Miscellaneous Missives

I quit making New Year's resolutions years ago. It seems making a resolution is the perfect way for me to do nothing about whatever it is I want to change. Although I am not making a New Year's resolution to lose weight, I am resolving to make a change in my eating and work out habits. I've made a good start this week by walking into the YWCA (3-4 miles round trip) and attending Body Pump classes. Walking around with sore muscles feels kind of nice. Exercising and walking during vacation is easy. Next week when I'm back at school will prove more difficult.

I decided to combine lunch and dinner and enjoy the shrimp in my freezer. When I opened the box, a) I was majorly disappointed. b) I wished I had planned something else. c) I was a bit perturbed and irritated. d) All of the above. Maybe I don't give tests because I don't do well with test questions. I believe the answer to this question is obvious. The good news is that I had my fountain Diet Pepsi.

Yesterday my latest edition of The Sun appeared in my mailbox. I somehow forgot about it until this morning. Realizing I didn't have time to read the entire publication, I read the "Correspondence" and "Sy Safransky's Notebook." As I was reading, Kitty Klaus jumped up on my chest/stomach making me rearrange the periodical. This happened almost simultaneously as I read, "The cat in my lap doesn't care what I ate last night, or what I weigh this morning. She doesn't care what words I'm writing, or whether they're good enough." Ahh, it looks like someone wrote my blog entry for me this morning.

Vacation always helps me realize how much I try to force into a weekend. This morning I was worried about all I had to do. Looking at my "to do list" brought unneeded stress. Of course I took time to read Invictus: Nelson Mandela and the Game that Made a Nation , but I made sure to accomplish some task after every thirty pages. Then I realized the Christmas decorations don't need to be put away. The place doesn't need to be cleaned. The thank you notes don't need to be written to day, etc. I have all week! In reality, even with a week, it may or may not get done, but at least I don't need to stress about doing it all today. This allowed me to finish my book without taking breaks to be productive.

Today, the Sunday after Christmas, is typically celebrated as Peace Sunday in the church service I attend. We are given quite a bit of time for contemplation during this service. It was difficult at time for me to concentrate. For some reason the last week seems to have gone quickly and was filled with activities. Around noon I drove Dad to his ride in New Brighton and came home to silence. Instead of worrying about all of the things I needed to accomplish, I lit the remaining Christmas candles and read. As I was reading, I remembered a quip I made as I was talking to my reading advisory the last day of school. One student wanted to know what would happen if they read five hours in one day. With lack of thought, I told them that they should get a life and find something else to do. Of course I recanted this comment and explained they should also get outside and play, but reading a lot over break would be wonderful. It seems today I should have gotten a life and gone outside m...

Invictus Out of the night that covers me, Black as the Pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul. In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeonings of chance My head is bloody, but unbowed. Beyond this place of wrath and tears Looms but the Horror of the shade, And yet the menace of the years Finds, and shall find, me unafraid. It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll. I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul. William Ernest Henley Last night my dad and I went to the movie Invictus . As usual with such a movie, I wish I knew more about history and will now need to read Nelson Mandela's book. At least three times during the movie, I checked the internet for information. When I returned home, I looked up the poem and some information about the movie. Maybe Matt Damon said it best, "The film is telling a story which I think is a wonderful thing to ...

I have the best dad! Today, on Christmas, he tackled my tub repair while cooking a turkey and preparing Christmas dinner. As he worked his magic, I did very little. Oh, did I mention he also cooked omelets for breakfast? Maybe I should clean up and pay for the movie tonight. Merry Christmas to everyone.