I'm so excited!

Someone informed me of this the other day, and it is pretty new to me. Anyone else heard of this?

The Hallelujah diet is a diet that is promoted by Rev. George Malkmus. The diet, as is the case with many others, has proved controversial with many medical doctors as well as professional nutritionists challenging its curative claims. While much of the diet (the emphasis on fruits, vegetables and whole grains) is nutritional advice common to many diets, it is the claims for cures of numerous diseases that lack any scientific, peer-reviewed support. It is one of many variations on the idea of the "Edenic diet."

Malkmus claims that the diet is "Biblically-based, Scientifically Validated, Personally Evidenced" and, if used correctly, can eliminate diseases, increase well-being and extend a person's life. The diet primarily consists of eating raw fruit and vegetables, as well as buying Malkmus' own trademarked dietary supplements. The most common of these supplements are Barley Max, Carrot Max and Vitamin B12.

The Illuminated Ball is not only a key fundraiser for Olympia's Procession of the Species, it is an artful experience in its own right. This year's theme is the Tree of Life and will feature a floor show dance, live music, light and luminaria. At the end of the floor show, the New Orleans funk band, Bump Kitchen will perform. All of this plus food and drink at the amazingly cool Eagles Grand Ballroom at Fourth and Plum. Advance tickets are $40 at Traditions or $45 at the door. I recommend getting advance tickets.

Or go here.

After her surgery Tammy went to her folk's house in Gig Harbor to recover. During her absence I behaved like a guy and the place is a mess. There's garbage in the kitchen, the dining and living rooms are trashed.

Here's what we're betting on: am I going to have it cleaned before she gets home? I'll have a smidge under an hour during lunch, and then I'll be home again a few minutes after five. She's leaving from Gig Harbor around 5ish unless her Mother leaves work early without my knowledge to bring her home.

Will the place be cleaned? Will it at least be no worse than when she left it? Will I be asking one of you if I can sleep on your couch? Will I find out how hard a wrist with a steel plate feels backhanding me?

I'm laying $20 down that I'll think I made everything presentable only to have it pointed out the floor needs vacuuming.

The Freeschool somehow forgot to include my class in the catalog, so I'm posting it here again. We've now got 5-6 families that attend regularly, learning how to stimulate language development in toddlers.

Here is the flyer for anyone who has an appropriate place to post. Go here for the Talking with Toddlers website.

I had planned to spend the day at the history museum at Tacoma where there will be a presentation about Katrina survivors but my friend, who is a Katrina survivor, cancelled due to illness and I've decided to celebrate by posting about The Feminist Book Project at the Olympia Free School instead.

The project focuses on works by women with emphasis on works by women of color. I've volunteered to do the initial set-up for the project including creating the section dividers and lettering on the sign above the display. I'd like to invite you to go in to take a look, check out a book and even, if you feel so inclined, to donate a feminist book...especially a book by a woman of color.

I'll be posting more about this project in the future.

Tiffany and Adrian McKinnon returned from vacation to find their Montgomery, Ala., home ransacked.

“Tears just rolled down my face as I walked in and saw everything gone and piles of trash all over my home,” recalled Tiffany. Adrian was surveying the damage when, incredibly, a man walked through the back door wearing Adrian’s hat!

Police say Adrian pointed a gun at the suspect and told him to lie on the floor. Then Adrian got an idea: He forced the suspect to clean up the mess.

When police arrived, the suspect griped about his treatment. “The police officer laughed at him when he complained and said anybody else would have shot him dead,” said Tiffany. (Associated Press, 10/18/07)