Blogville, Hungary - September 29, 2006

Dear BU (Blogging Universe),

I like that - BU - just B U :) Can you say PLEASE get a life?
Hi again. Promise not to become too addicted to this, writing to nobody and everybody at the same time. It seems a bit surreal, no? Bill came home last night to find me typing away and decided that it's definitely for him but was rather amused by the concept. Just dropped him off at the airport, last minute trip back to the states. His poor dad has been in the hospital for a week now, with complications from an outpatient surgery, and has taken a turn for the worse. The doctors, of course, have no idea what's going on or what to do next. Lots of complications-stomach, pancreas, liver, etc. We've all been up since 4am this morning so I won't be on long, need to get a couple hours sleep before getting on with the day. Thought Keira would be wiped too and would want to come home with me after the airport, but she was totally ticked off and wanted to go to the nursery. Guessing she will have a nice long nap this afternoon.

Anyway, wanted to make sure that anybody who is a virgin blogger like me can find the photos, etc.. When you click on this blog, you should see 'view my complete profile' to the right, under 'about me'. Click on my profile, and you will be able to scroll down and see all of my other blogspots, including for example, one called 'McGann Photos 2006'. Click there and see photos (not too many there yet).

Will try to update and add things regularly. Feel compelled to add that there isn't too much happening on a regular basis here that might provide, shall we say, reality show glitz and glamour :0 Actually, was thinking that maybe I could convince Paris and Nicole to pop over to Budapest and do the next season of 'The Simple Life' here, lots of basic survival-mode concepts to work with. Or what about a Hungarian version of 'Who Wants to be a Superhero'? What in the hell is that all about? Only in America....would love to be in a roomful of Hungarians for a screening of that one. We do have, however, a very painful-to-watch version of American Idol, and of course all the originals....the Bachelor, Big Brother, etc.. Americans in general don't realize the impact that our very bizarre and, quite frankly, scary pop culture has on the rest of the world. Ok, off my soapbox for now. Just interesting to think about how much American 'everything' permeates so many aspects of life in so many parts of the world. Ok, really, off the soapbox.

Big weekend planned? Not much here. Our friends our coming in from Slovakia for the weekend and we are all going to another good friend's housewarming party. Should be fun. One of the things I love most about being here is that it is so easy to make friends, as you are all sitting in the same strange and foreign boat. And while alot of those people move on and you lose touch, you also have a ton of people that you do keep track of. I have lost touch with everyone from Ohio, with the exception of a few people. I never imagined that would happen, thought we'd all be friends for life. So it goes, that idealistic little dreamworld you live in up until you finish school - what a cynic, eh?? Actually, just got an email from a good friend I went to OU with and was thinking to myself 'hey, it's pretty amazing that we are still even remotely in touch after almost fifteen years'. God, I'm getting old.

Riley started French lessons yesterday with a high school student from the French school, a senior. She walked up and I would have guessed that she was twelve. Conversation with myself went like this - "Oh but wait, Riley's ten, so that couldn't be - Oh, she really is eighteen - Oh, and I really am 35". The best years of my life, so my friend Laura tells me. Would have to agree in a way, but when you see that 40 thing right around the corner it makes you flinch a bit.

Speaking of 40, I'm heading to Rome next weekend with three girlfriends to celebrate my friend Annette's 40th birthday (yes Annette, if you are reading this, now the whole world knows - hee.hee.hee). She's as young and beautiful as ever, but still not thrilled about the whole rite of passage (i.e. to the 'over' side of the hill). We have decided to console her with a few days of fabulous shopping, yummy coffee, even yummier vino, and yummiest of all, a bit of people-watching (i.e. checking out the Italian Stallions). What? No harm in looking, is there? Forgot to mention that there might be a bit of sightseeing in there somewhere.

OK, need to grab a power nap and get a few things done around here. Have a good weekend. Talk soon. xoxoxo