Why you should not hire me to babysit your kids?

The last couple of days have been very productive as I was preparing to depart to la-la-land and was settling my stuff in A-Town. This led me to, among rest, uploading the pictures I took in Canada and doing some reflections on what was achieved on the trip.

The main takeaway from the pictures, aside from the fact that I am totally in-love with my cousin’s kids (who, by the way, asked their mom afterwards “Why can’t  Grobby come live with us??”), was a shortlist of things I managed to teach them in those few days, which I believe will be an important milestone in their cultural education. Below is the list:

1.  Taking jumping pictures. If you cannot fly, you can still do so on paper.

2. Taking self-pictures. One cannot be vain enough, I say (The little girl totally loved this and became an expert immediately).

3. Pretending one is a rapper, and saying “yo, yo”, and appreciating Lady Gaga. It’s never to early to develop an exquisite taste in music (The little boy, surprisingly, said he prefers classical music).

4. Understanding sex change operation.  If one does not look like a girl by wearing an appropriate costume for Halloween, there are many other options (The little boy proved himself once again by asking if they have to cut one’s penis in such operation. I had to be honest with him..). Just to clarify, there was not much interest observed in undergoing such a procedure, but rather a shere intellectual curiosity.

Well, this about sums my contribution to the next generation’s development. I suppose it’s time for another please-don’t-try-this-at-home disclaimer.

 

The Ambiguous Nationality

Encountered this interesting recording online about a form of globe-trotting.

Katrin Buckenmaier grew up in Munich, Germany, but always had the itch to leave. She found school quite boring and was a bit of a disruptive influence, though she liked Latin and Music. She convinced her parents to let her leave home at 13 years old and join her sister in America. She returned to Germany six months later but moved on to England soon after. She studied Economics and Philosophy at the LSE in London and got her MBA at Harvard. After university, she began an internship at an internet start-up which soon developed into a full-time job. She then took some time in an investment bank to get the skills she needed to go forward. She has been based in Moscow since May and is co-founder of a Russian-based internet company, Travelmenu.

http://english.ruvr.ru/radio_broadcast/34857244/56615427.html

I can definitely relate to her school experience. I remember the fun I used to have, sitting in the back row with my best friend, writing notes and trying to eat giant sandwiches under the desk (which we bought when we snuck out of school during break) without the teacher noticing.

As for moving around and living in different countries, why I can relate is probably obvious.

I guess I will have to pick this up next time I go for some shampoo

These are the types of coupons one gets in the mail in Texas. And they wonder about the frequency of shoot-outs..

 

Airplane Acrobatics

In my flight from Vancouver, inspired by my five-year-old niece’s gymnastics exercises, I decided to perform a complex acrobatics routine and hop over the sleeping middle- aged couple in the two seats next to me, when trying to go to the bathroom. This required a serious maneuver, because the extra leg room seats did not provide sufficient space given that my neighbors were not of the smallest dimensions (as it often the case with planes headed southbound).

Anyways, somewhere between putting my leg between the two seats and trying to balance myself with grabbing an non-existent handle in the ceiling, I saw myself falling facedown at the husband who was sitting in the aisle seat, while simultaneously being grabbed by the waste by the guy seating on the other side of the aisle. This was an incredible save which result in me breaking with my hands just a few centimeters away from the husband’s shockingly awoken face and with my body arched over his lap. After numerous apologies, upon returning, I still felt so embarrassed and traumatized that I didn’t dare get up from my seat for the remainder of the flight (despite an exploding bladder that was killing me).

Thankfully, these people were really nice about it and didn’t say anything. The husband even took down my carry-on for me. Maybe he was afraid I will try to jump over him to get it…

Kids, please don’t try this at home.

Single women, you are not alone

Sharing a funny but true article a friend sent me.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/25/fashion/sometimes-its-not-you-or-the-math-modern-love.html?src=recg&pagewanted=print