15 Bytes of Thoughts

"it's all about perspective..."

So I'm watching the evening news and see Katie Couric talk with Michael J. Fox. It's hard to watch. Michael is moving about quite a bit due to his life with Parkinson's Disease. You can see him keeping one hand on his crossed foot while his voice is struggling to speak coherently. And yet, he is able to seize the moment to educate the masses on science, medicine and the hope the future offers.

I can relate a bit with what I saw. There are times that I get "the shakes" and either my right arm or legs seem to have a mind of their own. Embarrassing? Yes. Painful? Goes without saying. But, mostly it is just a part of the life I've come to live. Over the years, I've picked up a habit of holding my own hand or even sitting on my right hand when these shakes would appear. Much like you see Michael doing in the interview.

While most of us saw Michael struggling with tremors that threatened to destroy the set and perhaps kick Katie to the ground; I don't think very many tuned in to what caught my attention about him. It was all in his face. It was the look of exhaustion paired with determination. I know that look. The reality is that these actions are draining on one's soul. I expel so much energy trying NOT to shake, by the time I either give in to it, or it passes, I'm spent. Forget the pain I'm feeling. I'm too exhausted to be of any good to anybody or to myself. Add to it all the other wonderful things my body is going through day-to-day, and it catches up with me after a few days of struggling to maintain. Plain and simple, I'm tired!

But watching the interview, my perspective is humbled. Lately, I've been using the "perspective" word in a variety of situations as I think we all do in our daily lives - or at least we should consider it more. And I really believe that we all have moments like that where the stress of the moment only makes worse what we are doing mentally to keep our "pain" invisible. Whether it is RSD, Parkinson's, or the 70-hour work week many American's deal with, there is a part of our mind reserved for intense, laborious focus. But in perspective of our entire life, how much damage (or good) do these exercises do to our bodies and souls?

Nothing profound here. We all know that stress is not good for human consumption. But it bears reviewing occasionally, even if only to look at one's life in perspective to others. Things are always worse for some others, but it is also easier for some as well. And while we look at and admire someone working through struggles of one kind or another, there are some who get strength though our own actions. (Uh-oh, I can hear my sisters playing guitars and crooning "The Circle Game"! It must be time to stop.)

This all sounded deep and meaning full in my brain. I think it lost something in the journey from mind to fingers. I suppose it could be worse than I think. Hell, maybe even better than my gut tells me. Guess if I put it in perspective, I can feel confident these words are valuable somewhere at least. Enough said.

October 26, 2006

"Out with the old..."
or not

Many of us have a drawer in our kitchen that is filled with all those things we considered important to have easy access to at least one time in our lives. Pliers for all those quickie fixes pliers are good for. A book of matches for the next power outage. A candle for the aforementioned matches. Some store coupons, glue, tape, on and on and on. The drawer is so full of "important" stuff that it is near impossible to find what you need in it when the time comes to open it.

Others of us have the same issue expanded to take up a closet, room, or (dare I say) a garage. Ah, the garage. That place once reserved for the family car and washer and dryer. Now just a family's on-property storage unit, this place is the most frightening of all clean-up jobs.

Too Many Keys Well, none of the above are what has prompted this bit of written wisdom. It is something much smaller but just as effective a thing for our deeply ingrained need to hold on to useless things. The key ring. What is it about old keys that we can't seem to let go of them? Go ahead. Take a look at your set of keys. I'll wait. .......................

Okay. How many of them stump your memory of what they are for? I thought so. So now you'll spend a considerable amount of time trying to recall what those keys unlock. Some will eventually ring a bell in your brain like the one you still have from last year when your neighbor asked you to feed his pets while he was away on vacation. Maybe another evokes fond memories of the car you sold a couple (7) years back.

In the end, though, you have a couple of rogue keys that have somehow attached themselves to the ring when you weren't looking. The funny thing is what happens next. Those keys you deem old and useless and should be removed and tossed; remain. We can't seem to throw out old keys for fear we may need them tomorrow. They will continue to take up space on our ring until the next time we think to sort through our keys.

I've managed to pare my key ring down to the point that there is only 1 key left that I have no idea what it unlocks. It has taken some time for me to reach this spot; but it feels good and with luck I'll have weaned myself off any keys that are hanging around. For now, though, I'm holding on to that one key just in case......

October 20, 2006

I sure didn't see that coming!

Okay - so this is becoming some kind of obsession. But, what the heck, as long as it keeps me off the streets!

Below I published predictions I've said for months; but I didn't expect the issue about Mick Foley. I didn't even know he was into politics outside of the WWE. I guess he took his Mankind character seriously.

Then I learn it isn't him but some guy named Mark Foley! Oops! My bad. But this one makes a lot more sense than thinking a wrestler would make news on C-SPAN. I makes sense because you gotta wonder just how coincidental this incident is. Looking at the news reports and the catastrophic state the Republican party is in just weeks before the election, the GOP needed something to take the publics mind off the true state our country is in right now.

BAM! Headlines about some obscure Congressman and his elicit emails with teens. And before anyone could try and question Mr. Foley personally, he is whisked away to a rehabilitation center for alcoholism where is cannot be contacted. What's more is that his time in isolation will be a minimum of 30 days which will keep this on topic until the election next month. Talk about taking one for the team!

You really have to hand it to Karl Rove. He sure knows how to divert the public's attention from what really matters. I just hope its not too late to take back our country.

October 3, 2006

Something is in the air. Seems my siblings and me have been feeling quite nostalgic this year. We all have unique as well as shared memories that keep the generations, that came before us, alive.

I have a few trinkets that were on our parent's shelves but nothing really noteworthy. My accumulation of "stuff" I am still collecting to this day. In fact, just a couple weeks ago, I came across an album that reminds me of my mother. Though it is my dad who brought the most music to our lives, mom had some music of her own. "Dominique" from the Singing Nun was one of those songs we all remember (Dominique - nique- nique s'en...). The rest of the album is one I enjoyed listening with my mom.

I'm also recalling one of the "family events" we did regularly in the 60s, which involved music. On the shelves with albums and books were some musical instruments we would make noise with while tunes came forth from the stereo. We kids would fight over who got the bongos. After that it would be the guiro, maracas, palitos, and occasionally the triangle. We weren't the Partridge Family, but sure had fun and seemed to entertain our parents at the same time.

What makes this "hobby" fun is the rule I put on the adventure. I could have purchased much of this music on cd (and admit that I have purchased some), the search for 12 inch vinyl is the real find. Besides, I have plans for the covers as well.

September 30, 2006