tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27755494140926592822024-03-12T18:27:01.890-07:00Adventures in Science (and other aspects of life)The adventures of two scientistsChristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.comBlogger233125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775549414092659282.post-55221396490069314182018-06-15T10:52:00.000-07:002018-06-15T10:52:06.083-07:00Some stuff I loveI've been making some positive changes in my life recently, and I wanted to share some things that I love, love, love.<br />
<br />
<b>The library</b>: You probably could have already guessed that this would be on the top of things I love. I love the library. I read about 2-3 books a week (depending on how long they are) and there is no reason for me to own that many books. Plus, if I don't like a book, oh well, back to the library it goes. In addition, the library has a ton of cookbooks, the latest bestsellers, Legos, toys, and it's right next to the Farmer's Market. The Stanford library is gorgeous. I can look up the books I want and the call numbers before I go there, so I just head over there when I want a walk. And, I check them out for months! It's so nice.<br />
<br />
<b>Spotify</b>: I got this app a while ago, after the "kids" in my lab encouraged me and I love it. The algorithm is so much better than pandora and they have pretty much every song I can think of that I want to listen to. It can store music offline for travel and flights, and it's got pretty much every Disney soundtrack my kid can listen to. It's also got old, old albums that I had when I was a kid (Hot August Night, anyone? Melissa Etheridge Brave and Crazy. Cat Stevens. Tom Petty. the Beatles. So good. Also, all those one-hit-wonders. I'm in heaven. Also tons of classical music for focus. I did pay the $15/month for the premium to get rid of ads, but it's so worth it to me.<br />
<br />
<b>Calm</b>: My work has these "BeWell" assessments and I went and did one a couple months ago. I told the lady helping me that I felt overwhelmed and anxious about everything and she told me to meditate 5 minutes a day. I thought that 5 minutes was something I could do, so I did it. My co-worker suggested this Calm app and I really love it. It has a bunch of meditations (most are 10-15 minutes long, but you can do shorter ones). It has guided meditations, or more silence, walking ones, or ones focused on something you might want to improve (anxiety, sleep, relationships, etc). There are even ones for kids. It also has bedtime stories (both for kids and adults) that are designed to help you fall asleep. One of my favorite parts of the app are the Master classes. These are "classes" taught by leading experts on certain topics, such as nutrition, depression, etc. I've listened to almost all of them and I get something out of each one. Plus, each class is about 10min or less, which is a nice bit of time. There are also "music tracks" that can help with focus, sleep, calming, etc. I really like those for when I am working and I can't listen to actual words in music. Most of this app is behind a paywall, but I used it a couple times (maybe for a week?) and they sent me a coupon for 25% off the cost of the app. It's about $60/year ($5/month) but the coupon got it for me for $45/year, which I think was totally worth it.<br />
<br />
<b>Bullet Journal</b>: Seriously, I love this thing. I've tried keeping traditional calendars/day planners and I've tried keeping things on my computer calendar, but none of that works. My schedule and my life and my job and my family just do not fit on a traditional calendar. The bullet journal, you just do with it what you want. You don't have to use it every day. You can make huge lists, or just brain dump. You can draw pictures, plan out vacations, make lists of recipes, whatever you want. You can track things monthly (like gratitude, or weight, or whatever). I love this model because I can put all the things I want to do (experiments, questions, housework, school, kid, family vacation, etc.) in the same place. Its been a revolution for me.<br />
<br />
<b>Podcasts</b>: As you can tell, I spend a ton of time with my earbuds in. There are a couple podcasts that I have really loved recently: Pod Save America (I mean, of course I love this one. Lovett or Leave it. (I love Jon Lovett, obv). Malcolm Gladwell's Revisionist History (all 3 seasons). No Such Thing as a Fish (OMG, humor, British, random facts - does not get better that that). Honorable Mentions: Atlanta Monster (this could have been so much better, but it is what it is). Fresh Air with Terry Gross is really great if it's a topic I want to hear about. A Killing on the Cape (professionally produced with a predictable ending. A bit of a rough murder mystery). The Moth (sometimes this is super good, and other times I just can't get into it.)<br />
<br />
<b>No Facebook</b>: Yeah, this has changed my life. First, I cleared out my friends list (like, all those people from high school that I don't even know? Yeah, they are gone. Just family, actual friends and some of my students.) I check it once a week, maybe? I'm still on IG, which I love, but that's a much more cultivated list of people I dig.<br />
<br />
And that, folks, is that. Things that have improved my life for the better :)Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775549414092659282.post-1664197337132103272018-03-23T14:36:00.001-07:002018-03-23T14:36:41.207-07:00The bully in the schoolThere is a bully at D's school. He's in the class above D, but those two classes combine a lot, so D has to see this kid being mean to the other kids. One kid is bullied so bad that he's literally sick.<br />
<br />
Yesterday, this bully threw a block off the play structure and split a kid's head open (not my kid's). The kid had to go to the doctor and get his head glued back together. There was blood everywhere, and my kit thought his friend was going to die. (his words, not mine) The teachers swear the block wasn't thrown on purpose. D was super upset and couldn't sleep last night, understandably.<br />
<br />
My kid goes to a high demand, private daycare center on Stanford campus. We pay a shit-ton of money for my kid to go to this school and get a good education and be safe. My question is why the school tolerates this kind of behavior and/or tries to protect the bully? What good could come of that?Why is there not a "zero tolerance" policy for bullying? Why isn't this kid kicked out immediately?<br />
<br />
Honestly, the rest of the kids in D's class are good kids. The worst infractions are a lack of listening ears and not napping. Seriously, that's it. The most my kid has been in trouble was during potty-training, he peed outside in the school yard.<br />
<br />
Yeah, of course I've emailed admin. They keep setting up appointments with me and then cancelling them at the last minute. Very helpful.<br />
<br />
<br />Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775549414092659282.post-49886933142573295492018-03-15T12:51:00.001-07:002018-03-15T12:51:29.975-07:00My kid gets it - why doesn't anyone else?Yesterday, D participated in the National School Walkout in protest of gun violence. He and his classmates made signs and walked around for 17 minutes. We've been talking a lot about guns - it's sad to have these conversations with your 4 year old. But he made me proud when we had the following conversation:<br />
<br />
(Background: I work with an alternatively-abled man, M who is missing the lower part of one of his arms. D has been talking about body parts at school, and asks a lot about this man and how he is able to do all the things we can do)<br />
<br />
D: Why can't we give M a new arm?<br />
Me: People can't grow a new arm, and if they make one for M they are really expensive.<br />
D: That's stupid. We should make things like arms really cheap so everyone who needs one can get one. And we should make guns really expensive.<br />
<br />
Hit the nail right on the head, son.Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775549414092659282.post-49489820985256411942018-03-12T11:50:00.002-07:002018-03-12T11:50:30.739-07:00Yep, totally behind...I was lucky to find <i>Wonder Woman</i> at the library so we could check it out. We watched it last week, and you know what? I LOVED IT. I know, I know, lots of people loved it. ButI thought I would tell you why I loved it:<br />
<br />
1) The lead is female and she was awesome. I swear I would follow Gal Gadot to the ends of the earth. Also, the cast has many women, amazing women. I loved them all.<br />
2) The director is female and she knows how to make a good movie for everyone.<br />
3) I never really liked Chris Pine, but he was super good in this movie. Also, very cute.<br />
4) The movie has lots of funny parts, which makes the whole "going after the god of war" thing much more enjoyable.<br />
5) The protagonist does not hesitate to try to help, in any way possible. I feel like lots of male superheroes brood, or retreat to their cave or whatever they do. Wonder Woman just f-ing dives in feet first. Also, the fight scenes were UNREAL. I have never seen such amazing sword fighting atop horses - I mean, what?<br />
6) There was romance and it was really well done. None of this superhero bullshit where it has to be all fighting all the time. There was actually a plot.<br />
7) Wonder Woman was my favorite when I was a kid. She made me feel like I could be anything I wanted to be. In fact, I used to spin around in a circle (that's how she changed into Wonder Woman) to change into my alter egos. I don't know what this movie did, but somehow I saw myself in this iteration of Wonder Woman. Somehow she is every woman. And she kicks ass. Also, she doubts herself, doesn't always know the right way, etc. She is amazing.<br />
8) I will watch this film over and over again. But I'm really looking forward to seeing the second installment.<br />
9) Why can't all superhero films have some of these aspects?Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775549414092659282.post-59931129416869283912018-03-06T11:22:00.002-08:002018-03-06T11:22:39.845-08:00The Lucky One by Nicholas SparksDid I tell you I'm writing a novel? Yeah, after reading all those terrible books on Amazon Prime, I decided I can write a story better than some of those. I loved to write stories when I was a kid and I love to read, so it makes perfect sense.<br />
So, I'm doing some research. This includes reading lots of books and observing things like story arcs, plot points, character development, etc. My latests piece of research was Nicholas Sparks' <i>The Lucky One</i>.<br />
<br />
This book follows Logan Thibault, a former Marine who had three tours in Iraq. While he was there, he found a photo of a woman. When the photo wasn't claimed, he took it with him and he believed that the photo provided luck for him. He was in a record number of IED attacks and avoided dying on numerous occasions. When he gets back from active duty, he decides to walk across the country to try to find the woman in the picture. Although this story sounds a bit creepy, it's pretty well put together and the Thibault character does not seem to be a mentally deranged stalker. The woman he finds is named Beth, a single mom with a crazy ex-husband. Naturally, Logan and Beth fall in love, the ex-husband loses his mind and the story resolves with the death of a major character, but it's the one you don't mind.<br />
<br />
This book was good but not exceptional. The characters were interesting, but I didn't really identify with any of them on any level. It was a nice romance, but, honestly, I could have taken this book or left it. The characters are stereotypical (a war-hardened veteran, a beautiful woman who doesn't know she's beautiful, a manipulative ex-husband, a cute, smart kid). The plot was predictable. It's a good escapist read, but that's all!Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775549414092659282.post-55213446748200813032018-03-05T14:09:00.000-08:002018-03-05T14:09:00.060-08:00Some good books, some bad booksI've been reading a TON lately, mostly to keep myself off of social media. I find that FB and IG generally make me feel horrible, so I've been avoiding them lately. I'd generally like to continue that trend....<br />
<br />
Luckily, my big reading habit has been helped by a few things: the discovery of free reading via Amazon prime on my Kindle, the local San Mateo library and the local Stanford library. Among those, I have been able to read about 2-3 books a week for the past several weeks. It's been a good thing. I thought I would tell you about a few that I've read.<br />
<br />
<i>America's First Daughter </i>by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie tells the story of Martha Jefferson Randolph, the only surviving daughter of Thomas Jefferson. The novel follows Martha as her mother dies shortly after childbirth and she essentially becomes the mistress of the Jefferson household. The book is apparently based on thousands of letters and original sources and draws an interesting picture of the life of Jefferson's daughter. In her life, she lives in Paris during the French Revolution, is a witness to the dramatic forming of the American government, marries a cousin of hers and has a tumultuous relationship (and 11 surviving children), plays witness to Thomas Jefferson's affair with his slave, Sally Hemmings, and takes on the role of "first lady" in the White House. She lived a rich and varied life, in contrast to the slaves that Jefferson and her relatives kept. As a review, honestly, I thought this could have been so much better. The imagined dialogue is inane, the characters are fairly two-dimensional and several of the interesting plot points are imagined. With all the intrigue of forming a government and carrying out the American experiment, I would have thought that the authors could have created more interesting scenes, a more cohesive story (with or without the imagined romance) and more conflict addressing the fact that Jefferson wrote, "All men are created equal", except he kept slaves and women certainly were not considered equal. Although we know little about Sally Hemmings (and it's suggested that Martha destroyed any writings by Thomas Jefferson that referred to Hemmings), the authors create a love story between Hemmings and Jefferson. I find that largely unbelievable as Hemmings was a slave and many years younger than Jefferson (Hemmings was about Martha's age). It's well known that slave owners would rape their slaves - why would they not choose this scenario? It's definitely the more likely one, but I am assuming they chose the one they did to continue to white-wash history and not talk about reality during the creation of the US. If you like historical fiction and an easy read, you might like this book. Martha was a very interesting woman, I just think the authors could have done her more justice.<br />
<br />
<i>In the light of the garden</i> by Heather Burch: I actually liked this story., although it was a bit cheesy. It was very light and easy to read. It follows Charity, who has just inherited her grandparents' house in Florida. She inherited a ton of money, too, so she decides to move to this sleepy community to start her life over. Her neighbor, Dalton, is a handyman who has moved to the island because he's experienced a dramatic tragedy (his wife and child were killed in a 7-11 robbery - a bit too dramatic, I thought). Anyways, there are some interesting characters, a slightly dramatic plot twist and the two of them end up together, naturally.<br />
<br />
<i>Coming Clean</i> by Kimberly Rae Miller. This is a memoir about growing up with parents who are hoarders. This book was well written and interesting to read. It's clear it was therapeutic to write for the author. She talks about her childhood growing up surrounded by stuff - it's enough to make you want to clean your house! She describes not inviting friends over, being different people in the car as a family vs. being at home, and the complete and utter breakdown of a house they owned that literally fell apart because of stuff. I wanted this book to end with them finally cleaning everything out, but it doesn't end that way (of course it doesn't - this is her actual life), but it's interesting nonetheless.<br />
<br />
<i>Her Perfect Revenge</i>by Anna Mara. This book is free on Amazon Prime and, honestly, I almost didn't make it through this one. It is billed as "a romantic comedy" and "laugh-out-loud funny". It follows Christina as she starts high school and is bullied by Bill. Fast forward 12 years later, and Christina is still mad about that bullying situation and decides to prank Bill for reasons that are beyond me. Christina barely has a job - she is a freelance photographer yet somehow affords to live in NYC unaided. Bill is a spoiled brat, but the heir to his father's dog food (?) fortune, so he drives fancy cars and does fancy stuff. Christina accidentally crashes her car into his and then Bill convinces her to pretend to be his fiancee so he can keep getting his dad's money. All of the characters are manipulative liars, so in the end they all deserve each other, I suppose. The only thing this author is good at is creating compulsion - I was compelled to find out what happened next so I finished the book but I'm unsure that I'm better for it...<br />
<br />
<i>A Week in Winter</i> by Maeve Binchy. This author was recommended to me because I love Rosamunde Pilcher, so I checked out some books from the library. This book is written about a new character each chapter, which I thought was an interesting way to write a story. The story centers around a new inn on the west coast of Ireland. It's being opened by Chicky Starr, the first character we meet in the book. The rest of the characters are either connected to Chicky in some way, or are connected to the Inn in some way. And each character has a problem that is subsequently solved by their trip to the Inn. It's a cute story with compelling characters, and, honestly, I wanted more to the story when I was finished (I think that is the biggest complement to an author, that you want to keep inhabiting their world).<br />
<br />
<i>The Glass Lake</i> by Maeve Binchy. This was a longer book than the previous one, but was a really interesting story. The book centers on Kit, a young girl in the beginning of the book, who lives with her mum and dad and brother in Lough Glass, Ireland. When Kit is 12, her mother goes missing one night and cannot be found. Kit grows into a woman during the course of the book and comes into her own as an adult, discovering the truth about her mother's disappearance. I thought this book was so great. I really enjoyed the story, the characters and the plot twists.<br />
<br />
<i>The Return Journey</i> by Maeve Binchy - this is collection of her short stories, which were fine to read. It's nice to have a story without having to wonder what happens next. One of her stories was told entirely in letter form, which I thought was original.<br />
<br />
I've got four more that I checked out from the library this past weekend - I will let you know what I think!<br />
<br />
<br />Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775549414092659282.post-39755300613356031072018-02-27T15:49:00.002-08:002018-02-27T15:49:14.711-08:00Random stuff<br />
<ul>
<li>It's been really cold lately. There was snow on the mountains across the bay from us today. </li>
<li>We went to Yosemite for a day and I can't upload pictures because my phone and blogger have stopped cooperating.</li>
<li>Yesterday it rained as we were coming in. As we were descending our twisty-turney mountain road, we saw a cop ahead and slowed to a stop. He had pulled someone over. When we could finally pass them, we saw that the person pulled over was driving a forklift truck. Like the ones you see in a warehouse. On a mountain road. With his dog sitting up on his forklift too. It sounds like the beginning of a "You might be a redneck if...." joke...</li>
<li>It's been sunny but cold. I think our electric bill will be thru the roof.</li>
<li>I've stopped reading the FB and I have to say it makes me pretty pleased. I can't handle the vast majority of the rhetoric in my news feed and I'm unsure why I am friends with the people I have friended. Most of them I do not even know. It would be nice to erase it all and start over :)</li>
<li>My cousin will be on The Voice either this week or next. Do you watch that show? I never watched it, but I love my cousin, so I will be watching. I really enjoy the Kelly Clarkson - Alicia Keyes - Blake Shelton banter but Adam Levine seems like kinda a dick. I guess there always has to be one!</li>
<li>Tonight, we are getting a Hello Fresh box. My friend Jessica gave us a free one, so we will see if we like it. Alex claims he doesn't like Blue Apron because of all the trash it generates. Here's hoping HF is better because I like the idea of not having to come up with meal ideas sometimes.</li>
</ul>
Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775549414092659282.post-1062614323102300722018-02-16T10:39:00.004-08:002018-02-16T10:39:48.212-08:00Honestly, Haiku Friday<div style="text-align: center;">
Honestly I just</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
can't with all the news. Instead</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I hug my kid tight.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
***</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Valentines, he wrote</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
his name on all twenty four</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
This is the best age.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
***</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Today, Chinese New</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Year Dragon dance with his friends</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Renewal begins.</div>
Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775549414092659282.post-75938105456728832892018-02-14T14:55:00.001-08:002018-02-14T14:55:32.683-08:00ValentinesToday, D's class had a wee Valentines Day party. It was super cute. He handed out cards to his friends and was super excited to get a little box of Nerds candy from his friend. Then I turn around and he has pulled out another thing from his box and he's chomping on it. It looked weird since it didn't have a wrapper on it...so I ask him what he is eating? A candy, he says. I look closer....<br />
<br />
Yeah....<br />
<br />
Not a candy....<br />
<br />
It's a crayon....<br />
<br />
Someone had melted crayons together and poured it into a heart mold.<br />
<br />
<br />
:)Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775549414092659282.post-29710537767127346732018-02-12T16:11:00.002-08:002018-02-12T16:11:34.678-08:00Some good TVThere are three shows on Amazon that I love and I would watch over and over again. In no particular order:<br />
<br />
1) <i>Catastrophe</i>: this is a comedy/drama/sometimes hits too close to home about an American man, Rob Delaney, who meets an Irish woman (Sharon Horgan) in a bar in London. They have a one night stand and she ends up pregnant. The first season follows the couple trying to navigate this complicated situation and each show is more ridiculous than the first. Horgan and Delaney wrote the show and it's absolutely comedy gold. Also, sometimes painful. You know when sometimes art imitates life a little too well? Yeah, that kind of painful. The next two seasons follow the couple as they have kids and go through ups and downs in their marriage, all with a touch of ridiculous comedy. Nearly every line in the show has some type of comedic element to it. I love it. It's so amazing and good. If you are married and/or have kids, this may be totally up your alley. Also, it may piss you off, haha!<br />
<br />
2) <i>Good Girls Revolt: </i>This show was so good and it was cancelled, unfortunately, so there is not a chance it will return. However, fantastic nonetheless. This show follows the fictional Patty as she works as a researcher at the fictional <i>News of the World</i> newsmagazine at the end of the 1960s in NYC. There are so many things that I love about this show. Firstly, the cinematography, the costuming, the lighting are so well done. It creates a nostalgia in me because a lot of the decor reminded me of my grandparents' house or my parents' house. Secondly, the acting is phenomenal. Thirdly, the story is about women trying to gain equality and it centers around the women trying to become reporters instead of researchers (being a female reporter at NotW is not allowed). The women bring a lawsuit against the company and that's where the story ends. It's all loosely based on the real women who brought a lawsuit against <i>Newsweek</i> in the late 60s asking for equality in the workplace. The women actually won the lawsuit, but equality in the workplace is still far from here, even in 2018. The show is great and I wish Amazon would recognize that we want to see strong female role models in our entertainment. I guess they will realize that when they actually have female executives...<br />
<br />
3) <i>The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel</i>: This just came out and won a bunch of awards and I loved this show so much I hope it comes back. Rachel Brosnahan plays Midge Maisel, a young, upper West Side Jewish Housewife in NYC in 1958. In the first episode, her husband, Joel, leaves her and she discovers her previously unknown talent for stand up comedy. Brosnahan is phenomenal - I literally cannot take my eyes off of her. The entire cast is superb, including Tony Shaloub as her father. The show is written by Amy Sherman-Palladino, who was creator of the Gilmore Girls, still one of my favorite shows, so I guess it's no surprise I would love this one too. I hope they renew it. I can't wait to see where Mrs. Maisel goes.Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775549414092659282.post-27818136061391949932018-02-09T15:19:00.001-08:002018-02-09T15:19:23.871-08:00Home Again<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In case you didn't know, I am a huge Reese Witherspoon fan, so I was excited to see her latest rom-com, Home Again on the interwebs. I had some high expectations for this movie, and I have to say, it did not disappoint. Firstly, I have been home most of this week with some sort of head cold, so this was a perfect movie for hanging on the couch. Secondly, the NYTimes recently published an article about how Witherspoon is so smart because she came up with her own movie production company (all on her own! With her own head! AMAZING!) that wants to focus on making more movies for women, by women, etc. I'm not sure why the NYTimes felt that this was a revolutionary idea, because, DUH. Of course women want movies made for them. And of course women tell good stories, and can direct and act and all that jazz. I mean, really people. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ANYways, his movie was written and directed by a woma<span style="background-color: white;">n (<span class="itemprop" itemprop="name" style="text-decoration-line: none; white-space: nowrap;">Hallie Meyers-Shyer<span style="color: #70579d; font-size: 13px;">) </span></span></span>and stars some wonderful actresses like Reese Witherspoon and Candace Bergen. The story is that Alice (Witherspoon) has just separated from her husband and moved back to CA from NY. She has two daughters and she is the daughter of a famous movie director (who is now dead) and her mother (Bergen) is a famous actress from her father's movies. The movie begins with Alice dropping her kids off at school and being just generally unsure about her life's direction. Witherspoon nails her role, man she is such a good actress.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It happens to be Alice's 40th birthday, so she sends the girls to Grandma's and she goes out with her friends to live it up. She ends up drinking too much and meeting some young guys and they end up partying all night long. These scenes were so amazing to me. Firstly, when a mom lets loose, sometimes she totally lets loose, especially with lots of stress in life. Secondly, moms miss going out and having lots of fun and sleeping in and all those things we did as kids, and this movie captured these sentiments so well. And, of course, we all want to be attractive to younger people, so this whole part was so satisfying to me. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course, all comes crashing down the next day when her kids show up and the young guys are actually trying to get a film made but have just lost their place to live. The movie ends up being about kismet (being in the right place at the right time), and about the unexpected roles people can play in our lives. It's also about being a mom and going through a life transition and just being a woman, you know?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My favorite part of the movie (this may be a spoiler, I'm not sure) is after Alice sleeps with one of the guys (Harry), she asks him to come to a dinner party with her. He tells her he will meet her there, but ends up standing her up. She's upset, obviously, and the next day basically tells him that she doesn't want to be in a relationship where she is wondering whether the other person will show up or not. She is "too good" (meaning she knows her self worth) to put up with that. It is a remarkable scene because never, ever in rom-coms, do women stand up for themselves. Women always seem to be the last to know their true feelings, the last to understand the situation, the last to realize all of the elements. And in this movie, man, Alice knows exactly what she wants. And she gets there through the movie and through the people she brings into her life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I loved this movie. I really, really hope this means there will be more movies made of strong female characters, lead characters, who know what they want out of life and who grab life by the balls. I also hope this leads to more mom characters who are complex and interesting and not just "mom" and also more stories about unexpected roles people can play in our lives. These stories are by far more interesting than the less complex rom-coms of the past.</span>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775549414092659282.post-16579259967852902512018-02-05T15:46:00.001-08:002018-02-05T15:46:37.109-08:00PhillyAfter I graduated college, I got a job at Baxter in Thousand Oaks, CA. I worked in drug manufacturing and I worked 4-10s, which meant I worked Sunday - Wednesday, noon-10pm every week. I worked with some really fantastic people and, for a while, I really loved that job. My shift lead was Nicky, a late-twenties body builder and ex-football player. He was a big, lovable lug and he was a great boss. We worked on Sundays, and all the guys followed football, so I decided to learn about football too. In our downtime, Nicky taught us a lot about the game and the teams. He told me to choose a team to follow. He followed the Miami Dolphins. I picked the Philadelphia Eagles because I liked their logo and I had been to Philly a couple times and I loved it. Following the team taught me more about the game and it was always awesome when the Eagles would win and the Dolphins would lose. It made me feel like I had picked a good team.<br />
<br />
In 2003, I moved to Philly and football became a weekly interest, especially when the fall cold came and days got shorter and it was harder and harder to stay outside. The Eagles had been my team and it was so fun to get together with my friends from grad school and watch Sunday or Monday night football. One friend, Marcus, was obsessed with the Eagles. He would have dozens of people over to his house on Sundays and he projected the games on a huge wall in his house. They would mute the game cast from the national TV station and they would play the local radio station instead. The vast majority of national TV broadcasts were super negative about the Eagles, while the local radio was always singing their praises (or recalling super random and obscure sports trivia about the team). Marcus would get so worked up, screaming and yelling at the TV. It was great fun.<br />
<br />
When I first moved to Philly, I went to the Wawa (like 7/11) to get some groceries. I remember the clerk saying, "Go Iggles" instead of "Thanks" or "Have a good one". The city literally stops when there is an Eagles game. Nobody on the streets. The cabs are empty. The bars are filled with screaming spectators. When you walk past houses, you can hear the game. You can hear people cheering or screaming. If you ever wanted to start a conversation with someone you didn't know, you could always say, "How about them Iggles?" (or Phils, or Flyers, or Sixers). That's how I got to know so many of the people I worked with at Penn. We always knew what was going on with the home teams and it made me a lot of friends, for sure.<br />
<br />
In bars, it was normal for an Eagles cheer to break out, anytime, anywhere. (Bar singalong were also common - I miss those...). You could hear Eagles cheers at any sports games, not just Eagles games. I remember hearing them at Phils games.<br />
<br />
But Philly has always been an underdog. A ragtag group of boys. Coaches who always made the wrong call. Quarterbacks who could only take us so far. And I think, to a certain extent, we liked being the underdog. You can't expect much and we just might surprise you (a bit like Philly itself). It shows we are tough. We can take the punches. We are loyal, not fickle. We stay with a team for life. It's part of our culture.<br />
<br />
Last night was a triumph. It was honestly the most beautiful football I've ever seen Philly play (offensively). Foles was on. The coaches were calling the right plays. And the offense was on fire. And Brady was not. The Pats fell, but not without a good fight. So many superbowls are one sided and super boring. This game (for many reasons) had me on the edge of my seat. I am thrilled the Eagles brought the Lombardi trophy home. Philly deserves it. I am so proud of my adopted city and my team. And you can bet my family will be wearing some Eagles gear to represent! I wish I could have walked Broad St last night with the rest of the city. I did it when the Phils took the World Series, and I'd be proud to do it again. And I'd love to see the parade. Philly always does a parade right.<br />
<br />
Suffice it to say, it was the best superbowl ever. Go Eagles!<br />
<br />
Fly Eagles, Fly<br />
On the road to victory<br />
Fight, Eagles, Fight<br />
For a touchdown 1,2,3<br />
Hit em low,<br />
hit em high<br />
and watch those eagles fly<br />
E-A-G-L-E-S, Eagles!Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775549414092659282.post-84446876500487278852018-01-30T16:50:00.000-08:002018-01-30T16:50:33.173-08:00Staying StylishLook, don't judge me. I'm 40. I'm allowed to read what I want, OK? Also, I've been traveling and job interviewing lately, so a mindless book on the Kindle is just about all I can handle.<br />
Haha!<br />
I downloaded <i>Staying Stylish</i> by Candace Cameron Bure (yes, that's DJ from Full House) for the discount price of $1.99 on the Kindle. I read it in less than a day. It turns out that Candace doesn't really have a lot to say in terms of staying stylish, so I thought I would run down what she tells you just in case you wanted to know.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Be true to your sense of style (seems obvious, no?)</li>
<li>Invest in pieces that are timeless so you will get lots of wear out of them</li>
<li>Try to find balance in your outfit (e.g. if shoulders bare, legs are covered; if shirt is loud, jewelry is muted, etc)</li>
<li>Try to get things tailored so they fit better</li>
<li>Try on lots of sizes and styles - don't limit yourself to just one</li>
<li>Invest in outerwear - it can make or break your outfit.</li>
<li>Organize your closet so you can easily pick out things that work together. </li>
<li>When packing for a trip, roll your clothing up and choose one color palette and stick to it. </li>
<li>She recommends skin care products that cost at least $200 so there's not a chance that's accessible to anyone</li>
<li>She tells you how she does her makeup</li>
<li>You should not be afraid to try different hairstyles or hair colors.</li>
<li>She tells you how she does her ponytail (I found this interesting...)</li>
<li>She tells you about her favorite foods and snacks</li>
<li>She gives you a fairly intense workout circuit</li>
<li>She tells you to pray and write in a journal, read, practice gratitude, take time for yourself and spend time alone.</li>
</ul>
<div>
Honestly, this book was super simple and sort of interesting which is just what I wanted it to be when I downloaded it. I don't read a lot of fashion magazines because, honestly, they are not written for a 40 year old scientist mom. I don't shop a ton and I don't spend a lot of time on myself and it was nice to be reminded that maybe I should stop and spend some time on myself. Anyways, it was an interesting read if you're into this kind of thing. Plus, I really like CCB for reasons that I can't really articulate so there's that.</div>
Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775549414092659282.post-36942011770225005522018-01-30T16:14:00.000-08:002018-01-30T16:14:13.706-08:00Jane AustenFor the last year or more I have been reading works by Jane Austen. Faithful readers of this blog will know that I use my brain extensively at work, requiring more gentle and easy reading at night. I took many Austen works from my mom's library and have been slowly working my way through them and I thought I would tell you what I think.<br />
<br />
<i>Northanger Abbey</i>: I just finished this book and I really enjoyed it. It follows Catherine, a young girl of 17 who enjoys "fiction" - as far as I can tell, this means Victorian novels. She lives a somewhat normal life, but injects aspects of this fiction into her life using her imagination. She is lucky enough to be invited to vacation in Bath with Mr. and Mrs. Allen, where she meets several friends, including Isabella, Eleanor Tilney and Henry Tilney . Of course, she falls for Henry, and is invited to stay with the Tilneys for a period of time. A period of drama ensues, partially due to Catherine's imagination, and the story ends with our heroine finally landing the man of her dreams. I liked this book for its ease of reading, but I have to say that Catherine didn't hold much interest to me. She didn't seem to have much personality or opinions, and the most interesting thing about her was the people she surrounded herself with.<br />
<br />
<i>Emma: </i>I loved this book. Emma is spunky and funny and ridiculously snobbish and is always trying to mess with people's lives. Emma lives with her hypochondriac father in a giant mansion overlooking the town. She is by far the most clever of the people in the town and she thinks, therefore, that she must help them with her cleverness. She sets out to (disastrously) find a mate for her "dear friend" Harriett, she decides she must be in love with a town newcomer, Frank, and she completely ignores that she is actually in love with Mr. Knightley, a man who has been a constant companion for her family. This book is funny, entertaining, and completely ridiculous because our heroine does not even have a clue of her own feelings.<br />
<br />
<i>Masnfield Park</i>: This book I thought was so-so. Fanny Price is one of many children and is sent to live with her very rich aunt and uncle because her family can no longer afford so many kids. She is sent there at age 10 to be what? A servant? Sort of. A companion? Maybe? Definitely inferior. She turns out to be the moral compass for the whole book, resisting temptations of intrigue, sex, and general naughtiness. My only problem with this book was the resolution. She falls in love with Edmund, her cousin, but he does not return her affections. At the conclusion of the book, she and Edmund are finally together, but the actual climax of the book does not revolve around this. Most of her books, the climax involves conversations among characters, while, this book just involves a third person narration telling the reader what happens. Needless to say, I did enjoy this book, just perhaps less than the other. In addition, there is much about slavery (and apparently the name Mansfield would have been synonymous with abolition) but I don't know much about English history so I will leave that to the actual proper book reviewers.<br />
<br />
<i>Pride and Prejudice:</i> Of course, the most popular of the books, Elizabeth meets obnoxious and snobby Mr. Darcy and proceeds to contradict him and challenge him to the point of his falling in love with her. One of my favorite Austen books, I have now read this twice and each time was most enjoyable. I love a ballsy heroine, especially one who knows what she wants and Austen absolutely provides in this book.<br />
<br />
I have yet to read <i>Sense and Sensibility</i> or <i>Persuasion</i> but I possess them both. I will let you know what I think when I read them!<br />
<br />
<br />Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775549414092659282.post-76536498110513170662017-11-10T16:44:00.004-08:002017-11-10T16:44:49.335-08:00You know, there's that....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Rx6ghQpc-Vk/WgZH7Y9NnKI/AAAAAAAAKqg/b-9HJC_2ogENSqle_W92mLldDhBie2_5gCLcBGAs/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-11-10%2Bat%2B4.43.53%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="48" data-original-width="1219" height="25" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Rx6ghQpc-Vk/WgZH7Y9NnKI/AAAAAAAAKqg/b-9HJC_2ogENSqle_W92mLldDhBie2_5gCLcBGAs/s640/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-11-10%2Bat%2B4.43.53%2BPM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775549414092659282.post-21129823909077804152017-10-11T12:10:00.000-07:002017-10-11T12:10:25.540-07:00About last night....I couldn't sleep last night, and neither could Alex. We both tossed and turned and tossed until I finally decided to get up and watch TV. I was sitting on the couch, watching New Girl when an enormous flash of light, like a bolt of lightning, lit up the sky. It was accompanied by a bzzzzzt sound (not thunder) and the general decrease in our electrical power.<br />
It reminded me of the Northridge earthquake, standing in my parents' bedroom in the early morning light and watching the sky light up with transformers blowing up.<br />
Turns out it was a fallen tree that had hit a power line. the road going west out of town in closed. We are so lucky that a fire didn't start.<br />
I have to admit, things are so crazy lately, I was first thinking - could that have been a bomb? Could North Korea have sent a missile?<br />
Needless to say, I didn't sleep much last night...<br />
<br />
And today, the smoke is so thick over SV that we all can barely breathe.<br />
Yeah....Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775549414092659282.post-34966309346252447462017-10-09T08:00:00.000-07:002017-10-09T08:00:01.380-07:00Tom PettyIn high school, I worked at my Dad's business, answering phones and doing paperwork. It was a good job and I liked it - mostly because I worked with Patty. Patty was a woman with an amazing outlook on life. She always found the funny. She was always upbeat. She knew how to deal with customers, even when they really made me mad. And she listened to the radio incessantly. For a while, it was Howard Stern. Then it was some other talk show. I remember the OJ Simpson trial in there too. But we also listened to classic rock. We could get the "new" classic rock station from LA - was it 93.1? Anyways, they played all kinds of songs and Patty knew them all. She started to teach me and we ended up playing "Name that Tune" almost every day. I would borrow her tapes to play in my car. I loved the music. I started to listen to the Beatles. I would write out song lyrics - like, longhand. I loved the poetry. And I remember that Tom Petty had a hit at the time - Mary Jane. Everybody loved it because we all knew it was about pot (OMG - so cool to like a song about POT!) and the video was super creepy with Tom dancing around with a dead girl...<br />
Patty told me that Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers had been around for a long time. I got their "greatest hits" cassette tape and I was surprised at how many songs I knew. That tape was on repeat in my car. Over and over.<br />
When I was a bit older - after college, I could afford to go to concerts and I got tickets to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers at the Santa Barbara Bowl. The absolute best venue to see a show, hands down. It's set in the mountains, in a schwanky neighborhood with oak tree lined streets and a beautiful view. I had gotten tickets for the actual second to last row. We were in the nosebleeds. So far away from the stage. But that night was magic. It was the first time that I had just seen a band play. A band who knew each other. Nothing else. No fireworks, no set changes, no big screens. Not a big show or a big production. It was just Tom Petty, a stunningly dynamic performer, and his band. They played all our favorites, and I'm unsure they even had a set list. One song blended into another and the whole crowd sang every song. I danced and danced up in the nose bleeds and I made friends with all the people surrounding us. I remember a couple of women, "much older" than I was (at the time, probably 22-23 - they were probably 20 years older than me) and the music affected us the same way. The music spoke to us all in that audience that night.<br />
One vivid memory I have from the concert is Tom playing guitar and looking over at one of his bandmates with a huge grin on his face - then the music changed. They had anticipated (or felt? or known?) the change coming up. They communicated without words. What a remarkable thing.<br />
Since working with Patty, Tom Petty had been a constant presence in my life. I always return to his music, and there was nothing better than his concert. It's by far the best I have ever attended. The best for, oddly, the lack of showmanship. Allowing the music - complex, upsetting, melodious - to speak for itself. And showing the audience what true musical talent is. What a joy it is to hear a band of people who know each other inside and out to produce this wonderful art that deeply affects us all.<br />
It's been a rough year - it's hard to deny that. I thought this year would be better because it couldn't be worse than last year, but here I am eating my words.<br />
The world is full of awful people and awful things. It's art and artists who get us through these times. Tom Petty was one of those for me and I will never stop listening to his music as long as I live. I'm sad that he's gone.Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775549414092659282.post-38307734646858004352017-10-02T10:49:00.004-07:002017-10-02T10:49:42.875-07:006 years<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gUYxOiNWF64/WdJ249FssnI/AAAAAAAAKf0/ne99aroaT_M-HHCGi6XuxWnFuWImeLCbACKgBGAs/s1600/DSC02156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gUYxOiNWF64/WdJ249FssnI/AAAAAAAAKf0/ne99aroaT_M-HHCGi6XuxWnFuWImeLCbACKgBGAs/s320/DSC02156.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
This is a picture from our honeymoon in Yosemite. We hiked the Valley floor that day. It rained but it was still fun because there are always fewer people when it's raining. But rain at lower altitudes means snow at higher altitudes. We tried to drive out of the valley back to our cabin, but the snow was coming down, the road was slippery, it was dark, cars were getting stuck and my Dad's car that we had borrowed wasn't going to make it. Oh yeah, and we had no gas! We turned around and got a hotel room in the valley. I wished I had PJs and my glasses, but otherwise, it was a great adventure. A fitting start to our marriage, if nothing else.<br />
<br />
A few days later, Alex planned a 17 mile hike with over 3000 feet of elevation gain (and loss, eventually). We started at 6am and had a lovely view of the sunrise hitting Yosemite falls across the valley from us. But the climb was slow going, the trail was icy and I had a meltdown. I don't do well on hills and I'm afraid of heights. At one point, the trail was slippery, icy granite and a sheer drop on one side. I was terrified. Also, we kept getting passed by people just reminding me how much I sucked at hiking and being outdoors in general. At some point, I accused Alex of trying to kill me on our honeymoon. We finally made it to Glacier Point around noon and we decided to call it a day. I was exhausted, emotionally at least. We had to pay $50 to get a bus down to the valley floor.<br />
<br />
Marriage is an interesting thing, from a lot of perspectives. I really like Alex (obvi) and I think we balance each other well. He's calm when I'm crazed. He's over the top, and I bring him back down. He sets out to do something in the most complicated way and he generally listens to me when I tell him there are easier ways to do things. He lets me make crazy plans and do outrageous things without questioning me. He lets me be me and I think I let him be him.<br />
<br />
You are around this person the most of anyone else, save for maybe your kids. You become almost the same person. I know how he will react to lots of situations and I'm sure he knows how I will react too. But we still have fun. We still laugh. He still goofs around and makes me question my sanity in marrying him. And sometimes the boring mundanity gets to you and I go a little crazy and he just takes my craziness. Or my imposter syndrome. Or my anxiety. Or whatever it is I have at the time.<br />
<br />
Turns out, marriage is both wonderful and awful. You face the world together and sometimes that's really hard. There are disasters, personal, professional, local, world-wide, etc. Sometimes you don't agree. But you still wake up next to this person. We've both finished our graduate work. We've moved across the country, started over at Stanford. We spent 2 months on the road. And we are gearing up to do it again next year. We've had a kid, who is probably the coolest one I've ever met. Also, the one person who can drive me the most crazy too.<br />
<br />
You choose to be in this relationship every day, every hour, six years (actually longer)... Nothing else could be better. I am sure of that.Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775549414092659282.post-89353682565216385552017-07-07T10:58:00.001-07:002017-07-07T10:58:28.842-07:00Diary in the Life of a MomJune 30: Celebrated the end of our first week of teaching with my co-teacher, Rob (he's from New Zealand, and the students love him). Beers at the treehouse, late night for us all. It was super fun - reminded me of what life was like before D. D falls asleep in the car, and miraculously, we can transfer him from car to bed (this never works...)<br />
<br />
July 1: Crazy day with lots to do. Hit the Farmer's market and the library in HMB. Then to Costco to get gas and fill up on food. Took food to Alex's refrigerator in lab and hit a pool party hosted by one of Alex's labmates. Then back to lab for Alex to do some work and for me to pick up my stuff. Then to Chipotle for dinner, and meet up with friends at the Canada Day celebration on Stanford Campus. Then over to the building directly across from the Stanford Stadium to watch fireworks. They were so loud. So loud. My kid cried and wanted to leave, but we forced him to stay. We are really good parents :) Another night we can transfer D from car to bed...<br />
<br />
July 2: desperately clean house. Alex goes for bike ride with Rob. D and I hang out. Rob and wife and weirdly, friends from grad school come out for BBQ at our house. It's a gorgeous day and we go for a nice walk around LH. Good food, good company - lots of laughs. I loved it.<br />
<br />
July 3: I teach with Rob at 9am. My lecture is ready, mostly put together. I'm tired. Too much fun in the sun, I guess. This class is intense and I teach for a full hour. I feel defeated afterwards - anti-climactic, I guess. A and D come to work with me, and we leave early, around 2pm. D falls asleep in the car on the way home and sleeps for about 1.5 hours total for nap. We are exhausted.<br />
<br />
July 4: A relaxing day. We hang out at home. A goes for a bike ride. We go to LH 4th of July picnic where there are games like a 3-legged race, an egg toss, a water balloon toss, a tug of war. D competed in the game where you fill a small cup of water, put it on your head (and try not to spill it) and then try to fill up a big cup across the way. He was the slowest of all the kids but he was so adorable. He took it really seriously. Also, he loved the hay hunt. They took a bale of straw and hid a bunch of stuff in it - little toys, candy, etc. He spent a ton of time in that and was very determined. He also swung on a swing tied to a tree branch. It was a real dose of Americana in the redwoods.<br />
<br />
July 5: The cat wakes me up at 4:30am. I think she was upset. Or hungry. Or something. At the same time, I hear, "Is that you, Mama?" and D is up. I feed the cat and try my best to get him to go back to sleep but to no avail. He seems agitated, excited? My mom radar says, maybe he's getting sick? But then I think, no it's just been a crazy couple of days. We finally get up at 5:30am and we play with toys. He's grumpy bc he didn't sleep. He doesn't eat much. I have to teach at 9am, so we leave to get me there on time. I don't feel so great. My stomach is off. A & D drop me off and I go to class, tired. At 11am, daycare calls. D has a fever. 99.9. I think, well, I should have listened to my mom-radar. Last time I ignore that. We are teaching until noon, then Rob and I get lunch. We have to write a midterm and study guide. Daycare calls A. D is at 102.8. A leaves to get him, takes him to store, gets Tylenol, gives him Tylenol, juice and ice cream and goes to my lab to wait until I'm ready to leave. Rob and I write midterm study guide. Then I meet my family and we go home. I don't feel good either. That night, D and I slowly get worse and worse. I get a fever. My stomach is really upset. D is coughing. His fever is pretty high. We are dosing Tylenol, then motrin. Watching lots of TV. I take a nap and then go to bed at 8pm. D crawls into bed with me to fall asleep. Sometime in the middle of the night, I wake up and have to barf. I feel better, but still shitty, tired.<br />
<br />
July 6: D comes into my room at 6am, scream/crying. He sounds like a seal. His fever is super high. I give him Tylenol. Play with toys. Watch god knows how many Puss in Boots (so, so bad, let me tell you). I take a nap. A finally gets up. I take another nap. We are all sick. Joy. D's fever is still high. He's upset and clingy. Just wants to cuddle, but he's so HOT. Ugh. He also takes comfort in holding my hair, which, after a while, just annoys the shit out of me. We spend the day taking meds, watching TV. At some point, he falls asleep in my arms like a baby. We watch Beauty & the Beast, Frozen. He won't eat, but he will drink apple juice. I think that's the only thing he got in him yesterday. Bedtime comes, and after one story he falls asleep immediately (9:30pm). At 10:45pm, he wakes up scream/crying. He is incoherent (but not feverish). I think he has to pee? Or he need water? I don't know. I finally calm him down, get him back to sleep. At 11:45, he wakes again, scream crying, and incoherent. This time, he wanders about the house, and I can't figure out what he wants. Dear god, help me. Finally, he lays down again and goes back to sleep. I think his fever has finally broken. He's not hot anymore.<br />
<br />
July 7: At 4:30am, he wakes again, comes into my room and barks, "I need medicine". I give him medicine and get him back to sleep once again. At 7:30am, again, "I need medicine" - still sounds like a seal. I give him motrin, but he doesn't want to take it because it's not the Tylenol that tastes good. He wanders about the house, scream/crying/barking. It's fun. He finally takes his medicine. And he agrees to eat some Olaf soup. Chicken noodle soup for breakfast, it is. He drinks some juice. We turn on Puss in boots. Its still on, Mama needs to work. I feel better, but now tired/exhausted. My parents were supposed to come this weekend. No more. I have no idea what D has and I don't want them to get it. Also, he is not that fun when he's sick. Another day of TV, hanging out at home. I am frustrated and stressed out (but I feel better after writing this). I have so many things to do at work, and I cannot do them at home, esp with kids TV in the background. I am hoping I get time to work later. A is going to ride his bike to work.<br />
<br />
Ugh, just ugh.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775549414092659282.post-64576265198627214132017-06-23T17:49:00.001-07:002017-06-23T17:49:43.325-07:00The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k71BhJdnnww/WU1vCoTunXI/AAAAAAAAJpo/bU7wnrQEZQcfAV8t-l9C-kWAtiPj5chRACLcBGAs/s1600/518QeX3IKdL._SY344_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="227" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k71BhJdnnww/WU1vCoTunXI/AAAAAAAAJpo/bU7wnrQEZQcfAV8t-l9C-kWAtiPj5chRACLcBGAs/s320/518QeX3IKdL._SY344_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="209" /></a></div>
I picked up this book a the library the other week. I really enjoyed <i>The Secret Life of Bees</i> by Kidd, so I thought I would probably like this book as well. The book follows a slave named Handful (or Hetty) and some of her owners, Sarah and Angelina Grimké, two sisters from Charleston, SC, who become abolitionists and feminists in the early 1800s.<br />
<br />
When I was in high school, we took these trips down to LA as part of the National Honor Society. Mostly, we just joined that group so we could take the trip. It involved going to Hard Rock Cafe or Santa Monica Beach or some "cool" place like that and it was always fun. One time, we went to the (at the time, newly opened) Museum of Tolerance in LA. I remember that trip being a little depressing (obviously) and my only lasting impression from that museum was a pile of shoes. Shoes upon shoes upon shoes. All of them left when Jews were led to the gas chambers during the Holocaust. I don't know what it was about those shoes, maybe it was the familiarity (I wear shoes all the time) or how personal they are (we all have different shoes) or the fact that those shoes touched someone who was then brutally murdered, I don't know, but it made the Holocaust much more horrific to me. Much more real (more meaningful than reading about it in a history book).<br />
<br />
I started Howard Zinn's <i>A People's History of the United States</i> and I honestly could not get through it. The horrific descriptions of how people were kidnapped in Africa and chained down in a ship to be sold for slavery was more than I could honestly handle. I had never thought of slavery that way. I can remember asking my mom when I was a kid if people treated slaves nicely and then maybe if they did treat them nicely if slavery was OK. Nope, never OK and people were never nice. To force a person into submission like that you cannot be nice. Nice is never a part of it. I had never appreciated that aspect of slavery. I had never really understood slavery and what it would have been like for people, day in, day out. I don't think I have the brains to understand it. But it is something that I need to remind myself of and I need to teach my kid about and I need to try to face, difficult as it is.<br />
<br />
The older I get, the more horrified I am by things happening in recent history. The Holocaust, slavery, reconstruction, integration, the fight for equal rights. There are no words for how abhorrent some peoples' actions have been. I can't explain how I can know about these things for years, since I started school, but not truly appreciate what these things did to people, especially people of color.<br />
<br />
This book was unreal. The novel begins with Sarah receiving Handful as a gift for her 11th birthday. Her mother ties a purple bow around Handful's neck and presents her to Sarah at her birthday tea. Sarah tries to refuse her; she doesn't want a slave, but her mother insists. Handful's mother, Charlotte lives with the Grimké family as well and Handful is forced to leave her mother's bed and sleep on the floor outside Sarah's room in case Sarah needs something in the night. Sarah is upset by slavery and at this young age, tries to free Handful (but is stopped by her father, a judge). Sarah and Nina are real people who left behind journals, letters and writings on the horrors of slavery and feminism. Kidd based her novel on what she knew about them. Sarah also (in real life) had a maid named Hetty who was presented to her as a gift. But we have no idea what happened to her in real life - it seems she died young. Kidd invents a life for Handful/Hetty and imagines what it would be like.<br />
<br />
Sarah teaches Handful to read, and they become close friends (not sure what other word to use here, but Sarah has sympathy and empathy for Handful's position and tries to set her free in the only ways she can). This book is heartbreaking. The way the Grimké family treated slaves was horrific, to put it mildly. I cannot imagine being born into slavery and knowing nothing else. I also cannot imagine not being able to leave a place whenever I wanted. What freedom we have!<br />
<br />
The story follows both Sarah and Handful as they navigate the life they are given. Sarah starts off with a voice, loses this voice for a while and then finds her voice, literally, in lectures for abolition. Handful draws strength from her mother, even when her mother is no longer there. This book was about strength, but also about what horrors people can survive and continue on. I both loved and hated this book and I feel like I learned a lot from it. I would highly recommend it as it's well written and compelling. However, it's obviously got me thinking about lots of things like slavery, racism (why are people such assholes?), why are cops shooting unarmed, harmless black people? and all kinds of stuff like that.<br />
<br />
Sorry for the random stream of consciousness. Guess that's what this blog is for...Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775549414092659282.post-3261750931729540652017-04-28T16:12:00.002-07:002017-04-28T16:12:23.673-07:00Just some pics<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ym9SgRo0HAA/WQPMFdYTdiI/AAAAAAAAIzY/mHo8kKEUd2QEFu3GMHT4d3wUoxGhUvBnACKgB/s1600/IMG_2347.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ym9SgRo0HAA/WQPMFdYTdiI/AAAAAAAAIzY/mHo8kKEUd2QEFu3GMHT4d3wUoxGhUvBnACKgB/s320/IMG_2347.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
hanging out with Grandpa</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GrulgR1uv_E/WQPMFW8hsWI/AAAAAAAAIzY/Im3C-DnSOqYZA0r8W3oWbREQDeLBUqQJwCKgB/s1600/IMG_2328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GrulgR1uv_E/WQPMFW8hsWI/AAAAAAAAIzY/Im3C-DnSOqYZA0r8W3oWbREQDeLBUqQJwCKgB/s320/IMG_2328.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
superbloom above Ventura</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oZFSWmx14nQ/WQPMFUSmwqI/AAAAAAAAIzY/D2LdasQAFzEKkMFrrw-6IJ8kTvsdPfLVACKgB/s1600/IMG_2315.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oZFSWmx14nQ/WQPMFUSmwqI/AAAAAAAAIzY/D2LdasQAFzEKkMFrrw-6IJ8kTvsdPfLVACKgB/s320/IMG_2315.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
waiting for Dada to get a suit</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AwMMGDA_gww/WQPMFU7EgVI/AAAAAAAAIzY/affyuTSg7LMSeDJsAWApABS1sn9TDoVUACKgB/s1600/IMG_2309.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AwMMGDA_gww/WQPMFU7EgVI/AAAAAAAAIzY/affyuTSg7LMSeDJsAWApABS1sn9TDoVUACKgB/s320/IMG_2309.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Me and D on the Dragon at Happy Hollow</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
more pics to come...</div>
Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775549414092659282.post-14594097643343044922017-04-12T12:37:00.001-07:002017-04-12T14:06:28.219-07:00Glasgow<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">D is singing in the giant bathtub as we finish our first full day in Glasgow (pronounced glaz-go, in case you were wondering). We flew out of LAX on Monday night and arrived in Glasgow Tuesday night. The flight was largely uneventful, except for a couple toddler moments, with D crying, "I need to get off now!!!". He slept some, but the seats proved too uncomfortable for prolonged sleep, even for a 3ft tall kid. Alex and I slept some, but we were so thrilled to arrive to a warm hotel room for our first night. We ate at the hotel restaurant and collapsed into bed, exhausted. Naturally, jet lag had me awake and starving half the night. We woke up and caught the bus to city center, checked our luggage at the train station and walked about the streets. It's a beautiful city, and a lot of the architecture reminds me of the nicer streets in Philly. It's clear that our older cities found inspiration in the major European cities, likely because many came from here. My maternal grandfather was from Glasgow. His family came to the US in the early 20th century.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">We ate a light lunch at a cafe and wandered about, checking out the Glasgow MOMA and finally settling in a square where D chased pigeons (and attracted hundreds just by throwing dirt on the ground - dumb birds!). We checked into our flat for the next two days. It's a nice place, but to our eyes, a little disorganized and shabby. But no biggie - we don't live here.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">So far, I've had lovely interactions with people here. The bus driver complained to me about people putting their luggage in the racks the wrong way. It reminded me so much of Philly - the conspiratorial complaining that is actually quite funny. D ran around a market, finding items that were in the wrong place, and wanting to return them to their proper place. The clerk told me he does this all day - and he has no idea why things are left where they are (a package of cakes found by the fridge section, shoved in a crack).</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">We stayed at the apartment the rest of the day, except for a stop at the market. A jet lagged toddler does not have listening ears, and acts spastic at best. A good idea to keep him contained. Tonight, spaghetti and meat sauce for dinner. Some odd breakfast meats on deck for tomorrow. Tonight, D fell asleep during his nightly story, a first for sure. And now, naturally, at 10pm, I am quite awake and not at all sleepy - figures!</span></p>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775549414092659282.post-35810637378616293302017-03-24T11:11:00.005-07:002017-03-24T11:11:56.733-07:00Haiku Friday<div style="text-align: center;">
This week was rough, I</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
should focus on the little</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
things. We are healthy.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
***</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Serious crisis</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
in confidence. It happens</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Not too. More rain.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
***</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Visitors Sunday</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Dusty and family. We</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
love seeing old friends.</div>
Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775549414092659282.post-3668048329768699042017-03-16T17:10:00.004-07:002017-03-16T17:10:58.665-07:00Worse and worseI can't even keep up, and I'm honestly so upset that I don't think this will be coherent.<br />
<br />
The Great Barrier Reef has been bleached at an unprecedented rate. An enormous part of it is gone and will not return in our lifetime<br />
<br />
EPA cuts that prevent monitoring of water and air, and encourage corporations to relax regulations, releasing god knows what into our environment<br />
<br />
A muslim ban? WTF?<br />
<br />
Relaxing the regulations so we don't need to build more fuel efficient cars (why would you stop progress?)<br />
<br />
Budget cuts not only the arts and Meals on Wheels, but also NASA and the NIH. He truly wants to build an electorate of uneducated, uninspired people.<br />
<br />
My job is based on money from the NIH. I will lose my job and be unable to get another one if the cuts to the NIH go through. If I do get a job at a public school, I will have to work under the most uninformed, uneducated Education Secretary ever. Doesn't sound like a good thing to me.<br />
<br />
Why do we need a bigger military? Are we at war? Are we going to war? With who?<br />
<br />
Why are we trying to preserve manufacturing jobs when the clear issue is technological advancement? Why aren't we trying to find sustainable jobs for blue collar workers?<br />
<br />
Why aren't we supporting education? Math? Science? Arts? Music? These things contribute heavily to a well rounded, enlightened society. Why eliminate them?<br />
<br />
Why eliminate American exceptionalism? Why crush it?<br />
<br />
I am unsure my family and I belong here anymore. I am unsure who these people who voted for him are, but they clearly do not share any values that I do.<br />
<br />
I wonder if they regret electing him?<br />
<br />
<br />Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2775549414092659282.post-36843337281936184882017-03-02T10:23:00.001-08:002017-03-02T10:23:34.055-08:00The sounds at my houseWhat does it sound like at your house?<br />
<br />
In the early, early morning, I can hear the creek rushing in the valley<br />
<br />
The trees rustle unless it's really windy and then they sound like a hurricane coming through<br />
<br />
Sometimes, it's raining<br />
<br />
Cows moo at each other and the moos echo across the valley<br />
<br />
During the day, the woodpeckers and the squirrels fight constantly. One of the giant trees in front of our house is a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acorn_woodpecker" target="_blank">woodpecker granary</a>. The squirrels are constantly trying to steal the acorns. The battle commences daily.<br />
<br />
The stellar jays talk a lot too. Sometimes they talk to you when you are walking in the driveway<br />
<br />
The occasional car drives by<br />
<br />
Sometimes, the volunteer fire department alarm rings<br />
<br />
Our neighbors' chickens cluck<br />
<br />
The ducks at the pond quack<br />
<br />
Dogs bark<br />
<br />
People walking by chat and also huff and puff. We live in a hill<br />
<br />
Sometimes our neighbor is working on his house - sawing, hammering, listening to some oldies<br />
<br />
Inside, D is laughing or talking or whispering<br />
<br />
Toys are making noise<br />
<br />
The cat is often meowing loudly<br />
<br />
Usually, laundry<br />
<br />
If our neighbor is home, there is lots of thumping from the downstairs apartmentChristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749887969217285053noreply@blogger.com1