Okay, I really do still blog! I keep a list in my phone of topics I would like to write about. Sometimes I even write little essays in the memos on my Treo, planning at some point to transfer those essays to my blog. But lately…well, I’m in the US and I’m here for a long time, living out of a suitcase, using St. Louis as my base. I spent a week in Austin with Lee. I’ve been to three graduations in the past almost-four weeks, two in Columbia and one in St. Paul. I’ve been to Nashville to visit Gail, and I still have three weeks to go until I return to Hong Kong. In that time I’m going to New York with Sarah, upstate New York with Eugenie, back to Columbia one more time to see Daniel, and finally to Santa Fe with my mother for her 80th birthday.
I’m enjoying this visit in the US, but being gone from my home so long is disorienting. I’m not at all uncomfortable; I feel quite at home staying at my mom’s, and I love getting to see family and friends. But my life feels somewhat suspended, and I miss my husband.
So, in the spirit of blogging and maintaining a little continuity in my life, here is a summary of blog-worthy items from the past month.
On May 2nd, I led an unusual AWA tour. We attended a rehearsal of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. They were surprisingly good, and the rehearsal itself was wonderful. I somehow expected them to just run through the pieces in a perfunctionary manner but the concert they were practicing for was conducted by a solo violinist from Australia, who was both the soloist for the concert AND the conductor. The theme was Mozart in the city - classical Mozart. The played the Paris Symphony and Vaughn William’s Lark Ascending. He was very passionate about what he wanted the orchestra to accomplish and had them play several sections multiple times, each time asking them to vary something musically. It was really interesting to get to watch a real rehearsal. I found that I miss that, going to hear classical music. Maybe next year Lee and I will go see a HKPO concert sometimes.
On this same day the Olympic Torch relay came through Hong Kong. Because we had gone to the rehearsal that morning and then gone to Maxim’s Palace at City Hall for Dim Sum afterwards, I could see the preparations for the relay all over Wan Chai and Central. I was impressed by the crowds of people in red tee-shirts (in fact in one store the lady asked me why I wasn’t wearing red, and I said, well I’m not Chinese! We both started laughing over the silliness of her question and the absurdity of my answer!), and just the enthusiasm and excitement of the crowds that were beginning to gather. I personally just love the Olympics and wish it didn’t end up being used as a political football so often. I think the Olympics should be about the athletes….nuf said.
The following weekend, right before I left for the US, some co-workers of Lee’s were working in China and passed through Hong Kong. Lee had already left for his business trip to Europe so I was happy to be able to show them a bit of Hong Kong. On that Saturday I took them over to Stanley to do some shopping and it just happened to be the day they were doing the dragon boat time trials! After we had conquered Stanley market we went over to the seaside cafes and ate lunch at Pizza Express. We had great seats overlooking the waterfront and were able to watch the dragon boats as they did their practice races. It was fun and colorful, and I was so mad at myself because I didn’t have my camera! I have this great small camera that I should be able to carry anywhere, and then half the time I decide not to bring it with me. Invariably if I decide that, I see something that I wish I had my camera for. I did use my cellphone camera, which has a video option. I’m going to load some pictures to my pc today, so maybe the dragon boat ones will be worthy of publishing. Don’t hold your breath through.
On May 17th, Daniel graduated from Mizzou. I’m so glad he went through the ceremony for us. He had terrible hay-fever at the time and I know he didn’t feel real great. Claire McCaskell, the Missouri senator, gave their commencement address. She was good; short, funny and mildly inspiring. She told them to take risks, don’t let their degree get in the way (I’m the poster girl for that advice aren’t I), and be optimistic. Good advice. The following week I saw Elsa graduate from Rock Bridge. My affection for that school was rekindled as I watched how their graduation ceremony reiterated their philosophy of inclusion and acceptance. Their valedictorian spoke proudly about how the cliques at Rock Bridge are fluid and criss-cross each other. I just thought Rock Bridge was such an excellent preparation for college and the world beyond. I’m so glad my kids went there!
I also managed to take a cute little video of Elsa graduating, which I will post sometime today!
Several days after that my mom and I drove up to Minnesota to see Cody graduate. We had a good three day visit up there, but it was a lot of driving for me. My mom was able to spell me a little, but I did most of the driving. The most comical thing about this visit is what happened the night of Cody’s graduation. His graduation was on June 3rd, at an auditorium in downtown St. Paul. This just happened to be the night that Obama declared his victory in the fight for the Democratic Party nomination, also in St. Paul, right next to where Cody’s graduation was being held, at the Xcel Center! We had no trouble getting into the auditorium, but getting back out afterwards was another story. We decided to leave early because it was so hard for my mom to climb down the stairs to leave the auditorium. Sarah and I went ahead to go get the car and bring it back to pick up the grandmas, and we got stuck in traffic. The police were just as confused about how to get us over to where we needed to be as we were. They tried to escort us through some roadblocks when we pleaded that we were trying to pick up some handicapped ladies, but then THEY were stopped by the secret service and we were stuck. At first Sarah and I were hopeful that we would get to see Obama emerge from the building but that was not to be. Finally the police escorted us back out of our trap and Tim went to get his car. Sarah and I gave up and just drove back to Tim’s apartment. It was crazy and very late by the time mom and I got back to the hotel! Sarah said it was a good thing we were Obama supporters because otherwise this would have been enough to drive someone to vote for McCain!
Finally, I’ve just gotten back from a very fun, relaxing weekend in Nashville with Gail. Her house is so comfortable. I love her wild garden, and her screened front porch. The last time I was in Nashville was a couple of years ago. Every time I go there it changes a little, but this time it seemed almost unrecognizable. They have new malls, new roads. Maybe I am just getting old.
One afternoon when it was very warm we decided to go to their cool art museum downtown. They took their old art deco post office building and changed it into a very nice museum. There was a display of Tiffany lamps on exhibit and it was fascinating. They were so beautiful and interesting when looked at closely. Many of them were designed to look like flowering trees or grape arbors. They were really lighted sculptures in many cases. Lovely!
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