Nichole Nordeman is a talented singer, musician, artist... whatever term you prefer, but to be honest, I prefer her writing. She writes a column for CCM magazine every month and without fail I can always take something away from it to attempt to apply to my life. This month she was frustrated after watching king kong (note I haven't seen the movie so I can't comment on its quality) but mentioned she was left pondering Jack Black's character. In the beginning she admired his passion but by the end she noticed, "Danger lurks around every corner, and even though his closest friends and crew are losing their limbs and lives to creatures who are unspeakably gruesome, he manages to somehow keep his camera rolling: 'for art's sake.'"
On that note Nichole commented... "Why is there always such a fine line between genuine commitment and unhealthy fixation? And why is it so easy for everyone else to recognize when that line has been blurred or crossed, except for the sucker who is still clinging to the illusion that he or she is somehow gallantly obliged to keep fixating? We see it all the time... dating relationships that should have ended long ago, jobs that should have been resigned from, unrealistic pie-in-the-sky notions of being 'discovered' at something, the optimistic pining away for a certain kind of physical beauty we will never attain, the clutching, the grasping, the constant justification... and everyone else in the room is thinking... Put the camera down. Your life is falling apart around you, and you're waiting to get footage of a 50-foot monkey holding a blonde. Let... it... go. Knowing when to clutch at something even tighter because you believe so firmly in seeing it through, and knowing when to walk away, might be one of the hardest parts about a journey in faith. There are so many competing voices..."
How do we know where to draw the line... I think what's right for one person isn't universal... I knew years ago while I could dream about pro soccer I should leave the actual acting on aspirations to ciara... and while I could handle a few church or school musicals when I was young enough for people to think kids singing are cute regardless of talent I figured out soon enough that I should leave the singing to kelly clarkson... and angela.
I suppose the first task is finding something that I feel passionate enough to pursue... then... draw the line... I hope we can all find genuine commitment in the face of unhealthy fixations flying towards us in every direction.
Monday, March 5, 2007
Thursday, February 15, 2007
peter pan
so my roommate tells me that everyone is pulling peter pan peanut butter off the shelves because of some salmonella outbreaks. She wants me to chuck the half-eaten jar on the shelf that I own. I'm not sure if you know me or my affinity for peanut butter... but it's deeper than that... I have a love for peter pan peanut butter and only peter pan. A few months ago someone tried to buy me natural stuff... I tried to eat it because it was a gift. It was impossible... not to mention the gift giver turned out to be a dud.
to clear my conscience for the rest of you I'll spread the word to check your peter pan... supposedly the serial numbers on your lid that start with 2111 are the suspicious ones (and yes my jar matches) but I've been eating it all week and I'm feeling good... not to mention with everyone clearing their shelves who knows when/where I'll be able to find another jar.
i'm sticking by ya peter pan... win, lose or salmonella!
to clear my conscience for the rest of you I'll spread the word to check your peter pan... supposedly the serial numbers on your lid that start with 2111 are the suspicious ones (and yes my jar matches) but I've been eating it all week and I'm feeling good... not to mention with everyone clearing their shelves who knows when/where I'll be able to find another jar.
i'm sticking by ya peter pan... win, lose or salmonella!
Sunday, February 4, 2007
aunt elsie
In 1904 my great-grandparents gave birth to my great-aunt Elsie Reamy... She was one of seven kids including my grandmother Edna... (yeah Cliff and Roberta didn't dole out great names-- Elsie, Edna, Irma, Elizabeth, Pearl, Presley, Billy... but I guess it runs in the family)... All seven kids live(d) on the eastern shore of maryland with my grandmother spending some of her life in the richmond, va area. Aunt Elsie married into the Porter family and they lived on a great farm where my dad spent a lot of time while he was growing up. I always loved visiting because they had a gas pump in their driveway.
My mom's parents passed away when I was in fifth grade... My dad's dad (Edna's husband) passed away before I was born... My grandmother suffered from dementia and was moved to an assisted living home while I was in high school. Some days she knew who I was and other days she was getting into the wrong bed with random people in the home. She passed away in 2003 just a few months before I graduated from college. It was weird to be 20 years old and grandparent-less. Some 20 year-olds haven't even been to a funeral.
In 2004 we celebrated Aunt Elsie's 100th birthday. She was the star of the town with a big feature in the newspaper and a huge party. Her back had started to roll a bit, but she was still trucking around just needing someone to support her and she had all of her senses. It was comforting to have her recognize me and know me... to spend time with me... She was the grandmother I didn't have.
On January 17th, my mom e-mailed kelsie and I to tell us Aunt Elsie was in the hospital with pneumonia and they weren't sure she would make it through the night. Anyone that has lived 102 years has lived a great life, but how do you prepare to let go of someone that has been such a big part of everything I know. The last couple of weeks have been full of ups and downs before my dad called me Saturday morning to tell me Aunt Elsie had passed away.
There is some peace that she is not in pain anymore... some admiration for what a tremendous life she lived in almost 103 years... and some sadness that I won't see her for awhile. In the meantime... my Aunt Elizabeth will turn 100 in 15 months... (yes women on my dad's side live forever)
And one of my favorite memories with my family is waffle house before my grandmother's funeral... all of us traipsing in belting out the waffle house song in our "sunday best" is a classic... so I'm hoping for good memories on Wednesday despite the sad occasion.
Aunt Elsie... never forget...
My mom's parents passed away when I was in fifth grade... My dad's dad (Edna's husband) passed away before I was born... My grandmother suffered from dementia and was moved to an assisted living home while I was in high school. Some days she knew who I was and other days she was getting into the wrong bed with random people in the home. She passed away in 2003 just a few months before I graduated from college. It was weird to be 20 years old and grandparent-less. Some 20 year-olds haven't even been to a funeral.
In 2004 we celebrated Aunt Elsie's 100th birthday. She was the star of the town with a big feature in the newspaper and a huge party. Her back had started to roll a bit, but she was still trucking around just needing someone to support her and she had all of her senses. It was comforting to have her recognize me and know me... to spend time with me... She was the grandmother I didn't have.
On January 17th, my mom e-mailed kelsie and I to tell us Aunt Elsie was in the hospital with pneumonia and they weren't sure she would make it through the night. Anyone that has lived 102 years has lived a great life, but how do you prepare to let go of someone that has been such a big part of everything I know. The last couple of weeks have been full of ups and downs before my dad called me Saturday morning to tell me Aunt Elsie had passed away.
There is some peace that she is not in pain anymore... some admiration for what a tremendous life she lived in almost 103 years... and some sadness that I won't see her for awhile. In the meantime... my Aunt Elizabeth will turn 100 in 15 months... (yes women on my dad's side live forever)
And one of my favorite memories with my family is waffle house before my grandmother's funeral... all of us traipsing in belting out the waffle house song in our "sunday best" is a classic... so I'm hoping for good memories on Wednesday despite the sad occasion.
Aunt Elsie... never forget...
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Sunday, January 21, 2007
to keep in touch or let it go...
I've acquired quite a few friends over the years... or maybe acquaintances... sometimes they float from one category to another depending on the weather. During the days of pre-internet I always would always pride myself on being a good pen pal. I would even sign up for those programs in magazines where they would try to match you up with people and I would get mad if they wouldn't write me back. I went to camp wo-me-to every summer from 1990-2000 and met a bunch of people and always became irritated if someone quit writing... or maybe never wrote at all. I lived in maryland for 18 years until college became a new obstacle for keeping in touch. Every one vowed to keep in touch... I was determined to hang on to my friends but I think my list of friends from home grew shorter as I found new friends in college. Most people I only really talked to when I was home for breaks or maybe the occasional IM... people try to keep their best friend and/or their boy/girlfriend from high school and it doesn't really work... well I guess it could... but it didn't for me. Even the friends I kept, the friendship was different by the time I finished college.
Over the past three and a half years since I graduated from college I've dealt with the concept of leaving friends and deciding who to keep in touch with... or if I left a friendship on bad terms do I attempt reconciliation and then do we keep in touch? There's a quote about friends coming into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. I used to hate it... why in the world would you plan to have a friend for only a period of time. I thought everyone should keep in touch. I was horrible at letting anyone go.
So now here I am with "friends" all over north america and there's a part of me that is tired of trying to keep in touch with everyone. I'm thankful that things like myspace came around to give us a way to do it without much effort. But... we feel like we're doing a good job of keeping in touch by wishing everyone merry christmas or leaving a happy birthday comment when myspace reminds us it's their birthday. We don't even have to remember our friends' birthdays anymore. We don't need a high school reunion to see who's married or popping out kids or gaining weight. Are we really keeping in touch though? I think it's all well and good as long as both parties view the "friendship" the same.
Beyond the myspace world... how do you figure out who to keep in touch with? It's impossible to keep in touch with everyone... I accept that... but do you have to have been friends for a certain number of years... or do you have to live in the same state... or do you have to have the same relationship status to have something in common... or do you just wait to see who calls... or wait to see who calls you back? Most of the time I don't think we make the decisions consciously... but we're making them whether we realize it or not. I think I realize it even more every time I move...
I'm not sure if I'm really asking for answers as much as I am trying to figure out what's real... should I feel guilty if I don't call everyone back? should I make extra efforts to keep in touch with certain people?
okay the babble is overwhelming... thinking too much... see what a day off does to me...
Over the past three and a half years since I graduated from college I've dealt with the concept of leaving friends and deciding who to keep in touch with... or if I left a friendship on bad terms do I attempt reconciliation and then do we keep in touch? There's a quote about friends coming into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. I used to hate it... why in the world would you plan to have a friend for only a period of time. I thought everyone should keep in touch. I was horrible at letting anyone go.
So now here I am with "friends" all over north america and there's a part of me that is tired of trying to keep in touch with everyone. I'm thankful that things like myspace came around to give us a way to do it without much effort. But... we feel like we're doing a good job of keeping in touch by wishing everyone merry christmas or leaving a happy birthday comment when myspace reminds us it's their birthday. We don't even have to remember our friends' birthdays anymore. We don't need a high school reunion to see who's married or popping out kids or gaining weight. Are we really keeping in touch though? I think it's all well and good as long as both parties view the "friendship" the same.
Beyond the myspace world... how do you figure out who to keep in touch with? It's impossible to keep in touch with everyone... I accept that... but do you have to have been friends for a certain number of years... or do you have to live in the same state... or do you have to have the same relationship status to have something in common... or do you just wait to see who calls... or wait to see who calls you back? Most of the time I don't think we make the decisions consciously... but we're making them whether we realize it or not. I think I realize it even more every time I move...
I'm not sure if I'm really asking for answers as much as I am trying to figure out what's real... should I feel guilty if I don't call everyone back? should I make extra efforts to keep in touch with certain people?
okay the babble is overwhelming... thinking too much... see what a day off does to me...
Friday, January 19, 2007
tentative methco soccer schedule for alumni
So I'm not sure how to get in touch with everyone, but Tony asked me to send this out and I feel like myspace is a decent start. If you get this, pass the information along to any other alumni so everyone can reserve the date...
March 31st - There are two fields... Alumni and the current MU team have to be in the top two of their group to play each other. Or perhaps we'll schedule a separate game off to the side if we have to... They're supposed to be 25 min games until the playoffs which are 30 (yes I realize tony's math is a little off but just go with it...)
Field 1
9-9:25am MU v. Mt. Olive1
9:35-10am UNC1 v. NCSU1
10:10-10:35am Mt. Olive1 v. NCSU1
10:45-11:10am MU v. UNC1
11:20-11:55am Mt. Olive1 v. UNC1
12:10-12:35pm MU v. NCSU1
Field 2
9-9:25 am UNC2 v. NCSU2
9:35-10 am MC Alum v. Mt. Olive2
10:10-10:35am MC Alum v. UNC2
10:45-11:10am Mt. Olive2 v. NCSU2
11:20-11:55am MC Alum v. NCSU2
12:10-12:35pm Mt. Olive2 v. UNC2
Lunch break
1:45-2:15pm 4th v. 4th (Field 1) 3rd v. 3rd (Field 2)
2:30-3pm 1A v. 2B (Field 1) 1B v. 2A (Field 2)
3:15-3:45pm Final (Field 1) 3rd Place (Field 2)
March 31st - There are two fields... Alumni and the current MU team have to be in the top two of their group to play each other. Or perhaps we'll schedule a separate game off to the side if we have to... They're supposed to be 25 min games until the playoffs which are 30 (yes I realize tony's math is a little off but just go with it...)
Field 1
9-9:25am MU v. Mt. Olive1
9:35-10am UNC1 v. NCSU1
10:10-10:35am Mt. Olive1 v. NCSU1
10:45-11:10am MU v. UNC1
11:20-11:55am Mt. Olive1 v. UNC1
12:10-12:35pm MU v. NCSU1
Field 2
9-9:25 am UNC2 v. NCSU2
9:35-10 am MC Alum v. Mt. Olive2
10:10-10:35am MC Alum v. UNC2
10:45-11:10am Mt. Olive2 v. NCSU2
11:20-11:55am MC Alum v. NCSU2
12:10-12:35pm Mt. Olive2 v. UNC2
Lunch break
1:45-2:15pm 4th v. 4th (Field 1) 3rd v. 3rd (Field 2)
2:30-3pm 1A v. 2B (Field 1) 1B v. 2A (Field 2)
3:15-3:45pm Final (Field 1) 3rd Place (Field 2)
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
mcdonalds, gatorade and baths are now permitted
so my family grew up with my brother, sisters, nephews and I all going to the same pediatrician... He was from Iran originally and had some rather different philosophies regarding raising children... Some doctors might even agree with them... and one theory might not be as random as when you combine all of his views into one man. We could probably all tell you a story or two about the time he carved the sun burn blisters off of my lips or made Kelsie jump up and down to see if she had asthma... He told my parents we shouldn't eat at mcdonalds, drink gatorade, or take baths. I felt like doctor's visits always took forever because he wanted to know about our entire family and then tell us about all of his other patients' drama. In sixth grade I had a sore throat but didn't want to go to the doctor so by the time my parents found out and made me... I had to go to the hospital because they thought my tonsils would explode... needless to say I didn't enjoy visiting our doctor...
But on Sunday my mom told me he passed away... he was 81... (sidenote... should doctors be able to practice at 81 years of age?) I'm sad that he's gone... but I think he lived a good life... I can appreciate his passion for medicine... particularly after reading his obituary... so here's to dr. mehrizi
Dr. Ali Mehrizi's obituary - http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/obituaries/bal-md.ob.mehrizi16jan16,0,7517396.story?coll=bal-news-obituaries
But on Sunday my mom told me he passed away... he was 81... (sidenote... should doctors be able to practice at 81 years of age?) I'm sad that he's gone... but I think he lived a good life... I can appreciate his passion for medicine... particularly after reading his obituary... so here's to dr. mehrizi
Dr. Ali Mehrizi's obituary - http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/obituaries/bal-md.ob.mehrizi16jan16,0,7517396.story?coll=bal-news-obituaries
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