Greg makes the most amazing roast turkey

A picture of the turkey is worth 1,000 words.

But tasting said turkey was 1000x better.

Ah, thank you Lord for sending me a husband that can cook like gangbusters.

Incredible? Why, thank you

Here I am fulfilling my Halloween destiny.

Darling, won't you ease my worried mind?

We've lost another of man's best friends. The Carratos lost their crazy-but-beloved dog Layla. Ah, 2012, why do you have to be so cruel when it comes to the pets?

This makes 5 since I've been paying attention: Django, Lita, Thor, Midge, and now Layla.

Last time I posted about this, I included a dog video to cheer you (and me) up. This time, I think I'll include a video just for Layla. This is the New Orleans jazz funeral march version of your namesake song.

(Note: to skip straight to the music, skip to 2:55...Clapton takes a while to set this up.)

RIP doggie friend.

Oh, and the rain starts tomorrow. In earnest.

Birthday for Batman

My good friend Rich is having his birthday today. Since he never misses a birthday blog post on my birthday (see most recent ones here, here, or here), I figure I ought to do the same to celebrate his special day. So...I just have to be snarky, curse a bunch, and throw in numerous pop culture references. Here goes!

First of all, despite being a raging social-phobe, Rich is a fabulous Halloween costume partner. In year's past, we've been The Captain and Tennille, something great that I'm not recalling right now, and Batman and Robin. Check out our f'ing fabulous selves here:

 

I was going to post a link to that Prince song from the original Batman flick with Michael Keaton, and then I remembered that Rich f'ing hates Prince, so that idea has been thrown out. So...then what? Batman Dubstep? OK.

 

 

Rich has saved my bacon a couple of times this year, and for that I am grateful (and he's helped me out once or twice too). It's distinctly possible that he distracted me from a very stressful situation by forcing me to go to a matinee showing of a summer blockbuster (it's also possible we didn't do this, as I can't imagine 2 serious market research professionals leaving work for a desperately-needed-yet-not-work-sponsored movie break). If in fact this happened, this is the movie we might have possibly (but not probably) seen:

 

 

Rich is headed to Scotland in a couple of weeks to see a concert, which is both ridiculous and fabulous. I can't wait to hear all about the adventure! In the mean time, let's close by gazing lovingly at my favorite Scottish lad (who I imagine Rich might like as well).

 

Happy birthday dude! Rock the fuck on.

 

Erin Leedy, World Traveler

Holy cow, my world map is looking better and better. 2012 has really fleshed this out—I added 3 new continents! And can really say I've been to the southern hemisphere now. (Note that I'm cheating for 1.5 weeks, as I don't hit Mexico until 10/1). 

That said, Where I've Been calculates that I've visited 9% of the world. That's it? Really!? It looks like so much more than 9% when you color in the entire countries of China and Brazil after having visited a city or two in each. ;-)

Perhaps next I will have to visit Russia, as that'll add a lot of blue to this map.

Now, how am I going to convince a client that we need to do some market research in Antarctica?

Everything, everything, everything, everything (East African remix)

Holy moly. Just wrapping up 11.5 days in East Africa, specifically Rwanda (Kigali) and Uganda (Kampala). What a life-changing experience. 

While it may not totally change what I do, it has changed my frame of reference. We in the West are so fortunate—so safe, so affluent, so healthy, and strangely, so grouchy. We have so much and yet we appreciate it so little and bitch about it so much. Going forward, I will try to appreciate all that I have more deeply. 

Here are a few images from my stay in Kampala, Uganda:

Headed to Brazil now, and feeling so fortunate to have been able to experience East Africa. I will try to share some of this with the kids, not only what I've seen but the renewed sense of appreciation for all that we have. 

e.  

No words

I visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre today. No words can describe the feeling of being there. My heart feels for all Rwandans today. 

I am in awe

I didn't really get it until today. I didn't fathom how different Africa (or at least Rwanda) would be. And honestly, how much poorer it would be. This is a place unlike any I've ever seen. I am in the most affluent part of the country and yet the buildings and the infrastructure—roads, storm sewers, water supply—clearly show how little this country has in terms of money. And when you consider the country's poverty coupled with the horror and sorrow of the 1994 genocide in which a million people were killed, it's really a staggering set of obstacles to overcome. 

That said, what I am in awe of is the wondrous people who inhabit this place. The hard-working, kind, creative, curious, smiling people. The people going out of their way to host me, to help me, to entertain me, educate me, and feed me. The beautiful children playing around every corner, pausing to peek, smile and wave at me. God, I love these kids already. I want my kids to understand a teeny bit about these kids. I will be bringing back stories and hoping to do a bit of educating myself. 

I was fortunate to visit an amazing place this afternoon: Nziza Artworks and the Ivuka Arts Studio. The art studio complex is being run to help mentor young Rwandan artists toward successful careers, and also provides opportunities for genocide widows and their children to learn arts and crafts and make/sell art works to advance their income earning potential. Some of the art here is quite primitive (though we Leedys quite like primitive folk art already) and some of it quite impressive. I was fortunate to meet artist Innocent Nkurunziza, a painter who mentors younger artists and craftsmen. He's headed to the US in 2 weeks on a trip related to this studio, and in an amazing coincidence, may actually head to the Nike campus. I was also fortunate to meet several of the widows working on crafts, including 2 who'd made the lovely necklaces I purchased earlier in the shop. 

I don't have the proper words to describe how amazing this day was, and in particular, this visit to the Ivuka Arts studio. I'm hoping some pictures will do it justice. 

me

paintings done by genocide orphans 

Painting done by artist being mentored at the center

Innocent Nkurunziza

Widows making traditional necklaces for the shop

One of the amazing kids I have encountered

Tomorrow the actual market research begins. Let the learning continue!

e.

Things I learned about Rwanda in the first 60 minutes

I am in Rwanda. Woot! I'm at a very nice business-class hotel so I'm not getting anything close to an authentic African experience yet. But I will be headed out into Kigali tomorrow (with a guide...don't you go fretting about me walking around being unsafe). Oh, and I now believe it's pronounced "CHI-gall-ee" as opposed to "KI-gall-ee" but I will confirm this tomorrow. 

I arrived after sunset so I haven't gotten a good look at the landscape nor cityscape. That said, I did notice some things worth sharing. 

- People here walk. From the airplane, I could see rather large freeways with typical traffic, but stretched alongside the freeway in each direction, I could see lots of people walking. Where we might have a bike lane on the right-hand side, they seem to have a walk lane (or sidewalk, really). I talked to my hosts Janet and Dan, and they confirmed that most people walk places. Few can afford cars or even taxi rides. There are motorbike "taxis" that charge fares for rides as well. Just hop aboard! 

- Folks have been incredibly friendly. My lovely host Janet met me at the airport with a sign and a hug. First hug in Africa...I hope there are more of those. She was so happy I arrived safe and sound. When I told my guides it was my first trip to Africa, they were thrilled for me and my adventure, and were proud to share this country—this little bit of Africa—with me. I received a similarly warm reaction from the driver, the hotel desk staff, the bellman, etc. And Janet and Dan are taking me around the city tomorrow on a mini adventure. Thank you, kind locals. :-)

- It's difficult to get your hands on Rwandan Francs. I tried to exchange dollars for RWF in Portland. No dice. Tried again in Brussels and at the Kigali airport. Nope and nope. I will have to crack this code tomorrow. On the plus side, there are ATMs that seem to be taking V/MC and dispensing cash. So all is not lost. 

- Mobile phones are huge in Rwanda. In the airport terminal, there are lots of ads related to phone coverage, minutes, SIM cards, and the like. There are also lots of ads related to payment cards, ATMs, and banks. Theoretically, if someone were in Rwanda to do research on mobile phones and payments, someone would be feeling pretty good right about now.  Oh, and my hosts were encouraging me to get a local phone for communication while I'm here ("so you don't have to use roaming"). Not sure I'll do this, but it's interesting how easy it might be to do so. 

Tomorrow I will head out to see, experience and learn more. Until then, sweet dreams, my American friends/family/loved ones/random strangers reading my blog.

e.

Rwanda, Uganda, Brazil...oh my

I am headed out on 2.5 weeks of "emerging market" travel. I will be blogging periodically throughout. Not sure what I'll blog about yet; we shall see what happens that's noteworthy. 

Until then, stay tuned. 

e. 

Heaven? No, Iowa.

Greg and I went on an honest-to-goodness vacation this week. We hopped aboard the Team Zippy bus and drove to the Western edge of the state, then we rode bikes (and the bus on occasion) across the state. In other words, we rode RAGBRAI.

Kids stayed home with a sitter, and we had a fabulous time. We forgot about work and kids for a while, which I didn't think was possible. (And now I'm singing Piano Man in my head...)

Here are some pictures if you are interested in diving into the adventure.
TZ RAGBRAI 2012

It was great being a Zippy again, and I hope I can do it again sometimes soon.

Hugs and love to all the Zippies out there!
xoxox
e.

Own a piece of the amazing Leedy Estate

We're having a garage sale tomorrow. Tons of 50s and vintage stuff will go, and tons more will undoubtedly remain at day's end. Hopefully when we're done, we'll have some petty cash to blow and some room in the house, garage, shop and shed for the last of our goodies that are patiently waiting in storage. 

If you know where we live, come on over—8 a.m. to 4 p.m. It'll be a buying-and-selling extravaganza! 

Midge

2012 continues to be a terrible year for man's best friend. This post is for Midge who— according to Rich's blog—was (and shall forever be) consistently adorable. Even when the camera refused to focus. 

She is always adorable.

Always.

Adorable.

Always.

RIP Midge. We are sending good thoughts your way, wherever you are. 

No flag? No problem.

We can't seem to find our US flag post-move. And Nana was adamant that we have a flag flying on the house on Memorial Day. Kids to the rescue! 

Homemade flags adorning the house—Memorial Day is saved! 

Thanks to all who have served and those who continue to serve. You help to ensure that our country stays safe and free.