E X T R A! E X T R A!
According to my sister in-law, and our friend, Cassie - there was a siting of RAY at the Lifetime Fitness Center, in Grapevine, Texas this morning. Therefore... it is conceivable we will have a new reader or two visiting us today. Welcome Lifetime Fitness members! Kudos to you for making it to the gym each morning. Now here's a dose of health and wellness for your soul.
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A small tidbit about me... I love pomp and circumstance. On election night, I'm glued to CNN. I want to know about election results of every district in every state. I have to know about every hanging or pregnant chad, and what each of the candidates is doing. I don't want to miss a thing. Inauguration day, same thing - though sometimes begrudgingly depending upon who we are swearing into office.
Then, you can imagine how I jolted out of bed this morning with excitement in my stomach. Tonight is the beginning of the Olympics. I have been preparing for today for a long time - thinking through how all my various ideas can be pieced together for a memorable couple of weeks. Gathering tonight for the Opening Olympic Ceremonies is one of the things I have planned. I hope you won't miss it.
Whether it be family, friends, or neighbors... grab a group of people, order your Chinese food (and cookies) and join us for...
Highlowaha's First
Virtual Dinner Party
August 8, 2008
8:00 p.m.
Prizes will be given away
*Important Announcement at 9:00 CST*
DON'T MISS IT!
Nothing is too much effort for this group of readers who continue giving so much. So when thinking about what would really make this Olympic experience special, I thought... "How about our very own highlowaha Olympic correspondent...embedded right there in Beijing, China?" So that's what I did. I arranged for our very own highlowaha correspondent to report from China on her Olympic experience.
O.K., so the plan didn't exactly go down like that, but I think you'll find the true story even more inspiring. It is a GREAT example of how when you are living your Personal Legend... "all the universe will conspire in helping you to achieve it." Such has been the case with my plans for "doing the Olympics" - highlowaha style.
Quick Background... One day, as does occasionally happen, I found myself wondering if my time spent on highlowaha mattered. You know... kind of a "what-is-the-purpose-of-life-moment" or a "if-a- tree-falls-in-a-forest-and-nobody-was-around-to-hear-it, did-it-make-a-sound-moment." That VERY SAME DAY, I received an email from a friend I haven't heard from in years. Her name is Alden. The first line of her email was, "Oh man - am I enjoying your blog." The email went on to tell what she was doing and then asked a small favor. She was looking for creative ideas to commemorate her upcoming trip to... are you ready?........... CHINA!!!
Let me repeat that. I am sitting in my quiet home dreaming up ideas about how to bring the Olympics to my highlowaha readers and Alden emails me, OUT OF THE BLUE, asking for ideas about commemorating her trip to CHINA. Yes... all the universe will conspire when you are living your personal legend. I immediately hit "reply" and said, "Alden call me. We need to talk ASAP." That was the beginning of a series of phone calls trying to coordinate some kind of partnership between highlowaha and Alden's trip to China.
The other serendipitous part of this is that Alden is an artist and today is Freebie Friday. What a perfect way to introduce you to our very own Beijing Olympic correspondent AND celebrate Freebie Friday, all at the same time. My normal caveat... I will not do Alden justice. She is an amazing woman with a contagious spirit. A truly contagious and radiant spirit.
Alden and I met while I was in graduate school at the University of Georgia. I was advising a talented group of student leaders and Alden happened to have been one of them. My favorite memory of Alden was her calling me to arrange at meeting (at Starbucks). Her request was a little unconventional, because at the time Alden served as a general member of this leadership team and most of my time was spent advising the executive members. Therein lies the beauty of Alden. Unlike so many students who take on too much but do to little, Alden was brimming with ideas about how the leadership group could be improved. And, she personally wanted to help make it happen. Needless to say, Alden was snatched up quickly and invited to serve on the executive board for the next year. That, I might add, was the year the organization won "Student Organization of the Year." Coincidence? No such thing.
Now Alden lives and works in San Francisco. She works for a company called Lucas Arts and specifically helps with the company's Gaming Division (which, I think, is to say she helps techies create new and exciting computer games). That is by day. By night, Alden is a singer. She has an incredible voice and - I think - even tried out for American Idol one year. She's been on tour around the country and has some upcoming shows in San Francisco and her home state of North Carolina. Hear Alden's music by visiting her web site at http://www.aldenlive.com
Alden the friend. Alden the professional. Alden the artist. Now... Alden the tourist of China and Olympic spectator. Why this Olympics? Why all the way to China? Among the many other things that make Alden eclectic and interesting, is the fact that Alden minored in Chinese in college. While most students were coasting by with Spanish 101 or French for the really diligent, Alden elected to MINOR in Chinese (not just take the requisite two classes). Her adventurous spirit mandated a semester abroad, in China, during her junior year. Going back for the Olympics is a coming home of sorts. Only this time Alden won't have the burden of classes six days a week. This time, she and her best childhood friend (who, by the way, just took the Bar Exam), will visit the country not saddled with academic responsibilities.
Amy and Alden - Our Olympic Correspondents
That leaves Alden PLENTY-O-TIME to share her experience with us. Here's how it will work. I will receive an email from Alden each day, informing me that her a entry has been posted on her blog. I will include her blog address each day and notify you (via the comments) when the blog has been updated. I am not 100% certain, but I think we can look for her blogs to be formatted as her highs, lows, and ahas for each day they are gone. Love it. Be sure to check in on her site. Maybe, just maybe, we'll have some Alden and Amy trivia contests.
What else? Oooh. Today's prize. Yes, in spite of the fact that Alden is in the process of wrapping things up at work and packing for a 12-day trip to China, she has agreed to mail me a CD to be given away to one of our very own lucky readers. To be the lucky recipient, all you have to do is answer this question correctly...
In addition to her Chinese classes, her Business in China class, and her Chinese Cinema class, what athletic class did Alden take while doing her semester abroad? First person to get this right wins the CD. I might add... there is a HILARIOUS story to be told about her experience in this class. Hopefully once the guess is made, Alden will share the story with us.
NOT signing off until tomorrow. I will meet you back here tonight for the Opening Ceremonies of the XXIX Olympiad. Remember, important announcement at 9:00 and prizes to be given away.
See you tonight...
Posts
103 comments:
Heading into work for a longer shift today ... and with that being said, I need to be out the door in 5 mins and that IS NOT going to happen... but I wanted to say hi!
I can't wait for tonight!
My Chinese order: general tso's :) and of course, a fortune cookie!
P.S. - CHECK OUT READINGRAYNBOW.BLOGSPOT.COM tonight too!!!!
NO IDEA about the sport - shot in the dark for the fun of it ... can we consider Yoga a sport?
my guess on sport: kayaking?
fencing
Hey Cheryl,
Is your power out? It's a bit dark here?
Karate would fit the list!!!
Yes... I like that you are all thinking BROADLY about what kind of athletic activity it might have been. Keep on guessing.
my guess - ballroom dancing
My sports guess is Aerobics.
Since my husband's not a fan of Chinese food, nor are there any good take-out places close to our house, so tonight I'll be picking up something from the frezer section at the grocery tonight during my pre-scheduled visit. Do you all think they sell individual fortune cookies somewhere??
Hope to see you all at ReadingRaynbo.blogspot.com this evening!
My sport- badmiton...
My husband doesn't really understand why we must get Chinese for dinner tonight. Although he has heard me talk of highlowaha... he doesn't understand how it is influencing me to buy take out! Sorry to say, he is a busy guy and I could show him this blog... but he's not that creative, nor does he have the time... so, how do I explain to him about the peer pressure y'all invoke???
Melanie... They sell fortune cookies in the grocery store. If you don't want a whole box, you can walk into any Chinese food restaurant and they will sell them to by the cookie. Usually they charge about 10 cents a cookie.
I was anonymous... dang computer
The real proof will come over time as you infuse more and more fun and creativity into your family's life. But to start, maybe you can tell him to consider your highlowaha involvements as similar to some people's involvements in local organizations. We do, after all, have a Board Members.
Or... maybe one of highlowaha's infamous packages needs to make it to your door step. Do I have a Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) postcard from you? That will bring you one step closer. If I don't, just jot your address on a postcard and mail to 4012 Harvestwood Court, Grapevine, Texas 76051.
Keep the guesses coming about which athletic class Alden took in China.
My guess is rugby!
Happy Friday to everyone!
My guess for her athletics class is Ping Pong.
Cassie, the power was on when we left at 7:50... your message was at 7:15 so yes, our power was on.
Peggy, in your sweetest tone say, "Stop being a stick in the mud and have some fun, dear." :) hehe!
ooohhhh ping pong...good guess because that is a BIG sport in China.
CHERYL! That was MY guess :(
I looked at Alden's blog before I made my guess and saw they were attending kayaking. i should have looked further because I see that she really wanted tickets to table tennis...
My bet is that Cheryl is right!
Thanks for the tip HLA! I actually like fortune cookies, so I may buy a whole box and find other fun times to use the rest later.
Am I right? Am I right?
Know that everyone is good at something!
My new guess, since Cheryl stole my original one, is volleyball.
Since it's FFAF....I'd like to know what event everyone is most excited for!
I'll start by telling you I can't wait to watch MP swim and bring home a zillion gold medals!
My favorite sports to watch are swimming (love Michael Phelps!) and gymnastics!
Actually, I'm currently sitting here going through the daytime coverage listings and setting my VCR to record them so I don't miss a beat! I LOVE SUMMER OLYMPICS!
OK, all you brilliant readers I have found the cause for the lack of brightness at our house. Ray is missing! Yesterday I caught him on-line trying to figure out how to order Chinese food (who knew he liked it), messing with the T.V. trying to get info about the Olympics and now today he’s gone!!! Oh, by the way my gym bag is missing too! Please help me find him before anyone knows he is missing!!! OH, if you see him tell him I need my pool shoes back NOW!
My guess for Alden's sport while living in China: Chess. How did I arrive at this? Google! :) The first sport that popped up (beyond Olympics stuff) was the wikipedia article saying that Chess was considered a sport in China. So...there you go! I guess they keep in mind that everyone is good at something, even if they're not athletically gifted!
BTW, I'm ordering Sweet and Sour Chicken tonight. Yum, yum!
P.S. Claudia--glad I could make you a bit richer, even if only in guessing correctly! :) I'm enjoying the blog!
Ooooohhhh.... so much happening and not only 11:00. A couple of notes...
Tera and others... the sport(s) I am most looking forward to watching... women's gymnastics,swimming, and diving.... oohhh and did I mention volleyball... and what about soccer. Yikes, I love it all.
Also...
*****NEWSFLASH*****
Check your local listing for what time the opening ceremonies begin. As it turns out, it is 8:00 Eastern Standard Time (darn easterners think the world revolves around them). Coverage in our area starts at 6:30 with the ceremonies beginning at 7:00.
The announcement will still be made at 9:00 CST.
Ashlee and Matt. Welcome back. I see Creighton joined us late last night. Fun having you with us.
One more thing... No, the correct athletic class has not been guessed... though, I have to say... some of them have been VERY good!
Soccer has already started...I watched the first USA women's game which we unfortunately lost to Norway on Wednesday evening.
2. "Remaining Open to Possibilities"
Friday night is usually Chinese night for the family. Our usual fair: I always get "The Happy Family" The wife gets Brocoli and Beef. Fried Rice for us both. Order of Crab Rangoons, two orders of Egg Rolls. The four year old and 9 month old share with mom and dad.
My guess on the sport is "Judo"
I will need at least 7 more days process how I might add creatively to the HighLowaha experience.
I don't want to be a "debbie downer" but watching Olympic coverage usually knocks me out within 5 minutes. Given that I'm a channel surfer(like any good male) I promise to surf onto the coverage between my episodes of "Monk", "Psych","Stargate Atlantis" and "House" Lucky You I'm also a connoisseur of blogs.
I'm remaining open:-)
Badminton?
How about Cricket?
I'm not a Debbie Downer either and I will participate with the Olympic events here with HLA but honestly, I don't watch sports. Drew asked me this morning what sport events are at the Summer Olympics... I could only come up with track and swimming... is that pathetic?
diving
Swimming
handball?
roller skating?
how about Tai Chi??
Claudia NEWSFLASH!!! The world does revolve aroung the Easterners LOL!!!!!
You are like the sun "you rose in the east but set in the west"..... Can you tell Im spent already LOLOLOL
My favorite sport is Swimming and Diving!!
you guys are an extremely resourceful bunch :) this is fun!
I'm going to change my course here. Maybe she participated in a popular American Sport so she would be guaranteed a good grade... maybe All American Baseball!
Weight traning
*****Fun Announcement*****
I decided to google highlowaha and up popped some interesting things:
First highlowaha is referenced on Disney Family. com for Claudia's Fun in a Box Friday idea...
http://family.go.com/websearch/free%2bfun%2bbox%2bplans/2/
Second, highlowaha is listed on
http://tracker.icerocket.com/top.php?page=7
As the 680th most popular blog out of 12,396 registered in their system based on number of hits.
I think we should try to get up to 500th!
Another guess - bowling, or ice skating
Heather,
All we need to do is add the words "Hot Babes" to some of Claudia's posts. HA!
Claudia:
Go Claudia. Of course you would end up with a highlowaha correspondent in China. Watch out, Jon Stewart.
Ok - speaking of building scaffolding. No wait, "high, low, aha's".
Last night when I got home, I decided to use the "high, low, aha" to help the clan talk about our days. It went great until I asked the kids "was there part of your day that you didn't like?" trying to get at the "low". Well, my six year old Canon took that to mean he got to tattle on the other kids and that almost ship-wrecked the whole conversation.
So how would you all recommend helping kids process the "low" without it turning negative?
Creighton
This place is all about creativity No? Well I like to think I'm a bit creative, however, I've had a bit of a creative block of late. For the last 12 or so years I've guided our campus ministry through the year with Themes. Sometimes the theme's are one word that has double and sometimes multiple "rings" to it. By that I mean it can be defined and used in serveral different ways. Last years theme was a nice one word theme. "Bearing" as in "get your bearings from a map with a compass" or "bearing Gifts" or "bearing one anothers burderns" Other years it has been phrases or word Strings like "High Places: The Dance". Still other years I just made up words out of other words like, "CroGen" (a combination of Cross and Generation we even made an object that we called a CroGen)
So this year my creative juices have these idea's flowing. Weave, Tapistry, the notion that our lives are multiple stories that are threads in the great Tapistry of Creation. I've been exploring the art of weaving and the lexicon of terms around it. Loom, Spindle, Thread, Rod, Weaver. Thinking about buying a small loom that we can as a group weave a cloth with. Thought about making a big frame with pegs and making a huge pot holder(someone said that was called macrimay(sp))
All the words and images are great BUT. . .I can't find the right combination of words. Just the word "Weave" is not enough and it evokes images of hair weaves at first. Tapistry is to hoity toity. "Weave the Light" just doesn't roll off the tongue just right. I've thought of using a WEAVE acronym like Waiting Expectantly Anticipating Visions Extrodinary. I've looked for synonyms that would roll off the tongue better.
I've been bouncing it off my students, family and friends just looking of some angle I'm missing.
So maybe the highlowaha community can help
Ooooohhhh.... John, this is exactly the kind of thing that is up the alley of highlowaha. We frequently brainstorm themes, so adding a few more ideas to your list should not be a proble,
Highlowaha readers... John is new to our community, so let's show him what we are made of. A few good brainstorms at any point over the weekend would be GREAT!
I'll mill it over in my head, too. My initial reaction... I love the idea of "weaving." It seems like there are lots of direction you could take. Two things that came to my mind... Dream weaver and "Oh the (some word?) web we weave when we try to deceive."
When we weave do our materials move in and out, over and under, up and down, etc.... I will continue to think.
Also...
Heather, thanks for the fun highlowaha update. I do, however, hope we are not ranked among the (relative) top of a long list of sordid sites - as I think is suggested by Cheryl. That would be less than good news.
Finally... There are still no correct guesses as to what athletic class Alden took while doing a semester in China. Perhaps I need to give a clue.
Employ your creative minds to think beyond traditional "athletic" sports. If you guess it based on that you are too too good.
John,
I really like weave. I like that you have to dig deeper to find out the meaning/s behind weave. But, how about mesh, coagulate, interlace or just lace.
pottery
Fiddle
My guess is curling!
Definitely getting Chinese food tonight, but not sure about the exact order. My hub will take advantage of any excuse to order P.F. Chang's! Can't wait!
Rythmic Gymnastics
This is it - the first Reading RAYnbow discussion has officially begun. Join in at www.readingraynbow.blogspot.com!
How about archery?
One more quess...short range skeet shooting?
MARBLES!!!
I'm getting in a bit late in the game today! I am going to guess that Alden took a crossword class. I am so, so sad that I will not be watching the opening ceremonies tonight! Hopefully I can watch at least part of them on the internet later.
John- what about the word "Woven" or "Woven Together" as opposed to weave?
Did I say, "too too" good. I meant tu tu good.
BALLET!!!
oh Cheryl ... i bet you guessed it. As soon as I saw "tu tu" I thought ballet, and then I kept scrolling and saw your name!
I feel like a kid in a classroom screaming out the answers!!
Darn! I was going to guess dodgeball next!!
PS The kids are so excited about getting take out Chinese... I said because the Olympics are beginning... and they are like,
"Yea! Kewl... I get it ... Chinese
Food... the Olympics in China"
Congratulations Cheryl! Yes, you are the lucky winner of Alden's CD. What a treat for you!
Now maybe we can persuade Alden to share her hilarious story.
Peggy... to your point. I hope the comment your children made reinforces in all of our minds this important point... creating special family moments does not have to be a lot of work or a monumental task. It can be as simple as eating Chinese food together on the opening of the Olympics in China. A small gesture, but the cumulative effect of things like this can have a monumental affect on the lives of our families.
Peanut!!! I got my school "pencil bouquet". Thank you so much! Its here on my desk. We will put it to good use.....
Brian K. Root your food is on its way...please let me know it arrives safely!
yay... will do.
McDonalds just had a commercial with the song "The More We Get Together." That could be a HLA theme song!
PS. I found pork & veggie potstickers at the grocery - delish!
Those drums were cool. I wish you could hear Drew and JB make comments. Cool! Awesome! I wish I was there!
cheryl (my dear peanut),
have you received anything in the mail recently?
anxiously awaiting an answer,
your shell
melanie, you said "delish"
Haha
B.K. Root...answer quick...what dorm do you live in?
DRUMS = AMAZING
FLOATING OLYMPIC RINGS = SPECTACULAR
DANCING PAINTERS = MESMERIZING
I'm in awe!!
And, I'm full!!
And, I love that we're doing this together!!
Shell,
I have received a wine glass and a Phase 10 dice game.
i really like the moving blocks...they're so cool!
Oh! My! Gosh!.. they did the blocks with people! ahhhhhhhh...that's soooooooooo cool! haha
China update: my friend is Chinese, so she is the source of this:
There are several spoken languages in China but only one written language. So that symbol of "harmony" that kept re-appearing during the floating blocks/writing press event is readable (is that a word) by all Chinese.
Commercials are over!
I must say, i am so awe-struck but the entire ceremony! It is really amazing!
Just back from my first meeting with my staff and now I'm here to join in the fun!!! Off to heat up my Chinese and glue into the TV! Plus, check back here, of course!
i think the glowing green people are so cool...oh by the way... i'm going to tell you all when i think something is cool! haha
What a spectacular event for us to be watching together. It is the epitome of creativity. Unbelievable. I think the drums have been my favorite so far.
See you at 9:00
P.S. The sumo wrestler commercial was funny!
Treye and I are loving it, too! Our Chinese was delish and I can't wait to eat the left overs for lunch.
I like the green people, too!
I liked the drums and the writing press boxes the best.
The sumo wrestlers made me laugh ... out loud :)
I can't wait for 10 pm EST :)
The precision is unbelievable! I'm blown away.
Oh! I think this globe part is my favorite!
I lied.
That last part - the globe, the singing, the faces on large signs ... blew me away!
If you're experience with Chinese is like mine, we should all be getting hungry soon.
What will your late night snack be?
Mine... a big bowl of Cassie P's award winning chocolate ice cream with brownies, chips, and coconut.
What did everyone's fortune cookies say?
Mine: Humor usually works at the moment of awkwardness.
Treye: Don't forget to do good deeds as you accumulate wealth.
The extra one we got: A vivid and creative mind is just one of your many great attributes. (I wish I would have opened this one...but since I didn't, I'll call it HLA's Fortune...how fitting!?)
EXCELLENT!
Tera...
Great minds think alike. No fortunes yet! 9:00!
Shell, I know! Thanks again.
They both have asked when the sports events start. Uh, not tonight. I lost Drew to the Rangers. And JB wants to cheer for Turkey because they have a funny name.
My husband was impressed with the McDonalds soccer commercial in Brazilian Portuguese. He felt back at home (he of course was the only one that understood a thing they were saying....
Dont know why but I have no fortune cookies!!!!!
Yeah, Jack is asleep and Matthew is watching a cartoon. He hung in there for a long time.
Maureen... what do you mean no fortune cookie? Quick find one! Or maybe Tera will give you her fortune. I have an extra one I'll kick in for another one of your family members.
So, my best friend just called and is stopping through town and wants to grab a drink with me. cpsgradstudent is without internet (its down) ... and she doesn't have a fortune cookie. I'm sharing mine with hers ... here is ours, since I'm out the door: "You will be blessed with longevity."
I have extra cookies Maureen (a whole box, actually). Claudia - would it work for me to open a cookie for Maureen?
Yes, Melanie. You can give one of your cookies to Maureen. We are, after all, all together at this party of ours.
Also... I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the canvas they laid down, so that athletes could step in chalk and then walk across the canvas. They just said it will go on tour after the olympics. GREAT idea!
All you student affairs folks.... could we do this with first year students at convocation or graduation. What great symbolism!
Thanks everyone for looking out for me!! I guess the restaurant forgot me. Lord knows they put enough duck sauce and soy sauce in for a family of ten...
I think the footprints thing is truly "priceless" It gives me so many ideas!!!
tennis-that's the class I had to beg the teacher for a good grade not to ruin my GPA!!!
Erica
oh, my chinese was DELISH... thanks to my awesome shell.
Delivery to my door... a great idea! (sorry i wasn't able to respond quickly, but i was sitting outside and able to catch the delivery guy).
............
My Fortune (and, oh so appropriate for me) was: "Buy things because you need them, not because they're on sale."
Erica, as in Knox? Do you play tennis? Maybe we could play one day.
As it turns out, Cheryl guessed correctly when she said Ballet!
Glad you joined us. Check back in 5 minutes to post your fortunes. Did you get Chinese?
President Bush looks so bored. I should be so lucky to get to see the opening of the Olympics. Talk about taking things for granted. Mrs. Bush looks so "enthused" also.
Yes, kudos to the peanut who thought to deliver Chinese food to his/her shell. Brilliant.
If you're out there and have been logged in all night. There's a new post. Log out and then log back in, so you can read it.
btw... I was waiting and waiting for you to tell me I won so I could do my little victory dance at my desk! :)
Yes Knox! Yeah, I'm going to tell on myself, but I thought the most recent post was at the top:) Oh well, I tried. You missed the point though, I was TERRIBLE at Tennis. In fact, I swear this is a true story, I flunked the final, which we had to literally play tennis. Afterwards the teacher said, Are you looking at the ball?" OH, that's what I'm doing wrong!!! I wasn't even looking at the ball:) So I've pretty much been too embarassed to hit the courts since then!
No, we ate some good American burgers tonight. I'm curious if the chinese restaurants were busy tonight though? I bet they get a flux during the olympics!
OK, I found my fortune online:
He who laughs at himself never runs out of things to laugh at.
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