Coming in handy

One of the forensic methods I learned in my formal training in sociolinguistics was how to chart the strength of social networks. I didn't think anything about it at the time, but it has really proved to be useful in the line of work that I have been in, including my current position. It helps in particular to know what to say to whom.

I think because of having this information, I have been able to say the right words at the right time to the right people. It may have just saved my bacon. I remember when I was in my 20s that I didn't always know what to say or who to say something to or what to keep silent until just the right person was available. While some of what to say at the right time to the right people is a matter of maturity over time, some of it is correctly judging the strength of a social network. Some people in the network will spread your words to many people, sometimes in a twisted form or in a twisted context, and some will not.

But, over the last 9 months, I had to make sure that I protected myself in my work with words that followed particular channels of networking with the right information reaching the right people at the right time in order for the result to turn out in my favor. It took some work, but last Saturday I had it verified to me that I had judged the social network just right. Whew!

There but not here

The other night I was watching dark clouds move into the area from the north. I could see a flash or two of lightning, hear thunder rumbling, and feel the rush of wind that often precedes a rain storm. I checked my phone for the radar on whether the storm would hit my house directly. I was not in the main path of the storm, but on the fringe. The brunt of the storm was headed a little west of my house, headed toward a place that I care a great deal about. That place did receive quite a bit of rain. My house? Only a trace. I had to laugh. Rain usually does elude my house. I could see all the signs of a storm, but it was virtually a dry run with all the visual, audio, and tactile effects of the real thing. If I compare the number of rain storms that happen to the place just to the west to the number I receive at my place, a pattern emerges. It nearly always gets the measurable amounts, and I nearly always get the trace amount. I have to laugh at the irony of that. I don't know why that happens.

Life is intermittent in what it brings. There is no doubt about that. Trying to understand why things happen the way they do drives me crazy. A pattern emerges there too. I don't understand why things happen. My way of dealing with things I don't understand is to shake my head, and laugh at my little understanding of the grand scheme of things. But I am really glad that things happen well or right just to the west of me.

The pool effect

Having a back yard pool does not add value to your house according to realtors. I guess that's right. At least, if you sell your house, realtors don't want you to depend on added value from having a pool. But, to me, a pool adds value, aesthetic value if nothing else. The water surface shimmers when the sun glints off of it. It ripples when the wind blows. It makes small little splashes all over when it rains. It adds blue to the color of the green yard surrounding it. It invites you to jump in and refresh your day!

A pool is a symbol of the quality certain people add to our lives. We need that person who makes our lives shimmer, ripple, make little splashes all over, add color, and invite us to refresh our day. A pool and the person it represents are sheer enjoyment. Life could be lived without that person, but what a hole that would leave!

Radiant brilliance

One thing about the sun - it's brilliant. I've heard it's more of an average to low-medium star in the big scheme of the universe. Other stars can outshine it. That doesn't matter a whole lot since I will never get to see any of those other stars in any way except as remotely distant stars in a dark night sky. The sun I see everyday is the most brilliant object I will ever get to see in life.

I have people around me, fortunately, who shine brightly and send their rays into my life. I bask in their radiance. They make me better. I even try to light up others' lives because I have been warmed. I am grateful for the sun that greets me every morning as I wake and for those who warm my heart and make me better from their brilliance.

And there's really only one sun that greets my thoughts as I walk in the park most mornings.

Making the shape beautiful

A couple of days ago, I had the trees at my house pruned. They had not been pruned in a really long time. They look so much better. The limbs are in the shape they should be, and they are at the right height. The limbs that had begun to touch the roof were removed, and the ones on wires were cut back. The usual pruning.

Our bodies do it naturally, too. Cells die and are replaced, even in the brain. Hair grows and falls out, but is replaced by other hair. Nails act the same way. Internally, white blood cells have to always watch to remove the toxins and unwanted substances from making us ill.

Pruning just helps. Occasionally, I have to look around to see what I can do to make my life more shapely, more effecient, less at risk, more productive. Sometimes, I can do this automatically and at other times, I have to make time to do it. One part of this process is to be mentally productive, shedding antiquated information and preparing it with new for those times when knowledge will win the day. Another part is to shape the heart, allowing it to drop unpleasant feelings of past events and to continue very special memories and hope of moments that bring true enjoyment in life.

3-2=+1

I read a book a great number of years ago called Three Steps Forward, Two Steps Backward. It was about the trials and tribulations of life. But, as I think of the title, I see that the book is really about forward progress. The net result is still a postiive one step (3-2). It's a great principle in life that Rome was not built in a day or that we can only take one step at a time. As convoluted as the picture of life is at times, it's refreshing to know that progress is made in the smallest units - a step at a time. Even if the path beneath our feet seems to have reversed, it's just the two steps backwards before we are propelled ahead 3 steps. Backwards is merely a snapshot. It really is a two-step prelude to the forward three steps that follow. And forward progress means we are on the road to somewhere, the road toward our goals.

Exchanges

The brain does something curious at 10 months of age. Its produces about double the amount of neurons than before and it lasts just about 4 months. After that the signal is given to prune the brain's neurons. It will be another 10-12 years before that happens again and it will be driven by hormones when it happens at that time. At 10 months the brain needs all those cells in order to test the full range of possible sounds for the language the child is born into. After the sounds have been tested in all that babbling and after the baby is sure that (s)he has distilled the sounds from the native tongue, then the neurons are reduced in by about 1/2 and the neural network for language acquisition has been started. After the language network has been started, then the brain can concentrate on something else to develop. It trades the neurons available to keep the full range of sounds to develop whatever else in the baby's environment needs developing, keen eyesight, for example, or keen hearing.

There is a saying in English, "Life is a series of trade-offs." I know the saying originated from something else in life other than language acquisition, but what the brain does with language is a good example of the principle. When we need something, it is produced but at the cost of something else. When a stroke victim has to learn language again, it is not usually through the left hemisphere, the original location of language, but with the right hemisphere since there is no damage there. Another example is with cab drivers. The area of the brain that works with directionality is larger with cab drivers than in other people. But, to gain that directionality, something has to be traded off. So, they are weaker in speed in some area of lesser utility than the area using directions.

Had I known the trade-off principle earlier in life, I know I would have done things differently. Now I understand, which makes me more leary of being willing to pursue something because I know there will be a trade-off somewhere. There are also those times when I know exactly what would be traded off if I were to make particular decisions. I would jump at those opportunities and fully enjoy the new pursuit. Some trades are desired and are the stuff dreams and hopes are made of.

Few have seen

These tracks cross a snowpatch on Rapadalen Mountain, Sweden, above the Arctic Circle. Very few people will ever see these tracks. That doesn't matter. It doesn't reduce their beauty in such a pristine environment. Symbolically speaking, we all have people in our lives that we retreat to (whether physically present or not) when we need their beautiful qualities, their smiles, their vibrance. When life produces frustration from its twists and curves, it's the retreat to the almost hidden snow tracks that offer comfort and renewed spirits for hanging on till better times come. I am thankful for the snow tracks high on the mountain, created by that special one, to retreat to this evening. Monday brings a better day.

Fast-paced investing

Trading currencies is a little like gambling in Las Vegas. You have to know when to buy and sell based on the spread of a pair two currencies. It's a very fast-paced style of trading. In stocks, you can look at charts of today's trading, the last week's trading, the last month's, the last year's, on up to the last decade's. In trading currency you click on 1 month, 1 week, 1 hour, down to 1 minute. You have to be really on your toes.

It's not the kind of investing for the faint-hearted. It takes some risk, but it also takes study and watching particular pairs, like the Euro and US dollar, or the Chinese Yuan and the US Dollar. It's only fun if you're in the plus column. It's such a sinking feeling to look up and see that you have lost 20% of your money.

It has taken me a while to settle on something to invest in, but now I think I have found a niche. It's my version of being around something lively, challenging, and productive even if it drives me into an ADHD world. If done right, it will provide profit along with its suspense and fast pace.

Top of the heap

I am sitting here watching the Patriots play tonight. I watch them every chance I get, which is not every week since I do not live in New England. I watch them for the same reason I watch the Lakers in basketball. I like the coach and the main player. Nobody is better than Bill Bellicek and Tom Brady. Both are at the very top of their game. They just win - not every game, but most of the time. They are competent.

I am attracted to people who are competent. They study hard, work hard, and most of the time you can place a winning bet on their outcomes. I have been around both competent and incompetent people at work and in other categories of life. What I really despise is the person who has swagger and a high opinion of himself/herself but who has little to offer except bluster. It doesn't take long for the bluster to become a thin veil for the incompetence that lies behind it.

Everyone has an area or two of incompetence, but generally people know what those areas are and try to compensate through friends who can help or through avoidance of situations that might show their flaws. Just in the last week I have come across several such incompetent people - an attorney who has given bad advice to jeopardize the custody of a couple's children, a detective that refuses to advance a case that clearly begs for something to be done, a person at work who cannot be organized on any kind of long or medium term basis and who proffers opinions not based on evidence or research, and a speaker who gave out inaccurate information because of lack of preparation.

So, when I see competence, especially in people I like to surround myself with or to relax in watching as a form of entertainment, I want to shout and jump and let them know that I do so appreciate the beauty of their level of performance. Few have it. It's why they are the top rock on the heap.

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.