Little China Blog

And when I get excited, my little China blog says "Oh baby just you shut your mouth."

April 2006 Trip to China

Many people are asking, so I am posting the most recent itinerary for my trip to China, which is in 3 weeks!!! I've put links where I can so you can see some of the things we're doing and places we're going. There is also a blog for the trip itself, so go to The Road Not Taken for updates. They will try and update it while we are away, when internet access is available.

I will fill in some of the blanks (like where we are staying, etc.) as I receive the information.

Saturday, 4/15
Cleveland to San Francisco

Monday, 4/17
San Francisco to Seoul (flight 1:00am depart, 5:30am arrive)
I just read that you can get a shower in the airport for $8 US - which is a bit pricey, but anyone who knows me, knows what I'm doing with my 4.5 hour layover!

Tuesday, 4/18
Seoul to Beijing (flight 10:00am depart, 10:45am arrive)
Note to my brother (who asked if he should go ahead and hire a lawyer now to bring us home) - I have located the US Embassy in Beijing, just in case...
Stay at Songhe Hotel

Wednesday, 4/19
Tour of the Great Wall and Ming Tombs
Beijing to Xian (flight 8:05pm depart, 9:45pm arrive)
Stay at Ludao Binguan Hotel

Thursday, 4/20 (MY 10th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY! )
Tour of the Terracotta Soldiers, Xi'an
This site was created by Qin Shi Huang, a founding emperor of the Qin Dynasty. Begun in 247 BCE when Qin Shi Huang was enthroned at the age of 13, the mausoleum is in fact a magnificent underground palace.
Stay at Ludao Binguan Hotel

Friday, 4/21
Train to Kaifeng, Henan Province
Motor coach to Shangqiu

Saturday, 4/22
Bus to the villages where Global Ministries' projects are on-going

Gangwang District, Zhecheng County, in Henan Province is one of the most impoverished areas of China. With the help of a Beijing medical school student and a government official we will travel to this area which has been hit by the affects of HIV/AIDS. The average yearly income for these farmers is $700 a year on their one acre "farm." Several years ago, some sold their blood in order to earn extra money. The needles that were used were tainted with HIV/AIDS and now many have died, are sick, and have left children without caregivers. If you have talked to me about this trip, you know that this project is something I am passionate about and seeing our programs there will be a highlight for me.

• Background on our work in Henan Province
• Small loan program for farmer families living with HIV/AIDS
  Through the Small Loan Program for farming families borrow interest-free, short term loans to establish projects such as pig-raising and green-houses. Funds are returned after four months and then lent to another family or the same family.
• AIDS Village Foster Home for Children and Child Sponsorship in Henan
  Over 100 children have been orphaned in the Shuangmiao Village in Henan Province. Many have been left to care for themselves. A home has been established for 50 children in the village. Through the Global Ministries Child Sponsorship Program these children are receiving health care, food, and education.
• Paint for Chengliu Primary School
  With our partner the Zhecheng Succor (HIV/AIDS) Society, Global Ministries is building 12 new classrooms in the Chengliu Elementary School. One-third of its 400 students have family infected by HIV/AIDS. Many students have dropped out because their ill parents could not afford to send them to school. A photo of the new construction is at the right.

Return to Zhengzhou
Capitol of Henan Province, on the Yellow River

Sunday, 4/23
Train from Zhengzhou to Guilin (train 10:58am depart, 5:36am arrive)
From what I understand, we will be staying in "soft sleeper" cars during this 17+ hour train ride. 4 people to a car, with bunks, and we'll at least have a bathroom (I asked). There will be many stops along the way, where we can sample different foods.

Monday, 4/24
Arrive Guilin 5:36 am
Downtime with facials, massages, lunch, walk along the river, etc.
Guilin is considered the Garden City (see photo to the right). It is small by Chinese standards, only a half million or so. Here we get to relax.

Tuesday, 4/25
Bus to Longsheng for day trip
We will travel by bus to the hills of Longsheng, where we will see the Dragon's Backbone Rice Terraces (see photo below).
Return to Guilin

Wednesday, 4/26
Bus to Yangshuo
Lunch or dinner in Jiuxian
We will have the opportunity to ride on the Li River and admire the karsts (see photo to the right).
What is a karst? These strange knobby hills are what makes the Li River so famous. Karst is a geologic term that describes geologic formations subject to forming caves and sink-holes. Limestone and gypsum are typical materials that makeup these kinds of formations. They dissolve easily in water. Over time the ground water will migrate in an underground stream carrying the dissolved material along with it. Eventually caves will form, then sink-holes if the cave ceilings give away.
Night in Yangshuo

Thursday, 4/27
Wander the streets/shops
Bus back to Guilin for a trip to the famous Commodities Market
Goodbye dinner

Friday, 4/28
Guilin to Guangzhou (flight 8:00am depart, 9:35am arrive)
Guangzhou to Hong Kong (flight 11:35am depart, 12:35pm arrive)

In Hong Kong, we will spend time with two Global Ministries mission personnel - Bruce Van Voorhis and Judy Chan. We will have an opportunity to learn about justice issues affecting those in Asia, especially China.
Stay at Bianchi Lodge-Caritas, Hong Kong

Sunday, 4/30
Hong Kong to Seoul (flight 1:15pm depart, 5:40pm arrive)
Seoul to San Francisco (flight 7:40pm depart, 2:10pm arrive)

Monday, 5/1
San Francisco to Cleveland

All of China is 13 hours ahead of Eastern Time.

Bonder of Hins

My boss recently asked my coworker to send out a letter she had written. In the letter, she indicated that she would be sending a "bonder of hins" to the recipient. My coworker went to her and said, "Um, what's a bonder of hins?" Turns out it was a type-o for "binder of hints." But I liked the term so much when my colleague told me this story that we came up with all these great ways to use the word. Kinda like "snicklesnackle" it can mean everything - or nothing! For example:

"I'm thinking about bonder of hins for lunch today."
"The doctors think it's bonder of hins..."
"Shut up, you bonder of hins!"
"Man, my bonder of hins is really acting up!"
"What do I do for a living? I'm a bonder of hins."
"For vacation this year, we're going to bonder of hins."
"She drives a bonder of hins."
"Well, will you get a load of that bonder of hins!"
"I think I'm coming down with bonder of hins..."
"You'd better watch out for that bonder of hins!"
"He's a real bonder of hins alright."
"Where did you get that bonder of hins?!"
"Has anyone seen my bonder of hins?"
"I can't tonight, I've got to go to bonder of hins."

This reminded me of how the defining question when you meet someone new is, "What do you do for a living?" Once this question has been asked, you will be immediately judged by your answer. And all future interactions with the asker will be based on your answer, as well.

I hate the idea of being defined by what I do in order to make money so that I can have a life. Maybe for some people, their jobs are their lives, but not me. I want to be known for who I am, not what I do for work.

Back when internet stalkers weren't quite so prevelant, I had a profile on my e-mail account. For occupation, I put, "Personality Enhancement and Development." I started telling people this when they asked what I did for a living.

"What do you do?"
"Personality Enhancement and Development."
"Oh. What kind of college courses did you have to take for that?"

That's the funny thing - most people took it seriously and asked what that involved, where I went to school, etc. Rarely, someone would bust up laughing, and that was the kind of person who "gets it" more than most.

When it was on my e-mail profile, I started getting spam about seminars in "Personnel Development" so I guess I wasn't too far off from a real occupation. Sometimes, when people asked me what kinds of things I had to do, I would reply, "Mostly, I just sit around at home and think..."

Well, I'd do that until my bonder of hins started hurting...

Great Moments in Aunt-hood

• Singing the "Spongebob Squarepants" theme song at the top of my lungs with my nephew, and seeing him making this great face at the "OOOooooohhhhh" part, and then singing, "Bob bob bob bob, Bob bob bob bob" through the whole song (He says, "Bob-bob" for Spongebob).
• Going to the zoo with my nephew and hearing him say, "Whoooaaa!" at every habitat, even if there isn't an animal in it.
• Him being so excited to see me that he is jumping up and down and running at me for a hug.
• That he really wants to be with my husband and me and is comfortable sleeping at our house and doesn't make a fuss at all.
• Enjoying my favorite movie with him, and he is loving it, too!
• Being trusted enough to kiss the boo-boos.
• Making funny faces at each other until one of us starts laughing.
• Goodnight hugs and kisses.
• Sharing my favorite books and songs.
• Being able to shop for baby clothes and toys for someone.
• When he takes my hand to show me something, or says, "Runnie!" which means he wants to run with me (the toddler exercise program).
• Discovering the world through his new eyes and seeing things I never saw before.
• That he puts up with me when I take lots of pictures of him, and he even says, "Cheeeeze" most of the time.
• His little hand in mine.
• When he used to lie in my arms and just look into my eyes as a little baby.
• Snuggling and reading books at bedtime, and watching my husband read to him.
• Getting completely soaked while giving him a bath!
• One of the best Christmas presents ever - hearing him say my name for the first time on Christmas Eve!
• Cuddling!
• How hard it is not to laugh when he's being bad.
• Family Naps (ie: we all take a nap when he takes an afternoon nap!)
• Going to Panera Bread for dinner, where he and I had bagels, and when we were leaving, he looks back at the bakery area and yells, "Bye bye bagels!"
• Dance Parties and Jumping Parties (where all of us - my nephew, my brother, my sister-in-law, my husband, and me are either dancing around or jumping up and down)
• Going to the ZOO!
• That my brother and sister-in-law trust me enough to leave the most important thing in their world in my care.

Since I love being an aunt (and an honorary aunt), I'm sure there will be more to come...

Brow Down Before the Hair you Serve

* Note: The photo above is not me - it's a random photo I found...

When I turned 30, things started changing. Everyone who knows me knows that I am, as Depressionista puts it, "militant about personal hygiene." I MUST have a shower daily and I have a full regimen of cleanliness. I am constantly washing my hands until they bleed in the winter from being so dry.

I'm a bit obsessed with eyebrow plucking, too. When I was like 12, I was so freaked out about the possibility that I might have a uni-brow that I shaved between my eyebrows, which was really not a good idea, and I eventually moved to plucking, which has been an obsession/hobby ever since. Several months ago, I issued a self-moratorium on eyebrow plucking because I saw a photo of myself and thought my brows were looking a little weird. Sometimes I get carried away with hair removal, I can't help it. I think they grew back enough to look somewhat normal, and now I'm trying to pluck less often (and not go too far when I do).

It seems that the age of 30 is the magic age when your body starts changing. Things that never ached before start aching. And hair starts sprouting forth from strange places - or at strange lengths - or more gray.

I preface this post by saying all that, because I want you to know I experience the strange hairs of growing older, too.

So here's a bizarre phenomenon: I often see older guys with the super long eyebrow hair. You know what I'm talking about? There is that one rogue hair that seems to have a mind of its own. This rebel hair starts out innocent enough, saying to its compatriots, "I've had enough of just growing a certain length and then living a stagnant, apathetic existence. I'm going to be a non-conformist!"

Soon, it is long and unwieldy, and jutting forth obviously from its community of hair. My husband gets these sometimes and, bless his heart, he allows me to pluck them because they make me insane. My dad also gets these, more and more as he gets older.

But for some people, the rebel hair sets an example the other hairs can't help but follow. The rebel hair is such a charismatic leader that the other hairs start taking notice and soon you have a hair insurgency on your hands.

You've seen a victim of this. It's the older guy that has a bunch of super long eyebrow hairs, so long and disorderly and dangling like icicles over his eyes - you wonder how he can see through this shrubbery. The hair insurgency often spreads from there, and soon hair is springing forth from both inside and outside the ears, from the end of his nose, and probably many other places where hair has never before been so bold.

I recently had one of those eyebrow hairs. It was a secret agent hair, carefully concealing its identity by blending into the rest of the eyebrow. When I finally plucked it from its entrenchment, it was literally a good inch long. I was mortified by this discovery, but not that surprised. Occasionally, I will find a crazy long hair growing out of my forehead, or ear area, or cheek. I've also recently started finding a very course hair growing from the tip of my nose, which is generally plucked as soon as I feel it, before anyone can see it. It's usually a blond hair, but, for some reason, is not the usual soft downy hair.

What I always wonder is, at what point do you stop caring and give in to the hair regime that is taking over your body? At what point do you stop trying to pluck and groom and just let the hair rebellion take over, spreading anarchy across your body?

Also, its very distracting - have you ever tried to talk to someone with the crazy brows? You just can't stop staring at that eyebrow hair (or all the eyebrow hairs) and thinking to yourself, "Can't he feel that poking him in the eye?!?!"

My husband occasionally finds a super-long hair growing from inside his nose, which he sometimes leaves for me on the bathroom sink, usually resulting in dry heaves from me and a lot of yelling and foul language.

I started looking for photos of this phenomenon, and came across a story about the guy who holds the Guiness World Record for longest eyebrow hair. The photo is here at the right.

I have a feeling there will be many more hair stories to come...

Good Religion

I am right now at this very moment attending Ecumenical Advocacy Days in Washington DC. After much deliberation, I decided to attend the Environmental Justice segment. Yesterday I was exhausted, so I can't speak much for yesterday, but now that I've had a good night's sleep, a hot shower, and a couple of sessions this morning, I'm more ready to offer up some reflections.

So, what are Ecumenical Advocacy Days? This event is a gathering for policy education and advocacy held annually in Washington DC. This has become a flagship event for US churches to gather grassroots advocates to become engaged in global justice. There are close to 1,000 participants here this year: Protestant, Catholic, Evangelical, Orthodox, Peace Churches.

It's a neat event where the talk is more about the issues and the work being done than what separates the religions. To me, this is the kind of thing that organized religion SHOULD be doing.

In the first Environmental Justice segment, it was mostly about the Biblical basis of caring for the earth. While I am not big into the scripture thing, the leader made a couple of really good points. She started off by saying we weren't going to get into HOW the world came to be - there would be no debating between creationism and evolution. She said, "Can we all just agree that the world was created?" Good stuff.

Anyway, the bottom line is that we as human beings have been entrusted with caring for the earth and being good stewards of the earth's resources.

So, after that part, and when they started getting pretty in depth into the scripture part, I was starting to be sick and decided I had to go get some breakfast, so I skipped out on the rest of the session. Sorry, I had to eat.

The next session was about climate justice - namely global warming. Each of the people presenting was phenomenal. One was a climate scientist who works with a group called the Union of Concerned Scientists. She told about how she went to work in the arctic and expected to see lots of ice and polar bears - but when she arrived what she saw was a shocking amount of open water. She had some very scary examples of the recent dramatic shift in our climate.

• Since scientists have started recording sea ice levels, there has been a steady rate of freeze and melt from 1900-1950. From 1950-2005, there is a major decline in the amount of sea ice - more is melting each year than is freezing.
• In Gulf St. Lawrence, no seal pups survived in years when there was no ice (1967, 1981, 2000, 2001, 2002)
• In 2005, the earth experienced it's largest "melt" ever recorded.
• 19 of the hottest 20 years (on average for the world) on record have occurred since 1980. 2005 was the #1 hottest year. In these years, the arctic takes the largest hit.
• The ocean absorbs much of the heat of the earth, so when the world is hotter, the ocean is hotter - resulting in a higher percentage of Category 4 and Category 5 hurricanes.
• Scientists have studied the levels of Carbon Dioxide in the air and in trapped air bubbles in frozen tundras from prehistoric times. In the last 650,000 years, the CO2 rate hasn't gone above 290 parts per million. We are now approaching 380 ppm. This rate is rising so quickly that the ocean, which usually absorbs the CO2, can't absorb it fast enough. Also, the Ph of the ocean is changing from these high levels.
• The scientific community is saying that the world is literally "melting away."

We also heard from the director of Global Energy for the Sierra Club. He talked about how we know more scientifically about our environment than ever, but that our governments aren't doing anything.

Because issues of energy and environmental warming affect every aspect of existence, the Sierra Club is making this their #1 priority. They are working toward empowering people to affect change in their local communities - from their neighborhood to their city to their county. Already, communities are acting to make changes toward more efficient energy use in their community. A few points he made:

• Approximately 80% of air pollution is energy-based
• Politics are economic-based, not science-based

Next, we heard from someone from the Natural Resource Defense Council. He focused on the use of coal, which has environmental impacts on water (mercury, fish contamination), air (global warming) and land (strip mining). Not to mention the public health impact, from miners being trapped in mines, to mines being built on land that is not considered "economically valuable" - usually poverty stricken, minority areas where the people are not empowered to fight the placement of the mine.

One solution is to increase efficiency of all products/industries that use energy, and to offer incentive programs for those that do, and consumers that use them. Another solution is to use renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar power, and water. The interesting thing is that renewable energy sources are cheaper, quicker, and cleaner. So why aren't they an option?

• A wind project takes 1 year to produce
• A coal project takes 2.5 years
• A nuclear project takes 7-8 years

All the presenters agreed - there is no time to wait - we must make these changes now. And it IS possible. In Austin, TX, the city has legislated that by the year 2020, the city must be getting 50% of their energy from renewable sources.

Why am I sharing all of this? Because, about halfway through this presentation, I wished that everyone I knew and everyone in the world could sit there and hear what I was hearing because it was incredibly scary. Not in your lifetime? Think again.

Most importantly, there IS SOMETHING YOU CAN DO. I hope you will check out the links I've embedded here for ways you can help. You don't have to go to Washington DC, you don't even have to go to your state legislature office. Work in your own community to save the planet. This is not a drill.

The Wal

I love Walgreens. I recently started calling it "The Wal" after hearing a Dane Cook bit about an experience he had at "The Wal." I used to call it Walgrenns. I will probably refer to it both ways here.

For most of my life, Walgrenns was a phenomenon I only encountered on vacations - much like Walmart, I only went to them when I was in the south, usually Florida.

Then Walgrenns started appearing everywhere here. I wasn't a huge fan of them at first. I felt like a lot of their stuff was way overpriced, and I could never understand why they had coupons for tuna in the Sunday paper if they were supposed to be a "drugstore."

There have been numerous new ones built just this year. No joke - I just did a search, and there are literally 9 of them within 5 miles of my house - 5 within 2 miles. This is just excessive, yet wonderfully convenient - especially since the closest one is open 24 hours.

5 things I love about The Wal

1. You can find anything there - and some really weird shit, too. I got these cool pop-up hampers there once. And I love how they advertise on their signs, "Sweatshirts, 3 for $10." Isn't that just bizarre that you can get sweatshirts there? Sometimes I think they need to narrow down their product base or else it will start feeling like a flea market in there. Which it kinda does already, so maybe that's the fun of it. I wonder who and how they decide what they will sell.

2. While waiting for prescriptions, you can browse REAL Hallmark cards. It seems like most drugstores have the worst, cheapest, cheesiest cards ever. Not The Wal. They have genuine Hallmarks. Awesome.

3. Cheap milk. Since The Wall seems to have milk on sale just about every week, we almost always buy our milk there. It's even better if you are picking up a prescription at the same time.

4. After holidays, stuff is really cheap. I got some Christmas ornaments and cards there for next year and they were 90% off. Also picked up some Valentine candy to satisfy my chocolate needs super-cheap after V-day.

5. My absolute favorite thing about The Wal is finding their name on their "Wal" brand name on so many items. I actually get disappointed if I find something that says, "Walgreens Pain Reliever" instead of the more fun version, "Walbuprofin." If I have to wait for a prescription, or if I'm just in the mood, I like to scan the shelves for "Wal" versions of everything. If I find one I haven't seen before, I get really excited.

This all started when I started relying on Wal-tussin for cough and cold because it was so much cheaper, and it ended up working great for me. And I loved the name so much that I can't even remember the last time I referred to it as "Robitussin."

Whoever came up with this ingenious way of naming their products gets mad props from me.

Here are some that I've found (these are all real):

Wal-name...........Brand Name
Wal-dryl.....................Benadryl
Wal-four....................4-Way Nasal Spray
Wal-hist.....................Tavist Allergy
Wal-itin.....................Claritin
Wal-profin.................Ibuprofin
Wal-zan.....................Zantac
Wal-tussin.................Robitussin
Wal-mucil..................Metamucil
Wal-sporin.................Neosporin
Wal-borne.................Airborne
Wal-phed...................Sudafed
Wal-dram..................Dramamine

There are plenty of Walgreens brand items that don't have the "Wal" treatment, and I find that disappointing. I like to think of what the name would be if they had used the "Wal" treatment.

Here are some that I would suggest...

REAL NAME....................................MY SUGGESTION
Walgreens Zipper Seal Storage Bags..........Wal-zip
Walgreens Headache Relief.......................Wal-cedrin
Walgreens Stay Awake..............................Wal-doz
Walgreens Anti-diarrheal..........................Wal-modium
Walgreens laxative....................................Wal-lax

I just thought of a great one - feminine maxipads called, "Wal-ways." Get it?

I'm not sure I understand how they determine which products will get the "Wal" treatment and which ones won't. I guess that's all part of the fun of the game, and it's always exciting when a new product comes out that gets the Wal treatment.

Bad Religion

Yesterday, I was looking for some clipart online, and I come across an image of what looked like a JC fish that said "truth" on it eating a “Darwin” fish. Maybe you’ve seen these “Darwin” fish on cars – they look like the Jesus fish, but they say “Darwin" and have legs. Pretty humorous. (Sidenote: they actually sell replacement legs for these Darwin fish because militant Christians have been breaking off the legs - way to go Christians! Violently forcing people to believe in peace and love, that's the idea! "Let's break off their legs so they believe what we believe!") So, apparently the marketing folks at JC Inc. came across this new JC fish eating the Darwin fish in retaliation.

But it got me thinking – are there REALLY people out there that don’t believe in evolution?? That is just shocking to me. Who are these people? I really want to have a conversation with one of those people. I feel a bit like Ross on that Friends episode where Phoebe says she doesn’t believe in evolution.

Personally, I think that it is possible for religious people to believe in BOTH evolution and the JC/God/Sacred Casper triumvirate (you may insert your deity/higher power here). Maybe it is part of the master plan that the world started off a certain way that was commenced by an omniscient being – maybe a “big bang” initiated in the divine chemistry lab, ala Grandpa Munster. But then the world grew and evolved.

I think if you believe in history, you have to believe in evolution. Why is it so hard to believe that we were once apes? We have evidence that even viruses evolve – that’s why you need a new flu shot every year.

Just over 100 years ago, we didn’t have cars, we didn’t have antibiotics, we didn’t have computers or phones or airplanes. Wouldn’t you call the last 100 years an evolution of sorts? You can argue that we aren’t any better off with all of this “advanced technology” – but you can’t argue that we know more about our world and how it all works than we did 100, 500, 1000 years ago.

And we’ll know even more 100 years from now. Guess what – that’s evolution!

Speaking of religion, apparently the biggest issue facing our world right now is that, somewhere out there, among us, even living right next door to us, there are homosexuals. I find it just shocking that this is the big hot topic in our society – yes, this is even more shocking than the idea that people might not believe in evolution.

So, let me get this straight – people killing each other, rampant diseases, hunger, homelessness, abuse, global warming, war – those things all pale in comparison to the idea that somewhere, someplace, people are loving each other. That’s right – they are loving each other, and it’s just shocking! The religious right and politically conservative in this country must put a stop to it!

Ever think about the kind of impact people could have if they put that kind of energy toward ending genocide, feeding children, or even just BEING NICE TO EACH OTHER??

Now, that is the most shocking idea of all.

PS: While looking for a picture of the fish, I found this great article from the NY Times about the phenomenon: Jesus Fish, Darwin Fish: Unexpected Evolution of a Fish Out of Water

Below, my favorite fish parodies...

Cheddar WORST!

My craving and obsession for Cheddarwurst sausages has turned the corner. Yesterday, I had one for dinner, and ended up spending the evening burping up that sausagey taste, pooping more than usual, and occassionally grabbing my gut and moaning, "Ugghhhh.... Cheddddaaarrrrwuurrsstt..."

Matthew McConaughey is my soul mate. I've known this for a long time, and it was confirmed while watching the "Barbara Walters Special" last night. What I love best about him? The little wrinkles he gets on the sides of his eyes when he smiles. Next to a great personality and sense of humor, it's the feature I am most attracted to in a man.

Last night, I had a weird dream that I wanted to learn to play the guitar and this guy at a kind of record store (who looked like "Langly," one of the Lone Gunmen on the X'Files show - see picture at right) was trying to help me find a set that had CDs and music and such. Apparently, almost all the music they had was country. So I said to him, "I don't really like country music." And he got all excited because he didn't either, he was more an alternative kinda guy. So, he took me into another room where they had records. I was like, "Cool! I love vinyl. I have a record player, so this will work." He recommended that I go with "Firefall." He said, "You know their songs, right?" I was like, "Oh yeah, of course..." except I really couldn't think of one at that moment, but I was pretty sure they were 70s sappy love song types. And I thought it was a little weird that he would like them. I woke up then, and spent the morning trying to think of a Firefall song, and now I remember. They did songs like, "You are the woman that I've always dreamed of..." and "Just remember I love you." I actually have more of a fondness for those songs now than when I was a 70s kid.