Wednesday, November 05, 2008

Just stuff

I am not going to say what I think of the election results because I do not discuss politics in public.

However, I am happy for the people of Kenya. In the Kisumu area, where we lived for over 3 months, I am told that everyone is celebrating wildly. Obama's dad was from the Luo tribe, so of course all the Luos are especially elated. People's lives are so grindingly hard there, and they look at America as next to heaven, ("Take me to Amedica with you," the orphan boys used to say. "I want to be fat! And I want to drive a cah!") and to have one of their own, so to speak, be President of the USA must make them feel like maybe there's hope after all, at least for their children if not for them.

And then there's the whole fact that Steven was also a Luo who came from an area not too far from the Obamas, so they're probably related, don't you think? See, I am just as tribal as a Luo.

And I am also secretly relieved that Sarah Palin can quit traveling and go home and be more of a mom and run Alaska instead of being VP.

= + = + = +

I am really bad for talking first and thinking later. Today is my fine son Steven's 14th birthday. He wants a slingshot. So I went to the bow-and-gun store [since I'm over here in Redmond this week] and asked if they have a slingshot. "I assume you have garden pests," said the nice man. "No, I have a son with a birthday," I said, and two hours later I finally figured out why he looked a little stunned.

{Paul, maybe you can make sure Steven doesn't read this til after he gets his gifts}

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

The last few days I've been teaching Emily how to sew a dress, and today she modelled it for the first time, a simple black dress with pink polka dots that makes her look like Jackie Kennedy.

Emily is a person who can wear stuff that the rest of us could never get by with. She's all about drama, as we know, and there's something about the tall, thin, dark hair, large blue eyes combination that means she can wear a mid-length black coat with embossed roses, long skirt, tall boots, and one black glove and one pink one, and look polished and classy, where if I would try to wear the same thing I'd look like I raided the Salvation Army discard pile.

"Trying," baileyandme says she used to call it, when people would try to pull off a look unsuccessfully, in her case, specifically, a mom trying to dress like a younger person. "Vit un kan net" {wants to and can't} a commenter said she called it. Well, Emily wants to and can. IMHO. I think the ever-so-savvy youth girls would back me up here.

Which leads me to my next point. She has a knack for taking a cough drop tin and turning it into a cute handbag, or designing clever vests and dresses, and I think she should start some sort of internet boutique, now that she is actually learning to sew and we have not shed each other's blood in the process. {Don't ask how close we got} And maybe she could actually make a few dollars at this, since she really really wants to be self-supporting.

If anyone out there has any words of wisdom about any of this--web design, possible products, business plans, quality control, accounting, etc--or if you are bouncing up and down in your seat saying yes! I want a little purse made of a cough drop tin with glued-on Sunday comics and a beaded handle! please comment or send a private message.

And don't give me any woeful tidings about starting a business with the economy going to pot because people are still spending millions on cute sweaters and such for their dogs, and on lattes.

# # # # #

Some people really really irritate me. Especially guys who talk too much. Oh mei zeit, I just want to dig fingernails in something and pull hard. Yesterday I was here at the library and there were three teenagers in the teen section, next to the computer kiosks, and this one was SO LOUD and WOULD NOT QUIT. And he had fat cheeks which did not gain him any clemency in my book. Here's maybe 5% of what he had to say:

Quote of the Day:

"You know what's really crazy? I laughed when I broke my arm, I smashed my hand on a piano and I laughed, I get a needle in my hand and I'm like AAAAAHHHHHH!. . . . And one time there's like this bucket, and like no one tells me there's a yellow jacket nest in there, and I stick my hand in and EEEUUUWWWWAAAA and my arm gets like swollen huge. . .So I was in church one time and it was like dead silent and I moved my back and it was like KKKKRRRHHKKKKK!
--(and there was a girl who giggled appreciatively through all of this. Unbelievable)

9 comments:

  1. That laughing girl wasn't Emily.

    Was it?

    Nah.

    Can't be.

    No way.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Steven must be taking this in with such pride. Or, is he too young to care about politics? But I'm sure he knows Obama has Kenyan blood.

    There's a boy, there's a girl. Boy trying so hard to well, IMPRESS, a girl. And may have succeeded. That's what I think may have happened. Or, the boy has ADD. Or, he has a high functioning autism.

    Anyway before you get serious about selling, why don't you check out www.etsy.com (it's a website of buying/selling ONLY hand-crafted goodies). You have to join in order to buy or sell. And check out their showcase section: http://www.etsy.com/showcase.php

    p.s. A birthday greeting to Steven.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I would suggest Etsy as well for Emily's handcrafted items.

    ReplyDelete
  4. i am ever so flattered. :) i made it onto the famous "life in a shoe!"
    thanks! you made my day. :)
    baileyandme

    ReplyDelete
  5. Again you made me LOL repeatedly. Thanks!! You are one of the bright spots in my day. I am always so glad when I see a new post from you. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  6. I am writing here to Emily because I'm thinking it is the easiest way to remain anonymous.

    The anonymous part became important as I was contemplating my motive for this note and I want my heart to be clear. Because this is NOT about me.

    You were on my mind last night Emily, and I could not sleep. I finally looked at the clock and it was 12:19 am (EST.) And I wondered,"So God, just what is going on with Emily right now?" I believed it was His idea to put you in my brain, not mine.It continued thru out the night. Maybe nothing in particular was going on in that moment for you, but then maybe that is also what prayer is about.The unknown and never known. The unseen and never seen. Except by HIM.

    I don't understand the pain and loss that chronic illness brings. The whys and the lack of "howevers" and how all that twists with the fact that God IS sovereign,His love is unfailing and yet life continues its relentless stomp on your plans.

    But I do know that I am very tired today:), because God tapped a stranger to pray for you. The lack of rest (yawn) :)and knowing just what was going on is not important to me. Please know that. :)

    The "I love you" that I hear in all this, IS.

    Blessings to you today and btw, I would love to see your polka-dot Jackie O dress!!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. i am the second girl giggling, although not really appreciatively, through that QOTD. i am sure it was much funnier reading your version than actually having to listen to his. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Funny you should ask, Mark. after Emily read this post she said, Well, actually, Mom. . .

    ReplyDelete
  9. to anonymous: our deepest thanks to you. Sleep is a precious thing. Thank you for sacrificing it.

    ReplyDelete