30 on the 31st

I made it! I wrote 30 posts in 31 days! Yippee Skippee! (Where did that phrase originate, I wonder? I'm not going down that rabbit hole right now, though.)

As you may have guessed, I am not one to make resolutions. Since things change so quickly, having a resolution can become a burden. I would rather 'work' on things as they come up and are relevant, if that makes sense. I think we should continually work to improve ourselves and our world and making a resolution at the beginning of the year doesn't necessarily do that.

If you make resolutions, what are they and how successful are you at keeping them. Do you put a time constraint on them? Does that help?

I do like to do some reflection on the past year and look forward to what I know to be coming in the new year, but I don't dwell on either. I do think 2010 will be a big year of change.

• My oldest daughter will be going off to college (at least that's the plan) which will change the dynamic of the household quite a bit.
• I am turning 50 which is significant to me because my mother died when she was 50. It is one event that has really got me thinking about what I want to do with the rest of my life. How will I make a difference?
• I'm doing two marathons, my 9th and my 10th. I never thought I'd do 2 much less 10. It is a bit of an addiction. There is such satisfaction to it. And with my 9th, I'll be raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society so there is an even better reason for doing it.

As you contemplate what you will do in 2010, please remember that we all need to give back somehow. Whether it's by doing a marathon and raising money, giving time or donating goods, each of us needs to take care of those who are in need. It will make the world a better place.

And have a VERY Happy New Year! Raise your glass, hug your friends, kiss your family members and remember those who have passed before us. We have a limited time and we need to make it the best time we can.

29 and counting

To 30! I am very proud of myself for sticking with this 30-day blogging challenge. I have wanted to let it go a couple of times, especially at the beginning, but I'm glad I forged ahead and met the challenge.

What I have learned is that 300 words is not a lot of words and is very doable. Finding a topic is the hard part. I know what I need to work on to make posts more interesting and I know that if I want to continue I will need to find a couple of consistent topics to cover. That is the new challenge I face and I have to decide how I will accomplish it.

And only 27 more shopping days.

The snow is slowly melting, but NOT FAST ENOUGH! It's pretty for about the first 1/2 hour and then I'm over it. I did take some photos last night of our tree in the backyard but I haven't downloaded them yet. I was too lazy to do it last night.

We did not go for a walk this morning because of the snow. I wasn't sure how slippery it would be and I really don't want to fall - I have two marathons to do in 2010 so I can't risk injury!

The dog is on the couch. I turned around to look at him and he had his chin on the tv tray. I knew if I got up to get my camera he would move so I tried to take a photo of him with the webcam. But sure as shootin', he moved as soon as I pushed the button to take the photo. How did he know I wanted to get a cute photo of him? All I did was turn around to look at him. He usually doesn't stay still long enough for a photo so I thought I would have a good chance this time. Foiled again.

Off to watch the snow melt and take the Christmas tree out. The house is almost back to normal, whatever normal is!

I think I'm the only one

Snow? Seriously?

Sometimes I think I'm the only one who is never excited when it snows in Portland. I was checking Twitter and there were several people very happy that it was snowing. I just find it annoying and limiting.

I say that if I want snow, I'll go to it. I do not want it to come to me. Portland is never completely ready for the snow. And forget about having your 'side street' plowed. Unlike other parts of the country, I don't have a neighbor who has a truck with a snow plow, nor do I want one!

I was hoping to go for a walk this afternoon with my friend Mo, but the snow thwarted that plan. At least one of us would have had to drive which could have left one of us stranded. I really wanted to walk since we had a big lunch.

Today was our Tek Legends lunch. That is our self-described name. We all worked together at Tektronix in the PR department. I think we get along better now than we did when we worked together. It was a very good time.

I had three types of soup (Greg called it a 'flight' of soup) - homemade Turkey noodle, Vegetarian Quinoa Chili and SoupCycle's "Your Tongue Takes You on Vacation." Everyone seemed to enjoy them. Served with salad and bread, finished with some quick breads and cookies and everyone went home very full.

I'm surprised that I'm still upright and coherent. I don't think I got much sleep last night. Marie and her friends were up all night. After they finished all the episodes of Avatar: The Last Airbender they wanted to watch, around 2 a.m., they decided to play Wii.

It wasn't like I didn't sleep, I did dream, but I don't think I got any good, deep sleep. They had a very good time together. I wish I had a tape recorder to capture their conversations - some of what I heard was quite funny. It was good to see them having so much fun.

So I will try to get better sleep tonight. And all that snow better be gone when I get up!

29 Shopping Days

Yes, you read that right! 29 shopping days left until my birthday! Best time of year to purchase gifts for me. Because, as we know, it's all about me!

I like to joke about that since my birthday falls a month after Christmas and everyone is shopped-out right about now. Well, everyone but my friend Terri. She can shop and shop and shop...

Today should be busy so I'm getting this post done early. Took the dog for a nice long walk, got all my email read and am now mentally preparing myself for the tasks at hand. Cleaning, grocery shopping and finishing the jigsaw puzzle are items on the list. The current puzzle has been tough - Marie picked it out. I'll take a picture once I'm done.

Today is teenage girl day at my house. Marie is having four of her friends over to watch all of the 'Avatar - The Last Airbender' episodes. They are arriving at 10:30. I don't know when they are leaving, tomorrow, I think. So I need more food for them. I will get the standard pizza for dinner but I have no idea what to feed them for lunch. Guess I'll ask Marie once she gets up!

Claire will escape to the Garden Home Rec Center for most of the day. She has been volunteering with the school-age day care, Discovery Club. From Kindergarten through 6th grade she went to Discovery Club every day after school. It was a good program and worked well for her and Marie. I'm very proud of her for volunteering there and for taking it seriously. She seems to enjoy it. We are hopeful that it will turn into a paying job for the summer. If she continues to do well as a volunteer, I think she's a shoe-in for a job.

I must get busy with my chores. Although I might have to put a few pieces in the puzzle before I get started. It is addictive. I tell myself it's keeping my mind active and alert!

I've created monsters

We've only had our Wii for two days and I think my children are already addicted to it. It has been the source of many hours of amusement for them over the past two days. At least they are doing some of the Wii Fit activities and not just sitting and playing games (but sitting probably occurs most of the time).

I played with it yesterday and my shoulders are sore today. I think it's from the bird's eye game where you have to flap your arms to get to the end. Although, it could be from some of the other games that I tried. I enjoyed most of them. I haven't tried any of the yoga yet, but I've watched Marie do some of the poses. 

We went to the Zoolights at the Oregon Zoo last night. The girls bought holographic 'glasses' to look at the lights. My friend Marcia took our photo:

Stunning, aren't we?! Before we left the house, I tried on the headband and told Claire it was one of the best inventions ever. She said it was a good thing I had a friend to walk with because she wasn't going to be seen with me if I wore that. And then, they walked up to use wearing those glasses. Hmm, who doesn't want to be seen with whom now???

I hadn't been to Zoolights in awhile. They have added some displays and covered more things with lights. I really liked one of the snack shacks they had covered in lights. It was so bright and cheery. I realized while we were there that I haven't been to the zoo in quite awhile. I think I'll need to make sure I visit next spring or summer. Maybe I'll manage to go to one of the concerts they have there.

Only four more blog posts to go to reach my goal. I do know that I don't want to have to blog every day after the challenge is over, but I feel more confident in blogging on a more regular basis than I had been.

The Day After

I took an unplanned day off from blogging yesterday. I really wanted to have the 31st as my day off, but I guess that is not to be.

Had a lovely day with my girls. Day started with a nice walk with friends. Marcia's birthday was yesterday so she decided the route. We started at Pittock Mansion and went down through Forest Park on the Wildwood trail to Hoyt Arboretum and back up (yes, for those of you who are familiar, we did have to take a couple of different trails to get to the Arboretum but I don't remember the names).

It was a beautiful, cold, clear day. We remarked on how peaceful it was on the trail and how much better we liked the weather this year compared to last. The dogs got a good walk, too.

Once I got home we opened our gifts. I got the girls a Wii (really it's a family gift) and my dad and stepmom got them the Wii Fit Plus. They wasted no time setting it up. I let Claire do it all and she did a fine job.

We saw 'Sherlock Holmes' at 1. The theater was packed. I'm glad we got there a little early, even if we did have to sit through all those endless ads and previews. I enjoyed the movie. It's not the Basil Rathbone version but I found it entertaining and I never got bored. Yes, some of the 'action' scenes went on too long and were very improbable, but I expected some of that. And Robert Downey, Jr. was his usual stellar self. He is such a good actor and I'm so happy he seems to have gotten his life in order.

I cooked a turkey after we got home. I brined it first, using a recipe my friend gave me. This is the 2nd time I've used the brine and I am sold on it. The bird turned out moist and very flavorful. I'll make soup from the carcass tomorrow - I think it will be very good.

After we ate and I got the kitchen cleaned up I was exhausted! I didn't expect to be so tired at 8 o'clock. The girls were still playing Wii when I went to bed. I don't know how long they were up but I think it's a hit.

Off to do chores now. Happy Boxing Day!

Christmas Present

Just a few hours left of Christmas Eve. We had a nice time at my aunt's. It was quiet but it was good to have time to just visit with one another. My aunt is in her 80's and a real 'pistol.' She has always been a lot of fun to be with and easy to talk to.

Driving home gave me time to reflect on Christmas and what I want out of it. And what I really don't want is a lot of gifts.

I am very happy with my decision to ask my friends not to exchange gifts this year. It has been so much more relaxed. I hope that they feel the same way and will honor my request. I will make it clear that I want it to continue beyond this year, too. There isn't anything I need that someone else can buy me. I would prefer to just spend time with my friends.

And I'd rather give gifts at other times of the year - especially when they are unexpected. I'd much rather give someone some homemade chutney in July or a handmade scarf in October. I think it just means more.

When I think over past Christmases and the gifts I've received, I remember more of the times I was disappointed than when I was thrilled. I don't think that's the fault of the giver. I think it's because of the expectations.

It's hard to pick the right gift and with the added expectations at Christmas, it's even harder. Suddenly, we expect those we love to immediately know what the perfect gift is. As children we don't think twice about creating a list of things we want. As adults we expect others to just know what we want. But creating a list seems wrong, too.

So I chose to eliminate the stress and the expectations this year. And that's the best Christmas present I could get!

Christmases Past

Growing up we always had our big Christmas celebration on Christmas Eve. My mother was an only child so I guess it didn’t matter to her when we celebrated as her parents were always with us. We usually had the big dinner at our house with my maternal grandparents. Every other year my dad’s mother would join us.

Dinner was always turkey. We never had anything but turkey. No ham, no roast, no enchiladas. Turkey and all the fixin’s. My brother and my grandfather sure could eat. I remember how both of them would eat a good plateful of food, rest for a few moments, take some deep breaths, and then have another plateful of food.

For the six or seven of us, my mom would cook a 20-22 pound turkey. No wonder there was always so much leftover.

After dinner we would open presents. My mother loved Christmas. She was usually more anxious to open the gifts than my brother and I. And there was always an obscene number of gifts under the tree. Because my brother and I were the only grandchildren of my mother’s parents, they bought us too much stuff. And yet, I knew kids who got more than I did and I was jealous of them. When I think back now, I can’t believe it.

I always planned to save one gift to open on Christmas day but I rarely succeeded. I just couldn’t leave that last gift unopened.

Once all the festivities were done, the pies consumed and the dishes done, my grandparents would go home and the rest of us would go over to my aunt’s house. I always looked forward to that. Her house had a lot more people.

My aunt had three children and her second husband also had three children. And once they all started having kids, it was quite a houseful. I loved going over there.

Tomorrow it will be just the girls and I going to my aunt’s house. My dad and stepmom are in Arizona so they won’t be there. All of my aunt’s kids have other places to be and it’s too much for her to have them all over any more. While I understand it’s just what happens as we all age, I do miss it.

Breakfast for dinner

We had French toast and bacon for dinner tonight. My but it was tasty, if I do say so myself. And filling, very filling. In fact, after three hours, I’m still full. That doesn’t happen to me very often. Girls were happy with it, too. Dog would have loved to have some but he got his standard lamb and rice kibble with a couple tablespoons of canned food.

Cards are in the mail; package to my Dad is in the mail; I am done spending money on Christmas. YAY!

Went for a very nice walk along the waterfront today with friends and the dog. It was chilly when we started and sunny when we ended. We started at Alber’s Mill at 7 a.m., walked to the Steel bridge and crossed over to the east side esplanade to the Hawthorne Bridge. Crossed back over to the west side and continued south to Willamette Park.

On the way back we don’t cross the bridges but just stay on the west side of the river. I don’t know how long it is but it’s a good walk. I like starting early so that we are done before too many people are out and about. The dog got to sniff a couple of other dogs so his day was made.

On the way home I finished my shopping and stopped at the P.O. to mail the cards and gifts. I love it when I can be efficient like that. It’s very satisfying for me.

It was a lazy day after that. A little reading, a little napping, a little television viewing. I tried to watch the OSU/BYU game but after the first couple of minutes of the 2nd half, I had to abandon it. It was just too sad to watch. I don’t know what happened to OSU but after they scored first, they seemed to lose all momentum. And the mistakes they made pretty much killed their chances. I checked in again a few minutes later but it was much worse – 37 to 7. Very disappointing.

Tomorrow is a ‘stay at home’ day. If I decide to go anywhere I will walk. Since I don’t have any shopping to do, I don’t think it will be hard to stay home. I have a lot of stuff I can do around here, that’s for sure!

Now it’s time for Psychic Kids  and then Paranormal State. We are addicted to all these paranormal shows!

Almost done

If you don't read my friend Kimberly's blog (the link to it is over there on the right), you should. She is very funny and quite a talented writer. Too bad she doesn't post more often, but she's in law school and working. I suppose that doesn't leave too much time for writing witty blog posts.

I think, hope, pray that I am done shopping. I just need to go to the post office tomorrow to mail two packages -- yes, I know they won't arrive by Christmas, but I don't care. Again, like the Christmas cards, as long as they are in the mail BEFORE Christmas, that counts as if they arrive by Christmas.

The cards will be in the mail tomorrow. I didn't get stamps until after the postman came today. He didn't ring twice, he didn't even ring once...tomorrow, one way or the other, I will complete my postal obligations.

It is my intention to not step foot inside another store after tomorrow. I will cook the Christmas turkey with whatever ingredients I have on hand. I tried to get everything I needed, but I could not find the fresh herbs I needed. I will use dried or nothing.

Tomorrow will also involve a walk along the Portland waterfront. I am hopeful that it will not be raining. I understand that is not realistic, but I am hopeful. The dog will be happy to go either way. He lives to take a ride in the car. I may freeze because the windows are down, but he is in hog heaven. The things we do...

I think Wednesday needs to be a Christmas movie marathon day. Either on DVD, VHS or TV. I have yet to watch 'Holiday Inn' and 'A Christmas Story.' I am not as enamored of 'It's a Wonderful Life' as others, but I will watch it as it is a 'classic' that should not be ignored.

On Christmas day we plan to go see 'Sherlock Holmes.' I am so pleased that Robert Downey Jr. seems to have straightened out his life. I think he's a great actor and he's cute, to boot! I'll post a short review after we see it.

Appears that the Giants have this game locked up. I will miss football when it's over but it does take up a lot of time!

21 of 30 down. We're into single digits - anything is possible, now!

The Seinfeld of Blogs?

Another struggle for a topic tonight. I looked at my list of possible subjects but I was not inspired. I don't want to use my 'free' day yet so here it goes.

There was a clue in yesterday's crossword - "TV show about nothing." Maybe today's blog post is the Seinfeld of the blogging world. A blog about nothing. I don't think I could be as entertaining as Seinfeld was, unfortunately.

Weird football day today. I've never seen so many interceptions and missed field goals. Are they all getting tired? The one thing I missed was Pittsburgh's win. I stopped watching with 43 seconds left in the game. I figured it was over and my daughter was ready to go to her friend's house so we left. I couldn't believe it when I saw the clip showing them winning. If only I'd waited a couple more minutes.

Sorry to hear about the Bengals loss. I'm sure the recent death of Chris Henry had to affect they way they played. That team has has a rough season but they've done pretty well in spite of it all.

I wish Al Michaels would learn to say Oregon correctly. He seems to say it wrong a different way each time, thank goodness he doesn't say it very often. But it makes me cringe every time he does.

Also sorry to hear about the death of Brittany Murphy. Right now they don't seem to know what she died of but no matter what, she was too young, only 32. I read that she was thinking of having a baby next year so I don't think her death was intentional. I find it fascinating how people jump all over these things and all the mean and hateful things they say. That's definitely a negative aspect to this 'internet-age.' People hide under anonymity to make wild accusations and spread false information and there's no recourse.

Oh, and the tree is decorated. Let Christmas commence!

Day 20 of 30 complete!

Christmas Tree Day 3

The Christmas tree is now upright and in the living room. It was probably the easiest set-up I've done. It went in the stand and was straight pretty much from the start. It's not a wide as some other trees we've had which makes it fit in the living room much better.

I put the lights on it. The girls are in charge of the ornaments. However, right now, there are about twelve ornaments on it - that I put on. We'll see how long it takes for more to be hung.

The dog wasn't too interested in it. I hope his indifference continues. We'll see how that goes, too.

I didn't get the Christmas shopping done. It's hard to shop when the people you are shopping for are with you! I think I'll go on Monday. Tuesday at the latest.

I decided today that I need to finish “Summerland” by Michael Chabon. I bought the book used a couple of years ago in paperback at Powell’s Books. I started reading it on one of the business trips I took in October. I got to page 240-something. I’m reading it and I turn the page and the sentence from the previous page isn’t completed.

What the? I’m confused so I turn back the page then flip it back and realize that about 30 pages are missing! But it’s not like they’ve fallen out. No, this is a flaw in the book. Since I purchased it so long ago, I wasn’t going to take it back. I checked it out from the library.

I read a little of it when I first checked it out, then I read a “That Old Cape Magic.” I had used up my three weeks of time and had to renew. I don’t want to renew again thus my determination to finish the book within the next few days. It goes pretty fast so I think it is a reasonable goal!

And I put the flawed book in the recycle bin. Unlike the person who sold it to Powell’s, I wasn’t going to pretend it was in good shape even if it meant I could recoup some of my money. That just wouldn’t be right.

I must go back to reading now. This completes day 18 - oops, make that day 19 - of the blogging challenge!

A little of this, a little of that

Claire and I got the tree last night. We ended up with a grand fir this year. I’ve heard they are more fragrant. I’m hoping that doesn’t translate to being more aggravating and causing my hay fever to flare up.

I put it in a bucket in the shed. I’ll either put it in its proper stand tonight or tomorrow. I’m thinking tomorrow because I don’t think I feel like doing it tonight.

All of us are off for the next two weeks. No work for me (don’t get me started on that) and no school for the girls. The dog (master of our domain) will be thrilled to have us home for fourteen days straight. That means less crate time for him, more lounging around the house.

I am actually sending out cards this year. I got them all addressed last night. I’ll sign them tonight and tomorrow and mail on Monday. I don’t strive to get them TO people before Christmas, I strive to get them MAILED before Christmas. Once they have their little stamps on them and they are safely in the mailbox, my obligations are fulfilled.

I do not do a letter. If I did, I’d never get them out. I do try to write more than just our names though. I try to write at least a couple of sentences. I did put together a photo collage this year but that won’t go in every card.

I am looking forward to our book club breakfast tomorrow. We’re a small group (6 of us) so we meet to discuss the book one month and then meet for breakfast the next. That means we only have 6 meetings a year where we have to actually read a book. It works out well for all of us! It is a fine group of women and we always have fun together.

I also plan to complete my Christmas shopping this weekend. I just need a few small items for my daughters and something for my parents. I anticipate it taking an hour or two at the most. However, I will not be going to the mall, that much I know is true!

Christmas Tree O Christmas Tree

I guess tonight is the night. Claire and I will be going to get a Christmas tree. I’ve put it off as long as possible but I think it should go up this weekend. I like to get it a day or two before bringing it in the house to give it time to dry off (it has been raining in Oregon) and for any little creatures to abandon ship.

I’ll probably stick it in the shed since there’s no room in the garage for it. We don’t get a very big tree – the smaller the tree, the fewer the lights and ornaments to put on and, more importantly, take off.

This will only be the 2nd time we’ve had a tree in the house since we’ve had the dog. (I only get a tree every other year since the girls go visit their father every other year. This year they are home which means it’s a tree year.) The first time he pretty much ignored it. I’m hoping for the same results this year. However he is a dog, Dog=Toddler, meaning anything can happen.

I do know that once both children are out of the house, I won’t have a tree. I have plenty of decorations for the house and I’m just tired of the whole tree hassle. Doesn’t matter if it’s real or fake, the process is the same. And it’s the process that I dislike.

However, I do have some ornaments that I really like. After I divvy up the ones I’m not that fond of to my children, I’ll need to figure out a good way to display the best rest. Two suggestions have been to get a branch (instead of a whole tree) and hang them on that, or hang them from a swag (again, real or fake, it doesn’t matter). I’m thinking I’d rather make a mobile or something along those lines. I don’t think I want greenery as the support material.

I have time to think about it and start looking at what other display options I might be able to use. I do know that portability and a compact size are important criteria.

If you’ve done something different with ornaments, I’d love to hear about it.

Why I Think Chad Ochocinco is Good for the NFL

I follow Chad Ochocinco, @OGOchoCinco, on Twitter. I was not too familiar with his story before I started following him.

I knew that he played for the Oregon State Beavers where he was known as Chad Johnson. I knew that he had changed his name to Ochocinco. I knew he had a big personality and generated a lot of ink.

What I didn’t know was how entertaining and generous he is. I started following him because of an article I read (I don’t remember where or when) about athletes to follow on Twitter, at least in the writer’s opinion. I looked a his Twitter stream, found it interesting and entertaining, so I signed up to follow him, along with Larry Fitzgerald, @lfitzgerald11, and Matt Hasselbeck, @MatthewHass8, two others on the list.

Chad has been the most fun to follow. Larry is second (he is very inspiring) and Matt third, mostly because he doesn’t tweet very much.

Chad’s personality comes through loud and clear. He loves his followers/fans. He interacts with them and is sincere in that interaction. He pokes fun at himself and it’s clear that he has a very big heart. I am now a true fan of his.

I know the NFL (No Fun League) doesn’t see Chad the same way I do which I think is to their detriment. Instead of fining him and punishing him, harness his personality and use it. From all accounts, he works very hard in practice and he takes what he does seriously. That doesn’t mean he can’t have fun with it, too. Imagine what your life would be like if you came to work everyday and were not allowed to ever have any fun (1984, anyone?).

I see what he does as harmless – really, where is the harm of donning a sombrero? He didn’t run out onto the field in it instead of his helmet. He makes me WANT to watch the Bengals and I’ve never been a fan of that team. And seriously, a $20,000 fine for a $1 so-called ‘bribe’?

He’s not a perfect man, but he’s also not saying he is. I think this quote from a USA Today article in 2005 sums it up:

"Nothing is done with bad intent," Johnson says. "Thinking of that next end-zone celebration drives me. There has to be some type of entertainment in what I do.”

3 Words I Want to Go Away

I have ranted about words before. But I cannot say it enough – we need to stop making nouns into verbs.

We don’t dialog with one another, we converse. I’m not efforting a story, I’m looking into the allegations (or whatever it is I could be working on). And I most certainly don’t office from my home!

When I hear people use such words or read articles with them, my opinion of them/it plummets. And even though I have been known to use text as a verb, I cringe every time. I usually try to use it properly in a sentence but it is easy to get caught up in the madness. Don’t text me – send me a text message. Yes, it’s two more words, the horror, but it sounds so much more intelligent.

We need to nip this practice in the bud! Please, say you’re with me on this. Say you’ll stop and use perfectly good verbs and leave the nouns alone! Let them do the job they were meant to do.

In a similar vein, Terry Starbucker did a post on “no nonsense communication.” I’m in his corner. I especially liked the point about negation words. When you think about it, how often do you like to hear the word but?

“I really like you, but…”
“I’d love to hire you, but…”
“Go ahead and eat that ice cream cone, but…”

It’s usually followed by something we’d rather not hear.

I also appreciated his point about absolutes. Most of life is not absolute. I think my dislike of absolutes can also be tracked back to my ‘live in the now’ personality. I know things will change, I expect them to change. Never say never are very wise words. It seems like as soon as I make an absolute statement, something changes to make it false.

In the end, I think we just need to treat words with a little more respect.

Hey, today is day 15 in the 30-day blogging challenge. Woo Hoo!! I’ve made it half way. There’s no turning back, now. Not that there ever was.

Privacy

My day just got better.

Tom Jones, yes, THE Tom Jones is playing in Vegas ON MY BIRTHDAY!! For years, years, I have been threatening to go to Vegas to see him. And now, he’s there ON MY 50th BIRTHDAY. I cannot believe it! Who wants to go?

Now, back to our regularly scheduled blog post…

Eric over at Mindshare Strategy posted this today: Keep things separate. I find this timely because I strive to keep my work and personal life separate as much as possible. Especially now that everyone seems to think that everything we know or say should be known to everyone, friend and foe alike. Yes, I’m pointing the finger at you, Facebook.

When I started at my current place of employment, I decided from day one to not mingle my personal business with company business. I do not give friends my work email address or phone number. I have personal email and a cell phone – they can reach me that way.

It’s worked just fine for the last three years. And this way, I know that none of my personal email is on some work server somewhere. Just makes me feel better.

I know that this doesn’t quite fit with the ideas in The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, but I truly don’t believe that I need to share everything with co-workers. I don’t think it means I’m not part of the team, that I can’t socialize and share. It means that I have boundaries and I expect them to be honored.

It also influenced my idea about this blog. I have decided to create another blog that will focus on walking. I will launch it when I start my Team In Training Mentoring gig in late January. I want other Mentors and participants to be able to contribute, too. I am toying with the idea of creating a network on Ning for it. That would allow it to be more than just a blog, I think. Has anyone used Ning?

Did I mention Tom Jones is playing at the MGM in Vegas on my birthday?

Odd 'n' Ends

Sunday evening. Appears that the bad weather we were supposed to have just passed us by or fizzled out. There was ice on the deck this morning but it didn't last long. Although the dog was very careful every time he went out - guess he actually learned from his first experience of slipping on it this morning.

I love watching football on Sunday but I feel guilty for just sitting there. Today, I made a baby afghan. That makes three that I now have 'in stock.'  I'm ready should anyone I know have a baby!

Does anyone understand those weird Levi's ads? I find them very disturbing and I am not compelled to go to the website to find out what the heck they are about. They really creep me out! They certainly do not make me want to purchase Levi jeans.

Speaking of jeans, I saw a small article in The Oregonian yesterday about a new fashion trend - jeggings. Apparently they are a hot new trend (although this post was from April of this year) but I can't say that I've seen anyone wearing them. I think they are awful. The problem is that too many women would not wear them with a long shirt/jacket and too much would be visible. Women are often not the best judges of what looks good on them...

Pretty much finished up my holiday baking this weekend. I need to make more lemon bread since one loaf did not want to come out of it's pan.

I made latkes this morning. They were actually pretty easy and they were very tasty. Marie liked them, Claire did not. I just say that means more for me!

I finished 'That Old Cape Magic' by Richard Russo yesterday. It was a bit of a departure from his usual fare, but I really enjoyed it. One of the funniest scenes I've ever read was his description of how Jack (the main character) acts after getting punched in the face and knocked unconscious. You know exactly how he is feeling. I would recommend it.

Time for bed - I am very sleepy all of the sudden. I hope the temperatures will be above freezing tomorrow morning for our morning walk!

Saturday and the Weather's Fine

Or is it? I woke up this morning expecting some snow on the ground but there was nothing! So I turned on the tv to see what happened. Apparently, the front didn't grow into what they predicted. They are still saying we should get some freezing rain, but I haven't seen anything yet.

Just in case, I went out at 8 a.m. this morning to get cash for my daughter's allowance (which I owed to her on the 1st - oops!), a gift that will remain unnamed (got a good deal on it), and some matzoh meal.

Matzoh meal? What's that about? I saw a recipe for Latkes yesterday and they sounded so yummy that I decided we should try to make some in honor of our Jewish friends. I'm not sure how they would feel about it but I'm forging ahead. However, I'm only going to make a 1/2 recipe in hopes that it will mean success.

I have a party to attend tonight but if there's any hint of slick streets, I'll stay home. I really am cautious about driving in this stuff. Too many people think that just because they have four-wheel drive or snow tires, they can drive in anything. We all know that's not true so I won't take any chances. Even on good days with perfect weather, people overestimate how good they drive.

And to think, this time last year we were in Honolulu, basking in the warmth! Last year as we were doing the marathon, we got word that it was snowing in Portland. Is this a sign of changing weather patterns for us? Should we start expecting very cold weather the first couple of weeks of December? Only time will tell.

I think I will go bake some cookies now. Seems like an appropriate activity for a cold morning/afternoon.

Day 11 - Stayin’ in it for the long haul

When I decided to take the 30-day blogging challenge, I did it to get the process jump-started and the juices flowing. I wasn’t sure exactly what direction it would take but I hoped that it might give me some clarity on what direction I want it to take.

I have never been one to set goals. It doesn’t work for me the way they are usually structured. If you’ve ever taken the Strengths Finder 2.0 test, you’ll know what I mean when I say my first strength is Adaptability. As I read the description the first time, I kept thinking ‘Yes! That’s me!’ And when I read my remaining four top strengths, I kept repeating that phrase.   

Setting long-term goals doesn’t work for me because I live in the now. I really do. I can have short-term goals but if something is gonna take a year, forget about it. Before you get the wrong idea, I’m not ‘rash’ or flighty just because I live in the now. I’m sure if you asked anyone who knows me well, those terms would not be used to describe me!

However, if a project is going to take a long time, it better have lots of interim steps and progress at a steady pace. Otherwise, my attention will be on to other things. Look, it’s a shiny object!

Which is exactly how I can train for marathons. As a walker, I am out there training for long periods at a time. For example, we will start training for the Seattle Rock n Roll Marathon on January 23. The marathon is June 26. Five months of training? Are you kidding me?

But each week is different. Each week we add mileage and vary the route so it’s not the same every time. I always have something different to look forward to. That’s the key for me.

It’s also how I’m approaching this blog challenge. It’s a small step each day. I have to think about what I’m going to post. I let ideas roll around in my head for awhile to see if they would merit a post. (It is a good thing to not have many readers while I go through this process!) Through this I am gaining clarity on my purpose for blogging. We’ll see where I end up at the end of the month!

Musical Parent

Tonight I am a ‘musical parent.’ What comes to your mind when you hear that? I received an email earlier this week addressed to “Musical Parents!” I had no idea what to expect before I opened it.

Turns out to be from the drama teacher at my daughter’s high school. Marie will be part of the stage crew for the spring musical at BHS next year. This is the first production she’s been involved with so I had no idea I’d be receiving an email from the teacher.

And, I ‘get’ to volunteer. It’s not optional. There’s no way to pay my way out of it (like I did for the marching band – I wanted to enjoy the competitions this year and see all the other bands perform). So I will be a good mom and attend the mandatory parent meeting tonight (lucky I didn’t have something else planned) and sign up for some volunteer duties. I don’t mind doing it, I just balk a little at the requirement of doing it.

14 Degrees

That’s how cold it was when I walked the dog this morning. Actually, it’s been close to that temperature every day this week. But we’ve gone out every day to do one of our usual routes. Surprisingly, I have not been that cold. My fingers and toes have stayed warm with two layers of protection. Perhaps because it’s a ‘dry cold’ (opposite of a dry heat) it doesn’t hurt so bad. Since he's a husky, Kenai is loving this weather. He'll go out and just sit outside like it's nice and warm. He wants us to come out and play with him, too and gets this crestfallen look when we quickly go inside after 30 seconds of play!

A New Favorite

I think I have a new favorite blog! Corporate Hallucinations by Steve Crescenzo. He is so funny and very insightful. I have to be careful not to snort too loud as I laugh since I am usually at work when I read it. It is certainly a bright spot in my day when there is a new post. And now, because of this post, I have to check out some Irwin Shaw books (just what I need, more books on my ‘to read’ list). I recommend you check it out!

Am I the only one

Who really doesn’t care what Tiger Woods did with whom? And why is it any of my business, anyway?

Yes, I understand he’s a ‘role’ model, or maybe I should put that in the past tense. But he’s a golfer, a grown man who plays a game for a living. Did he promote himself to this role or did we put him in it? Are we so concerned about it because we arbitrarily appointed him to this and now that he’s disappointed us we have to be offended?

I do wish he had just ‘fessed up at the very beginning – admitted he’d screwed up and they asked for time to clean it up. He didn’t but we need to move on. It does not make us superior to 'gloat' over his shortcomings.

What I’m really tired of is having the private lives of ‘celebrities’ shoved in my face. Does what they do really affect my life? Or how I live it? NO! I may be disappointed but then, who hasn’t disappointed someone at some point in their life?

And then there’s Facebook trying to be like Twitter. They tried to tell me their new privacy policy is for my benefit, but really it’s for theirs. I wouldn’t have a problem with it if they’d been honest. I don’t want everyone to see my content. That’s not why I am on Facebook. What’s sad is how many people won’t really read or understand the new policy and will unwittingly put things out there that they don’t want everyone to see. It’s a shame.

Enough ranting. Off to a TnT alumni gathering at one of my favorite places in Portland, Kell's. Looking forward to some good conversation and some fun.

Well, time got away from me today. I'm posting but I'm not sure I'll make the 300 word minimum for the 30-day challenge. But I'm ok with that - I'm still writing something and that's what counts for me.

I watched "Men of a Certain Age" last night. Not sure how I feel about it. A little disappointed, I guess. I thought it would have more humor in it that it did based on the commercials. And if this is how middle-aged men really think and behave, I'm pretty happy to be single! If I remember, I'll watch it again next week. Maybe it will get better as more episodes are done.

More holiday baking tonight. Cranberry bread (1 loaf came out great, the other didn't want to leave the confines of its warm little pan so I'll be eating that one) and pumpkin cookies are done. Chocolate mint cookie dough is in the fridge getting ready for baking in a couple of days. Lemon cakes will be done this weekend along with one or two more cookies and then the season is over.

It is very cold here in Portland. I don't know if it made it to freezing today. That is unusual for us but it's been clear so no snow. That is a very good thing. Unfortunately, my furnace has been making strange noises as it comes on. It sounds like it's having a hard time getting started but it does come on and there is heat. A 'furnace guy' is coming to look at it tomorrow. They were fully booked today with people that didn't have heat. I just don't want to become one of those tomorrow!

Ok, I'm about to fall asleep. I've blogged eight days now. It really isn't that hard. Maybe one day people will really read it but right now, I'm happy to be developing the habit. Good night!

No Gifts, Just Time

Joy is not in things; it is in us.
--Richard Wagner

Too bad I didn't have this quote last week for my Joy posting!

No Gifts, Please
I have decided upon a no Christmas gifts policy for friends this year. Here's why:

• We all have enough stuff and I certainly don't need more things
• It's stressful trying to find the perfect gift
• I prefer the spontaneous gift instead of the mandated one
• My birthday is in January and I'd rather we celebrate that (especially next year when I turn 50)
• I'd rather spend time with my friends

I will continue to get my children Christmas gifts and I will continue to give gifts to my friends at other times. But the giving will be when I choose. I love to give gifts and I'm pretty good at picking out great ones. I much prefer to give birthday presents – that’s a day you are special, not everyone is getting presents.

My friends have been pretty understanding of this. Once I explain it to them, they have agreed that it's a good idea. I'm looking forward to spending some quality time with each of them.

Marathon Anyone?
Looking for a new adventure? Or something to help you with that upcoming New Year's resolution to get in shape? Have I got an idea for you!

Do a marathon or a 1/2 marathon. Yes, you can do it. You can walk or run or both. Even better, do it with me and Team-in-Training (TnT).

I was informed that I'm to try and recruit 5 people for the summer season. Hence, the suggestion. But, really, you can do it and it can be a lot of fun. Even if you don't do it with the team, I would be happy to train with you or help guide you. Leave a comment to let me know if you're interested!

I suspect as the season gets underway, more and more of my posts will be about the training process and TnT. You might get a good idea of what to expect if you're hesitant now.

Football

I love to watch football. I'm very happy that Indianapolis is still undefeated, just wish I could have seen the game but I'm limited to viewing games that are shown in my area.

The Saints-Redskins game was quite a good one. I'm not sure I like the structure of overtime. I think they should have to play the full time alloted and whoever is ahead at the end is the winner. Just seems like each side should have the opportunity to get the ball. I think I'm in the minority on this.

As a kid, we used to play football in the street. I was very often the quarterback and loved to pull a quarterback sneak. I could throw a pretty mean spiral! That's one advantage to having an older brother - I learned how to play football and baseball by playing with him.

It was always fun when there were cars parked in the street - they added another dimension to your strategy. Of course, it was touch, we didn't have flags and we couldn't tackle. I think that enabled my success. I don't know how hold I was when we stopped playing, but I'm sure it was probably once my brother and the boys across the street started playing real football!

I'm not sure what the dog ate, but woo-eee he has some serious gas today! And he seems to need to be near me today. I'm so lucky! Good thing he's so cute!

Maybe it's his way of paying me back for not taking him with me on my walk today. I met up with some friends over in N. Portland for a new route. I wanted to see what it was like before I take him. He can be a bit of a handful at times and once in awhile I like to walk unencumbered! It was a really nice walk and the company and weather was wonderful, too.

Looking forward to the game tonight, Arizona vs. Minnesota. AZ better win! I've become a fan of Larry Fitzgerald now that I follow him on Twitter and have read a couple articles about him. I think he's a good role model!

Half time is over in the Seattle-SF game so I'm gonna go finish watching and probably finish making the scarf I'm working on. I love Sunday's at home!

Uh-oh it's Saturday Night...

I almost forgot to post a blog today! I’m not ready to use my one ‘free’ day this early in the 30-day challenge process. I do need to get a couple extra ‘in the bag’ so that I don’t have to write at post at 9:30 p.m. on Saturday night.

I attended the summer season mentor meeting today. I will be fundraising this time so I have to start thinking of my approach.

This time will be different. This year I feel like I have a broader reach because of the connections I now have on Facebook and through Twitter. How I would really like it to work is that I get 100 people to donate $25 each. That would bring me to $2500 which is just 300 short of my goal, but I’m sure a few people will want to do more than that so the difference would be eliminated pretty easily. I think it’s doable. I think everyone I know should be able to give $25.

I began my holiday baking this evening. I made pumpkin bread, fresh apple bread, rocky road, and caramel layer choco-squares.  I still have some lemon loaves, cranberry bread, double chocolate crinkles and a couple other things to make. I’ll have my daughter Claire make a couple of types of cookies and then we’ll be done. I love baking. Like crocheting, I like to make stuff that I can share with others. It brings me joy!

Now it smells like Christmas around here as much as it looks like Christmas. The wreath that I ordered from BHSME and the poinsettia I ordered from the BHS Ski Team were both delivered today. I do love the smell of a fresh wreath. I got a pink plant and it is very pretty, a nice shade of pink.

Time to prepare for bed - getting up early tomorrow to go for a walk in North Portland. I hope it's not too cold!

Joy

Joy
I really like that word. I see it/read it and I feel good.

Maybe because it was my mother’s middle name
Maybe because it is so positive
Maybe because it’s so short and easy to say ~ Joy

My children definitely give me joy. They are growing up to be good people and I’m very, very proud of both of them. I’m excited to see what directions their lives take. The rest of my family gives me joy, too, but not as much as my children!

My goofy dog gives me joy. He doesn’t have a mean bone in his body. Everyone is his friend. And best of all, he came from Project Pooch, a wonderful program that helps young men and dogs.

My friends give me joy – more than they will ever know. They offer me support, tell me when I’m being dumb, and make me laugh! My life is very good and my friends help keep it that way.

Crocheting things for others gives me joy. And it keeps me out of trouble! I like to make small items so that I finish them – scarves, hats, dishcloths, baby blankets. I’ll make a full-size afghan on occasion, but I prefer quick projects. I guess I like the sense of accomplishment once a project is done. I usually have two or three things going at any one time, too.

Other mundane things that give me joy:
A really good glass of wine gives me joy.
A really good piece of dark chocolate gives me joy (especially this kind and this kind)  (Love the quote on the home page of Dagoba: “You can deprive the body, but the soul needs chocolate.”)
Walking marathons gives me joy – especially when I’m done!
Taking the dog for a walk on a morning like today. It was cold and clear and our path was illuminated by bright moonlight. It re-energizes me.

The list goes on but I think you get the point. We have many things in our lives to give us joy.

What gives you Joy? What makes your heart sing?

My Favorite Christmas Music

It’s not Christmas in my world without “Christmas with Conniff.” Who can resist listening to Christmas Bride – a song you won’t hear anywhere else? I know a lot of people think I’m weird for the fondness I have for this album, but I grew up with it and it’s here to stay. It will be forever on my Christmas play list. My daughters even like it, sort of.

However, my favorite song is John Lennon’s Happy Xmas (War is Over). I can’t pinpoint why I like it, but it really ‘gets’ to me every time I hear it. I usually listen to it at least twice every time (sometimes more). I like the original and Jimmy Buffett’s version.

What’s your favorite Christmas carol?

A rant
Last night as I was driving home I passed two bicyclists with small headlights and taillights (each light was maybe 1” x 3”) and NO reflective clothing on. Both riders (they were not together, it was separate incidents) had on dark clothing. At least they did have helmets on.

It was dark and I barely saw the woman as she rode in the middle of the lane. I was turning left and almost pulled out in front of her because I didn’t see her. When I passed her she gave me a look like I had done something wrong. I wanted to stop and tell her to get some reflective items and a bigger light. It will probably save her life. Because no matter what, in bicycle versus car, the car will prevail (I won’t say win because no one wins if a cyclist gets hit).

And when I see someone with more than one light and several other reflective items on, I want to stop them and thank them for being so visible. I really don’t want to hit anyone!

So please, if  you're riding your bike on a busy street when it's dark, wear LOTS of reflective gear and lights.

I'm so excited!

Yesterday I learned that I was selected to mentor walkers on behalf of the Oregon/SW Washington chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society' Team in Training (TnT) for the Seattle Rock n Roll marathon in June.

This will be my ninth marathon and my fifth time as a mentor. I'm more excited about this one than any of the other times I've mentored. I'm not sure why but I'm going to take advantage of the feeling!

Why do I Mentor?

First and foremost, because I believe in the cause. My mother died in 1987 of Leukemia. She was only 50 and died 11 months after the original diagnosis. Funds raised by participants in TnT go to grants for research into life-saving drugs and therapies for cancer patients. I believe that had my mother gotten sick even 10 years later, she would still be here. The strides that have been made over the 21 years of the program have been incredible.

Second, I have the marathon bug. I love training for marathons. Although it takes a lot of time, I feel so much better both mentally and physically when I am in training. This article also gives me reason to keep moving: Exercise May Keep Your Cells Biologically Young

Third, I love to walk. When I say I walk, I don't mean stroll. I'm getting my heart rate up for an extended period of time. I can walk and walk and walk. I don't enjoy running, it makes my knees hurt. But I know I will be able to continue athletic walking for a long, long time.

Fourth, the coaches involved with the program are outstanding. They are dedicated to the cause and to making you an athlete, no matter what your skill level.

Last of all, I meet some of the most amazing people by doing this. Usually the participants have been affected by some form of cancer, either personally or someone close to them, and have never done any sort of long distance event before. It's thrilling to me to help them reach their goal of doing a marathon or 1/2 marathon. It's very life-affirming. And raising money for a good cause at the same time makes it all the more satisfying.

Challenge

Just as I took this challenge to blog for 30 days straight, something that is really out of my comfort zone, I challenge to you do something out of your comfort zone, too. Something you think you can’t do. We all put up artificial roadblocks that stop us from achieving. Stop saying ‘some day’ and start saying ‘today.’ Join me for the marathon. I guarantee that you will not regret it and you’ll get some of the BEST training available.

I may be crazy

Uh oh! I'm baaacckk! I have decided to take the 30 day blogging challenge (http://jumping-duck.com/2009/11/30-days-of-blogging/). This could be very interesting.

Each day for the month of December I have committed to writing at least a 300-word post. While 300 words doesn't seem like a lot, when one hasn't been blogging since April, it's a huge challenge. Why, right now, I only have 62 words down.

The thing is, I always have ideas for posts swimming around in my head. The problem is getting them out of there and onto virtual paper. I am hoping that taking this challenge will instill in me the discipline necessary to become a successful blogger. I’m actually quite excited about this. Please enjoy the ride with me!

Today is World’s AIDS day. I remember back in ’85 a friend of my roommate was doing a survey (I don’t remember for whom or why or who was tabulating the results) about AIDS/HIV and what I thought it was, how people contracted it, how many would contract it and when a cure would be found.

Of course, I don’t remember my exact responses, only that I was so very wrong in my predictions of how many would get it, how fast, and how long it would take to find a cure. I really believed it would not spread like it has and a cure would be found in short order.

Now, more than 33 million people have HIV/AIDS with 22 million of those in Africa. And 2 million are children under the age of 15. Sobering, staggering numbers.

So, what do I do? I can help raise awareness. This disease is not going away and we need to continue to be vigilant about it. I need to make sure my children understand about it and know how to protect themselves. I will buy (Red) when I can – I already have a (red) iPod.

If each of us just takes one small action, we can make a difference. What will you do?

Injury Update and RAMP

It's been 10 days since "the Fall" and I'm tired of hurting! I am down to just one bandaid (from a high of 7) but several spots are still sore and sensitive. My knees and shoulder are lovely colors - but I think the arnica I've been taking has reduced the bruising. What happened to the days when I could fall and be completely healed in two days? Oh, yeah, I'm not 6 any more!

Attended my 2nd board of directors meeting for the newly formed Regional Arts and Music Project (RAMP). I have some handouts to read and a lot to think about. It's a very exciting proposition and I'm thrilled to be in at the beginning. I'll keep you updated.

Part of RAMP is the Beaverton Civic Theatre:
"The Beaverton Civic Theatre will be having open auditions for its production of Virginia Kidd's Happily Ever Once Upon on Saturday, May 2nd - 3pm -6pm and Sunday, May 3rd - 2pm-5pm. Auditions, Rehearsals and Performances will all be at The Kingstad Center, 15450 SW Millikan Way, Beaverton, OR 97006, contact: beavertontheatre@gmail.com

Show dates: July 9 - July 26 (Thursdays @ 7:30pm, Fridays and Saturdays @ 8pm and Sundays @ 2pm)

Open auditions, no scheduled appointment necessary. Monologues preferred, however cold readings will be available. Familiarity with the script is not necessary. Newcomers are welcome. There is no pay. More details can be found in our Facebook Open Auditions Event.

The Odd Couple opens next Thursday - Shows run May 7 - May 24, with performances Thursdays at 7:30 pm, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm, and Sundays at 2 pm.

A special opening night gala will be on Thursday May 7 at 7:30 pm, with reception starting at 7pm. Tickets for the gala are $25 with all proceeds going to fund the Beaverton Civic Theatre. Tickets are $15 general admission for all other shows.

Tickets are available for purchase at https://www.ticketturtle.com/index.php?theatre=king. Visit our Facebook Odd Couple Event for more show details. RSVP today!"

Hope you'll catch one of the performances! I'll be at opening night.

I fought the pavement and the pavement won.

My hands look like I was in a fist fight.

And I suppose I was - with the pavement. The pavement won.

Yesterday was a beautiful day, I had just left work and was walking to the car along my usual route. I was thinking about going home and finishing cleaning out my dryer vent when all of the sudden, oomph, I was on the ground. I haven't fallen in a very long time so I was very surprised! It seems a little surreal now, but as I was going down, I saw my shoe fly over my head and then I was on the ground. Stunned, I first had to catch my breath and then figure out what had just happened. I looked back and sure enough, the pavement was uneven right where I went down.

I did the 'body check' - everything moved (everything hurt) and nothing seemed broken. I looked around and located my shoe - about ten feet in front of me in the bushes. I picked myself up, looked around again to see if there was anyone around who would help me - not a soul in sight. I didn't even care if someone had seen me fall. I wanted sympathy from anyone.

I retrieved my shoe, put it on and did an inventory of my injuries: left hand - two fingers with skin removed, three little scratches on the back of the hand and a larger scrape at my wrist. Right hand - large, about the size of a nickel, scrape on the heel of my hand (with skin intact and hanging off - somehow I managed to pull a large piece off - eww), ring finger and pinkie scraped and bloody, several scrapes and scratches on the back of the hand. Left knee - small scrape but it hurts to bend and go up and down stairs. Right knee - large scrape that stings a lot. Right shoulder - large scrape and sore. No blood, at least. I do expect some additional bruises to show up.

I made it to my car where I do have a half-assed first aid kit (I will be replenishing it tonight). Fortunately there were some antiseptic wipes and a few bandaids that I could use on my fingers. The knees would just have to wait until I got home. I just hoped I wasn't bleeding into my shoes!

I was a bit shaky but I made it home ok. My right hand really hurt and it was hard to get comfortable. Once I got home, I cleaned my knees, put on bandaids, put on my jammies and took some aspirin. It was tough going up and down stairs. It didn't help that the dog thought my funny gait was a game and that it would be fun for him to run up and down the stairs as I climbed them.

This morning I did take the dog for a walk. I'm going to keep moving today - it seems to help. I changed the bandaids and washed the wounds again but oh how it hurt. I noticed today that my car key fob is also scraped up! I forgot I had my keys in my hand while I was walking.

Today is another beautiful day. I will continue to keep my head up but I will be checking the sidewalk a little more often. I don't want to fall again any time soon!

A Little of This...

I forgot how addicting doing jigsaw puzzles can be. I purchased three puzzles (for a gift) and Marie begged me to let her open one so I gave in (granted, it didn’t take much to convince me). It has 1000 pieces and is a picture of hot air balloons. We’ve worked on it for a little over a week. We have all the balloons done and just have the blue sky to do – oh my gosh – who knew there were that many shades of blue in one image! It’s tempting to just call it good but it wouldn’t be right not to put every piece in its place. Good thing we didn’t have anyone over for Easter dinner because the puzzle is taking up most of the dining room table.

If I don’t know you, don’t expect me to open my door to you! Some guy was just at our door – he knocked twice AND rang the doorbell. I don’t want to buy anything, I don’t want to sign any petition, I don’t want whatever you have. I think I may have to put up a ‘No Solictors’ sign – I wonder if that stops them?

It was cold today – only 39 this morning when I took Mr. Kenai for a walk. But they are predicting highs in the 70’s or even 80’s this weekend! Good thing I had maintenance done on the sprinkler system. Got a new programmable timer – much more sophisticated than the one I did have. I think it will save water and money! I have to laugh though - I never thought I'd get excited about a new timer for a sprinkler system. Sheesh, I guess that means I really am an adult.

Atwitter over Twitter

So, my friend Kimberly (see her blog Legally Kimberly) is all atwitter over Twitter.

I find that very amusing because pretty soon she'll be all over it and make those of us that have been twittering for awhile (well, a couple of months, anyway) look like laggards. She'll have the lingo down and realize that no one really answers that question any more (you know, "what are you doing?"). She'll be regaling us with her wit and wisdom and we'll wonder why we don't have as many followers as she! Mark my words...

I know it's been awhile since my last post and for that I apologize. Not for want of ideas zinging around in my head but for want of feeling like actually posting. I promise to get better. I'll make it my goal to post at least once a week. I don't know if I'm any more interesting than that! I really need to post about traffic and driving. I think about it just about every morning as I'm on my way to work!

Most dangerous cake recipe

This was sent to me by my friend Jayne. Not sure where she got it and I'm not a cake eater but this sounds interesting (and is so not in line with my earlier post today about helping to feed the hungry but what is life without contradictions?)

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
a small splash of vanilla extract
1 LARGE coffee mug

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again.

Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts (high). The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.

EAT! (this can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous). And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world? Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night!

Let me know if you try it and how it turns out!

Pledge to End Hunger

Visit: http://www.pledgetoendhunger.com/

How Does It Work?

This website is designed to shine a bright light on the very real problem of childhood hunger in America by asking you to pledge to be a part of the solution. For each pledge made via the online form, Tyson will donate 35 lbs of food product (the equivalent of 140 servings). It’s really easy. You can choose to share this website with others, volunteer your service, and/or donate to Share Our Strength.

If the goal of 1,000 people taking the online pledge is reached, a semi-trailer filled with 140,000 meals will arrive at the Capital Area Food Bank of Texas in Austin during the SXSW ’09 Interactive Festival. Can you help spread the word?

Do you hate children?

Someone left a Willamette Week in the restroom yesterday. I glanced at the front page and noticed the headline “Do you hate children? And travel?” I thought it was an odd headline so today I looked it up online. Turns out the article had nothing to do with children or travel but was about what Oscar films you hated. I give them credit for a catchy headline but was very disappointed in the actual article.

Before I looked up the article, I was intrigued by the question, do you hate children? I am always curious about why people hate and what good it does them. Especially when it really is just hating someone for who they happen to be, not because they’ve actually done anything to harm you or make your life miserable. So why do people hate children? I can see not liking a child based on their actions/annoyance level, etc. but how can you hate all children? I actually feel very sorry for people like that.

New website I like: http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/knowledgetoday.cfm

Something to ponder:

The attitude you have as a parent is what your kids will learn from more than what you tell them. They don’t remember what you try to teach them. They remember what you are. – Jim Henson

Today

I am in love with my daughters.

I am so fascinated by what they say and do. I marvel at their intelligence, their insight and thoughtfulness. They are really developing into wonderful young adults and I wonder how that happened! I am very proud of them and I am humbled.

Aren't they Cute?

My two followers, Claire and Shelby:

Slowly but Surely?

Whoo hoo! I have two followers! Of course, one is my daughter Claire and the other is her friend Shelby, but at least I’m writing this for someone now!! Although they both need to be careful as they may become subjects in some of these posts. They are certainly amusing enough at times.

Oh my gosh! My friend Janet sent this to me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-0NvkuPHZI. It gave me chills! Powerful.

They Say It's Your Birthday

Today is my birthday and Chinese New Year – the Year of the Ox. I was born in the year of the Pig – because my birthday was before the New Year in 1960 which was January 28 that year – not the year of the Rat as I mistakenly believed for most of my life! Apparently it’s a little more complicated than I thought:

“The first day of the animal year is different from the Chinese New Year Day. The animal year starts on the first day of the Tiger month. Tiger month begins from the day when Sun enters ecliptic 315 degree position, which is around February 4 Gregorian calendar. That means the animal month is solar month, not lunar month. This is why many people who born in January or February confuse about their animal sign of birth year. To verify the exact animal sign of birth year goes to use the free online Chinese Astrological Animal Sign page.” (http://www.chinesefortunecalendar.com/newyeardays.htm)

I’m taking the girls out to dinner for Chinese food tonight. I’m really looking forward to it.

It’s odd having a birthday in January. On the one hand, it was always cool because if I didn’t get something for Christmas, there was a good chance I would get it for my birthday. On the other hand, all the fun happens in a short period of time and there’s a long time between events. Plus, people are a little burnt out from the holidays so another celebration is not always on their minds. I’ve found that if I want recognition, I have to make sure people remember. Another odd thing is that I know more people with birthdays in January than any other month – by a lot. I wonder why that is. Next year is the big 5-0 so I’m already prepping my friends that I’m expecting a party or some other event to celebrate.

Sooo, I watched the Miss America pageant Saturday night. I haven’t watched it in a few years and I knew they’d made some changes to try to ‘revitalize’ it, but I’m not sure they’ve succeeded. My mom and I used to watch it faithfully every September as I was growing up. I was always excited to see it. I especially liked to see ALL the contestants in their evening gowns. I remember one year Miss Oregon had a gown made with chicken feathers that were dyed yellow (at least that’s how I remember it). I don’t remember if they all did the swimsuit competition. But I missed seeing all the contestants have more opportunity to strut their stuff. I realize that they are also trying to keep the show two hours instead of the 3 hours I remember it being. But it just didn’t do it for me. And what is with the elimination process? We go from 15 to 12 but then only 10 do their talent. What is the purpose of having two get ready to perform only to end up sitting on the bench? Seems cruel to me. I was also disappointed that none of the 10 played the piano or some other instrument. I remember some wonderful performances. Same with the final seven with two left with nothing. I admit I fell asleep so I don’t know how they even went from 10 to seven but what’s wrong with going from 15 to 10 to 5? I did like that they used the recorded Bert Parks version of “There She Is, Miss America” (even though they did unceremoniously dump him years ago. I think that was the start of the decline of the pageant). So, even though Mario Lopez is cute as a button (whatever that means), I don’t think I’ll put any effort into watching it again.

My obsession with crocheting dishcloths continues. I made two more today! They don’t take long to make but I’m not sure what I’m going to do with all of them. I think that when I use up all the yarn, I’ll be done. Then Michael’s or Jo-Ann Fabrics has a sale and I buy more yarn and it continues to spiral out of control! But I have considered moving onto socks. I saw a book of patterns at Michael’s and a woman who was shopping told me how much fun they are to make. So beware that if you’re a good friend, you may be getting socks for Christmas this year!!

Walked 12 miles with friends on Saturday. We have so much fun with each other. We just genuinely like each other and enjoy one another’s company. You can learn a lot about someone when you walk with them for 2-3 hours each week. We all bring different perspectives yet we always have so much in common. We’re pretty good at keeping one another honest. It’s nice to have friends who’ll tell you like it is. I am so thankful to have them in my life.

It's a Brand New Day

And I'm likin' it! What a joyful time in America. I am so hopeful for this new administration.

I'm so glad the negativity and divisiveness that has been in place for the past 8 years is behind us. I want people to realize that we are all in this together and it's time to stop pointing fingers at others and start pointing them at ourselves. We are the solution. If we're not willing to help fix this mess, we have no right to complain.

Enough of that. It's a clear, cold, sunny day in Portland. Because it was so windy the last two mornings, I did not take the dog for a walk. This morning I felt I had to make it up to him so we were gone for a little longer than usual. He seemed satisfied with that! It was pretty cold when we started but I warmed up right good as we walked the neighborhood. We love it that Oleson has sidewalks from Garden Home to Hall. It has increased the variety of our routes. Thanks Washington County!

Sunday Before Hope Returns

Cardinals beat the Eagles. I was leaning toward Arizona but would have been fine if the Eagles had won. My friend Marcia will be happy – she’s a Cardinals fan but couldn’t watch the whole game because she had a play to go see! It was a good game and exciting to the very end.

Steelers beat the Ravens. No all Pennsylvania Super Bowl this year. I wanted the Steelers so I’m happy. But that hit to Willis McGahee was brutal. Another reason I’m happy I have girls – I never have to worry about them playing football and getting hurt. I like to watch football, but sometimes I have a hard time with the whole concept.

What am I going to do when Football is over? I have enjoyed watching games on Sunday – it gives me an excuse not to do stuff and it gives me time to crochet. I don’t know how many dishcloths, scarves and hats I’ve made this season. It’s become a bit of an obsession because it takes me about an hour to make a dishcloth or a hat. Scarves take longer but I have made one in an afternoon. I also get the laundry done and it fits in quite nicely when it’s a no-drive Sunday. Maybe I’ll start reading more.

Kenai has been going in and out and in and out today. It’s really annoying when he goes out then stands there and wants right back in. I think he wants one of us to come out and play with him but when I do, he doesn’t really want to play. Sheesh. If he wasn’t so darn cute…

Funnest? The iPod is the funnest? Did anyone tell Apple that funnest is NOT a word? It drives me crazy when people say funner or funnest. It’s WRONG I tell you, WRONG.

I am so excited about the inauguration! I happen to have the day off so I will be able to watch the ceremony live. I have great hope for this administration – I hope I’m not let down. Although I feel like anything will have to be better than the last eight years. At least I won’t have to avoid listening to Bush talk any more. It’s like nails on a chalkboard to me. His gaffs are not charming and his inability to inspire is just too disheartening. Here's to better times ahead!

Make sure you check out my friend Dana’s blog - The Sundance Outsider – she’s at Sundance and is writing reviews of the movies she and her friends have seen. They’re well-written and thoughtful. Shawn Levy, the local film critic, is even going to take some of her posts and use them in his column.

Why did I start this blog?

Simple answer - see subhead to blog title. I always have thoughts screaming around in my head and I finally succumbed to the idea of sharing them with others. This may or may not be a successful experiment, but I'll give it a whirl.

I also started it because I'm getting behind in emails and people seem to want to know the same thing - what have I been up to. And I usually give a lame answer because I don't think I've done anything. UNTIL I really start to talk and then I realize I have been doing stuff. Now, it may not be interesting stuff and it probably isn't going to change the world, but it is what I've done. I think I'll probably have to do some historical posts - catch everyone up, so to speak. So, as they say, stay tuned to see what this develops into.

~Lisa

It's a Green Coat Day

The temperature is low enough and the skies are clear enough to wear the 'infamous' green coat. If you haven't seen it, it's hard to adequately convey the look and feel. Because feel is important in this case. It is lime green fake fur in a leopard print pattern. Sounds hideous, doesn't it? But it's not and people always want to touch it. Then, besides having the right weather conditions, I have to be in the right frame of mind to wear the coat. It attracts attention so it's not something I wear when I want to be inconspicuous! My younger daughter covets it but she's going to have to wait until I'm just too old to get away with wearing it (which some people may say has already happened, but I don't think so and I make the decision).