Watered Down

Oh, how I love running water. Real live, running water moving swiftly through the channels of the water system and up though the pipes into my apartment and out of my faucets. It really is amazing what you take for granted until you don't have such free and easy access to it, isn't it?

We have running water available at a whim (usually), yet we don't realize how blessed we are for that when we turn on our taps. But how many parts of our everyday existence are dependent on those little molecules of hydrogen and oxygen? We can't make coffee, wash our hands, flush the toilet, run our laundry...We are stunted, stalled by dry pipes and useless taps. 

Try washing your hair or making oatmeal without water. You won't get very far. And water is only one example of the things that flow so freely and easily without our notice. We are a country of easy access and fast results, and we demand without ever giving thought to the fact that we don't actually deserve these things more than anyone else does. What entitles us to better medical care than someone in a developing country? What gives us the right to have electricity in our homes when some people can't even get access to candles? We waste without notice and use without gratitude. 

If we gave some of our riches to the people of these third-world countries, they would hardly know what to do, so happy would they be. They are poor in things, but rich in gratitude for the little "conveniences" of our daily lives. We are rich in things, but poor in gratitude.

Turn on your water and take a minute to marvel at the miracle, and say thank you for the gift that is running down your drain.

Remember

It's Memorial Day. So who––or what––are you remembering? 
Are they happy memories or sad memories? 
Are they ones you want to share or hope to keep buried?
In the spirit of what this day is truly about, who are you remembering who has sacrificed part––or even all––of their life to preserve your freedom and the freedom of this country?
I've known many men and women who have served in those roles––people I admire for their sheer bravery and dedication to our country, people I can't thank enough for what they've been through.
My own family has quite a few family members who have served some role in some branch of the military, some for only a few years, some for more than a few decades. Whatever their length of duty, however, it all counts. It all adds up to one thing: freedom and innumerable reasons to say thank you.
We make choices and dream dreams that are all made possible by the actions of these people, no matter how small or inconsequential they may initially seem. We can sleep just a little bit easier knowing we have the protection and dedication of our military. 
So say thank you, and say some prayers for those special men and women. 
Remember them when you see the flag or someone in uniform, yes...but also remember them when you're deciding what books to read or channel to watch. After all, without them you might not have so many choices. 

Doodlie Doo

Billed as an activity book for kids, Doodle Your Day (Gibbs Smith, $16.99) by Anita Wood is really a great way to chronicle the happy (or maybe aggravating) days of our lives for a year––whether you're eight or ninety-eight. Each day sheet in the book has fun little prompts that channel your creativity in ways you might not think about on your own. By the completion of your book (and the end of that year), you'll have a keepsake unlike any other. “Doodle Queen,”  is back with , Paperback, 224 pages, March 2013, ISBN 978-1-4236-2368-7), a fun activity book offering doodle and journaling prompts for young artists every day of the year. For more info, visit Amazon.com

All Bottled Up

Got a new baby? Check out the newest feeding products from innovative company Joovy...The Boob Baby Bottle, which is the best baby bottle on the market, with a state-of-the-art nipple; vent system; bottle; and an insulator that use today’s best design and materials. Feeding your baby––especially in transition periods back and forth between bottle and breast––is a difficult and sometimes frustrating process, but the Boob make it a little easier. The Boob nipple design reduces “nipple confusion,” so busy moms can easily switch between bottle and breast. The nipples are made to European standards, baked to maintain consistent softness and to help prevent nipple collapse. The CleanFlow Vent is simple, easy to clean, and you don’t need to touch the sanitized silicone sleeve when assembling the bottle. The quad vent allows for consistent venting regardless of how the bottle is held, which reduces colic and inner ear infections by eliminating the vacuum created in a sealed feeding system. The Boob Bottle is available in two bottle materials––high quality PP (polypropylene) and ultra premium PPSU (polyphenylsulfone).  PPSU is the superior material for baby bottles and does not absorb odor or color and is extremely durable. The PPSU Boob has a distinct gray color that makes breast milk and/or formula look bright white and appealing. Both are dishwasher safe. For  complete feeding system, try the Boob Insulator, which keeps liquids at a desired temperature longer (cold, warm, frozen). It fits the Boob exclusively and is clear for easy liquid viewing. The Boob Breast Pump Adapter allows breast-feeding mothers to pump directly into the Boob Bottle, and it works with most major breast pumps on the market. All Boob Baby Bottles are BPA free, phthalate free, and PVC free. Available at buybuy Baby stores and www.joovy.com.  

Half gone, half here...

I'm looking at the calendar feeling more than slightly amazed at the date. It's already the 25th of May, and the year 2013 is nearly half over. I have to admit, it makes me feel more than slightly behind. I haven't accomplished many of the things I'd hoped to accomplish by now––some if it, of course, by no fault of my own. And then there's the list of things I wanted to have done by now that are still undone because I dragged my feet or allowed myself to be overwhelmed––and therefore scared off––by them.

So what to do now? Well, I still have half the year left. The glass may be half empty, but the glass is still also half full. Which means maybe I should try to look at these next six months as another opportunity to seize, to make good on the lists I've made for myself. 

Better late than never, right?

After all, six months is still a long time for things to happen, for magic and miracles and wonders that change life in an instant. Hopefully i won't be so focused on looking at the passing days on the calendar that I forget to actually make the most of them...even if the most for that day means simply making a phone call.
 

Are You My Mother?

Sometimes I look at my mother and wonder how much I really know her. 
What was she like when she was my age? What did she think about, worry about, dream of doing?
What was her favorite song?
What colors inspired her?
What was her favorite book?
I was six years old when my mother turned thirty.
It's a bizarre thought, really.
I remember looking at her and thinking how beautiful she was, how happy I was that she was my mother.
I remember hoping I would grow up to be just like her.
But what did she think of who she was?
Was she happy?
I'd like to think she was. I'd like to think she felt fulfilled and confident and loved.
I'd like to think that she knew how magical she was to me, how much she inspired me.
She did then, and she still does now.
Maybe it's time she knew.

Word Count

What is it about working for yourself (sort of) that leaves you feeling inept? Or is it just me? Sometimes, I think it's a little less stressful when you can have a supervisor of some sort above you, telling you you're meeting (or maybe even surpassing) company expectations. Or even that you need to step up your game, because you're not really pulling your weight. Something, some evaluation of some kind, is nice to have on occasion. 

Or am I alone in thinking this? 

When you don't clock in everyday, don't have some entity directly above you all the time, it can be easy to lose track of yourself, how you're actually doing. In my case, I tend to wonder if I'm a complete failure. I'm not putting out best-sellers, I'm not raking in high-dollar assignments from major magazine corporations.

I'm just little old me, slogging through the muck to try and live my dream. And it's scary sometimes. 

Not to mention frustrating.

But still, this is what I love. This is what I dream of spending my life doing.

It would just be nice, sometimes, to know that what I'm doing counts.

That the words matter to someone.

That I'm not failing.

And maybe that I should never back down.

Sometimes it's easy to forget that it's worth the fight. 

But at the end of the day, the pen (or computer) is mightier than the sword.