Miscellaneous Missives

It's New Year's eve, and my plans are fairly subdued. Instead of partying as I did when I was younger, I will enjoy a more relaxed evening with friends. Sometimes, however, I will admit that I miss my partying days. Recent comments have reminded me of this. While we were crossing the street on the way to Christmas eve service, a member of the church staff said, "I don't recognize you without a drink in your hand." He was talking about the fact that I typically have a glass from Caribou in my hand on the way to the morning service. I was thinking, "Yeah, many people have probably thought something similar." I also have a new position with the Community Meal until spring. Instead of volunteering at night, I am also helping all afternoon getting everything ready to go (kind of a co-chair position). While we were setting up this afternoon, I was using my typical wit (that not everyone gets or finds entertaining... sarcasm perhaps). The lady working wi...

Sometimes I get frustrated by the craziness of our world (Pakistan, Darfur, Iraq, Israel, Palestine, etc.). This craziness, the lack of peace, is not only in other countries. The lack of peace is felt here in the United States and more personally in me. If I truly would like to see peace across the world, I need to start with myself. I'm not sure of the song, but it says, "Let there be peace on Earth, and let it begin with me." Today in church we were handed a "both/and star." The two sides represent peace in ourselves and peace in the world. We were asked to keep it to remember. As the pastor eloquently stated, "We seek peace both inwardly and in the world." She ended with Maya Angelou's poem Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem . Its final stanza reminds me of the importance of peace for EVERYONE. "We, Angels and Mortals, Believers and Non-Believers, Look heavenward and speak the word aloud. Peace. We look at our world and speak the ...

Yesterday I was lamenting the short break. I figured I wasn't quite ready to go back to work on Wednesday. This morning I slept in instead of getting up for an early walk when I saw the snow asking myself, "Do I really want to go out in the snow and walk?" After weighing myself I've realized two things: 1) Yes, I really do want to go out and walk. 2)Yes, I need to pry myself away from the confections, wine, eating whenever (and obviously whatever) I choose, and lying around to go back to work. Saying all of this you would think I would be out walking instead of geeking on my computer. I'm going. I'm going.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to see former President Bill Clinton fifteen miles from my father's home. Do you remember the times of peace and prosperity? I think of the damage Bush has done and wonder what was the big deal about Monica Lewinsky. I found him engaging, charismatic, intelligent, graceful, articulate, humorous... As I did when I saw Hillary, Edwards, and Obama, I took notes, but I found nothing I disagreed with as he spoke. I do believe all three candidates have similar ideas and focus. For some reason I trust Bill more (way more) than I do Hillary. Unlike Hillary, he was smart enough to say, "if you nominate her..." Hillary seemed to believe she already had the nomination. He also used the line, "You're laughing, but you know it's true." One of the more humorous lines was when he was talking about "getting lost" as the President and what it's like to be President. While talking about situations such as always enter...

Yesterday I took pictures of the ice fishers (not me) on the lake. It was extremely foggy. It seems I did have the cord to load pictures on my computer, but I forgot the power cord to my computer. Traveling and technology sometimes prove to be difficult. This morning I took pictures of the frost on the trees and ground. I had planned on leaving at seven this morning, but former President Bill Clinton will be speaking 15 miles away. I would like to see him and will leave late this afternoon.

Christmas eve while at a lovely dinner with way too many Republicans, I was asked how I was going to spend my break. My answer was terse yet polite acknowledging my plans to read and correct some five paragraph essays. Yesterday as the snow fell and blanketed Minneapolis, Dad and I looked into the snowfall amounts in his area. At that point I decided to follow him to Okoboji to shovel snow since he has a bad (really bad... can't put coat on) shoulder and doesn't see the doctor until Friday. Although it was not really part of my plans, I am pleased that I could help. I'll leave tomorrow morning. This is another reminder of why I should have a condo instead of a house. Again, I was glad that I could help, but snow is cold, wet, and in this case layered with ice. As we left Minneapolis this morning, I asked Dad to pull over, so I could get his camera since I left my cord at home. I planned on taking pictures, but the roads weren't really conducive to driving and p...

Honestly, I didn't want much for Christmas... bras, panties, and a Bible. Although Dad came through with an external hard drive which I will need consultation to make work (Thanks M!!!), Mother (no longer knows me or wants to know me) gave me nothing from my list (but truly how would she know or why would she care)... I feel like the girl in the Verizon ad with the pony. Each and every time I watch this ad, I laugh (oh, and feel sorry for myself). Merry Christmas to all!!