Hot Blog Posts of 2008!

As has become my tradition at the end of the year, it is time for some shameless self-promotion! So here is my list of my favorite blog posts of 2008:

1. I’m an adult and can do as I want! (Not really) - yay for a home leave this February so I can pick up some of these babies!

2. Worry Wart - ahhh... sweet childhood memories

3. Why post? - this is still a good reminder for me when I ask myself why I bother.

4. My life in India? - it's funny to see how this is playing out and how my goals have changed. I'm still working on most of these things (or still plan to!), but I've added a few as well: studying for the GRE, learning Hindi, and relearning Spanish.

5. And my favorite posts on actually being in India: The Sum of all Impressions, Culture Shock, episode 1, and Fear and Safety.

Getting to Know You

Since I've been sick for the past couple weeks (nothing serious), here is a bit of a cop out post for you. I feel like everyone who has ever has a blog puts one of these things up eventually... so now it's my turn. 1. What is your current occumpation? I'm unemployed!  Or no, I should say, my current occupation is this blog! =)  And I'm working on a novel.  Does that count?

2. What color are your socks right now? I'm barefoot.  I don't think I've put socks on since moving to India.

3. What are you listening to right now? I have all my music on shuffle.  That's over 3,000 songs.  I'm not going to start listing...

4. What was the last thing that you ate? Maccaroni and cheese

5. Can you drive a stick shift? No

6. Last person you spoke to on the phone? I guess Ryan... he's the only one who ever calls me.  If you count Skype, then we spoke to Ryan's parents last night.

7. Do you like the person who sent this to you? I love her so much!

8. How old are you today? 26

9. What is your favorite sport to watch on TV? oh gag... I hate to admit this, but I guess baseball.  I love my Mets! (how did I let this happen...)

10. What is your favorite drink? diet coke

11. Have you ever dyed your hair? No! Of course not!  I'm a natural bruenette/blond/red-head!

12. Favorite food? CHOCOLATE, of course!

13. What is the last movie you watched? Enchanted.  It's the only movie I have out here with me right now.  That's ok, though, because I love it!

14. Favorite day of the year? My birthday because I love being spoiled!

15. How do you vent anger? I send angry emails to any friend who's willing to listen!

16. What was your favorite toy as a child? One of my favorite dolls: Jessica, Elizabeth, or Kelly =)

17. What is your favorite season? Autumn, of course!

18. Cherries or Blueberries? That's a dumb question.

19. Do you want your friends to email you back? Eh, they can if they want!  That's the great thing about blogging.  I can put up here whatever I want and you can choose whether or not to read it!

20. Who is the most likely to respond? No one (but if you want to, feel free to put it in the comments)

21. Who is the least likely to respond? Everyone

22. Living arrangements? I'm in a beautiful flat in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad.  I live here with Ryan and our doggie, Hugo.

23. When was the last time you cried? A couple days ago when we found another "R" and it made me realize how much I want to go home!!

24. What is on the floor of your closet? my shoes

25. Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending this to? I'm not sending it to anyone.  If you feel you are my oldest friend, you may leave your name in the comments.  Although, I bet no one will read this, so I doubt I'll have any comments!

26. What did you do last night? Went to a nice dinner with another couple.

27. What are you most afraid of? Too many to list... OK, not really, I have a list.

28. Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers? YUMMMM BEEF!!

29. Favorite dog breed? Yorkies!

30. Favorite day of the week? Friday night/Saturday

31. How many states have you lived in? two

32. Diamonds or pearls? diamonds (I'm living in the wrong city, apparently)

33. What is your favorite flower? A rose

Celebrity Before & After

Ryan and I have started a new (and perhaps nerdy) tradition of playing a couple rounds of Jeopardy together before we fall asleep at night.  However, last night, our internet was down, so we were left with the options to 1) just talk, or 2) come up with our own Jeopardy questions and ask them to each other.  We chose the latter.  At first, we started with some inane categories, but soon it morphed into "Celebrity Before & After".  This, if I do say so myself, led to some very clever answers!  Yes, as the night wore on, they lost a bit of their cleverness, as you will see.  So now feel free to play along with the Jeopardy answers to our own Celebrity Before & After (answers in the comments--if you need them!). 1. This overweight comedian signed the Constitution.

2. Cruel Intentions abound when guest-starring on The New Adventures of Old Christine.

3. This true-life princess doesn't want to go on 50 First Dates!

4. This singer of Candle in the Wind wants us to Imagine.

5. This funny face went on to star in Ocean's Eleven.

6. Even pretty women can't escape a sting!

7. Will's companion can be seen on tour with Keith Richards.

8. This wise guy watched as Rome burned to the ground.

9. This star of Adaptation later produced this set of self-help videos from prison.

10. Allegedly involved in the murder of his wife, he is now quite the gossip.

11. This Memento star sang badly in Mamma Mia!

and finally...

12. This human excrement indecently exposed himself to children.

Full Moons Make Me Think of You

As tonight is a full moon, I thought it would be appropriate to post this poem, written some years ago, to a dear friend (you know who you are.  OK, you don't read this blog, but if you did, you'd know who you are.) Full moons make me think of you And all those midnight things you do It may sound silly but it’s true Full moons make me think of you

When full moons shine so very bright And you go prowling in the night Could it be that you just might…? When full moons shine so very bright

Full moons peak through windowpanes You sneak out as sleep I feign Don’t come back ‘til that moon wanes! Full moons peak through windowpanes.

Full moons cause the wind to howl And set you off on your night’s prowl Could it be that was a growl? Full moons cause the wind to howl.

Full moons set so high toward east Could my roommate be a beast? I don’t want to be her feast. Full moons set so high toward east.

Oh, full moon, don’t you see? My roommate may come after me! See how dead that I would be? If my roommate did eat me!

Related post: Help! My roommate's a werewolf!

The Sum of all Impressions

We have just returned from our trip to India during which Ryan and I met some of his colleagues and searched for an apartment. We were only there 4 days, but it was quite the roller-coaster of emotions and impressions: #1: I am moving to murderville. Upon our arrival to the airport, we were hot, tired, overwhelmed, and just wanted to get to the hotel. Unfortunately, the driver that we pre-arranged to pick us up never showed. We stood around for a long time not able to make a phone call and with no idea what to do. Finally, we gave in to this persistent little fellow who kept offering to take us to our hotel. Now, this goes against all my better instincts and it only got worse. We got to his little run-down car, which was obviously not a commercial taxi and I started praying we would get out of this alive! We had no idea where we were going or if this man was trustworthy enough to take us to our hotel. We were completely at his mercy! And the roads we were taking!  They seemed like these little, tiny back roads and all we could see were piles of dirt and rubble along the sides (with wild dogs climbing all over them and random groups of people milling around). Finally, I decided I better do something to prepare for the worst. With only the slightest of movements, I shifted my passport out of my purse and into my bra. The logic here being that if we were mugged, I would not have my identity stolen too! I took off my rings and slipped them into my pockets, you know, so I could pawn them for rupees when we were robbed. Shortly after making these precautions, however, we arrived safely at our hotel.  (I should also mention that by the light of day, the city does not look like murderville at all!)

#2: Fear My first bomb check. (Renee, you're never visiting us, are you?)

#3: Sick to the stomach, literally Was it something I ate? Too many spices? Did I let some water into my mouth during my shower? Stayed in hotel all day.

#4: Depression We spent the entire next day searching for apartments and with each one we saw, I became sadder and sadder. I simply could not see myself living in any of them! Most were dark and dreary, some came with the saddest furniture you have ever seen. I thought regretfully of our decision to move here.

#5: Elation We found it, the most beautiful apartment! It had lovely grounds, a lot of amentities, was in a good area with lots of shopping, and was just cheerful to be in.

#6: Depression, again That night we had dinner with several of Ryan's new colleagues and based on much of the conversation, we had to re-evaluate the decision to go with the afforementioned apartment. All my elation left me and that night all I could do was cry. The one apartment that I could actually see myself living in did not have the one thing we thought we couldn't do without: full power back-up. Apparently the power goes out a lot and you want full power back up so you can still have electricity when this happens (A/C is important!). We would have to spend the next day looking at more apartments.

#7: Fear, again "9-11 could happen anywhere," our relocation expert told us when we asked about site-seeing on Friday, India's Independence Day. Apparently, it isn't safe for ex-pats to go to crowded places on national holidays.

#8: Elation, again After seeing more apartments, none of which could top the one apartment that we had fallen in love with the day before, and much discussion, we decided to go for it! It doens't have full power-back up, but it does have partial back up, which would include fans and lights. For our electronics, we will have to buy UPSs (uninterrupted power supply), so those won't be affected. Moving to this apartment makes me feel so much better about living in India. It is so lovely, and I can see myself being happy there when Ryan is at work. I also think Hugo will be happy there, because on cooler days, we can just leave the French doors open to the balcony and he can be free to roam around out there. I was able to leave India with my mind much more at ease. (click the picture for more)

Post script: I'll leave the impressions there so the story has a happy ending. I won't mention our last day when the spa lost our reservations for massages, we couldn't go anywhere because it wasn't safe for us to be out, my continuing stomach sickness, and our taxi ride back to the airport. I mean driving is scary there anyway, what the the dogs, cows, masses of people, motorbikes, auto-rickshaws, and cars all on the road apparently without knowledge of the concept of "right-of-way", but then imagine doing all that at 110 km/hr (too lazy to calculate it right now) then you'll realize what a harrowing experience it must have been.

An Unusual Poetry-holder

My grandfather, of whom I have written about before, sent his entire family the following email this evening: I went in the hospital at 7 AM and it's now 11:30.... Dr. Valentine did the procedure, so I put a folded red heart where he entered*. lt said:

Come on in, I'm all cleaned up So please wear gloves and don't corrupt Examine carefully all 24 feet And nip all polyps from my fat seat. You may never again see this place So enjoy your stay, then retire my case.

The nurses and doctors said they liked the poetry.

*"Where he entered" refers to where the sun don't shine, if you get my drift... and the funny thing is, this isn't his first time putting poetry there under the same circumstances...

"Ah, How Sweet It Is!"

"No matter the price, millions need their daily chocolate fix." And so begins an article from Time magazine, dated July 12, 1982.  I was nearly six months old.

My parents have been doing massive spring cleaning, and yesterday while visiting their house, my dad brought this article to me.  For some reason, he had saved it for 26 years.  He says there's no explanation other than he somehow knew that his daughter would have a blog someday named after her love of chocolate.

The article has some very interesting little tid-bits.  I hope it provides some good blog fodder.  More to come!

My life in India?

I have been thinking a lot about what my life will be like in India. Aside from the culture shock and the initial touristy excursions, I am expecting I will face a good amount of down-time. Ryan's working hours will be 2pm to 11pm. We will have mornings together, but after that, I will be alone. I hope to make friends with other ex-pat spouses and maybe even some people from church, but in the beginning, what will I do with my time? Ryan's company offers some options (which, honestly, I find laughable):

• Hyderabad has many clubs. The Secunderabad Club is one of the best private clubs in the city and provides many facilities. It is possible to get temporary membership.

• Many spouses have taken up hobbies such as gardening, pets, aquariums etc.

• Part-time employment opportunities for expat spouses

WOW!  I think I found my answer, guys!  I will take up aquariums!!!*

But in all seriousness, here are some of my ideas (that's right, it's a list.  I love my projects and I love lists.  And this combines the two: a list of projects.):

• I may look in to taking a yoga class with other ex-pats. I figure this could be a good way to get to know them, as well as get my needed exercise.

• I am going to work on my Summer Reading List. Yes, by that time, it will be autumn. That is irrelevant!

• Of course, I want to keep up with my friends and family, so I intend to be writing a lot of emails, updating my family site with new pictures, keeping this blog up to date with my comings and goings, scheduling video chats (when available), and chatting via Skype as much as possible!

• I may even pick up my LOTR project again!

• I want to continue practicing writing as much as possible, from this blog and my serialized story, to finishing my novel that I started several years ago.

• And finally, I am going to devote myself to the marketing of my mom's business: Jean Elton. Her pottery is just beautiful and she really just needs to get her name out there! And hopefully, that's where I come in.

As with most of my projects, these will probably go unfinished.  However, in the interest of being prepared for the inevitable boredom and lonliness, these are some of my ideas.  Please feel free to leave any of your own in the comments section!  I love hearing what you have to think.

*Please note: that was sarcasm.

NEWS, part 2

Hot off the presses!  Seriously, by reading this blog, you are one of the very first to know! Ryan has just heard that he will be made a formal job offer (to go to India) by the end of this week (which probably means next week). 

This is rather shocking after hearing only yesterday that we probably wouldn't find out anything for another month.  My mind is in turmoil (do I really want to do this? I'm scared!) and my palms are sweaty!

Noisy Neighbors, an update

Some of you will remember my previous post about our upstairs neighbors, in which I try very hard to see the situation from another perspective.  I had many complimentary comments about how good I was to be able to step into another person's shoes and try to see things as they do, how sweet it was of me, how kind.  Well guess what.  That's all over.  Because as much as I want to be good and sweet and kind, when you are constantly woken up at 5:30 in the morning by screaming and stomping, and when you are constantly having to pause your favorite TV shows at night to wait until yet another tantrum is over, all that good and sweet and kind stuff flies right out the window. 

A couple weeks ago, we had an interesting development.  We were awakened, as usual, by screaming and stomping, but this time, it was worse than usual.  Our whole apartment was literally shaking.  Our dog, Hugo, was cowering beside us in bed, and we wouldn't have let him down anyway for fear of something falling off the walls from the earthquake-like shaking!  We heard the dishes in our cupboards rattling and the pictures on the walls slid to the side.*  There was no going back to sleep.  We lay there listening, shocked and scared.  Suddenly, though, we heard a man's voice, and the screaming and stomping subsided a bit.  He was saying they had received 15 or 20 complaints that morning about the noise from both the daughter and the dog (oh yes, they have a dog too, and it likes to bark, a lot).  The man was asking how old the children were and if they were in school, etc. etc.  We could not hear the mother's voice, as she must have been speaking softly.  Ryan and I assumed it was the apartment superintendent, but in peering out the window as the man left (yes, we are a little bit nosy.  OK, a lot nosy), it turned out to be 3 policemen!  Someone in the complex had called the police on them! 

Nowadays, I can see how calling the police when you hear a child screaming like that is a good thing, as you never know what is going on.  However, in talking with this mother through the years (and being privy to all their conversations), I knew there was no abuse going on. 

Just a good, old-fashioned, American devil-child!**

*I will freely admit that I have sometimes exaggerated for the benefit of a story.  This, however, is no exaggeration.

**There is still a part of me that feels badly for the child, because I truly believe that she is in dire need of some counselling (or perhaps a new counsellor?).  But com'on, think of the neighbors and keep the noise to a minimum!

Summer Reading List

I have decided to use the upcoming season as a perfect opportunity to continue with the grand tradition of summer reading lists.  In looking at my "books I've read" spreadsheet, I was very saddened to see the lack of books I've read, as well as the lack of diverse genres.  Therefore, I am going to try to read from the following list, taken from this article*: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee The Bible The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by JRR Tolkien 1984 by George Orwell A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen All Quite on the Western Front by E M Remarque His Dark Materials Trilogy by Phillip Pullman Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck The Lord of the Flies by William Golding The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon Tess of the D'urbevilles by Thomas Hardy Winnie the Pooh by AA Milne Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell Great Expectations by Charles Dickens The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold The Prophet by Khalil Gibran David Copperfield by Charles Dickens The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov Life of Pi by Yann Martel Middlemarch by George Eliot The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzenhitsyn Ring of Endless Light by Madeline L'Engle

OK, so that last one isn't actually on the list, but I promised a friend I would read it this summer.  The ones in bold/italic I have already read, and therefore will not be re-reading.  Honestly, this is a rather daunting task (and one that will take much longer than one summer) considering my love of the mystery!**

*I also enjoyed this article, which is another blogger's opinion of the above referenced list.

**This is probably one of the worst posts I've ever written.  OK, not really, but what can I say?  This is the earliest I've ever posted before and I'm not fully awake yet!  Yeah, it's 10:30 AM.  So what?

Google-head

I am a Google fan.  A Googler?  A Googlite?  A Google-head?  Not sure if there's a word for us yet, but I'm sure there will be at some point.  My favorites of their applications include Google Docs (which includes an online word processor, spreadsheet, and presentation software), Google Groups, and obviously Gmail.  I enjoy reading the Google blogs to see what all they are coming up with, and have even submitted in an idea myself!* 

But recently, they have introduced Google Sites, and I have found a new toy.  I immediately snagged a couple (ok, 5) names that I thought I might, someday, maybe, have a need for.  Yes, it is true that I sometimes have trouble coming up for enough content for one site (that would be this one), so you may wonder how I plan to fill 5.  Well, I don't.  They are for possible future use, and just for me to have fun with right now.  For any of you interested in your own website, I'd get going on this right away!  Snag your site's name before it's taken!  And, if interested, feel free to peruse one of mine so far.  They are a work in progress, and a highly entertaining diversion (am I turning into my husband?). 

Need Chocolate Here

*My idea was for a Google family tree application: something that could be integrated with Gmail, where the tree was emailed around to other family members, and filled out so that it became fuller and fuller.  It could even gather contact information, so you are always in touch.  Also, for larger families, it would help explain how you were related to certain people, perhaps by dragging your mouse across different names.  I really do have a vision for this.  Honestly, they should just hire me.

News!

It is now quite likely that I will be moving to India. I'm feeling a whole mess of emotions because suddenly it has become real. I'm scared and excited and overwhelmed. I'm dreading leaving my family. I'm nervous to tell my co-workers and boss. And yet, I'm amazed at the peace that I feel in the decision to go (pending certain issues*). I am not adventurous. I like to read about other people having adventures, while in the security and comfort of my own cozy home. But I have never, as far back as I can remember, said no to a challenge. This, I know, will be a challenge for me. But also an opportunity for growth. And that might be the scariest thing of all**.

Happy Father's Day... a bit early

This is a highly personal blog post, but it's just been that kind of week for me.  I wasn't even sure if I was going to post it, but as I've said before, when I write, it opens me up to vulnerability and there shouldn't be anything wrong with that.   

Dear Daddy,

As Father's Day approaches, I find myself wondering what I could get for you that you would enjoy, but would also convey how much I love you.  I thought about getting you a card and writing some sentimental tidbits, all of which would be from my heart, but I feel like I do that every year.  I want you to really know what a precious father you have been to me, what an amazing example, and how, even though I'm all grown-up, I still desire your approval, because it means the world to me.  That said, even though sometimes I feel left out of your conversations with Ryan, or I start complaining about the rudeness of iPhones at the dinner table, the fact that you love the man I married so much really does make me so happy.  Not just because you approve of him, but because of how happy you are to have another man around, who shares many of your interests, and who you love to spend time with.  I am so glad that I could give that to you, even if it means endless computer conversations and iPhones at the dinnertable, because I just love you that much.

Don't worry, this doesn't mean no card and gift.  But I'm sure you weren't worried.  These are just some thoughts that I never wanted to regret not saying.

Related post: True Beauty

Worry Wart

As long as I can remember, I have been a worrier.  When trying to pinpoint when this began, I see my dad bringing me, his 6 year-old daughter, an 80-foot chain ladder to keep under my bed.  The idea, he said, was if there was ever a fire, I could throw this ladder over my windowsill and climb down to safety.  I was 6, probably about 45 pounds, and I was supposed to throw this 80-foot chain ladder over the window and climb down three stories to safety, meanwhile the house is so engulfed in flames that I can't run down a flight of stairs to the front door to get out.

So the 80-foot chain ladder was put under my bed and I would go to sleep at night praying that there would never be a fire so I didn't have to endeavor lifting that ladder and throwing out the window.  And upon turning 10, there was the new element of how I would hold our two new puppies while climbing down the three stories on the chain ladder! 

But the 80-foot chain ladder was never moved, and upon my departure to college, it was still there, under my bed, collecting dust.  So thank you, Daddy, for taking care of me and wanting me to be safe.  And maybe, just maybe, turning me into the worrier I am today!

Verse to Remember

When I am away at these conferences with colleagues, I often find myself wondering whether they know I am a Christian.  And if not, should I make more of an effort to let them know?  Am I not being a good witness in my actions and my words?  Shouldn't other people recognize a Christian by their love, as it says in the Bible, and do others see that love in me?  And if it came down to it, would I be bold enough to stand up for what I believe, even if other people find it foolish (or worse yet in this day and age, intolerant)? So tonight, in the Bible place by the Gideons, I looked for verses about being bold.  Here is the verse that I have now decided will be the one I will try to remember when I travel for work:

Be strong. Take courage. Don't be intimidated. Don't give them a second thought because God, your God, is striding ahead of you. He's right there with you. He won't let you down; he won't leave you.

-Hebrews 13: 5-6 (The Message)

Why post?

I'm in Washington, DC right now for work (interestingly enough, I am at the same conference I wrote about last year, for which I missed my first wedding anniversary).  I'm in my hotel room and feeling slightly lonely.  It has me thinking about my job and how this was never what I wanted to do.  What did I want to do, I find myself asking.  Well, that's easy.  I always wanted to write.  This got me thinking about this blog and how much I enjoy posting on it.  And finally, this got me to the point of this blog post: what is the point of a blog and why do I keep it up? Sometimes when I haven't posted in a while and am feeling pressured, I ask this question and just think "what's the point?"  Why do I keep up with something that I have to practically force people to read?  It's not as if I have some different perspective than a lot of Joe Schmoes out there blogging, which probably explains my small amount of daily hits. 

I don't exactly know the answers to these questions, but I am going to share my musing on the subject.  Obviously the first reason is what I have already stated earlier in this post.  I enjoy posting!  Perhaps this reason alone should be enough for me.  I know there are plenty of things that I do everyday that I do only because I enjoy them and never need more explanation than that.  I'm not sure why blogging is different.  But it is, so my reasons continue.

I remember back in high school our English teacher had us keep journals.  He said it was a good way of practicing our writing, getting our ideas down, and I'm pretty sure he even had more reasons than that, but I don't remember!  But even so, I figure if he thought journaling was a good exercise, than blogging must be too!

And finally, I do like to keep my family and friends updated with what is going on with my life.  Especially for those that I don't talk to very often, I like the idea that if they want to, they can check this blog for my updates or just random musings on different topics.  I also like the thought of having all these posts for my children someday, so that they have something to remember me by.  It's almost like leaving just a small mark on this world, a small legacy in some way.

So that's what I've come up with.  Are these reasons going to be enough for me to continue posting relatively often on this blog?  I guess, as I've said before, only time will tell!  Keep checking in! 

I'm going back to SNL now.

Waiting to hear...

I get questions almost daily about whether Ryan and I have heard more about the job offer in India. So I just want to get the answer out there for everyone to see: no. We should be hearing any day now, but there are still a lot of questions I need answered before we even think about moving. Here's a preliminary list:

• pets/traveling with pets

• medical/veterinary care

• prescriptions

• bugs

• housing

• Ryan's salary

• my job/what would I do?

• what exactly does Ryan's company pay for?

• what exactly are we responsible for?

• how long we must commit to

I think that's it for now. Let me know if there are other things I should be thinking about. I will probably be posting on here shortly after hearing if there is indeed a job offered. So keep checking!