...after my son's gymnastics class started I thought I would go walk this path that goes around these man made ponds. It's actually really pretty if you can ignore the big industrial buildings in the background. As I am walking along the birds are chirping and dragonflies are darting around and Mt. Rainier looks gorgeous as always. Coming towards me is a lady with two dogs on leashes and the bigger one immediately starts lunging at me.  We pass and I continue walking along the path which ends up going in a big loop.  I'm sure you can guess that I end up coming across this woman and her dogs again - only this time she has let them off of their leashes.  Of course the lunging dog comes running up at me and the lady is saying "oh he's going to run up beside you now - don't worry"  I keep walking and the dog jumps in front of me, blocking my way and starts growling at me.  The lady says "oh just go ahead and keep walking!"  So I state the obvious and point out that her dog is growling at me.  I try to take a step and he growls more and crouches down a little which scared the hell out of me so I said "Please come get your dog NOW!" and she called to it and it went away.  I have had some horrible experiences with dogs in the past and I am still upset about how inconsiderate this woman was to #1 let her dog run off leash when it was obvious that it wasn't real mellow and #2 to just sit there and let her dog block my path and growl at me not doing anything until I had to practically beg her to get her dog. 

I just find it ironic that so many people talk about how *scary* down town is and the only places I have *scary* things happen are out of down town.  So tomorrow morning I will take my 3 year old down for some pumpkin bread and hot chocolate at B&B and then let him run around Sylvester park where it's safe! 

First OlyBlog Book Club @ The Brotherhood

Book: e-topia by William J. Mitchell
Invited: Anyone who wants to take part.
Format: Drinkin' & Discussin'
Moderated by: Rock, Paper & Scissors
Time: 7pm - when you're ready to leave (this isn't prison)

"Keeping Focused to make Good Things Happen"
Thursday, September 28, 2006
5:30 - 8:00 p.m.
The Olympia Center, 222 Columbia Street NW

This is from the city's website- more info can be found here http://www.ci.olympia.wa.us/citygovernment/council/

Downtown is one of four topics of discussion

• Downtown:  Getting the most bang from our buck;
• Sustainability:  Moving toward Zero Waste;
• Government Effectiveness:  Building a new, customer-focused City Hall;
• Capital City:  Advancing Olympia's legislative agenda.

5:15    Doors Open
5:30    Have a slice (of pizza) while we visit
6:00    Mayor's Welcome
6:15    Facilitated Discussion Groups
7:45    Discussions Wrap Up
8:00    We're Done

Six Questions on the American “Gulag

Next in our view was the Palermo valley, and the barely visible steps on a steep bank to our right that showed where the short-sighted city planners had once intended to build a new hospital. Those hopes were abandoned when it was found out that St. Peter’s Hospital held a 99 year contract with the city to guarantee that they would be the only hospital in town. The Deschutes bridge over the river, with its Indian motif carried us by the Olympia Brewery, and we might hear the noon whistle as we made our way ever further towards our destination of the day.

I am not sure where the city limits began for Olympia in those days, but maybe at the edge of the bridge across where I-5 now runs by the south end of Capitol Lake. Past St. Mark’s church, and the Green Frog grocery both on the right, and old stately homes of some of Olympia’s first residents of some means on the left. In the early 50’s you would have even seen Olympia High School in its location on Capitol Way, almost across from the Legislative buildings and the Capitol Dome. Further on, and to the right was the Thurston County courthouse, the site of my marriage in the (still) far distant future of 1970.

If I remember correctly, our final bus stop where we got off in downtown Olympia was in front of Sylvester Park. Just across the street from there was Miller’s department store, and we would dash in there quick to use the restroom before beginning our amble around town.

Tony Blair has launched what he says is the biggest consultation exercise ever with voters.

The prime minister went to Newport, Wales for the launch of a 77-page document setting out the challenges faced by Britain.

Flanked by Chancellor Gordon Brown and Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, Mr Blair said the government was at a "fork in the road" adding: "This is the time for the party to take risks".

Critics of the idea have dismissed it as a New Labour "gimmick".

But Mr Blair said that after six and a half years in power, Labour had a choice: Go forward or "settle back".

He added that the anchor to the consultation exercise was social justice, which he described as the "big idea". But he added that in the 21st century new "routes" were needed to attain it.

In the foreword to the prospectus Mr Blair wrote: "It's time for a grown up discussion.