Fiona

#1 - Completing the journey to visit my friend without the use of a car.  I took the bus downtown, then the Greyhound to her small town in MN, and then walked to her house (it was only a little over a mile).  Today on the way home I did the reverse.

#2 - Wearing the one dress I saved from my mother which fits perfectly and was clearly handmade.  I am not sure by who, my grandma?

#3 - Talking to my friend about a partner that I would have interesting discussions with but who would also make me laugh.  She said since she has young kids the interesting discussions have kind of taken a backseat, but she imagined/hoped they would come back when her kids were a little older.  I later realized I could personally relate to this because it doesn't just happen with partners.  It is often the case for me with my friends with young kids as well.

#4 - When I was walking downtown to my bus to take me home I saw someone I knew and I got an unexpected hug.

#5 - In the media (non-satirical) section of The Onion June 21, 2012 - this quote from musician Fiona Apple.

"It pisses me off to think that we're conditioned to push away bad feelings and to think that anything that's uncomfortable is something to be avoided," she told Pitchfork in a recent interview.  "The worst pain in the world is shame.  I spend a lot of time trying to not do anything bad to anyone, but you can't live your life and not hurt people."

Literary Speed Dating

At lunchtime I emailed a friend - 
"I have been meaning to complain to you all morning I just haven't taken the time to do it yet..."

He replied, "Go ahead! I'm all ears." So that will be gratitude #1.

At least two months ago, I signed up for a speed dating event at the library (scheduled for next Wednesday), but alas I discovered this AM that the event had been cancelled because of a lack of men (I called to find out the reason why).  This sent me into a tailspin of negativity.  Here is a section of the complaint email I eventually wrote -

"I tried EHarmony for a year, I tried regular speed dating a couple times, I’ve tried people suggested by friends, I've tried doing nothing (a lot).  I’ve tried doing things that interest me (and of course still will do that just because I want to), but the library speed dating thing was hopeful.  And not even that I would meet a man I was interested in, but rather just that there was a possibility and that it would be an interesting novel evening regardless."

The first person I told about my disappointment was a co-worker.  After I explained the whole situation she asked what book I would have brought.  For a favorite book I would pick, A Year with Rumi - Coleman Barks or The Prophet -Kahlil Gibran.  She said that was setting a "high bar" which totally depressed me because it is just my favorite books and if they disqualify too many people how will anyone qualify?  But then again, come on.  The Prophet has been in continuous print for nearly 100 years, I am not the only person who loves that book!! (This is will be gratitude #2 - this reminder to myself.)

#3 - Then I emailed a guy friend of mine who was originally interested in the event but I don't think ever signed up - "They cancelled the library speed dating event next Wednesday because they couldn't get enough men!  You were supposed to help me out!  (Obviously you couldn't have saved the event by yourself, but I'm bummed about it.)"  Writing this email made me smile.

#4 - When I told my sister-in-law she acted more disappointed than I was.

#5 - And then there is this poem which came to me while I was listening to a song called Love by Edie Carey. 

Will you just listen to me

Will you tell me to stop when there is no more to hear

Will you just hold me

Will you tell me to stop

When there is no more to be held

Will you just be here

When here is beside me and beneath me and above me

And around

Will you just

Be just

Will you just

Be

451

#1 - Cleaning the windows both outside and inside.

#2 - Discovering how to take out the top half of the back windows (I thought only the bottom half came out.)

#3 - The design on the windows on the back screen door which made for easy removal and cleaning.

#4 - "Companies such as Netflix and Zipcar have fueled what some call the sharing economy." The Story June 12, 2012.   I liked that concept - The Sharing Economy.

 

#5 - 

"In Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury imagined a world where books were illegal
 and if they were found, they were burned.... 

In the world of Fahrenheit 451 books are not valued,
 media is. 
People spend hours lost in the many forms of media, big flat screen televisions and small devices with tiny earplugs, now remember Bradbury wrote this in 1953." 

 Dick Gordon on The Story June 8th, 2012

Like a Man

#1- Adjusting the rhubarb muffin recipe, so they actually look and taste like muffins. (I doubled the recipe but did not quite double the rhubarb, last time they were more like mush).

 #2- I thought I was going to Common Ground meditation center tonight, but I suspect the people I was going with (from where I take yoga), decided to meet and leave earlier than originally planned? If that was the case I'm actually glad I didn't know what time they were leaving because then I would have felt rushed. I had exactly the time I needed to make dinner (even though it appears I missed my planned event).

 #3- I had 9 items waiting for me at the library today so I figured I'd better go pick them up. I was excited about the variety - a couple maps, camping info, a memoir and a piece of fiction, a CD (Like a Man by Adam Cohen), and a DVD.

#4 - The DVD was Letting Go of God by Julia Sweeney. I listened to her 15 minute TED talk and I really enjoyed it. It was the beginning of a longer monologue, which happily the library had. I find it to be insightful and entertaining.

 #5 - I am grateful for people coming over in a couple days which helped motivate me to not just vacuum the rugs in the entry way, but to take them outside and wash the floor beneath them.  I'm not usually excited to clean, but I always feel good after I do it.

Who's Gonna Be the Rep?

Some people don't like to be a part of the political process until close to the election.  However, by that point I feel there is little choice.  Unfortunately our system is dominated by two parties and of the two (I would like to be surprised here), but there is basically only one I have chosen.

However, I'm not always excited about the people chosen by either party and so the more I learn, the more interesting I find it to be in on the process early - to actually help shape the choice of who is on the ballot in the first place.

Each senate district in Minnesota has two state representatives.  The woman who was going to run for re-election as representative in my senate district, unexpectedly withdrew from the race.  The filing deadline for the election is next week so now the party needs to decide what to do.

I went to a meeting about this last night.  It was decided to have an endorsing convention on Sunday.  Since it is such short notice they needed to call the 125 people who are delegates (which was basically anyone that showed up on caucus night in February and was willing) to help make the endorsement decision.

#1 - I was one of five people who volunteered to make these phone calls.  I am grateful to have the time to do this.

#2 - One woman, who is on the school board and who I think is really cool, volunteered to make all 125 phone calls last night.  I am grateful that 4 of us volunteered in addition so she didn't have to do all that.

#3 - These were the easiest "list" of phone calls I've had to make.  Everyone was receptive and interested.

#4 - When I found out this seat was open, one woman came to mind.  She is someone who loves politcal stuff, is really active and I've come to respect both for who she is and for her viewpoints.  I was excited to learn yesterday she had read my mind (and was running).  I sent her a card of encouragement today.

#5 - I sent a letter today to a friend I'd been meaning to write since January, and I trust that now is a better time for her to get it. 

Schefflera

#1 - SCHEFFLERA - I've had a plant for about 25 years that I was given in elementary school and I didn't know what kind it was until today.

 #2 - I sent two emails today I've been meaning to write for a month. They were both to people I don't know well, but that I respect/enjoy. The first were to a couple that used to play on my soccer team. They moved away as one of them is going to school, but said they hoped to come back. The second was to a guy who might be interested in the speed dating at the library event.

 #3 -There are so many things in life that I don't necessarily want to do, but I am always glad I did. Today for example the simple act of getting out of bed, and then also biking to work.  Because I did both of these things I was able to enjoy the beautiful gentle breeze and the air that feels fresh.  One of my sayings is "too much of a good thing is still too much."  It applies almost universally - food, sleep, jogging, socializing, solitude, reading, work, rest...it goes on and on, but the one thing I've come up with that I can't see how there can be too much of is Fresh Air.

#4 - I googled rare Jason Mraz songs and listened to one I haven't heard before - Galaxy.


 #5 - I thought it might be cool to take a picture of the strawberries from below. I didn't put much effort into it and the result isn't so good, but looking at it did make me laugh.

Life isn't Measured

*Just knowing - I took four photos of this flower today. The first two were ok, and when I looked at the third it was clearly the one I wanted to use. No decision required.

*My Dad very somberly said to me today, "Life isn't fair Tammy." I braced for the somber news that was about to come and then he continued very seriously, "A lot of people don't have a job and they give me a raise."

*At 7:17pm tonight the sunlight streaming in my bedroom window onto my orange walls emanated warmth.

*I had a dream last night that I kept thinking, "I need to write this down, I need to write this down." I thought I was having these thoughts after waking up (groggily) from the dream, but when I for sure woke up later I realized maybe I was actually having those thoughts in the dream. Maybe I was dreaming and trying to get myself to write down the dream. All I remember now is that I was at a place full of wood - wooden room, wooden table - cabin like I suppose. And someone (the person seated across the table) told me that I was at a place between earth and heaven. It was an intermediary place.

*Life isn't measured in years it's measured in the excitement of creative devotion you have in your soul and as long as you can express yourself in ways that make you realize something of who you are, you just celebrates that, you keep going. -Ashley Bryan on The Story