Great idea!

Today one of my colleagues told me about this idea of a dog collar and a bottle opener. My first thought was probably like many others....I wish I would have thought of it. So go here to read about it. If you want to purchase one, go here.









Now in the article one of the creators say that "If it's a guy they love it, if it's a girl they think it's ridiculous." Well being a "girl" I must say if I had a dog I would definitely need to have one of those. I do have a some friends who will probably purchasing one of these really soon!

What do you have to do?

Pack your bags, Go to the station without them, Catch the train, And leave your self behind.
-- Open Secret by Wei Wu Wei

My current mood

Dear Universe,

Hello?!? Are you really listening? Really? I am thinking even more you are not.

Anyone can make it if they know how to shake it.

Mad Hot Ballroom is about the students of several New York City elementary schools who are learning how to ballroom dance. After they learn, they then compete in a city wide dance competition. There are bronze, silver and gold levels during each level of the competition. Only the gold levels advance from the quarter finals to the semis to eventually the finals. In the finals, the gold level teams via for the city trophy. The kids learn five dances: the merengue, the rumba, the tango, the foxtrot and swing. It is fun to watch these kid change and come into themselves. If you get a chance check it out. It was worth it!

Too much information

For lunch today I wandered over to a local pizza joint to have a quiet time with my thoughts and puzzle book. For a time, this was the case. While waiting for my food to arrive, a group of 6 adults and an infant came in and some how figured they couldn't sit at at table for six but had to spread into two tables. My peace and quiet was now disrupted by a wailing baby and his mother who decided that it was completely appropriate to breast feed him to keep him quiet right next to me. Over my ravioli, I was thinking..."Seriously!?!? I am trying to have lunch and I don't need to see what your little one is having for lunch." I guess we have not only decided that ethics are out the windows but morals and values are too. I guess I am just too much of a square.

Gnome

There are not enough words or thoughts that I can express when I saw this in our bookstore today. I think I need to get one of these little guys and park him on my desk.

Um...yeah.

Thank You Mother Nature

Well that was fun. 26 inches of snow in 24 hours and a blizzard to boot! These are pictures from the front and back of my house. Now the grill doesn't have much snow on it because I had knocked it all off during the blizzard. I was out there getting the bird feeders in. The snow in the front yard was after one pass with the snow blower yesterday afternoon. It took me an hour yesterday and two today.
At least it was nice.








P.S. Ann - Happy Birthday!

Always remember

The Nutcraker - Part II

The Nutcracker has always been one of my favorites because one of my favorite movies is Fantasia (1940). It there the Disney animators did an amazing job with bring it to life with nature. I hope you enjoy:

The Nutcracker, Op. 71

Tonight was the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra and the NAU Community Music & Dance Academy production of The Nutcracker by Peter Tchaikovsky. It is fun to watch this sentimental favorite. The dancers and the orchestra did a wonderful job. The lighting and the set were minimalistic yet invoked the theme of the piece. Fantastic! There was one dancer that performed the Arabian dance who was just amazing. FSO and the Dance Academy-- great job!

Truth belong...

"Seldom, very seldom, does complete truth belong to any human disclosure; seldom can it happen that something is not a little disguised, or a little mistaken."

-- Jane Austen

It's Snowing!

Not the best picture but one that made me smile. So tonight it snowed. Only a couple of inches but it was awesome. The reason is simple. My nephews got to watch the snow fall. It is one of those experiences you will always remember. Then they proceeded to have a snowball fight with my brother and I. It started in he backyard and ended up out front. Jacob was out in his pjs and Joe with no socks! But from it all one thing stands out in my mind tonight. Joe asked "if when you get older do you stop having snowball fights". He asked because no one else in my neighborhood was out in the snow. At that moment I told him no but in reality I think we forget that we need to be kids at heart and that having a snowball fight is part of it. So this winter all of you adults...get out there and remember to have fun!

Happy Thanksgiving

Curse of the Were-rabbit

To start the holiday weekend off right, my Jane Austen Movie group came over to watch this Wallace and Gromit classic - "Curse of the Were-rabbit" with my brother's family. My nephews had never seen it and they were laughing as much as the adults did. My friends and family rarely cross so it was wonderful to see. We had an evening of great food and conversation.

But if you like claymation and a great bit of British humor, make sure you check this out as well as their other movies - "The Wrong Trousers", "A Close Shave" and "A Grand Day Out".

I hope you enjoy the trailer...

Happy Whatever Day

So all semester I have seen these notes all over campus. What ever the day of the week it is...there they are. It could be Happy Monday, etc... They show up on tables in the Union...by drinking fountains...on walls...and even in bus waiting enclosures. So today I saw who one of these Random Acts of Kindness people put this up. It makes me smile when I see these sticky notes. I knew this day was going to be interesting when I saw her riding her skateboard in 2 inch high heels and a mini skirt with tights. Nope...I am not kidding. I think this is great and hope more people can do things like this.

That makes two of us.

There is a coherent plan in the universe, though I don't know what it's a plan for.
-- Fred Hoyle

Classic

LOL

11th Hour of the 11th Day of the 11th Month

Already there...

A wonderful painting is the result of the feeling in your fingers. If you have the feeling of the thickness of the ink in your brush, the painting is already there before you paint. When you dip your brush into the ink you already know the result of your drawing, or else you cannot paint. So before you do something, "being" is there, the result is there. Even though you look as if you were sitting quietly, all your activity, past and present, is included, and the result of your sitting is also already there.
-- D.T. Suzuki

The Land of Dragons

The Komodo Dragons are here! Today I became a member of the Phoenix Zoo so I could check out these amazing animals. They will be officially be open to the public on Wednesday. The zoo has done a great job with their enclosures and educational information. This past summer one of my nephew Joe, mom and I went to the zZoo and saw that they would be coming in November. Looks like I came at the right time.

When you are in Phoenix, check out the zoo. It is a great place to walk and enjoy the desert. The zoo has done an amazing job to help bring some species on the brink of extinction back again.

Phantom of the Opera

Tonight I went to see Phantom of the Opera with my friends Marianne and Larry at Gammage Auditorium at ASU. It is always amazing to see. Unfortunately the sound system and the acoustics in Gammage were not that great. Many parts it was very difficult to hear to distorted. The actor who portrayed the Phantom was amazing. I have now seen this four times and of them, he was the best. Just.....wow.

Sigh....

Yeah know some days are better than others. Today is not one of them.

It is the smiles...

So today I helped a friend of mine teach kids from grades 2-5 at one of our local elementary schools about China and tai chi. We had kids from all abilities and language levels. It was fun to see them laugh and understand the concepts that sometimes adults don't.

Maybe I should have been a school teacher. It isn't too late. But then again, I am going to go where I want to instead of what I need to.

How to purge.

First you invite your mom to come over with a big pickup truck. Make two loads to the dump and two more loads to Goodwill. I was amazed at the amount of crap that I had. I had papers all the way back to high school. What was I thinking??? Who knows. Now much of that is gone. Off to the recycler and into the trash. More to go but now I am on a roll.

:-)

Happy Halloween

Only Being

There are moments when one feels free from one's own identification with human limitations and inadequacies. At such moments one imagines that one stands on some spot of a small planet, gazing in amazement at the cold yet profoundly moving beauty of the eternal, the unfathomable; life and death flow into one, and there is neither evolution nor destiny; only Being.

-- Albert Einstein

It is so true...

There is no greater importance in all the world like knowing you are right and that the wave of the world is wrong, yet the wave crashes upon you.
-- Norman Mailer

Simple Pleasures

Hmmmm...maybe a good idea

HB

Happy Birthday to me.

It was an interesting day. A day filled with doctor and dental appointments and taking time off without getting paid (furlough) and a touch of scotch. It was also a day of me time. I had lunch with an amazing friend of mine. Thanks! Dinner tonight was spent at Del Taco with another. Yes Del Taco. It was a blast and made me realize that it provided a moment when I could smile a little more at life.

Today I thought about where I am at and where do I want to go. I mean within the last 365 days many things have occurred. There is always some good mixed in with some bad. The turning point for many things occurred when I went to Tibet. Yes, Tibet. What an amazing experience. Those six days have caused me re-evaluate my life. I had to ask myself many questions while there and the answers that came back were ones that I did not expect. I looked at all facets in my life and where do I desire to go. Standing on the roof of the world truly had a profound effect. Since that visit I have been looking up and down on my map of life. The number of forks in the road have increased and so has my desire for being me. I no longer feel like the square peg trying to fit in the round hole.

My map of life will take many turns during the next 365 days. I am looking forward to them and the changes in me that will come about.

Not so sure today...

In the province of connected minds, what the network believes to be true, either is true or becomes true within certain limits to be found experientially and experimentally. These limits are further beliefs to be transcended. In the network's mind there are no limits.

-- Dr. John C. Lilly, M.D.

Today, I am not so sure anymore.

Wheeeee!

How to love your job even less...just ask.

Happy Birthday

Mom,

Happy Birthday!

Four great people

Today it is a great day in my book.

For two of my friends, it is their birthday.
For two other friends, they are getting married in Canada.

Being that they are all in my life makes me happy and smile.

Ahhhh.....

I am home from a great 3 weeks trip to Tibet and China. Today I am smiling for I am happy and blessed.

My Dad

Although I am on the other side of the planet, I am thinking of you on this day and calling soon.

Love you....

Flow

Let your love flow outward through the universe, To its height, its depth, its broad extent, A limitless love, without hatred or enmity. Then as you stand or walk, Sit or lie down, As long as you are awake, Strive for this with a one-pointed mind; Your life will bring heaven to earth.
-- Sutta Nipata

Keys...

I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.
-- Bill Cosby

In the end..

In life, music plays a role in helping us all live in the moment -- because the moment is all we have.

--A Wayfarer's Journey: Listening to Mahler

So true...

Humor is just another defense against the universe.
-- Mel Brooks

What to write...

While checking out another blogger's site, EricBlues, I saw his recent posting on a writing challenge he is in. In his posting he showed a plot machine like the one above. His plot was different of course but when I clicked on it and got the one above, I thought...hmmm wouldn't this make a great cartoon? Thanks E.

It's about change

When you're through changing, you're through.
-- Bruce Barton

A blustery day...

Tonight I am going to watch Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day. While we have had many blustery days here as of late and today is equally so. The winds are howling and it is trying to snow. A good thing to do on tax day.

Flagstaff + Spring = Windy

Don't judge a book by its cover

While scanning the news links today, I ran across an article on Susan Boyle. You need to check it out. It is amazing how we as a society judge someone based on their looks. Click on the picture to see the video.

Susan -- good luck and I hope you win Britian's Got Talent.

Go Scotland!

How I look at things...

My Karma ran over your dogma.
-- Unknown

Happy Easter

Awesome day

Today was a blast. My dad, mom and I went to see the flower fields in Carlsbad, CA. They are stripes of Ranunculi flowers. Down on the south end of the fields, the American flag is starting to bloom.

They tell me about all these restaurants they go to and I come and cook. Well I told my parents that I was tired of it. So for lunch we went to Felix's BBQ with Soul. Oh my...yummy. The food was amazing. I tried their Alabama chicken wings, gumbo, hush puppies, BBQ pork sandwich and corn muffins. Next time I want to go there for breakfast to try the chicken and waffles. Mom says the catfish is awesome. So if you are out that way, check them out.

Later in the afternoon, my dad and I did some bowling on the Wii. We had a lot of fun. My dad is great.

My Wii addiction

Last fall when I bought my Wii, I told my nephew Joe that I would purchase a game for him to play over Thanksgiving weekend. He and his dad checked out the game list for Wii and found Lego Star Wars. After Christmas, my nephew kept asking me how far I had gotten on different levels, etc... Well since I didn't want to give him false information, I started playing it. It is a great stress reliever.

Today I am in California for Easter and per a request from my nephew, the Wii travelled with me. The security scanners at Sky Harbor airport thought it was interesting. So today Joe and I played Lego Star Wars for about 6 or so hours. The hard part is I have finished all of the levels at least once so at times my frustration level is a bit high. :-) But the best part is we are having fun!

Indian Jones

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was released last year. So it has taken me a while to watch it. It was your typical Indiana Jones movie but it was fun. If you need a fun movie to watch where you laugh and jump (I don't try to anticipate a movie) then I hope you enjoy

Proof

Proof has been on my list for a couple of years. I love movies with Anthony Hopkins in them. I tend not to read reviews and while I may say some thing about seeing a movie, it is based on my opinions which may not be yours.

In this case, I was not thrilled by this movie. Actually I did not like it. There were some good parts but they were few.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Miss Potter

When I saw that this movie about Beatrix Potter what going to be released, I couldn't wait to see it. Life likes to make sure you are awake and when it was released in January of 2007, I could never make the time to go.

This movie covers the publishing of "The Tale of Peter Rabbit" as well as the other characters. Additionally it looks at her struggle for love, happiness and success. She was a very strong woman and gave England a very beautiful area of its country that she help to save -- the Lake District.

Wonderful movie.

In truth...

Humankind cannot stand very much reality.
-- T. S. Eliot

Rumbling of the pipes

One of my loves in this world is the pipe organ. I love to hear them and feel their vibrations in the air. I have been waiting for this concert all season. Flagstaff Symphony orchestra played the Concerto for Organ, Strings and Timpani in G minor by Francis Poulenc. While I am not normally a fan of dissonant chords, it was just nice to hear the organ. I wish they would play it more often.

The concert was rounded out by Serenade for Winds in E Flat Major, Op. 7 by Richard Strauss and Symphony #2 in D Major, Op. 73 by Johannes Brahms. The Brahms symphony is the favorite of one of my friends. He said he loved it. Brahms has this weird effect on me...99% of the time, I fall asleep. This time I didn't but the lady next to me snored. :-)

Happy Birthday!

Michael,

Happy Birthday!

Love, Me.

The wonderance of life

Yesterday was one of those difficult days for me. One of my friends is in ICU fighting for her life against pneumonia. She has already fought this little bug while going through chemotheraphy two years ago. Now the bastard is back. An oscillating ventilator is helping to save her life but in some ways I am not sure how it works. She is a fighter.

She is in my prayers tonight.

A little bit...

Part of being sane, is being a little bit crazy.
-- Janet Long

Art and reality

I have been looking forward to taking a drawing class for years and this year it fit into my schedule. Unfortunately this class wasn't it. It was not the instructor but the combination of other people in the class. I think I am sensitive to needing to hang out with people my own age verses having to turn the other cheek because of how our young people spend their lives. So I have dropped the class. :-(

Interesting marketing concept

Yesterday one of my co-workers sent out this link:Pomegranate Phone. It is interesting to see our expectations from a single device. I hope you enjoy. Now on to traveling...

Eroica

This movie was amazing. It showed a moment in time in which classical music changed. Symphony No. 3 or "Eroica" as it is know is one of my favorites. The second movement alone moves me from one end of the emotional spectrum to the other. This production brings everything alive. The DVD says it is 2 hrs and 9 min. but actually running time is shorter. Speechless....

The Joy Luck Club

Tonight my Chinese teacher showed the Joy Luck Club as part of the international movies that are shown each semester. There is a saying at the top of the movie poster that "Between every mother and daughter there is a story that must be told". I think often many stories are not passed down from one to another for many reasons. The sad part is that if it is not pasted on, there is an emptiness that remains. Every relationship between mother and daughter had a component that I could relate to my own life. Not so much with just my mother but with my overall relationship with my close and extended families. Each relationship explored during the movie has brought me to a point in which I am at that fork in the road again. Stay to the right and keep going and doing as I am or hang a left and become the person I want to be and get from this life what I want. I know I am worthy...I am taking the left.

Aspiratons and Reminiscences

The young have aspirations that never come to pass, the old have reminiscences of what never happened.
-- Saki

Well?

Maybe today was just like any day and maybe tomorrow will be just like every tomorrow. But would happen if you stopped thinking like that? I bet a novel concept. So think that tomorrow will be different and not the same. Strange things happen that way. Like maybe you will like your job better or the commute will be different or you will just see things different. Doing that every day will helps not just you but those around you and the best part is the drudgery goes away.

Warmth and reflection

We learn our virtues from our friends who love us; our faults from the enemy who hates us. We cannot easily discover our real character from a friend. He is a mirror, on which the warmth of our breath impedes the clearness of the reflection.
-- Ricther

Warmth of the sun

Weeks of cold have sunk into my bones. So last night I headed south to hang out with my mom. I has been fun today...shopping...lunch...shopping...dinner...warmth.

:-)

Thought manifests

The thought manifests as the word;
The word manifests as the deed;
The deed develops into habit;
And habit hardens into character;
So watch the thought and its ways with care,
And let it spring from love,
Born out of concern for all beings,
As the shadow follows the body,
As we think, so we become.
-- Buddha (563 BC - 483 BC), Dhammapada

Is it me?

My lunch time schedule is usually fairly booked, sometimes weeks in advance. This week was no different. Everyday I had my lunch scheduled. My standing Monday lunch was same as usual but the Tuesday, Wednesday and today lunches all canceled on me. The interesting part was they all canceled on me about the same time on all three days.

Hmmm. I am not quite sure how to take this. Maybe it means I need to get out of my comfort zone and move on.

Redundancy...

Bridges...

We cross our bridges when we come to them and burn them behind us, with nothing to show for our progress except a memory of the smell of smoke, and a presumption that once our eyes watered.
-- Tom Stoppard
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead

It's official...

Those without experience know better than those who do. Time to get out the polish.

A million things...

...happen each day if you add it up. From the time we start until the time we end, we just do. For many reasons we don't do or say what we really want to say and often it is the best. We also tend not to remember everyone like we should...you know spend that 10 seconds to think and smile. But really it is our conscious self that is not remembering. The unconscious mind and the universe does and they find ways to have you stop and think for those 10 seconds. Because if we don't then you may forget to smile.

Black ...day

Still not my favorite day for many reasons.

My day was good.

A great day

Today is Friday the 13th. We will actually get another one in a month. Many people do not like the number 13 and are superstitious of it. Western cultures have long held beliefs that the number 13 is unlucky while the Chinese have found it to be a lucky number. You need to decide for yourself. As for me, it is a good number.

Light at the end...

There is always light at the end of the tunnel. Whether or not you like the outcome of that light, it is still there. We always see dark instead of light when things are not going well. So maybe we should try to be more positive and optimistic instead of the opposite. Things may not look so bleak.

Do you ever...

...look at your hands and wonder when did they get so old? I was busy typing away today when the light hit my hands just right. They don't look like the rest of me. The rest of me looks younger than my age..other than my increasing gray hair (hooray for hair color). They look tired and wrinkly. Lots of little sections and segments cross my hands. They have gotten me where I am now and where I am headed. So maybe they aren't old...just experienced.

and we get...

Two feet of snow and an early day from work yesterday and off today. I think it is time to polish up the resume and find some place warm to live and work...

It starts with one of these...

Huh??

Strange thing happened tonight while talking to my mom. She had to get off the phone because one of her favorite shows was on. When I heard this I figured it was something like the Bachelor or American Idol. But actually...it was Star Wars Clone Wars. Yes, you read that correctly, the animated show and my mom. I think the planets have shifted their alignments or something...my mom and Clone Wars. Hmmm...

Northanger Abbey

Tonight my Jane Austen friends and I saw Northanger Abbey. It is not my favorite story and truth be told it took me over 2 years to read the 275+ pages. It was dark and basically just odd. But this version that I show to the left was the best we have seen. Some of it made the story make a heck of a lot more sense. But the cheesecake for dessert did help. :-)

Getting there

One must know that one is not in order to be able to understand that we are.
-- Ask the Awakened by Wei Wu Wei

Cool...keep going.

Down 3...new goal...Life is good!

Looming in the dark

Tonight leaving class I saw the "french fries" sculpture lit from below. It almost looks like something lurking a the bottom of the ocean. Then again it could be the parallel paths in life.


Now to figure out how to draw this for class.

My day..

Can best be described as....

Balancing life on a pin head.

It's a Monday

That pretty much sums it up.

It's Number 6!

Battle 360

Last weekend a friend of mine and I ran across this TV program called Battle 360 on the History Channel. It was about the USS Enterprise during World War II. Because of a prior engagement, we could only see half of one episode. Now normally I don't get into a series on this topic. However this one is amazing. There are interviews with surviving members of the USS Enterprise, great CGI animation, video and photo footage taken during that time frame as well as interviews with historians. It is a 4 disc set with 10 episodes. I ran the gambit of emotions watching it. Very cool.

Ahhh...

A good way to end my week...a day off. It is a good way to work on my, my stuff and my attitude.

One of those days...

There are some things in this world that I finally learned...delegate and make sure that senior staff are not left in the dark. The last one I learned the hard way a number of years ago because I was afraid that if I let other people know what was going on, then I wouldn't have purpose in my job. That was complete BS! Once my senior co-worker was called to a meeting when I was out of town and was asked about the stuff I was working on and they could not answer. Yeah when I got back it was not pleasant. Now it is happening to me and I am not a happy camper. Unfortunately it looks like things may continue this way...lovely.

Just in case...

It is nearly 2am and I am awake. Not because I haven't gone to bed yet but because my body decided that I needed to be awake. How did it do this? Simple, it gave me a leg cramp on both my right shin and right calf at the same time. When it hit...I was awake in seconds and boy did it hurt. You can't straighten your leg and walking on it only makes it feel worse. Fortunately I know a great remedy to quickly disengage the cramp. I got out of bed and went to the kitchen (this was not fun). The following may sound odd but it really does work. I grabbed the honey. You just need a teaspoon. It worked like a champ. The cramp disappeared in less than 30 seconds...ahhhhhh.

Now I can hopefully go back to sleep...Hopefully...

As a person

It takes a deep commitment to change and an even deeper commitment to grow.
-- Ralph Ellison

Happy New Year

Today is Chinese New Year. We now begin the year of the Ox. The years represented by the ox are: 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997 and 2009. People who are born in the Year of the Ox are patient, speak little, and inspire confidence in others. However, they tend to be eccentric, and bigoted, and they can anger easily. They have fierce tempers and although they speak little, when they do they are quite eloquent. Ox people are mentally and physically alert. Generally easy-going, they can be remarkably stubborn, and they hate to fail or be opposed. They are most compatible with Snake, Rooster, and Rat people.

To those who were born in the year of the ox in my life, I hope you have a good year.

Festivities abound

Tomorrow in our side of the world will be Chinese New Year. this weekend has been filled with activities for Chinese New Year. We have had performances of music, tai chi and games. The food has been wonderful and spending it with a large number of friends has been great. I know today that I will not see some of my Chinese friends on the other side of the world but I want them to know I am thinking about them.

Happy New Year!

Wahoo!

Yes, it's done!

Ohhh Yum!

One of the things in life that I was spoiled by was great red enchilada sauce a friend of mine made for her restaurant before she sold it. After that it just wasn't the same. I have wandered through many a Mexican restaurant hoping to catch that flavor with just enough spice...but alas not yet. So several months ago I was in dire need of enchiladas. So while wandering through a grocery store I happened to see a can of Hatch Enchilada Sauce. It comes in both green and red. So that night, I made enchiladas with shredded turkey and it was great! My taste buds were happy. On a side note, I know I can make red enchilada sauce myself but currently I am lacking time in my schedule. So if you are ever in the mood for enchiladas and you want to make then yourself, pick up a can of Hatch Red Enchilada Sauce. It comes in Mild, Medium and Hot. Enjoy!

Following nature

Whatever is flexible and flowing will tend to grow, whatever is rigid and blocked will wither and die.
-- Tao Te Ching

Life shaking its head....

Today was an odd one. I thought something was lost and then it was found. Panic was avoided. Realized that you know...I need to step back..evaluate things and determine my next steps. Fortunately I was able to do that....Lunch with one of my friends always makes me smile. I enjoyed today...now it is back to many things. Hopefully with more of a smile.

Wandering...

This morning walking to class, I walked through our student union to hear the blaring of television sets. For some strange reason, I thought the inauguration was later in the day. So I was at first quite surprised to see people glued to the sets and listening intently to a period of time very significant in their lives. For many who were standing around, leaning on rails and listening intently just had their first chance to vote for our President. It made me think about all the other elections since my first official one and this is the first time I have seen some many people care to stop, watch and listen. We as a nation can't just pin our hopes to one person, we need to look inside ourselves and change as a whole.

Stop...Look...Listen

Tomorrow begins a step towards change. Many welcome it but in many ways resistant to it. It is hard for human beings to change. We have seen that over and over and over. As a person who has lived through a lot of change these past few years both personally and professionally, I know that it can be hard and during those times, I have been resistant and down right stubborn. So I hope at the sun rises tomorrow that people will look at themselves and think....I am changing only for me...not for anyone else.

I know I am....for me.

Bleeding Black and Gold!

Piled Deep

It is amazing how laundry piles up. I have sorted the piles and have realized I have 14 loads of laundry to do. 14! From towels to rugs to sheets to blankets, it has all added up. Good thing I don't have to do this all the time....which is probably why I have allowed it to pile up.

Looking Down

This morning while coming into work, something made me look at the concrete I was walking on. It is that usual concrete color and showing the winter time stress. I must have walked down this one sidewalk on campus hundreds of time and never noticed them. Maybe it has been the light, my thoughts or I wasn't suppose notice yet. The imprints of a
aspen leaves are not many but each one shows its uniqueness.

So this morning I noticed and smiled.

It took awhile...

Things happen when they are suppose to happen and it can take awhile. For many years I have been a doodler. It use to get me in trouble in meetings but along the way someone noticed and realized it was a good thing for me. I realized this when he defended me when another colleague got all over my case during a meeting. At that moment many things changed. Up until this week, I had never taken a formal drawing class. Mostly because I thought that I needed to focus on those classes that would help me get through school and into a career. Even since college (an eon ago), I focused on taking classes that would either help me physically or at work. Since becoming staff, I have looked to see if a drawing class would fit into my schedule. At long last it did. I had to make some temporary sacrifices for 16 weeks but fortunately my friends were willing to adjust. My class meets twice a week and I was so nervous going in. But what I have learned is that not everyone is good at it and their want out of the class is different. Tonight I had to draw my hand. It was interesting because as you look at it, you gain a different perspective. The lines and creases mean so many things. It may have taken me awhile but it is never to late to learn.

Drawing a blank

Doesn't it just frustrate you when you know what you need to do but as you look at the screen you can't pull that creative thread from within the confines of your mind?

Yep...I am.

Thoughts...

Paradise is exactly like where you are right now... only much, much better.
-- Laurie Anderson, Language Is A Virus

Mysteries

The wonderful thing about Netflix is that I am able to come across shows that I haven't seen in ages. There is a British series called Inspector Alleyn Mysteries. These are based on several books written by Ngaio Marsh. She was one of the classic women mystery writers in the middle of the 20th century. A contemporary of her's was Agatha Christie. The books are wonderful (there are a lot of them). Not everyone will enjoy the video adaptations but decide for yourself.

The march is on...

What an interesting NFL weekend. I ended up picking 3 of 4. Like many, I didn't choose the Arizona Cardinals to win. A week from today we will know who will be in the Superbowl. Time for a party!

Yes Man

Anyone who knows me understands that I am not really a fan of Jim Carey movies. One of my fellow blogger's talked me into seeing Dumb and Dumber when it came out an eon ago. I sat through the movie just shaking my head and plotting my revenge. So when I saw this preview I thought ok, I would give it a go especially since another friend loves Jim Carey movies and has probably seen Dumb and Dumber as many times as I have seen An Affair to Remember. Last night we went and saw it. It was predictable and there were only a few moments of head shaking but over all it was funny. I found this image of one of my favorite scenes in the movie. Terence Stamp is the "Saying YES" guru and is always great in everything he is in. Thinking about things, can you imagine saying YES to every thing someone asks of you? Life would be rather wild, I am not sure I could do it. So if you need a laugh, I would catch the show.

For a review of the movie, check here.

Are you sure this isn't a Monday?

Today my cell phone and I got into a disagreement and it decided that my LCD screen needed to crack all over the place. Now normally this is fine except my work is connected my cell phone. Not being able to figure out why I am being paged at 2AM would probably make me a bit cranky. When it comes to phones and work I do have one requirement...It is not going to be a smart phone or a blackberry. I mean who really wants to be that connected to the office. I know I don't. A friend suggested Nile's Radio. They were great and gave me a great deal on a new phone -- The LG enV. The rest of my day went according to a Monday as well. Sigh...

Note to self...

When you know that you are going to have a long day and that you are going to meet with friends, remember to bring another blouse in the car. So that way when you spill lunch AND your afternoon protein shake on you, you don't look you need a bib.

Umm...Yep

My brother is awesome

For Christmas my brother got me a Wii Fit and had it shipped to me. It arrived today! I am so excited. I got through the initial steps of getting it set up and off I went. I have figured out that balancing on that small of a space it going to be a challenge but hey, isn't life a challenge? Goals for the year are set and now I have another tool to help.

THANK YOU!!!!

Countdown

In a week, life goes back to schedules and trying to figure out the what, why, when and where.

Sigh...

Questions

Have you ever wondered where you fit in everything?
Why you do what you do?
What you want out of life?
Are you doing what you have to do or what your passion is?

Yes
Because I am me.
Working on that.
Have to do.

For 2009

We find no real satisfaction or happiness in life without obstacles to conquer and goals to achieve.
-- Maxwell Maltz, Communication Bulletin for Managers & Supervisors, June 2004

My Students...

They are an amazing bunch and I wouldn't trade them for the world. They have learned the value of teamwork and communication. That is all a supervisor can ask for.

Today they worked above and beyond by being patient (most of the time), working in odd conditions and laughing through it all. It was a long day and we all Thank You!

So it begins...

Ok...got off a little bit on the wrong foot. Good thing it is only day one.