Oh What a Beautiful Day!

I'm Hooked

Trying to find links to the YouTube films that I want has turned me into a TV junkie! Reminds me of my childhood when we would watch anything. TV was new then (three channels), and YES, that dates me. We would spend hours in front of the TV. When I think of the time I've spent in front of the tube in my lifetime---I'm staggered.

I gave up television three years ago. We still have a TV, but use it for movies and shows that come on DVD. No commercials, no clicking through the endless stations of junk. I've been productive, read a lot, had a life.

But I guess that addictions never really go away. They just hide under the surface, waiting for you to release them and become a junkie again. Yep, that's me. The YouTube junkie.

I'll find something to watch, and several other related videos pop up. So I click on one of them, and even more pop up! I spend way too much of my valuable time sitting in front of this computer (with my headphones on) watching...nothing, and everything.

As I said in my statement. Some of it is amazing, some of it is utter drivel, much of it is a complete waste of time. Just like early television. Guess it's come full circle and claimed me. Again.

What a Way to Wake Up!

Saturday morning I'm having a well deserved sleep in. I hear my hubby get up and leave. I breath a sigh of relief that he won't be making any noise, and roll over and go back to sleep. Within 15 minutes my phone rings. It's insistent, so I answer (grumble, grumble) and find hubby on the other end, wondering if I want to drive out to our favorite coffee house to have coffee with him. "NO!" I say rather meanly, "I want to sleep" and I hang up.

Five minutes later the phone rings again. I know who it is without even looking at the caller ID. Sure enough, my husband greets me with, "I think you'll want to come down for this." (Pause) I bite. "What?" "Looks like there is going to be live music this morning. In fact, someone is carrying in a bass just now." Hummmmm, I think. "A bass guitar? or a BASS?" I ask. "A BASS" he answers and hangs up.

I'm awake now. I love to watch people play big stringed instruments. I quickly shower, don fresh clothes and drive to "Brewed Awakenings" our favorite coffee house because they serve Alterra Coffee, out favorite kind.

The band (three guys) are set up just inside the door. I'm hoping that they aren't going to be overly loud, because I have barely begun to wake up. I order coffee (Punch in the Face, one of my particularly favorite blends) and a warm cinnamon roll. I make my way to the table where hubby is sitting, make myself comfortable and within a heartbeat the music has entered my reality and I'm grooving. It's Great!

We stay for two hours! Eventually we get the sofa that has been vacated by two women and a baby that were making too much noise anyway and throughly enjoy the music. We're only 5 feet from the band, so we start making comments and they make comments back. We talk with them through their break and stay for the final set. I've rarely had such a pleasant experience waking up on a Saturday morning.

Later in the week, we get an e-mail from the band. They agreed that we had made THEIR morning!

Building the vocabulary

Persiflag: Good lighthearted talk, banter.
I like new words. Especially if they tickle the tongue when being spoken.

What do you see?

Books I'm Reading

Guess I've been in a non-fiction phase with my reading. It started with reading two books co-written by Lance Armstrong. Then I read one that someone else wrote about him, just to keep the story unbiased. I was totally impressed with what he has accomplished. Since I knew nothing about cycling, very little about battling cancer, and what it takes to live a life that has been changed by celebrity--it was very interesting reading. I highly recommend the books. "It's not about the Bike" "Every Second Counts" "Lance Armstron's War.."

Then, I read John Woods account of leaving Microsoft to change the world. WOW! I'm so impressed with what people with some determination can achieve. And not just achieve, but inspire in others. This book gave me a lot to think about and made me hopeful of the possibilities for all of us to change the world, one book at a time. "Leaving Microsoft to Change the World: An Entrepreneur's Odyssey to Educate the World's Children"

While on vacation in Utah, I read "Between A Rock and a Hard Place" by Aron Ralston. It was the account of the man who had to amputate his hand to survive the hike he was on. What a powerful book that was for vacation reading! He tells a very honest account of his process and it was riveting.

Finally, I read a book suggested by my goddaughter, Emma, called "The Thief Lord". It was entertaining, fun to read and quite surprising at times. We hope to read many books together in the years to come.

So, what have YOU been reading?

Utah Vacation

I'd forgotten how relaxing it is to be on vacation. I didn't think about work for a single second the entire time I was away! That is HUGE for me.

Utah in the Spring is something to see. Especially since Wisconsin had snow storms the first two days I was away. In Utah, the trees were in blossom, the grass was green and the Spring flowers were up: tulips, daffodils, hyacinth---just beautiful. I purposly chose this time of year to go because Thanskgiving Point Gardens were holding their Tulip Festival. It was worth the trip and I hope to see this many more times in years to come.

The highlight of my trip was a visit to Zion National Park with my sister. We had a great time catching up and laughing and just being together. Zion was magnificant, as always. We hiked and relaxed and I reconnected with my Spiritual Center. I certainly didn't want to leave (I never do) and think I have a way to get back on a more permanent basis next year!
Seeing family and friends was restorative. The kids have all grown and are interesting to talk to. The adults provide laughter and shared history and memories. We shared some remarkable meals, conversations and connections.

It was over too soon, but will remain in my memory for months to come.