Greetings from Orange, California, USA!
Photo taken on Sunday, December 7, 2008.
While my workweek had nothing noteworthy, several holiday-related activities filled the weekend. On Saturday was a shopping trip to the outlet stores in Carlsbad, a city about an hour south of Newport Beach and near the border between the counties of Orange and San Diego. I am participating in the Adopt-A-Family Project and my team took an afternoon excursion there to shop for our adopted family – as well as ourselves.
My evening went from one party to two. I had a last-minute invitation to a farewell party. A friend, who I knew through volleyball, decided to move back to his hometown of Santa Barbara. His send-off at a local restaurant & bar had a who’s who of fellow volleyball players in attendance. Also someone brought a volleyball for everyone to sign as a very fitting parting gift.
I could stay only an hour before leaving for a holiday party. It was hosted by the same friend who had the Halloween one, which I missed because parking was impossible at her apartment complex that night. I was determined to be at this party. While I enjoyed the social, a notable memory was of three pregnant women in attendance. When walking through the front door, my initial impression was the waiting room of an ob/gyn office.
I had one activity on Sunday – the Tree Lighting Ceremony in the City of Orange. A friend hosted a pre-event gathering at his house before we walked a handful of blocks to Old Towne Orange. Because of the area’s small town charm, I was expecting a low-budget community-theatre level presentation but was pleasantly surprised by its higher caliber. The city didn’t break the bank with a big budget Hollywood or Broadway musical production nor was it cardboard cutouts, squeaky sound and bad lighting. The scope and tone were perfect and the ceremony was enjoyable. My weekly photo captures the choir in a spectrum of robes, the orchestra in the foreground and the Christmas décor behind them all.
Because of the warm weather earlier in the day, I was wearing shorts and, except for a jacket, brought no other clothes. The evening temperature was dropping as I sat, listening to the performance. My legs had gotten very cold but warmed up on the walk back to my friend’s house. Nevertheless while I was sitting, an odd thought crossed my mind. I wondered if the numbness of my lower half was similar to the epidural given to a woman in labor. Like I wrote before, the three pregnant women from the previous night left a lingering impression. What else can I say?
Angelo
Photo taken on Sunday, December 7, 2008.
While my workweek had nothing noteworthy, several holiday-related activities filled the weekend. On Saturday was a shopping trip to the outlet stores in Carlsbad, a city about an hour south of Newport Beach and near the border between the counties of Orange and San Diego. I am participating in the Adopt-A-Family Project and my team took an afternoon excursion there to shop for our adopted family – as well as ourselves.
My evening went from one party to two. I had a last-minute invitation to a farewell party. A friend, who I knew through volleyball, decided to move back to his hometown of Santa Barbara. His send-off at a local restaurant & bar had a who’s who of fellow volleyball players in attendance. Also someone brought a volleyball for everyone to sign as a very fitting parting gift.
I could stay only an hour before leaving for a holiday party. It was hosted by the same friend who had the Halloween one, which I missed because parking was impossible at her apartment complex that night. I was determined to be at this party. While I enjoyed the social, a notable memory was of three pregnant women in attendance. When walking through the front door, my initial impression was the waiting room of an ob/gyn office.
I had one activity on Sunday – the Tree Lighting Ceremony in the City of Orange. A friend hosted a pre-event gathering at his house before we walked a handful of blocks to Old Towne Orange. Because of the area’s small town charm, I was expecting a low-budget community-theatre level presentation but was pleasantly surprised by its higher caliber. The city didn’t break the bank with a big budget Hollywood or Broadway musical production nor was it cardboard cutouts, squeaky sound and bad lighting. The scope and tone were perfect and the ceremony was enjoyable. My weekly photo captures the choir in a spectrum of robes, the orchestra in the foreground and the Christmas décor behind them all.
Because of the warm weather earlier in the day, I was wearing shorts and, except for a jacket, brought no other clothes. The evening temperature was dropping as I sat, listening to the performance. My legs had gotten very cold but warmed up on the walk back to my friend’s house. Nevertheless while I was sitting, an odd thought crossed my mind. I wondered if the numbness of my lower half was similar to the epidural given to a woman in labor. Like I wrote before, the three pregnant women from the previous night left a lingering impression. What else can I say?
Angelo
