tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266251432024-03-06T23:35:18.948-08:00Jump On the BandwagonThoughts And Musings ********************************************************************************************
Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep. Scott AdamsJust Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10334958453212240945noreply@blogger.comBlogger105125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26625143.post-24902206774965755032008-08-02T06:21:00.000-07:002008-08-24T12:26:06.898-07:00I am Surviving a Japanese Game Show II<span class="fullpost">I noticed in my last post that I described Japanese game shows, but failed to say how I am actually surviving them. Of course there are challenges I wrote about before like <a href="http://jumpbandwagon.blogspot.com/2006/08/ode-de-la-toilet.html">The Toilet Flush Fip-out</a> or <a href="http://jumpbandwagon.blogspot.com/2006/08/few-final-impressions.html">You Want Me To Eat What</a>? Here are a few examples of lesser known ways of how being a foreigner is like being in a game show.<br /></span><ul><li><span class="fullpost"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Granny Dodge</span> - I am big blond foreigner in Japan, as well at the mother of the World's Cutest Baby. Therefor I often get approached by strangers who want to see this odditiy. In "The Granny Dodge" at any given moment half a dozen older ladies will surround me and begin to pinch Baby-san's little feet, all the while gabbering away saying things like "He is so cute", "How old is he?", "Where did he get this red hair?", "Can I take him home and marry him off to my granddaughter?", etc. The trick comes in being able to guess if they are expecting an answer and then being able to provide the correct answer quickly before the pinching leaves bruises and claustrophobia sets in. But to be a first place winner of the game, before they reach us I can <a href="http://www.funtrivia.com/trivia-quiz/Movies/Dodge-Dip-Duck-Dive-and-Dodge-199086.html">dodge, dip, duck, dive and dodge </a>or try to outrun them. I am a plus size woman with a baby strapped to her, so while the sight of me being chased down the road by a gaggle of grandmothers might give viewers a giggle or two, so I will be doing the former.</span></li><li><span class="fullpost"><span style="font-style: italic;">Subway Surfing</span>- This is a game that can be played in many metropolitan areas. When entering the subway car do not take one of the many seats given up by business-boys. (I know this is hard to tell in writing, this comment is just reeking of sarcasm. Come on boys, can't you see this baby strapped to me?!? If we'd been in Eastern Europe I could count on some babushka granny to wallop you with her umbrella as she chewed you out commenting on how young people had the decency to give up their seats when your mother was carting you around when you couldn't even get the snot out of your nose and she had not survived two wars to see her country come to to this. So get your fanny out of the seat for this mother and her adorable red haired baby whose dimpled cheeks I must pinch. No, I am in Japan where public chastisement ranks up there with mooning the President.) Anyway back to the game. In subway surfing, the contestants stand in the middle of the train without holding on to any handles and keep their balance for as many kilometers as possible. Bonus points for people who, during rush hour, can keep their balance and read a book AND keep their hands from being into other contestants' personal spaces.<br /></span></li><li><span class="fullpost"><span style="font-style: italic;">Mini Mini</span> - In some Japanese game shows you will see adult men and women peddling a tricycle with all their might, knees bouncing off chins as they go. As a five foot eleven person, the trick is to maneuver around things that are designed for folks who might not be tall enough to go on all the Disney rides. Clothing stores are to be avoided at all costs, as is anything with sleeves, pant legs and hemlines. When on the bus you must be the first to reach that one seat stretching across the back and has a spot with actual leg room. And the winner has to be the contestant who can hold a bag of groceries, answer their cellphone, insert the door key in a lock that is eye level with your knee, and not bang your noggin on low ceilings.</span></li><li><span class="fullpost"><span style="font-style: italic;">Supermarket Scramble</span> - In a country where the writing resembles modern interpretive art more than an actual alphabet, it is amazing when you come home with what you'd planned to buy. Is that mayonnaise in the squeeze bottle, or some kind of tofu puree? Is that a bag of cabbage or kelp? And really, what is that white box with the blue writing and a stream of liquid being poured out? The real winner is the one who brings nothing home and goes to the neighborhood noodle shop for dinner.<br /><br /></span></li></ul><span class="fullpost">Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!<br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!</div>Just Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10334958453212240945noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26625143.post-58430995305887298982008-07-30T06:05:00.000-07:002008-07-30T07:49:20.885-07:00I am Surviving a Japanese Game Show<span class="fullpost"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Oh dear, oh my - our computer decided to have a mental breakdown. Probably couldn't handle any more baby slobber. Anyway, we couldn't fix it until we got back to Tokyo. So I wrote a few columns by actually putting pen to paper and will post as if they happened in real time.</span></span></div><div><br /></div>If I were staying in America this summer, there are a couple of shows (<a href="http://abc.go.com/primetime/isurvivedajapanesegameshow/index">here</a> and <a href="http://abc.go.com/primetime/wipeout/index?pn=index">there</a>)that would be programmed into my VCR (or DVR, TiVo, Blue Ray, HDTV, LMNOP - I honestly do not know what most of these are). My Sweet explained that these games are based on Japanese shows from 15 years ago where TV personalities competed in "extreme challenges" that put their comedic skills to work.<br /><br />While at Most-Honorable-Mother-in-Law's I noticed that the game shows had shifted from <a href="http://jumpbandwagon.blogspot.com/2006/08/random-observations-about-japan.html">eating </a>to actually learning a thing or two - like why stall doors in public bathrooms fall open inwards when not locked* or why some train tunnels are square and others are rounded.**</span><div><br /></div><div><span class="fullpost"></span>So I figured that the days of Japanese contestants doing inane things were over. Oh no, not by a long shot. In one show I saw two women hooked up to a wii type of contraption and their characters were cave women carrying a stone wheel while jumping over pterodactyl turds. On another show comedians had to do pelvic thrusts into a gigantic air machine in order to move a heart shaped balloon up to a female face. </div><div><br /></div><div>Watch <a href="http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=CzoLja5UI0I">this</a> if you dare.<br /><div><br /></div><div>All I can do is laugh or sigh.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="fullpost">Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!</span></div><div><br /></div><div>* They fall inwards to A) keep you from bonking someone on the head as you try to get out, and B) it is easy to see if the stall is in use without the undignified action of peeking under the door.</div><div>** Square ones are easier to make, but rounded ones can handle pressure better, so the ones deeper in the earth are rounded. Oh, and FYI some Tokyo subway level are a mere 12 centimeters from each other.</div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!</div>Just Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10334958453212240945noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26625143.post-29997642332109405222008-07-16T21:51:00.000-07:002008-08-02T06:17:06.067-07:00Hot Spa Haiku<span class="fullpost"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Again, since I have provided a grandchild, my honorable mother-in-law took us to <a href="http://jumpbandwagon.blogspot.com/2006/08/you-wash-my-back-and-ill-wash-yours.html">my favorite spot. </a>After my third time in the hot mineral bath I relaxed enough to try my hand at something creative. I'd seen some lovely biddies, and biddy-dudes, using calligraphy brushes to write haiku and posting them on the wall. I'd been reminded again how rich God's world is. So here is my English haiku:<br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;" class="fullpost"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Dancing steam floats high</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;" class="fullpost"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Water drains our sore muscles</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;" class="fullpost"><span style="font-family:georgia;">God's gift makes us smile</span></span><br /><br /><br /><span class="fullpost"><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span></span></div><span class="fullpost"><span style="font-family:georgia;">When I gave my work to the clerk, she accepted it with many thanks and promised to hang it with the others. I think that was said out of politeness more than anything else, but just in case if you ever make it to the Iwaki-sou Hot Spa in Northern Japan, let me know if it is still up there.<br /></span><br /><br />Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!<br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!</div>Just Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10334958453212240945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26625143.post-67619189299137591372008-07-13T04:35:00.000-07:002008-07-14T06:43:29.059-07:00Most Honorable Mother-In-Law<span class="fullpost">Well as I mentioned earlier, we came to Japan to visit Baby-san's paternal grandmother. And in her eyes I performed a miracle. For you see I have provided her with a grandbaby! Everything I do is perfect; except for the way I dress, wash, play with, feed, diaper or put to sleep the baby. And I do not prevent drool from getting all over the place. OK, I confess that I had given up on that last one. I mean really, he produces enough slobber to put out a volcano. Most-Honorable-Mother-In-Law has to squeeze a year's worth of spoiling into a few weeks. This calls for a nearly daily trip to the indoor mall were we hit the very traditional kid's store of <a href="http://www.hillside-outlet.com/shop/osh_kosh/index.shtml">Oshkosh B'Gosh</a>.*<br /><br />Now my mother-in-law does not speak any English, and my Japanese is pretty much covered in the lyrics of <a href="http://www.seeklyrics.com/lyrics/Styx/Mr-Roboto.html">Domo Arigato Mr. Roboto</a>, so communication is always interesting. She must think I am an idiot. Not only am I unable to read labels to know which is a carton of milk and which is a milk-ish, but I can't even count change. Let me explain this one. You see my mother-in-law thought it would be cute to see the foreigner give money at the cash register. I figured "what they hey, give her a thrill." After things were rung up, I looked at the machine and saw that the total was 750 yen (about $7.50). "Great," I thought, "I get out a 500 yen coin, two 100 yen coins, and a 50 yen piece." One thing you need to know about me is that I can be a little scatterbrained and after I dug out the 500 yen coin, I continued to converse in my head:<br /></span><ul><li><span class="fullpost">I am glad Japanese money had the amount stamped on it. </span></li><li><span class="fullpost">It would be a bit difficult reading the amount.</span></li><li><span class="fullpost">American coins are not so simple to know their value.</span></li><li><span class="fullpost">I can blog the lines: <span style="font-style: italic;">Why is a dime worth more than a nickel even though it is smaller? And the color of the penny stands out more, so shouldn't it be more important?</span></span></li><li><span class="fullpost">When did Japan go to 100 and 500 yen coins, and will America ever shift to $1 and $5 coins instead of paper bills?<br /></span></li></ul><span class="fullpost">So with all this going through my mind, it is quite easy to see why I absentmindedly took out two 10 yen coins instead of 100 yen ones. Unfortunately as much as my mother-in-law occasionally gets under my skin, she was not inside my head. She did not know the complexities going on up there. Instead she is convinced that her son married a number one nincompoop!<br /><br />Well, Baby-san is calling for me, so I will sign off for now.<br /></span><ul style="font-style: italic;"><li><span class="fullpost">I wonder why it is called sign off? </span></li><li><span class="fullpost">What if it was sing off instead? </span></li><li><span class="fullpost">Would singer and activist Bono then be able to get his message across better? </span></li><li><span class="fullpost">What if he...</span></li></ul>* To give credit where it is due, My Dear Sweet Mother has more than spoiled Baby-san with some totally adorable outfits!<br /><br /><span class="fullpost">Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!<br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!</div>Just Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10334958453212240945noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26625143.post-83270367352442367832008-07-09T03:01:00.000-07:002008-07-09T03:45:30.384-07:00Up Up and AwayIt has been almost two weeks since I got on the plane with My Sweet and Baby-san for a 10 hour flight to visit Number One Honorable Mother-in-Law. Traveling with a three-month-old on an airplane, let me tell you - it isn't that bad. Imagine putting an infant in the back of a car and going on a really, really, really long car ride. He was out like a light before the stewardesses finished vaguely showing us how to put on the life jackets located somewhere under our seats behind or above, or maybe even below, the 15 over packed carry on bags everyone has chosen not to pay extra to have put in cargo.<br /><br />When we booked our flight, we requested the use of a bassinet. I thought that was very nice of the airline to provide, especially since we were going cheap and not buying a seat for the baby. It wasn't until about two hours into the flight when I found out that even though we'd talked to three different people three different times to confirm that we had the bassinet on reserve, none of these folks had fricking noticed that we were not booked in seats that accommodated space for the little bed. So I sat for 10 hours with a passed out baby on my lap, trying not to spill the airline dinners on him (the dinner roll might have put his eye out).<br /><br />And while he slept most of the time, he did get fussy when wet or hungry. Both of these events always coincided with a key part of each movie I was watching. So on the Bucket List I know Jack Nickolson truly pisses of Morgan Freeman (is Jack pissing someone off really a surprise), but I have no idea why they get back together. And I have absolutely no idea why the Spiderwick creatures inhabit the home the kid's family just moved into, or how the cute old granny fits into anything, but I do know they defeat the creatures by the eccentric retired professor type of guy go out in a flurry of magic. And to be honest, do I really need to know the plot to Mad Money? I am just glad that Katie Holms gets out of her habitat, I mean mansion, once in a while.<br /><br />There will be more to come from the land of Ninjas and Hello Kitty.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br /><br />Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!<br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!</div>Just Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10334958453212240945noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26625143.post-51932708591429572812008-07-05T06:38:00.000-07:002008-07-05T20:30:41.725-07:00Greetings from the Land of The Rising SunGreetings from the land of Freshness Burgers, Happy Drugs store, and actual customer service. Yes, we as a family have ventured to the Land of the Rising Sun to take Baby-san to meet his paternal granny. There is a whole post on the whole hanging with the in-law who is a first time grandparent, but I need a break from all things baby. <br /><span class="fullpost"><br />I just love coming to this country! When you can't speak the language, and especially can't read anything, you have time to observe random things around you. The other day we were walking to the market and I spied this sweet little old great-aunt-Flora type hobbling down the lane. She has probably never had anything more dangerous on her person than a pair of worn knitting needles, and yet she was sporting a sweater adorned with a black skull that had its eyes X-ed out. <br /><br />Here you also can not assume anything concerning taste and style for gender or age. I saw a very expensive grave marker for a venerable husband and wife who passed on at a ripe old age. How does their family distinguish their spot? By the three foot statues of Snoopy and Hello Kitty.<br />There will be more coming soon. Sayonara <br /> <br /><br />Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!<br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!</div>Just Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10334958453212240945noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26625143.post-29138024485028940472008-05-01T09:50:00.000-07:002008-05-01T10:37:21.874-07:00Wish ListDear Baby-san,<br /><br />Once during the deep of winter we had a power outage and all my distractions were not around and I started thinking of the things I want for you.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />Here is my wish list:<br /><br /><blockquote>* That you will have as much fun playing with the box as you do the toy that comes in it.<br />* Make several friends, have a couple who are like siblings, but never feel like you've got to go with the flow.<br />* Your eyes will be open to ways that will make people's life a little better, you'll do them, and never feel the need to take credit.<br />* Laugh often and heartily, but not at the expense of others. Life is full of humor, just look for it.<br />* Have dreams to revel in. Life is too short to not have flights of fancy.<br />* That you will know forgiveness, both giving and receiving. We have all sinned and fallen short of what God wants. So cut people some slack, including yourself.<br />* Walk the balance between using your head, and following your heart. But if you have to err, go with your heart.<br />* Hold out for the good chocolate, and the good women. Don't corrupt your taste for things of low quality.<br />* Explore and know the depths of love, God, and advanture.</blockquote><br />Love Mom <br />(Man, does this title still feel weird!)<br /><br /><br />Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!<br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!</div>Just Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10334958453212240945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26625143.post-66196226823106612612008-04-24T13:44:00.000-07:002008-04-24T14:19:24.740-07:00The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men<span class="fullpost"><br />During the last week of my pregnancy My Sweet and I were talking a lot to the baby. Our monologues went something like this: Mom, “Please do not come this week until my maternity leave starts! Anytime after Friday is OK.” Dad, “Please do not come until after the new camera gets here!”<br /><br />My Sweet and I had taken a birth class and we learned how to breathe properly to promote relaxation and saw several no holds barred films about natural childbirth, water births, c-section births and just about every type of birth possible. After each viewing My Sweet would say, “This was the lamest B horror movie I’ve ever seen.” Or he’d say, “This was the most boring porn I’ve ever watched.” To which I’d reply, “When have you ever watched porn?” “Um, I was speaking hypothetically, of course Sweetheart.” We were as prepared as anyone who’d never gone through the blessed event could be. We even had our Birth Plan ready: We wanted a midwife at the hospital, a water birth in their big ol’ Jacuzzi, breastfeeding only and no drugs unless I really, really, really, really, really need it. I say what “we” want, but I really mean what “I” want. We would discuss it, but he said it was all about what I wanted and could handle. His role could be likened to an amusement park attendant, he needed to make sure that I kept my hands and feet inside the car at all times and to make sure that a derailment didn’t happen. This included being able to read my mind and know if I really, really, really, really, need the drugs or just really, really need them.<br /><br />Well, on Monday afternoon, the first day of my maternity leave and two days after the camera came in, I went in for a scheduled check-up and never came out. I called My Sweet and told him it was time, waking him out of a deep sleep, and he called My Dear Sweet Mother giving this detailed account, “It’s time for the hospital,” and hung up.<br /><br />About 75% of my birth plan had to be ditched, and about 5 hours into everything, I really, really, really, really, REALLY needed the drugs. I had heard Carroll Burnett and Bill Cosby talk about the pain in childbirth, and I think for the sake of comedy they tamed it down a bit. Imagine placing a finger on a railroad track and having it run over while still knowing when it is over you will have to do it again. A friend of mine went through childbirth by clutching the side of the side of the bed and murmuring, “Jesus, be merciful to me.” I was more like, “Jesus, be merciful to me for the terrible things I said about You, your sainted Mother and Your Holy Father. I am truly sorry for shouting out those obscenities. But you were the one who put pain in childbirth, so please take what I said with a generous grain of salt.”<br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_w-AG_yF1Uw&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_w-AG_yF1Uw&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br /><br />Well, after 24 hours of painful labor, which I will remind him of every moment of his teen years, our son was born, beautiful and handsome. Life will never be the same again.<br /><br />Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!<br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!</div>Just Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10334958453212240945noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26625143.post-72641700530188918162008-04-04T16:27:00.000-07:002008-04-05T16:46:59.131-07:00Hello 'Ya AllHello ‘Ya All,<br /><br />Yes I am back. I’d like to say that the pregnancy is the reason that I have gotten out of the discipline of writing. It definitely had something to do with it, in much the same way the flu gets you out of the habit of working out at the gym. You get sick and truly do not have the energy to work out, and then you have a crazy week at work that drains you, and before you know it you are reacquainted with the easy relationship of your sofa and television. Well, I am metaphorically getting off of the couch and back on the writer’s treadmill. But with the end of the writers’ strike TV is actually beginning to be worth watching again (Oh <a href="http://www.lostpedia.com/wiki/Sawyer">Sawyer</a> how I have missed you, <a href="http://jericho.wetpaint.com/page/Jake+Green?t=anon">Jake</a> was just a temporary fling!)<br /><br /><span class="fullpost"><br />Here is something from my pregnancy. (I know, I promised that the blog would not be “All Baby, All the Time”. Well, cut me some slack, hopping on the writing treadmill means posting about what is right in front of me, and right now I have baby on the brain.) Being good first time parents, My Sweet and I dutifully attended a getting ready for childbirth class. In that class they recommended getting a birthing ball, the same as a pliaties/exercise ball, which we went out and bought. I enjoyed sitting on this so much that I seriously thought about bringing it to work. But, I never wanted to be this guy:<br /><br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/HLeKBvsfFK4&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/HLeKBvsfFK4&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br />Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!<br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!</div>Just Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10334958453212240945noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26625143.post-41761725758402132352007-11-23T09:31:00.000-08:002007-11-23T09:52:06.995-08:00Giving ThanksHello all of my half dozen readers. I hope you are all basking in the post tryptophan pre-surge on the mall warmth of the season. Don't forget the reason for this. Cicero once said, "Gratitude is not only the greatest of the virtues, but the parent of all others." I think it is wise to start the Christmas season remember what we have to be thankful for, not simply scanning the catalogs for what we want and don't have.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />Here are a few things I am thankful for:<br /><blockquote>* Feeling the baby kick every day<br />* The frosty feel of pre-winter days that will warm up nicely<br />* A husband who wakes up from a dead sleep to rub my back when morning sickness hits<br />* Family - both biological and chosen<br />* God's intimacy<br />* belly laughing </blockquote><br /><br />What are you grateful for? This list can never be too long or too trivial.<br /><br />Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!<br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!</div>Just Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10334958453212240945noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26625143.post-89660361276817939642007-10-30T13:46:00.000-07:002007-10-30T15:23:15.595-07:00East Weds WestMy Sweet's family is not one that follows tradition. If it were, I am sure he would have ended up marrying some nice Japanese girl-next-door. His sister's wedding was an interesting combination of East meets West. She did not wear a wedding kimono, but did change dresses half way through (it is usual for the bride to wear a kimono and then change into two different Western dresses during the reception) giving her uncle the honor of escorting her to the changing room. <br /><span class="fullpost"><br />We started in a room with just family, bride's on the right side and groom's on the left with everyone in a particular seating order. Then each member is formally introduced individually by the father. There was lots of bowing and nary a smile cracked by anyone. Then we file into the hotel chapel which included an American pastor (My Sweet's family is not Christian) who spoke in Japanese for everything except praying. Then he shifted from a gentle "We are gathered here today..." to a deep booming "Our Heavenly Father who granteth all..." Ok, I can understand that the booming voice is part of the show (though I do not think my giggles helped), but why in English? It was not like they were in any way long or extemporanious! Oh well, I did not get a chance to ask him because he has 4 other ceremonies to preside over. But we ended the service with "What a Friend We Have in Jesus", which I found out later was a well known hymn in Japan. This song has always struck me as a bit somber for a wedding - forfeited joys and needles pains bared and all. I just pray that people who sang it will at sometime contemplate the words.<br /><br />The reception had a fabulous six course meal, and my sister-in-law read the "Letter to the Parents" thanking her parents for many things that My Sweet was unable to translate. When she spoke about their late father and the regrets she had, she totally lost it. Then the bride and groom walked around the room with all parents, and the groom welcomed the bride's family as part of his family.<br /><br />Of course there was the cutting of the wedding cake. But my sister-in-law did something special. After that was done, they brought out another cake for My Sweet and I to cut. You see, we never did anything official in Japan for our wedding, and because of different issues, none of his family was able to attend our wedding in America. I was totally choked up by her planning to include us on her special day. Waterproof mascara my Aunt Fanny!<br /><br />One last thing - all the women in the bridal party got their hair and makeup done by the pros. Here is a telling difference between uber-polite Japan and America. When I sat down in the chair, the gal working on me said, "I like the color of your hair." Now four days earlier when I got my hair cut at home, my hairdresser watched me come in and sighed, "You colored your own hair again. You're not going to Japan like that, are you?" Here in Japan I had at one point 5 people working on me! In the end I looked like a dolled up Barbara Jean Heart from the TV show Reba. It was fun for a party. But I did notice one thing. The more makeup they applied to me, the older I looked. This is great when you are 16 and want to look like you are in your 20's. But really, when you're 40 and people tell you that you look 30, you don't want to look 45. By the way, thanks for the great genes Mom. The more make up you wear, the more people assume you have something to cover up. In the end I looked like a gal ready for a good time. Which I was!<br /><br />Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!<br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!</div>Just Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10334958453212240945noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26625143.post-65737438797775889902007-10-28T14:17:00.000-07:002007-10-29T02:05:46.535-07:00Land of The Rising SunWell, My Sweet and I have come to Japan for my sister-in-law's wedding. I have just a few comments about the incredibly long plane ride over here. First of all the baby did not make me throw up, but I think this speaks more to the quality of the airline food than to anything else. Secondly it was pleasing to see airline attendants of all shapes, sizes, ages, and masculinities. Thirdly, I must be getting hormonal. I gave a deep "Oh my" as I watched the bitter sweet love story <a href="http://imdb.com/title/tt0491747/">Away From Her</a> where two people make the most selfless sacrifices for the person they love. But man I really lost it in the next movie a few hours later. When everyone finally saw that <a href="http://imdb.com/title/tt0413099/">Steve Carell</a> (sniff, sniff) was right about the coming flood and that they needed to get their bleeping behinds on the ark before they were swept away, I cried a river!<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />Here are a few things I was thinking as we traveled through Tokyo from the airport to Super Swank hotel where the wedding weekend was going on. First of all I knew I was in Japan when I saw a grown woman with her green Snoopie embossed Sampsonite. Also at the airport there were hoards of begloved taxi drivers in suits and standing patiently inside the terminal (no one descending upon the new arrivals, nor are they jockeying to cut in front of someone else. Also, drivers multi task here just as dangerously as we do at home - for example there was the businessman I saw texting, drinking something from Starbucks and driving in the rain. And I do not know if this intentional or not, but just outside the airport is the First Wood Hotel, followed by the Rainbow Hotel, and finally was a very purple and pink hotel or apartment building.<br /><br />One last first impression. If you watched the movie Lost in Translation, you know Japanese LOVE to have Western stars hawk their goods. Today I saw though guy Tommy Lee Jones on a billboard for a coffee company. The name Boss Coffee works for me, but the fact that it is a Rainbow Blend does not do for Mr. This-is-my-happy-face.<br /><br />Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!<br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!</div>Just Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10334958453212240945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26625143.post-60440347887809333782007-10-25T08:03:00.000-07:002007-10-29T14:41:32.394-07:00The Stein WayMy Dear Sweet Mother forwarded this email to me, and it made me go "Humm", and maybe it will you, too. Much of it was written by Mr. Stein, and some was written by someone else (thanks doodah!). It does make me go Humm.<br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br /> If they know of him at all, many folks think Ben Stein is just a quirky actor/comedian who talks in a monotone. He's also a very intelligent attorney who knows how to put ideas and words together in such a way as to sway juries and make people think clearly.<br /> The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.<br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br /><br /> I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are:Christmas trees.<br /> It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, "Merry Christmas" to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu. If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.<br /> I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution, and I don't like it being shoved down my throat. <br /> Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship Nick and Jessica and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? <br /> I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too.<br /> But there are a lot of us who are wondering where Nick and Jessica came from and where the America we knew went to.<br /> In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.<br /> Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her "How could God let something lik e this Happen?" (regarding Katrina) <br /> Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, "I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government <br />and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?" (She said the same thing when interviewed after 9-11)<br /> <br /> In light of recent events...terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found recently) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. <br /> Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. the Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.<br /> Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). <br />We said an expert should know what he's talking about.<br />And we said OK.<br /> Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their <br />classmates, and themselves. <br /> Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with "WE REAP WHAT WE SOW."<br /> Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell.<br /> Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says.<br /> Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing.<br /> Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.<br /> Are you laughing?<br /> Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe,<br />or what they will think of you for sending it. <br /> Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us. <br /> Pass it on if you think it has merit. If not then just discard it... no one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.<br /> My Best Regards. honestly and respectfully,<br /> Ben Stein<br /><br /><br />Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!<br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!</div>Just Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10334958453212240945noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26625143.post-88067582061178249482007-09-19T18:21:00.000-07:002007-09-26T17:09:49.066-07:00The Purest ArtformOne of the things about throwing up every other evening (I haven't mentioned this in like a whole post yet, I think I must be getting better), I have been watching more mindless TV. The other night My Sweet and I watched a hilariously serious documentary called <a href="http://www.airguitarnation.com/2007/">Air Guitar Nation</a>. Every year a college town in Finland holds the World's Airguitar Championship.<br /><br />These are the rules for entering this contest: The artist's instrument must be INVISIBLE.<br />There you have it. Everything else is a go. <br />But what makes a winner, you may be asking. Well, I will tell you.<br />* These young men and women must dig deep into their soul to discover and show their Airness.<br />* They must realize that air guitar is the last pure art form.<br />* Someone may steal your guitar, but they can never steal your air.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />Check out the first ever American competitor - C-Diddy - as he performs in the US East Coast semifinals.<br /><object width="425" height="353"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/aoAnMxlMh0I"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/aoAnMxlMh0I" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="353"></embed></object><br /><br />Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!<br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!</div>Just Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10334958453212240945noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26625143.post-26231951028980141252007-09-19T17:42:00.000-07:002007-09-19T18:13:04.720-07:00Fall is in the AirMost people mark the beginning of Fall with the start of school. Where I work school begins in the middle of August, so that has stopped being the door to life's greatest season. But about a week ago I noticed that each I needed to change the temperature gage in my car from as way cold as possible to cool. Now it is on warm. Fall is here! (Que music) "It's the most wonderful time of the year". "Shorts worn with swearters, and fresh crispy apples, cider, hot chocolate and fun pumpkin patches, bright colored tree leaves in which a bird sings, these are a few of my favorite things".<br /><br />And I think this weekend I will have to do my ceremonial "putting away of the Birkenstalks". Yes, they are to be boxed away until next May. Huge Sigh!<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />I mentioned school earlier, and I just have to share an extreme example of teenage melodrama. Hopefully you parents will sigh with relief knowing that your kids really are pretty well adjusted.<br /><br />We got a new student this year who can be incredibly charming, but is also a bit of a hothead. The reason he did not come to our school last year is that his ex-girlfriend was our student, and her family took out a restraining order against him. Well, on Friday the ex-girlfriend came by our and when she walked by my window I practically had to sit on him to stop him from yelling obscenities out the window. Then one girl in another class, who swears that she is tired of "all the drama" yet can't seem to keep her cute little nose out of any of it, texts my student's current girlfriend (who at one point last year got pissed and beat up a car) who promptly calls my student on cell phones, which are supposed to be turned off, and yell at him for being near "that hussy". My student goes ballistic, leaves class and just Tiggers right over the fence! At this point we call the cops, his parole officer and both sets of parents to let them know what is going on. My student ends up spending the weekend in the pokey. I have this image of my student and his girlfriend being a hot blooded couple hitting each other over the head with frying pans one minute and passionately making out the next. It makes for great TV stories, but terrible family life.<br /><br />On a lighter note, I hope everyone enjoyed <a href="http://www.talklikeapirate.com/">National Talk Like A Pirate Day</a>, matie.<br /><br />Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!<br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!</div>Just Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10334958453212240945noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26625143.post-17964155514563304522007-09-09T11:01:00.000-07:002008-11-12T18:28:48.789-08:00Projects Done<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHWCSS_Bcm92yPkQadu0b9O7fVb-jRQTg9tjyjZq7uP_FQEwJTY_kx85CTe1mqAYnCzLattWTcKkNUST6Deu3Qi1amBsQd9oEd5b7HsPp0ipegml5HDvkLzfC8RW78UFc0ujZIw/s1600-h/P9103447.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHWCSS_Bcm92yPkQadu0b9O7fVb-jRQTg9tjyjZq7uP_FQEwJTY_kx85CTe1mqAYnCzLattWTcKkNUST6Deu3Qi1amBsQd9oEd5b7HsPp0ipegml5HDvkLzfC8RW78UFc0ujZIw/s200/P9103447.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5108734963974139826" /></a><br /><span class="fullpost"><br />Well, I said that this isn’t going to make this an All-Baby-All-The-Time blog. However I wanted to share this with you because I am quite proud of it. The baby bootie is my first 3-D crochet project. You see, my friends think that I am a real wiz with the hook, but I really have only a few things I do pretty well, mostly scarves and afghans (which are in a way big scarves). Plus I can talk a good game so it is not too hard to bluff my way around. Fortunately one of the things I can do is read a pattern, so with some patience and time spent not throwing up, I was able to puzzle this out. <br /><br />Now as you can see, there is only one bootie. This is because I did do a few other things last weekend. Friday was the annual <a href="http://jumpbandwagon.blogspot.com/2006/09/my-towns-unique-holiday.html">My Town Holiday</a>, which My Sweet and I decided to celebrate once the heat came down. Man, there were some people doing some scrounging around out there. I bet those things will show up at some nearby flea market pretty soon. More power to them – they were working much harder than I want to on a holiday. Amongst the cute bowls and slightly scratched plant stands, I found two jewels that I can not believe someone didn't find room to take with them. They are, get this, Lord of the Rings Monopoly (missing only missing the special Ring playing piece), and end of second season of Lost jigsaw puzzle. Can you believe it!?! Me neither! My Sweet and I spent a good chunk of the weekend putting the puzzle together. That is when I wasn’t in the bathroom experiencing the “pains in childbearing”. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn_DUUYeIMq7P00NA6x67vDn3E8b2SbJiA0ts30eDWcmUlnCkr6zF_5F1f6ebMa8gjHpJRA1etT4AeU8CnEifbNWt2Jq0f-Kj6jHfkslQgXO2SNmq9kaEeNHEYJBwJ3mfUUsFZTw/s1600-h/P9043424.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn_DUUYeIMq7P00NA6x67vDn3E8b2SbJiA0ts30eDWcmUlnCkr6zF_5F1f6ebMa8gjHpJRA1etT4AeU8CnEifbNWt2Jq0f-Kj6jHfkslQgXO2SNmq9kaEeNHEYJBwJ3mfUUsFZTw/s200/P9043424.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5108736097845506002" /></a><br /><br />I actually wrote the article last Sunday, and would have posted it then except for one little thing. Since hooking up with My Sweet, a professional and recreational computer type of guy, I can become more and more computer retarded. I could not figure out how to suck the pictures from the camera to the computer to where I can upload it. Not that I am mentally too incompetent to figure it out. It is just so much easier to have him do it –zip, zip, zip. Several years ago the first of my friends got married. Over coffee one morning she told me, “It’s funny, since getting married Ivan has forgotten where the kitchen is and I can no longer lift anything over ten pounds.” This coming from an extremely independent woman whose favorite verb tense is the imperative (that is the technical term for giving a command for all the non English geeks out there). Hopefully I will be able to over come this significant-other-can-do-it-easier-it is. But for now I am just trying to overcome the feeling of nauseousness. (Have I mentioned throwing up yet?) Do you know I have actually lost some weight! I can hardly weight until going to the all you can eat Korean BBQ will pay off.<br /><br /><br />Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!<br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!</div>Just Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10334958453212240945noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26625143.post-6788358818219480032007-08-25T14:25:00.000-07:002007-08-25T14:51:03.798-07:00OK, OK, I'll UpdateWell, Dotkat has been on my case, <a href="http://blog.myspace.com/69756800">in an ever so loving way</a>, to get off my duff and update my blog. She also alluded to my feeling poorly in her comment in my last posting.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />Yes, ladies and gentlemen, as of two months ago the bun is in the oven, the rabbit has died. I am a defective typewriter (missing period - from Rizzo in Grease) and I am officially knocked up. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://karenswhimsy.com/public-domain-images/baby-clipart/thumbs/baby-clipart-1-tn.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px;" src="http://karenswhimsy.com/public-domain-images/baby-clipart/thumbs/baby-clipart-1-tn.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a> <br /><br />I got to tell you, as much as we are excited and scared about having a baby, this morning sickness thing is totally crappy. I've got headaches on a daily basis (hence the reason I don't like to be on the computer very much). Loud noises and sudden motions bug me. Also I am tired ALL THE TIME. Seriously, staying up to 8:45 is a late night for me. And Morning Sickness is a misnomer. It hits and whatever part of the day it darn well pleases. I think the baby is trying to help me lose a little weight before the "Feed me Seymore" stage hits.<br /><br />My students have decided that they will get to pick at least the middle name. So in a year if you see an Alexis Juanita Lucia Smith-Fujikawa or Joe Bob Juan Carlos Schmit-Yashimoto, it will probably be my kid.<br /><br />So although I do not plan to make this into a cotton candy all-baby-all-the time, you know there will be more to come.<br /><br />Until then...<br />Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!<br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!</div>Just Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10334958453212240945noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26625143.post-65578977279783296582007-08-09T16:44:00.000-07:002007-08-09T16:45:54.838-07:00Sorry I Haven't Posted in a WhileHello my millions of readers.<br /><br />I have been feeling quite poorly for the past couple of weeks – including headaches that just get horrendously worse when I read anything, especially things on the computer.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />As a result of this, I have been watching a lot of daytime TV. I have to tell you that while court shows are the original reality TV, they bring out a type of people watching that is reserved for being at the state fair with my deep-fried, chocolate-covered Twinkie. Come on people! When you have an agreement to pay a bill, pay it! Having troubles at work or, more often than not, mismanaging your money does not mean it is OK to pass your burdens off onto another person! This is not stated directly in the Ten Commandments, but it is implied there and stated elsewhere.<br /><br />I have also heard a lot about Barry Bonds. Breaking the record kind of makes me sad. A big part of it is because did a lot of HUI (hitting under the influence). But another part is that there has been a long running record – something that has been a part of Americana for many decades. Now Mantel’s record is gone, never to be number one again. I kind of felt the same way when <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Lucci">Susan Lucci</a> finally received her Emmy. She was annually setting and beating her record of being nominated and not winning.<br /><br />Well, my headache is starting again, so I am going to sign off. What have you been watching/doing lately?<br /><br /><br />Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!<br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!</div>Just Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10334958453212240945noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26625143.post-45523979463826120092007-07-11T10:34:00.000-07:002008-11-12T18:28:49.030-08:00Desmond's Final Question<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSWIi4bBp_gmtO_1xf8QTjQ469dv-MjRqtbaSTEBDyB2t6WFc20Cca_TG5n5X0lNhE0Fk2xhyphenhyphen-zWJvOpdzrM7RXGFy5L87Ik6xPR-u6ftpwZkNsmkJST0kUrNVnpUlo4SVn8CLNg/s1600-h/reading_tent.gif"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSWIi4bBp_gmtO_1xf8QTjQ469dv-MjRqtbaSTEBDyB2t6WFc20Cca_TG5n5X0lNhE0Fk2xhyphenhyphen-zWJvOpdzrM7RXGFy5L87Ik6xPR-u6ftpwZkNsmkJST0kUrNVnpUlo4SVn8CLNg/s200/reading_tent.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5085999095249009794" /></a><br />Desmond ended his interview this way:<br /><blockquote>Question five: What good books have you read in the last six months? (Feel free to go further back, if you like).<br />So there you have it. Please forgive me if any of the answers are obvious, and I just didn't pay attention when you answered them.<br /> And, let me say that the general 'Joie de Vivre' tone of your blog is happily resonant for me. . .<br /> Blessings. . .<br />PS - I'm also a big <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Norman">Larry Norman</a> fan from way back. For one of my recent birthdays, my kids made me a 'Larry Norman Mix' CD. . .<br /> And, Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music?</blockquote><br /><span class="fullpost"><br />My dear Desmond, I am a voracious reader. Before I decided to major in English, I took literature classes for fun. So I will limit myself to the last 10 books, many of them I have read since school let out. Now remember, this is summer reading – I was tempted to throw in some CS Lewis and documentary types of books to look brainy.<br /><br />1. I am still reading <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.donaldmillerwords.com/bluelikejazz.php">Blue Like Jazz</a></span> by Don Miller. I have liked his blunt challenge to live a faith-centered life in a very self-centered society.<br />2. I just finished <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.foxsearchlight.com/thenamesake/">The Namesake</a></span> by Jhumpa Lahiri. I wanted to read the book before the movie comes out on DVD. (I have heard phenomenal things about the Bollywood actress who plays the mother.) Also, my favorite genre of stories is the interaction of immigrants and their children, their struggle to understand the class or mix of cultures and struggle for identity.<br />3. <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.foronemoreday.com/">One Day More</a></span> by Mitch Albom. This was a sweet read that makes you want to call your mother and say that you love her.<br />4. <span style="font-style:italic;">We Shouldn’t Even be Doing This</span> by Bob Newhart. Hilarious! This isn’t so much an autobiography as it is a recollection of funny stories from his life, many of which made it into his stand-up acts. I laughed so much that I high tailed it to the library and borrowed “<a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6111083">The Button Down Mind of Bob Newhart</a>” album. Go out right now and get it!<br />5. <span style="font-style:italic;">Crochet Patterns in a Weekend</span>- what can I say? Christmas is a mere 6 months away.<br />6. <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.svreeland.com/lbp.html">Luncheon of the Boating Party</a></span> by Susan Vreeland. I went to hear her speak a while ago, and she was just a lovely lady – kind of the perfect library marm. For this book she did a lot of research into the lives of Renoir and the models he used for this painting, their relations with him and each other. I love that she shooed us like a goose to her display table that was filled with documents and “frippery” about the people in her book. However, my favorite book from this author is Girl in Hyacinth Blue, another book based on a famous painting. This one creates stories of the possible owners of the paining through the years.<br />7. <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Potter_and_the_Order_of_the_Phoenix">Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix</a></span>. The next one is coming out soon and it refreshes my memory. And yes, people will see me at the movie dressed in my Muggle outfit.<br />8. <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/features/billbryson/bb_title/display.pperl?isbn=9780767903868">In a Sunburned Country</a></span> by Bill Bryson. This is a fun account of his travels across Australia. My goodness this is a dangerous land. And the Aussies are very proud of this fact!<br />9. <span style="font-style:italic;">Homespun Tales from America’s Favorite Storytellers</span>. I think folktales are a delightful fabric of our culture that gets lost.<br />10. <span style="font-style:italic;">Gardening for Dummies</span>. We have tried growing peas and potatoes for the first time in our garden. I have also found a way to kill every lavender plant I own, and it is supposed to be unstoppable. Well, leave it to me to stop them from living.<br /><br /><br />Does anyone want me to interview him or her? If so then tell me in the comment section and I will post questions. You then answer them in your blog. Most people answer them in one post, but I tend to run on and on. You answer them in the style you like. Also, if you don't have a blog, you can answer them in the comments section and I may publish them in a post.<br /><br /><br />Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!<br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!</div>Just Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10334958453212240945noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26625143.post-20764366441382882202007-07-06T17:28:00.000-07:002007-10-28T14:25:21.684-07:00I Have HopeOh my goodness! There is a glimmer of hope for the media world! Tom Brokaw and Edward R Murry would be a little less embarrassed for their profession.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br /><object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6VdNcCcweL0"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6VdNcCcweL0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br /><br />Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!<br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!</div>Just Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10334958453212240945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26625143.post-73415954934262681692007-07-05T23:23:00.000-07:002007-07-11T11:13:31.907-07:00Independence DayYesterday I spent some time with my niece and nephews doing something that has become a tradition for the 4th of July – watching a pre BBQ and pre pre-fireworks movie. I am not interested in great works of art. I want to get out of the heat and escape for a little while. Now there are a few requirements for a proper 4th movie. They need to have either the fate of America, if not the entire world, at stake. There must also be a clear enemy. And in the end we need to walk out thankful we are free.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />So here are my top 5 Independence Day movies:<br /><br />1) <a href="http://www.movieweb.com/movies/film/14/1814/summary.php"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Independence Day</span></a> – America saves the world from creepy aliens as Will Smith shows why America is great – we are bad ass with humor!<br /><br />2) <a href="http://www.vistawallpaper.com/data/media/5/terminator.jpg"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Any of the Terminators</span></a> – An American saves the world from evil technology! And in Terminator 2 again we have a bad ass who throws out one-liners. Actually, if you compare Terminator 1 and 2, you will see how the American society changed from the 80’s to the 90’s. The first one is full of gratuitous gore. In the 80’s we wanted things gritty and “real”. The one in the 90’s was much less disgusting and full of jokes. We fed up with “gritty” and wanted to laugh hard and have lots of explosions. <br /><br />3) <span style="font-weight:bold;">Indiana Jones</span> – Evil Nazi people trying to exploit God’s power to take over the free world. <a href="http://www.indianajones.com/">The sexy and brainy American</a> foils their plot with humor and explosions, and a bit of melting going on.<br /><br />4) <span style="font-weight:bold;">Armageddon</span> – Space rock threatens the world and only a rough and tough band of independent manly Americans can save us all. It has <a href="http://www.ucmovie.com/images/cast/duncan-cast.jpg">Michael Clarke Duncan</a>, whose voice can turn me on just by reading the telephone book, and it was my introduction to the hilarious <a href="http://www.askmen.com/men/entertainment_150/188_owen_wilson.html">Owen Wilson.<br /></a><br />5) <span style="font-weight:bold;">Transformers</span> – Turn off your analysis of the plot and dialogue. This is a fun movie where alien robots try to turn everything evil, and good, powerful, alien robots come to our aid. But it takes a couple of spunky American kids to save the Earth. But I have at least one issue – if you have the fate of the world in your hands, and both a giant robot and the army guy who really knows what he is doing tells you to run to the top of a roof, do not stop and take several minutes and tell the girl you love her. Run to the top of the frigging roof! And as my nephew said, “If you do stop to tell her, then kiss her for goodness sake!”<br /><br />Honorable Mention: <br /><a href="http://www.sme.sk/cdata/1939513/20050221002_AirForceOne_big.jpg"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Air Force One</span></a> – Kick ass president who puts it all on the line to do the right thing.<br /><a href="http://history.sandiego.edu/GEN/filmnotes/images3/enemyofthestate3.jpg"><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Enemy of the State</span></a> – American on American action is not really right for the Fourth, but it is Will Smith’s first action film that did not include an alien.<br /><br /><br />Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!<br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!</div>Just Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10334958453212240945noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26625143.post-56371549589273721632007-07-02T11:57:00.000-07:002007-07-03T22:03:08.979-07:00Desmon's Fourth QuestionHere is the next question in Desmond's interview.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Are there any unique challenges to having an inter-cultural, inter-racial marriage? Do you have any children?</span><br /><br />None at all! That actually is the answer to your second question. My Sweet and I were married in February, and at our reception my mother came up to me and said, “Do you know what would make a great Christmas gift for me? A grandbaby!” Come on, the wedding cake wasn’t even cut yet! <br /><br />Many of the challenges are ones that are typical for any two people – how to decorate the house, control of the remote control, should there be a computer or TV in the bedroom (I usually win the decorating except for the computer room, he gets the remote usually, and no – two things usually go on there and the electronic noise is conclusive to neither). <br /><br />Probably the unique challenges come often from language barriers. Although My Sweet is quite fluent in English, it is still a second language. Sometimes I will say something all too clearly and he will not know the vocabulary/slang or be having a Bad English Day. And many times if he gets lost in a conversation, he will just tune out. This is one thing when it is a group conversation, but when he tunes out when it is just the two of us – ooh man does he get it when I finally figure it out!<br /><br />One of the most irritating is stereotyping. “Americans are lazy”, “My country does such-and-such better,” “This country’s health insurance is nuts!” Now often he is right, but it is still irritating. And, he is just as likely to say something crazy about Japan (and one day I may do a post about this – including the weird things you can find in Japanese vending machines).<br /><br />Anther difficulty, and some may say a blessing, is that my mother-in-law lives on the other side of the planet. This means I do not have to deal with the “You are not taking proper care of my boy” issues. But then again I do not really have much of a relationship with her and my sis-in-law. My Sweet and I are in a quandary about what to do when his mother gets too old to take care of herself. She will not move to America, nor would I want to displace an elderly woman to a place where she has no friends and can not speak the language. The oldest son is supposed to take care of his parents. But we cross this bridge when we get closer to it.<br /><br />Well, the final question has to do with books, and I will have plenty to say about it in my next post.<br /><br /><br />Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!<br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!</div>Just Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10334958453212240945noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26625143.post-85552395845300635462007-06-26T10:59:00.000-07:002007-07-03T22:03:57.433-07:00Desmond's 3rd Question<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />Here is the next question from Desmond’s interview. This took me a while to think how to put into words something that is very heartfelt. So here is question #3.<br /><br /> <span style="font-style:italic;">In one of your previous comments on this blog, you mentioned having once belonged to a Christian community. Could you tell us more about that?</span><br /><br />My Christian Community began in college with a campus Christian fellowship. It was a fabulous time of delving into the Bible and being challenged to live out the gospel with each other and our community. The things I learned as a child were being built upon with the intensity of being 20 and in college. We tested what was said in the Bible and were thrilled when we saw they were true. <br /><br />Many of us started attending a new little church that was excited about God and had a strong belief that fellowship is like the communities in Acts chapter 2. We didn’t sell everything we had and share the money, but if we had something someone else needed, we gladly lent or even gave it to them. Did someone need to move? 20 people would show up on moving day, with half a dozen coming before to help clean so you can get your deposit back. Did someone need prayer? We would pray for hours if needed. Worship was intense. Trust built up to where you could share with several people your struggles and pain without judgment – but also know these people would help you seek God’s discernment. I went away for several years to work with a Christian organization, and when it was time to come back I purposely returned to this community.<br />Now there are as many explanations about why this church broke up as there are people involved. I am going to share my perspective and welcome comments from other members or friends of members to share their ideas.<br /><br />As I mentioned earlier, I spent many years overseas attending churches where I barely spoke the language. Worship was awesome – God knowing the depth if the words I sung even more than I did. However the sermons were tough for me to follow. So, once I got lost, which was pretty quickly, I tuned out and meditated on the scripture passage. Even when I had translators, I was always analyzing what was said because I know things often got mixed up in translation. Once I came back to America, I kind of did the same thing even though the sermon was in English. More often than not I would tune out what the sermon said or take what the pastor said and analyze it until it made sense to me. Hence I didn’t really catch on to when the pastor started preaching things that were not really bad, but not Biblical.<br /><br />Also, with as much desire as everyone had to love everyone for Christ, we were not growing as a church. Everyone was therefore doing everything, so if someone needed a break or sabbatical, there was no one to step up to the plate and you saw the ministry you put your heart and sweat into falter or die. There was a lot of guilt not to take a break. If any kind of long-term need came up we were too stretched to properly take on the challenge.<br /><br />I would add to this issues I have with many churches. One is the lack of young men, especially single men in church and the causes behind that. Another is how single women are a kind of second class citizens who have to “be protected” like young children – regardless of their age or spiritual maturity.<br /><br />Eventually the people in the top tier of leadership reached beyond their limit and either moved away of left for another church. There were deep wounds all around, and within a year the church denigrated. Most went to one of two churches in town, while a few “took a break” from church all together. <br /><br />The remnant that chose the church I now attend has stayed together. When I get together with these people, even if it has been weeks or months, it is easy to get to heart issues because we have an old trust. There are several women, and by proxy their husbands, who keep in contact almost daily via group email. These emails share painful struggles and outrageous joys. One person shares how her kids often see her belt out in an operatic falsetto, “Lord, help me Jesus!” <br /><br />These people, grounded in God, community and trust, help keep me sane when Jesus seems far away. <br /><br /><br />Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!<br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!</div>Just Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10334958453212240945noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26625143.post-59189951940611738532007-06-20T10:19:00.000-07:002007-06-20T10:25:18.037-07:00Whoo Hoo<span class="fullpost"><br />My Sweet and I are off for some much needed refillment in our country's wonderful park system. I will talk to you soon.<br /><br />Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!<br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!</div>Just Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10334958453212240945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26625143.post-89753519748935672752007-06-15T11:37:00.000-07:002007-07-03T22:04:15.431-07:00Desmond<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />A while back there was a blogger I loved reading because he usually challenged me to think. Since then he has closed his blog (miss you Desmond) but he still gives intriguing comments on blogs, so he is not totally gone. He began a process of getting to know readers by asking them questions, and here are the ones he asked me.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Desmond Jones said...<br /><br /> Just Me - Hi! Haven't seen you around in awhile<br /><br /> OK, let's see if I can come up with five questions worth your while to answer. . .<br /><br /> 1) I'll start with the obvious one, since you went to all the trouble of laying it out there for me: What is a 'liturgical Pentecostal'? I'd be interested to hear about your religious/spiritual background more generally, and how it affects your life today.</span><br /><br />I was fortunate enough to be raised in the church. My Dear Sweet Mother took us to the Lutheran Church where God met me at a very young age. Though I didn't really know it at the time, the repetition of the liturgy and scripture teachings grounded me deeply in God's word, and this formed the foundations that would provide me many answers throughout my life. When I went to college my main form of rebellion was to seek out something different in a fellowship. The one thing I felt was missing in the liturgical services was a passion in prayer and worship. It was here that I felt the power of the Holy Spirit and God's ability to answer prayers. Now I seek out churches that have a respect for the grounding of liturgy as well as a passion for seeing the Holy Spirit at work. <br /><br /> <br /><span style="font-style:italic;"> 2) How did you meet Your Sweet, and how did the two of you decide to marry? (I don't know that I've ever said so, but most days, as I kiss Molly goodbye on my way to work in the morning, I say, "Farewell, my Sweet"; so we've got that in common, too ;) )<br /></span><br />Now I work with high school kids and I love telling them that I met my husband when he was my student. They start hooting and hollering because they are thinking that he was a 17 or 18 year old. In truth he was 28 and I was 31.<br /><br />When I went overseas, I specifically picked a mission organization where we taught in the public schools. So for four years I taught English as a second language and when I came back to America I got a job teaching English to internationals getting ready for college or grad school. It was great having in the same classroom Arabs, Japanese, Koreans and Brazilians. My Sweet was one of those students. While he attended my school, I never thought about him in that way – I have always put married men and students in that “don’t even think about going there” category. But after he graduated, he asked me to a party, and things went on from there. We dated for several years because I wanted to be more certain we could deal with issues of differences in culture and languages. Also, at the time My Sweet was spiritually seeking, but was not a Christian. I know that a person’s spiritual beliefs affect how they live their life and I had told My Sweet from the very beginning that I would not consider marrying him if he did not make his own commitment to Jesus. On New Years Eve he decided that Jesus was the one he wanted to be following, and a few months later we were married.<br /><br />I want to take a bit more time to answer the other questions, so stay tunes.<br /><br />As a final note I just want to say, “Thank you <a href="http://www.showbuzz.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/06/15/tv/main2933663.shtml">Bob Barker</a> for bringing lightness and joy.”<br /><br />Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!<br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Joie de Vivre ~ A Hearty Joy of Living!</div>Just Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10334958453212240945noreply@blogger.com3