Casey Anthony, OJ and other things :)

HI!

I have no idea if I even have one follower at this point! So many things happen in a days time and I think, " Gosh, that would be a great blog entry!" In light of what I just saw on FACEBOOK after logging in for the first time... in a long while...I feel inspired.

CASEY ANTHONY:
Hell yes, she is guilty. However, I am becoming more offended by the throngs of people that want to kill her, kill her defense team, kill her parents and kill the jurors. It is such an oxy-moron. Kill HER and everyone around her because a child died. And, yes, the graphic truth is that a child did die. But now the people who want justice for Caylee want everyone to die. ?

Most of the stories with regard to the missing and strange, however, didn't grab our attention. There are children all over this country that are killed and beaten EVERY day by the PARENT on the job. By the parent they trust. Society has latched onto the Anthony case due to a few early factors, that every missing case has. This is ONE story in one million. It happened to make the news.

There are hundreds of story's, however, that did not land so "interesting" on "Anytown USA".

This life is not for us to judge - but to enjoy and learn from each other, whether we agree or not, we are all in the same shoes at some point, or relative...if we have the eye's to see. Anyway!

I have not killed anyone, and am not just hawked from prison ...but I am thinking seriously about making a Spam Pie. Yeah. Who could have thought in a million years, but dammit JIM! I have a recipe for SPAM PIE.

Dean, any thoughts?

Oh blogger...

I got an email that someone left a message on one of my posts. Albeit a stranger, I couldn't believe anyone still stops in on this thing! That said, as always it renews my interest (or maybe reminds my interest is a better way to say it) and here I am!

I am a pathetic blogger! There is a Seinfeld episode where Jerry is at the airport to pick up the rental car he reserved. The lady at the counter tells him there are no cars available. Long story short, his rant was, "Oh sure you can TAKE the reservation (as he waves his hands around in the air) you just don't know how to KEEP the reservation!"

That's me in blog-land....I love to READ all the blogs, and I even love to KEEP my own blog....I just don't know how to POST to a blog!!! LOL

So, I won't make another excuse and promise to be better! I am what I am! I will make a date with this thing in the next few days to share the recent goings on!

Happy January 13, 2011!

On the Peripheral

Peripheral: adj - Concerned with the comparatively superficial or not really essential aspects of the subject or matter in question. Un-important, non-essential, sideline or secondary.

I feel peripheral right now. A part - but somewhat non-essential. Outside looking in. I guess I shouldn't be surprised...I carefully created it, so I better learn to love it. I am finding "un-complicating your life" can lead to the feelings of floating around in the periphery - for awhile at least.

Old habits sure die hard.

Time, again...

Happy Fall! Where does the time go? This is proving to be a more valuable lesson to me everyday. Time (and I touch on this from time to time ;-)

Every once in awhile I find myself living for the destination instead of the journey. Ever feel that way? Where that voice track spins up and tells you, "Well, get through this week and it will be fine." or "Once today is over I can forget about this..." or I used to say, "Once I lose 10 pounds I will be happier..." Even after my mammoth health scare in 2007, I found myself living in a void of time, just waiting to be on the other side. Waiting to be on the other side of whatever situation I was in, because surely THEN my life would begin and be happier than I have ever known. But, that sense of arriving at the destination never really quite takes shape, so I have found.

As I continue to learn more and more about myself (which is a journey, within a journey, maturity brings on more change) I am continually reminded of the importance of being IN the moment. Tomorrow will have worries, issues and blessings all its own (the Bible even tells us this), and we have only enough "power" for one day. If we are just in TODAY - we have enough power. Life is not so taxing, there is TIME to notice things around you and there is more time to enjoy things.

We finally took a much needed vacation a couple weeks ago and spent it on the motorcycle in northern Wisconsin/Lake Superior and then down along the coast to Green Bay, then Door County. I have said this a million times in this blog, but it is worth dinging that bell again. The thing I love most about a motorcycle ride is that it is less about the destination and more about the journey. As we were riding along, day after day that week, we never really knew where we were going to end up, we were just thrilled to be on the journey and took in each moment after moment- of beauty, surprise and absolute wonder of what was coming next!

I think this is how we are meant to live every day. Not focusing on where you are going, but focusing on what is happening around us on our journey -sans destination. When I consider everything I have 'missed' in my life, it doesn't necessarily make me sad, but I think the realization makes me want to be better at throwing the light off of me and shining it somewhere else.

Well, I will set that to the side, for now! Aside from our vacation, we are settling into fall quite nicely! I am thrilled that I am not dreading winter this year. I had that going on last year, and I think I figured out why, so I suppose that was a small conquered mountain. (and here I go about "time" again) But, it is pointless to DREAD anything, you have to be in it whether you dread it or not. That said, I have a welcoming feeling when I think of Old Man winter, and I hope I can find new ways to enjoy it this year.

One great thing about winter is the plowing of the roads! Why you ask, is this so tantalizing? Because, I had my "every 6 week flat tire" again, last week. I am hoping, beyond hope, that with some added road "maintenance" it will plow away the debris that no doubt falls off the truck- loads of junk people take to the landfill. I must be a magnet for these spiky little delights! I did manage to find an alternate route to work, which does not take me by the turn off to the landfill - but, I am so programmed to go the other way, that if I am not reciting "Centennial Road" in my head up until I get to the place I turn - I, inevitably, will go the way my "rat-in-a cage mind" is programmed to go. Who gets a flat tire every 6 weeks?

Good gravy! Have a great weekend! Go Hawks! Go Pack! Go Cyclones (I have to say that now!)
Pictures from vacation will be forthcoming!

Labor Day Weekend Ride

I have been taking a camera along on the back of the bike and have been capturing alot of what I already know...we live in a gorgeous part of the country.....this is a snip of my Labor Day weekend!


Boarding the Cassville Ferry to cross the Mississippi:

Mark on the other side. I have no clue what he is saying!

The ritual of touching the Mighty Mississippi!

Mark's brother and his wife...and the HD Screaming Eagle - not a subtle bike!

The wonder along the way:

What a great weekend!

Glossed Over: Nordic Fest

WHELP! It was brought to my attention by one of my dysfunctional, yet lovable friends that I never mentioned....NORDIC FEST in my blog! ( I think its because we have pictures! Janeen, Lisa and me, above)

For those who know the "MESS", and live here, it is what it is. For those that don't, it is an opportunity to experience an awesome Nordic Heritage, (my heritage). Back in the day, my parents were a HUGE part of Nordic Fest. My dad would perform hours and hours of his accordion and fiddle music with his band and my mother spent hours making lefse, in the window of the local store. My memories of the FEST are up close and personal.

Now, since Mom and Dad are gone, it has become more a venue to connect with OLD friends from high school, get hit on by people who were HOT in high school, but are now struggling for their manhood and eligibility and copious amounts of Norwegian Food, for which I love!

And, finally, a FIST FIGHT in the local bar, is always an attraction! Nothing spells "eligible bachelor" like getting yanked out of a bar by the local P.D., and reaching and yelling back at us as though we will be there waiting for you tomorrow. I adored that!

That said, I adore Decorah, Nordic Fest and all it represents! I am forever grateful to the fireman who was asking for I.D.s at the beer tent. I didn't have mine and he would not let me in!! Really? I don't look old enough? Screw the wristband, buddy! TELL ME MORE!!!

But, thanks, Janeen for stealing a wristband off the table, while I tried half heartedly to convince him I am ...um 40 SOMETHING!

Up all night, again....

I think what I like best about blogging, is that it allows you a place to put these little nuggets of nothingness down and while you have not uttered a word to anyone.... it feels like you had a conversation about it.

I have shared my off and on struggle with waking up in the middle of the night - and then remaining awake for a couple/three hours before falling a sleep moments before the alarm goes off. Last night was no exception, only, I had company.

I woke-up first around 12:30 and then woke-up and stayed away at about 1:30 a.m. As I stared at the motionless ceiling fan, I could tell Mark was waking up, too. Then, he was all the way awake.

So, as I lay there, he has no idea I am awake, but out of the blue he says, loudly, "Is the AIR even on in here???!!!!!" Like I have just been hanging out waiting for a question to be tossed to me, ya know?

I asked him how he knew I was awake and he says, "I didn't know...." So, for my own amusement more than anything, I ask, "So, then, who are you talking to?"

Mark: "You. Is the air on?"
Me: "Well, let me just pull my crystal ball out of the drawer here ...."
Mark: Heavy Sigh..... "funny..."
Me: "Well! I'm not hot...."
Mark: thrashes around
Me: yank covers
Mark: flops over and sighs again...

This goes on for about 30 minutes...meanwhile, I make the mental discovery that when HE is stuck awake - the commotion that endures is as though the earth has spun off its axis. It would not be humanly possible for anyone to fall asleep next to this combination of thrashing and kicking and sighing and tapping on the headboard. Yet, when I am awake, I tip-toe around and slip in and out of bed with the precision of a cat burglar in the night.

So, my Monday morning has become a series of power yawns and I can only hope my dh is joining me as he makes his trek through his day sucking in large amounts of air, wishing it was time to go home.

One more thing....2:52 on the digital clock looks the same if you turn the clock upside down. It's still 2:52.