"Grab your coat and get your hat!/Leave your worries on the doorstep./Just direct your feet/to the sunny side of the street." Unless you're sitting on the shady side of the street to watch the Rose Parade, then make sure you're wearing a cotton layer, a wool layer, a capeline layer, a wool layer, a cotton layer as well as your coat (wool/cashmere overcoat from a Glasgow thrift store) and hat (a blue watch cap from who knows where). . Also a scarf from Nepal. Also sit close to your cousins for warmth. Best float: the reef fish. Most annoying float faux pas: bananas growing upside down on the Dole float. Dole!! Come on, people. Best band uniforms: the dancers and musicians from Mexico had gorgeous costumes. Best music of a band: the Marines have them all beat. Coolest horses: the Frisians have to win out. Outfit I was gladdest not to be wearing while sitting on a float in 45 degree weather in a chilly had wind:a mermaid bra and shorts!
Strolling and biking along Colorado Boulevard as it filled up yesterday was a hoot. We have one night of street people with fancy gear for New Year's Eve in Pasadena--air matresses, heaters, espersso machines, computers powered by generators!! J.Crew was boarded up by 5 pm, and the crowd was honkng their world cup horns when I was going to work at 10 am Friday. I slept so much better in my own bed than on the sidewalk, and we ended up with a just fine spot near the end of the route, so no worries.
Disneyland with nine Smiths in the rain, preceded by a Bit Smith Sleepover, with three of us in the Garage Cave and getting up at, gulp, 5:30. I wan't wearing my wool and capeline under my overalls, and I regretted it. But, Thunder Mountain Railroad in the rain was thrilling! I was amused. Disneyland doesn't sell churros in the rain. Bummer. And, fair warning: Michael Jackson as Captain Eo was far, far worse than I had ever remembered, and I shall bitterly regret those 20 minutes till the end of my days. How could something be so bad? That level of eye-crossing insipidity couldn't be duplicated even if done on purpose. Also, sitting still while watching it when already wet through made me hypothermic and miserable. Luckily my chivalrous brother leapt to the rescue with chocolate covered pretzels and kindness. Thanks, B! You're a star.
Birthday museum visit to the Norton Simon with the siblings and the niecefews. Culture! How I love you!
Birthday dinner party, tablecloths and candles, transforming Chez Gene. Menu: babaganouj, tabbouleh, lentils stewed in garlic, and hummus with flat bread, pita, and baguettes; carrot soup; Indonesian rice salad and satay with peanut sauce; Balinese spice cake and vanilla ice cream.
Christmas with lots of rellies!, including three whole meals eaten at tables with real siverware and not plastic and not out of my lap. Well done, relatives. The cascading overflow of presents around the tree warmed my heart, too. :-)
A trip on the train downtown with cousin J to see a concert at Disney Concert Hall. We got student rush tickets and ended up sitting in the SECOND ROW! God be praised! We also ate delish Mexican at the central market, where I bought some mole, frankincense and myrrh. Nice for Christmas!
I talked my way into the church choir for a week so I could sing alto for the Hallelujah, my little Baroque oratorio fix. I need much, much more of it in my life, but there's no space. Singing under Dr. Hopkins back at UAF is a little different than singing for the church choir! He taught me well, better than I ever knew back then. Thanks, Dr. Hopkins, and I'm really sorry for all the days we giggled too much when we were dumb freshmen and couldn't behave well in public.
I worked a lunch shift where I handled 40 covers in 3 hours. Yoikers! Three months ago I could barely handle 12.
I auditioned for a play! And got a part!! And rehearsals start Saturday!!! AND I have to be off book by then!!!! I am juror #9 in Reginald Rose's Twelve Angry Men. Yes, all you smart aleks out there, I am an angry man. Angrier than I can say.
No one else has died this month. Good job, everyone! Keep it up. Give me another month, at least, to keep being sad about Bettie Yarita and baby Smith.
I wrote many papers that last week of school (five, I think, some short and three long). I wrote one fabulous paper in which I learned a lot and enjoyed examining a piece of art (for Theology & Film). I wrote another fascinating paper (for Power Encounter) in which I stored up heaps of ideas to use in Uka and reflected on really mind blowing research and some practice with healing prayer. And, I wrote one that never got beyond an 18-page rough draft into the 10-page final paper it needed to be. I ran out of time, but I'd also already given up on success due to being from a different planet from the unfortunate youth who will be grading it. Alas. Very compelling ideas for the class (Church and Mission in Global Context), but I'm afraid I'll end up with a low grade. I'll be an example for my own students with my D in a grad class! And I'll loose my scholarship! Woe is me!
I registered for classes that start in two days: Anthropology, Leadership, Intro to Global Theology.
I read a few library books.
That's all!
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