Last night, I got some culture. If you can call it that. I went to see a play. Pride and Prejudice, put on by the local University the next city over from where I live. My mom, sisters and I dressed up a bit , meaning we set our usual jeans and tennis shoes aside for the more classy, dressy, skirts and dresses. Because when one is going to get cultured, casual attire is not acceptable. Its true, we were pretty much the only ones there so nicely dressed. I guess the rest of the attendees weren't as interested in being cultured.
A college student was sitting out side the theater selling pop, water and candy bars to those of us waiting in line. His sales tactic was holding up baby pictures of himself on his smart phone, saying things like " This is the adorable face of a baby that was once me....Could you possible say no to that face?...seriously, wasn't I cute?" his sales skills were greatly lacking.
We got really good seats, the seating attendant in our area told us we had the best seats in the house. I couldn't have agreed more.
The atmosphere was delightful. I was surprised to see how many guys were there, seemingly of their own accord, without the company of ladies. Of course, the gentleman in the yellow hat sitting directly across the theater from me did sleep through most of the first act.Apparently Jane Austen didn't thrill him as much as the men, who had ' I am a big shot athlete in this school' written all over there faces, on the top row did.
I think the prerequisite for the male seating attendants was to be decidedly short. The one at the top of my row took his job very seriously.
"Excuse me ma'am," to the lady in front of me, 'did you take a picture of the set?" "Yes." "well I'm going to have to ask you to delete it due to copy write..."
A few minutes later to a lady above me, 'Excuse me ma'am, we cannot allow you to take pictures of the set..." shortly there after, to the same lady, ' I'm going to have to ask you to finish your drink out in the hall, only bottled water is allowed in the theater, I'm sorry..." no one else seemed as strict about food in the auditorium. I saw plenty of people munching there candy bars etc.
The play was amazing. The actors and actresses were wonderfully talented, the costumes beautiful, the script accurate, and filled with Jane Austen's witty humor. It was enjoyable. I was vastly disappointed when it was over.
Mrs Bennett was a riot, Mr Collins was sufficiently annoying, Mr Darcy was very good at brooding, Lizzy was able to express herself through even just the squinting or widening of her eyes, Mary was...Boringly humorous, as she should have been. It was exquisitely cast, and everyone performed their parts to a T. I hope to go again to that theater, and I'm fairly certain that "My Fair Lady" will be showing in June.I hope so. Another night of culture sounds wonderfully inviting.
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Good bye Max, Hello Florence
These last weeks since I wrote last, have been full of mishaps and frustrations.
It all started on April Fools day. I went to my sister and brother in laws house for dinner. I got the clever idea to play a prank on my dad. Or at least I thought it was clever at the time. Right before I left, I called home and told my dad I couldn't get my car to start. I even got my brother in law in on it. Had him talk to my dad to tell him what was going on with the car. Boy, did we ever get him good. I drove home and walked in the door as if nothing happened. My dad had been searching the internet to see what could possible be wrong with my car. It was a great joke. Unfortunately, the joke turned around and bit me on the metaphorical rear. The very next day (Wednesday) my car stalled 3 times on my way home from church. 3 times. I barely got it into my driveway, and it stalled again. The next morning I had to have Max towed to the car shop. Friday morning I got a phone call. Max had blown his gasket. If you know anything about cars, you know that blown head gaskets cost a lot to repair. As in $600-$800 to repair. And Max, bless his mechanical soul, was not worth the cost it would take to fix him. I had to say good bye forever. Fortunately, Dan called me less than 2 hours after I asked him to keep an eye out for a car for me, with a great deal. A 2008 Chevy Cobalt. For a very good price.It helps to have big brothers with connections. I bought that car. Its nice. I like it a lot. As much as I loved Max, it is very nice to drive a vehicle that doesn't make strange noises. That doesn't make knocking sounds as you come to stops, that's engine doesn't randomly make frighting, costly sounding shutterings. That wasn't incredibly noisy even on his good days, which lately had been few and far between. Its nice to have a car that has a fully functioning cd player. and mp3 output plug.
Since the "Sorry Saga of Max", I have had another birthday. I am now 24. And broke. For the first time in my life I am in debt, and have to make car payments. Like a big girl. I don't like being a big girl. Its expensive. It wouldn't have been so bad, and I could have paid the price in full had it not been for pesky things called self-employment taxes, which were due the same time Max died. And they were much more than they were last year. So I had to borrow the balance of what I couldn't pay for my car from my parents and sister. I should have it paid off in about 10 months, at the most, but still. Its the principle of the thing. I like my new car, which shall hence forth be referred to as 'Florence'. I just wish my savings hadn't been wiped because of her.
It all started on April Fools day. I went to my sister and brother in laws house for dinner. I got the clever idea to play a prank on my dad. Or at least I thought it was clever at the time. Right before I left, I called home and told my dad I couldn't get my car to start. I even got my brother in law in on it. Had him talk to my dad to tell him what was going on with the car. Boy, did we ever get him good. I drove home and walked in the door as if nothing happened. My dad had been searching the internet to see what could possible be wrong with my car. It was a great joke. Unfortunately, the joke turned around and bit me on the metaphorical rear. The very next day (Wednesday) my car stalled 3 times on my way home from church. 3 times. I barely got it into my driveway, and it stalled again. The next morning I had to have Max towed to the car shop. Friday morning I got a phone call. Max had blown his gasket. If you know anything about cars, you know that blown head gaskets cost a lot to repair. As in $600-$800 to repair. And Max, bless his mechanical soul, was not worth the cost it would take to fix him. I had to say good bye forever. Fortunately, Dan called me less than 2 hours after I asked him to keep an eye out for a car for me, with a great deal. A 2008 Chevy Cobalt. For a very good price.It helps to have big brothers with connections. I bought that car. Its nice. I like it a lot. As much as I loved Max, it is very nice to drive a vehicle that doesn't make strange noises. That doesn't make knocking sounds as you come to stops, that's engine doesn't randomly make frighting, costly sounding shutterings. That wasn't incredibly noisy even on his good days, which lately had been few and far between. Its nice to have a car that has a fully functioning cd player. and mp3 output plug.
Since the "Sorry Saga of Max", I have had another birthday. I am now 24. And broke. For the first time in my life I am in debt, and have to make car payments. Like a big girl. I don't like being a big girl. Its expensive. It wouldn't have been so bad, and I could have paid the price in full had it not been for pesky things called self-employment taxes, which were due the same time Max died. And they were much more than they were last year. So I had to borrow the balance of what I couldn't pay for my car from my parents and sister. I should have it paid off in about 10 months, at the most, but still. Its the principle of the thing. I like my new car, which shall hence forth be referred to as 'Florence'. I just wish my savings hadn't been wiped because of her.
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Silent Conversations
Every so often the longing to get back out there and roam around hits me. This is one of those times. I know I've said it before. And I know I'll say it again. I really want to go somewhere. Road trip, airplane trip. Somewhere. Perhaps the longing has hit me because it seems that spring has finally sprung. After enduring the bitterest and most snowiest winter in my life, warmth has once again showed itself. And with the arrival of spring, the desire of going somewhere, anywhere, has come back full force. One day, one day I'll discover the little coffee shop where I'm certain my literary aspirations will come to being. One day I'll meet people with interesting stories, with lives and backgrounds so different from my own. To sit down and talk and talk and talk about nothing in particular. I had one such moment a few years ago. Accept she didn't speak English. And I didn't speak Hungarian. She was such a sweet little tiny babushka woman. Hand gestures helped us. And our Bibles. I think she understood that we were traveling to Africa from Hungary, on a missions trip. She was the most joyful little thing. Sweetest blue eyes, and happiest smile on her pudgy wrinkled face. Sometimes you don't need to understand each others language to have a conversation. And in that train car bound for Budapest, we had a conversation without words.
I love history, and I love different cultures. I love site seeing. I love wandering museums, roaming cities, all the while sipping wretched little shots of coffee, in instant caffeine jolt. There is one thing for certain about Ukraine and their coffee. If you get straight up coffee, you get a dixie cup half full of brown liquid, that will instantly have the same effect downing 3 energy drinks. I only drink their real coffee if I have to. I always get the shakes, and can't sit still for anything after I drink it. The worst was drinking it right before driving to Slovakia. Cooped up in a car for several hours without being able to let off my excess energy is awful. My foot tapped. When it quit my hands tapped. It always gives me an extreme case of the jitters.
If you ever travel to Ukraine, Slovokia or Hungary, take my advice and always order Cafe Americano. It will not run you the risk of a heart attack.
I love history, and I love different cultures. I love site seeing. I love wandering museums, roaming cities, all the while sipping wretched little shots of coffee, in instant caffeine jolt. There is one thing for certain about Ukraine and their coffee. If you get straight up coffee, you get a dixie cup half full of brown liquid, that will instantly have the same effect downing 3 energy drinks. I only drink their real coffee if I have to. I always get the shakes, and can't sit still for anything after I drink it. The worst was drinking it right before driving to Slovakia. Cooped up in a car for several hours without being able to let off my excess energy is awful. My foot tapped. When it quit my hands tapped. It always gives me an extreme case of the jitters.
If you ever travel to Ukraine, Slovokia or Hungary, take my advice and always order Cafe Americano. It will not run you the risk of a heart attack.
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Reminiscing
Ever smell something that triggers a memory? or hear a song?
I do. Made me think of my childhood, and the creativity we had. We sure had fun, without the aid of tv screens, computer screens, video games, cell phones, etc. etc.
The great outdoors was our playground, mud and sticks and the like our playthings.
A taught myself to ride a two wheeler bicycle when I was 4. We had fun. My older brother, Dan, was very creative. One time, when I was about 6, on an extremely windy day, my older siblings tied me to a tarp (a was tiny) and had me jump off our trampoline. Its the honest truth when I tell you the wind carried me across the yard, several inches off the ground, until I ran into our fence and twisted my ankle. That was Dan's idea. Another time, Dan created a "Rodeo" in the basement. He was the bull, and my other brother and I were the cowboys, and he sure bucked us off. Dan even made me chaps and a vest out of some ugly furry fabric he found in the basement. I was quite proud of them too.
We played pioneers in our pine trees, sweeping the pine needles to the side, and building "houses" by laying boards across tree branches for shelves, creating fireplaces by tying three sticks together with twine, teepee style, and hanging an old bucket from the center and making "soup" by filling it with water, dirt, grass, grapes (from our grape vines) and anything else we could find. We would get in trouble for that sometimes. We forgot to empty the buckets when we were finished, and a week later my dad would find them, and they'd be all smelly and mildewy and moldy (from the veggies we swiped from the garden, and the chicken scratch we added)
we played baseball at my neighbors house, and football. I was quite the athletic type. I used to be pretty good at both.
We weren't without our neighbor hood tiffs though. Once or twice I beat up the neighbor boys. Once or twice they beat me up. You'd think my brothers would stand up for me. Huh. Although Dan did hold wrestling matches in our basement, and taught my sister and I to fight. They must have figured I could fend for myself.
We made leaf houses in the fall, snow forts in the winter, played hide and seek on summer nights, made mudpies in the spring, and, on occasion, held caterpillar races. We also played flea market. We gathered all the toys and junk we could find in our back yard, set up our tables, and sold our items. We used mulch as money. Dan always got the best stuff, and us little ones got the leftovers.. Old ice cream buckets and such. We even sold "Popcorn' at our flea markets.We had a couple lilac trees out back, and we'd collect puffs of flowers, and then turned a bicyle upside down, turned the pedals and stuck the puffs through the spokes as they spun. that was our popcorn.
As we got older, we played different things. Once we created a "natural history museum" between my house and our neighbors. we collected feathers, birds nests, turtles, toads, rocks, leaves, caterpillars, and once, even a snake. We stacked them up in boxes and pens and old shelves and brought the grown ups through. The honestly didn't have much to see.
We also built "'hobbit houses". We tore up turf from out back, and covered logs and stumps with them, and decorated them, made roads in between, and even fields. They were really cool. We did that every spring for 3 or 4 years.
Once, when I was just old enough to be left home as the oldest, and in charge of the little kids, we took turns tying eachother to chairs as tight as we could, with the most difficult knots we could think of, and tried to escape. I told them we had to, cause if we were ever kidnapped (after all, it was one of the first times i was able to be in charge. who knew what could happen) we needed to know how to get away.
Thats only a tiny excerpt of the things we came up with. I pity the kids of today, whose main entertainment is video games and screens. They sure miss out on a lot.
I do. Made me think of my childhood, and the creativity we had. We sure had fun, without the aid of tv screens, computer screens, video games, cell phones, etc. etc.
The great outdoors was our playground, mud and sticks and the like our playthings.
A taught myself to ride a two wheeler bicycle when I was 4. We had fun. My older brother, Dan, was very creative. One time, when I was about 6, on an extremely windy day, my older siblings tied me to a tarp (a was tiny) and had me jump off our trampoline. Its the honest truth when I tell you the wind carried me across the yard, several inches off the ground, until I ran into our fence and twisted my ankle. That was Dan's idea. Another time, Dan created a "Rodeo" in the basement. He was the bull, and my other brother and I were the cowboys, and he sure bucked us off. Dan even made me chaps and a vest out of some ugly furry fabric he found in the basement. I was quite proud of them too.
We played pioneers in our pine trees, sweeping the pine needles to the side, and building "houses" by laying boards across tree branches for shelves, creating fireplaces by tying three sticks together with twine, teepee style, and hanging an old bucket from the center and making "soup" by filling it with water, dirt, grass, grapes (from our grape vines) and anything else we could find. We would get in trouble for that sometimes. We forgot to empty the buckets when we were finished, and a week later my dad would find them, and they'd be all smelly and mildewy and moldy (from the veggies we swiped from the garden, and the chicken scratch we added)
we played baseball at my neighbors house, and football. I was quite the athletic type. I used to be pretty good at both.
We weren't without our neighbor hood tiffs though. Once or twice I beat up the neighbor boys. Once or twice they beat me up. You'd think my brothers would stand up for me. Huh. Although Dan did hold wrestling matches in our basement, and taught my sister and I to fight. They must have figured I could fend for myself.
We made leaf houses in the fall, snow forts in the winter, played hide and seek on summer nights, made mudpies in the spring, and, on occasion, held caterpillar races. We also played flea market. We gathered all the toys and junk we could find in our back yard, set up our tables, and sold our items. We used mulch as money. Dan always got the best stuff, and us little ones got the leftovers.. Old ice cream buckets and such. We even sold "Popcorn' at our flea markets.We had a couple lilac trees out back, and we'd collect puffs of flowers, and then turned a bicyle upside down, turned the pedals and stuck the puffs through the spokes as they spun. that was our popcorn.
As we got older, we played different things. Once we created a "natural history museum" between my house and our neighbors. we collected feathers, birds nests, turtles, toads, rocks, leaves, caterpillars, and once, even a snake. We stacked them up in boxes and pens and old shelves and brought the grown ups through. The honestly didn't have much to see.
We also built "'hobbit houses". We tore up turf from out back, and covered logs and stumps with them, and decorated them, made roads in between, and even fields. They were really cool. We did that every spring for 3 or 4 years.
Once, when I was just old enough to be left home as the oldest, and in charge of the little kids, we took turns tying eachother to chairs as tight as we could, with the most difficult knots we could think of, and tried to escape. I told them we had to, cause if we were ever kidnapped (after all, it was one of the first times i was able to be in charge. who knew what could happen) we needed to know how to get away.
Thats only a tiny excerpt of the things we came up with. I pity the kids of today, whose main entertainment is video games and screens. They sure miss out on a lot.
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Sometimes I just need to say no. Its tough. I always seem to disregard the fact that there are other people besides myself that have the ability, availability and talents to accomplish something. I am a busy person, what with work, running the youth group, leading various worship events. I've had to schedule time to hang with friends, and the only opening I had was 2.5 weeks away. Last week I said no. This week I said yes. The difference between them, one is a one time event (this weeks). Last week was a weekly event. One extra thing I can handle every so often. A weekly thing is something I seriously don't have time for. I need to learn not to feel guilty if I'm unable to do something. To sometimes take a step back, and make sure I actually have time for me. Time to spend with friends, time to keep my sanity. Time to not be burned out. Occasional breathers are a must. I need to have a life of my own. Time to pursue my interests, my desires, and most importantly, time to spend with God before I conk out at the end of the day.
I love the things That I'm spending time on. The issue is that I tend to say yes toO many times,thus filling m plate so full I lack time to do anything but Commitments. Its tiring.
I feel that my time is managed pretty wisely, and as long as I remember that I can say no, (and not feel guilty about it) I can go on my merry way and be happy. The current reason why I'm ranting is because I've booked my self for so much these last couple months and spread myself so thin (and next month!) that Its been tough to find time do anything other than be places or preparing for things that I committed to. April will be nice. April I will finally have a chance to relax.
Oh April, you can hardly come soon enough!
I love the things That I'm spending time on. The issue is that I tend to say yes toO many times,thus filling m plate so full I lack time to do anything but Commitments. Its tiring.
I feel that my time is managed pretty wisely, and as long as I remember that I can say no, (and not feel guilty about it) I can go on my merry way and be happy. The current reason why I'm ranting is because I've booked my self for so much these last couple months and spread myself so thin (and next month!) that Its been tough to find time do anything other than be places or preparing for things that I committed to. April will be nice. April I will finally have a chance to relax.
Oh April, you can hardly come soon enough!
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Its good to be here.
I've missed this. more than I can tell. I haven't had a chance for weekly blogging. I feel that there is so much to relate...I went to Ukraine. I had a seizure, which has left me unable to drive until February.The latter has impeded my ability to blog. I mentioned before, Starbucks is the place to Blog. It worked out that I was able to be dropped off for a few hours at a somewhat local starbucks (in a hippy, artsy, liberal college city. I had some guy tell me my scarf (very feminine, its a flowered infinity scarf for pity's sake) was 'so cute, where did you get it?!" with such enthusiasm you knew he wanted one for himself. When you are in an artsy college town, such remarks are expected and frequent. Much to my dismay...its awkward.
This is the busiest place I've been to as far as Starbucks go. Often the line is all the way to the door, never a quiet moment.
but enough about that. I have things to talk about, such as Ukraine!
This is the busiest place I've been to as far as Starbucks go. Often the line is all the way to the door, never a quiet moment.
but enough about that. I have things to talk about, such as Ukraine!
We met new friends (Tanya, from Moldova)
Prayed for lots of people
ate lots of really good food and miraculously didn't gain any weight
spent time with these gypsy wonderful people!
Had coffee and hung out with Monica and Anna
went to a very poor gypsy village and had fun with kids!
had a girls night which included tea and lots and lots of chocolate
met new children who were born in the last year. Seriously, isn't she a little DOLL!?
Waited at some benches and took some artsy pictures
Precious children at the gypsy village I mentioned above
The gypsy village we had a children's program for.
artsy photo I took
another artsy photo..
strutted the red carpet...like a pro
ate at the fanciest McDonalds ever in Budapest
I have so many more pictures, perhaps I'll add them at a later date.
All in all, that was another fabulous trip to add to the books. I was the only girl who went this year. So many inside jokes occurred... You know when one of the members of the team starts a story with "Now Cara, don't be offended..." its going to be interesting. I survived though:) even if my suitcase zipper broke at customs at the train station on our return trip. Fortunately one of the guys on the team had bungee cords with him. And also fortunately we found another suitcase when we reached Budapest.
Until next time...
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Last Day
I've done a lot since I've written last. I ran a half marathon (got a better time than I thought I would)
I had all good intentions to write a detailed account of the race, but, time got away from me, and I have stayed busy the past few weeks, too busy to spend time blogging. So instead of writing that now, I'll save that for a possibly another post. There is so much happening NOW that must be told instead.
For instance, I got a hair cut. I like it much better short, and it was a goodly amount of hair I had chopped. I had major car problems the last couple weeks. a week and a half ago my break line broke on my way to work. I had to get my car towed and live 3 days without a vehicle. Then the day after I brought it home (last Tuesday) I got home from work, and was preparing to head out again (the first of my many walmart trips) and my car decided not to start. Turns out I had to have my starter replaced. I'm very grateful I have brothers who are car savvy, my brother was able to come over that night and replace it for me.That was a headache much relieved. What else....Oh, I know! I leave tomorrow afternoon for Ukraine. I can't wait. My facebook statuses are a continual series of numbers, counting down the days till my departure. Pretty soon it will be the hours.
In preparation, I have made countless trips to walmart buying things. I'm sure if I actually sat down and wrote a list my trips would have been fewer. But I generally forget to make lists. Or if I actually made one, I forget to bring it with me. Or, when I make them, I forget to write down half the stuff I need. So really, list making isn't very effective with me anyway. Fortunately, I now have everything I need. And if I don't, I suppose I'll discover that when I arrive in Ukraine.
Last night I was counting up my foreign money from my previous trips. I have about the equivelent of 11-12 U.S. dollars in Hryvna (Ukrainian currency) and 40 Forints (Hungarian currency, we take a train from Budapest to Ukraine). 40 forints equals about 18 cents, American. Almost enough to be able to use the restroom at the Nygoti Train station in Budapest. heheh. It cracks me up that they charge you. They stand guard by the entrance of the restrooms, and dole out a few little squares of toilet paper as you pay them. Needless to say, countless jokes are generally made by us Americans on the ways of European money making. And stingyness. Be forewarned, if you ever travel to Europe, be sure to bring your own TP.
That last paragraph sure went downhill fast.
On another note, I'm spending my last day here at my usual favorite Wednesday hang out, Where pumpkin pie lattes are made, managers who look like Doris Day work, and where artists sit by doors. And I got here early enough to get a properly sized table to use. No little dinky ones for me, thankyou very much. And with that, I bid you farewell for the next month or so, when I return to the land of bloggydom (I'm quite expert at creating names for things aren't I?) I'm sure I'll have countless stories to share with all you readers...assuming people read this.
I had all good intentions to write a detailed account of the race, but, time got away from me, and I have stayed busy the past few weeks, too busy to spend time blogging. So instead of writing that now, I'll save that for a possibly another post. There is so much happening NOW that must be told instead.
For instance, I got a hair cut. I like it much better short, and it was a goodly amount of hair I had chopped. I had major car problems the last couple weeks. a week and a half ago my break line broke on my way to work. I had to get my car towed and live 3 days without a vehicle. Then the day after I brought it home (last Tuesday) I got home from work, and was preparing to head out again (the first of my many walmart trips) and my car decided not to start. Turns out I had to have my starter replaced. I'm very grateful I have brothers who are car savvy, my brother was able to come over that night and replace it for me.That was a headache much relieved. What else....Oh, I know! I leave tomorrow afternoon for Ukraine. I can't wait. My facebook statuses are a continual series of numbers, counting down the days till my departure. Pretty soon it will be the hours.
In preparation, I have made countless trips to walmart buying things. I'm sure if I actually sat down and wrote a list my trips would have been fewer. But I generally forget to make lists. Or if I actually made one, I forget to bring it with me. Or, when I make them, I forget to write down half the stuff I need. So really, list making isn't very effective with me anyway. Fortunately, I now have everything I need. And if I don't, I suppose I'll discover that when I arrive in Ukraine.
Last night I was counting up my foreign money from my previous trips. I have about the equivelent of 11-12 U.S. dollars in Hryvna (Ukrainian currency) and 40 Forints (Hungarian currency, we take a train from Budapest to Ukraine). 40 forints equals about 18 cents, American. Almost enough to be able to use the restroom at the Nygoti Train station in Budapest. heheh. It cracks me up that they charge you. They stand guard by the entrance of the restrooms, and dole out a few little squares of toilet paper as you pay them. Needless to say, countless jokes are generally made by us Americans on the ways of European money making. And stingyness. Be forewarned, if you ever travel to Europe, be sure to bring your own TP.
That last paragraph sure went downhill fast.
On another note, I'm spending my last day here at my usual favorite Wednesday hang out, Where pumpkin pie lattes are made, managers who look like Doris Day work, and where artists sit by doors. And I got here early enough to get a properly sized table to use. No little dinky ones for me, thankyou very much. And with that, I bid you farewell for the next month or so, when I return to the land of bloggydom (I'm quite expert at creating names for things aren't I?) I'm sure I'll have countless stories to share with all you readers...assuming people read this.
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