Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

By Robert Frost

Who's woods are these I think I know

His home is in the village though

He will not see me stopping here

To watch his woods fill up with snow

My little horse must think it queer

To stop without a farmhouse near

Between the woods and frozen lake

The darkest evening of the year

He gives his harness bells a shake

To ask if there is some mistake

The only other sound's the sweep

Of easy wind and downy flake

The woods are lovely dark and deep

But I have promises to keep

And miles to go before I sleep

And miles to go before I sleep

Somebody Has to Keep the Peace

I watch Farid Zakaria's show, GPS, the Global Public Square, religiously. It is broadcast on Sunday morning where I live. His What in the World segment is my favorite part, and often motivates me to write.  After keeping my keyboard unused for too long, I simply can't let the recent events and protests about police killings go undiscussed for another moment. That said, flawed as it is today, I still believe in our justice system, and I am grateful for our police force - despite the fact that EVERYONE in my immediate family has felt abused or violated by a police officer in some manner in our lifetimes. Yup, every member of my family. 

I believe abuse of power is the real culprit. When people can get away with murder, they likely will. I don't think I need to cite examples here, we all know of several notorious people who have gotten away with murder because of their connections, wealth, power, or possibly fractions of all three.  But back to What in the World. On Farid's last show, here are some statistics worth reiterating:

1. According to an investigation reported in the Wall Street Journal, titled Hundreds of Police Killings Are Uncounted in Federal Stats, 558 police killings were missing from national records, and the writers stated they thought that it was impossible to get an accurate account due to the lack of reported police killings.

2. A study done from 2010 to 2012 found that young black men were 21 times more likely than white men to be shot dead by police, according to Pro Publica analysis.

3. The Bureau of Justice reported that black men are about 3 times more likely to be arrested for drugs. 

4. Finally, according to The Sentencing Project, racial minorities are more likely than white Americans to be arrested. After being arrested, they are more likely to be convicted. After they are convicted, they are more likely to face stiff sentences. The Sentencing Project does not state that the problem is racial in its deficiencies, however. They believe America has two systems of justice: one for the rich, and one for the poor.  Want to DO something about it?  Visit: www.sentencingproject.org

May there be peace and unity on earth.

For 12s Only!

This is a super cool video that showcases my hawks. Worth watching if you want to smile. Copy and paste the link to view it in your browser. Enjoy!

http://www.seahawks.com/news/articles/article-1/Russell-Wilson-Pete-Carroll-produce-trick-shot-video-with-Dude-Perfect/6dc443d8-3466-42fe-bf56-ce7986171010

The Challenge

Two weeks ago I was in my gym and a woman who worked there walked up to me and asked, "Have you accepted The Challenge?"

"What is The Challenge?" I replied back.

Then she informed me that our gym had organized a promotion to help people lose weight. She said the reason was because most people pack on the pounds during this time of year. The Challenge is designed to help stop folks from doing that and motivate them to do the opposite.  At the end of ten weeks, the person who loses the most weight, combined with body fat, wins $500. There are prizes for second and third place too.

I signed up to take The Challenge. I have about ten solid pounds that I've been wanting off my body for some time now. I thought this was a great incentive! I figured, even if I don't win the money, I will be a winner without an extra ten pounds on my body. After I signed up, she put me on the most newfangled scale I have ever seen. There were footprints that depicted where to stand, and finger marks for where I had to put my hands. Then out popped a computer print out of more information than I probably needed to know. Now I am on my honor until January, when we all have to weigh in again to determine the winners.

I am three weeks in. This is my third week of keeping track of my intake, exercise schedule, and weight, and I am delighted to report that I have lost enough weight to be on track for the ten pounds. The problem is my resolve is a little diminished. I still want to win, but I don't feel like my drive is as strong as it was in the beginning. It feels like I am slipping a little, and I am doubting that I can do it.

I figure it might be a bit like one of the Seahawks waking up this morning after a long plane flight home from Kansas City. It looked like the Hawks were back on track... until yesterday, when we lost to the Chiefs. Three weeks into a really good run, and now we are bewildered. Even worse, we entertain the negativity that causes us to doubt we have what it takes to win this thing. We notice those same old insecurities, mistakes, and injuries start to creep back into our game. We struggle a little, get caught up in the doubter's mentality, and lose sight of our goal. We lose just enough of our mental toughness to allow ourselves to slip a little.

But the truth is there are over six weeks left to forge ahead and continue this challenge, and that IS enough time to get the job done. We are not out of this. It is simply time to dig deep and bring ourselves back to that place when we believed. Time to be tough. Time to work harder. Time to prove to OURSELVES that WE are the ones to contend with.

Jersey and the Beast

Coming off of our win at home against the NY Giants, my favorite player, Marshawn Lynch rushed for a record breaking day, making 4 touchdowns, and helping to create a Seahawks franchise record of 350 rushing yards. In celebration, I  have been wearing my number 24 jersey ever since. I wanted to see how long it would take for someone to notice. I wanted to connect with someone who understood. I wanted to hear someone here in my home town acknowledge our local hero.

I knew it was a tall order, but I was hopeful. I've stated this before and I'll say it again. I live in enemy territory. I have exactly 3 other friends/fans, and that includes my husband, who will actually watch along with me. It doesn't make it easy, and I really don't feel comfortable in the jersey, but I was too proud not to. I mean, Marshawn broke records last Sunday, and I wanted to represent.

The ironic thing to me is that this all happened in game that wasn't even aired here in my hometown, nor his - a short BART ride away from me (and coincidentally the city where I was born). But I WAS there in spirit, after recently downloading the KIRO App onto my cell phone. I listened to the first half at home as I tidied up my bedroom. When the Hawks went to the locker room after the first half, I ventured out of my room. I couldn't stand it any longer. I had to get over myself and find that game on television somewhere. 

After an unfortunate experience at a local sports bar during the last game that was not broadcast in my home, and not wishing to return there, I had scouted out two places that might be good to watch the game should this happen again. One was at a nearby golf course and the other was at our gym. I opted to try the gym, because it was only a short bike ride away. I figured, if it wasn't there, I would at least get in a workout. Worst case scenario: I could still listen. So off I went, and it was SO worth it. I got to see our team take OVER in the second half, when out came the Beast Mode in all of his glory. 

I wished I was wearing my number 24 jersey, as something began to bud inside of me that made me feel brave. Brave like Marshawn. And then the jersey grew into something more to me. It meant being brave, like him. So as I proudly wore my jersey on my morning walk yesterday, I practically willed someone to talk to me about our triumph, and I felt brave to stand my ground. Then it happened. I watched as a lone jogger came running towards me, and for the very first time ever, pointed to my jersey and said with a smile, "Go Hawks."  I literally brimmed with tears of joy.  

Dawn Joins a Band

Dawn began singing before she could talk. Her talent as a singer and keyboard player surfaced soon afterward.  Her first public vocal performance was at the tender age age of 5, where she sang on stage at a Country & Western night club. During this period she could also be found playing the piano for hours on her grandmother's piano, singing, and composing. In her early teenage years she began studying piano and performing in choral concerts, landing a Star Spangled Banner solo at her 8th grade graduation ceremony. She continued her choral study in the High School Encore Choir, and again later in college with the University Concert Choir, where her formal music training took place.  One of Dawn's most memorable performances was at the University Recital Hall with the Latin American Ensemble, when she sang a the song, "Sobre Las Olas," translation: Over the Waves. She has been studying piano for over 17 years, and has plans to record in the near future. She recently sang in a music video, and has performed with a Michael Jackson cover band in their Gospel Choir. Dawn begins performing in a night club rock band this upcoming November. I hope she enjoys this new phase of her life.

Family Mealtime Practice

No one can deny that enjoying family mealtime around a dinner table is a good practice, not to mention an enjoyable part of a long day. But I just learned from Dr. Holly Phillips on a morning news show about a new study that video-recorded family mealtimes of 120 families with children for 8 days. The researchers found that having certain criteria at mealtime may reduce the likelihood of childhood obesity. I believe these criteria are worth noting and applying to any meal, and to people at any age. 

The study looked at how long meals lasted, how many members of the family were present, the location of the meal, and if parents pre-plated their children's meals. Kids were more likely to be overweight if the meals were shorter than 20 minutes, if they ate anywhere other than the kitchen or dining area, or if a father figure was not present at the meal. Furthermore, negative interactions, or dinner conversation that was hostile, during mealtime correlated with kids eating more food, while positive interactions during mealtime, were more likely to have people of normal weight. 

The researchers also looked at the amount of time and if electronic devices (such as television, cell phone, computer, or handheld games) were a factor. What they found was the amount of time taken for the meal was much more important than whether or not an electronic device was present and used. In 61% of the homes that participated, electronic devices were used during mealtime. However, the electronic devices were not found to be an independent risk factor. It was the amount of time that was significant. Having dinner for at least 20 minutes made the most notable difference, even if there was an electronic device in use. 

In general, if the goal is to keep the people in your home at a normal weight, based on this study, sit down at a kitchen or dining room table during mealtime, make sure all family members present, keep the dinner conversation positive, and allow for at least 20 minutes at the dinner table. Bon appetit!

A Picture Speaks A Thousand Alohas

What would a trip to Maui be without a beautiful sunset. This one happened as Brad and I dined at the Hula Grill after a delicious meal and the beautiful sounds of Danyel Alana, who was accompanied by a talented hula dancer. 

Molokini

The last time I snorkeled at Molokini was back in 1984. Brad and I were newlyweds on our honeymoon. My uncle, who lived on Maui back then, hooked us up with some friends of his who owed him a favor. They took us there for free. We enjoyed our sail on the catamaran that took us to the tiny dive spot that is situated between the islands of Maui and Kaho'olawe, but it was obvious that these folks hadn't been there very often because our trip back in the afternoon was a bit treacherous. It was an adventure, to say the vey least. In back of my mind I thought it a little dangerous, and so had not been inspired to revisit the place again. 

Not wanting to miss out on a chartered snorkel trip this year, I decided to make it a priority. I did a lot of research and solicited recommendations from friends and family. I ended up booking our trip before we left home. The company I chose, Pride of Maui, was recommended by a friend of mine who works at the Maui Ocean Center.  I don't have many friends who dive, but she was so positive we would not only make it to Molokini safely, but also enjoy this particular company's snorkel trip, I just HAD to try it. Boy am I glad I did.

According to the people who worked for Pride of Maui, Molokini is one of the top ten dive locations in the world. They say it's because of the crystal clear visibility, the diversity of the coral reefs and marine wildlife that live on or around the island, and because the water is warm like bath water. I found all of this to be true. The snorkeling (and visibility) was spectacular. I saw the largest variety of marine wildlife there than I've ever seen in a singular snorkel (no Honu though). It goes without saying that the water lived up to its tropical temperature.

What I didn't expect was how much we would enjoy the boat ride to and from Molokini. It was safe, handled the swells and wind well, and again we saw numerous flying fish. The other participants were very friendly, and we befriended a sweet newlywed couple which brought back lovely memories. The crew was filled with kind hearted local people who were all to happy to share their knowledge as well as spread the aloha spirit. A great time was had by all, and I would recommend the trip to young and old. It was a bucket list kind of trip that even those who didn't snorkel seemed to enjoy. 

While it doesn't do the place justice, Brad snapped the picture below of Molokini as we were approaching. Note all the boats inside the semicircle. One might think it would be too populated to enjoy, but not so. All the boats stagger in an out in 15 minute increments and so it was one boat group at a time in the water. 

Flying Fish

When I worked as a second grade teacher, I had to come up with many positive ways to motivate my students. Among these were a couple of silly daily and weekly awards. For example, I gave the "bracelet" award for good behavior... two stretchy wrist bracelets that I wore prior to first recess in beads of our school colors. I gave one of them off each wrist to the boy and girl who exhibited the best behavior for the morning to wear during recess. It was my way of keeping those seven year old minds focused on what I was teaching early in the morning. I still marvel at how or why it was so highly coveted, but as any elementary school teacher will tell you, when something works, you go with it. 

One day I decided I needed to give another award on a weekly basis to identify a student who had achieved academic excellence. Because I love the ocean, and my classroom was decked out as if you were there, I decided the award should also have an ocean theme. Hence the creation of the "flying fish award." It all began as a ploy to motivate my students to do better with their research and weekly writing assignment. The students bought into it like fish to water (pun intended). Meanwhile, what became the Flying Fish Award evolved into a beautifully laminated, brief article about the flying fish, which my students helped to create, and was also highly coveted when they won it. 

I like to believe I was motivating them to to read appropriate and interesting non-fiction about a subject to which they (or I) knew little. The year I created the award, I learned a lot about flying fish. There are over 60 different species, and they are often found in the tropical waters of Barbados. In my wildest dreams, I never thought I would ever SEE one, but I can attest that not only did I see one, I saw many of them off the coast of Maui. The flying fish I saw were predominantly off the coast of Wailea, and they flew/swam in small schools in and out of the water as we sailed by. What surprised me the most was the noise they make. They sound like a humming bird and the flapping of a homing pigeon at the same time. The effect is jaw dropping. 

Wishing to learn even more about this spectacular fish this morning, I found an excellent video that captures their magic. Try as I might, I was not able to snap a good photo of them. Shout out to David Attenborough, who (based on my recollection) sounds like the person who performs the narration. Enjoy!

http://youtu.be/SKNjUQgQHPI

Setting Sail

It was a hot, humid, sunny day on Maui when we met up with a few sailors at the Lahaina Harbor for a sail in a 30' Olsen. What a beauty she was, newer and sleeker than the 29 footer we sail in Santa Cruz with the community boating club. She was clean, her sails were crisp, and she was obviously well taken care of. 

I fell immediately in love with the beautiful cerulean blue of the ocean, and although it was hot and humid, I felt comfortable in my dive shirt and bike shorts. In the beginning we were all quiet as we maneuvered her the hull of the sailboat through the warm water, watching the sights and sounds of Lahaina town pass behind us. As we got further out, several schools of flying fish would evade our advances. Molokini loomed farther out than we would like to travel. It felt like we were participants in a magical dream watching our boat pass through an ocean so blue it looked like someone had poured blue paint in it, along with the lush green fauna on the land nearby.

By the time we returned to the slip, we were chatting jovially and we all decided to head to the Yacht Club for a bite to eat. A great time was had by all, and I snapped a picture of the gorgeous view. Once again, the aloha spirit and the island life on Maui warmed my soul. 

The Cove

I was sitting on a Boeing airplane heading due west to our annual tropical vacation destination, and the excitement was almost tangible. I put down my book, Bird of Another Heaven, by James Houston, and pondered why I love to visit the Hawaiian islands every year. It has a lot to do with the place we stay, which just might be one of the most beautiful places on earth, but it's more than that. It's the music, the colors of the ocean, the temperate climate, the snorkeling and the general aloha spirit that brings us back again and again. This place is our own private paradise in the Hawaiian islands.

When we are here, everything just seems to fall into place. After our plane gently touched down, we leisurely walked to the rental car area, passing the line of tourists that stand in line for the deals at Dollar and Alamo car rental, having spent too much time during prior years in their long lines, and on to our Enterprise shuttle that awaited our arrival. I barely had enough time to visit the ladies room, and we were in our rental car on our way to the cove. 

We decided to stop on our way to pick up a few groceries, rent our snorkel gear, and then we made our way to the condo we frequent each year. We were in for a lovely welcome from the woman who has been working at the reception area for over 15 years, and I noticed that it feels like we are visiting ohana (family), when we say our alohas. When we finally opened the door to our unit, what lies before us is the incredible view, and we know that we have arrived. 

The sun isn't yet moving towards the horizon, so we decided to get in the warm ocean water and swim with the turtles. They are there, just like always, hiding in the coral reefs, slowly coming up for air. We are the only ones in the cove and they come out and lead us around as if to welcome us back. When we are done, we relax on the grassy ocean edge and bask in the warm sunshine. That's when I pull put the camera and snap this photo. All I can think is, Maui no ka hoi, which when translated means Maui is the best.

The Fisher King

I just finished watching The Fisher King, currently available on Netflix, and I really liked it.  I've been missing Robin Williams, and doing a lot of soul searching lately because of his death.  I guess that's why this movie drew me in.  Even though it was a tear jerker, I laughed a lot in the middle of it.  I completely lost it when Parry's demons were explained.  I could directly identify with him because of what happened to Hardy and me.  The movie will only be available until Sept. 1st, so get in there and watch. 

The Fisher King is about a New York shock jock (Jeff Bridges) who is racked with guilt after inspiring a killing spree. He eventually finds redemption through his acquaintance with Parry (Robin Williams), a homeless man who was inadvertently involved in the rampage. 

The Skinny on Trans Fat

We've all heard that trans fat is not good got you, but today I got into researching why.  I am NOT any sort of expert, but I just spent a couple of hours reading about this, so I have a little bit of a handle on what it is, and what it isn't for that matter. The most surprising thing I learned is what trans fat isn't! The term trans fat doesn't ever refer to a saturated fat, like butter or any other animal fat. The term trans fat only refers to fats that are unsaturated. 

In addition to having the unsaturated component, trans fat also poses a basic problem in the human body. This is in regard to cholesterol. We have two types of cholesterol in our bodies, HDL (good/heathy) and LDL (bad/unhealthy). My understanding is that trans fat lowers BOTH types of cholesterol, and we don't want to do that. Obviously, when we give a blood sample, we want a high number for HDLs and low number for LDLs. Further, the unsaturated fats that are NOT classified as trans fats help to raise the HDL number and LOWER the LDL. That means we need to consume an unsaturated fat that works with us, and trans fats ultimately work against us. 

Another thing about those lovely fats is they contain Omegas either 3, 6, or 9. Forget about Omega 9, because our body can create that one on its own. Even though our bodies can't produce Omega 6, most people eat plenty of it, so we probably don't have to worry about that one either. Omega 3 is the one we need to think about, because it is the only one that fights inflammation. Fortunately Omega 3 is in some great foods (salmon, spinach, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, flax seeds, and eggs for instance), so it's easy to fit into our daily intake. 

What oil should I use?

Oils are a tricky subject. They are fat. Period. I saw a lot of opinion and controversy over the best cooking oils, but it's probably safe to use those unsaturated fats we are told are good for us, like olive, avocado, canola, or flaxseed. These oils have the correct Omegas and zero trans fats too. If at all possible, fats should come from food, and if using a butter type spread, look for something on the package that says no trans fat. In fact, a good rule would be to look for labels with zero trans fat.

Points of Sail 101

I just read an article about Points of Sail that was so good, I felt motivated to blog about it. It has sailing terms explained succinctly so rather than paraphrase, here is the link. Thank you to whoever is at the helm at the Princton Sailing Team site. Any more information and racing secrets would be given away. 

Sailors should copy, paste, and save this link for occasional reference...

http://www.princeton.edu/~sailing/PrincetonSailing/Sailing_Tips.html

Man Overboard

I was really nervous last night because I knew all weekend that I was going to have to do a figure eight, man overboard drill during sailing class. I wasn't feeling it, and I honestly didn't think I could do it. I practically meditated all weekend on mastering the task. In my mind, I had a picture of how to do it... I had to fall off the wind, travel a safe distance away from the victim, then turn upwind and complete the maneuver by tacking into a broad reach, turning towards the person, and finally luffing the sails so as to slow down to pick up the "dummy" that fell in the water.

Yup. I could describe it, and I could see it in my mind's eye. But up until last night, I had never actually done it. Moreover, since I don't have a sailboat, I could not practice the drill until the actual class. I felt like this was the part of the course that separated the women from the girls. Suffice it to say, I watched a ton of YouTube videos beforehand, and I visualized what to do in my mind's eye. This helped to stave off the anxiety, but doing it would have to wait until class.

Until today, I felt like a wanna be sailor. I was in a place mentally that kept me from feeling like I knew how to sail. While it is true that I have been consistently sailing during race night for about 6 years, I didn't feel like I knew how to sail. For example, I could not drive the boat - without a motor, and I didn't know how to trim the main sail. But today? Today I can say with confidence, that I can, and more than that, knowing that  I can do this particular drill, is what got me there. Because I successfully did the figure eight. 3 times!

I personally take issue with the fact that the figure eight method is the best for retrieving a victim in the super cold Monterey Bay. I think it's too time consuming for a person overboard to wait in that water. Not to mention how it would feel to watch the boat go about 6 boat lengths away before heading back again for pick up. I don't even want to talk about hypothermia. The experts say the figure eight is best because there won't be any jibing going on.  

Today I see the merit of learning the figure eight drill. It requires the use of so many of your sailing skills, not to mention knowledge of the wind, and navigation, that once mastered, it feels like like you've passed some sort of skills test. As an educator, with roughly 10 years experience, that's where the drill becomes invaluable. It makes you prove to yourself, and everyone else, that you can not only sail, but also possibly save someone's life by performing a figure eight in the ocean. But more than that, for me it was the aha moment I'd been waiting for. 

I have come full circle. The first instruction I ever received, in regard to sailing, was on this very topic. It was given to me by my good friend, Robert, over 6 years ago. When I asked him what I could do to assist the crew that day, he said, "Your job is to stay onboard. Just don't fall into the water." He said it simply and mater of factly. And it was good instruction. As sailors, we never want to perform the man overboard drill. But today I realize it's important to learn that if we have to, we can. 

*****

Two great links to videos that show how it's done...

Man overboard drill by Olympic Circle Sailing Club (OCSC) Berkeley:  http://youtu.be/CEdFkbIYGno

How it looks boat animation by PsychoSnail Sailing:  http://youtu.be/VXDIdszPWoY

Learning to Sail

Remember learning how to drive a car? I can remember thinking, "There's so much to remember." I also recall learning how to drive a clutch and thinking, "I will NEVER be able to do this."  Well that's precisely how it feels to learn how to sail. I have had exactly 3 lessons and I feel the same way I did when I learned to drive a car, with the aforementioned lines buzzing repeatedly through my brain.

In my mind, I thought I would have a little more of an edge. I'm not new to sailing, per say. I've been participating informally as crew during our Wednesday night sailing races for over 5 years. I know how do a lot ON the sailboat, but drive it? I guess I'll have to think that one through again. After all, I have zero experience there.

Last night my sailing instructor looked at all of us with a perplexed facial expression as we pulled our practice boat, Animal House, into the slip. It reminded me of my father walking back into the house after a practice session when I had my driving permit at the tender age of fifteen.  "What were you thinking?" he asked most of us at some point.  I know he is trying to help, but mostly I was thinking,"I feel retarded, that's what I'm thinking." 

I didn't say that, but I wanted to. The truth is I was thinking that I have been on a boat that uses a tiller to steer only a few times, and because of this, it is opposite to the way I am trained to steer anything. I didn't say that either, but I wanted to. 

I'm not going to give up though. Every morning I awaken and think about my prior sail, and I am loving sailing more and more. I did captain the boat, and even though I found it frustrating, and I felt like a newby, I did it. Moreover, I look forward to my next sail and trying again. The people in my class are really forgiving and friendly, and my instructor is excellent. He is the perfect mix of safe and knowledgeable, yet at the same time willing to let me learn from my mistakes. I feel I'm perfectly placed  in this course. 10 and 2 is still relevant, but it means something completely different in a sailboat compared to a car. 

Now that driving is effortless, and I'm a licensed (Class A and M) driver, one who has been seasoned ever so slightly over the years. I admit to pulling some some not so safe shenanigans in a car. Things I would not even risk, nor would I admit to, back when I was learning how.  For example, I have driven while eating a meal, and I have texted, emailed, chatted, or used my mapping app (all while driving), because driving is just too darn easy. I really don't have to think that much, and even though I aim to keep myself from doing any of those dangerous distractions these days, I know that I would probably drive just fine if I did. 

So it follows...

Someday, I am sure I will likely feel the same way about sailing as I do about driving, or cycling, or anything else I do well. But for now, I will continue to search for good training videos, or practice tying knots using my dogs' leashes, or reading about saililing, or feeling the wind on my face and hair to determine its direction, or checking the weather report. Then one day I believe I will wonder why I ever thought it was so difficult. I hope that day comes sooner, rather tan later. 

Rebuilding Trust

In the beginning process of gathering information about my family tree, I simply wanted to learn the names of my children's grandparents. It took about two weeks to get them on paper, but one was missing, and off on another branch, I had the names of two great grandparents. In my quest to learn the grandparents names, I learned a couple of great-grandparents names, and since I was short one grandparent name, I kept asking questions. 

My obsession and excitement to complete the family tree grew, alongside my hypothesis that most of my family's roots were right here in the USA. The next thing I knew, I was going after data about relatives who were here back in the 1800s, and a part of the Union side of the Civil War thinking... I wonder if my family dates back to the American Revolution? 

So far, I don't have an answer to that question, but something I noticed as I kept digging for more information is that things I took for granted as truth before the research, were not accurate. The more and more I dig the more I am convinced of two things: people who keep secrets usually take one to their grave, and patterns emerge in family structures that repeat, just like history repeats.

I am writing this today to urge people NOT to keep secrets.

Keeping a secret basically puts up a huge road block in discovering the truth. It also makes for trust issues, but that's another story. As one who is doing family research, learning there's a secret, changes everything. It modifies all that is discovered and makes everything subject to scrutiny. Maybe that's a good thing? 

In any case, when a secret is exposed, that's when the story gets interesting. At the same time, those who pass along family secrets think they have done so to protect themselves, but often the secret is so benign and harmless, it only serves to keep other family members in the dark, not to mention forces assumptions that are likely untrue or incorrect.

This morning, I watched an interview with Hillary Clinton on CNN, and she made several statements I think fit - even here.

She said, "...mistrust and misunderstanding are often the real fundamental obstacles to bringing people together... When you are dealing with implacable adversaries who believe their version of reality is right and yours is misguided, it's not easy, but at the same time, you can't ever give up trying... but we don't have enough trust, and trust is the glue that holds a democracy together..."

For some reason, this rings true for me, even in regard to family research. 

Family Heritage Questions

I have been conducting some research that traces my family lineage. It is extremely tedious, but rewarding work. I started this search over three years ago, but I dropped the ball because I kept hitting dead ends. What I've learned is that cousins and aunts and uncles have a ton more information than I thought they would. And now, three years later, my family tree is getting really big! Like a live tree, it's fun to watch it grow.

There are many great websites that assist in the discovery of relatives and ancestors, but once I got going, I realized that I had saved quite a bit of information on my own. For instance, this morning I located an audio recording on cassette tape of my mother in law telling Brad about when she traced their roots back to Stockholm, Sweden. She even found a family grave site near Stockholm, when she stayed there with relatives.

Again it was a cousin that hosted my mother in law. The relation was that her mother was a cousin of my mother in law's great grandmother. The cousin's name was Eva and it turned out that Eva had a doll named after my mother in law, Corinne. Corinne and my sister in law took the trip to visit Sweden in 1984.

What I am wondering is... How long has our family been here in the U.S.? Many of my ancestors have been here in the U.S. for quite a long time, which makes it easier to trace our roots. I've recently discovered my ancestors have roots that date back to the Civil War time. Now I'm thinking that I may have had relatives here during the birth of our great nation. I recently discovered that Brad has a relative who is buried at Arlington National Cemetery!

Seattle

One of my favorite cities. Home to my favorite football team. Also known as the emerald city. I love Seattle. The sights, the sounds, and the smells of an ocean port town, which boasts a Public Market right next to the water, and a ferry system that carries people and cars to any of the islands that make up the Puget Sound - or all the way to Canada, if the want or need is there. Could there be a better place to hop a plane, or train, or take road trip?

Yes? Then read on...

One of my favorite things to do in Seattle is take a ferry ride. The easiest one to take is the Bainbridge island ferry, because the terminal is so accessible. A better ferry excursion takes a little more work and planning, but it's well worth the effort. It leaves from Anacortes, and travels around the San Juan Islands. I've visited almost all of the islands in that area, but by far, my favorite is the stop at Friday Harbor on the San Juan Island. There are a lot of fun things to do right there at the ferry terminal, which is why I think it's the best ferry trip ever.

Reference a ferry schedule, by going to www.wsdot.wa.gov, and make a plan before embarking on a Friday Harbor adventure.  If you want to eat too, there are many great restaurants right near the ferry terminal. I like Cask and Schooner for something a little fancy, and Friday's Crab House for drinks and grilled/fried food. Both have an excellent view of the water, and the food is good at both as well. If you have more time, there are lots of restaurants, pubs, cute boutiques, and so on all set near or on the Main Street. There's an interesting self guided walking tour around the waterfront that should not be missed, and I highly recommend a visit to The Whale Musuem. There are resident Orca pods that travel through the Haro Straight and they are the best source for knowing where to view the whales in their habitat. There is nothing that can compare to viewing Orca whales in the wild.

Ferry trip taken? A few other fun activities await. First, make sure to visit the Ballard Locks (actually named Hiram M. Chittenden Locks). On a nice day, I could spend the afternoon here. There's a visitor center, there are big boats, there are little boats, there are even tug boats, and it's fun to watch them pass through the locks. Take a tour, or don't, but definitely stand there and witness this passage way.  If you have time, go down to the salmon run viewing area that's near the salmon tubes that shoot out the smolt (young salmon). If you're lucky there will be a  ranger inside the salmon ladder viewing area who will answer your questions about the salmon and their migration. 

The South Lake Union Trolley (aka: SLUT) is a fun way to get to Lake Union, which is another not to be missed location in Seattle, assuming a trip to the Space Needle has been visited at least once. Why? Because both should be seen in person at least once, and the SLUT will take you there for free! It's fun to look at the yachts for sale once you're at the harbor. I also like to drink a margarita at one of the many restaurants around Lake Union. Just wander around and you WILL find something fun there. Check out www.ridetheslut.com for more information. They also have a great map. 

Last but not least, take a day trip to the Fisherman's Terminal and wander around. Either purchase some sort of seafood there, or stop into Chinook's for a meal. Last time I was there, I ordered Cioppino with a Cesar salad and some Strawberry Shortcake for dessert. The Strawberry lemonade is delicious. Maybe because the strawberries are farm to table. I'm not sure, but next time I want to try the baked Blueberry dessert. The people next to me ordered it, and it looked really yummy! 

There are so many wonderful places to eat in Seattle, it would be impossible to mention them all. But to be thorough, and so I don't forget, here are a couple: Dot's in Fremont makes the best meat sandwiches I've ever consumed.  The menu changes often, but I've sampled their pastrami, roast beef, and Reuben sandwiches that were all amazing (warm meat baby), so try Dot's out, if you can. I also want to mention Bizarros just because it's a cool place, and oh so colorful. It's close to Green Lake, which is fun to walk, ride a bike, rent a paddle boat, or stroll, if you are looking for a place to exercise outdoors. 

Yes, it will likely rain at least one time when visiting Seattle - even in the summer. It's part of its charm.  Bring along an umbrella, or better yet, wear a light jacket with a hood. Most of the time, a jacket is all that's needed, and a jacket will likely keep you warm at night. If it's really warm, especially in the evening, be prepared for crowds. It seems like EVERYONE goes outside when it's nice out, because there is no place prettier. If the weather doesn't cooperate? Don't despair. The weather will camge a lot in one day.  When making plans for a day trip, any local will tell you, the weather should never be a reason to stay inside.

Horse Racing at the County Fair

Ever since I was a young girl, I have been going to the races at the county fair. My father got me hooked when I was about nine years old. I can remember dreaming that I would one day be a jockey. I could picture myself sitting high in the saddle at the fair, with my family members in the grandstands cheering me on. Even though my chance of living that dream is long gone, it doesn't stop me from enjoying an annual trip to the county fair for some horse racing, and a walk down memory lane.

This year was a first for me, however. I bet on every race, and won cash on all but one of them. The one I didn't win was when I bet the long shot. I am not a gambling woman, and when I do, I don't wager a lot. I love the sights and sounds of the races more than the gambling aspect. This year was my first time to sit in the trackside terrace, and that was a deliciously good time in and of itself. In any case, after wining in some way for seven races, to my surprise, I didn't come home with any more money than I had to start.

Brad won a lot of his wagers as well, and he also experienced the same phenomenon - breaking even after all races had been run and it was time to go home. It got me to thinking... people must not be truthful about how well they do at the races. All this time, I've never experienced as much winning as I did this past visit to the track. I can't see how we could have done any better. Yet no extra money for us. If I had it to do over again, I would. But I doubt I'll ever go there again thinking I am going to win a lot of money. If I'm not mistaken, most folks pay for every moment they spend at the track. I will continue to go for my love of horses, the sound of the bugle, and the thrill of hearing that infamous line, "The horses are in the starting gate... And they're off!"

Animal Friends

I meant to post this yesterday, but got caught up in Father's Day festivities. This video speaks for itself. It's a heartwarming story about a goat and a burro. Please copy and paste the link to watch the story.

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/rescued-goat-reunited-burro-pal-23898033

Farmers Market

I have only been to my home town farmers market a couple of times. I have trouble remembering the hours of operation. Once or twice I've showed up on Sunday morning, only to find it wasn't open on Sunday. I guess I had entered that flub somewhere in my memory, because when I set out Saturday morning, sometime around 11, I was in for a pleasant surprise.

I had allotted an hour for the journey, but I because I analyzed a map beforehand, the ride only took 30 minutes! There were two potential routes, but I needed to make haste there, so I opted for the most direct one. I took my favorite trail most of the way, and merged onto a major street for the final blocks. I don't particularly enjoy an auto crowded street. I get frustrated by the way drivers don't share the road. My trust issues go into full swing, and I get angry easily at how they simply do not realize that I have no shell to protect me.

In any case, as I made my way past the final trail exit (from the road), I saw the dirt and gravel road I could have taken might be better for the journey back home. I was particularly interested in finding out if it would take longer, and I was inspired by the fact that there wouldn't be any cars. I made a mental note to turn onto it on the way home. 

After picking up THE most succulent strawberries, blueberries, and a sweet and spicy pepper jelly at the market, I set out for home. I turned onto the dirt road that had beckoned earlier, and quickly realized I was in for a treat. As I peddaled my bicycle on the shady, tree lined, creek path, it reminded me of when I was a girl pretending my bike was a horse. On this day, I pretended I was in a wagon, and I had picked up groceries from town, and I was heading home. I think my imagination was working overtime because of the jostle of the gravel road.

It felt like I had gone back in time, imagining how it might have been taking a horse and wagon to town. I felt that if I did have a horse today, this might actually be someplace I could ride it.  All my life I've wanted a horse, but nowadays the bike seems like a better fit, and as soon as I rounded the turn that brought me to the main trail towards home, I was back in the real world.  I also noticed that this route was taking twice as long, and on the final leg of the gravel road, I felt a little like Robert Frost when he wrote, "I doubted it I would ever come back." At least, not on the gravel trail.

This morning, I my household family members weren't disappointed when they awoke to the scent of freshly baked blueberry muffins in the kitchen, nor was I. I am also acutely aware that Saturday morning is THE best day for the farmers market for so many reasons. As I bite into the warm berry goodness, I realize that blueberries are one of natures delicacies. While I doubt I will take that gravel road again, I will definitely return to the farmers market many times - if only for the berries alone.

Malefangelina

In my soul, I want to boycott the movie Maleficient. The truth is I am getting irritated with the Disney franchise. It's all about their newscasts. Back in the day, I was a regular Good Morning America, ABC World News, and This Week watcher... I just love some George Stephanopolous. But I hate what they've done to their morning news format, and I switched my Sunday AM favorite long ago to Fareed Zakaria's GPS on CNN. Frankly, ABC (aka Disney News) feels a little too canned.

Will I actually be able to stay away from the aforementioned movie? I doubt it. But if I go see the movie, and that is a huge if, I am not going because of Angelina. I'm honestly not that big a fan. Nope. If I go at all, it will be to see the newest American sweetheart in the US, Elle Fanning. She is Dakota Fanning's younger sister, and she can act. Elle won me over back in 2011 with her performance in the movie, Super 8. I remember watching her zombie scene from my easy chair at least a couple of times. Even as I write this I want to go back and review it again. No such luck, it's not on Netflix any longer.

I realize if I don't see the 2014 Disney blockbuster, I will be in the minority. I am sure it will be a smash hit. Then again, it takes a lot to get me to go to a movie these days, and the Elle Fanning performance might make it worth the trip. 

Movies of late are insipid from my perspective. Disney movies in particular. I wonder what sort of agenda they will be spoon feeding me this time. I have a feeling the screen play will follow the same story line as Wicked. Somehow the plot will weave around how a person can become evil and hard hearted on the inside.

I have a soft spot for this type of  storyline. I like to believe that everyone is good on the inside until life smacks them down enough times that they simply can't pick themselves up again. Then again, being mean always feels lousy on the inside. It feels wrong to justify people who are mean. At the same time, I guess that's where forgiveness comes from, and it feels good every time we reach a place of forgiveness. 

Love Never Dies

We took a trip to wine country just before  Hardy passed. I didn't know it at the time, but it would be less than a month before my final goodbye to him. That goodbye would be weak too. It was so far from the way I had imagined. I don't think it was fair that he had to get killed by a pit bull. I will never let that go, I guess. 

 It's been four years later, and I still think he was the best dog ever. I still think about the way he left this world and how it changed  my life. Forever. I still believe he is someplace in the afterlife waiting for me to join him. Even though it will be a very long time from now.

Today was really fun though. I've become accustomed to making day trips without him - without any dogs for that matter. The replacements are home dogs. They don't like going anyplace with us. But I still love them. I can appreciate going places without the pets. It's fun too. 

It's fun to remember the good times with Hardy too.  I guess it's true that love really never dies.  

May

The wild pink clover is in bloom

The breeze kicks in and branches sway

Honeysuckle wafts her sweet perfume

Goslings swim and look for room

And sunshine keeps her vow to stay

Remembering Corinne, "...with one R, and two Ns."

"Do we have any of that mocha coffee stuff?" Brad asked.

I was just about to spread the frosting onto the triple chocolate cake I had baked the night before. I had made the decision to bake myself a cake for Mother's Day when I realized that I am always making this family recipe for people other than myself. I had also decided that I would make it with mocha frosting in honor of Brad's mom, since that was the way she would bake it. At least, that's the frosting she put in her personal family cookbook she gave to him back when we were in our 20s.

As I followed her hand typed instructions, and handed Brad the instant mocha, I thought about how mothers pass down family recipes. I remembered a time when we were younger, and she was still alive. She and my father-in-law had recently returned from a trip and we were making dinner for them at our home in Tacoma. I remember serving her ranch style veggie dip with an array of crisp, freshly sliced carrots, zucchini, mushrooms, and celery, when she spontaneously commented, "This tastes like home." 

It made me feel loved, that she felt at home before she was physically there. It was as if she was saying you are family, and I'm glad to be at your house. I had only been married to her son at that time for about a year, but I felt a part of the family that day. As daughters, we are always waiting for signs of approval from our moms, and she validated for me that above all, I had made her veggie dip as tasty as she would. And she was a great cook.

My fondest memory of her is at their country cottage in North Eastern Washington, at a place they called Skoog. It was Thanksgiving Day, and she had baked a turkey in the wood stove. I still marvel that she could bake with a wood stove! In any case, it was a storybook holiday, complete with a horse ride in the snow around their property. Brad's father took us out for about two hours riding over the frosted hills and through an icy creek before we got back inside to the scent of a perfectly baked turkey with all the fixins. 

I am so grateful that I moved away from my own family and close to her, back when she was in remission. I was really lucky to share that time near her home during her short life, as no one knew when the cancer would eventually win, which turned out to be about four years after that special Thanksgiving. Her life was too short! I only knew her for about 6 years. Today I pray that she continues to rest in peace, and that she feels the love and gratitude I feel today to have known and loved her.

Love Never Felt So Good

All the Michael Jackson fans will be excited to learn that there will be a new album titled Xscape, which will have 8 songs he recorded back in the day. The first song released from the album debuted this week on an MTV music award show. The song is titled, Love Never Felt So Good. It featured Usher and seemed to be received well. You be the judge...

http://youtu.be/GJNzKu_uLMs

Alamo Creek Canal

There was a strong easterly wind blowing hard yesterday afternoon as I pedaled from the mall towards home. I was not enjoying the push against my bicycle and me. When there is intense wind like that, I feel like a caped superhero pedaling towards a wind machine, so I try to distract myself by looking at what is going on around me. I had just passed the freeway underpass, and had stopped to rest underneath (taking a break more from the wind than being tired), when I noticed something astonishing. There were about twenty trout trying unsuccessfully to slink up the shallowest part of the canal water that was funneling downstream into them.

I marveled at how they squiggled towards the current, but even after watching for about 5 minutes, I did not see any of the fish succeed in getting upstream at that spot. In fact, they seemed a little tired of trying and many of them were content to school around in the deeper water near the underpass. Meanwhile, there was a lovely pair of Canada geese taking a bird bath in the same area, because they could stand in the water perfectly. They were stunning, as I watched them dip their heads below the surface and throw the water over their backs. The male beat his powerful wings in the wind, perhaps to dry himself as they waded there.

At some point, I decided to continue on my quest home. Dealing with about as much wind as I could stand, feeling the pressure of cycling in the same direction as the trout who were obviously migrating upstream. I wondered if it felt similar. I passed the library and looked off into the canal for a moment when a very large trout leaped out of the water as it tried to maneuver over a small waterfall, like I'd seen in a salmon migration documentary.

It was unsuccessful, but provided hope that the rest of the trout from downstream below would make it to wherever they would eventually spawn. By the time I reached my home, I promised myself to check on them again to see how far they had made it. Will they make it past the waterfall?

Ode to Birch Trees

We have two Birch trees in our back yard that need to be removed. They have simply grown too large for the space. They are encroaching on our neighbor's yard. They are really messy. They are also a rest stop for the Goldfinches that pass through every year. I swear. One of the hardest things to do in the garden is remove unwanted trees. Even as I wrote that it sounded like an oxymoron: unwanted trees.

But unwanted they are. 

Brad took out one of them, but the other bigger one is beyond his skill set.  So I made some phone calls. When the arborist I chose came over to assess the situation, he said, "Trees are like kids. When they're little they're small and cute, and they are fairly easy to take care of. Then they get big, and they make big messes, cause lots of problems, and become difficult to keep up with." 

I always say the best course, when tree removal is inevitable, is to plant another more appropriate tree in another place in the yard. In fact, I've already planted the two replacement trees, high on our hill.  They are California Sycamore trees that were started from seed back when I first began teaching over ten years ago. These trees are about 5 feet now, but they are growing fast. They will be excellent shade trees someday, and I look forward to that. In the meantime, I wish I could let go of the guilt I feel about removing these ones!

Gardening reminder: do not plant large growth trees too close to neighboring fences. 

Pair of Geese

Something to Think About

I was relaxing in the hot tub at the gym the other day, and I overheard a story about an act of forgiveness. Someone's cleaning lady had "borrowed" a favorite blouse, and allowed her daughter to wear it on a date. The blouse was returned back to the owner's closet. The boss lady called the cleaning lady on it, who admitted she had indeed done the deed.

Rather than sulk away, she asked the boss lady for forgiveness. She even gave a lump sum in cash in an effort to forge a way towards forgiveness, which the boss lady did.  After the story was recounted, the boss lady reported that the general consensus from her friends was that she should not have allowed the cleaning lady to continue with her employment, but the boss lady was adamant. She believed the cleaning lady had earned forgiveness by owning her mistake and making amends.

Would forgiveness come as easily for you?

Paycheck to Paycheck

The conspiracy theorist inside has me thinking about what happened to the missing airplane from Malaysian Flight 370. In the forefront, some Communist country, like North Korea or China, basically masterminded a true hijacking, and they have the plane hidden someplace inside their iron curtain. What they did with the people, I don't even like to think about. Every time I see some satellite photo depicting potential debris from the wreckage, I am skeptical. I heard a PBS newscaster say that the investigation isn't moving fast enough to keep up with our appetite for knowing what happened. That rung true and insightful to me as well. It looks like we really will have to wait and see.

Because I am working as a tax accountant these days, I really don't have that much time to speculate, nor watch the ongoing news updates, as well as any other form of entertainment. My world has become taken over by that ever looming deadline - April 15th. I am happy to report the tax deadline is only 3 short weeks away, but at the same time I provide a gentle reminder for those of us who haven't yet begun to delve into our tax files... Get busy people! And don't forget to deduct your charitable contributions. 

Now that I've established that there isn't much in the news besides a missing airplane, and my time is overwhelmingly involved in filing tax returns, it may come as a surprise that I do make the time to fit in some humorous television in my never ending quest for a quick laughing out loud moment. Thank goodness for the DVR, which I regret to report is warning me often these days that my recording space is quite limited, but I digress. 

Yesterday, I had a chance to view a recording of the Colbert Report, from the 12th of March. He had interviewed one of my favorite people in the world, Maria Shriver, who had produced a documentary about impoverished Americans. Although there was quite a bit of witty banter going on, which gave me a few chuckles, the show was noteworthy because of what Maria said when things got quietly serious about her movie that premiered on St. Patricks Day on HBO.  The movie is titled, Paycheck to Paycheck - The Life and Times of Katrina Gilbert. The movie is basically about the 42 million women in the US who are raising kids and weaving their way in and out of poverty. 

As a tribute to these women, Katrina, and Maria, I would like to end today with a quote from the show. When Steven asked her what can we do to help, Maria said, "We can tell our daughters to think of themselves as providers. We can tell our daughters to stay in school as long as possible and to delay having children until you have an education because there's a direct correlation between your education and the amount of money that you can make."

Duck, Duck, Goose

Ever see the movie Winged Migration? It's a quiet documentary about birds. There isn't a lot of human dialogue. It's set to music and occasionally there is a subtitle here or there, or maybe a bit of narration. But ultimately it's about birds doing bird behaviors in varying habitats all over the world.

When I think about birds and their migratory patterns, it makes sighting three pairs of Canada Geese this morning a little more special. Canada Geese migrate from the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic Circle. We are lucky to have them as visitors to our city. People think they are residents, but they aren't. Pay attention to what months they are seen, and it becomes obvious that they are just passing through - once on their trip North and once on their trip South.

I love that I can rely on their return. While I've never written down my observations, I have participated in the Great Backyard Bird Count during President's Day weekend many times. I believe the geese begin stopping here right around that time. We hear them passing overhead for a couple of weeks before they actually start to land and gather. But lately as I traverse the bike path I find myself sighting them more and more. It's my version of the game, Duck, Duck, Goose. 

Spring is such a great time to observe birds. Like Rachael Carson, I think it's true that Spring would feel empty without the sounds, and sights, of migratory birds. I can't wait until April, when it's time for California Quail sightings and groups of water fowl offspring all over the place. Spring is the promise of their return too. 

People Understand

I saw a saying on the back of a tee shirt last week that read, "Strength is not giving up even when people would understand if you did." I had an encounter with a young lady who suffers from sickle cell complications that helped me see how this statement applied in my own life when I bumped into her this past week at the local grocery store. She was one of my daughter's best friends back in high school. I'll call her Zondra. 

We were both picking up necessary sustenance for dinner when I recognized her. Zondra gave me a warm hug, and remarked that she looked a mess. To me she looked as lovely as ever, and I told her so. After all, I have seen this young woman at her worst. That was several years ago, when I went with my daughter, Dawn, to visit Zondra in the hospital. She had been placed there because of yet another sickle cell crisis. That time it was her hip, and I can remember that she was in an enormous amount of pain. Eventually she had to undergo hip replacement surgery.

When I asked her about her hip, she had good things to report. I know, because of the disease, that it's only a matter of time before it's something else. I believe she does too, but I am always in awe over her incredibly great attitude. She never gives up. To me, she is the epitome of strength. She is also extremely kind and peaceful, always keeping her focus in the present moment. I think most people feel lucky when they are around her. She just has a way about her that makes one feel appreciative about life itself.

That day in the grocery store, I looked to Zondra for some encouragement about my relationship with Dawn; we've had a huge parting of ways. I believe I can count on one hand the number if times we've seen each other this year - and I'd only be using two fingers. Dawn didn't spend Christmas with us, and didn't even bother to give us her itinerary when she left the country. When I told her high school buddy this, she wasn't surprised in the slightest. "Don't worry," she stated mater of factly, "it will blow over."

Our encounter in the grocery store left me feeling hopeful, but in all honesty, it's difficult for me to keep the faith. I miss my daughter very much, but I do NOT miss the person she has turned into. As I said to Zondra when she remarked that she couldn't remember the last time spoke to Dawn, "Maybe you're better off. She will alienate you if you don't say what she wants to hear. The last time I heard her voice she was yelling disrespectfully at her father on the phone, and she isn't talking to me anymore."

"Don't worry," she repeated, "It will blow over."

And the Oscar Goes to...

This is the first Academy Awards show that I am not excited about. Last night I searched for all the trailers of the best picture nominees, as well as the best actor and actress nominees. After I was done I realized why. There were only two or three movies I thought looked good, and that was after watching about 10-15 trailers. I know I shouldn't do this, but I have predictions - based on politically correctness and my take on the movie trailers I watched last night.

Best Picture - Gravity 

This is one of the three I would go see in a theater.

Best Actor - Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club

This is two of the three I would go see, but likely on DVD. 

Best Actress - Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine, but the academy absolutely LOVES Meryl, so we'll just have to wait and see. August: Osage County is the third movie I'd possibly watch, but just for the acting.

Supporting Actress - Lupita Nyong'o, 12 Years a Slave. She happens to be a Yale graduate like Meryl.

Gotta go. It's starting right now.

On Bruno Mars and his Half Time Show

I've never had a dog named Bruno, but I'd be willing to bet that many dogs will be named Bruno in the near future. I'd make a bet that Mars will also be a popular name for dogs too, but Bruno is a little bit stealthier. Don't you think?  I do. I also think Bruno Mars is the next king of pop, but that's another story.

One day last week I had the good fortune to view Bruno Mars on the Ellen show. It was so inspiring I asked my son to watch along with me. By the end, I found myself up on my feet with all of the audience cheering for him. If you haven't seen the video, it might be a good idea to view it now before reading more of this entry. The video is almost 8 minutes long, and currently has 729,091 views. In a way, I am testing if anyone out there follows my links, so please watch it before reading forward. All that is needed is a simple click on the link below this text...

Bruno's Inspiring Speech on Ellen

I have watched the video at least three times, and will likely do so again, but imagine this. Directly after viewing said broadcast at home, I decided to search for the half time show and watch it again. So that is exactly what I did, and I recommend watching it before reading further again. Bruno Mars plays a drum solo, and he sings and dances like a mixture of Michael Jackson and James Brown all rolled up into a very cool package. His back up band is uber talented too. One of the things I enjoyed the most, however, and it was not without controversy, was that Bruno incorporated the Red Hot Chili Peppers into the show.

Bruno's Half Time Show

After being thoroughly entertained, and also feeling much better about life and future possibilities. My bubble was burst by my son, who pointed out that none of the musicians were plugged in. This made me feel terrible, and I left my home to go for a work out at the gym. While I was there I watched a CNN broadcast about, you guessed it, the Half Time performance. What I found amusing was that Flea, the lead singer of the RHCP, had written a response on the band's website, where he basically stated that there was no negotiation with the NFL. In a nutshell, the NFL required the RHCP to remain unplugged, and only the vocals would be live. The rest they required to be pre-recorded so there wouldn't be any problems with the performance musically. In that light, Flea said that he and his band stand by their performance, and would do it again in the same way, if requested.

For the whole letter, click on the link below. It will be necessary to scroll down a little bit in the link below to discover Flea's letter to "everyone."

Red Hot Chili Peppers News

Shortcut Discovery

We took a brisk ride this morning, thinking there wouldn't be many folks up yet. We'd traveled down the trail to the local library so many times that we'd almost taken the route for granted. It was always crowded, and seemed to get more so - almost daily. Last week we took the same path for a walk with the dogs, but today we planned to follow the trail farther down, just to see where it ended. What we discovered was the nicest surprise.

We pedaled down the path, watching numerous mallards, a blue heron, and a pair of mergansers forage around for their breakfast. The sound of splashing water accompanied us. There was not a cloud in the sky, and there was a little more water in the canal than usual, due to the small bit of rain we got last week. A turkey vulture perched on the overpass, watching us, waiting to see if we would leave a bit of something behind, like so many others. We just pedaled by, on our way to discover something, but we didn't know what.

Finally we reached the underpass that leads to the library. For the first time, we didn't stop, and we continued on our quest. We had reached the new part of the trail.  It was a wide paved underpass that boasted a brand new sidewalk, and lights on each pillar. The waterway flood drainage flowed in several different directions, and there were a couple of Canada geese that had stopped to rest during their migration. They looked peaceful, and I marveled at how adaptive nature can be. 

As we whooped and howled under the structure, it reminded me of a time when I was quite young, and my brother, sister, and I would ride our bikes underneath a different freeway underpass. That one seemed straight from a horror movie. I remember my first time being very scary. But this was different. It was truly enjoyable, and this passing made me think of our city and it's famous crossroads. We glided under the freeway cloverleaf and peddaled up the other side to discover that we had learned a shortcut to our gym! This opened up a whole new set of possibilities, and we can see ourselves using this new part of the trail for years to come.

Failure to Lunch

As Brad and I sat waiting for our hot and sour soup to arrive at lunch yesterday, chatting about our adult daughter leaving the country and not bothering to give us any of the details, I had an epiphany. There was THE cutest couple sitting in the booth to my left, who had a baby (a GOOD baby), in a rocking carrier seat. It happened when the meals arrived. As the baby slept quietly, and the couple was enjoying their conversation, I noticed that they had ordered exactly the same meal as we had ordered. They reminded me of us when we began raising a family. I wanted to lean over and say, "Enjoy your children while they are young."

This was the same advice I had received from Tony Larussa, back stage at a rock show, when I was a stay at home mom. At that time, I felt I WAS enjoying that particular stage of life, and my kids too, because I was practicing Vipassana meditation regularly, and the practice alone helped me learn to focus on, and stay in, the present moment. At that time in my life, I thought that was what he meant. The present moment being all we have in the first place, so enjoying the kids when they were young, made sense to me that way. My interpretation was... live in the present moment, and enjoy their company and your process with them. 

But yesterday, and although I did not state those often repeated words to that cute couple in the next booth, I realized that at Tony's stage of life back then, the advice could have meant something entirely different. Because for me, yesterday at lunch, it did. He was probably my age back then, and he had adult children. He was likely reminiscing about raising younger children. So he delivered to me his advice. Now I know that, as they age, raising children gets harder and harder. Their problems in adulthood are epic by proportion. It's not even fair to compare them. When they are young, children are physically demanding, but when they are older, they are financially and emotionally draining, and their problems are adult problems.

As a young adult, one must make decisions about career, property purchases, life partners, and yes, even vacations. As the parent, one must sit back and allow the children to make these choices and decisions alone. We must endure the decision, even if we KNOW, it is a poor choice because that's how they learn. It's not our life. Try as we might, we can't make our adult children learn from our mistakes. Life simply doesn't work that way. 

Today I believe his advice meant this: enjoy children when they are young, because when they are adults, the problems are vastly different and to a greater proportion. When the children are young, the problems are more about health and well being, and generally coping with having playful, somtimes annoying, immature kids around. Parenting adult children is about letting go, and accepting their life choices that can make, or break, their happiness for years to come. 

Super Bowl Hype

There is going to be a great football game today. Our gladiators will hit the field and they will play. Each team deserves to be there. Both teams were 15 and 3 for the season. It's a little ironic that the West is representing on the East Coast, but hey, we'll take what we can get. And we'll take it on Ground Hog day.

Watching the hype on television this week, especially on Tuesday, was tough to escape. I must admit I am more inclined to watch the funnier shows by choice, and The Colbert Report was particularly good. The one I enjoyed was dubbed the Superb Owl edition, and, as promised, in addition to a hilarious skit starring Colbert as QB, Steven did a story about owls too. 

I also caught a segment with social media playing a role in the predictions. It seems the fans were encouraged to send their predictions via hash tags, and the final tally was presented in team colors on Friday for all to see when they lit up the Empire State Building that night. I was pleased to see on the news the building was glimmering with Seattle colors. I didn't participate, but I agree with the outcome. 

At the same time, I'm looking forward to watching the Broncos for their awesome QB, Payton Manning. He is such a great player, and seems just generally, likeable. He is so admired by everyone, and it's not surprising. I believe despite any outcome today, he will go down as one of the greats. Even Russel Wilson admitted this week that he learned a lot from Manning in a passing workshop he took back when he was a sophomore in high school. Respect is everywhere. 

Yup. It will be a difficult game to watch today. Just like it was difficult two weeks ago against the Niners. Both Seattle and San Francisco played their hearts out during that game, and unfortunately for the Niners, it didn't go their way. But it could have. Just like today. It could go either way. Either Manning will win for the second time, or the Hawks will win for the first time. This is going to be epic.