|
|
Saturday, December 29th, 2007
|
|
|
Today Marko (uncle), Scotty (cousin) and I went to Constitutional Hill in Joburg, near the CBD (downtown). It was an amazing experience and I'm still in awe at the intentionality in every bit of the place. Our tour guide, who gave us his real name, but said to call him Blessing, was remarkable and kept reminding us that the place, by necessity, centers on the notion that one builds on the past but does not dwell on it. The highest court is built in part from the bricks that were part of the old prison -- the prison itself is steeped in history going back to the Boers and Paul Kruger who built it and then was held there by the Brits.
We first toured the womens prison -- the "non-whites" section (which was horrifying and abominable) and then the part where white women were held. They had an exhibit profiling some of the women held there for various offenses -- most often pass violation -- and then underneath, the part of the new constitution that upholds the rights which were violated. So the negative was balanced, or met with the hope of change. The whole time I was there I kept marvelling that things changed -- that the regime was dismantled! I wanted to cry and to celebrate. The white men's section (where Mandela was held) was closed for renovation, and the ramparts also (it was an old fort, the walls of which kept hidden from the rest of Johannesburg the atrocities that were going on inside). The black mens section was much worse than where the black women were kept and I think the walls hold these memories somehow. The hospital where I was born (now somewhat derelict) is right next to the prison site and a journalist sneaked up to the hospital roof to take photos of tausa (from trouser -- barbaric, dehumanizing cavity search practice) happening in the courtyard.
From the site of this debasement we went to the Constitutional Court. The architecture knocked my socks off -- it centers on the image and concept of justice under an African tree -- which is an old and transparent concept. The pillars are slanted like tree trunks, tiled with mosaic to represent indigenous trees (bark and leaves) and the carpets are made to resemble leaf shadows on the ground. There are hides of bulls in front of the place where the justices sit -- they signify common ground and different perspectives/ thinking. There's so much more to say -- literally every detail was considered with intention so that the court building represents in a beautiful and clear way, what it is intended to do.
This afternoon I went with Meryl (aunt) to the Joburg Botanical Gardens, which was so lovely! We saw the beautiful waterfall and heard the singing at a fancy wedding happening there. We enjoyed the succulents -- all the plants there are native.
The weather is perfect here and my aunt's garden at their house is inspired and amazing! I am so happy to be home! The best part is seeing my family. It's so hard to live so far away -- I think for all of us to be so scattered takes an enormous toll, but I'm going to do my best to celebrate this time and live it to the fullest.
|
|
Comments: Read 1 or Add Your Own.
|
|
Monday, October 15th, 2007
|
|
|
Joe and I went to Houston for the weekend for a wake. I left feeling so grateful for the amazing friends I have and so, so heart-broken that Joe's best-friend is gone.
Andy, you left a gaping hole in many lives. We miss you, we love you, we want to wring your neck for being so truly careless. Even though you were probably wired that way. I wish you were still here to be Joe's friend, Sam's dad, and to do things like put Chibi in your pocket.
We knew this was coming -- for years. It's still a shock in some way.
|
|
Comments: Add Your Own.
|
|
|
On Friday we found out that we'll be moving into our new house in less than a month (!!!) and I feel like my head is about to 'splode. I have a bunch of batcrap to sell (used-but-still-just-dandy vacuum cleaner anyone?) or just relieve from my ownership, really. I'm in a ball of angst about all this. Just the thought of braving the ridiculous snootery of Buffalo Exchange to off-load used-but-still-dandy t-shirts is enough to send me into an anxious wobble. I do hate Buffalo Exchange a fair amount and something tells me Austin's version will be even more brimming with snoot than Houston's. Not that I'm biased or anything. Perhaps I should just say, "Eh" and drop the whole darn lot off at Goodwill.
Last week I watched an episode of Clean Sweep which exacerbated this whole dilemma. (I like the show a good deal less than its British counter-part Life Laundry, but no matter.) The episode featured these two rocker peeps who had a scary junk room on the go. Think of your kitchen junk drawer--the one with a weird array of coozies, coupons, take-out menus and such--but in room-form. These rockers had an "online auction business" on the go and in the keep-or-toss-this-batcrap-item situation they would say, "Oh, that batcrap's for online auction." I guess they couldn't say EBay or something. So now, when confronted with my extensive supply of batcrap, I think, "Oh, that batcrap's for online auction." Except that I have no patience to sell the batcrap on EBay when I know that a) it won't sell or b) it won't sell for enough to warrant the effort. Right?
The whole idea of being a "home-owner" is a little surreal. As my dear MaryT would say, we soon shall lord over a ridiculous amount of square-footage --the thought is strange, but also exciting. Also, we shall have a garden/ patch of lawn! A delightful prospect, especially since I haven't had a patch of lawn since I was a teen, living it up in Hillcrest, KZN, S. Africa, The World, The Solar System and so forth. I sort of can't wait. I think the month ahead might bring some stress and certainly a good dose of self-absorption, but we'll have a house once it's all over. Hooray!
In other news, we had a lovely visitor in town this weekend and went to see Spiderman 3. Joe filled us in with all the Spidey back-story and how things went down for reals in the comic books--great times all 'round.
|
|
Comments: Read 2 or Add Your Own.
|
|
Thursday, April 12th, 2007
|
|
|
Yesterday I received some sad news. My friend's husband died suddenly on Easter Sunday of a heart attack.
I keep thinking of his broad, warm smile and how happy they were to be together when I last saw them a little over three years ago. Since then they've had two children and another is 3 months away. It's hard to comprehend. It makes being on opposite sides of the Atlantic harder than ever. This sadness belongs to a family I am sort of part of and it is wrenching to be far away. This feels self-indulgent, of course, though today it feels impossibly hard to navigate the distance.
My friend is 6 months pregnant and the mother of a two-year old, a one-year old. There is no life insurance, or any insurance, and I am worried about how she's going to make ends meet and manage the more-than-full-time job of being a mother of three small children who won't remember their dad's broad smile.
|
|
Comments: Read 4 or Add Your Own.
|
|
Tuesday, March 20th, 2007
|
|
Saturday, February 10th, 2007
|
|
Saturday, January 13th, 2007
|
|
|
I looked back on my memey recap of 2005 and boy howdy but 2006 was a whole different can o' worms. I didn't do nearly as much travelling but I also didn't have to navigate a precarious and wretched work situation. I lost a dear friend, but I was there to say good-bye. Joe's aunt died and two babies were born to two different groups of good pals. I started a new job and moved to a new city, and I have to say, the view of the Golden Corral parking lot from our third-floor apartment is not to shabby.
Last winter when we moved in here (after some gruelling house hunting) we, and our kitties, watched the birds in the tree outside the window rear their wee offspring. We think they've come back to nest again this year, despite Chibi and Solid's rather active interest . . . er, lip smacking. I think I might finally be used to living here although we did just have a rather hilarious experience at the movie theatre this afternoon, which, in some way characterises why Austin can be an odd place.
Joe and I met some of our pals (and some of their pals and their pals' pals) at the Alamo Drafthouse to see Pan's Labyrinth. In the line to get into the theatre there was some disagreement with a women who felt that they were violating the rules of nature by joining the line with a group of their friends who had arrived a little earlier. They had tried to appease said woman by letting her to stand in front of them, and, hilariously enough had already saved this very woman a spot in the line while she went off to get a ticket! Joe and I were informed of the tension and decided to wait in line in the order in which we arrived and our pals saved us a spot.
I guess she didn't quite get over her concern that people actually let other people join lines (the horror! the horr-OR!) because after the movie she saw one of my pals in the bathroom, waited for her outside the stall, and proceeded to throw paper towels at her. Then, she came up to where we had congregated in the lobby and told us, "People just don't do that." I wondered how different joining a line is than saving seats, which I've noticed to be a fairly wide-spread practice. Anyhoo, my favorite part was her yapping, "Where are you people from anyway? Not Austin. People in Austin don't do things like that. They aren't like you. You're trash. Trash!" Ah, super. This, of course, was after she picked up a trace of my ever dwindling accent when I recommended that she should probably walk away as this was clearly eating her up.
I just love how her misplaced civic pride anchored her insult.
|
|
Comments: Read 3 or Add Your Own.
|
|
Friday, November 10th, 2006
|
|
Saturday, October 14th, 2006
|
|
|
What better time for an entry than the hour of self-pity. Two months ago when I was in Chicago I had this weird thing happen to my right foot--it hurt, a lot. My knee and hip were aching and then I woke up with this weird foot pain. I figured I'd been walking around a lot and something was misaligned, etc. etc.
Yesterday morning or maybe even on Wednesday night, I noticed the same thing was starting to brew in my left foot. This time, it turns out, is way worse. Maybe my foot has decided to go all out with the weird achey pain--since I'm home, and don't have to hobble through O'Hare to catch a plane and all.
The good news is that Chibi is showering me with sweet kitty affection. Now to hop over to the kettle for some tea although I'm not sure what I'll do with the tea once it's made since tea + hopping isn't such a grand plan. I wasn't kidding about the self-pity.
|
|
Comments: Add Your Own.
|
|
Wednesday, August 9th, 2006
|
|
|
|
I'm hooked on crappy TV -- Hex in particular. It has to be the worst show I've ever seen, and yet, I can't help but watch every episode. It's really not worth summarizing as the "plot" involves a teen with witchy powers and a whole lot of over-sexed writing, that is so wretched in that in-your-face-oh-my-aren't-we-risqué-and-cutting-edge way that it truly rivals Poochie. And, despite the true wretchedness, I shall anxiously await the crap that is sure to be the second season.
|
|
Comments: Read 5 or Add Your Own.
|
|
Thursday, July 13th, 2006
|
|
|
|
DR. ROSS M. LENCE, a distinguished teacher at the University of Houston, died July 11, 2006. The son of Nickie and Marlo Lence, Dr. Lence was born in Whitefish, Montana, on December 19, 1943. He is survived by his mother Nickie Lence of Houston; brother John of Meadow Lake, Montana; nephew Dino Justin Lence of Seattle, Washington; nephew Mario Valentino Lence of Missoula, Montana; niece Natalee Nikkolina Lence of Kalispell, Montana; aunt Teresa Granier of Missoula, Montana; and numerous other cousins and relatives. After earning his B. A. at the University of Chicago, Dr. Lence studied at Georgetown University and later at the British Museum. He completed his Ph.D. at Indiana University, under the tutelage of the legendary teacher and scholar Professor Charles Hyneman. Dr. Lence joined the Houston faculty in 1971, where he himself became a legend. A Professor in the Department of Political Science and The Honors College, Dr. Lence was named in 1998 a John and Rebecca Moores Professor. The crowning mark of Dr. Lence¹s work came in the 1990s when hundreds of his students donated funds to establish a chair in his honor. In 2001, Dr. Lence was appointed to the Ross M. Lence Distinguished University Teaching Chair. For over twenty years, Dr. Lence taught courses at the Women¹s Institute of Houston. He was, as well, an invited participant in many scholarly conferences sponsored by Liberty Fund, an educational foundation located in Indianapolis. In Dr. Lence¹s honor, Liberty Fund, Inc., has placed a complete set of its books, many of which are classic texts in political philosophy, in The Honors College Alumni Library. Passionate about great books and ideas, Dr. Lence is remembered for the clarity of his intellect, the quickness of his wit, the depth of his soul, and the generosity of his love. A leading scholar on the thought of John C. Calhoun, he edited Union and Liberty: The Political Philosophy of John C. Calhoun, published by Liberty Fund Press in 1992. Over the eleven months of his illness, countless numbers of Dr. Lence¹s current and former students manifested their respect, gratitude, and love for their teacher by visiting and assisting him. To these and all other persons who extended their support, Nickie Lence expresses her abiding gratitude. Visitation will be held on Thursday, the 13th of July, from 5 o'clock until 8 o'clock in the evening, with a rosary at half past 7 at the chapel of The Settegast-Kopf Co. 3320 Kirby Drive. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 o'clock in the morning on Friday, the 14th at St. Anne's Catholic Church, 2140 Westheimer. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Ross M. Lence Scholarship Fund in The Honors College at the University of Houston, 212 M.D. Anderson Library, Houston, TX 77204-2001 Gaudeamus.
|
|
Comments: Add Your Own.
|
|
|
Last weekend was our wedding (um, well, our wedding celebration since we've been married for over a year). It was a lovely, beautiful happy, happy day.
Since the wedding we've been back in Austin, hanging out with friends in town from far and wide (Arizona and New Zealand). And then back to Houston again to participate in congratulating Anne for being super (and graduating). Tonight we are home and I'm looking forward to the last piece of (delicious) wedding cake, a cup of rooibos tea, and some TV with Joe before going to sleep.
I'm also excited because my dad told me the formula for that silver jewellry cleaning thing which I need because I swam with my favourite necklace in the most-clorinated-pool-in-the-world at our hotel last weekend. I love that he has all his chemical education stowed away safely in his brain for convenient access.
|
|
Comments: Read 4 or Add Your Own.
|
|
Sunday, February 12th, 2006
|
|
|
I wish I were at Hogwarts. This isn't the first time, but I wish it now more than ever. I would use magic to do all my packing. All of it. And cleaning and dusting. Times like these I hate being a muggle.
I find packing somewhat painful and traumatic, but it is not without its merits. Trips down memory lane are especially favoured. For example, I just found a flyer for a Lucky Motors show circa sometime in the 90s. I have no idea how we came to accumulate so much crappity crap crap. Well, I have some idea, but I'd prefer to pretend I don't. I don't remember moving involving quite this amount of drudgery . . . hmm, but I guess we've lived here for four years and I finally really settled into a home in Houston and forgot about the non-joys of moving. I'm sad about leaving my favourite place I've ever lived in in the US. *Sniff* This is really the best duplex ever.
My fortune cookie today was terrific: Step by step you will ascend the staircase to success. Woohoo! This, however, doesn't come close to the awesomeness of Anne's rhyming vacation fortune from a few days ago.
|
|
Comments: Read 8 or Add Your Own.
|
|
Thursday, January 19th, 2006
|
|
|
Monsieur Justin, here you go--pictures of those Turner paintings
( Turner continued... )
Melissa nudged me! I'm not feeling too newsy though . . . My throat hurts and I know I should go and neti pot, but I'm feeling feeble and pathetic. Stupid sickness. I do have some news though despite feeling decidedly . . . well . . . un-newsy about it. I don't even know if that makes sense--I know the malaise is setting in for sure what with the addled brain, etc.. The news: I got a job (an awesome one that I really wanted) in Austin and Joe and I are moving! Yippee! We'll be in and out of Houston over the next month or so while we sort out our move and such.
All this excitement has distracted me from Animal Crossing--I'm going to have to set my clock back (I know, I know) so that I don't lose flowers or miss out on yesterday's goodies at Nook's.
Also, today is the tenth anniversary of my arrival in the US (in Houston to be specific).
|
|
Comments: Read 2 or Add Your Own.
|
|
Wednesday, December 28th, 2005
|
|
|
I just noticed that the paintings hanging on the wall in the swank place I'm temping are so lovely. They're both landscapes (which I think can be easy to mess up). One is muted and looks like dawn and mist mixing over Texas grassland (I know my dear Olwen would approve.) The more I look at this one, the more I love it and want to look at it(good thing I'm here for a few more days). The painting to my right is more bold, and probably more striking although I like it less than the muted one. This one has dark storm clouds, green plains and saturated blue sky. The clouds are impressive.
I'm on the verge of a reverie about Turner and Constable skies. Especially Turner skies. I remember getting completely lost in thought about Norham Castle, Sunrise, Rain, Steam and Speed and The Fighting Temeraire. Ol, of course, was there. Thinking about these paintings now is almost enough to make we want to move to London so that I can visit them regularly.
|
|
Comments: Read 1 or Add Your Own.
|
|
Monday, December 26th, 2005
|
|
|
1. What did you do in 2005 that you'd never done before?
Get married! (!!!)
Visit Hawaii.
Jemez Springs, NM.
Take a stand (make a stand? Not that I haven’t done this before, but this was a particular, new kind of stand).
Quit drinking (and not just for lent). It’s been a gradual process spanning much of the last two years that I feel is now complete.
Something about reclaiming my voice.
Drive to Marfa.
A CIS interview.
Learn about Z-scores.
Not work (without having to attend classes of some sort).
( More long-winded yammering... )
|
|
Comments: Add Your Own.
|
|
Thursday, October 6th, 2005
|
| Time: | 12:29 am. |
| Mood: |  chipper. | | Music: | do doo dooo doo dooo doooo doooooo. |
|
Last week we were dismayed to find out that our wonderful vet had moved to Dallas. So, after tracking her down and getting a recommendation for a new kitty doctor from her, Joe and I took Solid to her new vet. The new vet was very nice and said nice things about Solid, although she did call her "a chunk." Granted, it was in the context of a conversation about her general health. Did you know that cats can get diabetes? Our vet informed us that Solid was a 4 on her 1 to 5 scale of kitty weight. Anyway, so now we have to stop giving Solid tuna and Chibi will have to receive special treats in private. Way more than anyone wanted to know about our cats, I'm sure, but there you have it. Oh, the wonders of the internet.
My new boots arrived in the mail. They are brown with light blue stitching (!!). I love them, except that I think there's something wrong with the right boot. Bother. And, in other tiresome customer service themed news, I warn you one and all against calling cards. I've used them for years because I can call home for 6c a minute, but was shocked to find out that sometimes, when the calling card circuits are busy, they'll re-route the call so you land up getting slapped with the charge for the phone call on your regular phone bill. This call in particular was 28 mins and cost us $88 (+$3 per minute!), plus the freaking $10 phone card. Needless to say, I was incensed. I'm in the throes of getting this sorted out, but be warned. One and all!
Despite my ranting about my woes as a consumer it was a good day. Included was visiting with various pals who I know to be super, two (wheeee) delicious cups of coffee, and breakfast at Baby Barnaby's with Joe. Also Joe got this fortune: "You and your spouse will be happy in your life together." Yay! And indeed we are.
I'm really looking forward to the weekend! Which starts tomorrow! Yay for road trips!
|
|
Comments: Read 6 or Add Your Own.
|
|
Friday, September 30th, 2005
|
|
|
After our Rita-fueled frenzy of stuffing everything in what might look like secure spaces—storage within storage or something bizarre and not a little panicked—we’re reorganizing our apartment. Or at least our back room. Exciting, no?
For some reason I’ve been thinking about a series of books I read, well, probably 20 years ago, about a wee lass with a penchant for list-making. I’m pretty sure I’ve narrowed it down to either Beverly Cleary’s Ramona Quimby or Lois Lowry’s Anastasia and I’m leaning strongly towards the latter so I’m going to go with her. (Does anyone out there know which one it was?) Anyhoo, I remember being so pleased to read about Anastasia’s fondness for making lists and then being so disappointed when Ms. Lowry decided, in a later book (the next one in the series, I believe) that Anastasia had out-grown her love of lists. I certainly hadn’t and felt a little foolish for continuing to love lists with pre-adolescent vigour for organizing because now, my newly found validation had been whipped away. Thanks for nothing Lois. Not that I had much to organize, but I was going to cling to any damn sense of order I could!
I suppose the process of taking our house back out of the closets rekindled this otherwise dormant desire to Put Things in Their Places. (Being a little freaked by the current lack of orderliness in our home brought it on, I suppose.) And so, as a tribute to Anastasia (if it was indeed her), I bring you a list of things I hate. And yes, I really should’ve grown out of this by now, but I can’t keep the repressed anal retentive in me at bay. (Nor the grumpy, negative brat willing to wax on about all things hated, it seems.)
( Read more... )
In other news, I’m happy to announce that on Monday I’ll be returning to my hippie way of eating. Otherwise know as body ecology. I’ve been edging back into unhealthy habits rather gradually and am now almost back to eating the way I did in pre-body ecology, candida-riddled days (over two years ago). I look forward to feeling so wonderfully healthy again and I wonder why the hell I needed a summer of irresponsible eating.
|
|
Comments: Read 8 or Add Your Own.
|
|
|
I love Lush. To the point of having a bit of a problem controlling myself whenever I'm anywhere near one of the stores. Prior to going to Hawaii, I'd never been to a Lush in the US so my crazy spending was always in pounds or euro and that somehow made it easier to pretend I wasn't losing all self-control (plus, it only being available in foreign lands made it necessary to stock up--see the rationalizing?!). In Honolulu, however, there was no way to pretend. Plus the middle-of-the-Pacific thing made it a wee bit more pricey. Anyway, I've been having far-fetched daydreams of opening a Lush in Houston. We all *need* it! Don't we? Today, Mlle. and I had some lady time and took ourselves off to get girly bath products so I guess I'm in that frame of mind. Today I bought a Lemon Merangue scented body wash to add to my cornucopia of similar items. Good grief! After that we hung out and had some coffee and went to Target so now I'm feeling over-stimulated and caffienated.
I saw Howl's Moving Castle twice in the last few weeks. I might love this movie even more than I love Spirited Away. That's saying something. Wow, I sure am eloquent today. I recommend both movies to one and all. Unfortunately Howl's isn't showing in Houston anymore, but I suppose it might be back if it's nominated for an Academy Award.
Joe and I picked our place for our reception in April so that's happy news. It's a very cool place indeed. Neither of us are into anything that might look like a formal setting and this is perfect.
Aaaaand . . . I should get cracking because that salad won't eat itself. Then I have to get back to Harry Potter because I'm lagging behind. I'm about a third of the way in and I have a feeling that I might be up all night because I won't be able to put it down.
I uploaded some of our photos from Hawai'i here. (We had a speck on our camera lens and it shows up on some of the photos, which is a bit annoying, but I didn't get 'round to photoshopping it out of all of them.)
|
|
Comments: Read 4 or Add Your Own.
|
|
|
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
mango_lassy's journal
determined.
sleepy.
thirsty.
tired.
hyper.