Par-tay, the Chinese New Year Way

Recently the Chinese New Year came along--and subsequently passed right by we hard working music department penn staters.

Our Taiwanese members could not allow such an occasion to miss us, and so tonight--though this semester is determined to remind me that I am humanly capable of only so much, and though the last Thursday night of the month is one of the only nights I actually have to go home and drown on my couch and/or take care of my life--I fluffed my hair, painted my face, and gathered together with my friends and colleagues in a sea of red clothing and/or accessories.

We did some good eatin'

(oh how those tawainese girls can cook...).

We made our own dumplings

(oh how folding dumplings I can not...).

We played some traditional games, like writing a resolution and putting it in a basket for someone else to guess the owner. If you get guessed, you have to hula-hoop 3 times in a row. This year I played it safe: "I will learn to play the guitar". (Last year I said "I will not be so cranky" and got guessed right away.) There was no hula-hooping in my fortune for tonight, I am happy to report, though certain people tried to peg "I will find a man I can be happy with" and "I will not work so hard" on me. (I am finally learning to keep things simple, a strategy I'm liking more and more, particularly when it gets me out of hula-hooping...)

We gambled a bit.
We guessed riddles, and received lottery cards if we got the answers right.

(I got my answer right, but sadly my lottery card was faulty. There will be no trip to someplace exotic and/or a brand new wardrobe for me this year...)

We made signs that said "Spring" on them, to hang on our doors and to wish winter-be-gone with (I made 12 of them....)

And, when all was said and done:

The question one must ask oneself when one is tired and not feeling all that social is, how do you say no to such precious friends when they want to celebrate their heritage with you? And the answer is--you don't. You par-tay, the Chinese New Year way. And you have great fun while you're at it!

A Vacation from Real Life

Every once in awhile I would do just about anything to get a new life. This typically occurs every month around the same time [if you can pick up what I am layin' down...], which very nicely coincided this month with the opportunity to do the closest thing--go on vacation from my reality. Due to a combination of snow days and a conference that took away quite a few members of my department, I found myself with cancelled classes and rehearsals, working peacefully in front of the fire with this guy:

(Say hello Bam...)

Bam's owners went to said conference, leaving me a garage door opener, Bam, free-reign of their comfortable home, and a plethora of peanut M&Ms.

It was a much-needed vacation made right here in state college. Not only did I get some rest, but it turns out that Bam and I were meant to be friends.

For instance, we both like a treat now and again as a reward for dealing with the duties of life (Bam comes back inside from taking care of his business--treat. Lauren walks past the bar on her way from kitchen to couch--treat.)

We share an appreciation for art. I found this out as Bam frequently took the time to stop and pause in front of some abstract yellow renderings in the piles of snow we encountered on our walks.

(Bam even contributed some artwork himself--though I think his might fall in the category of graffiti-artist, a rebellious spirit I admire in him.)

We enjoyed having some visitors. Yu-Chen and Yi-Ting came over to watch a movie with us one night, and Bam was so happy to have them that he ate half of their dinner while their backs were turned. (This actually did not go over very well with our guests--the poor guy was completely misunderstood, which only served to bond us together...)

We enjoyed good companionship, something we had plenty of during my unexpected snow day at home. While I worked on the couch, Bam slept peacefully snuggled by my side. Bam is, in fact, quite the snuggler (and a bit of a bed-hog as well, though you didn't hear it from me). Every night found him snuggled up next to me (or on me) as we settled in for sleep. (I pity the squirrel that Bam continuously chases in his dreams, much like I have pitied myself these past few nights for being close enough to him to know about it...), and every morning found him politely yawning in my face. Friendship doesn't get much better than that...

Tomorrow ends my quasi-vacation. I will pack up my things, eat my last peanut M&M, say good-bye to Bam, and return to my apartment to get ready for a return-to-reality week ahead. I feel ready to take on the world, after being given such unexpected rest, but how will I live without my new-found friend?

When the adults are away the kids will...

If you've ever wondered what happens when a child is left on her own for a brief moment, this little video from Kate's piano lesson yesterday might give you some (hysterical) insight into the question.

During this same piano lesson Kate told me I am "the best babysitter", a sentiment she has shared with me before (by saying "Lauren, can I tell you something? You are the best babysitter--[a pause as she thought about that for a second]--even better than God.")

(You can't make these things up...)

It is interesting that she shared her thoughts on my babysitting skills when I was playing the role of piano teacher, but I don't think we can blame her for getting things confused. Not only am I a pretty frequent babysitter and the piano teacher to both her and Sarah, I am also a good family friend. I wear many hats.

In fact, my invitation to Sarah's recent birthday party was addressed "To Lauren, my piano teacher and friend". (It is impressive that the post office found me...)

So, though it was a party intended for children, there I was with a front seat to the festivities.

They weren't just any festivities either--Sarah has recently become enamored with the Pioneer era, and so the party was lovingly dubbed "A Pioneer Party".

Hence, the bonnets (speaking of hats...).

I'm not sure who had more fun--Sarah and her friends or we "adults" (Heather in particular, who took this opportunity to pretend there was a cow in the backyard and that Ash was out farming the fields--when in reality, he was in the kitchen making the "Pioneer Pan Cakes" along with a side of salted pork while we ladies engaged in a small photo shoot...)When all was said and done, we had "churned" our own butter (from the milk of that cow residing out back), made pioneer journals out of paper and yarn, crafted these wooden spoon shaped pioneer puppets, and engaged in a series of puppet shows that probably reinforced stereotypes we'd be better off leaving behind (I'm thinking in particular of Heather's and my production of "How can I be beautiful so that I'll find a man out on these plains?"...I think the answer had something to do with churning some butter to put on our faces in order to retain our youthful glow....)

As I said, when the adults are away--

there's no telling what might happen.