Greetings from the Seattle airport (free Wi-Fi is a Christmas present from The Google. I've never been to Seattle. I don't really think the airport counts as a visit, though. I have an incredible view of the snowy mountains from where I'm sitting. I'm here way early but didn't have much choice re: flights from Portland. From here, I'll go to Paris, and then to Belgrade, Serbia.
A North Carolina fan and I just tried to take over a TV in a restaurant in this terminal, but one freakin' football fan wouldn't budge. In addition, when I initially asked if we could change the channel to CBS, the waitress chirped, "Oh, there's no game on CBS." I said, yes, UK was playing UNC, and she said, "Oh, basketball..." It's soooooooo hard living in a region that's got American football so far up its bum. Oh, well, I'm sure my alliance with the Tarheel would have splintered as soon as the game came on.
The woman at the Delta desk for my flight to Paris keeps coming on the intercom, and I could listen to her beautiful Caribbean French accent all day... si beau... By contrast, the high pitched perky newscaster's voice on the nearby TV is making me insane. Attention women TV newscaster's: talk in a deeper voice and stop the uptalk. Or speak with a Caribbean French accent.
I would love to take a photo of the Tai airline stewardess having their pre-flight orientation because they look so freakin' adorable, but I just know I'll get in trouble for it for some reason.
In 2007, I lead pilgrims returning from Hadj through the oh-so-confusing Frankfurt airport to make their connecting flights. Today: I lead a woman from Japan through the oh-so-confusing Seattle airport terminals to make her connecting flight to Baltimore. So, I've now got Islam and Buddhism covered re: airport karma.
Here's why I'm going to Serbia. I'm thrilled to be going -- I've been to most of the countries around it, but not to Serbia. And I have another consulting job in Australia in March. But so far, I haven't gotten even one gig because I've moved back to the USA; every little gig I've had I either got while I was in Germany or got because of a connection elsewhere. So, moving back to the USA has yet to pay off for me at all. Except for learning to ride a motorcycle.
Still no title for the Africa Twin; our guy checked the wrong box on the paperwork, and had to resubmit it all. That means another six weeks of waiting. Sigh. All I want for Christmas is my husband to get something back that he's loves so much...
As soon as I figure out how, I'm making this my cell phone ring tone. It is AWESOME! (Here's how I found out about it).
I cannot stand Snake Oil Salesman Deepak Chopra, and this blog by Phil Plait explains why. Religious/spiritual people out there: please don't tell me what I do or don't believe as a skeptic/atheist. Don't tell me how I think. You truly have no idea.
Speaking of me, and of atheism, how weird was it that I defended Islam the other day? Someone had made one of those classic "All Muslims think such-and-such" statements and I went off. Not that I don't believe in criticizing religion; I can do it, as most of you have know! I just loathe the "My religion is enlightened and peaceful while yours is violent and dogmatic" argument I've heard Christians say against Muslims. Islam is just as nuanced as Christianity or any other religion. Yes, there are large factions of Muslims who believe some rather dreadful things and engage in some horrific practices regarding women -- and there are factions of Christians who do the same (look at the forced child marriages in various Christian cults throughout the USA, the shootings and bombings by Christian fundamentalists at least every year in the name of God, the hate spewed by people like Mullah Pat Robertson, the insults non-Christian students often endure from classmates and their parents, etc.). Heck, I defend Scientology when someone attacks it and they admit to being religious themselves -- how is it really any different than any other religion out there? Having been exposed at length to a variety of Christian and Islamic cultures, I can sincerely say that they are much more alike than different. Having read the Bible cover to cover (twice, actually) and the Koran, I can also sincerely say that the former is a heck of a lot more violent and horrific in how it defines appropriate treatment of women than the latter.
Imagine no religion... I'm trying, John, I'm trying...
Just saw that Kentucky won! Hurrah! It's God's will! Go Big Blue!
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