End o' Week Musings

What a week it was! I've been sooo busy at work that I barely remember what I do when I get home!

Last Saturday I met my podmate Linda at the Folk Tree in Pasadena to check out its Day of the Dead exhibit. It was very good, but very crowded. There were artistic altars on various themes and honoring a range of people, plus sugar skulls, skeleton paintings and lots, lots more.

Out on the patio, photographer Jessee Torres (http://www.jeesseetorres.com/ ) was taking collodion photos. It is an old-fashioned camera on a tripod, where the photographer slides in a glass plate that has been coated with a mixture of silver and chemicals. The lens is then opened and the subject must sit still for a certain amount of time, which seems really long! Then the glass plate is removed and put into other chemicals, revealing the portrait.

Torres told me that the photos can be affected by the environment or people touching them and some photographers don't care for this "natural" look, but she relishes it. She also copies her photos into her computer so she can correct things that really need help, like scratches, etc. She also told me that she's entering my photo into a contest- good luck, Jessee!

Also over the weekend, I slipped by Carin and Tom's for lunch and stopped by the Coffee Gallery (http://www.funkylittlecoffeehouse.com/ ) to learn about its Chef of the Day program. Guest chefs are invited into the venue's kitchen Thursday-Sunday to create and serve their own dishes to patrons. Chef Talli V. Counsel, who has worked for three presidents, is taking over the cooking every other weekend to offer up his parents' famous food. His parents owned the Original Bill's Chicken in the Bag in Pasadena and fans of the eatery were lining up for Chef's menu! It was really quite amazing. Unfortunately, I never did get to try the chicken, as it wouldn't have been fair to the people in line- I'll have to go back another time.

I got to go to JPL Wednesday to interview Mark Indictor. He's a software engineer for the communications system of the new analysis rover that's going to be launched for Mars around Thanksgiving. What makes Mark interesting is that he is also the fiddle player in Susie Glaze and the Hilonesome Band. He is an intriguing mix of science and art, which made him perfect for a featuring in our Dec/Jan Rose magazine.

It was fun to see all the models of stuff we have in or are sending to space. We had a very nice chat and ate lunch in one of JPL's cafeterias. I was surprised to see that it was more like a restaurant with its full menu, ranging from roasted chicken and pizza to bento boxes and deli sandwiches.

Thursday I spoke with Michael Turner, who directs the Family Life Sanctuary Choir of Whittier. The group won Verizon's How Sweet the Sound Los Angeles region contest and will be performing in the finals Oct. 28 at the Staples Center. If you like gospel music, you might want to mark your calendar for this.

Turner was very modest, saying that the choir doesn't really have outstanding talent, as its focus is to minister. The singers are just regular people who love God. They had never even done any choreography prior to the competition, which was their first one too! Well, there's something going on there that's right for them to win big on their first try.

I'll be heading out the Art Center College of Design today to learn about the new "Worlds" exhibit in its Williamson Gallery. I can't wait to see it, as I've seen some photos from the show.

Also in Pasadena, it's the last few days for the AxS Festival, where art and science merge. Lots of cool things to see and most for free. Plus it's ArtWeekend in Pasadena, so you can double your culture and fun.

Next week is guaranteed to be crazy. My mother is getting married again (my father has been dead for over a decade) next Saturday. My brother is flying in from Texas and there's oodles to do last-minute. At least I know what I'm wearing!

In rotation this week: Terrible Things, Jigsaw and Gil Oyola.

Photos we got 'em: Jessee Torres' collodion photo of me, plus some cute animal pics.

Thought o' the week: Get wild. Once in a while it's a good thing to do something different and maybe crazy. It makes you rethink everything and let go of all kinds of stress.

Last night I went to my Tahitian/Polynesian dance class as normal and was home relaxing in my jammies when I got a text from my friend Buggs. He's been telling me all about his new Harley-Davidson motorcycle and invited me for a ride. Well, one quick change and helmet grab later, I was on the back of the bike for the "possum run," a route Buggs and his friends enjoy.

We went past Brackett Airport in La Verne and through Bonelli Park and down the backroads toward Covina, making a big lazy loop. The moon was almost full and the air was still warm from the heat of the day. It was beautiful out!

As we traveled, my worries slipped away and I was simply in the moment, relishing life and taking in the scenery. I slept quite well last night, so the ride must have been just what I needed. How about you? Take a break from the must-dos, stress and other bumps in the road of your life and get a little crazy~ you'll feel revived and ready to take on the world again.

Keep on rockin'

Mickie