sick

I am sick. I have a bad cold. The kind that if you lean over, your nose drips on the ground. The bummer is that Steve is gone for a week. So I can't lay around all day like I would like to. I have Micah to take care of and entertain.

We also passed our sickness on to some friends who were leaving to return to Guatamala. Unfortunately, their trip took them through Mexico. In Mexico they have a fever detector and it got them. So now they are in a hotel in Mexico waiting to make sure they don't have Swine Flu. And if they have it, then I guess I have it too.

I heard Kermit the Frog died from Swine Flu. That is so sad. I always liked him. But he must have been getting old anyway.

Just some ramblings

Yesterday we took Micah to the doctor. He has been sick with a fever and coughing for several days. The hospital we went to is a local one that is not very big or very busy. It was 11:15 a.m. and we were told the doctor would be in, in 15 minutes. So we waited. I noticed in the sky light that there was a huge spider web. I thought how funny it would be if the web fell down on someone. They would totally freak out. Micah said it would also be funny if the security guard then thought that the person was an enemy of Spiderman and attacked him.

We saw the doctor walk in and get herself situated. Then she walked past us and downstairs. So Steve asked the reception guy if we should also go downstairs. He said yes. Downstairs there were two people waiting, but Steve walked up to the office door and knocked and the doctor was ready for us. So she asked me what his temperature was. I didn't know. So she felt his head and said he was hot. She looked in his throat and said that he had a bad throat. And that is why he has a fever. She wrote up a prescription for 4 medicines and that was that.

I always look up the medicines online before I give them to Micah. Once I was given some cough syrup that online was listed as dangerous for white people. Odd. Anyway, one of the medicines was for diarreah so I am not giving him that unless the other stuff makes him sick.

As we checked out at the reception area the guy said to me, "You are doing an injustice to men by not opening a gym for men." I laughed and told him, "I only like women." I find it comical that he knew who I was without me saying anything. One of the doctors use to come to the gym, but that was years ago. Maybe he says that to all white women.

Speaking of white women.... One of the white women was working at a VBS last week. She was one of two whities. As she was saying good-bye to her student she said, "I will see you in the assembly." But the little boy responded, "But there are two of you. I won't know which one you are."

Kids are funny. This morning Micah was watching through the key hole of our bedroom, out to the front room where we do aerobics. I guess we were laughing and he wanted to see what was going on. He told Steve, "They are giving massages. Sounds like pub."

This week my house help lady is gone. She has a brother who has had four accidents lately. So her family is fasting and praying (hindu) for him this week. Then they will have to feed the village on the last day. Hopefully that will get rid of any evil spirits.

With my house help gone it means I have to do all the dishes and the floors and cook. It is a lot of work. I sweep and mop each day the whole house. I cook food and do dishes at the same time, only to end up with more dishes after we eat. It never ends. And that is why I like to order out.

Why do I feel guilty?

I have a book that is titled, "Why Do I Feel Guilty Saying No?" But I need one that says, "Why Do I Feel Guilty Using the A/C?" Yesterday we had the a/c on almost all day. Usually we just try to use it at night to sleep with. But you don't get to enjoy it when you are sleeping. Steve doesn't have a problem with using it all day, but I do. I want to save money or electricity or something. But I am dying of the heat.

One of my new excuses to help me not feel bad about not doing a lot these days is to sit in my room and memorize scripture in Hindi. I am trying to learn the wise man who built his house on the rock. So far I have one verse memorized.

Two days ago I went to a brothel for the first time. I went with a friend to pick up a prostitute to take her to a home for girls. She has a daughter who she would like to send away for school for protection. Growing up in a brothel is not ideal for any kid, but for a daughter it is even more dangerous. So I drove around for about three hours, to the brothel, to the school, back to the brothel area and home.

I learned something while I was in the brothel. When one of the prostitute ladies was on the balcony and I decided to go be friendly and talk to her, I learned that being on the balcony is how she calls customers. I went out and asked her what she was doing. I said, "Are you just out watching people?" Stupid me. She finally had to tell me that she was calling for men to make them look up. I said something like, "Oh, so maybe I should go back inside." Duh!

I don't know how any guy would want to be with these ladies. They are not attractive and the room they are in is dingy. The one we took to the school is six months pregnant. She was complaining that her lower stomach is sore from the men being heavy. These ladies are probably 35 years old, but seem much older to me. What a sad life they have had. One was telling us that two prostitutes were killed the other night. Gas was poured on them and then they were burned. I'm sure they are all nervous that something like that could happen to them too. And they don't make much money at all. The house they live in (the brothel) is very simple and has paint chipping off the walls. No mattresses on the beds, just wood. They cook on a small burner in the room. I just don't understand their lives. And how do we help them to have a better life?

P.S. I left the song "Hot Town" on because I think it is appropriate for this posting too.

Hot town!

Of course you have heard me complain about the heat lately. This will be a regular thing for the next couple of months. I looked on CNN weather page to see just how hot it was and it said at midnight that it was "99 and dreary". So true.

We are thankful for electricity and air conditioners. When I do aerobics I turn the a/c on and it makes it bearable. You would think that the fat would just melt off. The problem is that ice cream is so cold and refreshing. Then there are mango shakes. yum.

I Quit!

My gym job, that is. I quit the job. On Monday I called up the other trainer and told her I wouldn't be coming in and to please tell the ladies that I was sorry to have to leave them. So about 10 minutes later the manager called and I explained that I didn't find it worth my time to not be getting paid. He asked me to finish off the month and then he would pay me. But I held my ground and said no. I of course won't get any money for the six weeks I worked, but at least I don't have to fret about it anymore. It feels good to have told him that it was unfair to expect me to work without pay.

It is finished!

Let's say at the grocery store you shop at they let you have an account and at the end of the month you pay it off. That would be an interesting way to keep track of your food budget. I think on Little House on the Prairie they did that. And when you pay your bill off they mark it "paid in full."

I heard a preacher once who said in the original language the phrase "it is finished" would have been the same as "paid in full". That it would be what they would stamp on your bill after you have paid off your debt. I think that is a beautiful description of what Jesus was saying as he breathed his last breath and said those words. Our debt was paid in full. We owed nothing more. The account was closed. Finished.

My gym job

I have been working at a gym for a month now, teaching aerobics. I go three times a week. This is an upscale gym, for people with lots of money. I think members have to pay 4000/- per month. Plus if they want to do aerobics it is an extra 2000/-. The deal is that I will get half of what they pay for aerobics. So 1000/- per person, per month.

So the month is up so I thought I should get paid. I waited a few days to see if the owner would approach me. Nope. So I called him. I said, "So, when do you want to pay me?" His response, "When the month is up." Me, "The month is up." So he hemmed and hawed and said one lady has just paid a couple of days back and another just paid on the 20th. I asked to meet him in person the next day (which was today). He said he would be there at 11:30. Well I was there at 11:30 until 12:15 and he wasn't there. So he just called me. We will meet on Friday.

I really hate getting taken advantage of. I'm sure everyone feels the same way. And I feel this is one of those situations. For my month of work I will be lucky to walk away with 1000/-.

I know I need to work more on my confrontation skills. I can see what I should have done and said in the beginning. But I am just to nice. I hate that. And now I have to wait one more day before I can quit. I was already to quit today but the dude wasn't there. Things like this will keep coming up in my life until I learn how to deal with confrontation head on. Until then I am just frustrated. How long do I have to live in this country before I learn the ways of the Indians?

Breast Model

I have had several modeling jobs over the years. The first was when I was in middle school. I was a finger model for some photo stickers. My fingers were all that was needed for that photo shoot. A few years ago I was a model for some sales company. I was a customer on the phone in the picture. I got to wear lots of make-up for that one. And today I got to be a breast model. Hmmm. Now I can understand the finger model because I have nice fingers, but the breast model was a surprise. And before you think I am completely out of my mind, let me explain.

Today was our second class in a Breast Cancer Awareness Seminar. It was held in our home for the ladies who come for aerobics and their friends. I was asked to demonstrate how the breast exam is done. I didn't have to take off any clothes or anything like that. It was more of the positions that you should take when examining your breasts.

In Delhi, the breast cancer rate is one in nine. And 50% of those ladies will die from breast cancer. With early detection education, we can change that number. So that is what the training is about. We learned how to do a self exam today and then what to do if you find a lump or notice anything strange. Women in America may already know this, but women here are not taught what to do. There is a shame that they feel if they have some sort of defect. And a shame of thinking how much money it could cost their family for treatment. So instead they just try to ignore it. I really believe that this training can help save lives, and that is why I agreed to be the model today.

Bad spelling and warts

So tonight Steve and I went to the market. First was dinner at the Big Chill. Followed by dog food shopping. We also bought a dog tooth brush and toothpaste. I just read the directions and thought the writing was so bad I would share it.
" The Products have the content with bone meal. It's can improve the hygiene in the mouth. Meanwhile can helps to keep his breath smelling fresh. Introduce you dog the taste and sensation by rubbing his teeth gently with small amount of toothpaste. Then to add a small toothpaste on the brush and gently massage his teeth and gums gently. Twice within a week is better."

I also got two warts on my fingers removed. At the consultation they said it would be two thousand ruppees, but when we paid they said, "Now it is three thousand because one was deep." Thanks!