I’d like to be like that when I grow up

From this morning’s newspaper, life advice from Trudy Strauss.  She’s not rich or famous or on Youtube and I haven’t bothered to google her.  The column (printed in full below the fold) told me all I need to know.   Here’s the gist:

It’s all about being positive. 

Attitude really is everything.

Stay active.

Make good friends.

Try to be tolerant and open-minded.

Happy 93rd birthday, Trudy.   And thank you.

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A day. 21 days. 21 years.

Does it take 21 days to change a habit?

How do we tell our habits from our compulsions, and our compulsions from addictions?

One way to find out is to try to change our behavior - and see what happens.

This week I received the book and purple bracelet I’d ordered from A Complaint Free World.  I’m wearing the bracelet.  The idea is that you move the bracelet from one wrist to the other each time you complain, criticize or gossip.  My goal is to get through a day without moving it from one wrist to the other. 

Last night at dinner I said my goal was to go 21 straight days without moving the bracelet.  This morning I realize that’s the long-term hope, but in fact the goal is to get through one day with it on the same wrist.

The one day goal is doable.  The bigger target consists of making 21 of those days in a row.

I know a little bit about one day, a string of days, an eventual enrichment of years. 

I used to drink too much, and I tried to cut back or quit on  my own.  It didn’t work.  My secret knowledge was that I could not control my drinking, but my life looked pretty good.  I wasn’t broke, unemployed, facing drunk driving charges or living out of my car.  I couldn’t be an alcoholic.

The moment I admitted to another human being that I was, and needed help to deal with it, I felt myself literally supported by strong arms, and a weight lifted from my head and shoulders.  I kept my word and went for help.  It wasn’t an incidental commitment slotted into my busy life, but a commitment that rudely interrupted my work and social life for a good month at first. 

In return, I was able to hold on to the gift of sobriety.  Went to a lot of meetings in a lot of different rooms, met a lot of new people, and learned a lot.  Including that I can do a difficult thing for a day if doing it forever sounds too long, or for ten minutes if doing it for a day sounds too long.

I haven’t had a drink since that conversation, that moment of admission which summoned something like angels’ wings to hold and comfort me.

It happened on March 9.  Twenty-one years ago today.

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Why they do what they do

This is worth your time to read.

Just don’t blame me if your monitor starts looking a little blurry there at the end.

HT to Ambulance Driver for the link.

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The strongest thing in the world

Is love. 

Happy 25th anniversary, George and David.

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December tunes

The last day of November, and it’s sunny and cold here today.  

November is a tiring month for me, and I’m always glad when the 29th is over.  Although the sharp grief is past, I can’t forget it’s the date when my dad died – much too young – suddenly, after a heart attack.  Many years ago.  Sometimes when I think about those days it feels like a few lifetimes ago.

I’m looking forward to December.  I’m not real big on some of the hoo-hah that goes on in the name of Christmas.  But I enjoy seeing (other peoples’) decorations, even the tacky garish ones. 

And I like a lot of Christmas music. 

Allow me to highly recommend some:

Cindy Horstman’s two CDs:  Christmas Harp and Christmas Harp 2.   Utterly beautiful solo jazz harp.  I’ve had these CDs for years and have never tired of listening to them.  I’ve given more than a dozen of them as gifts.  Right now I’m importing them into my iTunes library so I can take them with me on my iPod. 

Baroque at Christmas.  “We were going to do Brahms or Beethoven for Christmas, but we’re BAROQUE!” – Scarlet Rivera & Tommy Eyre with The Newport Chamber Orchestra.   I found it in a bargain bin somewhere; it’s a fine companion for the season.   Traditional Christmas carols alternate with less obviously “Christmas” music, in a satisfying combination.  

Winterlude - Instrumentals for a Contemplative Christmas.  One of a series, I think.  Another bargain bin find, certainly not elevator music but very good quiet-times listening.

And any CD  you can find with the original rendition of Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.  And rousing choral versions of Joy to the World, Hark! the Herald Angels Sing, and the Hallelujah Chorus.  Although probably not all on the same CD.

Wishing you all the joys – contemplative, heartwarming, and just plain silly – of the season.

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What would Jesus give?

Denver Post editorial writer Bob Ewegen is my favorite Republican newspaper columnist.  Who, I’m sure, the people in charge of the GOP these days wish would just die.  Because he’s rational, compassionate, smart, and can think for himself.   His column today is posted in whole below the fold in case the link doesn’t work. 

Having bought nothing yesterday, I’m happy to read this:

For years, I’ve cringed at the pagan festival of Greedmas, which kicked into high gear yesterday as “Black Friday” lured consumers into big box temples to separate them from their cash and max out their credit cards.

A long time ago, this season was known as “Christmas.” But it no longer honors the message of Jesus.

Lest we forget, that message was reported by a far better journalist than me, by the name of Matthew:

For I was hungry and ye gave me meat. I was thirsty and ye gave me drink. I was a stranger and ye took me in. I was naked, and ye clothed me. I was sick, and ye visited me. I was in prison and ye came unto me. Verily, I say unto you, inasmuch as you have done it unto one of these of the least of my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Sadly, the least of our brethren are mostly ignored during Greedmas — they don’t have credit cards

He goes on to suggest donations to World Vision and Heifer International, organizations which work to give people in developing nations the tools to survive and thrive.

Thank you,  Mr. E.

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Networked

 As reported in the Denver Post, this kid has the right idea of networking:

Marisol Tanguma is a little girl with a big heart who understands the power of networking.

On Tuesday, Courtney Tanguma, 4-year-old Marisol’s mother, told the Castle Rock preschooler that the Denver Rescue Mission was in need of donated turkeys to feed homeless people. “I asked her how many turkeys she thought we should buy for the rescue mission,” Courtney remembered.

When Marisol replied 50, her mother laughed and said, “We can’t afford 50 turkeys.”

“Mommy, you know we have lots of friends,” Marisol replied.

It was about noon when she and Marisol began e-mailing friends and relatives asking them to contribute what they could toward “Mari’s great turkey mission.”

By 4 p.m. they had pledges of $445.

Marisol and her mother drove 50 turkeys to the Denver Rescue Mission.

Happy Thanksgiving, Marisol.

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Case dismissed

Jesus Dropped The Charges – The O’Neil Twins

Grainy video but good sound.

One of my all time favorite songs. From the movie Say Amen Somebody.

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Character

It’s what you do when you don’t have to do anything at all, that makes you what you are when it’s too late to do anything about it.

–R.J. Gary, Texas Utilities

Having things to do and places to go this morning, I’ll just post this and run.

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