Here & Now

The Countdown Begins...

100 days until the Beijing games begin!

Good Things, This Weekend

Good Things from this weekend:

• Jenna looking beautiful for Prom
• Fluatas at La Cucharacha
• NWA's recycling program
• First Class to Atlanta
• Sleeping in
• Cinnamon rolls for Sunday breakfast
• Martinis at Marx
• Pizza and friends on Friday

Thursday

"Am I breathing?"  -- A question posed by Eckhart Tolle at the beginning of each Oprah class on "A New Earth."  This is the question I ask myself today as I sit down the write this...a crazy day.

A few things on this Thursday as I wind down:

• This is cool --- the "Six-Word Memoir" book.  The premise of this book?  "Everyone has a story. Can you tell yours in six words?"  The book is also introduced as "Not Quite What I was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs." The inspiration?  A quote from Hemingway.  Pretty cool stuff.  The video of some highlighted quotes is pretty neat and here: http://www.vimeo.com/335019.
  • Some favorites: Waited too long to start living, Secret of Life: Marry an Italian, I Lived I Loved I Pod, 70's photographs colours faded memories strong
  • These are poetry!
• I am now trying to think of my six-word memoirr.  I can think of one for my work life so far (you can tell what's on my brain today) -- "Left my marketing degree behind" .... and I think my "life" memoir must have something to do with a list and life?  Something like: "Best things weren't on a list." We'll see where this goes...
• I am in the process of dress-shopping for the upcoming weddings I am attending.  Why do so many of the dresses on the market today cut in a way that tucks in right below the chest?  The alternative seems to be a big bag of a dress.  Neither of these work!  There has to be one out there that comes in at the waist...isn't there??
• Where in the World is Matt Lauer starts on Monday!!!!  DVR set - Check! 
• Katie Couric leaving CBS rumors are.not.true.
• The first night of the 2008 summer season at the cabin on April 23...a beautiful night

Welcome, Spring.

Finally, a little sunshine pouring through my windows today.  The calla lillies are happy...and so am I. (Also: please notice I have not yet killed them!)

Tribute to Broadway

I have a few answers to the question "If you could do anything, what would you do?" One of them is: be a Broadway star. I love musicals...I simply just don't have the voice or other skills in this life to pursuit it! Nonetheless, even unable to sing my heart out at the top of a stage, I am still able to participate in Broadway shows as an audience member and such an occasion is absolutely a privilege to me.

This weekend, I had a chance to grace the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Minneapolis to enjoy my latest show, "Jersey Boys." I have long wanted to see this Broadway hit, since it became the rage in New York City and won several Tony Awards. This being Minneapolis, though, things come a little after their debuts in New York...so many years later, I got my first taste of this Broadway experience. And what a taste it was. This was an amazing show. Funny, engaging and entertaining, with the great "Four Seasons" sound throughout it. John and I raved about it long after the closing round of applause (and I dancing to some of the hit tunes long after). I can only sum it up with the highest of compliments: one of the best shows I have ever seen on stage.

Of course, in claiming this, my mom said they all were. In reality, I do have a number of favorite musicals. But I am also a harsh critic. So when something makes it to the top of my list, it means something (mostly, that the music kept me humming for days after and that it totally took my mind off everything). I have been lucky that the most recent of shows I've attended have been among the best out there: Lion King (a long-favorite theatrical experience), Wicked (a long-put off show because of my lack of Wizard of Oz knowledge, which I realized minutes into the show was a big mistake!) and now Jersey Boys. Of course, Hairspray remains on the top of the list (the music! the dancing! the fat girl gets the guy!). I cannot wait to see what other shows will remain as memorable as these.

Daily Quote

visit forbetterlife.org

I am a picky reader.

This is a fact.  I judge books by their covers, by their first lines, by their endings and by their association (aka "Is it an Oprah book?").  I come by this judgemental nature over books as a result of many years of reading, and not always reading what I liked.  In other words, I feel like I've earned it.

As a result of my disposition towards books (and despite my love for Barnes and Noble), I am very selective about what I read.  Yes, I admit that I am sure there are great books out there that I am missing out on.  But only so many diamonds in the rough can make up for pure crap.  My bookshelves are very particularly lined: Nora Roberts, Sabrina Ward Harrison, Sandra Brown.  Every once and awhile, I will try something new and find myself a new author to add to my list of "always read."

Nonetheless, something struck me when I was in Barnes and Noble before my vacation in March, and I was searching for something new to read.  Something different.  While I couldn't quite pinpoint what I wanted as wandering down the aisles of books, I still felt every aisle revealed a bunch of non-interesting looking literature.  I had to look closer, as a result, reaching out to book recommendations and reading the New York Times bestsellers list.  And this is where I finally found a book I was brave enough to try.  It was called "Bright Lights, Big Ass."  The first line?  Something about Carrie Bradshaw and the real truth about living in the city.  I decided to give it a shot ... even on vacation (yes, I still did pack several Nora Roberts as backup).

One quick book later, I am a big fan of this author.  Jen Lancaster is her name and she blogs here (this means I get to read her more than just on a once-a-year publishing schedule, too!).  This girl is laugh out loud funny, priding herself on her competitive nature and her need to always be right.  Her latest entry on her blog, about the times that she has been forced to admit that she is not right (Titled "And what I've been right about? EVERYTHING ELSE.").  It made me think about the things I've not always been right away.  The list was so short ... hence the entry on book reading.  Because who knows what diamonds I am leaving undiscovered with my limited book attitude, right? :)

My recent book exploration did not stop with "Bright Lights, Big Ass" - this is the real shocker.  I have also added another book to my shelf.  At a recommendation of a co-worker, I acquired the book "A New Earth."  Life changing perhaps, she said.  Sounded good for vacation.  I did not expect to find myself entirely enthralled with the concepts - so much so that I am bringing this book up to most people I know, asking them to read it because I think it is important and I want to talk about it with people.  This book has the potential to do some good and it is powerful to hold something like that in your hands.

So the bottom line?  I still go into Barnes and Noble with a critical eye.  I won't read some of the most highly acclaimed books.  I will try to read the best of the best.  But once and awhile, I may try something new.  And, by some miracle, I may really enjoy the new read.

In the First Week of April

Sunday: Orchids Found (Calla Lillies found their way to my living room, where I hope not to kill them)

Monday: Snow Storm Arrives