Thursday, March 27, 2008
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
Friend Time
So...the reason I was in Atlanta last weekend during the crazy weather was to visit with two friends from North Africa: Lauren and Tasha! We met at a French bakery and had some yummy desserts that reminded us of olden days. It's nothing like Chez Paul, though.
Ahhhhh...Palmiers! I had to get one to share with Allie. She really liked it! Yay!
After church we ate at Mellow Mushroom where Lauren played with Allie's iPhone. In case you couldn't tell, she liked it.
After eating at Mellow Mushroom, we got in a wreck. Totally not expecting it. Totally Mom and Dad's car. Totally not Allie's fault. TotalED the guy's truck (which is what he gets for not keeping his eyes on the road). Amazingly, Mom and Dad's Accord only needs a new bumper.
Fortunately, the only thing that got a little squished was my take-home box of pizza.
Sadly, there are no pictures of Lauren, Tasha and me. However, you know I at least snagged some video.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Wild and Wicked Weekend Weather
I did exactly what the news reporter on TV said not to do. I went to downtown Atlanta even though I had no business there. Shame on me. But, I just couldn't resist. Tornadoes have always amazed (and scared) me. And to think that one went straight through the heart of Atlanta was mind-boggling. I managed to snap a few rough pictures of some of the damage.
Below: You can see the broken windows on the elevator of the Westin. This is the same elevator I rode a few years back for dessert at the rotating restaurant at the top.
Philips Arena: I was here the second night after returning from Africa. I almost didn't attend the Josh Groban concert because of health issues, but Allie and I did manage to sneak in after it had begun when I was feeling better. The blue letters on the sign used to be backdropped with white sheets of metal. Those sheets of metal turned into flying missiles when the tornado came through.
Centennial Olympic Park wasn't without damage. Several huge torches were blown off of their concrete foundations and were strewn about looking like huge rolls of aluminum foil.
Below: A few from the Georgia Dome, where the tornado first hit. It then went on to the "Tuxedo Building" (as my Hispanic students call it), and the Equitable building behind. You can see where windows were blown out where there is white on the building.
A piece of a shirt was tangled in the ravaged limbs of a shrub.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Puppy Pals
My roommate's friend came last weekend and brought her mother's new puppy, JoJo. He is an eight-week-old Rat Terrier and absolutely precious. Emma L-O-V-E-D playing with him. No worries; Lindsey, JoJo's mom, can be seen in the background making sure that everyone plays fair. I think Emma misses Bacon more than she lets us know.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Bribery
As evidenced before, I am not above bribing kids to work. This time it is healthier, at least. Brodi is seen here peeking over my desk and his dictionary with a pile of strawberry leaves in the foreground. For every definition he did, he got a strawberry. I know; I'm horrible.
Hola!
As many of you may remember, I have a Hispanic posse. Because it is the end of the nine weeks, there is an increase in students wanting to pull up their grades. Hence, I've had an influx of students wanting to work in my office. Especially José and Jorge. The other day we were were discussing books with Hispanic influence. José asked me if I knew what the word esperanza meant (he saw it on the back of the book). I said, "Spirit?" He said, "Kind of. Hope." Then he got a far off look in his eyes. Quietly, he asked, "Do you know La Llorona?"
"La Llorona? No."
"She is a crying woman by the water because she drowned her children."
"Excuse me?"
"Yes, she is a spirit. She haunts near the water and cries. My mother told me about her. She is real. Look her up."
Well, I wasn't going to pass that up. This is the first site I came across. F-R-E-A-K-Y. Then I looked at this. José and I discussed the definition of an urban legend. He wasn't convinced. I even mentioned that there was a North African legend of this sort. Jorge came in and asked what we were talking about. I asked him if he'd heard of La Llorona.
This was his response.
However, I found out that José is not the only one of my guys who is fearful of this Woman in White. In fact, the majority of them are. Jorge is actually the one who is in the minority. No matter, I was fascinated, and became even more intrigued by this subgroup of kids at my school whom I love dearly. Sunday, March 09, 2008
I'm in love...
After Elements 
After Elements
After Elements
The following pictures are actual ones that I took -- even the self-portrait at the end.
Before Elements
After Elements
Before Elements
After Elements
Before Elements
After Elements
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Birthday Dinner
Last Saturday my family, minus Chree who had to work, ate at Imperial Fes, one of the top Moroccan restaurants in the country. It was a birthday celebration, which is why we decided we could splurge on the five-course dinner and entertainment experience. We had harrira (my favorite soup in the world), traditional salads, bastilla (a cinnamon, powdered sugar, nut, cornish hen pastry), cous cous, vegetables, fish, cornish hen, and dessert. We also watched the belly dancers and fire dancers, which I thought was more for show since I never saw those in-country. Never the less, it was a fun and memorable three-hour dinner.
Monday, March 03, 2008
28 in 28
Has it really been two years of this tradition? Wow. You can visit my list things from 27 here.
1 and 2. These two will be kept private, though you can ask Karen P. and Jan F; they know. It is medical in nature.
3. Shared my faith with someone on a plane
4. Cooked fish
5. Found out I had interstitial cystitis
6. Taught high school
7. Slept in a sleep number bed
8. Heard coon hounds baying live for the first time
9. Learned how to salsa
10. Ate a scallop
11. Played Bocce Ball
12. Attended the dog races in Daytona
13. Played a Wii for the first time
14. Set foot on an air force base
15. Played Guitar Hero
16. Ate sushi
17. Bought a new car
18. Found my first gray hair
19. Had my first office
20. Used a drill and drilled through concrete
21. Joined a tennis team
22. Lit a gas grill and used it to grill hamburgers by myself
23. Heard a pack of wild coyotes
24. Put a TV in my bedroom
25. Had my first chiropractic adjustment
26. Another secret one. Also medical in nature.
27. Applied for and was accepted to graduate school
28. Tasted my first Cosmopolitan
