Friday, April 28, 2006

Blue Tooth

I just do NOT get the blue tooth attachment that people put on their ears. And I really, really don't get it when they meet people out for lunch and they keep that thing on their ear the whole time. I see it a bunch, more and more every day as I sit up on the perch at Potbelly. I want to yell down to them, "Leave that at the door!"

So I guess the appealing concept (for THOSE people) is that you have "hands free"- Is that it? Even the ear pieces are better than the blue tooth. The blue tooth looks stupid on anyone and everyone... They look to me like the people who think they are too busy to hold a phone. And nothing (besides the blue tooth) drives me more crazy than people who talk about how busy they are all the time. It all seems to imply that they are more important than other people.

I'm usually behind on all the technical trends, like e-mail, IM, cellphones... I seem to jump on the bandwagon at least a year after it's at it's peak. But the blue tooth will NEVER be attached to my ear. ALTHO, a friend of mine said they'll probably come up with stupid looking big ears like "Spock Ears" for the blue tooth users...That kind of stupid slightly appeals to me, but still... NO! I will not support that.

I hope, and I think, those ear attachments are going to be one of the things we soon look back on and just laugh at, like the super bulky suitcase cell phones from the 80s. But wait, aren't we already laughing at them now?

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

OMMMM


I am always drawn to read books and articles about "simplicity". So I've read a lot about how important it is to make your life simple, and how important "present moment awareness" is. I've spent the last few months "getting rid of the clutter" in my house. Clearly, it's an ongoing, life-long process. But I now know how good it feels to get rid of stuff. And I know I don't miss the stuff once it's gone. So I seem to always have something to donate each time the Leukemia Society calls to ask if I can contribute to the truck that will be driving down my street "next week".

So my latest life changing practice based on the ideas I've been reading about is MEDITATION. I've been meaning to start this for months, but I never seem to carve at the time to do it. I told my friend I was trying to make myself do 10 minutes of daily meditation and she convinced me I should start with a smaller goal...Instead of 10 minutes, she suggested starting with just 2! I am now on day 2, and already I'm up to meditating for 3 solid minutes. WHEW! I know there are lots of different forms of meditation, I am doing the OM kind. Is that what it's called? OM meditation? The kind of meditation where you just sit there and make that noise...Well, it's so strange to make that noise that it helps me not think of anything besides just that vibration of my voice. And how weird I am.

I told my friend I was trying this and she sent me a link to a church that does this chanting meditation as a group. I'm not sure when, but I'm going to it... To hear many voices would be cool- I think I might feel like a Monk.

I don't know what my goal is with the meditation practice. It's just every time I read about it, I want to know more about it and understand WHAT all the hype is about. I've read if you do any practice for 21 consecutive days it becomes a habit. So, only 19 more days and perhaps I'll be committed. I'll keep you posted on what I discover...

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

The "UnNews" Newspaper


There is a newspaper that I pick up at Potbelly each week called "The Diddly News" and I have grown to LOVE reading it. It is referred to as the "UnNews" newspaper. (Ironic, because if you recall , I recently wrote a blog about the "Un-Church") It is my kind of newspaper. No bad news, not really even current events. Just random articles, jokes, some movie reviews, and lots of trivia.

For example, one bit of trivia I learned today that has truly enriched my life is that the average person creates 10,000 gallons of saliva during their lifetime! Good Lord?!!! How is that possible? It seems to me that I should be in a constant state of drool. But, I read it in a newspaper, so it must be a FACT! Another week they had an article sighting all these strange coincidences between President Lincoln and President Kennedy. I don't recall the details enough to write it here, but it was fun and interesting reading at the time.

I'd much rather read this kind of "news" than all the negative stuff thrown at me by the Dallas Morning News. And by the way, I REFUSE to watch the nightly news, which I've said before, and I will say it here again should really just be called "The Bad News". I think watching it would be one of the most unhealthy practices to partake in at the end of the day.

I'm not sure why it's called the "Diddly" news- Is it because you know "diddly" after reading it? I'm not sure. I just know that I never feel sad or enraged or hopeless after reading this particular "newspaper".

Monday, April 17, 2006

Who needs Starbucks anyway?

I am sitting in a coffe shop called Javalato, directly across from a Starbucks. I spotted this place several months ago and convinced my writing group to meet her. At first they, okay WE, were a little skeptical... Could they meet our needs like Starbucks does?

Oh YES!!! First of all, FREE WI-FI. Secondly, way cooler decor...lot's of chairs more comfortable than the kind that sit around a table, altho not as comfortable as big fluffy chairs, sofas, tables, a fireplace!!, not just coffee but also

Thursday, April 13, 2006

Naps

I don't know if I've always loved to sleep. I've seen plenty of kids fight it, and I wonder (and doubt!) that I ever did. I think that anytime during the day, someone could yell out, "Naptime" and I'd be down with it. I love sleeping in late, which I will confess, I do pretty often. And there is not many things I can think of that are more luxurious than a good, long afternoon nap.

Unfortunately, I have been made to feel guilty for these pleasures I indulge in. Thought I don't know by who, or how, or why.

Lucky for me, I was reading "Prevention" magazine last night, and in 2 seperate articles, they mentioned the benefits from sleeping more hours at night, and/or daytime naps.

So, for anyone who loves to sleep, here is some cool news for you, as reported in that little magazine-

Women who got 6-7 hours of sleep were 11 lbs, and men 16 1/2 lbs. heavier than those who slept 7-8 hours. So, I'm going to assume, those of us who sleep 8-10 hours are the leanest of them all!!! Apparently, there is a hormone called leptin that suppresses hunger and the more sleep you get, the more of that hormone is released.

Another little article in "Prevention" recommends taking a nap around 2pm each afternoon. That'll boost your alertness. Cool. Okay, but whoa...They recommend a 10 minute nap, because more than 20 minutes might make you groggy. WAIT! WHAT? What kind of crappy nap lasts only 10 minutes?! So, again...I'll make some assumptions: Maybe a 20-ish minute nap might leave you groggy, but what if you nap for more like an hour? Or just nap until you wake up. Just keep falling back asleep until you know longer feel groggy?! That works really well for me.

So, thank you, Prevention magazine for enlightening me- I will spread the word. I will nap proudly from now on.

Monday, April 10, 2006

The Un-Church

I've never regularly attended any church, but that is certainly not to say that I don't have a religion. Anyway, there is a church, or rather, a Center for Life Enrichment, that I have performed at during their Sunday services every now and then for the last couple of years.

This past Sunday, they had their last Sunday service. I sang "These Are Days" by 10,000 Maniacs. And the fact that I could play that song during a Sunday service, and then be applauded for it sort of sums up what this "non-church" was all about.

During part of the service, they took time for people to get to say what the Center has done, or has meant to them. It was really sweet, very light-hearted, and just the coolest thing. Since I don't regularly go, and because of my aversion to any type of public speaking, I didn't say what it meant to me...but I will here, now.

Like I said, I wasn't a regular attendee, I guess I just showed up when they called me to play there, but it actually REALLY meant a lot to me. Every person I've ever met there was so nice. I always felt welcomed and appreciated. And I felt like I was really a part of things. I got to sing whatever songs I brought in...songs I had written, and songs like "Imagine". Yeah, that's right- "Imagine"... I never had to be someone I wasn't. And isn't that really just the greatest thing?

So, I will miss this church that wasn't really a church. Definely it was named correctly, The Center for Life Enrichment. It DID enrich my life in so many ways...Through what was said, and more than anything from the friends I met along the way.