Here is some math that may astound you.....and has made me depressed/angry

Last year I taught about 265 students in 11 classes (4 in the spring, 1 over the summer and 6 in the fall). Each student pays $2010 to take just my class (many pay over $18,000 a year to go to this private art school).

If you multiply 265 time 2010 you get $532,650

Now guess how much I got paid last year? $18,432

Where did the other $514,218 go? I know there are other costs at this school, but does this not seem a little bit ridiculous?

Hello dear friends and family,

This year has been filled with many events, as usual, for the Eventides. We have way too much fun in this city working hard and playing hard. Chad’s free time has been very limited due to his constantly changing work (EMT) and school schedule (pre-med classes) - so much that there have been days where Lara and Chad have seen less than a hour of each other while awake. But somehow we fit it all in to still enjoy ourselves.

Sunset over the pacific as seen from the northwest corner of the San Francisco peninsula



California has been good to us with mild weather and luminous variety. We have picnics year around, except those few rainy months in late winter/early spring. We live in a house we christened 'Maison Mohito' after the mint colored exterior and have two other roommates. Chad continues to work for American Medical Response as an Emergency Medical Technician and takes a few science classes each semester at San Francisco State University. Lara continues to teach History of Fashion at the Academy of Art University (academyart.edu) and does this solely after leaving her part time job at Dark Garden in August (darkgarden.com).

Lara outside her classroom at the Academy of Art


Lara teaching on the last day of class of the Fall semester


One of the most important things that happened this year was that Chad reunited with his long lost brother Tommy Nilto after 22 years. He came to visit us in SF in April for a few days of fun. They have different dads, but you can see the resemblance. We were instant family, or ohana, as I should say since he is from Hawaii.

Chad and Tommy in our backyard


And to return the favor we visited him in Hawaii in August, were we also officially celebrated our honeymoon (after 3 1/2 years!). We spent a little over one week at Waikiki Beach in Oahu (thanks Dad!) and then ventured over to the Big Island were we joined up with Tommy and our SF roommate Sarah, who also is from Hawaii. We had a great time visiting beaches, tropical forests, waterfalls, and volcanoes.

Chad and Tommy playing chess at Tommy's birthday luau.


The boys with matching braids.


Lara, Chad, and Sarah on the beach


Lara and Chad on a black sand beach


We also took some other trips in 2008. Lara took a trip during her spring break in March and went with the Academy of Art students to Yosemite where she hiked to the top of Yosemite Falls.

Lara with the view of Half Dome


Lara returned to Yosemite in May but this time brought Chad and our roommate Marley and her boyfriend. Our big day was hiking to the top of Half Dome, a 12-hour 18-mile hike rising 5,000 feet. We were dead after that hike, to say the least. But overall it was an amazing trip where the beauty of nature brought tears to ones eyes.

Chad and Lara amongst the redwoods.


Lara made a weekend trip to Reno, Nevada in September to volunteer for the Obama campaign. She went with two of her friends who joined up with 400 other Californians trying to make the red state blue. Guess what: it worked!

Lara with her fellow long haired friend Robynne in Reno


Lara with her ol' pal Obama


Not that it really counts as traveling, but we went to the small island off shore of SF ... Alcatraz (a gift to Chad for our 3-year wedding anniversary).

Chad musing about his medical career in the Alcatraz hospital


Other than Hawaii, our traveling was not very extensive this year, but we had much fun in SF with parties at our house and fun out and about in the city. Lara loves the historical events where she gets to dress up in fun costumes.

Lara in the Dark Garden Fashion show at the Edwardian Ball


Lara and Chad at the Easter egg hunt in the Mountain View cemetery in Oakland


Lara and Chad dressed up to attend the Academy of Art Graduation Fashion show


Lara and Jessica at an archery themed birthday party in Golden Gate Park


Rick, Lara and Chad on the 4th of July (1908 themed) at the Pardee mansion in Oakland



Badminton in the park


Lara at the Halloween Steampunk ball


In August, Lara had an 'L' themed birthday party where everyone had to dress up as something starting with the letter L. Lara was a ladybug, Chad was the Last of the Mohicans, and our friends came as Lady Liberty, Lucifer, a librarian, a lolcat, "Lucky" Luciano, a libertine, and many other witty costumes.

Chad giving Lara her Birthday cake (a layered lemon cake)


We also had a big eating event in November...Thanksgiving! We started inviting 'orphans' over for Thanksgiving 2 years ago where we had 12 people, then last year it was 23, and this year it was up to 45 people! It all went every smoothly and everyone had a great time.

One of the many tables at the Maison Mohito thanksgiving


But many of these events Chad was not able to join us or missed part of it because of his demanding schedule. To live through it Lara has really connected with many friends in San Francisco. Our wonderful friends in San Francisco:

Sarah (our roommate) and Lara at Sarah's birthday party


Chad and Rick, both of whom are half Thai, eating at the Thai Buddhist Temple


Tiff, Lara, Rick, and Daniel in Sausalito on the warmest night of the year


Lara and friends making and eating Christmas cookies
(and being attacked by a photoshopped Cookie monster!)


Also, some old friends made a visit. Both of Lara's best friends from high school, Natalia and Rohn, ventured to San Francisco in November.

Lara and Natalia


Rohn, Quan Yin, Rick, Lara, John, and Karen dressed up to go to the Dickens Christmas Fair


But one of our best friends remains to be our little kitty Luna



And the best friends of all: each other.

Lara and Chad on Okapi, the scooter



After voting for Obama at early voting at City Hall


The holidays (and the end of the Fall semester) came so quickly. It all came and went in a flash. Lara finished teaching her 6 classes (160 students!) by making 34 dozen Christmas cookies for them and thus ending the semester with smiles.

History of Fashion students grabbing homemade cookies


Chad spent the latter part of the Fall semseter dealing with applying for Physician Assistant school, which he plans to start in Fall 2009.

Chad working hard on his Physician Assistant School applications


He got many interview offers, the first was at George Washington University in DC, the 4th best PA program in the US, and possibly where we might be moving to in 8 months! (watch out for the next 'new address' mass email)

Chad leaving for his interview DC in December


After we were done we spent Christmas in Salt Lake City with Lara's Dad, Dad's girlfriend, Sister, Brother-in-law, niece, and nephew. We really got to be an Aunt and Uncle for the first time with the little kids. We went sledding, made cookies, played games, made a gingerbread house, saw the Nutcracker, and many other fun things. We also played poker and went to a Jazz Basketball game with the grown ups. Overall a great Christmas.

Aunt Lara making a gingerbread house with niece Ella


We returned to San Francisco on Dec 31st to host another Maison Mohito party for New Years Eve, where tuxedos and ball gowns were required. We watched fireworks from the roof, drank champagne with friends, and played more poker. Overall a great start to the new year.

Lara and Chad on the roof with fireworks lighting the fog filled sky of San Francisco


Ok, now that is the end of the illustrated history of the Eventides 2008. We hope you, our dear loved ones, have a wonderful year. Keep in touch, we will probably be moving (again) this year.

It has been 4 1/2 years since I graduated with an MA in the History of Dress from the Courtauld Institute. I feel I have put it to some good use, but I feel my knowledge leaking out of me as time goes on. I wish I was back in London, back at the British Library, and back under the guiding wings of my two professors, Aileen Ribeiro and Margaret Scott.

The year I graduated was the last year that Margaret Scott was teaching. I could see the deep pain in the history of dress community to hear that her contract was not being renewed. it was foolish of them, for she is currently the authority of medieval fashion. She made our 4 months of studying European fashion from 1430-1480 come alive with color, stories and wonderment. I loved going to the library for her to photocopy obscure articles on medieval subjects that might have a small detail of information on fashion. I was surprised to see it all finally come into a book, one I was proud, and unknowingly, helping with. I loved her commonsense when looking at the past, her zeal for finding information about Sforza or Vespucci families, and her tolerance for my....enthusiasm and....ignorance.

I just found out last week that Aileen Ribeiro is leaving the Courtauld as well. I cannot tell you what a sense of loss this is bringing me. I feel like there is no one that can fill her hole in the academic world. I loved learning from her. I love her books, so logical, so fulfilling. I loved the bits of information she discovered on 18th century fancy dress that made my eyes twinkle and feel that world. I was such a giddy girl back then (still am a bit even now) to take in all I could during my short time at the Courtauld and I am glad that Aileen found a way to realise my desire. I fondly remember my time researching patches and the maladies they covered at the medical library or going through original etchings from the early 17th century at the British Museum, all to help Aileen with an upcoming book. I cannot believe I got paid for it!

Aileen will be dearly missed. I cannot think about what the History of Dress department will now turn into. I know it will endure and Stella Mary Newton's legacy will survive through a new lecturer and an emphasis on a different time period. Here is the advert for the now open position:

>>>>>>>>>>>
Vacancies
lecturer in dress and textiles


£30,354-£44,963 pa inc London Allowance



The Courtauld Institute of Art is the UK’s leading institution for teaching and research into the History of Art and the conservation of paintings, and has a distinguished history of scholarship and teaching in the History of Dress.



The Courtauld Institute of Art seeks to appoint a permanent full-time lecturer from September 2009. This appointment requires a familiarity with current debates in the cultural study of dress and textiles, and an active engagement with the theoretical dimensions of the subject. The post-holder will be required to teach on the BA Programme at the Courtauld Institute, offering courses focusing on dress and/or textiles that complement, enhance and extend the current teaching of primarily European and American art, and will also be expected to devise and teach a specialist topic at MA level. The capacity to offer this MA course in the historical period before 1850 will be an advantage, though the post-holder’s own research interests may encompass later developments. We are looking for a scholar who will in due course attract PhD students of the highest calibre and who will maintain the Courtauld’s reputation as a premier research institute.



The minimum requirements for the post are a PhD and some teaching experience. The selectors will place considerable emphasis on publications and future research plans. They will be looking for indications of the capacity to initiate collaborative research; the candidate should be able to outline possible research grant applications.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

My deepened understanding of the history of fashion grows more and more after the large seed my professors created and I excruciatingly swallowed begins to grow. I FEEL the past. I FEEL what is was like to live in other times. My opinion and understanding changes. And though I have not recently delved deep into the ancient books at the British Library, I have learned more since I have left that isle of knowledge. I think my emotional knowledge has grown and deepened ready to swallow up more. I have so many gaping holes in my knowledge nowadays. I wish I was around more people to talk about this to. I feel that lately I am only talking about the superficial while teaching whole of the history of fashion to 18 year olds.

And not that I want the above job, but it is a level of degree that I would love to strive for in my future. To teach where I was taught. To plant more seeds of understanding. It is a high level to reach, especially in my current city that is only 150 years old.

If anything I am thankful for the great understanding I have of history, of humanity, of choices, and reasons....but of course the history of fashion. The art we wear on our bodies. Thank you Aileen and Margaret, your gift is well appreciated, not by just me, but by many. And I hope one of your many students can fill this now vacant role, a necessary tribute.

I forgot to share this bicycling blog post that Sarah and I were in over the summer. I thought I looked terrible, but the lady loved our outfits and our shoes (I changed shoes to ride my bike, but Sarah is tough and rides in heels).

http://velovogue.blogspot.com/2008/06/dressed-to-9s-footwear.html

Yay, I voted early today!!!!

I made a date with chad to go to city hall this morning.



We got there a little after 10am to cast our ballot.



I was so happy and proud to vote! Here I am voting for OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT!!!!



Chad was exhasted from the emotional ordeal!



I was proud to vote in such a beautiful building.



Can't wait until November 4th!

Wow, look at me! Another post!

So, I wanted to make an entry about a party I had before Chad and I left for Hawaii. My last day at Dark Garden was also my birthday so I decided to have a party to celebrate. Here is the text of the invitation:

"Come to the 'L' party!"

"Lara is leaving the age of 26 behind and is heading into the age of dead rock stars on this grand day of August 7th where also, only hours before the party, she will be finishing up her last day at Dark Garden. And to top it off, Chad and Lara will be finally going on their long awaited honeymoon in Hawaii just 2 days after the party. So in all this is a birthday party, leaving party, and bon voyage party, so you better come dammit!"

"We will have festivities such as:
-Food and drinks (wow, how original...)
-Fire eating (this does not refer to the blowing out of the candles; I'm not that old!) but we will have cake as well...
-Christmas in August with our unseasonal gift exchange (yes, everyone gets a gift on my birthday!)* see below
-Amateur aerial silks fun
-Lobotomies
-And even...a lachrymal labyrinth of lithe lesbian larvae lemurs languishing in lava!!!"

"You can take part in in these fun events by doing the following (of course, all of these are MANDATORY!!!!)
-Dress up as something starting with the letter L (please no adjectives or verbs such as 'lazy' or 'late' or 'leaving'. Dress only as nouns such as 'lion', 'lychee', or 'leper'!)
-*Bring a present under $5 that starts with the letter L
-Bring yummy things to eat (legumes, loaf, lobster, logan berries, lettuce, lollipops, lasagna, lemons, licorice, lambs, liverwurst, limburger, lentils, or even lard!)
-Bring a libation (a drink offering) (liquor, laudanum, lemonade, loquat juice....oh damn, can't think of any more!)"

So you get the point.

I turned out to be tons of fun. So many of my dear friends came. I made a speech about how lucky I was to have such wonderful friends in this city and how they have enriched my life. My friends are so wonderful. And almost everyone came in costume!

Here are some of us: the lounge lizard, libertine, laughing (?), Lolita, ladybug, and Leia



Chad was pretty sexy as 'last of the mohicans'


Lady Liberty and the LOLcat showed up as well.




Sarah and I made a lemon layer cake for my birthday cake. It looked better than it tasted. Chad is so sweet.



We even had a great time doing the gift exchange.



I love the lime green socks and shoes worn by David in his purple suit!



I also love this crazy photo of the ladybug and the lab technician...yes those are rib spreaders...



And Sarah was so so sweet to make me a lei... something I really wanted for my birthday. All the flowers came from our back yard!



I had a WONDERFUL time. Again, I have the best friends. I LOVE YOU GUYS!

This past Sunday I volunteered to help with a voter registration booth at Decompression (the SF Burning Man Party). My friend Rick came with me and we had a great time standing just inside the entrance of the event and seeing all the crazy costumes people came in with.

These were some of my favorites, though they had more clothes covering them on the front side.



Rick was very good at cathing people to make aure they were registered. He registered about 30 people!



I registered a few stragglers, maybe about 15, including one of these guys who accosted me and stood way too close as he filled out the form.



Rick really delighted in counting how many people had filled out forms. You can see the tally he kept on his hand.



It was a very pretty sunny day and I am glad I wore my big hat. You can see in this nice photo of Rick and I why the voter booth organizer thought were a couple when she wrote this article about the experience (scroll to the bottom).
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pamela-mays-mcdonald/young-san-francisco-does_b_134976.html



"I organized a Voter Registration Station at "Decom" and recruited a colorful group of volunteers who represented a cross-section of the Burning Man community. Lara and Rick came dressed in "Steam Punk" regalia, as though they had just stepped out of the 1870s; the energetic, yet even-tempered, 20-something couple hustled all day to register as many voters as they could, making a game of it."

Wow, I had no idea I dressed steampunk...cool!



The night before this Rick and I went to San Jose to a once a month goth club where I shook my booty all night and had a great time. We went to Denny's afterward (how suburb!) and got home at 5am! Our wonderful friends Shannon and Christopher were there.





The Thursday before, Chad and I went to the Obamarama to see a variety of acts, including Kitten on the Keys, Veau de Vire Society, and Lee Presson and the Nails. There was even this great trio (I cannot remember their name!), but the main guy opened the act by playing the most beautiful song on...bike handlebars!



We even got to hang out with Barack!

Me, Karen and Barack:


Chad and I showing our appreciation:


We made funny photos while we waited:





To sum it all up, I am going to give another quote (about San Francisco) from the article I gave a link to above :

"For two centuries, the "City by the Bay" has attracted the young, the adventurous, the bohemian, the fun-loving, the aesthetically-sensitive and the creatively-intense from all over the world. What gives the City its charm is this diversity and a sense of being on the cutting edge of the new world, on the Pacific Rim. Fortunes are made here; trends begin; people "find themselves" and each other. The climate is kind, the food, wine and coffee are good, and people are generally tolerant of one another's differences."

I love this city!!!!!!!!(Is this home?)

Any where is home with kitty!

So I have had this old post saved in my livejournal for a few months now. I do not think I will find a time to finish it so I will just post it as is. Enjoy!




I was really missing Chad in June. He was working and going to school so much that for 4 or 5 days I would only get to see him for a total of 30 minutes, and that was only when one of us was asleep. Oh how I missed this boy.



We did get a few chances to hang out, usually on Monday or Tuesday nights. Here we are dressed up again to go out to Death Guild. Both of us are held together with safety pins.



Kitty wants to come too!!!!



We had a great time that night, except that my new friend Rick was falling over drunk because of his recent breakup.

Oh, how I craved time with Chad, Kitty did too.



At the beginning of June I was setting up the video field trip for my online class. I filmed at Lacis over in Berkeley and then was setting up a date to film the costume collection at Stanford University. I also was beginning the Summer semester teaching soon...I was so stressed out (still am!).
The weekend before I started back at school we had a Friday the 13th Serial Killer Movie night. We invited so many people, but no one came! It was just Me, Sarah, Kalico, and then Rick showed up! He did not look like much of a serial killer but he brought the most incredible Riesling wines!



He was greeted by 3 very strange looking girls: Me; Blanche Taylor (weapon: arsenic)

Kalico: Penny Smith (from the circus)



And Sarah: Charles Manson!



This was the first time he met Kalico and Sarah, I do not think the impression will ever leave him.



We made a bloody mess of spaghetti and meatballs to eat and watched Sweeney Todd and Cannibal the Musical. I was so sleepy drunk by the second movie.



It was a fun night.

The next weekend I was to hang out with Rick again. We had made plans many weeks before to go to Gaskells Victorian Ball. I got dressed up in my sari bustle dress, made it dance-able (shorten train etc)and went to the ball to dance dance dance on Saturday June 14th.

Rick was quite the generous companion. He picked me up from Dark Garden and even took me out to dinner in North Beach after the event.



We also went driving around SF looking at old houses. It was so much fun to bond with a new friend! We had so much fun!!!

I started teaching again on Monday June 16th. I also did my demos for my online class. I had only 2 or 3 hours of sleep the night before and was so stressed. I really liked the outfit I wore, though.



I have actually been doing lots of fun eyeshadow ever since Easter because Jessica at work gave me tons of fun makeup!

This has been a very interesting past 12 hours.

Obama gave a wonderful speech, which all of you should watch if you want to have any right to give your opinion on this election.



Also McCain chose his VP as Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. What an interesting choice! I am glad that things are getting all mixed up like this. I truly enjoy it. Though I am not voting for McCain/Palin I enjoy her good points like she is young and level headed.

However, I REALLY disagree with some of her stands on subjects such as abortion, gay rights, and the environment (do you know the she sued the government to take polar bears off the 'threatened' species list, if there is disappearing ice, where they live, it seems like the are....threatened!). Also I do not see her taking over as president if the now 72 year old McCain kicks the bucket.

I also feel a bit scared for her as she seems like she has nor really dealt with Washington politics and is up against a 33 year senator and one of the best orators of our time. Good luck to her in the debates!

But to end that I want to quote a lady (kg) from a comments supporting Sarah Palin that I find hilarious!

"Here's to Babies, Guns and Jesus."

It says it all!

Let me know what you thing about the Obama speech and the VP choice. I love to hear your opinions.

The beginning of April started out with much stress as I began to write the first parts of my online version of the History of Fashion class I teach. I had to do the outline and a few scripts and start filming my videos for the class, something I am no good at! I have no career in acting, whatsoever!

But, as usual, I escaped from my stresses of the week on the weekend and went to a great archery themed birthday party for my coworker Cat on April 6th. It was located at the archery range in Golden Gate Park, right next to the Pacific Ocean. We started off with a glorious gothic picnic. Happy Birthday Cat!



Some of us did not dress so goth but instead tried for the medieval look, like me and my 'sister' Jessica.



Cat had on a wonderful outfit of leather scraps from Dark Garden with a corset made of the most interesting leather.



Chad really enjoyed playing as well.



Our target was George W. Bush. Don't shoot Chad!!!



Karen looked so pretty in the flowers!



After the festivities, Chad and I went to the ocean that was just next to the archery field. OH, how grand it is to live next to the sea!



I love this absurd photo! Windmill + Spaceman + Oblivious Girl.



Chad and I drove back to Potrero Hill, all the way across the peninsula of SF, in 12 minutes! Pretty fast for a 50cc scooter!

During my stint of not eating sweets during Lent, I found a love for making smoothies at home. They are so yummy in the blender. I like to share them with Chad and Sarah. They taste great with a bit of added protein powder or BLOOD!



The next week I donated blood at the Blood Centers of the Pacific, but did not use it in my smoothies.....Also, Chad and I got ready for a a very special visitor....Chad's long lost brother Tommy Nilto. We found him in December of 2007 and this visit would mark the first time Chad and Tommy have spent time with one another in the last 22 years! He flew in from Hawaii, the big island, where he now lives, on Friday April 11th during a major heat wave in SF, after being stuck in the airport overnight. While I was at work that day, Chad and Tommy went shopping for BBQ fixins. We were joined that evening by our roommates Sarah, also from Hawaii, and Marley with her boyfriend Dan. We cooked up some mean shishkababs, and I ate my first bacon in 12 years because it looked so yummy wrapped around a mushroom Hawaiian style.



Chad and Tommy seemed instantly like brothers. Both very funny.



After the yummy BBQ Sarah burned her mail since she does not own a shredder.



Over that weekend we had a really great time with Tommy. Sarah was great as well, helping us to understand the native talk of Pigeon and joining us together with Hawaiian culture. We also joined Marley and Dan on Saturday at their housewarming party at ate incredibly yummy food again. On that Sunday we went to the Thai Buddhist Temple (Chad and Tommy's mom is Thai) for their Sunday lunch only to find that it was a special day. Songkran day, or the Thai new year. There was dancing and water fights. Tommy would tell us his stories about the times when he was in Thailand for the event.



Chad and Tommy also had the same taste in food in common and pigged out on massive bowls of the Thai soup. Tommy would tell us that their mom would make this from scratch every week (this is probably the biggest motivator for Chad to find his mom).



We then went to a waffle party at my boss Autumn's house (where Tommy witnessed our crazy friends contact juggling in the park), only to return to the Thai temple for a second bowl of soup (Tommy loved it!!!). He then spent the rest of the day traveling around town with Chad going to some of the tourist places, like the seals at Pier 39.



That night Sarah, Chad, and Tommy all got drunk at the local bar.



Chad and Tommy are now great brothers again. Tommy is so glad to have us as family. We will be returning the favor and visiting him August 14-19, which will be an amazing time (Sarah is coming too!)

Photos taken with Tommy's new digital camera.







Soon after these photos were taken Sarah and I began revamping the garden into a full fledged Vegetable garden. It was LOTS of work with LOTS of blisters and aching backs.



Sarah was smart and wore a corset, and sun bonnet. Her skirt, however, was not too practical, but she looked so good! I love Sarah!!!!



Things were getting increasingly busy and stressful for me with the online class (it still is!). But I get to enjoy perks to my job like going to the Academy of Art Graduation Fashion show on Friday April 25th. It was a big deal and Chad and I got all dressed up.



We got dressed up at Dark Garden. Always good photo ops there.



Even though I forgot(!) our tickets we got in (good thing my students were working the door). We mingled for a bit and got interviewed about our outfits, then made our way into the big tent to watch the highly anticipated fashion show. It was fantastic as usual, but I was not as enamoured with the clothes as last year, but her are some of my favorites.

There was some really fantastic men's wear. I love these glasses.



These fairy tale inspired wood dresses were pretty amazing as well.



I am pretty proud of the school I work at!(this photo is taken right outside the class room I teach in, just to the left of the the photo)



April went really fast, school (with my 4 classes and online class) were really taking its toll. I was very much looking forward to May 14th, the last day of classes, were I could take a small break. In the meantime I was planting seeds and plants in my garden, eagerly waiting for them to grow (photos to come of that!). We even bought some seedlings from the local high school, but many of them died.

The beginning of May also marked the beginning of Chad's new schedule 6pm to 6am Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and every other Wednesday. This schedule cause me much heartache and insanity. I was so depressed and lonely during this time, and it was only the beginning.

The day after my last day of classes Chad and I joined in on the SF Bike to Work day, though we bike to work everyday, but it was so neat to see so many people on bikes (even thought it was so so hot that day). I love riding a bike.

Also, with my new found freedom of the end of the semester, Chad and I went to Death Guild on Monday, May 19th where we had not been since January. Yay, another ocassion to dress up. I wore my white wig, which I have had since I was 16 (11 years ago!!!). That night I met some new friends (Rick, Daniel and Tiffany, who I am to later describe our fun adventures together).





May 24th Chad and I celebrated 9 years of being together. Chad whisked me away from work to enjoy a classical music concert in an old Victorian Church. We had such great time!

But on May 26th I whisked Chad away as well on a trip to Yosemite for 4 days! We rented a car and drove with Marley and Dan who went on part of the trip with us. The scenery along the drive was amazing with golden rolling hills. I loved the part when we went through the hills covered with windmills.



We camped in Hodgdon Meadow Campground and on our first day just went on a 2 mile walk to the sequoias and explored the nearby meadow. So nice to be away from the city!.



While at the Sequoia grove Dan, Marley and Chad all crawled through the center of a downed tree. I did not do it this time for it is muddy and I did it in March on my last trip. I love this photo of Dan and Marley inside the tree.



Chad inside the tree too.



It was so pretty there. The sun was going down for our first night in the woods.



We went back to the campsite and made a yummy hamburger dinner in the dark. Tried to go to bed early for we were getting up a 5am(!) to begin our 18 mile hike the next day to the top of Half Dome!!!!

On the road by 5:45 am we drove the 30 mins to Yosemite Valley. Along the way during the early morning sunrise we saw a spectacular view of the canyon filled with luminescent fog above a shining silver ribbon of the river. We stopped the car to take a look, it was so breathtaking. We would have many views that day that would take our breath away.

Once we arrived in Yosemite Valley and parked, Marley and I prepared some PB+J sandwiches for the hike.



We needed a lot of supplies for this big hike, but were determined not to stay overnight and to do it in one day. We were on the trail just before 7am. Only an hour in we were making good headway up the canyon and up up the mountain.



Soon we passed over the river and then started hiking along side it, until it turned into a waterfall. This part of the trail was called the Mist Trail for the steps beside Vernal Falls are always covered in mist (or ice!). It was quite the work out, but still, this was just the beginning.



We were soon at the top of the falls and still made our way, practically vertical at this point, up the mountain. Again we were hiking next to a waterfall (Nevada Falls), this one we got to look over the edge



Now we were in little Yosemite Valley. About a mile across of flat (!) land. Chad liked the flat land and trees.



Unfortunately it was pretty cold and overcast. But it suited well. Here is one of few glimpses of sunlight (I love this tree),



We ate lunch and were on our way...up!

After we left the valley, along the trail, Chad and I hid behind a tree and scared Marley and Dan so bad they almost peed their pants!!! A little later they bombarded us with snow balls. It was fun, even though we were exhausted.

Up Up and UP we went. It got colder and mistier. Soon,as we were nearing the top (we thought!), it started to SNOW!



The fluorescent green lichen was electric in the fog and snow.



Soon we came to this enormous rock face covered with the steepest staircase, we were almost there...we think...

We made it to the top!


Only to find, that we still had so much more to go, and it was STRAIGHT UP (notice the ant-like people crawling up the rock face via cables).



We heard the rock was covered with ice and many people were backing out of climbing the last stretch. We did not think we were going to do it with the terrible weather conditions so we sat down and had a bite to eat. Chad ran off for a bit, but it seemed he was gone for quite a while. We ventured over to the cables only to see Chad half way up the cables.



Soon Marley and Dan are on their way up too. I stayed behind with the back packs (and the rude thief squirrels). I did not think it was worth it and I was beat! I am FREEZING while I am waiting. Chad eventually comes back down and we find a rock to hide behind from the wind while Marley and Dan are still at the top exploring.

Ok, so Chad, Marley and Dan made it to the top of Half Dome, and I ALMOST made it....

Now the long long long journey to the parked car 9 miles away from us.

We decided to take a different trail down just to see something new. Just when we were switching to that trail at the top of Nevada Falls it begins to pour, and I mean POUR rain on us. We have nothing to cover us and just wait it out, soaking wet. We begin the trail along a cliff that had mini waterfalls raining down on us for the first 5 minutes. Finally it kind of stops and we make it back in to the forest. It was such a pretty fairy land. I do not know how we still had energy to take this photo.



More and more down hill. Our feet hurt, we need more water but are drenched. There are puddles eveyrwhere.



The last few miles were agonizing! Here we are at a sign near the bottom telling us it is 8.2 miles to the top of half dome. 16.4 mile round trip. We still had another .8 miles to go to the car. A total of 18 MILES, 5,000 ELEVATION FEET up and down each way, and 11.5 HOURS hiking. Were were BEAT!




Not looking forward to our wet tents, wet wood, and a cold dinner, we went to Midpines where I stayed at the hostel in March. Tried to eat dinner (we were so weak) and then went to the SPA!!! Sauna, Hot Tub and a hot shower can do wonders. We got back to our wet tents by about midnight. It was a LONG day.

Marley and Dan left the next day and Chad and I were on our own with a car. We drove along the Tioga Road in the north. We mostly stayed in the car that day. Listening to VNV Nation or Between the Buried and Me. It was a joy. We drove higher and higher in elevation until there was 5 feet of snow lining the road.

We stopped and looked at a partially frozen lake. Snow all around. I LOVE CHAD!





There was a great lookout point along the road where we stopped. I loved the rock on the mountain with the boulders dropped by melted glaciers. Very surreal.



We even stopped by an enormous mountain lake with white mountains surrounding it. Again, breathtaking. We almost went through to the other side of the park, but then turned around and went back (it was cold and snowing!).

We then traveled south again into Yosemite Valley. Just as we were coming into the valley, it started to hail, very hard. It was scary driving! But we made it up to the Tunnel View look out. Talk about breathtaking! My eyes teared up when seeing this view. I shrieked with joy, just like John Muir. You must see this view before you die! It was like Rivendell in the flesh with all the beautiful waterfalls.



We then went down in to the Valley and went to the Ahwahnee Hotel, built in 1927. We bought ice cream and sat in the sun room feeling like rich people. We marveled at the enormous fireplaces that you could walk into.



The dining room was amazing...



We ate in the valley again for we knew our wood and tent would still be wet back at the campsite. We went back, well fed and again exhausted and fell asleep.

Next day we packed up and headed out of the park, only to return again to go to Hetch Hetchy in the north part of the park. It is said to be similar to Yosemite Valley, and so it was, but just its little sister. Still magnificent cliffs and waterfalls, but just not as tall. There was an enormous dam built in 1923 making the valley into a lake. John Muir's last fight, and he lost. The dam is an eyesore, but the lake is beautiful.



There was even a tunnel at the other end of the dam. Another great photo of Chad.



We then headed back to the city. We picked up cherries, peaches, and strawberries at a fruit stand, they were yummy. We even stopped in a tiny 19th century mining town. Then back to the city, back to civilization.

And that concludes the month of May. More to come.

I left off with the flurry of spring erupting in my back yard and the excitement of adventure on the horizon.

It was Spring Break for me, my first as a teacher. I decided to join the Academy of Art on their trip to Yosemite. For only $100 I was getting transport from SF to Yosemite, 2 days in the park, accommodation in a hostel and 2 meal a day. It was a fantastic deal! I was the only faculty on the trip, the rest being students and one group organizer. I wanted to come up with some alternate personality to exhibit on the trip since I did not know anyone and was going alone. However I did not have the confidence in my acting skills and revealed my true self, eventually. No one even guessed I was a teacher....

So we left downtown SF on a Sunday at 12noon. Crawled into the cramped back back seat of a 14 person van. I made friends quickly with the girl sitting next to me. Found out that her and many others were grad students and about my age as well. After about 4 hours we arrived at the Yosemite Bug hostel. They were assigning rooms and for some reason I did not want to be in the all girls dorm (they talk too much!) and waited until they picked me and 3 other guys to room together. I being very colorful and strange am put with 3 very normal looking guys who look very uncomfortable rooming with a girl. However, I tried my best to make it work and asked if they wanted to go on a hike really quick before dinner. We walked and walked passing the water hole and up a large hill, the sun was setting and we were on our way home, one of my roommates took this photo on that walk.



It was then coming to light the creative people I was living/traveling with. However, not many of them were tough hikers and as excited as I was about a 6 hour hiking trip the next day. Dinner, went to bed, woke up at 6am to take a shower in a cold restroom, and got in one of the vans leading to Yosemite Valley. Arrived in chilly frosty weather. Looked for a good hike: Top of Upper Yosemite falls and tried to recruit people to join me. I was pumped and ready to go. Here I am with my destination behind me. The top of the falls.

The trail stared out in some semi steep switchbacks, but with beautiful sunlight between the trees.


Many of the people I started off with were not keeping up. I kept waiting for them, but soon only waited for the last remaining few. Here is the view from Columbia Rock, about 1/3 of the way up. Behind me is Half Dome (that I was to hike to the top of on my next trip).

In this next picture is my friend who made it the farthest with me. Here we found a sneaky view of the upper waterfall, still much more to climb.

Soon the trail turned to snow. Only 2 people were still with me.

Incredible views:


I just had to make it to the top, even if I was alone. I heard it was only 20 minutes up. But through snow...


I finally reached the top


On the way down I saw some other people of our crew making their way up, saying they were going to find a different ride home because they were going to be late, not much of a good choice in my opinion. They did not get home until 9 or 10pm. However, on my hike down I saw rainbows in the waterfall:


The next day in the park we visited the sequoia tress in Touolomne Grove and even crawled through the center of one!

Here is all my crew on the van. Good times. Lots of snow.


Did I say lots of snow? About 4 feet or so. Here is our group crossing a 'bridge'. Notice were the railings are..


We then did a ridiculously stupid 'hike' up a dome to see a view of the valley. We ended up at the top of Turtleback dome. Here I am with my tough hiking partner.


Here and the view:


I happened to make friends with two very good photographers. This photo was taken at the top of Turtleback dome in the snow:


My friends took some great photos:




On our way home we passed through some gorgeous rolling green hills, some covered with green energy windmills (yay!). Such the glory of spring.

Dropped off downtown. Said goodbye. Received email addresses. Keeping in touch with new found friends.

Back in San Francisco I continued my new favorite sport. Aerial Silks!!!! I would go to Tyler's warehouse every Thursday to practice. Unfortunately the opinions of the roommates became a bit unfriendly and it ended. Here in my last hurrah (before I build my own mini version in my garage!).


The Friday before March 26th (our 3 year wedding anniversary), I surprised Chad with an unexpected camping trip. I had planned for us to go to Angel Island but the plans fell through and I ended up asking my roommate if I could borrow her car, she said yes and Chad and I were off up north. We drove around and found a campsite up near Sonoma. We happened to forget matches, pillows, wood, air mattress and etc. so that we froze all night long ending up sleeping in the back of the car. Oh, I am so happy to have my Chad.



The next day, not so fresh as a daisy, we went driving around the North Bay areas of Sonoma and Calistoga. I stopped and picked flowers.



We tried to find something nice to do together (mud bath?) but everything was pretty pricey. But then we decided on Harbon Hot Springs. http://www.harbin.org/intro.htm It was an amazing time!!! Chad, decided to break out of his prude mode and accept the 'clothing optional' bathing. We undressed in the unisex dressing room, rinsed off in the mosaic showers, and then made our way to the warm pools that were out in the open looking up at the newly budding spring trees, where we sat for quite some time. We then moved up to the sacred hot pool enclosed in a little hut decorated with undersea creatures. Boy, that pool was HOT!!!! I could only stand it for a minute or two and then came the best part...the cool pool where you felt a certain process going on in your body. This was the most amazing system, and I understood now why the Romans liked it so much. We then lay out the sun for a while amongst the multitude of nude humans. It was wonderful to lay in the sun, in a secluded canyon, with not clothes on. The best mini vacation ever!

So we had to come back to SF early enough to start our sugar party. Sarah, me, and a few other of our friends were doing Lent this year. We had not eaten any sugar for the past 6 weeks and as of Sunday March 23 at 12:01am we were free to eat all the sweets in the world, and boy did we! But first we had a job to do.....burn our Christmas tree!



It had been hanging out in our back yard for quite some time and I cannot tell you how scary it was to see that tree go instantly up in flames in our back yard fire pit. The neighbors looked over in horror at the instant 10 foot flame shooting out of the freaks' backyard. There are still black steaks on our outdoor oven.





So then, at midnight the sugar party began! We spread the whole of our sugary delights on the living room floor and gorged ourselves until our bellies ached, like little kids on Halloween.


The next day (yes, this is still the same weekend!), was Easter and we had planned to go to an Easter egg hunt in Mountain View Cemetery, as we did last year. We filled our eggs we acquired last year and got dressed up in our Easter finery. I had found a bridesmaid dress that just needed a little work at a thrift store and covered it with fake flowers.



but the best part was my hair....



A bird's nest!



Everyone else got dressed up too! I love my friends.

Kalico and Tyler looking so cute even in black on a spring day.



Sarah and Erik, such a lovely couple.



Isaak, Autumn and Karen.



Kalico being the beauty she is:



Sarah and I posing with the pumpkin (where the hell do you get a pumpkin in March!?)



Even Karen and I's shadows looked good!




We played lots of games, like rocket balloon contests:



Chad loved this game:



Even things like "light the cigarette with the sun!"





All of our toys made a mess.



I love my Chad!!!!!!



It was a fantastic day with our great friends. It was so nice to celebrate the wonders of spring (and eat sugar again!!!!).



Only a few days later was Chad and I's official 3 year anniversary on the 26th of March. Chad surprised me with a short trip out of town and took me to one of my favorite childhood restaurants The Old Spaghetti Factory, were of course I ordered mizithra cheese! He was so sweet and gave me a card. I too gave him a card which held tickets to go on a evening tour of ALCATRAZ!!!

We went that Sunday, March 30 at 4pm to Pier 33 where we caught a ferry to take us to the island. Chad got dressed up in a suit and could not decide between 3 ties, so he wore all three!



We jumped on Chad's scooter (it's name is Okapi). This is how Chad gets to school everyday at SFSU.



I ride on the back.



But the scooter ride is very different from the boat. We watched the city get smaller and smaller in the distance.



Once we arrived at Azkaban...wait...no, Alcatraz, we took up the audio tour and walked around the prison and the grounds. It was strange to think of the years of lives wasted behind those bars (I appropriately wore my prison uniform).



Chad was stunned. Here as a free man in a place so filled with feelings of restriction and anger.



The view from the inside looking out.



However, the best part of the prison was the hospital, only open to evening visitors. It was amazingly creepy with peeling paint and old gurneys.







Chad really liked the hospital. He became very thoughtful.



Also, the grounds around the prison were very interesting and beautiful in their own way. Alcatraz is the "island of the sea birds" and was literally covered with seagulls.



The view of San Francisco completely entranced it's prisoners who dreamed of one day returning to civilization. Such a deep divide.



We were there to watch the sunset through the Golden Gate Bridge. Chad and I are so happy.



But once the sun went down they did not let us explore much more. We took a look at some of the ruins (my favorite things there!).



We hopped back on our ferry boat and made our way back to SF. A wonderful time!!!!!





Chad faced the lights of the city as we came in on the boat. I love this silhouetted photo.



So there is the end of March 2008, more to come......

I was at the Academy of Art Library and was looking at the new books that came in. I picked one up on medieval fashion and saw that it was written by one of my former teachers. I knew she had been working on it for years and did not know when it was published so I tried to find the publication date. I happened to turn to the acknoledgements page and MY NAME caught my eye. She acknoledged me in the book for the work I did for her when I was in grad school!!! I had no idea that I really helped out so much! What a pleasant surprise.

Here is a link to the book if you are interested.
http://www.amazon.com/Medieval-Dress-Fashion-Margaret-Scott/dp/0712306757/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1212646410&sr=8-1

(sorry about this, but while I am bragging) I am also acknoledged in two other books that I helped on. I highly recommend them (and would do so even if I did not help with them). Here are the links:

Fashion and Fiction by Aileen Ribeiro
http://www.amazon.com/Fashion-Fiction-Literature-England-Studies/dp/0300109997/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1212646350&sr=1-1

19th century Fashion in Detail by Lucy
http://www.amazon.com/Nineteenth-Century-Fashion-Detail-Lucy-Johnston/dp/1851774394/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1212646296&sr=8-1

He he, I just created an avatar...
Who wants to go on a picnic with me?

OH, how I do enjoy the beauty of spring. But I shall return the the early days of this year, with limited day light and the year just beginning. Oh, the leafless trees....

After beginning the new year with such festivities...I continued with more! I had until January 29th before teaching again and I wanted to make the most of my time until then. Exactly a week after new years Chad and I went to Death Guild to dance the night away. Much fun. I love the sound of music resonating in my beating heart as I dance. Since one of my classes for the spring is at 8:30am on Tuesday I was unable after this point to return to Death Guild to obtain my dance therapy. But it was a great chance to get dressed up (in new clothes at that!).



Earlier that day I worked with David Houston, one of my favorite photographers. We took some really great photos as usual. Here are two. There were some other better ones, but inappropriate to show here...





Then on that Sunday was the love of my life's birthday. Turning the ripe age of 26. Oh, how he brightens my life.



To celebrate I rented a car and took him to the Thai Buddhist Temple in Berkeley for their weekly Sunday Thai brunch. Chad loved it. The food was amazing!





After our yummy Thai brunch we drove all the way down the bay to San Jose to see the Body Worlds exhibit. We spent hours there! Chad taught me so much about anatomy. How eye opening to see so much of the body! How tiny a baby can be and still have a human form, or how convincing it is not to smoke after seeing a smoker's lung, or how terrible the effects of cancer can be on a liver or lung. We were famished by the end! Luckily we had some Thai food left over and ate it in a star lit park.

We then went north to San Francisco to go to the Clay Theater, one of the oldest cinemas in SF opened in 1914. Before the movie started we stopped off at a crepe restaurant and got some grub and then went into the darkened movie theater to see Atonement (Chad is a Kiera Knightly fan..). After that we went to finish off the evening with some yummy gelato (Chad got his favorite, Fragola). HAPPY BIRTHDAY HONEY, I LOVE YOU!!!

The next few weeks I made attempts at working on my class, really trying to improve it, but ended up spending lots of time having fun with my friends. One night we went to an Eddy Izzard night at Tyler and Isaac's warehouse. Shortly after our arrival we heard this enormous crash that sounded like a whole china cabinet falling over! We went to the other end of the warehouse to find a 27" television smack on the concrete floor. It had fallen from its platform near the mega hammock on the 2nd floor right onto it's X placed below it (a funny precaution). Luckily no one was hurt. Lots of broken glass. Here is Isaac with the trophy.



I also spent lots of time before the semester started getting ready for the annual Edwardian (Gorey) Ball Weekend. There was a Dark Garden Fashion show on the Friday and Saturday; I was in the fashion show on Sat and vending on Friday (the worlds fair). It was perfect, for the event was the weekend before school started. I had a great time. Here are some photos from that Friday with the worlds fair event.

Jessica doing my hair:




Me grommeting the bone corset before the show:



Boys sewing!!!!


My beautiful and wonderful friends:

Jessica and Robynne


Kalico


Sophia in her 6 foot tall checkered hoop skirt


Tyler and I (I'm the short one)


And the fashion show (oh, if I could only remember the wonderful words that Jessica wrote with her incredible wit.. to go with each scene)



I had a great night and ended the night dancing to a string of my favorite songs on the dance floor. We piled everything into the van and Sarah and I took it home to put in our garage...

Saturday was the actual ball, but I did not go. 3 nights in a row would be too much! So I returned again on Sunday, this night to be in the fashion show myself, but enjoyed myself before the show amongst the crowd. Chad even came this evening, looking so dashing..



I even got to be one of the lucky few to have my head cut off in the guillotine (not me in photo). Unfortunately none of my friends were there to see, but it really was quite exhilarating watching that blade come towards your neck.



Oh, how I do love my colorful friends:



We spent a lot of time just having fun back stage.



Kalico looked great in her stripey outfit.


Kerri too in her new red braids and hat:


So, then the fashion show began. It was so much fun. I am not much of an actress but it is a great/strange feeling being on stage in front of people...

(I need to find the words to go with these vignettes)















All in all a really great evening. And an end to my piece of mind for the next few months as I returned to teaching just 2 days later.

But as much as I thought I would become a recluse when the semester began, it was not true. My social calendar kept rolling and my friends were ever so kind to keep inviting me to great events. Just a week later I was back out on the town in a new outfit at the Absinthe party for those of us in the Gorey production. Chad, Kalico, Tyler and I all attended.





Chad ended up falling asleep most of the night.



I could only wake him up to juggle.



We ended up finding a nice corner of the club to enjoy the rest of the night. I sat on comfy couches and tried contact juggling. I was not used to such a high slit in my skirt (oh, the benefits of being a sexy geisha assassin).



Our present company kept us entertained with contact juggling and the previous sublime violin performance by Paul Mercer.



When we got home I tried to assassin Tyler with my chopsticks.



The week after that night, on Feb 9th, Chad and I went to say good bye to Melissa and Grant at their gorgeous house (which has now changed hands over to Erik). They are moving, of all places, to Bath England!

The next day Chad and I went on a bike ride around the perimeter of San Francisco. We enjoyed the wonderful views of the bay, the golden gate bridge, we even stopped by an old abandoned army barrack. Oh, how I wanted to break in!



Eventually made our way down to golden gate park, only to lie gently and lovingly in the soft spring grass.





After that we were quite hungry so we went to CHA CHA CHA on Haight street for a meal. We were given the meal for free because we just met the chef just that night before at Mel and Grant's going away party. Oh what a blessed life we live! Here is Chad ordering a beer in the bar of the restaurant. I loved the interior decoration (especially the plants!) the food was fantastic and lively as well.



Valentine's day, which I was not keen on celebrating much at all, I did not spend in the presence of my dear husband. He had to study for a big test the next day so I left him a alone to study and hung out with my friend Tyler. While going over to the East Bay we saw Sophia on BART (what a coincidence in this big city!) and the two of them started contact juggling. Oh, how I love my talented friends.



Then Tyler and I spent most the night distilling absinthe and dying his hair black, blue, and purple.

The next few weeks felt pretty care free, considering. I was working at Dark Garden 3 days a week and teaching 2. I reserved Sundays to hang out with my wonderful husband and had time in the mornings on Thursday and Friday to create outfits. One outfit turned out to be a spontaneous success. The burgundy part of the outfit was a dress I bought to wear to dinner with Chad for our 6 month anniversary...oh so long ago now.







Yes, those photos were taken just before work on a Thursday morning.. in our living room.


And as the rain fell (I was getting drenched all the time on my bike) and the sun was shining more and more our back yard began to bloom... oh how I love the magic of nature.



I was then spending a lot of my time getting ready for upcoming holidays (spring break, 3 year anniversary, spring/summer break, summer/fall break. I then set up a trip to Yosemite for spring break (Chad could not join me, so I went with a bunch of students from AAU), purchased a camping pass to Yosemite for late May (when Chad could join as well), planned an outing for Chad and I the weekend between our spring breaks, and bought tickets to HAWAII for two weeks in August! Finally we have planned our honeymoon, more than 3 years late.

Will continue with more on my trip to Yosemite and more recent adventures in part two....

I have just cried buckets of happy tears after watching a slew of potential Barack Obama ads made by his supporters in a contest from MoveOn. org.


May of them are so moving and inspiring. I voted on them for over an hour at 30 seconds a clip.
It really was quite addictive!

If your interested and want to have your say on what ad gets aired across the US then go to this link.


http://www.obamain30seconds.org/vote/?t=3&id=12485-8407253-vuPpYU

Hope you have fun. Let's cross our fingers, not only for tomorrow, but for the future.

I cannot believe that in just a week from today Chad and I will meet Tommy, Chad’s long lost older brother. Chad has not seen him since he was 4 years old and Tommy was 14.

He is flying all the way from Hawaii’s big island to here, San Francisco, for just the weekend.

This will be the first time I see someone who looks like Chad (for he does not know his Thai mother and looks nothing like his American father).

As always, I wonder what the future holds...

March 30th..April just around the corner. I cannot believe I still have not written about the fun I had over the holidays.

The day after Thanksgiving my very Best Friend, dear Natalia, came to visit me for 24 hours before she went back to LA. We had a wonderful day ambling around my new neighborhood, Potrero Hill. Had a lovely lunch and went to my new favorite house a few blocks away. Here we are in the restaurant on 18th street.



And the view from our happy hill.



Soon after Thanksgiving I made the time to go to the Dickens Christmas Fair with my friend Eva and her boy Mane. She let me borrow such a classy 1860s ensemble. Oh, how strange it was to wear brown...



And then it really was beginning to look like Christmas, especially when Sarah, Chad, Marley and I bought a Christmas tree. Here we are decorating it with lights and found objects from around the house (we had no real ornaments and instead used jewelry, sewing notions, and other shiny things).



By December 18th I just finished giving final exams to the 5 classes/secions of History of Fashion I was teaching. It was the first time I ever used Scantron (I am so old fashioned!). And to make it even more stressful we had the Dark Garden Christmas Party at our humble abode that very evening. But it was such a great time! It was even better than last year. Tons of people showed up and the gift game was hilarious. Chad and I ended up with a cook book and something else that is so unremarkable I cannot remember... However, Autumn gave us DG employees wonderful cups/mugs. Oh how I love mine. Here is a photo of us happy recipients.



The tree turned out quite nicely.



The party was wonderful fun.
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At one point during the evening, Tyler decided to mark me repeatedly with his lipstick. Completely covering my face with red kiss marks. I will not dare to post photos of that...

And that weekend, just before Christmas, I had the pleasure of returning back to the Dickens Christmas Fair to work the last 2 days at the Dark Garden booth. I got dressed in the same outfit I wore last year and danced any second I could, as usual.



And on the last day of the Fair, Chad came to join me. He looked so wonderful and Dashing in his nice 1840s coat I made him all those years ago. My dear friend Tyler (in the background) was also working at the DG booth and I had the pleasure of introducing him to vintage waltzing.



Grades were turned in... Dark Garden on hold for a few days...Christmas was here! Unfortunately Chad decided to take up some shifts during the holiday. But we did have Christmas Eve together, which turned out to be so much fun. We had John, Karen, Nara, Jonathan, and Erik over to hang out with Sarah, Chad and I. 4 couples... We had a lovely dinner, cracked Christmas crackers, wore English Christmas hats, played games, started a jigsaw puzzle (I became addicted!), and even made a gingerbread house. The house turned out wonderfully. Unfortunately I cannot find a photo of it or our wonderful night together. It really was wonderful bliss hanging out with such good friends during the holiday season.

The next day (Christmas) Chad left at 6am that morning and was not returning home for the next 24 hours. What was I to do? I woke up bright and early and rode my bike 6 miles to the Richmond District to a synagogue to pick up a meal and a present to bring to a house bound senior on Christmas day. I met with a lady who was 85 years old and quite eccentric. I brought her a meal and a gift of a shirt and we sat and talked for an hour or so. She was very opinionated and I had fun listening to her early stories of San Francisco.

After then I returned home and worked on the puzzle some more (finishing it!). I still had not made up my mind about what to do for Christmas evening, being all alone as I was. I decided to go to a Christmas Party over in West Oakland at my friend Tyler's warehouse. But just before I was about to get ready for the party I got a call from Chad. He was in between calls and was able to pick me up in the ambulance to take me back to the station where they were having Christmas Dinner! It was fun hanging out with a bunch of EMTs on Christmas day, especially when a serious call came in about a tiger attack at the San Francisco Zoo! That was my only time I spent with Chad on Christmas day and here is the only photo we have, the two of us in the back of an ambulance...on Christmas day..



Ok, now I had to get ready for the Christmas Party in the East Bay. But contrary to what you think, this was actually a Nightmare on Christmas Halloween Party and I had to arrive in costume. So I quickly packed in my bag a version of what I wore for Halloween just two months prior. I took BART then rode my bike, alone in Oakland on Christmas day, and got dressed in the bathroom at the warehouse. Soon I transformed into a unicorn. Here I am with my good friends Nara and Jonathan.



Tyler and Sophia donned stilts for the event.



Tyler soon became the archway to the entrance of the warehouse. Here I am walking through.



Sophia looked gorgeous among the rafters.



The party was great fun, filled with Halloween candy, pumpkins, and candles.



Later in the evening a few of us headed down to another party that was happening in another warehouse called Nimby about 5 blocks away. It was nuts! There were over 200 Christmas trees there. Some were being burned in the courtyard but many were just standing around with a few scattered ornaments and Christmas lights. Much of the action had died away by this point but there was still live music in a room that was created by a large orange parachute that was draped elegantly covering a space of about 40 feet in diameter. After a good look around the crazy warehouse (they build things for burning man there), listening to some music, and eating some leftover bits of Christmas Dinner buffet, we settled under the parachute. Then Tyler arrived...still wearing stilts! He walked all the way there in stilts and slightly intoxicated! Many people had no idea there was a Halloween party going on and looked quite strangely and Tyler and I while we talked(a unicorn and a man on stilts).

Soon, we headed back, dancing in the streets in the wee hours of the morning in the warehouse district in Oakland on Christmas..well really the day after. Tyler even had energy to do some aerial silks while still wearing his top hat.



I planned on spending the night at the warehouse so I would not be lonely on Christmas day and also so I could sleep in the mega hammock that was located above one of the living rooms (It looked like so much fun!). Unfortunately when I was heading up there for bed I found that a sleeping drunk girl had usurped my dream slumber place. I ended up in the sea of clothing called Isaacs room. Dug out the bed and got some well deserved sleep. I woke up to the sun coming in through the skylight....

The next few days Chad and I did some shopping in the Haight which was great fun and I got some great clothes. Chad even got some new boots. Oh, how refreshing it was to get new belongings (all of our Christmas presents, both to and from, were charity donations to environmental organizations). However, I did get Chad one present, tickets to the Nutcracker (he had never been) and luckily he really enjoyed it (despite our nosebleed seats). We had a fantastic time and even saw Karen and John after the ballet (they were celebrating 2 years together.

Soon our week was gone. Chad was back to working another 24 hour shift on New Years Eve. Tyler, my dear friend, was so kind to hang out with me again on this lonely holiday. We worked that day at Dark Garden and planned to get dressed up for the evening there. Kalico helped us out a bit and even ironed my veil while it was on my head (by then we had some rum and coke... I had more than some...)



But in the end our outfits turned out great. The lace I have been saving since I was 15 years old finally turned into something and became a great dress.



Here we are just before leaving Dark Garden, well drunk by this point, looking for something to do in the city on this great night.





We met up with one of Tyler's friends (after walking aimlessly up and down Market Street very happy drunk) and then tried to go to this enormous event by means of comp tickets, but it did not work out and we were scared off by the number of people filling the place. So we headed down to the Glass Cat where Death Guild was having their goth new years event. I was happy to dance the night away. We arrived just before midnight. Here is the club just after the stroke of 12.



After dancing for hours on end and almost loosing my camera..twice, we tried to make our way over to the East Bay for another goth event at another warehouse. However the special late hour service of BART ran incredibly slow and it took us until 5am to get to McArthur station. So we just ended up going to Tyler's warehouse again where I finally got my dream place of slumber in the mega hammock after trying to learn how to contact juggle.

In the 'morning' Tyler, his friend, and I went out to eat. I demanded that each one of us write down our new years resolutions with the crayons available with the kids menus. The boys looked at me strange, but I got them to do it. Mine are as follows: 'Use planner everyday' and 'Redo and keep up with photo albums (physical versions)'. I have not done to good with either...but this new year 2008 started off with great fun which has so far been continuing for the past few months, a resolution I did not write down.

I will continue with more of 2008 later. At least I have updated until the end of the year....

Hel​​lo dea​​r fri​​end​​s,

I jus​t wat​che​d Bar​ack​ Oba​ma'​s spe​ech​ on rac​ism​ and​ it mad​e me cry​ tea​rs of bot​h hap​pin​ess​ and​ sad​nes​s. I was​ glu​ed to the​ scr​een​ for​ the​ who​le 33 min​ute​s of thi​s spe​ech​ con​sta​ntl​y mez​mer​ize​d by thi​s man​, a pol​iti​cia​n who​ is not​ giv​ing​ us tri​cks​ to win​ the​ ele​cti​on but​ ins​tea​d spe​aks​ fro​m his​ hea​d and​ his​ hea​rt.​ I so hop​e tha​t he bec​ome​s pre​sid​ent​. I hav​e nev​er bee​n so ins​pir​ed by a pol​iti​cia​n bef​ore​. I can​ onl​y jus​t wis​h tha​t we get​ som​eon​e so can​did​, log​ica​l, and​ mot​iva​ted​ in the​ whi​te hou​se.​ Oh,​ the​ pos​sib​ili​tie​s tha​t he may​ cre​ate​ for​ thi​s cou​ntr​y to cha​nge​ for​ the​ bet​ter​. If you​ wan​t to wat​ch it too​, ple​ase​ do.​ And​ if you​ lik​e it,​ ple​ase​ pas​s thi​s on.​ It app​lie​s to eve​ryo​ne.​


(al​so,​ jus​t to let​ you​ kno​w,h​e wro​te the​ spe​ech​ him​sel​f, his​ own​ wor​ds.​..)​

Future possibilities...
Last week I was asked if I would consider working full time as the main History of Fashion teacher at the academy of art university. This is very exciting and daunting. I have just replied to the director (below is the email). Let's see what comes into fruition!



Sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you. I have been doing research and gathering opinions etc. about the possibility of working full-time for the Academy of Art.

First off, I must say that this is very exciting and this possibility of working full time will help me reach some of my goals and dreams (writing a book for the class, organizing a fashion study abroad program, and creating an on-site historic costume collection for school). If given the opportunity I can achieve some big things, especially when I do not have to work 2 separate jobs as I do currently. I could really focus all my effort and energy on this, my favorite subject, which would be a joy.

And now onto the gritty details. I am very interested in working the 43 (?) week contract for $58,000 per annum. I am assuming that this would include a maximum of 8 classes per a semester and office space as well (there is a store room right next to my classroom at 601 Brannan that would be ideal- but I have no idea how this works...).

On a separate note, I am also in the motions of getting the contract for rewriting the online History of Fashion course and should be having a meeting with the team before spring break.

Please let me know what you think. I would be very happy to talk with you more about this especially if this possibility becomes a reality.

Thanks so much for the mention of this opportunity,
Lara

Hello my dear friends,

I am not usually one to promote or push my personal opinions of politics on my friends, but if you are at all interested in voting in the Presidential Primaries, I would love it if you read the below info.

I am very excited about voting because of one of the candidates, Barack Obama, and want to share my enthusiasm. If you are at all undecided about who to vote for in the primaries please read some of the quotes below.

But first I want you to watch a video. This video made me cry happy tears. Just to know that there is a chance that someone like this might make it to the White House makes me so happy. He really inspires me and so many others. Just watch this and take note that he is not trying to fight with anyone, or put anyone down, nor is he shamelessly self promoting himself. He is just inspiring us and making us excited about the future: our future.

Part 1


Part 2



About the video:
Presidential Candidate, Illinois Democratic Senator Barack Obama delivers an inspirational and historic victory speech after winning the Iowa Caucus Thursday January 03, 2008.

Here are some quotes of fellow Americans who are also spreading the word about Barack Obama:


For the first time in a long time, I feel inspired to get involved and stand FOR someone rather than just voting against the other guy running. Obama is bringing people together in ways that we could never have expected. Young people, women, elderly. I hope that you will take a moment to consider Obama.—Jen W.

I don't consider myself to be very political. I have never tried to encourage someone to vote a certain way. I have never campaigned for anyone, until now. When I was a college student I remember being inspired by the vision and hope that JFK had for our country. I believe that Barack Obama can be a president who will once again get me excited about the future for our country. And, even more important, I think Barack Obama can inspire young people to become the next greatest generation. I hope you will join me in supporting Barack.—Fred K.

I really respect the excellent judgment he showed by making a strong, unequivocal speech against the war on Iraq, back before it was popular or safe to do so.—Katrina H.

Out here in Texas, one of the reddest states in the country, I see my conservative neighbors and friends showing a positive interest in Barack. They like him. They are ready to be swayed. And I see my Democratic friends and family members getting excited like never before...With Barack as our candidate, I am convinced that we can win in a landslide in 2008 and usher in a new era of progressive politics. So, I'm writing to my friends to encourage them to get out to vote for Barack on Tuesday, February 5th. I hope you'll consider voting for him.—Asani C.