That's just the way the cookie crumbles...

Actually, the cookie has nothing to do with it.

(I think the line above is muuuch more ponderous than the title. Think about it.)

So, what HAVE I been up to lately? Considering I'm usually pretty slack at keeping up with reporting general happenings, it's no wonder that when I find myself away from the computer (during my free time) for a prolonged period of time, there's no way I'll keep up, much less make up.

But since it's a time of change, I guess I can try to be a little different from the usual. Not permanently. But at least at the moment. So let's try a little make up time... in reverse chronological order...

Here's Mari, with her loads of ice-cream:

Although Mari will now kill me for having posted her picture, at least it will be a merciful killing, due to the fact that the picture is fuzzy, so not as offensive as a fully crisp one. To be sure.

Every time I view this picture, I will remember the lessons we all learned: Even if you think you will be able to eat two of those, you won't.

It's a good lesson. Just focus on the one little sheep or barn you have and don't go trying to take anyone else's or build bigger ones.

Aherm.

Not that Mari was guilty of such things.

Rossi, Angela and I took Mari and Angie out for ice-cream at Coldstone, to celebrate their combined (on the same day) birthdays. It was swell. It was girlie talk. You know I am SO not a girlie-talk-er. I will be reformed. One day. It's inevitable. Yikes.



(Note how covert I am about filming, these days: never really focusing on anyone's face, aherm, lest I diiie.)

Intermission:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYOE_b4aYD0

Intermission from the intermission (trying out an unused youtube option, ehehe):


So, where was I... besides getting high off my own carbon dioxide emissions...

Oh, yeah, the other day, we had one of our monthly "company" (which includes the rest of our previous "Home" members) dinners at this happy chicken place -- it was pretty tasty...

You can tell how yummy the food will be, just by looking at this picture, I'm sure:


Lance thinks he's good at photography (ahaha):



I know I am a photographer (catching an alien eye at that resolution is quite a feat, I'll have you know):


And the kids think they're photographers and laser beam specialists:


>





Shrimp is sooo yummy (and salmon!!):


Don't you just looove watching food go by? :D Ooo, Lance weell keell me, and it won't be sweet. :D I just love how inspirational I am to/for children, aherm. Yikes.









Here's some of the view from our window (some day, recently):


And we did go out with/for Mari before the ice-cream, for something more substantial (Japanese "hotpot"), ehe:





There were some fishing people on some day when I was also watching the sunset, but the video's taking too long to upload, so here's the sun:


Somewhere in the midst of all that, there was one intense week of English teaching camps: up at 5:00 every morning, "home" by 7:00, staying in a strange place, trying to encourage Taiwanese 19-year-olds at the national defense university to use their English... pulling teeth! Figuratively. But we survived and it was all for the best cause of all: seeing family. Well, I'm sure there are better causes, but at the moment, for me, nothing could be better than being able to take a trip to see my family. Ahhh...

No photos from that, as no electronic devices were allowed on campus, due to the "defense" status of the place, though they did bend and allow cell phones, which technically have players and cameras on them, but anyway...

It was great and I sure learned a lot. We ended up being 10 "Family" people as all the teachers at this place, so we were definitely bonded and that part was swell. It was a bit challenging having to live up to expectations that were different from previous camp experience, but it's all good and the kids' comments afterward were lovely. Oh, I do have shots of the card they made for me, so tender...









There's something so fulfilling about teaching receptive minds... not that a camp schedule would be survivable for more than a week, but teaching in general, when people want to learn, even if they may be totally incapable, haha... no, these kids were capable (why am I calling 19-year-olds "kids"? ack!!), there were just a few barriers, but if nothing else, the resulting interest was proof enough for me of success.

Okay, well, now I've hit pictures from our move, which was way long ago and which I still need to post, but it's bedtime, so it's time to quit.

My camera just died. Well, I tried reviving it once or twice and no signs of life, so I'll try again, but it's a sad, sad day, because I don't think it'll live... again... :(

But who wants to live forever, eh?!