Monday, February 27, 2006

Fasching

 

So Sunday was the Fasching parade in Vilseck. It turns out that the staging for the parade happened right in front of our house. This was shot while hanging out of my bathroom window. We did not go to the parade because it was way too cold, but some of the drunk people in the street were kind enough to throw candy at us before they stumbled down the block.

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Oh, but they stopped to pee before they left.


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Gotta love drunk people! Posted by Picasa

Octavia Butler

One of my all time favorite authors has died. Octavia Butler was only 58, but died from a fatal concussion this weekend.

boing boing
Seattle Post-Intelligencer

All that you touch
You Change

All that you Change
Changes you

The only lasting truth
Is Change

God
Is Change

From Parable of the Sower

I was introduced to her work in 1993, by a friend who happened to own a used bookstore. We met when Wendall introduced me to her wonderful store. (Tales Retold in Silver Spring, MD. Long gone, but never forgotten.) Soon after becoming a customer, I became an employee as well, in what will forever be one of my favorite jobs.

One day, when I had just started working at the store, a man came in and asked for Octavia Butler books. The owner was there, and she quiclky told him no. After he left, I asked her about the stack of Octavia Butler paperbacks behind the counter. I had noticed them before, but I needed to know why she had not mentioned them to him. Why would she not want to make a sale?

She explained that the books were not for sale, and that I was never to tell anyone that they were there. Had they sold, she would never see them again, and she needed them to lend to friends. The books were out of print at that point, and difficult to find. She was more interested in finding new readers for one of her favorite writers than she was in adding to someone's collection. I went home with the books that night, promising to bring them back as soon as I finished them. I now purchace her books whenever I find them, and I always share them with friends.

Just a few weeks ago, her latest book arrived at my door. I had looked forward to a new series, and more books in general from Butler. I can not easily explain how sad I am at the moment.

Thank you, Chris, for considering me a friend, and for lending me her books so many years ago. Thank you Octavia, for being a writer, and for sharing yourself with your readers.

Thursday, February 23, 2006

Green!

 
Today is color day at school. They are having a party for Faching (Carnival), and the kids were told to wear their favorite color. Can you guess what he picked? Posted by Picasa

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

Livejournal

So I have discovred something interesting. I have had this blog for well over a year, and my use of it has changed quite a bit. For some time now I have posted more photos than words here, and I don't see that changing any time soon. At the same time, my livejournal account seems to be where my writing energy is spent.

Why?

Because I find the idea of privacy more and more appealing.

Livejournal has a feature which allows me to set privacy levels on everything that I write. I can leave things "public", meaning that anyone wandering by can see it, just like on Blogger. I can set a post to "friends", allowing only people who are livejournal members and who have asked me to let them see my more personal thoughts see them. And best of all, I can set things to "private", leaving me room to rant and rave with no witnesses at all. Private posts are for the poster only. You can even filter your "friends" list, allowing some to see not quite as much as others. A good example of this is a friend of mine who was writing details of her sex life. She sent out a message that anyone who was uncomfortable should tell her, and she would filter them out of those entries.

So why am I posting this here? Especially if I am telling people that they are not allowed to read everything I write over there? Because I have had a few poeple around me mention that they suspect that someone is reading what they say when they would rather keep things private. I understand wanting to shield myself from coworkers (I remember having them!) and even family. I figured that rather than email people directly I would post this here. If you think I mean you, I do. If you think you are the person I do not want reading my personal thoughts, you are. If you are a random person surfing by, and you have read this and it has helped, hi, and you are welcome.

Oh, and if you want to head over to livejournal, set up a free account, and ask to be my friend, I will probably say yes. There isn't a huge amount I keep to myself, and that often ends up in the "private" bin, so you wouldn't get to read it anyway.

Friday, February 17, 2006

On the Train

 

We went to Nurnberg today, just for a change. It was good fun and we took lots of pictures. Wendall had fun playing with his Leapster on the way to the city. Posted by Picasa
In a recent interview, Felicity Huffman was asked (by Leslie Stahl) about motherhood. She gave an answer which has stayed with me.

(Felicity)Huffman has two little girls, but gives a surprising answer when asked if motherhood is the best experience in her life.

"No, no, and I resent that question," Huffman says. "Because I think it puts women in an untenable position, because unless I say to you, 'Oh, Lesley, it's the best thing I've ever done with my whole life,' I'm considered a bad mother..."


Last night, while sitting in a meeting with a bunch of military wives, the conversation turned to the careers of military dependents. More specifically, the lack of careers. One woman, who is a teacher, explained that her husband is leaving the military in part because she has very few options when it comes to work. She can only work at the school on base here, but has no seniority, and so is in constant danger of being replaced. In the States she would have more schools, but still no seniority, and would never have the chance to build one.

Other women joined the conversation, all saying that they had lost opportunities because of the military. A (pregnant) friend who was there with me expressed her frustration at the ever changing life, and her inability to work. She was told "We have all had to give up a career of some sort." I then exclaimed "But she is an attorney!", to which the amazing response was "But now she will be a mother!"

I stayed quiet for the remainder of the evening. My main problem with the military is my place in it. I am listed as a dependent and as a mother, and not much else. I am marinalised because I am female, because I am not a soldier myself, and because I have a child.

I am in full agreement with Ms. Huffman. I resent being questioned about the joy that motherhood has brought me. I should not be defined by my decision to have a child. Wendall is never asked if having a child is the best thing that has ever happened to him, especially by people in the military, but I should be overjoyed by the work I put into my family. Grrrrr.

Being a wife and a mother are parts of my being, but only parts. They do not come close to describing me. I resent the fact that to the military, and to the world at large, they are the parts that matter most.

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Discussions with my morning coffee


"Mommy?"
"Yes, Love?"
"I know who I will marry!" (This has been the subject of much discussion, for various reasons.) "It will be someone from Africa."
"Really? That's cool. Why Africa?"
"Because Africa is far far away, and everything there is upside down. It's really cool. I know all about things like that."
"Well...."(I think for a moment about what to tell him about people living below the equator)
"And Mommy?"
"Yes, Love?"
"When I grow up, I will be an astronaut ninja, and I will be in outer space and I will fight the bad guys."
"Good plan, sweetie."

Saturday, February 11, 2006

Personality Awareness

I don't generally do these things, but this looks pretty neat. And I have a feeling that a few of my friends out there might enjoy the concept.

Take a look

Thursday, February 09, 2006

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Car Keys

 


So Zanla's magic button is bigger and better than mine, it seems. On the left is the magic button for my car, and on the right is my favorite accessory ever (thanks, Mom!). In between is the really cool key that goes to Wendall's new car. Yup, that is actually the key! The entire thing slides into the dashboard, and the car just starts.



Here's the weird thing. Wendall's key is programmed in English, but when I use my key the dashboard settings are in German. The clock switches from 12 to 24 hours, the outside temperature is in Celsius, and the compass is in German. Very strange, but kind of cool. I won't be driving the car much, so it isn't really worth having it reprogrammed. Posted by Picasa

Saturday, February 04, 2006

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Family outing on the slopes

 


Whole families go out to the slopes together. Dad usually takes the older kids up on the mountain while Mom stays at the bottom with younger kids and babies in prams. The prams have an amazing amount of padding and insulation, so the baby has no idea it is cold. The family comes together to eat currywurst and drink latte macchiato at the imbiss. Not a bad day out! Posted by Picasa

How much for that doggy in the window?

 


This is the imbiss (snack stand) on the side of the ski hill. Yummy sausages! Posted by Picasa

Vacation # 834864

Putting the brakes on


Home again, this time for real. No more trips in the immediate future. This week took us back to the Edelweiss, so we spent our days sledding and our evenings in the pool. Well, the boy and I did, anyway. Poor Wendall spent the day at the conference he was there to attend. He had a good time, too. Posted by Picasa

Friday, February 03, 2006

Pool Noodle Pony

 


That's right, we're back from (yet another) vacation. This was the last one for a while, so we made it count. I've posted more on Flickr, but here's one of Wendall in the pool for now.

I'm tired, and off to bed with a neglected kitty or three. Posted by Picasa