Madre's Missives

Five Random Facts about Madre

1.  I got a minor in Native American Studies in college and I used to be fluent in Cree, which is a northern plains Native American language.  There was originally no written form of the language until some European settlers came up with a symbolic-syllabic language (somewhat like Japanese in form) for it.  It looks somewhat like ancient Martian hieroglyphics, but really is easy to learn. Surprisingly, I don't have much regular need to call upon the language skills and I've forgotten much of it.

Transliteration
misiwe ininiw tipenimitisowinik eshi nitawikit nesta peywakan kici ishi kanawapamikiwisit kistenimitisowinik nesta minikowisiwima. e pakitimamacik kaketawenitamowininiw nesta mitonenicikaniniw nesta wicikwesitowinik kici ishi kamawapamitocik.

Translation
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. (Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

2.  I can't stand beaches.  I don't see the point.  Laying in the sun is just not something I do (if you've ever met me, you could attest to my pasty-whiteness, er...alabaster skin tone.  I have been known to literally glow in flash pictures).  Where can I sign up to rub sand into blistering sunburn?  Not.  I'd rather spend a vacation poking around a big museum or exploring old cemetaries.  Ever seen a tombstone from the 1500's?  WAY cool.

3.  I don't do rollercoasters.  I don't do most amusement park rides.  The carousel is about my speed.  The women in my family have some sort of weird inner ear thing and get vertigo at the turn of a head.  I can get nauseous on a swing set, and really don't like riding in the back seat of a car.

4.  I studied piano for 15 years and planned to get a double-major in Theology and Piano Performance, until I was in a car accident in the spring of my senior year of high school and broke my back.  I kept my PP major for a year (to keep a generous scholarship), but gave it up after that.  I love accompanying though, I started doing that in 8th grade for my youth choir at church - we did all those Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith songs that are popular among the contemporary worship types.  Only they were actually contemporary then.  Chopin and Bach are my favorites to play.  Nocturnes and Preludes and Fugues for the Well-Tempered Clavier to be specific, respectively.  I also studied organ for about 5-6 years and cello for 5, voice for about 2.

5.  I make a mean chili (I think so anyway, just ask Harry) and cornbread muffins.  Some people don't believe I can cook, I'm really not sure why.  Just because my mom's stove is purely decorative and her signature dish is "reservations" doesn't mean I have followed in her footsteps.  I am always asked to make my apple cake or baked beans for family gatherings.  I also have been known to make red velvet cake (my absolute FAVORITE) from scratch (none of this add red food coloring to a chocolate cake mix cheating business).

I tag Andrea Fouts, Nathan Fischer, ohh...Ryan Fouts too I suppose, and da Zill.

I am listening to Because It's Christmas Release Date: 22 October, 1999