Hello, family!

I'm almost half way through January and I'm still enjoying the illusion that something is going to change this year.  I think one novel thing I could do would be to read a book.  I don't think I've read a book from cover to cover in years.  Books of poetry - yes.  Children's books in Spanish - of course. Linda gave me a book for Thanksgiving called Three Cups of Tea -- an excellent biographical true story. What are your favourite novels, biographies, or journalistic books?  I read one book about three years ago called Reefer Madness by Eric Schlosser, which explored three of my favourite topics:  Marijuana, Illegal immigration, and porn --  An excellent set of investigations and commentary.

I think I'm going to be doing more with poetry and song writing this year.  I also need to work as much as I can so I can go to Mexico this summer and also do the family thing.  Will we be going to Conference Point again, or shall we try some other spot?  I've been doing quite a bit of work for my friends Linda and Phoebe, but I need to look for other avenues as well. I work about 32 hours a week at the hardware store and I'm grateful for that.  

I'm looking for new housemates.  Will and Caitlin left pretty much on schedule and I told Elizabeth she could stay until February.  Here is a selection from Chinese Poems, a book I've read before and have been reviewing again:

On The Way To Hangchow:  Anchored On the River At Night

Little sleeping and much grieving -- the traveller
Rises at midnight and looks back towards home.
the sands are bright with moonlight that joins the shores;
The sail is white with dew that has covered the boat.
Nearing the sea, the river grows broader and broader.
Approaching autumn -- the nights longer and longer.
Thirty times we have slept amid mists and waves,
And still we have not reached Hangchow.

-- Po Chu I, a prolific writer who lived in the early 800s.

Hi All!

Hello everyone! We just came back from a trip to Thailand which was great. We spent three days in Bangkok where we hung out with my friend Pam, who used to live in Jordan, and her family. They've lived in Bangkok for three years and were good tour guides. These are pictures from a Wat or Temple with the huge resting Buda. The third picture got included and I can't get it to go away so you can see some Thai folks :) After Bangkok we went to a small island called Koh Chang. We drove there from B which took about 5 hours including a ferry ride over there. It's really close to Cambodia if you find it on the map. We had so much fun at the beach - warm water is great. We rode elephants in the forest and went to the treetop adventure place which had long zip lines up in the tall rubber trees. That was really cool. I'll post some pictures of the island when I get them on the computer.

Tomorrow is back to school for the kids and study time for Laila who will have exams the following week and a half. Ugh - such a stressfull time that makes me want to go home where school doesn't get hard until much later.

Happy New Year to you all and look forward to hearing what you are all up to this month. Good luck to Miles as school starts again. How cool is Andrea - Nepal sounds awesome!

Love,
Lisa, Amman

Hey, y'all

Hi friends, and happy new year!

It's 2009, can we remember to write it on our checks? People over 50 are allowed to forget more often because the years run faster for us.

A "new" "year" is of course totally made up, a construct that we consider "REAL" because so many people go along with it. Every day and even within a day, we have the chance to choose how and who we are going to be. We have the chance to reinvent ourselves, as they say. (I read a piece about that today. I will send it to you if you ask me.)

I am so fortunate to have you in my family, and I want you to know that I love and appreciate you, each one. One resolution for me is to write or speak with you more often.

From Christmas Eve day through January 4, I have not gone to work at the jail. I think the Correctional officers are really jealous. Of course some of them had to work on Christmas and all the holidays, just like nurses. I have been busy being a host and tour guide to our guests, one from Saudi Arabia and the other from South Korea. We have had good conversations and meals at homestyle restaurants from both countries. We went to Muslim prayers, funky Lutheran (with swingin' songs), not so traditional Christmas Eve at Morgan Park Pres, and 3 hours at Trinity UCC, Obama's former congregation. Great music. Decent sermon. Long examination, two or three questions to each (yes, in the service) of 12 deacons being ordained.

We have had all the weather you could have in Chicago except summer. Bitter cold, snow storm, sleet, cold and clear, 40-50 degrees, rain. When they came, the landscape was covered with snow, but now the grass is totally visible.

On Jan 12, I plan to go to a writing workshop. I need to write something for the teacher to critique. So I plan to reflect on my life in the past year. A non-blog blog, I would say.

We had a full house on Christmas and we watched fireworks down by the lakfront on a very chilly NEw Year's Eve. It was fun.

More eating scheduled for today. At a home with so much Christmas decor, it could be a museum of American Christmas decorations. The goodbye party for the International Students we have had in our homes for 2 weeks. :) :( Like any other good thing, sad for it to end, ready for life to be more routine and normal.

God's blessings continue for all of you. We are so blessed with health, intelligence, opportunity and basic needs of life. I ask that the Creator guide my steps, embolden me to be Connie untrammeled (!) and serve in the world with joy. I ask God for that for you too. ONly not to be CONNIE, rather to be ANdrea, Trale, Becky and Stephen, etc.

LOVE

CONNIE