This new song lyric by T.I., that I really don't care for, gets stuck in my head all the stinky time.... "the old me is dead and gone, dead and gone." While that does NOT aptly describe me as I am quite alive and most definitely in the present, it does give an accurate description to the current state of my beloved laptop. My little Apple has been on the fritz for some time, burning and melting its way through a handful of chargers. Slowing down with age. Freezing up with electronic arthritis. Just a few days ago I had the distinct impression to get a copy of everything on my computer asap and delete as much as possible of what I don't use. So, I did just that. The day after that was complete was the day the computer died. It was an ugly death too. Lot's of blank staring screen and creepy moans, the likes of which I had never before heard. Even my roommate Breezy was a little freaked out by the whole event. I coaxed it. I gave it gentle rubs and spoke kind words to it... to no avail. I didn't realize how much of an appendage my little Apple really was until it was not longer with me.
Dear little Apple. You were a good and faithful laptop. Your company and functionality meant the world to me. You were always so healthy, so virus free, so easy to use, so portable. I will miss that about you. You stood by me through grad school, four moves, dozens of vacations and a handful of business trips. You held my pictures and music. You contained work secrets and were so good about maintaining confidentiality. You connected me to family and friends. You taught others how great and wonderful Apple computers can be. Dear little Apple, R.I.P.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Sunday, February 7, 2010
spoiler alert!!!
Tonight I mostly watched The Sound of Music while flipping intermittently to the Super Bowl to check out the score and half-time. Since I had no vested interested in the game this year, other than it was exciting to have a "first time to the Super Bowl" experience, I chose to focus on a classic favorite. I LOVE the Sound of Music. I could probably quote the entire movie. It is a classic. No matter how many times I watch it I still get chills listening to the "Sound of Music", I laugh hysterically at the puppet show (those puppet cheeks and puppet goats get me every time), I get teary when Maria leaves the family heartbroken over the conflicted love she feels, I can hardly breathe when listening to Edelweiss, and my heart still beats wildly at the end when the von Trapp family is almost caught by the Nazi regime. That's right, they almost get caught. Luckily they manage to escape in the beautiful mountains and on to a safer life together. I don't know what I would do if I watched it once and they got caught. I think my heart would explode. At any rate...my roommate came home tonight from her Super Bowl party and flopped on the couch to catch a good portion of the Sound of Music... When out of her mouth fly the words...
"I have never seen this movie... just bits and pieces. I did take my mother to see the play once. Does that count?"
Seriously? Seriously. Seriously!! My mouth is still gaping open in astonishment. It's a classic! A classic!!! I gave her a run down of the characters and a detailed summary of the plot, including all the major spoilers. But a run down does not a viewing from start to finish make. Even my brothers have seen the movie all the way through at least once. So has anyone else never seen this movie? Wait, I don't know if I want to know.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
promised blessings.
With the promise of a new year and fresh starts we have already seen much of sadness and destruction. Just recently Haiti was rocked with a powerful earthquake and strong aftershocks. The death toll in that country is already over 150,000 and the count continues to rise. It is hard for me to even wrap my mind around that number. I sit here feeling helpless and wanting to do more. The LDS church released the following statement.
The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued the following statement today:
Our hearts are filled with sadness as we have watched the suffering in Haiti in the wake of the devastating earthquake. We turn to the example of Jesus Christ who reached out to “lift up the hands which hang down” and “strengthen the feeble knees.” We are keenly aware that many in America are dealing with economic challenges caused by the recession. However, we are appealing to members to donate to Church Humanitarian Services as their means allow in order to help our Haitian brothers and sisters. Many have already contributed and others are anxious to do so.
Money is not the only need in Haiti. People are frightened, bewildered, and wholly uncertain about their future. In addition to what people can do in helping with food, water and shelter, there needs to be a calming influence over that troubled nation. We invite our people everywhere to supplicate God for a spirit of calm and peace among the people as urgent aid and reconstruction efforts continue.
( http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/ )
Even though physically I cannot be there to comfort, I can do my part by sending monetary donations and offering up prayers on behalf of my Haitian brothers and sisters. The promised blessings are that if we seek the Lord we will be comforted in times like these. In Isaiah 51 and again in 2 Nephi 8:1-3 we are taught that if we look to the Lord, the gospel, the Abrahamic covenant... if we put our focus there "...the Lord shall comfort Zion, he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and the voice of melody." If we seek the Lord, seek to do His will, the promised blessings will be ours. We can be comforted and we can comfort those in need if we turn to the Lord.
The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued the following statement today:
Our hearts are filled with sadness as we have watched the suffering in Haiti in the wake of the devastating earthquake. We turn to the example of Jesus Christ who reached out to “lift up the hands which hang down” and “strengthen the feeble knees.” We are keenly aware that many in America are dealing with economic challenges caused by the recession. However, we are appealing to members to donate to Church Humanitarian Services as their means allow in order to help our Haitian brothers and sisters. Many have already contributed and others are anxious to do so.
Money is not the only need in Haiti. People are frightened, bewildered, and wholly uncertain about their future. In addition to what people can do in helping with food, water and shelter, there needs to be a calming influence over that troubled nation. We invite our people everywhere to supplicate God for a spirit of calm and peace among the people as urgent aid and reconstruction efforts continue.
( http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/ )
Even though physically I cannot be there to comfort, I can do my part by sending monetary donations and offering up prayers on behalf of my Haitian brothers and sisters. The promised blessings are that if we seek the Lord we will be comforted in times like these. In Isaiah 51 and again in 2 Nephi 8:1-3 we are taught that if we look to the Lord, the gospel, the Abrahamic covenant... if we put our focus there "...the Lord shall comfort Zion, he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and the voice of melody." If we seek the Lord, seek to do His will, the promised blessings will be ours. We can be comforted and we can comfort those in need if we turn to the Lord.
Friday, January 1, 2010
blue moons and recollections.
First of all... Happy New Year! Welcome 2010. Peace out 2009. Finally. Normally I don't make it a habit to wish my life away (well, at least not since I became an adult and realized how fast time flies) but I didn't much care for this past year and I'm looking forward to some change. Bienvenido 2010... he estoy esperandote.
Tonight while watching the last 5 minutes before the flashy ball on a stick in NYC descend I learned that it is the night of a blue moon. True story. Apparently, for those who aren't already in the know, a blue moon is when there is a full moon twice in the same month. It only happens once every 19 years. Who knew? Ryan Seacrest... that's who. So that is where the saying "Once in a blue moon" came from. Never thought I'd have an education lesson during a NYE celebration. Guess there is a first for everything.
So, that got me thinking about 19 years ago. Nineteen years ago I was 12. I'm sure I stayed up for the NYE celebration but I don't remember it. What I do remember about being 12 is that I was in middle school, with a bad perm and big hair, braces, and glasses. Awww - kward. I was shy and self-conscious. All too aware of my inadequacies and imperfections compared with seemingly perfect and put together girls around me. Not much has changed. The bad perm and big hair have been substituted by random unruly offshoots of gray. My braces are gone and contacts replace glasses, most of the time. I'm still shy and self-conscious at times and still catch myself comparing all my worst qualities to all the great ones of those who surround me. I've gotten better and more realistic but some habits can be hard to break. I'm sure no one else suffers from this malady. :)
As for 10 years ago... the beginning of this past decade... well, I was on my mission. I had been in the field for two months and as far as the world was concerned.. it was the end. Computers were set to crash, Y2K, yada yada yada. Guess everyone got their panties in a wad for nothing. I stood in my bed against the large window in my apartment's front room (we all slept in the living room.. it was like a slumber party every night). I watched the fireworks go off, consequently setting off car alarms and dog howls. I listened to people cheering and banging pots and pans (homemade noisemakers). I oohed and awwed cheesily into some hand held recording device. I thought about my family and what the celebration was like at home. I thought about the changes I needed to make to be a better missionary. I was a little homesick but mostly grateful for the opportunity to be in such a beautiful country, surrounded by some of the most amazing people, serving and teaching. I miss those days. It is one of my most cherished experiences and I'm eternally grateful to have had the opportunity.
A lot has happened in the past 10 years, mostly good.. scratch that... mostly great. I have been richly and abundantly blessed. I count you as part of that blessing. I'm looking forward to what this new year and new decade has to offer. My goal...To be excellent.
http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=ca2684d4a0a0c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD
Thank you for helping me in that journey.
Happy New Year.
Tonight while watching the last 5 minutes before the flashy ball on a stick in NYC descend I learned that it is the night of a blue moon. True story. Apparently, for those who aren't already in the know, a blue moon is when there is a full moon twice in the same month. It only happens once every 19 years. Who knew? Ryan Seacrest... that's who. So that is where the saying "Once in a blue moon" came from. Never thought I'd have an education lesson during a NYE celebration. Guess there is a first for everything.
So, that got me thinking about 19 years ago. Nineteen years ago I was 12. I'm sure I stayed up for the NYE celebration but I don't remember it. What I do remember about being 12 is that I was in middle school, with a bad perm and big hair, braces, and glasses. Awww - kward. I was shy and self-conscious. All too aware of my inadequacies and imperfections compared with seemingly perfect and put together girls around me. Not much has changed. The bad perm and big hair have been substituted by random unruly offshoots of gray. My braces are gone and contacts replace glasses, most of the time. I'm still shy and self-conscious at times and still catch myself comparing all my worst qualities to all the great ones of those who surround me. I've gotten better and more realistic but some habits can be hard to break. I'm sure no one else suffers from this malady. :)
As for 10 years ago... the beginning of this past decade... well, I was on my mission. I had been in the field for two months and as far as the world was concerned.. it was the end. Computers were set to crash, Y2K, yada yada yada. Guess everyone got their panties in a wad for nothing. I stood in my bed against the large window in my apartment's front room (we all slept in the living room.. it was like a slumber party every night). I watched the fireworks go off, consequently setting off car alarms and dog howls. I listened to people cheering and banging pots and pans (homemade noisemakers). I oohed and awwed cheesily into some hand held recording device. I thought about my family and what the celebration was like at home. I thought about the changes I needed to make to be a better missionary. I was a little homesick but mostly grateful for the opportunity to be in such a beautiful country, surrounded by some of the most amazing people, serving and teaching. I miss those days. It is one of my most cherished experiences and I'm eternally grateful to have had the opportunity.
A lot has happened in the past 10 years, mostly good.. scratch that... mostly great. I have been richly and abundantly blessed. I count you as part of that blessing. I'm looking forward to what this new year and new decade has to offer. My goal...To be excellent.
http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=ca2684d4a0a0c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD
Thank you for helping me in that journey.
Happy New Year.
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