And more personal bragging rights - OK, as part of a group I belong to - we did
good
!
Our efforts against one of the most vicious hatemonger on the airwaves are paying off!
Thursday, January 30, 2003
Wednesday, January 29, 2003
"I Will Marry You and Daddy and Skip all the Wedding Thing"
Said Maya to me this evening. Her teacher told them today about getting married and the girls talked about weddings. She eventually asked me: "How come that Bubbie and Pipa live together even though they are grown up?" I explained to her that as they grew up, they left their parents, got married and started a family of their own.
"You will probably do this yourself some day." She did not like that idea at all and told me that she wants to stay with me always. I reassured her that I for one will always enjoy her around so, unless she changes her mind, we stick together. This was going on by 3PM, as we were coming home from school. Tonight, as she was going to sleep, she decided the marriage/no wedding thingy. I wonder what the 4 year olds talked about weddings that turned her off...
Said Maya to me this evening. Her teacher told them today about getting married and the girls talked about weddings. She eventually asked me: "How come that Bubbie and Pipa live together even though they are grown up?" I explained to her that as they grew up, they left their parents, got married and started a family of their own.
"You will probably do this yourself some day." She did not like that idea at all and told me that she wants to stay with me always. I reassured her that I for one will always enjoy her around so, unless she changes her mind, we stick together. This was going on by 3PM, as we were coming home from school. Tonight, as she was going to sleep, she decided the marriage/no wedding thingy. I wonder what the 4 year olds talked about weddings that turned her off...
Monday, January 27, 2003
Bragging Time: I Gave an Interview!
Today, a reporter from the Tennessean called regarding the draft Gore movement. He is working on an in depth piece about us and wanted people from different parts of the country - NYC being one of them - so I was chosen. I'll let you know what makes the actual article, but it felt good to just be heard.
I had been waiting for this call for a few days now, and kinda given up on it. The call woke me up, I couldn't find my glasses, let alone the notes I jotted a few days ago. Still, it's a subject I can talk anyone to death in my sleep - so I think I made my points.
Today, a reporter from the Tennessean called regarding the draft Gore movement. He is working on an in depth piece about us and wanted people from different parts of the country - NYC being one of them - so I was chosen. I'll let you know what makes the actual article, but it felt good to just be heard.
I had been waiting for this call for a few days now, and kinda given up on it. The call woke me up, I couldn't find my glasses, let alone the notes I jotted a few days ago. Still, it's a subject I can talk anyone to death in my sleep - so I think I made my points.
Saturday, January 25, 2003
Picture of the Day:
Bulgarii ,Rehovot, December 1999 - Dorina, Costel, Uzi, Ilinca and a very pretty doll - uh, no, it's actually little Eden - 20 months old at the time
Bulgarii ,Rehovot, December 1999 - Dorina, Costel, Uzi, Ilinca and a very pretty doll - uh, no, it's actually little Eden - 20 months old at the time
Friday, January 24, 2003
Well, we finally got a tiny drop of relief today with a little higher temperature than it's been. We had gotten excited about the family moving to Canada as we were thinking of possibly eventually having to escape to a free society (as fascism seems to be taking over here). But we subsequently decided "Hell, Canada is just too damned cold!" If we can't take it here...Anyway, so far our personal lives are still going well. We certainly would like to visit relatives around the globe.
Victor
Victor
Picture of the Day
From the story of
Halloweens past: 1985, Montclair, NJ
Mama, Brian and Ava, joined by Jeffrey and Diana and their mother Ana are starting to canvass the neighborhood for candy. Beautiful October day - as Halloween should always be. We ate sweets for weeks afterwards.
From the story of
Halloweens past: 1985, Montclair, NJ
Mama, Brian and Ava, joined by Jeffrey and Diana and their mother Ana are starting to canvass the neighborhood for candy. Beautiful October day - as Halloween should always be. We ate sweets for weeks afterwards.
Wednesday, January 22, 2003
We are Making a Difference!
It would seem this story belongs in my political blog (and it's there too). Still, considering that it's about the efforts of our little rag tag band - and the Monica referred there is my friend, I decided to brag about here too. Woo-hoo!
It would seem this story belongs in my political blog (and it's there too). Still, considering that it's about the efforts of our little rag tag band - and the Monica referred there is my friend, I decided to brag about here too. Woo-hoo!
Tuesday, January 21, 2003
Happy Birthday Pipa!
Today is Saul's birthday (also known as "Grandpa" and "Pipa" by Maya).
We did most of the celebrating yesterday since we were all free for Martin Luther King Day. All, except the birthday boy who worked that day.
Maya absolutely insisted that he must have a chocolate cake so I went to Zabar and got one. Maya also wanted to finish the chess game she had going with Pipa (she's still learning the movements, but takes it seriously).
So, we did not go out to eat tonight as originally planned. Instead, we went there, let the chess fanatics advance their game. We ordered chinese food and had the chocolate cake decorated with candles by Maya. She also helped Pipa blow them. Pictures of this are not yet ready, but here's one of Pipa from the Winter Solstice celebration:
picture
Today is Saul's birthday (also known as "Grandpa" and "Pipa" by Maya).
We did most of the celebrating yesterday since we were all free for Martin Luther King Day. All, except the birthday boy who worked that day.
Maya absolutely insisted that he must have a chocolate cake so I went to Zabar and got one. Maya also wanted to finish the chess game she had going with Pipa (she's still learning the movements, but takes it seriously).
So, we did not go out to eat tonight as originally planned. Instead, we went there, let the chess fanatics advance their game. We ordered chinese food and had the chocolate cake decorated with candles by Maya. She also helped Pipa blow them. Pictures of this are not yet ready, but here's one of Pipa from the Winter Solstice celebration:
picture
Monday, January 20, 2003
And now, for a bit of history:
Way back, when dinosaurs roamed the earth, we used to be kids. One Sunday after returning from picking snow-drops in Baneasa (a forrest near Bucharest) Tania and I were photographed in the yard (same yard as in the newer photo). Here it is, in black and white Putza in tsarina
Way back, when dinosaurs roamed the earth, we used to be kids. One Sunday after returning from picking snow-drops in Baneasa (a forrest near Bucharest) Tania and I were photographed in the yard (same yard as in the newer photo). Here it is, in black and white Putza in tsarina
A Picture from Romania!
Cati sent me a picture taken this summer, with Ghizela (mama, Bica, Ghita), herself and Danut in the yard of the Zambaccian nr 1 home in Bucharest, Romania. Since blogspot doesn't accept photos, I uploaded it in my care2 album and can be seen
here
Cati sent me a picture taken this summer, with Ghizela (mama, Bica, Ghita), herself and Danut in the yard of the Zambaccian nr 1 home in Bucharest, Romania. Since blogspot doesn't accept photos, I uploaded it in my care2 album and can be seen
here
Happy 22nd Homecoming Anniversary to me!
On January 20, 1981, Eugene and I landed in New York City along with 98 Vietnamese immigrants coming from Paris on a TWA flight.
Because it was a TWA flight, our plane was in contact with the TWA plane that had the recently liberated Iran hostages on board - so we were some of the first ones to find out about the good news. Everyone on the plane cheered, we more than all of them because we identified with their situation.
The same day, it was Innauguration Day for Ronald Reagan. At the time, we did not know the connection between the two events (i.e: it was Bush Sr who intervened with the Iranians to hold over the hostages until after the elections so Carter can be defeated. The date coincidence was definitely deliberate.)
We were welcomed on the airport by Alfred and Marcelle - as soon as they recognized us, that is. We had sent them photographs but somehow we did not look like immigrants to them - too well dressed, and no wooden suitcases.
At Alfred's home, later that night, we ate giant steaks, sang "America, America" and called Mimi and Papu in Romania with the prearranged message:"I have twins. Boy and girl.They are healthy and everything is OK"
The 20th anniversary I spent protesting the Coronation in Washington D.C.
A few sad notes: Alfred, Mimi, Papu, Eugene had since passed away.
The bright future started looking a bit like the past we left behind.
Ironically, TWA doesn't exist anymore either.
Still, Happy Homecoming to me.
---------------------------------
Also, belated Happy Birthday to Fima (Jan 1st) and Sophie (Jan 5th)
Also, I accept suggestions for a better name for our blog - I can change that.
On January 20, 1981, Eugene and I landed in New York City along with 98 Vietnamese immigrants coming from Paris on a TWA flight.
Because it was a TWA flight, our plane was in contact with the TWA plane that had the recently liberated Iran hostages on board - so we were some of the first ones to find out about the good news. Everyone on the plane cheered, we more than all of them because we identified with their situation.
The same day, it was Innauguration Day for Ronald Reagan. At the time, we did not know the connection between the two events (i.e: it was Bush Sr who intervened with the Iranians to hold over the hostages until after the elections so Carter can be defeated. The date coincidence was definitely deliberate.)
We were welcomed on the airport by Alfred and Marcelle - as soon as they recognized us, that is. We had sent them photographs but somehow we did not look like immigrants to them - too well dressed, and no wooden suitcases.
At Alfred's home, later that night, we ate giant steaks, sang "America, America" and called Mimi and Papu in Romania with the prearranged message:"I have twins. Boy and girl.They are healthy and everything is OK"
The 20th anniversary I spent protesting the Coronation in Washington D.C.
A few sad notes: Alfred, Mimi, Papu, Eugene had since passed away.
The bright future started looking a bit like the past we left behind.
Ironically, TWA doesn't exist anymore either.
Still, Happy Homecoming to me.
---------------------------------
Also, belated Happy Birthday to Fima (Jan 1st) and Sophie (Jan 5th)
Also, I accept suggestions for a better name for our blog - I can change that.
Sunday, January 19, 2003
Sophie and Fima are settled in Canada!
Today I received a phone call from them - happy to be close to their grandaughter. Ala is already in Toronto - 100 km away. We are now on 3 different continents (and I am not even mentioning Thailand here) and a communication board might be a good thing for us all. So, please feed me all the info you want posted - or teach me how to make this accessible to all for posting.
Here is a
picture of Sophie and Fima taken in 1998 when they stopped - too briefly - in our home in NYC. Maya was about 6 months old:
Today I received a phone call from them - happy to be close to their grandaughter. Ala is already in Toronto - 100 km away. We are now on 3 different continents (and I am not even mentioning Thailand here) and a communication board might be a good thing for us all. So, please feed me all the info you want posted - or teach me how to make this accessible to all for posting.
Here is a
picture of Sophie and Fima taken in 1998 when they stopped - too briefly - in our home in NYC. Maya was about 6 months old:
