Good morning and welcome to my day OFF! I was so looking forward to sleeping in this morning.....of course, I woke up at 6:30am anyway. I managed to go back to sleep for another two hours. It felt great! I do have a little bit of a headache this morning which I have to attribute to the fact that I smoked a few cigarettes yesterday during the course of a pretty slow brunch. The ibuprofen and caffeine are teaming up on it right now though, so I should be fine soon. Also, Ed Kowalczyk is singing to me and that always makes me feel good. I wish LIVE would come back to Pittsburgh. They always seem to play just a little too far away for me to get to. While rebbyro had a fine time when we went to see them a couple of summers ago, I don't think she would be all that in to going if it meant having to drive a long way AND pay for the tickets (we got the tickets that time for free)
So, weekend recap. Saturday I met Jennie at Bruggers where we had nice big salads. Oh, the vegetables! I chose a mango chicken salad which had lots of spring greens and red peppers and onions and chicken and mango chutney. They served it with ranch dressing, which I thought was a really odd choice. I ignored the ranch dressing for the most part, but I used a little of it at the end when the chutney had run out. I also had a giant iced tea which made me very happy. I really need to get my shit together and make myself some iced tea one of these days. I've got a suntea picture and a very sunny window. I could be rockin the iced earl grey RIGHT NOW! Maybe that will be a part of today's game plan.
Anyway, we just barely made it to the bus, as the Brugger's wall clock is about 5 minutes slow. We had to sprint for a block, which was not so great for my ankle, but we made it. I wish I had a lot of great stories about the freaky shit we saw at the Whole Health Expo, but .....nah. For the most part, it was a lot of chiropractic and thermal imaging and vitamin supplements and waterless cookware. Ekankar was right at the front. There was a very warm and personable lady who gave us packets of info and really did not try at all to huckster us into her offbeat religion. From what I read while we waited for the bus to come home it seems to be about light and sound vibrations, and some past life stuff, and the supreme leader of this thing looks an awful lot like a lawyer. And there's this song called HU. Interesting. I'm just glad that I have a little better sense of what that Ekankar thing is all about. There were some people selling jewelry (I didn't see anything I really wanted! I might not have been really looking since I knew I didn't have the cash for it, but my cursory glimpses didn't reveal anything. hmm.) There were people selling various aromatherapies and creams and lotions and the like. Jennie was really into the rose therapy. I bought a jar of hand salve from the wildcraft herbs lady. Later, I read her pamphlet and learned that when she kept saying "emu oil" she was talking about oil from EMUs! That makes me feel a little weird. Apparently emu oil has been a healing ungent for centuries in Australia or something, but I don't know how she gets the emu oil and that is strange. However, I have to admit that the stuff did make my skin a lot smoother than even the Swiss Formula, so I can't say I regret purchasing it. I'll have to do some internet research on emu oil.
I also got a kitchen magic book by Scott Cunningham, master herbalist and all around swell pagan guy. It's a really funny book....he's got stuff in there about using fig newtons with magical intent in money drawing spells. Ha! I really like his down to earth writings on witchcraft. Jennie got a book about symbolism in the Crowley deck. I am sure glad she is around to take care of learning about the Crowley deck, cuz that thing still spooks me. Speaking of spooking me, there was this one crystal booth that I walked into and immediately had to walk out of because of all the high energy vibrations. Seriously, and I don't mean to sound like I am full of hooey here, I am very sensitive to crystal vibrations. Always have been. Some people can pick up a crystal like it's no big deal, but I can get immediately "vibed out" very easily. And this booth was full of big crystals all pulsing their different energies at me like mad. I couldn't cope with it. Conversely, there was another booth full of crystals that didn't have any effect at all. So there you go. Wish I could make a lot of money off of it, but I haven't tapped into that.
We also came across a few people doing aural photography but it was $25 a pop. I should have just swallowed the bait since I have always been really interested in it, but I didn't. I guess maybe I should try to find someone who does it outside of the Whole Health Expo environment and go for it. I'll put it on my short list. There were also several "readers" of various kinds...tarot, mediums, etc. None of them were particularly appealing to me, but one of them had a pile of brochures about Lilydale and Jennie and I each picked one up. Later, as I was eating my fruit cup in the food court of the mall, we made a pact to go in August for the seminar on Spiritualists in the suffrage movement. We may even get up there a day earlier for the workshop on female images of divinity in the judeo-christian tradition. Woohoo!
So yeah, the Whole Health Expo was mostly just EH. I'm really glad we went, and I'm really glad I got the Cunningham book. The faerie people were running around with wings and garlands on. Cute. There was some meditating under a strange object. Jennie got a feng shui coin to put in the northwest(?) corner of her home. It was definitely a lot more hands off than the bridal fair had been, even though two different people rubbed stuff on the back of my neck.
We walked over to the mall where I had the aforementioned fruit cup, and then we wandered around. There is this amazing cheap colorful underwear store where I got a serviceable (low impact) sports bra for $3.00. I also got a small bottle of grapefruit body lotion from Bath and Bodyworks (by the same CG Bigelow company. Yum) But the memory of the mall that sticks with me, the disturbing image I just can't shake, is from Claire's Fashion Boutique. Apparently the new fashion hot trend is "support the troops" camo accessories. Including, and it is difficult for me to even type this, FAUX BULLET BELTS. I was filled with white hot blinding rage when I saw this. You know, Claire's Fashion Boutique is aimed at LITTLE GIRLS. I almost sought out the manager, but the chances that a manager was there at 3pm on a Saturday were pretty slim anyway. Maybe I'll write a letter to the company. It just ain't right, people. On top of the camo accessory display was the red white and blue stars and stripes accessory display. It was so gross. I am so glad I don't have a preteen daughter right now.
By the time we were done wandering the Expo and the Mall I had a little headache and the hour or so we spent waiting for various busses didn't help. I took a little nap when I finally got home and then headed to the QS for brunch prep around 7pm. Business was kinda slow, so the lovely dinner cook helped me out by chopping three large containers of potatoes. Sweet. I roasted mushrooms and cauliflower and leeks and chopped vegetables and boiled potatoes with garlic and cleaned greens and chopped apples and had a really nice time in the kitchen with the sweet cook and the sweet dishwasher. I finished around 9:30, then strolled to the grocery store to get some last minute supplies, then got home and spent about two hours on the computer making a quote sheet of the famous vegetarians we were feteing on the menu. It was fun, though I accidentally stumbled on some argument about whether or not Leonard Nimoy is actually a vegetarian. Similarly, there were sites claiming that Steve Jobs eats fish, and sites claiming that Steve Jobs is a strict vegan. You never know what to believe, I guess. Anyhow, it turned out nice and I made 20 copies to leave on the tables.
Got up with the sun and was in the kitchen by 6am. I had done so well with prep that it was a relatively leisurely morning for me. It was a pimpy menu, with lots of variety and healthful vegan and vegetarian foods, but unfortunately it wasn't terribly busy. The people who came loved it, but there weren't a ton of people. Apparently Saturday night was full of parties, so most people probably slept late and then wanted grease. Oh well. I had a big bowl of greens with roasted portobello and onion gravy, and then came home for a little nap. I woke up and took a lovely lavender shower and dressed nicely, and then did some bus voodoo to get to the southside by 6pm when the doors opened for the Al Stewart show. When I got there, there was already a line and I got a little crestfallen. But, it didn't say SOLD OUT, so I held my own with the mostly over 45 crowd. There was a biker meet up going on at Jack's so the whole street was lined with machines and every once in a while some drunk bikers would stumble out and make a big show of revving their engines. It was great.
Finally the doors really opened at about 6:2o, and I GOT IN!!! And, even more miraculous, I got a SEAT AT THE BAR!! I ordered up a sky vodka martini (forgetting that club cafe, although supposedly swank and charging $8 for a martini, DOES NOT STOCK OLIVES. WTF?!?!) I sipped my martini and noticed that Peter was not doing sound. Drag. I listened surreptitiously to the conversations of the grownups around me. I was very pleased that next to me at the bar was a little cotillion of super cool high school history teachers who use Al Stewart songs in class. So I got to listen to them talk throughout about which songs he sang they had played to their classes. It was nice. Al was occasionally walking through the crowd before the show and it almost made me cry to see him. He's just this sort of little, extremely British looking sixty something man. With a very, very "fey" sort of speaking voice. Again, extremely British. His associate guitar player opened the show with a few songs, which was just fine. I ordered a bowl of chips and salsa to pass the time while he played. Finally, Al took the stage. He told such funny stories, including one long one about London in the 60s wherein he not only lived with Simon and Garfunkel, but used to play guitar for Yoko Ono before she met John. He did a very convincing imitation of her. So funny. I could have listened to him talk about the civil war between the Basques and the Spaniards for hours. I kept thinking I really need to make an Al Stewart mixtape for Jennie because even though his big "hits" are sort of AOR lovesongs, most of his albums are these incredible historical ballads that I know she would appreciate. He didn't play any of my very favorite songs, but as he has something like 175 songs to choose from, I didn't really expect it. He played "Year of the Cat" of course and it made me weep a little. His voice is totally intact, maybe even a little richer with age and experience. It was like a warm rain shower. I was able to block out all the middle aged drunken men who were actually THROWING DEVIL HORNS at Al Stewart when he broke into the beginning riff. I kid you not. More than one of them. I really need to start scouring the thrift stores for some more of his albums....there were a few songs I had not heard before that I really, really would love to have.
So, I slinked out while the mad rush for t shirts and CDs was going on, and had another arduous bus wait. But finally I made it home, and fell happily and sleepily into bed. Sweet, exhausting weekend.
Today I have to go to the library to return my books and try to find some other ones. Hopefully get in a labyrinth walk. Then home to take care of the domestic chores I have neglected all weekend. Hopefully clean out the fridge and then stock up on some vegetables for the week. I also gotta get planning for the wedding this weekend. I'm so excited the season is finally here!
So, weekend recap. Saturday I met Jennie at Bruggers where we had nice big salads. Oh, the vegetables! I chose a mango chicken salad which had lots of spring greens and red peppers and onions and chicken and mango chutney. They served it with ranch dressing, which I thought was a really odd choice. I ignored the ranch dressing for the most part, but I used a little of it at the end when the chutney had run out. I also had a giant iced tea which made me very happy. I really need to get my shit together and make myself some iced tea one of these days. I've got a suntea picture and a very sunny window. I could be rockin the iced earl grey RIGHT NOW! Maybe that will be a part of today's game plan.
Anyway, we just barely made it to the bus, as the Brugger's wall clock is about 5 minutes slow. We had to sprint for a block, which was not so great for my ankle, but we made it. I wish I had a lot of great stories about the freaky shit we saw at the Whole Health Expo, but .....nah. For the most part, it was a lot of chiropractic and thermal imaging and vitamin supplements and waterless cookware. Ekankar was right at the front. There was a very warm and personable lady who gave us packets of info and really did not try at all to huckster us into her offbeat religion. From what I read while we waited for the bus to come home it seems to be about light and sound vibrations, and some past life stuff, and the supreme leader of this thing looks an awful lot like a lawyer. And there's this song called HU. Interesting. I'm just glad that I have a little better sense of what that Ekankar thing is all about. There were some people selling jewelry (I didn't see anything I really wanted! I might not have been really looking since I knew I didn't have the cash for it, but my cursory glimpses didn't reveal anything. hmm.) There were people selling various aromatherapies and creams and lotions and the like. Jennie was really into the rose therapy. I bought a jar of hand salve from the wildcraft herbs lady. Later, I read her pamphlet and learned that when she kept saying "emu oil" she was talking about oil from EMUs! That makes me feel a little weird. Apparently emu oil has been a healing ungent for centuries in Australia or something, but I don't know how she gets the emu oil and that is strange. However, I have to admit that the stuff did make my skin a lot smoother than even the Swiss Formula, so I can't say I regret purchasing it. I'll have to do some internet research on emu oil.
I also got a kitchen magic book by Scott Cunningham, master herbalist and all around swell pagan guy. It's a really funny book....he's got stuff in there about using fig newtons with magical intent in money drawing spells. Ha! I really like his down to earth writings on witchcraft. Jennie got a book about symbolism in the Crowley deck. I am sure glad she is around to take care of learning about the Crowley deck, cuz that thing still spooks me. Speaking of spooking me, there was this one crystal booth that I walked into and immediately had to walk out of because of all the high energy vibrations. Seriously, and I don't mean to sound like I am full of hooey here, I am very sensitive to crystal vibrations. Always have been. Some people can pick up a crystal like it's no big deal, but I can get immediately "vibed out" very easily. And this booth was full of big crystals all pulsing their different energies at me like mad. I couldn't cope with it. Conversely, there was another booth full of crystals that didn't have any effect at all. So there you go. Wish I could make a lot of money off of it, but I haven't tapped into that.
We also came across a few people doing aural photography but it was $25 a pop. I should have just swallowed the bait since I have always been really interested in it, but I didn't. I guess maybe I should try to find someone who does it outside of the Whole Health Expo environment and go for it. I'll put it on my short list. There were also several "readers" of various kinds...tarot, mediums, etc. None of them were particularly appealing to me, but one of them had a pile of brochures about Lilydale and Jennie and I each picked one up. Later, as I was eating my fruit cup in the food court of the mall, we made a pact to go in August for the seminar on Spiritualists in the suffrage movement. We may even get up there a day earlier for the workshop on female images of divinity in the judeo-christian tradition. Woohoo!
So yeah, the Whole Health Expo was mostly just EH. I'm really glad we went, and I'm really glad I got the Cunningham book. The faerie people were running around with wings and garlands on. Cute. There was some meditating under a strange object. Jennie got a feng shui coin to put in the northwest(?) corner of her home. It was definitely a lot more hands off than the bridal fair had been, even though two different people rubbed stuff on the back of my neck.
We walked over to the mall where I had the aforementioned fruit cup, and then we wandered around. There is this amazing cheap colorful underwear store where I got a serviceable (low impact) sports bra for $3.00. I also got a small bottle of grapefruit body lotion from Bath and Bodyworks (by the same CG Bigelow company. Yum) But the memory of the mall that sticks with me, the disturbing image I just can't shake, is from Claire's Fashion Boutique. Apparently the new fashion hot trend is "support the troops" camo accessories. Including, and it is difficult for me to even type this, FAUX BULLET BELTS. I was filled with white hot blinding rage when I saw this. You know, Claire's Fashion Boutique is aimed at LITTLE GIRLS. I almost sought out the manager, but the chances that a manager was there at 3pm on a Saturday were pretty slim anyway. Maybe I'll write a letter to the company. It just ain't right, people. On top of the camo accessory display was the red white and blue stars and stripes accessory display. It was so gross. I am so glad I don't have a preteen daughter right now.
By the time we were done wandering the Expo and the Mall I had a little headache and the hour or so we spent waiting for various busses didn't help. I took a little nap when I finally got home and then headed to the QS for brunch prep around 7pm. Business was kinda slow, so the lovely dinner cook helped me out by chopping three large containers of potatoes. Sweet. I roasted mushrooms and cauliflower and leeks and chopped vegetables and boiled potatoes with garlic and cleaned greens and chopped apples and had a really nice time in the kitchen with the sweet cook and the sweet dishwasher. I finished around 9:30, then strolled to the grocery store to get some last minute supplies, then got home and spent about two hours on the computer making a quote sheet of the famous vegetarians we were feteing on the menu. It was fun, though I accidentally stumbled on some argument about whether or not Leonard Nimoy is actually a vegetarian. Similarly, there were sites claiming that Steve Jobs eats fish, and sites claiming that Steve Jobs is a strict vegan. You never know what to believe, I guess. Anyhow, it turned out nice and I made 20 copies to leave on the tables.
Got up with the sun and was in the kitchen by 6am. I had done so well with prep that it was a relatively leisurely morning for me. It was a pimpy menu, with lots of variety and healthful vegan and vegetarian foods, but unfortunately it wasn't terribly busy. The people who came loved it, but there weren't a ton of people. Apparently Saturday night was full of parties, so most people probably slept late and then wanted grease. Oh well. I had a big bowl of greens with roasted portobello and onion gravy, and then came home for a little nap. I woke up and took a lovely lavender shower and dressed nicely, and then did some bus voodoo to get to the southside by 6pm when the doors opened for the Al Stewart show. When I got there, there was already a line and I got a little crestfallen. But, it didn't say SOLD OUT, so I held my own with the mostly over 45 crowd. There was a biker meet up going on at Jack's so the whole street was lined with machines and every once in a while some drunk bikers would stumble out and make a big show of revving their engines. It was great.
Finally the doors really opened at about 6:2o, and I GOT IN!!! And, even more miraculous, I got a SEAT AT THE BAR!! I ordered up a sky vodka martini (forgetting that club cafe, although supposedly swank and charging $8 for a martini, DOES NOT STOCK OLIVES. WTF?!?!) I sipped my martini and noticed that Peter was not doing sound. Drag. I listened surreptitiously to the conversations of the grownups around me. I was very pleased that next to me at the bar was a little cotillion of super cool high school history teachers who use Al Stewart songs in class. So I got to listen to them talk throughout about which songs he sang they had played to their classes. It was nice. Al was occasionally walking through the crowd before the show and it almost made me cry to see him. He's just this sort of little, extremely British looking sixty something man. With a very, very "fey" sort of speaking voice. Again, extremely British. His associate guitar player opened the show with a few songs, which was just fine. I ordered a bowl of chips and salsa to pass the time while he played. Finally, Al took the stage. He told such funny stories, including one long one about London in the 60s wherein he not only lived with Simon and Garfunkel, but used to play guitar for Yoko Ono before she met John. He did a very convincing imitation of her. So funny. I could have listened to him talk about the civil war between the Basques and the Spaniards for hours. I kept thinking I really need to make an Al Stewart mixtape for Jennie because even though his big "hits" are sort of AOR lovesongs, most of his albums are these incredible historical ballads that I know she would appreciate. He didn't play any of my very favorite songs, but as he has something like 175 songs to choose from, I didn't really expect it. He played "Year of the Cat" of course and it made me weep a little. His voice is totally intact, maybe even a little richer with age and experience. It was like a warm rain shower. I was able to block out all the middle aged drunken men who were actually THROWING DEVIL HORNS at Al Stewart when he broke into the beginning riff. I kid you not. More than one of them. I really need to start scouring the thrift stores for some more of his albums....there were a few songs I had not heard before that I really, really would love to have.
So, I slinked out while the mad rush for t shirts and CDs was going on, and had another arduous bus wait. But finally I made it home, and fell happily and sleepily into bed. Sweet, exhausting weekend.
Today I have to go to the library to return my books and try to find some other ones. Hopefully get in a labyrinth walk. Then home to take care of the domestic chores I have neglected all weekend. Hopefully clean out the fridge and then stock up on some vegetables for the week. I also gotta get planning for the wedding this weekend. I'm so excited the season is finally here!
posted by sheryl at 9:17 AM
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