Some pics of the boy. :) Some of you have already seen what he looks like via Facebook or my Twitter, and someone commented that he was a silver fox, like a straight Anderson Cooper. TOTALLY agree. I like that he looks like a man and not like a twenty-something kid. He has loads of chest hair and I love it. I’ve officially reached that age.

Fantastic weekend! On Saturday I went with my friend Emily to a restorative yoga class in Queen Anne. It’s taught every six months — I went back in December and blogged about it then. It’s three hours long, which scares people, but it’s not difficult yoga. You just hold these really relaxing poses for 10-15 minutes each while beautiful music plays and the instructor occasionally reads poetry. It’s completely relaxing; it’s like a three-hour massage for the body and soul. After that, I felt completely centered and relaxed.

Later that night I went with my boyfriend (!!!!) to a BBQ at his sister’s house. It was my first time meeting his sister and I was SO nervous. As we were pulling up I was like, “I changed my mind! I don’t want to go!” I don’t think I spoke more than two words for the first half hour or so. I’m so loud and outspoken around people I know that I forget how incredibly shy I can be when I’m put in new social situation. I think if someone read my gossip blog and then met me in a social situation like that — where I don’t know anyone and I’m just being Sasha, not playing the ‘Evil Beet’ role — they would be super confused. I just completely shut down and stuck by my boyfriend’s side like a puppy. I must have seemed so rude. Once I got comfortable and realized that the people there were actually nice, I perked up and made friends and had fun.

Then we came home and watched Alien on DVD — the first time I’d seen it — and I just don’t understand what the big deal is about that movie. I thought it was so stupid. It’s the same reason I couldn’t get into Star Trek: Voyager — the entire premise is based upon the crew making a really dumb decision that they had no business making. I couldn’t root for them. WTF is a commercial towing vehicle doing investigating a life form in deep space? And then every decision after that was wrong, too. I complained the whole time. Luckily Mike thought it was adorable. “You and your big brain,” he muttered.

Today we hit up the Ballard Farmer’s Market for a couple hours and then came home and napped for like four hours. I am teaching my boyfriend how to nap. He’s not normally a napper, but I think after watching me sleep peacefully at his house day after day after day he finally gave in and he napped with me today. The bad part of that is that there was no one to wake me up, and if no one forces me to wake up, I will just sleep for hours — which is exactly what we did. I am never falling asleep tonight. Totally worth it though. :)

Another great one of my baby!!! We went to Norm’s in Fremont today, which is this totally awesome restaurant that lets dogs come inside and sit at the booths with you. Leo was happy as a clam! I just think this photo is one of the most precious ones of him I’ve ever taken.

I got this email today, from a friend with whom I attended middle school and who now teaches at that school, regarding my former teacher who passed away:

What I wanted to let you know was that two weeks ago, I had stopped by Linda’s room for a visit. She was in good spirits and began sharing with me one of the newest reflection journals she had been putting together. The journal contained little sayings and photos of things that were inspirational to her–she said that they were things that were helping her stay positive. From there, our discussion turned to teaching (something that is a favorite subject for both of us), and we discussed the fact that working with such wonderful students is, in and of itself, one of the biggest positivity-boosts around. This led her to mention you–she said that you had written her the most beautiful email about your career and about her influence on your life. She read me an excerpt and told me how much she treasured hearing from you. I suppose I just wanted to let you know that your email was one of the bright spots for Linda in what must have been a very difficult couple of weeks prior to her passing. I hope, even with this difficult news, that you can feel some joy in knowing about the joy you brought her with your letter.

Wow. Just … wow.

Ugh, I’m really sad today. I found out a couple hours ago that my middle school arts teacher, Linda Bryant, passed away this morning. She’d taught art at that middle school for 38 years.

Ms. Bryant was a force in my life. She was my cheerleader and defender at a time in my life when I didn’t have many of those, and desperately needed them. I spent hours with her, on breaks and after school, talking about life and honing my writing skills. She read many of my pieces, and always provided thoughtful critiques and encouragement. I edited the middle-school magazine with her as the faculty supervisor. I’m pretty sure, in eighth grade, that magazine was composed 75% of my writing and drawings. “They should just call it the Sasha magazine,” joked a friend at the time. But Ms. Bryant insisted that all those pieces be included. “There’s nothing else as good as your stuff,” she said. Other students resented her favoritism toward me. But she loved me so much, and I loved her back.

Ms. Bryant told me I would be a writer when I grew up. “I’m going to be an astronaut, or a computer programmer,” I told her. “No, dear,” she said. “You’re going to be a writer.” She was, of course, correct. I tried the other careers, but I ended up back at writing.

I’ve since, on several occasions, had the opportunity to thank her for things she did for me, but I don’t feel like it was enough. Those years are a difficult time for everyone, but I think they were especially rough on me. I just had so many ideas about who I was and no sense of how to combine them into a single coherent person that could function in the world. I was a very lost little girl. Ms. Bryant gravitated toward young women like me, and she steered us. She held our hands through that time in our lives. I don’t think it’s any coincidence that she always taught middle school. It’s such an incredibly difficult time in a bright, creative young woman’s life. Ms. Bryant thrived on being a light and a guide for me, and for other young women like me. I have thanked her for supporting my creative endeavors. I have thanked her for encouraging me to write. I have never thanked her for being a true friend at a time when I didn’t have many. I have never thanked her for defending me at a time when I was a difficult and angry and impetuous young woman with few defenders. I have never acknowledged that she saw through all that and nurtured the child and the talent beneath all the anger.

I always assumed Ms. Bryant would be at my first book party, smiling and cheering me on. I just always pictured her there. I always imagined she’d watch my career unfold, congratulating herself on the woman I’d become. I told my mother that when I heard the news. “She will be at your book party,” my mom said, “watching over you from above.”

I think that’s probably true. She’ll have a better vantage point from there anyway. But I’m so sad that she’s gone, and I’m so sad that other young women at that school won’t have the opportunity to have her as their teacher and guide. I don’t know what I would have been without her. It’s such a great loss. You will be missed, Ms. Bryant. Thank you, for everything.

Today’s nationwide protests were a result of the California Supreme Court upholding Proposition 8. Was that the right decision from a legal standpoint? I have no idea. I’m not a lawyer. But it certainly seemed like a wrong decision from a civil-rights standpoint. I’ve had a lot of people ask me why I, in Washington, was protesting a legal decision in California. I guess I see it less as a Prop 8 rally and more of a civil rights rally — more as a reason to have a civil rights rally. I firmly believe that same-sex marriage is a civil right, and to deny a minority group the right to marry is clear-cut discrimination and a violation of their civil rights in this country.

So I scooped up Leo and headed downtown for the rally, where I met up with my friend Kim. Leo is getting to be an old pro at civil rights rallies. He visits with the crowd and makes friends quickly. The turnout at the Westlake Center, in downtown Seattle, was pretty impressive for a Tuesday-evening rally with minimal notice. We packed the whole plaza, and listened to speakers for an hour or so. A nearby crepe company was handing out flyers for free crepes: “Protest Prop 8, Get a Free Crepe.” Kim and I immediately headed over to the restaurant to get our free crepes. When we returned to the plaza, the group had begun to march. Sigh. I had no idea there was going to be a march. I wasn’t wearing the shoes for it. But of course we decided to join in, even though no one had any idea where we were headed. I’d say we had about 300-400 people marching. There were tons of camera crews and police, and everyone was in a celebratory mood, despite the bad news from California. I’m telling you — gay-rights protests are the best. The tone is always so fun-loving and positive, never bitter or hateful. We chanted and sang and waved at cars on the street, many of whom honked back. Everyone in the cars had their camera phones out, taking pictures of us as we marched by.

Kim and I were cracking up at ourselves — so typically American, marching for gay rights while clutching our cinammon crepes and Diet Cokes with one hand and our protest signs with the other. (And somehow I held onto Leo’s leash, too!) We marched a mile and a half to Cal Anderson Park in Capitol Hill, where there was yet another rally. Kim and I peaced out around 7:30 because we didn’t want to have to walk back downtown in the dark. So basically I walked three miles in flip-flops today.

I’m home now. I’m beyond exhausted. I feel like that’s my status quo these days: Exhausted. I guess that’s a good thing; for me, it’s much better than being bored. I’m going to try to wrap up my work and get to bed at a decent hour, but I’ll believe that when I see it. Knowing me, I’ll stay up until 3 am playing Lemonade Tycoon on my iPhone. Lord, how I love that game.