My favorite word is...

WEIRD! The word weird breaks one of the biggest spelling rules of all time; "I before E except after C". My second favorite word isn't actually a rule breaker but more of a rule bender.. CAFFEINE!  Technically the 'ei' is after a 'c' but not immediately so.Looks like DEITY  fits the bill too! I wonder what a weird deity on a lot of caffeine would look like?...

I like words to have meaning. For instance when naming something, I like it when the name means something. Lets take the name of my blog address. I named it the way I did for 2 reasons; 1) each of the words has the word 'pen' in it, and 2) because of the actual meaning of the words themselves.

Alpenglow

–noun

a reddish glow often seen on the summits of mountains just before sunrise or just after sunset.

Compendia (plural of compendium)

1.a brief treatment or account of a subject, esp. an extensive subject; concise treatise: a compendium of medicine.

2.a summary, epitome, or abridgment.

3.a full list or inventory: a compendium of their complaints.

~ So... Now you know! ~

 

My daughter's art

My 12 year old daughter is a fantastic artist. She could draw a cat, on demand, at about 9 months old. She drew me a few pictures when she was 9 that I adore. She recently has gotten into anime though. She is really good at it. I hope she never loses her love and passion for drawing! Anyway, you can see for yourself how good she is at it. 

This first picture is one she drew for me when she was 9. She drew things she knew I liked.

 These 3 are just a few of the anime she has drawn. She created a whole family of them. They are part human and part animal.

She said that boys are harder to draw than the girls.

This is one of my favorites that she has done!

This was for Halloween. She drew it at school in her drawing class.

The gift of a sister!

I met my sister, for the first time, yesterday. It is still early, but I think there is a good possibility that we could become very good friends, at the very least. She is a really nice person and I enjoyed talking to her a lot. We share a dad and it is strange to look at our pasts and kind of compare them. She did know he was her dad, but has memories of him that are kind of awkward. I  didn't know he was my dad, but have some really good memories of him. It sounds like both our mom's played him, in some way, as well. It is kind of a shame that none of us girls got to know one another while we were growing up, but that is history and nothing can be done about that. Two of us have met now and that is a gift in itself. I don't know what the future holds. I hope it holds the potential for moments great memories are made of. However, I am not going to worry about that for now, either.I plan on taking this whole thing in a fashion that follows this quote:

Yesterday's the past, tomorrow's the future, but today is a gift. That's why it's called the present. ~ Bil Keane

One of my favorite poems

The following poem is one of my all time favorites. I found it on a poetry site that I used to visit that would have poetry contests. Last time I went to that site, it was over run with pop ups and had just really gone down hill. It is a shame that when I went looking for this poem online, there were many sites that it was posted to, but the authors name was not on it in many of them. I am not even sure that the name of the author listed on this one is correct. I hope so.  The sentiment is soooo true, although I am not actually old enough to remember clothesline times like these. Of course, I live in a rainy place too, so maybe it wasn't as big of a thing here either.. As far back as I can remember, we always had a washer and dryer though. 

Again, like most things, it got me thinking though. In the old days clotheslines were sort of the news broadcast of a families events. People had little choice in the matter either, I mean, you gotta have clean clothes, right!?! Now days, with computers, we share even more with anyone we've friended  on whatever social network we are posting to. I don't know about you, but I have quite a few "friends" I don't really know or know all that well... And ironically, NONE of my "friends" are any of my neighbors. Well, enough of my blabbering on, I hope you enjoy the poem as much as I do! BTW I have found this poem to be a great one to give to elderly people. They tend to remember these times well!  

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A clothesline poem

A clothesline was a news forecast
To neighbors passing by,
There were no secrets you could keep
When clothes were hung to dry.
 

It also was a friendly link
For neighbors always knew
If company had stopped on by
To spend a night or two.
 

For then you'd see the "fancy sheets"
And towels upon the line;
You'd see the "company table cloths"
With intricate designs.
 

The line announced a baby's birth
From folks who lived inside -
As brand new infant clothes were hung,
So carefully with pride!
 

The ages of the children could
So readily be known
By watching how the sizes changed,
You'd know how much they'd grown!
 

It also told when illness struck,
As extra sheets were hung;
Then nightclothes, and a bathrobe, too,
Haphazardly were strung.
 

It also said, "Gone on vacation now"
When lines hung limp and bare.
It told, "We're back!" when full lines sagged
With not an inch to spare!
 

New folks in town were scorned upon
If wash was dingy and gray,
As neighbors carefully raised their brows,
And looked the other way .. . .
 

But clotheslines now are of the past,
For dryers make work much less.
Now what goes on inside a home
Is anybody's guess!
 

I really miss that way of life.
It was a friendly sign
When neighbors knew each other best
By what hung on the line.

Written by: Marilyn K. Walker

Dog ponderings

Ok, so I promised you my ponderings on the dog. In the case that we do find his person, I can only hope that his person is a good person who treats him well. If we don't and we get to keep him, I still wonder about his person. We have theorized that he belonged to a transient based on where we found him and everything. If that is the case I hope his previous person is ok. I know that a lot of transients have dogs for many reasons. One of those reasons is for warmth. Another reason is for companionship. Although a lot of transients or homeless people create little communities with each other, they are communities of people. People are so much different than dogs. Whereas a person will do things like cheat, steal, or disown another because of various reasons of their own... A dog is loyal and gives love unconditionally... Truly unconditionally! When a dog runs away, it is not a personal thing. Personal feelings and responses is a person thing.

This kind of got me thinking that maybe dogs are the true Bodhisattva's of the world. A Bodhisattva, as how it was explained to me, is a soul who reaches enlightenment and returns to Earth to help all mankind. In a book I am reading there is a paragraph that goes

"The bodhisattva is encouraged to act in accord with the customs of the place and not do things considered inappropriate. In other words, a bodhisattva blends in and works within the cultural norm, rather than standing out like a sore thumb. In the best sense, a bodhisattva becomes invisible. Nobody knows you're a bodhisattva; you're just doing your best to wake up and benefit others."(No time to lose by Pema Chodron, pg 148)

Is it just me, or does this sound like something that we find dogs doing all the time? We have service dogs, therapy dogs, rescue dogs, and dogs that have been rescued that make huge differences in people's lives. In the case of service dogs, there are several specialties. There are dogs that sense seizures, cancer, anxiety.. There are the seeing eye dogs, and dogs that are trained to help paralyzed people... I even heard one time, that they were training Mexican Hairless dogs to act as a heating pad (of sorts) for those with Fibromyalgia ... Even dogs that are untrained, or those that aren't treated well are there for their humans when they need love or comfort, despite their own mis-treatment. Dogs have the ability to reach people that no other person can reach and help those that no other person can help. They are far more intuitive than the majority of mankind... So perhaps they are souls that have reached enlightenment and returned in the form of a K9 friend, to help all mankind!?!

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Week of 12/20/10-12/23/10

This has been an interesting week, to say the least. Monday thru Wednesday was spent delivering gifts for Be A Santa To A Senior. On Monday, I found myself at an apartment complex that my dad's long time girlfriend lives. I took some time to visit her. I knew I had a half sister but found out that I have 2 half sisters. It is a long story that might make a great blog subject at a later time. For now, the point is that I went home and found my 2nd half sister on Facebook. I was planning on writing to her after I worked out exactly what I wanted to say. I was a bit fearful of being rejected due to what my dads girlfriend said. Anyways, my husband went ahead and wrote to her and next thing I know, I have a friend request from her. Of course, I accepted her request and we are planning on having dinner on either Monday or Tuesday.

Then on Thursday of this week, while I was on my way to pick up my check, there was a dog running up the Express way. I pulled over and with the help of a volunteer fire fighter who also pulled over, I was able to get the dog. He is gorgeous. We are looking for his owner but at the same time kind of hoping not to find them. If we can't find the owner, we will be keeping him. There will be more in my next blog post about the dog and my ponderings about it.

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Things that I am thankful for

It is common during this season for people to acknowledge what they are thankful for. As a juxtapose, it is also the most common time for people to be the most depressed. I, sometimes find that I feel less happy during the holiday season but I try to find things that I am thankful for to counteract those times of sadness. I am most thankful for my family. I love them all so much that sometimes it amazes me how much love a person can hold for others. 

Less common things that people find themselves thankful for, that I am very thankful for are listed below;

• Running water- There are a lot of people that take running water for granted.. I have never been to a foreign country without running water, or homeless, to make me so grateful for it... But for some reason, I find myself thankful for it when I flush the toilet and especially when I take showers.. Can you imagine not having those luxuries? And that is what they are, luxuries...
• This may sound weird and random, but I am often thankful that I am not something other than human. For instance, a snail.. It is cold outside and still there are snails out slinking (for lack of a better word) around. Plus, since they are low to the ground, they are easily and often stepped on. I always feel guilty stepping on them and try to be careful not to. Being a snail must suck. I wonder if they ever think it sucks? Do they even have the mental capacity to think that way?
• I am thankful that, even though I have to work, that I have work. In addition to that, I don't hate my job. I respect so many for doing the jobs they do, because I know I wouldn't want to do them. Some examples are being a driver of any sort, working in a sewage plant or any plant that stinks, being the person that picks up road kill, being a teacher... The list is pretty long, but you get the idea
• I am thankful that I am in pretty good health compared to many. I am also thankful I have all my limbs and have use of them. 
• I am thankful I have never seen war up close and personal, and even more so that I have never had to fight in one. It must be absolutely awful to have to kill another person and then cope with the fact that you were responsible for the death of another.. 

Anyways, I find myself thankful for a lot of things that other people usually call me weird for even thinking about.. I try to do this year round and not just during the holidays but I find that when there is something extreme such as temperature or world happenings, I find myself that much more grateful for things in my life- or in some cases not in my life.  

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Having a Path

Life takes us places we don't expect. For instance, my mother had an adult foster care home and while I enjoyed visiting with the people she cared for, I never really thought about doing a similar job. Yet, here I am, doing in home (theirs, not mine) care giving. At the moment, my only client lives an hour away and I work a 48 hr shift. I mention this because 48 hrs out in the middle of virtually nowhere, gives one ample time to do many things, thinking included. I have been thinking a lot lately. My husband has been a philosophical Buddhist for many years. I have waffled back and forth with the idea. While I appreciated the basics that I knew of it, I never really committed to the practice of learning all that can be learned. I suppose it was because of laziness, more than anything or maybe it just wasn't the right time. I am ready now. I need to do this, for many reasons. I need to do it for me, my family, and (as corny as it may sound) for the world. All of those things are interconnected and I fail to see how becoming a better person for everyone can be a bad thing. I am just one fiber in the fabric of life. I know that I will not be able to fix all the tears, holes, and frayed seams. I hope that strengthening my little thread will help others strengthen theirs and it will spread like a ripple started by a pebble.

I used to be a very selfish person. I still have selfish tendencies, but nothing like they used to be. When I was young I would see documentaries on famous people who had died and they would interview all their friends, family, and colleagues. Those people would say beautiful things about the individual who had passed. I wanted that. I wanted to be famous so that when I died, they would make a documentary about me and say beautiful things about me. The problem with that dream was that it was a selfish dream. It was all about me me me. I, no longer need or want to be famous. I DO want to be great. Even if I am not recognized for whatever deeds I do, that make me great. Although, I will admit there are times I struggle with this at work.

I was raised Catholic. Buddhism, in the eyes of those who understand it, is not a religion, per se. Buddha was just a man, like Jesus, who had a higher understanding of things. Just like Jesus, in Christianity, people choose to follow Buddha's teachings. There are definitely differences between Buddhism and Christianity, but they are more alike than a lot of people realize. I have found less inconsistencies in Buddhist writings, than in Christian ones, which is something that has always kind of turned me off of following a Christian belief system. One of the bigger differences of the 2 belief systems, is what life leads to. In Christianity, when one dies, they either go to Heaven or Hell. In Buddhism the goal is Enlightenment, which looked at abstractly could be considered Heaven. However, the path to Enlightenment is not a one life time thing. One is reborn as many times as needed, to continue learning, until they reach enlightenment. On one hand, this seems a mighty long, tedious and nearly impossible task. On the other hand, it seems so very simple and oddly obtainable. I'm, sure I am but a fledgling soul, with lifetime's to go, before I reach enlightenment.

It is ironic, in my opinion, that the person that I think of when I think 'enlightened', wasn't even Buddhist; she was Catholic. Mother Theresa. There is a reason the Catholic Church nominated her to be recognized a Saint. It is a shame that more people, of any religion, or belief system, are not more like her. Like the Dali Lama, she was truely great.

So, my choice to delve into Buddhism to learn, grow, and in an effort to be great, is born. 

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EIGHTEEN!

In less than six months from now, my eldest child will be 18. While this astounds me on so many levels, this blog entry isn't really about her. 

It is about a laundry basket... 

"A laundry basket!?!" I can hear people asking (in stereo, or, at least unison)... 

Yes.. A laundry basket.

I was in High School when I became pregnant with my eldest daughter. I had to switch schools because the one I went to didn't have a teen parent program. The way the program worked, was supposed to teach us things about parenting, life, etc... Anyways, it was around Christmas time, I believe, and I think it was after I had my daughter. However, it may have been while I was still pregnant, I can't remember. This organization or church group (maybe) came in and brought "care packages" for each of us. The packages had things in them like baby oil, diaper wipes, and a handmade something. I can't recall what it was, a hat or blanket, etc... but there was a handmade something that I really wanted more than any of the others. I got it. These care packages were cleverly made up in  cheap Dollar Store laundry baskets. The one I got was orange. I didn't really care for orange, but it wasn't the basket I was after, it was the handmade item... Obviously, that handmade item has been long forgotten; the laundry basket ~ not so much. In the last 18 years I have gotten married and had 2 additional children, not to mention the couple of room mates I've had that also had kids. I have bought numerous laundry baskets, ranging from cheap to moderately expensive. Due to massive abuse, wear and tear, and misuse, not a single one has lasted or stayed in tact for more than a couple of months. All except 1. My cheap orange laundry basket that housed the care package 18 years ago. If I knew then, what I know now, I would have gone and stocked up on those baskets. My orange laundry basket probably would count as an antique as far as laundry baskets go. It is like the super hero of laundry baskets. As an additional note, just because I find it curious... Little did I know back then, that my future husband to be (my husband now) would become associated with the color orange. Let me explain that a little better. My husband didn't really like the color orange, but somehow people started associating him with orange. So now when people give him gifts, they usually look for orange colored stuff. He likes orange better now, thank goodness, but it seems kind of weird and coincidental to me that orange seems to have a running track in my history.

So, technically, in less than a year, my daughter could move out of the house. She won't, but legally, she could. In doing so, she could fill that orange laundry basket up and take it with her. It only seems right that it go with her when she goes. They are about the same age. And while it amazes me that I have a daughter who is almost legal to buy cigarettes (although, she better not) and lottery tickets, she could live to be 80-100 or older, barring anything tragic. The fact that my orange laundry basket has made it this long, really amazes me more than is probably normal and/or healthy!...