I said to myself that I'd post at least 3x a week... what baloney that was!
We're now into the last day of November and I haven't posted a thing. Ah, better late than never...
My Thanksgiving holiday turned out to be really great:
Ten rounds of drinks,
Nine jukebox selections,
Eight pounds of turkey, ham, dressing, and the works,
Seven great friends I saw,
Six long driving hours,
Five Harry Potter fans!
Four venti lattes (skinny!) from Starbuck's
Three hours of Black Friday Shopping,
Two trips to Wal-Mart,
and an awesome wedding and reception to remember!
Finally, after a few months, I went back to P'cola for a visit, which is always like trying to schedule a state visit. Dinner with him, Lunch with her, the afternoon with them, and coffee with so-and-so. On previous trips, it was overwhelming, but this time, it was really nice.
The highlight was Saturday night-- a wedding and the reception that started in the parish hall, moved to a bar and finally ended at an Irish pub. I was with some friends I really did miss-- the old Red Cross gang. I don't miss the work; just these people, or as we like to call our club: BEER (Bitter Ex-Employees of the Red cross). We didn't exactly leave the organization on great terms, if you know what I mean.
Anyway, it was great to catch up with them... to toast old times and drink to new. I was good... I toasted with Diet Coke.
Now, it's been hard getting back and focused on work. It's been a killer of a week with so many holiday events we're planning. Maybe if I keep eating all these Christmas sweets I induce myself into a sugar coma and wake up around Easter.
29 November, 2005
10 November, 2005
Aloha, babe...
So, if you know me, which is about anyone who's reading this, you know that everyone BUT me seems to have an identity crisis about me. Well, if you think this post is about another mistaken Hawaiian-identity stories... well, you are sadly correct.
I love old people... seniors are a hoot, which of course, naturally helps when you work in the hospice field. I was asked to attend a ceremony the other day that recognized veterans at one of our partner assisted living facilities. I arrived and was talking with one of our nurses who came and were laughing and joking. I really don't remember what I said, but by the time I finished cracking a line in the best sarcastic way I know how, one of the residents comes by and starts laughing. Then she says something about me being naughty... the exact words escape me now, but I do remember what she said next... "you better behave 'cause you don't want Grandma to spank you right now," she said laughingly.
Well, the nurse and I just looked at each other as the lady walked away... "did she just threaten to spank me?" I inquired.
"Yeah," the nurse laughed back.
Gee, tough crowd, I thought. So, I just cowered off to the side until it was my turn to do an oration of a poem recognizing the heroes. After my presentation, the ceremony was over and I made my rounds talking to residents and mingling, when of course I ran into "Grandma" again. We started talking and she turned out to be a nice lady who just loved to flirt with young men. (Don't even think it!)
After she talked to me about her late husband, the topic (as it somehow always does when I meet new people) turned to the "islands."
"Oh, I just loved Hawaii!"
"You know what's best about Hawaii-- the people! So friendly, they'd give the clothes right off their back!"
As she went on and on about Hawaii, my insides were boiling with laughter that I could control no longer and finally smiled and said in my sweet, compassionate voice, "so I bet you saw a lot of people that look like me!"
Well, this woman just looked like she just won the daily bingo jackpot... "are you... are you Hawaiian?"
"Oh, no ma'am," I replied politely. "My background is Filipino. My parents are from the Philippines."
"Oh, I've been there too... beautiful country! And nice people!"
I finally "broke free" and was ABOUT out the door when I saw a woman sitting by herself. Something-- my guardian angel perhaps-- told me to talk to her, even though I needed to get back to the office. So, I introduced myself and during our conversation I found out she was displaced by Hurricane Katrina, moved to Tallahassee by her sons because the facility she lived in was destroyed in Biloxi. As we talked, I realized why I was drawn to talk to her... she's alone in town. This facility was the closest her sons could find for her to live while her place in Biloxi was being fixed, and she doesn't know anyone here. She hopes to be back home by the first of the year.
And again, while I was talking to her the question of my "cultural identity" was brought up, but this time I'd drawn a small crowd who came over to talk to me (these places love to see young people and just come up and start talking). They all just wanted to know... "WHAT are you?!?"
Then there was someone else I stopped to talk... but again, the whole story repeats itself.
I think I'm cursed for the rest of my life of people asking me... "WHAT are you?"
I love old people... seniors are a hoot, which of course, naturally helps when you work in the hospice field. I was asked to attend a ceremony the other day that recognized veterans at one of our partner assisted living facilities. I arrived and was talking with one of our nurses who came and were laughing and joking. I really don't remember what I said, but by the time I finished cracking a line in the best sarcastic way I know how, one of the residents comes by and starts laughing. Then she says something about me being naughty... the exact words escape me now, but I do remember what she said next... "you better behave 'cause you don't want Grandma to spank you right now," she said laughingly.
Well, the nurse and I just looked at each other as the lady walked away... "did she just threaten to spank me?" I inquired.
"Yeah," the nurse laughed back.
Gee, tough crowd, I thought. So, I just cowered off to the side until it was my turn to do an oration of a poem recognizing the heroes. After my presentation, the ceremony was over and I made my rounds talking to residents and mingling, when of course I ran into "Grandma" again. We started talking and she turned out to be a nice lady who just loved to flirt with young men. (Don't even think it!)
After she talked to me about her late husband, the topic (as it somehow always does when I meet new people) turned to the "islands."
"Oh, I just loved Hawaii!"
"You know what's best about Hawaii-- the people! So friendly, they'd give the clothes right off their back!"
As she went on and on about Hawaii, my insides were boiling with laughter that I could control no longer and finally smiled and said in my sweet, compassionate voice, "so I bet you saw a lot of people that look like me!"
Well, this woman just looked like she just won the daily bingo jackpot... "are you... are you Hawaiian?"
"Oh, no ma'am," I replied politely. "My background is Filipino. My parents are from the Philippines."
"Oh, I've been there too... beautiful country! And nice people!"
I finally "broke free" and was ABOUT out the door when I saw a woman sitting by herself. Something-- my guardian angel perhaps-- told me to talk to her, even though I needed to get back to the office. So, I introduced myself and during our conversation I found out she was displaced by Hurricane Katrina, moved to Tallahassee by her sons because the facility she lived in was destroyed in Biloxi. As we talked, I realized why I was drawn to talk to her... she's alone in town. This facility was the closest her sons could find for her to live while her place in Biloxi was being fixed, and she doesn't know anyone here. She hopes to be back home by the first of the year.
And again, while I was talking to her the question of my "cultural identity" was brought up, but this time I'd drawn a small crowd who came over to talk to me (these places love to see young people and just come up and start talking). They all just wanted to know... "WHAT are you?!?"
Then there was someone else I stopped to talk... but again, the whole story repeats itself.
I think I'm cursed for the rest of my life of people asking me... "WHAT are you?"
07 November, 2005
Our Lady of Perpetual Responsibility
This morning, as I glanced over my calendar from the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (where this month the featured pic is a bunch of pigs huddled in the open trunk of a tiny car in Bulgaria) and saw that yesterday was the feast day for Our Lady of Perpetual Responsibility.
I wonder how they celebrated the day at the parish in Lake Wobegon... you know, "where the women are strong, the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average."
Haven't a clue what I'm talking about? I'm a big fan of the town....
Check it out! http://prairiehome.publicradio.org/
I wonder how they celebrated the day at the parish in Lake Wobegon... you know, "where the women are strong, the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average."
Haven't a clue what I'm talking about? I'm a big fan of the town....
Check it out! http://prairiehome.publicradio.org/
01 November, 2005
Blessed are they...
With all the tragedy going on right now-- hurricane recovery along the Gulf Coast, earthquakes in South Asia, and the ongoing war, I was touched by the Gospel from All Saints' Day. It made me think a lot of those trying to rebuild from nothing or continue to suffer. It's a reading from Mt 5:1-12a:
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute youand utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,for your reward will be great in heaven.”
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