Thursday, January 30, 2014





Today I am sick with a bad cold. I had an all day training to attend on Race and equity. It was a great training which sparked good conversation about the role of government and specifically our Department in working to address institutionalized racism. So how does this relate to the picture of Union Station? The training was in a county building next door. Union Station is a beautiful train station that recently finished a multi year renovation. It was worth the wait!

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Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Reclaiming Futures - King County




This is a picture of youth advocates that I presented at today. It was part of our Reclaiming Futures initiative in King County. We had about 175 individuals show up from Judges, the King County Prosecutor, the Public Defender, council staff, behavioral health, parents, youth, faith community, schools, public health, community advocates and others attend to help develop a vision of what a comprehensive system for youth with mental health and substance abuse issues who are disconnected from the educational system would look like. Awesome day!

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Tuesday, January 28, 2014

First Camilla Bloom





Today's photo of the day was difficult to choose. I had a picture of the airport I took when I dropped Kent off. I was at an all day management team retreat at my bosses house and then once I got home the contractors had made great progress on the bathroom. So many choices - but in the end I went out and picked this beautiful Camilla from our yard to show some of the first flowers already popping up. I noticed snow drops coming as well. Spring is just around the corner!


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Bathroom Remodel Update




The master bathroom is really coming together! Last week the floors went in and today the tile and cabinets were started. It's looking really good! There is a lot of detail involved in the finish work. Our contractors work really hard and do a great job! The picture is the new shower that we've had them build. I love the large green subway tile we ended up using and the variation in the color of each individual tile. I'm hopeful that they will finish up in a few weeks and be ready to move on to our next project - the entry and stairway!


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Sunday, January 26, 2014

Car2Go




Our car car2go parked in front of our house after we took it home from the play. We have come to enjoy using them as part of our transportation system in Seattle. Last night we took the bus to West Seattle and saw the play and then drove car2go home.


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Saturday, January 25, 2014

Andrew and Alsu







Dinner with Andrew and Alsu last night at there new digs near the market. Andrew made this beautifully presented meal that was delish! We finished off our meal with coconut cake and homemade eggnog. Great visiting and laughing with these two! Such a nice couple and great friends!



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Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Rescue Dogs




This is a picture of our pups, in the order of when we got them. From the left to the right we have Toby, Maggie and Harry. Best rescue dogs ever. I'm certain that we will not have three dogs at one time ever again but they are the best. I took this picture and sent it to Kent who was in LA on business.


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Tuesday, January 21, 2014

J&K





Part of the remodel of our entire house included some new and fun artwork! These are of course our initials which we had wired into special plugs on a dimmer switch in our bedroom. I love them - so fun!

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Monday, January 20, 2014

Master Bathroom Update
















Back from CA today after the marathon. Actually left Mom and Dads last night and made it as far as Medford. We were back in Seattle around 1pm. The picture is our new shower that is being built in. The bathroom is really starting to take shape! Today we picked out the final tile selections for the floor and countertops. There is a lot of detail to consider. It's going to be super nice. Probably a couple more weeks of work to be done.

More photos to come!

Later - Jim

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Sunday, January 19, 2014

Super Bowl Baby!

What a game! So glad we were able to watch it with my parents and Mike and Lynne! Go Hawks!



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Redding Marathon




Finish line of the Redding marathon with my parents and Kent! Great run- great time, great weather! Earliest in the year that I have ever ran a marathon.

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Go Hawks!




Beautiful picture of Seattle on the Eve before the big game against the 49ers! We will be watching from my parents house in Anderson. In town for the Redding marathon tomorrow. Will be done in plenty of time to watch the game!


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Friday, January 17, 2014

Redding Bound




This is our tired pup Toby in Kent's lap as we start our road trip to CA. Head to Redding for a few days so I can run the Redding Marathon.

I'm not as trained up as I'd like to be so it may well be my longest one yet! That's okay - I just want to finish. I need to pick my next one and start some serious training.

Jim

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Wednesday, January 15, 2014

New Bathtub!




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Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Oklahoma!

One at a time even states in the heart of the Bible Belt will not be allowed to discriminate. If it's happened in Utah and Oklahoma it is only a matter of time!



A federal judge struck down Oklahoma's gay marriage ban Tuesday, but headed off any rush to the altar by setting aside his order while state and local officials complete an appeal.

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Monday, January 13, 2014

Quinoa Salad




This is a new recipe that I tried a few weeks ago that I really liked and made again tonight - red quinoa with roasted corn and black beans. Yummy.

Sunday, January 12, 2014

20 mile run!

Busy Sunday! 20 mile run, basketball game which the Huskies won and now at the movie Her. Also had to go pick up a Seahawks running shirt to wear next week while running the Marathon next weekend in Redding. Will get the watch the Hawks play the 49ers with my parents.



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Saturday, January 11, 2014

Go Hawks!





Okay I did not actually take this picture but I decided I don't need to be the one to take the picture - I just need to be the one to add it on the specific date. Today the Hawks won the Saints and are one game from going to the Super Bowl! As you can see from today's picture all of Seattle is a buzz!-

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Friday, January 10, 2014

12th Man Flag

King County Executive Dow Constantine raising the 12th man flag at the King County Administration Building in downtown Seattle.


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Thursday, January 9, 2014

Office View





Today's picture is a view from my office of downtown Seattle. At least for two more months when I move into my new office as the director of our division.

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This is Amazing and Beautiful!

After Lance Bass came out to his family his mother read the bible four times. The result is this beautiful story that is very similar to a journey that my Mom and I have taken together. I love you Mom.

The First Thing My Mom Did When She Learned I Was Gay... and the 'Miracle' That Occurred After
Lance Bass

Growing up as a gay kid in the south was not easy. The constant fear of people discovering who you really were and the inevitable shame that would fall upon you and your family dictated how you lived your life everyday. Luckily for me, I was fortunate enough to move to places where it wasn't a constant daily reminder that I was an abomination. For my family, however, they still live in ground zero of intolerance for the LGBT community and have the unique pressure of having a well known gay relative. When I came out, they came out.

For years they have had to deal with the judgmental looks and constant condolences from friends and strangers as if I had died. "I'm so sorry, you are in our thoughts."

Now, my parents aren't very outspoken and shy away from any type of attention. For years they have quietly educated themselves about their son and the LGBT community like responsible adults. My mom read the Bible four times in a row and bought every book written about Christianity and the subject of homosexuality. When she saw things were not getting any easier at her church regarding this issue, she decided to go against her passive character and let her community know exactly how they were making her feel.

In a very open and honest letter to the church, she suggested how true Christians should act towards the LGBT community. Her letter was so well received that another local church invited her to speak to their congregation, as it believed it was finally time to start a dialogue within the church. The following is the transcript from that speech. I am extremely proud of my family and especially my mother for the way she has handled herself in this confusing time in her life. To me, she represents a true Christian and what the majority of Christians believe today in the country.

Let me start out by saying that I am not a public speaker. As a matter of fact, this is the first time I have ever spoken publicly on this topic and I hope you will bear with me. Ever since I agreed to speak to you, I have asked for courage and I hope you will pray for me as I try to tell you what is in my heart.
I am here to share my testimony. Please know that I am NOT here to debate the issue of homosexuality. I would never do that because I do not have all the answers and will probably never have them in this life. The Bible warns of false teachers and I would never say anything that might possibly be considered false teaching. However there are some things I feel led to share that I know beyond a doubt are true and I will share those with you tonight.

First, I need to let you know that I have been a Southern Baptist all my life. I attended Sunday School and church as a child. I married a man with the same Christian principles as me and we raised our two children in the church as well. My husband is an ordained deacon, I taught Sunday School, sang in the choir, taught vacation Bible School, attended Bible studies and revivals just like most of you. Both my children were saved and baptized at an early age and two of my three small grandchildren have already been baptized. We are a Christian family with deep roots in the church and the teachings of the Bible.

Seven years ago, we found out that Lance is gay. We were totally blindsided and devastated because never in a million years would we have guessed it. Also, because it was such a public thing, the situation was so much worse on the family. I do not want to go into the personal details of that revelation, but I will tell you that the first thing I did was fall to my knees and ask, "What would Jesus do?" I almost immediately knew the answer... love my son. And that is what I have done. Never once did I ever think about turning my back on him. Never once was I ashamed or embarrassed. My feelings were more of sadness and just sheer disappointment in life.

If you believe that being gay is a choice, then the rest of what I say will not matter. I do not know why, but even as a staunch Christian, I personally never believed that being gay was a choice. I never knew a lot of gay people, but the ones I did meet I felt compassion for because I could feel their pain of being rejected and my heart always went out to them. Even though I never did believe Lance chose to be gay, I did not accept it as quickly as my husband did. His attitude was "It is what it is." My attitude was "Yes, it is what it is but my God can perform miracles so I'm going to beg for a miracle to zap Lance and change him to straight!" And I did just that. I continued to love my son, stand beside him, and defend him, but for several years I continued to pray relentlessly for a miracle.

Well, Lance is still gay. However, I did get a miracle. It is just not the miracle I prayed for. You are looking at the miracle tonight. The miracle is that I learned to have unconditional love and compassion for my son and others in the gay community. I haven't marched in parades or spoken at conventions, but I do feel that God has led me to speak out concerning the church's role. My son is a Christian and wants to be able to worship, but he does not feel that the church cares about him and has pretty much disowned him as a fellow believer. There is something terribly wrong with that and I have to speak up on behalf of my son and others who find themselves in the same situation. When I was a little girl, I went to a celebration with my grandparents on the courthouse lawn in Laurel. I was thirsty and ran to drink some water from one of the water fountains. My grandmother screamed at me to stop. When I looked at the fountain it had the word "Colored" on it and she told me I had to drink out of another one. I was only 6 years old but I knew something was just not right about that. Just as my heart told me something was wrong that day on the courthouse lawn, my heart is telling me that something is wrong with the way the church treats those who are gay.

I could tell you many stories that gay young people have told me about how so-called Christian people have treated them but I will only share one. One of the young men told me that he was searching for God and visited a large church one Easter Sunday. He was enjoying the beautiful service and feeling so drawn to what he was experiencing.

Everyone was standing singing a hymn and when he sat down there was a note in his chair. It said, "You know you are going to hell." He told me that he never went to church again. I don't blame him, but to my knowledge, he has not accepted Christ and is lost.

When I found out Lance was gay, I dove into the scriptures looking for answers. The scriptures that kept jumping out to me were Jesus's warnings about judgment. The person who wrote that note should heed those warnings. Jesus says in Luke 6:37 "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven." Jesus is telling us that we cannot lead others to him if we are judging and condemning them.

When I hear fellow Sunday School members, co-workers, politicians, and Christian people on TV and radio say negative, judgmental things about gays, I just cringe and it breaks my heart. Not only are the Christian community pushing away gays who are Christians, we are alienating those who are lost.

I believe with all my heart that Jesus would say to all Christians who are gay that they belong to him and that he loves them unconditionally. Jesus says in John 10:27-28, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand."

I feel like I am on a journey and it just continues on each day. I would like to share one final revelation on this journey. Because I am such a tenderhearted person, sometimes my broken heart felt unbearable so I asked God to take away my tender heart. I don't know why I did this, but I looked up the word "tenderhearted" in the dictionary and it meant "having compassion". One day after that I read this scripture: "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any TENDERNESS and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love... Your attitude should be the same as that of Jesus Christ." (Phillippians 2:1-5) God's message to me was clear. If he took away my tender heart, I would no longer have compassion for others. If I did not have compassion for others, I would not have the attitude of Christ. I never prayed that God take away my tender heart again. I believe the church needs to show that some compassion for everyone regardless of gender, regardless of race, and regardless of sexual orientation.

My favorite scripture has always been, "God is my refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." (Psalm 46:1) I truly have found refuge in my Lord but I have to sadly tell you that I have not found refuge in my church. And neither has Lance and so many other Christians like him who want to be loved and accepted in a world that can be very cruel and hateful. I still attend church but admittedly with a heavy heart and with much anxiety. If I feel that way as the mother of a gay child, can you imagine the anxiety that a gay person sitting in my church feels? Once again, there is just something wrong with that.

It would take a book to tell you every little detail of my journey and all that I have experienced and learned along the way. I have tried to briefly give you a testimony of the things God has laid on my heart. It is my prayer that we can all try to have a Christ-like attitude while on this earth. We, as Christians, must let the Holy Spirit lead us to find ways to reach out to all people regardless of our differences because I truly believe it is the right thing to do. I am convinced that is what Jesus would do.

Thank you for allowing me to share with you and God bless you.

Diane Bass

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Wednesday, January 8, 2014

UW vs. Utah

First PAC-12 home basketball game of the season! UW vs. Utah.
Final score - UW 59 Utah 57! Go Dawgs! 2-1 in PAC-12 play.





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Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Day one of master bath remodel. Left for work this morning with a fully operational albeit empty bathroom......










and came home to this! Hopefully it will be done within a month.












We are basically combining two rooms a small bathroom and a utility room into one large master bath with a separate toilet room. Looking forward to it being complete!

Later - Jim

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Monday, January 6, 2014

Seattle City Hall




This is a picture of the Seattle City Hall. Today was the swearing in of the first opening gay mayor of Seattle - Ed Murray. So proud of Ed and accomplishments! It was also the swearing in of the only socialist member of the Seattle City Council. Both pledge to raise the minimum wage in Seattle to $15.00 per hour.


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Sunday, January 5, 2014

New Kitchen





This is a picture of our newly remodeled kitchen. It was actually finished last last year right before Thanksgiving. Once that was complete we had the dog room remodeled. This coming Tuesday we have the contractors back to begin a major remodel of the master bath. It's going to be nice to get that done but tough to live through. I'll keep you posted. Back to work tomorrow. First full week since before Christmas. It will be great to be back in the swing of things. 2014 is going to be an exciting year in my work life as I take on the director position of the Division in March.

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Saturday, January 4, 2014

2013 Movies

Today we went to our first movie of 2014 which reminded me to post our list of 2013 movies. We ended the year with 75 movies. Looking forward to another year of movies!

2013 Movies

1. Promise Land Kent - B Jim - B+ 1/3
2 Zero Dark Thirty Kent - A- Jim - B 1/7
3. Django Kent - C+ Jim C+ 1/12
4. Beasts of a Southern Wild 1/18
Kent - D Jim - D
5. The Impossible - 1/25
Kent - B+ Jim A
6. Amour 1/26
Kent - B Jim - B+
7. Quartet 1/30
Kent - B - Jim - B
8. Warm Bodies 2/6
Kent - B- Jim C +
9. Identity Thief 2/15
Kent- C Jim- C
10. Oz 3/8
Kent - A- Jim - A
11. Side Effects 4/5
Kent - B+ Jim - B+
12. Trance 4/11
Kent - B Jim - B -
13. Oblivion 4/20
Kent - B Jim - C+
14. The Company We Keep
Kent - B+ Jim - B+5/1
15. Iron Man
Kent - B+ Jim B+
16. Let my people go
Kent - B Jim B
17. Mud 5/15
Kent - B+ Jim B-+
18. Star Trek 5/16
Kent - A-Jim A-
19. Interior Leather Bar SIFF 5/19
Kent - C+Jim - B-
20. Pit Stop -SIFF 5/19
Kent - B Jim - B
21. After Winter Spring SIFF 5/20
Kent - B Jim - B
22. Populaire 5/21 SIFF
Kent - B+ Jim - A-
23. The Geography Club SIFF 5/23
Kent - A- Jim - A
24. Bakwack - 5/24 SIFF
Kent - B- Jim - B-
25. More than Honey 5/24 SIFF
Kent - B Jim - B
26. The Fast and the Furious 6 5/26 Kent - B Jim- B
27. The Great Gatsby 5/27
Kent - C+ Jim - C
28. 7 Boxes 5/29 SIFF
Kent - B Jim - B
29. The Kings of Summer - SIFF 5/30 Kent - A Jim - A
30. Haute Cuisine - SIFF 5/31
Kent - B Jim - B
31. Prince Avalanche - SIFF 6/1
Kent - Jim - B
32. The Hunt - SIFF 6/4
Kent - B- Jim B+
33. G.B.F. - SIFF 6/5
Kent - A- Jim - A
34. Test 6/7 SIFF
Kent - B- Jim - B+
35. Free Fall 6/7 SIFF
Kent- B Jim- B+
36. Drinking Buddies 6/7 SIFF
Kent- C - Jim- B-
37. Furever 6/9 SIFF
Kent - B-Jim- C+
38. Flight of the Storks 6/13 SIFF
Kent -C- Jim- C
39. C.O.G. SIFF 6/14
Kent - B- Jim- B-
40. The Key of Life - SIFF
Kent - B Jim - B
41. World War Z 6/27
Kent - Jim - B
42. Superman 7/3
Kent - B- Jim B
43. Lone Ranger 7/17
Kent - C+ Jim - C
44. The Way Way Back 7/19
Kent - A -Jim - A
45.Woliverine Kent -B Jim - B

46.Pacific Rim Kent - B- Jim - B
47. Fruitvail Station Kent - B Jim A-
48. Alussuim Kent- B- Jim C+
49. The Spectacular Now 8/22
Kent - B Jim - B
50. We are the Millers - Kent B+Jim - A-
51. In A World - Kent - B- Jim B+
52. Blue Jasmine Kent - B Jim - B 9/13
53. The Butler - Kent - B- Jim - B-
54. Prisoners - Kent - A Jim - A
55. Geography Club - 10/10
Kent - A Jim - A
56. Boys Shorts - 10/12
Kent - B Jim - B
57. GBF - 10/14
Kent - A Jim A
58. Tell No One - 10/16
Kent - B- Jim - B
59. Getting Go: The Go Doc Project 10/18 Kent - B Jim - B
60. Stranger by the Lake 10/19
Kent - B Jim - B
61. Gravity 10/25 Kent - A Jim A-
62. Captain Phillips 10/28
Kent - A Jim - A
63. Enders Game - 11/1
Kent - B- Jim B-
64. About Time 11/16
Kent - A Jim A-
65. Enough Said 11/18
Kent - B- Jim - B+
66. Hunger Games 11/23
Kent - A- Jim - A-
67. Philomina! 12/10
Kent- B+ Jim - A-
68. Saving Mr. Banks12/13
Kent - B- Jim - B-
69. Best Man Holiday 12/15
Kent - C+ Jim - B-
70. American Hustle 12/22
Kent- B Jim - B-
71. 12 years a Slave 12/25
Kent - B- Jim B-
72. The Wolf of Wallstreet 12/26
Kent-B+ Jim - A-
73 - Nebraska 12/29
Kent - B Jim - A-
74. Thor 12/31
Kent - B Jim - B
75. The Hobbit 12/31
Kent - Jim




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Glassybabies

My collection of Glassybabies on our dining room table. This is also an indication that all our Christmas decorations are down inside and out!



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Friday, January 3, 2014

DSHS Sign




This is a picture of the sign to the state office building in Olympia, WA where I spent my day today. Specifically I met with the Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery to improve the lives of individuals in WA state with addiction and mental health issues.


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Thursday, January 2, 2014

Daily Picture




Kent in our newly remodeled kitchen trying out the new popcorn popper we received from his Mom for Christmas.

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Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Picture of the day.

Waterfront trail taken while out on a 5.05 mile run with Husky Stadium in the distance.


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