Traffic for 2006 November 26

Been thinking. I've really got to visit the Kong again. I think I've got it all wrong. I used to think everything foreign to my limited frame of reference was Chinese. Now having visited NYC, I realize that some of what I experienced in the Kong was just big city-ness and not necessarily Chinese. For example, people taking shopping carts with them to the grocery store. Also for example, total disregard for litter. Also, smoking. Also, being ok with living in small spaces. Also, good cuisine. Also, less overweight individuals. I'm sure there are more examples. But all these things I assumed were Chinese in nature are simply part of doing business in a big city. Some differences that do seem to be true include: people in NYC have more subway etiquette, and the street vendors are less regulated in the Kong.

Our flight home showed a Christmas episode of "The Office," which I found very funny. As it was NOT the British version, Susie too laughed. I should note that three of our four flights over Thanksgiving got in early, and the fourth got in on time. No luggage was lost, no long lines were had, and I actually got to sit behind people that didn't recline their chairs for once! Add a book of Sudoku to the list, and that adds up to fine holiday traveling.

When we got home, both our cars were pretty dirty, so we went and washed them. Having just returned from NYC, I thought of how lucky all those people are. They don't have cars to wash....

Lastly, church today. Once again, Elizabeth wanted to sit with us in Sacrament Meeting. Here was our conversation:

Elizabeth: Ask me if I'm playing baseball this year.

Me: OK. Are you playing baseball this year?

Elizabeth: No. Too many people died last year.

Me: Oh. Where did you get that joke?

Elizabeth: From tv. Actually, it's from "Anchorman." That show is so funny!

Later on, in Primary, the president was talking about a time she ran out of money to buy milk for her baby and then a "tithing" miracle occurred. Elizabeth turned to Susie and said "Why does she have to buy milk for the baby? I thought that's what those things on your chest were for." Honestly, she asks us every week if we are having a boy or a girl cuz she can't remember, but she remembers female anatomy quite well.

Later on, the president asked how tithing blesses us. I whispered to Matthew that we will never be poor (which maybe isn't true, but it's a simple answer I thought he could relay on). Matthew, instead, says "We will never be born." Frustrated, I whisper back to him "Not born, poor." So he yells out "I mean porn." Yikes. I think I almost got fired for that one.