Have you checked out this?

To promote my super talented Iowa friends:

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=1938

Danelle is not just a great person, she's a superly awesome artist. She specially made (heart) Iowa pouches for me. And included glittery vinyl. Glitter makes everything cooler, but even without, MonsterFashion is worth a look.

A look at the awesome goods I special ordered from Danelle.

I wish I drew this

Carolyn Alexander via http://reubenmiller.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341ca70953ef011570b803a1970b-pi

Girl Talkin.

So last weekend my sister, not this one, but one of the others, and I went to see Greg Gillis, otherwise known as Girl Talk. I was expecting craziness, yes. (Did you see the crazy YouTube videos of him at Lalapalooza in Chicago? Insanity.) But what I experienced was seriously the biggest, sweat-filled, floor shaking party I've ever been to. It was like Joseph Conrad took to the stage. A collage artist hunched over a Mac Book. I person sweating and head banging more than humanly possible. If you get the chance, Go.

i love mail.

http://andrewbush.net/envelopes%202%20pwg/index.html
you must see this.
It's fantastic.

Truckin.

This is the big red truck I drove while in Phoenix. Phoenix and I didn't really get along.
It was hot. So hot. 116 degrees hot. And I was driving an Enterprise Rent-a-car commercial. You AZ people amaze me. You and your super hot summers. And this truck, well we didn't really get along either. The scar on my shin proves it.
I did, however, make it two point five days in this big boy. Me, my Dodge Ram Big Horn and Phoenix will remain on friendly terms, but we don't plan to reunite again until it's below 90 in the Southwest.

It's been a long time.

That's right. It really has been a long time.
But it's time to return to blogland. So much has changed for me in 7 weeks. So much is still changing. I think it's time to start bringing back the blog.

Beginning with this:



I can't wait to see what others dream about.
I do not yet know what I will declare to be my "big dream" but I know this event will be special.

I love.

Thank you YouTube!

I love YouTube. Particularly my new best friend, parselforce. Thank you for blessing me with Project Runway Season 4 episodes. My cable-less life was lost without the Bravo shows.

Hooray!

new sculpture in dsm.

On one of the only semi-warm days we've seen in January, Jeff and I went downtown to pose for some photos with this incredible sculpture new to DSM.

Read more here.

Post-Caucus notes...

I arrived at the Caucus at 6:15pm...pumped, nervous and full of anticipation. I met Heather as I walked in, she too was a first timer at the caucus. It was amazing just how many new caucus goers were present. It seemed that every other person I talked to was there for their first caucus...and most were standing with Obama. Something about the guy makes you feel like you can change the world, but that's not what I'm speaking of here...we're talking caucus process.

So I walk in, semi-panic when I'm not on the "registered voter" list, but am assured that if I head to the table by the window I can register to vote and be caucus eligible. I casually re-register and am in a room with 453 other registered democrats in my neighborhood.
We hang out for awhile, listen to caucus rules, sweat it out a bit. A man walked up to me smiling (at this point, my caucus friend Heather was talking to her neighbors, living in my apartment building I know none of my neighbors...so I hung out smiling) I think because I too was smiling.

He said "first time."
I said "yes sir."
He introduced himself to me as the precinct 73 leader for the Obama supporters.
I told him I was "so excited to participate tonight."
He replied, "It's because of people like you that we are going to win tonight. Thank you for coming."

Then we are to align with our preference groups. Obama's group is visibly larger than the others. I couldn't help but look around anxiously. We begin to count ourselves. Now this was the most interesting part: the counting of the supporters. With a small room and over 400 people around, they decide the only way to accurately count is to COUNT OFF. That's right people, we went around this group of 18 to 80 year olds counting off like we were preparing to play steal the bacon in 6th grade gym class.

The first number (we did this three times) I said out loud was 112. I was the 112th person to proclaim, out loud and totally proud, that I support Barack Obama as the President of the United States in 2008. What an honor. Iowa is so cool.

After the initial count, Dodd, Biden and Richardson supporters became not viable (they didn't have at least 68 people supporting their candidate...that's 15% of the 454 people that were there.) So those supporters are free to move to another group. We lobbied for some more people....waited for 30 minutes and then, after the last person was counted (for the third time) Obama received 239 people, that comes out to 4 delegates. (don't ask me how that works...)

I drove home empowered. Delighted. I have never felt more connected to the political process. Obama received 38% of the caucus votes. He won. We won.

Oh- and James Denton was at my caucus supporting John Edwards. What a hot plumber.

The Iowa State Fair.

As the Iowa State Fair rolled into town last Thursday; the excitement was literally palpable, and so was the heat. As I think about my minor obsession with all things fair, let me pause here for a small Laura explanation: For the few of you who read this and know me...you may be thinking, "Laura and the state fair?"

This is a question I have pondered for three years my friends.

I love the smell of crisp cotton shirts floating on dark wooden hangers, soft wool trousers sashaying seductively on the rack, and leather handbags regally draped across entire department store walls. The melodious hum of the escalator soothes my aching soles and soul. The sweet high of bargin hunting, the thrill of the dressing room victory (in with eight, out with at least two purchases) and shoes truly make my mouth water.

After describing my refined taste, you may be surprised to learn that I desperately crave the glow of the midway as the tilt-a-whirl screetches round it's axis. I love the way your ankles sweat as you walk in and out of the rows of people without shirts, sporting sculpted mullets and portrait tatoos. I gauk at the vivid primary colors of the sky ride and it's riders as it traverses overhead from one fair end to the next, shoes, bags and tank tops hanging out of the steel basket. I savor the taste of grease on my lips after eating a corn dog, cheese curds and deep fried oreos. I come home with bags full of propagandic magnets for hospitals, political candidates, and lawn care businesses, posters for every Iowa college sport and smearing spin-arts. I climb gleefully up the stairs of a tractor with a wheel diameter taller than me, get my photo snapped seated in the driver's chair and quickly move to do so in the combine. I have, unconsciously, become a fair lover.

Don't get me wrong...I still complain about the heat, mock those wearing fanny packs too large to be called one and despise the smell of the sheep barn. I obviously prefer the Gap to the 4-H building, but I love the Iowa State Fair.

Blue ribbon winning Banana Peppers.

The glow of the setting sun through the sky ride.

The bright lights of fair nights.

Prize winning seed art. Next year I plan to top the category (although I think it's for teenagers)

Ah. The butter cow. Complete with Harry Potter glasses.

Bring on the butter cow...

The Iowa State Fair starts Thursday. I am churning with excitement.

baby mia.

baby mia has arrived!! congratulations to my friends and their teeny, beautiful little girl!!

Today.

Monday. 80 degree high. Freshly dry-cleaned pants.
Windows open. Shower with just the light of windows.

I simply love spring.

unrest.

I love this picture. It's from new year's eve (2006)...we're mean dancers.
seriously.

Ten things that are awesome about my life:


1- I can spend an entire day in bed watching basketball. I love tournament time.


2- My mom and I spoke for 46 minutes while I did my grocery shopping at the HyVee in Windsor Heights.


3- I have a blue phone in my office. I won an award to receive it.


4- Handmade postcards.


5- I use BOTH sides of my brain in my everyday life.


6- Even though I only have a couple friends in Des Moines, I still live here. And I smile about it.


7- My new target bag. At first it seemed ridiculous to spend money I don't have on such a beautiful purse, but after carrying it every non-rainy day since, I'm thrilled it belongs to me.


8- The fact that I am positive I will be something big someday. That is fearless.


9- I can see and hear. At the same time.


10- I'm a fast typer.