I Love Being Entertained...

Movies, TV, radio, entertainment in general - I love it!  I am never bored.

• A recent drive to Minneapolis:  I listen to a 1940's detective series online via my Android (I listen to a lot of old time radio shows, especially mysteries). http://radiolovers.com/ and   http://www.mysteryshows.com/
• The past 2 months:  9 seasons of "Midsommer Murders" A British copper series that is absolutely excellent.  I watch a couple hours late in the evening via Netflix on my laptop.
• http://www.hulu.com  MORE free movies and TV shows online!
• DVDs in my laptop case to play on my laptop if there is no internet access: recent ones "Matchmaker" with Janeane Garafalo (excellent witty romance) and "French Kiss" with Kevin Kline/Meg Ryan.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_MatchMaker_(1997_film)
• Sunday afternoon on Minnesota Public radio..Car Talk with Tom & Ray, the Tappet Brothers!  Their helpful patter about cars has me in stitches.  http://www.cartalk.com/
• More later...

My Husband Loves Cookbooks

My husband loves cookbooks.  Not just any cookbooks, but ONLY ones that have those colorful, delicious displays for every recipe...the sparkling plates are positioned perfectly, icy droplets slide down the glass of chilled lemonade, the turkey has the most perfectly gorgeous bronzed tan and each dessert adds calories to your day just by gazing at it.

Wednesday he came home with another colorful "Holiday Gathering" cookbook, full of absolutely scrumptious photos.  He instructed me that we would fix items on pages 5,17, 32 and 41 for the upcoming Thanksgiving celebration.  He plans to pull out his award winning rolls recipe and bake 3 dozen melt in your mouth buns to go with the turkey dinner.

He is funny, a great companion and a joy to be with.  He loves grocery shopping and trying new recipes.  He does laundry over 90% of the time.  He can spot a Brighton piece of jewelry from 500 feet. He is a maintenance man at a school and brings me home mismatched, broken pieces of costume jewelry: "I found another diamond for you..."  I dutifully admire it, exclaim at its brilliance and add it to an overflowing bowl of  similar mismatched bits of bling.

So, this blog is actually in admiration of the man I love, Bruce.  The man who loves colorful cookbooks.

Living your Best Life

The title for this blog comes from Oprah.

I like Oprah's Lifeclass series. Today (Nov 16, 2011) she has Jim Carrey and others...very motivating. I truly wish I could convince others to watch her show. She is an interesting and compelling woman. If you feel you are going no where, have no goals or don't know how to reach them, are miserable with your choices or unhappy in general: watch this every day.


I know of a few goal achievers: 

• Jack Canfield (I met him in Alexandria, MN, he writes "Chicken Soup" books). He told us he pasted a $100,000+ check to his bedroom ceiling. A year or so later, he accomplished his goal (sure, he worked for it). 
• Jim Carry put a $10 million dollar post dated check (3 years) in his billfold. Just as the time was about to expire, he got his break with "Dumb and Dumber". 
• Bruce and I posted a pic of our A frame home on our fridge...took a few years, but we have it. Set goals!
• JK Rowling is being interviewed now. I have seen her biography before...it was not easy, she struggled, but never gave up on her writing. She is the only billionaire (female?) writer. Love the Harry Potter series.
• The SPANX owner started with an idea and $5,000 and hard work, researching and experimenting for 2 years.  She does over $100 million dollars in sales now.  
• You have an idea? a Goal? Don't GIVE UP!  You can accomplish anything.  Believe in yourself and that YOU  deserve success.

Powerful statement: "Do you believe you are worthy? If you truly believe you are, success/happiness will manifest itself" 

Phases in life...FALL

I am in the FALL of my life.  Perhaps, as a result, some changes have happened to me lately.

1. I started walking every day
2. We took a wine class and have 6 gallons brewing, 6 more planned to start this coming week...and a batch of beer planned
3. We froze a few gallons of tomato-pepper combinations for healthy alternative to canned goods
4. Bruce is taking salads to work in his lunch every day

Are we changing?  It appears so.

I started thinking about what I would like to be doing in 5 years and in 10 years.  No change for either of the years.

1. Enjoying visits from family and friends
2. Sitting on my deck sipping our homemade wine/brew with #1
3. Cultivating a garden of as organic as possible veggies and fruits - enough for us for the year and some gifts.

30 years.

1. I am sitting on the deck in the summer sun after my second walk of the day. 
2. No longer have an issue with sun sensitivity on my smooth, but elderly skin.
3. Fall asleep (permanently) on the deck with a half-drank glass of my home-made wine, a just finished book on the table beside me. 
4. All final arrangements made, so noone has to worry about anything.
5. Everyone celebrates my humanity.

Inferiority, Narcissism, Egoism and Pathological liars.

An old Blog from 2011

While my life is generally pretty wonderful, a few things can throw a cloud over my day.

• Reading stupid stuff on FB and realizing it was written by a family member,
• Or, worse: reading something stupid that is public and realizing I wrote it, (but this is not about me),
• So, I thought I would ponder about people who write REALLY stupid stuff in social media (includes news sites, YouTube comments, FB, Twitter, etc.). You know who you are. Or, at least suspect.

So, if you already know who you are, I thought to myself, why do you do it and can it be stopped?

Why you do it:

1. You feel inferior. To gain attention to how cool, sexy, admired and wonderful you are, you post comments to shock, grab attention, inviting family, friends and strangers to "see me, I am really all these things and I can prove it!" with graphic pictures and language! ( inside, I fear I am not any of these things, so I must keep trying to prove it...and maybe it will come true).
2. You are narcissistic. You truly feel you ARE all these things. Your ego cannot be stopped. You think little of other people, but you need them to feed your insatiable ego. Therefore, you post shocking statements, foul language, and sexual detail. Again, to gain the attention you crave, demand. "See me! How sexy I am! I am beautuful! I work out! I am better than you. NOTICE me and "like" my comments!"
3. You are a pathological liar. You easily lie about anything, at any given time. It "becomes" truth to you. After a while you cannot differentiate between truth and lies.

Can it be stopped?

• Maybe.  Age/time-natural aging and maturing process. Sometimes age matures a person and they develop self-confidence. They gradually realize they no longer have to convince others they are "sexy, wanted by every man/woman who sees them or have to use foul language to get attention".
• Perhaps.  Time-and seeing life and people outside yourself. Time passes and you truly start valuing other people as individuals. Women are smart and funny, men are kind and supportive. You no longer believe it is "all about me". Narcissism fades away, gradually. You truly do become a better person, and embarrassed that you screamed "Me, me, me!" to the world.
• No.  Pathological liar. Maybe you will never change. You will always see life through your own lens, thinking you are convincing others to see the same way. Little do you know that they are only with you momentarily, soon they see you for what you really are, a sad, souless creature.

Summer continues...

I am having a nice summer, busy, sometimes a bit melancholy.

I will have to change my BLOG intro because I have entered a new decade of my life. Every decade a person should do a retrospective, just like a project entering a new phase.  Well, I will save that for another time.

I cannot wait to finish staining the house and deck this weekend! It will look like new.  I washed N wall and most of deck today.  We cleaned and caulked logs last weekend.  You can sure tell when you drive up to it.  I should take pics.

Next I will do floors. Then I will have house re-appraised so we can drop the darn mortgage insurance (we pay something like $136 or so a month that just disappears, and is insurance for mortgage company, not us).  Thousands of dollars have gone down the drain in the 8 years or so since we built the house.

wonder if I can find a "Before" house pic.

Well, I could not, so here is a picture of Star Lake, where Bruce and I have been fishing this year.

Summer - 2011

Add caption

I enjoy summer in Minnesota.  Sitting on the deck, visiting with family is probably my favorite activity.  Bruce likes to take people fishing, especially since he has a "new" fishing boat.

Sunday we went fishing, me for the first time in a couple-three years.  We had such a good time. I recall I have always enjoyed fishing. Nowadays it is hard for me to go unless I am well-prepared with sunscreen and a big hat...and don't get too hot as I am sensitive to the sun & humidity/sweat! Ugh!

We had fresh walleye last night.  It was delicious.  I froze another meal for 4.  We released all the sunnies, probably 15-20 or more.  They were really big, too.  I like the flavor, but I hate even getting ONE fish bone in my serving.

Traveling: We went on one trip this summer, to Seattle in April.  Not good weather at the time. We missed our "annual" cabin trip with Darrell and Mary this year, but enjoyed a visit with them when they were in this area.  We now think of our home as the "cabin getaway" - we have scenery, fishing, swimming near by and an expansive space on the deck (or in the yard) to just chat with people.

It sounds like a busy weekend and week ahead, visitors this weekend and our grandson Andy here for a week - that will be fun.  Then on Sunday David will bring his church camp kids here for lunch, there will be 18 of us in all to feed.  We volunteered to do this last year and here we are again!! Maybe it will become a tradition.   We will BBQ up a storm for the kids.  They were so cute last year: so polite and thanked us profusely when they left.  Brenda will be here and can help me cook and serve the kids.  I think it is going to be great weather, so everyone can eat outside.  

I Like Reading...

I wonder if I should write a reading blog.  I always have 5-8 books in various stages of being read.  I find myself preferring fiction, although I always have business, technology and non-fiction on my shelves.


For example, as I look across the room, I eye with delight the six-volume set of Winston Churchill's works  "The Second World War" I discovered at a local sportsman's show!  Houghton Mifflin, first editions, excellent condition.  Churchill received the Nobel Prize in Literature for this series.


I recall hearing Churchill on the radio when I was a little kid, I was mesmerized by his voice.  It was so unique, deep, gruff and yet eloquent.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winston_Churchill

Churchill after his speech to theParliament of Canada in December of 1941

Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Churchill at the Cairo Conference in 1943

Thanks to Wikipedia for some quotes and these pictures.

I recall reading the letters of President Roosevelt to Winston Churchill, it was incredible...the friendship they had was quite close.  I recall reading about Churchill padding around barefoot in his underwear around the White House, where he was invited several times.  He was also a good friend of Harry Truman, the next president of the United States.


I interviewed a woman veteran of WWII who was at the Potsdam conference with Truman, Churchill & Stalin.  That is where European boundaries and settlements were officially agreed to.   The woman I interviewed was a communications person posted in England and was selected to go to the Potsdam conference to "handle important messages" for Truman.  She sat a few feet away from them and reported to me that Stalin was "not a nice person".   Perhaps it was because he was reportedly not feeling well.  She was responsible for handing off secret messages to Truman during the conference, like "the bluebird sings in spring"...She said she did not know what any of the messages meant, and they were all in code. 


A couple years ago I watched Churchill's granddaughter talk about him on a PBS show.  It was fascinating.  He was a tender, sensitive man...mostly ignored by his parents and spent much of his youth in private school.  He had a deep dependency on his wife.  He went and stayed with his nanny at her deathbed.  He stated she had been his best friend [for the first 20 years of his life].  One time he had a stroke that required him to re-learn to speak.  He had to give an important speech and he was able to do so, despite the stroke.  He was also a prolific writer.  It is said he was a prolific writer to fund his extravagant lifestyle. 


He was an avid representative for Great Britain, he traveled around the world trying to get support during WWII (especially trying to get Franklin Roosevelt's help).  He would travel "incognito".  He also started the famous "V for Victory" sign that people still use today.  He also was a painter, using art to overcome depression, or "the Black Dog" as he called it.


Churchill had his ups and downs.  He had some major, terrible challenges with politicians and people in his own country through his life and career.  If you know of the movie "The King's Speech" with Colin Firth, you will recall the abdication of his brother Edward VIII to marry Wallace Simpson, the American Divorcee.  Churchill was VERY involved in that situation, trying to get Edward to hold off making his decision.  He made enemies when trying to do so, and it seems many people misinterpreted his intentions...it was thought he was putting unconstitutional pressure on the King to make a hasty decision when it was (I believe) just the opposite.  His reputation was terribly damaged.


He was the first person to become an honorary citizen of the United States, proclaimed by John F Kennedy.  He was an amateur bricklayer and joined the Union as part of this hobby.  He was a man of so many talents and contradictions.


Churchill died at age 90, January 24, 1965.  I was 13.  His life is such an interesting story.  I have been blogging on and on and barely touched the surface.  Watch the PBS special if you ever get a chance.


http://www.pbs.org/churchill/feedback/index.html

http://www.celiasandys.com/html/tv_presenter.html

A Tasty Spoonful: What's for supper tonight?

A Tasty Spoonful: What's for supper tonight?

Memorial Day Walks: "So many stories", I muse...

I decided to walk through the local cemetary west of Dent, MN and look at as many gravestones as possible for this Memorial Day "pre-week".   The idea came about today on my (2nd, yahoo!) morning walk. 

Day 1:  Carl & Agnes Hanson.  "So many stories", I said to myself.  The first story was almost immediate:  a man had died 3 months after his wife.  What was the story?  I concluded he had died from grief, (or not caring for himself) which is a well documented statistic from studies around the world.  This led me to do a quick bit of Google research to affirm this belief.  It was affirmed.  Studies done (even in other countries) prove that men more often die sooner after their spouse dies. 

Day 2:  Jack Mondt.  Today I straightened up Jack's flowers and admired the rock on his grave. He must have been a unique person to get that unusual rock.  I brushed newly mown grass off gravestones. I am glad they care for the graveyards here. Quite a few men in their 50's had wives living 30 more years after their deaths...together again.

Day 3:  Chad Soderstom.  Day 3 of my Memorial week walk. It's around 7AM, the bright sun is filtering through the trees into the graveyard.  The sunshine blinds me and makes some stones temporarily unreadable.  I walk up and down the rows, sometimes stopping, taking a picture here and there.  Then I see Chad's stone.  A few words and pictures can tell so much. Chad was a young man, when he left this world, I don't know how.  He was very involved in sports and loved by many. A lovely stone.

I will join my mother and some family members for what is becoming an annual trip to Roosevelt, MN to put flowers on graves (maternal grandmother, aunts, uncles and other relatives), then drive to Rose Cemetery west of Roseau, MN...where my paternal family has plots.  We will also wander around Rose Cemetary and talk about all the other people we knew...distant cousins, neighbors, etc.  "I didn't know he died!  When did that happen?"  My mother will know all the stories. 

We will visit my sister's grave, of course.  Gloria died of cancer a few years ago in the early morning hours after her 52nd birthday.  We had just visited her in Portland, OR.  We returned to Minnesota and were driving from the Minneapolis airport heading for home when we received the call.  Some of my family returned for the funeral. (We are grateful to nephew Jason and all his frequent flier miles that made those trips possible).  It was expected, but the sadness and grief mixed with gratefulness that her pain was now gone are emotions I am sure felt by many in similar situations.  My mother purchased a lovely stone for her from Dent Granite.  I am sure we will speak of her stubborness. Talk about her children and how they are doing. Gossip, smile and hide our tears.  


Knight, Smith Gloria Jean (Norstebon), b. 30 Dec 1954, d. 1 Jan 2007, for no one loved is ever lost and she was loved so much
http://www.interment.net/data/us/mn/roseau/moe_rose/moe_ak.htm

I think I will do this next year too.  Maybe my Memorial Week Walk will morph into something different.  Whatever happens, the morning walks were pleasant, thought provoking and made me appreciate life even more. 

Decorating - adjustable height cocktail table

I found what might be a perfect adjustable height table. Coffee table as well as a dining table.   I was looking for something a bit more sleek/modern, but this is quite nice.

Decorating a log home living room-eclectic style: What would you recommend?

I may just redo my floors in a few weeks.  Then, break down and buy some new furniture.  It takes me a long time to make a large purchase, so I thought about my requirements.

Goal: to decorate and refurnish my living room to support family/friend gatherings and communications.  No TV.

1. Comfortable
2. Attractive
3. Easy to clean (cat will lay on furniture, but I can add blankets)
4. More chairs than sofas
5. Conducive to communications/visiting
6. Sofa Color:  Perhaps oatmeal with bright/modern pillows?
7. Chairs: solids or modern prints.
8. Tables: several so people can sit drinks/food beside them.  Open to style.

Look at sample rooms below and use your imagination.  What would you recommend?

The Pacific Northwest

Mt. Rainer, Washington State

Flying into Seattle is always a joy.  Last Saturday morning Mt. Rainier and Adams were covered with gleaming white snow and the Puget Sound sparkled under a partly sunny sky. 

Rhodies in Seattle area

The lush green and bright splashes of color from magnolias, rhodedendrums, azaleas, daffodils and tulips were a delight.

The first couple days were nice, but then it got cloudy and rainy, a bit chilly.  The last morning we were there the rain and cold was a bitter chill, reminding me of when I used to get bad colds when I lived there.

We spent time with Carol and Richard, having breakfast at "Jacks" a local cafe and indulging in some lovely wines.  Played lots of aggravation.

Carol took me to look at an example of a modular home they may put on their Marrowstone Island property.  It was well done, dry wall had large, rounded corners and it was modern and open.


We also looked at a lot of lovely Mercedes cars, including a new gull-wing at the car dealership while we were waiting for the modular home place to open Sunday morning.  The sales person brought us a red convertible to try out.  As we stood there chatting, the car ran out of gas.  Carol stated, "how nice, you have an automated shut-off device?"  Hahahahahahahhhh....Lucky we had not gone for a "spin" down I-5.



Gull-Wing Mercedes



We had dinner at a new Polish restaurant with our friends George, Lori and their son Evan.  It was a real treat!  I hope my company hires Evan as a network intern, he would be a real asset.

We spent a few days in Olympia, WA visiting with Bruce's parents and assessing their situation.  They are 94 and 98.  Such a tough time.  It is better right now, with Gary (Bruce's brother) coming by two times a day to fix meals/give meds.  Melba has dementia...it can only get worse, I guess.  Sad to see this stage.  I think Ed, at 98, is doing very well.  He heads down the hallways at a little trot with his rolling walker.  He speaks intelligently and still has his wit.  We can tell he is slowing and needs help with Melba.

I was able to work some while I was there.  With my Sprint Air Card, I can now work anywhere Sprint is available.

Overall a successfull visit to the Seattle area. 

Free Project Management Templates

Free Project Management Templates

Simple Pleasures

As I get older, simple things give me pleasure.  Reading about niece Karen taking a walk or something funny one of the kids did, hearing my daughter laugh, knowing my younger son is cooking a family easter dinner to having a chat about "nothing in particular" with my older son.  Watching a good movie ("The King's Speech") on a quiet Saturday afternoon.  I could make a whole list.

I remember the days when it seemed to take a lot to entertain me.  I didn't want to stay home, that was too boring.  I needed to go where the action was.

Now, I thrive having quiet time, I enjoy a mesmerizing book in my hand, surfing through FaceBook, or researching "new stuff" via the internet. I can't wait for good weather so I can sit on the deck and read or work.

Now, for another simple pleasure.  I am headed to the basement family room @ 2:27AM, wearing my cozy flannel pj's.  I will put a favorite movie into the DVD player and fall asleep before 3AM.

Simply thankful...

Today I am thankful to hear my daughter laugh. Recently I had not heard it, so in my world that was the best sound I heard today.

I am thankful I see May coming up on the calendar, because historically, May brings flowers (and not snow).

I am grateful I am going to Seattle in a couple weeks to be able to see Bruce's parents (they are in their 90's) and we pray his mom & dad are "ok" for a while longer.

I am thankful I have this wonderful, flexible job with multiple clients that keeps me learning. No issue with alzheimers for me, as long as my brain synapses keep merrily firing away.

I am grateful to be working with a local non-profit: the museums in Perham. Doing that helps balance my life. I hope I make a positive difference while on the Board and involved.

I thoroughly enjoyed my Uncle Stanley (from Idaho) and his friend Ruth's (from West Virgina) visit the last few days. They are smart, funny and articulate. We had a great time and laughed a lot.

Finally, today, I am grateful for Bruce's bellowing laugh...I always know where he is in a crowd!

Today was a good day...

Today was a good day. I received a call telling me I was receiving a merit raise (I think I will put it all in 401K), Also that is prorated back to last July (9 months), so I assume my next check will have a little extra.

Then I got another call telling me I am getting a Sprint Aircard for my laptop with unlimited time. Now, I know the Sprint map shows no coverage up at mom & dad's but my phone works fine. I pray the Sprint aircard works up there. If it does, I can go up there for a visit more often & work at the same time. Not being "wired" has prevented me from visiting just anytime.

Later, I read niece Karen's blog about walking in springtime and listening to and seeing nature...it was so delightful I cannot wait to pull my walking shoes on and head on out myself. http://crabtree8576.blogspot.com/2011/04/country-walks.html

I had to go to the lab for some tests this morning (part of annual physical) and saw a (covey) of wild turkeys on the way. If you can ever catch them doing the courtship/mating dance, it is an incredible sight! The male prances around the female, his feathers flounced, he preens, dances and parades. We saw one doing this in the middle of Hwy 35 outside of Dent a couple years ago. Wish I had a video camera at the time.

The day ended with another good call. Uncle Stanley from Idaho is headed this direction and should be here Saturday or Sunday. Some family members are coming along. That means I better call Ghost Runners for a house cleaner!

Goodnight, dear readers.

A Meaningful Life/What makes life worth living?

When I googled, "What makes live worth living", I received 6,120,000 hits. I thought I would check out a few to see what they said. Some talked about having a higher purpose, some religion, some, perhaps thinking they were being funny, stated "the answer is blowing in the wind." I believe the answer is not that complex. A couple of the sites hit the nail on the head.

I believe we become dissatisfied with life when we do not achieve or are not participating in the activities listed below - Paul Thagard a writter, and Dustin Wax, a blogger, have similar views.

According to Paul Thagard in Psychology Today*, happiness is usually the result of having a meaningful life. While there have beeen many theories, love, work, and play seem to be the keys to happiness. Paul Thagard argues that these three activities make life worth living over "nothing, religion and happiness. "

Love includes friendships and family relationships as well as romantic ones. Work includes diverse productive activities such as community volunteering in addition to wage slavery. Play includes all forms of entertainment such as reading and watching movies, not just games. Surveys and other psychological studies indicate that love, work, and play do indeed enable people to have lives they value. Neuroscience provides a deeper understanding of how brain processes generate needs for relatedness, autonomy, and competence that can be satisfied by the successful pursuit of love, work, and play. Such satisfaction yields happiness, but even the pursuit is enough to give life meaning.

A well written blog** by Dustin Wax states "what makes life worth living" this way:

...Instead, I think we need to address the question with our own actions, the things we do that make life worth living. Verbs, not nouns. When I think of how I would answer the question, the following behaviors come to mind:

• Creating: Writing, drawing, painting (though I’m not good at it), playing music (though I’m not especially good at that, either). For others, it might be inventing something, building a business, coming up with a clever marketing campaign, forming a non-profit.


• Relating: It’s not “family” that makes life worth living, I think, but the relationships we create with members of our family, and the way we maintain and build those relationships. Same goes for friends, lovers, business partners, students, and everyone else.


• Helping: Being able to lend a hand to people in need – however drastic or trivial that need may be – strikes me as an important part of life.


• Realizing: Making, working towards, and achieving goals, no matter what those goals are.


• Playing: Maybe this is a kind of “relating”, but then, play can be a solo affair as well. Letting go of restraints, imagining new possibilities, testing yourself against others or against yourself, finding humor and joy.


• Growing: Learning new things, improving my knowledge and ability in the things I’ve already learned.

Those seem like more satisfying answers to me – they strike deeper into what it is I want for myself, what makes it worthwhile to get up in the morning.

I don't think one needs to research much further, but the next step is to look into one's life. Are you doing the things above? If yes, you are probably pretty happy with your life. If not, you may be feeling dissatisfied or worse. Do you need to be ecstatic every moment? No, because then you would not be learning, overcoming challenges and realizing goals.

I do find the happiness and satisfaction factor are higher the older you get. A recent study confirms that (don't have a cite, but I heard it on MPR last week). I notice younger people have the drama factor that can prevent them from realizing a meaningful life earlier on. What a waste. I wish we could skip that age that is so filled with angst and despair, seizures of joy and exhileration. It seems to me many younger people are manic-depressives, and "just being" totally consumes them. I am afraid I was one of them once, narcissistic, searching for meaning and hoping someone else would give it to me...when only I could do so.

Well, I will just sign off by saying that angst and lack of meaning is only a temporary phase, if you are in it. Perhaps, if you are one of those people, you will read the above and it will make sense.

Or, maybe not. Yet.

* http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/hot-thought/201002/what-makes-life-worth-living

** http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/what-makes-life-worth-living.html#

Taking Risks

I noticed over the years that many people I work with are risk takers, to some extent.

The take chances on new jobs, changing projects, moving to new places.

One evening I was sitting having drinks with 5 female co-workers. Four of us had tried sky-diving. We talked about how that may be rather unusual at an average table of women. Perhaps to have our job, you needed to be a risk taker...to a point. We had all jumped once. Once only.

I like my job. I like that it constantly changes and I learn something new all the time. I work with several different clients each year. Last year there was an internationally well-known credit company, a fortune 500 health care corporation, a large law firm, a science university and more. The year before it was a fortune 100 retail corporation and I managed a critical nation-wide project.

But, I do like working for a company that places a paycheck in my bank twice a month. A safety net. It is all about calculated risk, I suppose. One time jumping out of a "perfectly good plane" is a risk. Twice may be fool-hardy.

I am tired and rambling.

There is so much to do and see in a lifetime. Take a risk. But, don't squander your opportunities. Take advantage of them, use them...learn from them. Then, move on.

You will pretty much know when it is time for a new risk/opportunity.

LIFE is a SERIES of SNIPPETS: Memories of the Passed...#1 - Martin Norstebon

LIFE is a SERIES of SNIPPETS: Memories of the Passed...#1 - Martin Norstebon

Memories of the Passed...#1 - Martin Norstebon

Arlyn & I, maybe Brenda, will go to (maternal) Aunt Cleo's (Fuller) funeral in Baudette Monday. It seems so unreal. I am so sorry for her children. Sometimes, you just think people will be around forever. I recall having a hard time after grandpa died. His sweater hung on the hook and his chair stayed in his favorite spot for years...I imagined he was just in the next room.

Paternal grandfather - Grandpa Martin Norstebon: immigated from Norway in 1910 - My Memory Snippet:

I was in my 20's when grandpa passed away (he lived in Perham, MN). He & grandma were my intial/key ties to the Perham area (I also had aunts & uncle's in the area). I always remembered him as a short, chubby, balding man who enjoyed playing accordian & cards. One day grandma pointed out a picture of him in his WWI uniform...he looked like Tony Curtis (kind of)! "That's grandpa!?" I exclaimed, I had never known who that was in the faded, sepia photograph.

Grandpa Martin & grandma Emma Norstebon lived in Roseau until 1951, I believe. (Exact history can be provided by cousin Gary Kirckoff). They moved to the Richville, MN area and lived on a farm east of Dent. My earliest memory of visiting them was being packed into a '51 Ford by mom & dad and driving from Ross (Roseau area) to Richville. That seemed like such a loooong drive. I played in the barn with my brother Richard and uncles Allen (deceased now) and Milton. They probably just kindly tolerated me. I was 5 or younger.

They eventually sold the farm and moved to Perham

Grandpa was in WWI. One day I was sitting in Perham at his house and he started telling me about his experience in France.

"I vas gassed in France. It vas a hot day, and ve vere told to alvays keep our gas masks on...but da guy who vas vit me and I...ve vas vorking on a bridge. It vas so hot, so ve laid our gas masks on one end of da bridge...and ve vere verking on the other...den he yelled, "gas, get your mask on"! Ve ran and put our masks on...den I vas in da hospital. I never knew vat happened to him. I can still taste da gas in my mout sometimes."

At this point, grandma scoffed him (something I never heard her do). "Dat is yust yer imagination!"

He flatly retorted, "I do", but then he stopped talking about his experience. I am sorry I never followed up. I understood and believed him because I had been in a situation where I tasted blood in my mouth for years after an accident (I understood it was totally psychological).

More to come...not sure when.

Virtual shopping trips, and more

I was sitting here thinking how much I appreciated Karen picking out a few new items for me from the Talbot's catalog and it was fun to help choose Becky's new purse yesterday, all done virtually.

I love the 2 jackets and "rosette & ruffle top" blouse Karen picked out for me. The fabric in the turquoise "double breasted faille jacket" looks exquisite. While they cost quite a bit, anything else I purchase will be sale items or from a discount rack. Except I MAY have to get those "Snake embossed lucite-heel city sandals" (on sale).

I also found a lot of items in the Talbot's Outlet. I had kicked myself because I did not buy another wool jacket like the pink one I bought last fall, as it fit so nice. ...and there it was in the Outlet for about 70% off, yellow, gray or blue. Probably gray or blue would be a better choice.

I now have 28 items in my WISH LIST and will go in and start prioritizing in a few minutes.

***********OHNoooo******** this is too hard!***********

I am unable to take anything off my list.

Who can be trusted in the big business of charity?

I recently started researching how Haiti was helped after the devastating 2010 earthquake. I wanted to be assured I had as many facts as possible before I made a public statement.

What I have found out shocked and surprised me. People of the world opened their pocketbooks and hearts, believing they would be providing medical care, food, clothing and safe new homes for the homeless in Haiti. It appears that has not been the result of over $2 billion in charitable giving.

First, a few facts:

Haiti population: 9,719,932 (2010)
Republican government.
Chief of state: President Rene PREVAL (since 14 May 2006) - supposed to be elected for 4 years only, he is acting as interim president now.
Head of government: (appointed by President) Prime Minister Jean-Max BELLERIVE (since 7 November 2009)
- All cabinet members appointed by Preval.
The unemployment rate in Haiti is around 70-80%.


Haiti 2010 earthquake background:

• January 12, 2010


• 7.0 earthquate and 52 aftershocks


• killed: 92,000-316,000 (higher report is per Haitian gov't), 250,ooo per another source.


• injured: 300,000


• homeless: 1-1.8 million


• commercial buildings: 30,000


• Other buildings/homes: 250,000

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Haiti_earthquake

http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=1186


Donations collected & spent:

• Overall collected: $1,400,000,000 from AMERICANS. Yes, 1.4 billion. Spent: Just over 1/3. Another figure states 2.1 billion has been collected (world-wide).
• Red Cross: collected: $479, 000,000 (per RC), spent: $245,000,000 [investigator could not determine what $ was spent on, see video link below]
• The World Bank says that Haiti has more aid groups per capita than any nation, perhaps as many as 10,000.
• About 40 countries (including the U.S.) and international institutions have pledged $5.27 billion, over the next 2 years, for Haiti's reconstruction.
• Haiti says it will take $12 billion to rebuild their country
  

What has been built in Haiti:

• 300 homes per one investigation


• tent/tarp compounds


• According to a report by the charity Oxfam, nearly 1 million people are still displaced one year after the earthquake. Only 15% of the temporary housing has been built, less than 5% of the 20 million cubic meters of rubble has been cleared and few permanent water and sanitation facilities have been built.
  

Investigations/videos done to date (sample):

Negative:

Investigation: Red Cross funds - Where did they go (lots of videos on youtube): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trSfACmrc_E&feature=player_embedded

http://articlesreloaded.com/news-and-society/causes-organizations/haiti-one-year-later-%E2%80%93-where-did-all-the-donations-go/

Where did the money go? (Charity Navigator): http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=1194

Positive:
Red Cross Haiti site: http://www.redcross.org/haiti

General Resources - (More research needed)

WORLD FACTS (Haiti):

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ha.html

Conclusion:

Bruce probably said it best this morning, when a lot of money is given, corruption ensues.

My cousin John and his wife Karen are involved in a Honduras relief effort through his church. Every year they go with a group of Doctors, nurses, dentists and many various people with other skills to the Honduras and provide free medical, dental, eye glasses and help build/improve a community. They see where their money is going. They physically do the work to help the community.

While I believe there are good intentioned people in many of these organizations, and it is very possible their hands were tied by a corrupt Haitian goverment, I am now questioning funneling our donations through "centralized huge charities" vs. smaller organizations with transparent finances and dedicated people providing "hands on" support for the needy that can be seen and measured. One suggestion was made that an island could have been purchased and 500,000 people could have been relocated and set up financially (businesses, etc.) for only a part of the money collected to date.

I am saddened that this time I have not sent $ to the Red Cross for Japan. I want to help, but the trust has been broken. I am now questioning: who can be trusted in the big business of charity? Maybe it is ok to send to Japan, they do not have the corrupt government Haiti has that taxes charitable giving so terribly that brand new donated pickups sit in weeds at the airport because charities cannot afford to pay the "extortion fees" (my title).

A reource site: http://www.charitynavigator.org/ may help "somewhat". Charity Navigator, America's premier independent charity evaluator, works to advance a more efficient and responsive philanthropic marketplace by evaluating the financial health of over 5,500 of America's largest charities. I checked it out briefly. It has interesting info, but I am concerned they would have a hard time battling "the big business of charity" and stay in business themselves.

Seven questions to ask charities before donating: http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=1209

Other Haitian news:

The elections is a mess; Baby Doc returning - wasn't he called/proven a cannibal [really!] when he was in office?? he was exiled for 25 years. President Preval just froze his bank accounts.) http://www.thecuttingedgenews.com/index.php?article=31987.

Oh, and what about the millions that american singer raised (Wyclef Jean) and said he was going to run for president of Haiti (he couldn't even speak French or creole, per what I read. Even his best friend was on Gayle King one night and said he just could not support him!)

A person can get all wound up looking into politics, world affairs and especially when peering into THE COOKIE JAR.

I hate to be negative, as I have always respected the Red Cross. I want to be proven totally, entirely wrong...and that these videos and statistics are biased.

What I do think is The RC and others do some good work, but not as much as should be done. Unfortunately, they cannot topple a regime. The Haitian government may be more to blame for the current plight of their people and country. HOW CAN THEY (Haitan politicians) EXIST with only 30% of the people working? They must be using monies from the outside to subsidize their personal lives. That's the only conculsion I can come to.

Today I am sad.

Today two people I loved died or are near death.

I maintain a network of "friends" from old jobs. We e-mail occasionally, send a Christmas card, share happy thoughts and sometimes challenges. A special person from Washington who had an impact on my life has been one of those friends. We worked side by side and had so much in common. She came to my wedding, Bruce and I went to hers...she finally found true love at age 36.

After I left WA, she was at a conference in Seattle and collapsed. By the time her co-workers found her in her room, it was too late for Dr's to do anything. She had a massive stroke and would be paralyzed the rest of her life, at age 37.

We always kept in contact. She maintained a positive outlook and even did wheelchair runs. I hadn't heard from her in a while and was wondering why she hadn't responded to my Christmas note this year. This morning I came across her FaceBook page. The top comment said, "Kathy, it has been a year. We miss you so much and know you have wings in heaven."

To say I was shocked is the least. I read all the comments. She had wrote her own eulogy. People said it was a beautiful service. Her devoted husband was devastated. She impacted so many lives. Kathy, my dear, long distance, occasional email friend, was dead at 54. Even though she died a year ago, to me she died this morning.

Then mom called. Aunt Cleo was in the hospital. She didn't know much more.

I went to my Dr's appointment. He was 1 1/2 hours late because of an early delivery (baby). I got groceries. My phone was dead, but I saw Leroy and Duane had tried to call me. Brenda calls. Aunt Cleo is dying. I plugged my phone into the car and Leroy tells me Aunt Cleo, 10 years younger than my mom, had a massive brain hemorrhage or clot and half her brain was black. They had taken her off life support. I got home and there were 5 distraught messages from my mother. "Where are you..."

I felt so bad, I called mom immediately. She has lost her younger sister - it will probably only be a matter of hours or days.

Before I left home in 1978, I had spent a lot of time with Aunt Cleo. I used to babysit her kids. During my first marriage, I spent a lot of time with her and Bob.

We grew apart, but I had been at her last birthday party: we celebrated hers and mom's together. She was a good woman who helped her kids a lot.

I am grateful I knew both Kathy & Cleo. They made a difference in my life.

I am grateful, but I am sad today.

My top 2 strengths...Input & Futuristic

According to Strengthfinders 2.0:



INPUT - My top strength is "input". It fits.



I collect information. I collect books, probably because they contain information. I find so many things interesting. Like I told Becky, I am fascinated with the child birthing and rearing info she shares. I will never use that info. It is probably pretty much useless to me, but I love getting it. It's new, it's shiny and I have never had that info before.



I collect web sites filled with data that I "might use" someday and save to "favorites". I know more about my clients than they know about themselves. I collect a network of friends from all my jobs: they have knowledge I don't have and they will always share information with me. My head is filled with useless but delightful tidbits of information.

I am probably the fastest manual search engine you will ever know.

FUTURISTIC: Strength #2



My, does that ever fit with INPUT. The future fascinates me. I read science fiction voraciously when I was a teen. I have a subscription to Popular Science, and I read every issue I could get my hands on when I was a kid (it's not so futuristic anymore). I am gleeful if I can sit with a group of like-minded people and talk about INVENTIONS, IDEAS for the future. I am energized. Yes, I am a dreamer and visionary. I can walk into a client's office and listen to their pain points/ issues and envision their future in a heartbeat. I can take a team that is giving up and make them see their potential for greatness. Another Goal: I need to find a futuristic friend to have coffee with once a month.

I can paint a dream and make it real.

Kindle for Droid, motivation, art, and stuff

(Mary Irwin, artist from Raymond, WA: "Birdhouse Row")www.http://maryirwinwatercolors.com/collections/34106

Kindle for Droid: Today I started reading "Pride and Prejudice" again (free book) using my Kindle Android App. A Droid is a bit small, but not bad.

Motivation: I saw an ad for John Maxwell this morning on FB - he is my favorite motivational speaker. Being a speaker in his organization would be a rewarding job, truly making a difference in the lives of others (I presume there are such jobs). Then again, it would probably be a lot of travel. If you were going to pick one of his motivational (CDs/MP3, books, whatever) I would recommend "The Difference Maker". I think I gave most of mine away to someone who needed them. You can buy a used CD for as little as $7.63 on Amazon, hardcover used book is $3.49. http://www.amazon.com/Difference-Maker-Making-Attitude-Greatest/dp/0785260986/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1299504542&sr=8-1.

One day I will write a few blogs on motivation. I have motivation for everything except exercise and cutting back on calories. I now believe it is genetics from my father's side of the family and I have very little control over my destiny.

ART. I just purchased Picasso's "the Bathers" today. (Yes, my bonus was a good one!) I love ART...all kinds of art. Maybe I should write a blog on art (without being artsy-fartsy). Carol and I could write together, she knows more about art than I do. We both share a passion for art. (Lightbulb over head, shining brighter!)

Wine for Breakfast...

"Sounds like a country song to me..." Do you remember the old guy in the red Michael Jackson jacket saying that in "The Wedding Singer"?

Anyway, this poster was kind of cute. I have never had wine for breakfast, but I do recall having one too many Bloody Mary's in Minneapolis somewhere back in the '80's. Really stupid. I took off driving and left my 2 friends carless for (an hour?). Unconscionable. Drinking does that to a person. Well, "over-drinking". It is sometimes hard to know when to stop, cuz it's feeling so good. You are the life of the party. Oh wait...is that picture really you? You thought you were looking so hot!

So much for "six with breakfast". So very NOT recommended. Just rambling.

You are so kind.

Thank you. You know who you are.

The person who always comments on my blogs, whether they deserve attention or not. The reader who clicks "like" on my inane Facebook commentary. The individual that researches an issue and provides me an answer in mere moments.

It would be terrible to write without a reader to acknowledge one's existence.

Today was a productive day. I wrapped up a 20 page PowerPoint for numerous executives, engineers and technicians to sit through on Friday. Doubtless to say, they will more than likely be multi-tasking throughout my riveting presentation. They have to stay on schedule, you know.

Schedule. I like the way the Brits and some Canadians say it. "Shhedule" without the hard C. Maybe I will see if I can pull that off Friday. "I say, we must stay on shhheduuule. For, if we do not, we will be quite late, my dear fellows. That will place us in a sticky wicket, I am shurrre." (You have to imagine the clipped, highbrow, somewhat nasally British accent).

Obviously I have nothing to talk about. I spent 10 hrs on work, don't want to talk about that. Have not spiffed up my bedroom yet. My house is dusty and needs a deep cleaning. I sit here with no desire to do any housework. Oh, I did clean out the slide out cabinet drawers to store BRUCE'S new "Emeril" cookware. Now, in addition to all else there is to do, I have a counter covered with an overflow of spices.

I am watching Jane Austen's "Emma" starring Gwyneth Paltrow as I type. It is at the part where the handsome Mr. Knightly criticizes Emma for being cruel to a poor neighbor. She deserves the criticism, but it is sad - you can see it pierces her soul. I did see a very good, newer version, I think it was on PBS? a few months ago. The "Emma" was quite unlikeable, but made for an entertaining show. Yes, I just checked: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/emma/index.html. I recommend it, of course.

I wish I had a group of like-minded lady friends who would have wine and book discussions, Jane Austen movie nights and rousing discussions about historical fashions. We would also take a yearly trip to somewhere in northern England, or the Lakes district. Or, maybe stay in a drafty Scottish castle and drool over handsome gardeners. Maybe go to one of those "Jane Austen costume weeks" where you actually "go back in history ", doing all the things they might have done in the late 1770's-1800's. Tea, dances, crumpets and empire waist gowns.

http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/uk/jane-austens-bath-cream-teas-and-genteel-spas-for-ladies-at-leisure-2202349.html#

I have been to Bath, England. Would love to go again. http://www.royalcrescent.co.uk/

I better send my passport off for renewal, it expires in March. I filled out everything last weekend, but needed two 2x2 color passport pics. I couldn't get my printer/photo program to shrink a picture to 2x2. I do have photo paper.

That Mr. Knightly is almost as handsome as Mr. Darcy in "Pride and Prejudice".

Good night, kind person.