Bragging

Mike had been asked to read a paper of his for a series at Plymouth University. He read a modified version of his thesis, and it went wonderfully. He HATES public speaking, but if he wants to go on with a PhD in history, he has to read papers at these kinds of events.

Either way, there were about 20 people there to listen to his paper, he was given lots of great research ideas, AND this flyer. :)

WOO HOO!!

Today marks the start of my parents visit here. Sure they started their journey yesterday, but we don't get to see them until TODAY. It has been 6 MONTHS since we have seen them, and it will be spectacular to have them here. I unfortunately have to work today, but when I get home, they will be here. Now... I just have to get through work...

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

My mom recommended My Sister's Keeper to me a couple of times. Since we have no TV and when Mike is researching/writing, I have lots of free time on my hands, I finally checked it out from the library. I read the first 20 pages on Saturday night, and by 8pm on Sunday, I had finished the other 387 pages.
The book is about a 13 year old girl, Anna, who was brought into this world specifically to save her sister, Kate, from a rare form of Leukemia. She was a test tube baby who's embryo was chosen to be implanted into her mother because she was a close genetic match to her sister. Anna starts donating to Kate the moment she is born by giving the blood in the umbilical cord. No harm is done to Anna and it is something that would otherwise be thrown in the trash. She doesn't have to give more platelets, white blood cells, etc until she is a toddler, in Kindergarten she donates bone marrow, etc. Her parents thought it would be done with the stem cells in the umbilical cord, but every time they were presented with Kate's eminent death, Anna was usually able to save her.
The reader enters the story as Anna is being asked to donate a kidney. With all the chemo, transplants, etc that Kate has received, she is entering renal failure and needs a close genetic match for the kidney transplant. Anna secretively collects money and walks to an attorney's office. She files a suit against her parents for the medical rights to her own body.
This was an amazing story FULL of twists. The ending was a complete shock and made me cry buckets.
My Sister's Keeper brings up some very difficult questions. What lengths would you go to to save your children's lives? And not only those that are sick. Questions about stem cell research, genetically manufactured embryos, etc. Don't get me wrong, I am all for IVF, I know some spectacular people who won't be here without it. But when you genetically play with them, what are the ethical ramifications? Fortunately for me, I am not in these parents situation, and hopefully will never be. I cannot say for certain that if there was a chance to save my daughter, by having another baby, I wouldn't do it. Even if that embryo had been chosen because of its genetics.

Les Liaisons Dangereuses by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos

I finished this book a few days ago, but waited posting (1) since Mike has been using the computer for ACTUAL work (another paper), and (2) I still have not decided what I think of it. Its a book written in the late 1700's and ever since its publication has been a point of contention as it is deemed "dangerous." I read a review of the book in a magazine and as it is still deemed dangerous today, decided to read it.
The book is written in the form of letters. The letters take place over a few months and track the actions of the two main characters as they set out to destroy people's lives. They take innocent, virtuous people, who they only have contempt for, and very meticulously try to defame them. The book was wonderfully written and the ending suitable for the main characters, but those that they rob of innocence, there is no justice.
I really liked the way the book was written and the plot line. The disturbing part was that you can see this actually see this happening in real life. You can imagine that this conversation would occur between two people, a bet ensues and people's lives are forever changed from it. I believe that is why this book is still deemed as dangerous. For any of you who have seen the movie 'Cruel Intentions', it was based on this book. The movie has a happier ending, in some respects, and the book has racier moments. I know that it seems odd since the book was written in the 1700's and the movie was made in the 1990's, but its the truth.

Loathsome Shoes

Any of you who have seen my through my youth, know that I despise shoes. One of my mom's favorite stories about my disgust for shoes is the one in which she bought me a pretty pair of Mary Janes. I hated them so much that I threw them in the de-humidifier to hide them. Apparently it worked and she didn't find them until weeks later. Growing up, I had to wear boots and tennis shoes in the winter, but as soon as spring hit, I was shoe-less. It has caused stitches, many a stubbed toe, but still I cannot stand shoes, nor socks, on my feet. When I was little those pajamas with the feet attached were pure torture. My mom loved them. I was never so glad when I finally grew out of their range of sizes.

After I moved out of the house, shoes in winter became obsolete. That may have been my favorite part of moving out of my parents' house... no shoes in winter. I wore flip flops or slip-on shoes all winter long. Much to the disgust of my mother, who begged me to wear "real" shoes, and even bought me a few pairs. ( I think I still have them is a box somewhere...)

I hate everything about "real" shoes, as my mom calls them. The socks, the tying of the laces, and most of all the hot feet. AND they make me feel claustrophobic. I have no idea how and I know the concept sounds odd, but they just do.

Given all that, I am proud to say that after nearly 25 years of existence, I am FINALLY throwing out a pair of tennis shoes, not because I have had them for the customary 4 years, but because I have worn them out.

Card Games

A few months ago Mike and I bought a really, really cheap book on Family Games. It has the rules to many board games, different domino games, card games, "parlor games", etc. We had been getting tired of playing our bastardized game of Crazy Eights, and this seemed an easy and cheap solution. (Neither of us could remember all the rules and point values in Crazy Eights, so we made them up.)
Last night we tried playing a game called "Casino." Its skill level was set for adults and older children, so we figured that we could handle it. We read through the rules... a couple of times. Then tried to play. After one hand... we gave up. The next game in the book, Scopa, was essentially the same thing, but set for young children. We still had to read the directions a couple of times, but at least we were able to play this one!
I am hoping that the problem lies in the way the directions are written... if not, its rather sad that someone working on their Masters/PhD and someone with a Bachelors Degree cannot figure out a game designed for older children...

MP3 Players and other technology

I have recently been taking the MP3 player with me on my walk to work. I had forgotten about it for months, but just this week remembered that we DO have it and it is not being used at all. I love listening to music while I walk to and from work. The only hitch is that its all music I like, so I want to hum and sing along with it. I have no idea how people walk around listening to music of their choice without singing, dancing, or showing any emotion. I try, but then a song I REALLY like will start, and there I am smiling like an idiot and tapping my hands against my purse starting to hum along to the music. (I think I have caught myself before people hear...)
I think anyone with an MP3 player should walk around like the people in the I-Pod commercials. I think the world would be a much more interesting and fun loving place. Unless of course their music of choice mad them angry and want to beat people...
Maybe that's what the crazy looking guy I see every day is doing though... not talking maniacally to himself, but singing along to music... maybe...
On the subject of people appearing to be talking to themselves... I have no idea if its because we live in a big city, or just the recent craze, but many a person has the headset adaptor for the hands-free mobile phoning. I know we use them in the States for driving and talking at the same time as it frees up the hands. That makes sense. But its really odd to be walking down the street and see a single person talking to themselves. You really have to look to see if there is the hands-free set up, or they really are just crazy.

New Pubs

We checked out the pub, Molly Malone's this past Sunday. Its an Irish themed pub just a few blocks from our apartment. The weather was slightly crappy out, so what better to do than go to a pub? On the way out we met our little neighbor lady. She is an older lady that lives right above us. Whenever we meet her in the close, she chats and chats. On Sunday, she asked where we were going (like always) and we could not lie to her. I thought about it, but Mike told her we were going to Molly Malone's. We then found out everything she had heard in church that morning. I think she went home and prayed for our sinful souls going to pubs on a Sunday. We definitely felt slightly guilty after that, but went anyway. It was quite neat inside, and on Friday and Saturday nights they have live music, so I think we may head back this weekend to see if its any good. On St Patrick's Day the music and festivities start at 3pm here. I am trying to convince Mike to go, but the Scottish are serious drinkers and some can get rather violent when drinking... so, he's not sold yet.

Today we went to the Bon Accord. Its exactly in the middle of work and home. Could be dangerous for my walks home with Mike meeting me halfway... But... It was spectacular inside. They have a wide selection of whiskeys and have the real ales that we like. The real ales are really popular around here, and are usually better AND cheaper. The interior of this place is amazing. Their beer prices are slightly pricey, but their food prices are dirt cheap. We have heard that they will give tours of their cellar if you ask. We decided to ask when mom and dad are here. (Only 13 more days now!)

Total Eclipse

I know this picture is not great.. at all.. but I only have the digital camera.

There was a total lunar eclipse last night over Glasgow. Mike had read about it somewhere, but we figured we would not be able to see it. Many a time we have planned on something over here, and the weather has stepped in and ruined it. It has been fairly cloudy for the last part of the week, with only short breaks for sunshine. All yesterday afternoon, there was a pretty good cloud cover. Then as night fell, the clouds lifted and stayed away. It was a great night. Since the light from the moon was blocked, we were actually able to see some stars! With all the light pollution, we never see stars at our apartment. It will be nice to go up to the Highlands when mom and dad get here (only 15 days now!) just to see stars again.

My parents had been out one night and Pam was babysitting. When mom and dad got home, they always came in to check on us and if we were awake chat for a few minutes. I loved this part of them going out. I really liked Pam, but would usually stay awake just for this alone time with mom and dad. This night however, dad told all three of us to get up and put our coats on. We knew we weren't in trouble (this time), so we quickly complied. It wasn't everyday that dad told us to get out of bed after we were already there, it was usual the opposite! Mom stayed back with the babysitter and dad bundled us it to the car and drove us to the top of the street. When we would ask what we were doing, he just replied, "There's something I want to show you." We were pretty intrigued by this time, late night car rides were not a daily occurrence unless we were going to Illinois. We got to the top of the street and parked, by now the boys and I were really interested. We were told to look out the window and at the moon. We sat there for what felt like forever (but really probably only 15 minutes) while we watched the moon slowly become blocked and start turning a copper color. The boys and I were ecstatic to be able to go to school the next day and tell all our friends what we saw. When the teachers asked the class if we had seen it, we were able to raise our hands. And all thanks to our parents.

The Girls

Earlier this week I finished a wonderful book by Lori Lansens, called The Girls. It was a novel written in first person as if the writers are writing an auto-biography. The writers are twins, but what makes it unique is that they are craniopagus twins. They are attached at the head with no hope of ever being seperated. This is why the book has two writers for an auto-biography.
At the point that they are "writing" the women are 29 years old, making them the oldest ever craniopagus twins, and they are dying. It was an amazing story of their lifes with many a surprise and twists. They live in a little town where their teenage mother gave birth to them, and abandoned them. The book takes you through the many things that they have accomplished and experienced in life. It was interesting to think how your life would be if you were always with someone. They were there for showers, bathroom time, class, etc. You could never be by yourself. I have no idea about you, but I like to have time just for me, especially when in the bathroom!

I loved how the book was writen in two different styles. The one twin, Ruby, would write her sections more like she was writing in a diary, and Rose was a writer. She told more of the stories of the past and Ruby kept you up to date on the current situations. It was a great story.