best christmas song...ever

my cuddly cat

Aside from her crazy antics and doggish way of chewing on things, my cat is pretty awesome--especially when she likes to cuddle.  Mmm I like to cuddle, and a cat, being a cat, only likes to cuddle when they like to cuddle.  Yesterday, though, she definitely had a need to cuddle.  I was watching a Jeeves & Wooster episode and she had been walking all around me and over me trying to find a place to settle down.  Eventually, she finally settled in my arms, of all places, and proceeded to watch the rest of the episode with me.  Now, I know she's a football (also known as soccer) fan as she went crazy over the world cup--chasing those players (not the ball) all over the screen, doing her best to tag each one supposedly running away from her.  Would that make her boy-crazy?  I am delighted, though, to find that she is also a fan of British comedy.  This is my kind of cat.  Now if I can only get her to a place where she can play outside in the snow......  :-)

A Child's Innocence

On my long ride to church yesterday, a nanny/aunt/mother (?) and young girl sat in the seat in front of me on the bus.  The girl was tiny--about the size of what I would think of a 1 year old--but most likely around 2-3.  She had an incredible vocabulary, and desperately wanted to use it on me.  I would have loved to talk with the girl, except, I still can't understand much of the language here.  This frustrated the girl a little, but she kept trying to communicate, settling for gestures and playing with objects, like the book I had been reading.  She had a plastic bracelet that she fiddled with, wanting me to play a pulling game with her.  At one point the nanny/aunt/mother playfully put the girl's incredibly short hair up with the soft bracelet.  I was admittedly a little shocked that a girl had so short of hair in a place where long hair is deemed beautiful.  However, I thought the cut fit her personality well.  Beyond her playfulness and confidence, what I loved most about this child was when she sang.  For about the last full 10 minutes they were on the bus, the girl sang an amazing rendition of ...some song.  I had obviously never heard the song before, nor did I understand the words, but her sweet, clear voice filled the bus.  The silence that filled the bus after she got off was incredible; I think we all missed her instantly.  

Tell Me A Story

I was recently talking with my dear friend, Sarah.  We were discussing different ways I could start my own business, to not be tied down to one place...eventually.  :-)  One suggestion was to write a book on my experiences in my current living conditions.  Apparently, she finds my stories amusing.  I'm so glad I can amuse you, Sarah.  :-)

Her favorite story is about when I ride my bicycle around town (my 'small' area of town).  There is a particular corner (let me say here that it happens at more than just this one corner, but it is inevitable at this corner) where some motorbike taxi drivers rest.  When I walk by, they are very prone to call out 'Madame! Hello! Madame! Motorbike?! Hello! Madame!'  This is understandable.  I, being a young foreign woman, walking, they think I should need a ride, and they should give me one.  However, when I ride my bicycle past the same corner, they still call out, 'Madame! Hello! Madame!'  At this point I stop paying attention, as I am mostly past them.  However, I swear I can still hear 'Motorbike?!' being called out.

This I don't get.  I am on a bike.  Why would I need a ride for my bike and myself.

Part of me thinks they are just calling out.  If they are, it is just for jest, as most other people don't mind me when I am riding my bicycle, especially if I am on the go and not stopped.

Maybe one day I won't be in a rush to get home and stop to find out exactly what it is they want from a foreign lady on a bike.

i &> fungus

Yes.  You read that correctly.  Well, mostly.  I can't say I love the stuff.  However, in more than one recent conversation, I have been made to say that I like mushrooms; and found myself shocked as I actually believed myself.
I will say 'Ew.' one more time.  However, button mushrooms, have started to become my friend.

Hi, strange, new friend.

Junebug-Robert Francis

Harsh storms with monsoon-ish rain, thunder, lightening.

:-)

Temperature drops.

:-)
:-)

Sweatshirt and coffee weather.

:-)
:-)
:-)

Happy Birthday Jen!!!

To the most amazing older sister--

I hope today is incredibly special.

&>'s

From 'Upwords'

Before you change professions, try this: 


change your attitude toward your profession.


--Max Lucado

Happy Birthday Dad!!

It's been a great 60 years!!

Well, from what I can tell.  ;-)

&>'s

i. hate. my. sinuses.

Everybody has that little something.  That quirk.  That thing you inherited and will never go away.  No matter how many times you have lived with them through über embarrassing moments and think you have learned how to control it, or at least make sure it won't embarrass you in the future.  It always does.

My little something is my sinuses.  Thanks Dad.  :-)  It's not that having sinus issues is the worst thing in the world.  I could have terrible allergies or migraines or brittle bones or webbed fingers.  Sinus issues aren't even very noticeable.  Until you get sick, and the sinuses start draining.  And draining.  And draining.  (Sometimes you don't even have to get sick first.)  For two weeks.  They don't stop.  Which means the cough doesn't stop, because there's constantly something blocking your means of air to breathe.  And that draining feeling you feel....uhck.

Sinus problems are not even that embarrassing in public.  Until they're very embarrassing.  Like today.  When I'm sitting at my favorite Italian cafe, eating an amazing foccacce.  And.  Suddenly I can't breathe.  I'm not choking on the focacce, my sinuses have been running for so long that they decided to pool up right about now.

Fortunately, the super sweet waitress brought me a glass of way too warm water and then pretended to ignore me.  It also helped that there were no other customers besides....what seemed to be the owner and a potential new business partner....  :-D

Well, at least the warm water did the trick.  :-)

the crane wife 3

one of my favorite songs
by one of my favorite bands
instantly puts me in a good mood :-)

"And under the boughs unbowed

All clothed in a snowy shroud

She had no heart so hardened

All under the boughs unbowed

Each feather it fell from skin

Till threadbare while she grew thin

How were my eyes so blinded?

Each feather it fell from skin

And I will hang my head, hang my head low

And I will hang my head, hang my head low

A gray sky, a bitter sting

A rain cloud, a crane on wing

All out beyond horizon

A grey sky, a bitter sting

And I will hang my head, hang my head low

And I will hang my head, hang my head low"

i know--not the most 'lifting' song
but the aesthetics (in all senses of the word) of the song

is pretty much amazing
sung from the soul, 
as cliche as that sounds
also says a bit about humility
(which is always good for my soul to remember every once in a while...)


as soon as i can figure how to posts songs to blogs,
i will post this one

Sick Day

I'm not actually allowed to take 'Sick Days' like we think of in the States.  So what happens if I actually get sick?  I push through it until I realize that I'm just making it worse by moving around and being around other sick students and teachers.  lol  So I took some grand advice from a good friend, called in sick today.
I've had flu-like symptoms of everything except an actual fever and actually throwing up.  Went to work several days last week.  Did my best to relax over the weekend, but ended up not working because of it.

And by Sunday night........still coughing up my lungs, couldn't swallow, lymph nodes swollen, throat hurts, stomach feels a little weird though not quite nauseous and I still sounded like a smoker.  Monday was coming quickly.  I made my decision.

And I am so happy.  And so annoyed.

Apparently I have rested so much over the weekend, that even though I feel super groggy, still coughing, still can't swallow, lymph nodes still swollen, top of throat hurts still--I can't sleep for more than 20-30 min at a time.

My mind is reeling a bit with everything that needs to get done.  It did take a couple hours to get everything straightened out at school so that some other teachers could take over for me.  And, except for my head, my body, aside from feeling a little weak, doesn't feel super tired anymore.

At least the weather is nice and rainy.  Perfect for a day in.  :-)

Matty B Raps! Cute!

Let It Rain

  I love love love love love love love love love love rain.  :-)

 Maybe it's because I'm a Northwestern girl at heart.  Maybe it's because I grew up with Kansas tornado weather.  Maybe it's because I've spent many hurricane seasons in Southeastern Tennessee.  Maybe it's because I am currently living in the rainy season, and loving it. :-)
  This country is not one of the ranked rainiest countries in the world, but it definitely takes on it's share of storms and flooding. Unfortunately, I don't even get to see the brute of the storms, as I live in the South, which more or less serves to be an inlet, guarded by the islands of Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. Storms that do make it into our 'cove' bounce off the Chinese island where Haikou is first and splash into Middle Vietnam.  How the Paracel Islands have made it so long, I'm not quite sure.  Fortunately, aside from some ordered soldiers, no human virtually lives there.
  Suffice to say, the rain from the tropical storms most definitely send ample showers south.  Enough of our streets and alleyways become flooded (always at inopportune times, of course lol) to make the tropical living conditions real enough.  Last night, as I was headed back home, the rain had mostly stopped, and as I didn't really want to pay for a taxi, I opted to walk.  Fortunately, about half-way home, a motorbike taxi picked me up, as the rain shifted a bit heavier again.  Many times, I wouldn't care.  However, yesterday, I forgot both my umbrella and my rain jacket, was already halfway sick, and had my laptop in tote.  If he hadn't have stopped, I would have had to stop and wait for some some other motorbike, taxi, or stoppage of rain.

Now, I also knew that the entrance to one side of my street frequently floods, but since that is coming off the main road, I wasn't thinking about that entrance.  We (and where I would have come at if still walking) came in from the back alley entrance, which apparently I don't take enough when it rains.  It was flooded.  Much more so than the front entrance usually is.  Maybe 2 or 3 feet deep.  Maybe 25-30 yards longEnough for my driver to stop, turn the motor off, assess the situation, and fiddle with something before deciding to trudge into the deep water.  I would have understood if he hadn't have wanted to.  A motorbike of girls pulled up beside us and watched to see what we were going to do.  He did it.  It worked. We got through.  And somehow his bike seemed okay.  :-)

  What I love even more that rain: storms.

  Here some pictures of storms that I snagged off the internet a while ago--just looking for pictures of storms for my desktop.

The Grass Is Always Greener...

I have realized one thing since being here.  I always love to dream about being somewhere else.  I usually don't mind this too much--it keeps me going, moving, traveling, experiencing new things.  However, in the case of a real move, I get frustrated with lack of time from work and lack of money to really travel around and experience the area, and frustrated with myself for not pushing myself to get out on my days off.  I moved to a new apartment this year.  A great move!  Still a 10-15 min. bike ride from work, I'm in more of a local area, not so much in a 'bubble'.  My apartment is the last tall building on our side of the district, so there is a clear shot, above all the houses and trees, of the downtown skyline.  During the day, it is not so much of a gorgeous sight, faded by smog, surrounded by construction sites.  However I love to look out at the houses and trees, the local life.  During the night, the skyline is amazing.  :-)

I made a new American friend a few weeks ago, very new to this area.  We went out to dinner recently, and she told me of her experiences so far; how she is excited to see new things, but has never traveled outside America before, and is having a hard time with all the new food and making herself to get out and experience the world around her.  I completely understood her.  I love to travel, have been to many places, have many more places I would like to go.  But, getting there is only half the battle of coming out of your shell.  It's intimidating, walking into a culture that is new to you, having to get around with a language that you can't speak, eating food you have never been introduced to before, and doing it not for just a couple weeks or a couple months, but a couple years (or just one in her case).  And.  As much as I have been progressively coming out of my 'shell' over the years, I can still be terribly intimidated by people, being so different that people stare, treat you differently.  But, is that because of the cultural differences here?  Or just that maybe I am not suited for being in such a situation.  (As much as I love Asian culture as a whole as well as so many other aspects about being here!)

I met an American man last night, at a cafe, who travels around Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam selling jewelry.  (I am hoping to take a look at his jewelry soon!)  He has been traveling around Asia for several years, and seems to have quite a grounded view of what it takes to live in the different cultures here.  He admitted, though, that this country was one of the hardest to live in long-term.  He can only stick around for about 3 months, tops, then he has to leave.  However, he does love to visit.  Now he is considering his next business move to be somewhere in South America.  (He actually thinks my personality is more suited to Japanese culture--funny, as that was my first experience of Asian culture, why I grew to love and direly want to come to this area of the world--and then changed his mind and thought I'd be better suited in South America or somewhere where I look like I fit in with the locals lolol)

So why is it that we can have a hard time being happy right where we are?  Do some people just need constant change?  Is it a search for where one fits in the best?  Is it a yearning to learn more and more about the world?  Except, the next place I want to go is the same state I was born in and have visited (and even lived at times) all my life.  :-)  Well, except every few years there are new faces that appear in our family tree, which make life there more enticing.  :-)  As much as I love Asian culture (and I believe the man is right about me being more suited to Japanese culture) I am most definitely ready for a place where I can blend in a bit more.  I'm thinking.....maybe.....Italy???  So, maybe my answer is a little mixture of all of the above, and maybe with some adventure thrown in.  I love the excitement of waiting to see what will happen next.  :-)  I am also looking forward to the adventure of finding a town and buying my own house....when the time and money are right.  :-)

PDA

It is a rather well-known...idea (I'm not sure if I would call it a fact) that Western culture is more relaxed on the idea of public display of affection, than that of the East.  I would say that, here, I have observed this many times.  I would also say that it is a more prominent idea with the Northern cultures--that the more Southern they are, the more open they are.  We could say that in the West as well.

Many times here, mostly in cafes, where I sit way too many times to do work, I get to observe the interactions of the different cultures that stream into this juncture of international highway.  I have found that local couples actually love to become...cozy.  They love to consider themselves romantics.  This trait I can see more and more every day.  Very often couples will sit beside each other if they can, not across the table from each other.  Even a quick glance will catch the man's arm around the woman, one hand caressing another hand, or even a few public kisses.

This morning I shared an empty cafe floor with a young couple, college-age.  It was fortunate for both parties that there was a wall placed in the center of the room, between us.  A couple times, as I glanced up from my busy screen, I noticed that their heads were moving closer and closer together.  No surprise, the next time I looked up, their lips were interlocked, their bodies as well.  No sooner as I let my glance drop back to my screen, a smirk on my face ('Aww, how cute!' I was thinking), a server walked through the room.  I looked over to the couple, to see if their cover had been blown.  They were sitting back, flushed, like caught teenagers.  I couldn't help but smile again.  Poor kids, I remember those times from long ago.

Wait?  Long ago?  ;-)

Stories are not so much meant for retelling, as they are for ideas to create new ones.

What story would you like to make yours?

:-)

:-)

Not-So-Genius Mixes

Until about a year ago, I was not much of a fan of iTunes, or anything Apple-related--much to my younger sister's dismay.  I did give a try a few times, but hated relearning all the key codes that have taken me a couple generations to learn.  However, after living so far from Western civilization, iTunes, and everything Apple, have become my life-source, so to speak--well, not strictly speaking at all, really.  But I am most definitely am in love.    &>  

I do still have one peeve with iTunes though (besides not being compatible with WMA and protected WMA not being able to transfer to MP3...).  I do not understand how they determine what should go in a Genius mix.  I understand that basic music categories are quite broad.  However, I have a bit of a hard time listening to a good mix of The Decemberists, Robert Francis, Coldplay, etc., and then randomly hear Mozart or Britney Spears.  Mozart, I can almost understand, almost.  But, Britney Spears?  Huh.

When I first discovered this peeve, I had found Jonathan Clay mixed in with Madonna and Rihanna.  I thought, then, that it was a glitch.  I don't call myself an expert with music selection or iTunes for that matter.  I imagine there must be some key word or code somewhere in the music artists file that labels them as something similar.  I still have yet to figure out what it is though...

Until I can figure this out, or how to fix it, I'll have to be okay with spending extra time (like any crazy-working person) making my own mixes or deal with mixed levels of tempo.  lol  How lazy can I be or not be?

A Hand In My Pocket Day

As of today, I am officially resigned from being the homeroom teacher of my classroom.  Don't worry!  I still teach all of my classes, both Twin Track and ESL.  My director duties were just becoming too much to handle on top of everything.  It was a hard decision, but I had to cut back somehow; the school knew this as well.  So, director duties kept, homeroom duties dismissed.

Why is there not anyone else here that can take this set of duties???????????????????  I must, sadly, admit, though, that is a nice relief not to expect over-exhertion and complete exhaustion by the end of each day.

Today is the transition day.  I cannot say that everything is perfect, or my work will be caught up to speed super soon, but at least I feel an ease of pressure; a bit more time to get a bit more things done.  Thank goodness.  My body and my brain already feel a bit more relaxed.

Don't call me full director yet, though.  Even if they offer the actual title, I'm not sure if I want to be labeled as such. lol

Insert imaginary visions of clouds and rainbows and bunnies and mountains? lolol

Potty-Training

Also called 'The Adventures of Val and Chica-Chapter 1'

Having pets is always slightly time-consuming.  As I don't have much extra time for a pet to consume--especially when it comes to cleaning up tracked kitty litter, I decided to check into potty training a cat.

All of the you-tube videos made it seem quite simple and relatively easy.  Though, they did hint at there being some steps that could get a little messy.  I think this may be an understatement.

As there are several steps to the process, the kitty litter is not actually removed from the picture for quite a while.  Allowing kitty litter anywhere near a toilet is going to call some caution to the matter.  But...ah...as with any kid...pets, I've found...have no qualm in taking their revenge on the unknown and seemingly uncouth.

Within the first day of attempting this process, she, Chica, the cat, had overturned the bowl of (fresh) kitty litter into the basin of the toilet.  In the midst of a shower, I had to quickly salvage what litter I could and figure out how to discard the rest (as it was a bit too thick to go down the drain).

We have since then learned to work with each other on this adventure, and there are now safeguards all over the toilet-for her protection and mine (and the toilet's).

This weekend we will start a new step.  Please wish us luck and pray!

Unrelated Progress

 Unrelated Progress

Had no idea this even happened!

Fortunately I'm only a few days behind.  lol

I am pleasantly shocked.  :-)

English Me This

Sign #1 my students are finally learning to understand and speak English: 2 students can almost completely correctly translate my words into Mandarin for the rest of the class;  all except 2 of the rest of the students can understand me 3/5 to all of the time, whether or not they can speak in English. :-)

Sign #1 that we still have a long way to go:
         T--'There are three red ducks and an apple.'
               (repeating student's choice of spelling words to form a coherent sentence)
         S--'There are three red ducks and a apple.'
         T--'No.  There are three red ducks and an apple.  "An."
               Not "A".' (something like 2nd or 3rd explanation use of "a/an")
         S--'An?'
         T--'Yes, an.'
         S--'There are three red ducks and apple.'
         T--'No.  You must say, "and an apple.' (with full explanation--again)
         S--'There are three red ducks an and apple.'
         T--'No, "and an apple".'
         S--'Erase the "d"?'
         T--'Yes, erase the "d".'
         S--'There are three red ducks an apple.'
         T--'*Sigh*.........'
              (rework mental process--think like a 7 yr old who is learning English)

Learning the writing process is going to be...........a process; some more comprehension skills as well.  :-)

Haole

At present, I have felt like an idiot pretty much every day I have been in this country.
Ergo, it is time to deal with my annoyance of feeling like an idiot, and act more like an idiot, so that eventually I won't be such an idiot.
A.K.A.: straighten up kid, deal with it.

Addiction to Personal Transportation

Sign #1 that I am an American: my need for a car (or at least a motorbike).
Having owned a car since age 16 (and driving well before that) I never imagined life without a car until I moved to Europe for a year.  I thought my despondency was because I was stuck on the side of a mountain in the dead of winter with little money and very few job offerings.  Then, on the island of Oahu, I assumed my frustration was simply island fever, as I had never lived in such a water-locked place before.  Now, I realize that maybe my problem stems much deeper to my independence.
Simply put, I am craving a motorbike of my own.
Unfortunately, I am terrified of these crowded streets, the road rules (or lack thereof), the police (who I hear like to pick on the foreigners), and gas stations (as I will then have to learn specific vocabulary-like: gas tank, etc., as well as locate them-I think there may be one semi-close to my area...).  I will have to obtain a motorbike license and pay a rental fee each month.  I am also complaining, as in the States, I would have made sure to locate a car, an insurance company, and the local license center within the first month in town.
I am a foreigner.  The local language and the local ways make me feel like an idiot enough of the time, so that I forgo what I need most: to get past my fears and get a motorbike so I can get lost and see more of the countryside, the way it should be.

Temp Conversion Calculator

Celsius to Fahrenheit

provided by www.metric-conversions.org

Antz

Every place in the world I have lived has some sort of ant issue.  In America, I have found recently, our ants are actually quite large compared to other areas of the world.  I am sure there are bigger ones to be found somewhere.  However, I had no idea how large the American ants are until I visited for a month recently.  In Hawaii, the ants are fairly smaller than the mainland ants, but I still was unaware at the size of the American ants until this visit.  The American ants looked like giants.  Tumbling, lonesome giants.  This was very odd for me as I had never had that conception about them before.  The difference is, that now, I am used to miniature ants that never leave their string of warriors, even if it kills them.  Well, I have seen a few scatter when faced with chemical warfare.  And these little guys will eat....anything.  And they're overly curious......  The sad thing is, I was actually scared by the American ants, based purely on their size.....like they could totally eat me....or....something......

God bless the geckos.

No Water Season

In many parts of the world one will see a variety of seasons throughout the year.  I have personally lived through: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, Hot, Hotter, Cold, Colder, Wet, and Dry.  Now I can add a new season; I call it No Water.
This new season came a bit of a surprise.  I was always quite aware that I was in the Dry season.  However, I had not heard (nor realized by all the greenery or usage of water around me) that there was quickly becoming a shortage of water.
The gov't gave orders for restricting the water.
So.
Within a day and a half, water was cut off from: most of the school and dorm as well as my apt.
:-D
Whoo-hoo!  It's almost like camping!........
Except that I must make myself presentable every day to a full school of students as well as parents.
And this is no American land where I could at least think about rinsing off in a river, etc.
No.  Mme is now restricted to activities that create little to no sweat.  Wait.  That means no breathing either.
The roomies and I have set up some buckets (which may last us another day...) to use before we head for the hotels.  I am not looking forward to spending money in order to shower (even if it means I can work out!! Yay!!).
However, as the gov't has also (within a very short time) decided to jack up the electricity rates by 49% (yes, you read that correctly), a hotel also means we an use the AC with no worry :-)
So much for living cheaply in order to pay off the bills.....