Miscellaneous Missives

I have been looking online trying to figure out when I can buy tickets to Talking Volumes . Although my guess is I was looking at an old website, I came across something that said the authors were going to be released in the July 31st paper. Of course I bought today's Star Tribune only to find there was nothing about Talking Volumes . It reminds me of why I don't get the Star Tribune . First, I've already read most (if not all) of the news online. Second, I now have a pile to add to my recycling pile. Third, there was nothing about Talking Volumes. Fourth, it took my a total of fifteen minutes to peruse the entire publication, including ads. The Daily Show Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes , Political Humor & Satire Blog , The Daily Show on Facebook Reading the paper was not a complete lost. I enjoyed an iced chai tea while reading the paper. The best part of it was I realized that I can get The Daily Show with Jon Stewart using On Demand. Watching Jon S...

This morning as I walked the Greenway to the gym, a boy (10 years old?) came up behind me. "Ma'am... Do you know how to get to Hennepin?" I started to give him directions and realized that he wanted to go to Isles Buns and Coffee, so I gave him more specific directions. Although I kept walking, I watched to make sure he was taking the correct path. He started to head left around Isles instead of right, so I went to the railing and yelled to help. "Right, turn right and go up a block or two. Turn right on 28th." Watching him reminded me of how we need others in our life to guide and support us. Of course I stayed to make sure he was on the correct route. Behind me came up a couple on their bikes. They gave me a thumbs up for my service. On the way back from the gym, I came upon people working in the little flower garden that is always so beautiful. It has a bench and a sign welcoming people to the garden. I thanked them for the work on the garden. ...

To be productive or not to be productive... that is the question. I posted this status update at 8:30am. Before posting I had already been up an hour. At 10:00am I was still in my pajamas. Do you see where this is going? At 11:00am I went outside to read for a couple of hours. Nope, nothing much happening today. At 3:30pm I left for my 4:00pm yoga class. Oops! It seems yoga is at 5:30pm. I stayed for the BodyFlow class which is probably better for me anyway. Yep! That's my day... nothing accomplished. Well, that's not necessarily true, I did completely redo my August calendar. Maybe tomorrow will be more productive. Then I'll actually have something to post about.

One of my summer tasks was to sweep the garage floor because it is disgusting. Although I have a big push broom, I wanted to get a smaller broom for the edges and corners. Of course I wasn't going to use any broom from the inside in that filth, so I went to ACE Hardware to get a broom. While checking out I noticed the Charleston Chew candy bars, so I bought one. The girl told me it was horrible as I checked out. She then tried to tell me she wasn't putting down my tastes and continued to talk about the nastiness of my choice in candy. I'm not sure that her job is to comment on my candy as I check out. Maybe she should have followed me to the garage and commented negatively in an appropriate manner. Now the garage is swept out and hosed down although picking a humid day to do these would have been more appropriate.

Ahhhh... I love summer. We had book club and lunch at Sea Salt near Minnehaha Falls . Others left early, but I meandered over to the falls to take a photograph with my iPhone. Last night on the news they discussed how the falls were at their peak due to the summer rain and watershed. Who could miss this photo op? Unfortunately, the camera on my phone didn't work. I could use Hipstamatic, but not the actual camera. Disappointed and frustrated, I drove straight to the Apple Store (I buy stuff at First Tech and ask for help at the Apple Store.). A young lady greeted me with a simple fix. It seems my phone was "running slow." She showed me how to alleviate my problem. Double clicking on the home button brought up all of the apps I have been using on the bottom of the screen. These can be deleted as if you would delete any app that is delete them from the bottom and not the phone itself. After these were removed, my camera worked. My guess is that it isn't a...

Last night was my first U2 concert. We had tickets for last year's cancelled concert, and I was impressed that I saved them all year. Since I left my rain gear in Guatemala, I went out yesterday to buy a cheap poncho. My poncho was perfect because it came in a zip lock baggie for my iPhone in the rain. As we ate before the concert, I bragged to everyone that the weather was great in Guatemala even though it was supposed to storm and rain and explained that I would keep it away from the concert. Oops! We left the concert soaked. At one point I looked over I my friends. Everyone had rain running down their face and big smiles. It takes a great concert for people to remain in the pouring rain. When the lightening flashed in the background, I was afraid it was the end of the concert, but they kept playing. Into the typical playlist, Bono added lyrics from Rain by the Beatles, Purple Rain by Prince, and Singing in the Rain . He also dedicated a song he originally wrote for...

As I was waking up this morning, I realized a couple of things. Breakfast was not going to be ready as I walked into the kitchen, and no one was going to be sitting around the table which meant my morning was not going to start out with laughter. Mis Amigos plus one or two... Front row left to right Kasey- Although Kasey is quite younger than I am, we had a blast. After putting in water filters on one of the first days, we had a cervesa (which I paid $4.50... need to learn Spanish) in the street together on a stoop. She was also the one who gave me the bad news about the first round of kids having lice and spray to help. We had a marvelous time hanging out and joking around. Kristi- She is a PT from Michigan. I would love to go on other mission type trips with Kristi. We work well together. Both of us laughed (and became teary eyed) as we worked fitting wheel chairs. The first day as she and I were in the semi we bonded as even the security guard was making fun of th...

One of the first things I did upon arriving home was take a hot shower. I apologize for the blogging while I was in Guatemala, but our days were long to quite long. The internet was also problematic. My trip was absolutely amazing, and I would love to share stories with anyone. If you want to view the pictures, check out my Facebook page. Guatemala reminded me of the importance of education, faith, and friendship. Maybe that sums it up. I'm exhausted and ready to sleep in my own bed with my feather pillow. Dulces Sueños!

This morning we distributed wheel chairs again. Actually this morning and into the afternoon. I am amazed at how quickly time goes when we are fitting children with wheelchairs. Our first girl was eleven years old. She only gets out of her house for therapy, so she hates people (especially white people whom she never sees)... hitting, yelling, screaming, crying. Of course getting her to sit from time to time in the wheelchair as we adjusted it and fit it was stressful. Finally we removed her from the commotion, and let her lie on a mat. This was fine until we put her in the chair again. When her chair was finished we moved on to a new child, this chair took adjustments that required more creativity. She was more quiet and content, but her parents were a bit demanding. It was exhausting and stressful unlike Oliver yesterday until we were almost finished with the second chair and found the first girl sitting content and coloring in her new chair (tears formed!). Although t...

Today was an amazing yet long day. It seems every day leaves little time for the computer which is good. We left at 7:20 and returned around 10:30??? Our morning started with the first wheel chair distribution. My group had a little boy (5 yrs old) name Oliver. We were told Oliver couldn't see or propel himself. After spending time with Oliver, we realized (through the help of a punch balloon) that Oliver could not only see (at least shadows), but he could also walk (only a few steps) with assistance. I'm not sure I can put it into words tonight, but it was amazing. We not only helped him get a wheelchair but a walker. Our small group that worked with Oliver is certain with help he will be walking by the end of the year. A group of probably ten to fifteen (hard to tell because my group spent so much time with Oliver) was fitted with chairs. Tomorrow morning we will do the same. After the wheelchair distribution, we went to see some ruins which were close. The ruins...

Day two proved to be as full as day one. My day started with a small group of people who put in water filters in two schools. This gave me a chance to see the schools and the children. The second school we went to had approximately 540 students from ages 2 to 11. It's nice to see that early education is available in Mexico. To contrast our vision of kids in the school, we watched five to ten kids playing video games near the market midday. For lunch we had a traditional Guatemalan meal with fifteen grandmas. I sat across twins (in their 70s), adorable. They giggled the entire lunch. Our afternoon became a bit more frustrating as we delivered food, household goods, and blankets to families... The day ended with a visit to the local orphanage. AMAZING!! Honestly, the kids in the orphanage probably have it better than anyone in town. It was the perfect way to end our work day. Of course we returned home to another Guatemalan meal. It's 8:50, and my plan is to go d...

Today was our first full day in Guatemala. We visited a market Santa Domingo Xenacoj. This was followed by some time in Antigua. During our time in Antigua we stopped at The Cathedral of the Catacombs (?). Of course this was a trip to help out Hope Haven, so the next five to six hours was spend unloading a 40 cubic foot tall semi. It seemed the pallets would never stop coming to the front. Needless to say, I am exhausted. Yes, I took many pictures, but the internet is slow to quite slow, so I am only going to post a couple today. Actually, the internet is tooooooo sloooooow... maybe pictures tomorrow.

I bought a new carry-on suitcase for my trip to Guatemala. Actually it seems I'm always buying luggage. My last set was super cute (brightly colored stripes). Needless to say it wasn't that durable. When it comes to buying luggage, I have huge problems. If I spend a lot of money, it still gets trashed, so I buy the less expensive stuff. Therefore, I'm always buying luggage. Did I need a new carry-on for Mexico? No. Thursday I went to find a medium size duffel to take with me since my duffel is too big for a six day trip. Starting at Target, I perused their luggage. Next I went to the AAA Travel Store. As I looked around the store, I kept coming back to the same piece. The quality was superior to Target, and with my AAA membership the cost was the same. While checking out the sales lady told me that it came with a warranty. Duh! Most luggage comes with a warranty yet without a place to get it fixed. She continued to tell me that if I have any problems, to br...

As most people who know me realize, I don't really like to watch movies. It seems like a great expense, and I don't like sitting for prolonged periods. When it comes to movies based on books, I typically am disappointed by the movie. The first Harry Potter movie is an example. Even though I loved the Harry Potter books, I was disappointed with the movie. Now the final Harry Potter movie is out, I am feeling differently. I think I actually want to see it and even see it in the movie theater. Part of my reasoning is watching these young adults (20-something) who grew up with Harry Potter feel excited and saddened at the same time. For many young adults, Harry Potter was the impetus for their life long reading. Viewing the final movie after reading the final series may be worthwhile. I picked up the book Bloody by Anthony Horowitz (YA) tonight to read these sentences in the introduction. "... And let's spare a thought for dear J. K. Rowling herself. It's ...

Today is the greatest Day I've ever known Can't live for tomorrow, Tomorrow's much too long I'll burn my eyes out Before I get out I wanted more Than life could ever grant me Bored by the chore Of saving face Today is the greatest Day I've never known Can't wait for tomorrow I might not have that long I'll tear my heart out Before I get out Pink ribbon scars That never forget I tried so hard To cleanse these regrets My angel wings Were bruised and restrained My belly stings Today is Today is Today is The greatest day I want to turn you on I want to turn you around I want to turn you on I want to turn you Today is the greatest Today is the greatest day Today is the greatest day That I have ever really known Yesterday was a great day that ended with dinner at Cafe Ena and West Side Story at the Orpheum, but I feel today is going to be the greatest day. Maybe it's because I'm kicking butt with chores and have...

Today I decided to buy a Shuffle instead of carrying my iPhone or iTouch around with me. My thought is that it would be more convenient in Guatemala. Trying to decide what songs to put on the shuffle has proven challenging. Basically it will be used for working out and walking, so I need more of an upbeat mix. I am asking for any running/workout songs. Any suggestions? I am attaching my two playlists. Please help!

Recently I purchased a new razor (Venus) and replacement blades because I was having a difficult time finding blades for my razor. I HATE the new razor. Today I went online to Amazon and purchased numerous blades for my old razor (Gillette Sensor Excel-- See above image.) and another razor. It seems a little crazy, but I now have enough blades to last until the end of the world although there won't be water to use them at the end of the world.

This morning I attended service at my church for the first time for several weeks. I'll admit I was a bit disappointed when I realized it was "Summer Songfest" Sunday. As I sat singing a little and listening a lot, I began to enjoy the service and the variety of songs (from old hymns to Summertime by Gershwin to Let's Do It by Cole Porter). P, who typically sits by me, said she chose Leaning on the Everlasting Arms after watching True Grit . I told her I enjoyed the novel and heard the movie followed it closely, but I haven't watched it because I was concerned about the violence and gore for which the Coen brothers are known and the novel contained. Maybe I missed something in our conversation because she seemed to think I should watch it. Although I typically don't watch movies, I decided to watch it this afternoon because I had several tasks that I could accomplish while watching it. Even though I am doing these tasks while watching it, I am still ...

Yep, this post is a big 'ol "pity party" for me! I haven't been home much over the last three weeks although I have been able to enjoy some sun. Next week my plan was to read in the sun as much as possible, pick blueberries, and other remarkable outdoor activities before I left for Guatemala. I have been trying to figure out how to make next week work (a little scheduling) to maximize my sun time and get everything else accomplished. It seems "Mother Nature" has taken care of that for me by deleting the sun from the activities... thanks :(

While I was hanging out with a friend this past weekend, she asked about my Hipstamatic app. While she was playing with her phone, she found another cool photo app. It's called Picture Effect Magic. Check out the before and after photos.

This summer has already been crazy. I've been gone for the past three weekends, each weekend in a different town with great friends. Actually I have been away from home ten of the last twenty days. Although I don't regret the time, I'm happy to be home until Friday. Yesterday I celebrated the Fourth of July. The weather was absolutely wonderful. Most of the afternoon I spent reading on my dad's lawn looking over the farm. This was followed by too many adult beverages watching the fireworks... should have stayed on the lawn.

I want to use on of my photos for the background of my blog. Does anyone know how to do this?

I have been traveling on the weekends, so I haven't been to my church. Today I went with a friend (basically her hometown church). It reminded me of the things I hate about church (the institution). First, organ music makes me cringe. Although I love communion, I questions churches that do not let everyone (and yes I mean all the children too) participate. My friend and I had a discussion about this on the way home. IMHO children should not have to go through confirmation before they can take communion. If they aren't confirmed, does it mean they don't believe? May I also complain about wordage? "Boundage of sins" Really? Nope, I'm not done yet. Patriotic songs such as "My Country 'Tis of Thee" were sang at the beginning of the service. Maybe I shouldn't over think things, but the second verse talks about my native country. Unless your Native American, is the United States really your native country? Plus, I don't understan...

Maybe I'm getting old. Of course I'm getting old. It's Fourth of July weekend in Okoboji, and I should want to go see live music and enjoy adult beverages. Honestly, I'm content sitting on my dad's porch listening to the birds and looking over the prairie. I can hear speedboats in the background, but the sounds of nature are louder. At some point I'll have to be sociable and remove myself from the porch, but for now I am content. As I was taking a picture of the majestic tree on the prairie, I mentioned that I wish my iPhone had a zoom. It seems it does. Who knew?

Although I read every day during the summer, it's not as easy as it may seem. My problem is trying to maintain a healthy balance between young adult (YA) and adult novels. The young adult novels are certainly entertaining, but I have many adult novels piled up that I also want to read. Anyone feeling sorry for me yet? No, probably not. Instead of boring people by writing about each YA novel I read on Facebook, I've decided to only post the adult novels. I feel this is fair, but today I was thinking, "Hey, some people might actually be interested in YA." My post is not only an attempt to start off July blogging, it's also an invitation. If you "friend" Valley View Middle School Media Center, you will be able to learn about the YA books I'm reading. Actually, maybe you need to "Like" not "Friend". Let me also take the opportunity to tell you about an adult (seems dirty or illicit or both) book I'm reading. Bill Moyer...