Jenny’s Journies

Thursday, 24 April 2008 @ 11:31pm.

You don’t often get one whole day that is wholly good, but today was that day for me and I am most grateful. Thank you to the professor who inspired me today. Thank you to the restaurant that had good food today. Thank you to the commuters on the trains and trams for being patient and in nice moods and helpful with directions. Thank you to the dog for not making a mess in the house while I was away in the city. Thank you to the web designers whoever you are and wherever you are for the new chat program on Facebook. Thank you to my cousin for his wedding invitation. Thank you for sleep…

Tuesday, 22 April 2008 @ 1:22pm.

Did you know…

…that baby echidnas are called “puggles?”

…that reindeer like to eat bananas?

…that emus cannot walk backwards?

For more random animal facts, check out http://www.nal.usda.gov/outreach/facts.htm.

Sunday, 20 April 2008 @ 2:53pm.

Though there were parts of the movie “Lars and the Real Girl” that were sad, certain scenes where a small community rallied together to help someone were very touching. Kindness is so important and it can go so far.

Lately I have smiled because…

…my dog is a good running partner,
…faith manifests itself in a number of beautiful and unexpected ways,
…of freckles,
…strangers can have the most extraordinary stories,
…I won free tickets to the comedy movie “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,”
…this weekend has been sunny,
…I’ve been taking care of business,
…I tried a game of chess,
…there is food in the fridge and cupboards, and
…my shorter haircut isn’t too bad.

Quotes of the Day:

* “The point is not to become a leader. The point is to become yourself, to use yourself completely–all your skills, gifts and energies–in order to make your vision manifest. You must withhold nothing. You must, in sum, become the person you started out to be, and to enjoy the process of becoming.” - Warren Bennis

* “Little steps for little feet.” - John Jonides

Sunday, 13 April 2008 @ 9:42pm.

* I’m not sure why, but the television has been off as of late and replaced by the radio. Music fills the kitchen in the morning, is part of my afternoon breaks, and helps me chill out in the evening. Pluto the pup dances with me, too. I’ve discovered various online sites that stream radio programs from around the world and the best part is the access is generally free. I’m currently using BBC’s iPlayer radio site. Loving the dancehall tracks! I even found a station that mixes dancehall and hiphop with Punjabi beats.

* Recent film viewings: The Mist, Mr. Bean’s Holiday, and Little Miss Sunshine. Of the three, check out Little Miss Sunshine.

* From Reader’s Digest:

Stephen Fry, actor: “An original idea. That can’t be too hard. The library must be full of them.”

Sir Winston Churchill, politician: “A politician needs the ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month and next year. And to have the ability afterwards to explain why it didn’t happen.”

* Lamenting the high cost of plane tickets… I can’t believe how much airfare prices have gone up since I traveled last year… Still on the search for the best price to get back to the U.S.

* Enjoyed a spinach and cheese gozleme today at a local cafe. The cafe owner is really friendly. On a random note, she was actually a contestant on the Australia version of Big Brother. Afterwards, I went and had a chocolate babka with ice cream at Max Brenner. I know, I know, the indulgence of it all! Don’t worry, I had my chocolate fix fixed and will be off of it for a while.

Tuesday, 08 April @ 10:31am.

Hey hey! I’m in good spirits. I recently discovered that the local grocery store makes nice buttermilk scones (yeah, I could probably make ‘em from scratch, but buying them store-bought is more convenient) and that glitter glue is a small, but useful way to get in touch with one’s creative side. Perhaps more importantly, I have been working on my dissertation and not getting as anxious about the process as I usually do, which is great. My partner is well. The dog is happy. I’ve finally started running again and my body isn’t resisting; in fact, I am actually looking forward to today’s run later this afternoon. I managed to successfully file a tax extension, and while I didn’t get accepted to one conference I wanted to go to, my proposal was approved for another, so it’s okay. I watched a beautifully-acted film the other day (”Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead”), as well as caught up with my mom on the phone. I reorganized the front room of the house and the laundry is done. Went to the beach where Pluto discovered starfish. Had tasty veggie pizza. Weathered the storm. Made sweets for my partner’s office colleagues and they were a hit. Read the local papers. Scrapbooked. Heard from old friends. Learned some lessons from some Buddhist parables. And I am presently encouraging family and friends to register with the free travel website “Cosmotourist:”
http://www.cosmotourist.com/myct/register/in/4271e3c4/t/ . Cosmotourist is having a special contest this month (April) for all new registered users where one random person will be chosen to win $400. I hope it’s you! If you want to check out my travel postings and pictures, I can be found under my name or “JennyPenny.”

Thursday, 03 April 2008 @ 1:10pm.

Check out the article The Curious Lives of Surrogates at
http://www.newsweek.com/id/129594?GT1=43002 . It’s a fascinating look at the intersection of surrogacy, military wives and families, and class issues.

I’ve known about the Southern Poverty Law Center since I was in high school. Check out their work at http://www.splcenter.org/index.jsp and take a stand against hate at http://www.splcenter.org/center/petitions/standstrong/ .

01 April 2008 @ 4:07pm.

“Who Are We? New Dialogue on Mixed Race” (By Mireya Navarro, published March 31, 2008 in The New York Times)

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/31/us/politics/31race.html?ex=1207627200&en=9856fe682b2bb2ec&ei=5070&emc=eta1

If the link doesn’t work, you can do a search.

Observations:

* The 2000 Census was the first time that respondents were permitted to identify as being two or more races. I remember filling out the form that year and feeling a sense of relief and some happiness, though some disappointment that it took so long.

* I recommend watching the little video (click on the link “Being Multiracial in America”) provided in the article. The comments resonated with me and reflect some of my own experiences.

* The article’s title mentions “New Dialogue on Mixed Race.” In my opinion, this is not a new topic or discussion. It has been around for ages, but often hushed, squashed, or limited to those in one’s inner circles who are considered to be close or “open-minded.” I’m glad the discussion circle is widening…