Can you keep a secret?

I want to date Cute Artsy Guy who lives in my building.

I have a stellar radar for semi-geeky specs-clad artsily-desheveled men but I've not seen Cute Artsy Guy until now. Although I work a fairly standard 9-5 I'm not known to leave for work each day at the same time or arrive home like clock work. This fact gives my encounters with Cute Artsy Guy a seductive sense of serendipity.

Encounter #1:
Parking lot. Just prior to morning commute. Mutual smile.

Encounter #2:
A couple days later. Parking lot. Just prior to morning commute but not at same time as encounter #1. Mutual smile. He raised his eyebrows in recognition. We both chuckled at the coincidence and continued to smile.

Encounter #3:
Very next day. Parking lot. Just prior to morning commute but not at same time as encounter #1 or #2. Mutual smile. He waved. I was parked right next to him and as I maneuvered into my car I quipped, "We seem to be on the same schedule..." (If you didn't read that with a breathy voice and wicked grin, you did it wrong. Try again). His face immediately registered a charmed surprise. He raised his eyebrows and smirked, "Yeah...it seems so..." I smiled one last time and I sat down in my car as he took the last word, "Have a great day."

Encounter #4:
Yesterday, a few days after encounter #3. Parking lot. Coming home from work in the evening. He was retrieving his yummy leather messenger bag from his car. I was walking up from the bus stop and had an iPod stuck in my ears. He was quite animated, to the point that it surprised me a bit, as he waved and smiled. I smiled and removed my headphones. "Hi..." I said with a big smile. "Hello..." He replied, also with a big smile. "How are you?" I said while flashing an even bigger grin. "Good...Good..." he said while visibly laughing at yet another coincidental meeting. "Good...Good..." I lamely replied. Umm...Doh! I retreated from the parking lot fumbling through my bag for my keys. (Note to Dorky Self: next time try, "The parking lot has been great...but we should arrange our schedules for dinner.")

Congratulations & Bon Voyage!

Dawn & Michael

Married 15 September 2007
Congratulations! Safe travels on your honeymoon!

The wedding ceremony, dinner, dancing, and reception were all held on the 17th floor of the Tower Club in Tysons Corner, Virginia. The weather was bright and sunny, the view exquisite, the food amazing, the bride beyond gorgeous...a perfect day.

And yes, you do see panties that read "I'm a Fox" in glitter puff paint. Between the campy arts and crafts project, sexual mad libs, and gifts both "naughty & nice..." the lingerie shower the night before the wedding was a fun edition to the weekend.

What? Naked Mormon Missionaries?

Naked Mormon Missionaries. Now that's not something you hear every day. Well, any day, for that matter. I don't particularly enjoy hairless pretty men and I don't particularly care to purchase the 2008 calendar that, in local/regional news, rivals the shot heard around the world; but I also don't particularly care to boycott the calendar either. I'd much rather sit back and watch the flailing beast this little project has unleashed. I'm utterly confused by the controversy and outrage** this publication has stirred; however, the naked missionaries were anticipating, in fact hoping for, the uproar.

In their own words: "The shock value of what these traditionally conservative young men have helped to create has the power to build a dialogue that encourages people across every belief system and walk of life to defy stereotypes and embrace tolerance." Wowzah. The power to build a dialogue. All these years I've been approaching social justice in such a naive and shallow way. Turns out I should've just taken off my shirt years ago. All that time. Wasted.

I tease these young idealists with floppy hair and greasy chests, but whether or not I agree that topless calendars will change the world, I do respect their thought process (ie: they have one) and their desire for change (again, they have one). In their own words: "The Men on a Mission calendar is intended to be a light-hearted and fun spin on a social taboo. Far too much fear, hatred, anger and violence is committed in the name of religion. By showing these missionaries as regular people, we hope to build a common thread that can break down some of the barriers that have been built up."

** While Googling this phenomenon I stumbled upon these choice comments posted to the blog "This Mormon Life"

• What have you done, Elders? How can you possibly justify this? The damage that will come from this type of ridiculous behavior will totally negate any type of good you have done on your mission and what you could accomplish now.
• Please---this is the beginning of pornography without a doubt---and then to have it done by our own return missionaries who have made covenants to dress a certain way---c'mon we can have fun without demoralizing our bodies in the name of a "calendar" so sad to see how satan creeps into every situation.

One of the men featured in the calendar posted this in response: "Wow, thank you people for reminding me why I posed for this calendar. Holier than thou mormons like yourself place judegment upon anyone and everyone. Thats exactly why people leave the church after joining because of people like yourself." Spot on.

Make up your own mind...
& enjoy the gay disco tune brought to you by a savvy marketing team.

The Duke of Earl in the D.C. Metro

I absolutely love street performers and guerilla art (must-hear album: "Songs from the Underground - NYC Subway" and must-explore website: Wooster Collective). The concept of art as activism is actually something I've devoted time to professionally and the movement has long intrigued me with possible applications in my personal creative life (add another project to my to-do list).

I was hoping that at least once while in D.C. I would stumble upon metro music. The surprise factor is a large part of the appeal, the randomness of it all. You could have taken a different train in a different direction or remained one floor above and never known the performance was happening. I love the serendipity of street performance. I was thrilled one afternoon to descend the Orange Line escalator to hear this sound...

Yes, the video quality is poor, but what can really you ask
of a digital camera in a dark metro tunnel?

Diverse Traditions. Shared Values.

This is the second year I've attended the "Dialog & Friendship Dinner" hosted by the Multicultural Arch Foundation. It's quickly become an annual tradition for the interfaith roundtable NCCJ community organizer Humanities Prof set. Multicultural Arch was started in Salt Lake City in 2004 by our Turkish Muslim community "as a non-profit organization with a mission to promote mutual understanding, respect, appreciation and cooperation among communities of diverse backgrounds in the Salt Lake Area through extending hospitality, raising awareness of different cultures and faiths, providing moral leadership, and offering educational opportunities." There is a theme for each dinner, held annually during the holy month of Ramadan, and this year's theme was "Diverse Traditions, Shared Values." Last year the theme was "Respecting the Sacred."


In addition to religiously and culturally diverse speakers (this year Baha'i, LDS/Mormonism, and Islam were represented), they have artistic performances unique to Turkey and/or the Middle East in general. Last year we saw a woman marble paper, an art known in Turkish as Ebru. This year there was a calligraphy performance as well as a musical number with a Ney (reed flute). The Ney is the instrument of choice for Sufi or Mystic Islam and is incredibly hypnotic. I absolutely loved seeing it played live. Before the event the calligrapher wrote everyone's name as represented on the RSVP list and we all received a 5x7 note card, made to look like papyrus, with this gorgeous script. How thoughtful is that? Last year we all took home a bit of marbled paper.

My favorite thing about this event is the hopeful spirit that everyone brings to the room. It is not a fundraising event and yet we are treated to a three course meal at the Hilton City Centre, no cheap feat. The foundation asks for nothing more than an RSVP and they give a full night of entertainment and fascinating conversation. I leave this event each year a better person.

(I'll update this post with photos from this year's event as soon as they update their website)