Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Happy Animal Wednesday


Most of this blog and most of what I write at home is written under the keen eye of Pasht. She perched on my shoulder as a tiny kitten and never gave up the habit. If my lap belongs to the laptop, then my shoulder and chest belong to Pasht. If I am prone and have an upset stomach, she will warm the area with her own body. Otherwise, she curls up on my pillow and chews on my hair until she falls asleep. She is as much a part of me as my hands or my eyes.


Happy Animal Wednesday!

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

7 Random Facts

MIM has challenged her readers to publish 7 random facts (or deadly sins) about themselves.

Here we go:

1. I've never eaten peanut butter on a pickle, but I'm going to try it some time.
2. Instead of buying cotton for the gerbils, I just give them old clothes of mine to shred.
3. I save toilet paper rolls, the gerbils, bird and snakes all love them for various reasons.
4. I graduated Summa Cum Laude from college.
5. I really don't enjoy writing I statements for some reason. (Will have to think about that one)
6. I've just spent a few minutes contemplating whether to rephrase 2 into an I statement, but I think I will not.
7. I enjoy a well brewed cup of tea.

What about you?

Poetry Challenge

I'm Nobody!
0
I’m nobody! Who are you?
Are you nobody, too?
Then there’s a pair of us — don’t tell!
They’d banish us, you know.
0
How dreary to be somebody!
How public, like a frog
To tell your name the livelong day
To an admiring bog!
Human Being posted the above poem by Emily Dickinson and challenged us to change it up a bit. Here is mine.

I'm happy, who are you?
Are you happy too?
Then there's a pair of us-don't tell
They'd banish us if they knew

How dreary to be busy
How public, like a frog
Proclaiming what you do all day
To a disinterested bog


This is dedicated to the lady who kept me awake from Phoenix to OKC talking to her seatmate in a voice that carried across the aisle...proclaiming who she was by listing out what she had, what she did.....yadda yadda yadda.

Amazed

Virtual Labyrinth will allow you to experience a self guided or automated tour of various styles of labyrinths.

During my trip to California, I spent some quality time with Larry, my cousin's labyrinth. We experimented with and were amazed by the Appleton Dance. The Oh Wow thing about the Appleton is that you are walking side by side with someone, headed in the same direction, BUT one of you is headed into the center of the labyrinth and one of you is headed out of the labyrinth. My mind was a bit boggled experiencing something that logic says could not be true, yet was happening at that very moment. There was a moment we repeated several times-at the point where we synched up-she KNOWING she was headed one way, I KNOWING I was headed the other, yet our paths were the same, that frankly, I could go back for on a daily basis.

I'm tired from the trip, but I wanted to pop in and share a bit of the wonder with you all. Photos, cactus, insights to come.....

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Talk Amongst Yourselves

My parents and I are off to California. Daddy announced a few minutes ago this would be our last trip. Of course this is our 30th last trip, he is on the 130 last car......

I'm taking Mom to see Uncle John and then I'll wrap up a few things here, pack and head off in the morning....maybe for the last time. Maybe not-who really knows?

I am looking forward to the trip, but right now I'm ready to be ON the trip, not wrapping up. I love it when that switch hits in my head that says "you can do no more and I zoom into to road mode," but that is likely a few hours away. It's enough to know that it is coming.

Cactus Monday will be on Tuesday cause I'm getting home late Monday night. Until then, talk amongst yourselves if you like-I'll see you next week.

Animal Wednesday

HAW Everyone!


Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Running out of time

I pretty much always feel that way...that there is not enough time. The preacher at the senior center comforted the oldsters by saying "worst thing is you'll die and go to heaven, but Jesus is coming soon so that is probably what's going to happen."

Now, I'm not being critical of preacher-HE was there talking to them, and they appreciated it. Whether or not I agree with the message, I agree with the attention he gives them. Most of the sermons are geared towards not fearing death and what is going to happen when you die. Which is age appropriate for sure, but I have visions of him getting up there and saying "I really don't have any idea what the future holds for any of us, but I'll hold your hand through it."

That would be a nice message and you could take comfort in it without believing he knows what he's talking about. I do believe he thinks he knows or he wants to think he knows. I am trying not to be angry at any religion and I have already called a truce with preacher at any rate-for the Sundays we are both at the nursing home. I smile and try to send him good energy to send to the residents-in that we are united and I can participate. I do give him props-it's probably as uncomfortable for him to shake my hand with my capri pants, tie dye shirt and multiple tattoos as it is for me to shake his hand-but every Sunday we both give it our best effort and I think we are both growing from it.

My current time clock is getting ready to go to California on Thursday. My current circumstances are forcing me to come to grips with the only thing I can do for sure is get on the plane-the lenghty list of accomplishments I had set out for myself to achieve before lift off is largely undone. But, running my life like a work project wasn't working for me very well.

It takes me sooooooo long to experience and realize things-I feel like the dunce of the universe sometimes. Book learning and math tests-piece of cake....KNOWING what I know to be true-not so easy. Of course, "ranking yourself" in the universe is surely a most unenlightened viewpoint.

The ancient poly perk perked it's last this morning-or rather failed to perk. I dropped the basket in the water to get one final cup of brew. I just spit out a mouthful of Pike's Peast Roast grounds...so much for sentiment.

I gave my folks my new fangled Mr. Coffee that I bought for their visit in Dallas a few months ago when my stomach was so bad that I couldn't drink coffee. When I recovered, I just pulled out the old poly perk, but last week or so I purchased a 4 cup Mr. Coffee because I knew Poly was on her way out, I just wanted to use it until it perked no more.

The new fangled Mr. Coffee is still unused at my parent's house, because the new instruction manual hasn't arrived. It has caused much consternation with them, because they are running out of time-old Mr. Coffee is gasping....running out of time.....

It's amazing really they are so stressed by it. There are probably 100's of coffee makers within a mile or two of here, they have money and a car. If they needed to, the could stop at 7-11 and pick up a cup on the way to the store....but the rhythm of their day would be RUINED (changed) if Old Mr. C dies before the New Manual Arrives. It never ceases confound me on how I could have sprang from those loins. I am sure it does them to, and they probably wonder what they did to have ME heaped on their heads...

Old people, preachers, coffee makers and middle aged kids-we all march down that same road of time. Some of us just choose not to give it as much importance.

RIP Orange Poly Perk!