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Archive for the ‘Fun’ Category

Sam is 7! (That was fast … )

Posted in Adoption, Cambodia, Children, Family, Friends, Fun, International Adoption, Island life, Older Parent Adoption, Seychelles on November 15, 2009| 7 Comments »

Because that’s how we do things here, Sam gets a YouTube vid for a birthday gift.

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Ketchup

Posted in Children, Expat Living, Family, Friends, Fun, Hopeful thoughts, Island life, Loss, love, Seychelles, tagged on September 2, 2009| 6 Comments »

Sam and Cj on and adventure with Gay and Carlos

Sam and Cj on and adventure with Gay and Carlos

Ooooh, lookie here … a brief window in the pickle that’s been gerkin me around lately, taking up my thyme, so how about a little ketchup?

We’re enjoying the last week of the holiday, as Sam and Cj start school again on Monday. Sam will be in Year 2 and Cj in what’s called Reception 2, and both are looking forward to getting back in the education saddle.

We’ve not done a heck of a lot over the couple of months they’ve been free from schedules, but have hit the beach more than usual and enjoyed leisurely breakfasts at The Pirate’s Arms … which is not the same as IN A pirate’s arms.

Irina, a lovely Russian friend, took Sam to Praslin and LaDigue, and Gay has invited both kids to adventure and hyake (That’s hike and kayak on the same day … sounds much better than saying they kiked.) a few times.

With guests here — Carlos, Kim, Cade — excuses to be out and about were easily available, so we took advantage and showed the sites of Victoria, both of them, which managed to fill a couple of 15 minute slots that would have otherwise been spent sitting on the veranda gazing at the sea.

Party fun with Violeta, Mel and Lio ...

Party fun with Violeta, Mel and Lio ...

I’ve had many laughs at great parties lately. Sadly, some of my favorite friends here are coming to the end of their Seychelles time and are soon to move along, but that no longer stops any of us from enjoying what we have while we do, and staying in touch no matter the distance in future.

Diversion has been good for me. I’m okay most of the time now, but do get sideswiped by sadness on a regular basis. Some days are better than others, but even on the bad days now there is comfort in the fact that this hole I live with in my heart will refuse to heal; I don’t want it to scar over, not ever.

Ernesto, me and Carola in Basel in July

Ernesto, me and Carola in Basel in July

Ernesto is headed to Seychelles at the end of the month for a five week stay, and I’ve been laying the groundwork for him to play here … a lot. He’ll be doing guitar workshops for the National Arts Council, giving group lessons for music students at the French School and performing.

We’re all looking forward to having him around for quite a while, and Sam is working on his Spanish in order to expand a repertoire of mutual banter that is presently limited to little more than pollo loco.

So, life is what it is, and as the summer from hell draws to an end I’m not sorry to see it fade into past. 2010 looms and I have hopes that arbitrary designation contains more happiness sandwiched between its bun than its predecessors 2008/2009.

Pass the mustard …

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International Pizza

Posted in Cambodia, Children, England, Expat Living, Family, Friends, Fun, Island life, Peeps, Seychelles, The United Nations on August 25, 2009| 11 Comments »

It’s time to take a break from outrage and post some bits of life here on this island for those of you who actually like sharing my life with me.

I’ve written before about the wonderful people with whom I’m blessed to spend time … a smart, funny, lovely and international gang … and as it goes here, new people join in as others move along.

Going away get-togethers are a bittersweet aspect of Seychelles living, and I’ve been to a few lately. The other night was such an event … Violeta is leaving for some months … so a dinner at Sam’s Pizzeria was on the plate.

As always, many countries were represented, and if the UN could do half the job around the table at creating global warm fuzzies as we do the world would be a much better place.

Check out the smiling faces …

Me and Sam ... that's the US, Seychelles and Cambodia

Me and Sam ... that's the US, Seychelles and Cambodia

Deb ... a Yorkshire lass ... and Cj

Deb ... a Yorkshire lass ... and Cj

Violeta, from Serbia

Violeta, from Serbia

Laura is Italian

Nathalie is from Lebanon

Nathalie is from Lebanon

Lio and Carlos ... that's France listening to Spain

Lio and Carlos ... that's France listening to Spain

Photo credits: Sam Benoiton

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Stonewall … 40 years of PRIDE

Posted in American thoughts, Friends, Fun, Gay rights, History, Hopeful thoughts, Peeps, Smarten up, The USA from the outside in, tagged , , on May 14, 2009| 1 Comment »

There are any number of temptations that have me wishing I could get my cute, straight ass to the US this summer, but the 40th Anniversary of Stonewall and the festivities that will ensue during New York City’s Pride Week next month would be enough to have me jumping a plane if that were anywhere near an option.

Forty years.

I wonder what the reaction would have been back then to predictions that in 2009 the city of NY would be puffing up and strutting its PRIDE.

This year’s 40th anniversary of the Stonewall rebellion adds more significance to an already action-packed New York City Pride Week, when even the iconic Empire State Building swings into the spirit by turning its nighttime lights to lavender.

And how cool is THAT?

Having grown up in restaurant kitchens under the eyes of my father, a man who put no more stock in someone’s sexual prefs than in their pick of a fav color, my world has always had the benefit of a significant number of people of the homosexual persuasion, so any bias against has always puzzled me.

From the very first, prejudicial behavior based on what one consenting adult does with another consenting adult has indicated much more about the person spouting the prejudice than whomever was being spewed toward.

As a straight chick with all the usual man troubles, my gay friends have blessed my life … they know and accept more about me than almost anyone … and I don’t even want to contemplate where I’d be now without Robbie, Andy, Dan and many others.

Sure, I’ve had my run-ins with a few shit-mean drag queens, but they are a breed apart, and I have had much worse from shit-mean women, not to mention straight men who set their weapons to ‘stun’ then flipped the switch to ‘kill’ without warning.

So, although I won’t be there, in spirit I will be celebrating Stonewall and the fact that the world is now different … not different enough yet, but better … remembering those who left before this party, thanking all those who fought the good fight, loving all I love so much, and looking toward the day I can join in the dance.

If you’re in the area, please take in an event or 5, hug a bunch of people joyfully and remember what it has taken to bring the changes that have New York … and many other cities … proud.

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Happy Easter

Posted in Fun, Seychelles on April 12, 2009| 1 Comment »

Happy Easter!!!!

Happy Easter!!!!

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A tribute to my youngest on her 4th birthday …

Posted in Cambodia, Children, Family, Friends, Fun, International Adoption, Island life, love, Older Parent Adoption, Seychelles on April 10, 2009| 5 Comments »

With thanks to all who filled in the PP survey, and who asked for more about my kids here … here’s a vid I put together in tribute to the beauty and sweetness of Cj … my youngest, my baby, my darling little girl.

Enjoy!

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PP Reader Survey … Inquiring mind wants to know

Posted in Adoption, American thoughts, Cambodia, Celebrities, Entitled to opinions, Family, Fun, Health, I wanna, Island life, love, Music I like, My Chinese Checkered Past, Older women, science, Sex, Seychelles, Writing for a living, Writing for fun on April 9, 2009| 5 Comments »

Please click here to fill out a few little boxes that may lead me out of some of my cluelessness …

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Sex: a “sensitive” topic

Posted in Fun, Health, science on April 7, 2009| 5 Comments »

I’m going to limp into this post, because although I should soft pedal my reaction, it’s hard to penetrate the sheath that protects my annoyance, even with a shaft of acknowledgment … a nod of the head, so to speak … toward a need to sit up and take notice of what, for some, is a thorny issue.

It’s this piece from the BBC that has me juiced up today about …

A spray [that] can help men with premature ejaculation problems prolong the length of time they have sex by six times …

… The spray, developed at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, contains local anaesthetics that numb the penis.

Okay, okay … premature ejaculation is a problem for some men. I’m sure it has all sorts of negative impacts, and I don’t mean to belittle those, but I can’t help but hear strains of “SIX TIMES AS LONG … BWAH!!!!!” coming from guys who would be just as thrilled if it was size, not time, on offer, or, even better, both.

Sorry, but this seems to be more a guy thing than a couples thing.

It’s been reported that a “premature ejaculation gene” has been found, so apparently the apparatus delivers the goods regardless the duration. (And I won’t even venture toward the part of the story that has this research conducted in Ireland … a country where women have for centuries been popping out babies every 10 months or so … )

Quite frankly … and, girls, please tell me if I’m wrong on this … there are SO many ways to compensate for for limited thrusting time, and none that I know of get complaints.

Get with the program, doods. In this age of Viagra, more sensitization, rather than less, would be more climactic.

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Hot Pants?

Posted in Angelina Jolie, Fun on April 1, 2009| 2 Comments »

Thanks again to treasures presented on The Guild of Scientific Troubadours, I have blog fodder.

Seems the boundaries of entertainment are on the verge of being pushed … and I’m liking it.

Check this out … a jacket that you’d don while movie watching that will let viewers “feel” the film.

The jacket, responding to signals encoded in the DVD or to a program designed to control the jacket on the fly, can do a host of things, such as “causing a shiver to go up the viewer’s spine and creating the feeling of tension in the limbs.” During the fight scene, says Lemmens, the jacket will even create a pulsing on the wearer’s chest to simulate the kung fu master’s elevated heartbeat.

Cool, heh?

But …

They’re falling a bit short by my measure. Why stop with a jacket? I’m thinking matching pants would be a very good idea.

Anyone want to sit through “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” with me … ?

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Signs of the times in San Francisco

Posted in American thoughts, Elections USA, Fun, The USA from the outside in on January 23, 2009| 3 Comments »

From Precidio to Battery, someone changed all the street signs on Bush Street to Obama … and what had been “end” Bush was the best of them all.

How cool is this?

The San Fransisco street formerly known as Bush

The San Fransicso street formerly known as Bush

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