This is what it's all about

The night has once again gotten to be very long and I reach for something to settle my spirit and my wandering thoughts that seem to be very loud in the quietness of this night. Everyone (even the cats), are long asleep.....except me. I've finally decided on a color for the large open concept living space on the main floor of our large townhouse. It's the most refined, soft (but not feminine) with a certain loving brightness and warmth to it all at the same time, elegant, welcoming shade of delicate peach. Now I really really have to try to go to sleep!

There's a song which has always brought me both comfort and strength in every situation you can imagine and I wanted to share it. Amazing that the performance I found of "My Life is In Your Hands" by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir was part of an outdoor concert their smaller traveling group (but just as big in sound) gave at a state penitentiary in Louisiana...where the average sentence is 88 years. Angola state penitentiary --- a place the name of which strikes fear and hopelessness in the hearts and minds of those who are either about to go there, have family there or have been to a place where this is familiar

I hope as the music washes over you that it will give you whatever it is you need, and the freedom to feel at peace, and then maybe you might say a little prayer for the souls there who still have not yet found *freedom* even in a place where that word brings thoughts of impossibility. Our life is in His hands.....this is really what it's all about. I pray you're able to find rest there.....and me, too.

Newer is not necessarily better...

Ok I'll admit it. I have AOL, and not the freebie one. Before we entered the online world I had carefully researched the various Internet Providers and concluded that for lots of reasons (waaay back then) AOL was going to be "it". Well, it's many years later and yes, we still have AOL. I don't quite dare go to the free version not only because you just know it's not going to be *free* forever, but also because I don't like the way it manages my email or allows ME to manage/create it.

You may think me nuts for hanging onto it, but it's been so user friendly and intuitive, plus as I don't read print newspapers, I get all my main and world news online. I have my AOL set to point me in the direction of my personal interests in addition to the headlines and other intriguing things and I can take it from there. And I can keep up in a conversation with anybody who reads any newspaper and often have tidbits of info that they don't know about.

Yes, I love my Google Chrome browser and my Mozilla Foxfire and frequently will exit AOL to use these to access the internet after I'm done with mail and catching up with news. Love the speed and the ability (with Google Chrome) to save the places/pages I most often go to so I can just click on them and boom.....I'm there.

This computer has Vista for its OS and of course, periodically AOL upgrades its software for "newer, faster, better" and sometimes, it's actually been a good thing. However, when AOL 9.5 came out in beta, man was that some bad stuff. It would continually stop working and run very slowly which made no sense as this is a very fast machine with tons of RAM. Yes, I know AOL runs every little thing through various filters and such which would result in slowing it down, but I no longer even use their anti-virus "security suite" once they discontinued it as part of your subscription. As we have cable access, I have the anti-virus, anti-spyware, anti-anything bad stuff through our cable provider which CONSTANTLY updates it. So, when AOL 10 appeared, I uninstalled my clunky 9.5 and thought "NOW we're going to get something good!" and installed AOL 10.

Friends, unless you have microscopic vision and also enjoy torture, DON'T DO IT!!!! Talk about frustration. Yes AOL 10 was fast. But the way the email program worked was just plain crazy! Loony! Two different "saved mail" folders? I tried to adapt and learn, really I did. Soon I thought I'd get the hang of this "tabbed browsing" lunacy, but no. So just a little while ago I went through the exercise of uninstalling AOL 10 and searched for an older version which would run on Vista. Let me tell you, they do not make this easy, especially if you have Vista or Windows 7. Finally I was left with the option of going back to 9.5 which is now thankfully out of beta. I said a little prayer and installed it hoping that it would load pages faster and not be "unresponsive" causing me to have to shut it down and start over.

So far, so good. It was wonderful to see my email the way I used to see it, create and manage it. That in itself was worth the FOREVERNESS it took to download and install. Just why is that, anyway? But after all that, I've got it back.

Just another example of newer is not necessarily better........

The Commodores - Nightshift Live (1985)

This is really getting to be a regular Nightshift!

Another night (ahem....morning but without any sleep between last night and now) and all is quiet around me. Too much racing mind about everything to get done. Would you believe that I have to get ANOTHER book, that is 3 ring binder with protective vinyl sleeves for paint "chips" and all the other stuff that goes along with the Londonderry house end of things (meaning we have to wash all the walls and repaint everything due to our tenant having been a heavy smoker). And hey....I'm not a prude about that smoker issue. But when you get some computer generated correspondence from this person through the mail, read it, and then even your hand smells like you've had a cigarette, now, that's going to be some heavy smoke issue stuff to deal with. If just the paper which rolled out of his printer and came through the mail smelling that strong, can you even imagine what a large townhouse is going to be like? Walls, carpet, window treatments......have to stop thinking about that now.


Then there are the pages with all the things necessary about moving from HERE. Heck, I've got one page color coded with the different marker colors for each room to mark the boxes with so the movers will know where they go! And I'm not especially unusual in this, apparently as I've always moved this way and the moving guy I'm dealing with is very familiar (and happy) with this technique. Each room in our home to where we're moving back will have the same color codes on the doors (taped) so everything will be very clear. Saves bunches of time and frustration on moving day. But now? Endless details.


Oh....and the multiple reminders.....did the tenant leave a zero balance with the utilities so we'll have no issue putting them in our name. I kid you not: there was a season when the gas bill which was NOT in our name remained unpaid and the gas company came after US up here where we're living! I learned from this experience. Leaving nothing to chance about that one. Gas and electric. Already checked with cable and his cable is his wherever he goes, as is ours. We have no concerns about any potential cable balances there. I do think this is about the ONLY thing we have no concerns about. Yikes. No wonder I'm not sleeping. My thought is that when I write something in the notebook and then close it, I don't have to think about it any more. But my mind is endlessly turning over things I may have forgotten. OH! Like, I learned there's a different cellar door which has been installed.....got to locate the local locksmith to change ALL the locks, including that one. See what I mean?


Many of you can relate to this "nightshift" concept, but in totally different ways, though those of you in the insomniac club are very familiar with my particular version. Had to do something to ease my mind beyond everything else, none of which has been working. Yup. Youtube again. For some unknown Blogger reason, the song got posted before the post about the song! Go figure. But at least it's here!


I love this wonderful song by the Commodores....everything about it. The harmonies, the rhythm, the meaning of the words, the people gone too soon from among us but who brought us other wonderful music. I wish I could have found a better recording of this, but this was the best I could find.

So for all of you who are on the "nightshift" along with me, for whatever reasons....including actual work shifts, take a break and settle in. I'm working on getting my groove back and this is the kind of music that does it for me. I hope it refreshes you. Breathe easy, friends. Somehow, it will all work out. Go ahead. Click on it and listen once again.

Such Pure Joy!!!

Have you had so many sleepless nights that your brain feels hot? Well, I know it's not my "brain" because it cannot *feel*. But, if I didn't know any better, it's been just too cooked. Too much to think about. Too much to do. Too many unknowns! AAAAAARGH! For a person like me, this is like sandpaper on raw nerves. Literally nothing under my control. Choices, but can they be accomplished? I've lost my "vision" and my sense of purpose. I knew I needed to just go play.

At times like this, YouTube never fails me. It's been so long that I've posted to this blog, though, that I can't seem to share this song I really like with you and the amazing video with it. Dolphins flying and leaping through the ocean. Whales that you can almost hear laugh. Utter abandon. Not a care in the world. Watching it, hearing a song I've not listened to in a long time, "Cool Change" brought the temperature of my brain down a few degrees. Phooey. Oh not about the slightly cooler brain, but that I'm not sure I can embed the video here. If you haven't seen it, you'll love it. Who can see this without being amazed, relaxed and released from tension at least for a little while. Going to try it again (embed the video). Hallelujah it worked! Oh take a few minutes, and enjoy!!

New Life Through Lent...Prepare the Way

Yesterday the doorbell rang which of course set off the ferocious barking of Daisy, our Westie wonder watch dog. This isn't unusual as you never know who may be at the door, or what critters might wander across our lawn. Daisy has a huge vocabulary which is different for squirrels, other dogs or cats, people on the street, the UPS guy, people who come to the door and especially the postman. Wow does he get some intense barking. I really believe she is certain it is solely her earnest barking which keeps him from coming right into the house, as our mailbox is just outside the front door.

But this visitor brought two pleasant surprises. One was a jar of maple butter and the other was his annual request to tap the maple trees. "Already??" I asked. "Really?" He seemed a little amused at my inability to keep track of the shift in the season and he smilingly reassured me that yes, now is the time to begin the sugaring season.
When you think of it, there's more than a little irony in the timing of this, as just the day before was Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent and the time we think of some kind of self-deprivation…not "sugaring" and the luscious sweetness springing from the heart of the sugar maple trees.

The concept of choosing something we enjoy and giving it up during the Lenten season is for the purpose of feeling the little vacuum and pang from its temporary loss in order to step a bit away from the world and walk more closely with Jesus…to fill that vacuum with prayer, Bible reading, quiet time, or some other spiritual reading or activity to deepen our relationship with the Lord. The fact that the timing of this coincides with "sugaring season" gives even further dimension to what this opportunity for spiritual growth is about.

Those who have lived in maple syrup country know that the syrup doesn't just flow straight out of the trees, ready to be poured on pancakes or other yummy food. Tapping the trees is just the start of the process which will then involve lots of boiling down to get to the real essence of the luscious, precious golden syrup itself. The sap is strained to remove any little odd bits which have fallen into it and then the boiling and separating into different qualities of syrup begins.

When you think of it, this is very similar to the spiritual process and purpose of Lent, too. Sifting out the things in our hearts and lives which keep us from being closer to Jesus as well as from healthier relationships with others, and enduring whichever deprivation we may choose or discipline we elect to practice in this season in order to become more united with the heart of Christ, deepen our relationship with Him, and experience more fulfilled and joyful Christian living.

If we look even more closely at the tree symbolism, the sweetness of our salvation and eternal life involves trees as well. Beginning with the harsh long spiky thorns of the Hawthorn bush from which the "Crown of Thorns" was woven as a crown of humiliation for Jesus, to the trees which furnished the timbers for Jesus' cross for his crucifixion, death and resurrection, so also is the precious sweet essence in the sugar maple tree brought forth through the intense and completely transformative process it undergoes. Of course maple syrup is a non-essential luxury and a treat. Our salvation and eternal life is a blessed gift to embrace and celebrate.

We people are similar to sugar maple trees. Some have more harsh exteriors with bark which seems impossible to penetrate. Some are gnarled and bent, or have branches which make them appear unapproachable. But inside all of us is the sweetness God put there when we were made. Some of us have either forgotten about it or have broken places in our hearts which make it difficult for us to access or even believe it's there, let alone enjoy it ourselves or dispense it to others.

This year I'm choosing a different path for my Lenten journey. Instead of taking up a special book to study, or give up something I delight in, I'm going to carve out time every day for prayerful "sifting". My purpose will be to ask the Lord to show me the inner things which need to be healed, the broken places as well as the habits which get in the way of more peace in my life, and ask Him to remove them from me. I'll include Bible reading about the time in Jesus' life which Lent commemorates, beginning with Matthew 4:1-11 and expand from there. It's a journey we can all take to sort out and get rid of the things which keep us from our inner sweetness, the love of Christ and His goodness which dwells deep in our hearts to enjoy and share with others. In this way, I'll be preparing the way for new life just as the maple trees are preparing for spring, and as we prepare to celebrate our new life in Christ at Easter. Why not choose to take this journey, too?

January --- Happy New Year ….. EVERY Day!

 

The sky was the kind of brilliant blue you only see in fabulous nature magazines, and all the leaves were fallen and brown, leaving the trees empty and waiting for winter. Around us, somewhere in the neighborhood, we could hear the relentless sound of a leaf blower. We have neighbors who are extremely particular about their lawns, and leaf blowers in the fall and lawn mowers in the grass growing season are very familiar sounds.

Except this time the leaf blower noise was getting closer and closer. Generally we have it down…we can tell when it's the neighbors next door, across the street, a couple houses away etc. But this was definitely different. "Look!" My husband suddenly exclaimed. "It's a guy blowing leaves in our back yard!" Now this was a first, and much needed as we sure had a yard full of leaves.
John has an electric leaf blower but hardly has time to use it.

So, who was this guy and why was he doing us the kindness of blowing the leaves out of our yard? He was extremely diligent, starting on the side, chasing the leaves along the way, out of the large dried daylily bed and ridding them all from the herb garden. When he got to the lower part of the back yard, I told my husband, "You've got to go out there, find out who he is and thank him!" He didn't have any rinky dink kind of leaf blower, either. It was gasoline powered and he had it strapped to his back. Rarely did the man look up, but concentrated on getting every single leaf out of our yard.

Pretty soon I was in the upstairs bathroom window watching John approach the leaf blower man gingerly so as not to startle him. Oh! It was a neighbor! He stopped his machine long enough to receive John's heartfelt thanks and to explain quite seriously, "Well, I needed to pray. And this is one of the ways I do it best". After nodding to John, he started up his machine and went back at it until he was done. He wouldn't accept anything in return for what ended up to be an entire afternoon of work….and prayer. Wow!

It's late in December and the snow is covering everything outside, but still those words continue to stay with me. "I needed to pray…and this is one of the ways I do it best." Think of it. "Praying best" by doing it while working, doing a nice thing for someone. Actually, everything about it makes complete sense. Deep contemplative prayer is best done while the rest of you is occupied with doing something else, or you'll find your mind wandering into other territory than what you're wanting to meditate on or talk with God about. And to combine the praying with doing something for someone else, now that's a triple blessing: you're praying, you feel good that you're doing something nice for someone, and the recipient(s) feel gratefully delighted!

As I've continued to think about this simple but profound notion since that gorgeous fall day, I've found small ways to incorporate this concept into my everyday life. The Bible tells us to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and I have found it to be a way which not only blesses others but brings peace into my life. It will make you feel that the work of your hands which God has given you to do is something sacred. Bingo! We are called to lead a holy life and this brings us out of the mundane into the observation and peacefulness of things we'd otherwise ignore and involve our mind in worry or other similar things.

More importantly, it gives us multitudes of ways to pray for others in the time we never knew we had! How to do this? Some of the ways I weave this kind of prayer into my life are to pray for the car in front of me (especially at stop lights), to pray for the people in the houses I drive by, to pray for all the people in our church whenever I'm looking at it or doing "ordinary" tasks inside it, to ask God to bring people to my mind to pray for when I'm cleaning, and many other ways I won't share or I'll be disclosing secret kindnesses as well as perhaps keeping you from creating and designing your own methods. Friends, this is a simple pathway to happiness and contentment. In keeping our mind on higher things, in doing small things for others, we are not only happier and more peaceful, but also doing some of the work of God.

Every day is a new beginning, every moment brings us a new start. Although I'm not ready to get a gas powered leaf blower, I'll never forget the wonderful lesson I learned that day. Why not begin to engage in this way of praying for others, as well as continuing an ongoing conversation with God? I promise you you'll be mightily blessed! Happy New Year Every Day!

 

“Gabriel’s Message”…Preparing in this Advent Season

This utterly captivated me. Such a gentle but powerful rendition of the theme of this season, by Sting. So different, yet so familiar and comforting. How unique to use a muted trumpet (among other things), though we associate the angel Gabriel as the bringer of great announcements and with a trumpet.

Enjoy and be blessed.

 

 

Coffee as Meditation – A New Concept for Thanksgiving

"What are these things?" I asked, looking at a small pile of different capsules and tablets next to my plate. I'd just come into the kitchen for breakfast with friends where I'd stayed overnight after working late at the University library, and they'd graciously suggested I stay at their home rather than make the long drive back to the city where my apartment was. "Oh, just supplements", they answered. Another friend who also was there said that with my hit-or-miss style of grabbing meals, this would be the best way of survival and they all heartily endorsed them. A blend of natural Vitamin C and a few other basics were in the mix….and to this day they're still part of my breakfast routine. Just before swallowing them down with my orange drink each morning, holding them in my hand I give a quick prayer of thanksgiving for these friends, hoping they are well.

If I've ever made coffee for you, you've heard the whir of the grinder and seen me pour powdered beans into what might look like an odd contraption. Years ago friends in New York taught me to make coffee by boiling water and pouring it over ground coffee in a Melita coffee maker – a manual filter system with a plastic cone shaped thing holding a filter with coffee into which the water is poured and then drips down into a glass carafe. Back then it was Melita coffee from the can, but other friends later introduced me to the delicious wonder of keeping whole beans in the freezer until you're ready to freshly grind them for each batch of coffee you make.

Comparable to my routine of a quick prayer of warm and grateful remembrance and good thoughts when I take my vitamins, I do a similar thing when I'm by myself in the quiet of the kitchen making coffee. See, the manual Melita system means taking time to gradually pour the hot water in stages over the ground coffee while it drips down into the carafe below. It's actually a gently meditative ritual involving all your senses. The sound of the beans being ground, the fabulous aroma of the coffee in the filter as the hot water works its magic in making something deliciously reviving of both body and spirit, and the lyrical sound of the water as it makes its way through the filter into the carafe. Additionally it requires watching to make sure you don't either under or over fill the carafe for the perfect strength of coffee you desire. While I'm making coffee I use some of this time to not only observe the morning's beauty through the kitchen window and think about my day ahead, but to also offer a quick prayer for the friends who taught me this wonderful method of making the coffee itself.

These are just two stories about how so many of the little things, as well as very large and significant ones, learned from people who've been in our lives are the things which shape who and how we are. Over time, hopefully we've weeded out the things which haven't been helpful and cherish the ones which have literally become part of us and even how we live and think. Perhaps because I'm looking at a "significant" birthday quite soon, I've been recently giving more thought to the compendium of people who've had a large role in the design of who and how I am and think, my habits and so many things I value. I'm glad I haven't waited until now to "give thanks" for them and that it's been a longtime habit to quickly include them among my daily prayerful thoughts.

And friends, while each day is a gift and each birthday is significant, I now have a better understanding of the concept invented by the late Jack Benny of "turning 39" each year. It's not that I don't want to age (the alternative is far less attractive), but I believe there is tremendous value in being "ageless". As a counselor I marveled that clients both much younger as well as those much older than I was related with me almost as peers. Not as "pals" as the whole purpose was objectivity and counseling skills. But "agelessness" to me means not clinging to some caricature of early youth or staying frozen in time. Far from it! It means embracing a larger view which is enriched by wisdom, and values continual self-evolution, learning, and deepening growth into the future.

As we move toward the holiday of Thanksgiving, why not consider this concept of incorporating a daily active attitude of *thanksgiving* and ask God to bring to your mind the people for whom you are grateful for the elements of your life you've kept as parts of who you are and how you think, values you have, and healthy habits you've learned. If this is a new idea to you, it would be a happy exercise to write down the names of those as you recall them and the things they passed on to you. Certain teachers and mentors, friends and family members who've enhanced who you are, and even those with whom you didn't have but a passing acquaintance if what they shared made a meaningful mark on your life. You'll also think of small things which make you smile yet are still habits which are part of your life. For me, for instance, the person from whom I learned to wrap the "string" of my tea bag around my spoon to gracefully squeeze the last drops into the cup without making a mess or using my fingers.

In addition to developing an attitude of thanksgiving, wouldn't it be a marvelous thing to share this concept with your family and have them list people for whom they are thankful and why. Blessings to you all who continue to shape my life!

Another Quiz….going to give it my best shot, you give it a try, too!

1. Do you like blue cheese? Is there a word stronger than NO?

2. Have you ever been drunk? Once. I did not know there was vodka in the Hawaiian punch at the fraternity party. For me, more than a little alcohol = dizzy = sick. Not my idea of fun. A little alcohol if it's tastey is OK, too much -- no way.

3. Do you own a gun? Yes. No further comment.

4. What flavor of Kool Aid is your favorite? The one that tastes like Hawaiian Punch (sweetened with Splenda)

5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? Not consciously. Too busy trying to get everything important ready to talk about in the 4 ½ minutes I might have with the doc. But still my BP is elevated at the visit. Probably due to the pressure of getting ready to launch into what's important to cover at the visit!

6. What do you think of hot dogs? Oh man. I'm glad I never went to the places where they're made! Unless it's turkey or chicken hot dogs, I don't eat them. Used to only eat Hebrew National with hope. Since I don't eat beef, no more.

7. Favorite Christmas movie? Although it's not totally a "Christmas movie", I always like to watch "Auntie Mame" when writing Christmas cards or decorating the house (the song "We Need a Little Christmas" is from this movie)…enjoy the story and the Auntie Mame character.

8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? It has to be coffee…black, no sweetener. And some more coffee.

9. Can you do push ups? In theory, yes. Used to definitely. And when I give it a shot, always still can…a few.

10. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? My wedding ring, especially remembering what's engraved inside it. Never leaves my hand.

11. Favorite hobby? Music.

12. Do you have A.D.D. ? No. Other things, yes, but not A.D.D.

13. What's your favorite shoes? For a woman this is a REALLY hard question to narrow down. Though I don't get to wear them often, they'd be a pair of black heels I have with bows on them and pink lining. Love those shoes.

14. Middle name? Corser. It's my mother's maiden name. It was the one "mystery" I kept from my high school students when I was teaching. Since I wouldn't disclose it, drove them nuts. But everybody needs a LITTLE mystery!

15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment? This is a hard quiz, it's late and we haven't had dinner yet, and too many more to name. I'm a woman. We think a ton of things at the same time. Think of a 32 staff orchestral score and you'd be close. They're not necessarily profound thoughts of course, but still…lots.

16. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink? Coffee, Espresso Coffee (also black/no sweetener), Diet Ginger Ale

17. Current worry? I try not to worry. If/when I do, too many to list.

18. Current hate right now? None. Challenges, yes, hates….nope.

20. How did you bring in the New Year? At home with my husband, champagne, watched the NY New Year's Eve thing. Some might think boring, but it was nice.

21. Where would you like to go? Wow…that should be more like where would I NOT like to go (and there would be some places on that list). But within reason, the ocean and I do love Bermuda.

22. Name three people who will complete this? No idea. I got this from Walt.

23. an unusual food you tried? Escargot (enjoy but pretty rich with all that butter) Caviar….really like this on a slice of French bread, little cream cheese, the caviar and squeeze of lemon juice….oh yum! Needn't be Beluga, the black Icelandic Lump Fish caviar is fine with me. Don't care for the large red caviar though.

24. What color shirt are you wearing right now? Sort of lavender.

25. Do you like sleeping on Satin sheets? Yes. First had them when we had a water bed. Hooked. Very nice. Even the dog and cats like them.

26. Can you whistle? A little, but pretty lame at it.

27. Favorite color? Blue.

28. Would you be a pirate? No…not so much.

29. What songs do you sing in the shower? Nothing regular…often a gospel tune or a spiritual…or whatever I've been working on recently.

30. Favorite Girl's Name? Oh this is just too hard! I have no idea! The names which come to mind are the names of my women friends!

31. Favorite boy's name? That would be the same as my answer for #30…except names of my male friends.

32. What's in your pocket right now? Hm…a Kleenex and prayer beads.

33. Last thing that made you laugh? One of our cats deliriously happy lying in the sun in our bedroom window. She turned her head and blinked at me looking really loopy with joy.

34. Best memories as a child? Not such a terrific question. I think it would be practicing the wonderful pipe organ by myself in the church where I regularly practiced and played. Started piano and organ really quite young, so it would qualify as childhood memory.

35. Worst injury you've ever had as a child? Lost both "little" toenails from injury sustained riding my bike barefoot. They never grew back.

36. Do you love where you live? I like it. I don't think I've ever "loved" the place where I lived. Always liked things about those places, but love? Except I did love living in New York City. Idyllic time with no responsibilities in a beautiful place and oh the music, musicians, art and learning….and the FOOD. And I do LOVE the monastery where I've gone on many retreats…need to schedule one soon. Been too long!

38. Who is your loudest friend? This made me laugh! I don't believe I have any really "loud" friends at this time.

39. How many dogs do you have? One…West Highland Terrier…female, named Daisy.

40. Does someone have a crush on you? Other than my husband? I'm thinking no.

41. What is your favorite book? Usually one I'm reading at the moment! Right now it's "A Heart Like Jesus" by Max Lucado. I did love the "Mitford" series by Jan Karon. And I've been thinking of re-reading "The Name of the Rose" by Umberto Ecco on our vacation, in addition to a pile of other books I'm bringing.

42. What is your favorite candy? Marzipan….definitely. I mean chocolate is a given, but marzipan….divine.

43. Favorite Sports Team? Not such a big watcher of sports. When any of the Boston teams are winning at the end of their series, I do keenly watch then (Red Socks, Celtics, Patriots and Bruins). The UNH Hockey team has a special place in my heart, though. Went to lots of games when I was a student. Still follow their scores.

44. What is your favorite food at your favorite restaurant? I don't have an actual favorite. There are many I really enjoy with foods from many cultures. But I have to say, it truly pained me when they closed the Russian Tea Room in New York City. Oh the food….and the violinist…he could play anything. But oh the food. EVERYTHING on their menu.

45. What song do you want played at your funeral? I have no idea. I won't "be" there…have played so many funerals, I don't know. But if there was a ton of money to pay for a marvelous choir, it would be Gregorio Allegri's "Miserere mei, Deus". Simply amazing. Like angels singing. Whew! Done! Now, it's your turn! It really was kinda fun :-)

Go With the “Flow!”

A framed cartoon of two angels looking quizzically at one another has one asking, "Well, Bonnie, what do you think the next crisis will be?" and the other responds, "Gee, Karen, I don't know. But if we wait 5 minutes, I'm sure we'll find out!" Does this feel just too similar to your life? Are questions like this one asked often at your home or office? Most Americans these days answer a vehement "YES!"

Terms such as "crisis management", "triage" and "911" used to refer to the exception rather than the rule, the emergencies and the imminent threat to life being separated from the usual and customary of day-to-day living. Are those words part of your everyday lifestyle vocabulary? Perhaps not the exact words, but the feeling?

For some time now, psychologists have been studying something called "flow". You know, as in "go with the flow". This term describes the feeling of being one with something going well or times of feeling both in control and relaxed simultaneously. Stop for a moment and think about when you feel this way, or when the last time was when you felt like this.

People who are able to identify this sensation recall they come the closest to it in moments while driving on a highway in smoothly paced traffic without delays. Other times of feeling "flow" are experienced by people singing in a choir or swiftly and easily doing something mundane like stuffing envelopes. Despite the seeming disparity of these things, they all have the same thing in common: the awareness of what it feels like to do something with ease.

The keyword here is not so much "ease", but "awareness". This is good news due to the demands on our time which require us to manage several things at once, making the concept of "ease" seem insurmountable.

When do people least feel "flow"? If you guessed it's during their vacation, you were correct. In addition to awareness, the other necessary component here is something which is learned. Although it seems odd, we just don't learn how to relax!

At this time of year when the back-to-school commercials prompt us that summer is coming to a close, we often feel wistful and sad that another golden season has passed us by. Once again it feels too late to capture a little something for ourselves. If we had the time, how would we learn that awareness of being in the moment? How could we then know when we have that "ease"?

This peaceful quality can be learned by making small but decisive changes one little bit at a time. Here are some ideas to consider in making this happen for yourself:

1.)Choose a verse or inspiring phrase that sets the tone for the changes you want to implement and start every day with it. An example might be, "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalm 118:24)
2.)When the telephone rings, let it be a signal for you to stop and take a breath instead of instantly lunging to grab the receiver. Remind yourself of the verse you've chosen.
3.)Make a commitment to take an amount of time every day in which you will be peaceful. Really. If this is only three minutes to start, be diligent in taking the full three minutes each and every day. Think of something that you enjoy. Read that scripture you've been saying you want to start. Remember: just small pieces of time to begin with instead of trying to do too much and being overwhelmed or sabotaging your intentions before you really get into it.
4.)Take a "prayer break". Stand up and walk a bit, (even if it's just to the rest room or to get a drink of water) while lifting your mind for a few moments from the tedium of whatever you're working on.
5.)Instead of becoming tense when the light ahead of you turns red, use this as an unexpected moment to take a slow deep breath and roll your shoulders to UN-tense.
6.)If you usually have the radio on at work, home, or when you drive, try turning it off once and a while and become re-acquainted with the relief and beauty of silence.

 Remember that your life didn't become as hectic as it feels in one fast leap, and that the pathway toward calmness and peace is made of many little steps toward that goal. Instead of bracing yourself for the crises which will inevitably occur, why not enjoy the time in between them! That old phrase, "Go with the flow" can be achieved by looking for the pleasant surprises that are there… just waiting to be noticed. This September, why not learn to Go with the Flow! Not only will you actually become more productive, but you'll have the awareness to discover more of the happiness and fulfillment the Lord intended for you and has planted in your heart.

It’s Not About Us

My Administrative Assistant quickly grew to be far more than that. Soon, because of her talent, experience, all around fabulousness and positive attitude, her responsibilities grew until she basically ran our "front office". Scheduling appointments, talking encouragingly with people experiencing every kind of "disorder" you can imagine, doing all the Accounts Payable and Receivable, working with health insurance companies in billing and claim follow-up, payroll, transcribing notes she'd take at our weekly staff meetings and working closely with me, the Director, Bonnie was a wonder. She even bought the coffee (from the agency's funds for this) and kept the waiting room and everyone on staff supplied with hard candies in our offices which reflected the seasons and holidays! It wasn't long before we became good friends, too.

Bonnie's talents and experience encompassed far more than many kinds of office/secretarial/accounting skills. She had also worked as a courier who routinely carried hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of diamonds and other precious gems to and from the jewelry district in Boston, worked with retail jewelers and was very involved in the world of wholesale jewelry to being in a partnership herself in this work. I learned many things from Bonnie!

Here's something perhaps a few women reading this may already know, but if you don't, it may well come in handy one day. Have you ever had a necklace chain so tangled with itself or other chains in your jewelry box that it seemed almost impossible to straighten out? This is the jeweler's solution. Place the tangled chain(s) on a flat surface and pick up two pins…one for each hand. Slowly work with the pins in the links of the knots in the chain(s) and before you know it…presto! No more knots, and what had been tangled and impossible is now usable again! I wouldn't have believed it unless I'd seen it, and now periodically repeat this maneuver myself.

Are there parts of your life which seem tangled in knots or as complicated as fine chains woven together so you can't tell one part from the other? Do you find yourself frustrated more easily, smiling less often, and your thoughts focused more on the things or people you have difficulty with? This is not the way God meant us to live and gets in the way of the purpose He created each of us for. And August is a perfect time to do something about it.

Even if you have no vacation time in August, everyone can still intentionally set aside even as little as a few minutes every day (hopefully a few times a day) to step outside yourself, to breathe deeply and refresh yourself to prepare and receive a new perspective. Now, you may be asking, WHEN??? Be creative with what you do. Un-multi task as many things as you can. Do one thing at a time, purposely, and enjoy the process. Look out the window at the changes in the sky, even if it's raining. Clear your head whenever you find yourself snarling up in critical, frustrated, negative thinking by picking a word that will help you stop. Sometimes people find the word *stop* a good place to begin with this. Remember that old saying you most likely learned at one time about "slowly count to ten instead of getting angry"? Well my friends, this works because it puts you back in control of your thoughts. You get to decide where to place your attention. Choose something you like, that brings you peace, that puts a smile on your face and warmth in your heart, and place your focus there. Take this time to pray a short prayer, to "have a little talk with Jesus" J

Learning to step outside ourselves helps us to become more clearly focused on the things which are most important. When we recognize that in life, "it's not about us", that our purpose here is for more than just an "I" centered life, or life focused on "me" or even "us" when that *us* is only a very few, we find life to be more deeply satisfying. We are able to extend to ourselves more grace even as we do so with others. Forgiveness and freedom for ourselves becomes more easy for us as we extend it more generously to others. This is a recipe for peace and happiness no matter your circumstances. It can be the beginning of a better quality of health as well as a better way of living.

In the blog of a Paramedic (Peter Canning) I recently read, I find this quote summarizes it well: "Any time you step out of your own life and get to see the world in a new way, it can't help but make you a better person ". This was written after volunteering 8 days in Gulfport, Mississippi immediately after Hurricane Katrina. Working in 100 degree weather, in the worst conditions imaginable and 12 hour shifts, he wrote a post entitled, "What's Important" and it was about the lives surrounding him during that time. What he could do, how much he could give, the amazing things he could share which he didn't even know mattered to others, all resulted in huge blessings to him.

August is a great time to prepare for the coming months ahead, when things ramp up everywhere and school begins again. Why not take this time to think about how you can "step out of your own life", in what ways you can offer your gifts and talents to bless others and discover new and deeper blessings in your own life as a result.

This month, let's get outside of ourselves remembering in life, "it's not about us" in order to be a blessing and as a result, to find more joy!

Every Moment Offers Us a Choice

Ok I'll confess. I'm procrastinating. Sort of. If you're a writer, you'll likely understand. See, there's an article that's due and has been percolating in my mind for several weeks now that needs to be written and it's challenging. Not just the writing of it, or the starting of it, but the article itself. It's about challenging ourselves to be responsible instead of looking the other way; about living within the better part of who we are instead of just letting things slide which are wrong, and no longer continuing to do nothing, allowing situations to degrade. To no longer live less than who we are and forget our purpose as people. To cease the abdication of our responsibility by either sitting idly by or perhaps worse, by taking the *easy* route of just stepping away to avoid it altogether. As civil adults in a civil organization, which also models behavior for children, to no longer allow others to be hurt (including ourselves) by a culture of bullying. See what I mean? This is not an easy subject, but is one that's been crying out to be addressed for some time. My sense of urgency about this has been fermenting by observing more and more people hurt by others as well as by those who do not say "no"…."this is wrong". I KNOW this is a hard thing to do in the face of people who have been bullied for a long time into complacency or even worse, into leaving. We need to regain our inner sense of our own power of what we will and will not accept both for ourselves as well as other adults and children. For too long there have been too many excuses to let things slide. Yet it is so destructive to our very spirit. Other eyes are watching not only those being hurtful but also those who are seeing/learning that perhaps this is the way adults should treat one another…and young people. God is watching, too. And those of us who sit idly by suffer doubly: by wincing at what we see and hear and in also knowing we haven't said or done something about it for ourselves or others.

So I needed some inspiration and turned to, you guessed it, YouTube to find a video for a song I really like. It's more like the anthem which is bolstering me to find the words to write the article which is due. The song is called "What Have You Done Today to Make You Feel Proud?" by Heather Small. And I got way more than just inspiration as I was doubly blessed by not only hearing the song again but additionally by the particular video I found which goes with it. This is a video which reminded me so much of my younger sister (by 4 years) and only sibling, Marcia who died tragically many years ago. At only 20 she was already a very accomplished and determined young woman. Marcia was majoring in Special Education in college and was an incredible horsewoman. She and her Morgan horse, Proctor's Royal Duke, attained considerable fame together throughout New England. There is still an annual state trophy sponsored in her name for the rider who has achieved the highest points in a year. A grand champion trophy.

As I watched the video, tears of jubilant remembrance came to my eyes. Although the young woman in the video is riding a pony and is a "jumper", there are so many similarities. The pony she started with was almost impossible, yet with much time and practice, you'll see there's been an extraordinary transformation. Oh I saw the flaws, I heard my inner mind's voice saying what Marcia would be saying, "Feet IN…sit UP…hands STILL" etc. Riding is exhilarating, but it is demanding and hard work. But the results are, well, they are more than marvelous. My sister, like the girl in the video, also rode "English" (instead of with a Western saddle, dress and style) but "Saddle Seat" instead of all the jumping you'll see in the video. Even at her young age she had mastered the amazing art of Dressage…which is like ballet with your horse performing amazing feats while the rider is very still in the saddle, seeming to give no visible commands at all. Leaping, cantering, trotting, flying "lead" changes (which hoof the horse *leads* with while running), sudden stops and twirls and movements with ballet names such as "Arabesque". Breathtaking to watch.

Although in many ways we were very different, in some very important things, we had strong similarities. She stood up for the "underdog" and was dedicating her life to something I have been doing all of mine: empowering others to find their best selves and living in the joy of found purpose, healing wounds, mediating conflict with gentleness and resolution, and finding peace and dignity in how they treat themselves and others. The title of this post comes from some remarkable words I read online written by the major of Newark, NJ. The mayor's name was not listed, and as I don't even know when this person was mayor, unfortunately I cannot give proper credit. They deserve to be put in their entire context. I was stronger and more determined from reading them, and I hope you will feel the same way, too.

"We are living in a poverty of compassion, action and moral imagination. Too many people care too little about change and being a catalyst for change. We can't let our inability to do everything undermine our determination to do something. Even the smallest act will undermine the largest obstacle. Every moment offers us a choice – accept conditions as they are or take responsibility for changing them." These words were followed by two powerful quotes: "All humanity is one individual family. Each of us is responsible for the misdeeds of the others" – M. Ghandi And finally, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" – Martin Luther King, Jr. Most importantly, the words of Matthew 7:12 "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the law and the prophets."

So, my friends, what have you done today to make you feel proud? I so hope you enjoy the video and the song.

Peace, Perfect Peace

Some of the choir members where I’m Director of Music know that we enjoy the rather irreverent BBC program, “The Vicar of Dibly”. But most especially, I enjoy the theme song! I thought for sure it was written by John Rutter until I located a lovely performance of it on YouTube together with a slide show of scenes from the rural English countryside.

It’s a lovely, crystal clear setting of “The 23rd Psalm”, and even the arrangement of the notes in the song is as absolutely reassuring and comforting as the words themselves. It all flows like a gentle stream, unhurried and never perplexed. Now those are two qualities I’d like to embrace within my life on a daily basis! *unhurried and never perplexed*. Yet as foreign although much longed for notion this may be, it is precisely how Jesus would have us live.

So for the sweet coolness, some unhurried and un-perplexed moments of perfect peace, I’ve embedded the music video of “The Lord is My Shepherd” (Psalm 23) b y Howard Goodall. I wish I knew who is performing this piece, but that’s the way it goes in this case.
Do enjoy and come back and play this again, especially when you need a little refresher of some peace, perfect peace.

Sometimes You just Have to Lean

Well, it's been three nights in a row of not getting to sleep before 4:00 a.m. and I'm in a funny mood. Not "ha ha" funny, just thoughtful and looking for things which gladden my heart. For those of you who know me, and many who've come to become acquainted with me through this blog as well, have probably already figured out this will have something to do with music. And, you'd be right!

I'll 'fess up about something else, though. I am a "House" junkie. I so enjoy that program. We didn't discover it until just this year, so watching all the re-runs on USA has been a total pleasure as they're all new to us! Many nights I'm just blissful as that network will run several episodes in a row. USA has even had "House" marathons!

I can't explain why I like this program so much, the main character, Dr. Gregory House, is an irascible character who is not easy to love. He's a brilliant diagnostician, though in the real world, the way he calls for oodles of very pricey tests, I can't imagine patients who'd get out of "Princeton General" for less than a million dollars…and that's before they start TREATING the patient for the condition/disease House and his team have diagnosed.

It's got to be something about the relationships, the strange but strong friendship between House and Wilson, the compassionate oncologist buddy of his and the love/hate relationship House has with his team. This is not real life medicine (as far as some of the reckless, risky, incredibly pricey tests and procedures by the tens or twenties) in practice…doctors also do not order their colleagues to break into patient's homes to look for clues to causes for the mysterious combinations of symptoms the patients present with. But the diseases, disorders etc. ARE real. Most of them are very rare, some are extremely unusual and unique but common sense, but all are REALLY interesting. Nothing will make my week more glorious for the moment than those episodes when I "get" the diagnosis before House or his team does. It's positively exhilarating.

House is a miserable guy, in constant pain, self medicating continually but manages to keep his edge and amazing insight. His fund of information (actually that of all his team) is extraordinary. He also has a baby grand piano and a collection of guitars in his apartment and several episodes will end with him playing something…for real. He actually plays regularly in a band called, "The Band From TV". All the musicians are actors and they're a committed group who's been playing together for more than 3 years. I was so enamored by a debut TV performance of this group with House (played by British actor Hugh Laurie) playing the piano and doing some of the singing, we even got a DVD of them in concert. You'll notice actors you've long known from police shows, all kinds of dramas, and more.

I just plain like it. Below is a video from YouTube with The Band from TV playing one of my favorite Bill Withers songs, "Lean on Me". It doesn't really display the excellent musical talent these actors have, but I really like the song. The lyrics have always been significant to me and the simplicity of the tune and harmony has its own special sweetness. I hope you enjoy it, too.

Just for fun…

This "quiz" was on my friend Walt's blog, www.manchmedic.blogspot.com which he got from a friend of his, "Epijunky" on that blog. I read it and thought it be fun to have at it myself. Wouldn't it be nifty if this quiz caught on and other bloggers went through the questions on their own, too? Anyway, just for fun, here goes. Thanks Walt….a little fun late on a Saturday afternoon.

1. Cigarettes: Expensive sticks of poison…too pricey in every way…pocketbook, health, ultimately your life.
2. Sex: A lady never tells J
3. Relationships: Important even, for your health! Grateful for my wonderful husband, family and good friends.
4. Your Last Ex:  Cannot comment.
5. Power Rangers: Heard of them, but….say wha???? They come in primary colors?
6. Crack: Evil…will steal your brain and wreck your life.
7. Food: One of the great joys! Oh, the varieties! You can travel the world at your dinner table J
8. The President: Hm…..I had such hopes.
9. Cars: Freedom! A friend of mine calls my car my "office". Sometimes it's my chapel, depending on the music or silence.
10. Gas Prices: I agree with Walt -- Better than last year but still too high
11. Halloween: Severe badness, with seduction by candy. Stay away. You'll lose more than your teeth and your figure.
12. Bon Jovi: Many women wish they had that hair.
13. Religion: Faith is central to my life. "I am not ashamed to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ" from Romans 1:16
14. Myspace: Again, I agree with Walt. Facebook is better. Fun way to stay in touch with far away friends I rarely see.
15. Worst Fear:  Something awful happening to my husband or a calamity happening to me which would leave me helpless.
16. Marriage: My husband is a precious gift.
17. Paris Hilton: I cannot understand why people pay any attention to her…??? Shallowness personified.
18. Brunettes: Long ago, in a galaxy far away…. J
19. Redheads: My favorite is our dear neighbor, Betty Carey.
20: Politics: Are everywhere…there is little escape no matter your work, unless perhaps one is a hermit.
21: Pass the time: Time? My *spare* time is between 2 and 4 a.m. J

22. One night stands: Never did this…never will.
23: Cell phone: Indispensible! Do you s'pose they could improve Blue Tooth so it won't fall out of your ear?
24: Pixie Stix: Ick. Not for me.
25: Vanilla Ice cream: Too blah…love different flavors, depending on my mood!
26: High school: Nose to grindstone, attended 2 at the same time, zero social life…..survived the craziness.
27. Pajamas: Nope. Nightgown or lightweight caftan or abaya.
28. Wood: It's almost a sin to paint it. Why do people do that? (interior and/or furniture)
29. Wet Socks: I confess. I hate even dry socks and hardly ever wear them, the standard sock type thing, that is.
30. Alcohol: I now know the delight every once and a while of a Hendricks (type of gin made in Scotland) and tonic…VERY cold.
31. The word HATE: One of the 4-letter words which divide people, unless it's about injustice. Then it should unify against it!
32. Your best friend: My husband John. I'm thankful too, for close women friends I've known for many years. Been through much.

33. Money: Believe it or not, the reason I wish we had more is because we could do more for more people than we already do.
34. Heartache: Part of life, a dance I too often know. I wish I could detach more easily from things which I cannot change.
35. Love: Is what makes my heart continue to beat…love for God, my husband, family and friends…for life itself…for music.
36. Time: Goes faster every year….I have a theory about this along with a statistical explanation…too long to write here for this quiz.

There! That really was fun. I hope it catches on! Thanks to the originator!

Just let it rain on down…

Many have very much enjoyed the post "Liquid Silver, Crystal Voices" which featured a video of the amazing choral group "Conspirare" singing "Light of a Clear Blue Morning". This has been especially popular among those of you who, like me, have great difficulty sleeping at night.

There is another piece which was originally written for string orchestra by the late Samuel Barber entitled "Adagio for Strings" and the first time I heard it I was captivated, hanging on every note, my heart rising and falling with each languid beat. The sound is divine. But to hear it in an arrangement for voices was like the extraordinary discovery of a rare shimmering diamond. If you have found the CD the Conspirare vocal group issued, "In the Company of Voices", you already know they sing it with the same exquisite quality of "Clear Blue Morning". More of that wondrous, cool liquid crystal.

I wanted to bring this piece to you, especially those who are members of the Insomniac Club, however I could not find a video of Conspirare singing it which I could embed on my blog. HOWEVER, I did find on YouTube a performance of this incredible music by the Choir of Trinity College in Cambridge, England. Those of you who are musicians may know the phenomenon of English interpretation of much choral music being performed at a slower pace than many other fine choral groups throughout the world. This is also true for many British performances of orchestral music as well. The Trinity College recording is no exception, with it being almost a full minute longer than other but less exceptional recordings I could locate.

The "Adagio for Strings" arranged for voices is set to something called the "Agnus Dei" which is Latin for "Lamb of God" and is part of the Catholic Mass both in church as well as in large works of music, such as the Bach B Minor Mass or Masses by other composers. The prayer is also part of other denominational traditions. The words refer to Jesus as the Lamb of God, and translated they mean:

"Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Lamb of God who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Lamb of God who takest away the sins of the world, grant us peace."

The video is very simple as it features only a still picture of Samuel Barber in black and white, so you will NOT miss anything if you close your eyes as you listen J It is an incredible meditation. A complete prayer in itself. If you are weary, trying to find sleep, or need a gentle embrace of peace, sit back and listen. Try not to push the music along any faster as one might feel like trying to do if they are tense. Just let it rain on down…note by note. And breathe, friends, breathe as you listen. Long slow deep breaths into the heart of the meaning of the music. I pray that soon you'll find tensions ease, worries cease, and discover yourself in a place of gentle grace, on the threshold of sleep.

Liquid silver, crystal voices

For those of us who cannot sleep, the night is very long, isn't it? There is a quietness to it when we learn to surrender and realize that worrying about "if I fall asleep now, I'll have gotten X hours sleep when the alarm goes off" is a lose-lose game, only adding anxiety to an already too wide-awakeness. For me reading doesn't help because I'll become engrossed in what I'm reading and before long I hear the early morning birds begin. Or even praying can sometimes get my mind going about possible solutions for people's various problems…and then before long the light is on again and I'm writing. Television can sometimes help if I can find a movie with the right equation of boring, quiet or gentle enough not to become consumed in the story line.

Once I'd thought foreign films would do the trick, but nope. Even worse. I find myself listening and straining to pull up languages learned years ago to understand what's being said behind my closed eyelids. One thing, though, I've gotten my understanding of French, Spanish and Italian back in fairly good shape! And I cannot fall asleep to German. Too harsh sounding. (sigh)

It really is about surrender. Sink into the mattress. Don't worry about what time it's getting to be. For me, anyway, all those "sleep hygiene" things do not work. The advice about, "if you're not sleeping, get up and do something until you feel tired enough to sleep" wrecks worse havoc for me, personally. I'd be up all night cleaning or active at some other pursuit and get ZERO sleep and no rest on top of it. See, for me it's not about not being tired enough. It's some weirdness about just plain not being able to get to sleep. It's part of a constellation of issues I have which I won't go into here as they're really not relavant to this post. Because it's not about whatever it is behind it, it's just the not sleeping part.

A few months ago I heard the four-time Grammy award nominated choral group "Conspirare" sing an acapella piece which sounded like pure, liquid silver. Together their sound was like the most crystalline cool water being poured gently on the warm and welcoming weariness of sleepless skin. "Conspirare" is Latin for "to breathe together". They are simply amazing. The song I heard was the most serene arrangement, with a smidge of Celtic influence (mainly the presence of a delicate Irish penny whistle quietly in part of the refrain) of a Dolly Parton song I'd ever heard, or could even imagine! What a remedy it might be for someone searching for sleep.

It's only fitting that as I write, it's 3:40 a.m. and will try to embed a video of the group "Conspirare" singing "Light of a Clear Blue Morning". You may have to click on it a few times to get it to play but be patient. It really is worth it. Drink it in. And if you're a member of the Insomniac Club, I hope it may help to lull you to that magic place where sleep begins.

"Light of a Clear Blue Morning" by Conspirare from KLRU / Conspirare on Vimeo.

And Now for a Little Levity

Billy Connolly was first introduced to this country on an HBO special presented by Whoopi Goldberg in 1990 (?). It was the funniest hour of so I have ever spent in my life. The name of the special was "Pale Blue Scotsman" and I thought, "Well, this should be interesting". But pretty soon, I was laughing so hard that my face hurt. I was wet from the tears running down my cheeks and when he got to this part, the part from YouTube which I've included below, the part about what proper planes should be like, I had fully slid off from the sofa and was on the floor. I laughed until my sides ached.

First, though, you may need to suspend your thoughts about a certain word or two which many in the British Isles from the, with all due respect, the less educated working class use almost like punctuation. It's not terribly unlike many people in this country, actually. Think of it as similar to what it's like when you watch a Shakespearean play. For the first while, you notice every archaic old English word which seems to stand out from the theme of the actual story. Then, suddenly, it's as if those words are not there and you can completely enjoy and understand the rest of the production.

This is my way of warning any unsuspecting people that while being hysterically funny, Billy Connolly uses the "f" word a lot. BUT it does not get in the way of the utter hilarity of the story he is telling. I used to have this comedy special on VHS tape and whenever I was terribly blue, utterly sad and nothing else would cheer me up, I knew if I put this tape in the VCR, pretty soon I'd once again be on the floor, utterly dissolved in laughter.

The following segment is only one section of the special, but I'm glad that I was able to locate it and I think it's among the funniest parts of the entire video. Billy Connolly has gone on to become a well seasoned comedian (having previously been well known throughout Europe before coming to the States) and is also a respected serious actor as well.

For those of you needing a good laugh, sit down in a secure place. Make sure your coffee table isn't too close to the sofa so you will avoid injury should you also find yourself falling or sliding to the floor. If anyone is shocked that I enjoy this segment, please realize three things: 1. he does not take the Lord's name in vain (that would get in the way of it being funny for me), 2. I am a real person, and rarely can you get through a day or most movies without hearing this word at least once. 3. It's not part of my speech, and I'm not advocating that people use this word, but this does not prevent me from seeing and enjoying this man as the cultural, hilarious phenomenon that he is. I hope you will enjoy it, too. If the idea this has the "f" word peppered lightly through this is offensive to you, why not take this moment to navigate away from this page and turn to something else which will bring you a big laugh. Everyone should laugh SEVERAL times a day. As adults this happens altogether too seldom but we need it, actually, for our very health. So, if not this video, find something funny and laugh a LOT. Whatever it is, enjoy! Come back to this blog soon, as there'll be something else posted here. It won't be more Billy Connolly as this is the funniest thing from him that I know.

Exquisite Prayer from “Les Miserables”

Just for a different, quieter but such an ardent few minutes, this is among my most favorite pieces from the musical "Les Miserables". While Colm Wilkinson has been considered the consummate performer in the role of Jean ValJean for the last several years of the run of this incredibly inventively staged musical, still, my favorite was the original Mandy Pantinkin in this part. I could not find a video but if you ever have the chance to hear it…do! The clarity, the absolute crystalline perfection in the pitch is only rivaled by the astonishing breath support and control. You find yourself just hanging on, lifting yourself out of your chair with the impossibility of how long Mandy Patinkin holds the final note. It is as if he could keep that final note going long enough, it would travel the entire way from here to heaven and truly, in the words of our Jewish brothers and sisters, be literally from "our lips to God's ears".

But Colm Wilkinson is marvelous, too. This is something which will resonate not only with every parent, but everyone praying for someone they love.

Enjoy!