It's December, and that means it's time to get the tree up -if you haven't already done so. And although it is a bit of work, when done, it is the wonder of the house - all bright and green, sparkling and shining. Yet few people know the history of this major symbol of the holiday season.The center of attentionThe evergreen tree was honored by the people of ancient Germany long before the birth of Christ. By the 15th century, the trees being set up in many northern village squares honored not the old pagan gods, but the newer Christian feast day of Adam and Eve, which was then celebrated on Dec. 24. Without television, radios or even books, church plays were the entertainment of their day. To make the stage tree work as a prop, apples were tied to its branches. (Centuries later, these apples would be transformed by artists into the glass ornaments we all enjoy today). Indeed, the word "holiday" was created during this period when someone shortened the words "holy day" to "holiday" to describe a merry celebration rather than a somber ceremony.
Walk down a seemingly unimpressive hallway and you'll find yourself at a wildly painted doorway, whose bright colors break under the small sign that says "Fremont Drum Shop." The plain, gray building exterior is hardly representative of the impressive, vibrant colors inside of Bill Matthews' shop. A name in the drumming worldMatthews has been a staple in Fremont for 12 years, starting his journey as business owner at what is now Taco Del Mar, east of the Lenin statue. He downsized into a small studio space littered with ashiko, djembe and bougarabou drums, at 900 N. 36th St. A shop during the day and a classroom at night, visitors can check out his artwork (paintings, greeting cards and T-shirts), drums and instructional books, CDs and DVDs. He also sets up appointments to instruct clients on making their own drums. The process takes two days.
I had never paid much attention to my mouth before. It was simply a passageway where food went in and syllables came out. In fact, I thought my oral cavity was rather pedestrian - nothing like the signature chops of Jagger, Leno and Jolie.Not until the recent birth of my baby daughter, Neah, did I fully comprehend my mouth's distinctiveness. Everyone, and I mean everyone - from the nurse who helped with delivery, to friends and family, to strangers on the street - has commented on the fact that Neah's mouth looks just like Daddy's.Undeniably, she has an unusual mouth: her razor-thin lower lip framed by a full upper lip and a sunken chin. And it's precious. Never more so than when she protrudes her lower lip from her overbite in a signal of poutiness. But this gift, which was bequeathed by me, wasn't even on my radar.Sure, I was aware of my thin lower lip and indented chin, but as far as identifiable body parts go, I'd place my mouth down there with my knees and elbows. It was always my hair and eyes that drew comments - the former, jet black and thick; the latter, big and brown. These were two characteristics I was sure would be passed down the family tree.
Seems up here in the dark, rainy Pacific Northwest we had a little stink on our hands that's made national news, especially among those phony "War on Christmas" types who can never keep their facts - or religions - straight.You see, over at Sea-Tac International Airport, they put up the usual, you know, Christmas trees. And some rabbi threatened to sue if they didn't also put up a display of a menorah to commemorate Hanukkah. Just like they put up at Seattle City Hall and any number of other government-owned properties in the region. So what did the hyphenated-airport brain trust do? Against the pleadings of the rabbi and his lawyer, the airport took the trees down instead.And then, if you'll pardon the Satanic reference, all hell broke loose. That includes Bill O'Reilly, pronged tail and all.The upshot is that the airport has redecked its halls with trees, the rabbi says the whole thing has been blown way out of proportion (and he won't sue) and some panel will meet - after the holidays, naturally - to discussion among themselves how to be more inclusive.
Tis the season for giving - and 'tis also the season for creating a whole lot of clutter! Gifts we appreciate but may not need - wrapping paper, packaging, strings of lights, holiday wreaths and more - collect to thwart our efforts and resolutions to get organized. Without being a grinch, here are some organizing strategies, gift ideas and other tips to keep your home merry without creating a lot of waste.Give the gift of experienceRather than giving a thing, consider giving an experience like movie tickets, memberships, and classes. Membership to the Seattle Art Museum or the aquarium, the Pacific Science Center or the local community center are just a few experience gift ideas. Classes at local organizations also make great gifts.
(not in order of completion)1. Plant bulbs at Cowen Park2. Clean street blocks on University Way3. Bake and give away 30 pies4. Build and put up 30 bat houses5. Take 30 trips of alternative transportation to school6. Create care packages for homeless kids7. Trick or Treat for UNICEF8. Pick up litter at Cowen Park9. Clean up a Puget Sound beach 10. Give "warm fuzzies" to people11. Send thank-you notes and cookies to firefighters, police and bus drivers12. Donate books and videos to Children's Hospital13. Donate toys to Pathways to Women14. Make gingerbread houses with homeless kids15. Donate money to help animals
To celebrate its 30th anniversary, the University Cooperative School performed 30 acts of kindness for its local community during the winter season. The acts included making gingerbread houses with homeless kids, baking and donating 30 pies, singing at a senior center, giving thank-you notes to police, firefighters and bus drivers and planting 1,000 daffodil bulbs at Cowen Park."We had to tear down the list because the kids thought of so many things they wanted to do for the community," said Jeanne Garland, who came up with the idea and has two children in the school."The kids have so much fun doing it," Garland said. "Many of the students have said, 'We should do this every day.'"
Green Lake Park is used during the hot summer days through the cold, raining winter season by many walkers, runners and crew members, as well as a venue for such events as the the Seafair Milk Carton Derby Race. With its popularity among Seattleites, Seattle Parks and Recreation has started planning improvements for the park. Project managers hope to strengthen the neighborhood connection, increase cohesiveness between the community center and other active areas and provide adequate lighting for comfort and safety for park visitors. "We are working with existing features and improving the current conditions of the park," said parks project planner David Goldberg. Two visionsLocal community members attended a public meeting at the Green Lake Library in mid-November to discuss those plans for enhancing the facilities at Green Lake Park. The funding for this project was approved by voters in the 2000 Pro Parks Levy. Specifically, the levy allocates $441,750 for the Green Lake Park Improvement Project, according to a city news release.
In 1986, Pat Migliore tested positive for HIV. She was a married, heterosexual woman during 1980s when HIV/AIDS was still considered a "gay man's" disease. When Migliore looked for HIV/AIDS support groups in Seattle, she did not find one for women. However, she did find other women like herself who were HIV-positive.In 1989, Migliore, along with those 12 other HIV-positive women, hosted a potluck dinner to get to know one another, and to begin talking about living with HIV/AIDS. During the first meeting they described their frustrations with the male-centered AIDS services in Seattle, and the many challenges they faced with stigmatization, childcare and domestic violence.
Individual artists who reside in Washington state are encouraged to apply to the 2007 GAP (Grants for Artist Projects) Program. Artist Trust's GAP Program provides support for individual artist projects by awarding up to $1,500 for projects including (but not limited to) the development, completion or presentation of new work.Last year, 690 artists applied to the GAP Program and 52 artists from around the statewere funded. The GAP Program is open to artists working in all creative disciplines including visual, performing, literary, media and emerging, and cross-disciplinary arts. Applicants must be residents of Washington State but cannot be a graduate or undergraduate student enrolled in a degree program.
It was surprising news. In a press release sent out on Sunday, Dec. 17, the Northwest Actors Studio (NWAS), 1100 E. Pike St., announced that the theater organization is under threat of eviction unless it can raise the money equal to two months rent, building insurance and taxes."About a month ago, we got a three-day eviction notice, but we were able to scrape up a payment," said Tom Ansart. A producer and playwright with Steeplechase Productions, Ansart joined NWAS this year as a managing director. "But really, I'm just a volunteer," he said. "It didn't take long to realize that there wasn't enough money to pay a salary."To ease their monetary woes, NWAS will hold "performance auctions" with a goal of raising $25,000 by Jan. 1. Angels interested in helping the theater are asked to bid on upcoming performances. Any artists in unsponsored performances will have the choice of performing for "Love or Money" with bids taken from the floor.
As I was asking my children to write their Christmas wish lists out for me, I realized that it's been an awfully long time since anyone has asked me, The Mom, She Who Must Sometimes Be Obeyed If You Don't Get Caught, and Fulfiller of Christmas Dreams, to make a wish list for Santa. I decided it's high time Santa heard from me. First of all, I would like a Never-ending Supply of Tape. I will designate a drawer in the desk for tape. This will become The Magic Tape Drawer. I will expect it to never empty of clear tape, masking tape, duct tape or that blue tape you use when painting. Then whenever the husband or one of the offspring comes to me in search of tape I will be able to point them to my magic drawer. I'm tired of telling them "I don't know" and "Did you look in the kitchen junk drawers?"Next, I'd appreciate it if you would make white chocolate one of the major food groups. Oh, and cause it to have negative calories. Don't worry about any other color of chocolate; I'm not greedy. Fixing the white for me will do just fine. Thanks.
It's a cramped space set below street level. Faded purple carpets and narrow hallways branch off into small examination rooms, office space and labs. Classical music plays in the halls. For now. But they'll soon be empty. Aradia Women's Health Center, a First Hill nonprofit organization with a feminist point of view, has faced protesters, debt, several moves and a lot of change over the years. Recently it confronted an even more potent threat: a lack of funding coupled with rising costs. This financial crisis will soon take its toll. In January, after 34 years of service, one of Seattle's first abortion clinics and women's health centers will close its doors permanently. "We're calling it the perfect storm," says Karen Besserman, vice president of the board of directors. Over the last two years Aradia's insurance provider tripled the cost of malpractice coverage. Most of the clinic's clients are low-income women -70 percent up from 50 percent five years ago - and Medicaid subsidies simply did not cover costs. Donations from local individuals have stayed consistent and account for 10 percent of the clinic's funding. The rest comes directly from clinic services.
Seems up here in the dark, rainy Pacific Northwest, we had a little stink on our hands that's made national news, especially among those phony War on Christmas types who can never keep their facts, or religions, straight.You see, over at Sea-Tac International Hyphenated Airport, they put up the usual, you know, Christmas trees. And some rabbi threatened to sue if they didn't also put up a display of a menorah to commemorate Hanukkah. Just like they put up at the city of Seattle and any number of other government-owned properties in the region. So what did the Hyphenated Airport brain trust do? Against the pleadings of the rabbi and his lawyer, the airport took the trees down instead.And then, if you'll pardon the Satanic reference, all hell broke loose. That includes Bill O'Reilly, pronged tail and all.The upshot now is that the airport has redecked its halls with trees, the rabbi says the whole thing has been blown way out of proportion (and he won't sue), and some panel will meet - after the holidays, naturally - to discussion among themselves how to be more inclusive.And the hell of it is (there's that word again), the Christmas tree is not a Christian symbol. It predates the birth of Christ by a couple thousand years. As does the yule log, mistletoe, gift giving, the works. That whole just-after-the-longest-night rebirth of life thing. I'm even betting the fat guy with the reindeer and sleigh didn't come from old Judea, either.
In 1999, when neighbors at the top of Beacon Hill were dealing with Joel Horn around mitigation for the Amazon conversion of the PacMed hospital, he told a group of us there were complaints about the star that had graced the winter sky from the building's top since anyone could remember. He said that because it had Christian overtones - the Star of Bethlehem - it would not be on the building anymore.We made Joel Horn agree to keep the light lit. He went on to head the monorail disaster and is now doing deals in central Washington. The company he worked for, Wright Runstad, has proved to be one of the best neighbors we've had. They've kept that star lit, too, a bit of hope in always interesting times.Lately, another holiday tradition has gotten play. The Port of Seattle clearcut its Christmas trees after Rabbi Elazar Bogomilsky of the Chabad Lubavitch Jewish education foundation threatened a lawsuit if an eight-foot tall menorah wasn't added to the display.My Jewish girlfriend Shawn called Christmas trees, "Hanukkah bushes." We bought one for old friends of hers we stayed with in Manhattan years ago, a Jewish-American family dedicated to their faith and Israel. Still, when the Christmas season rolled around, they wanted a Hanukkah bush.