Why did I move to NZ? Reason #1 Parks

Reason #1: Parks

While it may not be my MAIN reason for moving to NZ, I think Kiwi values are well represented by parks.

This week, I've spent a lot of time in them. Today, I'm typing this blog from one.

Kiwis love their parks... so much that they have a plethora of names for them. While I have no official definitions to back up my descriptions, here are my observations:

A large wild park (think a national park in the U.S.) is called a Reserve. It may only be a square kilometer or two, but it's basically wildland, with lots of trails for tramping. And sheep, of course. There usually seem to be sheep involved. This morning, I spent a half hour admiring the Redwoods in the Te Mata domain. And our new home (once we move into it) has a reserve behind it.

A large city park (say Golden Gate Park) is a Domain. They appear to have all the amenities of any large urban park - playgrounds, sport areas, formal gardens, etc. I haven't found a Domain in Hawkes Bay just yet.

There are many plain old parks... you can hardly walk for ten minutes in any direction without running into one. I'm not talking about a big slightly-browned lawn with playground equipment and hoodlums, a la SoCal. I'm talking about expanses of grass surrounded by beautifully maicured flower gardens. There are monuments everywhere - WWI Gallipoli monuments being most popular. And, no matter what kind of park, there are PEOPLE in parks. Young people, old people, normal people just out enjoying hte day. The other day, I had to look hard to find an unoccuiped bench in a park midmorning. And there are plenty of benches. No bums sleeping on them, either.

Parks here are a joy. They are a safe haven. On an afternoon I'd be wasting walking around a mall in the O.C., I'm sitting on the grass in the middle of town looking at a 100-year-old fig tree. (I'd be sitting under it, but fig leaves are rather sturdy and hard when they fall on your head.)

Last Night of Hanukkah...

Hanukkah presents for 2008: (all from Michael)

Multi-colored pearl necklace
Coldplay CD
Garmin for my bike
Garmin adapters so I can put it on 2 bikes
Cute bubble bike jersey
Flowered bike socks to match the cute jersey
Scale that measures BMI, body fat, etc
Two inner tubes for my bike tires


Michael received from me...
A Dell mini
Bike tights
Bike shoe covers
Black T Shirts from the Gap
A reversible belt
Season 3 of Arrested Development (a Hanukkah tradition)
An autographed Steve Poltz CD
And something else I can't remember at the moment.... darnit

A post just for Sarah

I'm sure it is a surprise to none that Michael is once again posting disinformation about Rainbow on his site. However, since Sarah asked, here's a picture of a quilt. This is a small one I made for a girl last year. It's a memory quilt... each square is from a different girl in the Assembly.

Thanksgiving Menu

Beautiful Browned Turkey
Nicole's Evil Stuffing
Bouteille Call Cranberry Chutney
Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Michael's Corn
Green Beans with Shallot Crisps and Walnuts
Gorgeous Fall Salad
Hot Buttered Dinner Rolls
Baked Apples and Sweet Potatoes
Steal-the-Peeler-from-Big-Sister Apple Pie
Dueling Pumpkin Pies a la Jenny

Flying!

On Saturday, our friend Marty took us for a flight on his beautiful airplane. We went for Catalina for lunch and a hike, and then flew back to the OC. I flew on the way back, right over the Huntington Beach pier.

This was far less scary than I expected. In fact, I liked it way better than flying commercial. You can read more about it at Michael's site.

Platy McFatty, Rest In Peace

I am sorry to report the loss of Ms. Platy McFatty this evening.

Her death came not long after her return from fat camp, where she successfully transformed from a morbidly obese fish into a moderately overweight yet stunning lady. Although she died the same day as the earthquake, her death is believed to be unrelated. The family declined an autopsy, wanting to remember her as the happy fish she was.

The Clown Loach Army has declined comment. Mr. Plecostomus said, "she was pretty nice, but shouldn't have eaten all the clown loach food. She should have left the stealing of their food to me."

She was the mother of ten (possibly more) and only ate one of her offspring (that we know of.) Eight of her offspring preceded her into the great beyond. She loved red flakes and carnivore pellets. She was afraid of nothing and no one, and dominated the tank since her arrival.

Platy McFatty is survived by her daughters Zippy and Zippy Jr., and her dear friend Miss Skinny. Private funeral services were held in the upstairs lou.

The Zippy sisters request that in lieu of flowers, mourners send snails for the clown loaches. If the Army is distracted, its pellets will be easier to steal.

Not the wisdom teeth!

They apparently have to come out. In my poorly scanned X-Ray, above, you can see that my bottom wisdom teeth are growing sideways into my other teeth. Those regular teeth have old, old fillings that are crumbling, and therefore have to be capped. Therefore, my poor wisdom teeth must go.

As my friend Tom pointed out, I can't afford to lose any wisdom.

My awesome day

Today, I had the honor of meeting Professor Francisco Jiménez . He is the author of several autobiographical works detailing his experiences as an immigrant child of migrant farm workers in California in the 1950s. Jiménez , inspired and helped by teachers, attended Santa Clara University despite crushing poverty, went on to attain graduate degrees at other prestigious universities, and today is a teacher at SCU.

His works inspires kids to believe that change is possible in their lives if they work hard and are willing to reach for futures that sometimes seem impossible.

I've met other authors before, but it was inspirational to see Jiménez speak. He was addressing a small class of English language learners from all over the world who are attending San Jose City College. The students had very limited English skills, but he made them feel comfortable and encouraged them to ask questions. He was gentle and inspiring, and very gracious. He expressed over and over again how much he owed to his teachers, and thanked our little group from the OC for doing what we do.

It was worth the negativity of the annoying people at Ethics Camp this year just to have today's experience. (They don't know where we disappeared to for an hour and a half today! Ditching is fun.)

Jiménez's inscription in my copy of The Circuit, which he was kind enough to sign:

"To Nicole -

With respect, gratitude and admiration."

How cool is that?

Another Post?

I know. It's amazing.


I'm back at Santa Clara University at Ethics Camp. Truly pathetic that I've posted only once since the last Ethics Camp. Today we were asked to think about what effort we could make to change something in our lives. I'm resolving to put more effort into blogging.


Of course, this might just be me maintaining the Rainbow blog, which I also haven't been doing. In my defense, Michael spends a lot of time in our computer playing poker, so I really can't be blamed. And work blocks blogspot, so that's another way I can't waste time there.





But today was a good day, professionally. I just presented some of my brilliant teaching ideas to alternative ed teachers from all over the state. Although they had a plethora of reasons why they couldn't possibly do what I do (none of them, oddly enough, an honest "I'm too lazy") they were deeply impressed by my stunning classroom activities. This is my favorite. It's an illustrated word wall in the shape of a flag. Obviously. I won't bore all of you with the the teacher-y reasons one must have a word wall as part of one's teaching strategy. I just think it looks cool. :)


Negative people are irritating. I love ethics camp. It's re-energizing and enlightening and soothing. It's a chance to get away from the classroom for a week and be with other professionals who care about students. However, there's always a group of people who are forced to come, and choose to see the week as an assignment rather than a privilege. Why can't they just sit back and enjoy themselves? Why must they criticize and spew their negative attitudes over everyone? They're bringing me down.

Tour de Cure 2008!!!

Michael and I are riding in the Tour de Cure again! Woo-hoo!

We're quite excited as always to be helping to raise money for the American Diabetes Association. This disease adversely affects the lives of millions of people every year, including members of our own family. We hope that our efforts make an important contribution to finding a cure.

Please support me by going to my Long Beach Tour de Cure page and making a donation. Or, if you prefer, visit my Napa page and support those Northeners. Every contribution, no matter how small, is greatly appreciated.

I'm also looking forward to raising more money than Michael for the fourth year in a row!

Ethics Camp

I'm spending a fun-filled week at Santa Clara University at Ethics Camp. This is a teacher thing, and most of you won't be fascinated by details, so I won't give you any.

For those of you who are wondering "what is Santa Clara University?" it's billed as the oldest-operating college in California set on the grounds of the 5th of the famous California missions. However, being a University of the Pacific alumna and former campus tour guide, I am fully aware the UOP was chartered first. Also, perusing SCU's website, I noticed that it was actually a prep school in 1851, not a college. Therefore, I think UOP wins. And it has a better website.

You can't beat Santa Clara for beauty, though. I must admit, it is a gorgeously tended campus full of gardens and lush lawns. However, as I thought when I was a 17-year-old picking a college, it's a bit sterile. You might be stoned if you picked a flower or trampled a blade of grass.

Graduation!!!

Graduation was today!
For the first time, it was my students graduating!
This is a picture of me with my wonderful graduates, my two favorite students -

Alberto and Darius.



Yes, I cut my hair.... here's me last night after it was done.
I don't look good because I had been crying. Not about the hair, though.



....The crying is a subject for another post.

Yes, I have a personal trainer

Her name is Gina.

This is Gina training some guy who's much stronger than me. I do not look like him when I lift weights. I look much sillier.

For those of you who are unaware, I have lost almost 20 lbs in the last six months. This primarily involved eating less.

About three months ago, I decided I needed to exercise more to go with it. However, I hated running, wasn't biking enough, and eschewed all other forms of exercise. I still hate running, but am now financially obligated to exercise at least twice a week. And Gina's fun. Perhaps my legs will make it up those Tuscany hills in September.

I really need to get in shape because I'm doing something insane this summer.

I'm becoming a middle school teacher.

"Middle school is great," many teachers say. Jenny loved middle school. Tricia would love to teach it someday. However, think 12-14 year olds with raging hormones who have been expelled from their regular middle school. That will be my world.

I will need much energy.

Another Tour de Cure successfully completed...

107 km (approximately 66 miles) in a little under 5 hours. That includes 7 stops, which is excessive for us.

• Wardrobe adjustment
• The nicest restroom on the trip
• Peanut butter desperately needed after Newport Coast
• Ferry crossing
  
• Flat tire immediately after getting off the ferry
• Someone else's flat tire 4 miles later
• Exhaustion Stop for more peanut butter

Still, I managed to get the least geeky Tour picture yet at the end.


There's one on Michael's site that's much better. I had to order a different one than him. There's also a photo of me with a celebrity.

All in all, a good day. I raised more money than last year, thanks to my very generous friends. If any of you feel like helping out the American Diabetes Association a little further, I'm only $72 away from a really cute jersey. Of course, that shouldn't be my motivation.

How I managed to gain a lb while biking that far, I can't imagine. Must have been the peanut butter.

I Am Pure Evil

C'mon... is this really a suprise?

You are Pure Evil

How Evil Are You?

Who says there aren't freaks in Newport?

In the parking lot of my condo, an old lady with an adorable cocker spaniel... "You're driving me crazy. Be careful or it's off to animal research for you."

Around the corner, in the middle of the street, a guy running full speed down the street, dribbling a basketball.

We went all the way to Red Bluff for my cousin Stacy's wedding last weekend. Here's a picture of her with her eyes closed. Unfortunately, the only picture I took.




My sisters and I wore brown. Glamor says that sunglasses as headband is a "do," which makes me cooler than them. Tricia, you were right, though: drama eyes better than bold lips. Jenny and I look a little hooker.



The wedding was pretty standard Red Bluff. Only I really missed the country band.

We also went to Solvang, which was lots of fun. Michael's site has more info on that.

White People Have Feelings, Too

Why is it that my white friends go out of their way to be politically correct, but non-whites I know, of all race and creed, find it perfectly acceptable to make derogatory comments about white people?

I know as a race we haven't had the best modern history in our treatment of minorities, but does that mean we as individuals should be constantly abused?

My students complain about racism, and then make rude comments about Asian drivers.

At least once a day I hear the phrase, "it's because you're white."

My non-white friends seem to mention race in every conversation. Is that what defines us? And if so, why do they want to be friends with me?

A comment made months ago about a snack I served that still annoys me: "This is so white."
Are white people the only people who eat cheese? I carefully went to the cheese store and selected a beautiful, perfectly balanced selection of cheeses, nuts, and fruit (from all over the world, by the way), sliced and arranged with care and served with a specific lovely wine, and the only comment I get is "this is so white?" I didn't even know the race of the strangers I was going to be having in my home ahead of time! Only white people like cheese? This is news to me!

However, most of my friends are not white, and none of them understand why I'm upset about these kinds of things. I guess I'm lucky I married a white guy, who gets this.

I've got a roof over my head..."

New bed set up and the bedroom is slowly coming together... still waiting on some linen.



What do you guys think: canopy or no canopy?

Very Sad Bed Day

Last week, I bought a new bed from Crate and Barrel. I love this bed. Unfortunately, it would not fit up our stairs. The 82" posts are permanently attached to the foot board and headboard. The delivery guys tried 4 different ways of getting it up, but it just wouldn't go. I applaud their efforts. I still recommend Crate and Barrel furniture. However, I'm very sad that we will be spending another night with the mattress on the floor. (Of course, today we have a foundation, because that WAS delivered from Sit 'n Sleep.)


Tonight I went Internet surfing and then out to investigate. Cost Plus's bed (below) is almost as cute, and comes in pieces. Luckily, I'm good at putting furniture together! My dad is going to help me pick it up tomorrow. Hopefully, by tomorrow night, we'll have a bed. Wish me luck!

Tour de Cure!!!

Michael and I are riding in the Tour de Cure again! Woo-hoo!

We're quite excited as always to be helping to raise money for the American Diabetes Association. This disease adversely affects the lives of millions of people every year, including members of our own family. We hope that our efforts make an important contribution to finding a cure.

Please support me by going to my Tour de Cure page and making a donation. Every contribution, no matter how small, is greatly appreciated.

I'm also looking forward to raising more money than Michael for the third year in a row!