The Wholeness of the Half

At Chicago's Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon yesterday, I was overwhelmed with emotion as I watched Kate, Matt, Austin, Scott, Kelly, Anne, Bryan, Kyle, Jeff and so many others...running with so much conviction to the finish line.  Why didn't I have this compassion in my twenties?  The value I hold for my own health has only happened in recent years and it is accompanied by my sore joints and a few health scares; these kids are out there, in front of their aging, regulating their diets and exercise regimens, trying to beat their own best times, and seemingly having a lot of collective fun along the way.   It was a very impressive experience and I enjoyed sharing it up close.  I didn't even think about eating or drinking or sitting or watching Homeland while I was out there cheering and running after them.

And the people who watch marathons seem nearly as dedicated and invested as those who run.  The ones who carried signs got the high-fives:  "Go total stranger!  Go" and "It's not the first 100 meters that is impressive, it's the last!"

The carb-loading at the Maloneys on Saturday night as well as a late lunch at Benelux with JFM after, made this tri-state tour weekend one of the best ever!

"If you run, you are a runner. It doesn't matter how fast or how far. It doesn't matter if today is your first day or if you've been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run."  - John Bingham aka "The Penguin"

5:40 am!  Time to go!

Waiting for the runners!

Kate's arm - listing the people she was thinking about

It's a Silly Place

Some days the world just doesn't make sense and sometimes it all comes together so nicely:  Did you know that you can use white wine to remove red wine stains?  How cool is that!

It could be a red wine weekend, so dear reader, with you in mind, I'll just continue...

1. Club soda and salt is a great trick.
2. The most important thing is to get to the stain while it's wet because once it's dried, it's very difficult to remove.
3. Dilute the stain with water, club soda, even white wine.
4. Then, take a cloth and blot the stain from the outside in.
5. Dilute the stain and covering in iodized salt. Let the salt sit on the stain for about an hour.
6. Remove away the salt . . . more wine magic!

Now..kick back and bask in your own reflective glory.  And pour a little more vino while you're at it.

My Art Stays with My Ears

Accessibility is an issue in the IT world that is less about hardship and more about finding solutions so someone dealing with a handicap - temporary or otherwise - can access and leverage technology to accomplish and enjoy the things they want to do.

I recently visited the home of a world-renowned pianist who is losing his eyesight and needs to practice 100-page concertos (about 10 per year) for touring.

A VESA mount arm was installed so an Apple cinema display could swing within inches of his eyes.  His Steinway will host something similar.  Swipe tablets may work to digitally display the music; we're evaluating other designs and solutions.  One idea involved the individual wearing headphones and speaking into a mic, and with the use of speech recognition software, he could dictate to the computer.  That solution required headphones and the kind artist calmly said that was not acceptable:  "My art stays with my ears," said he.

Nothing to Hide

In response to surveillance, the NSA, and privacy debates, I've been one of those to utter the common refrain that I've got nothing to hide, and I really like the idea that maybe I'm safer than ever.  But maybe I should reconsider . . .

Check out this essay in The Chronicle of Higher Education, "Why Privacy Matters Even if you have 'Nothing to Hide'" by professor of law Daniel J. Solove, George Washington University. 

In response to the "nothing to hide, nothing to worry about" notion, he comments:

• So do you have curtains? Can I see your credit-card bills for the last year? 
• If you have nothing to hide, that means you are willing to let me photograph you naked. And I get full rights to that photograph-so I can show it to your neighbors.

Instead of  “nothing to hide”which implies guilt, maybe we should protect our right to privacy.  Although I may not have anything to hide, I do have things that are no one else's business.

***********************************************

Now, for some fun ~
Thanks to Dan for forwarding this to me . . .

Answers to questions directed to the NSA regarding collection of Verizon phone records:

1. Will I be charged extra for this service?

No. While the harvesting and surveillance of domestic phone calls were not a part of your original Verizon service contract, the National Security Agency is providing this service entirely free of charge.

2. If I add a phone to my account, will those calls also be monitored?

Once again, the answer is good news. If you want to add a child or any other family member to your Verizon account, their phone calls—whom they called, when, and the duration of the call—will all be monitored by the United States government, at no additional cost.

3. Can the National Security Agency help me understand my Verizon bill?

Unfortunately, no. The National Security Agency has tried, but failed, to understand Verizon’s bills. Please call Verizon customer service and follow the series of electronic prompts.

 

Note to Self - Words to Live By!

On the eve of what promises to be a very fun wedding prep weekend, including a bridal shower to honor my soon-to-be (ooh!) daughter-in-law, Kelly - I want to share what she shared with me, years ago via an email forward, when my son was newly taken with her beauty, wisdom, and generosity:

1.   Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2.   When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3.   Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4.   Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5.   Pay off your credit cards every month.
6.   You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7.   Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8.   It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9.   Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10.  When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11.  Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12.  It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13.  Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14.  If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15.  Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16.  Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17.  Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18.  Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19.  It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20.  When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21.  Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22.  Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23.  Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24.  The most important sex organ is the brain.
25.  No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26.  Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27.  Always choose life.
28.  Forgive everyone everything.
29.  What other people think of you is none of your business.
30.  Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31.  However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32.  Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33.  Believe in miracles.
34.  God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35.  Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36.  Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37.  Your children get only one childhood.
38.  All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39.  Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40.  If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's,we'd grab ours back.
41.  Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42.  The best is yet to come.
43.  No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44.  Yield.
45.  Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Using the Possessive

Happiness is not found in things you possess, but in what you have the courage to release . . .

- Nathaniel Hawthorne

Crazy Sexy Juicer

I just met the work of Kris Carr and must share:  she is the author of the crazy sexy wellness revolution and lots of books and great essays, too.  Her recipes are fabulous and, although I love my Vitamix, vegetables and juicing just go together, and there are so many good Kris Carr recipes.  See below . . . this is on my want list, next time I'm spending - this juicer that my friend, Mary, introduced to me:  

Welcome, phytonutrients!.

 If you aren't convinced about juicing coolness, watch this Jason Vale video: