Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Sitting in the Hilton Hotel at Gatwick Airport, on my way to Jamaica for a series of work-related meetings, I heard the funniest exchange between a middle-aged woman and a bartender in the lobby of the hotel:

Middle-aged woman: "May I have a glass of white wine, please?"
Bartender: "Of course."
Middle-aged woman: " Thank you." (pause) "But you will have to wait until my husband gets back.
"I don't carry money ... you know, like royalty."

You have GOT to love Europeans!

Alison
4:20 p.m., Wednesday, 20 January 2010

Monday, January 11, 2010

Oh, Happy Day ... in 2009!


There's good news and then there's maybe questionably so good news.


Austrian papers reported recently that the nation's police force now has its first black police officer, according to an American friend who, unlike me, can read German. And, she tells me, this follows the nation's first black postman who, I am told, works somewhere in one of the somewhat rural towns. Before you know it, there might even been a black bus driver!


On Jan. 6, a day before the Orthodox Christmas, Austria celebrated Epiphany, of Three Kings Day. As is tradition, beginning on New Year's, young boys dress like the three Kings (the black king is played by a young boy in black face) and, holding a large star, they go from door to door singing. They are rewarded with sweets and money, the latter of which usually goes to the unemployed or to charity.


Our friend Rick and his wife told us this past Sunday the story of several Januaries ago when Rick was standing at the bus stop. A car of policemen pulled up to question him about a bank robbery that had just taken place around the corner. They arrested him because they said he fit the description of one of the suspects: Mainly, he had dreadlocks and was black. When they got Rick, who is 6'4", to the station they told him that they had a surveillance video of the three bank robber suspects, who were, by the way, dressed as the Three Kings. Rick insisted on seeing the video and lo and behold, they showed it to him. When the police captain saw the video, he just hung his head in embarrassment! The guy they believed looked like Rick had on one of those caps with the fake dreadlocks hanging from underneath. Adding insult to injury, when the suspect turned to the side, he mysteriously and a one-inch ring of white all along the side of his head and then ... AND THEN ... when the suspect lifted his arm to point a gun and his sleeve also rose to reveal white from wrist to elbow. Rick laughed so hard, he said, that he almost fell out of the chair. Hell, I almost fell out of the chair when he told me the story.


Alison

10:43 p.m., Monday 11, January

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Happy New Year!

For the past 10 days we have been in Miami and The Bahamas partying it up and loving it up with family and friends. Not only has the weather been glorious, but so has meeting my new nephew and reconnecting with my teenage niece.

Going into 2010, I look forward to meaningful work and continuing my strive for a healthier lifestyle for both me and Nicholai. I go into 2010 praying for a better economy and world peace. Yes, world peace.

Happy New Year everyone and please come back often to see what's happening in my world and to share what's happening in yours.

Love,

Alison
8:48 a.m.
Sunday, 3 January 2010