now, i'm watching nickolodeon with caye in spanish .... or, in the words of the mexicans, ahora, yo veo nickolodeon con caye en español. it's weird how being here makes you wish you paid attention during the four years of spanish you had in high school.
the past two days have been filled with laying at the pool, so there aren't MANY interesting photos, so i'll share when i return ... :) miss yunk and terrace and peanut and my friends
Friday, August 31, 2007
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Mexico: Wednesday, Aug. 29
i know i said i wasn't going to bring my computer, but it's the only way i can charge my iPod, and that is my saving grace this week. and i've decided to document my short family vacation in my blog -- though i think i'll do it mainly through pics and captions :) so enjoy it daily, if you so desire.
flight
at first i was afraid, i was pertrified
i didn't take any photos while flying so let me tell you about the flight! flying has been a fear of mine since it encompasses a lot of my little quirks -- a bit of clostrophobia, a fear of falling, motion sickness and a lack of control (i'm a control freak). however, i truly believe in mind over matter and though i can't say i'm totally cured after yesterday, i do feel much more confident boarding a plane because i did have a nice flight by a window seat (and i looked down!) and i got to read -- which is extraordinary for someone with motion sickness. for anyone who does -- i would def suggest the meds i was perscribed. ask me about it later.
now for some stilframes from Wednesday
dad's breaking the rules.
guys fixing the roof after the hurrican last week. the beach here is closed because of the storm too. *tear*
the rooms are small and lovely ... each one had wine, a fridge full of soda and beer, and a jacuzzi. not too shabby. not to mention the HAMMOCK they have outside. comfy.
the place is a zoo! there are caged animals -- such as the flamingos and whatever it is caye is playing with, but running around we've found iguanas, snails and lizards!
marissa got a seafood platter at dinner that included shrimp with's head (and you see her feigning to eat below) and squids' tenicles. i'm a sucker for squid (ha, get it, cause they have suckers like the ones below) so i ate them for her cause she was going to puke just looking at them. yummy!
the show was supposed to be a fire show, but since it was raining, the show was moved to the lobby -- which has a thatched roof -- not very condusive to fire play. so instead we watched drumming and african, arabian and brazilian dance (where was the mexican?!)
flight
at first i was afraid, i was pertrified
i didn't take any photos while flying so let me tell you about the flight! flying has been a fear of mine since it encompasses a lot of my little quirks -- a bit of clostrophobia, a fear of falling, motion sickness and a lack of control (i'm a control freak). however, i truly believe in mind over matter and though i can't say i'm totally cured after yesterday, i do feel much more confident boarding a plane because i did have a nice flight by a window seat (and i looked down!) and i got to read -- which is extraordinary for someone with motion sickness. for anyone who does -- i would def suggest the meds i was perscribed. ask me about it later.
now for some stilframes from Wednesday
dad's breaking the rules.
awwww... it's a friend for peanut!
guys fixing the roof after the hurrican last week. the beach here is closed because of the storm too. *tear*
the rooms are small and lovely ... each one had wine, a fridge full of soda and beer, and a jacuzzi. not too shabby. not to mention the HAMMOCK they have outside. comfy.
the place is a zoo! there are caged animals -- such as the flamingos and whatever it is caye is playing with, but running around we've found iguanas, snails and lizards!
marissa got a seafood platter at dinner that included shrimp with's head (and you see her feigning to eat below) and squids' tenicles. i'm a sucker for squid (ha, get it, cause they have suckers like the ones below) so i ate them for her cause she was going to puke just looking at them. yummy!
the show was supposed to be a fire show, but since it was raining, the show was moved to the lobby -- which has a thatched roof -- not very condusive to fire play. so instead we watched drumming and african, arabian and brazilian dance (where was the mexican?!)
Monday, August 27, 2007
a little more thought on community.
amazing grace, by jonathan kozol, was a sad realization of how community's can be forgotten and fall to pieces when the leaders don't pay attention, forget or don't care. good read, sad read. i suggest it for anyone who cares about people generally.
also, there's going to be a performance in the fringe -- a comedy it seems, with puppets -- that explores gentrification that might be an interesting show to see.
support local businesses too. before you go to walmart or target, make sure there aren't any local stores that carry the same thing -- might be a few more pennies or more difficult parking, but imagine if it was your own business. more importantly, you'll often find more personal help that the smiley figures at walmart and home depot feign to provide. next time, it's likely the independent owner might remember your face with a small reminder. it's unlikely at walmart you will even meet the same person.
i'd be a hypocrite to say i've never gone to walmart or target nor enjoyed the convenience, but i'm just advocating for being more concious. and a fun way to support local business is find a nearby farmers market -- i've learned recently that roxborough has a farmers market on ridge, fridays 2-6 (i think), and i know chestnut hill and east falls also have one. look them up, there's a whole list of Philly farmers markets, except roxborough and east falls isn't on that list. so look for them here!
also, there's going to be a performance in the fringe -- a comedy it seems, with puppets -- that explores gentrification that might be an interesting show to see.
support local businesses too. before you go to walmart or target, make sure there aren't any local stores that carry the same thing -- might be a few more pennies or more difficult parking, but imagine if it was your own business. more importantly, you'll often find more personal help that the smiley figures at walmart and home depot feign to provide. next time, it's likely the independent owner might remember your face with a small reminder. it's unlikely at walmart you will even meet the same person.
i'd be a hypocrite to say i've never gone to walmart or target nor enjoyed the convenience, but i'm just advocating for being more concious. and a fun way to support local business is find a nearby farmers market -- i've learned recently that roxborough has a farmers market on ridge, fridays 2-6 (i think), and i know chestnut hill and east falls also have one. look them up, there's a whole list of Philly farmers markets, except roxborough and east falls isn't on that list. so look for them here!
not so ignorant anymore
when i was young, i never really thought about how our community, government, and life worked. everything just sorta worked out because it was supposed to; there was no question about it. someone was constantly looking out for and overseeing everything -- someone bigger and greater than i. well, i've since lost that ignorance and am well aware that the people running my life, government, community, school are as human (and fallible) as i. and this fascinates me -- likely because i was so ignorant as a kid, sheltered by parents who had no interest in politics or community.
and for someone fascinated by the workings of a community, chestnut hill is the ideal place to observe a functional but crazily operated community. it's a huge success, but behind the scenes can often be chaos -- a truth i know only because i have to report on these people. and despite their craziness, they usually pull off a pretty successful event, community, etc. ... its community association's membership is beginning to struggle now, but we'll see how that goes. i think it's chaos is beginning to backfire and they might have to redirect themselves soon.
anyway, the point of this is that in my fascination, i've learned that aspects of a community i've taken for granted and never thought about -- such as its retail mix and how that effects resident demographics, crime, etc. -- are really very vulnerable without the proper oversight. which brings me to the article i wrote about banks on germantown avenue. it was interesting to discover not only how an increase in bank branches (article on slate.com about it) could effect a commercial corridor, but what was more interesting was how the branches came about. the banks did not all happen to "find" the Hill and open branches, though the community's established history and well-off residents did attract them. but rather it was an increase in chain stores a few years ago, which seemed to have been viewed as a positive move for the Hill, and the chains' ability to pay higher rents that led to an increase in banks ... because, when the chains moved, only banks could afford to move in and pay the higher rent; independent stores can't afford those rents, and landlords still expect the profits.
read on. and part two is here...
and for someone fascinated by the workings of a community, chestnut hill is the ideal place to observe a functional but crazily operated community. it's a huge success, but behind the scenes can often be chaos -- a truth i know only because i have to report on these people. and despite their craziness, they usually pull off a pretty successful event, community, etc. ... its community association's membership is beginning to struggle now, but we'll see how that goes. i think it's chaos is beginning to backfire and they might have to redirect themselves soon.
anyway, the point of this is that in my fascination, i've learned that aspects of a community i've taken for granted and never thought about -- such as its retail mix and how that effects resident demographics, crime, etc. -- are really very vulnerable without the proper oversight. which brings me to the article i wrote about banks on germantown avenue. it was interesting to discover not only how an increase in bank branches (article on slate.com about it) could effect a commercial corridor, but what was more interesting was how the branches came about. the banks did not all happen to "find" the Hill and open branches, though the community's established history and well-off residents did attract them. but rather it was an increase in chain stores a few years ago, which seemed to have been viewed as a positive move for the Hill, and the chains' ability to pay higher rents that led to an increase in banks ... because, when the chains moved, only banks could afford to move in and pay the higher rent; independent stores can't afford those rents, and landlords still expect the profits.
read on. and part two is here...
Friday, August 24, 2007
peanut is a peanut!
meet the newest member of our little terrace street family! peanut, an eight-week, female kitty that i adopted from a barn in roxborough yesterday. awwwww she's cute!
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
yummy suggestion
it sounds like a weird combo, but if you like blueberries (and who doesn't) and coffee, i highly recommend trying blueberry flavored coffee. the New England brand makes a good one, and surprisingly does does Bucks County Coffee Co., from which i just purchased a pound of ground coffee that is delightfully yummy.
where draw the line?
i don't even know what to make of this story! the guy shots an officer in 1966, and when, years later, the officer dies because of complications that were likely attributed to the his being paralyzed from that shot, the shooter could face murder charges? when does the statute of limitations come to play? and who's to say that if he wasn't shot, he could have been killed earlier in some other way? maybe the shooting and his subsequent paralyzing SAVED his life? not that i really think that, but i feel that re-arresting this guy based on the logic that if the officer wasn't shot he'd still be alive right now is along the same logic as that. where do you draw the line?
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
vaca?
so..... might not be going to mexico. hurricane dean smashed into mexico a few miles from where my fam and i are scheduled to fly into next wednesday. so now it's a waiting game to see if we're going elsewhere or postponing yet again .... sigh.
Monday, August 20, 2007
the true story?
straight from iraq, a troops' perspective that i find fascinating and don't understand how things like this get so little play when the government's press releases are taken as truth.
just saying
lord, i suck at this whole blogging thing. not that anyone is reading it consistently to miss it.
life is busy as it was in July. summer is kind of boring, but today's cold, rainy weather reminds me that fall and winter are right around the corner and i should be enjoying the warmer months while i have them. and next wednesday i leave for mexico for a family vacation. i'll return with photos!
here's something new to share with you, though. and it's interesting how one aspect of your life can often lead you in other directions, ones that you might have been seeking, if only subconsciously, as i apparently was.
i've been tiring of the full-time writing scene for some time, but, hesitant to leave my awesome job situation at the Local, i haven't really thought much about another job, and i don't plan to even now. however, i have sought involvement with activities outside of the Local, and have succeeded in joining two amazing causes.
the first is the establishment of a newspaper at germantown high school, which at the moment is still very much in the works. i came across this opportunity by reporting on building blocks, a soon-to-be nonprofit in germantown that helps students in the high schools have access to the arts -- which with the current state of our city, i see as an incredibly important cause right now -- to encourage a healthy release of students' and teenage opinion, energy and emotion. we're going to start a newspaper this year, and i can't wait to be a part of it -- and advising a student paper has been something i have always wanted to do.
the other opportunity came about because of a story i'm doing for city paper -- back on my feet is a nonprofit that was founded only in july... it serves as a running club for homeless men in shelters and rescue missions in philly. the men in these places are already on their own road to recovery and the running club helps make a tangible representation of their commitment and energy, as well as gives them something more to wake up for each day, not to mention the health benefits!
it's amazing because the same time these guys began running regularly, i began running also, on my own, and when i went running with them for the story (at 6 am on wednesday mornings!) i discovered a reason to keep running. not just for myself, but for them, for energy, for health, and with the goal of participating in 5Ks and other races. i don't think i'll ever reach the energy and drive to run a half marathon (13 miles) or anything .... but it is amazing to witness the dedication of these guys who ARE working toward that goal. and it's not just the dedication, but the encouragement that they provide. they are society's stereotypical "down and out" guys, stepping up as leaders and encouraging friends and others to do the same. they are reaching goals they didn't even think they would be able to reach -- and that's directly from their mouths!
what started as an interesting story has become a new project for me, and besides continuing to run with them each week and potentially becoming more involved in the future of the program, i am also organizing a run for them with mugshots (oct 14, come run!!) -- and btw, working at the cafe has been another random path i took for some extra dough that has turned into an extraordinary opportunity for my personal and professional growth.
so anyways, life is good in the moment, i have a lot to live for and do, and it's more than just myself which makes living all the better.
one interesting thing about running with these guys is they see god as their direction and leader. they believe 100% that he's watching over them and directing them. well, i don't so much believe god's chillin' up there watching and judging what i'm doing ... however, these guys have, partially, given ME a little more direction in my life, as will the students I work with at germantown. i don't believe we're in hell or anything, but i do believe we have no idea what's going to happen after our short time here, and right now this little place in which we live needs a lot of help, and there are a lot of people that could benefit from our individual help, and we shouldn't do it to get into heaven or avoid hell -- why not do it for mike and darren and craig, whose day is better simply because you run with them in the morning or give them a run in the wissahickon to look forward to. or do it for the students that without the newspaper club, wouldn't have an outlet for their frustrations would go home to an empty house, or worse, and wouldn't learn the proper avenues for accomplishing resolution peacefully.
just saying... there's a lot we can do right now.
life is busy as it was in July. summer is kind of boring, but today's cold, rainy weather reminds me that fall and winter are right around the corner and i should be enjoying the warmer months while i have them. and next wednesday i leave for mexico for a family vacation. i'll return with photos!
here's something new to share with you, though. and it's interesting how one aspect of your life can often lead you in other directions, ones that you might have been seeking, if only subconsciously, as i apparently was.
i've been tiring of the full-time writing scene for some time, but, hesitant to leave my awesome job situation at the Local, i haven't really thought much about another job, and i don't plan to even now. however, i have sought involvement with activities outside of the Local, and have succeeded in joining two amazing causes.
the first is the establishment of a newspaper at germantown high school, which at the moment is still very much in the works. i came across this opportunity by reporting on building blocks, a soon-to-be nonprofit in germantown that helps students in the high schools have access to the arts -- which with the current state of our city, i see as an incredibly important cause right now -- to encourage a healthy release of students' and teenage opinion, energy and emotion. we're going to start a newspaper this year, and i can't wait to be a part of it -- and advising a student paper has been something i have always wanted to do.
the other opportunity came about because of a story i'm doing for city paper -- back on my feet is a nonprofit that was founded only in july... it serves as a running club for homeless men in shelters and rescue missions in philly. the men in these places are already on their own road to recovery and the running club helps make a tangible representation of their commitment and energy, as well as gives them something more to wake up for each day, not to mention the health benefits!
it's amazing because the same time these guys began running regularly, i began running also, on my own, and when i went running with them for the story (at 6 am on wednesday mornings!) i discovered a reason to keep running. not just for myself, but for them, for energy, for health, and with the goal of participating in 5Ks and other races. i don't think i'll ever reach the energy and drive to run a half marathon (13 miles) or anything .... but it is amazing to witness the dedication of these guys who ARE working toward that goal. and it's not just the dedication, but the encouragement that they provide. they are society's stereotypical "down and out" guys, stepping up as leaders and encouraging friends and others to do the same. they are reaching goals they didn't even think they would be able to reach -- and that's directly from their mouths!
what started as an interesting story has become a new project for me, and besides continuing to run with them each week and potentially becoming more involved in the future of the program, i am also organizing a run for them with mugshots (oct 14, come run!!) -- and btw, working at the cafe has been another random path i took for some extra dough that has turned into an extraordinary opportunity for my personal and professional growth.
so anyways, life is good in the moment, i have a lot to live for and do, and it's more than just myself which makes living all the better.
one interesting thing about running with these guys is they see god as their direction and leader. they believe 100% that he's watching over them and directing them. well, i don't so much believe god's chillin' up there watching and judging what i'm doing ... however, these guys have, partially, given ME a little more direction in my life, as will the students I work with at germantown. i don't believe we're in hell or anything, but i do believe we have no idea what's going to happen after our short time here, and right now this little place in which we live needs a lot of help, and there are a lot of people that could benefit from our individual help, and we shouldn't do it to get into heaven or avoid hell -- why not do it for mike and darren and craig, whose day is better simply because you run with them in the morning or give them a run in the wissahickon to look forward to. or do it for the students that without the newspaper club, wouldn't have an outlet for their frustrations would go home to an empty house, or worse, and wouldn't learn the proper avenues for accomplishing resolution peacefully.
just saying... there's a lot we can do right now.
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