Stay Connected (9)

No. I am not going to lament or praise the existence of social networks, their apparent/actual power and my involvement in it, or lack of. I'm talking about doing more than just talking.

I was able to book a ticket home at 18:30 while walking down the street. A mere 10 or 15 years ago, it would have taken 10 days and not 10 minutes to achieve this. I would not have had as many options. 

I'm paid my bills while watching a movie. During breakfast, I helped my sister edit a muy importante document. The cousins updated me on a wedding meeting for one of the cousins. 

When I was born in, my father relied on our grand old radio to connect us to the world. we got dial-up in '95, or thereabouts. I actually learnt how to use MS DOS and Windows 3.11. I am a pro at minesweeper. I was scared when ME came along. All that colour overwhelmed me.

Today I connected with home: I spoke to him, booked my ticket and shared a joke with them.

I was glad. 

It's electric! (7)

Today's Daddy's birthday! Sixty Five and he's in a different country every week! He broke his arm a few weeks ago but still managed to sneak in a trip to Ohio via Dubai. I still wonder how he signed immigration forms with a broken right arm. He is right handed. 

When I was doing my undergrad, he swore that as soon as I graduate and get a job, he would retire. "I cannot sit through the same interviews as you!" He just got a new job this year :-) and I would never ever be able to compete against him for that position.

Electricity meters by various inventors (Courtesy of the Smithsonian Museum of American History)

In honour of all things Daddy, I visited the  Museum of American History. He loves history, the study of electricity and electric cars. They had an interesting display on the development of electricity in the US.

There were electric cars in 1904! (Courtesy of Smithsonian Museum of American History)

I called home to wish him a happy birthday. Apparently, mum had a dinner date planned :-) ♡♡♡ *electric*

I was glad.

Long live the man who never stops living [and his young-at-heart Madame]!!

Daddy (6)

I heard pride, in your unique way, for the first time in a while. It is mostly my fault that I haven't heard from you as often as I should. I need to call more often.

Your voice took me back to a Sunday afternoon in January 1999. It was a good day for several reasons. It was my 12th birthday. It was also the date of the confirmation of my faith in Christ and membership of the Anglican Church. 

However, I remembered this day because you were smiling. It was the day my PLE results were released. You were celebrating the fact that my name was on the list of top performers on the front page of the local daily. You were happy and proud.

There have been other moments of happy pride but, for some reason your voice made me feel like I was 12 again. You made me happy.

I was glad.