Are there any biologists out there who can explain what I just saw?
Saturday, December 08, 2007
A tadpole in winter?
I was just took Basie outside and after playing ball and wandering through the woods, we did a little walk around our pond in the front yard. The water is down to a very low level so it's easy to step in it but still be standing on the dirt/mud. Well I walked in to pull a huge tree branch that had fallen and upon moving the branch a little and breaking the soft ice at the edges, I noticed a large tadpole swim up to the touching of the water to the shore (is there a name for that point of contact?) Anyway, it was the size of a bullfrog tadpole, so the size of my thumb. I am really surprised to be seeing one of these (1) because frogs mate in the spring time and (2) how is it surviving in the cold? and (3) how is it surviving in that little water?
Are there any biologists out there who can explain what I just saw?
Are there any biologists out there who can explain what I just saw?
Mom called me a snob
My mom called me a snob today. I didn't want to go to the Glen Echo swing dance tonight and she called me a snob. Now she actually wasn't trying to be mean, but just point out that maybe I'm too limited in methods of branching out in the community.
We started swing dancing as a family when I was in 6th grade. I never took any formal group lessons that I can remember but we just learned at the start of the once a month Saturday dances at Glen Echo with the Tom Cunningham Band. It evolved into something that I shared with some friends in my middle school and by the time we got to the required dance classes at Christ Episcopal School which is where I went from 2nd to 8th grade, we were all pros. Andy and I got used to the old couple instructing us come out to "Center Stage" to demonstrate.
Glen Echo and swing became the one of the primary family activities once a month; it was the only thing (besides waterskiing and bumper tubing) that we all knew how to do and enjoyed doing together. So even as we kids moved on to high school, boarding school and college, the family activity was waiting for us whenever we came home to visit. The activity was also a great thing we could use to socialize with both new boyfriends/girlfriends and our parents. It's sad to say, but for a long time, swing dancing was the only social activity I did when I came back for breaks. I only had two years at the local high school and the only close friend I made is in San Francisco. Now there was/is nothing wrong with having a good time with your parents. Actually, I don't know of many people that do. But at some point it started to bother me that dancing with my parents and other swing fanatics was the only social interaction I had. I love my parents dearly, but I'm 23, going on 24 and need to branch out a bit.
So when my mom said I was a snob, I secretly agree with her. Maybe I am limiting my social options by not wanting to be connected at the hip with my parents every time I leave the house. I love my parents dearly but I'm discovering that it is very difficult to sustain an individual and adult identity while living at home. I feel like everything I do outside of this house (except tango), my parents are somehow connected to it.
-I go to the gym (the same gym my mom belongs to) and I like to go to the noon treadmill running class (which my mom does occasionally also)
-I go to choir rehearsal downtown, to which my mom belongs also so we go together
-I go to the grocery store or run errands with or for my mother
-My dad just told me about the World Bank Christmas party next week and he offered to take me one night and then mom the next night.
-Every time I get a meal out, I'm with one of my parents.
-I go to church, where my mother is the First Reader (Christian Science Church)
-Every time I leave or enter the house, at least one of my parents and the dog know about it.
Really, this isn't a parent bashing post. I'm just questioning what happens to an independent, socially integrated and involved person once they go back in the womb, so to speak. I want to maintain the strong relationship with my parents that was created during my years away, but was that bond created because of distance? Do I have to now find ways to stay away from them, even at home? That doesn't seem right.
Much of my discomfort is certainly coming from the fact that I've been on vacation for over a month now. I am technically employed by a temping agency but they have yet to inform of job openings. Also, as of yesterday was hired by a tutoring company
to be a Spanish tutor in the Montgomery County/WDC area. I'm not sure when that will start up because the company just began this year and they may not have a large number of clients yet. So my days of waiting are passed much like vacation days - sleeping until 8am, sometimes 9am, taking time to read yesterday's paper while I eat breakfast. I move into my room for quiet time/spiritual study and then eventually get to my computer. That's when the long process of brainstorming and writing for a graduate school essay and application to the Peace Corps starts. I try to work on that for at least 3 hours, but I am the slowest writer. I have to brainstorm first, then do some writing down on paper and then cross it all out because the perfectionist in me isn't satisfied. Then it's time for lunch, walking the dog, and then going to the gym before I get too tired. Before know it, it's time to help mom with dinner. And in an instant it's dark outside and lose all motivation to be productive and just end up having quality time (I mean it! I like this time with my parents!) with my parents, discussing the news, readings in the living room or watching a though provoking, or not, movie. I don't feel like I've been lazy by any means but I'm definitely not feeling productive.
This hasn't been the easiest of transitions. Yes, I have all the time and access to so many activities that I dreamed of during those super busy days at Emma Willard. But there is something so unsatisfying about not completing concrete tasks each day and not being on a schedule. Since boarding school, every last detail seemed to be scheduled and planned out for me. I awoke at a certain time. there was a specific set of tasks to be completed and a time frame in which to do them. Good and plentiful food was provided and cleanup taken care of. If I didn't want to work out outside, fitness centers were only a few steps away. I didn't have to ponder for a minute how I would engage myself socially - there was a whole campus of people to hang out with! Plus, I could just attend an already planned activity if I wasn't feeling creative enough. If not feeling social, I'd welcome the down time to just read a book or watch a movie or make some phone calls or e-mails. Options abounded in those settings but in many ways those options were handed to me on a platter. All I needed to do was show up.
Now that I'm home, I am the creator my community and my activity. It's all in my hands what my schedule is, what kind of work I produce and in what time frame I produce it. Dinner must be well thought out, I've learned from my mom - I can't just eat cereal all the time. There are currently two vegetarians and one meat eater in the home. How do you fill and please both parties? And you have to buy the food and take the time to prepare it too and then clean it all up. I live on one acre of land surrounded by trees and far from any campus lifestyle. The only place provided any kind of social activity is just a few steps away. It's the National Lutheran Home, a retirement community, which is not the scene I'm currently looking for. So a lot of gas gets burned up going to the gym, to the store, driving to DC for a tango milonga.
It's a different life I'm living now. In reality, it's not a difficult life by any means. I actually consider myself fortunate to have this freedom of waiting for work and still being able to feed myself and stay warm and find the $dollars to fill my car and belong to a gym. But am I taking it for granted by saying that I don't want this lifestyle to last much longer? I guess what I'm seeking is to be valued. My sense of value right now is helping out with the house however I can and praying for myself and the world. I know this is useful and probably exactly where I need to be right now, sadly, I've discovered, I'm influenced by societal values - our society expresses value in measurable production and money. What am I producing with my help and prayer and prep for my future (ie. grad school and peace corps apps)? I guess that's where I need to defend and protect myself from social constructions that might try to damage me and the good I am contributing. When I think about it, very little of the things I value in life are related to money, or something physical - love, friendships, nature. I'm not sure where I'm going with all this. Life's pretty darn complicated, isn't it?
We started swing dancing as a family when I was in 6th grade. I never took any formal group lessons that I can remember but we just learned at the start of the once a month Saturday dances at Glen Echo with the Tom Cunningham Band. It evolved into something that I shared with some friends in my middle school and by the time we got to the required dance classes at Christ Episcopal School which is where I went from 2nd to 8th grade, we were all pros. Andy and I got used to the old couple instructing us come out to "Center Stage" to demonstrate.
Glen Echo and swing became the one of the primary family activities once a month; it was the only thing (besides waterskiing and bumper tubing) that we all knew how to do and enjoyed doing together. So even as we kids moved on to high school, boarding school and college, the family activity was waiting for us whenever we came home to visit. The activity was also a great thing we could use to socialize with both new boyfriends/girlfriends and our parents. It's sad to say, but for a long time, swing dancing was the only social activity I did when I came back for breaks. I only had two years at the local high school and the only close friend I made is in San Francisco. Now there was/is nothing wrong with having a good time with your parents. Actually, I don't know of many people that do. But at some point it started to bother me that dancing with my parents and other swing fanatics was the only social interaction I had. I love my parents dearly, but I'm 23, going on 24 and need to branch out a bit.
So when my mom said I was a snob, I secretly agree with her. Maybe I am limiting my social options by not wanting to be connected at the hip with my parents every time I leave the house. I love my parents dearly but I'm discovering that it is very difficult to sustain an individual and adult identity while living at home. I feel like everything I do outside of this house (except tango), my parents are somehow connected to it.
-I go to the gym (the same gym my mom belongs to) and I like to go to the noon treadmill running class (which my mom does occasionally also)
-I go to choir rehearsal downtown, to which my mom belongs also so we go together
-I go to the grocery store or run errands with or for my mother
-My dad just told me about the World Bank Christmas party next week and he offered to take me one night and then mom the next night.
-Every time I get a meal out, I'm with one of my parents.
-I go to church, where my mother is the First Reader (Christian Science Church)
-Every time I leave or enter the house, at least one of my parents and the dog know about it.
Really, this isn't a parent bashing post. I'm just questioning what happens to an independent, socially integrated and involved person once they go back in the womb, so to speak. I want to maintain the strong relationship with my parents that was created during my years away, but was that bond created because of distance? Do I have to now find ways to stay away from them, even at home? That doesn't seem right.
Much of my discomfort is certainly coming from the fact that I've been on vacation for over a month now. I am technically employed by a temping agency but they have yet to inform of job openings. Also, as of yesterday was hired by a tutoring company
to be a Spanish tutor in the Montgomery County/WDC area. I'm not sure when that will start up because the company just began this year and they may not have a large number of clients yet. So my days of waiting are passed much like vacation days - sleeping until 8am, sometimes 9am, taking time to read yesterday's paper while I eat breakfast. I move into my room for quiet time/spiritual study and then eventually get to my computer. That's when the long process of brainstorming and writing for a graduate school essay and application to the Peace Corps starts. I try to work on that for at least 3 hours, but I am the slowest writer. I have to brainstorm first, then do some writing down on paper and then cross it all out because the perfectionist in me isn't satisfied. Then it's time for lunch, walking the dog, and then going to the gym before I get too tired. Before know it, it's time to help mom with dinner. And in an instant it's dark outside and lose all motivation to be productive and just end up having quality time (I mean it! I like this time with my parents!) with my parents, discussing the news, readings in the living room or watching a though provoking, or not, movie. I don't feel like I've been lazy by any means but I'm definitely not feeling productive.
This hasn't been the easiest of transitions. Yes, I have all the time and access to so many activities that I dreamed of during those super busy days at Emma Willard. But there is something so unsatisfying about not completing concrete tasks each day and not being on a schedule. Since boarding school, every last detail seemed to be scheduled and planned out for me. I awoke at a certain time. there was a specific set of tasks to be completed and a time frame in which to do them. Good and plentiful food was provided and cleanup taken care of. If I didn't want to work out outside, fitness centers were only a few steps away. I didn't have to ponder for a minute how I would engage myself socially - there was a whole campus of people to hang out with! Plus, I could just attend an already planned activity if I wasn't feeling creative enough. If not feeling social, I'd welcome the down time to just read a book or watch a movie or make some phone calls or e-mails. Options abounded in those settings but in many ways those options were handed to me on a platter. All I needed to do was show up.
Now that I'm home, I am the creator my community and my activity. It's all in my hands what my schedule is, what kind of work I produce and in what time frame I produce it. Dinner must be well thought out, I've learned from my mom - I can't just eat cereal all the time. There are currently two vegetarians and one meat eater in the home. How do you fill and please both parties? And you have to buy the food and take the time to prepare it too and then clean it all up. I live on one acre of land surrounded by trees and far from any campus lifestyle. The only place provided any kind of social activity is just a few steps away. It's the National Lutheran Home, a retirement community, which is not the scene I'm currently looking for. So a lot of gas gets burned up going to the gym, to the store, driving to DC for a tango milonga.
It's a different life I'm living now. In reality, it's not a difficult life by any means. I actually consider myself fortunate to have this freedom of waiting for work and still being able to feed myself and stay warm and find the $dollars to fill my car and belong to a gym. But am I taking it for granted by saying that I don't want this lifestyle to last much longer? I guess what I'm seeking is to be valued. My sense of value right now is helping out with the house however I can and praying for myself and the world. I know this is useful and probably exactly where I need to be right now, sadly, I've discovered, I'm influenced by societal values - our society expresses value in measurable production and money. What am I producing with my help and prayer and prep for my future (ie. grad school and peace corps apps)? I guess that's where I need to defend and protect myself from social constructions that might try to damage me and the good I am contributing. When I think about it, very little of the things I value in life are related to money, or something physical - love, friendships, nature. I'm not sure where I'm going with all this. Life's pretty darn complicated, isn't it?
I'll be in a concert!
Speaking of music, I myself will be participating in a concert next week. When I got home, my mom told me about a choir group she was in through the World Bank/IMF (my dad currently works with the WB). Currently they only practice and perform during the Christmas season, but the participants are from all levels and departments of the development groups, as well as family members of people working in these offices. Since I had yet to find a job I joined in. We practice once a week at lunch time.
I've only been practicing with them for about a month and I love it. I sang in a choir in middle school, high school, and a year in college, and I'm reminded of how much I miss being apart of a group like that. What's great too is that we're actually pretty good! There is so much talent in this choir, which you discover when you hear the soloists in particular.
As you can see from the poster, the songs we'll be singing are in all different languages. This is great because it really paints a picture of the diversity of the choir also of the countries supported by the Bank/IMF. Fun Fun!
An evening at the Music Center at Strathmore
I'm not too knowledgeable of the classical music genre and I don't listen to it often, but I really enjoyed the visual and auditory experience last night in this concert hall. First, the place is absolutely stunning in it's architectural design - I felt like I was walking into heaven. Really the appearance is quite simple yet exquisite and elegant. Second the acoustics were incredible. Third, we were able to follow the words of the concert in our program where there both the German lyrics and the English translation was provided so I was learning a lot as we went along. Plus, it kept me from zoning out and not being aware of the message. The singers and musicians were extremely talented also.
The best part was how happy my grandma was. She just recently got back into playing her cello after 30 some years and she's quite talented and even a little celebrity in her small town in Virginia. I think it meant a lot to her to see this performance and share her love for the music with her granddaughters.
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
From fall to winter
I'm so pumped today because it's December 5 and there is already snow! Just last Friday I spent the entire day blowing, raking, and picking up leaves on our 1 acre yard. I've heard that the rest of the week is supposed to be sunny and warmer. I hate when snow melts because all the grass pokes through and white snow turns to slushy mud - yuck. I guess today is just the start of the snow season. Hopefully it'll come back around Christmas time.
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Brought to tears
Today I went to Wolf Trap in Vienna, VA for the annual performance by the US Marine Corps band, followed by the Carol sing along. It's a big theater that is roofed but it is wide open and has no walls. So visitors bundle up, drink their hot chocolate or cider, and jingle their little bells and join together in singing classic holiday tunes. Well I have no idea what got into me but I had to hold myself back from tears with every single song that was sung. I'm not sure if it was the emotion built up from reading Iraqi blogs and realizing how good I have it here or because of the shock I experienced yesterday after hearing personal stories about America's deadly healthcare system when watching SiCKO. Or maybe it's because I saw all the little children in the audience who looked so darn cute and happy and it made wish I was in their innocent shoes again. But then I realized that much of the emotion could have been because Wolf Trap Carol Sing is dependent on the community to create the atmosphere and fill the theater with love, joy, generosity other good spirits. It was this environment that reminded me of Emma Willard, a gracious and spirited community that I left about one month ago.
The holiday season was my favorite time of the school year because it was jam packed with celebrations and traditions unique to the school. The campus, which already felt like a movie set daily, becomes even more magical when the snow falls, and as students anticipate the performance of all the seniors in Revels. I can't remember the name of this one event in the video but I remember feeling so blessed to be a part of this beautiful community. There is a brief choir concert in the chapel and then every lights their individual candles and shuffles out into the cold. All surround the senior triangle in the center of campus and the choir stands tall over the crowd on the steps of the chapel. Granted it was quite frigid, but the combination of their singing, the tall and glowing gothic buildings, and the immensity of the crowd gave me the chills. I miss it all.
The holiday season was my favorite time of the school year because it was jam packed with celebrations and traditions unique to the school. The campus, which already felt like a movie set daily, becomes even more magical when the snow falls, and as students anticipate the performance of all the seniors in Revels. I can't remember the name of this one event in the video but I remember feeling so blessed to be a part of this beautiful community. There is a brief choir concert in the chapel and then every lights their individual candles and shuffles out into the cold. All surround the senior triangle in the center of campus and the choir stands tall over the crowd on the steps of the chapel. Granted it was quite frigid, but the combination of their singing, the tall and glowing gothic buildings, and the immensity of the crowd gave me the chills. I miss it all.
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