Don't have time for a long post, I'm going to a baseball game. But I wanted to quickly post that I saw Sex and the City this afternoon. I triple loved it.
The one downfall is that I came home to download some of the songs from the movie off of Itunes and you have to buy the whole album to get any of the songs. Boooooo!!!!
Alright, off to the game. Who am I kidding I'm off to get a hot dog. Who cares about the game?
Peace out!
Friday, May 30, 2008
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Living Together
Well it has been a very eventful day and by that I mean I haven't done much at all. However, I did exercise my constitutional right and responsibility. I voted. In California we still have a June election. I think this would have normally been paired with the Presidential primary but instead we had our primary in February on Super Duper Tuesday--I'm sure that means we wanted to get in on the primary action like everyone else, but unlike Florida and Michigan our votes will count because it wasn't too early. So anyway I voted today because I'll be away next Tuesday, our regular election day.
Beginning on Sunday I'll be in San Diego visiting my friends Mark and Mary Sue and their new children Hannah and Isaac. So the other thing I began doing today was knitting a hat. I made them a baby blanket but I had extra yarn so I'm going to make a couple of hats as well. But other than that I didn't do anything else today except take a nap. Ahhh, sabbatical.
I just finished eating a burrito and I'm drinking a glass of water. Now that is a very important thing to note, it is a glass of water. Before I went to Scotland I drank bottles of water. I would buy cases of it at Safeway or Target and then just grab a bottle out of the refrigerator. I knew that I was more likely to grab a bottle of water than to fill up a glass. But when I went to Scotland, specifically Iona, I really felt connected to the earth. I think I learned clearly for the first time that we are not set up to control or dominate the land nor the rest of the creatures that live on it. Instead we live together, the humans, the animals, the trees, all the living things on the planet. We reside together.
This became clearest to me, I think, the day that I went for a swim while on Iona. (And by swim I mean I got into the water and then got out because it was really, really cold.) I had to walk about 25 minutes to get to the spot that I had chosen to go swimming in. On my way there I passed cows and sheep. Then as I entered this shaded spot I saw a dead lamb. It didn't look as if he had died a violent death but instead had probably found this spot to die. But then as I was sitting on the beach another sheep and lamb just walked right out on the beach with me. We were there together. I wondered if they were grieving the loss of the lamb that had died too young like I was grieving the loss of a lamb that died too young. Was the lamb that died the brother or sister of the lamb that was sharing the beach with me? In that moment we were all there together.
So I've come back with (a) a call to spend more time out doors. Now let's be clear I'm not going camping anytime soon. Although, that might happen at some point. But I am feeling a tug outdoors, hence the hike this weekend. (B) I'm trying to make at least a little change in a behavior that affects the planet and the rest of its residents. I am giving up buying bottled water. I've been filling up a pitcher of water and keeping a water bottle filled as well. So far I'm doing really well. And even better I'm well hydrated--urine is clear, clear, clear. (The water bottle thing also probably has a little bit with the fact that Copey bugged me about water bottles every single day we were traveling together.)
Drinking another glass of water.
Peace out
Beginning on Sunday I'll be in San Diego visiting my friends Mark and Mary Sue and their new children Hannah and Isaac. So the other thing I began doing today was knitting a hat. I made them a baby blanket but I had extra yarn so I'm going to make a couple of hats as well. But other than that I didn't do anything else today except take a nap. Ahhh, sabbatical.
I just finished eating a burrito and I'm drinking a glass of water. Now that is a very important thing to note, it is a glass of water. Before I went to Scotland I drank bottles of water. I would buy cases of it at Safeway or Target and then just grab a bottle out of the refrigerator. I knew that I was more likely to grab a bottle of water than to fill up a glass. But when I went to Scotland, specifically Iona, I really felt connected to the earth. I think I learned clearly for the first time that we are not set up to control or dominate the land nor the rest of the creatures that live on it. Instead we live together, the humans, the animals, the trees, all the living things on the planet. We reside together.
This became clearest to me, I think, the day that I went for a swim while on Iona. (And by swim I mean I got into the water and then got out because it was really, really cold.) I had to walk about 25 minutes to get to the spot that I had chosen to go swimming in. On my way there I passed cows and sheep. Then as I entered this shaded spot I saw a dead lamb. It didn't look as if he had died a violent death but instead had probably found this spot to die. But then as I was sitting on the beach another sheep and lamb just walked right out on the beach with me. We were there together. I wondered if they were grieving the loss of the lamb that had died too young like I was grieving the loss of a lamb that died too young. Was the lamb that died the brother or sister of the lamb that was sharing the beach with me? In that moment we were all there together.
So I've come back with (a) a call to spend more time out doors. Now let's be clear I'm not going camping anytime soon. Although, that might happen at some point. But I am feeling a tug outdoors, hence the hike this weekend. (B) I'm trying to make at least a little change in a behavior that affects the planet and the rest of its residents. I am giving up buying bottled water. I've been filling up a pitcher of water and keeping a water bottle filled as well. So far I'm doing really well. And even better I'm well hydrated--urine is clear, clear, clear. (The water bottle thing also probably has a little bit with the fact that Copey bugged me about water bottles every single day we were traveling together.)
Drinking another glass of water.
Peace out
Monday, May 26, 2008
Happy Memorial Day
Hope you all are gorging yourselves on hamburgers and hot dogs, because really there is no better way to honor all the soldiers who have died than consuming grilled meats. Just like there is no better way to honor past presidents than by buying a mattress. Have you noticed that nearly all of our holidays involve honoring someone or several someones who have died. MLK Day--dead. President's Day--mostly dead. Easter--dead. Christmas--a birth but only because he died in the end. Thanksgiving--dead turkey, and if we are honest you know there were some dead native americans as well.
Now onto other things. I had a great weekend. I went hiking yesterday. You heard me right, hiking. How butch is that? I had a great time. When I was in Iona I really felt connected to the earth and since I returned I have felt a constant tug to the outdoors. So that is what I did yesterday. My friends Clark, Alan and I spent a good part of the day on Mount Tamalpais. If you've read any of Ann Lamott's memoir books she talks a lot about hiking on Mt. Tam. So all while I was there I was on the look out for her. I never saw her. But it was great.
But really what I want to write about is The Wheel of Fortune--I'm watching it now while I'm writing this. It is Dads and Grads week--a grad and there dad are playing together. Well let me tell you they are not bright. Here is my example of how not smart they are. One of the toss up puzzles (A toss up puzzle involves the random filling in of letters and then the first person to buzz in and answer correctly get the money.) was Living Things. The following letters were filled in RED P_P_IES. Well the first team buzzed in and said "Red Puppies." Do they think Clifford the Red Dog is real? The second team buzzed in and said and I am not making this up, "Red Popeyes." Red popeyes? Really? I'm hoping what you graduated from was some vo-tech program where you didn't actually have to learn anything other than a skill and I'm hoping that it was some skill that requires very little actual skill. And that doesn't involve the possibility for the loss of life. Fortunately the last team buzzed in with Red Poppies. The flowers.
So that is it!
Peace!
Now onto other things. I had a great weekend. I went hiking yesterday. You heard me right, hiking. How butch is that? I had a great time. When I was in Iona I really felt connected to the earth and since I returned I have felt a constant tug to the outdoors. So that is what I did yesterday. My friends Clark, Alan and I spent a good part of the day on Mount Tamalpais. If you've read any of Ann Lamott's memoir books she talks a lot about hiking on Mt. Tam. So all while I was there I was on the look out for her. I never saw her. But it was great.
But really what I want to write about is The Wheel of Fortune--I'm watching it now while I'm writing this. It is Dads and Grads week--a grad and there dad are playing together. Well let me tell you they are not bright. Here is my example of how not smart they are. One of the toss up puzzles (A toss up puzzle involves the random filling in of letters and then the first person to buzz in and answer correctly get the money.) was Living Things. The following letters were filled in RED P_P_IES. Well the first team buzzed in and said "Red Puppies." Do they think Clifford the Red Dog is real? The second team buzzed in and said and I am not making this up, "Red Popeyes." Red popeyes? Really? I'm hoping what you graduated from was some vo-tech program where you didn't actually have to learn anything other than a skill and I'm hoping that it was some skill that requires very little actual skill. And that doesn't involve the possibility for the loss of life. Fortunately the last team buzzed in with Red Poppies. The flowers.
So that is it!
Peace!
Friday, May 23, 2008
Adulthood Angst
First of all I'm drinking a cocktail that I fixed myself. Why? Because I can. I had everything for a cosmopolitan except the lime juice and it tastes fine without the lime--although it could use the tartness of the lime. I also saw the new Indiana Jones movie today. It is not as good as the first three but it is fun. Definitely worth seeing on a big screen. I will say that the ending is a little over the top.
Now on to the bigger deal today. I made a step in breaking a family pattern. Now before you get too excited it was not an actual pattern. Instead it was a role I normally play in my family that I live out in other relationships outside the family. I'll explain. I have a friend who I spoke with yesterday and they were in a crisis. Now my instinct was to immediately jump on a plane to go help them or in reality to go and rescue them. This is what my role in my biological family is. When things are in crisis I go there to be a stabilizing influence for the rest of the system. When my brother was sick it was all that I could do to keep myself from rushing to Florida to be there for the rest of my family. And when he died I was there not so much to be with my brother but instead to be there for my family. Now I'll say it isn't as simple as I'm making it sound. I also wanted to be with my family because we were also grieving the same loss, albeit in different ways. But when someone is in crisis I want to be there.
And today the problem was that I knew I couldn't and didn't want to immediately jump in and rescue my friend but how could I tell them that I wasn't going to. I felt to guilty and didn't want to let them down. But I was brushing my teeth when I realized that the person I was letting down was not my mother but instead a friend and the pattern I have established over the course of my life does not have to be the pattern I live out with my family of choice. I knew that I had to tell them but it was so hard. I kept coming up with excuses I could offer as to why I couldn't come instead of actually having to say I don't want to come and that it would be a bad decision for me to make. But in the end I called and told the truth and admitted that it was really hard for me to do that. And of course this person behaved like a healthy person would behave. But my heart was beating and I was so nervous in having to give the news.
Why is it so hard to say what I want? Why is it so hard to live as an adult? I know the answers to these questions. And today I think I made a step towards being a better and healthier adult. I'm a cocktail making healthier adult! Yay for me!
Now on to the bigger deal today. I made a step in breaking a family pattern. Now before you get too excited it was not an actual pattern. Instead it was a role I normally play in my family that I live out in other relationships outside the family. I'll explain. I have a friend who I spoke with yesterday and they were in a crisis. Now my instinct was to immediately jump on a plane to go help them or in reality to go and rescue them. This is what my role in my biological family is. When things are in crisis I go there to be a stabilizing influence for the rest of the system. When my brother was sick it was all that I could do to keep myself from rushing to Florida to be there for the rest of my family. And when he died I was there not so much to be with my brother but instead to be there for my family. Now I'll say it isn't as simple as I'm making it sound. I also wanted to be with my family because we were also grieving the same loss, albeit in different ways. But when someone is in crisis I want to be there.
And today the problem was that I knew I couldn't and didn't want to immediately jump in and rescue my friend but how could I tell them that I wasn't going to. I felt to guilty and didn't want to let them down. But I was brushing my teeth when I realized that the person I was letting down was not my mother but instead a friend and the pattern I have established over the course of my life does not have to be the pattern I live out with my family of choice. I knew that I had to tell them but it was so hard. I kept coming up with excuses I could offer as to why I couldn't come instead of actually having to say I don't want to come and that it would be a bad decision for me to make. But in the end I called and told the truth and admitted that it was really hard for me to do that. And of course this person behaved like a healthy person would behave. But my heart was beating and I was so nervous in having to give the news.
Why is it so hard to say what I want? Why is it so hard to live as an adult? I know the answers to these questions. And today I think I made a step towards being a better and healthier adult. I'm a cocktail making healthier adult! Yay for me!
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
American Idol
David Cook is the winner of American Idol. Normally, I think America chooses the wrong person--voting on who they like best instead of who has the best voice along with the quality that would make someone a star. But this year I think they got it right.
I say they because I didn't actually vote.
Plus, I think David Cook is hot!!!!
I say they because I didn't actually vote.
Plus, I think David Cook is hot!!!!
George Michael
Alright, I'm watching American Idol. (Don't judge me!) And here is what I want to say: George Michael is performing and (1) he looks bad. I mean bad ya'll. I'm thinking all of the public bathroom sex has been hard on him and (2) he is singing some song that no one knows. I'm sorry if you are someone like George Michael we do not want you to sing something new. We want you to sing something that everyone knows. We want you to sing "I want your sex." I would have said "Faith" or some other such song but the contestants just did that. Now I'm not saying he has to sing "Wake me up before you go go" I'm just saying know what your audience has come to hear. Particularly when you are washed up. I mean if you are someone current go ahead and sing your new stuff, but if you are George Michael or Blondie or whomever sing your hits because lets face it your newest artistic endeavor is never going to sell.
Alright that is enough of my ranting. They are about to announce the winner.
Peace
Alright that is enough of my ranting. They are about to announce the winner.
Peace
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Scotland Photos
My Scotland photos are now uploaded to Flickr. You can see them at:
http://flickr.com/photos/callmedixie/
Above is an example of the Puffins
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