Iconic

ROCK-in IT: On Saturday, we headed to Museum of Pop Culture, or MoPop (formerly EMP, formerly Experience Music Project). The occasion was two-fold: First, we got to see a cousin of mine who was visiting Seattle. Second, we really wanted to see the "Bowie by Mick Rock," an exhibit of iconic photographs from the 1970s. 

I would have loved to be Mick Rock "just for one day" (to steal a line from Bowie's "Heroes"). Above, my cousin and his friend check out my favorite wall in the Mick Rock exhibit. 

Of course, that was just part of what's at MoPop right now. We had to go pay homage to the Jimi (Hendrix) exhibit. ... Below, is a guitar he played at Woodstock.

 We also checked out the Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds exhibit.

 So much, so good there!

We checked out the always awesome Infinite Worlds of Sciece Fiction section.

Nano nano!

 And we tiptoed our way through the "Scared to Death" exhibit. 

We were there three hours and it wasn't nearly enough time. We didn't even get to see the special Jim Henson exhibit. :( Good thing we bought a membership. We'll be back soon. 

GROUNDED: Yesterday, the kids finally got around to planting our living Christmas tree. It wasn't just any tree. Dubbed "Rocket Boy," this unique little tree had a story to tell. You can read more about it below. 

First up, CJ's version. ...

My name is Abies Koreana. Today, a strange group of humans dug a hole in their yard and set me down, creating a new residence for me. Let me tell you my story:
It all started down in Kent, a peaceful town. I was accompanied by a variety of different trees, few of them from my ancestral location, Korea. I do not recall much else of my brief time at the Kent nursery, though, as humans quickly arrived to take me to their house.
After arrival at their house, I remained in my little black pot for months. Later in December (the month that the humans brought me to their house), the humans put a bizarre collection of figures on my branches. The humans referred to these figures as "ornaments", and had me carry them for several days. During this time, I witnessed red, blue, yellow, and green lights all across the living room.
Come mid-February, and the humans began digging a hole in the corner of their yard. Eventually, they began carrying me to the hole, and finally removed me from my pot. Soon after, the humans piled dirt around me, thus installing me as part of their garden.
My hopes and dreams are to grow into a fixture of the yard, maybe someday attracting new potential homeowners.

And Annabelle had this account. ...

I am an Abies Koreana, commonly known as a “Korean Fir”. I started as a seed, which usually flies down from a pinecone, but was instead planted directly on a farm. Before long, I was put in a small, cramped pot, which didn’t allow my roots to grow very much. The pot was shipped off to Kent Eastville Nursery, where I stood in a back corner waiting to be chosen. My roots grew to one edge of the pot, wishing I had more room so I could grow bigger and stronger. Near Christmas time, I was finally tipped onto a cart and rolled into a Honda CR-V, on my way to my new home in Skyway. While I lay sideways in the car, most of the dirt was tipped out of my pot and all over the seats. My branches were pressed up against the ceiling and the walls. It was a very, very uncomfortable ride.
Once I arrive, I’m dubbed “Rocket Boy” and I stand on a small table in the living room. Covered in colorful lights and science fiction ornaments that weigh me down, nearly tipping me over as I’m covered with a red, green, and orange tree skirt. I stay there for a while, watching multiple people weave in and out of the house as the actual owners are on vacation. After December, my pot is moved outside into the cold backyard. I stand in the corner for what feels like months and months even though it’s just two. Today, I was finally transferred into the soil in a shady corner of the yard. I watched the people struggle to dig through rocks, fabric, and mud just to have a spot for me to live forever. I was finally settled into that spot today, having my burlap bag cut and my roots free to grow. I can’t wait to see how tall I’ll be!