This is an old observation that I have been reminded of several times this week -
Relationships with people are messy.
Enough said.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Tchotchke Thursday, Take Two
I'm tired...so what could be a more appropriate topic to discuss than sleep for this Tchotchke Thursday? Here is a list - no I didn't create it, I found it at http://listverse.com/science/top-20-facts-about-sleep/ - of 20 interesting sleep facts.
**Interesting fact about me - When I am seriously stressed out fact two becomes true for me...even if it isn't a cat nap. Just ask my old roommate Bri. Boy, was she freaked out when she figured out what was going on!**
"The science of sleep is a modern one - in fact most scientific information on sleep has been gained in the last 25 years. This is a list of 20 very interesting facts about sleep.
1. The record for the longest period without sleep is 18 days, 21 hours, 40 minutes during a rocking chair marathon. The record holder reported hallucinations, paranoia, blurred vision, slurred speech and memory and concentration lapses.
2. It’s impossible to tell if someone is really awake without close medical supervision. People can take cat naps with their eyes open without even being aware of it.
3. Anything less than five minutes to fall asleep at night means you’re sleep deprived. The ideal is between 10 and 15 minutes, meaning you’re still tired enough to sleep deeply, but not so exhausted you feel sleepy by day.
4. Dreams, once thought to occur only during REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, also occur (but to a lesser extent) in non-REM sleep phases. It’s possible there may not be a single moment of our sleep when we are actually dreamless.
5. REM dreams are characterised by bizarre plots, but non-REM dreams are repetitive and thought-like, with little imagery - obsessively returning to a suspicion you left your mobile phone somewhere, for example.
6. Certain types of eye movements during REM sleep correspond to specific movements in dreams, suggesting at least part of the dreaming process is analagous to watching a film
7. Elephants sleep standing up during non-REM sleep, but lie down for REM sleep.
8. Some scientists believe we dream to fix experiences in long-term memory, that is, we dream about things worth remembering. Others think we dream about things worth forgetting - to eliminate overlapping memories that would otherwise clog up our brains.
9. Dreams may not serve any purpose at all but be merely a meaningless byproduct of two evolutionary adaptations - sleep and consciousness.
10. Scientists have not been able to explain a 1998 study showing a bright light shone on the backs of human knees can reset the brain’s sleep-wake clock.
11. British Ministry of Defence researchers have been able to reset soldiers’ body clocks so they can go without sleep for up to 36 hrs. Tiny optical fibres embedded in special spectacles project a ring of bright white light (with a spectrum identical to a sunrise) around the edge of soldiers’ retinas, fooling them into thinking they have just woken up. The system was first used on US pilots during the bombing of Kosovo.
12. The 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill off Alaska, the Challenger space shuttle disaster and the Chernobyl nuclear accident have all been attributed to human errors in which sleep-deprivation played a role.
13. The “natural alarm clock” which enables some people to wake up more or less when they want to is caused by a burst of the stress hormone adrenocorticotropin. Researchers say this reflects an unconscious anticipation of the stress of waking up.
14. Tiny luminous rays from a digital alarm clock can be enough to disrupt the sleep cycle even if you do not fully wake. The light turns off a “neural switch” in the brain, causing levels of a key sleep chemical to decline within minutes.
15. Humans sleep on average around three hours less than other primates like chimps, rhesus monkeys, squirrel monkeys and baboons, all of whom sleep for 10 hours.
16. Ducks at risk of attack by predators are able to balance the need for sleep and survival, keeping one half of the brain awake while the other slips into sleep mode.
17. Diaries from the pre-electric-light-globe Victorian era show adults slept nine to 10 hours a night with periods of rest changing with the seasons in line with sunrise and sunsets.
18. Most of what we know about sleep we’ve learned in the past 25 years.
19. The extra-hour of sleep received when clocks are put back at the start of daylight in Canada has been found to coincide with a fall in the number of road accidents.
20. Experts say one of the most alluring sleep distractions is the 24-hour accessibility of the internet."
1. The record for the longest period without sleep is 18 days, 21 hours, 40 minutes during a rocking chair marathon. The record holder reported hallucinations, paranoia, blurred vision, slurred speech and memory and concentration lapses.
2. It’s impossible to tell if someone is really awake without close medical supervision. People can take cat naps with their eyes open without even being aware of it.
3. Anything less than five minutes to fall asleep at night means you’re sleep deprived. The ideal is between 10 and 15 minutes, meaning you’re still tired enough to sleep deeply, but not so exhausted you feel sleepy by day.
4. Dreams, once thought to occur only during REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, also occur (but to a lesser extent) in non-REM sleep phases. It’s possible there may not be a single moment of our sleep when we are actually dreamless.
5. REM dreams are characterised by bizarre plots, but non-REM dreams are repetitive and thought-like, with little imagery - obsessively returning to a suspicion you left your mobile phone somewhere, for example.
6. Certain types of eye movements during REM sleep correspond to specific movements in dreams, suggesting at least part of the dreaming process is analagous to watching a film
7. Elephants sleep standing up during non-REM sleep, but lie down for REM sleep.
8. Some scientists believe we dream to fix experiences in long-term memory, that is, we dream about things worth remembering. Others think we dream about things worth forgetting - to eliminate overlapping memories that would otherwise clog up our brains.
9. Dreams may not serve any purpose at all but be merely a meaningless byproduct of two evolutionary adaptations - sleep and consciousness.
10. Scientists have not been able to explain a 1998 study showing a bright light shone on the backs of human knees can reset the brain’s sleep-wake clock.
11. British Ministry of Defence researchers have been able to reset soldiers’ body clocks so they can go without sleep for up to 36 hrs. Tiny optical fibres embedded in special spectacles project a ring of bright white light (with a spectrum identical to a sunrise) around the edge of soldiers’ retinas, fooling them into thinking they have just woken up. The system was first used on US pilots during the bombing of Kosovo.
12. The 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill off Alaska, the Challenger space shuttle disaster and the Chernobyl nuclear accident have all been attributed to human errors in which sleep-deprivation played a role.
13. The “natural alarm clock” which enables some people to wake up more or less when they want to is caused by a burst of the stress hormone adrenocorticotropin. Researchers say this reflects an unconscious anticipation of the stress of waking up.
14. Tiny luminous rays from a digital alarm clock can be enough to disrupt the sleep cycle even if you do not fully wake. The light turns off a “neural switch” in the brain, causing levels of a key sleep chemical to decline within minutes.
15. Humans sleep on average around three hours less than other primates like chimps, rhesus monkeys, squirrel monkeys and baboons, all of whom sleep for 10 hours.
16. Ducks at risk of attack by predators are able to balance the need for sleep and survival, keeping one half of the brain awake while the other slips into sleep mode.
17. Diaries from the pre-electric-light-globe Victorian era show adults slept nine to 10 hours a night with periods of rest changing with the seasons in line with sunrise and sunsets.
18. Most of what we know about sleep we’ve learned in the past 25 years.
19. The extra-hour of sleep received when clocks are put back at the start of daylight in Canada has been found to coincide with a fall in the number of road accidents.
20. Experts say one of the most alluring sleep distractions is the 24-hour accessibility of the internet."
Hope you enjoyed! Good night!
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Comfort vs. Style
Why oh why did I choose style yesterday? Ask anyone, my first choice for shoes are typically boring little flats...and yet yesterday I wore peep-toe heels! Now, don't get me wrong - they are beautiful shoes and they made me taller (always a plus)...but boy am I paying for it today!
My poor toes! :-(
My poor toes! :-(
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Tchotchke Thursdays
tchotchke
noun
1. (Yiddish) an attractive, unconventional woman [syn: chachka]
2. (Yiddish) an inexpensive showy trinket [syn: chachka]
WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
In an effort to be more intentional about blogging (as requested by Sarah) I have decided to jump on the bandwagon of "Special Day" postings once a week. Tchotchke Thursdays will give you a glimpse into the inner workings of an unconventional woman...but if you call me cheap, I may just have to give you a good ol' conventional kick in the pants! ;-)
Tchotchke Thursdays will give you inexpensive (read: free) but valuable (at least to me) random knowledge. Several of you might be holding your breath right now because you are the wonderful recipients of my random knowledge every day...but no worries! I won't hold back on the everyday trivia just so I have something to write about here! You will just get to be doubly blessed! (Or triply, or quadrupally, etc...you get the picture).
Today, in an effort to get to know new people, and people I have known for awhile, I started a new game of "20 questions, my way" which involves me asking questions and you answering. Sometimes the question is serious...sometimes not. As we got into a discussion of love and marriage (what good would it be to work at a small Christian school and not talk about these two topics?) the idea of arranged marriages came up.
One student said, yes, absolutely. The other, absolutely not.
And then I wondered, What do other people think? So I did what I always do when I need a quick answer...I googled it!
And I have found a solution for the student who said no. Her concern was that you can't force love and you don't choose what your heart will want. How will you know if he is the one if you didn't choose him? But, never fear! I have found the scientifically proven way to determine if he is really the one for you, girls!
The "What are my chances the marriage will last" equation! Finally, a mathematical way to set my heart at ease! (http://politicalcalculations.blogspot.com/2007/02/what-are-chances-your-marriage-will.html) No more will I have to worry if he is really the one for me!
Sarah and Alicia - this one was for you! But now, I need sleep. :-)
noun
1. (Yiddish) an attractive, unconventional woman [syn: chachka]
2. (Yiddish) an inexpensive showy trinket [syn: chachka]
WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
In an effort to be more intentional about blogging (as requested by Sarah) I have decided to jump on the bandwagon of "Special Day" postings once a week. Tchotchke Thursdays will give you a glimpse into the inner workings of an unconventional woman...but if you call me cheap, I may just have to give you a good ol' conventional kick in the pants! ;-)
Tchotchke Thursdays will give you inexpensive (read: free) but valuable (at least to me) random knowledge. Several of you might be holding your breath right now because you are the wonderful recipients of my random knowledge every day...but no worries! I won't hold back on the everyday trivia just so I have something to write about here! You will just get to be doubly blessed! (Or triply, or quadrupally, etc...you get the picture).
Today, in an effort to get to know new people, and people I have known for awhile, I started a new game of "20 questions, my way" which involves me asking questions and you answering. Sometimes the question is serious...sometimes not. As we got into a discussion of love and marriage (what good would it be to work at a small Christian school and not talk about these two topics?) the idea of arranged marriages came up.
One student said, yes, absolutely. The other, absolutely not.
And then I wondered, What do other people think? So I did what I always do when I need a quick answer...I googled it!
And I have found a solution for the student who said no. Her concern was that you can't force love and you don't choose what your heart will want. How will you know if he is the one if you didn't choose him? But, never fear! I have found the scientifically proven way to determine if he is really the one for you, girls!
The "What are my chances the marriage will last" equation! Finally, a mathematical way to set my heart at ease! (http://politicalcalculations.blogspot.com/2007/02/what-are-chances-your-marriage-will.html) No more will I have to worry if he is really the one for me!
Sarah and Alicia - this one was for you! But now, I need sleep. :-)
Monday, June 23, 2008
Calling Mr. Marie
So yesterday (Sunday) was an interesting day. If anyone ever tries to tell you that little choices that seem inconsequential don't matter, DON'T LISTEN!
DECISION 1: Saturday night another member of the nursery team at FBC St. Peters called me to ask about switching weeks with me. I was fine with that as I am going to be out of town on my week also.
SETBACK 1: However, when I arrived at the nursery yesterday morning the couple I was supposed to switch with had worked everything out and didn't want to switch anymore.
CONSOLATION 1: Since I wouldn't be in the nursery, that means I would get to hear the sermon. Granted, in my hurry to get out the door yesterday with all my VBS supplies, I forgot my Bible. That's okay; that is what pew bibles are for, right?
DECISION 2: This summer has been kind of hectic for me on weekends and I have missed choir a couple of times. So I decided to skip practice Wednesday night to prepare for vacation this week.
SETBACK 2: Because I missed practice this week, I decided not to sing with the choir yesterday. This means that I was sitting front-and-center in the second row for the sermon rather than out of the preacher's line of sight in the third or fourth row as I would have been had I sang with the choir and joined the congregation when we were finished.
CONSOLATION 2: I am a "tried and true" second row "this is my seat" Baptist. Since I skipped choir I got to sit in "my" seat and I had direct eye contact with the preacher.
DECISION 3: Many moons ago I decided to become a religion major and focus on Biblical Languages.
SETBACK 3: Because this is a small program, there are few professors available.
CONSOLATION 3: Because this is a small program, there are few professors available and I was give the opportunity to get to know my professors well and they me. I thought nothing of it when I started going to the same church as several of my professors except that this would be an awesome way to get to know those Christian brothers who have fought the fight longer and better than me.
DECISION 4: For ten years of amazing service, the congregation of FBC St. Peters decided to award the pastor a sabbatical with which he chose to work toward a doctoral degree.
SETBACK 4: To earn a degree at Southern Seminary, you have to do so many "residency hours" several of which my pastor chose to take this week which means that we would need someone to fill the pulpit.
CONSOLATION 4: Dr. McClain was available to serve in that role. Lucky me, he is one of the religion faculty I have gotten to know (his daughter and I were also good friends during our undergrad work).
DECISION 5: After stepping out of the "femi-Nazi" fight and joining the Conservative Christian right, I no longer pursue guys for relationships.
SETBACK 5: I will be turning 26 this week and I am still single. I am in no way complaining, I am just showing how my decision affects me.
CONSOLATION 5: I can now see how the Lord protected me from myself and the bad decisions I would have made if left on my own. I know now that I am following the Lord's will by following my role that He has set before me.
Now I have set you up for my interesting day. Here I am, in the second row, right in Doc's line of sight. He is preaching an awesomely thought-provoking, soul-stirring, heart-convicting sermon where at the end he reminds us that we cannot do this alone. Nor, he says, is he only talking to himself although all of his illustrations were about his failures and the Lord's graces. He is, he says during the sermon, talking about Jerry (music pastor) and his wife and their kids, and Marie (that's me, right there in his line of sight) and her...future husband wherever he is...and their...future kids whoever they are, and Billy, and Jamie and his wife and kids, etc, etc, so on and so forth as he points to different members of the congregation which is his pastoral perogative!
HE JUST ANNOUNCED TO THE ENTIRE CHURCH THAT I AM SINGLE.
(One of the few remaining as we are a dying breed.)
Granted, those who know me should already know this. But it was still embarassing. Then it gets better. I go back to give him a hug after the sermon and tell him that I still love him as my Christian brother even though he just embarassed me in front of the entire church and his response is "Just be glad I didn't say you were single WITH kids." Then he smirked and all was well again. I could deal with the ribbing I was going to get (and did get) from the members my age (i.e. Chuck Beem) but one person surprised me.
Pastor Bob.
Pastor Bob is in charge of the youth and missions opportunities. We have joked around before (it's hard not to when you have gone to the same church for many years) but he still shocked me.
Twice. In the same night, but to different people, he proclaimed that the Prophet McClain has spoken and has called for Mr. Marie to step forward. I think, he says, Mr. Marie will be found this week. The prophet has spoken. And he just kept talking about it. And talking about it.
I suppose it's funny in that mortifying kind of way.
And then VBS started, but I'm not ready to talk about that. Let's just say that 3 hours with those kids last night wore me out worse than an entire weekend with college students (i.e. Welcome Weekend)!
As I read back through this I realize some of the mortifying-ness is lost in translation. You truly need my facial expressions during to story to see how embarassing it was. So, as you read, imagine my face and my awesome story-telling ability. :-) Sarah, if you want, I can tell it to you again. ;-)
DECISION 1: Saturday night another member of the nursery team at FBC St. Peters called me to ask about switching weeks with me. I was fine with that as I am going to be out of town on my week also.
SETBACK 1: However, when I arrived at the nursery yesterday morning the couple I was supposed to switch with had worked everything out and didn't want to switch anymore.
CONSOLATION 1: Since I wouldn't be in the nursery, that means I would get to hear the sermon. Granted, in my hurry to get out the door yesterday with all my VBS supplies, I forgot my Bible. That's okay; that is what pew bibles are for, right?
DECISION 2: This summer has been kind of hectic for me on weekends and I have missed choir a couple of times. So I decided to skip practice Wednesday night to prepare for vacation this week.
SETBACK 2: Because I missed practice this week, I decided not to sing with the choir yesterday. This means that I was sitting front-and-center in the second row for the sermon rather than out of the preacher's line of sight in the third or fourth row as I would have been had I sang with the choir and joined the congregation when we were finished.
CONSOLATION 2: I am a "tried and true" second row "this is my seat" Baptist. Since I skipped choir I got to sit in "my" seat and I had direct eye contact with the preacher.
DECISION 3: Many moons ago I decided to become a religion major and focus on Biblical Languages.
SETBACK 3: Because this is a small program, there are few professors available.
CONSOLATION 3: Because this is a small program, there are few professors available and I was give the opportunity to get to know my professors well and they me. I thought nothing of it when I started going to the same church as several of my professors except that this would be an awesome way to get to know those Christian brothers who have fought the fight longer and better than me.
DECISION 4: For ten years of amazing service, the congregation of FBC St. Peters decided to award the pastor a sabbatical with which he chose to work toward a doctoral degree.
SETBACK 4: To earn a degree at Southern Seminary, you have to do so many "residency hours" several of which my pastor chose to take this week which means that we would need someone to fill the pulpit.
CONSOLATION 4: Dr. McClain was available to serve in that role. Lucky me, he is one of the religion faculty I have gotten to know (his daughter and I were also good friends during our undergrad work).
DECISION 5: After stepping out of the "femi-Nazi" fight and joining the Conservative Christian right, I no longer pursue guys for relationships.
SETBACK 5: I will be turning 26 this week and I am still single. I am in no way complaining, I am just showing how my decision affects me.
CONSOLATION 5: I can now see how the Lord protected me from myself and the bad decisions I would have made if left on my own. I know now that I am following the Lord's will by following my role that He has set before me.
Now I have set you up for my interesting day. Here I am, in the second row, right in Doc's line of sight. He is preaching an awesomely thought-provoking, soul-stirring, heart-convicting sermon where at the end he reminds us that we cannot do this alone. Nor, he says, is he only talking to himself although all of his illustrations were about his failures and the Lord's graces. He is, he says during the sermon, talking about Jerry (music pastor) and his wife and their kids, and Marie (that's me, right there in his line of sight) and her...future husband wherever he is...and their...future kids whoever they are, and Billy, and Jamie and his wife and kids, etc, etc, so on and so forth as he points to different members of the congregation which is his pastoral perogative!
HE JUST ANNOUNCED TO THE ENTIRE CHURCH THAT I AM SINGLE.
(One of the few remaining as we are a dying breed.)
Granted, those who know me should already know this. But it was still embarassing. Then it gets better. I go back to give him a hug after the sermon and tell him that I still love him as my Christian brother even though he just embarassed me in front of the entire church and his response is "Just be glad I didn't say you were single WITH kids." Then he smirked and all was well again. I could deal with the ribbing I was going to get (and did get) from the members my age (i.e. Chuck Beem) but one person surprised me.
Pastor Bob.
Pastor Bob is in charge of the youth and missions opportunities. We have joked around before (it's hard not to when you have gone to the same church for many years) but he still shocked me.
Twice. In the same night, but to different people, he proclaimed that the Prophet McClain has spoken and has called for Mr. Marie to step forward. I think, he says, Mr. Marie will be found this week. The prophet has spoken. And he just kept talking about it. And talking about it.
I suppose it's funny in that mortifying kind of way.
And then VBS started, but I'm not ready to talk about that. Let's just say that 3 hours with those kids last night wore me out worse than an entire weekend with college students (i.e. Welcome Weekend)!
As I read back through this I realize some of the mortifying-ness is lost in translation. You truly need my facial expressions during to story to see how embarassing it was. So, as you read, imagine my face and my awesome story-telling ability. :-) Sarah, if you want, I can tell it to you again. ;-)
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Eye of the storm
An alarm clock flashes 12:00 like an old broken VCR as thunder crashes down. Window panes vibrate at the violence of the noise. Trees bow and scrape in pain as the wind races from unknown place to unknown place.Then there is nothing.
A car alarm shatters the sudden stillness. The sudden torrent of rain berates the quiet heart, shaking even the stoutest of boots. Loveys are clutched; lights are turned on; fear invades like a thief in the night.
.
"Is this it? Is this the end? Will this be the storm to end all storms?" The bravest of brave pace about, anxiously clutching to their own security blankets. Their sanity. Their rationality. Their courage.
.
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.
.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
.
Come, behold the works of the Lord,how he has brought desolations on the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire. “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
{Psalm 46}
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Lazy childhood days
While today wasn't exactly a lazy day, it definitely made me reminisce. First, I decided to stay home to finish grading New Testament papers and tests which means I got to wake up with the sunshine. That was a BEAUTIFUL feeling! Then I decided that I would do some laundry while grading...although I have to say that I HATE doing laundry. I deal with it because I prefer clean clothes (don't we all) but I would much rather clean the bathroom than do laundry. I know, I know, it sounds like I am getting off-track, but I promise, this fits the childhood theme. I got home (my apartment doesn't have washer/dryer hook-ups - maybe this is why I hate doing laundry...) and realized that not all my clothes were dry. So I got out my little dry rack and hung them outside. I honestly can't remember I dried my clothes outside...I probably haven't done that since my grandparents moved when I was thirteen.As exciting as sun-dried clothes are, that isn't even the best part.
As I was sitting on my living room floor grading papers I turned on the TV for some background noise. I flipped through the guide fully expecting to find nothing of value on...but lo and behold! Boomerang, that beautiful channel with old cartoons! THE SNORKS WAS ON TV! I loved that show when I was a kid. I even had the Snorks puzzle which made me the cool kid on the block.
To cap the whole day off, I snacked on a No-sugar Added Fudgesicle after I finished all the grading.
What a WONDERFUL DAY!
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Ode to Spring...2003
Sarah, Since you liked my last poem I thought I would post another oldie. This was written in Spring of 2003 during a class break for my Missions and Mercy Night Class. I had a friend (who is now married) that had recently been hurt by mixed signals from a guy. This is my "Ode to Spring".
Ouch! He pulled my hair!
And then he pushed me down the stairs!
In the third grade,
All the valentines made,
Are flushed, because boys have cooties!
A note! By a boy it was wrote!
Passed in front of the teacher, he gloats!
Seventh grade is the best,
Check no or check yes,
Um…can I pick maybe?
The prom! My stomach plummets like a bomb!
Do you think? Will he ask me, Mom?
Senior year is here,
Guys, get yourselves in gear,
What happened to your confidence?
Games! Games are so lame!
Played by the mind, we’re both to blame.
We’re in college dear,
Wait! It’s university here,
Missouri Baptist Bridal Society.
Hurry, hurry, hurry, we’re always in a hurry!
Rush through life, be a wife, all the time we worry!
Wait! Where will we find our mate?
Who am I going to date?
Look to God now,
He planned the who and the how,
In Him I trust.
Marie Tudor 2003
Ouch! He pulled my hair!
And then he pushed me down the stairs!
In the third grade,
All the valentines made,
Are flushed, because boys have cooties!
A note! By a boy it was wrote!
Passed in front of the teacher, he gloats!
Seventh grade is the best,
Check no or check yes,
Um…can I pick maybe?
The prom! My stomach plummets like a bomb!
Do you think? Will he ask me, Mom?
Senior year is here,
Guys, get yourselves in gear,
What happened to your confidence?
Games! Games are so lame!
Played by the mind, we’re both to blame.
We’re in college dear,
Wait! It’s university here,
Missouri Baptist Bridal Society.
Hurry, hurry, hurry, we’re always in a hurry!
Rush through life, be a wife, all the time we worry!
Wait! Where will we find our mate?
Who am I going to date?
Look to God now,
He planned the who and the how,
In Him I trust.
Marie Tudor 2003
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Down memory lane
As I was cleaning my apartment the other night, I found an old journal of mine. My version of a journal has nothing to do with "Dear Diary, today so-an-so-touched my arm and it made me swoon..." Rather, I LOVE creative writing! So what I do is take things that are going on in my life and fictionalize them. And then I change it to occur the way that I want it to.
My only problem is that I never finish what I start. I get these great ideas and then write a couple of pages (several are 20 pages or longer), hit a snag (both in the fiction and in real life), and quit writing. Then I go on to other stories or even poems. I've even been known to get into "limerick wars" with friends (like Kinsey and Clayton).
As I looked through this old journal from somewhere in 2002 or 03, I ran into a small poem I wrote. I thought I would post it here. Please forgive the punctuation! I would call it artistic license but I think it was just laziness.
My life goes on, a turning page;
I am a creation on this stage.
The world is watching, they stand and stare,
Why am I not moving? Do I not care?
Are they not dying, lost in their sin?
Are they not trying to find answers within?
To themselves they look, turning the inside to out,
"How I feel is reality, it's what this life's all about.
You're way for you and my way for me.
No man can say what right and wrong be."
Inside I rage, "How can they think that?!
I've been where they've been. I've sat where they've sat!
I've felt that gnawing inside -
That need for a guide!"
"Christ is my comforter, Father, and friend.
Through His good Word I know how it ends.
I am a sinner, you are one too,
We're descended from sinners, not come up from the goo.
Only one man can save us from death for this sin,
Only one man can knock, "Let Me come in.
Your burden is heavy. My yoke is light.
Step into My hand and out of the night."
"He is the Savior, I plead and I cry."
Why do they run around, wanting to die?
I stand on this stage, afraid and alone,
Away from the place I once called my home.
I watch and I stare, quiet and free,
While men fall in their prison, but I know the Key.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Cemetery full, mayor tells locals not to die
Cemetery full, mayor tells locals not to die
BORDEAUX, France (Reuters) - The mayor of a village in southwest France has threatened residents with severe punishment if they die, because there is no room left in the overcrowded cemetery to bury them.
In an ordinance posted in the council offices, Mayor Gerard Lalanne told the 260 residents of the village of Sarpourenx that "all persons not having a plot in the cemetery and wishing to be buried in Sarpourenx are forbidden from dying in the parish."
It added: "Offenders will be severely punished."
The mayor said he was forced to take drastic action after an administrative court in the nearby town of Pau ruled in January that the acquisition of adjoining private land to extend the cemetery would not be justified.
Lalanne, who celebrated his 70th birthday on Wednesday and is standing for election to a seventh term in this month's local elections, said he was sorry that there had not been a positive outcome to the dilemma.
"It may be a laughing matter for some, but not for me," he said.
(Reporting by Claude Canellas, Writing by Andrew Dobbie; editing by Sami Aboudi)
Oh Happy Day!
Let me just start out by saying that I am not a pet person. I am allergic to most things with fur and I really don't enjoy spending most of my life medicated or sneezing. I am also NOT AT ALL ready to have children and having a pet is very much like having kids. You feed them, you potty-train them, you play with them, etc. You are responsible for a high-maintenance creature that is not yourself. Someday I would like to do that, but not today.
But, I can have fish. Fish are low-key; you don't have to play with them (although teaching them to spin in circles is entertaining), you don't have to potty train them (though sometimes I wish I could), feeding requires a quick shake of a canister - this is the good life!
At my old apartment I had several fish, two of which were red swordtails. Little did I know, in my desire to get one with an actual swordtail and one with out, I got a male and a female fish. They did what all heterosexual fish do and several weeks later I had a VERY pregnant fish. Did you know that both male and female swordtails eat their babies? I found that out after I called the PetSmart hotline (yes, they have a 24-hour hotline). Well, I didn't have anything to seperate out the young, so I (sadly) had to let mom and dad eat the kids.
But that isn't the end of the story! Actually, it really isn't the beginning either, it's kind of backstory for what I was going to say about tomorrow, but I like this story too! :-)
Several weeks later I saw this small blob dart across the fish tank...a baby fish had survived! So, of course I called her Nemo, the Little Fish who Could. It was a happy day. But, Nemo died before I could move to my new apartment.
Yes, I got new fish. They are my companions, my friends, my confidants...er...no. I just like to watch them swim. It's kind of a stress reliever.
Enter Flapjack, Tonto, Thing 1 and Thing 2. F and T are silverdollar fish and T1 and T2 are red fish. I had another, an upsidedown catfish, but he disappeared before I could name him. Maybe I should have called him Houdini! I looked all throughout that tank (and even around it in case he jumped out somehow) but I could never find him. Hmm....maybe he got sucked into the filter. Yuck.
Now, here's the story. Two days ago, I had to unplug the filter for something but I couldn't get it to work again after I plugged it back in. This was saddening, but it was late so I decided to leave it until I had time to research it and fix it (google works wonders). Last night, I was sitting in my chair, reading a text message on my phone when something darted through the fish tank catching my eye. I looked up, and lo and behold, there were 5 fish in the tank! Houdini is back! There he was swimming away as if he had merely been on vacation!
Matthew, Peter, and Saul (to name a few) got new names. Now Houdini does too. I shall call him Lazarus. Or Jesus (Hey-zoos, not Gee-zus). This is a happy day!
But, I can have fish. Fish are low-key; you don't have to play with them (although teaching them to spin in circles is entertaining), you don't have to potty train them (though sometimes I wish I could), feeding requires a quick shake of a canister - this is the good life!
At my old apartment I had several fish, two of which were red swordtails. Little did I know, in my desire to get one with an actual swordtail and one with out, I got a male and a female fish. They did what all heterosexual fish do and several weeks later I had a VERY pregnant fish. Did you know that both male and female swordtails eat their babies? I found that out after I called the PetSmart hotline (yes, they have a 24-hour hotline). Well, I didn't have anything to seperate out the young, so I (sadly) had to let mom and dad eat the kids.
But that isn't the end of the story! Actually, it really isn't the beginning either, it's kind of backstory for what I was going to say about tomorrow, but I like this story too! :-)
Several weeks later I saw this small blob dart across the fish tank...a baby fish had survived! So, of course I called her Nemo, the Little Fish who Could. It was a happy day. But, Nemo died before I could move to my new apartment.
Yes, I got new fish. They are my companions, my friends, my confidants...er...no. I just like to watch them swim. It's kind of a stress reliever.
Enter Flapjack, Tonto, Thing 1 and Thing 2. F and T are silverdollar fish and T1 and T2 are red fish. I had another, an upsidedown catfish, but he disappeared before I could name him. Maybe I should have called him Houdini! I looked all throughout that tank (and even around it in case he jumped out somehow) but I could never find him. Hmm....maybe he got sucked into the filter. Yuck.
Now, here's the story. Two days ago, I had to unplug the filter for something but I couldn't get it to work again after I plugged it back in. This was saddening, but it was late so I decided to leave it until I had time to research it and fix it (google works wonders). Last night, I was sitting in my chair, reading a text message on my phone when something darted through the fish tank catching my eye. I looked up, and lo and behold, there were 5 fish in the tank! Houdini is back! There he was swimming away as if he had merely been on vacation!
Matthew, Peter, and Saul (to name a few) got new names. Now Houdini does too. I shall call him Lazarus. Or Jesus (Hey-zoos, not Gee-zus). This is a happy day!
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Amusement and the Stalker Wall
Wanna hear a funny story? Too bad. I'm going to tell you anyway.
So, I think it is really funny that at least three-fourths of my previous posts are about marriage because this story is about my "relationship status."
On facebook there is a page I lovingly refer to as the "stalker wall." In reality it is the homepage which shows you what your friends have been up to on their own personal facebook accounts. It is amazing how much the need for gossip has decreased since the advent of the stalker wall. I digress.
Monday night I decided to purge somethings from my personal account. I set this up over two years ago and some things have changed. Some have. Some haven't. But I decided to get rid of them anyway. One thing I purged was my relationship status. Originally it said -
Relationship Status: Single
I decided to make it say -
That's right. Nothing. I took it off. I don't need to announce to the world that I am single. Although, in hindsight, that is exactly what I did.
I forgot about the stalker wall.
Marie is no longer listed as single.
That is what showed up on the facebook homepage of MANY people. And when I say many I am not exaggerating. My inbox filled; my wall filled; people stopped me in the halls; in the cafe; in the bathroom for goodness sake! People talked to my co-workers. WHO'S THE LUCKY GUY? they want to know.
No one.
I am still single. :-) Although, I must say that being unavailable apparently really does make you more attractive. There are several students here who are "pursuing" me...pretending to want to marry me when in reality it is just a fun game. But when they thought I was really dating someone they decided to step up the game. Interesting.
I have decided that someday I am going to write a paper on the use of social networks, such as facebook, as a means to be involved in others lives. I mean people were INVOLVED in my life yesterday.
The moral of the story? Never forget the stalker wall and the power of gossip. :-)
So, I think it is really funny that at least three-fourths of my previous posts are about marriage because this story is about my "relationship status."
On facebook there is a page I lovingly refer to as the "stalker wall." In reality it is the homepage which shows you what your friends have been up to on their own personal facebook accounts. It is amazing how much the need for gossip has decreased since the advent of the stalker wall. I digress.
Monday night I decided to purge somethings from my personal account. I set this up over two years ago and some things have changed. Some have. Some haven't. But I decided to get rid of them anyway. One thing I purged was my relationship status. Originally it said -
Relationship Status: Single
I decided to make it say -
That's right. Nothing. I took it off. I don't need to announce to the world that I am single. Although, in hindsight, that is exactly what I did.
I forgot about the stalker wall.
Marie is no longer listed as single.
That is what showed up on the facebook homepage of MANY people. And when I say many I am not exaggerating. My inbox filled; my wall filled; people stopped me in the halls; in the cafe; in the bathroom for goodness sake! People talked to my co-workers. WHO'S THE LUCKY GUY? they want to know.
No one.
I am still single. :-) Although, I must say that being unavailable apparently really does make you more attractive. There are several students here who are "pursuing" me...pretending to want to marry me when in reality it is just a fun game. But when they thought I was really dating someone they decided to step up the game. Interesting.
I have decided that someday I am going to write a paper on the use of social networks, such as facebook, as a means to be involved in others lives. I mean people were INVOLVED in my life yesterday.
The moral of the story? Never forget the stalker wall and the power of gossip. :-)
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