Blue Sheep and Guitar Hero

Well the Christmas shopping season is off to a start ... I got a few things for other people ... but the big purchases were a T.V. for the bottom floor ... and Wii Guitar Hero -- Legends of Rock for myself :-). Anthony has been trying to teach me with mixed success. I want to practice the next two weeks while he is back at school and get better ... but who will do Christmas cards and shopping?

Sydney also got something new ... "Blue Sheep". The poor thing lasted about 24 hrs ... :-( Blue Sheep that is. I better not forget to order his "indestructible toy" tomorrow (from the woman I "met" in Zootoo) as the sale ends. This "after" picture of Blue Sheep says it all .....

Missed out on 50% miles in BA -- but honestly I did not see how to squeeze in a visit to Algeria or Syria in 2009 .... hopefully they will do this again some other time ... bummer we paid full miles for Kuwait .....

Cam Went Back to Ithaca :-(

Took Cam to Union station this morning. He is spending the night in NYC with his friend Victor and then they will drive back to Ithaca tomorrow. I like the arrival of the Thanksgiving guests ... but not the departure. Last year I had to go to Zurich after Thanksgiving so it took my mind off the guys leaving ... but this year I get the "departure" feeling :-(

We had Starbucks just like last year .. but we did not have time to sit around. Love the train ... we left the house at 8:30 AM, got to the station by 8:45 and Cam boarded a few minutes after 9 AM. No hassles. This is a rare photo of Mark holding Starbucks (mine). Mark did NOT do a good job of taking this photo by the Christmas tree.

Mark goes off to Argentina Monday so this week will be hard .... Sydney and Roma are sad ... they keep looking for Cam and Mr Fishy. I hope Senor Fishy survives the train, and then the car drive!

Black Friday

Went to work today. But en route to work decided to sop at Target (at 6 AM) because we needed a new TV by the tread mill and there were some good "door busters". Get there about 6:10 (I am clearly not a good Black Friday" shopper. The store is pretty empty -- EXCEPT electronics -- where aside from all the shoppers there was a TV crew. So I got paranoid about ending up on TV shopping during a work day -- and went through all these evasive moves to get by the camera crew. So in the end I missed out on the good deal TVs and the super good deal Guitar Hero. But I stopped by Best Buy and got a better Guitar Hero deal. And Mark and I just got a TV. We are paying Cam and Anthony $20 each to install. They said 10 min. Took 20 .... reportedly because we had hooked some stuff wrong. I guess they are our version of Geek Squad :-). Roma, Sydney and Miss Pressley were banned from helping :-( Miss Pressley was sad -- look at that face ....

The Great Thanksgiving Flood

The day started out pretty ordinarily. Got up (at the last possible minute). I went to church (Father D's sermon outdid itself in saying nothing -- but that's not why I went). The boys went to see James Bond (again -- because Mark slept through it the first time). Picked up Pressley for the day (here she is helping me get points for Vaughn's shelter on Zootoo). Went to the Chart House in Old Town and had a great Thanksgiving dinner. Took all three dogs for a walk. Called Maggie's and talked to Mary and Lisa as well. Plotted a Black Friday shopping strategy (harmonized with work) .....

Then I was brushing Roma (for the second time today .... that dog sure has excess hair) and Anthony said he heard a noise downstairs. Turns out that the faucet in the bathroom on the main floor got left on -- which led to the sink overflowing. The sink overflowing in turn led to the bathroom floor flooding ... the water seeped through to the bathroom on the street level floor. Eventually a bunch of water went into the storage room. What a mess ... and all over the course of a couple of hours max.

Anthony helped me out quite a bit cleaning up. Cam watched. Mark slept through the mess ... only to wake up after it was mostly dried to growl. The storage room still is going to need some sorting and I have lots and lots of towels to wash. But all in all it could have been worse -- stuff happens. The boys (Cam and Anthony) are playing video games -- guess I was lucky to get the help I got. Mark is reading the paper. Wonder if he is awake ......

I continued to be amazed at the detached way in which I look at these "incidents". I ran around and cleaned up but if someone had a monitor on me I don't think they would have detected any anxiety at all. Funny I was just thinking of flooding Julia and Engracia's bathroom when I was a child in Havana. They worked in our house ... I was probably closer to them than anyone. In hind sight not such a nice thing to do -- though back then I would break into hysterics. No doubt they watched me cleaning up from their perch in heaven and laughed ......

I guess we survived the Great Thanksgiving Flood and we shall see what is next :-). I just heard a suspicious noise but it stopped so I can't tell what it was ......

Everyone is here for Thanksgiving!

Cam and Anthony are both here now. Me and Cam (and Sydney) drove to BWI (airport in Baltimore) to get Anthony. The traffic was horrid -- 2.5 hrs to cover 30 miles. I think there was a Wizards game downtown .... then just the usual 295 traffic. Sydney is sooo happy the guys are home. Here he is with his brother Anthony. And here is Cam wearing the diamond earring I gave him last year. I had gotten the pair from Mark as a wedding gift and lost one. Got bigger ones for our 25th Anniversary this year. Cam wants me to lose one. I sure hope not! I am paranoid about wearing them .......

Had a terrible day at work today ... it was supposed to be "easy". But all this dramatic stuff kept happening. A lot of it is not knowing how to move stuff from A to B. But part of it is that people are so weird ... what we do is NOT rocket science but I get a sense that people double and triple check what I do rather than just let me be. Makes everything three times as hard. Maybe it is hard for people to admit that what they do is just not complicated. Heck we just move stuff back and forth from A to B. Without killing anyone and harming the environment. Pretty black and white .....

Have a hard day in store tomorrow -- I cannot believe I have meetings till 3 PM Wednesday before Thanksgiving. But then Thanksgiving!!!! and surely Friday will be quiet and I can catch up!

Before and After

The groomer did an awesome job -- here is Sydney "before" (right) and "after" (left). A true makeover :-)

The Grooming Van

Sydney is in the grooming van outside our townhouse right now ... the groomer would not let me go in :-( I am soooo nervous -- sure hope he does not ruin my beautiful baby's gorgeous coat.

Funny how Sydney did not know it was coming unlike the uncanny way in which he can tell I am planning to give him a bath (as soon as I even think bath -- before I get a single towel or product -- he hides from me). Here he is trying to steal Mark's breakfast. I picked him up and his tail swiped my food so that was that :-). I love my Cav but not ready to eat his hair!

Celebrated the End of the Week With a Visit to the Mother Ship

Pheww ... made it to the week as Acting Acting Assistant Administrator while my temp boss is in Peru. I think I got everything done that had to be done ....... Some long days but that's OK. Didn't have any crying spells when I got home, which is great progress .....

Celebrated by going to what Maggie calls my "Mother Ship" -- E-Arden Red Door Spa. Got an eye brow wax and a mani. Then again I go to the Mother Ship every w-e -- but this time I earned it! Starbucks was super crowded ... tons of Christmas shoppers though not many people had lots of bags. A lot of sales. Our area is really doing OK economically but people are spooked.

Intended to go to see the new James Bond flick at 2:30 so we could go to church tonight. But H's furnace broke and we took Michael Anthony and Roma while she tried to get a space heater and groceries. She eventually got a repairman ... he was there when I walked Roma for her. Hope it got fixed 'cause it is FREEZING. I think Michael Anthony likes Mark better -- I guess he is more entertaining.

Saw the James Bond flick eventually. It was super action packed but somehow Mark fell asleep. When he woke up he said he fell asleep because there was no action :-) In this flick 007 was in Italy, London, Haiti, Bolivia and some country I thought was Kazakhstan. Darn it -- in the previous films he never went anywhere I had not been. Mark has been to Kazakhstan but I passed because as Mark said "I just had to work on my Ph.D.". And of course we've not been to Haiti. Don't like it when James Bond goes someplace I have not been. BA is having 50% miles off sale ... have to see if maybe we can go to Kazakhstan over a w-e .......

The grooming van is coming by tomorrow to groom Sydney ... hope it works out OK. He is soooo beautiful ... I do not want his hair messed up! The van comes between 11 and 11:30 so have to get up for 8:30 mass. Cam comes in tomorrow at Union Station at 11:30 PM. And I have to be on time at work Monday ... a long "action filled" day ... hope I make it through ......

Michael Anthony's Bday Party

Went to Michael Anthony's Bday party today. I think this is his third -- one in Arizona -- one last week on his most likely Bday and one today before his official Bday. I tried REALLY hard to get a photo of MA and Sydney -- but I had forgotten to charge the camera :-(

Forgotten how much fun a kids Bday party could be :-) Sydney enjoyed the kids -- but was shy as well. Mark looks like he is ready to drop. I am going to go upstairs and do some work (I slept most of the afternoon). And pray I survive the week ... if I survive next week, Thanksgiving week should be OK .....

Somewhere between a refugee and an expatriate

Saturday night. Mark is back from India -- flight was even a little bit early. And he is amazingly still awake. That may be because it is morning in Bangalore :-) I actually fell asleep about 3 PM and did not manage to wake up enough to go to church tonight. Will make it in the morning.
Went to dinner with Dan and Vicki and their friends Brenda and Jerry who were in town. Just got back (and got a Sydney photo for my blog). Nice to see them. Told them about our Africa trip -- and I think everyone thought we were a bit crazy. I guess I "grew" into the crocodile infested river so funny how a lot of the earlier stuff to me was "not so bad". Really, I've gotten to the point that only the near capsizing the canoe in the crocodile infested river seems "bad". I didn't tell them about the rating of restaurants by number of mice or the mouse in the bathroom -- the rats at the resort seemed to create enough consternation :-)
Talked some about politics. Funny how I am the only one that does not think that paying a few thousand dollars in taxes to set up social programs is not a bad thing. I am puzzled about the horror about the bribe system in Africa -- which is clearly brought about by the uneven distribution of wealth -- and at the same time not seeing the need to give a hand to folks that for whatever reason are not as well off. Some people are lazy -- I know that. But some have not had opportunities. Or are not as smart. Or are born into a bad family situation. If I had not gotten all the help I got I would not be where I am today -- and I have no problem with helping others.
Then we talked some about work ... mostly folks qualifications. Funny how what we see in otters we so often do not see in ourselves.

I was reflecting on my two week tenure on the 10th floor earlier. The closest description that captures my experience is "somewhere between political refugee and expatriate". The political refugee comes from the major disorientation and sense that I do not belong -- which is reinforced by some of the nastier inhabitants of "10th floor world" (which is a euphemism as some of the inhabitants are in other floors :-)). The expatriate part is because of the "resources" that are available to deal with it -- the lifeline to other areas which are still there (which are not for a political refugee). And of course an expatriate can go back ..... I think if I view things in those terms I will truly learn a lot :-) and not go crazy!

Tonight we also talked about ethics and "black and white" and "gray". I think in the end it is obvious that no one can be pigeonholed. While I am gray in some social issues, I am VERY black and white on ethics. I am appalled (and I am grateful that I am) when someone who is about to retire asked for "a trip to Europe". Some of the "black and white" people all of the sudden felt that maybe that was OK because "everyone does it to some extent". And "gray" me all of the sudden was cringing. I am going to have to think about this during the week ... is "entitlement" ever right? Is my fear that dipping a toe into muck will lead to worse and worse and worse -- to the point that you lose your moral compass -- exaggerated? Often what upsets us the most in others is that which we fear the most in ourselves ......

Hope Michael Anthony (H's baby) is all better tomorrow ... had to get Pedyalite for him en route home. She had me leave it outside her door ... and Mark acted like a fool taking it up. Which made me laugh almost to the point of incontinence :-) .....

Polar Bears and Stuff .....

Heard from Sharon today. She sent me this gorgeous photo of a polar bear -- she is an awesome photographer. can't wait to see her Africa CD.

I can't believe it is 1 AM and I'm messing around. I have so much to do ...... I wasted hours on zootoo -- trying to help Vaughn win $ for his shelter. Have to join the zootoo site ... then add photos, videos, comment on news, play games. Hope he does well.

Mark is en route from Bangalore. His flight will land in Frankfurt at 8:45 AM (2:45 AM here). I have to quit messing and go to bed. But I also have to walk Sydney but I probably should not go out this late. Maybe I will put him out back.
Today was a better day .... only was exposed to that horrid woman once. She does not seem to lack for self esteem. Or maybe she does. Gawd she loves to hear herself talk ... soooo obnoxious ... and really says nothing. Uses the most pompous words ever. I didn't sit on the wrong seat at least. What a bitch ... actually telling me to move over one chair because I was causing discomfort. When most of the chairs were empty and I was only off by one.
Well better get to sleep ...... Can't wait to see Mark ... today :-)

P.S. Me thinks me has uncovered the motivation. Just googled the wicked witch ... what a pathetic resume. I see why she is so pompous .... she is not filled with self esteem ... she is insecure. Kinda sad ......

December 1969

Wow. What a day. When the day started little would I have guessed that before the day was over I would find myself back in Madrid, Spain on December 23, 1969.

I am trying to be nice and grateful about today -- the intentions were good and I'm sure there are many people that would have loved the opportunity. It was very nice of N to go way out of her way to get me an invite to an "Executives" forum when I am only a lowly Chief Scientist "Acting" in a "Executive" job -- she really has been ultra generous to me and I have learned so much from her the last couple of weeks. The folks at my table were very funny and nice and told great stories. Plus I love to watch KL in action -- I really admire her. Having said that the last time I felt so uncomfortable and out of place I was 8 years old and had landed in Madrid as a refugee from Cuba on Dec 23rd 1969 -- wearing summer clothes :-). As I was to enter the room the HR people said "you can't come in -- this is "Executives" only" -- not "Acting" people. Then they proceeded to make me stand in a corner while they greeted the "real" Executives. I wanted to leave so badly but I knew that would make N really mad and I did not want to disappoint her. So I stood there -- until they checked "my story" and then made me a hand written name tag that screamed "does not belong". They did make me a real one by the break -- which I hope offset some of the seriously bad karma they must have created. I think I may very well have the foundation of a story for the Glamour Magazine 2009 writing contest .... maybe I can still make it up to my high school lit teacher -- who was so disappointed by my going into engineering versus writing -- before my 30th class reunion next summer :-) In a way today was the first time I have been able to truly go back to that day and experience some of the feelings .... I really want to capture that in writing .... hope it holds till tomorrow or Sat :-) Funny how that can happen -- and it hasn't been for lack of trying -- my analytical side always got in the way before of really feeling that day again. I really was not at the Holiday Inn today -- the person that has experienced all the things that I have in the last 39 years could not possibly have been even slightly perturbed by the experience. But the child I used to be is a different story -- I have been crying for the last two hours and definitely NOT about today. The worse truly is the better .... somehow I don't think this is what the Mastermind of this forum had in mind .... but I will not write him a Thank You note -- way too Breakfast Club!

Survived the Week!

Wow -- cannot believe how fast the week went by. What a week it was ... such a historic election. Awful economic news. And I made it through my first week of my temp job on "the 10th floor" -- the FAA's equivalent of the Pentagon's "E-ring" I guess -- though I suspect a lot less exciting.

Eventually made up my mind and voted. Just had to go at 6 AM. Tool an hour and a half. Mark went at 5 PM. Took 1 minute. I do not like Obama's stand on abortion. But I did not like McCain's stand on everything else. It is hard not to get caught up in the symbolism and excitement of an Obama win. I better than most know the power of a visual role model. For me the mental barriers of what I could and could not do were removed upon meeting Janet F. in 1999. Obama's win will have an impact on people that is impossible to measure. All of those kids of different blends and colors knowing nothing is impossible. I do hope he can fix the economy. At least it bodes well that he has Warren Buffet as an advisor ......

The week on the 10th floor went by in a blur. There is a tension being in a new place ... and in a temporary office. I feel like I have to pick up every crumb ... my temp boss is in the other office. She moved to the Assistant Administrator's Office ... which is palatial. Her office that I am sitting in is also very nice .... but I miss my office and all its "pinkness". And I miss my boss Carl ... I keep going downstairs to talk to him. Learned lots of new things ... which is always exciting. And it is temporary .... I get to have a parking space (albeit in a commercial building because our parking garage is under renovation). That helps with the longer hours.

Today was Michael Anthony's christening. In the Orthodox church. A beautiful ceremony. Can't believe how much he changed while we were in Africa. I'm going to pick him up tomorrow and take him out for a while ... give H. a break :-)

Mark is going to India .... first on ... then off ... then the invite and visa issues got solved at the last sec. Knew they would. It will be hard to have him away and I worry about him ALL THE TIME :-( But Thanksgiving and Cam and Anthony are almost here :-).....

Visiting Anthony

Just got home from visiting Anthony in Pittsburgh. Maggie and I got to the hotel around 1 or do on Saturday. Marking good time but as usual 376 was under construction and I was detoured. Took a while as the signs were awful and the GPS did not help as it kept trying to get me back to 376. But eventually I got there. Maggie just got off at the wrong exit :-). I think her drive is a tad less ....

Sydney was sooooo glad to see Anthony. And Anthony was glad to see Sydney. I think he just tolerated me and Maggie. But he showed Sydney off to his friends (he snuck him into Fairfax Apartments :-)). We were there about 24 hours -- but it was well worth it as Anthony is much more communicative "live". He seems to be doing well ... and his "gang of nerds" friends seem to be a great influence. I think he is doing well and seems to enjoy school. His half grown beard is a shocker ... he thinks it makes him look less young :-). I guess I remember the days when I wanted to look older ... ha, time takes care of that.

We took Anthony to Subways for a late lunch, to St. Paul's Cathedral for mass (he has gone quite lax), and then to Melting Pot for dinner. A good venue for talking! He stayed the night with us (we were at Residence Inn -- it is such a nice place -- great dog run -- the hotel caters to folks who are in Pittsburgh having medical treatments I think -- so the staff is so nice -- then again everyone outside DC seems nice!). I think Anthony likes spending the night with baby Sydney -- they just play and play.


This morning we benefited from time change -- and gained an hour. Anthony slept through breakfast (me and Maggie had it as it was free). Dropped him off back at his apartment -- said he was gonna do homework ...... Poor Sydney got so sad. We took him over to the Oakland shops a bit (he is allowed to go into most of the stores -- he is a big hit at Coach -- and they loved him at Victoria's Secret). Got Starbuck's -- then took Maggie back to her car. Sydney cried -- he does not do good-byes well. He is more a hello sort of pup.

Drive home was uneventful -- not so nice how early it gets dark -- guess better get used to it for a few months :-( Have to get some blood work done at the Drs. tomorrow ... then my first day in my temp job. Getting more and more apprehensive. Going to the Who concert at the end of the day ... so at least have something to look forward to. And then election day .... yikes .... I think I have about decided .. courtesy of the Bishop of Pittsburgh ....