#20

Today, Eric and I took the kids to the zoo! Highlights include: Africa exhibit with the hippo, baby monkey, bald eagle, crocodiles, anteater, sloth, petting zoo, king cobra, actually pretty much anything in the reptile house.

Forced pose #1 on the komodo dragon

Venturing out into the sun for some grass

"How did he get down there?!"

Feeling patriotic

Brushing zoo

EATER OF ANTS

I've got my eye on you

Forced pose #2....Buy us stuff!

#26

Today was my last day of Tai Chi before starting work. My awesome teacher, Sifu Bridgette, taught me "Chen Zheng Lei's 18 Posture Form," as well as other stretches and techniques. Her last tip to me: RELAX!!! Chen Zheng Lei's 18 Posture Form (from Bridge's handout) 1. Opening 2. Buddha's Attendant Pounds Mortar 3. Lazily Tying Coat 4. Six Sealings Four Closings 5. Single Whip 6. White Crane Spreads Wings 7. Brush knee 8. Three Steps Forward 9. Hidden Hand Punch 10. High Pat on Horse 11. Kick With Left Heel 12. Jade Lady Works Shuttles 13. Cloud Hands 14. Turn to Face Opponents Cannons 15. Lotus Kick 16. Double Cannons 17. Buddha's Attendant Pounds Mortar 18. Closing (Return to Taiji) My attempts to look like Bridgette and this video are very amateurish in comparison, but although there are no belts in Tai Chi, Bridge informs that she would have granted me a yellow belt if there were.

#43

My short-term memory has successfully stored African, Middle-Eastern, and Eastern European geography....added bonus - South Asian geography. I probably need to brush up on Central and South American, but I figure that it's somewhere in my brain from Spanish 1.

Finally got to use my colored pencils

On a side note, I read up on some African political history. I'm talking out of my league here, but sifting through the hundreds of coup d'etats and oppressive dictators, I feel that Africa needs more women in power. Based on the assumption that they are most likely NOT to suppress freedoms, kill people, etc. Liberia is a relatively stable political country with a woman president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and Rwanda's "success" story, which now has a majority of women serving their legislature.

Just saying...


EDIT: It's actually kind of awesome when reading or hearing about a country, and you actually freaking know where it is....especially with the world cup ;) .....nerd-alert!

#15

My "dent" in my reading list consists of 2 books: A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini and Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse.

Both amazing. Hosseini gave incredible insight into the Afghan culture, especially its women, a topic that I was completely ignorant in (although slightly less so now). And I can't really put into words how I feel after reading Siddhartha, but the way that Hesse puts his version of "enlightenment" into words does create a feeling....a good feeling.

Sorry, but I am no book reviewer or writer. My last English class was 8 years ago, and since that time, my main reading fodder has been Harry Potter. So I have to say that this was a small accomplishment of a goal that hopefully will never end.

#1

I finished my college scrapbook today, which took a lot more time than I thought it would. My favorite pictures that I put inside are our awesome posed roomie pics. Here's to my wonderful college roomies!

Xmas 2004

Halloween 2005

Graduation 2006

Not the most creative cover, and I couldn't find the burnt orange scrapbooks either, but it's what's on the inside that counts, right?

#21

Eric and I went to the McNay Art Museum today. With bellies full of Shiner and food (from the Lion and Rose), we traipsed through incredible collections and beautiful grounds. Their featured exhibition, "Neither Model nor Muse: Women as Artists," was amazing.

String composition by Sue Fuller, 1981

Part of the "Art after 1945" collection

Garden terrace

Alexander Liberman, Ascent, 1970

Outside fountain

George Rickey, Horizontal Column of Five Squares Excentric II, 1994
The end of the video is my toe getting bit by some bug.

#27

Today, I started my garden. I went to Rainbow Gardens and bought 3 herbs, potting soil, and fertilizer.

Cilantro for all my Mexican food needs; Mint for mojitos

Genovese basil....PESTO!

Red poppy seeds....come on germination!

The key word here is "started." Whether I can keep it up with my black thumb and impending intern year, only time will tell...... *sigh*