Fear is a many spledored thing

Y'all know what a big, humongous chicken I am. I mean I'm afraid to ride my own horse, who is afraid of squirrels and leaves and plastic bags.
The mall parking lot is full of kidnappers and serial killers.
People get sucked right out of airplanes (look it up, it's true, it happened on Hawaiian Airlines a few years ago to a flight attendant, but I don't recommend you hang around the emergency exit waiting for the bathroom.
You get the idea.
So it's probably appropriate that in Kauai, Hawaiian island of chickens (seriously, they all got loose after a hurricane in 1992 and roam the island roosting and crowing, unchecked) was a good place to go zip lining.
Incidentally, I happen to be afraid of chickens, too, after being viciously attacked by one when trying to shoo it out of our car's path. Never hurry along a chicken while you are in sandals.Just run it over instead- hey, it's you or the chicken, and a car gives you a little advantage over an angry chicken.1
Top 4 reasons to be fearful of zip lining 1) I really don't like heights. 2) I don't trust small wires to hold ever increasing me up over deep valleys. 3) I don't trust the judgement of barely past teenage guys, even if they have been to Afghanistan. 4) It's really way embarrassing to be way more afraid than a nine year old in public.
Still, I somehow did it- the hardest part was stepping off the platform- by the end I even zipped and jumped off into a lava tube pond and swam under its waterfall.
So now I can brag about it. Ridiculous, I know.

Amnesia

I think I have amnesia. Everytime I buy something, I forget I spent money. I was just looking at our checking account and saw a charge to Macys. It posted on Tuesday. I didn't go to the mall Tuesday! Someone stole my card!
No, it was a charge from Saturday, posted Tuesday. Did I go to the mall on Saturday? Hmm. Oh yeah, I did after spending a harrowing 3 hours with Papoose painting pottery and trying to practice Zen Buddhist techniques of letting go of the outcome (why aren't there other mothers in there going- "No! No! That's going to make one big splotchy mess?!?"- but I digress). That was $100, painfully spent. Then I bought shoes.
Which I forgot I bought. I mean I know I bought them, I was going to wear them today, except it's raining, so I didn't. I forgot I spent money.
Maybe this is some kind of dementia? Shopper's amnesia?

I need to go back to recording all my purchases in my calendar, if I remember to do it.

Prince & Misc.

Last weeks Hubs and I went to see His Purple Highness.

 Did you know:
Prince is a Jehovah's Witness? And the AM we went to the concert Jehovah's witnesses came to visit me?
Prince is a Vikings fan like Hubs?
Prince was once engaged to Wendy's twin sister- yes, Wendy & Lisa Wendy.
Prince wrote the songs for Morris Day and the Time (oh-wee-oh-wee-oh)

The tickets said 7:00. Hubs was quite stressed we might be late. The opening act, Grand Central (another old Prince band) didn't start until 8pm. Prince didn't start until 9PM.
Prince played lots of old stuff. Purple Rain stuff. He no longer plays anything explicit. It was very lounge act-ish. Oh wait, Prince spent a lot of time doing that in Vegas, didn't he? Back when he didn't use a name.  In fact, he was tame enough I thought Papoose would have enjoyed the show.
Except
The fans. The fans were the real freak show.  You'd have thought with the cost of tickets, the riffraff would have been kept to a minimum. First of all, there weren't very many people dressed in purple. Hello, people, you are going to see Prince! I mean people wear purple to see the Vikings, don't they?
There were lots of over the knee leather boots, fishnets tights, and a very unfortunate fishnet tights without a skirt. I was sooo glad she wasn't in the row in front of us.
Prince himself wore fuzzy Uggs with heels, probably unfortunate for anyone other than Prince. He was despite a moderate back up band, essentially a one man show.
Except:

Sheila E (of "Glamorous Life", also written by Prince) stole the show. Well as much as anyone could steal a show from Prince.

I want to be Sheila E. when I grow up. She's 53 and amazing. Like Don Henley, she sings and plays drums. She's got a ton of energy. She's gorgeous. She's Nichole Ritchie's aunt, and was involved with Prince while he was engaged to Wendy's sister. Ok, I'll skip that part of being Sheila E.

Currently

I have this fantasy that I'm going to wake up at 5:30 every morning, hop in the shower, blow out my hair, wear a cute outfit and make up, make breakfast, like eggs and hash browns with toast, check my emails, chat with Hubs, hand him lunch with a peck on the cheek, then awaken Papoose and enjoy my homemade latte while she gets ready. After we review her day, we get to school, just a couple of minutes early, chat on the playground, and then the bell rings.
I can dream, can't I?
Reality:
Hit snooze for the third time before blearily realizing Must Get Up NOW.
Convince Papoose to get up after Mommy in shower. Harangue from shower re: brushing teeth, hair, getting dressed, along with What's the time? We better scoot, scoot, GetGoing!
In between toweling off, finishing Papoose's hair, top button, etc, lotion up, get dressed- leggings again. Remember lip gloss if good day.
Exhort Papoose re: shoes, breakfast, lunch, snack.
Maybe eat oatmeal standing.
Wonder if shadowy memory of Hubs from AM was real v. Dream. Decide maybe dream as no coffee in pot.
Scoot Papoose into car, zoom down hill to school, cursing at red light under breath.
Run-walk Papoose into line during AM greeting. Haven't missed Pledge, so sigh with relief.
Go to Starbucks for latte, extra shot.
Vow to get to bed earlier.
Dream about ideal AM, again.

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Location:Satellite, RWC

Intention, 'tention, What's Your Function?

Not to get School House Rock tunes into your head all day...

Here's the thing about Intention. It works in mysterious ways and things you don't expect just happen. The Universe listens.
And responds to support you.

After posting my goals, I felt much more at peace about 2011. I really want to be healthier. To feel good in my skin. To make good choices.
But my list is so long and seems so impossible.
On the same day, right after I published my blog post, I got two unrelated emails:

"Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish." -John Quincy Adams


Persistence, Linda, is not about knocking on one door... until the dang thing finally opens.
It's about knocking on all of them.
Insist on the destination, Linda, not on how you'll get there.



Knock, knock -


I went to JoAnns, the fabric store- I needed thread; I had a few items and was waiting in the inevitable slowline. It was past lunch and I was hungry. The pink foiled Almond Rocas started their quiet singing. "Eat me, eat me,mmm, I'm so yummy..." Maybe not the healthiest choice, but almonds are, after all, full of Vitamin E, according to Hubs hero, Dr.  Andrew Weil. Under the spell of their siren call, I picked up a pack.
A little voice, said, "So convenient how they put them there, isn't it?" I turned around and it was a little old Japanese lady in khacki polyester pants and mint green hand knit cardigan.
Guiltily, I said, "Yes, it's so tempting." I hesitated with the candy in my hand adding,"I was planning to go to Nijaya Market to pick up lunch-"
"Better choice, I'm going there myself. Put it back."
Obediently, I put it back, strangely feeling grateful. "Thank you! I feel better! I  needed that reminder"
She smiled,"Just like I tell my grandkids."

We both went to Nijaya. I picked a very healthy sushi pack. But I waited until my Japanese Grandmother left before I bought Pocky, too.



    

New Years Resolving

Pretty much, every year, I do resolutions. Last year, during our Staycation, we reviewed our goals for 2010. Apart from some travel goals (maybe this year, Paris?)we really rocked. Papoose was really impressed by the goals she achieved. And I seem to never to manage to lose weight, although was overall healthier- no hospitalizations (feel like an old geezer saying that).
So this year, I seem to be having a hard time making goals.
Here is partial list:

Riding: do at least 2 Woodside shows, be rusty stirrup (old lady division) champion- just warning ya, Rainbow Brite, not that you'd be in th OL Divison...Since Aladdin's my secret weapon, and all I need to do is point him to the jump, I just may manage this. And the trainer has agreed to let me take Secret Weapon!
My riding itself goal is to focus on sinking my weight down into my leg, feeling weighted and grounded in my heels, as opposed to just pointing my toes up. One is fundamental and grounded, the other is superficial and shallow.

Academically: maintain my certification, do my CMEs, get boarded in Sports Med. Do two lectures at Stanford.

Sartorial: Buy less, tailor/ cobbler more, get max wear of what I have and get rid of that which I don't wear and is cluttering my closet space.
Wear make up or at least shower and dress nicely ( no Uggs with sweats or pjs unless I'm leaving the gym after pm swimming) everyday.

Health: eat veggies daily, at least one serving ( no V8 doesn't count)
No soda, even Mexican, at home, unless we are hosting a party (see relationships)
Do PT for my back, I'm tired of back pain
Menu plan weekly
Go to bed by 9:30.
Do more cardio
Add dance or zumba
Swim
Oh, and meditation, yoga and massages, more, more, more!

Relationships: more activities with Hubs
Meet Don Henley, preferably while wearing make up, esp mascara to bat eyelashes at...Hubs, look at line above
Have regular time with girl friends ( loved coffee with you the other day, Roca, Rainbow, I miss you)

Home: upstairs windows, bedrooms- reclaim the master, paint, crown molding, closets and closet doors

Yeah, this is the partial list...maybe I'll just stop now!



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Happy New Year

A few years ago, a friend gave me the birthday gift of a ticket to see the Dalai Lama speak at Stanford. He is a profoundly moving speaker, in his humility and humor.
So today, on another blog, Everyday Minimalist, I saw his 18 rules for living and thought I'd share with you.

The Dalai Lama's 18 Rules for Living:

1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

2. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.

3. Follow the three Rs:

1. Respect for self

2. Respect for others

3. Responsibility for all your actions

4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.

6. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

7. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

8. Spend some time alone every day.

9. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.

10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.

12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.

13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past.

14. Share your knowledge. It’s a way to achieve immortality.

15. Be gentle with the earth.

16. Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.

17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.