tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-331385242011-09-26T12:46:57.767+03:00blogging about the inane, Vietnam, and total randomness.J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.comBlogger2221100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-86572884147351849952011-09-25T02:07:00.002+03:002011-09-25T02:37:46.388+03:00

I was reading my soup of internet randomness the other day and came across an article about CAPTCHA - the little squiggly letters that help websites determine your humanness. Like pretty much everyone else in the world, I assumed them to be a necessary evil - leaning a little more to evil. But, I had no idea the real purpose and benefit.As someone who really marvels at magnitude of human

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-82069204653035018192011-09-25T01:53:00.002+03:002011-09-25T02:05:08.261+03:00

One of the reasons why I chose my current apartment is for the potential improvement in my learning Vietnamese. The (I think they are nannies to the families in the building) have decided to come and get English help while helping me with Vietnamese. So far, I think it's working. I know more than some of the people who have been here for a year. They also take the time to help with me

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-57617576387181120942011-09-24T15:38:00.002+03:002011-09-24T15:50:05.247+03:00

Been a couple of years of adventure and pure laziness in updating this blog. Am turning over a new leaf (so many leaves have been turned to no avail) and will attempt to post regularly.Today, I went to Binh Thanh market - the place for touristy kitsch in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). Had a nice time walking around trying to avoid buying stuff. It was my first time there and my eyes were repeatedly

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-61708469002957876962009-09-27T13:19:00.002+03:002009-09-27T13:27:22.808+03:00

I just had a crazy fantastic time at my uncle's 70th birthday party. All of my grandma's 7 kids were there, some traveling from all over the country to visit. My uncle was really surprised and actually cried - really sweet to see. The really excellent part was that I hadn't seen some of them in 8 years or so. A fun time was had by all, laughing and dancing. Laughing is one of the things that

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-37696414613739076522009-05-21T20:33:00.002+03:002009-05-21T20:41:34.616+03:00

For the last couple of days, there has been a wake in my building. An old dude one floor down from me died recently. I assume they buried him today as the people and the casket lid that was in the hallway are gone. I see the daughter (?) and she is crying and I don't know what to say. How do I acknowledge her - good morning?But the real reason why I feel bad is that I threatened him. I am

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-46668580402784498882009-05-20T20:42:00.002+03:002009-05-20T20:48:53.714+03:00

Time is flying and as always, I can only manage to get my butt in gear under pressure. It's amazing how many useful things one finds out when it's too late to be useful. Lots of that going on. Am always like - damn! wish I knew that earlier. But alas, one just has to make do.As always, I realize how much of my home that I haven't seen while living here. So, I am attempting to get off my duff

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-79093911602709616412009-05-09T21:33:00.003+03:002009-05-09T22:01:22.342+03:00

Wow, it's been a while. Today I went on a school trip to Campina and it was amazing. Easter and this trip have helped me to see parts of Romania that I haven't before and now my heart is breaking a bit. This is such a beautiful country and I have seen lots of it but there is so much more to see and I've so little time left to see it.We drove to Doftanea Valley and showed the kids the river and

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-22438390346835689972009-03-31T17:21:00.003+03:002009-04-01T07:29:09.398+03:00

I've been listening to Philip Glass alot lately, the old stuff that I have and things I've never heard before. Some of it is crazy amazing. I remember seeing Monsters of Grace way back in 98/99 when he came to G-ville.Hmmm. I hadn't heard it since that performance and I thought, let me have another listen. Now I realize that sometimes the memory of something is sometimes way better than the

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-37275437336118042412009-03-02T17:22:00.003+02:002009-03-02T17:25:36.606+02:00

i came home saturday nite so i could have a day of rest before heading back to work. except i couldnt sleep on saturday so i slept late of sunday so i couldnt sleep sunday nite and got 2 hours of sleep.i totally oversleep and am a zombie at work. finally the students leave and i have survived the purgatory of the neverending staff meeting. I decide to be good and buy nutritious food for the

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-67474780990377584612009-02-27T22:40:00.002+02:002009-02-27T22:52:31.405+02:00

today i did an organized tour which was pretty good. i mean i had to meet the group crazy early and was the last one to get on the bus. first stop we went to Siena, home of burnt. It's an old medieval town full of old buildings and hills and stuff - really pretty. An apparently really famous for banking - having the oldest working bank (as in company) in the world. those dudes did something

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-17628659162070663222009-02-26T19:47:00.002+02:002009-02-26T19:54:22.239+02:00

I got out of Florence today and headed into one of those little towns in the surrounding hills. It was a mostly sunny and kinda warm day. I have to say that it is absolutely freaking beautiful out there. The whole walking up hills and then trying to descending them without going ass over kettle was a bit dicey but the views were absolutely worth it. The day was a bit misty but you could see

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-52901947686552474082009-02-25T20:34:00.002+02:002009-02-25T20:53:57.548+02:00

Today, i walked my poor feet something ragged. I had booked my ticket to the Uffizi gallery online so I wouldn't have to wait in line. Sadly, I didn't quite make the booking as I kept on getting lost. But the guy was nice and gave me my ticket. I think that it would have been a different story in the peak season. I spent quite a bit of time there and it was pretty good. Lots of Renaissance

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-5406664372872424142009-02-24T19:56:00.003+02:002009-02-25T21:03:07.909+02:00

i stayed up all night before my flight getting done the stupid things i needed to do before leaving town.so i get to the airport and am waiting for my flight to be called. i rest my eyes only to wake up when i realize that there is this woman sitting next to me. i was so bleeping angry. she sat down next to me and POSED (WTF!?) while 4 (FOUR!) of her friends were taking pictures of us.how does

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-62574442959821804142009-02-17T17:22:00.002+02:002009-02-17T17:35:26.804+02:00

today we had an earquake (we get those in romania) and fire drill. It happened at the end of a lesson that my students were taking a test. I held them back a few minutes (that's right, health and safety first!) to try and finish the test. I don't think that went too well since that annoying bell was ringing the whole time.but the fun part is that we were standing outside for 20 minutes in the

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-60936940952344663722009-02-10T18:38:00.003+02:002009-02-10T18:48:11.236+02:00

the other day, i was at the post office trying to send some work back to a university in iowa where i've been doing some work. so am sending it registered mail, cause things sometimes get lost at the post office here. I had to try and read the entire address back to her to input it in the computer. sounds easy right? except that romanian is a phonetic language so people dont spell things to

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-32977284906879182202009-02-10T18:31:00.002+02:002009-02-10T18:34:06.787+02:00

am not doing so well with this procrastination thing. am a lazy procrastination addict. every so often, i think about what i could accomplish if i actually did things on time. i sigh and go back to doing nothing. have found this website www.stickk.com which helps you by charging you for not meeting your goals. but i keep procrastinating on registering.this is vicious.

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-51708167719743436112009-01-21T19:46:00.002+02:002009-01-21T19:47:20.078+02:00

gorganzola. i have changed my mind about the stinky cheeses. okay, only that one. am still reserving judgement about the rest.

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-44720227188528375762009-01-20T18:53:00.003+02:002009-01-20T19:13:23.048+02:00

My niece, Zana, is attending the inauguration. She was invited to attend before the candidates started stumping and now she gets to be part of something that I am sure she will remember for the rest of her life. Her keynote speakers are Collin Powell and Al Gore. Pretty freakin' amazing. Am pretty sure I didn't do anything this awesome when I was 13 (though state Latin competition ranks up

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-25229489178710557872009-01-19T17:14:00.004+02:002009-01-20T18:53:22.047+02:00

aint happening yet. dont know what it is but i really dont want to be back here. or its rough getting used to bucharest again. and am pretty over my job. not for any one reason but just am done. am still teaching, organizing things, and still really like the kids but the joy of teaching is gone. now its a job and once it gets to that point, i think i gotta get out. luckily i only have to worry

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-21563278870404612992009-01-14T17:14:00.003+02:002009-01-14T17:19:36.483+02:00

feeling better. as added punishement for leaving my family, i had a horrible flu. fever, lung-hacking cough, and what felt like hammer blows to the head whenever i coughed, stood up, etc. on top of that fun, i was also dizzy whenever my head rose from my pillow.sadness because there was no one to take care of me. it really sucks that cats dont have opposable thumbs and dont take direction well

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-89134653394414136842009-01-07T00:18:00.002+02:002009-01-07T00:22:01.831+02:00

i want to say hella-hellaciousnesshad a marvelous visit at home with friends, family, and shopping. i return to bucharest. or i tried and the airline gods were punishing me. there were delays in boston. bad enough ay? no, the airline, though on my ticket confirmed vegetarian food, had nothing to offer me so i starved on the flight. then there were delays in paris. then when i finally got to

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-27471833199049960402008-12-14T19:27:00.003+02:002008-12-14T19:44:11.867+02:00

Last nite, I went to the Anteneul and saw the Belcea (string) Quartet. The program included Haydn - pretty good, Beethoven - pretty awesome. Then came the break. Afterwards, it became pretty clear that I should have left. They finished with Brahms - mmm okay but my bladder was feeling a little nervous. I was doing all the clapping and stuff and the players left the stage and came back on.

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-62634907613635857052008-11-23T03:33:00.003+02:002008-11-23T17:09:57.451+02:00

so tonite. . . was a friend's birthday. met some new people, re-met some old ones. some (including me) are dancing, having a good time.am dancing with this one dude, been sending the vibes all night long and previously. things are looking kinda okay. well. . . song is playing, he's at my back. He leans in (he's very tall which is pretty rare in Romania) to whisper (in reality, yell as the

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-25837717318183071752008-11-12T22:05:00.004+02:002008-11-12T22:20:05.818+02:00

yeah i know its been a crazy long time since updating but here goes.had a week of holiday. meant to go to turkey, but too lazy. meant to go to bulgaria, but too lazy. i had just about enough energy to stay at home and hang out in my bed. sometimes i moved to the couch. and as a real show of strength, i left my house 3 times in 9 days. time well spent - okay just read and read. theres a bit

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-47928658897801019822008-11-05T19:17:00.002+02:002008-11-05T19:23:06.844+02:00

as said did all my voting before. one of the most interesting things to me about htis election has been how many people here have been involved in it. my neighbor asked me last year about whether i would support obama over clinton. my homeroom students who are 12/13 years old were all talking about it. asking me how i felt and who did i vote for. some were just like, "obama won, mccain sucks

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-36433388649424401412008-10-30T09:38:00.002+02:002008-10-30T09:44:17.762+02:00

for the first time i voted. whoohooo. got my absentee ballot and mailed it off. i laos had to vote for some local seminole country stuff and it took me forever to send that mess on cause i had to do research and stuff, you know, to try to make an informed decision.. really wanted to vote a teacher onto the county school board but not if she doesnt believe in evolution and that creationism

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-88776499937442842782008-10-18T08:56:00.003+03:002008-10-18T09:05:27.306+03:00

chihuahua hate me. i odnt like them either but i am now convinced (as part of my persecution complex) that i must have done something in my past life. normally, dogs are okay with me and i am okay with them, but not these little accidents of creation. i have never met a chihuahua that has been nice to me.last nite, i was having people over and i ran to the little store up the way for a couple

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-58737551663006755322008-10-06T11:19:00.003+03:002008-10-06T13:25:25.900+03:00

i was going to call this birthday blues, but am not blue cause its my birthday. i dont mind growing older (i may have a different response in 10 years) but am not freaking out cause i've turned 30. but ever since i was 12 the universe has conspired against me and something emotionally jarring has happened around my birthday. i cant say if it was every year but it sure does feel like it.on

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-69645098491348166992008-09-16T22:04:00.002+03:002008-09-16T22:13:47.642+03:00

just came back from iftar dinner - the meal breaking the daily fast during ramadan. one of the things i like about this school is the small size. its a bit more like a community and i know virtually all the students since i either teach them now or have in the past.earlier i wrote about being tortured by the family of kids with a genetic sugar high, now i write something a bit more positive. we

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-12155748978209382722008-09-15T20:52:00.004+03:002008-09-16T22:04:25.880+03:00

sadly and this is truly sad, richard wright pianist/keyboardist of pink floyd has died. he wrote some of my faves from the catalog. great gig in the sky is one of those totally awesome and beautiful songs that i pretty much butcher and make the ears of anyone in the vicinity bleed anytime i try to sing. no words but great vocals evocative. this of course ends a long held dream of mine of

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-1245378408673913812008-09-14T21:52:00.002+03:002008-09-14T21:59:35.183+03:00

i guess my subconscious is still fighting the return to worki dont remember all of it, but i woke up at like 5am this morning from this dream.a student, dont know who, in passing gave me chewing gum. i chewed it and later couldnt breathe. i was gasping for breath while by throat closed up and i was trying to give instructions on what to do in my absence.i was laying on the lunchroom floor in a

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-38761264761764232652008-09-12T18:54:00.002+03:002008-09-12T19:05:16.036+03:00

its the end of the first week and mah feet are killing me!.year 7 - ah so cute and tiny and sweet. except for that kid. you know who i'm talking about. the one who had 50 pixie sticks and a coke for breakfast. this week i was teaching them geography and history so i was seeing them ALOT. and i tell you, it was a bit toooooo much. from the first day, i had no idea who he was, didnt know any

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-79460852869093627752008-09-10T21:38:00.003+03:002008-09-11T21:40:15.440+03:00

i know its been eons since the last post and i was gonna write all this stuff about my summer holiday. that will come this weekend - i hope.been a bit tired lately. we had 2 weeks of preplanning and monday was the first day of school. i tell you, am just out of shape for this working thing. i get home and its all i can do just to eat (am laying it on a bit thick here to excuse my extreme

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-73021370074223380712008-08-21T00:45:00.002+03:002008-08-21T00:56:48.089+03:00

alas . . the summer is over for me. its amazing how quickly 10 weeks of vacation can pass.this summer i- sweated alot - i do mean gallons - learned lots of romanian - though my speaking leaves much to be desired - dream come true - radiohead in concert - saw lots of art and other culturally important (western european) stuff in italy - read dozens of books (mostly pulp) - lazed about

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-10729679821609991832008-08-09T04:33:00.002+03:002008-08-09T04:41:23.348+03:00

tonite we had a bit of a reunion of the summer program participants in bucharest. we started out at a terasa with a few drinks and cake (it was the birthday of a friend of a friend) and sang happy birthday romanian style - which translates literally into "at the many years."afterwards cristina suggested that we go this club "deja vu". the name has nothing to do with the music experienced. it

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-364035271875836562008-08-02T22:11:00.002+03:002008-08-02T22:21:37.451+03:00

i wound up doing two interviews. one for another paper and one for the local news. the paper went well. i could make eye contact and the reporter was smiling and encouraging. looking into the lens of a camera is unnerving. i started to sweat and when am nervous, i started to speak quickly, which is not that good in a language one is just learning. and i did not watch it. program was crazy

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-90642810506961417122008-08-01T09:26:00.004+03:002008-08-01T09:36:14.813+03:00

so we were all learning really really hardcore in class the other day and the Transilvanian Express newspaper came in to do a bit of a human interest story on us. They took some massively flattering pics of us studying (only my class) and i also had an interview with the journalist. All in Romanian no less. she spoke crazily fast and when asked to speak more slowly, she slowed down for about 1

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-61222443117572483612008-07-29T16:18:00.002+03:002008-07-29T16:21:06.993+03:00

This is the title of an absolutely beautiful and poignant website created by a photographer chronicling his days with his 98 year old father. please visit. i think is speaks for itself and requires nothing else from me.

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-89463045957992248762008-07-17T17:01:00.002+03:002008-07-17T17:11:26.832+03:00

am currently in Brasov, a german town in the transylvanian alps doing a course in romanian. more on that later (isnt i nice how i always say that but never deliver). yesterday, i noticed a growth on my face near my mouth.today i went to the pharmacy to get something to put on it. i would like to say before i go on, i never had a cold sore until i came to romania. i got the first one last

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-57087431293892091112008-07-13T09:24:00.002+03:002008-07-13T09:40:16.438+03:00

even though i have 3 courses i should be doing work for and studying, this is what my brain is focused on.i saw a pic of mischa barton the other day and it brought this to mind.remember the movie the never ending story. that has got to be one of the best movies of ALL time and of my childhood. its one of the reasons i dont like religious movies. 1. i hate being preached too.2. they tend to be

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-91206139584686032092008-07-12T20:15:00.002+03:002008-07-12T20:31:01.779+03:00

its amazing how the time is flying by - before i know it, vacay will be over and will be slogging in away in the mines. em . . classroom. so in prep for my trip to Brasov for learning and hanging was getting some stuff together. and it was FRUSTRATIN'. went to buy a replacement buckle for my backpack (did i mention that its a bit warm and i sweat profusely). the outdoor sporting good store is a

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-6762184928873979432008-07-05T02:05:00.003+03:002008-07-05T17:53:03.138+03:00

tonite i went to bucharests bestfest, the music festival held here during the summer. i like festivals cause its an opportunity to see lots of musicians that you normally would not pay high admission for. also theres the chance to see new bands. they suck cause there's always two bands you want to see playing at the same time. and my feet, my poor aching feet. spending almost 7 hours

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-62089012469477448812008-07-04T08:00:00.002+03:002008-07-04T08:19:15.549+03:00

do i know what this means? em, no. but last nite, with some friends, i went to a gypsy music concert and it was pretty awesome. it was modern music, so very few pipes (which drive me insane) but traditional instruments (hand drums, accordian, etc) plus electric guitars, bass, and drums. the opening act was a really good serbian group playing similar musici swear there were like 50 people on the

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-87980388658219670192008-07-01T10:27:00.002+03:002008-07-01T10:33:37.055+03:00

am soooooo bored. came back from italy which was pretty awesome, will post some year. came back home, lovely to be home and in bed and all that return home stuff. cat didnt jump off balcony again blah blah blah. now have hit the bad part of summer. havent decided what to do and am going crazy with boredom. have slept and rested up. last night after reading a book, i posted a review on

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-35911035709135511542008-06-14T07:19:00.002+03:002008-06-14T07:27:32.312+03:00

wow its been along time since i posted.the student newspaper did a survey at school. and i was voted the funniest teacher. yay!!! at least i didnt get strangest teacher. and i truly like the kids (except for certain members of year 9) and theyre pretty funny themselves (in a good way).anyhoo - yesterday was the last day of school. i was almost giddy. now for a 2 1/2 month vaycay.not too much

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-56106435260555194592008-05-28T09:48:00.002+03:002008-05-28T09:50:00.762+03:00

this is like one of the coolest things ever. This dude(?) finds old plates and rawings from books long faded into obscurity and makes them available again and links to the full text sources. BibliOdyssey

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-16158888828346691362008-05-28T09:40:00.001+03:002008-05-28T09:41:24.627+03:00

visit some amazing photographs by this photographer based in asia who was in Burma right before the cyclone

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-62677973836953239602008-05-27T15:24:00.003+03:002008-05-28T09:41:59.997+03:00

just like y'all in the states, its also voting time here in bucharest. cause am all knowledgeable - all i can make out are that there are some parties - they are yellow, orange, green, and red. they must have names but am far too knowledgeable to figure that out (there are a lot of acronyms and that's hard work!). bucharest is divided into 6 sectors, each with its own mayor, and there is one

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-64683737042736413792008-05-25T22:49:00.002+03:002008-05-28T09:42:11.859+03:00

just came from a christening - was a great experience - more on that later. but at the restaurant (which was part of a hotel) where the after dunking party was held had a tv on. sound as off cause music was blaring, but there was a steven segal movie on. he is one of the greatest (if you define this to a very narrow definition) actors ever. remembered the joy i used to get as a kid watching

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-81188056762480733332008-05-14T15:44:00.003+03:002008-05-14T17:02:28.645+03:00

a couple of weekends ago as part of my easter (orthodox) holiday (or as the person who made up my school calendar calls it, eastern easter) i spent a couple of days in the UK.when i first got of the plane, i thought SWEET! as the line for non EU passports was only 3 people deep. but alas, my joy was not to last as my actually going thru passport control was a little long.dude (i have a special

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-51679965966130583422008-04-23T22:01:00.003+03:002008-04-23T22:19:42.342+03:00

this evening i went to a talk by Orhan Pamk, winner of the 2006 Nobel Prize in Literature. it was pretty good and luckily in english (with translations in Romanian). its really really hard trying to make sense of what people are saying if its anything other than everyday situations.having sat through his discussion, i want to read something of his. maybe not the Nobel book, cause that may be too

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-29754331826943142422008-04-17T12:36:00.002+03:002008-04-17T12:41:15.941+03:00

'kay, this one isnt really feeding the lizard brain but it is a bit fun and a bit giddy. i realize am a bit easy to amuse but . . . so go to this site to create your own pollock-ian masterpieces. its kinda fun and will help stimulate blah blahs (yes, thats a scientific word) in your brain which will actually increase your productivity in other stuff. theres a study or something to prove or

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-21443628225127007672008-04-11T12:13:00.002+03:002008-04-11T12:16:53.490+03:00

is a photo exhibit by walter schels on life and death, involving photos of people before and after death. its not macbre. really touching are what people said about their impending deaths and their reactions. all part of the human condition. see it here

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-65923721258554347332008-04-02T00:32:00.002+03:002008-05-28T09:41:59.998+03:00

now you might think this is going to be a high brow entry about security, interdependence, globalization, etc., but you might also be wrong. all i can say is that at this point in time, i am seriously loving NATO and all the work they do. you may scratch your head and say, "dece (why)?"this week, NATO is having a conference here in bucharest. this is a wonderful opportunity for Romania,

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-51138279634909143982008-03-29T16:33:00.001+02:002008-03-29T16:35:20.373+02:00

earth hour. i turned out the lights, computer, and lit candles.the candle light was nice. did a bit of drawing. was difficult with no music. but did lose track of time and spent a more than an hour. but the computer (my umbilical chord tot he world) called.

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-55400074629286866932008-03-28T22:21:00.004+02:002008-03-29T16:37:51.624+02:00

don't get excited, this is not gonna tax the brain cells with political stuff. but do get excited if you're a fan of Guns n Roses.as you may or may not know, Guns n Roses has been working on the follow-up to use your illusion I & II for about 17 years now. plagued by Axl Rose being bat guano crazy, all the other band members leaving, scary new ones coming in (yeah that dude that wore a KFC

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-80651308060674211022008-03-28T19:37:00.003+02:002008-03-28T22:43:44.407+02:00

under byen is a danish band that sings in danish. really, dont mock. i also listen to a danish band, Kashmir, that sings in english.one of the great things is that i understand nothing, so the music just flows over and around. here's one of my favorite songs (of theirs). for this, they have an orchestra (they normally don't). watching it, it's like the singer wasn't even singing, though the

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-34661370942513961902008-03-23T15:20:00.003+02:002008-03-23T15:37:55.791+02:00

yeah, spring is here! officially and otherwise. a few weeks ago it started here in earnest. but first we had to have a snow storm. now its absolutely freaking gorgeous. when i walk outside i feel all joyful (my lump of coal heart actually beats a time or two). the fruit trees are in bloom, everything is that new leaf green (my favorite), and the air smells lovely (flowers overwhelm the

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-37105649242530361332008-03-21T07:43:00.002+02:002008-03-21T07:58:19.463+02:00

see this is why i have to think about these posts before i write them. on second thought, i dont think it was the tv thing that made me unable to watch the movie of 2001: space odyssey cause i watched tv when i was a kid. it was the stanley kubrick angle. its because i am a pleb, but i dont get his auteur. every kubrick movie i've ever watched, including full metal jacket which i liked the most

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-60070213886655363442008-03-20T20:43:00.005+02:002008-03-20T22:13:32.804+02:00

a couple of weekends ago (i've been composing this in my head ever since) i visited the Dallas of Romania, Ploiesti. Mention Dallas here, and everyone thinks of the TV show (am told it was one of the few programs they had during communism - like 10 minutes a nite). there is actually a mansion not too far from Bucharest which has been built in the likeness of the one from the tv show. since i

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-13103605664650286862008-03-20T20:27:00.004+02:002008-03-20T20:42:57.428+02:00

total sadness. Arthur C. Clarke passed away a couple of days ago. for those not knowing, he was one of the greatest sci-fi writers ever. he was one of the last generation of sci-fi authors who were actually scientists. i always felt that his, and others, books were a bit more awesome because their foundations were in theories actually understood by the writers. he had been living in Sri Lanka

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-41541444967599472312008-03-20T20:25:00.002+02:002008-03-20T22:18:04.302+02:00

havent posted in a week. this of course is nothing new. been a bit busy lately. this week we had two . . . .that's right!! two parents evenings. so i get to stay at school for close to 12 hours meeting and talking to parents. so lots of marking to be done and all that good stuff.

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-16247485944092846722008-03-13T18:18:00.002+02:002008-03-28T19:52:46.060+02:00

now, i seriously love me some bruce springsteen, but i dont think i would kill for him. okay maybe for like great concert tickets and access to the v.i.p. area, i might accidentally hit someone with my car. however, this woman in australia has taken it to the stratosphere in showing her love and devotion for bruce. Apparently, she stabbed her boyfriend to death for not letting her listen to

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-41272195911205319062008-03-03T19:38:00.002+02:002008-03-03T20:17:59.909+02:00

let me lay on you what happened to me today.its that time of year where i make attempts at eating healthily (before I realize its too much work and give up). this means cooking and going to the grocery store on a fairly regular basis. i often go to the little one but sometimes there is need to hit the big store for cheaper or hard to find items.today, after work, i went to Auchan (a hypermarket

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-36789577936402273972008-02-28T19:37:00.003+02:002008-02-28T19:50:13.919+02:00

i know, the frequency of blog posts is mind boggling.i have just found/decided on a new career path. i just found out about this and am totally excited. apparently there is such a thing as elk calling (i realized there must be for hunting). not only to people learn and practice elk calling but there are competitions. as you may have realized from these bits about my life, i am absolutely in

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-31462328741001378562008-02-27T21:42:00.005+02:002008-03-28T19:49:50.955+02:00

i like moby alot and still buy his records. i know he's kinda lost some of his cool as he's gained mainstream success and he shifted from club music to . . . i kinda dont even know how to describe it. i listen to his old stuff and the new and they're like from totally different people. also i guess am one of the few to kinda like the punk/metal of animal rights. oh yeah, and it could be his

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-35411867001111903292008-02-24T10:17:00.011+02:002008-02-24T19:41:37.727+02:00

i post in effort to not forget and as i said i would. so this is an oldie but not as bad as the really old stuff.while on xmas holiday in the UAE, on a weekend day jerry, linda, and i packed in the truck to take a drive out in the desert. it was one of those almost perfect desert winter days. i say almost cause although the temps were perfect and it was a clear sunshiny day, the wind picked up

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-69080454911713031952008-02-21T22:31:00.004+02:002008-03-28T19:49:50.957+02:00

sounds serious eh?tonite, i went to the Antheneum for a concert which included some classical music stuff, a famous russian pianist, and Stravinsky (guess which one i liked best). the music was pretty good though the pianist did 2 (WTF? this aint no rock concert!) encores.classical concerts are like great meditative times for me. i kinda just listen to the music and my mind wanders across a

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-35256921819630843132008-02-21T09:52:00.003+02:002008-02-21T22:31:22.232+02:00

recently, an english only bookstore opened up in bucharest. yay! i went there yesterday and it was lovely. lots of books on lots of diff subjects and they would be willing to order stuff in. the really great thing about it is the lack of stephen king and wilbur smith. there are actually good books not necessarily the most popular from scary lists generated by zombies.i totally love reading

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-64329926404907963692008-02-20T21:06:00.004+02:002008-02-20T22:06:11.439+02:00

(an old one) **just realized that i have misplaced loads of pics/memory card. will fix when i find**yep been there a few times and eons later am writing about it.my not so good memory remembers this --> the city was founded back in the day (not back back in the day, but like maybe a few centuries ago. i can't recall exactly) some famous person (don't remember who) went to the holy land and came

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-38707602836859399942008-02-20T20:10:00.006+02:002008-02-20T20:53:00.437+02:00

(A New One)today, i was all fired up. i was gonna visit the grave of that totally awesome dude - Dracula aka Vlad the Impaler and a totally pretty monastery. Snagov Monastery is set on an island in the middle of a lake. It was a gorgeous and sunny winter day - feeling like spring really. i made my lunch for the picnic and set out to try and find my way to this place. eileen and i took a

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-986685316245740732008-02-20T09:47:00.004+02:002008-02-24T12:38:13.445+02:00

ridiculous because: Tom Jones (yes that short welsh dude who has panties thrown at him alot) has had his chest hair (!) insured by Lloyd's of London for 7 million dollars. thats right 7 mill. i wonder what has to happen to his chest hair for him to get the payout. attack by a rabid fan with Nair? going gray? turning green from a combination of dye, tanning stuff, and pool chemicals? an

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-51691119855978040432008-02-19T16:17:00.004+02:002008-02-20T21:05:52.436+02:00

okay not really since we went to the vet yesterday and got the sexy taken right out of her. she was kinda pathetic yesterday, dragging and falling all over the place as the drugs took a looooong time to wear off.today we had to go to the vet for antibiotics (these people are high maintenance, i have to go again tomorrow). yesterday the vet told me to bring an old t-shirt, and he would make a

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-13140298974813385492008-02-15T22:24:00.003+02:002008-03-28T19:49:50.958+02:00

i know sometimes (okay, often) i listen to music a little outside the expected and certainly my demographic (as a marketing tool anyway).but . . . been listening to steve earle's Washington Square Serenade and its freaking awesome. i guess the 7 marriages, drug abuse, jail time have been really beneficial. i mean it must have sucked at the time, but hey he's writing great music now. one must

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-59938051111086381162008-02-15T18:04:00.002+02:002008-02-15T22:30:25.816+02:00

okay that kinda absolutely means nothing. just wanted something hokey.today was the last day of school for a while. we are on holiday. Yay!!! see the addiction to teaching jobs. this week will be hanging in romania (thought of going to florence or vienna but decided to stay home) visiting some sights, relaxing, and catching up on stuff (not holding my breath on that one) like super late posts

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-38904284618766913962008-02-13T08:54:00.002+02:002008-03-28T19:49:50.959+02:00

i was thinking (a truly rare occurance and my brain hurt afterward) about music, specifically electronica. i was, at the time, listening to a most amazing song by Underworld. almost 10 years worth of listening hasnt dimmed the power or beauty of the song. and, i keep finding new things in it.maybe electronica is my generation's classical music (as used in the vernacular as a big umbrella

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-25478966810955762792008-02-11T13:03:00.000+02:002008-02-13T10:28:40.546+02:00

as this is me, dont expect anything amazing.i dont remember all the details but the dream included:- ziggy being kidnaped and impregnated by scientologists (this involves the fear from the previous post) and i dont know with what but i was really worried- tim gunn - the sharply dressed man from my not so hidden and totally guilty pleasure of project runway- a jelly like substance coming from my

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-29819664590763851692008-02-09T19:58:00.000+02:002008-02-13T10:28:47.827+02:00

for you plebs out there, the title is a reference to one of the greatest movies ever made. that's right Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure.anywho. my friend ceceilia came over today to teach me how to make sarmale - stuffed grape or cabbage leaves. its freaking tasty! and there is totally a veggie version.our little friend Ziggy cried and cried to go on the balcony. i opened the door so she could

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-12995322694830995402008-01-29T17:20:00.000+02:002008-03-28T19:49:50.959+02:00

i take a break from writing about geopolitics (i know!) to share this with you. it brings back fuzzy warm memories of my enduring love of kevin bacon, the greatness of kenny loggins, imbibing my sister's taste in music (james ingram and michael mcdonald rock!) and how my true appreciation for the greatness of jimmy buffet came in college while sharing drinks and writing papers with justin(am

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-42470587689393973952008-01-29T17:11:00.000+02:002008-02-24T12:47:36.808+02:00

i was procrastinating at work today so i took a procrastination survey. some people at a university somewhere were doing some research on procrastination. ironically the research took a couple of years longer to complete than expected.hey you can't fault me, contrary to popular belief high school geography and history is just not that fascinating.guess how i scored. it can be found here. have

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-17281457847925411632008-01-20T23:14:00.000+02:002008-02-13T10:28:17.095+02:00

ugh! i have written 32 pages this weekend.my butt has gotten bigger as my breaks involved eating and seemingly my brain doesnt work if am not chewing.now the true horror awaits me. proofing the drivel that i thought was pure brilliance the first time around.i lie. it was never brilliant

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-19630572141255242252008-01-10T17:17:00.000+02:002008-01-10T17:24:19.587+02:00

am back home now and its bad news. apparently, its been snowing most of the time i've been gone. walking around is hazardous to my bottom. when the plane touched down, i thought that i had gotten the time wrong, but it turns out it was only the fog and clouds blocking out all light.went to work and was crazy tired. i had gotten used to taking a nap when necessary. turns out you cant do that

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-7467673302318679602008-01-10T17:07:00.000+02:002008-02-13T10:29:13.058+02:00

in all fairness, i did manage to get some cookies and cream thanks to my lovely friends. and it was baskin robbins too!!!from the carton is great. on a cone with that round ball of ice cream, priceless. (actually about 2 bucks)

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-67397285828529748082008-01-06T15:27:00.001+02:002008-01-06T15:34:12.800+02:00

holiday is winding down now. its been good. i've enjoyed the sunshine, warmth, and good cooking. i have pretty much done lots and am satisfied except for 1 FREAKING THING!!!from this i realize ( though i really should have cottoned on to this before) that the gods either hate me or enjoy many laughs at my expense.i was all excited, EXCITED!, about having copious amounts of baskin robbins cookies

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-57747933150068192502008-01-01T21:36:00.001+02:002008-01-01T21:51:29.696+02:00

got a new camera while i've been crazy with it. Here I am chasing Heather around the house.have been spending time with the friends and doing things like shopping and laughing out loud at some of the things available here. every place has its absurdities and i had forgotten some to be found here. Heather and I pretty much burst the ear drums of everyone in our vicinity all over Al Ain as we

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-62870226493432867742008-01-01T21:15:00.000+02:002008-03-28T19:52:46.061+02:00

am currently in love with the breaking and entering soundtrack. I have no idea what the movie is about but the sounds are gorgeous. The soundtrack was composed by a favorite band of mine, Underworld. Its relaxing and melodic, flows seamlessly and is gentle and beautiful. It kinda makes me want to see the movie (okay i lie, at least find out what its about). Listen to some of it here.

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-23011229694834809392007-12-26T21:28:00.000+02:002008-01-01T21:51:45.485+02:00

Christmas was pretty great. its been a long time since I celebrated christmas with people and family. Heather's parents had 30+ people over for xmas dinner. I helped with the slicing and dicing. the whole process was warm fuzzy. since i havent really celebrated xmas in years, it had sorta become just another day. This experience just kinda brought it all back. sometimes the process and

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-72825855043445385562007-12-22T05:56:00.001+02:002007-12-22T06:09:35.875+02:00

this is what I left behind in Romania to go to the bootishously warm UAE. this is the view outside my window. pretty but a bit cold.

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-55005543823698794002007-12-22T05:43:00.000+02:002007-12-22T07:32:47.062+02:00

on thursday (I have pretty much lost track of time already) i went with heather's dad Gerry and the natural history group on a hike/walk to an oasis. It was pretty awesome. I had forgotten how much i enjoyed the desert landscape and kind of how beautiful it is. the oasis had an abandoned village and date palms farm. We walked basically on the edge of a cliff on the irrigation channel to pools

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-23569585876171850882007-12-20T13:01:00.000+02:002007-12-22T06:09:21.153+02:00

will be posting from the UAE for the meanwhile. am here for xmas, leaving behind the cold and ice of bucharest to wonderful winter sun of uae. will be staying with friends and hopefully doing all the touristy stuff I didnt do while i lived here. caught a direct flight from bucharest and tarom (romania's airline) tried to starve me by not giving me a veggie meal despite confirmation that yes it

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-50396102287275412162007-12-10T20:09:00.000+02:002007-12-22T06:09:46.540+02:00

last weekend i went to Christmas market at the museum of the Romanian Peasant ( i know they could come up with a better name) there were people there from all over Romania with their traditional handicrafts and stuff from their ethnic groups. my little avaricious heart beat a steady tattoo. there were even people there with these gigantor copper stills - you know to make that plum brandy that'll

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-1191881283983691522007-12-08T07:50:00.000+02:002008-02-24T12:47:36.809+02:00

if cats get embarrassed.Ziggy - she of the stardust - is not a very successful cat. i think it may be because her tail is too long. Maybe she will grow into it. the thing is she's always trying to leap on things and be all agile and graceful. sadly, graceful she is not. she just attempted a leap from the counter to the top of the fridge, only the went splat against the side of the fridge. it

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-56814096826374889082007-12-03T20:55:00.000+02:002007-12-03T21:01:29.252+02:00

while we were on the fieldtrip . ..the mall is gaily decorated for the xmas season. and lo and behold he comes santa walking around the food court. we see him take a picture with someone and thought "awesome, he can take one with me too!!"when he comes near us, one of the students called him over. Santa shakes his head no and turns back the way he came.i was shocked. shocked to be dissed by

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-77819347813069178162007-12-03T18:13:00.000+02:002007-12-03T18:45:22.721+02:00

this is my job. dont think anyone really cares but took the year 11's on a field trip today. it was pretty good. sometimes am amazed at how nice they can actually be. they were considerate, offering to pay for their own public transport fares when they thought i was paying for it. from my pocketwe've been studying towns and one of the purposes of the trip was to contrast different areas of the

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-1796855519718839502007-12-02T23:41:00.000+02:002008-03-28T19:52:46.062+02:00

yep . . . not me but thriller. so here i commemorate one of the most important albums in my life. Michael jackson touched me as a child (get your mind out of the gutter) and therefore has a special place in my heart - or at least this album does."beat it" were the first words of english i learned. cant even tell you how i wore them out. singing REPEATEDLY. here's a little something on how he has

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-53208082120162197092007-11-22T21:29:00.000+02:002008-02-24T12:46:56.908+02:00

its a sad sad thing. as always, i am on the lookout for a new procrastinating tool. i have just recently discovered project runway. gasp! it is so bad that its good. unfortunately for me, i have to get it all from my umbilical cord, the internet. and thank goodness for the invention of youtube. what makes it even better is that there are seasons - yes multiples- for me to use in my efforts

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-9562423079823208992007-11-21T21:57:00.000+02:002008-02-24T12:46:56.908+02:00

is there nothing sacred left? am i to have no illusions? i was flabbergasted, weirded out, and disillusioned at this. bill nye is the science guy! he is not supposed to be bill nye, the fraudulent marriage, crazy ex-wife/girlfriend poisioning the roses (the new bunny boiling?) and possibly him, needing a restraining order guy.what is next? hafta say that thought bill nye was crazy awesome back

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-33636521022074016502007-11-17T20:19:00.000+02:002007-12-03T18:46:23.673+02:00

today i went to ikea (like my favorite place on earth) on my way back had a not very nice accident. tripped, fell into a puddle on my brand new picture frame, broke it, felt like i broke my knee. its been raining and the temps have been hovering around freezing. a nice lady came along and helped me up. so i continued my walk home with my freezing wet self.so i decided i needed some comfort

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-7941126672358147512007-11-14T20:32:00.000+02:002007-12-03T18:46:23.673+02:00

just spent my entire freaking day at school. tonite we had a parents evening. most of the parents are very nice and as always you see the parents of the kids you dont need to. parents of the spawns of satan stay home.i once had one woman tell me that her husband didnt want to come because he knew all the bad stuff he was gonna hear about their kid.but i had set my watch this morning and dont

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33138524.post-28812521428815029612007-11-14T20:17:00.000+02:002007-12-03T18:46:23.674+02:00

okay not for real but sorta kinda. i ride public transport here and as far as i can tell, its pretty good. except for the constant changing of routes due to construction. but hey, this will all be worth it.i also get stopped by the controllers alot. these european countries like to have public transport work on something like the honor system. for the most part to get on and you have to

J to the Dorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12933211745171434231noreply@blogger.com0