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| January 21, 2007 |
Hello everyone....I"ve been packing, I'm getting on a plane tomorrow for Arizona for a couple of days. A private thingy with the band.
Anyway, I wanted to say that I spent 3 days in the studio this week, and it was just amazing. We were working on a new album of Coal Mining songs. I've thought about doing this for years, and after Sago last year I got serious about it. Marty Stuart helped me with it, and we got most of it done this week. It was an amazing experience, and I learned a lot.
I"ll write more about it later, but I wanted to post our "class picture" from the sessions. From the left, it's Stuart Duncan, Me, Byron House, Bill (Cooley), and Marty.......God, I love my job.
More blogging soon,
K
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| January 8, 2007 |
I'm sitting in Park City, Utah, after a lovely dinner with some old friends. Tomorrow I have 2 Global Warming presentations, and two on Wednesday. Two of these are for local High School kids, and one is part of a community gathering to talk about how Global Warming is impacting ski areas all over the West. Then Wednesday night I'm going to Orem, to speak at the Public Library where Sue Phelps works. So, it's a full week. We got out on the slopes today, and it was great to get out there a enjoy the sunshine and the snow and the breathtaking views.
I wanted to blog a bit about a new little link on the Home Page. You can just look at it, you don't have to download it, but this is a wonderful booklet written by Roberta Fernandez, one of my fellow Climate Project trainees. It has a LOT of suggestions about specific actions you can take to personally help stop Global Warming, and alot of wonderful websites as well. The end part of the booklet, with all the websites, is just a goldmine of information. Be sure to check it out.
She generously gave me permission to put it up on the website, because she wants to spread the word about ACTION to as many people as she can. She put a lot of work into it, and she's a very special person.
So, I was excited to finally get that link up, and I wanted to let people know it's there.
Okay, more to come soon!
K
(*note from webmaster -- you can also download the booklet by clicking here) |
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| December 6, 2006 |
Well, I did my first Global Warming presentation last Saturday, in Battle Creek, Michigan, after playing in Kalamazoo the night before. What a wonderful weekend. The show went great (including a miraculous recovery after a seemingly-uncontrollable coughing fit onstage in the middle of the show), the place was packed with people all dressed in Christmas-y clothes, and the sets were absolutely beautiful. We played with the local Concert Band there (what a treasure to have in your community), and really had a great time.
The next day I showed up at Lakeview High School, all ready for the presentation, to find that the fabulous theater we had reserved was being painted by an enthusiastic volunteer. Painting the floor. Black. With oil-based paint!
So, time to drop back and punt. We moved to the fabulous cafeteria, which had an excellent projector and screen. Plugged everything in, and yay, it worked. Except. 15 minutes later the sun had risen to the precise angle where, streaming in the wall of windows, it landed directly on the screen, so the picture was basically nonexistent. Great. Punt again.
Across the cafeteria were two flat-screen TVs. Beautiful pictures. Not very big. We had no idea how many people would show up, but that was our only option to have any kind of visuals at all. Turned out 250 people came, and huddled around our 2 TV screens, and were very interested and attentive. Families, high school students, older people. Just an amazing cross-section of folks.
You can read what the Battle Creek Enquirer said about it all, at
http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061203/NEWS01/612030320/1002
.....including some online dissenters. Ah, the stirring of the soup!
Thought you guys might be interested. I've gotten word that some folks are curious about where I'll be doing Global Warming presentations, and we're trying to get a system together on the website right now to have those posted on my schedule, as well as setting up a way for you guys to contact us about getting a presentation in your community......should be up and running on that stuff soon.....
K |
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| December 5, 2006 |
Okay, so I have to give you guys a little snapshot of Life around Our House. It's cold as heck outside, so I'm running on the treadmill these days. We have a room in the basement that's multi-purpse: we have a treadmill and exercise bike (Jon's fave), a Total Gym, a weight bench and some freeweights; it's also wired for sound, so we can move everything to the side and use it for overdubs in the studio. You get the idea--the "extra room".
Okay, so I'm in there running yesterday, and I'm flipping the channels on the TV (yeah, we have a small TV in there) and I come to the Classic Arts channel, and they're doing my favorite Handel Christmas piece (other than the Hallelujah Chorus), "For Unto Us a Child is Born". It has great Alto parts, and I haven't sung it in years, so I'm slogging away on the treadmill and singing along, when my husband flings open the door and just looks at me, with one of those dry, Minnesota half-smiles on his face.
You guys who grew up singing know Handel---LOTS of 16th notes......only the basic rhythm of the piece was definitely NOT the rhythm I was running in. Which, you know, made it hard to stay in time........let alone hitting all those fast runs ("...FOR unto us a child is bo-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-horn"). It was atrocious. I would've been un-hired for my Christmas gigs had anyone heard me.......(or seen me, for that matter).
So, the lesson is: Don't try to sing Handel on the treadmill......
: )
K |
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| October 23, 2006 |
Well, I have been terribly remiss in my blogging, so I'm going to try to make good on that. Part of it is that there's so much happening these days, and I'm going in so many directions---really FUN directions---that it's hard to keep up with myself in my head, let alone get it all "down" on virtual paper!
I have been doing some speaking, and some teaching, and it's taking me to lots of new places and experiences. I've managed to scare myself a few times, but I think that's a good thing. It's good to get out of my comfort zone, to learn new stuff, to take risks, to lay it on the line.
Two big experiences along those lines lately: just yesterday I did what is technically a speaking engagement (although there was music woven through all of it) at a wonderful Women's Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was an incredible experience--1700 women gathered together to share ideas and encouragement. The morning speaker was an amazing woman, the President of Liberia. She is the first woman to be elected to presidential office on the African continent. Anyway, the whole thing was just an incredible experience, and I met many really cool women, doing some great work in the world.
You can check it out at:
http://www.ncwomensconference.com
The other experience I wanted to share briefly with you guys has to do with finding myself in a training session a few weeks back, for 3 days, with Al Gore. I saw him give his now-famous Global Warming slideshow last January, and went to see the movie when it came out, and as it turns out, he's training 1000 people to go out and give the speech. We were the first training class, and it was an unforgettable experience. Scientists, activists, Moms, artists and community leaders from all over the country were there. 2000 people applied for this first session, and 50 of us were selected. There will be more, if any of you are interested. You can find out more about this grassroots movement to steward our world, and apply to be a trainee, if any of you are interested, at:
http://theclimateproject.org
We're gearing up for Christmas rehearsals and a slew of dates between now and the end of the year, I'm working on ideas for a couple of different recording projects, in different stages, more blogging on that later, and life is full and rich!
K |
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| March12 , 2006 |
My friend's cat.
My phone rang early this morning. I was trying to do the person on the other end a favor, along with my husband, and not try to have any kind of conversation until I'd finished at least 1 cup of coffee. But it rang 3 times. So I checked, and it was all the same person.
I called her back, and she was at the vet. Her cat had been sick, and when she got there, she found it was much worse than she suspected and they were recommending putting her down.
Now, I find it interesting that I have had exactly that same experience, with our old cat, Spike. I thought "she's lethargic, I'll take her in. I'd better brace myself, they might have to keep her overnight." And it turned out her kidneys were failing and she had lung cancer and could barely breathe. I had 15 minutes notice for saying my goodbyes. Jon was out of town at the time, so I called a friend, and she came straight to the vet, and held the space with me and Spike while we walked through this hard hard thing.
So, I got to pay it forward this morning. And when I said "I've been there", I really had. As much as one person can know another's experience, I could have a reference point for what she was feeling. I've sat with animals several times while they've left this life---and twice with people, too. It's a sacred moment. It's one of those places where we come face to face with the Big Mystery, a reminder that there's so much more going on than we pay attention to most of the time. And I believe that looking death in the eye, and saying goodbye with an open heart, no matter how much it hurts, opens us up more fully to the Human Experience, in all its glory and messiness and joy and tragedy.
So, I held the space today with my friend and her kitty, Mittens, while they said goodbye. And I cried, for Mittens, for my friend, for Spike and my Mom and my Dad and Jon's Mom. I dipped my toe back into that lake of grief, just for a bit. And I feel sad, and happy, and cleansed. |
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| March 2 , 2006 |
Well, it's a beautiful day here in Nashville, and I haven't blogged in a while, so I thought I might try to catch up a bit.
Random thoughts: Okay, on the Grammys---the guy from Linkin Park---his voice was AMAZING. I love it when I tune in and find that some out-of-my-demographic group can still grab me. A couple of years ago it was the Blackeyed Peas doing "Where is the Love'....I was so blown away by the song I had to go download the lyrics. Wonderful.
I"ve been reading lots of books, and going for long walks in the woods out at the cabin, with Jon and the dogs. The weather is starting to break here occasionally, with warm days interspersed among the cold ones. Lucky Dog and I went for our first outdoor spring run the other day--it was 73 degrees, I had on shorts and it was glorious.
I have started a writing project. I am aiming toward a book, but I have no idea what it's about yet. I just know that suddenly many people in my world were saying I should write it, and I feel the tug, so I'm having the audacity to think I might have something to say. The miracle today is that I'm willing to write badly in order to learn to write. I'm learning that this is the key to learning to do it at all. I've had several folks give me the bad news that you don't go away and get it together and then spring forth fully formed. You have to just slog through it and learn as you go. Bummer.
Actually, that's the good news. I'm looking forward to all of it.
I picked up a Madeleine L'Engele book in January, called "A Circle of Quiet." When I was reading "Walking on Water" (about the spirituality of creativity---I highly recommend it) a while back, she cited this book several times. Turns out it's the first of 4 journals, through the heart of the mid-part of her life. Very rich. I"m on the second in the series now, "The Summer of the Great Grandmother." Sometimes her honesty can be hard to sit with. And, that's what I love about her. This particular book chronicles her mother's last summer, when dementia was taking her mind. It strikes very close to home, with my Mom's death from Alzheimer's being so recent. But it's comforting to find someone who can help you articulate the subtler parts of the journey, from the excruciating small moments to the unexpected moments of connection, out of the blue. It's tough to go there sometimes, but I am determined to walk through this season of grief, and in that process keep myself open to joy as well.
So, Spring is springing, and so are we. I'm doing laundry and starting to gather my energy for this 3-week run coming up, and getting excited about going back on the road. So, I"m off to fold the next load coming out of the dryer. Will try to blog a little more often, now that I"m coming up for air after 2 months of down time!
K |
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| January 15 , 2006 |
We just got home from a friend's house, where we watched the Larry King Live show about the Sago, WV miners' memorial that we sang on tonight. We taped the performance this morning, in a studio here in Nashville, and sent it to CNN via a satellite uplink. All the musicians who came expressed their gratitude for being able to do something to express their support and shared humanity with these families. A few are from Kentucky, and have family who have worked in the mines. All of them gave up a Sunday morning with their families and showed up for free, to join in. Every single one of them is really special, musically and personally.
I wanted to tell you who they are: Marcus Hummon played piano and sang. He wrote "The Slender Threads That Bind Us Here" with me. Bill Cooley played guitar. He also played on the record (we recorded it on my Roses album). Byron House played upright bass, he also played on the original recording. Randy Leago came and played whistle.
The singers are some of my favorite voices in Nashville, and some of my favorite people as well. My dear friend Suzy Bogguss came and sang soprano, and so did Terry Wilson, who I've sung with for many years. Odessa Settles sang alto, her sister Shirley sang second soprano, and Todd Suttles sang that beautiful warm bass. The 3 of them are part of an amazing extended family of gospel singers I've been blessed to get to sing with in recent years. Our old friend Paul Martin sang tenor with Marcus.....
Mick Conley came to engineer, his Dad was a miner in East Kentucky, and Jay Lipschutz helped with sound also. Dan Spomer gave us a bunch of helpful gear, and was chief cheerleader for the crew this morning. Don London and Marc Dottore also came and helped take care of unexpected glitches. And my husband Jon ran home and got my clothes when I forgot them in my closet!
Anyway, I just wanted to make sure everyone, especially everyone back home in West Virginia, knew how honored we were to be part of the memorial service, even from so far away. We said a prayer before we started, that we might contribute in some small way to the healing of these families.
I think music is a healing thing. And I wanted to pass on the healing wishes from all of us, to all of you back home.
K |
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| January 4 , 2006 |
I am sitting here, on a beautiful fall-like day, after a run with Lucky Dog in our neighborhood. I flipped on NPR, and caught the report on the miners who died this week in West Virginia. I have sent up prayers several times a day since the story broke. I cannot fathom the kind of roller coaster these families have been on, and the terrible task of walking through the grief of the aftermath.
Both my grandfathers worked in West Virginia coal mines. My Dad said that grandpa, for the entire winter months, only saw the light of day on Sundays. He'd go down in the mines before the sun came up, and come out after it went down. I remember Mom telling about watching for her dad after work. She and her sisters would sit on the porch and watch a string of lights in the distance, getting closer and closer as the men walked home in the evening, using the carbide lanterns on their helmets to see after dark.
My heart is heavy. The interviews in the background have such a familiar music to them, that accent from back home I know so well. Please send up a prayer for these families, if you will. I mean it. Stop right now and say something out loud. Send some healing across the miles. I believe it makes a difference.
K |
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| November 17 , 2005 |
Hey,
The other day, someone turned me on to this commencement speech that Steve Jobs gave to the graduating class at Stanford this year. It blew me away. You can get to in on the Links page, under the new category "Stuff I Like".....
K |
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Okay, so here's the deal. When you have Laryngitis, you have Laryngitis. Duh. So you surrender to WHAT IS. You're sick. It sucks, but that's what you've got to work with. Great. But then the hard stuff happens: the sky doesn't open up, and a voice comes out and says "Okay, so you'll be back in full voice by Wednesday at 8pm." You just have to kind of wing it, try to get a bead on how fast you're recovering, and make a judgment call.
So, I prayed, I searched my heart, and I tried to listen to my gut. And after cancelling 3 shows, I decided to get on the bus and head for New York. And when I got there, I found that I had most of my voice, but parts of it were weak. So some songs just were not gonna come out right. And I started to freak. And then I remembered: many many of my favorite musical and artistic moments have not been about perfection. Actually, there are many instances where the pursuit of perfection, in my opinion, leeches the soul out of a piece of art. Sometimes we forget what the point is in the pursuit of "getting it good." Our ego gets in there. And I've had some lessons of my own that live on today, about perfection and imperfection, on record.
.....but I digress.....
I gathered myself together, went back to the hotel, showered up, hit my knees, and started warming up (well, I got up OFF my knees before I started warming up....it's infinitely easier to breathe that way). And things got better. And I decided that I had to let my audience know exactly what was going on, and then free-fall off the cliff into WHAT IS. So, I walked out onstage, no band, just my guitar, and let the audience know that we'd find out together what my voice was going to be able to give that night. And then we sang "18 Wheels" together.
And the night unfolded, and it was wonderful. Yes, there were some Joe Cocker moments. And some "Mr. Haney" moments. But I didn't hold back, and I was willing to give 100% of what I was capable of, and THAT was the triumph, for me. We just experienced the evening together, the audience, the band, the crew, and me, moment by moment. And I realized, once again, that when I'm not sure exactly what is going to happen next, I get to be surprised as well. I am slammed into the moment. And the moment is where the Divine finds a doorway to enter my world. And they enjoyed watching me dig for what I could find, they enjoyed the adventure of it, because I was able to get to a place where I enjoyed the adventure of it.
And we went on to play 2 more shows, in Johnstown, PA, and Long Branch, NJ. And every night got better and better.
I am still having to take stuff to keep from coughing all night, but even that is starting to subside.
I was out at our cabin this afternoon, and was actually able to yell at the neighbor dog who chases the car (No, Choco, NO!!......Choco....NO!!!). It felt great.
So, we have a couple days of rehearsals this week, back out this weekend, then in for Thanksgiving and right back out for the Christmas Tour. It's great to finally feel like I'm on the upside of this thing. I haven't been sick like this for a loooong time.
Thanks for all the good wishes......
K
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| October 10 , 2005 |
Well, it's Monday, and the Titans finally Won another game, and I slept like I'd been hit over the head with a sledgehammer this weekend, and the AIDS Walk was a success, and meanwhile it's turned fall, so I'm dusting off the treadmill (I'm such a wuss).
Saturday was the AIDS Walk, and I had some short-sleeved little number lined up to wear, and then Thursday it turned Autumn here in Nashville. It was like, 55 degrees and windy, and still Nashville Cares reached its financial goal. Even though there were several other events going on around town on Saturday. That was the best part of all.
Well, as many of you may know, I was a bit miffed about spending the morning with Miss Tennessee, and having NO CROWN to wear. I was in Boston and found a saucy little tiara that I almost bought, but decided against it. Lo and behold, the Wednesday before the AIDS Walk, a package arrives in the mail, with the PERFECT tiara, from Karen Sprinkle. Plastic, with big pink jewels and little combs on the ends to hold it on your head. It was perfect. Karen said it cost more to mail the darn thing than it did to buy it. You get the idea.
So, I show up in my tiara, and had so much fun with it I thought I might just make it my new "look" for the fall tour. But when it came time to honor the team who came up with the most money for the walk, I was overcome with gratitude, and found myself ripping the darn thing off my head and "crowning" the winner. Before I knew what was happening. I just couldn't help myself. And, you know, he looked so good in it.
I'm enclosing pictures, thanks to Renee. It was a blast, and lots of old friends showed up and sang along with Bill and me in the crazy chilly wind. It was a good day.
K
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| September 28 , 2005 |
Well, Bill and I are here in Boston for a week, doing an Artist Residency at Berklee College of Music. So far, it's been very busy, and very inspiring. I am learning so much!
We're working with young songwriters, guitarists and singers, just jumping in and swimming around with them. It's so much fun. These kids are just fearless....very serious about what they're doing. They have that kind of bravery where they are able to just lay it on the line in order to get feedback about what they're doing. There's so much potential here you can just feel it in the air, like electricity. The songs they brought in showed such maturity, such thoughtfulness; songs about the war, about the hurricanes, about love and loss but so much depth. It was very moving, and humbling. And inspiring.
So, I'm here, playing music, going for runs around Boston Commons and the Charles River, and hanging out with young people soaking up inspiraion.....what a great way to start the fall, and what a way to fill our well with good stuff to take out on the fall tour.
Kathy
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| September 8 , 2005 |
Well, we're about to head out on vacation for a week or so. After so much activity this summer, no make that spring/summer, no, make that ALL YEAR, I am looking forward to just STOPPING. But you know, it takes a while for your brain to catch up with your body. I am sending along a little picture of myself with the current Miss Tennessee......in case you can't tell which is which, I'm the one WITHOUT the crown. I'm not sure I think that's fair. We are co-hosting the Nashville AIDS Walk on October 8th....it should be a great time, and hopefully we'll be able to help Nashville Cares keep going for another year. I haven't been in town for the Walk in a few years, so I'm really looking forward to it. I think Bill and I are going to do a couple of songs. Also, I just wanted to say that I discovered/remembered something this week. After a few days of bewilderment and random tears about Hurricane Katrina, I opened my checkbook and sent some money, and then volunteered a couple of days at a warehouse that's processing donations. I know some places are turning folks away if they're not yet trained volunteers, but trust me, if you want to help, there are definitely places you can find that need you. And it doesn't even have to be direct, in my opinion. Give some time to someone who needs it, in the name of all those folks who need the help of others at this moment. Offer it up. I guarantee it will make you feel less helpless, less despairing, and more filled up during this devastating sadness. I haven't burst into tears once since I did those things. In my experience, it makes a difference to do what I can, when I can. And if we all do something, even something small, THAT will make a huge difference in the Big Picture. Just a few random thoughts. ......and I'm looking for a tiara for the Aids Walk........ K |
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| August 26, 2005 |
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Okay, so we were out in Colorado last week, making up shows.....and the last one was in Steamboat Springs. Jay took these pictures, but they don't really do justice to the experience of being there.
Clouds were rolling in, and we thought it might rain (it did, for a short time), but then the most amazing thing happened. As the sun crept out from under the cloud bank, and was descending in its arc to the horizon, it hit that little bit of sky there between the edge of the storm and the top of the mountains. And the shadow of the mountains it was setting behind became silhouetted against the mountains on the other side of the valley (which, as it turned out, was the Continental Divide). It was breathtaking. Then the sky turned completely red. And THEN, the rainbow came out. And THEN it went double. Awesome. After the rainbows were gone, the entire sky just turned crimson, and the light was catching on the clouds in that 3-D way, when you suddenly realize the depths of the formations; that they're not just a two-dimensional painting against the sky.
Everyone was outside, and life just stopped for a time. I was off the bus, standing in the middle of the street. Some people had glasses of wine, some were just coming up. But we were all so hyper-focused on the show at hand that time disappeared for a bit.
It was so beautiful. And I have to say that my favorite part of the experience was that we had to hold the show for 15 minutes, because none of us wanted to leave. And we didn't really talk about it, everyone just instinctively knew that the show could wait, that this moment, this jaw-dropping stunner of a light show, was the absolute priority.
I love knowing that a place exists where the community has that particular sense of priority.
Enjoy the pictures. Jay (Lipschutz, our monitor engineer) took them. The last one is of a cloud formation he saw on the Gondola on the way up the mountain that afternoon. See if you can find the giant whale in the sky.
K
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| August 25, 2005 |
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Well, I feel like there should be some sort of cyber-drum-roll or something. If only Jim could be here with his Bodhran.
Our new Webmaster, Bernie, an elusive, phantom-like presence, has come up with what I think is an awesome design. Perhaps we'll tell you more about him as you come back for more. For now, all we can say is we're not sure where he is at any given moment, he's a mystery wrapped in a burrito smothered in an enigma.....always on the move. The only place he exists consistently is somewhere in cyberspace!
It's nice to be back with new music, a new site, a new web-master; and new photos. Hope you like them. We slaved like dogs to get them together for you. Really. An army of hundreds. Well, maybe tens.
Our plan is to have more fun stuff from the road, etc, As we all drag more and more stuff (i.e. laptops, digital cameras, etc....) around in smaller and smaller packages, we have more stuff to bring to the site. It's just remembering to do it. Please bear with us.....we're still learning. Especially me......it's hard for me to think out-of-the-box sometimes.
Anyway, welcome; come back often, it's a great community. Really nice folks, who will probably all be friends long after I've finished making any kind of music.
Glad you're here.....
Kathy
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| A TIME IN YOUR LIFE |
Someone sent me this in an email recently, and I thought it was a lovely sort of "personal manifesto"....... enjoy.
A TIME COMES IN YOUR LIFE
A time comes in your life when you finally get it ... When in the midst of all your fears and insanity you stop dead in your tracks, and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out - ENOUGH!
Enough fighting and crying or struggling to hold on. And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum, your sobs begin to subside, you shudder once or twice, you blink back your tears, and through a mantle of wet lashes you begin to look at the world through new eyes. This is your awakening.
You realize that it's time to stop hoping and waiting for something to change or for happiness, safety and security to come galloping over the next horizon.
You come to terms with the fact that he is not Prince Charming and she is not Cinderella and that in the real world there aren't always fairy tale endings (or beginnings for that matter), and that any guarantee of "happily ever after" must begin with you; and in the process a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.
You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are ...and that's OK. (They are entitled to their own views and opinions.) And you learn the importance of loving and championing yourself; and in the process a sense of newfound confidence is born of self-approval.
You stop complaining and blaming other people for the things they did to you (or didn't do for you) and you learn that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected. You learn that people don't always say what they mean or mean what they say, and that not everyone will always be there for you; and that it's not always about you.
So, you learn to stand on your own, and to take care of yourself; and in the process a sense of safety and security is born of self-reliance.
You stop judging and pointing fingers ... and you begin to accept people for who they are -- not their family, their spouses or their ancestors; You begin to overlook shortcomings and human frailties; and in the process a sense of peace and contentment is born of forgiveness.
You realize that much of the way you view yourself and the world around you is as a result of all the messages and opinions that have been ingrained into your psyche; and that the expectations you project are often what you created.
You stop manufacturing excuses that it's "others" who miraculously stroll through life's fires unsinged. And embrace that those "others" now include you.
And you begin to sift through all that you've been fed about how you should behave, how you should look, and how much you should weigh; what you should wear and where you should shop, and what you should drive; how and where you should live, and what you should do for a living; who you should sleep with, who you should marry, and what you should expect of a marriage; the importance of having and raising children, or what you owe your parents.
You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view. And you begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really stand for. You learn the difference between wanting and needing and you begin to discard the doctrines and values you've outgrown, or should never have bought into to begin with; and in the process you learn to go with your instincts.
You learn that it is truly in giving that we receive. And that there is power and glory in creating and contributing; and you stop maneuvering through life merely as a "consumer" looking for your next fix.
You learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the outdated ideals of a bygone era, but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build a life.
You learn that you don't know everything, it's not your job to save the world ... and that you can't teach a pig to sing.
You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility, and the importance of setting boundaries, and learning to say NO. You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry, and that martyrs get burned at the stake.
Then you learn about love. Romantic love and familial love. How to love, how much to give in love, when to stop giving, and when to walk away. You learn not to project your needs or your feelings onto a relationship. You learn that you will not be more beautiful, more intelligent, more lovable or important because of the man, or woman on your arm, or the child that bears your name. You learn to look at relationships as they really are, and not as you would have them be.
You stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes. You learn that just as people grow and change, so it is with love ... and you learn that you don't have the right to demand love on your terms ... just to make you happy. And, you learn that alone does not mean lonely. And you look in the mirror and come to terms with the fact that you will never be a size 5 or a perfect 10, never escape your receding hairline --and you stop trying to compete with the image inside your head and agonizing over how you "stack up."
You also stop working so hard at putting your feelings aside, smoothing things over and ignoring your needs. You learn that feelings of entitlement are perfectly OK ... And that it is your right to want things and to ask for the things that you want ... and that sometimes it is necessary to make demands.
You come to the realization that you deserve to be treated with love, kindness, sensitivity and respect; and you won't settle for less. And, you allow only the hands of a lover who cherishes you to glorify you with his/her touch ...and in the process you internalize the meaning of self-respect. And you learn that your body really is your temple, and you begin to care for it and treat it with respect. You begin eating a balanced diet, drinking more water and taking more time to exercise. You learn that fatigue diminishes the spirit and can create doubt and fear. So you take more time to rest. And, just as food fuels the body, laughter fuels our soul. So you take more time to laugh and to play.
You learn, that for the most part, in life you get what you believe you deserve ... and that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophecy.
You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for, and that wishing for something to happen is different from working toward making it happen. More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve success you need direction, discipline and perseverance. You also learn that no one can do it all alone, and that it's OK to risk asking for help.
You learn that the only thing you must truly fear is the great robber baron of all time. FEAR itself. You learn to step right into and through your fears because you know that whatever happens you can handle it, and to give in to fear is to give away the right to live life on your terms. And you learn to fight for quality of life and not to squander it living under a cloud of impending doom.
You learn that life isn't always fair, you don't always get what you think you deserve; and that sometimes bad things happen to unsuspecting, good people. On these occasions you learn not to personalize things.
You learn that God isn't punishing you or failing to answer our prayers. It's just life happening. And you learn to deal with evil in its most primal state -- the ego. You learn that negative feelings such as anger, envy and resentment must be understood and redirected or they will suffocate the life out of you, and poison the universe that surrounds you.
You learn to admit when you are wrong and to building bridges instead of walls. You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many of the simple things we take for granted, things that millions of people upon the earth can only dream about: a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed, a long hot shower. Slowly, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself; and you to make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never, ever, settle for less than your heart's desire.
And you hang a wind chime outside your window so you can listen to the wind. And you make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting, and to stay open to every wonderful possibility. Finally, with courage in your heart and with God by your side, you take a stand; you take a deep breath, and you begin to design the life you want to live as best as you can. Knowing it WILL BE the best.
- Virginia Marie Swift |
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| THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CATS & DOGS |
The difference between cats and dogs...
My mother-in-law sent me this on the internet this week. I have a friend that says "dogs are prose, but cats are poetry." I think this proves her point. - K
EXCERPTS FROM A DOG'S DIARY
Day 180
8:00 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
9:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
9:40 am - OH BOY! A WALK! MY FAVORITE!
10:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
11:30 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
12:00 noon - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
1:00 pm - OH BOY! THE YARD! MY FAVORITE!
4:00 pm - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
5:00 pm - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
5:30 pm - OH BOY! MOM! MY FAVORITE!
Day 181
8:00 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
9:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
9:40 am - OH BOY! A WALK! MY FAVORITE!
10:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
11:30 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
12:00 noon - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
1:00 pm - OH BOY! THE YARD! MY FAVORITE!
4:00 pm - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
5:00 pm - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
5:30 pm - OH BOY! MOM! MY FAVORITE!
Day 182
8:00 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
9:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
9:40 am - OH BOY! A WALK! MY FAVORITE!
10:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
11:30 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
12:00 noon - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
1:00 pm - OH BOY! THE YARD! MY FAVORITE!
1:30 pm - OOOOOOOH. BATH. BUMMER!
4:00 pm - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
5:00 pm - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
5:30 pm - OH BOY! MOM! MY FAVORITE!
EXCERPTS FROM A CAT'S DIARY
DAY 183
My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while I am forced to eat dry cereal. The only thing that keeps me going is the hope of escape, and the mild satisfaction I get from ruining the occasional piece of furniture. Tomorrow I may eat another houseplant.
DAY 184
Today my attempt to kill my captors by weaving around their feet while they were walking almost succeeded, must try this at the top of the stairs. In an attempt to disgust and repulse these vile oppressors, I once again induced myself to vomit on their favorite chair ... must try this on their bed.
DAY 185
Decapitated a mouse and brought them the headless body, in attempt to make them aware of what I am capable of, and to try to strike fear into their hearts. They only cooed and condescended about what a good little cat I was ... Hmmm. Not working according to plan.
DAY 186
I am finally aware of how sadistic they are. For no good reason I was chosen for the water torture. This time however it included a burning foamy chemical called "shampoo." What sick minds could invent such a liquid. My only consolation is the piece of thumb still stuck between my teeth.
DAY 187
There was some sort of gathering of their accomplices. I was placed in solitary throughout the event. However, I could hear the noise and smell the foul odor of the glass tubes they call "beer". More importantly I overheard that my confinement was due to MY power of "allergies." Must learn what this is and how to use it to my advantage.
DAY 188
I am convinced the other captives are flunkies and maybe snitches. The dog is routinely released and seems more than happy to return. He is obviously a half-wit. The bird on the other hand has got to be an informant, and speaks with them regularly. I am certain he reports my every move. Due to his current placement in the metal room, his safety is assured.
But I can wait, it is only a matter of time... |
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| Roast Veggies in Pastry |
A recipe I figured out all on my own, standing in the produce section at the store. I made this and took it to Suzy Bogguss's house for dinner, and we had it with a delicious rack of lamb.........mmmmmm.
Roasted Vegetables in Pastry
Roast in oven:
1 eggplant, halved and sliced
1 yellow pepper in small strips
1 red pepper in small strips
Caramelize on stove, at same time, 1 yellow onion, 2 leeks
Let cool, pull eggplant apart into bite size pieces, and mix.
Add toasted pine nuts,
Fill phyllo dough "log", dot filling with a line of bleu cheese crumbles
Bake......
YUM!
Here are the details:
Take the eggplant, halve it and slice it about 1/2" thick. Sprinkle it with salt and leave in a colander for at least 1 hour. Rinse, drain, and squeeze all the moisture out by pressing between paper towels or dishtowels.
Toss the eggplant with the pepper strips, drizzle with olive oil, and roast on a rimmed baking sheet in the oven at 400 degrees till well-browned and soft, about 10-20 minutes. Be sure and check them every 3-4 minutes, and stir every 5 minutes.
To caramelize the onions and leeks, slice them very thin. Melt butter and olive oil in a skillet over med-high and add the onion mixture. As soon as they begin to start cooking, turn them down to low, and cook another 20 minutes or so, stirring occasionally. You can add a teaspoon of sugar, if you like. They should be really soft and brown.
Phyllo Dough: Buy this in the freezer at the grocery. Open the package,
Unwrap the phyllo and spread on a dishtowel. Cover with a damp dishtowel. This will keep it from drying out. Pull one paper-thin layer at a time off, and spread on work surface (re-cover phyllo stack immediately with damp towel). Brush with melted butter. Repeat 4 times.
Line the vegetable mixture along one side of the phyllo, about 1 inch from the edge. Lay bleu cheese crumbles along the top. Fold ends over and roll into log. Brush with butter. Place in pre-heated, 400-degree oven, and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Let stand for 5 minutes, then slice and serve.... |
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| Diamond Rain |
This happened to me a few weeks back, a little story I wanted to share with you guys.
There is a place I go when I need to think, to pray, to meditate, to feel God's presence. It has woods, hills, trails and water. It's like a church for me. I go there and move, run, walk, whatever. I climb hills. I wear myself out. I talk to God. And God answers me. I first discovered this way of accessing my Higher Power when I injured my voice, many years ago. I would go out into the woods for an hour every day, and commune with God, and ask for direction about the next phase of my life. Through this process, with God's help, I transformed what I had seen as a catastrophic physical breakdown into one of the greatest gifts of my life.
I was at this place a few weeks back. It was a bitter, gray day. I had bundled up against the cold, and was taking off up the hill. I could feel my body heat up under the layers of clothing, and feel the contrast with the cold air on my face. There is a ridge on top of a steep trail that runs about a half mile, and as I approached the summit, I noticed the sun begin to peek out. As I got to the top, I noticed something falling like rain out of the trees. It was something small, falling out of all the trees, and I thought at first they were seeds of some kind. But then I remembered that, in January, the trees have already dropped their seeds. I started looking harder; trying to figure out what this was, falling now louder and louder out of the trees all around me.
And then I realized, in an instant, what was happening. It had rained the night before, and had been very windy. Evidently, on top of the hill the wind was blowing hard, and it froze the rain to the tops of the trees. As I came up to the top of the ridge, and the sun came out, at that moment the tops of the trees warmed up enough to break the ice loose, and what I was seeing were thousands of tiny, tiny ice crystals, like diamonds, falling all around from the trees. It lasted for about 5 minutes, this diamond rain. I passed a couple of people during that time, and we just looked at each other, speechless, all of us in wonder at the beauty of the small miracle we were witnessing at that moment. |
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| Life is like a rowboat |
Something I heard lately:
Life is like a rowboat.
If you row, God will steer.......
God will be happy to let YOU steer,
but, the thing is..........
God doesn't row. |
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| Favorite Quotes |
My childhood friend Dana used to say: "If you carve yourself to suit everybody, you'll soon whittle yourself away."
"I've been absolutely terrified every moment of my life. And I've never let it keep me from doing a single thing I wanted to do."
--Georgia O'Keefe
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