The Post-Party Search for a Bathroom...The Frye Art Museum...The Health Care Debate...

The Friday night B-day party for moi was a fairly subdued affair. There was beer and food and music and many board games, intelligent conversation and much laughter. Hardly a bacchanal of epic proportions. At least it was until I went to bed at 1 am. Apparently, the party kicked up a notch when I bowed out.

I awoke around 9 am in the "snake room," noodled on the computer for about an hour and then puttered in the kitchen quietly, cleaning up some of the detritus. Around 10:30, I decided to take a quick shower before everyone else got up. Upon exiting the one full bath, it became apparent that there were about a million people in Alex's small house, all waking up with hangovers and full bladders.

First, Sharon slipped in quickly to take her shower. Ben awoke on the couch, and took over the small half-bath off the kitchen. Next, Nick and unnamed girlfriend stumbled into the living room, wandering around aimlessly. Alex appeared in a towel, looking for a spot in line. Then bathrobed-Morgan and Tyra joined the procession, pacing back and forth. Doug woke up, dressed and bleary-eyed, and took over Sharon's spot in the big bathroom by sheer size and will.

By the time I got back from the snake room, after packing the night's dishes, the board games, my clothes and books, they all had dispersed, presumably having worked out the bathroom dance without conflict or disaster. But I wouldn't say that anyone was especially chipper.

Doug offered me a ride downtown, as he, Alex and Ben were headed to their bi-weekly "Nerdhalla" gaming session. I was bound for the Frye Art Museum on First Hill. After a quick stop for everyone at the Taco Time drive-thru, I gobbled my chicken burrito as we drove over the West Seattle bridge and alighted at my destination.

The Frye Museum is a fabulous little gem of a private art museum with rotating exhibits, free to all. I was fascinated to learn of Tim Rollins and his K.O.S. art collaborative from the South Bronx, something I had never heard of. Many of the art pieces were highly political, but the unique visions, based on classical works of literature, and the textural nature of the big canvases were just stunning.

I then took a sunny stroll down to the Seattle Central Library and spent an hour reading in the public room, enjoying the light playing through the weird angles of the unique architecture.

Back on Queen Anne hill, I reconnected with computer-land, and found the most coherent article on the health care debate so far...I only wish that every member of Congress would read this before voting today.