Did you know that an Alaskan volcano near Anchorage is on the verge of erupting - not "on the verge" in the geological sense, like sometime in the next 1,000 years, but as in "any day now"?
And the Alaskans (Anchoragians? Anchoragilites? Anchoraginates?) aren't even clearing out - they're just hitting the hardware stores for dust masks and goggles, like they're about to start a carpentry project! Man, those people are tough. I'll bet Sarah Palin is personally hiking up the side of Mount Redoubt right now to go take a look. "Gotta check it out, you know."
This will be an interesting story to follow over the coming days. I remember Mount St. Helens erupting when I was a kid. It made quite an impression on me, since I didn't even realize at that age that we had "real" volcanoes here in the U.S. - ones that erupted and everything. I might've known Hawaii had them, but theirs aren't really the "duck and cover" kind of eruptions that disaster movies are made of.
It's possible that I'm responsible for this eruption since I recently listened to the book on tape of the novel "Pompeii." I even passed it on to J, further adding to the volcano ju-ju in the air. So, if this is our fault, I apologize. We were just trying to be literary. It still counts as literary is you listen on CD instead of reading it yourself, right?
Friday, January 30, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Texas A&M Football Coach Adolph Hitler
I might be tempted to save this until next football season, but it mentions Graham Harrell, and he won't be back next year, so I gotta post it now, while it's fresh (or at least not past its expiration date) and relevant:
Pooooooor Aggies! (I couldn't resist throwin' that in there.)
Pooooooor Aggies! (I couldn't resist throwin' that in there.)
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Quirky is just another word for "fabulous"!
So, my boyfriend's sister recently had a post on her blog that I guess you could kinda sorta call a meme. It's not really a meme as much as a question that someone had posed on their blog, and then she posed it on hers. I kinda liked it, so I'm going to pose it on mine.
The question is essentially, "What's quirky about you?" Or I suppose you could ask it as, "What are your quirks?" I'll answer first, and then you guys answer in the comments section! (Or in Judy's case, she can use it for her own blog fodder!)
Okay, so what's quirky about me? Well, for starters, I don't mix my food. When I eat a meal, I eat all of one thing before moving on to the next. So, I don't eat a little of this, and a little of that, then go back to this. ALL of the corn is eaten. Then I eat ALL of the mashed potatoes (or as much as I'm going to eat). Then I go on to the chicken fried steak, etc. I don't care if the food touches. That's not a thing. But I don't like to go back to a flavor. Once I'm done with it, I move on.
Admittedly, it requires some strategy. I have to calculate how much of each thing I really think I want to eat, lest I fill up on spinach and run out of room for mac and cheese (which, HELLO, would never happen, since I'd eat the mac and cheese first!). But I am allowed to go back for seconds and revisit the foods that I particularly enjoyed, once I've had a sampling of everything I intend to try. See - I'm flexible!
Other quirks? Well, let's see. My friend Vangie, who was my roommate for 2.5 years in the late 90s, alerted me during our tenure together to the previously unknown (to me) fact that I tend to leave electrical items on - like the iron or the coffee maker. She tended to leave cabinet doors open, so I would follow around behind her closing doors, and she would follow behind me turning things off. This worked well while we lived together, but once I had my own place, I had to start buying appliances that would turn themselves off after a certain period of time. The alternative was either becoming OCD about turning stuff off or burning my house down.
And the final quirky thing about me is my memory. I have a very strange memory. It's strikingly accurate at remembering faces and odd facts, but practically useless when it comes to remembering events in my own life, things I'm supposed to do, or what I'm supposed to be picking up at the grocery store. I can watch TV and see an actor or actress that I may have only seen a couple of times, years ago, in a supporting role in a show that maybe only had a few episodes and then got cancelled, and I never saw them again in anything else, and not only will I know I've seen them before, but given some time, I'll be able to tell what they were in and the role they played. I may not have a name, but I can tell you, "She was the receptionist in Lovespring International" (that's an ACTUAL example).
Yet, my mother tells stories all the time about stuff that happened TO ME and I have no idea what she's talking about. And I don't mean stuff that happened when I was like 2 - I'm talking about things that happened in high school, or college, or even my 20s, and I'm like, "Really? Well...what did I do then?"
I've learned to compensate for a complete and utter lack of useful memory by becoming uber-organized and writing *everything* down and trying to develop patterns (for example, always leaving my keys in the same place, since I won't remember where I put them if I set them down anywhere other than "where they go"). The good news is, if I get Alzheimer's one day, no one will notice.
So, how about you? What's quirky about you? Or if you know something quirky about me that I don't know about myself, tell me! I'm fascinated by me.
The question is essentially, "What's quirky about you?" Or I suppose you could ask it as, "What are your quirks?" I'll answer first, and then you guys answer in the comments section! (Or in Judy's case, she can use it for her own blog fodder!)
Okay, so what's quirky about me? Well, for starters, I don't mix my food. When I eat a meal, I eat all of one thing before moving on to the next. So, I don't eat a little of this, and a little of that, then go back to this. ALL of the corn is eaten. Then I eat ALL of the mashed potatoes (or as much as I'm going to eat). Then I go on to the chicken fried steak, etc. I don't care if the food touches. That's not a thing. But I don't like to go back to a flavor. Once I'm done with it, I move on.
Admittedly, it requires some strategy. I have to calculate how much of each thing I really think I want to eat, lest I fill up on spinach and run out of room for mac and cheese (which, HELLO, would never happen, since I'd eat the mac and cheese first!). But I am allowed to go back for seconds and revisit the foods that I particularly enjoyed, once I've had a sampling of everything I intend to try. See - I'm flexible!
Other quirks? Well, let's see. My friend Vangie, who was my roommate for 2.5 years in the late 90s, alerted me during our tenure together to the previously unknown (to me) fact that I tend to leave electrical items on - like the iron or the coffee maker. She tended to leave cabinet doors open, so I would follow around behind her closing doors, and she would follow behind me turning things off. This worked well while we lived together, but once I had my own place, I had to start buying appliances that would turn themselves off after a certain period of time. The alternative was either becoming OCD about turning stuff off or burning my house down.
And the final quirky thing about me is my memory. I have a very strange memory. It's strikingly accurate at remembering faces and odd facts, but practically useless when it comes to remembering events in my own life, things I'm supposed to do, or what I'm supposed to be picking up at the grocery store. I can watch TV and see an actor or actress that I may have only seen a couple of times, years ago, in a supporting role in a show that maybe only had a few episodes and then got cancelled, and I never saw them again in anything else, and not only will I know I've seen them before, but given some time, I'll be able to tell what they were in and the role they played. I may not have a name, but I can tell you, "She was the receptionist in Lovespring International" (that's an ACTUAL example).
Yet, my mother tells stories all the time about stuff that happened TO ME and I have no idea what she's talking about. And I don't mean stuff that happened when I was like 2 - I'm talking about things that happened in high school, or college, or even my 20s, and I'm like, "Really? Well...what did I do then?"
I've learned to compensate for a complete and utter lack of useful memory by becoming uber-organized and writing *everything* down and trying to develop patterns (for example, always leaving my keys in the same place, since I won't remember where I put them if I set them down anywhere other than "where they go"). The good news is, if I get Alzheimer's one day, no one will notice.
So, how about you? What's quirky about you? Or if you know something quirky about me that I don't know about myself, tell me! I'm fascinated by me.
Monday, January 26, 2009
There's nothing worse than a petty man in a position of power.
The first six seconds of this video (and the 4:59 mark) was me this morning on my way to work - only not to another driver that I'd just clipped but to a complete jerk of a sheriff's deputy.
Said deputy thinks that "public service" means to mock a member of the public when his fellow deputy is sending that member (a driver) the wrong way and the driver yells at him (because the driver is in a moving car and that's the only way the deputy would be able to hear what they're saying) to tell them so.
It was scant satisfaction to be able to call him that, knowing he could do nothing about it since he had stay rooted in place, directing traffic, but it was satisfaction nonetheless.
Public service = mocking? I think not.
The rest of the video improves my mood, though. I gotta add this movie to my "favorites" on Facebook...
P.S. I've also many times delivered the "I'm disappointed!" line, though I'm not sure anyone ever gets it but me, and the apology scene about 4 minutes in is just plain classic.
Said deputy thinks that "public service" means to mock a member of the public when his fellow deputy is sending that member (a driver) the wrong way and the driver yells at him (because the driver is in a moving car and that's the only way the deputy would be able to hear what they're saying) to tell them so.
It was scant satisfaction to be able to call him that, knowing he could do nothing about it since he had stay rooted in place, directing traffic, but it was satisfaction nonetheless.
Public service = mocking? I think not.
The rest of the video improves my mood, though. I gotta add this movie to my "favorites" on Facebook...
P.S. I've also many times delivered the "I'm disappointed!" line, though I'm not sure anyone ever gets it but me, and the apology scene about 4 minutes in is just plain classic.
Friday, January 23, 2009
I'm no vegetarian...
but even I can't abide by this:
Watch CBS Videos Online
I'll stick with Hut's (and just one patty), thank you.
Watch CBS Videos Online
I'll stick with Hut's (and just one patty), thank you.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
An elephant and a dog.
I saw this on another blog that I stop in on occasionally, and it made me tear up (in a good way):
Boy, don't we all (creatures great and small) deserve at least one other being who will sit vigil for us when we're hurt or sick - one other soul who cares for us more than any other, and for whom it truly, deeply matters whether we're in their life or not? With a companion to walk the walk each day, whatever it brings - someone we can trust and who loves us just as we are - all the crappy stuff of life is bearable, isn't it?
Boy, don't we all (creatures great and small) deserve at least one other being who will sit vigil for us when we're hurt or sick - one other soul who cares for us more than any other, and for whom it truly, deeply matters whether we're in their life or not? With a companion to walk the walk each day, whatever it brings - someone we can trust and who loves us just as we are - all the crappy stuff of life is bearable, isn't it?
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
I have a dream, too.
I long for the day when we stop talking about our leaders (and everyone else) in terms of their ethnicity, gender, religion, etc., and instead, when we look at them and talk about them, the thrust of the conversation will be about their policies and, as MLK Jr. said, "the content of their character."
All anyone can talk about is how Obama being sworn in today is "HISTORY!!!" They're beside themselves, in some cases to the point of joyous tears, about the "history" that is being made today. And why is it history? Because he's black.
Now, I get that it wasn't that long ago that black Americans were slaves. And it was even less time ago that they were institutionally treated as less than equal. They were forced to drink from different fountains, sit at the back of the bus, etc. It was NOT RIGHT. And I'll never understand it, because I simply do not understand the concept that the level of pigment in a person's skin has ANYTHING to do with their abilities, potential, character or humanity. So, it's meaningful that in the approximately 40 years since the civil rights movement, we have succesfully integrated to the point that we have elected a black president.
The problem is that a great number of people voted for him only because he's black - not because of his qualifications or even the specific policies of his that they support. Howard Stern did a bit during the campaign where he sent a staffer down to talk to the "man on the street." The staffer would ask the interviewee if they agreed with Obama's policy of X - and in each case, X was one of McCain's or Bush's policies. In each case, the interviewee loudly proclaimed their support, even explaining WHY it was a good policy. They had no idea what Obama does or doesn't stand for, and they didn't really care. It was his FACE they were voting for.
And that means that while we've come a long way, we haven't gotten as far as we need to go. And don't even try to say "She must be racist." Because if Hillary had been elected, we'd be hearing this same thing, except it would be "HISTORY!!!" because she's a woman. Well, I'M a woman, and I gotta tell you, it irritates me that it's such damn breaking news every time a woman accomplishes something - like it's so unbelievable that a woman could be Speaker of the House or president that we have to cover it like aliens have landed. Yes, we have WOMBS. So what? It's not a mental handicap, and in this day and age, it shouldn't even have to be a conversation when a woman runs for president. Of course a woman ran for president. Why wouldn't a woman be running for president? Margaret Thatcher and Golda Meir took care of the whole "Can a woman run a country?" question a long time ago!
So, yes, we have a black president. Someday we will have a woman president. We'll also have a Jewish president someday. We've already had a disabled president (FDR, wheelchair-bound in case you were unaware). I'm sure we'll also have a gay president someday. And you know what? I *pray* that when we do, no one even TALKS about the fact that they're a female Jewish lesbian!! I hope THAT'S what's historical about it. Instead of seeing all the labels, we'll just see the person and if they're qualified, as a person and as a candidate/incumbent/political leader, to lead the greatest country on the face of this earth.
That's the history I'm waiting for.
All anyone can talk about is how Obama being sworn in today is "HISTORY!!!" They're beside themselves, in some cases to the point of joyous tears, about the "history" that is being made today. And why is it history? Because he's black.
Now, I get that it wasn't that long ago that black Americans were slaves. And it was even less time ago that they were institutionally treated as less than equal. They were forced to drink from different fountains, sit at the back of the bus, etc. It was NOT RIGHT. And I'll never understand it, because I simply do not understand the concept that the level of pigment in a person's skin has ANYTHING to do with their abilities, potential, character or humanity. So, it's meaningful that in the approximately 40 years since the civil rights movement, we have succesfully integrated to the point that we have elected a black president.
The problem is that a great number of people voted for him only because he's black - not because of his qualifications or even the specific policies of his that they support. Howard Stern did a bit during the campaign where he sent a staffer down to talk to the "man on the street." The staffer would ask the interviewee if they agreed with Obama's policy of X - and in each case, X was one of McCain's or Bush's policies. In each case, the interviewee loudly proclaimed their support, even explaining WHY it was a good policy. They had no idea what Obama does or doesn't stand for, and they didn't really care. It was his FACE they were voting for.
And that means that while we've come a long way, we haven't gotten as far as we need to go. And don't even try to say "She must be racist." Because if Hillary had been elected, we'd be hearing this same thing, except it would be "HISTORY!!!" because she's a woman. Well, I'M a woman, and I gotta tell you, it irritates me that it's such damn breaking news every time a woman accomplishes something - like it's so unbelievable that a woman could be Speaker of the House or president that we have to cover it like aliens have landed. Yes, we have WOMBS. So what? It's not a mental handicap, and in this day and age, it shouldn't even have to be a conversation when a woman runs for president. Of course a woman ran for president. Why wouldn't a woman be running for president? Margaret Thatcher and Golda Meir took care of the whole "Can a woman run a country?" question a long time ago!
So, yes, we have a black president. Someday we will have a woman president. We'll also have a Jewish president someday. We've already had a disabled president (FDR, wheelchair-bound in case you were unaware). I'm sure we'll also have a gay president someday. And you know what? I *pray* that when we do, no one even TALKS about the fact that they're a female Jewish lesbian!! I hope THAT'S what's historical about it. Instead of seeing all the labels, we'll just see the person and if they're qualified, as a person and as a candidate/incumbent/political leader, to lead the greatest country on the face of this earth.
That's the history I'm waiting for.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Movin on
Allright, kids! Enough bummer news about deals that didn't work. It's Friday, so let's kick the weekend off!
I think it might be time for another Cartoon Excellence Friday. Last time I shared some Space Ghost with you, some of you were...confused. You didn't really "get" it. I can understand where that might have happened since one of the guests was Bjork, and she's confusing to begin with. So, I'll try again, only this time the episode features Willie Nelson.
We all know Willie Nelson, right? And if you're from Texas, and especially Austin, you love Willie, right? So, even if you're not sure you like Space Ghost, you'd get some satisfaction from seeing a local icon display a good sense of humor, right? Okay, then. One more time, a little Space Ghost Cartoon Excellence! Please to enjoy!!
I think it might be time for another Cartoon Excellence Friday. Last time I shared some Space Ghost with you, some of you were...confused. You didn't really "get" it. I can understand where that might have happened since one of the guests was Bjork, and she's confusing to begin with. So, I'll try again, only this time the episode features Willie Nelson.
We all know Willie Nelson, right? And if you're from Texas, and especially Austin, you love Willie, right? So, even if you're not sure you like Space Ghost, you'd get some satisfaction from seeing a local icon display a good sense of humor, right? Okay, then. One more time, a little Space Ghost Cartoon Excellence! Please to enjoy!!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
No moguling for me.
I'm not talking about skiing - I'm talking about real estate. My big plans of being a two-house-owning mogul are not to be. At least not today.
We were supposed to close on the new house today, but Tuesday night I got a call. There was a "problem" with the title. I only marginally understood what this problem was, and the magnitude of what it would take to fix it, but it all became clear over the course of the next 24 hours.
In a nutshell, an old couple lived in the house a long time. The house was in the wife's name. She died without a will, meaning the house goes to her children. I'm not sure how many she had, but one of them is taking care of Dad now, and at least one other was estranged from the family. He had kids in some other state, and then he up and died, meaning his share then went to his multiple children. No one knows these children or where they are. No one has ever contacted them, say, to have them sign away their share of the ownership of the house. THIS is where it becomes a problem for me.
There are heirs to this house out there. You can't sell someone's inheritance without telling them - not without exposing yourself to a lawsuit. The fact that there are missing heirs means the title has a "cloud." You can't remove the cloud by just selling to someone else and hoping the rightful heirs never find out. You have to find them and have them sign off on the sale and get their share, or you have to go through a court process to clear the title. If I bought the house with the clouded title, and the heirs never found out, I'd *still* have a clouded title when I went to sell. And smart buyers don't buy a property with a clouded title.
I am a smart buyer. Or at least I want to be one. For now, I'm a smart non-buyer. And it sucks, because I was very excited about this house, and it BITES that this happened, and that it happened at the 11th hour. I don't know what the seller will decide to do - find another sucker to buy with a clouded title or suck it up and go through the court process to clear the title. But one thing is certain: I didn't close on the house today, and for now, my deal is dead.
(sigh)
Thank heaven I didn't sell my current house, and expressions of gratitude to the astute title company escrow officer and underwriter who spotted the cloud before I'd signed myself on to something shady. Sometimes bad news is what saves your butt.
We were supposed to close on the new house today, but Tuesday night I got a call. There was a "problem" with the title. I only marginally understood what this problem was, and the magnitude of what it would take to fix it, but it all became clear over the course of the next 24 hours.
In a nutshell, an old couple lived in the house a long time. The house was in the wife's name. She died without a will, meaning the house goes to her children. I'm not sure how many she had, but one of them is taking care of Dad now, and at least one other was estranged from the family. He had kids in some other state, and then he up and died, meaning his share then went to his multiple children. No one knows these children or where they are. No one has ever contacted them, say, to have them sign away their share of the ownership of the house. THIS is where it becomes a problem for me.
There are heirs to this house out there. You can't sell someone's inheritance without telling them - not without exposing yourself to a lawsuit. The fact that there are missing heirs means the title has a "cloud." You can't remove the cloud by just selling to someone else and hoping the rightful heirs never find out. You have to find them and have them sign off on the sale and get their share, or you have to go through a court process to clear the title. If I bought the house with the clouded title, and the heirs never found out, I'd *still* have a clouded title when I went to sell. And smart buyers don't buy a property with a clouded title.
I am a smart buyer. Or at least I want to be one. For now, I'm a smart non-buyer. And it sucks, because I was very excited about this house, and it BITES that this happened, and that it happened at the 11th hour. I don't know what the seller will decide to do - find another sucker to buy with a clouded title or suck it up and go through the court process to clear the title. But one thing is certain: I didn't close on the house today, and for now, my deal is dead.
(sigh)
Thank heaven I didn't sell my current house, and expressions of gratitude to the astute title company escrow officer and underwriter who spotted the cloud before I'd signed myself on to something shady. Sometimes bad news is what saves your butt.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
It's a whole new world.
Don't you dare close your eyes. (That was for you, J.) Seriously, though, it really is amazing time we're living in.
Last night, J had a FREE online conference call with his parents IN CHINA and three of his siblings, who are in Utah and Idaho, via Skype. It was real-time conversation, and they were able to talk for an hour without paying a dime! An hour-long, multi-participant international call for free thanks to the wonder of the Internet. Incredible.
After the conference call, J was able to talk to his folks one-on-one in a *video* call. They could see each other, just like they were in the other room.
The service makes their money by charging when you use your computer to call a landline, but the computer-to-computer calls using Skype are free. It's awesome! If you have a webcam, you can do one-on-one video calls, but even if you don't have a webcam, you can still do voice-only calls. Conference calls don't include video, though - or at least we didn't find a way to do it last night.
So, if you have loved ones in long-distance places, check it out. I've heard some complaints about dropped calls and such, which I suppose depends on the reliability of your Internet connection. But considering the cost (or should I say lack of one), that's hardly worth complaining about.
And no, I don't have any stock or ownership interest in Skype. I just thought it was too cool not to tell people about!
Last night, J had a FREE online conference call with his parents IN CHINA and three of his siblings, who are in Utah and Idaho, via Skype. It was real-time conversation, and they were able to talk for an hour without paying a dime! An hour-long, multi-participant international call for free thanks to the wonder of the Internet. Incredible.
After the conference call, J was able to talk to his folks one-on-one in a *video* call. They could see each other, just like they were in the other room.
The service makes their money by charging when you use your computer to call a landline, but the computer-to-computer calls using Skype are free. It's awesome! If you have a webcam, you can do one-on-one video calls, but even if you don't have a webcam, you can still do voice-only calls. Conference calls don't include video, though - or at least we didn't find a way to do it last night.
So, if you have loved ones in long-distance places, check it out. I've heard some complaints about dropped calls and such, which I suppose depends on the reliability of your Internet connection. But considering the cost (or should I say lack of one), that's hardly worth complaining about.
And no, I don't have any stock or ownership interest in Skype. I just thought it was too cool not to tell people about!
Friday, January 09, 2009
Nothing is better...
than this: 
Except, of course, the BCS getting it right and having the OTHER team and the OTHER quarterback that beat OU this year playing Florida for the national title. But that was too obvious. So, I'll take Stoops angry and failed yet again. That's 2 and 7 now for OU in BCS bowls. Very impressive, Stoops. Very impressive.
Oh, and I think after last night, we can also see that the Heisman voters made the wrong choice as well. Maybe someday there will be a playoff system to avoid shams like last night, and we'll vote on individual awards, such as the Heisman, AFTER the bowl games/playoffs are over - when the season is actually over and the various candidates have had a chance, in some cases, to go head to head.
(By the way, thanks to those of you who commented on yesterday's post. I didn't publish them all, but I appreciate that some of you DO read faithfully and get something from my blog. As J said, I should look at it as a journal and do it for myself and if others enjoy it, then so be it. So for now, I'll soldier on!)
Except, of course, the BCS getting it right and having the OTHER team and the OTHER quarterback that beat OU this year playing Florida for the national title. But that was too obvious. So, I'll take Stoops angry and failed yet again. That's 2 and 7 now for OU in BCS bowls. Very impressive, Stoops. Very impressive.
Oh, and I think after last night, we can also see that the Heisman voters made the wrong choice as well. Maybe someday there will be a playoff system to avoid shams like last night, and we'll vote on individual awards, such as the Heisman, AFTER the bowl games/playoffs are over - when the season is actually over and the various candidates have had a chance, in some cases, to go head to head.
(By the way, thanks to those of you who commented on yesterday's post. I didn't publish them all, but I appreciate that some of you DO read faithfully and get something from my blog. As J said, I should look at it as a journal and do it for myself and if others enjoy it, then so be it. So for now, I'll soldier on!)
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Why am I doing this?
So, my friend Lauren's food blog, tastytype, is officially famous. She was featured in the Austin American-Statesman yesterday! That's so cool. I know her. And her blog is fantastic - she makes the best food!
But I must admit, it makes me wonder why I'm bothering with this whole blog thing. Hardly anyone reads it, and almost no one comments, so why am I bothering? I realize I don't have a "theme" - like motherhood or food or politics. But I know other blogs that don't really have a theme either and they have tons of readers. Like "The Lost Hawaiian." She just blogs about what's going on in her life, and she has readers from all over the country and even the world. She recently suggested it might be time to retire the blog, and people came out of the woodwork begging her to keep writing. I'm not sure anyone I don't know personally ever even reads mine. Clearly I'm not as entertaining as she is.
So, is this just to have my own little soapbox? Because I could just vent to J if that's the case. I thought people might be engaged by different topics or enjoy getting a shout-out and get a laugh out of some of my stories. But I don't think I really grab anyone's interest. And I guess I can just keep up with people via Facebook, so I don't really need this as some kind of vehicle for keeping in touch with people. So, maybe I'm the one who ought to hang up her keyboard.
But I must admit, it makes me wonder why I'm bothering with this whole blog thing. Hardly anyone reads it, and almost no one comments, so why am I bothering? I realize I don't have a "theme" - like motherhood or food or politics. But I know other blogs that don't really have a theme either and they have tons of readers. Like "The Lost Hawaiian." She just blogs about what's going on in her life, and she has readers from all over the country and even the world. She recently suggested it might be time to retire the blog, and people came out of the woodwork begging her to keep writing. I'm not sure anyone I don't know personally ever even reads mine. Clearly I'm not as entertaining as she is.
So, is this just to have my own little soapbox? Because I could just vent to J if that's the case. I thought people might be engaged by different topics or enjoy getting a shout-out and get a laugh out of some of my stories. But I don't think I really grab anyone's interest. And I guess I can just keep up with people via Facebook, so I don't really need this as some kind of vehicle for keeping in touch with people. So, maybe I'm the one who ought to hang up her keyboard.
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
It's okay. Really.
Isn't it a nice feeling when you reach the point in your life when you realize there is no perfection? It lifts such a burden. In so many ways, it takes a weight off of you. I've had occasion over the last couple of days to think about this, and I think it's a relief from several perspectives.
1. You aren't perfect, and you never will be, so quit torturing yourself with insecurity about all the myriad ways you don't measure up. No one else does either. And in the end, no one would want to be around you if you WERE perfect, because they would always feel like they didn't measure up, so your imperfection - your humaness - in the end makes you more approachable and easier to be with. People are relieved when they can be their imperfect selves with you. So, be the best that you can be, but don't be afraid to say, "Here are my quirks and my imperfections. Can you love me anyway?" The ones who say, "YES!" are the ones you really want around.
2. No one else is perfect either. Know going into any relationship - one with a lover, a friend, or even a workmate - that they will not be *exactly* what you want in every possible way. It's simply not reasonable to ask it or expect it, and it's not fair to beat the other person up when they fall short of what you wish they were.
Instead, see them as they are and accept them for who they are. Let them know what you can and can't live with and see if you can find a relationship with them that really works for both of you - not one where either of you has to pretend to be something you're not or has to hide who you are, but one where you can each be yourself and any adjustments you make in your behavior or attitudes to account for the other person's feelings or sensibilities are not sacrifices, but considerations. We all must be true to ourselves, but it's also a mark of strength when you can be flexible and considerate of someone else - when you know what battles are worth fighting and which ones aren't.
3. Not only are people not perfect, neither are situations, jobs, events, etc. It's okay if your job gets boring sometimes, or your flowers weren't exactly right at your wedding, or your cat threw up on the couch. It's okay. If you get way more from something than the irritation costs, let go of the imperfection and concentrate on all the things that work about it. Do you like your job - does it work for you and your life? Did anyone even notice that the flowers weren't right, and more importantly, did you get married and have fun at the reception? Do you like your cat? Then it's all good. Don't ruin something that works by focusing on the few small things that in your fantasyland would be different.
I like to think that if you *know* going in that no person, situation or event will be perfect, you take away all the power of imperfection. It doesn't surprise you when you find a flaw (or someone finds one in you), because you already knew there would be one, so you can see it for what it is, in context, without the shock of an unexpected blow or the distorted lens of unfair expectations. And just having the right expectation so often does the lion's share of the work toward making something manageable.
I think understanding that concept and really assimilating it comes with maturity. I'll look at that as a plus as I knock on the door of a new decade in my aging and grimace - after all, I'm probably going to get more practice at embracing my imperfection as I get older, huh? ;)
1. You aren't perfect, and you never will be, so quit torturing yourself with insecurity about all the myriad ways you don't measure up. No one else does either. And in the end, no one would want to be around you if you WERE perfect, because they would always feel like they didn't measure up, so your imperfection - your humaness - in the end makes you more approachable and easier to be with. People are relieved when they can be their imperfect selves with you. So, be the best that you can be, but don't be afraid to say, "Here are my quirks and my imperfections. Can you love me anyway?" The ones who say, "YES!" are the ones you really want around.
2. No one else is perfect either. Know going into any relationship - one with a lover, a friend, or even a workmate - that they will not be *exactly* what you want in every possible way. It's simply not reasonable to ask it or expect it, and it's not fair to beat the other person up when they fall short of what you wish they were.
Instead, see them as they are and accept them for who they are. Let them know what you can and can't live with and see if you can find a relationship with them that really works for both of you - not one where either of you has to pretend to be something you're not or has to hide who you are, but one where you can each be yourself and any adjustments you make in your behavior or attitudes to account for the other person's feelings or sensibilities are not sacrifices, but considerations. We all must be true to ourselves, but it's also a mark of strength when you can be flexible and considerate of someone else - when you know what battles are worth fighting and which ones aren't.
3. Not only are people not perfect, neither are situations, jobs, events, etc. It's okay if your job gets boring sometimes, or your flowers weren't exactly right at your wedding, or your cat threw up on the couch. It's okay. If you get way more from something than the irritation costs, let go of the imperfection and concentrate on all the things that work about it. Do you like your job - does it work for you and your life? Did anyone even notice that the flowers weren't right, and more importantly, did you get married and have fun at the reception? Do you like your cat? Then it's all good. Don't ruin something that works by focusing on the few small things that in your fantasyland would be different.
I like to think that if you *know* going in that no person, situation or event will be perfect, you take away all the power of imperfection. It doesn't surprise you when you find a flaw (or someone finds one in you), because you already knew there would be one, so you can see it for what it is, in context, without the shock of an unexpected blow or the distorted lens of unfair expectations. And just having the right expectation so often does the lion's share of the work toward making something manageable.
I think understanding that concept and really assimilating it comes with maturity. I'll look at that as a plus as I knock on the door of a new decade in my aging and grimace - after all, I'm probably going to get more practice at embracing my imperfection as I get older, huh? ;)
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
First 2009 Round Up!
Allright, kids! Let's get this 2009 party bus on the road with a little Round Up. Lots goin' on!
1. First and foremost, you're welcome. Everytime Angela and I watch a UT bowl game together, UT wins (2004 Rose Bowl, 2005 Rose Bowl, 2008 Fiesta Bowl). It's always a nailbiter, but UT pulls it out right at the end for an exciting victory. Angela and Jason hosted "Chili & Longhorns" last night for UT's Fiesta Bowl game against Ohio State, and I think we all saw how that turned out: UT pulling victory from the jaws of defeat with only 16 seconds left on the clock! So, you're welcome. Ang and I will try to do this for you again next year when UT plays for the national championship with Heisman Winner Colt McCoy at the helm.
2. "The government's $1.34 billion coupon program for digital converter boxes ran out of money on Sunday." $1.34 billion dollars, people. $1.34 billion. 1.34 billion DOLLARS. So that people can watch TV without buying new sets. How much did the government spend in the 50s to provide everyone with TVs? Oh yeah - nothing! Because it's not the government's job to make sure we can all watch TV!! There's nothing in the Constitution that says the government should be seizing money from the citizens to give it to people who can't afford the next generation of electronics. It's not the government's job to make sure that all of our entertaiment equipment doesn't become obsolete. If so, then I want the government to buy me a Blu-Ray DVD player. And I'd like it to buy back my VCR. And all those people who bought Beta players in the 80s should have gotten a little taxpayer money. And why hasn't the government bought me an iPod? Oh, and I don't have GPS in my car, so the government should take care of that little matter immediately. It's beyond ridiculous that the government took money from my paycheck when we're in a RECESSION to give it to people so they don't have to shell out $40 for a converter box. What's next? Using my hard-earned dollars to bail out companies left and right for making terrible business deals? Oh yeah...
3. I just saw "The Good Shepherd" via Netflix this past weekend. Great movie! And man, I really like Matt Damon (I know, Laurie...I know...)! That guy picks the most interesting movies, and he's really got range. From "The Talented Mr. Ripley" to "The Bourne Identity" movies to "The Good Shepherd" - you just know when you see his name on something that he and it are going to be good. He really is great. He's kind of like Tom Hanks - not the best looking guy on the screen, but he's so good and has such range and he makes such good choices, and he never does anything in his personal life that makes you want to punch him, so you just can't not like him! I hope he'll have the kind of long-term career Tom Hanks has.
4. Pei Wei's pad thai is supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. Just thought I'd let you know in case you hadn't tried it.
5. There was something this weekend that I remember telling J, "I'm blogging about that!" But I've forgotten what it was.
6. Why do the directions on Yahoo Maps, Google Maps, MapQuest, etc., all suck so bad? The last three times J and I have used them, we've gotten lost. Give me a good old-fashioned map any day.
Okay, that's a start! Hope that gives you something to comment on!
1. First and foremost, you're welcome. Everytime Angela and I watch a UT bowl game together, UT wins (2004 Rose Bowl, 2005 Rose Bowl, 2008 Fiesta Bowl). It's always a nailbiter, but UT pulls it out right at the end for an exciting victory. Angela and Jason hosted "Chili & Longhorns" last night for UT's Fiesta Bowl game against Ohio State, and I think we all saw how that turned out: UT pulling victory from the jaws of defeat with only 16 seconds left on the clock! So, you're welcome. Ang and I will try to do this for you again next year when UT plays for the national championship with Heisman Winner Colt McCoy at the helm.
2. "The government's $1.34 billion coupon program for digital converter boxes ran out of money on Sunday." $1.34 billion dollars, people. $1.34 billion. 1.34 billion DOLLARS. So that people can watch TV without buying new sets. How much did the government spend in the 50s to provide everyone with TVs? Oh yeah - nothing! Because it's not the government's job to make sure we can all watch TV!! There's nothing in the Constitution that says the government should be seizing money from the citizens to give it to people who can't afford the next generation of electronics. It's not the government's job to make sure that all of our entertaiment equipment doesn't become obsolete. If so, then I want the government to buy me a Blu-Ray DVD player. And I'd like it to buy back my VCR. And all those people who bought Beta players in the 80s should have gotten a little taxpayer money. And why hasn't the government bought me an iPod? Oh, and I don't have GPS in my car, so the government should take care of that little matter immediately. It's beyond ridiculous that the government took money from my paycheck when we're in a RECESSION to give it to people so they don't have to shell out $40 for a converter box. What's next? Using my hard-earned dollars to bail out companies left and right for making terrible business deals? Oh yeah...
3. I just saw "The Good Shepherd" via Netflix this past weekend. Great movie! And man, I really like Matt Damon (I know, Laurie...I know...)! That guy picks the most interesting movies, and he's really got range. From "The Talented Mr. Ripley" to "The Bourne Identity" movies to "The Good Shepherd" - you just know when you see his name on something that he and it are going to be good. He really is great. He's kind of like Tom Hanks - not the best looking guy on the screen, but he's so good and has such range and he makes such good choices, and he never does anything in his personal life that makes you want to punch him, so you just can't not like him! I hope he'll have the kind of long-term career Tom Hanks has.
4. Pei Wei's pad thai is supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. Just thought I'd let you know in case you hadn't tried it.
5. There was something this weekend that I remember telling J, "I'm blogging about that!" But I've forgotten what it was.
6. Why do the directions on Yahoo Maps, Google Maps, MapQuest, etc., all suck so bad? The last three times J and I have used them, we've gotten lost. Give me a good old-fashioned map any day.
Okay, that's a start! Hope that gives you something to comment on!
Friday, January 02, 2009
Off we go!
So, 2009 is officially under way! I've got a good feeling about this year. I think it's going to be a good one.
I ushered it in with good friends and the fabulous J. We started with great food at Taverna , then took it on over to Speakeasy for a little Dysfunkshun Junction and a whole lotta DJ on the rooftop. We danced 2009 in, enjoying fireworks and mild weather and great company! Then yesterday, I got to spend the entire day watching football in my pajamas - I even gained some much-needed ground in Clint's Bowl Pick 'Em. So I have to say that so far, it's my best year yet! ;)
As far as resolutions, I only have one, and it's one that J and I made jointly on New Year's morning (and by morning, I mean the wee hours, just before drifting off to sleep). The resolution for this year: to make 2009 the best year ever. Maybe that's one I can stick to! :)
I ushered it in with good friends and the fabulous J. We started with great food at Taverna , then took it on over to Speakeasy for a little Dysfunkshun Junction and a whole lotta DJ on the rooftop. We danced 2009 in, enjoying fireworks and mild weather and great company! Then yesterday, I got to spend the entire day watching football in my pajamas - I even gained some much-needed ground in Clint's Bowl Pick 'Em. So I have to say that so far, it's my best year yet! ;)
As far as resolutions, I only have one, and it's one that J and I made jointly on New Year's morning (and by morning, I mean the wee hours, just before drifting off to sleep). The resolution for this year: to make 2009 the best year ever. Maybe that's one I can stick to! :)
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