snippets of fun...

i did quite a lot of fun things last week... while trying desperately to concentrate on work, which proved exceedingly challenging... i blame it on SFN conference spoiling the work momentum i had.

in any case... we ought to embrace the fun things that come our way... ahem... methinks. hee.

so i went to visit the Boeffs (D very kindly let me practice driving in his car -- i drove to their place from work) and their fuzzy dog Bailey and listened to a debate on bio-ethics at the high-school that K is attending... and got to see C, who seemed rather stressed out with university and i couldn't really help her with quantitative chemistry because i have long forgotten how to do it off the top of my head (sob, age is certainly catching on) ... their mommy, T, fed me scrumptious lasagne and even packed the left-overs for us to take away... i feel utterly LOVED... =C) especially when they helped me find the snoopy-stuffed-toy for Raeanne!

i tried to capture sleepy Bailey with my camera... but the delay makes it nearly impossible...

i rented a car for the weekend... zipped about in it and tried to fight my fears of highways... hee... it was a little embarrassing though... i couldn't get the gas-cap out and had to ask for help at the gas-station... i don't think i could ever return to that place again... darn i need portable rabbit burrows... i never fail to embarrass myself in silly situations... anyways... i made my way to the Mall of America via interstate 494 and caught The Prestige because Borat was sold out... but saw the latter the next day at Southdale Mall after battling my wits through highway 62 which involved tricky lane-changes... i didn't really like the movie -- it was too graphic and vulgar for my liking... although my company, DC, who was my course mate in Tuebingen and currently here to run his high-field imaging research, was in such a hilarious fit, i ended up laughing at him... i also drove to ballet and to United Noodles to stock up on asian goodies... and to Mother Courage, a very long (!) musical-play adaptation of Bertolt Brecht's work that my former colleague A, is currently in... i loved the singing though but wished it were much more abridged... to be engrossed for nearly 3 hours is a little challenging for one's attention!

sigh... i wish i had more time to explore the country-side and do some walks... perhaps next time!

this morning, i brought teddy to say hello to the metallic-blue chevy... and drove it to work... it's real nice to have that bit of driving fun... and much-needed practice, which i don't get enough of! it's really quite reassuring too, to hear from some of my colleagues and DC who were the royal guests of my royal carriage that i am quite a safe driver (minus the one instance of running through a red-light! because i very absent-mindedly forgot that they only have lights AFTER the lines and it was exceedingly dimly lit!!! thankfully there wasn't anyone coming in the perpendicular direction! SCARY! hope there wasn't a camera! eeks) ... but i have to say, i am grateful for the invention of automatic cars... =C) as i am for dish-washers!

i returned the sporty car this evening after work... it's sad to say goodbye... but i am sure i'll rent another automobile again some other time, and explore a wee bit of this crazy country!

posted by ~overacuppa~ on Monday, 6 November, 2006 at 22:44 hrs