NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT

I was skimming through the piles on my desk, and I found a quote by John Wooten, that made me stop and think. I have to admit that I don't know who John Wooten is - beyond the fact that he was a basketball legend. I am not a huge sports fan - except I subject myself to the agony of Redskin football every year. So, WHO he was didn't impress me as much as his words did.

He said, "Make each day your masterpiece."

Sounds simple. And, maybe it touched me because tomorrow is my birthday - and I tend to become introspective during this time every year. I think most of us think that our lives "accumulate" - that all our days are adding up to something, and we have lots of time to accomplish the things we were meant to do. We procrastinate, and make excuses, and hypnotize ourselves into thinking we have tomorrow, and tomorrow, and the next day - and so we sleepwalk though life, waiting for "someday" and all the while we are missing opportunities. Self-motivation is difficult, unless we attach importance to "today" - to "now".

Okay. I know this is not a new concept. Shelves of books have been written on the importance of living in the moment. I've probably read most of them. But, what if someone asked me if they could use TODAY as a model to judge my entire life by. I would most certainly say, "Oh no! Today's not one of my better days. Come back in a year or two, and I'm sure I will have a day that can be used to represent my life by then."

"Make each day a masterpiece."

I guess the key to transformation is in the willingness to do little things - but to do them TODAY. It's not an all or nothing game - but a work in progress. A little something here and a little something there is what makes our day - and therefore, our life - great.

Maybe this is the way life is designed - so that you can live each moment as if it is the only moment you're going to have. So, we have to make it count. Each moment - each day - each year.

Tomorrow may be the celebration for my birthday - but I still have a few hours in THIS day to work on a masterpiece.

WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW...HAS IT COME TO THIS?

I am a huge fan of hugs. Always have been. I like to get them - and I like to give them. But, I was strangely bothered by something that I read today in a magazine. It was about the newest craze - Cuddle Parties.

Now, I try to have an open mind - and stay informed on what is happening in the world, but I have to admit this disturbed me. Here are just a few points from the article:

1. Everyone wears pajamas - not flimsy nighties - but comfy pj's. (men and women)
2. You can bring a stuffed animal, or pillow - but no alcohol. (Personally, I think I would have to be plastered to ever agree to go. Come to think of it - they don't say you can't show up drunk - you just can't BYOB.)
3. PJ's have to stay on at all times. (Hmmm....that's a good rule!)
4. You don't have to cuddle anyone at a cuddle party. (I suppose voyeurs and closet peeping Toms are welcome.)
5. You have to ask permission to touch someone - and they have to agree.
6. If you have a question - find your "Cuddle Lifeguard on Duty". (Wonder if they had to fill out an application for that job - and if so - what experience was required?)
7. Be hygienically savvy. (Another good rule, I guess.)

I think it is sad that we have become so impersonal in this culture that we actually have to organize events so that we can experience human touch. Good Grief! It hurts my heart to think that this actually appeals to some people - that someone would be that desperate. If you held such a party - who would you invite? Would they be people you know - or would you just have an "Open House" and anyone who needs a hug could show up? Reminds me of that woman in India who just hugs people - she doesn't talk, or preach - just opens her arms to millions of strangers. I saw a documentary about it - actually, I think I wrote about it in this blog. She has people who wait in line ALL DAY for just one hug.

Oh well - I wonder if she has any designated Cuddle Lifeguards on Duty?

If you want to know more - or if you just want to see if I am making this up - go to: http://www.cuddleparty.com/

Hey - maybe Cuddle Parties are the new Tupperware Parties. I'm not sure that is progress. At Tupperware parties, they gave away free stuff you could take home. Wonder what you can take home from a Cuddle Party? If you're lucky - maybe the Cuddle Lifeguard on Duty will be good-looking and follow you home!

Smile, people!

SOUTHERN WOMEN

Yesterday I enjoyed begin part of the Richmond Times Dispatch "Meet the Authors" booth at the Southern Women's Show. It had been such a dismal and sad week, with the aftermath of the VT shootings - and the busy, noisy, brightly colored atmosphere of the show, was a welcome reminder that life does go on. They were giving away memorial maroon and orange ribbon pins at the door, and it was touching to see women - smiling, laughing, shopping - and still wearing the pins. I always find the strength of women inspirational. We have a way of handling it all, somehow - the sadness, the difficulties, the unexpected trials -and we find strength to move forward - grieving, but living positively at the same time. And, of course - we can always shop!

I met so many nice people - and I was able to get the information about my book into lots of different hands. Always a good thing. Across from my booth was a man selling hematite jewelry. I enjoyed listen to him draw a crowd! He claimed that he was a "church-going man" , a testament to the fact that "he wouldn't lie to them" (okay, I admit, I laughed) - and that "just wearing one of these bracelets had lowered his blood pressure 52 points!" Of course, he was also offering necklaces and earrings and rings - all at a nice price - with claims of curing everything from arthritis, fibromyalgia, and "women's disorders". Entertaining, to say the least. And - he was doing a booming business.

In a booth next to mine was a representative of the subscription department for the Times Dispatch. He had the job of asking everyone if they wanted a free paper. Sigh. I don't think he had one taker the whole time I was there. He was more lonely then the Maytag Repairman. When my shift was over, I asked him if he was having fun yet - he just gave me a weak smile and rolled his eyes.

The Fountain Bookstore had their booth on my other side. These people are so nice! The bookstore is located across the street from the Tobacco Company - and I would love to go in there, but, alas, it is not handicap friendly. But, if you have two good legs, I can't think of a better place to spend an afternoon! They were nice enough to have my book for sale at their booth, and I really appreciated their help.

One final observation - outside the main exhibition hall they were selling SPAM burgers! Actually, there was a HUGE SPAM truck with a loud speaker advertising, like something you would see at the State Fair. The thing is - I didn't know anyone really ate SPAM anymore! And, I certainly didn't know the company actually had a SPAM MOBILE.

Interesting, but strange. You could go in the show, get your nails done, hair-cut, purchase the latest make-up trends, fashion bags - and cure-all hematite jewelry...and then finish off your day with a SPAM burger!

Southern Women! It's true. We've got it going on!

A SAD DAY

"Give us grace and strength to forbear and to persevere...give us courage...and a quiet mind." Robert Louis Stevenson.

There are no words in times like this - times when all we know that is sane and sure in this world is suddenly turned upside down and smashed to pieces. My heart goes out to all the students and parents at Virginia Tech - my heart goes out to all of us, as a nation - for I believe that we are united in our grief...in our despair...in our sense of frightening vulnerability and confusion.

I found this prayer, written by the staff of Kolot - a Jewish study group - after the 9/11 tragedy. It seems appropriate to share with you on this day of sorrow.

Blessed are You, Source of life,

Who helps us to bring Light where there is darkness,

Healing, where there is brokenness,

and peace to all of the earth's inhabitants.

Peace. May we find it somehow.

A NEW WAY TO VIEW THE NEWS

I am reading the most fascinating book. Almost every paragraph elicits some kind of emotional response from me. I have to resist the urge every five minutes or so to find someone to read it to.

The book is Why Pandas Do Handstands by Augustus Brown. In my quest to clear my mind from media overload (see previous blog entry) I picked up this book, and found out that perhaps the news networks that I complain about could actually be worse!

Let's consider some of the ways that our animal friends communicate news in their sphere of influence:

Herring communicate by farting. Yes. They produce high-frequency bursts of sound by releasing air from their anuses. Okay - sounds a lot like Bill O'Reilly, I know.

Snakes fart to scare off their enemies. I guess just seeing a snake works for me! I never stick around long enough for it to go into fart mode.

It gets worse.

Crayfish have a quick and effective way of warning each other of danger. At the first sign of a predator, they simply empty their bladders. Okay - I would probably do that, too, if predator approached me.

But - Lobsters carry things a bit further. They communicate by urinating in each other's faces. Sort of a "piss on you" approach. I think I will look a little more closely at them next time I go to Red Lobster. This tidbit of info makes them less appetizing to me.

Anyway, the point of all this is - communication can be messy. I guess all living creatures will go to great lengths to get their point across.

Just one more - Voles are another species that communicate with each other by marking their environment with urine. The difference is - the Vole's urine is visible in ultraviolet light. Hmmmmm. Not sure what that means - but it certainly is interesting.

Maybe that is what my approach should be in regard to the news. Not sure what it means - but it certainly is interesting - maybe it is just a pissing contest between the networks.

EVERYBODY'S TALKING AT ME

I think I am suffering from media overload. Everything sounds like noise to me. You know - blah, blah, blah, Anna Nicole Smith; blah, blah, blah, Don Imus; blah, blah,blah, Rosie; blah, blah, blah, Sanjaya - on and on, ad infinitum.

We seem to be keeping ourselves absorbed in things that really don't matter - or, possibly, if they DO matter, it is only because they appeal to the "lower-side" of our humanity - that part of us that can't resist slowing down and looking at car accidents on the side of the road.

We tune in to Dancing with the Stars to see if Heather Mills' leg will fly off - on American Idol we watch to see how terrible Sanjaya will be. We wait anxiously to find out whose sperm hit the mark and made Dannilynn. We join in condemning Michael Richards, Mel Gibson, and now - Don Imus, for their racist/sexist/hate-filled speech. We sit on the edge of our seats watching Geraldo and blockhead Bill O'Reilly (sorry - personal commentary there) scream at each other about illegal aliens. We hang in there for MONTHS listening to news about the Duke Rape/no-Rape case.

And all the while, more young soldiers die in this stupid war. We argue and argue - politicians raise ridiculous amounts of money - we dance all around the global warming issue - we ignore the third world living situation still prevalent for the Katrina victims - we talk a little bit about the Dafur holocaust with no urgent action taken to end it. Blah, blah, blah. There's no resolution on the horizon for any of these important things.

But - Sanjaya is still singing (or whatever it is he does) - Heather Mills is keeping her leg strapped on - we can unite in hating the latest "stupid speech" offender - and we can finally sleep again, now that we know who the real father of Dannilynn is. Although, now we can obsess over the question of what kind of grandmother Vergie will be!

As a nation, as a planet, we tell ourselves that we are progressive - that we have come a long way - but in truth, it seems like we are no different than the people who filled the Roman Coliseum centuries ago waiting to see the lions gobble up the Christians - or watching the gladiators kill each other.

When will we decide to take the high road, as the saying goes? When will we begin to walk on this path of enlightenment and progress we are so fond of claiming? When will be raise the bar on what we see as entertainment - and even more importantly, what we call newsworthy?

When will we stop allowing ourselves to be distracted from pursuing all that is good, kind, beneficial, and loving?

When will we decide we've had enough - and turn off the noise - choosing to listen only to the things that really matter.

Until we do - blah, blah, blah will lull us to sleep and when we finally wake up, it may be too late to change things.

SOMEONE'S IN THE KITCHEN WITH DINAH - AND IT AIN'T ME!

I hate to cook. Actually - I hate to even be in the kitchen. It isn't like I haven't tried. When I first got married, I was determined to do the "domestic thing" but after months and months of "Mama didn't fix it that way" I decided to let him cook for himself.

Now we have this scary pet food recall, and Marilyn is cooking food for Bizy. She is browning hamburger, and cooking eggs, and adding baby food - and of course, Bizy is dancing around the kitchen in anticipation. The funny thing is, that when the food is actually put before her, she looks at us in disbelief - like maybe she is thinking this must be her last meal.

We hummed along fine with this arrangement for a few days when it suddenly occurred to me, that if for some reason Marilyn is out of town, then the responsibility for cooking for the DOG would fall on me! I began to search for another option.

On Saturday, we drove to the West End and visited a Doggie Boutique where they sell all-natural, organic pet food made in Charlottesville. There is no wheat or wheat gluten. It was pricey but worth it if it worked. When we got back in the van, we saw an older couple pushing a hot pink stroller. My first thought was that it must have been their grandchild. But, it was actually their dog. We may be nuts about our pets, but at least we do not put them in a stroller and wrap them in a baby blanket.

Well - Bizy wouldn't stand for it anyway - hence the name "Bizy"!

The woman who sold us the pet food recommended that we slowly add the new food to the cooked food - steadily increasing the percentage of dog food to cooked food. We did this - and Bizy nosed around in her dish and only ate the cooked food. She is a smart dog.

Over the weekend, we have tricked her into eating a little bit more of the organic stuff, but I still think it will be an uphill battle.

Of course, if Bizy is REALLY a smart dog, she will soon realize that if left up to me - she will have to eat the new food, or starve.

The only good thing about cooking for a dog is that you will never hear it say, "Mama didn't fix it that way!"

SHOW ME THE MONEY

I promised myself that I would simply ignore this ridiculously EARLY presidential campaign. I promised myself - but the news broadcasts make that impossible. I was doing fairly well with my resolve until yesterday, when the news was filled with the financial reports of each candidate.

I will not even waste "blogosphere" space picking out individual candidates regarding my complaint. I will just focus on the entire bunch. It was reported that this batch of "politicians" (that's what they truly are - and not in a good way) have raised 88 Million dollars in just the first quarter of the this year.

88 Million dollars.

Here's a side story from yesterday: In Lancaster, PA - where they had that horrific Amish school shooting 6 months ago - the children finally were able to go back to school. They had a brand new schoolhouse - with increased security - instead of the gravel walkway/parking area, it was paved - the hospital bills were paid - the counseling bills were paid - and the total cost was 4 million dollars.

My point is - look what good 4 million dollars can do.

My next point is - How can politicians raise 88 million dollars in just a few months when it seems impossible to raise enough money to help the Katrina victims?

Just think what 88 million dollars could really do. What if it was used to alleviate hunger in our country? What if it was used in our education system? What if it was used to provide health care for people who cannot afford it? (arrrghh - don't get me started on health care!) And wouldn't it be wonderful if the money could go directly where it is needed most, without all the red tape? Is that possible anymore?

Why do the potential candidates for the presidency NEED 88 million dollars?!

I think if one of them would donate the money they raised and conduct their campaign over the Internet - they could win. At least, I know they would get my vote. I believe just about everyone is getting fed up with political excess - and we should start speaking up about it. We should start speaking up about a lot of things.

It is time for a total overhaul in our political system - in our government - and in our priorities.

88 million dollars. I still can't get over it!