Happy, Grateful Tears

I did not go to church this morning. Wait, that's not true. I went to church, but I spent the hour sitting in the kitchen, in the basement, on my mobile phone. And on this, Transfiguration Sunday, that was the absolute right thing for me to be doing.

Why?

Because I was talking to someone I have not seen since May 1, 1990.

I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Liberia; I was there December 29, 1988 - May 1, 1990. On May 1, I was evacuated with other PCVs. On December 24, 1989 rebel troops had crossed into Liberia starting a war that would last over a decade. On May 1st, I was on a plane- because the US Ambassador declared the situation unsafe and ordered the evacuation of all PCVs and other "non-essential" US employees.

So, one minute I was en route to the airport in Monrovia. Less than 12 hours later, I was in a holding room at JFK airport. After spending 18 months without running water or electricity, I found myself back in the US, staring at a neon sign advertising personal pan pizzas. Talk about abrupt.

Anyway, in Liberia, I lived in a small community not far from the capital (Monrovia)and while there, I became very close to a young girl who lived across the street from me. She was my constant companion and it broke my heart to leave her when I was evacuated.

I lost track of her as her family fled the fighting and I never knew if what happened to her. Awful, terrible things happened in my community after I left, and I knew some had not survived. Had her family made it to Ghana to a refugee camp? Had she made it to the US where I knew she had family?

I have looked for her off and on since 1990, and several months ago found information that lead me to Sunday. When I heard her voice on my message machine earlier that week, I cried. She now lives in Asia and didn't leave a phone number; her message said she'd call again over the weekend. My phone rang as I was pulling into the parking lot at church. Not only did she survive the war, but she is well, happily married, and pregnant!

We talked for nearly an hour. We have since emailed and I'm sending her all the photos I have of her and her community. They remind me of my Peace Corps experience and make me smile. Now they are the only photos she has of her childhood.

It was wonderful to talk to her, to know that she is well, to hear about her family. I look forward to rebuilding our friendship.

But she said something during our conversation that I found startling. She talked about doing short mission trips with her church, hoping to have an influence on someone young- just as I had had on her. Holy cow!

A boy I did Peace Corps with recently shared this quotation with me. I'd seen it before, but it took on a whole new meaning after reconnecting with my Liberian friend: "To the world you are just one person, but to one person, you are the world!"

It's Starting!

The days are getting shorter. I've already turned the heat on in my house. I sitting in my living room wearing fleece. Know what that all means?

College basketball is starting!!!!

And this is the perfect way to kick off the season, I think.

Oh yeah, and men's early and women's preseason rankings aren't so bad, either.

A New Day

I am the the daughter of folks raised in the segregated South.


And now a Black man is the President-elect.


Look what G*d can do!

From a friend:

This was sent to me from a friend.

Apparently, there's an ad campaign down in NYC trying to voters focused on policies and not race. The text reads "Let the issues be the issue" (italics mine). Click here for the campaign poster itself.

Red or Blue? Which are You?

Guess it's time to move back home.

You Should Live in a Purple State

Your preferences are 60% Blue, 40% Red You may not be a swing voter, but you feel comfortable around moderate people. You tend to do best in states with a red and blue mix - like Nevada and North Carolina. You are adaptable. You can converse with a church crowd as easily as with grad students.

Should You Live in a Red State or a Blue State?

Last Minute Voting Info

Ok, so you've made your choice for President. But what about your representative for State Assembly? Or State Supreme Court? Or Judge? And how do you feel about
that question/amendment/proposal?

Click here to see what will be on your ballot on Tuesday. If that doesn't give info on your state, try this.


Happy voting!

Scary Hallowe'en

Ok, so what do you do when the politician of your choice is behind in the polls and you want to make an impact? Just watch this video below for an idea.





That'll teach all those 10 year olds to choose the right candidate!

BiblioDiva introduced me to this website . Too funny. Be sure to check out "Some Fan Favorites" on the far right, especially this one.

So Much Fun!

The article was in today's paper. Yay me!

OMG!

Remember the whole "I'm gonna have Carl Kassel's voice on my answering machine" issue? Well, I'm still waiting for the CD to come back from Wait, Wait, but guess who called me today?

A reporter from my local newspaper. I guess they wanna do a story! How cool is that?

The gf and I just got back (to Queens) from the "Last Play at Shea"-

Billy Joel in concert, at Shea Stadium.

But since there's another concert on Friday, I guess it was the next to last play at Shea.

So now I can say I made it to Shea Stadium. And I saw Billy Joel perform there. AMAZING.

Jesse Helms is dead.

Someone in my life suggested that he couldn't bear the thought of a Black man as a viable candidate for the US Presidency.

An Only Child with Siblings

That's me.

I am my mother's only child, and was raised as such.

I am the oldest of my father's 3 children, and spent some of my vacation time with him and his family.

Not uncommon, I'm sure, but still- a paradox:

I am an only child. And yet I have 2 siblings (whom I love oodles and oodles).


'splains a lot, huh?

During our lunchtime phone conversation today, the gf told me that George Carlin died. Then she repeated one of his jokes.


"Is it true that cannibals don't eat clowns because they taste funny?"


She laughed. Hard. Guffawed, even. In the words of BiblioDiva, she BUSTED OUT laughing (and BiblioDiva knows a thing or two about that). And while the gf is laughing, I am silent. Stone silent.


It took me a full minute to get it.


Stop laughing at me!

November's Siren Song, revisited

Purchased a few days ago, from a local discount/closeout clothing store (think TJ Maxx, only better):

1 lightweight windbreaker/rain jacket, in Carolina blue
1 reversible trench coat, with matching hat

Both (all 3?) for under $40. Woo-hoo!

The gf will be so impressed! After buying new shoes several months ago, I've moved on to coats. Ok, I've moved back to coats (remember this post or even this one?) I now have a reasonable winter coat, a casual rain jacket, and a "grown up" 3 season rain coat. So long 20 year old coats! My wardrobe is moving into the 21st Century.

Yay me!

Go read what BiblioDiva posted on her blog today.

Now explain to me again why I shouldn't want to shoot someone.

The Road Well Travelled

En route to Queens Saturday afternoon, I got run off the road on the Hutchinson Parkway. Off the shoulder. Into a ditch. Lucky for me, the young men in the car behind me stopped and pushed my car out of the ditch. Both Marianne-the-car and I are fine, if a bit shaken up.

En route from Queens yesterday, I got caught in a lovely hour long thunderstorm on the Taconic Parkway, a beautifully scenic highway with no shoulder and a tendency to "hold water" where the shoulder should be.

Talk about bad carma...

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Of course, our NY Liberty won Saturday night, defeating Candice Wiggins and the Minnesota Lynx and (almost) making being tossed in a ditch worth the effort. The gf has season tickets and I tag along as often as I'm in town. It's a great time.

Ravelry, Part II

Another cool think about ravelry is that there are 8 Sheree's.

Here's where we live:
California (3 of 'em!)
Pennsylvania
Upstate NY (that's me!)
Georgia (she's a peach, not a former Soviet)
Germany
New Zealand


Pretty amazing.

FYI: there are over 15 Cherie's!

My new favorite way to procrastinate is Ravelry. The knitting thing is making me think about returning to crochet, and the possibilities on ravelry are (seemingly) endless.

I mean, really, how cute is this baby afghan?


Of course, I'm knee-deep (ok, ankle-deep) into a blanket for Idara, who's due next month. Here's the pattern, although I'm making it in yellow.
Simple, but a good way to get back into knitting.

But back to Ravelry:
One of the coolest things is that there are affinity groups, which is fun. I've reconnected with many women I went to college with.
AND there's a Hello Kitty group. Woo-hoo! Just think, I could make this:

Oops!

I wasn't sure before now, but my back is definitively feeling better.

I've been seeing a chiropractor twice a week for a nearly a month and yeah, it's working.

How do I know?
1. I'm not in pain at work
2. I forgot my appointment this afternoon.