Professor Sharon

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Carrier pigeon with trunk?

January 19th, 2008 · travel

It seems some days the biggest conversation is what to pack and what to pack it in! I’ve read some excellent packing suggestions, on Rick Steves’ site, and at least one other really well organized site. I’ve read several guidebook suggestions, asked other folks what they pack and made several lists.

We’re not doing the backpack – all you need in one bag for a year – choice. And, we don’t have the option of the 1870s when a few servants and huge trunks solved the whole thing! Part of this adventure is clearly the realization that that huge and oversized sweatshirt that I’ve lounged about the house in every evening just can’t come along!

I have a couple of outfits to sew for myself. The prices that some of the travel catalogs want for some items is really out of line. I did buy the hubby a nice shirt for dinner out that doesn’t need ironing, and a few other small items. But I have sewing skills and the women’s blouses, and skirts I can make for a lot less (especially with sale fabric which I lucked into today for $2.50 a yard for some really lovely crush-able rayon.) So we are thinking about layers and crush-able clothing; but it’s been really a lot of thinking and deciding as to what bags do we want to haul for 4 months.

Guidebooks and others’ ideas are really helpful; and yet noone else has done exactly what we’re doing and so we have to go with our best judgment at this point. But stay tuned, as we agreed that in about another week or so, we’d make what we thought would be the final pile, look at the luggage, and try to decide which pieces to take. We are planning on just two wheeling bags (size is the question), and a bag for each of us to carry with our laptops, books, etc.

And, it’s not just what to bring with us, but how does one deal with the little things you decide to purchase and pick up as mementos and gifts for the folks back home? Does anyone know if there’s a service that rents carrier pigeons with trunks?

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Hippies on sabbatical

January 17th, 2008 · Uncategorized

Or are we? Well, we are going on sabbatical. And, in some ways and places, I suppose we’d love to still be known as hippies. You see, once upon a time, that’s what hubby and I called ourselves.

I got thinking about these things this morning when we were making a spread sheet of the costs of this sabbatical.  While I’m not quite willing, as yet, to admit to the projected costs, it was enough to make me catch my breath and reminisce about our hippie days!

Back in 1973, newly married, we got in our great orange Dodge van and headed across country.   In 8 weeks, we covered 7,000 miles of the United States zigzagging north and south, sleeping at the side of the road and occasionally in a camp ground.   We visited several communes thinking and experiencing communal life trying to decide which would appeal to us.  This whole event cost us $600.  (for everything!) plus $1000 for gas.

We took the byways, and, other than contacting the communes, had nothing planned.  Not even the end — actually the plan was we had to end up in California when our cash ran out!  This trip ended while sleeping in Phoenix where it was over 100 degrees at three in the morning!  Too much heat for us; so we got up and drove straight through to LA to my sister’s house.

This trip has an incredibly amount of events pre-planned, pre-paid and otherwise thought out!   Of course, we could have thrown the backpack on, gotten off the plane and repeated, to some degree, our 1973 excursion.   But, you know what, we’re in our early 50s, and the backs, the brains and, thank goodness!, the pocketbook isn’t what it used to be!

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Never too old to be a daughter

January 15th, 2008 · Uncategorized

Yesterday I had a great phone conversation with my mom.   She is 81 years old and has had a long and too often tough life.  She’s one of 12 children, being only 1 of 3 left alive.  She left school in elementary school to help her mother raise the other children.

I had mentioned that I was going on this long trip to her previously, but as is her way, she didn’t really take it in the first time.  She asked me about the trip and where I was going.  I often say that my Mom is incredibly street-smart, but she is not at all world experienced.     She commented on how long 4 months is; and hoped that all would be well and go well.   I know that in her way she was thinking about her hope that the trip was safe and that she remained well until I returned.  A couple of summers ago I went across country on the train with her — you learn a lot about your mom spending 4 days in a compartment together!

While I heard her concern, I realized after the phone conversation; that I had also heard her pride in me.  My mother often finds a way to say in our conversation:  “well, you always were the smart one.”  (I am one of five children, and at last count some 40 plus cousins, and she means all of them.)   After a weekend spent with my daughter – once my baby girl -  and granddaughter – her baby girl , I was touched and delighted to think that at 53 my mother still thinks I’m her smart baby!

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Children, XO and authenticity

January 12th, 2008 · Children

Today (okay it was really yesterday!) I drove a couple of hours to see my Grandbaby and daughter too, of course! My daughter has a friend’s baby shower to go to in the next state tomorrow (today), and I’m doing childcare (yeah – fun!) If you’re confused, it’s been a while since you spent time with a 16 month old!

Last month, my husband and I donated to the one laptop per child project, and received one in their buy one, get one promotion. It’s quite the computer – but it was great fun to watch the grandbaby: with her mother on a laptop for one of her day jobs at home, she’s very savvy as to what they are and what you do with them. Unfortunately, I didn’t bring my upload cable, so perhaps Monday when I return, I’ll post a picture.

I’m pretty unfamiliar with what’s built and sold as “computers” to the very young child, so I may have to do some toy store shopping. As with so many other items, I was struck by how excited she was. So often children are very aware of the authenticity of something, either toy, children’s show, adult’s behavior, etc. which the adults think is amazing and “cute”! Why should it be? Authentic people crave authentic experiences. Who decided a child’s life should be filled with “pretend” items and experiences? Too many adults interpret the child’s play (which is a tool by which they come to understand and learn about the world) as mere pretend and unimportant. How are untrue. It is their authentic introduction to the world.

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Chekhov and idiots

January 10th, 2008 · Uncategorized

I have a greeting card I picked up at some point (maybe in my favorite card shop – Jules Besch Stationers -in Wellfleet, Cape Cod) that has a small child looking grumpy over a bowl of cereal as the illustration. At the top of the card it says “Any idiot can face a crisis — it’s this day-to-day living that wears you out.” Anton Chekhov

I’ve mentioned this card several times in the last couple of days. About a year ago when this sabbatical idea and trip came up, it was just that : a grand idea! Well, many months later, it is still a grand idea, but the idea in the last few days is lost in the details. I wouldn’t even want to list a fraction of the pages of details we have been working our way through. Some are really important, of course: passport pictures, passports, international driver’s license, hotel reservations, housesitter, and on and on. Some, I think others would think, why are you doing that? We decided, although of course we plan and hope not necessary, that it would be a good time to update our will. Let me tell you: wills take not only challenging conversations but lists and numbers and other information you know you have but you never figured out where you put it but you have to find it so you can put it all in one place with a lawyer. And while I have procured a house sitter, it’s fairly astonishing how long and detailed the “please take care of this and watch out for that” list is getting.

I have to admit to beginning to get excited, although today also brought the thought of how long and how short four months is going to feel once we are living it.

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