"Yau-Man Swam Here"

Of course we didn't know it at the time, but the very annimated, Borneo-born, table tennis instructor/pro we use to have over to our house for swim lessons had a secret. A very big secret. He called us up one day to request adult swim lessons in order to hone his skills for a "once in a lifetime trip to the South Seas." The very coordinated 54-year-old learned very quickly, under my dads coaching, to move skillfully and sleekly through the water. He and my dad had a lot of fun together and Yau especially peaked my dad's interest because of his love for, and great skills at, table tennis, my dad's ultimate sporting fave, aside from swimming. After his lessons in our backyard, Yau would hold his towel while we would chat about various things with him in our living room, all the while sharing his very happy and contagious personality, immediately becoming one my parent's favorites (as he is sooo many people's now (his popularity ranking is at 65% and Survivor: Fiji's host, Jeff Provst, said Yau-Man is his favorite Survivor ever.

Having to head to the South Seas very quickly after his lessons, we didn't hear from him for awhile--not until we received an email from him a few weeks ago thanking us for the lessons and explaining to us what his trip to the South Seas truly was--what he was really training for (neither my parents or I have T.V.). They had just received the email as I was walking into their house for visit. Wow!!! After jumping up and down a million times (well, not my parents, but we three were ;) ) and (all) exclaiming "I can't believe it!!!! Ahhhh!!!," we quickly caught up with the entire season from a link Yau gave us in a following email. What an exciting adventure to watch the show already having a amazing person to root for.

We began emailing back and forth a bit about occurences in the show which was very fun. Talk about an athlete (I think the show stereo-typed Yau as "the nerd," but he so isn't--anyone can tell this, too, after watching his amazing feats on the show). However, he couldn't tell us, or anyone, anything about his actual experience until the final votes were cast (Mother's Day). Unfortunately, Dreamz kinda stole the title from Yau, but he is good with it--whata guy. So, now that that has happened (and I'm SOOOO proud of Boo!!), I am hoping we can do an interview with him. Until then, I will say, "Yau-Man Swam Here." :)


P.S.
I could say so much more about this...but I've got to hop in the pool!!

Cootie Catchers and Other Things

"Do you know how to make cootie catchers??" asked one of my students, holding a piece of paper up to me. Cootie catchers? When I was in elementary school, we just wiped them off on someone else's desk. What a fun new development!

Needless to say, second graders are so cool!...And junior highers. I'm a strange sort to like junior highers I'm told, but it's right after the cootie stage, which makes it comical. :)

In the same spirit, my kids often ask me why in the world I am not married yet, or at least why I don't have a boy friend (mostly at the beginning of the year). So, back in January, I answered, "Because I just haven't found the right guy yet." A little boy, who thereafter became one of my absolute favorite little guys, of course, looked up at me with big, serious eyes, "Find me..." he said. How cute is that?!?!

Ah, second graders rock. :)

My Brother's Running for President!

My brother is the first candidate running for the 2028 Presidential campaign! Check him out here: http://www.myspace.com/jonjoh08 :)