a wonder to behold

It has a history of over 2000 years. It stretches 5,500 miles across a very large country. It was originally separate walls built to protect the northern cities of China. During the Ming Dynasty Emperor Qin Shihuang succeeded in joining the walls together to fend off the invasions from the Huns in the north. It also stood as a symbol of a united China. Since then, it has served as a monument of the Chinese nation throughout history.

Can you say surreal? Yes. You know one of those things it would be amazing to do one day but you never actually believe it will come to pass. That was me. It was a wonder to behold. It was great…

I’ve got plenty to be thankful for…

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Gobble, Gobble!!

so THANKFUL for…

so the 24 hour flu…

…took up residence in my home. And it decided to stick around an entire week. But don’t worry it should be leaving soon, because there is no one left here for it to flatten and  after I’ve drenched everything with Lysol the quarantine should be lifted.

It was nasty and very unpleasant. I didn’t eat for two days which is very discommodious for I dearly love to eat. And while I did spend most of the 24 hours curled up in a fetal position in my bed, being sick did have its advantages.

1. I had one of the more mild bouts. Fortunately,  it hit me just after fast Sunday and before I had eaten breakfast so I had very little in my stomach.

2. I had no employer to call and tell my sorrows to. Then feel guilt for missing what probably would’ve been the most vital day.

3. I was forced to stay in bed with nothing to do but sleep and read. This was pleasurable. I finished two whole adult-size books in two days. I haven’t finished a book in a day in a long time. I have yet to break my graduate school leisure reading habits or lack of leisure reading habits. So finishing two books was seriously fun.

4. I once again appreciate and am so grateful for good health that doesn’t slow me down.

ps. Don’t forget to hug a Veteran and say thank you.

pps. Happy 11.11.11, 11:11:11. (Just for kicks and giggles.)

While….

I’ve been reminiscing about China, Fall has been flying by. The time for football and all things pumpkin.  A time when the house smells like applesauce and God gets fancy with His paint brush and beautiful fall colors. It’s also hunting season. And I’ve been on the hunt. No, not a hunt for what you might think. Unless, you are thinking a fabulous job that pays six digits and gives me six weeks paid vacation a year, then you might be close. Actually, I am on the hunt for a decent little job that will help pay the bills and the student loan, preferably in higher education, because that is where I get my joy. It is true. I love school. And I want to go back. But not as a student. As an administrator.

So that has been life and in the mean time this has been keeping me busy and making me smile.

once upon a time…

this city was forbidden. But now it is open to all for a small fee. Actually it is a palace, like Versailles or Buckingham, but its 720,000 square meters, 980 buildings, and over 8,700 rooms make it easily mistakable for a small city rather than a palace in the middle of Beijing. After fourteen years of construction the palace was complete in 1420, the Ming Dynasty. It was in use through the Qing Dynasty, 1911. It was home to 24 emperors and not just anyone could enter. It was usually just the emperor, his concubines and advisors. 

You might also recognize the Forbidden City from the Disney movie Mulan. It was home of the emperor, where Mulan came to save China.

Can you see why all the commoners and anyone who wasn’t the emperor were a little PO?