Saturday, November 10, 2007

Good Times!

Ladies Who Lunch
(Music and Lyrics by Steven Sodheim)


Here's to the ladies who lunch--
Everybody laugh.
Lounging in their caftans
And planning a brunch
On their own behalf.
Off to the gym,
Then to a fitting,
Claiming they're fat.
And looking grim,
'Cause they've been sitting
Choosing a hat.
Does anyone still wear a hat?
I'll drink to that.

And here's to the girls who play smart--
Aren't they a gas?
Rushing to their classes
In optical art,
Wishing it would pass.
Another long exhausting day,
Another thousand dollars,
A matinee, a Pinter play,
Perhaps a piece of Mahler's.
I'll drink to that.
And one for Mahler!

And here's to the girls who play wife--
Aren't they too much?
Keeping house but clutching
A copy of LIFE,
Just to keep in touch.
The ones who follow the rules,
And meet themselves at the schools,
Too busy to know that they're fools.
Aren't they a gem?
I'll drink to them!
Let's all drink to them!

And here's to the girls who just watch--
Aren't they the best?
When they get depressed,
It's a bottle of Scotch,
Plus a little jest.
Another chance to disapprove,
Another brilliant zinger,
Another reason not to move,
Another vodka stinger.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!
I'll drink to that.

So here's to the girls on the go--
Everybody tries.
Look into their eyes,
And you'll see what they know:
Everybody dies.
A toast to that invincible bunch,
The dinosaurs surviving the crunch.
Let's hear it for the ladies who lunch--
Everybody rise!
Rise!
Rise! Rise! Rise! Rise! Rise! Rise! Rise!
Rise!



I like this song which, I must admit I know from Barbara Streisand's Broadway album (ok I had it on cassette!). It's from two plays - Sweeney Todd (which I loved) and Company (never saw that one).

Oh no! I am now officially a "lady who lunches." :) Please shoot me if I become like one of the ladies in the song!

I have been on a mailing list for over a year for this group of expats who meet for lunch at a different restaurant once a week, and last Wednesday I finally got up the nerve to go. Turns out I knew 2 women from the Center. We met at a very quaint French restaurant which, turned out to be quite close by. The food was great and the conversation was lively and very interesting. Three of us were American (and, oddly enough, we still ARE!), there were 2 German ladies and one sweet older woman from England. She arranges the lunches every week. Her husband is a professor of genetics at a university here in Taipei. I asked her if he ever met or knew Watson or Crick and it turns out he met Watson while studying at Cambridge! I thought that was pretty cool.

Jane, one of the Americans who I knew from the Center (she also volunteers) mentioned that she was getting tickets for this amazing Taiwanese Dance Company called Cloud Gate. She encouraged me to buy tickets pronto because they sell out fast. So I am taking Anjoli and meeting her and Petra (who is from Germany) on the MRT and we are all going to go to the National Theater together! I am so excited. Here is a description of the dance company taken from the Cloud Gate website:



"Cloud Gate's rich repertoire has its roots in Asian myths, folklore, and aesthetics, but it brings to these age-old beliefs and stories a contemporary and universal perspective. The company is made up of two-dozen dancers whose training includes Tai Chi Tao Yin (an ancient form of Chi Kung), meditation, martial arts, Chinese Opera movement, modern dance, ballet, and calligraphy."

From the reviews that I read they sound phenomenal. People have been moved to tears, they're that good.

Jane ALSO invited me to Thanksgiving dinner at the American Club! She is so sweet, but, sadly, she is moving to Shanghai in January. Still, it will be nice to hang out with her for a few months.

I took my first flower arranging class on Friday. Here is what I made...ta da!









Ok the teacher helped me ALOT. I cut some of the inner flowers TOO SHORT. (She said to cut them shorter than the outer ones). I joked and told her it figures I messed up but she said, "Oh no! It's CUTE! There are no mistakes in flower arranging!" You know when people say that, you screwed up royally. I started out doing fine though! Oh well. I'll practice on my own. (And probably take the class again next semester!). I need to enroll in a remedial flower arranging class!

Tomorrow is the Terry Fox 5 K Run. We are all going to attempt to run as much of it as possible (Anjoli, Sujoy and I). I am just a girl on the go!

Anjoli isn't feeling well now though. She has a slight fever and a bit of a sore throat/cold and refuses to eat. Oh no! We had to pass on the Diwali celebration, which is really sad.
I didn't want to go alone (Sujoy just returned from an 11 day trip to China and Korea so we haven't all been together for awhile).

I hope she's better by tomorrow! :(

4 comments:

Anne-Marie said...

Wow, you are really starting to make some nice social connections, which I would imagine is really hard when you move to a new town.

I hope the Terry Fox run goes well. All of Canada does it in September, and our school raised $800 this year.It's cool that he is remembered so far from home.

Love the flowers!


xx
AM

Suesjoy said...

Hi Anne-Marie!
Yes I have met some wonderful people. I was getting a bit discouraged at first but now I feel more hopeful.
Jane and Betty are both really wonderful souls.
Better get to sleep ( I am hopelessly nocturnal). The bus for the run leaves at 6 a..m. tomorrow from the American School!
I am really excited. Anjoli isn't well at all though. Bummer. She has a head cold.
That's great that your school raised $800. I wonder how much our school raised? I'll find out.

Aren't the roses purdy? My teacher did a great job! LOL!

xxxx

lryicsgrl said...

Oh I am doing the happy dance to the ladies who lunch!!! No shooting necessary! We all do what we can to stay happy and alive....no shame in that. Love is what we came here for...and lovely little french restaurants help us pass that around.
(WTF am I saying???) Oh, yeah, "don't worry be happy"

your flowers are booootiful, like your spirit!

you rock you roll......

Hope Anjoli is feeling better; we have been fighting off colds here, too!

xo

Anonymous said...

You did it! A flower arranging class! Well, you are putting yourself out there, making connections. I am sure it is more challenging than it seems! I like the pink roses. Do you still plan to take a Chinese herb class? Hope Anjoli is feeling better soon. Lots of sick kids and people here also, I suppose from the all the fire smoke. I'm back from Hawaii; feeling strong. If only the schools where better...I'll send an email and pics in couple days. Mom loved her party and the dolphin swim was more than words can share. I am a changed woman! Miss ya,
Love, Chelice and Leo