Commercial Break

Traveling is like life's little commercial break. At least, it is for me. There is something surreal about jumping on a plane and x number of hours being in a completely different part of the world, and everything about your life at point A seems to stop. It is a very bizarre thing. But sometimes, I really enjoy traveling, because, unlike real commercials which are usually just annoying and loud and trying to push stuff on you that you don't want or need, travel breaks take me out of life. Sometimes, I really need that, and I wish that the travel could just go on and on. Sometimes it's because the moment is just that great. But sometimes, it's because I am just not strong enough for life. In the end, though, the 'commercial break' always ends, and life starts again, whether I am ready or not. And now I am thinking about remotes, and pause and play buttons, which is just mixing analogies, and that is never a good thing. And even if you could fast forward, rewind, pause, or play life, I think it wouldn't make us any happier. I think we'd miss out on a lot. So, I guess I will just settle for life's little commercial breaks instead.

Loneliness

I'm not usually very serious when I post, but I've been learning a lot lately, and I thought it might help to remember and stay positive if I wrote some of the lessons I've been learning. I think loneliness is something most people are familiar with. But over the last few weeks, I have come to realize that loneliness isn't just about absence of people. It is also the absence of presence. I recently lost someone dear to me, who had such a presence in my life, that even when they weren't there, I wasn't lonely, because they were part of my life. Just knowing that they cared about me filled the silence and the empty places. I didn't have to see them or be around them for that to happen. And having lost them, I find the loneliness more lonely than before. Even when I'm around people, and being active, there is a loneliness, because the presence of that person is gone. And the silence and emptiness is deeper, more desolate, than it was before this person came into my life. I never knew that presence could be so powerful, and I am beginning to understand loss on a new level. It isn't a pleasant experience, and I hope that I am good enough to endure it well, and be wiser for it, and most of all I hope that someday, there will be another presence to fill the empty, silent places.

No words necessary

Unconventional

Some days, you just have to eat chocolate pudding for breakfast.

Credits

So, it's a day late, but Happy Thanksgiving!
This post brought to you by:

The Gospel, without which, nothing else would really matter
My family (what would life be without them?!)
The Adventure Buddy (You continually amaze me. 1000 points)
My Consciencee (It's a blast-I love it! 1000 points to you, too)
MM--who has very cool initials, and is a very cool person
Kiwi Banana, whose stinkin' guts I love!
and all my many other friends, who I can't even begin to list here because then no one would want to read this. Although, people do like to see their name in print. I'm pretty darn lucky to have known you all.
Sleep, which is a very beautiful thing and can solve many problems
School (I know, it may sound like I complain about it, but it's part of the student handbook. I really do enjoy school)
Work. I mean, nonstop treasure hunting? Seriously, what a great job!
Seasons
Mountains
Laughter--it makes me happy
Random services
Gravity--never take it for granted.
Breathing (an often overlooked thing, but one we should all be happy about)
Kids, who really make the world a better place. It would be so sad if everyone were adults!
Technology, without which this entire post would be non-existant
Bright sides. They are everywhere.
Books. More specifically good books, which is a discussion for another day.
Indoor plumbing. Do you realize you are in the lucky miniscule minority to have such a great thing?
Milk. Especially chocolate milk.
Furniture (it makes such a difference!)
() and ... I use them excessively. 
Fonts--I really am such a font nerd
The Puddle
Music
Tons of other things, which can generally be summarized by:
Life. Pretty much, it's amazing. One big amazing adventure--how did I get so lucky?
The letters N, T, and the number 17

Oh, yeah!

Over the summer, I helped my nieces and nephews make a birthday cake for their mom. Being the unpracticed cake decorator that I am, I decided to decorate with M&M's. Quick, easy, and kid-friendly, no way you can go wrong there. My favorite part of the whole thing was watching my 2-year old nephew. It went a little like this:
I would give my nephew some M&M's.
He would put them in his mouth.
me: "No, those are for the cake!"
Him: (looking at me with complete sincerity) "Oh, yeah!"
He would then take the M&M's out of his mouth. Very slobbery.
Me: "No, eat those. Put these ones on the cake."
He would then put a couple of M&M's on the cake.
Repeat.
The first thing I would like to point out is that M&M's are great. And sometimes, you should just enjoy the great things in life, rather than sticking them on the cake and waiting for later.

But I would also like to point out that, admittedly, 2-year olds are pretty smart and he had a great thing going. And it seems pretty ridiculous to think that he actually forgot what to do with the M&M's, right? But this week, I've been wondering. Because there are a lot of times when I find myself saying, "Oh, yeah!" to things that are so obvious. Like, life is good, you are awesome, you can do this, it helps to read ALL of the information, sleep is important,  eat your veggies, read your scriptures, say your prayers, it's not the end of the world, BREATHE...things like that. So obvious, yet so easy to forget. And I'm really really grateful for all the people who remind me of those things, and keep handing me M&M's even though there is a really good chance I'm going to eat them instead of put them on the cake.

So, I'm going to leave you with the words of a very wise First Choice: Don't Forget To Be Awesome. Because you are.

Oh, yeah!

Naps: The key to world peace

Today is one of the days of the week where I don't have to be anywhere in the morning, and as always, I slept in. It happens every week: The night before, I swear I'm going to go to bed on time, and get up on time, and get an early start to the day. The next morning, I roll out of bed well after alarms (yes, I use 2) have gone off. And then I enter into this emotional dilemma. On the one hand, I'm always terribly frustrated with myself for falling into the cycle yet AGAIN. (Seriously? Where's the discipline?!) On the other hand, I think that sleep is a beautiful thing, and every extra minute of it I can steal is probably better for me--and the world--in the long run. And even the short run. So how mad should I be that I let my body get what it needs?

Which leads to our discussion for the day: World Peace. I have a theory that if adults took more naps, we would be well on our way to world peace. Think about it. When a young child is tired, they act cranky and mean. And what do good, smart adults do? Put them down for a nap. Problem solved.

When an adult is tired, they act mean and cranky. Sure, they aren't throwing their toy cars at people's heads or hitting and throwing tantrums (how silly would that look?). Instead, they are threatening to launch nuclear weapons. And, silly us, we just assume that they are being a tyrannical dictator and then we impose sanctions or send an army out and invade. We never stop to think that maybe they just need a nap. A kid who is sleep deprived gets sleep. An adult who is sleep deprived gets sent out into the world to make decisions that affect everyone around them. Somewhat illogical, I say.

So, pamper yourself today. Do your part for world peace, and take a nap!

See Jane Run

I really do know how to read. I've been reading for most of my life, and I'm pretty sure that by now, I have hit the magical 10000 hours of expertness.  Yet, I still seem to have this problem, where I somehow overlook important things that I should definitely read, and read thoroughly. Maybe it's impatience, maybe it's laziness, or just being in a hurry (I mean, come on. Sometimes you just have to get to the end of a book to find out what happens, and there's no time for all those little details like adjectives and adverbs and punctuation and descriptive detail, right?). But I think it may be time for me to slow down and pay attention to what I'm reading. Or should be reading.

Case in point: The other day, I went to the archive where I work to do some research for a user who lives in another country. Per standard practice, I left my ID at the front desk. Then two hours later, I packed up my stuff and headed out. I walked all the way down the street (really not that far, but I'm going to be whiny and say I was sleep deprived and starving, and everything is worse under those circumstances), and when I got to the bus stop, I realized I hadn't picked up my ID. Which was kind of a bad thing, because my ID gets me free bus rides. And one should just generally have one's ID, just in case. So, I walked back to the archive and retrieved my ID, and on my way out, I noticed a sign on the door. It said: "Remember to pick up your ID."

Yep. Sometimes it is definitely worth it to pay attention to all that printed material around you. I think I'm going to work on that.

The Cake Fairy: reducing stress and bringing world peace one cake at a time.

People: A tribute

Lately, I have been thinking about how great people are, and so today, I am (finally!) going to share some of the reasons why people are so great. As opposed to, say, trees, or animals, or microwaves, and such. Not that those things aren't wonderful and terrific and full of their own excellent and important qualities. But they aren't people. And here are just a few of the reasons why people are so great, in no particular order:

People are great for giving hugs. Admittedly, some animals are good for hugging. But they aren't very good at hugging back. And, turtles? Fish? Hamsters? Not really huggable. And while there are many tree-huggers out there, and I am a fan of trees, not very comfortable for actual hugging. Or at reciprocating. Hands down, people are the very best for hugging.

People are great for conversation. I have tried many many times to carry on a conversation with various appliances, gadgets, and other inanimate objects. It is never successful. Either they have nothing to say to me, or I'm a terrible conversationalist. My dog (okay, really my brother's dog) is better to talk to, but I still get the sense that she just doesn't find my conversation terribly interesting. It always seems like her mind is somewhere else. Primarily squirrels. But people--people are great for conversation. They talk back. And sure, they aren't always 100% attentive, but they engage. And they really do say the greatest stuff. Love me some conversation with some peeps.

Laughing is another great people attribute. Ever heard your computer laugh? It just doesn't happen. It might show you a video of someone laughing, but that is not the same at all. It is super fun to make people smile and laugh. (Another thing about my computer--it doesn't smile. I bet I could fix that...) Also, animals? Not big laughers, at least not that I've ever heard (Wikipedia disagrees, but honestly, I can't imagine a fish laughing. Maybe laughter doesn't translate across species?), which is really sad, because laughing is great.

People are a lot more fun to do things with, too. Animals are pretty good for that, but it does tend to limit the range of activities you can participate in. (Although, when is a game of "Let's not get eaten by the wild animals" not fun, eh?) Really, though. Computers? Not so great when it comes to going out to dinner. Definitely not planning on taking my microwave to the movies. Trees are such homebodies, it's hard to get them to go anywhere, and plants only ever want to do things when it's sunny. But people are almost always up for adventure, and I love adventures!

I think the best thing about people, though, is loving them and being loved by them. Nothing else on earth loves quite the same way that people do. 

Admittedly, we people are not perfect. But, there are a lot of things that people do really well, and I for one, am a huge fan of people (Doctor Who? Also a fan of people. Which means we must be pretty cool!). The world really wouldn't be as interesting a place without them. And so, thanks to all you awesome people out there. Keep up the good work.

My Summer Vacation

(Emily: Just in case, consider yourself warned).

This summer, I worked at an archive. I separated out a lot of paper, played web archive detective, and acquired some fun, albeit morbidish, stories. And I don't recall a single paper cut.


This summer I read a few books and played some games and got into a little bit of mischief. But only the good kind.

This summer I swam in Lake Michigan, trekked to Canada, got a little wet closer to home, caught me some frogs, and got a kitchen table. It is amazing what a difference kitchen tables make.

This summer, I became the Cake Fairy, a Conscience/Shoulder Angel/Shoulder Devil, editor, and coach. Friends are wonderful things!

This summer, I became part of an adventure team, and I have loved every minute of it. I'm really glad that even though the summer is over, the adventures aren't.

So, it has definitely been a fun-filled and happy summer, and I'm sad to see it come to an end. On the bright side, fall has so many possibilities...

And, an update

I got home from FHE not too long ago, and was moving the couch so the carpet around it could get some air and dry, and lo and behold, I found a frog in my apartment.

I felt kind of mean putting it in a jar to take it outside, especially since he was such a little guy and wasn't really going to escape my hand. But on the bright side, by putting it in the jar, I was able to get a picture.

He has now been safely relocated to the outdoors. At least, the relocation was safe. I don't know how safe the outdoors are. And, I can now add catching a frog with my bare hands to my list of accomplishments.

Welcome to the Puddle--Galoshes available at the door

I like rain. I like watching it. I like walking in it (although, admittedly, lightning is kind of problematic). I like thunder, I like lightning (mostly watching it). Rain is great. What's not to like about it?

Well, ask a stupid question...I found out this week that I'm not such a huge fan of rain indoors. You know the kind of thing. Rains six inches in one night (a delightful display of thunder, lightning, and downpour, I might point out), and runs out of places to go, so the rain decides your apartment would make a great place to hangout. I definitely was not expecting to slosh to my alarm clock to hit snooze on Thursday morning, but what else can you do when your entire apartment is sitting under almost an inch of water?

On the bright side, though:
I got to go puddle jumping in my house. How often does that happen?
I finally decided what to do with all those boxes I've had stashed away, taking up closet space. (There's really only one thing to do with wet cardboard. Recycle).
I finally have good motivation to take things to get dry cleaned. (It was really just my formal, which was long enough to touch the floor and get wet. But if I'm taking one thing to be cleaned, might as well take it all, right?)
I had the brilliant thought to not leave my computer sitting on the floor. (Envision choirs singing here).
I have a great name for my apartment now. (The Puddle. I like it).
I have discovered that humidity really does amazing things for the natural curl in my hair.
It's a really great story to tell.
All I had to do was call the office management, and they dealt with the cleanup, mostly.
It makes that renter's insurance I've been paying for seem totally worth it. (I mean, it was worth it anyway, but still. Now I know how it can come in handy).
Free carpet cleaning. Ish.
I have a greater appreciation for dry feet. (My feet weren't properly dry until roughly 6:20 on Thursday. Bless you, my tevas).
I have great motivation to go do things. Or maybe I should say, a very handy excuse. The logic goes something like this: "I really should hem those pants. But...there's no dry place to try them on, and nowhere to work on them, since everything that was on the floor is on the table at present. So, I might as well go to Rochester with Emily and Sister Dunn." Automatic justification for playing and not getting things done. (Cut me some slack, it's summer and I had a very hibernative winter. I need to play!)
Every day, I get to think about how blessed I am, because even though my apartment flooded, it really wasn't a disaster. I didn't really lose anything of value, and even though I am kind of bored with the dampness of my place, it's drying out, and in a week or two, I won't even remember. I mean, really. What is there to complain about?

That's all for this time. Stay tuned for more from the Puddle.

O Canada

If you are looking for excitement and adventure, then Windsor, Ontario, is the place for you. Only a trip across the Ambassador bridge, this delightful city of 200,000+ and home of the prestigious University of Windsor has all the fun you could ever want.

Visitors to this lovely town will enjoy a nice walk along the Detroit River and get the best view of Detroit that the planet has to offer. One can glimpse the Detroit skyline, as well as enjoying the local cruise lines.

One should always visit the local attractions, and Windsor is no exception. To get a flavor of the local culture, one should definitely take a tour of the local sign exhibits, including the:

the Fill-in-the-Blank collection,

Fill-in-the-Blank collection,

the Riddle-Me-This Collection,

and, of course, the infamous Viciously-Cruel-Fountain-Designer-and-Other-Inhumanities collection.

Model of the Francois Baby House.

Another local cultural attraction one should not miss is the renowned Francois Baby House.  This fine community museum presents the history of the House, such as its role in a planned invasion of Michigan and other areas of the US, and other fascinating exhibits covering the magic community in Windsor, the Windsor Federation of Musicians, and a sampling of miniatures. Also among the museum's offerings is a cabinet of oddities, such as a fine piece of art made entirely of human hair and an actual scalp, among other strangely bizarre artifacts. Children and adults will love the hands-on portion of the museum, and will even have a chance to leave behind a hand of their own. Be sure to swing by the museum's gift shop for some excellent souvenirs for your friends back home.

Naturally, while traveling one must partake of the native cuisine. Canada is no exception and visitors should be sure to try out Pho Xic Lo, one of the finest Vietnamese restaurants Windsor has to offer. Other exotic food selections include a fabulous variety of Cadbury bars, and one should not miss out on the bagged milk.

For the more intellectually minded traveler, you can feast upon the fine body of Canadian-ish literature at the annual Terry Fox Giant Used Book Sale*.

Included in our Windsor package is the supremely successful language course, "Learn to speak Canadian in 3 Words or Less," where you will learn to properly pronounce about and gain the essential knowledge of Canadian grammar, eh.

So sign up for your Windsor Travel Experience today, and take the trip of a lifetime!

(Or, at least the trip of weekend.)

*Note: Books may or may not actually be giant.
Guests to Windsor should note that passports are required to enter the country. Some interrogation and mild torture may occur.
It should be further noted that entry to Windsor is limited to those who can successfully find their way into the country. All maps, compasses and GPS are banned in the attempt to enter. Homing pigeons, however, are allowed. 

The Windsor Travel Guide is brought to you by:
Francois Baby and his house

Bagged Milk
Wonderbars
Vietnam
the Texas DMV
Banana Hands or Death unLTD.
and Canada, which is really big. Eh?

Signs that you are a boardgamer

If you or someone you know exhibit any of the following characteristics, you might have a serious boardgamer on your hands:

1. You never travel without a supply of board games
2. You keep stats on your games
3. Monopoly is not considered a board game
4. Rather than eat at a nice restaurant, you buy board games
5. Your games are usually not sold at Walmart
6. One of the first things you look for in a new town is it's game store
7. The instructions to your board games reads like a Master's Thesis
8. People consult you about which board games to play
9. Your desk is easily identifiable because of the games stashed there
10. You are a self-proclaimed board game evangelist
11. You have hosted or plan to host a board game dinner (and you know what a board game dinner is!)

If you or someone you know display any of these traits, then you are quite likely a boardgamer. In which case, I (though not a board gamer) hope I am invited to your next party.

Photo Shoot

Have you ever tried to take a picture of a two year old? Back in the day when we used film*, this wasn't such a problem, because for all the two-year old knew, you were just looking at him through a box and flashing lights in his face. It didn't make much sense to him--"Geez, what is it with Mom and Dad? Every time they pull out that box, they flash lights in my face. I'm just minding my own business, figuring out this whole walking thing, and they try to sabotage me by blinding me. Weirdos."

But now, things are different. Now, a kid sees a camera and says, "Hey, it's that magic thing with buttons that makes fun pictures show up. Every time they flash that light, there's a cool picture of me in the box. I want to see!!!" So, there's your kid, doing something cute--painting themselves with lotion, licking ice cream off their plate, playing with your sunglasses, sitting at the computer typing away like a grown-up--and you pull out your camera. You know you have to be sneaky, because if they see the camera too soon, they will run towards you to see the picture, which of course doesn't get taken because they moved too soon. You aim, you focus, the pre-flash goes off, and ... "See! See!" You have just taken a beautiful picture of a blurred toddler coming to examine your work.

I recently got some pictures printed and decided to give some of them to my sister, since they were of her kids. As I was flipping through, pulling out the ones that weren't of her family, I had to laugh, because I had several sequences of pictures that went like this: Picture 1--two year-old holding still for the picture; Picture 2: half of two year-old in shot, as he runs towards the camera to see the picture.

But it's not just two-year olds that love to see the picture. My niece, who is 4, and even my 6 year-old nephew (and sometimes the 9 year-old!!!) love to pose for pictures so they can see them. But at least they hold still long enough for you to take the picture.

The kids really liked the printed pictures. Especially the 2-year old. I gave him a picture of himself, and he was enthralled. I don't know if he'd ever seen a printed picture of himself. Viva Old School.


*Film: brown, sensitive to light,had to be loaded into the camera, only allowed 24-36 pictures per roll. You couldn't see the picture until it was developed, and the film came back to you as negatives, from which more pictures could be printed. Familiarity with this method of taking pictures is a great way of determining whether you were born before 2000.

Say What?

This week at work, I came across material relating to zebra mussels. And as I said it out loud, I thought, "This would make a great curse phrase!" You know the type of thing--you forget to buy milk when you are at the store. "Zebra mussels!" You stub your toe. "Zebra mussels!" Someone tells you something absurd. "Oh, zebra mussels." It just rolls off the tongue. And, it is so much catchier than *$!@**#.

It takes a lot of creativity and higher level thinking to come up with witty comebacks to situations that call for words of the four-letter variety. I had a student once, a 4th grader, who favored "Stupid ketchup." You can make that a very expressive phrase. Much more expressive than drat or darn, because you have more to work with, which gives you longer to get the right intonation in there.

A roommate and dear friend invented the phrase, "Peahonker." This alternative to names like idiot, dolt, moron, numbskull, silly billy, etc. also has a certain ring to it. It has the added benefit of adding an element of absurd to any conversation, and it is really hard to be angry or upset when you hear the word peahonker. One of my co-workers, a wonderful lady in the young grandma phase of life, loved the word, but kept forgetting it (admit it, it would be hard to remember if you didn't hear it several times a day in your apartment). She would come up to me and ask, "What was that word again?" "Peahonker?" "Yes!"

There are so many fun and ridiculous sounding words that it is a pity to get stuck in the rut of the usuals. And we could invent so many more! If you need help, I recommend spending time with a 3-4 year old. I once had a name calling contest with my (at the time) three year old nephew. His favorite put down went something along the lines of "You are a spicy hot flamingo eating an ice cream truck." How do you respond to that?

So, be creative. Peruse the dictionary, be creative, keep your ears open, and spend time with some kids. You will soon have a brilliantly witty repertoire of comebacks that will liven any discussion, you malarkical mass of miscible rutabega you.

Zebra Mussels!

Rain, Rain

Today was a wonderful day for rain. The walk from building to car was enough to wash your clothes. It was a perfect day for puddle hopping. Or singing in the rain. Or both. A day for taking a nice long walk in the rain just for the sheer wild nonsense of it all.

Of course, the down side was a flooded hallway outside of my apartment. And a couple of traffic lights going out. But, you know, it's the price you pay for a beautiful deluge.

Happily Ever After, or Why We Love Cinderella

I will confess, I did get sucked into the royal wedding a little bit. In my defense, it was after the fact. A friend mentioned she had watched it and that the hats alone made it worth it, so of course, I had to check out the hats. And then I was just intrigued by the event and the attention it was getting, and I spent some time (and by time, I'm talking an hour or two). I looked at pictures from the wedding, particularly photos of the happy couple, trying to dissect the global fascination with the wedding of these two people that most of the planet will never know personally.

I can't speak for anyone else, but I think what fascinated me about the royal wedding was less the prince/princess aspect and more the happiness aspect. I don't know William or Kate, but from what I have been able to find out about them, they are good, decent people, and they deserve to be happy. Which is not that different from the rest of the world. Most of us are good, decent people who deserve to be happy. I think that is what makes weddings so wonderful, is the potential for happily ever after.

Just to clarify, by happily ever after I do not mean that life is going to be perfect or easy just because a person is married, or that we can't be happy without it. I'm a very single woman, and I have had a happy life. And I know marriage is a challenge. Honestly, "happily" may not be the best word to describe what we mean. But marriage is a different kind of happily ever after, and it's a beautiful one. Also, happily ever after isn't just meant for now. It's meant for beyond this life, and that's a pretty amazing and wonderful thing. I think we all have an intuitive desire for that happily ever after that Heavenly Father has planned for us, and so we love weddings because of that potential. But the more I examined the royal wedding, the more I kept seeing a family, watching someone they loved move forward in a good thing. At the heart of it, the wedding was a very universal event, something we can all relate too. It was just on a bigger stage.

The other thing I discovered is that there is just something cool about the United Kingdom and royalty. I admit, I kind of wish I had a coat of arms. I'm not sure why we have such a fascination with kings and queens, especially since so many of them haven't been very noble. I'm still not sure what it is that is so enticing about royalty, but I couldn't help wishing I was part of it somehow. And then I realized, duh, I am. My ancestry is English, Irish, Scottish, Danish, and German. I had ancestors, and some not that distant, that came from these countries, and so that is my heritage. This has inspired me to learn more about those countries and get to know the history of those countries, because they are part of my history.

So you see, I really haven't become a casualty of the giddy girliness of royal weddingdom. I've been studying family history. Not a bad outcome for a Cinderellaesque story.

A Tribute

Perhaps you have wondered about the odd URL for my blog. Most of you probably have no idea what patikiwaka means. If you aren't wondering about this, then you probably know my dad.

Last year, I spent about 8 months living with my parents and brother. It was a fabulous experience, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I have never woken up laughing as much as I did during that time, and I have my dad to thank for that. Here is a typical morning:

Front door shuts. creaks and thumps of footsteps overhead. Murmured voices as Mom eats breakfast and Dad works on crossword. Suddenly, singing. The words are not recognizable, it appears to be jibberish, in a nasal, false operatic voice. The performance is interspersed with 'humming' of familiar tunes, and a few intelligible phrases, but is, for the most part, nonsensical song and monologue. In spite of its silliness, there is an underlying sense of contentment. I lay in bed enjoying the routine, chuckling to myself. Another day has started off with a grin.

What does this have to do with patikiwaka? Well, that is one of my dad's favorite nonsensical phrases to orate. I got in on the blog scene kind of late, and do you know how hard it is to find a blog address that doesn't involve some kind of number? I know it is kind of a shocker, but patikiwaka wasn't taken.

Is this early onset senility? No. My dad has always dabbled in absurd phrases. Growing up, our favorite was Black-o-gee-gits and Ickie Stewies. Later, he added, "Bleh on your units." In recent years, "My name is Herkimer Snerd. Some people say I'm a nerd," became part of his repertoire. The singing is just the most recent evolution in his act.

You may still have your doubts about my old man's sanity, but let me assure you, he's not crazy. At least no crazier than anyone else. The best way to describe this morning ritual is his way of showing joie de vivre.* And while it was nice that patikiwaka wasn't already taken for a blogspot, it is also very significant to me. It means being happy, enjoying the moment, not worrying, being silly because it's fun, randomness, making it up as you go, and on and on. It seemed an appropriate choice for my blog.

I miss home, and of course I talk to my family on the phone and stuff. But I really really miss waking up laughing.  I wonder if my dad would do a wake up call....

This blog post is brought to you by:
the economy, for getting me back home
Penny, who is also entertaining in the morning
The Idaho State Journal, for getting my dad out of bed in the morning
Silliness, because it's beautiful
the internet, without which I wouldn't be blogging
blogger, for providing me with such a cool blogspot
sleep
the letter p
and the number 17

Lessons Learned Addendum

And one more thing I learned:

Nothing causes a blank mind as efficiently as a blank computer screen.

Lessons learned

 Here are some fun lessons I learned this week:
1. It really does pay to read ALL the words.
Have you ever read something, and thought you knew what you read, only to find out later that you missed a very important piece of information? Yeah. That's happened a couple of times recently.

2. Just put things back where they go.
My apartment complex has laundry cards that you put money on, and then use for the washers and dryers. A couple of weeks ago, I put some money on mine and did a load of laundry. Then, I went to do laundry, and my card was nowhere to be found. So, I paid $20 for a new one.Then I thought I lost my phone charger. Yeah, just didn't put it back where I usually keep it. And I thought I lost my debit card. I found it--not where it belonged. I really don't need the added stress. I should just put things away.

3. Bolivia is trying to get their ocean back.
So, I knew that Bolivia, a landlocked country, has a standing navy because once upon a time they had ocean access. What I didn't know is that they have spent the last 100+ years trying to regain access to the ocean (which they lost in a war with Chile). Now they are trying to get the international powers that be to intervene. Bolivian children, apparently, are raised thinking they have a patriotic duty to fight to get their ocean back. I just don't think I could get that passionate about it. But, kudos to their dedication.

4. Copyright kicks in as soon as you put something on paper.
Therefore, this post is copyrighted. No, seriously. I learned that you don't actually have to apply for a copyright to have copyright on stuff you produce. But it sure does help if you anticipate any legal battles.

5. Cooking is a lot more fun when you have people to share it with.
All week, I have been thinking of things I need to make, and every time I come up with an idea, I think about how long it will last me. When you are only feeding one person, you only have to cook once a week, which means there's a lot of stuff you don't get to try, because there just aren't enough opportunities.  Cooking really is a social endeavor.

6. I have some really great music in my music collection.
I have been listening to all of the music in my itunes library, because I have so much I don't know what I have. I have re-discovered a lot of great songs and really want to watch the Lord of the Rings Trilogy again. Ah, the power of music.

Til next time.

The Good Old Days

So, I got an email this week that was a flashback from my elementary school days, and I just had to share it. Does anyone else remember these? Oh, yes, those were the days.

I just celebrated my birthday, and while I am not old, I feel more and more like I can say, "When I was a kid ..." Such as:
When I was a kid, we had these things called textbooks.
When I was a kid, we had a phone that was connected to the wall.
When I was a kid, we pegged our jeans.
When I was a kid, we had a record player.
When I was a kid, you had to develop film before you could see the picture.
When I was a kid, stamps cost 27 cents.
When I was a kid, we had computer time once a week and played games like Math Man and Oregon Trail.
When I was a kid, we watched Little House on the Prairie, The Muppet Show, and Tom and Jerry after school.
When I was a kid, we started school at 8:30 and finished at 2:30.
When I was a kid, we learned how to write a report in the fifth grade.
When I was a kid, there was no internet.
When I was a kid, if you wanted to read a book, you had to actually have a book.
When I was a kid, gas was less than a dollar a gallon.
When I was a kid, I had a Rainbow Brite doll.
When I was a kid, there were only 3 Star Wars movies.
When I was a kid, we ate homemade bread.
When I was a kid, Michael Jordan still played basketball.
When I was a kid, the Olympics were held every four years.
When I was a kid, maps still showed the USSR.
When I was a kid, we used paper and pencil to do our assignments.
When I was a kid, we still used chalkboards--they didn't even have white boards then.
When I was a kid, I walked five miles to school uphill both ways in the snow, barefoot.

Okay, fine, you got me. I had on a pair of socks.

Next question

So, I have been participating in Alternate Spring Break (what is that, you ask? Well, instead of heading off to play and be lazy, I am volunteering at a library in the area, helping with outreach and whatever else they need), and I have been meeting lots of new people in my field, and the question that keeps arising is, "So, how did you get into this field?" And I have discovered that I am really sick of telling that story.

Don't get me wrong--it's not that I don't like my field, or that I am not glad for the events that got me here. I think it's more the unprofessional approach of it all. I'm surrounded by people who seem much more driven for me, and my story really seems haphazard in comparison. For example, I never worked in a library or archive before, which always begs the question, how did I know it was what I wanted to do? And, how did I pick my university? I read about it on the internet, and was really excited. The first time I set foot on campus was about a week before classes started. I only applied to one school. And don't ask why I am attending an Information School, because I really didn't pay any attention to that until I got here and started hearing all about it.

All of which is quite amusing, but not quite the way you want to present yourself to potential employers and future colleagues, if you know what I'm saying.

Besides, my studies don't really define who I am. It's one aspect of me, but I'm such a novice at what I'm learning about, and I have so many other interests (what do you expect after years of living?!), and maybe that's why I get bored rehashing the story over and over. I would rather talk about my family, Penny the goofy dog, my award winning story (or my non-award-winning-to-date stories), the places I've traveled, things I've read that I'm thinking about, what I'm learning in my classes (I do like to talk about this, but I find that it doesn't inspire the same interest in others that it does in me. Which is okay), and what I believe in.

The truth is, as crazy as my being here seems, it never seemed all that crazy to me. I knew it was the right thing to do because I prayed about it. Not everyone would understand that, sadly. But since this is my blog, I decided to set the story straight, and there you have it, all you readers--at least, reader, and those I hope will read someday.

So, moving on to the next question...if you could do an interview with anyone who ever lived, or is still living, or, just for fun, who may ever live, who would it be, and what questions would you ask?

Newton's First Law

I know, I know, you are thinking "Physics? Really? I'm done with this blog for good." But, before you depart, hear me out.

First, I don't think it is really the entire first law (it's been about thirteen years since I took physics. I could never have a real discussion about Newton's Laws.  Sorry to all the physics people who had such high hopes).
Second, I am really writing about something completely unrelated to physics.
Third, I blame this all on SI 643, in which we have had lengthy discussions on the importance of transfer in learning. This one is dedicated to a terrific professor, Sir Isaac Newton, and Namifiers everywhere. (The terrific professor is not Sir Isaac Newton. That takes me back to good old linguistics and syntax and...never mind.)

To begin with, a very brief and muddled synopsis of the first part Newton's First Law*: Objects in motion tend to stay in motion. Again, not the exact Law, but the part that I remembered the other night, while getting ready for bed, after not having thought about it for 13 years. Cut me some slack.

Now, what does it have to do with anything? Well, the other day I was thinking about what I want in a job, and thinking about how I need to use my time more effectively. I thought about a job I had, where there was always a lot of stuff to do. All day long, it was go, go, go. Then, I had this other job, where there was a lot of downtime. Now, you would think that when I was working the super busy job, I would go home, sit down, and relax, right? WRONG! I would go home, and...BE PRODUCTIVE! When I had the relaxed job, I would go home and...waste a lot of time!

Why is that, you wonder? Because of Newton's First Law. Objects (or people) in motion stay in motion. Objects not in motion stay not in motion...er...you know what I mean. When I am busy at work, I stay busy after work. This is a beautiful thing, especially since I possess minimal quantities of self-discipline in regards to time management and really have to impose discipline by external means. (Another topic altogether). When I am slothful all day, I continue to be slothful all evening.

And you thought physics had no real-life applications. Transfer**, my friends.


*note: the rest of Newton's First Law states that objects will remain in motion/not in motion unless some force is exerted on them. Something like that. That's the basic idea anyway. I highly encourage you to talk to someone who knows more than me, so they can correct all of my misinformation.
**Transfer is basically the idea of applying something we learn in one setting to another setting.

Tis better to give

My six-year old nephew has decided to become a fan of my current alma mater. This despite the fact that his dad has attended 3 different universities and was raised in the town of another one. Well, I found some apparel for my school on sale, and there was a shirt just his size. I was headed to his house that day, which was terrific, because I was dying to give him his surprise. I think I sped (not much, just a few miles faster) the whole way, because I was so excited to show him his shirt. And boy, he was pretty pleased too. It was a fabulous moment.

I just love giving that perfect gift. I don't care if it's a holiday or not, I just love knowing that someone is going to light up at the sight of it. Even small things, like a shirt (that really cost me hardly anything, it was a great sale) that just make someone's day. I think it's because when I get gifts like that, it always makes my day, and life is just so much better because of it, and I love being able to share that with other people. And it always cheers me up, too. Seriously, it's even better than eating chocolate.

Although, a gift with chocolate...you just can't go wrong there.

Holidays

I am a fan of obscure holidays. And by obscure, I mean the "National Eat a Banana with your Feet" kind of obscure. Not obscure like Veteran's Day (which should definitely NOT be obscure, thank you kindly), which is a very real and significant and beautiful day of commemoration that we are just callous enough to ignore, unless we happen to be in retail and need an excuse for a sale (no offense to retailers--I appreciate sales).

No, I am referring to those holidays that you think, "That's a real holiday? You made that up." Because, most likely, someone did, but somehow it became "official." My theory is these holidays didn't exist before the internet--I mean, how on earth would you communicate with people that March 22nd is wear mismatching socks and a funky hat day? There was no Google search, and it would take way too much time to lobby the calendar companies to add it to their calendars. But, lo, the power of the internet--random and obscure holidays at our fingertips. It's a beautiful thing.

So what got me thinking about this? Well, someone casually mentioned that I had missed National Squirrel Appreciation Day (January 21st), which got me thinking about my favorite squirrel-obsessed dog, Penny (I have a serious case of puppy love for this animal, who is watching for squirrels in this photo, by the by). So then I had to see if this was a legit holiday, via our trusty friend Google. And, it was. Which made me wonder if I could send my brother a card for National Squirrel Appreciation Day, as a joke, (he is the boy that belongs to the dog). Which led to the discovery of Chocolate Cake Day on January 27th--yes, you can send e-cards for this wonderful day. Well, far be it from me to ignore a perfectly legitimate reason for eating chocolate cake (I made some delicious chocolate cupcakes--glorious--and shared with my co-workers)!

All of this led to serious contemplation (i.e. the topic flitted through my jumbled thoughts on the walk to my car after class) of this type of celebration. My thoughts were (roughly) as follows:

Man it is freezing. Chocolate Cake Day. You know, I think people make up holidays to justify doing something that they feel guilty about--like eating chocolate cake. It gives them an excuse. Assuming, of course, that you need an excuse to eat chocolate cake. But I guess it is a reason to do it guilt-free. Or maybe we have them so that we do something we know we should, but don't. Like appreciate squirrels. Or at least pay attention to them. It is so cold! This would be a fun blog post. Oh, I need to remember to mail that check. And I have that assignment due tomorrow. Mmmm, chocolate cake. What holiday would I create if I were to create a holiday? Pizza day? Nah. What do I like to eat, but always feel guilty about? Or like to do? Stay at home and read all day and wear pajamas--lounge day. There you go. Or I could make Send a Letter Day, so that I'd finally write a letter to Grandma. Why is it I never have time? It's not like I'm spending that much time with school--I could, of course. I should. My toes are freezing! Thank heavens for scarves. Scarf Day! I wonder what other days are coming up...."

As you can see, it was a very lively conversation. I'm sure you wish you could have been there to participate. Although, the conversation doesn't really have to end there.

And, meanwhile, if you are wondering what holidays are coming up, here are some links you can check out: (I make no promises about how good they are--besides, you can google too, right?)
http://www.brownielocks.com/february.html
http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/february.htm
http://familycrafts.about.com/library/spdays/blfebdayslong.htm - (Please note that today is the founding of Hershey's, which just calls for a chocolate bar, right? And the irony of it also being Toothache day...Seriously? Was this planned?)

Happy celebrating!

Credits
the fella who brought squirrel appreciation day to my attention
Squirrels--especially the fat ones on campus
Penny the Squirrel Hunter
Richard, the boy who raised the Squirrel Hunter
Chocolate Cake
Google, the guru of all it knows and provider of such wonderful resources (like blogspot!)
cold weather and parking permits I'm too cheap to buy, the inspiration for my mental conversations
SI, just because here I am
Procrastination, without which I would be diligently doing homework rather than blogging

Breach of Contract

Once, one of my roommates was dating this guy, and everyone always asked me how things were going with them. I'm not sure why. They didn't exactly invite me on their dates, which is fortunate, because that would have been awkward, to say the least. Anyway, we came up with a terrific way to handle to situation. Anytime someone asked me, I would respond, "I can't say. It would be a breach of contract."

Lately, though, my problem has been the opposite. It seems like I am being bombarded with gossip and information I'd rather not know. So, I need a reverse contract. Maybe I should try, "If you tell me, I'll have to kill you." Although that is a bit overkill (ha, ha, the pun wasn't originally intended, but I couldn't resist). I think I'll stick with the breach of contract.

A Dog's Life

I was thinking of my brother's dog today. I used to take her for walks, and I would let her off the leash so she could run and sniff and enjoy the outdoors. I wasn't supposed to, according to the city ordinances (I know, engaging in a life of law breaking for a dog! That's true puppy love) but I couldn't help it. As Radar O'Reilly would say, "Dogs are people too." It was a very simple way to make her incredibly happy. And she was much better behaved when she had freedom to roam than when she was tied to a leash. I loved to watch her chasing things. She'd sniff out mice, and she would bounce around in the weeds trying to catch them. (She did, a couple of times). She also liked to take a swim in the river. She wasn't supposed to--the water was absolutely filthy, and she always had to have a bath when she did--but even when she did, I couldn't be too angry because you could tell she had enjoyed it so much. And on those walks, I couldn't help thinking about how such simple things could make someone so happy. To the happy, simple life of a dog!

Writer's Block

There is a certain irony in the fact that before I actually started a blog, I always had ideas for things to blog about. Now I have a blog, and I am drawing a blank. Go figure.