It's a very wet and rainy day today. In fact, the entire Ozarks is soaked, and if the soaking continues, flooding is going to become a major problem in this area. Missouri truly is an odd place. We go from drought for several years to an overabundance of water...why cannot there just be a happy medium?
I like rain. I like rain under very specific circumstances:
1) when it's pouring outside (think monsoon) and I'm in bed all cozy with nowhere to go, or I'm curled up with a good book (with nowhere to go), or even if I'm just at home doing housework and whatnot, with nowhere to go (seeing a pattern here anybody?)
2) when it's a very light drizzle, just enough to tickle your nose and bring fond thoughts of a good misting in England. Not so much to soak you and leave you uncomfortable and make buildings smell of wet socks because everyone is slowly molding in their rain soaked clothes, just a gentle drizzle easy to walk in and somewhat refreshing to experience.
Today's rain was not either one of those rains. Oh it was monsoonish, but I have had to go to work, to drive in, walk in, get my pant legs soaked in it, and turn my little space-heater on in my office to dry off my more, soppy feet. This rain is not my idea of a good time!
On the other hand, I have recently experienced a highly enjoyable time with a new book, in fact a new author whom I think I'm going to be obsessed with for awhile. My Amber introduced me to this author - Jasper Forde - and for that I eternaly greatful.
He is great. I read his book The Eyre Affair. He has created a world that feels like Earth as we know it and vaguely resembles Earth's history, and yet involves people who can walk into (and out of) the pages of books - good books - books that well-read, well-educated people are familiar with, books that are mentioned with an expectation that the reader knows what is being talked about rather than dumbing all references down to pop culture and long explanations. His world has characters called things like Thursday Next and Acheron Hades (I personally think that is one of the best names for a villain that I have ever read!), and involves creatures like book worms which eat stories and poems and emit apostrophes and even hyphens when they are upset.
I am now hunting down whatever other books of his I can get my hands on because I'm pretty sure I'm going to have as much fun with them as I have had with this one.
So, rain, carry on, well, stop so I can get home tonight, but otherwise I'm going to ignore you and wander off into a more interesting world.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Saturday, April 5, 2008
A Cultural? Saturday
I'm watching Hitchcock's North by Northwest (Yes, I'm a multitasker, guilty as charged, I blame my mother...I inherited her genes of 'I can't sit still and just watch a movie'). I love this movie; I've seen it many times over the years, and it's always held a certain fascination for me. Granted, the older I've gotten, the cheesier the "hanging off the cliff" end of it becomes, and yet I still enjoy it!
***
This afternoon we spent a few hours at Silver Dollar City. Chris and I bought season passes to SDC this year; we don't normally splurge on them, but it's a fun park to enjoy. This time of year, they have a something called World Fest with lots of groups from all over the world that come to perform, and lots of tasty food to go with it all. It's my favorite festival that they hold at SDC. The nice thing about season passes is that we can just go for a few hours and always go back another day to catch anything we missed.
The first group we saw was a children's
choir from Uganda. Very cute. Especially the little girl in the front, left who was very into her performance!
The next group was fascinating to watch: Acrobats from China. I had to laugh because some parts of the performance were just so, well, Asian. It reminded me of many performances I was involved in back home. Homesickness hits at the oddest of times.
Anyways, always an implied story can be found interwoven in most Asian performances- however loosely (confusingly and sometimes apparently pointlessly); in this case, creatures in some type of forest? thing? crawling around on the ground and possibly courting? chasing? girls. Any ways, a story of some sort combined with over the top costumes, lights, music, sometimes with a rather startling affect. But the acrobats themselves were amazing.
The first group that came out did all sorts of stunts involving two poles. Throwing themselves around, 10-15 feet off the ground; I always find simultaneous gasps from the audience an amusing experience! The strength of those men/boys is breathtaking. And yes, the one on the right in the middle is suspended by the neck off of the neck of the guy hanging upside by his feet.
The second group were supposed to be caterpillars? worms? Something involving what looked like green garbage cans with bold ends cut off. Again, fascinating tricks despite the rather odd set-up!
There was another group of women doing acrobatic tricks on bicycles...very cool.
But the best part, from the point of view of a dancer of course, was the ballerinas. Well, acrobats first, ballerinas second. But phenomenal none the less. Look closely at the picture. Yes, she is in pointe shoes on his - HEAD! (Children, don't try this at home!)
And then, just to complicate everything...they added a second girl!
The last group of the day that we saw (having briefly passed by the Yodaler, the Russian children's orchestra - which frankly sounded frightening, and I'm hoping we just caught it at a weird time in their performance - and the Ecuadorian musical group) was an Irish group.
Singing,harp playing, dancing and playing with fire.
I love the beat and rhythm of Irish music; there's something about it that just gets into your blood and its hard to not either be driven to dance or to tears depending on the tune...
However, the true entertainment of the show was the rather large (please take that in all ways possible), truly classical, Ozarkian hick family sitting behind us. As everyone was sitting down for the show, the harpist came out and began to play. And, to the best of my recounting abilities, this was the, mostly in total serious, conversation they had.
Father: "What does a harp have to do with Ireland?"
Daughter (rather a bit of a know-it-all, "duh" sort of attitude): "Well, harps were used by the Celtics (pronounced Selts) and all that."
Father: "The Selts were the ones who believed in ghosts and witches and superstitions."
Daughter; "Yeah, you know, Druidic things."
Brief moment of silence.
Father: "Well, why the harpest? Must be casting a curse on somebody."
Daughter: "Doesn't look like a mean witch. Must be a happy witch."
Another short silence.
Father: "Halloween started in Ireland."
Daughter: "Oh yeah, something to do with those druids in the Catholic church."
And Chris and I sat there, shaking with silent laughter from drinking in this deliciously enlightening conversation, and not daring to look at each other for fear of laughing out loud so hard we would insult (and even worse, break up) the conversation! of the ones behind us.
It was, all around, a most educational experience!
***
This afternoon we spent a few hours at Silver Dollar City. Chris and I bought season passes to SDC this year; we don't normally splurge on them, but it's a fun park to enjoy. This time of year, they have a something called World Fest with lots of groups from all over the world that come to perform, and lots of tasty food to go with it all. It's my favorite festival that they hold at SDC. The nice thing about season passes is that we can just go for a few hours and always go back another day to catch anything we missed.
The first group we saw was a children's
choir from Uganda. Very cute. Especially the little girl in the front, left who was very into her performance!
The next group was fascinating to watch: Acrobats from China. I had to laugh because some parts of the performance were just so, well, Asian. It reminded me of many performances I was involved in back home. Homesickness hits at the oddest of times.
Anyways, always an implied story can be found interwoven in most Asian performances- however loosely (confusingly and sometimes apparently pointlessly); in this case, creatures in some type of forest? thing? crawling around on the ground and possibly courting? chasing? girls. Any ways, a story of some sort combined with over the top costumes, lights, music, sometimes with a rather startling affect. But the acrobats themselves were amazing.
The first group that came out did all sorts of stunts involving two poles. Throwing themselves around, 10-15 feet off the ground; I always find simultaneous gasps from the audience an amusing experience! The strength of those men/boys is breathtaking. And yes, the one on the right in the middle is suspended by the neck off of the neck of the guy hanging upside by his feet.
The second group were supposed to be caterpillars? worms? Something involving what looked like green garbage cans with bold ends cut off. Again, fascinating tricks despite the rather odd set-up!
There was another group of women doing acrobatic tricks on bicycles...very cool.
But the best part, from the point of view of a dancer of course, was the ballerinas. Well, acrobats first, ballerinas second. But phenomenal none the less. Look closely at the picture. Yes, she is in pointe shoes on his - HEAD! (Children, don't try this at home!)
And then, just to complicate everything...they added a second girl!
The last group of the day that we saw (having briefly passed by the Yodaler, the Russian children's orchestra - which frankly sounded frightening, and I'm hoping we just caught it at a weird time in their performance - and the Ecuadorian musical group) was an Irish group.
Singing,harp playing, dancing and playing with fire.
I love the beat and rhythm of Irish music; there's something about it that just gets into your blood and its hard to not either be driven to dance or to tears depending on the tune...
However, the true entertainment of the show was the rather large (please take that in all ways possible), truly classical, Ozarkian hick family sitting behind us. As everyone was sitting down for the show, the harpist came out and began to play. And, to the best of my recounting abilities, this was the, mostly in total serious, conversation they had.
Father: "What does a harp have to do with Ireland?"
Daughter (rather a bit of a know-it-all, "duh" sort of attitude): "Well, harps were used by the Celtics (pronounced Selts) and all that."
Father: "The Selts were the ones who believed in ghosts and witches and superstitions."
Daughter; "Yeah, you know, Druidic things."
Brief moment of silence.
Father: "Well, why the harpest? Must be casting a curse on somebody."
Daughter: "Doesn't look like a mean witch. Must be a happy witch."
Another short silence.
Father: "Halloween started in Ireland."
Daughter: "Oh yeah, something to do with those druids in the Catholic church."
And Chris and I sat there, shaking with silent laughter from drinking in this deliciously enlightening conversation, and not daring to look at each other for fear of laughing out loud so hard we would insult (and even worse, break up) the conversation! of the ones behind us.
It was, all around, a most educational experience!
Friday, April 4, 2008
Of Bitter and Sweet and Chocolate
My poor sad, neglected blog. How I have missed thee!
I can’t believe it’s been a full month since I’ve even looked at these pages. A month where I’ve watched the trees and bushes creeping into bloom, robins have started popping up all over the place and teasing my dogs in the backyard, and I’ve started getting over my winter-blues (I’m not diagnosed SAD – Seasonal Affective Disorder; however, I think I definitely hit those depressed phases in winter where I’m just so tired of being cold, dark, wet, dreary, and lacking in outdoors). On my way to work every day, I drive through the area of town known as “The Square.” It’s literally a square park area in what used to be the center of town that is surrounded with trees, older buildings, and a fountain. The last few weeks the trees have all started to be covered in fluffy, white blossoms, and yesterday, as I drove around the square, the fountain was working. Such a happy sight.
Just when I think I’ve gotten used to this country and it’s crazy seasons, I hit about mid-winter and feel my sanity start slipping as I realize how much I truly hate having being cold…all the time. On the other hand, as much as I love the tropics, I will admit that I have gotten to the point where I enjoy 75 degree weather as a pleasant temperature to be outside in. Still don’t mind it a little bit hotter than that as a rule, but I no longer feel like I’m going to die from cold at 72 any more!
So, what has this last month consisted of…
Birthday:
Well, my birthday started the month out. That was fun. I had probably one of the best birthdays I’ve had in several years. I find it amazing how one certain area of stress can really affect how a person views something. As a child, I always enjoyed my birthday. Obviously presents and parties and all that are fun, but I just thought having a birthday was a day that should be enjoyed; it’s your special day to celebrate your very existence, and that’s worth something. It’s that milestone that, granted, everybody hits every year they are alive, but it should be enjoyed, looked forward to. Unfortunately, the last few years, my attitude had changed, somewhat, concerning birthdays. I won’t go into details of why, suffice to say that there was some stressful events that always surrounded my birthday that basically started turning my birthday into a point I dreaded rather than enjoyed. This year was not like that, and it was nice. I got to feel like it really was my day to enjoy rather than an obligatory event that would occur sometimes without a whole lot of my input or personality being involved. Instead I got to pick out where I wanted to eat, what I wanted to do, where I wanted to do it, and who I wanted to be with.
I actually wound up with four separate birthday celebrations (per say) which was kind of funny. Chris and I went out to eat the night before my birthday and then we went to the mall where I picked out my present. We ate at this yummy Italian restaurant, and just had a delightful evening together. For dessert we had Auntie Anne’s pretzels, which I love but rarely indulge in.
Then on my actual birthday, I went out to eat with three of my favorite girl friends in the world. We ate Thai food, walked around down-town a bit at the monthly Art Walk we have (all the art stores open up for the night and do special shows), and then we gorged on chocolate fondue (I blew the candle out, so I guess that counted as my cake!). All in all, a nice evening of being with (sometimes goofy) great friends.
The next night, our best friends –Amber and Donald- came over to hang out. Amber wasn’t allowed to give me my present the night before because Donald had picked it out, and he wanted to be there. So I got to open that present and hang out with them! We had leftover Thai food and these rather interesting vegetable wraps that Amber had bought at Social Suppers. We were all a little suspicious of them at first, but they were actually really good! For my birthday, they bought me a Star Wars version of Risk (I love Risk, and yes, I proudly admit to being a nerd and loving Star Wars!), and also a great mini fondue set. I love it because the fondue pot(s), which incidentally look like huge margarita glasses, are microwaveable, so rather than having to keep it plugged in or having to deal with candles, etc, you just heat the chocolate/cheese in the microwave and voila – you’re ready to go! Needless to say, we had to test them out.
Then, the week after my birthday, my brother, his wife, and my sister, and Chris all got together to go out to eat (Korean – can anybody tell I have rather eclectic taste in food?) and spend time together and, of course, celebrate my birthday (my sister was out of town the previous week or else we would have done something then).
How spoiled am I? It was fun, non-stress, and I felt loved. Thank you all J
Job Change
The same day as my birthday was also the last day at my old position! I have now been working in my new job for almost a full month. And let me say, I LOVE it. I am the Advancement Coordinator, which basically means that all the fund raising, PR stuff, etc that we do as a school, runs through my office. I’m not the only person in charge of it, but I coordinate all the pieces together. Lots of organization, varied duties, tons of responsibility, creativity –all in all, I feel like the skills I have are being well-utilized. My boss is great, very supportive and willing to believe in my capabilities and use them. While it can be a high stress position at times, the rewards are well worth it. And I love having my own office again!
Other Stuff
Easter Sunday – so early this year – was freezing cold but fun. We had several friends come over and had a huge feast and much fellowship.
Peoples - We’ve had a pretty steady stream of guests and friends in our house this whole month. I love it! I am looking forward to a nice quiet Friday night tonight, but I love having a home that we can open up to other people whenever. Wednesday night I got home and was making dinner (for us and some guests), and Chris came up and mentioned that a friend of ours had called last minute to know if he could spend the night. Of course we were happy to have him, but I like that my husband knows that he can okay things like that because he knows we both want a home where others are welcome and comfortable.
Families – my husband’s grandmother has been sick in the hospital. She is fortunately doing much better; she had us worried there for awhile. Sadly, that came right after another less than positive encounter with my husband’s parents. It truly frustrates me watching two people who should be able to communicate not be able to do so, and it frustrates me even more to hear accusations and half-truths being dumped on our doorstep in such a manner that it literally makes it impossible to have a reasonable understanding with someone else. Anyhoo…I won’t spend a long time on that right now other than to say that as far as I can tell, our life with his parents and sister is over, at least until something changes. I know Chris would be willing to work through some stuff, but not in the same-ol-same-ol way it’s always been. And I don’t think his parents are willing to accept that. It hurts and it’s sad, but we have to move on our lives will be stuck in a rut forever.
My family is doing good. I’m eating my heart with jealousy right now as my parents have been to Manila and now are in England, and as soon as they return to Thailand, my brother and his wife are going to Thailand, and then my sister goes out. And I’m stuck here L Ah well…my turn will come again. I miss them so much though.
I can’t believe my baby sister is about to turn 19 and have finished her first year of college. I feel old!
OK, I have so much else to say, but I’m going to post this, and rejoice in finally, having something new on my blog!
I can’t believe it’s been a full month since I’ve even looked at these pages. A month where I’ve watched the trees and bushes creeping into bloom, robins have started popping up all over the place and teasing my dogs in the backyard, and I’ve started getting over my winter-blues (I’m not diagnosed SAD – Seasonal Affective Disorder; however, I think I definitely hit those depressed phases in winter where I’m just so tired of being cold, dark, wet, dreary, and lacking in outdoors). On my way to work every day, I drive through the area of town known as “The Square.” It’s literally a square park area in what used to be the center of town that is surrounded with trees, older buildings, and a fountain. The last few weeks the trees have all started to be covered in fluffy, white blossoms, and yesterday, as I drove around the square, the fountain was working. Such a happy sight.
Just when I think I’ve gotten used to this country and it’s crazy seasons, I hit about mid-winter and feel my sanity start slipping as I realize how much I truly hate having being cold…all the time. On the other hand, as much as I love the tropics, I will admit that I have gotten to the point where I enjoy 75 degree weather as a pleasant temperature to be outside in. Still don’t mind it a little bit hotter than that as a rule, but I no longer feel like I’m going to die from cold at 72 any more!
So, what has this last month consisted of…
Birthday:
Well, my birthday started the month out. That was fun. I had probably one of the best birthdays I’ve had in several years. I find it amazing how one certain area of stress can really affect how a person views something. As a child, I always enjoyed my birthday. Obviously presents and parties and all that are fun, but I just thought having a birthday was a day that should be enjoyed; it’s your special day to celebrate your very existence, and that’s worth something. It’s that milestone that, granted, everybody hits every year they are alive, but it should be enjoyed, looked forward to. Unfortunately, the last few years, my attitude had changed, somewhat, concerning birthdays. I won’t go into details of why, suffice to say that there was some stressful events that always surrounded my birthday that basically started turning my birthday into a point I dreaded rather than enjoyed. This year was not like that, and it was nice. I got to feel like it really was my day to enjoy rather than an obligatory event that would occur sometimes without a whole lot of my input or personality being involved. Instead I got to pick out where I wanted to eat, what I wanted to do, where I wanted to do it, and who I wanted to be with.
I actually wound up with four separate birthday celebrations (per say) which was kind of funny. Chris and I went out to eat the night before my birthday and then we went to the mall where I picked out my present. We ate at this yummy Italian restaurant, and just had a delightful evening together. For dessert we had Auntie Anne’s pretzels, which I love but rarely indulge in.
Then on my actual birthday, I went out to eat with three of my favorite girl friends in the world. We ate Thai food, walked around down-town a bit at the monthly Art Walk we have (all the art stores open up for the night and do special shows), and then we gorged on chocolate fondue (I blew the candle out, so I guess that counted as my cake!). All in all, a nice evening of being with (sometimes goofy) great friends.
The next night, our best friends –Amber and Donald- came over to hang out. Amber wasn’t allowed to give me my present the night before because Donald had picked it out, and he wanted to be there. So I got to open that present and hang out with them! We had leftover Thai food and these rather interesting vegetable wraps that Amber had bought at Social Suppers. We were all a little suspicious of them at first, but they were actually really good! For my birthday, they bought me a Star Wars version of Risk (I love Risk, and yes, I proudly admit to being a nerd and loving Star Wars!), and also a great mini fondue set. I love it because the fondue pot(s), which incidentally look like huge margarita glasses, are microwaveable, so rather than having to keep it plugged in or having to deal with candles, etc, you just heat the chocolate/cheese in the microwave and voila – you’re ready to go! Needless to say, we had to test them out.
Then, the week after my birthday, my brother, his wife, and my sister, and Chris all got together to go out to eat (Korean – can anybody tell I have rather eclectic taste in food?) and spend time together and, of course, celebrate my birthday (my sister was out of town the previous week or else we would have done something then).
How spoiled am I? It was fun, non-stress, and I felt loved. Thank you all J
Job Change
The same day as my birthday was also the last day at my old position! I have now been working in my new job for almost a full month. And let me say, I LOVE it. I am the Advancement Coordinator, which basically means that all the fund raising, PR stuff, etc that we do as a school, runs through my office. I’m not the only person in charge of it, but I coordinate all the pieces together. Lots of organization, varied duties, tons of responsibility, creativity –all in all, I feel like the skills I have are being well-utilized. My boss is great, very supportive and willing to believe in my capabilities and use them. While it can be a high stress position at times, the rewards are well worth it. And I love having my own office again!
Other Stuff
Easter Sunday – so early this year – was freezing cold but fun. We had several friends come over and had a huge feast and much fellowship.
Peoples - We’ve had a pretty steady stream of guests and friends in our house this whole month. I love it! I am looking forward to a nice quiet Friday night tonight, but I love having a home that we can open up to other people whenever. Wednesday night I got home and was making dinner (for us and some guests), and Chris came up and mentioned that a friend of ours had called last minute to know if he could spend the night. Of course we were happy to have him, but I like that my husband knows that he can okay things like that because he knows we both want a home where others are welcome and comfortable.
Families – my husband’s grandmother has been sick in the hospital. She is fortunately doing much better; she had us worried there for awhile. Sadly, that came right after another less than positive encounter with my husband’s parents. It truly frustrates me watching two people who should be able to communicate not be able to do so, and it frustrates me even more to hear accusations and half-truths being dumped on our doorstep in such a manner that it literally makes it impossible to have a reasonable understanding with someone else. Anyhoo…I won’t spend a long time on that right now other than to say that as far as I can tell, our life with his parents and sister is over, at least until something changes. I know Chris would be willing to work through some stuff, but not in the same-ol-same-ol way it’s always been. And I don’t think his parents are willing to accept that. It hurts and it’s sad, but we have to move on our lives will be stuck in a rut forever.
My family is doing good. I’m eating my heart with jealousy right now as my parents have been to Manila and now are in England, and as soon as they return to Thailand, my brother and his wife are going to Thailand, and then my sister goes out. And I’m stuck here L Ah well…my turn will come again. I miss them so much though.
I can’t believe my baby sister is about to turn 19 and have finished her first year of college. I feel old!
OK, I have so much else to say, but I’m going to post this, and rejoice in finally, having something new on my blog!
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