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noticing
As I was coming back to my grandma's apartment tonight the sun was just setting. It was incredible. Really, one of the most striking sunsets I've ever seen. So good, in fact, that I ran (albeit slowly) out to the beach to enjoy it. Unfortunately, I just sent my camera off for warranty service yesterday, so I couldn't take a picture of it, but I still want to try to share it with you.
Looking straight west over the water, the background was a mostly-solid canvas of flat clouds. This was colored in distinct horizontal bands of bright glowing orange, red, and pink. It looked like a big pastel rainbow on its side. This filled about half the sky and was nearly as bright directly overhead as it was at the horizon. In front of this were low, puffy clouds. They looked very dark, but were silhouetted by the sun and bordered with white. I could see rain falling from a few of these. Up the beach to the north, the sky faded into a deep, dark purple. To the south, a thunderstorm was throwing bolts of lightning around and booming peals of thunder.
I waded about 10 feet out into the water so I could stand in the color of the reflection. The water was warm, and totally flat. I've never seen the gulf so flat. It was rippled, but there were no waves or swells as far as I could see. As I stood there, I noticed little splashes in the water all around me. I thought it was starting to rain, but then I noticed flashes of silver in the splashes, and noticed that I was standing in the middle of a school of hyperactive minnows. They were little guys, maybe an inch long, darting all around and summersaulting out of the water every few feet. It was so amazing. I felt so lucky to be able to live in a creation where I can experience these things.
As I was walking back to the apartment, I noticed the flickering lights of TVs on in apartments. I saw a few people driving by, some talking on phones, and a jogger, staring only at the road in front of her. I thought, "Do you see what you're missing?" "Is that really better than this?" What would make people not want to come out and watch this magnificent performance? I don't know.
I just hope that I don't lose my appreciation for things around me. I hope that even if I live in a place where I can see a sunset like this every night, I will still take time to enjoy it. Someone please poke me if I don't.
Posted by neal on Aug 24, 2005 at 04:21 PM | Comments (1)
little things
Today I noticed a funny little bit of cultural adjustment. As I leave or enter the bathroom, I instinctively search for the light switch on the *outside* of the room. Hehehehe, it's different here.
Posted by neal on Aug 23, 2005 at 01:46 PM | Comments (1)
What are they building in there?
I'm in Tampa with my brother's family right now. The center of attention in the house is a cute two and a half year old girl named Danae. She really is very cute. I'm not biased at all. I knew she was cute before I came here, but I wasn't prepared for how smart she is and how conscious she is of the world around her. I'm also amazed that she can speak English better than many adults I know. Today she said:
(offering me her sippy-cup or water) "Here, would you like a sip?"
OK, actually, though she used those actual words, it sounded more like "hewer, wouldjoo wike a schip?" I expect most little kids to just thrust the cup and/or say something like "drink?" or "here." Maybe it's normal for little girls to talk like this, but it seems pretty cool to me.
Then, as Kathy, Danae, and I were walking into church on Sunday, Kathy was telling Danae the plan for the morning. Kathy told Danae that we would all go to the nursery together during Sunday school, but then Kathy and I would go to the service and Danae would have to stay in the nursery. Kathy asked (rhetorically) if that was OK, and Danae replied very calmly and matter-of-factly in her small voice, "No, I will cry."
She's great. I like her. I'm happy I get to be her uncle.
Oh, and speaking of that, here's another funny thing. When she was born, I got to choose what she would call me. Since I was living in Hungary at the time, I wanted to use the Hungarian word for uncle. In Hungarian, a title (and/or last(family) name) come after the first name. So I asked to be called Neal Bácsi (pronounced "bahchi"). But she has other uncles too, and they chose the more traditional title (like Uncle Bob). This confused Danae. So now, when she's happy to see me, she runs over to hug me and yells, "Uncle Bácsi."
See, she's really cute.
Posted by neal on Aug 22, 2005 at 01:51 AM | Comments (0)
Pasedena
Pasadena is a funny place. It seems like a very domestic version of LA. Lots of tree-lined streets and sleepy little neighborhoods. It seems very average, but it's not. There is ethnic diversity like I've never seen anywhere else. And to remind me of it every day, signs on businesses around here are written in alphabets I've never even seen before. Then to top it off, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory is here. The branch of NASA that runs the shuttle and many other space missions. The JPL is on a fairly nondescript street with only a average sign and a unusual number of antennas on the roof to identify it. I mean, it's an important building. Big, fast things happen there, but you wouldn't know it from driving by. Pasadena feels like that to me.
Also, I'm saying goodbye to ESI here. 4 of the last 5 summers I've been here for ESI training. 1 summer to be trained, and 3 summers to train other teachers. It's been fun. I have enjoyed the people and the time here. It's yet one more good-bye in a long series of good-byes as I transition to the next phase of my life. I will miss being a part of this group. Good people all.
Posted by neal on Aug 10, 2005 at 03:27 PM | Comments (0)
Where, Summer 2005
OK, since a lot of people have asked, here's my plan for the summer. It's a crazy plan, but my summers have all been crazy for the last few years, so it feels normal to me. I'm already part way through the plan too. I'm definitely past the most physically strenuous part. So here it is with visual accompanyment.
- Jul 5 - Fly back to US and go to Huntington.
- Jul 8 - Danielle comes to Huntington.
- Jul 10 - We go to GR.
- Jul 12 - Danielle leaves to go to ESI training in Pasadena, I stay in GR.
- Jul 17 - Back to Huntington to prepare for backpacking trip.
- Jul 20 - Drive to L.A. nonstop. (On Route 66 no less).
- Jul 22 - Get Joel at the airport and head into the Sierra Nevada mountains to backpack.
- Augt 2 - Help at ESI Training in Pasadena.
- Aug 11 - Go with Danielle to her family's place in Godfrey, IL
- Aug 19 - Fly to Tampa to visit Joel, Kathy, and Danae.
- Aug 21 - Drive to Naples to visit Granny.
- Aug 25 - Fly back to Huntington to pack and prep for seminary.
- Sept 1 - Drive to the Summer White House for a weekend with extended family.
- Sept 5 - Drive to South Hamilton, MA to start Seminary!.
Posted by neal on Aug 6, 2005 at 01:21 AM | Comments (0)
speaking of shiny...
I'd been thinking of doing it for while, then, the day after my birthday, I was with a group of friends and decided, "what the hey-ho, let's do this". So, with the help of many skilled friend/barbers, I shaved my head.
It's been fun to see people's reactions. Several friends have looked right at me and not recognized me. I've noticed a few other amusing consequences too.
- It's hard to put shirts on. They all get stuck on the stubble of my head.
- It is sensitive to the sun. I have to wear sunblock all the time. It turns pink after a few minutes in the sun.
- It's cold.
- I had just bought new bottles of shampoo and conditioner and now they're useless. (though I suppose in the long run, it will save me a lot of money)
- I can use it to reflect the sun into the eyes of drivers that cut me off while I'm driving my new car.
Posted by neal on Aug 3, 2005 at 10:21 PM | Comments (8)