Cutting it off

   I got a haircut.  Not particularly newsworthy, you say?  Well, it’s been double digit years since I’ve had this much cut.  I came out of the salon a few shades lighter and many inches shorter than I had planned.

I never get my hair cut.  Check out the flat dishwater mop on the video update if you doubt me!  But the gray hair has been taking over my head this winter — and I am NOT going down without a fight when it comes to this aging business — so last week I randomly picked a place, gave them a call and made an appointment.  When I walked in I thought OH, NO!  Elevator music, elderly white women getting perms, and even more elderly women giving these perms.  The pushing-60 receptionist told me to wait a minute, and “Michael” would be right out for me.  When Michael walked out, I knew someone in a high place was watching out for me.  Michael, far less elderly, was cute, bouncy, good-smelling, gay and AA, experienced in straightening, extensions and braiding, in addition to doing hair like mine.  He gave me hair advice for Zufan and we talked about the adoption and the amusing fact that he used to run a tanning salon.  He also used to have dreadlocks.  Wow.  As you all probably know, I have a big weakness for dreads.  I promised to bring in Zufan when she has a bit more than fuzz on her head to work with.  I left there amazed at how things often just work out, and we really get what we need sometimes without even trying.

Speaking of getting what we need, Michael said I needed a cut, big time.  He wanted to chop off 8 inches.  I said no way…. but then went ahead and let him take 6 or so off.  He also said yes, time to make the gray disappear because, if I were to continue to pluck it out, “you’d be half bald.”  Yep.  That’s what he told me.  Since he wasn’t taking any nonsense, I let him do what he wanted.  Any really, it isn’t half bad.   Zufan and I will be back, and this time I don’t think I’ll wait 10 years.

View from the street, Addis

I took these when our driver took us out for an extra little shopping trip.  That public transportation looks pretty efficient!  I really have the itch to go back to Ethiopia, although I know it isn’t going to happen for awhile yet. 

If you haven’t seen the video on the Ethiopian women who are fuelwood carriers, I put it in the sidebar.  It is over 7 minutes long, so grab a cup of coffee and a snack before you click!  Have a great Thursday.

Wednesday Morning Video Update

CLICK HERE.   Please.   Then click again on the little blue button that magically appears in the center of your screen.  Today’s self-esteem will be directly linked to how many clicks this generates in my blog stats.  Pity clicks are welcome, even encouraged. 

What I learned from recording myself:

1) Maybe I do talk fast.  Doesn’t fit my image of myself, but is apparently true.

2) Taking an extra 10 seconds of combing the part in my hair might be a good idea to help prevent my head from so closely resembling the US-Mexico border.

3) Um… Got some moisturizer, anyone?  I’m going to need it if I plan to keep wrinkling my forehead like that for the next 63 years.

4) And finally: On video it is really hard to come across as anything other than your true-and-goofy self.

Next time up, some kids.  Really.  I can share the spotlight.  But it was nice to meet you. 

Snuggle Baby

Zufan’s newest trick, when I lay down with her at night or nap time, is to drink a little bit of bottle, then give the bottle a big toss (I try to grab it but have more than once had to chase it down as it rolls under the bed), and cuddle herself into my neck to fall asleep.  She usually gets into position with her chest on my shoulder and her face crammed into my neck, facing inward, so that by the time she is sleeping and I sneak away, the side of my neck and hair are wet with sweaty baby breath.  She usually tries to wrap an arm or leg around me too, but her legs are so short they slip off my side unless I help out and give her the full body cuddle, to hold them up.  Baby love.  It makes everything else worth it.

Giggle girl speaks Chinese

Here, big sis tells a story in Chinese.  I can’t embed it, though!  YouTube did let me embed it, but it just gave sound, and no picture.  It works correctly with the Yahoo site, but I can’t get it to play right in the blog.  So… a link will have to do for now!  Sorry to anyone who actually speaks Chinese — I cut out 3 minutes in the middle of the story because the file was too big…   Yes, my video posting (and recording!) skills are just emerging…  I’ll try to improve!

P.S.  How about that Hello Kitty backdrop??  Yep, quality recording all around.

Working and Sweating

  Last night the 4 year old asked me, “Mommy, tomorrow do you run or do you work?”  I told him it was the weekend so it was a running day.  He was happy about that and added that “work is worser because it is longer, but running is worser because you sweat more and then you stink.”  Actually, sometimes I sweat a little more at work!  Anyway, gotta have kids to tell it like it is.  I’d write more, but I think it is time to hop in the shower.

Reiki and Me

I had a pretty intense session of Reiki yesterday.  It was awesome.  But first, before you write me off as a nutcase, a little background. 

I love complementary medicine — in theory.  In practice, well, I have had a hard time taking myself seriously enough for it to “work” for me.  Nevertheless, I was excited when, a couple of years ago, our insurance began covering 50% of complementary medicine fees, up to a certain amount per year.  Since the uncle of my best and most adored friend in the world is a Reiki master, and she swears it works for whatever you want it to work for, I decided to try out a session — 2 years ago.  Well, at the time I found it downright weird!  I had a hard time relaxing, because as the woman moved her hands over my body opening up my blocked chakras or whatever, she kept making very loud sighing and exhaling noises as I “expelled” my negative energy.  Sometimes she even talked “lalalala” when she got to a really “blocked up” area.  I literally watched the clock waiting for the hour to be over so I could get out of there and laugh at how bizarre it was.

My reaction to yoga was equally cynical.  While everyone else serenely focused on their breath, I twisted my way through the class focusing on how much longer before I could go get some nice Chinese take-out.  Yep, I got a little stretch, but I could have done that in 5 minutes at home.

I even tried an 8-week session of Tai Chi, inspired by how calm and focused the Chinese grandparents in our community are, Tai Chi-ing their cares away in the wide-open Community Center gym, unflinching in the midst of screaming kids.  For 8 weeks I stuck it out, and I never stopped feeling totally ridiculous, planting my feet and circling the energy with my hands, and sometimes I had to work to contain the laughter.  Ha ha!!  I felt like such a total fool, and decided that my mind just must not be meditative or something.

OK, back to the story.  About a month ago, I signed up for an insurance-covered Reiki session, motivated by my inability to get over the giardia, or at least the giardia symptoms.  I arrived, we talked for 5 minutes about what we were going to focus on — which ended up having not much to do with giardia – and then she began “feeling the energy.”  Really, it was amazing this time.  I was warm, tingly, and my whole body so relaxed that I felt like I was in a different world.  I still was fully aware and in control of my thoughts, but also somehow, I was removed from the situation.  After what seemed like 2 minutes, she said we were done.  I looked at the clock and an hour had passed!  I still can’t believe that.  She said I had entered an “altered state.”  (Yes, I know, you’re thinking “an altered state called sleep!”  Ha ha!)  An altered state.  Hypnosis.  Whatever.  My mind was powerful for that hour.  I could have thought my way to anything.  I want it again!  Give me more altered states, and I can ignore any weird sighing and expelling of negativity.  She said we mostly focused on grounding me, and on helping me to know that “I am good enough.”  Just like Saturday Night Live.  Good enough.  (Honestly, though, I’m not a huge fan of building myself up.  I think a healthy dose of discontent is good for a person.)  In any case, I like Reiki.  Don’t knock it until you try it.  At least twice.

Bowling birthday party

The little girl on the left just came home from China to join the family of a friend of mine, and we went to her birthday party.  They were in China adopting her while we were in Ethiopia.  She turned 9, and has never had a family, until now.  She is doing incredibly well, perfectly, really.  No attachment issues, behavioral issues, nothing.  Everyone who knows her loves her.  She speaks Mandarin Chinese so she is also a great conversation practice pal!  Such a sweetie.

My shopping girl

Here are just a few pix of the little girl shopping in Ethiopia. 

She was just a joy to have in Ethiopia, so enthusiastic about every aspect of the trip.  She really got into the shopping, and bought little souvenirs for all her friends, and Christmas presents for the relatives  (although I think she liked the presents far more than they did!) 

Happy Wednesday!!

The body on the sidewalk

“Where you live should not determine whether you live or die.”
–Bono 

There are still so many things that I haven’t posted or shared about our trip to Ethiopia.  Today, I’m tired, so tired.  Sometimes I feel like I just can’t do it all anymore, I can’t catch up, I can never do a good of enough job at all the things that I’m supposed to be excelling at.  But at least I can pretty much count on the fact that no matter how bad off I feel that I am and fear that things could be, I’ll never be just a forgotten body on the sidewalk.  How about that for a segway?

Anyway, in Awassa, I saw a body on the sidewalk.  I was alone at the moment, as I had quick jumped out of the SUV to buy some shoes from a little girl on the street  (material for another post) when our driver made a direction stop.  After buying the shoes, I glanced across the street and saw something that looked like a garbage bag at first.  I did a double take, and realized it was a naked body, without a blanket or pillow – nothing.  It was a man just laying there scorching in the sun.  There were people everywhere, but no one paid any attention to him.  He had a distended stomach and stick-thin limbs, and I thought he must be dying of AIDS.  Or, maybe he was already dead and no one had gotten around to moving him.  At the time I didn’t feel any shock, I didn’t feel sad, or tearful, or afraid.  I just, well, I just stared at him.  Then I walked back and got in the SUV, and never said a word to anyone about it.  The kids were there, after all.  But now, sometimes, the image haunts me.  I wonder, in a world of so much, why are there still bodies on the sidewalk?  And at the same time, I’m so selfishly glad that it isn’t me.