Wander Life

With the Fam...Still

Well, it's the Monday after Thanksgiving, and I've been enjoying the time at home with my family.  Technically, I shouldn't still be enjoying my time in the Northwest - I should be at work back down in Cali.  But, you know how it goes: sleep a little too long for a 6:30am flight, get caught behind a wreck on the freeway on the way to the airport, long post-holiday lines at security, a gate agent telling you that the plane just left and...viola, I get an extra day of appropriately cold weather, a nice cozy fire in the wood stove, a Costco run and errands with Dad, and hot Turkey soup for lunch. 

Sure, I have to get back to my apartment and work sometime, but...looks like that sometime will be just a little later.  And really, that's ok.  : )

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.  This was my first one at home in five years.  Nice, nice. 

Highlights of a Pre-Thanksgiving Week

This week in review:

On Wednesday, we had the annual Thanksgiving Potluck at my work.  I made stuffing.  (Sure, it was StoveTop, but still...I added craisins, so that's got to count for something).  'Twas a good time.

Also at work, I finished a big mailing.  Busy...but good busy.  Feeling like I'm getting my job semi-figured out.  Yay for not-total cluelessness!

Tuesday, my department went out to lunch at California Pizza Kitchen.  And we even had one that had corn on it!  It reminded me of China (where, for some reason, corn is seen as a staple pizza topping...maybe now I'll have to blame CPK).  Anyway, it was good stuff.  And I like my co-workers.  Anyone who likes pizza can't be too bad, I always say.

I've still been enjoying my running after work.  Now that it gets dark so early, I go around the nearby lit high school track.  I've never been much of a track runner (always preferring trails), but it's actually not bad.  There are usually kids practicing soccer and football and the other "regulars" that I see, so that's kind of fun.  Plus, I take my iPod and listen to PRI's "Fair Game," so it's killing two birds with one stone - exercise AND get caught up on current events and politics...but with an entertaining smarmy host.  Quite enjoyable.

Also, I finished my latest book: "The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood."  My friend, David, made a comment that I never gave my review of "The Kite Runner," so I suppose I should mention them both.  "The Kite Runner" was very good - well-written and thought provoking.  Not a super "light-hearted" book...but good.  The "Ya-Ya" book was pretty fun.  I didn't think it'd be my kind of book, but...it actually was a pretty entertaining story. 

...And now I have to choose which book to read next.  I could probably write a whole post just on this process, as it is no small ordeal.  For me, choosing a book is like choosing what place and time I want to visit.  I guess you could call me an escapist when it comes to reading - I pretty much live in the world of my book.  Even when I'm not reading it - just walking around, working or whatever - I'm still seeing things through a perspective that's influenced by my current book.  For example, if I'm reading some Jane Austen book, I find myself wanting to be more proper and even sometimes thinking in a British accent.  With this latest, since it took place in the south, I kept wanting to respond to people with "yes, ma'am" and "yes, sir."  Funny, I know, but what can I say?  I'm a bookie.  : )  Anyway, my sister wants me to read "The Eyre Affair" next.  Kind of a sci-fi futuristic-type...but set in the world of books (hard to explain, I know).  But I also have "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" that I got in Asia and still haven't read.  The movie was kind of dumb, but I've heard the book's not bad.  And I kind of feel like taking a trip to the Mediterranean (circa 1940's).  : )  So, we'll see....

And last but not least this week, I've had a few upcoming travels on my mind.  First off, I'm going home in less than a week (for Thanksgiving, obviously), so that'll be fun.  I also just got my tickets for going home for Christmas, too.  Hoorah for that.  After that, the next trip may or may not to Thailand in January - I still don't know about that.  But a trip that looks pretty certain is one to Israel, Egypt and Petra in March.  I'm sure I'll write more about it as the date gets closer....

So, anyway, that's what's going on with me.  Just...doing stuff.  And being thankful, of course.  : )  And speaking of thankful...it's the weekend!  Rejoice!  : )  Check y'all later....

Oh, and I almost forgot, I was going to include this week's Chinglish!  So, I just got this note passed on to me from one of our English teachers in Asia.  He had a student doing a biography report, and the first section was written, "Blackground Information."  This teacher then notices the title of the paper: "Martin Ruther King."  ...Man, how can you not love students?  : )

Andrea with an "E"?

So, the hostess at the restaurant says it'll be about 15 minutes for a table.  I say that that's fine, so I give her my name to put on the waiting list.  I say it once: "Andrea" and am met with this look of total confusion.  So I say it again, with a little more emphasis: "Ann-dree-uh."  After a moment's pause (like she was just trying as hard as she could to figure out what I could possibly be saying), she says, "I'm sorry.  You're going to have to spell that."  I have never experienced such difficulty with my name before....

So, then, to see how far we were down the list, I looked at the paper...and saw that she had written "Endrea."  What?!  My friends and I had a good chuckle over this, thinking, "Who's never heard of the name 'Andrea'?  And Endrea?  Right, like that's a name."

Well, then this morning (and I am not making this up) my friend (who was there for this humorous interchange and who works at the same organization as me, doing recruiting) was making some phone calls, and one of the people she talks to is named (you won't even believe it, but it's true!)...you guess it: Endrea. 

I tell ya, California just gets crazier every day.  : ) 

Running, Leaping and Chicken Waffling

  Though not usually an early bird, two of the last three mornings found me out the door by 6am.  Friday was the first of those mornings, and it was because I was speaking at a nearby college about the Hui minority group in China (people with whom I had fairly frequent interaction due to the area in which I lived).  Nothing like a class of half-asleep college kids at 7:45 in the morning to get ya going....  But, actually, it was fun, and they had good questions and interest.  I think I like college kids - so full of life and idealistic, not yet jaded by the realities of "the real world."  : )

Anyway, so that was the first early morning, and today was the second.  Yeah, that's right: today, as in, Sunday.  And a rainy, chilly Sunday, to boot.  But it, too, was not without reason (and you know it's got to be a good reason to have me up and about by 5:30).  Today was the 10k race I had signed up for with some people from work.  Kinda hard to say no to causes like fighting cancer for kids (which the proceeds from this race went toward).  I've done runs for diabeties and for breast cancer and the like, and I tell ya, there's just something fun and rewarding about them.  You get to kind of help a good cause (in a small way), plus you get to be out doing something active with other people from the city.  Win, win.  And let's not forget the goody bags and free stuff from the sponsors.  Sure, it's mostly energy bars and sports drinks, but still...gotta love free samples.  : )  And I'm also now the proud owner of a new long-sleeve t-shirt, so, hey, all in all...worth getting up early for.

And the race went pretty well, too.  I might be getting some pictures from it, and if so, maybe I'll post 'em later.  But for now, I'll just put up this picture of Scott Bakula.  "Who?" you ask.  You know, Scott Bakula...the guy from Quantum Leap.  That's right, I have now had my second celebrity spotting since moving to Cali.  We saw him at the race (he was a fellow runner in it), and we did one of those, "Hey, isn't that...?  Yeah, it is" kind of things.  That's SoCal for ya, I guess.

And after the run (which I did in 53:50-something, which I was happy enough with - 10k is 6.2 miles...so, you know, I wasn't breaking any records, but it's respectable enough for an old retired soccer player with a busted knee and gimpy ankle.  : )  Hey, I was just glad I beat [albeit, barely] the 12-year-old kid and 70-year-old guy whom I was running alongside most of the way : )), the group I went with decided that a waffle and chicken run was called for.  I, being the newby, was at a bit of a loss regarding the excitement this suggestion produced among the others.  I guess there's a local restaurant here that's famous for chicken and waffles.  Together.  Apparently, it's some Southern cooking kind of thing.  Thankfully, my years of living in Florida had educated me some, so I didn't seem completely uncultured (to Southern culture, that is), and I could, at least, identify a few things (like grits) on the menu.  I could not, however, bring myself to order the standard fried chicken & waffle combo.  Something about fried anything after a race just didn't seem too appealing.  Not wanting to dis the Southern way of life, though, I did get the waffle...with a side of biscuits and gravy.  Nothing like a little carb loading after the race.

And now I'm back home and warm and clean...and tired.  So, as I look at my to-do list, I think I'll bag it, have some tea, write a few e-mails and continue with my current read, "The Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood."  Not sure what's up with the current "Southern" theme in my life right now (first the food, now the book), but, it's actually pretty well written and enjoyable, so I'll take it.  Beats doing errands. 

Have a great week.  With or without the chicken.  : )          

 

Up Four It?

Hmm...well, my friend Rachel "tagged" me, I guess (yeah, thanks for that, Rach : )), so, because I like her, I suppose I had better do it.  Even though it means talking about myself...which I don't particularly like.  But as they say, it'll hurt less if you just do it.  Like a band-aid: right off!  : )  So, here goes with A's Top Fours:

Four Places I've lived:

1. The Pacific Northwest (Brush Prairie, Washington & Salem, Oregon)
2. The Gulf Southeast (Ft. Myers, Florida)
3. Northeast, Southwest, and Northwest China (Changchun, Jilin; Tibet; Yinchuan, Ningxia)
4. And, finally, The Western Land o' Dreams (aka Southern California - specifically, Pasadena)

Four jobs I've held:

1. Daycare Provider (oh, yes, indeed - me & 3-5 year olds are a grand combination)
2. Special Services Agent at Portland International Airport (aka wheelchair pusher) : )
3. Foreign English Teacher
4. Video Editor
5. (And I'm not sure what you'd call my current job - "Teacher Service-r?"  Doesn't matter, though, since I only need four, I guess)

Four Films I could watch again and again:

1. That's a difficult question, and my answers would probably change every time I was asked, but...I'll give it a shot.  First, probably Shawshank Redemption.  Classic.
2. Goodwill Hunting.  I'm sorry - I can't help it.  I mean, come on, it gave us "How do you like them apples?"  It will always have a place in my heart for that.
3. Donnie Brasco.  Maybe.  Sure it's violent, but, hey...foggitta 'bout it.  Made me never want to be a gangster, anyway.  That and Good Fellas.  Both good.  But, come to think of it, I probably couldn't watch them again and again in close succession - I don't think that's healthy.  So, maybe I should change this one to Band of Brothers.  It's actually a series, not a movie, but it gives a great perspective to WWII.  Yes, that's my final #3 vote.
4. And because I can't decide, and I'm the boss of my own self (or at least my own blog), all of these get #4 - Braveheart, Waiting for Guffman, Gattaca, and because they have to be here: A League of Their Own & Far and Away (they were the first movies I owned, and I never forget an old friend).  [And in regards to more recent movies, Mr. & Mrs. Smith and The Island are pretty high up there.]

Four TV Shows I watch(ed):

1. Well, I don't actually get any TV channels.  And I didn't in China, either, so whatever I watch, I'm always a season behind (since I usually have to wait for it to come out on DVD).  But I can say what shows I have liked recently.  First is...I hate to admit it, but, yes, I got into the "Grey's Anatomy" craze.  Well, I wasn't really "crazed," but I did rent season 3.  You can only fight it for so long.  I blame my teammates in China for getting me into this one.  : )  Mostly, I like Christina - because she eats cereal for dinner and she is not a sharer, except with her "person."  ...You just can't beat some of the lines they come up with.  (Does it make it better if I like it out of respect for the dialogue writing?)  : )
2. "Scrubs."  I actually haven't seen any of this season.  Is it even still on?  But I did enjoy the first few seasons particularly.
3. "Freaks & Geeks."  It was only on for a season, but, man, was it funny.  I just have to watch the same season over and over.  (Another good show that sadly got canceled was "Veronica Mars."  Another of my teammates introductions.  Again, clever writing.  She was just so doggone clever.)
4. And because they will never be beaten, these two must always remain on any of my "favorite tv shows" lists: "Seinfeld," of course, and "The Simpsons."  I actually haven't watched "The Simpsons" in years, but for all the time I spent with it in my formative years...its influence will always remain in my lexicon.

  Four Favorite Foods: (Geeze, this is getting long...maybe I better give shorter answers...)

1. Good bread (with butter and jam or cheese)
2. Good pastry-type things, breakfast foods or baked goods (like Grandma's pies...or N's Christmas Dutch pancake things; Cracker Barrel's sourdough french toast; Jason's baked apple pancakes) - in my mind, these all fit in one category...I'm not sure why.  : )
3. S'mores (I really never get sick of them - I could seriously eat 20 in one sitting)
4. Meat (specifically salmon, pulled pork [especially in a fajita or a bbq sandwich], corned beef [especially when my mom makes it and then we have homemade reubens] or a good pot roast).

Four Websites I visit everyday:

1. Everybody's blogs & Facebook
2. CNN
3. The site of the organization I work for - to log into my work e-mail
4. Hotmail

Four Favorite Colors:

1. Brown
2. Green
3. Blue
4. Black...and Orange (but not together)

Four Places I'd rather be right now:

1. Not a fair question.  So many good places....  I think I'll just try to enjoy wherever I am at the moment.

Four Names I like but wouldn't (or couldn't) use myself:

1. Uh...I'm not sure.  What am I naming?  And if I like it, why can't I use it?  ...I like the name Rufus...and I'll use it if I want to.

Four Blog Friends I'm tagging:

1. How about anyone who reads this and wants to?  Listen to your hearts....  : )

   

Happy Birthday, Happy Handz, F.N. Jiaozi Anonymous (and Celebrity Spotting)

Well, I obviously am not participating in "blog every day" month like my sister & sister-in-law are doing.  I'm glad they are ('cause I like reading their posts), but with me, you'll have to settle for one usual sporadic posting.  I've got a lot for this one today, though (as perhaps forewarned by the title), so maybe that'll kind of make up for it.  I mean, it's kinda like four posts in one.  Kinda.  : )

So, first off: Happy Birthday to my friend Daphne.  Basically, she's a good person, and I like her.  So...I hope her birthday is happy.  : )  We met when we were both working in Florida, and now that she's back from Haiti and Burkina Faso & I'm back from China, we're both finding ourselves in Southern California.  Happiness, indeed.  Anyone who knows D feels fortunate to count her as a friend 'cause, well, she's just so much doggone fun.  And thoughtful.  And smart.  And good with goats.  I mean, what more could you ask for in a friend?  : )  So, here's a shout out to her.  Today is her actual B-day, so we started it off with a little flag football (team name: Happy Handz - hence that part of the title), and later today, I guess we'll be picnicking and frolicking at a nearby park.  Good times ahead, I'm sure.

But before I head off for that (and before I do my errands and   laundry), I'll try to quickly explain the rest of today's title.  F. N. Jiaozi Anonymous and the Celebrity Spotting both have to do with an outing I had with some co-workers last night.  Since I and many of the people I work with lived (and therefore, ate) in China for some part of our lives, it stands to reason that every once in a while (or maybe more frequently) we just miss it.  Luckily, though, we're in Southern California.  I guess if you know where to look, finding authentic Chinese food really isn't all that difficult around here.  That's what I've been told, anyway.  So, last night, we decided to test this theory out.  And what better food quest to start with than the most traditional Chinese food of all: the jiaozi.  Now, I know I've talked about jiaozi before.  Several times, in fact.  It's a Chinese staple - you make it on holidays, you eat it in a little shop along the road when you need a quick & cheap meal, you keep some in your freezer just in case of emergencies ('cause heaven forbid you ever be without).  It's just basically something you eat often.  (And I'm sorry this is doing some kind of weird linking this - I can't get it turned off.  I guess you just really need to see this picture of jiaozi).  : )

Well, here in the States, our jiaozi fixes are usually few and far between.  You can sometimes get them in Costco (sometimes called potstickers or dumplings) or even get the fixin's to make them yourselves, but still...it's not quite the same.  And this is where our band of co-workers' authenticate food hunt comes in.  Last night, we decided to form the Friday Night Jiaozi Anonymous group (or F. N. Jiaozi Anonymous, for short).  The rules are pretty simple.  Basically, you meet up and eat jiaozi every once in a while; then you rate the dumplings with a scale we call "The Chopsticks Rating System."  "Two chopsticks up" is very good.  Obviously.  Holding your chopsticks horizontal means it was ok.  And two chopsticks down (sticking down into the bowl of rice?!  I can already hear the gasps)...well, let's just say we don't want too many of those.

Anyway, the place we went to last night was called "The Dumpling House," and we were the only non-Asians in there (which is always a good sign).  It filled us all with good memories (and good food), so all in all, I'd say our first meeting was a success.  We even had several plates of two-chopsticks-up worthy jiaozi (and only one we had to vote down on).

Then, after the meal, we moved the meeting to a frozen yoghurt place called Pinkberry.  This isn't  particularly Asia-memory invoking, but...maybe it'll just have to be an addition that the SoCal chapter of F.N.J.A. has to make.  : )  And, as an added bonus to the dessert, I had my first real celebrity spotting (in California, at least) while we were there.  There we were, eating our frozen treat, when who should get in line but none other than Jose Canseco.  Oh yes.  If you don't follow baseball, maybe this isn't all that amazing to you, but for those of us who do (or, at least, did a few years ago), this is pretty big stuff.  I mean, this guy was big.  And he still is...literally.  Jose was kind of the guy who blew the cover on steroid use in baseball (by writing a tell-all book), and by looking at him, you can see he knows what he's talking about.  Seriously, the guy is huge.  We watched him for a good 10 minutes, debating on whether or not to say something to him.  In the end, we decided it would be just too un-California cool to ask for an autograph.  I guess if you live here, you're supposed to act like seeing famous people is no big deal.  The gawking, whispering and pointing?  Yeah, they leave that to us out-of-staters (and don't worry, we had it covered).  : )

So, anyway, that's the latest around here.  We actually did take some pictures, as well, but they were with another person's camera (as I forgot mine - skunked again!).  So, if I get those sometime soon, maybe I'll get them up.

And now it really is time to get some stuff down before the big birthday bash.  Have a great, star-filled weekend.  Hope it's two chopsticks up!  : )