Monthly Archives: January 2012

Sharing adult ideas with a preschool vocabulary

Posted on January 31, 2012 by stillalife

I don’t believe that people residing in a monolingual world appreciate how difficult it is to learn a new language, especially as an adult.  “Stress” was one of today’s topics for my monthly English conversation class.  Not surprisingly, carrying on … Continue reading →

Posted in travel, volunteering | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Vacation planning is a martial art

Posted on January 28, 2012 by stillalife

One of the few things I long for from the “good old days” is having an abundance of travel agents I could count on to help plan a trip.  For those too young to remember, these were people who spent their … Continue reading →

Posted in humor, travel | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

The joys of rewriting

Posted on January 26, 2012 by stillalife

I’m getting good practice in case I ever have the unlikely opportunity to work with an editor or agent to get my novel published.  (I say unlikely, because the publishing world is weighted down these days with grim stories about … Continue reading →

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Enjoy friends and life while you can

Posted on January 24, 2012 by stillalife

This has been a week of bad news. One friend reported that her brother had a massive stroke, will need long-term intensive care and no longer recognizes members of his family. The son of another friend sent an announcement that … Continue reading →

Posted in friends and family, personal reflections | Tagged | 4 Comments

Lion dances for luck and protection

Posted on January 21, 2012 by stillalife

After staying inside for three days to avoid snow and ice, we ventured out into slush and wind to see a Lion Dance performed by five lions ranging in size from tiny to large.  (Both the lions and the performers fit … Continue reading →

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The silence of snow

Posted on January 18, 2012 by stillalife

“The Joy of Quiet,” an article by Pico Iyer in the New York Times cites a growing trend of setting aside time to escape from telephones, email, newspapers, Facebook and other distractions. Mr. Iyer says he retreats to a monastery several … Continue reading →

Posted in humor, personal reflections, seasons | Tagged | 1 Comment

Snow days

Posted on January 14, 2012 by stillalife

It’s snowing, a condition that terrifies most of us in the central Puget Sound region because snow falls so infrequently. We like looking at it, but prefer that it stay in our mountains where it belongs. Now retired, I can … Continue reading →

Posted in humor, seasons, stress | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Hamlet and today’s poiltical climate

Posted on January 12, 2012 by stillalife

Hamlet, Prince of Denmark could not run for political office today. We like our politicians to express certainty, even when we know there are many things most of us cannot feel absolutely certain about. We carry around at least a … Continue reading →

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The callback

Posted on January 10, 2012 by stillalife

Yesterday, a friend and I were sharing memories of the trauma of “the callback.” She received hers last December and I got mine two weeks ago. This is not the callback that thrills an actor auditioning for a part. This … Continue reading →

Posted in health, personal reflections | Tagged | 6 Comments

Mycological memories

Posted on January 8, 2012 by stillalife

Rarely do I feel nostalgia for the past.  I am the one who is always planning what to do a week, a month or a year ahead, and who doesn’t look back. That is, until a friend shared a review … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment