Am Now Officially in Love With Edward Cullen

New York Recollections

I still don't REALLY have time to post about my NY trip, but I'm doing it anyway. I feel I owe it to my fans (ha). It will be a clipped version. Not the usual poetic beauty and philosophizing. Then again, once I start writing, I'm sure I'll bloviate for at least a half hour...

Left SC at 4 AM on the train to Pennylvania Station. Sort of the reverse of "Chatanooga Choo Choo." Our ham and eggs were not in Carolina but Virginia. We had a private sleeper room and it was wonderful... 16 hours of sleeping/lounging punctuated by trips to the dining car. At breakfast and lunch, we shared a table with Gunterkin and Conchita (or something like that - he was German and she Spanish). They were an elderly couple and delightful conversationalists. A nice time and reasonably good food was had by all.

PM in NYC - we have an incredibly delicious plate of hot antipasta at Carmine's and Jay begins imbibing gins and tonic. This goes on for a while. More good times had by all, but better food.

Wednesday - picked up half price tickets to a matinee, The 39 Steps. Walked over to Rock Center and had lunch at the cafe, several feet away from the skating rink. Watched the Rock Center tree being erected. Had one of the most delicious salads ever. Later, saw Mary Poppins. Loved it so much I had tears in my eyes. Mary Poppins is one of my heroes. Bought a Poppins umbrella, with a parrot for a handle. Can't wait for it to rain...

Thanksgiving - Parade!! Not too cold, not too bad a view. Glad to have done it once. Wouldn't go again, though, unless I have tickets to sit at Herald Square. The downside to watching it live from Broadway is that you don't get to see any of the performances. I sort of missed watching it on TV in my pajamas.

We missed out on a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, despite having reservations at a pretty good restaurant. The hub and I couldn't seem to jive on the "when do we nap?" and "when do we eat?" aspects of the day. Ended up at Alfredo's, which was not a bad accident. The original Alfredo recipe. Very different from what I expected. Tasty. Then on to Radio City Music Hall's Christmas Spectacular. They don't call that thing Spectacular for nothin! It's incredible! A hundred dancing Santas!

Friday - to the Today Show to see Barry Manilow perform 80's covers. However, I'm too short to see anything but the overhead lights, so I go to the second floor of the nearby Nintendo store to watch. There, I can see Barry's head at about the size of a quarter, but can't hear too well. Eventually the manager at Nintendo kicks me and the other Barry fans out. I therefore refuse to buy a Pokemon t-shirt, which I wouldn't have bought anyway, but I liked having a comeback.

Before leaving town, we have several hours to spend on 5th Avenue - and it's Black Friday! Shopping Mecca! Let me tell you, Black Friday at NYC Macy's is like swimming upstream against a school of bargain crazed fish. Almost as spectacular as Radio City Music Hall, but in an entirely different way. Fun, actually. Later that night, we fly first class back to SC. More fun, and "free" coctails.

Happy 10th Anniversary to us! Viva New York! Here's my beloved in a few memorable spots...

Holidays in a Nutshell

Whew.... just got back from a huge trip east. A few days in South Carolina, hooked up with the fam and best pal Anne Marie. Then an anniversary jaunt to NYC. Took the train up, stayed on Times Square, saw THE PARADE, caught some shows, shopped Black Friday on 5th Avenue, flew first class back to SC. Celebrated an early Christmas there. Martinis and a movie with A.M. -- didn't see Lorri, but she'll be in Seattle this weekend. I can't believe we're already into December! More details on the trip another night...

It's Halloween, Matey!

The annual costume frivolities come to an end, once again. Harper was a pirate this year. Let's see if I can recall her brief costuming history: last year Eloise and previously a veterinarian, her own white teddy bear named Tess, a mermaid, Sleeping Beauty, and a 2-year-old beauty queen. I offer for your viewing pleasure a drawing Harper made in September of her costume plans, juxtaposed with the real thing, a photo taken earlier this evening before she tossed the belt, dropped the scarf, and broke the earring:



And one more shot, in which I'm not sure if she is a 7-year-old pirate or a 17-year-old fashion model...
The pirate and I headed on over to her friend Anthony's house for tricks and treats. Anthony's grandpa and dad took the kids out while the moms and grandmother enjoyed hot cider. It was so refreshing to hear kids exclaim "Cool" when presented with a tray of raisins and small toys instead of candy, which is the tradition with Anthony's folks. Harper, on the other hand, is a candy maven. You should see the obscene pile of it currently on our living room floor. Her dad offered her $10 for half of it, but no go. MUST HAVE CANDY!

All this sends me on a walk down memory lane, when Harper and I first began our tradition of trick-or-treating with friends in other neighborhoods, leaving Jay behind to man the candy stand. It was 2004, and he had just started blogging. Pop on over to his site, click on the 2004 entries, and scroll down a bit to the three Halloween posts - which appear in chronological reverse, so be sure to start at the "Halloween - 6:06 PM" entry and then read up through "Halloween Concluded." It's good for a chuckle.

Slopping Up the Bathroom

I refer you, simply, to my husband's post of 5 minutes ago.

Heaven and Hell

So Jay comes downstairs last night to report his conversation with Harper about heaven and the devil. She wants to know if there will be eating in heaven. Jay explains that the Bible talks about feasts and he supposes that in heaven we will get the best food ever. She says she figures her Grampa Bill is probably up there right now eating "ice cream combos." I don't know what that is, but Dad, hope you're enjoying them.

Then she asks Jay what the devil looks like. Jay says it's not like the Halloween costumes. He explains how Satan was a beautiful angel who decided to abandon God, and he tricks us into thinking he's ugly. Harper's response? She's apparently had this theory going for some time... that the devil actually looks like Mr. Noodle. Yup. Elmo's pantomiming pal, Mr. Noodle. Go figure.

Nothin' to Write About...?

I'm feeling jealous that so many of my blogging pals seem to have so much more than me to blog about. Charlotte always makes me laugh, and Rick gets me all political, and Todd's life musings are gold. So I guess I'll just react and ramble for a bit tonight.

No cooking blogs for now. I'm into quick and easy these days. Particularly frozen food from Trader Joe's. No one can provide a defrostable feast like Joe.

Politics... My husband and mother sure hate Barack Obama. So once a week I reconsider my vote but always end up back in his court. I don't think he's condescending (like Mom says). I think he's articulate and concerned and sincerely Christian. Maybe I'm getting duped - wouldn't be the first time. I also think his strategy of running "against Bush" was wise and totally fair play (that's Jay's gripe). We're in a 2-party system, much to my chagrin by the way, and the Democrat is trying to counter the last 8 years of Republican imperfections. Even so, I thought McCain's retort on that point (in the debate last week) was fair and funny. I like McCain, but I think his famous maverick-osity plays better as a senator. I see Obama as a hopeful, presidential figure. 'Nuff said about that. I could argue all my reasons, but we'd be bored to tears.

My students are awesome. They are learning. My sophomores are low level readers and terrible testers, and I'm trying to teach them some basic skills this year. They are actually appreciating it. We're speaking honestly about study habits, Bloom's Taxonomy, learning styles, etc, and laughing a lot along the way. I love my job. And they're blogging! Fun!

Harper has decided officially that she's an early riser. She got up at 5:30 this morning. Got dressed and put Scooby Doo in the DVD. Then she set out my breakfast: a bowl with a spoon in it, box of Cap'n Crunch beside the bowl, milk sitting out of the fridge for 2 hours waiting for me to pour it, and a piece of burnt-black toast with a scoop of cream cheese on top. Sweetest thing I've ever seen. She informed me that she ate a bag of cookies for breakfast. Our new rule, however, is that she cannot get up before at least one parent is awake.

What I'm reading: Book 3 in the Twilight series. I've gotta tell you that Edward gets on my nerves. An overprotective tease. But I was in the bookstore the other day and saw some of the new paperbacks with movie images on the cover, and that movie-version Edward is one hot little number. I might have to change my mind about him.

6 Quirky Things

Tagged by Rick... 6 Quirky things about me:

1) I like to run the bathwater extra slow - barely a trickle sometimes - so I can sit in my robe and read while the tub fills. I love the sound of running water. then I transfer to inside the tub and read some more, but there's always the pesky side effect of a moistened book. Outside the tub works better.
2) I started using ear plugs when I got married (you know, snoring... the #1 downside of sharing a bed). Now, I'm so addicted to the universe of soundlessness that I prefer earplugs even when I'm alone.
3) It occurs to me at this moment that I might have a bizarre sound/anti-sound fetish.
4) I sometimes fix apostrophe errors on public signage. "Sticklers unite!" (Quotation is from Eats, Shoots and Leaves, a hilarious must-read for apostrophe sticklers.)
5) I absolutely love to get up, eat breakfast, and then go back to bed. It feels so decadent. Tummy full, bladder empty, teeth brushed, and the sheets have had just enough time to get cool again. Aaahhhh....
And, finally... (after Rick noted that I had originally posted only 5 quirks... trying to get away with being relatively normal perhaps)
6) I am anal about arranging things in my living room. When I was single, I had 6 matching coasters which for some reason I preferred to align parallel to the edge of the coffee table. Not stacked up like normal people, but right in a line, like abstract art. Every time Jay would come over, he'd nudge one out of place. If I noticed the aberration, I was compelled to fix it. Of course, I didn't even know this was ocurring until after we were married and he revealed his little ploy. Freud would have a heydey.

Quotes

Harper announced her support for Senator McCain today. I asked her for her reasons, and boy she had 'em:
1) I sort of want to be different from you
2) McCain has been in the army, and that gives him experience.
3) His wife's name is Cindy, and I like the sound of that name.

I passed a church marquis yesterday which read:
The best vitamin for a Christian is to B1.

(That was almost too painful to type.)

Plenty Better to Do Indeed, II

I'm making good on my blog title tonight.

What I need to do: iron clothes (biannual), mend clothes (annual), vacuum (weekly, so I'm not too far behind on that one), trim roses (ought to be more than biannual, but oh well), trade out for autumn clothes (huge bins of seasonal storage totally blocking the upstairs hall - Jay to be quite annoyed when he gets home...)

What I am doing / have done: blogging (self-evident), "What Not to Wear," Wendy's drive-through, cleaned kitchen (hurrah!!! give me some points!), dragged out the ironing board and arranged clothes to-be-ironed on nearby chair, found a clear corner in the bedroom to stack all autumn clothes and summer clothes and recently laundered clothes so that I can get into the bed tonight and put off the real work till tomorrow. I believe I'll turn in now, with earplugs, so I can't hear my husband groan when he gets home: I don't even want to count the various stacks of clothes "neatly" distributed across my house.
Oh, confession is good for the soul.

Calling for Hero Blogs, Year Two

OK, blog pals, here goes again for '08: If you'd care to write something about heroes or heroism over the next few days, I'd appreciate it. I assigned my sophomores their first paper today, a personal essay with the same guidelines. They have freedom to interpret the topic in any direction and with any tone they choose. Some of them are stumped (as expected). This year, I established a class website and I want to link some examples for them to read. Care to mentor today's youth via an insightful or humorous response to my prompt?! Leave me a comment so I'll know to check out your post. THANKS!!! Come on, you know you want to jump back into high school for a few minutes! This time, you don't get a grade.

By the way, here's the class site, if you're interested: http:\\kirkclass.blogspot.com.

First Day of School

Harper apparently woke up at 5:45 this morning. Of course, I was unconscious at the time. She dressed herself in her new Gymboree outfit, made her own lunch, and put Andy Griffith in the DVD player. She'd been watching TV for 2 hours by the time I was aware of anything this side of REM sleep.

She and her dad set out at 9:00 for their annual Father-Daughter First-Day-of-School trek. Since her school is being demolished and rebuilt this year, the students are being housed in a building right around the corner from our house (as opposed to the 12 minute drive of last year). In the picture, she sports her new duds, backpack, and lunch box.

Her first homework assignment was to write down three things she wants to learn this year. They are: 1) penmanship, 2) division, 3) how to burp the "Star Spangled Banner." Good stuff.

from Obama's speech...

"We may not agree on abortion, but surely we can agree on reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies in this country. The reality of gun ownership may be different for hunters in rural Ohio than for those plagued by gang-violence in Cleveland, but don’t tell me we can’t uphold the Second Amendment while keeping AK-47s out of the hands of criminals. I know there are differences on same-sex marriage, but surely we can agree that our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters deserve to visit the person they love in the hospital and to live lives free of discrimination. Passions fly on immigration, but I don’t know anyone who benefits when a mother is separated from her infant child or an employer undercuts American wages by hiring illegal workers. This too is part of America’s promise - the promise of a democracy where we can find the strength and grace to bridge divides and unite in common effort.

I know there are those who dismiss such beliefs as happy talk. They claim that our insistence on something larger, something firmer and more honest in our public life is just a Trojan Horse for higher taxes and the abandonment of traditional values. "

...But it doesn't have to be. I still really like the way this guy talks. And a classical allusion to boot!

Confessions

I don't usually go too personal in my blogs, but I'm stepping out today. I really feel like God has been waving some flags around me the past six months or so, waiting for me to take notice. Some flags have been tiny and recent. But they're adding up to SOMETHING...

1) Around the vicinity of the big 4-0 I realized I wanted to be more authentic and bold in my life, more compassionate, impulsive, loving, expressive. Stop editing myself when I truly suspect the Spirit is moving.

2) In my teaching, I've felt a need to get away from my compulsion to map everything out just-so. The word coming to mind often is "organic." I've also felt a need to bring missions into the spotlight in my world lit class. These two themes, with roots in the 07-08 school year, have been compounding even in the last 24 hours.

3) I really feel a desperate need to see God's hand more clearly and concretely. I've been in several situations lately where I've heard people speak with great faith about God "moving" - and the thing is, deep in my heart I totally believe them, but my brain nags at me - Are we just putting God's name on top of good fortune, coincidence, wishful thinking? I really want to SEE. Even in the last 24 hours, I've encountered two stories of miraculous revelations and confirmations of God's will in the mission field. Why don't I see those from my house?

4) I get suspicious when people say that God spoke to them. But back in December, I remember very clearly a moment when I thought God said, "I've been girding you up for this." Now, I don't really want to tell that whole story, but I do keep wondering...

So, is there a theme going on here or what? Comments and prayers welcome.

Prayer for the Day

Today Harper's Sunday School lesson was about prayer. She came home with a little prayer-hands paper on which she had written her prayer requests. Here they are, in the order she wrote them:

Mom
Me
Dad
Peace and goodwill
Fashion
Cancer
Papa

OK, I'm somewhat pleased that I came first. The other items, well...

Summer Dwindles

Lazy hazy days... passing, passing, passing! I'm feeling a little bittersweet about it. In a week and half, it's back to teacher in-service, and after Labor Day, back to school for the little one and me. It will be a busy year for me, as I kick off my pursuit of National Board certification. I do not care at this time to imagine the work load that will entail. Harper will be in second grade, tap dancing, playing soccer, and growing up some more. Wish that could slow down a bit. We've been enjoying our newly tiled back porch, kicking back for a little reading and eating on a regular basis. Ahhh... about six more weekdays of that left. Today, we discovered a new waterfront park that we've had access to ever since buying our house six years ago, but we'd just never made our way down there to seek it out. I wonder how many picnics we can pack in before ye olde school bell rings?

What Happened in Vegas

It all started, really, with a black-and-white floral print bar chair. Anne Marie ducked into Restaurant Charlie at the Palazzo in Vegas and bestowed upon it a 5-star decor rating. Lorri and I, both of us eager to check out a beautiful eating space and Lo eager to find a bathroom, popped in for a look-see. What we were not expecting was a personal greeting from the genteel GM, Nicholas, who offered us a tour of the restaurant and kitchen. I had never seen a professional kitchen before, off-screen anyway, and we were ushered through the etherially white and suprisingly congenial space and then up the stairs to the exclusive "loft" table for 8, which I understand goes for $350 a head. Back in Bar Charlie, Nicholas continued to tell us about the creative pairings of food and beverage offered at RC and introduced us to the expert mixologist, Kerri (whose name I am probably mispelling). I really enjoyed learning that new word: mixologist. Two steps up from bartender, and with good reason as we were about to find out.

This is when things got really fun. Nicholas asks if we're free for the next 15 minutes. Oh, yes! How about a signature coctail? A sparkling melange of champagne, lychee, and something delightfully floral. Might be my favorite drink ever. Eventually we are seated in those floral bar stools for a parade of appetizers and complementary drinks that lasts well over an hour and 15 minutes. Our new best friends Nicholas and Kerri serve us the following (to the best of my memory, plus a little online consultation of the RC menu):

1. Some sort of fish... wish I could remember. Accompanied by a carrot coctail that included something lightly fruity and a saltwater soda.
2. Warm salad of heirloom beets with pickled egg and chrysanthemum, with a tasty, pretty, beety beverage.
3. Cucumber water to cleanse the palate.
4. Dungeness crab salad with sake and rice milk (the sake was in a sorbet) perfectly paired with sweetened rice milk served in a nut-rimmed shot glass.
5. Tuna tartar, imported daily from Japan. No kidding. Framed beautifully by a green pepper puree, mango puree, and yellow puree. (That's the best I can do. Don't remember what the yellow stuff was.) It was salty and rich and complex, and a tango to the tastebuds. Accompanied by a watermelon and basil coctail, refreshingly mellow and a perfect counterpoint to the tuna.
6. Steamed cacao nib cake (translation: chocolate) with sour candied kumquats plus cacao ice cream and tangerine sorbet. Rounded out with a delectable chocolate liqueur. Never again will I pair chocolate with raspberry. Citrus is definitely the fruity queen to chocolate's king.

And this, dear reader, is how three 40-year-old, food-loving, bargain-hunting, non-gambling women hit the jackpot in Vegas. Geeks that we are, we sat at the bar eating, drinking, giggling like schoolgirls, and taking pictures of our food. Photos below. Did I mention that we each received "Spa Cuisine" cookbooks as parting gifts? Viva Las Vegas.

Beet coctail, sweet rice milk, cucumber water, carrot coctail

Anne Mo, Kerri, Nicholas, Lo, Me

Tuna tartar, a feast for the eyes

Lush

Chocolate and citrus, my new fave

Oh y'all, this was so good...

I'm taking a tip from Charlotte tonight and blogging about my cooking adventures. For dinner, we had a tomato tart, fontina grits, and short-cut sweet collards. I'll start by giving props to Martha Stewart for the tart recipe and Paula Deen for the collards, although I modified both recipes a bit.

For the tart, I used a ready made pie crust - shame on me! I did not cut corners with the actual roasting of the garlic, though, because the guy on the TV show said that the coating of garlic paste would form a barrier between the juicy tomatoes and the crust, preventing it from getting soggy. However, I only used three cloves rather than the whole head. I also baked the tart only about 40 minutes, which I found to be sufficient, and added a little basil as well. Needless to say, all this served to reduce the time and effort of the exercise by quite a bit. Who has time for the full Martha Stewart treatment, anyway? It was delicious. My husband and I kept eating even after we were quite full.

The perfect side dishes for the tart are grits and collards. I used the remainder of the chunk of fontina and dumped it in the grits (prepared according to 4-serving box directions). The collards I made last week, and to my delight, the experiment in freezing/defrosting them turned out great. I don't know how many pounds of collards I started out with - one bunch of 'em from the grocery store, however much that is - so I'll have to admit to guestimating all the other quantities, too. Paula's microwave strategy is ingenious, and I love the bacon-vinegar-syrup-pepper seasoning. I subbed turkey bacon for the Canadian version and added quite a bit more vinegar and syrup than the recipe called for, partly because my collards were extra bitter. But the end result was fantastic. Oh, I am so delightfully full! Did I already say that?

Finding Angel

When I was a kid growing up in Montgomery, Alabama, my best friend was Angel Sanders. She's the one on the far left, and then there's me, with a flower growing out of my head, at my 10th birthday party. We lived two blocks away from each other and spent countless afternoons at each others' houses. There were spend-the-night parties, attempted girls' club formations (one named after Fonzie's girlfriend Pinky) and of course the endless chatter about which boys were cute. Specifically, Angel was always infatuated with Damon Summers, and I never quite got over Scott Marks, even though he never "liked me back." Once, Angel and I got caught looking up sex in the encyclopedia, and when Angel's mom walked in, we quickly turned the page over to sewing. What ensued was a lengthy sewing tutorial that Angel and I endured with guilt and excruciating boredom. After all, it was the 70's. We wanted to macrame! With boys!

Our family moved to South Carolina when I was 16, and Angel and I kept in touch with letters. Of course, those thinned out through the years. One, though, I remember clearly: I was 18, a freshman in college, and I received a brief note from Angel, accompanied by a photo of her in a hospital bed holding a baby. She had gotten married. My heart fell into my stomach. And thus our two worlds diverged, Angel embarking on an adventure that was far beyond my comprehension. I did have the pleasure of seeing her one more time, when we were 21 (I think). I met her lovely son Josh and had ice cream with her and her mom at the mall where we had had so many childhood adventures (that mall had an ice skating rink in the center and also housed a Mexican restaurant which had been the scene of our first independent eating-out experience... ah, the memories!).

It just occurs to me that it sounds like I'm writing Angel's memorial. On the contrary! I just talked to Angel this afternoon. After nearly 20 years of silence and regular attempts to Google her name -- Angel Sanders, Angela Gay Sanders, Angel Davis, Angela Sanders Davis, Angel G. Davis, etc. -- I managed to track down my old friend. Last night, it finally occured to me that I still remember her mom's name. Betty Sanders. Googled that. Found her. Payed $2.95 for her address and phone number. Bingo. Dailed it this afternoon and it felt eerily familiar -- indeed, the very same number I dialed countless times 30 years ago. Angel currently lives 3 blocks from her mom, remarried two years ago, and has four kids including an infant. I can't wait till we get a chance to fill in the gaps.

Spring What?

Tonight after dinner, my husband bemoaned the fact that we had never gotten around to Spring Cleaning this year. This year? I asked. I have never once cleaned anything in honor of a season. What a quaint idea. What is spring cleaning anyway? I have these images of 50's June Cleaver housewives wearing peddle pushers, with bandanas over their hair, standing on stools and wiping areas where no human eye ever ventures to look on a normal day-to-day basis. Does anyone spring clean in this millennium? Comments welcome.

The Shack

Finally read it. Not sure how much I liked it, though. I'll start with its good points: It's one of the most imaginative and accessible treatments of God as Trinity I've ever read. I especially liked that neither God the Father (a "large beaming African-American woman") nor the Holy Spirit (Asian) nor Jesus (thankfully Middle Eastern, as opposed to the blond Jesus in my childhood picture Bible) were white. Some of it was hokey and over-played, but it had a richness of mood that I found contagious. These images will impact my prayer life in weeks to come, most certainly.

I also liked much of the theology. There was so much of it, in fact, that I imagine each individual reader will zero in on a different morsel. For me, it was the parts about love versus rules. One of my favorite lines: "'Remember, the people who know me are the ones who are free to live and love without any agenda' [Jesus]." And: "'Rules cannot bring freedom; they only have the power to accuse' [Sarayu, the Holy Spirit]." This book is highly quotable.

What I didn't like was its cheese. I disagreed with all the liner comments about how literary it was. The writing was not BAD, not at all, but it did not reach any artistic heights. I found it far too heavy-handed for that. It was clever and engaging, but in large part it was a narrative scheme invented to frame apologetic conversations. I'd rather get my narrative theology from the narration. This novel was just far too expository. I skimmed a lot and skipped numerous paragraphs, sometimes entire pages that were mere framing devices or superfluous preaching. For that reason, I couldn't recommend it to too many of my friends -- it had no literary or spiritual subtlety. I give it a C+. For what my opinion is worth.

Dear Mommy

Harper spent the past week and a half at her grandmother's (my mom, "Mimi," in Denver) and we enjoyed, for the first time ever, keeping in touch via email. Here's the summary:

We LOVE you MOMMY! We hope you are having a good time without me. What haveyou been doing lately? + I got a mereinet on Monday. And I went bowling yesterday and I go swimming today! Oh and me anda girl named Braelyn are going to teeny town together! And cookies tonight!
JUNE 24, 2008Your little Harper

Dear Little Harper,
I know you are having a wonderful time!! I sure miss you! While you are gone, I am doing boring stuff like errands, balancing my checkbook, and going to meetings at church. I hope you have a terrific day at Tiny Town! I will be in regular size town. I will see you soon! LOVE YOU!!!
Mommy Wommy Bo Bommy Banana Fana Fo Fommy Fee Fi Mo Mommy -- Mommy!

Harper Warper bo barper Banana fana fo farper Fe Fi Mo Marper. Harper!I hope you are having fun! LOVE YOU!!!
Harper June 25, 2008

Dear Little H,
Today I am going to get the car oil changed (boring!!), return some stuff to Home Depot and the tile store (boring!!), get the car washed (boring!!), and then go see two movies downtown (fun!!). Hope your day is wonderful. Be a good girl. Is this your day of beauty? I know you will be gorgeous! You can have Mimi send me a picture of your new hairdo, or you can surprise me at the airport next week! I will look exactly the same. See you then! Mommy

Dear Caryn,
Harper has had the royal treatment today: painted nails, lunch at Wendy's, hair cut, shopping at Macy's (2 outfits), dollar store (hair barrettes and coloring book). The End. My rest time now after heating leftovers fordinner. Love, Mom

So that was about it. I flew to Denver on Monday to retrieve her, and we got back earlier this evening. We were welcomed by Daddy, who provided pizza and a new Xbox for our homecoming. I think Mimi is exhausted.

Thank You!

A belated THANKS! to all of you who donated to my "Virtual Birthday Party" back in March! I just this evening received the final word on where all the money went, along with some wonderful pictures.

The first project we funded was a new tin roof for a rural school in Uganda. They lost the old one in a severe storm. Our money bought tin sheets, and local labor installed them free of charge.

The second project -- a bonus, since I didn't know we'd raise so much money! -- was a furniture donation for an orphan school, also in Uganda. Here is an excerpt from the email I received tonight:

As always in Africa, things happen slowly. We were able to get the benches for Living Hope Orphan school that we discussed. This is a great ministry helping over 200 vulnerable and orphaned children in a predominantly Muslim slum area of Kampala. I hope the photos give a sense of happiness of this place – its a rowdy but always exuberant group of kids. Actually every time I’ve visited they are more or less like this happy – even if we don’t bring anything. I know however, that the gift of the desks will make a huge difference. Please pass our deepest thanks to the lady who generously gave for this project.

So I extend their thanks and wonderful smiles to you who so lovingly gave! I found this email waiting for me upon my return from seeing a movie about an orphanage in China during the Chinese-Japanese war in the 1930's. I had come home feeling so suburban, so protected from real suffering, so irrelevant. And then... these pictures! Enjoy!!

Believe!

For Fathers Day, Harper and I staged our second annual Family Film Festival (to rival the Seattle International version - SIFF - which sucks up, I'm guessing, around 50 hours of movie time for Jay each June). On this year's line-up: Kung Fu Panda at the theatre and a home screening of Alvin and the Chipmunks. The latter is really not worth much comment at all except that the "Chicken pot, chicken pot, chicken pot pie" guy was in it.

Kung Fu Panda, however, gets my attention today. It was not a bad little flick. Several good laughs and quite beautiful with the animated Kung Fu choreography. I've decided to screen it for my 10th grade world lit students next year, nevermind that it's targeted for the elementary school set. The reason is its Eastern theology. If you want a quick course in Taoism, this is the Tao of Disney. I won't go into a detailed worldview analysis of the film (mostly because I'd need to see it again to get it just right), but one particular theme really struck me. A theme that has made its way West. The theme of believing. I can't believe how many movies have these absurdly profound lines about "believing." Believe in what, I ask? Sometimes, it's believing in yourself, as with Po the Kung Fu Panda. I was relieved that, at least, after the adorably obese Panda begins to (foolishly?) believe in himself, at least he goes through some intense Jedi-Master Kung Fu training. But most of the time, the message seems to be that the mere belief itself is the magical ingredient. Nevermind WHAT the person is supposed to believe IN. In the case of Kung Fu Panda, it's Taoism. And if you really think that Taoism is the answer to all the questions of the universe, then so be it. But what irks me is that no one is ever asked to examine the believability of the belief. I get the same feeling when I watch American Idol auditions. These horribly off-key and over-the-top contestants get furious at Simon for telling them the truth. "That's your opinion," they scream at the camera, insisting that they believe in themselves and they're going to take Hollywood by storm on another day in another way. They're doing a fantastic job of believing. But I don't see it getting them anywhere.

CyperPals

I am getting worse and worse at contributing regularly to the blogosphere. However, I spend a lot of time (mostly when there are papers to be graded and dishes to be washed) popping around to friends' blogs. Actually, it's my husband's friends' blogs... my friends by association and long-distance admiration. Sometime's I feel like one of the guys, laughing at the amusing ploys and one-liners of Todd, Rick, Steve, the Hubby James, et al. I especially enjoy the long strings of witty comments, particularly about fat ladies farting in the airport.

I just can't seem to get my gal-pals interested in blogging. What fun it would be to check in on Anne Marie's offbeat humor and Lorri's unique drama on a weekly basis. Now there's two wonderful women who would not shy away from a fart story!

Random Topics That Make Me Smile

Last night when I was tucking Harper in bed, she tells me that if she had to go to a desert island with only four things, she'd take Mommy, Daddy, Polly (the dog) and Lovey (the well-worn much-loved blanket with a teddy head attached). But if she were allowed five things, she'd also bring a backpack. And she'd stuff a pillow in it.

In a couple of weeks, I head to SC for Anne Marie's "40 is Fabulous 80's Prom." My look will be decidedly Suddenly Susanesque. Black lace coctail dress. Looking for fishnets. Satin pumps. Maybe a rad headband. Need some Final Net for my hair. Must transform middle age curly 'do for high-bangs 80's 'do.

Tried on the black prom dress last week. Fits in some areas and not in others. Harper's observation: "Mommy, you look good on top. And you just look a little fat on the bottom." Something I've been trying to come to terms with for years.

The Dance for Democracy

...Otherwise known as the Democratic Caucus, which I attended last Saturday. In fact, for our left-wing entertainment, a 4th grade boy performed a little number entitled "Dance for Democracy," pictured here. Notice in the foreground that the elderly delegate found that Democracy was a little loud for his taste. Surrounding said dance was a two-hour period during which the delegation attendance was tallied, the old fashioned way sans computer, to determine how many alternates should be seated. The rather lengthy tally time was filled with a few informational speeches and inspirational songs played over the loud speaker (i.e. Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'") while delegates chatted and ate lunch. A very cute toddler walked around smiling at everyone with her "Hillary cares about me!" t-shirt on.

I had an interesting conversation over lunch with one woman from my church and some nice folks I met at the table. I confessed to being a lifelong Republican (felt I had to, especially since I've been seriously considering John McCain of late). One person made the comment that in the past, Republicans were more like Libertarians in their call for less government, but that today, they were more interested in controlling everyone's lovelives and uteruses. I mentioned that a lot of Christians had felt disenfranchised by the Democrats in decades past, and thus the Republican party had become a religious right magnet. However, I found it quite interesting that my new Democratic friends supported governmental control over certain aspects of the marketplace, specifically the healthcare industry, so as to reduce the effects of greed on the average working class American. Then in the next sentence, there was loud agreement that the government NOT control any other aspects of morality. Seemed unbalanced to me. But, finally, I could see the difference between Reds and Blues: one says government should not control the marketplace but it should control social norms, whereas the other says the opposite. Given that definition, I think I'm moving more and more to the left. But, still, Republicans seem to have their feet more solidly placed in economic reality. Democrats seem more idealistic. I'm trying to dance around in the middle. Ah, the Dance for Democracy!!

The Pastor Preached on Politics

Last Sunday the pastor preached on politics. The church is not the state, and the state is not the church, he reminded us. But he wasn't talking about the separation of church and state -- far from it. Let me see if I can get it right... The state needs the church, and the church knows the people better than the state. I think that is very interesting. I like it. The church knows people better, and it's our job to remind the state what the people need. Pastor Chris also spoke of the blue-red divide, and how Christians in each camp rely on Biblical principles to guide and justify their positions (and I wish I could better remember his descriptions of the reds and the blues). But the point, he said, was not your political hue or even your preferred candidate. We need to remember that our next president, whoever that may be, will not be the salvation or the damnation of our country. The church can't put its hope in a president, because that's not what we're all about. Our hope is solely in Jesus and the kingdom He will establish -- the church is the beginning of that kingdom! But we-the-church are not the American state, or any other state.

Just to remind myself: The state needs the church. The church knows the people better than the state. The church must speak the truth to the state, and this means involvement. A vote is a way of speaking. We might vote red, we might vote blue. But we don't hope in the blue candidates or the red ones. We don't place our hope in the state. We're not part of the state. Our hope, our identity, is God's kingdom.

Good stuff. Been thinking about it all week. I get frustrated with politics, mostly because it's so darn near impossible to know the truth about candidates, about what really happened and who really said what and what they really mean and intend. Maybe my role in politics is not to figure out what's right and wrong (the state will never get it all right!) but to listen well so that I can speak well. I like the image of being in the church and speaking to the state, but not hoping in it. This gives me some freedom and rest in my political interests. Less fear. More love.

So my remaining question: What if the state official is a Christian? What principles guide the Christian president? He is the church, and he is the state. Any thoughts out there?

My Birthday Present

Pictured above is the girls' dorm -- and the lovely resident students -- of a Ugandan school in need. This secondary school in the rural Kamwenge District was recently hit by a sudden and strong storm. The roofs of every building were damaged or destroyed. Samaritan's Purse is proposing to buy 150 sheets of tin roofing for the girls' dorm so that they have a place to sleep and can continue to attend school. A small bath house will also be covered by the tin sheets. The community is supplying all lumber and labor. The cost to repair the roof is $2,000.00.

The goal of my "virtual birthday party" (see previous post) is to repair that roof. Can we raise $2000 in one week? I'm at $410 as of this afternoon... and there are so many people who HAVEN'T GIVEN ME A PRESENT!!! Shocking! So, if you're so inclined, send a check made out to Samaritan's Purse my way. No need to wrap it.

Public Service Announcement

Tonight is the night we set our clocks ahead, i.e. "spring" forward. I just learned that the proper term for this tradition is Daylight Saving Time. Not Savings with an S. Who knew?

Come to My Party!!

If you're reading this, you have most likely already received my 40th birthday "party" invitation... or one is on its way soon to your e-mailbox. I’ve been contemplating the landmark not-so-old age of 40 for months now, wanting to do something special, big, exhilarating, personal... something with meaning. I brainstormed ideas from movies to food to scavenger hunts to costume parties. But something was always missing. And then last week, a fully formed idea burst into my head (much like Athena from the brain of Zeus) -- a "virtual party" wherein friends and maybe even friends of friends all buy presents for... children on the other side of the world who need a school. I've loved school all my life, so much that I've spent the last 20 years either studying education or teaching. The idea thrilled me immediately.

I checked out my two favorite charities and found that Samaritan's Purse could build or renovate a school in a poverty-stricken area for $8000. "That's a LOT of money!" I thought. "I can never raise THAT much money!" And then, this verse was thrust into my mind: "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!" (Ephesians 3:20-21). So who's to say what can and can't be done? What I will do is try. Let's build a school!!

If you would care to donate, please know that your gift is tax deductible. You will write a check to Samaritan's Purse, deliver it to me, and I will collect and mail all contributions, with an earmark for our school project. If your name and address are on your check, you will receive a tax receipt in the mail. I will not post my address on this site, as most people reading this can either deliver checks via my workplace, my husband's workplace, or our church. Otherwise, I suspect you already have our address. If someone forwarded you a link to this blog, then that person can provide you with contact information.

My 40th birthday is Thursday March 13th. If you aren't able to put a check in my hand by that date, please let me know it's on the way. I hope to gather, count, and mail all checks by the following Monday, the 17th, Saint Patrick's Day. So I guess we'll call St. Pat's day our "deadline."

I hope to be able to provide more information at a later date about the actual results of my little birthday project. I'm in touch with the folks at Samaritan's Purse and am exploring the possibility of knowing an exact price and location of a specific school. That is my ultimate wish, but it depends firstly on the amount of money we are able to collect. Check this blogspot later to see if there are follow-up posts. If so, I'll edit this one with a "P.S." so you'll know where to look.

Finally, one more word about Samaritan's Purse. It was founded in 1970 and taken over in 1973 by Franklin Graham, Billy Graham's son. Its goal is to follow the Biblical example of the Good Samaritan throughout the world. I chose this organization because they are in the business of providing help and HOPE to suffering people. It is my humble opinion that hope is incomplete without Jesus. Samaritan's Purse delivers food, shelter, medecine, education, and Jesus' message of hope to hurting people. The organization is ranked highly among America's best and most trustworthy charities. So let's get to work building a school!!

Oscar Weekend, Day Three, Part Three

Evening Pay-Per-View: LA VIE EN ROSE
Reaction: Eh. Great acting but otherwise your typical bio-pic. Singing is stupendous, but the nonlinear storytelling was frustrating to me.
Nutshell: French songstress Edith Piaf overcomes a life of abandonment to become one of the greatest vocal artists of the century.
Analysis: Standard themes of rags to riches. The best parts are when she's a small girl and then a young woman singing on street corners. The actress who portrays Piaf (Marion Cotillard) from teen to old woman is fantastic. Unbelievable tranformations, from plucky street singer to glamorous songstress to sickly and decrepit older woman. She's an excellent pick for Oscar.

Oscar Weekend, Day Three, Part Two

This Afternoon: THE SAVAGES

Reaction: Enjoyed it very much. Tired of blogging for today. Will not write much.

Nutshell: Sister and brother in their 40's must put their aging and demented father, who had abandoned and mistreated them as children, in a nursing home. Sis is having an affair with a married man, and bro watches his Polish girlfriend of three years get deported because he's not ready for marriage. Both are frustrated writers.

Analysis: A soft, mournful, witty, gentle, hopeful movie. Characterized not so much by plot but by the actors' performances and the sometimes lyric, sometimes snappy script. Laura Linney nominated for best actress and Tamara Jenkins nominated for best screenplay. Linney was wonderful but the role wasn't spectacular enough for the Oscar.

God in it: Like everything else I've seen this weekend, but much brighter and gentler, I saw love shine through chaos. Wendy and John (Linney and Hoffman) are emotionally inept because of the trauma of their childhood, but they have not lost their tenderness or openness to redemption. As they go together through the drama of loss, they find courage in each other's humanness. By the end, they've taken bold steps towards healing. The last scene is priceless.

Popcorn status: Success! One short sugar-free low-fat latte. A+ to me.

Oscar Weekend, Day Three, Part One

This Morning: SWEENEY TODD

Reaction: Oh, the blood! the music! the artistry! the delicious Depp and Rickman!

Nutshell: Barber's Wife is raped by evil Judge who sends Barber away to prison on trumped up charges. Wife takes poison. Daughter "adopted" by Judge. Barber returns after 15 years for revenge. Starts killing people with his barber blade. His new pal the Pie Lady uses the bodies for meat. Lots of people dead in the end, including Judge, Wife, Barber, and Pie Lady. Daughter survives.

Analysis: This musical takes gruesome to new levels... a dirge for humanity, an ironic lullaby, a discordant love song. Sondheim plus Burton plus Depp plus Rickman plus Carter. Wow. But not easy to watch. Last night, I left a movie theatre because I couldn't take the gore. Today, although I turned my eyes away a few times, I was glued to my seat. I do appreciate a good tragedy, and in this genre you have to expect a lot of death. Classical tragedies lament human powerlessness, as we cower beneath fate and frailty. This time around, the tragic flaw is more like a tragic curse: that we all deserve to die. Several characters say it outright. The bad guys deserve it, and so do the rest. Which leads me to...

God in it: God's presence in this movie is best illustrated by His absence. I seem to be drawn to movies of chaos this weekend (or Oscar is). I have to say that the premise of this movie is in agreement with scripture. Death is not only inevitable, but deserved. The most interesting and horrific symbol of this occurs when all the fine innocent townfolk eagerly consume Mrs. Lovett's cannibal pies. The message is crystal clear: Humans devour each other. We call it love, but we really feed on each other to keep ourselves alive. And we teach our kids to do the same. It's all over this film. It would be unbearable if the movie didn't squeeze in a little hope through Anthony, the wide-eyed idealistic youth willing to risk it all for the love of Johanna. They are two of three characters to survive. The only other is Toby, who will no doubt continue life as a hungry, angry scoundrel. Characters like Sweeney are so doomed that they kill the ones they love the best. Only Anthony tapped into any heroism, but the story isn't really about him. It's all about Sweeney Todd, a symbol of hopeless, starved, victimized humanity. A dirge for the road we're all on -- save for the hope of a savior.

Final Note: I just checked out the official website (linked above) and it's fascinating. The makers of the film see it as a love story, and indeed that's a level I didn't think about much, being so overwhelmed with the darkness of it all (hard to avoid in a Burton film sometimes). But Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter strike a very moving and sexy counterpoint -- their eyes and voices are infectious and lovely. The love yearns and hopes but is never fulfilled. And, on a most interesting note, I found out that Anthony's last name is Hope.

Oscar Weekend, Day Two

Tonight: NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
Reaction: Watched 15 minutes, walked back to the box office, got a refund, went home.
Nutshell: Non-stop graphic murder. Unbearably offensive.
Popcorn: None. I'm back home eating sugar free jello.

Oscar Weekend, Day One

The husband and daughter are out of town for a few days, leaving me to a movie-priority weekend! I'm on an Oscar preparation mission. Trying to avoid popcorn along the way. Will post nightly on movie reactions and popcorn avoidance success.
Tonight: MICHAEL CLAYTON
Reaction: fantastic
Nutshell: Michael (George Clooney) is the "fixer" for a law firm that's defending a sinister agricultural company, and everything in his financial and professional life is on the line. His cohort in the firm has a moral epiphany and Michael gets caught in the middle.

Analysis: I love it when a film explores a single profound theme through multiple characters. In this one, everyone is drowning in chaos and they're up to their eyeballs in it. One character, Karen, "fixes" everything through careful plotting, planning, and murder. Michael's friend, Arthur, is so intoxicated by the possibility of redemption that he constructs a mad symphony of salvation for himself and everyone he's wronged... but the music is so loud that he doesn't hear the footsteps at his back. Michael plays out his role like a leading man should, piecing together the clues and bringing the chaos to justice.

God in it: The message here is that our chaos needs a savior. There's no sense in taking the reins by ourselves and being our own "fixers" because we are all totally inadequate alone. Some of us drunks, some of us lonely, some of us bankrupt, some of us nearly mad... things only get fixed when love comes into play. This film doesn't suggest there is a Heavenly Savior, but it's definitely on to something good. Michael's triumph couldn't have happened without his skeptical cop brother, his lowlife loser of a brother, and (more indirectly) his affable, book-reading son. In one scene, when he narrowly escapes a car bomb, one might ask if a Higher Power was looking down on him. There is a lot to ponder in the film from a Christian standpoint. Highly recommended.

Popcorn Status: Movie snacks by-passed, but quick cereal binge upon homecoming. Give self a C+.

A-Caucusing We Go

Today I attended the Democratic caucus meeting in support of Barack Obama. No Republican infiltration alarms went off as I entered the building. As I found my table, two of my neighbors (retired teachers from across the street) were there -- she for Hilary, he for Barack. Then I spotted our church minister of music walk by. A pregnant Muslim woman sat beside me. It was so crowded that it took an hour just to find chairs for everyone and reconfigure the building for some of the larger precincts with big turnouts.


Finally, a woman approached the microphone to tell us that we were here to take back America from the Republicans!! I fessed up to my friend Leona that I was actually undecided between Obama and McCain. But between Obama and Clinton, my opinions are rock solid. I determined that I would talk little and listen a lot, but as it turned out, there was no political discussion at the table at all. No one in our group was an undecided. On our first tally, the count was 9 for Clinton and 11 for Obama. We had 4 delegates for our precinct, and that meant that Clinton won 1.8 of them and Obama, 2.2. WHAT??? My silence turned into questions. Were we just turning in hypothetical delegates, wherein 1.8 of a person would just combine with 0.2 of another precinct's person to create two full hypothetical delegates? Or were we voting for 4 actual live human beings? There was disagreement. The fellow across the table (who looked eerily familiar, but I still can't figure out who he is) decided to make a mini-speech on behalf of Ms Clinton inviting one Obama supporter to break rank, giving us a 10-to-10 count and thereby eliminating the hypothetical 0.2 person. A woman two chairs away agreed to give up her Obama vote. Whoa Nellie, says I! What good does it do us to manipulate our tally so as to come out dead even? "If we're here to change America," I say, quoting the theme o' the day, "What good does it do for us to vote 2 against 2?" If we've got to send partial delegates, I want to hold on to the Obama lead! Viva the 2.2! Others counter me by saying that our votes will be added in to the big democratic pot. Somewhere inside, the part of me that still wants to remain silent, I'm thinking that every person's vote needs to count, and votes should be cast on principle, not charity. Then the precinct chairman gives out the verdict: we are to round to the nearest whole and elect actual whole people with actual full bodies to our four delegate positions. So, here we are back to the 2 and 2. No one else is interested in changing their vote. And thus, I watch the political process take a 9-to-11 and round it into a 2-to-2. Very interesting.

As this unfolds, I'm taking notes. I volunteered to write down the details of the "debates" and tallies when no one else jumped at the chance. So when it comes time to elect 2 delegates from among the Obama supporters, the eerily familiar man across the table nominates the chairman and the "secretary." That would be me. Very funny. Lifelong Republican gets elected to be a Democratic delegate. This is fun.

So I'll show up at the high school down the street on April 5th to carry the torch for Obama again. Technically, I'm free to change my mind. Also interesting. Delegates, in addition to remaining whole persons, can also be their own independently thinking persons. As a delegate elected to vote Barack, I could always decide at the last minute to vote Hillary. Fat chance of that though.

The truth is, I disagree with Obama on several issues. For one, the estate tax. I also have misgivings about a national health plan - but I've read his ideas on Obama.com, and if he can make it work, then I'm all for it. I just wonder whether a country that can't manage Medicaid or Medicare (or Social Security for that matter) can manage a national health plan. I took a free on-line issues test several weeks ago, and it turns out I agreed most with Romney. I used to think I agreed with George Bush. In the end, I don't think I mind going with someone I don't fully agree with. (If agreement were the goal, who among us could remain married?!)

Truth is, I like Obama. He seems to be a truth-teller. He's classy. He's not jaded. His ideas about politics favor grass-roots and non-profits. Lots of very different people like him. Oprah likes him. Todd Vick likes him. 11 out of 20 in my precinct like him. Looks like the state of Washington likes him... so far, he's way ahead in the early counts with a 2-to-1 lead.

Plenty Better to Do Indeed

Today is a day completely in alignment with my blog title. On Monday, grades are due at good ole Seattle Christian. This means the administration and scoring of 75 final exams, 75 formal essays, as well as several stacks of homework assignments which I've procrastinated upon for weeks. Some since Christmas. At the moment, I should be at school finishing up said exam with my 10th graders. But I am here, at home, with a semi-sick daughter on the couch watching the never-ending Disney Channel line-up of cartoons. She doesn't look sick or sound sick, but the thermometer insists that she is. So here we are, at home, when we both need to be at school. And what am I doing? Reading and writing blog posts. Avoiding my duties, at least for another five minutes. Then I will be out of excuses. And into the abyss of paper grading, in which I am doomed to suffer for the next three days, approximately. Anybody want to stop by and help? Minimal knowledge of Oedipus, Hamlet, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead required.

08, Oh My

After Pretend Christmas, the Real New Year rolled around with not one but two sickos - the hubby and the kid. We were supposed to have the neighbors over for some traditional Southern blackeyed peas, collard greens, ham, rice, and corn bread. Instead, we cancelled the guests and enjoyed our infirmary/kitchen/movie theatre/library/Internet cafe in relative peace. Nothing like ringing in the new year with Robitussin rather than champagne. Sets me to thinking about the days-in and -out from the year past:

1) Jay turned 40, and 2008 will bring the same for me and my two best pals... perhaps a joint birthday bash in SC?
2) Harper started first grade and learned to read!
3) Went to Disney World
4) Reached the 100-page mark in my efforts to write a novel
5) Got my old job back: half-time teaching English at Seattle Christian
6) Visited Charleston, one of my favorite cities
7) Read a little Dostoyevski
8) Volunteered at my church and made some new friends
9) Gained 10 pounds on a 1-1/2 week vacation and never bothered to lose it
10) Redecorated the living room with brown leather, black furniture, and a fancy new Bose sound system, courtesy of the tax refund
11) Quit Southern Living sales
12) Found gray hairs! Oh my!
13) Saw Hall and Oates and Sting in concert (but not the same concert)
14) My brother Curtis got married to Karla
15) Read my favorite childhood book, From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, to my daughter!
16) Found some decent jeans
17) Made cherry preserves from our own backyard cherry tree
18) Tried a spray-on tan for the first time - not to be repeated in 08
19) Finished my beloved Harry Potter series
20) Totally skipped New Year's midnight by taking a bath and falling asleep in bed with a book in my lap. Not bad.