Political and Stuff

Last week I joined the Obama volunteer effort in my neighborhood, so now I'm entering canvassing and phone bank data into the big PA voter database. I'm doing this mainly because I'm not too keen on canvassing or phoning the good citizens of Squirrel Hill myself. It's kind of exciting to be part of a political movement, and doing this also helps me feel more like a member of the community.

In my quest for community, I also signed up to be an East End Food Co-op volunteer, and my first opportunity came this Sunday at Art Harvest, a co-op sponsored arts and crafts bazaar. That morning I helped the artists unload their wares and display stands from their vehicles for a couple of hours, and I learned how to use an old fashioned popcorn machine (like the ones you see at old movie theaters). I sufficiently impressed the volunteer coordinator, so she's going to put me to work in the produce section some select mornings so I can learn all about where the food comes from.

Saturday afternoon, Dave and I decided to check out the Robinson mall. It's a pretty decent mall with Macy's and JCPenny, and plenty of decent stores for clothes. Lots of teenybopper clothing stores but no shoe stores. We had an nice relaxing time just strolling up and down the corridors, stopping in to browse here and there (Spencer's Gifts was a fun distraction). Here I am enjoying some Starbucks and a card game with the photographer:



Saturday night was the first meeting of the book club. For this meeting we read Lopsided: How Having Breast Cancer Can Be Really Distracting, by Meredith Norton. It was very funny in a David Sedaris kind of way. In between the harrowing details of her breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, Norton tells hilarious (and sometimes disturbing) stories about her French husband, his family, and her own family in California. This story leaves the reader wondering if it is the French culture or the state of French socialized medicine that took Norton to the edge of sanity.

Friday night we ate at Chaya, a Japanese restaurant in Squirrel Hill. I had a combo of sashimi and sushi, and everything was wonderful. I haven't had sushi since early June, so I was bouncing in my seat until the fish came out. Dave was not as excited about his beef and soba soup, so I have the feeling I'll be visiting this place on my own with the occasional sushi lover.