Eight Going Once, Do I Hear Ten?

This past Friday I had the pleasure of hosting a unique pizza party at my home; a gathering of wonderful individuals representing 8 countries: America, The People’s Republic of China, The Republic of Georgia, Ghana, South Korea, The Republic of China (Taiwan), Thailand, and Ukraine. We celebrated the first anniversary of the day that Tracy Li asked me for directions on the campus of the University of Tennessee. Because of that chance (fate?) meeting I now count as friends 15 international people who have broadened and enriched my world. We had, as Americans sometimes say, "fun, food, and fellowship" which translates into pizza, beer, watermelon and a lot of laughter! It was very fulfilling to see such a diverse group of individuals talking, laughing, and enjoying themselves. Amongst the group was a young 17 year old girl from a small town outside Shanghai, China. I introduced her to my friend’s roommate, Yu, who is also from China. As life sometimes reveals, it turned out that Yu was also from the same small town 40 miles from Shanghai! Can you imagine how great it was to hear them conversing in their unique Chinese dialect that only folks from that town/region of China can understand? They were both amazed that two people from such a small place in such a vast country as China could meet each other at a party in a house in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. The house I live in was built in 1899. Voices of the past whisper through its many rooms and voices of the present are heard in five languages....on one warm and humid July evening in 2006.

Come to my window....

These are the views from my office floor. Boring, huh? On one side is a bit of the Knoxville skyline but mainly the Vols' Neyland Stadium, along with the Jumbotron. On the other side you can see the windows of Phil Fulmer's office at the huge football facility where there is an indoor regulation-sized football field for practicing. Yawn......
I'm looking forward to the celebration at my house tonight and plan to post lots of interesting pictures and comments on Monday. There will be eight countries represented: China, Republic of Georgia, Ghana, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Ukraine, and the United States of America. Eight countries representing under one small roof! Eight countries eating pizza, chatting, smiling and relaxing. My next goal is ten countries. I envision a big chili party this winter. :)

Stopping by on a Hot Summer Day....

Last night Song, one of my two English Language Institute students, wanted to know the difference between "pledge" and "promise" and also the difference between "hope, desire, want, and wish" and between "retract" and "cancel." Informative discussions ensued. Then he said he saw a commercial that stated, "To get started just give us a call or stop by to see us."

Song: What does "get started" mean?
LB: Well, it means "To begin."
Song: Oh, okay. And what does it mean "stop by."
LB: It means to come by, you know, to stop in, to go there.
Song: I'm sorry. I do not understand. Could you speak slower?

And this is where it gets amusing. I began speaking much slower, although I try never to speak with any speed during our sessions.

LB: Okay. If your professor tells you to "stop by" his office after work and this is his door (drawing a square on a piece of paper), then you would do this (and I used my two fingers, pretending they were the legs of a person and "walked" up to the "door" and then stopped). What did I just do?
Song: You stopped.
LB: EXACTLY! So when someone says to "stop in" or "stop by" they are just saying to come by and see them, instead of walking on past his office door, you STOP and see him. (LB smiles)

Then the lightbulb goes on in their eyes and I get my reward! It’s what I love the most about helping them with their English. I think I truly missed my calling. Which is, you know, a little sad. But I do enjoy these guys and wish I had more formal training in teaching. I feel like I'm not very good but they seem to enjoy the little sessions we have.

This Friday there will be about 20 folks in my home for a beer and pizza party. It's a very special occasion. I can't tell you about it yet because some of them read my blog and I'm keeping it a surprise. I can say, however, that there will only be one American at the party. :)

My son has two friends visiting Las Vegas right now and like a good host he picked them up at the airport and drove them to their hotel. Which is, of course, Hooters. Later, he took them to the Rio where the World Series of Poker is being held. My son's friend decided to spend $200 and play a little poker. He walked away 8 hours later with $5,500. Yeah, that's right. I said my son's friend, not my son. Damn.

The Things Called Life

My great-uncle recently went to live in a nursing home. He is 92 years along in life. In the process of having an estate sale for the contents of his home, I was given the bedroom suite that he and my late great-aunt used for many, many years. I prefer old furniture to new furniture. I especially like it that there are a few scratches here and there on the bed and chest. It’s always disheartening when you make that first little scratch or dent on a piece of furniture or your car. But once it’s done, the pressure’s off and the second scratch isn’t quite so disappointing (for me, the third one doesn’t even matter).
Going through my uncle’s home and preparing items for sale or boxing up items, it occurred to me that in the end, things just get given away, tossed or sold. That’s just what you do with "things." So I vowed right then and there that I would start reducing my "things" down to the bare essentials as I get older and closer to my own "estate sale." I will prepare a box of sentimental "things" for my son and that will be it. He’s not very sentimental at all, which is normal for someone 21 years old. I’m hopeful that will change as he grows older and he will begin to care about having my journals, scrapbooks, writings, etc. I want him to understand the value of certain possessions that tell the history of someone’s life. From the age of 16 to 22 I wrote a letter once a year to my "unborn children." Sound wacky? Perhaps. But I recorded significant historical information such as the top ten songs on the radio, my favorite TV shows, how much a 45 cost (that's a small vinyl disc that plays music), how much a McDonald’s hamburger cost, how I feel about being 16, etc. Each one of these letters is entitled "Teresa at 16, "Teresa at 17." They’re not very long and it’s really just a summary of the year and some random thoughts. I thought it might be interesting for my children (I thought back then that I would have three children) to read what I wrote when I was 16 when they were 16 and on and on. I had my son when I was 23 years old. That’s when the letters stopped and I just continued keeping a journal (although somewhat randomly). When my son turned 16 I told him about the letters and proudly gave him the one I wrote when I was 16. He said, ‘Okay, thanks. I’ll read it later" and laid it on top of his computer desk. Heaven forbid that a handwritten letter of such historical significance compete with the internet. A week later, as the letter began gathering dust, I put it back in my folder of letters and returned it to the box in the closet. He never asked where the letter went and I never showed him any of the others! One day he’ll be interested in reading them. I’m sure of it.
So back to my great uncle.
I wonder what it means to my uncle to realize that the home you built and lived in for many, many years and all it’s contents are gone. Sold. Given away. Thrown away. His current stash of "things" is now down to what can easily fit in one banker’s box. A few framed photos, a financial ledger, magnifying glasses, a Bible, a few trinkets. A lifetime of stuff shrunk to one box. A house full of rooms reduced to one small room in an institutional facility.
Is that life? Sometimes, I suppose, it is.

Goodbye, Old Friend

I recently sold my car (as I have been given an even older one by a relative but with many, many fewer miles) to an 80 year old Russian gentleman named Victor. I hated to see my friend, ahem, car leave. We've been lots of places together, including two long road trips to Canada and upstate New York, Vermont, etc. But it was time and Victor needed a reliable car just to drive to the store and such during the months that he spends in Knoxville to visit his granddaughter and her family. Otherwise, he lives in Moscow. Last night he called me and said that he left the car in the Kroger parking lot because all the coolant had leaked out and it seemed apparent the car needed a new radiator. He said, "Can I return the car?" I said, "No, you cannot." (Hey, I like ya, old friend, but not that much!). So, being the person who is surely responsible for peaceful relations between the U.S. and Russia, I offered to go with him to check out the condition of the car and to take it to my mechanic. I was even prepared to have AAA tow it if necessary. We loaded the car up with water and after a check-up, it turns out the radiator drain plug was broken. Quick fix. Thankfully.
Later, my friend and I were sitting on my front porch steps eating some watermelon and I said, "You know, one day I'm not going to have to worry about money." My friend just smiled. We sat silently for a few more seconds, slurping watermelon. Then I said, "And hopefully it won't be because I'm dead." My friend laughed and laughed. I said, "Yep, you can stand up and say, 'You know, she did say that one day she would not have to worry about money and now her day has arrived. She must be very happy.' " And, well, it's true. They say that you can't take it with you when you go. I seem to be making sure of that.

Lunch at Lucy Blue's

Recently, a friend and I read Truman Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's. We enjoyed it very much and decided to view the movie starring Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard. I've been wanting to learn how to make Nana's famous meat pancakes so we went food shopping and did a little cooking. So good, so good! :) Makes your mouth water, doesn't it?
The movie was very good and we especially enjoyed seeing how Hollywood made Mickey Rooney into a Japanese character! Rooney looked absolutely ridiculous but also very funny. Apparently, back in the day, there was a shortage of Asian actors. Rent the movie. Read the book. You won't be sorry. Nana later viewed the movie Capote. She liked it. I haven't had time to see it yet but I'm planning on it.

Thoughts......

I have visited the countries in red. I have been obsessed with Beijing lately. I want to move there. Actually, it feels more like a need. I know, I know. People who read this who think they know me just call me crazy and some think I'm irresponsible. That's okay. It's only important that I know I'm not crazy and out of what motivations my desires and actions are borne. If it weren't for my problem with trying to be what I perceive is expected of me, it's quite possible I wouldn't be here (in Knoxville) right now. I'd be off on a wonderful life adventure. So therein lies the problem. The only person keeping me from fulfilling some long-time dreams and adventures is myself. And money, of course. Because in the end, it always comes down to money, doesn't it? It's easy to look at my life and see that I'm not a huge fan of money and money is not a huge fan of me. We try to spend as little time together as possible.
Okay.....now I'm getting a little silly. Hey. It's a Monday......