Bed time

I'm driving to Seattle tomorrow to help Delphine out. The hamstring tear is complete, so surgery will be scheduled in the next few days.

Just hung out with Kristie who deserves a big shout out for reading. We watched Remember the Titans for research recommended to me by Jessica S. (Note for Jessica: my dad said he'd watch it once I have watched it and can tell him for sure that it's good.) Research for the play I have started writing that I mentioned in my last post. Finished the general structure and drafted the first three scenes. AND, I got 100% on my census worker test. They should be calling next week but maybe I'll still be in Seattle at that time?

My dad wishes I would get a job. My mom wishes I would get a job. Sometimes, I wish I would get a job too. In Tucson. A fun one with happy-level wages. Wishing is one thing that I'm almost sure is just the Disney word for 'worry' but that's debatable.

Ok, truly I need to go to bed. But I was just excited to post knowing that I do have readers of my non-photo posts! :)

Ten lepers-esque

Waiting for my re-booked flight out of Salt Lake City (free wifi!). I volunteered to take a later flight in return for 300 Delta dollars and a $7 meal voucher that I just redeemed at Wolfgang Puck Express for a turkey avocado sandwich. And after making up the 86 cent balance, I have 25 cents left in cash.

This is what Christians call a praise report. i.e., I didn't want to spend the subway fare to head into Manhattan but I did want to see Nancy one last time. Remembered that my two-week unlimited expired today and not yesterday. So I got to see Nancy without extra cost.

Then, Nancy paid for my beef goulash at Hallo Berlin after we met Diane--a lonely elder lady who is family-less in NYC and said her company voted to stop paying for health insurance instead of doing layoffs. She said her insurance bill is more than her rent. Nancy shared with her about the only For Sure we have.

As mentioned, my metrocard expired today but I didn't have to use it because last night I went to Jersey City and stayed the night at Linsey's place. And she and Kristen made curry split pea soup, linguini and meatballs, and a huge lemon tart with freshly whipped schlag. Then, they both woke up at 5:30am to drive me to Newark. Did I mention I don't have enough money to pay for the path/nj transit/airtrain? No worries.

Moreover, as far as my Tucson plans I don't have a job yet nor a place to live. I was beginning to wonder: is this happening? Am I gonna have to bum off my parents indefinitely? How am I even gonna GET to Tucson? Cue overbooking of my Salt Lake-Pasco flight. Now I have $300 to fly to Tucson! Wow. Thank you, my God. Love, me of little faith. What kind of volunteering ends up with $307 in compensation? Wow.

Also, on my Newark-SLC segment, I uses the free wifi trial, flight attendant gave me extra Biscoff (dude I love those cookies), and I had the row to myself.

Oh, and since I'm on a roll, at _two_ upstairs climbs on my trip from Juanita's in Queens to Jersey City, a young woman offered to help me with my luggage. Two angels. At separate places at the right time.    

Family: the great time warp

Seriously. When I hang out with my family, I kind of forget about the rest of my life. I am only a daughter, a sister, or an auntie. There is no "Irene", only "Xiao A Yi" (pinyin for 'mother's younger sister'). So now I face the biggest blog lapse since I began, I think.

The rest of my time in Richland was packed to the gills with good visits with more friends interspersed with FB Texas Hold Em'. Had a cathartic discussion of sorts with my parents and the fruit of that emotional expression/honesty is still reverberating. If fruit reverberates, that is. Ripening, might be a more contiguous verb. So, again, yay emotional maturation! Yay, counseling! One friend of mine whom I saw a few times during my 10 days in Richland quipped (I paraphrase): you have a lot of patience to engage with a variety of people and really listen to them and remember details about their lives. It blesses me to watch you interact with people. Her words were very affirming as I find her an incredibly upbeat and engaging person.

So I wound up driving the standard-shift, no power steering, cassette tape deck truck to Seattle as my parents went up the day before so my dad could attend my niece's "Special Guy" kindergarten lunch. It wasn't so bad. Dance recital was fun(ny). And I was The Face Painter at her 6th birthday party. All the moms recognize me as such now. One kid asked if it was my job. Maybe I should consider it? Speaking of, my current idea list of jobs come 2010 are: teach, nanny, freelance project management, and nursing school (I realize this is not a job). So kind of broad spectrum. And of course I could become another empty-pocketed writer. Which sounds kind of appealing as well.

So the party was fun and the clown was totally not scary and very funny ("Nothing better than an iced-mustard.") but the memorable thing was that during the party my other sister called to say that my dad was going to take me sick mother to the ER because she couldn't stop puking. And this was on my mom's actual 73rd birthday! So they hydrated her and gave her some medication IV and sent her home. But we were all worried. My mom is a workhorse and kept apologizing for not being able to help out. This was the least of our concern. Anyway, some drama ensued about whether she should go home or stay but eventually she and my dad went home to Richland for a few days before coming back so my dad could present the gospel at an area Chinese church event. I have many thoughts and feelings about the Whole Thing but most importantly, I created a Therapeutic Event (so calls my counselor) in that I am separating from my parents' marriage. It's not mine, I've got no business in it, and boy is that freeing. (Thanks to Kristie who shared some good stuff with me and confirmed that it's the right thing for me to do, emotionally--even if it sounds crazy.)

The rest of the week has been a mix of Play Dough with my 2nd youngest niece, Jackpot (some ball toss game) with my eldest niece and her neighbor friends, wiping up spills, changing diapers, playing Settlers of Catan with my brother-in-law and sister, grocery shopping, researching washing machines, driving the minivan around, and tickling my nephew. I am the 3rd parent.

I did see my high school friend Jason yesterday for coffee. He works at T-Mobile and I hung out with him before he caught the bus back across Lake Washington (well, missed and caught the next one). So that's some peer-level interaction.

My next stops are Victoria and Vancouver, British Columbia in Canadia and Banff with Juanita; Bellevue/Seattle for Independence Day; Richland for another week; TBD; camping in Mt Rainier Park; the Olympic Peninsula with Nancy from Richland; and NYC on August 1st.

I'll post some pictures later today if I get a chance.

Love to you, my lovely readers. A quote via my friend Amy: Being heard is so close to being loved that for the average person they are almost indistinguishable. (And reading my blog = being heard. So there.)

Back in the USSA

Love my new friends in Montenegro. Will post photos soon.

A day in Warszawa to quickly catch up with Gosia and give a little presentation to her 2nd grade class on my visit to Turkey. Karen and Emre had helped me out already by teaching me a song. The two Turkish kids in Gosia's class--excuse me, Miss Margaret's class--resisted singing it because they said it was for babies. And the one American kid said to me in reply after I told him I was American: "Native American?" It was a fun day. Will post pictures tomorrow maybe. See: Turkey/Montenegro culture has worn off on me a bit. Nothing is definite. Nothing is urgent.

Can I just say that the Vienna airport is the only one so far where wifi isn't an issue for my iPod? Countless other places I have full bars, so to speak, but still Safari won't open. Ugh. This is frustrating to me. Disagreeable even.

So then I was in NYC for less than 24 hours but had breakfast/Central Park stroll with Nancy from Alabama. Gosia said it was funny she used to be Nancy from back stage crew at TSC, then she was Nancy from NYC, now she's Nancy from Alabama. People move.

And of course a Korean food fix with Juany (my endlessly gracious host) before catching my flight to Colorado, where I am now. Aurora. Which reminds me of Wayne's World, even though it's the wrong state. Like strip malls and nice split level houses. Work with me.

I'll be here for the next few days before visiting Joanna (Wellesley friend) in Albuquerque (which I'm learning to spell correctly) and then Grisel's wedding (TSC friend) in Phoenix and the Grand Canyon and then Vegas to see Carrie (high school friend).

So many stories to relate about the rest of Turkey trip and Montenegro. But for some reason what I want to share is getting on the subway from JFK airtrain (my fav) and glancing over to see the totally thugged out guy sitting next to me is midway through The Plumed Serpent by DH Lawrence. More reasons why I [heart] NYC.

Catching Up (w/ Beach 2 of 2)

Hello readers! Allow me this moment to appreciate your reading, truly it makes me feel loved. Because, as I told Ken, one of the ways I think I'm made in God's image is that I have a desire to be known.

So as I sit feet-up on Brigid's couch, her baby asleep in the next room, exhale, and finger-tap, it's time to recollect what I want to share. Now that I'm really into blogging, stuff will happen to me or I'll have a particular thought and immediately want to blog. So, you're all on my mind, what I want to show and tell you.

First off, NYC. Part of my heart rests here. I can tell by the way I feel: relaxed, at home, purposeful, awake. Staying with Juanita has been such a blessing! Though I have loved all my previous hostesses and their families and homes, somehow, being with this sister in her studio, a few feet from her pet rabbit's cage, pigeons cooing on the A/C, I'm so comfortable. It's amazing.

She lives in Queens, not Brooklyn where I lived most of my eight years here, and treated me to a lovely dinner at La Flor the night I got in.

The next day I ran errands, including ordering my bridesmaid dress for Grisel's wedding coming up Memorial Day weekend--one reason I didn't buy the Round the World Ticket, for all you wondering 'why not'. Then I met up with Anna who has taught me to say "I don't speak Polish" in Polish--this will be a helpful party trick next month in Warsaw. She is an aspiring furniture designer. And I had another yummy snack with her at Doma Cafe where I felt very uncool. I'm consoled by knowing I limited myself to three pairs of shoes for a two-continent, 10-state trip.

Saturday, Juany and I headed to Brooklyn for breakfast at Tom's, where the waitstaff remember me and ask how I'm doing even though they see hundreds of diners in the average morning. Love that. Juanita loves the lemon butter. I chatted with a young french woman who was visiting Brooklyn and directed her to Vanderbilt for more shopping. Nothing is more validating to me as an ex-New Yorker than helping visitors find their way. I want people to enjoy the city as much as I do.

At Joyce Bakeshop, where I was so full I could only finish half the banana bread pudding, I reconnected with Karin. Last time we saw each other was in Olivia, MN on my cross-country drive from NYC to WA. She's doing great, making a living and vocation by writing. It was nice. She smelled like oysters because the sweater she was wearing had soaked up some Massachusetts coast air during a recent getaway.

She walked us up to the Brooklyn Public Library where we parted ways to wifi and read. Juany and I then met a Wellesley classmate Wendy on the Promenade where we goofed around to Dumbo. Wendy, like Karin, is employed and hanging in there. She helped me find organic baby skin products for Karen whom I'll be seeing soon in Turkey. She also treated me and Juanita to hot chocolates at Jacques Torres. It's amazing that I weigh the same as when I left Richland.

If that wasn't enough, Juany and I went to meet her ex-roommate Brigid (whose apartment I'm now in and whose mini Acer I'm using) and her little baby for Italian dinner at their favorite spot Donato's. [Website needs a little help so if you've been clicking through, don't judge by the site. They're clearly putting more effort into their food.]

And that was just Saturday! I love NYC.

Sunday, I attended 10AM and 3PM at my beloved Times Square Church (TSC). Had lunch with Suansee at some Thai place (I forgot the name) and then sat in a corner park with her and Tiffany sipping lattes and avoiding pigeons. That evening I tried a new church, the Gallery wonderfully suggested to me by Jessica. God used TSC in a major way to get me back to Him, but it's neat to go to a church like Gallery and chat with the pastor by the time service starts and meet several other people by the end. I even met another blogger and heard her fantastic story of how she wound up in New York.

A different Jessica treated me to dinner at Momofuku [steamed buns--very tasty, like Peking Duck only with pork) where we were thankful to not be on the stools but rather the low seats. I've known Jess since my first year at college, and we've stayed in fairly good touch since--we lived near each other in Brooklyn for a while and then towards the later years of my NY time, had dinner often. She and her family are dear to me. As she said: it's nice to have a friend you can look slobby with. (Not that she looked bad, she looked great, just casual--I'm west coastified now.) We caught up on each others lives, she's happy to have her job as an attorney and also wondering if it's what she wants to do. Good thoughts, IMO.

The next day, I caught a morning flight to Ft. Myers, FL where Ken's lovely wife Julie and her mother Mary picked me up from the airport and whisked me over the causeway to Sanibel Island, i.e. paradise. Man, it is beautiful there. I will post photos. Ken is my only male friend from college--he is still the stagecraft instructor at Wellesley. But his Real Life is on Sanibel where he recently bought a restaurant with his buddy Richard, the Sanibel Cafe. After a quick stop at Mary's condo, Jules and I went to the Cafe and had lunch. Chicken salad with dill and grapes, yum. Ken and I rode bicycles to the beach and watched the waves and talked about Real Life according to him, me, the bible, and as nature evidences. I have always admired and continue to Ken's pursuit of life. He is one of my favorite persons and I have learned much from him.

Tuesday, Sanibel Cafe had a new hostess: me! My first try at restaurant work and it was great: messy, hurried, theatrical, profitable, and (best of all) temporary, because, as my small glimpse provided, it is above all exhausting!

Julie and Ken were off Wednesday so we got a slow start after breakfast ala Julie and coffee ala Mary to Captiva where I soaked up some sun, read the book I got at Noah's Ark (Julie's favorite spot on the island) by local author Randy Wayne White, watched pelicans and dolphins(!) and a man persist in flying a kite despite the lost interest of his grandson. Julie likes eagles and I like wildflowers so our ride back took a bit, we can cite the headwind. From a hot, breezeless footbridge spanning the Sanibel River, we saw wrens and a baby alligator(!!). Outside the hotel where we stopped for a poolside drink with a view of the ocean, Ken dug up an aloe vera plant to treat our sunburns. Wonderful. Evidence of the Creator. The Perfect Ego, as I said to Ken.

I woke to Mary's: it's 4 o'clock! Yes, I booked a 6AM flight for some now-silly $-saving reason. Jetblue isn't charging for the 1st checked bag, thankfully. Back in (cold) New York, I took a short nap and then met Tiffany for late lunch at Excellent Dumpling House. [If you visit the site, I ordered what's shown in the 2nd picture.] Our plan was to take the ferry to Ellis Island but when we got to the ticket booth, it was sold out. Bummer. Or so we thought. We walked across Battery Park to the Starbucks and caffeinated. And in so doing had the best conversation. Counseling is paying off! (see previous post re: angst) We overcame some fear in pushing certain topics and it was great! She's looking for co-visionaries in a movement. I'm unsure how to proceed yet hopeful. And within 24 hours, we both received relationship-building interactions. That's as detailed as I'm going to get. Suffice to say: Yea and Amen. Or, Yay and Amen.

In the evening, I surprised Loretta and Lisa/Patron by showing up to rehearsal for The Gate, the Friday night youth rally held weekly at TSC. I got home later than expected but it was refreshing to be with folks who depend on the Holy Spirit to work, cover, and move. Rode the 7 train with one of the actors who, earlier in the night, said she thought I was younger than her. Excellent, as she's just a year out of college.

Friday, it wasn't raining but sunny. Perfect for Tiffany and my actual trip to Ellis Island. Tourists. Exhibits. Black and white photos. More pigeons. Ferries. We skipped the Statue of Liberty (I've already been there) but I got some good photos of her.

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Ok, Brigid and Juanita are back from Target. I gotta go. Four days left to recount and I'll be current. Except for photos.

Nancy 2 of 2

The other Nancy in my life is my friend from New York City who is interning at a women's home in Alabama. She is the same Nancy as from New Orleans but not the same Nancy whose parents I stayed with. This Nancy is Nuyorican and drinks coffee. Light and sweet. She was the inspiration for my heading to New Orleans in the first place as I wanted to visit her and as she was scheduled to be in Nola, to Nola I went.

But I also wanted to see her in her new-as-of-September existence as intern in rural Alabama. It was wonderful, being a guest, I should say. The residents (who are there as an alternative to incarceration and who all qualify by having some sort of life-controlling addiction) varied in their opinions of the program, I'm sure. I didn't ask any of them directly. But I heard tons of stories and suffice to say that there is a true work of God going on to help the workers stay sane and to set some of the women free.

We went to the Waffle House and Auburn University campus. We watched a matinee of "He's just not that into you" and had sushi. All sorts of regular life stuff that Nancy had kind of forgotten about in a haze of rides and doctor's visits and court dates and medications and chores. We even made beignets from the Cafe Du Monde mix I brought from New Orleans. We laughed, we cried. We drove around. It was a great visit.

Among the more ministry-related activities, we attended bible study at Miss Kim's house where she served us taco soup and a frozen creme/berry dessert, quite lovely. The next morning, I had the pleasure of meeting Miss Kim in attempt to help Harvest Evangelism with their web presence. I would post the new blog I helped her start but it's still under construction.

Po' boys

Left my swimsuit at my sister's but she was kind enough to send it to my hotel and my mom was nice enough to not get after me for forgetting it because she didn't remind me. If only escaping blame and consequence were always that smooth ;) I did leave my shower gel in the porta shower outside the church where I was staying prior to my current digs. All of this is the immaterial material.

Stepped out of a van cab from MSY into a debriefing of street evangelism team at 1 am. Spent the next two days getting to know the team and meeting people in New Orleans, Jackson Square specifically. Highlights were Christopher the rent-collecting guitar addict, Cliff the homeless dog owner who helped my new friend John fill up ziplock bags with dog food for other homeless folks dogs, laughing with Patricia about her new emperial version of mandarin wherein "bu" is correct standalone, listening to Denny and Pastor Rick's stories, and of course getting to sing and pray with my dear friend Nancy. So much happened I cannot tell it all.

Now that I'm not sleeping on a couch or floor but instead posin' posh at my hotel it all seems quiet but dull. The room really is pretty (thanks, Cheri!) and has a ton of towels but I think about Nate and Joey--two young guys who are voluntarily hitchhiking around to witness to homeless people. I learned about them the same day I checked in.

Tonight I met a fashion photographer who told me about the downside to working with celebrities. And then a sweet local man helped me negotiate the street car. I signed up for a glass-blowing class tomorrow. The lady on the phone said: be careful, it's addictive.

Seattle visit 2 of 3

Well, my sister was surprised on magnitude for her 40th birthday party, though she 'knew something was up'. I'm glad that my part (the slide show) went off mostly without a hitch; my brother-in-law admitted to getting misty-eyed at the end. So the sentimental chord was struck, which I count as dramatic success (Thanks, Elijah!).

My newest niece was "presented" (I think was the word the pastor used) today. And among other things (like Nordstroms with my mom and Costco with my dad) I tried to teach my eldest neice a song in round while she worked on some Valentines (these are for real--sorry I don't know how to rotate them for ease-of-reading):




I called my health insurance to see if they cover international and they don't. So for those of you who pray, I could use some wisdom figuring out what to do about the times I'm abroad. Also, I just finished reading The Treasure Principle and am thinking a lot about giving. My tax return should be deposited soon. And I have some sold stock value sitting in cash...TMI? Anyway. Really, I'm not that worried. Recent provision: very reasonable airfare to Poland for me and Stacey, parking spot at Mars Hill 11:15 service, hassle-free drive back home including interesting conversation with dad. So, all will be well.

Tomorrow, visiting friends in Pullman. Hope to have Wi-Fi there.

And also I think I may have a 'job' idea: consulting but for families rather than businesses. Like helping families deal with some chronic issue that's process/task-natured, not psychological. Think I could get anyone to pay for that? Somehow utilizing my project management skills but in a domestic setting. With most my clients being moms...