So there was a fire in my apartment last night. Not in my building, but in my apartment. It was all very dramatic for a one alarm fire. The highlight for me was standing in a t-shirt and panties, soaking wet from the sprinkler, holding back Molly, and trying to make a phone call to the fire department.
Everything worked out alright. No one was hurt, items can be replaced, and I eventually got some pants on. The firemen were so nice. They even saved my guinea pig, which I found to be very thoughtful and kind. All is well. Now I’m off to go survey the damage with my mother.
Here are three of my favorite blogs that my friends write. Enjoy!
1. Erin DeSouza – Erin tragically lost her daughter (and my friend), Maura, to cancer this year. This blog has turned in to a place where she can talk about her grief and how she is coping. She also shares how you should treat someone who has lost a child. This blog is heartfelt, sad, happy, and informative.
2. Evan – Evan is a friend of mine from college who decided one day to pack up all his material possessions and head to Argentina. I like reading his blog to read things through the eyes of a foreigner. He is doing well in Argentina and currently engaged to a gorgeous Argentinian. This blog shows you that true love can even break through the boundaries of language.
3. The Howell Quints – Ever wondered what it would be like to have five toddlers at the same time? Well wonder no longer! This blog shares all…the ups and downs, the laughter and the tears. I’ve been reading this blog ever since my friend Ellen found out she was pregnant with five. I spent countless hours refreshing the blog and waiting for news of the arrival of the Quints. Now Sidney, Luke, Briellen, Mitchell and Ivy are 15 months old and the adventures only get better and better. This blog shows you that anything can be accomplished when you have love and passion for what you are doing.
I talked to my mother a few minutes ago. The trip over there went so smoothly and they stayed very comfortable in first class. They enjoyed some authentic dumplings when they stopped on Hong Kong. After 30 hours of travel they finally made it there.
They really, really love Kuala Lumpur. It is a big city with lots of activity in the downtown area. In many ways it reminded them of New York City. They have a huge housing allowance so they can purchase pretty much anything they want. I know they are really happy about this because they wanted to live downtown right by the Petronas Towers so my father could walk to work and my mother could walk to shops and something.
The people of KL are very friendly and fascinated with my parents since they are American. English is so widely spoken that my mother said she wouldn’t even have to learn Malay. Tomorrow they go out in search of housing.
I’ll update again in a few days after I speak with them again.
It is a slow day at work so I figured I’d blog, since I haven’t done so in a while. Reading Rainbow has come to an end after 26 years. This breaks my heart. I still remember watching LeVar Burton tell fantastic stories while making reading such a magical adventure. In my favorite Reading Rainbow episode LeVar goes to a hat shop and tries on three different hats. Each hat he tries on takes him to a different place. (For example, he tries on a goalie mask and is transported to a hockey game.) To this day one of the books from that Episode, Hats for Sale, is one of my favorite children’s books. It is only coming to an end because PBS doesn’t want to shell out the several hundred thousand dollars needed to renew the show’s broadcast rights. How sad is that? It is definitely the end of a glorious era in the lives of 20 something book lovers.
I went and saw Depeche Mode in Sunday night. It was my third time to see the band and my fourth Dave Gahan show. As expected, it was fantastic. Fletch is still as cool as ever. Martin still has a hauntingly beautiful voice. Dave still has great vocals, even if he seems to be slowing down a bit. His spins and turns weren’t quite as tight as they used to be…showing that even our favorite rock stars don’t stay young forever.
My parents leave to look for housing in Malaysia on Friday. My aunt and uncle are already out of town. My sister will be in Austin at a gymnastics competition. This leaves my 20 year old cousin, my baby brother and I in charge for a week. The thought of that scares me. I think I need someone to remind me that I am an adult and I can handle responsibilities that are left to me. Sometimes I still feel like I’m 13 and I can’t believe I get to do the things I do. Other times I feel like I’m 60, especially when it comes to the medical system. I’ve dealt with it enough that I know how to work the system. Prayers for safe travel for my parents would be appreciated. They literally will be half way across the world.
Their moving to Malaysia does mean that my Malaysian/Australian vacation is on for 2010. I’m super excited about that. I’ve always wanted to go to Australia and Malaysia is just an added bonus. (And it will be nice to see my folks.) Now I just have to decide where in Australia I’d like to go. I’m really leaning towards Brisbane so I can snorkel off the Great Barrier Reef. But, we shall see.
Well, I need to get back to work. Selamat tinggal! (That is good-bye in Malay.)
The firemen were so nice. They even saved my guinea pig, which I found to be very thoughtful and kind. All is well. Now I’m off to go survey the damage with my mother.