Some years ago (too many, in Bruce's opinion), Bruce, Buster and I went camping. It was the Labour Day weekend (Labour Day is always the first Monday in September here) and we went to the north Georgia mountains. It was hot, the tent was tiny & therefore claustrophobic and Buster woke me up several times with his heavy panting and restlessness. It wasn't exactly the best introduction to camping, so I told Bruce I'd do it again only if we got a bigger tent. We bought one a couple of years ago that I really like because it's big, tall, wide and spacious enough for the two of us and the dogs (including their two beds). It supposedly can sleep 7-8 people but that would bring the claustrophobia right back as far as I'm concerned, so I'm quite happy to think of the 7-8 people description as being for 7-8 toddlers or two adults and two dogs.
We hadn't actually gotten around to using it, but when Bruce and his sons went camping on the Blue Ridge Parkway in August, it reminded Bruce why he loved camping so much. He came back determined to take me camping somewhere, and once again the Labour Day weekend became our destined camping time (because the next long weekend we get is for Thanksgiving at the end of November, and that might not be the best time to reintroduce me to camping). As with the previous attempt, it was a little too hot to be really enjoyable, plus the insects buzzing around us at the campsite were irritating, to say the least. However, the larger tent did make the experience far more enjoyable and I'm going to be more apt to say yes if the subject of camping comes up again in the future. Just not when it's hot (which makes things a little difficult for the time being, since I can only go on vacation if my department's intern can cover for me, and that is only when she's on vacation from college). Perhaps we'll go camping in Florida for Thanksgiving ...
Back to the camping adventure. We went to South Carolina, to a campsite called Tuck in the Woods (I think that's how it was spelled, or perhaps Tuc, and you'll have to call Bruce if you want to know how to pronounce that properly, i.e. in true South Carolina fashion. I apparently failed miserably in my attempt at that accent.) The campsite was about six hours from our house and both Bruce & I had to work the Friday before the weekend, so the decision was made to leave Friday evening, after Bruce got home from work. I, happily, get to work from home on Fridays, so I woke up early, started work at about 4:00 a.m. that day and was finished by 2:00 p.m., giving me plenty of time to get some packing and loading of the car done while Bruce was at his office.
We left at about 5:30 p.m. on September 3rd, stopping briefly so Bruce could buy a couple of CDs he'd been wanting and to get some dinner. Then the journey proper began. As usual, that bratty husband of mine begins the trip by insisting on doing the driving, and then gets tired when there are about two hours left in the trip and deigns to let me take over the driving at that time (this is usually when I'd be sound asleep if we were at home). Luckily for him, I get wide awake when I'm driving at night, because there is so much to look out for that I'm very alert.) The journey takes about six hours in large part because the last leg of it goes through many small towns, which are quite picturesque in the daytime but rather boring to drive through at night, when you can't see much and have to keep slowing down to 35 mph and then 25 mph before being allowed to speed up to as much as 55 mph at times (says the person who'd much rather be going at 110 km per hour because that sound so much faster).
Anyway ... we finally got to the campsite at about midnight, at which time we had the fun of putting up the tent in semi-darkness, surrounded by biting insects that weren't intimidated by insect repellent. Bruce, the camping expert, had us practising putting up the tent the weekend before we left for the trip, so that we'd know how it's supposed to be assembled. That was an excellent idea, because it meant we familiarised ourselves with the different rods and what went where, making it much easier to put the tent in the dark when we were tired. It wasn't really that dark, because Bruce had bought several battery-powered lamps (which unfortunately brought out the insects in full force but did give us enough light to function by). I let the dogs wander around a little when we first arrived at the campsite, but then made them sit in the car while the tent was being put up, so that we wouldn't have to worry about them disappearing in unfamiliar territory. They were very well-behaved, considering there was much to explore and smell. It took about an hour to get everything, including ourselves, ready for bed, and another half-an-hour to get the dogs settled. They both decided our sleeping bags looked more interesting than their beds. Unfortunately, all the work to get things ready made us get rather hot, and the humid weather didn't help, so that first night wasn't very comfortable. It took Beau a long time to stop panting, and we're seriously thinking about getting a portable fan for future trips if we're crazy enough to go camping in the summer again.
Happily, we managed to keep the bulk of the insects out of the tent. We left the windows and the door unzipped to try and catch any night breeze that might decide to visit, so Belle had a fine time looking outside from her bed (there was a porch-like section of the tent that was just netting, beyond the sleeping area, so that gave us some extra space while keeping the front opening securely zipped in order to keep the dogs in the tent with us. Not that they ever tried to escape - they were thrilled to have us sleeping on the ground with them! And thankfully, the second night was a little cooler, which made it more comfortable. Belle and Beau actually slept in their own beds all night. In the early hours of the second morning, it actually got cold enough for Bruce and me to want to be in, rather than on, our sleeping bags.
On Saturday, our first full day there, we drove into Charleston, which was about two hours away. (I'm unable to pronounce that in the proper Southern way, either.) On the way to Charleston, we saw a sign for a nature trail, so we stopped there for a while. There was only one other car there (we later found out it belonged to fishermen), so we felt comfortable about letting Belle and Beau run around without their leashes. They were thrilled! That really is such a joy for them, being able to race around freely. They had a marvelous time. We didn't see all that much in terms of wildlife, but it was still a fun stop. Then we got back on the road to Charleston. We stopped at the visitor's center to get some information, and the very helpful man on duty there told us where to go to park (always useful information to have when you're new to a city). Since it was almost lunch-time, we left the dogs in the car at the parking deck and went to get some food. There was a cafe-type restaurant across the road from the parking deck that I'm glad we went to, because the food was scrumptious. We both ordered seafood, because that's what you do when you're in Charleston, home to some of the best seafood around. I had crabcake and Bruce had a shrimp salad sandwich, which was so good that I actually preferred it over my crabcake (which is nothing like real cake, in case you are wondering).
After lunch, we went on a carriage ride around Charleston WITH THE DOGS. That is in bold, in capital letters, because that's what the ride was like! First of all, we had to get the dogs used to the idea of being near horses, because they tend to bark at them (I'm quite sure Beau thinks horses are really big dogs). Then we had to get the dogs on the carriage, which was a big adventure in itself. The carriage seats 16 people, four per row. Or, in our case, two adults and two dogs. People climb onto the carriage using a stepladder. Dogs don't climb stepladders. They are fine walking or even running up regular stairs, but a ladder? I know they think we humans are crazy. I climbed into the carriage first, then Beau got very excited and tried to follow me, but couldn't figure out how to do it. After several attempts, I got back down on the ground, Bruce got into the carriage, and then somehow we managed to get Beau up. Belle was much easier because she's smaller and lighter, so the guy who runs the show just lifted her in. Finally, we were all in (with the rest of the passengers waiting patiently - thank goodness they were all dog lovers) and ready to set off. The dogs were excited and nervous but behaved tolerably well for the first few minutes. Then they started getting too hot and became really restless. Belle finally crawled under the our seat and all the way over to the seat behind ours, where she sat in the shade under that seat. getting lots of attention from the people in that row. Beau tried to follow but was too big, so he was stuck in the front row with us and the driver, getting much hotter and more restless. Giving him water didn't help much. I had to keep holding on to him and trying to calm him down, so I missed about half of what our guide was saying, but it was still an interesting tour.
I had no idea Charleston gets hit by earthquakes as often as it does. That, combined with flooding, makes it quite a challenging place to live in, I think. But it is a beautiful city and I can understand why people love it. It's a lot like Savannah, which is my favourite city in Georgia. They both have gorgeous oak trees draped with Spanish moss, elegant architecture and very walkable streets, artistry everywhere you look ... Bruce and I definitely want to go back to Charleston so that we can see more of the city, but next time I think we'll stay in or near Charleston itself, so that we don't spend so much time on the road getting to all the sights.
After the hot adventure, we put the dogs back in the car with water to drink and the engine running so that the air-conditioner would cool them down, and we trotted over to the market to look at some souvenirs. Then we drove back to the campsite, where Bruce cooked dinner while the dogs and I explored the area a little. When we arrived on Friday night, there were no tents near us (which is how I like it!), but when we got back to the campsite on Saturday evening, there were tents everywhere! And several more RVs. It was a lot noisier.
On Sunday, Bruce took us to the beach. We'd been wanting to see what Beau would think of the ocean, since he's such a water dog. He was startled at first by the moving water, backing away quickly when waves came towards him, but he soon realized it was his beloved water and went trotting in. He loved it! (And for some reason drinking it didn't seem to bother him, silly dog.) Unfortunately, the dogs had to remain on their leashes and Belle wasn't at all impressed by the ocean, so I spent most of our time there being pulled in opposite directions - Beau wanting to go into the water, Belle wanting to be as far away from it as possible. Where was Bruce? Taking photos of me getting my arms pulled off, naturally. Highlight of that excursion, apart from the fun of seeing Beau's reaction? We saw dolphins!!! They dove in and out of the water, moving out so rapidly that Bruce couldn't get photos, but it was such a thrill to see them.
It was very hot so we didn't stay at the beach very long. I love the sea, but I like being on the beach only early in the morning or late in the evening, not when it's baking hot. So we left the beach for some marshland, where a platform has been built so that people can walk out into the marsh and look at the crabs and birds. There's an area just like that near Savannah, adding to the similarities between the two cities.
The original plan had been to leave for home on Monday morning but the heat was beginning to get to us, so we decided to pack up and head home on Sunday evening. We got home at about 11:00 that night and had the whole of Monday (Labour Day) to recover, which I was glad about. I also had to do some work, since there's always a lot of news to catch up on during a long weekend and I work alone on Tuesdays, which meant I'd have even more news to go through on Tuesday if I didn't get some work done on Monday. So I did labour a little on Monday, but it was worth it as it made my Tuesday a little less stressful. I think the best thing about the weekend was being away from computers and e-mail. I didn't think about work at all, which was a very nice mental break.
The other big event in September was the Yellow Daisy Festival at Stone Mountain Park (about eight miles from our house). This is already a very long blog entry so I won't ramble on about the festival. Suffice to say it showcases work by various craftspeople/artists and was a very successful shopping expedition. Bruce has been wanting some plants for his new office and found two very pretty bonsai there. I've been wanting some sort of small table on which to put a lamp I bought for our reading room, and I found the perfect one at Yellow Daisy. It's a wooden table with small shelves at different levels and bigger top. The lamp sits on top and I've filled the shelves with all my Christmas-themed snow globes. It looks lovely! I was going to put in a photo but I haven't taken one with Bruce's camera yet, and the photo I took using my cellphone doesn't look very clear. Bruce and his camera are in Madison and Athens today, bike-riding with his brother-in-law, so I'll have to wait until they return before taking some photos.
We also found some pottery that I really like. We bought a spoon holder, a serving platter that can also be used as a tray and a couple of candle holders. The colours go quite well with the blue-green French pottery we bought last year, so I'm happy. I'll try and get photos of that, as well. Yesterday, we went to a monastery so that Bruce could find some things for his bonsai and I found candles at the monastery store that go perfectly with the candle holders. I love the way that happens - finding things in different places that go together at home. Shopping can be so much fun!
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Where did August go?
We're already in the third week of September but it seems like August just began last week. Once again, so much has been going on and I've been bad about writing updates here, so I'm going to do another summary. To sum it up, August was a month of highs and lows.
Bruce and the boys had a fabulous time on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and he's got some photos up on Facebook. It was a good bonding session for them, plus Bruce got to spend a little time with his friend Chip, whom he's known since he was a teenager. They had lunch with Chip and his wife Judy on the first day of their trip, and then Chip and his son Austin joined Bruce, Jason and Jonathan for one night of camping.
After three weeks of vacation, Bruce started his new job on August 16th. The type of work is the same as at his last job but the new boss is much better. However, his commute is even longer now, which is a major drawback in the summer heat.
Belle had to have surgery on August 11th. Apparently, she decided she hadn't had her share of drama for the year. She had two cancerous growths removed. She has mast cell cancer, which is apparently common in some dogs, and hers is Grade 2 - not as great a result as it could have been but not as bad as it might have been, either. We're supposed to keep an eye out for the appearance of more growths, which will have to be immediately removed. The wounds from her surgery healed well, which is a good sign, because apparently in some cases, if the cancer cells are malignant, the wounds don't heal well. She's been very lively and seems to be learning from Beau to be more light-hearted and less serious.
We had a ruby-throated hummingbird visit our feeder for about a week, probably on his way south. That was a little thrilling, because they are beautiful birds and it made a nice change from seeing only the green hummingbird. See how things evolve and how greedy I get? At first, I was so excited just to have one type of hummingbird visit our feeder. Now that isn't enough and I want lots of different kinds! I tried growing flowers so they'd have a more natural source of nectar, but the drought and heat ended that dream for this year.
We had a flock of gackles driving me crazy a few weeks ago, because they were migrating and decided to make our feeder a long-term stop. For several days, we had over 50 birds converging on our feeder. That was infuriating, because they were going through the food so quickly and leaving nothing for our "regulars". I ended up leaving the feeders empty for over a week to convince them the food source was gone. I haven't seen them since, so I hope that means they've continued their journey south and won't be back.
There was probably more to write about but I'm moving on to another post now, because September's events (thus far) deserve an entry of their own. I'm going to take the dogs to the dog park this morning, but I'll try to write more later today. Like with everything else, if I don't do something immediately or as soon as possible, I tend to put it off indefinitely. I want to write the September post soon, because it involves a trip. And camping. Yes, Bruce got me to go camping again, only seven years after the first attempt!
Bruce and the boys had a fabulous time on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and he's got some photos up on Facebook. It was a good bonding session for them, plus Bruce got to spend a little time with his friend Chip, whom he's known since he was a teenager. They had lunch with Chip and his wife Judy on the first day of their trip, and then Chip and his son Austin joined Bruce, Jason and Jonathan for one night of camping.
After three weeks of vacation, Bruce started his new job on August 16th. The type of work is the same as at his last job but the new boss is much better. However, his commute is even longer now, which is a major drawback in the summer heat.
Belle had to have surgery on August 11th. Apparently, she decided she hadn't had her share of drama for the year. She had two cancerous growths removed. She has mast cell cancer, which is apparently common in some dogs, and hers is Grade 2 - not as great a result as it could have been but not as bad as it might have been, either. We're supposed to keep an eye out for the appearance of more growths, which will have to be immediately removed. The wounds from her surgery healed well, which is a good sign, because apparently in some cases, if the cancer cells are malignant, the wounds don't heal well. She's been very lively and seems to be learning from Beau to be more light-hearted and less serious.
We had a ruby-throated hummingbird visit our feeder for about a week, probably on his way south. That was a little thrilling, because they are beautiful birds and it made a nice change from seeing only the green hummingbird. See how things evolve and how greedy I get? At first, I was so excited just to have one type of hummingbird visit our feeder. Now that isn't enough and I want lots of different kinds! I tried growing flowers so they'd have a more natural source of nectar, but the drought and heat ended that dream for this year.
We had a flock of gackles driving me crazy a few weeks ago, because they were migrating and decided to make our feeder a long-term stop. For several days, we had over 50 birds converging on our feeder. That was infuriating, because they were going through the food so quickly and leaving nothing for our "regulars". I ended up leaving the feeders empty for over a week to convince them the food source was gone. I haven't seen them since, so I hope that means they've continued their journey south and won't be back.
There was probably more to write about but I'm moving on to another post now, because September's events (thus far) deserve an entry of their own. I'm going to take the dogs to the dog park this morning, but I'll try to write more later today. Like with everything else, if I don't do something immediately or as soon as possible, I tend to put it off indefinitely. I want to write the September post soon, because it involves a trip. And camping. Yes, Bruce got me to go camping again, only seven years after the first attempt!
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Snippets
Quite a bit has happened in the last few weeks and I've been negligent in updating this blog, so here is a summary:
Bruce, Jason and Jonathan set off this morning on a motorcycle trip - they are planning to ride down the Blue Ridge Parkway. Here is an official description of what it is: "469 miles connecting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina to the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia ... Outstanding scenery and recreational opportunities make the Blue Ridge Parkway one of the most visited sections of the National Park System. Split-rail fences, old farmsteads, mountain meadows and scenic overlooks with endless vistas make the Blue Ridge Parkway a popular attraction." They'll be stopping at campsites along the way and are planning to be back here on Thursday or Friday.
Bruce has been looking forward to this trip for weeks, and this is going to be particularly memorable for the three of them as it's been a long time since they've done a father and sons trip. They used to do quite a bit of camping when Jason and Jonathan were kids, and I know Bruce has missed it. He's not thrilled about being out in the heat, but this turned out to be the best time to make the trip as he is starting a new job on August 16th and won't be able to have this sort of leisure time for a while, plus Jason and Jonathan will be back in college soon. The dogs and I may do a weekend trip with him sometime, but only when it's cooler. (Yes, I'm a fair weather, or should I say cool weather, traveller.)
Beau has been running around in a T-shirt for the last few days to protect a sore spot on his body. On Monday, he was not himself. He was very solemn and spent most of the time lying down. I called the vet on Tuesday to make an appointment, but they couldn't see him until Wednesday. He's such a funny dog. He seems to know now that if something is wrong, we take him to the vet, so when I came home from work on Tuesday, he was standing expectantly at the van, waiting for me to let him in it so we could go to his doctor. He did that several times on Tuesday, every time I opened the front door. He was miserable by the time he finally got to see the vet on Wednesday. It turned out he had some sort of heat sore that was so raw it was hurting him every time he moved. He got a steroid shot and a medicated spray that has helped dry up the sore spot very quickly and he began feeling better within a few hours. He's back to being his usual cheerful self now. It's amazing how quickly he heals. That's the second time in about a month that he has injured himself. Previously he got a piece of a fallen tree branch stuck under his tongue, near the frenulum, and was in a lot of pain for a couple of days, but that healed quite quickly, as well. I've told him we've had enough drama for a few years now, so I hope he was paying attention. Belle needs to have a couple of growths removed, so that's going to be the next bit of drama in this household. The vet is quite sure it's nothing serious - I hope she's right.
Bruce and I saw a double rainbow last week, and I swear it was almost to the day a year ago that we saw that same phenomenon in Brinon. I love little reminders like this of all we saw and did in France last July.
I had a fun birthday this year, although I'm not sure any birthday from now on can top being in Paris with Bruce, Meerabelle and Jehanita last year (and briefly getting to see Isabelle). Bruce and I had such fun with the girls, and that ice cream ... But happily, my birthday was on a Saturday this year so I didn't have to be at work. Bruce and I went bowling in the morning with Jason, Caroline, Jonathan and Claire, and that was so much fun! The last time Bruce, the boys and I went bowling was nine years ago, when they were in KL for the wedding, and I've told Bruce that I don't want to wait another nine years before we do it again. After bowling, we had a scrumptious lunch with Bruce's mother and stepfather, which was also fun, and then had a delicious dinner with the Jacksons the next night - they are always good company and all in all, I had a lovely birthday weekend.
Last major event for this update - Bruce and I went to see the Phantom of the Opera a few weeks ago. It was a good production and I enjoyed it, although I wished we could have been a little closer to the stage. Every time we go to see a theatre production or a concert, I realize how much I love the arts and how talented and creative human beings can be (when they aren't busy killing or hurting each other).
Speaking of the arts, I've been watching a recording of This Is IT, the movie of the rehearsals and prep work that went into the concert tour for which Michael Jackson was preparing when he died in June 2009. I'm glad they put this footage together. There was so much strangeness and controversy in his life in the last decade or so that it overshadowed his music and that amazing dancing & choreography. He influenced so many dancers and music videos and was phenomenal on his feet - so light, almost like he was floating - and this footage serves as a good reminder of his talent. There were some sections of this movie that would have been good to watch in 3D, especially the video they shot for the Thriller segment.
Bruce, Jason and Jonathan set off this morning on a motorcycle trip - they are planning to ride down the Blue Ridge Parkway. Here is an official description of what it is: "469 miles connecting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina to the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia ... Outstanding scenery and recreational opportunities make the Blue Ridge Parkway one of the most visited sections of the National Park System. Split-rail fences, old farmsteads, mountain meadows and scenic overlooks with endless vistas make the Blue Ridge Parkway a popular attraction." They'll be stopping at campsites along the way and are planning to be back here on Thursday or Friday.
Bruce has been looking forward to this trip for weeks, and this is going to be particularly memorable for the three of them as it's been a long time since they've done a father and sons trip. They used to do quite a bit of camping when Jason and Jonathan were kids, and I know Bruce has missed it. He's not thrilled about being out in the heat, but this turned out to be the best time to make the trip as he is starting a new job on August 16th and won't be able to have this sort of leisure time for a while, plus Jason and Jonathan will be back in college soon. The dogs and I may do a weekend trip with him sometime, but only when it's cooler. (Yes, I'm a fair weather, or should I say cool weather, traveller.)
Beau has been running around in a T-shirt for the last few days to protect a sore spot on his body. On Monday, he was not himself. He was very solemn and spent most of the time lying down. I called the vet on Tuesday to make an appointment, but they couldn't see him until Wednesday. He's such a funny dog. He seems to know now that if something is wrong, we take him to the vet, so when I came home from work on Tuesday, he was standing expectantly at the van, waiting for me to let him in it so we could go to his doctor. He did that several times on Tuesday, every time I opened the front door. He was miserable by the time he finally got to see the vet on Wednesday. It turned out he had some sort of heat sore that was so raw it was hurting him every time he moved. He got a steroid shot and a medicated spray that has helped dry up the sore spot very quickly and he began feeling better within a few hours. He's back to being his usual cheerful self now. It's amazing how quickly he heals. That's the second time in about a month that he has injured himself. Previously he got a piece of a fallen tree branch stuck under his tongue, near the frenulum, and was in a lot of pain for a couple of days, but that healed quite quickly, as well. I've told him we've had enough drama for a few years now, so I hope he was paying attention. Belle needs to have a couple of growths removed, so that's going to be the next bit of drama in this household. The vet is quite sure it's nothing serious - I hope she's right.
Bruce and I saw a double rainbow last week, and I swear it was almost to the day a year ago that we saw that same phenomenon in Brinon. I love little reminders like this of all we saw and did in France last July.
I had a fun birthday this year, although I'm not sure any birthday from now on can top being in Paris with Bruce, Meerabelle and Jehanita last year (and briefly getting to see Isabelle). Bruce and I had such fun with the girls, and that ice cream ... But happily, my birthday was on a Saturday this year so I didn't have to be at work. Bruce and I went bowling in the morning with Jason, Caroline, Jonathan and Claire, and that was so much fun! The last time Bruce, the boys and I went bowling was nine years ago, when they were in KL for the wedding, and I've told Bruce that I don't want to wait another nine years before we do it again. After bowling, we had a scrumptious lunch with Bruce's mother and stepfather, which was also fun, and then had a delicious dinner with the Jacksons the next night - they are always good company and all in all, I had a lovely birthday weekend.
Last major event for this update - Bruce and I went to see the Phantom of the Opera a few weeks ago. It was a good production and I enjoyed it, although I wished we could have been a little closer to the stage. Every time we go to see a theatre production or a concert, I realize how much I love the arts and how talented and creative human beings can be (when they aren't busy killing or hurting each other).
Speaking of the arts, I've been watching a recording of This Is IT, the movie of the rehearsals and prep work that went into the concert tour for which Michael Jackson was preparing when he died in June 2009. I'm glad they put this footage together. There was so much strangeness and controversy in his life in the last decade or so that it overshadowed his music and that amazing dancing & choreography. He influenced so many dancers and music videos and was phenomenal on his feet - so light, almost like he was floating - and this footage serves as a good reminder of his talent. There were some sections of this movie that would have been good to watch in 3D, especially the video they shot for the Thriller segment.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Biker chic(k)
I am apparently now a biker chick, married to a biker dude. The title of this post is a play on that and the chic-ness of the jacket and helmet I now own in order to ride on Bruce's motorcycle.
Bruce is the proud owner of a Honda VTX1300T. I'd post a photo of his but shockingly, he's been too busy riding the thing to have taken any photos of it yet. So here's a link that will take you to a photo of one, if you want to see what it looks like: http://powersports.honda.com/2009/vtx1300t.aspx
He got a black one, which he likes. I'd have preferred the red shown on that site (I voted for pink or purple, but happily for him, they have neither), but there was only one bike left at the dealership - the black one.
He is very, very happy. He's been wanting a bike for years, and the wait is finally over. He rode several in his 20s, but his ex made him give up his last bike when their kids were little, so he's been dreaming of owning another one since then. And now, it's no longer just a dream. He got the bike last Friday and has ridden it every single day since then, sometimes several times a day, despite the heat. He even loves the commute to work now, just because he gets to do it on his motorcycle. He's thrilled, and I love seeing him this excited.
I also love the cool jacket I now own because of the bike. It's for protection, with elbow and back pads, but I had to make sure it looked good as well, of course - I am a girl, after all. It's got pretty flowers down the sleeves, and the very nice girl at the store managed to find a (somewhat) matching helmet that also has flowers on it. I'll try to get a photo of me in the chic biker chick outfit soon - so far, it's been so hot that I take the jacket and helmet off as soon as I'm not on the bike, so getting me to pose for a photo would be expecting too much.
Bruce and I rode on his bike to the Jacksons house on Saturday to show it to them. I've only been on a bike once before, and that was 10 years ago (when I first came to visit Bruce in 2000, a friend of ours gave me a ride on his). Getting on Bruce's new motorcycle on Saturday was a little scary at first, and I was somewhat nervous as we rode away from the house, but after a while, I began to enjoy it. It's a lot of fun, except when we stop moving and the blanket of heat begins pushing down on us - I think Autumn is a much better time of year to buy a bike, rather than the beginning of Summer. But when we're moving, it feels much cooler. I'll never be crazy about bikes the way Bruce is, but I can understand why he is such a fan. Once you get past the fact that there are no doors creating a safe cocoon for you, you begin to enjoy the air and scenery rushing past you. There is a lovely sense of freedom that comes from being on a motorbike - I think the closest I got to that in the past was zooming down Jalan Ara on a bicycle when I was a kid. I used to love that feeling, and would keep riding up that steep hill just for the pleasure of racing down it with the wind tearing at my hair and blowing away all the heat of the day. Perhaps this is why dogs love riding in cars with their heads sticking out of the windows.
Bruce, Amy and John used to go riding a lot when they were in college. Bruce is now trying to convice John he needs to get a bike so that we can all ride around in the mountains on weekends. I'm trying to convince Bruce I don't want to spend every single weekend on the bike.
Perhaps I'll change my mind when we can afford a trailer for the dogs that can be hitched to the bike, so that they can ride with us ...
Bruce is the proud owner of a Honda VTX1300T. I'd post a photo of his but shockingly, he's been too busy riding the thing to have taken any photos of it yet. So here's a link that will take you to a photo of one, if you want to see what it looks like: http://powersports.honda.com/2009/vtx1300t.aspx
He got a black one, which he likes. I'd have preferred the red shown on that site (I voted for pink or purple, but happily for him, they have neither), but there was only one bike left at the dealership - the black one.
He is very, very happy. He's been wanting a bike for years, and the wait is finally over. He rode several in his 20s, but his ex made him give up his last bike when their kids were little, so he's been dreaming of owning another one since then. And now, it's no longer just a dream. He got the bike last Friday and has ridden it every single day since then, sometimes several times a day, despite the heat. He even loves the commute to work now, just because he gets to do it on his motorcycle. He's thrilled, and I love seeing him this excited.
I also love the cool jacket I now own because of the bike. It's for protection, with elbow and back pads, but I had to make sure it looked good as well, of course - I am a girl, after all. It's got pretty flowers down the sleeves, and the very nice girl at the store managed to find a (somewhat) matching helmet that also has flowers on it. I'll try to get a photo of me in the chic biker chick outfit soon - so far, it's been so hot that I take the jacket and helmet off as soon as I'm not on the bike, so getting me to pose for a photo would be expecting too much.
Bruce and I rode on his bike to the Jacksons house on Saturday to show it to them. I've only been on a bike once before, and that was 10 years ago (when I first came to visit Bruce in 2000, a friend of ours gave me a ride on his). Getting on Bruce's new motorcycle on Saturday was a little scary at first, and I was somewhat nervous as we rode away from the house, but after a while, I began to enjoy it. It's a lot of fun, except when we stop moving and the blanket of heat begins pushing down on us - I think Autumn is a much better time of year to buy a bike, rather than the beginning of Summer. But when we're moving, it feels much cooler. I'll never be crazy about bikes the way Bruce is, but I can understand why he is such a fan. Once you get past the fact that there are no doors creating a safe cocoon for you, you begin to enjoy the air and scenery rushing past you. There is a lovely sense of freedom that comes from being on a motorbike - I think the closest I got to that in the past was zooming down Jalan Ara on a bicycle when I was a kid. I used to love that feeling, and would keep riding up that steep hill just for the pleasure of racing down it with the wind tearing at my hair and blowing away all the heat of the day. Perhaps this is why dogs love riding in cars with their heads sticking out of the windows.
Bruce, Amy and John used to go riding a lot when they were in college. Bruce is now trying to convice John he needs to get a bike so that we can all ride around in the mountains on weekends. I'm trying to convince Bruce I don't want to spend every single weekend on the bike.
Perhaps I'll change my mind when we can afford a trailer for the dogs that can be hitched to the bike, so that they can ride with us ...
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Two sides
Does the fact that I can see two sides (at least) to situations and arguments make me indecisive and unable to take a stand? Sometimes, I think so. I, like a lot of people, used to see the world as black and white. There's wrong and there's right. No two ways about it. As I grow older and (at least in my viewpoint) wiser, I am becoming more and more convinced that it really is about shades of gray, and that very few things are black and white or written in stone. I guess that's what makes me less and less able to understand conservatives and religious extremists.
Right now, some people are in an uproar over the recently passed law in Arizona that allows police to essentially stop and question anyone they suspect of being an illegal immigrant. The governor of Arizona insists this is not about racial profiling. She says she has no idea what an illegal immigrant looks like (hint: they are from a neighbouring country). So I suppose police will, for instance, be stopping people who are standing on street corners waiting to be picked up for day labour, regardless of their race, because that's one of the places illegal immigrants hang out.
Now, coming from Malaysia, where identity cards are the norm and we learn from our teenage years to carry them around with us, I can't really relate to those who find that offensive. In fact, when I first got my green card, I used to carry it everywhere with me because the idea of carrying some form of identification with me at all times was ingrained. I didn't even think twice about it. After I got my driver's licence, I carried both that and the green card around for a while. Slowly, I got used to the idea of carrying around just the driver's licence. But if I lived in Arizona, I'd have to go back to carrying both forms of identification, to prove that I'm there legally. Since I went through a lot of red tape (and money) to get that card, I wouldn't find that a big deal. But, I can understand why some people find that outrageous.
For one thing, if Bruce and I were walking down on opposite sides of a street in Arizona (so that people wouldn't think we were a couple), and there were cops ahead of us on the lookout for illegal immigrants, I suspect that the police would stop me to ask for proof I'm a citizen or legal resident. I also suspect they would let Bruce keep walking without a second glance, simple because of his skin colour (or rather, the lack of colour). I think that way largely because, despite protests by some, my impression is that people still tend to think of Americans as Caucasians, for the most part. Perhaps that is prejudice on my part, caused by the fact that despite having been born in Malaysia, despite the fact that both my parents were born in Malaysia, despite the fact that I think of myself as Malaysian first and Indian second, I know that there are some people who think of Malays (not the orang asli) as the "real" Malaysians and the rest of us as outsiders. In the same way, I think some people think of those who came over on the Mayflower, etc. (not the native Americans) as the "real" Americans. And I think some Americans are as prejudiced against Mexicans as some Malaysians are against Indonesians. You know, those who cross the Straits of Melaka in boats and enter Malaysia illegally to take the jobs that Malaysians would do (if they were paid more). The Indonesians are blamed for the bulk of crimes in Malaysia, just as illegal Mexican immigrants in the US are blamed for crimes in states like Arizona.
I understand that mindset. I understand the fear and anger. Any large group of immigrants, illegal or otherwise, in any country, experiences the same reaction from groups of citizens in any country. But that doesn't mean the Arizona law isn't wrong. Although, as I said, I don't think it's a big deal to carry proof of legal residence with you (especially after having worked so hard for it), I've lived here long enough now to understand the outrage by some, who see it as yet another encroachment on rights, yet another stranglehold on freedom. Arizona's biggest illegal immigrant problem is from South America, largely Mexico. Anyone with a fair amount of brain cells would be able to deduce that police on the lookout for illegal immigrants will be looking first at those of Hispanic descent. That means even if you are an American of Mexican/Hispanic descent -- someone born here, like your parents and maybe even grandparents -- you could be stopped and asked for proof of citizenship. That is what people are outraged about, because that hasn't happened since people of African descent were asked to show proof that they weren't slaves who had run away, that they were emancipated.
But when reading comments in response to an article in today's Los Angeles Times about how some people were proposing boycotts of Arizona (tourism, products, etc.), I was a little startled by the anger coming from people living in that state. Outrage at their fellow Americans for daring to protest the law; outrage that their socialist President was denouncing the law; outrage that the illegals, who are committing crimes and taking away jobs, are being defended; outrage that people are describing this as racial profiling ... I'm all for entering the country legally, and for stopping illegal immigrants if they indeed are coming here only to commit crimes. But to not be able to grasp that this law will definitely make people of certain races (i.e. non-Caucasians) feel like non-citizens, even if they were born here and legally have the right to be here -- I think that is disingenuous. Why can't the outraged people see that side of the argument?
Right now, some people are in an uproar over the recently passed law in Arizona that allows police to essentially stop and question anyone they suspect of being an illegal immigrant. The governor of Arizona insists this is not about racial profiling. She says she has no idea what an illegal immigrant looks like (hint: they are from a neighbouring country). So I suppose police will, for instance, be stopping people who are standing on street corners waiting to be picked up for day labour, regardless of their race, because that's one of the places illegal immigrants hang out.
Now, coming from Malaysia, where identity cards are the norm and we learn from our teenage years to carry them around with us, I can't really relate to those who find that offensive. In fact, when I first got my green card, I used to carry it everywhere with me because the idea of carrying some form of identification with me at all times was ingrained. I didn't even think twice about it. After I got my driver's licence, I carried both that and the green card around for a while. Slowly, I got used to the idea of carrying around just the driver's licence. But if I lived in Arizona, I'd have to go back to carrying both forms of identification, to prove that I'm there legally. Since I went through a lot of red tape (and money) to get that card, I wouldn't find that a big deal. But, I can understand why some people find that outrageous.
For one thing, if Bruce and I were walking down on opposite sides of a street in Arizona (so that people wouldn't think we were a couple), and there were cops ahead of us on the lookout for illegal immigrants, I suspect that the police would stop me to ask for proof I'm a citizen or legal resident. I also suspect they would let Bruce keep walking without a second glance, simple because of his skin colour (or rather, the lack of colour). I think that way largely because, despite protests by some, my impression is that people still tend to think of Americans as Caucasians, for the most part. Perhaps that is prejudice on my part, caused by the fact that despite having been born in Malaysia, despite the fact that both my parents were born in Malaysia, despite the fact that I think of myself as Malaysian first and Indian second, I know that there are some people who think of Malays (not the orang asli) as the "real" Malaysians and the rest of us as outsiders. In the same way, I think some people think of those who came over on the Mayflower, etc. (not the native Americans) as the "real" Americans. And I think some Americans are as prejudiced against Mexicans as some Malaysians are against Indonesians. You know, those who cross the Straits of Melaka in boats and enter Malaysia illegally to take the jobs that Malaysians would do (if they were paid more). The Indonesians are blamed for the bulk of crimes in Malaysia, just as illegal Mexican immigrants in the US are blamed for crimes in states like Arizona.
I understand that mindset. I understand the fear and anger. Any large group of immigrants, illegal or otherwise, in any country, experiences the same reaction from groups of citizens in any country. But that doesn't mean the Arizona law isn't wrong. Although, as I said, I don't think it's a big deal to carry proof of legal residence with you (especially after having worked so hard for it), I've lived here long enough now to understand the outrage by some, who see it as yet another encroachment on rights, yet another stranglehold on freedom. Arizona's biggest illegal immigrant problem is from South America, largely Mexico. Anyone with a fair amount of brain cells would be able to deduce that police on the lookout for illegal immigrants will be looking first at those of Hispanic descent. That means even if you are an American of Mexican/Hispanic descent -- someone born here, like your parents and maybe even grandparents -- you could be stopped and asked for proof of citizenship. That is what people are outraged about, because that hasn't happened since people of African descent were asked to show proof that they weren't slaves who had run away, that they were emancipated.
But when reading comments in response to an article in today's Los Angeles Times about how some people were proposing boycotts of Arizona (tourism, products, etc.), I was a little startled by the anger coming from people living in that state. Outrage at their fellow Americans for daring to protest the law; outrage that their socialist President was denouncing the law; outrage that the illegals, who are committing crimes and taking away jobs, are being defended; outrage that people are describing this as racial profiling ... I'm all for entering the country legally, and for stopping illegal immigrants if they indeed are coming here only to commit crimes. But to not be able to grasp that this law will definitely make people of certain races (i.e. non-Caucasians) feel like non-citizens, even if they were born here and legally have the right to be here -- I think that is disingenuous. Why can't the outraged people see that side of the argument?
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