Just a thunk

Ain't it amazing how consuming a new person can be. Particularly if you are remotely attracted to this new person.

Birthday wishes from my sisters

My family is weird, silly, laid back and very comfortable. This is the email my older sent me this morning (with my little sister cced):

Subject: You are old with an o

you are old old very old now....

In response, my little sister wrote:

yup, much much older than me.

I, inturn, responded to both of them with this:

Yes, but I am still younger than *****(my older sister)….and I can touch the back of my head with the sole of my foot…how many 21 year olds can do that?

Witness to the pre-dawn

Here's my birthday poem. Please keep in mind this is only my first draft...it'll probably go through several iterations before it's any good.

Witness to the pre-dawn

Time observed mid-flight
When all seems still and lush
When the susurrus of whispers
become
Overwhelming cascades of laughter

And old men wait patiently
On corners and stools
For the inevitable passing
And the inevitable longing

Here is where we know
That love finds its home
Were Chinese neon lights flare
Into multicolor dimensions
Enticing us to come and savor
And suck marrow from the bone
_________________(Such an overused metaphor…But accurate and vivid)

My last post as a 20something...

Cause tomorrow I turn 30!

Wow, I wish I had something more profound to share. Tonight I will write my annual birthday poem.

Welcome Back

This morning I woke up to the sound of someone humming. Having not fallen asleep with anyone next to me, this sort of freaked me out. It took me about 5 seconds to realize that I was the one humming!!! And I was humming the theme song to the sitcom "Welcome Back, Kotter". I haven't the slightest idea what I was dreaming about and what role the theme song to "Welcome Back, Kotter" had but it couldn't have been all bad. The song is quite cute and lovely. Here are the lyrics:

Welcome back,
Your dreams were your ticket out.

Welcome back,
To that same old place that you laughed about.

Well the names have all changed since you hung around,
But those dreams have remained and they're turned around.
Who'd have thought they'd lead ya (Who'd have thought they'd lead ya)
Here where we need ya (Here where we need ya)

Yeah we tease him a lot cause we've hot him on the spot, welcome back,
Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back.

Nice vs. Kind

Have you ever thought about the difference between someone who is "nice" vs. someone who is "kind"?

Is a person who is nice also kind? Is a person who is kind also nice? Can a person be nice without being kind? Can a person be kind without being nice?

Here are a few definitions for you:

Nice: adj; pleasant or pleasing or agreeable in nature or appearance; socially or conventionally correct; refined or virtuous

Kind: adj; having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior; characterized by mercy, and compassion

I recently started dating a certain person - oh about 5 weeks ago - who is very nice. Midwestern boy, good moral fiber, hard worker etc... etc... He opens doors, says thank you to waitresses, insists on paying for meals, plays with dogs on the street. Given all his positive traits, one would think that I'd be very happy to be dating this person. However, over the last 5 weeks (and 9 dates) I'm finding myself becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the boy. It's not just a "I'm not attracted to you and don't feel a click" sort of disinterest, it's far more of an internal gut dissatisfaction that borders on a "Don't date this guy anymore, he's no good." sort of thing. Then it dawned on me last night while I was out on a long run. He's a very nice person but he's not kind. DUUUUUUUUUDE!

I thought about this all night and came to this conclusion. Nice is something that can be taught and learned. It is, in its essence, superficial and based on transitiory actions. Kind is far more internal in nature and speaks to a persons ability for empathy and genuine desire to be merciful and helpful. A person can be nice without any genuine desire to help or heal.

Just a general thunk for the day.

Suffice it to say that I won't be going out on anymore dates with this boy.

The sweetest song ever written

I'm not generally a White Stripes fan. I don't like their music. I don't like the way they dress. And although I have been accused of sun-phobia, even I think Jack is just too darn pale. However, their song "We're going to be friends" is just about the sweetest song ever written. I loved it from the moment I first stumbled upon it a few years back. I've been listening to it on repeat along with the other songs on my 'Songs that make me happy' mix. I think this is the 4th time I've heard it this evening. Why am I listening to my 'Songs that make me happy' mix, you ask? Cause I'm in a really good mood and sometimes good moods require happy music. Plus, I was doing a bit of cleaning and happy music always makes the process a bit easier. The mix also includes:

Dixie Chicks - Wide Open Spaces
Jason Mraz - I'll Do Anything
Petula Clark - Downtown (my all time favorite song in the world!!!!)
Cat Stevens - The Wind
John Denver - Rocky Mountain High
Paul Simon - Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard
Natasha Bedingfield - These Words
Salt & Pepa - Shoop
Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock - It Takes Two
Iz - Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World
Ben Harper - Blessed to Be a Witness
Sade - It's Only Love That Gets You Through
Paul Simon - Under African Skies
OutKast - So Fresh and So Clean
Billy Bragg & Natalie Merchant - I Was Born

Now if that list of songs doesn't make you smile, I don't know what will?

Lyrics to "We're Going to Be Friends"

fall is here, hear the yell
back to school, ring the bell
brand new shoes, walking blues
climb the fence, book and pens
i can tell that we are gonna be friends

walk with me, suzy lee
through the park, by the tree
we will rest upon the ground
and look at all the bugs we've found
then safely walk to school without a sound
well here we are, no one else
we walked to school all by ourselves
there's dirt on our uniforms
from chasing all the ants and worms
we clean up and now it's time to learn

numbers, letters, learn to spell
nouns, and books, and show and tell
at playtime we will throw the ball
back to class, through the hall
teacher marks our height against the wall
and we don't notice any time pass
we don't notice anything
we sit side by side in every class
teacher thinks that i sound funny
but she likes the way you sing

tonight i'll dream while i'm in bed
when silly thoughts go through my head
about the bugs and alphabet
and when i wake tomorrow i'll bet
that you and i will walk together again
cause i can tell that we are going to be friends

Some new music

Here are a few new albums that I've been seriously digging.

Throw Down Your Arms - Sinead O'Connor
A concept that I wasn't entirely sold on until I picked this up. Take one part reggae standards + one part unique celtic vocalizing, stir in some truly smooth production and you get some seriously grooving music.

Dimanche e Bamake - Amadou & Mariam
Afro-rock at its best. Amadou & Mariam, a blind couple from the Ivory Coast with over 30 years of music under their belts, create an incredibly bouncy, tuneful album that includes the best of salsa, traditional African rhythms and beats, reggae, R&B, blues, and lots of other multi-culti flares.

Late Registration - Kanye West
What can I say? I love me some Kanye.

From Gross Domestic Product to Gross National Happiness?

This nifty article from the NY Times examines a movement to expand how we precieve the wealth of a nation.

Anyone want to move to Bhutan with me?

A New Measure of Well-Being from a Happy Little Kingdom

(excerpt)
"The goal of life should not be limited to production, consumption, more production and more consumption," said Thakur S. Powdyel, a senior official in the Bhutanese Ministry of Education. "There is no necessary relationship between the level of possession and the level of well-being."

Year One Recapped

Hello my loved ones. I just realized this afternoon that this blog is a year old! My what a year. I feel like I just started this little journal and already she is a year old. My first blog entry was a bit of a recap, review of my year in (and out) of SF. I thought it would be a nice legacy to recap this past year - the good, the really good, and the few things that made me cry. I find that this recap helps me appreciate all that I have learned and how much I am loved. Here we go:

> Probably the thing that occupied most of my mindspace - I purchased a home.
> And a lovely red couch!
> Grew my dreams a bit wider.
> Fell in love - deeply, completely - for the very first time. And learned to fall out of love - not quite as completely but I'm getting there.
> Joined the board of a nifty non-profit.
> More importantly, I gained a dear friend, mentor, and partner in arms via the board.
> Completed yet another yoga teacher training (that makes 4!)
> Started teaching two weekly yoga classes.
> Taught myself to make JAM!!!! I've made 6 batches so far - Strawberry Rhubarb, Mission Fig Rhubarb, Peach Nectarine Plum, Raspberry Blackberry, Blueberry Lemon Apricot, & Plum.
> Used this same knowledge to can some nice summer peaches (and hopefully make some apple sauce in the very near future.)
> Started taking piano lessons again...after 15 years of nearly zero playing!!!!
> Started teaching undergraduate management courses at a couple of real and virtual universities.
> Wrote three poems that I'm really proud of. Well, I wrote a ton more but the rest are just not very good.
> Started (but have yet to finish) two new paintings.
> Finished a successful first year at my job.
> Completed 10 media interviews and got quoted at least 6 times in various media outlets.
> Signed up for the Paris Marathon in April 2006. Let the training begin! Wait...it already has.
> Took my yoga practice further.

I'd say it was a pretty good year.

BTW...T minus 16 days till my 30th!