Highs and Lows

Big times in the Portland with Michael and Alexis's visit. We ran them through the Portland obstacle course this evening. First, a multi-meat dinner orgy at Pok Pok in SE. Alexis ordered something i've never heard of before: drinking vinegar. They mix it with soda water and they have different flavors. It was really interesting in a basic (opposite of acid) kind of way, though not the kind of bev you feel the need to finish. And then it was a dash across the bridge to Annie Bloom's bookstore to see revered leader Steve Wax read from
his new book Kafka Comes to America. It was packed and it was inspiring and humbling to hear him talk about the various "war on terror" related cases he has handled through our office over the past several years, like the Brandon Mayfield debacle and Gitmo cases. I just found out this week that when he started out long ago he was a prosecutor on the Son of Sam case in New York. We packed the gang back in the car after that and hit the Portland Grill, because it was such a pretty day and you could see forever and ever out the windows. From the 30th floor, we then plunged down into old town Portland, where a gutter punk was playing the accordion out in front of Voodoo Doughnuts. So sad they are leaving tomorrow, driving all the way back to Seattle. And then my dad comes. And then Gretchen comes while my dad is still here (a brilliant bit of cross-programming).