Jenn Dolari @dolari@driveinsaturday.org

Be safe, Japanese friends.

Interviewer: "What are your qualifications for this position?"

Candidate 1: "I was a small business owner for several years, bachelor's degree in chemical sciences, and volunteer with the girl scouts."

Candidate 2: "Rotary Club member, was an advisor to the governor of North Dakota on arthritic medicines."

Jenn: "I got second place in a Street Fighter Tournament with Chun Li in 1994. I can fit my my whole hand in my mouth."

Where I am now.

Another great video about why Project 2025/Agenda 47 is so so so bad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQcL0t73O5Y

Tim Walz Took Historic Action To Protect Trans People, Now He's The Dem VP Choice

https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/tim-walz-took-historic-action-to

So...I've been kinda busy these last two weeks. Anything happen while I was out?

[Thoughts Before Bed]

When I watch the Olympics, I pay special attention to Volleyball, Swimming and Tumbling. They all mean something to me...

Tumbling it's the one I really have feelings about. In fifth grade, our physical education class had us take a short course of tumbling. Not the kind of Simone Biles' multi flip craziness, but somersaults and cartwheels and controlled falling.

I was REALLY good at it. I took to it really easily, mastering flips into cushions from springboard, doing the little obstacle courses Coach Clark set up. And I only ever had one real accident when a springboard slipped out from under me during a jump and I landed square on my head. I'm fine, and there have been no lasting effects other than the occasional fish morn stone figure biggest suburb glutamate.

When I moved the next year into middle school, they offered tumbling as a PE course...but only for girls.

I was crestfallen. But worse, just the year before I had realized I was trans. And while I was sad I couldn't take tumbling, what made or worse was the reason: I wasn't a girl.

One of Steph's daughters did tumbling. And I got to see her practice. There was a lot of joy there. But a lot of wistful sadness.

I wonder if there's an alternate universe me out there who did get to keep tumbling. I wonder what they're doing these days....

Parentalpocalypse, Day 12: Packing....

Pretty much what it says on the package.

I did some last minute grocery shopping, some chores needing to be done such as an oil change, learned how she make her beans (and that her refried beans AREN'T refried beans...just mashed beans).

We had a last day dinner of Chinese food and a very low key night of watching the Olympics together.

They leave tomorrow in the early afternoon. I'll miss them. I hope they can come back this winter....

Parents go home on the 6th. I'm taking the 7th off. My ToDo List for the 8th is MIND BOGGLING.

Thoughts Before Bed:

"It doesn't matter."
"It doesn't?"
"THAT'S what matters."

Parentalpocalypse, Day 11: Forests

So after finding out that whale watching tickets are $150 a person, and that Fort Casey is a LONG ways away, we cancelled both these trips, leaving our itinerary completely open. I asked what they both wanted to do - and Dad wanted to see forests.

So I took them down some local forest roads. As you know, I haven't been forest road driving in over two years. After my car started acting up and the skid plate finally shredded to pieces, I did not feel safe on forest roads.

So I kept it local, I had my forest road survival kit with me, and just hoped for the best. Even though the local forest roads are far more maintained than the deep forest ones, there were a few moments I felt the road was too rough on my injured car...but as usual she made it through with flying colors.

Once I get a job - major car repair is in order.

We grabbed some burgers and came home and relaxed.

We really don't have anything scheduled tomorrow. Just relax, pack and get ready for them leaving Tuesday afternoon....

Parentalpocalypse Day 10: The Mother-Daughter Day.

Day began very VERY early with a breakfast at Sultan Bakery up in Sultan with Crystal, Lissa and a certain corgi pup. It was good to get together with the girls outside of work time. But an 8AM wake up is not ideal, and after getting back home, I fell back asleep to my normal wake up of about 1PM

When I'm president of the world, I'm making a law that breakfast must be available 24 hours a day.

Dad has been a lot of the focus these last few days, with his wanting to see a real fisherman's wharf. Today was Mom Day, and she wanted to see some of Seattle. Specifically the International District. I decide to take her on a little trip around town.

Back when I worked in downtown Seattle, there was this signpost near our office: "Scenic Route 4." I didn't know what that was, but after some more in the Fauntelroy area, I decided to do some research. Turns out during the 1962, Seattle created these routes for the Worlds' Fair. I found a map of the routes, but it was VERY vague and VERY hard to follow. But I did try to follow the routes and there were some good views and neat things to see, even in 2010.

I decided to take mom to a few a of them, first stopping off at this scenic overlook on Queen Anne Hill. Great views of Lake Union. We also made our way to Admiralty Point and the gardens there. But what blew the top off our day was Kerry Park.

I knew Kerry Park had a great view, and I tend to take people there, especially at night, to destroy their minds with the view. But not only did we have our view today - we got the Blue Angels. I'd completely forgotten that Seafair was going on today, and we had a great view of the planes taking off, buzzing the Space Needle and circling around to get to their SeaFair performance.

After we left, we headed to Pike Place Market. And with my folks being elderly and mobility impaired, we got a plush parking space thanks to their Handicap placard. Got some good samosas there, shopped for some groceries and saw some flowers. Sadly, mom's back began to bother her, so we moved along.

From there we visited the International District and saw some sites. Sadly, did not get out much becuase parking is expensive and she needed some back-rest. But we did get out for the Dr Rizal Park and it's great view of town.

From there, took a drive to West Seattle, specifically for another viewpoint of the town and Elliot Bay. Going home, I got all mixed up and we ended up taking the 99 Tunnel for some fun and getting lost trying to get back home.

In all, a fun day with unexpected highlights.

There are two more days with them. We're hoping for a little (light) forest road driving tomorrow (the car is not up to my usual forest driving shenanigans until I have a job where I can repair her). Monday will be packing up and a farewell dinner.

Gonna hate to see them go, but we're making plans for winter.

Also: I really need to load up those maps again and try to rebuild a scenic drive around Seattle. It's not the same as 1962, but a lot of the sites are still there, and would make a good driving route.

WAIT WHAT UNIVERSE DID I WAKE UP IN