Tonight at the Salvation Army Holly and I got to help out with Sunbeams, which is basically like Girl Scouts, only Christian. Even the pledges of the 2 organizations resemble each other.
The girls seem to range in age from maybe 3rd or 4th grade up to probably about 6th grade.
They earn badges, just like in Scouts, and they even wear uniforms and sashes at special ceremonies.
The girl I sat next to is one of those people who comments on EVERYTHING and is super annoying, but I tried to remind myself she is made in the image of God so she really can't be that bad. It definitely helped my attitude towards her; and I figured she's probably about like I was at that age, so then I just felt bad for the adults in my life while I was younger.
The girl on my other side is a very sweet people-pleaser. She has a great attitude about life and her busy schedule and Sunbeams. When we stood up to recite the pledge, she patted my back and said, "You'll learn it!" I smiled and thought, "Alrighty."
One thing I noticed tonight was the privileges kids have. It baffles me how young kids are when they get cell phones nowadays. I didn't get my own cell phone til I came to college, and these kids get phones at the ripe old age of 11. I think it's rather ridiculous, unnecessary, and very spoiling. But that's my 2 cents on an issue that doesn't affect me directly since I am not 11 and I do not have children.
I enjoyed seeing the Sunbeam program this evening. It is really refreshing to know there are groups who advocate hard work and good deeds. Also at the Salvation Army (while the Sunbeams meet), there is a Girl Guard meeting (which is basically Sunbeams for older girls), and Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts. I think kids' involvement in organizations such as Sunbeams, Scouts, 4-H, FFA, Junior ROTC, band and choir, and sports can positively help shape their characters.
I'm headed on a road trip tomorrow and am not sure when I'll be able to blog next. In the meantime, I will be visiting with my Grandpa, visiting my parents and brother and sister-in-law and nephew, and of course, livin' it up!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Taste of India and Good Sam
"...it is effort that matters, not result" (The Geography of Bliss, page 122).
Well said.
One of my best friends never checks his grades. Honestly he has no idea what grade he has received in any class or what his GPA is. He says as long as he has put forth his best work and given the class his best effort, the grade doesn't matter. There isn't anything he can do about his grade at that point anyway, and the lessons he learned came from his work, not his grade.
That is a thought I really appreciate, and it is a lesson Eric Weiner was told while in Qatar.
Looking back to my years of 4-H and showing horses, when all was said and done, it wasn't the ribbon I remembered most; what I remembered most were the memories of hard work, struggles, successes, and the 'at least I know for next time' experiences.
There was one time I was cooling my horse down after we were done showing and a mother of a girl I rode against came up to me and basically chewed me out for getting in her daughter's way. I was naiive and didn't realize I had done anything wrong. Now, this lady made me feel humiliated and ignorant. I considered her reprimand and thought back to my performance. Ya know what I remember most from that particular show? The fun time I had with my horse. We didn't place or even receive a Thanks for Participating ribbon, but I remember that show as a valuable learning tool. Ribbon or not, my horse and I were successful that day.
This evening, my bestie (who is also my boyfriend and water treading partner) and I dined in the cozy Taste of India restaurant. Upon entering, we were greeted by Indian-type music playing softly and bright yellow walls adorned with fabric wall hangings. The first thing I noticed was how quiet everyone was. Usually people are talkative at restaurants, but the patrons seemed more reserved at Taste of India.
After being seated by an American hostess, a charismatic Indian woman handed us menus, and soon had us convinced to try some white bread as an appetizer.
While we waited for our bread, we munched on some cracker type food that I would describe as a mixture of a Matzo, tortilla chips, and Wheat Thins that are about the size of a typical hard taco shell. We were also given a tray of dips for these chip-type snacks (the Indian version of chips and salsa). One sauce was green, and its appearance reminded me of guacamole, but it tastes real good :) Kinda hot, and I'm assuming it is made with some kind of peppers, but very tasty. Another dip looks a lot like salsa and is also hot. The third choice looks like dark maple syrup and it is kind of sweet tasting. Once again, being the picky eater I am, I was hesitant but I braved it up to try all 3. It was interesting to try them. The green is my favorite.
We realized we had better look through the menu and try to find something to order. It was tough to decide. There was one item we agreed sounded really good, tandoori, but the menu said that you should only order it if you're not in a rush. We had to get back to school for my comrade's comedy performance for class (which was HILARIOUS!), so we instead chose Chicken Ragon Josh for me and he ordered Chicken ...hmmmm...I cannot recall the name :( Oh well, we couldn't pronounce them anyway ;-)
Our happy Indian waitress delivered our bread and it was AWESOME! It is basically a large sheet of thin bread, soft and warm and obviously fresh. We ate it in minutes!
Then our meal came, and our eyes grew to the size of tennis balls when we saw a plate of rice heaped 5" tall! That was my boyfriend's, and it was accompanied by a bowl of white sauce that he said seemed kind of like ranch dressing. My meal came in 2 dishes also, but thankfully, much smaller dishes. Chicken Ragon Josh is a bowl of white rice with another bowl of another salsa-appearing saucy-style dip with pieces of chicken mixed in. I poured the saucy stuff over the rice and it was very good. We each tried a bite of each other's, but I think we were both satisfied with our own selection.
The spices are definitely exotic, and unlike flavors native to the West. They're good and hot, and I think exotic is about the best word to describe them.
It was really fun to experience Taste of India. It certainly seems authentic, we had a pleasant dining experience, and the food was really tasty. A fun evening!
Since Interim is wrapping up rapidly (tomorrow) and I haven't been able to find enough information about my 3rd restaurant to know when it's open, I have decided to discuss a restaurant I ate at over Christmas Break.
Garden City, KS is a town that is about 60% Hispanic. In their grocery stores, I see peppers I didn't even know existed. Just right there in the produce section. G.C. is the real deal when it comes to Spanish culture. While there, we ate at an authentic Spanish restaurant.
Now, I love salsa and tacos, and Taco Tuesday is my favorite day at the "Calf" (kids at school refer to the cafeteria as the "Caf," so I think it's funny to add an "l"....that's just me...).
I always suspected that store-bought salsa, preferrably Mild for my Midwest tastebuds, wasn't exactly authentic; however, I also didn't view this as a problem. When I tasted the salsa at the real Mexican restaurant in G.C., I went "Wowwwww" and inhaled deeply and my eyes got watery and I could feel my face burning up and the little hairs around my face got damp with sweat and I couldn't wash away the burn...yet it was good...so I reached for some more!
In a nutshell, that describes most of my eating experiences in G.C. Since the city offers more peppers and flavors than up here, food is way more Mexican than Midwest food...and it helps that the preparers of the food are Hispanic.
That evening at the Mexican restaurant was also a fun dining experience. There was a large Spanish family in the restaurant and also a German Mennonite couple. The walls are painted bright colors and the Hispanic waitresses wear their beautiful black hair long down their backs. Mariachi music plays, and the little Mexican girl at the table next to us is loud and cute and obviously adores all the women in her family.
Another experience I had over break with a Spanish family:
A VERY kind family. 4 generations. One house. Food is a BIG deal. The kids speak 2 languages: English and Spanish. They translate for their Spanish-speaking elders. They have the phenomenal ability to listen to their Spanish mother, turn to me, instantly translate, and just as quickly translate my response back into Spanish. Never messing up or confusing words. Perfect. Did I mention generous? They made tamales and shared with us. This was my first experience eating tamales, and I'm so in love with them I think they're worth trying to make here in SD. Tamales are made in a corn husk. A floury, doughy, paste is spread onto the corn husk, and then the shell can be filled with anything: chicken, beef, pork, raisins and cream cheese, dream big. Then they're boiled and then they're amazing to eat :) (Don't eat the husk part though).
My horizons were definitely broadened with my Hispanic experience over Christmas break. I worked with German Mennonites who speak Spanish and talked to genuine Mexican families that are closely tied to their heritage. My appreciation for Hispanice culture has defintitely increased, and I truly enjoyed the experiences :)
This Interim has gone very quickly, and can hardly believe I only have one more day to blog. I'm really trying to finish The Geography of Bliss in time, but it will definitely be a pinch.
With the experiences of this class, I have learned to learn. This class has definitely shown me the importance of keeping an open mind and having a willingness to learn. Every culture and race has its strengths and lessons to teach, and unless I respect and receive those lessons, I'll miss out on some really great life experiences. Unless I had been told to go, I don't know if I would have ever chosen to eat at a Mediterranean grill or Indian restaurant. Now that I've done it I'm really glad I have had those experiences.
I'm glad I read the books and plays I have. They've shown me that there's a big old world outside of Minnehaha County. When I run through a field and can see the sky in 180 degrees, it's amazing. And it feels like heaven and it feels huge and it seems like forever. When I was really little, I thought if I climbed high enough in a tree I could see the whole world. I soon realized that privilege is for God. Even when the sky looks wildly huge, I realize that I'm looking at maybe 10 miles. The world is ginormous. Every person has a story to tell and a history. Sometimes I think about all the people I'll see only once in my lifetime...at airports, Hy-Vee, driving down the Interstate...there are soooo many people.
Last night 2 of my good friends showed me a video they made for their Interim class. It's called "Worth the Price?" and it starts out by showing pictures of dogs and cats that are primped up and dressed up and fat and eating human food. Then, it sharply segues into pictures of starving children. They're horrible and gruesome. And the video is awesome. I've been thinking about it ever since. It made me stop and go, "Whoa. This isn't right." I realized that their video is definitely in scope of this class.
Wow, this is getting long. I'll try to be brief (haha, starting now, I mean). Today I met with Kathy at the Good Samaritan elderly community on Minnesota Ave. She spoke with me about activities for the residents. Getting old scares me. I'll be honest...even like, oh, 25, scares me. Walking past rooms today and stealing peeks at decrepidly ancient invalids just made me very concerned about age. ANYway, visiting with Kathy greatly reduced my apprehension. Would ya ever guess that the nursing homes have volleyball teams that compete against each other?! And that they make arts and crafts and then sell them? Or that once a week a lady comes with a bunch of clothing that they can purchase and maintain their independence? (well, to a small degree). All this, and so much more at Good Sam. In the summer they go to parks and farms and have picnics and pet puppies.
Of the 110 residents, only 25 are men (I suppose because men tend to die off sooner than women...?), and a whopping 7 can walk. Fun and Fitness, Devotions, Catholic Rosary and Mass, Manicures, Baking, and Bingo are offered on a weekly basis.
I find it very comforting that there are people committed to caring for the elderly. After all, they're pretty much the reason we're here, and they are still kids (in God's eyes). I think it's just great that Good Sam offers so much recreation for them.
Kathy is a very special lady, I can tell. She sincerely cares about each of the residents and hopefully when she gets to be that age, someone will put forth as much effort to her well-being as she does for the geriatrics at Good Sam now. I did enjoy visiting with her about senior activities.
Salvation Army tomorrow!
Well said.
One of my best friends never checks his grades. Honestly he has no idea what grade he has received in any class or what his GPA is. He says as long as he has put forth his best work and given the class his best effort, the grade doesn't matter. There isn't anything he can do about his grade at that point anyway, and the lessons he learned came from his work, not his grade.
That is a thought I really appreciate, and it is a lesson Eric Weiner was told while in Qatar.
Looking back to my years of 4-H and showing horses, when all was said and done, it wasn't the ribbon I remembered most; what I remembered most were the memories of hard work, struggles, successes, and the 'at least I know for next time' experiences.
There was one time I was cooling my horse down after we were done showing and a mother of a girl I rode against came up to me and basically chewed me out for getting in her daughter's way. I was naiive and didn't realize I had done anything wrong. Now, this lady made me feel humiliated and ignorant. I considered her reprimand and thought back to my performance. Ya know what I remember most from that particular show? The fun time I had with my horse. We didn't place or even receive a Thanks for Participating ribbon, but I remember that show as a valuable learning tool. Ribbon or not, my horse and I were successful that day.
This evening, my bestie (who is also my boyfriend and water treading partner) and I dined in the cozy Taste of India restaurant. Upon entering, we were greeted by Indian-type music playing softly and bright yellow walls adorned with fabric wall hangings. The first thing I noticed was how quiet everyone was. Usually people are talkative at restaurants, but the patrons seemed more reserved at Taste of India.
After being seated by an American hostess, a charismatic Indian woman handed us menus, and soon had us convinced to try some white bread as an appetizer.
While we waited for our bread, we munched on some cracker type food that I would describe as a mixture of a Matzo, tortilla chips, and Wheat Thins that are about the size of a typical hard taco shell. We were also given a tray of dips for these chip-type snacks (the Indian version of chips and salsa). One sauce was green, and its appearance reminded me of guacamole, but it tastes real good :) Kinda hot, and I'm assuming it is made with some kind of peppers, but very tasty. Another dip looks a lot like salsa and is also hot. The third choice looks like dark maple syrup and it is kind of sweet tasting. Once again, being the picky eater I am, I was hesitant but I braved it up to try all 3. It was interesting to try them. The green is my favorite.
We realized we had better look through the menu and try to find something to order. It was tough to decide. There was one item we agreed sounded really good, tandoori, but the menu said that you should only order it if you're not in a rush. We had to get back to school for my comrade's comedy performance for class (which was HILARIOUS!), so we instead chose Chicken Ragon Josh for me and he ordered Chicken ...hmmmm...I cannot recall the name :( Oh well, we couldn't pronounce them anyway ;-)
Our happy Indian waitress delivered our bread and it was AWESOME! It is basically a large sheet of thin bread, soft and warm and obviously fresh. We ate it in minutes!
Then our meal came, and our eyes grew to the size of tennis balls when we saw a plate of rice heaped 5" tall! That was my boyfriend's, and it was accompanied by a bowl of white sauce that he said seemed kind of like ranch dressing. My meal came in 2 dishes also, but thankfully, much smaller dishes. Chicken Ragon Josh is a bowl of white rice with another bowl of another salsa-appearing saucy-style dip with pieces of chicken mixed in. I poured the saucy stuff over the rice and it was very good. We each tried a bite of each other's, but I think we were both satisfied with our own selection.
The spices are definitely exotic, and unlike flavors native to the West. They're good and hot, and I think exotic is about the best word to describe them.
It was really fun to experience Taste of India. It certainly seems authentic, we had a pleasant dining experience, and the food was really tasty. A fun evening!
Since Interim is wrapping up rapidly (tomorrow) and I haven't been able to find enough information about my 3rd restaurant to know when it's open, I have decided to discuss a restaurant I ate at over Christmas Break.
Garden City, KS is a town that is about 60% Hispanic. In their grocery stores, I see peppers I didn't even know existed. Just right there in the produce section. G.C. is the real deal when it comes to Spanish culture. While there, we ate at an authentic Spanish restaurant.
Now, I love salsa and tacos, and Taco Tuesday is my favorite day at the "Calf" (kids at school refer to the cafeteria as the "Caf," so I think it's funny to add an "l"....that's just me...).
I always suspected that store-bought salsa, preferrably Mild for my Midwest tastebuds, wasn't exactly authentic; however, I also didn't view this as a problem. When I tasted the salsa at the real Mexican restaurant in G.C., I went "Wowwwww" and inhaled deeply and my eyes got watery and I could feel my face burning up and the little hairs around my face got damp with sweat and I couldn't wash away the burn...yet it was good...so I reached for some more!
In a nutshell, that describes most of my eating experiences in G.C. Since the city offers more peppers and flavors than up here, food is way more Mexican than Midwest food...and it helps that the preparers of the food are Hispanic.
That evening at the Mexican restaurant was also a fun dining experience. There was a large Spanish family in the restaurant and also a German Mennonite couple. The walls are painted bright colors and the Hispanic waitresses wear their beautiful black hair long down their backs. Mariachi music plays, and the little Mexican girl at the table next to us is loud and cute and obviously adores all the women in her family.
Another experience I had over break with a Spanish family:
A VERY kind family. 4 generations. One house. Food is a BIG deal. The kids speak 2 languages: English and Spanish. They translate for their Spanish-speaking elders. They have the phenomenal ability to listen to their Spanish mother, turn to me, instantly translate, and just as quickly translate my response back into Spanish. Never messing up or confusing words. Perfect. Did I mention generous? They made tamales and shared with us. This was my first experience eating tamales, and I'm so in love with them I think they're worth trying to make here in SD. Tamales are made in a corn husk. A floury, doughy, paste is spread onto the corn husk, and then the shell can be filled with anything: chicken, beef, pork, raisins and cream cheese, dream big. Then they're boiled and then they're amazing to eat :) (Don't eat the husk part though).
My horizons were definitely broadened with my Hispanic experience over Christmas break. I worked with German Mennonites who speak Spanish and talked to genuine Mexican families that are closely tied to their heritage. My appreciation for Hispanice culture has defintitely increased, and I truly enjoyed the experiences :)
This Interim has gone very quickly, and can hardly believe I only have one more day to blog. I'm really trying to finish The Geography of Bliss in time, but it will definitely be a pinch.
With the experiences of this class, I have learned to learn. This class has definitely shown me the importance of keeping an open mind and having a willingness to learn. Every culture and race has its strengths and lessons to teach, and unless I respect and receive those lessons, I'll miss out on some really great life experiences. Unless I had been told to go, I don't know if I would have ever chosen to eat at a Mediterranean grill or Indian restaurant. Now that I've done it I'm really glad I have had those experiences.
I'm glad I read the books and plays I have. They've shown me that there's a big old world outside of Minnehaha County. When I run through a field and can see the sky in 180 degrees, it's amazing. And it feels like heaven and it feels huge and it seems like forever. When I was really little, I thought if I climbed high enough in a tree I could see the whole world. I soon realized that privilege is for God. Even when the sky looks wildly huge, I realize that I'm looking at maybe 10 miles. The world is ginormous. Every person has a story to tell and a history. Sometimes I think about all the people I'll see only once in my lifetime...at airports, Hy-Vee, driving down the Interstate...there are soooo many people.
Last night 2 of my good friends showed me a video they made for their Interim class. It's called "Worth the Price?" and it starts out by showing pictures of dogs and cats that are primped up and dressed up and fat and eating human food. Then, it sharply segues into pictures of starving children. They're horrible and gruesome. And the video is awesome. I've been thinking about it ever since. It made me stop and go, "Whoa. This isn't right." I realized that their video is definitely in scope of this class.
Wow, this is getting long. I'll try to be brief (haha, starting now, I mean). Today I met with Kathy at the Good Samaritan elderly community on Minnesota Ave. She spoke with me about activities for the residents. Getting old scares me. I'll be honest...even like, oh, 25, scares me. Walking past rooms today and stealing peeks at decrepidly ancient invalids just made me very concerned about age. ANYway, visiting with Kathy greatly reduced my apprehension. Would ya ever guess that the nursing homes have volleyball teams that compete against each other?! And that they make arts and crafts and then sell them? Or that once a week a lady comes with a bunch of clothing that they can purchase and maintain their independence? (well, to a small degree). All this, and so much more at Good Sam. In the summer they go to parks and farms and have picnics and pet puppies.
Of the 110 residents, only 25 are men (I suppose because men tend to die off sooner than women...?), and a whopping 7 can walk. Fun and Fitness, Devotions, Catholic Rosary and Mass, Manicures, Baking, and Bingo are offered on a weekly basis.
I find it very comforting that there are people committed to caring for the elderly. After all, they're pretty much the reason we're here, and they are still kids (in God's eyes). I think it's just great that Good Sam offers so much recreation for them.
Kathy is a very special lady, I can tell. She sincerely cares about each of the residents and hopefully when she gets to be that age, someone will put forth as much effort to her well-being as she does for the geriatrics at Good Sam now. I did enjoy visiting with her about senior activities.
Salvation Army tomorrow!
Monday, January 25, 2010
Dennis Thum and Bliss
This morning Dom and I met with Dennis Thum and discussed our class so far, what to do with our remaining days, our majors, our hopes and dreams, our past wounds, and our families. He's such a sincere guy with so much care and concern to offer. When he asks about someone, he really is interested. I am amazed by all his experiences, and his ability to open up and share stories.
He has this really intriguing idea that the USF theatre department (and/or in conjuction with somebody's senior project) should band together with the State Pen and put on a production with the inmates. That's a cool idea! He said there would of course be obstacles, including having the project passed by authority, finding an all-male script, and the possibility of working with men who perhaps aren't the most mentally healthy.
After we had the opportunity of working with some prisoners at the Salvation Army the other day, I believe it is safe to say that there are certainly some prisoners who would jump at the idea to be involved with a production run by college kids (especially if there were some ladies!). They seem so bored, as if they could shrivel into a state of indifference. It seems like a production would be a very constructive use of their time, and I think Dennis has a great idea. Talking to him today got me somewhat interested in his prison ministry. I'm sure I would be pretty scared at times, but imagine how enlightening it would be to worship with someone whose main difference from me is that he was convicted for his sin...I'll have to consider partaking in Dennis' prison ministry in the spring.
Talking to Dennis is such an encouraging conversation; he's an upper of a guy :)
I kept reading in The Geography of Bliss today. I still think Weiner is a hilarious author, and it is so interesting to read his perspective of a similar region of the world that Rita from Tales of a Female Nomad experienced. One point that both authors mention is a similarity of women worldwide. On several occasions Rita notes how the women gather together in the kitchen, preparing a meal and gossiping. Despite language, race, food, and clothing differences, the essence of women worldwide is very much consistent. She also speaks of the nurturing tendencies of women everywhere she travels. Across the globe, women seem to reach out and take care of others.
On the same note, I find it interesting that Weiner mentions this as well. I don't remember the page number, but I do recall him talking about women being motherly pretty much everywhere. That is an interesting observation. The act of nurturing is natural for ladies across the board.
From my own observations, maternal instinct starts young. I've worked at a couple daycares and done enough babysitting to see that little girls don't normally crash their Hotwheels into the wall, wrestle their friends to the ground, and catch spiders. Nor do little boys feed their dolls, give pretend birth by popping a stuffed animal out of their shirts, or put their arms around their upset friend.
I guess God designed women to be motherly...I dig that!
When Weiner is in Bhutan he is asking one guy about why the Bhutanese are so happy, and his response is that they don't have high expectations. Sometimes I joke that if I don't expect much I can't be disappointed. In all seriousness, it's definitely worth consideration. Of course there is the idea that low expectations lead to low ambition resulting in low productivity resulting in low sense of worth which would not lead to happiness. However, there is also the idea that my best is my best, and since I didn't expect/demand more than my best, I accomplished my best at the best level I could, which probably leads to contentment, also known as happiness. Interesting statement by a man in Bhutan. Hmmm....I may take the low expectation mindset for movies, but I still like dreaming :)
Also in Bhutan, Weiner learns that the happiest countries are those with the most trust. Companies operate on an honor system, and civilians place great trust in their government and neighbors. "Trust is a prerequisite for happiness...Several studies, in fact, have found that trust-more than income or even health-is the biggest factor in determining our happiness" (92). Interesting! It makes sense. I imagine if upon moving into my dorm room, I had a bad gut feeling about my new neighbors and my belongings disappeared and I was scared to go to bed at night. That wouldn't be very happy. But thankfully I am blessed with awesome neighbors who I am confident would help me if I asked and who definitely respect my space and property. And I'm happy.
It's interesting that trustworthiness is so key to happiness. The only reason we need keys for our houses and cars is because of a lack of trust. How many people are smiling while they're feeding a coat hanger through the top of their car door? In a trustworthy society, keys wouldn't be necessary, which means nobody would be locked out, which means more happiness!
I'm hoping to get to another restaurant tomorrow and I need to keep reading in Bliss.
Thank you for sharing your stories and encouragement, Dennis!
Today was a good day, even with the bone-chilling wind and blowing snow and icy sidewalks ;-)
He has this really intriguing idea that the USF theatre department (and/or in conjuction with somebody's senior project) should band together with the State Pen and put on a production with the inmates. That's a cool idea! He said there would of course be obstacles, including having the project passed by authority, finding an all-male script, and the possibility of working with men who perhaps aren't the most mentally healthy.
After we had the opportunity of working with some prisoners at the Salvation Army the other day, I believe it is safe to say that there are certainly some prisoners who would jump at the idea to be involved with a production run by college kids (especially if there were some ladies!). They seem so bored, as if they could shrivel into a state of indifference. It seems like a production would be a very constructive use of their time, and I think Dennis has a great idea. Talking to him today got me somewhat interested in his prison ministry. I'm sure I would be pretty scared at times, but imagine how enlightening it would be to worship with someone whose main difference from me is that he was convicted for his sin...I'll have to consider partaking in Dennis' prison ministry in the spring.
Talking to Dennis is such an encouraging conversation; he's an upper of a guy :)
I kept reading in The Geography of Bliss today. I still think Weiner is a hilarious author, and it is so interesting to read his perspective of a similar region of the world that Rita from Tales of a Female Nomad experienced. One point that both authors mention is a similarity of women worldwide. On several occasions Rita notes how the women gather together in the kitchen, preparing a meal and gossiping. Despite language, race, food, and clothing differences, the essence of women worldwide is very much consistent. She also speaks of the nurturing tendencies of women everywhere she travels. Across the globe, women seem to reach out and take care of others.
On the same note, I find it interesting that Weiner mentions this as well. I don't remember the page number, but I do recall him talking about women being motherly pretty much everywhere. That is an interesting observation. The act of nurturing is natural for ladies across the board.
From my own observations, maternal instinct starts young. I've worked at a couple daycares and done enough babysitting to see that little girls don't normally crash their Hotwheels into the wall, wrestle their friends to the ground, and catch spiders. Nor do little boys feed their dolls, give pretend birth by popping a stuffed animal out of their shirts, or put their arms around their upset friend.
I guess God designed women to be motherly...I dig that!
When Weiner is in Bhutan he is asking one guy about why the Bhutanese are so happy, and his response is that they don't have high expectations. Sometimes I joke that if I don't expect much I can't be disappointed. In all seriousness, it's definitely worth consideration. Of course there is the idea that low expectations lead to low ambition resulting in low productivity resulting in low sense of worth which would not lead to happiness. However, there is also the idea that my best is my best, and since I didn't expect/demand more than my best, I accomplished my best at the best level I could, which probably leads to contentment, also known as happiness. Interesting statement by a man in Bhutan. Hmmm....I may take the low expectation mindset for movies, but I still like dreaming :)
Also in Bhutan, Weiner learns that the happiest countries are those with the most trust. Companies operate on an honor system, and civilians place great trust in their government and neighbors. "Trust is a prerequisite for happiness...Several studies, in fact, have found that trust-more than income or even health-is the biggest factor in determining our happiness" (92). Interesting! It makes sense. I imagine if upon moving into my dorm room, I had a bad gut feeling about my new neighbors and my belongings disappeared and I was scared to go to bed at night. That wouldn't be very happy. But thankfully I am blessed with awesome neighbors who I am confident would help me if I asked and who definitely respect my space and property. And I'm happy.
It's interesting that trustworthiness is so key to happiness. The only reason we need keys for our houses and cars is because of a lack of trust. How many people are smiling while they're feeding a coat hanger through the top of their car door? In a trustworthy society, keys wouldn't be necessary, which means nobody would be locked out, which means more happiness!
I'm hoping to get to another restaurant tomorrow and I need to keep reading in Bliss.
Thank you for sharing your stories and encouragement, Dennis!
Today was a good day, even with the bone-chilling wind and blowing snow and icy sidewalks ;-)
Sunday, January 24, 2010
"The Exonerated"
Yesterday I read the play "The Exonerated" by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen. To start, I looked up exonerated in my dictionary and learned that the word means to declare or prove blameless. "Okay!" I thought, "So this is gonna be interesting."
A couple months ago at Chapel a man visited and spoke about his false accusation and the time he wrongly spent in prison. I really enjoyed listening to him tell his story of unclear evidence, and therefore, his time in prison. Years later, when DNA testing proved that he was not the criminal and he was freed, the general public continued to treat him as a rapist and killer. It took quite a while for him to regain respect. I find that very sad, yet understandable; I can imagine it would be hard to tell yourself that an accused person actually didn't do a crime which you had previously been told he/she had.
"The Exonerated" is a compilation of several true stories of innocent people who were wrongly accused and served time, and in some cases, were executed for crimes they did not commit.
I began reading and was instantly roped into the stories and even taking sides on the individual cases. Just reading the script caused me to get upset when the innocent people were accused; I cannot fathom what it would be like to live such a tragedy.
I think the style the play is written in is very likable. The reenactments of the crimes/confusion help the audience see what actually went down and how the accused were treated by authority. It also helps keep the play moving and interesting. With no intermission, the play moves from tale to tale of what happened to these people regarding their undue punishment.
I really found myself taking to the characters, imagining what they look like, and trying to remember that they are indeed real people who are likely still alive today.
The notes at the beginning of the script emphasize the significance of race when it comes to justice. Unfortunately, race plays a huge role in a person's conviction. Martin Luther King, Jr. would have something to say about this.
If this were merely a play, that would be one aspect of justice to consider; but this play is written about interviews with a handful of people who have actually experienced this injustice.
This makes me wonder how many undeserving people are in prison right now...and how many people have already been executed for a crime that someone else committed....YIKES! What if it happens to someone I love...or me?!
The reality of this injustice is quite alarming. After all, prison and the death penalty are slightly more serious than the times I endured time-out or sitting by the wall at recess for a yell or punch I didn't do.
At the same time though, I'm sure glad our country has law enforcement and a criminal justice department....I sure wouldn't want vigilantes running the show. Yet, the concern revolving unjust punishment is a real one. Hmmm....at least DNA testing is helping the matter.
Today I started "The Geography of Bliss" by Eric Weiner (hehe). Personally, I think it's funny. So far I'm pretty well enjoying the book. He just makes me laugh...he's a bit of a downer, and his pessimism coupled with honest observations makes me giggle. Usually pessimistic people annoy me like none other...but this Weiner guy is funny...perhaps what's funniest is that he probably doesn't realize he has a funny way of phrasing things (because he's a tad negative).
My Mom and I have often thought the world would be better if the chemical in dogs that gives them their perma-happiness could be bottled and distributed for human consumption. Just imagine if people had the zeal, love, loyalty, and downright joy of dogs...it'll be interesting to keep reading and see what Weiner concludes.
A couple months ago at Chapel a man visited and spoke about his false accusation and the time he wrongly spent in prison. I really enjoyed listening to him tell his story of unclear evidence, and therefore, his time in prison. Years later, when DNA testing proved that he was not the criminal and he was freed, the general public continued to treat him as a rapist and killer. It took quite a while for him to regain respect. I find that very sad, yet understandable; I can imagine it would be hard to tell yourself that an accused person actually didn't do a crime which you had previously been told he/she had.
"The Exonerated" is a compilation of several true stories of innocent people who were wrongly accused and served time, and in some cases, were executed for crimes they did not commit.
I began reading and was instantly roped into the stories and even taking sides on the individual cases. Just reading the script caused me to get upset when the innocent people were accused; I cannot fathom what it would be like to live such a tragedy.
I think the style the play is written in is very likable. The reenactments of the crimes/confusion help the audience see what actually went down and how the accused were treated by authority. It also helps keep the play moving and interesting. With no intermission, the play moves from tale to tale of what happened to these people regarding their undue punishment.
I really found myself taking to the characters, imagining what they look like, and trying to remember that they are indeed real people who are likely still alive today.
The notes at the beginning of the script emphasize the significance of race when it comes to justice. Unfortunately, race plays a huge role in a person's conviction. Martin Luther King, Jr. would have something to say about this.
If this were merely a play, that would be one aspect of justice to consider; but this play is written about interviews with a handful of people who have actually experienced this injustice.
This makes me wonder how many undeserving people are in prison right now...and how many people have already been executed for a crime that someone else committed....YIKES! What if it happens to someone I love...or me?!
The reality of this injustice is quite alarming. After all, prison and the death penalty are slightly more serious than the times I endured time-out or sitting by the wall at recess for a yell or punch I didn't do.
At the same time though, I'm sure glad our country has law enforcement and a criminal justice department....I sure wouldn't want vigilantes running the show. Yet, the concern revolving unjust punishment is a real one. Hmmm....at least DNA testing is helping the matter.
Today I started "The Geography of Bliss" by Eric Weiner (hehe). Personally, I think it's funny. So far I'm pretty well enjoying the book. He just makes me laugh...he's a bit of a downer, and his pessimism coupled with honest observations makes me giggle. Usually pessimistic people annoy me like none other...but this Weiner guy is funny...perhaps what's funniest is that he probably doesn't realize he has a funny way of phrasing things (because he's a tad negative).
My Mom and I have often thought the world would be better if the chemical in dogs that gives them their perma-happiness could be bottled and distributed for human consumption. Just imagine if people had the zeal, love, loyalty, and downright joy of dogs...it'll be interesting to keep reading and see what Weiner concludes.
Friday, January 22, 2010
A Dollar, An Orange, and a Courtesy Ticket
Parking meters and One-Way Streets have always confused me; their concepts as well as their effectiveness. Perhaps it's just the country in me, and the fact that I'm not used to either, but they're scary to encounter.
When I got to the Pavilion I decided to just pay a few cents to park on the street rather than brave a parking ramp. So I parked and got out of my truck and the meter said that 60 cents is good for an hour. Perfect! I put in my 60 cents, and then the timer portion started flashing "Out of Order." Yippee. And there was a sign that said don't park by a meter that's out of order. Ugh. So I checked the next meter and it didn't appear to be out of order so I backed up 12 feet into the next spot and put in my money. Grumbling as I crossed the street into the lobby of the Pavilion, I found a man sitting on the steps looking up at me with a hopeful expression. I would guess he's in his late 20s or early 30s, and he smelled heavily of alcohol. He asked if I could give him a quarter so he could buy a bus fare. (I rarely carry cash on me. This one time though, I just so happened to have a dollar in my pocket.) I instinctively thought I should just run back to my truck and grab a quarter, and then I remembered the dollar. "Do ya just want a dollar?" I asked him. His eyes lit up and he said, "Yeah! Whatever ya got-uh can afford-uh can give. Yeah, yeah." I handed him my dollar and asked if he needed anything else. "Anything else? Uh-whatever you can give." He seemed nice, and (for those of you who don't know me well I try to be prepared. And I am a very hungry person and I go through a ton of food. I think if I was a vehicle I'd be a Suburban...seriously. Strange as this will sound, I happened to have 2 oranges tucked in my coat pockets.) So I offered him an orange. "Are ya hungry? I can give ya an orange." His eyes lit up more. "An orange? Sure!" I cheerfully handed him my orange. (Maybe I should've given him both...). He asked my name and shook my hand; during the handshake he told me my hand was cold so I should go farther in the building to warm up. I headed inward, and when I looked back he was already biting into the orange.
That was really cool. I think it's probably the 1st time I've ever given a stranger money and food out of my own pocket. I am just glad I got to help him. I figure he knew I had change because he would've seen me fumbling around with change and the parking meters. I hope he's somewhere warm tonight.
Then I entered the Visual Arts Gallery, and there are currently 6 galleries filled with art. The first one has 60 acrylic painting illustrations of Haiku poems by Kobayahi Issa (1763-1828). Issa was a famous Japanese master of Haiku poems. Mark McGinnis is the artist who recently painted the scenes to accompany Issa's poems.
All the paintings are very beautiful and realistic. He has many scenery pictures and close-ups of landscape. Gorgeous sunrises over mountains, intricate dew drops, bamboo forests, and leaping frogs are just a few of the 60 beautiful paintings. It was fun to walk by and see all the very lovely paintings.
In the next gallery I saw a glass mosaic picture called "Sharing the Lead." It is a great sky blue color with 2 V's of flying birds. I like that piece. It's about teamwork, coordination, cooperation, and communication. Way to go, birds :)
Another cool piece I found is an acrylic painting on a wood panel of a youngish woman looking out over an unsettled prairie. When I looked at, I imagined the woman to be envisioning great, big dreams for her future, full of potential and hope. Then I realized that all the art in the galleries corresponds to poems, and when I read the poem by this hopeful painting, I learned that the lady is beaten by her alcoholic husband and dies young from his beating. So I just like to remember the painting and ignore that downer of a poem.
Next to the hopeful lady on the prairie is a serene oil painting of a meadowy grove. It looks very peaceful; a light breeze ruffling the prairie grasses with a few trees for some shade against the August sun. I just think it's very beautiful.
Then guess what?! I was looking at this one cool digital imagery piece with a farmer and some layering of other pictures, and I noticed that the poem by it is by Dr. Dyer! Wow! And then I found art by Ceca and Nancy! Who knew?!?!
The galleries on the 3rd floor are filled by an artist called Bryan Holland who used to work at USF! His art in the gallery was inspired by old, flaking billboards that present new messages from their torn layers. It was fun to see collages of historic brands and themes, such as astronauts and conspiracies and California orchards.
I enjoyed looking at the artwork in the Pavilion today; very fun to see what people come up with and make. It's also interesting to see what different people will take from a poem (like the Haikus and other poems) to illustrate it.
When I walked up the stairs leading me back the way I came, I could still smell the remnants of alcohol, but the man was gone. Wondering about him, and suspicious of the parking meter, I craned my neck to check on my windshield...sure enough, a little yellow envelope under my windshield wiper. Ugh! I marched across the street, ripped the soaking envelope off my windshield, unlocked my door, and chucked the envelope inside before hopping in. I thought I had the meter all figured out, and I wasted my money in the first one that was out of order, so I try to be a good citizen, and now I'm greeted with this! Thanks.
Nervous and unsure how the parking ticket process works, I opened the envelope, and guess what?! A 'courtesy ticket': No charge, no fee, $0.00 balance! WAHOOO!!! Thank you parking attendant Number 92 :-)
Graciously, I began driving with a much happier mood. I suppose I shouldn't be angry to support my country and community and abide by its rules, but I was frustrated since I'd already paid up once and I couldn't even get acknowledgement for it.
I think I'll save that little slip of paper ;-)
There's my story of a dollar, an orange, and a courtesy ticket.
P.S. I learned that when the electricity goes out in Sioux Falls, the city goes a bit chaotic. I wonder how long our ice storm will last?
When I got to the Pavilion I decided to just pay a few cents to park on the street rather than brave a parking ramp. So I parked and got out of my truck and the meter said that 60 cents is good for an hour. Perfect! I put in my 60 cents, and then the timer portion started flashing "Out of Order." Yippee. And there was a sign that said don't park by a meter that's out of order. Ugh. So I checked the next meter and it didn't appear to be out of order so I backed up 12 feet into the next spot and put in my money. Grumbling as I crossed the street into the lobby of the Pavilion, I found a man sitting on the steps looking up at me with a hopeful expression. I would guess he's in his late 20s or early 30s, and he smelled heavily of alcohol. He asked if I could give him a quarter so he could buy a bus fare. (I rarely carry cash on me. This one time though, I just so happened to have a dollar in my pocket.) I instinctively thought I should just run back to my truck and grab a quarter, and then I remembered the dollar. "Do ya just want a dollar?" I asked him. His eyes lit up and he said, "Yeah! Whatever ya got-uh can afford-uh can give. Yeah, yeah." I handed him my dollar and asked if he needed anything else. "Anything else? Uh-whatever you can give." He seemed nice, and (for those of you who don't know me well I try to be prepared. And I am a very hungry person and I go through a ton of food. I think if I was a vehicle I'd be a Suburban...seriously. Strange as this will sound, I happened to have 2 oranges tucked in my coat pockets.) So I offered him an orange. "Are ya hungry? I can give ya an orange." His eyes lit up more. "An orange? Sure!" I cheerfully handed him my orange. (Maybe I should've given him both...). He asked my name and shook my hand; during the handshake he told me my hand was cold so I should go farther in the building to warm up. I headed inward, and when I looked back he was already biting into the orange.
That was really cool. I think it's probably the 1st time I've ever given a stranger money and food out of my own pocket. I am just glad I got to help him. I figure he knew I had change because he would've seen me fumbling around with change and the parking meters. I hope he's somewhere warm tonight.
Then I entered the Visual Arts Gallery, and there are currently 6 galleries filled with art. The first one has 60 acrylic painting illustrations of Haiku poems by Kobayahi Issa (1763-1828). Issa was a famous Japanese master of Haiku poems. Mark McGinnis is the artist who recently painted the scenes to accompany Issa's poems.
All the paintings are very beautiful and realistic. He has many scenery pictures and close-ups of landscape. Gorgeous sunrises over mountains, intricate dew drops, bamboo forests, and leaping frogs are just a few of the 60 beautiful paintings. It was fun to walk by and see all the very lovely paintings.
In the next gallery I saw a glass mosaic picture called "Sharing the Lead." It is a great sky blue color with 2 V's of flying birds. I like that piece. It's about teamwork, coordination, cooperation, and communication. Way to go, birds :)
Another cool piece I found is an acrylic painting on a wood panel of a youngish woman looking out over an unsettled prairie. When I looked at, I imagined the woman to be envisioning great, big dreams for her future, full of potential and hope. Then I realized that all the art in the galleries corresponds to poems, and when I read the poem by this hopeful painting, I learned that the lady is beaten by her alcoholic husband and dies young from his beating. So I just like to remember the painting and ignore that downer of a poem.
Next to the hopeful lady on the prairie is a serene oil painting of a meadowy grove. It looks very peaceful; a light breeze ruffling the prairie grasses with a few trees for some shade against the August sun. I just think it's very beautiful.
Then guess what?! I was looking at this one cool digital imagery piece with a farmer and some layering of other pictures, and I noticed that the poem by it is by Dr. Dyer! Wow! And then I found art by Ceca and Nancy! Who knew?!?!
The galleries on the 3rd floor are filled by an artist called Bryan Holland who used to work at USF! His art in the gallery was inspired by old, flaking billboards that present new messages from their torn layers. It was fun to see collages of historic brands and themes, such as astronauts and conspiracies and California orchards.
I enjoyed looking at the artwork in the Pavilion today; very fun to see what people come up with and make. It's also interesting to see what different people will take from a poem (like the Haikus and other poems) to illustrate it.
When I walked up the stairs leading me back the way I came, I could still smell the remnants of alcohol, but the man was gone. Wondering about him, and suspicious of the parking meter, I craned my neck to check on my windshield...sure enough, a little yellow envelope under my windshield wiper. Ugh! I marched across the street, ripped the soaking envelope off my windshield, unlocked my door, and chucked the envelope inside before hopping in. I thought I had the meter all figured out, and I wasted my money in the first one that was out of order, so I try to be a good citizen, and now I'm greeted with this! Thanks.
Nervous and unsure how the parking ticket process works, I opened the envelope, and guess what?! A 'courtesy ticket': No charge, no fee, $0.00 balance! WAHOOO!!! Thank you parking attendant Number 92 :-)
Graciously, I began driving with a much happier mood. I suppose I shouldn't be angry to support my country and community and abide by its rules, but I was frustrated since I'd already paid up once and I couldn't even get acknowledgement for it.
I think I'll save that little slip of paper ;-)
There's my story of a dollar, an orange, and a courtesy ticket.
P.S. I learned that when the electricity goes out in Sioux Falls, the city goes a bit chaotic. I wonder how long our ice storm will last?
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Chocolate Tea and Fat Cats
Guess what?! I finished Tales of a Female Nomad today! Hoooray!
It was interesting to read Rita's wrap-up to the book. She explains that she has changed most of the names of people she writes about, and I think that is very considerate. I like how she winds up spending more time with her children and considers spending more time in the States (for her family's sake). I do think it is very admirable that she shares her children's books with people everywhere she goes.
It reminds me of Dolly Parton's book club where she sends kids an age-appropriate book every month til they're 5 (I think 5...don't quote me on that detail). Reading and literacy are so important, so I really appreciate that Rita serves communities with books. I know a kid (he's 15 or 16) who can speak 3 languages, but he can't read any language...how scary that must be! Kudos to Dolly and Rita for their reading projects :)
After practice and babysitting, I met Kim's bestie Julie, who works in Augie's theatre department. I felt bad I was late, and still in my running clothes, but at least I made it. Julie has a very cozy home that is painted in all different colors. I really like the use of color in her house; the kitchen is reds and oranges, and then the living room is warm brown and tan. Very nice. She has the biggest pet-size cats I've probably ever seen in person. They could practically be bob cats. Wow. And there's 4 of them.
I'm a picky eater, and very specific about what I like when it comes to food. Every now and then I try to be polite and/or bold, but generally I stick to what I know tastes good. Wanna know what I like to drink? Water and chocolate milk. Yup...that's it. Rarely pop or juice, never alcohol, and definitely not coffee (NASTY!) So when Julie offered me tea, I instinctively said, "No thanks." It's not that I don't think Julie makes great tea, it's just that I don't like tea so no matter how great it is (for tea standards), I likely will not like it.
Being a generous hostess, she presented me with a huge cupful of chocolate tea. I tried. I really did. But I just couldn't do it. I took a few sips and really wanted to drink it so I wouldn't hurt her feelings, but I just (I'm sorry, Julie) didn't like it. But I did try chocolate tea.
Julie visited with us about theatre and social change theatre. She mentioned Grass Roots and the Laramie Project. She also spoke about Fires in the Mirror and she really wants us to watch the movie so we can see Anna Deveare-Smith in all the characters.
She is really passionate when she speaks about the beauty of taking on a character and showing an audience how he/she lives and expresses and feels. She once played a dying cancer patient, and she thinks it was beautiful to have the opportunity to play such a part.
She spoke about how some people can best help a community by traveling, not making close connections, and offering what they can before moving onto their next community. That reminds me of Rita from Tales of a Female Nomad. Except Rita does seem to form pretty instant connections with people; yet she serves a society and then quickly moves on.
Other people do better by staying in a close-knit community, forming lasting relationships, and continually offering their services. She mentioned this when Holly spoke about small-town roots and living in a little world. Some people are frustrated when they feel trapped in a small town or tight community where they cannot see more people and reach out to other cultures. I don't think that's bad. I think that some people learn far more from someone they've known for a long time and built trust with than with a traveler who may have just as much to teach.
I think both types of people are equally important. While the first type may travel the world and directly affect thousands of different people with their art/teaching/etc., the latter type may form relationships with the first type, indirectly affecting just as many lives.
Good thing for balance and variation in the world :)
It was interesting to read Rita's wrap-up to the book. She explains that she has changed most of the names of people she writes about, and I think that is very considerate. I like how she winds up spending more time with her children and considers spending more time in the States (for her family's sake). I do think it is very admirable that she shares her children's books with people everywhere she goes.
It reminds me of Dolly Parton's book club where she sends kids an age-appropriate book every month til they're 5 (I think 5...don't quote me on that detail). Reading and literacy are so important, so I really appreciate that Rita serves communities with books. I know a kid (he's 15 or 16) who can speak 3 languages, but he can't read any language...how scary that must be! Kudos to Dolly and Rita for their reading projects :)
After practice and babysitting, I met Kim's bestie Julie, who works in Augie's theatre department. I felt bad I was late, and still in my running clothes, but at least I made it. Julie has a very cozy home that is painted in all different colors. I really like the use of color in her house; the kitchen is reds and oranges, and then the living room is warm brown and tan. Very nice. She has the biggest pet-size cats I've probably ever seen in person. They could practically be bob cats. Wow. And there's 4 of them.
I'm a picky eater, and very specific about what I like when it comes to food. Every now and then I try to be polite and/or bold, but generally I stick to what I know tastes good. Wanna know what I like to drink? Water and chocolate milk. Yup...that's it. Rarely pop or juice, never alcohol, and definitely not coffee (NASTY!) So when Julie offered me tea, I instinctively said, "No thanks." It's not that I don't think Julie makes great tea, it's just that I don't like tea so no matter how great it is (for tea standards), I likely will not like it.
Being a generous hostess, she presented me with a huge cupful of chocolate tea. I tried. I really did. But I just couldn't do it. I took a few sips and really wanted to drink it so I wouldn't hurt her feelings, but I just (I'm sorry, Julie) didn't like it. But I did try chocolate tea.
Julie visited with us about theatre and social change theatre. She mentioned Grass Roots and the Laramie Project. She also spoke about Fires in the Mirror and she really wants us to watch the movie so we can see Anna Deveare-Smith in all the characters.
She is really passionate when she speaks about the beauty of taking on a character and showing an audience how he/she lives and expresses and feels. She once played a dying cancer patient, and she thinks it was beautiful to have the opportunity to play such a part.
She spoke about how some people can best help a community by traveling, not making close connections, and offering what they can before moving onto their next community. That reminds me of Rita from Tales of a Female Nomad. Except Rita does seem to form pretty instant connections with people; yet she serves a society and then quickly moves on.
Other people do better by staying in a close-knit community, forming lasting relationships, and continually offering their services. She mentioned this when Holly spoke about small-town roots and living in a little world. Some people are frustrated when they feel trapped in a small town or tight community where they cannot see more people and reach out to other cultures. I don't think that's bad. I think that some people learn far more from someone they've known for a long time and built trust with than with a traveler who may have just as much to teach.
I think both types of people are equally important. While the first type may travel the world and directly affect thousands of different people with their art/teaching/etc., the latter type may form relationships with the first type, indirectly affecting just as many lives.
Good thing for balance and variation in the world :)
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
False Alarm
This evening we girls headed over to help out with children's' activities at the Salvation Army. When we arrived, the head honchos said, "Oooohh. You're here to help, aren't you? Sorry! We forgot to call you. The activities are cancelled because the leaders didn't want to try to travel in this weather."
They felt bad and apologized a ton, which was nice, but it wasn't that big of a deal. We offered to pitch in any other place, and they had us bleach a few tables.
I'm kinda disappointed we didn't get to hang out with the kids again, but there's still next week.
To celebrate my birthday, I got to go sledding! Sledding is such a blast :) And I had a lesson on how to use an ice ax...that's really fun!
Still reading Tales of a Female Nomad. I'm still shocked at Rita's unquenchable sense of adventure. I feel bad for her family and friends back home, but it's her life, and she seems to earn more satisfaction from nomadic living. I mean, I miss my parents and brother and they're only 300 miles away. I can't imagine my Mom telling me that she's just going to up and leave the country and I may or may not see her in a few months.
But it is interesting to learn about Rita's experiences and the world outside of SD. That's definitely one very cool aspect of Rita's nomadic life. In writing about her journeys, she fills in readers about world affairs; I wonder how many of her readers have been spurred into action by her touching tales of distended stomachs and wars...
Well, I'm sorry I don't have more monumental thoughts to share tonight...maybe tomorrow ;-)
They felt bad and apologized a ton, which was nice, but it wasn't that big of a deal. We offered to pitch in any other place, and they had us bleach a few tables.
I'm kinda disappointed we didn't get to hang out with the kids again, but there's still next week.
To celebrate my birthday, I got to go sledding! Sledding is such a blast :) And I had a lesson on how to use an ice ax...that's really fun!
Still reading Tales of a Female Nomad. I'm still shocked at Rita's unquenchable sense of adventure. I feel bad for her family and friends back home, but it's her life, and she seems to earn more satisfaction from nomadic living. I mean, I miss my parents and brother and they're only 300 miles away. I can't imagine my Mom telling me that she's just going to up and leave the country and I may or may not see her in a few months.
But it is interesting to learn about Rita's experiences and the world outside of SD. That's definitely one very cool aspect of Rita's nomadic life. In writing about her journeys, she fills in readers about world affairs; I wonder how many of her readers have been spurred into action by her touching tales of distended stomachs and wars...
Well, I'm sorry I don't have more monumental thoughts to share tonight...maybe tomorrow ;-)
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