New stuff

It's kinda crazy here, what with reading books to begin classes in a week, working full-time, getting ready to teach in two weeks, trying to get settled in, and, of course, trying to squeeze in some time to visit with my nephews. Love them.
Anyway, here are a few pictures of the new place. The pictures don't really do it justice and I'm still settling in, but you get the idea. Oh, and I forgot to add that my apartment is the top half of a chapel in an old Catholic high school--hence the arched ceilings.
This first picture is my office. I've never had an office all to myself, so I think it's pretty great.

This is a picture from the doorway to my bedroom. Again, this picture is deceptive because the ceiling arches into a strange octagonal middle. Way cool.

This is a picture from the doorway of my bedroom, looking back toward the entry and the kitchen.

This picture is from the doorway of the kitchen, looking back toward the bedroom.

This last one is the kitchen. It's small, but it suits me just fine.

What a week....

Friday--Left San Miguel. Spent four hours laid over in Houston. Arrived in Indy well after midnight.
Saturday--Slept for eight-ish hours. Drove to Des Moines. Met my beautiful new nephew. Fed said nephew a bottle and sang to him a bit (a selection of U2 and Apoptogyma Bezerk songs).
Sunday--Drove back from Des Moines. Started unpacking from trip to Mexico.
Monday--Saw five apartments. Went to test drive a Honda Fit Sport (manual, Blackberry Pearl).
Tuesday--Saw four apartments. Filled out application for apartment in St. Agnus Apartments. Went to Martin to get my office keys and sign my contract. Picked up Mom from the airport.
Wednesday--Got apartment. Went back to Honda dealership for financing and grueling negotiation.
Thursday--Agreed on car price. Started packing to move. Found car insurance. Made appointment to sign lease and get keys for apartment tomorrow.
Tonight--Pick up new car.
Tomorrow--Sign lease. Move. Get Internet. Take Mom and Dad out for dinner. Drive around in my new car.
Saturday--Unpack. Revel in new environment. Probably make Korean fried rice.

Almost time to leave Mexico....

Well, I've turned in papers, read dozens of short stories, wrote nonfiction (weird, I'm better at making stuff up), and walked a lot. I'm kind of ready to head home even though it's been pretty fantastic.
I'm posting a couple more pictures, but I may put more up on Facebook. Anyway, here they are.
This first picture is of my strange pink and yellow room. Notice the mural signed "Jesus J.S. Dic. '02."


This is a sign outside of the hot springs. I sort of thought this was amusing. Notice the fifth bullet: I think it says something close to "We won't tolerate any antisocial behavior that disrupts the peace of this place."


Outside of the city, this is what it looks like: kind of flat and green, and you probably wouldn't guess that this is like 7,000,000,000 feet above sea level. Okay, I'm exaggerating a little.


A group of us went to this really strange church at Atotonilca. They call it the Mexican Sistine Chapel (notice the following picture). Really, this Jesus statue is a large draw, too, because he apparently has real hair and teeth.


This is a picture of the ceiling of the church, with the scaffolding for the restoration work.


This picture doesn't really show the extent of the bougainvillea in this city.


Last one for now: evening overlooking San Miguel.

Two weeks in Mexico

A few items of note:
1. If you haven't heard, I have a new nephew. This is so fantastically exciting.
2. After taking a tango lesson and two salsa lessons, I realize that dancing can be kinda cool.
3. Mole (pronounced mol-eh) is so good, I'm may have to figure out how to make it. Forget that, I'm going to buy some in a can.
4. Had to do a reading on Wednesday. It wasn't the catastrophe it could have been.
5. Went to Guanajunto, but I missed seeing the mummies. Boo.
6. Writers can be harsh.
7. Writers can be great.
8. The breakfasts at this little hotel (La Casa de Elvia) continue to be enough food to get me through much of the day. They have a farm somewhere (not on the premises), so breakfasts continue to involve foreign things like homemade butter, homemade yogurt, and chile killyas. The last one's spelling is questionable.
9. Masses in English are preferable to masses in Spanish.
10. Spanish is much easier than Korean. I don't care what anyone says.

Okay, here's a link to some informational stuff about the program here:
http://lowres.uno.edu/sanmiguel/
If you click on housing, you can see some pictures of La Casa de Elvia.

A week in Mexico

Here are a bunch of pictures from the last few days. Things are going well, I'm having a fantastic time, the weather is beautiful, the people are fantastic, and, yes mom, I'm eating very well.
These first few are from Teotihuacan. Here are some great skeletons that look like they are sitting around sharing a good joke.



Here is some graffiti.


Yes, these pyramids are as high up as it looks.




These next two are from a rooftop restaurant in San Miguel. I ate hibiscus tacos there.


This last one is just a fluke. I hadn't downloaded my pictures before I left, so now I leave you with a question: how is Mr. Susan?

Just a quick note...

I'm just posting this really quickly--
I'm safe and I've arrived in lovely San Miguel. After a brief internet snafu, I'm back online and working feverishly to be ready for class tomorrow. Everything is beautiful and comfortable--I think it's 80 today, and my room is comfortable. I will post pictures when I get my act a little more together.

Getting ready for San Miguel

What I have read in the last six weeks for classes:
1. Cod
2. Stealing Buddha's Dinner
3. Candyfreak (possibly my favorite)
4. The Underdogs
5. Biography of Frida Kahlo (way more than I wanted to know about anybody)
6. A brief history of Mexico (really not that brief)
7. Tear this Heart Out (not as bad as it sounds)
8. The Labyrinth of Solitude (way more convoluted than it sounds)
9. The Death of Artemio Cruz
10. about 10 short stories
11. about 10 essays

What is in my two suitcases:
-new printer, thanks to mom
-all nine books and short stories and essays listed above
-sunblock (lots)
-raingear (plenty)
-a few clothes

Say goodbye to honolulu

Last day in Hawaii, and I'm a little sad. Mandy is a little sad about leaving, too, but it's a little strange that I'm going to miss her friends quite a bit. I would pack up some of the people and bring them home with me if I could. That would be pretty cool.
In the meantime, I'm distracting myself with plans for trips--there's the trip to visit family in the Midwest next week, the trip to Texas, and the trip to Mexico--trying to help Mandy get ready to go, and writing different stuff. I have some different writing classes coming up, so I'm playing with different genres. I just started a nonfiction piece set at Camp Hebron in which Sarah Furler (sorry, Tanis now) and I go looking for the six-foot groundhog. Oh, to be ten again.
Eh, I still try to have my little adventures.
For now, here are a couple of pictures from the party last weekend. Mandy puts on an incredible party, and this high tea was incredible. Complete with some incredible people.

Some awesome things from this week

1. I'm still in Hawaii, and I haven't wanted a sweater yet. Haven't even worked much.
2. Watched Jake all day, and nothing broke or died or anything. I'm really proud of myself. He still likes me, too, I think.
3. Finished writing a science-fiction story. Huh. Never done that before. It's still pretty close to literary fiction.
4. Went to see Star Trek opening night. Zachary Quinto is not only talented but also good-looking.
5. Spent a wonderful Mother's Day with Jake and Mandy and Scott. We chased ducks, ran down hills, and ate very well. See Keiki Days for some awesome pictures.
6. Got my first pedicure--ever. Pretty nice, I must say.
7. Got straight As this semester.
8. Spent some time with some really great people here. Mandy has some great friends.
9. Get to spend another month traveling this summer.
10. Get to keep my promising and interesting job despite three months off.
Life is pretty good. If Daniel Dae Kim hung out with me on the beach, it could only be better.

Crazy week...

It's strange the way a week can change your view on the world. It's ironic the way a couple of things can make your perspective and life a little brighter.
The biggest news is that Mandy is back in the States. She sounds tired but glad to be headed home to her family in a couple of days. I've prayed so often in the past months that she would get home safely and that somehow this time has been good for Mandy, beneficial and good for her perspicacity or something.
Mom and Dad flew down last night--spur of the moment as only Dad can do. I think we got home Sunday afternoon around 2:30 or 3, then Dad booked tickets, and we left for the airport around 5:30. Cool. I think Mom will be expressing her love through shopping and Dad will be expressing his love through pinnochle. What a great family.
The other bit of news is about becoming a full-time, faculty professor. I haven't accepted the offer, but it is on the table for next fall. More developments to come.
There is other stuff, but mostly, it's strange little stories and interesting moments. It's a time of excitement and transition, but all is good.

It's been a while

Life is pretty boring but busy; mostly, I lay around and read. That's about it, actually.
But I have had some interesting little adventures that are rapidly turning into short stories (I'm not allowed to work on anything over 25 pages until next year, boo-hiss).
I'm going to tell one story, though: Tuesdays I spend most of the day in a small lounge in the basement of one of the building at Martin University where I'm teaching a couple of classes. Mostly, I sit around and wait for students to come bug me. Oh, and I lay around and read.
Last Tuesday, I was sitting, facing the entry to the lounge, and I saw a face I didn't recognize. He passed the door and then backed up to look back at me again. It was pretty funny. A few minutes later, he came back into the lounge, smelling of cigarettes.
He sat across from me and introduced himself. He pulled out a thick envelope, ripped it open, and lay a wad of cash on the table, literally flashing the cash, rolled with a rubber band. He asked me what I was doing later that night, and I told him that I had class.
After he questioned me a little more, I clarified that I was teaching a class. I wasn't intentionally trying to put him down, but I don't want to date students--especially ones that show me how much money they have, rolled up with a rubber band. Weird and funny.

A New Sort of Life

And so the new chapter begins.
I'm in Mom and Dad's house, George is anxious about something and trying to knock one of my fine-tipped, black ink pens off the desk, the printer has been humming for about two hours with the arduous task of churning out syllabi and handouts, and I'm drinking tea now because the caffeine from the eight cups of coffee this morning has been making my stomach hurt.
Need to cut back on that.
This month, this week, this year marks the beginning of so many new things, and as excited as I am about the new chapter, I'm a little sad to leave some of the new things behind. Who wouldn't want to choose a new state every couple of weeks?
Speaking of, here are a couple of interesting pics of Dad and I's trip to Portland. I even took a couple of shots of these trains for Al.

How many five year olds can I take on?

21

Created by OnePlusYou - Free Dating Sites

Apparently the morality quotient did me in. Thanks James: I took this quiz in the Portland airport as a two-year-old almost unplugged my laptop. Awesome. I didn't dropkick him or anything. I just laughed at the really great timing and the father as he frantically tried to get the plug away from the little guy.

What do Alaska, Mississippi, and Oklahoma have in common?

Before I give the answer to the riddle, I have another infamous list:
1. Number of states I have lived in: 7.
2. Number of different cities or towns I have lived in: 15.
3. Number of different apartments/houses I have lived in: 17.
4. Number of schools I have worked for: 3, soon to be 4.
5. Number of schools (school systems) I have attended: 6, soon to 7.
6. To clarify: Number of schools (not school systems) attended: 9, soon to be 10.
AND, 6. Number of states I have visited as of today: 47. The three that are missing: Alaska, Mississippi, and Oklahoma.

One more part to the Furler adventure

So many awesome moments with the Furlers, but here is another one.
On Saturday night at Laura and Corbett's apartment in NYC, Sarah decided she wanted a cupcake. Apparently Magnolia Bakery and another bakery are the big things in NYC, so Laura hoped online to get an address (I think there were about 314 locations in Manhattan alone), and Al thought getting cupcakes for his pregnant daughter was a great plan.
But the GPS drama began: first Sue was trying to get directions, but the GPS thought we were still in NJ. This was not very effective, but it was hugely entertaining.
Then, Al got the directions with the GPS (he already knew where it was located and how to get there), and we began this elaborate game while driving to the bakery: Al would try to foil the GPS, taking any route except the route indicated by the GPS. I can't tell you how many times we heard, "Recalculating route," from the computer voice. Awesome.
And I have never seen so many people in line for cupcakes, let alone at 9pm on a Saturday night. Weird.
We decided that Al has no practical use for the GPS; he just likes to outsmart it and to trick it.
Miss you guys.

A fantastic Furler adventure

The snow is falling outside, Dad is traveling again (Florida this time), Mom is taking a nap, and I'm trying to manage my self-imposed stress while drinking my 18th cup of coffee today. Mom thinks it is funny how I don't have a job, but I tend to work a lot more than most people: getting reading to teach, getting ready to take classes, reading hundreds of pages with my writing groups, trying to finish paperwork and training to teach online, and reading and writing my own fun stuff. It's good, but it feels like a juggling act right now.
Except when I can escape on my little trips. Going to visit the Furlers is like going to visit my other family. I know them and their extended family and their lives and their habits almost as well as I know my family's. It's strange the way Sue apologizes that they ordered Chinese or pizza for dinner, and I don't expect anything less.
Sue and Al asked me if I wanted to go into New York to visit the twins, and I wanted to laugh. Of course I want to see the twins. Of course I want to see Laura and Corbett. Of course I want to see Sarah and Kyle.
So, off we went: we had a great photo op in the lobby with Santa and the twins in the lobby (see pictures below), and then Sue watched them while the rest of us went for pizza. We visited the Whitney, and Sue and Sarah and I did our best to avoid the mile and a half walk in the thirty degree weather. Then, in the evening, we sat around trying to decide what to do for dinner, and the most entertaining conversation commenced. Al wanted to go to the fish and chips place in Brooklyn, someone vetoed because this was too far away, Laura thought that Sarah and I should figure something out, Corbett vetoed because he thought that Sarah and I didn't know the options, Al thought that we could decide something, Kyle and Corbett debated between Mexican and Italian and a couple of other things. This whole thing was pretty hilarious.
Sunday was at Sparta Evangelical Free Church. I saw the Scherlachers, the Schuberts, the Landruds, the Biggs, the Colliers, and plenty of others that have married names I do not recall--all send greetings to the McGrail family. Then, at the Jefferson Diner (voted best in NJ, but I still vote it as 2nd to the Sparta Diner), we ran into the Bensons who said to send a big hello to Mandy.
Monday and Tuesday, Sue and I hung out during the day, and at night, Sue and Al and Sarah and Kyle and I went out for dinner (surprise! Boonton has great sushi). I made Sue drive me down to Dover, wanting to relive some moments of shopping at the flea market and the Salvation Army there. Instead, we went for Mexican soup. Then we went shopping at some outlets, and Sue decided that I'm a worse shopper than she is. I'm a little proud of this.
Tuesday, Sue and I went to Lafayette Village (see pictures below).
Wednesday, I tried to say goodbye to Sue and Al. As I'm writing all of this, I'm missing all the funny details that I miss so much about them. Sue has this uncanny ability to make me feel interesting and smart and awesome. Al plans these fantastic and hilarious adventures that feel like capricious celebrations of the weekend and family while balancing a cup of boiling tea with one hand, reprogramming his new GPS with his thumbs, and driving along curvy 517 at the same time. Laura represents this tall, glamorous, other bossy sister that I had, and the other older sister who could make me feel so good and funny and interesting, like Sue. Sarah has this window into my youth that shows different times, like in Sharonsville when Mandy was Dr. Brown, Laura ran the town library, and I turned the lights out at "night" to deliver presents to the town. I was in my own little world then. Things haven't really changed much.
Then, I was off to visit Em and Logan. They are sort of like me: still in school, still working out the life plan around some incredibly lofty goals, and surrounded by nieces and nephews. We have an understanding. And Em greeted me with a huge hug, a Cajun soup, and a warm bed.
Hospitality is a common thread in this McGurfur clan. Miss you all.

A few Furler pictures

I'll write more about the Furler adventures later, but here are a few awesome pictures of the twins and Lafayette Village. I was pretty awful (as usual) about taking pictures, and when I started uploading them today, I was thoroughly chagrined to find how few pictures I had taken.
Sigh.
I will leave the pictures to Sue. The videos are left to Al.

It's beginning to look a lot like winter....

This is from the safety of the indoors at Aunt Barb's house. Probably won't go outside until spring. This means that if I lock myself inside with plenty of books, coffee, and writing supplies, it may be a productive winter.
Here's another cute picture from the visit to Aunt Barb's, but I cannot explain it.

A quick update...

As of today, I have agreed to attend the University of New Orleans low-residency program (my first choice). Because it is low-residency, I do all the work online and then spend a month in Mexico this summer. Should be a two-year program, and maybe next year I will spend a month in Italy. Yeah, I think I can hack this. And yeah, I think I'm getting excited.

Avoidance of ambiguity

This blog is turning into a source of frustration because I simply had no idea there were more than two or three people reading this. Well, I'm going to attempt to be less ambiguous and more clear. At least for now.
The last couple of weeks have been strange. I was in California last week enjoying my friends John and Sung Hee--they bought a new house and are pregnant (married, to avoid ambiguity). They are so generous and hospitable, I considered their offer to let me move out there, but really, I need my space and my quiet.
Sung Hee is this beautiful, petite, tiny Korean gal who weighs as much as I do at four months pregnant. I love this gal so much--John, too, and John and I can't agree on a single thing, so we end up having long and circular conversations. What great fun.
I was at Martin today, going over syllabi and picking up textbooks. This place is so strange: despite the ongoing politics and conflict that I hear about every time I am there, I always feel stronger, better, and respected after I leave there. I'm starting to look forward to the classes this semester.
And the training for Axia College continues. This is turning into a huge, unpaid, timely investment that makes me want to make up a fake resume that may get me hired in a coffee shop or a video store. Maybe next month.
MFA stuff: as of last week, I found out that I have been accepted into both of the programs. This is exciting, but I need to make a decision by, well, yesterday would have been good. I visited Spalding on Tuesday, and Anne Patchett gave a wonderful talk on Bel Canto. She is so humble and funny and human that I almost feel like I can do it, too.
And the writing group: this group of strange writers are so exciting. I'm starting to look forward to spending two evenings a month with this group of men that are ten to thirty years older than me--oh, there is one girl that is my age. This group is so great.
Besides this, I'm pretty boring and pretty straight, still. Here's a good picture of John, Sung Hee, and I. I love my new haircut--compliments of Kate. She did a great job.