Sorry

Due to circumstances beyond my control there will be a break in posting new entries here. I was in the Emergency Room all evening yesterday. There is either a stone or tumor in my bladder. As a result I can't eat, sleep, and am in an enormous amount of pain. What little energy I have is going to have to be focused on trying to do my job as my partner is on vacation and there is a portion of my job that I am literally the only person who knows how to do it. It will be next Wednesday before I can get a CAT scan to see what the real problem is. As soon as I am physically up to it I will resume posting here. Thanks for understanding.

Tuesday Afternoon

"The moment you think only of yourself, the focus of your whole mind narrows, and because of this narrow focus uncomfortable things can appear huge and bring you fear and discomfort and a sense of feeling overwhelmed by misery. The moment you think of others with a sense of caring, however, your mind widens. Within that wider angle, your own problems appear to be of no significance, and this makes a bigger difference." Dalai Lama

I have a challenge coming up. The lady who heads our two person department is going to be on vacation for a week and a half and I will be left alone to try and post all the cash and adjustments by myself. The higher ups are starting to realize it has to be a two person job and my boss is insisting that a couple of others step up to the bat and help me out while my partner is gone. I made it to the doctor today and hopefully the new medicine will knock off the bronchitis so I'll feel like staying late if I need to but I am going to make sure that I get help if I start to fall behind. I am good at my job but I'm not Superwoman in spite of what Pixie thinks.

As you can tell from the blog’s title for today I am a huge Moody Blues fan. Their music has been a big part of my life over the years. I have had the privilege of seeing them several times in concert and they never disappoint. I have seen the band in several great venues including Caesar’s Palace in South Lake Tahoe, Red Rocks Auditorium in Denver, the Hollywood Bowl, and the Concord Pavilion to name a few. Nights in White Satin will always rank as one of my favorite songs.

I was thinking about today's quote from the Dalai Lama. Like many I have been reading about actor Owen Wilson. I loved him in the Jackie Chan films Shanghai Noon and Shanghai Knights. He is a very talented young man. Having battled depression myself I can understand how it can overcome and lead you into a despair where you don't feel that living is an option. I certainly hope Owen can get the help he needs to overcome his demons.

You need to think of others and their problems or you will allow yourself to become overwhelmed by your own fears. Fears that are kept to yourself in the dark will grow to impossible proportions. You need to ask for help when you are down and you need to be willing to help others when they are down. As the U2 song says Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own.

The picture is called That's Why They Call It The Blues from the Elton John song. And now you know three of my favorite musical artists.

The real counter is 5957

Meandering About Monday

"Wherever you are, your religious teaching must be there with you." Dalai Lama

We are almost cleaned up after the storm. We need to do something about the tree whose limb came crashing down. The best option appears to be to "top" it. Hopefully we can get this done before the next storm hits. I am thankful that mother was not able to get around the limb Friday night because she could have stepped on that live electric wire in the dark.

It was a long day at work and I ended up staying late. I'm feeling a little better but I really didn't feel like staying until almost 7 PM but I had to finish what I was working on. I'm going to my doctor tomorrow and hopefully he can give me something that will finally knock this infection off.

I felt like listening to music last night and was in a "Musical" mood. I started out with the soundtrack to Cats. Having been a cat lover all my life I loved that musical when I saw it and got a kick out of hearing the music again. I can certainly identify some of the cats that I have had from the musical.

I also listened to Highlights from Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables the 10th anniversary concert edition. I was struck by the similarity of the story lines and the importance of love and compassion in both plays. While the Phantom can be seen as an evil character there is also an element of pity for him. His love for Christine is both a blessing and a curse. In the end it is that love and her compassion for him that allows him to let her and Roul go free.

In “Les Miz” Javert has pursued Jean Valjean for years in the mistaken belief that he has God on his side and that once a person does wrong then he will always be evil. Yet Jean Valjean changes his life because of the compassion of the Bishop. In the end Javert destroys himself because he can not come to grips with the fact that he was wrong and that people can change. In the end he refused to change and decided to end his life instead.

I am drawn to both musicals because of the fantastic music but also because of the powerful stories they tell. Both stories teach us that there is good in everyone if you allow that good to come out. People need to be treated with love and compassion. Those two qualities can change a person's life forever. It not only can change someone else's life but it can change yours if you practice those qualities.

The picture is called Ready for Romanace.

The real counter is 5947.

After the Storm

"Whenever you have truth it must be given with love, or the message and the messenger will be rejected." Mahatma Gandhi

"A mind committed to compassion is like an overflowing reservoir - a consistent source of energy, determination, and kindness." Dalai Lama

We had a fierce storm Friday night that left trees and power lines down all over town. Mom called at 11:30 needing me to open the front door for her because our driveway was blocked by a tree limb. We found out the next day it had torn the power line down and we had a live wie on the ground. It also took out a cable and phone line. All but the phone line are back up.

Today's quotes though bring to mind the fact that we all have storms in our lives that we need to ride out and the importance of compassion and kindness when we are dealing with others. When your life is falling apart you need compassion and kindness from others to put your life back together. I know I certainly had people there for me when I was going through a horrible period in my life.

I always try to respond with kindness towards others to show that I am grateful for the many people who have helped me. People that don't know how to show kindness find that in times of trouble they have no one there for them. Kindness and compassion begets kindness and compassion. It is important to treat people how you want to be treated.

The real counter is 5935

Music of the Night

"It is better to practice a little than talk a lot." Muso Kokushi

Well I'm certainly in no danger of talking a lot since I've lost my voice almost completely now. I'm heading off to bed shortly and will sleep until Doctor Who comes on. We are pretty much caught up at work so it wasn't a big deal me leaving early.

I decided that I liked the "highlights" CD of Phantom of the Opera so much that I ordered the original London cast recording of the full play as well as the DVD version of the movie. The picture is called Music of the Night and was inspired by the song of the same name.

The real counter is 5929

Why Is It?

"If you see God in yourself, then you attain perfection." The Bhagavad-Gita

Why is it when you are coughing and hacking and have no voice left, are running a fever and look like a ghost (albeit one with a red nose) people insist on telling you how bad you look? Right, you feel like death warmed over and people wonder why you don't look good. Uh maybe because you feel so crummy and would be home in bed if you had sick leave and could do so but since you don't have any and you still must pay bills you are dragging yourself into the nut house. Sigh. Sort of like asking someone who fell downstairs if they hurt themselves.

At least work popped for 30 bucks and got me a portable keypad that I can put on the left side of my computer and key in left handed. With a little luck that will be enough to give the aching right wrist enough of a rest so that I don't have to have more surgery on the wrist. Been there, done that, don't care to revisit it.

Other then trying to get well haven't been up to much. I haven't felt creative at all and have been mainly sleeping. I do need to get busy though and try and see how much yarn I am going to need to knit a Doctor Who scarf for my niece's husband. Yeah I know I'm a sucker when it comes to doing things for them. How can you resist though when every fifteen minutes when I was down there for her wedding my niece would say "have I told you lately that I love you?"  With that kind of love I can do anything. The pictures are from some artwork I did for her to give to him for a Valentine's Day gift before they got married. If you don't get them ask a geek they will be glad to explain it to you. ;-)

The real counter is 5921

What's Happening?

"Keep a green tree in your heart and perhaps a songbird will come." Chinese Proverb

"Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them." Dalai Lama

Yes there is a reason why the posting has been pretty sparse here. It is called a fever, blinding headache, and the whole body aching like crazy and nothing is helping. I came home early from work on Thursday and Friday. I got up long enough to see Doctor Who and went back to bed and stayed there all weekend. Look I said I was sick, I didn’t say I was dead so of course I got up and watched my favorite program. I struggled into work today and made it through the whole day and came home and crashed.

A couple things I noticed while surfing the web trying to get caught up on news. My heart really goes out to the poor miners families in Utah. I seriously doubt if their loved ones are alive but it is looking like they will never know. I'm sure they will always fear that the worst happened and that they slowly died of thirst and starvation. It is looking that they must have been killed out right when the collapse first occurred. I really hope it was quick and merciful and that they are now with God.

Since I also check the Entertainment news I was amused at the pictures of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie and their four kids on the boat over in Chicago. Someone needs to show the pictures to Brittany Spears. Hey Britt notice the life preservers on Brad and Angie's kids? You might want to remember that next time you take you kids on a boat. And while we are at it children under the age of two really should not be kept up for dinner after 10 at night. Kids do need their sleep you know.

I love the two quotes for today. I have spoken often how I feel we are on this planet to help others and it is good to know that the Dalai Lama, a man I very much admire, feels the same way. The songbird proverb is really sweet. I think it shows the power of optimism. I have always been a the glass is half full person. I know I have a songbird in my heart. The picture is called Songbird.

The real counter is 5911

Funky Friday

"The wise man sets no high value on a thing simply because it is hard to get." Tao Te Ching

Sometimes little brothers really make it hard to behave. My Mom has been after me to de-clutter my bedroom and what does my brother do? He puts up an irresistible teddy bear on Cafe Press ( http://www.cafepress.com/diecast_dude.161008875 ). Well since I would rather be blogging then my current job it will join the menagerie. I'll tell Mom I got it for Pixie. ;-)

I have to confess that I really enjoy cute things. I love Cabbage Patch kids and have kept three from my collection here at the house. The rest are in storage. I love stuffed animals and still have a few out. Show me a kitten and watch me melt. I love the little critters. Pixie is so cute I forgive her early morning attempts to get me up an hour earlier then I have to.

I think in this hustle and bustle world we sometimes forget to slow down and enjoy life. We fail to look around us and see things that should make us smile and laugh. I know the word cute can make some people cringe but I don't think there is anything wrong with it. I guess I have to like it since I have one favorite outfit that keeps getting "that's such a cute outfit" comments. Oh well if I can't get sexy comments I guess I'll settle for cute.

One of my favorite shows, Doctor Who, is on in a few minutes. I don't think we can honestly say that they have ever had a sexy actor play the part of the Doctor. The current actor, David Tennant, is cute. He isn't movie star handsome but he has such an engaging personality that he is fun to watch. At the end of a rough week cute and fun is about all I can handle.

The picture is called I Spy and is one of my cute pictures. As in I spy with my little eye the reason why the dog will never win the game of hide and seek with the cat.

The real counter is 5892

Weird Wednesday

"Time passes unhindered. When we make mistakes, we cannot turn the clock back and try again. All we can do is use the present well." Dalai Lama

Wouldn't you know it I promise to be good and not whine about work and today happens. Oh well a promise is a promise. Needless to say it is going to be more then interesting tomorrow.

So what else can I write about? How about Michael Crawford. I managed to get hold of a "highlight" album from Phantom of the Opera with Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman. I love Michael's voice and I wish Sarah would learn to enunciate so I could understand the lyrics. I was listening to Phantom last night before going to sleep. I have two other albums by Michael his Disney Album and the Live Concert album. I love both of them. He has such a beautiful voice and you can understand the lyrics because he knows how to enunciate while singing something Sarah still hasn't mastered. My two favorites from the Disney album are the Lion King medley and I Know the Truth from Elton John's Aida.

Music is something that is a vital part of my life. I have always loved music and I love to sing. I miss being part of a really good choir like I was in California. Our church here doesn't have a choir and a majority of the cantor's can't.

I think some of my favorite music is Celtic music and I am a huge fan of Clannad and Lorena McKennit. The Celtic Women CD my brother got me for my birthday is also really nice. Of course the old standbys of the Clancy Brothers and the Irish Rovers get played a lot as well as the very funny Seamus Kennedy. My Dad absolutely adored his salute to the Armed Forces.

I don't know if it is the cold I'm fighting or the fact that I consciously decided to ignore work but I'm finding I'm relaxing enough to start dreaming again. I think we not only work out problems while dreaming we also see glimpses of the future. If that is the case I have an interesting time coming up in my future. One that promises a lot of laughter and love.

The picture is called Ready for Romance.

The real counter is 5877.

Melting Monday

"Accept the situation in which you find yourself and try, at the same time, to adapt to it. You cannot escape from it." Swami Prajnanpad

So is Winter coming any time soon? I could sure use some colder weather. I have to be real careful getting into my car after work that I don't touch any of the metal or I get burned.

I did an overall cleaning up of some of my posts yesterday when I came to the conclusion that I was whining entirely too much about work. I can't change anything there and whining doesn't help my state of mind any. So I took today's quote to heart and just took the major whines out.

Sometimes it is good to just step back from a situation and see what is really going on and what you can realistically do about it. It is okay to say there is nothing I can do and just go on. I can't change a thing at work so I'll just do the job the best I can and leave it at the door when I walk out.

Today is the birthday of one of my favorite cats, Sasha. Sasha loved people. He was the mascot when I ran my convention. I'll never forget Colin Baker leading my staff in meowing Happy Birthday to Sasha at the end of the convention party that I threw for my staff. The convention was always around Sasha's birthday so we always celebrated his birthday at the end of the convention. I really miss Sasha. He was a one of a kind cat.

The picture is called Full Moon.

The real counter is 5862.

Whine Wine

I've come to realize that I have been whining entirely too much lately so I went back over some of my more whiny entrees and redid them. Thanks little brother for the heads up.

The picture is called Abundance. I have an abundance of things I can talk about and share that would be a lot more interesting then whining about things I can't change.

Sultry Sunday

 

"The world is so wide, so vast; why put on a formal vestment at the sound of a bell?" Yunmen

"We all desire freedom, but what distinguishes human beings is their intelligence. As free human beings we can use our unique intelligence to try to understand our world and ourselves." Dalai Lama

"Human beings are of such nature that they should have not only material facilities but spiritual sustenance as well. Without spiritual sustenance, it is difficult to get and maintain peace of mind." Dalai Lama

I have spent the last couple of days trying to get stuff done. Mom is a bit better but I am fighting something off. The heat and humidity have been terrible and it is hard to breathe. I need to iron my clothes for the week and will probably not do much else today except art work. I love the new computer and the art work looks so great on that flat screen monitor.

As you can tell from the picture I obviously watched Doctor Who on Friday. After all Friday night is geek night. I particularly liked this episode The Lazarus Experiment. For a show that many put down as a kid's show Doctor Who does tackle some pretty heavy concepts. This episode was about the eternal quest for youth. The protagonist doesn't care who he hurts in his quest for youth and if some people die then so what. He deserves to live. The fact that he has become a literal as well as philosophical monster doesn't deter him.

One thing I don't like about our culture is the quest to stay young. In the Far East the elders are revered. In our culture all we want to do is turn back the clock. We spend millions of dollars on beauty supplies and surgery in order to remain looking young. Our culture is geared towards the Brittany Spears, Lindsay Lohans, and Paris Hiltons of the world. Those are suppose to be role models? Is that what we really want our children to grow up to be? Where are the stories about Paul Newman and the millions he has given to charity?

I look at the medicine chest in the bathroom I share with my brother and the bottles upon bottles of stuff he buys to try and look young. He is a sucker for any ad campaign that promise him youth. Me I have a couple jars of cream to keep my skin from drying out. I earned these laugh lines one giggle at a time. I'm not a kid any more and quite frankly I'm glad I'm not. I have gained maturity through living and it is that which my niece calls to tap into. She calls to find out what I have experienced in life and for advice. If you don't live and mature you stagnate. There is still a kid inside of me that plays but the kid and the adult coexist very nicely.

I finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows last night. Again the fantasy world is used to teach a valuable lesson about the nature of evil and discrimination against others. Harry was willing to die to keep the world from being dominated by evil. Again their are bible thumpers who raise a fuss about magic and fantasy being evil without ever reading or experiencing what it is really all about. Harry Potter and Doctor Who are just two of the forums that can teach the meaning of evil and point out the ills of the world that need to be solved. There is more morality in them then in the so called Christians who claim to be followers of Christ but at the same time express hatred and bigotry towards their fellow man because they aren't like them.

The real counter is 5832.

Bats in the Bedroom

 

"You must end where you begin; and as you begin in God, you must go back to God. What remains? Detail work. Through eternity you have to do the detail work." Swami Vivekananda

"For proper development I feel that we need a well-balanced education. We need inner spiritual development to acquire a warm heart, which is the basic requirement." Dalai Lama

What a day! It was one of those nights where I was having trouble staying asleep because of the arthritis acting up. Storms are coming in and the hot and humid weather makes my joints ache. I woke up at 2 AM and was just starting to doze off at 5 AM when Pixie came rushing into the room going absolutely berserk. She was running, jumping, leaping onto furniture and just going nuts. I figured she was chasing a bug. I turned on the small reading light when I heard something whizzing around and it was huge. I thought it was maybe a robin who somehow got into the house. When it alighted on the chain of a lamp hung from the ceiling out of Pixie's reach I realized it was a bat. Yuck! I logged onto the Internet and googled how to catch a bat. At that point I realized I was going to need help as I didn't have any thick gloves. I woke my brother up and he got on his Army gloves and I gave him the coffee can I emptied out. He got the creature while I was holding onto Pixie who wanted her toy. Mike says the bat let out the loudest screech when he got it outside. Needless to say I didn't get back to sleep. And where was my big cat Merlin you ask? The big wuss took one look at the bat and Pixie trying to get at it and decided he was going to hide out in the hallway.

While reading my email over my morning coffee I found out that the heat index was going to be 105 and thunderstorms, some severe, were coming in tonight. The rest of the day didn't get any better and I ended up with a headache and a half.

Last night I was reading about the new planet that NASA announced that was the biggest planet discovered so far. As they have done in the past they make an exciting announcement and blow it with the illustrations. Remember the gas planet they announced that had three suns? Yep the one where the artist drew a rock based planet. Well this time the artist did a nice little picture of Jupiter next to a huge sun. Sigh. NASA have you thought of telling your artist about a little thing called gravity? You know Newton and the apple thing. Yeah that. You put any planet that close to a sun that size and there is no planet. Gravity from the sun will rip it apart. Either NASA needs more intelligent artists or they should hire me to do their art work. My picture is what they scene should look like.

The real counter is 5811.

Torrid Tuesday

 

"It is the quality of our work which will please God and not the quantity." Mahatma Gandhi

Like much of the United States it has been really hot here. We have been in the upper 90s with extra high humidity. Definitely not my favorite type of weather. It really aggravates my asthma.

Mom is really sick again. I have permission from my boss to take time off to get her to the doctor. Now I need to get her to call her doctor. That woman is so stubborn! She started with a sore throat, went into what she thought was a pinched nerve in her neck, and now has a deep cough on top of everything else. I'm really worried about her.

I like today's quote and it ties into what I was saying yesterday about enjoying what we have now. Too often we hustle about trying to do everything but we never take time for ourselves and wonder why we burn out. We put so much stress on ourselves with impossible demands to do everything right now. I know parents who have scheduled so much stuff for their kids during summer vacation that going back to school will be easy for them. They can finally relax.

When was the last time you went for a walk just to look at the flowers? When did you stop and read a book just for you own enjoyment? When was the last time you took an hour and soaked in a nice bubble bath and just relaxed?

It isn't selfish to take some time out for yourself once in a while. In fact I believe that the best thing for a person's mental health is to take a few minutes every single day and devote them just to doing something for yourself because you want to not because you have to.

The picture is called Ships Passing in the Night. The image jumped into my head last night and I had to stop and do the picture.

The real counter is 5805.

Mad Monday

My art is my safety valve for when I get frustrated. All of a sudden pictures are popping into my head and I'm averaging at least one new picture a day. I currently have one rendering and a new one that I am waiting to do for when the new machine frees itself up. The great thing about the new machine is that it is so fast that I can plan on working on the next picture in a few minutes rather then waiting until tomorrow like I would have to do with the old machine. However the old machine has the advantage that I can play my games on it so it is still an important part of my life. Besides it is the one hooked  up to the internet and the printer and scanner so it is still the workhorse around here. Also one of my art programs won't work on the new machine so I copy the final pictures to a disc and do what I need to do over here as far as sizing etc.

I think the two computers point out a very important fact in that the newest technology may be great but there is still room for the older things. It was one of the biggest problems I had with my ex in that he always wanted the newest of everything and nothing had meaning for him. I have many possessions that are old but they were given to me by people I love and I see no reason to get rid of them. I am sentimental by nature and I love surrounding myself with things that remind me of happy times and places and people I have loved.

Sometimes I think we are in too big a hurry and lunging for the future without taking any time to remember the past or live in the present. We always seem to ask children what they want to be when they grow up. How about asking them what are they doing now? You only have the present once and need to live in the here and now. Future goals are great but not at the expense of having a wonderful now.

The picture is called Gas Mining. I was inspired by the headlines in the paper where the city of Chicago is furious because Indiana's gas refineries have decided to dump more waste into their river. I would imagine in the pursuit of wealth there are probably more then just this planet who build up technologically without thought as to the environment.

The real counter is 5799.

Slow Sunday

"I believe deeply that we must find, all of us together, a new spirituality." Dalai Lama

I am planning on a quiet day with the possible exception of thunderstorms setting Merlin's mouth off. That poor cat hates storms. Pixie is all over me today so I imagine they are upsetting her too. We have possibilities of thunderstorms for the next few days. We actually had a spot of rain last night and it had been so long since I heard rain hit the windows I started to look and see what Pixie was into. Poor kitty suspected when, for once, she wasn't into anything. ;-P

Mom has a pinched nerve in her neck and is in an enormous amount of pain. She didn't go to church today. I gave her my beaded neck wrap that you put in the microwave and heat up and it provides a moist heat. I checked on line and it is the only thing that can be done, that and rest. I'll do the laundry today so she can get the rest she needs for that poor neck of hers. I sure wish there was something else I could do.

I'm 2/3 of the way through the Harry Potter book and may finish it tonight. J.K. Rowling is doing a great job this time and for once the book doesn't need editing to get it to a reasonable reading level. She is good but gets much too wordy sometimes. I need to get back to my own novel and get it finished edited so I can try and find an agent.

I like today's quote from the Dalai Lama. In this increasingly secular and anti-spiritual climate it is more important then ever for people to hold onto and practice a spiritual lifestyle. There is so much ugliness and hatred in the world if we don't make a real effort to change it we may not have a world left. We need, each one of us singularly and together, to try and make this world a better place. We can no longer sit back and expect others to do that for us.

The picture is called The Darklands and is from my novel. It shows the destruction that the villain caused to a land where he no longer cared for the land or its inhabitants. All he cared about was power and control over others. Evil running rampant.

The real counter is 5788

Musings on a Saturday

"The fool who knows his foolishness is wise to that extent." The Dhammapada

"On a daily basis, you must take more care of your mind than just money, money, money!" Dalai Lama

As I reach the bottom of my coffee cup I'm preparing to head off to the store. That will probably be the sum total of all I really accomplish this weekend. The rest of the two days will be devoted to getting over this retched cold that is starting up in my head and lungs.

I spent last evening watching one of my favorite shows Doctor Who. It was a Dalek episode and a very good one. I continue to be blown away by David Tennant's acting abilities. One of the main things that I got out of the show however is the fact that for a "kid's show" they really threw some very heavy philosophy up on the nature of good and evil and the importance of compassion. What makes it more interesting is the fact that I am also reading the last Harry Potter novel which does the same thing. My own novel also delves heavily into the nature of good and evil.

I know their are a lot of people who dismiss science fiction and fantasy as irrelevant but these people fail to see the depth that exists in this genre. Many so called Christians get on their high horse and preach against the "evil" they see in fantasy because they totally misunderstand what magic is all about. When you get right down to it the miracles that Christ performed can be classified as magic. Magic as in science can be used for good or evil. It is a matter of intent.

My older brother who is normally clueless when it comes to fantasy is talking about the number of Christian references that is in the last Harry Potter book. Fantasy frequently delves into the nature of good and evil and how evil corrupts. In the classic Lord of the Rings the story of Gollum is really a tragic one. Gandalf shows great compassion for the tormented creature. In Doctor Who last night the Doctor showed compassion towards his greatest enemy the Daleks.

Compassion is a quality that seems to be lacking more and more in this world. What makes us different from the animals is that we have the ability to practice this virtue if we so choose. The study of good and evil in the fantasy genre helps not only children but adults form a more moral outlook upon life. Fantasy isn't frivolous writings. Fantasy has an important element of philosophy in it and it makes you think. That is a good thing.

My mother was up last night and I showed her my newest pictures. This one is her favorite and is called Songbird. I love making Mom happy.

The real counter is 5782.

T.G.I.F.

"I think you can tremendously influence the world if you yourself are not violent, if you lead actually every day a peaceful life." Krishnamurti

It has been a very long week and Friday finally managed to make it here. I'm looking forward to two days away from the rat race.

There are many things that bring a smile to my face. I was greeted this morning by Pixie who likes to come in as soon as she realizes I'm awake. I don't know how she manages to figure out what moment I wake up but she is always there radiating love. It is such a sweet way to start each day. Merlin will wander by too but he has never been as affectionate as some of my other cats in the morning. He cuddles up at night though and lets me know he loves me.

I finished putting together my audio unit and now have my boom box in the bedroom where I can listen to music before I go to bed. Lately I have been listening to Michael Crawford’s The Disney Album. It has some truly beautiful music on it and I love Michael’s voice. What a beautiful sound to fall asleep to.

My little electronic brain otherwise known as my pocket PC has my Doctor Who reminder on tonight. We are finishing up a two parter with the Daleks tonight and it really looks good. I've mentioned before how impressed I am with David Tennant's talent as an actor and how I love his version of the Doctor. What I am even more impressed with though is him as a person. He takes time to thank his fans for the birthday presents they sent. He just lost his mother to cancer and he takes the time out from his grief to thank the fans for their sympathy and for raising money for the hospice where his mother was. That shows a genuinely decent person. Having dealt with some very egotistical actors in my day I really appreciate it when an actor realizes that the fans are who make him a star and the actors who really appreciate those fans.

We have a handy man coming today who always tries to make time to help my Mom out around the house. He doesn't charge her nearly what another person would because he considers her family and wants to do whatever he can to help her out. He is another truly decent person who cares for others.

I really would like to get back into a profession where I can help other people. I find that I am most personally fulfilled when I can help others. That is why we were put here. We have our fellow man and our planet to care for. If you have the gift of life you should thank God for that gift and use it wisely and compassionately.

The real counter is 5775.

Wacky Wednesday

"Spend five minutes at the beginning of each day remembering we all want the same things (to be happy and be loved) and we are all connected to one another." Dalai Lama

"If one assumes a humble attitude, one's own good qualities will increase. Whereas if one is proud, one will become jealous of others, one will look down on others, and due to that there will be unhappiness in society." Dalai Lama

If God gives you a second chance at life don't blow it. Humility is a quality that we don't see much of these days. Two sports heroes of mine who have this quality were the late Bill Walsh and the great Joe Montana. For both men teamwork was a key word in their lives. They weren't out just for themselves. They knew how to listen to others and as a result they were both heroes to many people.

I was playing around this evening with my new computer and came up with this picture. It is one of those happy accidents that I decided to rotate the land mass around and came up with an absolutely gorgeous angle. The picture is called Gone Fishing.

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