disconnected

In September, I moved high schools and am now teaching in the Seward Park Building in the Lower East Side, not far from my old high school. My new high school is well regarded in the city and was even ranked #31 in U.S. News and World Report last year. Eighty percent of the high school students in my school are Chinese immigrants, and I am thrilled to be a part of an ESL team that serves over 300 ESL students. Still, I think about my old school often. I hear that this year is no worse and no better than previous years.

My first year at my old school, I was the advisor for a group of ninth grade girls. We had our moments, but ultimately, we really enjoyed our thirty minutes together each day. In the second half of the school year, one of my advisees all but stopped coming to school. And if she did come to school, she often cut out early. I called her mother and grandfather almost daily, often just to tell them that she was not in school, and other times, to talk extensively about what we could all do to try to keep her in school.

In the end, I knew her mom had given up. She had eight children to take care of, and from what I'd heard, there were larger problems for her to tackle. Her daughter's behavior--the cutting, the older men, the drugs---was beyond her control. Eventually, I could no longer reach her by phone. She had disconnected both the home and cell phone number I had on file. The following year, she transferred her daughter to a Catholic school.

When I moved schools, I was surprised to discover her older sister attended our school. I don't teach the English proficient students, so I have yet to meet her.

Above the copier in the teacher's lounge is a list of students who were absent that day. Next to their names is a brief note about why they were absent. Most of the time, these notes amount to "sick" or "mtg" or "truant." In the past few months, I've seen my former student's sister on the list more and more often. At first, the notes read "sick" or "mtg."

On Friday, the note read "phone disconnected."

halloween weekend

What a weekend--I'm exhausted! On Saturday, I woke up early to drive to my brother's to spend some time with Devin and Jordan. Despite the gray, misty weather, the whole family trick or treated in town, and it was so cute to hear the kids say "Trick or Treat" from store to store.




After coming home, I quickly made the old school Cobra logo from G.I. Joe with red duck tape and got dressed as the Baroness. Pete was Storm Shadow and Wook was Snake Eyes (from the terrible summer movie version). Unfortunately, only a few people got my costume! I'm beginning to think that people my age were the last to watch the old cartoon G.I. Joe. (How sad is that?) We were out until the early morning. Thank goodness for Daylight Savings!

obsessed: DUMBO clocktower

I'm obsessed with this apartment. If you've ever been to Fulton Ferry Park or walked around DUMBO, I'm sure you've seen this clock tower at One Main Street, a building originally built in 1914. The clock tower itself is a penthouse triplex condo (6,800 sq. ft.) being offered at the not so small sum of $25 million (but you would be living in a clocktower!). There are four clock faces, and all four are integrated into the penthouse, providing 360 degree views of Manhattan, the bridges, and Brooklyn. Apparently, there's also a private, glass elevator and a solarium. Completely unattainable, but how cool would it be to actually walk through this apartment? Amazing. (Click on the link--you have to see the photos.)

my two wuvs

Chocolate's posing too! Best picture ever.

obama's niece is too cute

My blog should just be called "Cute A.A. Babies and Other Stuff."

But just in case you missed it, this is President Obama with his niece Savita Ng. Nice to see some Asian in the White House!

vermont 2009

Last Friday, a big group of friends, Pete, and I went up to South Hero, Vermont for the three day weekend. I thought it would be too early to see the leaves change color, but I was pleasantly surprised to see them already turning gold and red. We stayed in a drafty house right on Lake Champlain, and our backyard view was gorgeous. We were able to bring Chocolate with us, and he had a great time running around his homestate. We also took him to Applefest, the big, annual street festival on South Hero. He enjoyed himself eating dropped cider donuts and sniffing dogs' butts.

Going to Vermont has become an annual retreat for Pete and me and friends. It's a long drive, but worthwhile to simultaneously be near lake and mountain. Pete and bros stayed the whole week. They grew some chest hair cutting wood for the fireplace and playing football. Grunt. Until next year!



Family pic 2009, Kelvin fishing.



Applefest 2009.

happy early halloween!

Too cute to wait for Halloween: Hadynn's a giraffe!

happy mid autumn festival!

Before.


After.

Or in this year's case, Happy Chusok! It felt nice to celebrate Mid Autumn Festival more than usual this year. At school, teachers brought in moon cakes. And on Friday night, Pete and I and friends drove out to Flushing and had way too much samgyupsal. It was delicious.

Pete says Chusok is like Thanksgiving for Koreans, kind of like how it is in Taiwan but on a much larger scale (massive traffic jams out of Seoul, sold out trains and planes, etc.).

I fondly remember barbecuing in Yilan and gazing at the full moon on Dafu's beach four years ago. I suppose my love for Thanksgiving translates into a love for Mid Autumn Festival. Who doesn't love an excuse to eat a feast with family and friends?

happy 1 year, hadynn!

My little, beautiful, happy niece Hadynn is turning one this week! Family and friends celebrated her birthday on Saturday in Viv and Newman's new house near downtown Baltimore. How quickly a year passes by! She is almost walking and is using sign language ("Hi, dog!" More, please." "No more, please." "Open, please." She's probably not really saying "please," but she's so cute and cheery, it looks as if she is).

Pete and I stayed the night, so we also had some QT with Jordan and Devin, who both had a bit of a growth spurt in just one month. Jordan is becoming quite the artist, and Devin is becoming quite the dinosaur. I have the cutest nieces and nephew.



Hadynn's first cupcake. Sneezed on.




A mischievous Auntie Mel and Jordan and a passed-out Pete.

about 40 out of 75

Last weekend, Pete, Wook, and I participated in the annual Century Ride, a New York City bike ride hosted by Transportation Alternatives. At 4:30 in the morning, Pete and I woke up (painful on a Sunday) and took the subway to the north end of Central Park. We then rode down Manhattan (crazy to ride my bike down Broadway virtually traffic free) and into Brooklyn. Pete and Wook finished the 75 mile ride (which at the last minute became an 86 mile ride, going into Queens and then back to Central Park). I ended in Coney Island and rode back to our apartment, completing about 40 miles. Any more, and my kids would have had a substitute on Monday.

It's been a long time since I've been on the Brooklyn Bridge (other than as a driver), and I forgot how breathtaking it is to see Brooklyn in front of you and Manhattan behind you (just as the sun is rising, too). I don't know why, but I've been filled with New York pride lately. Perhaps it's because fall is in the air (and that's the best season to be in NYC, in my opinion). New York, New York!




The Brooklyn Bridge facing Brooklyn, Governor's Island, the Verrazano Bridge into Staten Island, at the original Nathan's.

happy 1 year, chocolate!

After three weekends of being latchkey poodle, things have returned to normal. So much so that Chocolate doesn't even get up from bed in the morning any more. In the summer time, he's usually up and about with me, but I think he knows that he's not getting a walk until Pete gets up. That, or the 6 am wake up time is too early for even him.

Today marks our adoption anniversary. I can't believe it's only been one year! What a glorious milestone for a dog who has no idea why we're showering him with hugs and kisses today. Pete and I can't imagine life without Chocolate. His presence has made us into a little family, as silly as that sounds. And among our friends, he's become a center piece, a beloved dog with plenty of extended family to show him affection and to dog-sit when we're out of town.

When we first adopted Chocolate, I confessed all my reservations to his then foster mom, a lovely woman who fosters three or four dogs at a time in her Brooklyn townhouse. She calmed me by saying, "You just have to do it. After a few days, you'll see."

I sure do. After a year, I still feel the same way I did just a few days after Pete and I brought him home: just plain lucky.


Chocolate with a leftover lamb bone. In front of Pete's wine fridge. Classy, we know.


A scruffy Chocolate, blogging back in February.

hooray for priya & nathan

This past weekend, Peter and I traveled to Cincinnati to attend our friend Priya's wedding. Priya and I met as Fulbright teachers in Taiwan (where she heroically killed roaches in our first apartment). Every year, my girlfriends from Taiwan--Julianna, Katherine, Mary (who was very much missed this weekend), Priya--and I try to get together for a mini-reunion (see August 2005 posts for the beginnings of a glorious friendship). This year's reunion was extra special.

Priya ("I don't think I'll ever get married") was a gorgeous bride, both in a resplendent red and gold sari first and elegant white gown later. Like Priya's younger sister said in her toast, Nathan and Priya will take care of each other in just the ways each of them needs. I couldn't be happier for them.

Sitting at dinner, Julianna, Katherine, and I marveled at how quickly four years have gone by since we first met each other. In many ways, these girls know me better than friends I've known much longer--my time in Taiwan was that formative (for all us, really). Seeing them is like breathing a much needed breath of fresh air. I can't wait till next time. 我很想妳們!


Me, Julianna, and Katherine on Roebling Bridge. Pete and Katherine's boyfriend Adam.


Across the Ohio River at Hofrabrauhaus in Newport, KY.


Wearing saris for the morning's Hindu ceremonies.


The extended wedding party and the beautiful bride!


Priya showing her mettle by symbolically carrying water to her husband's family as groomsmen dance to block her way.


The handsome couple.


At the reception.