Brush With Fame

I having been commuting recently via the train on the Northeast Corridor. Last night, as I walked through the Acela car I stop at the first seat where there was an empty seat on the aisle (note: there were many seats available at the window, but I didn’t feel like crawling over people).

I asked the gentleman sitting there if I could sit there. He looked up and it was Colin Powell! By the time I realized it, he said I could sit. So, I sat. He had on headphones, was reading a book and had a laptop open (the man can multitask). I started to work. After a while, some kids sitting behind us started talking. Here is what I heard:

“Well, it is not like he is Barack Obama”…

“He is not the President”…

“He is more like Marion Barry“…

While I don’t know the context of the conversation, (and as a friend said) Colin Powell and Marion Barry should not be mentioned in the same sentance. While my mouth was still gaping from this exchange, the kids tapped him on the shoulder and asked him if he was Colin Powell. He said yes and then turned to me to apoligize.  Ahh… sir… that is not a problem. I had an oppurtunity to exchange a few words with him at the end of the trip.

And then..

While not on the same scale, I saw Anne Hathaway on a DC street today. Love her! But not as much as Colin Powell.

 

Blueberries, Lobster and the Ocean

Jordan Pond

We recently spent a week in Bar Harbor, ME. Most of the week was spent tooling around Acadia National Park. We hiked, biked and ate a lot of lobster (yum!) and blueberries. We loved the park and had a chance to see a Humpback Whale and sea kayak.

The weather was cool and comfortable and the summer crowds had not arrived. Great vacation! Checkout a few pics on Flickr…

 

Almost the Ides of March

Welcome Babies!  Referrals were made through March 14, 2006.

Click here to see more: http://chinaadopttalk.com/2009/05/21/babies-23/

 

Happy Mom’s Day

Happy Mother’s Day to all! My mom and I spent some time at the Hillwood Estate (http://www.hillwoodmuseum.org/) — blue skies, flowers and dresses! Perfect day.

 

And So It Goes…

I am a HUGE Billy Joel fan. His song “And So It Goes” (from 1989!) sums up my adoption feelings (though, I don’t think I am as forlorn as Billy — check out the lyrics below). 

Back to the adoption — there are mixed messages right now, but it appears that adoptions are held up for the foreseeable future by the Swine Flu epidemic.

Can’t remember the tune? Click Here

“And So It Goes” By Bill Joel

In every heart there is a room
A sanctuary safe and strong
To heal the wounds from lovers past
Until a new one comes along

I spoke to you in cautious tones
You answered me with no pretense
And still I feel I said too much
My silence is my self defense

And every time I’ve held a rose
It seems I only felt the thorns
And so it goes, and so it goes
And so will you soon I suppose

But if my silence made you leave
Then that would be my worst mistake
So I will share this room with you
And you can have this heart to break

And this is why my eyes are closed
It’s just as well for all I’ve seen
And so it goes, and so it goes
And you’re the only one who knows

So I would choose to be with you
That’s if the choice were mine to make
But you can make decisions too
And you can have this heart to break

And so it goes, and so it goes
And you’re the only one who knows

 

And what do they remember?

I taught my final Junior Achievement lesson today to 12 second graders about ”Our Community”. We have covered how a community works, production (really – the difference between unit and assembly production), how the government works, taxes and how money moves through the community.  These kids have been a lot of fun and I have taken in a few treats for then — 2 snacks and a little notebook for each over the course of the program. Each class, I ask what do you remember? The answer is always the same. Today, as I was wrapping up, I asked “What will you remember the most?” Don’t you know — it was the same answer… the answer was “doughnuts”.  The production lesson was based on a doughnut store, so, I thought it would be cute to take them doughnuts for after the lesson.  I am apparently the coolest person ever because of that and it has become a running joke with the class (and teacher). They gave me a very nice card as I was leaving. It read “Thank you for teaching us about our community! We loved the doughnuts!”

If you have an oppurtunity to volunteer for JA, I highly reccomend it. I am fairly certain that I got more out of it then the kids. It changes your perspective to see things through thier eyes for a few muniutes a week.

 

Race Day on the Potomac

Yesterday I ran the GW Parkway Classic 10-mile race. Now, 10 miles is about as far as I go… it was a great course on a HOT day in April (almost 90 degrees). It is a point to point race that starts at Mount Vernon and ends in Old Town Alexandria. The race winds along the Potomac River. Today, I got online to see my “result”. You have to know – I see it as a personal achievement to simply 1) run (or, more likely, lightly jog, the entire distance); and 2) not finish last. I found a really neat thing on the site — the “Statistical Profile” . It provides the average age, time, et al. So, how did I do? Average! More than 1/2 of the finishers were women and the average age was 35 with a 10:20 pace.

I have run a few 10 mile races and a few things never cease to amaze me:

• The Crazy People: The guy who juggles (I see him a lot at races), the one in the clown hair, the shirtless guy in a kilt — why?
• The “Elite” Runners: They finish hours before me and are home, showered and having coffee before I cross the finish line. More power to them.
• The um… exhibitionists: Why is it acceptable at races for men (and some women) to top at the side of the road, drop their pants and relieve themselves?
• The unprepared: Now, I am not the most fit person, but there were some people at the start of the 10 miler that looked like they haven’t run in years (or ever). I give them credit for trying.

I really liked this race and think I will run it again next year. Anyone care to join me?

 

Book Review: Parenting, Inc

In the library the other day, I picked up “Parenting, Inc: How the Billion-Dollar Baby Business Has Changed the Way We Raise Our Children” by Pamela Paul. It is not type of book that I would buy. But, since it was at the library, I picked it up. It was an interesting read.  The author discusses how the commercialization of parenting has caused many parents to overspend. Who doesn’t want their child to have every advantage? Does that mean they need to go to every toddler class or have every educational toy?

The most interesting discussion, in my opinion, was about how my generation was raised — we didn’t have rooms and rooms full of toys, we didn’t attend toddler music classes, reading classes, gym classes and we all turned out ok. So, why does this generation (my generation) feel like they have to provide all of these things? Most generations try to be better than the last. But maybe parenting has turned more into an extreme sport (at least in the stories in the book).  This leads parents today to ponder whether or not they can afford a child versus what the child will add to their life and family.

Anyway, good food for thought. The writing itself is ok – C.

 

You Might Be Adopting From China If……

I found this online today. It made me chuckle.

_________________________________

You Might Be Adopting From China If……

~You know that I-600 & I-171 aren’t highways.
~You’ve been expecting a baby for over 3 years.
~You understand that it’s 2006 in some parts of the world.
~You’ve “paid for” 3 citizenships, but never brought anyone into the U.S.
~You know that waiting for China has nothing to do with Dillards or dishes.
~Your homestudy is followed by a number (i.e. #3 or #4).
~You never know how many days next month will have.
~You know that babies come in batches.
~You’ve been fingerprinted four times, but never committed a crime.
~You automatically assume everyone who is expecting is having a girl.
~You own new clothing in 3 little sizes for all 4 seasons (because you don’t know when or how big).
~You look twice when you see a lady bug.
~You’re more interested in what will happen in March 2006 than in March 2009.
~You know people who understand when you talk about 2 day months & 5 day months.
~Your due date hasn’t changed by days, but by years.
~You know who the Rumor Queen is … AND … you don’t know who she is.
~You know that forecast doesn’t have anything to do with the weather.
~You’ve waited so long, they re-checked your fingerprints to see if they changed.
~Trying to understand why they’re printing you again, you study your own fingerprints and wonder if fingerprints grow wrinkles.
~When you speak of “that time of month” you’re talking about CCAA updates & referrals.

And finally…
…you might be adopting from China if you love someone you’ve never met with all your heart.

 

Welcome Babies!

So, only two days of LIDS this month… no matter, spring is here!

Congrats to the new parents and welcome to the wee ones.
http://chinaadopttalk.com/2009/04/03/babies-22/