You Should Be a Pregnant Nun for Halloween

According to our quiz, you'd make an ideal pregnant nun. Your runner up costume: Death

The Halloween Costume Generator

The spidercake thing succeeded beyond my wildest dreams. Bless their intrepid little hearts, they tried a cupcake each despite believing it to be full of spiders. ("On three...one, two, three, bite!") I thought for sure they'd figured it out once they worked out there were sesame seeds in it, but no. It wasn't until the end of class, much, much later, that Andrew and I finally told them that of COURSE there were no spiders in the cakes, yeesh. I have never seen anyone look so monumentally relieved.

After getting rid of all the baked goods on Sunday, my new freezer is just sitting there all empty, mocking me. I know I'll fill it up eventually, once I have a day to just make food, but for now it taunts me with its emptiness.

The food fair was really fun. There were four other countries being represented besides Canada, and I got to sample goodies from all of them. Thai curry, Indian samosas, Philippine soup (and banana bread. Thank goodness I didn't opt to make banana bread, too. That might have been awkward.), and Brazilian...um, I'm not sure exactly what it was, but it was tasty. I felt bad, as I didn't have any extras to give the staff, although I did smuggle them a couple of containers on the QT. If I do this again next year, I will make sure to cut the squares a LOT smaller (I was originally told people would be paying 200 yen for them, but it turned out they were free) and bring lots of extras. It took about a minute to hand out 50 containers at a time, and for my three minutes of work (spread out over a four hour period), I got an amazingly large sum of money, plus all my ingredient expenses were reimbursed.

In other news, Liam's pronunciation of my name has evolved to "Eraser".

"Eraser, what are you doing?"

"Alisa. I am not a school supply. I'm eating curry."

"Oh! Eating curry?" *big eyes and suggestive smile* "Liam's turn?"

He made a beeline for the cotton candy table and did not take "we don't open for 15 minutes" very well. Once he GOT the cotton candy, he just looked at it in awe and refused to eat it for a good 30 minutes.

Huzzah! All the baking is done! I'm not entirely pleased with the cupcakes (although they taste damn good), but the cookies turned out really well, I thought. (Although do not ask me why I chose to highlight the pumpkin who appears to have a forehead pimple.) More on the food fair later, after sleep has been had.

Now I really do have to make cupcakes for Halloween. I convinced my junior high students that I was going to make spider cupcakes with real spiders in them, and furthermore, that this was an annual treat enjoyed by Canadians of all ages.

Why people let me anywhere near their children is something I've never really understood.

Still alive, just spending all my time in the kitchen. The next time someone asks me to join something that will involve making 100 cookies/squares, remind me to laugh at them and refuse.

Your result for Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz...

You Are an Audrey!

You are an Audrey -- "I am at peace"

Audreys are receptive, good-natured, and supportive. They seek union with others and the world around them.

How to Get Along with Me

• * If you want me to do something, how you ask is important. I especially don't like expectations or pressure


• * I like to listen and to be of service, but don't take advantage of this


• * Listen until I finish speaking, even though I meander a bit


• * Give me time to finish things and make decisions. It's OK to nudge me gently and nonjudgmentally


• * Ask me questions to help me get clear


• * Tell me when you like how I look. I'm not averse to flattery


• * Hug me, show physical affection. It opens me up to my feelings


• * I like a good discussion but not a confrontation


• * Let me know you like what I've done or said


• * Laugh with me and share in my enjoyment of life

What I Like About Being an Audrey

• * being nonjudgmental and accepting


• * caring for and being concerned about others


• * being able to relax and have a good time


• * knowing that most people enjoy my company; I'm easy to be around


• * my ability to see many different sides of an issue and to be a good mediator and facilitator


• * my heightened awareness of sensations, aesthetics, and the here and now


• * being able to go with the flow and feel one with the universe

What's Hard About Being an Audrey

• * being judged and misunderstood for being placid and/or indecisive


• * being critical of myself for lacking initiative and discipline


• * being too sensitive to criticism; taking every raised eyebrow and twitch of the mouth personally


• * being confused about what I really want


• * caring too much about what others will think of me


• * not being listened to or taken seriously

Audreys as Children Often

• * feel ignored and that their wants, opinions, and feelings are unimportant


• * tune out a lot, especially when others argue


• * are "good" children: deny anger or keep it to themselves

Audreys as Parents

• * are supportive, kind, and warm


• * are sometimes overly permissive or nondirective

Take Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz at HelloQuizzy

You heard the man. Tell me I'm pretty and let me finish speaking.

October 8, 2008
A British tourist in Tokyo caused havoc Tuesday after he swam stark naked in the moat around the Imperial Palace, one of Japan's most sacrosanct sites, television footage showed.

Police seized the bald and portly man after a nearly two-hour chase in which he hurled rocks at police and scaled the moat's walls as shocked onlookers snapped photos from their cellphones.

The 40-year-old had been touring the sprawling palace in central Tokyo with Spanish tourists, Fuji Television said, although police later said that the man was a British national living in Spain.

The man reportedly threw his belongings out of his pockets, stripped naked and dived straight into the brownish waters after saying his bag fell into the moat.

"I'm lucky I don't have very good eyesight," an elderly woman told Fuji Television.

"I can't believe he did this here, but he probably didn't know the significance of this area," she said.

Police approached the man in a small rowboat and tried to throw him a float. But he suddenly began beating the water in a threatening way and then threw stones at the officers, barely missing them, footage showed.

After he climbed out of the moat, he took a nearby pole and -- his pinkish body still completely uncovered -- charged at the police officers, who pushed him back into the water.

Police seized him immediately as he got out of the water a second time.

Japanese in public usually show respect for Emperor Akihito, whose father Hirohito was revered as a demigod until 1945.

Most of the centuries-old Imperial Palace is strictly off-limits to the public except on the Emperor's birthday and New Year's Day when the imperial family waves from the balcony to cheering crowds.

But the peripheral area is popular among Tokyo residents for dating, jogging or enjoying lunch when the sun is out.

AFP

There's video footage, too.

Ok. Fun new development today. Masami has a friend who is on sabbatical for the next nine months. He is planning to travel, but would like at some point to work for a month to get some cash. So, basically, I have just been handed a month off. Now, what to do with it?

The choices of when to take it are basically December, May, or June. (April is also a possibility.) So far I have come up with three possibilities.

1) Take the holiday in December, have an extra-long Christmas. This is dependent on if I can skip the kindy Christmas pageant (and do I want to?) and the availability of couch space in VIctoria for the first two or three weeks of December. (Kim? Cat? Flash? Bueller? Anybody?)

2) Take the holiday in May or June and fly to Canada for eye surgery. I have the money, now I have the time, too. I'm still undecided about how enthused I am about spending my life savings on this, though. Sure, it would probably change my life, but...well, I think I've already talked about my reservations. On the other hand, this is pretty fortuitous. Perhaps it is a sign?

3) Take the holiday in May or June and travel in Asia. Needless to say, with visions of Laos still dancing in my head, this is the most attractive option for me right now.

It bears noting that options 2 and 3 would see me staying in Japan this Christmas (and option 2 would probably keep me in Victoria.)

So, I have to decide pretty soon, because if I want to do the Christmas thing, we need to get that sorted out ASAP.

Thoughts? Comments?

ps. It is 19 degrees in here tonight! Brrr.

Message from SkyMail

Dear people of Japan: I do not care HOW cute you think you look, it is NOT toque weather. Thank you.

I probably shouldn't have made my new computer wallpaper one of the sunset photos. It's all "look where you are not! Oh, and check it out, there's a cockroach under your couch."

No, really, I think there is. I managed to hit it with some poison, though, so hopefully it is a dead cockroach.

I do not plan on checking tonight, though, just in case it is taking a long time to die.

I guess now I have to describe my last day on holiday, yes? Sigh. And then it really will be over and I will be unable to drag out the experience any longer.

Well, as I think I mentioned, I didn't really have a lot to do that day, as I'd seen all the major sights. I stopped by a fruit shake place for a coconut shake, but the coconut they chose was too young, so they just gave me a straw and let me drink the coconut milk for free, after which I ordered a pineapple shake. I'm still not sure why they put so much sugar into their shakes, as I am able to make a delicious tasting mango smoothie using tofu, but hey. When in Rome...

I decided to spend the rest of the afternoon/my money getting a massage. I remembered Donie raving about a $30/hour massage she'd gotten at a posh spa, but while you've got to respect a place that gives gold mask facials, I opted for quantity over quality and chose a place that offered a three hour deal for 300 000 kip. (Roughly $30 dollars. A bit more, I think.) It started off with a facial, then moved on to a full body scrub, followed by a soak in a jacuzzi, and finally ending up with a full hour of massage. It was very very nice, although not quite as relaxing as most massages I've gotten, as I spent a good deal of it feeling slightly self-conscious and wondering how much you tip someone for exfoliating your butt.

I'm not sure what lotions they used, but I smelled absolutely delicious until I walked out and had to spray myself with DEET again. (By the way, although I did get bitten a few times, I think I can safely say I escaped malaria/dengue fever. Go me!)

As for the tipping issue, I never did figure it out. I either miscalculated how much I had left and paid just enough for the massage, plus the remaining dollars I had as a tip, or else I gave them too much money PLUS the tip. Either way, I got out of the spa and discovered I did not have enough money for dinner. Oops.

And it turns out the exchange places in Vientiane close early on Saturday afternoons, which is why I had to use my credit card to take out an embarrassingly small amount of money from the ATM.

Incidentally, what I said about no more shopping? Yeah. In my defense, I really hadn't shopped that much. Not nearly enough souvenirs plus the bedspread for myself, and that was it. Plus, silk shirts practically take up negative space. No worries.

I sat down in a park and, true to Laotion form, barely had enough time to get settled before some university students plonked down beside me and started practicing their (pretty good) English.

Tell people in Japan that you are an English teacher and they run away in fright. Do the same in Laos and they want to take you back to their village to meet their grandparents.

After that encounter, I walked along the Mekong before choosing a riverside restaurant completely at random. There I met the little cutie who is in the photos, and...well, you've seen the sunset pictures.

This weekend I am opting for something completely different...dancing in Tokyo.

Asked my students today what they would put in witch's brew if they were cooking some up, and the answers were thus:

Bats.

Eyeballs.

Nails.

Noodles.

Rain. Cockroaches in the sink. Oh yes, it's good to be home.

So, where was I? Thursday, yes?

I hired a tuk-tuk driver for more than I paid for the entire ride from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang to take me out to the Kuang Si falls. The ride was nice, very picturesque. Villages, terraced rice fields, etc etc. The falls themselves were beautiful, but I had trouble finding the swimming area. I vaguely remembered something about climbing up to the top of the falls, so I tried that first. The "trail" started off with about five wooden steps, then became a steep uphill path with some bricks strewn about, rather like someone had started to make a path and then just gave up, and then the bricks gave out and I was faced with an almost vertical path (path in the loosest sense of the word. There were no trees growing on the area, that's about it.) Perhaps it wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't been wearing my flip flops, but I'd packed my more sensible shoes earlier that morning and had set off for the falls on a whim. I got a good way up and then paused to consider if I really wanted to continue making the effort, and if I'd even be able to get down. I was joined by a semi-elderly Australian man who paused to ponder the same subject. Luckily, just then some people appeared from the top, and they gave it a big fat "meh". We decided that that wasn't enough of a justification to continue and started back down. (Had I not been on a time frame, I might have gone up anyway, but I had a plane to catch.) I ended up having to take off my sandals and slide down in my bare feet. The climb came back to haunt me on Friday by giving me some sore, sore thighs.

Once back at the bottom, I decided to follow the falls downward, which was on a much easier path. On the way, I stepped in a puddle and got my very first leech. Good times.

Once I found the swimming area, I found that I had lost enthusiasm. The sun had gone behind a cloud, so it wasn't so hot, and the water was freezing cold. Then there was the issue of having to pack a sopping wet bathing suit, and last but not least, the leech issue. I decided just to splash around a little bit before heading back to Luang Prabang and having lunch.

I went back to Tamarind (where I had the Friday night dinner and the cooking class). Donie and Lee, who I met on my first day, had a policy of never eating at the same place twice, but my own policy is to have my last meal at a place I know I love. I ordered the chicken stuffed in lemongrass, because it is just about the tastiest thing ever. (If you want the recipe, just let me know.)

Then I kicked around a bit before heading back to the guesthouse to chat with the boys a bit before my tuk-tuk driver came to pick me up.

Word of advice if you ever find yourself flying out of the Luang Prabang airport. It is very easy to go through security, check yourself in, and then leave the airport to head back to town until it is time for your flight. (Actually, if you have to use the toilet at all, you end up leaving the airport and having to go back through security, which isn't really very secure.) Lord knows I wish I'd done that instead of getting there two hours early (damn my overzealous travel agent) and then sitting around for nearly three hours (the plane was late). By the time I factored in the lateness, the multiple power failures, and the fact that we ended up flying through a lighting storm, I was beginning to think that taking the bus back might not have been such a bad option.

Overall, though, the flight was good. I chatted a bit with my neighbour, a nice man who worked for Unicef. After we landed, I headed out of the airport to find a distinct lack of taxis/touts. Just as I was remembering passing a sign inside saying "Airport Taxi", my Unicef neighbour showed up with his daughter-in-law and little grandson and offered me a ride into town. I picked a hotel at random and they dropped me off. Luckily the Riverside Hotel had rooms available, because I got the feeling that they were going to spend the evening driving me from hotel to hotel until I found a room. Somebody's going on my Christmas card list!

On Friday, the first thing I did (after finding some tea and a baguette, of course), was to stop by a bookstore and get a map. As I stood outside getting my bearings, I was approached by a girl who wanted to know a) where I had gotten the map, and b) if I wanted to spend the day sightseeing with her. I was cool with that, as long as it didn't mean missing my planned afternoon sauna/massage out at a temple.

Meeting Martha saved me a lot of money. Not only was there someone to share costs with, but she had spent the past year living in Vietnam and so was much better at haggling than I will ever be.

We spent about four or five hours seeing all the major sites, then headed out to Wat Sak Pa Luang for a Lao-style sauna and massage. This was really nice, as it was a local thing and not something set up to cater for tourists. The sauna is set in a forest up on what is basically a wooden shack, and is scented with various herbs. Martha decided she didn't want to try it and wandered off to explore the monastery, while I took off all my clothes and tried to make the silk sheet I'd been given stay up. The sauna was lovely...I've never been in a scented one before. I don't think I managed to stay in too long...perhaps 10 minutes or so. Then I escaped to sit outside and have some tea before having my massage. That was...interesting. The massage itself was wonderful, but it was the first time I've had a male masseuse and also the first time I had to try and keep a sheet wrapped around myself lest I flash everyone in a wooden shack. Frankly, there were a few hairy moments towards the end there, but I managed to pull through and not make a fool of myself. Afterwards Martha and I were approached by one of the many locals who wanted to practice his English, but we had to beat a hasty retreat as dusk approached and I realized I'd sweated off all my mosquito repellent in the middle of a forest.

Less than a week to go until I find out if I contracted dengue fever! Woot!

We had dinner along the Mekong and then said went off to our respective hotels to collapse.

And now for a short break while I go look for more cockroaches.

Album 1

Album 2

Album 3

The link to album 2 wasn't working, but I think I've fixed it.

Somebody remind me why I didn't just accidentally-on-purpose miss my flight last night?

I was eating breakfast the other morning when it hit me: I'm going to have to start doing dishes again. And cooking for myself. It's just as well I'm running out of money, as even the prospect of a closet full of clean clothes is not enough to make me excited about returning home.

Well, ok, I want to see Liam. Perhaps he has learned how to pronounce my name in the past two weeks? I am not optimistic.

Had a great penultimate day yesterday, will elaborate more later. For now, suffice to say I got all my sightseeing done (Buddha Park = utter awesomeness) and can't do any more shopping without buying a new suitcase (tempting, but I think I'm good.) Now I have the whole day stretching ahead of me and frankly, I'm not really sure what to do with it. I think a day of massages and fruit shakes and just wandering along the Mekong is in order.

Wish me luck making my connection in Bangkok tonight.

Today the exchange people appear to have run out of dollars, so I got all my money in kip. I am a millionaire! I also have to either spend it all in the next two days or else change it back before I leave. Sounds like a challenge to me.

Yesterday I went to the Pak Ou caves. As described, they are, indeed, caves full of Buddha images. Lots and lots and lots of Buddha images. Sadly, my trip to the waterfalls was cancelled as I was the only one to sign up. I thought about going by myself, but then it started to rain, so there went that. Instead I went to a show at the theatre (theatre in the stage sense, not the cinema.) The dancing was lovely, marred only by the idiots next to me who apparently felt that the "no photography during the performance" rule didn't apply to them.

I'm doing pretty well with fitting everything back into my bag, which is especially impressive as I bought a bedspread and two pillow covers last night ($20. I didn't even try to bargain.)

Anyhow, I now have the rest of the morning/afternoon ahead of me, so I may go out to the waterfalls today. I think going in the early afternoon would be good, as the tourist groups mostly go around 2.

Flying to Vientiane tonight, get to do the search for a guesthouse when I get there. Whee.