Saturday, March 17, 2012
Friday, March 16, 2012
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Well, it's that time of year again. The one day a year when all things green doesn't refer to environmentally friendly. Even though you don't need to be Irish to celebrate, I'm always envious of those who are, whether they're Irish American or actual Irish born. This is their day. They can celebrate with reckless abandon - the rest of us be damned.
It's funny how in America a lot of people assume those with ginger (red) hair are Irish. I've been to Ireland. Not a single one has hair that color, at least not naturally. In fact, the real Irish people are mostly brunettes.
Ireland isn't called the Emerald Isle for nothing. It's green because it rains there a lot. I think it rained every single day I was there (18 yrs ago), but it didn't rain all day every day. In fact, I even remember the sun coming out sometimes.
Still, it's a beautiful, peaceful country, and you won't find friendlier people anywhere. My pen pal, whom I met when I visited, is one of such people, as were his parents who were surprised and proud of me (I think) that I was traveling alone (24 and just out of college). Even though the signs were in English and Gaelic, it wasn't too difficult to find your way around. Plus, I had everything planned out well in advance, so I was leaving very little to chance.
Besides meeting my pen pal and going out with him, a few other memories come to mind - like seeing the cottage where J. Bruce Ismay (the owner of the Titanic) supposedly lived out his last days; having the best meatloaf dinner in a pub with boiled potatoes and carrots. I was so cold and hungry that it really hit the spot. Too bad Ireland lost their World Cup match that evening. I remember spending several days in Connemara. As it was kind of wet and cold, I wasn't very motivated to do much, so spent most of my time hanging out at the youth hostel with the other 'yanks,' including one who had gotten a job there apparently. I met a lot of nice travelers including a nice Australian girl (who was bumming around for about 9 mos I think) and a trio of German girls who followed me from town to town. Not so sure it was friendship as much as a translator they were looking for.
Back to 2012...
Tonight while listening to the Pogues, I made Guiness bread using a dry packet mixture purchased at World Market. I wore a green shirt today and may or may not wear it again tomorrow. Not planning on going downtown for the parade. I'm not much for crowds and parades that may or may not be lame (like most of the small town ones I've attended). I'm also getting my hair colored tomorrow, but think I'll stick with my traditional brown and skip the green streaks.
It's funny how in America a lot of people assume those with ginger (red) hair are Irish. I've been to Ireland. Not a single one has hair that color, at least not naturally. In fact, the real Irish people are mostly brunettes.
Ireland isn't called the Emerald Isle for nothing. It's green because it rains there a lot. I think it rained every single day I was there (18 yrs ago), but it didn't rain all day every day. In fact, I even remember the sun coming out sometimes.
Still, it's a beautiful, peaceful country, and you won't find friendlier people anywhere. My pen pal, whom I met when I visited, is one of such people, as were his parents who were surprised and proud of me (I think) that I was traveling alone (24 and just out of college). Even though the signs were in English and Gaelic, it wasn't too difficult to find your way around. Plus, I had everything planned out well in advance, so I was leaving very little to chance.
Besides meeting my pen pal and going out with him, a few other memories come to mind - like seeing the cottage where J. Bruce Ismay (the owner of the Titanic) supposedly lived out his last days; having the best meatloaf dinner in a pub with boiled potatoes and carrots. I was so cold and hungry that it really hit the spot. Too bad Ireland lost their World Cup match that evening. I remember spending several days in Connemara. As it was kind of wet and cold, I wasn't very motivated to do much, so spent most of my time hanging out at the youth hostel with the other 'yanks,' including one who had gotten a job there apparently. I met a lot of nice travelers including a nice Australian girl (who was bumming around for about 9 mos I think) and a trio of German girls who followed me from town to town. Not so sure it was friendship as much as a translator they were looking for.
Back to 2012...
Tonight while listening to the Pogues, I made Guiness bread using a dry packet mixture purchased at World Market. I wore a green shirt today and may or may not wear it again tomorrow. Not planning on going downtown for the parade. I'm not much for crowds and parades that may or may not be lame (like most of the small town ones I've attended). I'm also getting my hair colored tomorrow, but think I'll stick with my traditional brown and skip the green streaks.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
March 12, 2012
Today is a rather grim anniversary for many. Not only is it the one year anniversary of the tsunami that wiped out quite a lot of Japan, but it is 10 ½ years since the terrorist acts of September 11, 2001.
With the beautiful warm and sunny weather we're experiencing today (at least in Central Ohio) it's rather difficult (at least for those of us who didn't lose anyone in either tragedy) to feel the sorrow that so many are probably experiencing.
On Friday evening while doing a bit of channel surfing I came across a documentary on National Geographic showing actual footage of the tsunami – both before and after. Having seen video of the tsunami which hit Thailand and other nearby countries, I thought I'd know what to expect, but it still took me very much by surprise. I had always assumed a tsunami was a tall wave with a curl surfers only dream about (much like in the famous Japanese painting). However, the wave doesn't have to be tall to be destructive. It's the speed of the tide as much as anything. It didn't seem like the Japanese had much warning, which may explain why there's still 20,000+ people missing today.
Today my husband showed me a video which demonstrates all the seismic activity in Japan last year continuing to present day I think. Each earthquake is illustrated by a round blip ranging in size depending on the magnitude of the quake. Although the seismic activity was always high, it's only as it gets closer to March 11 that the blips suddenly start hitting the screen with a frenzy not unlike that of paintballs hitting an ill-fated victim out on the field. This continues for several months before finally tapering off.
Going back to the anniversary of September 11, I didn't do anything on the 10th anniversary as it fell on a weekend, and I don't think the weather was very agreeable then. The town where I live, Hilliard, had a special dedication ceremony in their newly created First Responders Park, which contains a flag pole and several pieces of the World Trade Center. I'm not aware there were actually any victims from Hilliard, but the mayor always has to try and top everyone else, so this is where our tax dollars go.
On the actual day it happened, 10½ years ago, like most people, I was at work, but had just come back from lunch about an hour or so before (living in England, we were on GMT) it happened. My office mate and I were alerted to the events by a co-worker whose wife caught them live on television. We were fed several e-mails in rapid succession, and I'm sure there was some discussion about it, but basically we continued working and then went home at our normal time. Of course I turned on the telly, which is when I saw the true extent of the damage. It was only when I saw images of people jumping from the towers that I broke down and cried. I remember later talking to my parents about it. My mother was so distressed that she accidentally backed into someone's car in the parking lot where she works (but no major damage done). I probably talked to my in-laws that night too, and maybe my uncle in California too. I can't remember. My husband was supposed to have some sort of a work do that evening, but it was cancelled in light of the day's events. The most touching event came at the end of the week when my company (the dozen or so of us) went upstairs to the library/conference room for the 2 minutes of silence being observed country-wide. I was a little teary-eyed by the sympathy my co-workers showed for me that week, an act of solidarity I will never forget.
The day of the tsunami, last year, I heard about it over breakfast while listening to NPR. When I got to work I saw some videos online, and just kept checking back periodically to see the extent of the destruction. Later my husband and I made a donation to the American Red Cross and I bought a t-shirt for charity with a picture of Japan on it with the date and a red circle where the epicenter was.
With the beautiful warm and sunny weather we're experiencing today (at least in Central Ohio) it's rather difficult (at least for those of us who didn't lose anyone in either tragedy) to feel the sorrow that so many are probably experiencing.
On Friday evening while doing a bit of channel surfing I came across a documentary on National Geographic showing actual footage of the tsunami – both before and after. Having seen video of the tsunami which hit Thailand and other nearby countries, I thought I'd know what to expect, but it still took me very much by surprise. I had always assumed a tsunami was a tall wave with a curl surfers only dream about (much like in the famous Japanese painting). However, the wave doesn't have to be tall to be destructive. It's the speed of the tide as much as anything. It didn't seem like the Japanese had much warning, which may explain why there's still 20,000+ people missing today.
Today my husband showed me a video which demonstrates all the seismic activity in Japan last year continuing to present day I think. Each earthquake is illustrated by a round blip ranging in size depending on the magnitude of the quake. Although the seismic activity was always high, it's only as it gets closer to March 11 that the blips suddenly start hitting the screen with a frenzy not unlike that of paintballs hitting an ill-fated victim out on the field. This continues for several months before finally tapering off.
Going back to the anniversary of September 11, I didn't do anything on the 10th anniversary as it fell on a weekend, and I don't think the weather was very agreeable then. The town where I live, Hilliard, had a special dedication ceremony in their newly created First Responders Park, which contains a flag pole and several pieces of the World Trade Center. I'm not aware there were actually any victims from Hilliard, but the mayor always has to try and top everyone else, so this is where our tax dollars go.
On the actual day it happened, 10½ years ago, like most people, I was at work, but had just come back from lunch about an hour or so before (living in England, we were on GMT) it happened. My office mate and I were alerted to the events by a co-worker whose wife caught them live on television. We were fed several e-mails in rapid succession, and I'm sure there was some discussion about it, but basically we continued working and then went home at our normal time. Of course I turned on the telly, which is when I saw the true extent of the damage. It was only when I saw images of people jumping from the towers that I broke down and cried. I remember later talking to my parents about it. My mother was so distressed that she accidentally backed into someone's car in the parking lot where she works (but no major damage done). I probably talked to my in-laws that night too, and maybe my uncle in California too. I can't remember. My husband was supposed to have some sort of a work do that evening, but it was cancelled in light of the day's events. The most touching event came at the end of the week when my company (the dozen or so of us) went upstairs to the library/conference room for the 2 minutes of silence being observed country-wide. I was a little teary-eyed by the sympathy my co-workers showed for me that week, an act of solidarity I will never forget.
The day of the tsunami, last year, I heard about it over breakfast while listening to NPR. When I got to work I saw some videos online, and just kept checking back periodically to see the extent of the destruction. Later my husband and I made a donation to the American Red Cross and I bought a t-shirt for charity with a picture of Japan on it with the date and a red circle where the epicenter was.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
If Bad Things Come in 3's....
then I've had my trio for the week.
On Monday afternoon, upon scanning the news headlines after lunch I was astonished to see report of a student in Chardon (about 30 miles away from my hometown) opening fire on his fellow students in a high school cafeteria. In total, there are five victims, 3 dead, 1 just released from the hospital, and another still in serious condition. The student who fired the shots is being held in a juvenile facility, but will likely be tried as an adult, on at least 3 counts of murder (depending on the outcome of the 4th victim).
Although I was shocked and saddened by Columbine and Virginia Tech, it never really hits home until it literally hits home. As the aunt of four nieces and three nephews, two of which attend school probably less than 30 miles from Chardon, and the oldest of which will start high school in the fall, I can't help but fear for their safety every day. The world is a scary place to grow up in these days, and I'm just glad we only had to put up with the occasional bomb scare (like the time where it turned out some of the outdated chemicals in the chem lab were more volatile than the bomb that was never found). My thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of both the victims and the shooter.
One final thought - earlier that same day a co-worker and I were having a conversation about how easy it is to buy guns in Ohio, as opposed to Maryland, where it can take up to a couple months. Maybe Ohio ought to toughen up on their laws a bit more. It should be made as difficult to buy a weapon as it is getting a mortgage for a house, and there should be as much paperwork involved too.
On Tuesday my husband called in sick to work after suffering a mild bout of food poisoning. Okay, so that's not anywhere near as dramatic as Monday's events, but it still counts when it disrupts your life and its routines. He's back at work today, but still feeling a bit rough. I also have a coworker still out sick with some sort of a stomach bug too.
Like on Monday after lunch, I was scanning the news headlines while checking my e-mail and saw a news flash that my favorite Monkee, Davy Jones, who was just 66 (which I realize makes him old enough to be my father), died of a heart attack this morning. Not only had I seen him on the short-lived Monkees TV program, I remember the time he made a guest appearance on "The Brady Bunch." I bet Maureen McCormick is probably more distraught by this news than I am. I also recall a couple guest appearances on "My Two Dads" back in the 80's where he played a friend of Joey (one of the dads). I remember him still looking pretty hot while wearing some sort of a gladiator uniform for one of his concerts. I guess there's no hope for a Monkees reunion now (not that there ever was since Mike Nesmith has completely disassociated himself with the other three after his mother invented White Out of Liquid Paper or whatever).
On Monday afternoon, upon scanning the news headlines after lunch I was astonished to see report of a student in Chardon (about 30 miles away from my hometown) opening fire on his fellow students in a high school cafeteria. In total, there are five victims, 3 dead, 1 just released from the hospital, and another still in serious condition. The student who fired the shots is being held in a juvenile facility, but will likely be tried as an adult, on at least 3 counts of murder (depending on the outcome of the 4th victim).
Although I was shocked and saddened by Columbine and Virginia Tech, it never really hits home until it literally hits home. As the aunt of four nieces and three nephews, two of which attend school probably less than 30 miles from Chardon, and the oldest of which will start high school in the fall, I can't help but fear for their safety every day. The world is a scary place to grow up in these days, and I'm just glad we only had to put up with the occasional bomb scare (like the time where it turned out some of the outdated chemicals in the chem lab were more volatile than the bomb that was never found). My thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of both the victims and the shooter.
One final thought - earlier that same day a co-worker and I were having a conversation about how easy it is to buy guns in Ohio, as opposed to Maryland, where it can take up to a couple months. Maybe Ohio ought to toughen up on their laws a bit more. It should be made as difficult to buy a weapon as it is getting a mortgage for a house, and there should be as much paperwork involved too.
On Tuesday my husband called in sick to work after suffering a mild bout of food poisoning. Okay, so that's not anywhere near as dramatic as Monday's events, but it still counts when it disrupts your life and its routines. He's back at work today, but still feeling a bit rough. I also have a coworker still out sick with some sort of a stomach bug too.
Like on Monday after lunch, I was scanning the news headlines while checking my e-mail and saw a news flash that my favorite Monkee, Davy Jones, who was just 66 (which I realize makes him old enough to be my father), died of a heart attack this morning. Not only had I seen him on the short-lived Monkees TV program, I remember the time he made a guest appearance on "The Brady Bunch." I bet Maureen McCormick is probably more distraught by this news than I am. I also recall a couple guest appearances on "My Two Dads" back in the 80's where he played a friend of Joey (one of the dads). I remember him still looking pretty hot while wearing some sort of a gladiator uniform for one of his concerts. I guess there's no hope for a Monkees reunion now (not that there ever was since Mike Nesmith has completely disassociated himself with the other three after his mother invented White Out of Liquid Paper or whatever).
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Moments in Television this Week
Rarely does anything ever make me laugh out loud, which is why it was so nice when I came across a couple moments in some of my favorite TV programs this week.
In last week's episode of "Modern Family" Hayley and Alex torture their little brother by dressing him up as a girl the family affectionately calls "Betty Lou." If that's not humiliation enough, when his parents come home and see him like that, they immediately whip out their camera phones and Claire, the mother, tells him to smile because she didn't get a very good picture last time. Phil, the father, says something like, "We've missed you Betty Lou." Okay, so maybe this shouldn't be funny, but I think what amused me was the parents' reaction. I pretty much expected them to scold their daughters for what they did, but instead they seemed to appreciate the fact that they managed to get their little brother into a dress and make-up.
The other thing I found funny this week was a scene in the new program called "Are You There, Chelsea?" based on the books by Chelsea Handler. In the episode, Chelsea and her co-worker, Nikki, and Chelsea's roommate, Dee Dee are on a chartered fishing boat with two gay doctors (whom they don't know are gay). Dee Dee, the resident fishing expert, is in a cabin cutting up their haul while chatting with the young and geeky captain. She pulls a fish out of the cooler and sees it's still flopping around a bit, so she gleefully picks up her small wooden club and whacks it up side its head before slapping it down onto the cutting board to cut up. Okay, so physical humor like that where someone or something has to suffer is perhaps a bit juvenile. What's funny about this scene is that Dee Dee is usually a very mild mannered and somewhat naive young woman. To see her inflict violence on anything doesn't really fit with her character.
Not only did my favorite shows amuse me this week, but they moved me almost to tears once too. In this week's episode of "Parenthood," the character of Max Braverman, an 11 year old with Asperger's makes a new friend. Due to his condition, he hasn't had many, or really, any friends for that matter. While sitting out of gym class one day, he starts talking with his classmate, Micah, who has spina bifida and is in a wheelchair. Even though it's a brief conversation while both play with their Nintendo DSLs, they obviously hit it off, because Max spontaneously invites Micah to come over after school. Both sets of parents meet each other. Micah's parents express their gratitude that Max invited him over since Micah hasn't really had a friend before. Though Max's parents don't really make that same admission out loud, we all know that's what they're thinking and are tearfully grateful for the same reason. How could you not be moved by that?
In last week's episode of "Modern Family" Hayley and Alex torture their little brother by dressing him up as a girl the family affectionately calls "Betty Lou." If that's not humiliation enough, when his parents come home and see him like that, they immediately whip out their camera phones and Claire, the mother, tells him to smile because she didn't get a very good picture last time. Phil, the father, says something like, "We've missed you Betty Lou." Okay, so maybe this shouldn't be funny, but I think what amused me was the parents' reaction. I pretty much expected them to scold their daughters for what they did, but instead they seemed to appreciate the fact that they managed to get their little brother into a dress and make-up.
The other thing I found funny this week was a scene in the new program called "Are You There, Chelsea?" based on the books by Chelsea Handler. In the episode, Chelsea and her co-worker, Nikki, and Chelsea's roommate, Dee Dee are on a chartered fishing boat with two gay doctors (whom they don't know are gay). Dee Dee, the resident fishing expert, is in a cabin cutting up their haul while chatting with the young and geeky captain. She pulls a fish out of the cooler and sees it's still flopping around a bit, so she gleefully picks up her small wooden club and whacks it up side its head before slapping it down onto the cutting board to cut up. Okay, so physical humor like that where someone or something has to suffer is perhaps a bit juvenile. What's funny about this scene is that Dee Dee is usually a very mild mannered and somewhat naive young woman. To see her inflict violence on anything doesn't really fit with her character.
Not only did my favorite shows amuse me this week, but they moved me almost to tears once too. In this week's episode of "Parenthood," the character of Max Braverman, an 11 year old with Asperger's makes a new friend. Due to his condition, he hasn't had many, or really, any friends for that matter. While sitting out of gym class one day, he starts talking with his classmate, Micah, who has spina bifida and is in a wheelchair. Even though it's a brief conversation while both play with their Nintendo DSLs, they obviously hit it off, because Max spontaneously invites Micah to come over after school. Both sets of parents meet each other. Micah's parents express their gratitude that Max invited him over since Micah hasn't really had a friend before. Though Max's parents don't really make that same admission out loud, we all know that's what they're thinking and are tearfully grateful for the same reason. How could you not be moved by that?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)