31 December 2010

The Ghosts of New Years' Past

In regards to my typical end-of-year post, I am doing something different. I am drudging up bits and pieces of the last four years’ worth of end-of-the-year posts to see if I’ve learned anything new, glean any interesting insights.

Here goes:

Dec 31, 2006:

>>Well, here it is, New Years Eve Day, and I really have nothing to say.

>>Then we hung about the house for a couple of days, playing video games and whatnot. I can't even really tell you what we did, I don't remember. It must not have been anything major.

>>And there's part of me that feels absolutely worthless. I mean, this vacation should be about accomplishments. I have so many projects I could have been working on...painting, scrapbooking, sewing, etc...and I have done nothing but sat on my fat butt. I can't even begin to think about the weight I've gained.

I love how I start with “I really have nothing to say” and then proceed to while away two hundred words. I did notice, though, that thread of hopelessness and waste that seems to permeate this post.

Dec. 30, 2007:

>>I can hardly believe it, but I really haven't done much in the last few days that are worth writing about.

>>About the most exciting thing is that Brent and I have gone minivan shopping...but, we're waiting until March to do some serious purchasing.

>>We got the Nintendo Wii for Christmas so we've been playing that. I'm kinda hooked on Guitar Hero III, so I've also been melting people's faces (well, figuratively, it's just a video game).

>>We've seen a bit of family and friends. But mostly, we've remained in our little house, eating leftover chocolate and wearing sweats.

Again, that notion that my break has been spent in meaningless, forgettable pursuits. And…another comment about eating and weight gain.

Dec. 31, 2008:

>>This year, I propose we do less!

>>1. Lay aimlessly around the house less.
>>2. Lose temper with family less.
>>3. Smoke/drink less.
>>4. Spend less time doing housework and other energy-draining chores.
>>5. Eat less sugary foods.

An indirect, slightly less hopeless way of tackling the inactivity, the sloth, the food, the weight gain. As you can see, these are the topics that seem to take up most of my energy.

Dec. 29, 2009:

Last Christmas, we took the family to Las Vegas, and basically, the last post of 2009 was a recap of that trip. It’s too bad, really, that I did not find the time to insert something thoughtful and intelligent before 2009 came to an end.

Dec. 31, 2010:

This year, here’s what I feel good about:

That I can make no complaints about overeating and weight gain this break, because we’ve been watching our intake and exercising nearly every day this week and a half.

I can make no complaint regarding productivity because we’ve gotten a lot done. In fact, I got a couple of substantial tasks done before the break, so my burden was reduced even more.

Unlike previous New Years', this time around I can’t complain at all. About anything. This whole month of positivity has culminated here – the fact that I can’t be negative about anything! Why? Because I’ve taken the appropriate action! I can’t complain about my weight gain...because there hasn’t been any. Why? Because I’ve eaten right and exercised during these days off. I can’t complain about being overly lazy…because I haven’t been. Why? Some of those long-awaited tasks have been completed or are in the process of being so.

So, here’s my one resolution for 2011: Less talk, more action. Keep on keeping on.

Have a great New Year’s Eve!

13 December 2010

Dear Earth...

This is your mother speaking.

This message is for the children primarily within the Western-Northern Hemisphere section. America, that's basically you.

I understand that you are not very appreciative of the several inches of snow I sent your way this past weekend.

Why is this? You always complain about not having a White Christmas, so I tried to oblige this year. (Damned that Irving Berlin and Bing Crosby anyway.)

And, if my spies inform me correctly, you have a heap of charges to lay at my feet, including:

1. Ruining countless birthday parties, baby showers, weddings, and graduation commencement exercises.

2. Forcing many families to "hunker down" in the warmth and safety of their houses.

2.5 Forcing same families to wear pajamas all day long and eat lots of food and watch a lot of television.

3. Preventing thousands from finishing up their holiday shopping at those places called malls (Ha! When will any of you shop for me? I'd like a mended ozone layer, please.)

4. Forced hundreds of males to rev up their snowblowers...or worse yet, dig out their shovels.

5. Forcing thousands of children out into dangerous conditions to go sledding or build snowmen.

Have I missed anything, kids? Ruined, forced, prevented, impelled, did I? That is the pot calling the kettle black, methinks. What do you think you do to me on a daily basis?

Apparently, children, you missed the point: It's good to stay home, not spend money, wear comfortable clothing, and get fresh air.

Learn it. Love it. Know it.

That is all for now,
The Great Mother

07 December 2010

Gem #1

I have figured something out!

For a college class I teach, we are reading the non-fiction work "No Impact Man" by Colin Beavan. Essentially, Beavan (and wife and child) go "off the grid" for a year, trying to live a year of low-to-no impact on the environment. Naturally in a book like this, lots of environmental issues are discussed, but I am pleased at how many spiritual and psychological issues are illuminated as well.

A motif that runs throughout the book is the question: How do we not feel so hopeless? How do we not feel like we're swimming upstream most of the time?

I really like the answer of Mark Vonnegut (son of late Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.) - "We are here to help each other get through this thing, whatever it is."

If I may modify Mr. Vonnegut's words a little, I'd also add that we can prevent feeling hopeless by creating our own high points, our own special moments. We give ourselves something to look forward to, instead of just waiting for it to happen.

Life is monotonous, no doubt about it. But isn't it a little more bearable when you schedule tea with a friend? Supper and card games with friends? Ice cream with family? A romantic overnight stay at a bed-and-breakfast with a lover? A fact-finding trip to the library with children? A walk around the block?

Our family (my mother and father included) is about 98% positive that we are flying to Alaska this summer to visit my brother, who's in the Air Force there. My dad, enthusiastic in the beginning, has begun already to balk at the ordering of plane tickets. Yes, it's expensive, but with a little tightening up of the purse strings, it's manageable. That's why we're booking so early - to save up.

I am looking forward to the trip in so many ways, and I can't fathom why my dad is reacting the opposite. He's not a fan of flying and he'll definitely experience some discomfort at being so far home from home for ten days, but really? A trip to Alaska? A place he and my mom will never visit again in their lifetimes? To see his only son?

I mean, seriously, if he can't get himself together enough for a super-special trip like this...what else in his life is worth getting out of bed for?

See, back to Mark Vonnegut...it's this trip and the people I'm traveling and visiting with that helps me get through this thing, whatever it is. It's what will keep me going when I get bogged down by schoolwork or naughty children or grouchy husband or life in general this winter - that I have something cool to look forward to.

And, while I'm anticipating, I try to make the best out of the days in between here and there. And just try to get through this thing.

Whatever it is.

Scarf!

I attended a writers' group meeting at the public library tonight. Kind of on a whim, kind of in response to a parent who mentioned it to me in passing last week. It's a very informal thing. Small group. I guess everyone in the group has ongoing projects that they are working on. The leader had two prompts for us: 1. Write a 20 line poem about a favorite piece of clothing. OR 2. Write an accidental interaction between you and your favorite fictional character. I started with #1, finished it, and started #2. I didn't finish, but I most certainly will. I'm really very poor at writing poetry, so why not climb that mountain first?

SCARF

For Kerri

Winter, beware.
I have now donned my scarf.
What are mittens and hat?
Nothing, compared to a warm neck.
I'd wear my scarf in the summer,
 if I could with comfort.

A birthday present from a crafty friend,
 a hand-knitted rainbow of subtle colors.
Tasselly fringes dangle at the ends.
Is it wrong to want to worship a piece of clothing?
I loop it in a complex knot
 and feel very cosmopolitan
 in this small town.

My daughter asks to borrow it,
 and I, like a cat, hiss 'No'.
She's only nine.
 She'll lose it or rip it or stain it or
(God forbid) stretch it.
But, one day, if she's nice to her mom,
she may receive it as a family heirloom.


Cheers!

06 December 2010

After One Week Of Examination...

I am trying to look for the good in people/things for the entire month of December, and I am here to tell you that it is difficult stuff. I'm online a lot and everywhere I'd go was news of international tensions, murder, sabotage, disloyalty, infidelity. It is enough to make one feel desperately hopeless.

However, one week is enough time to provide one nugget of knowledge (well, maybe two):

1. While people are usually the ones destroying this world, it is filled also with people committing selfless acts of sacrifice and kindness.

2. The farther one travels from a central community, the more destructive people seem to get. Naturally, there are anomalies, but I'm finding the further removed people are from a community, the less impelled they feel to "do the right thing". From here on out, I will refer to this as Nelson's Law of Proximity or Nelson's First Law.

To me and mine, this means we will feel the most content and satisfied if we stay close to home and stay local. I don't mean to ignore world affairs (although for my own sanity, maybe I should) or shut myself off from the rest of the world. But, if I have a problem with education or politics or our culture, I should start small.

Quote Time! Because you know I love them!

William H. Johnsen reminds us, "If it's to be, it's up to me." And I think maybe I love Theodore Roosevelt's words the best, "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."

So, does this mean I should not donate monies and assistance to Haiti, Kenya, Africa, or another place in dire straits? Yes, for now. Because I believe that when I fix myself and those around me, the effects will begin to ripple out to others. How I can fix other countries, other peoples when there are so many in need right in my own hometown?

01 December 2010

Rough Start To A Month Of Positivity

Today is December 1st. Remember that I proposed to blog about nothing but positive, life-affirming things?

Looking like a test of mettle on Day One.

I shouted, yelled, shrieked - very loudly - at my oldest son this morning. I had asked him to unload the dishwasher (his daily chore) this morning. Ten minutes later, it still hadn't been unloaded, and he was downstairs, currently in the process of aggravating his younger siblings.

So, yeah, I cut loose with, "Spencer! Get up here and unload this dishwasher. NOW!"

By golly, then, he moved pretty quickly.

I suppose there are a thousand more positive ways I should have handled the situation. I could have pleaded, begged, cajoled, joked...but no, I opted for a good ol' scream down.



I realize that I have no positive mantra for the month. I have no techniques, no strategies to bring forth the positive thoughts. But here's something I'm going to keep in mind:

Number 9 on Monday's post is: Purge Negative Thoughts. This seems insurmountable, and maybe even unnatural. Any Taoist will tell you can't have the good without the bad, the light without the dark...and the same is true for positive and negative.

So, I think I'll be focusing less on the purging, and more on the doing - because I think it's what we do when we have that negative emotion that counts more than anything.

For example, this morning, the negative emotion I experienced was irritation and annoyance. Those things are hard to purge. But, how did I react? By screaming. Bad reaction.

In short, natural emotion, unnatural reaction. I think I know where I should channel my energies!

29 November 2010

College Textbook Contains Valuable Life Information!

I teach an advanced freshman composition class and one of the texts I'm using is "Becoming a Critical Thinker" by Vincent Ryan Ruggiero. It's a decent text, for college, I think.

But, the most noteworthy part I've come across so far is the bit titled "Guidelines for Successful Relationships". Okay, so the connection of this to a text about critical thinking is tenuous at best, but suspend your disbelief and read on.

1. Acknowledge other people. This means smile, greet, make eye contact with those around you.

2. Be generous with compliments, stingy with criticism and/or advice.

3. Keep your moods to yourself. I'm sure the author means negative moods. Positive, upbeat moods should be trumpeted, I think.

4. Expect more of yourself and less of others. This seems to dovetail with the highly useful adage "You can't change others, you can only change yourself."

5. Make allowances for differences of opinion.

6. Be sensitive to others' feelings. Stay away from things that insult, ridicule, or humiliate others.

7. Balance talking with listening.

8. Think before speaking. Personally, I think this one could have its own chapter. It's very vague and non-directional. It sounds so easy, and if it were so, wouldn't we all just be doing it? It reminds of the advice of "eat less".

9. Purge negative emotions.

10. Refrain from gossiping.

11. Apologize when you are wrong.

12. Forgive when you are wronged.

13. Be a peacemaker.

14. Meet your responsibilities to others. Do what you say you're going to do.

15. Look for opportunities to be kind.

Wow, huh? Is it even possible? What would someone who did all of these things automatically be like? Somebody I couldn't stand? Somebody I couldn't be comfortable around? Somebody I'd take a bullet for?

See - the bummer here is these above behaviors, I think, are not reinforced much in our society. If you watch 'Desperate Housewives', being nice is not fun, it's not sexy. And, I tell you what, it's hard to do because most of these behaviors were not modeled very well for us.

But, we'll work on it!

So, here's your assignment (channeling Teacher right now!): Which of these are you better at? Which ones do you implement into your daily lives? Which ones do you struggle to master?

20 October 2010

A Departure...For Now

No, not from Blogstream! Silly rabbits - as if you could get rid of me that fast!

A departure in topic, I mean. I did promise I'd talk about something else besides food.

So, let's go with another area where the government has done its fair share of meddling: Education.

It's hard to be a public educator these days. Most of us are well aware of the problems in schools today. It's impossible to be out there on the front line and not be, you know? Consequently, this painful awareness often breeds helplessness, and so, many educators are excellent at passing the buck (myself included at times): it's the administration's fault, parents' fault, the system's fault, the state's fault, the legislators' fault. The Blame Game plays on and on and on...

Most of the time, I try to do the best I can with the resources I am given. Us good teachers want the best for kids, honest, and we are doing everything within our power to make that happen. We spend unpaid hours and uncompensated money over the summer, on the weekends, in the evenings - for our students.

However, when you wear the teacher AND parent hats...clashing of those two worlds is inevitable.

For example, I truly feel the middle school is the time for exploration, for survey, for options. I found out at parent-teacher conferences last week that because Spencer is in orchestra every day, he will have no elective choices for his 6th, 7th, and 8th grade years. No foods, communications, art, FCS - because that's all his schedule allows. That seems so ridiculously limiting to me (parent voice). How will he know what to get into in high school (and later, college, then life?) if he doesn't sample some of those options now? (parent voice)

And yet, I know this scheduling snafu is not done maliciously by the the school - budget cuts last year caused the release of three teachers (educator voice). Counselors and administrators are working within the system the best way they can (educator voice).

But, there's got to be a better way to provide for kids (this is about the only thing my educator and parent voices are agreeing on right now!).

I can pull Spencer out of orchestra () or prevent him from taking electives (). Ultimately, my "good parent" skills will come into play (as well they should - but not everyone has them). If I pull him out of orchestra, then I should arrange for private lessons ($) so that he may keep working on his music. If I don't pull him out, I should then provide opportunities outside the school day for him to practice art, foods, etc., which in this day and age is not insurmountable.

Ideally, Spencer should have orchestra every other day and an elective of his choice on the day opposite, but, alas, financial woes do not make that conducive to materializing.

Regardless of whose fault it is, the school is not adequately providing for my son's lifelong learning, so what are my options?

Homeschool?

20 September 2010

Boy Chases Squirrel

There it is, folks. The meaning of life boiled down to three words.

I suppose you want the story now, eh? Well, I've got time...

On the first free evening I've had in awhile, I took Elliot (Mr. Six) to the park (his choice). He clambered a bit on the wooden apparatus before he disappeared from my sight. With new book (What To Eat - Marion Nestle) and water bottle in hand, I found a bench closer to the playground to watch him.

It isn't soon after that he has abandoned the playground equipment to run around on the green lawn that surrounds the park. He appears to be chasing squirrels. This entertains him for several seconds before he finds a long, slender branch on the ground. I then watch him transform from squirrel hunter to ninja with sword. Several moments pass in this fashion before he becomes enamored of the rickety circle swing - and now he's a human monkey.

He wanders closer to me after many minutes, and I ask him what he's doing. He doesn't respond, racing off instead at the sight of another squirrel. And that's when I thought to myself: Yeah, shut up, Mom.

We're absolutely stupid if we think we have nothing to learn from children. Here's what I gleaned in these few precious minutes watching my son:

1. More watching and listening. Less talking and lecturing.

2. As parents, we often ask our children "What are you doing?" but how often do we mean it as a question of curiosity? Most of the time, we mean it as a question of reprimand, critique, authority, or anger.

3. Elliot wants to catch a squirrel - so he has to chase one. It's fun. It's adventurous. It's impossible. Fortunately, he doesn't know that yet...but by God, the dream is a good one. And so, I will practice Axiom #1.

4. Mr. Squirrel managed to cross the street during the chase, bringing Elliot back to me. He informs me sagely that even though the squirrel crossed the street, he did not.

5. Children sure got some right ideas when it comes to living decently on this damn planet. Live for the moment, go for your dreams, safety first. Why aren't we taking notes?

I hope I never forget these lessons.
I hope I always have the wherewithal to tune in when the universe is talking.
I hope my kids never get old.

05 September 2010

Gem Of The Day!

These words, spoken by poet Rainer Maria Rilke, completely summarize and encapsulate the feeling and meaning behind my last post...and my feelings towards boredom in general. Enjoy!

"If your daily life seems poor, do not blame it; blame yourself that you are not poet enough to call forth its riches; for the Creator, there is no poverty."

Heather's Interpretation: If you're bored with your surroundings, it's your own damn fault.

03 September 2010

Good Ol' Honest Abe

One of favorite quotes of his:

"People are usually as happy as they make up their minds to be."



Classes at the university I teach at began about a week ago, and this last Wednesday I was asked by a student where I was from. I responded with "Iowa" and then he asked, "what do y'all do here?" I guess I didn't respond quick enough, because he and a few other classmates launched off into a tirade about how "there is nothing to do around here."

I suppose for young adults coming from big urban cities, a small Iowa town (pop. approx. 11,000) is pretty boring. But then. I've always believed everyone has the power to create their own entertainment. That probably explains why many college students get into trouble with alcohol, drugs, or video games the first year in college...too busy creating their own entertainment.

The student in question goes on then to tell me that where's he from, there is so much to do. My guess is that he's used to big shopping malls, stores, nightclubs, hangouts, and other entertainment facilities.

Ruminating about this over a cup of coffee with my husband this morning evoked further thoughts on this.

I think this student's situation (and many other similar ones) are scarily indicative of how independent we humans are NOT. Or, at least, this younger generation.

Exhibit A: With the exception of a small garden that is yielding a decent crop of tomatoes, my family is inadequately prepared to produce our own food. Sure, I can go to the grocery store, make healthy dinners from scratch, bake my own bread, etc...however, I am hard-pressed to know what to do should my town's grocery stores collapse. And not to mention, how would I get them through the winter?

We absolutely depend on these stores, which depends on fossil-fuel-burning transportation, which depend on farmers. Without them, we starve. And my case is probably the rule, rather than the exception.

Exhibit B: Now that we have televisions, computers, cell phones, video games, etc...we don't rely as much on our brains for fun. Why expend the energy to entertain ourselves with a book, crossword puzzle, board game or conversation when we can easily flip on the Wii, xBox, or MacBook?

Back to the student in my class. He has moved here from an area where he had access to all the above things...in addition to cool places to go. Naturally, how can the laid-back, slower paced lifestyle of southeast Iowa compete?

What are the consequences if somewhere along the way, shopping malls, video game stores, arcades, dance clubs, bars, etc. all collapse? How will humans deal with boredom? Will crime increase because there's nothing else to do? Or, will we dig deep down and find that inner resourcefulness that impels us to sit down to a quiet game of Magic with friends?

05 August 2010

Good Enough?

This summer, I haven't read nearly as much as I would have liked, but what I've read has been good.

Right now, I'm working on "Paradox of Choice" by Barry Schwartz. I particularly like the subtitle: How the culture of abundance robs us of satisfaction.

I've just read a particularly interesting section I'd thought I'd share: Maximizers versus Satisficers.

Maximizers are those that do a lot of research/thinking when faced with a choice, whether it be over a new job or a new sweater. Maximizers have very high standards and will agonize over nearly every decision, wondering if they could have found a better deal elsewhere.

Satisficers, on the other hand, don't feel the need to "shop around". They don't worry about the best deal - if they come across an item, situation, etc., that meets their standards and criteria, they take it. It's not that they have lower standards, it's just that they are perfectly content with 'good enough'.

You might read the above descriptions and know which category you mostly fit into. Really, though, no single person is ever an 100% Maximizer or Satisficer...we all have categories in which we maximize or satisfice. Most of the time, Brent and I are satisficers - we make decisions with very little regret. But, Brent is definitely a maximizer when it comes to technology - he will deliberate over those matters intensely. For example, he spent an ardent, agonizing week earlier this summer deciding if he really wanted/needed a BlackBerry. There was much debate and rumination on his part, both internal and external. On the other hand, I'm pretty impulsive, and usually it works out pretty good for me.

However, the author of this book contends that people will be most content if they can fit themselves into the Satisficers category for most decisions. This could mean major personality changes for some people.

Frankly, I think this can lead to some very good questions: What is the best? Why is it so important? What's so wrong with good enough?

23 June 2010

Letting Go

There's nothing like a flooded basement and its subsequent reorganizing to help one sift through the accumulated crap on one's life.

The entire storage/laundry/husband office area has been in need of cleaning up and cleaning out. Today was the day. Please note the vital statistics:

80 - dollars spent on plastic storage
3 - hours spent on project

Hot Spot #1: Craft Shelving Unit. We had used various items to complete art projects throughout the year...we'd put none of it back in the right spot. Puff balls, styrofoam balls, and paintbrushes were scattered, willy-nilly. The CSU looked as if it had thrown up yarn, pipe cleaners, and glue sticks. Within forty-five minutes, this area was sifted, cleaned, separated and labeled.

Hot Spot #2: Another free-standing shelving unit that could only be described as "Household Potpourri". Light bulbs, painting equipment, the Kirby vacuum attachments, soapmaking items, etc. Again, a half-hour later rendered a much neater, nicer multi-purpose unit. Significant changes here include disposing of the soapmaking materials (a phase I went through about six years ago) and rearranging of the paint roller skeletons/drop cloths/painter's tape.

Hot Spot #3: The huge free-standing, hand-built (by previous owners) shelves which contained most of the crap that had survived the move from Minnesota to Iowa nearly five years ago. Items of interest include:

* Relics from high school and college times (both Brent and I)
* Our wedding unity candle
* Iowa State butt cushions
* Luggage
* Newspapers from significant events like our children's birthdays, September 11, and January 1, 2000.
* Diaries
* Baby books
* Educational materials from student teaching

Now, I am a keeper to a certain extent, but mostly I'm a pitcher. My husband, on the other hand, will keep nearly everything.

He insisted on keeping the entire newspaper from each of our children's births (not a local, small-town rag, I might add here). In the end, I threw out everything but the City/Region section, which included the kids' birth announcement as well as a sampling of the top stories in the area - for posterity's sakes. Then, he disdained the newspapers we'd kept the three or so days after the WTC bombing. Now, these I fought for...and won. I mean, from a journalistic standpoint, the front page headlines were "DISBELIEF" and "TERROR FROM THE SKIES" with tremendous photos of the bombing aftermath...when in history have we ever seen headlines like this?

Eventually, Brent sought refuge elsewhere, especially after I asked (implored/impelled) him to relocate his high school artifacts to a plastic tote (previously stored in a damp cardboard box). I also might have suggested he go through the box and get rid of unnecessaries...I mean, I was just trying to help, why be so touchy?

However, events were in motion; I was on the trash warpath. Math tests I'd kept since college found a new home in the garbage, as did several graduate school booklets. Folders containing schoolwork from high school were pitched. Old picture frames, too. Still, a significant amount of mementos remain, which were then packed into clear plastic totes and labeled appropriately.

In the end, three totally full black garbage made it to the garage, along with roughly ten cardboxes of various size on its way to recycling.

At the end of this very satisfying day, I am reminded of Albert Einstein's Three Rules of Work:

1. Out of clutter find simplicity.
2. From discord find harmony.
3. In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.

So, so, so, so, so true.

Letting Go

There's nothing like a flooded basement and its subsequent reorganizing to help one sift through the accumulated crap on one's life.

The entire storage/laundry/husband office area has been in need of cleaning up and cleaning out. Today was the day. Please note the vital statistics:

80 - dollars spent on plastic storage
3 - hours spent on project

Hot Spot #1: Craft Shelving Unit. We had used various items to complete art projects throughout the year...we'd put none of it back in the right spot. Puff balls, styrofoam balls, and paintbrushes were scattered, willy-nilly. The CSU looked as if it had thrown up yarn, pipe cleaners, and glue sticks. Within forty-five minutes, this area was sifted, cleaned, separated and labeled.

Hot Spot #2: Another free-standing shelving unit that could only be described as "Household Potpourri". Light bulbs, painting equipment, the Kirby vacuum attachments, soapmaking items, etc. Again, a half-hour later rendered a much neater, nicer multi-purpose unit. Significant changes here include disposing of the soapmaking materials (a phase I went through about six years ago) and rearranging of the paint roller skeletons/drop cloths/painter's tape.

Hot Spot #3: The huge free-standing, hand-built (by previous owners) shelves which contained most of the crap that had survived the move from Minnesota to Iowa nearly five years ago. Items of interest include:

* Relics from high school and college times (both Brent and I)
* Our wedding unity candle
* Iowa State butt cushions
* Luggage
* Newspapers from significant events like our children's birthdays, September 11, and January 1, 2000.
* Diaries
* Baby books
* Educational materials from student teaching

Now, I am a keeper to a certain extent, but mostly I'm a pitcher. My husband, on the other hand, will keep nearly everything.

He insisted on keeping the entire newspaper from each of our children's births (not a local, small-town rag, I might add here). In the end, I threw out everything but the City/Region section, which included the kids' birth announcement as well as a sampling of the top stories in the area - for posterity's sakes. Then, he disdained the newspapers we'd kept the three or so days after the WTC bombing. Now, these I fought for...and won. I mean, from a journalistic standpoint, the front page headlines were "DISBELIEF" and "TERROR FROM THE SKIES" with tremendous photos of the bombing aftermath...when in history have we ever seen headlines like this?

Eventually, Brent sought refuge elsewhere, especially after I asked (implored/impelled) him to relocate his high school artifacts to a plastic tote (previously stored in a damp cardboard box). I also might have suggested he go through the box and get rid of unnecessaries...I mean, I was just trying to help, why be so touchy?

However, events were in motion; I was on the trash warpath. Math tests I'd kept since college found a new home in the garbage, as did several graduate school booklets. Folders containing schoolwork from high school were pitched. Old picture frames, too. Still, a significant amount of mementos remain, which were then packed into clear plastic totes and labeled appropriately.

In the end, three totally full black garbage made it to the garage, along with roughly ten cardboxes of various size on its way to recycling.

At the end of this very satisfying day, I am reminded of Albert Einstein's Three Rules of Work:

1. Out of clutter find simplicity.
2. From discord find harmony.
3. In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.

So, so, so, so, so true.

19 June 2010

Summer Fashion Trends!

Today was the first day in awhile that a.) the kids and I happened to have NOTHING to do and b.) the weather was hot and sunny.

And when these two things transpire at the same time, you all know what that means - it's time to hit the local swimming hole!

I always welcome the first pool day of the year. I look forward to observing the latest swimsuit trends, as well as the unveiling of exotic tattoos. In addition to this, I get a kick out of the social interactions between young men and ladies, who are engaged in their delicate and complicated dances of courtship.

1. The hot swimsuit trend this year is the string bikini. We're talking the old-school string bikini - the two triangle-shaped pieces of fabric that just cover the boobs and the briefs that tie at the sides. The colors this year are bright....turquoises, chartreuses, and fuchsias. I'm no slave to fashion, and so I did NOT turn out in my neon-colored two-piece.

And the world breathes a collective sigh of hidden-stretch-mark relief.

While I'm on this topic, I also noticed how easy it how to tell which girls were wearing their first two-piece ever...they kept their arms permanently crossed across their stomachs and breasts. I thank the stars that Kirby still prefers wearing one-pieces (although I'd have no problem lowering the parental hammer should she express a desire to wear a string bikini in the near future).

2. Being the tattoo admirer I am, I always enjoy pool season for this very reason. The hot new trend in this area appears to be tattoos alongside the rib cage, as I noticed at least one bikini-wearer sporting a line of stars along her side. I've also noticed that the number of tats a person has is directly proportional to the number of times they walk around the pool. The more tattoos, the more laps...

3. Nothing is new in the world of young people's interactions with the opposite sex. There are no current new trends, no new fashions. Every way that young people interact today resembles ways of roughly twenty years ago...except instead of string bikinis, girls then wore an early 90s version of a monokini. Otherwise, please note:

Similarity A: Girls then and now come to the pool in full makeup. But: 2010 girls go heavy on the black eyeliner. 1990 girls go heavy on the blue mascara.

Similarty B: Girls then and now come to the pool with their hair done.
But: 2010 girls have sleek, flat-ironed locks. 1990 girls have high bangs and sprayed wings.

Similarity C: Girls then and now slowly walk the poolside. Many times. So that 2010 and 1990 boys will notice them. Many times.

Similarity D: A, B, and C are done so that boys will pay attention. They usually show this by splashing the girls with chlorinated water. Both 2010 and 1990 girls are torn because a.) they want boys to pay attention to them, but b.) they don't want to spoil the hair and makeup that's gotten them that attention.

Similarity E: After much cajoling from the boys, 2010 and 1990 girls will finally enter the water...only to either be a.) abandoned for belly flops off the diving board or b.) dunked underwater. At this point, both 2010 and 1990 girls realize the futility of the whole experience and either a.) sigh with disgust and return to the safe haven of their girlfriends or b.) don't care about looking like idiots and follow the boys to the diving board/deep end/concession stand, etc.

So, to recap, here are your swimming pool dos and don'ts:

1. Don't wear bikinis.
2. Get tattoos so I can look at them.
3. Don't do your hair and makeup to come to a SWIMMING POOL.
4. Stay away from boys - they're icky.

26 May 2010

Nothing Is A Given

As I consider the enormity of the English language, there is one word right now that I can’t stop thinking about:

Fair.

A word that is so overused…and yet a word that describes a concept that is so vague, elusive, intangible. Probably because it is so overused.

We’ve all heard it. We’ve all said it. We’ve all thought it.

“That’s not fair!”
“To cry fair or foul.”
“All’s fair in love and war.”

My online dictionary defines fair as “in accordance with the rules or standards.” Most of the time, that definition works for me. But I realize, it works for me ONLY because the “rules or standards” happen to go with my own desires and wants at that time.

When someone exclaims something is not fair, it’s usually because they feel they were entitled to some specific outcome/behavior. Many times, the entitlement is justified; it is in accordance with the typical society’s “rules and standards”.

For example, I have always believed that when I (and my spouse) was ready to have kids, we would readily, easily conceive them. I considered that “fair”. And, when the time came, that’s how it happened. All three times.

But wait, how many loving, amazing people are out there want the same as I did? Millions. How many of those same are not having children easily? Millions more, probably. Friends close to me are having conception issues – they have waited, pondered, researched for years – they have done all that thinking that most of the rest of us didn’t do. It seems “fair” to me that they should be more entitled to children than I was. Whose “rules and standards” are in effect here?

Another example of a skewed sense of fairness concerns a former principal I worked under; his six-month-old infant son passed away unexpectedly last night. According to the “rules and standards” we’re used to, we are entitled to outlive our children. It just seems to align with the natural sense of the world. I wonder now: where did I get that right to believe that?

These things cause me to call my idea of “fairness” in question. Once upon a time, I might have cried these things “weren’t fair”…without any sense of what I really meant. Now, because I do believe the universe unfolds as it will, despite what we do, these things occur for some cosmic reason. And, I don’t have to remind you guys that our “society” is not the end all-be all. There is a larger, more sublime “Society” that exists, and it has its own rules and standards…ones that we will probably never, ever comprehend.

Now, all I can really say is: These things aren’t fair…to me. And probably not to people I know, either.

Does this make you feel helpless? I hope it’s doesn’t. I think we waste too much time proclaiming what’s fair and what isn’t. It doesn’t matter – it’s what a person does after the judgment that matters.

25 May 2010

Letting Go - Corollary A

So, why do we hold on to the things we do? As I sifted through the medley of items collected throughout my years on this planet (as discussed in the previous post), it occurs to me I have no reasonable logic behind keeping what I keep. And throwing what I throw, for that matter.

Exhibit A: I found my wedding dress about three days ago. After my wedding, I'd had small damage repaired, the entire thing cleaned, and then boxed/packaged up nicely in a "keepsake box". The heavy-duty cardboard box contains a clear oval cut-out, which allows me to view the wedding dress's bodice in its beaded and sequined glory. However, it creeps me out a bit, as the dress is fitted over a dismembered plastic mannequin torso, rendering it head and legless. Kind of like Stephen King meets "Brides" magazine.

Of course, I wish I knew what exactly I was thinking some thirteen years ago when I had it done. The purpose? The need? Who knows. More provocative, though, is why I've left it that way for the last decade-plus. And why now do I have the fervid desire to rip the box open, put it on (even though it will be too big), and go shopping at WalMart?

Who can comprehend the post-wedding human mind? Who, indeed?

Exhibit #2: I'd packed five years' worth of "free" Iowa State University phone books into my Container O' Memories. Every dorm room had its own copy, which found its way into my luggage at the end of every school year.

WHY? WHY? WHY?

Originally, I think I kept them as proof of my progression through college; proof that I'd actually made it. You know, in case I ever lost my diploma or developed amnesia and forgot I graduated from college. Now, I think I've saved them because I'm so vain (I probably think this phone book is about me).

It occurs to me now that I should have just ripped out the page containing my name and saved that instead of the whole phone book. Oh well, in another ten years, when I go through those relics again, I'll do just that.

Going through all this stuff has provided a key discovery to my own personality: I keep things that remind me of things I could possibly forget. That's why the most of the Rochester Post-Bulletins of my children's birthdays did not make the cut...I will never forget my children or when I had them. They were the important things that occurred on those days; all other top stories are irrelevant to me. But, the 9/11 newspapers remain because it's an important historical event I don't want to forget.

And for this reason, the collegiate phone books will join the discard pile someday. I doubt I'll ever forget I went to college; I mean, every job I've ever gotten is because I have a college diploma.

And the wedding dress? Will I ever forget I'm married? I doubt it. Not when I wake up next a cute, conservative Aquarius every morning. Not when I interact with my three children on a daily basis (one of whom is his dad through and through). Not when I see our wedding picture displayed in the living room. Not when I catch the glint of my wedding band on my ring finger.

Now...if I ever get Alzheimer's...all bets are off.

02 May 2010

My 35th Year

I suppose I owe my faithful readers a recap of the thirty-fifth year of my life - what with my birthday being almost a week past now. I know I've stalled on composing this post, and I'm not sure why. Perhaps once I get to it, I'll realize it was a larger topic than previously thought.

I won't bore with the list of presents I received or activities I did. Instead, I'll regale you with the insights of a woman in her 35th year...because after all, I'm one year better and wiser; so the story goes.

First off, the month of April opened up with a new addition to my body.

I was first inked when I was eighteen. In the pre-cell phone and Internet era, what does a teenager do once she's left her parents' house and rules behind?

Besides have sex for the first time, I mean?

I get a tattoo! The only problem was that I'd put no thought into what I wanted; thus, I wound up with a design that was trendy and faddish at the time. I also did not consider where I would have it done; thus I ended up with the left shoulder. I don't regret getting the tattoo, but it occurs to me that 99% of the time, I forget I have it. And even if I did have it somewhere that I saw it often, it would have little significant meaning to me now.

But...I knew, deep down, I always wanted another tattoo. Finally, the germ of an idea came to fruition about a month ago. Right around my 30th birthday, the idea of having my astrological symbol tattooed appealed to me. But, I just quite never found the design I wanted...and ultimately, I never was quite compelled enough to get it done.

Then, the turmoil of the last year put the tattoo idea on the backburner. My husband and I separated and I was in the midst of a major job change. Getting a tattoo fell on the list of priorities. However, earlier this year, when things seem to set themselves right, the idea of a tattoo experienced a rebirth. I determined this year was going to be the year - but what? and where? The astrological symbol was still a possibility, but it had lost a bit of its luster. Even more of a vague notion was where to put it? All I knew was that I wanted it somewhere more visible.

Then, in what I can only explain as a total confluence of the planets, Providence, and/or other celestial forces unknown to me...the tattoo imprinted itself in my brain, as if it had been there along, waiting for me to remember it.

"Not all those who wander are lost."

One of my most favorite lines from one of my most favorite books. The rearranged blog title of a good friend here at the Stream (as well as IRL). The sentence engraved on a silver bracelet I'd long eyeballed in the Pyramid Collection catalog. And - a sentence that had more meaning for me than ever before, considering my journey of the last year.

The location? My foot. Yes, it was the trendy spot right now, but what better place, honestly, for THAT phrase?

So I went Easter weekend and got 'er done. After seven minutes of some pretty serious pain, I was done. And:



I love it. I see it everyday and I am reminded of my philosophy:

I really have no idea where I'm going. I don't know what tomorrow will bring. But, I'm not lost. I'm wandering, but it's okay.

So, that's the words of wisdom gleaned from my 35th year. As much as society stresses that we all "have a plan", it's okay that I don't. I don't always know what I want to do with my life, I don't really have all my "safety nets" in place, I can't always see the "big picture", and who I am now might be totally different tomorrow.

And I think that's the way it's supposed to be.

18 April 2010

Another PSA From Mother Nature

I'm on the treadmill this morning and the top story on the Today show is all about the volcano eruption in Iceland.

A significant portion of Europe has completely shut down to the insanely enormous plume of ash and smoke that hovers over much of that continent...

Thousands of travelers are stranded at airports...

As expected, the human-interest producers at the Today show look to capitalize on the natural-disaster-connection angle. Part of this morning's segment included information about the last year's earthquakes – there are a significant number of 8.0+ earthquakes that rocked planet Earth recently. Add that to the last five years’ worth of natural disasters: tsunamis, hurricanes, tornados, mudslides, floods, volcanoes – it appears, surmised the beautifully coiffed host, that Mother Nature is sending us a message.

Well, yes, DoubleBreastedBusinessPantSuit Lady, she is. Are you just now tuning in? Are you really that clueless that you have to ask the question?

Over the roar of all our medical and technological advances, she is definitely trying to tell us something. First of all, she’s reminding us that she’s in charge of the planet, not us. Ultimately, we humans are the mortal ones, and for all our bravado and condescension, we should remember that in the blink of an eye, our lives are gone. Who else but Mother Nature can annihilate hundreds of thousands of people in one go? And we pay good money to people who predict the weather? Ha!

Second, I think Mother Earth is trying to tell us that there are way too many people on this planet. People have too many kids, they take up too much space, and they make vaccines and whatnot that prolong people’s natural lifespan. Frankly, maybe she’s trying to clear some room out for the rest of us.

I will stop my train of thought here for fear of being considered callous, heartless, cruel…not that I really fear it, but still…

And for all my own uppity pretentiousness, I can advocate no reasonable solution for this natural disaster dilemma. We certainly can’t stop them from happening, and so I don’t think there is any purpose in squandering valuable energy and thought on worrying about things like tectonic plates or dormant volcanoes. A change in mindset, though, might be in order: remember that our time here is very limited (when you think about how long rocks, trees, rivers, etc. have been around). We should all pick four or five things that REALLY matter and work on building happiness and contentment within those things. Forget what the bitter hearts or Hollywood or Cosmo or even the government (at times) tell you what’s important.

Lest I spread confusion on this point, let me clarify. Do what makes you happy – yes. Focus on what’s important to you – yes. Use this as an excuse to build a meth lab or neglect your children or become selfish – NO.

15 April 2010

Seven Days of Craziness Makes One Weak

You've all heard of Sir Isaac Newton, I'm sure, and can quote, verbatim, his first law of motion...

Neither can I. I had to Google it. But, it's okay, I can now Google in a box, with a fox, while eating lox. It's all good.

Anyway, the law reads as thus:

Objects that are in motion will remain in motion until an outside force is applied upon it.

Ol' Newton probably was talking about billiard balls and miniscule quarks when he devised this law...but nevertheless, the principle rings true today.

Things around here got underway Monday with play practice. It's a new season for Oskaloosa Community Theater, and yours truly is directing the first show! Before that, however, I participated/witnessed a very interesting (not totally in a good way) Board meeting.

Since that night, life has been a frantic cycle of exercise, work, school, taxicab, soccer, and play practice. Isaac knows what I'm talking about...I am constantly in motion until an outside force is exerted upon me...usually in the form of sleep. It's no wonder this week has flown by. Oh yeah, Elliot fractured his little boy hand, and is in a cast (the first time ever for ANY of our children).

Our positivity experiment took a backseat for sure this week. Last night, though, we seemed to regroup a little and refocus. Today's task was to speak/act in ways that built/created/developed.

For example, instead of berating a child (or spouse) for something not done this morning, spend the energy instead looking forward. Focus on the next time...the next morning, etc.

This hypothesis was tested today when Brent became highly irritated at a Facebook post of mine...and this post triggered thoughts of past annoyances/aggravations for him. It seems now he has gotten over it, and we are continuing forward.

What's terribly interesting is applying Newton's first law to the idiosyncrasies of the human heart. It is very easy to fall into a pattern of remembering and getting bogged down by the past...because after all, science says it's natural for objects (even homo sapiens) to do so. The trick is to consciously make our minds change direction - the external force is a lot harder for the mind to come by than a set of billiard balls.

For sure.

27 March 2010

Buffeted By A Major Storm...and When To Let Go

You ever have those times when you type or write a word out and realize that it's a weird word? Weirdly spelled? Weirdly pronounced? Today, "buffeted" is that word for me. Tomorrow, it will look and sound totally fine.

I try to live by one simple rule: strive to live in ways that will bring emotional contentment. It occurs to me today that I mostly live in ways that keep me from avoiding uncomfortable situations. I diet and exercise to keep from being uncomfortably obese. I work two part-time jobs to keep from being uncomfortably tied down to the work world. I write, shop, read, watch Ellen, and Google for pleasure to keep from being uncomfortably bored and stupid.

However, these actions are not a real pursuit of happiness...they are an avoidance of vexing circumstances. And I find that's not a totally keen way to live one's life.

The last two days have perhaps been the two of the most uncomfortable, unhappy, irritating, annoying days of my life. Not too good when your whole life goal is to avoid such situations!

Today, though, I woke up early, felt grateful for all my working limbs and went off to work out. Through a mix of weightlifting, talking with my career-challenged dad, and listening to the Black Eyed Peas, I sense the spirits lifting. It's amazing how the body and brain and universe sometimes collaborate for the betterment of the human person.

Things don't seem so insurmountable today. I know that part of it is the nature of time and part of it is my natural tendency to mobilize in the face of stress.

And so, I let go of all things stressful today. I have done what I can do, said what I can say, and now I am moving forward. Other, better things await me today.

03 March 2010

I Castigate Myself...So You Don't Have To

My god, it has been a week and a half since my last blog post. That is completely unacceptable!

Therefore, I will now deliver forty lashes to myself in chastisement. However, since I don't have access to a leather belt, cat o'nine tails, or bullwhip, I will have to use my computer charging cord. Let me reassure you, it is wire encased in plastic and has a little magnetic nub on the end which will, no doubt, leave serious welts.

I humbly prostate myself and beg your forgiveness for my sloth.

**********

Anyway, there's been a lot going on around here. The weather is finally starting to look up. We have temps in the high thirties, bright sunshine, and bluey-blue skies. That in and of itself is a definite spirit-lifter. Then, the university I teach at is on Spring Break, so I have been the beneficiary of a shorter-than-usual workday and long, leisurely afternoons. Of course, this is tempered with the fact that I have a lot of grading to do. You take the good, you take the bad...

My exercise routine is becoming well-established and my diet is going along decent lines. In general, I am feeling better and am looking forward to better days...

And to end on an up note: My husband is taking me to see The Black Eyed Peas later on this month - and those tickets came in the mail this morning. Also, one of our favorite brands of local wine was on sale today as well. See...life is good! I am on top!

17 February 2010

On The Topic Of Funerals

So here's a Blogstream-worthy post...

My husband's aunt passed away this last week. She had cancer, so it wasn't a terrible surprise (not that it still isn't sad though...). The out-of-state funeral was Saturday and we were unable to attend due to previously made plans. However, when Brent saw his mom on Monday night, she filled him in on the details.

My mother-in-law's most pressing concern for her brother and her deceased sister-in-law? Their "lack of faith"...specifically their lack of a church. The seemingly most important fallout from this was the attendance of about 25 close friends/family. The general feeling from my mother-in-law and later my husband was that it was "sad" that so few showed up.

To me, the most saddest piece of information was not the "poor" attendance but the fact that Brent's aunt had been estranged from her mother for nearly twenty years. The aunt had specifically requested her husband NOT to inform the mother when she (the aunt) passed away. Now, that is sad.

So, this all launches into the ginormous debate about our own funerals. This story reinforces Brent's belief of the importance of joining a church - to have a network of close friends who will come to your funeral when you die. He wants to have a huge funeral, so he knows he was loved and respected. That was his wording.

I'm sure you see the problem here?

He'll be dead. He won't know who or how many respect and love him anyway.

Well, I got into trouble when I told him this. I guess I wasn't being understanding enough, etc. etc. etc.

Frankly, I'm OK with 25 people at my death party...if they are 25 of the most caring, loving, and important people in my life. I'd rather have that than 100 so-so friends/acquaintences. And I certainly don't need a church to usher me into the afterlife (or whatever lies beyond).

But, that's just me. To be honest, I'd like to have the kind of funeral that Rucker Blakeslee had in the book "Cold Sassy Tree"...a big party in which there is dancing and tons of food. Nobody can wear black (specified in Rucker's will), nor can anyone be sad or crying. The funeral-goers, however, CAN tell funny or memorable stories about the guy.

That sounds pretty good to me.

14 February 2010

Valentine's Day 2010

I certainly had a memorable Valentine's Day this year. Most years this holiday has been utterly forgettable - I cannot really remember any VDay gifts or activities from past years.

Until 2010. This year, I took the initiative to book two tickets to a Valentine's Dinner at a local winery. I simply decided to get past the typical protocol bullshit and got the tickets because I wanted to go and I wanted Brent to go with me.

It. Was. Such. A. Blast.

First of all, I knew I wanted coordinating outfits. It sounds cheesy, I know, but I just wanted to do it. I happened to have a cute bright turquoise 50s-style dress, usually paired with a cute black cardigan sweater...so my end of the ensemble was complete. Brent would require new wardrobe pieces. He decked out in black slacks, black button-down shirt, and a bright turquoise tie.

We arrived at Tassel Ridge at 6:30 for an hour of wine tasting before dinner. That was great - we sampled several different wines and noted ones we wanted to purchase later. In between the sipping, we noshed on Brie and bread bits dipped in flavored olive oils...along with about thirty other couples. I noticed another coordinating couple...red and black.

The buzz had kicked in by 7:30...we then sat down to a mixed greens salad, topped with crumbled blue cheese and slivered almonds. Brent claimed he knew I was "wasted" when I said I liked the blue cheese crumbles. I reminded him that this was true blue cheese dressing...not the vile puke Kraft markets. The pairing wine for this course was called "Candlelight". Apropos, no doubt. Fortunate for us that it was a wine we'd sampled earlier and enjoyed.

The next course brought mashed garlic potatoes, beef tenderloin drizzled with an "In the Dark" reduction, and roasted vegetables. The wine here? A dry red called "In the Dark." The food was excellent, the wine was not. However, we are not dry wine-loving people, so that explains it, I suppose. In fact, Brent and I prefer the sweet wines...what Captain the Wine Connoisseur refers to as "pancake syrup". I actually did not finish my food, as I was too busy chatting with my husband over a myriad of meaningful topics. A waitress whisked my plate away at my first pause...which was okay by me. Brent's cheeks were pretty rosy with the flush of wine by the time the molten chocolate cake dessert came around...complete with the Osky Fizzante pink. I did not finish this dish either - it was very rich...it must have been because I am certainly not one to let chocolate go to waste.

After a few more minutes of chitchat and browsing in the wine shop, yours truly (being the more "sober" of us two) drove the ten minutes back home.

It was just so much fun. We felt like adults (how funny!). I will definitely be taking advantage of Tassel Ridge's events again...soon!

23 January 2010

Most Satisfying

My inner spirit has been most appeased during the course of this still-not-yet-over-weekend.

Last night: Watching my husband get loopy from drinking one Long Island Iced Tea. Meanwhile, one Bloody Mary and two Rolling Rocks caused me to be a tad more belligerent, but not a jot less coherent.

Same night: Driving through McDonalds to satisfy an ice-cream cone craving, watching same husband drop his cone into his lap, later causing him to claim his ice-cream tasted like "pant leg". My cone was consumed in its full, unblemished, vanilla goodness.

This Morning: Looking up the recipe for a Long Island Iced Tea and discovering it's fairly high alcohol content.

Later On: Doing groceries and saving almost $11 with coupons. It just feels like I've given the big middle finger to the food companies of America who try to stiff us on high prices and bloat us on crappy nutritional content.

Way Later On (Straddling Sat-Sun): I must say I am somewhat satisfied with the contents of my winter closet. First of all, I have a decent variety of colors and styles to suit any occasion of the winter season. Many of my tops/sweaters/shirts are multipurpose, meaning I can pair them with work khakis or trousers as well as jeans. However, when I set about the very satisfying task of organizing my closet by color, I noticed something very interesting...

All long-sleeved tops - includes basically anything that is not a t-shirt.

13 - Pink
1 - Orange
4 - Green
4 - Blue
2 - Purple
2 - Brown
4 - Black
4 - White

Do you see what I see? An inordinate amount of pink. Definitely disproportionate to the rest of the colors of the rainbow. Perhaps this activity will help temper my shopping habits: if I choose to purchase a new article of clothing (aka top), it may not be pink. Or...if it is pink, I must discard a pink shirt from my wardrobe in its place.

I feel as if I am John the Apostle, who received the Revelation on the Greek island of Patmos. I have heard the word of the fashion god.

Sunday Morning: Arose at eight o'clock and completed the following tasks before hopping in the shower at 10:45.

1. Made a carrot cake (will be icing later).
2. Reorganized spice racks and pantry area (with help of daughter)/
3. Made Veg Noodle Soup and portionalized for the week ahead.
4. Prepared pot roast for today's dinner.
5. Prepared baked potatoes for today's dinner.
6. Did a load of laundry.

To me, this is a very satisfying way to spend a Sunday morning. In the kitchen. After my shower and lunch, I'll probably go workout, throw the roast and potatoes in, finish laundry, frost the cake...

19 January 2010

Many Thoughts - Let Them Commence

My inner spirit has been most appeased during the course of this still-not-yet-over-weekend.

Last night: Watching my husband get loopy from drinking one Long Island Iced Tea. Meanwhile, one Bloody Mary and two Rolling Rocks caused me to be a tad more belligerent, but not a jot less coherent.

Same night: Driving through McDonalds to satisfy an ice-cream cone craving, watching same husband drop his cone into his lap, later causing him to claim his ice-cream tasted like "pant leg". My cone was consumed in its full, unblemished, vanilla goodness.

This Morning: Looking up the recipe for a Long Island Iced Tea and discovering it's fairly high alcohol content.

Later On: Doing groceries and saving almost $11 with coupons. It just feels like I've given the big middle finger to the food companies of America who try to stiff us on high prices and bloat us on crappy nutritional content.

Way Later On (Straddling Sat-Sun): I must say I am somewhat satisfied with the contents of my winter closet. First of all, I have a decent variety of colors and styles to suit any occasion of the winter season. Many of my tops/sweaters/shirts are multipurpose, meaning I can pair them with work khakis or trousers as well as jeans. However, when I set about the very satisfying task of organizing my closet by color, I noticed something very interesting...

All long-sleeved tops - includes basically anything that is not a t-shirt.

13 - Pink
1 - Orange
4 - Green
4 - Blue
2 - Purple
2 - Brown
4 - Black
4 - White

Do you see what I see? An inordinate amount of pink. Definitely disproportionate to the rest of the colors of the rainbow. Perhaps this activity will help temper my shopping habits: if I choose to purchase a new article of clothing (aka top), it may not be pink. Or...if it is pink, I must discard a pink shirt from my wardrobe in its place.

I feel as if I am John the Apostle, who received the Revelation on the Greek island of Patmos. I have heard the word of the fashion god.

Sunday Morning: Arose at eight o'clock and completed the following tasks before hopping in the shower at 10:45.

1. Made a carrot cake (will be icing later).
2. Reorganized spice racks and pantry area (with help of daughter)/
3. Made Veg Noodle Soup and portionalized for the week ahead.
4. Prepared pot roast for today's dinner.
5. Prepared baked potatoes for today's dinner.
6. Did a load of laundry.

To me, this is a very satisfying way to spend a Sunday morning. In the kitchen. After my shower and lunch, I'll probably go workout, throw the roast and potatoes in, finish laundry, frost the cake...

14 January 2010

Ellen Vs. Oprah

Usually, I am on the treadmill at the Y around the four o'clock hour, at which time I have a serious choice to make.

First off, let me include a disclaimer: I am very naive and impressionable when it comes to daytime TV talk shows. After all, for the first time in my life, I have distraction-free access to this type of TV programming! Egads! I am a bit like a child at the circus - I am unsure what to look at first: the comically dancing white lady or the more-serious-yet-not-less-compelling black lady?

So - what better way to make a serious decision such as this? Make a list!

ELLEN:

+ Her mannerisms make me laugh. I loved her "Ellen" show way back in the day.

+ The camera always pans to the keyboardist who does her music, and he's always laughing at something she's saying.

+ The audience is always smiling and laughing.

+ She includes little mini-segments, like the one today called "Ellen's Quest for World Domination". She telephoned some guy at that tower in Dubai and asked if she could put a flag of herself on top of their tower. How audacious is that? I love it. I was drawn to that like I...I mean, one might be drawn to a show like "Jackass".

BUT...

- Sometimes she has side guests...like the five-year-old piano prodigy who can play Chopin perfectly. That I'm not really interested in - it only serves to remind me that my children are not prodigies of any kind.

- There's a lot of audience participation-type stuff. Not that I'm totally against that...but one of the main reasons I tune in is to see the celebrities, or even Ellen herself. I'm not too keen on watching my next-door neighbor, who can play the recorder through her nose. But, that's just me.

Now...

OPRAH

+ She discusses very compelling issues. One episode was a spin-off of Hoarders...people who keep everything they ever get. Trashed houses, filthy, clutter everywhere...I couldn't stop watching it; I was enthralled. My kids and I rushed home from the Y to finish watching it - which we NEVER do. But it was that fascinating. Part of another episode (today's, actually) was about a 41-year-old woman who was lamenting the fact that she couldn't get a boyfriend. So Oprah sends out Nate Somebody, her "go-to" guy to solve this problem. Turns out the woman has Harvard-like expectations: dealbreakers include the guy having a Facebook page or using a drinking straw. Psycho!

+ It's Oprah. I loved her in "The Color Purple".

HOWEVER...

- For every episode like the two I described above, she also has episodes where she brings Robin Givens on to talk about Mike Tyson or Whitney Houston on to talk about Bobby Brown. Eh. Just not my bag.

- No laughing keyboardist sidekick.

- Prepare your rotten tomatoes and hate emails, but sometimes she gets too philanthropic for me. It's cool that she supports a lot of good causes, but hell, she's got the money to do so. Frankly, at four in the afternoon, I want to workout, get sweaty, and be physically fit...I don't want to be made to feel like a heartless ass.

So yeah, wow. Looking at this list - it's definitely a tough call. I'm going to need to know more, which means watch some more episodes. I don't know, for now, it will have to be a day-by-day judgment.

02 January 2010

Angels & Demons

I’d attempted to read Dan Brown’s “Angels & Demons” about three times before actually succeeding earlier this year. I was surprised at my recalcitrance, as I’d loved “The DaVinci Code”.

Anyway, it was a great read, and my husband and I finally got around to watching the movie. Great movie! Yes, things were changed from the book, but fortunately, it’d been so long since I’d read it – ignorance was bliss.

There were two lines that I thought were very profound. The protagonist (Robert Langdon, played by Tom Hanks) is explaining to Ewan McGregor’s character before he goes into the Vatican archives his stance on religion and he says, “Faith is a gift I have yet to receive.” I don’t know what is it really about that sentence, but it’s really deep. I just liked it.

The second one occurred much later in the film. One of the cardinal dudes tells Tom Hanks, “Religion is flawed because man is flawed.” And it struck me that perhaps that is my problem with organized religion. Christianity makes me uncomfortable because of its enormous dependence on one man (Jesus), twelve men (the Disciples), and many men (the Council of Nicaea). Their teachings and decrees were interpreted by more men, and as time passes, cultures and attitudes change radically, and after a thousand years, Christianity has become something I am positive Jesus did not intend it to. Wars have been fought, innocent people slaughtered, ignorant prejudices created that cannot be erased – all in the name of Christianity.

All right, all right, I’ll stop. Believe me, I used to be a lot more virulent than this.

I think that movie’s line pinpointed and clarified for me why Paganism holds such appeal. It is a nature-based religion, and nature does not change and is not subject to the whims and desires of man. And because it is such a personal experience, any flaw in a man stays within that man. Paganism does not have any organized, hierarchical clergy, and thus, nobody is responsible for “spreading the gospel”. Therefore, Pagans don’t rely on one man’s interpretation. There is no God, no Bible, and no Commandments.

Again, I must stop. My essential point is that “Angels and Demons” is a great book and movie. It’s been a long time since I’ve watched something that really provoked me and made me think.