I hope it helps someone!
Friday, July 1, 2011
Leave a note in a library book
I went to the local library today to check out a book that is on my reading bucket list, and while I was there, decided to cross "Leave a positive note in a library book for a stranger to find" off my 101 things list. I decided to leave it in a self help book, and chose one by Dr. Phil, as I felt it'd be a popular one for people to check out. I stuck it in the middle of the book, folded up. Here is the letter -
I hope it helps someone!
I hope it helps someone!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
101 things update
I'm not doing very well so far about watching new movies. I watched Jackass 3.5 and Knight and Day, and that's about it so far. I'm really hoping to view more of my IMDB's top 250 that I haven't seen, and the two movies I just mentioned are definitely NOT on that list!
Monday, June 13, 2011
Make a rubber band ball
I finally started working on a couple of my 101 in 1001 activities. The first was to start a pointless collection. I decided on shot glasses because there are so many neat ones to collect, they are readily available, cheap and they're pointless because I don't drink! You'll notice in all my videos, its my crazy friends who are providing all the drunk entertainment. I'm the sober one of the bunch! I will occasionally try alcohol, like the moonshine and absinthe (someday), but I am not a drinker.
The second thing I started was a rubber band ball. I bought about 5 bags of rubber bands thinking that would last me a week, but it ended up only lasting 2 hours or so. I didn't cheat and use a non-rubber band center. My rubber band ball is pure! Here are some pictures of it so far, but I only started yesterday.
I need to get it over 10 lbs in the next 2 1/2 years to check it off my 101 in 1001 list. It's already at almost 3, so I think I can definitely do it!
The second thing I started was a rubber band ball. I bought about 5 bags of rubber bands thinking that would last me a week, but it ended up only lasting 2 hours or so. I didn't cheat and use a non-rubber band center. My rubber band ball is pure! Here are some pictures of it so far, but I only started yesterday.
I need to get it over 10 lbs in the next 2 1/2 years to check it off my 101 in 1001 list. It's already at almost 3, so I think I can definitely do it!
Eat a Bug
The first bug I ate was a plate of silkworms in China. I was nervous as heck, not knowing what to expect, but after taking the first trepidatious bite, I realized they just tasted like peanuts.
I became more and more brave after each bite, and soon I was seeking out more types of insect (and arthropod, as scorpions aren't insects) to try.
I even got so brave eventually, as to try a bug from my own backyard. Eating them prepared by a restaurant or street vendor in another country is one thing, but catching them alive and cooking them yourself is a whole different mindset. Here is a video of what happened when my husband told me he didn't think I had the guts to eat one of the june bugs buzzing around us one night.
Are you brave enough to eat a bug? Have you eaten one? If so, what kind?
I became more and more brave after each bite, and soon I was seeking out more types of insect (and arthropod, as scorpions aren't insects) to try.
I even got so brave eventually, as to try a bug from my own backyard. Eating them prepared by a restaurant or street vendor in another country is one thing, but catching them alive and cooking them yourself is a whole different mindset. Here is a video of what happened when my husband told me he didn't think I had the guts to eat one of the june bugs buzzing around us one night.
Are you brave enough to eat a bug? Have you eaten one? If so, what kind?
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Adopt a child
I'm going back to July 2006 for this post. Here is a journal entry I made after the adoption of our daughter Mia from Guangzhou, China -
Yesterday we left the hotel at 7am and headed to the airport. I'll skip the flight details and skip to around 11:30am where we were met by our guide Bob. We raced to a van outside and met another family though i am not sure who they were. Bob told me we'd go to the hotel and freshen up, grab some paperwork, the orphanage gifts and cameras then head to the Civil Affairs Building at 2pm to meet Mia. We got everything together and then waited downstairs for the St Johns. They were going to ride with us but the hotel bellhop misplaced their luggage so Bob took us on ahead of them and they followed after. It didnt matter because we waited awhile in the CAB and the St Johns weren't too far after. We waited in a very hot, stuffy room for what seemed like forever but was probably only about 10-15 minutes. Another woman had met her child on the elevator going up so they went ahead and brought that baby into the room for her. The rest of us waited. Soon, a lady came up to the couple next to me and said they were bringing her baby in. Bob told me they would bring Mia in about 3 minutes. I heard the baby belonging to the couple next to us screaming her head off as they walked her down the hall and laughed that Mia would be like that too. Then I looked up at the baby coming in. I jumped up and screamed "that one is MINE!!!!" and grabbed her. She cried and cried and cried....the whole time we were there. I gave the orphanage director and doctor who brought Mia the photo album I had made of the other Huazhou girls who had been adopted. They loved seeing the girls and remembered them all. I could not understand them but they would point and smile then say something to each other, and say things like they were remembering the child. She pointed to two of them and pantomimed her walking them and then pointed to the room we were in. Bob walked back in and she had him tell me she remembered bringing those two girls to this room personally. She told me one of the girls was hen piao liang, which is very beautiful. They gave the book back to me and I had Bob tell them it was for them to keep and they seemed very happy to take it with them. in exchange they gave me a photo album and camera I had sent Mia in Oct, and a photo album they had made for me with pictures of her. They also brought the list of questions I had sent and Bob translated them for me.
She would not stop screaming, crying, kicking and trying to get down when we held her. Finally we were able to leave, which was good because we were all dripping with sweat. At the elevator I asked Mason to hold her for me and when he grabbed her she turned around and reached for me. i grabbed her back and she hasn't cried since as long as i hold her. She still doesn't like Mason at all. At first she would let him touch her or even sit next to her. Now he can touch her and be by her but he cannot hold her or push the stroller when she is in it. Also I cannot leave the room, i have to be with her at all times.
We did some paperwork at the hotel, which from what i read was some papers saying we agree to foster her until the adoption is complete. After that we met Marjorie, James, Sophie and Matthew St John, and Mark, Kari, Kam and Benjamin Ottenbrite for dinner at the Cow and Bridge Thai restaurant. The food was GREAT but there were some weird things on the menu to say the least, like goose feet, pig neck, ostrich livers and more. The St Johns and Ottenbrites are wonderful company and their children are super cute. Benjamin is so handsome that he is downright pretty and gets mistaken for a girl by everyone. Sophie has those huge cute cheeks but isnt as big as she looked in her pictures.
Yesterday we left the hotel at 7am and headed to the airport. I'll skip the flight details and skip to around 11:30am where we were met by our guide Bob. We raced to a van outside and met another family though i am not sure who they were. Bob told me we'd go to the hotel and freshen up, grab some paperwork, the orphanage gifts and cameras then head to the Civil Affairs Building at 2pm to meet Mia. We got everything together and then waited downstairs for the St Johns. They were going to ride with us but the hotel bellhop misplaced their luggage so Bob took us on ahead of them and they followed after. It didnt matter because we waited awhile in the CAB and the St Johns weren't too far after. We waited in a very hot, stuffy room for what seemed like forever but was probably only about 10-15 minutes. Another woman had met her child on the elevator going up so they went ahead and brought that baby into the room for her. The rest of us waited. Soon, a lady came up to the couple next to me and said they were bringing her baby in. Bob told me they would bring Mia in about 3 minutes. I heard the baby belonging to the couple next to us screaming her head off as they walked her down the hall and laughed that Mia would be like that too. Then I looked up at the baby coming in. I jumped up and screamed "that one is MINE!!!!" and grabbed her. She cried and cried and cried....the whole time we were there. I gave the orphanage director and doctor who brought Mia the photo album I had made of the other Huazhou girls who had been adopted. They loved seeing the girls and remembered them all. I could not understand them but they would point and smile then say something to each other, and say things like they were remembering the child. She pointed to two of them and pantomimed her walking them and then pointed to the room we were in. Bob walked back in and she had him tell me she remembered bringing those two girls to this room personally. She told me one of the girls was hen piao liang, which is very beautiful. They gave the book back to me and I had Bob tell them it was for them to keep and they seemed very happy to take it with them. in exchange they gave me a photo album and camera I had sent Mia in Oct, and a photo album they had made for me with pictures of her. They also brought the list of questions I had sent and Bob translated them for me.
She would not stop screaming, crying, kicking and trying to get down when we held her. Finally we were able to leave, which was good because we were all dripping with sweat. At the elevator I asked Mason to hold her for me and when he grabbed her she turned around and reached for me. i grabbed her back and she hasn't cried since as long as i hold her. She still doesn't like Mason at all. At first she would let him touch her or even sit next to her. Now he can touch her and be by her but he cannot hold her or push the stroller when she is in it. Also I cannot leave the room, i have to be with her at all times.
We did some paperwork at the hotel, which from what i read was some papers saying we agree to foster her until the adoption is complete. After that we met Marjorie, James, Sophie and Matthew St John, and Mark, Kari, Kam and Benjamin Ottenbrite for dinner at the Cow and Bridge Thai restaurant. The food was GREAT but there were some weird things on the menu to say the least, like goose feet, pig neck, ostrich livers and more. The St Johns and Ottenbrites are wonderful company and their children are super cute. Benjamin is so handsome that he is downright pretty and gets mistaken for a girl by everyone. Sophie has those huge cute cheeks but isnt as big as she looked in her pictures.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Art Car Parade
I've made a decision to start seeing more of what my city, Houston, has to offer. I've lived here for quite awhile and always took it for granted. So many places and things I'd never experienced! The Art Car Parade was one of those things I'd always wanted to see, but never actually gotten around to going to. I'm so glad I actually did! It was fun, free and fabulous!
Monday, June 6, 2011
"Try Something New" feature
If you look to the right you will see something that says Try Something New! Under it will be a random suggestion for something new you can try/do. I'm loading new suggestions into the generator all the time so you can get a new suggestion every time you read the blog. If you try the suggestions, let me know how it went! Just post a comment and let me know! If you don't like your suggestion or it doesn't apply to you, refresh the page and you will get a new one. If you have a "try something new" suggestion you'd like me to add, leave a comment.
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