Wow, my last post was really depressing. While true at the time, that's not exactly my continual state of being. Here's a little update on the rest of life.
My new condo is ideally located in several ways, one of which is the fact that one of the city bus routes goes right down my street. There's an exchange "station" downtown where I can transfer to a different bus that actually has a stop on the HP campus. A few coworkers convinced me to try riding the bus to HP after I moved to the north end, and after a month of riding pretty regularly I have become a big fan of public transportation. Granted it means that I wake up at 6:30am now, but at least that keeps me on a schedule. If only I could train myself to go to bed earlier too!
Mom flew back from China for Thanksgiving and spent just over a week in Boise, enjoying quality time with family members and seeing an amazing number of friends as well. I think she must have hired a social coordinator behind my back! This was her first trip back to the US since they moved to Shanghai in September. Three months is a pretty long time, but I guess so many things in my life have changed in my life during that same time period -- backpacking around Europe for three weeks, settling into my new job at HP, starting into a new relationship, and recently moving to the other end of Boise -- that their absence in Boise hasn't felt as weird as I initially expected. The idea that "my parents are on the other side of the world" is also easier to handle when we can talk free on Skype and email each other as often as we want. However I do look forward to visiting them in Shanghai to gain an understanding of what their life looks like on an everyday basis. At the moment that understanding is mostly one sided.
Thanksgiving weekend was also extremely satisfying in terms of extended family relationships. All the "girls" of the family enjoyed a wonderful mixture of seriousness and hilarity at our traditional Friday get-together, and my lovely cousin Tori and I had a sleepover at my place later that night. The whole weekend was very relationally fulfilling, including quality conversations with aunts, uncles, grandparents, and cousins. I'm so blessed to have a caring, fun-loving, close, wonderful family! Thank you for showing so much interest in my life.
Being a serious musician in a community as small and as large as Boise affords periodic opportunities for interesting gigs. The weekend after Thanksgiving I drove up to Sun Valley to play Handel's Messiah with a combined choir from Sun Valley and Idaho Falls. Each year this particular vocal ensemble hires an orchestra to perform a major work with them, and I think it's my third time to be a privileged member of that orchestra. Usually we stay with host families from Sun Valley, most of whom are singers in the chorus, and each year I am amazed at their large and richly decorated houses, which often include a detached guest house. And some of these families only live in Sun Valley for part of the year. It's a lifestyle of grandeur and volatility that I can't quite fathom. This year we actually stayed at the Sun Valley Lodge resort, in very nice apartments. I felt so spoiled -- it was wonderful to relax and sleep when we weren't playing. Also, I was again blessed to share a stand with Jill, my former teacher and good friend. She always has a twinkle in her eye, even when the chairs are impossibly hard and our backs ache from driving for three hours then trying to support our violins for the rest of the evening.
The really crazy part about that weekend was the fact that in addition to the concerts on Saturday and Sunday, there was also a performance scheduled for Monday night. On an ordinary weekend I would have just taken my snowboard and spend Monday on the slopes at Sun Valley, but a class that I had previously signed up for at work had been moved to start on that same Monday, and I basically had to be there. So I drove home late on Sunday night, went to work, then made the round trip to Sun Valley and back on Monday night for the final concert. We were worried about the roads because it had snowed a lot the night before, so Mike volunteered to join the insanity and drive up with me on Monday. As a result, it turned out to be a pretty fun adventure. On the way home we made our own little caravan along with Dawn to help keep each other safe on the dark, wet roads, and all turned out well. How lovely to not be alone on such a night!
This weekend I'm playing in the pit for the Nutcracker in Boise, which should be fun, but I'm also ready to have a break from music commitments for a few weeks. Maybe the apartment will finally get a thorough cleaning. :) There are still unpacked boxes sitting on shelves, and I haven't hung a single picture yet. Fortunately my kitchen is functional and all my soft cozy blankets are within arm's reach. Life is pretty good after all!
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
How Long Until Christmas?
This morning I awoke from a restless sleep at 3am, feeling sick to my stomach about work pressures and longing futilely for the days when I felt capable and on top of things. Some of the stress is probably self-imposed, based on my particular personality traits, but somehow this realization has failed to effect any significant change in my emotional state. Knowing that we're way behind before we even start, and that there's very little room in the schedule for learning or making mistakes, does not bring out the best in me as an engineer. In fact, not only is it completely discouraging and stressful -- it also saps my energy, confidence, and creative spirit. At first I was totally excited about the challenges and learning opportunities in my new job, but this isn't the way it was supposed to go.
Deciding that I was too wound up to fall back asleep immediately, I got up off the couch (where I have been sleeping the past few nights) and glanced out the window. To my surprise, large snowflakes were falling gently onto the wet pavement at the bottom of the hill. Unfortunately the temperature is still too warm for snow to really collect on the ground, but I felt a glimmer of joy at the sight. If only the night could last a little longer.
Deciding that I was too wound up to fall back asleep immediately, I got up off the couch (where I have been sleeping the past few nights) and glanced out the window. To my surprise, large snowflakes were falling gently onto the wet pavement at the bottom of the hill. Unfortunately the temperature is still too warm for snow to really collect on the ground, but I felt a glimmer of joy at the sight. If only the night could last a little longer.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Musings on Management
I'm starting to appreciate that being an effective manager is hard. Figuring out how to motivate individual employees and stay on top of issues while still empowering your subordinates to use their own judgement and not getting in their way or impeding their progress through micromanagement must be an exhausting and tricky balance. I have been pondering this quite a bit recently, as a result of my interactions with a number of different managers who are all stressed out about functionality that I am responsible for implementing. It also reminds me once again that I have no interest whatsoever in becoming a people manager. There are plenty of problems to solve -- that much is clear -- but they're not the kind of problems that get me out of bed in the morning.
Random fact of the day: The average life span of a major league baseball is 7 pitches.
Although don't believe everything you read on a string cheese package...
Random fact of the day: The average life span of a major league baseball is 7 pitches.
Although don't believe everything you read on a string cheese package...
Friday, November 02, 2007
Life in 83702!
I now officially reside in the North End.
My apartment is actually one of 12 condos in a three story building that is perched at the edge of the foothills, about 50' above the intersection of 15th and Hill Rd. A trail leading to Camel's Back Park winds upward from the east end of the parking lot.
This place is perfectly charming for both the location and the view. Last night I walked down to Hyde Park (about 15 minutes) in the evening for some ice cream at Goody's with the Roligs, and to my great joy there were quite a few other pedestrians out enjoying the brisk evening air as well. This evening I went for a run after work and felt quite safe among the old trees, parked cars, dogs on leashes, blinking bike lights, and drivers who actually stopped to let me cross the street. My street is just a few blocks from the beautiful Harrison Blvd, where the aging trees still cling to the final stages of their autumn glory. Sometimes I drive that way just to enjoy the canopy of color. And I have yet to ride my bike downtown, but I'm looking forward to that as well. Sooner rather than later I should probably invest in a bike light and some warm clothes that are not black. Oh yeah, and there are tons of restaurants to explore too!
But so far the best part is the view. My love for sunsets remains insatiable.
My new home also has plenty of personality. The stream of water coming from the shower head converges into a solid arrow after about 6", and I have to use two hands just to get the shower door open. There is no microwave (until I buy one) so this morning I thought I would heat up my chai latte on the stove. I tried one burner, then another, waiting a few minutes each time, but none of them seemed the least bit inclined to produce heat. Tonight I tried turning on the oven, which immediately started to emit odd-smelling smoke, and after it settled down I tried the burners again and they worked! Who knows...
This is actually only my third real day here, even though I slept on an air mattress in the bedroom for half of last week. On Saturday Mike, Eric, Sean, and the Bostons helped me move -- it took us about five hours with a Suburban, a truck, two smaller cars and two trips across town. Then Mike helped me unpack my kitchen and move the last few things back over here on Sunday, after Chrissy's baby shower (Asher is ready to be born any time!) I'm so blessed with wonderful coworkers and friends. Hopefully you have all realized that the hot tub downstairs is open for post-skiing relaxation all winter long!
Profound Thought of the Day...
Light travels faster than sound.
That's why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
My apartment is actually one of 12 condos in a three story building that is perched at the edge of the foothills, about 50' above the intersection of 15th and Hill Rd. A trail leading to Camel's Back Park winds upward from the east end of the parking lot.
This place is perfectly charming for both the location and the view. Last night I walked down to Hyde Park (about 15 minutes) in the evening for some ice cream at Goody's with the Roligs, and to my great joy there were quite a few other pedestrians out enjoying the brisk evening air as well. This evening I went for a run after work and felt quite safe among the old trees, parked cars, dogs on leashes, blinking bike lights, and drivers who actually stopped to let me cross the street. My street is just a few blocks from the beautiful Harrison Blvd, where the aging trees still cling to the final stages of their autumn glory. Sometimes I drive that way just to enjoy the canopy of color. And I have yet to ride my bike downtown, but I'm looking forward to that as well. Sooner rather than later I should probably invest in a bike light and some warm clothes that are not black. Oh yeah, and there are tons of restaurants to explore too!
But so far the best part is the view. My love for sunsets remains insatiable.
My new home also has plenty of personality. The stream of water coming from the shower head converges into a solid arrow after about 6", and I have to use two hands just to get the shower door open. There is no microwave (until I buy one) so this morning I thought I would heat up my chai latte on the stove. I tried one burner, then another, waiting a few minutes each time, but none of them seemed the least bit inclined to produce heat. Tonight I tried turning on the oven, which immediately started to emit odd-smelling smoke, and after it settled down I tried the burners again and they worked! Who knows...
This is actually only my third real day here, even though I slept on an air mattress in the bedroom for half of last week. On Saturday Mike, Eric, Sean, and the Bostons helped me move -- it took us about five hours with a Suburban, a truck, two smaller cars and two trips across town. Then Mike helped me unpack my kitchen and move the last few things back over here on Sunday, after Chrissy's baby shower (Asher is ready to be born any time!) I'm so blessed with wonderful coworkers and friends. Hopefully you have all realized that the hot tub downstairs is open for post-skiing relaxation all winter long!
Profound Thought of the Day...
Light travels faster than sound.
That's why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Challenges and Discoveries
After starting into a new job where I need to immediately become an expert in an area that has a lot of nuances and unfamiliar problems, it seems clear that my life at HP will remain challenging and stressful for the foreseeable future. But I'm starting to move from the overwhelming panic phase into the focused and determined phase. Finally I have come to the conclusion that although there may be plenty of engineers in the world who are smarter and more experienced than me, I can be as stubborn and persistent as any of them. Sure, I won't become an expert overnight, but I'm not afraid to ask questions and struggle with problems and figure things out. After all, that's what attracted me to engineering in the first place.
So for a few precious moments I feel like I can conquer the world (maybe drinking Dr. Pepper mid-afternoon is a good idea after all!) If only the program schedules included time for tasks like "learning stuff". At least I know that I have the total support and confidence of my manager and system architect, which is a pretty significant factor.
Sometimes I wish I were the smartest person in the world. But thinking about it more rationally, I suppose that first of all everyone would hate me, and secondly I would probably run out of challenges to solve. There's nothing quite as satisfying as the moment when the pieces of the puzzle finally click into place in my brain and lead to a solution that had seemed completely elusive. I suppose if the world always made sense at first glance there would be no excitement in discovery. So it seems that the relentless and competitive perfectionist in me must continue to cope with the frustrations of not being the fastest or the smartest or the most skillful at everything. Bummer. :)
So for a few precious moments I feel like I can conquer the world (maybe drinking Dr. Pepper mid-afternoon is a good idea after all!) If only the program schedules included time for tasks like "learning stuff". At least I know that I have the total support and confidence of my manager and system architect, which is a pretty significant factor.
Sometimes I wish I were the smartest person in the world. But thinking about it more rationally, I suppose that first of all everyone would hate me, and secondly I would probably run out of challenges to solve. There's nothing quite as satisfying as the moment when the pieces of the puzzle finally click into place in my brain and lead to a solution that had seemed completely elusive. I suppose if the world always made sense at first glance there would be no excitement in discovery. So it seems that the relentless and competitive perfectionist in me must continue to cope with the frustrations of not being the fastest or the smartest or the most skillful at everything. Bummer. :)
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Daily Humor from Boise
Traffic may be crazy in China, but sometimes Nampa is equally ridiculous.
Tonight I was on my way to play a Boise Baroque concert, driving down the road and eating a chicken sandwich while trying to shift and to stay more or less in my lane. Yes, I occasionally fall into the large percentage of the population whose behavior may only be scornfully dismissed with a shake of the head and the phrase "some people's children..."
Anyway, I needed to turn left (east) at 3rd street, which, you may have guessed, comes immediately after 2nd street. It just so happens that 2nd street only goes one way: west. But as the car in front of me casually maneuvered into the nonexistent left turn lane, I decided that the owner of the California plates had not yet realized this very important fact. When the light turned green I had one of those helpless, show-motion moments, watching the driver attempt to turn into oncoming traffic and realizing mid-course that there was no place to go. Thankfully he made it all the way to 3rd street without submitting any insurance claims, but perhaps Idaho is not a safe place for fire refugees after all (Kristin was talking about listing her house on Craigslist under San Diego earlier today).
My parents have become very techie while living in China. Not only do they maintain a blog, utilize various tricks for accessing government-restricted web sites, and talk to people at home on Skype -- they also communicate with taxi drivers by getting people to send them text messages with the appropriate addresses and directions written in Chinese characters. I'm so proud. :)
Speaking of internet craziness, I heard a song on the radio recently that seriously caused me to start laughing out loud in my car. The chorus starts out: "I'm so much cooler online". It's about a guy describing his fictitious online profile and its effect on his imagined social and relationship status. This could be the Case Western Reserve University fight song, I'm so not even kidding.
Tonight I was on my way to play a Boise Baroque concert, driving down the road and eating a chicken sandwich while trying to shift and to stay more or less in my lane. Yes, I occasionally fall into the large percentage of the population whose behavior may only be scornfully dismissed with a shake of the head and the phrase "some people's children..."
Anyway, I needed to turn left (east) at 3rd street, which, you may have guessed, comes immediately after 2nd street. It just so happens that 2nd street only goes one way: west. But as the car in front of me casually maneuvered into the nonexistent left turn lane, I decided that the owner of the California plates had not yet realized this very important fact. When the light turned green I had one of those helpless, show-motion moments, watching the driver attempt to turn into oncoming traffic and realizing mid-course that there was no place to go. Thankfully he made it all the way to 3rd street without submitting any insurance claims, but perhaps Idaho is not a safe place for fire refugees after all (Kristin was talking about listing her house on Craigslist under San Diego earlier today).
My parents have become very techie while living in China. Not only do they maintain a blog, utilize various tricks for accessing government-restricted web sites, and talk to people at home on Skype -- they also communicate with taxi drivers by getting people to send them text messages with the appropriate addresses and directions written in Chinese characters. I'm so proud. :)
Speaking of internet craziness, I heard a song on the radio recently that seriously caused me to start laughing out loud in my car. The chorus starts out: "I'm so much cooler online". It's about a guy describing his fictitious online profile and its effect on his imagined social and relationship status. This could be the Case Western Reserve University fight song, I'm so not even kidding.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Be Nice to Time
Question of the day:
Is it better to make a realistic to-do list and consciously decide in advance which things not to do, or to put everything on the list and try to finish as many tasks as possible before collapsing from exhausted discouragement?
When phrased in that manner, my usual strategy sounds sort of ridiculous. After all, hours after midnight really are not free, especially when there is no time to catch up on rest between 9am and 10pm. It seems like I was able to function on less sleep in college, but I guess there were plenty of breaks in between classes to allow for mental relaxation, besides the fact that sitting in a lecture hall generally required very little initiative or motivation. Maybe I should take Mom's advice these days and stop cheating the night.
It's not that I don't like to sleep -- in fact I indulge myself with waking up late as often as possible. But that doesn't solve the fundamental problem. I feel a bit like the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland, who bemoans his relationship with Time, "We quarreled last March -- just before he went mad, you know--". At some point I think I must have inadvertently quarreled with Time or Calendar, or perhaps they quarreled with each other on my behalf, because they never seem to get along very well. Maybe one of these days I'll learn to not over-commit myself. :)
Is it better to make a realistic to-do list and consciously decide in advance which things not to do, or to put everything on the list and try to finish as many tasks as possible before collapsing from exhausted discouragement?
When phrased in that manner, my usual strategy sounds sort of ridiculous. After all, hours after midnight really are not free, especially when there is no time to catch up on rest between 9am and 10pm. It seems like I was able to function on less sleep in college, but I guess there were plenty of breaks in between classes to allow for mental relaxation, besides the fact that sitting in a lecture hall generally required very little initiative or motivation. Maybe I should take Mom's advice these days and stop cheating the night.
It's not that I don't like to sleep -- in fact I indulge myself with waking up late as often as possible. But that doesn't solve the fundamental problem. I feel a bit like the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland, who bemoans his relationship with Time, "We quarreled last March -- just before he went mad, you know--". At some point I think I must have inadvertently quarreled with Time or Calendar, or perhaps they quarreled with each other on my behalf, because they never seem to get along very well. Maybe one of these days I'll learn to not over-commit myself. :)
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Europe Pics
I finally posted some of my pictures from Europe. Eventually I'll add amusing and possibly informative captions, but until then you can use your imagination!
http://picasaweb.google.com/lindsay.tyson/Europe2007
On Thursday we had an HP lab party at Boondocks in the afternoon, which served as a virtual birthday party. We drove go-karts, played laser tag, hit in the batting cages (my shoulders are still feeling it!) and enjoyed some wild games of air hockey. After watching part of the baseball game in the evening, Chrissy, Brian, Shannon, Josiah and Mike came over to share some apple pie. All in all it was quite a lovely day. Then I spent the rest of the weekend in Seattle visiting Tim, Ian and VP (very pregnant) Liz. My two orchestra rehearsals on Sunday afternoon mandated a short trip, but we still managed to enjoy some silly and serious times together, including an intense round of glow-in-the-dark Rummy and a lovely dinner by Snoqualmie Falls. Oh yeah, and what's up with everyone buying condos?!
Speaking of batting cages, there seems to be some confusion about my MLB allegiance, and I feel that this issue needs to be addressed promptly. For the record: my two most beloved teams for the past 10+ years are the Angels and Braves, in that order. My subsequent favorites are the Dodgers and Indians (although I really only became a fan after moving away from Cleveland). While I thought it was impressive that the Rockies clinched the wild card in extra innings of the tiebreaker game, and that they are now on their way to the World Series, that is the extent of my interest in Colorado. I'm pretty ambivalent about most of the other teams, although I must say...some colors really weren't meant to be seen together! ;)
http://picasaweb.google.com/lindsay.tyson/Europe2007
On Thursday we had an HP lab party at Boondocks in the afternoon, which served as a virtual birthday party. We drove go-karts, played laser tag, hit in the batting cages (my shoulders are still feeling it!) and enjoyed some wild games of air hockey. After watching part of the baseball game in the evening, Chrissy, Brian, Shannon, Josiah and Mike came over to share some apple pie. All in all it was quite a lovely day. Then I spent the rest of the weekend in Seattle visiting Tim, Ian and VP (very pregnant) Liz. My two orchestra rehearsals on Sunday afternoon mandated a short trip, but we still managed to enjoy some silly and serious times together, including an intense round of glow-in-the-dark Rummy and a lovely dinner by Snoqualmie Falls. Oh yeah, and what's up with everyone buying condos?!
Speaking of batting cages, there seems to be some confusion about my MLB allegiance, and I feel that this issue needs to be addressed promptly. For the record: my two most beloved teams for the past 10+ years are the Angels and Braves, in that order. My subsequent favorites are the Dodgers and Indians (although I really only became a fan after moving away from Cleveland). While I thought it was impressive that the Rockies clinched the wild card in extra innings of the tiebreaker game, and that they are now on their way to the World Series, that is the extent of my interest in Colorado. I'm pretty ambivalent about most of the other teams, although I must say...some colors really weren't meant to be seen together! ;)
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Roses from China
My parents ordered me a beautiful bouquet and had it delivered to my office at HP today. What a lovely early birthday surprise! I thought birthdays would seem anticlimactic after I turned 25, but this unexpected joy from the other side of the world imprinted a smile on my entire day.
Tomorrow I'm having some friends over for apple pie, which Mike helped me to make last night. The dough for the crust didn't seem particularly interested in becoming a flat circle, but after the third time of starting over from scratch we managed to produce two respectable looking pies.
In other news, I sent in my security deposit for the new apartment (condo) today. This means I should have a new address in about a month, and a whole new part of town to explore!
Tomorrow I'm having some friends over for apple pie, which Mike helped me to make last night. The dough for the crust didn't seem particularly interested in becoming a flat circle, but after the third time of starting over from scratch we managed to produce two respectable looking pies.
In other news, I sent in my security deposit for the new apartment (condo) today. This means I should have a new address in about a month, and a whole new part of town to explore!
Monday, October 08, 2007
Cheesecake!
The O'Haras took me out for a birthday dinner tonight at the Cheesecake Factory. It was SO YUMMY! And they sat through 300 Europe pictures with great forebearance. :) I'm sorry about your Yankees, guys...I guess I can't have too much pity though, because your Red Sox beat up on my Angels earlier this week. Go Cleveland!!!
For some reason I keep staying up late trying to finish a million things, even though I know it will hurt the next morning. This week my brain feels continually exhausted as I try to learn as much as possible from a departing coworker whose previous responsibilities now rest squarely on my aching shoulders. It's interesting work and an exciting challenge, but also stressful and a little daunting. Once again I find myself grateful for a busy life with diverse activities. At least if I stumble in one area there is still a chance of having other successes to lift my spirits.
The past two weekends I have attended musical performances as an audience member rather than a performer. Although I usually find myself preferring to sit on stage holding an instrument, this brief respite from the pressure of performing was a rare delight. Amusingly enough, the upper section of the Mezzanine is not a total improvement over sitting in the pit; I still couldn't read the supertitles at the opera (there's a reason our seats were so affordable!) Nonetheless, Mike and I had a great time, and it was fun to dress up in a color other than black!
For some reason I keep staying up late trying to finish a million things, even though I know it will hurt the next morning. This week my brain feels continually exhausted as I try to learn as much as possible from a departing coworker whose previous responsibilities now rest squarely on my aching shoulders. It's interesting work and an exciting challenge, but also stressful and a little daunting. Once again I find myself grateful for a busy life with diverse activities. At least if I stumble in one area there is still a chance of having other successes to lift my spirits.
The past two weekends I have attended musical performances as an audience member rather than a performer. Although I usually find myself preferring to sit on stage holding an instrument, this brief respite from the pressure of performing was a rare delight. Amusingly enough, the upper section of the Mezzanine is not a total improvement over sitting in the pit; I still couldn't read the supertitles at the opera (there's a reason our seats were so affordable!) Nonetheless, Mike and I had a great time, and it was fun to dress up in a color other than black!
Sunday, October 07, 2007
October Baseball
My beloved Angels couldn't keep up with the Red Sox this week, concluding the series in Anaheim this afternoon without a single victory. This is so disappointing after an amazing season. Fortunately Cleveland is still in the running, even after losing game three to the Yankees tonight. It's funny -- I was never really a fan of Cleveland while I was at Case, but that has gradually changed over the past few years (probably under the influence of Kristine.) I think my dislike for the Indians after their victory over the Braves in 1995 has finally abated into a grudging affection.
Life in Boise is back to full speed, with a few extra things added to the general craziness. After enjoying a virtually nonexistent commute for the past three years, it's finally time for me to move a little closer to the "still awake after 10pm" part of town. After driving around last weekend and calling a few places this week, I'm looking at renting a condo in the North End, near the intersection of 15th and Hill Rd. The condo itself is smal
ler and somewhat older than my current apartment, but the location has already stolen my heart. Perched on the side of a hill close to Camels Back Park, it has a panoramic view over the Boise treetops from the large sliding glass doors that lead from the living room to the wide balcony. The prospect of watching the sunset from my couch all year round makes my heart sigh with happiness!
Life in Boise is back to full speed, with a few extra things added to the general craziness. After enjoying a virtually nonexistent commute for the past three years, it's finally time for me to move a little closer to the "still awake after 10pm" part of town. After driving around last weekend and calling a few places this week, I'm looking at renting a condo in the North End, near the intersection of 15th and Hill Rd. The condo itself is smal
ler and somewhat older than my current apartment, but the location has already stolen my heart. Perched on the side of a hill close to Camels Back Park, it has a panoramic view over the Boise treetops from the large sliding glass doors that lead from the living room to the wide balcony. The prospect of watching the sunset from my couch all year round makes my heart sigh with happiness!
Monday, October 01, 2007
Test Entry
I'm doing a quick test of the email-to-blog functionality before setting it up for my parents.
Go Rockies! (They won the AL wild card tiebreaker against the Padres in 13 innings tonight.)
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Random Tidbits
Most surprising: I spent three weeks in Europe and only paid for a bathroom once.
Most challenging: Staying awake and trying to function after traveling for 20+ hours
Most impressive: The Chinese gymnasts on uneven bars and balance beam.
Most precarious: The steep and narrow staircases to reach the top of the Duomo in Florence.
Most beautiful: Venice canals at dusk
Most annoying: Having to pay for water at restaurants.
Most consistent: Eating gelato every day in Italy!
Most exciting: Watching Clint practically jumping up and down after we bought tickets to Wicked.
Most delicious: Indian food in Covent Garden our first night in London.
Most amusing: In Venice, an American woman with a southern accent repeatedly yelling out the window (in English) for a couple that was arguing loudly in Italian to "knock it off".
Most challenging: Staying awake and trying to function after traveling for 20+ hours
Most impressive: The Chinese gymnasts on uneven bars and balance beam.
Most beautiful: Venice canals at dusk
Most annoying: Having to pay for water at restaurants.
Most consistent: Eating gelato every day in Italy!
Most exciting: Watching Clint practically jumping up and down after we bought tickets to Wicked.
Most delicious: Indian food in Covent Garden our first night in London.
Most anticlimactic: London Bridge
Most amusing: In Venice, an American woman with a southern accent repeatedly yelling out the window (in English) for a couple that was arguing loudly in Italian to "knock it off".
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Bus By Boat
Clint and I took a little day trip to Murano island yesterday to see the famous glass factories. Immediately after disembarking from the vaporetto we were ushered into an old building (which looked like it might fall apart at any minute) to watch a "demonstration" of the glass blowing process. This consisted of watching three guys smoking cigarettes and casually twirling quasi-molten glass in varying states of completeness in very hot stoves. At some point we were encouraged to start clapping and thereafter we were ushered back out the way we came. I'm still slightly mystified by the whole event, but some of the glass pieces really were amazing.
On my last night in Venice I decided to ride the vaporetti on the canals at sunset/dusk, then have a nice dinner while Clint went out and had his own adventures exploring the island. During the preceding evenings I had figured out which of the cafe orchestras I liked the best in St. Mark's square, and I was planning to splurge and have a nice late dinner while listening to the music. As it turned out, I arrived at my chosen restaurant just in time for the orchestra to take a break, but the servers assured me that they would continue playing shortly. So I sat down and looked at the menu, which consisted of drinks and desserts. Deciding that dinner is generally overrated anyway, I changed my plans and turned this into a "dessert for dinner" event. I ended up sitting there for two hours, long after I had finished my very expensive dessert and hot chocolate, listening to miscellaneous classical selections, themes from musicals, etc. The evening was perfect, although I kept feeling colder and colder despite an outer layer of fleece. Around 11pm it was time to head back to the room to meet up with Clint, but I stopped by to give the orchestra members a tip and thank them for the lovely entertainment this week. The pianist was confused and thought I had a special request, so I tried to clarify that I just wanted to thank them, and mentioned that I'm a violinist. He thought this was great and invited me to come play with them. At first this sounded crazy so I started to decline, but changed my mind after a bit of encouragement. The violinist handed me his instrument and bow and the group played a selection from Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik with me, cold rusty fingers and all. Totally random, but one of the coolest things that has happened on this trip. A lady from LA even took pictures and hopefully she'll email them to me in a few weeks.
We made it to London today...finally! Even though the actual flight from Venice to London only took two hours, somehow it took us from 8am-6pm to get from there to here. Insert four hours of delayed flights and a few more hours of riding public transportation and there you go. But we took a walk and found a great Indian restaurant in Covent Garden, where Clint tried a plate of random Indian food...and liked it...and actually got full! Mostly I think he was just humoring me, because I really wanted Indian cuisine tonight, and I was fully expecting to stop by Subway on the way home to finish off his dinner. For those of you who know Clint, you may not believe the food that was consumed from his plate tonight. I really should have taken pictures. Oh wait...I did! Hooray!
It's funny how much I appreciate being able to read signs and use complete sentences in English again. The sequence of Germany, Italy, then England has provided me with a variety of opportunities to compare and contrast the different cultures and systems for doing things. Maybe I can expound on that more when I return home.
Finally a country that has chai and Dr. Pepper. I guess I am starting to miss home. :)
Actually I think three weeks of traveling to different places every few nights is a little bit long for me. Next time I might want to stay a bit longer in fewer places, but this has been an excellent introduction. We just have two more days of sightseeing left, and I have over 2 GB of pictures to download when I get home. Both Clint and I are losing steam on museums and touristy things (standing in lines for hours with tons of noisy clamoring tourists gets old pretty fast, and I mean, I can only digest so much art per week.) If we had more than two days in London I would probably be inclined to sit in a coffee shop for half the day tomorrow and continue reading To Kill a Mockingbird, which I have rediscovered on this trip. The usage of words and well articulated descriptions is delightful. Now I want to watch the movie. But since we're leaving Sunday morning, I think we will probably get up by 10 tomorrow and actually see some things tomorrow. Maybe we'll go to a musical tomorrow night if we can get tickets for less than an arm and a leg.
Two night owls traveling together actually makes for a nice travel schedule. We sleep in until somewhere between 9 and 11am, while all the tour groups are out standing in lines to see all the sights in their guidebooks, then we wake up in time for lunch, eat some gelato, and enjoy the cities later in the day when those same groups are tired and taking their afternoon naps. The only problem with this plan in Italy was that half the places in the city seem to close down between 1-4pm for lunch/nap/chilling breaks. It's a nice concept though, once you get over the fact that it means you can't do half the things on the list in the afternoons.
If I don't manage to post anything else from England, check back sometime next week for pictures (which I will hopefully post in a few days after I sort through them and recover from jet lag.) My journal is full of thoughts and activities and memories, so there will be more general recap blogging happening over the next few weeks. Thanks for reading. It's been fun to write!
On my last night in Venice I decided to ride the vaporetti on the canals at sunset/dusk, then have a nice dinner while Clint went out and had his own adventures exploring the island. During the preceding evenings I had figured out which of the cafe orchestras I liked the best in St. Mark's square, and I was planning to splurge and have a nice late dinner while listening to the music. As it turned out, I arrived at my chosen restaurant just in time for the orchestra to take a break, but the servers assured me that they would continue playing shortly. So I sat down and looked at the menu, which consisted of drinks and desserts. Deciding that dinner is generally overrated anyway, I changed my plans and turned this into a "dessert for dinner" event. I ended up sitting there for two hours, long after I had finished my very expensive dessert and hot chocolate, listening to miscellaneous classical selections, themes from musicals, etc. The evening was perfect, although I kept feeling colder and colder despite an outer layer of fleece. Around 11pm it was time to head back to the room to meet up with Clint, but I stopped by to give the orchestra members a tip and thank them for the lovely entertainment this week. The pianist was confused and thought I had a special request, so I tried to clarify that I just wanted to thank them, and mentioned that I'm a violinist. He thought this was great and invited me to come play with them. At first this sounded crazy so I started to decline, but changed my mind after a bit of encouragement. The violinist handed me his instrument and bow and the group played a selection from Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik with me, cold rusty fingers and all. Totally random, but one of the coolest things that has happened on this trip. A lady from LA even took pictures and hopefully she'll email them to me in a few weeks.
We made it to London today...finally! Even though the actual flight from Venice to London only took two hours, somehow it took us from 8am-6pm to get from there to here. Insert four hours of delayed flights and a few more hours of riding public transportation and there you go. But we took a walk and found a great Indian restaurant in Covent Garden, where Clint tried a plate of random Indian food...and liked it...and actually got full! Mostly I think he was just humoring me, because I really wanted Indian cuisine tonight, and I was fully expecting to stop by Subway on the way home to finish off his dinner. For those of you who know Clint, you may not believe the food that was consumed from his plate tonight. I really should have taken pictures. Oh wait...I did! Hooray!
It's funny how much I appreciate being able to read signs and use complete sentences in English again. The sequence of Germany, Italy, then England has provided me with a variety of opportunities to compare and contrast the different cultures and systems for doing things. Maybe I can expound on that more when I return home.
Finally a country that has chai and Dr. Pepper. I guess I am starting to miss home. :)
Actually I think three weeks of traveling to different places every few nights is a little bit long for me. Next time I might want to stay a bit longer in fewer places, but this has been an excellent introduction. We just have two more days of sightseeing left, and I have over 2 GB of pictures to download when I get home. Both Clint and I are losing steam on museums and touristy things (standing in lines for hours with tons of noisy clamoring tourists gets old pretty fast, and I mean, I can only digest so much art per week.) If we had more than two days in London I would probably be inclined to sit in a coffee shop for half the day tomorrow and continue reading To Kill a Mockingbird, which I have rediscovered on this trip. The usage of words and well articulated descriptions is delightful. Now I want to watch the movie. But since we're leaving Sunday morning, I think we will probably get up by 10 tomorrow and actually see some things tomorrow. Maybe we'll go to a musical tomorrow night if we can get tickets for less than an arm and a leg.
Two night owls traveling together actually makes for a nice travel schedule. We sleep in until somewhere between 9 and 11am, while all the tour groups are out standing in lines to see all the sights in their guidebooks, then we wake up in time for lunch, eat some gelato, and enjoy the cities later in the day when those same groups are tired and taking their afternoon naps. The only problem with this plan in Italy was that half the places in the city seem to close down between 1-4pm for lunch/nap/chilling breaks. It's a nice concept though, once you get over the fact that it means you can't do half the things on the list in the afternoons.
If I don't manage to post anything else from England, check back sometime next week for pictures (which I will hopefully post in a few days after I sort through them and recover from jet lag.) My journal is full of thoughts and activities and memories, so there will be more general recap blogging happening over the next few weeks. Thanks for reading. It's been fun to write!
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Fastest Vivaldi Contest
Little known fact: Venice has streets.
After crossing the bridge to Venice on the train Monday night, we took a vaporetto (water bus) ride from the station to our hotel at the opposite end of the Grand Canal. Clint watched my bags so I could sit in the back of the boat and watch the city glide by in the twilight. The lights reflecting off the water create a magical atmosphere, which was enhanced later in the evening by wandering around St. Mark's square listening to dueling restaurant orchestras that play familiar classical and show tunes on outdoor stages.
Venice is definitely a tourist town, but I have been happily surprised by the number of non-couples here. This morning while eating breakfast in the hotel (it sits at the corner of two canals), I watched four gondolas float by in a row that were packed with Asian families.
We actually got around the city entirely on foot yesterday. You really do need a good map here, because I don't think there is a major street (or one that goes in a straight line for any length of time) on the entire island. So far we haven't gotten lost, which is actually sort of disappointing because we have done a lot of wandering around.
Yesterday we had a fantastic sun, rain, hail, and thunder storm in the afternoon. We have a corner room on the third floor of a cute hotel with shining marble floors and confusing stairways, which is also at a canal intersection of one of the gondola routes, so we got to sit in the room and watch very wet people in gondolas floating by in the sporadic rain showers. They actually make gondola covers, which seem to serve a much more practical purpose than car covers (since they have plush seats in many of the gondolas). I think I might wait to pay a lot of money for a gondola until I am rich and/or famous, or until someone else is doing the bargaining and paying.
Okay, this has been a happy post until now, but I have to spend a few of my very expensive internet minutes ranting about something. Although this trip has generally exceeded my expectations, last night was a bit of a let down. We went to see Vivaldi's Four Seasons performed by a local chamber orchestra in a random concert hall near St. Mark's cathedral in Venice. The tickets weren't cheap, so I was expecting it to be a pretty good concert. That was my first mistake. Keep your expectations low and it's hard to be disappointed. First of all, everything in Venice is expensive. Second, this chamber orchestra plays the same two programs on alternating nights for 4 months in a row. Third, Venice is known for being a tourist town, not for being a major music capital. Granted Vivaldi was born here, but that doesn't mean music lovers flock to the town to see the Vivaldi museum (I've tried to go twice and it's been closed both times.) I sat there wondering if I was watching my high school piano quartet play our favorite Rondo as fast as possible, every man for himself, rushing to the end, neglecting any kind of phrasing, rhythmic accuracy, or ensemble togetherness. I'm not kidding. I could have sworn that the first and third movements of every single concerto were marked Vivace Molto. Just to give you an idea, this group played six concerti and an encore in less than an hour. It actually hurt me to watch. But the rest of the crowd seemed to be impressed. In my opinion, if Vivaldi looks difficult to play, it's because you're not playing it well. It should look beautiful and singing and effortless. Sigh.
On to London tomorrow. :)
After crossing the bridge to Venice on the train Monday night, we took a vaporetto (water bus) ride from the station to our hotel at the opposite end of the Grand Canal. Clint watched my bags so I could sit in the back of the boat and watch the city glide by in the twilight. The lights reflecting off the water create a magical atmosphere, which was enhanced later in the evening by wandering around St. Mark's square listening to dueling restaurant orchestras that play familiar classical and show tunes on outdoor stages.
Venice is definitely a tourist town, but I have been happily surprised by the number of non-couples here. This morning while eating breakfast in the hotel (it sits at the corner of two canals), I watched four gondolas float by in a row that were packed with Asian families.
We actually got around the city entirely on foot yesterday. You really do need a good map here, because I don't think there is a major street (or one that goes in a straight line for any length of time) on the entire island. So far we haven't gotten lost, which is actually sort of disappointing because we have done a lot of wandering around.
Yesterday we had a fantastic sun, rain, hail, and thunder storm in the afternoon. We have a corner room on the third floor of a cute hotel with shining marble floors and confusing stairways, which is also at a canal intersection of one of the gondola routes, so we got to sit in the room and watch very wet people in gondolas floating by in the sporadic rain showers. They actually make gondola covers, which seem to serve a much more practical purpose than car covers (since they have plush seats in many of the gondolas). I think I might wait to pay a lot of money for a gondola until I am rich and/or famous, or until someone else is doing the bargaining and paying.
Okay, this has been a happy post until now, but I have to spend a few of my very expensive internet minutes ranting about something. Although this trip has generally exceeded my expectations, last night was a bit of a let down. We went to see Vivaldi's Four Seasons performed by a local chamber orchestra in a random concert hall near St. Mark's cathedral in Venice. The tickets weren't cheap, so I was expecting it to be a pretty good concert. That was my first mistake. Keep your expectations low and it's hard to be disappointed. First of all, everything in Venice is expensive. Second, this chamber orchestra plays the same two programs on alternating nights for 4 months in a row. Third, Venice is known for being a tourist town, not for being a major music capital. Granted Vivaldi was born here, but that doesn't mean music lovers flock to the town to see the Vivaldi museum (I've tried to go twice and it's been closed both times.) I sat there wondering if I was watching my high school piano quartet play our favorite Rondo as fast as possible, every man for himself, rushing to the end, neglecting any kind of phrasing, rhythmic accuracy, or ensemble togetherness. I'm not kidding. I could have sworn that the first and third movements of every single concerto were marked Vivace Molto. Just to give you an idea, this group played six concerti and an encore in less than an hour. It actually hurt me to watch. But the rest of the crowd seemed to be impressed. In my opinion, if Vivaldi looks difficult to play, it's because you're not playing it well. It should look beautiful and singing and effortless. Sigh.
On to London tomorrow. :)
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Vacation Within a Vacation
Riomaggiore. The Cinque Terre. The Italian Riviera. Peace.
I reached a significant milestone in my life this weekend: I figured out where I want to go on my honeymoon. These villages are nestled among the cliffs of coastal Italy, inhabited by locals who understand the beauty of taking life slowly. I also love this place because:
a) I always love the coast -- water, breeze, waves crashing on the rocks
b) I love sleeping in
c) People are happy and relaxed and they smile back
d) There is plenty of gelato
We are staying at a private room owned by a lady named Anna who speaks almost no English. It has a private patio with table, chairs, and umbrella, is located way up the hill of the main road, and has a refigerator (I am learning the value of being able to chill our own water.) Yesterday we rented kayaks and paddled around until all the muscles in my shoulders were screaming for a break, which took all of about 45 minutes. But we managed to not roll our kayaks, which was good because we were already getting wetter than anticipated just by sitting on the seats!
Later we took a ferry from the southern-most town (Riomaggiore) to the northern-most (Monterosso) and had a nice dinner. I even drank a glass of local wine! Clint and I decided a few days ago that we had to try the wine in Italy, even though neither of us really likes alcohol in the first place, so yesterday was wine night. And we ate at this super cute, and very affordable, restaurant that sits above the beach with a clear view of the ocean, just in time for sunset. Could I ask for anything more? It is also good, I think, to have a few days off from sightseeing, because my brain is very full of museums and needs time to actually have a vacation where I don't feel obligated to do anything in particular. Today I'm going for a long hike on the trails that follow the coastline from town to town, and I think Clint wants to do more kayaking and go running. I'm looking forward to a calm day of walking, listening to music, reading, and taking pictures.
Life is too short. Tomorrow we move on to Venice! But this also means that I have only a week remaining until real life comes upon me once again. Next year I think I will be making several trips across the ocean. It brings a refreshing perspective on normal life.
I reached a significant milestone in my life this weekend: I figured out where I want to go on my honeymoon. These villages are nestled among the cliffs of coastal Italy, inhabited by locals who understand the beauty of taking life slowly. I also love this place because:
a) I always love the coast -- water, breeze, waves crashing on the rocks
b) I love sleeping in
c) People are happy and relaxed and they smile back
d) There is plenty of gelato
We are staying at a private room owned by a lady named Anna who speaks almost no English. It has a private patio with table, chairs, and umbrella, is located way up the hill of the main road, and has a refigerator (I am learning the value of being able to chill our own water.) Yesterday we rented kayaks and paddled around until all the muscles in my shoulders were screaming for a break, which took all of about 45 minutes. But we managed to not roll our kayaks, which was good because we were already getting wetter than anticipated just by sitting on the seats!
Later we took a ferry from the southern-most town (Riomaggiore) to the northern-most (Monterosso) and had a nice dinner. I even drank a glass of local wine! Clint and I decided a few days ago that we had to try the wine in Italy, even though neither of us really likes alcohol in the first place, so yesterday was wine night. And we ate at this super cute, and very affordable, restaurant that sits above the beach with a clear view of the ocean, just in time for sunset. Could I ask for anything more? It is also good, I think, to have a few days off from sightseeing, because my brain is very full of museums and needs time to actually have a vacation where I don't feel obligated to do anything in particular. Today I'm going for a long hike on the trails that follow the coastline from town to town, and I think Clint wants to do more kayaking and go running. I'm looking forward to a calm day of walking, listening to music, reading, and taking pictures.
Life is too short. Tomorrow we move on to Venice! But this also means that I have only a week remaining until real life comes upon me once again. Next year I think I will be making several trips across the ocean. It brings a refreshing perspective on normal life.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Home Is Where The Pizza Is
Welcome to Florence, where the locals are riding mopeds, drinking coffee, and kissing their sweethearts on street corners, while the tourists are eating gelato, pointing at street signs, and clutching maps and guidebooks between their remaining fingers. It's interesting to keep walking through these cities where tourists and local people coexist in a weird sort of equilibrium.
We saw Michelangelo's most famous sculpture today, David, in the Accademia museum, which also houses a musical instrument section with instruments by Stradivari and Amati. David is seriously like 20 feet tall, and one of the most impressive things I have seen in a museum ever. The artists during this time were amazingly good at representing the human anatomy in a realistic way. Yesterday we climbed the 463 steps to the top of Brunelleschi's famous dome in Florence, which was exhausting and sweaty but provided a great view of the city.
Clint and I got lost in a non-touristy part of town today (our map ended without us noticing...hehe.) It was kind of fun to see people going about their normal life and not necessarily speaking English or being inviting toward tourists. Tomorrow we're off to relax in Cinque Terre for a few days. We're enjoying the train travel so far.
We saw Michelangelo's most famous sculpture today, David, in the Accademia museum, which also houses a musical instrument section with instruments by Stradivari and Amati. David is seriously like 20 feet tall, and one of the most impressive things I have seen in a museum ever. The artists during this time were amazingly good at representing the human anatomy in a realistic way. Yesterday we climbed the 463 steps to the top of Brunelleschi's famous dome in Florence, which was exhausting and sweaty but provided a great view of the city.
Clint and I got lost in a non-touristy part of town today (our map ended without us noticing...hehe.) It was kind of fun to see people going about their normal life and not necessarily speaking English or being inviting toward tourists. Tomorrow we're off to relax in Cinque Terre for a few days. We're enjoying the train travel so far.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
No Hablo Italiano
We made it to Florence on the train today, after spending half the day in Vatican City. I mailed a few postcards from the Vatican Post Office (it's a different country, you know!) and did some people watching in the Sistine Chapel. They don't allow photography of any kind, and they also ask you not to talk, but people have surprisingly little self control. The noise level would start at a low hum and get progressively louder until one of the guards would clap his hands with a loud "SHHH" and the noise would die down for about five minutes until a new group filtered into the chapel.
We're loving the Italian food and the staff at the restaurants -- they have been so nice despite our lack of speaking Italian. I have actually used (or tried to use) Spanish quite a bit the past few days to communicate with people at restaurants and hostels who don't speak much English. The two languages are similar enough that it kind of works.
We're loving the Italian food and the staff at the restaurants -- they have been so nice despite our lack of speaking Italian. I have actually used (or tried to use) Spanish quite a bit the past few days to communicate with people at restaurants and hostels who don't speak much English. The two languages are similar enough that it kind of works.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Roman Walking Tours
Impressions of Italy...
Apparently people like their soda very flat here. If you order a Sprite at a restaurant, first of all it will cost you upwards of $4, and basically you will get hydrated, slightly flavored sugar. I guess they like their water with bubbles and their soda without.
The traffic patterns in Rome are still a complete mystery to me. The "walk" sign seems to be more of a guideline than a strict rule. People pretty much cross the street whenever there seems to be an opening, and sometimes when it's your turn to walk, you better watch out or you might get hit by a bus. There also seems to be a very different concept here about what is a safe distance between a pedestrian and a car. Much more "intimate".
Graffiti is everywhere, including all over the sides of the subway trains. The Roman Forum has a big cat refuge and adoption program. People let their laundry dry from their balconies, next to the rooftop garden terraces.
There are lots of little pizza/pasta eateries along every major and minor street. Based on the number of restaurants around here, Italian life must revolve to a large degree around food. It's really funny to walk along the streets near touristy areas at night, because the people working at these places literally walk out to you and try to recruit you to come to their restaurants. And random accordion players will walk up to play a few tunes and then walk to your table and literally ask you for money. Some guy also walked up to our table within the same 10 minute window and put a couple of roses in front of me, and after I handed them back to him he put them back down in front of me again, asking for a Euro or so. Very persistent.
In other news, Clint and I thinking about developing a "gelato map" for all the starving tourists, because we always seem to be able to find plenty of gelati stands when we have just eaten but can't find any when we're hot and thirsty and REALLY want some gelato.
Okay, one of my favorite little things in Rome is that they have these public drinking fountains all over the city. But they're not quite the same as in the states. They run all the time, first of all, and they point downward, which is good for filling water bottles. But if you block the output spout with your hand, the water will be redirected to a spout that points upward. Very manual system, but it works.
The ambulance sirens (which I hear quite frequently) are sort of friendly, with alternating tones in 6ths. Very musical, if slightly out of tune. :)
Today I bought a baseball cap that says "Italia". It was made in China.
Smile If You Love Italy
The German portion of my trip has been brought to you by the letters "sch" and the word "entschuldigung" (slang for I'm a klutzy American).
Yesterday was my third of the past four weekend days that I have been up before the sun. This is so wrong. But I did get to see the sun rise from the west side of the plane. On the way into Rome I was casually looking out the window, when suddenly there was the Colosseum, just looking sleepy down below.
When I landed at the airport in Rome, people literally started clapping and cheering. I also noticed more smiles on people's faces as I walked through the nonexistent customs check in Rome's smaller airport (Ciampino) and made my way out to the bus. Italy has a very different vibe from Germany/Austria. More relaxed, more casual, more dirty, less perfectionistic, and more smoking. However things still seem to operate fairly efficiently (although I'm not sure how!) The laid back atmosphere reminds me somewhat of Mexico).
Yesterday Clint made it to Rome to join me, and after a lunch of pasta we wandered around the city for most of the afternoon and evening. More walking. Maybe I will lose 5 pounds on this trip, despite all the carbs and gelato. Oh yeah, I had three servings of gelato yesterday. What can I say, it's good stuff. :)
The hostel is run by a girl from Colorado and another girl from Brazil. It's really cute, just a few rooms in an old building that faces a side street. I slept like a rock last night. Off to see the Colosseum for real today!
Yesterday was my third of the past four weekend days that I have been up before the sun. This is so wrong. But I did get to see the sun rise from the west side of the plane. On the way into Rome I was casually looking out the window, when suddenly there was the Colosseum, just looking sleepy down below.
When I landed at the airport in Rome, people literally started clapping and cheering. I also noticed more smiles on people's faces as I walked through the nonexistent customs check in Rome's smaller airport (Ciampino) and made my way out to the bus. Italy has a very different vibe from Germany/Austria. More relaxed, more casual, more dirty, less perfectionistic, and more smoking. However things still seem to operate fairly efficiently (although I'm not sure how!) The laid back atmosphere reminds me somewhat of Mexico).
Yesterday Clint made it to Rome to join me, and after a lunch of pasta we wandered around the city for most of the afternoon and evening. More walking. Maybe I will lose 5 pounds on this trip, despite all the carbs and gelato. Oh yeah, I had three servings of gelato yesterday. What can I say, it's good stuff. :)
The hostel is run by a girl from Colorado and another girl from Brazil. It's really cute, just a few rooms in an old building that faces a side street. I slept like a rock last night. Off to see the Colosseum for real today!
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Don't Pet the Snake
I think that I may be turning into Dad. I have started reacting to each new challenge and adventure by thinking...heh, this will make a great story. Thanks Dad! I hope things are good in China.
As y'all may have noticed ... the US women won the gymnastics team competition yesterday!!! It was very exciting and completely surreal to actually be there in person. This is the biggest sporting event that I have ever attended live, and I kept suddenly remembering that fact at various moments and just having this big goofy smile on my face. Fortunately there were thousands of other people there and I will probably never see any of them again, so I don't really care if I look like a crazy happy tourist.
I fell in love with Austria at my first glimpse of Salzburg from the train. Although it was raining a lot during most of my 24 hours there, I still had a chance to do a few things in the city. I was thankful to have tossed my umbrella into my bag at the last minute! The Dome (huge church) in Salzburg is huge, beautiful, awe-inspiring, and incredibly ornate. It is also heavily decorated with fire extinguishers. There was literally one every hundred feet or less. This struck me as highly amusing...like brandishing a plastic knife if God were to send fire from heaven to devour the building.
Ooh, one of the coolest things that I did in Salzburg was to attend a violin/piano sonata concert in one of the rooms of an old palace. The concert was echoey and glorious. Again, one of those surreal moments when I want to pinch myself to see if it's really happening.
The hostel in Salzburg was actually part of a dorm for music students, attached to a beautiful old church. You walk through an archway to get there (actually there are stone archways everywhere -- I really like them.) It was also in Austria that I figured out the restaurant protocol is to just walk in and sit down somewhere. Apparently you look like a dumb American tourist if you wait for someone to seat you. It could be a long wait. But I got my food and sat in the smoking section in order to try to blend in ( i.e. not be the only person in the non-smoking room) and listen to the conversation of the locals. Not that I could understand much of anything, but it felt less weird anyway. There are some awkward things about traveling alone, and eating at restaurants is one of those things for me. It just feels sad and lame always asking for a table for one and sitting there with nothing to do, or reading a book and being completely disengaged.
It's interesting to see the multi-lingual, multi-culturalism of Europe first hand. Apparently I don't have 'American' stamped on my forehead, because people keep addressing me in German and don't switch to English if I can manage a sufficiently convincing Guten Tag. One of my roommates from Canada said she would not have guessed that I was American. In an odd sort of way this makes me happy. My current challenge is to conduct all of my transactions related to food without having to resort to English.
Public transportation is extensive, relatively cheap, and very efficient over here (at least in Germany and Austria), which is totally wonderful. I just get a pass for as many days as I need when showing up in each new city and it totally relieves the stress of buying tickets all the time or taking the wrong train and having to backtrack for an extra fee. But I still do a LOT of walking. I finally realized today why I seem to get hungry every few hours -- I probably walk 5-6 miles on an average day. And it's great. My shoes are comfortable, walking is slow enough that I get to see the city in more detail than I would on a bike or in a car or on a train. Bikes are actually very popular here (I saw about a dozen of them at once, with their owners, getting off the subway in Munich!)
I keep waking up around 2am feeling wide awake for no apparent reason. Actually that was my exact routine for the first three nights in Europe. Dad, does this happen to you too? Last night was my first time sleeping all the way through the night, and I proceeded to go to breakfast in my pajamas. hehe. A couple of girls from Munich even invited me to sit with them, despite the sweats and the crazy curly hair that had yet to be tamed. The humidity does interesting things with my curls.
There are many signs of environmental friendliness in Germany. I already mentioned that people ride bikes and use the trains/subway regularly. Many people also have those tiny smart cars that can parallel park by turning perpendicular to the curb. So cool. Also, you don't get plastic or paper plates/cups almost anywhere. When I ordered my food at the gymnastics venue yesterday, the lady handed it to me in a napkin and gave me my Sprite in a plastic cup. Then she informed me that I would get the 'cup deposit' of 1 Euro back when I returned the cup.
I had a day off from my regularly scheduled activities today, so I decided to go to the zoo. Now I know what you're thinking... 'you go all the way to Europe and you want to see animals from everywhere else in the world?' Well, this wasn't just any zoo. It has all the standard animals, but it also has a full-on aquarium, a rain forest building, an insect house, a reptile building, a nocturnal animal house, and gorgeous botanical gardens. The tigers were wrestling, the chubby gorilla was flirting with the crowd, the chimpanzee was curled up in a corner looking like he was pondering the meaning of life, and one of the elephants was slamming sticks into its neck to break them into 'bite sized' pieces. And I don't understand much German, but I think the skull and crossbones is an internationally recognized symbol for 'don't pet the snake'.
I'm having a great time getting lost, finding things that I wasn't looking for (like great falafel today), meeting new people, eating new things, being surprised and intrigued by all the little differences between how things work here and how they work in the US. Having a monetary denomination of 2 makes a lot of sense. I'm not sure why we don't have a $2 bill or coin in America.
If you are still reading... I love you guys and I know I will miss the family a lot when I get back home to Boise and life returns to its normal, comfortable, occasionally boring routine. But it has been really good for me to have left at the same time as Mom and Dad so I can adjust to your absence more gradually.
Ciao!
As y'all may have noticed ... the US women won the gymnastics team competition yesterday!!! It was very exciting and completely surreal to actually be there in person. This is the biggest sporting event that I have ever attended live, and I kept suddenly remembering that fact at various moments and just having this big goofy smile on my face. Fortunately there were thousands of other people there and I will probably never see any of them again, so I don't really care if I look like a crazy happy tourist.
I fell in love with Austria at my first glimpse of Salzburg from the train. Although it was raining a lot during most of my 24 hours there, I still had a chance to do a few things in the city. I was thankful to have tossed my umbrella into my bag at the last minute! The Dome (huge church) in Salzburg is huge, beautiful, awe-inspiring, and incredibly ornate. It is also heavily decorated with fire extinguishers. There was literally one every hundred feet or less. This struck me as highly amusing...like brandishing a plastic knife if God were to send fire from heaven to devour the building.
Ooh, one of the coolest things that I did in Salzburg was to attend a violin/piano sonata concert in one of the rooms of an old palace. The concert was echoey and glorious. Again, one of those surreal moments when I want to pinch myself to see if it's really happening.
The hostel in Salzburg was actually part of a dorm for music students, attached to a beautiful old church. You walk through an archway to get there (actually there are stone archways everywhere -- I really like them.) It was also in Austria that I figured out the restaurant protocol is to just walk in and sit down somewhere. Apparently you look like a dumb American tourist if you wait for someone to seat you. It could be a long wait. But I got my food and sat in the smoking section in order to try to blend in ( i.e. not be the only person in the non-smoking room) and listen to the conversation of the locals. Not that I could understand much of anything, but it felt less weird anyway. There are some awkward things about traveling alone, and eating at restaurants is one of those things for me. It just feels sad and lame always asking for a table for one and sitting there with nothing to do, or reading a book and being completely disengaged.
It's interesting to see the multi-lingual, multi-culturalism of Europe first hand. Apparently I don't have 'American' stamped on my forehead, because people keep addressing me in German and don't switch to English if I can manage a sufficiently convincing Guten Tag. One of my roommates from Canada said she would not have guessed that I was American. In an odd sort of way this makes me happy. My current challenge is to conduct all of my transactions related to food without having to resort to English.
Public transportation is extensive, relatively cheap, and very efficient over here (at least in Germany and Austria), which is totally wonderful. I just get a pass for as many days as I need when showing up in each new city and it totally relieves the stress of buying tickets all the time or taking the wrong train and having to backtrack for an extra fee. But I still do a LOT of walking. I finally realized today why I seem to get hungry every few hours -- I probably walk 5-6 miles on an average day. And it's great. My shoes are comfortable, walking is slow enough that I get to see the city in more detail than I would on a bike or in a car or on a train. Bikes are actually very popular here (I saw about a dozen of them at once, with their owners, getting off the subway in Munich!)
I keep waking up around 2am feeling wide awake for no apparent reason. Actually that was my exact routine for the first three nights in Europe. Dad, does this happen to you too? Last night was my first time sleeping all the way through the night, and I proceeded to go to breakfast in my pajamas. hehe. A couple of girls from Munich even invited me to sit with them, despite the sweats and the crazy curly hair that had yet to be tamed. The humidity does interesting things with my curls.
There are many signs of environmental friendliness in Germany. I already mentioned that people ride bikes and use the trains/subway regularly. Many people also have those tiny smart cars that can parallel park by turning perpendicular to the curb. So cool. Also, you don't get plastic or paper plates/cups almost anywhere. When I ordered my food at the gymnastics venue yesterday, the lady handed it to me in a napkin and gave me my Sprite in a plastic cup. Then she informed me that I would get the 'cup deposit' of 1 Euro back when I returned the cup.
I had a day off from my regularly scheduled activities today, so I decided to go to the zoo. Now I know what you're thinking... 'you go all the way to Europe and you want to see animals from everywhere else in the world?' Well, this wasn't just any zoo. It has all the standard animals, but it also has a full-on aquarium, a rain forest building, an insect house, a reptile building, a nocturnal animal house, and gorgeous botanical gardens. The tigers were wrestling, the chubby gorilla was flirting with the crowd, the chimpanzee was curled up in a corner looking like he was pondering the meaning of life, and one of the elephants was slamming sticks into its neck to break them into 'bite sized' pieces. And I don't understand much German, but I think the skull and crossbones is an internationally recognized symbol for 'don't pet the snake'.
I'm having a great time getting lost, finding things that I wasn't looking for (like great falafel today), meeting new people, eating new things, being surprised and intrigued by all the little differences between how things work here and how they work in the US. Having a monetary denomination of 2 makes a lot of sense. I'm not sure why we don't have a $2 bill or coin in America.
If you are still reading... I love you guys and I know I will miss the family a lot when I get back home to Boise and life returns to its normal, comfortable, occasionally boring routine. But it has been really good for me to have left at the same time as Mom and Dad so I can adjust to your absence more gradually.
Ciao!
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Safe in Stuttgart
The weariness from my previous blog entry has subsided and I'm having a great time. It's very liberating to travel light, and to be able to carry all my belongings for 5 miles trying to find my hostel without collapsing. The hostels are working out great so far. I have ended up in all girls rooms of 4-5 beds, to my pleasant surprise, and have met gals from France, New Zealand, Germany, Toronto and San Francisco.
Every day brings new adventures... What am I going to eat for breakfast (and lunch, and dinner)? Why doesn't my ATM card work? How can I take a nap if my room won't be ready for 3 hours? Seriously though, my courage and comfort are growing by leaps and bounds every day. And although many people speak some amount of English, I have been grateful to know a few key words and phrases in German.
It turns out that my stomach is a most obnoxious and insistent traveling companion. It's one of the few things that seems to want to be on a schedule despite the fact that I am on vacation. Never before have large quantities of meat of questionable origin seemed so palatable as they have these past 4 days.
Oh, did I forget to say... I am having a perfectly fabulous time!!! After the first day when I didn't even know which way was up, I have my energy back and a big smile on my face most all of the time. Somehow it seems pretty easy to just go with the flow, laugh when things don't follow the perfectly laid plans, and not feel obligated to do all the touristy things unless I feel like it. The whole fact of being here still seems a bit surreal, and I have to keep reminding myself that it is not a dream. The countryside is beautiful, the people are friendly, the churches are AMAZING, and the escape from normal life is much needed. Today I am heading off to watch the women's team final of the world gymnastics championships in Stuttgart and I am SO excited!!!
There is so much more to write but my internet time is almost up. I'll try to post more blog entries as I go, where possible.
Lindsay
Every day brings new adventures... What am I going to eat for breakfast (and lunch, and dinner)? Why doesn't my ATM card work? How can I take a nap if my room won't be ready for 3 hours? Seriously though, my courage and comfort are growing by leaps and bounds every day. And although many people speak some amount of English, I have been grateful to know a few key words and phrases in German.
It turns out that my stomach is a most obnoxious and insistent traveling companion. It's one of the few things that seems to want to be on a schedule despite the fact that I am on vacation. Never before have large quantities of meat of questionable origin seemed so palatable as they have these past 4 days.
Oh, did I forget to say... I am having a perfectly fabulous time!!! After the first day when I didn't even know which way was up, I have my energy back and a big smile on my face most all of the time. Somehow it seems pretty easy to just go with the flow, laugh when things don't follow the perfectly laid plans, and not feel obligated to do all the touristy things unless I feel like it. The whole fact of being here still seems a bit surreal, and I have to keep reminding myself that it is not a dream. The countryside is beautiful, the people are friendly, the churches are AMAZING, and the escape from normal life is much needed. Today I am heading off to watch the women's team final of the world gymnastics championships in Stuttgart and I am SO excited!!!
There is so much more to write but my internet time is almost up. I'll try to post more blog entries as I go, where possible.
Lindsay
Monday, September 03, 2007
munich
i got here safely but yesterday was quite the adventure. apparently long flights on almost no sleep that arrive first thing in the morning local time does not agree with me. also i cant figure out the local keyboards so some letters may be wrong on this post. many of my sightseeing plans have not turned out the way i expected, but i am trying to just go with the flow and not have too many expectations for myself. so far i have not eaten at any restaurants whose names i recognized, so i consider this to be a small victory. now i am off to catch the s bahn to see a castle on the outskirts of munich before i make my way to salzburg. still have to figure out the train schedules. every day is definitely a new adventure. nothing is comfortable yet. but hopefully that will be half the fun. if i can keep myself hydrated and fed!
Friday, August 31, 2007
Almost Ready
After being lightheaded, exhausted, and a little nauseous the past few days, I'm starting to feel more physically and mentally stable today. Hopefully this means I will be all better by tomorrow, since my plane leaves at 8am! I'll be spending the next three weeks traveling to Germany, Austria, Italy, and England, on my first trip to Europe. This will also be my first time on a real train!
Last night I bid my parents farewell as they also depart for China tomorrow. Occasionally it hits me that this is really happening, but for the most part I don't think the reality will sink in until I return from my travels on Sept 23rd and 1661 E Stonybrook Ct no longer has a black Civic parked in the driveway.
Feel free to send emails if you need or want to get in touch with me over the next three weeks. I'll try to check my email and post blog entries periodically during the trip.
Last night I bid my parents farewell as they also depart for China tomorrow. Occasionally it hits me that this is really happening, but for the most part I don't think the reality will sink in until I return from my travels on Sept 23rd and 1661 E Stonybrook Ct no longer has a black Civic parked in the driveway.
Feel free to send emails if you need or want to get in touch with me over the next three weeks. I'll try to check my email and post blog entries periodically during the trip.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Musings from a Mantis
This little guy has been clinging to the underside of my bicycle for over 5 days. I first discovered him after riding my bike home from work last Friday, when I glanced down and saw a small green body hanging upside down from one of the metal bars that makes up the frame.
Does he have thoughts or instincts that tell him to sit calmly and not move? Is he unaware of the fact that green does not function as camouflage on a metal surface? Is he oblivious that I am very much bigger and stronger than he is and could pose a real threat to his very existence? Does he believe that he is tough enough and resourceful enough to handle anything that may happen to him?
It seems like we as humans are often oblivious to what is really happening around us, walking through life as though wearing blinders, seeing the current joys or irritations but missing the bigger picture. We lose sleep worrying about things that won't even matter in a week, yet neglect to consider the reality that any of us could die tomorrow and have to face whatever comes afterward. I feel indignant when someone borrows my parking space without permission, yet I have done nothing to support the fight against ongoing atrocities of genocide in Darfur.
Life in the modern world, especially in a small, safe American city, has become too easy and convenient. Day to day survival generally doesn't even enter into our minds as a problem to be addressed. There are plenty of toys and entertainment to distract us from the harsh realities of pain and mortality. We have instantaneous access to more world news than any other culture in history, but do we have compassion? Have our hearts become disengaged due to an overload of information? Have our emotions been dulled by the cinematographic assumption that physical suffering is just a matter of stunts that are made to look real?
Despite the fact that he is hanging upside down, holding onto a rusty chain with some of the tiniest limbs I have ever seen, he appears calm and unafraid. Even when I brought a camera within 6 inches of his head and snapped a few pictures with the flash, he merely rotated his head sideways to started at me. Nothing else on his body showed the slightest hint of movement.
Does he have thoughts or instincts that tell him to sit calmly and not move? Is he unaware of the fact that green does not function as camouflage on a metal surface? Is he oblivious that I am very much bigger and stronger than he is and could pose a real threat to his very existence? Does he believe that he is tough enough and resourceful enough to handle anything that may happen to him?
It seems like we as humans are often oblivious to what is really happening around us, walking through life as though wearing blinders, seeing the current joys or irritations but missing the bigger picture. We lose sleep worrying about things that won't even matter in a week, yet neglect to consider the reality that any of us could die tomorrow and have to face whatever comes afterward. I feel indignant when someone borrows my parking space without permission, yet I have done nothing to support the fight against ongoing atrocities of genocide in Darfur.
Life in the modern world, especially in a small, safe American city, has become too easy and convenient. Day to day survival generally doesn't even enter into our minds as a problem to be addressed. There are plenty of toys and entertainment to distract us from the harsh realities of pain and mortality. We have instantaneous access to more world news than any other culture in history, but do we have compassion? Have our hearts become disengaged due to an overload of information? Have our emotions been dulled by the cinematographic assumption that physical suffering is just a matter of stunts that are made to look real?
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Ninja Travelers
According to my dad, Chinese movies always seem to have ninjas, whether or not they have anything to do with the plot. This strikes me as greatly amusing, right up there with the English sign translations gone wrong. And while his assessment is probably based on a grand total of less than 5 movies, it does seem to reflect a certain randomness in the culture that I wholeheartedly support. My parents' departure date for Shanghai is quickly approaching, and since I'm the only kid still in town during the packing process, most of the "extra" stuff is ending up at my apartment. This seems to me to be a good system. Unfortunately it looks like my trip to China will be postponed until next spring though, based on schedule mismatches with Mark and Luke coming to Boise the day after Christmas.
The Europe plans are coming together nicely, with lodging and transportation nearly solidified. We're staying at a cute place in Venice that overlooks a canal, and I can't wait to ride on my first train! I have learned about a dozen words each in German and Italian, and would like to take the time to learn a few more phrases before I leave in two weeks, but we'll see how that goes. Fortunately my friend Mike keeps stubbornly speaking to me in German, so I'm picking up some words here and there -- some more useful than others. :)
Hopefully I will have time to post updates at various points along the trip, but regardless I will definitely take lots of pictures and have stories to report when we return. And since I'm barely getting back in time for the first concert of the year, it gives me the rare and lovely opportunity to listen and watch from the audience instead of from the stage.
The Europe plans are coming together nicely, with lodging and transportation nearly solidified. We're staying at a cute place in Venice that overlooks a canal, and I can't wait to ride on my first train! I have learned about a dozen words each in German and Italian, and would like to take the time to learn a few more phrases before I leave in two weeks, but we'll see how that goes. Fortunately my friend Mike keeps stubbornly speaking to me in German, so I'm picking up some words here and there -- some more useful than others. :)Hopefully I will have time to post updates at various points along the trip, but regardless I will definitely take lots of pictures and have stories to report when we return. And since I'm barely getting back in time for the first concert of the year, it gives me the rare and lovely opportunity to listen and watch from the audience instead of from the stage.
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Belated Introduction
Mostly I started this blog out of curiosity -- to test the blogging concept on a personal level, to experiment with format and layouts, and to play with RSS. Also I enjoy words, particularly when carefully arranged in clever sentences. After all, how often does one get to use "feckless", "insidious", or "forthwith" in normal conversation?
So I randomly started this blog one night last fall, but then it seems that I promptly forgot about it, because I have almost no recollection of the incident whatever. Nonetheless, I was recently reminded of its existence, and with my family scattering around the country and the globe, I find that a secondary motive for blogging has risen to prominence. My hope is that our family blogs will serve as a forum for sharing the minor but interesting bits of life that make it feel personal and real, despite the many miles that separate us from each other.
Comments from friends and family are always welcome and appreciated.
And now I leave you with some favorite literary quotes from the Tyson anthology.
'The time has come,' the Walrus said,
'To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings.'
"I never look back, darling! It distracts from the now."
"Your hair wants cutting."
"That Hansel -- he's so hot right now."
"Flowing robes...the grace...striking!"
Treacle.
So I randomly started this blog one night last fall, but then it seems that I promptly forgot about it, because I have almost no recollection of the incident whatever. Nonetheless, I was recently reminded of its existence, and with my family scattering around the country and the globe, I find that a secondary motive for blogging has risen to prominence. My hope is that our family blogs will serve as a forum for sharing the minor but interesting bits of life that make it feel personal and real, despite the many miles that separate us from each other.
Comments from friends and family are always welcome and appreciated.
And now I leave you with some favorite literary quotes from the Tyson anthology.
'The time has come,' the Walrus said,
'To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings.'
"I never look back, darling! It distracts from the now."
"Your hair wants cutting."
"That Hansel -- he's so hot right now."
"Flowing robes...the grace...striking!"
Treacle.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Morning vs. Night People
My Latest Theory: Morning people vs. night owls
Characterics of morning people:
Characterics of morning people:
- enjoy waking up with or before the sun, often without using an alarm clock
- can be extremely productive before 7am
- get tired by around 10pm and typically have no trouble falling asleep
- do their best thinking first thing in the morning
Characteristics of night owls:
- have a general hatred for alarm clocks and a disfunctional relationship with the snooze button
- loathe getting out of bed above all things
- gradually become more energetic throughout the day and enjoy staying up past midnight on a regular basis
- sometimes try to go to bed early but lie awake for hours, unable to fall asleep
- do their best thinking after sunset
In my opinion, the difference is not just a matter of how much sleep you need or whether you like to be awake before everyone else. I think it has much more to do with your body's concept of a "day".
For morning people, the equation is something like:
(number of hours you naturally want to be awake) + (number of hours you want to sleep) <= 24
And for the night owls, it's more like this:
(number of hours you want to be awake) + (number of hours you want to sleep) >= 25
This would explain why night owls seem to get in a cycle of going to bed later and later, then either waking up later and later or else building up sleep debt night after night. It's hard to go to bed when your body says that it's not ready to sleep yet, but it's hard to want to get out of bed when the morning always comes too soon. On the other hand, for morning people their bodies tell them that it's time to go to bed with enough time for them to get fully rested before they need to wake up in the morning. Sometimes I am amazed that morning people don't have to exercise extreme willpower to get out of bed when the alarm rings, but maybe this theory explains that behavior too. /shudder
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
"People are particularly stupid today"
-- Michele, from Gilmore Girls
A few days ago I ordered a 2GB secure digital memory card online from CompUSA, but decided to save some money and pick it up in the store. Then today my dad asked if I'd pick up a special 4GB compact flash card for him too, so I placed another online order after lunch and received a confirmation email shortly thereafter. It says conspicuously in several places that the items will be available for pickup within 15 minutes of receiving that email. So I figured four hours should be enough and decided to stop by the store after work.
As I'm driving down the road on my way to REI (I'm planning to go there first), casually reading signs, and I suddenly see the words "Comp USA". It takes a minute to register what I'm seeing. My brain has apparently replaced the concept of "Best Buy" with the name "Comp USA", and I was on my way to the completely wrong place. Thankfully the need to focus on turning into the parking lot distracts me briefly from the overwhelming fear that I have truly gone insane.
"Well, so far so good. At least I made it here in once piece," I'm thinking to myself. I walk into the store and one of the many sales associates directed me to the "business orders" desk. The guy behind the counter is talking on the phone, but I figure he can probably multi-task so I hand him the two separate confirmation emails. He comes back a few minutes later with the SD card and another piece of paper, directing me to give it to the cashier when I pay.
me: "What about the other card?"
him: "What?"
me: "I had two separate orders."
So he goes into the back again and returns a minute later, saying that the order must not have gone through for some reason and looking vaguely apologetic. I decide it's not worth the time and energy to get to the bottom of this -- after all, they probably have 15 more of the same cards on a shelf somewhere in the store. He points me in some kind of a direction and confirms that indeed they have more such cards "over there". Just then two other sales associates (probably about my age) were walking toward me so I decided to enlist their help instead of looking awkward and lost while trying to decipher the organizational system of the store.
me: "CF cards?"
guy #1: "What?"
me: "Compact flash cards"
guy #2: "You mean like a flash drive?"
guy #1: "Is this for a camera?"
me: "Yeah, it's for a camera"
guy #2: "I think so, they should be over by the entrance. I'll walk you over there..."
guy #2: "Is this like an SD card? I know we have some of those."
me: "No, it's a compact flash card. I ordered one online and for whatever reason the order didn't go through so I just need to go find the same model on the shelf."
We arrive at a wall with a bunch of smallish memoryish-looking packages and I tell him "thanks, I can find it." I start browsing but the dude is apparently getting paid to help me and is taking his job very seriously. Or maybe he just wants to see what they look like. I locate the SD and microSD cards so I start back in the other direction.
guy #2: "Oh yeah, here you go. Compact flash," and starts to hand me the first one he sees
me: "Actually I need a specific brand", and keep looking for the right model
guy: "Ah, you need a 1 gig." (looking over my shoulder)
me: "Okay here it is" (as I finally locate the high performance SanDisk card that Dad wanted)
guy #2: "Oh, 4 gig"
I didn't press the issue.
After paying for the two cards, I'm walking out of the store looking at my receipt and realize that the receipt doesn't show the date, the name of the store, or the information for the CF card -- it only shows the SD card and the total amount of the bill, along with 500 word essay on the CompUSA return policy. I sigh and reluctantly head back inside. By this time the cashier has vanished and I don't want to start snooping around his cash register without permission so I find another guy and explain the situation. guy #3 looks confused and shows it to someone else, who thinks he can look it up in the computer.
guy #4: "did you pay for this with a credit card?
me [thinking]: "what is this, a test?" (the card name and number are on the part of the receipt that he is holding in his hand.)
me [aloud]: "yeah, like 2 minutes ago."
guy #4: "I can't find it here. I'll see if Mark can print you another copy," and walks off
I wait around for about five minutes feeling very bored and somewhat incredulous at the whole situation. In the process I glance halfheartedly at the titles of many books that are sitting on the sale rack. There's a book on iPods and iTunes with a subtitle "the missing manual", which amused me. Apparently Apple's ease-of-use mantra doesn't completely eliminate the need for the printing industry (which, come to think of it, is good for me).
Finally guy #4 comes back with a sheet of paper and indicates that it, along with my other half-receipt, will (together) count as a full receipt. Somewhat bewildered by this "new math", and the mystical "Mark" who has created the pseudo-receipt, I resolve to myself to revise my mental lookup table so that, in the future, the concept of "Best Buy" will in fact map to the name "Best Buy".
-- Michele, from Gilmore Girls
A few days ago I ordered a 2GB secure digital memory card online from CompUSA, but decided to save some money and pick it up in the store. Then today my dad asked if I'd pick up a special 4GB compact flash card for him too, so I placed another online order after lunch and received a confirmation email shortly thereafter. It says conspicuously in several places that the items will be available for pickup within 15 minutes of receiving that email. So I figured four hours should be enough and decided to stop by the store after work.
As I'm driving down the road on my way to REI (I'm planning to go there first), casually reading signs, and I suddenly see the words "Comp USA". It takes a minute to register what I'm seeing. My brain has apparently replaced the concept of "Best Buy" with the name "Comp USA", and I was on my way to the completely wrong place. Thankfully the need to focus on turning into the parking lot distracts me briefly from the overwhelming fear that I have truly gone insane.
"Well, so far so good. At least I made it here in once piece," I'm thinking to myself. I walk into the store and one of the many sales associates directed me to the "business orders" desk. The guy behind the counter is talking on the phone, but I figure he can probably multi-task so I hand him the two separate confirmation emails. He comes back a few minutes later with the SD card and another piece of paper, directing me to give it to the cashier when I pay.
me: "What about the other card?"
him: "What?"
me: "I had two separate orders."
So he goes into the back again and returns a minute later, saying that the order must not have gone through for some reason and looking vaguely apologetic. I decide it's not worth the time and energy to get to the bottom of this -- after all, they probably have 15 more of the same cards on a shelf somewhere in the store. He points me in some kind of a direction and confirms that indeed they have more such cards "over there". Just then two other sales associates (probably about my age) were walking toward me so I decided to enlist their help instead of looking awkward and lost while trying to decipher the organizational system of the store.
me: "CF cards?"
guy #1: "What?"
me: "Compact flash cards"
guy #2: "You mean like a flash drive?"
guy #1: "Is this for a camera?"
me: "Yeah, it's for a camera"
guy #2: "I think so, they should be over by the entrance. I'll walk you over there..."
guy #2: "Is this like an SD card? I know we have some of those."
me: "No, it's a compact flash card. I ordered one online and for whatever reason the order didn't go through so I just need to go find the same model on the shelf."
We arrive at a wall with a bunch of smallish memoryish-looking packages and I tell him "thanks, I can find it." I start browsing but the dude is apparently getting paid to help me and is taking his job very seriously. Or maybe he just wants to see what they look like. I locate the SD and microSD cards so I start back in the other direction.
guy #2: "Oh yeah, here you go. Compact flash," and starts to hand me the first one he sees
me: "Actually I need a specific brand", and keep looking for the right model
guy: "Ah, you need a 1 gig." (looking over my shoulder)
me: "Okay here it is" (as I finally locate the high performance SanDisk card that Dad wanted)
guy #2: "Oh, 4 gig"
I didn't press the issue.
After paying for the two cards, I'm walking out of the store looking at my receipt and realize that the receipt doesn't show the date, the name of the store, or the information for the CF card -- it only shows the SD card and the total amount of the bill, along with 500 word essay on the CompUSA return policy. I sigh and reluctantly head back inside. By this time the cashier has vanished and I don't want to start snooping around his cash register without permission so I find another guy and explain the situation. guy #3 looks confused and shows it to someone else, who thinks he can look it up in the computer.
guy #4: "did you pay for this with a credit card?
me [thinking]: "what is this, a test?" (the card name and number are on the part of the receipt that he is holding in his hand.)
me [aloud]: "yeah, like 2 minutes ago."
guy #4: "I can't find it here. I'll see if Mark can print you another copy," and walks off
I wait around for about five minutes feeling very bored and somewhat incredulous at the whole situation. In the process I glance halfheartedly at the titles of many books that are sitting on the sale rack. There's a book on iPods and iTunes with a subtitle "the missing manual", which amused me. Apparently Apple's ease-of-use mantra doesn't completely eliminate the need for the printing industry (which, come to think of it, is good for me).
Finally guy #4 comes back with a sheet of paper and indicates that it, along with my other half-receipt, will (together) count as a full receipt. Somewhat bewildered by this "new math", and the mystical "Mark" who has created the pseudo-receipt, I resolve to myself to revise my mental lookup table so that, in the future, the concept of "Best Buy" will in fact map to the name "Best Buy".
Friday, July 13, 2007
Hours after midnight are free
The title of this post perfectly describes my subconscious ideas about bedtime. And despite the unfortunate tendency of reality to disprove that idea on a regular basis, I remain determined to take advantage of my best creative hours despite the cumulative effects of sleep deprivation. If only the work day started at 11 instead of 9.
Away message of the day:
"I don't make films...but if I did they'd have a samurai"
Away message of the day:
"I don't make films...but if I did they'd have a samurai"
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