Week 48: The Elusive 400 Mug

November 27, 2010

My favorite dental hygienist got us tickets and find the Elusive 400 Mug. Well, actually she got us tickets to the Penn State vs. Michigan State game. The last game of the season and one we had little hope of winning. We started our day by donning our winter attire - gloves, hats, layers and layers and layers. We dropped by The Waffle Shop for breakfast. Oh how I miss State College sometimes. The Waffle Shop was delicious with a Belgium Waffle, bacon, home fries, and fresh squeezed OJ. Then off to the game we went. We had great parking and our seat were about 50 rows up on the 20. Not too bad.

We love our Joe

We sat down and saw a guy walking around with hot chocolate in mugs. The mugs were the Elusive 400 Mugs. I commented that I would like one, but would wait a bit. This was the first sighting of the Elusive 400 Mug! We watched Penn State loose there own game with penalties in the first half, but still the score wasn't ridiculous. At half-time we visited the potty and got a little warm and then stood in line for some hot chocolate in the Elusive 400 mug. We waited for 15 minutes and the line went no where. The game was back on and we were missing out. So we headed back to our seats. By the 3rd quarter, people were filing out. My favorite dental hygienist had the bright idea of picking up a couple Elusive 400 Mugs if people left them. So the plotting began. The people next to us had one sitting under there feet. They got up to leave. No wait, they moved a few rows up to some empty seats. There sat an Elusive 400 Mug. We were going to have one. Nope, try again. The lady came back for it. We spied 4 Elusive 400 Mugs beside us. They were under the seats of a bunch of young punks. They definitely looked like leavers. We waited. They got up and left without their mugs. Now were were each getting 2 mugs. Nope, try again. One kid came back and yelled at the others to get their Elusive 400 Mugs. We spotted 2 more mugs that were left under the bench. No people in site. It was a few rows up and to the left. When we left, we would simply walk by and pick them up. We kept tabs on them for about 10 minutes. Then someone else came and stole them. We werent' the only ones after an Elusive 400 Mug. And so we left Beaver Stadium with a loss in our hearts and no Elusive 400 Mug in site.

And there it is the Elusive 400 Mug:

Week 47: Thanksgiving Traditions and Giant Sites

November 25, 2010

A day that Americans stuff themselves until they can eat no more. A day that we celebrate all that we are thankful for. Which reminds me that I should share my list. I am thankful for:
- the grace of God
- my family, THANK YOU for being normal! Although this is an inside joke for my family, since we feel other people are so crazy and weird. We think maybe they are normal and we are the weird ones.
- friends - WTG, Soapstoners, Toto we're not in Kansas anymore, and my favorite PSU game girl
- the creature comforts in life
- my Compassion child - Chamu
- my World Vision child - Boitumelo
- the way things always work out
- and last but not least 44 awesome adventure

So now to the family tradition part which consists of eating lots and lots of food. Turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, stuffing (ma makes special crunchy stuffing just for me), and last but definitely not least PUNKIN PIE. Yes, I said punkin....long story; my mom is laughing right now.

On black Friday, my ma and pa and me went to Woolrich - the town and the outlet store. Woolrich rocks! When my brother and I were little rugrats, the kids in school called us the "woolrich kids" because most of our t-shirts came from there. They had little sheep on them. Well even in our adult hood (by age not action) we still love Woolrich. Woolrich is a cute little town; a factory town where pines line the one and only road through town. We discovered that they still make clothes in the Woolrich factory. They are quite expensive ($300 dresses, $200 hats), so my pa and I decided that we would support China and by the Chinese made Woolrich. However, the blankets are still made in Woolrich.

The other part of my adventure was giant things. On the way to Woolrich, we dropped by and saw Pennsylvania's Largest Santa Claus in the podunk town on Philipsburg. Then on the way to PA, I may have found the Largest Watering Can and Faux Terracotta Pot.

Here's to being thankful for tradition and giant things.

Week 46 Part II: Japan

November 15-19, 2010:

For work I went to Osaka, Japan. I had one had day of sightseeing in Kyoto, the ex-capital of Japan. It is one thing going to a country where they don't speak your language, but quite different if you can't even read the letters. My hotel room was small and the bathroom tiny. The toilet filled with water when you sat on it and also had a bidet. I thought, "a bidet - I would never use one in a public place, but...I could just see how it worked." Well you need pressure on the seat, so I put my foot on the seat and hit the button. Talk about water pressure. Water shot out and all over my shirt! Nasty toilet water!

The first night after work, I was taken out for authentic Japanese food. First I stopped to play Pachinko. I Japanese style slot machine of sorts. This took 2 restaurants, all very local, and all dives. No tourists would step foot in these places. First we had food on a stick - chicken, pork, veggies. It was all very good except for the chicken skin and fat. I tried it, but it was nasty, chewy; I had to swallow it whole. The second place was for the best sushi I have ever had. I tried eel, but had a tough time eating the bones. And we had some Saki. The last place was for Japanese dumplings. Yummm...  The second night after work, I had the best meal of my life. We went to eat shabu shabu. This is a boiling pot of water that you cook your food in. The best of this food is Kobe beef, aka pampered cow. I was told that this cow was fed beer and massaged every day. After doing some research, I find this in not true. This is still, however, the best beef I have ever eaten.

Thursday, I went sightseeing with a tour group. I met up with 2 ladies, one from Portugal and one from Italy. We hung out for the day while we were sightseeing. We visited several temples. The best of which house 1001 Buddha statues! It was a grand trip. Interesting culture, but not a place I would live or want to vacation.

Top 10 Interesting Things:

10. Japanese meat loaf is nasty, don't eat it.

9. Everyplace I went to sight see was very crowded. I wonder if all of these people work. And you thought there were a lot of Japanese tourist in America....

8. The Japanese are very superstitious. Bow, clap, hope on one foot while putting on your shoe...

7. Japan is expensive, more so than Europe and it is quite clean.

6. Little kids ride the train by themselves. Little as in 5 years old!

5. Starbucks doesn't open until 7AM! Although I was very glad that I found a *$

4. Everywhere is decorated for Christmas with lights and trees even though only about 1% of Japan is Christian.

3. Everyone wears a suit to work.

2. Vending machines are everywhere and they sell everything from cold drinks to hot drinks to beer and wine, food, cigarettes, you name it. And where there is one machine there are 3 or 4.

And the number one most interesting thing about Japan.....

1. The toilets play music. This is because research found that on average the women flush the toilet 3 times while using it to cover up any sound they may make. In an effort to save water, they added music to the toilets. The alternative to the western musical toilet is pictured below: The hole in the floor toilet with not toilet paper dispenser. I avoided these at all costs. I would rather use a tree.

Week 46 Part 1: A Spiritual Adventure

November 13, 2010

The past two day I have been at the Women of Faith conference. What an amazing event. Over 10,000 women converge in one location to laugh, cry, share, and connect with each other and GOD! I'll share a quick recap:

Anita Renfroe is hilarious: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYukEAmoMCQ
And for the southern folk: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHp6C0MapYw

Steven Curtis Chapman writes amazing songs

Patsy Clairmont is full of dynamite and so funny.

Lisa Whelchel...well...I just can't get the "Facts of Life" out of my head when she speaks. So I have a tough time connecting with her. "Ya take the good, ya take the bad, ya take them both, and there you have..."

Marilyn Meburg was my favorite this year. She talked about the fact the we are never satisfied. Why is that? God told us the reason in His Word. God placed eternity in our hearts. We long for eternity, which is full filling and only obtainable through Jesus. Therefore, we will always long for 'something', we just need to remember that we won't get it until we meet the maker.

Other lessons:
- Laughter is good for you soul
- Labels are dangerous
- If you confess ALL your sins, ALL of these transgressions will be forgiven. And you will have a clean slate.
- You need girlfriends to share and laugh with
- You can make a difference in someone's life today. You don't need a million dollars. You don't need to be famous. You just need to be you, show kindness, compassion, and generosity.
- God loves me and you and you and you!

Stay tuned...I have a second adventure this week and it will surely rank in the top 5!

Week 45: Morrow Mountain State Park

November 10, 2010

What a glorious day for a hike - sun shining, high 60's, and not a person in site. Just me, God, and some beautiful foliage. Couldn't ask for much more.

Just the facts:

- Morrow Mt is the largest "mountain" in Stanley country

- I hiked 6 miles from the museum to the top of Morrow Mt and back.

- I took 88 picture

- DO NOT FEED THE DEER! Seriouly, I saw 6 or 7 deer and they were not scared of me. I got as close at 15 ft before they ran off and one walked right up to my car. IT IS BAD TO FEED THE DEER!

- I saw a couple wood peckers, more squirrels than I could "shake a stick at"

- The foliage was a little past peak, but still quite lovely

- I was attacked by Multicolored Asian Lady Bugs

- I saw daddy long legs trying to kill each other - way cool

-A beautiful ending to a "peace like a river" day