Fantastic Taylor -- thank you so much for sharing.
Seems like the good times roll in Dallas.
In a spaghettish sort of way.
Oops, I mean -- Thank you Mark for sharing.
Fantastic.
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Dallas
From Taylor
Dallas
The city of big shoulders...well not exactly, but we're closer now that I'm here.
The big apple? Eh, I'm more of an orange guy myself.
Show me state? No misery here.
Land O'lakes? Only if you count the man made ones.
Hollywood? More like Holly won't...too many ten gallon hats in these parts.
Driving from point A to point B?
As my good friend Andy says "It looks like they took a bowl of spaghetti, made up street names for every noodle, and built a city."
I ain't from around here.
School started Monday, let me tell you, there are some talented people here. (Don't worry, I'm one of them, my mom tells me so.)
I'm sitting at a sports bar right now, "my" football team is playing on ESPN right now...it's pretty cool...I don't own anything red or anything that says SMU on it...I guess you could say I need to work on my team spirit a little bit.
My friend Sarah and I were able to find the "secret" parking near campus, a secret I have been very quiet about, but apparently Sarah has some loose lips.
My acting classes have a lot to do with "using how you feel in the moment" for me everything's the same, every day- I miss Blaine and Hannah, that's how I feel.
Remember when Grandpa told me they'd be my best friend some day and I laughed? He was right. Josephine, Jean, Janice, Jerry, Julia, Jan, and Jeff- I get it now. Pretty soon you don't like anyone as much as you like your siblings.
Living alone is a good time- until I get home and wonder why Dad didn't get the dishes done so I could make dinner.
Remember that time I was 6'4" and was able to do a hand stand at the family reunion this year. Well you will. Ballet ain't got nothing on watching my big ass tumble across the floor like a 16 year old Russian gymnast--except for the fact that I assume I'm much more sore afterwards.
Is Dallas good? It's great. I can get used to three more years of this. Then, who knows? Ain't youth fun?!
The older I get, I realize not every family is as good as mine. A girl told me the other day "My family doesn't hug. We barely even touch." Call me jaded, but I thought "What a sad life-to never hug the people you love the most."
So give yourself a hug from me, and the person next to them. Let them know I love them. And if you see Blaine and Hannah-tell them I miss them and love them and can't wait to hug them myself. Oh! And that they will always be able to tell people about their weird actor brother.
Taylor
Dallas
The city of big shoulders...well not exactly, but we're closer now that I'm here.
The big apple? Eh, I'm more of an orange guy myself.
Show me state? No misery here.
Land O'lakes? Only if you count the man made ones.
Hollywood? More like Holly won't...too many ten gallon hats in these parts.
Driving from point A to point B?
As my good friend Andy says "It looks like they took a bowl of spaghetti, made up street names for every noodle, and built a city."
I ain't from around here.
School started Monday, let me tell you, there are some talented people here. (Don't worry, I'm one of them, my mom tells me so.)
I'm sitting at a sports bar right now, "my" football team is playing on ESPN right now...it's pretty cool...I don't own anything red or anything that says SMU on it...I guess you could say I need to work on my team spirit a little bit.
My friend Sarah and I were able to find the "secret" parking near campus, a secret I have been very quiet about, but apparently Sarah has some loose lips.
My acting classes have a lot to do with "using how you feel in the moment" for me everything's the same, every day- I miss Blaine and Hannah, that's how I feel.
Remember when Grandpa told me they'd be my best friend some day and I laughed? He was right. Josephine, Jean, Janice, Jerry, Julia, Jan, and Jeff- I get it now. Pretty soon you don't like anyone as much as you like your siblings.
Living alone is a good time- until I get home and wonder why Dad didn't get the dishes done so I could make dinner.
Remember that time I was 6'4" and was able to do a hand stand at the family reunion this year. Well you will. Ballet ain't got nothing on watching my big ass tumble across the floor like a 16 year old Russian gymnast--except for the fact that I assume I'm much more sore afterwards.
Is Dallas good? It's great. I can get used to three more years of this. Then, who knows? Ain't youth fun?!
The older I get, I realize not every family is as good as mine. A girl told me the other day "My family doesn't hug. We barely even touch." Call me jaded, but I thought "What a sad life-to never hug the people you love the most."
So give yourself a hug from me, and the person next to them. Let them know I love them. And if you see Blaine and Hannah-tell them I miss them and love them and can't wait to hug them myself. Oh! And that they will always be able to tell people about their weird actor brother.
Taylor
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Conversations With Connor
Granny, you are fat. Fat ladies are going to have babies.
No, Connor, I'm not going to have a baby.
Granny are you just fat?
Granny, you lost a baby tooth.
No, Connor, I just lost a tooth.
Well brush them.
At day care I didn't park where daddy parks.
I didn't tighten his seat belt enough.
I didn't know the furry character from Star Wars.
He told me it absolutely wasn't Chewbacca or Ewok.
I didn't know the green guy from Star Wars either.
Or the guy with the white face.
I actually sucked at Star Wars.
Took the wrong snack in the snack tin.
The fruit gel pack was okay.
The high protein nut and fruit package was not okay.
Why didn't you bring Gummy Bears?
I'm going to the park.
No, we aren't going to the park.
I know the way.
I watched all exits for a while.
I didn't kill the spider.
Every Lego piece I selected to build my snowmobile was just exactly the one he needed to build his surfboard. I need that, he said, and it disappeared out of my fingers. Somehow his surfboard became a motorcycle carrier and I was too dumb to know the difference.
I mistook the Lego policeman for a bad guy.
I didn't now how to play the "Ninja Turtle 'What do you want to eat game.'" I forgot they always eat pizza and say "cowabunga".
Did you remember that?
I finally convinced him the Ninja Turtles had names and we spent the rest of the evening with him telling me their names -- over and over and over and over until I finally had it right.
The elephant shaped water pouch Ian sent over for Connor, Roger turned into a water squirting device. Not my fault Stephanie.
I've always figured I had turtle animal energy as my personal spirit animal. Now, I'm trying to figure out Connor's animal. Whew, not easy. Roger has always been a fox in my mind. Christian a jaguar. Ian a dolphin. Stephanie an antelope. Bo I think is a dragonfly. Now, Connor? What would Connor be? Surely some kind of monkey. Or octopus.
While I was drifting around thinking about animals I tagged a few of my other family members. Brittany an Owl. Jordan a Golden Marmoset. Jason a Wolverine. Josephine a porcupine. Now Jerry, would he be a bull elephant, a walrus or a buffalo? Janice definitely a panda bear. Jean a wolf. Julia a hummingbird. Jeff a coyote. This is fun, I might continue to play.
I've noticed since marijuana is now legal in Washington it can be smoked in public. Cigarette smokers, however, need to hide in corners or behind buildings. I guess I will continue to lurk in alleyways.
I was reading an interview with Joss Whedon and he talked about how he divides people into two groups. He has noticed how people will either connect or distance themselves to others. Now that is a profound thought. Do we connect or distance ourselves to others.
I think we need to reach out and connect, connect, connect. Connect via email, calls, letters, Facebook, invites, parties, cards, texts, get togethers, reunions -- it isn't always easy to stay connected, to keep reaching out. Yet we have so many more ways and means now a days than days of yore -- I hate to use the over used word channels, but the truth is the truth whether I like the word or not.
I guess I will have my spirit animal contact your spirit animal and connect.
Jeff says he is only bringing a suitcase, chairs, the goodie box, hot dog skewers, Vienna Sausages, booze, his cast iron dutch oven, an axe and his charcol fire starter to the family reunion next year.
No, Connor, I'm not going to have a baby.
Granny are you just fat?
Granny, you lost a baby tooth.
No, Connor, I just lost a tooth.
Well brush them.
At day care I didn't park where daddy parks.
I didn't tighten his seat belt enough.
I put the wrong weapons with the wrong super hero's.
I didn't know the super powers of said super hero's.I didn't know the furry character from Star Wars.
He told me it absolutely wasn't Chewbacca or Ewok.
I didn't know the green guy from Star Wars either.
Or the guy with the white face.
I actually sucked at Star Wars.
Took the wrong snack in the snack tin.
The fruit gel pack was okay.
The high protein nut and fruit package was not okay.
Why didn't you bring Gummy Bears?
I'm going to the park.
No, we aren't going to the park.
I know the way.
I watched all exits for a while.
I didn't kill the spider.
Every Lego piece I selected to build my snowmobile was just exactly the one he needed to build his surfboard. I need that, he said, and it disappeared out of my fingers. Somehow his surfboard became a motorcycle carrier and I was too dumb to know the difference.
I mistook the Lego policeman for a bad guy.
I didn't now how to play the "Ninja Turtle 'What do you want to eat game.'" I forgot they always eat pizza and say "cowabunga".
Did you remember that?
I finally convinced him the Ninja Turtles had names and we spent the rest of the evening with him telling me their names -- over and over and over and over until I finally had it right.
The elephant shaped water pouch Ian sent over for Connor, Roger turned into a water squirting device. Not my fault Stephanie.
I've always figured I had turtle animal energy as my personal spirit animal. Now, I'm trying to figure out Connor's animal. Whew, not easy. Roger has always been a fox in my mind. Christian a jaguar. Ian a dolphin. Stephanie an antelope. Bo I think is a dragonfly. Now, Connor? What would Connor be? Surely some kind of monkey. Or octopus.
While I was drifting around thinking about animals I tagged a few of my other family members. Brittany an Owl. Jordan a Golden Marmoset. Jason a Wolverine. Josephine a porcupine. Now Jerry, would he be a bull elephant, a walrus or a buffalo? Janice definitely a panda bear. Jean a wolf. Julia a hummingbird. Jeff a coyote. This is fun, I might continue to play.
I've noticed since marijuana is now legal in Washington it can be smoked in public. Cigarette smokers, however, need to hide in corners or behind buildings. I guess I will continue to lurk in alleyways.
I was reading an interview with Joss Whedon and he talked about how he divides people into two groups. He has noticed how people will either connect or distance themselves to others. Now that is a profound thought. Do we connect or distance ourselves to others.
I think we need to reach out and connect, connect, connect. Connect via email, calls, letters, Facebook, invites, parties, cards, texts, get togethers, reunions -- it isn't always easy to stay connected, to keep reaching out. Yet we have so many more ways and means now a days than days of yore -- I hate to use the over used word channels, but the truth is the truth whether I like the word or not.
I guess I will have my spirit animal contact your spirit animal and connect.
Jeff says he is only bringing a suitcase, chairs, the goodie box, hot dog skewers, Vienna Sausages, booze, his cast iron dutch oven, an axe and his charcol fire starter to the family reunion next year.
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
What Some People Do
In case you ever wondered what Habu Dragon Boat racing is all about, check out my friend Sandy's blog and video. She is amazing!
http://sandy-lifeisbeautifullifeiscrazy.blogspot.com/
What a fun week-end. Wonderful people, beautiful city and silver medal. Even the 10 hour trip up by car, shuttle, ferry, and taxi was fun with teammates Luise and Mike.
Lak had the bagpiper escort us to the boats during marshaling of heat 3. Last year, he had the bagpiper serenade Cyndi on her birthday.
Captain Bill's boat Sick Day was in it's normal spot in Victoria Harbor right at the finish line. As usual it was party central and race watching central.
Here's a link to a video of heat 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y03QpjQjZkY
I read where an Australian color run used 6,000 pounds of colored cornstarch. What fun.
And then there is the feared Hawaiian Shirt Bicycling Gang going strong in Arkansas. What fun.
Who has biked more miles Tal or Michael?
Me? I've watched the wind blow the trash around Seattle.
Some folks did the Bark For Life 5k -- not me.
For Julia, Roger, Stephanie and all you runners out there.
Or walk, or cycle, or visit parks, or Dragon Boat row, or dance, or hike, or swim, or climb, or...
http://sandy-lifeisbeautifullifeiscrazy.blogspot.com/
Victoria
What a fun week-end. Wonderful people, beautiful city and silver medal. Even the 10 hour trip up by car, shuttle, ferry, and taxi was fun with teammates Luise and Mike.
Lak had the bagpiper escort us to the boats during marshaling of heat 3. Last year, he had the bagpiper serenade Cyndi on her birthday.
Captain Bill's boat Sick Day was in it's normal spot in Victoria Harbor right at the finish line. As usual it was party central and race watching central.
Here's a link to a video of heat 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y03QpjQjZkY
I read where an Australian color run used 6,000 pounds of colored cornstarch. What fun.
And then there is the feared Hawaiian Shirt Bicycling Gang going strong in Arkansas. What fun.
Who has biked more miles Tal or Michael?
Me? I've watched the wind blow the trash around Seattle.
Some folks did the Bark For Life 5k -- not me.
For Julia, Roger, Stephanie and all you runners out there.
Or walk, or cycle, or visit parks, or Dragon Boat row, or dance, or hike, or swim, or climb, or...
Sunday, August 25, 2013
I Harvested My Tomato Crop
I harvested my tomato crop and that tomato was delicious. I see another one ripening so I should have another crop soon. Crop harvesting isn't as hard as I remember. One tomato at a time.
Quotes:
Quotes:
Here is a quote from a famous lady, Mary Kay Ash: “Pretend that every single person you meet has a sign around their neck that says ‘make me feel important.’ You will succeed in life.”
“The difference between try and triumph is just a little umph!” Marvin Phillips
Enjoy your tomatoes...
Friday, August 23, 2013
Little Things, Little Life
Quotes:
Wish big, the Universe is Generous -- greeting card.
"When your eyes are softly focused on the horizon for sustained periods your brain releases endorphins. It's the same as a runners high. These days we all spend our lives staring at screens twelve inches in front of us. It's a nice change." Dad to Bee from the book, Where'd You Go, Bernadette
Thought:
My religious friend was going to Africa on a mission and wanted earplugs to close out the sound of Muslim prayers. Hmmm
No matter what I give to the homeless folks downtown; money, matches, cigarettes, food they always "God Bless" me in return. Hmmm
Love:
That full moon.
Delightful lazy day. Spectacular weather. Glorious sunsets.
Life in the slow lane.
Friends:
Carol camping. Mary Montana and drumming. Lynn park walking. Sandy Dragon Boat rowing. Eleanor visiting cousins in Canada. Claire breakfasting. Kathleen sleuthing genealogy. Jan growing tomatoes -- almost there -- I think it can, I think it can, I think it can.
Enjoying life in the little things.
Pictures of Mother Teresa. Facebook chatter. Pictures of babies. Branson eating Cheerios. Marinated meat cooked perfectly. Starbucks black sweet tea. Healthy snacks from Bo. My red tomato. Jason's liberal views. Brittany's romance. Foreign movies; Nora's Will was good. Map of Tulsa. New maps. Anticipating a trip to Canada. Breakfast or coffee with friends two or three times a week. Christian fixing my car in three minutes. My glorious new birthday mattress and pillow from Roger and Stephanie. Packing Connor a treat tin every playdate. Connor showing me the correct way to record music on his music machine gizmo. Errands with Ian; post office, library, bank, Starbucks, grocery store, Target, Triple A, Half Price Book store, Taco Time for lunch, Ballard for Christian to take three minutes to fix my car, a fast stop at Bellevue Mall for Ian to exchange a birthday gift. Going home. Naps -- always.
Excitement:
Christian asked me to watch Tiki while he and Bo went out of town for the weekend. So I walked Tiki into the condo, put down food and water at about the time Ian came home and did everything else. He walked Tiki, made her bed, let her sleep with him, cuddled and loved her. When Christian came to pick Tiki up he asked, "Was she any trouble?" "No, no trouble at all."
Nostalgia:
Brown beans -- no cornbread. Creole Okra. Molasses cookies. Janice walking. Family. Sons. Friends children getting married and having babies. Home grown tomatoes. Hunting for crawdads. Climbing trees.
I don't miss doing laundry in the rock house. Plucking chickens. Going to school. Picking blackberries. Walking dusty 50th Street. Washing truckers underwear.
Grateful I never had to pick cotton.
Make someone happy today.
Wish big, the Universe is Generous -- greeting card.
"When your eyes are softly focused on the horizon for sustained periods your brain releases endorphins. It's the same as a runners high. These days we all spend our lives staring at screens twelve inches in front of us. It's a nice change." Dad to Bee from the book, Where'd You Go, Bernadette
Thought:
My religious friend was going to Africa on a mission and wanted earplugs to close out the sound of Muslim prayers. Hmmm
No matter what I give to the homeless folks downtown; money, matches, cigarettes, food they always "God Bless" me in return. Hmmm
Love:
That full moon.
Delightful lazy day. Spectacular weather. Glorious sunsets.
Life in the slow lane.
Friends:
Carol camping. Mary Montana and drumming. Lynn park walking. Sandy Dragon Boat rowing. Eleanor visiting cousins in Canada. Claire breakfasting. Kathleen sleuthing genealogy. Jan growing tomatoes -- almost there -- I think it can, I think it can, I think it can.
Enjoying life in the little things.
Pictures of Mother Teresa. Facebook chatter. Pictures of babies. Branson eating Cheerios. Marinated meat cooked perfectly. Starbucks black sweet tea. Healthy snacks from Bo. My red tomato. Jason's liberal views. Brittany's romance. Foreign movies; Nora's Will was good. Map of Tulsa. New maps. Anticipating a trip to Canada. Breakfast or coffee with friends two or three times a week. Christian fixing my car in three minutes. My glorious new birthday mattress and pillow from Roger and Stephanie. Packing Connor a treat tin every playdate. Connor showing me the correct way to record music on his music machine gizmo. Errands with Ian; post office, library, bank, Starbucks, grocery store, Target, Triple A, Half Price Book store, Taco Time for lunch, Ballard for Christian to take three minutes to fix my car, a fast stop at Bellevue Mall for Ian to exchange a birthday gift. Going home. Naps -- always.
Excitement:
Christian asked me to watch Tiki while he and Bo went out of town for the weekend. So I walked Tiki into the condo, put down food and water at about the time Ian came home and did everything else. He walked Tiki, made her bed, let her sleep with him, cuddled and loved her. When Christian came to pick Tiki up he asked, "Was she any trouble?" "No, no trouble at all."
Nostalgia:
Brown beans -- no cornbread. Creole Okra. Molasses cookies. Janice walking. Family. Sons. Friends children getting married and having babies. Home grown tomatoes. Hunting for crawdads. Climbing trees.
I don't miss doing laundry in the rock house. Plucking chickens. Going to school. Picking blackberries. Walking dusty 50th Street. Washing truckers underwear.
Grateful I never had to pick cotton.
Make someone happy today.
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Book-Ends
Connor can hurl himself into a full, face-down, tummy float, with gusto. All spread eagled and coming up smiles. He was so proud of himself that he showed me and his swim teacher this feat about 42 times before the thirty minute session was over. This is the little guy who 10 days ago would hardly put his chin in the water with Simon Says instructions. This two week intensive swim session is coming to an end, but Mommy does have him signed up to another two weeks so I will see more fascinating feats before summer ends.
Endings; I have been thinking about those lately. You know the ending that comes to us all. Stumbling towards the finish line we all complete our journey one way or another. We all start in the mystery of life and end in the know not what. Who ever said "the clock is ticking" never said a truer word. Regrets? Nearing the dark abyss of no return I'm feeling regrets, aches, pains, heartache, so I'm mustering my defenses, my argument, my rational.
Strange beginnings, beginning in the dark abyss of mystery. We birth from the same place as the Universe, who could ask for more? We all start, go someplace and end. With style and panache we all travel our own road.
No one has a road map, we muddle through one step at a time, one hic-up at a time, one mistake at a time. No one has a crystal ball. Looking back every decision was made as I came to that fork in the road, bump in the road, mountain in the road. I have never been accused of living a careful, correct, good life. I have made some colossal, spectacular, bad decisions. I can say in my entire life I have only done three truly worthy deeds, but somehow those colossal bad decisions add to the make up of me.
No one has beforehand knowledge. We go with what intelligence, experience and personality we are blessed with. Some people stop and smell the roses and some people mow them over. Some walk on the wild side. There are drivers, walkers, saunters, attackers, joggers. People who constantly scan right and left looking for pitfalls and danger. People who never look right or left but only stay focused with eyes in fixed positions. Eyes straight ahead. Some live a quiet life, or a busy life, an exciting life, a contemplative life, a chaotic life, a creative life. Do you travel in a circus or solitary?
Why would anyone care what my path is or how I walk it? No one has my style, my compunctions, my fears, my destination or lack there of. We come, we live, we go. Life's plan? You're born -- you die. The ownership of it. The randomness of it. The mystery of it. It's all too big and lovely for my feeble brain. I figure I'll understand it all in the big by and by. What song mentions the phrase "further along"?
During Janice's medical ordeal she spoke of the incredible will to survive. I'll buy that. And watching Connor hurl himself into the pool for a full, face-down, spread eagled, tummy float -- with gusto -- made me grateful for that will to survive and the opportunity to live.
Swim teaching is an incredible high energy job. Granny's, not so much.
Conner and I were playing robots and dinosaurs, so I asked him, what do you like better robots or dinosaurs? This turned into a game of what-do-you-like-better. Pizza or hamburgers? Batman or Superman? Green or blue? Right foot or left foot? Elbows or clavicles? Cars or planes? Then I made one of my colossal mistakes and asked my little obsessive/compulsive grandson what did he like better Buzz Lightyear or his day care teacher Miss Katie. "NO GRANNY, you can't ask that, you have to ask What do I like better Buzz Lightyear or WOODY, not Miss Katie.
That boy has a journey ahead. His journey.
On a side note, a kind of PS; When I was visiting Janice at the rehab center in California I noticed the paper wrapping on the straws said they were "Medical Straws." Again, too deep for my feeble brain, but isn't life always entertaining?
Endings; I have been thinking about those lately. You know the ending that comes to us all. Stumbling towards the finish line we all complete our journey one way or another. We all start in the mystery of life and end in the know not what. Who ever said "the clock is ticking" never said a truer word. Regrets? Nearing the dark abyss of no return I'm feeling regrets, aches, pains, heartache, so I'm mustering my defenses, my argument, my rational.
Strange beginnings, beginning in the dark abyss of mystery. We birth from the same place as the Universe, who could ask for more? We all start, go someplace and end. With style and panache we all travel our own road.
No one has a road map, we muddle through one step at a time, one hic-up at a time, one mistake at a time. No one has a crystal ball. Looking back every decision was made as I came to that fork in the road, bump in the road, mountain in the road. I have never been accused of living a careful, correct, good life. I have made some colossal, spectacular, bad decisions. I can say in my entire life I have only done three truly worthy deeds, but somehow those colossal bad decisions add to the make up of me.
No one has beforehand knowledge. We go with what intelligence, experience and personality we are blessed with. Some people stop and smell the roses and some people mow them over. Some walk on the wild side. There are drivers, walkers, saunters, attackers, joggers. People who constantly scan right and left looking for pitfalls and danger. People who never look right or left but only stay focused with eyes in fixed positions. Eyes straight ahead. Some live a quiet life, or a busy life, an exciting life, a contemplative life, a chaotic life, a creative life. Do you travel in a circus or solitary?
Why would anyone care what my path is or how I walk it? No one has my style, my compunctions, my fears, my destination or lack there of. We come, we live, we go. Life's plan? You're born -- you die. The ownership of it. The randomness of it. The mystery of it. It's all too big and lovely for my feeble brain. I figure I'll understand it all in the big by and by. What song mentions the phrase "further along"?
During Janice's medical ordeal she spoke of the incredible will to survive. I'll buy that. And watching Connor hurl himself into the pool for a full, face-down, spread eagled, tummy float -- with gusto -- made me grateful for that will to survive and the opportunity to live.
Swim teaching is an incredible high energy job. Granny's, not so much.
Conner and I were playing robots and dinosaurs, so I asked him, what do you like better robots or dinosaurs? This turned into a game of what-do-you-like-better. Pizza or hamburgers? Batman or Superman? Green or blue? Right foot or left foot? Elbows or clavicles? Cars or planes? Then I made one of my colossal mistakes and asked my little obsessive/compulsive grandson what did he like better Buzz Lightyear or his day care teacher Miss Katie. "NO GRANNY, you can't ask that, you have to ask What do I like better Buzz Lightyear or WOODY, not Miss Katie.
That boy has a journey ahead. His journey.
On a side note, a kind of PS; When I was visiting Janice at the rehab center in California I noticed the paper wrapping on the straws said they were "Medical Straws." Again, too deep for my feeble brain, but isn't life always entertaining?
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