Why a Beautiful Noise?

Some might be wondering about the allusion to the Neil Diamond tune as the title of my blog. (And I dare to find amongst any of you one who does not hold at least one Neil Diamond song to heart.)

When I can't remember if I have brushed my teeth...when I undress only to find I have put my underwear on backwards, and when i shower but forget to wash...That's right, I just kind of stand there staring into space with the water running wondering how the hell I am going to pull off this day...when these days are upon me, it's the sound of my Cate and Sean that get me through one more moment. They are my beautiful noise that keeps my going second by second. Along with a heaping cocktail of drugs and a tiny glass of wine at night. Also not to forget the yoga. But that laughter, those running footsteps, those never ending three year old questions that could split your gut with laughter...my beautiful noise I am blessed with, that will see me through this.

Things I Love About Switzerland

Dogs...everywhere...dogs on the buses, the trains, in the stores..and very well-behaved swiss dogs st that. I must say the dogs have better manners than some people I know

Being able to see my husband everyday instead of every couple of weeks....awwwwwww

Perfect central location in Europe to see just about everything...except Turkey and Russia... :(

The pretzels that are sliced down the middle and filled with anything you want...custard, cheese, butter.... yummy

I have yet to see an alp, but I'm sure I'll love it

Today we're going hiking, (with a three year old and a 6 month old)so I'll let you know how much I love that or not

The Aljazeera network...now I know what's going on in the world instead of what's going on with Britney Spears

The bread....and butter...and cheese... so then why am I losing so much weight?

I'll get back to you on the reccomendation of whether or not you should take young kids swiss hiking.

Things I don't miss about the U.S.

Here is my disclaimer, first, I'm not unpatriotic...in order to be so one would have to feel they have an affilalition with a place. I do not. I'm a member of the world, not just one corner of it So...things I don't miss about the U.S.:

Driving...being able to walk to get whatever you need is true freedom

TV...you don't realize it until you leave your couch in the U.S. that your life revolves around it and it is the devil's plaything

The presidential Race...either way, we're screwed and nothing is going to change

My Neighbors...some of them...especially the woman who yells all day long for her cats. If you need to know the whereabouts of your cats at all times, please keep them indoors.

Shitty journalism...enough said

Junk food...seriously, I'm not kidding. There are no fat people in Europe. (I think)

No Manners...an entire generation of mannerless idiots have seemed to reproduce in the U.S. and it was the generation before mine and after mine.

Sweat pants and pj bottom wearers..people actually dress before they walk out of the house here, even if it's just to take the dog for a walk.

That's all I can think of for now. Any additional ideas are welcome!

Don't Call it a Comeback

I'm not jumping on the "let's hate China" bandwagon that's been making it's way around the world lately with the Flame. I've been on the wagon since highschool. Maybe I'm even driving it sometimes. I've had the bumper stickers, the T-shirts....Free Tibet! When my peers were asking me, what the hell is a tibet?

So, I should be happy that all my marching and letter sending and lecture attending just might be paying off somehow, right? Instead I get this feeling of, it's too little too late. We're talking about a massacre of people and a culture that has been taking place for almost 60 years. And not a peep about it until now? Not even a nod in the direction of the Tibetan people until sports get involved? I really can't find the word that adequately describes my feelings about this, but if there is a word beyond disgust...that's the one.

Tibet, like Darfur, has nothing we need. No oil, no other natural resources to take advantange of....so march on China. Who are we to bite the hands that feed the USA?

Now, I see desperation in the eyes of a people who are raised to know compassion for everything that breathes....especially their enemies. Now I see hatred in the eyes of monks and nuns instead of hope and prayers....while the world keeps buying the trinkets China churns out at us.

This is the last ditch effort. This is the Tibetan people's moment. If the US and other countries do not boycott the Olympics, another moment like this one to bear witness to the plight of Tibet may never come again....back under the radar they will go while our next President makes his/her niceties with the Chinese government. Just another boss same as the old boss and the Tibtans are looking to us for change. They are done hoping. They are doing. They're asking the same of us.

Becoming Swiss

Been in Zurich a month. Here are the pros: BBC everything, Aljazeera English, No more Bill O'Reilly or even Cnn for that matter...I see my husband everyday instead of every couple of weeks, the air up there is great, everything is in walking distance, and everything is beautiful.

cons: it rains almost everyday in April. So I watch a lot of BBC, Aljazeera, and play scrabulous, almost to the point of neglecting my two babes, everything (meaning food) is super espensive. Learning about the realities of no money fun.

Euro Disney here we come.