![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Back, briefly at least, to my nice happy computer where I can dawdle all day and my lovely fast connection—but soon to leave again, since I’m going to the beach for all of next week. I did get to look in occasionally, but not regularly, so hope I didn’t miss too many important events in the lives of the flist.
Very nice month in Chicago. Many visitors, including baby Lydia, who’ll also be with me at the beach next week(she comes with parents, of course, but with a baby around…hard to remember long uninterrupted conversations). She’s a terrible two now, as of Monday (theoretically at least). Here she is with her new haircut—only slightly mullety:
We took her to the new Chilren’s Zoo—got to see a bear poop in the woods, or at least the cage that has trees and a stream. She also very bravely rode the little train by herself (once her mom walked outside the car but still—my kids wouldn’t have done that at her age). Her language is at a great stage—she says: “I be sit” for “I’ll sit down” and other longer sentences. She likes to help set the table, stir the food, etc. But although her mom’s a very independent sort who backpacks and travels the world and has had several great jobs, I’m seeing a tiny bit of gender role going on in her toys—there are lots of dolls around. It’s not my business, but I don’t give her dolls—she has plenty! I’m wondering if it would be out of line to get her a truck. I might get one for the beach. She plays with lots of gender neutral stuff, like music, blocks, books—and there’s nothing wrong with liking babies! But still… Also, we saw four of the other Chinese girls who had been adopted at the same time—they had a reunion in Chicago, and I went the last day. Lydia’s still way ahead. Having a foster family means everything. At least the others are all walking by now, but few have much language yet. But all are so completely adorable.
I also went to a very wonderful but incredibly hard yoga workshop—Anusara, led by Sianna Sherman, from Berkeley with afternoon lectures on Rajanaka Tantra by Douglas Brooks. It was level 2, which I’m really not up to, but I tried everything. I can actually now do a forearm balance, like a handstand, but on the forearms, and am very close to getting my leg behind my head. But three hours straight for two days straight was amazing in terms of endurance. I kept on going to the studio—there’s also a couple of good teachers there, and the classes were smaller and more demanding than where I go here. It definitely improved my attitude about going to Chicago.
The lectures really opened my mind, in way that’s unbalancing right now, b/c I’d been working with a clear commitment to the Gelugpa Buddhist tradition, and Rajanaka is Hindu. I don’t know how to fit it all together. Just sort of stopped meditating for a while, but now will see my teacher here on Friday, and will see again if I can make it all fit, or if I have to make a choice.
And I went sailing, for the first time ever! Here’s the Chicago harbor (Belmont) as we return at sunset—just putting the sails down:
It was exciting, glorious, scary, exhilarating—the boat heeled over a lot more than I’m used to, and the waves were much bigger than I expected in a lake. But now I want to do much more! The harbor’s close to where we live, and the lessons aren’t too expensive, so I definitely have a plan for next summer.
And we went to an amazing show at the Museum of Science and Industry: “BodyWorlds.” It’s anatomical dissections of real human bodies, that have been plastinated, a technique that replaces the body fluids with plastic. It was fascinating to see the details of muscles, nerves, arteries, bones—but also very beautiful. If you’re not put off by what’s under your skin, you can see some of this at http://www.channel4.com/science/microsites/A/anatomists/gallery1.html
Of course there were other visitors, plays, dinners, visits to the South Shore, etc.—-and we've been trying to be good users of public transportation since it's available, so I spend more time getting everywhere, but that's fun, in good weather at least--so I didn't get much writing done, sad to say. But have gotten some extremely helpful comments on most recent story and am more than ready to plunge into revisions when I’m back here for a while, so everlasting thanks, you wonderful beta readers, esp. Lynne and Angela. Very insightful and helpful comments. Can’t wait to act on them.
So this is a sort of drive-by, but hope to catch up a little in the next couple of days, and hope everyone is well and happy.
Very nice month in Chicago. Many visitors, including baby Lydia, who’ll also be with me at the beach next week(she comes with parents, of course, but with a baby around…hard to remember long uninterrupted conversations). She’s a terrible two now, as of Monday (theoretically at least). Here she is with her new haircut—only slightly mullety:
We took her to the new Chilren’s Zoo—got to see a bear poop in the woods, or at least the cage that has trees and a stream. She also very bravely rode the little train by herself (once her mom walked outside the car but still—my kids wouldn’t have done that at her age). Her language is at a great stage—she says: “I be sit” for “I’ll sit down” and other longer sentences. She likes to help set the table, stir the food, etc. But although her mom’s a very independent sort who backpacks and travels the world and has had several great jobs, I’m seeing a tiny bit of gender role going on in her toys—there are lots of dolls around. It’s not my business, but I don’t give her dolls—she has plenty! I’m wondering if it would be out of line to get her a truck. I might get one for the beach. She plays with lots of gender neutral stuff, like music, blocks, books—and there’s nothing wrong with liking babies! But still… Also, we saw four of the other Chinese girls who had been adopted at the same time—they had a reunion in Chicago, and I went the last day. Lydia’s still way ahead. Having a foster family means everything. At least the others are all walking by now, but few have much language yet. But all are so completely adorable.
I also went to a very wonderful but incredibly hard yoga workshop—Anusara, led by Sianna Sherman, from Berkeley with afternoon lectures on Rajanaka Tantra by Douglas Brooks. It was level 2, which I’m really not up to, but I tried everything. I can actually now do a forearm balance, like a handstand, but on the forearms, and am very close to getting my leg behind my head. But three hours straight for two days straight was amazing in terms of endurance. I kept on going to the studio—there’s also a couple of good teachers there, and the classes were smaller and more demanding than where I go here. It definitely improved my attitude about going to Chicago.
The lectures really opened my mind, in way that’s unbalancing right now, b/c I’d been working with a clear commitment to the Gelugpa Buddhist tradition, and Rajanaka is Hindu. I don’t know how to fit it all together. Just sort of stopped meditating for a while, but now will see my teacher here on Friday, and will see again if I can make it all fit, or if I have to make a choice.
And I went sailing, for the first time ever! Here’s the Chicago harbor (Belmont) as we return at sunset—just putting the sails down:
It was exciting, glorious, scary, exhilarating—the boat heeled over a lot more than I’m used to, and the waves were much bigger than I expected in a lake. But now I want to do much more! The harbor’s close to where we live, and the lessons aren’t too expensive, so I definitely have a plan for next summer.
And we went to an amazing show at the Museum of Science and Industry: “BodyWorlds.” It’s anatomical dissections of real human bodies, that have been plastinated, a technique that replaces the body fluids with plastic. It was fascinating to see the details of muscles, nerves, arteries, bones—but also very beautiful. If you’re not put off by what’s under your skin, you can see some of this at http://www.channel4.com/science/microsites/A/anatomists/gallery1.html
Of course there were other visitors, plays, dinners, visits to the South Shore, etc.—-and we've been trying to be good users of public transportation since it's available, so I spend more time getting everywhere, but that's fun, in good weather at least--so I didn't get much writing done, sad to say. But have gotten some extremely helpful comments on most recent story and am more than ready to plunge into revisions when I’m back here for a while, so everlasting thanks, you wonderful beta readers, esp. Lynne and Angela. Very insightful and helpful comments. Can’t wait to act on them.
So this is a sort of drive-by, but hope to catch up a little in the next couple of days, and hope everyone is well and happy.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
From:
no subject
From:
no subject
The horse guy was funny--also the one with just a hat on.
From:
no subject
Lydia is adorable.
From:
no subject
From:
no subject
From:
no subject