Go to From Damn Near Hell To Almost Paradise
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- Go to Parents, Ironman And Whatever Else Pops Into My Head
LOL Blanche
posted by
bel_1965
on December 10, 2006 at 6:32 AM
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actually this new laptop keypad is frustrating me, it's slowing me down
posted by
Blanche.
on December 10, 2006 at 6:29 AM
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LOL Blanche
You type really fast!!! Actually it sounds wonderful!
posted by
bel_1965
on December 10, 2006 at 6:26 AM
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well, this is pretty much an outline in a nutshell
posted by
Blanche.
on December 10, 2006 at 6:25 AM
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It was a 10 day cultural exchange arranged by the Seattle Mayor's
Office, when there was a lot of people to people exchange and travel going on between Seattle and Tashkent Uzbekistan, our sister city, due to Rosanne Royer, the Mayor's wife, who was Yugoslavian, and very active in cultural exchanges.
My friend, a photographer, organized a subgroup, called Places and Faces of Seattle and Tashkent in time for the Goodwill Games of 1990, hoping to get enough grants money to print a book of her own photography. We organized a team of photographers to shoot a day in the life of Seattle and create a gallery exhibit of it, and then a simultaneous photo shoot in Tashkent by Soviet photographers to create an exhibition of both, hopefully to make a book like the Day In The Life Of series, the book never happened, but we got to stay with a Tass journalist and his wife, who introduced us to their friends and artists, very interesting people, and took us on a tour of Samarkand and Tashkent. Wonderful memories.
then afterwards Sadik and Vladimir brought over their half of the photos and we had the exhibit in Seattle and Tashkent during the Goodwill Games. We had a blast, there was so much partying, I still have a tea set, two Uzbek wedding hats, books and some beautiful native silk that the Uzbek women wear as head scarves.
posted by
Blanche.
on December 10, 2006 at 6:24 AM
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I really hope you will Blanche
posted by
bel_1965
on December 10, 2006 at 6:24 AM
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I keep meaning to write about my travels, like Uzbekistan, I forget, Bel
posted by
Blanche.
on December 10, 2006 at 6:18 AM
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Bhas
Me too!
posted by
bel_1965
on December 10, 2006 at 6:18 AM
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Blanche
This little tidbits keep coming out from you. I hope someday you will tell the stories of some of your adventures.
posted by
bel_1965
on December 10, 2006 at 6:17 AM
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I will certainly pass that onto her Tanga
Thank you!
posted by
bel_1965
on December 10, 2006 at 6:16 AM
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Naut
I can't run 10 feet let alone 26 freaking miles!
As for Pam, I allow her to say what is on her mind and I leave it at that. Pam needs to make her own choices without everyone elses input, I have been in those shoes and I didn't like it, I won't do it to her.
posted by
bel_1965
on December 10, 2006 at 6:15 AM
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bel, it is the come back of such people that I admire the most, and they do
well up my heart to moisten my eyes.
posted by
Bhaskar.ing
on December 10, 2006 at 4:54 AM
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Bel, in 1988, I went to Uzbekistan on an arts exchange with photographers
as a translator. We met some fascinating people, and also the return delegations, one of whom was a group of Soviet war veterans of the Afghan wars, young men who'd all lost their lower legs in land mine explosions, who formed a soccer team.
They played better than most able-bodied soccer players.
posted by
Blanche.
on December 10, 2006 at 2:55 AM
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My hats of to people who enter such endurance
races. I am sure many have tales to tell as to why the goal of finishing means so much to them.
I am glad that Pam has you. Give her a hug and congratulations from Uncle Tanga please
posted by
Tanga
on December 9, 2006 at 10:28 PM
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bel,
I have always found the Ironman races very interesting. I have done a few marathons myself (just the normal 26 mile race) and I have a good idea of what it takes! But to do it with an artificial leg is utterly amazing!
I read the other comments, and I hope passionflower won't be too upset when I contradict her. It's great that you are being a good Mom to Pam, but I would advise you to never say anything negative to Pam about her biological mother, ever! In the end you could be doing a lot of damage. If Pam doesn't like her mother and says so, don't reinforce that either! In fact, in that case it would be far better for all concerned if you defended her!
posted by
Nautikos
on December 9, 2006 at 6:41 PM
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Taps
The people just amazed me!
posted by
bel_1965
on December 9, 2006 at 5:52 PM
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Passion
I lived in Louisiana and I am sorry to say I am not nearly as enamoured with Texas as many others are. Carl and I are seriously talking the Carolinas after Pam graduates. But right now the hot chocolate and baileys is making it really warm around here!
posted by
bel_1965
on December 9, 2006 at 5:52 PM
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Oh, Bel, I forgot to tell you that your paragraph about those participating in Ironman was really interesting. I always love the stories behind participants of events.
posted by
TAPS.
on December 9, 2006 at 5:50 PM
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I think Pam is lucky to have supportive parents like you and Carl.
Have you ever sat her down and had that conversation with her where you talk about what a "Parent" really is?
You might tell her right now that her so-called "Biological mother" isn't a very caring, nurturing person. You might also tell her that the woman may never give the love and appreciation that Pam is seeking.
Remind her that she's lucky to have you and Carl but that she should STOP expecting her "B. mother" to give her the love and acceptance that she wants.
Some women just don't have it in them to care about their children. Sad, isn't it? {Ps...have you ever thought of moving south to Texas? We have really short, really mild winters.}
posted by
Passionflower
on December 9, 2006 at 5:49 PM
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Taps
It's possible but heavens I hope not, if she wants to hurt me she needs to do so directly and NOT through an innocent child. I swear that would be enough for me to really react in a very bad way.
posted by
bel_1965
on December 9, 2006 at 5:46 PM
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Bel, could her mother possibly be acting like that to get back at you for something. She must know that it hurts you to see her act that way. For whatever reason though, it is so sad for Pam.
posted by
TAPS.
on December 9, 2006 at 5:43 PM
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Joe
For her sake I truly hope so.
posted by
bel_1965
on December 9, 2006 at 5:10 PM
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Wifey. . .
Pam's still got you to be proud of her. And that probably matters to her more than what her mother could ever give her.
posted by
Joe_Love
on December 9, 2006 at 4:59 PM
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I know Shelly! I am awful!
posted by
bel_1965
on December 9, 2006 at 4:48 PM
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awwww, bel...you meanie!! LOL
posted by
shelly_b
on December 9, 2006 at 4:46 PM
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Shelly
I tend to consider myself the lucky one. Even when she does use all of my hair stuff and I have to make her wash it out before letting her out of the house and she hates me for it LOL!
posted by
bel_1965
on December 9, 2006 at 4:42 PM
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bel, Pam is one lucky kid...she has you.
posted by
shelly_b
on December 9, 2006 at 4:39 PM
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Babe
I think she did, given she is now trying to convince Carl to take us out to see more. It just made me sad for her that her mother couldn't or wouldn't share in her joy.
posted by
bel_1965
on December 9, 2006 at 4:37 PM
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It's always sad but she does have you cheering her on. I hope she had a good time (I'm sure she did).
posted by
babe_rocks
on December 9, 2006 at 4:35 PM
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