What Happens When Pearl Jam Doesn't Tour

I haven't died, but I have gone to heaven. Or at least Forks, Washington.

The "blush of blogging newness" has worn, I suppose. I've missed the connection greatly! It's winter, and I'm definitely feeling the affects of the season. For me, that means the energy I normally have to tackle projects and check items off of do lists is nigh on non-existent. I am just existing. Don't get me wrong, there is plenty of joy and happiness in life, I just don't do much more than work, figure out how to keep bills paid there and here and....go see Twilight in the theatre.

There, it's out. I've put it in print, so now it is my truth...I've fallen deeply into the Cult of Twilight. Since November 15th, when I picked up the first of Stephenie Meyer's books (yeah, I'm late to the party...but no less passionate). Naturally, as with most everything wonderful in my life, Shannon is the one who nudged me toward the series with the advent of the film's release... we planned on going to a midnight showing of it at the theatre in Jack London square. I didn't want to see the film without reading the book, so I picked it up the weekend before, finally cracking it open on Sunday. I had a busy week scheduled, leading FA Meetings in Castro Valley on Wednesday and Turlock on Thursday, the day of the movie screening. Reading had to be puzzle-pieced in to the chaos.

Let me say this - it immediately became an obsession. Once I began reading, I couldn't stop. I felt like Edward Cullen sucking the venom out of Bella's vampire wound - I didn't have the strength to stop. Every spare second was spent immersed in Forks, Washington with Bella, Edward and their world. I sat in the parking lot in Turlock before the Thursday 7 p.m. FA meeting, gobbling words like my soul was starving for it. After the movie, November 21, 2008 - I was forever changed. I haven't come up for air since! I have to see the movie every three days or I get a little twitchy - I'm up to 13 theatre showings. Read between the lines when I confess I've seen it another 6 times "out of the theatre".

Naturally, the other 3 books in the series - New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn - were quickly in my possession. Bought them, and read each in one day. I don't know if it was the timing needing something to stave off the Winter Blahs...the stress of finances and the holidays, but I am completely gone, living in Twilight world. I can not remember the last time I have been so immersed in a passion like this! Sure, many enjoyable diversions have come into my life over the years, but I seriously feel exactly like I'm 15 and my walls are plastered from stem to stern with Bay City Rollers posters. I want nothing more than to be surrounded by the books, inhabiting the movie, reading about the actors...wherever the Siren's Call of it leads, I follow. When it comes down to it, I blame Pearl Jam for taking a break from touring. Knowing I'm not going to be seeing them live for a while definitely leaves my being feeling deflated, disconnected and a little bit lost. Okay, a lot lost. Having the Pearl Jam soul infusion on a regular basis has become a necessary part of my existence; when they don't tour I flounder.

Whatever the reason, I've got it bad! What are we called, Twilighters? Days are spent reading the books (I have read Twilight twice, New Moon twice and am halfway through Eclipse again), reading Midnight Sun (the online leak of Stephenie's partial reworking of Twilight from Edward's perspective), going to the movie, checking fansites several times a day for news on the next movie, New Moon (starts filming in March, out 11.20.09 YAY - I'd be in line for a midnight showing now if I could, lol)... and naturally, I'm enamored with the gorgeous and fabulous youngling who plays Edward Cullen - Rob Pattinson. He's 22, I have shoes older than he is, but I care not. He's beautiful and seems like a good boy who was raised well.

So I now have two Edwards and two Robs in my life! Vedder, Cullen, Davis, Pattinson. A lovely quadfecta. My Twilight obsession is such that for Christmas this year, with my husband Rob and I being on a tight holiday budget (hilarious that I feel compelled to preface that with my husband so it would be clear which Rob I mean), I told him I already bought myself my present - books, the movie showings, not to mention all the normal detritus that accompanies my obsessions - magazines, movie books...etc. It could be worse, I could be spending a HELL of a lot more, but I'm struggling for balance. I refuse to set foot in Hot Topic - the Twilighted Teen's paradise, so their wares are safe from my wallet. I will not own an Edward Cullen throw blanket. So for Christmas this year, I got a nice stocking. With some Twilight movie magnets in it. I heart you, Santa!

I can't do justice to the books, films or actors in this post. If you want to know about Twilight or Rob, there are tons of fansites Pattinson Online , Robert Pattinson Fan , and for Twilight, I often check BellaAndEdward.com and Twilight Moms , amongst others. - I just thought it was a good idea to explain why I haven't come up for air since November 20th. How thrilling it has been, and continues to be, to be immersered fully in the world of Bella and Edward. Shannon and I have roped in a few friends to the cult, so we get to see The Movie that much more. (YEAH that's how Twilight is referred to in my house - The Movie...One crappy PMS-filled Thursday, I called my hubby and said "I'm going to The Movie I'll be home at midnight and it's stuck ever since). The newly anointed get in as deeply as we have, and can't see the movie just once...so it's pretty thrilling.

My sister-by-choice LeAnn is also just as obsessed, so it's been fabulous to have her to share this with as well. We'll text each other from each movie showing "Yeah, I'm a the 9.30 Fremont showing, Twilight #6" and so on. LeAnn, Shannon and I are going to the San Francisco Twilight Convention February 20-22. Yeah, it's like that. HEY I'm a convention vet...I've been to numerous Star Trek Next Gen cons, Comic Cons, a Lord of the Rings con...it's not like I wasn't a full-on nerd before this Twilight storm hit! It's just absolutely blissful to have a passion to take me outside of myself in new and glorious ways.

So here is to a successful, joyous and Twilighted 2009.

Less Than Six Degrees of Separation

The other day, I discovered that I'm only 2 degrees away from Kevin Bacon!

Please, read this knowing that I intend all modesty. I don't deign to claim that spectacular guitarist and activist Stone Gossard of Pearl Jam/Brad fame and I are best friends, but, well, I have been fortunate enough to have met him many times over the years since 1993, and feel comfortable saying I know him and he knows who I am on some level. So while no boastful intent is meant, I can safely claim that I am not making a tenuous connection. I just had to share my enthusiasm at the discovery of My Kevin Bacon Six Degrees of Separation Trail!

1. Stone Gossard was in the movie Singles with
2. Kyra Sedgwick who is married to...Kevin Bacon.

So if you're reading this and you know me...you are 3 degrees away!!!! WOO HOO!

I Am A Patriot, and I Love My Country

May the Gods help us all on this historic, nerve-wracking, potentially glorious day.

Wazzup 2008

This should be broadcast on National TV regularly until next Tuesday.

Happy Birthday, Boys!

It was on this date in 1990 that Pearl Jam played their first live show at the Off Ramp Cafe' in Seattle. That's a big deal in my world, since two years later (on November 1st, 1992 at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mt. View, CA), I saw my first PJ show. Thus began a 16-year adventure of seeing Pearl Jam live all over the world, 140 times to date - and hopefully counting. The joy, passion, intensity and brilliance of seeing my boys play music live has had a transformative effect on my being in countless ways. My love of this band has brought out the writer in me, brought my best friend into my life, inspired my creativity (I did a fanzine from 1992-1997 called Footsteps, and currently co-edit a website for PJ fans)...loving this band - the way they operate, their activism, their interests and passions - has inspired me to work to be a better person. The Pearl Jam touring community and experience is a source of unparalleled joy. Connecting with others who love my band is beyond sublime...my boys bring out the best in people, and I feel a bond and love for my fellow PJ peeps that I never thought I would have in my life. It's an honor to be a part of that community. So to celebrate the "live birth" of Pearl Jam is an important event in my year! My pal JR put together a bit on the birthday on our site-check it, yo! Happy, happy birthday boys! And many, many more...

The Best Clutter Avoidance Advice

I fancy myself a fledgling professional organizer...She Who Can Organize All. For years I've cleaned houses, organized chaos for friends, and enjoy the challenge of doing so. At risk of sounding boastful, I think I've got a pretty good talent for it. It's no small wonder I'm obsessed with Clean House on the Style Network, How Clean Is Your House on BBC America, and any other cleaning/organizing show that comes down the pike.

As I was sitting at my desk at work assembling all the paperwork I need for my quarterly accounting, I remembered the the best clutter avoidance advice I ever received! It was the phrase: TOUCH IT ONCE WHEREVER POSSIBLE. The mantra "handle it now" reverberates in my head whenever I pick up anything, be it a piece of paper, something I bring into the house, mail, whatever -because of that "touch it once" philosophy.

I'm not perfect, but I've nearly eliminated piles of papers and "things to be dealt with later" from my life. Here is the rundown taken from E-zine articles that embodies what I've incorporated into my daily life, both at home and at work.

The golden rule should always be TOUCH IT ONCE WHEREVER POSSIBLE.

Do not have piles of paper on your desk, in a filing tray or in a briefcase which you keep looking at and then deferring to another time. You can defer something once but then you must take action. But which action should you take?

The following 5-step formula is a very efficient way of handling paperwork.

Destroy -Delegate -Do -Defer - File

Each action should be considered in the descending order shown, i.e. destroy first, file last.

Destroy - this sounds a little harsh but it helps greatly in the decision-making process.

Delegate - does not require your personal attention and can be handled by another member of your team or a professional advisor (eg accountant).

Do - something that requires your personal attention. If it's quick or urgent do it now. Otherwise, defer it (see below).

Defer - a once only action. A firm date for action must be set if it is important to you or another party (probably the sender). Take action on the set date or Destroy it.

File - if it's important and you really must. If possible, get someone else to file it. When filing, consider whether to loose file it or accurately file it. By my definition, loose filing is where you place it at the front of the relevant file but not necessarily with every other associated piece of paperwork. This system saves time on filing only if you believe you are unlikely to want to retrieve it in the future. If you are fairly certain that you will need to retrieve it at some stage then it's more efficient to accurately file it with the associated papers.

Like Neicy Nash from Clean House would say, get to gettin' and start sortin'! :)

We All Shine On

John Lennon would have been 68 today. Sure, I'm terribly sad he's not here, but I'm infinitely glad he was born and I celebrate it! He would have been the BEST cranky old man, dontcha think? Considering the state of our world today- and more so our falling-apart country- he'd have been even more of a vocal activist than he ever was. Here's a song I think John would be singing the hell out of at protests...and I'd be singing along with him! Like the moon, and the stars and the sun...