PS: Birthday Recap

Dear Friends and Family,

In case you're wondering what we ended up doing on Wednesday, after work, I drove over to Mr. mouse's office and picked him up. We drove home together. And, after futzing around the house for a bit, we headed out to dinner. We picked up some killer cupcakes at a bakery and then headed over for sushi. After dinner, we came home and crashed on the couch for the night.

And, when I got up the next morning, my birthday was officially over.


Cheers!
mouse

Keratosis Pilaris - Eucerin Dry Skin Therapy Plus Intensive Repair Creme

Dear Friends and Family,

Ms. Jordan thinks its related to body weight, but actually it's somewhat genetic. Keratosis Pilaris is the medical term for the little bumps you get on the back of your arms and on your upper back that I've been calling chicken skin.


I got a recommendation from a website (Keratosis Pilaris Help) for Eucerin Dry Skin Therapy Plus Intensive Repair Creme. I just finished my first tube yesterday and I have to say, I'm impressed with the results so far. The bumps on the back of my arm are almost gone. And, the ones on my back, although you can still see them, are smooth to the touch.

Disclaimer: My experiment is a little flawed because I started using the Eucerin about the same time I started taking my new multi-vitamins. And, now it's going to get even more convoluted because Omega 3 oils, like the ones I started taking, are also supposed to improve Keratosis Pilaris.


Cheers!
mouse

Multi-Vitamins Follow-Up

Dear Friends and Family,

I just got my re-fill order of Canyon Ranch Multi-Vitamins. I started taking them vs. my normal Centrum vitamins on June 7th. I figured if I felt a difference, I would continue with the new. If not, I would return to Centrum.

From a completely qualitative assessment, I feel marginally better. But, not enough to justify the higher cost. From a more quantitative assessment, I think I can justify the switch.

From a weight loss perspective, I was at a eight week plateau when I started taking the vitamins. And, seven weeks (ten pounds) later, I hit my goal week. Coincidence? Entirely possible. But, it's also possible that I was missing some key nutrients (18 points a day doesn't go very far) and that that was slowing my weight loss.

There's another data point I've been assessing. A lot of the vitamins are water soluble, so your first "pee" after taking the vitamin is bright yellow. The weeks I eat healthier, the color is neon yellow. The weeks I eat junk, the color is pale yellow. Different absorption rates, implying sometimes I need more and sometimes I need less. Centrum never had this impact.

All that said, not only did I re-order the multi-vitamins, but I also ordered some new pills. I ordered a three month supply. I'll do the same experiment. Take them and assess.


The Omega 3/6 Formula helps ensure you get adequate amounts of high-quality fatty acids. In other words, it's taking fish oil for Omega 3 with some borage seed oil for Omega 6. There's a lot of theory on the benefits of both. Here's my rough summary.

We (aka "humans") used to consume roughly equal amounts of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. Given our new diets, we consume roughly 25X more omega 6 than 3. So, the pills help even out the balance. Now, onto the technical mumbo jumbo. Omega 3 acids contain EPA and DHA, two acids that are used by the body to promote PG3 prostaglandins. Weird, that's not in spell check. Huh. With me so far? Okay, PG1 (good) helps to reduce allergies, prevent inflammation, and improve immune response. PG2 (bad) stimulates allergy response, promotes inflammation, and suppresses immune response. PG3 (the stuff in my pills) blocks the release of PG2.

Wow. That was a heavy duty post for a morning when Mr. mouse and I both overslept. Off to get ready for work. Will have a follow-up in roughly three months.


Cheers!
mouse

Happy Birthday, mouse

Dear Friends and Family,


It's my birthday.

Mr. mouse will be taking me out to dinner later tonight. But, besides that, we don't have anything big planned. Turkey was my birthday trip and birthday present all rolled into one.

What can I say about the last year? It went really quickly, in a blink of an eye, truth be told. But, it was a big year with a lot of good things. Mr. mouse and I are together now. I enjoy my work. I reached my goal weight. I have a retirement plan. I love my home and my hometown. And, most importantly, I am at peace. I think it comes across to others. I had a chance to catch up with several girlfriends at the conference earlier this month. And, several remarked I seem happier and calmer and more at peace. I'd glad. It means a lot to me.

What does this mean for the upcoming year? It might be time to revisit my Top 3 list.

1. Even if I've reached my goal weight, my wellness is still a priority to me. I am working to understand what maintenance and lifetime truly mean. I'm been a little lackadaisical about it all the past couple of weeks. Maybe that's what it's about. Or maybe, I just need to work it through my system and I'll go back to being "good." I'm not sure. But, I'll continue to report out each Tuesday to keep me honest. I need to start hitting the gym again. We have a workout challenge kicking off at work soon. This will motivate me.
2. The mouse house. There's a lot of things bundled in here. There's the 15 minutes a day routine which I need to pick up again. There's the carbon footprint which I am committed to reducing. There's the leaks we need to fix. And, there's making increased payments on it to decrease our mortgage balance. It's all work in progress. But, given our track record, it'll be a work in progress until the day we put it on the market. To be honest, this should be #3 on the list, but since it was on it before, I'll leave it as #2.
3. And, introducing a new contestant to the mouse Top 3 arena. I am beginning to mull doing "research" and "preparation" on the whole baby thing. Maybe we will. Maybe we won't. We'll see.

I end with the same line as last year since it's still applicable. I'm sure the year to come will be exciting, but, all in all, this past year wasn't all that bad either.


Cheers!
mouse

Maintenance: Week 5

Dear Friends and Family,

weigh in: 119 lbs

I was starving all week this week, so I ate all of my maintenance points. And, when I weighed in at 117.5 on Saturday morning, I ate extra on Saturday. I had my usual cereal and milk for breakfast. Then, on the plane I had a bagel, yogurt, a turkey sausage and a fruit plate. Then, on the road I had a Whopper (no cheese, no mayo) and five onion rings. Then at the game, it was sushi and a rice ball. And, after the game, a hodge podge of Chinese - calamari, clams, chow fun, vegetables and sesame seed balls for dessert. Grand total? 40 points.

I landed at 22 points per day + flex for the week when all is said and done. So, technically, I overspent my allowance by 7 points. But, I think my body needed it this week. I was starving. And, in the grand scheme of things, I'm still under my goal weight. One more week and I'm technically a lifetime member, although since I do online only, there are really no benefits to being a lifetime besides knowing you are one.


Cheers!
mouse

08.27.07: Um... Okay, Let's Go

Dear Friends and Family,

Friday night, Mr. mouse came home and asked if I wanted to go to Seattle for the weekend. His friend could get tickets to the Seattle Seahawks/Minnesota Vikings pre-game. We had plans with one of my colleagues for dinner, but she was okay canceling, so, on a whim and a prayer, we decided to go up to the Emerald City for the game.

Saturday morning, we woke and packed and left the house by 8AM. Our plan was to fly into Vancouver and drive down for the game. We would drive back up and leave early Sunday morning out of Vancouver for home. If time permitted, we had grand illusions of stopping for dim sum in Vancouver and Chinese in Seattle.

We left at 8AM. And, we just made it for the 6PM game. That means, between driving up to the airport, flying over, going through immigrations at the airport, going through immigrations at border control, and driving down through traffic, we spent 12 hours getting from point A to point B. Kill me now. We had just enough time to duck into the supermarket and pick up some sushi for the game.

The game itself was fun. It was my first NFL game. I'm not sure. I know I like F1 more. And, 95% certain I like baseball games more. But still, I enjoyed it. The funniest thing happened while we were looking for our friends outside of the stadium. Who do I spy? My cousin. Busted! Didn't tell her we were coming over. I couldn't believe it. What are the chances? I was so jazzed. We caught up briefly before the game and she came over to our seats briefly during the game. And, we caught up more after the game. What fun!

After the game, we all hemmed and hawed on what to do next. And, by default, since we were just by Chinatown, we ended up in a restaurant there with food in front of us. It was a perfect venue for just decompressing and chatting. After dinner, Mr. mouse and I roamed Chinatown by car looking for wi-fi access. We found it in front of a hotel. He logged on quick to check the flights before we headed up to Vancouver for the night.

I slept the whole way back. And, we slept in the hotel for a couple of hours before heading to the airport for our return flight. Back home by noon on Sunday, we showered and grabbed our gear for a day of relaxation on the deck. I wanted to make sure the hammock didn't blow away again like it did last week during the storms, so I planted myself on it with a couple of good books. Mr. mouse had the sofa with sunscreen and his newspapers. We had the radio and a cooler full of drinks. That's the last thing I remember. Cause, the next thing I know, it's 7PM, and a cool breeze woke me from my blissful nap. What a way to enjoy the day.

We had pasta and salad for dinner before heading out to the supermarket for our weekly groceries. And, that was the weekend.


Cheers!
mouse

PS: We have five friends in the Seattle area. One is a school friend who I have no qualms about not looking up on such short notice. Two are Mr. mouse's friends who we saw at the game. One is my cousin who we also saw at the game, albeit in an unplanned sort of way. And, one is Mr. mouse's friend from college... If you're reading this, we look forward to seeing you in a couple of months for the annual birthday bash. And, if you're not reading this. Well, then, if a tree falls in the forest and there's no one there to hear it, does it make a sound?

PPS: We were folding laundry last night. And, by chance I began to wonder about all of those probability problems from grade school about pulling to socks at random from a pile and having them match. So, I matched and folded socks with my eyes closed. Would you believe a pair matched? What are the chances?!?! Well, they could be calculated, but I'm too lazy for that this morning. It was fun seeing the mismatched combinations and watching Mr. mouse shake his head in amusement.

Retire in 2018?

Dear Friends and Family,

We met with our financial adviser just before we left for Turkey. And, we had our yearly review where we went over our portfolio and our financial plan. During our quarterly reviews we only go over our portfolio since our retirement goals shouldn't be changing 4X a year.

We had him run a couple of additional scenarios. And, there's one in particular that I like. It has us saving my paycheck through 2018. Then, as long as one of us maxes out our 401k for the next 10 years, we'll be able to retire by 2028. This gives us a lot of flexibility since it means one or both of us can pursue lower-paying, more-fulfilling, more-flexible jobs.

It's kinda scary to be thinking retirement, but it is what it is. And, having a plan gives an immeasurable amount of comfort and motivation.


Cheers!
mouse

Working from Home

Dear Friends and Family,

If you're wondering why I'm writing at 8:30 in the morning vs. my usual 4:30 post, it's because I'm working from home today. I need to get cranking on my Q3 and Q4 work plan, but I did spoil myself a little this morning.

I slept in. And, then I had an indulgent breakfast of heirloom cantaloupe, banana bread and hot chocolate.

We had a super crazy thunder storm last night. And, the humidity's finally broken. So, I'm in a celebratory mood.


Cheers!
mouse

Women's Leadership Conference: Day 2 Workshops

Dear Friends and Family,

I attended three workshops on Wednesday:

1. Share. Save. Spend.
2. Top Performer
3. The Power of Play

Share. Save. Spend.

This workshop focused on making you think about where your money goes. The facilitator advocated thinking about sharing some of your money first with causes you support, then saving a portion, and finally spending a portion. (Hence the clever clever name). He spoke about balancing money with your values and your culture. And, he went into things that lower your credit score and that improve your credit score.

We did an exercise that really stuck with me. Write down for an item to cost of:

1. a premium item
2. an average item
3. a no-name item
4. a used item

We did it for a pair of jeans. I put $110, $60, $17, $10 down for my numbers. Then, ask yourself two questions: What benefit do I get from buying a premium brand as opposed to an average or no-name brand? And, if I chose to purchase the less-costly alternative, what could I do with the money I saved? He was totally okay with the answer being, I'd buy more (which I wouldn't). He just wanted us to stop and think about it.

Top Performer

An average performer does it themselves. A top performer includes someone else. The same applies to leadership.

This class is about natural energy, the energy that is created when you reach out and authentically connect with someone else. It's about engaging others and inviting others to engage you.

Focused primarily on sales, but applicable in all situations, it talks about:

1. claim your pitch - own what it is that you're doing
2. build a circle - create a world and invite people in
3. juice the jam - when #$@! happens, work with it
4. pass the hat - ask for what you want

Taken from working with street performers, these concepts talk about how much more engaging improv and collaboration are vs. a scripted routine. Practice, yes. Rote, no.

The Power of Play

Unfortunately, the facilitator couldn't make it to the session due to a family emergency. Instead, two women I know from old work, put together some exercises for us to work through. It was fun, but I don't have any notes to share. Sorry.

All in all, I enjoyed the workshops. I tried to steer clear of any directly related to old work, since I thought that would be unfair and awkward. Instead, I focused on ones that were around personal development. I'm so glad I was able to attend. I have two action items I committed to that I still need to do. I promised to write to colleagues with notes from my first workshop. And, I promised to write to a colleague about forming a new group.


Cheers!
mouse

Quick Update on the Cell Phone

Dear Friends and Family,

Mr. mouse bought a temp battery (AA batteries with a dongle) for the phone last night and we were able to get all of the phone numbers off of it. He's so smart. I'm so happy.


Cheers!
mouse

Turkey Posts Updated

Dear Friends and Family,

All of the Turkey posts have been updated with photos. Look under the travel category on the right if you don't want to scroll for them.

If you want to see full resolution photos, they're available at www.flickr.com/photos/"mouselastname".


Cheers!
mouse

Maintenance: Week 4

Dear Friends and Family,

weigh in: 119 lbs

Yeah! Looks like I was able to survive the 18 course banquet Saturday night without any lasting ill effects. I was craving ice cream last night, but I convinced myself to wait one night to have it tonight instead. Mind over matter.

Now, the big puzzler for the week. I logged my weight in online. And, I lost a point! Granted, I hadn't been eating my points, but, I knew in the back of my mind that they were there. They were like a little safety net/security blanket. And, for some unknown reason, it's been reduced. Instead of 22 points a day for maintenance, I get 21. Don't ask me why, but it's got me feeling irrationally peeved. It might mean, one day, in the future, I only get 18 points a day for maintenance.

That's what it is. It implies I just hit some new age bracket and my points have been adjusted. It makes me feel old. Boo!


Cheers!
mouse

Action Item #4: Unplugging the Blow Dryer

Dear Friends and Family,

On Thursday, I went in for my haircut. And, I spoke to my beautician about getting a new do. I wanted something that, if possible, would be non-blow dry while still being clean and neat and professional. He was totally jazzed by the idea. So, we decided to give it a try. I like it. It'll save me ten minutes in the morning AND it's earth friendly. I'm going to clean and pack my blow dryer and move it to the guest bathroom. It'll get occasional usage, but for my tracking purposes, it's one more action item down for the year.

2007 Action Plan

1. 07.20: I pledge to make a difference.
2. 07.20: I will track my electrical consumption.
3. 07.20: I will keep the house at 78°+ for the summer.
4. 08.16: I will unplug the blow dryer.
   
5. 
   
6. 
   
7. 
   
8. 
   
9. 
   
10. 
    
11. 
    
12. 
    

Cheers!
mouse

08.20.07: I <3 NY

Dear Friends and Family,

It feels good to be up and blogging.

Friday, we ate dinner and went up to the roof to get away from the houseful of clutter. With Turkey and the conference, the house still needs some love and attention to get to a non-crazy state. After watching a couple of videos, we promptly fell asleep. It was a little chilly and I got a couple of bug bites. I guess it can't be perfect up there every night. You'd get spoiled.

Saturday morning, we got up early and packed for a quick trip to the Big Apple. One of my best friends from college had a baby a month ago, and this was our chance to meet him and see her. We flew in to New Jersey, picked up our rental car, ate lunch, picked up a gift, and dropped by my mom's store. Guess what?!?! My mom didn't recognize me! Between the weight loss and the new haircut (more on that later) and the new dress, she took a couple of minutes before recognizing me. How cool is that? We only had an hour with her before we needed to head down for the banquet.

My friend is doing amazing. She looks a little tired, but that's probably because she's already back at work. The baby is doing great. He's about nine pounds now and I held him. He's officially the first baby I've tried holding. There have been other very brief Kodak moments, but this was for almost five minutes. I did okay. He didn't cry of anything. Go, mouse. Dinner was a very lavish affair. The banquet was 18 courses, almost all seafood. We each had our own canteen of shark's fin soup. OMG. I ate a month's worth of meals in one night. I even skipped four courses at the end - the rice, the noodles, the fruit, and the dessert soup. Between catching up with everyone, the mom, her brother, and one of my other college friends; and the food; it was definitely worth the trip.

We drove over to Mr. mouse's dad's place after the banquet. We chatted for a couple of hours before turning in for the night. Fortunately, Mr. mouse checked on flights Saturday night and noticed that we should take that the first flight home instead of the later morning flight we originally had planned. It was early, but we sludged through it and made it home. In hindsight, it was worth it because we would have spent the ENTIRE day at the airport otherwise.

But, back to Sunday morning. On our walk home, we walked past a bakery and picked up some breakfast. Then, we went to the farmer's market and picked up some fruits and vegetables. We got home. Ate. Then, Mr. mouse napped while I cleaned out and organized the fridge. It took almost two hours but it was totally worth it. We tossed most of the food from pre-Turkey. And, I cleaned all of the bins and shelves and walls and everything. It looks SO much better now. When did it get so gross?

We ate lunch. Then, I napped while Mr. mouse tackled the bathrooms and laundry. He was probably thinking the same thing about the bathrooms. We hit the supermarkets for the first time in a long time. We had a super simple dinner - salmon on top of mixed greens with crab bisque. We made stock a long time ago - and added lump crab meat and a couple of tablespoons of heavy cream to the stock. It was super easy. I'm totally jazzed about making more stock.

We finished up the night making some more food. I tried making a bulgur salad and Mr. mouse made ice cream with the leftover heavy cream. And, we did a little more clean up and organization. It's almost looking livable again.


Cheers!
mouse

Values Game

Dear Friends and Family,

As promised, here's the values game. You get a stack of index cards and you write one word on each: (in no particular order) truth, wisdom, quality, nature, well being, freedom, compassion, peace, commitment, change, intimacy, prosperity, power, adventure, order, achievement, success, influence, privacy, beauty, mastery, spirituality, integrity, trust, flexibility, happiness, service, awareness, excellence, creativity, reflection, loyalty, community, play, growth, joy, security, wholeness, leadership, fulfillment, challenge, learning, love, making a difference, balance, excitement, taking care of loved ones. 47 cards total.

Everyone takes a turn doing a card sort. You sort the cards into three piles: very important, somewhat important, and not important. Then, you take the very important pile, and pick your Top Four from those cards. The sorting exercise, in a group setting, should take, each person, 2-3 minutes. Once everyone has written down their top four, you go around in a circle. One person reads one from their list. And, you see if anyone else has it on their list. Then, all the people who have it on their list talk about why it's important to them. Then, the next person reads one from their list. And you continue until you've gone through everyone's top four.

Enjoy!


Cheers!
mouse

PS: Mine were learning, balance, integrity and awareness.

Women's Leadership Conference: Day 2 General Session

Dear Friends and Family,

Sorry I didn't write yesterday morning. I got home close to midnight the night before and I got up super early the next morning. To make up for it, I've got lots of posts today. Whoopee!

Day two of the conference was the main day for speakers and workshops. We started with a welcome from the person leading conference and she spoke about what she wanted us to tackle in the upcoming year. Her key message can be broken down into four pieces:

1. believe in yourself
2. have courage
3. take the responsibility
4. take action

And, she pointed out an interesting difference between men and women, in general, and it's SO true. Men in a pack will go after the weakest man and eliminate him from the group. But, women will go after the strongest woman and eliminate her. Why do we do that? She challenged us to think about it and change it.

Then, the CEO from old work spoke. And, he asked three questions for each of us to answer.

1. What are my talents?
2. How do I take that into the world?
3. Who do I serve?

Excellent questions. I'm not sure I have the answers now. But, it's something to think about as I continue on this journey.

Then, another executive from old work. And, she told a story about her aunt and what her aunt did for her. And, how now she tries to do the same for younger women she mentors. I had no idea until she shared with us, that she had started life in an unhappy, arranged marriage. She had to work up the courage to leave and get her first job. And, she had to learn interview skills, what to wear to an interview, professional skills, in short, everything. And, now that I know her story, she's so much more of a role model. If she had the strength and courage to do that, surely I can do the piddly things that come up in my life.

Then, we had two speakers on networking - the president of old work and a colleague I know from the field. I liked her speech a lot more. And, she broke it down into three key messages:

• networking is larger than you
• reach out to people who can help you
• make your network come alive for you

And, last but definitely not least, the keynote speaker. Our keynote speaker is a female reverend from Africa. She is an amazing speaker! (Every year's keynote is amazing, but, still, wow!) She started with saying, "It's amazing how much can be accomplished when it doesn't matter who gets the credit." Then, she turned that back on us, to say that's a convenient line when it's the women doing the work and others getting the credit. She continued with, "We are determined to create a world in which those of us who work get to share in the credit."

She challenged us. We all have our fears and doubts. "Am I woman enough for the world? Am I woman enough to have a piece of the world?... The woman I am, the woman I was created to be, has always been woman enough for the world." How powerful is it to think about it in that context?

She told us inspirational stories about women who lead and women who listen, and how both are critical to be whole. She told us, "the truth is that when you lead from the heart, when you act with all the authority that is in you, when you live your commitment, there will be some people who gripe and try to take you down, but every authentic action is a power surge for someone, it gives someone the confidence to take the authentic action they need to take."

And she ended with the simplest statement. She repeated it three times. "The future depends on you."


Cheers!
mouse

Women's Leadership Conference: Day 1

Dear Friends and Family,

I promise I will write about the card sort game, but there's too much to write about right now. I went yesterday afternoon to register for my three day conference on women's leadership. It's with a bunch of people from old work. And, it happens to be here in Chicago.

I thought my chances of getting invited were slim to none so I didn't get my hopes up. But, I got invited! Then, I thought my chances of convincing my boss to let me go were slim to none so I didn't get my hopes up. But, he said yes! You wouldn't believe how excited I was once I realized I'd get to go. My hands were shaking and I was grinning from ear to ear.

I went to the conference last year. And, it was a real motivational event. I found a lot of personal power and confidence from attending. And, I'm totally jazzed to go today and tomorrow and learn and grow and focus and remember and represent. On top of all that goodness, I've run into and caught up with a ton of people from old work from really good friends to casual acquaintances - it makes me miss old work.

Yesterday's event started with registration, dinner, and then a workshop. The dinner welcome was by the regional office, the Chicago Bulls mascot, then the conference lead, then another executive. Each spoke about how important this is. And, how it doesn't become anything until we internalize it and make it something. They kept it fun and engaging.

After dinner, I crashed a workshop. I didn't think there would be room, but I went and checked and it worked out perfectly. It was a theater workshop where we learned some of the basics about acting. I have to say, I enjoyed it. I'm glad I went. The workshops were all about building confidence.

Then, two of my close friends came back to the mouse pad with me and we did the house tour and then found our spots on the deck to catch up for the night. Mr. mouse and I dropped them off at midnight. And, I crashed for the night.

I'm looking forward to what today brings. And, the thoughts that will begin to germinate from here. I hope it's not awkward since I'm no longer at old work. And, I hope I come away with something I didn't have before. I know I will. I just don't want to get my hopes up.


Cheers!
mouse

Cell Phone Decision Time

Dear Friends and Family,

We've had the least efficient cell phone plan possible. For the past X years, Mr. mouse has had AT&T (fka AT&T Wireless then Cingular) and I've had Verizon Wireless. That means we don't avail ourselves to the family plans for additional lines. And, we pay for calls to each other. I know. I know. We just haven't had time to change it. It's been on the long list of things to do.

Well, yesterday, my cell phone died. Ker plunk. Won't turn on anymore. The timing couldn't be worse. I'm headed to a conference today with a bunch of people who have my cell phone number. What a pain in the @$$. Fortunately, after waiting on hold with Verizon for close to an hour, I was able to forward my calls to Mr. mouse's cell phone which I'll be using until we resolve this dilemma. So, I won't miss any calls. But, I do lose access to all of my stored numbers. UGH! I keep repeating to myself, "Focus on things you can control. And, don't get upset about things you can't control."

Guess this is as good an opportunity as any to finally do something about combining our cell phones into a single plan.


Cheers!
mouse

Electricity Usage

Dear Friends and Family,

We got our first electric bill after reprogramming the thermostat. And, I'm happy to report a significant decrease. It might be due to a cooler month, but I think July was warmer than June. I'll keep tracking and hopefully, the downward trend will continue.

In July, we used 1,067 kWh:

• Last July, we used 1,244 kWh of electricity. That's a 14% decrease, YOY (year on year).
• In June, we used 1,187 kWh of electricity. So, 1,067 kWh is a 10% decrease from June.
• For 2007, we had been trending +68% YTD (year to date). Now, we're trending +43% YTD.

I wonder if we'll be able to get down to 0% by the end of the year. I've got nine more changes to make this year. Time to start thinking about the next one.


Cheers!
mouse

Maintenance: Week 3

Dear Friends and Family,

weigh in: 121 lbs

Given how much I ate in Izmir during our last four days in Turkey, 121 isn't bad. I was mentally prepared for 124 when I first stepped on the scale. I'm one pound above goal. I think I'll continue eating 18 points a day this week, just to give my body a chance to get back to normal from last week.


Cheers!
mouse

08.13.07: Home Again

Dear Friends and Family,

I'll spare you a long post since I dumped a week's worth on you in fits and bursts. The reason I didn't write them over the week this week is because I'm going to a conference this week and I KNOW I want to write about it. So, Turkey kinda had to get crammed in there to make it all work.

Pictures coming soon.


Cheers!
mouse

Sunday: In Transit

Dear Friends and Family,

I’m on the plane now writing my posts for the last few days. Mr. mouse is sleeping next to me. And, in about 31 minutes when my battery runs out, I’ll join him for a nap and finish up the rest from home.

What We Did

Our friend drove us to the airport and waited on line with us forever while we waited to check-in. Then, he went home and we headed from Izmir to Istanbul. We bought tickets for the return trip because we knew flights would be full. And, because Mr. mouse wanted to make sure I got my rest on the twelve hour flight, he bought business class tickets for the both of us. I have to say, it’s a first for us to buy business class tickets. But, right now, I’m so savoring it.


We slept on the first leg of our journey. Then, we hung out in the airport lounge (compliments of our tickets) between the two flights. Finally, we did a little duty free browsing before boarding our flight.

What We Ate


We slept through breakfast on the first leg of the journey. We had the cold plate appetizer sampler, followed by salad and grilled eggplant. Then, I had the shish kebab lunch and Mr. mouse had the grilled sea bass. I had a fruit salad and then we split the apple strudel and the chocolate cake.

What I Learned

I must look really different and Turkish security must be a lot tighter. Several people did a long study of my passport before letting me through. One even asked me to remove my glasses so he could get a closer look at my face. I’ve got eight years left on the passport. This could get interesting if my face evolves anymore.

Okay, off to proofread.


Cheers!
mouse

Saturday: How is it Already Saturday?!?!

Dear Friends and Family,

We slept in Saturday. Then, we spent the day with our friends. Our friend’s parents came over for the evening. And, before you knew it, it was time for us to pack and shower for our return trip. Why does time have to fly when you’re having fun?

What We Did


After breakfast which was really brunch, we headed out to Çeşme, a town on the coast about an hour’s drive from Urla. We ran into one of my friend’s aunts and her husband. (I’m telling you, his family is everywhere!) And, we did some final souvenir shopping before hitting lunch and an internet café.


When we got back to the house, our friend’s parents had just gotten in. We spent some time in the pool before heading back to the house to spend the evening with them. I played my friend’s father in backgammon and got incredibly lucky. I won the series (you play to five wins) after a game in which I rolled double fives three times in a row to start the game. Talk about beginner’s luck. Mr. mouse is convinced that he let me win. Secretly, I think he’s right.

We then sat down to dinner on the patio. My friend’s mom cooked an amazing dinner of grilled lamb, bulgur, savory phyllo dough pastries, and cheese. We had dessert next. Wait! I’m in food land here. Hold on the dinner menu. We’ll get back to that. Our friends played translator and we had an amazing night talking with his parents. They’re so sweet and so generous and so loving. I wonder if I can sneak them home in my carry-on luggage.


Shortly after midnight, a cousin and his wife joined us on the patio. We shared wedding pictures and more banter and the hours just slipped by. An hour or so later, our friend’s sister came home with her boyfriend and we pulled up two more chairs to the table. Before you knew it, it was a little after three and we needed to start packing and getting ready for our return trip. What a most perfect way to spend our last night in Turkey.

Everyone stayed up while we were getting ready and we took one final picture before loading up the car. It was so amazing that everyone stayed up the night with us. And, saying good-bye was so hard. But, we did. I would love to go back in a couple of years to see their family home Rize. Perhaps we will one day.

What We Ate

Breakfast was a repeat of yesterday’s breakfast with the addition of some homemade jams and so honey from my friend’s hometown.


For lunch, we had sandwiches at a shop in Çeşme that is famous for its sandwiches. The sandwiches are sliced cured meats and cheese served on a toasted sesame roll with hot peppers and sour pickles on the side. Mr. mouse and I had ours without cheese. They were excellent. I can see why my friend would sometimes drive out with his friends just for the sandwiches.


For dinner, we had grilled lamb, bulgur, phyllo dough pastries and cheese (see above) followed by baklava, cookies, scones, peaches, figs, melons and pistachios. Then, Turkish Delight (lokum) and almonds and other sweets. Then, we had another course which was a melted cheese with butter and flour to be eaten with bread and a cured meat. We grazed non-stop from dinner until we left almost ten hours later.

What I Learned

After all of the sightseeing, and the wedding, and everything, I think I learned the most about Turkey Saturday night - the food grazing, the people stopping by and the non-stop laughter. It’s a simpler life, but somehow richer and more fulfilling.


Cheers!
mouse

Friday: More Sightseeing and Time with the Parents

Dear Friends and Family,

We spent the day with our friends sightseeing along the Aegean coast before meeting up with the family for dinner.

What We Did

We slept in after the wedding. And, we had breakfast at the house before heading out for the day. Our friend wanted to take us down to Ephesus for the day. His wife hadn’t been there either, so it was a new experience for her as well.


Ephesus is the ruins of a Greek town from 400 BC built by Alexander the Great’s successor, Lysinachus. First stop in Ephesus is the theater. The acoustics in it are amazing. Your voice carries from the stage to the seats and back without any effort. We were wondering how the back seats heard anything. Now, we know.


From the theater, we walked through the agora to the Library of Celsus. It was so beautiful and so well preserved and so stunning, I couldn’t take my eyes off of it. I could have sat there in the blazing sun all day just watching the building and marveling at its grace. But, everyone was headed on to the next part of the tour, so I hurried to catch up.


The book describes the next section as a group of private homes with murals. But, in 1999, they began restoring the homes. For 10 YTL ($8), it’s a separate portion of the tour. They have been taking the ruins and recreating the houses the way they would have looked 2,400 years ago. The greenery has been removed. The columns have been up righted. The marble facing has been pieced together and remounted on the walls. The mosaics have been pieced together and remounted on the floors. And, a glass walkway/staircase has been added so you can walk through it all without adding to the wear and tear on the pieces. I have to say, I like it. It might not be the most authentic anymore, but it’s more real.


We took a quick stop at Hadrian’s temple and the gates of Hercules before heading up to the last third of the walk. There was a Bollywood singer sitting under an awning preparing for a video shoot for a music video. We were curious to catch a take. The last third of the walk features an Odeon which was the town meeting place and a colonnade of columns. Nice, but the real show stoppers were in the first two thirds. Plus, we were anxious to watch the taping.


The shoot took all of 90 seconds and featured the singer running down the main street. The Baywatch run in a nude colored sari with silver fringe had us cracking up. Apparently, she was supposed to be running towards her love. She put on the face for the shoot, but the second the camera stopped rolling, her perpetual sulk came back. Not impressive at all.


After Ephesus, we headed to the Virgin Mary’s house. According to local lore, Mary came to Ephesus from Jerusalem to escape persecution. Her home is preserved and is a favorite place to visit by both Catholics and Muslims alike. A mass was just beginning when we entered the main area and Mr. mouse encouraged me to partake. It was in Italian so it was nearly impossible for me to follow the mass, but, I tried my best. I took communion and said a quick prayer before going to join my friends. In case you’re wondering what a non-practicing Catholic prays for after partaking in an Italian mass, I thanked God for sharing the beauty of Turkey with us. And, I asked for help and support as I lend my friend help and support in his marriage. And, I tacked on the usual plea, to look after the health and happiness of my parents and grandparents, and for good measure I asked the same for both sets of my friends’ parents. It’s that simple.


We drove back to Izmir to meet up with the parents. We met at the bakery, so you know it involves food. Then, we headed out to dinner, which involves more food. Then, we headed back to the bakery, for more food before heading back to the house, where we opened the fridge, to find, surprise, surprise, more food.


But, before we move onto the food monologue, at our final bakery stop of the evening, my friend’s mother offered to read our fortunes in our coffee grinds. You drink your coffee. And then, you cover the remaining grinds with the saucer. Then, you make a wish. Then you invert the cup/saucer, making sure you turn towards you, not away from you. Then, you let the whole thing cool until it’s room temperature. You can put a ring on top of the cup to act as a cooling fin, but nothing else. Once the cup is cool, she taps once and flips the cup over and reads the grinds remaining in the cup. And, then she pours the grounds from the saucer into the cup and reads the saucer. I won’t go into what my fortune said because I’m still figuring out what it all means. But, it was a good way to spend some time at the bakery without eating.

What We Ate

Our friend made us a delicious breakfast to start the day. We had cucumber salad and tomato salad. We had fresh hot peppers. We had olives and cheese. We had bread and beef sausage. We had peaches and pears. And, we had tea and juice. We ate it in their garden where the tomato, peppers and cucumbers were grown. What an excellent way to start the day.


We skipped lunch. At the bakery, we had baklava and some cookies. For dinner, we went to another restaurant my friend has been going to forever. Mr. mouse had a chicken shish kebob. I had the İskender kebab which is gyro meat covered in tomato sauce served with yogurt on the side. I let my friend recommend his favorites at each restaurant for me so I could try them out. So far, it’s all been delicious, so no complaints here.

For dessert, at the bakery, Mr. mouse and I split a cake. It’s like an ice cream cake with chocolate sauce. It’s very refreshing and not too sweet. And, we had several cups of tea and one cup of coffee. I’m beginning to feel a little round.

What I Learned

Nothing new to report for Friday, I won’t make something up to fill the space.


Cheers!
mouse

Thursday: The Wedding

Dear Friends and Family,

Thursday, the reason we decided to visit Turkey this year - to attend our friends' wedding.

What We Did

We woke up early to drive into Izmir from my friend's house in Urla. We needed to leave the house by 9 o'clock since they had errands to run. We got dropped off at the waterfront in Izmir. And, we spent the first hour or so just napping in the sun on a couple of park benches. From there, we got in a cab to go to see some ancient ruins. The cab driver got a little lost and drove us to the wrong place. And, we got into a little bit of a shouting match with him before deciding it was an honest mistake and paying him the 30 YTL ($24) cab fare to go a net 5 YTL ($4) distance.


Izmir used to be known as Smyrna. The agora was the center of trade in Smyrna. It's located on a hill and contains a wide open square with a row of columns on one side. The row of columns used to support the roof of the first floor (floor of second floor) of shops. And, once you see the computer rendition, it all makes sense, the rows of columns you always see at ruins. They were support structure for the second story. Wow!


From the agora, we took a quick cab ride down to the pier. We took a couple of quick pictures before eating lunch and writing postcards. We picked up a couple of gifts for my friend's parents and sister before walking up to our rendezvous point. We met up with a couple of cousins, aunts, and friends to get our hair done for the wedding. I went for super simple blow drying. It was 100% better than the air dried option I had been sporting all day. We met up with the bride and groom and went to his parent's place to change for the wedding.


I learned on Thursday, that it would be okay with the imam for Mr. mouse and me to attend the ceremony. Not only would we be attending, but we were attending as witnesses for the groom, my friend. He asked us to be witnesses because he and I have a very close friendship and because Mr. mouse and I have a very strong relationship. I was so honored I was speechless. The ceremony itself was a brief set of prayers with the imam, the couple and their witnesses. I feel a sense of accountability to support them and their relationship in the future.


From the ceremony, we went down to join family and friends for the party. An aunt from the UK came over and introduced herself to us and introduced us to a bunch of friends and family. Cocktails were followed by dinner and then by dancing, including a traditional Turkish ring/circle dance. The melody to the ring dance is still stuck in my head.

After the wedding, we headed to his parent's place for a late dinner. His mom gave me the most beautiful gift. It’s an embroidered cloth she made in high school with silver and gold thread and brass cone fringe. It was so beautiful I felt like I couldn’t accept it, but she insisted, so I did. I still can’t believe she shared something so beautiful that she made with her own hands with me.

We drove back to Urla after the late dinner and hung out briefly before turning in for the night.

What We Ate

Breakfast was a hurried affair because we needed to get out of the house. I had a large peach and two cookies that are similar to scones. For lunch we went to Burger King. We were looking for a combination of air conditioning, ice, and a clean bathroom. And, well, Burger King fit the bill. It’s embarrassing, because we rarely have fast food even at home much less when we travel, but we did it. I had a Whopper Junior Chicken Light and a handful of fries. Mr. mouse had a Whopper with the rest of the fries. We hung out at the Burger King writing our post cards.


We had an afternoon snack at our rendezvous point. Our friend’s family owns a string of bakeries in Izmir, so whenever we meet in one, there’s always a sweet at the table. This time, Mr. mouse and I had lemonade and a cake with berries and a light whipped cream and angel food cake baked in a roll. OMG, I would gain back all of my weight and then some if I moved to Izmir.

Dinner was at the wedding. It was served buffet style, so we got to try a little bit of everything. There was a tiny pizza, a chicken kebab, an eggroll like pastry, rice pilaf and grilled lamb. It was yummy. We went back for seconds. Then, we had wedding cake. It was banana flavored. My friend’s father’s bakery made the cake. And, as to be expected, it was excellent.

Back at my friend’s parents’ home, his mom made stuffed grape leaves and pureed eggplants. We noshed and then had some tea. It’s a continual graze fest of love with him and his parents and the bakery. But, it was all so good. And, it would have been totally rude to say no, so we dove right in. And, I’m not regretting an instant of it. We finished off dinner #2 with some fruit.

What I Learned

I always thought of my friend as a close friend. And, I’ve been his mentor at work. But, I never, in a 1000 years, would have guessed that I would be asked to be a witness at his wedding. It made me realize how much our relationship means to him. And, the gifts his mother gave me, made me realize how much she appreciates it. It was humbling.


Cheers!
mouse

Wednesday: A Confluence of Friends and Family

Dear Friends and Family,

Wednesday we flew into Izmir to meet up with our friends for their wedding. A bunch of their friends and family were flying, driving and bussing in on Wednesday so it was a chance for everyone to meet everyone.

What We Did

We packed our bags and headed to the airport Wednesday morning for our flight to Izmir. Our friend picked us up at the airport and we dropped off our stuff at his place. From there, we went rug shopping! After looking at dozens, we picked two we liked and then let my friend’s aunt haggle the price for us. From what I can gather, we paid about ⅔ of the asking price. I don’t feel so bad about yesterday anymore.


We went to meet my friend’s dad, and several cousins and uncles at the bakery, before heading out for more errands. Our friend dropped us off at the water front while he went to get a manicure and bought a new shirt. Then, it was off to dinner with a bunch of the family and friends. I recognized two people from dinner in Chicago. And, it was so nice to meet my friend’s mom. His parents are the sweetest people in the world. If I could bottle them and take them home, I would, in a heartbeat.

What We Ate

For breakfast, I had the last of the hotel fruit with a simit (the sesame bagel) we purchased the night before. Lunch was a delicious, but scary, affair of chocolate pudding, éclairs and baklava. I had such a sugar rush afterwards. Mr. mouse bought me some sliced turkey to round out my system. Get it? Turkey in turkey. Ha! Ha! Ha!






Dinner was at my friend’s favorite restaurant growing up. We had a long table for fifteen and ordered a ton of food. Mr. mouse got a pide which is almost like a thin crust pizza. It was topped with ground beef and egg. And, it was one of those irresistible, have one more bite, kind of dishes. I got the vali kebab which is an assortment of kebab meats. It was excellent, but I’m sure I went way over on my points last night. I’m beginning to think the next couple of days are going to be killer on my maintenance. But, then again, I never really stressed while on vacation. It’s not the 2 weeks on vacation that get you it’s the 50 weeks at home that determine what you weigh.

What I Learned

I love his friends and family. Everyone we met yesterday was all smiles and welcome. I’m glad we made the time to come out to Turkey for the wedding. I understand him better now that I’ve met his parents and his aunt and his uncles and his cousins.


Cheers!
mouse

PS: Found internet access at the airport lounge. Uploading Wednesday's post. Thursday, Friday and Saturday still need to be written. Will most probably write them on our next leg and post them when I get home.

Tuesday: Unexpected Delight (The Basilica Cistern)

Dear Friends and Family,

Today, our third day in Istanbul, was our final day before we fly down to Izmir for our friends’ wedding. We were torn on taking the Bosphorus boat cruise and looked up a couple of back-up options for our day. I suggested three options: the Basilica Cistern, the Chora Church or a museum.

What We Did

We hemmed and hawed most of last night and part of this morning on the boat cruise. Several friends and acquaintances and both of the guide books listed it as a must-do while in Istanbul thing. And, in general, I love being on the water. So, it seemed like a no-brainer. Except the cruise leaves smack dab in the middle of the day and takes somewhere between four and seven hours round trip. We looked up a couple of short cut options, but I won’t skip ahead to that.


First stop on our itinerary was the Basilica Cistern. I had secretly wanted to go to it from Day 1, but didn’t think Mr. mouse would be interested. Well, when he asked me for possibilities for Day 3, it was top on my list. And, surprisingly, Mr. mouse was interested as well, both from an engineering standpoint and because they filmed part of “From Russia with Love” in the cistern.


Okay, just to be crystal clear. This was my favorite sight, so far, on the whole trip. If I had to pick one place to go to in Istanbul, this would be it. I loved it. It was fabulous. It was unbelievable. It made me cry, it was so beautiful. I can’t believe I almost missed out on seeming it. It should be rated more highly in the guide books. It’s going to be the first thing I talk about with anyone who asks me about Istanbul. If you’re ever in Turkey, you must see the cistern. Okay, I’m assuming I got the message across loud and clear. Just in case. Here it is one more time. If you go to the cistern and you are disappointed, don’t tell me. I will disown you for your sheer and utter stupidity.


Back to the facts - the cistern was laid out in 532 by Emperor Justinian. The Ottomans never knew about the cistern’s existence and it faded from common memory, forgotten by all. It consists of 336 columns laid out in a grid of 12 by 28 columns. The columns are recycled from earlier Roman works. Amazingly, the walls and floor are still waterproof, and although they’ve added some metal bracing, the columns and roof still hold the cistern up. The symmetry of the place and the craftsmanship of the work appeal to the engineer in me. And, the fact that it was forgotten and rediscovered makes it all the more precious. It was like being transported into another world where form and function are perfectly melded, where simplicity really is complexity resolved, where something 1500 years old still functions almost as well as it did when it was built. That’s what it is. It’s the timeless elegance. I’m in love.


From the cistern, we headed towards the dock for the highly recommended Bosphorus boat cruise. What an utter waste of time it turned out to be. Mr. mouse enjoyed it and got a couple of good pictures from the boat. But, for me, it was yawn-o-rama. The boat was nice. The people watching was nice. The sights were nice. But, with three days in Istanbul, it’s just not worth it, in my opinion. We even took a short cut (by getting off at Saiyer and taking the 25T back to Taksim) to shave a couple of hours off of the trip. The only redeeming feature on the trip was I got to try the local Yeniköy yogurt and we went to a Carrefour in Saiyer. I picked up some Turkish tea and a dozen tea glasses without having to haggle for it at the bazaar. So, in counterpoint to all those “people” telling you that you must go on the Bosphorus boat tour, I am the voice of reason saying, you can, but your trip will be complete without it.


Last, but not least, the Grand Bazaar. Established in 1453, the bazaar is divided into six sections: antiques and carpets; leather and denim; gold and silver; fabrics; souvenirs; and household goods. I went in loaded for bear. We had the pockets emptied, the backpack on backwards, four eyes on high alert. I was expecting lots of pickpockets, lots of jostling, and lots of hawking. The Grand Bazaar was surprisingly manageable. The shopkeepers call out to you as you pass, but no one reaches for you or grabs you or tries to block your passage. It was surprisingly genteel. We wandered the bazaar and ended up buying with two merchants - we bought 20 coasters for 2 YTL a piece ($1.60) from one merchant. And, we bought an inlaid checkerboard and three inlaid boxes for 100 YTL ($80) from another merchant. All in all, we paid about ⅔ of the asking price. Although the official closing time was 8 o’clock, by about 7:15 most of the stores were clearly in shutdown mode. So, if you’ve got your heart set on shopping, plan accordingly.

What We Ate


For breakfast, we had more fruit in the hotel room followed by simits we bought from a street vendor. They taste like sesame bagels, are sized like large pretzels and are shaped like donuts. For lunch, we picked up some böreği from a take-out store for our ride up the Bosphorus. We didn’t have time to decipher the fillings, so we asked for one of each. We ended up with one potato, one meat and one cheese. The böreği is made of phyllo dough that’s wrapped around the filling. The form factor is similar to the dürüm we had for lunch yesterday (1” by 9”).


For dinner, we returned to Istiklal Street which is close to our hotel, for some more cafeteria style food. This time we had beef adana (the minced meat on a skewer) and chicken shish kebabs with rice pilaf and tomato salad. And, with the time we saved from our quick dinner, we did one more lap down Istiklal to pick up some more souvenirs. We got a CD of Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi (Dervish) music, a book with photos of Istanbul, a 2008 calendar, marzipan and some food to share with our teams.

What I Learned

Hmm… So far, nothing deep or profound to share during this trip. One thing I learned while shopping yesterday and today is that Mr. mouse doesn’t like to bargain and since he doesn’t like to do it, he’s not very good at it. So, the responsibility falls on me. I can usually negotiate down to about ⅔ of the asking price, but don’t know any good techniques to get from 65% to 55% which seems to be the accepted bar. I’m not sure I’ve got it in me to go the final two rounds. I’d rather save the time and spend the money. Like a friend once told me, “One dollar more isn’t going to make you poor nor is it going to make him rich.”


Cheers!
mouse

PS: Losing internet access tomorrow. I’ll post the rest of the entries and all of the photos when we get home.

Monday: The Palace, The Mosque and The Market

Dear Friends and Family,

Another day of sightseeing in Istanbul, Monday was a mix of sights located in a curved arc through the core and back street of old town. Guidebooks recommend doing Topkapi Palace with Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque. And, they lump in the Mosque of Suleyman with the Spice Market and the Grand Bazaar. Frankly, that’s two really compressed days of getting up early and going non-stop all day. Instead, we broke it up into three days of more leisurely activity.

What We Did


We started off the day with a quick ride on the funicular and the tram to Topkapi Palace. Built by Sultan Mehmet II between 1459 and 1465, the palace served as the administrative center of the Empire as well as his personal residence. Topkapi Palace is broken up into two tours. For 10 YTL, you get access to the four courtyards which contain several exhibits (e.g. treasury, kitchens, the sultan’s clothes); and for 10 YTL more, you get access to the harem.


Contrary to popular belief, the harem is not a crazy place of wild debauchery. It is the portion of the palace dedicated to personal use. The largest (and most lavish) rooms belonged to the sultan and his mother. There’re rooms for the princes including a school for them. There’s the Imperial Hall, which is essentially a great room for the entire family to hang out in together. And, there are multiple courtyards for the family to enjoy. After the harem tour, we did a quick spin through the courtyards and the treasury. The jewels in the treasury are fantastic, but I was eager to get to the Mosque and the Spice Market.


We got a little lost en route to the Mosque and ended up on some very local roads. There were several houses torn down and several that looked abandoned. But, there were also kids playing on the streets and women chatting in courtyards nearby. The Mosque was built between 1550 and 1557 by Suleyman. The graveyard includes several tombs including the tomb of Suleyman and the tomb of Roxelana, his wife. Personally, I liked this mosque more than the Blue Mosque. There’s a simplicity to its design and an elegance to its palette that calms you when you enter.


The funniest thing happened while we were in the mosque. I picked a quiet spot in the mosque to sit down and take it all in. There were multiple people doing the same thing in various areas of the mosque. Well, a Muslim woman sits right in front of me and begins her daily prayers. I was like, uh, okay. Then, another enters and sits right to my left and begins her daily prayers. Then, another to her left. Then, another right behind me. Then, another. Then, another. And before you know it, I’m sitting in the middle of a gaggle of women. I wasn’t sure if I should stay or if I should move. Finally, I decided to get up and find Mr. mouse. He got a good laugh out of the whole thing. He saw it all play out and got a few pictures.


Last, but not least, the Spice Market, our warm up for the Grand Bazaar. We walked the el-shaped market to get a lay of the land. Then, we went back for a second pass through. We bought a combination of stuff from the market: pistachios, Turkish delight, candy, apple tea, mint tea, pepper flakes, and saffron. They vacuum pack everything which is a nice touch.


We took a quick dip in the pool followed by some lounging in the Turkish Baths before heading out for dinner. Mr. mouse read about a little neighborhood called Ortaköy. We walked a couple of blocks to get a feel for the place before choosing one of the nicer restaurants for dinner. We got a table on the terrace and had a leisurely dinner. Afterwards, we did some more people watching before splitting an ice cream cone for dessert. We did the goofiest (and perhaps cruelest) thing on our way home. Mr. mouse wanted to ride in a Renault cab so we waved by 13 Fiats and Hyundais before flagging down a Renault for the ride home. The drivers of the other cabs looked so confused, clearly we were waiting for a cab, but we shook our heads and kept waiting. It wasn’t a long wait, maybe a light or two, so I was okay letting Mr. mouse follow his whim.

What We Ate

For breakfast, we noshed on the last of our pretzels and cured meats supplemented by the fresh fruit the hotel has been providing. We ate an early lunch by the hotel because lunch in the tourist areas tends to be pricier. We both got a dürüm for lunch. Mine was adana (minced lamb shaped onto a skewer) and Mr. mouse’s was chicken. A dürüm is a sandwich made with a large pita bread (almost the size of a large flour tortilla) with the meat and some vegetables in the center. They roll the whole thing together (like a burrito except the form factor is completely different – it’s long and thin – 1” by 9”, not short and fat) and serve wrapped in a sheet of paper to facilitate eating. Like everything else we’ve had in Turkey, it was delicious. And, at 3 YTL ($2.60) it’s a steal.


For dinner, we went to a seafood restaurant. It was located on the water front with a view of the mosque and the bridge and all of the people enjoying the evening. And, the music from a nearby club provided background ambience for our evening meal. We split a tomato salad for an appetizer. It was diced tomatoes with cucumbers, parsley and hot peppers in a light olive oil dressing. Mr. mouse ordered the sea bass and I got the horse mackerel for main dishes. The fish is lightly coated and then sautéed. Horse mackerel are about three inches long and remind me of the smelt I had in Geneva. Dinner was relaxing and refreshing.

What I Learned

This will give you a good laugh. While we were at Topkapi Palace, walking through the treasury, there was a display. It was a box about 8” long by 6” deep by 6” tall. It was carved from a single piece of rock crystal and studded with jewels. Inside the box were loose emeralds of all shapes and sizes. Essentially like a button box, the jeweler kept it on hand for when the sultan commissioned new pieces. All I could think was, “well, that gives a totally new meaning to the term, box of rocks.”

Also, while we at Topkapi Palace, we were walking through a courtyard when a tour group came up along beside us. And, the guide was explaining (we were in front of the Circumcision Pavilion), “It’s like a Bar Mitzvah…” Well, it ain’t like any Bar Mitzvah I’ve been to.


Cheers!
mouse

Maintenance: Week 2

Dear Friends and Family,

weigh in: 119 lbs

Week 2 of maintenance. Our hotel room has a scale so I was able to weigh in this morning. We've been doing a ton of walking over the past couple of days and the food is very healthy here making it relatively easy to do okay.

Also, I've still been eating my usual 18 points a day. I think once I'm back in the States and have a normal week or two I'll be ready to experiment with adding points back in. What constitutes a normal week? My normal food routine and getting back in the gym.


Cheers!
mouse

Interim Access

Dear Friends and Family,

We forked over the 25 YTL ($20) for the internet connection today because we needed to look up flights and my friend's phone number here in Turkey. So, I uploaded my posts from the past three days. I should have time to upload tomorrow morning's post before the 24 hours expire.

Photos will be added once we're back home.


Cheers!
mouse

PS: I'll add info on the card sort game then, as well.

Sunday: Glory to God in the Highest

Dear Friends and Family,

After a good night’s sleep, we had a busy day ahead of us.

What We Did


We headed out to Sultanahmet, the core of the historic old town. Mr. mouse figured out the funicular and tram system that connects our hotel with the city so that we could steer clear of the omnipresent taxis. At Sultanahmet, we got our bearings before heading over to the Blue Mosque. Unfortunately, the mosque was closed for prayers until 2 o’clock, so we switched up the itinerary and headed over to the Hagia Sohpia.


Built between 532 and 537, during the Byzantine Empire by Emperor Justinian, the Hagia Sophia was the seat of the Orthodox Catholic Church. Its name means Church of Holy Wisdom. When the Ottomans captured Istanbul in 1453, the Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque. Today, it is no longer a place of worship for either religion; it is a secular museum open to the public. The inside of the Hagia Sophia is cavernous. A lot of the original mosaics were covered up or destroyed when the church was converted into a mosque because the Islamic tradition forbids the portrayal of living beings in places of worship. Some of the mosaics have been restored since the place was converted into a museum, and their beauty took my breath away. The mosaic pieces are tiny, and they come together with such detail. It’s a tragedy that there are only a handful of them left. You can only imagine what the place would have looked like covered in them. Still, it’s an absolutely awe-inspiring place to visit.


Next we went back to the Blue Mosque. Built between 1609 and 1616, financed by Sultan Ahmet, the Blue Mosque was, and is, a functioning mosque. It’s unique for two reasons. The mosque has six minarets. Until the Blue Mosque’s completion, the only mosque to have six minarets was the central mosque in Mecca which today has seven minarets. The mosque’s other unique feature is the use of blue İznik tiles throughout the interior. You’re required to remove your shoes and cover your head and shoulders before entering the mosque. Stepping into the interior is like stepping into another world. An imam is lecturing from an apse in the front, and there are local Muslims slipping in and out for their daily prayers. The men and women pray separately. The whole area glows with the blue tile work and echoes with the lecture.


From the Blue Mosque, we headed toward a street of restaurants for lunch and hopefully the start of the Hungarian F1 race. Fortunately, we found a place that had it on screen and watched the first ⅔ of the race before heading out. By the time we left, it was clear Lewis Hamilton was headed for another victory, and we were off to the next stop on our itinerary. Unfortunately, we got a little lost en route, but, fortunately, the performance was delayed an hour so we made it with plenty of time to spare.


The Mevlevi Order, better known as the Whirling Dervishes, was founded by the Sufi mystic, Rumi, also called Mevlâna. Central to the practice is the sema, or whirling ceremony. By spinning the body in a circle, the Dervish becomes part of the universal harmony. While touristy “Whirling Dervish” performances are easy to find, the one here is the real deal – a religious ritual rather than a tourist show. We weren’t sure if we would be able to watch the Dervishes. One book said every Sunday, another said last Sunday of the month, their pamphlet said first and third Sunday of the month. Fortunately for us, we got to see the sema. This was the highlight of the day for me. I wasn’t sure what to expect. The ceremony is broken into six or seven parts and the first several lead up to the whirling. When they whirl, they seem to go into a trance. They whirl in a counter clockwise direction, with their right arm raised to God and their left pointed towards the Earth, channeling the energy through them from one to the other. Mr. mouse captured a ton of footage, it’s hard to describe if you weren’t there.

We walked back to the hotel to see if we could change rooms from our room which had two twin beds to a room with a queen or king bed. Fortunately, one had opened up. And, we did the swap before heading out to dinner.


For dinner, we walked to Istiklal Street and found a place that was doing brisk business with the locals. Then, we walked down Istiklal Street looking at the shops and restaurants and people. We had done the walk on our way from the Dervishes to the hotel, so, we only went down about halfway, before turning back for the evening.

What We Ate

Breakfast was a simple affair at the hotel. Our room came with some fresh fruit and we had leftover pretzels and cured meat from the day before. We snacked on these before heading out. I think I’ve fallen in love with Turkish apricots.


For lunch, I had a cold fish plate which was octopus, salmon, tuna and anchovies served over a salad of greens, cucumbers and tomatoes. It had a delicious fishiness and saltiness that hit the spot. And, Mr. mouse had a chicken plate that came with chicken shish kebabs, rice, and eggplant paste. I had a taste, and it was delicious as well.


For dinner, we went to a place that served cafeteria style plates. You point at the food and they serve you a plate of it. We got lamb kebabs with potatoes, chicken in tomato sauce, rice, white bean salad, and rice pudding. For 21 YTL, ~$17, we ate to our hearts’ content. And, the place didn’t scream tourist stop.

What I Learned

On our way out for the day, we passed a shoe shine who dropped his brush as he was about to cross the street. Mr. mouse picked it up for him. And, he insisted on giving Mr. mouse a shoe shine. Mr. mouse wanted to head out, but I thought he was trying to thank Mr. mouse for handing him his brush and I didn’t want to be rude. Well, he then wanted 20 YTL for the sneaker shine. We gave him 10 YTL which was 10 YTL more than he deserved and headed on our way. I guess you have to keep your guard up and not try to be as hospitable even if it means being a little rude.

On the flip side, after dinner, a little girl approached Mr. mouse and me. At first we started walking away, but we stopped. It turned out all she wanted was a picture with Mr. mouse and me. Her parents took it on their cell phone, and they smiled and thanked us, and we were on our way. It reminded Mr. mouse of when the Koreans thought our friend, the Dad, was novel.


Cheers!
mouse