New Photos and Best Wishes

I posted a few new photos that I shot while my mother was in the hospital last month. Nothing spectacular, I was just tired of looking at the matrioshka.

In case my plane goes down in a flame, I wish you all the success in the world. It's been fun blogging for you. I hope I've managed to make you laugh (or at least roll your eyes) a few times.

See you on the other side. (Click here to understand why that phrase is funny to me.)

Last Call

I spent today packing and making sure I have everything I want to bring with me. I've got more stuff than I wanted to bring, but I don't know how to cull it down. If it weren't going to be so stinking cold, I would be OK. Not counting what I'm going to wear on the plane, here's what I've packed:

4 pair of pants
3 mock turtlenecks
2 t-shirts
3 regular shirts that can be worn alone or over a mock t-neck
3 sweaters
1 pair of shoes
1 skirt

That's just not a lot of clothes. But I've also got all kinds of over the counter meds, travel accessories, and snacks. Oh well.

Kimi Stewart took us to dinner at Thai last night. I was so tired that I feel like I ripped her off by being poor company. I hope she will forgive me.

Service was kinda a bust this morning. I wanted to get by to a few of my calls. Like a moron, I left my call book at home. A cool sister asked me to go on her study with her. That would have been really nice except that the study was really far away and she wasn't home. We made tried a couple of my calls, but they either weren't home or didn't come to the door. I'm afraid that one of them is blowing me off. That's her choice.

I ate lunch with my Mama. She's so funny.

My neighborhood is normally very quiet. But not tonight. Someone in the building behind me is having a big party. The guests sound completely drunk (or redneck). They alternate between indoors and outdoors. It's pretty annoying on this of all nights when I need to sleep.

I sent out some emails to people to get their mailing addresses. If you didn't receive a request, I was able to figure out your address using my mammoth brain and the interweb.

I'm going to try to update from afar, but I'm not sure often I will be able to.

Seriously...should I call the cops on these people? They're out of control.

Today was busy

My boss kept me busy all day researching some major problems.  He wanted to get these issues submitted to our software company support team before I left.  We worked through it all, though I didn't think we would come even close.

I've never taken three weeks off from work before.  It feels weird.

[and now a word from our sponsor...]

---

Invite your mail contacts to join your friends list with Windows Live Spaces. It's easy! Try it!

Weather Update

I keep forgetting that the weather on my trip isn't going to be like the weather we've been having here.  I'm planning my clothes as if I'm spending the next three weeks around here.  So I finally got online to look at the weather forecast for the first part of our trip:

Day 1 - 48, Partly Cloudy
Day 2 - 54, Partly Cloudy
Day 3 - 54, Rain
Day 4 - 53, Rain and Wind
Day 5 - 57, Cloudy

First, I'm not too happy about all the "cloudy".  Second, I've got to rethink the layering.  I'm taking a fleece pullover that should suffice as a jacket.  But I wasn't really thinking I'd wear it.  I guess I will.  I HATE jackets!  I may have to pack a few sweaters, two.  The only problem is that all my sweaters are black.  That's a nice cheery color.  And it matches my "hi i'm an american" white sneakers so well...

[and now a word from our sponsors...]

---

Get news, entertainment and everything you care about at Live.com. Check it out!

I'm a small shrub

Or Heather.  I think I've blogged about this before, but do I look like a Heather?  Last night at our meeting, the brother giving the Speech Council talk used the names of people in the audience to demonstrate how you maintain audience contact.  He called out the name of the brother from the Couple Too Cool to Name.  Then he turned to me.  I could see he was struggling to get out a name.  I wasn't sure if he was having trouble with my name or the name of the sister sitting next to me.  He finally called me Heather [insertmylastnamehere].

In one way that's kinda funny cause my cousin has a daughter named Heather [insertmylastnamehere] who looks absolutely nothing like me, not to mention would never be found at a meeting.  But in another way it's just so odd.  My whole life people have been calling me Heather.  Sometimes they pick a name a little closer to mine, like one that starts with the same letter.  But more often than not they pick Heather out of the thin air.   Completely unconnected, random people over the last 34 years overwhelmingly use the same wrong name for me.  What does that mean?

I tell people it's because I look so much like Heather Locklear.  For some reason, people laugh hysterically when I say that.  I can't imagine why...

I went to Wikipedia to get a list of people named Heather to see if I could narrow this thing down.  Instead, here are the things I learned about Heather:

It is a small shrub growing to 20-50 cm tall (rarely to 1 m), and is found widely in Europe and Asia Minor on well-drained acidic soils in open sunny situations and in moderate shade.

Heather is an important food source for various animals such as sheep and deer, which can graze the tips of the plants when snow covers low growing vegetation.

Heather is a popular ornamental plant in gardens and for landscaping.

The plant was introduced to New Zealand and has become an invasive weed in some areas, notably the Tongariro National Park, overgrowing native plants. Heather Beetles have been released to stop the heather, with preliminary trials successful to date.

The generic name Calluna is derived from a Greek word meaning 'to sweep', as the plant was used to make brooms. The specific name vulgaris is derived from a Latin word for 'common'.

Heather is an ingredient in gruit, a mixture of flavourings used in the brewing of beer during the Middle Ages before the use of hops.

Heather is The national flower of Norway

Also a female name originated by the Anglo-Saxons.

So, according to Wikipedia, people either think I remind them of a small shrub, a food source, an ornamental plant, an invasive weed, something vulgar or common, imitation beer or a Norwegian flower.

At least Adelwise was sung about by the lovely Christopher Plummer.  There are no famous songs about Heather, or my real name for that matter.

[and now a word from our sponsors...]

---

Explore the seven wonders of the world Learn more!

My evenings are planned out

I've got one stop to make at Walmart.  I may do this at lunch today.  Nothing big, just returning a couple of shirts.

This evening I'm heading off to Wolf Camera for a quick look around.  I desperately need a spongy camera strap.  I had one once on a camera that was stolen.  It's the only thing I miss from that gear.  I'm also going to check out the prices of monopods.  I have always wanted one and if I'm going to get one, now is the time.  Then I'm stopping by Walgreens because my day wouldn't be complete if I didn't. 

Tomorrow evening I'm getting my hair cut.  Friday evening I'm packing. 

Either tonight or tomorrow, probably both, I'll do final laundry.  Hopefully, I will get all this done so that I don't really have anything to do on Saturday evening except relax.

[and now a word from our sponsors...]

---

Invite your mail contacts to join your friends list with Windows Live Spaces. It's easy! Try it!

Today's errand

I just told the USPS to hold my mail while I'm out of the country.  I've done this before, but never for so long.  I'm afraid I'm going to have to take a laundry basket with me to pick up my mail when I get back.

[and now a word from our sponsors...]

---

Get news, entertainment and everything you care about at Live.com. Check it out!

Errands

I went to the bank today to get traveler's checks (or cheques, if you prefer).  This money thing has been the subject of much debate betwixt me and Poly.  I have read several things that say cash and traveler's checks are best.  But he says he's read that ATMs are prevalent.  I was dead set that he was wrong until this morning when I read something that said ATMs may be easier in big cities than traveler's checks.  But I had to make a decision, so I went with the traveler's checks.  They served me well in Moscow (though I did have to find a special office to cash them). 

I did feel a little strange asking for a specific amount of cash in "ones."  I read in a few places that $1 bills are easy to bargain with and easy to tip with.  So I want to have plenty on hand.  Singles just carry such a negative connotation in our society.  Hopefully the teller doesn't think I'm going to do in Asia the same things Asian businessmen do over here...

Anyhoo, I spent like 45 minutes at the bank at lunch today.  The teller was chatty because she's going to Beijing in a couple of weeks.  I was going to chat with her until I realized that doing so was only extending how long it took her to help me.  Suddenly I noticed that every teller was a different nationality.  I work in a pretty Asian-centric area.  So there were a couple of Asian tellers, including those who were actually speaking an Asian language to their Asian customers.  There were a few Latinas.  And my teller was some kind of white Eastern European, possibly Germanic.  I would normally have asked where she was from, but that would have delayed her even more, so I curbed my curiosity.  At least I got a little eye candy when the more sophisticated, less greasy twin of Cristiano Ronaldo stepped up to the counter next to mine.  The bank was a mini-UN in action!

I also notified my bank that I'd be traveling so that they won't shut down my card if I have to use it over there.  I then called my credit card companies to give them the same information.  How do they say, "Ma'am, your card has been declined" in Chinese? 

Yesterday, I went to Walgreens to stock up on over-the-counter meds.   I think I'm good.  Except maybe not on cold medicine.  I didn't buy any, but maybe I should.  Well, I have to go back to Walgreens later this week to pickup my prescription.

My coworker has asked me twice if I've done my "test pack."  While I have not actually done a test pack, over the past couple of weeks, I have thought about little else than what I'm taking and how it will best fit in the suitcase. 

Scheduled for later in the week:  a final batch of laundry, packing and a much needed haircut. 

My hair has been driving me bonkers for the last two weeks, but I didn't want to cut it too early.  I am waiting until Thursday evening to have it cut so that it won't get too long until after I'm home.

[and now a word from our sponsors...]

---

Get news, entertainment and everything you care about at Live.com. Check it out!

H&B, The Limited Edition

I'm sitting here, pouring a BC Headache powder into a white styrofoam cup of Sunkist soda (the orange flavor masks the bitter taste of BC) and reading about a guy named Garrett Morgan.  Garrett Morgan invented the safety hood, or gas mask, in 1912.  Where am I reading this completely useless information?  On the packet of the BC powder.  Excuse me, on the "Limited Edition" package of BC Powder. 

Limited Edition?  Yes.  Limited Edition.  I'm told in fancy print to "Collect all 6 versions" and to "Learn more about the people who built this country at bcpowder.com."  I'm sorry.  But the one and only reason I "collect" BC powder is to cure a mean headache.  And when I have a mean headache, I'm not exactly in the mood to scour the net learning about the people who "built this country."   Excuse me while I channel Andy Rooney...

Since when does every product have to be a collector's item?  Why can't we just buy something because it performs its function better than the competition?  Not every children's movie that hits the theaters is a classic.  10 years from now, will we really care about all fourteen plastic Happy Meal toys from the movie "Someone's Sleeping Under Virginia's Bed But Her Magical Toothbrush Will Save the Day?"  I'm not going to be able to unload these things on eBay.  What should I do with 6 Limited Edition versions of BC Headache Powder after I collect them?  Is there a museum or a black market for these things?  If so, why and how did it start?  Should I start saving my plastic spoons from Wendys after I've eaten with them?  Will they be collector's items some day?

[and now a word from our sponsors...]

---

Get news, entertainment and everything you care about at Live.com. Check it out!

How many talents were you given?

Our congregation had a talent show tonight. The main feature was a drama written by a sister and acted by all the kids. It was about Noah and the Flood. It was cute, but they didn't use mics so it was very hard to hear.

There were a few singers, a couple of dancers, a couple of musicians and one gymnast. The highlights for me were the opera singer and the kid who played violin. The opera singer is an authentically trained opera singer. She was incredible. The kid who played violin is this 14 year old boy who is my little friend. I knew that he played, but I'd never heard him. I was really impressed. I would love to have a recording of him to listen to.

There was also a table for people to display their various works of art. I took along my portfolio of photos and some greetings cards I made up a few years ago. One of the sisters told me that she loved my work and ended up buying 5 greetings cards. How funny is that? I went to a congregation gathering and made money.

I also got to meet the mother of a sister who used to be in my congregation. She is a librarian at a local high school (Poly's old school and the place where I shot some of T's portraits). She got my contact info so that she could put together a display of my work in her library. Cool.

[and now a word from our sponsors...]

Turn Around Bright Eyes

Saturday night there will be a total eclipse of the moon.  I think it will best be seen in Europe, but we should be able to see some of it on the east coast (not sure about Africa).  See this link for more details.  Be sure to check out the graphic at that link that diagrams how a lunar eclipse happens.  There's a cute little note to remind us that the graphic is not to scale...ya think?

---

Discover the new Windows Vista Learn more!

My feet reek

I don't know what to do.  But dang!  My feet stank bad.  I hope my new "wicking" socks help cut down on some of that odor or else poor Sporty Nice ain't gonna know what hit her.  At this point, I seriously fear how my clothes are gonna smell after being locked up in a suitcase with my shoes for hours.  I may have to adopt a French accent.

---

Get news, entertainment and everything you care about at Live.com. Check it out!