Grateful for young people with enthusiasm, talent, and open hearts

When Amy was in high school, she attended youth conferences with young people from around the midwest. A few of those young people were musicians willing to bare their feelings and thoughts through the poetry and melody of original songs. My favorite was "Boys are Dumb," which is just so raw with vulnerability it makes my heart ache and smile at the same time.

Two of those young people have continued their musical journey, and are now known (with others) as Cobalt and the Hired Guns. I haven't seen them in person yet, although they've played in Milwaukee ... it's usually past my bedtime!

So I'm grateful I just received an invitation to download two new studio-recorded songs to listen to in the comfort of my own home, in the middle of the day.

They remind me of early John Mayer. They make me smile.

If you like youth, poetry about everyday things and relationships, and the enthusiasm of young people who really want to make a living at what they love, please give them a listen. There are other songs available to hear on their site, as well ... but sadly, not my favorite. I'll have to see if Amy still has the CD ....

Enjoy:

http://www.cobaltandthehiredguns.com/freedownload.html

Grateful for vicarious enjoyment of friends' travels

People I know are traveling this week, to places I will never see, except in the photos they have shared. I'm grateful they are being well cared for, that they are having a wonderful time, and that I can enjoy the images they are sharing with me. Hooray for technology!

News story (with photos) about the sandstorm that hit Riyadh just before they got there

The hotel in Riyadh where they are staying

Travelogue: Chicago to Amsterdam to Rotterdam, to Paris

John works hard to keep the rain out of our house.

John works hard to keep the rain out of our house.
Originally uploaded by shrnmc

Truly grateful.

I've said it before ... and it's still true: there is so much to be grateful for in my life that it almost seems UNgrateful to single out this and that. But in an effort to just keep myself mindful of the big and small wonders I am consistently blessed with ... I'll keep on.

Today, John and I took comforters to a laundromat near work, so I'm grateful such places exist, with machines large enough to take care of our needs in only an hour and a half.




I'm truly enjoying the nuggets of sunshine encapsulated in Clementine oranges and sugar snap peas -- especially in the middle of winter!



Work has been very busy -- and I'm grateful for feeling as if what I do makes a difference.

I so very grateful for the way that John takes care of our finances. It's an ongoing project that is a constant challenge, which he handles with enthusiasm and (I'm ashamed to admit) with little or no assistance from moi.



This is only one of the many reasons I am also most grateful for John in my life.

Watching "Snow White" after the tea party

Watching "Snow White" after the tea party
Originally uploaded by shrnmc

After 5s have had too much fun and worked really hard, it's nice to relax with a movie. Grandparents need the rest, as well! I'm grateful when 5s know their limits and take rest time when they need it.

Clean up

Clean up
Originally uploaded by shrnmc

With 5s, even the work is play!

John and I had a Tea Party with the 5-year-olds

Tea Party with 5-year-olds
Originally uploaded by shrnmc

I'm grateful for the opportunity to play with 5s once in a while. This was our belated celebration for Makenzie's birthday -- using her new tea set.

Icy Streets

I'm grateful that the damage seems, at first glance, to be minor. I'm grateful Amy had the presence of mind to stop the other driver from leaving the scene and collect his vital information, and a commitment to split the cost of repairs. I'm grateful no one was hurt. And I'm grateful that the wave of fear, sadness, and queasy stomach (mine) has passed.

Happy Birthday, Amy!

I am grateful have this beautiful, talented, amazing woman in my life. She certainly keeps me on my toes!

Good morning, birthday girl!



Between work and school, we celebrated with her favorite: ice cream cake.

Amy enjoying her birthday dessertS

Amy enjoying her birthday dessertS
Originally uploaded by shrnmc

Happy birthday, Amy!

Romantic Dinner

Some of my favorite things today ... working from home and a romantic dinner with my guy.

I'm grateful that I have a job where it's possible to work from home occasionally. Today, this was my office:



Being able to make lunch in my own kitchen, from my own healthy ingredients, was pretty sweet, as well:



And finally, a lovely dinner beside the fireplace in a wonderful restaurant with my fabulous husband.

Taking note

I accomplished a LOT today at work, and was honest and forthright about what I needed to get it accomplished, despite a persistent headache and stuffy head.



It's cold enough outside again (we lost 20 degrees or so in the last few days) that I am reminded how fortunate I am to live in an age of central heating, synthetic fleece, and means of transportation that are warm, quick, and comfortable.

Tomorrow I get to work from home, and the best part of that is not having to share restroom facilities with 10,000 college students. Well, that, and the fact that I get to dress in fleece from top to toe, and be cozy in my own home. And get paid for it. Yes. Life is good.

Yesterday, the Chancellor's message was encouraging: not likely to lose our jobs, expect to pay more for retirement and health insurance, and we won't get any raises for the 2009-2011 biennium. But, with any luck, we'll still be employed and that's definitely more than many others can expect.

I'm very happy, together with John. :-)

I'm grateful that my visual mindfulness journal, currently focused almost exclusively on food choice -- but soon to be expanded to other areas of my existence -- is doing good things for me. I'm remembering my vitamins and other supplements more often, I'm able to see at a glance where I need to adjust my food choices, and I'm also able to give myself some much-needed pats on the back! Mindfulness rocks! Now I have to get moving, too. All things in good time.

I'm grateful for the job that made today fly by, and keeps my docket full of important work.

I'm grateful for the wonderful man I married, who fills my life with love and caring and comfort and companionship and ... so much more.

I'm grateful for two daughters who are healthy and stretching themselves to reach their goals -- each on her own path, each outstandingly wonderful in her own ways.

It really seems ungrateful to narrow my focus on a few of the wonderful people and things in my life ... I'm grateful for so much!

Catching up on Gratitudes

Last week, Shannon told us about a series of things that have happened to her. I'm grateful that all of them left her just a little shaken, just a little irritated, and with just a little less in her savings account set aside specifically for car maintenance. The car accident that happened right in front of her, the trials and tribulations of teaching college students, and the flat tire that resulted in purchase of 4 new tires -- all manageable. This is good.

Come to think of it, I have some deep gratitude for things in Amy's life, as well: a boyfriend that appreciated the hand-made deeply-thoughtful gift she gave him; whatever made her look up from her phone in time to run from the SUV that was flying through the air toward her and landed where she could reach out and touch it, but left her without even a piece of broken glass touching her; continued safety on each trip to Kenosha and Racine and Brookfield and everywhere she goes; a friendly home to take care of her dog while she finishes school. These, too, are good.



And the fact that they both love me. And John loves me.



Life is good.

A Little Sadness

I stopped at the local bookseller's on the way home tonight. I didn't buy anything because I was shopping for Valentine's Day, and not for myself. I expected a rack of beautiful, unusual Valentine's cards ... there were none. Or, at least, none *I* could find. I wonder whether it is because they are going out of business at the end of March. No sense getting stock in, under those circumstances, I guess.

You're wondering, I suppose, why I'm writing this here, in my gratitude journal. It's because I'm grateful for the presence the local bookseller has been in our city all these years. I'm grateful that when my children were small, I could take them to see the larger-than-life diorama of Goodnight Moon's "great green room," which surprised and delighted me decades ago when I first encountered it at their old location, and has always brought a smile to my face when I see it.

I told the man behind the counter in the children's section, "I have a question," and realized I was teary. "I have a question," I started again, "but I'm afraid I might cry ..."

"March thirty-first," he said quickly.

"Thank you. But that's not my question." Again, I was surprised by the emotion I was feeling. "I'm wondering what will happen to the Great Green Room." I had to wipe a tear when he told me they didn't know -- they were trying to find someplace for it, but it would cost a fortune to move, and it's very fragile.

I didn't even take a picture of it today. I will another day. And I've had an idea that maybe, someday very soon, I will make a video of the Great Green Room, and recite the words to the beloved bedtime story. Maybe my future grandchildren would like that, someday. But it won't be the same as standing just inside the threshold and seeing for themselves the telephone, and the red balloon, and the picture of ... the man in the moon ... and the three little bears sitting on chairs, and the comb and the brush, and the bowl full of mush, and the little old lady whispering "hush." Goodnight moon. Good-bye, room.

Everything

The challenge of this practice, for me, is not finding 5 things a day to be grateful for. It is focusing on only 5 things, because I am overflowing with gratitude about nearly everything in my life. (I'm honest ... see? "nearly everything" ... realistic, too!)

So, in random order, and with awareness that too many things are not on the list, today I am grateful for ...

- mild winter weather that has melted most of the snow, allows me to wear a jacket instead of a coat, and lets me believe winter will not last forever



- lengthening days -- I wonder what it would be like to live near the equator, where the dramatic shifts do not occur, season to season; sometimes, I think I could go for that; sometimes, I think I am more grateful for abundance when I have had the contrast of scarcity, as well

- companionship and love -- I am so grateful for John in my life, I cannot adequately express it in words

Oh, where can I go from there? Best to leave off basking in the glow of that last one. Aaahhhhh.

February Thaw

It feels like spring!

I've been cleaning all weekend with our new space-age-shaped vacuum (see "Technologies!" post for a photo). I opened windows and aired the place out, the temperatures have been so mild!



John and I took a long walk through Kletzsch Park today. The waterfall is flowing, the ice is melting, and people are out and about.



Kathe was sweeping debris from her beautiful brick driveway, so we stopped to say hello. Gordon came by with Annie and Molly, and we enjoyed a long talk.



I love when the weather is warm enough for people to come out of their houses and visit!

And I love sunshine, long walks, and my sweetie!

Humor is Healthy

(My niece sent this to me ... one of those endless email "forwards" ... but some of them are cute. And they remind me that taking things too seriously is simply not a healthy way to live! Thank you, Shari!)



The Importance of Walking

Walking can add minutes to your life.
This enables you at 85 years old
to spend an additional 5 months in a nursing
home at $7000 per month.

My grandpa started walking
five miles a day when he was 60.
Now he's 97 years old
and we don't know where he is.

I like long walks,
especially when they are taken
by people who annoy me.

The only reason I would take up walking
is so that I could hear heavy breathing again.

I have to walk early in the morning,
before my brain figures out what I'm doing..

I joined a health club last year,
spent about 400 bucks.
Haven't lost a pound.
Apparently you have to go there.

Every time I hear the dirty word 'exercise',
I wash my mouth out with chocolate.

I do have flabby thighs,
but fortunately my stomach covers them.

The advantage of exercising every day
is so when you die, they'll say,
'Well, she looks good doesn't she.'

If you are going to try cross-country skiing,
start with a small country.

I know I got a lot of exercise
the last few years,......
just getting over the hill.

We all get heavier as we get older,
because there's a lot more information in our heads.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

AND

Every time I start thinking too much
about how I look,
I just find a Happy Hour
and by the time I leave,
I look just fine..

Gearing up for Summer Assembly

The brochure arrived in the mail yesterday! The website is up and wonderful! The Planning Council monthly conference call was full of nothing but good news: completed tasks and deadlines either met or postponed with no repercussions.



I am posting here my photos from my visit to the site in November 2007. It's beautiful. I'm not looking forward to the long drive or the hard work, but I am looking forward to the feeling of community and spending a whole week with people I care about, making something happen that can only be described as "magic".



And I realize that, like most things in life, without the hard work and the difficulties that bring people together, the experience of being on the Planning Council would be "flat." I think the degree of emotion is matched in each direction -- I feel as excited about things going well as I felt frustrated when they went less smoothly. And without the challenges, there would have been less opportunity for bonding.

Sigh. Yes, I'm grateful for MUUSA in my life!

Technologies!

So, to be honest, without technology, my current job wouldn't even exist, and the University certainly wouldn't need me to help support instructors in their use of a complicated software application. I am grateful for technology for providing me a pretty good way to make a living. And I truly enjoy almost everything about my job and the people I work with.

But I'm also grateful for technologies because they are fun and useful and exciting.







Facebook lets me keep in touch with people that I would normally not have contact with, except on very rare occasions. Blogs let me express myself here, where I'm not sure anyone is reading ... but ... the important part is that I get to say what's on my mind and in my heart, with the tantalizing knowledge that, at the very least, I know a few people that I care about will wander into this space sometime and get a glimpse inside.

Our laptop allows me to sit comfortably and companionably on the living room sofa near my husband while the television presents its disturbing and/or amusing fare ... and I don't even have to pay attention, because I'm otherwise occupied!

Today, another kind of technology arrived at our door. Its design, I believe, originated in the 1950s, but ours is brand new. It looks "space aged," and it floats on air. I'm looking forward to using it!



Technology ... I guess that makes me some kind of geek, eh?

Oh! Did I mention the technology I'm grateful for that allows me to capture images of my world, my loved ones, and to learn more about myself in the process? Ah, yes ... I'm grateful for my camera and Flickr and Picasa, and ... yeah, all that. :-)

The Importance of a Good Pair of Shoes

I've been intending to let Shannon and Josh know that the gift they gave me some time ago ... which had, originally, looked as if it wouldn't work out ... has become a pretty important part of almost every workday for the last several months. I'm talking about a pair of shoes that they gave me (I think it might have been for Mother's Day last year, but it might have been my birthday last summer). At first, they hurt my foot where the leather rubbed on the ligament above the big toe. Perhaps it's because of the cushion of heavier winter socks -- perhaps it's because I let Shannon wear them a few times ... but they don't hurt anymore! And now they are the shoes that stay at work so I can wear them when I take off my winter boots. They're so comfortable it feels like I'm wearing slippers all day! Thank you so much!

I'm actually grateful, sometimes, for winter. Especially when the cold weather gives us a good excuse for warm, home-made food like oatmeal for breakfast (cranberry-orange with Lingonberry sauce, this morning) and soup for dinner (hearty root vegetables simmered in vegetable broth, seasoned with Penzey's spices, and thickened up with fat-free half-and-half). Mmmmm.

A quiet evening at home with my love, with a contented cat curled up beside me (and not butting me with his hard head!) ... who could ask for anything more?

Good work, good food, good friend

Making progress on a couple of projects at work today -- and confirming that a "fix" for a problem that's been plaguing me for a week (and others for even longer!) actually works -- several things I'm grateful for today!

My tastebuds were pretty pleased today, and some of the things were even good for me! Breakfast of pineapple/raspberry/lemon yogurt oatmeal, lunch of eggplant with marinara sauce and cheese, and um ... Dove ice cream bites for dinner. Okay, two out of three ain't bad.

And, I got to have lunch with my friend Tanya -- a break in the middle of the day that gets me some sunshine, some nutrients, *and* some friendship, all at the same time.



Life is good.

Betty Brinn Children's Museum

Our day was spent at the Betty Brinn Children's Museum with 3 little girls ranging in age from almost-5 to seven-and-a-half-going-on-thirty.



Two of them could have shopped for plastic produce and silk flowers at Sendik's for six more hours.

One of them had the attention span of a gnat for anything except keeping possession of the single orange golf ball at the gravity funnel.

All of them had a great time.

I'm grateful that my foot stopped aching on the way TO the museum (or the day would have been altogether different, for me).

I'm grateful for the presence of youngsters brimming with energy in my life, in small doses.

I'm grateful for refueling in the middle of the day, and for the knowledge that the Betty Brinn allows carry-in food at the picnic tables in the lobby (which will shave $50 off our next outing like this!).

I'm grateful for the beauty of the Calatrava, and the kid-friendly menu that allowed each little girl to have their favorite: hot dog, mac & cheese, peanut butter and jelly.

I'm especially grateful there were two of us to chaperon the three of them -- either of us alone would have been challenged to handle all of them! And I'm grateful for the quiet of our own (childless) house in the aftermath.

The girls fell asleep almost immediately in the back seat on the way home. Weekends are good. They provide both over-stimulation and the time to recover from the fun we've had.

Peace of Mind

Last night, I was honored to lead a group of wonderful women in an activity to celebrate the Winter Solstice ... over a month late, due to snow and ice in December. I am grateful to know each of the women in this group -- some of whom have been meeting periodically for about 14 years! For the time and space to give thanks for the increasing light that makes winter tolerable -- and for good food, good friends, and good conversation ... I am grateful.

Yesterday afternoon, I also had the opportunity to lead a group of young college students in a session to familiarize them with a technology I use everyday at work, and for which they play a key role in the support of students on our campus. There is an energy in interacting with these young people, and a playfulness that is infectious. For all of that, I am grateful.

My friend Rosemary and I had a lovely time in Kohler on Monday. I saw so many interesting things we could do to our house (if we had the time, energy, money, and patience). I know it sounds silly, and I know I'll never spend almost $4k for one like it, but it makes me feel good to know that someone in the world has invented a toilet that has clean lines like this, and would be so easy to keep clean, too.



I'm grateful to be surrounded by beauty everywhere I look.

And, finally, today, I am grateful for the quiet, calm, casual, comfortable, fairly boring life I am blessed to lead. I'm grateful, too, for the peace of mind of having made a decision about whether to disrupt that peaceful lifestyle ... it's a relief just not to be waffling back and forth anymore, wondering whether this or that is "THE right thing" to do. (http://holdingthequestion.blogspot.com/2009/01/holding-our-ground.html)

SUNSHINE!

The sun is streaming into my living room window, and I don't need to go to work, so I can enjoy it for a little while! I don't know why sunshine makes me feel so much better ... scientific evidence says the sun's angle at this time of year is too low to be useful for my body to create vitamin D out of cholesterol. Yet, both physically and emotionally, I find it uplifting. Magic.

I don't know if the sun is too weak, coming in the window at a winter angle, to help the house plants, but I've arranged them so they can catch a few rays this morning, too. I can practically SEE them trying to photosynthesize.....

I get to spend the day with my friend, Rosemary!

I'll save the remaining 2 spots for today's gratitude for the end of the day.

Cheers!

Relaxing Sunday

I'm grateful, today, that what I imagined might be a wet, cold, messy cleanup of water at an apartment with no heat and burst water pipes ended up to be no worse than when my laundry tub overflows. I'm also grateful I don't have to participate in the cleanup of the apartment below the one I saw, or the basement, where I could still hear water after the fire department turned off the main shutoff valve.

My day began very peacefully, with time for me to read back issues of Spirituality & Health magazine.

Amy, John, and I went to see a movie. The outing itself was enough to be grateful for, but the movie itself was so thought-provoking my brain is still mulling it over. (Gran Torino - Clint Eastwood)

Although I'm not feeling very well physically, I'm grateful that tomorrow is a day off so I can feel better by Tuesday.

It's bedtime ...

Sunny, Cold, Cold, Cold Day

Today, I'm grateful I didn't have to go outside at all into the horribly low subzero weather. I'm grateful I submitted my proofreading edits for the summer camp brochure so we can get it out to the campers on time this year. I'm grateful for a warm and toasty house, even if it's because John opened the basement heat vents, which I thought was a bad idea, but I can be wrong sometimes, too.

I'm grateful for interactive games over wifi on the Wii, which allowed us to spend an hour playing Guitar Hero with Shannon and Josh who live 2 hours away. And for the opportunity to play some songs with John in the same room, as well! And for the fun of having Amy come home after her night class and join the band!

Here's my guitar hero:

Warm

The temperatures are plunging tonight, and our home is toasty warm.

School closings mean that the children won't have to be outside in the dangerous cold. I saw a number of children walking to and from school today, and I'm grateful they won't have to do it tomorrow!

Shannon called tonight, and it was fun hearing her talk about the week she and Josh spent babysitting ... and wondering how to avoid some behaviors when they have their own children some day.

Amy gratefully accepted the emergency kit I pulled together for her this evening to keep in her car: warm fleecy blanket, two sets of fleece hats and scarves, a pair of gloves and fleece mittens, warm socks, crackers, caramels, and water. Considering that she travels so far for evening classes, I feel better knowing she has this "just in case." I'm sure she won't ever need it, but it's good to have it in her car.

Overall, life is very, very good. [contented sigh]

Grateful for Abundance

It was exactly midnight when I realized that, although I'd had my camera in my hand several times today, I'd never snapped a picture. sigh. I consider the ones taken minutes after midnight to qualify for my own personal "photo a day for a year" project. If they don't ... I'd have already failed, and I can't give up that quickly!

Abundance is the theme of my gratitude journal entry today ....

Working backwards over the last several days, I'm grateful for

1) an abundance of boots ... they're all mine, and they're all right inside the door, where I shed them after various forays into the winter snow and cold:



2) an abundance of early-morning sunshine, beautifully bursting through the trees on our way to work:















3) the abundance of intergenerational fun that happened as a result of the Guitar Hero wii game being taken out of the box:









4) an abundance of fellowship and goodwill during dinner with our neighbors over the weekend:









5) and last, but not least, the abundance of snow that continues to fall ... which reminds me how grateful I am that winter doesn't last forever.