joke so that I can laugh properly."


Our other guard, Yoav, waits outside a candle shop in Tzfat.


Chloe's book jacket pose.


My book jacket pose.

Chloe is making her Aunty Nancy face.

" I love hiking everyday! "


" Ok, I'm really sick of hiking now. "


" Ah, I love love Israel. "


"I hate everyone and everything in this country."



Bicycle tours! Note: Oleg is riding a tandem bike with a gun.

Israel!

Chloe and I just got back from ten days in Israel! It was a free trip through the Taglit-Birthright Israel people. They'll send you to go learn about your heritage and also encourage you to hook up with a nice Jewish boy, make Aliyah (move to Israel) and have babies that can one day serve in the Israeli army. It was tons of fun and beautiful in addition to being cold, exhausting, and one-sided.


Here are photos of the 12 hour flight there:










Ok, put the camera away.



I SAID PUT THE CAMERA AWAY!

I'm getting my period soon...

...because a Grace Paley poem made me cry.




You can find it on itunes on the Writers Almanac podcast (Dec. 26th, 2007). It's at the 3:50 mark and it's free.