“Sunburn is very becoming, but only when it is even - one must be careful not to look like a mixed grill”
I used to not burn. I was the darkest white girl in a 12 state radius. Ask anyone I grew up with. My grandma Rose used to call me 'brown bear'(with a white ass). It was great, I didn't even have to try! It made my friends envious.
In 1995 I went to Florida to visit my uncle and his family. I came back black. People I worked with didn't even recognize me. I was in Brian's brothers wedding - it was held in a tent in the back of their parents house. There's a picture of me walking down the isle and all you can see are my teeth!
Never mind that I haven't sunbathed in 12 years. I thought I was immune to sunburns. Uh yea, not so much! Saturday I started power washing the cedar fence at 10am, excited that I would be able to even out my baseball tan. Time didn't feel like it was flying by as it was already 2pm when we decided to stop for the day. I could tell I was getting sun but I didn't realize just how much sun I got!!! That afternoon I took a shower - a cold shower that felt wonderful. I have been aching since. I have blisters on my neck and back. Yesterday my dad and Brian were teaching Tyler how to "flick" a person with a quick flick of the pointer and middle finger across the forearm. Persuading him to flick me on my back. Quickly, I threatened them back to using their God given senses. It kills for anyone to slightly touch it. I barely was able to survive Brian putting Aloe on it this morning. I even thought a light weight dress would ease the pain. Nope - the collar goes right across the area irritating it more so. Tomorrow will be day 3 - I hope the pain will start going away.
Other than that this weekend we didn't have any ball. Friday I went to a friends house to scrapbook. Other events on Saturday was taking dOg to get groomed, washing him again when he got home, begging him for forgiveness as he didn't like his second bath, taking Ty to Borders and Blockbuster, dinner at 54th St Grill, grocery store, making a cheesecake. Sunday I was up at 7am making a chocolate sheet cake, cleaning the kitchen, laundry, celebrating Father's Day at my grandpa's with our family, playing spoons, watching Alvin and the Chipmunks, playing GI Joe with Ty (I wanted to dress them like I used to do with Barbie - but Ty told me he liked the way they were already dressed!!!)
Ty bought a new book this weekend called "Fallen Angels" by Walter Dean Myers. It's a story about a 17 year old kid being shipped off to Vietnam. I think it's a little old for him. He's laying in bed with us last night reading aloud, "watch out, you could get a social disease that will rot your twinkie right off." Now mind you, he's not the greatest reader and had trouble with the bolded words and didn't read it with fluency and mistaken twinkie for twinkle. So I reread it aloud and Brian and I shoot a look at each other and it wasn't 2 seconds Tyler was giggling like a little school girl! I told him we probably should put that book up but it's made him more eager to want to read it. So far we've come across the words - damned, hard ass, faggots, and now Twinkies. And this is a Scholastic book!
Monday, June 16, 2008
Friday, June 13, 2008
ITW In Washington D.C.
No man is above the law and no man below it. ~Theodore Roosevelt
Last week I spent in D.C. for work. International Telecom Week is a conference where all telephone companies come together to discuss sales business. But rather than bore you with all those details, I'll entertain you with the highlights...
I traveled with a co-worker, Topher, and while sitting in the airport waiting for our plane a lady thought he was my 12 year old son. So all week long, I was "mom".
Monday as we were leaving the "Hinckley" Hilton (This is where Pres. Reagan assassination attempt took place, along with ITW conferences and where I stayed) for lunch I lost my footing on the edge of the sidewalk and went down attempting to do the perfect face plant in front of the 300+ foreigners taking a smoke break! Damn that hurt. My manager and colleague were genuinely concerned as asked if I was alright. I immediately stood and commented that I was glad to have done it in front of everyone - I would have hated a wasted fall and not amusing people with a good laugh. There was a nice Jewish man who helped pick up my purse and belongings that went sailing across the sidewalk. I wanted so badly to say, "God bless you." And why is it when you fall does it always happen in slow motion?! It's like you have time to think, "Oh, shit this is going to hurt and there's not a damn thing I can do about it!" Needless to say, I walked with a ghetto limp the rest of the trip.
Monday evening Topher and I walked the area and it didn't take long for me to figure out DuPont Circle was one of DC's gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered centers. I witnessed a man being hit on by another man and hearing, "But I know I would cheat on you..." Eww. I went into my first gay book store, Lambda Rising. Topher was quick to tell me he was out of his element - so was I but I wasn't broadcasting it! I got an education that night, the magazines I saw! Goodness! We were having a great time looking at these scent of a scandle candles cracking up at the names. I was asked if I wanted to try on some jewelry just for fun - I declined - I'm not ready to take that next step! ; ) A few doors up was Human Rights Campaign store, they had a shirt that made me laugh 'Marriage...is so gay'. I would have bought it if it wasn't $30! As we walked further I was offered a palm reading and a Tarot card reading. Call me old fashion but, no thank you! D.C. also is crowded with homeless people, it's sad to see. People shaking their cups at you for money or seeing them sleeping on the sidewalk. Last year I saw make shift homes made out of shopping cards and trash down in the entrance of the subways. It really humbles the heart.
Tuesday night we attended the ultimate party of ITW hosted by Telefonica (a Latino company) and do they know how to throw a party! First off, not just anybody can attend. They require bracelets and invitation and those are few and far between. A few of us scored and were bussed out to the Kennedy center. They always have a live band, open bar, great food, amazing atmosphere with special lighting effects. This year they had professional dancers. I liked watching them. Between numbers they would grab someone from the crowd. I went out and danced with one of them! The terrace was opened and between rainstorms we'd go out to catch a breath of fresh air. I loved the view!!! You can see a few memorials and watch the planes come in for landing. But 11:30 p I was done though. The others headed on to another party at Cafe Citron. They teach Salsa there and I went last year. It's crowded and loud. I had too many encounters with sweaty bodies last year that I didn't want to go back.
Wednesday was our team celebration dinner and the weather was bad. {There was a tornado south of DC that afternoon and with kids being in school (till June 20th) they were in lock down.} I was one of the first to arrive at the dinner and the bartender and I were talking. I mention I was from the midwest and then was asked how to handle a storm like these as there was a second storm coming and it was forecasted to be worse than the first. I don't know if it was worse, I'm from the midwest! I wasn't worried. But because of the storms getting a taxi back to the hotel was awful. We waited more than 30mins. I was exhausted and just wanted to be in bed.
Thursday was the day we visited The Holocaust Memorial Museum. If you ever get a chance, I would suggest going. It took me 4 hours to go through it. I worked with a Jewish lady when I first started Sprint and I remember her telling me her thoughts regarding it. It impressed me so that I have wanted to go ever since. It's emotional - somber. My eyes were widened and had thoughts go through my mind that really never occurred to me. My heart goes out to all who were subjected.
I would have liked to have heard my grandpa's memories as he was there and had seen the disgust. Though I don't think that's something he'd care to talk about. I tried bringing it up with him yesterday, Father's Day, as I spoke my thoughts and reactions to what I'd seen. Even though he listened and didn't say anything I could tell memories went through his mind as his eyes told me. As I get older and understand more - that's something I can respect. I know that certain memories can trigger uneasy feelings that we don't want to think about we'd rather forget. For me, that's ok.
Last week I spent in D.C. for work. International Telecom Week is a conference where all telephone companies come together to discuss sales business. But rather than bore you with all those details, I'll entertain you with the highlights...
I traveled with a co-worker, Topher, and while sitting in the airport waiting for our plane a lady thought he was my 12 year old son. So all week long, I was "mom".
Monday as we were leaving the "Hinckley" Hilton (This is where Pres. Reagan assassination attempt took place, along with ITW conferences and where I stayed) for lunch I lost my footing on the edge of the sidewalk and went down attempting to do the perfect face plant in front of the 300+ foreigners taking a smoke break! Damn that hurt. My manager and colleague were genuinely concerned as asked if I was alright. I immediately stood and commented that I was glad to have done it in front of everyone - I would have hated a wasted fall and not amusing people with a good laugh. There was a nice Jewish man who helped pick up my purse and belongings that went sailing across the sidewalk. I wanted so badly to say, "God bless you." And why is it when you fall does it always happen in slow motion?! It's like you have time to think, "Oh, shit this is going to hurt and there's not a damn thing I can do about it!" Needless to say, I walked with a ghetto limp the rest of the trip.
Monday evening Topher and I walked the area and it didn't take long for me to figure out DuPont Circle was one of DC's gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered centers. I witnessed a man being hit on by another man and hearing, "But I know I would cheat on you..." Eww. I went into my first gay book store, Lambda Rising. Topher was quick to tell me he was out of his element - so was I but I wasn't broadcasting it! I got an education that night, the magazines I saw! Goodness! We were having a great time looking at these scent of a scandle candles cracking up at the names. I was asked if I wanted to try on some jewelry just for fun - I declined - I'm not ready to take that next step! ; ) A few doors up was Human Rights Campaign store, they had a shirt that made me laugh 'Marriage...is so gay'. I would have bought it if it wasn't $30! As we walked further I was offered a palm reading and a Tarot card reading. Call me old fashion but, no thank you! D.C. also is crowded with homeless people, it's sad to see. People shaking their cups at you for money or seeing them sleeping on the sidewalk. Last year I saw make shift homes made out of shopping cards and trash down in the entrance of the subways. It really humbles the heart.
Tuesday night we attended the ultimate party of ITW hosted by Telefonica (a Latino company) and do they know how to throw a party! First off, not just anybody can attend. They require bracelets and invitation and those are few and far between. A few of us scored and were bussed out to the Kennedy center. They always have a live band, open bar, great food, amazing atmosphere with special lighting effects. This year they had professional dancers. I liked watching them. Between numbers they would grab someone from the crowd. I went out and danced with one of them! The terrace was opened and between rainstorms we'd go out to catch a breath of fresh air. I loved the view!!! You can see a few memorials and watch the planes come in for landing. But 11:30 p I was done though. The others headed on to another party at Cafe Citron. They teach Salsa there and I went last year. It's crowded and loud. I had too many encounters with sweaty bodies last year that I didn't want to go back.
Wednesday was our team celebration dinner and the weather was bad. {There was a tornado south of DC that afternoon and with kids being in school (till June 20th) they were in lock down.} I was one of the first to arrive at the dinner and the bartender and I were talking. I mention I was from the midwest and then was asked how to handle a storm like these as there was a second storm coming and it was forecasted to be worse than the first. I don't know if it was worse, I'm from the midwest! I wasn't worried. But because of the storms getting a taxi back to the hotel was awful. We waited more than 30mins. I was exhausted and just wanted to be in bed.
Thursday was the day we visited The Holocaust Memorial Museum. If you ever get a chance, I would suggest going. It took me 4 hours to go through it. I worked with a Jewish lady when I first started Sprint and I remember her telling me her thoughts regarding it. It impressed me so that I have wanted to go ever since. It's emotional - somber. My eyes were widened and had thoughts go through my mind that really never occurred to me. My heart goes out to all who were subjected.
I would have liked to have heard my grandpa's memories as he was there and had seen the disgust. Though I don't think that's something he'd care to talk about. I tried bringing it up with him yesterday, Father's Day, as I spoke my thoughts and reactions to what I'd seen. Even though he listened and didn't say anything I could tell memories went through his mind as his eyes told me. As I get older and understand more - that's something I can respect. I know that certain memories can trigger uneasy feelings that we don't want to think about we'd rather forget. For me, that's ok.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Goodness!
I've been gone for awhile and couldn't even remember my log in! Ok, now that I am in. Just real quick - I'd been busy catching up all I missed while I was in DC so I haven't had the time to write although I have stories to tell! Hopefully I can write later in the day...
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