I'm tempting fate by drinking from reused water bottles

Ha-Ha!

A translation of the popular French children's song 'Alouttta'

Lark, kind lark, Lark, I will pluck you.

I will pluck your head (repeat) And your head (repeat) Lark (repeat) Ah!

(Refrain)

I will pluck your beak (repeat) And your beak (repeat) And your head (repeat)...

I will pluck your eyes (repeat)
I will pluck your neck (repeat)
I will pluck your wings (repeat)
I will pluck your feet (repeat)
I will pluck your tail (repeat)

French brutes!

shannon, your best quality shines through in how Intelligent you are!

The fact that you're a smart person who is more able to understand complex concepts than many other people are really draws people to you! But that's not the only thing. Your answers on the test indicate you're a funny person who is likely known for your great sense of humor. You are an inventive and creative person who usually has an abundance of imagination and ideas, too.

In all, there are 15 qualities that help define you when you're at your best. Those are the traits potential employers, friends, and partners look for in you. What makes you unique is your particular distribution of those 15 qualities.

We've found that your particular combination of qualities is rare — only 1 in 10,000 people share the same general mix of traits. Those are great odds if you're trying to show a potential employer, colleague, friend, or date why you're exactly the right person for them.

I'm smart! I'm smart dang it! :0)

I found a book on Kwanzaa, it is, of course out of season, however, it was also on clearance. I figure learning about a new holiday for $2.00 is an extreamly good deal. I will certainly add it to my repetoir of holidays to be celebrated. (Yes, I realize it is an African American holiday, but I figure half is good enough-- I am, after all American.)

Here are a few quotes that impressed me deeply from my new book, A Kwanzaa Keepsake. Celebrating the Holiday with New Traditions and Feasts

It wouldn't be funny if I were making it up myself. . .
"Those who think that holidays are days steeped in centuries-old tradition are always surprised to hear that the African-American feast of Kwanzaa was established in 1966. The name Kwanzaa comes from the Swahili word kwanza, meaning first. The second "a" distinguishes the African-American from the African kwanza "

"An apocryphal tale is told that during one of the early Kwanzaa celebrations, a children's pagent was held, with each child holding up a card with the letters of the word kwanza, which was spelled at that time with one "a." One child was left, letterless and weeping, at the end of the row. A second "a" was quickly produced, the day was saved, and the holidaywas forever after known as Kwanzaa."

This, my friends, is "the miracle of the second a of kwanzaa." Let us celebrate together (when the time is right, I'll let you know) Kwanzaa with two a's.

A man knocked on a door.
"Who's there?" Asked God.
"Me." Replied the man.
"Go away then." Said God.
The man left and wandered in the arid desert until he realized his error. He returned to the door and knocked again.
"Who's there?" Asked God.
"You." Replied the man.
"Then come in," said God, "there's no room here for two."

Sufi teaching story.

I highly endorse the stuffed french toast at IHOP. Go get some now! Take me with you! Please?

Last night I dreamed in colors and textures of tall grasses and wild flowers, of a little red house sitting at the end of a long and pocked dirt driveway, of pine trees reaching their fingers to the sky. I dreamed the taller of the two trees was being pushed skyward by a lost thumb beneath its strong roots.

There was a black water still pond and a weeping willow, bent in mourning to kiss the cold water.

There was a little evergreen in the yard. The children could reach the top, and they would adorn it with snow balls and icicles for Christmas with its freezing snow family.

I dreamed of fat, black tadpoles with legs swimming round and round in a quickly receding summer storm water hole. I dreamed they need rescuing, but it was time for lunch. Fat black tadpoles dry up like raisins with legs in the sun.

Classes are canceled, the library is closed, but I'm not allowed to leave. Suckers, they just made me mad, I've now encouraged all students and workers to go home before it's too late! Now I am here all alone, and they will pay me for doing nothing.

"I'm like pudding to you." db

Once the stars were against me, but I think they are coming back now. This has been a good week. First I had a pseudo-Valentine, then I got a Christmas card, with money in it! (Actually I've gotten 5 letters this week, including the Christmas cards) I got email from three long-losts, and today when I opened the drier, a five dollar bill fell out! Whoo-Hoo! I picked it up and said, "I don't know where you came from, but I'm keeping you!" Of course there is still this matter of the wisdom tooth, but I suppose I can't have it all.

I got two Christmas cards today. Postmarked Dec 18 and Dec 20.

Today I gave the science center skeleton a paper heart, lips and paper kisses all over his head and shoulders. He got a Valentine from the Torso as well.

Happy Valentine's day!

My hat showed up and bought me lunch. Showing up and buying lunch . . . two good signs.

I have a rendez-vous tomorrow at 12:16, in front of the central library. I will know him by his hat.

One year for Valentine’s Day, I invited my students to my home for a ‘tea party.’ All my students were Afghan refugee ladies.

They came to my house, they marveled at my deviled eggs, they made Valentines for the first time, and I led them in a rousing game of ‘pin the heart on the man.’ They liked the game a lot, they were very competitive. They played with gusto.

Later when I told the missionary ladies about the party, they were scandalized by my choice of games.

I was hoping for a confirmation this morning, but it didn't come. Dang, if it had been the case, it would have certainly amused me. But then again, even the prospect amused me, I'll tell:

Last night I got an email from someone named Daniel B. I know one Daniel who is Dan, I don't think it's him. Daniel B. wondered if I would be attending the showing of '8Mile' at the university, as we had a good time seeing 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding.' I feel like Big Brother is Watching, I don't know Daniel, but he knows I went to see 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding.'

It is the case that I did meet two boys at 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding." You may recall, one was Bob, my ex-room mate's, sister's, fiance and Bob's friend. (Drat, I can't remember his name!) I think perhaps Daniel is Bob's friend, making him my ex-room mate's, sister's, fiance's friend.

If he is who I think he is, I'm willing to get to know him just to relish the title of our relationship.

These urges!

Today I want to, greatly desire to, am nearing a need to wear flip-flops. Oh yeah . . . I don't know what the ground-hog said, but summer in the south must be on it's way! For the past three weeks every time I go to Wal-mart (and you might be surprised at how often that is) I gravitate toward the flip-flops.(I know, why do they even have flip flops out already right?) Then I think, No, it's not warm enough yet, (besides I made a new month resolution to not buy shoes in Feb.)

And I look at my oh-so-white feet and realize the destinction of my summer-in-the-sun-nothing-but-flip-flops-tan line is all but gone.

sigh

what did the hog say?

I don’t know why.
Yesterday I got an urge to see what would happen if I stared at the little librarian girl for a long, long time. I was staring at her while I wondered, and in those few minutes I could tell from her body language that she had noticed me and that she was already becoming nervous.
What is it that causes alarm and tenseness disproportionate to the apparent threat, as someone, maybe across the room, someone clearly out of reach, simply looks at us?

I went to a Bible study sponsered by the Chinese church. We looked at Luke 5:1-11. Jesus spoke to the crowds from Simon's fishing boat on Gennesaret Lake. Jesus amazed the fishermen by providing a mighty catch of fish. When Simon realized what Jesus had done, he said: "Go away from me, Lord: I am a sinful man!"

The resulting quote of the day: "Maybe if Peter had been an accountant, he would not have believed Jesus so much."

I like Bible study with Chinese people.

I was walking to my door the other day when a little girl, about 7 years old, (long black hair, no front teeth) said, “Hi.” She was holding a picture she had made in her hand.

I said, “Hi.” She showed me the picture and said, “Do you think this is pretty?”

Being a patron of the arts and little girls, I looked at the legal size sheet of typing paper she was displaying. It had cutouts from magazines pasted to it (pictures of a necklace, a ring, Tigger and a bottle of shampoo) and I said, “Yes, that’s very nice.”

She said, ever so cleverly, “Do you want to buy it? I’ll sell it to you for 50 cents. I need two quarters for the ice-cream truck!”

Without a doubt, she looked like a girl in need, dire need of something from the ice-cream truck, (whose soul purpose is the entice small children and weak adults with its flashing lights, and it’s music box tones to eat ice cream, even on cold days!) I quickly remembered my need as a child with no teeth for “something from the ice-cream truck.”

I said, “Okay.”

In I went, got four dimes and two nickels (needed to keep the quarters for laundry). I told my roommate about the dilemma of the child outside who needed ice cream. Summer agreed to buy a large sticker from the first girl’s friend for a mere 50 cents.

When we came out with the money. My little artist (con artist) looked disappointed that it wasn’t two quarters. So I counted it out for her, to prove that it was just as good as two quarters. Summer made her exchange, and a few minutes later I made a second purchase from the last little girl who was “in the sale too, but just not outside” at the time of the original offer. This time the three had a little two year old with them, so I gave the little one my last two dimes and nickel and told them to share whatever they got with her.

I think our combined $1.75 was well spent.

Today I played the “I’m just a girl . . . with a car” game. It works every time. I have needed to put air in The Buick tires for some time. But putting air in the tires is one of those things. One of those things I just can always find a reason to put off, like vacuuming. It’s not hard, nor is it time consuming, but I just don’t want to do it.

I decided today I had put if off long enough, so when I got gas, I bought a tire gauge. I checked the pressure, and while the little stick should have poked out to 32, it only poked out to 20 on the lowest tire and 25 on the highest.

So I went back into the gas station to get change for the air machine. Thus begins the game:

Me: I need quarters please.
Gas station guy: Here you go.
Me: So, when you put air in your tires, if the tire says 35 P-S-I this little stick should poke out to 35 when you’re done right?
GSG: Yeah, but 35 sounds like a lot.
Me: Oh? That’s what it says on the tire.
GSG: I always put in 32.
Me: Okay, I’ll put in 32.
GSG: If you put in the code 2-6 before you put your quarters in the machine will turn on.
Me: It won’t turn on if I don’t put in 2-6?
GSG: Not without your quarters.
Me: So I put in 2-6 and then my quarters?
GSG: Not if you want to keep your quarters.
Me: Oh! Okay! Thanks!
----

Outside, I punch in the code, the machine comes on and I start filling up the first tire.

GSG: How’s it going?
Me: Oh, okay I guess.
GSG: Here, let me do it for you.
Me: Okay.

Three tires later, I say “Thanks!”
He goes back into the gas station mini-mart. Good has been done.

I like Wednesdays. It is a good day to blog, and go places I’ve never been.

I’m inspired after watching Amelie for the first time. (I’ve decided I should watch it every week until the end of the semester, you know to learn French, and be inspired of course.) I was inspired first to write a few lists about myself. I will share one of my lists at this time:

Things I was afraid of as a child. (not exhaustive and in no particular order)

1. Public toilets with black seats.
2. Flying insects.
3. Being thrown away.
4. The “Melting Man” who sometimes visited under my grandparent’s stair case.
5. The bathtub ghost.
6. Chickens.

An explanation of these fears:

Public toilets with black seats made exceptionally loud flushing noises. These noises had something to do with why I made my mother, with the bad back, hold me over the black toilet seat to pee so I didn’t have to touch it. Maybe I thought it would suck me down? I don’t know.

Flying insects; when I was a baby I ate a live bee. Just picked it up and popped it in my mouth. It stung me of course. Ever after I was afraid of flying insects. I didn’t know why until my mother told me this bee-eating story.

Being thrown away, I’m sure my older brothers had something to do with this one. I have a vivid memory of a windy day, walking across a parking lot and the wind was blowing me away from my mother and toward a garbage can. I was sure the wind was trying to throw me away.

The Melting Man. Although Dracula stole my Mickey Mouse ring, I was not afraid of him. I was afraid of the Melting Man whom I suspected vacationed under my grandparent’s stairs. There was one step missing at their house. There was a board placed where the step should have been, but there was no backing on it, so a little girl could see all the blackness behind the step. Although I knew full well that there was a games closet under the stair case, I was still sure some times the Melting Man was there too. I was never afraid to open the closet, but I was some times afraid to step on that board. (because he might reach his melty hand out and try to grab me) Some mornings after I suspected the Melting Man had waited all night for me to step on that step, I would check the closet (in the full light of day, nautrally) to see if he had accidentally melted on any of the games. This fear too, I believe, stemmed from my brother’s tall tales.

I’m sure the bathtub ghost was my own doing. I knew (don’t know how I knew, but I did) that if I was not dried, dressed and out of the bathroom by the time all the water had run out of the tub, the bathtub ghost would come out of the drain and try to suck me down with him! But, if an adult was in the room with me, he couldn’t come up, and if one walked in, he had to let me go. Apparently I had some trouble with bathroom fixtures as a child.

Finally, chickens. I don’t believe I need a reason for this. Chickens are scary! They are dirty and ugly and gross, and they run up and peck you on the feet for no reason at all! (Even when you aren’t stealing their eggs.) Never trust a chicken.