The Wall

Today, I hit the wall.  Maybe you have been there.  It does not occur often for me, but it occurred today.  At about 4 PM, I found myself so tired it was hard to continue to be productive. I had plenty of tasks to which I could attend, but most of them seemed too demanding and daunting to me. 

I regrouped. I figured out what else I could do, and still be productive, and in fact, prepare for my next day at work. That was actually very productive. I sought some input from my colleagues about scheduling for tomorrow, which was very helpful.

I am not sure why I hit the wall today.  Was it low blood sugar?  Was it mental? Was it whatever?   This does not usually happen to me.

Winding Down

It is a Monday. It was a Monday this morning, and I wanted to stay snuggled in my bed instead of going to work.  I had a good day at work, and was able to accomplish quite a bit. I arrived later than planned, but stayed later than planned.

I did plan to go to the grocery store for a few things on the way home.  I had thought to go to the store situated between the prison and my house.  But, I knew they would not have what I wanted. But, I was not really motivated to go to the yuppie store that was out of my way.  Hmmm.  By habit, I went the way I normally do, so went to the yuppie store, anyway, and got what I really wanted, and some extras (I can not resist.)

Hmm. Now, I am winding down.  I have some reading to do, and some other computer work.  But, tonight, I want to just read.   The computer work will keep for another night.  Texas Tech men's basketball will be on tomorrow night, and that is a good occasion to work on the computer.  I just need to wind down, stay warm, and enjoy the night.

On the Bed

For some reason this weekend, my cats have spent a lot of time on the bed.  It has not been unusual to see two or all three cats laying on the bed.  Not necessarily sleeping, but on the bed.

Sake likes to lay at the foot of the bed. Taki and Haiku like the head. Sometimes, Haiku lays at the foot of the bed, opposite Sake.

Years ago, when I just had Sake and Haiku, they would not be caught on the bed at the same time.

I do not understand. 

I Did It Again

I drove myself and a couple of friends to the Lady Raider basketball game against the University of Texas.  The Lady Raiders won, by the way, 75-71.  After I dropped my friends off, I was driving home and I saw a table of Girl Scout cookies in the front yard of a neighbor's house. Of course, I had to stop and buy some.

The officers at the psychiatric prison where I work will get cookies next week!

Girl Scout Cookies

It is Girl Scout Cookie time.  I do not eat a lot of sweets, although from time to time, I like something sweet, and a cookie fits the bill.

Earlier this week, I saw an announcement in the newspaper that it was Girl Scout Cookie sales time, and they would be at various businesses selling cookies. 

Today, when I left work, there was someone in the parking lot selling Girl Scout Cookies. Although I was in a rush to get a commitment after work, I did take the time to buy a couple of boxes.  That does not sound like much, but during Girl Scout Cookie sales time, I do not pass up an opportunity to buy cookies.

In this day and age, the Girl Scouts set up in front of businesses to sell cookies. I might go to two or three businesses in one day where there are Girl Scouts selling cookies. I stop and buy cookies at each place.

When I was a Girl Scout, we went door to door selling cookies. All of our neighbors were very generous and probably bought more cookies than they needed to buy. I can not repay them.  But I can honor them by purchasing cookies when I can.

What Do I Believe?

I went to a memorial service today.  I had met the deceased, and knew a couple of the family members through professional associations, one family member for more than 30 years. The memorial service was  a most interesting experience.  Many of the family members were bright, smiling and laughing as they talked about the deceased.

In the memorial service,  it was repeated that the deceased did not want people to be sad, but to rejoice at his life, and celebrate.  There was music. And good stories. There was a song with hands held in fellowship.  The celebration was a statement of the man's faith of a life hereafter.

The deceased had told his family he wanted a brass band to play at his memorial service.  We left the chapel to the strains of a brass band playing "When the Saints Go Marching In."  This would be considered unusual for a Bible Belt Church of Christ ceremony. Not so unusual for a funeral in New Orleans!  The family held it together, but you could see the strains of emotion in their faces as they left the chapel. They are such wonderfully brave people. And, they rejoiced in their faith.

So what do I believe? 

I believe that when I die, there will not be a need for a ceremony.  Who will be there? I have no family in Lubbock.  My friends are scattered. My life is celebrated in its living. No need to mark its dying.

I believe that the work I do every day is a testimonial to my belief in mankind.  I believe there are no "throw away" people.  I believe everyone deserves more than one chance.  I believe that some of the worst behaving people have redeeming qualities, and just want some one to reach out to them, so they can change some things in their lives, even if they can not be really good.

I believe, that as a social worker, I plant seeds. I do not expect major or drastic changes in my clients. But I believe that I leave something good behind, after my interaction with a client.

I do not know what the hereafter entails, but I believe that there is a hereafter, and it is an elevation of this life.

I believe that there is a Supreme Being that has molded and created the here and now, and will be present to me in the hereafter.  I do not know how, but I do believe.

Dong the Right Thing, Again

I have written about this before.  I am more and more assured that doing the right thing is so important in our lives.  Even if others do not understand or appreciate it, doing the right thing is important.  I learned had that lesson driven home more than 20 years ago. I did the right thing, and someone I worked with commented that she questioned it, but decided she was glad about it. 

This is so true: in relationships, in politics, in financial matters, in business transactions. In life.

I struggled this week with the appropriateness of an action.  It was a small gesture to acknowledge some one's life situation.  It was not a secret, and in fact was in the newspaper, but not everyone reads the newspaper.  It involved acknowledging a death.  I did what I thought was the right thing.  I received many responses thanking me for informing others.

It was the right thing.

Empty My Brain

It was a full day at work, with lots of paperwork and lots of client contact.  Immediately from work I went to a book discussion group.  The discussion was interesting and lively, but more impact on my brain.

I was able to wind down some, including reading the newspaper which does not have a heavy impact on my brain. I watched a college basketball game, and now have a professional basketball game on.  Finally, my brain is winding down.

Struggling

I participate in the Osher Lifelong Learing Institute http://www.depts.ttu.edu/outreach/ sessions.  Or at least I have recently, including the Reading Circle.  The selection for January was Main Street by Sinclair Lewis.  This is an acclaimed work of fiction. I read it when I was in high school. I read it again, and I had as much difficulty reading it now as I did as a high school student.  I do not understand the point.

I do not think that my intellectual prowess is lacking. I think the book is over rated. Sorry. 

Enthusiams Abounds

I went to a meeting of the Llano Estacado Audubon Society http://www.llanoestacadoaudubon.org/ tonight. I credit my friend, Dixie, for my presence.  Although I am a member, and receive the newsletter, I generally forget to mark the meeting on my calendar, so forget to attend the meetings.  Dixie sent out a reminder this week. Yeah! Dixie! The topics were the Great Backyard Bird Count http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/ and Ebird http://ebird.org/content/ebird/.  Steve Collins, who presented about Ebird is a regional reviewer.

Ebird has been set up in conjunction with several professional/academic organizations to collect birdwatching information from the beginner to the most experienced. The data inputted is used by scientists. It is a way to manage your personal birdwatching list, share birdwatching information, find rare birds in your area, find birding hot spots, share birding hot spots and so much more.

Steve did a wonderful presentation about the many features about Ebird, including how unusual sitings are verified or invalidated.  Steve was obviously very excited and interested in Ebird, but was not so ego invested that he could not accept information and input from others. He was genial and open to the group. It was a great presentation, limited only by time.  His enthusiasm really did abound!

Phil Ochs

For years. I have heard about the folk singer Phil Ochs.  I could never place him in my head. Tonight, I am watching a documentary on Phil Ochs on PBS. As I watch the TV show, I realize I know his songs, his music and his voice.

He was not the commercial hit that others were: as the documentary said, he would go to a benefit vs. a commercial concert.

He was an important folk singer/protester of the 1960s.

Amped

I know better.  I do not consume much caffeine these days.  I was at a meeting this afternoon, and did not want a cold drink.  The place we met did not serve hot tea or herbal tea.  I did not want something cold.   The offered my a glass of brewed tea, without the ice.  It was a comfortable temperature.  It was a LARGE glass, and I drank it all!

As I drove home from the meeting, I could feel it: my heart beat has quickened, I have the shakes and a headache.  CAFFEINE! 

Oh well, I will not sleep well tonight.

Bagpipe Music

I love bagpipe music.  Of course, there is the ever haunting Amazing Grace.  http://en.dilandau.eu/download_music/amazing-grace-bagpipes-1.html Not the link for the CD I bought, but from the movie Braveheart.

In one of my favorite movies, The Longest Day, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056197/, one division of troops who land have a bagpipe player with them.  The leader barks out what song to play, and the bagpipe player marches steadfastly ahead of the troops, playing as if there were no shots being fired at him and his men.  The music he plays is strident and moving.  They safely make it to their rendezvous point.

I bought a CD, The Spirit of the Glen  http://www.myspace.com/spiritoftheglen (you can go to Rhapsody and buy the CD online and down load it.) and the music on it is haunting and melodic. Not as strident.  But just as stirring in a different sort of way.

I just really like bagpipe music.  I do not walk around the park in my neighborhood now, but years ago, when I did, sometimes, there would be a fellow out there, practicing the bagpipe.  Wonderful!

Mass Mailings

When I was in high school, my younger sister and myself, along with some other teenagers in our parish, helped a parish priest do a 500 plus piece mailing to the diocesan priests' senate. We learned from him and by trial and error how to organize a stuffing, sealing and mailing operation.

The information has stayed with me, and more than 16 years ago, I was involved in helping to organize mailings of some 3000 pieces for professional workshops. When we assembled to do the mailing part, I was able to "marshall the troops" and help organize so the effort went smoothly.  I did not think anything of it. It was a skill I had learned years ago, and recalled easily.

Now, I do the monthly mailings for the local NASW branch.  Much of it is done on computer, and that was another skill I brought to doing mass mailings: learning to use the computer tools to be most efficient. I have revised the system  a couple of times, as my computer skills have advanced.

But, we have a lot of snail mail addresses only for social workers and for the monthly meetings and a couple of other times a year, we need to contact them.  A colleague and I have been doing this regularly, and pretty much have it down to a system.

Tonight, I had to work on a mailing for an NASW annual event.  Most of it could be done by email, but again, some of our members have not furnished their email addresses to us, or do not have email.  So, I had to do some printing of addresses on envelopes.  It did not take that long.

My colleagues frequently thank me for the work that I do, and that is gratifying. But I like playing on the computer, and I do not think of it as work.  Sometimes, it is time consuming. But I enjoy it. I think my colleagues give me more credit than I deserve, because organizing mailings is not that hard.  

Being Brave

I do not do well in confrontational situations: I do not think quickly,  I get excited and stop thinking clearly, I am not quick with a ready retort.

I spend a long time hashing over most decisions. I am slow to decide, but when I decide, I am decisive in my actions.  Sometimes, I do not realize I am working on a decision. It lies in the background of my brain, and I review it over and over, but am not ready to act on it or make a decision.

Because I am so slow and dense, when I am confronted with a situation that requires a brave decision, I am not brave.  It is not that I do not want to do the right thing, it is that I can not think quickly enough what the right thing is. 

So, I feel like a coward.  I do not want to be a coward.  I just can not think that swiftly.

The Sound of Music

I love the movie The Sound of Music.  It is one of my favorites. When I was in junior high, I remember reading a book about the Von Trappe family singers. I do not recall the name of the book, but it was a great story.  I grew up in New England, and wanted to get to Stowe, Vermont to see the Von Trappe family lodge http://www.trappfamily.com/, but it never happened.

Some years ago, I was introduced to the original broadway cast recording of the music of the musical.  I actually like it better than the movie sound track.  There are several songs on the broadway cast recording that did not appear in the movie, that actually provide strong political and social statements: How Can Love Survive; No Way to Stop It; An Ordinary Couple. 

The songs How Can Love Survive and An Ordinary Couple discourse the fact that the Baroness and the Captain are financially wealthy and privileged and expect that their privileged life will give them grace and ease. It gives the listener a larger understanding of why this family's escape from Austria was so imperious.

No Way to Stop It is about the fact that there is a sense of not being able to stop the Nazi regime. It is a very strong contrast between the Captain's desire not to be subjugated to the Nazis and the Baroness' desire to just fit in.

Until I heard the original Broadway cast recording of the music of the musical, I did not understand how strong the political statement of this musical was.  It is unfortunate that the move watered this down, but what makes movies commercially successful, especially in 1965 , is what it is.

Cat Concerns

Sake seems to be losing weight.  She does not act ill. And, a trip to the veterinarian would be counterproductive: the vet would not be able to really examine her.  I have also noticed she is more hesitant in her jumps, and has not succeeded in many over the past 10 months or so.  My estimate is that she was born in mid-July of 2001, so she is 10 and a half years old.  Not old for a cat, but no spring chicken, either. 

She is not especially fond of sitting in the computer room, and never has been.  When I rescued Taki, I took a small basket that was in a corner on the floor of the living room, (already covered with towels) and used it for Taki's bed.  It was a basket that Sake used on rare occasion, and Haiku on even rarer occasion used it.

Haiku likes to sit in the computer room.  She sleeps on the chairs, and I often play "musical chairs." She usually chooses the chair in front of the desk, so I will move that chair, with Haiku in it, out of the way, and put another chair in front of the computer. However, if I have a lot of work to do on the computer, I use the good office chair, and if she is in it, make her move to the folding chair. When I first got Haiku, I used the computer room as her sanctuary when I was not home, until I felt she and Sake could cohabit. 

When Taki was little, once again, I used the computer room as her safe place, until I felt she could be with the other two cats.  So, it stands to reason both she and Haiku are comfortable in the computer room.  And, Sake does not like the computer room because when I am on the computer, I am not petting her or paying attention to her.   She often comes to the door of the computer room, sits and cries, and all she really wants is for me to sit in the living room.

In the last couple of weeks, Sake has started sleeping in the basket bed that Taki had used.  Not for long, but more and more frequently, when I am in the computer room.  Whether or not Haiku and Taki are in the computer room. Tonight, all three girls were in the computer room. 

I am having trouble teaching Taki not to get on the keyboard.  But I really enjoy having all three girls with me in the computer room.

Oops!

I made the same mistake twice, yesterday:  I thought I had hibernated the computer before I went to run errands, but when I returned home, it was on.   That was not too bad, I was only gone about 2 or 3 hours.

I thought I hibernated the computer last night.  I almost got on it this morning, but was running a little late, and decided not to take the 3-5 minutes it would involve to check things.  Mistake!  I did not hibernate the computer last night, and it was running all day today.  It is a waste of electricity. Fortunately the computer did not overheat and have an problem that way.   The worst result, minor, was that my emails were downloading to my computer, and I could not check my personal email at work today.  Minor.

Reading Music

I have recently embarked upon buying some music CDs.  I like easy listening, old cowboy music, and musicals, but not necessarily in that order.  I have some other quirky preferences:  The Ultimate Bolero , for example.  I love John Phillip Sousa, and have a CD of his marches. I recently added to my collection with a CD of bagpipe music and one of Gregorian chants, as well as a mixture of classical selections. 

All of this music is good to play when I am reading.  When I am reading a book that I really, really enjoy, I do not care if the TV is on, the radio is blaring or what CD or DVD might be playing. But, when I have a book that I struggle with, it helps me to have some reading music.  I guess it calms me, helps me to "multi-task" and not feel I am wasting my time with a bad book. 

There was a time in my life when I felt once I started a book, I had to finish it.  I will tell you, though, that my hometown librarian kindly recommended Greyfriar's Bobby, because she knew my dog, Wimpy and I were devoted. He would actually walk into the library with me, and of course, at that time, I had to tell him to wait outside.  Greyfriar's Bobby  was a mistake.  I could not finish the book, and cried through what I did read of it. Wimpy died in February of 1970.

I guess, after that, I did not start a book without finishing it until most recently (2005).  I have since started several and not finished them.  It is a freeing feeling to be able to do so.  I belong to a couple of book clubs, and many of the attendees talk about that: how years ago, they felt they had to finish a book if they started it, but they no longer feel that way.

Where does that sense of obligation to finish a book come from?  I do not know.  I only know that I used to have it, but no longer do.

Unstructured Sunday

I think I am very much like a lot of people.  If I have an endless expanse of time in front of me, it is easy to procrastinate.  Sometimes, when I have Monday off, it is easy to procrastinate on Sunday and not get chores done because I have Monday for a back up.  I did not do that this weekend. Even so, my Sunday felt very loose and unstructured, because I knew I did have Monday to complete things.

So, Monday, I did the things I had planned for my Monday.  But Sunday still felt very unstructured.  Can you relate?

Feeling Empty

It has been a good day.  A full, and productive day, and I still have some projects to work on tonight. Projects that will hold my interest.

I went to the Lady Raider basketball game this afternoon.  It was a close game, and they lost by one point.  There were so many times in the game that they could have scored that one point.

I felt empty after the loss.  I can not imagine what the team feels like.

Delaying Purchases

I am quick to purchase something for the cats, if they need it.  I do not deny myself anything, but often mull over purchases for me.  I have recently noticed that the bag I use was getting frayed. Not too bad, but noticeable.

I had decided I could wait to replace it.  However, I was unloading articles out of the car last night, and as I closed the door, I closed it on a plastic buckle on the strap.  I broke the buckle.  Well, that determined that I needed a replacement, because I like to carry the bag as a shoulder bag.  Replacement made.

Sometimes, I have to do things for myself, even if I do not mean to.

The Programmable Thermostat

It took me years to decide to install a programmable thermostat.  The cost was not that great, and I wonder why I waited so long to install it.   I do not notice much difference in the summer, in my electric bill, as I never kept the house very cold, and still do not. Also, I often open the house in the milder weather, rather than use the air conditioner.  Sometimes, except for July and August, the rest of the South Plains summer evenings are cool enough that I can shut off the air and open the windows. Which is wonderful. Of course, before I bought the replacement windows, that was not possible.

But, in the winter, I notice the difference.  During the day, I have the thermostat set at 65°.  I suspect Haiku thinks that is a little cool, because I would find her under the covers on the waterbed, before I switched to a conventional mattress.  I am not sure what Taki thinks, but she does not seem to mind the colder temperature. Sake likes it a little cooler.  And, sometimes when I am home,  especially if I am not very active, I adjust the thermostat up. 

But during the late night, I leave the temperature down, and have a very warm bed in which to sleep.  Plenty of warm bedding.  Warm and comfortable, to the point of luxurious.  And, the thermostat is set to warm the house so when I have to get up and get ready for the day, it is warm, again.

Having the thermostat set like this, I have noticed a huge difference in my natural gas bill. The first year I had the programmable thermostat, I calculated it paid for itself less about $20.  So, it now is earning a profit for me.  That is a blessing. 

I have to say, if you do not have a programmable thermostat, it is one expense on which you will receive an immediate return.

Doing the Right Thing

Doing the right thing comes in many forms and formats. Sometimes the right thing is not the popular thing nor the easy thing.  Yet, when we take the plunge, we know we have done the right thing.

I was faced with a situation this week in which doing the right thing was not difficult, nor was it costly.  It just felt a little awkward.  I thought about it for a couple of days, and decided I did not care if it was awkward, I could do the right thing.  I am glad I did.

Rumors and Gossip

At work today, some of my coworkers and I were talking, and somehow, my interest in kayaking was addressed.  One of my coworkers commented that another coworker (not present) and I enjoy the same interest. The way the comment was made, it almost sounded as if we went kayaking together.  I acknowledged the shared interest, but was quick to point out we have never been kayaking together.  We got a good laugh, as two of the coworkers present admitted they assumed that I had been kayaking with the kayaking coworker.

We all agreed, laughingly, that this is how rumors get started. And, it is true.

Media Fast

One of my coworkers is participating in a media fast.  I understand the concept: not to partake of TV, radio, newspapers or magazines during this time.  I am guessing it also means, no "media" on the internet, or perhaps, no internet (including email?) at all.

While the concept is noble, and supports the opportunity to have more time for self introspection, and communing with God, it can also be a little dangerous.  If there were weather emergencies, for example, someone on a media fast might not know.  If there were other public emergencies, someone on a media fast might not know.

I do not watch much news on TV, although in the past, I did.  But I have a weather radio, I have regular Internet access to 3 newspaper headlines, and stories I am interested in, and I generally watch The Weather Channel  http://www.weather.com/.  I jokingly  tell people I get my news from The Weather Channel.  But that is the truth.  Always in the past, if there was a big event, they commented on it, mostly from the perspective of how the weather impacted the event.  But now, they have regular news features.  So, that tells me I am not the only one who gets news from The Weather Channel.

Flowing Tassles

I have a throw that is made of knitted blocks sewn together. The finishing of this throw included placing long flowing tassels at two of its ends.

I use the throw sometimes when I am on the sofa in the living room, but also when I am sitting at the computer and the room feels too cold. I also use a space heater for those times.

The flowing tassels of this throw feel so elegant. The throw itself keeps me warm, but it is not as warm as some other throws I use.

Into The Hands of God

Recently, I have faced a very difficult situation at work. I had reason to believe my boss might be upset, and the problem was very tenuous.  Today, working on the situation, I believe the situation has resolved itself as best it could.  Not great, because it was a very tough situation, but as best it could.

I left work on Friday in a dither, but decided over the weekend to place the problem in the hands of God. And I believe God took care of the situation.

Brain Noise

The more environmental interference which I experience, the less I am able to think about writing a blog.  So, tonight, I have turned off the TV, and there is silence in the house, except for the sound of the cats gamboling and the ambient noises outside and inside the house.

It is so much easier to write, when there is silence. That is why writers go off to some quiet place to write. That is why would be authors who have day time jobs find writing so hard, because they can not shut out the day time when they want to be creative. I wonder how journalists and reporters do it.  Especially reporters who work in a common area with other reporters.

I am blessed tonight. I have some quiet peace.

A Winter Storm Watch

It is 51° degrees out at 3:30 PM today, January 8, 2011.  But we are under a winter storm watch. A watch means conditions are favorable for this even to happen.  The prediction is that the snow will start really early Monday morning. The weather people post the watch early to allow preparation for this weather, which is not common to us.  The first winter storm watch we had for the season did actually materialize into a snow storm, starting early in the morning.  The snow removal services were prepared, and the streets were passable when it came time to go to work.  The early preparation makes a big difference.  The only concern is that some services, and activities cancel based on the watch, and sometimes, the storm just does not materialize, or is not as serious as it could be.  It is a risk and a gamble, but so is weather prediction.  Even though there is good science and really sophisticated electronics assisting with forecasting, it is just a prediction, not a guarantee.

Email reminders

The Lubbock Library http://library.ci.lubbock.tx.us/ has some wonderful features.  One of the newest and best is to send emails to remind about books being past due.  I have finally finished Penhallow by Georgette Heyer, after having had to renew once; I knew it was past due, and plan to turn it in today.  I had check out a DVD: A Bridge to Far, and renewed it once, but I thought turned it in.  Turns out, I did not, and I received a reminder email today.  I am glad I did. I would have not planned to turn it in today!

Thrift Seafood

I was at the supermarket last night, and saw some seafood marked $1 and use or freeze by 1/5/12.   I thought, what the heck, so I purchased it. I thought if it was too bad, I could cook it up and give it to the outside wild cats.

I did cook it tonight, and have sampled some of the shrimp.  It was as good as not for Lubbock, but not fresh caught quality. 

Seafood is very expensive in Lubbock, and I purchase it sparingly.  Hmmm, I am wondering if this might be a strategy to get more seafood at a lower price.

The Cat in the Hat and other Dr. Seuss Books

I love the Dr. Seuss books. I love the stories, the morals of the stories, the literary devices, the wonderful characters and the fun and frolic as well as the meanings and messages.  When we were children, my mother would read them to us, and later, we would read them to ourselves.  They are classics.

I did not know until well into my adulthood, that Dr Seuss (Theordor Seuss Geisel) http://www.seussville.com/#/author called Springfield, Ma. his home town. There is a Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden in his hometown of Springfield, Massachusetts. I have not been there, but I suspect it would be a wonderful place to visit.

I think Dr. Seuss is not just a children's author: I think he had messages about moral situations that all humans, adults as well as children, should  pay attention.

I think we can learn a lot from The Cat in the Hat, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, and Horton Hears a Who among others.

Deadlines

I dislike working up against a deadline. I do not mind having a deadline imposed, but I want enough notice so that I do not have to work up against a deadline. I do not like the feeling of stress and pressure that creates.

That is not true of many people, and for some people, working against a deadline is what is required to motivated them to perform. Some people even think that by working against a deadline, their adrenaline flows due to the stress, and they perform better.

There are other people who are so not disturbed by deadlines that if they miss a deadline, it does not change their feeling or reaction. I do not understand this, either. I feel I should be dependable, reliable, and make what commitments I incur.

Each of us has a different style. There is nothing wrong with that, and in fact, it is probably very important for survival that we all have different styles.  The important part of this is to recognize, acknowledge, and accept that we each have different styles about deadlines.

Sunrise, Sunset

West Texas has some of the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets in the world. I love to watch the sunrises and sunsets.  It seems that I rarely have a camera available when I see a sunrise, but over the years I have taken multiple pictures of West Texas sunsets. I have several enlarged and hanging on my walls. 

The other day, from my back yard, there was a spectacular sunset, and I took a picture.  Maybe, when I get the photograph printed, I can scan it and attach it to this entry.

The All Lubbock High School Marching Band

I have written before about the All Lubbock High School Marching Band appearing in the 2012 New Years Day Rose Bowl Parade. I watched the parade, to see the band and to scope out the other participants.  Not one was bad.  I will say that when the All Lubbock High School Marching Band was on TV, they received very good coverage.  The announcers did not appear to be knowledgeable about Texas: the announcer said they were from East Texas.  Also, they named the high schools, and I heard Monetery, Estacado and Coronado, but not Lubbock High, although they could have said that and I missed it.

The local television channel that announced the parade, KTLA, http://www.ktla.com/entertainment/roseparade/bandvoting/ktla-roseparade2012-bandpoll-voting,0,1245.poll posted video of the parade, including the bands.  They also sponsored a poll, and I voted.  It was interesting to me that the All Lubbock High School Marching Band received 43%, second only to the Siloam Springs High School, at 44%.  Go All Lubbock High School Marching Band!

Disconnected

I watched a 3 hour DVD tonight. I took a break about half way through, to feed cats and do some chores. Sometimes, when I am watching DVDs or videos, I feel disconnected.  I guess if I am watching TV, and something serious happens in the world, at the very least, a cable channel will have a scroll on the bottom. That is not true, of course, but I have a sense it might happen.

I do not watch the news, although I get the Lubbock Avalanche Journal and read several newspaper headlines on line. I get most of my news from The Weather Channel http://www.weather.com/ . 

I do not want to watch the news, but I do not want to be isolated or disconnected from the world.

Deli Sliced Meat

I am over indulgent when feeding the cats.  Sake and Taki like deli sliced meats, specifically turkey, and Sake likes ham.  This past week, I miscalculated, and ran out of turkey.  I stopped at the store on the way home from work, not the store I usually shop, and shopped for deli sliced turkey. 

Sake is very particular about this meat: she likes Land O' Frost Premium Oven Roasted Turkey http://www.landofrost.com/index.php the best.  She will also eat their Natural Hickory Smoked Ham.  When I stopped at the store the other day, they did not have Oven Roasted Turkey.  They did have Deli Shaved Oven Roasted Turkey.  Sake seems to like that even better that the Premium Oven Roasted Turkey.

I have tried other brands of deli meat. Short of turkey pastrami, which I think is too highly spiced for the cats, Sake does not like other brands.

I know I am too indulgent of the cats. But, it satisfies them.

Cognitive Dissidence

Happy New Year!  It is Sunday, and I have another day off tomorrow for the holiday.  Much of the holiday festivities are actually happening tomorrow, in deference to Sunday.  Which extends the party.

However today, I am having a really difficult time.  I intellectually know that today is Sunday.  But it feels more like Friday or Monday.  I have really struggling with that. It is making me feel really strangely.

Himmmm.

Cold Korean Coat

I purchased a winter coat in the late 1980s.  It was made in Korea.  It is a cloth down filled coat. It has gotten old and worn, and even has paint splatters on it.  But it is warm.  I do not know much about Korea, but I knew even less when I bought the coat than I do now. Much of what I knew was from media: movies or the TV show M*A*S*H*, set in Korea.  I knew it could get cold in Korea.

Since then, I have learned that South Koreans like the mountains, and outdoor activities such as hiking. It stands to reason, then, that they can certainly make a very warm coat.  From my experience, they do know how to do that!

Knitting Nightmare

I have been having a lot of trouble on my current knitting project. This morning, I had a knitting nightmare.  It was early morning, and it was time to get up.   I do not remember a lot of my dreams, but that one I do.