Tuesday/Thursday

Usually Tuesday is my "meeting day" but this week, Thursday is extra-booked. If you're curious and in Ithaca, NY tomorrow, come join us for a Toastmasters "demo" meeting at noon and/or the Area 10 Speech Contests (Tall Tales and International) at 7. Email me for details. See you at noon, 7pm, and round the clock on the web.

Nap Time

I hated nap time in Kindergarten. Even then, my mind was racing and I had too many more important things to do than sleep. I learned to be quiet for the other kids because they needed more rest. Problem is, now that I'm a big kid, I have even more important things to do, and I'm getting even less sleep! Sometimes I power-nap on the ride home (because I ride a bus, remember--can't afford to drive) but when i finally get home, there's this weird paradox of tired and wired happening--I'm not feeling rested, yet i can't seem to stay asleep at night, either. It would be great if i were accomplishing all kinds of great things, but sometimes I sit and do nothing, right in the middle of all of the things calling for my attention.  I fall asleep during the news, then wake up a few minutes later. I try again, usually waking within about an hour and a half. Total time between "down for the night" and "up for the day" is under six hours, and that's counting all the waking interruptions as "sleep." MAN, I'm TIRED. Is it nap time yet?

Twisted

Where were all the sweet guys in my 20s when i actually wanted a date? I don't understand why after I made my peace with being single and got too busy with volunteerism and independent learning in my 30s to even be interested they seem to be multiplying.

Multidirectional Projects

I want so much to write more, but still feel guilty trying to carve out the time. Everywhere I turn, there's a more pressing task or a more urgent need to be filled. Make no mistake, I'm writing every day--in my head--I just don't get it all to paper or cyberspace in time for most to have any idea what's spinning in this brain of mine. I hope that one day I'll achieve that delicate balance of vision, purpose, and assertiveness to manage my perceptions of what is important (for self as well as others) and include those extra activities that keep me healthy and happy too.

Love to all, and soon, presentations of the fruits of labors. ~pma

Weird news and Big Dreams for better community

For shame...no posts for a month and no one spoke up to request more? It's ok this time. I know you're too busy to be upset. Perhaps I should write more engaging words and sprinkle the themes with a little craving pepper in anticipation of building more reading desire.

Let's ease back in with a little local/regional weirdness. Today's commentary results from a scanning of the local headlines in this morning's online version of the newspaper. Top stories: a shooting just a few blocks away from our college campus and the center of the small city, and a drunk guy hits a deer and tries to drive it to the hospital for treatment. http://www.stargazette.com/

If I understand this correctly, we're very, very concerned about the well-being of any animal with four legs, but those with two, should the circumstances warrant, are in serious trouble if they cross a dude with a knife or gun. Just last week our local newspaper reported that we are among the safest small cities in which to live (and I actually still believe that). I'd hate to live in one that isn't! Luckily for me, no matter which way i walk home I always see at least one patrol car in the neighborhood so I'm confident that on my well-lit, well-traveled path, if anything ever does happen near or to me, someone will find me.

It really irks me that we have people wasting their time and talents on things like drugs, weapons, thievery and fear. I know that times are tough but i look around and see so many things people could do to make this world a better place. I would love to see "thugs" making improvements to dilapidated housing, or building new living spaces, or tending gardens, or cooking and delivering meals to those without, or tending parks, or creating "legitimate" business that could be sustained if people knew it existed.

In the new year i shall be working on some more articulate descriptions of ways i think we can do better. Some of them might make it to my brightdays blog and some might just make it to people who can create more momentum toward achieving these lofty goals of community, accountability, self-respect, and universal love. Until then, make some choices for yourselves about what "news" you catch (if any) and how you plan to react to the information you receive. We've got a week left to this year...that's time to start to think or act.

Fashionable?

Everyone knows I'm concerned with being fashionable. What, you say? that's not true? Since I don't lie, it must be pure, unadulterated SARCASM. Sometimes it is just plain fun. Don't be offended, just move along if you don't like it. If you're wondering where this is going, just keep reading. I am too, but I do have an idea here as I type. I contemplated making a Facebook post this morning asking my friends if I wear a blouse that belonged to my mother many years ago, if that counts as "vintage" and if that somehow makes me hip or trendy (as every so many years it become popular to recycle styles, items, or eras). Of course I don't really care at all, but i've seen people discussing "vintage" again recently as a way to save money, reconnect with bygone times, and so on. Today, for me, it just seemed like the colors worked and because it was Mom's it helps me feel like she's right here with me instead of 45 or 50 miles away.

In my sense of "style" the factors are always comfort, ease of care, durability, and cost/value (and of course, "what's clean?"). If I were wealthy and living in another era, I'd so be a Chanel or Armani "classic" look. Since i live here and now and don't budget for much beyond rent, utilities, and student loans, I still kind of sport the clearance rack/bag sale look. Do you know what? there's no shame in that; Mom taught me how to work that decades ago; I'm just plain too lazy to make sure my socks match my pants every day...when you walk a couple miles or more, you wear sports socks darn it. Pack the matching ones for work if it's essential. Where I work, it's not. The boss wears stretchy pants to work. 

Smile! It's Friday Afternoon!

Thanks to my friend Maureen for sending a hilarious list of "truths" this afternoon. There are several that make me smile or laugh, and a few i've actually pondered.

I have just managed to wipe away some of the dust that was building on my desk around my computer (without making mud! woot!). I've been "shrinking the paper piles" and it's starting to look like ii'm on top of things around here (scary, I know. That means I'm "ready" for this impending onslaught of additional responsibility, but it'll be more fun to scare them all into thinking I'm getting ready to leave.)

Have a FUN weekend and don't take yourself or anyone else too seriously for at least a day or two.