The 90s dream

So since I have been away I have tapped into NPR so much more than I ever did when in the USA. I listen to the shuffle each day of All things Considered, weekly catch up on This American Life,  so I can feel closer to home. I think my favorite show is All Songs Considered hosted by Bob Boilen who I absolutely adore!
This past week the show's title was So the 90's are back, or whatever... they did a review of the 90s going over the best albums and most influential. I listened to it last night while marking papers and walking to a facial. I had a massive grin on while walking down the street thinking of all these songs I have not heard for ages and reminded me of growing up and being in High School and College.
I know that this month we are going over love and relationships and this might be a little far fetched, but music really does take me back to different times and periods of my life reminding me of people that I love in a different time frame of my life. I will not go through all the songs and memories but those that stick out in my mind.
The first song they start with is Nirvana Smells Like Teen spirit. I remember when this came out in the 5th grade. I bought the tape for my first boyfriend Jeff's birthday. I had no clue what to get him and my brother suggested (the wise 7th grader he was) that I should get that tape and I have been taking his advice on music and boys since. There are so many other memories about that song and that area and what it did for music and the indie scene.
They then go onto Radiohead's No Surprises on the OK Computer album. Though I still really enjoy Radiohead and Tom York; though that was the song I listened to after my first kiss. I went home, straight into my bedroom but on the album and sat in my papazan chair contemplating what just happened.
Other songs included in the mix were Lauren Hills That thing which I listened to while driving around trying to decide on which university I wanted to go to. When LEM's If you steal my sunshine came on I almost fell off the sidewalk, followed by Sound garden, reminding me of Chris Cornell's amazing eyes in the Blackhole Sun video and summer school for theatre.
Another favorite was Smashing Pumpkins 1979, which screams church camps and retreats to me for some reason. I remember going up to Pine Top to .... Pine Summit, year after year with flannel and trying to play the guitar.

Music and lyrics contain so many memories for me it was fun to be taken back to the 90s for an afternoon walking around in Shanghai thinking about the people that were dear to me over a decade ago.  I am luckily enough to have most of those people still in my life and still dear.

If you like music I really can not recommend All Songs Considered enough.
http://www.npr.org/programs/all-songs-considered/

Manda

My Momma

My post will be quick today, as I'm not feeling well and am home from work.  As my head pounds and as my throat throbs, I can't help but wish my mom was here to take care of me, just like she did when I was a kid.  My mom was always prepared to take care of my siblings and I when we weren't feeling well.  As I laid on the couch with 6 or 7 blankets piled on top of me, mom made sure I had everything I needed:

• Puke bucket
• Warm wash cloth for my forehead
• Soda crackers
• 7-Up
• Baby Tylenol (I couldn't swallow pills for the life of me)
• And a warm hug

As my head pounds and as my throat throbs today, I wish I was a kid again and that my mom was coming around the corner with a warm wash cloth for my forehead.  Instead, I am lying here with my computer on my lap, dirty tissue paper crumpled next to me, and tea with honey in what should be, my coffee cup.  Today is not one of those days, but there have been times when I feel so sorry for myself that I actually tear up wishing mom was taking care of me.

Finally to my point, a mother's love for their child is probably the strongest love imaginable.  My mom cleaned up spilt milk at least 200 times, listened to us complain about tomatoes in the hot dish, broke up numerous fights between my siblings and I, and even cleaned up our throw up!  Despite all that, she still loved and cared for us when we were sick!  

Thank you mom for everything you did for me as a kid.  Especially when I was sick!  I realize now how thoughtful and selfless your actions really were.  I love you!

Now, can you come over and make me feel better?   -Mandy

Speed Dating

This Valentine’s Day was the first time in a while that I had a date, and I actually had 14 dates! The Shanghai Sharks (the women’s rugby team in Shanghai that I am involved with, more social right now) had an event: Speed Dating at our Sponsor bar.  I arrived and was immediately sent out to recruit more men for the evening. We hit a few other bars in the area and were able to recruit 5 guys.

I participated in the second round. Each date was 4 minutes. The first guy was one of my recruits, he was French (there were a lot of French men there that night for some reason).  We talked for a while and he was a student at the end of the date he asked my age. I said 29. His response was a dropped jaw and a hand-over-mouth-laugh. I was amazed, then found out he was 21. Haha!!! The next 6 people I knew from rugby or I had brought along. We all had a good laugh, talked about dates, pretended we did not know each other and said silly things that made the people on either side look at us strangely. Towards the end I was getting rather tired (the previous day I got back from Australia and it was my first day back at work). 

The last date was another French guy that worked on a boat. After only exchanging a few sentences he asked me if I was strict.  That is first time that I ever have been asked that.  When I tell people I am a strict teacher they rarely believe me and when I say that students have a healthy fear of me, they laugh. Here is a guy that I met for only 2 minutes after I had been talking for over an hour tell me that I am strict.  He then went on to ask my age. Another dropped jaw.  He did not say he was 21 but asked “But why are you single?”.  Now when people say this to me I am not sure if it is a compliment… or just rude. So my response was “I am not sure but you could ask the guy that dumped me last month.”  I thought it was funny, but he just gave a blank French stare.  Thankfully the whistle blew. 

It definitely was a memorable Valentine’s day and the most dates I have had for ages.  Match or no match, I spent the night giggling with dear friends that I love.  

Manda

For the Love of a Country

Mandy thanks for the intro to the month. I do want to add not only the love for family friends and romance but places. I just got back from Australia and seriously I am love with that country. This was the first time that I have cried when leaving a country that I have never lived in!  It was an amazing two weeks and made me think about why we love certain places, and people. I think some of the reason that I loved Australia so much is the people there and that it possesses so many ingredients that I miss in Shanghai. I do like living in Shanghai but there are certain things I miss or would like to be here.

1. The sun. Growing up in the desert I am used to having so much light and when that is lacking it can be difficult. While it was cloudy some while I was in OZ overall the weather was great and the air was clean.

2. I also felt short! This does not happen in China often at all. I felt that I was listened to and people have manners and were really welcoming.

3. It is a beautiful country. The beach is great and the views are fantastic. I have not seen all that OZ has to offer and know that I will be heading back again and again.  

4. People compliment others around them (ie I felt noticed by the opposite sex), and are super laid back. It was my first time traveling to a city completely by myself, while I met up with friends of friends there I was on my own often but was able to talk to so many people and was refreshing to be hit on. I now firmly believe that foreign women in Asia should get a trip to OZ for just resetting.  

I have now added Australia to my list of loves of countries, right after my first love: Norway. 
--Manda

A dreamy wedding proposal.

While in college I met a boy who was a pastry chef at the St. Paul Hotel.  I sat next to him every day in class until finally one day I told him I was thinking about marry him.  Tilting his head and smiling kindly, he told me his soon-to-be fiance may have a problem with that.  It was actually the upcoming weekend that he was going to propose to her.  So of course I had to ask how he was going to propose.  As I sat with my chin in my hand, staring at the pastry chef he excitingly told me his plan.  


The pastry chef explained his fiance was a chocolateaholic (what woman isn't), so he was going to bake her her favorite dark chocolate truffles and place them inside a fancy decorative box with a beautiful ribbon securing it closed.  When she opens up the box, the truffles will have the words, Will You Marry Me, delicately written on top of the truffles.  I threw my arms are the pastry chef's neck and screamed, yes!  Just kidding, I didn't.  But what a dreamy and amazing proposal!  And so thoughtful - baking her favorite truffles!  It still gives me the goosebumps thinking about it.  I haven't seen him since in college, but I imagine they had a magical wedding and hope they are still together!


Readers, if you had an amazing proposal or have a friend who did, please share it here!  -Mandy

February is Love

It only seems natural to write about love in the month of February.  With Valentine's Day, all the candy hearts, chocolate hearts, flowers, and cards all over the place, it's hard to not think about love.  Although I think Valentine's Day is a bit overrated, I have to admit that it's nice to receive a card and/or chocolate shaped heart from someone you love.  

Most of our blogs this month may indeed be about when we've fallen in and out of love, but we're also going to blog about love in friendships and love in our families.

One of my favorite movies is Love Actually.  Not only does it have an amazing soundtrack, but it's message really holds true - despite the hatred and greed we constantly are reminded of, love actually is all around us.  A quote from the movie, "Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport.  It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often, it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there - fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. If you look for it, I've got a sneaking suspicion... love actually is all around."   - Mandy

Number 1

My New Years Resolution this year was to have a better attitude.  29 stunk, but I think it stunk because I let it stink.  I can be pretty cynical at times and it really doesn't do me any good.  I think we have a choice every day to either make it a good day or make it a bad day.  And I'm really trying to make a conscience effort to look at my life, my work, my family, etc, in a more positive lite.  I have so much to be thankful for, that I really have no reason to start the day in a crabby mood.

"If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it."  - Mary Engelbreit

Number 2

2.  In November, I finally joined Life Time Fitness.  Not only has the gym done wonders for my health, but it also has done wonders for my social life.  Since joining, my friends and co-workers, who have been long time members to the club, now ask me foreign things like, "will you be at CRT tonite?", "going to cardio kickboxing at 6?", "can I be your spotter?", and "can I sit next to you in the steam room?"  Well, I may have made up a couple of them, but the gym has really become a great place to meet up with friends.  Whether it's at Yoga or on the stair master, I seem to run into friends, family, Emilie's friends, Molly's friends, Laura's friends, my co-workers, and even ex-boyfriends whom I'd rather not run into.  We catch up for a few minutes, they say, "have a good work out", and I say, "I hope so, I ate 4 chocolate chip cookies today." and then I hit the Octane Fitness elliptical for 50 minutes.  Just kidding, I have never worked out that long.  Anyway, I'm glad I joined.  I can say I am now almost as strong as my nephews and have gained friends instead of pounds these past few months.  If you belong to Life Time, we should meet up!  I'd love to "save you a spot in class" sometime.  -Mandy


p.s.  The picture is from this summer.  We are Bill's M&Ms.  Molly and I's first team triathlon!

Number 3

Music of 2010: I LOVE me some good music! There isn't a lot I can't listen to. I may not choose to listen to Britney Spears or Bieber, but I appreciate their stuff....well, sorta.

I've been a faithful listener of The Current from MPR (89.3 for those of you not familiar) for a few years now and am so thankful for its existence! In 2010, the station introduced me to some of my latest obsessions including: Mumford and Sons, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, The Temper Trap, The Avett Brothers, David Bazan! The Current also continues to play my old favorites including: Adele, John Legend, Dan Wilson, Ben Folds, Brandi Carlile! I highly recommend tuning into the station either on your radio or streaming it on your PC. You'll be thanking me, I promise.

Without music life would be a mistake. ~Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

Music's the medicine of the mind. ~John A. Logan

5 and 4

5.  Chi Town Adventures:  To finish last summer right, three of my best friends and I took a weekend trip to Chicago.  Arriving on a Thursday evening with our Chi Town T-Shirts (thanks again, Molly), a friend of mine picked us up at the airport and immediately ordered us Chicago style pizza from the BEST pizza place in Chicago, Pequod's Pizza!  After that, we don't remember much about the trip, but from the looks of our pictures, we had a blast!  We took a walking food tour through the Wicker Park/Buck Town neighborhood that was simply amazing!  We tasted so many delicious foods from local deli's, bakeries, ice cream shops, pizza parlors, and hot dog stands!  I was in Heaven!!  My favorite?  Definitely the iced hot chocolate from Mindy's Hot Chocolate!  To.  Die.  For.  Another highlight of the trip was going to the same bar two nites in a row and not realizing it until 2 drinks in.  A big shout out to a friend in Chi-Town for being our personal chauffeur!

4.  Idaho:  (No, you Udaho.)  I know, but it makes me laugh every time.  Over Labor Day, my mom, sister Sally, and I took a road trip to Priest River, Idaho to visit my aunt Rose, uncle Kevin, and cousin Phoebe.  Although my mom was a trooper and drove 95% of the way, I will have to say it was the first and last time that I'll ever drive straight through to Idaho. Going on 1.5 hours of sleep over a period of 2 days is miserable.  Miserable.  Once we arrived at destination, however, we had a great time.  Rose's house is beautifully nestled in the mountains.  We ate well and laughed often.  Sally and I made fun of our mom and Rose most of the trip, as they have very strong Norwegian accents, especially when they get together.  Made for a funny trip.  Thank goodness Sally is as funny as I am.