Communication

Any problem, big or small, within a family, always seems to start 

with bad communication. Someone isn't listening.

~ Emma Thompson

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The following is an exchange between my father and I.  My dad can make anything out of wood.  I had written to ask if he would make me a thing to go on a desk (a hutch, if you will) when I got one, but that I didn't yet have a desk.  

His comments are in black.  Mine are in blue. 


I think I could build something like that.  Good.  Would you want it the full width of the desk?  I am not sure.  How wide is the desk?  I don’t know, yet because I haven’t gotten a desk yet.  I’m going to look at one tonight, though.  If you could draw a picture with dimensions I could give it a try.  I will do that when I have a desk.  If you want to draw in the the drawers you want, I could make them too.  Okay.  I already have a couple that I would like to use.  I saw this thing where someone just bought old drawers and then made a cabinet to hold them.  They were all mismatched and it looked really cool.  Maybe we can mix and match yours and ones I have / find.  I made the drawers in our bathroom vanity and I don't think they look too bad.  I have seen them.  They don’t look bad.  You are correct.   What kind of wood would you want it made from?  I am not sure, but will let you know when I find a desk.  Pine would be cheaper and lighter weight and could be stained, but oak or one of the hard woods would probably look better and they could also be stained to match the desk.  I will let you know when I find a desk.  Would you put the finish ( stain, polyurathane, etc ) on it or want me to?  Either way.  Depends on when I find a desk and what else is going on at work / in my dissertation stuff.

  It would take a while.  That is fine.  I don't put in very long days in the basement anymore.  Good.  You are old.  And tired.  I will attach a picture of a TV stand I made for Sheri several years ago.  It has no drawers, but will give you an idea of what oak can look like.  You understand that I want drawers, though, right?  This is with walnut stain.  Okay.  That might look good depending on what kind of desk I find.  Oak is much lighter if finished just with polyurathane.  That might match better depending on what kind of desk I find.

Education

Education is the best provision for old age.

~ Aristotle

- - - - -

Leslie:  I always think a principal should be old and wise, or at least EXUDE old and wise.  This guy exudes young and dumb.

Remember

(Photo by Catrina Wagner)

In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemy, but the silence of our friend.

~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

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I visited my friends Laurie and Catrina many years ago and they had posted the sign on construction paper on the door that leads from the garage into their house.  I added a post-it note to the sign.  Mostly for my own amusement (which is often my primary motivation).  I would estimate that I wrote that post-it about 12 or 13 years ago.  

Catrina sent me this picture in February and said, "In case you're wondering, we think of you every day; each time we go into the garage."

And, really, that is all that I ask.  That everyone think of me on a daily basis.  It does not have to be when you go into the garage, though.  It can be at any time.  I'm far too humble to dictate where you should be when you think of me daily.

Reflection

Looking back, you realize that a very special person passed through your life - and it was you.  It is not too late to find that person again.

~Robert Brault

- - - - -

I think it is good to look back every now and then.  Maybe not if you're running a race.  Unless that race is with a bear.  Then looking back might be a huge motivation.  Except, I think you're supposed to play dead if you are chased by bear.  So maybe if you're chased by a squirrel, domesticated pig, or a chicken (according to the interweb), it is okay to run.  But not a cat.  Even a housecat will catch you.

And what is it that you've done to all these animals to provoke them into chasing you to begin with?  Maybe that is where you ought to start your reflection, my friend.

Superstition

There is superstition in avoiding superstitions.

~ Francis Bacon

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The other day Sara and I were going to the Memorial Union.  I knew when we approached the zodiac what was going to happen.  I mumbled, "I'm not with her.  I'm not with her," as Sara pushed the cart right across the zodiac.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked.

"You will fail your next test if you walk across the zodiac," I explained (for the forty billionth time).

"Oh.  I don't believe in that.  I went here for my master's, but not my undergrad degree.  I think that only applies if you were an undergrad."

We'll see, Sara.  We shall definitely see.  And don't come crying to me the next time you take an eye exam or test your smoke detectors at home.

Draw

Be able to draw an illustration as least well enough to get your point across to another person.

~ Marilyn vos Savant

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If there was a ever a class that gave "Pictionary Exams," I think I would do pretty well in that class.  Unless it was statistics.

Persistence

A hero is one who knows how to hang on one minute longer.

~ Novalis

- - - - -

You know those photos of kittens clinging to ropes or tree branches?  And then the caption says, "Hang in there!"  Those images do not help me.  In fact they make me MORE freaked out for the kitten.

Softball

Sports do not build character, they reveal it.

~ John Wooden

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You might think this little kid watching his sister play ball was really cute.  You might not realize, though, that he was a big, huge trash-talker.  That was bad enough, but a trash-talker who doesn't really know the rules of softball is REALLY annoying.

Kid:  I'm cheering for the purple team.  We just got a hit.
Me:  No, you didn't.  That was a foul ball.
Kid:  No, she hit the ball with her bat.
Me:  Right, and it went foul.
Kid:  She's not out.
Me:  I didn't say she was out.  I said it wasn't a hit.
Kid:  She's good. I'm for the purple team.  Are you for the orange team?
Me:  Yes, I am for the orange team.
Kid:  I hope your team loses.
Me:  (silence.  lots of ideas of things to say, but I chose silence.)
Kid:  That's my sister on first base.  She's really good.
Me:  That's nice.  It's good that you cheer for her.
Kid:  I do.  I cheer really loud for her.
Me:  That's good.  I'm sure she appreciates your support.
Kid:  I always cheer, "GO, SMELLY!"
Me:  Oh.  Maybe she doesn't appreciate your support, then.
Kid:  What?
Me:  Nothing.
Kid:  We just got another hit.
Me:  It was another foul ball.
Kid:  But she hit it.
Me:  See, the field has boundaries and if you hit outside of the boundaries, you don't get to go be on first base.  You have to try again.  That's because you hit the ball foul of the lines.
Kid:  She hit it hard.  It went over the fence.
Me:  That's a backstop.
Kid:  It's a homerun.
Me:  Then why is she still batting?
Kid:  Because she ran all the way around and gets to go again.  We're mostly winning this game.  Orange is mostly losing.
Me:  The game isn't over yet.
Kid:  (As one of the purple players comes home and scores, looks at me and smirks as he claps and says) Yay!  Woo-hoo!
Me:  You should be watching the game.
Kid:  I was.  I saw what happened.  We scored.
Me:  You scored one point.
Kid:  Yep.  One homerun.
Me:  It wasn't a homerun.  She just got to come home when the other player hit the ball.  That's called an RBI for the batter - a run batted in.
Kid:  And it's called a homerun.  Because she RAN home.  A homerun batted in.

Me:  (pausing for a brief staredown with the kid, then -)  Hey, look!  There's a ball in the grass over there.  You should go get it for the umpire.

Music

Music is a bridge between earth and heaven.

~ Yifei Liu

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June 8, 2012 – “A Brand New Day,” by Joshua Radin

7 – “One More Night,” by Andrew Allen

6 – “No Matter What,” Def Leppard

5 – “Moondance,” Van Morrison

May 31 – “baby I’m Yours” by Barbara Lewis

May 30 -  “Perfect” by P!nk.

May 29 – “causa y Effecto,” by Paulina Rubio

May 24 – “Born to be Wild,” by Steppenwolf

May 23 – “Drive By” Train

May 22 – “let’s Go All the Way” by Sly Fox

May 21 – “I’m Moving On” by Rascall Flatt

May 20 – “All I Wanna Do,” by Sugarland

May 18 – “Hungry Like the Wolf,” by Duran Duran

17 – “Only You” by Alison Moyet

16 – “You Changed Me” by Michael Warren

14 – “You Don’t Know You’re Beautiful” by One Direction

13 – “wild Ones” by Flo-Rida and Sia

11 – “I Love a Rainy Night” by Eddie Rabbitt

10 – “Halo” by Beyonce

9 – “Let Me Give Your Heart a Break” by Demi Lovato

8 – “Loving You Tonight” by Andrew Allen

6 – “wild Ones” by Flo-Rida and Sia

4 – “Last Night” by the Mar-Keys

3 – “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen

1 – “L.O.V.E” by VV Brown

April 30 – “Loving You Tonight” by Andrew Allen

29 – “Somebody that I used to Know” by Gotye

27 – “Drive By” by Train

26 – “Somebody that I used To Know” by Gotye

25 – “What Makes You Beautiful” by One Direction

19 – “Glad You Came” by The Wanted

18 – “Somebody That I Used to Know” by Gotye

17 – “Club Can’t Handle Me” by Flo Rida featuring David Guetta

16 – “Everything” by Michael Buble

14 – “Give Your Heart a Break” by Demi Lovato

13 “Give Your Heart a Break” by Demi Lovato

11 – “Everything” by Michael Buble

9 – “Arms” by Cristina Perri

8 – “If I Only Had a Brain”

5 – “Not Over You” by Gavin Degraw

4 – “December, 1963” by The Four Seasons

3 – “Built for Comfort” by Howlin’ Wolf

31 March – “Come by Me” by Harry Connick, Jr.

30 – “Drive By,” by Train

29 – “I’m Glad you Came” by the Wanted.

28 – “I’m Glad You Came” by the Wanted

26 – “A musical montage of Hebrew kids’ songs and a song about the rolling river care of Jordan. “

25 – “Blue Suitcase” by Erin McCarley

24 – “I Want it All” by Queen

23 – “Up, Up, and Away,” by the Fifth Dimension.

22 – “Hold Me” by Jamie Grace

21 – “Baby, What You Want Me To Do,” by Etta James

20 – “Make You Feel My Love,” by Adele

19 – “When you’re Good to Mama,” by Queen Latifah

16 – “Stuck on You,” by Elvis Presley

15 – “You Gotta Be” by Des’ree

14 – Couldn’t remember, but pretended it was “Enter Sandman” by Metallica Or anything by R.E.M.

13 – “right Now (Na na)” by Akon

11 – “Delta Dawn” by Tanya Tucker

10 – “Not Over You” by Gavin Degraw

9 – “I Won’t Give Up” by Jason Mraz

8 – “Route 66” by Manhattan Transfer

6 – “Club Can’t Handle Me” by Flo-Rida featuring David Guetta

5 – “Hold Me” by Jamie Grace

2 – “Feelin’ the Same Way All Over Again,” by Norah Jones

1 – “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri

February 29 – “Living on a Prayer,” by Bon Jovi

28 – “Lovefool” by the Cardigans

26 – “Who You Are” by Jessi j

25 – “You and I” by Lady Gaga

24 – “If I Die Young” by The Band Perry

23 – “Tim is on My Side” by The Rolling Stones

22 – “Tonight, Tonight, Tonight,” by Genesis

21 – “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz

20 – “Come Monday” by Jimmy Buffet

19 – “Drive” by The Cars

18 – “Keep Your Head Up” by Andy Grammer

17 – “If I had $1,000,000” by Barenaked Ladies

16 – Chattanooga Choo Choo” by Glen Miller

15 – “Love Me” by The Bieber

13 – “Dominique” by Soeur Sourire

8 – “Causa y Effecto” by Paulina Rubio

6 – “Rock and Roll Fantasy” by Bad Company

5 – “Wrong Baby, Wrong Baby, Wrong,” by Martina McBride

4 – “I’m yours” by Jason Mraz

2 – “Call Me” by Blondie

1 – “Whatever Lola Wants,” by Sarah Vaughn

January 31 – “You Make Me Feel” by Cobra Starship

29 – “Sunshine” by Jonathan Edwards

27 – “Mr. Know It All” by Kelly Clarkson

26 – “Ain’t Nothin’ ‘Bout You” by Brooks and Dunn

25 – “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri

24 – “Keeps Getting’ Better” by Christina Aguilera

23 – “Closer to Love,” by Mat Kearney

22 – “Sunday Kind of Love” by Etta James

21 – “Not over you” by Gavin Degraw

20 – “Time is on My Side” by The Rolling Stones

19 – “Melt With you” by Modern English

18 – “Mr. Know it All” by Kelly Clarkson

16 – “Jackson” by Johnny and June Carter Cash

15 – “I Wanna Go” by Brittney Spears

14 – “I Won’t Give Up” by Jason Mraz

13 – unidentified Shania Twain song

12 – “Ain’t That Peculiar” by Marvin Gaye

11 – “Mr. Know It All” by Kelly Clarkson

10 – “Wake Me Up” by Wham!

9 – “Grenade” by Bruna Mars

6 – “We Found Love” by Rihanna

5 – “We Didn’t Start the Fire” by Billy Joel

4 – “You Make Me Feel” by Cobra Starship

3 – “If you’re Out There” by John Legend

2 – “Forever Young” by Audra Mae and the Rangers

1 – “Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime,” by Dean Martin

December, 2011 31 – “If I Die Young” by The Band Perry

27 – “You’d Be So Nice to Come Home To” by Julie London

26 – “Time in a Bottle” by Jim Croce

22 – “At Last” by Etta James

19 – “This Time,” by John Legend

17 – “Fist City” by Loretta Lynn

16 – “Rain is a Good Thing” by Luke Bryan

15 – “Little Red Corvette” by Prince

14 – “Stereo Hearts” by Gym Class Heroes

13 – “Bungle in the Jungle” by Jethro Tull

12 – Theme music from Looney Tunes

9 – “Stereo Hearts” by Gym Class Heroes

7 – “You Make Me Feel So” by Cobra Starship

6 – “Mercy” by Duffy

5 – “Someone Like you” by Adele

2 – “You and I” by Lady Gaga

1 – “Hold Me” by Jamie Grace

November 30 – “Piece of My Heart” by Janis Joplin

29 – “You Make me Feel So” by Cobra Starship

28 – “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz

27 – “Dog Days are Over” by Florence and the Machine

26 – “Love Me” by the Bieber

24 – “Harder to Breathe” by Maroon 5

23 – “This Time,” by John Legend

21 – “Hey, Mama” by Mat Kearney

18 – “Adele mash-up from Glee this week”

15 – “Someone Like You” by Adele

14 – “Taking Care of Business” by Bachman Turner Overdrive

13 – “Pumped Up Kicks” by Foster the People

12 – “Arms” by Christina Perri

11 – “Nothing” by The Script

10 – “Pumped Up Kicks” by Foster the People

4 – “Stereo Hearts” by Gym Class Heroes

2 – “Blame it on the Bossa Nova” by Eydie Gormet

1 – “Someone Like You” by Adele

October 31 – “When You Come Back Down” by Nickel Creek

30 – “Taking Care of Business” by Nina Simone

28 – “Bang Bang” by Melanie Fiona

26 – “Proud Mary” by Tina Turner

25 – “Crazy Train” by Ozzy Ozbourne

24 – “Wrong Baby Wrong” by Martina McBride

23 – “Mambo Number Five” by Lou Bega

22 – “Here Without You” by Three Doors Down

21 – “Pocketful of Sunshine” by Natasha Bedingfield

20 – “Fallin’ for You” by Colbie Callait

18 – “Come on Get Higher” by Matt Nathanson

17 – “The Only Exception” by Paramore

13 – “Come by Me” by Harry Connick, Jr.

6 – “Can I Walk with You” by India Arie

5 – “Fireflies” by Owl City

September 29 – “Who you Are” by Jessie J

28 – “No Air” by Jordin Sparks

26 – “No Other Love,” by John Legend

22 – “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer”

20 – “Son of a Preacher Man” by Dusty Springfield

19 – “Dear Mr. President” by P!nk

16 – “No Other Love” by John Legend

15 – “All the Single Ladies” by Beyonce

14 – “Edge of Glory” by Lady Gaga

10 – “Perfect” by P!nk

9 – “Piece of Me” – Brittney Spears

8 – “Beautiful Nightmare” – Beyonce

7 – “If You Only Knew” by Shinedown

6 – “I’m Yours” – Jason Mraz

5 – “Margaritaville” by Jimmy Buffett

4 – “Wrong Baby Wrong” by Martina McBride

2 – “Wrong baby Wrong” by Martina McBride

1 – “Everything” by Michael Buble

August 31 – “Fire” by The Pointer Sisters

29 – “Walk with You” by India Arie

27 – “That Thing you Do” by The Wonders

25 – “Dynamite” by Taio Cruz

24 – “Bad Things” by Jace Everett

23 – “Hold On, Hold On,” by Neko Case

22 – “Paparazzi,” by Lady Gaga

21 – “Teach Me Tiger” by April Stevens

19 – “Keeps Getting’ Better” by Christina Aguilera

18 – “I Run to You” by Lady Antebellum

17 – “Dirty Laundry” by Bitter:Sweet

16 – “Don’t Stand So Close to Me,” by The Police

15 – “Tainted Love” by Sweet Signatures

14 – “Life Uncommon” by Jewel

Estefan

We seal our fate with the choices we take, but don't give a second thought to the chances we take.

~ Gloria Estefan

- - - - -


Jan gave me a synopsis of the season finale of Glee - after she asked so as not to spoil it for me.  She said that Gloria Estefan was on it and that was the high point.


I said, "Thank goodness for Gloria Estefan."  Then I paused and added, "I say that at least once almost every day, it seems..."

Ugly

A satirist is a man whose flesh creeps so at the ugly and the savage and the incongruous aspects of society that he has to express them as brutally and nakedly as possible in order to get relief.

~ John Dos Passos

- - - - -

Sometimes when you read an ad and it says you should buy the thing it's advertising because the thing is, "a great conversation piece," you have to be ready for the conversation to include the line, "Where did you get that ugly thing?!"

Clarity

Although our intellect always longs for clarity and certainty, 

our nature often finds uncertainty fascinating.

~ Karl Von Clausewitz 

- - - - -

Sometimes it is hard to understand exactly what people mean.  Even me.  For example, Gretchen would have been very confused by my email if I had sent her what I typed -- "RhNKA, fewrxhwn."  It would have been tough to know what I meant by that.  What I meant was "Thanks, Gretchen," except with my fingers on the wrong keys.

Goat

Happiness isn't happiness unless there's a violin-playing goat.

~ Julia Roberts

- - - - -

When I was at Elizabeth's softball tournament last weekend, I saw this sitting on one of the picnic tables.  Who would just get up and leave in the middle of a game of Goat Chairs?!!!

Chair

 A house that does not have one warm, comfy chair in it is soulless.

~ May Sarton

- - - - -

I love driving around the countryside and seeing things like this.  And wondering what prompted them.  "Henry!  Go put that chair on the stump so everyone can see it?" or "Who the hell put that chair on the stump?  Well, I'll show them.  I'll just leave it there!"  

It's hard to tell.  Everything has a story.  It's just that a lot of times the story is a secret.  Which means we get to make up our own story.

In my world, this is a "Level Three" time out area.

Mirror

Life is a mirror and will reflect back 
to the thinker what he thinks into it.

~ Ernest Holmes

- - - - -

I think mirrors are interesting.  You can use them to look back or to look at the self in the current moment.  If there were mirrors to the future, I wonder if people would use them.  Wait, there are.  I think they're called children.

They're hard to look at sometimes, though, like when they have snot running down their faces.  That's kind of gross.  Hey, dad or mom...  clean that mirror, okay?

Decoration

But, after all, the aim of art is to create space - space that is not compromised by decoration or illustration, space within which the subjects of painting can live.

~ Frank Stella 

- - - - -

I think that someone should design a line of sparkly and twinkly spangles for men's clothing.  And they should call them "Hequins."

(pause)

And they should give me a bunch of money for the idea.

Beauty

Sometimes people are beautiful.
Not in looks.
Not in what they say.
Just in what they are.

~ Markus Zusak

- - - - -

Who am I to judge what plant is beautiful or which is ugly?  Who are you to judge?  Well, unless you're a horticulturalist.  Or a judge. And did you know that "contest" comes from the Latin "contestari" which means to call a witness?  So the judge is not the judge, but the witnesses are the judge.  

Therefore, American Idol is valid.  

Logic is super easy.