Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Now I'm Really Back
Despite the big fake-out, since I was only here for a day before traipsing off to the East Coast for the week, I'm actually back now and ready to blog! If I had anything interesting to blog about, that is... but I'm home for an entire month (what am I going to do with myself?!?) so I'm sure I'll get back into the groove of things sooner or later. More to come.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Emmmm...
So much for the blogging while on vacation... heehee. Now back in snowy Chicago after two weeks of blissfully warm and sunny weather in the middle of January (must I ask myself again why I choose to live in the Arctic's home away from home?). I did make it to the beach on Friday (North Shore of Oahu) and, despite the overcast skies and lukewarm water, attempted body surfing (ummm... for the totally uncoordinated person that I am, it was pretty laughable), but then happily resigned myself to floating in the ocean. BLISS.
But back to reality-- 26 degree weather and snowy skies... which meant good old O'Hare was virtually shut down. Despite actually arriving on time (a feat this time of year), we sat on the runway for almost 2 hours because all the gates were occupied due to weather delays (did I mention that it wasn't even snowing at that point and I could see grass... which means that it hadn't really been snowing much in general?). I knew it was a bad sign when after taxi-ing around the runway for about 30 minutes and the pilot finally found a place to park among the other homeless planes, he shut off the engines and announced that if anyone was interested in seeing the cockpit of a 777 to "come on up to the front" in 2's and 3's and he'd show it off. Ummmm.... nearly two hours plus a ten hour flight later, I finally made it out of the little box that flew.
And don't even get me started about United Airlines (which, yes, gosh darnit, I flew AGAIN, despite my swearing to high heaven that I wouldn't set foot on a United plane... but the miles, the miles! I have so many miles!). Needless to say, they met every expectation-- poor service, crabby people, dirty, gross and generally unpleasant.
So, I'm back... and then off again the day after tomorrow to NYC for work... and not taking my computer this time, so yet another hiatus. Wow-- all of this traveling is really getting in the way of blogging.
But back to reality-- 26 degree weather and snowy skies... which meant good old O'Hare was virtually shut down. Despite actually arriving on time (a feat this time of year), we sat on the runway for almost 2 hours because all the gates were occupied due to weather delays (did I mention that it wasn't even snowing at that point and I could see grass... which means that it hadn't really been snowing much in general?). I knew it was a bad sign when after taxi-ing around the runway for about 30 minutes and the pilot finally found a place to park among the other homeless planes, he shut off the engines and announced that if anyone was interested in seeing the cockpit of a 777 to "come on up to the front" in 2's and 3's and he'd show it off. Ummmm.... nearly two hours plus a ten hour flight later, I finally made it out of the little box that flew.
And don't even get me started about United Airlines (which, yes, gosh darnit, I flew AGAIN, despite my swearing to high heaven that I wouldn't set foot on a United plane... but the miles, the miles! I have so many miles!). Needless to say, they met every expectation-- poor service, crabby people, dirty, gross and generally unpleasant.
So, I'm back... and then off again the day after tomorrow to NYC for work... and not taking my computer this time, so yet another hiatus. Wow-- all of this traveling is really getting in the way of blogging.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Hau'oli la hanau, Nanea!
I have been terribly remiss in blogging, as my friends Liana and Kala'i reminded me tonight! But all for a good reason-- helping to prepare for Nanea's baby luau! I'm in Hawai'i, and have just had the pleasure of attending my niece's first birthday-- quite an event, with more than 250 people (and kids!) in attendance. I was stationed at the craft table, next to "Balloon Monsoon" who could literally make any kind of balloon animal you can think of... my specialty however, was temporary tatoos. I have a butterfly on my ankle to prove it. Oh what fun. The food, cooked by my amazing brother-in-law and "Papa Pili" was incredible (YES-- for 250 people), and every last detail-- from the butterfly theme and orange and blue balloons (which was the color scheme for the party, from invitations to cake), to the party favors and goodie bags for the kids, customized by age group, of course, was perfectly orchestrated by my sister. In all, it was an incredible party that I'm so happy to have been able to be a part of (not to mention, another great reason to spend some QT in sunny and warm Hawai'i).
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Do You Hear What I Hear?
Well, here we are: January 2007. A brand-spankin'-new-year.
I'm not sure if anyone noticed, but throughout the month of December, the title of every post was a title, lyric or other such description of a Christmas-themed or other holiday song.
This was no small feat.
Why, you ask? Can't you simply insert "XYZ" song in the title and call it a day? Well, indeed you could, but I for one, made every effort to tie the said song title/lyric/description into a relevant and appropriate blog entry. Some are classics while others a bit obscure (translation: stretch).
So, here's your challenge/fun activity: Can you name those tunes? Bonus points for original recording artist (okay, any recording artist). To recap:
I'm not sure if anyone noticed, but throughout the month of December, the title of every post was a title, lyric or other such description of a Christmas-themed or other holiday song.
This was no small feat.
Why, you ask? Can't you simply insert "XYZ" song in the title and call it a day? Well, indeed you could, but I for one, made every effort to tie the said song title/lyric/description into a relevant and appropriate blog entry. Some are classics while others a bit obscure (translation: stretch).
So, here's your challenge/fun activity: Can you name those tunes? Bonus points for original recording artist (okay, any recording artist). To recap:
- winter wonderland
- it's the most wonderful time
- singing songs of joy and peace
- grown up christmas list
- i've got my love to keep me warm
- it's christmas time
- baby it's cold outside
- the greatest christmas gift
- jingle bell rock
- driedel, driedel, driedel
- he said hey, i said what
- this boy's letter to santa claus
- i'll be home for christmas
- christmastime is here
- christmas in nyc
- the good old days
Sunday, December 31, 2006
The Good Old Days
Well, it seems to be New Year's eve.... again. Somehow the older we get, the faster time goes... I can't believe we're on the eve of 2007... weren't we all just going nutso about Y2K?!? (well, not me... I didn't heed the advice and stock up on canned goods and water, and look where that got me... oh, right).
Auld Lang Syne-- a Scottish tune written in the 1700's is roughly translated to mean "the good old days," which confuses me a little. The tried and true New Year's anthem, looking back at the past? Yes, yes... the whole, those who don't understand history are doomed to repeat it mantra. I get it. And I understand having an appreciation for it and being able to accept where you've been to understand where you are... but New Year's, it seems, should be a celebration of fresh starts and the excited anticipation of what's to come.
But everyone seems to get a little too nostalgic (yes, even for me) on this day... and some tend to wax poetic about how they've done this and that in the past and boy, come January, they're going to make every effort to be a better person, and so on and so forth. You know what I say to that? There's no time like the present, people. Why wait for something in the future when you can do something right now? It's those people who will never actually do anything... they're either too hung up in the past or not big enough people to realize that it's what you do that's important... not what you say you will do.
So, rather than drivel on about what I've learned and what my resolutions will be (I'll leave that for the silent monologue that's constantly running in my head), I instead leave you with my own version of self-righteousness on this eve:
Be thoughtful of yourself and of others in the new year. There are bigger things in this world than any one of us. You can really only have expectations of yourself and your own actions... and everything else is incidental; but it doesn't give free license to be unkind. Be aware of who you are, your limitations and your gifts. And be honest about them. What little things that make the world go 'round, indeed.
Happy, happy new year, everyone. May it be merry and bright.
Auld Lang Syne-- a Scottish tune written in the 1700's is roughly translated to mean "the good old days," which confuses me a little. The tried and true New Year's anthem, looking back at the past? Yes, yes... the whole, those who don't understand history are doomed to repeat it mantra. I get it. And I understand having an appreciation for it and being able to accept where you've been to understand where you are... but New Year's, it seems, should be a celebration of fresh starts and the excited anticipation of what's to come.
But everyone seems to get a little too nostalgic (yes, even for me) on this day... and some tend to wax poetic about how they've done this and that in the past and boy, come January, they're going to make every effort to be a better person, and so on and so forth. You know what I say to that? There's no time like the present, people. Why wait for something in the future when you can do something right now? It's those people who will never actually do anything... they're either too hung up in the past or not big enough people to realize that it's what you do that's important... not what you say you will do.
So, rather than drivel on about what I've learned and what my resolutions will be (I'll leave that for the silent monologue that's constantly running in my head), I instead leave you with my own version of self-righteousness on this eve:
Be thoughtful of yourself and of others in the new year. There are bigger things in this world than any one of us. You can really only have expectations of yourself and your own actions... and everything else is incidental; but it doesn't give free license to be unkind. Be aware of who you are, your limitations and your gifts. And be honest about them. What little things that make the world go 'round, indeed.
Happy, happy new year, everyone. May it be merry and bright.
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