For your Tuesday entertainment, whether you agree with this opinion or not, I brign you Pixar Vs. Dreamworks. Click on the picture to enjoy. I couldn't figure out how to make it big enough to read in my little blog. *grin*
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Pixar Vs. Dreamworks
I have a bias. I love Pixar! I think they are highly creative and do amazing things with that creativity. Dreamworks, not so much. My opinion, people. But it's shared by others as I found here.
For your Tuesday entertainment, whether you agree with this opinion or not, I brign you Pixar Vs. Dreamworks. Click on the picture to enjoy. I couldn't figure out how to make it big enough to read in my little blog. *grin*
For your Tuesday entertainment, whether you agree with this opinion or not, I brign you Pixar Vs. Dreamworks. Click on the picture to enjoy. I couldn't figure out how to make it big enough to read in my little blog. *grin*
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Dear Neighbour
Dear Squirrels -
Thank you for enjoying the vast quantity of walnuts we have provided for your dining pleasure. We're glad you find them tasty and are fairly certain they will help you bulk up for winter. However, we've had some complaints regarding your behavior. As of today the following behaviors will no longer be tolerated:
* dropping walnuts on vehicles
* throwing walnuts at the house
* intentionally throwing/dropping walnuts at the dog
* smearing walnut juice on the siding, deck or deck furniture
Any squirrels exhibiting the above behaviors will be escorted from the property and not invited back.
We can all live together in harmony. All we ask are some basic manners on your part.
Thank you,
The Establishment
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Today The World Lost a Star
Today someone I knew and admired lost her battle with cancer. Today the world is a little darker and the lives of those who knew her are more empty. Today, whether in person or in prayer, we said goodbye to a witty, caring and courageous woman, a true warrior who never gave up on anything worth having in life. She will be missed for her quick smile, her sharp humor, her incredible discipline, her never-back-down attitude. She will be missed because she touched lives and made a difference. Because she lived and loved.Please pray for Drea's family and friends. Her life ended far too soon and far too tragically.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Can I have a Do-Over, Please?
Some days it's better to stay snuggled under the quilt and let the hours pass by without ever setting foot out of bed. If I had stayed in bed that day in July, then chances are I would not have taken a header down a flight of stairs (about 12 stairs in this flight) and bruised my body so badly that the simple act of walking became an exercise in extreme pain management. I had bruises on bruises and whenever Velcro Dog brushed up against my shins I had to bite back a yelp of agony.
Today is another one of those days where I wish I could get a do-over. But not for myself. I want a do-over for a friend. She's battling cancer and it looks like cancer is going to win. We're at the bottom of the 9th and there is no one left at bat. Last year we all thought she had a clean bill of health after treatment for breast cancer. She fought and beat the beast back through will and guts and a great medical team. Then February came and the hard news that the cancer was back. Stage 4. There's no cure for that today. Only management. And she managed the hell out of it for a while. We thought there was going to be a miracle. She was going to be one of the few who came through.
Then yesterday I got the news. She's dying. Not that ambiguous dying in that she has months/years to live. No, she's home on her death bed and the end is a cold wind slithering around the corner, stealthy and picking up speed. She has days. Hours. Minutes.
I want a do-over. I want to turn back the clock and have that clean bill of health from last year to still be true. I want to turn the clock back even further and give her a world where she was never touched by cancer to begin with. Where she is still out there living life with her courage and her joy and determination. Where another person I know and care about doesn't have to worry about life being ripped cruelly away.
I want to reconcile my belief in an afterlife and God with the pain of seeing someone younger than me wasting away because of a disease we can't cure. I want to believe for myself - and for her - that today is a blessing. It's not the end, just an end. And that the next beginning for her will be one of peace and joy. No pain. No regrets. Just love.
There aren't do-overs. We can only move forward. I cling to my belief in a better place after death while she moves toward the inevitable. I know her life and dying aren't in vain. I know the world is better for her life and that many will be touched and changed by this end.
That doesn't make me wish any less for that do-over. But that we had that power. Go well. Go with love, as you are loved.
I didn't get a do-over for that Tuesday. I can only move forward. One painful, agonizing step at a time.
Today is another one of those days where I wish I could get a do-over. But not for myself. I want a do-over for a friend. She's battling cancer and it looks like cancer is going to win. We're at the bottom of the 9th and there is no one left at bat. Last year we all thought she had a clean bill of health after treatment for breast cancer. She fought and beat the beast back through will and guts and a great medical team. Then February came and the hard news that the cancer was back. Stage 4. There's no cure for that today. Only management. And she managed the hell out of it for a while. We thought there was going to be a miracle. She was going to be one of the few who came through.
Then yesterday I got the news. She's dying. Not that ambiguous dying in that she has months/years to live. No, she's home on her death bed and the end is a cold wind slithering around the corner, stealthy and picking up speed. She has days. Hours. Minutes.
I want a do-over. I want to turn back the clock and have that clean bill of health from last year to still be true. I want to turn the clock back even further and give her a world where she was never touched by cancer to begin with. Where she is still out there living life with her courage and her joy and determination. Where another person I know and care about doesn't have to worry about life being ripped cruelly away.
I want to reconcile my belief in an afterlife and God with the pain of seeing someone younger than me wasting away because of a disease we can't cure. I want to believe for myself - and for her - that today is a blessing. It's not the end, just an end. And that the next beginning for her will be one of peace and joy. No pain. No regrets. Just love.
There aren't do-overs. We can only move forward. I cling to my belief in a better place after death while she moves toward the inevitable. I know her life and dying aren't in vain. I know the world is better for her life and that many will be touched and changed by this end.
That doesn't make me wish any less for that do-over. But that we had that power. Go well. Go with love, as you are loved.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Soundtrack Friday
My new favorite show of the season is Glee. What is not to love? High school angst. Forbidden or unrequited love. Popular kids struggling with the pack mentality. Teachers struggling with school politics. Everyone defining their dreams and wondering if the cost is truly worth it. Oh, and the music! I love the music.Brings me back to college. :) If they did more 80's cuts maybe I would be transported to my own woeful high school days.
Outside of the entertainment value of Jane Lynch as cheerleading coach and top dog Sue Sylvester having it out with underdog and glee fanatic Will Schuester (who has an...interesting family life), the music and choreography are top notch and the drive to succeed and make a mark is played out on the small screen so convincingly that despite the obvious comedic roots of the show there is a drama bubbling softly. Layers upon layers.
I love that about some of my favorite TV shows, movies and books. Those layers that sneak up on you and surprise you with depth and understanding of human nature. I want to write like that. And live like that. With depth. And laughter. Like Will Schuester says, you may not always be the star, but you should always have fun.
For today's soundtrack Friday I give you the cast of Glee performing Journey's Don't Stop Believing. And wish you a weekend full of layers and possibilities.
Outside of the entertainment value of Jane Lynch as cheerleading coach and top dog Sue Sylvester having it out with underdog and glee fanatic Will Schuester (who has an...interesting family life), the music and choreography are top notch and the drive to succeed and make a mark is played out on the small screen so convincingly that despite the obvious comedic roots of the show there is a drama bubbling softly. Layers upon layers.
I love that about some of my favorite TV shows, movies and books. Those layers that sneak up on you and surprise you with depth and understanding of human nature. I want to write like that. And live like that. With depth. And laughter. Like Will Schuester says, you may not always be the star, but you should always have fun.
For today's soundtrack Friday I give you the cast of Glee performing Journey's Don't Stop Believing. And wish you a weekend full of layers and possibilities.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Simplicity and Creativity
I love Zen Habits. I don't read the blog daily but when I do there is always something timely posted. I want to share what I read today. If you like what you read, please head over to Zen Habits today and let Leo Babauta know what you thought of today's post. Click on the post title (below) to get to Leo's post.
How Simplicity Can Help Creativity, Briefly
“Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that’s creativity.” - Charles Mingus
Creativity is often made out to be a nebulous, messy, complicated, difficult thing, and it can be.
But it doesn’t have to be.
The judicious application of simplicity can help someone to create, whether that’s writing, creating art, designing, teaching, starting a small business, or in some other way making ideas take shape into reality.
People who want to create are hampered by complications — tools that are too complicated, projects that are too overwhelming, the distractions of the modern world, too many cooks, too many options, too busy.
Simplify, and many of these problems go away.
Let’s take a brief look at how simplicity can help solve some of the problems of creating:
1. Ideas. It’s hard to find ideas, right? Not necessarily. Simplify things: find vastly different ideas and combine them in a new way. This isn’t the only way to get ideas, but it’s simple and useful.
2. Ideas, again. Instead of finding ways to do more than everyone else, find ways to do less. If your competitor has a coffee shop with a wide array of beverages and food items, narrow it down: offer just one kind of coffee, but make it amazing. “We sell only one thing: the best cup of coffee you’ve ever tasted.” If you’re a blogger competing against writers who cover a vast variety of topics, cover just one, but do it better than anyone else.
3. Clear distractions. One of the biggest obstacles to anyone who wants to create these days is the distractions of the Internet, of email and IM, of meetings and people coming up to us to talk to us, of phone calls and Blackberries and iPhones. Clear these out of the way, so you can focus on creating.
4. Remove complications. Complications get in the way of creating. Find ways to simplify projects, simplify processes, remove barriers, narrow things down, remove choices, but increase focus.
5. Focus on one project till you’re done. This goes against how most people work, and in fact I have a hard time doing it sometimes, as I get excited about several projects at once. But it’s how I’ve been working recently and I can tell you, there’s no better way to create. Clear everything else off your schedule, at least for the moment, and focus on one project. Keep the focus small, so the project doesn’t take more than a week (if it does, break it into more than one project). Then just focus on that one project, until you’re done. It feels great. Now move on to the next.
6. Use one simple tool. For me, I just choose one text editor to write (usually either WriteRoom or TextEdit). The simpler the tool, the better, because full featured tools end up being distracting and you want to fiddle with all the options. A pen and pad are also great. If you must use more than one tool, keep them small and simple.
7. When you’re overwhelmed, focus on less. If the project is too big or complicated or just hard, narrow it down. If you must write a book, don’t focus on the whole book, or even a whole chapter. Just write a section — something you can do in a few hours or less. If you’re starting a new business, don’t worry about getting the whole thing up and running — what’s the smallest amount you can offer at first, the smallest unit you can create? Focus on that.
8. Do just a little each day. If you can write for 20-30 minutes a day, or take a few photos a day, it won’t be long before you’ve created something great. This tip is for those who think they don’t have time to create. It doesn’t have to take all day, and it doesn’t have to be complicated. Just clear 20 minutes and create — do nothing else during that time.
9. Be in the moment, let creativity flow through you. When you are creating, feel free to be messy and don’t worry about perfection and just get it out. The best way to do this is to forget about the past and future, and just focus on the moment. Pour yourself into creating, and let it flow.
10. Whittle. Once you’ve created that crappy first draft, and just let everything pour out, it’s time to edit and whittle. Get it down to simple. See if you can cut out everything extraneous.
11. Show up. The simple truth to creating. You just gotta show up. It might or might not happen, you might or might not create something great, but you sure won’t create a thing if you don’t show up.
How Simplicity Can Help Creativity, Briefly
“Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that’s creativity.” - Charles MingusCreativity is often made out to be a nebulous, messy, complicated, difficult thing, and it can be.
But it doesn’t have to be.
The judicious application of simplicity can help someone to create, whether that’s writing, creating art, designing, teaching, starting a small business, or in some other way making ideas take shape into reality.
People who want to create are hampered by complications — tools that are too complicated, projects that are too overwhelming, the distractions of the modern world, too many cooks, too many options, too busy.
Simplify, and many of these problems go away.
Let’s take a brief look at how simplicity can help solve some of the problems of creating:
1. Ideas. It’s hard to find ideas, right? Not necessarily. Simplify things: find vastly different ideas and combine them in a new way. This isn’t the only way to get ideas, but it’s simple and useful.
2. Ideas, again. Instead of finding ways to do more than everyone else, find ways to do less. If your competitor has a coffee shop with a wide array of beverages and food items, narrow it down: offer just one kind of coffee, but make it amazing. “We sell only one thing: the best cup of coffee you’ve ever tasted.” If you’re a blogger competing against writers who cover a vast variety of topics, cover just one, but do it better than anyone else.
3. Clear distractions. One of the biggest obstacles to anyone who wants to create these days is the distractions of the Internet, of email and IM, of meetings and people coming up to us to talk to us, of phone calls and Blackberries and iPhones. Clear these out of the way, so you can focus on creating.
4. Remove complications. Complications get in the way of creating. Find ways to simplify projects, simplify processes, remove barriers, narrow things down, remove choices, but increase focus.
5. Focus on one project till you’re done. This goes against how most people work, and in fact I have a hard time doing it sometimes, as I get excited about several projects at once. But it’s how I’ve been working recently and I can tell you, there’s no better way to create. Clear everything else off your schedule, at least for the moment, and focus on one project. Keep the focus small, so the project doesn’t take more than a week (if it does, break it into more than one project). Then just focus on that one project, until you’re done. It feels great. Now move on to the next.
6. Use one simple tool. For me, I just choose one text editor to write (usually either WriteRoom or TextEdit). The simpler the tool, the better, because full featured tools end up being distracting and you want to fiddle with all the options. A pen and pad are also great. If you must use more than one tool, keep them small and simple.
7. When you’re overwhelmed, focus on less. If the project is too big or complicated or just hard, narrow it down. If you must write a book, don’t focus on the whole book, or even a whole chapter. Just write a section — something you can do in a few hours or less. If you’re starting a new business, don’t worry about getting the whole thing up and running — what’s the smallest amount you can offer at first, the smallest unit you can create? Focus on that.
8. Do just a little each day. If you can write for 20-30 minutes a day, or take a few photos a day, it won’t be long before you’ve created something great. This tip is for those who think they don’t have time to create. It doesn’t have to take all day, and it doesn’t have to be complicated. Just clear 20 minutes and create — do nothing else during that time.
9. Be in the moment, let creativity flow through you. When you are creating, feel free to be messy and don’t worry about perfection and just get it out. The best way to do this is to forget about the past and future, and just focus on the moment. Pour yourself into creating, and let it flow.
10. Whittle. Once you’ve created that crappy first draft, and just let everything pour out, it’s time to edit and whittle. Get it down to simple. See if you can cut out everything extraneous.
11. Show up. The simple truth to creating. You just gotta show up. It might or might not happen, you might or might not create something great, but you sure won’t create a thing if you don’t show up.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Soundtrack Friday
Funny thing that 9/11 just happens to fall on Soundtrack Friday this year. I remember that day 8 years ago. I was working at an elementary school. One of the teachers got a call and immediately all the TVs were turned on, volume muted, and we kept sneaking glances to the screens while trying to pretend everything was normal for the kids.
I lost a friend that day. Other people I know lost loved ones and co-workers. The city of New York lost a sense of safety and harmony and a nation lost it's perspective. I don't say that to be cruel. Perspective is a difficult thing to hold on to when the symbols of what you believe in - life, liberty, the American dream - are so violently shattered at the whim of people bent on the destruction of those values and beliefs. We're still fighting to gain perspective and to feel safe and to believe that what happened on that day 8 years ago will never, ever happen again.
Today isn't about the politics and the great divides within and with out the USA. It is about remembering that while people sought to send a message of destruction and fear, strong and courageous people stood up against that and ran into the fire and did what had to be done to save people. Many of those heroic men and woman lost their lives, but they will never, ever be forgotten. Their stories live on. And as long as they live on we can remember that while there are those who think we are selfish and spoiled and godless, the history of the American culture and government stands for something. Equality. Freedom. A better life.
We may not always agree amongst ourselves what those three things mean and what they should look like, but that's the price of freedom and that's the joy of living in a nation where I can disagree with you and we can still walk away friends.
Since today is about remembering, and for me finding hope, I bring you U2 and their wonderful song Walk On from their album All That You Can't Leave Behind. Wikipedia has some interesting facts about the song. I encourage you to read them. In the meantime, enjoy the video and please, remember. And if you can, find hope.
I lost a friend that day. Other people I know lost loved ones and co-workers. The city of New York lost a sense of safety and harmony and a nation lost it's perspective. I don't say that to be cruel. Perspective is a difficult thing to hold on to when the symbols of what you believe in - life, liberty, the American dream - are so violently shattered at the whim of people bent on the destruction of those values and beliefs. We're still fighting to gain perspective and to feel safe and to believe that what happened on that day 8 years ago will never, ever happen again.
Today isn't about the politics and the great divides within and with out the USA. It is about remembering that while people sought to send a message of destruction and fear, strong and courageous people stood up against that and ran into the fire and did what had to be done to save people. Many of those heroic men and woman lost their lives, but they will never, ever be forgotten. Their stories live on. And as long as they live on we can remember that while there are those who think we are selfish and spoiled and godless, the history of the American culture and government stands for something. Equality. Freedom. A better life.
We may not always agree amongst ourselves what those three things mean and what they should look like, but that's the price of freedom and that's the joy of living in a nation where I can disagree with you and we can still walk away friends.
Since today is about remembering, and for me finding hope, I bring you U2 and their wonderful song Walk On from their album All That You Can't Leave Behind. Wikipedia has some interesting facts about the song. I encourage you to read them. In the meantime, enjoy the video and please, remember. And if you can, find hope.
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