I thought the A to Z challenge was fun! I found myself thinking of places I'd like to go, and horrifying myself with how little I knew of most of those places! And some days, I even doubled up because I couldn't decide between two letter topics. I even tried out the "schedule" function for the first time, and pre-wrote a couples posts.
This past week, without my reference letter for the day, I've been trying to figure out a new random subject generator process but haven't found it yet. I am hoping another challenge is right around the corner!
My favorite post was for letter Q - Q: things I am; things I am not.
Showing posts with label AtoZ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label AtoZ. Show all posts
Monday, May 7, 2012
Monday, April 30, 2012
Z: ZED
As in 'the end' of the A to Z challenge. I have really enjoyed it, but as has been evidenced by many of my posts, I don't always have the ability to limit myself to one topic per letter. Sometimes it's just a series of whatever pops into my head - so away we go!
ZED is also a shout out to my BFF - a big hug to you just because!
New Zealand - how I would love to go there! A friend visited for several weeks many years ago and sent me a pile of photos and it looks just absolutely gorgeous. I met a number of folks from New Zealand the winter I skiied as often as possible at Whistler BC and thought each and every one of them was beyond nice and fun, and their descriptions of their home country also lured me with the concept of going camping in backcountry which has no predators (bears, big cats, etc.) I am also fascinated by a country that has no military ... being somewhat of a pacifist myself, and terrified of weaponry, I can't quite imagine what it would be like to be in a country without the backdrop of violence.
Zebras - one of my all time favorite animals. I am intrigued by the idea that no two zebras are striped the same and you can tell them apart by their markings. I'd love to spend long enough observing them to be able to make out the differences.
Zealous Advocacy - an interesting concept in my observations of lawyers. This is an ethical requirement but often I think attorneys think "zealous" means saying whatever ridiculous b.s. your client wants you to say, and arguing positions that have no legal merit and/or no basis in actual fact. One of the walls I try to refrain from beating my head against, since I have no control over the behavior of others...
Zip - might be one of my favorite words. It's just fun to say. And the whole "zip it" part of the Austin Powers movie(s), where Dr. Evil is talking to his son, is a favorite movie clip for me (if I were really motivated I'd embed a video clip of it HERE, but I'm not that motivated today, sorry).
ZED is also a shout out to my BFF - a big hug to you just because!
New Zealand - how I would love to go there! A friend visited for several weeks many years ago and sent me a pile of photos and it looks just absolutely gorgeous. I met a number of folks from New Zealand the winter I skiied as often as possible at Whistler BC and thought each and every one of them was beyond nice and fun, and their descriptions of their home country also lured me with the concept of going camping in backcountry which has no predators (bears, big cats, etc.) I am also fascinated by a country that has no military ... being somewhat of a pacifist myself, and terrified of weaponry, I can't quite imagine what it would be like to be in a country without the backdrop of violence.
Zebras - one of my all time favorite animals. I am intrigued by the idea that no two zebras are striped the same and you can tell them apart by their markings. I'd love to spend long enough observing them to be able to make out the differences.
Zealous Advocacy - an interesting concept in my observations of lawyers. This is an ethical requirement but often I think attorneys think "zealous" means saying whatever ridiculous b.s. your client wants you to say, and arguing positions that have no legal merit and/or no basis in actual fact. One of the walls I try to refrain from beating my head against, since I have no control over the behavior of others...
Zip - might be one of my favorite words. It's just fun to say. And the whole "zip it" part of the Austin Powers movie(s), where Dr. Evil is talking to his son, is a favorite movie clip for me (if I were really motivated I'd embed a video clip of it HERE, but I'm not that motivated today, sorry).
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Y: Yellowstone
Yellowstone National Park. It feels like I've been there - I've heard a lot about it and seen a lot of photo and video footage - but I haven't. And I want to go. Our National Parks are such a treasure and I really want to take advantage of them. For all that I've seen pictures of Old Faithful and such, I'd really like to see it in person. And I can't get enough of natural beauty and wildlife.
I read a novel recently that used as its backdrop the last round of huge fires that tore through Yellowstone (I think in the 1990s?) It made me wish I'd been there before, so I could go again and see what effect the fire had on the ecosystems. I'm pretty fascinated by that sort of thing. I remember seeing a lot of footage of the Mount St. Helens area before the eruption and of the eruption and aftermath itself, and then I visited the area about ten years later and was fascinated by the moonscape appearance even then - when you looked at it from a distance, it was just gray looking and dusty with weird patterns (like the dead trees, all laying where they fell in the blast, buried under ash). But when you walked around and actually looked at the ground more closely, there was all kinds of regrowth and even flowers. I'm hoping to go back again the next time we're in the Pacific Northwest, to see what change the last ten years have brought.
I read a novel recently that used as its backdrop the last round of huge fires that tore through Yellowstone (I think in the 1990s?) It made me wish I'd been there before, so I could go again and see what effect the fire had on the ecosystems. I'm pretty fascinated by that sort of thing. I remember seeing a lot of footage of the Mount St. Helens area before the eruption and of the eruption and aftermath itself, and then I visited the area about ten years later and was fascinated by the moonscape appearance even then - when you looked at it from a distance, it was just gray looking and dusty with weird patterns (like the dead trees, all laying where they fell in the blast, buried under ash). But when you walked around and actually looked at the ground more closely, there was all kinds of regrowth and even flowers. I'm hoping to go back again the next time we're in the Pacific Northwest, to see what change the last ten years have brought.
Friday, April 27, 2012
X: X-ing
We used to play a lot of the alphabet game while driving places when I was a kid. Of course, it was terribly difficult to find signage with words starting in "x". We had to make a few rule changes - to allow the "X" of a railroad crossing to suffice and we also kept our eyes peeled for things like school or pedestrian crossings. Why? Because they'd say something like School X-Ing. I had no idea that was some abbreviation for crossing for years. I got in the habit of calling them "exings". My aunt was a 5th grade teacher and just thought this habit of mine was hysterical. Never quite understood that using "x" for random words thing before...
As for other X words - I can tell you that I am way to confused about my right and left to ever play xylophone and x-acto knives scare the bejesus out of m and I haven't had a whole lot of x-rays in my life beyond the dentist and the annual mammograms.
Can't believe we've almost made it through the A to Z challenge!
As for other X words - I can tell you that I am way to confused about my right and left to ever play xylophone and x-acto knives scare the bejesus out of m and I haven't had a whole lot of x-rays in my life beyond the dentist and the annual mammograms.
Can't believe we've almost made it through the A to Z challenge!
Thursday, April 26, 2012
W: Wishing
Oh man, have I spent a lot of my life wishing...wishing for Christmas to come, wishing for some boy to talk to me, wishing I would wake up looking differently some morning, wishing my life would be different. And I'm not exactly sure when it hit me that i was wasting so much time wishing, that I was wishing my life away. It hit me like a ton of bricks when I realized it and it had a profound effect on my outlook. And I changed, really I did. Not that I never wished for anything again, but I started making a conscious effort not to neglect today, in my wishing for a better tomorrow.
I had this attitude reinforced when I started going to Al Anon last year - the whole concept of focusing on today, and noticing the gifts in this moment, and letting tomorrow wait until tomorrow, is of great importance to recovery. One counselor I met liked to say, if you stand with one foot ahead in tomorrow and the other foot back on yesterday, what are you doing all over today? For those of us who work well with visual learning, that also drove the point home to me.
So keep wishing within its daydreaming boundaries please, and don't waste the precious moment you've been given!
I had this attitude reinforced when I started going to Al Anon last year - the whole concept of focusing on today, and noticing the gifts in this moment, and letting tomorrow wait until tomorrow, is of great importance to recovery. One counselor I met liked to say, if you stand with one foot ahead in tomorrow and the other foot back on yesterday, what are you doing all over today? For those of us who work well with visual learning, that also drove the point home to me.
So keep wishing within its daydreaming boundaries please, and don't waste the precious moment you've been given!
W: Washington DC
I really want to go to Washington DC - hopefully during the cherry blossom season which sounds gorgeous and is before the weather really heats up for the summer. I had the opportunity to meet a man from DC last summer and I instantly admitted my ignorance of his city and my certain misconception that it is all just urban concrete. He assured me there is plenty of green space and residential living, just as in any other metropolitan area. But you can't escape the fact that there is an amazing lot of United States history there, as well as world history given the Holocaust museum and the Vietnam wall. I really hope we can go sometime in the next few years, when the kids still like us enough to spend the time absorbing it all with us.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
V: Venice
In my "places I'd like to go" series of this A to Z challenge, let me add Venice, Italy. I am fascinated by this city on the water, that is sinking further and further every year. I expect it doesn't smell so good, fetid water and all, but I really would love to see it. The buildings and the bridges seem amazing.
V: Vasectomy (oh yes, I'm going for the TMI today!)
I have had a variety of other "v" words come to mind since yesterday but my brain settled on this lovely TMI topic and there was no getting around it. The past year was eventful for us, in that we had a vasectomy. I am using those plural pronouns intentionally, since (1) everyone always said "we" had two babies, when I'm pretty sure all that huffing and puffing was just me; and (2) any woman attached to a man who has had to have work on his nether regions knows that it's a joint experience whether we like it or not. I do give my husband credit though, he whined much less than I expected him too. Other than the 45 minute drive home, with the local anesthesia wearing off, I would say it resulted in less drama than the average head cold.
But it is a weird thing - permanent sterilization. It took us a long time to get there. Finally, after the fourth miscarriage in my 40s, even stubborn me had to admit that my eggs were likely past their 'best if used by' date and we were not going to be adding that long-awaited 3rd child to the family via my uterus. I appreciate that my husband was willing to put his boys on the line for that local anesthetic office procedure, to save me having to have anesthesia and a week off work. He didn't even really balk at it, once we knew we were ready to take that permanent step. He's a good man (I was going to say "good egg" but thought that pun didn't really fit the occasion).
Not exactly an event worthy of our Christmas letter to family and friends near and far, but it was certainly a major event in our lives.
But it is a weird thing - permanent sterilization. It took us a long time to get there. Finally, after the fourth miscarriage in my 40s, even stubborn me had to admit that my eggs were likely past their 'best if used by' date and we were not going to be adding that long-awaited 3rd child to the family via my uterus. I appreciate that my husband was willing to put his boys on the line for that local anesthetic office procedure, to save me having to have anesthesia and a week off work. He didn't even really balk at it, once we knew we were ready to take that permanent step. He's a good man (I was going to say "good egg" but thought that pun didn't really fit the occasion).
Not exactly an event worthy of our Christmas letter to family and friends near and far, but it was certainly a major event in our lives.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
U: the name of the game is "UMMMM..."
A little context first - I come from a family of word dorks. Both my grandmothers were school teachers, both my parents have teaching degrees, and my siblings and I often think we are too smart for our own good and we weren't afraid to say so. We were raised playing Scrabble, pretty much as soon as we learned our ABC's, and it was commonplace in my teenage years for us to act as the grammar-police with each other. The battle of the "good" vs "well" and "I" vs "me" included all three of us kids and both my parents, and we were merciless with each other.
So, it stands to reason that when I went off to college and met two guys from South Dakota who had this dictionary-based game with which they tormented each other, I was charmed immediately. The game goes like this:
One person, who either knows of the game or is in the presence of another game player, says - in conversation - "ummmm"
The next person interrupts with a word beginning in "um..." (like umbrella, for instance)
The opposing game player responds with another word beginning in "um..."
And so on, until someone can't come up with another "um" word.
And in the course of the game, you also have entirely sidetracked the conversation. It's great fun! When I joined this band of gamers, if memory servces, there were about 7 words in my dictionary starting in "um" - let's see what I can remember: umbrella, umber, umbiliferous, umbilical,
umpire, umbria, umbrage...
I loved that game and I am happy to admit I'm a dork when it comes to stuff like this.. Now when someone says "um" in my presence, I still occasionally bark out my favorite opening word - umbiliferous. Then there are blank stares. It's so disappointing. Darren and Kent, I miss you!
So, it stands to reason that when I went off to college and met two guys from South Dakota who had this dictionary-based game with which they tormented each other, I was charmed immediately. The game goes like this:
One person, who either knows of the game or is in the presence of another game player, says - in conversation - "ummmm"
The next person interrupts with a word beginning in "um..." (like umbrella, for instance)
The opposing game player responds with another word beginning in "um..."
And so on, until someone can't come up with another "um" word.
And in the course of the game, you also have entirely sidetracked the conversation. It's great fun! When I joined this band of gamers, if memory servces, there were about 7 words in my dictionary starting in "um" - let's see what I can remember: umbrella, umber, umbiliferous, umbilical,
umpire, umbria, umbrage...
I loved that game and I am happy to admit I'm a dork when it comes to stuff like this.. Now when someone says "um" in my presence, I still occasionally bark out my favorite opening word - umbiliferous. Then there are blank stares. It's so disappointing. Darren and Kent, I miss you!
Monday, April 23, 2012
More T's
T is an excellent letter. It might be my favorite letter. Talk - I love to talk and I love it when other people talk (except about boring stuff). Truth - I am a fan of the truth. I have been trying (mostly in vain) to teach my kids that it is always better to tell Mama the truth. They do not appear to be grasping it. Testosterone - I have too much, thus the stupid facial hair that has now, in my 40s, taken a turn for horrifying as it is now WHITE. Gack. Telephones - despite my love of talking, I really am not a fan of the telephone. Terrier mix - in particular, our Lucky the terrier mix. He is a hard dog to love as a single dog parent. My husband does not take an equal role in his care and it makes me tired about this time of the evening. It is just ONEMORETHING on top of a busy day. Sigh.
Timbuktu - my daughter asked me today if that was a really city (yes) and if so, why would someone name a city Timbuktu. I had no answer. Anyone? Texas - I'd love to spend some time there. Tired - as in, I am, and I am starting to ramble worse than usual, so I'm headed to the peace and quiet of my bed. Leaving the terrier mix to my husband for the remainder of the evening.
Timbuktu - my daughter asked me today if that was a really city (yes) and if so, why would someone name a city Timbuktu. I had no answer. Anyone? Texas - I'd love to spend some time there. Tired - as in, I am, and I am starting to ramble worse than usual, so I'm headed to the peace and quiet of my bed. Leaving the terrier mix to my husband for the remainder of the evening.
T: Taos, New Mexico
I would love to visit New Mexico, and Taos strikes me as a great place to start. Mountains - check, narrow rocky mountain passes - check, warm days (in summer) but cool nights - check. It is reported to be a community that offers lots of outdoor activities - skiing, hiking, biking, horseback riding, exploring the pueblos - and a large art community, all with the gorgeous natural backdrop. And at that altitude, I bet there are no bugs. Love that.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
S: Sarah-with-an-H
I have an unpronounceable last name. I long ago gave up on correcting the pronunciation and am not at all offended when people get it wrong. A favorite story is a now-retired judge who would pronounce my name differently each time he addressed me in court. I don't care a whit. However, all bets are off if you spell my first name - Sarah - without the "H". It has become somewhat of a theory with me that there is a distinct difference between the Saras of the world and the Sarahs. And I do not mean that either is better or worse, we just tend to fall into different categories of personality. In my anecdotal experience, the Saras tend to be more the cheerleader types - girly and bouncy and life of the party types. The Sarahs, while also generally smart and funny and good to be around, tend to be less frilly and more, dare I say it, solid and straightforward. Which is why I will always, and I mean always, correct you if you spell my name wrong - because otherwise you will be looking for the entirely wrong person.
And, because I can't leave the letter "S" without paying some homage to the City of My Heart, here's to Seattle. I love it, I miss it, and as I was on the road most of the day yesterday, criss crossing the State of Minnesota but ending up in Brookings, South Dakota for the weekend, I desperately wish I'd have been on a plane to Seattle instead. You can read more about my relationship with Seattle here.
And, because I can't leave the letter "S" without paying some homage to the City of My Heart, here's to Seattle. I love it, I miss it, and as I was on the road most of the day yesterday, criss crossing the State of Minnesota but ending up in Brookings, South Dakota for the weekend, I desperately wish I'd have been on a plane to Seattle instead. You can read more about my relationship with Seattle here.
R: Romance
Ah romance....so much art and music and literature has been written about romance. While I admit to a swoon or two in my life, I feel like such a romance buzz kill. There has been much talk of prom and such among my work friends as the all have teenaged kids, so I've been hearing tons of teenage drama stories. This is one situation when adults (or at least I) do a lot if eye rolling back at children. Please universe, let my girls grow up to know they can live without a boyfriend - or if she has a boyfriend, that she can live apart from him for a weekend or a week or a month!
My idea of romance seems obnoxiously simple to me, but way out of touch with the media portrayal of it. Show an interest in me - "how was your day?" will work in a pinch but asking a question about something specific will show that you actually know something about my life...or want to...now that's romantic. Take some burden off my shoulders once in a while - maybe cook a meal unexpectedly or get up to walk the dog when he starts barking at 5:30a some weekend so I can stay in bed...I will feel warm fuzzies all day. Have the oil changed in my van and the interior cleaned when I'm not expecting it...I will sing your praises to the heavens. It seems so easy to me but maybe I'm the one with the skewed view.
and p.s. (just for the A to Z record) I did write this yesterday but my smart phone is apparently not smart enough to handle the blogger mobile app.
My idea of romance seems obnoxiously simple to me, but way out of touch with the media portrayal of it. Show an interest in me - "how was your day?" will work in a pinch but asking a question about something specific will show that you actually know something about my life...or want to...now that's romantic. Take some burden off my shoulders once in a while - maybe cook a meal unexpectedly or get up to walk the dog when he starts barking at 5:30a some weekend so I can stay in bed...I will feel warm fuzzies all day. Have the oil changed in my van and the interior cleaned when I'm not expecting it...I will sing your praises to the heavens. It seems so easy to me but maybe I'm the one with the skewed view.
and p.s. (just for the A to Z record) I did write this yesterday but my smart phone is apparently not smart enough to handle the blogger mobile app.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Q: things I am; things I am not
Q: Things I am:
Quick (in mind and in speech)
Quizzical/Questioning/Querying (always)
Qualitative (as in 'quality over quantity')
Queen (of my household - truly ask anyone)
Queasy (often - been prone to motion sickness all my life)
Quotation mark user (credit where credit is due, right? But I'm not exactly sure when you should not use quotes in regular writing to set words out - only when defining? Only when an odd word? I probably use them too much)
Q: Things I am not:
Quick (in body - I walk normally at an ambling pace and am not at all nimble)
Quiet (I talk a lot, no doubt about it)
Quantitative (as in 'form over substance')
Quixotic (I'm not a mystery - you ask, I probably tell)
Quintuplet (nope, just a singleton)
Quack (I'm pretty competent at my profession)
Quibbling (I try really hard not to bicker over things that don't matter)
Quidditch player (as much as I love Harry Potter, the interest in playing Quidditch in real life - running around playing rugby/soccer with a broom stick between my legs - entirely escapes me)
Quick (in mind and in speech)
Quizzical/Questioning/Querying (always)
Qualitative (as in 'quality over quantity')
Queen (of my household - truly ask anyone)
Queasy (often - been prone to motion sickness all my life)
Quotation mark user (credit where credit is due, right? But I'm not exactly sure when you should not use quotes in regular writing to set words out - only when defining? Only when an odd word? I probably use them too much)
Q: Things I am not:
Quick (in body - I walk normally at an ambling pace and am not at all nimble)
Quiet (I talk a lot, no doubt about it)
Quantitative (as in 'form over substance')
Quixotic (I'm not a mystery - you ask, I probably tell)
Quintuplet (nope, just a singleton)
Quack (I'm pretty competent at my profession)
Quibbling (I try really hard not to bicker over things that don't matter)
Quidditch player (as much as I love Harry Potter, the interest in playing Quidditch in real life - running around playing rugby/soccer with a broom stick between my legs - entirely escapes me)
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
P: Paris? Parent? Pets? Portland? People?
Today is another day where I'm having a hard time choosing a word...so many choices and no clear winner. So, let's just chase that stream of consciousness shall we?
Paris: would love to see it. Gorgeous stuff like the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame and the Louvre.
Parent: JT wrote a great post about parenthood today, so I'm just going to direct you back to her for that topic. Check it out here.
Pets: Our family currently has 3 pets. The terrier mix Lucky, adopted just about a year ago from our local animal shelter; the "grandma cat" Rita, who was Sean's cat when we met and is now about 15; and Prince Harry, the 2 year old bully cat. My white boxer, Ande, whose picture goes with my profile, died about two years ago now from a pituitary tumor. I still miss my 55 pound, all-elbows, lap dog. We have toyed with the idea of getting a middle aged bigger dog of a calmer breed to see if that would help Lucky with his ADHD but I'm not sure I can handle the responsibility of yet another member of the family.
Portland: Portland ND - lived near there for about 6 years of my childhood; Portland OR - have visited and loved it, and it's the home of my favorite beer of all time: Widmer Hefeweizen; Portand ME - would love to go someday.
People: I love a lot of people, I like even more people, and overall I really care about most people...but dang if I don't wish often for the peace and quiet of being left alone!
Paris: would love to see it. Gorgeous stuff like the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame and the Louvre.
Parent: JT wrote a great post about parenthood today, so I'm just going to direct you back to her for that topic. Check it out here.
Pets: Our family currently has 3 pets. The terrier mix Lucky, adopted just about a year ago from our local animal shelter; the "grandma cat" Rita, who was Sean's cat when we met and is now about 15; and Prince Harry, the 2 year old bully cat. My white boxer, Ande, whose picture goes with my profile, died about two years ago now from a pituitary tumor. I still miss my 55 pound, all-elbows, lap dog. We have toyed with the idea of getting a middle aged bigger dog of a calmer breed to see if that would help Lucky with his ADHD but I'm not sure I can handle the responsibility of yet another member of the family.
Portland: Portland ND - lived near there for about 6 years of my childhood; Portland OR - have visited and loved it, and it's the home of my favorite beer of all time: Widmer Hefeweizen; Portand ME - would love to go someday.
People: I love a lot of people, I like even more people, and overall I really care about most people...but dang if I don't wish often for the peace and quiet of being left alone!
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
O: OFFS!
Just hit publish on my post, only to realize I doubled up on "N"! Totally thought I hadn't done "N" yet...ah well...I like them both, so both will stay. Poo on the rules.
And that little goof up was also confirmation about what my "O" post would be. But let me first warn you that I have the mouth of a sailor and have really curtailed my cursing in this blog in an effort to be more polite. So this post is definitely into PG-13 land. You've been warned.
My sister is the queen of personal acronyms, in an attempt to not swear in front of her children. An early favorite of hers was OFCOL! (and she would say it o.f.c.o.l., not as a word), which of course meant "oh for crying out loud!" These were not intended as texting shortcuts, mind you, but as spoken exclamations.
Recently, she has a new one - which carries the benefit of being one of those acceptable things you can say when you have started to swear (like shhhhhhhhh...ugar!). Better yet, you can growl this one and it actually works! OFFS! is spoken as a full word (not o.f.f.s.) and, if you haven't already figured it out, means "oh for f***'s sake". So, thank you to my sister on behalf of myself - in my efforts to clean up my language - and on behalf of the ears of everyone else around me.
And that little goof up was also confirmation about what my "O" post would be. But let me first warn you that I have the mouth of a sailor and have really curtailed my cursing in this blog in an effort to be more polite. So this post is definitely into PG-13 land. You've been warned.
My sister is the queen of personal acronyms, in an attempt to not swear in front of her children. An early favorite of hers was OFCOL! (and she would say it o.f.c.o.l., not as a word), which of course meant "oh for crying out loud!" These were not intended as texting shortcuts, mind you, but as spoken exclamations.
Recently, she has a new one - which carries the benefit of being one of those acceptable things you can say when you have started to swear (like shhhhhhhhh...ugar!). Better yet, you can growl this one and it actually works! OFFS! is spoken as a full word (not o.f.f.s.) and, if you haven't already figured it out, means "oh for f***'s sake". So, thank you to my sister on behalf of myself - in my efforts to clean up my language - and on behalf of the ears of everyone else around me.
N: Norway
My grandfather immigrated to the U.S. from Norway in the 1920s, when he was about 16 years old. He came with his mother, his brother, and his two sisters, after their father died of diabetes in his early 40s. The family traveled to western North Dakota (aka the middle of nowhere, and a very harsh and windy nowhere at that!) where the father's brother had immigrated to some years earlier. I suspect the widow and her 4 children were sent to the father's brother, anticipating that he would marry the widow and provide for her family. Not sure how that all worked out, other than the widow (my greatgrandmother) never remarried. My grandfather died when I was 23 and one of my big regrets is that I never asked him for stories about his immigration - the boat, traveling through Canada from Nova Scotia to North Dakota, etc. I'm not sure he would have told me, but I sure wish I'd have asked.
My grandfather married my grandmother - who herself was also Norwegian but born in Minnesota. They spoke Norwegian as their primary language and my father says he didn't learn English until he started school. They always remained very fiercly proud of their Norwegian heritage.
My father then took up with my mother who is (gasp!) Swedish and German. My mother said that sometime after she and dad got married, my grandfather said to her "you're pretty good for a Swede" and he meant that, sincerely, as a compliment.
Over the years, my grandparents traveled to Norway a few times, and had Norwegian visitors regularly. My parents have done the same. My father has re-connected with some relatives over the years and has a pretty good idea of where his family originated.
I would love to visit Norway. A good friend of my husband's met a woman from Norway some years ago and they married and he now lives in Norway, so we have that inspiration. Plus it is gorgeous. Given my penchant for rocky, wild shorelines and mountains, Norway looks right up my alley. And I would really like to see my great-grandfather's grave.
My grandfather married my grandmother - who herself was also Norwegian but born in Minnesota. They spoke Norwegian as their primary language and my father says he didn't learn English until he started school. They always remained very fiercly proud of their Norwegian heritage.
My father then took up with my mother who is (gasp!) Swedish and German. My mother said that sometime after she and dad got married, my grandfather said to her "you're pretty good for a Swede" and he meant that, sincerely, as a compliment.
Over the years, my grandparents traveled to Norway a few times, and had Norwegian visitors regularly. My parents have done the same. My father has re-connected with some relatives over the years and has a pretty good idea of where his family originated.
I would love to visit Norway. A good friend of my husband's met a woman from Norway some years ago and they married and he now lives in Norway, so we have that inspiration. Plus it is gorgeous. Given my penchant for rocky, wild shorelines and mountains, Norway looks right up my alley. And I would really like to see my great-grandfather's grave.
Monday, April 16, 2012
N: New York, New York
My seven year old daughter declared about a year ago that her favorite place in the world is New York. No idea where that came from. This same daughter last week asked me one morning if I would see my boss, Jim, at work that day. I said I expected to. She said "ask him if there is any chicken in the fridge". I have no clue where that came from and when I asked her why, she said "because if there is, you should bring some home." There is no frame of reference in our lives that explains that little conversation, any more than her declaring New York her favorite place. We've never traveled East, we have no connections to New York, and I think she maybe just saw the Statue of Liberty on TV, asked where it was, and then decided New York was the be all and end all of the world. In any event, it is high on my list of travel priorities to take her to New York in the coming years.
My friend JT chose the same topic today (read it here), and mentioned how she waited to go to NYC until she had a seasoned New York visitor to show her around. I feel much the same. I know there are things I'd want to see, but I suspect there are about a gadjillion things I'd love to see but have no idea they even exist. So travel gods, please send me that New York tour guide soon! I love musicals and would kill to see a show on Broadway. I would love to see Lady Liberty and Central Park and Ground Zero, which I understand has the new Trade Center up to 100 stories already! I don't think I can even comprehend the scope of New York. An old elementary school friend lives out on Long Island and he has tried to describe the boroughs and such to me, and when he did that, I pulled out maps and pored over them, trying to grasp all the cities within the city. And I'd love to go out to the ocean side of things and upstate New York too - I remember the Lake Placid Olympics very well and that part of the state is gorgeous.
My friend JT chose the same topic today (read it here), and mentioned how she waited to go to NYC until she had a seasoned New York visitor to show her around. I feel much the same. I know there are things I'd want to see, but I suspect there are about a gadjillion things I'd love to see but have no idea they even exist. So travel gods, please send me that New York tour guide soon! I love musicals and would kill to see a show on Broadway. I would love to see Lady Liberty and Central Park and Ground Zero, which I understand has the new Trade Center up to 100 stories already! I don't think I can even comprehend the scope of New York. An old elementary school friend lives out on Long Island and he has tried to describe the boroughs and such to me, and when he did that, I pulled out maps and pored over them, trying to grasp all the cities within the city. And I'd love to go out to the ocean side of things and upstate New York too - I remember the Lake Placid Olympics very well and that part of the state is gorgeous.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
M: Maine
Again with a letter that has so many choices - Mom, Men, More - several things came to mind immediately. But I want to go to Maine and see the Northeastern coast. It looks rocky and stark and gorgeous. Throw in the fishing boats and the accents and it sounds right up my alley.
I always intended to drive out to the northwestern most corner of Washington State when I lived in Seattle, and plan to remedy that sometime, but I have been to the southeastern corner of the continental U.S. when we visited Key West some years back. Get me up to Maine and I can take care of the northeastern corner, and then I'll just have one corner left - down in Baja California I suppose.
I always intended to drive out to the northwestern most corner of Washington State when I lived in Seattle, and plan to remedy that sometime, but I have been to the southeastern corner of the continental U.S. when we visited Key West some years back. Get me up to Maine and I can take care of the northeastern corner, and then I'll just have one corner left - down in Baja California I suppose.
Friday, April 13, 2012
L: Lighten it up!
I sing in a regional chorale and our director told us a few weeks ago that, in listening to old recordings, we are hugely oversinging and need to lighten it up. But when you are trying.so.hard. to get it right, it seems only natural to sing forcefully and purposefully and hit those notes as squarely as you can. Then she says, sing the same line but make it quieter, more bouncy, and just "lighter". Guess what? Same notes, but the sound comes out much easier and it bounces right along. People are musical directors for a reason, that's for darn sure.
It applies to life in general too, doesn't it? Yes, we all try hard to do whatever it is we're doing and to do it right. But if we just lighten up the stranglehold we have on the reins, maybe some things can just come easier and life (in some ways anyway) can bounce right along. This is never more evident than when our family has something coming up - company coming over, or a trip, or some other event. I have the ad naseum "to do" list in my head and I pound along, trying to get things done, and I write lists for my husband and kids, and then am never satisfied with what they've done, and then I pound some more (often with huffs of annoyance and stomping feet - it's true isn't it honey?), and eventually I work my way into acceptance. If the company is coming tonight and "x" hasn't been done - well oh well. We're still going to enjoy our company and hopefully they'll forgive us for whatever "x" hasn't been done and have fun with us too. And when I reach that place, I realize I should have gotten there sooner - lighten up, move through the days a bit easier, and move along in a happier place.
Lesson to myself: lighten it up.
It applies to life in general too, doesn't it? Yes, we all try hard to do whatever it is we're doing and to do it right. But if we just lighten up the stranglehold we have on the reins, maybe some things can just come easier and life (in some ways anyway) can bounce right along. This is never more evident than when our family has something coming up - company coming over, or a trip, or some other event. I have the ad naseum "to do" list in my head and I pound along, trying to get things done, and I write lists for my husband and kids, and then am never satisfied with what they've done, and then I pound some more (often with huffs of annoyance and stomping feet - it's true isn't it honey?), and eventually I work my way into acceptance. If the company is coming tonight and "x" hasn't been done - well oh well. We're still going to enjoy our company and hopefully they'll forgive us for whatever "x" hasn't been done and have fun with us too. And when I reach that place, I realize I should have gotten there sooner - lighten up, move through the days a bit easier, and move along in a happier place.
Lesson to myself: lighten it up.
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