Cutting the cheese (and other randomness of the week)

Seems I've been lacking in the entries this week. M came back from the USA on Tuesday morning, and I had to work in the afternoon, where I checked 2 people in. It wasn't too busy since a big group of German students had already been checked in the previous day...so I was lucky on that one. Today I do the same thing, I hope its not too busy! I also learned how to do a very Dutch thing...cut cheese from a cheese wheel on a big cheese cutter block. That actually is a bit difficult to cut the correct thickness of a slice of cheese. It took me awhile, I wasted a lot of slices (but that will go to the workers making toasties if they want) and I also had a few slices myself. I love cheese! This was for breakfast the next morning.

So the wonderful things that M brought back for me from home: wint-o-green lifesavers, lots of easter candy, my oboe, clothes, Kraft fat free Zesty Italian salad dressing, my dad's rice-crispie treats, 5 magazines to read including Marie Claire, NG Traveler, and US weekly! :-) Also, many recorded episodes of The Amazing Race and The Office, which I can't wait to watch! Yeah!

Yesterday I had my first class for my weekly Dutch lesson, with a group that is organized by a neighborhood organization, and is subsidized by the EU, so the cost is very affordable. Yesterday was kinda of crazy, and I was told it usually didn't run like that and they do usually study things. It was a group of less than 10 others, and they were not Turkish and Moroccan women as I had thought. There was a British woman, 2 Spanish girls, a woman from Sri Lanka, and another girl I'm not sure where she's from. I found that my level is probably a bit higher than theirs, since I have taken 2 classes in the past. But it is still good for my growth in the language to at least dedicate 2 hrs a week with others. Soon I will enroll in other classes anyways, so this is fine with me at this point.

I also played basketball again last night with the Dames team. It is a workout..and its fun too. It was pretty warm here yesterday, in this upper 70s I'd say, so it was pretty hot in this gym, even at 830pm. My bike pretty much broke down so I walked at least half way home, more than 1/2 hour, before M came with a wrench/tool to tighten the handlebars...they were just twisting off to the side if i put any weight on it, which is very dangerous! I had to stop suddenly for a car or other bikers and I pretty much wiped out a few times. Its fixed for now.

The funny story I had to share with you all....when M was in SF last week at the AAG conference, a person approached him and asked if he'd like to perhaps take part in a program on the History Channel related to geography and geomorphology. They were looking for a nice Midwestern looking person (M thought this meant WASP..white anglo saxon protestant...which is probably true). So he said sure, why not. But they didn't really explain much more than that, so he was not prepared for the 'interview' on Thursday morning, as to what they may ask or answers he could prepare. But, turns out this program is some sort of travel show and what he was auditioning for was to be a host! And the show would travel to 10 or 12 cities around the world and discuss the geography/geomorphology of that city/region. Such places they mentioned as possible locations: Shanghai, Mumbai, NY, SF, etc etc....So he auditioned to be a host of a tv program in the US! I'm sure the chances are slim that he may get it, but it would be sooo cool! That would be my dream job!!! Funny experiences in America! I've lived there24 years of my life and never have been approached by a scout for anything! Well, it must be his tall striking looks....and bushy brown hair and scruffy beard. He hasn't cut his hair in 4 months...haha...maybe that's the relaxed Euro look now. So if he doesn't get a phone call, he should email them...so at least he has some contact information. I thought it would be a nice sales pitch if he suggested that they could do a program and the both of us could be the co-hosts...since most people travel in pairs or with partners...it would be a good representation of real travelers...and we both have a geography background and we'd have double the perspectives on a place- the American and the Northern European. And what a great way to present a global travel program, than with a global relationship! I even dreamt about it last week, that we were hosting a show...hey, I gotta get excited about something you know!