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Looking ahead

On the cusp of my one year anniversary with Apple Tree, of living and working in Vietnam, and on the heels of my travels overseas to London and Morocco, I can’t help but think about goals for next year.

Usually when I work at home, I have the TV or some music on in the background (or as the weather is pleasant now, my windows open which lends plenty of background noise).  A line from one of the movies on HBO was, “Life is an occasion. Rise to it.”  And it caught me and made me think.  Have I risen to the occasion this past year?  Has my life been well-rounded?  Have I achieved all of my goals?  Have I taken the bull by the horns and checked off all the boxes on my personal to-do list?  No, no, no and oh yeah – NO!!!

I am actually very sad at how quickly I lost sight of myself this year.  Right off the bat, work projects gobbled up me and my time, my thoughts, my every waking moment.  And we all know that that is not the person I am or the type of person I aspire to be.  I am not all about work.  Yes – of course – I will always have a strong work ethic, be dedicated to my job…but when I don’t attend to my personal life on account of my job being too much…..Well then, Houston, we have a problem.

I know almost nothing about Hanoi.  I can’t tell you what the best restaurant to go to is because I haven’t really tried enough of them.  Outside the events at the Press Club, I’m not to sure where is the best place to go to have fun. I don’t really know that much about Vietnamese cuisine.  I eat most my meals at work.  At my desk.  I have about 7 words of Vietnamese down, and 5 of those are so I can direct taxi drivers.

Sure, I have made many great friends, and certainly strengthened those relations I had coming into this post.  Project Shanna 2009, though, a total bust.  Absorbed the local culture?  No.  Made a good group of Vietnamese friends? No.

Usually I wait until the end of December to pick my personal theme for the year.  (Let’s not even touch on the fact that I did not live up to my personal theme for 2009.  Nor my professional one for that matter.)  But after hearing that line in that movie, I’ve already decided my one theme for 2010.  Rise to it.  And with all my power, and spirit and resolve – I will.

 

Gorgeous architecture

A lot of Morocco also looks the same way I had envisioned.  But what I was not prepared for was the exquisite detail of the patterns in the tile, in the painted window shutters, the carvings in the archways.  I also didn’t expect such variety of materials used to make up one structure.

This photo is from the ancient school of the Koran.  I just loved the mix of patterns, textures, colors and shapes.  Some is wood, some is marble, some tile, and yet it all blends together so beautifully!

 

School of the Koran

Built in the 14th Century, the Ben Youssef Madrasa was one of the most spectacular examples of architecture I think I’ve ever seen.

One of my favorite people – EVER!

You never know who may walk into your life and what role they will play.  I’ve met tons of people while traveling and some merely remain an acquaintance or a facebook friend who I chat with once in awhile.  Others have become more significant in my life, like Annette, who I took the Thai cooking classes with and who will visit Hanoi this year.  Darrin already made a visit to Hanoi and is someone I will most likely see again in some part of Asia.

Of course since I’ve been here in Hanoi, I’ve met a good handful of new friends.  Sarah and Shane, Anton and all the handsome French boys.  I always enjoy meeting new people and enriching my life with more friends.  Kurt and Anna, Dean and MJ are simply a regular part of my life.  They are like family to me, I have grown so comfortable in their presence.  I cannot imagine Hanoi or vietnam without them.

And then there is Pete.  Pete and I met last year when I was traveling in Vietnam.  I made the journey on an overnight train to Sapa.  I didn’t make a room reservation, as I figured I could just book one when I got there.  I had e-mailed Pete to see about room rates and what not, but never confirmed.

I arrived in Sapa during an absolute downpour.  Getting a bus to town was a task in itself.  I paid twice for the ride because I unnecessarily bought a ticket, boarded a bus and was told I had to pay the driver.  Once I got off the bus, I had a swarm of people around trying to take me to their hotel.  It was Calgon moment for sure.  Without a cell phone, and with no map of Sapa on hand (I was just planning on walking around at leisure and discovering the place), I was at a loss as to where to go and what to do.  So I sat in a cafe and ordered a coffee and soup.

I felt that buying a meal entitled me to ask to make a phone call.  I did, at least, bring the Sapa Rooms hotel number and convinced the staff that I must make the call.  About 20 minutes later, a cute little gal came to pick me up.  It was still pouring rain outside and even with an umbrella, we were both drenched by the time we made it up the hill and to the front door of Sapa Rooms.

Pete opened the door and said, “Welcome!  You look like you need a cup of coffee and some fresh towels.  Want to have a seat?”  And with that, Pete graciously stepped into my life and became a person who will be with me until we are old and wrinkled.

He still lives in Sapa.  I am due for a visit.  But he often comes to Hanoi and we have enjoyed some very fun nights out.  We usually start with dinner, a few drinks somewhere and then depending on the weekend and such, at an after-hours bar which lends its own separate blog post.  It is quite the scene.

I am nearly convinced that Pete and I are twins separated at birth.  We are kindred spirits.  And we cannot stop talking!  He is one of those friends that after a night together, my cheeks and sides hurt form laughing so much.

I’m also incredibly proud to call him my friend, as he is an amazing soul.  He does A TON of community and charity work up in Sapa, making a better world for so many villagers up there.  He teaches, provides clothes, food, and even works to get showers installed at schools in some of the most remote areas.  He does so much for others.  He is so full of love and generosity.  I just adore and admire him with the most genuine affection.

My life is good in Vietnam, but Pete makes my life way, way brighter.  It’s good to have such friends.

 

On the Bright Side,

Shanna

The fight continues

Previously I posted information about my childhood friend, Jeff Lapinski, who has been battling cancer this year.  After a successful lymph node removal surgery, we all had great hopes that this battle had come to an end.  However, a recent scan showed an enlarged node, which may or may not be news.  We have to wait and see.  I’m sure the waiting is the worst part!

To read more about Jeff’s status and to leave him a message of support, please visit his website, www.jefflapinksi.com.

Jeff, like my friend Bobby, has an amazingly positive attitude and is so highly admired for the manner in which he has taken on his battle with cancer.  If you know Jeff, please leave him a message on his website.  If you don’t know him, please send him some positive energy and your prayers. Every ounce of support matters!

On the Bright Side,

Shanna

A Note on Michael Jackson

It was the summer after seventh grade and Randy Close and I were a couple.  In preparation for a road trip to Magic Mountain with Danielle, Tiffany, Ginger, David and younger brothers Kevin and Chris, Randy and I listened to the Thriller cassette tape over and over again until we knew every word to every song.

As we all piled in the Close’s van, we begged to play the Thriller tape. Without hesitation, Randy and I could sing, “Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa” as our friends looked on in amazement that we actually knew the words.

Our group of friends always loved to go dancing, and we tried very hard to copy those moves, the fluid movement of the legs, the kicks and that unforgettable moonwalk.  Who can forget the Grammy performance where Michael Jackson moon walked across the stage inspiring hours and hours of practice among any of us who had an ounce of desire to capture that coolness?

I remember very clearly the day that upperclassman Camille got to go to the Michael Jackson concert.  Everyone knew that she was going.  And the next day she returned from the concert without a voice, it was that ridiculously fun.  We wanted to hear every detail of the concert.  Super jealous.

High school airband competitions were popular during my high school years and I remember the junior class members doing the entire Thriller dance sequence on our theater stage.

His songs were a part of every teenage year of mine and my friends’.  His music shaped our childhood in so many ways.  Even when he came out with Bad, and returned to the pop-music scene physically altered, he still remained the “it” guy for us.

I don’t know what happened to Michael, what made him become the sheer freak of nature that he was, the Wacko Jacko that made headlines.  I don’t think any of us want to imagine what it was like to live his life under such scrutiny.  Who wouldn’t turn a bit fruity?

I’m choosing to remember him in his Thriller days.  That is the Michael Jackson I want to mourn. That is the Michael Jackson I’ve mourned for years, already.

On the Bright Side,

Shanna

I just love Facebook!

I don’t remember this moment…Jenny and I were inseparable then.  And I can see I still have braces.  Plus the hair is total indication this is my sophomore year in high school.

 

I don’t know how many of you are hooked up on Facebook, but if you aren’t, I would highly recommend it.  Perhaps my 20 year reunion stirred up all too many emotions.  Recently, I have reconnected with so many people from high school, it’s been just wonderful.  The Class of ’88 was something special, but we were surrounded by other great classes.  I was lucky to grow up with so many terrific people.

Of course, I’ve met a ton of people here in Vietnam, and so that circle of friends is growing nearly every day.  But I’ve also gotten back in touch with people I used to work with at AFI, my sorority sisters, and lots of the UCSB gang, and stay in touch with oodles of people I’ve met on my travels.  I am totally a people person, and so I couldn’t be happier to be in touch and stay in tune to everyone’s lives.

One fun aspect of Facebook is the photo albums.  I don’t tend to post photos there, since I have my website.  But I love looking at other people’s photos.  The one on this post was added by an classmate.  Some people are going nuts with the scanners and some very old and sometimes scary photos are popping up.  This one isn’t too bad, but the 80’s were not so kind to us – horrible era in fashion.

I’m not so pleased that Facebook keeps changing its format and layout, but I’ll stick with it, because I am so delighted to have these old friends back in my life – even if in the slightest way…

On the Bright Side,

Shanna

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