I subscribe to a holistic health newsletter written by a doctor named Joseph Mercola. He actually published (without permission, I might add!) a few articles I had written for the Gerson Institute. I was flattered, truthfully!
I just had to share this little article I found in today's newsletter.
(and I didn't ask for permission EITHER! So there). HERE is a link to his website.
Unbelievable -- What Are the Odds of This Happening?
* In 1975, a man riding a moped in Bermuda was accidentally struck and killed by a taxi. One year later, the man’s brother, riding the very same moped, was killed in the very same way by the very same taxi driven by the very same driver -- and carrying the very same passenger.
* Twin brothers Jim Lewis and Jim Springer were separated at birth and adopted by different families. Unknown to each other, both were named James, both owned a dog named Toy, both married women named Linda, both had a son they names James Alan, and both eventually divorced and got remarried to a woman named Betty.
* Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, and John Adams helped to edit and hone it. The Continental Congress approved the document on July 4, 1776. Both Jefferson and Adams died on July 4, 1826 -- exactly 50 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
* A German mother who photographed her infant son in 1914 left the film to be developed at a store in Strasbourg, but was unable to collect the film picture when World War I broke out. Two years later she bought a film plate in Frankfurt, over 100 miles away, and took a picture of her newborn daughter -- only to find, when developed, the picture of her daughter superimposed on the earlier picture of her son. The original film, never developed, had been mistakenly labeled as unused and resold.
* In 1858, Robert Fallon was shot dead by fellow poker players who accused him of cheating to win a $600 pot. None of the other players were willing to take the now unlucky $600, so they found a new player to take Fallon’s place, who turned the $600 into $2,200 in winnings. At that point, the police arrived and demanded that the original $600 be given to Fallon’s next of kin -- only to discover that the new player was Fallon’s son, who had not seen his father in seven years.
* In the 19th century, the famous horror writer Egdar Allan Poe wrote a book called ‘The narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym.’ It was about four survivors of a shipwreck who were in an open boat for many days before they decided to kill and eat the cabin boy whose name was Richard Parker. Some years later, in 1884, the yawl, Mignonette, foundered, with only four survivors, who were in an open boat for many days. Eventually the three senior members of the crew killed and ate the cabin boy. The name of the cabin boy was Richard Parker.
* In 1930s Detroit, a man named Joseph Figlock was to become an amazing figure in a young (and, apparently, incredibly careless) mother’s life. As Figlock was walking down the street, the mother’s baby fell from a high window onto Figlock. The baby’s fall was broken and Figlock and the baby were unharmed. A year later, the same baby fell from the same window, again falling onto Mr. Figlock as he was passing beneath. Once again, both of them survived the event.
* In 1973, actor Anthony Hopkins agreed to appear in “The Girl From Petrovka”, based on a novel by George Feifer. Unable to find a copy of the book anywhere in London, Hopkins was surprised to discover one lying on a bench in a train station. It turned out to be George Feifer’s own annotated (personal) copy, which Feifer had lent to a friend, and which had been stolen from his friend’s car.
* In Monza, Italy, King Umberto I went to a small restaurant for dinner, accompanied by his aide-de-camp, General Emilio Ponzia-Vaglia. When the owner took King Umberto’s order, the King noticed that he and the restaurant owner were virtual doubles, in face and in build. Both men began discussing the striking resemblance between each other and found many more similarities.
1. Both men were born on the same day, of the same year (March 14, 1844).
2. Both men had been born in the same town.
3. Both men married a woman with same name, Margherita.
4. The restaurateur opened his restaurant on the same day that King Umberto was crowned King of Italy.
5. On the 29th July 1900, King Umberto was informed that the restaurateur had died that day in a mysterious shooting accident, and as he expressed his regret, an anarchist in the crowd then assassinated him.
* While American novelist Anne Parrish was browsing bookstores in Paris in the 1920s, she came upon a book that was one of her childhood favorites -- Jack Frost and Other Stories. She picked up the old book and showed it to her husband, telling him of the book she fondly remembered as a child. Her husband took the book, opened it, and on the flyleaf found the inscription: “Anne Parrish, 209 N. Weber Street, Colorado Springs.” It was Anne’s very own book.
Are these instances merely coincidence, or are they something more? It all depends on how you look at it.
As the famous words of Albert Einstein sum up quite nicely: “There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Still so darn happy!
Ok I have been a very lazy blogger... mea culpa all over the place! :)
I have been very leisurely lately (still).
Last week I was especially lazy and did as minimal as possible (except for working out).
I blew off volunteering at the Center (bad Sue) and skipped my first yoga class! VERY BAD SUE. I have to say my biggest flaw is my laziness. I am a Lazy Leo. 'tis true.
But, I DID volunteer at Anju's school - 3 days last week...and tomorrow I WILL volunteer at the Center. I will be a responsible adult for a change!
I am VERY VERY VERY excited because my (new) dear, sweet, wonderful friend Hilary has given me all kinds of juicy job leads. I really want to teach pre-school kids (mostly for the hours, but I realize know that I just adore 2-5 year olds). GREAT NEWS is: I have an interview on Monday (that I actually arranged just by calling one of Hilary's friends). The director told me that she has an immediate opening - "would you be interested? It's only a few hours a week - teaching reading to elementary school kids." YES of course I am interested. Also, she said there will be pre-school teacher openings for the summer, and she is also looking for 3 teachers to start in the fall! Excellent!! I can ease my way in with the reading positiion (HOPEFULLY!). I feel really good about it. I LOVE doing music with kids and I have a music therapy kit and cd - I can print out visuals from a cd that I have. (Even though it's really for special needs kids - I can use it for low level English learners).
I have a few others, but I won't bore you with the details unless they pan out!
Anyway, I am loving that I am finally being a networking mama! It's FUN and as I said in my last post, I am meeting some REALLY sweet ladies. 'sall GOOD!
Ok the BAD news is, my darling daughter has injured herself again...she sprained her ankle really badly. It STINKS because she can't dance or play soccer for a month (we took her to an orthopedic doctor and these are his orders). I have been pushing her around in a freaking wheel chair. URGH. I feel badly but this is the second injury (same leg) within 2 months. I DO feel responsible because I suggested that she do some running long jumps on this dirt pathway in the middle of this track at a nearby park. DUH you are supposed to land in SAND! Hello Sue! So she fell (while I was jogging around the track) and could barely walk the next day. I am a stupido sometimes. Truly. :(
More good news: my face took a HUGE turn for the better. It looks nearly normal (except when I smile -still) It's weird because I didn't get any acupuncture for almost 2 weeks - and the dramatic improvement occurred after my first treatment after that hiatus. I have to talk to my doc about that.
I will post my "walk to the doc's" next. I still have to get a picture of my doctor. I am shy about asking him! He's always busy too. I am such a dorky blogger. :)
Take care everyone!
Love,
Suexxxxx
Oh!
I meant to ADD that I am ESPECIALLY bummed about Anjoli's ankle because I am DYING to go hiking in this beautiful town called Wulai. There are waterfalls, hot springs and MONKEYS jumping around the trees there! It's not that far from us, we could even take the MRT and a bus (but we most likely will drive). We'll just have to wait a month or so to go.
Here is an excellent little article from the China Post on Wulai:
A return to bliss in Wulai
Thursday, December 13, 2007
by Greg McCann Special to The China Post
"I really want to see wild monkeys before I leave Taiwan," my friend Frank said as we ventured onto Wulai's Red River Gorge Trail. "They're called macaques, right? I've got to see them. It's a must."
That was back in October, just two days after he and three other first-time visitors arrived from the United States. Despite the rain back on that day, the water in the swimming hole still felt great for swimming. The precipitation had the unexpected bonus of make the tree-choked valley look even more atmospheric than it usually does. "Like something straight out of 'Apocalypse Now,'" fellow hiker Baxley remarked.
This past Sunday looked like it might be one of the best days of the year for a hike, and the five us made plans to return to Wulai﹝烏來﹞. We waited around for over an hour for Frank to show up at the MRT station and finally left without him.
There is no question that Sunday, Dec. 2 was one of the best days of 2007 for hiking. We hiked to our swimming hole, and I cannon-balled into the crystal blue first. I nearly went into shock from a temperature that must have been below freezing. Cold pools in Taipei saunas were mild compared to this mountain river. I actually had a hard time breathing and quickly scrambled out of the water.
After swimming around for a while, we basked in the sun on several large boulders that crown the pool. We must have spent close to an hour relaxing on the warm stones when the tree branches on the other side of the river began shaking. Baxley stood up and stared into the tree and, sure enough, about 50 meters up in the jungle mountainside, a troupe of Taiwan Rock Monkeys were making their way down to lower elevation.
We stood in awe for about 20 minutes as we watched them playing on the tree branches, dropping down from branch to branch and nearly plunge to their deaths on several occasions.
There are only two places in Taiwan that I know of where one can almost always see wild monkeys: Kaohsiung's Chai Mountain and Taitung's Chihpen Forest Park. I have to say that while I suspected for a long time that macaques roamed Wulai's mountains, I never really expected to see them here.
Once the monkeys disappeared, we decided to try hiking up one of the tributary streams for a bit, but, the water being so incredibly cold, we didn't make it far. Just as we were about to turn around, a flock of eight to 10 Formosan Blue Magpies made a dash from one side of the valley to the other.
Much prettier than their Chinese cousins, the sight of those regal Formosan magpies shooting straight across the valley like arrows was spellbinding. What with the frog, the monkeys and the birds (we also espied a couple of Steere's liocichla) I began to wonder if we hadn't somehow slipped into another dimension and went on a hike through Borneo.
We were then spotted by a couple having a barbecue in the underbrush. We would have never seen them on our own. They invited us to cross the stream and share some river shrimp and beers with them, but we didn't want to get wet again. One of them urged us to go on tracing the stream further into the mountains, claiming that near the source of the creek lived an "un-contacted aborigine tribe" that we would want to photograph. We passed up the questionable photo-op and decided to hike up a trail that meets a higher, clearer path and trekked along, with incredible views of the mountains all around. Several lone men passed us in this section, each carrying machetes and rucksacks of cut plants.
Finally, we hiked back out and had a wonderful dinner of golden needle mushroom soup, fresh vegetable fried rice and Taiwan beer at the Shan-Ye restaurant across from the Cheng-kung bus stop on the main road to Wulai.
I have been very leisurely lately (still).
Last week I was especially lazy and did as minimal as possible (except for working out).
I blew off volunteering at the Center (bad Sue) and skipped my first yoga class! VERY BAD SUE. I have to say my biggest flaw is my laziness. I am a Lazy Leo. 'tis true.
But, I DID volunteer at Anju's school - 3 days last week...and tomorrow I WILL volunteer at the Center. I will be a responsible adult for a change!
I am VERY VERY VERY excited because my (new) dear, sweet, wonderful friend Hilary has given me all kinds of juicy job leads. I really want to teach pre-school kids (mostly for the hours, but I realize know that I just adore 2-5 year olds). GREAT NEWS is: I have an interview on Monday (that I actually arranged just by calling one of Hilary's friends). The director told me that she has an immediate opening - "would you be interested? It's only a few hours a week - teaching reading to elementary school kids." YES of course I am interested. Also, she said there will be pre-school teacher openings for the summer, and she is also looking for 3 teachers to start in the fall! Excellent!! I can ease my way in with the reading positiion (HOPEFULLY!). I feel really good about it. I LOVE doing music with kids and I have a music therapy kit and cd - I can print out visuals from a cd that I have. (Even though it's really for special needs kids - I can use it for low level English learners).
I have a few others, but I won't bore you with the details unless they pan out!
Anyway, I am loving that I am finally being a networking mama! It's FUN and as I said in my last post, I am meeting some REALLY sweet ladies. 'sall GOOD!
Ok the BAD news is, my darling daughter has injured herself again...she sprained her ankle really badly. It STINKS because she can't dance or play soccer for a month (we took her to an orthopedic doctor and these are his orders). I have been pushing her around in a freaking wheel chair. URGH. I feel badly but this is the second injury (same leg) within 2 months. I DO feel responsible because I suggested that she do some running long jumps on this dirt pathway in the middle of this track at a nearby park. DUH you are supposed to land in SAND! Hello Sue! So she fell (while I was jogging around the track) and could barely walk the next day. I am a stupido sometimes. Truly. :(
More good news: my face took a HUGE turn for the better. It looks nearly normal (except when I smile -still) It's weird because I didn't get any acupuncture for almost 2 weeks - and the dramatic improvement occurred after my first treatment after that hiatus. I have to talk to my doc about that.
I will post my "walk to the doc's" next. I still have to get a picture of my doctor. I am shy about asking him! He's always busy too. I am such a dorky blogger. :)
Take care everyone!
Love,
Suexxxxx
Oh!
I meant to ADD that I am ESPECIALLY bummed about Anjoli's ankle because I am DYING to go hiking in this beautiful town called Wulai. There are waterfalls, hot springs and MONKEYS jumping around the trees there! It's not that far from us, we could even take the MRT and a bus (but we most likely will drive). We'll just have to wait a month or so to go.
Here is an excellent little article from the China Post on Wulai:
A return to bliss in Wulai
Thursday, December 13, 2007
by Greg McCann Special to The China Post
"I really want to see wild monkeys before I leave Taiwan," my friend Frank said as we ventured onto Wulai's Red River Gorge Trail. "They're called macaques, right? I've got to see them. It's a must."
That was back in October, just two days after he and three other first-time visitors arrived from the United States. Despite the rain back on that day, the water in the swimming hole still felt great for swimming. The precipitation had the unexpected bonus of make the tree-choked valley look even more atmospheric than it usually does. "Like something straight out of 'Apocalypse Now,'" fellow hiker Baxley remarked.
This past Sunday looked like it might be one of the best days of the year for a hike, and the five us made plans to return to Wulai﹝烏來﹞. We waited around for over an hour for Frank to show up at the MRT station and finally left without him.
There is no question that Sunday, Dec. 2 was one of the best days of 2007 for hiking. We hiked to our swimming hole, and I cannon-balled into the crystal blue first. I nearly went into shock from a temperature that must have been below freezing. Cold pools in Taipei saunas were mild compared to this mountain river. I actually had a hard time breathing and quickly scrambled out of the water.
After swimming around for a while, we basked in the sun on several large boulders that crown the pool. We must have spent close to an hour relaxing on the warm stones when the tree branches on the other side of the river began shaking. Baxley stood up and stared into the tree and, sure enough, about 50 meters up in the jungle mountainside, a troupe of Taiwan Rock Monkeys were making their way down to lower elevation.
We stood in awe for about 20 minutes as we watched them playing on the tree branches, dropping down from branch to branch and nearly plunge to their deaths on several occasions.
There are only two places in Taiwan that I know of where one can almost always see wild monkeys: Kaohsiung's Chai Mountain and Taitung's Chihpen Forest Park. I have to say that while I suspected for a long time that macaques roamed Wulai's mountains, I never really expected to see them here.
Once the monkeys disappeared, we decided to try hiking up one of the tributary streams for a bit, but, the water being so incredibly cold, we didn't make it far. Just as we were about to turn around, a flock of eight to 10 Formosan Blue Magpies made a dash from one side of the valley to the other.
Much prettier than their Chinese cousins, the sight of those regal Formosan magpies shooting straight across the valley like arrows was spellbinding. What with the frog, the monkeys and the birds (we also espied a couple of Steere's liocichla) I began to wonder if we hadn't somehow slipped into another dimension and went on a hike through Borneo.
We were then spotted by a couple having a barbecue in the underbrush. We would have never seen them on our own. They invited us to cross the stream and share some river shrimp and beers with them, but we didn't want to get wet again. One of them urged us to go on tracing the stream further into the mountains, claiming that near the source of the creek lived an "un-contacted aborigine tribe" that we would want to photograph. We passed up the questionable photo-op and decided to hike up a trail that meets a higher, clearer path and trekked along, with incredible views of the mountains all around. Several lone men passed us in this section, each carrying machetes and rucksacks of cut plants.
Finally, we hiked back out and had a wonderful dinner of golden needle mushroom soup, fresh vegetable fried rice and Taiwan beer at the Shan-Ye restaurant across from the Cheng-kung bus stop on the main road to Wulai.
Monday, January 07, 2008
Oh the Cuckoo...
...she's a pretty bird
She warbles as she flies
But I never give her water
Till the fourth day of July.
There's a cuckoo that sings to me every day.
S/he lives behind our apartments.
I hear her (I'll just call it a "she") whenever I do laundry.
(We have a Malibu Barbie washer and dryer on our back porch. I say that because they are plastic and small - but they do the trick! I am used to everything in the States being so BIG and STURDY - you know STEEL appliances!).
I am just so gosh darned HAPPY lately.
I am not going to overanalyze this new Sue (I honestly am a bit manic - have been for many, many years). I will just enjoy the ride!
Today Anjoli went back to school. I passed a new friend, Hilary, who hails from Toronto in the hall. I worked with her at the Book Fair last month. Awesome woman - so friendly and smart. She went to McGill in Montreal and knew the exact street where we lived (for a year -not even - 10 months actually! too c-c-c-c-old!).She got her degree in library science. Anyway, she's the PTA bookstore manager - when I met her last month we got to chatting and she let me know that she was looking for someone to replace her next year....so...ding ding ding...c'est MOI! I am SO EXCITED.
So, this morning she bought me coffee and I spent 3 hours with her in the bookstore. I helped her take down the Christmas decorations, etc and re-shelve books that weren't sold at the Book Fair. She started showing me the ropes - it's a REALLY big job - just like running your own bookstore! There are books from kindergarten through adult levels.
The profits go toward getting two authors to come to the school to lecture and sign their books.
We left the school together - I walked with her to her car. I told her I was deaf in one ear from "the surgery." She just stopped and said: "What surgery?" I am so surprised (and proud!) that I hadn't even told her - for awhile it was one of the first things I would tell people I had just met - just to explain what was going on with my crooked face.
I told her the story and her mouth dropped to the ground...then she gave me a big hug and said, "who CARES about your face! You're here! You're alive! I am SO glad we are working together - you are such a lovely person....and we have to get together outside of school - our daughters have to meet!" She has a daughter who, since KINDERGARTEN has attended a Chinese school (she's NOT even Asian - but she was born here and insisted on going to a Chinese school - I am SO impressed!!). Her daughter is the same age as Anjoli. I've met lots of other cool, FRIENDLY moms in the past month or so volunteering at the school. I'm so glad...I knew I WOULD.
Things just take time.
Over the weekend I went to get acupuncture after missing a week and a half of treatments and the doctor looked at me and said "Looks BETTER!" He's right - the paralysis IS improving. I have been taking this secret herbal tea (a mixture of herbs - he won't tell me what's in it!). It's supposed to help the neurons grow. I wonder if it is the tea that is helping? I drink it twice a day.
I will post pics of my route to my Chinese doctor's office. It's a really nice walk. Last time I went I ran out of batteries JUST as I got my doc to pose! He's so sweet. So I will take a pic of him tomorrow and post pics tomorrow night.
Have a great week everyone!
Love,
Suexx
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Happy New Year!
I think most would agree that we often have the best times when we are spontaneous. Yesterday we were pretty much grief stricken, not exactly in a festive mood. But, around 11:30 p.m. Anjoli, Sujoy and I ventured outdoors, lured by a fireworks display that we viewed from our balcony.
We just followed our nose and took a new route to downtown Tien Mu and ended up at one of Sujoy's favorite haunts, The Green Bar.(He really hasn't been there for months though - he hung out there every night when he lived here by himself for 6 weeks last spring). We stumbled upon a HUGE fireworks show outside the Green Bar. It was INCREDIBLE!
The Green Bar is owned by a very sweet American guy from LA named Rich. He's been here for 25 years - and he came at the age of 21! Ironically, he is Mormon and doesn't even drink. He is married to a beautiful Taiwanese woman - you can see her to the left in the picture below. (Rich is the guy with his back to the camera in the striped shirt).
I had been to the Green Bar a few months ago and was thrilled to find a TON of Who music on the "digital jukebox" - they let the customers choose whatever music they want. So I went over to the computer and was happy to see this!
Then Sujoy managed to help me find THIS (click on it for a better view):
The last time Sujoy and I were there, we had the place to ourselves and danced like crazy to Pete Townshend and the Who (I couldn't dance for TOO long though! It still hurts my head to bounce up and down!)
Rich is going to tape the NFL playoffs for us - he gave me his card and said I could call him and he'll tape whatever I want off the satellite. What a guy. I really miss watching football. WEIRD, huh??? Gotta see the...Pats win the SuperBowl, of course! Traitor Sue I know I know. I'm from New England so I gotta go with my ROOTS, right?
We had a really nice Christmas. My sister, Jen came to visit from San Francisco (Palo Alto actually). She arrived on the 23rd and stayed only 6 days - just long enough to get her inner clock all messed up, poor babe. Jen gave me an iPod shuffle - woo hoo! I worked out with it the other day - you should see my OLD mp3 player - it weighs about 3 pounds I swear. Santa brought Anjoli a Wii! She was VERY surprised. Sujoy loved his music box.
We had fun while she was here - you can read HER blog if you'd like her version!
Jen's Bloggie
We went to a tiny, beautiful island for 3 days (Green Island - off the southeastern coast of Taiwan). The weather was better than expected - it only rained one day. We went on a guided snorkeling trip- it was FANTASTIC. We had an excellent time there - so relaxing and the food was really yummy. Our host, the hotel owner, Jack was so sweet.
Jen is much better with computers so she gave me permission to post HER slide show...but I wasn't able to post it here...so, if you want to see it, please go visit her blog HERE!
Monday, December 31, 2007
Goodbye Jo
I just got word that our dear friend Jo passed away today due to a heart attack. I can't believe it. She was only 60.
Jo was my daughter's best friend's grandmother. She was from Kent, England. I loved her dearly.
When my mom passed away (on 12/22/04) Jo became a surrogate grandmother to Anjoli.
Jo was a community activist and worked for 10 years with a group that tried to prevent a freeway from being built that would have destroyed the rural areas of our small community. Sadly, the freeway was built...
Jo LOVED music - especially the Who and Pink Floyd, and was a MAJOR Dylan fan. She had a beautiful garden and loved all animals - always caring for stray cats and dogs. She had a wonderful way with children and was a nanny and worked in a day care center for many years.
Jo certainly celebrated life - she never missed a party at our house! (We had some crazy parties, didn't we Jo?!).
I will miss you sweetie.
Love you.
Rest in peace.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Merry Merry Happy Happy!!
(Click to see my FABULOUS earrings! I made them MYSELF!!) :)
I hope all of you enjoy your holidays. May you all have a spectacular 2008.
Many many thanks for all your good wishes, prayers and support both before and after my surgery. Words could never convey how much your messages helped me. I continue to heal and get stronger day by day. I am very lucky and truly blessed.
Love this video!
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Anjoli's Music Box
I just had to share this lovely gift that my daughter made in clay class for her Dad for Christmas. I was REALLY impressed. She did it all on her own.
I have more pictures to post but I have to rush to acupuncture now. I have been sick since last Friday, but I have managed to do a little volunteering at the American School this week at their Book Fair and at the PTA Gift shop. (I did lots of Christmas shopping at the Gift Shop!). I'm volunteering at their "Winterwonderland Fair" this Saturday. I'll be helping kids decorate cookies in the morning and helping run the games booth in the afternoon. Should be fun! I loved spending time with the kids at the book fair. I felt horrible if they didn't have enough money...I nearly bought some of them books (but that's kind of frowned upon) so I "saved them" for later when they could drag their parents back and pay for them! :)
My sister is coming for Christmas for a week (Dec. 22-29). We're very excited! We are going for 3 days to a beautiful tiny island off the southeastern coast of Taiwan called Green Island. We're going to snorkel and enjoy the saltwater hot springs. Can't wait! (Yeah like I NEED A VACATION! Yeah yeah I know...).
I have more pictures to post but I have to rush to acupuncture now. I have been sick since last Friday, but I have managed to do a little volunteering at the American School this week at their Book Fair and at the PTA Gift shop. (I did lots of Christmas shopping at the Gift Shop!). I'm volunteering at their "Winterwonderland Fair" this Saturday. I'll be helping kids decorate cookies in the morning and helping run the games booth in the afternoon. Should be fun! I loved spending time with the kids at the book fair. I felt horrible if they didn't have enough money...I nearly bought some of them books (but that's kind of frowned upon) so I "saved them" for later when they could drag their parents back and pay for them! :)
My sister is coming for Christmas for a week (Dec. 22-29). We're very excited! We are going for 3 days to a beautiful tiny island off the southeastern coast of Taiwan called Green Island. We're going to snorkel and enjoy the saltwater hot springs. Can't wait! (Yeah like I NEED A VACATION! Yeah yeah I know...).
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
More pics of my 'hood!
Yesterday I wandered through some back alleys on my way back from grocery shopping at a store that is like a mini - Harrod's (with matching sky high prices). I discovered a few shops and cafes that I had never seen before. My absolute favorite is the Tom Waits Cafe. They have the BEST coffee on the planet. I haven't been back since returning to Taipei because of my (propensity for) insomnia...but I really am hankering for their coffee. The owner is a very interesting man- he was a label chief for Polydor here in Taiwan(he decided which albums to import and how many), but had to quit his job after a bad car accident. I guess it hurt him to sit for too long. He still puts together really cool compilations and writes the liner notes for them. What impressed me MOST was - he knew who Rufus Wainwright was! (AS WELL AS Ru's mom and aunt- the McGarrigle Sisters, and Ru's dad, Loudon). I will go visit soon and take pics of the interior (they were closed yesterday) and I'll ask if I can take a picture of the owner too. There are SO many cafes in my neighborhood, I need to visit them all...it's very tempting!
.You'll have to click of this cafe pic below. It looked very cute and cozy!
The exterior shot of Mais Cafe didn't come out so hot, but it looks like a pleasant spot.
This shop sells tea and BEAUTIFUL tea pots.
Whenever a shop has a grand opening, they have these beautiful flower displays outside the store.The arrangements remind me of funeral arrangements though- the way they are displayed on pillars! (Usually all of the flowers are displayed on pillars). I loved these orchids. I think this is a bedding store. I will have to check it out one day.
Looks a bit like San Diego!
This is a Chinese medicine shop around the corner from our apartment. I guess this customer had lice or something! :)
Here is a close up shot of my latest flower arrangement taken by Anjoli. (I posted a full pic on the previous post).
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Busy being Leisurely
Yup. That's my life in nutshell.
Ok nice talking to ya.
Bye.
:)
I had a great week. I wish all my weeks were so HECTIC. hee hee.
I enjoyed the tour of Chiang Kai-shek's mountain retreat home even though it was in semi-typhoon conditions! Oh and someone stole my umbrella, but the tour guide gave me one to take home (from a stash of forgotten umbrellas). Anyway, the residence itself was "eh" pretty simple, but the tour guide was fantastic. She was 75 but looked/acted much younger. She was very FUNNY and she was a wonderful story teller. I learned a lot about Madame Chiang - she was a fascinating woman. She was a Wellesley grad, like my sister (the brainiac! I mean that in a good way, Jen). She was tight with Eleanor Roosevelt and was an amazing artist. Chiang Kai-Shek was a very shrewd man (to say the least) and also very interesting . He was a major bully though (well, he WAS a dictator) - he stole the land for this retreat from the Boy Scouts! (It was a Boy Scout camp). I WISH I had pics for you, but I didn't want to ruin my new camera. We went on a HEAVENLY walk through the woods - oh man it was SO cool...even in the wind and rain.
My chaperoning of the botany field trip was postponed last Wednesday because of the bad weather. We're going the day after tomorrow. I hope it doesn't rain.
Wednesday night I went with Anjoli and three of the "ladies who lunch" to the Cloud Gate performance. It was the first time Anjoli and I have been to a full -length modern dance performance. We loved it. The sets - the costumes and of course the dances were gorgeous. One honoring "the fallen" - those who died at the hands of the Japanese - was pretty intense. The dancers wore baskets on their heads - just like the victims who were executed by the Japanese. They also honored the students who were killed during the Tianamen Square incident. I hope to see them every year - they were that good. They tour around the world, so if they ever visit a city near you, GO!
I volunteered at the gift shop at Anjoli's school for a few hours (I'll do it every week). It was fun and the ladies were so nice. There were four of us altogether. They were very happy to have me there and I was introduced as being a "new friend." Aw. None of them were American, btw! ;)
On Friday I took a cooking class on Greens and Tofu, but I was a bit disappointed, because the class was called "Greens Galore and Tasty Tofu" but it should have been called, " Very Tasty Meat, Meat, Meat, Deep Fried Eggplant and a little bit of Tofu mixed into Pork Meat Balls." I was mega bummed, really, because there are a BILLION different types of greens and I was really looking forward to learning about how to cook them. I love the teacher though- I've taken classes with her before when we lived here last year. I think I will just pay for a few private lessons. She's so funny though - she says that she tries to make things low-fat for us porky Americans (my words, not hers!) but "eets just not very TASTY!" I don't get how the women are so tiny here, including the teacher. She makes all this fattening food, but I don't think she eats it!
I had to leave the cooking class before she finished (she started about 20 minutes late) and go to my flower arranging class. I am happy to report I probably made about 50% of it! I wish you could have seen me, because I was RACING her at one point (when I was placing the evergreens into the oasis). She insisted on putting in all my pink flowers and she rearranged my berries. I just had to laugh. Once the pink flowers die I will add white ones and I will also look for RED candles.
TA DA!!!!!!!!
It's not terribly Christmasy, but it sure is purdy!
Yesterday Anjoli had a soccer game. Sadly they lost - the other team scored when there was like one minute left. LAST week Anjoli scored the winning goal in her first game, and her team won the second game too. (They had a double header).
Anjoli is kind of afraid of the ball. I think she's just playing to appease her dad, who is a soccer freak! (She's a real GIRL and prefers dance classesto sports).
Her coach is EXCELLENT! He's funny, but a bit tough, and he really motivates them. Unfortunately he's just filling in for the real coach who is stuck in Turkey.
Here are some shots from yesterday's game:
It was SO beautiful today...so Sujoy thought it would be a good idea to go the park and give Anjoli a few soccer pointers. I ran 6 laps on the track (3K/1.8 miles). I was hoping to do 4K but I got bored! Yeah yeah...no, really!
I bought a new COMPUTER table and it's so pretty, I just had to take a picture of it!
And here is the view! (If you can see through the screen!).I know you all must be bored with my mountain pics by now. I promise to take more interesting shots soon.
My week ahead is not that exciting, sorry to say. Next week I've signed up to work at the book fair at the American School for five days! (Two and a half hours per day). I am also working at a games booth at their Winter Wonderland Fair on December 15th.
I am keeping myself VERY busy!
Have a great week everyone.
Love,
Suexoxoxox
Ok nice talking to ya.
Bye.
:)
I had a great week. I wish all my weeks were so HECTIC. hee hee.
I enjoyed the tour of Chiang Kai-shek's mountain retreat home even though it was in semi-typhoon conditions! Oh and someone stole my umbrella, but the tour guide gave me one to take home (from a stash of forgotten umbrellas). Anyway, the residence itself was "eh" pretty simple, but the tour guide was fantastic. She was 75 but looked/acted much younger. She was very FUNNY and she was a wonderful story teller. I learned a lot about Madame Chiang - she was a fascinating woman. She was a Wellesley grad, like my sister (the brainiac! I mean that in a good way, Jen). She was tight with Eleanor Roosevelt and was an amazing artist. Chiang Kai-Shek was a very shrewd man (to say the least) and also very interesting . He was a major bully though (well, he WAS a dictator) - he stole the land for this retreat from the Boy Scouts! (It was a Boy Scout camp). I WISH I had pics for you, but I didn't want to ruin my new camera. We went on a HEAVENLY walk through the woods - oh man it was SO cool...even in the wind and rain.
My chaperoning of the botany field trip was postponed last Wednesday because of the bad weather. We're going the day after tomorrow. I hope it doesn't rain.
Wednesday night I went with Anjoli and three of the "ladies who lunch" to the Cloud Gate performance. It was the first time Anjoli and I have been to a full -length modern dance performance. We loved it. The sets - the costumes and of course the dances were gorgeous. One honoring "the fallen" - those who died at the hands of the Japanese - was pretty intense. The dancers wore baskets on their heads - just like the victims who were executed by the Japanese. They also honored the students who were killed during the Tianamen Square incident. I hope to see them every year - they were that good. They tour around the world, so if they ever visit a city near you, GO!
I volunteered at the gift shop at Anjoli's school for a few hours (I'll do it every week). It was fun and the ladies were so nice. There were four of us altogether. They were very happy to have me there and I was introduced as being a "new friend." Aw. None of them were American, btw! ;)
On Friday I took a cooking class on Greens and Tofu, but I was a bit disappointed, because the class was called "Greens Galore and Tasty Tofu" but it should have been called, " Very Tasty Meat, Meat, Meat, Deep Fried Eggplant and a little bit of Tofu mixed into Pork Meat Balls." I was mega bummed, really, because there are a BILLION different types of greens and I was really looking forward to learning about how to cook them. I love the teacher though- I've taken classes with her before when we lived here last year. I think I will just pay for a few private lessons. She's so funny though - she says that she tries to make things low-fat for us porky Americans (my words, not hers!) but "eets just not very TASTY!" I don't get how the women are so tiny here, including the teacher. She makes all this fattening food, but I don't think she eats it!
I had to leave the cooking class before she finished (she started about 20 minutes late) and go to my flower arranging class. I am happy to report I probably made about 50% of it! I wish you could have seen me, because I was RACING her at one point (when I was placing the evergreens into the oasis). She insisted on putting in all my pink flowers and she rearranged my berries. I just had to laugh. Once the pink flowers die I will add white ones and I will also look for RED candles.
TA DA!!!!!!!!
It's not terribly Christmasy, but it sure is purdy!
Yesterday Anjoli had a soccer game. Sadly they lost - the other team scored when there was like one minute left. LAST week Anjoli scored the winning goal in her first game, and her team won the second game too. (They had a double header).
Anjoli is kind of afraid of the ball. I think she's just playing to appease her dad, who is a soccer freak! (She's a real GIRL and prefers dance classesto sports).
Her coach is EXCELLENT! He's funny, but a bit tough, and he really motivates them. Unfortunately he's just filling in for the real coach who is stuck in Turkey.
Here are some shots from yesterday's game:
It was SO beautiful today...so Sujoy thought it would be a good idea to go the park and give Anjoli a few soccer pointers. I ran 6 laps on the track (3K/1.8 miles). I was hoping to do 4K but I got bored! Yeah yeah...no, really!
I bought a new COMPUTER table and it's so pretty, I just had to take a picture of it!
And here is the view! (If you can see through the screen!).I know you all must be bored with my mountain pics by now. I promise to take more interesting shots soon.
My week ahead is not that exciting, sorry to say. Next week I've signed up to work at the book fair at the American School for five days! (Two and a half hours per day). I am also working at a games booth at their Winter Wonderland Fair on December 15th.
I am keeping myself VERY busy!
Have a great week everyone.
Love,
Suexoxoxox
Friday, November 30, 2007
Flabbergasted...
The Original Teddy Bear
Ok WHAT is the deal here?
I am simply beside myself over the fate of the poor teacher from the UK, Gillian Gibbons who was JAILED in Sudan for allowing her class to name a Teddy Bear Muhammad. Even more horrifying is the fact that thousands took the streets in Kharthoum to demand her EXECUTION.
Teddy Bears are a symbol of a cuddly kind of LOVE. HELLO!! I think this is scarier than 9/11, I really do! This poor woman. I can't imagine what she must be going through.
There is so much contempt towards the West following the Iraq war, these fundamentalists are looking for the tiniest offense against Islam to strike back in anger. That's what's really at the bottom of these ludicrous charges, of course.
It just makes me sick to my stomach, how the innocent suffer needlessly. I hate it. I just hate it.
Please pray for Gillian, or send her positive vibes, you choose.
On a LIGHTER note, I found this very interesting article on the origin of the Teddy Bear:
Rose and Morris Michtom
and the Invention of the Teddy Bear
Teddy bears are a symbol of cuddly gentleness and security the world over. It is well known that the teddy bear is named for President Theodore Roosevelt. Less well known are the inventors of the teddy bear, Rose and Morris Michtom, two Russian Jewish immigrants who lived in Brooklyn.
The American bear as a symbol of gentleness is filled with ironies. For generations, bears prompted fear, not affection. The teddy bear’s namesake, Theodore Roosevelt, was a ferocious warrior and big game hunter – a man who killed for sport. However, an unlikely alliance between the rugged, native-born American Protestant president and the inventive, immigrant Jewish couple from Brooklyn created one of the most lovable and enduring American icons.
The story begins in 1902. The states of Mississippi and Louisiana disagreed over the location of their common boundary, which bisected some of the least well-developed land in the United States. The governors of both states invited President Roosevelt to arbitrate the dispute. Roosevelt decided to combine his tour of the disputed territory with a five-day black bear hunt.
The president’s foray attracted a large contingent of journalists, who reported on Roosevelt’s every move. Even more compelling to the reporters than the boundary dispute was the president’s pursuit of a trophy bear. For four days, the press reported little about Roosevelt’s arbitration of the boundary dispute and harped on the ability of the area’s bears to elude his crosshairs. On the fifth and last day of the junket, apparently to redeem the president’s reputation, one of his hunting companions caught and tied a bear cub to a tree so that the president could shoot it. When he came upon the cub, Roosevelt refused to kill it, saying that he only took prey that had a sporting chance to defend itself.
Roosevelt’s demurrer took the nation by storm. The leading American cartoonist, Clifford Berryman, published a cartoon showing Roosevelt turning his back on the young bear, tied by its neck, and public response to the president’s self-restraint was overwhelmingly favorable. The next day, the Washington Post published a second cartoon, depicting the bear as a more placid beast, cementing the docile image of the young bear even more firmly in the public imagination.
Enter the Michtoms. Morris had arrived penniless in New York in 1887, when only in his teens, a refugee from pogroms. He married Rose and opened a small store that sold notions, candy and other penny items. In the evening, to help make ends meet, Rose sewed toys that they sold in the shop. Like millions of other Americans, the Michtoms avidly followed press accounts of Roosevelt’s journey into the Louisiana backcountry. Roosevelt’s refusal to shoot the defenseless bear touched the Michtoms. Morris suggested to Rose that she sew a replica of the bear represented in Berryman’s cartoons.
That night, Rose cut and stuffed a piece of plush velvet into the shape of a bear, sewed on shoe button eyes and handed it to Morris to display in the shop window. He labeled it, "Teddy’s bear." To his surprise, not only did someone enter the store asking to buy the bear, but twelve other potential customers also asked to purchase it. Aware that he might offend the president by using his name without permission, the Michtoms mailed the original bear to the White House, offering it as a gift to the president’s children and asking Roosevelt for the use of his name. He told the Michtoms he doubted his name would help its sales but they were free to use it if they wanted.
The rest is an amazing – yet characteristic – American Jewish immigrant success story. The Michtoms sewed teddy bears and placed them in the window of their shop, but demand was so great they couldn’t keep up. The couple concluded that there was more profit in teddy bears than in penny candy and dedicated full time to producing them. Because of the doll’s popularity, Roosevelt and the Republican Party adopted it as their symbol in the election of 1904, and Michtom bears were placed on display at every public White House function.
The Michtoms’ labor grew into the Ideal Toy Company, which remained in family hands until the 1970s. Ideal Toys sold millions of teddies throughout the world; yet, their good fortune did not spoil the Michtoms. Ever mindful of their humble origins, supported the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, the Jewish National Fund, the National Labor Campaign for Palestine and numerous other Jewish causes. While Ideal Toys could not secure a patent on the teddy bear and many imitators entered the market, the Michtoms created an American — and worldwide — icon. Their original teddy bear, treasured and saved by Teddy Roosevelt’s grandchildren, is now displayed at the Smithsonian.
Source: American Jewish Historical Society
Sunday, November 25, 2007
It's not easy...
being mentally challenged!
I just read a headline on the BBC news website that said "Elephants strike" and under that another line - "festive note"
but the first line caught my eye and I immediately thought: "those Europeans...even the ELEPHANTS go on strike!" You see, I've been reading about the transit strike in France for the past week!
(In case you were wondering,it turns out the BBC posted a video about 3 elephants in JAPAN who have been trained to play "Jingle Bells" while holding bells in their trunks. I think I need to head on over to Japan and pull a Cesar Chavez...get 'em organized! Maybe teach them how to ring out a few bars of "We Shall Overcome." Ooh she's feisty today!).
Yeah it's always a party being me! (har har har).
I was WALKING in Boston one day and it was very foggy and rainy, so I thought, "oh I better put on my headlights!"
The good news is, I can blame the ol' golf ball sized tumour that was taking up residence in my brain for MANY years!
Ok, that excuse no longer works.
I am SO glad Thanksgiving is over, because I was quite sad and terribly homesick. I hope everyone back home had a good one though!
I have an incredibly busy week coming up, and I am really looking forward to it!
Here's what it looks like:
1. Chinese Health Secrets Class
2. Yangmingshuwu in the Yangmingshan Mountains- a former guest house of Chiang Kai-Shek.
3. Chaperoning Anjoi's class on a park field trip for a botany project.
4. Cloudgate Performance (A Taiwanese modern dance company that are supposed to be incredibly fantastic) at the National Theatre.
5. Greens Galore and Tasty Tofu Cooking Class
6. Volunteering at the PTA school gift shop for 2 hours
7. Flower Arranging Class - my teacher will make a lovely Christmas arrangement for me! hee hee. I will ask nicely if I could PLEASE do it by myself for a change!! (Seeing how it IS the last class).
My camera arrived - it's at Sujoy's office, I have to pick it up tomorrow because I am going to Yangmingshan on Tuesday. I may not be able to post pictures for awhile though (probably). Sujoy is in Korea. I know, I shouldn't be so technically dependent. I know I know...
Hope everyone has a great week!
Lots of love,
Suexxx
I just read a headline on the BBC news website that said "Elephants strike" and under that another line - "festive note"
but the first line caught my eye and I immediately thought: "those Europeans...even the ELEPHANTS go on strike!" You see, I've been reading about the transit strike in France for the past week!
(In case you were wondering,it turns out the BBC posted a video about 3 elephants in JAPAN who have been trained to play "Jingle Bells" while holding bells in their trunks. I think I need to head on over to Japan and pull a Cesar Chavez...get 'em organized! Maybe teach them how to ring out a few bars of "We Shall Overcome." Ooh she's feisty today!).
Yeah it's always a party being me! (har har har).
I was WALKING in Boston one day and it was very foggy and rainy, so I thought, "oh I better put on my headlights!"
The good news is, I can blame the ol' golf ball sized tumour that was taking up residence in my brain for MANY years!
Ok, that excuse no longer works.
I am SO glad Thanksgiving is over, because I was quite sad and terribly homesick. I hope everyone back home had a good one though!
I have an incredibly busy week coming up, and I am really looking forward to it!
Here's what it looks like:
1. Chinese Health Secrets Class
2. Yangmingshuwu in the Yangmingshan Mountains- a former guest house of Chiang Kai-Shek.
3. Chaperoning Anjoi's class on a park field trip for a botany project.
4. Cloudgate Performance (A Taiwanese modern dance company that are supposed to be incredibly fantastic) at the National Theatre.
5. Greens Galore and Tasty Tofu Cooking Class
6. Volunteering at the PTA school gift shop for 2 hours
7. Flower Arranging Class - my teacher will make a lovely Christmas arrangement for me! hee hee. I will ask nicely if I could PLEASE do it by myself for a change!! (Seeing how it IS the last class).
My camera arrived - it's at Sujoy's office, I have to pick it up tomorrow because I am going to Yangmingshan on Tuesday. I may not be able to post pictures for awhile though (probably). Sujoy is in Korea. I know, I shouldn't be so technically dependent. I know I know...
Hope everyone has a great week!
Lots of love,
Suexxx
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
World Cup...BASEBALL!
Who knew there was such a beast...but yesterday, me, Sujoy, Anjoli and Sujoy's partner, Thomas, his wife, Alice and their 1 year old daughter, Joanne, all headed to Tien Mu baseball stadium (1/4 mile from our apartment here in Taipei) to watch the World Cup Baseball final game between the US and Cuba.
This is the second baseball game we have attended here in Taipei. We only lasted 4 innings as it was kind of cool and RAINY. Here, games are never rained out. I will share pictures from both yesterday's game and the one we attended last year.
Oh, in case you were curious, the US team won, 6-3. I don't know anything about the players, but I am guessing they are all minor league dudes.
I still don't have a camera, but I had to take this shot of the Dunkin' Donuts ad with Sujoy's cell phone. (Last week,while waking by the Dunkin' Donuts outdoor patio here in Tien Mu, I heard the Who's "I Can't Explain." You have no idea how elated I was to smell the aroma of DD coffee AND hear the Who at the same moment in time. It was then I KNEW...YES, there is a God. I sampled a strange something that was being handed out... just to hear the Who. I forget what samples were being offered, but it was pretty strange, I remember that!).
The stadium is so beautiful, as are the surroundings. Here are some pics from when we last lived here (last year).
This adorable little munchkin is Joanne- she loves Anjoli.
Not too much to report on...I do have a picture of my latest creation from my flower arranging class. It's a Chinese/Japanese arrangement. I would like to say that it's something I created...but my teacher is a control freak. So...LOOK WHAT MY TEACHER MADE FOR ME! And YES, SHE made the origami horses...OF COURSE. They're in love! :)
This is the second baseball game we have attended here in Taipei. We only lasted 4 innings as it was kind of cool and RAINY. Here, games are never rained out. I will share pictures from both yesterday's game and the one we attended last year.
Oh, in case you were curious, the US team won, 6-3. I don't know anything about the players, but I am guessing they are all minor league dudes.
I still don't have a camera, but I had to take this shot of the Dunkin' Donuts ad with Sujoy's cell phone. (Last week,while waking by the Dunkin' Donuts outdoor patio here in Tien Mu, I heard the Who's "I Can't Explain." You have no idea how elated I was to smell the aroma of DD coffee AND hear the Who at the same moment in time. It was then I KNEW...YES, there is a God. I sampled a strange something that was being handed out... just to hear the Who. I forget what samples were being offered, but it was pretty strange, I remember that!).
The stadium is so beautiful, as are the surroundings. Here are some pics from when we last lived here (last year).
This adorable little munchkin is Joanne- she loves Anjoli.
Not too much to report on...I do have a picture of my latest creation from my flower arranging class. It's a Chinese/Japanese arrangement. I would like to say that it's something I created...but my teacher is a control freak. So...LOOK WHAT MY TEACHER MADE FOR ME! And YES, SHE made the origami horses...OF COURSE. They're in love! :)
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Terry Fox 5 K Run
Terry Fox was the original boy wonder. For those of you who may not have heard of him, Terry was a Canadian university student who lost his leg to cancer in 1977. Before that he had been very active in basketball and running activities. After witnessing the pain and suffering of others (especially children) in the hospital where he was receiving cancer treatment, Terry decided, in 1980, to run across Canada and he called this mission "The Marathon of Hope." His goal was to raise money for cancer research and to make people aware of the suffering caused by this heartbreaking disease.
Terry ran over 5400 km with his artificial leg to show people that even with one leg, he could reach his goal. Sadly, in 1981,Terry lost his battle with cancer, but every year people around the world keep his dream alive by participating in local Marathon of Hope Runs.
Today I ran in the Annual 5k Terry Fox Run. I thought I was going to walk and run, but I ran (ok jogged) the whole thing! It was a blast. I did it in about 30 minutes. It was hard at the end, but I kept pushing myself and I thought of Terry the whole time. He is truly an inspiration.
I kept thinking how lucky I am - that my brain tumor was benign. I truly am very, very lucky.
Here is a beautiful video of Terry (the audio of his voice isn't very good in some parts though).
Terry ran over 5400 km with his artificial leg to show people that even with one leg, he could reach his goal. Sadly, in 1981,Terry lost his battle with cancer, but every year people around the world keep his dream alive by participating in local Marathon of Hope Runs.
Today I ran in the Annual 5k Terry Fox Run. I thought I was going to walk and run, but I ran (ok jogged) the whole thing! It was a blast. I did it in about 30 minutes. It was hard at the end, but I kept pushing myself and I thought of Terry the whole time. He is truly an inspiration.
I kept thinking how lucky I am - that my brain tumor was benign. I truly am very, very lucky.
Here is a beautiful video of Terry (the audio of his voice isn't very good in some parts though).
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! :(
(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! :(
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
The Good, the Bad and the UGLY
Oh I am lame with my titles. How unoriginal…
Good news is…I am feeling more positive and happier than I have been.
Last week (ok and yesterday), all I wanted to do was sleep. I would drop Anju off at school, then come back home and sleep until…noon sometimes. This pattern threw my sleeping schedule off, so I started to get insomnia again – well I have been waking up at 4 or so.
Anyway, starting , ah this morning actually, I DIDN’T go back to sleep because I volunteered at the Center and chatted with lots of sweet FOREIGNERS! You know, AMERICANS. I am always happier on days when I volunteer. I couldn’t for the last 2 weeks and have been missing it something awful. I bought a GORGEOUS photograph (it will be framed by the photographer) of a goddess’ hands in prayer that was taken in Thailand. I always get myself in trouble buying books or handicrafts/artwork at the Center!
Yesterday, my cleaning lady (she helps out twice a month only – I am not THAT spoiled, ok?) showed how kind and thoughtful Taiwanese people are. She wouldn’t let me leave the house until I wore a jacket, and she MADE SURE that I zipped it. She only speaks Chinese, and I caught one word, “bing” which means “cold.” She mimed shivering and sneezing to drive her point home. Well taken, and very much appreciated, Mrs. H. She’s probably younger than me, but I will always need mothering. Anyway it’s “unseasonably” cool now. It must be oh, I don’t know 60 degrees? Let me check Underground Weather. Hang on. It’s 71 degrees/22 celsius today! It may have been 66/19 celsius yesterday! People are wearing scarves, fur lined hoods… crazy! We haven’t seen the sun for weeks… wah!
More good: we had custom made curtains made in the fabric district which is located in the oldest part of Taipei. I promise to take pictures of this quaint little area. Cobblestone streets, nice (OLD) brick buildings – Chinese markets selling all sorts of odd Chinese medicines. It’s a cool area. Anyway, the curtains look LOVELY. Really perked me up after putting them up…but I hurt my neck doing it – I didn’t get Anjoli’s up because it hurt too much. I am a bit bummed about that. It’s feeling better today though, so maybe tonight I will give it a go.
The bad is: I don’t understand why I can’t connect with Taipei American School moms. I (already whined about this w/lyricgirl/Sue) but…I have had one of Anjoli’s friends from her class over twice. I even took her and Anjoli to a children’s museum, and took them to lunch, then dropped the child off at her home via taxi. Whenever I see the mom at school she ignores me. I helped out at a Halloween party, and the mom completely blew me off- well, she smiled at me once. I made a point to chit chat to her, but she is just really frosty. She even told her daughter that she wanted to meet me after hearing about Anjoli incessantly in September. She WAS friendly when I first met her back in September, but now won’t give me the time of day. Anjoli’s friend insists that she will have Anju over for a playdate, but that hasn’t happened. Oh well. Another mom that I met (who has younger kids) also is elusive, but she talks to me more, at least. Still, she doesn’t seem very interested in having lunch or anything (her husband invited us over though! Well, he said, “you should come over, since we’re neighbors”).
BUT! There is one glimmer of hope- Anjoli and I were invited to a mom’s apartment yesterday for a class on Hinduism for kids. I enjoyed it more than Anjoli (she said it was “Ok”). I don’t view myself as Hindu (yet!) and poor Anju doesn’t know what she is either – but I want her to learn about Hinduism since she is half Indian. I really enjoyed chanting, but Anjoli was very shy about it. Anjoli wished the kids were nicer – one is in Anjoli’s grade but she is really quiet and reserved. Anyway, Betty – the teacher – invited us to her house this Saturday to celebrate the Indian Festival – Diwali – which is the Festival of Lights. We’ll pray and eat delicious food and then light firecrackers, etc. I am very happy to finally socialize. Betty has lived here for 19 years – she moved here from Bombay right after graduating from college. It feels good to have met a rooted expat. She’s very very sweet and kind.
Anjoli is having a hard time this week – missing home and her dad (he’s gone on an 11 day business trip). I hate that after she does her homework she can’t just run out and play with her friends. That’s the hardest thing about living here. She starts soccer this Wednesday though. Can’t WAIT!! We ran a few nights last week at a local running track just to get outdoors. We are jogging/walking in a 5k run for cancer research with her school in downtown Taipei this Sunday (The Terry Fox Run). Should be fun – but it’s at SEVEN A.M. YOWZA!!!
The UGLY is my poor husband who is doing business in Korea (he was in China last week) ran into a bad situation – his laptop was COMPLETELY taken over by a horrible virus. For some reason his anti-virus software stopped working. What a nightmare. He got it working a bit though last night (after getting the blue screen of death). He has had a successful trip though – he found people to distribute his cameras in Korea. (He designs “smart cameras” for inspection of manufacturing materials such as the film used in LCD screens).
Ok I just realized that NOTHING is ALL good, bad or ugly...
Except MAYBE this video!
My friend Chelice sent it to me the other day. We both agree it is highly sensationalized,but it exposes the ugly truth.
Hope you are all well.
Lots of love,
Suexxxxxx
Good news is…I am feeling more positive and happier than I have been.
Last week (ok and yesterday), all I wanted to do was sleep. I would drop Anju off at school, then come back home and sleep until…noon sometimes. This pattern threw my sleeping schedule off, so I started to get insomnia again – well I have been waking up at 4 or so.
Anyway, starting , ah this morning actually, I DIDN’T go back to sleep because I volunteered at the Center and chatted with lots of sweet FOREIGNERS! You know, AMERICANS. I am always happier on days when I volunteer. I couldn’t for the last 2 weeks and have been missing it something awful. I bought a GORGEOUS photograph (it will be framed by the photographer) of a goddess’ hands in prayer that was taken in Thailand. I always get myself in trouble buying books or handicrafts/artwork at the Center!
Yesterday, my cleaning lady (she helps out twice a month only – I am not THAT spoiled, ok?) showed how kind and thoughtful Taiwanese people are. She wouldn’t let me leave the house until I wore a jacket, and she MADE SURE that I zipped it. She only speaks Chinese, and I caught one word, “bing” which means “cold.” She mimed shivering and sneezing to drive her point home. Well taken, and very much appreciated, Mrs. H. She’s probably younger than me, but I will always need mothering. Anyway it’s “unseasonably” cool now. It must be oh, I don’t know 60 degrees? Let me check Underground Weather. Hang on. It’s 71 degrees/22 celsius today! It may have been 66/19 celsius yesterday! People are wearing scarves, fur lined hoods… crazy! We haven’t seen the sun for weeks… wah!
More good: we had custom made curtains made in the fabric district which is located in the oldest part of Taipei. I promise to take pictures of this quaint little area. Cobblestone streets, nice (OLD) brick buildings – Chinese markets selling all sorts of odd Chinese medicines. It’s a cool area. Anyway, the curtains look LOVELY. Really perked me up after putting them up…but I hurt my neck doing it – I didn’t get Anjoli’s up because it hurt too much. I am a bit bummed about that. It’s feeling better today though, so maybe tonight I will give it a go.
The bad is: I don’t understand why I can’t connect with Taipei American School moms. I (already whined about this w/lyricgirl/Sue) but…I have had one of Anjoli’s friends from her class over twice. I even took her and Anjoli to a children’s museum, and took them to lunch, then dropped the child off at her home via taxi. Whenever I see the mom at school she ignores me. I helped out at a Halloween party, and the mom completely blew me off- well, she smiled at me once. I made a point to chit chat to her, but she is just really frosty. She even told her daughter that she wanted to meet me after hearing about Anjoli incessantly in September. She WAS friendly when I first met her back in September, but now won’t give me the time of day. Anjoli’s friend insists that she will have Anju over for a playdate, but that hasn’t happened. Oh well. Another mom that I met (who has younger kids) also is elusive, but she talks to me more, at least. Still, she doesn’t seem very interested in having lunch or anything (her husband invited us over though! Well, he said, “you should come over, since we’re neighbors”).
BUT! There is one glimmer of hope- Anjoli and I were invited to a mom’s apartment yesterday for a class on Hinduism for kids. I enjoyed it more than Anjoli (she said it was “Ok”). I don’t view myself as Hindu (yet!) and poor Anju doesn’t know what she is either – but I want her to learn about Hinduism since she is half Indian. I really enjoyed chanting, but Anjoli was very shy about it. Anjoli wished the kids were nicer – one is in Anjoli’s grade but she is really quiet and reserved. Anyway, Betty – the teacher – invited us to her house this Saturday to celebrate the Indian Festival – Diwali – which is the Festival of Lights. We’ll pray and eat delicious food and then light firecrackers, etc. I am very happy to finally socialize. Betty has lived here for 19 years – she moved here from Bombay right after graduating from college. It feels good to have met a rooted expat. She’s very very sweet and kind.
Anjoli is having a hard time this week – missing home and her dad (he’s gone on an 11 day business trip). I hate that after she does her homework she can’t just run out and play with her friends. That’s the hardest thing about living here. She starts soccer this Wednesday though. Can’t WAIT!! We ran a few nights last week at a local running track just to get outdoors. We are jogging/walking in a 5k run for cancer research with her school in downtown Taipei this Sunday (The Terry Fox Run). Should be fun – but it’s at SEVEN A.M. YOWZA!!!
The UGLY is my poor husband who is doing business in Korea (he was in China last week) ran into a bad situation – his laptop was COMPLETELY taken over by a horrible virus. For some reason his anti-virus software stopped working. What a nightmare. He got it working a bit though last night (after getting the blue screen of death). He has had a successful trip though – he found people to distribute his cameras in Korea. (He designs “smart cameras” for inspection of manufacturing materials such as the film used in LCD screens).
Ok I just realized that NOTHING is ALL good, bad or ugly...
Except MAYBE this video!
My friend Chelice sent it to me the other day. We both agree it is highly sensationalized,but it exposes the ugly truth.
Hope you are all well.
Lots of love,
Suexxxxxx
Friday, November 02, 2007
Why are we happy? Why aren’t we happy?
I stumbled upon an excellent video and website today. Check out TED.com. I encourage you all to watch it. It’s a bit long, but it’s VERY interesting. You may have to watch it a few times. ( I did).
Happiness Video- Dan Gilbert
I think this is yet another lesson in synchronicity for me. Last week, I was feeling SO happy. I mean, I found myself BEAMING while washing dishes. A month ago I threw a hissy fit because we don’t have a freaking dishwasher here. What gives?
I was enjoying this change of pace, but, being analytical Sue, I kept trying to figure out WHY I was so happy. I think, deep down, I am beginning to realize that happiness is not conditional, it’s not EXTERNAL. It comes from within. I am also learning to accept the things I cannot change (ok yeah.. it is part of the Serenity Prayer). The lecturer in this video (Dan Gilbert - a Harvard psychologist) talks about this.
I think I have learned a lot about surrender, acceptance, and being grateful. Sujoy helps me in this regard. “Look around you – READ THE NEWS!” he says. I skim it, because it makes me sad. Anyway, I do pray for peace and an end to all suffering. I know what it’s like to suffer, but what I have experienced is infinitesimal compared to oh, those in Darfur, Burma or Iraq, for instance.
Anyway, the WEIRD thing was…as I started questioning my happiness…it started to slip away. After watching this video though, I understand that I was definitely on the right track.
Happiness is a state of mind that we can all synthesize. Cool!
Most of you know this quote – which someone on Ted.com used in a comment on the video (no it wasn’t an original Sheryl Crowe lyric!):
“Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get.” - Fyodor Dostoyevsky.
What do YOU think is the secret to happiness?
Happiness Video- Dan Gilbert
I think this is yet another lesson in synchronicity for me. Last week, I was feeling SO happy. I mean, I found myself BEAMING while washing dishes. A month ago I threw a hissy fit because we don’t have a freaking dishwasher here. What gives?
I was enjoying this change of pace, but, being analytical Sue, I kept trying to figure out WHY I was so happy. I think, deep down, I am beginning to realize that happiness is not conditional, it’s not EXTERNAL. It comes from within. I am also learning to accept the things I cannot change (ok yeah.. it is part of the Serenity Prayer). The lecturer in this video (Dan Gilbert - a Harvard psychologist) talks about this.
I think I have learned a lot about surrender, acceptance, and being grateful. Sujoy helps me in this regard. “Look around you – READ THE NEWS!” he says. I skim it, because it makes me sad. Anyway, I do pray for peace and an end to all suffering. I know what it’s like to suffer, but what I have experienced is infinitesimal compared to oh, those in Darfur, Burma or Iraq, for instance.
Anyway, the WEIRD thing was…as I started questioning my happiness…it started to slip away. After watching this video though, I understand that I was definitely on the right track.
Happiness is a state of mind that we can all synthesize. Cool!
Most of you know this quote – which someone on Ted.com used in a comment on the video (no it wasn’t an original Sheryl Crowe lyric!):
“Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get.” - Fyodor Dostoyevsky.
What do YOU think is the secret to happiness?
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Happy Halloween!
Anjoli was a witch today. I dressed up as a gypsy and helped out at her classroom party. The kids made monster cupcakes and I played "Hot Pumpkin" (instead of Hot Potato) with them. It was fun! The kids had their pictures taken and they made cute frames for them. Ingrid, the class mom (an American from Orange County) is very creative and organized...I was impressed. She wants to have a Thanksgiving party...sounds like a lotta work though! The teacher just smiled at THAT suggestion.
Hope y'all have fun trick or treating!
Lots of love,
Suexxxxxxx
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Pictures!
Here are a few pics for ya...taken with Sujoy's cell phone.
I just ordered a camera from Amazon...we'll get it mid- November. I can't wait!
I promise to write a proper post soon but I am really knackered at the mo. :)
Oh I spoke to one of my San Diego friends today (Anna). She and her family and friends are all FINE. I was really worried because she got a reverse 911 call to evacuate, and her area got hit really badly during the last big firestorm.
Here is a pretty pagoda in a nearby park (sorry about the glare):
Still kids at heart! I was actually smiling but you can't tell...boo hoo.
Anjoli and her friends Betty and Jessica- they're sisters. They slept over at our apartment last weekend.
This is the view from our balcony. We are finally getting sunny weather - so I made sure to take a pic today. Ithad been raining for weeks on end since I arrived in early September. October and November are the sunniest and coolest months. Anyway- as I said before, the architecture isn't very pretty, but when I sit in our big overstuffed chair looking toward the mountains the wall of my balcony blocks out most of the apartment buildings. It's a gorgeous view!
Not a bad pic. I look WORSE today for some reason...This was taken on October 13,2007. It will be 3 months since my surgery on...Halloween. I won't need a mask to scare small children! hee hee. My eyebrows are very scary as you can see. I CANNOT find ANYONE who waxes/shapes eyebrows here. It's bizarre...and frustrating. Guess I will just have to make a special trip home soon to the states! Yeah...I wish. :(
I just ordered a camera from Amazon...we'll get it mid- November. I can't wait!
I promise to write a proper post soon but I am really knackered at the mo. :)
Oh I spoke to one of my San Diego friends today (Anna). She and her family and friends are all FINE. I was really worried because she got a reverse 911 call to evacuate, and her area got hit really badly during the last big firestorm.
Here is a pretty pagoda in a nearby park (sorry about the glare):
Still kids at heart! I was actually smiling but you can't tell...boo hoo.
Anjoli and her friends Betty and Jessica- they're sisters. They slept over at our apartment last weekend.
This is the view from our balcony. We are finally getting sunny weather - so I made sure to take a pic today. Ithad been raining for weeks on end since I arrived in early September. October and November are the sunniest and coolest months. Anyway- as I said before, the architecture isn't very pretty, but when I sit in our big overstuffed chair looking toward the mountains the wall of my balcony blocks out most of the apartment buildings. It's a gorgeous view!
Not a bad pic. I look WORSE today for some reason...This was taken on October 13,2007. It will be 3 months since my surgery on...Halloween. I won't need a mask to scare small children! hee hee. My eyebrows are very scary as you can see. I CANNOT find ANYONE who waxes/shapes eyebrows here. It's bizarre...and frustrating. Guess I will just have to make a special trip home soon to the states! Yeah...I wish. :(
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
My tenants evacuated our house
This is San Miguel Mountain- you can see it from up the street from my house!
I'm glad to be here in Taipei, yes, but I fear for my friends and all the wildlife and horses...I think my neighbors had enough time to evacuate their horses. I hope and pray.
I've been praying all day.
I copied this comment from a San Diego Fire Blog:
"I drove to see the St. Miguel fire a few minutes ago and the entire mountain is ablaze. It seems the fire line is 5 miles long. It has crested the ridge and the winds appear to be shifting SE. There appeared to be many homes in the area and very little police activity as recently as 1AM. I hope the residents are made aware soon. It seems this fire is not going to go away as there is nobody fighting it. Apparently some radio towers for PBS, KUSI, and NBC are on top of the mountain and burning from what I hear on the radio."
I just read that the fire is heading away from our community (at the moment). Thank GOD!
Monday, October 22, 2007
She ran calling WILD FIRE!!!!
Ok that was a one of the worst songs ever written. Remember???
PLEASE PRAY FOR THE FINE FOLKS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA!!!
The fires are out of control in parts of Orange and San Diego County - including Rancho Bernardo where my baby was born. They have hit the exact area where we lived when we first moved to San Diego. One of my friend's dad lost his home a few years ago - and NOW the fires have hit the same area AGAIN (in Ramona- he lives in Cuyamaca - very close by).
20,000 people have lost power (last I read).
Ok I will take a typhoon over these fires ANY DAY! I promise not to whine about a little flooding. Really.
Scary stuff.
PLEASE PRAY FOR THE FINE FOLKS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA!!!
The fires are out of control in parts of Orange and San Diego County - including Rancho Bernardo where my baby was born. They have hit the exact area where we lived when we first moved to San Diego. One of my friend's dad lost his home a few years ago - and NOW the fires have hit the same area AGAIN (in Ramona- he lives in Cuyamaca - very close by).
20,000 people have lost power (last I read).
Ok I will take a typhoon over these fires ANY DAY! I promise not to whine about a little flooding. Really.
Scary stuff.
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