Journal: Monday 22 June 2009

The day started with breakfast at Soup Dragon. Our regular of chicken noodle soup and an iced coffee for me. We had some errands to run with a first stop at the post office to pay a very delinquent post office box fee. It’s $15 / year and Da hadn’t paid for 2 years.

Following the post office was a visit to the bank to deposit my money and make sure my account was ok. I first tried using my ATM card but it was taken by the machine since it had expired in November 2008. So, I went into the main area to get it all sorted out. Of course it was not without a lecture by the bank worker about an expired card and why didn’t I pick up my new card. She started to tell me that I would have to pay $5 for a new card since I hadn’t picked up my re-issued card within 2 months. I politely told her that that was preposterous since I never received a phone call, nor was I here to pick it up. I should not have to pay for a new card simply because they didn’t contact me. It all worked out just fine, except that there was another admonishment about not leaving my account untouched for more than a year or they would be charging fees, etc.

After all that, I managed to deposit some of my money into my account with the promise that I wouldn’t let it lapse again. We’ll see if my new card is ready on the following Monday when she promised. I have little hopes since last year I waited 2 months for a new pin which never arrived.

Our final stop before lunch was the Old Market to do a little shopping. I had to pick up some soap, shampoo, toilet paper and postcards. The woman who I used purchase those things from in the past still remembered me. Next was to buy postcards. The aim was to get them for 50 cents. The women we went to originally started at 3,000 Riel, but because I was going to buy 10 packages, she agreed to our offer. 100 postcards for $5: such a deal.

We continued on to buy some fruit and eggs. The woman who I used to buy my vegetables from (a former student’s mother) was now only selling fruit, so buying from her was natural. The eggs were just opposite her, too.

We took our prizes home for a home cooked lunch of steamed rice, hard-boiled eggs and beef jerky. Yum! Not really something I would choose to eat every day, but if necessary I think I could do it. Maybe.

We spent our afternoon at Common Grounds Cafe to use the internet in an air-conditioned location out of the heat and humidity. Dinner was out one of my favorite places to go, Da's friend's restaurant, where we get really great Cambodian food for decent prices. Though now they've raised their prices to 7,000 Riel ($1.75) per dish, but that's still 2 dishes for the price of one cheap dish in a tourist place plus we get rice and iced tea included.

My favorite is the Samlor Majou Groen, a sour sour made with morning glory plants and beef. We also like to order fried ginger with pork, a fish paste & pork omelette or pork spare ribs.

Arrival in Cambodia

Left San Francisco at 1:30ish a.m. on Thursday June 18th. Arrived in Taipei at 5:30ish a.m. twelve hours later on Friday June 19th. Just a 3 1/2 hour flight to Phnom Penh and at 9:30ish a.m. I arrived.

Da was there to greet me. I almost thought I wouldn't get out of the terminal because I had to check in my carry-on suitcase and didn't realize that it would actually be put in with the checked bags and not returned to me after disembarking the plane on arrival.

Once realizing my mistake I had to convince the airport staff to take me through customs and to the baggage carousel to wait for my carry-on. "Why would you leave your valuables in that suitcase?" She questioned. "Because I wasn't told that they wouldn't return it to me immediately after the flight." (Duh!)

So, after a little delay, I got my suitcase and headed back to get my visa, go through the checkpoint, pick up my other suitcases and go through customs. Easy peasy.

It was so good to see Da after more than 1 year. We took a minivan to a hotel in the city where I could shower and freshen up. I was actually surprised that I wasn't more sore from the long flight. I was worse after one night on the crummy hotel bed.

We walked down to Soriya Market for lunch and to do a little shopping, then back to the hotel for a rest. I met the staff from Heritage Watch at 3:00 p.m. Then it was back to the hotel again where we met up with Da's brother, Houy, and a cousin for a short time.

The plan was to have dinner at the new KFC (I know, eating fast food in Cambodia is not exactly a thrill.). Unfortunately (or fortunately), I fell asleep and was out for the rest of the night. No KFC on that day. But, there's one coming to Siem Reap soon!

On Saturday we took the Capitol bus at 10:15 a.m. (more like 10:45) to Siem Reap. After 2 stops we arrived at about 4:30 p.m. at the Old Market where his older brother was waiting to pick us up and drive us to the office/room where I'll be staying.

It's nothing special and quite far off the beaten track. The hope is to find something else really soon.

After dropping off the luggage we headed up up to Prie Khmeang to see the family. Everyone was so excited to see me. My Khmer did not kick into overdrive, though, and I felt like I had gone back several paces in my ability to communicate. We had dinner there of some kind of soup and fried pork dish. They were good. I like eating his mom's cooking.

Sunday would be a big day as it was the ceremony to bless his sister's baby and to release her from sleeping over the heated bed. We had to be there before 9:00 a.m. for the ceremony attended by the older people, including his grandfather who led the ceremony.

The baby is very quiet and calm. I haven't heard a peep out of him. And wouldn't you know it, but Da gave him the name of James without even knowing that it was my dad's name.

We stayed the afternoon. It was hot and uncomfortable. It took Da nearly an hour, after several tries, to hang a hammock for me to lay in. I was glad to have it eventually cause my backside does not enjoy sitting on all of the hard surfaces around here.

We got back into town just in time to refresh ourselves and go to the Christian Fellowship of Siem Reap. It was great to see some familiar faces and reconnect. I look forward to more time to spend with these folks.

Support Heritage Watch

I have the honor of interning with this organization for the summer in Cambodia. I'm so excited to be working with an organization that has made such a positive impact on the issue of heritage-friendly tourism in such a short time since its founding.

I love the idea of protecting Cambodia's invaluable ancient Khmer heritage for its future generations. With an amazing architectural wonder like Angkor, and the truly fabulous cultural wonder of Cambodia's living arts, Cambodia is the best place to visit in Southeast Asia.

Take the time to look into this organization and support it!

Mystic Wonder and Prill Beads

I am totally amazed by all of the products on the Mystic Wonders Inc site. From the laundry Wonder Ball to the Prill Beads, it all amazes me.

The Wonder Ball and Wonder Dryer Balls are a really cool laundering concept that is environmentally and financially friendly. Here's was the site says about them:

A laundry aid & chemical free cleaner

Simply throw the laundry ball in your washing machine, allowing you to use less laundry detergent or none at all along with this laundry aid, you be the judge.

The Prill Beads are even more exciting. This is what the site says they do:

When Prill beads are placed in a gallon of yucky tap water... in 24 hours, that water is transformed into pristine water that is free of chlorine and most contaminants are neutralized. After 1 hour you can draw off and use 3 quarts, and by adding three quarts of tap water to the remaining quart you can then draw off 3 quarts of pure water every hour for the rest of your life!!

These could really come in handy in Cambodia to start cleaning up the water sources over there. I need myself a bag or two to get started.
Mom Most Traveled is having a giveaway for the Complete Laundry System. Plus there's tons of other giveaways, great stories and timely advice, too.

Get yourself over to either of those places and check them out!

The Politics of Toilets

Article originally posted on April 22, 2009, by Rose George on Newsweek's online section called Post Global.

On Earth Day, let's not forget the dirt. The planet is soiled with sewage, on land and sea. Our waste is the biggest marine pollutant there is, according to the United Nations Environment Program. In the developing world, ninety percent of sewage is discharged untreated into oceans and rivers, where its high nutrient content can suffocate the life out of seas, contributing to dead zones (405 worldwide and counting).

There are dead zones on land, too. Human waste contaminates environments all over the world, rich and poor. Imagine getting up at 4 a.m. in darkness, trekking to a nearby bush or field, and going to the bathroom out in the open. Imagine then being hit by a farmer who doesn't like you toileting in his field, or being raped by someone taking advantage of the dark, which you need to preserve your modesty.

The quarter of the world's population without access to sanitation - not even a bucket nor a box - don't have to imagine this. It's their daily reality. What's more, all that excrement lying around has deadly consequences. More children - up to 2 million a year, or one every 15 seconds or so - die of diarrhea, 90 percent of which is due to fecal contamination in food or liquid, than of TB, malaria or HIV/AIDS. Diarrhea is the world's most effective weapon of mass destruction.

That's the gloom. The good news is that it's solvable. And solving the world's sewage mess would be such a bargain that it should appeal to politicians holding the purse strings even in these straitened times. Investing $1 in sanitation reaps $8 in health costs averted and labor days saved. Look at it another way: not investing $1 in sanitation loses you $7.

Last year the World Bank calculated that poor sanitation cost Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam between 1.4 and 7.2 percent of their GDP. When Peru had a cholera outbreak in 1991, losses from tourism and agricultural revenue were three times greater than the total money spent on sanitation in the previous decade.

If numbers are too technical, let's get practical: Installing latrines and clean water supply in a typical village has dramatic effects. . .

Continue with the rest of the article here

If you would like to help support building toilets in a village in Cambodia, leave a note in the comment section with a way to contact you, and the author will give you all the information you need to make sure this project happens.

The Cambodia Village Development Organization is trying to raise $2,000 to build a set of toilets in a small village of rural Siem Reap Province.

KR momentos up for sale likely fake, officials insist

Photo by: KYLE SHERER


Written by Sam Rith
Thursday, 23 April 2009

Former Tuol Sleng photographer Nhem En is trying to sell what he says are Pol Pot's sandals, Tuol Sleng cameras.

Nhem En with his cameras and Pol Pot's purported sandals in Siem Reap.

GOVERNMENT officials and members of civil society have expressed doubt over the authenticity of sandals supposedly worn by Pol Pot and a pair of cameras that former Khmer Rouge photographer Nhem En says come from Tuol Sleng prison.

On Sunday, Nhem En said he wanted national and international companies to bid on the shoes, made from tyre rubber, and cameras at a starting price of US$500,000, even though outside sources have not confirmed their provenance.

Youk Chhang, the director of the Documentation Centre of Cambodia, said it would be difficult to determine if the sandals were actually worn by Pol Pot, for the simple reason that many sandals look the same.

Nhem En was unable to provide the Post with any evidence that the shoes were Pol Pot's or that his cameras had come from the infamous torture centre.

But he disagreed with Youk Chhang, saying that their authenticity could be proven "with modern technology".

The former Tuol Sleng guard who photographed prisoners said he received the shoes in 2000 from General Khim Tean, a former Khmer Rouge army commander, and that he had personally brought the cameras from Tuol Sleng to his father's house in 1977. Many, however, remain sceptical.

"I do not believe [the shoes and cameras] are real, because I have not seen them yet," said Culture Minister Him Chhem.

Pen Samitthy, president of the Club of Cambodian Journalists and editor-in-chief of Rasmey Kampuchea, turned down Nhem En's request to hold a press conference announcing the sale. Nhem En said he will hold his own press conference on Friday in Siem Reap.

Poverty = Desperation. Cambodians will sell anything to make a "buck" even if it means devaluing their own history or cultural heritage.

Evicted to life in limbo

Photo by: SOVANN PHILONG

Written by May Titthara
Thursday, 23 April 2009

Thousands of people living in Phnom Penh slums say they will soon be relocated, and many fear their new homes could bring more hardship.

Chun Bunthol, from Phnom Penh's Rik Reay community, stacks car tyres to be burned in protest against the construction of the Bassac Garden City, a residential project that Rik Reay villagers say will force them from their homes. He told the Post that a demonstration planned for Wednesday had been put off because the developers did not come to the work site, "but we have prepared everything. ... If they do something to us, we will protest. We are waiting for them". Rik Reay is one of several Phnom Penh communities facing destruction at the hands of development companies. The posters on the wall read, "The company is causing us great pain" and "If you want the land, you have to buy it. You cannot use a gun"

As I am doing research into local affordable housing issues, I can't help but compare it to the stark contrast of the lack of housing equity in Cambodia. Affordable housing there is made up of some pieces of sheet metal, cardboard, or if you're lucky, some bamboo strips and thatch. There is no equity in housing development in Cambodia.

Country leaders are being driven by the needs/wants/desires/hunger of developers (both national and foreign) who can shell out endless amounts of money without concern for the real needs of the county's citizens.

I guess that is left up to the non-government organizations to deal with. Poor people are not considered good investments, apparently, but the land they live or squat on is worth more than they're being compensated.

Pain of Khmer Rouge Era Lost on Cambodian Youth

I once took my Cambodian fiance and his buddies to the Tuol Sleng (S-21 Prison) Museum because I felt it was important that they see and experience their history, despite how disturbing it might be. They were all born after the Pol Pot regime existed in Phnom Penh, though they may have seen some of the activities of the Khmer Rouge soldiers, as they were still active up until the mid-1990's until Pol Pot died.


I have heard and read some of my former students' stories about their experiences from that time while they were growing up-listening to bomb blasts and ammunition fire.
I have tried to encourage my fiance to talk to his parents and grandparents about that time period, but he won't, insisting that if they wanted to talk about it then they would. I did get to experience a great ceremony one year that they grandfather organized as a thank you to the man who saved him from being taken by the Khmer Rouge. Grandfather still experienced the atrocities as he lost his arm in the attempt to save his wife from a grenade thrown by drunken soldiers.


Facing an ugly history is not easy, especially since young Cambodians don't seem to make the connection to their history and why they have so much available to them today.

Arantxa Cedillo for The New York Times

So Mei, 5, and So Sei, 12, at the Tuol Sleng Museum in Phnom Penh. A survey found that few Cambodians under 30 were aware of the current Khmer Rouge trials.

Article by SETH MYDANS

Published: April 7, 2009

TRAPAENG SVA, Cambodia — Sum Touch has stopped trying to tell her grandchildren about the killings, starvation and terror she lived through when a Communist Khmer Rouge regime ravaged Cambodia 30 years ago.

Seth Mydans/The International Herald Tribune

Visitors looked at skulls displayed in a memorial at Choeung Ek, one of Cambodia's killing fields during the Khmer Rouge regime from 1975 to 1979, during which 1.7 million people were killed.

“It seems that even if I tell them they don’t believe what I say,” said Mrs. Sum Touch, 71, who lost many members of her family. “It hurts my heart that they don’t know what happened.”

There is a former killing field nearby and a shed filled with the skulls and bones of some of the victims. But many of the young people here, it seems, have no idea why or how they got there.

As it struggles to leave its past behind, Cambodia today suffers from a particularly painful generation gap: those who survived the brutal Khmer Rouge regime, and their children and grandchildren, who know very little about it.

“I don’t like it, but what can you do?” said Ty Leap, 52, who sells noodles and fruit drinks from a roadside stall. “It really is unbelievable that those things happened.”

For nearly four years, from 1975 to 1979, the Khmer Rouge caused the deaths of 1.7 million people from starvation, overwork and disease as well as torture and execution as they tried to construct a harsh peasant utopia.

Almost everyone here of a certain age has stories to tell of terror, abuse, hunger and the loss of family members. But those stories often fall on the deaf ears of a new generation that either cannot conceive of such brutality or seems unwilling to learn about it.

“Some older people get so upset at their children for not believing that they say, ‘I wish the Khmer Rouge time would happen again; then you’d believe it,’ ” Mr. Ty Leap said.

As much as 70 percent of Cambodia’s population is under the age of 30, and four out of five members of this young generation know little or nothing about the Khmer Rouge years, according to a survey last fall by the Human Rights Center at the University of California, Berkeley.

That ignorance — among both young and older — seems also to embrace the trials of five major Khmer Rouge figures that began last month, a process that is meant, in part, to begin a process of healing and closure.

Read more here.

Cambodia Drives up HIV/AIDS Awareness

I just wonder how they get so many people to take a drivers license test.

Cambodian Government Plans To Use Drivers License Tests To Raise HIV/AIDS Awareness

In an effort to increase HIV/AIDS awareness among drivers -- particularly professional truck drivers, many of whom visit commercial sex workers while on the road -- the Cambodian government plans to add questions about the disease to the driver's license exam administered by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, the Phnom Penh Post reports. The test later this year will include approximately 12 questions about HIV/AIDS. The ministry receives about 2,000 applications for licenses monthly, Keo Savin of the Land Transport Department said, adding that there are 1.14 million registered cars and motorbikes and 405,00 registered drivers in Cambodia. The project is receiving support from the Asian Development Bank.

According to Ung Chun Hour, the ministry's director-general of transport, the ministry is collaborating with the National AIDS Authority at the Ministry of Health to finalize the questions. Chun Hour said, "It is important that drivers -- particularly professional drivers -- know about HIV/AIDS. Professional truck drivers live far from home and are more likely to use sex partners."

Teng Kunthy, secretary-general of the National Aids Authority, said plans to include questions about HIV/AIDS on driving tests come in light of the fact that Cambodia's roads are improving, resulting in more truck drivers traveling within Cambodia and to other neighboring countries, the Post reports. He said, "We are worried that when they stop along their route, they often look for sex partners -- that's why we want to educate them during their driving test, so they know to take care of themselves." According to Kunthy, the next stage is to raise awareness among people who live on the busiest trucking routes (Channyda/Kunthear, Phnom Penh Post, 3/27).

Saving children from Cambodia's trash heap

If we could all be as bold and courageous as Noun. To turn an emotional response into action is very admirable indeed. Here's a bit of her story.

Walking down a street in Cambodia's capital city, Phymean Noun finished her lunch and tossed her chicken bones into the trash. Seconds later, she watched in horror as several children fought to reclaim her discarded food.

Noun stopped to talk with them. After hearing their stories of hardship, she knew she couldn't ignore their plight.

"I must do something to help these children get an education," she recalls thinking. "Even though they don't have money and live on the sidewalk, they deserve to go to school."

Six years after that incident, Noun is helping many of Phnom Penh's poorest children do just that.

Within weeks, she quit her job and started an organization to give underprivileged children an education. Noun spent $30,000 of her own money to get her first school off the ground.

It is no easy task. Hundreds of them risk their lives every day working to support themselves and their families.

"I have seen a lot of kids killed by the garbage trucks," she recalls. Children as young as 7 scavenge hours at a time for recyclable materials. They make cents a day selling cans, metals and plastic bags.

Noun recruits the children at the dump to attend her organization because, she says, "I don't want them to continue picking trash and living in the dump. I want them to have an opportunity to learn."

Read the rest of Noun's story here.

Or, visit the People Improvement Organization website to see how you can get involved.

What stirs your soul?

What gets your fire burning?

Act on it!

Volunteer and you might find your soul mate

If you're looking for love and not having much luck, maybe you could increase your success by getting a bit more passionate -- about helping others.

When singles write to advice columnists complaining about being lonely, they are often urged to volunteer.

Read the rest of the CNN article here.

Personally, I have not met anyone while volunteering on a project together, but I guess you could say I met my fiance while working in Cambodia. It could have been considered volunteering at the rate I was being paid. We didn't work together, but he became my trusty driver and only friend for my first 9 months there.

We now have a small tour operation and try to put together small scale development projects out in the countryside as a way to give back. We both like the idea of helping others who have less opportunities.

If you are lonely, go out and find somewhere to volunteer today!

Camping in my uncle's house

I was so excited to have a weekend off for camping up in the Santa Cruz area. The weather had been great all week.

Then the weather reports came in...RAIN predicted for Saturday and Sunday. NOOOOO!

I persisted and went anyway, irregardless of the threat of rain. After all, it seemed sunny enough.

And it was very lovely upon arriving in Santa Cruz. With bright skies with few clouds above.

Alas, it would not remain. Thankfully I thought to call my aunt. I recall hearing that my uncle was down spending time at his house (sorting through his "collections" no less). I thought I would check in to see if he was still in town.

Unfortunately he was back in Oregon, but the good news was that the house was available. My aunt had to check with the tenant, but the upstairs was available.

I passed the next couple of hours waiting for a call back at Costco (looking for dried black currants, but finding towels, Maranatha almond butter, trail mix and Jodi Picoult novels).

I was hungry, so I wandered over to Planet Fresh for a tasty burrito. I chose the Thai chicken with black beans and white rice wrapped in an onion/garlic tortilla. As I was eating it, the rain began. There went my beautiful day.

Thankfully the tenant called me to let me know where I could find the house key as she would be leaving town for the weekend. Rock on! Now I just had to get directions. I knew where the house was but just couldn't recall how to get from point A to point B.

Since I was in the vicinity of the public library, I decided to drop in on the internet section to see if I could Google the address. Unfortunately, their computers required library cards and a password. I didn't have my old library card with me and certainly didn't want to pay for a replacement. All I needed was a phonebook. Where to find a map?

I scoured the entrance area for any kind of map or public phone to no avail. Finally I walked back into the library to ask where they kept their phone books.

As I was searching for phone book map, my aunt called me back. I was not talking loudly and even moved towards the main entrance to find something to write down the directions. It wasn't good enough because one of the librarians was pointing and mouthing to me that there was no talking on phones. Oops!

But there was NO sign saying this.

All's well that ends well. I got the directions and then I was off to the house.

It had been awhile since I had last been in the house, and I had never been upstairs before. The last time I was there it was completely full of my uncle's collections. Now it was mostly cleaned out with only a couple of rooms full.

Because it's such an old, rundown house, it has the old house musty smell. But staying there was like a little discovery adventure since it still has a lot of the old fixtures.

I spent the evening relaxing and reading one of the newly purchased books by my new favorite auther, Picture Perfect by Jodi Picoult. Listening to the rain splattering the roof and dripping from the eaves is so calming.

The only downside was trying to sleep amidst the sounds of rodents scurrying about overhead in the rafters. It was a reminder of my nights in Cambodia when I was fighting the small plague of rats in my ceiling and kitchen. At least the stray cats were happy.

By morning, the rain was gone and sun was peeking through the windows. I had no hurry to go anywhere and enjoyed sleeping in late reading my book.

Now that's a relaxing weekend getaway!

I only got up to go visit Vintage Faith Church for the 11 o'clock service. It would be my first time to attend since it changed from Graceland four or so years ago. What a treat it was as Dan Kimball spoke on being missional. I could have sworn that he kept looking at me throughout the service, but maybe that was because I was the only one wearing a fuzzy, sky blue knit hat.

I can't wait to go back to spend another time at my uncle's big old red falling down musty house.

Choosing a spouse

I have recently been confronted with the question of how to choose your marriage partner. Do you go for "love", or potential financial stability? What if there is a commitment made, but another opportunity arises that may seem a better fit?

In doing a simple Google search for "how to choose a husband," the following sites proved interesting:

eHow's "How to Choose a Husband"
Choosing the right husband is just as important as choosing the right shoes that go with the handbag, that goes with the belt, that goes with the dress, that goes with the house that Jack built. Wait a minute, something in that sentence isn't right . . .

Back to the point: Marriage is or, rather, should be a lifetime commitment. With that in mind, there are a number of qualities a woman must keep in mind when choosing her partner.

Read the the four steps here.

Ezine Articles' "10 Low EQ (Emotional Intelligence) Ways to Choose a Husband"
In choosing the right man for you, you need to use your Emotional Intelligence (EQ).
Here are 10 LOW EQ ways to do it that will guarantee disaster.

1. Choosing the obvious ones to avoid.
2. Choosing by sexual attraction alone.
3. Choosing by externals alone.
4. Rushing.
5. Rushing.
6. Rushing.
7. Not checking out his attitude toward women.
8. Trusting only your intellect.
9. Trusting only your feelings.
10. Misunderstanding the nature of feelings.

Read the details here.

Your Tango's "How To Choose A Husband: Dating advice from a priest via The New York Times."
Trumping news of war, health, food, pets or fashion, the most e-mailed item currently on The New York Times' site is Maureen Dowd's column from July 6 called "An Ideal Husband."

In light of celebrity divorces stealing recent headlines, Dowd turned to a man whose motto on marriage would have to be "Do as I say, not as I do": a Catholic priest.

His advice is not of the "Thou shalt..." variety, in fact spirituality is mentioned only as a cautionary tale of the heartache experienced after the failed marriage of a devout Catholic and a devout Muslim. Instead he offers tidbits that, regardless of one's take on marriage or religion, serve as good guidelines for choosing a partner. To list a few:

• avoid mother-obsessed men
• a man with close friends and family signals an openness to intimacy
• watch out for financial inequality or irresponsibility
• laugh! a sense of humor is hugely important

That NYT readers were compelled to e-mail love and marriage advice during the past three days more than any other story reminds me of the tale about survivors of harrowing experiences, like war, who–more than anything else including the trauma itself–talk about the person they were crushing on or the one who got away during these times of stress. Ah, love.

Read the full article here.

Search Your Love's "Choose a Husband"
Whatever they tell, men marry. Men marry young, marry late in life, marry for the second and the third time. Nowadays it is rather difficult to find a real “never-marry” man. However, each has his own reason and motives to lead her down the aisle. Let us try to divide men into 8 categories, based on the reasons for making marriage proposal.

Read the 8 categories here.

Happy reading!

An Ironic Twist of Fate

U.S. Deportee Brings Street Dance to Street Boys of Cambodia

Tuy Sobil, or K.K., a former gang member from Long Beach, Calif., founded the club after being deported in 2004.


While this is an old article from November 2008, it's relevance remains. Nothing is more exciting than to read about someone who could have fallen by the wayside, but chooses to give back rather than give up.

It may be the only place in Cambodia where the children are nicknamed Homey, Frog, Floater, Fresh, Bugs and Diamond.

And there are not many places like this small courtyard, thumping with the beat of a boom box, where dozens of boys in big T-shirts are spinning on their heads and doing one-hand hops, elbow tracks, flairs, halos, air tracks and windmills. And, of course, krumping.
It is a little slice of Long Beach, Calif., brought here by a former gang member . . .


Read the rest of the article here.

"I'm Yours"

Last night's service was called "Missing the Point of Work."

Here are the main points:

1. Work should be done with GRATITUDE. (Ecclesiastes 5:18b-19) Wealth is what is accumulated, not a measure of who we are. This has been God's intent from the beginning. Your attitude affects your "fragrance." (2 Corinthians 2:14)
2. Work should be done with DILIGENCE. (Proverbs 10:4; 12:24; 22:29a) Work hard, work smart & work healthy. (Proverbs 6:6-9) Remember these points about ants: 1) initiative; 2) planning-are you proactive or reactive?; 3) timing; 4) persistence; and 5) longevity-how long before you wear out?
3. Work should be done with EXCELLENCE. (Ephesians 6:5-6, where slaves = employees, masters = employers) Work with motivation to be faithful and having integrity. Be an honest worker. Follow the "2nd Mile Principle" (Matthew 5:40-41, 44, 46).
4. Work should be done as MINISTRY. (Colossians 3:17) Your occupation is WHAT you do. Your job is WHERE you do it. Your vocation is WHY you do it (as a minister of Christ). We all have different ways to operate, but the same function: to be ministers of Christ.

The evening ended with a song written by our worship minister, though he was not there. Tears found their way streaming down my cheeks because its message matches how I feel about my life.

I'm Yours by Kevin Ross

You, O Lord created me and passioned me

You, o Lord have blessed me with ability

So what else can I do

But give myself to you

And let my life display your woner

Everything I am is according to Your plan

I'm created to praise You

Everything I have is Yours

I wanna live my life for Your glory

I'm giving You my life, my dreams

I'm Yours

Everything I hope to be

Is under Your authority

There's nowhere else I want to be, I'm Yours

You, O Lord laid down your life as a sacrifice

You, O Lord have rescued me and set me free

Fun Contest Giveaways!

Mojave Tui from EcoGear


I try to regularly check in on my friend living in Laos who runs a regular blog called Mom Most Traveled full of eco-friendly and kid-friendly product reviews. She brings a fresh face to "mom-test, kid-approved."



She's got this great one for EcoGear which sells fun and eco-friendly backpacks that are super well made and comfortable to wear. I really want to get the Pig backpack from the Ecozoo line because it will be great advertisement for the Siem Reap Pig Project. The other backpacks just look really cool, and I could always use a new one since my North Fake from China has got a hole from where a rat chewed into it back in 2004.



The post for the EcoGear stuff is found here on Mom Most Traveled.

NEWS FLASH!!! I just found out that Just We Moms is having a contest to win this very same Pig Pack! Yippee!

I hope I win.

I hope I win.

I hope I win.

Get out and vote woman!

This was forwarded to me, and though I don't usually forward forwards, I did send this one along (after cleaning it up a bit) to some of my favorite femail addresses.

While I know that women had to fight for the right to vote, I don't ever remember hearing about specifics of what that fight entailed. After reading this I'm reminded that it is not only a privledge and a right to vote and that by exercising that right we honor the memory of these feisty, couragous and strong women. So no matter your political affiliation by all means GO VOTE!!!

A message for all women
HOW QUICKLY WE FORGET...IF WE EVER KNEW...WHY WOMEN SHOULD VOTE

This is the story of our Grandmothers and Great-grandmothers; they lived only 90 years ago.
Remember, it was not until 1920 that women were granted the right to go to the polls and vote.
The women were innocent and defenseless, but they were jailed nonetheless for picketing the White House, carrying signs asking for the vote.

Forty prison guards wielding clubs and their warden's blessing went on a rampage against the 33 women wrongly convicted of 'obstructing sidewalk traffic.'Additional affidavits describe the guards grabbing, dragging, beating, choking, slamming, pinching, twisting and kicking the women.

Thus unfolded the 'Night of Terror' on Nov. 15, 1917, when the warden at the Occoquan Workhouse in Virginia ordered his guards to teach a lesson to the suffragists imprisoned there because they dared to picket Woodrow Wilson's White House for the right to vote.

And by the end of the night, they were barely alive.

They beat Lucy Burns, chained her hands to the cell bars above her head and left her hanging for the night, bleeding and gasping for air.

They hurled Dora Lewis into a dark cell, smashed her head against an iron bed and knocked her out cold. Her cellmate, Alice Cosu, thought Lewis was dead.

When one of the leaders, Alice Paul, embarked on a hunger strike, they tied her to a chair, forced a tube down her throat and poured liquid into her until she vomited. She was tortured like this for weeks until word was smuggled out to the press.
For weeks, the women's only water came from an open pail. Their food--all of it colorless slop--was infested with worms.

So, refresh my memory. Some women won't vote this year because why, exactly? We have carpool duties? We have to get to work? Our vote doesn't matter? It's raining?

Last week, I went to a sparsely attended screening of HBO's new movie 'Iron Jawed Angels.' It is a graphic depiction of the battle these women waged so that I could pull the curtain at the polling booth and have my say. I am ashamed to say I needed the reminder.

All these years later, voter registration is still my passion. But the actual act of voting had become less personal for me, more rote. Frankly, voting often felt more like an obligation than a privilege. Sometimes it was inconvenient.

My friend Wendy, who is my age and studied women's history, saw the HBO movie, too. When she stopped by my desk to talk about it, she looked angry. She was ---- with herself. 'One thought kept coming back to me as I watched that movie,' she said. 'What would those women think of the way I use, or don't use, my right to vote? All of us take it for granted now, not just younger women, but those of us who did seek to learn.' The right to vote, she said, had become valuable to her 'all over again.'

HBO released the movie on video and DVD . I wish all history, social studies and government teachers would include the movie in their curriculum I want it shown on Bunco night, too, and anywhere else women gather. I realize this isn't our usual idea of socializing, but we are not voting in the numbers that we should be, and I think a little shock therapy is in order.

It is jarring to watch Woodrow Wilson and his cronies try to persuade a psychiatrist to declare Alice Paul insane so that she could be permanently institutionalized. And it is inspiring to watch the doctor refuse. Alice Paul was strong, he said, and brave. That didn't make her crazy.
The doctor admonished the men: 'Courage in women is often mistaken for insanity.'
Please, if you are so inclined, pass this on to all the women you know.

We need to get out and vote and use this right that was fought so hard for by these very courageous women. Whether you vote democratic, republican or independent party - remember to vote.

History is being made.

Oh the trauma!

Daisy, pre-attack, with one of her favorite toys.

This post is dedicated to my mom's dog, Daisy. She survived a horrific and traumatic dog on dog attack by a humongous Mastiff while we were walking on the beach Saturday morning.

It started as a normal Saturday morning where my friend met me and we took Daisy to the beach to walk. We started at the Grand Avenue beach ramp in Grover Beach and walked towards the Oceano beach ramp.

As we neared the Oceano ramp we both noticed a large dog on a very long lead which had spotted Daisy. The owner was fishing behind his jeep. As we came closer he stopped fishing and dragged his dog to the side of the jeep so that we could pass. Sadly, we were joking about how the dog kept "peeking" out from under the jeep to get one more look at Daisy.

At this point I had the choice of walking betweent he fishing pole (stuck in the sand) and the back of the jeep (approximately 10 feet wide), or going on the other side of the pole which was the ocean side where the waves could potentially break and get us wet.

I unfortunately chose the former.

What can only be described as an out of body experience was the sudden rush of the giant dog towards us. I attempted to flee to no avail. Daisy was in its grasp immediately as it clamped down and started to shake her violently. The owner rushed to his dog to begin pummeling it to get it to release Daisy. All I could do was stand there screaming, "Oh my God! Oh my God!" over and over again.

By a miracle the dog released and Daisy bolted. She ran and ran and ran as far away as she could get from that horrific scene. I was frozen. Thankfully my friend ran off after her (little did I know how far she would have to run until later). I stayed to call 911 and get someone out to the beach to respond to this attack.

The man was apologetic and claimed that he was an animal lover. He said he would take care of this situation and didn't want me freaking out. Too late for that buddy!

I was eventually forwarded to the Park Rangers who sent out two rangers in response. I gave my information and details of the incident. Of course I couldn't say how badly Daisy was injured since she had run off and was not captured yet. Meanwhile, the giant dog was sitting in his owner's jeep with gobs of drool spilling out.

A young woman approached me to say that they had Daisy in their car and someone knew a vet somewhere. At this point the ranger told me I could go take care of Daisy. All I could think was how hard the call to my mom would be. Thankfully I had my mobile phone with me.

My friend was sitting in this Good Samaritan's front seat holding Daisy in a bloody sheet. Daisy seemed calm but it was clear that she was hurt. The ranger came up and took a couple of pictures and we took off to the Pet ER.

Now, we didn't go to Daisy's regular vet because when I called them, the receptionist told me that there were other clients there and the soonest we could get in was 11:45am. It was about 10:15am at this point when I called. What!?! Even though I explained that this was a dog attack and an emergency, the woman had nothing else to offer. We're going to the ER.

The ER took Daisy in and cleaned her up. She was put on IV fluids and pain medication. My mom showed up and we waited for the update. In the meantime the attacking dog's owner arrived. He paid for the ER deposit (50% of the estimated bill of over $1,000); and promised to cover all of the costs for Daisy's recovery.

This was truly and amazing thing! The Pet ER staff was thoroughly impressed and shocked as they regularly see animals victims of dog attacks where the owners of the attackers do nothing.

We were able to pick Daisy up later that evening. The man returned and took care of the balance of the ER bill. He was truly sorry that this happened and was doing the right thing.

The unsettling thing to me, however, was that his dog was not taken from him. In fact, he made a comment to us in the Pet ER that "No one could take his dog from him unless it was out of his cold, dead hands." The other thing that he had said earlier is that even though his dog had never attacked another dog, it did show aggression to other dogs, small dogs in particular. Very chilling. I just hope that he never brings his dog to the beach again!

This event was even more traumatic to me considering Daisy is my mom's dog AND this is the weekend I am supposed to be working on one of my midterms for the Public Policy Program.

So, PLEASE, if any dog owners read this and think that their dog is good enough to roam freely in a public space, THINK AGAIN! Keep your dog on a leash at all times in public areas. And if your dog is difficult (and you know what I mean), LEAVE IT AT HOME!

Week 5: Grad school update

I'm at the start of week 5 in grad school and this means midterms. Actually they're next week, but I still have to get my notes together and make sure I understand everything (which I don't).

I'm feeling better about my classes, but that may change once I'm in class tonight. I know that last week was an emotionaly draining one for me when it comes to public policy. I was so frustrated by my lack of comprehension of economic and market issues, especially since I need to have a grasp of it for what I would like to be doing.

I have reminded myself that I don't have to be the best, but just passing will suit me fine at this point.

Polo is for dummies!

I've been playing this new game of polo for a couple of months now. And a couple of weekends ago the match was played in my hometown again. Either I wasn't in the right frame of mind for playing, or the game just became less interesting, because afterwards I felt a bit disappointed. It just wasn't as exciting as I had remembered from previous games.

Part of the let down was that a particular strategy that I prefer not to engage in was attempted. The irritating thing is that this was the second time that I had to warn the other player and stop the game midway. There are just certain game plays that I don't like even if the overall game is enjoyable.

The game went on way too long, and rather than staying to finish it, I left early. I returned the next day to play in the 2nd match, but the interest level and excitement were much too diminished. In fact, the day's playing was preceeded by a lengthy discussion about different strategies by other players from other games. The opinion was that I would achieve greater satisfaction by utilizing and accepting more game strategies, and that somehow by not employing these strategies my life experiences would be diminished.

Um, I have traveled the world as well as lived abroad for long periods of time. How would not utilizing certain game strategies diminish my overall life experience? This is what I was dealing with that left me so disappointed. As it was the 2nd match was only half-hearted and listless.

Lesson learned: pick your players well and choose game time wisely. Too many matches reduce the excitement of overall game play.

Economics for Dummies

I have just finished my 4th week and I'm feeling totally overwhelmed. All this reading about markets and economics is making my head spin. The frustrating thing (well there's more than just one) is that for what I want to do I need to know all that stuff, but I just can't seem to grasp it.

I need the Cliff Notes for Economics, or Econ for Dummies, because it's just not gettin' into the noggin.

Now I'm also trying to develop my research question and topic for 2 classes. The topic and literature can be the same, but I have to write different information for each one.

At this point I feel like bailing out of the program. However, I know I can hang in there and manage. I think what gets me in such a bind is my high expectations of myself to always do well. I don't like the idea of scoring less than A work. In this case, I will settle for average.

A little camping trip

After the stress of starting classes I decided I needed to get away by myself. Camping would be just the cure. I found a spot and made my reservations. I needed to get away and just relax. The sound of the ocean waves soothed me to sleep. The weather couldn't be more perfect as it's sunny but not too hot. I will come home refreshed.

My first week as a grad student

I think I will like grad school, despite the voluminous reading lists. I'm not certain how it will pan out with my cohorts: I am trying to be friendly and seem interested. After all, these are the people I'm going to be spending the next 2 years with.

My first class on Monday was International Business. It was filled with a bunch of what seemed like undergrads: little tykes to me. I really like the professor, and it seemed like a straightforward course with mostly textbook reading and quizzes.

After attending my POLS class that evening I decided to drop the business class. There would just be too much reading. Plus, I need to give myself a chance to get used to grad school.
Unexpectedly the Monday night POLS 515 class turned out to last only 1 1/2 hours, what should have been 4 hours. It's now going to be 3 hours. Yeah!

Tuesday night's class was quite nice, too. It was POLS 510 with the program director. We had an icebreaker where we had to ask yes/no questions to figure out the identity placed on our backs. I guessed mine within 3-4 questions: I was Sarah Palin. This class will also have a lot of reading, discussion and writing.

I hope I'm ready.

Not a freshman, but a cohort

Friday was the orientation to the Master in Public Policy graduate program at Cal Poly. Of the 18 people who are in my cohort (part of the new graduate vocabulary I will begin using), there were 12 who showed up to the 1/2 hour meeting plus "reception" afterwards.

There is quite a variety of interests by my fellow cohorts, and it looks like the males outnumber the females, too! I feel like the only one who has a clear direction, but that could also be because I am one of the few who have been graduated for more than a year. Many are recent bachelor's degree recipients. A few of us are locals (meaning from San Luis Obispo county and hold bachelor degrees from Cal Poly already), but most are from out of the area.

Our "reception" was a little funky at first because it was really just us and a few professors from the department. So, we had to mingle and force interest in each other since we were encouraged by the director to form social relationships with each other early on. I found one or two people interested in talking. Some just didn't seem like they cared to get to know anyone. I even met a man who worked with my dad at Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant. We shared some fun stories, and I even found out that he was the Easter Bunny at the PG&E Easter Egg Hunt when I was just a wee one. That'll be an interesting friendship.

Eventually after asking around I found out that some of the folks would be going out afterwards. Heck, I wanted to get a jump on the social development aspect of our program since I know I'm usually lacking in that department. Spike's was the place, the pub down on South Higuera Street. I'd actually never been there before but was game.

Turned out I was the first one there. I hate that. So I went to Ladies room to kill some time. In the end there were 9 of us, 6 being part of this year's cohort, and 2 from last year's cohort (aka 2nd years). The remaining individual, in case you thought my math had suddenly gone fuzzy, was the husband of a 2nd year cohort, so take that!

We ordered beers: some of us ordered food. I got a Stella and fish n chips. I don't really know my drinks. I tried asking if anyone had ever had wheat beer with orange (it was recommended by my Polo player). The guy from Berkeley who went to school at Monterey State then ended up in Massachusetts said that it wasn't that great as traditionally citrus was added to wheat beer because it had gone bad and the flavor was supposed to mask that off-putting rottenness. Whatever. He spent his time with the owner of a bike shop, not with us.

So, the night was not a late one. It was pretty pathetic to think that we left at about 9pm. I guess the younger crowd will be more interested in beer nights at the local watering holes as they made sure that they got the run down of the bars in downtown SLO. Yippee! Just what I'm looking forward to.

I think we are all chomping at the bit to get started. Monday's the big day! It will feel strange to be a student again. Although I do look forward to the part where I get to study and learn new ideas.

Polo anyone?

For the past month I have been enjoying a sort of new game called Polo (no connection to the one where you must mount a horse, or elephant, and swing a really long mallet).

This game of Polo involves a telephone, and occasional face to face contact. Currently, I leave messages and then wait to be called back. While other times the calls are initiated by the other player. I was slightly chastised int he past for making the other player do all the calling, so now I must make a call every so often to demonstrate that I can play fairly, too.

Ideally this game should involve some travel as well. Each side must take turns to visit the other's hometown. I am currently waiting for a return visit. Until then, phone calls must suffice to update each player on current status: well-being, education, work, etc. With tricky school and work schedules neither of us can do much traveling at the moment.

My most recent call was on Saturday. It was nice to hear a happy sound compared to the previous call full of meloncholy.

Just another day

Have I ever mentioned that I love Pirate's Booty? It is one of those things that I got hooked on from Trader Joe's, although they no longer sell it under that name anymore. I am addicted to this white cheddar taste of the rice and corn puffs. Simply irresistable!

I've been away for awhile because I was traveling. Nothing fantastic like going to Cambodia or anything. I visited family. Before you begin groaning "ugh", I actually enjoy visiting these family members and spending time with them. Maybe it's because I am older now and can actually participate in the lively conversations as a near-equal.

Here's the run down:

August 30-September 3: Eureka.
We stayed at my uncle's house (my mom's youngest brother), along with my other uncle and his wife, and my cousin and her husband. All bedrooms were taken so I got the lovely sofabed in the living room with the parrot. Actually, it was a comfortable sofabed, so I'm not really complaining.

The highlight of the trip was our exciting tug ride out to meet a pulp ship and bring it into the harbor. I nearly lost my cookies on the 8-foot rolling swells on the way out to the ship. Thankfully the immense size of the ship calmed the seas and brought shade so this poor puppy could return to a natural glow and not a sweaty green. I did not fear the experience because I trusted my uncle's skills to navigate safely through the churning seas. It also didn't help that the cabin was packed with 10 people (my uncle, his 3 deckhands, the 2 pilots, and 4 passengers), and sealed to avoid water spraying inside. It was definitely a ride I won't forget soon.

September 3-4: Lake California, Cottonwood.
This is home to my mom's cousin (whom I usually refer to as an uncle since he's the same age as my uncle). We drove from 65-degree temperatures into 100+ temps over here. It was quite a contrast, and his house wasn't all that much cooler. We enjoyed our evening of catching up and even ventured into "town" for dinner since he wasn't feeling creative enough to plan dinner at the house. Now, usually he does all the cooking, but just couldn't get it together for us. Breakfast was at the same eatery the next morning. This place serves tons of food, and we all left there stuffed. I had a great BBQ chicken salad the night before. In the morning I went with an omelette with sausage, peppers, onions and potatoes. Yum!

September 4-5: Elk Grove, Sacramento.
Remaining in the heat we drove on to the sisters' house (formerly known as Aunt Betty's house). These are the sisters of the cousin just visited. They are part of the Kingdom family. It was a pleasure to visit with them. We even went on a little excursion to the Borders book store where I found some fantastic California postcards to use on Swap-Bot. They made their traditional cold dinner of sandwiches, potato salad and fruit. It's fun to build your own sandwiches every now and again. Again, I got the sofabed, but I really didn't mind. Breakfast was a quiche-like thing with more fruit. Then it was off to our final destination.

September 5-7: Madera.
It's still hot, but my aunt's house is much cooler. They have a new kitten who appeared in their garage soaking wet. The three cats that they already have are in the midst of a peeing war, so a new kitten can't help things. Never turn your back on their cats as you never know when they will pee in your shoes or bag. Our excursion upon arrival was Costco to pick up items for the weekend meals. We had BBQ chicken that first night which was really delicious. The next night would be roast as my cousins were coming over.

Riding in a car that my aunt is driving is a stressful experience. I don't think she's used to power steering or power brakes because you spend the entire time jerking back and forth within the lanes, or sliding forward in your seat after the breaks are slammed.

On Saturday, we were to meet my cousins at my grandmother's house to go through some of the furniture so we could decide what we'd be able to take. Everything had to be checked in case it was something my cousins wanted for themselves. If they didn't want it then we got the go ahead. The main purpose was to look at my grandmother's bedroom furniture to see what kind of moving truck we'd need to bring it back home. I was hoping we could take it that weekend but the cost of renting the trucks was way too high (like $300).

One cool thing is that I managed to get one of the baby blankets that my grandmother crocheted. My cousin had taken all the ones that were in my aunt's store when she got sick and intended on keeping them all for herself. I spoke up to kindly request at least one for myself and she handed over a yellow one. My cousin's wife is due with her first baby in December and he is chomping at the bit for the second baby.

By the time we arrived on the Central Coast on Sunday afternoon, the temperature had gone from an extreme of 108 through the central valley to Paso Robles, all the way down to 68 in Arroyo Grande. It's amazing what living next to the ocean can do to the temperature.

Now I have one more week before classes start. I've applied for a job and am in the hiring process (or so I think). It's nothing glamorous, but it is work.

I celebrated another birthday on September 12. Nothing exciting. I went to McLintock's in the Village with my mom. We saw a Herlihy and another old friend who also joined in on the birthday song for my ice cream sundae. The next day we went to see Burn After Reading. My friend, who I had been walking on the beach with, also joined us. It was great to catch up with her since the past month she's been working mad hours. We agreed to start walking weekend mornings again starting with Sunday.

Sunday also saw me going to the movies again with my mom. This time it was her pick, Righteous Kill. I felt the end was predictable half-way through the movie. We followed that with a drive out to Gopher Glen for some fresh apples. Oh, how I love this season!

Now I've got to go to San Luis for some errands and to complete my drug test for the potential new job.

24 Hours

I took a 24-hour trip the other day. Only myself and one other person knew about my destination. I did not know what to expect upon arrival, as one should always travel without expectations.

I won't call it a one-night stand because it wasn't. But I recall hearing someone on the radio say that nothing good happens after 10:30 at night. There was some good and some surprises.

We were on foot the entire time. I like to be able to be in a place where you can walk to your destination. My partner was hungry, having only eaten a bowl of cereal all day since getting up at 3am for work. We headed to the beach to find some nourishment of the edible kind and settled on a falafel place. Ordering our schwarmas and drinks, we sat a table to wait for the food to come. I don't eat a lot of Middle Eastern food, but do appreciate how delicious it is, and this hit the spot.

We continued on, strolling along the sidewalk above the sand. There really wasn't much to do but walk, so it was suggested we go to the cinema to see a film. By the time we arrived at the theatre it was 8:00 and all of the shows were already in progress with the next showing starting at about 10:00. That's not too late. After all, I'm on vacation and tomorrow is his day off. Where to wait for 2 hours. A cafe!

There's a great place with a really relaxed atmosphere, but on the way I was distracted by another sign. Oh, I've never eaten there before but always wanted to. It always sounded so delectable. We ordered hot chocolates, mine bittersweet, his milk with whipped creme. It was like drinking chocolate soup. Yummy!

Now it was time for the show: Tropic Thunder. Despite all the rally cries against it in order to preserve our pc behaviour, I still enjoyed it. Sure, it had its distasteful moments, yet it was intended to throw our haughty consciences in our face. Besides, who doesn't like watching Tom Cruise shake his thing to Low Rida!

The movie ended. We walked back to the motel. Then it was morning. Checkout time. We still had five more hours. Too late for breakfast so lunch was Indian buffet. [insert Indian word for delicious here].

More walking. Downtown. Cafe. Iced Tea. Newspaper. Talking. Pigeons making out (seriously). Walking. Another cafe. More newspapers. Less talking. A white mocha and a chai latte. Waiting. Then I was gone.

A secret weekend

I entertained a secret visitor this past weekend. I had been out of contact with this person for awhile and wasn't sure if I should re-connect or not. The last time I had spoken with them I didn't really end the conversation in a positive manner. However, curiosity outweighed propriety and so the invitation was extended. Surprisingly enough it was accepted. Hence the weekend would come to fruition after all.

Initially there was nowhere to put this person as I wasn't ready to share the news with my mother. All I could hope for was a pet sitting job where I needed to stay at the house, thus avoiding any parental issues. The person was supposed to be arriving on Saturday afternoon. On Tuesday I received a call from a new client requesting my services for the weekend. Such perfect timing!

The house was perfect. It was a really cute small house in a very nice neighborhood. The two weiner dogs were very sweet and adorable. If I were to have a house of my own, that is what I would like it to look like.

Saturday, I picked up my special guest just after 1:00pm. I had it all planned out. Walk around Downtown San Luis Obispo to find a place for lunch. We ended up eating at Mo's Smokehouse BBQ. Yummy! Two pulled pork sandwiches, homemade potato chips and two local draughts of Firestone Ale. Delicious. The lunchtime conversation was amiable and very frank at points. Bring it on!

We continued walking before heading back on the road to hit Avila Beaches to check it out. We went out to Port San Luis pier to walk out on it and back before continuing south to Pismo Beach. I got back on Highway 1o1 because I love the drive up out of Avila because just as you come up the hill you have the first view of the Pacific Ocean after having driven inland for quite a long time. We took the first exit for Shell Beach to look at the views from the cliffs.

I drove along the frontage road into Pismo Beach to cruise downtown. I wasn't going to stop because I didn't want to pay for parking. Plus I wanted to continue down to Grover Beach to actually stick our feet in the sand and walk down to the Pismo pier. That was what I really wanted to do. It was a lovely day with the sun out and clear sunny skies. We came back to Grover and ended up having some Margaritas at Fin's Seafood Restaurant. It was great because there was live music and the sun was on its way down.

The plan for that night was to see the evening performance at the Great American Melodrama: "Showdown at the Slick Rock Ranch". Before the show we needed to head back to the house to rest a little and so I could take care of the dogs. They needed their dinner and a trip outside.

I love going to the Melodrama because it's such an intimate atmosphere with a small crowd and live acting. There always crowd involvement through sing-alongs and birthday and anniversary cheers. We got there just in time to pay for the tickets and order some grub before the house lights dimmed. Showtime! With two intermissions and then the final Vaudeville, the performance ended at about 11:00pm. My guest was very pleased by the evenings entertainment and vowed to return for another performance in the future. Now I would heartily welcome that.

That evening was filled with some TV viewing of the Olympics, sipping of a nice red wine I bought (and spilled!), with a bit of late night fun thrown in. I think bedtime was somewhere in the 2:30am range. Tomorrow (oh wait, that would be today!) would be the last day.

It started bright and early for me: much earlier than I really wanted. I think the dogs got me up so they could be let out. As a result I spent the rest of the day sleepy. After some morning coffee and my homemade banana bread we eventually headed out to breakfast at F. McLintock's in the Village of Arroyo Grande. I got the oatmeal and then my partner ordered eggs and bacon with another cup of coffee. How original. From breakfast we headed straight to church for the 11am service. The topic of the message was greed.

After church it was back to the house to do the final packing and resting before heading out again. I wouldn't return to the house since the owners were returning that afternoon. Now we headed back to the beach for some more strolling. This time I went down to the Oceano offramp. It wasn't as nice down there as there were lots of trucks and RVs heading back home. Not only that but it was windy. Now we were hungry for lunch and seafood was craved. We returned to Fin's for fish and chips with Corona beers.

I don't think I had ever had so much alcohol since my days in Denmark. Not that it was really all that much, but for me it was a lot, plus I was doing all the driving. Total for me since Friday afternoon: 1 pint of beer, 1 Margarita on the rocks, 3 glasses of red wine, and 1 Corona.

The final attraction before the visit ended was a drive out to the Gopher Glen apple farm. I love apples this time of year and will probably eat one a day until the apple season ends in November. See Canyon apples are the best I've ever had. I bought some Galas that are a nice sweet and crunch apple, and also bought some Elstars, which are more tart, as a gift for my mom. The actual last stop before departure was to Food 4 Less to buy a bottle of the wine we drank at the house: Peachy Canyon's Incredible Red.

The single-word answer challenge

The rules say you can only type one word.

1. Where is your cell phone? pocket
2. Your significant other? Da
3. Your hair? flipped
4. Your Skin? warm
5. Your mother? stagnant
6. Your favorite thing? driving
7. Your dream last night? odd
8. Your favorite drink? rootbeer
9. Your dream/goal? satisfaction
10. The room you're in? office
11. Your ex? Venezolano
12. Your fear? temptation
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Cambodia
14. Where were you last night? guestroom
15. What you're not? mean
16. Muffins? chocolate
17. One of your wish list items? job
18. Where you grew up? California
19. The last thing you did? scanned
20. What are you wearing? pearls
21. Your TV? Olympics
22. Your pet(S)? dog
23. Your computer? outdated
24. Your life? progressing
25. Your mood? anticipation
26. Missing someone? naturally
27. Your car? Rav4
28. Something you're not wearing? watch
29. Favorite Store? grocery
30. Your summer? quiet
31. Like someone? madly
32. Your favorite color? blue
33. When is the last time you laughed? today
34. Last time you cried? recently
35. Who will/would re-post this? Can-Can

Tag! You're it! I now challenge you, the reader, to create your own list of single-word answers to the above questions. Comment with a link when you do!

All fired up!

How would you like to start your morning being called by some strange trucker who demeans you for parking within two feet of his tow hitch, insisting that anyone with a 2nd grade level of education would know not to park next to it.

Well, exuuuuuse me, sir, for not being aware of the international truckers rules of parking next to a truck etiquette and right of way. No, it's not because I am lacking a complete elementary education. It's because I do not drive trucks, and because there were no signs or flares or even a driver to wave me away from the tow hitch. I was parking in the spot that I park in regularly every day, the same lot where the EMPLOYEES who actually work here park every day.

I'm so fired up because I offered to move my vehicle at least 3 or 4 times and each time he said no, it wasn't necessary. Well when he got ticked because I wasn't listening to his tyrannical lecture and resorted to playground tauntings and threats of vehicle destruction, I was equally disturbed. Why should I listening to a rude trucker who only wanted to insult me?

When I ended the conversation, I immediately got up and walked out to move my car. It was just that easy. There was absolutely no reason for him to call me just to ridicule me. I hope he gets a flat tire in the desert!

A 10th Anniversary

I started this day unaware that today is the 10th anniversary of my dad's death. I was informed of this by my mom in an email this afternoon. It's not that I don't think of my dad or that I don't miss him, because I do nearly every day. I just don't want it to keep me lagging behind because I'm focussing on the past.

He was an amazingly capable man despite his social inaptitude. Sometimes I think I've inherited his limited social skills and abrasive manners. He was highly intelligent and capable of doing so many different things from plumbing, electronics, construction, car mechanic, and more. I'm thankful I've picked on some of those good traits, such as being capable of doing a lot of handywork and figuring out mechanical type things.

This entry is dedicated to those family members who passed before and after him:

• James Dennis Biddison - father - b.1946, d.August 7, 1998
• Eleanore Mack - great aunt - d.1980's?
• Kirk Buccholtz - cousin - d.May 1990
• Paul Eugene Groszmann - grandfather - d.December 1990
• Helen Adelaide Groszmann - grandmother - d.November 1999
• Elizabeth "Betty" Kingdom - great aunt - d.2005
• Robert "Bob" Biddison - grandfather - d. July 2005
• Constance "Connie" Buccholtz - aunt - d. January 2007
• Woleta "Lee" Biddison - grandmother - d. May 2007
• Lori Kingdom - aunt (really a cousin) - d. December 2007
• Judy Groszmann - aunt - d. June 2008

Three (Stuffed) Puppies Need Homes - Right Away!

Three life-sized stuffed puppies are being given away at 5 Minutes for Mom from their A Rocking Horse to Love store. They are brand-new and still in their packaging, but the customer who ordered them was from a large company who was going to be using them in some event that was canceled.

I'd love to adopt these adorable puppies because it would be a great way to promote my Home & Pet Care by Nikki business. I was just thinking of having a stuffed dog that could ride in my car. I could even do a giveaway as a promotion to get my name out there! Not only that, but I love doggies. I used to have a life-sized stuffed dog that I bought from my hard-earned allowance many years ago, but I have no idea when I got rid of it. Of course my mom would say that's the reason why one should never get rid of anything!

Not only that, but the Boston Terrier would make a sweet gift to my uncle who just lost his wife to cancer. They have a real Boston Terrier and this would be lovely gift as a reminder of her.

If you'd like a chance to win these adorable pooches, go to their site and write your own entry.

Too much stuff

I have too much stuff. I need to reduce the number of my possessions so I can be better prepared for intensive studies come September. I cannot continue to live surrounded by so much stuff that just gets moved from one place to the next or simply collects dust until that rare moment when it is picked up and looked at or used.

I hate getting rid of stuff because inevitably the mother hen feels inclined to pick it over and keep half the stuff to store in her "gift" room: the room where gifts are collected yet rarely given. It's always a fight if I refuse to let her take my things. She feels like I'm throwing money away by tossing things out (actually taken to the thrift store) because I've paid for them. Well in that case, nobody should throw anything out because it is therefore wasteful. That's the clutterers psychological rationalization for keeping so many things.

I don't want to rationalize my junk. It's not being used. I don't really need it. I've lived on much less and survived.