On visiiting the Land of the Giants

16-0. Phew! After putting up with more than three hours of CONNTINUOUS,insane smack talk from 2 drunken bitches sitting behind us in the Land of the Giants, we woke up this morning WINNERS! And they will wake up losers, with severe hangovers and mouths dirty enough to farm potatos. No, Tom Brady is not our father...and yes, we are old enough to consume alcohol. No we are not driving all the way back to Boston tonight, and the reason we are not yelling and screaming smack is because we knew we would be going home the victors.

Well, let me say there were a lot of Pats fans at the game last night...but not nearly enough to drown out Eli's Giants. We were cursed at, harassed, doused with beer, and screamed at...and sorry, the Giant guys were gentlemen and pretty much ignored us and thought we were cute; but the two bitches sitting behind us were clearly more interested in us than in the game.Too bad Baby Eli couldn't maintain his composure when the Patriots finally went on the attack. Eli never did come to save them.

So the night started out FAB! We were given a free parking permit and got to park right next to the stadium. With my daughter's compact little Corolla it was a breeze pulling into one of the few parking spots not occupied by a grill, beer bottles or a cooler. We walked to the stadium, took pictures, and made our way to our awesome seats...until the folks settled in behind us. I want it to go on record that not only were we harassed incessently, but those two females had THE MOST ANNOYING VOICES I have ever heard. And that was their redeeming quality. Welcome to New Jersey. Land of the Entitled. And the guys they were with clearly only kept them around for one thing.

So if they weren't annoying enough, the Giants ran down the field and scored on the first posession? What? The game was annoying too. Where was the D? The atmosphere was getting intense..and a little stressful. Are we bad luck? Upon leaving our seats to go buy beer "You're not leaving, are you??" said the Pats guy in the next row over...(Giant Stadium is ugly and not full of amenities, I might add), we return to our seats to discover our seats had been doused with beer...what, to make us mad? How could we be mad going 16-0?Poor sports. "When should we leave?"
"You know I think we may be bad luck. If we leave at the end of the third quarter, they will have time to catch up.We started plotting our escape...."If we wait til the end and the Giants win or lose, it's not gonna be very pleasant." "
"We should take off all our Pats gear, so we don't stand out!"
"Good idea...we can blend.."
So it was the third quarter and we were losing, and getting harassed, quite personally I might add, who wound them up? So we planned our escape after the Pats lost posession at the beginning of the fourth quarter. We had had enough. They had better win.

We take off our hats, sweathirts, and zip up our coats...Gate A. Out in the parking lot the stadium erupts. That's not good. But wait! My daughter is on the phone with her boyfriend "Randy Moss just scored a touch down..those are Pats fans!"
"Where have they been all night?"
SO to the car, onto the Parkway, with three cell phones to three different people, all giving us play by play, we made our escape from the Land of the Giants, off into the new Jersey night;with the intense satisfaction of knowing to the victors go the spoils...and to the bitches sitting in Section 216, no one to harass during their final glorious defeat.
There is no need for explaining why we were there.

What do you want to do next?

SO, what happens when your to-do list starts to disappear? As the year comes to a close, there is a realization that in spite of the year's ups and downs, items on THE LIST have been crossed off...goals accomplished, tasks completed, projects finished. So some things that are still on the list, as well as some new things that have been added to next year's list:

• Go to Foxborough Stadium...that will stay on THE LIST.
• Join the Wine of the Month Club
• Go to Foxwoods to play golf
• Break 100
• Buya Macbook Pro
• redecorate my Library (is that what I am calling it now?)
• photograph more....
• digitize analogue tapes
• digitize family photos
• introduce TED new!!
• party more new!!
• complain less new!!

I'm sure the list will be revised as the year begins. Life is just full of surprises, some good, some you can live without. But when you look back at your accomplishments and check your list, you will be surprised at what a difference a year makes. What do you want to do next? Before you turn 30? 40? 50? 60? 70? Look at your list...it's not too late. It's NEVER too late.

Nulla dies sine linea

All the questions have gone out of my head for today..in their place is a kind of white space..now don't laugh...it's a good thing. The tree is now decorated...and there are some really, really good pictures capturing the moments . Family photos..of course, not really, because I am not in them, I am taking the pictures. Today I will upload my photos so I can finally start posting them. I am getting aquainted with my new camera, but I need a tripod..too much camera shake. The fireworks setting is perfect, though, for caputuring the glowing Christmas tree and the fire in the fireplace. My favorite...capturing the ornaments against the backdrop of the tree lights using the macro setting. I discovered the pictures look a lot better when printed, then in the viewfinder....I wonder what they will look like on the computer screen?

Lots to do today. The monkey is off my back. I am done fighting with my inner self. Life is too short. Every day things happen that are out of our control, and all we can do is control how we react to what is being flung in our direction. There is a really big picture out there...a jumbotron. Kind of like comparing what you can see through the camera's viewfinder to what is really out there. The camera can only capture part of it..and there is only so much you can control. But when you sit back and take in the whole scene it becomes easier to manipulate the camera to try to capture the essence of what is happening. And then you have nothing to do but sit back and enjoy the moment.

Yesterday my thoughts were actually spoken out loud by someone else...I have not spoken them out loud to anyone..how weird is that? Karma...once again, so it seems. A sign. So for today I am free from my thoughts. The last one standing? Maybe....

On keeping your chin up...

So not really a question, really, but an observation and a reflection...on keeping your chin up..that could mean a lot of things. Keeping your chin up, without holding your guard up, exposes your face to attack...perhaps a knock out! So why say "keep your chin up?" Hang in there? Hold your head up? Because to stay in the game you need to have confidence, you need to know you can win. Keeping your chin up and holding your head high means a lot these days, when there are those that cannot even look you in the eye.

In sports they say the best defense is a strong offense, and I would have to agree. You cannot let negative energy draw you away from your offense, which is your strength. You cannot be so worried about defending your face that you spend all day with your chin down, avoiding people, avoiding confrontation, worried about defending against attack. Be prepared. Be strong in the message you send and be confident that you know the right thing to do. Keep your chin up. Positive energy wins.

Tree Questions

Oh Yaaa. Here's a question you may have heard before: "If a tree falls in a forest does it still make a noise?" Maybe...probably....I can tell you if a tree falls in a living room and it is covered with glass ornaments and lights, it definitely makes a noise..although not as loud as you would think, and we did not see it happening so we did not yell,"TIMBER!"

Tis the season. On Friday my brother brought us a tree he cut down from his property and thank goodness he stayed to help put it up! It was beast..probably 10-12 feet tall. "You are the only ones who have a living room with tall enough ceilings for it," He said. Hoist it up, tighten the screws in the tree stand. "Does it look straight?" Good enough. Get the big step ladder, let's put the lights on first..... we can decorate it over the weekend....

Saturday. "Does that tree look tippy?" It does look like it' s leaning, but I think it's the tree..the trunk isn't straight-there's like a double trunk and a little bit of an open spot near the back.....uh,huh.

Saturday Evening. "Are you sure that tree isn't leaning? It looks like it is....but after a day of Christmas shopping and up at 5:30, everything looks tippy. Let's go to bed.

Thank goodness the tree is near the window and the ceiling beam..nice to rest on, if you're a tippy tree.
12:45am...the tree is leaning, ALOT...it will tip over if we don't do something immediately. Did I mention I was in bed...sleeping?
Did you ever wonder why it takes so long to decorate a tree? Well, it only takes a fraction of the time to un decorate a tree. SO the tree comes down, we trim it down about 8 inches, and hoist it back up...straight this time, I swear. Back to bed, kinda.

Sunday 9Am......snow, snow, snow, but the tree looks wonderful...decorated, pretty straight....but I have my head in a computer for the day working.....

4pm....Time to take a break to make Lasagna. Does that tree look likes it's leaning slightly? No, I think it was leaning a little when we put it up (at 2am.)

5pm. Lasagna cooking,.Patriots winning. Miami Dolphins winning.

6pm. Eating lasagna, drinking wine...life is good.

7pm. Relaxing in the TV room.......

CRASH! Oh shit....

Tree resting on the bar...Thank goodness it fell forward and not to either side! "I just don't understand!? Is it a different kind of tree?" It's top heavy, I say. Get it out of here, I'm done.
"Well we have to trim it before we get it out of here....are you sure you want to get rid of it? What will we do, have no Christmas tree?"
"Whatever! I am tired.... More undecorating. Miraculously, only 2 broken ornaments. This is getting really old. I don't even like this tree as it gets smaller and smaller....take another foot off the bottom. "Hey, we can see the fireplace now, that's a good thing! And we only need three sets of lights! "

But the lights are broken, the tree stands naked in the living room in defiance. The ornaments, so carefully packed away wrapped in tissue paper have been thrown into a box, a disheveled mess. The Nutcracker soldiers are toppled over on the bar where they tried to defend against the attacking tree.

Trees are nice, but they are not Christmas. I don't even care about a tree anymore. I want a day off and I want eggnogg.

What's your passion?

Today was definitely one for the books. Gut check. Reality. But always something good comes from life's interruptions. I realized passion is important...a passion for what makes you get out of bed every day. Passion is what I am about. Passion and intensity-two things that can get sucked out of you if you let it. So what' s your passion? I love my morning coffee and reading all the news I can get my hands on for at least an hour. I love listening to music on my way to work. I love it when the lights are green and there is no line of traffic. I love a full tank of gas!! I love to reach into my pocketbook and find my keys..the first time. I love dark chocolate and milano cookies..together, with milk, and no guilt. I really love to write even when it is quite possible no one is reading and no one is listening. You never know....I really love surprises! And I love getting to know people...because you think you know, but you really have no idea and every day you learn something new about yourself. I am passionate about golf..because I love a challenge, and I love success, especially when it doesn't come easily. I am passionate about learning, especially, and about sharing. Tomorrow is a new day. A new T-day, followed by a wild Wednesday..a new adventure awaits.
Live your life with passion.....otherwise, life is just ordinary.

How do you spell that?

OKAY..just another reason why I LOVE the Internet....not only can you look stuff up, you really don't need to know how to spell what you want to look up...sounding out is good enough!! There is always someone out there that knows what you meant to say. And there is always someone out there that has the answer to what I want to know.

So the focus today is on just a few of the Les Mills Body Combat moves that i just had to know how to spell. The instructor looks really cool and sounds even cooler. She is intense, but what did she say? And how do you do that? So here goes. After a month of classes (the routine is already changing...just when you figure out how not to fall over, they throw somethng new at you!) I kinda got the basic moves...although the left side of my body is still a little weird at times. The routine is broken down by track, with a different martial arts focus for each track...with some basic aerobic stuff thrown in between to keep your blood moving. There is also breathing..lots of breathing...and, interestingly enough, the moves ARE in fact based on a variety of martial arts techniques, moves, forms, whatever. Here is what I found out:

Muay Thai- aka, Thai Boxing, the national sport of Thailand, originated on the ancient battlegrounds of the Siamese army. Check out http://www.thaiboxing.com for more info!

Mawashi-geri – aka-Roundhouse kick – from Tae Kwon Do- this site is a good demonstration and explanation of the technique http://www.physical-arts.com/training/techniques/mn_roundhouse_kick_right.html IF you want to check out the differences between the roundhouse kick used in various martial arts, check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roundhouse_kick

Kata-jaoanese, meaning “form” used to describe detailed choreographed series of moves practiced either solo or in pairs.

Jinga- or Ginga-is a fundamental move in Capoeira, a martial arts game or sport that originated in Brazil by Angolan slaves check this out! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_capoeira_techniques#Ginga

SO there you have it. And don't forget to check out http://www.lesmills.com if you want. Although be prepared to wait an eternity for the demo moves to load.....of course I was too impatient to wait. I would rather go to the gym and watch the really cool instructors get intense with their Body Combat moves a few times a week. I will tell you today we went after real people which was real scarey, and I don't think the 6 plus foot guy I was throwing punches at was very intimidated...but I was. Needless to say...you do not want to be in the front row when you are learning something new.

See you at the gym!

Questions for the general good of the people...

People want to know...is the TV writer's strike over? Is tonight the last "new" episode of Gray's Anatomy?
Is all the hype about Santana for real or is it just an attempt by the Red Sox to manipulate the Yankees...?
Will the Pats really go the entire season undefeated?
How high will gas prices go this winter?
Where can you go to buy a Wii and WHY is it the thing this Christmas season?
Why does the coupon or the big sale arrive the day AFTER you make the big purchase?
What is better for you....physical activity or mental gymnastics?

PART II: WHERE ARE MY KEYS?

So once again the keys have disappeared into thin air. This is after I have attached them to this cute little jeweled froggie that is supposed to clip to the outside of my purse to prevent them from disappearing. The last thing I remember clearly is holding them in my hand while juggling my pocketbook, my banana, my water bottle and my granola, as I exited my vehicle (late again, I might add) and just before I slammed the truck door I LOCKED it. Like a good girl. I remember hustling to the front door, and as I entered I was greeted by someone who offered to carry my laptop...how nice! "Sorry, I have to go teach PE!" Okay, to the lab, the locked door,(which is never locked) I reach into my pocketbook and miraculously retrieve my badge and room key..voila! Unlock the door, lug everything in, dump it on the floor, the desk, whatever, and so my day begins.

Fast forward to 2:45....packing up to leave, grab my photocopies, my binder, throw everything into my laptop bag, shove whatever's left into my pocketbook, grab my vest and dash out the door. "Where are my keys?" Of course they are nowhere...not in my pocketbook, not in my laptop bag, not in my pockets....."Let's go back upstairs and check the lab!" Nowhere..not on my desk, not in my closet...vanished. Until tomorrow, when I am not quite so frazzled. The keys will appear when I least need them. The froggie is lying low until that time, and I have managed to maintain my reputation....once again, in spite of my efforts to appear organized and together.

What if....??

So what if all those things you wondered about you had the answers to? Life, perhaps, wouldn't be quite so interesting. It's about the quest.....the search for answers and in getting to a place you know. So what if you realized you really knew nothing at all of great importance? What if you stopped making an effort, at anything that was the least bit challenging..what do you think would happen? What if you really got to know people? What if you really knew them?
What if you really said what you were thinking...all the time..? What if you didn't have to work..how would you spend your time? What if you could make a wish and have it come true..what would you wish for?

What if.....it is impossible to know the answer to what if. Not impossible to know what is. But do we really know what is? Or do we think we know, but we really have no idea? How do you know you know? How do you know what you don't know? Some things you just know....inside. Perhaps it cannot be explained or defined, but to know something is to understand, implicitly, without words, without explanation. To know something deeply is to feel it and experience it with your whole body and mind. You just know.

It's all about the cliche's....

It's true what they say...life comes at you in cycles. And every so often it feels like you come to the end of a cycle and then what? All signs point you in the right direction, but can you see the signs? It's all about cliche's today...can you see the forest for the trees? Two roads diverged in the yellow wood....

So do you stay the course or take the road less traveled...Once, a few years ago I sat through Sunday Mass down in NJ and listened passionately to missionaries from Haiti. I want to go to Haiti, to teach children and adults how to read and write...the very basic elements of our American education we take totally for granted.

Last month at the National Middle School Association conference I listened passionately to a science teacher from Colorado who, through an interactive telecollaborative web project with his class, befriended a teacher from Botswana. The school ended up donating their outdated desktop computers to the Botswanan village school, which had no electricity, no Internet connection-no running water...no walls. The computers had to be set up in a public building in the village center .The two teachers and their students continue their relationship to this day..

So how do all the pieces of the puzzle fit together? They say patience is a virtue.....if only I could see. But there's a reason for everything and who knows what it is? So sit back, enjoy the ride, and see where the road takes you...

The Three Questions.....

I cannot take credit for these questions...I only know sometimes I need to be reminded of the answers.

http://www.yuni.com/library/docs/200.html