I did my part to stimulate the economy yesterday.  The Blair stimulus consisted of a car tune-up at the Nissan dealership $42.36, a new skirt, blouse, sweater from Bloomingdales $212 (needed for a wedding reception next weekend and a great value because of the versatility – yes, I can rationalize clothes shopping) and entry into Bogart’s for an evening of dancing -  $6.  I guess the entry fee was to help pay the salary of the Tom Petty Tribute band.  I’d kinda like my money back from Bogart's.  It was…ummm... depressing. An Oscar Wilde quote came to mind, "Either the wallpaper goes or I do." 

 I also started my little planting project for the community garage sale.  We'll see if these little babies show themselves in time for their May 1st debute.  

My morning started at Baypoint Park - it's still icy and frozen in parts, but where the sun shines it was almost balmy. There were a few signs of life with the hearty wildlife - birds and fishing boats - but it will be nice to see that marina filled with life again.  Soon...

Mirror image

I'm just not that into you...

Dear Winter,

We need to take a break. I know, I know...it's not you. It's me. Well, actually it is you. One day you offer up sunny skies and warm breezes and the next you are all frozen and chilly leaving dangerous pools of ice on the sidewalk. I'm sick of you. My dog is sick of you. My car is especially sick of you. Somewhere underneath all your snow and ice are the flowers I had planted last summer. Remember those? I'd really like to see them again.

I'm sorry winter. We're through.

And I only live a 1/2 mile away...

I left city hall today at 2 p.m. (during the height of the snow storm) to run over to the United Way office to sign some papers. I intended to be away from my desk for 10 minutes. One hour later I was pulling into my garage. I felt like this....

During that time I had to get out of my car to knock on the window of a car which was blocking the intersection on Hwy 61 (I waited through 3 light changes). He was scared and confused as the traffic was backed all the way from the bridge (which was closed due to an accident or something.) Three blocks of traffic had since piled up behind me.

Then I couldn't actually get to the United Way office so I dumped my car near the post office and walked further than I would have had I just left my car in the parking lot at City Hall. I actually ran. By this time my hair was soaked and stuck to my head and my wool jacket was white from the thick, clotted snow.

While dripping and signing in the UW office we then see a car swerve off the road and drive down the sidewalk (the same sidewalk I had just been on) as the road had now become a parking lot (apparently this guy had some where important to be). The message that the bridge was closed was being passed down car by car through the blocks of traffic by people (who were a little more law abiding) standing outside their cars scraping snow off their wind shields.

I then ran a few blocks back to my car and had no choice but to get back on 61 (in the opposite direction of the traffic jam thank god) and turned towards my house. I couldn't make it up the hill (or back to city hall due to the traffic problems) and had to do a U-turn in the middle of the street which put me near the gas station. I then decided I needed chocolate. So soaking wet and covered in snow I ran into the store, made my purchase and ran the 1/2 block back to my car.

While running into the store I remembered many years ago going out for ice-cream in the middle of a blizzard with my sister after my dad was admitted into a hospital due to a blood pressure problem. I still handle stress and weather the same way.

Turning into my alley I attempted numerous times to enter my garage. Just yesterday I paid $867 to have repairs done to my driver side door after I backed out and scraped and dented the door and broke off the mirror. I almost damaged the door again sliding around on the ice and snow. I jumped out - shoveled the snow, put down some salt and safely entered my garage.

I undressed by the back door - ran upstairs - jumped into a hot bath - changed into warm comfies and collapsed with my chocolate. It was 3:00 p.m.

The good news - the three places I needed to be tonight (still hadn't decided which meeting I was going to actually make it to) were all CANCELLED due to the weather. Yeah - I'm in for the night!!

In our daily actions,
let us concentrate on details with great care and attention,
let us make this an ingrained habit for the behavior of our bodies and minds,
like protecting a newborn child.
by Master Taisen Deshimaru

I'm learning this...but it takes a lot of mental effort to keep in mind that every action I do through out the day should be dealt with carefully and thoughtfully. No list of tasks that must be accomplished before I can do fun stuff. It's ALL fun stuff! Yeah, like I said...I'm working on it.

I spent President's weekend in Chicago and all I have

to show for it is pictures of my sister's birds "Phoebie and Nora".
One of them got loose and flapped around the living room which
was very exciting considering it was late at night and
there were dogs on the chase.

I think this is Phoebie.

Astute observation and deductive reasoning...

I've been to Hershey, PA and I'm convinced they are not making any chocolate there. The following I know to be true… The smoke stacks are smokeless. The conveyer belts are full of candy, but it’s all wrapped. There are no big vats of smooth milk chocolate turning over and over for curious tourists to ooh and aah over. Candy bar mascots roam the side walks, Hershey Kiss light poles light the streets and an enormous store in the center of town sells every type of Hershey candy imaginable. Upon asking a sales clerk if any chocolate was actually being made in town, I received a hurtful look. I think she believes it is.

All of that aside – what are they up to selling a milk chocolate buttery toffee bar under the names of Scor and the same with the name of Heath? I had a hankering for that smooth milk chocolate and buttery English toffee and have, over the years purchased one or the other. Today I purchased both. But NOT in the same store – aha! In one store I purchased the Scor, not seeing (or even thinking about)the Heath. In the other store I was looking for gum, noticed the Heath and then looked around for the Scor. Apparently they are not sold in the same location. Of course I'll have to do further research to see if this theory holds true.

Now, being in the possession of both I decided it was time for closer inspection. Scor has Hershey proudly displayed across the front of the package. The Heath bar has Hershey obscurely hidden in much smaller print on the back.

A taste tests leaves me scratching my head. They are different, yes – but only slightly. I couldn’t decide which one I liked better. What are you up to Hershey?

First lift ride up the mountain

Montana - Bridger range

Jay and I took a drive around the area last night after my plane landed.

This is my first look at the Bridger range.
Today we will be skiing at Bridger Bowl somewhere in these mountains.


Great sunset - looks like fire on the mountain.
Today it will be sunny and 40 degrees as opposed to -21 (air temp) in
Minneapolis. I told the people on the airport shuttle yesterday that I was
going someplace warm. They were going to Mexico - I think this is way better.

Last night we had dinner with Lisa and Greg in Livingston
at the Rib and Chop House.
After that is a blur.

Bozeman - a warm, winter vacation

I found this map of ski spots around Montana. We will be skiing at Bridger Bowl and Moonlight Basin - don't think we will make it to Big Sky, but we'll see how the week goes and how my legs hold out. More pictures to come - stay tuned! The weather is 35-40 degrees in Bozeman with sunshine and lots of fresh snow. I'm told the ski conditions are perfect. I'll let the pictures tell the story.

Daisy's are about to arrive

Pre-party - ready, set, go....
Everything is all set with minutes to spare.
I am woman, hear me roar! :)

Christmas is over, but....

2008 has come and gone, I've thrown away left over Christmas cookies, taken the left over candy canes to work and am basically working on becoming 'sugar free' again. I'm like a crack whore when it comes to sugar. Candy canes and gourmet jelly beans are my hidden addiction and I'm working on eradicating them from my diet. I like them in the morning - kinda helps me get going. But, I'm already back the Y for regular workouts and am slowly cleaning up and improving my diet after what seems like a very long holiday season.


However, I'm not ready to part with my Christmas tree yet. It's pretty. It gives off nice light in the living room and I'm wondering when the neighbors will start to whisper about the person who still has Christmas lights glowing from inside and outside of their house. Can I get away with it until February? Anyone have a ruling on this?

I know in time I will tire of it and want to put it away, but that time hasn't come yet. Maybe it's because I don't feel like messing around with all the boxes. I don't know, but this year I'm rather attached to my little tree and the angel that sits on top.

When do you take your Christmas tree down? In my family the rule of thumb use to be that the tree didn't go up until after Dec 15th (my brother's birthday), but I don't remember when we took it down. I guess in those days we had a real tree and by this time it would be dropping needles. My tree is artificial, although it is real to me :) and I like the silvery sage bulbs and the little white lights.

Violence over Benjamin Buttons

I read this weekend on CNN that a shooting took place in a movie theater. It seems someone was talking and for that took a bullet in the arm. At first my sympathies were with the shooter. I know, it's an extreme measure, but come on, people talking in the movie theater does lead to any number of extreme thoughts - most of which are never acted on - thank god. For most of us we might turn our head slightly in the direction of the talker, alerting them that we are on to them and annoyed. If that doesn't work maybe we will turn and make eye contact with the chatterer. I don't know about you, but shhing is a major move. Now, if the movie theater is nearly empty and a senior couple sits down near you and you start to hear "What did she say?" or mutterings along those lines we might decide to pick up and move elsewhere, but usually because we don't want to appear rude or hurt their feelings we will put up with it. It's that damn humanitarian in us. Having said that I think talking in the movie theater deserves to be dealt with severely (how about some bouncers sitting every few rows to deal with it for us?). There have been times in my life that if I had a gun with me....well, maybe, just maybe...No, no, I wouldn't do it. Come to think of it, why did the guy bring the gun into the theater in the first place?

Anyway....the shooter lost my sympathies. The movie where this tragic event took place was "The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons". This is a slow moving three hour film. Beautiful, artsy, moving story, yes. But yeah, I said 3 hours. 3 hours! By the time this movie ended my popcorn had been gone for 2 hours and 54 minutes. I had applied lipstick, hand lotion, had 4 pieces of gum, took my coat off, put my coat on, checked my cell phone for emergency messages twice (nothing), found a couple of candy cane kisses in the bottom of my purse, ate them slowly, whispered to my sister more times than I can remember and laughed out loud when she said she felt like she was being tortured. I almost wish someone had shot me.

Obviously the shooter was bored and annoyed too and just looking for something to end his own torture. But why take it out on the poor smuck was was suffering right along with him? Shoot at the screen, shoot out the projector. I think the report said the shooter was at the movies alone, on Christmas. Kinda sad. He didn't have anyone to talk to. Can you imagine sitting through a 3 hour movie, alone and with no bag of tricks (a purse) to go through to occupy your time?

Movie makers should take note - keep the movies to 1 hour and 45 minutes, throw in a car chase, a sex scene and a street fight and everyone leaves happy and keeps their guns in the holster.

Laura's Favorite Things

Every year Oprah does a show about her "favorite things". This year because of the state of the economy and to be fair to her viewers, she only showcased things that were $100 or less. Gee, thanks Oprah.

So, in the spirit of favorite things and the economy, I thought I would highlight some of my favorite things ($10 or less) and in some cases free! Yeah! Here goes...

Tiramisu coffee creamer in a good, strong cup of coffee. I think the Tiramisu is a seasonal item.
The novel "Loving Frank" a first for Nancy Horan. I would describe this book as historical fiction. It's about the affair Frank Lloyd Wright had with Mamah Borthwick weaving fact and fiction. As is often the case, the woman behind the famous man is more interesting. There is barely a footnote in American History about Wright's love affair with Borthwick. She had much to offer the world with her writing and ideas about equal rights for women. I felt the same way about Mabel Bell when I read about Alexander Graham Bell after visiting the Bell museum in Nova Scotia.

Great book - the ending was a shocker!

A funny Christmas card from a funny cousin. We have an old joke about our kids needing therapy. So far they all seem pretty normal despite their upbringing.

Small, round, green doors; big feet; The Shire and Bilbo Baggins saying “I feel thin, like butter stretched over too much bread”. Today is the day I will watch the entire trilogy as I bake cookies, wrap presents and write out Christmas card. It's good to have a snow day the Saturday before Christmas.

Many years ago we purchased this for mom and dad. I think it was right here in Red Wing somewhere - years before I lived here. We thought it was hilarious.

I still have a tendency to say....
Merry Christmoose!

Dogs in sweaters on snowy days!

Last but not least....Candy cane kisses!

I think they are new this year - at least new to me...dangerously delicious!

Living alone - part two

Someone asked me today if I include pictures of my dog or her name and age on my holiday greeting cards. Hmmmm....I will admit I've included a picture (was it last year?) but it was in a collage of pictures and she didn't get her name in the card. This persons ex-husbands new wife sent cards that listed her new step-children’s names and ages and the new puppy's name and age all in a row which confused an elderly grandmother who wondered if she missed the birth of a child. Weird? Yes!

I think the reason she asked me is she knows I live alone and every afternoon I head home to let my dog out. I only live a couple of blocks away so it's no big deal, but I usually announce to anyone within ear shot that "I'll be back in a few, I'm going home to see Lilith." Her name is actually just Lily.

Having a grown up daughter and being divorced means I have no choice but to send out cards with just my name on them. Is it tempting to add Lily's name? Nope, although she does wish you a very Merry Christmas. Fuh-ny. If you do receive a card with her name next to mine will you please stop in and check on me. I may have fallen down the stairs and now suffering from a life threatening head injury.

Merry Christmas!

Love,

Laura, Lily and Michael (Mr. January on my New York City fireman's calendar)

Lily - pee dammit so I can go back to work!

The 'other' Laura

My cousin Lisa (one of my favorite people on the planet) and her husband Greg live in Bozeman, MT. Lisa is a professor at Montana State and Greg is a brick layer (wherever he can get the work). They live in the mountains and one of their passions is skiing. I'm hoping to get out to Bozeman in early January and again in March to ski with them. My brother Jay lives out there too and works at the Bozeman Airport. He is an avid skier as well.

So, recently I sent them a picture of myself in my new ski outfit and told them I was heading their way soon. After Greg saw my pictures on the computer he picked up Lisa's cell phone at 7:00 a.m. and dialed "Laura" and left a message saying things like 'hey baby....loved the pics of you on the Internet" and other boy like things that he knows I would love to hear. However, Lisa's hairdressers name is also Laura. The 'other' Laura got the 7am phone call and the voice mail meant for me. Needlessto say Greg was a little embarrassed.

I'm still laughing about it.

Oh, and my legs hurt tonight from skiing today. It was beautiful - 20 degrees, sunny, no wind and not crowded!

Blagojevich - huh?

Illinois Governor Blagojevich arrested.

Anderson Cooper says: "Hotsba doesn't begin to describe the allegations of this governor. Some of the things he was saying is unbelivable. He knew the Feds were after him for a long time - years. Why was he carrying on in this way? The governors own words "you just don't give it away" refering to Obama's vacated senate seat."

Seriously - what's with this guy?

AND

is that hair for real?

Does a 51 year old really grow hair that shape? That color?

You just never know what Anderson will be talking about each night at 9:00 p.m. This one made my jaw hit the ground. You couldn't write more compelling corruption. Is this a matter of ego taking over or is the man just insane?

It is the nature of spirit to sing -

...even before the song has words.


Tonight I had the privilege of attending the 97th Annual St. Olaf Christmas Festival. This concert has been on my personal "Bucket" list for many years! Check! The St. Olaf Orchestra, St. Olaf Choir, St. Olaf Cantorei, St. Olaf Chapel Choir, The Manitou Singers and the Viking Chorus - all made up of young college students filled the auditorium and performed as individual groups and as a massed ensemble.It was magnificent!The risers were draped in gold fabric and each ensemble was dressed in a different colored robe. Once they were all on the stage together it was a breathtaking site. You could hear a pin drop between songs as the concert was setup like a worship service with no applause until the end. Often we would stand and sing together with the choirs and the orchestra perfectly translated musically when words failed us. If you love music and exquisite harmonies you couldn't walk away from this experience with a dry eye.

Don't pass those 'ringers' by...

Every December our Kiwanis club volunteers to help out 'Sals' and ring bells for cash donations. I was concerned this year that it might be uncomfortable to watch people pass us by as the economy has people living pretty close to the edge. As is true anytime I volunteer for something I was pleasantly surprised by the generosity from the masses. We were stationed outside a Wal-Mart store in Red Wing - a place I rarely frequent. There is nothing special about the people that shop at Wal-Mart except they all have a similar look. Too many thin coats, no gloves, sweat pants, old tennis shoes, threadbare hooded sweatshirts etc. However, it was the same people who generously filled the kettle with their change and dollar bills - lifting their children to put change in while thanking me for standing outside on a cold night.The money that goes in those kettles helps to provide shelter, food, home visits, rehabilitation, thrifts shops, and elder and children services. The money stays in our community and assists families that are in the 'working poor' category.Interestingly, I headed out to Treasure Island Casino after my two hour shift and danced for 5 hours - yep 5 hours! That's another story and boy was it fun! I haven't been at the casino in a few years and it sure didn't look like we are in a recession based on the mass of humanity gambling their hard earned money away. While I didn't put a single nickel in a slot machine - I was struck that the people smoking, drinking and gambling looked like the same people who had a couple hours before walked through the Wal-Mart doors. Are they gambling away the mortgage money? Smoking up the grocery money? I'll make no judgment, but it was a bit troubling to see the casino doing so well while our social service agencies are struggling to keep up with the demand of people in dire need of assistance.One last thought about the bell ringing experience. If you have any doubts about the optimism and generosity of people in general this is a job for you. The smiles, the laughs, the teasing, the offers of hot coffee, a few hugs and most importantly the thank you's for standing outside on a cold night for a good cause brought tears to my eyes a number of times throughout the night. Smiling is free and contagious and does as much to warm you on a cold night as a warm coat and mittens.

Prophecies and Predictions...

It's getting close to the new year when we often reflect on the year just past and make resolutions for the future. I'm not going to do either. I do, however, want to acknowledge just how much I love and appreciate my friends. Nice neighborhood filled with even nicer people. Co-workers that are also friends. Like-minded, civic and community volunteers who, like me, want to better the world in whatever small ways possible. Whether I'm happy and celebrating or suffering due to a hurtful encounter - I have friends I can count on to listen with love and encouragement without judgement.

If there is one thing I would like to focus on today and in 2009 it would be to not waste time worrying about what people think. I will say no. I will be "ME" without apologies. I will not care so much about what people think. It's okay if someone doesn't like me. As simple as that sounds, it's a very difficult truth for me.

The following speaks for itself. :) Don't rationalize or agonize about it. The universal truth simply is that....

Don't waste your time trying to figure out why they are mean. They just are and the minute you find that out you have been given a gift.

What does it matter now if men believe or no?

What is to come will come.

And soon you too will stand aside,

To murmur in pity

that my words were true.

(Cassandra, in Agamemnon by Aeschylus)

Recently I read "Of all the forms of courage, the ability to laugh is the most profoundly therapeutic." I'm sure that's true and was astounded by the same article stating that some people report they don't often laugh. Like....they don't laugh for a week or a month or even a few months. Huh?? As a measure of a person's good humor the following story was told to people working through depression issues. So - if you don't think it's funny you many need therapy.

This is the "world's funniest story" established by voting on a British Web site: Two New Jersey hunters (Wisconsin hunters?) are walking through the woods. Suddenly, one of them collapses and is not breathing. The other whips out his cell phone and calls 911. "My friend is dead!" he tells the operator. She says, "Take it easy, I can help you. First you need to make sure he's dead." There is silence and she hears a gunshot. The man comes back on the line. "Ok. Now what?"

Stones from Ibarra - Harriet Doerr

Last night our book club met to discuss "Stones from Ibarra" then the one hour drive home took over two as we had to drive through a winter wonderland of blowing snow. There were a couple of times that the semi trucks seemed to be barreling straight at us on 61 and I had to close my eyes as we were forced way over to the edge of the road. It was kinda scary. By midnight I was home and anxious to jump in to my new book "Loving Frank" which has grabbed me from the first page with the Goethe quote - "One Lives but onces in the world".

But, back to "Stones from Ibarra". It is a first novel for a 73 year old woman who also graduated from college at about the same age. It's a bit autobiographical as she lived in Mexico and her husband died from a blood disease, similar to Richard, the husband in the book. Her writing is beautiful and descriptive, but the book was a little disjointed as it's a series of short stories that the author attemps to weave together. It did win a national book award and Harriet Doerr (author) does manage to give a very charming picture of life in a poor Mexican village. One thing I really liked about the book was she never gives a 'moral of the story' as she describes certain behaviors and things that happen. She just leaves them laying there for you to decipher. I asked the married women at the book club what they thought of the two main characters as 'husband and wife' because some of their behaviour seemed peculiar to me. For instance, the main character Sara is always making up things or using her imagination to round out a story which is annoying to her husband. Since they were living in a small village without electricity - hence, no tv, radio - I saw it as entertaining storytelling. You never really know, but some of the married women thought it was because the husband wanted her to be grounded in reality and face that he was going to die. There was nothing concrete about the ending, no wrapping up of loose ends and no bookclub discussion questions in the back of the book so it honestly made for a really great discussion with our group.

Inspired by a dead woman's cream puffs

I've wanted to make cream puffs since eating one at a funeral a few weeks ago. They were light and airy and sinfully good and the signature baked good of the 94 year old Italian woman that had died. I didn't use her recipe, but found one in a cookbook and since I had Thursday off for Thanksgiving and had time to finally make them, I dove in. (Cathy did the turkey and trimmings).

It was fun to bake the pies and make the cream puffs. It fits into the 'living in the moment' zen approach to life that I'm attempting to live each day. It's less about the eating of and much more about the making of...I like the process. This quote says it best...

“Whatever the tasks,

do them slowly with ease,

in mindfulness,

so not do any tasks with the goal

of getting them over with.

Resolve to each job in a relaxed way,

with all your attention.”
- Thich Nhat Hanh, Zen Master

Thanksgiving

A friend sent me this Emerson quote for Thanksgiving and I think he captures what I am thankful for very well. Certainly health, food, shelter, morning light and love top the list.

For each new morning with its light,

For rest and shelter of the night,

For health and food, For love and friends,

For everything Thy goodness sends.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

Yesterday I heard many stories about how the day would be spent as we went around the room and shared our plans. Some had traditions stretching back 40 years while others were reaching for new ways of spending this gift of a day off. For me personally, it's a family day and I'm most happy when surrounded by them. What are you thankful for today?

Wicked!

I couldn't have loved a musical anymore than I loved this one. It was fantastic. Can't wait for it to return to the Orpheum so I can see it again. I fell in love with the Wicked Witch - she is misunderstood you know.

Got my flu shot today!

Did you know that every year in the United States, on average: 5% to 20% of the population gets the flu; more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu complications; and about 36,000 people die from flu?

A couple of years ago I had the flu and it was the sickest I have ever been. Flu viruses spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing of people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose. Most healthy adults may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 5 days after becoming sick. That means that you may be able to pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick.

Sunday morning coming down....

Well I woke up Sunday morning,
With no way to hold my head that didn't hurt.
And the beer I had for breakfast wasn't bad,
So I had one more for dessert.

Not really...no beer for breakfast, just coffee laced with soy milk and a little ovalteen and a candy cane oreo Christmas cookie from Trader Joe's that I bought yesterday.

It's white outside this morning - just a light coating, but enough to make the sidewalks, rooftops and roads look, from the window at least, as if someone came along in the night with white paint and changed the grey to a bright white. I like it. My neighbors have placed two over-sized bird feeders between our houses and the pine tree outside my dining room window is covered with birds. They must be happy having found their winter home and a place to fill their tiny tummies.

I'm starting to receive gift catalogs for Christmas in the mail and inside the Collections Etc. found this little gem. Which one of you is going to receive the cow vacuum cleaner cover for Christmas this year? It's a surprise!

Check it out... The description says "it sets a whimsical mooood". I would agree. :)

The front of the catalog theatens that this is my
last chance to order or they will say goodbye due
to growing postage costs. Let's hope it's not an
empty threat.

Do you see any buds on my Christmas cactus? My 88 year old (blind) friend, Lillian, who gave it to me asks about it all the time and I'm hoping that this is the year that it finally decideds to flower. I've done everything possible to take care of it. It is growing, but I wish it was covered with buds.

Zen and the Art of attending meetings

While attending meetings one should only be attending the meeting. We might ponder...is this meeting a waste of my time? Only if we THINK it is a waste of our time.

Yes, we are active and concerned people so we don't have time to sit idly by in meetings, day-dreaming about the possibility of an Abba reunion, or why Perillos invented the brazen bull, or who I could have an entire conversation with by just using song lyrics. No! We must prepare projects and try to resolve a million difficulties. There is important work to be completed! How will we finish, what has yet to be started, if we are just sitting in a meeting room? Perhaps, by staying in the moment and listening a truth will be revealed that teaches us something important.

Listening! Don’t we all want to be heard and understood? When was the last time you practiced active listening? What happened to the art of listening? Really listening to the person talking without working through our own mental to do list? A wise old owl that I've worked with for many years taught me to sit back, observe, watch for positions and listen in meetings. I'm known to be more of a talker so this is a real Zen practice for me. To hear where someone is coming from without jumping to conclusions and judging takes a lot of practice. To focus on what a person is saying, instead of preparing our own response and waiting for a moment to jump in is practicing the art of listening. Not condemning the organizer of the meeting to a fiery hell where there is no chocolate cake is practicing the art of attending meetings.

So next time you think a meeting is a waste of time, ask yourself the following questions…

A. Do you really know everything?
B. When was the last time you listened more than talked?
C. If I can understand the intricacies of someone else’s project, maybe I will be enlightened about my own.
D. It is possible I have something to offer to this discussion that I do not yet understand, after all, someone wanted me here.
E. Is thinking and visioning as important as doing?
F. Repeat A.

No more mental vacation, no more soduko under the agenda, no more reading email on my Treo when trapped in a meeting. I am going to live in the moment and be a good meeting attendee.

Nov 6th

I just heard on the news that Santa Claus made his first official visit of the season to the Mall of America today.

When I got back in town tonight and dropped a friend at her house, one of the homes near there was lit up with lights, a plastic santa, a nativity scene and Christmas tree.

A cute, little, love story of a movie "The Holiday" was just on and I watched it again even though I own the dvd and didn't need to watch it tonight.

I'm thinking about putting my Christmas tree up this weekend.

Thanksgiving is still three weeks away. Weird.

I'll take that hour...

It's been a while. Been busy. Been uninspired to write. Been obsessed with CNN. Been sick with a cold. It's November, right? We finally turned the clocks back an hour - which was great, but I'd like to advocate for falling back a day and having a whole 24 hours back. I hate being sick. It's such a waste of time and when you drink Nyquil at 5:00 a.m. the rest of your day is going to suck. I speak of what I know.

So, I lost Sunday...

Saturday was fun though. Picked up my cousin John, met up with Stacy and Tom and spent the day moving my Mom. It really was fun - I like doing stuff like that with family and although I felt physically wiped out at the end (the foreshadowing of my sick day on Sunday) it was a good day and I really like my Mom's new place. She likes it too.

Friday - I drove down to Winona with some co-workers for a meeting and then beer/popcorn at Bubs - pronouced like a female body part. When I got home I had a few options... 1.) go buy candy for the trick-or-treaters, 2.) go out with a friend to the bar, or 3.) Hide. I chose 3 as I was too tired to go out and mingle with the Halloween crowd and didn't want to fight the door, a barking dog and a big bowl of left over candy by myself.

Thursday - Started the day at 6:30 a.m. at Kiwanis and ended the day at the United Way Chili Cook-Off serving beer. In between was back-to-back vendor interviews. Interestly, all but one of the vendors did their presentation over the phone and via the web. When it was time to bring in the vendor who actually came to the building in person we had to clean up a conference table littered with left over lunch and candy wrappers, clear out the stench, comb our hair, sit up straight and resist making obnoxious hand gestures to each other.

Wednesday - 7:00 a.m. meeting to go over a 60 page report and ended the day at the Kiwanis Banquet at Weiderholts where I was crowned "Queen". Okay, there was no crown, just an awards banquet and no, I'm not the queen just the president of the club this year. I was hoping for the British National Anthem - "God Save the Queen" but the accordian player didn't know it. We did sing a really cool wawawa waltzing bear song that with a few lyric changes could be quite lewd.

Tuesday - I didn't have to start work until about 7:30 a.m. - YaHoo! Ended the day at my bookclub meeting in the cities where we discussed Fahrenheit 451. Fantastic discussion, but the beginning of my not getting enough sleep to get through the rest of the week.

Monday - who knows...that's like a lifetime ago.

So how is your week going? Is this a busy time of year or what?

Red Wing, we have a problem...

Once, a long, long time ago I locked my keys in my car - with the car running and a baby in the baby seat. Yes, it was my baby. Yes it was Stacy Jo. It was one of those big old cars that you could use a hanger to squeeze down in between the window and the black rubber stuff around the door, hook the lock, pull up and voila' you're in. I remember it was winter - very cold - and the baby just looked out at me calmly waiting for me to figure it out. I've gotten that same look hundreds of times over the years.

Today I topped even that. When I pulled in to the parking lot at city hall I was talking on my cell phone to the baby (who is now almost 24 years old). I got out of my car, talked to her all the way up to my office, pulled a loose button off the blouse I was wearing, struggled with my purse, the cell phone, the blouse with the missing button and managed to make it to my office. Two hours later I needed to get something out of someone's car to put in mine - went to get their keys and then began the search for mine. Where did I put them? I usually leave them hanging in the lock on my office door. Nope. Checked over/under the very messy desk. Nope. Asked Steve. Nope. Hmmmm - did I leave them in the car? I walk downstairs and from a few paces away can see them hanging inside the car in the ignition. Damn – I locked them in the car. Internal dialogue: I didn’t think these new fangled cars would even let you do that? Weird. Now I'm going to have to walk home, get the spare, walk back....oh well, it's a nice day....it's only a 1/2 mile. Then - I step closer to my car and realize it's freaking running! I got out of my car and walked away with it still running! What the hell?!? It could have been hours before I came back under normal circumstances….as it was it had been over two hours. The good news - the car wasn't locked and gas is at a recent low today of $2.40 a gallon.

Do you think I have a serious problem? Tell me you have done something similar…you have…haven’t you?

Taking a ride on the subway

I recently rode the subway in New York City - It was nothing like this! Take a look!