I am posting twice today because I just received an email from a charitable organization that am part of, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.
I don't know about you, but Christmas is starting to loss its luster and sheen for me. Maybe its just growing up and no longer finding much value in the "stuff" of Christmas. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy opening a gift or two, but I often find something is seriously missing in the giving of Christmas. As I talk to family about what to get them for Christmas it is almost like pulling teeth. I mean, really, what does one get another that has everything they could possible want or need? This year I decided to add a special something to everyone's gift; to be a sponsor for an animal that is at Best Friends.
Here is the link and I am hopeful that anyone passing by my blog gives it a look over and might make a donation that will do something good for another of God's creatures.
I will actually be taking a visit down to Best Friends after Finals to do a little charitable action. I will post my own experiences and photos of my trip. What can I say, I am a sucker for animals and any chance I can, I will give a plug to those organizations doing good works.
11/30/2007
A Beautiful Story
Last night as I was enjoying the fruits of my labor (previous post gives explanation), I decided to watch a movie I have had around for about a week. The movie is titled, Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles. This is a beautiful movie. Beautiful in landscapes, in emotion, and the relationships between the characters. It is amazingly raw and real. Here is a review I copied from another blog, A Movie Every Day:
Yimou Zhang, Chinese-born director of Jet Li's "Hero," delivers a deeply moving and introspective drama in Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles. Featuring an elder Japanese father portrayed to classic, stoic perfection by Ken Takakura, the story concerns Mr. Takata's discovery that his long-estranged, telejournalist son is in a Tokyo hospital dying of liver cancer. When his son refuses to see him, his daughter-in-law slips him a tape of his work which ultimately inspires the elder Takata to travel to the beautiful Chinese province of Yunnan to fulfill a promise to film a local folk opera. In the process, Takata faces nearly insurmountable government challenges and the imprisonment of the lead singer in order to attempt to produce a video he hopes will allow he and his son to reconcile before his death. The result is a culturally stimulating drama that touches the heart with vibrant characters and performances.
Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles is a powerfully moving drama that touches the heart with great characters and vibrant performances. For USA audiences it brings greater understanding of both Chinese and Japanese culture especially when we are reminded that the Japanese and Chinese have long had a relationship similar to but worse than the British and the French. For long periods of their history there has been no love lost between the peoples of these nations along with vast periods of war and mutual disdain. Mr. Takata knows not a word of Mandarin Chinese, and it is often funny to see Lingo slip into English trying to get his point across to Mr. Takata who seems also to know very little if any English.
Spectacular settings illustrate the geographical and topographical diversity of this region of China rarely visited by westerners who favor, historically, the northeastern and southeastern regions of this vast country. Very little of the film actually takes place in Japan though there is a taste of Rei driving her father-in-law through Tokyo to see his son in the hospital. The film leaves a lasting and indelible impression for those who have become estranged from members of their family be they parent-child or even sibling-sibling relationships. The message is simple, take the time needed to resolve the differences, but do not wait too long because one never knows how long one has left to live. Anything can happen. Mr. Takakura does a brilliant job in showing the tortures on the mind of the senior Takata as he works tirelessly to capture the story of Lord Guan for his son and earn back his son's affections. Fortunately, the story proves out that while this may have been a most noble intention on his part, working to ensure the love of our loved ones prior to necessitating a last minute efforts, is probably a better route to go.
I believe this gives you a good idea of what the film is about. I don't normally well up with tears during a movie, but this one really got to me. I think the ultimate message within the story is to not let words go unsaid to someone you love because you may never get the chance again. One scene presents this very clearly when Takata looks enviously at another (Li Jamin, who is the opera singer that has been imprisoned) because he (Li) is so free to show his heartfelt emotion for his son. Takata finds Li to be so lucky to be able to do this, to express such raw emotion and not hold back. I believe this expression of love is the main theme this movie gets across to the audience.
I highly recommend this film. Subtitles are in English.
11/29/2007
ALL DONE!!
Yippee! I just finished my final exam in Phonetics. It was a very tough class, especially taking it this way. It is all about how words and letters sound, and without classroom instruction, it can be very challenging to make sure you are sounding things out right. I think Phonetics will continue to be a challenge for me, but I will try to keep it up on my own. I did manage to pull out an "A" in the class, but the grade isn't as important as the learning. I still feel very insecure about IPA and how I will use this in the future, but I am so happy to be done with this class. One more exam in Anatomy, and one more project and exam in Language Development, and I am so done! If anyone says Speech Pathology is easy, smack them in the face for me. I already have one Masters degree, and I can say that this is far more difficult than getting an M.Ed in curriculum design. And I haven't even gotten to the graduate level stuff yet.
I did register for next semester. I understand one of my classes, Anatomy of the Ear, is pretty tough because the Professor wants you to know EVERYTHING about the ear. I guess a number of communication disorder/speech pathology folks become Audiologists, so we all need to know the ear. I am actually looking forward to it.
I think I will sit back and relax for a bit before starting my study session for the next exam.
Relief feels oh so good....
Song is just one of my favorite DM songs. It makes my skin burn.
I did register for next semester. I understand one of my classes, Anatomy of the Ear, is pretty tough because the Professor wants you to know EVERYTHING about the ear. I guess a number of communication disorder/speech pathology folks become Audiologists, so we all need to know the ear. I am actually looking forward to it.
I think I will sit back and relax for a bit before starting my study session for the next exam.
Relief feels oh so good....
Song is just one of my favorite DM songs. It makes my skin burn.
11/28/2007
S'more Snow
11/27/2007
Moments within the snow
White, pure, clean, soft, cold, damp, light, quiet. Snow fell today after nearly 2 months of virtually no precipitation. I was going to the grocery store when the rain started to take the form of ice crystals. By the time I came home, the crystals had become beautiful white flakes. Finally, it feels like winter.
I remember once being in the mountains when the snow started to fall. The silence was infinite and transcendent. I stopped my walk, closed my eyes, and just tried to listen to the sound of snow falling. It sounded like my breath: in and out, in and out, and my heart: berum-bump, berum-bump.
Sometimes you can hear the sound of the snowflake landing on a dead and decaying brown leaf just before the ice turns to water. The harder the snow falls, the louder the silence becomes, a soft pad forming protection around your senses.
Opening your eyes, you see nothing but white, pure white. The sky becomes the air in front of you and the breath from your mouth reveals the cold in the air. "Never forget the silence," the snow tells you, "be silent and quiet, listen to you heart beat and your breath breathe."
Moments within the snow return you to yourself and help you find your way home.
Angels fall like rain
And love - is all of heaven away
- The Ghost in you
I remember once being in the mountains when the snow started to fall. The silence was infinite and transcendent. I stopped my walk, closed my eyes, and just tried to listen to the sound of snow falling. It sounded like my breath: in and out, in and out, and my heart: berum-bump, berum-bump.
Sometimes you can hear the sound of the snowflake landing on a dead and decaying brown leaf just before the ice turns to water. The harder the snow falls, the louder the silence becomes, a soft pad forming protection around your senses.
Opening your eyes, you see nothing but white, pure white. The sky becomes the air in front of you and the breath from your mouth reveals the cold in the air. "Never forget the silence," the snow tells you, "be silent and quiet, listen to you heart beat and your breath breathe."
Moments within the snow return you to yourself and help you find your way home.
Angels fall like rain
And love - is all of heaven away
- The Ghost in you
11/24/2007
Beowulf, Turkey, Buffalo, and Football
Larry got home Saturday morning and it has been a whirlwind of craziness and fun ever since. Saturday afternoon we went to Fiddler's Elbow in Sugarhouse to watch the Utah game on the big screen T.V.. We filled up on 50 cent Wings and Nachos. I also ran into some old neighbors from my childhood. It is strange to see people you remember from your youth with white hair.
The next day we decided to go see Beowulf. I was slightly hesitant, but Larry was determined. We decided to drive to Sandy and see it at the Jordan Commons IMAX theater. We mistakenly got to the theater an hour early, so we were able to get the "Cricket Seats". What are the Cricket seats one may ask? Good question, because we had no idea ourselves. They are 2 seats that are in the center of the theater that are extra big, all leathered out, and recline. They are rather ridiculous, but what the heck, we enjoyed them. The movie was in 3-D and was great! When I left the theater the first thing out of my mouth was "that was fun!" Yes, it was fun, which isn't something I normally say when I leave a movie. I really liked the story, even though it did not follow the 3000+ line poem exactly. With the 3-D added to it, the flying scenes were awesome! I felt like I was flying on the back of the dragon. Occasionally, blood would fly or a body part here and there. Like I said, it was Fun! I would see it again, but it would have to be the same way.
Wednesday I began the prep for Thanksgiving dinner. I had invited some family over for Thanksgiving dinner, so I took on the chore of making a good meal. I actually enjoy cooking, especially large meals that I don't get to cook that much. I made two types of cranberries, a yummy yam dish (no marshmallows here), a savory root vegetable dish, rolls, turkey, stuffing and pumpkin eggnog pie. Everyone else added to the menu with their own dishes.
It took 2 days of prep and cooking, about 4 hours of clean up all for about an hour of food experience. I started debating with myself about the resources used for one meal vs. tradition. In the end, tradition won.
Yesterday, we decided to get away from all the "black Friday" shopping/insanity and went to Antelope Island in the Great Salt Lake.
The next day we decided to go see Beowulf. I was slightly hesitant, but Larry was determined. We decided to drive to Sandy and see it at the Jordan Commons IMAX theater. We mistakenly got to the theater an hour early, so we were able to get the "Cricket Seats". What are the Cricket seats one may ask? Good question, because we had no idea ourselves. They are 2 seats that are in the center of the theater that are extra big, all leathered out, and recline. They are rather ridiculous, but what the heck, we enjoyed them. The movie was in 3-D and was great! When I left the theater the first thing out of my mouth was "that was fun!" Yes, it was fun, which isn't something I normally say when I leave a movie. I really liked the story, even though it did not follow the 3000+ line poem exactly. With the 3-D added to it, the flying scenes were awesome! I felt like I was flying on the back of the dragon. Occasionally, blood would fly or a body part here and there. Like I said, it was Fun! I would see it again, but it would have to be the same way.
Wednesday I began the prep for Thanksgiving dinner. I had invited some family over for Thanksgiving dinner, so I took on the chore of making a good meal. I actually enjoy cooking, especially large meals that I don't get to cook that much. I made two types of cranberries, a yummy yam dish (no marshmallows here), a savory root vegetable dish, rolls, turkey, stuffing and pumpkin eggnog pie. Everyone else added to the menu with their own dishes.
It took 2 days of prep and cooking, about 4 hours of clean up all for about an hour of food experience. I started debating with myself about the resources used for one meal vs. tradition. In the end, tradition won.
Yesterday, we decided to get away from all the "black Friday" shopping/insanity and went to Antelope Island in the Great Salt Lake.
It was cold and windy, but a beautiful day. We came across a number of bison herds roaming around. Occasionally a stray human made their way toward the grouping. We would watch with bated breath to see if one of these beasts would remove this genetically weak human from the pool. No such luck.
Later, we found our way to a little food shack for some hot cocoa. Hiking up and around the rocks, we got a little camera crazy.
Later, we found our way to a little food shack for some hot cocoa. Hiking up and around the rocks, we got a little camera crazy.
On the long drive back we stopped off a got a couple of Root Beers. What ensued was what could only be called gastric explosions in tight quarters. Larry is an optimal belcher with many years of training. I, on the other hand, am only now coming into my own in the belch arena. Larry's critique: I have the volume but now need to work on my shaping.
Later we came home and ate turkey leftovers until our stomachs were on the verge of splitting.
Today we are watching the BYU vs. Utah game while putting up Christmas decorations.
Larry goes back to Hawaii tomorrow and life will return to normal, the "normal" life I live without him. Fortunately he will be back in just a months time. I am looking forward to it already.
Later we came home and ate turkey leftovers until our stomachs were on the verge of splitting.
Today we are watching the BYU vs. Utah game while putting up Christmas decorations.
Larry goes back to Hawaii tomorrow and life will return to normal, the "normal" life I live without him. Fortunately he will be back in just a months time. I am looking forward to it already.
11/21/2007
Happy Thanksgiving
I think it is pretty easy to see what I am Thankful for this year. Have a great Thanksgiving Holiday!
"Absence diminishes small loves and increases great ones, as the wind blows out the candle and blows up the bonfire." -- François de La Rouchefoucauld
"Absence diminishes small loves and increases great ones, as the wind blows out the candle and blows up the bonfire." -- François de La Rouchefoucauld
11/19/2007
Some pictures
Here are a couple of photos that I took while in Hawaii. I actually didn't spend that much time with the camera, as I was spending more time with Larry and visiting Condos for him. I did take some photos of the Palace, but they are on my cell phone. I forgot to take the camera that day. I will have to download those photos later.
Honolulu/Waikiki from our hotel room looking towards the city. Daytime and night time.
11/18/2007
Narcissism in a nutshell
For the last month I have been living in a vacuum of sorts. I stopped getting the paper and rarely watch television which includes the news. I have been comfortably ignorant regarding local issues. That being said, I have also felt out of the loop about what is going on in the state, county, and city. Yesterday, I started my newspaper delivery once again. It didn't take long for me to regret this decision. This morning the front page read "Utah less Mormon than ever." My first thought was, "why is this news, let alone front page news? Where is the news about the thousands dead and displaced in Bangladesh? Oh, that's right, that's on page 6, where a story about the dead and demoralized gets an afterthought, but hey falling Mormon numbers in the center of world, i.e. Utah, is far more important."
This is my number one complaint about living here. It is non stop Mormon this, Mormon that, Mormon everything. Ironic then, that this article reveals that Utah is at its lowest numbers EVER on percentage of Mormons (60%) living in the state based on church numbers given to the state. Even more revealing is that by their own admission (the church) only half of those 60% have anything to do with the church (attendance, tithing, etc...). So much for Utah being a "Mormon only" state. To be honest, after living here in the 80s when Mormon growth was at its heyday, vs now when it is at its lowest, it doesn't take much to see the change. Just spending time in and around the area I live, I begin to see things more clearly (the ward building in my neighborhood has been vacant for over a year) and rarely do I find there is an Us vs Them mentality. Strange then, the paper feels the need to continue propagating this divide. I believe the quote that really makes this sentiment clear is when the "journalist" states...
This is my number one complaint about living here. It is non stop Mormon this, Mormon that, Mormon everything. Ironic then, that this article reveals that Utah is at its lowest numbers EVER on percentage of Mormons (60%) living in the state based on church numbers given to the state. Even more revealing is that by their own admission (the church) only half of those 60% have anything to do with the church (attendance, tithing, etc...). So much for Utah being a "Mormon only" state. To be honest, after living here in the 80s when Mormon growth was at its heyday, vs now when it is at its lowest, it doesn't take much to see the change. Just spending time in and around the area I live, I begin to see things more clearly (the ward building in my neighborhood has been vacant for over a year) and rarely do I find there is an Us vs Them mentality. Strange then, the paper feels the need to continue propagating this divide. I believe the quote that really makes this sentiment clear is when the "journalist" states...
"as the population continues to change, Utah Mormons will see their neighborhoods become more religiously diverse, children will have more non-Mormon friends and consequently more of them will have their faith tested more than ever before."
Read that last statement once more, "more of them will have their faith tested more than ever before." So am I to believe that this "journalist" (not to mention the editor) believes that individuals of other faiths or of no faith that move in to these pristine Mormon neighborhoods will bring forth temptation and a scourge of evil that will taint the minds and heart of the ever so devout and faithful? I don't believe I could possibly think of a better example of narcissism or even religious discrimination. I don't know, but it has that even so subtle sheen of "we don't want those black folks movin' in cause they'll ruin this community and drop our property values."
I find this all so revolting and disgusting. Is this really what Mormons believe? My own childhood experience says "yes" in fact they do, but even I can't bring myself to believe that all of them do, not today. I have to believe that statements like this are made from a bygone era of the old and narcissistic Mormon that is in a clash with a younger generation that couldn't possibly think that sharing a neighborhood with those of different faiths is a bad thing. This is global world now. There is no I'm Right and Your Wrong (unless your a crazy wacko that likes flying planes into buildings). Not to mention that by living a life of such intolerance leaves one to live a life alone and afraid, looking out into the world with a scowl on their face and bitterness on their breath. I believe that most Mormons want to share their lives with others and not be seen as weird, mean, elitist people. After all, my Mormon neighbors hold the annual ice cream party every summer on our street. They are wonderful, lovely people who could care less about anyone's religion.
I am, of course, ever so happy to see the changes happening here; the diversity of culture and belief. I love feeling part of a community and not as the ostracized outcast of my childhood. Now if only we could get the mouthpieces in the state to be more representative of the population, not just the other-than-Mormon (I hate the word non-Mormon, it is so.....well...narcisstic) population, but the ENTIRE population. That will be the day, one I am anxiously waiting for.
I find this all so revolting and disgusting. Is this really what Mormons believe? My own childhood experience says "yes" in fact they do, but even I can't bring myself to believe that all of them do, not today. I have to believe that statements like this are made from a bygone era of the old and narcissistic Mormon that is in a clash with a younger generation that couldn't possibly think that sharing a neighborhood with those of different faiths is a bad thing. This is global world now. There is no I'm Right and Your Wrong (unless your a crazy wacko that likes flying planes into buildings). Not to mention that by living a life of such intolerance leaves one to live a life alone and afraid, looking out into the world with a scowl on their face and bitterness on their breath. I believe that most Mormons want to share their lives with others and not be seen as weird, mean, elitist people. After all, my Mormon neighbors hold the annual ice cream party every summer on our street. They are wonderful, lovely people who could care less about anyone's religion.
Unfortunately, this is the poopy part of living in this beautiful state, having to constantly be barraged with "Mormon foot in mouth" in what should be unbiased reporting and information sources. I don't know if I will continue my subscription to the paper. I wish I had an alternative for news, but I have found what is available is very limiting.
I am, of course, ever so happy to see the changes happening here; the diversity of culture and belief. I love feeling part of a community and not as the ostracized outcast of my childhood. Now if only we could get the mouthpieces in the state to be more representative of the population, not just the other-than-Mormon (I hate the word non-Mormon, it is so.....well...narcisstic) population, but the ENTIRE population. That will be the day, one I am anxiously waiting for.
11/15/2007
I made it back
After an enchanting few days, I am home again trying to adjust to cold temperatures, a quiet home, and some serious jet lag. I spent the last 5 days in O'ahu visiting Larry. I thought I might not make it. My initial plan was to leave here on Friday, but was hit with either a stomach flu or some food poisoning the day before. I was one sick pup and thoroughly exhausted. I decided not to push the Friday flight, choosing to get better and try for Saturday instead. It worked out that I wouldn't have made it on Friday anyway, no seats. I managed to be one of the lucky one's that got on the Saturday flight.
Larry surprised me when I arrived with some amazing smelling leis and a hotel room on the beach at Waikiki. I was pleasantly surprised with this little get-away. Usually when I visit, I stay with him on base at Pearl Harbor. Not that it is bad, but it isn't really us getting away together (he is usually working as well). We had two glorious days soaking up the sun, and moonlit nights walking up and down the beach. Another reason for my visit was to help Larry decide on a place to live. He had been struggling with the cost vs. amenities, so I was able to help him make a choice and I think he will be very happy with his/our decision. It is a fully furnished condo so there is no need to spend time and money to buy stuff to get settled only to have to get rid of it upon leaving the island. All he needs are his clothes and a trip to the grocery store. It is also centrally located to everything he needs to get to, which I find more important that spending an hour driving in traffic so you can see the sun set over the water (if your lucky to make it in time).
Most of the time was spent just talking with him again, face to face. It was so nice to be with him, to be happy and optimistic about our future. Sometimes dreams don't feel real unless I can share them with him.
On Tuesday and Wednesday Larry did have to work, so I took the car ( a cute VW Cabrio convertible) and made my way through the crazy streets of Honolulu and surrounding areas. I didn't make many mistakes, not too many u-turns, but did struggle to find parking. One of the days, I made my way to 'Iolani Palace. It was very interesting as I do not know much about Hawaiian culture or history. I found it very informative and also quite sad. Much like the dissolution of the Native Americans here in the states, the peoples of the island were pretty much destroyed by the Americanization of the islands. They now cling to the hope of keeping some amount of their culture alive. As a traveler, I always seek to know the place that I visit, not just the tourist areas with all the restaurants and shopping. I can do that here, but I can't visit the Queen's palace, or hike Diamond Head here, so those are the places I like to spend my time.
I also found out that I will be making at least one trip next year to Australia with Larry. He is part of the Navy attache that will be conducting meetings there, so I will be making it a little trip for myself as well. I think that will only leave South America and the Poles left to step foot on.
My flight home was....well...hell. To be honest, I don't expect much for a red-eye, but it is just miserable to leave at 11 p.m. and then arrive at 8 a.m. the next morning without getting more than a wink of sleep (yes, next to me was the 3 year old passing the time kicking me...FUN). It pretty much kills the day. The head feels cloudy. Speaking of heads feeling cloudy, my last blood test came back on Tuesday and my doctor called me to tell me she is changing me to Armour Thyroid which is what I was going to ask to be put on anyway. I have heard a lot of good things about it, so I am really hoping this will be the medication that will work for me. What makes it appealing for me is that as the thyroxine (T-4) replacement has not helped my numbers go down which demonstrates that the problem is with my brain, and not so much my thyroid (the thyroid is the result of another deficiency). Literally, my brain chemistry is off. Armour offers a mix of T-3 and T-4 which has been proven to help folks like me. Here's to hoping that's the case!
I was going to download photos from my trip, but I am too tired and feel like I just want to have a little dinner and then hit the hay. The photos will have to wait till next time.
Aloha!
Larry surprised me when I arrived with some amazing smelling leis and a hotel room on the beach at Waikiki. I was pleasantly surprised with this little get-away. Usually when I visit, I stay with him on base at Pearl Harbor. Not that it is bad, but it isn't really us getting away together (he is usually working as well). We had two glorious days soaking up the sun, and moonlit nights walking up and down the beach. Another reason for my visit was to help Larry decide on a place to live. He had been struggling with the cost vs. amenities, so I was able to help him make a choice and I think he will be very happy with his/our decision. It is a fully furnished condo so there is no need to spend time and money to buy stuff to get settled only to have to get rid of it upon leaving the island. All he needs are his clothes and a trip to the grocery store. It is also centrally located to everything he needs to get to, which I find more important that spending an hour driving in traffic so you can see the sun set over the water (if your lucky to make it in time).
Most of the time was spent just talking with him again, face to face. It was so nice to be with him, to be happy and optimistic about our future. Sometimes dreams don't feel real unless I can share them with him.
On Tuesday and Wednesday Larry did have to work, so I took the car ( a cute VW Cabrio convertible) and made my way through the crazy streets of Honolulu and surrounding areas. I didn't make many mistakes, not too many u-turns, but did struggle to find parking. One of the days, I made my way to 'Iolani Palace. It was very interesting as I do not know much about Hawaiian culture or history. I found it very informative and also quite sad. Much like the dissolution of the Native Americans here in the states, the peoples of the island were pretty much destroyed by the Americanization of the islands. They now cling to the hope of keeping some amount of their culture alive. As a traveler, I always seek to know the place that I visit, not just the tourist areas with all the restaurants and shopping. I can do that here, but I can't visit the Queen's palace, or hike Diamond Head here, so those are the places I like to spend my time.
I also found out that I will be making at least one trip next year to Australia with Larry. He is part of the Navy attache that will be conducting meetings there, so I will be making it a little trip for myself as well. I think that will only leave South America and the Poles left to step foot on.
My flight home was....well...hell. To be honest, I don't expect much for a red-eye, but it is just miserable to leave at 11 p.m. and then arrive at 8 a.m. the next morning without getting more than a wink of sleep (yes, next to me was the 3 year old passing the time kicking me...FUN). It pretty much kills the day. The head feels cloudy. Speaking of heads feeling cloudy, my last blood test came back on Tuesday and my doctor called me to tell me she is changing me to Armour Thyroid which is what I was going to ask to be put on anyway. I have heard a lot of good things about it, so I am really hoping this will be the medication that will work for me. What makes it appealing for me is that as the thyroxine (T-4) replacement has not helped my numbers go down which demonstrates that the problem is with my brain, and not so much my thyroid (the thyroid is the result of another deficiency). Literally, my brain chemistry is off. Armour offers a mix of T-3 and T-4 which has been proven to help folks like me. Here's to hoping that's the case!
I was going to download photos from my trip, but I am too tired and feel like I just want to have a little dinner and then hit the hay. The photos will have to wait till next time.
Aloha!
11/08/2007
Wishing myself luck
I hope to be sitting on a beautiful warm beach listening to the waves break against the shore this weekend. The flights are "iffy" so here's to wishing me luck!
Aloha! (I hope)
Aloha! (I hope)
11/07/2007
My guy won, vouchers lost, and a new school district to be born
Yesterday was election day in our fair city. For me, a city resident, the mayoral race was big. Fortunately, my guy, Ralph Becker, won by a landslide. After 3 years of Rocky, I am ready for a change. I love what Rocky has done to make the city green and give it an environmental purpose, but his lack of "diplomatic" skills began to rub me raw. He doesn't work well with others (is that a good way to put it?). I think Ralph with his many years of planning experience as well as years in the state House will help things happen. He is looking to the future and has a blueprint for what the city can become. I like that.
Vouchers lost BIG time. Even I was surprise by how much. I think people here want the public school system to shape up and get the funding it needs. It is a huge wake up call for the legislature as they made it law last year without putting it to vote. After many complaints, the Governor decided that the people should decide, so he put it on the ballot. Vote we did! In the exact opposite of the elected leaders (the legislature). Hopefully the people see how out of touch these guys are when they go to the ballot box next year to reelect them.
The Jordan School district has been ousted, at least on the East side (east of the I-15). I am really surprised by this one. The east side-ers decided to break off from the Jordan school district and form their own. That means that the Jordan school district will be funded only by west side neighborhoods for west side schools. I am still unsure of what I think about this. My first thought is that this new district will be an elitist one because of the area that it will serve. I will have to see how this one will play out.
Vouchers lost BIG time. Even I was surprise by how much. I think people here want the public school system to shape up and get the funding it needs. It is a huge wake up call for the legislature as they made it law last year without putting it to vote. After many complaints, the Governor decided that the people should decide, so he put it on the ballot. Vote we did! In the exact opposite of the elected leaders (the legislature). Hopefully the people see how out of touch these guys are when they go to the ballot box next year to reelect them.
The Jordan School district has been ousted, at least on the East side (east of the I-15). I am really surprised by this one. The east side-ers decided to break off from the Jordan school district and form their own. That means that the Jordan school district will be funded only by west side neighborhoods for west side schools. I am still unsure of what I think about this. My first thought is that this new district will be an elitist one because of the area that it will serve. I will have to see how this one will play out.
11/06/2007
Life is good
I just had one of those really great days. Those days that you know everything is going to work out a-okay, not perfect, but really good. I feel like things are moving into place and I am happy. I feel lucky and grateful to have someone in my life that loves me and supports me more than anyone else has in my entire life. He is heaven sent.
Today was a great day, and now I hear the music calling me from the other room. I think it is time to dance!
Today was a great day, and now I hear the music calling me from the other room. I think it is time to dance!
11/04/2007
Individual Choice
I was up late last night, struggling to find the sandman to put me to sleep. Around 11:30 (that is late for me) I got on the computer to look up something of which I cannot recall now. The reason behind my absent recollection is that I was instead caught off guard by an email I had received from my sister-in-law. It stopped me stone cold, made my blood start to boil, and my heart to race.
So what was in the email to have caused such a reaction? Well let me give you a little background about my sister-in-law. When I was first married, she and I were fairly close. We lived in different worlds, she a house wife and a mother of 3 children. I was a young, military wife and college student full of optimism and dreams. They were largely poor, but had a loving family, something that I greatly admired about my husbands family. A few years after I married into the family, she decided she wanted to have another baby. I found this odd because financially they were unable to make ends meet with the children they already had. She would tell me how she had to charge their groceries on a credit card, that she didn't know how they were going to make ends meet, and how lucky Larry and I were because we had all this extra money to travel (luck had nothing to do with it), etc... . So I was surprised at this choice to have another mouth to feed. I got the feeling she was grabbing a straws about what to do with her life now that the children were getting older.
I have always been at odds with this type of thinking. I have been told to my face that Larry and I are selfish because we don't have children. WE are selfish? Hummm. See... now I find CHOOSING to have a child, knowing full well you have no means to care for the child, even feed the child, meanwhile continuing to live off your parents while in your mid 30s sounds just a wee bit more selfish than making a decision not to have a child until it is determined, by us, the right time to do so. Not to mention that once she had this child she realized that they might have to go bankrupt. Her response was to ask her parents, my husband's parents, to buy them a house so they could get out of their financial problems.
This is when things got bad, and sadly haven't really gotten better between her and I. Larry and I finally put our foot down and told her to stop expecting her parents to keep bailing her out. We all make choices and we all have to live with them. Finally, the light bulb went off in her head when she realized she was about to lose everything. She decided, with her parents help of course, to go back to school to become a teacher. She did it, and I admire her for finally taking the bull by the horns and being responsible for her own choices.
What does this all have to do with the email? Well, about the same time that crisis hit, she found a new level of God, or maybe religion might be more appropriate. Now I understand we all have our own paths to take, and it is usually during a low point that we began to see we are not alone and that there is a light reaching out and within each of us. She was already a religious person, but this event took it to a whole new level. Suddenly, she became a fundamentalist and extremely judgmental towards any non Christian or even a Christian that wasn't her type of Christian (moi included). She started watching the 700 club and fully embraced their bigotry and hatred all under the guises of Christianity. I will admit here that as I criticize her for her "extreme" beliefs, I know that I am not perfect and have been known to say things against another I later regret. I do make mistakes. The difference is that I know that I do, and try to make amends for it if possible.
After this happened (her conversion to extreme faith), the family dinner discussions became very ugly and nasty. Suddenly this "love in Christ" family had no problem bashing a Muslim or a Jehovah Witness, not to mention anyone (including myself) that wasn't on the Bush/Evangelical crusade to make this country a "Christian America." As I respect all opinions, I chose not to make it an issue, but the result was that neither I nor my husband wanted to spend Thanksgiving dinner listening to tirades about the "liberal" media and the "evil" ACLU, or about those damn "environmentalist" getting in the way of "progress" (knowing full well I was and I am very passionate about the environment). It made me extremely uncomfortable and my stomach upset.
The "relationship" between me and my sister-in-law now consists of forwarded emails from her usually consisting of either political bashing of one person or party, a religious email bashing one religion or another, or a nice mixture of the two. My normal response is to hit the delete button before it downloads. Last night, however, I received a rather venomous email of which I could not ignore. It had to do with the book and upcoming movie, The Golden Compass.
The guts of the email is fear based on an Atheist writer and how he and his books are out to convert all children into little atheist creatures of the night. It is obvious that most likely the person that wrote the email, and those hitting the forward button have not read this or any of this author's books. The book was not what was important to me, but rather this reasoning that somehow the people (writing and condoning the information within the email) have convinced themselves that this book will somehow make children anti-Christians and devil worshippers therefore it behoves us all to ban/boycott this book from the shelves of our youth. The context of the email has undertones that an evil "book reader" might slip your kid a little som'n like a page or two of the book, and if that happens....well hold on because your child will now become a full fledged Satan worshipper that wants gay people to have the right to be married! Oh the horror of it all!
What a slippery slope, don't ya think? And why is that all of these people so eager to rid society of this piece of literature, have given over so much power over to a book? Fear rules them, not Christ. How could one of such strong faith be so easily converted to evil because of a book about a little girl's adventures, a parallel world, and souls that take the form of animals? Even if they do find the material offensive, no one is holding their hand over a flame and making them read this book or watch the movie, yet they feel compelled to do what they can to remove this book from the lives of all children. Isn't that a personal and familial decision based on what that person or family decides is right for them and them alone?
Imagine a world without To kill a Mockingbird, The Scarlett Letter, Of Mice and Men, The Grapes of Wrath, or even The Bible (gasp!). All these books, to name a few, have been either banned or contested at one time or another. Some are still being contested. Can you imagine these works not being apart of our literature collections? Now I am not saying The Golden Compass is on par with these novels, but if they can be banned why couldn't anything or everything? Who determines what is "approved" and what isn't. I'll tell you who...YOU and no one else. How far will things have to go before people start opening their minds and using that brain God gave them? Will we have to relive yet another period of book burning before people start to see how their fear and actions based in fear will corrupt our society?
As my blood began to curdle, I felt I needed to tell my sister-in-law where I stood on the subject of censorship, and the moral, Christian elite. I dare say I probably pissed her off, so what's new? I just cannot stand by and not say anything when it comes to books. I believe it blackens the heart of this country. It is her choice, not some propaganda machine, to decide if it is appropriate material for her children. Start taking back your own power dear sister-in-law, you'll find freedom of choice and a fearless strength in your faith.
Is it me, or do I sound Republican here? Strange...who would have thought that would ever happen?
Just in case your interested: a list of banned/contested books.
So what was in the email to have caused such a reaction? Well let me give you a little background about my sister-in-law. When I was first married, she and I were fairly close. We lived in different worlds, she a house wife and a mother of 3 children. I was a young, military wife and college student full of optimism and dreams. They were largely poor, but had a loving family, something that I greatly admired about my husbands family. A few years after I married into the family, she decided she wanted to have another baby. I found this odd because financially they were unable to make ends meet with the children they already had. She would tell me how she had to charge their groceries on a credit card, that she didn't know how they were going to make ends meet, and how lucky Larry and I were because we had all this extra money to travel (luck had nothing to do with it), etc... . So I was surprised at this choice to have another mouth to feed. I got the feeling she was grabbing a straws about what to do with her life now that the children were getting older.
I have always been at odds with this type of thinking. I have been told to my face that Larry and I are selfish because we don't have children. WE are selfish? Hummm. See... now I find CHOOSING to have a child, knowing full well you have no means to care for the child, even feed the child, meanwhile continuing to live off your parents while in your mid 30s sounds just a wee bit more selfish than making a decision not to have a child until it is determined, by us, the right time to do so. Not to mention that once she had this child she realized that they might have to go bankrupt. Her response was to ask her parents, my husband's parents, to buy them a house so they could get out of their financial problems.
This is when things got bad, and sadly haven't really gotten better between her and I. Larry and I finally put our foot down and told her to stop expecting her parents to keep bailing her out. We all make choices and we all have to live with them. Finally, the light bulb went off in her head when she realized she was about to lose everything. She decided, with her parents help of course, to go back to school to become a teacher. She did it, and I admire her for finally taking the bull by the horns and being responsible for her own choices.
What does this all have to do with the email? Well, about the same time that crisis hit, she found a new level of God, or maybe religion might be more appropriate. Now I understand we all have our own paths to take, and it is usually during a low point that we began to see we are not alone and that there is a light reaching out and within each of us. She was already a religious person, but this event took it to a whole new level. Suddenly, she became a fundamentalist and extremely judgmental towards any non Christian or even a Christian that wasn't her type of Christian (moi included). She started watching the 700 club and fully embraced their bigotry and hatred all under the guises of Christianity. I will admit here that as I criticize her for her "extreme" beliefs, I know that I am not perfect and have been known to say things against another I later regret. I do make mistakes. The difference is that I know that I do, and try to make amends for it if possible.
After this happened (her conversion to extreme faith), the family dinner discussions became very ugly and nasty. Suddenly this "love in Christ" family had no problem bashing a Muslim or a Jehovah Witness, not to mention anyone (including myself) that wasn't on the Bush/Evangelical crusade to make this country a "Christian America." As I respect all opinions, I chose not to make it an issue, but the result was that neither I nor my husband wanted to spend Thanksgiving dinner listening to tirades about the "liberal" media and the "evil" ACLU, or about those damn "environmentalist" getting in the way of "progress" (knowing full well I was and I am very passionate about the environment). It made me extremely uncomfortable and my stomach upset.
The "relationship" between me and my sister-in-law now consists of forwarded emails from her usually consisting of either political bashing of one person or party, a religious email bashing one religion or another, or a nice mixture of the two. My normal response is to hit the delete button before it downloads. Last night, however, I received a rather venomous email of which I could not ignore. It had to do with the book and upcoming movie, The Golden Compass.
The guts of the email is fear based on an Atheist writer and how he and his books are out to convert all children into little atheist creatures of the night. It is obvious that most likely the person that wrote the email, and those hitting the forward button have not read this or any of this author's books. The book was not what was important to me, but rather this reasoning that somehow the people (writing and condoning the information within the email) have convinced themselves that this book will somehow make children anti-Christians and devil worshippers therefore it behoves us all to ban/boycott this book from the shelves of our youth. The context of the email has undertones that an evil "book reader" might slip your kid a little som'n like a page or two of the book, and if that happens....well hold on because your child will now become a full fledged Satan worshipper that wants gay people to have the right to be married! Oh the horror of it all!
What a slippery slope, don't ya think? And why is that all of these people so eager to rid society of this piece of literature, have given over so much power over to a book? Fear rules them, not Christ. How could one of such strong faith be so easily converted to evil because of a book about a little girl's adventures, a parallel world, and souls that take the form of animals? Even if they do find the material offensive, no one is holding their hand over a flame and making them read this book or watch the movie, yet they feel compelled to do what they can to remove this book from the lives of all children. Isn't that a personal and familial decision based on what that person or family decides is right for them and them alone?
Imagine a world without To kill a Mockingbird, The Scarlett Letter, Of Mice and Men, The Grapes of Wrath, or even The Bible (gasp!). All these books, to name a few, have been either banned or contested at one time or another. Some are still being contested. Can you imagine these works not being apart of our literature collections? Now I am not saying The Golden Compass is on par with these novels, but if they can be banned why couldn't anything or everything? Who determines what is "approved" and what isn't. I'll tell you who...YOU and no one else. How far will things have to go before people start opening their minds and using that brain God gave them? Will we have to relive yet another period of book burning before people start to see how their fear and actions based in fear will corrupt our society?
As my blood began to curdle, I felt I needed to tell my sister-in-law where I stood on the subject of censorship, and the moral, Christian elite. I dare say I probably pissed her off, so what's new? I just cannot stand by and not say anything when it comes to books. I believe it blackens the heart of this country. It is her choice, not some propaganda machine, to decide if it is appropriate material for her children. Start taking back your own power dear sister-in-law, you'll find freedom of choice and a fearless strength in your faith.
Is it me, or do I sound Republican here? Strange...who would have thought that would ever happen?
Just in case your interested: a list of banned/contested books.
“You don’t have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.”
~Ray Bradbury
11/03/2007
Nostalgia
This morning as I was studying and doing stuff around the house, this song from Boston came through the satellite and immediately I was transported back in time to an amazing event in my life when I was 17. I was on a church mission trip to Mexico to build houses for a few weeks in the summer of 1989. It was an amazing journey, one that is encased in the music of Boston. David, one of my friends who was also on the trip, loved Boston and played their music over and over again on the trip down to Mexico and back.
All these years later, when I hear this song, or any Boston music for that matter, I reflect on one of the biggest life changing moments of my life. I remember that feeling of ultimate freedom and charity. I remember what my hopes and dreams for my life were and still are. I hear these songs and I remember what is important to me and who I am. Funny how some old 80s band can forever be burned into your memory. Then there was the song "Windy" from the summer before, but that's a story for another day.
All these years later, when I hear this song, or any Boston music for that matter, I reflect on one of the biggest life changing moments of my life. I remember that feeling of ultimate freedom and charity. I remember what my hopes and dreams for my life were and still are. I hear these songs and I remember what is important to me and who I am. Funny how some old 80s band can forever be burned into your memory. Then there was the song "Windy" from the summer before, but that's a story for another day.
11/02/2007
Pretending
Last Sunday, I received a phone call from my step-dad. I haven't heard from or seen the man since last Christmas. He lives less than 10 miles away from me, but has done nothing to maintain any kind of relationship with me. To be completely honest, I prefer it that way. I had hoped that I wouldn't hear from him again, but a holiday/birthday rolled around and I guess he decided to do the obligatory "dad" thing and do his duty to wish Larry a Happy Birthday. I informed him that Larry was not here and how he could reach him. As of today, Larry has still not received the all important birthday phone call from him. Halloween night I received another message from him stating "well, I have a little something for him, and for you too," never mind that my birthday was 5 months ago.
There comes a time in a persons life when they finally go "that's it, I am not wasting my life pretending there is any kind of relationship here." That is where I am. He was an asshole to me as a child and he is still an asshole. WHY must I have anything to do with the man? Because some legal document says that he is my Father therefore I MUST have a relationship with him. It is pointless. Familial relationships, or any deep, meaningful relationship does not come from a legal requirement or even blood, it has to do with honor, trust, respect, kindness, compassion, commitment, and all the elements that consist of and make up love. When one does not have love in a relationship, especially one between and child and parent, there is NO relationship. It just becomes about hanging on to something that isn't, and in this case, was never there.
I have struggled for many years, yearning to rid myself of this man. The first time I did it, my mother guilted me into accepting him back into my life. Most recently, with this sudden silence on his end, I had hoped that he was finally getting it. Maybe he had begun to understand the concept of trimming back the shrub, seeing the limbs long dead needing to be removed. That is how I feel, and I had hoped he had felt the same. Apparently I was wrong as he still finds some satisfaction in being "pretend" dad by calling on major holidays.
I'll admit I am an "all or nothing" type personality. I give my all to things/people I value and that value me, or I give relatively little to where there is no value. I cannot do the "pretend" aspect of a relationship. I might go months between talking to my sister, but since our relationship has all the elements of love, the lack of words between us is not an issue. I cannot continue to pretend to love a person with whom I have none of the elements of love. One could argue that in fact this particular relationship consists of elements of the exact opposite, contempt, guilt, anger, possessiveness, etc... .
I now have to figure out how best to proceed. I have been known for putting it all out there, being upfront and completely honest, but that hasn't worked in the past with him, why would it now? Plus there is my sister that is still hanging on to the man for some parental affirmation. She cannot see him the way I do, and cannot cut ties like me, so out of respect for her I find myself in a sticky situation. Right now, the best I can think of is to hope for a slow death and decay, a withered vine scenario. Maybe with time, he will realize that there is no relationship and nothing worth keeping in touch with me for. I don't need him for anything anymore. The time for that has passed and he failed miserably at it. It is unfortunate, but at least it's real.
There comes a time in a persons life when they finally go "that's it, I am not wasting my life pretending there is any kind of relationship here." That is where I am. He was an asshole to me as a child and he is still an asshole. WHY must I have anything to do with the man? Because some legal document says that he is my Father therefore I MUST have a relationship with him. It is pointless. Familial relationships, or any deep, meaningful relationship does not come from a legal requirement or even blood, it has to do with honor, trust, respect, kindness, compassion, commitment, and all the elements that consist of and make up love. When one does not have love in a relationship, especially one between and child and parent, there is NO relationship. It just becomes about hanging on to something that isn't, and in this case, was never there.
I have struggled for many years, yearning to rid myself of this man. The first time I did it, my mother guilted me into accepting him back into my life. Most recently, with this sudden silence on his end, I had hoped that he was finally getting it. Maybe he had begun to understand the concept of trimming back the shrub, seeing the limbs long dead needing to be removed. That is how I feel, and I had hoped he had felt the same. Apparently I was wrong as he still finds some satisfaction in being "pretend" dad by calling on major holidays.
I'll admit I am an "all or nothing" type personality. I give my all to things/people I value and that value me, or I give relatively little to where there is no value. I cannot do the "pretend" aspect of a relationship. I might go months between talking to my sister, but since our relationship has all the elements of love, the lack of words between us is not an issue. I cannot continue to pretend to love a person with whom I have none of the elements of love. One could argue that in fact this particular relationship consists of elements of the exact opposite, contempt, guilt, anger, possessiveness, etc... .
I now have to figure out how best to proceed. I have been known for putting it all out there, being upfront and completely honest, but that hasn't worked in the past with him, why would it now? Plus there is my sister that is still hanging on to the man for some parental affirmation. She cannot see him the way I do, and cannot cut ties like me, so out of respect for her I find myself in a sticky situation. Right now, the best I can think of is to hope for a slow death and decay, a withered vine scenario. Maybe with time, he will realize that there is no relationship and nothing worth keeping in touch with me for. I don't need him for anything anymore. The time for that has passed and he failed miserably at it. It is unfortunate, but at least it's real.
11/01/2007
A simple post
Just a great song today. I love Peter Murphy and this is one of my favorites. His music is so poetic.
Enjoy
Enjoy
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