tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81380896306615298502024-02-07T22:10:03.023-08:00Pardon the egg salad stains, but I'm in loveAnna Bananahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292393270576406321noreply@blogger.comBlogger203125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8138089630661529850.post-13098339939194313822014-06-27T13:28:00.001-07:002014-06-27T13:39:23.678-07:00Becoming Dulcinea: life lessons of a kitchen slut<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCte0ioAI38PgrJaQeutpvPclH16PjzYfDMbZs9NLlJ7Zb6ZUEe8LBpi4xOT4iYWb9uaSmzjwIoE7-iSmtxzQJx-T72OzlihdxAiUYbP-D6c72kzGqiAH_s9q-3zZjX3TotblC9SLINSxh/s1600/53ac3acf0fee4.preview-620.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCte0ioAI38PgrJaQeutpvPclH16PjzYfDMbZs9NLlJ7Zb6ZUEe8LBpi4xOT4iYWb9uaSmzjwIoE7-iSmtxzQJx-T72OzlihdxAiUYbP-D6c72kzGqiAH_s9q-3zZjX3TotblC9SLINSxh/s1600/53ac3acf0fee4.preview-620.jpg" height="400" width="311" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Being Aldonza is really hard. If you've seen my Instagram feed lately, I've polluted it with brag photos of my bruises, cuts, scrapes, and matted hair. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But being <i>Dulcinea</i> is something altogether indescribable. I've been gushing to anyone who will listen lately-- including a nice reporter (article <a href="http://www.heraldextra.com/entertainment/arts-and-theatre/cervantes-don-quixote-journeys-to-hcto/article_5e7bf821-b944-50e3-aa42-fecdb38b6ccc.html" target="_blank">here</a>)-- of the soul-stirring, redemptive powers of the creative process of developing a character for the stage. Boy oh boy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Whenever I get on one of these pontifical rants, Jacob tells me, half-earnestly, half-mockingly, that I should write a book called <i>Life Lessons Learned from Theater: An Actress's Wisdom</i>, or something like that, and include all my philosophies of the power of art and the letters I've received from audience members and whatnot.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Well here's my start, <span style="font-size: large;">dang it</span>, because my life and my soul and my person would not be what they are without theater, without art, and without the possibility of becoming Dulcinea.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here's my full interview. Read it and weep. Or, better yet, come to the show and weep. Tickets <a href="http://www.heraldextra.com/entertainment/arts-and-theatre/cervantes-don-quixote-journeys-to-hcto/article_5e7bf821-b944-50e3-aa42-fecdb38b6ccc.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">How did you first get involved with this project, with ‘La Mancha’?</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><u></u> I've loved working with the Hale Orem in the past, and had just finished doing <i>Les Miserables</i> with Dave Tinney<i>. </i>When I auditioned, I had almost no exposure to La Mancha, but I thought it would be a fun challenge. I had no idea!</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><u></u></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Please briefly describe your character’s personality? How is it similar to your own? </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It's funny you should ask that, because one of the reasons this has been such an incredible learning experience for me is because Aldonza is <i>so</i> different from Anna. At the beginning of the rehearsal process, Dave said we were going to have to bring out my "inner animal". This girl has lived a terrible life, and she copes with that through grit and violence. But I'm the most passive, docile person you'll ever meet! The beauty of Aldonza's journey, though, is that you see her entire rollercoaster-- that verneer of toughness and control, the breaking of it, her exhaustion and depression, her desire to hope for a better life, and her ultimate redemption. Everyone goes through that rollercoaster, to some degree, and I've had to learn to empathize with and understand her experiences so I can make them truthful. I just have to translate her language into my own. Dave and Rob have helped me feel comfortable just being <i>me</i> <i>as Aldonza. </i>And because I'm a very un-Aldonza-like sensitive person, one thing I can do is bring home that tenderness at the end. What's been so difficult for me has been learning to let myself be ugly, dirty, wretched, and completely vulnerable in front of an audience. I talk with my mouth full. I get drunk. I scream and cry and froth at the mouth. And the audience still (hopefully) accepts me! This has definitely been the hardest and most rewarding role I've ever played.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">What is it like performing in front of a live audience? Talk about what it takes to connect with an audience?</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><u></u> Everyone loves working in this theater, because the audience is literally <i>right there</i> with you (It's a constant effort not to step on their toes or sit on their laps). Connecting with the audience, then, isn't a problem as long as we, as actors and crew, are connected with <i>each other.</i> Rather than beefing everything up for a giant stage, we have to work for subtlety and honesty. When we do it right, it's incredibly powerful.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><u></u></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Does your character experience a turning point in the story? If so, when? And is there a scene that you are especially anxious for audiences to see?</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Because of the intimacy of the theater, Aldonza's journey into Dulcinea is a brutal thing to experience-- which makes it all the more moving. My favorite response is when I've had audience members -- usually women-- just come to me in silence and embrace me. Often there's no need for words . Violence against women is a sickeningly relevant topic-- in the 1500s and today-- and when the audience sees Aldonza try to maintain control, then hit rock bottom, and then ultimately find peace and hope with Don Quixote's help, I think it's a character arch that everyone can relate to. Luckily other characters provide plenty of comic relief, but my job is to make the audience uncomfortable, sad, and ultimately triumphantly hopeful. Ha! No pressure. <wbr></wbr> </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Please comment on how the performing arts are kind of universal language and using the arts as a way to share a message.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><u></u> Humans need a safe place to come together and feel. That's what the theater is for.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">What message or feeling would you hope audiences leave with after seeing your performance? After experiencing and seeing your character on stage?</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><u></u> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I hope they (as I do) feel a little less lonely in their own journey, and confident that no matter who they are or what they've done, they matter. They are worth more. Every human soul has the potential for beauty and greatness.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><u></u></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">How have you approached your character in Tinney’s rendition of “Man of La Mancha?”</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><u></u> I've tried to approach Aldonza with complete empathy and vulnerability. It's a very scary thing to do, as an actor and as a person.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><u></u></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Any other thoughts or comments? Or something you would like to point out?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Come soon, so you'll have time to come back!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Love, fake blood, and the old man after the show that took my hand in tears and whispered "Dulcinea del Toboso...",</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Anna</span></div>
Anna Bananahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292393270576406321noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8138089630661529850.post-73617494095520148302014-06-06T14:24:00.001-07:002014-06-06T14:27:36.778-07:00paying attention.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdiIfu-j28wyMK0M0oPh_pM-AdXWavMANVxxhrEV8JuTchHyg7qwjqz8x0qlFUIg1xDQQvaOoDp0dyaSO2pHdiwloVLmDluJuctubMKmnqmRVe6NlHGEsPQnUXWUBcxNW5Hy0yQg_tK0TE/s1600/20140517_111517.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdiIfu-j28wyMK0M0oPh_pM-AdXWavMANVxxhrEV8JuTchHyg7qwjqz8x0qlFUIg1xDQQvaOoDp0dyaSO2pHdiwloVLmDluJuctubMKmnqmRVe6NlHGEsPQnUXWUBcxNW5Hy0yQg_tK0TE/s1600/20140517_111517.jpg" height="400" style="cursor: move;" width="300" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have some </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">really</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> good things in my life. Don't believe me? Here's a smattering of examples:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Dr. Jacob Andrew Rennaker (Yeah, he's a Doctor of Philosophy now, which makes the predicament below even more obvious and degrading). And he just texted, asking if he could bring me an Old Fashioned donut. I almost cried. Now, that's matrimonial bliss, people!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My apartment is only $500 a month, and it's a perfect apartment. I'm serious.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The BYU Creamery wasn't out of Graham Canyon ice cream last time I went, therefore, I have the comforting knowledge that there it is, deliciously waiting for me in the freezer, at any given moment.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm working on the most personally difficult role I've ever had (Aldonza in <i>Man of La Mancha) </i>and it's zapping my soul energy, fraying my nearly non-existent nerves, and it's really, really, rewarding.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'm really good at distracting myself. I find teeny, unnecessary tasks extremely fulfilling and can spend the whole day doing them: copiously dusting my blinds, color coordinating my bookshelf, looking at every green colored item on Modcloth.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With that nice little list compiled, here's the other thing about my life:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I CAN<i>NOT, without exception, </i>concentrate on <span style="font-size: large;">anything </span>academic right now. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Big deal, Anna! It's Summer! You don't even have a job! <i>Right? </i>WRONG.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm not new to the whole being a student thing. Actually, I haven't <i>stopped </i>being a student for the last twenty years. Straight.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And yet... here, so near the finish line, My brain has turned into an Alex Mack puddle (without the benefit of having its own TV show), my motivation has dried up, and my ambition has retired to a nice Senior Center in Orlando or something.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I am entirely finished with my graduate school coursework, with the pathetic exception of a final exam (<i>don't be fooled by the innocent title-- it's actually a twenty-page essay exam</i>) and a paper (<i>likewise-- don't be fooled</i>) for a class <i>last</i> semester, for which I had to receive an Incomplete grade from an undeservedly magnanimous professor because my brain was starting the liquification process at the time. Oh, and I couldn't get out of bed, except to drag myself to my <i>Les Mis</i> performances, have a couple diet cokes, and then crawl back to bed. For a few months or something. But that's all over! Now that Incomplete work is all due, um, today.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And besides those little things, which feel huge but <i>are,</i> <i>actually </i>relatively small, all I have left is my thesis:</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at him, all graduated. It makes me sick. JK.<br />
But really, though.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Write it. Defend it. BOOM-- I'm a Master! Everyone else in my program is doing it! But here I am, on my sixth diet coke in the last couple days, puzzling over how to click on the file and open it. Let alone fill it up with <i>words.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here's what I just texted Jacob:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"...But my soul is cracked! My motivation is malfunctioning. I've lost all my student skills. I am a walrus."</span></div>
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Yeah, I'm not sure what that means either.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Any suggestions, besides Adderall? Because I can literally accomplish <i>nothing</i> all day, and feel totally occupied. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hold on, I have to go organize my nail clippers.</span></div>
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<br />Anna Bananahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292393270576406321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8138089630661529850.post-79278046424911889712014-06-05T08:27:00.003-07:002014-06-05T08:41:36.371-07:00Thanks<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I'm past overdue </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">in </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">thanking </span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">the world</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">for the overwhelmingly empathetic and generous response to my last post, <a href="http://pardonthebanana.blogspot.com/2014/05/mother-or-finally-writing-about-my.html" target="_blank">"Mother"</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I had little thought in writing down my feelings about miscarriage and motherhood other than to hopefully make some sense of it. But the grace and openness that flooded me in return was... humbling, to say the least. There are so many truly <b><i>good</i></b> people out there, and, if you're reading this, you're probably one of them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So thank <span style="font-size: large;">you.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Thank you for the blog comments and Facebook comments and for sharing the post with others who could relate or who wanted to be able to.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Thank you for the texts and calls and e-mails and messages and mailed cards and in-person hand squeezes.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Thank you for opening up and telling me of past and present pain.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Thank you for telling me about tragedies much more tragic than mine.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwJvQkxDjYXbVzT_Qg4BhLVoiKpI_cXWjWlCVnXEJeN7Z_TFmaoW6sLLJCi_BskbdkpvWz_ZdaKHDc02Nv9Ih4EI75J-WtT6pNLAcW-M7JAeuR5IF3yHOrg0S31kZPep4IqnqiP_PBiNQy/s1600/foi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwJvQkxDjYXbVzT_Qg4BhLVoiKpI_cXWjWlCVnXEJeN7Z_TFmaoW6sLLJCi_BskbdkpvWz_ZdaKHDc02Nv9Ih4EI75J-WtT6pNLAcW-M7JAeuR5IF3yHOrg0S31kZPep4IqnqiP_PBiNQy/s1600/foi.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Thank you for being vulnerable and, simply, being kind.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I can't thank you enough or express with these meaningless syllables what it means to me, so thank you.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">epilogue:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Today I was up and at my office before nine. This never happens because, lately, getting out of bed is a four hour or so process. But this morning I did it! And whether it's healthy or just a little sad, I felt pretty accomplished.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And here's the part I want to tell you. Today is my very first time being at my desk early in the morning, and I have to wear sunglasses-- even with the blinds down-- because of the angle of my window and the power of the sunlight. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">It’s kind of beautiful.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
Anna Bananahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292393270576406321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8138089630661529850.post-46465905676969278582014-05-07T17:39:00.002-07:002014-05-08T12:04:56.832-07:00Mother (or, finally writing about my miscarriage five months later)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEighi81vmsK0fjBSsCYXGlwzHxFecbPEOXbP-yBrRmhzowPPkF5OfByjYwX9MmQOCXFTQXDQ3WO1yhH44KEEMkKaHSv3O-_HWV9axQDvpLRz5A3YDne97-Q1UopR88e1P6S4mz3Bec4oitf/s1600/test.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEighi81vmsK0fjBSsCYXGlwzHxFecbPEOXbP-yBrRmhzowPPkF5OfByjYwX9MmQOCXFTQXDQ3WO1yhH44KEEMkKaHSv3O-_HWV9axQDvpLRz5A3YDne97-Q1UopR88e1P6S4mz3Bec4oitf/s1600/test.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">December, 2013</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">"I think I might be having a miscarriage. I have many feelings:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">-fear, that it will hurt; that I killed my child somehow.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">-guilt, that at first I thought of this possibility as a kind of possible 'solution'- that maybe, somewhere, I even hoped for it a little.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">-guilt guilt guilt. What did I do wrong!? I went off my medication cold turkey. I've been sleeping a lot. Haven't missed a single pre-natal.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And yet, it may be nothing to worry about... just the waiting is terrifying..."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As <span style="font-size: large;">Mother's Day</span> fast approaches and I start to feel sorry for myself-- because, if circumstances were different, I would be <i><b>very</b> </i>close to being a mother right now-- and I stop feeling happy for so many friends and relatives who have brand new little ones or are about to, I figure it's time to finally <span style="font-size: large;">release</span> into the blogosphere some of the pain and beauty and grace and agony I've experienced recently, in relation to becoming--and being-- a <b>mother</b>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yes, I had a miscarriage, and yes, it sucked, and yes, it was the ugliest and most emotionally painful experience of my life. To go from having so much hope and joy and expectation for the Little Bean inside of me, and then so quickly and so gruesomely to lose it all: to give birth to death; to be haunted by the guilt and the relief and the "<i>what did I do wrong</i>?"s and the incessant, constant, brutal re-livings of the most unceremonious burial imaginable for my first born-- an insultingly impersonal flush down the toilet... well, that was my purgatory for a long while.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A beautifully-written article in the </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Exponent II </i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">magazine resounded a little too well with me. The author, Heather Sundahl, writes, </span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">"I'm not saying it's the worst thing in the world. But don't tell me it doesn't suck to carry a life, make physical and emotional plans for that life, and then have it basically disappear, with nothing to hang on to. No memories. No photos. Nothing."</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What I feared most was publicity. People feeling sorry for me. People acting weird around me. Trying to comfort me. Telling me that <i>it would be okay. </i>That we could <i>try again.</i> That <i>It's</i> <i>really common.</i> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I hunkered down into a little shell of isolated self-sabotage and pathologically kept myself "busy". My mom asked me, concerned, why I sounded so "normal" on the phone. My guarded, maybe even slightly cheery tone was understandably unsettling. After all, it was one of the biggest days of my life-- my graduate thesis reading exam, and I had calmly walked to my professors first thing in the morning and explained that I <i>wouldn't</i> be taking the eight hour essay test, because I was pretty sure I was losing my baby, and it seemed logistically a little difficult. Oh, and, by the way, I was pregnant.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Why wouldn't I cry and scream and sob to my desperately empathetic mother who had experienced her own fair share of pregnancy loss? It was because I wouldn't be able to take the compassion and grief that would inevitably be thrust at me if I showed weakness. I told hardly anyone and thus refused to give them the chance to say the right things; w</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">ell-meaning comfort is so acutely painful sometimes. If anyone had told me that <i>it would be okay</i>... Well, I didn't want it to be okay, <i>okay</i>!? If I tried to get better, if I tried not to mourn, it would only increase my guilt a million-fold, I knew it, and it would surely negate the importance of the little life-that-was</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Of course all those things are true-- about being okay and trying again for another one--- </span> <span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">but didn't <i>this one</i> matter? Doesn't it still? I wanted to keep my grief private so I could really, <i>really </i>grieve and thus, somehow, make the grief mean something. For the small amount of time we were together, it had changed so much about me-- for the first time in my life, my life-- my <i>body-- </i>was no longer my own. I was a mother... wasn't I? Didn't that count for something?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I wrote a poem for The Bean when the first waves of unbearable nausea hit that inevitably rendered the abstract idea of "pregnancy" into a strikingly new concept, so real and exciting: the idea of"Mother."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I Have a Secret (</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Words for Eve)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">It's roughly the size of a sesame seed</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">this week.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I call it "Bean"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">and sing to it in the shower.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I call it "her"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">in my heart.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I will be her Mother.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">My secret is Eve, she is first born.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">She is my hope and my joy and my heart-gripping fear.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">She is my nausea and my inexpressible "glow".</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">She will be born into a world of paradoxes--</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">heavens and hells; "women" and "men";</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">enlightenment</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">and endarkenment.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I will be her mother.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">She will learn about her name</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">and the pain and fear and</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">centuries of weight it carries.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">She will learn about her name</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">and the Mother of All Living.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">She will learn that "mother" is not</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">synonymous with "rib"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">or "sin"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">or "hearkens".</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">To her, "mother" will mean</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> warmth</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> strength</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> song </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> wisdom.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">To her, "father" will mean</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> friend</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> joy </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> learning</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> love.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">My secret sesame seed</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">will grow into a tree</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">with roots back to the sixth day of Creation--</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">with branches to a brighter day--</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">with a name that means</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> warmth</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> strength</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> song </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> wisdom.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And she, too, will be mother.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1E4fe_n9un4lCnwHJ9ia73Iuz9YgmdlSAxciLA5UAy1gA3IWc7byf2ey6sWnJgzIi5f55huUrsS3UqhjgTh2Al-_D4DeS4ukCB83FmCuTuUNDWjSjjdi4oaO3DS-b06Mbb9dn10WAje7K/s1600/1476604_10152467331041959_1433169170_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1E4fe_n9un4lCnwHJ9ia73Iuz9YgmdlSAxciLA5UAy1gA3IWc7byf2ey6sWnJgzIi5f55huUrsS3UqhjgTh2Al-_D4DeS4ukCB83FmCuTuUNDWjSjjdi4oaO3DS-b06Mbb9dn10WAje7K/s1600/1476604_10152467331041959_1433169170_n.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> As the disgustingly ironic way of things would have it, that big, big day also happened to be the opening night of the show I was in at the time, <i>Joyful Noise. </i>And, as the sadistic fates decreed, my character's central conflict in the play was having her little daughter ripped away from her. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I had no understudy. I had to perform. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I had to waddle around in Depends, amniotic material still flowing out of me, and deliver every blessed line. I had to not tell anyone, because it might make me burst from the ache of it, and I had to sing the Coventry Carol ("lully lullay, thou little tiny child").</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The reviewer that came that night said she didn't sympathize with or care for my character because I "cried too much." And that, my friends, was the cherry on top of the knee to my proverbial, achy groin.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Going to church was torture, and I had to leave more than once, choking down sobs as what seemed like every single other woman around me sat with their hands resting on their beautifully healthy, 8-month-pregnant bellies, or rocking their newborns, or chuckling at their toddlers. I tried not to feel sorry for myself, but, in a large way, I mostly felt sorry for <b><i>my baby</i></b>. Why didn't it get to experience life? Why didn't it let me love it longer?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But all this woe, this painful, painful woe-- was it all for naught? <i>Of course not.</i> I'm getting to the hopefully inspiring part. But it may not be all that inspiring after all, because I'm not especially wise, and I haven't figured this all out yet. I'm not going to pretend that I have. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But I learned some things. I learned an awful lot about opening up. I learned how desperately and completely I love my husband-- that he's actually, literally, an angel (for Valentine's day, he wrote me a poem about Mother in Heaven and loss and motherhood that would make anyone weep. It's my prized possession). I learned that it's okay to let others in on your grief. I learned that sometimes the best thing to say to someone who's in deep, wordless pain is what my dear sister said to me: <i>"I'm not going to say it's okay, because it's not. And I'm not going to say to feel better, because you won't for a long time. But I love you and I'm so, so sorry."</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Most importantly, though, I think I learned a little bit more about what it means to be a mother. Yeah, I consider myself a mother now, because I had a little life in me, and that little life came out of me, even though I don't get to help it keep living. But that's not motherhood. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Mothering, is, <i>well</i>, loving someone so purely and completely that they are, for all intents and purposes <b style="font-style: italic;">part of you, </b>whether it's in the literal sense that many lucky ladies get to experience, or whether it's in the simple, beautiful sense of unconditional love. Motherhood is love in its purest form, and pure love, in my belief, is the love of Christ. And if He can gather us up like a hen gathers her chicks, can't we all mother in that same way? Can't we all love purely and absolutely and so wholly that we become one?</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I certainly think so.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This Mother's Day, I'm honoring literal mothers everywhere, because they do great things and beautiful and selfless things. But I'm also honoring the mother-like love that every human being can cultivate and experience. Sometimes, unfortunately, we can only come to really recognize it through pain or grief or, even, loss. But it's so alive and so real, and because of that, I have no choice but to smile.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Love, hope, and happiness.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>A</i>nna</span>Anna Bananahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292393270576406321noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8138089630661529850.post-67475648830385810942013-08-26T12:26:00.001-07:002013-10-01T15:16:58.549-07:005 goals I have for the semesterThis is funny because this post has been up for a month or so with only a title and no actual post. I left it like that because it was so ridiculous to me... "5 goals I have for the semester." Leaving it blank seemed ironically existential somehow. The title was there because I entered it while showing my students how to start a blog on Blogger. Obviously I've been neglecting by blog.... but not my students, at least.<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I've also been neglecting:</div>
<div>
-my orchids</div>
<div>
-my housework</div>
<div>
-my family</div>
<div>
-my health</div>
<div>
-my exercise regimen</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Maybe it's time to come up with some goals.</div>
Anna Bananahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292393270576406321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8138089630661529850.post-32427438934716920352013-08-01T12:51:00.001-07:002013-08-01T12:51:08.174-07:00I love my husband<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Because he sends me e-mails like this:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">"I just re-read this passage by 17th century Cambridge Platonist and metaphysical poet Thomas Traherne, and it made me think of you:</span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span style="line-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">“They [men in general] love a creature for sparkling eyes and curled hair, lily breasts and ruddy cheeks which they should love moreover for being God's Image, Queen of the Universe, beloved by Angels, redeemed by Jesus Christ, an heiress of Heaven, and temple of the Holy Ghost: a mine and fountain of all virtues, a treasury of graces, and a child of God.” (<i>Centuries of Meditations, </i>Second Century, #68)</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span style="line-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span style="line-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">I love you for all of those reasons, but especially the latter ones."</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span style="line-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;">
<span style="line-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">There is NOTHING more heavenly than sharing my life and my soul and my body with someone who loves me for the right reasons and who I can love, knowing that we share respect, solidarity, and a desire to <i>become.</i></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;">
<span style="line-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">He is my earthly angel. It's really cool.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div>
Anna Bananahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292393270576406321noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8138089630661529850.post-62246189719168360112013-07-25T09:14:00.005-07:002013-07-25T09:16:04.227-07:00What do you do when you want to convince your Tarzan cast to come to a baby shower for your aerial trainer?Well, you make baby gorillas quote <i>Hamlet</i> of course!<br />
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...please come?<br />
<i>-B</i>ananaAnna Bananahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292393270576406321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8138089630661529850.post-58890248617960582202013-07-19T15:25:00.001-07:002013-07-19T15:38:06.268-07:00"I'm really passionate about parking enforcement. I'm going to live for that dream,"said no one ever.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">As you might have surmised, this is a post wherein I briefly elaborate on my magical week of baffling brushes with law, or, as</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> some may prefer to call it, <i>"stuff" cops say</i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8fF4bO82Xtb5Ce5bnVPaMxMS4IymYEHahst3KYqDQnJNN1rMx9NHPA88r3ZQ_5-CZxr4JrxvMbe07ieTTieXH0oRXqyBmqjFGaJ6k91IGLYgoXdIc4cORDkegTedpkuB3kWXVEug-NSVW/s1600/MyRomanticAdventures_n49_p07_cr2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8fF4bO82Xtb5Ce5bnVPaMxMS4IymYEHahst3KYqDQnJNN1rMx9NHPA88r3ZQ_5-CZxr4JrxvMbe07ieTTieXH0oRXqyBmqjFGaJ6k91IGLYgoXdIc4cORDkegTedpkuB3kWXVEug-NSVW/s400/MyRomanticAdventures_n49_p07_cr2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'm a regular outlaw.<br />But I need to learn how to keep my stupid mouth shut.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Incident the first:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">It's a rainy, constructiony drive along the interstate 215. It's after midnight and I'm anxious to reach Kali's house for a brief repose because I must return from whence I came (rehearsal, of course) in less hours than the suggested sleep time for an adult female of my age and proportions. I'm achy and hungry. It's raining really hard.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">-flashing lights-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">-expletive-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">-crunching footsteps, beating windshield wipers-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Officer (looking at me like I'm a supreme idiot): Ma'am, you need to turn your lights all the way on.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Me: Um. They are.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Officer (Obviously not believing me, looking down his nose at me with disdain, and fiddling with my lights): Oh, alright, your tail lights are out then.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Me: okay, thanks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Officer (once more with the idiot look): You need to get that fixed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Me: okay, thanks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Which was fine. Normal, even.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Until...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Incident the Second</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">A few days later</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Driving home from rehearsal, as usual. Tired. Achy. Starving. Approaching University Parkway Exit. <i>Just one more! I can do it.</i> Keep blasting that air conditioning. Must-- keep-- going-- a. little. bit. further.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">UNTIL</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">-flashing lights-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">-EXPLETIVE-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">-swaggering towards my window, taking his sweet, sweet time-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The officer tells me I need to turn my lights on. I tell him my tail lights are out and I haven't had time to take my car in. He starts writing me a citation. <i>Wait a minute!</i> Ugh. Fine. He says I was going five over. [</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">If you're not familiar with Utah driving traditions, "five over" doesn't really exist because it's kind of </span><i style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">under </i><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">the speed limit. If you steadily go five over you will undoubtedly be tail-gated and probably rear-ended]</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So I'm, like, WHAT!??????</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">But I passively say "okay, thanks" or something as he writes out my ticket.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And then.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And THEN.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">He says that I need to "find an officer and show it to him" to which I blurt out<br /><i>"or her"</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">after which he looks at me like I'm an amoeba and says "excuuuuuse me?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">and I say,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">"Um, I can show it to a female officer, right?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">and he says angrily,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">"yeah, I <i>guess</i> there are some of those".</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Angel Morelli just needs to learn to keep her big mouth shut.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Incident the third</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Today; about an hour ago</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This time the officer IS a her, and she's parking police. I funny-run to my car when I see her because I'm holding a backpack, a plastic bag full of garbage, a yoga mat and a few other sundry items.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Me (looking pretty stupid and sweaty, and consciously trying to sound pleasant): Hi, um, that's my car.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Officer (inscrutable): Why didn't you park in the lines?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Me: well, um, there were three other cars parked here and I thought it was an expansion because of all the construction.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Officer (passionately): Conformity is NOT the way to live! If you see something a certain way, don't just do it. THINK and do it a different way!!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Me: ??</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>note: I didn't have the heart to tell her what I wanted to, that "parking inside the lines" is probably the first example on dictionary.com under "conformity". In fact, parking regulations and laws in general require complete conformity and her job is to enforce conformity in the parking lot.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>But instead of celebrating my non-conformist approach to parking that you would expect her to heartily endorse, she practices this strange, voodoo reverse psychology on me! I am baffled.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Me: Um. I don't think I was conforming....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Officer (Shooting laser beams from her eyes): Pay more attention next time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Me: um. okay. thanks. [or something]</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So, basically I'm *this* close to life as a fugitive, which sounds romantic, perhaps, but really probably involves the most baffling discussions with condescending, belittling individuals with some seriously fallacious thinking and a uniform.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Are those requirements to attend police school?</span>Anna Bananahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292393270576406321noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8138089630661529850.post-42973626990950190962013-07-15T15:23:00.002-07:002013-07-15T16:18:42.684-07:00The Perks of Being a WifeflowerOkay, that was a really dumb title.<br />
Sorry.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But here's the thing: every time I leave the bathroom light on long enough for Jacob to see it before I can scurry and try to turn it off, I owe him a substantive blog post. He says when he reads my writing, he loves me more. Right now I owe him seven blog posts.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And so, here is the first of many entries wherein I will actually write about the thoughts and problems and mental struggles that betoken my every day living. The following is the transcript of a talk I gave in my ward (that's Mormon for when a lay member presents a sermon to their congregation) a couple weeks ago.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The problem now is that if I start writing about things that I really <i>really</i> care about, then I'll be vulnerable to people who are smarter and meaner than me . But oh well. It's time, you know?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I've included a couple pictures from our stay in Florence, because it is the most inspirational place I've ever been.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Come From Where it May<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Sacrament Meeting Talk 6/23/13</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF7L207vI4x2DZyxrwf1xYlSXAlwRIVbBoFTxMfeRHKERiAN8JGv20f-wsMOFjQC1s_9qFs7-FP1adwRNPCtmKw_UJnvY5pAgHm_46RxTicNaDOISgXoH14Qk4aTxI0bvmd8UKf1nZmuL3/s1600/IMG_2261.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF7L207vI4x2DZyxrwf1xYlSXAlwRIVbBoFTxMfeRHKERiAN8JGv20f-wsMOFjQC1s_9qFs7-FP1adwRNPCtmKw_UJnvY5pAgHm_46RxTicNaDOISgXoH14Qk4aTxI0bvmd8UKf1nZmuL3/s400/IMG_2261.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jacob reading at the Accademia</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">I have always been a bit of a
bookworm. Long before I could read I would insist that “I turn!” the pages when
my parents read me stories, and I remember distinctly volunteering my four year
old self to “read” picture books to my friends. (I’d beextremely interested now to hear
the captions I came up with for the pictures then)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> So, over the years many
works of literature have become so precious to me, as to be something like
scripture. From many wonderful books have I read, re-read, re-read, filled the
margins with scribbled notes, cross-referenced, and memorized quotes to adopt
as personal mantras. In works of every genre I’ve learned much of what I know
about sin, repentance, redemption, salvation, charity, and the greatest
extremes of evil and of human and divine kindness.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As I grew older I discovered the other arts; visual,
performing, vocal, instrumental. There was a whole beautiful world of Godly
language to hear and to learn to speak! Every day of my arts-filled childhood
contained many sermons. So for me, the divide between what was scripture, what
officially belonged to the True and Living Gospel of the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints and what was merely inspirational never seemed incredibly
material. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When I became a teenager, though, that time when you start to
realize that you pretty much know everything, before you go to college and
discover that you don’t know <i>anything- </i>-I
started to notice that in many of my meetings, lessons, and activities, Gospel
truths were usually expressed in very <i>specific
</i>language, namely King James English. Very few of the Hymns in the hymn book
were actually sung and my favorite authors and poets were usually only quoted
in General Conference. As a young girl I began my personal journey, the one we
are <i>all</i> continually on because we’re
alive, to gain a testimony of what living the restored gospel meant for me and
in what languages I accessed its truths.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Now, when we speak of “The Restored Gospel”—of what that
phrase really means, it’s difficult to pinpoint what is gospel and what is
merely good.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">As Joseph Fielding Smith said,</span><span style="background: #F9F6ED; color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";">“…<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="Emphasis1"><i><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">There is a great fund of knowledge in the
possession of men,”</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>,<span class="Emphasis1"><i><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">“that will not save them in the kingdom of
God. What they have got to learn are the fundamental things of the gospel of</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"> </span></i></span></span><a href="http://mormon.org/jesus-christ"><i><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Jesus
Christ</span></i></a><span class="Emphasis1"><i><span style="background: #F9F6ED; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">.”</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><sup><span style="background: #F9F6ED; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"> </span></sup></span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="background: #F9F6ED; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; padding: 0in;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/owner/Documents/Writings/Talk%206.23.13.docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title="">[1]</a></span></span><a href="file:///C:/Users/owner/Documents/Writings/Talk%206.23.13.docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><!--[endif]--></a></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><sup><span style="background: #F9F6ED; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></span></sup></span></span></div>
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<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="background: #F9F6ED; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: #F9F6ED; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Many of us audibly breathe a sigh of relief here. Phew,
good. “I only need to learn the fundamentals, because the rest is extraneous. I
want to be saved in the Kingdom of God“. Reassuring, right? All those novels I
consumed as a child were childish things that it’s now time to put away.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: #F9F6ED; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: #F9F6ED; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I’ve met many people over the years who take this kind of
council to fuel their pronouncement that “the only books I read are the
scriptures,” or “I only listen to the MoTab and EFY CDS”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background: #F9F6ED; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">And yet, we embrace as an article of our faith (the
thirteenth one to be exact) “ </span><span style="background: #F9F6ED; color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">If there is anything<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><sup><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">h</span></sup></span><a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/pgp/a-of-f/1?lang=eng"><span style="background: #F9F6ED; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #486fae; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">virtuous</span></a><span style="background: #F9F6ED; color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><sup><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">i</span></sup></span><a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/pgp/a-of-f/1?lang=eng"><span style="background: #F9F6ED; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #486fae; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">lovely</span></a><span style="background: #F9F6ED; color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">, or of good report or
praiseworthy, we seek after these things”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAs5AwE0iVQ61YOIefoar9qvDx71KzQ02MnFTjm8vLOVntttyA_IwGWmB5xWZ3MauF4NEgtcXlNmetjbaDQejzqjt0-BgQHLbbhe3WZsSrIQRfZ4sZjUCu8dgf3M2IpUQJf33iKvl86dlK/s1600/IMG_2157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAs5AwE0iVQ61YOIefoar9qvDx71KzQ02MnFTjm8vLOVntttyA_IwGWmB5xWZ3MauF4NEgtcXlNmetjbaDQejzqjt0-BgQHLbbhe3WZsSrIQRfZ4sZjUCu8dgf3M2IpUQJf33iKvl86dlK/s400/IMG_2157.JPG" width="300" /></a><span style="background: #F9F6ED; color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">SEEK is an extremely active
verb. It connotes much more than merely absorbing gospel truths through osmosis
as we sit in church. In fact, the act of seeking is often very uncomfortable.
If something is right in front of you, you can’t seek for it. You can look for
it maybe. But <i>seeking</i> implies that it
may be far away, or out of reach, soul-stretching or mind-blowing. After you
find what you’re seeking, you’ll be different. And that’s uncomfortable.
Seeking is a process, a journey, never immediately ended. Maybe you’re not even sure what it is you’re
seeking for, and that requires faith.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: #F9F6ED; color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So in saying that we seek
after anything virtuous, lovely, of good report, or praiseworthy are we saying
that, as Latter-day Saints, we commit to actively living an uncomfortable life
of scraping, stretching, seeking and making ourselves vulnerable and
uncomfortable? Yeah, I think so.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: #F9F6ED; color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Our prophets seers and
revelators of the restored gospel take this idea even further:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background: #F9F6ED; color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Brigham Young said, </span><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">It is our duty and calling, as
ministers of the same salvation and Gospel, to gather every item of truth and
reject every error. Whether a truth be found with…the Universalists, or the
Church of Rome, or the Methodists, the Church of England, the Presbyterians,
the Baptists, the Quakers, the Shakers, or any other of the various and
numerous different sects and parties, all of whom have more or less truth, it
is the business of the Elders of this Church…[<b>and I would add members of this church] </b>to gather up all the truths
in the world pertaining to life and salvation, to the Gospel we preach, … to
the sciences, and to philosophy, wherever it may be found in every nation,
kindred, tongue, and people and bring it to Zion.</span></i></span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/owner/Documents/Writings/Talk%206.23.13.docx#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title="">[2]<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv1i0dlVw-_RIv9EvQ1BRWZf1ZDda5toOkRThpbhfO3_bIDYdUKtPnBKw5DUOOcKPVZVy2_ovO2RlOzIqKv8Bck_i4QheF9uOutAqveyD8C7aR-Xlv1Y1HmjLKmttxKceSkReoGZaK0ch1/s1600/IMG_2133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv1i0dlVw-_RIv9EvQ1BRWZf1ZDda5toOkRThpbhfO3_bIDYdUKtPnBKw5DUOOcKPVZVy2_ovO2RlOzIqKv8Bck_i4QheF9uOutAqveyD8C7aR-Xlv1Y1HmjLKmttxKceSkReoGZaK0ch1/s640/IMG_2133.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A highlight of my life at Badia Fiorentina</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</a></span></b></span><a href="file:///C:/Users/owner/Documents/Writings/Talk%206.23.13.docx#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title=""><!--[endif]--></a></span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Joseph Smith said: </span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“One of the grand fundamental
principles of Mormonism is to receive truth, let it come from where it may.”<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/owner/Documents/Writings/Talk%206.23.13.docx#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" title="">[3]</a></span></span><a href="file:///C:/Users/owner/Documents/Writings/Talk%206.23.13.docx#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" title=""><!--[endif]--></a></span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">And the Lord says, in Doctrine and Covenants 88:118, <i>“</i></span><i><span style="background: #F9F6ED; color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";">Seek ye out of the best
books words of wisdom.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="background: #F9F6ED; color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="background: #F9F6ED; color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So here we are, with not only council but a <b>duty</b> and <b>calling</b> to SEEK for truth, well, basically everywhere. Something of
a daunting task.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="background: #F9F6ED; color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="background: #F9F6ED; color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So how do we possibly sift through all the good and bad
teachings of the world in books and religions and find the valuable ones that
have a rightful and useful place in our understanding of the restored gospel?
How do we determine which ones are the best books and which are merely a waste
of our time—or worse, detrimental to our spiritual education? How do we avoid
the pitfalls of embracing unrighteous philosophies of men mingled with
scripture?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: #F9F6ED; color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background: #F9F6ED; color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";">As Elder B.H. Roberts of the Seventy famously said, </span><span style="color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“While the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is established for the instruction of men;
and it is one of God’s instrumentalities for making known the truth yet he is
not limited to that institution for such purposes, neither in time nor place.
God raises up wise men and prophets here and there among all the children of
men, of their own tongue and nationality, speaking to them through means that
they can comprehend. … All the great teachers are servants of God; among all
nations and in all ages”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">All the great teachers are servants of
God? How do we distinguish between the good, the great, and the bad? With this
kind of council, how do we possibly prioritize our spiritual education??</span><span style="background: #F9F6ED; color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background: #F9F6ED; color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";">The answer lies in the topic of this sacrament meeting,
which is beautiful in its simplicity: </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">PROPHETS TEACH US TO LIVE THE RESTORED GOSPEL.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Prophets</span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> teach us. With so many beautiful,
useful truths in religions of the world that we have a duty to seek after and
embrace, the Restored Gospel is singular in the fact that we have living,
breathing, teaching prophets. Indeed, our Gospel is true <i>and </i><b>living</b>, meaning it
is changing and growing, just like a living human being—like we are. We believe
in continuing revelation that is given us through prophets and through the Holy
Ghost directly from our Father to us. That’s pretty cool.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="background: #F9F6ED; color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I keep on my computer, so it’s always within view, a sticky
note that serves as a gentle caution in my insatiable drive to seek after
knowledge and beauty. It’s Second Timothy 3:7: <i>Ever learning, never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="background: #F9F6ED; color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="background: #F9F6ED; color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As we follow our duty to seek and learn and embrace and
discover, we always come back to the beautiful, grounding <b><i>fundamentals</i></b> of the
gospel, as President Smith reminded us. In making our central study that we
base everything else around the words of prophets, both ancient and modern, we
will be able to recognize the other truths we are seeking for when we come
across them. We’ll recognize godly language elsewhere because we’ll know it so
well from the scriptures, from prophets, and from speaking to God ourselves
through prayer.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: #F9F6ED; color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="background: #F9F6ED; color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915–85) put it well when speaking
to members and nonmembers alike during an area conference in Tahiti: “Keep all
the truth and all the good that you have. Do not abandon any sound or proper
principle. Do not forsake any standard of the past which is good, righteous,
and true. Every truth found in every church in all the world we believe. But we
also say this to all men—Come and take the added light and truth that God has
restored in our day. The more truth we have, the greater is our joy here and
now; the more truth we receive, the greater is our reward in eternity.”<sup> <span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: #2f393a; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="file:///C:/Users/owner/Documents/Writings/Talk%206.23.13.docx#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" title="">[4]</a></span></span><a href="file:///C:/Users/owner/Documents/Writings/Talk%206.23.13.docx#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" title=""><!--[endif]--></a></span></sup><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: #F9F6ED; color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";"><sup><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></span></sup></span></div>
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<span style="background: #F9F6ED; color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I have a personal testimony of the limitless beauties and
truths that exist for us to discover in churches, mosques, synagogues, ashrams, libraries, concert halls, museums, movie theaters, and in all the limitless languages of divinity in the
world around us. I know that we’ll have a more complete appreciation of the
restored gospel if we better come to know and understand <i>all </i>of God’s children and recognize the light of Christ that
pervades and infuses all of His creation. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: #F9F6ED; color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: #F9F6ED; color: #2f393a; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I love this Gospel with my whole soul and I come to love it
more the more I study, seek, and embrace truth, “come from where it may.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="file:///C:/Users/owner/Documents/Writings/Talk%206.23.13.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> <span style="background: #F9F6ED; color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode","sans-serif";">Bruce R. McConkie, comp.,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="Emphasis1"><i><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Doctrines of Salvation</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>(Bookcraft, 1954), 1:291.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="file:///C:/Users/owner/Documents/Writings/Talk%206.23.13.docx#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> <i>Journal of Discourses</i> 7:283<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="file:///C:/Users/owner/Documents/Writings/Talk%206.23.13.docx#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> Sermon
of Joseph Smith, 9 July 1843 (Sunday Morning), in Andrew F. Ehat and Lyndon W.
Cook, eds., <i>The Words of Joseph Smith: The Contemporary</i> <i>Accounts of
the Nauvoo Discourses of the Prophet Joseph </i>(Provo, UT: BYU Religious
Studies Center, 1980), p. 229<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="file:///C:/Users/owner/Documents/Writings/Talk%206.23.13.docx#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> <span style="background: #F9F6ED; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;"> </span><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bruce R. McConkie,
comp., <i><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Doctrines of Salvation</span></i> (Bookcraft, 1954), 1:291.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anna Bananahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292393270576406321noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8138089630661529850.post-69298009687134331382013-07-02T09:06:00.000-07:002013-07-02T09:08:56.083-07:00In case you were wondering...This is my life right now.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxbX4yFoagSgrEfOTg4lswMFDHmrGv1mLimg4I67-h-J5Mcyl2VZScvAN-RGnOUVpSNFKTJw0g0F5Qet41uCNoIZZc_Nix44oudf0khrjOT0qJonyD3W4ro5-LFlOvDVmYQQunXKZX8DGX/s1600/1039715_10151671848476281_947690384_o+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxbX4yFoagSgrEfOTg4lswMFDHmrGv1mLimg4I67-h-J5Mcyl2VZScvAN-RGnOUVpSNFKTJw0g0F5Qet41uCNoIZZc_Nix44oudf0khrjOT0qJonyD3W4ro5-LFlOvDVmYQQunXKZX8DGX/s400/1039715_10151671848476281_947690384_o+(1).jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
Playing Jane Porter in Disney's <i>Tarzan </i>is a fabulous distraction from my Master's thesis.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And working at the <a href="https://www.hct.org/online/" target="_blank">Hale Centre Theatre</a> is such an exhilarating experience. The production staff is made of artistic geniuses, every single one of them, and the aerialists are pure magic! <span style="font-size: large;">The things these people do with their bodies!</span> I'm lucky I'm playing Jane because there's NO WAY I could do what the ensemble does. Everyone constantly posts pictures of their fresh bruises, and I'm proud to share that my wrist has started bleeding and callusing from the little aerial adventures Tarzan and I have on the silks. I love how demanding this work is!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It's just about four weeks until the show is up and running. I seriously can't wait.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBw1fYzm-4EeqeUtEzktmvbxZlY0ZEaBst85J4fAg6wsMaRyEh7pI5Gy8nZjhzD5BKfWeaJ35_kUsWBqTtTtqPLUtvpDViBMqs6qfTcHeb-1JxfwD3eISr1C7FzOfmLYfQ3_pHosry9m9P/s1600/1048174_10151671848181281_1311386529_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBw1fYzm-4EeqeUtEzktmvbxZlY0ZEaBst85J4fAg6wsMaRyEh7pI5Gy8nZjhzD5BKfWeaJ35_kUsWBqTtTtqPLUtvpDViBMqs6qfTcHeb-1JxfwD3eISr1C7FzOfmLYfQ3_pHosry9m9P/s400/1048174_10151671848181281_1311386529_o.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Oh, and I made the connection yesterday that I'm doing aerials in my Ariel wig. That's pretty special.</div>
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<i>B</i>anana.</div>
Anna Bananahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292393270576406321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8138089630661529850.post-3732231439206998582013-04-29T10:57:00.000-07:002013-04-29T11:12:43.533-07:00Thank you.<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">The extended honeymoon's over, folks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">so some thanks are in order!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>thank you</i></span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">1.elements, planes, trains, cars, buses, and suitcase wheels for getting us home safely. We had an INCREDIBLE four months and a world (</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">literally</span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">) of adventure. But it is <i style="font-weight: bold;">so so good</i> to be home.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">2. body, for waking up at 4 am so I could try to finish these fifty pages of writing I have due tomorrow. <i>(ilovegradschoolilovegradschoolijustneedtokeeptellingmyselfthatilovegradschool)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">3. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>n e w l i f e</b></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">. We kind of feel like we were playing pretend marriage and now that we're back we're just dating again. <i>We flirt more and fight less... it's funny</i>. <b><i>but</i></b>. we don't have a place to live, a car to get there in, or a phone to find them with. That means A D V E N T U R E once again! Only it's just the one country kind this time-- The one country we belong to.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">4. Everyone who helped see us off on the chance of a lifetime. Now that I'm back I'm seriously panicking about wedding thank yous. So I drafted up a couple this morning.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>What do you think?</i></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></b>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcxWVZ88g3i6tEfDDNEI8b1yllH-z7RZRsvyu9rOuXWjCK8IL1E4TCv7_VPpo17djIT7sX2ZgbXuznIHOhYs6X5cQ0Wd7C31c9yy5o8qVrrkiP04fpK1zA50ObzR8JfmjVFMr9h5FMjQS-/s1600/tradthankyou.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcxWVZ88g3i6tEfDDNEI8b1yllH-z7RZRsvyu9rOuXWjCK8IL1E4TCv7_VPpo17djIT7sX2ZgbXuznIHOhYs6X5cQ0Wd7C31c9yy5o8qVrrkiP04fpK1zA50ObzR8JfmjVFMr9h5FMjQS-/s400/tradthankyou.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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the back of this one says "we are the luckiest".</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhysWGn0tFdL38-cikZKlMHLMpDx-yz6zMel_5VjvhGM_4BkJcCV2HzTT6BPBqCSAT8NErgDGECMOSReS48nfBsqECEXnlIiVoi4PerdzdrxJKkewa5LyQ-RpJxi2bSbJslu-ZUbfcXpVMi/s1600/TADAthankyou.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhysWGn0tFdL38-cikZKlMHLMpDx-yz6zMel_5VjvhGM_4BkJcCV2HzTT6BPBqCSAT8NErgDGECMOSReS48nfBsqECEXnlIiVoi4PerdzdrxJKkewa5LyQ-RpJxi2bSbJslu-ZUbfcXpVMi/s400/TADAthankyou.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The back of this one says "thank you for helping us feel FABULOUS on our wedding day".</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Do you think it's finally time to, like, get all of our wedding pictures? I'd say so.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">love, jet lag, and big-time migraine medicine,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>b</i>anana</span></div>
Anna Bananahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292393270576406321noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8138089630661529850.post-75530444010486531472013-04-24T16:58:00.000-07:002013-05-02T17:09:15.482-07:00Springtime for Hitler<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLEaqWLtgjNGum3j-TwndLFru1RkBQzmKTs5T5Tkoaua0goZEL7yHQNLOjHqTfcxDcEvCPgHckiUGvKzb3KyRYfSVwB9it8VWeFG7NG8dX5B1y3WqcfXtcjEf50rX2pptiD-CdaXwX4X2/s1600/IMG_2570.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLEaqWLtgjNGum3j-TwndLFru1RkBQzmKTs5T5Tkoaua0goZEL7yHQNLOjHqTfcxDcEvCPgHckiUGvKzb3KyRYfSVwB9it8VWeFG7NG8dX5B1y3WqcfXtcjEf50rX2pptiD-CdaXwX4X2/s400/IMG_2570.JPG" width="300" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">Don't think I'm being weird with this title, it's just the song from <i>The Producers </i>that was stuck in my head the whole time we were in Berlin.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">You know... theatre nerd....yeah.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">ANYWAY.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">One of the first things I noticed about Berlin was that "um, I think the whole city is under construction" (my words). I was yet to learn that the city is known, in fact, as "the eternal building site" (our delightful tour guide, Michael's, words).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The other thing I noticed is that no one sleeps and no one appears to go to work. These impressions were smilingly confirmed by a chatty local on the plane back to London. </span><br />
I also noticed currywurst pretty quickly.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRHcw0vxoHmuQchvqOncc904A9ubO01IblKtqsPigMaChO7-hW-bBlBxb-qDPmQgqUcxY7NBb7pT6emH2iHfdJ4zl75zII8fwsGDux12hMSy-d_xSlgDCUxi7rbwz9r4gJj-6S16iWi_SG/s1600/IMG_2595.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRHcw0vxoHmuQchvqOncc904A9ubO01IblKtqsPigMaChO7-hW-bBlBxb-qDPmQgqUcxY7NBb7pT6emH2iHfdJ4zl75zII8fwsGDux12hMSy-d_xSlgDCUxi7rbwz9r4gJj-6S16iWi_SG/s400/IMG_2595.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What's more famous than Checkpoint Charlie? Checkpoint Curry, of course!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It's basically a hot dog slathered in ketchup, mayonnaise, and a sprinkle of curry powder. Wait... that's </span><i style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">exactly</i><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> what it is. I won't reveal what my sentiments on the dish are, but all I can say is...well, it's historically significant I guess.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> The third thing I noticed is the preponderance of this little grafittied detail on the upper lip of poster people.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvKCYyWNuLVeTCvpd_6J-5WzoOPDeK_yQhcKXlAMum-xTx6j12c-e8-_gvdB6L_cQ_1GB2hLUublRQsEaH0PY-UxLcrM0xS7n787w_8T6prVxhgxolYPrDznBgr3UsZrh5NWw5pD7UCOQh/s1600/IMG_2569.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvKCYyWNuLVeTCvpd_6J-5WzoOPDeK_yQhcKXlAMum-xTx6j12c-e8-_gvdB6L_cQ_1GB2hLUublRQsEaH0PY-UxLcrM0xS7n787w_8T6prVxhgxolYPrDznBgr3UsZrh5NWw5pD7UCOQh/s400/IMG_2569.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>
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I guess we don't really know all that much about Edward's political aspirations, now do we?</div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">If Twilight isn't your thing, then how about the Ishtar Gate? We're talking about <b>the gate to ancient Babylon. Like, <i>Babylon </i>Babylon.</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj74R3J7iVxSmLtlaEKnTk5RSLMPH8IehPGqOwzRs_QSYcMY-nUc4-HZlbw6w727Ls0Ko7oIfft6YgcKCPbNYurGPmSvUybsvvZNG7IMed9a_eshxpjhDrsuZ0GTx1Pe41Y9tFR20ckuhp/s1600/IMG_2455.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj74R3J7iVxSmLtlaEKnTk5RSLMPH8IehPGqOwzRs_QSYcMY-nUc4-HZlbw6w727Ls0Ko7oIfft6YgcKCPbNYurGPmSvUybsvvZNG7IMed9a_eshxpjhDrsuZ0GTx1Pe41Y9tFR20ckuhp/s400/IMG_2455.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Jacob was so excited, I'm pretty sure he wet himself. I'm just excited that he's growing a beard.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Or the Pergamom alter, perhaps? It's stunning.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb1yBY1FYd6Rq0YTkOou1UzWDnWQm29Z7xYMk7Oxg1AW8FPL6vzdJNWJmmGFzUiLHhq0cNwpTXecG-_BSplyy_nlG0NT1vOWHyt7LovKVbVjQZkinFssy8Xlt0FvfMlC16YIjqZDW5NFar/s1600/IMG_2549.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb1yBY1FYd6Rq0YTkOou1UzWDnWQm29Z7xYMk7Oxg1AW8FPL6vzdJNWJmmGFzUiLHhq0cNwpTXecG-_BSplyy_nlG0NT1vOWHyt7LovKVbVjQZkinFssy8Xlt0FvfMlC16YIjqZDW5NFar/s400/IMG_2549.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I would have photshopped myself out, but then there would have been a hole in the stairs....</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7eEPXkuvNUwdlx5hqChUoRC-nRysiX6VFqfQkecvZeGr9sXHbw4NQCQZAIT944T91_FbRXnWXXr3sb5rpL3qRR5LMp6BZhL4hxOqWRM30zc5hoFCmDGNZ3vvkS_Xd5XXO3JlBk_tWGhvV/s1600/IMG_2480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7eEPXkuvNUwdlx5hqChUoRC-nRysiX6VFqfQkecvZeGr9sXHbw4NQCQZAIT944T91_FbRXnWXXr3sb5rpL3qRR5LMp6BZhL4hxOqWRM30zc5hoFCmDGNZ3vvkS_Xd5XXO3JlBk_tWGhvV/s400/IMG_2480.JPG" width="400" /></a>Um... and we saw some super ancient porn.</div>
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Don't look too closely. </div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; text-align: left;">...Speaking of Hitler, Berlin is just impressive on so many levels. I didn't much know what to expect of the city. I'd been to Rotterdam, which was also completely bombed out in World War II, and to me it felt distinctly lacking in identity or local flavor. It was all new buildings, new people, and a new future to look forward to without the painful inconvenience of harping on history. To me,it was a </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; text-align: left;">city that had been murdered, and though it did rise from the ashes, it wasn't a reincarnated phoenix. It was a new bird altogether, and one who wasn't lookin back. Nu uh.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcyYAPEgu7qLvTu_JC_Vn4zeBDAaooD-7emYGcNNQqcjD71JASb5fpbT9TYCN93KIi7y1iKZhvGl8H_3ivJuSkKAlpLMNURB_3N5ERrdBeGWtmb0etH0Gmp7fBVgL3M5r6ojyeIjVXOob_/s1600/IMG_2605.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcyYAPEgu7qLvTu_JC_Vn4zeBDAaooD-7emYGcNNQqcjD71JASb5fpbT9TYCN93KIi7y1iKZhvGl8H_3ivJuSkKAlpLMNURB_3N5ERrdBeGWtmb0etH0Gmp7fBVgL3M5r6ojyeIjVXOob_/s400/IMG_2605.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The second largest remnant of the Berlin Wall</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">But Berlin is different. Eternal building site and all, it is, indeed, an adolescent phoenix determined to rebuild itself. But it isn't about to forget where it came from or what it's been through. I was surprised to see the way the city has deliberately left ugly monuments to ugly bits of history. A simple wall, for instance-- broken and scribbled-- stands as a silent, poignant reminder.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYOe09ctiPiRi-3W4SGU5vx1kZnj1yMrv80aKicwKQ6RSbrEF20tRvS3PsOGwxXJx7tugvNSRLqSq_SJfM1bU2CFyZ40sso9-RMYu2dt0AdCvgdoJYeCXyz8hZVvW5F3mQkfWkh0XOB6rG/s1600/IMG_2609.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYOe09ctiPiRi-3W4SGU5vx1kZnj1yMrv80aKicwKQ6RSbrEF20tRvS3PsOGwxXJx7tugvNSRLqSq_SJfM1bU2CFyZ40sso9-RMYu2dt0AdCvgdoJYeCXyz8hZVvW5F3mQkfWkh0XOB6rG/s400/IMG_2609.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The people petitioned to protect Stalin era propaganda emblazened on Nazi buidlings which are now used by the German government. These people don't ever, ever want to forget. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBpNJSDdiEKsHTjGOu4LoXsBCekKcoJ03hW6-jhslZ9f-pZA1aSJzHQZUajAzAgIuUlSgtZdhGdutsmG_SGY3JbDd53id1SgrV2hI6L2ackQD-Bcw8MBv_Dvynr496TrRcJiLmtzisJEcg/s1600/IMG_2622.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBpNJSDdiEKsHTjGOu4LoXsBCekKcoJ03hW6-jhslZ9f-pZA1aSJzHQZUajAzAgIuUlSgtZdhGdutsmG_SGY3JbDd53id1SgrV2hI6L2ackQD-Bcw8MBv_Dvynr496TrRcJiLmtzisJEcg/s400/IMG_2622.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfVav7zT0JA4X4fP0EnIM2bKTrGasoZiA4_Am0Qnvufkyr5jIX26Thv1eN1K0Ck0RoooKGWJXd4ehNjUteQlsprZ_BDPPxAfCIQiRzMU3fAOdbAxzCZqWhhZrbXcF_Boz2LOHmLkeQ1R9_/s1600/IMG_2572.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfVav7zT0JA4X4fP0EnIM2bKTrGasoZiA4_Am0Qnvufkyr5jIX26Thv1eN1K0Ck0RoooKGWJXd4ehNjUteQlsprZ_BDPPxAfCIQiRzMU3fAOdbAxzCZqWhhZrbXcF_Boz2LOHmLkeQ1R9_/s400/IMG_2572.JPG" width="293" /></a> <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Most impressive of all, though, is the fact that the city has blocked out this huge area of prime real estate in central Berlin to memorialize the murdered Jews of the holocaust. Though the memorial itself is both loved and criticized for all sorts of reasons, its existence is, to me, such a sign of deep, profound maturity that I couldn't but help leave the city with an awful lot of respect. There's no sweeping under rugs in Berlin.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">They deliberately leave bullet holes in the gorgeous collinades of museum island. Rather than being angry, ashamed, or apathetic, they let history remain the horrible scar it is. They live with it every day so that they can live better, fuller, more peaceful lives.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">They've learned.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And it's beautiful.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmY6nN2yKhg0JE4VaXHTosk6DeF-UV8xMzBUx23heoqGmKt2unI2L3DlWM4GiAUDOkSoZ6Y7qf15u588es4LunVOu-Vl_agBRsALdTFgv8RY7xAEwOU-ejoXXjsXquINnaqz5QT3lPoiOQ/s1600/IMG_2627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmY6nN2yKhg0JE4VaXHTosk6DeF-UV8xMzBUx23heoqGmKt2unI2L3DlWM4GiAUDOkSoZ6Y7qf15u588es4LunVOu-Vl_agBRsALdTFgv8RY7xAEwOU-ejoXXjsXquINnaqz5QT3lPoiOQ/s400/IMG_2627.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The Brandenburg Gate</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhntZpmVyDQdfgMnEEg2fDezVlKD5-p7GukkNIKR1IKVH-AH1LmMmyPMZW7JuoVTseMiuCmsLtCsmWqsvtCX82KfZDks3YR5ypWhlsAZWmJX4S_kEHOVvc8GxuBVg7OITGOGAJBEB_QA7-K/s1600/IMG_2555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhntZpmVyDQdfgMnEEg2fDezVlKD5-p7GukkNIKR1IKVH-AH1LmMmyPMZW7JuoVTseMiuCmsLtCsmWqsvtCX82KfZDks3YR5ypWhlsAZWmJX4S_kEHOVvc8GxuBVg7OITGOGAJBEB_QA7-K/s400/IMG_2555.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The Berliner Dom</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo33ZyvSjDnBK1lrbivSXaYworgEtPYlV30e694E0vuxBCHtoIFM1Jc5JdoUq3XEytIpMKfUg9Ck69Q-CkLlm3dc2j8tyr8iMrznhB8Dgz0MNO_5YYqfPXhPFwoxhx_p_YeWYulgac1S-P/s1600/IMG_2427.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo33ZyvSjDnBK1lrbivSXaYworgEtPYlV30e694E0vuxBCHtoIFM1Jc5JdoUq3XEytIpMKfUg9Ck69Q-CkLlm3dc2j8tyr8iMrznhB8Dgz0MNO_5YYqfPXhPFwoxhx_p_YeWYulgac1S-P/s400/IMG_2427.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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My sweetheart</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiouP_4ywZDdMTu0bzRf7An8O0dJciu4ZLgdVHK2bzRphAIIAefEUi0XewDsLqpKE-g6J5nSShaNn0SFVxuWkvtEX0rCxZ9RZtup-kse0IGkyIq5Jxq44ytV4lKlXeJh_N0syYX_ULVoyZ/s1600/IMG_2594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiouP_4ywZDdMTu0bzRf7An8O0dJciu4ZLgdVHK2bzRphAIIAefEUi0XewDsLqpKE-g6J5nSShaNn0SFVxuWkvtEX0rCxZ9RZtup-kse0IGkyIq5Jxq44ytV4lKlXeJh_N0syYX_ULVoyZ/s400/IMG_2594.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>
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Checkpoint Charlie</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji9eghZKV2RLEMpdFifEqZHXVhhUosZ1RzVB5gtlnKp9SYGXXZ9kO2MGAU3q-QWOBx3uXp0eHuvUfkATyHcjZZNVnVBCkgzv1KIza55B7ljTRzdVUGjB9dFwLJn_eFaQR8vn6igqq-1Z3B/s1600/IMG_2593.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji9eghZKV2RLEMpdFifEqZHXVhhUosZ1RzVB5gtlnKp9SYGXXZ9kO2MGAU3q-QWOBx3uXp0eHuvUfkATyHcjZZNVnVBCkgzv1KIza55B7ljTRzdVUGjB9dFwLJn_eFaQR8vn6igqq-1Z3B/s400/IMG_2593.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Please note how delightfully apropos it is that directly behind the entrance to West Berlin and the stronghold of American power in the Soviet world is... a McDonalds.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB8u9oTbOWhIuqVePf0_CQuF3TlBTqcKWwQNDdqAGemtONw2YurV0FnQ5Aaz_Aoq3-v8qSO2cJSsR3PCNRLri4Xxje7p9Ex7uqhitYDU-XcttNhG10xlEDr-JTFwSi7_Df5D9jj4t1lhCK/s1600/IMG_2553.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB8u9oTbOWhIuqVePf0_CQuF3TlBTqcKWwQNDdqAGemtONw2YurV0FnQ5Aaz_Aoq3-v8qSO2cJSsR3PCNRLri4Xxje7p9Ex7uqhitYDU-XcttNhG10xlEDr-JTFwSi7_Df5D9jj4t1lhCK/s400/IMG_2553.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The Altes Museum</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_dINujvP-EvENGVr0Q77Vkxvv65wZmiYf-z5yoGrL8K156Ry8tcczZ0_8oxHzoagAjIK7kKG8oO7jH38bdVlRreRiMYSxWVuj4VkoPfRNLXFGGAym9zuF12jmAMLQnXCgFOzNeV2yP6wf/s1600/IMG_2565.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_dINujvP-EvENGVr0Q77Vkxvv65wZmiYf-z5yoGrL8K156Ry8tcczZ0_8oxHzoagAjIK7kKG8oO7jH38bdVlRreRiMYSxWVuj4VkoPfRNLXFGGAym9zuF12jmAMLQnXCgFOzNeV2yP6wf/s400/IMG_2565.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>
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The River Spree</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikhu1N7I-s-v_KaFqQ4H6fNt74781xXobsfUhGQXrE3x-5GQLSgLiu1b36zMtbrT9gVt9JEP-dmYcLAGVlNZRGXin7lroTOg1nf057fQ7HeOD5IzA_yQqSekzHca-EWLtj9pSTdC4o9R26/s1600/IMG_2603.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikhu1N7I-s-v_KaFqQ4H6fNt74781xXobsfUhGQXrE3x-5GQLSgLiu1b36zMtbrT9gVt9JEP-dmYcLAGVlNZRGXin7lroTOg1nf057fQ7HeOD5IzA_yQqSekzHca-EWLtj9pSTdC4o9R26/s400/IMG_2603.JPG" width="285" /></a></div>
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Site of the famous zip line escape over the Berlin Wall</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSfvqtDFOLxr8wLcVBlnhnc4o7uEqi_f1jX27krgwsle0kfda2U-bQ0n5Hor5FvPa6tGtEylU52ehX0XCAFEZ3552N_T10H_Lec2S63sXmMCb9lfhhQJUexJhYCbflTyt0SOmJ2AnomFCh/s1600/IMG_2602.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSfvqtDFOLxr8wLcVBlnhnc4o7uEqi_f1jX27krgwsle0kfda2U-bQ0n5Hor5FvPa6tGtEylU52ehX0XCAFEZ3552N_T10H_Lec2S63sXmMCb9lfhhQJUexJhYCbflTyt0SOmJ2AnomFCh/s400/IMG_2602.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Berlin love you? I guess.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhDslgUsyFBO4FcNUMuUTBdyzJOFM3aUD_5QyHyF1g1IYtSpAdrxKSjWtS7EIwknCIBOQZoDkSAjOcOdX6knrF5emAuMba1Fy_5DN-6jp9eiQxWAQb_YRwCYeFoe1na_m2QFK4qkMnooX0/s1600/IMG_2550.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhDslgUsyFBO4FcNUMuUTBdyzJOFM3aUD_5QyHyF1g1IYtSpAdrxKSjWtS7EIwknCIBOQZoDkSAjOcOdX6knrF5emAuMba1Fy_5DN-6jp9eiQxWAQb_YRwCYeFoe1na_m2QFK4qkMnooX0/s400/IMG_2550.JPG" width="292" /></a></div>
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The Dom again. I can't help how lovely it is.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZdBk8fFDCssQsRYsuLekTl1g7hz1G-w_ZIfqsJ2yxEpypPbdQA7lJzPMIlH-ZU0DB4zWXh56042YeH5A6dBiS0jZHhX2X4WhbU2m2Lcxcql2w5k054hJYPTtH8jGhDQMBulVwb5OXpTL4/s1600/IMG_2612.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZdBk8fFDCssQsRYsuLekTl1g7hz1G-w_ZIfqsJ2yxEpypPbdQA7lJzPMIlH-ZU0DB4zWXh56042YeH5A6dBiS0jZHhX2X4WhbU2m2Lcxcql2w5k054hJYPTtH8jGhDQMBulVwb5OXpTL4/s400/IMG_2612.JPG" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So Berlin is the eternal building site, not because they want to cover up history, but because they know how to deal with it. The bombed out building in the middle of all these cranes is going to stay, even though a high-end shopping mall is going up around it. I love that. I want to learn from Berlin. I want to keep reminders of the ugly and the brutal and the hard, evil warfare in my own life so I'll have an even bigger reason to rebuild.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">But, this wouldn't be an end to the kind of posts I've been doing lately if I didn't include a cute picture of Jacob and I being in love in Europe. So here it is:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Oh crap. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I'm acting like a blogger.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Love, wurst, and a new view in a new place,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>B</i>anana</span></div>
<br />Anna Bananahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292393270576406321noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8138089630661529850.post-42065643686924492492013-04-24T15:50:00.000-07:002013-04-26T15:56:41.264-07:00Under the Tuscan Sun<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilZPTmNK-jjwHaT5IyVVdANruAufQriUA6vtm3d8ZByz9yfEbXsyGjIslWhHj-ocT_JoiA91osqaJfm-at-nHGD2TqSEmC2AJPjVo7WT1_zJU71Ypl21cdzLWoS-ASs7efqE7-31SaKtV9/s1600/IMG_2376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilZPTmNK-jjwHaT5IyVVdANruAufQriUA6vtm3d8ZByz9yfEbXsyGjIslWhHj-ocT_JoiA91osqaJfm-at-nHGD2TqSEmC2AJPjVo7WT1_zJU71Ypl21cdzLWoS-ASs7efqE7-31SaKtV9/s400/IMG_2376.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A fashion photographer friend once told Jacob that he likes shooting in Italy best because the <span style="font-size: large;">light falls in a special way. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It's more </span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">golden </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">somehow.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It diffuses like <b><i>particles of liquid honey</i></b>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Well, we finished up in London, which was pretty traumatic, so we thought it might be wise to see and feel some bonafied liquid honey sun.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And we weren't dissapointed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This post will be largely pictorial because</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">a) I'm feverishly trying to catch up on this whirlwind week and a half we spent tromping around Europe now that our London life is over, and</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">b) that means I should keep my stupid fingers shut because</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">c) Tuscany speaks for itself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You see, the thing about Tuscany is that it </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">actually</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> looks the way it does in calendars.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And even the best of point-and-shoots couldn't do it justice.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It seeped into my veins and filled me with a dazzling new optimism. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I am <i>so thrilled about existence.</i></span><i><br /></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Even after getting extremely lost late at night and getting off a random bus in a tiny town with no taxis or buses or anything.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And the pizza rocks.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And I am so in love.</span></div>
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Ciao Toscane,</div>
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<i>B</i>anana</div>
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Anna Bananahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292393270576406321noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8138089630661529850.post-52433162131664597942013-04-21T01:53:00.000-07:002013-04-27T02:00:07.620-07:00Rome if you want to, Rome around the world<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe74fixbWsOtqP496jmPWNfDqqbW1oBPIyxVdnupKD18PENUljwTXwVke8eo5URKIYAFm7C7OuH1soMrAKh39Uqfsb5dkPIesSiM0IDMiEF0UuhqmZKonYe7jmilmNWWimPaEi5RiEPWaa/s1600/IMG_1737.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe74fixbWsOtqP496jmPWNfDqqbW1oBPIyxVdnupKD18PENUljwTXwVke8eo5URKIYAFm7C7OuH1soMrAKh39Uqfsb5dkPIesSiM0IDMiEF0UuhqmZKonYe7jmilmNWWimPaEi5RiEPWaa/s400/IMG_1737.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Let's be honest. Most of my expectations for Roma came from <i>The Lizzie McGuire Movie</i> and Mary Kate and Ashley's <i>When in Rome </i>(Okay, with an awful lot of <i>Eat, Pray, Love</i> tossed in there. I've read it twice. Sue me)<i>.</i> So, according to my experience, I could expect to be mistaken for an Italian pop superstar and live a fabulous double life around all of Rome's most famous monuments, save the fashion world with the help of the ingenuity of my twin and an assortment of friends with pleasantly diverse nationalities while partying on the beach, and pick up a dreamy Italian boy somewhere along the way.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCmG3YIThPSLJURJmRwwWzMZrL3dS8bQv45K1UFreJI2AjyZVFprdD-DbLZqomyweiG06w3Z0MSaQrxNSMKQwyBWFzuFC29uXX9YP2_YPZRDMFXGo6WIvktPHk8qsZfOq25WrNVHGFYjNm/s1600/IMG_1852.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCmG3YIThPSLJURJmRwwWzMZrL3dS8bQv45K1UFreJI2AjyZVFprdD-DbLZqomyweiG06w3Z0MSaQrxNSMKQwyBWFzuFC29uXX9YP2_YPZRDMFXGo6WIvktPHk8qsZfOq25WrNVHGFYjNm/s400/IMG_1852.JPG" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">Well, I actually imported a boy from London, so that part was out. But the rest seamed feasible.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7qC7urTFaKvBgqw-E4o7-efCsL9ItdSLkpRrB_ZermTZCtNqnWTqT3OlT0F6n1mUmEiRwk4KKXFtSC2qKkcjjhrwVix3ieXaVMZwaNiWsNx_8xO98q3zSiQTc7k1RRcqnOWFLVZXre1o5/s1600/IMG_1691.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7qC7urTFaKvBgqw-E4o7-efCsL9ItdSLkpRrB_ZermTZCtNqnWTqT3OlT0F6n1mUmEiRwk4KKXFtSC2qKkcjjhrwVix3ieXaVMZwaNiWsNx_8xO98q3zSiQTc7k1RRcqnOWFLVZXre1o5/s400/IMG_1691.JPG" width="293" /></a><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Now, I've been lucky enough to live in both London and Paris for a bit, and they are unique and wonderful and so rich and deep and in all the days I was there I didn't even scratch their glorious, gritty surfaces. I have a HUGE amount of loyalty to those cities (ironic, I know, since one is probably supposed to prefer one or the other).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">BUT.</span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>ohhhh this might get me in trouble.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>It's just.... </i><span style="font-size: large;">I REALLY REALLY REALLY LIKE ROME!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">There is something so... effortlessly glorious in the way ruins pepper the landscape, lazily bathing in the afternoon sun, retreating under the wisteria if it gets too hot. It's like, "I'm Rome. I don't have to prove anything. I'm <i>everything." </i>And I'm like, "Woah, yeah. You totally are." (</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I <i>really</i> hope London and Paris aren't reading this. But hey, I'm American! Don't I have some sort of immunity here!?)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I mean, what's a girl to do when all the public drinking fountains look like this?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3VeI71X9VlWJXaFBdmMNuy4BnN8_StdpFm87wbPTpdSYHtM4ZJxmeWmMSBQy3yhJPfQJ7NYoGtdxzXjMbAeUPd9ZzBxf4TtEZUXqPZrNnRsVzdqCA9S3S4aafdBY0RvMhOVTW8Ajy2Blc/s1600/IMG_1703.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3VeI71X9VlWJXaFBdmMNuy4BnN8_StdpFm87wbPTpdSYHtM4ZJxmeWmMSBQy3yhJPfQJ7NYoGtdxzXjMbAeUPd9ZzBxf4TtEZUXqPZrNnRsVzdqCA9S3S4aafdBY0RvMhOVTW8Ajy2Blc/s400/IMG_1703.JPG" width="278" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">(London, for the record, doesn't have any. Not that I'm bitter... just dehydrated.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And all the ceilings look like this?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirMVTOU79iEhQKleT2B8uOGetj_9frxtesgTTWJOCJAB9b-BcvGxKszs5sioUkZHcrVkbwUo62mhVEmzL-rVSmaWfa89ImLFq9f1YiVKvSVbvxWVwV5yzvTb3dNBw5-vmdyaY4dEXzb7uy/s1600/IMG_1692.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirMVTOU79iEhQKleT2B8uOGetj_9frxtesgTTWJOCJAB9b-BcvGxKszs5sioUkZHcrVkbwUo62mhVEmzL-rVSmaWfa89ImLFq9f1YiVKvSVbvxWVwV5yzvTb3dNBw5-vmdyaY4dEXzb7uy/s400/IMG_1692.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And around every corner is a church that looks like this?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw29bPraaio7UCkjk4VSiqFx5NVE_rDmOujRJb7uauyNVMSmnH7IYqUl2G7Bwsd1LZgcmLtqr2fx9vANZ6ido8tDSKEh3h3FwSuWTFtAgdb5wokSuFo8AuHoQGDCB4SXBxh6ea3r44YdYf/s1600/IMG_1666.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw29bPraaio7UCkjk4VSiqFx5NVE_rDmOujRJb7uauyNVMSmnH7IYqUl2G7Bwsd1LZgcmLtqr2fx9vANZ6ido8tDSKEh3h3FwSuWTFtAgdb5wokSuFo8AuHoQGDCB4SXBxh6ea3r44YdYf/s400/IMG_1666.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgmF-sMwx4jG6TYOoYOFDMmHDMTC4PPXtNwSMpgYczV9aPlAT8rdAAtLQ_d83YF4M0j4A7lALnsY3pH4JlR9JrzVA8wamBRkFIjC-nk0Ys6xG4j95-RrKNN_41lSo1KkORTslDx5VAQ2P1/s1600/IMG_1672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgmF-sMwx4jG6TYOoYOFDMmHDMTC4PPXtNwSMpgYczV9aPlAT8rdAAtLQ_d83YF4M0j4A7lALnsY3pH4JlR9JrzVA8wamBRkFIjC-nk0Ys6xG4j95-RrKNN_41lSo1KkORTslDx5VAQ2P1/s400/IMG_1672.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYdXYVhWf4ernj8JnpL5nSzStkKkzCTaZCOwFsY2BsStNlCi-xKL1jzmWn4xICAZoAzER0UwJ12ilgGWk2qBtsFmYWrSP0Mqyf5IBqIwJEhbu_FyHbF9UbRCN9bElhNe3bE2K_aRWPZzHN/s1600/IMG_1674.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYdXYVhWf4ernj8JnpL5nSzStkKkzCTaZCOwFsY2BsStNlCi-xKL1jzmWn4xICAZoAzER0UwJ12ilgGWk2qBtsFmYWrSP0Mqyf5IBqIwJEhbu_FyHbF9UbRCN9bElhNe3bE2K_aRWPZzHN/s400/IMG_1674.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And the cars look like this?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsjI-5NnSOEc4Iu3aTskH6b0CIVIytox_uw_kSndqK31cj4oNUv9c3gFzKJfp2gmnExD6STbeu_wXmLOxuwS38kjQg37dQ4bXeKDoaAcvY5YaJ7bV8V2pMLAl7f-6vRnf8L3uOKZSr3u-u/s1600/IMG_1942.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsjI-5NnSOEc4Iu3aTskH6b0CIVIytox_uw_kSndqK31cj4oNUv9c3gFzKJfp2gmnExD6STbeu_wXmLOxuwS38kjQg37dQ4bXeKDoaAcvY5YaJ7bV8V2pMLAl7f-6vRnf8L3uOKZSr3u-u/s400/IMG_1942.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And the houses look like this?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnGidNxlXg98gRARIC1cmU47r5YPCWdqGZ5frm5F9dAH9DKBauLG-XdLaWtu2zaEX9G6VBrs83LZp6TAOW_1-5Mux-19ngrx4b9bP4aUebDFqzrHcow5au1WccCarlh7g6UcilC6UywSqH/s1600/IMG_1941.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnGidNxlXg98gRARIC1cmU47r5YPCWdqGZ5frm5F9dAH9DKBauLG-XdLaWtu2zaEX9G6VBrs83LZp6TAOW_1-5Mux-19ngrx4b9bP4aUebDFqzrHcow5au1WccCarlh7g6UcilC6UywSqH/s400/IMG_1941.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And the fountains make you look like this?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguZeKplcTtwLbnU2uw2GBL-88F03t7ZsHxqiUvA7qEIqS1RvLJ27umhvXCBkX8jK3YQvX1NATXNRcsp27NAJHTawzDH283_DBkhXfXDgrbhPHrpwVhdG63M_IhIeowuDMWL3QzlhrR8g22/s1600/IMG_2091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguZeKplcTtwLbnU2uw2GBL-88F03t7ZsHxqiUvA7qEIqS1RvLJ27umhvXCBkX8jK3YQvX1NATXNRcsp27NAJHTawzDH283_DBkhXfXDgrbhPHrpwVhdG63M_IhIeowuDMWL3QzlhrR8g22/s400/IMG_2091.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And you sit down to rest your throbbing feet and eat some multigrain Pringles and it just happens to look like this?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiQ6vWFxFY0F1-XP-J0mHaU0mF_7BNzmGoIyHEgpmkGe8s5nlZBQrZufr2fG6xsfR4qgP1905z_m6k1JBFJKaW7QGumNxeU89fIZQ7rwfhm9IpdWv3k2s1ESvZ5hhuMlvOJjJ_Cms3Yi6p/s1600/IMG_1762.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiQ6vWFxFY0F1-XP-J0mHaU0mF_7BNzmGoIyHEgpmkGe8s5nlZBQrZufr2fG6xsfR4qgP1905z_m6k1JBFJKaW7QGumNxeU89fIZQ7rwfhm9IpdWv3k2s1ESvZ5hhuMlvOJjJ_Cms3Yi6p/s400/IMG_1762.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And the graffiti looks like this?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWo3-Nirexx6ZLyvTgOx_qlCewbrvVtv4ZjWFG-D8-udCHyM9kej74aGteIQen8w0G4GLSnBiuH-n3yblcOjwutK1qQQaP0DkzAD1Yq52n9WzWavjlS42MZ2ZxoUd9aanqBL9wsHyo6NNA/s1600/IMG_1709.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWo3-Nirexx6ZLyvTgOx_qlCewbrvVtv4ZjWFG-D8-udCHyM9kej74aGteIQen8w0G4GLSnBiuH-n3yblcOjwutK1qQQaP0DkzAD1Yq52n9WzWavjlS42MZ2ZxoUd9aanqBL9wsHyo6NNA/s400/IMG_1709.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCrkqKwNV2leNueWwzv-14nncKtNo-olhj_8l0te68XwSHvRt1ucCutSeZt-bWyzwAhmUHlwyCxoZec37MPWAIDz3urI4m1lJiJioiQxJvazw6dpKVv3cEAuVAAlDL99xFyx5mHUFTI406/s1600/IMG_1729.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCrkqKwNV2leNueWwzv-14nncKtNo-olhj_8l0te68XwSHvRt1ucCutSeZt-bWyzwAhmUHlwyCxoZec37MPWAIDz3urI4m1lJiJioiQxJvazw6dpKVv3cEAuVAAlDL99xFyx5mHUFTI406/s320/IMG_1729.JPG" width="235" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And the sun makes you feel like this?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRXZWfxfTYxljKDsyNokXq7NQ0Un1_TorE0MOb6uuiHNaxf3B73zYO9Vp_2MlGt429KMQzpNIdjFEWLwrZtm2yV0soeqcrQLUG4DcqoqrMu40VhEbIZNqN8Db_nJl_GDClwUZzh_8hgJk6/s1600/IMG_1772.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRXZWfxfTYxljKDsyNokXq7NQ0Un1_TorE0MOb6uuiHNaxf3B73zYO9Vp_2MlGt429KMQzpNIdjFEWLwrZtm2yV0soeqcrQLUG4DcqoqrMu40VhEbIZNqN8Db_nJl_GDClwUZzh_8hgJk6/s400/IMG_1772.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And the statues look like this?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg92xS1ZDp8iKd89iX3skm4aEUa3uMJkMN1rkd61cjSBcTkvrt_4ZkeRzZceHZH-M5HNDjsY_h-KilnmDnz7YR0aN3VoVenaNbn-pRIpsHwuTg1I6G_HmSlF9_ZPrn97qypRPHNi58zJFO8/s1600/IMG_1931.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg92xS1ZDp8iKd89iX3skm4aEUa3uMJkMN1rkd61cjSBcTkvrt_4ZkeRzZceHZH-M5HNDjsY_h-KilnmDnz7YR0aN3VoVenaNbn-pRIpsHwuTg1I6G_HmSlF9_ZPrn97qypRPHNi58zJFO8/s400/IMG_1931.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnG12eqNTm2SkmhTFu7SFC4eIr4sBRhjdRQGwSZFDQZczaRZah9uqJUhmea6Es43JlvEqjvvC8KSmiIhMSQ9N-CwM0cKkijygVok2LRwCmOMGrGGmRiKIDGc_j0NzwaYuL_HQ4Vw7Daswe/s1600/IMG_1948.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnG12eqNTm2SkmhTFu7SFC4eIr4sBRhjdRQGwSZFDQZczaRZah9uqJUhmea6Es43JlvEqjvvC8KSmiIhMSQ9N-CwM0cKkijygVok2LRwCmOMGrGGmRiKIDGc_j0NzwaYuL_HQ4Vw7Daswe/s400/IMG_1948.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-uHx31-WFhStE0x4PGWiWQXfkam44QUFuopGoVvHb8xjSAp8pC0ldAwbjifuqgez_4IEc5iqPSk_rnUhL-uNDq1FUJeh5QiJJOwULf8VCo5JgiRZzOamIhQPwit8h9ZA3WKNMdpumt4l3/s1600/IMG_1953.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-uHx31-WFhStE0x4PGWiWQXfkam44QUFuopGoVvHb8xjSAp8pC0ldAwbjifuqgez_4IEc5iqPSk_rnUhL-uNDq1FUJeh5QiJJOwULf8VCo5JgiRZzOamIhQPwit8h9ZA3WKNMdpumt4l3/s400/IMG_1953.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And all the buildings look like this?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig_GAyWXDVJIHQuppIfgir4UnssjY67rD1kdtRIEG3ofF2PUl1lFi9dCcbblZDB9gwPu0HqYN7sA8l1WqWitpEVBMj8Ft79QqqRzvFs3dyGZjfU95-EoJQn8d44WUULLN69EZlfyA-lmv3/s1600/IMG_1704.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig_GAyWXDVJIHQuppIfgir4UnssjY67rD1kdtRIEG3ofF2PUl1lFi9dCcbblZDB9gwPu0HqYN7sA8l1WqWitpEVBMj8Ft79QqqRzvFs3dyGZjfU95-EoJQn8d44WUULLN69EZlfyA-lmv3/s400/IMG_1704.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And the pizza tastes like this?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And the women drive Vespas in stilettos like this?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And she can get a "Chicken Mythic Bacon" at McDonald's???</span></div>
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Don't judge. We're poor.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And they just know how to deal with chicken at the Chicken Hut!?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And her husband is this cute??</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Well. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I suppose all she can do is sigh and hope that that one euro cent in the Trevi fountain really does assure her a return to Rome. Maybe, hopefully, an extended one (?).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">That, and she can go to Florence. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Bummer. ;)</span></div>
Anna Bananahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292393270576406321noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8138089630661529850.post-33826387490827927832013-04-04T11:04:00.000-07:002013-04-04T15:15:01.717-07:00It's okay.<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">I'm still here.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">It's just that, well, it's <em>that time of year</em>, if you get my meaning. In case not, my meaning is that it's the end of the semester (which usually feels like the end of my <strong>life</strong>).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">You see, there are just </span>So many</span><span style="font-size: small;"> pages to write, with words like "thesis," "prospectus," "annotated," and "graduate" attached to them.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">It's a hard life, but somebody has to live it, you know? How would the earth turn with one less scholar?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> So, while you have a week or something left in London and are barricaded in your flat eating digestives like Winston Churchill smoked cigars (or while I am), staring at a screen and literally howling like a hound dog puppy every few hours..... well, here's something to make you feel better about the past and future (the present is beyond me, frankly).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>The Pleasures of Paris: A Sneak Preview</em></span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span></em> </div>
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Jacob and me being tourists in the rain</div>
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Feeling pretty awesome at <em>The Gates of Hell</em></div>
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<em>(Jacob got some "ideas" for our future children's bedroom door..)</em></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6x6v_tFr7TGT3jynYz1DnpSVNl9g8i2A4PUKMitm6AeCOH1B__y6gSXpF9-VUPE1nAsXiY2_DT3CXCH-8t5qikFsF1WNKFjXN-oCeOrdgz3k__ToygKbxmEJLQsxVcRXBCFUzEUO6vt8/s1600/treats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6x6v_tFr7TGT3jynYz1DnpSVNl9g8i2A4PUKMitm6AeCOH1B__y6gSXpF9-VUPE1nAsXiY2_DT3CXCH-8t5qikFsF1WNKFjXN-oCeOrdgz3k__ToygKbxmEJLQsxVcRXBCFUzEUO6vt8/s400/treats.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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And enjoying the best French culture has to offer.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">oops.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;">Did I mention that I have so much to be grateful for and that I love my studies and my career and everything? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;">It's just... well...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Well, maybe when all this is done and I scoop my scattered brains back together, I'll post about Paris and maybe even (dare I say it) my wedding?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Cheers, friends. It's all okay.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>B</em>anana</span>Anna Bananahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292393270576406321noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8138089630661529850.post-73266929718017308892013-03-27T10:03:00.000-07:002013-04-05T04:52:37.907-07:00Jacob won't let me collect novelty rubber ducks.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I don't get it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoou-E-1EMisPKkwKBR7_J-64Pw1ZRahbZgDajEKiZSURxdYO2oe7M_ZO_3lGrRxm-AYyEUWmCD-yJrKsUAJWjXWU4wmevLD0eEK4sh4gIuiAff4t-Zq078EjCpShkjEx6OQS7W1vMeqSm/s1600/IMG_1631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoou-E-1EMisPKkwKBR7_J-64Pw1ZRahbZgDajEKiZSURxdYO2oe7M_ZO_3lGrRxm-AYyEUWmCD-yJrKsUAJWjXWU4wmevLD0eEK4sh4gIuiAff4t-Zq078EjCpShkjEx6OQS7W1vMeqSm/s400/IMG_1631.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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What a killjoy.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">They come in unlimited charming varietes in gift shops around the UK: Shakespeare duck, Pharoah duck, artist duck (okay, I actually <i>do</i> have that one), judge duck, Bishop duck, Cardinal duck, even SHERLOCK DUCK.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But my tyrannical H U S B A N D is afraid that it might turn into a <span style="font-size: large;">"<i>problem".</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Whatever THAT means!Pff! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">However, I still like him because he looks smokin' in a deerstalker:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">In fact, since we finished the wonderful first seasons of <i>Sherlock</i> it kind of feels like my life is over until <span style="font-size: large;">2014 </span><span style="font-size: small;">[weep and wail, gnash of teeth]. So I have to hold on to the one I love, you know? I have to look past the rough parts of marriage (these ducks are so FUNNY! What's his problem?) and appreciate what my partner <i>does have. </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;"><i>...</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Like the decency to take me to 221B Baker street to the Sherlock Holmes museum for a consolatory pilgrimmage:</span></div>
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Ah, <i>the mystery</i>!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP_Jt5_jKuTD0o337qSXFEL3PwRLVYOLTbB-tL9yoSsXm_Rz6dF1Teka4dwxHJ4l2JhYGRj6-56etWPNvqW1QX1QZfjZz0IdRHSh1boVqrYXOaWUPKrtX724-d-LlMUzNOuABVYBfiQ34G/s1600/IMG_1639.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP_Jt5_jKuTD0o337qSXFEL3PwRLVYOLTbB-tL9yoSsXm_Rz6dF1Teka4dwxHJ4l2JhYGRj6-56etWPNvqW1QX1QZfjZz0IdRHSh1boVqrYXOaWUPKrtX724-d-LlMUzNOuABVYBfiQ34G/s400/IMG_1639.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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Move over, Irene Adler.</div>
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There's a new sleuth in town.</div>
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With a decent stash of pipes.</div>
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And plenty of creatively murdered corpses.</div>
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And cool... things.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And Professor Moriarty. Who is surprisingly... <i>terrifying.... </i>in person.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So. Okay, fine. Ducks aside, my life is pretty grand. And (hopefully) safe during Sherlock's hiatus. Plus, I love Jacob more than anything, anti-bathtime-fun prejudices and all.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Love, good old-fashion tourist traps, and friendly Victorian constables,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><b><i>B</i></b>anana</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">P.S. *Stay tuned* for: Scotland and Paris! YahoOOoo!</span></div>
Anna Bananahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292393270576406321noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8138089630661529850.post-5444891684501104582013-03-14T07:59:00.000-07:002013-03-15T14:58:56.746-07:00Writing a play is hard, apparently.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQXca6ZcWZ7OWK5CDhEMkGxzUe-zWsjzHpGqGsHmPp_jHn78a0iU11KxvqvycrL_gDBC_ZRkUYzNgTSDf4Gk4uFOMC13a23MgUSmcwPw22NEwwE2HeZkb2POaQl2X4PHMNs3VqIMr173Z/s1600/IMG_1337.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQXca6ZcWZ7OWK5CDhEMkGxzUe-zWsjzHpGqGsHmPp_jHn78a0iU11KxvqvycrL_gDBC_ZRkUYzNgTSDf4Gk4uFOMC13a23MgUSmcwPw22NEwwE2HeZkb2POaQl2X4PHMNs3VqIMr173Z/s400/IMG_1337.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Trust me, I checked.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">To make my Modern Musicals 315 class count as a graduate level <i>515</i> class, I told Dr. Nelson that I would write a musical.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I'm not sure exactly why I thought that was an appropriate thing to say. I must have still been jet lagged.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;">"write a musical"!?!<span style="font-size: large;">?!?</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Andrew Lloyd Webber</i> writes musicals</span></span></span> (and purchases all of my favorite paintings so I can't see them, I've recently learned). I... I wake up late and and whine to Jacob and pop my zits and eat too many digestives and get love handles and get hangry and fall asleep all over the place. I am lamentably ordinary and am sick of all my clothes and rarely shave my legs and procrastinate everything and don't know how to manage money. I am one big human flaw. <i>I</i> don't write musicals.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">But, for what it's worth, I'm trying.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">In other news on the theater front, we're having a marvelous time. Jacob has seen more musicals since we've been here than in his entire 32 years combined (I think he saw...two before this. The two he came to see me in).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">So, here's the run down on just a sampling of the plays I've seen in Jolly Old London: </span><br />
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There's nothing like seeing the <i>Phantom of the Opera</i> to make you want to lose weight and take voice lessons.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">(No pictures, whoops)</span></div>
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There's nothing like seeing <i>Carmen</i> to make you glad you're not a terrible hussy with a death wish.</div>
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It was Jacob's first Opera, and he hated it (we're working on this). But sitting in the Royal Albert Hall alone is a sublime experience (<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Side note: the Royal Albert Hall is just a quick skip through Kensington Gardens from our flat. !?!?).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">This place is <i>BIG.</i></span></div>
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There's nothing like seeing <i>The Lion King</i> to make you feel not only inflexible, but entirely incapable physically.</div>
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There's nothing like seeing <i>Wicked</i> to assure you that something, at least, is better in America.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Though Americans, perhaps, go a little insane waiting at the stage door </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">in the freezing rain </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">to meet West End stars .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There's nothing like seeing <i>War Horse</i> to bring back all of your girlhood equine obsessions (<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">including, but not limited to: horseback riding lessons, a Breyer Horse collection, notebooks filled with <i>Learn to Draw Horses </i>attempts<i>,</i> multiple homemade stop animation videos starring Playmobil horses, etc.</span>) and make you practice, incessantly, moving and sounding like a horse. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sue me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And there's absolutely <i>nothing </i>like seeing <i>Les Miserables</i> to convince you that you should NEVER attempt to write a musical.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> (<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">I joined in their crusade...)</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">But guess what?</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I'm still going to do it</span></span>. And as terrifying as it is, I actually really <i>like</i> doing it. Every time I run breathlessly to my computer because some dialogue magically worked itself out in my mind or a character's back story writes itself because the <i>character</i> knows more about their life than I do... wow. Those moments are delicious. And a little addicting. And even though I'm <i>beyond</i> self-conscious to let anyone read my soul-baring, nonsensical crap script, I am more fulfilled by actually <b>finally</b> attempting to do this than by most other things.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">So I let Jacob read some scenes. I work at the piano where I know everyone can hear, but I just <i>do </i>it anyway. I'm trying to write music. I'm trying to write stories. And even if they turn out as bad as I fear they will and they never speak to a single soul... at least I did what I've always felt, at my deepest depths, that I was meant to do. </span></span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Love, drafts, and <span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">more</span> drafts,</span><br />
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<i>B</i>anana</div>
Anna Bananahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292393270576406321noreply@blogger.com2London, UK51.511213899999987 -0.1198243999999704151.195090399999984 -0.7652713999999704 51.82733739999999 0.52562260000002958tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8138089630661529850.post-40089121594530251222013-03-11T14:00:00.003-07:002013-03-15T15:00:34.006-07:00Teacher Lady<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Oops. I think I'm going to teach College.</span><br />
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Take a look at this electronic mail of destiny:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipu3LR0gN-dwR8ZEYyjAwYxQOS0GYrHgvFUTLl2Rne77922mGNcMhkoWrBTLRFrmwFlnZ-U3dc2Q2rZ-eoWP9ycpkNsam0shkyP87JMFYh9qLdLYgJhEJII3Ngn42hnYBt6V9WBBrYlf5A/s1600/Ihum+job+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipu3LR0gN-dwR8ZEYyjAwYxQOS0GYrHgvFUTLl2Rne77922mGNcMhkoWrBTLRFrmwFlnZ-U3dc2Q2rZ-eoWP9ycpkNsam0shkyP87JMFYh9qLdLYgJhEJII3Ngn42hnYBt6V9WBBrYlf5A/s640/Ihum+job+(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Does this mean the "G U" word (Grown Up)? I've been making a concentrated effort to "only buy grown up clothes" for the last few months, reigning in every impulse to purchase a galaxy cat dress or plush full-body onesie with ears, in the event of something like this coming up. I <em>really have been trying.</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">But London is just so much FUN!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">What do I do now?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6fhDG8i2Ai1M_6ncR-O0Ai6McXgwESIA1aiXzDsGxOZ0A2gLlClqWb2WFI2d8LmQcOooatR-WUlP7rC6TjIjUa1Z-Hbal8d2-CRBDxZb4X5fQSPyx-U1iX1BZuX3QJLoYFA6XACZ56HMh/s1600/dorky+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6fhDG8i2Ai1M_6ncR-O0Ai6McXgwESIA1aiXzDsGxOZ0A2gLlClqWb2WFI2d8LmQcOooatR-WUlP7rC6TjIjUa1Z-Hbal8d2-CRBDxZb4X5fQSPyx-U1iX1BZuX3QJLoYFA6XACZ56HMh/s400/dorky+collage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Do you think my students will respect me?<br />
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I think I will require them to bow to me every time they enter and exit the classroom and to address me as "Professor the Dowager Countess Anna Teacher Lady".</div>
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Yes, I think that's it.</div>
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And I shall be feared.</div>
Anna Bananahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292393270576406321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8138089630661529850.post-59389810731230016332013-03-03T15:10:00.000-08:002013-03-15T15:01:43.367-07:00Getting my hair caught in my purse outside the Houses of Parliament; falling asleep within (and everywhere else)<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Everyone knows that before actually taking a <i>tour</i> of Westminster Palace, it is proper protocol to take a <i>picture</i> in front of Westminster Palace, which is far more important and productive than not being allowed to sit on any benches in the House of Lords because they're reserved for "only very important bottoms," and so instead you stand there, in the gorgeously gilded, dripping with history chamber, nodding off while standing and coming dangerously close to careening right into Jo, the friendly and highly-informed tour guide, and taking her down right onto the very important carpet. Whether or not I actually did this, I will refrain from admitting here.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Thus ensues probably my favorite (or favourite, if you prefer) series of photgraphs I own. You may need to zoom in on Jacob's face to appreciate just how inexplicably strange it looks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Thank you, Emma, for capturing this moment. Emma is my dear new friend with whom I can take perfectly successful posed photographs on the first try.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Proof:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Emma and me in front of Elizabeth Tower</span> </span></div>
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Emma and me at <i>Wicked</i></div>
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Emma and me at Hampton Court Palace</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Emma and me at Canterbury Cathedral</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span> <br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Emma and me reading about the cats of Canterbury Cathedral</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicRaFhlqqIongobkMmHWbBo6_9uAWtKoR8GsizQsoP5l315qwSIzN_W1NwU95f8U9IFEgWDkz2BdnvsPxo6JNMVO3KNcijoLG0_uutqg2l8of15X9kkEcrqSZROgz-TyYLwC_-Q8mH3dP6/s1600/IMG_1335.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicRaFhlqqIongobkMmHWbBo6_9uAWtKoR8GsizQsoP5l315qwSIzN_W1NwU95f8U9IFEgWDkz2BdnvsPxo6JNMVO3KNcijoLG0_uutqg2l8of15X9kkEcrqSZROgz-TyYLwC_-Q8mH3dP6/s400/IMG_1335.JPG" width="260" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Maybe not such good proof:</span></div>
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Emma and me attempting to take a jumping picture because the statue from the Parthenon was also taking a jumping picture</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">In case you're wondering, the tour was wonderful. But we weren't allowed to take pictures (most likely, once more, because of the important bottoms). Probably the most important thing we learned from Jo is that the Thames is pronounced <i>Tems</i> and not <i>Thames</i> because no one wanted to make King George I feel bad about how very bad his English pronunciation was. When in doubt, change the way you've been pronouncing something for centuries.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Illegal photo taken by Emma during the tour</span></i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i> </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Indeed, the tour was wonderful, but my "Annalepsy," as Jacob fondly refers to it, is not. Following is a list of some other places I have recently almost died in because of falling asleep while standing and, a result, have nearly smashed into something sharp, marble, or archeologically significant (some of these I haven't even told Jacob [or Emma] about because I was ashamed):</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1. Canterbury Cathedral</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> <i>Okay, so I fell asleep on the heater. Sue me.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2. The Roman Museum in Canterbury</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> <i>Particularly humiliating.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3. Waiting for the tube (A particularly dangerous place)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw3TYWrXu4V61OzKBHL0VA-fu6yaT2vC9mT9yil5pzWA4r1cuwQP462pPOIEgCPX50OuOCFwLPqctvwWk6_BaxAmBRW60rnfU54s3YUvgBqVIA4k-2iQYbTfMPInjzlIJn_DQWAvw_xKUY/s1600/730761_10151524941963455_570152399_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw3TYWrXu4V61OzKBHL0VA-fu6yaT2vC9mT9yil5pzWA4r1cuwQP462pPOIEgCPX50OuOCFwLPqctvwWk6_BaxAmBRW60rnfU54s3YUvgBqVIA4k-2iQYbTfMPInjzlIJn_DQWAvw_xKUY/s400/730761_10151524941963455_570152399_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>On the Tube </i>(of course)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">4. Boat to Greenwich</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3U8vXYTb1ObZAfRrlpF-Wl4G_zMzOuEWP7vWv19KaiJE5nfugqMO9XcxFTIDMBNm7mgD1YvhhB4P9toLxLXaGWtgj3klAXAGmV-oA7XM5DGqizHKPQa2cYDMq9VZpDfeJsAhJqreRI3bJ/s1600/IMG_1547.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3U8vXYTb1ObZAfRrlpF-Wl4G_zMzOuEWP7vWv19KaiJE5nfugqMO9XcxFTIDMBNm7mgD1YvhhB4P9toLxLXaGWtgj3klAXAGmV-oA7XM5DGqizHKPQa2cYDMq9VZpDfeJsAhJqreRI3bJ/s400/IMG_1547.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>I was trying SO hard to read Judith Butler...</i></span> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJxNZoTmxLYsI6ZwH3n-fbp8oNSYxCb1mqEQP6RKYXiETkna0lAxf94cwfk-jsndJsUW-MOiJ4W4PsAReLFd5mhu7fBn8GryvRLXbgC8Gc9ZrkCpbuO06a8y8joCw1jRzZ5Dz0VXv5NsMq/s1600/IMG_1312.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJxNZoTmxLYsI6ZwH3n-fbp8oNSYxCb1mqEQP6RKYXiETkna0lAxf94cwfk-jsndJsUW-MOiJ4W4PsAReLFd5mhu7fBn8GryvRLXbgC8Gc9ZrkCpbuO06a8y8joCw1jRzZ5Dz0VXv5NsMq/s400/IMG_1312.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Us straddling the Prime Meridian Line like a Mormon Engagement photo on train tracks</i></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJb6RCS_KBj6zGMHFfPGz8HWdQLstnUQauz27la8ZhfSvq2loYXYMMTw6IBGzpInFCRljl7xoeIKNQDqWw3CgNnfh794U_KPDV87n7tQru7Upjsns4U3hLxPN23Nsr5RRzgP_E0U8JPCNC/s1600/IMG_1581.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJb6RCS_KBj6zGMHFfPGz8HWdQLstnUQauz27la8ZhfSvq2loYXYMMTw6IBGzpInFCRljl7xoeIKNQDqWw3CgNnfh794U_KPDV87n7tQru7Upjsns4U3hLxPN23Nsr5RRzgP_E0U8JPCNC/s400/IMG_1581.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>This is the boat ride back from Greenwich, the entire length of which I was... asleep.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i> </i></span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">5. All over the National Maritime Museum</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizUo0Gaw60-GsQHf66tUT-s-8U83_2CB5Hq3u_G6Ti1GU2d7ZsHBsQFZjybAx9obJ2Hsk7f1dMB_9nBr58L_20TDz8pVNOjeprwg2hxO_H822j5-Tljex_wmYkKGn_Dk80JDhkY3xL9IXo/s1600/IMG_1300.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizUo0Gaw60-GsQHf66tUT-s-8U83_2CB5Hq3u_G6Ti1GU2d7ZsHBsQFZjybAx9obJ2Hsk7f1dMB_9nBr58L_20TDz8pVNOjeprwg2hxO_H822j5-Tljex_wmYkKGn_Dk80JDhkY3xL9IXo/s400/IMG_1300.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Me falling asleep at the wheel (unfortunately, this is the only staged one)</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">...I'm embarrassed to keep adding locations.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But the point is, we're happy and we're lucky and we're learning a lot. Especially when we're awake. And I've been having the most outrageous dreams... so maybe even when we're not?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Love, fatigue, and The East India Company,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><i>B</i>anana</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br />Anna Bananahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292393270576406321noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8138089630661529850.post-20303772866424358822013-02-25T08:47:00.000-08:002014-05-08T12:04:30.873-07:00Just some reasons I love the Temple<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOexqQ4oYNENgFVBDDOPCFFsTTE0-gxe0fb4vx6pkLaDUFQEjd4DFIUb2-_cOV-oeo62VI0sJOE0Bs_2Z4eF8PX2wuPsCX-8EH9ca6Z0Y0RqHd7MM4yChcQeFnEHMVwGoSZTORlP80xs9W/s1600/IMG_1239.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOexqQ4oYNENgFVBDDOPCFFsTTE0-gxe0fb4vx6pkLaDUFQEjd4DFIUb2-_cOV-oeo62VI0sJOE0Bs_2Z4eF8PX2wuPsCX-8EH9ca6Z0Y0RqHd7MM4yChcQeFnEHMVwGoSZTORlP80xs9W/s400/IMG_1239.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Jacob and I finally got out to the <span style="font-size: large;">London temple</span> on Saturday. I knew it was important for me to be there as soon as I got changed and was bumbling <span style="font-size: small;">around the restroom, anxiously trying to cover up my black bra straps that w<span style="font-size: small;">ere</span> blatantly making themselves known through my white dress, and generally being confused and anxious. </span>A lady in street clothes hurried up to me and said, "I thought you should know..." and I, of course, panicked. Not only were my bra straps black, but the bra itself was zebra print. And as a very new temple attender I already felt pretty infantile in my understanding of proceedings. Must I go bra-less <i>and</i> have no idea what I was doing <i>and </i>sound so stupidly American?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I felt really dumb.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">But what she continued to say was, "...you are an <span style="font-size: large;">inspiration</span> to me. You young people come here with such busy and hard lives and you're <i>worthy</i> to be here. It is so beautiful to me and gives me hope!" Her sincerity leveled me and my zebra bra right into the depths of humility. I wanted to say, "Oh lady, if you only knew me!" But she hugged me long and tight and said, <span style="font-size: large;">"God bless you, <b>my love</b>. God bless you!"</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">But that wasn't the end of it. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">All through the day I<span style="font-size: small;"> was hu<span style="font-size: small;">gged, kissed, doted on, and <span style="font-size: small;">winked at. <span style="font-size: small;">Honestly, I have never felt <i>les<span style="font-size: small;">s alone</span></i><span style="font-size: small;"> in my entire life<span style="font-size: small;">,</span> <span style="font-size: small;">a</span>nd I was thousands of miles away from home and usually out of the reassuring reach<span style="font-size: small;"> of my dear Jacob. I felt <i>so</i> <span style="font-size: small;">surrounded by f<span style="font-size: small;">riends that day,</span></span></span> <span style="font-size: small;">a</span>nd not only because of the sweet, mostly elderly p<span style="font-size: small;">eople present. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">After rec<span style="font-size: small;">eiving the name I would be acting in proxy for (Christ<span style="font-size: small;">ina Ohlsen</span>, b<span style="font-size: small;">o<span style="font-size: small;">rn in Liverpool around 1890),</span></span> the officiator-- <span style="font-size: small;">a darling matron with a sturdy brogue-- gently took my arm, looked deep into my eyes, and said, "<span style="font-size: small;">you and Christina have a lovely time together." </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">And we did<span style="font-size: small;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">I talked to Christina (in my mind, of course) throughout the session and had a deeply meaningful experience. I <span style="font-size: small;">can't explain how beauti<span style="font-size: small;">ful it was, partly because the goings-on of the temple are sacred enough to be kept, by necessity, within its walls. But pa<span style="font-size: small;">rt<span style="font-size: small;">ly, too, because I can't really e<span style="font-size: small;">xplain it.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">But I <span style="font-size: small;">did see, and will never forget,</span> a sweet Indian family of five all in white <span style="font-size: small;">(</span>complete with a white teddy bear)<span style="font-size: small;"> who were</span> joined together for <i>forever</i>. I saw <span style="font-size: small;">and spoke with <span style="font-size: small;">so many people, <span style="font-size: small;">all with long <span style="font-size: small;">stories of hard lives, bearing the marks of them all over their bod<span style="font-size: small;">ies. But <span style="font-size: small;">i</span>n the temple, <span style="font-size: small;">whatever the state of their wasted, tattooed skin, thin<span style="font-size: small;"> hair, </span></span> and bent frames, they were radiant with peace, joy<span style="font-size: small;">, and love. Eve<span style="font-size: small;">ryone<span style="font-size: small;"> spoke gently and hushe<span style="font-size: small;">d, sparkling in their clean white clothes.</span></span> <span style="font-size: small;">They</span> called me "sister," "love," or "dear." None of them knew me, but they knew my heart, I think. And I feel like I knew theirs.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">When I was getting ready to leave, I went to shake the hands of the adorabl<span style="font-size: small;">y</span> giggl<span style="font-size: small;">y</span> group of matrons<span style="font-size: small;"> who were</span> doing their sa<span style="font-size: small;">cred duties with <span style="font-size: small;">their particularly adorabl<span style="font-size: small;">e old <span style="font-size: small;">B</span>ritish lady flair, and the last one refused to shake my hand<span style="font-size: small;">, instead pull<span style="font-size: small;">ing </span>me violently in to plant a hearty, wet kiss square on my lips and cheek. <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">She asked me to come<span style="font-size: small;"> back. </span></span>This swee<span style="font-size: small;">t, <span style="font-size: small;">toothless stranger with <span style="font-size: small;">outrageously yellow-orange hair was my sister. And I have rarely felt so loved.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here is my point: I love my church<span style="font-size: small;">. I love the temple. I love the way it inspires people to treat each other. I love that it <span style="font-size: small;">functions purely on ser<span style="font-size: small;">vice, de<span style="font-size: small;">votion, and a love of God and of his children. I want everyon<span style="font-size: small;">e I love to be able to experience the precious, precious communion we can all feel when we align our lives in order to facilitate a visit to the temple. The awesome part is that we're all invited, and the in<span style="font-size: small;">vitation is always open.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">S<span style="font-size: small;">omething <span style="font-size: large;">silly <span style="font-size: small;">is that, by the time we got back home, I was already immersed in the quagmire of "I have so much to do"-- the beginning of the path that always leads <span style="font-size: small;">me to inconsolable world-weariness. By late evening I was feeling inexplicably down <span style="font-size: small;">and couldn't seem to shake it. <span style="font-size: small;">A</span>nd even though I only made some vague, off-han<span style="font-size: small;">de</span>d comment to Jacob, and he to only one other person, <span style="font-size: small;">it appears that the other students were much better at remembering the <span style="font-size: small;">Temple<span style="font-size: small;">'s lessons tha<span style="font-size: small;">n I was<span style="font-size: small;">. <span style="font-size: small;">Throughout the evening, we</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> <span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">kept receiving knocks on our door. <span style="font-size: small;">A</span>lmost c<span style="font-size: small;">onstantly! </span>Visitors, doorbell<span style="font-size: small;">-</span>ditched notes and treats, even a much-appreciated (though<span style="font-size: small;"> </span>much <i>more</i> unexpected) carton of soy milk! <span style="font-size: small;">These darling girls <span style="font-size: large;">showered <span style="font-size: small;">me with completely unsolicited love<span style="font-size: small;">. </span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Simp<span style="font-size: small;">ly for being depressed and <span style="font-size: small;">admittedly very unappreciative, </span></span>I was bombarded with charity, thoughtfulness, and m<span style="font-size: small;">any mor<span style="font-size: small;">sel</span>s</span> of chocola<span style="font-size: small;">te, </span>appreciation, support, and<span style="font-size: large;"> so much</span> <b>love</b>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjREJy4K048fV_anE_y7Y5-KinFwup3yJn9dEQkenA_KFBCIVkmHVJ3qU7PI99DiFm0zt5O4Qn8oe48apu9-jiELm4ZPbw2wqY9Z2w3xpcmESfOuWopGsHYrJSmQ3hgqmthkV922A9Pof6s/s1600/IMG_1242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjREJy4K048fV_anE_y7Y5-KinFwup3yJn9dEQkenA_KFBCIVkmHVJ3qU7PI99DiFm0zt5O4Qn8oe48apu9-jiELm4ZPbw2wqY9Z2w3xpcmESfOuWopGsHYrJSmQ3hgqmthkV922A9Pof6s/s400/IMG_1242.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I am a lucky creature, and I am inspired. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">My recent worries of the dismal fate of an apathetic world is completely unfounded. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">People are good. People care. And God is love.</span></div>
Anna Bananahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292393270576406321noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8138089630661529850.post-40367056894914955262013-02-21T04:15:00.003-08:002013-03-15T15:03:29.678-07:00The Rennakers: Kissing in Cool Places since 2013<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">In honor of my lord's two month wedding <span style="font-size: large;">anniversary</span> with his <i>lady</i> (me), I thought I'd post a series of romantic pictures in front of scenic places around the Queendom. For fear of kindling my lord's <b>wrath</b>, I ask you to please not tell him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This is the list of things he hates the most:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">1. Kissing in public.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">2. Having pictures taken of him while kissing in public.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">3. Me posting those pictures on the internet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I Love you, Jacob! Happy two months!</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitqyMvy6s1VBW-d586G7JWtG3cyV-UBH5S1bpq7NrybgVP_OZb-s3yT4UEU4CtiKHlc1tHvKORjVogUk_6oixuB2FYYSh51tK7IUKZxjjNE9Fs0Bq7kO8lCH-0ba-C5nBKIiafhx5EiLqe/s1600/IMG_0333.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitqyMvy6s1VBW-d586G7JWtG3cyV-UBH5S1bpq7NrybgVP_OZb-s3yT4UEU4CtiKHlc1tHvKORjVogUk_6oixuB2FYYSh51tK7IUKZxjjNE9Fs0Bq7kO8lCH-0ba-C5nBKIiafhx5EiLqe/s400/IMG_0333.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div>
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Jacob thinking about how much he doesn't want to kiss me on the Kings George's stairs in the Kingly, Georgian section of Kensington Palace.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfmkuJxnKVGxwdGTGaKclL63aDVDVJhRAZvhtSboRhhtDgf8aTLy1JDVaHZYJX_kXhkKwZSYeh__OLnxNlWgX9Tyh2F044pg0EJhYyASbBDQNRs_KBcmRxHdosZHgyHfyOgL72JK8obc4-/s1600/IMG_0842.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfmkuJxnKVGxwdGTGaKclL63aDVDVJhRAZvhtSboRhhtDgf8aTLy1JDVaHZYJX_kXhkKwZSYeh__OLnxNlWgX9Tyh2F044pg0EJhYyASbBDQNRs_KBcmRxHdosZHgyHfyOgL72JK8obc4-/s400/IMG_0842.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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Me loving Jacob at the Bodlean library in Oxford.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQltuFzrINSbJpoT1ymNghvSlqV96ZcRA2XxqJJHFULbd3htGOxNz-FNf2QvRXsdwsDLsJw-XIB87PrxYIsB_nCspe7YI5QVIvf-LsaxC578oty2teYJFYohdpYEnrnTrRunorrlIrGpXy/s1600/IMG_0881.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQltuFzrINSbJpoT1ymNghvSlqV96ZcRA2XxqJJHFULbd3htGOxNz-FNf2QvRXsdwsDLsJw-XIB87PrxYIsB_nCspe7YI5QVIvf-LsaxC578oty2teYJFYohdpYEnrnTrRunorrlIrGpXy/s400/IMG_0881.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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Me trying to get Jacob to love me in Stratford-Upon-Avon.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-l-fpEPhm7JFxbqIZELw10NIob5Wukb9S75Ggbm_ZcnaH5BARJ5_ThVf9d2HQpwKSCdBy6UFFq9C0fYFdPt_VLBlIYjNLFQYBhRzXttelxnZFFOPAldV64Lrqh8Ka9DDOXaLhuwII4yZq/s1600/IMG_0979.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-l-fpEPhm7JFxbqIZELw10NIob5Wukb9S75Ggbm_ZcnaH5BARJ5_ThVf9d2HQpwKSCdBy6UFFq9C0fYFdPt_VLBlIYjNLFQYBhRzXttelxnZFFOPAldV64Lrqh8Ka9DDOXaLhuwII4yZq/s400/IMG_0979.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Me making out with a medieval archer wax figure because I couldn't get any from my husband at Warwick Castle.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-rRrVeNvHgNDekifAFj5obN1xIGK5FsIFHfvdbkRrP2S58MrSFZL4Lh2bTICfRF6ngl-ruyoY9Ea_4rCZs-PP942Jkgfh06c92IXhMriEQsmLlWqNuBbkAz13eqzwgUKyjXFXqgGy69ha/s1600/IMG_0544.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi43Comp_TGipPLMOBE4m5l9_Q0DLgyuz5dW7gEpPJneutk8oPZGTJlJ5mFX_44vJjv4DLj1c8q6EegiEeUNBpBZzqO0t_pN0WpybQJ-Ds0X7ui2QorVV9ZNp9MC6rAeIxjgGnP_bUKqoRQ/s1600/264087_10151213409232724_2036132922_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi43Comp_TGipPLMOBE4m5l9_Q0DLgyuz5dW7gEpPJneutk8oPZGTJlJ5mFX_44vJjv4DLj1c8q6EegiEeUNBpBZzqO0t_pN0WpybQJ-Ds0X7ui2QorVV9ZNp9MC6rAeIxjgGnP_bUKqoRQ/s400/264087_10151213409232724_2036132922_n.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
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Jacob too cold to kiss me at Castlerigg Stone Circle (sans the stone circle)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivcQIBGj3YVKMCc7E_vt4RXO2gZsuJX98AUyNmChSmwv_fF5X0xt1CSzc1DXuOtZLOLSZUmPgEoZJmtSYFz4W0aFShlp8i-Athwp5fi7j7-r0VO3NbYqJOLpl0yfrxbOwRHJo28D1CFaBW/s1600/550269_10151467423198455_567715582_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEims5C2UyfQjuDeoNn2GIYKNHN-6fnv0-EcJ3qLdRTFFg2dcVibEwtcCWkJ9k6hBmmaeop1xGjhlI8pbcWZVUKDWko2Xx6ECrLl90jFgkNOuljYyV3To3b2AotNO_rjnWB_brLdHRViBPd6/s1600/IMG_0887.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEims5C2UyfQjuDeoNn2GIYKNHN-6fnv0-EcJ3qLdRTFFg2dcVibEwtcCWkJ9k6hBmmaeop1xGjhlI8pbcWZVUKDWko2Xx6ECrLl90jFgkNOuljYyV3To3b2AotNO_rjnWB_brLdHRViBPd6/s400/IMG_0887.JPG" width="300" /> </a></div>
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Me bullying Jacob into taking a kissing selfie in Stratford-Upon-Avon.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlVHj2rpvXY1wR3oTeILA-DG25xTdwy-yJP6wIGsCZ-XKDw7HLsKTCMOUJChCclfwDdZiffuVoV0LGzOgrjfzy3IaRJDkcru5glPbfhAg_UF5UBK48Bz-zfZY37vSpdl2UtMWn1ayG_Loa/s1600/861288_4956210477577_1120792503_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlVHj2rpvXY1wR3oTeILA-DG25xTdwy-yJP6wIGsCZ-XKDw7HLsKTCMOUJChCclfwDdZiffuVoV0LGzOgrjfzy3IaRJDkcru5glPbfhAg_UF5UBK48Bz-zfZY37vSpdl2UtMWn1ayG_Loa/s400/861288_4956210477577_1120792503_o.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Anna tr<span style="font-size: large;">iumphant <span style="font-size: small;">as Jacob kisses her back at Hampton <span style="font-size: small;">Court Palace (shortly after Anne Boleyn bl<span style="font-size: small;">untly propositioned him). <span style="font-size: small;">This is <b>PROGRESS</b>, people. It's time to re-take our<span style="font-size: small;"> wedding <span style="font-size: small;">photos!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">* A word on my coa<span style="font-size: small;">t: Yes, I wear it every day. Ye<span style="font-size: small;">s, I am sick of it. Yes, it looks like I never change my clothes because I look the same in every picture. Yes, <span style="font-size: small;">my identity is morph<span style="font-size: small;">ing into an amorphous army green blob. </span></span>Yes, all the o<span style="font-size: small;">ther <span style="font-size: small;">girls have about five coats to avoid this lamentable situation. I'm not pres<span style="font-size: small;">enting a solution, but I am admitting that I understand the gravity of it.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cheers!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>B</i>anana </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> Anna Bananahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292393270576406321noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8138089630661529850.post-14755971749672300592013-01-15T10:59:00.000-08:002013-03-15T15:04:19.525-07:00fancy<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I've rather taken a fancy to</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> (AKA I am obsessed with):</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzeOJYU41xsIB1pIHcWc2pky3bLyAIqkYuFn6eGQLIa1SxaQPUYx5ZP-_3wtQke89k_gpiSREjSu1uTB1q6_cgMd7DrErmx3v_6qS2T2qVhK0vIZiS5bS1x8v6Zx6K8jmnsqtY2MveUsy_/s1600/IMG_0350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzeOJYU41xsIB1pIHcWc2pky3bLyAIqkYuFn6eGQLIa1SxaQPUYx5ZP-_3wtQke89k_gpiSREjSu1uTB1q6_cgMd7DrErmx3v_6qS2T2qVhK0vIZiS5bS1x8v6Zx6K8jmnsqtY2MveUsy_/s400/IMG_0350.JPG" width="290" /> </a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> English school children,</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqgAfR7fpSHg36CemUUePm_znuEKi_l9BQRyLFzqUNRPtT2THa3bY0YAzOCgksZN-5xq_K0tUbaN2tJDQ-OqZG5GgYt7y9kY-oZX2VR79pIOhQ_ep2IwC5bwFxks-xBp5aFn4O9Dck0yay/s1600/IMG_0320.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqgAfR7fpSHg36CemUUePm_znuEKi_l9BQRyLFzqUNRPtT2THa3bY0YAzOCgksZN-5xq_K0tUbaN2tJDQ-OqZG5GgYt7y9kY-oZX2VR79pIOhQ_ep2IwC5bwFxks-xBp5aFn4O9Dck0yay/s400/IMG_0320.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">astronauts at St. Paul's,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> statues! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(this one was sculpted by Victoria's daughter!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Honestly, they're incredibly endearing!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Along with...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE1nIja8T-usyZvJBIQSCzY2BUfXU00p7ZrG5VsvjOxspdod8lCrfXUXDUFiUtg_z0ss3gnGN522JNs4sVnL_cYv8bokgY5L6Lx9wYDSv8KNAB9eQoDIugodUT9o6UeTrLLNa-fqoo1Sjm/s1600/IMG_0305.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE1nIja8T-usyZvJBIQSCzY2BUfXU00p7ZrG5VsvjOxspdod8lCrfXUXDUFiUtg_z0ss3gnGN522JNs4sVnL_cYv8bokgY5L6Lx9wYDSv8KNAB9eQoDIugodUT9o6UeTrLLNa-fqoo1Sjm/s320/IMG_0305.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Visiting my art idols (like Millais and Turner)</span> W H E N E V E R I W A N TTTTTTTTTT.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And this new <span style="font-size: large;">husband</span> phenomenon. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Really, it's remarkable. When I'm in class he makes me lunch. When my feet are frozen he sacrifices his crevasses to be a human feet warmers. When I vow to never eat another carbohydrate he takes away the rolls at dinner and only gives in after my third or fourth cry of outrage.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And he's really very cute.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Sometimes we feel like we never get out and about around the city, especially compared to all of our busy bee little students. How they manage to make so many shopping trips and frozen yogurt stops and attend class and finish their assignments I'll never understand. But the heavy weight of our respective dissertation/ thesis ever confines us to our computers, and the bitter, bone-biting cold outside makes our darling little hearth into a sleepyannamagnet. WHAT DO WE DO? It's London outside and our fiscal futures/ corporeal warmness inside. And it's <i>London</i> outside. Like, THE London. Like, the one in England.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Ah, well. Any wisdom?</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Stay warm if you can</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">. </span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(And pray for my toes-- deplorable circulation, you know).</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>B</i><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">anana</span></span><br />
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<br />Anna Bananahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292393270576406321noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8138089630661529850.post-61990742858966811122013-01-10T15:10:00.002-08:002013-03-15T15:05:23.903-07:00The Royal We<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One of the best parts of living in London</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> is that we live in London.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwrqPUoWazdcLadjvpTAKGorb3vzSuOmffIgK1v_tut0PVXbsepBeM5gaDykWxj-9UY6cnXEZR8LHmeXJG6UNOd8mekI9sJ_sLyDbuY1xqnjRtaJoEPeaopXOQ6xBukP2LhXZPoRw5l12g/s1600/IMG_0325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwrqPUoWazdcLadjvpTAKGorb3vzSuOmffIgK1v_tut0PVXbsepBeM5gaDykWxj-9UY6cnXEZR8LHmeXJG6UNOd8mekI9sJ_sLyDbuY1xqnjRtaJoEPeaopXOQ6xBukP2LhXZPoRw5l12g/s400/IMG_0325.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Oh, and in case you mistook us for Victoria and Albert, it is, in fact, us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(I'm just sitting in Victoria's chair)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQyXyhso0rZ8Un_bcxEoWsD5DrbOMBFfRYmdoCja_XaOQO_9Hzfj5i9Iml2FaZcNHw-lTc-EWw_5lzQE0SWLesOe17mDLqILhOvf_g8pfWxouVSbk6L01oB5LrDuRjH4F1_Iu5MkfMym6Z/s1600/IMG_0348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQyXyhso0rZ8Un_bcxEoWsD5DrbOMBFfRYmdoCja_XaOQO_9Hzfj5i9Iml2FaZcNHw-lTc-EWw_5lzQE0SWLesOe17mDLqILhOvf_g8pfWxouVSbk6L01oB5LrDuRjH4F1_Iu5MkfMym6Z/s400/IMG_0348.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You see? I'm the one in front. Victoria is right behind me, and right behind her is her house.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I can see how you got confused, because we actually live right <i>next</i> to her house.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiMI-De7y6JxpHs1A2axlf4XXpWThSp2X_wIo1tEfFVMmSOommgSbxnW6uGEJsUJ7JNGWLxoXvNaaayL-Tdn6PQ2Aq4-LAIp02U3JD1FyW5H17bW2D5CB61Qk3gHJJ_4IQjByh_-_YFqNJ/s1600/IMG_0335.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiMI-De7y6JxpHs1A2axlf4XXpWThSp2X_wIo1tEfFVMmSOommgSbxnW6uGEJsUJ7JNGWLxoXvNaaayL-Tdn6PQ2Aq4-LAIp02U3JD1FyW5H17bW2D5CB61Qk3gHJJ_4IQjByh_-_YFqNJ/s400/IMG_0335.JPG" width="295" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is me <i>inside</i> of her house, but it's on the Georges' side where Jacob and I worked our way up to be very prominent courtiers. Indeed, I was in charge of testing King George I's eggs for runniness, and of wiping his Royal *ahem*.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jacob was His Royal Highness's personal physician, but let's not compare. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">...At least I make 30 pounds a year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">These are the signs for the royal toilets in which I complete my courtly duties.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is my courtly husband. THAT'S RIGHT, FOLKS: H U S B A N D.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We like visiting Kensington Palace.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We like that we have to walk through Hyde Park to get to church.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We like meeting people from all over the world every day and getting to know our wonderful students here and we like being married and we like living together [<i><b>finally</b></i>].</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We like it when Kate (mostly Hoffmire, sometimes Middleton) visits us from Oxford/ Utah.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We [mostly I] like running through the mist in the dark, early morning.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We like living in London.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We like learning.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We like each other.</span></div>
Anna Bananahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292393270576406321noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8138089630661529850.post-36191137555588308422013-01-05T02:00:00.001-08:002013-03-15T15:06:11.509-07:00All settled in, gov'nuh!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And as regal as ever.</span></div>
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We are as happy as clam chowder in our new little London flat, all married and ready for adventure-- maybe once I can get out of bed, that is.</div>
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We have eaten the <b>best</b> food since we got here two days ago. I guess I forgot there would be an abundance of french influence... I thought I was safe from french pastries this time. NEVER. Oh well, I'm married, right?</div>
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Oh. Maybe I'll get around to saying a <i>little</i> something about the wedding too. I guess that's important.</div>
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Until then,</div>
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Cheerio (or something)!<br />
England is a place to be <b>happy</b>, as I learned a year and a half ago: <i><a href="http://pardonthebanana.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/being-happy-in-england.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</i><br />
Happy husband. Happy wife. Happy fish and chips. Happy West End. Happy Sound of Music cape coat. Happy students everywhere. Happy little teeny kitchen that is smaller than the closet. Happy spider that crawled out of my blow dryer and bit me. Happy teeny leaky shower. Happy jet lag. Happy Greek grocer. Happy synagogue. Happy tourists. Not happy locals. Happy happy happy. Happy biscuits.</div>
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Oh yay, this is very exciting.</div>
Anna Bananahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292393270576406321noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8138089630661529850.post-83992813074068857082012-12-31T13:00:00.000-08:002013-03-15T15:07:51.950-07:00Packing is hard.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">But having a little Desmond certainly helps.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">We wish you the happiest of New Years.</span></div>
<br />Anna Bananahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05292393270576406321noreply@blogger.com0