i know i have lots of blogging to catch up on... ireland was awesome, and i'll get to it soon... it's just hard to keep up a blog when you don't have internet at home. i quit blogging at work when i left my government job :)
quick story though.
i went to the doctor last week for my annual physical, blood work and all (i hate needles... unless it's for acupuncture). i'm pretty healthy. my blood pressure couldn't have been better. i haven't seen my doctor since last year's appointment... no need to.
at some point she asked me, "are you working out?" i said yes. she asked, "what are you doing?"
i told her i was training for triathlons, swimming, biking and running every week.
her response? "are you lifting weights?"
"um... only during the winter..."
"well you really ought to be lifting weights. you need to build muscles to strengthen your bones and guard against osteoporosis."
since when does swimming, biking and running NOT build muscle? what?
then she asked if i smoke: no. drink caffeine: very little. drink alcohol: yes.
she said, "you really need to watch your alcohol intake as a woman to be sure you keep your calorie count down."
ok... first... do i look like i'm concerned about calories? did i mention i work out? and shouldn't you be more worried about the alcohol portion of the equation versus the calorie intake?
crazy talk.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Sunday, June 07, 2009
las solteras
i just got back from listening to the symphony at an outdoor amphitheater with half the city, including 3 of my lovely girlfriends. it was pretty much awesome. a "country" theme, with several singalong tunes. but even more awesome was the drama that one likely encounters as a single girl in the city.
here's juanita's story.
(don't you just love how i hispanify all my names??)
so there we were, the 4 of us, sitting on a darling white table cloth with blue trim and yellow fruit accents (pears, maybe)... sipping wine from our lovely picnic basket that sloan dawg brought along (don't know how to hispanify that name, but as a sidebar, sloan dawg and i met at one of these outdoor symphonies last year! aw, our little anniversary party...) when juanita noticed that her ex-boyfriend's wife was sitting RIGHT next to us.
this was pretty much a non-issue till the ex's daughter noticed juanita, screamed with delight, and proceeded to talk excitedly for 5 minutes... clearly STOKED to run into her dad's former love.
mmm, see, the daughter is in high school.
because the ex is 55.
juanita is not 55.
after the show, the ex-wife walked up to us, understandably curious about the previous conversation and her daughter's connection to some stranger.
she asked if we attended the same high school.
mmm... yeah. 3 of the 4 of us are in our 30's. and 4 of the 4 of us were sipping wine. so, no. not high school buddies.
juanita gracefully stated she was a friend of the ex. at which point the ex-wife says, "oh, you didn't date him, did you????!!!!" (clearly expecting a "no" response). juanita cannot tell a lie, so she sat there, mouth slightly open, searching for the right response... "um, it was a long time ago..." meanwhile, the horrified daughter shouted, "MOM!!!!"
oh well.
we (the girls, not the ex-wife) talked about the inconvenience of age differences. if only 55 were just a number. but it's not. it's got implications. bummer.
10 minutes later, some dude, some young dude, walked up to talk to us. too young. he gaped in disbelief to find he was 10 years younger than his target. he carded her to be sure. but as previously stated, juanita can only speak the truth. ah, the numbers game again.
in the end, juanita went home to her loyal loving dog, a tad short on drama. happy ending? it's fuzzy math.
regardless, it was a good girls' night out.
here's juanita's story.
(don't you just love how i hispanify all my names??)
so there we were, the 4 of us, sitting on a darling white table cloth with blue trim and yellow fruit accents (pears, maybe)... sipping wine from our lovely picnic basket that sloan dawg brought along (don't know how to hispanify that name, but as a sidebar, sloan dawg and i met at one of these outdoor symphonies last year! aw, our little anniversary party...) when juanita noticed that her ex-boyfriend's wife was sitting RIGHT next to us.
this was pretty much a non-issue till the ex's daughter noticed juanita, screamed with delight, and proceeded to talk excitedly for 5 minutes... clearly STOKED to run into her dad's former love.
mmm, see, the daughter is in high school.
because the ex is 55.
juanita is not 55.
after the show, the ex-wife walked up to us, understandably curious about the previous conversation and her daughter's connection to some stranger.
she asked if we attended the same high school.
mmm... yeah. 3 of the 4 of us are in our 30's. and 4 of the 4 of us were sipping wine. so, no. not high school buddies.
juanita gracefully stated she was a friend of the ex. at which point the ex-wife says, "oh, you didn't date him, did you????!!!!" (clearly expecting a "no" response). juanita cannot tell a lie, so she sat there, mouth slightly open, searching for the right response... "um, it was a long time ago..." meanwhile, the horrified daughter shouted, "MOM!!!!"
oh well.
we (the girls, not the ex-wife) talked about the inconvenience of age differences. if only 55 were just a number. but it's not. it's got implications. bummer.
10 minutes later, some dude, some young dude, walked up to talk to us. too young. he gaped in disbelief to find he was 10 years younger than his target. he carded her to be sure. but as previously stated, juanita can only speak the truth. ah, the numbers game again.
in the end, juanita went home to her loyal loving dog, a tad short on drama. happy ending? it's fuzzy math.
regardless, it was a good girls' night out.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
pepper: an update on awesomeness
i just want to say that i love my dog.
she usually sleeps on her bed, down by the foot of my bed (so i won't step on her in the morning)... but last night she dragged her bed to be right up next to me. little girl warms my heart!
most nights she gets up very quietly, puts her wet nose up to mine, just to make sure i'm still there and breathing, and then goes back to lay down.
life with a dog is the best.
she usually sleeps on her bed, down by the foot of my bed (so i won't step on her in the morning)... but last night she dragged her bed to be right up next to me. little girl warms my heart!
most nights she gets up very quietly, puts her wet nose up to mine, just to make sure i'm still there and breathing, and then goes back to lay down.
life with a dog is the best.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
one more triathlete geek
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| From 2009 Spring |
i swore off the stuff. i love these peeps, but they're a little ocd about training, and i knew i'd never be in their league.
but then one of my girlfriends did her first tri last fall, and kept talking about how FUN it was... so i caved and started training in january.
now, i use the term "training" a lot more loosely than my tri geek buddies. i do swim, bike and run every week... sometimes 2 or 3 things in one day. but i don't get up at 6am every saturday to go on 80 mile rides! ain't my thing.
sunday was the big day. my girlfriend and i got up at the crack of dawn, careful not to wake all our house mates (we were lucky enough to crash with our friends and their families at the beach... we had thought we might just have to pitch a tent near the race!) we arrived, picked up our race packets and chips, got "body marked" with our race numbers, and made our way to the transition area to set up all our gear. we were reeeeeeally excited. after lots of walking back and forth and making last minute adjustments, we took off our shoes and headed to the lake.
we were the 5th wave of swimmers (second wave of women), so we just stood in the warm (79.2F) water while watching others swim ahead. before our wave started racing, i saw two bodies emerge from the water and run down the dock... my buddies... some of the ocd crew. i was excited for them.
then it was our turn! in a made rush of water and slapping and kicking and splashing, we collectively made our way out into the lake along the race course. the first 100 meters are the worst. everyone is just swimming on top of each other, and it's awful. but it's not so bad after we all spread out. this was my first "open water" swim, so i wasn't used to having to look up for markers and trying to swim straight. sooo much easier in the pool. 750 meters and 23 minutes later, i too was out of the water and running down the dock. people were cheering... i couldn't help but laugh!
in the transition area i threw on my socks, cycling shoes, helmet and sun glasses, grabbed my bike, ran out, clipped in and started pedaling. and pedaling. and pedaling. it was a kinda boring ride, and honestly, i didn't ride it fast enough. i kept thinking i should save steam for the run, knowing that would be the hardest part (have you ever tried running after riding? it's not easy!) so i dismounted at 48 minutes after riding 14 miles. 2 down, one to go.
i threw my bike back on the rack, took off my cycling shoes and helmet, put on my running shoes and hat... and as i was clipping on my racing belt (that holds your race number) i heard one of my friends yell, "get out of here, lau! stop taking so long! GO!" i looked up, startled, and took off running.
the running, in terms of terrain, was more boring than the ride... but it was fun in that i ran into (or past) 3 of my friends, and we cheered each other on. as i rounded the last corner before the finish line, really hitting my stride, i saw two friends yelling, "kick it in! you got it!!!" so i kicked it in. 29 minute 5k. not fast, but not bad after everything else... bringing my total time to 1hr 45min. whew!
i grabbed a water and made my way back to the finish line to cheer in my girlfriend. we hugged, we laughed, we felt like rock stars.
and that was it! i'm now a triathlete! i've been thinking of how to change up my training and racing ever since, but i'm still swearing off the ocd scene. i haven't even worked out since sunday! and that takes effort. but the game is back on tomorrow... and the next race is in july. sweet.
Monday, May 04, 2009
boys' beach trip... what the...?
i had the absolute pleasure of taking 9 middle school boys to the beach this weekend. we stayed at a place with revolution era forts, great for hide & seek. we only spent about an hour on the beach because the boys were just playing so hard the whole time. basketball all morning, fort running after lunch, mini-golf in the afternoon, dune jumping (i had a hard time not joining in on that one, but i kept reminding myself that my knees aren't as young as theirs, and i've got a big race next weekend), and then a little beach time before clean-up and dinner.
all the things that you might expect to have on a all-boys weekend did.
1) the church bus wouldn't start. luckily a mom lent me her minivan for the weekend.
2) one of the boys caught something in his eye, which continued to irritate him all day, so we took a little trip to the ER after dinner. he left with an eye patch, thus nick-named "patchy" the rest of the weekend.
3) while at the ER, the other 8 boys, bored out of their minds, started throwing rocks. the police had to give them a little pep talk as a result. oops.
perhaps the worst thing that happened, though, was MY fault. as i was following the GPS in my borrowed minivan, i turned down a dead-end road by accident. upon realizing my mistake, i whispered, "dead end? what the f!" really, i said the letter 'f' and did not use the word, but it was implied. and the boys immediately heard me (despite the blasting music and shouts of laughter as they threw playing cards and sour patch kids at each other) and gasped, collectively.
the favorite phrase for the rest of the weekend, was, of course, "what the f?!"
great. GRRRREAT.
glad i could be a shining paragon of upstanding christianly behavior.
surely Jesus cussed when he stubbed his toe?!?!
all the things that you might expect to have on a all-boys weekend did. 1) the church bus wouldn't start. luckily a mom lent me her minivan for the weekend.
2) one of the boys caught something in his eye, which continued to irritate him all day, so we took a little trip to the ER after dinner. he left with an eye patch, thus nick-named "patchy" the rest of the weekend.
3) while at the ER, the other 8 boys, bored out of their minds, started throwing rocks. the police had to give them a little pep talk as a result. oops.
perhaps the worst thing that happened, though, was MY fault. as i was following the GPS in my borrowed minivan, i turned down a dead-end road by accident. upon realizing my mistake, i whispered, "dead end? what the f!" really, i said the letter 'f' and did not use the word, but it was implied. and the boys immediately heard me (despite the blasting music and shouts of laughter as they threw playing cards and sour patch kids at each other) and gasped, collectively.
the favorite phrase for the rest of the weekend, was, of course, "what the f?!"
great. GRRRREAT.
glad i could be a shining paragon of upstanding christianly behavior.
surely Jesus cussed when he stubbed his toe?!?!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
rules shmules
you know, i really don't want this to become some blog about my dating life, or lack thereof... i mean, that's slightly petty to publish, right? but i'm in the midst of a dilemma, so i'm going to process via writing. forgive me.
let me interrupt my train of thought by saying there is nothing funnier than watching a big dog chase a tennis ball around the house on hard wood floors. thank God for pepper.
anyway, i've had a list of dating rules the past several years. a set of criteria for men to live up to in order for me to consider dating them. really, there are 4 plus 2 rules. like a bonus round.
1. most importantly... the guy has to love God. i've tried it otherwise, and it just never works. i have plenty of friends that this doesn't apply to, but for whatever reason, dating is different.
2. he's got to laugh. at himself, at me, at life... etc.
3. he's got to be intelligent, preferably in a challenging way. not just some rocket scientist i can't talk to.
4. he's got to be well traveled... preferably having lived in another country, but i realize that's asking a lot.
and then the "plus 2..."
a) i won't date a guy closer to my mom's age than my own (she is a young thing!)
b) i won't date potential. that's a toughy, b/c there's always potential, but you got to date what's real now.
now... some friends take issue with the well traveled thing. what if the guy has a desire to travel but just hasn't been able to? can't really hold that against him, right? and some friends have an issue with the God thing. is it enough if he just respects your religion? or if he's spiritual? what if he does yoga? and some think you have to chose either travel or faith... that the two don't mix... but then i am positive i'm not some freak of nature, and there've got to be at least 5 thousand other peeps in the world that love God and travel just like me.
but this weekend i was thinking... are all these rules just an effort to be in control? i mean, what's the fun in some pre-packaged man? i certainly wouldn't want anyone to put ME in a box! so i thought i'd just get rid of my rules. get out of the way of God's sense of humor, you know?
but standards are a good thing, right?
what's the difference?
i figure it's better to ask these questions while i'm single.
i'm just thinkin' out loud here.
let me interrupt my train of thought by saying there is nothing funnier than watching a big dog chase a tennis ball around the house on hard wood floors. thank God for pepper.
anyway, i've had a list of dating rules the past several years. a set of criteria for men to live up to in order for me to consider dating them. really, there are 4 plus 2 rules. like a bonus round.
1. most importantly... the guy has to love God. i've tried it otherwise, and it just never works. i have plenty of friends that this doesn't apply to, but for whatever reason, dating is different.
2. he's got to laugh. at himself, at me, at life... etc.
3. he's got to be intelligent, preferably in a challenging way. not just some rocket scientist i can't talk to.
4. he's got to be well traveled... preferably having lived in another country, but i realize that's asking a lot.
and then the "plus 2..."
a) i won't date a guy closer to my mom's age than my own (she is a young thing!)
b) i won't date potential. that's a toughy, b/c there's always potential, but you got to date what's real now.
now... some friends take issue with the well traveled thing. what if the guy has a desire to travel but just hasn't been able to? can't really hold that against him, right? and some friends have an issue with the God thing. is it enough if he just respects your religion? or if he's spiritual? what if he does yoga? and some think you have to chose either travel or faith... that the two don't mix... but then i am positive i'm not some freak of nature, and there've got to be at least 5 thousand other peeps in the world that love God and travel just like me.
but this weekend i was thinking... are all these rules just an effort to be in control? i mean, what's the fun in some pre-packaged man? i certainly wouldn't want anyone to put ME in a box! so i thought i'd just get rid of my rules. get out of the way of God's sense of humor, you know?
but standards are a good thing, right?
what's the difference?
i figure it's better to ask these questions while i'm single.
i'm just thinkin' out loud here.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
pepper bear beware
i have entered into a long term relationship, which i'm quite clueless about, but i'm learning every day. pepper, or pepper bear, as i like to call her, is 60+ pounds of fur, love, play and affection. here's a lovely picture of her, taken by my photographer friend lain.
pepper is a 17 month old shepherd/lab mix, pretty much perfect in every way. except when she barks. she's scared of men after being rescued from a not-very-nice one. i guess it's good, in that NO man would ever try to cross me with pep by my side... they'd never guess that she's actually a big sissy, and she would hide behind me cowering if pursued. i love her.
pep had an unfortunate run-in at the dog park last week. she was off her leash, chasing after squirrels, turning her head and smiling at me every time she treed one... when one blue healer dog came up and started humping her. now, pep and i had actually met this dog the day before at the vet... and the dog had humped her then too... but the dog's owner (an old man) apologized and said he was getting his dog fixed soon. at the dog park, however, the old man was 30 yards away, talking to some young lady on a bench, completely ignoring his uncontrollable pup. i didn't know what to do. i felt helpless! i said, "no!" but i was afraid to yell at someone else's dog, so it wasn't very convincing. after a bit, the humping dog ran away, and i noticed a little something on pepper's back. slobber? nnnno. sticky goo? yes. gross.
i felt violated. i'm not sure how pepper felt, but she was a little weird when i tried to put her collar back on to go home. so we walked around the block before jumping in the car, going home, and getting hosed down outside. my first try at bathing pepper.
dogs like that (uncontrollable, non-fixed humpers) should not be allowed in dog parks. luckily pepper has a great support group, and all her people and puppy friends have made a point to give her extra love and encouragement this past week. especially her auntie sloan and uncle dan. i think she's moved on.
pepper is a 17 month old shepherd/lab mix, pretty much perfect in every way. except when she barks. she's scared of men after being rescued from a not-very-nice one. i guess it's good, in that NO man would ever try to cross me with pep by my side... they'd never guess that she's actually a big sissy, and she would hide behind me cowering if pursued. i love her.pep had an unfortunate run-in at the dog park last week. she was off her leash, chasing after squirrels, turning her head and smiling at me every time she treed one... when one blue healer dog came up and started humping her. now, pep and i had actually met this dog the day before at the vet... and the dog had humped her then too... but the dog's owner (an old man) apologized and said he was getting his dog fixed soon. at the dog park, however, the old man was 30 yards away, talking to some young lady on a bench, completely ignoring his uncontrollable pup. i didn't know what to do. i felt helpless! i said, "no!" but i was afraid to yell at someone else's dog, so it wasn't very convincing. after a bit, the humping dog ran away, and i noticed a little something on pepper's back. slobber? nnnno. sticky goo? yes. gross.
i felt violated. i'm not sure how pepper felt, but she was a little weird when i tried to put her collar back on to go home. so we walked around the block before jumping in the car, going home, and getting hosed down outside. my first try at bathing pepper.
dogs like that (uncontrollable, non-fixed humpers) should not be allowed in dog parks. luckily pepper has a great support group, and all her people and puppy friends have made a point to give her extra love and encouragement this past week. especially her auntie sloan and uncle dan. i think she's moved on.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
warning: this blog entry contains "adult" material not suitable for children
one of the pros of taking time of blogging: only the die hard readers remain. and i think that pool of people can probably handle the following.
as you might know, one of the highlights of my work in youth ministry is talking to kids about sex. i mean that. i've never left a sex talk thinking, 'that was boring...' or, 'i wish i spent more time at my desk, preferably wearing a suit and heals.' no, sex talks are always challenging, always enlightening, and always very real. and i get to wear a t-shirt and flip-flops. can't beat that.
the 9th grade sex talks were especially good this year. i think we just got off on the right foot... there was a power outage at our first meeting, so we had the entire discussion about "angels and animals" by candlelight. mmmm hmmm. way to set the mood.
but the last 9th grade talk is what assured me that we had accomplished at least one of our objectives: letting kids know that church is a safe place to talk about sex.
here's what happened...
we were talking about ways to take care of ourselves spiritually, emotionally and physically in relationships.
"how do we stay physically healthy?"
"eat right and exercise."
"ok... and in relationships? and sexual relationships?
one guy raises his hand, "uh, use contraceptives?"
"actually, contraceptives just keep you from getting pregnant... they don't actually keep you from getting sick. the birth control pill is one example of a contraceptive. can somebody give me another?"
same guy says, "pulling out?"
"huh, well, yeah, there's that. definitely NOT the most reliable method..."
another guy interrupts, "wait... what exactly is the pull out method? i mean, i can kinda use my imagination, but..."
"sure. no worries. it's when the guy pulls his penis out of the woman's vagina before he ejaculates. really not a good method AT ALL."
"that's pretty much what i imagined."
see what i mean? mission accomplished. i promise there were much more meaningful learning moments throughout the night... and year, really... but this at least shows the kids are comfortable. whew. time to start planning next year.
as you might know, one of the highlights of my work in youth ministry is talking to kids about sex. i mean that. i've never left a sex talk thinking, 'that was boring...' or, 'i wish i spent more time at my desk, preferably wearing a suit and heals.' no, sex talks are always challenging, always enlightening, and always very real. and i get to wear a t-shirt and flip-flops. can't beat that.
the 9th grade sex talks were especially good this year. i think we just got off on the right foot... there was a power outage at our first meeting, so we had the entire discussion about "angels and animals" by candlelight. mmmm hmmm. way to set the mood.
but the last 9th grade talk is what assured me that we had accomplished at least one of our objectives: letting kids know that church is a safe place to talk about sex.
here's what happened...
we were talking about ways to take care of ourselves spiritually, emotionally and physically in relationships.
"how do we stay physically healthy?"
"eat right and exercise."
"ok... and in relationships? and sexual relationships?
one guy raises his hand, "uh, use contraceptives?"
"actually, contraceptives just keep you from getting pregnant... they don't actually keep you from getting sick. the birth control pill is one example of a contraceptive. can somebody give me another?"
same guy says, "pulling out?"
"huh, well, yeah, there's that. definitely NOT the most reliable method..."
another guy interrupts, "wait... what exactly is the pull out method? i mean, i can kinda use my imagination, but..."
"sure. no worries. it's when the guy pulls his penis out of the woman's vagina before he ejaculates. really not a good method AT ALL."
"that's pretty much what i imagined."
see what i mean? mission accomplished. i promise there were much more meaningful learning moments throughout the night... and year, really... but this at least shows the kids are comfortable. whew. time to start planning next year.
Friday, April 10, 2009
it's not what you think, but it is funny
my recent facebook status states that i'm bored out of my gourd. a true statement, but somewhat silly, given all that i could be doing. running, swimming, biking, paying taxes, baking a cake... but it's a long weekend... i don't want to take care of the mundane. i want adventure! why didn't i make plans to leave town? go camping? *sigh*
so, as my girlfriend crissy suggested, i'll update my blog.
in my previous post about bubba buffalo, "s" notes in her comment that i seem occupied since new years... she seems to suggest i'm preoccupied with, i dunno, a boy.
no, dear readers, it just ain't so. as much as i'd love to report that i'm in the throws of love in all its radiance... that i'm all aglow with a spring in my step and a song in my heart... nnnno. the only body that keeps me warm at night is my teddy bear and my new dog pepper (who i'll write about later... she is my best source of unconditional love and wet kisses, for sure).
that said, i have entered the dating scene. it seems impossible not to when many of your friends are married. rule of thumb: couples like other couples. and if you're not a couple, and you're friends with other couples, you can bet they'll try to make you a couple real quick. not that i mind... i am definitely not complaining.
so here's a set up story i'll share, because it is so entertaining, and because i know the implicated parties would not object. at least i don't think they would.
two married friends, andré and julia, asked if they could set me up with guillermo weeks ago. at first i objected (as did he, i'm told), but finally did succumb to their excited suggestions. guillermo and i had never met, though i facebook stalked him thoroughly, since he had no security on his profile page. a given.
the four of us met for dinner. super great time... easy conversation... lots of laughing... and then i said something about my dad being an interior designer.
"and yes," i added, "he's gay."
"no way!" exclaimed guillermo, "my dad is too!"
"i'm not being funny!" i retorted, "my dad really IS gay!"
"no, it IS funny," guillermo insisted, "because my dad really IS gay too... AND he's a gynecologist!"
well that did it. i finally met a man who could one up me. we may have to start a club.
happy crissy? :)
so, as my girlfriend crissy suggested, i'll update my blog.
in my previous post about bubba buffalo, "s" notes in her comment that i seem occupied since new years... she seems to suggest i'm preoccupied with, i dunno, a boy.
no, dear readers, it just ain't so. as much as i'd love to report that i'm in the throws of love in all its radiance... that i'm all aglow with a spring in my step and a song in my heart... nnnno. the only body that keeps me warm at night is my teddy bear and my new dog pepper (who i'll write about later... she is my best source of unconditional love and wet kisses, for sure).
that said, i have entered the dating scene. it seems impossible not to when many of your friends are married. rule of thumb: couples like other couples. and if you're not a couple, and you're friends with other couples, you can bet they'll try to make you a couple real quick. not that i mind... i am definitely not complaining.
so here's a set up story i'll share, because it is so entertaining, and because i know the implicated parties would not object. at least i don't think they would.
two married friends, andré and julia, asked if they could set me up with guillermo weeks ago. at first i objected (as did he, i'm told), but finally did succumb to their excited suggestions. guillermo and i had never met, though i facebook stalked him thoroughly, since he had no security on his profile page. a given.
the four of us met for dinner. super great time... easy conversation... lots of laughing... and then i said something about my dad being an interior designer.
"and yes," i added, "he's gay."
"no way!" exclaimed guillermo, "my dad is too!"
"i'm not being funny!" i retorted, "my dad really IS gay!"
"no, it IS funny," guillermo insisted, "because my dad really IS gay too... AND he's a gynecologist!"
well that did it. i finally met a man who could one up me. we may have to start a club.
happy crissy? :)
Thursday, March 05, 2009
bubba buffalo for president
my brothers are awesome. both of them. this story is about my baby brother pierce.
he's been campaigning to become the next student body president of hampden sydney college lately. he mentioned he might run when we were in argentina for new years, but he was slightly hesitant--knowing it would be a lot of work, because he'd be the type of president to actually DO something.
i suppose something needed to be done.
and pierce heard that call.
his posters said, "i'm pickin' up what you're puttin' down."
indeed!
pierce spoke with a lot of student groups on campus. maybe ALL of them. last week he spoke to the gay/straight alliance. they started their meeting by sharing their porn star names... which, as everyone knows, consists of a pet's name and your street name. who didn't have a porn star name in high school?
so what was pierce's?
bubba buffalo.
and as such, he's just been elected president. bubba would be proud, God rest his soul. congrats pierce! and congrats hampden sydney! you picked a good'n.
he's been campaigning to become the next student body president of hampden sydney college lately. he mentioned he might run when we were in argentina for new years, but he was slightly hesitant--knowing it would be a lot of work, because he'd be the type of president to actually DO something.
i suppose something needed to be done.
and pierce heard that call.
his posters said, "i'm pickin' up what you're puttin' down."
indeed!
pierce spoke with a lot of student groups on campus. maybe ALL of them. last week he spoke to the gay/straight alliance. they started their meeting by sharing their porn star names... which, as everyone knows, consists of a pet's name and your street name. who didn't have a porn star name in high school?
so what was pierce's?
bubba buffalo.
and as such, he's just been elected president. bubba would be proud, God rest his soul. congrats pierce! and congrats hampden sydney! you picked a good'n.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
chicken dance and treadmills
last year i wrote about how surreal it was to listen to music from home against the backdrop of bustling benin, west africa.
now the opposite is true... when an african song starts playing on my shuffle as i fight with the treadmill (i can't wait for sunnier mornings and outside runs!)
it's happened before. i can't help but smile at the music, thinking of outdoor market scenes and sandy toes. but today it took everything in me not to jump off the treadmill and start gyrating... struttin' my african dance moves. oh, how the heads would turn! how can you NOT dance to that music?!
now the opposite is true... when an african song starts playing on my shuffle as i fight with the treadmill (i can't wait for sunnier mornings and outside runs!)
it's happened before. i can't help but smile at the music, thinking of outdoor market scenes and sandy toes. but today it took everything in me not to jump off the treadmill and start gyrating... struttin' my african dance moves. oh, how the heads would turn! how can you NOT dance to that music?!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
that settles it
in the past week, i have come to realize... i've settled. i've been here less than a year, but this is definitely my town, my house is definitely my home, and my friends are true friends... not just on loan.
i think hosting the 5th annual (1st one here) wine and cheese party last friday sealed the deal. i had to (finally) unpack the last few boxes that had been living in various corners for months. i (finally) took all the empty boxes lying around up to the attic. i finished hanging pictures, many from once familiar, now distant, sites in africa. i even hung up my "mali mud cloth" that i'd been waiting to collect from rhett in dc, but finally caved and asked him to send it to me. my house looks like a museum of artifacts from all over. add to that the very grown up grass rug, leather dining chairs and real (versus hand-me-down) sofa i just obtained (it's my new form of investments... buy furniture i'll keep forever while the stock market struggles). it's all very adult and not temporary and slightly contrary to my nature.
and it's becoming my town too. i know people everywhere... the movie theater, grocery store, waiters recognize me and say hello. it's a little different from knowing all the bouncers and bar tenders in baltimore. 30 people were crammed in my kitchen friday night (the living and dining rooms were much less popular), and 30 more couldn't make it (out of town for the long weekend). how did this happen? in 8 months? less than 4 seasons?
makes me look forward to what this next season, spring, will bring.
i think hosting the 5th annual (1st one here) wine and cheese party last friday sealed the deal. i had to (finally) unpack the last few boxes that had been living in various corners for months. i (finally) took all the empty boxes lying around up to the attic. i finished hanging pictures, many from once familiar, now distant, sites in africa. i even hung up my "mali mud cloth" that i'd been waiting to collect from rhett in dc, but finally caved and asked him to send it to me. my house looks like a museum of artifacts from all over. add to that the very grown up grass rug, leather dining chairs and real (versus hand-me-down) sofa i just obtained (it's my new form of investments... buy furniture i'll keep forever while the stock market struggles). it's all very adult and not temporary and slightly contrary to my nature.
and it's becoming my town too. i know people everywhere... the movie theater, grocery store, waiters recognize me and say hello. it's a little different from knowing all the bouncers and bar tenders in baltimore. 30 people were crammed in my kitchen friday night (the living and dining rooms were much less popular), and 30 more couldn't make it (out of town for the long weekend). how did this happen? in 8 months? less than 4 seasons?
makes me look forward to what this next season, spring, will bring.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
ridiculous
i have moved to a city that knows NOTHING about snow.
they are paralyzed by it.
they get all up in a tizzy just THINKING about it!
i woke up this morning... didn't even notice the snow outside my window. why? because there wasn't much! when i finally did notice a dusting on the ground, i walked out to turn on my car and let the little bit of snow on the windshield melt off while i changed into my gym clothes.
i didn't even have to get out the windshield scraper. i don't even know where my handy scraper is... because it's NOT NECESSARY here!
i drove to the gym, walked into spin class, and was immediately asked if i was teaching. apparently all instructors are told not to come in any day that the county schools close for snow. my face contorted in shock as i screamed, "they canceled school today?!?!?!" oh yes. they did.
so spin class was canceled.
lucky for me, i brought my trusty swimsuit along... so i hit the pool. 1000 yards into my swim, a life guard pelted me with a foam thingy in the head. "pool is closing. you have to leave." what? seems the next lifeguard on duty couldn't brave the 3 snowflakes in his driveway to come to work.
i went home. i fixed a protein shake. i got a call from my boss... the church had canceled all activities scheduled for wednesday, including youth group tonight. never mind that the sun is shining brightly, melting even imaginary snow away.
the up-side to all this is that i get a night off. i haven't had a free night in... 3 weeks? and though i'm dogsitting, and won't actually be staying in my home, i'm looking forward to a very chill night of addressing valentines, watching tv, and cuddling with spike and stella (the dogs).
they are paralyzed by it.
they get all up in a tizzy just THINKING about it!
i woke up this morning... didn't even notice the snow outside my window. why? because there wasn't much! when i finally did notice a dusting on the ground, i walked out to turn on my car and let the little bit of snow on the windshield melt off while i changed into my gym clothes.
i didn't even have to get out the windshield scraper. i don't even know where my handy scraper is... because it's NOT NECESSARY here!
i drove to the gym, walked into spin class, and was immediately asked if i was teaching. apparently all instructors are told not to come in any day that the county schools close for snow. my face contorted in shock as i screamed, "they canceled school today?!?!?!" oh yes. they did.
so spin class was canceled.
lucky for me, i brought my trusty swimsuit along... so i hit the pool. 1000 yards into my swim, a life guard pelted me with a foam thingy in the head. "pool is closing. you have to leave." what? seems the next lifeguard on duty couldn't brave the 3 snowflakes in his driveway to come to work.
i went home. i fixed a protein shake. i got a call from my boss... the church had canceled all activities scheduled for wednesday, including youth group tonight. never mind that the sun is shining brightly, melting even imaginary snow away.
the up-side to all this is that i get a night off. i haven't had a free night in... 3 weeks? and though i'm dogsitting, and won't actually be staying in my home, i'm looking forward to a very chill night of addressing valentines, watching tv, and cuddling with spike and stella (the dogs).
Thursday, January 29, 2009
prodding
i recently received two emails regarding the current dearth of blogging.
the first said, "things must be going well with the boy... no recent blogging. your fans miss you."
mmm... you could say that... but, fans?
the second said, "i’m just hoping everything is okay with you. you haven’t been blogging since you got back from your trip after christmas, and i just was 'motherly' worried."
no need to worry. all is well.
anyway, the truth is, i've been slow on the blog circuit for a while now... boy or no boy. but i'll see what i can muster up, given the encouraging nudges here and there.
so here's a little piece of news. i went skiing with 94 middle school kids and 11 other chaperons last weekend. it was amazing. well, not the skiing... the skiing was typical eastern slush... but the kids were amazing. not one got hurt. not even their feelings got hurt! 94 pubescent kids living in harmony. amazing. ok, one kid did break his arm. but he didn't find out till he returned, so i'm not sure that counts.
pictured are me, sloan, jane and liza... with our carolina blue bandannas and matching carolina blue eyes.
the first said, "things must be going well with the boy... no recent blogging. your fans miss you."
mmm... you could say that... but, fans?
the second said, "i’m just hoping everything is okay with you. you haven’t been blogging since you got back from your trip after christmas, and i just was 'motherly' worried."
no need to worry. all is well.
anyway, the truth is, i've been slow on the blog circuit for a while now... boy or no boy. but i'll see what i can muster up, given the encouraging nudges here and there.
so here's a little piece of news. i went skiing with 94 middle school kids and 11 other chaperons last weekend. it was amazing. well, not the skiing... the skiing was typical eastern slush... but the kids were amazing. not one got hurt. not even their feelings got hurt! 94 pubescent kids living in harmony. amazing. ok, one kid did break his arm. but he didn't find out till he returned, so i'm not sure that counts.
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| From 2008-09 Winter |
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
ringing in the new year
pierce, pablo, cou and i spent new year´s eve with cou´s family. well, first we went to pablo´s parents´ house, met his family, then went to his grandparents´ house, met more family, ate some sushi (pablo is japanese), and then made our way to ernesto and luisa´s (cou´s family) where we met up with aunts and cousins that i hadn´t seen in years. we enjoyed a delicious meal of maybe 5 different salads, canelones (the same meal luisa made for me my first night in argentina 11 years ago), and a platter full of sweets. as the clock struck 12, we each ate 12 white raisins while making 3 wishes, a tradition luisa´s family brought over from spain.
then the fire works started. explosions sounded from every direction, so we ran to the back yard to watch... and light a few of our own. i´m not talking little wussy roman candles or sparklers. i´m talking HUGE fireworks of green, purple, red and gold! i cackled like all get out, knowing i could never play with such explosives back home. so fun! globos also filled the sky... miniature hot air balloons like slow motion shooting stars. it was a beautiful night.
the next day we went back to cou´s parents´ place for an asado, which is like a cook out, but to the nth degree. chorizo (spicey sausage), ribs, steak, morcilla (blood sausage) and chicken. and that´s just what we ate on new year´s day! pierce and i have also sampled liver, kidney, tongue, brains, intestines. so much meat. so delicious. so fun.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
i see dead people
yesterday cou and her cousin sylvina took pierce and me back to the capitol to see one of my favorite places... recoleta. the cemetary in recoleta is reason enough to visit, though cou hates being there and pablo was glad he missed it. i don´t think they like to be around dead people. but the cemetary is unlike anything we have back home! i was just as fascinated by it this time as i was at age 16. pierce also loved it. 
many famous people are burried in this cemetary, including eva peron (evita!!) and presidents and military leaders. often people are burried close to the very man that killed them! but the structures in the cemetary are what interest me most. like miniature chapels all over, some with stained glass, some with huge angels atop marble, some with little ventilation fans! it´s a maze of culture, and i love it.
after cruising the tombs, we stopped by the adjacent church and then visited various artists´ booths, buying a few souvinirs for ourselves and our friends. we stopped for an afternoon snack (as is customary), people watched, and talked about life. pierce and i are really enjoying this leisurely pace.
many famous people are burried in this cemetary, including eva peron (evita!!) and presidents and military leaders. often people are burried close to the very man that killed them! but the structures in the cemetary are what interest me most. like miniature chapels all over, some with stained glass, some with huge angels atop marble, some with little ventilation fans! it´s a maze of culture, and i love it. after cruising the tombs, we stopped by the adjacent church and then visited various artists´ booths, buying a few souvinirs for ourselves and our friends. we stopped for an afternoon snack (as is customary), people watched, and talked about life. pierce and i are really enjoying this leisurely pace.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
the good stuff
last night we ate pizza (my favorite international food), empanadas and dulce de leche ice cream. ahhhh, the good life.
pierce and i went shopping with cou and her cousins (who look the same as they did 11 years ago) yesterday. probably wasn´t pierce´s idea of the perfect day, had had to take a nap afterward, but it was a cultural experience nonetheless (where else can you smoke IN the mall) and he was a good sport. and every one of us bought something, so a successful day overall.
there´s a 3 hour difference between here and home, so pierce and i have taken to living as if we never left the states. we stay up till 2am (11pm back home) and sleep till 11am (8am back home). lovely.
and now it´s time for lunch!
pierce and i went shopping with cou and her cousins (who look the same as they did 11 years ago) yesterday. probably wasn´t pierce´s idea of the perfect day, had had to take a nap afterward, but it was a cultural experience nonetheless (where else can you smoke IN the mall) and he was a good sport. and every one of us bought something, so a successful day overall.
there´s a 3 hour difference between here and home, so pierce and i have taken to living as if we never left the states. we stay up till 2am (11pm back home) and sleep till 11am (8am back home). lovely.
and now it´s time for lunch!
Sunday, December 28, 2008
don´t cry for me
argentina!!!!
the truth is... i´ve been away 11 years.
pierce (my not so little bro) and i are in argentina visiting the family i lived with 11 years ago, when i was a mere sophomore in high school. it´s been awesome. my family hasn´t changed a bit. corina (cou... the girl who nick named me lau) married pablo 2 months ago, so that´s different. it´s also the purpose of my trip. we made a pact waaay back to go to each others weddings. i´m just 2 months late. cou and pablo live in a darling house they just built, but they only have their bed and a table and chairs for furniture. pierce and i are sleeping on cots. it´s great.
luisa and ernesto (my argentine parents) live in the exact same house with the exact same furniture. it was crazy to walk into my old room yesterday! like i´ve only been gone 11 days. i love it. and luisa still coddles me as if i were her own baby. she also keeps encouraging me to eat... i´m pretty sure she´s responsible for the 30 lbs i gained when i lived here! that won´t happen again.
some things have changed, though. it´s not quite as safe, mostly because people are less sure of their circumstances, i suppose. i used to be able to walk on my own... now cou get´s nervous at the thought of me running with pierce, though i keep telling her i´ve done much worse.
today we went to the capitol city, buenos aires (cou lives in a suburb about 45 minutes north). we visited la boca (the brightly painted italian slums where the tango orignated) where we people watched for hours as we waited for our lunch to arrive. pierce was excited to split a parilla (meat plate) with pablo. he´s pretty pumped about 10 days of the best red meat in the world. we also went to the plaza de mayo, where we walked the plaza, visited the buenos aires cathedral and the casa rosada (that would be the pink house, like our white house, where evita sang her lovely songs off the balcony in movie life). while at the casa rosada, i conned pierce into taking a picture with me and one of the guards... who, by the way, is smiling because his hand is on my butt. very friendly! then we went to the puerto madero, the old part of town, where we boarded a boat and watched a catholic mass (on the boat) and walked all over. it was a full day.
pablo is a great addition. pierce and i like him a lot. he and cou dated for 8 years before marrying in october, so they´re like best friends. pablo can COOK! he stuffs more food down my throat than luisa. he´s got a great sense of humor, and the 4 of us travel well together.
anyway, the argentine adventures begin!
the truth is... i´ve been away 11 years.
pierce (my not so little bro) and i are in argentina visiting the family i lived with 11 years ago, when i was a mere sophomore in high school. it´s been awesome. my family hasn´t changed a bit. corina (cou... the girl who nick named me lau) married pablo 2 months ago, so that´s different. it´s also the purpose of my trip. we made a pact waaay back to go to each others weddings. i´m just 2 months late. cou and pablo live in a darling house they just built, but they only have their bed and a table and chairs for furniture. pierce and i are sleeping on cots. it´s great.
luisa and ernesto (my argentine parents) live in the exact same house with the exact same furniture. it was crazy to walk into my old room yesterday! like i´ve only been gone 11 days. i love it. and luisa still coddles me as if i were her own baby. she also keeps encouraging me to eat... i´m pretty sure she´s responsible for the 30 lbs i gained when i lived here! that won´t happen again.
some things have changed, though. it´s not quite as safe, mostly because people are less sure of their circumstances, i suppose. i used to be able to walk on my own... now cou get´s nervous at the thought of me running with pierce, though i keep telling her i´ve done much worse.
today we went to the capitol city, buenos aires (cou lives in a suburb about 45 minutes north). we visited la boca (the brightly painted italian slums where the tango orignated) where we people watched for hours as we waited for our lunch to arrive. pierce was excited to split a parilla (meat plate) with pablo. he´s pretty pumped about 10 days of the best red meat in the world. we also went to the plaza de mayo, where we walked the plaza, visited the buenos aires cathedral and the casa rosada (that would be the pink house, like our white house, where evita sang her lovely songs off the balcony in movie life). while at the casa rosada, i conned pierce into taking a picture with me and one of the guards... who, by the way, is smiling because his hand is on my butt. very friendly! then we went to the puerto madero, the old part of town, where we boarded a boat and watched a catholic mass (on the boat) and walked all over. it was a full day.
pablo is a great addition. pierce and i like him a lot. he and cou dated for 8 years before marrying in october, so they´re like best friends. pablo can COOK! he stuffs more food down my throat than luisa. he´s got a great sense of humor, and the 4 of us travel well together.
anyway, the argentine adventures begin!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
facebook official
one of the perks of being a youth minister is talking about sex.
and i talk about sex a lot... like... every month at least. it's very important!
in a recent conversation with some very savvy 10th grade girls, i posed the question: what defines a "couple?"
a few answers percolated to the surface... including, "if it's on facebook, it's official."
and there you have it.
"couples" according to a 16 year old.
and i talk about sex a lot... like... every month at least. it's very important!
in a recent conversation with some very savvy 10th grade girls, i posed the question: what defines a "couple?"
a few answers percolated to the surface... including, "if it's on facebook, it's official."
and there you have it.
"couples" according to a 16 year old.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
out with a bang
i know this will come as a disappointment to many a reader, but i have suspended my eharmony subscription. it's just not how i roll. here's one last nugget of gold from the countless hopeless matches i received (not that they are hopeless... but the match most certainly is). typos in quotations are authentic.
meet filipe.
filipe is a truck driver.
filipe's passion: "relaxing in my front lawn by my flag pole" and looking at ants.
one thing filipe wishes more people would notice about him: "i am really cool. just wait until i rig an october corn maze in the garden for our children IF an eharmony lady says 'yes' before my viagra days arrive."
one thing that only felipe's best friends know is: "many ladies here at eharmony want to know what i'd like my spouse & companion to enjoy doing with me? cooking together and i do mean cooking in ever since of the word... i just bought an american made, cast iron, dutch oven."
some additional information filipe wanted you to know: "i want you to be a 'career woman' if you choose to be, BUT if you live your life by living on credit (i'm strong-willed about it) then i'm not your man. i'm not a penny pincher. i roll the pennies."
told you. golden. farewell eharmony. it's been... err... real... somethin'.
meet filipe.
filipe is a truck driver.
filipe's passion: "relaxing in my front lawn by my flag pole" and looking at ants.
one thing filipe wishes more people would notice about him: "i am really cool. just wait until i rig an october corn maze in the garden for our children IF an eharmony lady says 'yes' before my viagra days arrive."
one thing that only felipe's best friends know is: "many ladies here at eharmony want to know what i'd like my spouse & companion to enjoy doing with me? cooking together and i do mean cooking in ever since of the word... i just bought an american made, cast iron, dutch oven."
some additional information filipe wanted you to know: "i want you to be a 'career woman' if you choose to be, BUT if you live your life by living on credit (i'm strong-willed about it) then i'm not your man. i'm not a penny pincher. i roll the pennies."
told you. golden. farewell eharmony. it's been... err... real... somethin'.
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