After months of non-posting and deep deliberation, I've decided to discontinue this blog for the time being. While my life is quite exciting to me, I realize that it may not be for everyone else out there. My original reason for having a blog was to keep my family in the loop of my life as I was out gallivanting around the world, but now I live close to my family again, so the need is no longer there. Rest assured that if I travel again or if my life becomes more exciting, I will start blogging again. Until we meet [View Full Entry]

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I was reminded the other day that I had not updated this blog for a while. I have no real excuse except that it's been so cold, I only want to curl up under a blanket next to the fireplace with a good book. Typing requires extracting my fingers from the warm cacoon. It's been snowy and cold here in Iowa this January. Well, it's always snowy and cold in Iowa in January, but it has seemed particularly harsh this winter. But, the cold hasn't kept the deer away. They came out to play yesterday and spent some time in the [View Full Entry]

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I feel like I'm being blessed this year with perfect Iowa weather as a reward for coming home. This fall was gorgeous with mild weather holding out through November. Now, this winter is shaping up to be a beautiful, snow-filled one. Iowa doesn't always get snow in early December but we've had a few snowfalls so far and they have turned the world into a winter wonderland. Last Thursday we received about 4 inches and then last night and this morning we've had just enough to settle on top of the old snow and make everything look frosty-fresh again. It's setting [View Full Entry]

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Act 1: Thanksgiving Day It's been years since my family had a traditional Thanksgiving (at least partially due to my becoming a vegetarian as a teenager) and we decided that this wasn't the year to break our tradition of being untraditional. So, on Thanksgiving Day, my sister, my mom, and I gathered to bake Christmas cookies and candies. We had a chance for extra celebration because my sister got engaged the day before! Ahhh, my baby sister is getting married! I'm so excited and happy for her and incredibly impressed because her fiance picked out the ring all by himself and [View Full Entry]

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That's my new motto. It's been brought out this year in response to the way in which the Christmas sleigh has overrun the Thanksgiving turkey. Now, I like Christmas as much as the next person, but I happen to believe that Americans should spend equal, if not more, time and effort towards preparing for and celebrating Thanksgiving than they do for Christmas. Why, you ask? Because Thanksgiving is truly a national holiday, available to celebration by every single American. Christmas, in contrast, is a religious holiday celebrated by only part of our population (albeit the majority). Thanks [View Full Entry]

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I know, I know. I haven't been keeping up. I'm sorry! My computer crashed and my camera's broken and I'm trying to settle into being back home. I promise to update you all again soon! [View Full Entry]

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It's a tragedy. Here's a link to an article about this horrible deed. http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071019/NEWS01/710190364/1001/NEWS. We're all morning the loss of Eric and the injury of Annie. Anyone who was ever greeted by their shining, smiling faces on the way to the State Fair (which is pretty much everyone in Iowa) is in mourning. Ok, obviously we aren't really in mourning, but seriously, whoever did this, you should be ashamed of yourselves! Taking out an innocent little bovine and ruining the State Fair experience for thousands of children acros [View Full Entry]

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Mom played hooky from work and we drove to Omaha to visit the zoo. For some reason, my whole family has a love of zoos. Whenever we're on vacation someplace with a nice zoo, we go. Last week I thought to myself, "You know, it'd be nice to go to the Omaha Zoo. I haven't been there for years." The next day, Mom said, "You know, I can take a day off of work. I think we should go to the Omaha Zoo." Weird. But, normal in my family. So, Mom and I packed a picnic lunch and headed out early [View Full Entry]

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Here I am, back in the U.S.A.! It's very strange trying to adjust back to my own culture. My stomach doesn't like the food, my mind is on language overload, and even after 3 weeks, I can't get over how terrible American television is. Seriously. I'm quite excited that I'm back in Iowa for the autumn. I haven't been in Iowa at this time of year for 11 years. I had forgotten how beautiful everything is during harvest season. I really do live in a Grant Wood painting. When I first arrived, everything was still very green. But, one week later, [View Full Entry]

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Here it is, the middle of August. The summer has just flown by! I spent 3 weeks in Weifang, Shandong Province as the “foreign teacher manager” for a summer English camp at Weifang #1 Middle School. This was the first year CTLC worked at WF #1 and I was sent to make sure things went according to plan. Boy, did they not! Let’s just say that it was…an experience. And we’ll leave it at that. The other day, my boss said, “You know, we thought it would be a nice, cushy, easy job for you to end your time in China. [View Full Entry]

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