Zipcar and Me

Let me start by saying that I think Zipcar is a freakin' fantastic idea. Although yet to make a profit apparently, it allows people who have either decided to give up their cars for environmental reasons or people like me who own a vehicle but it's broken and can't afford the god only knows how much it is going to fix it price tag.

We signed up with Zipcar through Groupon at Christmastime. We have used it once prior to this week - although it's cheap, it isn't free... I got a Subaru Impreza wagon the first time and loved it. Fun and zippy, even though it was obviously just the base model. (No big deal there... didn't matter - I just needed to get stuff to a craft fair).

This week I reserved a cute little blue Mini Cooper called Mahi-Mahi. Right now, Zipcar is running a deal where it is only $29 from 6pm to 8:30am. AWESOME! I got a text as we were stuck in traffic (around 8:20) from Zipcar, saying "Going to be late?CALL!" Sooo, we did. The girl on the phone said, "No problem". We returned the car to it's ridiculous parking space - there is a tree in the lot. Behind the space. You have to manuever around the tree to park the car, which winds up being at your bumper. 10 minutes late. We called.

I later get an email from one of the guys saying that as a one time courtesy, they refunded my late fee of $50. Okay, great, thanks! However, since I was late and it took me out of the overnight hours deal, I now got to pay the day rate for the car - $81. Uhhh, what? It took me 5 minutes just to park the thing... and WE CALLED. The girl on the phone never said, "okay, well, just to remind you, because you are going outside the hours, you are going to be charged the day rate, blah blah blah." Just said, "Okay, no problem". I would've understood, had there been someone waiting for the car - there wasn't.

I fought it, explaining that we had indeed called, and it had never taken us 45 minutes to get from our house to downtown (it is a 20 minute trip, tops) and we had left with 45 minutes to get the car back... traffic was THAT bad. The guy that I was dealing with was nice - I mean, via email, you can only get so much of an impression... he did refund the charges and I am still paying the $29 rate that I signed up for, so I am satisfied with the resolution of my issue. (Thanks to Jacob)

We have another Zipcar experience planned for Saturday... with another Mini... that I love. :)

A Fantastic Michigan Artist

And now, a quick word about Facebook. One of the things that I love about Facebook is the ability to find people and friends that you have lost touch with over the years, including the ones that you really liked... whether you meant to lose touch, or whether it just kind of happened in the course of a decade and moves across the country.

One of these friendships that I really enjoyed was with a girl in high school who, when I previously knew her, was named Bethany. She was famous for her 'give 'em hell' attitude and I absolutely adored her for it - and was a little envious. Dark hair, gorgeous eyes, she was that rebel type that I, as the editor of the paper, yearbook, soccer player, cheerleader and really all around goody two shoes, wanted to be - or at least let that side out of me, which - trust me - is certainly there.

Now, having found the very talented Bethanne (with a new, grown up name, no less :) ) on Facebook, I have discovered that we still share that same attitude problem... hee hee... and also a love of art and mixed media art. While I knit, sew, and dabble in painting, Bethanne is a great painter and does fantastic mixed media pieces. She was recently selected to participate in a Purina (yes, the cat food people) art exhibition featuring pieces composed of and with Purina products... talk about repurposing!

You can check her out at her blog - click here, or follow her on Twitter here. She also does exhibits and shows in the East Lansing area at a gallery/show space called (SCENE) Metrospace - check them out here!

Tropical Madness (acrylic, crayon, and gloss on canvas, 2009)

Baseball Season in Oregon

Welcome to Spring Training... in Oregon. This means that more practices get rained out than actually get completed, the majority of the practices you do have are held either under a covered area at a local elementary school or in the drizzle... and it usually doesn't get above 55 degrees.

I have decided that we need to move baseball practice to Arizona. Take these kiddos (fee free, of course, due to the extreme generosity of a random millionaire benefactor) down to where it is warm and sunny for a week or two and let them practice there. Great idea, huh? OR... we could always delay the start of the season for a month and start at the end of April instead of the end of March? Maybe finish at the end of June instead the beginning? I would be okay with that...

All of this aside, a few seasons ago, Ethan played for Clackamas Little League... as in official Little League, Williamsport, Little League World Series and all that. I hated it. I grew up in New England (Portland, Maine), where Little League - Portland North, thank you very much, is king and everyone plays, and everyone takes it SERIOUSLY. Like, scary seriously. It was so sad to see here that they really don't. Perhaps at the upper levels, but I remember it stared from the time they were 5, in T-Ball. SO, I switched him to Clackamas Junior Baseball, which, essentially is a travel league that develops players for the Clackamas High. So far, we have really enjoyed this league. There is more structure, without feeling pressure to work at the "snack shack" or do fundraisers.

In addition to that, if you have been reading this, you know that I lost my job over a year ago, and my husband lost his just before Christmas. He has since found a new position, but getting back to a good place financially after being on unemployment is difficult. Due to the type of winter we have in the Northwest, it makes off-season baseball training hard. The league has several camps that are being held over the next two or three weeks to get kids back in the game, for lack of a better way to put it. Many, many thanks to Jackie Long for allowing Ethan to participate in the camps "on scholarship".

I am looking forward to this season... hopefully we get the car fixed soon so we don't have to ride in the rain to get to practice...

Portland Police Department and "Police Brutality"

Tonight, the Rev. Jesse Jackson flew into our fair, very liberal city. As usual, the media was there to greet him and his entourage. Why, you might ask, was the venerable Rev. Jackson (who, I freely admit, has done some great things for civil rights in this country - there is no doubt or argument about that) making his second appearance in Portland in the last few months?

Earlier this week, the police were called with a report of a man who had threatened a woman and her child at a popular recreation area - Hoyt Arboretum. This wooded hiking area, which is extremely beautiful, and is located within the vicinity of several neighborhoods, the Oregon Zoo, the Portland Rose Gardens, and Washington Park. When the responding officer arrived, he discovered an individual, covered in blood, and wielding a box knife - or a "razor knife" as the local media was calling it. When the office asked him to relinquish the weapon, the man moved toward him in a threatening manner... and the office shot him. Sad? Of course.

A few weeks ago, there was another officer involved shooting involving a man who was believed to have a weapon (it was later determined that he didn't), who again, moved toward a larger number of officers - it was a "standoff" type of situation - and was shot and killed. Again, sad? Yes, undoubtedly - especially considering this man's brother had died earlier in the day, and part of the reason officers were called was due to the domestic disturbance that had resulted from the events of the day - this particular individual was creating the issue.

People in the Portland area have been "protesting" for the last week. Some peacefully, some not. One of the great things about our country is that we, as citizens, have the freedom and right to do this. One of the other great things about our country is that we have laws that not only protect us, but that also protect our law enforcement officials. While yes, have there been what seems to be an excessive number of police shootings in and around the Portland area in the last few years; for some reason this week, people have been seeming to focus on the shooting of one individual that was deemed a threat, not only by an officer, but by a fellow citizen, instead of looking at the five or six different gang related shootings that have happened in the same time period - including one at a local shopping center.

I respect the right of every citizen to have a voice and to be heard. I also respect the rights of the police officers that are entrusted by the citizenry to enforce the laws that we, as a people, have created. Do the officers tend to over-react, perhaps by using a "kill shot" as opposed to perhaps merely disabling the individual by say, shooting them in a leg, or arm? Sure. It happens. However, my question is this: if you were that mother who called in on a beautiful sunny day, in a busy park - knowing that there were other children around you - what would you want done? If there was an individual threatening your safety and the safety of your child, how would you want that officer to react?

More importantly: If you were that officer, with all of your training and experience, knowing, that no matter what you did, someone would be there to criticize your decision, what would you do? Would you try to restrain the person threatening you with a knife, again, knowing full well that the individual could run into the woods, and possibly harm someone else?

I am all for national attention to crime, safety, police brutality. Although, I am also all for someone calling attention to gang related violence, gang recruitment, gangs retaliating against other gangs... which one really has the greater effect on a city - several shootings in a year by trained law enforcement professionals or several shootings in a week by young adults in a mall, or in a neighborhood?

For related articles head here. To visit the Portland Police Bureau, click here.

Spring Break

After my tirade in my last posting about the kids... I am ready for Spring break to be done and over with.

I had a bike accident early in the week, which kind of shot all of the plans that I had for me and the kids to do. I cut open the bottom of my chin, road rash and bruises in other spots, and I messed up my neck pretty badly.

Hopefully the week AFTER spring break will be far more productive in terms of getting spring cleaning (and cleaning out) types of things done.

Off to AT&T to pay the cell bill! Check out the other blog for pics of the latest knitting project - a gorgeous unisex baby blanket - in NON-PASTEL colors!

Let's Start by Saying...

Alright, so I love my kids, I do. I might even like them sometimes... when they are listening. I would be lying however, if I said I am not insanely jealous of my friends that don't have kids and have the time to sit down and read a book without interruption, or work on a quilt (for my friend Brooke's gorgeous stuff - go here), or do some home renovation, or painting, or hell, read a book, go for a walk, or go to a movie...

When I had Ethan, I knew what I was giving up, and I don't regret the choices that I made regarding the kids. Sometimes though, I look out the window, or watch TV or a movie, or hear a song that makes me wonder what would've been had I never moved to Texas (speaking of, JoDee Messina's "Heads Carolina, Tails California" just came on at the coffee shop).

I really think things will be better when Xavier is old enough to head to preschool for a couple hours a few days a week... I think I'm just suffering from too much mommy and me time... I think I need some time by myself and perhaps some friends to hang out with... so the cartoon to the left doesn't happen...

Yummy Carrot Oatmeal and dried fruit bars!

Super YUM! You can find the exact recipe here... however, I made a few changes.

Because my family tends to be slightly hungrier than what she said to make the size... I made mine slightly larger - about 4"x1" and when they were done, they were about 4.5x1.5". Also, her recipe calls for unsweetened applesauce. I used homemade applesauce, which has extra cinnamon and nutmeg, etc. in it, as well as extra brown sugar. This didn't do anything to the baking process... but it did add apple chunks and some extra spices. (Really, who doesn't like extra cinnamon and brown sugar?) Here is the batter...

Be aware... it looks kinda yucky...
And shaped into the bars:

The dried fruit I put in mine was cranberries, apricots, and raisins. Again, because I used the homemade applesauce, it also added some apple chunks. These also got REALLY big when they were done baking. These are great for breakfast, hiking, or car snacks! Easily portable, and super good for you. :) Enjoy!