I am watching Death Wish 3. AGAIN!!

I am thinking I need to blog more! Yikes...been a while.

For those of you who haven't keeled over with shock...read on!

Yes, I have returned after a long hiatus. My life here in Portland has been very hectic. Juggling two jobs and motherhood, plus the day to day stresses of living in these uncertain times has left me creatively dry and in a kind of emotionally frozen space where I couldn't seem to put the thoughts and feelings in my head down on paper. However, there have been many forces at work that are helping me get back on track.

So, what have I been doing? Well...My wonderful husband Ray and I are still running Aquea Design
and there have been some challenges with moving the business to Portland. Ray is a very talented designer and we've got some great work that has been done in the last year. I am also a booking agent at WilhelminaMTG.

How cool is that? It is cool on the surface, but the job is not easy! I love the models and the clients are very  nice to work with for the most part. I am now head of the children's division, which means I handle models and actors from infants to teenagers. Believe me folks, that is A LOT OF WORK.

On the mommy front, Jenai is about to go to FIDM in LA, and we are very proud of her. There are so many amazing things about her that I admire. (I continue to be shocked that I produced such a stunningly beautiful and intelligent young woman who respects herself and is so ambitious. I mean, I can't say I will ever win mother of the year- but I feel the results are damn remarkable! And thanks for those of you who helped and have been there for all three of my girls, you know who you are...) Chloe is attending Mt. Tabor Middle School and has become quite metropolitan chic. I wasn't aware 5th graders met at coffee shops before going to school!?? She has made some great friends and is doing well in her studies. Skye is modeling and her new passion is being online (yes, already...) She is 4 now and addicted to PBSKIDS.ORG.

OK, so with the economy and work and kids, etc., etc., the joy of writing had abandoned me. All I have been doing is work related pieces (PR and newsletters, new business inquiries...) But these things inspired me to start again:

My co-worker and friend Marjorie Tatum gave me a beautiful notebook that I have been using. Also, watching Marjorie perform recently in Eurydice and seeing her in her element (she's amazing in this play!) made me hunger to do what I love.

Jenai spending a few weeks with us and seeing her so excited about college and starting her career in the fashion industry. I remember when I was that age, and I wasn't nearly as focused!

My wonderful friend Nancy has started her business Quynnessentials.
This is such a huge accomplishment for Nan and I feel so honored to have her in my life, she is a truly powerful woman. Another example for me...someone working towards their dream!

Collecting dust inside that liquor store 'till you bought it for me
A decanter full of whiskey in the image of the King
The more I drank from it the less I saw of you
That bottle's empty now and you and I are through...
"Elvis Decanter"- The Vandals

I am so very happy, because two of my best friends in the world Environgirl and Myclette came to Portland to visit. We had such a fabulous time! Crazy person that I am, I have no pix to post from our weekend, since I don't own a camera. Some day I will buy my own digital camera...

Alas, I have some sad news to share. My two youngest daughters, whom I love dearly, have killed Elvis.
I had this Elvis decanter for the last five years, given to me by my husband, previously owned by his father. This thing is a real collector's item...Unfortunately, Elvis met an untimely end when my girls knocked him over, crushing his skull and sending some sort of mysterious black ichor that was once alcohol dribbling down his porcelain face. Boo hoo!

If you remember, I wrote about my precious Elvis in a previous blog. Not only was it a whiskey decanter, it was a music box!

In memoriam, I will put on Elvis Decanter by The Vandals and wave my lighter high in the air...
I LOVE YOU ELVIS!

Usually when you think of arcades, there a few things that come to mind...the assholes who would stay for hours on the one game you wanted to play...the group of cool kids in their Sergio Valente and Calvin Klein and Izod and Polo and all manner of trendiness crawling across their chests or plastered to their butts crowding around to watch one of their own excel in yet another activity that you don't...and those creepy older guys trolling for that certain misunderstood Joust fan that they can lure into a black van parked just around the corner...

Forget all that! Portland has this place called Ground Kontrol and it is the most fun I've had in a long time. Imagine an arcade that is also a nightclub and bar. It has all the goods- TMNT (if you don't know what this is, just stop reading now), Streetfighter, Ms. Pac Man, Centipede, Frogger, etc. The bar has displays of all the old gaming systems behind plexiglass. The variety of pinball games is awesome. And they had a dj the night I went, spinning old skool rap. Big Daddy Kane, NWA, The DOC, Fu Schnickens (FU-effing Schnickens people!!)

I can't wait to go back. I am taking a pocket full of quarters and my entourage.