ysadler's Xanga

Friday, September 09, 2005

Fri, 09 Sep 2005 17:37:18 GMT

From CNN's website:

"The Washington Post also reported in its Friday editions that many of the top FEMA directors lacked emergency management experience and had close ties to Bush's 2000 election efforts."

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

Wed, 17 Aug 2005 12:10:20 GMT

It occurs to me today what a fun thing it would be if I could be a stay-at-home mom this school year, and just full-time manage my daughters' careers. Older daughter as a high school senior transitioning to college, younger as a dancer and somewhat-obsessive student. But then, they probably wouldn't like that very much either, and I'd probably just ensure they would need more psychotherapy later in life.

I've got a little brain fog today. Suppose that's age-related?

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Tue, 16 Aug 2005 11:58:08 GMT

I'm finding that I just can't be exposed too much to negative people. Or people being negative. I'm like a sponge, and I can't seem to resist soaking it up. And then it drags me down. This is pretty tricky, because negativity is so prevalent.

School will start soon, and both my girls are glad. I will have a sophomore and a senior this year, and I am taking note at each stage that a year from now my first-born will be gone from the household. I am remembering the first year I had with her, and how fast that went. It's not that I can't stand her being away, because she's grown up very nicely and is strong and smart and resourceful. She's just very good company these days, and it will just be so odd to have her gone.

And where will she be? Either at a good state school an hour and a half from here. Or. Where she WANTS to be - Queens University in Belfast, Northern Ireland. However, somehow I don't think financial aid will reach that far. I hate to crush dreams, but reality must intrude sometimes.

Sorry, no pictures to post from N. Ireland. I don't have the deluxe version of Xanga. Just trust me - it's as gorgeous as the pictures you've seen. From my vantage point, it was calm, sane, peaceful, sweet. Full of Type B personalities.

Thursday, July 21, 2005

Thu, 21 Jul 2005 17:18:11 GMT

Oh my gosh. I never go anywhere, and I went to Northern Ireland. How odd is that? I went with my older daughter. We had the most wonderful time. I must go back, maybe right now.

Friday, June 03, 2005

Fri, 03 Jun 2005 11:20:58 GMT

One of my favorite co-workers died in an accident over Memorial Day weekend. At the funeral they read a poem he had written that I thought was quite wonderful:

I stood there mute with wonder
shivering in my smallness
appalled that I had the audacity
to exist in such a universe
And the storm I had been watching
came upon me then
And the wind rose and
spoke into my ear
and I was blinded and restored
my vision in a single lightning flash....
and I still hear the echo of that thunder
I learned the peace of power
and the power of peace
for I am included in the Great All
the Great Only. And I am amazed
at my outrageous fortune
Many wise and nobel men
search all their lives
for some sign of the existence of God
and I pity them
for I can perceive of nothing else
--Luke S. Lund

Wednesday, May 18, 2005

Wed, 18 May 2005 11:22:05 GMT

If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one. - Mother Teresa

Monday, April 18, 2005

Mon, 18 Apr 2005 13:00:58 GMT

Thanks, cndfrnd - I'm still here. I just haven't had any thoughts worth exposing to the world lately. :) I ran into this when I was a newspaper editor too; after a while, I just ran out of opinions. But I'm still thinking about the poverty issue, and recently started reading the biography of Mother Teresa. As she's describing caring for the poorest of the poor, she says (and I wish I'd brought the book with me so I could quote her accurately) that it's not enough to be aware of poverty; one has to touch it to really understand it. And boy, did she touch it. She was so driven to take care of those people. She was already working in Calcutta when she received the strong message from God that she needed to be working with the poorest, the rejects of society. And she had to slog through paperwork and bureaucracy of the Catholic church to get to be able to do it. She could not wait to get there. She wanted to live as poor as these people did, so that she would have no advantage over them. And she did not use her help as a trick to get them to convert to Christianity; she honored whatever religion they were. She wanted to eat what they did, until her supervisors told her that if she ate only rice, she would succumb to the same diseases as her people. She and her helpers brushed their teeth with ashes. They cleaned bodies that had maggots living in them.Could I do that? I don't know, but it sure seems like I could do more than I am doing now.

Monday, April 18, 2005

Mon, 18 Apr 2005 13:00:28 GMT

Monday, March 07, 2005

Mon, 07 Mar 2005 14:11:43 GMT

Here's my question of the day. Are there any rich people who live simply? My teenagers are fascinated with those VH1 shows about the ridiculously rich and how they spend their money. Those shows depress me, but my kids say they make them feel smart by comparison. I know some rich people give away lots of money, but do they still live simply, in houses that are not huger than they need, and drive cars that are sensible? The only rich person I know who lives simply - mostly - is the founder of the company I work for. He takes wonderful vacations, but he takes his kids and grandkids, and he lives in a small house on a farm.

Monday, February 28, 2005

Mon, 28 Feb 2005 13:11:02 GMT

I appreciate both suggestions - the wine and the meditation. I have heard of centering prayer, and it sounds like a good thing - and a whole lot like TM, which I learned in college and haven't done much with since then.