Why are there so many ways to spell barbecue?

Pretty Ugly

A few months ago, I wrote a story about Elton Sherman. He's 18 and the founder of Pretty Ugly , a blog and T-shirt company. Here's a video I just made for him, on the eve of his newest line (It comes out Saturday at midnight).

Pretty Ugly: The Backstory from Casey Parks on Vimeo.

On a stick

I made shish kabobs for Memorial Day. Ryan put his gum on the same stick as his:

My favorite

I love this city so much more with her in it. Everything is so much more beautiful to me.

Still spending

Last week's $80 budget

$8 Trader Joe's groceries
$14.75 Stumptown bulk coffee, strawberries and yogurt from New Seasons
$1.50 McDonald's small french fries
$3 split cost for tomato and zucchini plant starts
$2.50 Grand Central Bakery cheese danish
$.75 Can of coke
$17 Fred Meyer groceries
$4 two 16 ounce coffees
$12 chips and salsa for party
$1.98 two iTunes songs -- "Kiss Me Thru The Phone" and "Sabotage"

That leaves 14.50, unless you count the $50 I spent on Neko Case tickets :)

The sun sets late.

We made a friend at the bluffs, Destiny:

Had such a great late afternoon (evening, I guess) with Ryan and Dana Rae, playing around with photos at the bluffs.

Things I like:

1. The line to the "bathroom" (i.e. a kind of secluded hole)
2. The following songs: "Kiss Me Through the Phone" by Soulja Boy, "I Hate This Part" by the Pussycat Dolls and "I'm an Animal" by Neko Case. Oh yes.
3. Canned beer after 7 on a Sunday
4. Mochi
5. THE SUN

So what kind of motel is it really?

Teens

Aaron and I are working on a mini-documentary about these kids:

Anniversaries

May 11th has held so much. It was the birthday of my first girlfriend.

It was the day I first saw you. I had Tsing Tao waiting for you to arrive in Missouri. When you got there, I was slightly buzzed. My hair was still wet, too, because I had been so nervous I needed a second shower. It was also the date, two years later, that you left me. We cried on the street in front of my apartment and kissed like we hadn't in months. Afterwards, I bought pre-fab furniture, hoping to ease my broken heart or reclaim my living room somehow.

Today, it's just sunny. I'm writing stories and eating lunch with my new love. I'm biking in, against the wind.

West Coast Friendships

A photo from last weekend plus last week's $80 spent.




$25.50 groceries
$3.50 groceries
$3 tip for a lunch Rick B. bought me
$12 Damien Jurado ticket
$5 Mirror Pond beer + tip at concert
$2 bus ticket
$15 two tickets to see 17 Again
$4.50 one order of belgian fries with poutine
$3.75 Subway sandwich
$.75 can of coke


That leaves $5 still! I stayed in budget.

When I was 14: Kristyn

the last of the videos. Kristyn is Canadian, where being 14 means you're still in junior high. We talked a little about how that might make being 14 different.

When I was 14: Kristyn from Casey Parks on Vimeo.

Cherry blossoms

I'm working a new schedule at work, so I haven't yet edited the last video. There were two others, but one person said I can't use their. No explanation. Whatever.

In the meantime, here's a picture. This is what Portland streets look like these days:

When I was 14: Colin

When I was 14: Colin from Casey Parks on Vimeo.

When I was 14: Behind the scenes

Back to our regularly scheduled programming tomorrow.

When I was 14: Ryan

Ryan talks about faking an injury to get out of marching band:

When I was 14: Ryan from Casey Parks on Vimeo.

(Side note: Ryan is 24 today! Happy birthday!)

When I was 14: Regan

Regan talks about being 14: hula hoop championships and a petition against a girl

When I was 14: Regan from Casey Parks on Vimeo.

When I was 14: Randi

Randi talks about being 14: divorce and puberty.

Untitled from Casey Parks on Vimeo.