I would like to share something very special with you. I had the honor to present my grandmother's eulogy at her funeral on Monday the 15th December. When I first approached the lectern, I was unsure of my presence, of my confidence. But once I began reading and saw the glowing faces of my family and friends in the congregation, I knew I had a purpose. Every memory, every story that you will read below brought various emotions to me and those present at the funeral. My grandmother was one of the most incredible women I have ever met. I will always remember that I am blessed to have known her for so long, and that she was strong-bodied and sharp-witted enough to reach her 89th birthday before finally giving in to her fate. I hope after reading this eulogy you will take a piece of my grandmother's spirit away with you and share it with others. It was her beautiful spirit that we all loved so much about her....
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Thank you all for coming here today to help remember and celebrate the life of Alma Margaret Cocito Bonito, a woman full of grace.
Grandma was a woman of conviction. She was faithful, honest, selfless, loving and patient. She had a passion for life, her Catholic faith and most importantly, her family and friends.
Grandma was a long-time congregant of Saint Mary the Morning Star Parish. Many will remember her involvement with Saint Mary’s Bazaar, preparing dough for the fried dough booth with her family and friends. She prayed at home and hung a crucifix over her headboard, a sign of her undying faith.
In addition to the church, Grandma was a member of the Dalton American Legion Auxiliary, the Association of Marion Helpers, the Ralph J. Froio Senior Center, the Portuguese American Club and the Greylock Federal Credit Union Quality Time Club. She donated to many non-profit organizations, including the VFW and showed her support by hanging the Buddy Poppy in her car.
In life, Grandma proved to be a woman dedicated to her work. After high school she worked at W.T. Grant retail store, then for Pittsfield Novelty, assembling purses. Along with her daughter Linda, daughter-in-law Linda and the Tucker girls, Grandma catered with Millie Bernardo at Temple Anshe Amunim and other locations. At the temple, she developed relationships with the congregants, some of whom are very close to our family today. For over twenty years, Grandma worked at S&J Variety, where she made the greatest impact on people’s lives. To this day, folks still praise her sweet demeanor and positive attitude in the workplace. My sister Stacie worked with Grandma at S&J Variety, learning and adopting her strong work ethics, while still taking the time to ask customers and friends about their lives and their families.
Family life was Grandma’s priority. She took great pride in watching her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren grow and blossom into beautiful human beings. As a young woman, she lived with her parents and sister, then with her husband Albert and his parents. After that, she and Grandpa lived with their daughter Linda and son-in-law Francis. Her sister Elsie and her family only lived a driveway away. After Zia Elsie passed away, Grandma became the matriarch of the family, adopting her nephews and their families as her own. She became the “go-to” woman for the entire Bonito and Lucaroni families.
Grandma’s door was always open and unlocked, announcing one’s presence with the ring of a bell. She was usually home and available when we needed her most. If ever there was a loose seam, Grandma was ready with a needle and thread to fix it. If we were sick and feverish, she was prepared with a cool washcloth and a loving smile. If there was an empty stomach, she would offer a sandwich; and if it were near to the holidays, a slice of her fresh-baked apple pie or Vauvau’s picadu (meat stuffing). She drove the kids to their sporting events and then stayed to cheer them on. She almost never missed a choral event, theatrical production or graduation for one of the kids.
All of this applies to her friendships as well. She was deeply connected with her friends, visiting them in her free time, writing letters and making phone calls. She was up-to-date on everyone’s lives, yet never gossiped.
Keeping a calendar of events was very important to Grandma Alma. She was timely and generous when it came to birthdays, anniversaries and other special events. Grandma sent greeting cards to all of her loved ones and long-time friends, no matter where they lived…and she was rarely late. Almost every card arrived a few days early or exactly on the day of the given event.
In her free time, Grandma kept up with the local news or watched the Red Sox play on television. When Grandma and Grandpa were younger, they took the train to New York City to watch the Red Sox beat the Yankees...or so that’s how I imagine it. In her later years, Gram would sit and talk for hours about the Red Sox if you so desired.
Besides her treks to New York City, Grandma loved visiting Cape Cod. She traveled with family and close friends: with her parents-in-law, husband Albert, three children, many cousins, Alice and Bob, Dick and Mary Pierce, Dilinda and Albert Tavares; and they would visit their cousins the Geoffreans, who had a house down at the Cape. After Grandpa died, Grandma continued visiting the Cape with her girlfriend Alice for girls’ weeks at the shore. Her other favorite beachside destination was Florida, spending time with the Motlins, Alice and Bob, her daughter Linda and son-in-law Francis, and various other friends. But Gram didn’t like to fly, so she traveled via car train with Grandpa. In her retired years, Gram went on senior bus trips with her friends to the theatre and the casino.
Despite her never-ending care for her loved ones, Grandma took excellent care of herself and her health. She had the softest skin in the world, due to her daily application of Avon products. She got her hair done every Friday at Joseph on the Mall. She ate balanced meals and avoided junk food. Grandma took the time to visit her deceased family members at the cemetery, watering flowers and maintaining the grave sites.
I’d like to share with you some of our fondest memories of Grandma Alma. Most of them occurred at her home on New Hampshire Avenue, our safe haven, full of love. On warm summer days she could be seen leaning out the back window, hanging wet clothes on the line. We might find her kneeling in the garden pulling weeds or gathering fresh tomatoes for sauce. In the fall, Gram would grab her broom and a smile and sweep the leaves from the sidewalk. She took great care of the aging pear tree in the yard that was born before she was. Every visit to her kitchen meant peeking in the cookie drawer...which was always full to the brim. On visits with Mr. Maxwell she played her lottery and scratch tickets, but never formed a habit. Walking through the house, you can still find hundreds of bells that were collected by and for her over the years.
** Here, my family and I rang some of my grandmother's bells that we brought to the church with us **
There is an Eskimo proverb that states: "Perhaps they are not stars, but rather openings in heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us to let us know they are happy." Tonight, may we all look up to the stars and know that Grandma has found her way home again.
22 December 2008
14 December 2008
P.S.
I got my acceptance letter to WSC yesterday - yay! I didn't have any doubts, but it's exciting nonetheless...like being 17 all over again and waiting for my college acceptance letters for the first time. YAHOO! Here I come Tomi - make room in the garage for my Golf and my Specialized!
Eulogizing...
I finished the eulogy and showed it to Father Mike today - he loved it. He even suggested we bring some of my grandma's bells (she has a collection of hundreds all over the house) to the church and have people ring them. I've already got a box set up to bring them along. I'll have to pass them out to family members the morning of the funeral and tell them to ring the bells at the end of my speech, they'll know when. I cried on the way home from the church, listening to some sappy country songs about love and loss (aren't they all?). I'm glad to be able to do the eulogy, though I know it won't be easy with her lying there in front of me in the casket. At least I know that she's in a better place.
We have heaps upon heaps of food coming to the house. Cold cuts, lasagna, brisket, fruit baskets and pastries. We'll be fat-layered up for the winter in no time. Too bad gram isn't around to join in, but she always loved sending us home with leftovers...so perhaps this is her way of feeding us from heaven?
I plan on copying the eulogy here in my blog, but not until after the funeral. It just wouldn't feel right. It would be like closing the front door before you've even walked outside for the mail. Once I've given my speech and shared all the wonderful things about Grandma with everyone, then I will share it here.
Cathi's bringing eight pizzas to gram's house today for lunch. Then at 4pm we have calling hours at the funeral home. I've gotta get myself washed up and ready for the afternoon. Ugh...I just feel like laying in bed watching a movie, or old episodes of Gray's Anatomy. Care to join?
We have heaps upon heaps of food coming to the house. Cold cuts, lasagna, brisket, fruit baskets and pastries. We'll be fat-layered up for the winter in no time. Too bad gram isn't around to join in, but she always loved sending us home with leftovers...so perhaps this is her way of feeding us from heaven?
I plan on copying the eulogy here in my blog, but not until after the funeral. It just wouldn't feel right. It would be like closing the front door before you've even walked outside for the mail. Once I've given my speech and shared all the wonderful things about Grandma with everyone, then I will share it here.
Cathi's bringing eight pizzas to gram's house today for lunch. Then at 4pm we have calling hours at the funeral home. I've gotta get myself washed up and ready for the afternoon. Ugh...I just feel like laying in bed watching a movie, or old episodes of Gray's Anatomy. Care to join?
12 December 2008
Every time a bell rings, an angel earns its wings
My grandma died on Wednesday night....
She's been having trouble breathing over the past few months and just recently returned from a one and a half week stay in the hospital, where she spent her 89th birthday. Mmm, mystery meat and Jell-O!
When she returned from the hospital she was quite needy, though still as strong as ever. Her vital signs were constant and strong. Her will to get things done was even stronger. The VNA came a few times a week to check on her and she started on some physical therapy. She was doing arm exercises with two 20 oz. cans of tomatoes and lung exercises with a little blue gadget that when she inhaled she had to make the little white ball hit the top. She excelled at all of her exercises, but was mostly living in her bedroom at this point, which was on the same floor of the house as the bathroom. It was too exhausting going up and down the stairs, she was stubborn and just didn't want to do it.
Thankfully, Gram came downstairs and spent Thanksgiving dinner with the family. She got to see her kids, grandkids and great-grandkids. She ate a full meal and then went back upstairs to rest. Long days like that were beginning to tire her out real good.
Two weeks after Thanksgiving, a few days before she died, she wavered in and out of lucidity. One minute she was sitting there "playing the lottery" (in reality, she was sitting at the table with her hands resting on top) and the next minute she was smiling and telling us about her life when our Vava and Voovoo (great-grandparents) were alive. It was then that I knew she was starting the decline, though I was determined to deny it.
Wednesday she stopped breathing in late afternoon and was taken to the ER according to her wishes to be resuscitated. She was on a respirator and drugs to bring up her blood pressure, but her pressure was going down as her body was fighting to go. When the decision was made to provide comfort measures, the respirator and drugs were removed, and gram started breathing on her own and her heart rate went up from 52 to 77 beats/min. The doctor's mouth was agape; he was amazed to see her breathing on her own and have improved vital signs. She fought on for another half hour as we coaxed her on, telling her that it was okay, we loved her and we were ready if she was. My sister and I stood at the end of the bed, rubbing her feet. Dad was caressing her hair and forehead. My aunts were holding her hand and arm. We all took turns saying our piece, telling her who was there with her, wishing her the best. Father Michael came and gave her the last rites, anointing her with holy water. My gram was a devout Catholic. She was ever so faithful to her God and her church.
Eventually, gram passed on and we stayed on longer in the ER, not wanting to leave her just yet. There was also a little confusion and mis-communication about when to leave. We thought we were waiting for the coroner to come pick her up and the coroner was waiting for us to leave. Hehe, it was a nice bit of humor to top the night off. It also gave us time to decompress and sit around talking about her before we left the hospital.
When we brought my aunt home, to the house she shared with grandma, my mom said that the house looked different. I didn't see it at first, but when I watched my aunt pull her car in the garage and walk around the car towards the yard, everything changed. My gram's car was no longer in it's place. Her hands would no longer touch the clothesline. Her neatly folded newspapers would no longer be waiting on her chair in the kitchen. She would never again poke her cute little face out the door and wave to me as I pulled out of the driveway.
All of the little things that my grandma did were incredible. She cared so deeply for her family and was the matriarch of our very large extended family. Even our friends were instantly enamored with her upon introduction. Her sweet, sweet smile could melt any frost. I will always be thankful that I had so many years with her on this earth. I only hope that someday we will meet again. And until that time, I know she'll be walking around Heaven with my grandfather...flitting around with her new angel wings.
I love you Grandma, thank you for giving me the world.
She's been having trouble breathing over the past few months and just recently returned from a one and a half week stay in the hospital, where she spent her 89th birthday. Mmm, mystery meat and Jell-O!When she returned from the hospital she was quite needy, though still as strong as ever. Her vital signs were constant and strong. Her will to get things done was even stronger. The VNA came a few times a week to check on her and she started on some physical therapy. She was doing arm exercises with two 20 oz. cans of tomatoes and lung exercises with a little blue gadget that when she inhaled she had to make the little white ball hit the top. She excelled at all of her exercises, but was mostly living in her bedroom at this point, which was on the same floor of the house as the bathroom. It was too exhausting going up and down the stairs, she was stubborn and just didn't want to do it.
Thankfully, Gram came downstairs and spent Thanksgiving dinner with the family. She got to see her kids, grandkids and great-grandkids. She ate a full meal and then went back upstairs to rest. Long days like that were beginning to tire her out real good.
Two weeks after Thanksgiving, a few days before she died, she wavered in and out of lucidity. One minute she was sitting there "playing the lottery" (in reality, she was sitting at the table with her hands resting on top) and the next minute she was smiling and telling us about her life when our Vava and Voovoo (great-grandparents) were alive. It was then that I knew she was starting the decline, though I was determined to deny it.
Wednesday she stopped breathing in late afternoon and was taken to the ER according to her wishes to be resuscitated. She was on a respirator and drugs to bring up her blood pressure, but her pressure was going down as her body was fighting to go. When the decision was made to provide comfort measures, the respirator and drugs were removed, and gram started breathing on her own and her heart rate went up from 52 to 77 beats/min. The doctor's mouth was agape; he was amazed to see her breathing on her own and have improved vital signs. She fought on for another half hour as we coaxed her on, telling her that it was okay, we loved her and we were ready if she was. My sister and I stood at the end of the bed, rubbing her feet. Dad was caressing her hair and forehead. My aunts were holding her hand and arm. We all took turns saying our piece, telling her who was there with her, wishing her the best. Father Michael came and gave her the last rites, anointing her with holy water. My gram was a devout Catholic. She was ever so faithful to her God and her church.
Eventually, gram passed on and we stayed on longer in the ER, not wanting to leave her just yet. There was also a little confusion and mis-communication about when to leave. We thought we were waiting for the coroner to come pick her up and the coroner was waiting for us to leave. Hehe, it was a nice bit of humor to top the night off. It also gave us time to decompress and sit around talking about her before we left the hospital.
When we brought my aunt home, to the house she shared with grandma, my mom said that the house looked different. I didn't see it at first, but when I watched my aunt pull her car in the garage and walk around the car towards the yard, everything changed. My gram's car was no longer in it's place. Her hands would no longer touch the clothesline. Her neatly folded newspapers would no longer be waiting on her chair in the kitchen. She would never again poke her cute little face out the door and wave to me as I pulled out of the driveway.
All of the little things that my grandma did were incredible. She cared so deeply for her family and was the matriarch of our very large extended family. Even our friends were instantly enamored with her upon introduction. Her sweet, sweet smile could melt any frost. I will always be thankful that I had so many years with her on this earth. I only hope that someday we will meet again. And until that time, I know she'll be walking around Heaven with my grandfather...flitting around with her new angel wings.
I love you Grandma, thank you for giving me the world.
03 December 2008
The things I remember...today, yesterday...since the day my life took that last turn.
Yesterday when I was babysitting, Maddie complimented me on my seashell earrings, salmon-colored zip-up hoodie sweatshirt and my Red Sox hat (hey, the kid's got good taste!). Let me remind you that she's 2.5 years old and already has a great sense of fashion. Yes, I just gloated about my style as well :)
Today I was reading customer reviews for the Therm-a-Rest ProLite 4 women's sleeping pad on the REI website. In one excerpt a customer wrote, "Other reviewers didn’t like the slipperiness of it. I’ve fixed this by putting a small piece of 'rug grip' under it. The 'grip' is multi use; which I won’t go into here..." and left it at that. It was my first experience with sexual connotations in the customer review section of an outdoor gear website :)
Yesterday at work, on my way to the timeclock to punch in, I walked past Kathy and Mary whose bottoms were at perfect angles to be smacked. So...I smacked 'em real good and real hard. Kathy let out a happy yelp while Mary had a look of horror on her face. Only today did Kathy inform me that Mary's "not really into that." Oh well, I'll have to find some other bottom to smack.
Two days ago, I picked up the NYC Ballet Workout DVD from the public library and am about to give it a try in my room. I told a friend about it and he said, "I'm pretty sure the ballerina workout includes anorexia and smoking cigarettes." So, I've decided to drive to the corner store for a pack of Marlboro reds and stare at my new groceries until they've gone moldy and I have to throw them away.
Actually, I realize how rude that sounds. I have friends who are or have been dancers, and I'd like to assure you that they neither smoked like fiends or ate nothing but air. Through the years they continued to look quite healthy. So, I tried out the ballet workout and it seems I have some practicing to do. My plies just aren't the same as they were when I was seven! For dinner I had a fabulous meal and no cigarettes...just like those wonderful ballerinas in my life :)
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Today I was looking through my calendar for the past year, since my breakup with Peter and move from RI back home....
I remember the racquetball tournament and visiting Vancouver in January. At the end of the month is when I got my beautiful new car!
In February I worked full time at BHO again and came up with those awesome nursing questionnaires.
Renee had her galbladder surgery in March, just a week after Jilly came back from Africa (YAY!).
April was uneventful other than handing in tax returns - JOY OF JOYS! - and house-sitting for Cheryl, fun!
May was my incredible vacation month: road-tripping through FL and seeing Peru for the first time...mi amor nuevo! Necesito regresar! It helps that I 'fell in love' while I was there...with the country, the culture, the foods, traditions and Carlitos del campo.
June started my relationship with Cristian, which led into a jam-packed waitressing month in July, topped off by the __th annual Bonito Bash! I haven't a clue how many I've had...anyone?
August was a strange month, brimming with hours upon hours of waitressing and a great camping trip. But it was overshadowed by mom's scare with melanoma and that clinical trial.
When September came, I finally sold my old Subie, sang in a jazz night at mom's temple, went on a semi-blind date, acted as an extra in a Hollywood film ('Taking Woodstock' - see it when it comes out, I'm the camp counselor near the motorcyles yelling for her campers to find their buddies in the traffic jam scene! Look for Bill too, he's the bearded hippie pretending to interview someone during the traffic jam) and went on a fabulous camping trip in Lake George. It was Renee for a day, Roger, Allen and me, communing with nature, fishing, flirting with the cute guy in the gear shop (that was all me) and flirting with the cute bartender at the local groggery (that would be the guys this time).
October was a slow month for work, but I spent a GREAT week in Colorado with Mike and Kate, Allie, Dave in Boulder, Gansett and my newfound airport buddy Pieter. I hope to make it back out there sometime...my one true love (of many) is waiting for me at La Rumba, ready to shake it down!
November was a big month - I celebrated my birthday (my favorite holiday!), Jason & Dana got married, Missy had a baby (welcome Mason!!!), gram spent a week in the hospital and I finally applied to go back to school!!! Here I come Worcester, haha....
This all brings me to today. I've started working for JB again for the holiday season and my baskets are gorgeous! It's only the beginning of December and I'm sure there will be many more adventures to write about. My recap on the year is early, so I can start reflecting and refocusing now for the new year, and not get get too distracted as the holiday chaos ensues. Changes are coming my friends, changes are coming!
Today I was reading customer reviews for the Therm-a-Rest ProLite 4 women's sleeping pad on the REI website. In one excerpt a customer wrote, "Other reviewers didn’t like the slipperiness of it. I’ve fixed this by putting a small piece of 'rug grip' under it. The 'grip' is multi use; which I won’t go into here..." and left it at that. It was my first experience with sexual connotations in the customer review section of an outdoor gear website :)
Yesterday at work, on my way to the timeclock to punch in, I walked past Kathy and Mary whose bottoms were at perfect angles to be smacked. So...I smacked 'em real good and real hard. Kathy let out a happy yelp while Mary had a look of horror on her face. Only today did Kathy inform me that Mary's "not really into that." Oh well, I'll have to find some other bottom to smack.
Two days ago, I picked up the NYC Ballet Workout DVD from the public library and am about to give it a try in my room. I told a friend about it and he said, "I'm pretty sure the ballerina workout includes anorexia and smoking cigarettes." So, I've decided to drive to the corner store for a pack of Marlboro reds and stare at my new groceries until they've gone moldy and I have to throw them away.
Actually, I realize how rude that sounds. I have friends who are or have been dancers, and I'd like to assure you that they neither smoked like fiends or ate nothing but air. Through the years they continued to look quite healthy. So, I tried out the ballet workout and it seems I have some practicing to do. My plies just aren't the same as they were when I was seven! For dinner I had a fabulous meal and no cigarettes...just like those wonderful ballerinas in my life :)
~~~~
Today I was looking through my calendar for the past year, since my breakup with Peter and move from RI back home....
I remember the racquetball tournament and visiting Vancouver in January. At the end of the month is when I got my beautiful new car!
In February I worked full time at BHO again and came up with those awesome nursing questionnaires.
Renee had her galbladder surgery in March, just a week after Jilly came back from Africa (YAY!).
April was uneventful other than handing in tax returns - JOY OF JOYS! - and house-sitting for Cheryl, fun!
May was my incredible vacation month: road-tripping through FL and seeing Peru for the first time...mi amor nuevo! Necesito regresar! It helps that I 'fell in love' while I was there...with the country, the culture, the foods, traditions and Carlitos del campo.
June started my relationship with Cristian, which led into a jam-packed waitressing month in July, topped off by the __th annual Bonito Bash! I haven't a clue how many I've had...anyone?
August was a strange month, brimming with hours upon hours of waitressing and a great camping trip. But it was overshadowed by mom's scare with melanoma and that clinical trial.
When September came, I finally sold my old Subie, sang in a jazz night at mom's temple, went on a semi-blind date, acted as an extra in a Hollywood film ('Taking Woodstock' - see it when it comes out, I'm the camp counselor near the motorcyles yelling for her campers to find their buddies in the traffic jam scene! Look for Bill too, he's the bearded hippie pretending to interview someone during the traffic jam) and went on a fabulous camping trip in Lake George. It was Renee for a day, Roger, Allen and me, communing with nature, fishing, flirting with the cute guy in the gear shop (that was all me) and flirting with the cute bartender at the local groggery (that would be the guys this time).
October was a slow month for work, but I spent a GREAT week in Colorado with Mike and Kate, Allie, Dave in Boulder, Gansett and my newfound airport buddy Pieter. I hope to make it back out there sometime...my one true love (of many) is waiting for me at La Rumba, ready to shake it down!
November was a big month - I celebrated my birthday (my favorite holiday!), Jason & Dana got married, Missy had a baby (welcome Mason!!!), gram spent a week in the hospital and I finally applied to go back to school!!! Here I come Worcester, haha....
This all brings me to today. I've started working for JB again for the holiday season and my baskets are gorgeous! It's only the beginning of December and I'm sure there will be many more adventures to write about. My recap on the year is early, so I can start reflecting and refocusing now for the new year, and not get get too distracted as the holiday chaos ensues. Changes are coming my friends, changes are coming!
25 November 2008
I've applied!
Well, I've finally sent in my application for school...going back for my B.A. in Spanish for the Professions! It's about time something big[ger] has happened for me. I'm incredibly proud that I've made a decision and not just stuck with it, but completely followed through on it. The major steps left are to fill out my FAFSA form and figure out which other paperwork needs to be filled out before school starts. There's also the issue of finding and apartment and a job (I'll be attending school part-time, hopefully all my gen-ed and elective credits will transfer so I'll only be taking Spanish courses!). I've been scouring Craigslist and plan to send out some emails or make phone calls this week. I would love to live in my own apartment for the first time, but I don't think that's in my budget right now. Oh and tomorrow, the day before Thanksgiving, I get to sign up for my winter course! I'll be taking a Spanish for Health Care Providers course. Weee, it's a course I've wanted to take for the last two years but never got a chance to or found one in my price range. It'll be expensive to start off my degree with that course (about $700 I think) but at least it will be applied to my degree, whew.
For my application there was the option to write an essay. It's the first time I've seen an optional essay on a college application, I think? Who knows...I haven't applied to college in over nine years! Anyway, I thought I would share it with you.
Question:
Describe the feelings you've had in the past three years about your educational experience. Be sure to mention circumstances which have had a special influence on your education.
Answer:
During the past three years I have done much soul-searching. I’ve found myself constantly re-evaluating the knowledge I gained in my undergraduate studies at theUniversity of Rhode Island
For my application there was the option to write an essay. It's the first time I've seen an optional essay on a college application, I think? Who knows...I haven't applied to college in over nine years! Anyway, I thought I would share it with you.
Question:
Describe the feelings you've had in the past three years about your educational experience. Be sure to mention circumstances which have had a special influence on your education.
Answer:
During the past three years I have done much soul-searching. I’ve found myself constantly re-evaluating the knowledge I gained in my undergraduate studies at the
It has been five years since my commencement into the working world, and I have held many important job positions. After university, I worked in a hematology oncology office as a phlebotomist and laboratory assistant. From my patients, I learned about the true meaning of life and the decisions we make every day that affect our lives. For one year, I was a Safety Compliance Officer for the largest clinical laboratory in
Throughout these job experiences and the times between, I have never stopped learning about myself and my passions.
In the last two years I’ve discovered that I have an extreme passion for travel. Most impressive were my visits to
Because of my trip to
My incredible vacations and job experiences over the past three years have made me realize that my “education” is not just something I’ve received from an institution. The people I’ve met, the places I’ve been and the activities I’ve tried have all taught me more about the world and my own self than I could have ever learned only in the classroom. Thus I will continue to grasp life and the experiences it offers, while continuing my formal education, in hopes that my life will always be full of passion and prosperity.
19 November 2008
Exhausting business
I know that I'm about to have my period when I cry.
I also know that when I cry, there's something going on in my heart and my mind.
These past two weeks have been quite a handful, in both good and bad. I reconnected with a high school friend, Laura, who I haven't seen in about nine years. We caught up on our college and grad lives...most interestingly, she studied Spanish in college, something I gave up early on before I realized I had a true passion for it. Now, Laura is a nurse and speaks Spanish daily at PMH with her patients. I was inspired to check out her school and their professional Spanish program. Sold! I considered my options, to look at a few other schools too, but perhaps I'll only call one of them. I'm sure that Worcester is where I should be for the program. It's central to so many parts of my life.
About the program; it's a B.A., so yeah, I'd be getting another Bachelor's. Seems like everyone is so obsessed with grad school; master's degrees, Ph.D.s, etc. etc. I say, what's wrong with another undergrad degree? Of course I loved my first one, Biology, but haven't used it to it's full potential. And I was so busy with sports in college that I didn't have time to double major...and may I remind you that I didn't realize my passion for Spanish until these last few years? Anyway, I'm applying - deadline is 10 Dec for January classes. I'll start the program (and new year) off with a bang in the winter session course that's being offered through continuing education: Spanish for Health Care Providers - perfect!
In addition to my schoolgirl fever, things are going awry as far as family health goes. My grandmother has had trouble breathing for the last few months and Sunday night went to the ER, later (1am Monday) to be admitted to the RCU (Respiratory Care Unit). In the ER she endured bloodwork, x-ray and CAT scan. I went immediately and helped ease the pain with my usual humor and stories...and of course pulled a few good stories out of my grandmother too :) Now she's been "quarantined" - not really, but is there another word? Because she is a respiratory case, by medical law they have to first rule out TB because they don't know exactly what is wrong. She's being tested (well, her sputum actually) for TB, is currently receiving antibiotics for pneumonia (does she even have it? No idea, but they're treating for it anyway) and once the TB results are in, if they're negative, she'll go for an endoscopy to see if she's having an esophageal blockage that might be causing her difficulty breathing.
Two days ago (18 Nov) was gram's 89th birthday. It sucks that she had to spend the day in the hospital, but she was showered with cards, visitors, doughnuts (I think she ate one), phone calls and a beautiful get well Christmas cactus...and when I say beautiful, I mean that EVERY single leaf-end has a magenta bud on it!!! It's going to be gorgeous! This is only the second time in her life that she's suffered an illness; she's a tough cookie with great genes. I like to think that I inherited her immunity, though thankfully not her allergies!
All day I've been trying to erase the guilt I've felt for not going to the hospital today. I was there Sunday, Monday, twice Tuesday. Not once today. I was told that it's okay to take a break. I just feel my duty to her while she's ill is to be there every step of the way. For the most part I have been - helping her spread mayo on her ham and cheese sandwich, taking her to the toilet, rubbing ointment on her sores, smiling at her through the awful mask I have to wear when I go into her room. June told me the other day that even if I go to the hospital to see her and I have nothing to say, nothing to entertain her with, that I should just be there to "be". She's right, and I have...and I will again tomorrow.
Besides my gram, another person near to the family has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. I found out today and as I'm not close with her I can't do much but be a good cheerleader on the sidelines and provide support for her family. I always say that if I prayed, I would pray. Now would be the time.
Before I picked up my laptop I had words running high-speed across my brain, waiting to be written down. It seems like my mind moves so fast sometimes that I cannot keep up, cannot get to my computer in time. And most definitely cannot hand-write fast enough! I've already forgotten most of it...which accumulated post-"The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants 2" during my come-down from lots of tears. Okay, so I'm a movie sap...I also have PMS and a heart made for mushyness, desperate to fall in love again. I suppose we can save that for another time.
I was going to title this entry, "Fuck," because it's exactly how I felt tonight when I heard about the ovarian cancer. It's also how I feel when I think about all the shit that's going on with my grandmother, and my very short time span to get my application for school and financial aid filled out. Instead, I'll save the vulgarities for another time when I really need them.
If you pray, please pray. If you meditate, I ask for peace of mind and healing. If you cook, please bring some food to my parents' house because the kitchen is still under construction and we have no stove (argh!) hehe. If you've read this far, then I've fulfilled my wish to interest others in my life's challenges and stories.
I also know that when I cry, there's something going on in my heart and my mind.
These past two weeks have been quite a handful, in both good and bad. I reconnected with a high school friend, Laura, who I haven't seen in about nine years. We caught up on our college and grad lives...most interestingly, she studied Spanish in college, something I gave up early on before I realized I had a true passion for it. Now, Laura is a nurse and speaks Spanish daily at PMH with her patients. I was inspired to check out her school and their professional Spanish program. Sold! I considered my options, to look at a few other schools too, but perhaps I'll only call one of them. I'm sure that Worcester is where I should be for the program. It's central to so many parts of my life.
About the program; it's a B.A., so yeah, I'd be getting another Bachelor's. Seems like everyone is so obsessed with grad school; master's degrees, Ph.D.s, etc. etc. I say, what's wrong with another undergrad degree? Of course I loved my first one, Biology, but haven't used it to it's full potential. And I was so busy with sports in college that I didn't have time to double major...and may I remind you that I didn't realize my passion for Spanish until these last few years? Anyway, I'm applying - deadline is 10 Dec for January classes. I'll start the program (and new year) off with a bang in the winter session course that's being offered through continuing education: Spanish for Health Care Providers - perfect!
In addition to my schoolgirl fever, things are going awry as far as family health goes. My grandmother has had trouble breathing for the last few months and Sunday night went to the ER, later (1am Monday) to be admitted to the RCU (Respiratory Care Unit). In the ER she endured bloodwork, x-ray and CAT scan. I went immediately and helped ease the pain with my usual humor and stories...and of course pulled a few good stories out of my grandmother too :) Now she's been "quarantined" - not really, but is there another word? Because she is a respiratory case, by medical law they have to first rule out TB because they don't know exactly what is wrong. She's being tested (well, her sputum actually) for TB, is currently receiving antibiotics for pneumonia (does she even have it? No idea, but they're treating for it anyway) and once the TB results are in, if they're negative, she'll go for an endoscopy to see if she's having an esophageal blockage that might be causing her difficulty breathing.
Two days ago (18 Nov) was gram's 89th birthday. It sucks that she had to spend the day in the hospital, but she was showered with cards, visitors, doughnuts (I think she ate one), phone calls and a beautiful get well Christmas cactus...and when I say beautiful, I mean that EVERY single leaf-end has a magenta bud on it!!! It's going to be gorgeous! This is only the second time in her life that she's suffered an illness; she's a tough cookie with great genes. I like to think that I inherited her immunity, though thankfully not her allergies!
All day I've been trying to erase the guilt I've felt for not going to the hospital today. I was there Sunday, Monday, twice Tuesday. Not once today. I was told that it's okay to take a break. I just feel my duty to her while she's ill is to be there every step of the way. For the most part I have been - helping her spread mayo on her ham and cheese sandwich, taking her to the toilet, rubbing ointment on her sores, smiling at her through the awful mask I have to wear when I go into her room. June told me the other day that even if I go to the hospital to see her and I have nothing to say, nothing to entertain her with, that I should just be there to "be". She's right, and I have...and I will again tomorrow.
Besides my gram, another person near to the family has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. I found out today and as I'm not close with her I can't do much but be a good cheerleader on the sidelines and provide support for her family. I always say that if I prayed, I would pray. Now would be the time.
Before I picked up my laptop I had words running high-speed across my brain, waiting to be written down. It seems like my mind moves so fast sometimes that I cannot keep up, cannot get to my computer in time. And most definitely cannot hand-write fast enough! I've already forgotten most of it...which accumulated post-"The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants 2" during my come-down from lots of tears. Okay, so I'm a movie sap...I also have PMS and a heart made for mushyness, desperate to fall in love again. I suppose we can save that for another time.
I was going to title this entry, "Fuck," because it's exactly how I felt tonight when I heard about the ovarian cancer. It's also how I feel when I think about all the shit that's going on with my grandmother, and my very short time span to get my application for school and financial aid filled out. Instead, I'll save the vulgarities for another time when I really need them.
If you pray, please pray. If you meditate, I ask for peace of mind and healing. If you cook, please bring some food to my parents' house because the kitchen is still under construction and we have no stove (argh!) hehe. If you've read this far, then I've fulfilled my wish to interest others in my life's challenges and stories.
09 November 2008
Brroklyn...er, Brooklyn
For some reason, every time I write the name Brooklyn I spell it wrong the first time. I'm a fast typist so perhaps I'm jumping the gun on the double letters when I get to the "r", unable to wait for the "o". When you really think about it, saying "rrrrr" is much more fun than "oooooo" haha.
07 November 2008
2007 At A Glance...
In 2007, more than one or two wonderful things happened each month, but these are the highlights (and of course the ones that got recorded on camera) :)
January 2007
February 2007I went Nordic Skating in Vermont with some friends...and decided to wear the most obnoxious, homemade outfit, ever (thank you Grandma Ethel!).
March 2007I went to a salsa fiesta at Carlos and Jennifer's apartment.
April 2007I went to my first Pawtucket Red Sox game and it was FREEZING! (Note the bundling!)
May 2007
I planted my first vegetables with my roommates...look how neat and clean...it was a mess at the end of the season!
June 2007(1) I sang in a concert with the Cumberland Lincoln Community chorus...all Broadway show tunes. I had a solo, "The hills are alive with the sound of music!" and later on, I danced around the stage with five other gals to ABBA's "Dancing Queen" while wearing a purple boa!
(2) We got kittens!!! (Okay, we were only kitten-sitting until they were old enough to be adopted by others, but we got them nonetheless!)
(3) My friends and I went to the beach in Newport, RI and played "Superman"
(4) I went to Tanglewood with friends for a live taping of Garrison Keillor's "Prarie Home Companion"
July 2007
(2) Our sunflowers were in full bloom!
(3) I WENT TO AUSTRALIA!!! (There are over 300 photos from this trip, so I will only put in my faves)
(a) Meditated with Koalas at the Billabong Sanctuary, Queensland
(b) Swam nudie in Zoe Falls on Hinchinbrook Island, off the coast of Queensland
(c) Went scuba diving for my first time in the Great Barrier Reef, off the coast of Queensland
(d) Met 'Roos for a snack in the vineyard, Margaret River wine region, Western Australia
(e) Walked over Sydney Harbor Bridge to see the Opera House with a friend, New South Wales
(f) Shook hands with the Queen of England, Canberra
(g) Conversed with an Aborigine on the ways of life today, Canberra
November 2007
(1) My brother got married! Meet the new Mr. Randy and Mrs. Tina [Galletta] Bonito!
(2) My best friend Alyssa was 8 months pregnant with my future goddaughter!
(3) Cousin Vivian from Israel planned a big family reunion in Peabody, MA!
December 2007
My goddaughter Claire Jayne Mages was born on the 12th December, a dream come true!
January 2007
I went to California...90210 baby!
February 2007March 2007April 2007May 2007I planted my first vegetables with my roommates...look how neat and clean...it was a mess at the end of the season!
June 2007 (2) We got kittens!!! (Okay, we were only kitten-sitting until they were old enough to be adopted by others, but we got them nonetheless!) (3) My friends and I went to the beach in Newport, RI and played "Superman" (4) I went to Tanglewood with friends for a live taping of Garrison Keillor's "Prarie Home Companion"July 2007(1) There was a great 4th of July parade in Bristol, RI (it is apparently one of the oldest running)
(2) My roommates and I had a jigsaw dinner party...at one point the kittens joined in but ended up just moving the puzzle pieces to areas where they didn't belong
(3) I went to Block Island for the first time and played 'Capture the Flag'
August/September/October 2007
(1) Lauren and Steve got married!!!
(2) My roommates and I had a jigsaw dinner party...at one point the kittens joined in but ended up just moving the puzzle pieces to areas where they didn't belong(3) I went to Block Island for the first time and played 'Capture the Flag'August/September/October 2007(1) Lauren and Steve got married!!!
(a) Meditated with Koalas at the Billabong Sanctuary, Queensland
(b) Swam nudie in Zoe Falls on Hinchinbrook Island, off the coast of Queensland
(c) Went scuba diving for my first time in the Great Barrier Reef, off the coast of Queensland
(d) Met 'Roos for a snack in the vineyard, Margaret River wine region, Western Australia
(e) Walked over Sydney Harbor Bridge to see the Opera House with a friend, New South Wales
(f) Shook hands with the Queen of England, Canberra
(g) Conversed with an Aborigine on the ways of life today, Canberra
November 2007(1) My brother got married! Meet the new Mr. Randy and Mrs. Tina [Galletta] Bonito!
(2) My best friend Alyssa was 8 months pregnant with my future goddaughter!
(3) Cousin Vivian from Israel planned a big family reunion in Peabody, MA!
December 2007My goddaughter Claire Jayne Mages was born on the 12th December, a dream come true!
06 November 2008
Discovering Strange Wonders
Check these out... some of them are science blogs, some are random blogs I found and two are jewelry/art home decorating items. Enjoy what the incredible internet offers us! :)
http://cabinet-of-wonders.blogspot.com/2007/10/merkins-and-kotekas-and-codpieces-oh-my.html
http://cabinet-of-wonders.blogspot.com/2007/10/merkins-and-kotekas-and-codpieces-oh-my.html
That guy next door...
Tonight in the library I ran into the guy with the beard who works next to my building. Apparently he has a second job at the library. His name is Seth. I am sure I will see him around....
I just finished "reading" L'Affaire, a book on tape that takes places in Val Marie and Paris, France. I'm not sure if the first place is a real ski village or one created by the author. It was a great book - about an American woman who sells her dot-com company in Palo Alto, CA and goes away to France for a few months, hoping to get the experience of her life. And that she does! In France, she winds up assisting a family of whom two relatives are seriously injured in an avalanche in the Alps, ends up in bed with two married men - the first, an Austrian Baron and the second, an egotistical anti-American Frenchman called Emile. Emile also winds up in bed with his wife's half-sister, before realizing who she is. Amy, the American woman, winds up acting as benefactor for the little brother of the girl injured in the avalanche and also taking care of the girl's baby, Harry. There are so many twists and turns that I cannot even write them all down without getting you so confused! In any event, it was an excellent book and I recommend it if you love the sound of French words and accents and steamy love affairs.
And speaking of love affairs, I've been doing a lot of love-daydreaming lately.... About the guy I met in the farmlands of Peru, the one I met at the salsa club in Denver. The guy I see at the recording studio next door, the guy I dated a few years ago who's finishing a stint in the military. There's also the guy I met in NY, mysterious, compassionate and seemingly interested in me too, though definitely not my type. Alas, daydreaming is what keeps me going when I get bored!
It kinda makes me wonder...is someone daydreaming about me too?
I just finished "reading" L'Affaire, a book on tape that takes places in Val Marie and Paris, France. I'm not sure if the first place is a real ski village or one created by the author. It was a great book - about an American woman who sells her dot-com company in Palo Alto, CA and goes away to France for a few months, hoping to get the experience of her life. And that she does! In France, she winds up assisting a family of whom two relatives are seriously injured in an avalanche in the Alps, ends up in bed with two married men - the first, an Austrian Baron and the second, an egotistical anti-American Frenchman called Emile. Emile also winds up in bed with his wife's half-sister, before realizing who she is. Amy, the American woman, winds up acting as benefactor for the little brother of the girl injured in the avalanche and also taking care of the girl's baby, Harry. There are so many twists and turns that I cannot even write them all down without getting you so confused! In any event, it was an excellent book and I recommend it if you love the sound of French words and accents and steamy love affairs.
And speaking of love affairs, I've been doing a lot of love-daydreaming lately.... About the guy I met in the farmlands of Peru, the one I met at the salsa club in Denver. The guy I see at the recording studio next door, the guy I dated a few years ago who's finishing a stint in the military. There's also the guy I met in NY, mysterious, compassionate and seemingly interested in me too, though definitely not my type. Alas, daydreaming is what keeps me going when I get bored!
It kinda makes me wonder...is someone daydreaming about me too?
15 October 2008
Mr. Big
Sometimes I feel like the strangest things affect my emotions. Take tonight, for example - I watched the Sex and the City movie. It had a huge impact! It made me miss my closest girlfriends (okay, that makes sense), then it made me long to find the love of my life and start my life with him (again, makes sense)...but I cried and cried...and cried! I'm a sap, I cry at the movies, reading touching articles and, yes, the occasional commercial. But for those of you that know me, you know that I can be rough and tumble too! I can arm wrestle, do push-ups and pull-ups and hang with the boys. I just cry more than they do!
Alas, there are a lot of big things going on in my life and I guess all of those things combined have me a bit on the emotional side these days. My closest girlfriend has finally come back to the East coast after four years of living over 3,000 miles away, YIKES! And still, she is 5 hours away and I am waiting a couple more weekends before I drive down there. I already told her I'd pay her gas mileage if she drives up here and ((the catch)) helps me clean out all my stuff for my "big move"...isn't that what best friends are for?
Speaking of the "big move" - you know I spent six days in Colorado checking the place out, trying to see if I could see myself living there. And you know what? I can. I wasn't entirely sure at first, mostly due to the fact that the week wasn't perfect. There were some "issues" while I was away, but no day goes unwrinkled...so why should my little vacation be any different?
Besides those two huge issues, I am living at home with two crazy roommates (i.e. mom and dad) who are in the midst of a huge project - renovating the kitchen and upstairs bathroom. The bathroom is almost finished, thank goodness, but the kitchen probably has another month or so before it's all completed. There's been some arguing over details and harried decision-making that comes with the stress of a big home project, but overall it's going quite well...now that the wheels are greased and turning. So yeah, living with my crazy roommates is a little jilting at times.
Another thing? Jobs. None. Well, that's sort of a lie. I have a waitressing job in the restaurant where I worked all summer, but I'm a little bored of it. I also have the same brainless holiday job lined up that I had last year if I want it - making holiday gift baskets for the specialty food store in town. I gotta admit, my baskets last year were gorgeous! The boss is a little crazy, but a great guy to work for.
Wait a minute...who isn't crazy that I know? HA! Probably no one...especially not me! I'm a crazy bitch just the same.
There you go. A short bit of crazy ramblings and now I'm off to la la land. I have three minutes to fall asleep before the clock strikes 1 am. Don't worry...it's past midnight, I'm already in rags and my teddy bear is no longer a gorgeous chariot driver...he's just Teddy.
Alas, there are a lot of big things going on in my life and I guess all of those things combined have me a bit on the emotional side these days. My closest girlfriend has finally come back to the East coast after four years of living over 3,000 miles away, YIKES! And still, she is 5 hours away and I am waiting a couple more weekends before I drive down there. I already told her I'd pay her gas mileage if she drives up here and ((the catch)) helps me clean out all my stuff for my "big move"...isn't that what best friends are for?
Speaking of the "big move" - you know I spent six days in Colorado checking the place out, trying to see if I could see myself living there. And you know what? I can. I wasn't entirely sure at first, mostly due to the fact that the week wasn't perfect. There were some "issues" while I was away, but no day goes unwrinkled...so why should my little vacation be any different?
Besides those two huge issues, I am living at home with two crazy roommates (i.e. mom and dad) who are in the midst of a huge project - renovating the kitchen and upstairs bathroom. The bathroom is almost finished, thank goodness, but the kitchen probably has another month or so before it's all completed. There's been some arguing over details and harried decision-making that comes with the stress of a big home project, but overall it's going quite well...now that the wheels are greased and turning. So yeah, living with my crazy roommates is a little jilting at times.
Another thing? Jobs. None. Well, that's sort of a lie. I have a waitressing job in the restaurant where I worked all summer, but I'm a little bored of it. I also have the same brainless holiday job lined up that I had last year if I want it - making holiday gift baskets for the specialty food store in town. I gotta admit, my baskets last year were gorgeous! The boss is a little crazy, but a great guy to work for.
Wait a minute...who isn't crazy that I know? HA! Probably no one...especially not me! I'm a crazy bitch just the same.
There you go. A short bit of crazy ramblings and now I'm off to la la land. I have three minutes to fall asleep before the clock strikes 1 am. Don't worry...it's past midnight, I'm already in rags and my teddy bear is no longer a gorgeous chariot driver...he's just Teddy.
12 October 2008
Iraq
It's something I never talk about. I usually don't think much about it. Sure, I have friends who have joined the military and gone away, so far that I don't talk to them anymore. I even dated a guy once, for a very short time, before he went to Afghanistan. It's incredible to me that something like going away to the Middle East is nothing but a fleeting thought to most Americans. It always has been to me. War happens, lots of guys and gals gear up and head out to fight...some come back, some don't. It's a fact of life, part of our history. It's almost like everyone in this world takes war for granted.
I watched a movie tonight, "In the Valley of Elah," with Tommy Lee Jones and Charlize Theron. If you haven't seen it, I suggest you pick it up. I have seen war movies before, but this one really hit home. To me, it was the closest to real that I've ever seen. We've all heard stories, gotten those email forwards with photos of our men and women overseas, either having fun or struggling to survive. I always delete them. Sometimes I look at the photos, then I roll my eyes and complain that another god-loving Christian has passed a stupid military email along. But now I realize that the military touches most of our lives and it really is important to "support our troops" no matter where they are. No, you don't have to support the administration that might be sending them out, but I think we should whole-heartedly support and recognize the men and women who voluntarily participate in the military and are willing to go overseas to fight for the things most of us take for granted. A long life, freedom of speech, a full bank account, the internet, a walk in the park, new shoes, equal rights...America's not perfect, far from it, but I'm sure glad we've got what we've got.
I don't believe in god, but I do believe in people. I have friends who have been overseas and some who are there now. I realize that I have never given enough notice or thought about them and their daily lives. Some people pray. I just think, reflect. I wonder what life is like over there...and then I go on and finish my sandwich or book my next flight so I can go on vacation and "get away from it all". Not everybody gets a vacation....
Paul got married to Julie and they both moved to Germany so he could be in the Army. I haven't talked to them since their wedding a few years ago. Jeff went to Afghanistan, came home and is now in Iraq. We just got in touch today for the first time in two years. Eddie joined the Air Force in South Carolina, but I haven't seen him since 2003. Kevin's little brother went away, then came back, got married, had a baby and lives in California. Both of my grandfathers were in the military. My aunt served. I have a cousin who died in the Israeli military.
It's a bigger part of my life than I imagined, yet it never occurred to me that I was close enough for it to matter. I still don't know how I feel about "the war in Iraq" or if there is even a war being fought. I'm missing so many details that I don't think I'll ever really know what's going on. All I know is that because of "In the Valley of Elah," I will now take a few more moments each time I reflect upon my loved ones who are in the military now or who have served in the past.
And one more thing - I still have the American flag that belonged to my grandfather, my mom's dad. I don't know if it was given to him upon discharge or if he used to fly it at his house. I was too young to even notice. Since 9/11 Americans have become obsessed with the American flag. I've cringed seeing the flag stickers on people's cars or flags flying outside people's homes. But I really am glad to be here and I'm going to see about getting that rip stitched in my grandfather's flag. Someday I'll thank myself.
I watched a movie tonight, "In the Valley of Elah," with Tommy Lee Jones and Charlize Theron. If you haven't seen it, I suggest you pick it up. I have seen war movies before, but this one really hit home. To me, it was the closest to real that I've ever seen. We've all heard stories, gotten those email forwards with photos of our men and women overseas, either having fun or struggling to survive. I always delete them. Sometimes I look at the photos, then I roll my eyes and complain that another god-loving Christian has passed a stupid military email along. But now I realize that the military touches most of our lives and it really is important to "support our troops" no matter where they are. No, you don't have to support the administration that might be sending them out, but I think we should whole-heartedly support and recognize the men and women who voluntarily participate in the military and are willing to go overseas to fight for the things most of us take for granted. A long life, freedom of speech, a full bank account, the internet, a walk in the park, new shoes, equal rights...America's not perfect, far from it, but I'm sure glad we've got what we've got.
I don't believe in god, but I do believe in people. I have friends who have been overseas and some who are there now. I realize that I have never given enough notice or thought about them and their daily lives. Some people pray. I just think, reflect. I wonder what life is like over there...and then I go on and finish my sandwich or book my next flight so I can go on vacation and "get away from it all". Not everybody gets a vacation....
Paul got married to Julie and they both moved to Germany so he could be in the Army. I haven't talked to them since their wedding a few years ago. Jeff went to Afghanistan, came home and is now in Iraq. We just got in touch today for the first time in two years. Eddie joined the Air Force in South Carolina, but I haven't seen him since 2003. Kevin's little brother went away, then came back, got married, had a baby and lives in California. Both of my grandfathers were in the military. My aunt served. I have a cousin who died in the Israeli military.
It's a bigger part of my life than I imagined, yet it never occurred to me that I was close enough for it to matter. I still don't know how I feel about "the war in Iraq" or if there is even a war being fought. I'm missing so many details that I don't think I'll ever really know what's going on. All I know is that because of "In the Valley of Elah," I will now take a few more moments each time I reflect upon my loved ones who are in the military now or who have served in the past.
And one more thing - I still have the American flag that belonged to my grandfather, my mom's dad. I don't know if it was given to him upon discharge or if he used to fly it at his house. I was too young to even notice. Since 9/11 Americans have become obsessed with the American flag. I've cringed seeing the flag stickers on people's cars or flags flying outside people's homes. But I really am glad to be here and I'm going to see about getting that rip stitched in my grandfather's flag. Someday I'll thank myself.
spinning
Do you ever put laundry in the washer machine and just stare at it as the cycle begins...watching the clothes sloshing 'round and 'round. My favorite part is when the clothes move towards the center and get pulled around vigorously. It is here that they violently get sucked into the center post that is spinning the load in circles.
I've been doing a lot of thinking about my life and where it's going...where I'm going. I recently came back from a wonderful 6-day visit to Colorado (Denver, Boulder and areas around Breckenridge). It had its ups and downs like any vacation (though this one included a teensy bit of rain and a good, old fashioned dog bite) and I came home with a feeling of renewal...at least until I got to D.C. My layover was in D.C. and there was an added 3 hour delay because the pilots couldn't start one of the engines. The worst part was seeing East-coasters again...checking their watches, running around the airport, rushing, rushing, stressed out...it was madness. I quickly inhaled the stress and felt the relaxation leave my body (this was not my preference!). It was the strangest feeling. Although I love the East coast, and the Northeast especially, I can see that this stressed-out theme of big, busy city life really doesn't bode well with me these days.
The best part of my layover was meeting Pieter and Mary Beth - two CT-ers who now live in Colorado. Pieter lives in Boulder and Mary Beth lives just outside Steamboat. Hanging out with them was such a breath of fresh air...a Colorado breeze in my face again, reminding me of how wonderful my vacation was (despite being surrounded by rushing, stressed out East-coasters). Pieter and I shared stories about our lives, our passions, our histories. It seems that Colorado is full of free-spirited folks not unlike me.
So when I look into the washing machine and I see my clothing being battered, I realize that it's not such a bad thing. What's really happening is that they're being tossed around, being woken up, shaken about...that spinning post is saying, "Hey! It's time to make a change! Get excited about life again! Get your ass moving you little shit!" (Well, that last sentence was really something from my subconcious, haha...but I hope you get the point.)
A change is coming real soon.
I've been doing a lot of thinking about my life and where it's going...where I'm going. I recently came back from a wonderful 6-day visit to Colorado (Denver, Boulder and areas around Breckenridge). It had its ups and downs like any vacation (though this one included a teensy bit of rain and a good, old fashioned dog bite) and I came home with a feeling of renewal...at least until I got to D.C. My layover was in D.C. and there was an added 3 hour delay because the pilots couldn't start one of the engines. The worst part was seeing East-coasters again...checking their watches, running around the airport, rushing, rushing, stressed out...it was madness. I quickly inhaled the stress and felt the relaxation leave my body (this was not my preference!). It was the strangest feeling. Although I love the East coast, and the Northeast especially, I can see that this stressed-out theme of big, busy city life really doesn't bode well with me these days.
The best part of my layover was meeting Pieter and Mary Beth - two CT-ers who now live in Colorado. Pieter lives in Boulder and Mary Beth lives just outside Steamboat. Hanging out with them was such a breath of fresh air...a Colorado breeze in my face again, reminding me of how wonderful my vacation was (despite being surrounded by rushing, stressed out East-coasters). Pieter and I shared stories about our lives, our passions, our histories. It seems that Colorado is full of free-spirited folks not unlike me.
So when I look into the washing machine and I see my clothing being battered, I realize that it's not such a bad thing. What's really happening is that they're being tossed around, being woken up, shaken about...that spinning post is saying, "Hey! It's time to make a change! Get excited about life again! Get your ass moving you little shit!" (Well, that last sentence was really something from my subconcious, haha...but I hope you get the point.)
A change is coming real soon.
19 September 2008
overhaul
That's what I feel is about to happen - a complete overhaul of all of my belongings. As I come closer to my one-week vacation to Denver, and a potential decision to move there or elsewhere, I am getting more and more anxious to purge. I am ready to open up the cabinets and throw away what I no longer need, while organizing those things I believe are worth keeping. This will definitely be a challenge for me, as I've collected hundreds of photos over the years (and now don't remember all of the people in them!), books, knick-knacks and have a tendency to make piles of papers everywhere on and around my desk. The "to do" pile, the "to file" pile...you get the idea. I'm sick of all the paper!
In other news, I'll be singing tonight at my mom's temple with two others and a live band. We're doing a jazz night - music from Fats Waller, Dorothy Fields, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James, etc. I'll be singing five songs; two are solos, two are duets and the last a trio. My solos: "Come Rain or Come Shine" and "It's Easy to Remember" (which I don't know that well...so technically, it's NOT easy to remember, hehe). The duets are "At Last" with Rik and "Bei Mir Bist du Schein" with June and the audience. For the trio, Rik, June and I will sing "I Got Rhythm". It was my idea to have all three of us sing it, as it's so upbeat and fun...and much more exciting with three voices than one. Here goes!
I'm getting ready for one last camping trip of the season. My neighbors and I are heading to Phantom Island on Lake George, NY, in the Adirondacks region. The days are still beautiful but it's damn cold already. I'm definitely going to need my layers! And wool socks! I'm hoping to whip up a batch of granola today and perhaps another zucchini bread...mmm, that first one was delish! Renee and I are brining some chicken sausages, veggies and hummus, s'more fixins and who knows what else. I've got plenty of snacky foods: nuts, veggie chips, etc. If you're thinking that this all sounds too extravagant, well it's not your typical camping trip. Roger brings a huge "kitchen" setup and we have coolers upon coolers of food. The week will start with four people, then eventually add up to about seven or eight. I'm pretty excited. I hope the water is still warm though...I like my morning dips, bathing with Simple Green. Sounds awful, right? Well, I've survived it thus far and Simple Green is biodegradable, so I think it will be okay.
I'll let you know how the "concert" goes. I'm off to whip up some granola and grab some grubbage while I'm in the kitchen.
In other news, I'll be singing tonight at my mom's temple with two others and a live band. We're doing a jazz night - music from Fats Waller, Dorothy Fields, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James, etc. I'll be singing five songs; two are solos, two are duets and the last a trio. My solos: "Come Rain or Come Shine" and "It's Easy to Remember" (which I don't know that well...so technically, it's NOT easy to remember, hehe). The duets are "At Last" with Rik and "Bei Mir Bist du Schein" with June and the audience. For the trio, Rik, June and I will sing "I Got Rhythm". It was my idea to have all three of us sing it, as it's so upbeat and fun...and much more exciting with three voices than one. Here goes!
I'm getting ready for one last camping trip of the season. My neighbors and I are heading to Phantom Island on Lake George, NY, in the Adirondacks region. The days are still beautiful but it's damn cold already. I'm definitely going to need my layers! And wool socks! I'm hoping to whip up a batch of granola today and perhaps another zucchini bread...mmm, that first one was delish! Renee and I are brining some chicken sausages, veggies and hummus, s'more fixins and who knows what else. I've got plenty of snacky foods: nuts, veggie chips, etc. If you're thinking that this all sounds too extravagant, well it's not your typical camping trip. Roger brings a huge "kitchen" setup and we have coolers upon coolers of food. The week will start with four people, then eventually add up to about seven or eight. I'm pretty excited. I hope the water is still warm though...I like my morning dips, bathing with Simple Green. Sounds awful, right? Well, I've survived it thus far and Simple Green is biodegradable, so I think it will be okay.
I'll let you know how the "concert" goes. I'm off to whip up some granola and grab some grubbage while I'm in the kitchen.
11 September 2008
nameless
I'm not feeling too creative about my title today. And I don't feel like uploading those photos that I said I would upload today. My back hurts from sitting like a stupid hunched-over idiot at my laptop. I didn't do my laundry like I wanted to today. I didn't make it to the bank. I didn't call my loan shark to ask him my questions about paying off the principal. And apparently I'm seeming a bit grumpy right now, oops!
I had to get those things off my chest, but I'm not grumpy at all. I'm quite relaxed and only slightly anxious. I have a bit of a headache and I'm suffering from some weird minute-bumpy things on my face. I've got to do a little research, find out if it's the new facial cleanser that I bought. It's a Vitamin C wash and I love citrus...but perhaps my face does not? It's from Avalon Organics, so I know it's supposed to be good.
For some reason I get hungry when I write. I think I'll have a sip of water...actually, it was somewhere between ten and twelve gulps. I was thirsty!
This morning Chad came and bought my old car. YAHOO! I woke up early, dragged my lazy bum out of bed and went straight downstairs to clean her up. I used the shop vac, then about five different cleaning solutions to try and get the old grime off the door jambs, interior and any other dirty spots I came across. I even scraped off all of my old stickers! What a tear at my heart strings. My very first bumper sticker, "Save water, shower with a friend," could not be salvaged. Darn. I tried to salvage the Rose Island Lighthouse sticker too, from my trip with Stacie a few years ago, but it tore to pieces. The only "sticker" saved was the URI Alumni Association static-sticker. I found this "OOPS!" grime remover in the basement that took off the sticky stuff remaining from the backs of the stickers. It was incredible! I was tempted to just use some gasoline that was in the garage, but didn't. It's a good thing too because mom needed it a couple hours later to fill the mower!
It was a strange feeling to see Chad drive away in my old Subaru, my baby. My first car. I could feel the cash in my pocket, burning, waiting to be put to use, but it was bittersweet nonetheless. My baby is gone. I'm happy to know that she and I went on many road trips together...to Ohio, Pennsylvania, Jersey, NYC, Connecticut, all over Mass, Rhode Island, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont. That car knows the Northeastern US like none other. I'm also glad to know that Chad will take care of her and really run her into the ground, as I had originally intended.
Boy, I am pooped. I'm going to bed. Perhaps I'll have more energy next time and will have more jokes to tell, more sarcasm to dish out and more recipes to share. Au revoir!
I had to get those things off my chest, but I'm not grumpy at all. I'm quite relaxed and only slightly anxious. I have a bit of a headache and I'm suffering from some weird minute-bumpy things on my face. I've got to do a little research, find out if it's the new facial cleanser that I bought. It's a Vitamin C wash and I love citrus...but perhaps my face does not? It's from Avalon Organics, so I know it's supposed to be good.
For some reason I get hungry when I write. I think I'll have a sip of water...actually, it was somewhere between ten and twelve gulps. I was thirsty!
This morning Chad came and bought my old car. YAHOO! I woke up early, dragged my lazy bum out of bed and went straight downstairs to clean her up. I used the shop vac, then about five different cleaning solutions to try and get the old grime off the door jambs, interior and any other dirty spots I came across. I even scraped off all of my old stickers! What a tear at my heart strings. My very first bumper sticker, "Save water, shower with a friend," could not be salvaged. Darn. I tried to salvage the Rose Island Lighthouse sticker too, from my trip with Stacie a few years ago, but it tore to pieces. The only "sticker" saved was the URI Alumni Association static-sticker. I found this "OOPS!" grime remover in the basement that took off the sticky stuff remaining from the backs of the stickers. It was incredible! I was tempted to just use some gasoline that was in the garage, but didn't. It's a good thing too because mom needed it a couple hours later to fill the mower!
It was a strange feeling to see Chad drive away in my old Subaru, my baby. My first car. I could feel the cash in my pocket, burning, waiting to be put to use, but it was bittersweet nonetheless. My baby is gone. I'm happy to know that she and I went on many road trips together...to Ohio, Pennsylvania, Jersey, NYC, Connecticut, all over Mass, Rhode Island, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont. That car knows the Northeastern US like none other. I'm also glad to know that Chad will take care of her and really run her into the ground, as I had originally intended.
Boy, I am pooped. I'm going to bed. Perhaps I'll have more energy next time and will have more jokes to tell, more sarcasm to dish out and more recipes to share. Au revoir!
10 September 2008
just when you think you're normal...
...the tunnel falls in and you're covered in silt, cement and broken pieces of wire.
Perhaps it's not that bad, but it's pretty darn confusing growing up. Families turn out to be dysfunctional...secrets are no longer secrets but parts of the learning process...there is no right or wrong path for us, we only have to pick the one (or two, or three) that we want to try...sometimes fighting with loved ones can be a constructive process.
Things I enjoyed today:
- Spending the day in Boston with mom (even if I slept for an hour and a half while we were there)
- Scavenging for veggies in gram's garden with my family, before the first frost
- Receiving a free sample of Kotex pads and tampons in the mail - HAHA
- Making fun of the bobble-headed-looking people across the waiting room (their heads were misshapen through the glass of the fish tank)
- Watching a dreamy, fairy-tale like movie, "Penelope," with my family
- Protecting our houseplants from possible frost (bringing them inside from the cold exterior)
- Finding out that Allie is coming to Denver too!!!
- Knowing that at 7:30am tomorrow my old car will be SOLD and GONE from the driveway!
- Planning tomorrow's lunch date with Renee and possible black bean soup date with Ryan
- Seeing photos from my brother's first fashion show (Max Azaria/BCBG)...he was a viewer, not a model...but he's got the potential ;)
- Knowing that tomorrow is another day off.
Once again I'm up later than I'd like and will be waking up earlier than I'd like. The good thing is that my baby girl, my old Subaru, will be going to a new home tomorrow morning. It will be a bit sad to see her go, but worth it's weight in gold...or cold, hard cash as I am soon to find out.
I've realized that I am in love with two men...Colin Firth and James McAvoy. One, a sexy, older Brit and the other, a younger, more mysterious Scot. I definitely have something for the UK-ers...or pretty much any man who can pull off sexy and accent. Sold. This week I watched "Then She Found Me" (Helen Hunt, Colin Firth, Bette Midler, Matthew Broderick) and "Penelope" (Christina Ricci, James McAvoy, Catherine O'Hara). Both great movies. The first captured my emotions - my ever-changing faith in Judaism and "is there a god?", love, childbirth vs. adoption. The second movie captured my imagination and secret passion for love stories. I'm a sucker for fairy tale love stories...not quite the Princess Bride cheese type (though I do love this movie), but stories that could potentially be real, though are quite obvious to be screenplay.
Tomorrow I intend to post some photos about things I've written about today. I no longer have the energy to function...it's too late (or early, as it's 1:30am). Sheesh, will I ever get back on a "normal" sleeping pattern?
I like to hope so.
Perhaps it's not that bad, but it's pretty darn confusing growing up. Families turn out to be dysfunctional...secrets are no longer secrets but parts of the learning process...there is no right or wrong path for us, we only have to pick the one (or two, or three) that we want to try...sometimes fighting with loved ones can be a constructive process.
Things I enjoyed today:
- Spending the day in Boston with mom (even if I slept for an hour and a half while we were there)
- Scavenging for veggies in gram's garden with my family, before the first frost
- Receiving a free sample of Kotex pads and tampons in the mail - HAHA
- Making fun of the bobble-headed-looking people across the waiting room (their heads were misshapen through the glass of the fish tank)
- Watching a dreamy, fairy-tale like movie, "Penelope," with my family
- Protecting our houseplants from possible frost (bringing them inside from the cold exterior)
- Finding out that Allie is coming to Denver too!!!
- Knowing that at 7:30am tomorrow my old car will be SOLD and GONE from the driveway!
- Planning tomorrow's lunch date with Renee and possible black bean soup date with Ryan
- Seeing photos from my brother's first fashion show (Max Azaria/BCBG)...he was a viewer, not a model...but he's got the potential ;)
- Knowing that tomorrow is another day off.
Once again I'm up later than I'd like and will be waking up earlier than I'd like. The good thing is that my baby girl, my old Subaru, will be going to a new home tomorrow morning. It will be a bit sad to see her go, but worth it's weight in gold...or cold, hard cash as I am soon to find out.
I've realized that I am in love with two men...Colin Firth and James McAvoy. One, a sexy, older Brit and the other, a younger, more mysterious Scot. I definitely have something for the UK-ers...or pretty much any man who can pull off sexy and accent. Sold. This week I watched "Then She Found Me" (Helen Hunt, Colin Firth, Bette Midler, Matthew Broderick) and "Penelope" (Christina Ricci, James McAvoy, Catherine O'Hara). Both great movies. The first captured my emotions - my ever-changing faith in Judaism and "is there a god?", love, childbirth vs. adoption. The second movie captured my imagination and secret passion for love stories. I'm a sucker for fairy tale love stories...not quite the Princess Bride cheese type (though I do love this movie), but stories that could potentially be real, though are quite obvious to be screenplay.
Tomorrow I intend to post some photos about things I've written about today. I no longer have the energy to function...it's too late (or early, as it's 1:30am). Sheesh, will I ever get back on a "normal" sleeping pattern?
I like to hope so.
09 September 2008
floaty-hearted daydreamer
Claire Jayne, 9 months old. My goddaughter, the genius.
I talked to Lyss tonight and she shared with me the incredible things that little Claire is already capable of. So, here's what she can do...
- she can stand up on her own without holding onto anything
- she crawls really really fast
- she can take things apart and put them back together again, like stackable cups (future engineer?)
- she gives high-fives
- she dances to music
- she already has problem-solving/analytical skills (Example: Claire has figured out that if she wants something a few feet away from her and something is in the way, she can just move the thing that's in the way or step over it...perhaps if you've never watched a child develop, this means diddly squat to you)
- she belly laughs in response to things that are actually funny, she understands humor!
Tonight I cooked up quite the feast for dinner. Sauteed some red swiss chard with EVOO, black pepper and lemon juice. Mmmm.... Then cooked up some soy "chicken" strips with jerk seasoning. YUM! Lastly, I made my own version of black bean soup. I drained and rinsed a can of black beans, pureed them in the blender with soy milk and jalapenos. I poured the mix into a pan and added low-sodium chicken stock, diced red and green peppers, onion, jalapenos, celery and sprinkled in some Kosher salt and garlic powder. I usually use real garlic but completely forgot we had any. When the soup was warmed but the veggies not yet soft, I added some already-cooked rice - whole grain brown with wheat berries, barley and some sliced almonds. I ate it with a dollop of sour cream on top...delightful!
I have so many more things to write, but they will have to wait until later. It's past midnight and I have to wake at 6:30, then drive 3 hours to Boston with my mom. Sheesh!
Dreaming of first kisses, cherry pies and fluffy bunny tails....
I talked to Lyss tonight and she shared with me the incredible things that little Claire is already capable of. So, here's what she can do...
- she can stand up on her own without holding onto anything
- she crawls really really fast
- she can take things apart and put them back together again, like stackable cups (future engineer?)
- she gives high-fives
- she dances to music
- she already has problem-solving/analytical skills (Example: Claire has figured out that if she wants something a few feet away from her and something is in the way, she can just move the thing that's in the way or step over it...perhaps if you've never watched a child develop, this means diddly squat to you)
- she belly laughs in response to things that are actually funny, she understands humor!
Tonight I cooked up quite the feast for dinner. Sauteed some red swiss chard with EVOO, black pepper and lemon juice. Mmmm.... Then cooked up some soy "chicken" strips with jerk seasoning. YUM! Lastly, I made my own version of black bean soup. I drained and rinsed a can of black beans, pureed them in the blender with soy milk and jalapenos. I poured the mix into a pan and added low-sodium chicken stock, diced red and green peppers, onion, jalapenos, celery and sprinkled in some Kosher salt and garlic powder. I usually use real garlic but completely forgot we had any. When the soup was warmed but the veggies not yet soft, I added some already-cooked rice - whole grain brown with wheat berries, barley and some sliced almonds. I ate it with a dollop of sour cream on top...delightful!
I have so many more things to write, but they will have to wait until later. It's past midnight and I have to wake at 6:30, then drive 3 hours to Boston with my mom. Sheesh!
Dreaming of first kisses, cherry pies and fluffy bunny tails....
06 September 2008
blackened
Our lunch special at the restaurant today was a blackened chicken sandwich on toasted rye, with lettuce, tomato and a spicy remoulade. It was outstanding! My lips are still recovering from the fire.
I'm thinking about cooking up some swiss chard too...though I'm not sure what to eat it with...leftover mac-n-cheese? We did a taste test yesterday in our home kitchen. Mom was craving Kraft mac-n-cheese, but I refused to let her buy it. Too many chemicals and fake shit. So we bought boxes of both Annie's and Nature's Promise (Stop & Shop's store brand natural food label, very good!). They tasted identical if you ask me. Mom said they weren't cheddary enough for her. I think it's because she's used to those darn fake ingredients. In any event, we ended up putting them together in the same container. The Annie's proved to be the winner though as far as nutrients go - less cholesterol, sodium, carbs, etc. Way to go Annie!
It's funny, my friend Cristian tells me that my life revolves around food. I'm starting to think he's right! Almost every time he asks me how things are going, I respond with a food-related comment: "Oh I just cooked up the best ______ and ate all of it!" or "I'm just about to make a stir-fry." I grew up in a family of chefs! Or would they be chefettes? All women! In any event, my mom's mom was the baker. Dad's mom is the best at pasta sauce and apple pie. Mom inherited the baking skills and makes great chicken dishes. My sister? She can whip up any cultural meal you crave...Mexican, Asian, Indian...the list goes on. She's also got a flare for brunch. I'm more practiced at rice and beans, fried plantains, salads, soups and the occasional curry. I'm also down with the cultural food, and those with freshest ingredients.
Writing about all of this makes me excited all over again for my new toothbrush - haha! Now I look forward to brushing my teeth in the morning and night. My friend Amanda teases me about my brushing habits. It has to be two minutes. And I have to brush my teeth as soon as I wake up or I can't enjoy my morning. Anyway, I've never really been bothered by that funky orange-juice-mixed-with-toothpaste flavor you get after brushing. I'm fascinated by it!
I think I'm going to tackle that swiss chard. Well, I'm not going to grab it by the stem and wrestle it to the ground...I just meant that I'm going to try a new recipe with it.
Buen provecho!
I'm thinking about cooking up some swiss chard too...though I'm not sure what to eat it with...leftover mac-n-cheese? We did a taste test yesterday in our home kitchen. Mom was craving Kraft mac-n-cheese, but I refused to let her buy it. Too many chemicals and fake shit. So we bought boxes of both Annie's and Nature's Promise (Stop & Shop's store brand natural food label, very good!). They tasted identical if you ask me. Mom said they weren't cheddary enough for her. I think it's because she's used to those darn fake ingredients. In any event, we ended up putting them together in the same container. The Annie's proved to be the winner though as far as nutrients go - less cholesterol, sodium, carbs, etc. Way to go Annie!
It's funny, my friend Cristian tells me that my life revolves around food. I'm starting to think he's right! Almost every time he asks me how things are going, I respond with a food-related comment: "Oh I just cooked up the best ______ and ate all of it!" or "I'm just about to make a stir-fry." I grew up in a family of chefs! Or would they be chefettes? All women! In any event, my mom's mom was the baker. Dad's mom is the best at pasta sauce and apple pie. Mom inherited the baking skills and makes great chicken dishes. My sister? She can whip up any cultural meal you crave...Mexican, Asian, Indian...the list goes on. She's also got a flare for brunch. I'm more practiced at rice and beans, fried plantains, salads, soups and the occasional curry. I'm also down with the cultural food, and those with freshest ingredients.
Writing about all of this makes me excited all over again for my new toothbrush - haha! Now I look forward to brushing my teeth in the morning and night. My friend Amanda teases me about my brushing habits. It has to be two minutes. And I have to brush my teeth as soon as I wake up or I can't enjoy my morning. Anyway, I've never really been bothered by that funky orange-juice-mixed-with-toothpaste flavor you get after brushing. I'm fascinated by it!
I think I'm going to tackle that swiss chard. Well, I'm not going to grab it by the stem and wrestle it to the ground...I just meant that I'm going to try a new recipe with it.
Buen provecho!
05 September 2008
Light as a Feather
You know when you make a decision and you feel like you are floating on air? I guess I sort of feel that way. Or at least I feel it vicariously through two of my friends. Fred, from college, is moving to San Fran next week - no job, no apt, no friends in the city. He said he's wanted to live there since he was 15, and now he is finally doing it. Gidon is moving to Israel in three days. He went to Israel for the first time when he was little and has been back almost every year since. He has family there. He moved there for a short while after college, but wasn't ready for the experience. Now he's ready and going - he will make Aliyah, become a citizen, enroll in the army and serve, etc. I'm thrilled to bits for Fred and Gidon.
I realize, too, that it's about time for my next big adventure. I worked hard all summer, saved up and the time is near. I've been considering moving to Denver, CO. I don't know why, other than the fact that Denver is just fucking cool; it's beautiful, forward-thinking (in regards to green lifestyles, recycling, healthy living, etc.) and it's the perfect setting for the type of outdoor experiences I'm craving. My friend Amanda has a friend who lives there and is looking for a roommate. Another friend of mine from college lives there and works for the university. There are two contact people right there for me.
In other news, I bought a new toothbrush over the weekend. I first saw it online last year and have been interested in it ever since. Amanda and Anthony use it and say it's wonderful, so I thought that was good enough market research on my part and decided to get one. It's the Radius Source toothbrush. Features:
I realize, too, that it's about time for my next big adventure. I worked hard all summer, saved up and the time is near. I've been considering moving to Denver, CO. I don't know why, other than the fact that Denver is just fucking cool; it's beautiful, forward-thinking (in regards to green lifestyles, recycling, healthy living, etc.) and it's the perfect setting for the type of outdoor experiences I'm craving. My friend Amanda has a friend who lives there and is looking for a roommate. Another friend of mine from college lives there and works for the university. There are two contact people right there for me.
In other news, I bought a new toothbrush over the weekend. I first saw it online last year and have been interested in it ever since. Amanda and Anthony use it and say it's wonderful, so I thought that was good enough market research on my part and decided to get one. It's the Radius Source toothbrush. Features:- 93% Recycled Material - 47% Renewable Resource
- Replaceable Heads + Wooden Handle = Only 7% of toothbrush wasted as compared to 100% of ordinary toothbrushes.
- Wooden Handle is molded from recycled wood bio-plastic resulting in 100% renewable resource.
- New lightweight unbreakable replacement heads made from surgical-grade nylon.
- Dramatically increases softness and efficacy of brushing with 65% more bristle tufts than ordinary toothbrush.
- Reversible for both Right or Left handed brushing - Available in soft or medium bristles.
- Handle lasts forever. Simply throw the heads away!
I tried it tonight for the first time and LOVED it! I love the handle, the soft bristles, the wide head that reaches all around my teeth and doesn't scrape against my already-revealed roots from my already-receding gumline.
This is my second night (morning?) staying up WAY past my bedtime. It's past 4 am and I'm writing this blog, chatting on Skype with Cora - I love you AGF! I'm sure there were more things to say. For example, I went for two bike rides today; one to bring stuff to my mom at work before her treatments and the second to dinner. I went for pizza with the boys at Hot Tomatoes, it was yummy! It's only down the street so I felt comfortable riding in the dark. I brought my headlamp and ended up using it to illuminate the roads on the ride home. It was a going-away dinner for Gidon and a happy birthday celebration for Brian. YAY!
I think now it's time for la la land. Tomorrow I welcome our new dishwasher (the appliance, not a person) into the house upon delivery. I also hope to go for another ride or perhaps a run? Probably going to start doing more research on Denver. Wish me luck...I think I'm going to need it.
Cheers.20 August 2008
getting closer
It's only the 20th of August and already it smells, feels and looks like Autumn. Two weekends ago my friend Blake mentioned that he smelled Autumn in the air of Manhattan...I shook it off, ignoring the prospect of Fall coming so soon. But, in the last few days of driving around, I've seen the wind carrying orange and yellow leaves from the trees. It's far too early for this, as there are about 32 days left until Autumn officially begins. I guess it goes to show that the universe and our atmosphere are changing, creating seasonal shifts earlier or later than we expect.
I thought I was quite traveled (or at least experienced with different accents) until I took this quiz: http://www.languagetrainersgroup.com/accent_game.html . My score was so pathetic that I won't even share it with you! All I can say is that my savings account is getting larger and perhaps it is time for that next vacation...so that I can come back and take the quiz again, acing it!
Today at work it was a relatively slow day, but easy. I had good co-workers to work with and, for the most part, everyone was happy and relaxed. Dinner was slow and steady, with some very friendly customers. The kicker to the evening was a table of five - they ordered appetizers, entrees and two desserts...and three bottles of wine. Now, we're not talking $47 bottles of wine. Jonathan recently upgraded our wine selection to include some pretty pricey, distinct wines. Two of the three bottles purchased were Cabernet Sauvignons with price tags of $237 and $670. YES, SIX-HUNDRED AND SEVENTY DOLLARS! As it turns out, the more expensive of the two is probably one of only 50 bottles of that wine bottled. I feel lucky to have been able to try it, as there was enough leftover in the decanter for the staff to taste. If it weren't for those bottles of wine (which were delicious - cherried, musty, full-bodied) then we would have left with crappy tips for the night. But since the table's bill came out to over $1,000, the $371 tip helped out immensely!
Right now I'm listening to one of my favorite sounds from the neighborhood. A train is moving along the tracks at high speed, just a few blocks away. It's one of the most relaxing sounds to hear when I'm lying in bed at night dozing off to sleep. Another of my favorites is the sound of rain on the leaves of the maple tree outside my window. Unfortunately, mom and dad had that tree cut down this summer to give more morning sun to the yard and pool. I miss the sound already, but I guess I'll have to find it somewhere else.
I wonder how many orange, yellow and brown leaves I'll see tomorrow on my hike through Canoe Meadows. Perhaps I'll get a whiff of summer again when the sun is high and I'm riding my bike through town...hopefully sweating in the summer heat.
I thought I was quite traveled (or at least experienced with different accents) until I took this quiz: http://www.
Today at work it was a relatively slow day, but easy. I had good co-workers to work with and, for the most part, everyone was happy and relaxed. Dinner was slow and steady, with some very friendly customers. The kicker to the evening was a table of five - they ordered appetizers, entrees and two desserts...and three bottles of wine. Now, we're not talking $47 bottles of wine. Jonathan recently upgraded our wine selection to include some pretty pricey, distinct wines. Two of the three bottles purchased were Cabernet Sauvignons with price tags of $237 and $670. YES, SIX-HUNDRED AND SEVENTY DOLLARS! As it turns out, the more expensive of the two is probably one of only 50 bottles of that wine bottled. I feel lucky to have been able to try it, as there was enough leftover in the decanter for the staff to taste. If it weren't for those bottles of wine (which were delicious - cherried, musty, full-bodied) then we would have left with crappy tips for the night. But since the table's bill came out to over $1,000, the $371 tip helped out immensely!
Right now I'm listening to one of my favorite sounds from the neighborhood. A train is moving along the tracks at high speed, just a few blocks away. It's one of the most relaxing sounds to hear when I'm lying in bed at night dozing off to sleep. Another of my favorites is the sound of rain on the leaves of the maple tree outside my window. Unfortunately, mom and dad had that tree cut down this summer to give more morning sun to the yard and pool. I miss the sound already, but I guess I'll have to find it somewhere else.
I wonder how many orange, yellow and brown leaves I'll see tomorrow on my hike through Canoe Meadows. Perhaps I'll get a whiff of summer again when the sun is high and I'm riding my bike through town...hopefully sweating in the summer heat.
09 August 2008
mountaineering
Today was an exhilarating, if not challenging, day. Kristie and Sean came up from Providence for a day of hiking on Mt. Greylock, the highest mountain in Massachusetts. Part of our hike would include the Appalachian Trail too! We drove to Williamstown (rte. 7N) and entered via Roaring Brook Road. There is a small, dirt parking area there next to the brook.
We parked, donned our socks and boots and took straight to the Roaring Brook Trail, marked by blue paint. The first part was a foot/mountain bike trail that quickly became a foot path only. It was a steep hike, beginning at 1100 feet and moving up to 2400 feet. The trail was well-marked and well taken care of. Sean commented how nice trails are kept up on this end of the state, despite the crappy documenting done by the MA DCR. I guess there's a story behind that comment, but I'm sure Sean will get it, and that's all that matters.
Towards the top of Roaring Brook trail, we passed Deer Hill Trail and the falls, which one of the rangers at the welcome center told us is quite steep and a bit more dangerous to get to. Perhaps another time. We passed the Circle trail and a bunch of campsites on Sperry Road, an unpaved road in the woods. I stopped in the eco-toilet (you know, one of the port-a-johns with the poop-eating bacteria, yum!) and then we started on a descent where a sign said "Hopper Trail down". Little did we know we were going the wrong way until we hiked into a couple and their dog. They were also looking for the trail to the summit. They said they had started at the bottom and hadn't crossed any other trails yet. So I said, "Shit, that's where we're going too!" It turns out we had taken the wrong part of Hopper Trail.
After this discovery, we all turned to go [back] uphill. This time we went the other direction and saw that Hopper Trail connected further down on Sperry Road. The couple with the dog took the road ahead as we adjusted ourselves - donning jackets as it was starting to rain and me re-tying my boots after tossing out some pebbles. I have no idea how they get in there, but they do! Hopper Trail was nice; we saw some cute flowers, fungi (mushrooms and the type that grow on random soggy logs). I even got a photo of a beautiful frog while we were hiking.
Ascending, we passed Overlook Trail, which the ranger told us once had beautiful vistas, but now are overgrown and not quite worth the extra mileage. Soon after, we joined up with the AT (Appalachian Trail) until we reached the summit. What a gorgeous view!!! From the top one can easily see all the towns below: North Adams, Adams, Cheshire, and on a clear day, all the way up to Brattleboro, VT. There are many mountains visible in the distance, but we had such a thick cloud cover that it was impossible to see anything but those damn churches covering the town of Adams.
Atop Mt. Greylock (elevation 3491 feet!) there is what appears to be the highest built lighthouse in the U.S. It was built on top of the mountain in 1933, though originally intended for the Charles River reservoir in Boston, MA. At least no ships will ever hit the summit and ground out!
We scarfed down some PB&J sandwiches and nutty PowerBars and I tried to dry off my shirt by taking it off and letting it hang on a post. I took off my [stupid cotton] sweat-soaked sports bra and free-boobed it for the rest of the hike. Lucky for me, my hiking shirt was tight and kept me comfortable for the remainder of the day. We took some photos at the summit and then as the cloud cover increased (it had already thundered and rained a bit, but no lightning) we decided to head back before time got away from us. At this point it was just after 4pm, so we had been hiking for three hours already.
We took the descent back down Hopper Trail and followed Sperry Road for about a mile. We took a short one-mile detour down the March Cataract Trail to the falls. Kristie hung back as the trail was quite unkempt and she was resting her joints and back (she has a history of back injury). Sean and I took the treacherous route to the falls and saw that it was pretty, but not impressive. Nonetheless, I captured its beauty with my camera, realizing for the first time that my Canon has the ability to take photos in both sepia and black-and-white settings. Neat-o!
The ascent back up March Cataract Trail was only about a half-mile, but it was difficult! It was practically straight up and a bit slippery, with many moss-covered rocks and thin (maybe 3 feet wide?) trail. Yikes! We met up with Kristie and went back up to Sperry Road.
This route took us to Stony Ledge, which has an elevation of 2560 feet and the most gorgeous view of a cushy-looking forest valley. We all had a treat of pieces of Ghirardelli Mint and Chocolate mini-bars (which I now realize have HFCS {high fructose corn syrup} and PHOs {partially-hydrogenated oils}, blech!!!). After resting, chatting and taking in the breathtaking view for about 15 minutes, we moved on.
Our final descent was down the Stony Ledge Trail. It was probably one of the steepest descents I've made in a while. It was very stony, hence the name, but I was lucky enough to have found two perfect branch walking sticks at the last overlook, so used them until my knees started killing me. Then Sean gave me his poles and I was much happier for the remainder of the descent.
We returned to the car after about seven hours of hiking, about 7.5 to 8 miles for the day. Of course that's a rough estimate, but I'm sure it's damn close. I threw down a towel in the trunk and we tossed in our mud-caked boots, moving on our way back to Pittsfield.
Once in town we stopped at Jae's Spice (a new restaurant that opened about a week ago) to check out the menu and the wait list for a table. I immediately liked the food selection (I knew I would as I've eaten at Jae's other restaurants in the Berkshires), and Kristie put Sean's name on the wait list. We had 30 minutes to drive home, shower, change and get back for dinner. This was all successfully done in about 30 minutes and we only had to wait about five minutes after we walked in the door.
Our waiter, Ian, was a young, tall kid who was really sweet and attentive. I ordered a glass of Prosecco, Jae's Screaming Spicy Roll I (Yellowtail, scallion, cucumber, chili sauce) and Bibim Bab, a Korean rice bowl served in a hot stone pot. I also tried the Mandoo (beef dumplings, or potstickers as Kristie was calling them, as they were steamed, not fried) and they were delicious.
All of our food was great, except there was an issue with Sean's meal. It was advertised in the menu as General Lee's chicken, served with okra, but when it came out the chicken was on a bed of steamed broccoli. The only reason Sean ordered it was because he likes okra (go figure!). So, being the strong-headed Chinese woman that she is, Kristie approached the management, claiming misrepresentation of the food on their menu. The manager came to speak with us about the okra, saying it has been difficult acquiring it from the south; when the shipments arrive, the okra is usually mottled and bruised looking...but apparently they have frozen okra on hand. Why would anyone tell a customer that!? I don't know, but it was silly and they reduced the price on Sean's meal, given that he ate the whole thing, broccoli and all. Then, after all that, Kristie was maddened by her meal too, as it was missing the black mushrooms that were advertized on the menu. The manager (who spoke with us about the okra) came to say that the veggies are tossed up in a large batch and scooped out for individual servings and that Kristie's food was probably a scoop that just so happened to not have mushrooms in it. So he offered to bring some out and did...only they were canned straw mushrooms, not black mushrooms, as Kristie pointed out.
It was a big ordeal, but I sat there giggling at the absurdity of it all, privately and deeply enjoying my Bibim Bab. It was delicious!!! I added the chili sauce and ate every last piece of rice with my chopsticks. Ian was impressed at my chopstick skills. Oh yeah baby.
After dinner, Kristie and Sean hopped in their car and drove back to Providence. Just then, my cousin Abby and her boyfriend Jorge showed up. My parents, Abby, Jorge and I watched the Olympics' opening ceremony and discussed low-impact and low-elevation hikes for Abby and Jorge's weekend. We decided on some nature walks in Canoe Meadows and the Pleasant Valley Bird and Nature Sanctuary.
Then I snuck a few Hershey's nuggets before washing up for bed and getting to my writing. Now I'm about to pass out and I've got another full day of hiking ahead of me. Blake is coming in from NYC and we'll be hiking Mt. Washington (in MA, not NH). I have to go buy some bread in the morning for our PB&J sandwiches and refresh my Camel Back. Until next time....
We parked, donned our socks and boots and took straight to the Roaring Brook Trail, marked by blue paint. The first part was a foot/mountain bike trail that quickly became a foot path only. It was a steep hike, beginning at 1100 feet and moving up to 2400 feet. The trail was well-marked and well taken care of. Sean commented how nice trails are kept up on this end of the state, despite the crappy documenting done by the MA DCR. I guess there's a story behind that comment, but I'm sure Sean will get it, and that's all that matters.
Towards the top of Roaring Brook trail, we passed Deer Hill Trail and the falls, which one of the rangers at the welcome center told us is quite steep and a bit more dangerous to get to. Perhaps another time. We passed the Circle trail and a bunch of campsites on Sperry Road, an unpaved road in the woods. I stopped in the eco-toilet (you know, one of the port-a-johns with the poop-eating bacteria, yum!) and then we started on a descent where a sign said "Hopper Trail down". Little did we know we were going the wrong way until we hiked into a couple and their dog. They were also looking for the trail to the summit. They said they had started at the bottom and hadn't crossed any other trails yet. So I said, "Shit, that's where we're going too!" It turns out we had taken the wrong part of Hopper Trail.
After this discovery, we all turned to go [back] uphill. This time we went the other direction and saw that Hopper Trail connected further down on Sperry Road. The couple with the dog took the road ahead as we adjusted ourselves - donning jackets as it was starting to rain and me re-tying my boots after tossing out some pebbles. I have no idea how they get in there, but they do! Hopper Trail was nice; we saw some cute flowers, fungi (mushrooms and the type that grow on random soggy logs). I even got a photo of a beautiful frog while we were hiking.
Ascending, we passed Overlook Trail, which the ranger told us once had beautiful vistas, but now are overgrown and not quite worth the extra mileage. Soon after, we joined up with the AT (Appalachian Trail) until we reached the summit. What a gorgeous view!!! From the top one can easily see all the towns below: North Adams, Adams, Cheshire, and on a clear day, all the way up to Brattleboro, VT. There are many mountains visible in the distance, but we had such a thick cloud cover that it was impossible to see anything but those damn churches covering the town of Adams.
Atop Mt. Greylock (elevation 3491 feet!) there is what appears to be the highest built lighthouse in the U.S. It was built on top of the mountain in 1933, though originally intended for the Charles River reservoir in Boston, MA. At least no ships will ever hit the summit and ground out!
We scarfed down some PB&J sandwiches and nutty PowerBars and I tried to dry off my shirt by taking it off and letting it hang on a post. I took off my [stupid cotton] sweat-soaked sports bra and free-boobed it for the rest of the hike. Lucky for me, my hiking shirt was tight and kept me comfortable for the remainder of the day. We took some photos at the summit and then as the cloud cover increased (it had already thundered and rained a bit, but no lightning) we decided to head back before time got away from us. At this point it was just after 4pm, so we had been hiking for three hours already.
We took the descent back down Hopper Trail and followed Sperry Road for about a mile. We took a short one-mile detour down the March Cataract Trail to the falls. Kristie hung back as the trail was quite unkempt and she was resting her joints and back (she has a history of back injury). Sean and I took the treacherous route to the falls and saw that it was pretty, but not impressive. Nonetheless, I captured its beauty with my camera, realizing for the first time that my Canon has the ability to take photos in both sepia and black-and-white settings. Neat-o!
The ascent back up March Cataract Trail was only about a half-mile, but it was difficult! It was practically straight up and a bit slippery, with many moss-covered rocks and thin (maybe 3 feet wide?) trail. Yikes! We met up with Kristie and went back up to Sperry Road.
This route took us to Stony Ledge, which has an elevation of 2560 feet and the most gorgeous view of a cushy-looking forest valley. We all had a treat of pieces of Ghirardelli Mint and Chocolate mini-bars (which I now realize have HFCS {high fructose corn syrup} and PHOs {partially-hydrogenated oils}, blech!!!). After resting, chatting and taking in the breathtaking view for about 15 minutes, we moved on.
Our final descent was down the Stony Ledge Trail. It was probably one of the steepest descents I've made in a while. It was very stony, hence the name, but I was lucky enough to have found two perfect branch walking sticks at the last overlook, so used them until my knees started killing me. Then Sean gave me his poles and I was much happier for the remainder of the descent.
We returned to the car after about seven hours of hiking, about 7.5 to 8 miles for the day. Of course that's a rough estimate, but I'm sure it's damn close. I threw down a towel in the trunk and we tossed in our mud-caked boots, moving on our way back to Pittsfield.
Once in town we stopped at Jae's Spice (a new restaurant that opened about a week ago) to check out the menu and the wait list for a table. I immediately liked the food selection (I knew I would as I've eaten at Jae's other restaurants in the Berkshires), and Kristie put Sean's name on the wait list. We had 30 minutes to drive home, shower, change and get back for dinner. This was all successfully done in about 30 minutes and we only had to wait about five minutes after we walked in the door.
Our waiter, Ian, was a young, tall kid who was really sweet and attentive. I ordered a glass of Prosecco, Jae's Screaming Spicy Roll I (Yellowtail, scallion, cucumber, chili sauce) and Bibim Bab, a Korean rice bowl served in a hot stone pot. I also tried the Mandoo (beef dumplings, or potstickers as Kristie was calling them, as they were steamed, not fried) and they were delicious.
All of our food was great, except there was an issue with Sean's meal. It was advertised in the menu as General Lee's chicken, served with okra, but when it came out the chicken was on a bed of steamed broccoli. The only reason Sean ordered it was because he likes okra (go figure!). So, being the strong-headed Chinese woman that she is, Kristie approached the management, claiming misrepresentation of the food on their menu. The manager came to speak with us about the okra, saying it has been difficult acquiring it from the south; when the shipments arrive, the okra is usually mottled and bruised looking...but apparently they have frozen okra on hand. Why would anyone tell a customer that!? I don't know, but it was silly and they reduced the price on Sean's meal, given that he ate the whole thing, broccoli and all. Then, after all that, Kristie was maddened by her meal too, as it was missing the black mushrooms that were advertized on the menu. The manager (who spoke with us about the okra) came to say that the veggies are tossed up in a large batch and scooped out for individual servings and that Kristie's food was probably a scoop that just so happened to not have mushrooms in it. So he offered to bring some out and did...only they were canned straw mushrooms, not black mushrooms, as Kristie pointed out.
It was a big ordeal, but I sat there giggling at the absurdity of it all, privately and deeply enjoying my Bibim Bab. It was delicious!!! I added the chili sauce and ate every last piece of rice with my chopsticks. Ian was impressed at my chopstick skills. Oh yeah baby.
After dinner, Kristie and Sean hopped in their car and drove back to Providence. Just then, my cousin Abby and her boyfriend Jorge showed up. My parents, Abby, Jorge and I watched the Olympics' opening ceremony and discussed low-impact and low-elevation hikes for Abby and Jorge's weekend. We decided on some nature walks in Canoe Meadows and the Pleasant Valley Bird and Nature Sanctuary.
Then I snuck a few Hershey's nuggets before washing up for bed and getting to my writing. Now I'm about to pass out and I've got another full day of hiking ahead of me. Blake is coming in from NYC and we'll be hiking Mt. Washington (in MA, not NH). I have to go buy some bread in the morning for our PB&J sandwiches and refresh my Camel Back. Until next time....
07 August 2008
bird on a wire
It's the title that popped into my head this morning as I was dressing for practice. I'm coxing today!!! I'll be in a mixed four consisting of two teen moms and two other rowers, a third whom I believe is also a teen. I haven't coxed in about a year and a half, since the summer/fall of 2006, while I was still living with Allie. I found my old coxing notebook in my tool bag, with notes of which rowers sat where, our warmups, drills, etc. Great reference. I still wish I had saved all of the paperwork from Kerner and Rick...they could be precious to me someday (if I ever coach myself or really get into coxing again).
Just like that bird on the wire, I feel as though I have recently been sitting above myself, watching what is happening below. Perhaps some of that is just plain old hindsight.
I've been afforded (if you can call it that) the opportunity this week to think with some extra clarity, reasses some of my emotions and "plans" for the next year ahead. Of course there have also been my usual hippie-based daydreams of throwing my stuff in the car and taking off across the country until I land somewhere liveable for a while. I think I can still do that, if I plan seriously and apply to school first.
Today mom finds out which research group she's in for the clinical trial. I'm excited and very anxious to find out. I'm sure she'll be off the edge of her seat all morning until Wanda, the nurse from the trial, calls with the news. I pray for her to be in the monitoring group, which receives no drug (well, I don't actually pray, but I can't ever think of another word to use...because it's more than just thinking, is it begging? but to whom?) On the other hand, it would be just as well if mom was chosen for the Interferon group of the trial...it could potentially reduce her recurrence risk by 5%, while also potentially making her sick for one month. The good news about that is that by the time she's too sick to go to work, to depressed to crack a smile or too tired to get out of bed in the morning, it would be the end of her treatments. Also, Dr. Atkins said that all of the side effects (except one cosmetic result of the drug) are completely reversible. So it's really a win-win situation! Good luck today mom....
Signing off - it's time for a quick snack before practice, yahoo! Gotta go rig the boat.
Just like that bird on the wire, I feel as though I have recently been sitting above myself, watching what is happening below. Perhaps some of that is just plain old hindsight.
I've been afforded (if you can call it that) the opportunity this week to think with some extra clarity, reasses some of my emotions and "plans" for the next year ahead. Of course there have also been my usual hippie-based daydreams of throwing my stuff in the car and taking off across the country until I land somewhere liveable for a while. I think I can still do that, if I plan seriously and apply to school first.
Today mom finds out which research group she's in for the clinical trial. I'm excited and very anxious to find out. I'm sure she'll be off the edge of her seat all morning until Wanda, the nurse from the trial, calls with the news. I pray for her to be in the monitoring group, which receives no drug (well, I don't actually pray, but I can't ever think of another word to use...because it's more than just thinking, is it begging? but to whom?) On the other hand, it would be just as well if mom was chosen for the Interferon group of the trial...it could potentially reduce her recurrence risk by 5%, while also potentially making her sick for one month. The good news about that is that by the time she's too sick to go to work, to depressed to crack a smile or too tired to get out of bed in the morning, it would be the end of her treatments. Also, Dr. Atkins said that all of the side effects (except one cosmetic result of the drug) are completely reversible. So it's really a win-win situation! Good luck today mom....
Signing off - it's time for a quick snack before practice, yahoo! Gotta go rig the boat.
01 August 2008
this week
...has been busy. I worked three doubles, one lunch and no days in the lab. I caught up with a few friends, made plans for the next two weekends and one friend had a baby!!! It's a boy, but I don't know his name yet. I saw photos today of a friend who spent three months in Australia for work. Jealous...it makes me want to go back. I miss all of it, but mostly Queensland. Probably the most beautiful area with the greatest tropical diversity. And there's the reef...ahhh, my daydreams come back.
My mother and I went to Boston Tuesday afternoon and stayed over night with cousins. Then Wednesday morning we went to Beth Israel for an appointment - mom is signing up to participate in a 20-year clinical trial for melanoma. Hopefully she will get randomly selected for the group who doesn't receive the drug and is only monitored. But if she does get chosen, there will be about four very long weeks coming up for my mother and my family as a whole. Luckily, the drug infusions last only one month and all side-effects are completely reversible, except one, which could potentially create cosmetically disturbing dark spots on her skin. Nothing to be worried about. I'm so proud of mom for doing this, participating in this research. She will be helping so many melanoma patients over the next 20 years...potentially herself if there is ever a relapse (fingers crossed that it's not going to happen).
I've just recently got back in touch with three of my roommates from senior year of college. Two I speak to on a regular basis, but the other, she and I are terrible at keeping in touch. So now, we have a continually-updated email chain between the four of us. We are currently trying to plan a girls' weekend (i.e. five-year reunion) in October. Lyss will be coming back from Canada to PA by October, Allie is in RI and Kat will be up in the Northeast planning her wedding! Yep, another friend is engaged!!! I am thrilled for her...we all knew it was coming eventually, but I am so glad to hear the news. They already have a super cute "family" which includes a beautiful home and two adorable dogs. Anyway, we're hoping to spend the girls' weekend in a beach setting, but we may end up spending some time in Philly, running up the museum steps Rocky-style, checking out some anatomy at the Mutter Museum and snacking on some traditional Philly cheese-steaks. No, I don't normally eat red meat but I am willing to try all foods when travelling. Maybe if I can't get myself to eat the cheese-steak I'll just shove a block of Philadelphia cream cheese in my mouth and see how much I can get to squeeze out between my teeth.
Today at work I told my boss Jonathan that I would be working at the restaurant full-time through the end of August and then possibly one or two shifts per week in September. I have got to make time to start looking for a job, posting my resume, making phone calls, etc. I plan to move back to RI this fall, study for the GRE, take the exam as soon as possible and then start applying to schools for fall 2009. I have decided to bite the bullet and go with Physician's Assistant school, but will also be looking into Nurse Practitioner programs as well. My cousin Deb is convinced that NPs will be at the forefront of primary care medicine within the next 10 years, due to rising M.D. costs and a lack of doctors in primary care (it doesn't pay well and is more boring than being a specialist). We will see how this plan unfolds as I go along.... Part of me is hoping to hit some sort of speedbump that will fuck everything up and send me sailing off to somewhere warm and random for a while...even further postponing my entrance into "adulthood".
Is it possible that I could give away most of my wardrobe, except for bathing suit, shorts and flip flops, and start a new life on the beach, teaching Scuba Diving lessons and "studying" in coral reefs and shipwrecks? Perhaps.... Perhaps I need a push towards a total bum's life...as unrealistic as it may be for me, the girl who needs a stable income so she can eventually get married, own a beautiful home and have five strong children. Pipe dreams.
My mother and I went to Boston Tuesday afternoon and stayed over night with cousins. Then Wednesday morning we went to Beth Israel for an appointment - mom is signing up to participate in a 20-year clinical trial for melanoma. Hopefully she will get randomly selected for the group who doesn't receive the drug and is only monitored. But if she does get chosen, there will be about four very long weeks coming up for my mother and my family as a whole. Luckily, the drug infusions last only one month and all side-effects are completely reversible, except one, which could potentially create cosmetically disturbing dark spots on her skin. Nothing to be worried about. I'm so proud of mom for doing this, participating in this research. She will be helping so many melanoma patients over the next 20 years...potentially herself if there is ever a relapse (fingers crossed that it's not going to happen).
I've just recently got back in touch with three of my roommates from senior year of college. Two I speak to on a regular basis, but the other, she and I are terrible at keeping in touch. So now, we have a continually-updated email chain between the four of us. We are currently trying to plan a girls' weekend (i.e. five-year reunion) in October. Lyss will be coming back from Canada to PA by October, Allie is in RI and Kat will be up in the Northeast planning her wedding! Yep, another friend is engaged!!! I am thrilled for her...we all knew it was coming eventually, but I am so glad to hear the news. They already have a super cute "family" which includes a beautiful home and two adorable dogs. Anyway, we're hoping to spend the girls' weekend in a beach setting, but we may end up spending some time in Philly, running up the museum steps Rocky-style, checking out some anatomy at the Mutter Museum and snacking on some traditional Philly cheese-steaks. No, I don't normally eat red meat but I am willing to try all foods when travelling. Maybe if I can't get myself to eat the cheese-steak I'll just shove a block of Philadelphia cream cheese in my mouth and see how much I can get to squeeze out between my teeth.
Today at work I told my boss Jonathan that I would be working at the restaurant full-time through the end of August and then possibly one or two shifts per week in September. I have got to make time to start looking for a job, posting my resume, making phone calls, etc. I plan to move back to RI this fall, study for the GRE, take the exam as soon as possible and then start applying to schools for fall 2009. I have decided to bite the bullet and go with Physician's Assistant school, but will also be looking into Nurse Practitioner programs as well. My cousin Deb is convinced that NPs will be at the forefront of primary care medicine within the next 10 years, due to rising M.D. costs and a lack of doctors in primary care (it doesn't pay well and is more boring than being a specialist). We will see how this plan unfolds as I go along.... Part of me is hoping to hit some sort of speedbump that will fuck everything up and send me sailing off to somewhere warm and random for a while...even further postponing my entrance into "adulthood".
Is it possible that I could give away most of my wardrobe, except for bathing suit, shorts and flip flops, and start a new life on the beach, teaching Scuba Diving lessons and "studying" in coral reefs and shipwrecks? Perhaps.... Perhaps I need a push towards a total bum's life...as unrealistic as it may be for me, the girl who needs a stable income so she can eventually get married, own a beautiful home and have five strong children. Pipe dreams.
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