What I Did During My Winter Vacation

1. Flew to Michigan. I used to LOVE flying. I used to get happy just going to drop someone off at the airport. Homeland Security has totally ruined the experience. There is no joy or excitement about it. I just grit my teeth and wait for it to be over: surly TSA workers (most of whom seem to be a hybrid between automatons and a trained monkeys), the three-ounce rule, taking off your shoes, half a dozen checkpoints before boarding the plane, the mentality that every passenger is a potential terrorist, et cetera. Travel used to be a complete experience comprised of the journey as well as the experiences at the destination, not anymore.

2. Dealt with pressure. I have mixed feelings about visiting Novio because about 90% of his friends are married and have children. When I visit him we spend time with his friends, who are nice people, but I feel this (usually) unspoken pressure to hurry up and join their club, which I will do when I’m good and ready, not because they’re in a rush to see us hitched and procreating. Novio is of no help either. He wants it so badly, he can taste it (he tries valiantly to seem nonchalant about it, but it’s too obvious to ignore). Furthermore, some time ago I had made friends with the possibility that I may never marry or give birth to a child. I was cool with that because, as they say back home, “Mejor sola que mal acompañada.”

3. Did some knitting. At the last minute I decided to make a hat for Novio because the machine-made ones he wears are so…let’s just say they insult my eyes. Then I worked on a cardigan. Yes, I know I had promised not to embark on any new significant projects until I had halved the UFO pile, but I really do need a black cardigan.














4. Gawked at random strangers. I spotted an interesting scarf on an airport escalator. The man wearing it thought I was checking him out and got all happy. A few minutes later I caught myself trying to figure out the zigzag design on another man’s hat. Had to look away before he too thought I was checking him out.

5. Met up with an old acquaintance. It just so happens that Fola was going to be spending a few days in Indiana--about 35 minute’s drive from where I was in Michigan, so we met up. It was very nice to see her. She has developed quite a British accent, which I don’t remember her having ten years ago. It’s cute. As I left she said, “I hope it won’t be another ten years before we see each other again!” I promised that it wouldn’t. And what do you know? I kept my promise sooner than expected because I’d left my cell phone behind, so the next day she came by to drop it off (yay!). While separated from my phone, Em-hijabi, whom I haven’t spoken to in months called (boo!) from England. I hope she calls back soon.

6. Did something green. I finally bought rechargeable batteries for the greedy little digital camera. I’m pleased to discover that I can charge my new NiMH batteries in my older NiCd charger. The downside is that it’ll take 63.6 hours to charge.

7. Smiled. Brief comic relief was provided by a flight attendant who was a chubbier, effeminate version of Philippe Noiret. Also, another flight attendant cracked me up when she said, "If you are sitting in an exit row you may be asked to insist the crew." Insist?

8. Felt grateful and hopeful. A year ago I was miserable, stressed out, sleep-deprived, frustrated, irritable and just plain unhappy. All because of the incompetent, inexperienced, manipulative administrators at my job. I made more money than I ever had before, but that did not do anything to make me want to stay there. I feel sorry for those who are so deep in dept or are living such a life style that forces them to stay. Live within your means people! Not making much money now, but thank God I no longer work there. My life has improved markedly. Here’s hoping that 2008 is all the more better. I wish the same for you.

What City Should You Live In?

	You should live in Paris. The city of lights will appeal to your appreciation of beauty and romance. You are a lover and a poet by nature, and Paris' sensitive charms will be a perfect match for yours.
Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com

As it happens, Paris is one of my favorite cities. In fact, I did a study abroad stint at La Sorbonne - Université de Paris, so the outcome of this quiz really tickled me. I'm not so sure about all that romance and lover business, though. J’aime Paris. Ouais!

The Marvels of Facebook (part 2 of 2)

There is a guy who developed a crush on me last year. I never gave him a chance because he’s 20 and I’m in my 30’s. I don’t mind younger men, but five years is my limit, and the age difference between us is much more than that. I mean really, the year I graduated from university he was probably in kindergarten. “Age ain’t nothing but a number,” he says. Yeah, whatever.

This autumn he sent me an e-mail inviting me to his network of friends on Facebook. Although I’d ignored several invitations to join social networking services from others before, this time I decided to go ahead and do it. As expected, I didn’t know any of his friends. However, I did find one of my former piano students through one of his friends’ networks, which was nice. I didn’t do much else with Facebook after that.

Two days ago I received a one-line message through Facebook that read “Did you visit Vienna during the late 1990s?” It was Fola! I was shocked. It turns out she did a search for me in Facebook and found my name. Although there was no photo (haven’t uploaded one yet), she went out on a limb and sent the message. How cool is that? To reconnect after ten years! I am really looking forward to this new-old friendship.

The Kindness of Strangers (part 1 of 2)

In 1997 I spent a couple months backpacking through Europe. You know, traveling to a new country every week with my rail pass and staying in youth hostels. One evening I got on a tram in Vienna. An attractive African girl greeted me as if we were old friends. She asked if I spoke English and where I was headed. I told her that I had just arrived from Budapest and was on my way to a hostel. Fola was on her way to the first year anniversary celebration of the Black university students’ organization and invited me to come along.

At the party there was music, food, drink and lots of friendly people. In the middle of it all she called everyone’s attention and said something like “My friend here just arrived in Vienna and needs somewhere to stay for the night. Can anyone accommodate her?” My embarrassment was soon replaced by surprise when I saw the hands of three or four willing volunteers go up. It was then decided that I would go with Mara because she lived closer than the others.

It turned out that Mara lived with her aunt. When we got to the door she said something like “Hi, auntie, this is Guaria. She needs somewhere to stay for the night.” The aunt did not bat an eyelash, as if this sort of thing happened all the time. They gave me a warm, comfortable place to sleep and fed me breakfast before I went on my way the next morning. I was in awe and disbelief at their kindness to me, a stranger.

After I returned to the United States, Fola and I exchanged a couple of letters and Mara and I exchanged a few e-mails, then we lost touch.