I ran today. Each day I run I get faster and stronger. Even if I'm tired I find some way, some small simple way, to push myself.
I love running.
When I run I don't think about "gee it would sure feel nice to stop" I think, "okay. Just get to that next tree. Okay now get to that next trash can! You're doing great! Keep it up! You're more than halfway there. Relax your shoulders. Drop your elbows. Control your breathing." Along with my own, I hear the voices of every high school track coach and personal trainer I've ever had.
That personal voice inside a runner's head is awesome. I don't know where it comes from. All I know is running is a form of meditation...and your inner strengths start making themselves known in a very positive, steady way. I think that God gives us many gifts that seem enjoyable for simple reasons on the surface, like running, horses, children,... chocolate...) but have a much deeper spiritual influence if you allow it.
Let me say this; I don't run very far or very long at all. I maybe go a mile and a half. It takes anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes and then that's it, I'm done for the day. Every day I run a little farther or a little longer but even on the days that it's hot out or my muscles ache, I at least run my minimum standard which is five laps around the dirt pathway at La Cienega Park in Beverly Hills. I have no idea how far it is, but I know what I can handle even on a bad day.
I love that each step leaves a worry behind. Any anxiety I have in the day or for the day is gone when I'm done running and not only that, I feel amazing, because I focus on my strength and not my tired or weak legs, or the side stitch in my stomach. I notice those pains are there, but I ignore them. Because I know if I think about them - they'll win - and I'll stop. And anyone knows that if you stop it's really hard to get going again.
That's how I think about having faith and works. Sometimes I only have hope and while that's a good start and hope gets me around the track of life, my eyes are down focusing on the ground in front of me so I don't trip. Faith with hope is like taking the blinders off, looking up, feeling the wind push you forward, notice the trees, the smiling babies on blankets in the grass. With faith and doing, it's like all the doors and windows of love and opportunity are open .
That's a great day.
But some days, running into the wind with your head down is all you can do. And you question why you're doing it and maybe all you know is that sometime it's going to pay off. The dirt, the sweat, the aches and pains.
I love running. But my favorite part of running is being done. When I get to sit in a shady spot and stretch while nature is all around me and the noises of the city that would usually bother me blend with the birds and the laughter and the silence in my body into an orchestra of peace that lets me know I can be anywhere and do anything and that the world is alive around me and that it's so much bigger than where I'm sitting. Being done with the 5 laps, out of breath, sweating, tired, I get to say, "I DID that. And I didn't give up when I wanted to just because it was hard." My blood is moving and my mind is clear and that is SO much a better part of me than the me that sits in the house all day, anxious like a neglected cat.
Then, it gets better because I go home and I eat oatmeal with honey and fresh strawberries. I make a smoothie and take my vitamins. A different me may have stopped at McDonalds, but not this time. I went running today. And I will tomorrow, and the next day, and the next.
Every day from the time you get up keep a piece of paper next to you, in the car, around the house and write down every single thing that you do that makes you feel strong. Write, "I felt strong when...I got up at 7am instead of sleeping in." Or "I felt strong when I didn't get angry at the guy who honked at me." It could be anything large or small, just write it down right away. Trust me, this will change everything and you will be running with faith instead of just hope.
(The above instructions are taken from a book/dvd called "The Truth About You - Your Secret To Success" by Marcus Buckingham.) Do it.
Here is my list from two days ago:
I felt strong and uplifted when I told Paul, "It's going to be a great day."
I felt strong when I decided to fold my clothes and put them away now instead of later.
I felt strong and amazing when I prayed with strength and faith unwavering!!
I felt really strong running five laps without stopping.
I felt strong and peaceful when I spent more time stretching than I did running.
I felt strong when I didn't allow other people or odd things to distract me.
I felt strong when I remembered I do things because I'm good or can be good at them and I enjoy them.
I feel strong when I gain power over my thoughts and expressions.
I feel strong when I own what I say.
Here's some scripture:
" And if men come unto me I will show unto them their aweakness. I bgive unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my cgrace is sufficient for all men that dhumble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make eweak things become strong unto them. "
"And Christ hath said: aIf ye will have bfaith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is cexpedient in me."
" And again, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto you concerning ahope. How is it that ye can attain unto faith, save ye shall have hope? And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have bhope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise. Wherefore, if a man have afaith he must needs have hope; for without faith there cannot be any hope. And again, behold I say unto you that he cannot have faith and hope, save he shall be meek, and lowly of heart."
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
A Very Brief History of Our Summer Thus Far
June 1st - Star Date - Paul and I pack up the Mazda and head westward. First stop Niagara Falls! Good thing we brought our passports because it's true what they say, "the Canadian view is the best!"
Personally, I really enjoyed the American view as the walk path (Walk path? where am I? Seventeenth century England?!) The SIDEWALK is just feet from the raging river and goes right up to the edge of the falls! I am happy to say, I did not fall over them like in my dream. I have to say though, the falls looked EXACTLY like I saw in my dream even having never seem them before, even on TV.
That's Las Vegas in the background. Just kidding, that's Canada. Which has become very Vegas-like. Hence this groovy diner we went to shaped like a flying saucer:
The second day we drove through Buffalo, NY (Paul's birthplace wut-WUUUT!) Where they had a life-size bronze buffalo standing in the grass next to the freeway on-ramp. It made me think of Dances With Wolves and all of a sudden I was craving raw meat. Did you know that Buffalo, NY is the place that invented "buffalo wings"? I know! Me neither!
We powered through the corner of PA and on the way past Detroit, MI I gave a shout out to Jack and Meg White of my favorite band The White Stripes and appropriately sang one of their verses, "to Toledo...Toledo...Toledo..." Their lyrics are a bit complicated really.
Then on our way through Indiana we decided to stop by Notre Dame and see if we could run into our favorite underdog, Rudy Rudiger (from the movie Rudy no less). The campus is GORGEOUS and completely rebuilt brand-spankin new. GORGEOUS. Paul wanted his picture taken next to this statue. It made us feel like alumni. - Paul just informed me that he really wanted his picture taken in front of the statue (that can't be seen) on the top of the building in the background of the picture below. Suuuuure.
Then on our way through Iowa and Nebraska (longest state EVER!) these flat-bed semi trucks kept passing us on the opposite side carrying these HUGE windmill blades that were so big they could only fit one blade on each truck and they ran the entire length of the flat-bed. We came up over a hill (I think it's the only hill that exists there) and there were these HUGE windmills scattered through the countryside! It looked like we had time warped to the future! So cool. The first picture I attempted while driving didn't turn out as this "England" semi truck drove right in front of me which snapped a funny "gland" instead:
Here we go: They were big! I swear!
We drove down through Colorado which, I guess if there was a no- so-gorgeous part, we were there. This is as pretty as it got:
When we hit the 70 FWY (I've never been that way) it was gorgeous! Utah is an exceptional state so I'm glad that all the ugly-haired people congregate in one place because it leaves the rest of it's natural grandeur all to me. As the ground became more deserty you could see similar formations of Zion National Park mixed with some Arizona wilderness. My mind went wild with imaginations of cowboys riding their horses through dried up creek beds looking for Indians or lost cattle. I love it out there!
We ended up in St. George, UT where we gorged ourselves on Cafe Rio and spent the night in a brand new, gorgeous La Quinta hotel that only cost us $85 for an extended suite, sausage and egg breakfast, free newspaper, and heated pool! I didn't want to leave. Memories of Thailand came back; the refreshment of cold clean sheets after long hot days...with bugs.
Through Nevada we by-passed our usual stop for the delectable banana coconut smoothie at the Wynn when we realized we would arrive at my dad's in Ventura way ahead of schedule. HEY! Why not stop at the ghost town!!
Many times I have made the drive through Death Valley always spying the curious white writing, "Calico" up there on the rocky hillside. Is it really a ghost town? With old broken boards and tarantulas making their homes where people of old once slept? Paul and I steered the car off the mysterious exit where we followed the signs and the empty road toward adventure. The past was calling and we had to listen. We reached a gate where a pasty, young man stood, "That will be twelve dollars." TWELVE DOLLARS! Paul had a royal fit. I looked over at him and didn't see my husband of two years but a grumpy old man who had too much sun for one day. I put my foot down. If we were ever going to see a real ghost town, this was it! God wills it! The pasty guy gave us two dollars off and we were in. Much to my husband's credit.
We were surprised to find a tourist bus and a full parking lot. What the?! Where did all these people come from? We hiked a small hill. And before us stood not a ghost town but something much...much...newer! We were walking on a paved road. The original structures had been fully rebuilt and turned into gift shops and concessions. !!! There were bits and pieces here and there of true remnants, but the whole of it was simply replicas! We had been ripped off! This was no ghost town! This was a ride taken out of Knott's Berry Farm! (Ironically Mr. Knotts had purchased the land back in the day and promised to "conserve" it.) Puh!
The one thing I did enjoy about Calico is that because it is in the original setting you get to feel and hear the dessert. It's so dang quiet and hot out there it's easy to imagine the miner's lives among the rock and dust.
Arriving via "the back way" through Filmore/Santa Paula to Ventura, CA is my favorite. Well, coming down the 101 through Santa Barbara is probably way better, but I digress. Ventura, for those of you who have never been there is heaven. It's always a perfect 73 degrees with the Santa Ana winds carrying fragrance in the air.
We found a studio apartment here in Westwood below UCLA. So when Michael Jackson died, we got to hear the helicopters over our roof for hours. Joy.
Along with MJ copters we also get to enjoy the Iranian protesters across the street (we live across the street from the Federal building) so we hear their chants, singing and unending car horns ALL DAY LOng.
So one night Paul and I were going over to my buddies, Matt and Trip's, for some good ole Relay Pictionary. Just before walking out our door saying, "I'm ready are you ready?" Yup! I noticed Paul and I were wearing the exact SAME outfits!! BY ACCIDENT!!
Are we married or what! I was so embarrassed - not only to go out in public like this but to actually admit to myself that this was only the beginning. Pretty soon we'll be showing up to Christmas parties with matching ugly sweaters...and flannel! Subsequently (I don't even know what that word really means, but I think it fits nicely here) we also realized that we were wearing the same green color that all the Iranian protesters were wearing! NOOOOO!
We had a good time anyways.
This is turning out to be the longest post ever so I'll breeze through the rest.
I finally got to go out with a girlfriend of mine, Arielle. I got all dolled up and Paul started drooling. Sorry Paul. Ladies night! Arielle and I went to The Comedy Store in Hollywood to see two hours of stand-up comedy that was so foul-mouthed and raunchy that what ever was left of my virtue at the end had to be pieced together the next day by throwing my scriptures in the blender with some olive oil and drinking it, hoping that through digestion and osmosis I'd be whole again.
She's a diva AND she's modest! How DOES she do it?!
The next day I couldn't walk. That morning I had been jogging in La Cienega Park and decided to stop and do some calf raises. Thinking back to my horse riding days I recalled that my right leg is half as strong as my left. So like any person who's out of their mind, I did a cujilion raises on my right leg. A day later Paul had to practically carry me into Urgent Care where I had an ultra sound from my groin to my ankle to make sure there were no blood clots from the tears and strain on my calf and behind my knee. Some new crutches and a Vicadin later I was out of it. I missed my friend Amy Wade's going away party. Bummed. We found that nobody can look sexy in a hospital gown. It's a fact!
...OR IS IT!
Personally, I really enjoyed the American view as the walk path (Walk path? where am I? Seventeenth century England?!) The SIDEWALK is just feet from the raging river and goes right up to the edge of the falls! I am happy to say, I did not fall over them like in my dream. I have to say though, the falls looked EXACTLY like I saw in my dream even having never seem them before, even on TV.
That's Las Vegas in the background. Just kidding, that's Canada. Which has become very Vegas-like. Hence this groovy diner we went to shaped like a flying saucer:
The second day we drove through Buffalo, NY (Paul's birthplace wut-WUUUT!) Where they had a life-size bronze buffalo standing in the grass next to the freeway on-ramp. It made me think of Dances With Wolves and all of a sudden I was craving raw meat. Did you know that Buffalo, NY is the place that invented "buffalo wings"? I know! Me neither!
We powered through the corner of PA and on the way past Detroit, MI I gave a shout out to Jack and Meg White of my favorite band The White Stripes and appropriately sang one of their verses, "to Toledo...Toledo...Toledo..." Their lyrics are a bit complicated really.
Then on our way through Indiana we decided to stop by Notre Dame and see if we could run into our favorite underdog, Rudy Rudiger (from the movie Rudy no less). The campus is GORGEOUS and completely rebuilt brand-spankin new. GORGEOUS. Paul wanted his picture taken next to this statue. It made us feel like alumni. - Paul just informed me that he really wanted his picture taken in front of the statue (that can't be seen) on the top of the building in the background of the picture below. Suuuuure.
Then on our way through Iowa and Nebraska (longest state EVER!) these flat-bed semi trucks kept passing us on the opposite side carrying these HUGE windmill blades that were so big they could only fit one blade on each truck and they ran the entire length of the flat-bed. We came up over a hill (I think it's the only hill that exists there) and there were these HUGE windmills scattered through the countryside! It looked like we had time warped to the future! So cool. The first picture I attempted while driving didn't turn out as this "England" semi truck drove right in front of me which snapped a funny "gland" instead:
Here we go: They were big! I swear!
We drove down through Colorado which, I guess if there was a no- so-gorgeous part, we were there. This is as pretty as it got:
When we hit the 70 FWY (I've never been that way) it was gorgeous! Utah is an exceptional state so I'm glad that all the ugly-haired people congregate in one place because it leaves the rest of it's natural grandeur all to me. As the ground became more deserty you could see similar formations of Zion National Park mixed with some Arizona wilderness. My mind went wild with imaginations of cowboys riding their horses through dried up creek beds looking for Indians or lost cattle. I love it out there!
We ended up in St. George, UT where we gorged ourselves on Cafe Rio and spent the night in a brand new, gorgeous La Quinta hotel that only cost us $85 for an extended suite, sausage and egg breakfast, free newspaper, and heated pool! I didn't want to leave. Memories of Thailand came back; the refreshment of cold clean sheets after long hot days...with bugs.
Through Nevada we by-passed our usual stop for the delectable banana coconut smoothie at the Wynn when we realized we would arrive at my dad's in Ventura way ahead of schedule. HEY! Why not stop at the ghost town!!
Many times I have made the drive through Death Valley always spying the curious white writing, "Calico" up there on the rocky hillside. Is it really a ghost town? With old broken boards and tarantulas making their homes where people of old once slept? Paul and I steered the car off the mysterious exit where we followed the signs and the empty road toward adventure. The past was calling and we had to listen. We reached a gate where a pasty, young man stood, "That will be twelve dollars." TWELVE DOLLARS! Paul had a royal fit. I looked over at him and didn't see my husband of two years but a grumpy old man who had too much sun for one day. I put my foot down. If we were ever going to see a real ghost town, this was it! God wills it! The pasty guy gave us two dollars off and we were in. Much to my husband's credit.
We were surprised to find a tourist bus and a full parking lot. What the?! Where did all these people come from? We hiked a small hill. And before us stood not a ghost town but something much...much...newer! We were walking on a paved road. The original structures had been fully rebuilt and turned into gift shops and concessions. !!! There were bits and pieces here and there of true remnants, but the whole of it was simply replicas! We had been ripped off! This was no ghost town! This was a ride taken out of Knott's Berry Farm! (Ironically Mr. Knotts had purchased the land back in the day and promised to "conserve" it.) Puh!
The one thing I did enjoy about Calico is that because it is in the original setting you get to feel and hear the dessert. It's so dang quiet and hot out there it's easy to imagine the miner's lives among the rock and dust.
Arriving via "the back way" through Filmore/Santa Paula to Ventura, CA is my favorite. Well, coming down the 101 through Santa Barbara is probably way better, but I digress. Ventura, for those of you who have never been there is heaven. It's always a perfect 73 degrees with the Santa Ana winds carrying fragrance in the air.
We found a studio apartment here in Westwood below UCLA. So when Michael Jackson died, we got to hear the helicopters over our roof for hours. Joy.
Along with MJ copters we also get to enjoy the Iranian protesters across the street (we live across the street from the Federal building) so we hear their chants, singing and unending car horns ALL DAY LOng.
So one night Paul and I were going over to my buddies, Matt and Trip's, for some good ole Relay Pictionary. Just before walking out our door saying, "I'm ready are you ready?" Yup! I noticed Paul and I were wearing the exact SAME outfits!! BY ACCIDENT!!
Are we married or what! I was so embarrassed - not only to go out in public like this but to actually admit to myself that this was only the beginning. Pretty soon we'll be showing up to Christmas parties with matching ugly sweaters...and flannel! Subsequently (I don't even know what that word really means, but I think it fits nicely here) we also realized that we were wearing the same green color that all the Iranian protesters were wearing! NOOOOO!
We had a good time anyways.
This is turning out to be the longest post ever so I'll breeze through the rest.
I finally got to go out with a girlfriend of mine, Arielle. I got all dolled up and Paul started drooling. Sorry Paul. Ladies night! Arielle and I went to The Comedy Store in Hollywood to see two hours of stand-up comedy that was so foul-mouthed and raunchy that what ever was left of my virtue at the end had to be pieced together the next day by throwing my scriptures in the blender with some olive oil and drinking it, hoping that through digestion and osmosis I'd be whole again.
She's a diva AND she's modest! How DOES she do it?!
The next day I couldn't walk. That morning I had been jogging in La Cienega Park and decided to stop and do some calf raises. Thinking back to my horse riding days I recalled that my right leg is half as strong as my left. So like any person who's out of their mind, I did a cujilion raises on my right leg. A day later Paul had to practically carry me into Urgent Care where I had an ultra sound from my groin to my ankle to make sure there were no blood clots from the tears and strain on my calf and behind my knee. Some new crutches and a Vicadin later I was out of it. I missed my friend Amy Wade's going away party. Bummed. We found that nobody can look sexy in a hospital gown. It's a fact!
...OR IS IT!
Monday, June 29, 2009
Book Review
So here's the latest,
I know I know. I still owe you a post about our road trip back out to Cali for the summer. But that's not this one.
Instead I'm going to tell you how ticked off I am that I just dedicated MONTHS of my life and 562 pages of attention to reading a novel called The Story Of Edgar Sawtelle. Oprah put it on her list and said, "you have to read it!" My hubby was kind to give it to me for Christmas. THAT'S when I started the darn thing as thick as the bible.
In the beginning, - um scratch that - up until the middle of the book, everything you read has the tone of "hum ho, a farmer's life for me" and while the author paints a pretty picture with his flowery and at times OVERLY descriptive words (the kind of phrases that you have to re-read three times in order to understand or grasp the true beauty therein) you can see why I felt completely satisfied reading 2 chapters one night and then not picking the book up for a week and a half and then reading 2 more chapters.
The author manipulates you from the very beginning with the prologue. See, he puts you in a trance for 10 pages with BRILLIANT writing. What you fail to notice though is that this is the author's first novel. So after the prologue when you begin on page one, the brilliance doesn't come around again until after your book mark is past the middle of the book. So you can actually see the author becoming a better writer. Which is kinda cool IF THE BOOK WASN'T 562 PAGES LONG!!
So I'm reading along what I consider a "beach read". Meaning, a book you can take to the beach and then use as a shade for your face while you doze in the sun. The book takes you back GENERATIONS. Through several characters that are rich in history but GO ON AND ON and I found myself hoping, "this better tie into the story down the line." Which it did...kinda...uuuh...
Then all of a sudden out of nowhere the book takes a HUGE drastic turn!! This is AFTER the middle of the book! I literally said out loud, "what THE!" Then I couldn't put the thing down!! It became alive with conflict and mystery and risk!! I said to myself (and to Paul), "Did I skip a chapter?" I went back and re-read 3 chapters just to make sure! It became a totally different story in a really great way.... Surely leading to some triumphant end! Right? Making all this reading and history of the characters and the months of reading all worth my time and investment and FEELing for these guys. Right? Right?
WRONG!!!
Sigh...I won't say cuz I don't want to spoil it. But I'm really getting sick of these amazing stories that ONLY end in...."and they went on with a better understanding" UUUUGHHH!!! What about justice!! What about turning it all around for the hero!!! What about getting what you came to get!?! What is this, a French film? Have you seen the movie, A Very Long Engagement? Same thing. First of all, the movie is a very long engagement. You invest over 2 hours hoping, searching, crawling for the main girl's long lost love just DYING to find him and then it ends with NO KISS! No running into the arms of her lover!! It ends with, "And I looked at him, and I looked at him, and I looked at him, and I looked at him, and I looked at him, and I looked at him, and I looked at him, and I looked at him, and I looked at him..........BLAAAHHH!"
GRRRRRRRRR!!!
So after all this, I keep in mind I really did enjoy the majority of the book. Oprah AND Stephen King both say it's a book they'd re-read even though they NEVER re-read books. Maybe I'll read it again too, cuz obviously I missed the good ending. Plus, for a first novel, I think it is EXTREMELY well written and sometimes so simple and beautiful I kick myself saying, "why didn't I think of that?" Its biggest strength of amazing description that brought even the most mundane things in life to LIFE was also at times it's biggest flaw ... sometimes it was so detailed and wordy especially in the moments of the biggest action that it really needed to just move along to the next action rather than fluff it up with fancy description.
Sigh.....
Dangit. I'm gonna have to read it again.
I know I know. I still owe you a post about our road trip back out to Cali for the summer. But that's not this one.
Instead I'm going to tell you how ticked off I am that I just dedicated MONTHS of my life and 562 pages of attention to reading a novel called The Story Of Edgar Sawtelle. Oprah put it on her list and said, "you have to read it!" My hubby was kind to give it to me for Christmas. THAT'S when I started the darn thing as thick as the bible.
In the beginning, - um scratch that - up until the middle of the book, everything you read has the tone of "hum ho, a farmer's life for me" and while the author paints a pretty picture with his flowery and at times OVERLY descriptive words (the kind of phrases that you have to re-read three times in order to understand or grasp the true beauty therein) you can see why I felt completely satisfied reading 2 chapters one night and then not picking the book up for a week and a half and then reading 2 more chapters.
The author manipulates you from the very beginning with the prologue. See, he puts you in a trance for 10 pages with BRILLIANT writing. What you fail to notice though is that this is the author's first novel. So after the prologue when you begin on page one, the brilliance doesn't come around again until after your book mark is past the middle of the book. So you can actually see the author becoming a better writer. Which is kinda cool IF THE BOOK WASN'T 562 PAGES LONG!!
So I'm reading along what I consider a "beach read". Meaning, a book you can take to the beach and then use as a shade for your face while you doze in the sun. The book takes you back GENERATIONS. Through several characters that are rich in history but GO ON AND ON and I found myself hoping, "this better tie into the story down the line." Which it did...kinda...uuuh...
Then all of a sudden out of nowhere the book takes a HUGE drastic turn!! This is AFTER the middle of the book! I literally said out loud, "what THE!" Then I couldn't put the thing down!! It became alive with conflict and mystery and risk!! I said to myself (and to Paul), "Did I skip a chapter?" I went back and re-read 3 chapters just to make sure! It became a totally different story in a really great way.... Surely leading to some triumphant end! Right? Making all this reading and history of the characters and the months of reading all worth my time and investment and FEELing for these guys. Right? Right?
WRONG!!!
Sigh...I won't say cuz I don't want to spoil it. But I'm really getting sick of these amazing stories that ONLY end in...."and they went on with a better understanding" UUUUGHHH!!! What about justice!! What about turning it all around for the hero!!! What about getting what you came to get!?! What is this, a French film? Have you seen the movie, A Very Long Engagement? Same thing. First of all, the movie is a very long engagement. You invest over 2 hours hoping, searching, crawling for the main girl's long lost love just DYING to find him and then it ends with NO KISS! No running into the arms of her lover!! It ends with, "And I looked at him, and I looked at him, and I looked at him, and I looked at him, and I looked at him, and I looked at him, and I looked at him, and I looked at him, and I looked at him..........BLAAAHHH!"
GRRRRRRRRR!!!
So after all this, I keep in mind I really did enjoy the majority of the book. Oprah AND Stephen King both say it's a book they'd re-read even though they NEVER re-read books. Maybe I'll read it again too, cuz obviously I missed the good ending. Plus, for a first novel, I think it is EXTREMELY well written and sometimes so simple and beautiful I kick myself saying, "why didn't I think of that?" Its biggest strength of amazing description that brought even the most mundane things in life to LIFE was also at times it's biggest flaw ... sometimes it was so detailed and wordy especially in the moments of the biggest action that it really needed to just move along to the next action rather than fluff it up with fancy description.
Sigh.....
Dangit. I'm gonna have to read it again.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Why We Need Role Models
The following was taken directly from Dr. Laura's blog:
Why the heck do we need role models? Can’t everyone just think for him or herself and make decisions about right and wrong and choices of action without somebody on a philosophical runway modeling what they could or should be?
Possibly…but role models alert us to POSSIBILITIES, in addition to serving as INSPIRATION.
Angry rappers role model distrust, rage, anti-social notions and actions: killing, raping, hating.
Stupid “stars” role model self-indulgence and excess, self-importance: self self self
Successful people who “pulled themselves up by their own bootstraps” role model perseverance, giving up a “victim mentality,” optimism and plain hard work.
Heroic types (military, police, firemen, and caring bystanders) who put themselves on the line of life and death role model taking care of others.
and so it goes.
These days, however, good role models are few and far between. Pastor Bill Shuler, of Capital Life Church in Arlington Virginia, pointed the way in his recent essay: 10 Reasons Why we Are Losing Good Role Models.
What follows is my paraphrasing of his list:
1. Honorable people are attacked for taking a stand for morality and values
The favorite attack here usually takes the form of being called either a “hater” or a “hypocrite.” If a person disagrees with you, you can say that they simply hate you or your stand, or that they once (usually decades ago) behaved contrary to their own words so therefore, they have no moral ground on which to defend their position. I don’t have to explain how ugly, stupid, and dangerous those approaches are to the well being of a civilized society.
2. High profile scandals in sports politics and religion have caused us to become jaded.
Yup - it’s hard to believe that a moral high ground even exists if the people you looked up to don’t respect what they have and the responsibility it gives them.
3. Fewer dads are present in the home.
Soon, most children won’t come from intact homes where they see a dad providing and protecting and teaching them how to be decent men and women.
4. Success has been defined as fame, fortune, and power.
We used to have the word “infamous” to describe people well known for skuzzy behaviors…now it’s all just “famous.” “Octo-mom” Nadya Suleman now has a television show because she’s famous for showing incredible insensitivity and irresponsibility in having 16 children with no dad or intact married family. If someone is rich (no matter how they got there), they have admirers.
5. Image often supersedes character.
Bad boys and bad girls reign supreme in our media-drenched culture. The more stupid and horrid their behavior, the more important they are to the media.
6. Indulgence replaces sacrifice.
Just think daycare.
7. The practice of self-discipline is losing ground.
If you “feel it” you have license to “do it” is today’s mantra. Consideration of consequences to others, as well as one’s own future, became secondary.
8. Seeking of “self,” on the other hand, is an over-practiced art.”
If I hear one more person excuse stupid, cruel, or self-indulgent behavior on the basis of “low self-esteem” or “I guess I have to learn to love MYSELF,” I think I’ll scream.
9. Family values have become a political issue rather than an ideal to be embraced.
The responsibility and obligation to spouse and children outweighs feelings and urges, which are temporary and often foolhardy.
10. Good people with deep convictions remain silent when they should speak up.
I have said it quite differently: way too often, good people are “wusses;” they are afraid to stand up (not without good reason…see #1), because they want to be liked. I have gotten myself into all sorts of trouble by “standing up,” so I know what it takes.
“Being beautiful, uninhibited or rich has become a cheap substitute for courage, decency and selflessness,” writes the Pastor. And he is so very correct. That’s why I often ask people to project themselves 20 years into the future, and then look back on themselves at this very moment. I ask them to tell me what they would need to do in order to be proud of themselves. It’s funny how they always know what’s right when looked at from that perspective.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
The Seven Wonders of My World
Wow! Well, amid all the preparation for our summer move back out west (i.e. finding an apartment, last day at work, packing, Paul finishing up all his classes for the first year!!) a lot of fun and shall I say random stuff has happened.
#1.) Rachel's baby dreams -
Yes, it's true. The past three weeks as I fall asleep I dream about caring for my own infant. Whenever I dream about falling over Niagra Falls and surviving Paul says, "dreams don't mean anything." But now that I'm having baby dreams about 3 times a week, he isn't saying anything NOW!
The gender of the child is never specified and it's usually a bald pasty white baby that I'm holding. But in my most recent dream the baby was a taco. You read that right. A taco. A Taco Bell taco to be exact - complete with the orange and purple wrapper as the diaper. We had an incubator to keep the "taco" warm but it got too hot so I put the taco in the freezer to cool off. Paul came home from work and was so angry, "Why did you put the baby in the freezer!!!! You can't put a BABY in the FREEZER!!!!" So I felt bad and put the baby taco back on the incubator. Then I woke up.
...Daycare
#2.) New couches -
The whole 10 months we've been here Paul and I rarely sit on this uncomfortable low-backed, hard bench of a couch we picked up on Craig's List:
And so we squeeze into this old (and free) eye-sore of a love seat when we watch a movie:
Then, yesterday our neighborhood had a yard sale because all the second year students are graduating and moving away. We came away with two gorgeous micro-suede couches that are only a year and a half old!! For only $350 total!!
Unfortunately, we can't sit on them yet because we're still trying to suck the potent curry smell out of the cushions. I don't think the nice Indian couple realized their whole house wreaked of curry (which I think smells like moth balls...) but then again I don't think (insert stereotypical Indian joke here: ).
3.) A man asked me if I'm 21 yet -
Yesssss. It's the most flattering thing you can say to a woman over 21. Especially to a woman who just turned 28. One of the local regular customers that comes into the bakery is Jo. He's cool. Everyday he comes in and orders two teas; one Earl Grey, one English breakfast. He always says something funny about the weather and makes me laugh and then leaves. The week of my birthday I asked him what I could do on my birthday that would be adventurous. He asked me, "Well, are you 21 yet?" I LOVE HIM!! He thought I was going to Dartmouth and was a college student. Tell THAT to my next agent!
#4.) Rachel catches the double thrown Frisbee -
It's a fact. Rachel is a dope Frisbee player. So dope are her skillz that I refer to myself in the third person as a sign of respect. The other day Paul and Rachel were enjoying the sunshine with a Frisbee and for fun Paul threw a smaller Frisbee at the same time within a larger Frisbee. The two Frisbees flew together for 15 feet then split. Rachel, with all her powers combined, looked between the two discs, reached her arms out to her sides and caught both of the Frisbees!! One in each hand, at the same time! TOTALLY AMAZING.
Our neighbor James was holding his 5 month old baby as he witnessed this incredible feat. Rachel screamed so loud from pure delight at her amazing powers that she scared the baby and made him cry!
Sigh...it's lonely at the top...
We didn't capture it on film, so here's a re-enactment in slow motion:
Part 1: The Throw Re-enactment
Part 2: The Catch Re-enactment
Now here's an actual double thrown catch but with 10 gazillion times less difficulty than the initial double thrown catch NOT caught on tape:
#5.) Makin' Bacon -
Growing up, Paul and I never had the pleasure (nor the right) to more than 2 pieces of bacon at the breakfast table. When BLT's came along (which was rare) MAYBE we got to have 3 pieces, but never ever more than that. Well now that it's just the two of us, Paul and I delight in splitting the ENTIRE package of bacon just between the two of us. Now we get as many pieces of bacon on our BLT's as we want! The sheer enjoyment of not having to share this delicious pork product leaves us with a warm, tingling feeling in our heart...along with a sharp, stabbing pain in our right arm.
#6.) Rachel has Breakfast with Tiffany -
I purchased a trench coat. After all, it is THEE essential wardrobe item after the little black dress. And they're on mega sale. It was between two Michael Khors designs and I went with the classic double breasted part cotton/part polyester blend even though the trench that Audry Hepburn wears on B@T's doesn't even HAVE buttons. But everyone thinks it did. It in fact just tied at the waist. So I went with the one that looks more like Breakfast at Tiffany's than the actual Breakfast at Tiffany's one did. HA!
Like a fluffy lemon meringue tart or a newly opened bag of Mint Milano cookies, this purchase was 100% indulgent and I'm going to love every minute of it! I've been saving my "funny money" (tips and infrequent massage money I earn and save) that I get to spend on anything I want! Muah ha ha! So I added a pair of black ballet flats to complete the look. Can we say, "Classy"? If you look "classy" up in the dictionary you'll see me wearing my new trench coat. You can spell "classy" as R-A-C-H-E-L. If the queen of England met me she would say, "Are we related? 'Cause you're classyyyy!"
#7.) Rachel has a movie moment inside Wal-mart -
Have you ever taken your ipod, MP3 player, or disc man with you when you go grocery shopping? Most amazing experience EVER. For my birthday a week or so back Paul got me an MP3 player for which I could put my beloved blog music on. So all my extremely inspirational movie score music is available at any time no matter where I am.
So I popped the ear buds in my ears as soon as I got out of the car and gorgeous music swelled and dipped and crescendoed from the moment I entered Walmart. It changed the experience entirely. I grabbed a shopping cart and I felt like something really meaningful was happening. (movie music does that). I loaded some bagels and cheese sticks into the cart and all was right with the world. While people gabbed around me, and while noisy carts were being shuffled to and fro, all I could hear was the sweet enchanting melody of Glasgow Love Theme or The Shawshank Redemption.
But it was there, standing in the housewares isle, that it happened. I reached down into my cart, picked up my already opened bag of precious Mint Milano cookies, reached inside, and as I raised the cookie to my mouth and took a bite, Aaron Zigman's Overture CRESCENDOED in full glory into my ears!! All at once the world moved in slow motion! As I chewed my cooling and delicate cookie with pure bliss, a smile came to my dreamy face. I was in another land. As I continued down the isle, products on the shelves came at me and passed by all so slowly and as the music continued on with frenzied ecstasy, so did I. It was a 30 second love affair with me and my mouth. All over too soon but will leave an everlasting impression of pure happiness I will never again find in Wal-mart. (Place back of hand to forehead.)
Walmart Re-enactment:
#1.) Rachel's baby dreams -
Yes, it's true. The past three weeks as I fall asleep I dream about caring for my own infant. Whenever I dream about falling over Niagra Falls and surviving Paul says, "dreams don't mean anything." But now that I'm having baby dreams about 3 times a week, he isn't saying anything NOW!
The gender of the child is never specified and it's usually a bald pasty white baby that I'm holding. But in my most recent dream the baby was a taco. You read that right. A taco. A Taco Bell taco to be exact - complete with the orange and purple wrapper as the diaper. We had an incubator to keep the "taco" warm but it got too hot so I put the taco in the freezer to cool off. Paul came home from work and was so angry, "Why did you put the baby in the freezer!!!! You can't put a BABY in the FREEZER!!!!" So I felt bad and put the baby taco back on the incubator. Then I woke up.
...Daycare#2.) New couches -
The whole 10 months we've been here Paul and I rarely sit on this uncomfortable low-backed, hard bench of a couch we picked up on Craig's List:
And so we squeeze into this old (and free) eye-sore of a love seat when we watch a movie:
Then, yesterday our neighborhood had a yard sale because all the second year students are graduating and moving away. We came away with two gorgeous micro-suede couches that are only a year and a half old!! For only $350 total!!
Unfortunately, we can't sit on them yet because we're still trying to suck the potent curry smell out of the cushions. I don't think the nice Indian couple realized their whole house wreaked of curry (which I think smells like moth balls...) but then again I don't think (insert stereotypical Indian joke here: ).
3.) A man asked me if I'm 21 yet -
Yesssss. It's the most flattering thing you can say to a woman over 21. Especially to a woman who just turned 28. One of the local regular customers that comes into the bakery is Jo. He's cool. Everyday he comes in and orders two teas; one Earl Grey, one English breakfast. He always says something funny about the weather and makes me laugh and then leaves. The week of my birthday I asked him what I could do on my birthday that would be adventurous. He asked me, "Well, are you 21 yet?" I LOVE HIM!! He thought I was going to Dartmouth and was a college student. Tell THAT to my next agent!
#4.) Rachel catches the double thrown Frisbee -
It's a fact. Rachel is a dope Frisbee player. So dope are her skillz that I refer to myself in the third person as a sign of respect. The other day Paul and Rachel were enjoying the sunshine with a Frisbee and for fun Paul threw a smaller Frisbee at the same time within a larger Frisbee. The two Frisbees flew together for 15 feet then split. Rachel, with all her powers combined, looked between the two discs, reached her arms out to her sides and caught both of the Frisbees!! One in each hand, at the same time! TOTALLY AMAZING.
Our neighbor James was holding his 5 month old baby as he witnessed this incredible feat. Rachel screamed so loud from pure delight at her amazing powers that she scared the baby and made him cry!
Sigh...it's lonely at the top...
We didn't capture it on film, so here's a re-enactment in slow motion:
Part 1: The Throw Re-enactment
Part 2: The Catch Re-enactment
Now here's an actual double thrown catch but with 10 gazillion times less difficulty than the initial double thrown catch NOT caught on tape:
#5.) Makin' Bacon -
Growing up, Paul and I never had the pleasure (nor the right) to more than 2 pieces of bacon at the breakfast table. When BLT's came along (which was rare) MAYBE we got to have 3 pieces, but never ever more than that. Well now that it's just the two of us, Paul and I delight in splitting the ENTIRE package of bacon just between the two of us. Now we get as many pieces of bacon on our BLT's as we want! The sheer enjoyment of not having to share this delicious pork product leaves us with a warm, tingling feeling in our heart...along with a sharp, stabbing pain in our right arm.
#6.) Rachel has Breakfast with Tiffany -
I purchased a trench coat. After all, it is THEE essential wardrobe item after the little black dress. And they're on mega sale. It was between two Michael Khors designs and I went with the classic double breasted part cotton/part polyester blend even though the trench that Audry Hepburn wears on B@T's doesn't even HAVE buttons. But everyone thinks it did. It in fact just tied at the waist. So I went with the one that looks more like Breakfast at Tiffany's than the actual Breakfast at Tiffany's one did. HA!
Like a fluffy lemon meringue tart or a newly opened bag of Mint Milano cookies, this purchase was 100% indulgent and I'm going to love every minute of it! I've been saving my "funny money" (tips and infrequent massage money I earn and save) that I get to spend on anything I want! Muah ha ha! So I added a pair of black ballet flats to complete the look. Can we say, "Classy"? If you look "classy" up in the dictionary you'll see me wearing my new trench coat. You can spell "classy" as R-A-C-H-E-L. If the queen of England met me she would say, "Are we related? 'Cause you're classyyyy!"
#7.) Rachel has a movie moment inside Wal-mart -
Have you ever taken your ipod, MP3 player, or disc man with you when you go grocery shopping? Most amazing experience EVER. For my birthday a week or so back Paul got me an MP3 player for which I could put my beloved blog music on. So all my extremely inspirational movie score music is available at any time no matter where I am.
So I popped the ear buds in my ears as soon as I got out of the car and gorgeous music swelled and dipped and crescendoed from the moment I entered Walmart. It changed the experience entirely. I grabbed a shopping cart and I felt like something really meaningful was happening. (movie music does that). I loaded some bagels and cheese sticks into the cart and all was right with the world. While people gabbed around me, and while noisy carts were being shuffled to and fro, all I could hear was the sweet enchanting melody of Glasgow Love Theme or The Shawshank Redemption.
But it was there, standing in the housewares isle, that it happened. I reached down into my cart, picked up my already opened bag of precious Mint Milano cookies, reached inside, and as I raised the cookie to my mouth and took a bite, Aaron Zigman's Overture CRESCENDOED in full glory into my ears!! All at once the world moved in slow motion! As I chewed my cooling and delicate cookie with pure bliss, a smile came to my dreamy face. I was in another land. As I continued down the isle, products on the shelves came at me and passed by all so slowly and as the music continued on with frenzied ecstasy, so did I. It was a 30 second love affair with me and my mouth. All over too soon but will leave an everlasting impression of pure happiness I will never again find in Wal-mart. (Place back of hand to forehead.)
Walmart Re-enactment:
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