So…what’s a Brony?

Brony:
a guy who loves My Little Pony in the 2010s

Still confused? Take about three and a half minutes to find out (last 1 1/2 minutes are on other topics):

I have to admit, I feel like I am missing out. I absolutely loved My Little Pony when I was little and I am excited to revisit it now.

On this same topic, check out JeongMee Yoon‘s exploration of blue and pink. She is documenting the obsession small children sometimes have with pink (girls) and blue (boys) and how it relates to the marketing and consuming done all around the world. She mentions the ponies and how even though girls and boys may outgrow these preferences as they age, they tend to maintain their original associations with the color code.

As someone who chose blue as my favorite color when I was about 8 or 9; and threw pink and purple to the wind, I have thought a lot about femininity, masculinity and the expression of these themes in modern culture. I chose blue as my favorite color, “chose” it – didn’t “like” it, because it was a “boy” color. I wanted the opportunities available to boys. Although my parents, teachers, media, and others told me I could be “anything [I] want when [I] grow you” – I wanted the automatic preference, the automatic deference, and the automatic approval that I saw boys receiving in all the scholastic, familial, and social scenes surrounding me. Or, at least that is what I remember. I had a great childhood, but I understood angst early on!

What about you? Do you remember your favorite color as a child? What’s your favorite color now?

Time to try to turn Dave into a Brony!

Ciao, ciao

Photo Montage, You Had to Be There

Part V of this five part series wraps with a silly photo, a photo that captures a truly happy moment with Dave, a solitary moment of happiness and contentment, and a one-two punch of a flag blowing in the breeze. I love watching flags whip around on the back of ships and boats. If you look at these photos and find your eyes squinting and your face scrunching up as you think, “Really? That photo?” – just know that, well, You Had to Be There.

I like to kick, stretch and kick, and that’s what I was doing here…

Just after settling into our abode, Dave and I made our way to Zafferana to meet up with his colleague at the Ottobrata festival. It was a great day.

Dave was shipped back to the U.S. before we had even established ourselves in our permanent abode. Left to my own devices, I crossed the interior of Sicily to the northwestern coast and enjoyed a gelato festival in Cefalù. While there, I also wandered down an alleyway to the seawall and enjoyed myself at this perch. Happiness and contentment were mine.

Whipping in the wind, a one-two punch.

That’s all for the Photo Montage, I’m wrapping up my time in Taiwan and will trickle anecdotes and photos into the blog in the upcoming weeks. Happy Friday and Have a great weekend!!!

Happy Anniversary, To me, to me…

…and a Happy Anniversary, To you, to you

Cinquecento

Five things I love about being married to Dave:

(Uno) 1. Laughing at my family with him.

(Due) 2. Laughing at his silly antics.

(Tre) 3. Feeling him love me in weak moments.

(Quattro) 4. Having a partner when the shit hits the fan (see: post-law-school unemployment, see also: general neurosis, see also: kitties).

(Cinque) 5. Knowing nothing is certain and that we are choosing the good times, choosing the challenging times, and choosing to fight for our partnership.

I love you Dave!

Cento

Bad kitty mama! With the cats, we get into a sort of routine to keep them fed (food, duh), clean (litter box, other tidiness) and happy (cuddling, playtime, etc). Saturday I completely forgot to feed the cats! Finally, I noticed their dishes empty Sunday as I was cleaning their litter boxes. Phew. Um, until tonight when I realized I had reversed the litter box lid, trapping them inside and forcing them to break through the plastic door. D’oh! Luckily, they still love me and will not try to eat me in my sleep. Hey, Dave doesn’t do that either, yay!

Big Happy News!!!

Cinquecento

 
(Uno) 1. The beautiful frutti di mare (seafood) on display at Alphio’s. Alphio’s is a restaurant near base. Photos below.

(Due) 2. Farewell lunch at Alphio’s. I am sad to bid farewell to the Chief who is moving on to Rota, Spain, he is a great anchor for the role he fills. Eating a nicely spicy Penne alla Puttanesca made up for it.

(Tre) 3. Visiting the Motta Residence Hotel to pick up a couple of items we inadvertently left behind (Dave’s U.S. cell phone among other things). I had a jack-o-latern grin the entire visit as I chatted with the staff who were so warm to us during our stay.

(Quattro) 4. Laura Pausini. She sounds a famed Italian pop/ballad singer. Check out my current LP jam, Benvenuto. This is available in the U.S. iTunes store.

(Cinque) 5. Deciphering song lyrics! I have been hearing a song on the radio and I could tell the man was singing “e te” (sounds like “Ay Tay”) – but I didn’t know anything else. Now, I’m all the way up to hearing “la differenza tra me e te” (the difference between me and you) and after that I found myself understanding nearly the entire first and second verses. He used some unfamiliar verbs in the third verse (or is it in the bridge?). In any case, I love it! Tiziano Ferro is the singer and the official title is “La Differenza Tra Me E Te.” (It is not yet available in the U.S. iTunes store – BOO!).

Cento

The U.S. Navy is a leviathan organization, filled with Admirals, Rear Admirals, Midshipmen, Captains, Sailors, Commanders, Lieutenant Commanders, LNs, YNs, Chiefs, Master Chiefs, Lieutenants, and a navillion more! While I don’t understand all the intricacies of advancing, I have known that the next step in Dave’s career was to be selected for the CSB (huh? explained below). Today, we’re celebrating his selection! A board composed of one Rear Admiral, two Captains, and three Commanders selected Dave for the Career Status Board (CSB). This is an important threshold to cross for Dave, as well as a meaningful accolade and milestone. Congratulations!

Now it’s time to look at some beautiful Frutti di Mare

Here is the whole spread, sitting on ice and positioned right by the antipasti buffet (think Italian version of a salad bar), so that you see all this glorious seafood right when you walk into the restaurant. Hello little fellas…

The restaurant does not get sufficient business to have fresh seafood like this every day, so they feature fresh seafood on Fridays.

I know tuna is often caught on the west side of the island, so this is probably very fresh.

I am curious about how and from where they obtain their salmon.

Then, there are the squid inserted lovingly and colorfully around the display.

And then these delightful fishies (sardine family?) – if you know what they are, let me know!

Ciao, Tutti! If you hear the party rockin’ in Acireale, that’s just us celebrating…