Relevant Media

This is a mish-mash of random thoughts that popped into my head at 4 am this morning when I was wishing I was in bed fast asleep rather than lying awake fretting over my financial state.  Rather than fret, I moved on to profound thought on subjects that nobody is talking about right now. Let me tell you, at 4 in the morning, I am truly on the cutting edge.

Facebook: I cannot recommend this site to enough people. Actually, I don’t really care if you join if I don’t know you, but if you are a friend of mine or related to me, please sign up now. It makes my life tidy. All my peeps are stached in a file on a server owned by a dude by the name of Mark Zuckerberg. Your comments and Irish Whiskey flair, Easter Eggs, Christmass Ornaments, Photos, and notes about who you dated in high school are there for my viewing pleasure. I watch your children grow even though you are three states away. I find out that a former colleague is being interviewed on TV. I learn what my school mates are doing and where in the world they have gone. I track my neice in Buenos Aires, my nephew in New York City, my daughter in Daytona, and my best friends just a few miles away.

Where else can you have a conversation with your cousin in California, a high school classmate that you haven’t seen or talked to for 30 years, and your boss from your last job – all there for the rest of your community to enjoy or not as they desire? And, all this, while you are being reminded that your sister-in-law’s birthday is tomorrow, and Easter is coming so send everyone an Easter egg. Some of the apps are silly. Some of them are annoying, but isn’t that just like life? I have friended people that, in another age, I would never see or hear from again. I may not ever see some of them again and we may only talk through Facebook once or twice a year, but isn’t it just about the most amazing thing that by opening up a browser window to a particular link, I am in the playground of many people who are near and dear (or perhaps not so near or dear but fondly included) to me?

Twitter: I’m listening to snippets of conversation from people like Andrew Levy of Red Eye and Ellen DeGeneres. I’m also starting to gain a following and I have started following others.  I purposefully search for political voices, i.e., Libertarians, people who share other interests like gardening, and I even find myself looking for people located in geographical proximity. I’m not a big talker or tweeter. Several people who use Twitter to promote whatever it is they’re selling have become my followers. I’m not sure whether I looked like an easy target or my few tweets are so incredibly profound that the world is landing on my door step (5 or 10 at a time).  These People appear to use Twitter well. They are making themselves household brands by sharing thoughts, advice and savvy ideas. They encourage and, in 140 characters or less, brighten our day with great quotes and interesting thoughts. I am sure they are the smart ones. They are the new generation of sales people. Bright, ambitious, and good looking, they command attention.

I have been on both Facebook and Twitter since the early days of each app. When Leo LaPorte and Ambur McCarthur first interviewed their creators on the podcast, Net at Night, I immediately signed up.  I didn’t use either one very much for a long time simply because no one I knew was using them. Last summer there was an explosion of friends and family joining Facebook.  Apparently the tipping point had been reached and later adopters finally caught up.

Podcasts: I still have friends who have never listened to a podcast. I find this incredible. There is so much good information and entertainment available now. No matter what you are interested in, be it meditation, technology, sex, politics, etc., etc., there is something to fit your particular niche. All pre-recorded. All available for free to anyone who has any device that can download and play an MP3 file. Please people, if you haven’t started listening yet, go search i-Tunes on your favorite subject and start listening.

Red Eye: For those of us who enjoy political humor and who are also not of the liberal mindset, finding amusing talk shows on TV that are not fixated on bashing anything remotely conservative is like finding a Republican in Hollywood. Finally, the Fox News channel has given Libertarians the fix that we so crave – hillarious commentary on the political side of life. If you haven’t watched yet, time to turn on the TIVO or DVR. You probably won’t be awake to watch it live, but it is well worth the space on your recording disc.

And if you disagree, you, sir, are worse than Hitler. (thank you Greg Gutfeld)

Diamond in the Making

I have friends who are wondering, right now, where their next few dollars will come from. We have all been through tough times before, but the number of those experiencing financial challenges continues to grow. To some extent my husband and I are in the same boat. If you have read this blog for any amount of time, you will know that we are both job hunting. We keep receiving contract work and we keep paying our bills, but we are skimming the edges. The daily news is grim, the Dow Jones and NASDAQ continue to drop, the job boards are sparse, and at moments it seems that the world is out of control.

There are days when I feel that I should rush out and find any job that I can get. Those are the days when I’m set solidly in fear. There are days when I am so grateful for this time to write, to contemplate, to play, to create, to be with people I love. None of these did I have time for a year ago when I was working more than full time and going to school.  Since I quit my job and came home to Colorado, I have completed the first book in a series of garden photography books, including photographing the garden throughout its entire season. I have spent time with my elderly parents. I have started a recipe book at the request of my son. I have reconnected with several old freinds and relatives I hadn’t seen for years.  Life is really good and none of these blessings have come from having a lot of money and a prestigious job. Don’t get me wrong – I would not balk at either or both of those coming into my life right now, but there are many ways to look at life’s experiences. I can say without any doubt that not being employed has led to a shower of blessings.

I saw a t-shirt a few years ago with the saying, “if you aren’t living on the edge, you are taking up too much room.” It is a little scary standing out here on the edge, but the scenery is so much better than when I was sitting in an office. I’m trying to not pay too much attention to my 401K nor my bank account because the scenery there is none too pretty. I realized, though, that I can allow that to take up as much room in my life as I choose. I have not truly wanted for anything, or shall I say, I have not truly needed for anything, and practicing a little self-discipline that I have not had to practice for years is a good thing. Saying no to shopping sprees for clothes I really don’t need and staying out of restaurants is not a bad thing.

Today, one of my Facebook friends forwarded a link to an article about our economic times that hits home:  Finding Diamonds in the Rubble. There is a good possibility that we are going to go through a lot more troubled times before our economy turns around, but facing that possibility and continuing to follow my dreams is far less frightening than remaining in a location and position where I felt the light of my very soul being snuffed out. I have no idea what the future holds but I do believe that I am (as we all are) a diamond in the rough and slowly, bit by bit, a nice polish is being applied.

Steering the Boat

Today I’m going to dip my toe in the waters of faith. I keep moving closer – inch by inch – to living the life I was born to live. I feel a magnet pulling me. Sometimes I step along willingly and sometime I feel as though I am being drug toward it with my fingers barely holding onto the life I don’t want (with a death grip, I might add).

Moving back to Colorado was a huge plunge. I had no idea what I would do here or how the bills would be paid and resources have flowed in beautifully. Now, though, it is not enough just to decide that I have to be here. I have to do work that I love.  This life is precious and so are our dreams.  There is no point in doing any kind of work that creates fear and holds me sleepless in worry. 

So, off I go to change the course of my life yet again.  I don’t know whether I’m jumping on a ship that is sailing toward rough waters or if I’ll find myself on a calm sea, but whatever happens, at least I am making a choice to follow the nudge my gut keeps giving me.    Bon Voyage!

A Look Ahead

Now that I have accomplished my goal of finishing my Bachelor’s Degree, I have begun thinking about my next adventure and I’ve also been enjoying just being present in this moment. So much of college is planning and staying ahead of the game. Keeping track of what is coming up and how one did on the last assignment that there is little time for the present.

Cooking or baking, for me, is one of the best ways to be in the moment. All of the sense become involved – the feel of the dough, the smell of the sauce, the mixing of textures, the sounds of the kitchen, counting, measuring, watching, monitoring, all keep me anchored in the here and now. 

Tonight we made fondue. Sometimes I want to be left alone in the kitchen to experiment and play. Tonight my husband and I played together preparing the meat and vegetables that would accompany the fondue, drinking a cocktail while creating our work of art. It is a time of camaraderie strengthening the bond of our marriage with another memory to treasure. s

I don’t know yet where life will take me. I am content to pause for a while between adventures to savor my accomplishment, to anticipate the unknown, and to trust the God is opening the path before me.

Life After College

I finished my last two college classes on Friday around noon. I have had more than 48 hours of free time since then. After more than 1 1/2 years of constant pressure to complete assignments, there is an odd void hanging over me. I am uncomfortable with the lack of absolute need to get something accomplished every waking moment. I have cleaned out kitchen cupboards, updated my resume, scoured the job boards, and still have had an enormous amount of free time. It is hard to imagine life without constant pressure.

It is also exciting to think about prospects.  I am back home in the place I love. I now have a Bachelor’s Degree to add to my resume. I have tons of experience. The possibilities are endless! In addition, we’re starting a new year, and doesn’t it always just seem like the beginning of the year is a great time for optimism? I just know that I am off to a great start for 2009.

Now, let the work roll in!

More of Home

We left the house tonight just before the last light had disappeared behind the mountains. This is one of, oh, half a dozen of my favorite times of day. The evening star is hanging gently over Mt. Herman. The horizon fades from dusty, almost baby, blue to midnight blue, and, of course, because it’s yet another piece of Ultimate Artistry, trying to tell you about it is a little like trying to describe God. It just isn’t possible. 

The drive brings us closer to the mountains for Palmer Lake nestles in the belly of the foothills of the great Rockies. The coffee house, no more than the proverbial hole in the wall sits inobtrusively in the old McCall’s store. Books line the north wall and a collection of easy chairs, ottomans, and cafe tables and chairs are scattered throughout the room.  Palmer Lake memorobilia and eclectic artwork decorate other walls. Some recall moments of my childhood like the flood of ‘65. Others bring a vibrancy to the old place. All of it wraps around me as if to define who I am.

We meet friends who share our joy in life. We talk, we laugh. We share wine and coffee and food. We remenisce over shared experiences, tell new stories, and make plans for the future. The musician begins to play. He makes us laugh. He makes us think. And then he makes us laugh some more, and we all feel connected to him and to each other.  

Tonight all I can do is repeat to myself over and over and over. I am so glad to be home. Was there ever anyone who felt so overwhelmingly eternally grateful for these precious moments?

I am home.

I am home.

Tiffs

Did you ever wake up in the morning in a great mood and then you and the spouse/significant other get into some stupid tiff? My husband is my best friend and a good majority of the time we get along just fine. We each have our own little annoyances that we always have to live with, work with, deal with, or ignore, but as far as I can tell, that’s just what life is all about. I don’t tighten the lids on jars; he leaves his beer bottles sitting around; I don’t always get him; he doesn’t always get me.  Every relationship I’ve been able to observe up close seems to have similar elements so I don’t get too terribly concerned. That’s just a part of life. 

The thing that always gets me is that silence that can occur when neither party is willing to concede. We walk past each other in some kind of stubborn display of wills and wait for the other party to speak or act first. Silly and childish, but we probably wouldn’t have had a disagreement if we had not acted silly and childish in the first place.

One would think that 2 adults who love each other would learn to interact on a different level when disagreements arise, but then I guess if we were doing that we wouldn’t be needing this experience… this life. When I look at the world and all the huge differences that keep arising, I have to stop and be eternally grateful that though we do not always mesh, there is one person that I can call best friend, lover, partner, pal and so much more; who will forgive me my transgressions, put up with my snoring, tell me I’m lovely even at my worst moments, and continue to love me through good stuff and bad. 

Now, where were we before we got derailed? Oh, yeah, I remember… it’s a beautiful morning, the sun is shining and my best friend is waiting to spend the day with me.

Autumn

This weekend we have enjoyed our first bit of autumn weather in Monument, Colorado.  Heavy low clouds hang on the mountains. The world has closed in around the yard. Red, gold, and brown leaves are scattered over the fading green of the lawn. A few last hardy mums and asthers still blossom. Tiny drops of moisture cling to bare branches. The fog brings with it a certain tranquility… a hush that makes me want to slow down and enjoy life in the moment just a little bit more.  I haven’t turned on the news this weekend. I know, outside, there is still a world having a financial crisis and politicians madly dashing about the country with an urgency to be the One. Here, there is no madness, no hostility, no crisis looming on the horizon. There is just the garden and the fog and the colors of autumn.

Pig Skins and Pastimes

Inquiring minds want to know the Palmer Lake perspective on sports… bearing in mind that the all-time fabulous KOA Sports Talk is not, at the moment, a part of my daily commute home, uhm, let’s just clear up a couple of things. What avid Rockies fan would not say that the Rockies CAN get to the World Series again? I mean, really? Granted, they’ve had a bit of a slow start this year, but don’t be fooled, they’ll come along just fine.

Haven’t paid the slightest attention to college basketball this year. Now, don’t get me wrong – I love basketball, and it’s been a constant heartbreak that the Nuggets haven’t fared well over the years. I can’t even begin to count the number of times my hopes have risen that the Nuggets will make it “this year.” They are kind of like my high school basketball team. Year after year after year after year we went to the high school basketball championships and each year we’d lose — often in the first game. About 9 or 10 years after I graduated, when Patrick Garrity (Notre Dame, Phoenix Suns) played for my good old LP they finally went to state and took the championship.

Snowboard, silly… everyone knows that. Besides, who can resist the charms of Shaun White? Let me make one thing clear, unless hell freezes over you’ll not see me on one… sadly, I’m a spectator. I’ve been on the boards several times and the sight just isn’t a pretty one. There’s something about me and balancing that just doesn’t work. Skates, balance beam, skis, snowboard, skateboard – it’s just plain pathetic! I didn’t ever say I was good at sports. I just said I love them.

Of course, then there are the motor sports too… Mile High Nationals at Bandimere Speedway is an all-time favorite. Texas Motor Speedway, surrounded by a couple hundred thousand, yes a couple hundred thousand, people all jammed in together to bear witness to the creativity and skill of man/woman and his/her machine. Yeehaw!

And then there is football. One of the greatest consolations for the end of gardening season is the beginning of football season. Now, I’m not going to be painting my house orange and blue or plastering Bronco memorabilia everywhere, but I’ve stuck with them since the beginning and I can’t imagine changing my allegiance at this point.

The list goes on and on. There are so many great sports, so many great athletes. There is beauty in all things. Michael Jordan soaring toward the hoop, John Elway sailing one into the end zone in the final seconds of the game, Shaun White flipping end over end down the half pipe, Michael McDowell walking away from his spectacular crash… moments of glory, moments of stupendous, heroic, miraculous feats beyond imagination… what could be more fun than bearing witness to those moments?

Social Networking Experiment – A brief report

Celebrate with me today! A few daring souls are reading this blog, a few brave souls are posting on this blog! And perhaps there are even a few out there that are joining in my little experiment and sharing my experiment with their connections. Life is very cool! In addition, this is just plain fun. I’ve been writing off and on since I was in elementary school. When I was in the third grade I won a poetry contest that was judged by a published writer who encouraged me to keep writing, and I think my love for writing started then.

For those who have heavily leveraged the social networking technologies of the World Wide Web, my little exploration/experiment in this realm may seem blaise – even cliche. For those who just said, “Uh, Yeah!” let me just say, do you remember your first (fill in the blank)? We all get to have new experiences at different times in our lives. It is incredibly cool to be able to continue to have new experiences that leave me breathless – that fill me with bliss.

Any suggestions from a seasoned veteran about growing my network is always greatly appreciated!