Alex Trebek noted the Ides of March on Jeopardy this past week - my first thought was that we are past mid-month (beware the Ides of March from Julius Caesar). Today, I think I ought to consult the dictionary - the Merriam-Webster Dictionary to be exact, 2004 copyright:
"ides - the 15th day of March, May, July or October, or the 13th day of any other month in the ancient Roman calendar."
I'm a-thinking what ever tidings the ides bring, they have brought the whole month through for March 2011. So much has happened this month, and the ripples and repercussions of what has happened will ring through for years to come.
Haven't done much this week in relation to exercise - I was down sick Wednesday and Thursday, fighting off what has gone around the office for the last month so I could enjoy spending time with my darling daughter shopping for her wedding dress on Friday. She found THE ONE and she looks beautiful in it - and will again in November on the day of her nuptials.
Saturday (yesterday) was my grandson's third birthday - he and his sister are so adorable! He's a little man instead of a toddler - wow where does the time go?
As for writing -have done the Daily Pages, and am sending off two short stories to the CWC Sacramento Branch 2011 Short, Short Story Contest. I find I tend to be more verbose than a mere 750 words, but I have two stories that say what need to be said within that word-count limit. We'll see if they win me any accolades (and a bit of cash!).
April is National Poetry Month, and I am challenging myself to write either a poem or about poetry each day -perhaps I'll put up a poetry blog for the month - and link it here!
Laundry beckons - so I bid you adieu for this week.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Spring Equinox and Super Full Moon
It's Sunday, the first day of Spring (official at 1621 PDT), and last night was the first Super Moon in 18 years. Last week a large earthquake offshore of Japan caused a tsunami felt all across the Pacific Ocean. We are still watching Japan's nuclear power plants with wary eyes. Many still remember the effects of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, as well as the incidents at the power plants of Chernobyl and Three Mile Island, and wait to see how the effects our use of that destructive power for domestic uses will ripple across the globe this time.
Here on the West Coast of the United States, last night was the night of wicked winds and more rain dumping on already saturated ground. Flood control structures such as floodgates and weirs are in operation again for the first time in five years.
The U.S. and several allies instituted a no-fly zone over Libya yesterday, which means we are now covering conflict and combat on three fronts, yet we are still not taking care of the home front - the most important front. We still have no Federal budget for 2011, even though we are nearly 1/2 way through the fiscal year, limping along on Continuing Resolution (CR) after CR after CR. The blame game continues on the Hill - business as usual.
And still, I find I desperately want to have faith in my fellow man, to believe that we can all acknowledge we are human beings first and all else second, and from that common ground come to a common understanding in order to chart a path forward through all this chaos back to being the responsible stewards of this planet that we are supposed to be - no matter which religion you follow.
My puny efforts at exercise and writing seem tiny indeed when put against the workers at the Japanese nuclear power plant who are willing to take the risk to their own lives in order to save the lives and health of the many.
Their actions remind me of the Star Trek movie "The Wrath of Khan" where Spock give his life to save his shipmates. The lines "the needs of the many outweigh...the needs of the few...or the one" reverberate through my head.
On that thought, Namaste.
Here on the West Coast of the United States, last night was the night of wicked winds and more rain dumping on already saturated ground. Flood control structures such as floodgates and weirs are in operation again for the first time in five years.
The U.S. and several allies instituted a no-fly zone over Libya yesterday, which means we are now covering conflict and combat on three fronts, yet we are still not taking care of the home front - the most important front. We still have no Federal budget for 2011, even though we are nearly 1/2 way through the fiscal year, limping along on Continuing Resolution (CR) after CR after CR. The blame game continues on the Hill - business as usual.
And still, I find I desperately want to have faith in my fellow man, to believe that we can all acknowledge we are human beings first and all else second, and from that common ground come to a common understanding in order to chart a path forward through all this chaos back to being the responsible stewards of this planet that we are supposed to be - no matter which religion you follow.
My puny efforts at exercise and writing seem tiny indeed when put against the workers at the Japanese nuclear power plant who are willing to take the risk to their own lives in order to save the lives and health of the many.
Their actions remind me of the Star Trek movie "The Wrath of Khan" where Spock give his life to save his shipmates. The lines "the needs of the many outweigh...the needs of the few...or the one" reverberate through my head.
On that thought, Namaste.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
To the First Day of DST in 2011
From the last weekend in February to the first day of Daylight Savings Time for 2011. Where did the last two weeks go?
Well, last weekend was one of playing (imbibing) too much - something that is getting harder to recover from the older I get! We attended Barrel Tasting Weekend along the Russian River Wine Road in Sonoma County, and I overtasted...oops! Had a great dinner at Bistro 29 in Santa Rosa on Friday night before the overindulgence though!
This weekend was one of attending the Northern California Publishers and Authors (NCPA) meeting, with one fantastic speaker! Rachel Dillon - an author/illustrator based on Folsom - discussed her series of books comprised of poetry and artwork based on endangered species. How they came to be, her style of artwork (which is fascinating!), and process - of art, of writing, of getting from draft to finished product (published!).
During the work week(s), work has been challenging, playing number games, waiting for Congress to do their job and work out a Federal budget for 2011 (which was due to be in place by last October). At least the threat of a governmental shutdown seems to have been averted, but the final fallout has yet to be determined, both in the short term (the rest of this fiscal year) and in the long term (good old ripple effect to be felt for years to come). Working on long-term studies and projects - where we are expected to stay on schedule and within budget (without taking into account too much on the schedule slip/added cost to ramp down and then ramp back up instead of working straight through to completion) - when we don't know what funding we are really getting year to year is not an easy way to do business. And in today's climate, we cannot necessarily rely on what has happened in the past continuing into the future. Living in interesting times seems more of a curse then a blessing right now.
And in the midst of all this, my heart goes out to the people from Japan to the West Coast of the United States who have lost lives and livelihoods due to the recent earthquake and accompanying tsunami.
And back to the personal side...checking on the accomplishment of the weekly goals.
Exercise - did not do much either week. Think I did yoga three times and the trainer and the gym once each last week, and did yoga and a bike ride once each this past week. Mother Nature reminded me I'm female and knocked me off my game...sigh...
Writing - fell off the wagon two or three days during the last two weeks. And this poor blog was neglected last week as well. Perhaps Percopotomus took more out of me this year than I expected! ; ) Actually I think it was more related to work stress and Mother Nature's friendly (?) reminder of my femaleness.
I leave you this week focusing on those who have lost lives and livelihoods due to recent natural disasters throughout the world. We are all human beings first and all else comes second.
Namaste.
Well, last weekend was one of playing (imbibing) too much - something that is getting harder to recover from the older I get! We attended Barrel Tasting Weekend along the Russian River Wine Road in Sonoma County, and I overtasted...oops! Had a great dinner at Bistro 29 in Santa Rosa on Friday night before the overindulgence though!
This weekend was one of attending the Northern California Publishers and Authors (NCPA) meeting, with one fantastic speaker! Rachel Dillon - an author/illustrator based on Folsom - discussed her series of books comprised of poetry and artwork based on endangered species. How they came to be, her style of artwork (which is fascinating!), and process - of art, of writing, of getting from draft to finished product (published!).
During the work week(s), work has been challenging, playing number games, waiting for Congress to do their job and work out a Federal budget for 2011 (which was due to be in place by last October). At least the threat of a governmental shutdown seems to have been averted, but the final fallout has yet to be determined, both in the short term (the rest of this fiscal year) and in the long term (good old ripple effect to be felt for years to come). Working on long-term studies and projects - where we are expected to stay on schedule and within budget (without taking into account too much on the schedule slip/added cost to ramp down and then ramp back up instead of working straight through to completion) - when we don't know what funding we are really getting year to year is not an easy way to do business. And in today's climate, we cannot necessarily rely on what has happened in the past continuing into the future. Living in interesting times seems more of a curse then a blessing right now.
And in the midst of all this, my heart goes out to the people from Japan to the West Coast of the United States who have lost lives and livelihoods due to the recent earthquake and accompanying tsunami.
And back to the personal side...checking on the accomplishment of the weekly goals.
Exercise - did not do much either week. Think I did yoga three times and the trainer and the gym once each last week, and did yoga and a bike ride once each this past week. Mother Nature reminded me I'm female and knocked me off my game...sigh...
Writing - fell off the wagon two or three days during the last two weeks. And this poor blog was neglected last week as well. Perhaps Percopotomus took more out of me this year than I expected! ; ) Actually I think it was more related to work stress and Mother Nature's friendly (?) reminder of my femaleness.
I leave you this week focusing on those who have lost lives and livelihoods due to recent natural disasters throughout the world. We are all human beings first and all else comes second.
Namaste.
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