Because we are awesome

Better Lovers,

While we bask in the joy of electing one of our nearest and dearest to victory in the hotly contested race to be the BEST BARTENDER IN ALL OF BELLINGHAM, perhaps we should think about purchasing the next book we are to read.

Stiff, by Mary Roach

If you can't find it at your friendly local bookseller, or simply only have the time for internet ordering, may I suggest you purchase it from Better World Books?

Not only is it NOT a corporate mega giant, there is free shipping everywhere in the US, you can offset the carbon emissions of shipping for 25 cents, and a portion of their profits goes to world literacy programs.

Sincerely,

Flanhoodles

WE DID IT!!!!

We made DON BUTLER the BEST Bartender in B-Ham!

http://www.cascadiaweekly.com/cw?/content/best_of_bellingham_2009/2068/

Best of Bellingham

Readers rate their favorite haunts, hideouts and hungers

Best Bartender: Don Butler at the Beaver Inn

I dunno. I always find Don a bit gruff, but maybe that’s what readers like in their bartenders, especially during these hard times: Mix ‘em mean, pour ‘em plenty, and leave us to knock ‘em back without a lot of chit-chat. I’ve seen Don expertly mix a few girlish frou-frous, too, then step back and study how they’re consumed with an expression most droll.

Don is the Best!

So apparently there is a "best of Bellingham" list published every year through the Cascadia Weekly and right now they are trying to gather their "bests." Amongst them is who is the best bartender in B-ham.... and the obvious answer is DON from the Beaver! But we need to get the word out.

So, maybe if we all vote, we can get him on the list!

http://www.cascadiaweekly.com/cw?/content/BOB/

Anyone know what Don's last name is though?

Baby Rafferty

Well, I thought it was about time for a new better lover of the month..... Howabout a product of all this better lovin'? Baby Rafferty! Due March 26th! Currently 1 1/2 inches long! Yay!!!!

The Great Outdoors

Sexy Readers, hold onto your hats, it's time for the 2nd Annual Better Lovers' Camping Extavaganza!

Occurring during the second weekend in September (18th - 20th), it will be a grand old time of books and beer, nature and naps, marshmallows and memories, carousing and cheer, fires and falafels and Ludacris and lions. (One of these pairs might not be true.)

We have not yet decided where this camping trip is going to occur, so I outlined so

me choices, with pros, cons, and helpful photographs. Make a case for your favorite in the comments.

Site 1: Deception Pass

Pros:

- Semi-close to Bellingham

- Lake AND the ocean accessible

- Free geology lecture, by me

Cons:

- Most of us have probably been there several times

- Nicole looks like this when she camps at Deception Pass

Site 2: Lake Wenatchee State Park

Pros:

- Near Leavenworth, aka near Bavarian fun and wine tasting

- On a lake, so that means we could possibly end up On a Boat, with T-

Pain

- The A&E network named Leavenworth the #1 Holiday Town in America

Cons:

- 3-ish hours from Bellingham

- Holiday themed towns might 'creep out' Jodi

Site 3: North Cascades

Pros:

- There is a river that you can throw rocks in. It's really fun.

- There is a crick to chill your beer, for Crick Beer.

- It's a National Park

Cons:

- Small campground.

- Close to the highway.

- Bethany Jean has trouble sitting in the camping chair.

Site 4: Larabee

Pros:

- Close to Bellingham for easy commuting

- Fellow campers are easily intimidated into leaving by Wizard Staffs.

- Tide pools

- Kelly may fall into the muck again, that was pretty hilarious.

Cons:

- Been there, done that

- Courtney is really, really scared of the Sheriff

Site 5: San Juan Island

Pros:

- Bethany Jean will be there, saving the wildlife

- Ferrry Ride!

- Possible whale sightings.

Cons:

- Ghetto Pig has an irrational fear of islands

- Limited camping sites

Site 6: Forks

Pros:

- Site of the greatest work in the history of Literature.

- Interesting local wildlife (spotted owls, werewolves, vampires, salmon)

- Possibility of finding True, Eternal, Undying Love

Cons:

- Kind of far away

- Twilight fans

BL of the Month

Also, someone choose the next BL of the Month!  I would, but I'm on my work computadora and I don't have any good pictures here to post.

JULY, YEAH!

'mallows

Who wants to plan a camping trip on a weekend in late August or September?

Thank you.

BL of the Month !

I am very happy that Jack is the BL of the month ... he is very excited also. He is sitting right next to me (whats new?!?) and his little knubbin of a tail (but bigger than Ricky's non-existant tail) is wagging back and forth at an impecable pace.

But, we have to complain because there is nothing written about him! The picture of him in his S2S shirt is fantastic, but come on, a few words/ phrases/ sentences please! If this doesn't happen, Jack will bite you next time he sees you.

Our next book

SELECTED BY CAROLYN HANN

Question:

So what is our next book?

Ski to Sea 2010 and beyond

I think that from now on, we should name our Ski to Sea team after the condition of the Nooksak River in the previous year:
- Swollen Nooksak
- Cooperative Nooksak
- Narrow Nooksak
- Wide Nooksak
- Slow Nooksak
- Dirty Nooksak
- Shrunken Nooksak

etc.

100th Post!

I went to the Beaver last night. Here's one conversation I had while trying to get Don's attention.

Me to strange guy: Don and I are bff.
Strange guy: Don and I are friends, too.
Me: No, you're not. Don doesn't like people, especially guys.
Lynn: Yeah, tell us something you know about Don!
Strange guy: I know that if you try to talk to him about hockey, he'll tell you you're gay.

Hahahahaha.

BL(s) of the Month

I have selected Rick and Dick Hoyt as the BLs of the Month for May. (I have also selected myself as the selector of BLs of the Month.)

They are the BLs of the Month because this is S2S month, and you need to be inspired. As a manager of the team, I feel it is my duty to help inspire you. So here they are.

Info on Rick and Dick Hoyt: They are father and son. That is all the info you need. Watch the video if you want to win S2S.



(Note: I recognize that the video is a little cheeseball. However, get over it.)

Crunchiness

No one even mentioned that I put Cool Ranch Doritos as the BL of the Month. You guys are so un-observant, IT'S EMBARRASSING.

I just got back from a near death experience. I ran 4 miles. Near DEATH.

I need to double this in 3 1/2 weeks.

Lynn, any suggestions?

Ski to Sea 2009

So? Are you other BLers hardcore training or is it just me?

You know, as awesome as I am, I can't win on my own.

Crunk-knees + Dr. Steve Brule = Love forever!

Next book!

Number One Ladies' Detective Agency, biooootch!



Also, who the heck is the BL of the month?

BL Event March 2009: Quote Wall

"If you shave your nose off, you automatically win extra points."
- Nicole, re: Jodi looking like Voldemort in a "Who Looks the Most Like A Character from Harry Potter?" contest

"Cameron Diaz and Big Bird."
- Ren, re: the 2 people she would most like to be a portrait with


"Who looks the most like someone from Harry Potter?"
::Jodi raises hand::
"Oh, Voldemort?" - Kris


"You're thebomb.com/don."
- Kelly to Don at the Beaver


"Yeah. They're the best things.... ever...."
- Don, re: our nametags


"She's not 'The It,' she's just 'It.'"
-Fatima re: Jodi


"Band name: Blow Job Robots."
- Lynn


"Is he poisonous? Is he like a bad cherry?"
- Nicole, re: an attractive man Jodi was warning her to stay away from


"I'm Justin Timberlake. Who the f*#@ are you?"
- Dan, aka Justin Timberlake, aka the cute guy we met at the Beaver, aka the Bad Cherry


"Rumpelstiltskin totally used her for her blonde hair. You know, Rumpelstiltskin, let down your blonde hair!"
- Jodi, meaning "Rapunzel" and "long hair"


Nicole, reading one of Fatima's nametags: "You are the Port Angelos #1 graduate!"
Kris: "What? I am! I really am!"


"I'm embracing the table. I don't know what for, but I'm embracing the table."
- Jodi, to herself

Lynn: "Carolyn loves the lead singer from Space Band. She totally wants to do him."
Carolyn: "What? No I don't."
Courtney: "Yeah! I can see that! Go with it."
Lynn: " I made it up so now it's true."
Carolyn: "Well. All right."

A Great BL Event

I know we don't even have plans for Ski to Sea set yet ... but I want to throw this idea out for all of you BLs and see what you think. If we have enough people interested, I would announce myself as team captain. I have never participated in Relay for Life, but always have wanted to and with my step mom passing away in August from Liver Cancer, I think now is the best time for me to really get involved. Have any of you lovely BLs participated before? I think if we got a team together, we would have the best 'camp' around, as well as some of the best ideas to raise money, plus its for a great cause! I guess if no one is interested I will make my own one-person team and call you all heathens for not wanting to support a good cause.

Dear Better Lovers, do you recall Kelly's blog post of this picture by Edward Monkton:

WELL, he really does have a fabulous website, and so last week I sent him an email saying:

Dear Mr. Monkton, i am writing YOU to tell you that you have some very silly fans in the Seattle-ish area [see attached]. Mrs. Rafferty

And then I attached this photo:And today, I recieved this email response from our British friend:

What a delightful message, Mrs Rafferty.

Thank you very much for getting in touch and sending me this wonderfully odd photo!

Best wishes,

Edward Monkton.

Delightful! I love the internet....and Mr. Monkton

Message from God.

Kelly, this is God speaking. God says you should NOT, should not in any shape or form, go to Wyoming. What the hell is in Wyoming? The steer to man ratio is like 105 to 1. Do you understand what I'm trying to say, Kelly? Do not go to Wyoming.

You should probably come back to Bellingham and get your buddies in line, because they are just out of control. Nicole just had a phone date with someone who makes board games. His name is Milton Bradley. I don't understand exactly what's that about. She keeps talking about Sorry and I don't know if it's the game or the date itself.

God's got to go back to work, because God's got bills to pay. Hurry back to Bellingham, because some people miss you. God is not one of them, but some people do. Bye.

Apparel

I think we should get BL trucker hats, or BL beer cozies/coozies, or both.


We would be the envy of the town!

I'm blogging while wearing my BL hoodie.

This is what I'm reading for the BL meeting.

While drinking this.

Join The Club

Hey BL-ers! March 1 - 7 is No Cussing Week!

Please give me your ideas within the next five hours.

Someone help me with my lesson plan.

Objective I want to teach: Students will understand the changes in gender representation from previous eras to the Modernist Era.

Objective I should probably teach: Students will understand how the purpose of art and literature changed from the Victorian Era to the Modernist Era.

Text: "Eveline" by James Joyce




Go. Help me.




ALSO, on Tuesday I was asked to talk about American media and the Obamas. My focus might be, "Would Barack Obama have been elected if it weren't for the media?" or something similar, because there's ALWAYS media, and I want to discuss the modernness.

You can go ahead and help me with that, too.

Current B'Ham Residing Better Lovers (or those close to B'Ham)

This event calls us. In fact, I don't know why I have never checked out Whatcom Reads! before. The specific event I am talking about is not just reading Sherman Alexie's latest book, but going to see him speak on Friday, March 19th @ 7:00 p.m I'm going to go, it's free, he is from Baum's home town, and he is speaking in the Orca Auditorium (@WCC). So, to get us in book club spirit (I'm just as excited for the meeting on the 28th as K-Rafty) I think this would be a grand ole time.

Better Lovers,

I'm crazy excited for the first BL meeting in forever!!! I will post my address via facebook for the event, when I feel like typing more. Also, I just looked through last years ski to sea photos and they are awesome....but is this thing still happening? I have a kayak in case someone wants to do that leg....maybe me. Are we ski to seaing?

oy
Kristen

PS, Kelly sorry I didn't send you a Norway package...expect something very cool and knit that you would have used in the frigid north, had you recieved them...but now you will get them when you get back.

Hey.

Somebody needs to blog.

Happy Vagina Day!

I got my Obama book yesterday, and read the first page. Woooo!!!!

I also got a new eyebrow pencil.....it is not as great as my giant pencil, but it does make much smaller eyebrows.

Sometimes I wonder what it would be like if my eyebrows were always visible. Must be nice.

Yes, Pecan!

Ben & Jerry's has created a flavor in honor of our new president (and BLOTM) Barack Hussein Obama.*

They also asked customer to fill in the blank for the following:

For George W. Bush we created ____________.

Here are some of the best answers.

Grape Depression
Abu Grape
Cluster Fudge
Nut'n Accomplished
Iraqi Road
Chock 'n Awe
WireTapioca
Impeach Cobbler
Guantanmallow
Mmmm Peach Mint
Good Riddance You Lousy Mother*&%$# Swirl
NeoconPolitan
Rocky Road to Fascism

* I received this in an email forward, so believe at your own risk. Irregardless of truthiness, I thought it was funny. And it made me want ice cream.

EKS

Did you know:

In high school, Erin suggested that we find roadkill around town and give them proper burials as an after-school activity. She got mad at me because I didn't think it was a good idea.

I win at Better Loverdom.

I just turned on the television and guess who's on it. AYAAN HIRSI ALI! She is composed and brilliant, more than I expected.

Yeah, European TV.

BLS2S09

Poopsies,

I'm not sure where I'll be living in May, so don't count me 100% in for S2S09. Don't count me out, though, either.

And I am horrible at cross-country skiing, so do not, do not, do NOT count me in for that. Well, not for sure.

Count me in for The Great Personality Club, though.

KJW

My Book

This is the book I chose to read for the next meeting;

I am excited to read this book (and am anxiously awaiting it to arrive from (the) Amazon. I am excited to see what the race was all about and who inherited what.

I am also very excited for this next meeting because I want all of my friends who drink to be together again. I feel as if I don't have many drinking friends around town anymore and well, I like to drink and I really just can't drink alone. I also don't know how many more times I can be at the Beaver and hear 'Shoop' without one of you there. It makes me cry everytime.

Also, what the H is going on with Ski to Sea? I am training right now (for what event, I have no idea) and really like the idea of doing 'Mostly Sober May' again. Did I also mention that I like the idea of getting first in the book club division for the second year in a row?

Seriously. Maybe Grandma Betty can be part of our team this year ?

While we're telling school stories...

I'm reading through student responses to prompts about Obama. The goal was to write an organized paragraph and blah blah blah. Not important to you. What IS important to you is how precious these English Language Learners are.

---
Prompt: Barack Obama's father is an African and his mother is a White American. How do you think Obama's unique background will affect how he leads the United States?

Well, I don't know if it will affect how he's doing his job as a president, cause colour doesn't matter, right? And if the american people worries about rasism and stuff, I think they could take it all easy. A president should not dudge people in order of wich colour they are, not even if he og her is the oposite.
---

Yes, "dudge." And "og." "Og" means "and" in Norwegian.

Also, how smart is this kid:
---
Prompt: Barack Obama has claimed to want to remove American troops from Iraq within the next few years. Will this help or harm Iraqi citizens? Why?

Obama has stated that he wants to remove or decrease the amount of US troops currently stationed in Iraq. This question leads to dividing people in two groups: the ones who support the removal, claiming that this will decrease terrorism and hep the Iraqi people establish a functional government, the other ones claim that the removal of the troops will increase the number of terrorists and that there will be chaos. Personally, I don't know, but I slightly support the ones claiming that the soldiers should stay, to prevent chaos and a coup de tat.
---

Oh, yes. I could totally write something that sophisticated in a foreign language. Especially when I was 16. No problem.


And finally, this gem:
---
Prompt: Many say that Barack Obama was the first president (and presidential candidate) to use the internet as a powerful tool in a campaign. How did Obama's use of the internet help him win the presidential election?

During the campaign Obama used the internet as a tool to attract voters. Many people say he's the first president to take advantage of the world wide web. It wasn't always serious "commercials" for the campaign,"Obama Girl" collected a couple of thousand voters by showing a picture of Obama's bare chest, and herself in a bikini singing "I've got a crush on Obama." Yes we can, a collection of well known American celebrities made Obama's speech into a song with hundreds of thousands of views at Youtube. So yes we can. Yes we can use the internet. So can Obama.

Room 102

I love my kindergartners. Here are some of their awesomeness.

Justin was out sick all week. He came back today, and during circle time Alexia asked him, "Where have you been?"
"Oh, I was having diarrhea."

Today we discovered a rash all over David's body, it was especially brutal on his cheeks. On our walk down to the nurse's office, he said, "That would be so cool if my cheeks got so red that they turned into roses, and then I could pick them off and give them to my mom. I love my mom."

All the kiddos were in groups, compromising on a fairytale story to create. Compromise doesn't happen with 5 year-olds, F.Y.I. I was working with one group, where the boys wanted protagonist wolves, the girls wanted gingerbread men. I suggested both. The boys said, "Only if the wolf get in a fight and eat the gingerbread men!" The girls practically fainted and said, "No! They should dance together." In the meantime, I noticed Anthony slowly sneaking away. He got a black piece of electrical tape off the counter and put it on his lip, like a mustache. I went up to him and said, "Anthony," to which he replied, "Bonjour my friends." I said something like what? and he said, "Bonjour my friends. That's French Miss Cline. I'm learning French." Just then one of the kids in his group yelled out, "Oh dude! We could have a story about three little mustached men!" Everyone thought it was great, so Anthony posed for his group as they drew three replicas of him and his tape mustache. Anthony kept saying, "The three little men should say 'Bonjour my friends'." In the end, the fairytale was about three little mustache men who danced with monsters.

Last Friday at recess, Will came inside crying hysterically. He was sobbing so hard - the kind where you go silent for a moment, then screech loudly as you try to suck air back in. He had rashes around his eyes, and was basically melting into the floor. I ran over to him and took the note in his hand, from the recess duty, which read, "Will is crying." Obviously. He couldn't speak, and wasn't calming down, so I asked him a bunch of questions. Are you hurt? Did someone say something mean to you? Do you miss your mom? Are you tired? Did you get in trouble? My questions probably perpetuated the crying by having him think of all these potentially sad things. After seriously like 15 minutes - I was ready to walk out - he finally calmed down (I had thrown him on a bean bag chair with a stuffed animal and was waving a pixie stick in front of him as incentive for shutting-up). I asked him for the 100th time, "Will, what's going on bud?" He said, "My body told me it needed to cry."
"What?"
"I was standing outside when my body just said, 'Will, you need to cry, right now,' and so I did." He was completely serious, took a few deep breaths, thanked me for his pixie stick and went back out to recess.

Write it on your calendars if you are able to muster the energy. Life's hard with KJW on another continent.

BL Meeting Deets

Part 1
When: Saturday, March 28th, 6:00 PM
What: Feasting on delicious food at the Rafferty home and discussing the Obama literature!
Where: Rafferty's house... KRIS, WHERE DO YOU LIVE?!?
Why: Because we like to be fancy, and we like to eat, and we like to see giant fireplaces.

Part 2
When: Same day, after dinner
What: Rowdiness! Woo! Woo! Woo!
Where: The Beav! Woo! Woo! Woo!
Why: Because we need to talk to Don and eat free popcorn and play R. Kelly on the jukebox and shake, shake, shake our sillies out! Woo! Woo! Woo!

Cross Fire's Book Choice

Okay Better Lovers World-Wide,

I have made my decision. Drum roll please . . .

In the wake of Obama-mania, I vote we read up on this 44th president, from his own perspective. With that being said, as first book-decider, I am choosing not one, but four books. Oooooo.

Below are four different books Obama has written himself, and I think each Better Lover should pick the book that interests you the most. This way, come BL meeting time, we will have a mini Yay Obama party, and be able to discuss a range of things and compare what we noticed in the different books.

I did this recently in a third grade class, where we had the same author (Avi), with different book groups. Each group could talk about their specific book, but the whole class could compare the authors style and similar ideas.

I suppose this could be like our Danielle Steel meeting, but with MUCH better material.

So - the books to choose from are the following:

Barack Obama in His Own Words by The Man himself

The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream by Barack Obama

Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance by Our First Black President

Change We Can Believe In by Obama, Yeah!

There is also a cool book out there, with all of his speeches leading up to now.

President Barack Obama: Change Has Come to America. His Words - His Promises.

Also - if you are completely cramped for time, are unable to get your hands on a book, are lame and don't want to read a book by Obama, or are interested in a comprehensive-but-who-knows-how-trustworthy synapses of his life, I provide you with Obama's Wikipedia page!

Okay. There's the list. Do you want to know about his past, his present, or plans for the future? You decide. If you've read one, pick another. Just come prepared to talk Barack!

Also - K dubs - when is the meeting? If we are pushing it back a week for Erin, we might as well push it back three more so L Bomb can be there.

Happy Friday!

Here are some fun facts about Dr. Seuss books.

Here is a picture of a mom elephant that pooped on her baby elephant.

Two big things

Number One
I was thinking today while I roamed the black-beanless grocery store aisles... choosing a BL book is often tough. We can never make everyone happy, and all the research is tough. So...

BY DECREE OF KJW, we will take turns choosing the book. Then, the chooser will choose the NEXT person to choose the book, and so on. Bribing is fair.

Crotch Potato - you go first! It doesn't matter if everyone will love it, because we all have different tastes.

Go. Pick.

Number Two
E-Schu may not be back from Peru by March 28th, so can we move our BL meeting back a week? Here's what I'm thinking:
-Saturday, April 4th
-6:00 PM - dinner at la casa de Kris Rafferty
-After that, to the Beaver for Don time!

Respond.

Let's all go to Lego Land!

Lego Land has made a lego representation of the inauguration. I want to go there.

Enough of this fiddle faddle. Let's decide.

When: March 28th, 8:00 PM
Where: The Beav
What book: Here are my ideas:
-Dreams From My Father, by BARACK
-Water for Elephants, by Sara Gruen (some of you might have read this already)
-Kelly Is the Hottest, by Can't Believe I Found This Link
-The Other Boleyn Girl, by Philippa Gregory

Vote! Or suggest others! And tell me if you want to change that meeting time, because we could pick another time that weekend or the following weekend!

Poor Speedy Wheels has to sit next to him every day. Well, when Rachel lets me have the 7 spot.

So, my neighbor next door has a very offensive smiley face cover on the tire on the back of his jeep. Or her jeep. Whoever's jeep it is, their tire cover makes me want to poke out my eyes.

So....

.... are we going to read another book?

I have begun training for Ski to Sea 2009.

What have you all done with your lives?

Butter Luvers

I am still soooo sad I wasn't at the December BL meeting. I blame the in-laws and Neapolitan ice cream. But on the upside, I went to Euclid, Ohio and learned some mad robotic programming skills.

Also I met cab driver from Lithuania. Apparently in Lithuania he was a deputy mayor, and before that a university professor. And now he is a taxi driver in Euclid. I also learned that Wal-Mart is the #1 employer in Ohio. And I heard a news story about a needy family in Ohio that signed up for getting Christmas gifts donated, and all they received were wrapped boxes of cereal and pasta.

See, aren't these facts about Euclid as interesting as facts about Norway?

The international message

The only hoodie I have in Norway is my BL one. I hope to strike up a lot of conversations about book clubs and maaaaybe perpetuate the stereotype that Americans are a bit easy. (Just through my sweatshirt. Not through my actions.)