Seriously, I forgot to add this yesterday, from the local weather website: Enjoy.
OK, time to brag about our weather mettle in Seattle...
The weather hasn't been too out of the ordinary the past week or so -- with mainly gentle rains under cloudy skies. Highs have been a few degrees either side of normal, schools have opened as usual, and the only road closures have been planned well in advance.
But did you know this recent weather would be considered near-record-breaking in some parts of the United States?
With our morning rains Monday, it marked the seventh-consecutive day with measurable rain in Seattle, with Tuesday likely notching No. 8. Did you know that if it rains 8 days in a row in New York, it'd be their fourth-longest rainy streak in their history? Their record is 12, ours is 35.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Seriously
My taxes are done -- seriously -- Thank you Roger
Jeff posted pictures of a seriously big truck on his Facebook page. Awesome.
I thought kids being seriously bored was a modern phenomenon, not so, philosophers mentioned it ages ago.
I hope Mark is seriously over his minor surgery.
Besides Valentine's Day, there are a serious amount of birthdays in February for people I love. Marc, Janice, Scott, Julie and Cathy to name family members. And good friends Karolyn, Mary, Lynn, Sandy and Kathy. Seriously, a lot of love.
I went to the grocery store late Feb 14 and it looked like Valentines Day went to QFC and threw up. There was floral debris every where, and a few gentleman with a panicky look in their eyes having more bouquets made. The day wasn't over yet they still had 3 1/2 hours of the day left. Serious procrastinators.
Has anybody ever heard of bread soup? I heard it mentioned in a movie, seventeenth century France.
My computer from Jean, Jerry and Terry arrived and I am seriously excited. Carol has promised to come over and set it up for me.
I was looking for a Christmas song by Mahalia Jackson on utube, Christmas Comes To Us All Once a Year, and couldn't find it. Ian said out of the millions of songs on utube, only you would want one not available. Seriously.
Now I am looking for a movie that I keep remembering a quote from, and, no, it isn't on the Internet that me or seventeen other people could find. Anybody recall what movie this quote came from: "Don't think about it, don't think about thinking about it, and don't think about think about thinking about it." Yep that's the quote, and for the life of me I can't remember what movie, of course, now I don't remember why I wanted the name of the movie, but I am still on a quest to remember the name. Seriously.
I'm hosting my first ever bring-your-own-dinner son's dinner on Sunday. However I am providing all the stuff for Sunday Son's Dinner sundaes. Can't wait till tomorrow.
I read an article about the rising cost of feet; the bill to Medicare for feet has risen 50% in the last five years. Feet and limbs and other body parts.
A seriously good movie, The Guard.
I read that the philosophers stone of yore referred to the "first matter of all things" centuries ago, and now we have The Big Bang TV show, seriously funny. Have we come a long way baby in discussing the origin of life? Quote: "Once you accept the universe as matter expanding into nothing that is something; wearing stripes with plaid comes easy." No source.
...and a few more good quotes:
The fact that no one understands you doesn't make you an artist.
Don't say you don't have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein. Jackson Brown Jr
Seriously, feel the love.
Jeff posted pictures of a seriously big truck on his Facebook page. Awesome.
I thought kids being seriously bored was a modern phenomenon, not so, philosophers mentioned it ages ago.
I hope Mark is seriously over his minor surgery.
Besides Valentine's Day, there are a serious amount of birthdays in February for people I love. Marc, Janice, Scott, Julie and Cathy to name family members. And good friends Karolyn, Mary, Lynn, Sandy and Kathy. Seriously, a lot of love.
I went to the grocery store late Feb 14 and it looked like Valentines Day went to QFC and threw up. There was floral debris every where, and a few gentleman with a panicky look in their eyes having more bouquets made. The day wasn't over yet they still had 3 1/2 hours of the day left. Serious procrastinators.
Has anybody ever heard of bread soup? I heard it mentioned in a movie, seventeenth century France.
My computer from Jean, Jerry and Terry arrived and I am seriously excited. Carol has promised to come over and set it up for me.
I was looking for a Christmas song by Mahalia Jackson on utube, Christmas Comes To Us All Once a Year, and couldn't find it. Ian said out of the millions of songs on utube, only you would want one not available. Seriously.
Now I am looking for a movie that I keep remembering a quote from, and, no, it isn't on the Internet that me or seventeen other people could find. Anybody recall what movie this quote came from: "Don't think about it, don't think about thinking about it, and don't think about think about thinking about it." Yep that's the quote, and for the life of me I can't remember what movie, of course, now I don't remember why I wanted the name of the movie, but I am still on a quest to remember the name. Seriously.
I'm hosting my first ever bring-your-own-dinner son's dinner on Sunday. However I am providing all the stuff for Sunday Son's Dinner sundaes. Can't wait till tomorrow.
I read an article about the rising cost of feet; the bill to Medicare for feet has risen 50% in the last five years. Feet and limbs and other body parts.
A seriously good movie, The Guard.
I read that the philosophers stone of yore referred to the "first matter of all things" centuries ago, and now we have The Big Bang TV show, seriously funny. Have we come a long way baby in discussing the origin of life? Quote: "Once you accept the universe as matter expanding into nothing that is something; wearing stripes with plaid comes easy." No source.
...and a few more good quotes:
The fact that no one understands you doesn't make you an artist.
Don't say you don't have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein. Jackson Brown Jr
Seriously, feel the love.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
More Journey Ahead
"No matter where you are in life there is always more journey ahead." Nelson Mandela
I had one of those great 15 minute connections with a total stranger. A conversation of depth and feeling. A person I had never seen before and would never see again touched me in an inarticulate way. We were commenting at first jokingly and then seriously on the beauty we could see from the back door of the downtown office building. It inspired me to look for beautiful things on my twenty-six mile drive home from work. This is what I noticed, besides the snow covered mountains, sunshine, blue sky and green trees, those are givens.
On I-5 matching brilliant red and blue Volkswagens with a white car between them, quite pretty and patriotic looking.
An abundance of American flags gently billowing.
The trees gently moving with the same breezes.
A puppy dog surveying the world from a car's rear window.
A balloon bouquet going someplace.
Smoothness, traffic flowing smoothly.
All those cars with people in them who love someone.
I was trying to imagine all the different kinds of love all those people were carrying.
A shiny clean limousine which put me in mind of love also, a wedding or anniversary.
Something important and probably beautiful.
I stopped at Amanda's to pick up my pizza pan and four of her five children were smiling, playing, laughing in front of her house with the neighborhood children.
Andrew was directing traffic - me.
Olivia was moving mulch from point A to point B.
Victoria was being shy peaking from behind her mother.
Carter was handing me a gold star to "keep."
Balls were flying as loosely as the laughter and all seemed right with the world.
What could be more beautiful?
Lynn posted on her blog a quote about "everything is sacred," a belief I believe, but have trouble holding onto sometimes. If mountains and Amanda's children are sacred -- that's easy, but then so is I-5 and cars and trucks and motorcycles and yard waste -- that's harder.
I drifted on home and was greeted by Ian.
Then Roger had posted the wonderful photographs of Connor on Facebook.
I was planning a bring-your-own-dinner Son's Dinner.
Easy, easy, easy.
Somehow my mind drifted backwards in time. To the first time I wasn't the youngest in a social group and felt old. I lived in Barstow California and must have been all of twenty-one and felt old? A beautiful memory in spite of the feeling old part. I don't want to go back, I don't want to live my life over, I want that Mandala idea of journeying ahead, but the memory was sweet. The memory of the life and family I had then.
I was reading Open by Andre Agassi and in the early pages he talks about his father who when he was a young boxer in Iran wanted to take his opponents hardest punch and show them he was still standing. I have had variations of that feeling for years. I've taken life's hard punches and I am still standing. Still journeying ahead.
Towards the end of the book was this poem: no credit was given.
Though much is taken, much abides; and though
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to see, to find, and not to yield.
No matter where you are in life there is always more journey ahead.
As I was raising my sons I wanted them to know how to sew, cook, and do laundry before they left home. Now Roger can sew better than me. Christian can cook better than me. Ian can do laundry better than me. It has been a journey. I had a nice day today until I was preparing my frozen Marie Callender pie and opened the dishwasher to bake it in.
It's been a journey. And Lordy I'm getting old.
On my playdate with Connor this evening I gave him a piece of imaginary bread. He promptly put the imaginary bread in his mouth and started chewing it. I said well aren't you going to give granny a bite? He opened his mouth and removed a piece of imaginary bread and handed it to me.
Life does go on. More journey ahead.
I had one of those great 15 minute connections with a total stranger. A conversation of depth and feeling. A person I had never seen before and would never see again touched me in an inarticulate way. We were commenting at first jokingly and then seriously on the beauty we could see from the back door of the downtown office building. It inspired me to look for beautiful things on my twenty-six mile drive home from work. This is what I noticed, besides the snow covered mountains, sunshine, blue sky and green trees, those are givens.
On I-5 matching brilliant red and blue Volkswagens with a white car between them, quite pretty and patriotic looking.
An abundance of American flags gently billowing.
The trees gently moving with the same breezes.
A puppy dog surveying the world from a car's rear window.
A balloon bouquet going someplace.
Smoothness, traffic flowing smoothly.
All those cars with people in them who love someone.
I was trying to imagine all the different kinds of love all those people were carrying.
A shiny clean limousine which put me in mind of love also, a wedding or anniversary.
Something important and probably beautiful.
I stopped at Amanda's to pick up my pizza pan and four of her five children were smiling, playing, laughing in front of her house with the neighborhood children.
Andrew was directing traffic - me.
Olivia was moving mulch from point A to point B.
Victoria was being shy peaking from behind her mother.
Carter was handing me a gold star to "keep."
Balls were flying as loosely as the laughter and all seemed right with the world.
What could be more beautiful?
Lynn posted on her blog a quote about "everything is sacred," a belief I believe, but have trouble holding onto sometimes. If mountains and Amanda's children are sacred -- that's easy, but then so is I-5 and cars and trucks and motorcycles and yard waste -- that's harder.
I drifted on home and was greeted by Ian.
Then Roger had posted the wonderful photographs of Connor on Facebook.
I was planning a bring-your-own-dinner Son's Dinner.
Easy, easy, easy.
Somehow my mind drifted backwards in time. To the first time I wasn't the youngest in a social group and felt old. I lived in Barstow California and must have been all of twenty-one and felt old? A beautiful memory in spite of the feeling old part. I don't want to go back, I don't want to live my life over, I want that Mandala idea of journeying ahead, but the memory was sweet. The memory of the life and family I had then.
I was reading Open by Andre Agassi and in the early pages he talks about his father who when he was a young boxer in Iran wanted to take his opponents hardest punch and show them he was still standing. I have had variations of that feeling for years. I've taken life's hard punches and I am still standing. Still journeying ahead.
Towards the end of the book was this poem: no credit was given.
Though much is taken, much abides; and though
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to see, to find, and not to yield.
No matter where you are in life there is always more journey ahead.
As I was raising my sons I wanted them to know how to sew, cook, and do laundry before they left home. Now Roger can sew better than me. Christian can cook better than me. Ian can do laundry better than me. It has been a journey. I had a nice day today until I was preparing my frozen Marie Callender pie and opened the dishwasher to bake it in.
It's been a journey. And Lordy I'm getting old.
On my playdate with Connor this evening I gave him a piece of imaginary bread. He promptly put the imaginary bread in his mouth and started chewing it. I said well aren't you going to give granny a bite? He opened his mouth and removed a piece of imaginary bread and handed it to me.
Life does go on. More journey ahead.
Friday, February 3, 2012
And Another Thing...
When I am crossing the courtyard that serves three downtown high rises, and home to the only Starbucks in a three block radius, with my old lady shuffly gait, I can hear people pick up their pace to pass me by so they can get to the Starbucks first and be ahead of me in line (the line is usually very, very long.) Sometimes, emphasis on sometimes, they will pause and politely hold the door so I may enter after them since their place in line is now assured. One ahead of me. The reverse is true if I am coming down the elevator with several people, the jockeying to get ahead of me as they zero in on Starbucks. Are these the same people who jockey for position on the highway with their cars? It is amusing how many times this happens -- every day -- and thankfully my life is never actually in danger, but I want to tell them I'm not going to Starbucks, I'm heading for the adjacent building entry.
I might start carrying one of these pan-handlers type signs that announces "I Am Not Going To Starbucks!
I do believe that with nine billion people on the planet that you can't expect life to be line free. If you have a right to be some particular place so does everyone else.
And another thing...
Sometimes I feel like I'm floating in some kind of Wassailland place. I don't know exactly what that is but I know it when I'm there. Not exactly sad, not exactly here, not exactly day dreamy, not exactly human. Some kind of a little bit other worldly type place.
Watching humans...
...find something or someone to blame when they make a mistake.
...to rationalize and list all the reasons it wasn't really their fault.
...to watch them heighten their drama over their little life's details.
...like lines, appointments, frustrations, wishes, loves.
...to always voice the negative.
...to be against whatever is voiced.
...to be sure their whatever is better or worse as the case may be.
...to repeat some time worn cliche like it is an original, valid, pertinent thought.
So, before the big snow storm I was listing to a fellow colleague some tasks I had completed the day before. I went to the post office, the grocery store, the library and the gas station. She interrupted with a fierce declaration, "Oh you need to get gas in your car with this storm coming. Never, never, never forget to get gas. You have to have a full tank of gas. If you don't get gas you could be stuck in a storm with out heat. I always get gas before winter storms."
And on and on.
My thought: Didn't I just say I gassed up my car?
Hum, people? Humans?
And another thing...
I saw a store sign Shoes and Feet.
My thought: What kind of feet do they sell?
Oops, there I was being a little bit like a world class aginner.
Humans, huh?
Misery is easy, happiness is work.
I might start carrying one of these pan-handlers type signs that announces "I Am Not Going To Starbucks!
I do believe that with nine billion people on the planet that you can't expect life to be line free. If you have a right to be some particular place so does everyone else.
And another thing...
Sometimes I feel like I'm floating in some kind of Wassailland place. I don't know exactly what that is but I know it when I'm there. Not exactly sad, not exactly here, not exactly day dreamy, not exactly human. Some kind of a little bit other worldly type place.
Watching humans...
...find something or someone to blame when they make a mistake.
...to rationalize and list all the reasons it wasn't really their fault.
...to watch them heighten their drama over their little life's details.
...like lines, appointments, frustrations, wishes, loves.
...to always voice the negative.
...to be against whatever is voiced.
...to be sure their whatever is better or worse as the case may be.
...to repeat some time worn cliche like it is an original, valid, pertinent thought.
So, before the big snow storm I was listing to a fellow colleague some tasks I had completed the day before. I went to the post office, the grocery store, the library and the gas station. She interrupted with a fierce declaration, "Oh you need to get gas in your car with this storm coming. Never, never, never forget to get gas. You have to have a full tank of gas. If you don't get gas you could be stuck in a storm with out heat. I always get gas before winter storms."
And on and on.
My thought: Didn't I just say I gassed up my car?
Hum, people? Humans?
And another thing...
I saw a store sign Shoes and Feet.
My thought: What kind of feet do they sell?
Oops, there I was being a little bit like a world class aginner.
Humans, huh?
Misery is easy, happiness is work.
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