Last week I purchased a pea coat. I own one already but one too many pencils have disappeared into the lining and the wool was starting to shine, but not in a good way, so it was time to replace. I worked into the wee hours of the night analyzing, comparing, selecting and purchasing a replacement. I felt quite pleased with myself when I hit "purchase" and slept a satisfied sleep.
And then brother David referenced this site: Stuff White People Like, http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com
I surfed over and found #111 Pea Coats, http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/10/02/111-pea-coats. So, turns out I fall guilty to #104, 115, 106, 100, pretty much all the items listed in the 90s, 112, 109, 88, 85, 83, 81, ... right, you get the picture.
Just a hypothesis here, but I'm guessing that the only thing that makes my pea coat "more" white is the store that I purchased it from. Out of some modicum of dignity, I shan't admit here where...
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Travel Tips
Things I've learned over the last week that possibly you might be interested in:
1. Bored at the airport? Find the Chanel perfume.
Last week I went on a quick weekend trip to Sana’a with a work friend. In my efforts to “practice arriving early” (please note Post: "I Know You", October 27), I arrived at the airport and made it through security with 40 mins to spare. And then I had nothing to do. My friend told me that when she is bored at airports she goes to Duty Free, finds The. Most. Expensive. Perfume on the shelf and sprays it all over herself. Sure, we average 31 years of age between the two of us but before you could say “American passport” we were in Duty Free looking for perfume. Within a few moments we located the latest Chanel, selling for a cool $100/ 8 oz. I chose the Nile-inspired version (perplexing since the Nile is full of "yuck"). My colleague chose the Taj Mahal-inspired version (perplexing since the entire city of Agra smells of, well, not good things that normally end up in the toilet). We respectively sprayed ourselves and the 5 foot vicinity area in it.
Bonus Travel Tip: When you board a plane full of people coming from Malaysia who have just finished up a long haul trip, you will find the plane trashed and smelling nauseatingly of body odor. At which point you will be very glad you sprayed yourself with the perfume and wished you given it one more squirt.
2. All the stories you've heard about gypsies are true. Beware and you've been warned.
"The gypsies are scary. They'll try to get you...You'll be innocently looking at something and then next thing you know 5 of them will have surrounded you forcing shawls into your face, as they move you closer and closer to their wagon and then BAM! You are locked in a cage and your friends have no idea what happened. True story."
Thank you, Susan, for wise words shared.
1. Bored at the airport? Find the Chanel perfume.
Last week I went on a quick weekend trip to Sana’a with a work friend. In my efforts to “practice arriving early” (please note Post: "I Know You", October 27), I arrived at the airport and made it through security with 40 mins to spare. And then I had nothing to do. My friend told me that when she is bored at airports she goes to Duty Free, finds The. Most. Expensive. Perfume on the shelf and sprays it all over herself. Sure, we average 31 years of age between the two of us but before you could say “American passport” we were in Duty Free looking for perfume. Within a few moments we located the latest Chanel, selling for a cool $100/ 8 oz. I chose the Nile-inspired version (perplexing since the Nile is full of "yuck"). My colleague chose the Taj Mahal-inspired version (perplexing since the entire city of Agra smells of, well, not good things that normally end up in the toilet). We respectively sprayed ourselves and the 5 foot vicinity area in it.
Bonus Travel Tip: When you board a plane full of people coming from Malaysia who have just finished up a long haul trip, you will find the plane trashed and smelling nauseatingly of body odor. At which point you will be very glad you sprayed yourself with the perfume and wished you given it one more squirt.
2. All the stories you've heard about gypsies are true. Beware and you've been warned.
"The gypsies are scary. They'll try to get you...You'll be innocently looking at something and then next thing you know 5 of them will have surrounded you forcing shawls into your face, as they move you closer and closer to their wagon and then BAM! You are locked in a cage and your friends have no idea what happened. True story."
Thank you, Susan, for wise words shared.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Matthew Alan
Matthew, you are one of those lucky people born with a smile on your face. Well, once the colic was gone. And, oh how that smile has put a smile on our faces ever since. Well, your smile plus really great hugs.
I'm going to miss both your smile and hugs when you leave February 4, 2009 for two years to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in ... California, Fresno speaking Espanol. But - WOW - we'll let you go for an adventure like this. Well done, 'Mamu', on a living a life that's brought you here. XO, baby bro.
I'm going to miss both your smile and hugs when you leave February 4, 2009 for two years to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in ... California, Fresno speaking Espanol. But - WOW - we'll let you go for an adventure like this. Well done, 'Mamu', on a living a life that's brought you here. XO, baby bro.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
A Grand Thing
Whenever an ambulance speeds through a crowded street, I feel a profound sense of awe as cars part to make way. For whatever nonsensical reason, in that moment I feel very American and very proud to be an American. There is an inherent sense of respect, community-ness, understanding that somehow I associate with the US that I hear in the sirens and watch in the red lights pulling to the side of the road... I felt that same feeling last week – a week that began with the fevered pitch of an election and ended on the
beaches of Normandy in a solitude that stills the soul. Something about watching Americans line up at the polls on CNN, discoursing on the pros and cons of both candidates with taxi drivers, doormen, colleagues (Emirate, American, Lebanese, Palestinian, Egyptian etc.), hearing my dad tell stories of WW II soldiers (including my grandfathers), seeing the American Cemetery shadows rotate with the sun at Omaha Beach…
At the entrance to Omaha Beach the following is engraved:"To us is given the honour of striking a blow for freedom which will live in history; and in the better days that lie ahead men will speak with pride of our doings." ~ Field Marshal Bernard L. Montgomery
And now I live in those "better days" and have hopes for even better "better days." I can pray in peace, learn for free, vote with noise, speak with confidence, live without fear. To be an American is a grand thing.
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