Time keeps on slipping, slipping, slipping, into the future...

Time keeps on slipping, slipping, slipping into the future (Fly Like An Eagle, by Steve Miller Band)

Time to look back at 2013 and look forward to 2014

I would say 2013 is the year I was shell-shocked. 

Personally, I’ve been confronted with some (not all) truths about myself. 

While I appreciate the clarity, it hasn’t helped me figure out how best to live my life. 

I still don’t get it. 

I had a breakup in 2012, but it was in 2013 that it took a toll on me.

I feel sad for myself on several levels, but at the same time I know how blessed I am and I’m grateful for this journey.

I like exactly where I’m at.

How can I be sad and happy at the same time for the exact same life circumstance?

Beyond my own life, there’s a lot of craziness in the world.

Strange weather, tornados, typhoons. 

Violence all over the world; Syria, Egypt, Sudan.

NSA spying, race relations.

Government shutdowns, gerrymandered districts, Tea Party conservatives holding us all hostage.

Bombings and mass shootings in schools, malls, and marathons.

The great cultural divide in the US makes for mean and nasty discourse that solves nothing.

Pope Francis has brought a new attitude to the Catholic church that feels like home.

The Royal Family of William, Kate, and George is cute as can be.

Gay marriage is legal in 18 states including my own state of Washington.

There are a lot of smart, good people making the world a wonderful place.

How can I be sad and happy at the same time for the exact same circumstances?

So, that’s the state of my world at the end of 2013. 

For 2014, my watchword is Restraint.

I’ve been self-indulgent in the last year which has led to general laziness and not enough money saved.

I speak too freely to people.  I share too much.  I don’t think people care, and I end up feeling like an idiot when it’s all done. 

So, I want to be restrained this year.

In general, I should think twice before I say or do anything.

Tonight I went to the Garden d’Lights at Bellevue BotanicalGardens.

I had been wishy-washy about going the last couple nights.  I wondered if I’d be the only one in the park  since it’s New Year’s Eve and we had rain earlier in the day.   But, those are the kind of excuses I make that keep me at home.  I decided I don’t have to wait until tomorrow to start being a better person, so off I went.  I was definitely not the only one.  It was beautiful.  It really was a garden.  There were lights in shapes of all kinds of flowers and critters.  They even made a river and waterfall of light.  Really glorious.   The pictures on their website are much better than mine, but I'm not too disappointed in what I was able to capture.  I used the night/landscape setting on my Nikon Coolpix.

Now here is my wish for all of us in the new year:
For 2014 I wish all of us courage, a forgiving heart, joy-filled days, a safe home, plenty of food, curiosity, peace, and the comfort of knowing you are loved.  

A Life

"People ask: 'Why do children or young people die, when they have lived so little?' How do you know that they have lived little? This crude measure of yours is time, but life is not measured in time. This is just the same as to say: 'Why is this saying, this poem, this picture, this piece of music so short, why was it broken off and not drawn out to the size of the longest speech or piece of music, the largest picture?' As the measure of length is inapplicable to the meaning (or greatness) of productions of wisdom or poetry, so—even more evidently—is it inapplicable to life. How do you know what inner growth this soul accomplished in its short span, and what influence it had upon others? Spiritual life cannot be measured by a physical measure." - Leo Tolstoy

Television I Watch - The Sing-Off

I enjoyed The Sing Off this year.
The show only lasted a few episodes and took a couple weeks.  Good choice.  I don't know why, but it doesn't work as well when it lasts too long.  I watched Season 1 in its entirety, I only partially watched Season 2, and didn't watch Season 3 at all.   This season I watched it all again.
Jewel was the new judge this year and I thought she added a lot.  She has musical know-how in her critiques.  Last night she performed what I thought was a stunning version of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas".



This year, I was rooting for Vocal Rush - a group of high school aged kids from the Oakland School of the Performing Arts.  Two of their performances stand out for me...

This is the first song of the first episode - and its why I became a fan.  The song is by a group called Delta Rae, so I'll for sure be purchasing their album based on this song.


And the second was their 'battle' round with another group called "Elements"...

Lots of fun and perfect for the holiday season.  Thanks NBC!

Watching Television

I've always enjoyed watching television.  I can't be snobby about that. 

In the last year I've been spending a lot of time alone, so I watch even more.  

For the sake of eventually looking back at myself during these days, following is a list of what I've been watching this fall television season:

Shows I look forward to watching:  Sunday Night (Amazing Race, The Good Wife, The Mentalist), How I Met Your Mother, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Survivor, Modern Family, Thursday Night (Parks and Recreation, Big Bang Theory, Project Runway, Elementary, Grey's Anatomy, Covert Affairs)

Shows that weren't on this fall, but I'm looking forward to their return:

Doctor Who, Community, The Americans, Orphan Black.  

Shows I like to watch:  Mom, 2 Broke Girls, Major Crimes, New Girl, The Mindy Project, Raising Hope, The Middle, Almost Human, American Ninja Warrior, Hollywood Game Night

Shows I've seen at least once:  Hostages, We Are Men, Castle, The Voice, Marvel's Agents of Shield, Welcome to the Family, Sean Saves the World, The Michael J Fox Show, Back in the Game, The Crazy Ones, The Millers, The Goldbergs, Trophy Wife, Super Fun Night, Ironside, Person of Interest

Shows I meant to try:  Sleepy Hollow, Reign

That's a lot of TV.  And, it's not even all inclusive...I watch the news (KIRO, CBS Morning News, CBS Evening News, and Sunday Morning), I watch repeats of Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, Frasier, and Grey's Anatomy.  I watch The Daily Show and The Colbert Report (when I stay up late), I watch House Hunters International.  

In the next few days I'll consider how I can make best use of my television viewing time.  I don't mind that I watch a lot of television.  I would like to watch less news (repetitive) and make sure I'm really enjoying the shows I do watch.  

It occurs to me...

What I'm really good at is helping people define what they don't want.

It's a gift.


Update 12/24/2013:  I had something specific in mind when I wrote that, but when I read it back the intended sarcasm and self-deprecation is not apparent.  Oh well.

Movies I've Seen - Prometheus

I watched this movie (Netflix DVD) late this afternoon when I should have been doing laundry, picking up the house, packing items up for Goodwill - any number of productive activities.
And yet - I'm not disappointed.
I enjoyed it.

Ridley Scott, director of Alien and Blade Runner, returns to the genre he helped define. With Prometheus, he creates a groundbreaking mythology, in which a team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a thrilling journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race. -- (C) Official Site

There were a few cliche characters (why would you hire a malcontent for your two year voyage?) but they weren't on screen long enough to ruin the show.
On the other hand, the characters I liked weren't on screen long enough either.

The reason this movie appealed to me was because it asked the same questions I like to ask - where did we come from and why were we made?

Expect an 'Aliens' type experience. It all comes full circle, which I appreciated as well...:)

I'm not mentioning any details in case you're home on a gray Sunday afternoon, you feel like immersing yourself in a good story, and you don't want to do your chores...:)  You may decide to watch the movie.

"Who are you going to believe? Me or your lying eyes?

I've always thought that was a funny line from JR Ewing when his wife Sue Ellen walked in on him in bed with another woman on the television show Dallas.  

But, it's more true that not.

In this Slate article we learn that our brain will use context to 'tell us' what we're seeing.  Interesting.

These two squares are the same color!  Put your finger over the area where they meet and you'll see.

That should make all of us pause when we try to say what is true.  

A few more words about Nelson Mandela

Bill Clinton did an interview with George Stephanopoulos on ABC in which he talked about Mandela...

He once told me that he lived on hatred when he went into prison because he was young and he was being abused and he was out there cracking those hard rocks all day and he said after about 11 years he realized that they'd already taken about everything they could take from him except his mind and his heart.  He said I realized that those are things you have to give away and I decided not to give them away.

I thought that was profound on many levels.

• Bringing the hatred with him as he journeyed day to day became a heavy burden for Mandela.  For each of us, we should let the hatred go.
• For many people it seems time in prison allows for a personal reflection on the meaning of life which often leads to spiritual growth, change, and maturity.  That's the best outcome for a prison sentence and I wonder why it happens for some and not others.
• For most of our great spiritual leaders (Jesus, Ghandi, Buddha, et al), they are removed (by choice or not) from the lives they understand and are forced to confront life in its most basic form - which often leads to great spiritual and personal awakening.  And gives them the strength and wisdom to lead.

And...here's an article about the day Mandela was released from 27 years of prison.  

Nelson Mandela 1918 - 2013

An extraordinary life. An extraordinary man.

In my previous post about Nelson Mandela I mentioned a song. I found the song. I don't know if this is the original version, but this is definitely the chorus I remember. "Free Nelson Mandela".  It really sticks in your head - which I remember thinking even back then was a very good way to get people to remember his name.

A tribute to Nelson Mandela by Desmond Tutu

Well what do you know about that?

1. vickster

A woman full of charm and wit, she makes a great friend and a wonderful partner, and she thinks personalised shoes are chavvy!!

She totally rocks shes a prime example of vickster

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amazing trustworthy funny beautiful gaffers 
by gaffers February 16, 2012 add a video

7 up, 2 down  

  

From The Urban Dictionary

Chavvy - also from the Urban Dictionary - has something to do with branding.  It's considered negative.  Also, I don't have a shoe fetish so I'll ascribe only the first part of the definition to this Vickster!  Yay! :)

If I can do it, you can do it too

Maria Kang posted this picture of herself on Facebook.
She received a number of negative responses as described in this Yahoo article

“I wanted to inspire people,” she explains, adding that the “What’s your excuse?” part was simply a borrowed, popular phrase that’s been used in various “fitspiration” campaigns. “I wanted to say, ‘I know you think you don’t have time if you have kids. But if I can do it, you can do it, too.’” 

***

"If I can do it, you can do it too."
In other words, you and I are exactly alike in body, mind, and spirit.  We value the same things and have the same physical abilities.  Since I did it - you're a lock to be able to do it.

"If I can do it, you can do it too."
In other words I've awarded myself the award for laziest (or, fill in your own bad habit here) person in the world, so if the laziest person in the world can do it, it will be easy for you.

"If I can do it, you can do it too."
In other words, I've got all these obstacles and I managed to do it.  Your obstacles can't be worse than mine, so you can do what I've done.

Is there any scenario in which "If I can do it, you can do it too" is an okay way to encourage someone.

How about just saying "I support you"