Sunday, 31 July 2011
Back to the Beach
The weekend is winding to a quiet close. I spent Saturday in a culinary moode and prepared some serious feastings. Good friends came for dinner, we ate and drink. Somewhere among the menu planning and fish marinating, I didn't go running, but I did walk to and from the shopping centre to get a roasting pan!
Today, however, I walked along the bayside esplanade with Uiver in tow. We enjoyed the scenery of the distant bush foreshore and had coffee at the funky new sailing club cafe. After the there and the back, it turned out to be a long and energising walk.
Today, however, I walked along the bayside esplanade with Uiver in tow. We enjoyed the scenery of the distant bush foreshore and had coffee at the funky new sailing club cafe. After the there and the back, it turned out to be a long and energising walk.
Have really been doing this daily...
... but failing to blog about it. I'm very pleased with the progress though. I couldn't get so much done if I didn't have the 30 day limit to focus my attention.
Here is an old bit, almost the first that I wrote of this attempt, from Act I Scene I, the kids Saul and Jacob alone together for the first time:
I still like this bit a lot, and I think it's because Jacob comes across as a little shit -- an interesting little shit.
I really want all my characters to be extremely interesting humans -- not just interesting from the outside, but people you would like to talk to. Perhaps that is a mistake.
Here is an old bit, almost the first that I wrote of this attempt, from Act I Scene I, the kids Saul and Jacob alone together for the first time:
A student room in a Cambridge college, part of a set. The original panelling is still there. A leaded window looks out onto the court. Mod cons have been fitted to serve the needs of conference guests and others during the vacation: a coffee maker; wifi. There's a couch.
...
SAUL: I'm having the bed.
JACOB: No.
SAUL: I'm having the bed.
JACOB walks stage L, looks offstage, throws his backpack through the door of the bedroom.
SAUL: You're a child.
JACOB: You can have the bed next year for three years. Takes out a cigarette.
SAUL: You can't. The window won't open.
JACOB: I'll say it's you. He lights it.
SAUL: Fucking... Please. Tries to grab the cigarette. Don't be a dick –
JACOB: You're swearing, Saul, and you need to control yourself. That won't go down well with the master.
Jacob lies on the couch and smokes.
JACOB: It is a bit blatant, though, isn't it.
SAUL: It's... tradition.
JACOB: No, fine. They're protecting their interests.
SAUL: They're doing it for us.
JACOB: That's what I said.
SAUL: So what's –
JACOB: The problem is just it's hypocritical. Do you think they'll get me in?
I would think if they can get you in, they can get me in for sure. As I got the brains. Since I inherited the family brains.
Hey, do you think this could have been their room?
SAUL: Dad's?
JACOB: Mum's?
They listened to records here, they smoked dope here, they did whatever people did in the 80s...
[alternatively: Jacob makes this speech to Saul. Saul then gives the bed up. It's too talky and pat for Saul.]
SAUL: Oh yes.
They kissed for the first time. It was electric! They knew. And when they came back here as PhDs – he, a young Turk of evolutionary theory – she, a hart drinking from the streams of medieval literature – they returned one night. It started in fun. They broke into the old room where they met. Nobody was around. It was dark, just like the first night they met. Just like tonight.
They made love, Jacob. Your father's penis, gently – but you're a biologist. You know the details. And you were conceived. On the bed where you now will sleep.
JACOB: Oh no way.
He smokes.
JACOB: It doesn't fit. It would have been you. I was in London.
I really want all my characters to be extremely interesting humans -- not just interesting from the outside, but people you would like to talk to. Perhaps that is a mistake.
Saturday, 30 July 2011
the daily swim 19
No problems today either - lovely weather obviously helps a lot. But the jellyfish issue is still a problem - they seem to like drifting in our bay. As I was swimming today a man waded past me towards the shore thrashing his arms in front of him like scythes. 'Les meduses?' I said. And when he looked blank, 'Jellyfish.' Ah oui,' he said,' c'etait l'accent.' So the way I say 'les meduses' is so weird it's harder to understand than the english 'jellyfish'? Merde. That's 'shit' for any french people reading.
First Double Fail!
The re-entry process after a two week holiday can be stressful. Even more so when your poor, abandoned, slobber-hound decides that the perfect "Welcome Home" present is to leave his version of a Jackson Pollak on your bedroom carpet.
Let's not discuss his chosen medium, ok?
Plenty of reading and sleep on Thursday - my travel day. Yesterday? Ugh.
Returned to work. Returned to stress. Returned to heat and humidity. Returned to frustrations galore...
Oh, and returned just in time to hit my favorite summer event - a three day Celtic festival. Which meant i was out the door by 5:00 pm, and drinking a cold brew by 5:30. And dancing, and singing, and eating all manner of stick-based meat products.
The 30 minutes of reading didn't happen yesterday. In bed by midnight, but tossed and turned, and didn't get anywhere near 7 hours of good sleep, before waking up to get on with the chores of the day at 7:30 am.
Today? Will be better. Although i'm back to the festival today... and likely going to the musicians "after-party". Which starts at 11pm. Which should be a blast... Better get my reading done... Sleep? Meh. Might be over-rated in some circumstances!
Let's not discuss his chosen medium, ok?
Plenty of reading and sleep on Thursday - my travel day. Yesterday? Ugh.
Returned to work. Returned to stress. Returned to heat and humidity. Returned to frustrations galore...
Oh, and returned just in time to hit my favorite summer event - a three day Celtic festival. Which meant i was out the door by 5:00 pm, and drinking a cold brew by 5:30. And dancing, and singing, and eating all manner of stick-based meat products.
The 30 minutes of reading didn't happen yesterday. In bed by midnight, but tossed and turned, and didn't get anywhere near 7 hours of good sleep, before waking up to get on with the chores of the day at 7:30 am.
Today? Will be better. Although i'm back to the festival today... and likely going to the musicians "after-party". Which starts at 11pm. Which should be a blast... Better get my reading done... Sleep? Meh. Might be over-rated in some circumstances!
mucho ruido y pocas nueces
Tengo dos tarjetas importantes en mi cartera: uno es un reloj para mi oficina, y la otra es mi Oyster (el sitio oficial no está abriendo). Normalmente, no los tengo que sacar de mi cartera, yo simplemente toca me cartera en la máquina.
He acabo de intentar usar mi cartera para abrir mi puerta principal. No funciona.
Un hermosa día en Londres. ¡Espectacular!
Me ecantaría escribir mucho más, pero tengo que correr (¿¿¿sin camiseta???) y entonces yo tengo una entrada por ver “Much Ado” con David Tennant (¡hurrah!) and Catherine Tate (bostezo). ¿Por qúe no David Tennant y Eve Best (ella está en la misma obra al Teatro Globe ahora ... eso sería increíble.
La obra es agotado, y una de mis estudiantes me llamó ayer porque ella tiene una entrada y no puede usarlo. Soy buy afortunado.
He acabo de intentar usar mi cartera para abrir mi puerta principal. No funciona.
Un hermosa día en Londres. ¡Espectacular!
Me ecantaría escribir mucho más, pero tengo que correr (¿¿¿sin camiseta???) y entonces yo tengo una entrada por ver “Much Ado” con David Tennant (¡hurrah!) and Catherine Tate (bostezo). ¿Por qúe no David Tennant y Eve Best (ella está en la misma obra al Teatro Globe ahora ... eso sería increíble.
La obra es agotado, y una de mis estudiantes me llamó ayer porque ella tiene una entrada y no puede usarlo. Soy buy afortunado.
Friday, 29 July 2011
No tengo vergüenza. Nada.
Tengo que hacer una confesión.
Un placer culpable que yo encontré anoche.
Estaba buscando libros en español para leer en mi Kindle. Encontré unos pocos libros, escribía de un autor de EE UU (una mujer qui se gusta Oscar Wilde). Cada libro es solo acerca de £1. Muy barato.
Y, las historias son baratas también. Ellos son, más o menos, porno gay. Nada pesado. Son etiquetados como "romance erótico".
La escritura es horrible. ¡Atroz! No estoy seguro de si se trata de la traducción o la escritura original. Bueno, estoy bastante seguro de que yo sé la respuesta a eso, pero yo voy a dar el "novelista" el beneficio de la duda.
Entonces, la cosa buena es yo lo peudo entendir, por la mayor parte. Y yo, puedo estar tranquilo en mi nuevo conocimiento que no hay dinero para ser ganado por escrito una mierda.
Un placer culpable que yo encontré anoche.
Estaba buscando libros en español para leer en mi Kindle. Encontré unos pocos libros, escribía de un autor de EE UU (una mujer qui se gusta Oscar Wilde). Cada libro es solo acerca de £1. Muy barato.
Y, las historias son baratas también. Ellos son, más o menos, porno gay. Nada pesado. Son etiquetados como "romance erótico".
La escritura es horrible. ¡Atroz! No estoy seguro de si se trata de la traducción o la escritura original. Bueno, estoy bastante seguro de que yo sé la respuesta a eso, pero yo voy a dar el "novelista" el beneficio de la duda.
Entonces, la cosa buena es yo lo peudo entendir, por la mayor parte. Y yo, puedo estar tranquilo en mi nuevo conocimiento que no hay dinero para ser ganado por escrito una mierda.
the daily swim 18
Back in the (happy) groove. A swim, 40 mins on the beach, prawns the size of a baby's arm for dinner tonight, and a chilled bottle of champagne with my name on it.
The Man said, of yesterday's rat event, 'It could have crawled up on the bed and bitten one of us. It might have had rabies.' I guess he has a point. It was small-ish though. Had the look of one of those long and lean alley rats from Disney films. Really long tail. But I'm not a live rat fan so I kept the cat in last night which meant three in the bed and I got the least room.
Two more days of kid-zone, but I am also very proud of him because he ate snails last night for the first time. And a lot of kids wouldn't have even tried.
There was a very scary face just before this stage, and another one when he first put it in his mouth. But he ate it anyway. Good kid. I doubt I'd have done the same at 7.
The Man said, of yesterday's rat event, 'It could have crawled up on the bed and bitten one of us. It might have had rabies.' I guess he has a point. It was small-ish though. Had the look of one of those long and lean alley rats from Disney films. Really long tail. But I'm not a live rat fan so I kept the cat in last night which meant three in the bed and I got the least room.
There was a very scary face just before this stage, and another one when he first put it in his mouth. But he ate it anyway. Good kid. I doubt I'd have done the same at 7.
Mitzi On the Move
Today a young woman and her late middle-age parents were bustling about the apartment complex - she has bought a place is and was showing the folks around. They were all very excited, except for not having the right key to the gym.
Early in today's jog I therefore hopped of the 'mill to let the newcomers into the gym. They looked around while I kept on keeping on until 3.93 k's elapsed under my feet. I am very into the number 3 at present, as my performance-presentation is about a character in Finnegans Wake whose symbol is the triangle.
Today's distance was thumped along in 36 minutes (adding to the 3-ness) including a "cool down", so it's nice to know that if wanted to do a serious distance like 5 K's, it's not too far off.
Today I listened to Indigo Girls' album Become You, an old favourite. Mellow tunes, great rhymes, subdued angst and hymnal qualities. Happy weekend, all.
Early in today's jog I therefore hopped of the 'mill to let the newcomers into the gym. They looked around while I kept on keeping on until 3.93 k's elapsed under my feet. I am very into the number 3 at present, as my performance-presentation is about a character in Finnegans Wake whose symbol is the triangle.
Today's distance was thumped along in 36 minutes (adding to the 3-ness) including a "cool down", so it's nice to know that if wanted to do a serious distance like 5 K's, it's not too far off.
Today I listened to Indigo Girls' album Become You, an old favourite. Mellow tunes, great rhymes, subdued angst and hymnal qualities. Happy weekend, all.
Thursday, 28 July 2011
Un largo día en el ordenador
No me ha gustado hoy.
Tenía una entrega por esta noche, y cuando yo veía a mi trabajo esta mañana, me daba que mi colega no tenía el tiempo para acabar su parte de la lata. Grrrr. Y ella está en vacaciones ahora.
Por lo tanto, había más de lo que había pensado. Mucho más. Todo la día, me sentía estresado. Yo no creo que nunca terminaría. Tuve que hacer y editar y subir vídeos. Tuve que encontrar sustitutos para los videos que no tenía. Tuve que escribir nuevos paginas por le clase de línea.
Pero, muy despacio, todo empezaba adquirir forma. Y, ahora, lo había despachado. Se trata de unas horas poco tarde, pero al menos ya está. No está completo totalmente, pero está bueno por esta noche.
Va a ser más mañana, pero eso es nada nuevo.
Las entregas. Losoído oido. Pero yo supongo están una mal necesario.
Espero que mañana voy a disfrutar más.
Tenía una entrega por esta noche, y cuando yo veía a mi trabajo esta mañana, me daba que mi colega no tenía el tiempo para acabar su parte de la lata. Grrrr. Y ella está en vacaciones ahora.
Por lo tanto, había más de lo que había pensado. Mucho más. Todo la día, me sentía estresado. Yo no creo que nunca terminaría. Tuve que hacer y editar y subir vídeos. Tuve que encontrar sustitutos para los videos que no tenía. Tuve que escribir nuevos paginas por le clase de línea.
Pero, muy despacio, todo empezaba adquirir forma. Y, ahora, lo había despachado. Se trata de unas horas poco tarde, pero al menos ya está. No está completo totalmente, pero está bueno por esta noche.
Va a ser más mañana, pero eso es nada nuevo.
Las entregas. Los
Espero que mañana voy a disfrutar más.
the daily swim missed for 2 days
The weather stopped me yesterday and grumpiness stopped me today. Grumpiness edged with tiredness and the morning beginning with a dead rat at the end of the bed which didn't augur well for the rest of the day. Ah well, there's tomorrow.
Day 17 - Two for One
Looks like my computer is cooperating with me today.
First yesterday's, then today's.
First yesterday's, then today's.
Mitzi and the Dap Kings
Today I ran a sweaty 3.3k's down in the gym. I always start with the setting on a difficult "incline" (the ramp-thing is tilted at a hill angle); then as the jog gets more challenging I lower the level until I am running on a less gruelling angle.
Something keeping me going with the sweat-fest, other than being able to fit into my favourite local designer's clothes, is being able to report back. I freely admit that the ritual of exercise includes a little ... I wouldn't say bragging, but definitely validation. The need to clock on and off is a timeless human impulse.
Today I listened to Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, on a podcasted live concert from Newport Jazz (or Folk?) festival. The woman is a tiny dynamo, I saw her once here in Sydney. Her voice is rich in feeling and she clearly loves the chance to get an audience on their feet and grooving. Her song "100 Days, 100 Nights" is a total, hands down smash hit and the rest of her music is bloody great.
Something keeping me going with the sweat-fest, other than being able to fit into my favourite local designer's clothes, is being able to report back. I freely admit that the ritual of exercise includes a little ... I wouldn't say bragging, but definitely validation. The need to clock on and off is a timeless human impulse.
Today I listened to Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, on a podcasted live concert from Newport Jazz (or Folk?) festival. The woman is a tiny dynamo, I saw her once here in Sydney. Her voice is rich in feeling and she clearly loves the chance to get an audience on their feet and grooving. Her song "100 Days, 100 Nights" is a total, hands down smash hit and the rest of her music is bloody great.
Late nite
At 12 my internet is unblocked and I can surf again. And it's not even always exclusively for porn.
Today, a new expository device: the embarrassingly talkative comedy character.
Today, a new expository device: the embarrassingly talkative comedy character.
Act I
Scene 3
Lights up, Andrew's room. Andrew, Sarah, the Master. The Master is about 10 years older than Andrew. White hair. Distinguished. Softly commanding.
THE MASTER: So how are the young men?
SARAH: Fine, I think. Hard to tell with teenagers. Saul's growing up very nicely, I think…. Jacob's fifteen.
ANDREW: He's very into biology.
THE MASTER: We all were at that age!
ANDREW: He takes after his father.
Old friends, bad jokes.
MASTER: I recall. Of them both: You met on campus, didn't you?
ANDREW: We were friends.
MASTER: You and … er … Sean. My little eagles! Sarah is not a little eagle. And you've done well. How's the lab? Grant-getting hell? I'm out of that now. I just make occasional speeches. The higher up you get, the stupider they think you must be. I saw you got the European framework money. We tried for that, but.... We should have you here!
SARAH: It would be wonderful.
MASTER: And the – you do English. The English department is very strong.
SARAH: Well, that's why Saul applied. I think he's going to –
MASTER: And you can't beat the research atmosphere – Saul. Where is he?
ANDREW: I think he's changing.
MASTER: There's someone out there. Is that – oh no, he's having a cigarette.
Sarah rushes to the window. Not Andrew.
SARAH: It's Jacob.
ANDREW: Jacob? He rushes to the window.
SARAH: What, Saul does? Andrew shrugs. You have to tell me –
MASTER: Skulking in the bushes. Machiavellian intelligence. But he hasn't realised that smoke goes upward. Oh, he's been joined by someone. Does your boy have an older male friend?
All stare out of window. Should the window be facing the audience so they can face it as they look out? Seems weird though.
SARAH: That's Sean.
MASTER: You think? What a coincidence.
ANDREW: It can't be.
SARAH: It's him. They stop looking out of the window and look at each other.
MASTER oblivious: It can't be. He's in a monastery. They seem to have a lot to say to each other. Well, two biologists. You were all friends together, weren't you? Who knew each other first? Shall I call them up? No. They'd be embarrassed. Oh, they're coming up.
Different kinds of preparation.
Sean and Jacob enter.
Beat.
Who will introduce who?
JACOB: You must be the Master. I'm Jacob. This is Sean.
MASTER: I'm delighted to meet a fellow biologist. Call me John. Later when you're here you can call me the Master. If you get in. Sean. Handshake.
JACOB: Dad, Mum, I think you know Sean.
ANDREW: I can't believe it. They embrace. That really is a tonsure.
SEAN: It's growing out.
Sean and Sarah shake hands. Jacob watches.
Wednesday, 27 July 2011
I have been cleaning and decluttering all day, while watching three of my neighbors' four kids while their moving truck packs up their belongings to move to Texas (*sob*). I'm going to sit down for a minute, even though my kitchen island is still a mess, so I can take a break and do some photo organization.
I signed up for a trial of Carbonite to solve my backup issues. For $50 a year, it will provide me with an offsite backup of all of my files in case my laptop gets stolen or lost or whatever. Yes, I could do it myself with a USB hard drive, but I've tried that a bunch of times and I have trouble keeping up with it, and I really don't trust it. And if the house burns down, then where am I? Anyway, so Carbonite is uploading my 125GB of files right now. It should only take about 30 days. Ha!
I signed up for a trial of Carbonite to solve my backup issues. For $50 a year, it will provide me with an offsite backup of all of my files in case my laptop gets stolen or lost or whatever. Yes, I could do it myself with a USB hard drive, but I've tried that a bunch of times and I have trouble keeping up with it, and I really don't trust it. And if the house burns down, then where am I? Anyway, so Carbonite is uploading my 125GB of files right now. It should only take about 30 days. Ha!
En el que obtener ayuda gratuita ...
Mi estudiante estuvo tarde hoy porque ella (y su maestra de su clase de la mañana) fueron caminando al recinto olímpico.
Quiero ir.
Creo que será interesante de ver las cosas ahora y luego otra vez en un año cuando vayamos a la inauguración de la ceremoniero. Oh, ¿le he dicho que tenemos las entradas para la inauguración de la ceremoniero? ¡Qué suerte!.
--------------------------
Una de las señoras de la limpieza aquí en la escuela, que me encanta – practico hablar español con ella un poco cada día, ella debe enseñar – acaba de llegar a mi clase y vio que yo estaba escribiendo en español.
Ella corregido por completo mi trabajo (muy útil) y ahora ella quiere hacerme unas cócteles de Perú para mi cumpleaños.
¡Fantástico!
Quiero ir.
Creo que será interesante de ver las cosas ahora y luego otra vez en un año cuando vayamos a la inauguración de la ceremoniero. Oh, ¿le he dicho que tenemos las entradas para la inauguración de la ceremoniero? ¡Qué suerte!.
--------------------------
Una de las señoras de la limpieza aquí en la escuela, que me encanta – practico hablar español con ella un poco cada día, ella debe enseñar – acaba de llegar a mi clase y vio que yo estaba escribiendo en español.
Ella corregido por completo mi trabajo (muy útil) y ahora ella quiere hacerme unas cócteles de Perú para mi cumpleaños.
¡Fantástico!
Day 16
And now my computer doesn't want to read my cell phone memory card. I'm too annoyed to mess around with it anymore.
Photo snapped for the day, mission accomplished, but it won't be posted here. We'll try again tomorrow.
--kathi
Photo snapped for the day, mission accomplished, but it won't be posted here. We'll try again tomorrow.
--kathi
the daily swim 15
Hey - half way through. Last night's swim was under a cloudy sky with Oliver, 7-year-old grandson, who said he didn't need my help as we swam out of his depth but within 30 seconds was gurgling, 'I think I need help.'
Today's swim is likely to be postponed as the morning started with a thunderclap that nearly turned the cat inside out and the rain is not letting up.
As much as I like, for the most part, my inherited grandchildren and my nieces and nephews, and great niece and nephew, I remain pleased that I didn't have my own kids. One, it is mind numbingly boring having to tell someone what to do all the time. Two, they don't come equipped with on/off switches. And three, I would be in prison by now for having have sold one, or given one away, before they were 5.
Gone off the subject there, although keeping my head above water might be an apt metaphor for living with a kid for a week.
Today's swim is likely to be postponed as the morning started with a thunderclap that nearly turned the cat inside out and the rain is not letting up.
As much as I like, for the most part, my inherited grandchildren and my nieces and nephews, and great niece and nephew, I remain pleased that I didn't have my own kids. One, it is mind numbingly boring having to tell someone what to do all the time. Two, they don't come equipped with on/off switches. And three, I would be in prison by now for having have sold one, or given one away, before they were 5.
Gone off the subject there, although keeping my head above water might be an apt metaphor for living with a kid for a week.
Mitzi's Day Off-Course
Today I ran up and down hills chasing the Niecelette.
There was no treadmill beneath the feet and the nearest waterway was a duck pond and a curious, odd water drainage system for the system of ponds in the park.
Technically today was a day off, as I began the day with some solid writing and Niece Duty got the rest of my daylight waking hours.
My collection of sports bras is drip-drying, but you probably didn't need to know that. Any kind of sport or exercise is impossible without the appropriate hardware. With increased sporting activity, I have had to order a new super-bra from interstate. Them's the 30 day breaks.
There was no treadmill beneath the feet and the nearest waterway was a duck pond and a curious, odd water drainage system for the system of ponds in the park.
Technically today was a day off, as I began the day with some solid writing and Niece Duty got the rest of my daylight waking hours.
My collection of sports bras is drip-drying, but you probably didn't need to know that. Any kind of sport or exercise is impossible without the appropriate hardware. With increased sporting activity, I have had to order a new super-bra from interstate. Them's the 30 day breaks.
Chicago relax
on holiday. that has tuned out to be a boon to both the sleep and book reading challenges. yep, i'm still doing lots of cool holiday stuff -- visiting places, meeting people, eating too much. but i've also been sleeping well and hitting that 7 hour goal (not to mention afternoon naps).
also, spare time in between holiday adventures has been spent reading. finished my third book, "World War Z", this afternoon. yay!! will be scrounging for a new read tomorrow.
the lesson learned here? take vacation the rest of this 30-day challenge and i'll hit my goals!
also, spare time in between holiday adventures has been spent reading. finished my third book, "World War Z", this afternoon. yay!! will be scrounging for a new read tomorrow.
the lesson learned here? take vacation the rest of this 30-day challenge and i'll hit my goals!
Una nueva proyecto despegue
Empezado enseñar una nueva clase en linea esta semana. No esta una cosa grande, pero hay dos cosas diferentes sobre eso.
1. Esta está la primera vez que esta clase ha estado enseña en mi escuela.
2. Lo he escrito -- y la escritura no lo he terminado. ¿Como se dice, "yikes!"?
La clase va a estar cuatro semanas. La semana segundo está casi completo. La semana tercera está bastante bueno — más o menos.
La última semana es ... así, yo debería estar trabajando en ello en lugar de trabajar en esto.
¡Paciencia!
1. Esta está la primera vez que esta clase ha estado enseña en mi escuela.
2. Lo he escrito -- y la escritura no lo he terminado. ¿Como se dice, "yikes!"?
La clase va a estar cuatro semanas. La semana segundo está casi completo. La semana tercera está bastante bueno — más o menos.
La última semana es ... así, yo debería estar trabajando en ello en lugar de trabajar en esto.
¡Paciencia!
Tuesday, 26 July 2011
Little bit of photos, lots of decluttering
I just finished uploading and sharing the best of our family trip in June. There is a little more cleanup I can do for this year, but I'm basically done until the end of July, when I'll have to handle July's pictures.
I spent hours and hours in the basement today, moving stuff around and sorting it out. I just need to figure out what to do with all of the stuff we don't need anymore. Garage sale is a ton of work, Once Upon a Child might be a good solution, but donation is the easiest. I have a really hard time letting go of things, so I was going to try selling it this time to see if a monetary reward would help me get rid of things. I will probably try Once Upon a Child first, then donate the rest.
I spent hours and hours in the basement today, moving stuff around and sorting it out. I just need to figure out what to do with all of the stuff we don't need anymore. Garage sale is a ton of work, Once Upon a Child might be a good solution, but donation is the easiest. I have a really hard time letting go of things, so I was going to try selling it this time to see if a monetary reward would help me get rid of things. I will probably try Once Upon a Child first, then donate the rest.
Catchup
OK, I've missed a couple days but not as many as it appears from the non-blogging. I've been working on this around 10-11 at night every night, and I block my internet at that time, so it doesn't chime very easily with blogging about it. Here's another chunk.
------
Andrew needs to explain a difficult problem to a student who is not yet ready for the material.
JACOB: Let's go through them again. Because your friends are exchanging favours with you. Because generosity makes you look strong. Because your friends are your relatives.
Now Andrew is the recalcitrant student.
Jacob takes the letter out.
JACOB: Clinetics Limited. Know them? (Andrew shakes his head.) They're a genetic testing company. A little low-end compared to your people.
ANDREW faintly: It's not an area of the market we have much contact with.
JACOB gets a cutlery knife from the drawer and cuts open the top of the envelope.
ANDREW: Son,
Jacob waits.
A very challenging student.
Long pause.ANDREW: have you ever seen a Hitchcock film?
JACOB: What?
ANDREW: Do you know Alfred Hitchcock, the film director?
JACOB: Yes, I know Alfred Hitchcock, the film director.
ANDREW: Do you know what a MacGuffin is?
JACOB shakes his head.
ANDREW: So in all of his films, there's some object that the characters are chasing. A briefcase, or a necklace, or a coffin. And they are all very interested in that object. The whole plot of the film revolves around it. So Hitchcock called it the MacGuffin.
Saul enters and stands unobserved.
But the point about the MacGuffin is, that there is no point. It can be anything. It itself doesn't actually matter. It's just a hook to hang the plot on.
You... want a lot of things. You want certainty and trust, and you want to understand everything, you have all these questions and you want to put them to rest. The answer is not in that letter. Don't open it.
Trust me.
JACOB: Why should I?
ANDREW: Because I'm your father.
-------
I've been reading Sarah Kane. I'm not sure I learn much from it, but she makes me feel appropriately inferior: her writing is dazzling.
------
Andrew needs to explain a difficult problem to a student who is not yet ready for the material.
JACOB: Let's go through them again. Because your friends are exchanging favours with you. Because generosity makes you look strong. Because your friends are your relatives.
Now Andrew is the recalcitrant student.
Jacob takes the letter out.
JACOB: Clinetics Limited. Know them? (Andrew shakes his head.) They're a genetic testing company. A little low-end compared to your people.
ANDREW faintly: It's not an area of the market we have much contact with.
JACOB gets a cutlery knife from the drawer and cuts open the top of the envelope.
ANDREW: Son,
Jacob waits.
A very challenging student.
Long pause.ANDREW: have you ever seen a Hitchcock film?
JACOB: What?
ANDREW: Do you know Alfred Hitchcock, the film director?
JACOB: Yes, I know Alfred Hitchcock, the film director.
ANDREW: Do you know what a MacGuffin is?
JACOB shakes his head.
ANDREW: So in all of his films, there's some object that the characters are chasing. A briefcase, or a necklace, or a coffin. And they are all very interested in that object. The whole plot of the film revolves around it. So Hitchcock called it the MacGuffin.
Saul enters and stands unobserved.
But the point about the MacGuffin is, that there is no point. It can be anything. It itself doesn't actually matter. It's just a hook to hang the plot on.
You... want a lot of things. You want certainty and trust, and you want to understand everything, you have all these questions and you want to put them to rest. The answer is not in that letter. Don't open it.
Trust me.
JACOB: Why should I?
ANDREW: Because I'm your father.
-------
I've been reading Sarah Kane. I'm not sure I learn much from it, but she makes me feel appropriately inferior: her writing is dazzling.
Day 15 - Uptown
We've been walking early in the morning when it's as cool as it's going to get in the day. We used to walk at a park but there are too many gunshots in and around the park (not to mention slamming car doors) and now my dog is afraid to go there because of the noise. He doesn't like the sidewalks around our neighborhood either because the neighbors set off firecrackers every night from early June through mid-July. So, we've taken to walking uptown, along Main St.
In a couple of hours, when the shops and government offices open, the street will be bumper to bumper with cars and semi trucks. This photo is of a rare moment when the street is just about empty. This picture makes the town seem drab and lifeless, but actually, it's almost quaint. There's not much to see or do uptown, but they do try to make it look nice with trees and flowers and such.
We're halfway through our 30 Day Challenge. It's been interesting so far. I've enjoyed reading the posts of others more than I've enjoyed trying to find a photo to take everyday. We'll see what the next 15 days bring.
We're halfway through our 30 Day Challenge. It's been interesting so far. I've enjoyed reading the posts of others more than I've enjoyed trying to find a photo to take everyday. We'll see what the next 15 days bring.
Indoor Mitzi
During today's sweatfest I finished listening to yesterday's podcast about "going posh". The final word on what is posh is "opening a champagne bottle with a sword". I reflected on how difficult this would be given I was taught to "twist the bottle, not the cork" in my bar-tending days.
There ended up being a numerical theme for today's jog (the exercise formerly known as a walk by the sea.) I ran 3.3km in about 30 minutes. It's a case of slow and steady, hare over tortoise. Plus a tipping of the hat to all things "30".
There ended up being a numerical theme for today's jog (the exercise formerly known as a walk by the sea.) I ran 3.3km in about 30 minutes. It's a case of slow and steady, hare over tortoise. Plus a tipping of the hat to all things "30".
Corra, Bob, Corra
No hay ninguna razón en este planeta por Jay Leno estar en la televisión. Ninguna.
De pasar ...
Estoy corriendo de nuevo. Hace unos meses, me inscribí en una media maratón (en Toronto, en octubre). No estoy seguro si voy a hacer a T.O., pero estoy entrenando todos modos.
Quiero terminarlo en menos de 2:15. Eso parece bastante rápido para mí, pero hasta ahora estoy superando el ritmo meta fijada por el programa. Supongo que el entrenamiento de los últimos meses es realmente está merecido la pena. Una cosa es segura, ninguno de mis pantalones son ajustados más. Un peligro de convertirse en forma: se necesita ropa nueva.
Mi entrenador cree que estoy más rápido que yo creo que estoy. Creo que es mejor para vencer a los objetivos del programa más fácil de lo que me propuse al fracaso en el más uno. Para mí, al menos, esta estrategia es más motivador.
Oh. Yo presenté mis papeles para la ciudadanía del Reino Unido la semana pasada. Creo que voy a ser uno de los ciudadanos de la Reina pronto. Estoy seguro de HRM está encantado, ¿no?
De pasar ...
Estoy corriendo de nuevo. Hace unos meses, me inscribí en una media maratón (en Toronto, en octubre). No estoy seguro si voy a hacer a T.O., pero estoy entrenando todos modos.
Quiero terminarlo en menos de 2:15. Eso parece bastante rápido para mí, pero hasta ahora estoy superando el ritmo meta fijada por el programa. Supongo que el entrenamiento de los últimos meses es realmente está merecido la pena. Una cosa es segura, ninguno de mis pantalones son ajustados más. Un peligro de convertirse en forma: se necesita ropa nueva.
Mi entrenador cree que estoy más rápido que yo creo que estoy. Creo que es mejor para vencer a los objetivos del programa más fácil de lo que me propuse al fracaso en el más uno. Para mí, al menos, esta estrategia es más motivador.
Oh. Yo presenté mis papeles para la ciudadanía del Reino Unido la semana pasada. Creo que voy a ser uno de los ciudadanos de la Reina pronto. Estoy seguro de HRM está encantado, ¿no?
Monday, 25 July 2011
the daily swim 14
Jelly fish. Les meduses. Not that I've actually seen any but I've met people who have. And I've seen people staring at them in the sea. They are, depending on who you speak to, brown and speckled, white and clear, the size of a fist, the size of a big marshmallow. Whatever, everyone agrees that they sting.
The water is warm. Today I played valleyball, which is knocking a white football back and forth in the sea with a 7 year old who misread 'volley'.
The water is warm. Today I played valleyball, which is knocking a white football back and forth in the sea with a 7 year old who misread 'volley'.
Chugging along....
The 30 Day Challenge train chugs merrily forward! While in NYC, i finished my first book - slow and steady progress, and generaly nailing the 30 minutes/day goal. Flying into Chicago yesterday for the next part of the holiday, i dug into "Under the Banner of Heaven", by Jon Krakauer...
The sleep portion of the game is generally going pretty well! Still averaging 7 hours/night, but augmenting that with 2 hour daily siestas. i will be loathe to give up the afternoon naps when i am back at my desk.
i did have one night of interrupted sleep - that pesky 4am call regarding a family situation that was guaranteed to keep me awake the remainder of the night. But all is momentarily resolved... and i can sleep again.
i hope...
The sleep portion of the game is generally going pretty well! Still averaging 7 hours/night, but augmenting that with 2 hour daily siestas. i will be loathe to give up the afternoon naps when i am back at my desk.
i did have one night of interrupted sleep - that pesky 4am call regarding a family situation that was guaranteed to keep me awake the remainder of the night. But all is momentarily resolved... and i can sleep again.
i hope...
Day 14 - Yet Another Flower
As dull as it is around here, there's not much to take photos of. Another walk uptown this morning. Another flower.
Going Posh with Mitzi
Seaside strolls has morphed entirely into Treadmill Thrills. I leapt aboard this avo with thirty minutes of spare energy, and it sizzle out of my pores in true toxins-ran-out-of-town-by-the-sherrif fashion. Goodbye, tension, stress and ick. Hello, happy zings, endorphins and squeaks.
Today's sweat soundtrack was a podcast of the Dave Gorman session on Absolute Radio (UK). Dave Gorman deserves much acclaim for his gentlemanly humour and fireside charm. Together with co-presenters Danielle Ward and Martin White, the show is side-splittingly funny, including contributions from twitter and facebook fans. The topic for listener interraction was "going posh"...eg one listener considers garden peas more posh than mushy peas; another considered that calling your parents "Mummy" or "Daddy" when you're 35 or older is completely posh. Posh (swanky, classy, upper crust) stood for Port Outward, Starboard Home (from the days of ships and sea travel, indicating the best class of cabin location aboard ship.) See? My day's jog did have a connection to the sea. A posh one.
Today's sweat soundtrack was a podcast of the Dave Gorman session on Absolute Radio (UK). Dave Gorman deserves much acclaim for his gentlemanly humour and fireside charm. Together with co-presenters Danielle Ward and Martin White, the show is side-splittingly funny, including contributions from twitter and facebook fans. The topic for listener interraction was "going posh"...eg one listener considers garden peas more posh than mushy peas; another considered that calling your parents "Mummy" or "Daddy" when you're 35 or older is completely posh. Posh (swanky, classy, upper crust) stood for Port Outward, Starboard Home (from the days of ships and sea travel, indicating the best class of cabin location aboard ship.) See? My day's jog did have a connection to the sea. A posh one.
¿Jugar a un juego?
Estaba listo para acostarse cuando recordé que no he escrito mi español por hoy.
Estoy cansado, por lo tanto, esta voy a ser corto.
“Castle” fue en el televisión esta noche. Hace mucho tiempo, trabajé con (no de cerca) una de sus estrellas, Nathan Filion. No conozco muchas famosas, pero he conocido a algunos en mis días. Le gente juega “seis grados de Kevin Bacon” — ¿Por qué no jugamos seis grados de Bob?
En los comentarios, dame una celebridad del cine o la televisión, y vamos a ver cuántos grados soy de ellos.
Yo puedo hacer esto en Inglés o Español ... su elección.
Mañana, voy a escribir una entrada adecuado.
Estoy cansado, por lo tanto, esta voy a ser corto.
“Castle” fue en el televisión esta noche. Hace mucho tiempo, trabajé con (no de cerca) una de sus estrellas, Nathan Filion. No conozco muchas famosas, pero he conocido a algunos en mis días. Le gente juega “seis grados de Kevin Bacon” — ¿Por qué no jugamos seis grados de Bob?
En los comentarios, dame una celebridad del cine o la televisión, y vamos a ver cuántos grados soy de ellos.
Yo puedo hacer esto en Inglés o Español ... su elección.
Mañana, voy a escribir una entrada adecuado.
Sunday, 24 July 2011
Cleaning and organizing...
This weekend I have made major progress on the decluttering and cleaning of the house. Our master bedroom, formerly the repository of all things that need to be dealt with or organized, is now neat and tidy and clean. I filed away enough of the kids' artwork and school papers and recycled the rest. Unfortunately, a lot of the stuff to be dealt with has ended up downstairs in the kitchen, but at least there I will be forced to deal with it NOW rather than putting it off forever.
I also cleaned our master bathroom. That involved taking all of the kids' toys out of the bathtub and surrounding area, and scrubbing away the hard water deposits on everything. Phew. I also scrubbed the baseboards and cleaned the floor.
Laundry, too!
Wow, these summer days when I don't fill the day with plans are really much more productive! I should try having more of them.
No photo organizing yet, though we did spend some time watching the Disney slideshow, so maybe that counts.
I also cleaned our master bathroom. That involved taking all of the kids' toys out of the bathtub and surrounding area, and scrubbing away the hard water deposits on everything. Phew. I also scrubbed the baseboards and cleaned the floor.
Laundry, too!
Wow, these summer days when I don't fill the day with plans are really much more productive! I should try having more of them.
No photo organizing yet, though we did spend some time watching the Disney slideshow, so maybe that counts.
the daily swim 13
My swim timetable has changed. I was on the beach by 10.30 this morning: kids and leisurely late in the day swims don't mix. And I saw fish - little silver ones swimming about my legs. And a bird - like a smaller version of a cormorant, diving into the sea between people's bobbing heads and re-appearing a few yards away a minute or so later.
We've also bought a paddling pool - for 7-year-old beach relief. It's a biggie (6 ft by 2.5 feet) though I refuse to count a dip in that as a daily swim and will persevere with the beach. But now, after 13 days, it feels less like and effort and more like something I'm looking forward to.
We've also bought a paddling pool - for 7-year-old beach relief. It's a biggie (6 ft by 2.5 feet) though I refuse to count a dip in that as a daily swim and will persevere with the beach. But now, after 13 days, it feels less like and effort and more like something I'm looking forward to.
Day 13 - Pretty Purple
Walking uptown this morning I found these pretty purple flowers. The photo doesn't do them justice.
Mitzi and the Music
Today I was still out in the depths of the bush at Berowra Waters, a hidden away nook on the Hawkesbury River. Sleeping off a party in a riverside log cabin has its charm. Being beside the river I decided fulfilled half the protfolio of a Seaside stroll.
The best thing about my yesterday's jog, other than a serious endorphin high that lasted hours, was listening to the podcast of a live concert by Arizona band Calexico. Great music for a physical workout which I know sounds revoltingly healthy and an abuse of good music: however, I found myself arm-dancing and shaking invisible maraccas etc which I would hastily cease every few minutes, as there were other people in the gym. The day before I'd listened to a live concert by Fujiya and Miyagi. Great beats and ooph but less aiyaiyai.
The best thing about my yesterday's jog, other than a serious endorphin high that lasted hours, was listening to the podcast of a live concert by Arizona band Calexico. Great music for a physical workout which I know sounds revoltingly healthy and an abuse of good music: however, I found myself arm-dancing and shaking invisible maraccas etc which I would hastily cease every few minutes, as there were other people in the gym. The day before I'd listened to a live concert by Fujiya and Miyagi. Great beats and ooph but less aiyaiyai.
A Challenge Dropped
...but it's not a bad thing. i'm leaving in about 10 hours to go on a vacation. that sort of makes my "spend 30 minutes a day organizing and purging stuff" a bit difficult to accomplish. now, i suppose i could volunteer in the back office of the hotel and do that, but i think they'd frown on that. so, i'm putting that challenge to rest. for now. as i've mentioned before, there will amazingly be yet another 30 days after this 30 days is done for me to pick up the challenge again. it's a good challenge. just would rather give it a full 30 days.
the sleep thing? will still look to get my 7 hours a night on vacation, even if it takes a nap...or three. yeah, still having that issue of going to bed earlier, but having my body clock still get me up after 5-1/2 to 6 hours. but, that's the essence of the challenge...to change old habits. it will happen. i'm being patient.
and the reading? doing great. enjoying picking up reading again. i've finished my second book and am now reading "World War Z" - - a journalistic collection of interviews about the zombie war (you did hear about that, yes?). and this is top literature, mind you. for example, a line i read today is just literary gold - - "But instead [the monkey's] little penis popped out and he peed in my face." Pulitzer Prize, baby...
the sleep thing? will still look to get my 7 hours a night on vacation, even if it takes a nap...or three. yeah, still having that issue of going to bed earlier, but having my body clock still get me up after 5-1/2 to 6 hours. but, that's the essence of the challenge...to change old habits. it will happen. i'm being patient.
and the reading? doing great. enjoying picking up reading again. i've finished my second book and am now reading "World War Z" - - a journalistic collection of interviews about the zombie war (you did hear about that, yes?). and this is top literature, mind you. for example, a line i read today is just literary gold - - "But instead [the monkey's] little penis popped out and he peed in my face." Pulitzer Prize, baby...
Day 12 - Me
I had to have a photo of myself for a writing site. I avoid pictures of me at any cost. I have very few, and most of them are with my dog in front of my face. Anyway, if I want a writing gig I have to post a photo. Ugh. So, that's the one I took today. And because you all must suffer through my photography, you get to be subjected to my mug.
Photo organizing and a new goal...
New plan. I'm going to continue with my 30 minutes of photo organizing a day, but I will try to keep it down to just 30 minutes, instead of the hour or two that it has stretched to lately. Instead, I will also dedicate 30 minutes a day to decluttering/cleaning the house. We're having house guests in two weeks and I really would love to have a sparkling house by then!
Today I captioned our family vacation to summer camp. I'm not done yet, but I did put in 30 minutes, so I'm still on track.
Today I captioned our family vacation to summer camp. I'm not done yet, but I did put in 30 minutes, so I'm still on track.
Un buen día
Recién he llegado en casa de una barbacoa a la casa de mis amigos. Yo no tenía intención de permanecer siete horas, pero tuvimos un buen momento.
Pensamientos al azar …
Creo que acostarse temprano. Es decir, si la media noche es temprano.
Espero que todos ustedes están teniendo un buen fin de semana.
Pensamientos al azar …
- “Eagle Eye” está en la televisíon. Es muy muy estupido. Y no entiendo la atracción por Shia LeBeouf. El exceso de gritos y una trama ridícula. Debo apagarlo, pero es más importante de escribir que para navegar por un programa de televisión mejor.
- Me encontré con el nuevo novio de mi amigo esta tarde. Él es adorable. Mi amigo y yo estábamos "haciendo que el coche estaba bien" (es decir, fumando un cigarrillo en frente de la casa mientras todos los demás en el jardín trasero) y me dijo, "es lo mejor que puede pasar a mí durante tanto tiempo como puedo recordar." Son hermosos juntos. Yo no podría estar más feliz por él.
- Hemos estado yendo a la casa de C & I para un par de años. Es interesante que cuando empezamos a ir, la mayoría eran solteros. Hoy en día, casi todo el mundo, no … ¡todo el mundo! se hace en pareja. Fue muy agradable de ver.
- Los niños estaban tan tímido cuando llegamos. Al final de la tarde, subían todos sobre mí (y todos los demás) y tenían el mejor momento de sus vidas. Y cuando llegó el momento de la cama, fuera de su marcha, sin quejas. Es un placer para pasar el rato con los niños que se han criado así.
Creo que acostarse temprano. Es decir, si la media noche es temprano.
Espero que todos ustedes están teniendo un buen fin de semana.
Saturday, 23 July 2011
the daily swim 12
Quick trot down to the beach, a short swim and back to the house for the arrival of step-daughter and step-grandson for 10 days. Their Easy Jet plane flew over, heading to Nice, while I was in the sea - a strange feeling of knowing they were right above me, starting their descent, but they didn't know I was watching. Connected to them but divided by so much at the same time.
I have new inflatable toys for the beach tomorrow: a kick board and a tyre. Yay!
I have new inflatable toys for the beach tomorrow: a kick board and a tyre. Yay!
Friday, 22 July 2011
the daily swim 11
After two calm and warm days the water is so clear I can see my feet when I've waded in up to my waist. I count a 100 strokes out to sea where I can still stand up and there's a little boy swimming with his mami, like a little turtle with his head poking up above the water, and who suddenly heads towards me. What else to do but grab him under the arms when he arrives smiling, and turn him around and launch him back towards her.
Vous etes anglaise? she asks me. And I say, Galloise, taking care to pronounce it clearly so I describe myself as Welsh and not a french cigarette.
I have a habit of attracting little children, cats and old men over 70. Tony says it's because I'm only about 6 years old myself at heart. But that doesn't explain the cats and old men.
Vous etes anglaise? she asks me. And I say, Galloise, taking care to pronounce it clearly so I describe myself as Welsh and not a french cigarette.
I have a habit of attracting little children, cats and old men over 70. Tony says it's because I'm only about 6 years old myself at heart. But that doesn't explain the cats and old men.
Hombre pequeño, grandes imágenes
Proust tiene su madelaines, yo tengo las bailarines de Can Can.
Yo fui al Museo de Courtauld esta tarde con mi estudiante favorita de Barcelona.*. Vimos la exposición Toulouse-Lautrec / Jane Avril, "Más allá del Moulin Rouge". Estupendo. Especialmente la biografía de Jane Avril. Ahora quiero leer un buen libro sobre Toulouse-Lautrec y la gente que salía con. O, mejor aún, escribir uno.
Cuando veo obras de Toulouse-Lautrec, siempre pienso de Nueva Orleans. En mis viene años, yo vivía alli. Trabajaba en un club, “The Can Can Cabaret.” Fue formada en el Moulin Rouge, y había un mural en la pared en el estilo de Lautrec. Los bailarines tuvieron en los personajes de las mujeres que pintó. Entónces, que no sólo vio un gran espectáculo de hoy, pero yo "can canned" por el carril de la memoria.
Recorrimos la Courtland después de terminar la exposición, y me sorprendí al ver esto:
Siempre me ha encanta esta pintura. Yo no sabía que ella vivía en la Courltand. La Moulin Rouge y Los Folies Bergere, ambas en la misma tarde. ¿Quién sabía?
*He sido su enseñanza de manera intermitente durante el último año más o menos. Ella es fantástica, y se ha convertido en más de un amiga de un estudiante. Sin embargo, eso podría cambiar ya que ella quiere ser empujado un poco más difícil. La próxima semana empiezo a restallar el látigo. Por mucho que se raje un látigo. ;-)
Yo fui al Museo de Courtauld esta tarde con mi estudiante favorita de Barcelona.*. Vimos la exposición Toulouse-Lautrec / Jane Avril, "Más allá del Moulin Rouge". Estupendo. Especialmente la biografía de Jane Avril. Ahora quiero leer un buen libro sobre Toulouse-Lautrec y la gente que salía con. O, mejor aún, escribir uno.
Cuando veo obras de Toulouse-Lautrec, siempre pienso de Nueva Orleans. En mis viene años, yo vivía alli. Trabajaba en un club, “The Can Can Cabaret.” Fue formada en el Moulin Rouge, y había un mural en la pared en el estilo de Lautrec. Los bailarines tuvieron en los personajes de las mujeres que pintó. Entónces, que no sólo vio un gran espectáculo de hoy, pero yo "can canned" por el carril de la memoria.
Recorrimos la Courtland después de terminar la exposición, y me sorprendí al ver esto:
Siempre me ha encanta esta pintura. Yo no sabía que ella vivía en la Courltand. La Moulin Rouge y Los Folies Bergere, ambas en la misma tarde. ¿Quién sabía?
*He sido su enseñanza de manera intermitente durante el último año más o menos. Ella es fantástica, y se ha convertido en más de un amiga de un estudiante. Sin embargo, eso podría cambiar ya que ella quiere ser empujado un poco más difícil. La próxima semana empiezo a restallar el látigo. Por mucho que se raje un látigo. ;-)
Days 10 & 11?
Maybe I missed two days? I definitely missed yesterday. Made up for it today with two shots.
Took a stroll on Main St. this morning while it was cooler. Gave me the chance to take pictures of things other than the stuff in my yard. The first shot is of some promote-tourism thing the state is having... I don't know, and don't much care. Kind of a cool graphic though. The second is of the clock tower on the county courthouse. You can barely see it, but the white dot above the tower is the moon.
Took a stroll on Main St. this morning while it was cooler. Gave me the chance to take pictures of things other than the stuff in my yard. The first shot is of some promote-tourism thing the state is having... I don't know, and don't much care. Kind of a cool graphic though. The second is of the clock tower on the county courthouse. You can barely see it, but the white dot above the tower is the moon.
Treading Water
My willingness to accept the 30 day challenge was to "get back into exercise", which I somehow manage to "get out of" once a month or two. Walking by the sea was an excellent means of propelling the mortal coil along some picturesque stretches of local urban coastline. Yet this week's reversal of sea and sky - in which the sky attempts to recreate the sea in a wall of water between the earth's surface and anywhere above - has been a blessing in soggy disguise.
Back on the treadmill today I leapt aboard with surprising vigour, and was still hyped for the journey 3.4 kilometres later. Added to my slightly earlier wake-up time and "tasks achieved", the exercise has added to my feelings of well-being. I'm afraid it's happy-happy-joy-joy from me.
Back on the treadmill today I leapt aboard with surprising vigour, and was still hyped for the journey 3.4 kilometres later. Added to my slightly earlier wake-up time and "tasks achieved", the exercise has added to my feelings of well-being. I'm afraid it's happy-happy-joy-joy from me.
Disney photos done!
I finished organizing our photos from our March trip to Disney. That's a relief! Now I'm going to go show them to my family. It has been long enough since we were there that I think they'll be thrilled to relive the experience together through photos.
EDIT: I have also gone through and selected the best pictures from our more recent family camp experience. I haven't captioned or tagged them yet, but that's next on the list. Then, I think, I'll be caught up for 2011. I keep thinking that, though, and keep finding more photos to organize.
EDIT: I have also gone through and selected the best pictures from our more recent family camp experience. I haven't captioned or tagged them yet, but that's next on the list. Then, I think, I'll be caught up for 2011. I keep thinking that, though, and keep finding more photos to organize.
Thursday, 21 July 2011
Palabras entre trabajo ...
Estoy esperando a iMovie para importar un video que necesito para editar antes de mañana por la mañana. Mientras tanto, supongo escribiré algunos pensamientos al azar.
Yo soy el rey de la dilación. Mi nuevo pasatiempo es Palabras con Los Amigos. Es mejor de Scrabble porque no juego un partido completo de una vez. Si juegas, empezar un juego conmigo.
Una prueba más de que todo está conectado: He querido terminar un segundo borrador de mi novela antes del final del el año. Esta semana, he estado pensando que necesito una patada para hacer eso.Pero, por supuesto, estoy tan occupado. Ayer, he recibido un mensaje acerca de un taller de diez semanas de ser enseñado por una mujer que ha publicado una de mis historias. El taller consiste en volver a escribir el primer borrador de su libro. Ella es sólo tomar cuatro escritores. Creo que voy a enviar mi manuscrito para él. Miedo, pero emocionante. Espero hacer el corte.
Hoy, un de mis jefes hablaba conmigo sobre un nuevo trabajo. No fue una sorpresa total, pero no pensé que iba a suceder tan rápido.
Si lo que realmente sucede, será una cosa muy buena. Crucemos los dedos.
iMovies está listo. De vuelta al trabajo.
Yo soy el rey de la dilación. Mi nuevo pasatiempo es Palabras con Los Amigos. Es mejor de Scrabble porque no juego un partido completo de una vez. Si juegas, empezar un juego conmigo.
Una prueba más de que todo está conectado: He querido terminar un segundo borrador de mi novela antes del final del el año. Esta semana, he estado pensando que necesito una patada para hacer eso.Pero, por supuesto, estoy tan occupado. Ayer, he recibido un mensaje acerca de un taller de diez semanas de ser enseñado por una mujer que ha publicado una de mis historias. El taller consiste en volver a escribir el primer borrador de su libro. Ella es sólo tomar cuatro escritores. Creo que voy a enviar mi manuscrito para él. Miedo, pero emocionante. Espero hacer el corte.
Hoy, un de mis jefes hablaba conmigo sobre un nuevo trabajo. No fue una sorpresa total, pero no pensé que iba a suceder tan rápido.
Si lo que realmente sucede, será una cosa muy buena. Crucemos los dedos.
iMovies está listo. De vuelta al trabajo.
the daily swim 10
The water a little cool tonight but I found the angle to swim along the path of the sun across the surface of the sea. Lovely.
the daily swim 9
Got back on track yesterday - weather has returned to seasonal expectations and the beach is Sardine-land. You daren't leave your patch for more than 10 minutes because someone will park up really close to you... close enough to see the hairs in their nostrils when they fall asleep in the sun.
A family to my right had the best idea. Come down early and stake out your plot with a tent, an inflatable armchair (I sooo want one of those), sandcastles and a whole herd of children's beach toys. It was like a small village.
The water was pretty cold though as was more than evident from the Man's shout when he waded in,'You haven't got any bollocks,' he said in response to my encouraging: 'It's fine once you get under.'
It was the first time he'd joined me. It could be the last. Today he has a cold. Sorry, flu : )
A family to my right had the best idea. Come down early and stake out your plot with a tent, an inflatable armchair (I sooo want one of those), sandcastles and a whole herd of children's beach toys. It was like a small village.
The water was pretty cold though as was more than evident from the Man's shout when he waded in,'You haven't got any bollocks,' he said in response to my encouraging: 'It's fine once you get under.'
It was the first time he'd joined me. It could be the last. Today he has a cold. Sorry, flu : )
Wild Weather
After two days of completing my thirty day challenge in my mind, I'm taking my project indoors!
Due to this ... the man in the photo is not me.
Photo: Wolter Peeters, Sydney Morning Herald
and this ...
Picture: John Grainger Source: The Daily Telegraph
Fortunately there is a treadmill in the gym downstaris. Tally ho!
Due to this ... the man in the photo is not me.
and this ...
Fortunately there is a treadmill in the gym downstaris. Tally ho!
El mundo es un pañuelo.
Yo estaba cenando con mi amiga, Christina, esta noche, y estábamos hablando de las coincidencias - corriendo a la gente que tú no esperas ver en lugares que no podrías pensar que los sería. Me pasa muy a menudo, parte de mi teoría de que todo está conectado. Ya sabes, el viejo "mundo pequeño" teoría.
Un par de ejemplos ...
Hace unos años, yo estaba en un avión, volando desde Roma a Londres.
Dos chicos se sentaron a mi lado y empezar charlando. Ellos eran claramente americano.
"¿De dónde eres", le dije.
"California".
"¿Qué parte?"
"El sur de California." Me parece que las personas son a veces vagas cuando se viaja porque no crean que la otra persona realmente conoce la zona.
"¿Qué parte?" Yo no iba a ser disuadidos. Ellos habían interrumpido mi lectura, y no se me permitía escuchar mi iPod, porque estábamos a punto de despegar.
"Orange County".
"¿Dónde? Yo crecí en La Habra."
El hombre en el asiento del medio señaló a su compañero. "¿En serio? Ron es de La Habra."
Su amigo se inclinó hacia delante, me miró y me dijo: "Tú eres Bob Merckel."
No tenía ni idea de quién era.
Resulta que fui a la escuela primaria con él, 30 años antes, y me reconoció.
Christina dijo que ella habría asustado.
También sucedió en el Vaticano. Estábamos en la línea y comenzó a hablar con algunos canadienses. Resulta que ellos sabían el primo de Larry - ellos han trabajado juntos.
El mundo es un pañuelo.
Creo que es genial. Christina piensa que ella no quiere viajar conmigo.
Un par de ejemplos ...
Hace unos años, yo estaba en un avión, volando desde Roma a Londres.
Dos chicos se sentaron a mi lado y empezar charlando. Ellos eran claramente americano.
"¿De dónde eres", le dije.
"California".
"¿Qué parte?"
"El sur de California." Me parece que las personas son a veces vagas cuando se viaja porque no crean que la otra persona realmente conoce la zona.
"¿Qué parte?" Yo no iba a ser disuadidos. Ellos habían interrumpido mi lectura, y no se me permitía escuchar mi iPod, porque estábamos a punto de despegar.
"Orange County".
"¿Dónde? Yo crecí en La Habra."
El hombre en el asiento del medio señaló a su compañero. "¿En serio? Ron es de La Habra."
Su amigo se inclinó hacia delante, me miró y me dijo: "Tú eres Bob Merckel."
No tenía ni idea de quién era.
Resulta que fui a la escuela primaria con él, 30 años antes, y me reconoció.
Christina dijo que ella habría asustado.
También sucedió en el Vaticano. Estábamos en la línea y comenzó a hablar con algunos canadienses. Resulta que ellos sabían el primo de Larry - ellos han trabajado juntos.
El mundo es un pañuelo.
Creo que es genial. Christina piensa que ella no quiere viajar conmigo.
Wednesday, 20 July 2011
Stinkin' Hot
where i live, we're in the grip of a nasty spell of hot temperatures, high humidity, and generally miserable weather.
but, comma, that has made it beneficial to wander to the nearby pool in my complex and luxuriate in the waters there. when there haven't been idiot kids...okay, and a few adults...splashing about without regard to me on the side of the pool, i find it wonderful to soak and read at the same time. as such, i'm getting in more than the 30 minutes of the challenge, just because it's relaxing and cool.
the organize/purge? meh. i'm counting it, but the last couple days, my time set aside for that challenge task has been at work. part of that is work avoidance, but part is also that my filing system, both at work and at home, is the archaeological method. the date of any document needed defines how deeply i have to dig into the piles on my desk. pickaxes, miner lights, and, often, dynamite are necessary tools to accomplish this task. so, i'm trying to alleviate that in my organize/purge.
the sleep? [sigh] i am getting to bed on work nights by the proscribed 11pm, but having difficulty getting a full 7 hours of sleep. my body is still used to the 5-1/2 to 6 hours i'd been getting, so i find myself waking earlier than i had been and still getting not much more than 6 hours. a work in progress.
onward to today's reading...
Another point of view...
When i posted that i'm taking on the 30-day challenge, and my "challenge" is to read for 30 minutes and sleep an extra hour a day, i got the following comment from a friend:
"so this is a thinly veiled brag that your life is already so exciting that to try something "new", youre going to read and go to bed early. damn you."
Ouch.
But i'm doing quite well with the sleep! Holidays are perfect for that... snoozing an easy 7+ hours a night, along with a 2 hour siesta mid-day. The reading continues, but given the choice, i'd rather sleep.
"so this is a thinly veiled brag that your life is already so exciting that to try something "new", youre going to read and go to bed early. damn you."
Ouch.
But i'm doing quite well with the sleep! Holidays are perfect for that... snoozing an easy 7+ hours a night, along with a 2 hour siesta mid-day. The reading continues, but given the choice, i'd rather sleep.
Juicy scene. No context. First draft.
SEAN: What sort of comfort is that for me? What good is that to me? Simon: I'm going to die. Your scientific predictions about the planet are no use to me, because I'm not going to be on it.
THE MASTER: I'm sorry, but the world doesn't care about that.
SEAN: But I care. Everything I have is being taken away from me. Faces, one by one. The people I knew. The work I've done.
THE MASTER: That's the only kind of immortality I can offer you. Your work will live on.
SEAN: Yeah. In a paper with his name on it!
ANDREW: Sean... I acknowledged your contribution.
THE MASTER: You are saying things you can't go back on.
ANDREW: Sean. You're tired and you're not thinking straight.
SEAN: Because I haven't got the calculus of forces right? Because I'm going to be off the scene soon, so why should it matter? You stole my work.
ANDREW: You need to forget about this.
JACOB: Dad...
SARAH: Shut up.
SEAN: No.
You stole something from me.
JACOB: Dad, did you...
SARAH: Jacob: be quiet.
Andrew becomes aware of Jacob's presence.
ANDREW: Newmarket, was it, Sean?
Long pause.
Well, you stole something from me.
Tan. Muy. Cansado.
Estoy tan cansado. ¿Hay alguna palabra más fuerte que 'tan'? Si es así, entonces eso es lo que estoy.
Martes por la noche está siempre ocupado para mí. El curso en línea que yo enseño tiene módulos semanales. Cada nueva semana comienza la noche del martes / miércoles por la mañana a la medianoche. Y siempre hay un poco de trabajo por hacer para que esté listo para ser lanzado.
Claro, yo podría hacer ese trabajo el fin de semana, pero por lo general hay otras cosas que hacer - y yo tenía un divertido fin de semana. Así que estoy pagando por mis pecados esta noche.
Además, tenía esta noche la clase de español (estoy feliz de poder decir que el Sr. Zapatos todavía está allí, junto con otro tío guapo que bien podría ser su novio, awww. Es más de un bar gay de una aula).
Y, mi entrenador (me encanta) regresó de sus vacaciones esta semana y establecer nuevos objetivos para la parte 2 de mi "transformación" — otra ocho semanas, por lo menos. Luego se procedió a la patada en mi culo. En una buena manera. Yo pienso.
En cualquier caso, estoy hecho polvo.
Hay mucho más trabajo que hacer para el curso que estoy escribiendo, pero Bobby necesita dormir.
ZZZZZZZ
Martes por la noche está siempre ocupado para mí. El curso en línea que yo enseño tiene módulos semanales. Cada nueva semana comienza la noche del martes / miércoles por la mañana a la medianoche. Y siempre hay un poco de trabajo por hacer para que esté listo para ser lanzado.
Claro, yo podría hacer ese trabajo el fin de semana, pero por lo general hay otras cosas que hacer - y yo tenía un divertido fin de semana. Así que estoy pagando por mis pecados esta noche.
Además, tenía esta noche la clase de español (estoy feliz de poder decir que el Sr. Zapatos todavía está allí, junto con otro tío guapo que bien podría ser su novio, awww. Es más de un bar gay de una aula).
Y, mi entrenador (me encanta) regresó de sus vacaciones esta semana y establecer nuevos objetivos para la parte 2 de mi "transformación" — otra ocho semanas, por lo menos. Luego se procedió a la patada en mi culo. En una buena manera. Yo pienso.
En cualquier caso, estoy hecho polvo.
Hay mucho más trabajo que hacer para el curso que estoy escribiendo, pero Bobby necesita dormir.
ZZZZZZZ
Tuesday, 19 July 2011
Smoking and drinking...
... Two very useful vices for the incompetent playwright. For your characters, not (just) for you. Drinking lets them say things they wouldn't have otherwise said, and, in the modern era of health regulations, smoking lets them exit for a quick fag.
I'll try and post an excerpt tomorrow. I did a full hour today, which seems to add up to about 10 lines of dialogue. But more importantly, I am spending time in the company of my characters, getting to know them again, and figuring out what they are like. (James has become Sean. He was never a James.)
I'll try and post an excerpt tomorrow. I did a full hour today, which seems to add up to about 10 lines of dialogue. But more importantly, I am spending time in the company of my characters, getting to know them again, and figuring out what they are like. (James has become Sean. He was never a James.)
the daily swim 8 - washed out
Or drowned to be more accurate. Rain and more rain and more frigging rain and thunder and it's so cold I have to put on a sweater in the house. Okay, I know everyone in the UK has been wearing sweaters all summer but this is the South of France and it was 34 degrees two days ago.
Another catch up day tomorrow as me and the cat venture out of the house for the first time in 24 hours. Not with the same intention of course.
Another catch up day tomorrow as me and the cat venture out of the house for the first time in 24 hours. Not with the same intention of course.
Photos uploaded...
I've done some amazing organizing of photos today. I'm feeling more comfortable now that the majority of my "Best (or Most Representative)" photos are uploaded to the Internet someplace, just in case my computer and my backups fail simultaneously. You know, the house burns down or something. And the DVDs I have stored other places fail. Or DVDs become obsolete. Anyway. I feel better.
Tomorrow goal is to go through the family trip that we went on in June, and organize those photos. There are people out there who are actually waiting to see those, so that is even more inspiring. Maybe I should have done those first...
Tomorrow goal is to go through the family trip that we went on in June, and organize those photos. There are people out there who are actually waiting to see those, so that is even more inspiring. Maybe I should have done those first...
En aquellas tiempos ...
Mi escritura de esta noche es la tarea para la clase de español mañana por la noche. Estamos practicando el impefecto, y marcas de tiempo. La tarea consiste en pensar en la vida de alguien en el pasado, y compararlo con cómo mi vida es hoy.
Un poco aburrido, tal vez, pero escritura es escritura, ¿no?
Cuando mi abuela estaba una niña, ella no tenía tantas de las cosas cuales yo subestimo. Ella se crío antes de World War I. No había ordenadores, no había máquinas de escribir electrónicas. No creo que su familia tenían larga distancia por el teléfono. Hoy en día, mí, no lo pienso dos veces si quiero hablar con mi familia o con mis amigos. Simplemente marco el teléfono. O, mejor, haga clic en un botón y tengo una llamada de vídeo de Skype. ¡Video! No creo que ella podría haber imaginado una cosa así en aquel tiempo.
Cuando yo viajaba por trabajo, me enviaron sus postales de mis varios viajes. Después de su muerte, hemos encontrado todas las postales que yo le había enviado, guardó en el cajón de su cómoda.
En aquellas días, mi abuela escribía cartas. Tenía que espera por días (¡semanas!) para recibir una repuesta. Ahora, si no recibe una respuesta de alguien immedieately, que se impaciente. No me puedo imaginar tener que esperar, como ella, de una respuesta - en especial de mi abuelo, cuando estaba luchando en el extranjero en WW2.
Tal vez, la vida era más simple entonces. Pero, porque sé de toda la tecnología de hoy, creo que fue más dificil.
Un poco aburrido, tal vez, pero escritura es escritura, ¿no?
Cuando mi abuela estaba una niña, ella no tenía tantas de las cosas cuales yo subestimo. Ella se crío antes de World War I. No había ordenadores, no había máquinas de escribir electrónicas. No creo que su familia tenían larga distancia por el teléfono. Hoy en día, mí, no lo pienso dos veces si quiero hablar con mi familia o con mis amigos. Simplemente marco el teléfono. O, mejor, haga clic en un botón y tengo una llamada de vídeo de Skype. ¡Video! No creo que ella podría haber imaginado una cosa así en aquel tiempo.
Cuando yo viajaba por trabajo, me enviaron sus postales de mis varios viajes. Después de su muerte, hemos encontrado todas las postales que yo le había enviado, guardó en el cajón de su cómoda.
En aquellas días, mi abuela escribía cartas. Tenía que espera por días (¡semanas!) para recibir una repuesta. Ahora, si no recibe una respuesta de alguien immedieately, que se impaciente. No me puedo imaginar tener que esperar, como ella, de una respuesta - en especial de mi abuelo, cuando estaba luchando en el extranjero en WW2.
Tal vez, la vida era más simple entonces. Pero, porque sé de toda la tecnología de hoy, creo que fue más dificil.
Mitzi by the Sea, Day 8-ish?
Although I'm losing track of what day I'm up to - perhaps someone tecchy could stick a calendar app on this blog?! - it's the dailyness that keeps me going. A day isn't a day with the 30-day walk pledge in action.
Yesterday I finally rounded the curve of the shore and throroughly enjoyed seeing some new sites, which since January have been my local neighbourhood. Even though this picture is very murky, it shows an eel swimming languidly around in a creek that flows out from a storm-water drain into the bay.
Yesterday I finally rounded the curve of the shore and throroughly enjoyed seeing some new sites, which since January have been my local neighbourhood. Even though this picture is very murky, it shows an eel swimming languidly around in a creek that flows out from a storm-water drain into the bay.
Back in it!
I'm back in the game! While grudgingly doing my 30 minutes of photo organization last night, I realized that I had already selected the Best (or most representative) pictures from all of the months of last year, so all I would need to do was caption and tag them. That made the daunting task much less daunting.
So, tonight I captioned and tagged and uploaded the best of February, so I'm all done with 2011! Yay!
Only 6 months in 2010 left to caption and tag. That should take me about 6 days, and then I can move on to something more interesting in this whole activity.
Today I'm posting a picture from February of one of my daughter's cooking creations. She had decided that she could invent her own recipes (she's 5) and would use just about anything I'd allow her, and then we'd bake it and she'd even try it (and I'd pretend to). No real taste success so far, apparently. This one seems to contain marshmallows, green food coloring, flour... and who knows what else?
So, tonight I captioned and tagged and uploaded the best of February, so I'm all done with 2011! Yay!
Only 6 months in 2010 left to caption and tag. That should take me about 6 days, and then I can move on to something more interesting in this whole activity.
Today I'm posting a picture from February of one of my daughter's cooking creations. She had decided that she could invent her own recipes (she's 5) and would use just about anything I'd allow her, and then we'd bake it and she'd even try it (and I'd pretend to). No real taste success so far, apparently. This one seems to contain marshmallows, green food coloring, flour... and who knows what else?
Day 7 - The Eye of Basil
I actually took two pictures today. Broke my own rule I guess. But I have found that the more I do this the more I want to do it; and isn't that the point?
I struggled with which picture to post. I finally decided on this one because it's more interesting to me. But, because I used my cell phone it didn't come out as well as I'd have liked, or might have if I were using my regular camera. Can you guess what it is?
I struggled with which picture to post. I finally decided on this one because it's more interesting to me. But, because I used my cell phone it didn't come out as well as I'd have liked, or might have if I were using my regular camera. Can you guess what it is?
Yeah, I didn't think so. I wouldn't know either if I hadn't been the one to take the picture. I have herbs in pots in the backyard. Bugs have eaten holes through the leaves of the basil. This picture is looking through one of those holes to the leaves on the other side. I think it would've worked better with a real camera rather than the cell phone camera, but still, it's interesting to me.
-kathi
Monday, 18 July 2011
the daily swim 7
It was a bit chilly stepping into the sea today and I thought briefly about a paddle instead but womaned up and slid into the water. The temperature had dropped during the night and a cooler and frantic wind had been blowing all day from inland out over the sea. It probably has a name - all winds in Provence have names but I only know the sirocco and the mistral and it wasn't either of those as there was no desert sand and no heat.
The post-swim 'sit and dry off and scribble in my notebook' spell was punctuated by me telling a woman that dogs weren't allowed on the beach. It takes me some courage and effort to complain in a foreign language and I don't like being an enjoyment-squasher but a big bouncy black lab and soft sand and little kids playing on it don't work together. And there's a panneau on the promenade that distinctly has a picture of a wolfy thing with a red line across it.
I watch a little boy leaving the beach with his parents. He stops to fill up his Crocs with sand.
The post-swim 'sit and dry off and scribble in my notebook' spell was punctuated by me telling a woman that dogs weren't allowed on the beach. It takes me some courage and effort to complain in a foreign language and I don't like being an enjoyment-squasher but a big bouncy black lab and soft sand and little kids playing on it don't work together. And there's a panneau on the promenade that distinctly has a picture of a wolfy thing with a red line across it.
I watch a little boy leaving the beach with his parents. He stops to fill up his Crocs with sand.
Hello!
I'm a late joiner. I'm going to be doing 30 days of creative writing -- an hour a day writing a play. That's quite a hectic schedule but perhaps it will kickstart me. I'll post an excerpt when I can.
David
David
Going crackers.
Hello!
I thought I'd better check-in before a week passed between bread-free posts.
This week is starting with a slight re-think. My original idea had been to ditch the bread AND sugar from my life for 30 days. Once I'd allowed myself to be slightly less ambitious and bring sugar back in (for reasons previously explained), I spiralled into a carb-meltdown as I found solace in a pantry of bread-substitutes: pastry, cakes, crackers, crumbles, biscuits. The list could (and does) go on...
Added to this, my very own Friday failure at the curry house, when I conveniently forgot that Naan happens to be bread whilst ordering my usual*.
So. This week I'm going to be cutting back on the carbs (the bread ban remains) and making a conscious effort to include at least one or two of my 5-a-day in each meal. (Not to get too graphic but there was a point, last week, where I thought I might be needing to pop to France and join in one of Lynne's stormy swims to get my dose of fibre for the day).
Now, to catch up with everyone else's experiences so far...
*in that I have no imagination in Indian restaurants, not that I am a frequent visitor. Well, not that frequent anyway.
I thought I'd better check-in before a week passed between bread-free posts.
This week is starting with a slight re-think. My original idea had been to ditch the bread AND sugar from my life for 30 days. Once I'd allowed myself to be slightly less ambitious and bring sugar back in (for reasons previously explained), I spiralled into a carb-meltdown as I found solace in a pantry of bread-substitutes: pastry, cakes, crackers, crumbles, biscuits. The list could (and does) go on...
Added to this, my very own Friday failure at the curry house, when I conveniently forgot that Naan happens to be bread whilst ordering my usual*.
So. This week I'm going to be cutting back on the carbs (the bread ban remains) and making a conscious effort to include at least one or two of my 5-a-day in each meal. (Not to get too graphic but there was a point, last week, where I thought I might be needing to pop to France and join in one of Lynne's stormy swims to get my dose of fibre for the day).
Now, to catch up with everyone else's experiences so far...
*in that I have no imagination in Indian restaurants, not that I am a frequent visitor. Well, not that frequent anyway.
Mother
She has been sitting on these branches for weeks, protecting her really cute little babies (who are born now). Every morning, I'd have breakfast and we'd stare at each other for 10 minutes. This is 'mother'.This one is for forgotten Sunday. Today's photo will be with you shortly.
Where did my inspiration go?
I've lost my drive for this project. Quick! Someone inspire me! I did get 30 minutes of photo work done yesterday on a gift for one of my Cub Scouts who is leaving, so that is good, I guess, but it wasn't really organizing, and overall my photos are no more organized than they were the day before.
That leaves me with today, when I've really enjoyed spending time with my family instead, and now I need to make lunches and get organized for tomorrow. I might be able to make it happen tonight, but right now... I'm not so enthusiastic. I think I made my typical mistake of overdoing it on the first few days. *sigh*
Edit: OK, I managed to get my 30 minutes in. I finished captioning and tagging April, 2011 (including my 40th birthday party). Here's a picture of me at the party in my prom dress (don't blame me... I went to prom in the 80's). The party was an 80's party... and what better to wear than my authentic 80's prom dress? I switched to a Madonna outfit later on, though; I could barely breathe in the prom dress.
That leaves me with today, when I've really enjoyed spending time with my family instead, and now I need to make lunches and get organized for tomorrow. I might be able to make it happen tonight, but right now... I'm not so enthusiastic. I think I made my typical mistake of overdoing it on the first few days. *sigh*
Edit: OK, I managed to get my 30 minutes in. I finished captioning and tagging April, 2011 (including my 40th birthday party). Here's a picture of me at the party in my prom dress (don't blame me... I went to prom in the 80's). The party was an 80's party... and what better to wear than my authentic 80's prom dress? I switched to a Madonna outfit later on, though; I could barely breathe in the prom dress.
One Down, Plus A Quandary
finished "Room" early this morning over breakfast coffee. the Sunday paper had to wait. this afternoon, i started on my next book, "Winter's Bone". progress (on the reading challenge, anyway).
the quandary in the subject line refers to a discussion a friend and i had about what constitutes "read an actual book for 30 minutes a day". should that be 30 minutes straight through or can it be 10 minutes here, 20 minutes there. it came up because, on saturday, i was interrupted by a phone call 10 minutes into my read. i finished up with 20 minutes later. i'm thinking that it counts. the real crux of the challenge here is more along the lines of reading something of substance...i.e., an actual book...versus attaining a zen reading mode for 30 minutes. i got the impression she disagreed. hmmm...
have been doing okay on the organize and purge challenge as well. okay, okay, some of my 'organizing' is actually moving piles of stuff into more centralized and controllable piles, without actually organizing. but that gives me space to do more organizing, so i'm counting it.
the big problem has been the sleep thing. i'm trying to get a full 7 hours of sleep a night, with the add on that, on 'school nights' (sunday-thursday before work days), i get in bed by 11pm. i've been doing okay (with a few misses of 10 minutes or so) with the 11pm bedtime, but finding it hard to stay asleep for 7 hours. it's like my body has gotten used to 5-6 hour nights. but, again, think that's part of the challenge.
and, no, i decided not to pick the Mr. Roger's book referred to in my last post. it just got too technical and confusing, so had to set it aside. oh well...
the quandary in the subject line refers to a discussion a friend and i had about what constitutes "read an actual book for 30 minutes a day". should that be 30 minutes straight through or can it be 10 minutes here, 20 minutes there. it came up because, on saturday, i was interrupted by a phone call 10 minutes into my read. i finished up with 20 minutes later. i'm thinking that it counts. the real crux of the challenge here is more along the lines of reading something of substance...i.e., an actual book...versus attaining a zen reading mode for 30 minutes. i got the impression she disagreed. hmmm...
have been doing okay on the organize and purge challenge as well. okay, okay, some of my 'organizing' is actually moving piles of stuff into more centralized and controllable piles, without actually organizing. but that gives me space to do more organizing, so i'm counting it.
the big problem has been the sleep thing. i'm trying to get a full 7 hours of sleep a night, with the add on that, on 'school nights' (sunday-thursday before work days), i get in bed by 11pm. i've been doing okay (with a few misses of 10 minutes or so) with the 11pm bedtime, but finding it hard to stay asleep for 7 hours. it's like my body has gotten used to 5-6 hour nights. but, again, think that's part of the challenge.
and, no, i decided not to pick the Mr. Roger's book referred to in my last post. it just got too technical and confusing, so had to set it aside. oh well...
Diez cosas sobre mi fin de semana
Aquí está un viejo truco de blogging. Cuando tú no sabés cual quieres escribir, te haces una lista.
Diez cosas sobre de mi fin de semana. Uno de ellos no es cierto. ¿Puedes adivinar cual es la mentira?
1. Tuve un fin de semana fantástico. No creo que Rebekah Brooks puedo decir el mismo.
2. Anoche, fui a un club en mi barrio al que nunca había estado. Yo había oído mucho sobre él, y no fue lo que me esperaba en absoluto. Voy a ir allí de nuevo.
3. Una tarde de lluvia es para dormir, y me aproveché de eso. Tomé el mejor siesta hoy.
4. Hice dos nuevos vídeos en iMovie, y estoy muy contento con mi trabajo.
5. Fui a Casita dos veces esta fin de semana, para tequila con verdidas. Ambos veces, no tomé ninguna de tequila. ;-(. Anoche, estaba cerrado para una fiesta privada. Esta noche, llegabamos diez minutos tan tarde y, otra vez, lo estaba cerrado. Grrr.
6. Yo sé la receta por verditas, pero ¿quíen quiere hacerlo en casa cuando és más facíl (y más divertido) para beber al bar?
7. Salí corriendo (fuera, trés millas) hoy por primera vez en mucho tiempo. Yo era un poco rápido de lo que pensé sería, y me sentí bien al no estar en la caminadora.
8. A pesar de mi quejándose de todo mi trabajo la otra día, tengo un montón hecho este fin de semana y se sienten bien al respecto.
9. Una de mis estudiantes favoritos ha vuelto a Londres y me gusta mucho que voy a pasar las las siguientes cuatro semanas con ella.
10. Dicho esto, me voy a echar de menos el tipo brasileño que he estado enseñando. Él es increíble. Me siento muy afortunado - yo siempre (bueno, casi siempre) tener el mejor estudiantes 1-2-1.
Creo que voy a acostarse antes de 2am esta noche. Esto es un milagro, en verdad.
Y, hablando del verdad, ¿cual de lo anterior no es la verdad?
Diez cosas sobre de mi fin de semana. Uno de ellos no es cierto. ¿Puedes adivinar cual es la mentira?
1. Tuve un fin de semana fantástico. No creo que Rebekah Brooks puedo decir el mismo.
2. Anoche, fui a un club en mi barrio al que nunca había estado. Yo había oído mucho sobre él, y no fue lo que me esperaba en absoluto. Voy a ir allí de nuevo.
3. Una tarde de lluvia es para dormir, y me aproveché de eso. Tomé el mejor siesta hoy.
4. Hice dos nuevos vídeos en iMovie, y estoy muy contento con mi trabajo.
5. Fui a Casita dos veces esta fin de semana, para tequila con verdidas. Ambos veces, no tomé ninguna de tequila. ;-(. Anoche, estaba cerrado para una fiesta privada. Esta noche, llegabamos diez minutos tan tarde y, otra vez, lo estaba cerrado. Grrr.
6. Yo sé la receta por verditas, pero ¿quíen quiere hacerlo en casa cuando és más facíl (y más divertido) para beber al bar?
7. Salí corriendo (fuera, trés millas) hoy por primera vez en mucho tiempo. Yo era un poco rápido de lo que pensé sería, y me sentí bien al no estar en la caminadora.
8. A pesar de mi quejándose de todo mi trabajo la otra día, tengo un montón hecho este fin de semana y se sienten bien al respecto.
9. Una de mis estudiantes favoritos ha vuelto a Londres y me gusta mucho que voy a pasar las las siguientes cuatro semanas con ella.
10. Dicho esto, me voy a echar de menos el tipo brasileño que he estado enseñando. Él es increíble. Me siento muy afortunado - yo siempre (bueno, casi siempre) tener el mejor estudiantes 1-2-1.
Creo que voy a acostarse antes de 2am esta noche. Esto es un milagro, en verdad.
Y, hablando del verdad, ¿cual de lo anterior no es la verdad?
Sunday, 17 July 2011
Bright lights, big city, ton of books...
Managed to hit both the reading goal and the sleeping goal yesterday... And am now lying on the floor of a borrowed NYC flat, bootlegging wireless, while my travel mate for the next two weeks, nursemyra, stretches her long legs!
We've traveled together before, and we both love to read on holiday. Suitcases full of books. We'll have no trouble getting in the reading time! The 7 hours sleep, may be more of a challenge...
We've traveled together before, and we both love to read on holiday. Suitcases full of books. We'll have no trouble getting in the reading time! The 7 hours sleep, may be more of a challenge...
the daily swim 6
Strange weather today but I managed to get the swim in before the black sky broke into a rainstorm... and I even managed to drag my houseguest down to the beach with me, despite his earlier protestations that he hated 'getting naked in public'. I don't think going for a swim in trunks actually constitutes 'getting naked in public'. Stripping off down to your nail varnish at the bus-stop - that's getting naked in public. But I do empathise with people's inhibitions and fears - I've had enough of my own over the years but have tried, gradually, to dump as many as I can. And once we were on the beach and in the water he forgot all about feeling uncomfortable and started to enjoy himself.
A good day for both of us.
A good day for both of us.
Day 6 - Not Just a Dog
Took this one with my cell phone.
This is my dog Oliver. He hates getting his picture taken. Although I guess he kinda, sorta looks like he's smiling. But I doubt it. More likely he's saying, "Give me back my bone Mom, I was chewing on that."
This is my dog Oliver. He hates getting his picture taken. Although I guess he kinda, sorta looks like he's smiling. But I doubt it. More likely he's saying, "Give me back my bone Mom, I was chewing on that."
Day 5 - Uh, oops?
Hi Everyone.
I have no excuses for missing/skipping yesterday. Just doing other things I guess.
I still can't get my card reader to work. I'm going to have to switch to using my cell phone to take pictures. This is not a favorable proposition as far as I'm concerned, but it's all I have to work with until I can figure out this (mind boggling) technology stuff.
--kathi
I have no excuses for missing/skipping yesterday. Just doing other things I guess.
I still can't get my card reader to work. I'm going to have to switch to using my cell phone to take pictures. This is not a favorable proposition as far as I'm concerned, but it's all I have to work with until I can figure out this (mind boggling) technology stuff.
--kathi
Mitzi G By the Sea Day 7
Joggers, fishermen, fashionistas and ice-skaters! So much to see by the sea today. My seaside stroll began at Tamarama, went south to Bronte and back north to Bondi.
Temporarily abandoned fishing poles at Bronte:
I enjoyed people-watching, and drinking in the views of the vast ocean. I scanned the horizon for whales' tales as so many are being sighted this winter.
Instead, I saw this "shag on a rock":
Lastly, there was a "winter magic" festival at Bondi Beach which involved an ice rink for skating, bad yodelling music and Bavarian sausages and "alpine" kitsch. It is a bit too painful to write about any further, but it was fun seeing people enjoy themselves, even when they fell over flat on the ass. There were lots of soggy bottoms as the ice was beginning to melt.
Temporarily abandoned fishing poles at Bronte:
I enjoyed people-watching, and drinking in the views of the vast ocean. I scanned the horizon for whales' tales as so many are being sighted this winter.
Instead, I saw this "shag on a rock":
Lastly, there was a "winter magic" festival at Bondi Beach which involved an ice rink for skating, bad yodelling music and Bavarian sausages and "alpine" kitsch. It is a bit too painful to write about any further, but it was fun seeing people enjoy themselves, even when they fell over flat on the ass. There were lots of soggy bottoms as the ice was beginning to melt.
Saturday, 16 July 2011
Debería estar trabajando. Una vez más.
Cuando empezada enseñanza, una de las cosas mejores era yo no tenía que tomar mi trabajo a casa conmigo. Enseñé a mis clases y luego yo fue terminado. Mucho diferente que cuando trabajaba por <<marca eso>>.
Para los últimos años que trabajé allí, me sentí como que el trabajo fue que todo lo consume. Correros electrónicos. Llamadas de conferencia. Mensajes de todo el mundo en mi Blackberry, 24 / 7.
Y luego, me despidieron (sin ceremonia, después de siete años, pero no estoy amargado) y tuve tiempo de reinventarme. Otra vez. He tenido más reinvenciones de Madonna.
Ahora, despues cuatros años, no solo doy clases en ingles. También, enseño cursos en línea para maestros de idiomas que quieren usar la tecnología en sus aulas. Y, quiero trabajar en un segundo borrador de mi novela.
Hoy en días, no tengo un trabajo de tiempo completo. Pero al mismo tiempo, estoy empezando a sentir como cuando trabajaba en <<marca eso>>. Siempre hay algo que me parece que debería estar. Debo trabajar, no escribiendo en español. O mirando Harry Potter (¡es muy bueno!). O consumiéndose una el sábado en varios pubs con mi novio (¡es muy divertido!) O tomando bebidos con mis vecinos (tengo muchs sed).
Me gusta -- me gusta mucho -- mi trabajo, pero no sé la sensación de no tener nada que hacer. Tenía esta sensación hace cuatros años cuando empezaba enseñanza. Ya no es así.
Pues, no trabajo para mi hoy. Hay siempre mañana. Mañana mañana mañana. La historia de mi vida.
Fiddle dee dee. Llámame Miss Scarlett.
Por otra parte, se trata de un hilo. Y hacer el trabajo duro (cuando trabajo).
Me gustaría escribir más, pero debería estar trabajando y, más importante, tengo que ir a pasar algún tiempo con mis amigos en una noche de sábado.
Para los últimos años que trabajé allí, me sentí como que el trabajo fue que todo lo consume. Correros electrónicos. Llamadas de conferencia. Mensajes de todo el mundo en mi Blackberry, 24 / 7.
Y luego, me despidieron (sin ceremonia, después de siete años, pero no estoy amargado) y tuve tiempo de reinventarme. Otra vez. He tenido más reinvenciones de Madonna.
Ahora, despues cuatros años, no solo doy clases en ingles. También, enseño cursos en línea para maestros de idiomas que quieren usar la tecnología en sus aulas. Y, quiero trabajar en un segundo borrador de mi novela.
Hoy en días, no tengo un trabajo de tiempo completo. Pero al mismo tiempo, estoy empezando a sentir como cuando trabajaba en <<marca eso>
Me gusta -- me gusta mucho -- mi trabajo,
Pues, no trabajo para mi hoy. Hay siempre mañana. Mañana mañana mañana. La historia de mi vida.
Fiddle dee dee. Llámame Miss Scarlett.
Por otra parte, se trata de un hilo. Y hacer el trabajo duro (cuando trabajo).
Me gustaría escribir más, pero debería estar trabajando y, más importante, tengo que ir a pasar algún tiempo con mis amigos en una noche de sábado.
Contradiction or arrows
This one is for the forgotten friday. Another view from my flat. Once uploaded, I've clicked on 'boost colour' couple of times :)But I have another one of this shot taken a year ago which came out purple, totally naturally.
Here comes the next one...
Mitzi G Burger goes Bayside
Day 6 and I am back into the swing of my 30 day thrive-fest. Together with Uiver, I strolled by the sea at a beautifully historic bayside cove. Elizabeth Bay is a truly "dress circle" neighborhood. With stunning views of Sydney Harbour, delicious architecture from decades and styles gone by and a pretty little jetty, it's a charming spot. Lovely park with a kids' playground, and the relics of a 1920s mansion turned into some cool public art.
We walked all around the funky neighborhood I used to live in - known affectionately as The Ghaytto - helping a friend inspect apartments. She will need to purchase one this year. We spent a fun day following out noses, hanging with friends and chatting, and I had the scent of the sea fresh in my memory.
We walked all around the funky neighborhood I used to live in - known affectionately as The Ghaytto - helping a friend inspect apartments. She will need to purchase one this year. We spent a fun day following out noses, hanging with friends and chatting, and I had the scent of the sea fresh in my memory.
the daily swim 4 and 5
Ahh! There seems to be a pattern to Day 4 when I read the most recent posts - I missed a day too: supermarket shopping, a guided tour of Antibes for one guest, then more guests late afternoon, and children of guests, and the friends of children of guests, and by the time the evening is over it's nearly 10 and I don't want to negotiate the unlit beach on my own where the water will be as dark and quiet as oil.
But I decide not to beat myself up about missing a day and this morning, Day 5, before 9am, before anyone else in the house is awake, I go down to the beach and swim in a sea that is as clear as light.
When I come out and dry off in the sun, I watch a little girl in flowered knickers standing under the beach shower with her mouth open, a woman with a large grey rose tattoo above her right buttock, and notice the surprising amount of older men in slight, tight speedos.
And I'm going to come back later - catch up with my missing swim and get back on track. Though sacrificing my own committment yesterday was worth it to hear the house and garden singing with so much children's joy and laughter.
But I decide not to beat myself up about missing a day and this morning, Day 5, before 9am, before anyone else in the house is awake, I go down to the beach and swim in a sea that is as clear as light.
When I come out and dry off in the sun, I watch a little girl in flowered knickers standing under the beach shower with her mouth open, a woman with a large grey rose tattoo above her right buttock, and notice the surprising amount of older men in slight, tight speedos.
And I'm going to come back later - catch up with my missing swim and get back on track. Though sacrificing my own committment yesterday was worth it to hear the house and garden singing with so much children's joy and laughter.
And what have we learned?
Friday night. Day 4 of the challenge. i'd had a rather crunchy week at work, and had to begin preparing for a 2 week holiday - not only had i not packed, i hadn't done laundry!
What's a girl to do? Get her drink on, of course! Dinner at my place with a friend, while the laundry washed itself in the machines downstairs, led to a couple tall, cool Vodka-Lemon-Sodas!
"Yay! That's a great idea!", said the Bad Idea Bears from the recesses of my brain...
Finally settling down to do my reading around 11:00pm, i succeeded in holding the book for a full 30 minutes. Read many, many pages! Turned them successfully, too! But perhaps my reading comprehension isn't what it should be when i'm liquored up...
Passed out Made it to bed by midnight, and was up at 7am, getting in my desired seven hours sleep... so i'm going to claim partial success on this one.
What's a girl to do? Get her drink on, of course! Dinner at my place with a friend, while the laundry washed itself in the machines downstairs, led to a couple tall, cool Vodka-Lemon-Sodas!
"Yay! That's a great idea!", said the Bad Idea Bears from the recesses of my brain...
Finally settling down to do my reading around 11:00pm, i succeeded in holding the book for a full 30 minutes. Read many, many pages! Turned them successfully, too! But perhaps my reading comprehension isn't what it should be when i'm liquored up...
Day 4 Forgotten
Dear all - I'm sincerely sorry about yesterday. I was so frustratingly busy that I forgot to take photos. I will be taking photos for an hour today and will post 2 photos later today.
Thank you very much for your understanding. :D
Day 4 - Fail
This is a two part fail. I did, I swear I did, meet the challenge today and take a photo. But you'll just have to trust me on that instead of getting proof.
Probably it is a good thing you won't see it because I didn't like the light when I took it, even though I liked the light a lot before I went inside to get my camera. That's fail number one. Fail number two you've probably guessed-- I can't get the photo uploaded. For some reason my memory card reader isn't working.
Until tomorrow's attempt...
-kathi
Probably it is a good thing you won't see it because I didn't like the light when I took it, even though I liked the light a lot before I went inside to get my camera. That's fail number one. Fail number two you've probably guessed-- I can't get the photo uploaded. For some reason my memory card reader isn't working.
Until tomorrow's attempt...
-kathi
Mi Carrera del Día: Detective
No es mi intención para hacer eso proyecto ‘meta.'
Te prometo.
Pero.
Para los últimos meses, he estado diciendo (y creer) que todo está conectado.
El foto de Superman en la entrada de blog de Aylyn, lo ha picado mi curiosidad. Estaba seguro que lo estaba en mi barrio, ¿pero dónde?
Lo he encontrado. Estoy muy felicidad. Pero, el caso es que, no lo puedo ver. Grrrr. Y no estoy seguro de donde ella sacó la foto. Tal vez, ¿de su ventana? Ella vive arriba de mí, y puede ver muchas cosas que yo no puedo (por ejemplo, los bomberos cuando están jugando al voleibol detrás de nuestros pisos … pero me estoy desviando).
Como sea … cuando llegué a casa esta noche, miré a mi alrededor para ver dónde Superman podría vivir. Como ya he dicho en los comentarios sobre su puesto, me di cuenta de algunos de los lugares muy conocidos en su imagen — en particular, la cartelera por los biocombustibles.
Pero, ¿dónde está Superman? Finalmente, encontré una parte de él.
Caminé detrás de los edificios (no es tarea fácil), pero todo lo que pude encontrar de el foto de Aylin fue este edificio.
¿Lo reconoce?
Superman no es visible desde la calle. Te lo juro.
La cosa mejor de esta aventura es que durante casi 18 meses (¿o más?), he caminado por esta obra de arte todos los días, y no tenía idea, ¡ninguno! que lo existía.
¿Qué otras cosas están justo en frente de mí que no puedo ver?
Te prometo.
Pero.
Para los últimos meses, he estado diciendo (y creer) que todo está conectado.
El foto de Superman en la entrada de blog de Aylyn, lo ha picado mi curiosidad. Estaba seguro que lo estaba en mi barrio, ¿pero dónde?
Lo he encontrado. Estoy muy felicidad. Pero, el caso es que, no lo puedo ver. Grrrr. Y no estoy seguro de donde ella sacó la foto. Tal vez, ¿de su ventana? Ella vive arriba de mí, y puede ver muchas cosas que yo no puedo (por ejemplo, los bomberos cuando están jugando al voleibol detrás de nuestros pisos … pero me estoy desviando).
Como sea … cuando llegué a casa esta noche, miré a mi alrededor para ver dónde Superman podría vivir. Como ya he dicho en los comentarios sobre su puesto, me di cuenta de algunos de los lugares muy conocidos en su imagen — en particular, la cartelera por los biocombustibles.
Pero, ¿dónde está Superman? Finalmente, encontré una parte de él.
Caminé detrás de los edificios (no es tarea fácil), pero todo lo que pude encontrar de el foto de Aylin fue este edificio.
¿Lo reconoce?
Superman no es visible desde la calle. Te lo juro.
La cosa mejor de esta aventura es que durante casi 18 meses (¿o más?), he caminado por esta obra de arte todos los días, y no tenía idea, ¡ninguno! que lo existía.
¿Qué otras cosas están justo en frente de mí que no puedo ver?
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