This is the last post -- Happy New Year!
Now everyone is packing and making sure they have all their cables and charges and games. So sad! :-(
In 2016 we will be all together for at least a week, when we celebrate K's grandmother's 90th birthday in July. It will probably be the last and a very rare time when the whole family of K's maternal grandma will be together.
I'm glad that this birthday is the reason why we're going to Brazil next year, after 2.5 years away. I wish I could go every year, but we can't afford that (and we also travel to other places, that's part of the reason why we can't afford it).
I have no idea where we'll be spending the holidays in 2016. If we can afford it, maybe we'll go to Egypt to visit K2 and family. If that doesn't work out, we may be getting together with the "Canadians."
We'll see!
I wish I were more excited about my "new" old job with the three year contract, but I'm not, really. And I'm sad that the grant rejection took some luster away from K's receipt of tenure. In any case, 2016 is a new year and it has the potential of being better than 2015. For most years of our lives together, K and I always feel that the most recent year is always the best one (with the exception of 2009).
Thursday, December 31, 2015
"Visiting" 1993 while waiting for 2016 to arrive - 18/19
We are showing K's uncle and wife a video of our visit to them in Massachusetts back in 1993 during their first year in the U.S. and they are mystified because they don't have any video of this time in their lives.
It was our first epic family trip, the one that literally defined our lives today -- my parents-in-law brought their four sons to tour the U.S. and I, the serious girlfriend of their eldest son, came along because I was already fluent in English and wanted to visit the U.S. too (we got engaged six months late, my mom was a bit upset that we traveled before our engagement).
Three years after that trip, K & I moved to the U.S. His two youngest brothers followed to study a few years later, one stayed and married an American girl, the second brother joined the brothers in TX in 2001 and only the youngest went back to Brazil (and now lives in Canada). It's because of that trip that we are here today.
These moments are rare, when we are together with family members and can watch old home videos together. I'm glad it happened!
It was our first epic family trip, the one that literally defined our lives today -- my parents-in-law brought their four sons to tour the U.S. and I, the serious girlfriend of their eldest son, came along because I was already fluent in English and wanted to visit the U.S. too (we got engaged six months late, my mom was a bit upset that we traveled before our engagement).
Three years after that trip, K & I moved to the U.S. His two youngest brothers followed to study a few years later, one stayed and married an American girl, the second brother joined the brothers in TX in 2001 and only the youngest went back to Brazil (and now lives in Canada). It's because of that trip that we are here today.
These moments are rare, when we are together with family members and can watch old home videos together. I'm glad it happened!
2015 in One Word - 17/19
Intense
That's the word I used to describe this year when someone asked on facebook.
2015 was in intense year, particularly as far as teaching is concerned. The boys were also very busy, we hardly had any time for anything that wasn't work or school. I'm glad it's over and I hope next year won't be as intense and stressful.
No more NSF grant writing, no more tenure package preparation, no more job applications. I'm sure there will be other deadlines, but hopefully not that tough.
That's the word I used to describe this year when someone asked on facebook.
2015 was in intense year, particularly as far as teaching is concerned. The boys were also very busy, we hardly had any time for anything that wasn't work or school. I'm glad it's over and I hope next year won't be as intense and stressful.
No more NSF grant writing, no more tenure package preparation, no more job applications. I'm sure there will be other deadlines, but hopefully not that tough.
Five Posts to Go! - 15/19
Counting this one, only four, actually. ;-)
If everyone continues talking, I don't know how I'll be able to concentrate and write the posts. I ate a bit of dessert (strawberries covered with chocolate and with cream at the bottom) and I think that this is going to make me feel worse... Sigh... So I will try not to finish my bowl...
Everyone the women got up and they're cleaning the kitchen right now... We may play some games, but maybe not because those who want to leave early to go back North tomorrow want to go to bed early. A little bit anti-climatic this New Year's Eve, that's for sure! Maybe we should be going back as well, but I don't want to leave my in-laws by themselves in this big house for three more days, so we're planning to leave on Sunday morning.
If everyone continues talking, I don't know how I'll be able to concentrate and write the posts. I ate a bit of dessert (strawberries covered with chocolate and with cream at the bottom) and I think that this is going to make me feel worse... Sigh... So I will try not to finish my bowl...
Past Midnight in Brazil - 14/19
Written an hour and a half ago, but posted later. (original title "Almost Midnight...")
Christmas, with its "Northern" traditions, feels strange in the Brazilian Summer, but New Year's eve always feels wrong to me here in the U.S. and I only enjoy it fully when I am in Brazil. Being in Florida helps, but it's still not the same. :-(
Of course New Year's is more fun in Brazil when you are at the beach, but no matter where you are there are always lots of fire-crackers at midnight (because most people cannot afford fireworks, but they still enjoy the noise). It's a tradition, really loud fire-crackers everywhere for soccer games and for New Year's Eve, or "Reveillon" as they sometimes call it there, using the French term.
We haven't eaten yet and the kids are hungry, but I don't know about the adults because we ate A LOT at the restaurant. --> that was at 8:50 pm.
Now we already ate and kids are watching videos on their ipads as the adults talk... (and I blog).
Christmas, with its "Northern" traditions, feels strange in the Brazilian Summer, but New Year's eve always feels wrong to me here in the U.S. and I only enjoy it fully when I am in Brazil. Being in Florida helps, but it's still not the same. :-(
Of course New Year's is more fun in Brazil when you are at the beach, but no matter where you are there are always lots of fire-crackers at midnight (because most people cannot afford fireworks, but they still enjoy the noise). It's a tradition, really loud fire-crackers everywhere for soccer games and for New Year's Eve, or "Reveillon" as they sometimes call it there, using the French term.
We haven't eaten yet and the kids are hungry, but I don't know about the adults because we ate A LOT at the restaurant. --> that was at 8:50 pm.
Now we already ate and kids are watching videos on their ipads as the adults talk... (and I blog).
A Bit Sick on New Year's Eve - 13/19
I've been sick for the past three-four days. Today I'm feeling slightly worse and I'm actually afraid to go to the hot tub and pool which were fixed and are nice and warm now. My throat is not hurting anymore, but I am coughing a bit and my chest feels tight. My nose is running slightly and while my head isn't aching right now, it hurt a bit earlier. I'm also sleepy, even though I had a good night of sleep.
I feel bad, but I didn't help cook the meal for tonight, I'm just sitting here with my laptop while they are putting the finishing touches on the dishes. Of course I have the excuse that I "need" to be blogging right now. ;-)
I'm also sad that early tomorrow morning two families are leaving to go to Maryland on their way to their final destinations (Montreal and Cairo) and K's uncle is leaving for Miami to go on a cruise.
Right now there's a small crisis going on, my SIL's iPhone is missing. We're calling it, and trying to find it, with little success, they can't leave tomorrow without it! I hope we'll find it before midnight. ;-)
It was found! Less than a minute after I published the post. In the middle of a bunch of folded clothes.
I feel bad, but I didn't help cook the meal for tonight, I'm just sitting here with my laptop while they are putting the finishing touches on the dishes. Of course I have the excuse that I "need" to be blogging right now. ;-)
I'm also sad that early tomorrow morning two families are leaving to go to Maryland on their way to their final destinations (Montreal and Cairo) and K's uncle is leaving for Miami to go on a cruise.
Right now there's a small crisis going on, my SIL's iPhone is missing. We're calling it, and trying to find it, with little success, they can't leave tomorrow without it! I hope we'll find it before midnight. ;-)
It was found! Less than a minute after I published the post. In the middle of a bunch of folded clothes.
Matchy Clothes Selfies -12/19
Another photo post, I'll try to do some nicer ones with Europe photos, let's see if I'l have time (I need to get my husband's computer to do that). I took some of these selfies to share with friends I thought would like my matchy outfits or to save it for later reference. The next two, for example, I twitted to Jenna:
This one was to show how I bought the polish to match the outfit, but then returned the overalls because they were too tight:
Nail polish & clothes matching:
Looking Back to 2015 - 11/19
I just read the Looking Forward to 2016 post and everything went as planned, down to the last paragraph (that I enjoyed the trips and all, but that I'm really looking forward to going back to Brazil next year).
Everything went OK with K's tenure process and with my three year position (in spite of the delay), too bad the grant didn't come through for K. :-(
6th and 8th grades were busy and the family is here in Florida, having taken the family photo. Now I have to think about next year, but I don't feel like doing that at all!
The one unforeseen negative event was the return of my BIL's cancer and subsequent trip to the U.S. and surgery. The good side was that we got to see them, my in-laws and the cousins spent a good amount of time together, but the bad side is that now we will all be worried about it coming back again. :-( Let's hope it won't happen. My BIL is leading an extremely healthy lifestyle, particularly in diet and exercise, so we're confident that his prognostic is good.
Everything went OK with K's tenure process and with my three year position (in spite of the delay), too bad the grant didn't come through for K. :-(
6th and 8th grades were busy and the family is here in Florida, having taken the family photo. Now I have to think about next year, but I don't feel like doing that at all!
The one unforeseen negative event was the return of my BIL's cancer and subsequent trip to the U.S. and surgery. The good side was that we got to see them, my in-laws and the cousins spent a good amount of time together, but the bad side is that now we will all be worried about it coming back again. :-( Let's hope it won't happen. My BIL is leading an extremely healthy lifestyle, particularly in diet and exercise, so we're confident that his prognostic is good.
Frivolous "Firsts" of 2015 - 10/19
This year was the first time that I did two things:
1) used dark/colorful nail polish in my fingernails (the most I'd done in the best was French manicures);
2) dyed my whole hair dark blonde (NEVER doing this again!).
I loved the nail polish and I want to keep doing it, although I didn't do it at all this semester because I didn't have time :-(
Very first time, March 2, one of my "favoritest" colors, brown:
Next color, aqua green, the same one I'd first used on my toenails in 2014:
A darker aqua, this time from a better brand:
Second Essie polish I bought, Cartel Style:
Bonus Photo, Ombré toenails, since I own too many aqua hues of polish:
It was a colorful year!
1) used dark/colorful nail polish in my fingernails (the most I'd done in the best was French manicures);
2) dyed my whole hair dark blonde (NEVER doing this again!).
I loved the nail polish and I want to keep doing it, although I didn't do it at all this semester because I didn't have time :-(
Very first time, March 2, one of my "favoritest" colors, brown:
Same color and (cheap) polish, a few days later:
"Butler, Please" from Essie, matches my colorful dress:
Most Spectacular "Firsts" of 2015 - 9/19
The most special "first" of this year was taking my sons to Europe for the first time! We landed and spent about 7 hours in Frankfurt, but only my youngest came to the center of the city with me (Kelvin was too tired from watching movies in the flight from the U.S. and wanted to sleep, so K stayed with him). This was our first glimpse of the Old Continent.
Then, after our (amazing) trip to Egypt, Jordan & Israel, we flew to Zurich and then visited Switzerland, Chamonix/Mont Blanc in France, Geneva (where I was born), and Germany (Frankfurt, Rhine region, Hamburg and Berlin). We spent the last few days at our "aunt's" (MIL's cousin) house in Basel, doing some day trips. It was awesome! I hope I can take the boys again, but, frankly, I told them that I'd prefer that they go on their own when they're grown up because right now they don't like to go to museums, ao I don't feel like going with them anymore.
Another "first" is not as much a first as a unique event in life, my sons' baptism in the Jordan River by their grandparents (and my nephew by his dad, K's brother K2). It was so moving and special! In fact, had never had much interest in visiting Israel (and I do have very mixed feelings because of the situation Palestinians), so I was incredibly surprised at how moved I was when we arrived in Jerusalem.
Then, after our (amazing) trip to Egypt, Jordan & Israel, we flew to Zurich and then visited Switzerland, Chamonix/Mont Blanc in France, Geneva (where I was born), and Germany (Frankfurt, Rhine region, Hamburg and Berlin). We spent the last few days at our "aunt's" (MIL's cousin) house in Basel, doing some day trips. It was awesome! I hope I can take the boys again, but, frankly, I told them that I'd prefer that they go on their own when they're grown up because right now they don't like to go to museums, ao I don't feel like going with them anymore.
Another "first" is not as much a first as a unique event in life, my sons' baptism in the Jordan River by their grandparents (and my nephew by his dad, K's brother K2). It was so moving and special! In fact, had never had much interest in visiting Israel (and I do have very mixed feelings because of the situation Palestinians), so I was incredibly surprised at how moved I was when we arrived in Jerusalem.
After the baptism:
A Good Lottery - 8/19
My husband didn't get his grant, but a few weeks ago he received an exciting email from the university, saying that he had been selected as a winner in the faculty senate's technology lottery! It was not very hard for him how to decide to use his 500 dollars -- he put some more money (400+ that will be paid via paycheck deduction with no interest) and got an iPad Pro. And he used some grant money to buy the keyboard and the pen (100!!).
He doesn't use Apple computers, but a few years ago he used the university grant money to buy an iPad which is how he reads and annotates academic papers. He now upgraded to the Pro. He already wanted it, but then his colleague showed him his and he was sold. He didn't show it to the family and we put it with the other presents, then he opened it saying that it was a gift from the university to him. ;-)
Our son Kelvin already has an iPad mini, but he is smitten and won't stop using it. It has an amazing display and four speakers all around, so the sound is great too. I am supposed to "inherit" his 128 Giga iPad because we gave an iPad mini to our youngest son for Christmas (using some of his leftover birthday money).
He doesn't use Apple computers, but a few years ago he used the university grant money to buy an iPad which is how he reads and annotates academic papers. He now upgraded to the Pro. He already wanted it, but then his colleague showed him his and he was sold. He didn't show it to the family and we put it with the other presents, then he opened it saying that it was a gift from the university to him. ;-)
Our son Kelvin already has an iPad mini, but he is smitten and won't stop using it. It has an amazing display and four speakers all around, so the sound is great too. I am supposed to "inherit" his 128 Giga iPad because we gave an iPad mini to our youngest son for Christmas (using some of his leftover birthday money).
Waiting for the 7 - 7/19
OK, this is a throwaway post... I was wasting a lot of time trying to find some photos for one of the "First" blog posts about 2015 and I got derailed.
So, since this is the 7th post I'll share that I am waiting for the iPhone 7 since 7 is my favorite number (I was born on 7/7!!).
We're waiting for the baby to wake up to go to a restaurant to eat together -- Sweet Tomatoes, another family favorite, a bit healthier than Olive Garden where we ate last Sunday after the family photo session.
I forgot to mention that I'm a little sick, I caught a virus that settled on my throat (probably my larynx) and I had sore throat for a few days. Now I have nasty stuff coming up when I cough. No real fever, but I feel a little chilly with a bit of a headache.
Last random comment, the pool pump and heating weren't working in the last day and a half and they were fixed this morning, so more hot water to enjoy until we leave on Sunday! YAY!
So, since this is the 7th post I'll share that I am waiting for the iPhone 7 since 7 is my favorite number (I was born on 7/7!!).
We're waiting for the baby to wake up to go to a restaurant to eat together -- Sweet Tomatoes, another family favorite, a bit healthier than Olive Garden where we ate last Sunday after the family photo session.
I forgot to mention that I'm a little sick, I caught a virus that settled on my throat (probably my larynx) and I had sore throat for a few days. Now I have nasty stuff coming up when I cough. No real fever, but I feel a little chilly with a bit of a headache.
Last random comment, the pool pump and heating weren't working in the last day and a half and they were fixed this morning, so more hot water to enjoy until we leave on Sunday! YAY!
An International Family, 2015 changes - 5/19
Back in 2006 I wrote about our Family's Further "Internationalization" when my brother moved to China and K's uncle moved to South Africa. At that time my mother- and father-in-law were living in Massachusetts and K2 and K3 lived in the U.S. (only K4 and his wife were in Brazil).
In 2007, K3 and his wife moved to Turkey to teach at the International School, in 2009 my in-laws went back to Brazil and soon after K3 went to Brazil as well, while K4 and his wife immigrated to Canada! At some point (don't remember the year), my brother moved from China to New Zealand and K's uncle moved from South Africa to Mozambique. My brother returned to Brazil in 2012 and the uncle came back to the U.S. (to TX).
In 2014, after living 10 years close to us K2 moved to Egypt with his family and this year, K3 and family moved to Qatar to teach at the international school there and K's uncle moved to Tunisia!
It sounds funny, but right now, out of my in-laws' 4 sons, we are the closest to them, even though we are 9,000 miles away! K4 & family are in Montreal, K2 in Cairo & K3 in Qatar!
In 2007, K3 and his wife moved to Turkey to teach at the International School, in 2009 my in-laws went back to Brazil and soon after K3 went to Brazil as well, while K4 and his wife immigrated to Canada! At some point (don't remember the year), my brother moved from China to New Zealand and K's uncle moved from South Africa to Mozambique. My brother returned to Brazil in 2012 and the uncle came back to the U.S. (to TX).
In 2014, after living 10 years close to us K2 moved to Egypt with his family and this year, K3 and family moved to Qatar to teach at the international school there and K's uncle moved to Tunisia!
It sounds funny, but right now, out of my in-laws' 4 sons, we are the closest to them, even though we are 9,000 miles away! K4 & family are in Montreal, K2 in Cairo & K3 in Qatar!
More about these days in Florida - 4/19
Last year on Dec. 31st I had to write 11 blog posts, to reach 214. Today, I am supposed to be writing 17 (not counting the one I wrote late last night), which I think will be a new kind of (meaningless) record for this blog (ha ha...).
So, more about these days in FL:
- W had another family photo session last Sunday (the last one was back in 2011), but the photos were not that great, which we already expected. Next time we should certainly hire a photographer and not just go to one of those photo stores.
- We had two "Secret Santas" -- one for the kids, another for the adults and that was fun. My husband got me and gave me the Blu-ray set of the two Star Wars trilogies which is what I've wanted for the longest time. (Oh, and we had no tree because the living room in this house was tiny and there was no room, kind of sad! -- K & I bought some lights at IKEA and colored balls at the dollar store and put them on a fake plant)
- The house has a pool and this year the heating really worked, so all of us had a great time using it day and night!
- It has been so much fun to have "the baby" (18 months) around because he's such a charmer, an extrovert and a cutie. He's supposed to be the very last grandchild and we are all "babying" him as much as possible.
- It's not easy to cook and clean for 18 people, but I think we did OK. The house has 7 bedrooms and 5.5 bathrooms, so we were pretty comfortable.
So, more about these days in FL:
- W had another family photo session last Sunday (the last one was back in 2011), but the photos were not that great, which we already expected. Next time we should certainly hire a photographer and not just go to one of those photo stores.
- We had two "Secret Santas" -- one for the kids, another for the adults and that was fun. My husband got me and gave me the Blu-ray set of the two Star Wars trilogies which is what I've wanted for the longest time. (Oh, and we had no tree because the living room in this house was tiny and there was no room, kind of sad! -- K & I bought some lights at IKEA and colored balls at the dollar store and put them on a fake plant)
- The house has a pool and this year the heating really worked, so all of us had a great time using it day and night!
- It has been so much fun to have "the baby" (18 months) around because he's such a charmer, an extrovert and a cutie. He's supposed to be the very last grandchild and we are all "babying" him as much as possible.
- It's not easy to cook and clean for 18 people, but I think we did OK. The house has 7 bedrooms and 5.5 bathrooms, so we were pretty comfortable.
Disheartening (Grants are Lotteries) - 3/19
K read the reviews this morning and he's very disheartened.
Last time, two years ago, he was a finalist with a much weaker proposal. He had five reviewers, got 3 excellent reviews, one very good, and one good/fair.
This time there were only four reviewers and three reviews were very good and one good. This feels like such a random process, not really fair, not really consistent.
I feel so terrible for him, but there's nothing I can do. The only positive side for him is that he feels that it would be tough to manage a postdoc, so maybe it's for the best.
Sigh...
It is still sad and disheartening, though.
P.S. And K won't say anything to his parents because they don't really know what a grant is and what it means to him. (It's funny that he barely mentioned to them that he got tenure).
Last time, two years ago, he was a finalist with a much weaker proposal. He had five reviewers, got 3 excellent reviews, one very good, and one good/fair.
This time there were only four reviewers and three reviews were very good and one good. This feels like such a random process, not really fair, not really consistent.
I feel so terrible for him, but there's nothing I can do. The only positive side for him is that he feels that it would be tough to manage a postdoc, so maybe it's for the best.
Sigh...
It is still sad and disheartening, though.
P.S. And K won't say anything to his parents because they don't really know what a grant is and what it means to him. (It's funny that he barely mentioned to them that he got tenure).
No NSF Grant for K :-( 2/19
This was K's last chance for what they call a "career grant." Two years ago he was a finalist and they didn't tell him he'd gotten the grant very late in the Spring, so he missed applying in the Summer of 2014. This past summer he worked like crazy to submit the proposal
(because if you don't know already, writing a grant proposal takes hundreds of hours of hard work, not considering all the other hours of the work that is actually described there -- e.g. publications, research, etc.)
K is understandably very disappointed. What an anti-climatic way to end the year, no?
And this news means NO SUMMER SALARIES are guaranteed for the next 5 years (part of the grant money is assigned for 7K of summer salary for him) and K has to scramble once more to apply to small internal grants at the university to make at least 3K in the summer.
I'm NOT PAID all summer long, so it's pretty tough for us every summer (because it's hard to plan and save during the other 9 months when I do have a salary).
You know, that's why I feel so ABSURDLY ANGRY when politicians get it WRONG and say that the cost of tuition at universities is due to the faculty salaries.
GAH!!!! Academics make very little money, seriously.
All right, it's very late and we have to sleep. And K's family won't even really know what this means to him.
Sigh... it's not fun to start a new year like that, right? :-(
(because if you don't know already, writing a grant proposal takes hundreds of hours of hard work, not considering all the other hours of the work that is actually described there -- e.g. publications, research, etc.)
K is understandably very disappointed. What an anti-climatic way to end the year, no?
And this news means NO SUMMER SALARIES are guaranteed for the next 5 years (part of the grant money is assigned for 7K of summer salary for him) and K has to scramble once more to apply to small internal grants at the university to make at least 3K in the summer.
I'm NOT PAID all summer long, so it's pretty tough for us every summer (because it's hard to plan and save during the other 9 months when I do have a salary).
You know, that's why I feel so ABSURDLY ANGRY when politicians get it WRONG and say that the cost of tuition at universities is due to the faculty salaries.
GAH!!!! Academics make very little money, seriously.
All right, it's very late and we have to sleep. And K's family won't even really know what this means to him.
Sigh... it's not fun to start a new year like that, right? :-(
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
A Few of My Favorite Things (Roller Coasters! Hot Water!) - 1/19
In the first day here last week I enjoyed two of my favorite things (which, incidentally, one can't enjoy while pregnant and which I missed a lot during my first pregnancy -- particularly because we had purchased a Six Flags pass the summer I got pregnant): roller-coasters and soaking in a hot spa!
Our house has a pool and spa and we paid extra to have the water heated and that was perfect (except that the pump probably broke yesterday so today the water was cool)! And we went to a park that has a few good roller-coasters on our very first day here (Tuesday 12/22) and another with even more this past Monday. I will add a few photosbelow (from my phone) in a later post.
Our house has a pool and spa and we paid extra to have the water heated and that was perfect (except that the pump probably broke yesterday so today the water was cool)! And we went to a park that has a few good roller-coasters on our very first day here (Tuesday 12/22) and another with even more this past Monday. I will add a few photos
9 days with 18 people (K's family)
Last Monday night we arrived at the seven-bedroom house that my in-laws rented in the Orlando, FL area to spend over a week with K's whole family -- his parents, his three brothers, and our nephews and niece.
We are having a lovely time, but today the first family left, K's brother K3 who lives in Qatar. We were sad to see them go, but tonight, my MIL's youngest brother arrived with his wife and daughter. He has often joined us for a brief time between Christmas and New Year's in the past 15 years and precisely a year ago we stopped for a couple of hours in Daytona Beach to see him and his family.
I'll write another post about the international adventures of our family, which I first mentioned on this blog back in 2006.
I don't know yet if I'll try to write 19 more posts in the next two days to reach 215. Nobody will ever read these posts, but I will, so I may decide to do it. ;-)
We are having a lovely time, but today the first family left, K's brother K3 who lives in Qatar. We were sad to see them go, but tonight, my MIL's youngest brother arrived with his wife and daughter. He has often joined us for a brief time between Christmas and New Year's in the past 15 years and precisely a year ago we stopped for a couple of hours in Daytona Beach to see him and his family.
I'll write another post about the international adventures of our family, which I first mentioned on this blog back in 2006.
I don't know yet if I'll try to write 19 more posts in the next two days to reach 215. Nobody will ever read these posts, but I will, so I may decide to do it. ;-)
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