This I love...

One of the best things about spending a good part of my life teaching people of various talent and willingness to play the piano, is that eventually I got to teach my own grand-daughter.
Somehow, it's much easier than when I taught my four children.

McKenzie listens to me.
She has conversations about why she likes this piece and why that one is hard.
She hums along to the songs she likes.
She is polite.
She loves me.
We don't yell at each other.

I am always second-guessing myself on my parenting. I wish I had done "this" better, or not done "that" at all. Piano lessons were a kind of microcosm of our relationships with each other. And while I am sure my kids would have their own versions of why taking piano lessons from Mom was horrible, it was partly those experiences that got us to where we are today. Now we can (mostly) laugh about it.

And while they don't all play the piano today, they all found instruments to love and music is a big part of their lives.

So there must have been something good.

Wheeee!

We spent the weekend in Southern California with Charlie.
We flew JetBlue, my new favourite airline.
They serve SNACKS.
As many as you want.
The blue potato chips are particularly scrumptious.


On Saturday, Adam and Shelley (Charlie's new surrogate parents) took us on an adventure. We test-drove one of these.
It's called a SPYDER.


Here's the proof.


We each had our own bike and rode in a convoy, up in the hills above Temecula, for about 30 minutes.
It was absolutely STOOPENDOUS!

Jeff always said he would never buy a motorbike.

Then a few years ago he allowed as he might be talked into a trike.

Do we see a pattern here?

More Good News

Got this in my Inbox today from Ode.

"Stem cells have the potential to be turned into any tissue, including heart cells, making the growth of 'spare parts' a possibility.

Scientists have found a way to make an almost limitless supply of stem cells that could safely be used in patients while avoiding the ethical dilemma of destroying embryos.

In a breakthrough that could have huge implications, British and Canadian scientists have found a way of reprogramming skin cells taken from adults, effectively winding the clock back on the cells until they were in an embryonic form.

The work has been hailed as a major step forward by scientists and welcomed by pro-life organizations, who called on researchers to halt other experiments which use stem cells collected from embryos made at IVF clinics."

If you want to read the whole article go to http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/mar/01/stem-cells-breakthrough?utm_source=Ode+Newsletters&utm_campaign=fc436a4a7f-daily-rss&utm_medium=email

Gol-ly, maybe President Bush had it right, we don't need embryonic stem cells after all. Betcha won't hear that tomorrow from our revered leaders.

And these, folks, are the little beauties themselves.

This makes me happy (edited)

I love it when Joshua visits for the day.
He has a precocious ability to put puzzles together.
His favourite puzzle this week is Happy Feet, which says, in flowing, sparkly letters, "I'm singing with my feet."

I, of course, put it to song.

"I'm siiiinging with my feet!"
(Think, "Siiiinging in the rain")
"That's right!"

So Joshie sings, "I'm siiiiinging with my peet!"
"Dat's right!"

Nana: "I'm siiiinging with my feet!"

Josh: "No, Nana, PEET!"

Oh.

Okay.

Good stuff

One of the things that gets me through the day in these slightly trying times is reading about good things that other people are doing. One of my main sources is Ode magazine. Ode is the magazine for intelligent optimists. I like that term, "intelligent optimists." I have often described myself as a "cynical optimist," but that is a discussion for another time.
Admittedly, the Ode can be a little kooky. For instance, it contains ads for cigarettes made with organic tobacco. What? And GreenSingles dating. And my personal favourite, "6 great ways to win an argument." Only six? But it is full of inspiring stories about ordinary people who have become extraordinary by following their passion in a way that makes a positive contribution to the world. Like Willie Smits, who started out rescuing one orangutan from a rubbish heap and ended up.....well, you go read the article here http://www.odemagazine.com/doc/60/willie-smits-hanging-around-with-orangutans/


One of my immediate travel goals is to visit the reserve's lodge in Indonesia and volunteer.
You can sign up for good news every day at http://odemagazine.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=09204162e37ac2ec56645b649&id=058c274184.

Check this one out: http://www.jewishworldwatch.org/refugeerelief/solarcookerproject.html. Someone had the brilliant idea of giving solar cookers to African women in refugee camps so that they didn't have to go out collecting firewood. When they left the camp they risked rape and even murder. Such a simple solution - free power, no rape, no murder.


Do you know any good news? Leave it in the comments section. And for you lurkers who never say anything, all you have to do is sign up for a Google account and you can leave as many adoring comments as you like.
Does anybody know how to make links instead of web addresses? I can't seem to figure it out.

An uncommon man (or woman)

I heard this quote on Dave Ramsey's show tonight and had to share it.
This was written in 1952 by a man named Dean Alfange, born in 1899. Alfange was a World War I veteran, a pro-Zionist (in 1943 he appeared before the House of Representatives and addressed them on the rescue of the Jewish people in Europe), and was the American Labor Party candidate for governor of New York.
He was also one of the founders of the Liberal Party of New York.
Strange how things change.

It is my right to be uncommon—if I can.

I seek opportunity—not security. I do not
wish to be a kept citizen, humbled and
dulled by having the state look after me.

I want to take the calculated risk;
to dream and to build, to fail and to succeed.

I refuse to barter incentive for a dole. I
prefer the challenges of life to the guaranteed
existence; the thrill of fulfillment to the stale
calm of utopia.

I will not trade freedom for beneficence nor
my dignity for a handout. I will never cower
before any master nor bend to any threat.

It is my heritage to stand erect, proud and
unafraid; to think and act for myself, enjoy the
benefit of my creations and to face the world
boldly and say, "This I have done with my own
hand, I am a man. I am an American.”

Bored, bored, bored!

Not much going on this week.
Worked all day Monday.
Had Joshua over on Tuesday, which was fun but now it's Thursday.
Pretty slow week and nothing to blog about.
So I'm going to tell you about one of my favourite things.
It will be the first of a series called "Things I Love."
My house decorating style would have to be called "eclectic," because I tend to buy things that I love, not necessarily things that look good together.
Here is one of the first things I bought because I truly loved it.










It's called "Rainbow optic vase" by Dan Bergsma. I was on a girls' beach trip and found it at an art gallery in Lincoln City. The one in the gallery was already sold, so I ordered and prepaid for one.
It cost $395.
But I loved it.
Jeff didn't kill me.
Didn't even get mad.
I looked online and it's now selling for $450.
Hmmmm. Not exactly an investment.
But I still love it.
It makes me HAPPY.
I found another of his vases online today.
Isn't it beautiful?


It would complement my decor perfectly!