The Voice of Christine

Sponsoring a Child

2012-01-27T22:54:00.000+01:00

Wow. It's been a while. Happy 2012 everyone. I won't attempt -- at least right now -- to update you on the last several months. Suffice it to say, there's been a lot going on.

If you allow me to step on to a soap box for a moment, I'd like to share with you a great opportunity to make a difference in the life of someone. This Tuesday I received a letter from my sponsored child in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. For those of you who have thought about sponsoring a child in the past, but have hesitated. Don't. Just do it. Here's an excerpt from the letter.

[...] my family and I are very glad for that love action. With this money, I bought a mattress, because I used to sleep on a mat, I also bought a pair of uniforms; one for me and another one for my sister. I think our school year return will be good. I also bought a suit, a skirt, and a blouse and a pair of sandals for the masses of Sunday and for my walk.

It's absolutely blows my mind to think how much some of us have in this world and how others don't even have a mattress to sleep on. I've never wanted for a bed or a pair of shoes.

Along with the letter I received a picture of M. The photo shows M. beside her gifts, but instead of a smile, she wears a blank stare. Her eyes are pretty haunting. They are dark and deep. I've been told by World Vision, the organization through which I sponsor M., that she has a healthy family in a community which is ravaged by HIV. News coming out of Congo has been rather bleak for years; women have suffered terrible violence, including rape. By some estimates millions have died over the years. I don't know M's full story yet, what she has seen or experienced, but I hope and pray she will smile one day.

Won't you join me in sponsoring a child today?

http://www.worldvision.org/

There's not much on the mind this time of year except for him

2011-10-21T00:50:00.000+02:00

The Scourge of Perfectionism

2011-10-11T00:07:00.000+02:00

I think it was Voltaire who said, "The perfect is the enemy of the good." Too often in my 30 some years I've come to find that true. The desire to get something so perfect has a way of leading me to one of two dead ends: I don't do anything or I do it very late in the game and have to rush in order to meet a deadline and completely exhaust myself. After a period of dormancy my perfectionism seems to be rearing its ugly head once again and has been driving me just a wee bit crazy... just a tiny bit. Don't know about you, but the paralysis that comes with it is plain old awful. Simply put, I hate it. It's a miserable state to be in, and it's unsustainable. In the past when a close friend or family member has shared a struggle or deep desire to achieve something my regular counsel has always been to do your best and to trust God to do the rest. We are, after all, only human no matter how hard we work to prove otherwise. Funny how we need to repeat certain lessons in life and constantly need to remind ourselves of that we are not God, but He is.

And that is tonight's deep thought before heading off to bed. Sweet dreams.

Note to Self

2011-09-18T21:31:00.001+02:00

When invited to join a friend for a day trip always keep the following in mind:

-Just because a friend invites you, do not depend on your friend to do everything. Take a look at train schedules and maps, etc. Acquaint yourself. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOURSELF.
-When traveling to a new place and especially small villages, try to print out a map (Google or Mapy.cz) of certain locations. For example, the train station you intend to depart from.
-Never be so shy or afraid to ask for help or directions.
-Always pack extra snacks. Throw in nuts, raisins, chocolate. Did I say a chocolate bar? ;) You might think you only need that one sandwich and bottle of water, but you never know what might happen during the course of the day or night. For example, you might miss your train and be stuck in an antiquated train station (at least from the 50s but possibly pre-war with 1950 updates) without any vending machines and no food options whatsoever.
-Don't try to pack too much in. Be realistic. Don't start climbing a hill at 5 or 5:30 pm and think you're going to reach a wine festival and then catch a train by oh, say, 7 or 8 p.m.
-Keep in mind that the sun does go down and when it does, boy, is it dark out there in the forest.
-The flashlight app for Androids comes in handy. Equip your phone.
-When leaving home, always wear walking shoes - whether they be sneakers or tennis shoes or hiking boots. Avoid sandals. Forget about fashion. Be realistic.
-If you do not have proper walking or hiking boots, do not attempt to walk through forests and climb hills.
Period.
-If you've made the mistake of wearing improper attire, check your anger and frustration. IT'S YOUR FAULT. NOT YOUR FRIEND'S.
-Should you decide to stray off the beaten path, expect to find the unexpected. For example, fences, locked gates, ravines, thorns, snake holes, weeds, bees, wild boars, etc.
-When you ask for directions from two people at the same time and those two individuals give you conflicting answers, DO NOT FOLLOW EITHER ONE. They are inevitably wrong.
-Do not assume that a train station bearing the name of a village is actually located in that village. It could be named after the neighboring village.
-Always pray.

The above represents valuable lessons learned from yesterday's day trip to Litomerice and Velke Zernoseky. There were a few other villages thrown in, but it was too dark and I could hardly read the signs. After 3 train connections and helping out a Russian wunderkid and two clueless Americans get Czech money and metro tickets, I took a midnight bath and slipped into bed around 1 a.m. feeling very, very, very grateful to be home (and not sleeping in a scary train station in the middle of nowhere).

My 9/11

2011-09-10T17:29:00.000+02:00

On the morning of September 11, around 8:40, I was exiting a PATH train from Hoboken, N.J. at the subterranean level of the World Trade Center. Minutes later while I was walking up the steps of the commuters’ “mole hill” — a host of escalators and stairs ferrying New Jerseyites to the main concourse — police came running, yelling to get out of the way. I didn’t raise an eye brow – such is life in NYC. But it was no ordinary day. Soon EVERYONE started running to reach the ground level. Never one to follow the crowd, I made an exception.

At the ground level people were scurrying around. I exited on Vesey Street – not my regular route. Outside a crowd gathered, mesmerized by the fiery hole and debris. The air had a terrible industrial smell. Instinctively I tried to call home but without success. Word on the street was that a chartered plane had accidentally crashed into the North Tower. I found that kind of strange, but had no better explanation. As debris continued to fall and air quality worsened, I decided it would be better to exit this “war zone” and get to my building. Instead of walking I jogged.

At One Chase Manhattan people were attempting to go about their normal routines but there was a heavy uneasiness in the air. As I stepped onto the 59th floor I met one of our firm’s partners who normally had a ready joke but Andy was less than chipper. He looked at me with a distraught expression and said, “There are people jumping.” My heart sunk as I entered our lobby. Turning the corner I was making my way to my cubicle when a plane came into view through our conference room windows looking out upon the Towers. As the second plane exploded, everyone came running out and so began our descent down 59 flights of stairs. That was it. It was no accident. We were under attack.

I miss New York every September. My heart aches as I think of friends. I remember the look on their faces, how we tried to encourage and support each other every step of the way. I remember the surreal feeling of downtown Manhattan. I remember reconnecting (after 8 years) with an old classmate from high school who called out my name amidst the crowds. I remember taking a ferry with my roommate later that day, and being hosed down by NJ firemen and EMTs in Hoboken upon our arrival. I remember hug upon hug after we finally returned to work. I remember the warm embrace of the El Salvadoran man who picked up our office’s recycling every day. I remember meeting a young woman from Cantor Fitzgerald who called in sick to work (her offices were on the top floors); she was one of maybe two team members alive and she was searching for answers, struggling to make sense of life. I remember and I hope.

I did not know anyone personally who died that tragic day, but, I was there. I saw the destruction and shook with fear and anger. But I also experienced a real and amazing sense of community in the weeks that followed. For me September 11 is a stark reminder of the very real presence of evil in this world, the fragility of life, and that we should take no day for granted. And, it is an enduring lesson of sustaining faith and hope in the midst of tragedy, disaster, and injustice.

Follow me on Tumblr

2011-08-25T22:13:00.001+02:00

Friends,

I started a Tumblr account a short while back as I am nearing my limit on blogger for photos. I kind of got sick of fiddling around with bloggers limits and quirks with positioning.

In seeking to present more of my photos, I have found Tumblr much easier. I can't say it's perfect (I would have designed a few things much differently) but it sure is a whole lot easier to display photos. That said, I'm not saying a complete goodbye to this site as my blog posts date back some 5 years now, but I do want to let you know where to find more frequent updates on my happenings.

Please check out http://voiceofchristine.tumblr.com/.

Blessings, Christine

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood!

2011-08-23T23:29:00.000+02:00

Saturday was an exquisite day (actually every day since as well). My friend from Zimbabwe had the wonderful idea of going paddle boating on the Vltava river (Moldau for you classical music whizzes and German speakers). It cost us 250 Czech korun for an hour (15 USD). We took a bottle of white wine, some water, and some sandwiches and had a great time on the river. I've tried this in the Potomac basin in DC as well as the Englischer Garten in Munich, but I think Prague is the best for this type of thing. We paddled all around, even an island.

Jolly Old England

2011-08-14T20:59:00.000+02:00

As I turned another year older recently, I took advantage of an offer to meet up with a friend in Bath, England. It was only 4 1/2 days, but oh was it worth it! Bath is an outstanding example of Georgian architecture and it has a treasure trove of ancient Roman baths. I loved learning about Georgian England as well as the Roman Empire and the process of visiting the Roman baths. I've posted some of my photos on tumblr. Click here.

Berlin - Teaming with History

2011-07-08T00:26:00.000+02:00

Just got back from 4 1/2 days in the capital city of Germany, Berlin. It's a city that never stops changing. Last time I visited was in 2006 right before the demolition of the Palace of the Republic. On Monday I was in the vicinity of the Berliner Dom (Cathedral) and felt like something was missing... well, the big orange metallic monstrosity of building was no longer. To complete and integrate this quarter of Berlin, Germany has decided to rebuild part of the former Stadtschloss, a fake Baroque copy of the palace. It's a controversial decision which only time and construction will tell how it turns out.

Despite horrible rain Saturday through Monday, I managed to walk all around Potsdam, including the site of the famous Potsdam Agreement between Truman, Stalin, and Churchill. I also visited the new DDR (East German Republic) interactive museum which seeks to show what life was like during communism and under surveillance of the state. It was pretty neat, but way overcrowded. I think perhaps worse then DC's Spy Museum. One crazy fact I learned was that preschoolers all had to squat on toilets at the same time - that is there was joint potty time if you can imagine. I also dropped by a new exhibition on the Stasi (secret police) and watched some of their surveillance film of people taking walks in parks, youth hanging out on the streets, athletes competing, etc. East Germany was one of the most heavily watched societies in the world.

We also went on a free tour offered by the Sandeman company. Our guide Barry from Ireland was outstanding. He provided just the right amount of historical context without overwhelming us with facts. One of his themes was the reuse of different sites or monuments in Berlin to meet the needs of the changing ruling regimes. At the Memorial to the Victims of War and Tyranny - a site used both by the Nazis as well as the East German regime there now stands a poignant sculpture of a mother with her dead son by Kathe Kollwitz. The city is simply teaming with history.

Well, there's so much more I could say, but I'll stop there for now. If you'd like to check out pictures from my travels click here to several galleries.

London 2012: To be, or not to be: that is the question

2011-06-29T20:43:00.000+02:00

Since I was a young child, I have always been captivated by the myriad athletes who devote years of their lives to preparation for the Olympics; both those who succeed and earn gold as well as those who fall short of a medal. Some may find boring the long human interest stories with which networks break up competition, but I eat it up. I remember learning about the lives of Russian and Chinese gymnasts, being sent off hundreds of miles away from families to go to sport schools and who can forget Dan Jansen. Well, somewhere along the way I added "attending the Olympics" to my at least once in my life "to do" list. So, I'm trying to go to the London 2012 Summer Olympics since it's seemingly close. However, it's not going so well. Unfortunately, I missed the March deadline to join the lottery (who knew?). I really should have done my research early on! Then I discovered a way to go through the official U.S. site. Well, I confused days and thought the 2nd chance lottery was today, but it was actually yesterday. NICE! After two strikes, I'm not yet giving up. There are a few sites selling tickets at quite a profit as well as some that are offering packages. Tonight my friend Liz and I found a Czech site offering 3 event tickets plus coach transportation (bus from Prague to London - SWEET) plus accommodation at a university dormitory for about 1,000 USD. That might seem like a lot, but I'm not so sure... We shall see!

Lidice

2011-06-26T23:04:00.003+02:00

Yesterday I visited the site of Lidice, a former town which was razed to the ground on June 10, 1942 by the Nazis, who believed the town was somehow linked to the assassination of Reichs Protector Reinhard Heydrich - Hitler's right-hand man. The men of the village were rounded up and shot; women were sent to Ravensbruck concentration camp; the vast majority of children (82) were gassed on a bus ride to Lodz, Poland, and a few children were selected to be adopted by Nazi parents. The town buildings were burned and then detonated so literally nothing but bare foundations were left. The Nazis cut down trees and even destroyed burial grounds. After the war ended, 143 Lidice women returned and 17 children were reunited with their mothers. The Czechoslovak Republic agreed to build houses for women who survived. We walked pass these houses - the first of which were completed at Christmas 1949. Here are a few pics from our trip.

The Lidice Memorial is a touching tribute to the town and it's inhabitants who perished. The exposition starts with a short movie after which you proceed through several exhibits showing life before the war; pictures of townspeople; the doors to the church; letters from children to their relatives asking for stockings, a spoon and fork, some food, new clothing which were received after they had been killed; and testimonials of survivors - mainly children who were selected for adoption. We walked around the grounds as well and looked at the foundations of the St. Martin's Church, the school dating back to the early 18th century, and the farm house of one of the Horak family. Very sobering to say the least. Only 20 km from Prague.

If you'd like to learn more check out the video below:

My interest in Lidice was sparked by the recent release in the CR of a new movie about the tragedy. I thought the director tried to pack in a bit too much, but it was overall really well done. I'm sure it will be an Oscar contender for best foreign language. Here's a trailer to the movie with English subtitles:

A Saturday Afternoon at the Cemetery

2011-05-22T22:46:00.001+02:00

But not just any cemetery... a couple Saturdays back I joined a Polish friend on a beautiful afternoon walk of Olsanske hrbitovy or Olsany cemetery. There was so much to discover from 18th century grave stones, dedications in Czech, German and myriad other languages, upside down doves, interesting displays of urns, the British POW cemetery, Soviet Red Army cemetery, monument to Tsarist Russia, Bulgarian cemetery, WWI cemetery and a Russian Orthodox church that was just beginning service with the beautiful lull of a women's choir.

Since it's a pain in the neck to post more than 1 picture on blogger, I started to experiment with tumblr. Here's the link to my cemetery photos. Enjoy! Olsanske hrbitovy photo stream

Spring at Last!

2011-05-21T23:59:00.001+02:00

It's officially spring in Prague and it's BEAUTIFUL. Last weekend my highly competent and absolutely lovely Polish friend organized a hike to Sächsische Schweiz (Saxony Switzerland) National Park, which is basically the border area between Germany and the Czech Republic along the Elbe river. If you take the train from Prague to Dresden you get off after Usti nad Labem and Decin at Schoene. From there we took a ferry across the river to Hrensko and then a short walk to the border crossing and to Schmilke. The area is filled with amazing sandstone formations and gorgeous forests. Highly recommend it! However, it's not for the faint hearted. There's some pretty steep inclines. We went UP and DOWN several times. My poor, poor knees took a bruising, but they survived. I definitely wont be doing that type of hiking every weekend, but just perhaps once a month :)

May Flowers

2011-05-13T22:04:00.002+02:00

Well, the old adage "April showers bring May flowers" is true every now and then! Recently I spent a couple of weeks in the U.S. for my sister's wedding in Asheville, NC and for family and friend time in Charlotte, NC, New Orleans, and Washington, DC. For the most part I experienced spring or early summer weather especially in the South.The night before flying back to Prague I checked the weather and saw 0 C and chance of snow listed. I literally freaked out - this after spending the previous 10 days in 75 F. I thought for sure there had to be a mix up with Celsius and Fahrenheit or something so I kept checking different sites. To make a long story short, when I did get back to Prague, it was about freezing in the dead of the night but it was a high of 55 F during the day. Thankfully, the second of my two short but sweet days in DC the temperature dropped like 10-20 degrees so it wasn't the shock it could have been when crossing the Atlantic. But better yet, each day I've been back in Prague it has seemed to grow warmer and the sun has come out pretty consistently. This Wednesday I got out of the bldg for lunch with two colleagues and along our way we passed a gorgeous row of short (or miniature) lilac bushes along the street. The fragrance was intoxicating. We had lunch on the terrace of the restaurant and it was glorious feeling the warmth of the sun on my skin. I never quite understood the Egyptians' worship of the sun until that point :) Okay, that might be a tad of an exaggeration, but I've certainly learned how sweet a sunny day is.

And, go figure, the World Hockey Championship is taking place right now in Slovakia. I don't understand how hockey (which I alway thought a winter sport) carries on into the spring and early summer, but it does! Too bad for the Czechs, they lost earlier to the Swedes in a semifinal. I was told by a Czech-Canadian friend that the tournament does not include the very best in hockey as the NHL is still at play, but that doesn't seem to matter to most Czechs. I passed many a person wearing Czech national team jerseys and painted flags of Czech or Russia on peoples' cheeks. There was a big screen set up in Old Town Square for fans and those curious in watching the Russia - Finland game. I thought about it for a second and decided home was calling me hither...

Popping Ears How Sweet It Is...

2011-04-16T21:52:00.002+02:00

NOT!!!!

I seem to be getting hit left and right with annoying (thankfully not serious) maladies. Today's development was rather severe popping in my ears. This is something that I've struggled with the last 2 years or so. After about three trips to ENT specialists I was recommended to see an allergist. It turns out my allergies affect my inner ear canal. The problem has been under control since I started taking aerius (antihistamine, 5 mg desloratadine) and twice daily Nasonex, but for some reason my ears are acting up this season despite my regimen. I was really really frustrated earlier so took an extra allergy pill and an extra squirt of Nasonex. I do think my heart sped up temporarily, but it was short lived. My ears seem to be better, but not perfect. I really hope I will not be spending much more time writing about medical issues save for updates regarding healing.

I'm ALL EARS should you have any recommendations! :)

ARGHHHH!

2011-04-15T23:21:00.000+02:00

Friends,

I need help! I've never so badly wanted to scratch my skin off. ARGHHHHH! HMMMMPHHHHH! I started with eczema in January and most recently was diagnosed with pityriasis rosea (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001874/). I had never heard of pityriasis rosea until about a week ago when I went to the dermatologist. The "mother" or "herald" patch - a round oval looking like a scab on my abdomen - was the telling sign along with radiating red spots all over my trunk and onto my arms and top of my legs. According to my dermatologist, it is either a viral or bacterial infection.

I was told it's not supposed to be that itchy, but I have to say it's ITCHY. I have no idea why, but night time is the worst and tonight is by far the worst it has been. I'm thinking I might try an oatmeal bath tomorrow. I'm using an anti-fungal cream at night and a steroid cream in the morning, but I don't know what good it's doing me. I'm really trying to put mind over matter in not allowing my hands to move towards my skin where they might be too tempted to scratch, but it's taking every ounce of will power. Man, good, I'm typing a blog post! Next distraction: flossing my teeth. Hopefully by the time I finish the desire to itch will be less. If you have any grand ideas - actually, don't worry about them being "grand" - I just want ideas for relief and hastened healing! Supposedly this can last from 2-6 or 8 weeks but I really hope it's much sooner.

ARGHHHHHH!!!! HMMPPPPPPPHHHHH!

Can you feel my pain?

Boleslawiec: Polish Pottery Mecca

2011-04-10T20:44:00.001+02:00

Boleslawiec, Poland, located in the southwest corner of Poland not so far from the German and Czech borders, is THE PLACE to go for POTTERY. It's a bit of heaven on earth. REALLY! At least that's the opinion of many an American military wife stationed in Germany and other Americans in the know. From Prague by car it takes close to three hours one way. But the six hours in the car are so worth it!

The drive north through Liberec and to the Czech-Polish border is rather pretty although the roads get a little sketchy at the border and into Poland. However, the Poles have built a spanking new highway or "autostrada" as I learned when asking directions at the gas station - the A4 - which takes you from near Zgorzelec to Boleslawiec (exit on to 297), depositing you right by the Ceramika Artystyczna (ul. Kościuszki 23), which is our regular first stop since it closes at 2 pm on Saturdays and usually has some of the best prices. http://www.ceramika-artystyczna.pl/index.php?l=en After Ceramika Artystyczna, we walk across the street to the row of stores. The two on the left I would recommend (their names escape me). If you continue down the lane through the gate to the parking lot there's also a good store there which is worth checking out. Don't be afraid of the kind of rough surroundings. There's pearls to be found amidst the dust and grind!

Rounding out our shopping in Boleslawiec we head to Henry's (Ul. Masarka 1, to the right of Carrefour) which has the greatest concentration of "unikat". http://www.buzzoffbase.com/index.php?option=com_mtree&task=searchby&cf_id=5&value=Boleslawiec It is pricey though - beware! We often head back to Ceramika Artystyczna for one last look and shop before 2 pm.

Somewhere in the midst of mesmerization, we eat a sandwich and other snacks packed for the trip. After pottery hysteria wears off, we grab some pierogi or other fine Polish cuisine at Opalkowa Chata on Cieszkwskiego 17 http://www.opalkowachata.pl/ Yesterday I had blueberry-filled pierogi with a bit of cream. They were absolutely delicious. I also recommend the ruskie or cheese and potato. They are heavier on the cheese than potato which is much to my preference :) Can you tell I had a fabulous Saturday?!

Local Remedies

2011-03-31T23:10:00.000+02:00

I've always heard about the amazing abilities of garlic and its boost to your immunity but I never tried it for myself until recently. A few weeks back I decided to launch an assault on a pesky plantar wart that has been with me for about three years no matter how many shots of liquid nitrogen my podiatrist in DC or my dermatologist in Prague gave me. I also incorrectly applied an anti-wart agent called Acetocaustin which only requires application once a week, but the genius that I am failed to read the directions and applied daily. To be honest, I'm lucky to still have my toe! So anyway, a couple of my Czech friends noticed me limping and gave me a two new approaches. The first suggested I soak onion pieces in vinegar for 24 hours and then apply them to the affected area and wrap it with a baindaid for 24 hours. She went on to say it really stinks, but it really works. The really stinks part really was a huge stumbling block, I must admit. Fortunately another friend recommended garlic and only at night. The trick, she said, was to cut the clove down the middle and to put a piece on the affected area with a bandaid during night hours. Well, I did a little research (you may find this interesting http://bastyrcenter.org/content/view/851/) and decided to give it a shot. I'm about 2.5 weeks into the garlic regimen and it seems to be working!

Another nifty product I've been happily surprised by is something called Carbosorb. They are edible charcoal tablets. Hmmm, could be a great Christmas gift for naughty kids now that I think of it. They look like little charcoal hockey pucks. :) Well, after figuring I had a stomach bug or had ingested something spoiled or bad, I took a look in my medicine cabinet and found Carbosorb. You take 2-3 about four times a day and it helps with the cramps and feeling of heart burn in the chest and it also helps take out the toxins from the intestinal tract and gets things running more normally. They work!

Red Velvet Cup Cakes

2011-03-25T23:51:00.001+01:00

Following up on my last post, the dinner party was a grand success. And, I can now affirm that the cupcakes taste as good as they look. With cream cheese (or Lucina) frosting and some chopped pecans they taste even better. They came out really moist thanks to 1 cup of oil. While I'm not sure this is my absolute favorite Red Velvet recipe, it sure is a good one. I'm not sure what I want more of - perhaps cocoa? I want a bit more flavor or something. It's hard to put my finger on it. Oh well, I might just have to keep trying different recipes :) I have a great cakedoctor recipe which uses German Chocolate cake as its base which may be better. But I feel like such a cheat! Anyhow, here's Paula Deen's Red Velvet Cupcakes from Food Network. It gets my stamp of approval! Happy baking!

Paula Deen’s Red Velvet Cupcakes from Food Network

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 tablespoons red food coloring
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 C). Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with cupcake papers (you may prefer to double line since they are so moist). In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In a large bowl gently beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with a handheld electric mixer. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins about 2/3 filled. Bake in oven for about 20 to 22 minutes, turning the pans once, half way through. Test the cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

1 pound cream cheese, softened (in Europe I'd recommend Lucina or Kiri)
2 sticks butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
Chopped pecans and fresh raspberries or strawberries, for garnish (optional)

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.

Garnish with chopped pecans, fresh raspberry or strawberry, or sprinkles.

Likes and Dislikes

2011-03-24T23:37:00.001+01:00

Things I like:

Day light - It was wonderful to wake up to light and sun this morning. It's even better to leave work when it's day light.

Red velvet cupcakes - Baking them at any time of day, even at 8 or 9 pm after a long day at work. And, of course eating them brings even more delight.

Hosting dinner parties - Tomorrow I'm having around ten people over. Fortunately, my part of the bargain is providing the space and dessert. After tonight I'm almost there. There's still some cleaning to be done after work on Friday (sigh).

Fresh linens on my bed - When I was a kid I had a deal with my mom: if I dusted my room and tidied up, she would in turn make up my bed with clean sheets. It was sheer pleasure to climb into bed on cleaning nights.

Things I don't like:

Getting up early after staying up too late - Haha, that's the story of my life. I don't give up easily. Still working on becoming a morning person.

Cleaning up after baking - Especially after a draining day at work and particularly after making Red Velvet batter. The red food coloring has a way of showing up in random places (i.e., counter tops, appliances, the wall, etc.) as well as staining my finger tips.

Crunchy towels - That's right ... I don't have a dryer. It forces you to plan ahead which is fine, but the crunchiness of my towels is something I don't think I'll ever learn to like. If you have any tips, I'm all ears! Send them my way. I do use softener, but it doesn't make a difference.

Changing my sheets & other housekeeping - I'm sure the world's smallest violins are playing in my honor, but I really have no energy for housekeeping - in any form - after working nine to ten hours. Of course, I battle it out and get things done, but I have no idea how working moms do it. When I get tired after cleaning or baking, I always think of my mom and wonder how she ever did it working a full-time job, raising four kids, and preparing wholesome meals (nothing out of the box)!

Well, enough pondering for one night. I think I've got laundry to hang up. :)

Sweet dreams!

Time Flies No Matter What

2011-03-20T22:23:00.001+01:00

Wow. I just took a look at the date of my last post and did a double take. I didn't realize it had been that long. Well, happy 2011 to everyone! As I was flying back after New Year's, I had a feeling that 2011 was going to be full of change, but I had no idea that change would hit me from about every angle possible. One thing I've learned at my mature age is that as you grow older time flies whether or not you are enjoying it. That's not to say I haven't enjoyed different opportunities I've had over the last few months, but it definitely hasn't been all peaches and cream either. I'm learning that grieving is for sure a process and it is different for each person. The fact that I am still grieving impacts so many facets of my life. Sometimes I don't recognize the person staring at me in the mirror. While it is hard, I do know God is working something good in my life and growing me. However, sometimes it feels kind of painful sort of like what a new born butterfly undergoes as he/she pushes his/herself out of the chrysalis.

Well, I want to thank a certain Syracuse fan for encouraging me to write again. I was getting a bit discouraged at the end of last year that my faithful readership had dwindled, but I'm not done yet. I don't always find the time, but I will try to do my best as long as I know there is at least some interest out there. Comment once in a while!

My tidbit for today is that for the latter half of today I thought aliens might have descended upon this fine city. As I was in my local grocery store (Albert - a Belgian chain supposedly) in the check out line, the lady at the register actually put my frozen pizza in a plastic bag and put a few of the items still on the conveyor belt in my grocery bag. I nearly fell over. You are pretty much on your own over here in terms of bagging. It was such a small thing, but the fact that it hasn't happened to me in over 3 years but happened today left me feeling as if something monumental had happened. I walked out of Albert's with a new found spring in my step. Isn't it pretty amazing how something so miniscule can be so huge?! To my American friends: enjoy your world class customer service. Nobody does it better than the good ole US of A. But, I'm happy to report there is incremental progress happening across the pond! :)

Until next time!

Pierogi-rama

2010-11-14T20:47:00.002+01:00

The fruit of hard labor: pierogi!!! These happen to be prune-filled but we also made meat and mushroom with sour cream, cheese and onion, and sweet cheese and raisin.

Yesterday I garnered up the courage to host about 15 women from church and friends for my second ever pierogi making evening (the first was back in 2006). With my kitchen bursting at the seams, we occupied all available counter and table space along with the stove top. It was truly a grand production. We had a number of stations: dough rolling, form making, boiling, and frying pan. Everyone performed admirably and best of all the end result was scrumptious.

It's hard to believe but I have the reputation of being a pro. Truth be told, I actually can count on two hands the number of times I've made them, but somehow that has earned me the title of "champion pierogi maker". Indeed I am a champion if effort counts :) I give pierogi making and pretty much everything I do my all. :)

My grandmother and aunt are the pierogi makers in our family. Unfortunately, I was never at home to get a lesson when they sat down to make them for our Christmas eve meal. Instead I had to settle for "watching" grandma make pierogi a couple times. Several years back while I was living in Arlington, I simply decided to give it a shot on my own. Well, my first attempt might not have looked so pretty, but they were very tasty.

I'd say I'm about as talented pinching Polish pierogi as I am pinching Chinese dumplings. So, a year or two ago I opted for a pierogi form/cutter and have been employing this amazing tool ever since. It's a life changer!

If you're looking for some good fillings, cooks.com is a good source. Check out: http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,174,144166-236194,00.html.

Now that I've got pierogi down, I think it's time to move on to other Polish or Slovak goodies... I'm thinking about barszcz or borscht. After detesting dark purple beets as a child, I absolutely adore this delicious Eastern European soup.

Paris in September

2010-11-07T18:15:00.000+01:00

Catching up on lost time...

My mom arrived for a month-long visit toward the end of September. Fortunately for me, I had 2 Czech holidays which we used to take a 4-day weekend in Paris. I've passed through Paris a few times, but never really had the chance to savor it. I admit ... I tried to jam pack quite a lot into our trip and I didn't accomplish quite everything. But mom had an awesome time, we walked plenty so that we could eat plenty, and there's still many reasons to return.

Cold October Thoughts

2010-10-27T00:59:00.005+02:00

I walked a mile with Pleasure,

She chattered all the way;

But left me none the wiser

For all she had to say.

I walked a mile with Sorrow,

And ne'er a word said she;

But, oh, the things I learned from her

When sorrow walked with me.

Robert Browning Hamilton

I've cautioned myself against it, but I can't help remembering where I was a year ago this week. Last year at this time I was in Madison, Wisconsin, the land of cheese heads. It wasn't your average family get together, but one that left my life and the lives of my family members forever changed.

By the grace of God, I hopped not one, but 4 different flights, getting the last seat on each aircraft to get to Madison with the hope of seeing my father who had been hospitalized and in intensive care after traveling to visit my brother Mark. Despite receiving a clean cancer scan 2 1/2 months earlier, Dad's mantle cell lymphoma returned for a final curtain call. As Dad put it once they were able to extubate him, "this disease is vicious."

The chilly air tonight and fall foliage transported me back in time. Autumn used to symbolize fun, happy, good times: the World Series, the return of high school, college, and NFL football, swim season, and hot chocolate. Despite living overseas, as soon as I see orange and feel a certain crispness in the air, I pull out my sweaters and warmer clothing with a sense of nostalgia, remembering the good old days of my youth... of blissful ignorance.

October and November have new significance for me. I'm reminded that as the seasons change, so is life constantly changing. According to the Book of Ecclesiastes, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to hear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace" (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). The author of Ecclesiastes also tells us God has set eternity in the hearts of men (v 10). Our hearts ache for a reason.

Sorrow has accompanied me on much of life's journey this past year. She's not your usual first pick as a travel companion. But her work is good and purposeful.

PS: Sorry for the absence, but the last 4-5 weeks have been insanely busy. My mom was here for a full month. Between work and Mom, a free minute was hard to find. I'm pretty sure I was running high on adrenalin during that time. Since delivering Mom to the airport and helping her check in her uber-heavy luggage, I've been catching my breath.

"I Beg Your Pardon...

2010-09-05T21:22:00.002+02:00

I Never Promised You a Rose Garden"... Anyone know the artist who sang this famous country crossover mega hit of 1970? I'll give you a little hint. She also sang "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus." No? Nothing yet? How about... She was a regular performer on The Lawrence Welk Show starting in 1967... Got it?

I certainly didn't have a clue. But, this tune popped into my mind this afternoon as I passed through Prague Castle's rose garden. So when I got home and was uploading my photos, I found the tune on Grooveshark and came to find out it was Lynn Anderson (thanks Wikipedia).

My Grandpa Wyszkowski always used to tell me to take time out to smell the roses. Well, Grandpa, I smelled a whole bunch today. Their perfumes were varied and simply glorious. And, yes, Grandpa was right. It's a practice we all should take to heart.

I don't know about you but I firmly believe that the weekend is too short. I need three days ...yeah, which brings to mind another classic tune... this one by the Beach Boys.... "Wouldn't it be nice..."

Fast Forward to Fall

2010-08-30T23:01:00.003+02:00

I must have missed the memo: mother nature pressed the fast forward button to autumn. It is still August, granted the end of the month, but it feels like October. My fingers are shivering - no, my whole body is shivering. This is absolutely crazy. Today's high was something like 57 and at 10:30 pm it is around 45. The cold is numbing my brain. I am having problems stringing together coherent thoughts so please forgive me. This weekend went by pretty much as fast as the week did. Not fair. I like the weekends to slooooooow down.

Anyhow, I had a friend arrive from Frankfurt on Friday so I decided to test out a few recipes. Friday night I made a pasta skillet from My Recipes with tomatoes, chick peas, basil, balsamic vinegar, angel hair pasta and grated romano cheese. (My Recipes includes recipes from Cooking Light, Southern Living, Sunset, Coastal Living, All You, Real Simple, and Health.) Since I had spinach in the fridgerator, I decided to spruce the recipe up a bit. I actually just made it again tonight for another friend (I made too much spaghetti on Friday and wanted to use it up) and threw in olives, which added a nice kick. If you're at all curious where the hodge podge of ingredients above leaves you, try it out for yourself. Here's a link to the recipe: http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=223284&adsqs=

My advice... go wild and crazy. Add whatever leftover veggies you might have. I used dried basil and a little marjoram the second time around and loved it even more. This is a great EASY recipe. Enjoy!

Saturday morning I decided to test a coffee cake recipe from Joy of Baking. I happened to be checking Facebook on Friday and noticed it. The coffee cake crumble picture kept calling my name and I gave in. After all, I'm gradually trying to expand my repertoire so every new recipe helps. Also, I simply find time in my kitchen therapeutic. I think it has something to do with the act of creation. When you cook and bake, you have an end product. It's rather gratifying. While it might not always look phenomenal - especially if it's the first time - my track record is that nearly 90-95% percent of the time it tastes mighty good regardless of whether it looks exactly like the picture online or in the cookbook. I actually don't remember the last time I tried a recipe I didn't like. It has been a good roll. :) Here's the coffee cake recipe: http://www.joyofbaking.com/breakfast/CoffeeCake.html. It turned out nice and light. It also looked beautiful. I did like it, but something in me, perhaps my gut, keeps whispering that I'd prefer a fruit coffee cake, one with apple or blueberries or something along those lines. I guess perhaps I should find such a recipe and compare them :)

Hmmm, it seems that the topic of food warms the fingers, mind, and soul. Maybe I don't need a third cup of hot tea after all.

Happy cooking and baking!

A Crazy Full Weekend!

2010-08-22T21:28:00.042+02:00

Where to begin...Friday night I hosted a dinner party and served zucchini-crusted pizza out of Moosewood's cookbook. I highly recommend any Moosewood cookbook you can get your hands on. It's a famous vegetarian restaurant in Ithaca, NY near Cornell University. My brother introduced me to it when he was a Cornell student. I think my next Moosewood's experiment will be their low-fat mac-n-cheese. Is that even possible? We shall find out.

Saturday made my Better Homes and Garden buttermilk pancakes with pecans and rushed out the door around 11:25 am to catch a train to Karlstejn. With two friends did a 14 km hike from Karlstejn to Cernosice where we waited no longer than 90 seconds for the train to whisk us back to Prague. Here are a few sights from our hike:

We passed through poppy fields, meadows, woods, and villages. We even came upon several meters of ants marching!

The 14 km took about 3 1/2 hours. Arrived back at my flat around 6:00 pm and was back out the door around 7:20 pm after a nice bath. Ate Costa Rican food and played Settlers of Catan till late Saturday.

After church this morning I headed to the Sapa Vietnamese market on the outskirts of Prague with a few friends and went over to Rebecca's place for homemade red curry with fish and jasmine rice. Got home around 7:30 pm and find myself wondering where the weekend went!

How about you?

Pecena Jablka - Baked Apple

2010-08-15T18:59:00.000+02:00

Say hello to my baked apple maker, a birthday gift from my friend Lenka.
You chop up an apple, put some butter on the inside of the round "bulb," add the apples and some cinnamon and nutmeg, put the top on, light the tea light, and wait for warm baked apple goodness.

YUM!

Saturday Afternoon Reflections

2010-08-14T16:10:00.004+02:00

This was my office view at 6 pm on Friday. The pounding of the rain, hitting sideways on my office windows both distracted me and made me in no hurry to leave work. However, a mere 15 minutes after I took the photo the rain stopped and the dark clouds dissipated.

Would we know that the major chords were sweet,
If there were no minor key?
Would the painter's work be fair to our eyes,
Without shade on land or sea?
Would we know the meaning of happiness,
Would we feel that the day was bright,
If we'd never known what it was to grieve,
Nor gazed on the dark of night?

These are not my words, but they sure strike a deep chord. They come from a devotional book, "Streams in the Desert," by L.B. Cowman, a missionary to Japan and China. This collection of thoughts, verses, and quotations helped sustain Cowman as she nursed her dying husband. "Streams in the Desert" has been a huge blessing to me as I process and continue to grieve my father.

No hiking adventures planned for this weekend... just much needed quiet and R&R. I am getting ready to head over to a German friend's for dinner. Her husband left for the weekend to go watch his favorite football (soccer) team play. Not a bad deal. This means homemade tiramisu and something equally tasty for dinner...

Birthday

2010-08-08T22:56:00.033+02:00

Today I enjoyed one of the loveliest of birthdays. After torrential down pours on Saturday- albeit nothing on par with what is happening in Pakistan and China - the sun broke out in Prague. I wasn't 100% sure what the day might hold for on my way to church in the morning a pigeon came within inches of well, you know what.

The sun held out throughout the day and allowed me and 12 friends to enjoy the beautiful garden of the restaurant formerly known as John and George's next to the Lennon wall in Prague. While I've been there a couple of times, it was the first time for all but one friend.

The birthday crew

Everyone was pleased with their food - quiches, thai noodles, salmon, balsamic chicken, blueberry crumble cake. But most of all, everyone was taken in by the garden's special atmosphere, with its carpet of green grass, statue alcoves, flowers, birds, and Romanesque walls.

The highlight of the afternoon had to be my friend Liz's birthday dance. I'm not sure my friend Alice got it all on video, but if she got even a portion of it and posts it on YouTube, it is bound to go viral. Think TGIF sing a long with the addition of cheerleading choreography. And, imagine a loud American breaking out in song and dance amidst peacefully dining Europeans (and a few American tourists). Since my eyes were on Liz, I did not have a chance to look at our neighbors' faces. According to my friend Zannah, the Czech customers at first were totally shocked, but by the time Liz concluded her masterpiece they were all smiles. As for me, I had tears coming down my cheeks. Wow. You had to be there.

Liz and I on Charles Bridge

After lunch, we headed over to Kampa island park, next to the Vltava river, and plopped down and ate cupcakes and drank South African vino. It was PERFECT. Thank you Lord for an amazing day. My heart is truly joy-filled tonight.

Together with Liz and Zannah on Charles Bridge

Discovering Bohemia

2010-07-16T00:28:00.000+02:00

Hmmmm, what is this?

DOH, it's a milk automat, of course! If you don't have a bottle, just push the button and the farmer will bring you one for a small fee. This was just one discovery on our early spring trip to Rip, the place where Father Cech (Czech) brought his kinsmen to settle, according to legend. How absolutely lovely to hop off the bus and begin our journey with fresh milk! And, so darn cheap! Supposedly there are about 200 automats around the Czech Republic. This is a way Czech farmers have used to bi-pass middlemen grocery stores and keep more of the profit.

One thing I've committed to this summer is spending as much time as I can outdoors hiking and enjoying the beautiful nature of the Czech Republic. What I love about it most is that everybody is active here! You don't need to have the latest treking gear to go hiking. You simply need a good pair of walking shoes and a desire to walk. It's as simple as that.
Mind you, this was probably the first truly warmish/hot day of the year, and I helped form the tail end of the group.

Remembering Dad

2010-04-21T00:12:00.011+02:00

On Faith and Hope

2010-04-20T22:30:00.014+02:00

I think I'll try to write again...

Every day I look for signs of my father. It has become a kind of game I play in the wee hours of the night when the ache sets in. I type his name into Google, hoping to find some sign of life, or rather, more signs of the lives he touched. When I discover a new entry to his obituary guest book, or a comment from a former student or player on our high school memorial wall in Facebook, my heart leaps as tears swell up. I yearn to know more, but mostly, I yearn to reach out and to touch him.

My father died on November 2, 2009. There's not a day that passes, hardly an hour that passes that I don't think of him. I constantly look at pictures and view the few videos I have of him, listening intently for that booming voice. I still struggle with memories of dad's last week on this earth in Meriter Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin. But finally other memories have begun to win out, even pre-cancer ones. I can hear his knock on my bedroom door as a kid, and his call to get up, "Rise and shine. You're burning day light." I can also hear the clanging of pots and pans in the kitchen as he unloaded the dishwasher in the morning before most of the family was awake. I remember wishing him a Merry Christmas on Christmas morning last year and giving him a big kiss on the cheek. And I remember plenty more.

The first few weeks and even months after he passed I felt alone, perhaps even abandoned. My heart echoed the expression of grief aptly described by C.S. Lewis in A Grief Observed, which he wrote following the death of his beloved wife Joy. Like Lewis, I, too, felt as if a door had been slammed in my face.

"Meanwhile, where is God? This is one of the most disquieting symptoms. When you are happy, so happy that you have no sense of needing Him, so happy that you are tempted to feel His claims upon you as an interruption, if you remember yourself and turn to Him with gratitude and praise, you will be — or so it feels — welcomed with open arms. But go to Him when your need is desperate, when all other help is vain, and what do you find? A door slammed in your face, and a sound of bolting and double bolting on the inside. After that, silence. You may as well turn away. The longer you wait, the more emphatic the silence will become. There are no lights in the windows. It might be an empty house. Was it ever inhabited? It seemed so once. And that seeming was as strong as this. What can this mean? Why is He so present a commander in our time of prosperity and so very absent a help in time of trouble?"

I'm glad those dark days seem to be behind me. My heart continues to ache, and it seems it always will, but I feel the Lord's presence in a real and tangible way, His loving embrace. Yes, I do.

Although I may never know the answers to so many questions -- why mantle cell lymphoma, why my dad, why now at the age of 69 -- somehow it is okay. It's not the story I would have written, but I will trust in the story that God has written.

Microwave blues

2009-10-11T18:46:00.002+02:00

Darkness has descended upon Prague this evening. Earlier, while napping, I heard the peaceful pitter-patter of rain drops. When I'm chilled and tired, there's nothing quite like rain to make one feel justified in being lazy, getting into one's snug bed, and resting the eyes for 30 minutes, an hour, or even two hours in extreme cases.

Lately, I've had reason to take long naps... Friday morning I fumbled taking something out of the microwave which spilled on some of my fingers, resulting in 2nd degree burns. This was 7:15 am approximately. From 7:30-10:30 I alternated standing in the kitchen with my hands submerged in a pyrex dish with lying carefully on the couch with my hands submerged in a pyrex dish. Once the burning sensation stopped, my friend Aska accompanied me to the hospital burn section.

As a foreigner, one constantly learns new things. Little did I know that the hospital across the street from my work was actually a massive complex of old, old, buildings. Although communism fell nearly 20 years ago, there is plenty left behind to remind one of the not entirely distant pass. Fortunately, my wait was minimal. I can only imagine what I would have sat through in the emergency room back home in Binghamton or DC for that matter. Once in the doctor's door, it took less than a minute before the nurse guided me to a seat where she gently approached my wounds with what I will call "magic tape" followed by gauze. Once wrapped, I breathed a sigh of relief: My ultra tender skin was no longer exposed and the pain seemed less.

Hopefully, I'm on the road to recovery. Tomorrow I go back to have my dressings changed, and repeat this process every 2 days. I'm so glad I had a friend around for this emergency and that she will be around for the next 2 months as she continues her job search. (Mom, no worries, I'm in good hands!)

Life's Simple Pleasures

2009-09-20T23:52:00.009+02:00

Okay, I'm not that old in the grand scheme of things, but I definitely don't have the energy I once had as a 21-year old. (Sigh) Those were the days of seeming invincibility. Not anymore, that is for sure. One lesson I continue to learn is how to read my body. As well, I'm still learning when to say yes, and when to say no.

This past weekend struck the right chord: a Saturday morning trip to the gym followed by brunch with a friend at Cafe Savoy, an art nouveau Parisienne cafe across the river. There's much joy to be had in life's simple pleasures.

Yes, my friend Liz, recently back from the Pacific Northwest, and I feasted as we caught up over the last 3-4 weeks. Good food and good conversation go hand in hand :)

After parting ways, I decided to cross the river by foot before catching the no. 22 tram home. Looking out on the Vltava and the many paddle boats afloat, I was reminded of what a beautiful city I am blessed to call home.

Through the Fog

2009-09-11T22:04:00.004+02:00

It's hard to believe today marks 8 years since that horrific day in September 2001.

I lived in Hoboken NJ, December 1999 through August 2002, working in downtown Manhattan in the Financial District, a mere couple of blocks from the Twin Towers. From my cubicle space I could see the Statue of Liberty, including approaching storms, a truly fantastic sight. The conference room right beside me peered out on the World Trade Center. It was one of the most enviable views.

Everyday I took the NJ Path train from Hoboken to the World Trade Center, as I did that day. My train's doors ushered me out and onto the underground platform just as the first plane crashed. Little did I know, once above ground and standing on the street, gaping at the burning hole of the North Tower, that my world and our world had drastically changed. There is no turning back.

But amidst the pain, something amazing occurred in New York and across the Hudson in Jersey that autumn: people of all shapes and sizes and colors and accents pulled together. There was an awesome sense of community. We consciously lived and breathed each moment, cherishing it, our families and friends.

Unfortunately, the fog of life settles back too quickly. We get caught up in traffic jams, unclean dishes, long lines at the grocery store, and doctors' offices with punishing waits. We work long hours, and cut short time with our kids and loved ones. Simply put, we forget the most painful of lessons - life is fragile, it is a precious gift from our Creator. At least I for one am guilty.

Today I think back on that crisp blue sky, and I pray for eyes to see clearly through the fog.

Lazy Day

2009-08-29T23:07:00.003+02:00

Okay, I'm soft. I can't help it. Look at this little cutie. I can't stop! During Sophia's 3-week old visit to the pediatrician, the doctor mentioned that natural smiles -- as opposed to gas-induced grins -- usually start around 2 months. Well, I wish I could be there in person, but pictures and skype dates will have to suffice for now. Thank the Lord for modern communication advances. It really is amazing.

So today was a very low-key Saturday. Just what I needed, just what the doctor ordered. I did get out at one point to go to the gym. The air had a hint of September, autumn, and football season... It doesn't matter how many years pass, every end of August, I have to remind myself that the day after labor day is just that and nothing more. A student for life I guess :)

Speaking of which, I've spent a chunk of tonight reading from ex-Petraeus advisor, Australian counterinsurgency expert, David Kilcullen's book, The Accidental Guerrilla. Kilcullen effectively argues that if we are to succeed in Afghanistan and Pakistan, it will require at least a 10-15 year commitment. Having deployed both to Iraq and Afghanistan, he remarks that while Iraqi insurgents like to win, they don't necessarily like to fight, but that Afghan insurgents on the other hand love to fight. We certainly have our hands full...

Of escalators, pot holes, and tourists

2009-08-11T00:08:00.003+02:00

In Washington, DC, for two weeks this July, I experienced a weird sense of culture shock on the metro. After a year and a half living in Prague, all memories of crowded commuter metro trains from Court House to Federal Center, SW had been wiped clean. The need to metro surf and contort my body to fit into small spaces was not, however, what put me over this time around. No, it was the slower than molasses escalators! One thing that the Soviets did extraordinarily well was build public metro systems that doubled as fallout shelters. I lost my patience on the DC metro escalators. I simply could not cope with the snail's pace. It drove me out of my mind.

Back in Prague, I am nearly certain the escalators move faster than those in DC, but their speed has been reduced. Alas, as Prague escalators are being replaced or repaired, transit authorities are turning the speed down a notch due to new EU regulations. While the original Soviet escalators clocked 9 km/h (2.5 m/s), the EU permitted speed is a maximum of 0.7 m/s. Oh woe is me!

As a pedestrian in Prague, I've also had my share of pitfalls. Walking home tonight from the metro, the uneven sidewalk with its patchwork of concrete and asphalt loosely reminded me of how the Town of Barker has, over the years, repeatedly paved the road on which my parents' house sits. Admittedly, not all sidewalks are so bad, but the couple I happen to traverse every morning and evening on my way to and from Jiriho z Podebrad metro leave something to be desired. I'm wondering if this might have something to do with my newly discovered love of walking down the middle of streets - until a car happens to drive up or the guilt of teaching children bad habits becomes more than I can bear. Yes, sidewalks are simply anathema to me whether in the Czech Republic or U.S. Simply put, I like wide open spaces that are generally flatter and smoother than most sidewalks.

On my way to the gym tonight, I was stopped by an Italian lady wanting to know how to get to the "clock tower". I pointed her in the right direction and also showed her and her friends on the map. Funny, but a couple seconds later I could have sworn I saw them head in a different direction. Go figure?! I think I still enjoy stopping and attempting to help wayward souls. I think.

Auntie Christine Meets Baby Sophia

2009-08-03T23:18:00.008+02:00

Yes, I know, it has been months since I last wrote. I will skip my litany of excuses and simply provide a brief update on one of this summer's most important events...

You are looking at my first niece (I write this in hope of many more :)), Sophia Isabelle Schulz, born to my sister Karen and brother-in-law Christian. Sophia weighed in at 7 lbs and 5 oz, and recently reached 8 lbs and 14 oz at just over 3 weeks. I was the proud auntie who accompanied her to her 2nd doctor appointment and had the honor of putting her gently on the scale for weigh in. We were all so surprised by the 14 additional ounces - 8 lbs we were sure of, but nearly 9 lbs was astonishing.

From an early age, Sophia is exhibiting personality, including familial characteristics. If you've spend much time around me or members of my clan, you are probably familiar with the range of sounds I make when I yawn, eat amazing food, bump into unkind corners, or suffer from a bircup. Again, I am proud to share that Sophia, too, makes plenty of sounds and is so very communicative. We are betting she will be an early talker as well as an early walker. Sophia has exceptional neck strength and has already learned to turn her head on your shoulder. We were so excited by her development that we decided to try "belly time". Although she can't yet crawl, she is making good progress toward that end. I for one am confident of this.

I could go on and on about this precious little one. On Saturday morning, I woke up in Arlington VA with a singular purpose: to view Sophia's picture on my cell phone. Of course, as I did so my heart ached something fierce. For the previous week my days revolved around helping Karen with Sophia, changing diapers, putting on pajamas, birping, and entertaining. My favorite technique to calm her was blowing gently on the side of her face or forehead. Karen saw how effective this was in soothing her and has added it to her baby toolkit. As you can see, I truly am multi-talented.

After three weeks stateside, I am now back in Prague. Throughout today, I think I looked at Sophia's picture at least 10-20 times. I miss my little "sweat pea" and "baby cakes" dearly and am so glad I was there to see her at the beginning of her life journey. Only in early August, I'm already getting excited for Christmas!

Polish Pottery Road Tripping

2009-04-26T22:09:00.004+02:00

My trip with 3 friends from church to Boleslawiec, Poland -- the mecca for American females addicted to beautifully-decorated handmade pottery -- resulted in successful haul. The first time my eyes set upon the wonders of this craft was 1998. You might say I was in the know long before the wave hit. Nowadays army wives from Ramstein base in Germany take buses nearly 18 hours to go shopping at the myriad factory stores in this small southwest border town. For me, Jane, Liz, and Marilyn, it was only a three hour drive there and another three hours back. We also stopped for Polish pierogies, which were good, but very heavy and buttery -- perhaps too much so. Next time we've already decided we need to bring a bag lunch to optimize shopping time since some places close as early as 2 or 3 pm. It was a beautiful, beautiful day -- for more reasons than one!

London Calling

2009-04-20T23:50:00.004+02:00

Just got back from a lovely weekend in London, England, where I met up with my dear friend Leah from college and my friend Alex from grad school Intervarsity. Had a great time taking in Winston Churchill's wartime bunker, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, and the West End production of Wicked and eating yummy cupcakes, Lebanese food, and Southern Indian.

A few thoughts on London:

The Tube is slow! I missed my flight out of Heathrow and had to spend a night and book for Monday morning. I ended up doubling my expenses for the weekend. Oh well... c'est la vie. I wasn't about to spend the night at the airport no matter how chique the new terminal 5 might be.

“We are all worms but I do believe I am a glow worm". Winston Churchill

Wicked ROCKS! I loved it. Here's my favorite song:

Easter Monday

2009-04-13T21:13:00.006+02:00

Easter weekend in Prague was absolutely beautiful for more than one reason. The sun was out, the weather was warm, the sky was blue, and there was plenty of time for rest, reflection and fellowship with friends. After a difficult last 2 weeks or so, with lot's of unpleasant happenings (the horrible event in Binghamton, my wallet getting stolen, and my hot water heater breaking), I can honestly say God gave me a refreshed perspective. As one ponders the death and resurrection of Jesus, I guess that is bound to happen :) On Easter Sunday I enjoyed brunch after service with friends Sheila and Liz and Liz's parents. On Easter Monday -- when most Czech boys are out on the street, whipping girls with branches -- I took a leisurely walk to Prague Castle to see a photo exhibit on World War I. It was a very cool collection of digitally remastered photos from an unknown foot soldier. The pictures were from the Italian and Galician front. The photographer captured many ordinary and very human shots: burying the dead, celebrating Mass, Galician Jews, a mother picking lice out of her child's hair, ethnic Rusyn villages just to name a few. Afterwards I walked back through the castle gardens, down the steps, through Mala Strana, and eventually home. Oh, I stopped for a toilet break at McDonald's where I treated myself to a McFlurry. Yum.

A few sights from today's walk...

Singing the Praises of Modern Technology

2009-02-08T22:10:00.005+01:00

Last Thursday I helped celebrate my friend Lenka's birthday. It was at the same place as last year - a vegetarian restaurant called Maranatha in the BBC Centrum. This year there were two differences: firstly, I got lost, but thanks to my cell phone and a good friend near a computer, I made it an hour late; secondly, the dinner was followed by African dance.

Lenka is a very special and unique friend. She often helps get me out of my nice, familiar zone of comfortability and challenges me to try new things, yet unexplored. I have to say the African dance was a hoot! It was exhilarating to let go, to move it, to even shake it like a polaroid picture, pretending I'm Beyoncé. It is hard to believe that I've now celebrated two of Lenka's birthdays here. More and more I come to realize Prague is home.

Living overseas is not as tough as it once was. Modern technology sure helps! I'm continually grateful for Skype and Facebook. Some friends loath Facebook. Their opinion: "Why all of a sudden open yourself to high school classmates and others you fell out of touch with over the years for good reasons... because life circumstances and experiences led you down different paths?" They go on to argue that email and online chatting has resulted in the death of the letter.

While it is true I miss opening up my mail box to find letters and cards, I am glad for new and instantaneous communication venues. Viewing my cousins' kids' pictures, friends' videos of their kids, newly married friends' pictures of their travels, and colleagues' videos of their kids and/or worldly travels help me both keep and grow more connected. Admittedly, I sometimes grow a bit envious, but overall, I'm a FB fan!

Super Bowl Woes

2009-02-01T20:47:00.004+01:00

I somehow got roped into organizing a Super Bowl viewing at work in our 5th floor conference room looking out over the Narodni Muzeum and parts of Wenceslas Square. I sincerely doubt there will be more than 10 people, but we'll see. These little things are quite big in the grand scheme of things - and I find they go a long way to boost morale.

The game starts at 00:20. Yes, that's right - after midnight! Last year I actually watched it until about 4:00 am but left before Eli Manning's awesome pass to Plaxico Burress. Instead I had to settle for reruns on a German sports channel. Anyhow, last year was memorable - me, my cookies, and the tech guys, who enjoyed my cookies. We'll see who this year brings. I'm not baking as I need every bit of energy to stay up for the first quarter or two.

Today's not yet over, but it has been a good day. Enjoyed lunch with Aska, Dan, and Eliza followed by watching "Lars and the Real Girl" which is a very sweet movie if you haven't seen it. And, now for Russian homework! Arghhhhh!

Farewell, January!

2009-02-01T00:14:00.007+01:00

A wise man once told me I need not worry about penning lengthy testimonials, but rather keep to short posts which is exactly what I shall attempt to do tonight.

Well, January is officially over - that is 1/12 of 2009 already concluded. Wow. Don't know where it went.

Today was a slow day: I stayed in pajamas till about 3:30 pm. I struggled with extreme sluggishness and joint pain. I probably could have lounged the entire day, but I managed to do 2 loads of laundry and run the vacuum and clean the bathroom. I also attended a real treat for the ears, soul, and mind: "Heaven in a Nightclub: The Spiritual Roots of Jazz" with Bill Edgar and Ruth Naomi Floyd and an outstanding saxophonist whose name escapes me. Boy, we're they good! I especially enjoyed listening to Ruth Naomi Floyd - a mezzo soprano - sing old negro spirituals such as "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child" and "Wade in the Water."

And for the last several hours, snow has been gently falling here in Prague. It is always something special to look out the window and see white. I wonder what Sunday morning shall bring...

PS: Below are a few photos from our ICP Women's retreat which took place last weekend. These are an awesome group of ladies!

Merry Christmas

2009-01-05T00:20:00.004+01:00

I'm way behind the eight ball. The optimist I perpetually hope to be, I thought perhaps I'd find a few spare moments at home in upstate NY over Christmas to write a proper update. Alas, that did not happen. Rather, over half of my family took sick with a vicious stomach virus. This was no 24-hour bug, but a multi-day bathroom excursion. As I maintained one of the highest degrees of healthiness in the household, and I was also given an extra measure of grace, I rose to the occasion as a caregiver. This took various forms: from washing the Christmas glassware and other sundry items to fetching water and gatorade to firmly instructing loved ones to vacate the bathroom floor. Sorry, but it's the truth.

I also had hopes of stealing away with my laptop the few days I spent in DC, but spending real time with friends proved more appealing and necessary. Then again, there were hopes I'd carve away a few hours this afternoon after church, but I received an email from a friend and colleague who was in need of company. I think, at least, you will find that I have my priorities straight. Blog comes last.

So, here I sit with the clock clicking past midnight and my first day at work hours away...

To sum up the last couple weeks at home in Binghamton and DC - my trip was hard, but good. Time with loved ones (despite all the sickies in NY and DC) was sweet and precious. I am truly blessed with family and friends. I just wish they had healthier immune systems!

There's more to say, but let this suffice for tonight.

Don't you love the reindeer flamingos? :) They are my favorite.

Thanksgiving 2008, Yorkshire, England

2008-12-02T00:05:00.007+01:00

On Thanksgiving morning I took a low cost, absolutely no frills Ryan Air flight to Eastern Midlands Airport, where my former UPENN roommate and long-time friend Leah picked me up. Leah has been living in England for a couple years now and this was my second visit and second Thanksgiving celebration with her. The first time Marks & Spencer's was to thank, but this time around we had the absolutely best Thanksgiving potluck dinner I have ever witnessed. My favorites? Well, that's a tough one. Leah and I made the world's best mashed potatoes. I kid you not - We received rave reviews and multiple requests for our "killer" recipe. But, I have to admit, I was a pushover for the sweet potatoes, cranberry salad, and pumpkin pie with eggnog. I've made extraordinary efforts for several years now NOT to eat seconds, but I could not resist.

Leah doesn't check my blog all that often so serves her right!!! Here she is starting our meal off. You'll notice our mashed potatoes in the white corningware in the lower-right corner.

Simply put, we had a feast. What you don't see too well on the table was homemade challah bread and rolls. I could go on raving about the food, but will stop there. The company was also much fun. We had a few rounds of Guitar Hero. And, to top the night off -- Mark and Steph you would approve -- I watched my first episodes of "Flight of the Conchords". Just call me Chris-Hiphopopotamus. Ain't no party like my nana's tea party!

Well, it's way past midnight and I have yet to start my Russian homework. I think my neighbors are baking Christmas cookies and it has me quite distracted as you might be able to tell!

First Snow

2008-11-22T23:24:00.009+01:00

Today's agenda included a trip to the gym and a viewing of The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, and The Bourne Ultimatum. That's right... we watched all three. I must admit that Matt Damon and Jason Bourne were on my mind since Friday night. I went to bed on Friday feeling as if it were Christmas eve... the anticipation of 6-8 hours of non-stop action with Jason Bourne and friends Sheila and Leah and others weighed delightedly upon me....Saturday simply could not come soon enough.

As I was preparing to leave my flat around 12 pm, I happened to glance at the Google weather widget on my laptop...I was very surprised to see a temperature of 29 or 30 degrees and white specks symbolizing snow in the graphic display. Hmmm, I thought, scratching my head....Didn't realize snow was in the forecast, and also didn't know the temperature was dropping into the 30s. A bit clueless, I made my way to the living room window to see for myself... Well, well, well, the weather gadget was right...before my very eyes there was snow! It took me 3 hours from the time I awoke to notice, but I finally put it together.

Granted, it is merely a dusting, but nonetheless, we had our first official snowfall here in Prague. I grabbed my handy Nokia N95 (feel like I'm doing product placement) and snapped a few shots to document the occasion and to share with you all. Up close and personal... snow on my windowsill... Yes, I'm fascinated.

I'm very happy to report that my walk to the gym was invigorating. Everyone was out in their winter's finest. Snow caps, furs, hats, and gloves. The crisp air made me feel alive and kicking. It wasn't a drag at all to make the 20 minute walk. And, my workout? It was exhilarating... cardio, weights, and sauna. My blood was pumping better than it has in a long time.

You might have guessed... I had to go and ruin that natural high with one too many sweets at the Jason Bourne/Matt Damon fete. I am inspired though... I don't really have the nerves for Bourne's work, but I'd sure like to be fit and agile and handy with the languages like he is.

Around Amsterdam

2008-10-29T21:12:00.004+01:00

So, I just got back from a long weekend break in Amsterdam. I flew in Friday night and met up with my friend Fal from Hoboken/NYC. Here are just a few of the beautiful sights we took in.

The adventure begins... couldn't have wished for a better day!

As you can see, this is my type of place!

The flowers aren't too shabby either... what variety they have!

All in all, it was a great 4 days: walking the canals, eating crepes, drinking hot chocolate to forget about the cold and rain, trying multiple dutch sweets, seeing Rembrandt and Van Gogh, visiting the very cool, interactive Jewish museum, and of course, time with Fal and breakfast with Becky!

PS: That was some of the highlights... I also had a bit of an accident, getting my foot stuck in a tram track as I was crossing the street. The tram was coming in the distance. I ended up busting my two knees and ankle, putting an ugly hole in my favorite corduroy pants. Health report: I will live, but I can't kneel right now.

Night Owl - Yes, I am

2008-10-22T22:28:00.010+02:00

It is now 10:30 pm and I'm waiting on my dinner to finish simmering. Good news is I'm making my first lentil soup. No, it's not rocket science, but for some reason this is my first fore into soup.

I am embarrassed to say, but I could have eaten at least 1 or 2 hours ago. But, no, I was totally taken in by a project at work -- our new Intranet -- trying to work out some technical quirks and try out some new gadgets. Ever have a certain picture in your head of what something should look like or taste like? Well, in my case, I most certainly do and this perfectionism is driving me crazy these days.

Well, it wasn't just my obsession with figuring some stuff out on Sharepoint... I also got a call from my mom just as I was about to turn my computer off and head to the gym. It was sweet to hear her voice and worth the delay.

I have another sneaky suspicion as to my burst of night energy...Could it be Sudafed and Claritin? To help me breathe at night, I am now taking the two allergy meds every day. This is a switch from Zyrtec which knocked me out and had me feeling loopy more often than not.

I'm definitely not complaining about being energetic after a long period of serious lethargy, but I sure wish I could simply get up early instead of staying up so darn late. It is now 10:45 pm and I am just turning to my Russian homework. That will for sure take me at least an hour. C'est ma vie!

My whereabouts

2008-10-22T00:46:00.011+02:00

Well, I got an email today from my dad asking for my blog address so I thought I'd best start writing again. It has definitely been a long break and I'm not quite sure where to start... rest assured it has been an eventful end of summer and entry into fall.

This September, I spent 3 weeks in DC, which was good to get my bearings. While I did work the majority of my time, I had the opportunity to reconnect with dear friends and family, including a mini-roadtrip with my brother Mark and friend Siutang down to Duke to celebrate my sister Stephanie's 25th birthday along with my other sister Karen and her husband Christian and what seemed at the time to be about 1/3 of Duke's 2nd year medical school students. Yes, Stephanie is a super social one! Long story short: time stateside was jam-packed, but very rich. I returned to Prague refreshed and refueled... with absolutely no connection to the amount of Starbucks coffee and Cosi breakfast sandwiches I put in my body. And, I'll add, it had nothing to do with the fact I had phenomenal success at poker over at Raymond's and Justin's place. Okay, well, maybe just a bit :)

Over Columbus day weekend, I hopped a plane to Venice where I attended my friends' wedding. The barrier island of Lido was the perfect place to retreat from the crowds of Venice and Prague. I have to say Trieste this July tops Venice in terms of food, but I did enjoy a great weekend catching up with friends and former colleagues from NYC and my corporate paralegal days. Hard to think my life (at least 2.5 years of it) revolved around distressed debt transaction work. That I'm glad to say feels like a lifetime ago. I would have liked to explore Venice more, take in the Murano glass factory and wander through the canals, but to be honest I'm not sure if my patience for overflowing tourists and water transport would have lasted much longer.

This coming weekend I'm meeting my friend Fal - another NYC or rather Hoboken friend - in Amsterdam. I can already smell the smoked gouda - yum!

And, when I haven't been on the road or in the airplane, I have been totally enthralled by the HBO series, The Wire, the police drama set on the streets of Baltimore. Tonight I finished season 3 and I'm happy to say Avon Barksdale is once again behind bars along with most of his gang; Stringer Bell is no longer; Omar is still kicking, yes, indeed; Cuttie left the game, now doing his best to reach kids with boxing, and Bubbles seems to be relatively clean, peddling "whities" in a grocery cart. I love the fact I can't name one favorite character - I'm taken by many of their stories. I am told season 4 focuses on the Baltimore school system and can't wait. If you haven't seen The Wire, you simply must. End of story.

Croatia's Dalmatian Coast - How Sweet T'is

2008-08-23T23:54:00.002+02:00

One week of vacation is not enough. It takes nearly 7 days to let go and relax. Although I absolutely loved my July holiday on the Dalmatian Coast, in retrospect, if I could do it again, I'd identify one place (two max) and simply plop myself for minimum of 7 days, but if at all possible 10 or more. From July 19-26, together with my parents, I hopped from Split to Dubrovnik to Korcula to Hvar and back to Split. While I liked the diversity, it was a bit hard getting up for 6 am ferries and 7 am buses. Next year, if I go back, I think I'll play it a bit different. Live and learn - right?

Living history

2008-08-21T23:22:00.006+02:00

This morning I walked to work to be greeted by an antique Soviet tank. Yes, right there in front of the National Museum - as part of events on Wenceslaus Square in honor of the 40th anniversary of the Soviet and Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia - sits an old tank with mock artillery audible in the background. The Soviet-led invasion's aim was to squelch Prague Spring - the reform package orchestrated by Alexander Dubcek, what came to be known as "socialism with a human face".

I really, really, really apologize I did not bring my camera this morning. It's not everyday Soviet tanks are on display. One thing I could not get over was the number of people lining up for pictures with the tank. Everyone had a huge smile on their face. I don't know - it seems to me such an historic symbol should elicit a more somber attitude.

With recent events in Georgia on the mind, I must say, these are certainly interesting days we live in.

Where has the summer gone?

2008-08-12T22:08:00.003+02:00

Well, it has been a while... Where have I been? Simple answer: 1 week on the Dalmatian coast; side trips to Bratislava, Pezinok, and Dresden; entertaining my parents; and, oh yes, working very hard.

After nearly one month, my mom and dad, Mary Lou and Ed, are headed back to upstate NY on Wednesday morning. I can hardly believe it! It has been a wonderful time together. To give you a brief taste... my mom treated me to homemade pancakes with fresh strawberry sauce this morning and she also did a sewing job for me. Oh, and they cleaned my entire apartment for my birthday. It doesn't really matter how old I get, they love to do those special things.

Over the last few weeks we've had a number of adventures. We were up and down the Dalmatian coast of Croatia. We also made a trip to Bratislava where we met distant relatives on my dad's side of the family. This last Sunday I showed Dresden to my parents. They enjoyed giant bratwurst and raved about German coffee (not beer). Hands down - Czech beer is my parents' favorite. We also celebrated my birthday at Aromi - a restaurant I've been dying to try. To say the least, it was a full, rich, blessed time together.

So, my place is going to be silent when I return home on Wednesday night. Of course, I will still have German Eurosport to keep me abreast of Olympic developments, but I wont have my dad on the couch next to me, asking questions about the optimal height for a swimmer, commenting on the phenomenal abilities of Michael Phelps.

Looking on the bright side, following the departure of my final summer visitors, I hope to get more rest. For a change, I'm thinking it would simply be nice "to just be".

Breakfast of Champions

2008-07-12T13:23:00.002+02:00

And, procrastinators, I'd add.

The above picture shows the amazing breakfast Nathan treated us to the morning Jeanne flew out, back to the East Coast. Making Saturday breakfast just happens to be a new tradition in the Nathan and Masha household. Lucky us! Homemade apple-oatmeal muffins, cheese omelet, Canadian bacon, and hash browns - what more could you ask for.

I actually just finished my own breakfast today. I made my famous pancakes, but this time made sour milk with some Italian lemon juice. The pancakes came out very puffy as well as had a noticeable lemon undertone. I am/was happy!

If I could only get the motivation to start cleaning my place, get to the grocery store, and to exercise....

Slow but steady, the turtle beat the hare. Now for one step forward towards the closet with the vacuum...

May showers bring June visitors and sunshine galore

2008-07-09T22:29:00.008+02:00

Nathan, Masha, Jeanne and I take a breather near the Bedrich Smetana statute, looking out over the Vltava river.

A particular highlight of their visit: playing the card game "Up the River" at Riegrovy Sady beer garden one Friday night. I must give credit where credit is due. Nathan won to my competitive dismay, rubbing my nose in the ground (not literally, of course). Fun was certainly had by all - even me!

What else? I was successful in turning Nathan, Masha (perhaps?) and Jeanne (I think?) on to soccer during the 2008 Euro Cup. After agreeing to a friendly brotherly-sisterly wager, I was swept up in the barrage of games. Nearly every night a game. It was crazy. Finish work, head home or to the beer garden, watch soccer, go to bed, get up and do it all over again - what a routine! I actually had a minor withdrawal after the Spaniards beat the Germans in the final.

The tournament was pretty outstanding from this lay woman's perspective! As for me, I was pulling for Michael Ballach, Lukas Podolski, and Schweinsteigger - the Kanzlerin's team. German TV carried more than one glimpse of Germany's Angela Merkel up in the stands. But sadly, Germany in the end just did not have what it took to overcome Spain. They were just too darn much. It was still quite the ride for this adopted Germany fan! Yes, I'm a convert.

Oh, and yes, I ended up losing to my brother Mark. A little lesson I learned: when you have a bet - even a friendly one - you get so caught up in wanting your chosen team to win that it sucks some of the simple joy and pleasure out of watching a good game. Hmmm...

Proof of Life

2008-07-08T00:20:00.005+02:00

Yes, I am alive. And, I'm still writing... after a long respite. What can I tell you? This past month I had three visitors (Jeanne, Nathan & Masha) and am expecting two VIP guests in less than two weeks (mom and dad). I also just got back from a long weekend in Trieste, Italy, on the northern Adriatic coast. In addition to beer gardens, I have to say I love the cheap airlines flying all over Europe. SkyEurope carried me to Trieste in one hour for $125 roundtrip. You can't beat that.

Trieste is an Italian port town with a strong Austro-Hungarian flare. It was the perfect getaway - Italian seafood, sunshine and Adriatic, Roman ruins, and Maximilian's (Hapsburg) castle, Miramare, with amazing views of the sea. And, I went grocery shopping!! I returned to Prague with parmagianna and adiago cheeses, pumpkin and spinach gnocchi, wrinkled olives, and thick hot chocolate packages. Despite the fact not an ounce of Italian blood flows through my veins, I do share the Italians' passion for food. I can hardly wait to break out the pumpkin gnocchi!!! Don't you wish you were here?

Beer Gardens - You Gotta Lov'em

2008-05-30T22:44:00.003+02:00

One thing I especially appreciate about this part of the world is the beer garden. What can be better than sitting at a picnic table, under the shelter of chestnut trees, gently downing a beer or "pivo", enjoying an evening breeze on a warm night, and engaging in conversation ranging from types of dogs to Monster Truck "Sunday, Sunday, Sundays" to the current fad of bringing pet rabbits to restaurants and bars near Old Town Square?

I'm really enjoying the convenience of my current apartment. This is coming from a girl who lived in Hoboken NJ and was intimately familiar with the late night schedule of the PATH train from 33rd St and Christopher Street. Let me tell you: it was brutal some nights; waiting for the PATH rivaled a trip to the dentist in terms of pleasure. When I worked in Manhattan, absolutely NO ONE wanted to make the trek out to Frank Sinatra's stomping grounds. No... we had to cajole and offer rides to our parties and dinners. Of course, it all worked out in the end...friends did eventually come. Never forget that classic American baseball flick, Field of Dreams. I can tell you it is true: Build it and they will come. I still miss the breath-taking view of lower Manhattan from Pier A and B in Hoboken, but it sure did take a whole lotta effort.

But, back to convenience. Get this: I live less than 3 minutes walk from a happening beer garden, Riegrovy Sady. I don't need to stand in line at the port-a-pot. I do love my ability to walk almost anywhere in center city Prague. It's fantastic. As an American, to drive down free-ways, with the windows rolled down, and jiving to one's favorite tunes blaring in the background is the mark of freedom, but I'm a firm believer that to be car free and with happy feet is the true liberty!

The Whiz Kids are it Again in Washington

2008-05-29T23:22:00.005+02:00

A record 288 young bucks or brains rather are at it again in Washington, D.C., competing in one of our most cherished American traditions: the Scripps National Spelling Bee. (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080529/ap_on_re_us/spelling_bee_5)

Looking at the likes of words such as “ambuscade”, “Manhattanese”, “pinyin”, “eidetic” makes me wonder if I still have it in me. I'd like to think the answer is yes, but, man, do these kids today blow my socks off…

For those of us nerds - yes, I am lumping myself in that camp - an all expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C., including air travel and 5 days at a luxury hotel with a parent or guardian was the ultimate reward and satisfaction for enduring other kids’ wise cracks, teachers making a spectacle of you in and out of class, endless nights of falling asleep to tapes of yourself spelling out words, and evening after evening at the kitchen table with the monster of all monsters: Webster's Third New International.

It is hard to believe now in my early 30s, but competing in the National Spelling Bee was a monumental event – a turning point – at the age of 11. For the first time in my life, I realized that if I worked really, really hard, I achieved pretty darn good results and could actually go places. No offense to Binghamton or Chenango Forks Middle School, but the Scripps National Spelling Bee truly opened a door to the wider world not just of unchartered cities and geography, but of opportunity. I was simply so excited to experience life beyond the Southern Tier of New York.

So, what did donning my lucky pair of golden shoes (yes, I actually wore a pair of gold-tinged loafers through every competition) and living and breathing and SPELLING “radzimir”, “filiopietistic”, “ichthyology”, and “zymurology” to name just a few get me… my first ever airplane ride, a special dinner with Mom at Trader Vic’s, champagne brunch (also with Mom), fried bananas, bbq and a Fife and Drum Corp welcoming at George Mason’s estate, Italian with the WHOLE family at Filomena’s in Georgetown, Stephanie making pasta with the Italian ladies in Filomena's window … and the list could go on and on. Of course, eventually, there came “galvanneal” and “debabelization” and ultimately the fatal bell that led me to the "consolation room" where I was greeted by the warm and welcoming embrace of my grandfather and the rest of my Fetzko and Wyszkowski family.

What a ride it was and it is…

Thanks, God.

Running Just to Stand Still

2008-05-21T21:35:00.007+02:00

Yes, it has been a while. I don't know where the month of May went. Fortunately, it is not yet over... sigh. With the passing of the month, I will actually hit my 6 month mark, which is hard to fathom. A good friend recently pointed out to me that there is a difference between a defined term and an open-ended move overseas. And, Anna was so right. One processes the two situations in very different ways. The former is temporary, with a known start and end date; the latter ventures into the great unknown. I can't exactly say I feel at home quite yet, but I guess I'm a few steps closer.

Last week was a killer. We had proposals due and along with them a whole lot of moving parts. Somehow, I'd like to think by the grace of God, we pulled it off. I even left work on Friday a little early and caught a bus to Rokytnice nad Jezorou (http://www.rokytnice.com/) for a church retreat. I have to say northern Bohemia is my new favorite place in the country. I love the mountains there, the Krkonose, close to the Polish border. I hiked in the area on May 8th and got to hike yet again this past weekend near the ski slopes.

One of the key themes of the church retreat was "pilgrim or drifter" - what it means to live with purpose and out of our comfort zone for that is truly when God uses us. I came away refreshed and rejuvenated, more able to listen and still myself, and most importantly, with a greater sense of community and the importance of fellowship. We humans are made for relationship - we not only crave it, but require it. The retreat provided the perfect opportunity to get to know people better, including the adorable kids I see running around pews and the like. I came away feeling like I ever so slowly am actually laying down some roots here in the Czech Republic.

Hmmm, what else might be of interest... I actually got up at 6 am this morning and braved the exhaust-filled Prague 2 and Prague 1, and made my way to the Vltava river bank, where I ran up to the mythic Libuse's bath near Vysehrad.

It felt so good to get up early and to run. Of course, I mixed in some walking, too. Who knows, maybe I'll get back in form and do the Budapest 1/2 marathon this fall. We'll see. I still have a far way to go in that respect! Unfortunately, my right hip's bursitis flairs up whenever I get a bit too jogging-happy.

In other news, I played my first game of Risk and lost. I have also taken up cross-stitching, starting with a traditional Slovak pattern, thanks to my dear friend Hanka. I'm sad to say I haven't gotten all that far, but I have hope.

Well, Russian homework is calling...

Weekend update: Wet, wet, baby

2008-05-04T23:43:00.006+02:00

Highlights of the weekend:

Getting caught in a torrential downpour on Friday evening on my way home after work. I literally had to hang my clothes and put a towel around my head once I walked in my flat. It was crazy... and I didn't make it easy on myself. Resolved to simply walk up the hill home, I refused to stop and wait out the storm under a store awning. No, as they say in Polish: stubborn like a donkey, that is me.

On Saturday, I hit the ceramics fair in the town of Beroun, a short 40 minute train ride from Prague's Hlavni Nadrazi, passing by Karlstejn castle. Together with Steph from work and her friend in from Geneva, we traversed the main square during dry spells, hitting nearly every stall, in search of ART! When the rain fell, which it persistently did intermittently, we successfully scored a table with a smiley elderly Czech lady and a Popular Mechanic magazine reading/pivo drinking Czech man. We were mad shoppers. My big purchases of the day: an off-green, leaf-motif vase; a decorative aqua-brown bowl; and two mugs in similar color family, i.e. green and aqua. Oh, and I bought lavender.... it smells amazing!

Then on Sunday, I continued the arts and crafts theme of the weekend following a morning sermon on faith. After a lovely lunch with Daniel and Hanka, including coffee, poppy seed roll (as well as raisin roll), and pudding, I started my first Slovak pattern cross-stitch. It will be a monotone blue threaded, snow-flake-like pattern in the shape of a coffee table runner. It was so relaxing to do something with my hands. I can't say I'll be changing my career anytime soon, but hopefully I'll be less stressed :)

Inauspicious beginnings...

2008-04-28T22:28:00.003+02:00

On Sunday afternoon, I decided to head outside into the beautiful Prague spring which finally arrived in full force. I took a picnic mat and my backpack stuffed with a book and pillow and was determined to stake out a space in rather lovely Riegovy Sady - the park next door to my apartment. Not more than 5 minutes did I spend in the grass reading To Kill A Mocking Bird, when a bird above dropped the white stuff. I was appalled, extremely appalled. After a long week at work and mounting stresses, this was a straw my haystack simply could not bear, so I picked up my belongings and headed back inside. I was not entirely defeated, however. I dropped my stuff and decided to take my MP3 player, stocked with U2's Joshua Tree, and headed back outside for a walk around Riegovy Sady.

I can't tell you how much I love U2 and how their lyrics ring in my ears and in my heart. I play "Where the Streets Have No Name" and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" and oh "Running to Stand Still" over and over and over. With lots on my mind and heart, I have taken to walking around Prague, sometimes at night just to get out and about and to think. How many people actually spend an hour once or twice a week walking from Vinohrady - the posh, expat community of Prague - to the Vltava river for views of Prague Castle and back. That is how I sometimes spend an evening if I've got nothing better to do. In the States we have our freeways and cars, when rolling down the windows and blasting the tunes creates a profound sense of freedom. Here in Prague, I have the cobble stone streets as well as asphalt, and the Castle and Charles Bridge. On a good night, the tourists lay low and I am Master and Commander. Other nights, I just block out the multitudes.

I'm happy to report that tonight I visited the biergarten I noticed not far from my flat. I happened to walk by on Sunday evening a bit lonely, wishing I had a few friends to call spur of the moment, sort of what the case was in Virginia and DC. On my way to work this fine Monday, I simply new the weather would be spectacular and felt the day would be marked a failure if I did not rally at least one person to enjoy the joys of sitting outside, ushering in the dark of night, with Czech pivo in hand and good company. Well, I succeeded: I managed to twist the arm of not one, but two colleagues, Julian and Luke. Not only did I have UEFA and the Champions League explained to me in full, but I also laid the groundwork for future Risk, paint ball, and card games.

As I sit at home, fully satisfied with the day's events, I am reminded of the A Team and the immortal Hannibal Smith's (George Peppard) famous line: I love it when a plan comes together.

Barometric pressure and headaches

2008-04-15T23:00:00.008+02:00

So, when I was young and fancy free in Wroclaw, Poland back in the 90s, I laughed when my Polish host family members told me about the horrible effects of changing pressure systems upon one's health. They assured me that barometric pressure fluctuations were the culprit behind many a headache, cold, or other bodily ill. It was certain. I can't tell you how many times I asked a friend how he/she was doing and his/her response included something about low or high pressure. Time and time again, I looked at people blank-faced and thought to myself, "Changing barometric pressure: get over it. It can't be that bad." Mind you, I was raised by a father whose favorite phrase was 'buck up'. But, I'd be a liar if I didn't admit I personally feel more aches and joint pain when it rains. The bottom line is quite simple: weather affects us whether we like it or not.

Besides barometric pressure, Poles tend to focus on drafts. I never new the litany of horrors caused by drafts. One hot, sweaty, and entirely unpleasant overnight train journey from Krakow to Frankfurt an der Oder (80 Km east of Berlin) in 1999, my brother Mark and I found out drafts are absolutely never allowed. That's right - no matter how hot a train car in the winter might be, one never, ever opens the window in the middle of winter - even if the windows are steaming and your lungs feel as if they might burst from lack of free-flowing air - because the ensuing draft will make you sick. It became a game. Mark got up a couple of times to open the window and our Polish traveling companions would proceed to close it shortly thereafter. After numerous attempts, Mark, exasperated, just gave up and gasped for breath, lifting his shirt and sweater for a bit of relief. I, on the other hand, exercised extraordinary skill in mind over matter as relates to Polish old wives tales.

Today I was sitting at my desk, trying to clear up my cluttered email inbox and catch up on some reading, when I was overcome with none other than a full-fledged headache, with pressure in my temples and above the eyes. My head felt as if it were Sputnik, and about ready to explode. Of course, we had a rather severe change in weather pattern between yesterday and today. Funny how life works, but after all these years, I totally agree with my Central European friends. My headaches come and go with fluctuations in barometric pressure. I also fall victim to drafts all the time.

That said, I still open my window for fresh air whenever I feel like it - after all, I'm an American.

Incompetency everywhere

2008-04-10T19:31:00.005+02:00

I don't think I've ever complained so much in my life. I might need to change my blog title to the "Rants and Raves of Christine". Hmmmm, not so nice. But, I need to vent so please bear with me....

My pet peeve of the last 48 hours... last night I was stressing about whether or not I had assembled my Virginia and DC state income tax returns properly, including the correct schedules, etc. I was particularly concerned about a watermark on the print out of my federal return, which I filed electronically. Exasperated by the lack of appropriate help tools on the H&R Block website, I decided to call them directly. GET THIS: I have a lengthy discussion with a help desk representative who admitted to me she didn't recognize Washington, DC. I decided to try my luck with District of Columbia - which she had never heard of - and miraculously, there it was.

The bottom line: a call center in the Caribbean with employees who one would think, based on their geographical proximity and the nature of the job, would know the states and territories comprising the United States. But, no, this was not the case. Anyhow, H&R Block does not get my stamp of approval.

Death, taxes, visas, and what not...

2008-04-08T22:03:00.006+02:00

Okay... so I seem to be on a Ben Franklin kick... As I try to figure out DC and Virginia tax returns, I am reminded of that other famous Franklin quote: "The only things certain in life are death and taxes." Moving overseas, taxes continue to haunt me. The good news is that my federal income tax return has already been filed. Yes, I'm not that behind the eight ball... just somewhat.

But in this surreal world that I find myself in here in the Czech Republic, taxes I would argue have some rhyme or reason behind them. I don't necessarily enjoy reading the fine print, but at least each line has an explanatory note. Recently, my friend Jordana went as far as to share she gets a bit of a high out of doing her taxes. She loves the personal satisfaction she derives in doing them on her own. My response: yeah, whatever. I hate the time it takes. I'd rather put myself through a half-marathon - at least there's beautiful scenery if you've chosen a good race.

In other news, the visa saga continues. I actually found out on Friday that I'm not allowed to exit or reenter the country right now since my passport is missing my Category D and I'm past 90 days. Sometimes I really begin to believe that one day I will wake up and realize my life has been reduced to a character in a Kafka novel. No, I'm not the hunger artist, but perhaps rather something closer to Joseph K in The Trial or Gregor Samsa in Metamorphosis. The long and the short of it is that the new borderless zone in Europe otherwise known as Schengen (i.e., the bane of my existence) has for the time being trapped me and fellow Americans within the borders of this country. Time and consular help will only tell. I still am holding out hope for a positive turn of events on this front.

In the grand scheme of things, I'm sure if I were back in DC, I'd probably be writing about my latest episode with the DC Department of Motor Vehicles - the place I spent 3 or 4 Saturday afternoons last spring and summer. Bureaucracy is everywhere. Don't ever expect to escape it.

My other beef with my current surroundings, however, is that I made an appointment to go to see a rheumatologist, but when I arrived at the doctor was scheduled with a dermatologist. After weeks of joint pain and wanting to get to the bottom of things, I can't even begin to explain how upset I was. And still, despite frustrations in every seeming corner of my life, somehow I feel God wants me right here.

Fish and Visitors... and then Goran Bregovic

2008-04-01T01:23:00.003+02:00

According to Ben Franklin, fish and visitors stink after three days. I'd have to disagree with ole Ben. This morning I said goodbye to my sister Karen and her husband Christian after saying farewell to my friend Heather early on Easter Sunday. Suffice it to say that it has been a full house and days of non-stop activity since March 15. While I'm happy to take a breath tonight, I do miss my company!

Although I didn't think I had it in me, I went to a Goran Bregovic concert tonight at the Kongresove Centrum with two friends from work. Bregovic's unique Serbo-Croatian and Balkan folk (and Klezmer) beat set in the Czech Commies' old Palace of Culture at Vysehrad was a real treat. Bregovic and his "Wedding and Funeral Choir" had the crowd dancing in and out of our seats. Interestingly, the encore performance was nearly 1/3 of the entire event. Letting my shoulders and head move with the beat, enjoying every moment, I became all the more enthralled by Southeastern Europe, the troubled past and present, and the passion for life pulsing in the music. If you aren't familiar with Bregovic, I encourage you to have a listen: http://www.myspace.com/goranbrego1

Tips for Karlovy Vary

2008-03-17T21:35:00.006+01:00

Despite our prudish American sensitivies, Heather and I just got back from a trip to the famous Czech spa town of Karlovy Vary, where we tried out the local "bath" or "banya" scene. For starters, English will only get you so far - Heather can fill you in on this. I did my best shouting through the bathing compartments to translate -- but adding to Heather's adventure here in the Czech Republic -- she had a few awkward moments with the spa ladies, not knowing quite what and when to do what. If you want to visit Karlovy Vary - also the site of a renown film festival each July - I advise you have some ability to speak Czech, German or Russian. I opted for German, but it was still challenging at times. Or, perhaps, I'm being hard on myself. Rather, it was the staff that was just so darn strange.

Take the waiter on our first night. He seemed to speak English and kindly sat us down. He gave us a menu to select a meal, but fried fish and mashed potatoes soon appeared. I pulled aside the German-speaking waiter and explained we received dishes we didn't order, but oddly received menus to place an order. The AHHA moment finally clicked when I realized he wanted us to order for the next night, but I explained we were there only one night.

The other funny moments came with the "English-speaking" waiter. Heather and I were just sitting around waiting while all these other pensioners came down to their fancy meals and ordered beer and wine. We, on the other hand, had nothing more than the fried fish. It was beginning to feel like an eternity that we sat there at an empty table. I thought for sure there was dessert included so after an appropriate amount of time I asked about dessert and the waiter opened his arms and said, "Yes, dessert is there." Heather and I looked at each other like, "Ah, could you have told us the how many courses and what was included in dinner from the beginning?"

This was just comical since the staff tried to act highly professional and kindly with all the other guests. With us, I think they found us to be odd balls. Maybe if we had some fur or jewels it would have helped. Heather and I were pretty much the Americans in town Sunday and Monday. We were the minority amidst a Russian majority. In fact, it looks like Russians are buying up property left and right. I have a feeling Russian will be lingua franca in town in years to come - or perhaps it already is!

But back to the baths... A lovely blond Czech lady helped us make our appointment and walked us through the treatments. She didn't speak much English and therefore insisted upon speaking German. She smiled profusely which was so nice - not something I'd consider typical Czech. This lady took her customer service profession seriously, which I appreciated. Because of our odd booking: 1 night, Sunday arrival at 4 pm, Monday departure at 3 pm. It presented major issues for us to schedule or massage and mineral bath. This was rather infuriating since we showed up at the office on Sunday night to schedule for Monday morning and spoke to a guy who told us to show up at 8 or 9 am without any problems. That was not the case. So we compromised: 1 pm "pearl" baths followed by 1:30 classical partial massage. Not bad, but we had to pack out of our rooms at 12 so we were dressed in our street clothes and carrying luggage around at the spa - definitely an strange sight for the Czechs, Germans, and Russians. We handled it smoothly for the most part. Other times we simply laughed, and laughed heartily. At one point I heard the masseuse tell Heather to "Sitzen sich." She wasn't quite sure what this meant so I yelled across the curtain for her to sit up. Somehow it worked. I definitely got a kick out of the hotel and spa staff speaking to me in German. I sort of felt I was playing my alter ego Katja.

The end of the story is that we paid 115 euros for two people, full breakfast, dinner or lunch, and 2 spa treatments. I think it was worth it. The staff made our visit more of a linguistic adventure. Fortunately, Heather and I had a good sense of humor through these sometimes incomprehensive situations, including that when Czech spa nurses tell you to take your clothes off, they just stand there and wait for you. For a moment, it truly seems like an altered realty where one's body is just a thing. Privacy is non-existent. You just deal with it.

Right now I'm glad to be back in my comfy pajamas in the comforts of my own home. It was a good bus ride there and back for 240 CZK. Our Hotel Humboldt Spa and Park was more than decent. It was quite nice, but we were never fully understood there in whatever language we attempted. Fortunately we have thick skin and active imaginations so we enjoyed our trip for what its worth - time outside of Prague, sipping mineral waters with loads of Russians, enjoying the beautiful houses of the city, shedding our outer layers, and eating fried fish that we didn't exactly order. I'm sure the flies on the wall were in hysterics. I know thoughts of this trip will bring smiles to my face for quite a while :)

Getting to know my back yard

2008-03-15T22:56:00.004+01:00

So, this morning at roughly 8 or 8:30 am my door buzzer rang. After following my detailed instructions from the airport, my friend Heather had finally arrived at my doorstep - and this after an airport bus, metro, and short walk. Woohoo! It was so nice NOT to have to go to the airport at 6 or 7 am. Rather, Heather looked at it as an adventure and was ready and eager to take it on.... hint, hint to future visitors.

Having eaten a proper breakfast and strong coffee, we made our way to Karlstejn (33 km; 45 min away) to see Charles IV's castle and former protectorate of the crown jewels. Although the Tour 2 doesn't open till June, we still enjoyed the rooms viewable on the Tour 1 and were grateful for the beautiful sunshine and castle glimpses to and from Karlstejn. We learned Charles IV was a bit of a philosopher king, with 4 wives, and spoke numberous languages. Good King Wenceslas is one of his ancestors. Wenceslas, a Christian, was murdered by his jealous brother, Boleslav, a pagan who wanted to rule the kingdom. I finally know the story of Saint Catherine who was Charles IV's favorite saint since he won his first battle on her name day. Saint Catherine refused the advances of a pagan King who decided to tie her to two wheels and tear her apart. Miracularly, she survived the wheels, but then succumbed to the sword. These are just a few of the quick facts our guied shared with us AND I actually retained.

Our trip went like clock work, which is always a nice thing. Oh, one more thing, Heather and I had some tasty Czech gulash and dark Kozel pivo before heading back. Beer and Czech food go to together like a marriage made in heaven. I kid you not!

Tomorrow is church in the morning followed by a bus ride (one way under $10; 2 hrs 15 min) to Karlovy Vary - the famous mineral water and spa town. We are spending the night in the 4 star Humboldt Park Hotel and Spa. Yes, we girls are due a little self pampering. We have a double room booked with full breakfast, lunch or dinner, and 3 spa treatments for 115 Euro. I'm looking forward to the sauna and sub-aquatic massage (we'll see what that means!) and perhaps lymphage draining (no idea - sounds a little scary like the modern day use of leaches). Heather is intrigued so maybe we'll be able to let you know. On a serious note, I really hope Karlovy Vary and its mineral waters help heal my ailing joints - hands, wrists, feet, and ankles, in particular.

Karlovy Vary here we come! And if this works out, I just might bring my sister and brother-in-law or at least treat them to a weekend.

PS: Christina: No crystal tiaras scouted yet. We'll keep trying!

Spitzer in Europe

2008-03-13T23:14:00.006+01:00

It seems like the most talked about topic on both sides of the Atlantic this week has been the “fall from grace” of New York’s reputed “Sheriff of Wall Street.” Earlier this year my mother – who nearly never strays into the political realm – made some remarks about the now former governor which put Mr. Spitzer on my radar screen. In one of our conversations, mom mentioned, totally unprompted, “Finally, we have someone who actually gets things done in this state.”

Watching the news break on CNN International here in Prague, I was definitely floored. But, I fairly quickly picked my jaw up from off the floor; after all, in today’s age, the bar for what is considered “shocking,” I would say, has hit new heights. Infidelity is nothing new – neither is prostitution, just read the Bible. And, a press conference held by an adulterer with his wife at his side is all too familiar. Yes, seems like this Democratic super delegate has more than one thing in common with Bill and Hillary.

Mr. Spitzer now joins the ranks of other prominent public servants such as former head of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Randall Tobias, who resigned in 2007 after being linked to a Washington, DC escort service. While Tobias had a long, distinguished career in the private sector before becoming Director of USAID and was ready for retirement or life at least outside of the public sphere, Spitzer was an ascending star not only in New York but even on the national political scene.

Being an American in Europe, one thing that rings clear is that what might fly on the continent doesn’t in the good ole United States. One of my colleagues succinctly summed up this pretty distinct cultural difference, remarking “What on earth was he thinking? Did he think we were France or something?!” Of course, I had to laugh at Joanna’s comment. She is only too right. The likes of France’s Sarkozy and his vacation trysts with an Italian supermodel, now his third wife, would not be tolerated back home. And, I, for one, am glad for it. Integrity – I’ll say it again – is a precious commodity, but it must remain the mark.

An American in "Schengen"

2008-03-05T22:15:00.009+01:00

At this particular moment, I'm not a big fan of the European Union (EU) and the expanded Schengen zone, which took effect on December 21, 2007. What is Schengen? In a nut shell: a series of treaties and rules abolishing physical border controls between EU countries and 3 non-EU states. For citizens of the EU, the new Schengen zone means virtually seamless borders. And, for those of us non-EU, third-country nationals, it means bureaucratic hassles up the wazoo. I AM NOT A HAPPY CAMPER.

Today I spent about 4 hours trying to figure out whether or not I was legally able to exit and reenter the Czech Republic this weekend. As of the beginning of March, I hit 90 days in the CR. Lucky me, I have not quite hit 90 days in the Schengen zone, so I can make my weekend trip to Madrid, where I plan to join my cousin John, his wife Val, and their little daughter Mary, whom I've agreed to babysit. To provide a bit of context, I do not yet possess a long-term visa, although I applied this January in Dresden - the nearest embassy or consular post outside of the CR - according to Schengen legislation. My category D visa, I'm told, is due in early April.

The big shocker of the day was news that I have until March 19 to travel freely within the Schengen zone. From March 19 to April 8 or whenever I get my visa, I should not exit the CR. What really hurts, however, is that my category D is only valid for the CR. Technically, I should apply for short term visas to visit Schengen countries outside the CR. That means if I want to visit Dresden (a mere 2.5 hour train ride) I should get a visa from the German embassy. This is shear madness!

The semi-good news is that once I get my long-term visa, I will then be able to apply for my Czech residency and then for a Schengen visa - and herein lies the clincher - "just like everybody else." Ouch! Yes, we Americans have lived charmed lives in Europe. For many this is the irony of ironies. All these years, we are the ones that have enjoyed the free pass - well, no longer.

I keep telling myself this a bad dream...I really hope I've somehow misread and/or misunderstood consular advice. I should clearly state that the summary above is my personal understanding of the Czech government's current application of the law. That is, don't quote me... I could very well be wrong. That would be great actually. If this truly is my new reality, it would be grand if the lawyers and beaucrats would have a second think...

Expect to hear continued ranting from this side of the Atlantic pond. First it was the dollar plummeting and now this... Americans living abroad in the EU are feeling the squeeze... and it ain't pretty! Looking on the bright side, I'm slowly developing a taste for Czech beer... it no longer costs 50 cents, but it is still cheaper than water.

Better late than never... My big October send off from DC

2008-02-28T22:23:00.004+01:00

Hi everyone. Can you believe it. It has been nearly 3 months now since I moved to Prague. That's crazy. When I get a little homesick or a lot, this reminder of friends and family warms my heart. To let you in on a little secret, I can watch this video over and over, endlessly, never failing to shed a tear or two or more!

My thanks to Raymond who spent most of my big bash filming this. Kudos for selecting the perfect song!

Sure miss and love y'all! (Oh, no, I've succumbed to the pressure of trying to sound like a Northern Virginian. But, not such a big deal over here in the Czech Republic. Sometimes Czechs don't even think I sound American?! Go figure. I've been picked out as German or Canadian.)

Epileptic Yogi

2008-02-17T23:29:00.004+01:00

I decided to try yoga tonight. For starters, it was in Czech. About the only phrases I picked up were right leg front, left leg front, head to knee. Besides that I was at a loss. To complicate comprehension further, I was in the back of the room next to an air duct, which distorted the instructor's voice something fierce. The icing on the cake though was that I elected not to wear my glasses. I guess you can see where this is going...

Thanks to my sister Stephanie, I'm not a complete dunce when it comes to yoga. Over Christmas one year, I had a private lesson with Steph (who is quite the teacher!), in which she taught me several of yoga's basic movements, for example, the downward facing dog. Without this introduction, tonight I would have otherwise been completely lost.

Sometimes I feel as if I'm caught up in a comedy of errors. Minus my glasses, I did my best to follow my neighbors. But a few times the woman next to me seemed to be looking at me for a clue. Haha. She definitely could use better judgment.

Overall, I have to say I liked our routine tonight; there was a lot of emphasis on balance. Forced to shift your weight to one leg, you rather quickly realize your limits. Standing on one foot or leg or sitting on my bum, fingers holding my toes, all the while attempting to extent my legs outwards - suffice it to say that I'm no pink flamingo. Yeah...piece of cake ... I was like all over that! Ugh, not really. No, instead, there were multiple moments throughout the night where I shook as if I were undergoing a seizure. The only thing missing was foam in the mouth.

On the bright side, everyone seemed pretty into themselves. Despite me feeling kind of self-conscious, when it came down to it, nobody was really paying much attention to me. Once I got over my own inhibitions, I had a few good internal chuckles.

So, wonders never cease: I think I'm going back. I have to get over the fact I'm the least skilled in the class, but we all can't be dynamite. I guess I'll settle for Napoleon Dynamite. I might just have some numchuck skill in me yet.

Sorry, but no pictures to post. Use your imagination.

Say it ain't so...

2008-02-13T23:27:00.003+01:00

There are some days when I miss the United States terribly. I think fondly on our wide open expanses, the freedom one feels with the windows down, the radio blaring, hitting 75 or 80 mph on the interstate highway. My stomach still catches an itch or two when pictures of New York City flash on the movie screen or I watch David Tyree make a miraculous catch in the Superbowl. But there are days, when I’m glad to be distant and far away from the American media onslaught.

Having just watched the competing testimonies of Brian McNamee and Roger Clemens before the House oversight committee and after reading the New York Times article, “Clemens says Pettitte was Wrong about H.G.H. Remark,” I’m rather distraught. For the sake of Clemen’s own kids and the millions of children who have grown up idolizing The Rocket, I’d like to think he is speaking the truth, that he has, in fact, been falsely accused. I’m sorry to say that his story just doesn’t add up. I’m not a Yankee fan, but I seem to remember a close bond of friendship between Clemens and Pettitte. They played together as both Yankees and Rangers, sharing plans to retire. Throw into the mix affirmation by Pettitte and that rascally Chuck Knoblaugh that McNamee injected them, and the incident with Clemens and his nanny from seven years ago, and what you have is one royal mess - at least in my humble, across the Atlantic opinion.

The truth often hurts; it can even be outright offensive, but it still remains the truth. Without it, what do we really have - illusion, deception? The game of baseball has been forever tarnished. Our players are no longer viewed as Olympic gods, but as mere men and rightly so. We were wrong in the first place to expect and demand perfection, and they were wrong to succumb to the temptation they could deliver it. We were both sadly mistaken.

Home run records and low ERAs are great stuff, but integrity and honesty are the mark of a real man.

A Little Fresh Air Does the Spirit Good

2008-02-10T20:42:00.000+01:00

On Friday afternoon I got a call from my friend and co-conspirator Imelda to see what my Saturday plans were. Fortunately, I had a blank slate in front of me, but not for long. Turns out Saturday morning I joined Imelda and her husband Ondra, Iva (a friend and colleague from the radios), and Mariana (a friend of Imelda and Ondra's) on a trip to Liberec and for a hike up to Jested peak - some 1012 meters above sea level. Despite a few initial glitches - my metro shutting down because someone jumped in front of a train and Ondra forgeting his hiking boots - the day was spectacular or what I and Mary Poppins like to call supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. I didn't quite know what we had in front of us. I thought knowing Ondra and Imelda we'd probably do a hike with some amount of physical exertion. Let me tell you we took on one heck of an incline! Whoa. We decided early on against following the asphalt road. No, we were determined to climb right up through snow, rocks and boulders, and that is exactly what we did.

To be honest, I think Saturday was the longest period of time that I've spent in the great out doors in quite some time. Boy, was this trip ever needed! My lungs felt as if they were given new life. I seriously had a high breathing in the fresh mountain air and exercising just about every muscle in my lower limbs. When I first heard we were headed to a tower, I had my doubts. Prague has a very distinct TV tower that dominates the sky above Vinohrady, where I happen to to live. It's not exactly my cup of tea: the structure is quite bold - a cold metallic structure save for several sculptures of crawling babies some artist added several years back. I'm not very big on the Communists' love of putting ugly harsh structures in historic parts of town or worse in the middle of mother nature. However, I was surprised when we entered Liberec and I viewed Jested from down below. I found it to be a majestic addition to the mountain view. Jested tower and hotel, which was built in the later part of the 60s, actually had some architectural charm and oddly pleasant Communist decor. I felt as if I were in a James Bond movie as we sat in the hotel's panoramic restaurant eating soup and drinking pudding-like hot chocolate. The absolute coolest thing was watching hang- or para-gliders float around in the ether just outside of the window by our table. After our nice break inside, getting warm and nourished, we decided once again for the road less travelled. We basically walked down a closed ski slope. There were signs notifying us of high risk areas and great potential of accidents, but we proceded down the hill as if blind. It would have been much nicer to have skis, but I took this as a challenge. My legs are strong like a bull, so I managed the steep descent with aplomb. At one point I opted for my buttocks to carry me down part of the slope. It was quite the trip and caused only minimal wetness to my jeans. Our downward journey was a race against darkness, which fully engulfed us at the bottom of the mountain.

Before we started yet another mini-adventure to find the car, we stopped along the way at the ski jumping center. It was just our luck that an international ski jumping event was taking place. Remember Eddie the Eagle from the UK back in Nagano or was it Salt Lake City? I can't remember. It doesn't matter - I'm a new fan of the sport. I mean - You will never ever find me strapping on two skis, sitting on a bench at the top of monstrously steep hill, only to ski down the hill, picking up momentum and then flying into the air, finishing this crazy feat with a two-ski landing. For me, watching something so beyond me is a huge adrenalin rush. I could have stood there all night watching the jumpers. I think I lost my breath each time a jumper took to air - it was just that darn cool. Okay - I think I've used "cool" one too many times. I'm just lost for words trying to describe my great wonder and joy experiencing Jested on Saturday afternoon. It was the simply the best!

Giving credit where credit is due

2008-02-04T22:17:00.000+01:00

Well, I really have to give it to those Giants. They really pulled it off, making the seemingly impossible possible. Instead of NPR on my alarm clock, I wake up to the BBC World Service in the morning. The past couple of weeks have been a doozy. Let's see, a week or two back around MLK, Jr. day, it was headlines about the market crash in Asia and Europe. Then it was the American market. Last week it was Heath Ledger's death. But, this morning it was news about the Giant's pulling off the biggest upset of all time. Man, the Giants made it on the BBC! This was news! And, finally something to get up for. I literally jumped out of bed and went to turn on CNN International. I just had to see footage. It was all the more fantastical since I made the fateful decision to turn the TV off at 3:45 or 3:50 am... I can't remember now. Only after the fact did I realize that I missed the most exciting part of the game. Boy, was I disappointed this morning, kicking myself in the butt - if I could! Cut me some slack though... I was watching in the wee hours of the morning, knowing I had bloodwork at 9 am and then a full day of work.

Sports are great. Granted, football is still a funny game to me with large burly men running around the field trying to sack a skinny guy with the ball, but a good game is simply a good game. There's something about these underdog stories that lifts the soul, puts a spring in our step. Because gosh darn it, if Eli Manning can do it, so can I! That's how I went to work this morning - don't know about you?!

So I watched a good chunk of game at work in our cafeteria. We actually watched it via the Armed Forces Network (AFN). Disappointingly there were no U.S. commercials; rather we sat through ads for the "Edelweis Ski Lodge" in Garmisch for U.S. service personnel and short celebrity athlete shout outs to the troops. Oh, and there were some weird ads for defense contractors and who knows what else. I've never quite been so inundated save for when I submitted to an army physical when I was considering becoming a cryptolinguist.

On a side note, I failed my army physical on account of taking acne medicine. In a strange way, I thank God for pimples - that decision was taken out of my hands. I must admit, however, that I scored 100% on the hearing test. I was flabbergasted when I came out of the sound-proof chamber and the doctor patted me on the back. All these years I complained to my mom that I just never heard her. She would accuse me of selective hearing and I would refute her based on my many hours and days logged in the highschool swimming pool. You know... chlorine gets to you. Well, that whole theory had the plug pulled.

I turned out to be one of the only girls at our Super Bowl event. There was Lucie from HR that dropped by with a few other Czech colleagues, but I lasted the majority of the game - minus the last 20 minutes or so. It was just fine. I need to thank my brother Mark for preparing me to handle the male world. I still vividly remember being roughed up on our basketball court by Mark. I told him to give me a break, but he refused and said it would do me well. And, he was right. But, I would be remiss if I did not tell you my male colleagues were perfect gentlemen. We just enjoyed the game, eating microwave popcorn bag after bag and topping off my tupperware-filled with brownies. Oh, and yes, there was Czech beer - naturally.

Since I missed the best part of last night's game and I need some more spring in my step tomorrow morning, I've got to end here and go watch a rebroadcast of the game on German TV.

Uncle Rahn, Tyler, Aunt Pat, Alexis - be proud of your Giants! I am!

If you own a dog and walk the streets, use those bags!

2008-01-28T23:42:00.000+01:00

I guess I'll continue my ranting about things that have been getting on my nerves recently. The last few days I've noticed side walks have become minefields with dog doodoo. If you aren't careful, you'll be trekking around town with poo on your soles. What's up with Prague dog owners? Do they have no shame? All those posts with doggie bags have a purpose. So, use them. It's a simple common courtesy people.

The State of the Union comes on at 3 am here. Too bad, but I don't think I have that kind of stamina. On the other hand, this afternoon I rsvp-d for a superbowl party on Sunday. I can't believe the Giants actually made it. I think I was in highschool the last time they played in the superbowl. The thing is that it starts at midnight and will probably go through 4 am. I even volunteered to bring chocolate chip cookies or brownies. We all have choices to make. I just hope it's a good game.

You know you're not in Kansas anymore...

2008-01-27T22:08:00.000+01:00

When you get off the metro at Mustek on Wenceslas Square in Prague and find a guy sitting on the steps with his right leg jean-pant pulled up exposing his hairy skin and a needle in one hand. Perhaps I've lived a sheltered existence in the United States, but I've never seen anyone shoot up with heroine until tonight. And, the thing that really bothers me is that I keep sensing drug deals at certain street corners and I've arrived either right before or right after a few young people on the street were shooting up. Seems to me this is getting out of hand. I'm one of the most naive people around and I'm on to it. It bugs the heck out of me that drugs are so prevalent and it doesn't seem like anyone is doing anything about it. I definitely wish the local government were a bit more hands on with some of these social issues. The only thing I've seen happen since I arrived is that it is now illegal for prostitutes to frequent certain areas of town. It's all about baby steps - I guess.

What else is new? I'm almost certain my fate is to end up like Dana Reeves: non-smoker contracting lung cancer. The no smoking ban has not yet reached this area of Europe and I'm finding the second hand smoke a major challenge to deal with. In fact, I feel like my throat is coated with soot. Yes, I'm in quite the mood.

So tonight I went to my first Czech hockey game in the new Sazka arena, which was built to host the 2004 World Championship. I saw Praha Slavia take on Pardubice (another Czech town). Slavia won 5-2. It was pretty cool overall. The Czechs have a great sense of humor. Throughout the game there were funny moments with the jumbotron in the ceiling. The guy manning the camera would pick out people in the audience, use their face and put a cartoon body (e.g., a body builder) over the rest. Sometimes he used the face of a famous person (e.g., Gorbachev or Pamela Anderson) and superimposed it over a person in the stands. Then they had a "Kiss Me" screen. The camera guy again found some entertaining couples to put on the jumbotron screen and 9 out 10 smooched. One couple included a small boy and girl probably no more than 10. They were cute! Oh, least I forget, there of course is some sensual element of sports. Every period 4 women in sports bras and tiny shorts skated onto the rink to clean up the ice near the goal. Why do scantly clad women show up everywhere in sports? Please tell me... I don't need to see them. I just don't get it.

As for the hockey, according to a resident expert sitting next to me, Jim, a Czech emigre from Edminton, the players skated well, but their play was a bit boring. I enjoyed it just the same. Oh, and of course, there was the FC Slavia fans sitting in the section to our immediate left. They made the evening all the more entertaining with their drum and chants.

Well, that's it for now folks. I'm trying to get to bed earlier. Tonight could be a new beginning. We shall see.

Oh, this is a picture of my street corner. If you haven't heard. I live on Polska street (Polish street). No polish jokes accepted!

Auld Lang Syne

2008-01-01T01:47:00.000+01:00

Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot and days of auld lang syne? For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne, we'll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne. Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot and days of auld lang syne? And here's a hand, my trusty friend And gie's a hand o' thine We'll tak' a cup o' kindness yet For auld lang syne --

So what do these verses mean? I'm sure you wonder every New Year's Eve. I always have... From what my Google search turned up, one definitition is "times gone by." It is an old Scottish tune from the 1700s, whose transcription from Robert Burns gained it notariety.

Time definitely passes swiftly. Who knew that December 21, 2006, I'd be leaving Prague for Arlington, VA, and that December 3, 2007, I'd be leaving Washington, DC, for Prague.

I just got in from a crazy night of unregulated fireworks. Let me tell you. Living overseas definitely helps one develop a appreciation for certain aspects of home. One at the top of my list is regulated fireworks. Fire and humans are a scary mix! In Prague, if you happen to be out on the streets on Sylwestr as they call it here, you darn well better be alert. I nearly had my legs taken out by a wandering firecracker skimming the asphalt surface at the park I chose for my view of the city fireworks. Imagine if you will fireworks going off all over the city on behalf of the municipality and simultaneously locals shooting off their own fireworks and smashing bottles of empty alcohol. Add to this picture, young parents and inebriated adults teaching their even younger children and friends how to light firecrackers. All I can say that tonight was successful. No one in our party of 10 or so people was injured. I don't care if you call me an old fart. I like my hands, all my fingers, both feet, and all my toes. I also cherish my eyes and the sight they provide.

Tonight was a blessing. I had dinner for 5 or six friends, mainly new friends from church and work. I cooked up a new recipe of chicken apple curry, broccoli with garlic, salad with the best balsamic vinegar dressing I've made yet, and blue cheese and lekvar (plum marmelade) on sunflower seed bread. Oh, and I made my best yet chocolate chip cookies. I think perhaps I've saved the image of American cuisine. Rest assured... with me feeding foreign masses overseas, people are gradually coming to realize we Americans appreciate a good meal AND I'm not talking about McDonalds.

I had a ball cooking. I streamed NPR and caught a number of good shows, including "Wait, wait, don't tell me" with Chris Palmer, Valerie Plame, Michael Moore, and the NPR Baghdad correspondent, as well as "Talk of the Nation" which focused on a book called "Intern" or something like that. It is about an Indian-American doctor now working in a NYC teaching hospital and his reflections on his years as a medical student and resident coming through the system. Being a big sister of a Duke medical student, I was all ears. Modern technology definitely makes it a whole lot easier to be outside one's normal comfort zone.

It was a strange mix of old and new in my kitchen tonight: the familiar, exhilarating smell of freshly chopped garlic, the deep melodic voice of Carl Kasell, yellow-orange curry, authentic French blue cheese, and povidle (Austrian Ger)/povidla(Czech)/lekvar (Slovak) (i.e., plum jam) on toast. Everything went off quite well, despite my mistaking "Parizska Slehacka" for creme fraiche. To be honest, I still don't know what Parizska Slehacka is. I thought I couldn't go wrong buying something that literally means Paris creme. Unfortunately, as I was about to pour it into my curry, I realized it was brown and chocolate flavored. Even with this little mishap, the food was more than edible - it was tasty and I'm more than satisfied.

Ringing in the new year with several new acquaintances I've known less than a few weeks was interesting. We had a merry group of Americans, Indonesians, Malaysians, Thai, Czech and Indian. It was great fun to build on friendships I started a year ago, too. Of course, at various moments of the night my thoughts were on yester years singing all the lyrics to Auld Lang Syne (it will take you like 10 full minutes!), making fondue, playing electronic catch phrase, and Jordana impersonating Anna Nicole Smith. Oh, and how can I forget passing around the "exercise ball." To my Calvert gang friends if you are reading - no one will replace you.

I'll continue to think of those happy times as I set out to create new memories. Old habits die hard - and some, well, they never quite die. And now, I'll always remember nearly getting my legs burned off by a passing firecracker on the eve of 2008, Imelda sporting her cute knit hat, Charlie an American attorney from Kansas with a passion to fight sex trafficking -- sporting a white button down with a black vest and jeans -- who received a new year's eve note from a neighbor asking if he knows Johnny Cash, eating Indonesian pandan-flavored cake (and suddenly remembering pandan is a flavor common to the Philippines), and trying to explain who on earth Valerie Plame is to several Malay and Indonesian friends. That is just a few of tonight's afterthoughts.

I spoke to my friend Fal on Sunday and she encouraged me to put exactly how I feel here. So, here it is: missing you all dearly.

Happy New Year, my friends! I look forward to the stories and adventures that will enfold in 2008.

Season Greetings

2007-12-26T20:49:00.000+01:00

Merry Christmas! Wishing you and your family wherever you might be a lovely and blessed celebration of Christ's birth. I'm sitting in a quiet flat, listening to a Stevie Wonder Christmas, missing home! No, it isn't Stevie that has me home sick. If I had the rest of my belongings, I'd definitely have Bing Crosby playing. I got back a couple hours ago from Vienna. I spent Christmas with my dear friend Wendy, who was in Vienna doing research for her dissertation, and her old roommate and friend, Carol, who is a full-time missionary in Austria, working with refugees. I met Wendy in Vienna on Friday night. After a breakfast at our pension in the 8th district, we took the Badener Bahn to Baden bei Wien, a suburb or small town outside of Vienna. I was happy to see a light dusting of snow, and even a little glad to have -3 C temperatures. The cold can be envigorating! We had 4 restful days of coffee talk, good food, and wonderful company. We mixed Austrian and American traditions and even invited an Aussie to join us on Christmas day. Then tonight Smetana's "Ma Vlast" or "Die Moldau" played as my train pulled into Praha Holesovice, the second train station in Prague, and I knew I was home or at least back in Prague. The feeling of "home" - I hope that will come in time. Missing you.

Ja jsem rad, ze jsem tady znova v Praze.

2007-12-07T23:42:00.000+01:00

BREAKING NEWS: I've become a really girly girl! No, not exactly... I just went a little wild with pink. If you don't like it - deal. Don't worry. I wont stay "pink" or "rose" forever.

Now for the real headliner -- if you haven't heard, I moved to Prague last Saturday and just finished my first week at work. So far, so good. Everything seems pretty much the same save for the U.S. dollar which fetched 21 or 22 Czech Koruna last time I was here. Today it hit a new low of 17.8! Hard to imagine that 5 or 6 years ago it got 30 or 31 and before that closer to 35/36 or even 40. Somehow I think I'll still survive. Granted it wont be like living in the 90s.

For the time being I'm staying in temporary housing. I will fairly quickly hit the pavement though looking for a flat of my own. I'm kind of hoping I might actually find something through connections. This Sunday I plan on visiting two colleagues' buildings to get an idea. I'm eager to find a place I can truly call home and will be a place of refuge and retreat. AND, most importantly, a place to host guests and dinner parties!

First things first though... tomorrow I'm off to Dresden for the Striezelmarkt (or oldest Christmas market in Germany) with a good friend Iza. I'm very much looking forward to sipping warm gluehwein (mulled/spiced wine) while browsing through nutcrackers and other traditional German wooden holiday crafts. Dresden is one of my favorite spots outside of Prague - only a two-hour train ride. History seems to radiate off the streets, and views along the river, what is called the "balcony of Europe," are exquisite.

All in all, things are going pretty well. As in any place, there are things you absolutely love and other things you could definitely do without. So far, I'm loving the public transport and simply walking around with all the Christmas markets, but disliking the fairly gray weather that is typical this time of year and wishing there were fewer gentleman's clubs in my part of town. I'm also missing my band of merry friends in DC as well as the ability to call family whenever, leaving my sister Stephanie crazy voicemails or listening to my brother-in-law's hilarious karaoke voicemails to me. It is annoying not having a broadband connection in my flat right now, but I have an uber cool new Nokia phone. There are always trade offs in life, right? It's kind of funny how I continue to walk around thinking that I need to pack in all the sights or schedule lot's of travel because I'll be leaving in 6 months or a year, but that isn't the case this time around. I guess I'm still getting used to the idea of being over here for a while. Anyhow, I'll close for now as I've got an early train ahead of me. I hope this finds you well! Sorry for the lapse in communication, but as you can see, I'm still kick'in it.

Peace out from Praha mes amis, Christine

Go West

2007-10-26T06:23:00.000+02:00

Do you ever suffer from paralysis when it comes to decision making? As a teenager my mom would drop me at the grocery store to pick up a few items... oftentimes I'd eventually materialize after pricing the products, considering the quality and the purpose of the good, and doing my own cost benefit analysis. Okay - I know I have my issues. My mom would ask what on earth I was doing in the store. Naturally I told her any trip, no matter how mundane, required careful deliberations to get her a suitable product for her needs. I shared my struggle standing in the aisle looking at the unit prices and wondering what Mom would like best. I wasn't a mind reader. If I had been, I would have been back in the car pronto!

Anyhow, I get paralyzed way too often when it comes to making a decision. Granted sometimes decisions take time and coordination. I've been trying to figure out my plans for when I finish work (11/7), but until 11:56 PM the only decisions I had made were a trip to Madison last week and a trip home to Binghamton next week. Hey, that's pretty good. I've always said if I ever changed jobs that I'd take a month or two and travel the world... maybe hit Thailand or Vietnam. Well, that is not happening. But, as of 11:58 PM I purchased tix for Kansas City, Chicago, and San Jose CA. I'm psyched - FINALLY. Took me long enough.

I should also add I'm pretty excited about a 'surprise' bon voyage party my roommate is throwing this Saturday. It is going to be pretty crazy with over 50 people in our humble abode. Some of our honored guests include my parents, cousin Judy, family from Baltimore, and friend Fredi from Albania (he didn't fly all the way from Tirana for me, just down from Boston). My friend Becky who I've shared adventures with in Croatia, Albania, and Poland is coming in from Ohio and Fal from NYC is also coming in. It's going to be interesting and I'm touched. Wow. Many, many heartfelt thanks go out to my posse here in DC and VA.

I'm moving back...

2007-10-13T20:30:00.000+02:00

So, in case you haven't heard, I'm moving to Prague. Yeah, the poppy seed rolls did me in. Of course, I can find them here in the States around Christmas and Easter from our local Ukrainian and Slovak churches, but I decided I absolutely need to be in a country that has poppy year-round. I also miss my Czech sweet breads or "kolac" with the sweet farmer's cheese. My diet or should I say my taste buds have suffered so much the last 9 months. You might be asking, "Christine, why not learn to bake these goodies yourself"? That is a reasonable question I admit. Oops, and to be honest, I actually have a poppy seed roll in the freezer from my mom. However, somehow I got roped into sharing that with my roommate. Well, I confess it is more than the sweets that is pulling me back to Prague. I was offered a job I simply couldn't refuse and the opportunity to live in a city that has a very special place in my heart. Don't get me wrong - I will miss DC. I am already mourning my jogs around the nation's beloved monuments - the Washington monument, Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, and the Jefferson. I will mourn the amazing community and fellowship I've been so blessed by here. I'll miss running over to Virginia to visit with the gang still living on N Calvert, including Raymond's free ice cream and Heather and Christina's rather constant supply of the Court House Farmers' Market "Cookie Lady's" maple-walnut-toffee-white chocolate cookies. And, I will really miss sitting out on our balcony enjoying a bottle of Shiraz with Jordana into the wee hours of the night and then getting up for work the next day. But, it seems that the time has come for a new chapter. It is exciting, scary, and overwhelming all in one...

Mary and Jesus' Wedding

2007-09-25T05:34:00.000+02:00

Okay, so I'm not trying to be sacrilegious: my cousin Mary got married this weekend to Jesus, the love of her life from El Savador.

It was quite the multicultural event. How many times in your life do you get to polka, salsa, twist, and rock 'n roll in one night? ...Oh, and I nearly forgot listening to Kermit the Frog sing "The Rainbow Connection." I actually discovered this muppet tune happens to be my brother-in-law's favorite. It was difficult to say which was more precious - Christian singing with Kermit or the overzealous flower girl (my cousin Diane's daughter Gabby) who was so intent on dropping her rose petals. The simple pleasures in life ....

There were extraordinary things happening left and right throughout the evening on Saturday. Steph even got Grandma on the dance floor. I thought I'd showcase the lovely dancing duo here. Cheryl Burke and the rest of Dancing with the Stars better watch out.

Driving home in my hotwire.com deal of a car -- $99 for four days with unlimited mileage -- a silvery blue Kia that handled extraordinarily well through the mountains near Hazelton and Scranton and made me feel a bit like a Nascar driver provided a much needed change of environment and pace. Words here will not do justice in conveying just how supercalifragilisticexpialidocious it was to be home. Of course, my mother over did it a bit with home decorating, but nonetheless it was home, and it was restful, and it was glorious. Indeed, my brother and I were inspired to rename the road on which we live from Dunham Hill Rd to the Hill of Dunham.

As you can see, I was in need of a good dose of home. And, now it is time for some sleep. I've been horribly undisciplined of late about getting enough rest. I have this silly habit of staying up late doing senseless things like downloading my photos and blogging.

American Psycho - Yes, I am :(

2007-09-06T04:14:00.000+02:00

I'm psycho at times. I kid you not. My blood pressure rises and my heart beats extra fast when disputing bills. I just got off the phone with a Verizon Wireless representative - excuse me, I mean my 5th or 6th Verizon Wireless account representative to dispute the fact that an extra 100 bonus minutes clearly stated in my 3-year contract are nowhere notated in my online account. Basically, this past month's bill included an extra $17 dollars in overage. That amount was credited after I successfully disputed the charge, but Verizon said there was never any citation of an extra 100 promotional minutes. I even have my contract - a hard copy no less - which I faxed last week. Well, to make a long story short they are unable to add those 100 minutes to "My Plan" because a different division handles promotions and they could only do so with a contract extension. Gosh darn it - my contract is through July 2008 as it is! I was not pleased with this option. So, they decided they would monitor my usage and should I go over my allotted monthly peak minutes, but stick to the extra 100 promotional minutes, they will credit me that overage. Having a little legal experience, oh, and simply the hard knocks of life, I asked for this agreement to be sent to me via email. The response: No, a different department handles legal issues and Verizon emails are preformatted. Basically, I can take them or leave them at their word. Given this spate of billing and contractual issues and incorrect billing on my DSL account when we moved from VA to DC (thank the good Lord my math skills are up to par!), I am seriously rethinking my relationship with Verizon once I come to the end of my contract. In today's age, we are presented with "bundles" - that is a complete package of DSL, phone, and TV - BUT, the joint billing doesn't take place until 2 or 3 billing cycles take effect. Bottom line: upfront costs are higher and reading wacky bills causes a psycho anal-retentive person such as myself to develop non-existent heart disease. So much for this age of convenience! NOT!

I confess I even went so far tonight to recite part of the Verizon Wireless creed or rather their lengthy and jolly recording back to the representative: "Committed to working for you, our Customers!" Of course, I also spent some time apologizing. My gosh, I just realized that my deepest, darkest fears of adopting some of the argumentative traits of my mother and godmother have suddenly appeared in moi! I spent years of my childhood shying away from ANY form of confrontation and frequently hid under the table when customer service in a restaurant wasn't to our liking or when an ordered product was broken or of sub-standard quality. And now, I'm a ranter and a raver reciting company codes and pledges back to customer service representatives! I definitely need a chill pill.

Before I close, in case my aunt or mother might read this I feel compelled to add a special note: I love you, Aunt Pat and my amazing mother, Mary Lou! If there is one think I learned from the Wyszkowski side of the family, it is to stand up for one's rights and principles. I guess the next life lesson I'd like to learn is how to finesse my displeasure and disputes. Hmmm, I think my brother Mark might be able to help me in this area....He is quite the smooth talker let me tell you! Actually, I'd settle for suave, straight-shooter.

Sushi, Psycho Judge, and "Goyishe Kopf" make for the perfect Amtrak ride

2007-09-04T05:06:00.001+02:00

I finally have a laptop after endless weeks of Dell-ays! It's quite unbelievable; I'm even up and running on the Internet. So far the keyboard on my Inspiron 1420 seems comfortable, and I think I'm glad to have the anti-glare screen, but we'll wait for the full jury a few more weeks after more use.

So, I'm just back from NYC. What a lovely, lovely weekend I had. The Big Apple was at its very finest. Granted there was one walk through midtown on Sunday night where WWIII seemed to have hit with garbage strewn everywhere... Steph and I could quite figure out whether all the bags of garbage were broken open, stamped upon, and/or exploded or whether the garbage was part of some movie set. It was disgusting to say the least. Apart from this aberration, I was impressed at how beautiful New York was - awesome vistas north and south when crossing the avenues, looking out over the East River from my friend Sandy's 6th-floor walk-up, strolling through Central Park, brunching at the Times Warner Center at Columbus Circle. It was pure fun AND it made me itchy for more of the city. Both Steph and I were lured back by the pulse of the city, the wildy diverse peoples, and the exquisite culinary treats on nearly every corner. Let's see, this trip we sample Afghani food in the East Village at Kyhber Pass, sipped Frozen Chocolate at Chocolate Bar on 8th Ave in the West Village, and feasted upon (well, I feasted upon) Junior's famous scrumptious cheesecake with strawberries. Oh, and least I forget, after church on Sunday we hit a favorite brunch spot on E77 and York - Barking Dog. We shared chocolate chip and dried cherry pancakes and a country sausage omellette with NYS cheddar cheese and Empire apples. YUM! Whatever you do in NYC, make sure you eat! You need not spend tons of money to give your taste buds something to jump for - that is the good news. There is something for every budget.

Turning from food, well, maybe not yet... right before I made my way to Penn Station, I stopped to get sushi and made a rush trip to Korea town to pick up some sweet rolls at a Korean bakery. Mission accomplished. While waiting for the train track to appear in the main hall at Penn, I ripped open one Korean bun and finally sat down to enjoy my spicy crunchy salmon and spicy tuna and crunch shrimp rolls once on the train. I was in my own little heaven. Some days you can actually have your cake ere sushi and eat it too!

I've never had such an interesting train ride... Scratch that - this one ranks up there with my trip last March when I was humbled by the guy sitting next to me whose screen saver included pictures of him and just about every famous world leader you can think of... ranging from famous senators to former and current secretaries of state to heads of state and celebrities. That was wild - tonight's ride was interesting and unexpected. The personalities included a former attorney turned writer just launching her first novel on a book tour, who noticed me reading and gave me a copy of her book. And, there was Dave who lives and breathes Yiddish and could not help but tell me all about his 3 week trip to Lithuania where he studied Yiddish intensively and connected with Holocaust survivors who speak the language. By the way, the phrase Goyishe Kopf means "Gentile Brains", which I believe was/is a bit of a derogatory remark. I learned it in the context of a story about a professor in Vilnius who headed up a Jewish philosophy department whose favorite Jewish philospher is the 12th century rabbi, physician, and philosopher Moses Maimonides. When my train companion Dave asked the professor why he preferred Maimonides, the professor replied, "Because he had a 'judishe Kopf!"" - that is a Jewish brain.

You might see that I did not get a wink of sleep on my Amtrak ride home to DC. But, I sure had some interesting travel companions and walked away with a book and some insight on the differences between Lithuanian and Polish Yiddish.

Okay, and on a side note, get a load of this extraordinary find on the streets of the Big Apple... A little Gnome!!!!

High on the Sparkling Apple Cider

2007-08-23T06:09:00.000+02:00

So, who knew the wild and crazy fun that transpires when you break open a bottle of that sparkly stuff... the carbonated apple cider beverage that shouts sophistication amongst the late 20s and early 30s crowd.

It brings out the Bravehearted in some, traditional female Iraqi attire in others, and even wild woman Nell.

A good deal has happened since I last wrote. August 8th marked another blessed year on this earth. While the day itself was short on celebration, I had plenty of opportunities to celebrate with different groups of friends throughout the week. Turning another year older definitely provided a wonderful excuse to eat sushi, buy a scrumptious yellow cake with whipped creme and multiple fruit, visit my favorite place for brunch, Tabard Inn, and try out Max Blob's Bavarian Biergarten in Jessup MD. Not only did I get to eat Sauerbraten and drink dark German Bier, but I also danced a polka or two with old friends, and a few new friends over the age of 70, and in some cases over 90 who fought in the Second World War.

On this eventful Saturday night under the Polka disco ball, I also learned the answer to one of life's greatest mysteries. For those of us fortunate enough to traverse the beaches, swimming pools, and saunas of Europe, the skinny Speedo bathing suit on men has flustered many American minds. I count myself at least amongst this group of bewildered onlookers. Well, I learned from my trusted friend Danny that the French actually have a law on bathing suits. Ze French believe that less fabric means less germs, so for hygienic purposes males are required to where the skimpy suits in public swimming pools and such. WHO ON EARTH KNEW THE FRENCH REGULATED SPEEDOS? So now you know. I'm sure you will go to sleep tonight either with a wide smile across your face or with your finger scratching your forehead.

In other news, I am victim to six week DELL-AY with my new Inspiron 1420 laptop - all because I chose a spring green case, at least according to the call center representative half way across the world with whom I spoke. However, Jordana is currently in Nazareth, Ethiopia visiting antenatal clinics so I have free reign of her laptop. Hence, I am able to grace you with my presence this fine evening.

Greetings to one and all!

Update

2007-07-31T03:13:00.000+02:00

Guess what? I actually bought a new lap top. Get this: it doesn't arrive till mid-August. So, what does that mean? My blogging shall be limited.

In brief, life in DC is muggy. It has been raining the last few days which has been music to my ears. I've been craving a good ole pounding rain storm, the kind that starts with distant thunder, bursts of lightning, sheets of rain, and continues on with the constant din of rain drops throughout the afternoon. Water is soothing ... Too bad we don't have a jacuzzi on the balcony!

What else? I reconnected with an old friend from NYC last week. I finally got together with my friend Tara who moved here two years ago for work. We once bonded over JFK, JR, at our company Christmas party. Tara also is an awesome writer and funny girl... she took improv classes in NYC and even put on her own show. I think what I loved best though was her character, Mr. Goldman Sachs Firewarden, based on a company newsletter circulated after 9/11.

Anyhow, it is wonderful to reconnect with old friends. They remind you of a certain part of yourself... My years in NYC were sweet and formative, but they seem so long ago now. And, boy, I seem to be a different woman now. Wiser, I certainly hope!

A few pictures from May - South Bend

2007-07-12T04:44:00.000+02:00

Karen, Mark and Chris at Mark's graduation from Notre Dame du Lac's Kroc Institute

Wishing I were still in the Outerbanks

2007-07-11T01:34:00.000+02:00

Well, I'm back, and feeling pretty tired. It seems to always work like this: you go away on vacation, but it proves to take so much out of you that you need a vacation after the vacation.

To make a long story short, I made it to Corolla, NC, at dawn on Sunday morning after stopping in Durham to drop some of my sister Stephanie's stuff off at her new place near Duke-- I think that was around 11pm (Saturday). So, after getting back on the road, making an unsuccessful attempt at getting a hot fudge sundae under the golden arches, we proceeded through the darkness of night, the extreme humidity of the south, and eerie rain storms. If you have ever watched David Lynch's "Dark Highway" that's what I'm talking about - mind you, I mean the darkness and not the other gunk in that movie (I don't recommend). At one point we had some confusion reading signs, and since we were right near a 24/7 Super Walmart, we pulled in and had a walk around at about 3 am. Oh, it was an adventure. I have to say that this was an entirely surreal experience; I felt as if we had landed in an alternate reality coming out of the dark mist and entering the bright light and noisy airconditioning of this sparsely populated Walmart store. We all felt as if we might be gobbled up by some resident aliens or something, but we simply ended up buying some Pringles, gum, and beverages before continuing on. Oh, and Mark led us to the electronics section for a run by.

After what seemed an eternity, we arrived at Easy Breezes (our rented house) in Corolla, NC at about 5:30 am. We were all loopy. Karen and Christian greeted us at the door and acted surprised we made it without getting lost. Ha - we showed them our powers of navigation. On Sunday, to Stephanie's and my surprise, my brother Mark was as energetic as the Energizer Bunny, frolicking in the ocean waves and running through the sand. He was insane! This all ended for Mark on Monday. Mark drove all the way from Brooklyn to DC to the Outerbanks. Supposedly he wants to add this to his truck driving application and resume (if the whole peace building and conflict resolution thing doesn't pan out).

Since I seem to be going on about these trivial details, let me jump to an update on my parents. Mom and dad actually made it on Wednesday. Four of us drove about 1.5 hours to meet them on Wednesday morning at like 3 am in Sligo, NC, near the NC/VA border. You might see a running theme in our family- ill-conceived insane planning. Christian, Karen, Steph and I sat in Powell's Market driveway and were fairly flabbergasted when my parents' Honda Accord pulled in 10 minutes later. It was a difficult journey back to Easy Breezes. Of course, I had Steph to keep me awake, but all my eyes wanted to do was close. It took a whole lotta mind over matter and stamina to make it back.

All in all, it was wonderful to get out of DC and to be isolated in the Outerbanks - granted there were moments when I felt completely cut off from civilization and wondered what we'd do if some major crises or attack occured. Cut me some slack - I live in DC, used to work in NYC, experienced 9/11 - I have this sometimes sick desire to be near the action. Probably my favorite event of the week was kayaking on the Aligator river. Mother Nature was at her finest. And, it was kind of fun almost thinking I saw an aligator (boy, did that freak me out!) and actually seeing a running black bear. I leaned my head out Christian's SUV and called, "Hi, little bear". You had to be there.

As for my dad, he continues to deal with shingles on his optic nerve. Half of his face is covered with sores and scabs and his eye is pretty much closed shut. It is not a condition I'd wish upon anyone. I'm glad we had my parents for a few days; we got to fete them with a steamed crab and shrimp dinner. It was also nice to have a little extra time with them on the drive back to DC - yes, even despite the 9-hour drive. We ran into an accident that cost us hours. It was most painful for my dad, but somehow I just dealt with it. I wasn't in a hurry to get home. I really wished we had another week at the beach! However, we were all relieved to get to my place around 5 pm on Saturday evening. I gave my parents the tour and I'd say they liked it. Everyone always "oohs" and "ahhs" when they see the 2nd floor space -- my mom was no exception. We ended up picking up a pizza from Spout Run's famous Italian Store and scouted some wines up Lee Highway. We finished off the night listening to Billie Holiday, sipping Chianti, and eating dark chocolate. Dad, of course, rested, but I think he enjoyed listening to Lady Day and Miles Davis before that.

I'll close there for now. Please pray for continued healing for dad. His eye is actually causing him more pain now and his energy is very low. Mom is doing her best to be the every faithful caregiver. Times like these really get me thinking about those marriage vows couples take (i.e., in sickness and in health). It is hard, but it is truly a beautiful, beautiful thing to see those vows lived out.

Zinger of a Curve Ball

2007-06-30T16:57:00.000+02:00

Life is unexpected, simply put.

Right now I was supposed to be on the road with my parents and grandma Wyszkowski, driving to the Outerbanks of North Carolina. I imagine I'd be catching up with my parents, my grandma would be filling me in on her aches and pains, and there would be some disagreement on interpretation of stories from home. Grandma tends to see things a little different than mom and dad. Then Grandma would change the subject abruptly - she has an uncanny skill - and all of a sudden we'd be talking about her blueberry bushes or something.

Anyhow, it is Saturday morning, my parents are home in Binghamton, and my dad has shingles and bronchitis. I'm here in DC waiting for my brother Mark and sister Stephanie to arrive from Brooklyn. The short story is my dad got horribly ill this past week and my parents have decided they aren't in any shape to travel, at least right now. This is not what my sister and Karen and I were planning. The whole purpose of our week together in the Outerbanks was to celebrate 35 years of marriage and my dad's good health, but instead my dad is home with lesions on his head, and my mom is dutifully caring for him, but understandably concerned and exhausted. Hmmm. It is a gigantic bummer, a curve ball I definitely wasn't expecting. Life is unexpected. And, once again, I will only come to understand God's ways in heaven. Please pray for healing and that my parents might still be able to join us later this coming week.

We still have so much to celebrate. Although my father's current circumstances are not fun and are quite unnerving, the very, very good news, Praise the Lord, is that his PT scan for cancer came back negative this week. We are all quite relieved and grateful.

Well, I guess I should get packing. You never now when the siblings will arrive. It will be an interesting road trip to say the least. Looking forward to the adventure. From DC, we will be off to Durham (where Steph will start med school at Duke) to drop some things off at her new apartment and from there to Corolla in the Outerbanks. Whooo, I guess I better get prepared for the miles ahead....

The First Installment - A Safeway Story

2007-06-26T04:33:00.001+02:00

Every time Jordana and I hit our local Safeway for groceries, we immediately know we're not in Kansas -- or Virginia -- any more. Our first visit included an episode with a local Southwester of 25 years erupting in line because the security guard looked at him in the wrong way. My visit this past Saturday seemed like it just might go off without a hitch before I got into line. That is where it always happens. Although sometimes the entrance can be interesting. Sometimes there's a homeless person; other times there are men just hanging around making comments as women enter and leave. It's always an adventure and introduction to city living. That is DC living. So, I was waiting to check out with my myriad baking supplies, standing behind a Caucasian woman who seemed to be an urbanite and a really, really old couple who were quite hilarious to observe. The older man didn't realize his wife had run off with the groceries while he was paying. The urbanite woman in front of me decided to try to joke around a little with him, telling him, "No, those are my groceries. You can't have 'em." She then turned to me, "Oh, I hope I didn't scare the old guy". He slowly noticed his wife out of the corner of his eye and putting one foot in front of the other made his way over to her. In the meantime I shared a cute laugh with the urbanite about how lovely this couple was and discussed how we both wished we would some day be like them. Next comes an interruption: some young thing with heels and a tight skirt wanted a price check. She gets in the way of the urbanite and the urbanite didn't much like it. So the urbanite decided to bump her and starts speaking in some urban lingo, dropping the slang. Hmmmm, I wonder what will be coming out of my month in a few months?

A Sign of Life

2007-06-23T01:56:00.001+02:00

Yes, friends, I am still alive. It has been too long, much too long, since my fingers graced a keyboard, typing a blog entry on the VOC. I apologize, but I have not yet, purchased a lap top or desk top. Somehow I've been caught up in a whirlwind of activity, mainly at work. Yeah, story of my life. Truth be told I was getting kind of bored for a few weeks -- well, that is no longer the case! I've got about enough information to download and process -- I think my internal celeron or pentium processor up in the 'noggin is about to go bezerk. I kid you not, really.

Anyway, just wanted to say hello. Breathe a sign of life.

A short update: I have a new intern at work, which I absolutely adore. Jiri is so detail oriented and brilliant it makes me want to jump for joy. Seriously. If there is one thing I've come to learn is that not everyone is as obsessive compulsive and attentive to detail as I am. He's only been here a week and I am able to pass things off to him with confidence. That is something every manager would like to have in his/her employees, but sadly it is not always the case. In case you are curious, Jiri is also a chess player and student at university in Prague. Okay, maybe that is another reason we get along well. Except for the fact I told him today his country had a disfunctional government.

Moving on, tomorrow I'm off to a PENN alumni event at Haines Point. I am going to be a mentor to young Penn students spending the summer in DC. I really love working with younger students and building them up. But don't be fooled, this is my first official foray into an organized program. We shall see.

To one of my most loyal readers, thanks for your call! Unfortunately this past week has been a bit like working in a NYC lawfirm. Alas, it is Friday and if there is enough day light left -- I'm going to try to get a jog in.

Godspeed.

Silent Bob R.I.P.

2007-06-03T00:56:00.001+02:00

Friends, it is with great sadness that I share the news Bob, my Dell Inspiron 8150 laptop, passed away on Monday evening. We spent nearly 5 years together. Bob was solid. Some liked to think of him as a brick house given his construction and weight. But, for me, Bob was consistent. He harldy every failed me. He traveled to Prague, California, and Binghamton on multiple occasions. And, now he is silent. Well, not if you attempt to turn him on. The optical drive -- what I believe is the hard drive -- is kaput. I came home on Monday night after a lovely dinner out to find the BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH. You can imagine my stomach dropped and my eyes grew two sizes. I ran to Bob and saw the fatal words ... beginning dump of physical memory. This was the beginning of the end. On Wednesday night I saw my friend Jess who does IT stuff at Georgetown University. Well, after several attempts of trying to read my hard drive from an external hard drive Jess gave me the doctor out of the operating room read out: "Maam, we did everything we could, but unfortunately Bob didn't make it."

So, I've been a little sad, a little under the weather, to be honest, a little stir crazy without an internet hook-up. Man, are we ever dependent beings! In case you are wondering, I'm writing now from Jordana's new laptop.

For now, I'm contemplating next steps. Considering a new lap top or even a desk top. If you have any recommendations I'm all ears - figuratively, of course.

In the midst of my mourning, I know life will go on. I'll mooch from my roommate for a while. I'll educate myself about the horrors of Windows Vista and I'll eventually make a decision. And, just perhaps, not being an online addict will be a good thing. Time away from the computer will allow me to do other things, most important carry on life in the real world. It's a bit scary how many people spend more hours in the cyber world than in the waking world.

Well, a jog on the mall is calling my name.

But, before I leave you, I'll share one self-deprecating story... I was at a friend's picnic today and got roped into playing some stupid game called "Izzy Dizzy". It basically takes you back to grade school - not necessarily a bad thing - but in this case, yes ,it was. You run down to a pole, put your forehead to the pole and rotate 8 times, then you attempt to run back to your team and the next person goes. Well, I somehow (in my old age) did not believe that dizzyness could overcome my body. I warn you - turning around a pole 8 times will most certainly make you dizzy and temporarily incapacitate you from walking in a straight line. The debacle of my afternoon is that after I turned around 8 times, I fell flat on my face, bent my glasses out of shape, gashed my forehead, and brazed the skin below my elbow. If there was ever a sight for sore eyes, it was me!! I could hardly stand up after I fell, and when I did, I could not walk straight. For some reason unbeknownst to myself, I had to walk/run to the right and into the tree line. Well, after a whole lotta mind over matter will power, I made it back to my team. The last two people on my team got to go, but the game was well over. My dear friend Anita, horrified at the blood on my forehead, the sight of my twisted glasses, and the blood on my arm volunteered to clean me up. What a friend! Now I'm home after a quick trip to Pentagon City Mall where I got my specs fixed. Thank the good Lord! They were fixable, and I can see again.

Dizzyness is not where it's at. That sums it up.

PS: I hope you all watched the National Spelling Bee on Thursday!

Kerplump

2007-05-18T07:16:00.000+02:00

Well, it is now official. I'm a resident of the district. You know - that place where people have license plates with "taxation without representation". But, if Eleanor Holmes has anything more to say about it, that could change within my lifetime. We shall see. I do miss Virginia -more than just the enfranchisement. Actually, I headed back to my old environs to hit the gym and drop some garbage (we haven't quite figured out which days to put out different types of refuse).

I realized I felt at home driving down Calvert. Although I love my newfound space, it is not yet home. I still feel like a visitor. I'm sure it has something to do with living in one place for 3 years and the familiarity and sense of home that naturally develops. I mean who in their 20s or 30s does that any more in the mid-Atlantic corridor. Okay I know a few people who are the exception, but for the most part, we are hoppers. We hop around.

As I was driving down the George Washington Parkway, relishing the view of Georgetown and the monuments, I also realized I have simply been through a tremendous amount of change the last half-year. Coming back from Prague, hopping from one assignment to the next, and now a new apartment. On top of that friendships have also changed a bit. Some friends are dating and others are getting married. And, then there are still others who are across the world or simply a challenge to get a hold of. C'est la vie - n'est pas?

Given the hour I should really get to bed. Tomorrow evening I'm catching a flight after work to Chicago to attend my brother's MA graduation from Notre Dame. Hmmm, South Bend. I wonder what treasures it beholds -- that is, besides the famed Notre Dame Fighting Irish and basillica.

But, before I sign off, here's a little remnant of our move. Jordana had a file cabinet that pretty much nobody wanted, including herself.

Oh, before I forget, my good news is that I found a wonderful new home for my trusted companion the black table! Two young gentlemen showed up on Sunday around 10pm to strap it on top of their sedan. Although I waited a while for them to get there, I knew in an instant they were the right pair for my table. I'm sure Mr. Sturdy Black Table has a fine new home.

Faithful Companion

2007-05-11T05:47:00.000+02:00

Okay. I have my issues - we all do, right? So, I'm experiencing a bit of anxiety about my old kitchen/dining table that I'm giving away to some woman off of Craigslist that wants to use it for her Memorial Day celebration. You might find this table ugly, but there's more to it than its outside appearance. I mean - it is a solid table. It is sturdy. Most of all, it has weathered graduate school and 3 years of dinner parties and the like in our present apartment. It has been by my side for some time - ah, literally at times! Haha.

You know - I paid absolutely nothing for this little big guy. My old roommate Leah Ford (now Groveman) happened to snag it in our old building, The Statesman. Why is it so hard to say goodbye? Maybe it has something to do with the fact my mom said it was a keeper based on how solid it was -- "You can do so many things with this table, Christine. Hold on to it."

Alas, I think our time has come. With the help of my handy dandy friend Susanna that drives a mean church van (with blinking lights and back up lights to boot), I secured a $40 new, old drop -leaf table that sits 8-10 max from a young couple in Adams Morgan. When the leaves are down, it takes up so much less space and it is also sturdy. Despite all of this, my heart still pangs knowing that our little big guy will be holding refreshments on some patio on Memorial Day and its ultimate fate is unknown. For all I know she'll take it to a dumpster! Now, that would be sad.

Anyhow, I have worked and unworked Craigslist this last week, in search of a cheaply prized treasure trove. You might say I'm an addict. You know -- the quest for the ultimate bargain. Its seductive hook is a killer!

Sleep is in order. I'm growing more and more delirious. Before you know it I'll be writing an ode.

The Big Move

2007-05-10T06:01:00.000+02:00

Wendy and Jordana share a hug in front of one of my favorite all-time birthday gifts: Leah's Cow

Chris modeling a filipino straw hat. Yes, we know how to have fun!

OKAY - I'm officially an idiot. Why? I'll tell you later, but for now, suffice it to say it is nearly midnight and I need to be up by 4:30am. Enough.

Anyhow, we had part 1 of the big move this past Saturday. I gotta tell you we have some of the very very very very best friends around. We got 10-12 people together and boy did they do a great job. No, we're not done yet, but we're on our way.

Favorite tidbit from last weekend: Jordana (my roommate) calls me on my cell while I'm directing traffic at the new place. Turns out the guys back in Virginia decided to take matters into their own hands and pack our couch for us. I didn't quite believe Jordana at first as we had told everyone no massive furniture just yet. I guess they we're bored and not feeling like their skills were being fully utilized. I can relate. Well, I'm mighty happy they did what they did. It has been nice to have the couch in the new place. Yes, unfortunately, I live a dual existence; hence, one of the reasons I must get up at 4:30.

Toodles. CXF

The New Adventures of Old Christine

2007-05-05T08:43:00.001+02:00

So, this week has been eventful to say the least. For starters, it is 2:45 am. Yeah, typical for college and life in NYC, but not the older and (well, hopefully) wiser Christine. Hmmm, I guess you might say this week has been a new adventure of old Christine.

As you might recall, I am in the midst of packing and preparing for a move. For the first time I'm moving out of an apartment complex and into a town house. Not buying mind you, but taking on a 2-level row house, where the landlord lives 30 miles away. Normally he wont be around much, but he's been spending quite a few days at our place overseeing the painting and repairs needed. Let's see... where to begin. The afternoon we met our landlord we discovered the washer hookup didn't quite work and the stove gas burners would not light. In comparison to today's shocker those hassles were just that -a big frustration not having everything ready and just so. You know me, I'm a perfectionist and I want things done ASAP. I can't rest until I know things are in place. Hence, it is going on 3 am and I'm not fast asleep although I'm teetering on delirium. Back to my story.

Jordana and I came home from work to change quickly and pack some cleaning supplies. We then rushed out to Wendy's, blasting the radio, and proceeded on to Jordana's work building to pick up scissors (in my haste I forget them on the kitchen table) and more boxes. Well, we drove done 21st street, relived our grad school days passing through GWU campus, then near State (haven't been there in a while!), and on eventually to our new place. Just as we pulled in our dear Mr. Ware was pulling out, but he stopped because he wanted to show us what he'd accomplished that day. Thank you Lord for this crossing of our paths! After about 20 minutes and multiple tries between the three of us, no one (NO ONE) could open the door. The top lock was off. When it became evident that we did not possess the magic powers to make this door swing open, we obtained a DC phonebook from our friendly Romanian neighbors and found an emergency locksmith. Let me tell you... I was no happy camper, but Jordana in her wisdom knew she had to remain calm and in good spirits to balance me. Talk about a good roommate. She got us our locksmith to the rescue, George, who we think was Greek. George pulled up in a chevy malibu with what looked like GPS and was wearing a huge smile across his face, trying to convey the message: ladies, relax, George has arrived. I noticed this as he parked his car, and suddenly, I felt like this nightmare was coming to an end.

I'd like to tell you there is a happy ending. But, as of 11:15pm when Jordana and I decided to leave, George was still trying to put in a new lock. After a good amount of effort he managed to open the door and bust the old lock (which was really a new lock a different locksmith put in a week ago), but he had not yet managed by 11pm to get a new lock working. He still seemed calm, cool, very cool, and collected as we were leaving and so I just had to throw my hands up and take a deep breath. And, I also allowed Jordana to drive home although I somehow felt like driving would be the perfect stress reliever. It was still a good ride home in the passenger seat. I mean, how many people joy ride around the country's national monuments on a Friday night.

So, it's now after 3 and our living room is completely filled with boxes. I'm actually sitting next to a couple myself. But my bed is free so I think that is where I'm heading. Please pray for a safe and sound beginning at our new place!

So I'm moving

2007-05-03T05:38:00.000+02:00

It's been another one of those weeks, or couple of weeks. I mean to write, but then I don't. Just too much stuff going on. Big Band jazz concerts, DC jazz clubs, Mets-Nats baseball, work ... And, what's my excuse this time: I'm moving out of Virginia, away from the cozy North Arlington apartment that has been home for the past 3 years and into SW DC. Packing, moving, setting up a new place is not fun! In fact it's horrible! I detest it! Okay, I'm sure you get the point. I, hopefully we, will survive. This Saturday we move the smaller stuff and the following Saturday a reasonably-priced mover is taking care of the big stuff. Oh how I wish my name were Dorothy and I lived in the land of Oz and owned a pair of red ruby slippers. I guess a white witch is also part of the recipe. Not that I'd want to have my house picked up in a tornado, but I would certainly love to click my ruby slippers together, fall asleeep, and wake up the next morning and have everything taken care of. Unfortunately, life isn't like the movies although if you play the radio while you drive or groove to your tunes at home, at least you can create a soundtrack. That is a saving grace :)Yes, I will survive!

Cleaning up my files

2007-04-25T05:48:00.000+02:00

Here's a short clip I took on one of my last leisurely walks around Prague. Yes, you might say I'm still in mourning.

In other news, I just got back from eating Maryland crabs (albeit out of season) with my roommate Jordana (originally from Manila, Philippines), her mom and 4 aunts, and our friend Heather. Jordana's mom and aunts (all a year apart) happen to be having a sisters week together on the east coast. It's always a treat when you actually get to put names with faces. I've heard so much about Jordana's mom, her Tita Tessie and Tita Dolly, married to a Polish-American with a daughter named Krysia, and all the other titas and cousins. Let's see I think I now know how to say "older sister" in Tagalog and Korean. Filipino culture, with its Spanish influence, is rather warm for Asia. Similar to Spain and France, you give everyone a peck on the cheek even if it's the first time you meet them. I truly love America's diversity.

And, now back to Praha.

On the lighter side - BoSox Fan Gets Hit With Flying Pizza - I Kid You Not

2007-04-19T04:36:00.000+02:00

Okay, I think we're all in need of a little levity. Get a kick out of this foul ball mishap with flying beer and pizza at a recent Boston Red Sox/Los Angeles Angels game at Fenway... I don't know how or why I was on You Tube, but somehow I came across this gem. My favorite part starts around the 1:20 mark (approximately). It provides good, deep, raucous laughter. At least it did in my case! The network game announcers add some rather amusing commentary... a bit in the vein of Tom and Ray Magliozzi of Car Talk on National Public Radio. Enjoy.