The face of attitude

I see faces when I think of attitudes of people in my life. I see my father's face when I think of leaving for college. I'll never forget his words to me as I left for my freshman year, representing an attitude of support for all my future endeavors. And when I think of times of honesty and rejuvenation, I see a face of a friend who over a 20 year period of time has been with me through thick and thin. And when I think of repulsion, I think of someone in whose veins I am sure Neanderthal blood runs. I have a face for repression, egocentrism, eternal optimism, and chronic depression. I can see a host of other faces, all exhibiting certain attitudes or behaviors. But, there is a single face that appears when it comes to vitality, exuberance, and competence... a single, smiling face.

Enchanted

I used to have a picture of the Andes Mountains similar to this one hanging in my office. I find the mountains enchanting. They intrigue me. I like their beauty because they are in stark contrast to most other scenic terrains.

People who stand in stark contrast to the run-of-the-mill crowd I am also enchanted by. I can't exactly hang them up in my office, but I can love being around them whenever possible, love hearing their voices when they call, and lock them into my heart forever.

Drops of refreshment

Today was the hottest day of the summer so far - heat index of 111, temperature of 105. I was proofing some documents for work looking out the window as I was doing so. The sun was still shining and it was hot even inside the house. From nowhere rain began hitting the ground, the house, my car, the porch - big, big drops of rain. The drops were falling from the merest wisp of a slightly gray-tinted cloud. Momentum began making the drops fall in ever increasing amounts until in five minutes a real torrent was pouring from the sky that was only slightly overcast on only one part of it. In another five minutes it quit. No lightning, no thunder, just 10 minutes worth of a downpour.

I had gone outside during the torrent. The smell was so refreshing. I kept breathing in deeply because I couldn't get enough of the refreshment. It was life-giving to the ground that needed it desperately. It was life-giving to me in the midst of a sweltering day.

Not long ago my life received rain amidst its desolation. It restored me. I am thankful and refreshed and still breathing in deeply.

Dance of the wise

Proverbs in society sometimes offer conflicting advice with their wisdom. For example, the following two proverbs seem to assert opposite claims.

Good things come to those who wait.

and

If you stand still, life will pass you by.

I suppose a person could justify that both adages bring with them great wisdom and a wise person would know when to act on the two bits of sophistry. They do appear contradictory, however. So, I just need to say that I don't know which is true, and it is often not apparent which of the pearls of wisdom to live by or act upon. I have one goal in life. I don't plan to wait, but if I end up waiting, it will be worth the wait. As in nearly everything, accomplishing something is not entirely within the scope of my own actions. I also don't plan to rashly push when waiting is wiser for realizing this goal.

So, I act and wait, wait and act. I do a delicate dance. I learn to read life as it happens and perform the dance of the wise.

Tide cycles

Recently I got to see the tide ebb and flow on a coastline. It was really beautiful. The waves would begin rolling in and crashing against the rocks. The waves would eventually grow stronger, striking with forceful crests. As time passed, the tide would begin to recede and the waves' strength would weaken. All of this with seagulls peering down into the water as they flew above it. Occasionally, they would dive down till they hit the water, then fly away with a fish in their beaks. Crabs would crawl in the foam left behind by the crashing water no matter what the level of water was. All the other water creatures carried on as if they did not notice a high tide/low tide cyle.

I was visiting with a friend about the dramatic events that happen in one's life and how that changes a lot of things. Life has cycles to it much like the tides in the ocean. And, many times people react to the cycles as the water creatures do - as if nothing different is happening. But, for me, in the last 7 years, there have been 2 dramatic events both of which changed me in many, many ways. One happened 7 years ago, one 18 months ago. The first laid the groundwork for the second. The first allowed me to know that one must make the best use of time because a person cannot tell what is around the corner. Thus, as far as it has to do with me, I need to live justly, decently, surrounding myself with the things and people that will create happiness. The second allowed me to know that life can be vibrant and full of verve. As convoluted and unpleasant as life can be sometimes, it matters who is around you and who you allow into your psyche.

Snipe - snipe

Someone today found out that I had a linguistic background and actually very sarcastically asked for an "expert" analysis of a sentence used in a power point. He didn't hear the analysis he wanted or thought he would get. He piped down after that.

Life brings those unexpected moments on a fairly regular basis. Last week and again today someone crossed the line and wanted to frame me in a rather unflattering light. I guess the person didn't expect a backlash from doing that. Wrong - I can play point/counterpoint if engaged.

Just to think that I really try to be a peace-loving person. Too edgy? Perhaps, but being on the battlefield makes a person a little keener in developing those self-preservation instincts. Survival of the fittest is the law of the wild. I will be back in the tame environment away from the battlefield in a few short days. I truly hope no more targeted shots come my way... but if they do, I'm not planning to take any prisoners.

Like apples of gold

There is a Hebrew proverb that says:

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold on a setting of silver.

I spent some time alone in Portland, Maine and on an island off the coast of Maine. It was rejuvenating. It soothed my soul. I also spent time in Newport Island, Rhode Island, but it was spent with others and I ended up having a headache from it. The second was like an apple of gold on a setting of plastic. The first was like the Hebrew proverb.

I guess it was the reflection time that made the first event a gold and silver experience. I have other experiences that qualify for gold and silver. One of them stands head and shoulders above the rest. It brought shining and spirited life to a desolate and wasted desert. I am so thankful for apples of gold on settings of silver. They make me better.

Loving it!

Every so often events in life go right. A person works hard, establishes a reputation, and gets rewarded. It seems simple, but life is complex and convoluted. Most don't get the recognition they deserve. So tonight I go to sleep smiling for a kindred spirit who was rewarded for working hard and establishing a great reputation. Just loving it!

Fabric analysis

I have followed all the Science channel specials for the past 10 years on the shroud of Turin. It is always interesting how much scientists can find out about the shroud. Over the years they have analyzed the the blood spots to ensure that the spots are real blood. They have analyzed the pattern of the weave to make sure that the pattern is from the right time period. They have sampled the thread to match against the type of plant it was from so that they can rest assured that it came from Palestine. They have taken the microscopic particles of pollen traces and other types of particles to see that what was in the air could have been from the Jerusalem area. It all pans out.

I analyze my own shroud fairly often. I contemplate the causes of certain activities or events that have caused me to react certain ways. I reflect on words I could have said that might have yielded different outcomes. I track my career moves to satisfy myself that I have done everything possible to get to the point at which I am now. I notice the people I have surrounded myself with to ensure that my life is going the right direction and that I can rely on their strengths when my weaknesses surface.

The fabric of my life... my memories, emotions near to my heart, my state of mind... all come together in providing my wholeness and well being. Others scrutinize the fibers of my shroud, too. They usually say that they see something authentic, like the shroud. They can't be expected to see that my greatest hope is not fully present in the fabric. The seeds in the core of that hope have truly, indelibly become a part of my fabric already. What remains is absolutely, without any doubt, unashamedly worth every micro-second of the wait!!!

The standouts

I am reading a book right now written by a couple of cognitive scientists. They are writing with the express purpose of letting brain studies inform education. That should not be such a novel idea since education is based on what the brain can learn. However, even these scientists lament the fact that education and cognitive science have not been talking to each other. Once the two communicate, there is no telling what the outcome might be.

I find that life is many times like education and cognitive science. One decade of life doesn't inform the next. The twenties don't inform the forties; the teens don't extend anything to the 30s. Not everything from every decade is important enough to play forward into another decade. But, I do know that as I look backward, some things stand out, and I wish that I could bring something forward from a decade past, or I see something in the current decade that I know stands out because I have never seen anything like it before. I just want it to last forever because it is head and shoulders above anything I have experienced before.

How I wish that I could surround myself with the standouts-the things that I should have brought forward or the recent experience that is head and shoulders above anything else and would want it to last forever into the decades to come.

Lasting prints

When I walk in the park in the mornings, I pass two imprints in the concrete. One is the shape of a tiny frog. I don't really know how it made an imprint in the concrete. Its tiny shape could not have weighed enough for there to be an imprint. No one could really carve the imprint into the cement to look so exactly like the tiny shape. But it's there whenever I walk, and I marvel at it each time.



The other imprint is three-fourths of the way into the lap. It's a perfectly formed leaf, veins and all. It's about an inch long and has every feature of the leaf as if it were real just without color. If someone had stepped on the leaf, it would have crumbled into pieces. If the wind were blowing, the leaf would have blown off the cement, never to leave an imprint. I really don't know how a light leaf could have stayed on the walking path long enought to be perfectly encrusted.



When I look at my heart, I see the imprints of various events, places, and people. Obviously the beach made an imprint because I ended 4 blogs about it just four blogs ago. I have mentioned various friends or influential adults in my blogs as well who made an imprint on me. And, I have mentioned places like Wyoming or the lake where I have a place. Sometimes, I just want to return to them to see their beauty.

I don't know how some imprints get there or stay there, but they are there, in my heart, ready for recall. But I do know the story of a recent imprint that daily fills my thoughts. It took a little while to form, but it has remained indelibly cast after it did. What a source of solace for a heart that draws on the form embedded nearest to it.

Double-take

How come there's only one Monopolies Commission? - Nigel Rees

Sometimes the best humor is in the irony presented. Life is full of ironies. I had one of those nice little moments today. I was railing against a particular kind of lifestyle when I was sent an email letting me know that a school district signed up in the online high school, of which I am a partner, for its students to take Chinese. We have never offered Chinese before, but an acquaintance that leads the lifestyle I was railing against decided to teach Chinese for us in a virtual environment and brought a whole little school district in Texas to us. Oh, the irony.

And there are hundreds of little ironies all around. I just shake my head. What do you do, right?

For the princess

Ah-h-h to be two years old again! Life was simple, enjoyable, and promising. Cumulative effect for language acquisition was about to hit overdrive. All around was a world of good.

It seems like my daughter was just two a few days ago. I called her my little spider monkey because when I held her, she would fidget and wiggle to look around or to get down. She was very active and wanted to know all about the world around her. I smiled a lot because she brought me much joy!

Tomorrow a special girl turns two. She's a wonderful little princess, the epitome of a free spirit discovering and enjoying the world that is full of promise for her. I'm smiling this day for her bright future, knowing how much joy she brings to those who love her dearly!

The ingredient that makes it all rise

I guess every human being has hopes for something or someone. It may be that the hope is about a major goal. It may include someone else, but without the hope, it would be easy to become cynical or give up on about everything we try or hold worthy of achieving. I know it's the name of a movie, but it is also what keeps the fires inside burning.

Hope floats.

The one delight

Ice cream is a tasty, delightful dessert. All kinds of flavors exist.



All the possible flavors might seem to tempt my palate by changing the flavor I came to the store for. So might peering at different colors or ingredients, the caramels, the berries, the M&Ms, and the pecans. Really, though, they merely prepare me for the flavor that I really came to the ice cream store in the first place.



That particular flavor draws me again and again without tiring of it. That flavor wins out every time, hands down.

Beach-marked thoughts

It's hard to say goodbye to the beach. It's captivating and makes me think of the million reasons to stay longer or to figure out how to buy real estate there. I usually go looking for at least one house or condo to purchase, it is so inviting. But, eventually reason wins out and I pack the car to leave the sand that has been my second home and pleasure. I buy a postcard in the lobby of the hotel, or I take my last-minute 10 more pictures. I review the last 25 pictures I've taken and look back at the beach, desperately wanting to break away for one last walk on the beach, but knowing I did that an hour ago and really can't go back. I have flashes of all the great places I ate, souveneir shops I bought stuff from, all the ticket stubs that I shoved into the zip pocket on the outside of the suitcase for memory's sake, and the parasailing or surfing that marked my memory.

I love the beach. I love the memories of the beach. I love anticipations of next trips to the beach. I love the beach through the eyes of others. It's fascinating and rejuvenating, alluring and inspiring, mesmerizing and vibrant... And I love the people that are beaches in my life.

e pluribus unum

There are all kinds of activities when a person reaches the ocean. Beachcombing is always an attraction. Picking up shells of various sorts is fascinating. Finding all manner of left-behind items piques people's interests. A person can find anything from discarded towels and rags to radios and sand pails. Of course, what is a trip to the beach if it doesn't included surfing and parasailing? Then, the trip to see the dolphins jumping in the water or the trolley to go deep-sea fishing begs one to hop a boat. Water parks dot many coastlines and so add to the attraction of the coast. All of these are just for starters.

There are a myriad of activities to do at the beach. Some activities appeal more than others, and then there are our favorites. They keep us coming back to the beach because we enjoy them so much. When we are not at the beach, we remember every enjoyable part of our experience with those activities. But when we are at the beach, we make sure that those particular activities are included during our visit.

The people we let in our inner circles or that we allow to become a part of the fabric our beings are like the choices of our favorite activities from the myriad of things to do at the beach. We enjoy their company, past times and present, and look forward to enjoining those times when we return to the beach.

The soul and the roar of water

At the beach one can sit on the sand any time of the day or night and get almost the same feeling. The waves break in the foreground, and the roar of bigger waves cresting and falling back into the water can be heard in the background. The constant sound accompanies the smell of seawater - a little salt, a little fish, a little seaweed. Moisture can be felt on the face. And that sensual experience gets the mind to churning... mostly of longing. The best memories of one's life appear in the mind's eye in slow motion, and pleasantness curves the lips into a smile. Hope returns to the mind to lighten the spirits... All is well with the soul!

Mental meandering along a shoreline

When I take vacations, I am attracted to the mountains and to the water. I really don't like vacations in cities. I like the more open spaces. So, when I go to the mountains, I seek those out-of-the-way cabins, away from the madding crowd. And, when I go to the ocean, I love to walk along the shoreline, waves lapping across the tops of my feet. If I could go this summer, I would go this time to the ocean.

I love the way the horizon stretches out from one end of the ocean to the other, nothing but refreshing water in sight, a hint of salt in the air, the gentle breeze through my hair and across the cheeks of my face. It inspires me to think of all that could be. It reminds me of all that has been. It instills within me a vision of what has been good in my life and all that could be a part of any future horizons.

The sand that gives way below my feet is comforting. It cushions my every step. It tingles as the sand gives way and allows me to walk more slowly as if to soak in every beautiful moment of the present, every sensational moment of the recent past. It helps to conjure every moment of laughter that meant so much, every vision that captured the hope of things to come.

So comforting... so alluring... so fully refreshing... the beach.

What the onerous brings out in a person

I work with groups of people to turn out a written product that follows certain protocols. Inevitably these groups do not follow the protocols, so I end up having to write or rewrite the portions that the group cannot do or do right. It's the most onerous task of the job I have. That's what I am sitting here doing tonight... concocting portions that a group did not do.

So, of course, I am doing everything under the sun not to have to write these sections. I have taken 3 strolls in the last 2 hours just to relieve my mind of what I do not like to do. But, that leads me to think of pleasant thoughts. I think of things people have said to me. I think of events that make me smile. I think of various witticisms that always give me energy. I think of money in the bank. I think of TV shows that make me laugh. I think of comedians and their sketches. And, I think of texts that I receive that always brighten my day or night that remind me of the poem Xanadu... love them.

When those thoughts fill my mind, I can carry on with onerous tasks and the deadlines that have to be met. So thankful for pleasant thoughts!

Looking at the present landscape

Geologists and archaeologists are always finding evidence for an earth that looked so very different from the one we live on now. We have had oceans that existed that don't exist now. We have had tropical climate on places that are frozen wastelands now. Bones of crocodiles that swam in swamps are found today in sand dunes where there is no water at all. We find axe blades and arrowheads chipped from rocks in places where living conditions would surely make humans today look for another place to live. There are ancient ruins of buildings under the seas. There are precision-cut rock plates used in construction of buildings before any known tools to cut precision rock plates were known, lines that stretch for miles on tops of mountains forming designs before aerial views could have been possible, and megaton rocks dragged (who knows how) from far places before being assembled into ceremonial gathering places. There are houses from Neolithic times in the Arctic Circle built underground using small rocks that have just recently come from being submerged in the ocean. Looking back on the earth's history is a challenging puzzle for us moderns to piece together. But usually a harder look reveals some unifying cause or theme to them.

Sometimes as I look at the landscape of my life, I see it as a challenging puzzle. Some of the jobs I have held or the views of life I have voiced seem to be like a checkerboard of various moves. But when I look hard enough, there is an underlying theme to most of them. They are not just wild hairs. I have learned more with each passing year. And, I have made adjustments in judgment due to those learnings. I think it is also true of our hopes and aims. They change as our experience informs them. So, while my hopes may look different from the past, I work everyday at making sure that my aim is true and connected to my nature because I truly desire my hopes to become a part of the current landscape.

A round of thanks to...

The LA Lakers won their second NBA championship in a row last week. Kardashian hubby, Odom, looked fantastic in game 6 and made key rebounds in game 7. I was pulling for the Lakers all through the playoffs, so I was happy at the end of game 7. Kobe Bryant played very well except in game 7. But, he knew what to do even when he wasn't playing well. He supported the other players with stellar passing. One of his passes was to Artest who hit a very pivotal shot in the waning moments of the game. Artest was ecstatic. After the game, a commentator interviewed Artest about the shot. But, Artest wanted to say what he wanted, so he didn't really answer the question. After making a statement of how happy he was, he went down the list of several names of people he wanted to thank as if he had won an Academy Award. The last person on the short list was his therapist. Artest thanked his therapist! I have never heard that before. He said that the therapist had helped him relax and that was the key to hitting his big shot. Hmmmmmm... the therapist.

I really haven't talked to a paid therapist, but if the criterion is that a therapist helps a person to relax so that he or she can perform at his or her highest level, then I have a therapist. And really, I don't feel relaxed these days very often. There is a little bit of an edge that is created when I am among people at work. I can't really let down too much of anywhere. I guess when I am alone, I relax some, but usually I am doing something or reading. I do have a therapist, though... a person who makes me feel totally relaxed and around whom laughter returns to my vocal cords and a smile adorns my face.

So Artest is right. A person has to be relaxed to perform at the highest level. I want to thank my therapist!

Recent but magnificent

I am watching the most magnificent building being built on the Science channel. It's in Singapore and has just recently been built (mainly because the technology hasn't been available until the last few years). It is a skypark built across the top of 3 towering apartment and business buildings standing about 100 yards apart and is complete with hotel and casino. Part of the skypark is a cantilever, a 218 feet portion that sticks out away from the last tower like a diving board. The park rests 600 feet above ground connecting the three buildings with a couple of bridges so that it continuously runs across the buildings. After the walkways, swimming pool, trees, and nightclub have been added, it will be a beautiful place to exercise, relax, or entertain for all the residents in the hotel and apartments. Truly magnificent in both looks and planning, inside and out.

Some of the beautiful things I have learned or beautiful people I have met have come in the most recent part of my life. The things and people from the past are still important and significant. But, it makes me a more robust person to add meaningful events and people from the past to the ones that are recent. And, even though I didn't encounter them until recently, they are beautiful and magnificent, inside and out.

What a sham(e)!

It is the hardest thing to sit and listen to people say things at a quickly concocted conference that are just not true. I listened yesterday to a tale of just such a case. Somewhere in the recent past some educator thought that it made common sense that there is so much reading to worded problems in math that good reading habits would lead to better math capabilities (and higher test scores since math capabilities would be enhanced). Like a fad, that thought has made the rounds among school districts. And like many thoughts that make the rounds, at some point educators take it as gospel even though there is really nothing but what seems like good sense backing the thought.

But the idea is a sham. It may seem counterintuitive at this point to those who have accepted this unsubstantiated idea, but the cognitive research says that math stands on its own as a skill at the very least. There is even a hint that math may even dictate ideas that would make for good reading skills. But the battle is uphill at this point because so many have swallowed bait and been reeled in. I want to weigh in on the side of solid research. I want to help stem the tide of such faulty reasoning on the part of so many educators. And, I want to blame those who should know better for not allowing the research of those in sciences that can inform education to surface and set the record straight.

I have seen this ploy before by the reading establishment. Two studies have come out condemning the way that reading is being taught. Those studies have not been allowed to see the light of day by many who teach reading or instruct districts in reading methods (and subsequently by district administrators who have been duped). Shame on them. The remedy is simple. Read the studies, understand the conclusions, trust the outcome. I want to join my very close friend who has remained in education working hard to change the world of mathematics... hopefully convincing others that long hand division and pages of written answers can be replaced through computers and calculators... and in the case at hand, hopefully bringing administrators to their senses that the symbol stream for reading is not an enhancer for the logic and symbol stream for math.

From the supernatural to the natural

I watched a program tonight off and on that dealt with three men that contended that they were modern religious messiahs. There was nothing there that was new. They all three have been spoken to supernaturally. They all three use religious jargon for inner awareness. And they all three have followers who swoon and sway to every word dripping from their lips. I have one word for them... BOGUS!

When I think of a present day messiah, it's of the natural type, not the supernatural. I think of someone who would help me be better than I am, someone who would inspire me, laugh with me, give me optimism for living. I think of someone with whom I can share both the monumental and the mundane, the successes and failures, the trips across terrain and the trips through the heart.

Messiahs of the earthly sort are not bogus. They exist... but not on every corner... They're special people still... once in a lifetime.

When minds mesh

Kindred minds are hard to come by. Only very occasionally have I found those with kindred minds. I had a college professor who taught me Greek who had the same philosophy I did in translation. He died during one of the semesters I had him, but he taught me much, mainly because we shared a passion for the same idea. About a decade later, I met someone I had gone to college with. We have remained friends ever since. I don't think we could be too much more opposite in nature, but it was in the contrast of natures that our complementary sides came out. We have been friends for a really long time now, and all because we shared with each other our lives and talents, as opposite as they may have been. Somehow, the complemetary side formed the bond. And sometimes compatibility makes for life's enjoyment. With only one person have I had such complete compatibility. Our minds think much alike; our spirits enjoy the same kinds of activity; our humor is very much the same; our aims in life are so very close. That person is witty, much more than I, but I try to make up for that in other ways.

Kindred minds... making memories glorious... making the future worth the journey.

Morphed

There is a new plastic bracelet out that kids buy a lot. The plastic is soft, yet rigid enough to have a certain shape like guitars, cars, hearts, tennis rackets, etc. When you put the bracelet on, it stretches and becomes round to fit your wrist, but when you take the bracelet off, it goes back to its original shape. I think that's why kids like them so well. They return to their original shapes.

Some things in life are like that. They return to their original shapes. But, life's experiences don't act like that. Generally, we go through experiences and are not left the same. Recently, I was taught to enjoy reality TV programming. It stretched my horizons. I learned the names of the stars and the network of friends that they had. It was exciting to stretch myself. Right now, I don't have time to watch much TV at all, but I have found I cannot return to the shape I had before I stretched myself. I have dropped Criminal Minds completely from my repertoire. It used to be a staple in my viewing diet, but my attraction to it has changed. I haven't watched NCIS in three months, another former staple. I find myself wanting to watch the new programming I had been introduced to, plus another program or two that I have picked up like Flashpoint.

I have enjoyed so much broadening my horizons, I wouldn't go back to my former shape if I could. The heart has trapped new scenes and cherishes those trappings.

Life cannot trump hope

Some things in life a person never loses hope for or sight of. I was always told growing up that if you want something badly enough, you just go get it. Life has a way of making that adage too simplistic. Oh, there is some truth there all right. Nobody gets anything if he or she doesn't pursue it. On the other hand, just because a person pursues something doesn't mean he or she will end up with it. That's where hope comes in.

Life is very good at throwing twists and turns that are unexpected. It convolutes or diminshes or seemingly makes the thing you hope for the most appear so distant. I don't really understand how life can so consistently thwart the desires of the heart, but it so consistently does that I respect its power to do it. But, one thing is more certain than life and its power to convolute, and that is the hope I have for the thing I want most in life. Hope does not diminish, get convoluted, or become distant. I can always see my greatest hope very clearly! And, like the phenomenon of the Northern Lights, it is so beautiful...

A touch from others

I had a phone call the other night from a number that I didn't recognize. It had a Dallas area code, so I answered it. It was a high school basketball buddy that I had not spoken to in 7 years. We had a good talk and "caught up" on some of the matters that we had in common. I admire his desire to want to stay in touch through the years. He's a good friend.

I had a phone call just four days ago. I didn't recognize the number, but I answered anyway because it was about 10:30 at night. The voice of my friend who was in Nigeria was on the other end. I had not talked with him in about 4 months. I wasn't aware that he had come back to the states, so the call was a nice surprise. He was glad to be back even if it was going to behere for only a month. We talked of all his encounters in Africa like riots and life on the edge of the Sahara Desert. It was good to be in touch. He goes back in July. I admire his stamina to live for a cause he truly believes in.

I had a phone call yesterday afternoon. I didn't have to look at the number because I recognized the unique ring tone I've given this person. The fact that I have a unique ring tone for this person signals how special this friend is. I was driving to my mother's house on a crowded freeway, but my friend's voice soothed my soul immediately. We talked and laughed, a hallmark of this person. We talked of matters that affected our lives and of children. I admire this person's exuberance, love of life, and raw intelligence among many other attributes worthy of respect.

Phone calls from those in our spheres... It's a beautiful thing to keep in touch and let my friends touch my soul in admirable ways.

Coloful days - bright nights

Sometimes I stay at a hotel in another state. I try to get the same room each time because I like the view out the window. The harbor from the ocean comes within view of the hotel. Over the harbor is a bridge that carries interstate traffic, but I like the view of the arched bridge with the span of the harbor behind it. The gray steel of the bridge archway against the bright blue of the ocean makes for a colorful, pleasant scene during the day. At night lights line the archway and flickering bulbs from houses and businesses along the shore of the harbor shine and reflect in the water, also so pleasantly. Whether it's day or night the scene is worth the minutes of viewing I get during my stay.

The last 18 months are like the view out the window. The reflection time I have reviewing the scenes of those months are filled with color during the day and brightly shining lights at night, figuratively speaking. They flow seamlessly from day to night, night to day... beautfully, wonderfully. I treasure those moments and guard them closely from ever leaving my soul and mind.

It's the smile at the start of the day

Some mornings just start out right and stay right the entire day. Today was one such day. I was working with what has proven to be a rather contentious group of people. But today, the group got along with each other without incident. In another group of people, there are two moaners and groaners about every little matter. They, too, were on their best behavior. They complained only once, and then only for a small amount of time. The weather was beautiful all day long, having very little wind and the perfect 70 degree temperature. I have a business partner that I ate supper with. He and I always get along, but he was in an exceptionally good mood this evening while discussing some of the future plans we have for our company.

Of course, the day went right because it started in the best possible way. I was just about to start the work day with a group of people when I my text message signal sounded. Someone had sent a picture to me. It was the perfect picture. It immediately brightened my day, and it brought a smile to my face every time I looked at it during the day. It would not have mattered if the temperature had not been 70, if the groups of people I was working with had been their disagreeable selves, or if supper would have not been upbeat. The day had had a perfect beginning. It could not have gone downhill! I was not on the beach. But, today was a day on the beach because of the smile that was sent my way as the day began.

Love hearing voices

Voices are unique to people, so there is one voice print for one individual. That's how we recognize people. Because voices are unique, we can hear those voices of special people inside our heads even without the person being present. Some voices we single out because they helped us through life. My father's voice is one such voice. He is no longer with me, but I can hear his voice very clearly from the time when he was present, guiding me when I had questions I needed answered. Some voices bring me the remnants of the life they represent. I can hear my son laughing and calling my name on occasion. And, some voices remind me of my own... my daughter's, for instance, asking me questions much like I did my father.

Some voices are treasured because they are highly regarded. 3 weeks ago, I received a call from someone very special. I had not heard the voice in quite some time. But instantly, I knew who it was. We exchanged information about daughters and some other matters, but hearing that voice again made me aware of why the voice had never faded from memory. I was flooded with warmth and vibrance once again. In fact, I was made warm and vibrant twice that day. What a special day from a special voice! It's amazing what a highly regarded voice will do for a person.

The content life

Michael Jordan is considered by many to be the greatest basketball player of all time. Kobe Bryant strives hard to replace Michael. He has modeled much of his game after Michael. This year was the first year that Kobe had a consistent year in being the game's best player. This was acknowledged by the Phoenix Suns' coach when Kobe hit 3 really incredible shots to win game 6 against Phoenix. When asked by a sports commentator about Kobe's outstanding play at the end of the game, the coach said, "Was it Michael or was it Kobe? I couldn't tell."

In our own corners of the world, I think we all strive hard to achieve what would make us content and satisfied. Sometimes, our achievements are realized through hard work. A small few times they might be realized through luck or fate. But, sometimes, dreams are realized through hope and corresponding actions. When dreams are realized, contentment is a by-product, and life is richer, fuller, and very meaningful.

Making tracks

Tires make tracks on pliable ground - sand, mud, soft dirt, snow. You can see the track exactly as the tire tread looks. Tires cannot make tracks on hard surfaces such as asphalt and concrete, however.

I have been told that I am hard to get to know or that I am hard to read. I'm that way purposely. It has to be someone special to make the tread marks on my mind because I tend to lay down asphalt and concrete to keep the imprints out. I guess that I hate to be influenced too much by someone else. But, if someone special can make tracks on my mind, I enjoy so much the mirror image of the tread.

Crossed or uncrossed?

I remember playing the game cross-uncross. It was hard to guess at first when a pair of scissors was crossed or not. Once the code was broken, then, of course, I_ could guess every time whether the scissors were crossed or uncrossed.

Another thing I remember about the game was the patience I had to have in the interim between not knowing the code and knowing it. Many people got frustrated, but I knew that staying calm would lead me to the answer because I would not miss_ the clues of the code. In English there is the adage that patience is a virtue. Patience for the game paid off in finding the answer.

In life, I have come across situations that require patience. Nearly always patience paid off even if it took a really long time. It has kept me from missing some opportunities. It's not a 100% foolproof rule. But almost. You_ might say that patience leads to hope... of finding the answer if playing a game or of realizing much desired endings if going through life.

Rare-but worth the wait

Early in life I was told that some things were worth waiting for. It meant that the high school diploma was worth waiting for; the college degree was worth waiting for. As an adult I have been told on a couple of occasions that something was worth waiting for such as a couple of jobs I have had. Material possessions or trips I have had to save money for were worth it. I own a couple of things that were worth the wait. Rarely, though, has the principle of worth the wait applied to people. We tell our children as they grow up and try to understand the pregnancy period that they were worth the wait. But, between adults, the principle is not applied much. That's because the phrase is reserved for those rare people that shine brightly in the midst of darkness.

Distillation

Sometimes you just have to wonder how people get published. I am reading a psycholinguistic book right now and came across a quote and a reference to the following by a cognitive linguist, Fodor. It's truly unbelievable that the journal Cognition picked the article up at all. The quotation is dealing with the argument that the meanings of words are innate and that people can develop about a 50,000 word vocabulary and that's all.

"The basic idea is that what makes a doorknob is just: being the kind of thing from experience with which our kind of mind readily acquires the concept DOORKNOB. And conversely, what makes something the concept of DOORKNOB is just: expressing the property that our kinds of minds lock to from experience with good examples of instantiated doorknobhood.... what I want to say is that doorknobhood is the property that one gets locked to when experience with typical doorknobs causes the locking and does so in virtue of the properties they have qua typical doorknobs."

This really is from a 1998 article in the journal, Cognition. I get it all right. Fodor wants everyone to know that we develop meanings of words from the experience of dealing with an object. We form certain property categories in our minds for the meaning of the words we come into contact with. But, my goodness, what a circuitous way to say it! (Now maybe my ability to produce 15 words utterances can be better understood by those who know that I have had my head in this kind of reading [ha ha]). But, Fodor is wrong. Research through the first decade of 2000 has shown that the mind works with malleable categories that get reshaped as words are derived from context rather than having word properties stored in the brain.

The point I would like to make is not linguistic in nature. It centers around convolution. I would like to say that life throws so much convolution into its mix as we go through it, that it is easy to get cuaght up trying to find meaning in all of its meanderings. But, I think its like the meaning of words. We are born with malleable categories to recognize life with. We have the ability, thus the permission or right, to reshape life as we establish, continue investigating, or renege on our essential values. (Values and essential values will be the subject of another blog someday).

Life comes in malleable categories because life has many contexts. I didn't know that when I was 20, had a high school diploma to my name, was about to get my bachelor's degree, and thought I had the world by the tail. Well, it was a tiger's tail I was swinging, and several bites (years, too) later, I decided to let go of it. Now, knowing what has the most meaning in life and who, really, stands head and shoulders above all others does not appear in a convoluted mix. It's been distilled from the mix. I rest more easily at nights knowing this and smile more often.

Warming food

Sometimes when I travel, I have to do something that gives me a warm feeling. Otherwise, I am just on-guard all the time since I am in unfamiliar or little-known settings around little-known or barely friendly people. So, what I do is eat a waffle. That seems simple and might make one wonder what could be comforting about that. But it's the company I know I am in when I eat a waffle. It warms my every thought and every feeling. It makes me strong enough to handle the environment. Love those waffles! (French toast is good when waffles are not available).

The fabulous cell phone

I really wouldn't want to live in any other age unless it would be the future. The good ole days are now. One reason I would say that is that I enjoy so much what cell phones can do.

I love the internet on the phone. I can take care of some banking or navigate unfamiliar roads or google information if needed. I can also check email, take calls, send and receive texts, and know what the weather can bring. It doesn't get much better. But, the function I like the best is the camera function. I can take pictures and send them if I want to. But, I can receive pictures too. And that is what I really love. When someone sends a picture, I can see through that person's eyes and share the joy of who or what is in the picture . I can recall the picture as many times as I want, which I do very often. I can enlarge the picture. I don't have to strain to see it. I usually smile when I see pictures on my phone. It's one of the best ways in the world to enjoy and share others' lives.

I look forward to the next advancement in cell phone technology. I can only imagine what it would be like to receive pics as holographs. That is going to be sensational!

The 500 word salute to the 15 word principle

Linguists treat alliteration a little differently than traditional English teachers do. Alliteration by English teachers would be defined as the repetition of the same first letters of words. But, linguists do not pay so much attention to orthography (spelling) as to the sounds that underlie the spelling. So the two sentences, "Figures of speech spice up language because they are succinct. Alliteration does just that," would be analyzed a little differently too. To an English traditionalist the first sentence would barely qualify for alliteration since only three words begin with "s." But to the linguist there are 2 alliterations - the "s" sound and the "k" sound because it doesn't matter where the sound appears in spelling (as in just the initial word position), it matters how often the sound was made. So, the "s" sound is heard in "speech"once, twice in "spice," twice in "succinct," and once in "just." The only difference in the "s" in "because" and "does" is that the "s" is voiced rather than unvoiced, but the formation of the sound is the same. So, the "s" (called sibilant in linguistics) has 8 occurrences. The "k" sound, a gutteral, has 4 occurrences. The medial "g" in "language and "figure" are formed the same as the "k" sound, appearing twice in "succinct." Thus, you have 4 occurrences of "k," two voiced and two unvoiced versions

A linguist would also ponder the semantics of the sibilant and the gutteral. They are contrasts in sounds, one being formed in the front part of the mouth, the other in the back, and one using the tongue tip and the middle part of the tongue, the other using the glottis and having the tongue lowered in the mouth. Some see the sibilant sound as having a "pleasant" tone to it and the gutteral having a "harsh" tone to it. So, whoever would make up a statement with this alliteration in it, would be trying to be deceptive. Why else would a person use a figure of speech except to advance a meaning to those who understand the comparisons or figures being made? And the pleasant sound is in a 2:1 ratio with the unpleasant sound, so you have someone having harsh meanings couching that in pleasant sounds.

All of this meaning is packed into 15 words or less. Who would have thought!!! Of course, mathematicians, who also use symbols for their thoughts, know the beauty of the principle of 15 symbols meaning much more. They are used to dealing in algorithms. They get the idea of figures of speech. It's a type of algorithm or the equivalent of an elegant equation.

So, my hat is off to everyone who communicates well in 15 words or less. It's a true art and science.

Tribute to 15 words

Figures of speech spice up language because they are succinct. Alliteration does just that.

(More on this tomorrow because the message of this blog is a tribute to the principle of using 15 words or less to convey a message. I'm a little rusty with the principle, but it's a good one to abide by whenever possible because it keeps people from asking "What?" or "Why?" when you thought you expressed yourself clearly in 100 words).

Symbols of our story

I was with a group of English teachers recently who had selected a novel called The Things They Carried for their students to read. I had not ever heard of the novel before, and all I could pick up from the teacher group was that it was a Vietnam War novel. I had to go to the internet to a study guide to find out what the contents were since I didn't have time to read the novel. It's a collection of stories written by a platoon leader of the men under him in Vietnam. He talks about what the men carried on them and why they carried those items. Some items were, of course, mandatory for the war, but the rest were sentimental items that bore great meaning for the men. It sounded like a great study in symbolism.

I have been traveling quite a bit this calendar year, and I remember thinking when I made the first trip several months ago that I wanted certain items in my briefcase. There were, of course, certain mandatory items for my job. I have my computer and flash drive, my cords for phone and computer. There are the papers that have to be referred to for the daily work. And, I have a book for reading on the plane.

But, then, there are four sentimental items. One is a barely used wallet - no money in it or pictures - with just a card to a bank account. But, it's a special account for me because it's my hope account. Then, there's the card my daughter sent to me for my last birthday. If my plane goes down, I want her to know she was special to me. I have my phone for all kinds of necessary reasons, but I also use it for looking at pictures that have been sent to me. Those pictures are special. I can enlarge them, move them around, and look at them as long as I want to. And, I have a blue envelope with a card in it from a very close friend. It has traveled with me since I started this new job. Its words are etched in my mind, but I have it with me just the same - always.

The things I carry... the story of what is meaningful in my life!