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You have entered my blog. I take no responsibilty for your reaction. ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** MY NEW CAR....WELL IF I HAD THE MONEY TO BUY ONE!!! Thanks Thea!!!! ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** |
| Hey, I went to a first communion for my niece this weekend. They are Catholic and I was thinking "this is going to be long and drawn out" as you know the catholics cerimonies are usually long. Well you all probably know my beliefs by now, but if not, here is some back ground... I was brought up First Lutheran..... The most compelling thing I remember is the minster saying "If you don't go to Sunday school. you are going to hell!" He had his own illusions of Grandor and he was not what I would call a good influence.... Anyway, that was when my mother decided that this guy was crazy and she took us out of sunday school. We still went to church but it was a Baptist church. So I had some different influences. Well so not to get to deep into religion, I have faith and I live my life according to my faith, One thing I believe is you have to practice your faith every day not just Sunday and you can pray anywhere. You don't have to take a trip to the church and have the pastor or minister re-afirm that you are forgiven for the sins of the last 6 days. Alright, I am getting sidetracked. The one thing that always bothered me a bit was that most religions talk about the past.... 2000 years ago.... and preach how you should live your like in accordance to that date so long ago....I would sit there and think, well yea take the events of 2000 years ago as a guidence but apply it to today and show faith today.... people do that but churches don't seem to.... So here we are at this Mass and they start in the normal way, some praying and some singing and then things changed! Dean Paul stands up and brings a chair to the front and sits down. Then he invites all the children to come forward. They all sit down and he starts telling a story about a puzzle. His story telling is impecable and he talks to the kids on their level. He explains things so they can understand. He holds up a puzzle of Jesus's birth. He talks to the children about puzzle pieces. He takes out one piece and says "can anyone tell me what this puzzle is by looking at this piece?" Well no one could. Then he explains, "we are all a piece of a puzzle. we are all different just like all the puzzle pieces are different. But what happens when you put all these different pieces together? They become this beautifull picture." This was an amazing way to make today relative to religious history. He involved the children on their level and made it real to them. So here is an example of religion present tense instead of past tense. SO if that isn't enough, they stop the service and invite 5 boyscouts up front. They discuss the accomplishmnets these particular scouts have made and present them with an award for their accomplishments. The minister discusses with the congregation the relationship and parrallels of the boyscout oath and Cristianity. Again, the church incorporates todays reality with yesterdays scripture. So faith becomes a real thing, something to grasp onto right now today. The church venturing out for the past and interacting with the present. When the service was over, they invited us all in for cake as a celibration of the first communion.. It was a very interesting experience and I left there with an admiration of their procedures. Oh and the singing was kind of gospal so that was quite moving also. I was humming those tunes all day........Oh, one other thing I thought was cool, right when the first communion was done, the Dean told all the kids to stand up on the pew..."thats right!" he said, "Stand on the pew and turn towards the congregation." Then he had all of us all clap with recognition.. But for the kids to be allowed to stand on the pew, a thing that would never be allowed....well I was impressed, because after all isn't it all about the kids?? Ski |
| Well, it was definately a busy weekend. I read a comment from someone about the worst thing they found in their pool after I wrote about worms... It brought to mind what I found last fall. I usually check the pool in the morning before I leave for work. This particular morning as I walked around the house, I was startled a bit.. I heard a wierd noise ... Like small gasping sounds.. I pulled out my flashlight shinned it toward the pool and saw a young skunk swimmning arround. Obviously he had been there a while and was barely keeping its head above water. He was about ready to give up and drown. This was tough, if I left him and he drowned, I feared his purfume would evacutate and contaminate the water. If tried to save him, he would probably spray me.....Well, I got the net with long pole and reached in under him, then gently brought the net up to his feet. The second he felt something solid under his feet, he stopped struggling. I picked up to bring him the same height as the edge of the pool and he walked up onto the patio. He looked tired but could still walk.. He started walking, then stopped, looked back at me, As if to say thank-you. He paused and then walked into the woods..... This was the morning I understood the phrase "Pause and reflect" Something we all shuld do. He was a wild animal and we were common enimies....but I helped him and he understood .. he paused for a second and we had a moment our eyes met and we tipped our hat to each other. We will fight another day.... I now understand that phrase..... We need to take the time to understand ourselves and the people around us.... to really enjoy the wonders of life, we need to take a pause an reflect on the moment..................Ski |
| I feel like an anouncer..Like you don't know it is Friday, right? So I am wondering, I heard that scientist have discovered tha the southern ocean(when I heard this, I racked my brain back to high school...I don't remember a Southern Ocean) anyway they have now decided because of us humans that the Ocean is not absorbing carbon dioxide as adequately as it use to. They said because of global warming the winds have shifted and are stronger or something. So now it is a serious problem. Now, I knew vegitaion (like trees and stuff) suck in carbon dioxide and give off oxygen, but I didn't know the ocean did that. I guess I am confused a bit....the wind is wisping away the carbon dioxide? Hmmmn...I sound so stupid in my mind...I always liked science but I must not have enough brain power because I don't understand this one...I mean the weather patterns of the world through history have changed and evolved drastically...why would we think that would not continue? Enough of that drab I guess. I have been talking about potatoe salad. My mother use to throw all the stuff and mix it all up. It made a yellowish pile of mush that really tasted good...my mother said her secret was paprica? So i liked it...My wife was taught to layer the ingredients so there is lettice, potatoes, eggs and the other junk all layed out. I like it that way too. Problem is I get aksed which I like better. Well ..I don't know! Why do people ask that type of question? Speaking of my mom, she considered herself thrifty (I didn't always agree with her) I was brought up on a hobby farm. (my dad's hobby but us kids were lucky enough to do most of the work) Not that Dad didn't put in effort, but he worked about 65 hours a week so he didn't have much time. Anyway, we didn't have much money so my mom would get creative with the food. She would buy 4 or 5 gallons of milk, slpit it into half gallon lots, then she would mix up instant milk (it was these little white flakes that when mixed with water became milk?) Yea I didn't quite believe it either. SO she would mixe this stuff up and then combine it with the half gallons of milk to"create" gallons. Now she had 8 gallons instead of 4 gallons. She would the freeze them and just pill them out of the freezer as we got low....You can surely understand why I have always hateed milk..it tasted horrible!! Mom has lots of little tricks like that..... powdered eggs! yuck!, Powdered potatoes..yuck, Hamburger helper..I don't know about you but if you by something in a box that is designed to help your meat out.....I don't know? They also had tuna helper, chicken helper...funny, my mom would mix this stuff up put in her "secret" ingredient (paprica!!!) and it was like magic! perfect food. Oh guess how she dressed up her cake.... Her cake was very heavy, kind of like a chocolate pound cake..I never did figure out what she made it out of but it was real heavy... now I didn't have a problem with that cause it actually tasted good. The problem I had was how she handled flavoring the frosting.. She would whip up some vinilla frosting then mix in powdered coolade...yup coolade...it was quite gross..if you want an idea.. get some powdered coolade open the container and poor some in your mouth....Now that is something else she used a lot..never had soda...I really don't like coolade, but then she did mix really thin...She would put it in an ice cube tray with a stick and that was our popcicles! OK... she did have one brainstorm...Us kids all loved peanutbutter cups, so she would mix peanut butter in her vinilla frosting and put it on her heavy chocolate pound cate and ...Wow! that was good..... my still makes that for me and the kids...of couse she uses regular cake....I don't think anyone can figure out how my mom's cake gets so heavy, but I am sure it has something to do with some kind of powder. Well....I have been rambling HUH? So what do you think....layered or mixed? Ski |
| You know, I get up at 3:30, take a shower, get dressed and show up here by 4:15 (or so) every day. I see people cringing, their mouths dropping open..... What..no way they would roll their butts out of bed that early! Why do I do it? I blame it on my job...But actually I like getting up early. The first two hours in the morning are when I have no interucptions. I come in that early to get on top of the events of yesterday and the needs of today. No one interferes, no one asks for a piece of my time. I feel selfish, but this is my time, I decide what I am going to do. I am sitting at my desk, My huge piles of paper work screaming to overcome my life and I push it to the side as I punch these keys with my flowing thoughts.No one makes me do it....I want it. I have big responsibilities in my life and at my job. So many people stand up to make notice that they need something from me.....they all have a need to fill and I am the filler- guy. I make things happen, I solve their problems, I give them support and then I take the heat as they fail to negotiate their lives when I let go of their hand and give them the opourtunity to stand on their own. Oh, don't cry for me...I am the person that I have allowed them to make me. I am their rock because it is my nature...As I grew up and was just a young lad, my family depended on me to be there. Things got done, I was always on time and available. Like that commercial, "get mikey to try it he hates everything..but he liked the lfe cerial..... Well with me it was "ask kevin, he will help you" Oops, I mean Ski.......oh well you all knew that anyway, right? So I would get up real early in the morning to have my time.I would do my homework, read some, just sit quiety and enjoy nature...the thunder storm, the wailing wind, the blowing snow. We had a heat duct on the floor in the kitchen and I would sit there on a cold morning and enjoy the heat blowing on me while the world around me woke up. Yes morning was the peaceful time of my day... my life. So what am I leading up to? Well this site is similar to the heat duct, I come here and my unconditional friends only expect me to just sit here quietly and be me. They have no requirements for me. They don't provide me with a list of things they need from me or need me to do. They only want me to write some stuff.. and they enjoy what I have to offer with no strings attached.....This is the first time I have had friends that didn't "want" something from me. It is calming to sit here and punch the keys what ever way I want..I don't have an agenda...nope, what ever I want, I can do. My friends here accept what ever I decide to give. You are my meditation, the calm before the storm, I enjoy you all and thank you for letting me be me...... yup just plain oh me....no judgements...Hey, Thanks....Ski |
| No not that.... Get those thoughts out of your mind! I like Wednesday because it rings the bell of the down hill run toward the weekend. Yup if I don't count today then there are only 2 more days till the weekend. Them damn weekends disolve when Saturday morning hits...... I think weekends should be three days long. Who decided it was only two anyway? I would like to have a strong talk with them. Sometimes the week doesn't bother me much, I know my job. Even though daily events are unpredictable, I am very good at handling them and I don't get upset often.. (that rock thing we talk about sometimes) So this week seems long. I have a lot going on this weekend so It will not seem restfull. Hey................. ....Oh nothing, I just wanted you to take a breath and get ready for the day. Did it work? Not for me either!! Ski |
| Boy, What a hectic day yesterday. Weathered the problem and blame storm, so was only slapped around a little. I easily stand on my Laurals --- I am like a granite stone when I know I am right and am in the frame of mind to fight this particular battle (I will let some battles slide depending on importance) This battle was one to fight. I stood tall and they backed off, how could they not? I was right and I knew it...... so did they. Doesn't mean everything is perfect, because even when you win the battle, there are casualties. I had a few and the funeral is today. So I will contemplate my position and at the same time do my job well today. I also need to rest up, Track tonite...... got to chase time around the black circle until I am too tired to continue......It is so much fun!!! Honest!! Ski |
| Friday I took a day off for my son's graduation. Of course as Murphy's law prevails, it was not the day to be out of work. I was not here to handle the problems and there was total meltdown. I was called in at 10:00, didn't go until 2:00 as that is when the graduation was over. Got home at 7:00 and it was not a fun time. Blame is a tool that is often used against me and decitions were made by others in my behalf that I would not have made. Of course I am still responsible for the outcome. So This day I will stand tall with my wide shoulders and defend my position. I have been here 13 years, this is not a new thing, so I will survive. SKi |
| Hey, Got up at 7:00.... yea late for me! went for an eight mile run, Great run, weather is 58 degrees, sunny and a little wind.....now I concentrate on Mother type things..... talk tomorrow....SKi |
| What a great run! Down the road from my house there is a dirt road that goes the the reservoir for our town water. It is an old gravel pit and a trail that follows the edge. It is great cross-country run. ran 5 miles, came home stripped down to the spandex (don't look bugz) and went for a swim ----felt great! Well a little cold 62 degrees but very refreshing. Ready for the day now!! Ski |
| morning all, I am not working today, My son has "pinning" today and college graduation tomorroe. I woke up at faive and had the luzury to lay there for 25 minutes and just think a bit. Getting up slow is so nice. So, I rolled out of bed, slapped a hot washcloth on my face far a few seconds to allow the heat to penitrate. Got my running clothes on and now I am redy for an easy 5 miler or so. 56 degrees out this morning......what a great day, I'm off and running (literally!) Ski |
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But, honestly, I take the good with the bad, even when it is really bad. Emotions are a huge, huge part of who we are and sometimes holding them back doesn't allow us to truly experience life.
I don't really know what it takes to be a writer but heck, I like to do it and it seems the more I write the more I like what I write. That, I think is the most important thing about being a writer. 