The Interview

Congrats are almost in order after my USCIS interview yesterday (see previous related entry). A few snapshots from the experience:

Before the interview... I'm surrounded by a diverse and colorful crowd crammed into neatly-arranged gold-pleathered chairs in the sterile waiting room. Everyone is "properly attired" as requested in our appointment letter. CNN plays on flatscreens scattered around the room. Shaking legs, downcast stares, and uncertain glances attest to the slight edge in the air. An Indian woman whispers (prayers?) to herself nearby. A USCIS poster of a billowing flag reads, "Securing America's Promise. Respect, Integrity, Ingenuity."

My name is called. I'm led down a stark hallway, then to the right. A stiff "good afternoon" begins the interview.

Afterwards... As I indulge in a steaming hot chocolate capped with whipped cream, I can't seem to stifle the grin that has taken over half my face. I glance over and notice a couple next to me pouring over a "Learn About the United States" study guide. I'm tempted to lean over and say, "You'll do fine...!"

I should receive the date of my swearing-in ceremony within 3 weeks. (Wheee!)

In Search of Gratification

Our Wednesday W(h)ine & Dine crew treaded on unfamiliar ground yesterday. Meat-lovers, steer clear; the hippie-themed Cafe Gratitude serves up lean and healthy offerings of vegetarian and vegan dishes that "support local farmers, sustainable agriculture and environmentally friendly products." As we soaked in the positive and introspective vibes that permeate the joint, I enjoyed perusing the fun menu of life-loving and self-affirming items, like "I Am Insightful" (spring rolls) and "I Am Elated" (enchiladas).  The latter was quite tasty.

While we marveled at the alternative ingredients in familiar dishes (e.g., pumpkin seed and walnut burger patty on sweet onion sunflower bread), we also found ourselves yearning for more substance to fill us up. As our fellow WW&Der (and omnivore) aptly noted on our way out, the experience made us realize our gratitude for...meat! For $20+ per person, come expecting a unique meal that may satisfy your curiosity, but not necessarily your tummies. Probably not a regular destination for me, but to hear my guy exclaim, "I Am Spectacular!" (for pesto pizza) again,... PRICELESS.

I Pledge Allegiance...

With my right hand on my chest, I first recited this pledge in a middle school classroom while gazing up at a miniature American flag. I was not a U.S. citizen then, but I recall parroting the words a split second after they left my classmates' mouths, as a show of determination to fit into my strange new surroundings. At the time, I still held fond and vivid memories of chanting another pledge while looking up at my own country's flag from a schoolyard, in a sea of other pony-tailed girls in blue and white uniforms.

25 years later, I finally made the decision to "fully commit" and apply for U.S. citizenship. And on Friday, I will complete the second-to-last step of my naturalization process - the in-person interview.* In preparation, our breakfast table conversations over the past week have been partly devoted to drill sergeant-type testing on American history, based on recommended questions supplied by the Department of Homeland Security. Here's a sampling**:

• How many stripes are there on our flag and what do they represent?
• How many changes, or amendments, are there to the Constitution?
• How many voting members are in the House of Representatives?
• What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
• Name the amendments that guarantee or address voting rights.

Why am I taking the plunge now? My growing commitment to civic responsibility and an extreme "fed-uppedness" gave me that last shove. Citizenship will grant me the right to vote; another angle from which I can help shape the community (and world) I want to live in.

“People often say that, in a democracy, decisions are made by a majority of the people. Of course, that is not true. Decisions are made by a majority of those who make themselves heard and who vote - a very different thing.” - Walter H. Judd

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*The grand finale will be the swearing-in ceremony a few months afterwards (fingers crossed).
**See comment for answers.

In Memoriam

While many of us continue to "celebrate" Memorial Day with sleep-ins, forensics show marathons, and picnics, I expect that during this time of war, more and more are recognizing this day for its original solemn purpose: To pause in remembrance of fallen soldiers. As of today, according to the Military Times, Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom have claimed 4,566 U.S. military lives since Fall 2001. That's in addition to undocumented civilian casualities (guesstimated at almost 100,000 in Iraq) and sacrifices from other countries. Saying a prayer for the families of the deceased and those still in harm's way...

A Lazy Day

Seven episodes into the Memorial Day NCIS marathon later... We've eaten two meals, several fruits, and an entire can of Pringles while planted in front of the TV. Abby rocks.

The Lineups

A dozen cars were already in line when we joined the Drive-Thru parade outside our local In 'n Out Burger joint. It was an unusually warm (85 deg) night, "sweltering" by Bay area standards, and a large near-midnight crowd packed the parking lot and brightly-lit red-and-white interior. (Pssst..."secret" menu!)
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A dramatic Bollywood movie -- complete with an old man on his death bed, expectant mourners wailing at his side, and dreamy-eyed narrators singing on a rainy stage -- played at the front of the line in the Indian Consulate. While relaxed ex-pats waited patiently, arms crossed, restless business travelers pounded on their laptops to pass the time.

Passing the Baton

My guy had a chance to Pay It Forward the other day. He entrusted the keys to his sporty ride to one of his high school seniors on prom night. Who would have thought he'd have this opportunity to pass along this favor from half a lifetime ago, when an older buddy let him drive his Trans Am to the prom?

We made a similar "payment" a little over a year ago when we hired a string trio for G&J's wedding, just as AN had done as her gift to us on our wedding day. As I recall other good deeds that I've received and plan ways to pass them along, I'm also wondering who will get the cool ride to the prom and musicians at their wedding from our P.I.F. recipients... Let's keep this going!

In Squeaks' Kitchen - Pork Adobo

Thanks to Mum's taste tests and input, here's what I threw together to create Pork Adobo for family dinner last weekend.

1 1/2 lbs pork, cubed
5/6 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup vinegar (I used red wine vinegar, but original recipe called for white vinegar)
2 1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp sugar
3 bay leaves
3 cloves garlic
1 medium onion, sliced

Combine all ingredients and simmer at least 1/2 hour. (Longer 'mo better!) We served it with stir-fried choy sum and rice. Thumbs up all around!

Can't Get Enough

What can I say, I'm hooked. Adele's Hometown Glory has kept me from updating Squeaks' Playlist in over 4 weeks. It joins the ranks of only a few songs -- like U2's One, Pearl Jam's Black, Metallica's Nothing Else Matters, Iz's Somewhere Over The Rainbow, Peter Murphy's Cuts You Up, The Cure's Fascination Street, The Frames's Falling Slowly, and David Crowder's O Praise Him -- that I find so haunting and captivating that, each time I play them, it takes a very deep breath and a few quiet moments to shake off the satisfying and tantalizing prickling that consumes me...(a somewhat similar sensation evoked by Radiohead's Creep, a long distance and long-time-ago dedication to an ex,...but that's another story for another day.)

Friday Stress Reliever

Absolute genius. (Thanks, SBK!)

I spy, with my little eye...

...nothing much, when my glasses are missing!! I have a terrible track record with spectacle-retention these days. It all began a couple of years ago, on Day 1 (of 5) of our first hurricane relief trip to St. Bernard Parish. That's when my glasses mysteriously leapt off my face while my fellow volunteers and I were gutting a flood-damaged home in 95-degree Louisiana weather. The funny thing was that it wasn't until break time, after I had ripped off my sweat-soaked N95 dust mask and thrown my hardhat onto the grassy lawn, that I realized it was not on my face. It took 20 minutes of gingerly stepping and squinting across the lawn before I accepted its fate and likely new home: the towering trash heap that had been created by our gutting efforts.

Two more recent episodes occurred within the last week... Last Friday, I discovered them missing an hour after our final swim in the hotel alberca, but thankfully retrieved them where they had been abandoned, next to our lounge chair. And this morning, one of the lenses decided to pop out when I dropped them in the pool locker room, but, fortunately again, I found it lying on the floor, alone and tinted, when I rushed back to it later.

Maybe it's time for the granny look...

What the...??

Headquarters of The Longaberger Company in Newark, Ohio.

Bahía de Banderas

...or "Bay of Flags". That's where we escaped to last week. With Puerto Vallarta nestled at its center, Mexico's largest natural bay is hugged by >40 miles of coastline. The occasion: anniversary and birthday celebrations, and a chance to cash in on travel points! Moments I'm cherishing from the trip...

• Savoring la buena comida (good food). (Que ricisimo!)
• Getting a kick out of travel agents calling out "Hey, Honeymooners!" as we passed their stalls, hand-in-hand. (Happy 7-years, Sweetie.)
• Strolling down the Malecón in El Centro to Playa de los Muertos, and marveling at the unique sculptures and impressive sand "monuments".

• Shrugging off the SNAFU that cancelled our day-trip to San Sebastián in the Sierra Madre mountains and spending another day by the alberca (pool) instead. (Hey, relax...)
• Basking in the alberca with my ears submerged in the thick underwater silence. Gazing up at V-shaped flocks of pelicans and Pterodactyl-looking frigatebirds circling above.
• Forcing myself to use my limited Spanish vocab to warm up to locals who seemed pleased (or at least amused) at the attempts. (Para mi, sopa de tortilla, por favor.)
• Did I mention la comida? (Es stupenda!)

It was Captain Steuben and his Love Boat crew that first introduced me to Puerto Vallarta as a little girl. Amazing how this idyllic Mexican town on the Pacific Coast still holds romance and intrigue for me, 30 years later.