Reflections

“ La follia è una condizione umana. In noi la follia esiste ed è presente come lo è la ragione. Il problema è che la società, per dirsi civile, dovrebbe accettare tanto la ragione quanto la follia, invece incarica una scienza, la psichiatria, di tradurre la follia in malattia allo scopo di eliminarla. Il manicomio ha qui la sua ragion d'essere “ Franco Basaglia. La legge 180, Accertament

Dear Friends, you must be knowing that Mothers Day is on Sunday. I’ll be going home this Mothers Day to be with my mom. I’m dying to see her. After the recent developments in my relationship with Rio, this will be the first time I’m going home. My mom is very supportive. I can discuss anything and everything with her. Sharing my troubled thoughts with her will definitely allay the conflicts in my mind to a great extent.Reflecting on the past, I remember I had a crush in high-school and like all those mushy heroines of romance novels, it was the basketball captain! However, I was not the heroine who bagged the guy in the end. My mom told me a lot of things which helped me get over him. Her comments were on the lines of how good I a person I was and how I’ll be kissing many frogs bef

This year, 2008, is specially notable because it is the sixtieth anniversary of the adoption and Proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the General Assembly of the United Nations Organization on December 10th., 1948. [ ... ] Even before the formation of the United Nations Organization, and the promulgation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in December 1948, the Institute of International Law, in its session held in New York on October 12th., 1929, adopted an International Declaration of the Rights of Man which is of particular interest today. The Declaration reads as follows:“The Institute of International Law, considering that the juridic conscience of the civilized world demands the recognition of the individual’s rights exempted from all inf

The sudden jolt that I got from Rio has left me a little shattered. I was finding it hard to focus on my work. The same state continued in guitar class. Phillip noticed that I was distracted. He has the uncanny ability of reading a person’s mind. He stopped mid-way and put away his guitar. He was looking directly at me. I got flustered; I was sure it was my fault.He didn’t scold me. He just told me, “Go home. Take a rest. Think. People are of two types: some fit into square pegs, some into round pegs. Most people complain that they do not want what they get and do not get what they want. The key is to make the most of what you have in life, rather than pine for what you have not got.”Phillip’s words stayed with me. I’m really blessed to have a teacher like him. Really, what’s

By John F. Di Virgilio Having entered my fourth decade of Wing Chun practice, I decided to write the following short reflective paper to help people interested in learning Wing Chun Kung-Fu. For those that already have years of martial arts experience, you will see some parallel experiences in your learning. But whether experienced in martial arts or not, some people will learn the entire

I've been thinking a lot about the Reeves case, because something about it just hasn't been sitting right with me. I think I've finally put my finger on it. When a female employee or women in general are not the target of the offensive conduct, finding that the harassment is "based on" sex because women are more likely to be offended by the conduct then men confuses the intent of the alleged harasser with whether the plaintiff welcomed the conduct. To establish a prima facie case of sexual harassment, an employee must prove, among other factors, that the sexual harassment was unwelcome and that the harassment was based on sex. By injecting a gender's perceived sensitivities into the equation, the court makes the intent of the conduct irrelevant. In doing so, the Reeves court has essentia

I thought I would share a few more reflections about the film and discussion last night at Milligan College. I need to be careful not to speak out of school as this was a discussion for the students and faculty of the campus. They were gracious to allow visitors to attend. I was impressed by the way the conversation was moderated and by the number of students who attended. Including the film and discussion, we were there from seven to about ten-thirty.I am incredibly grateful to Andy Olivo and the other students who organized this as well as the faculty who participated on the panel, and the administration for allowing this discussion to be held. Andy did a super job showing the purpose of the gathering, leading us in prayer, and telling us what the gathering would not do--lead u

The different domains of the globe can be separated by categories: earth, air, and water. Earth Day celebrates all three domains collectively in an attempt to encourage each of us to nurture and respect our own relationship with the environment. But in Colorado there seems to be a more pressing concern, our water, or better said, the lack of it.Yesterday afternoon I watched a small dark grey plume of smoke over a ridge in Castle Rock. I later learned that two residential homes were burned but at the time I felt the sickening dread of "fire season". My family was intimately involved in the Hayman Fire in 2000. Dread, fueled by slippery winds and erratic fire paths, toyed with our emotions and our property for days. Would we be spared? Sadly we watched acres of gorgeous Colorado mountain te

Out of the Ordinary: Prayers, Poems, and Reflections for Every Season (Paperback)By Joyce Rupp Buy new: $17.95$12.2139 used and new from $4.47 Customer Rating: First tagged “gardening” by William E.Beeson Customer tags: [...]

A friend sent me this link, to my great joy - not only because I love photography, but more importantly, because I love my Saviour, Jesus Christ. I just had to share it. For those of you who feel similar to what I feel for Jesus, your love will deepen when watching these images, I promise. [...]

Fr. Tom Rosica, CSB, CEO of Salt and Light Television offers his reflection on the first week of Easter. Fr. Tom talks about what Easter means, and how we are called to live out the promise and mystery of Easter every day of our life. He meditates on the meaning of the resurrection, and how [...]

As we’ve recently cellebrated Easter in remembrance of our Lord’s death and ressurection, I just wanted us to reflect on a couple verses from the book of Isaiah. Isaiah 1:18 says: “Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are [...]

It’s Easter Sunday today and I’ve been spending a lot of time reflecting on a lot of things. For the past few years, holy week is more like a festive occasion and vacation time for the family, but this year we’ve decided to do it differently and just spend these few days at home, attending [...]

Her prayer was simple."Dear God,Thank you for my friends who have come to visit me today. I pray that you would help me stay strong. I know I make mistakes but you are there to help me through them. God, I ask that my daughters would follow my ways. Thank you for being in my life. I am blessed every day. Amen."This prayer could have come from any one of us and yet this one was humbly voiced by Josephine - a recovering, resurrected, and redeemed drug addict. I had the joy of visiting with her on Monday for the first time in eight months.I first met Josephine last year in Montgomery, Alabama when our church ministered in her housing project. We had been praying about reaching the mothers of the children that came for our Back Yard Bible Club and came up with offering first dibs on new, donat

I have been pointing people to MarkDRoberts.com for his series on the words Christ spoke from the Cross.Be sure as well to visit Mahwah Literary Review for a set of meditations on the Stations of the Cross in sonnet...

Reflections from Fr. Tom Rosica, CSB during the fourth week of Lent 2008. This the fifth in a series of reflections from Salt and Light Television. Additional reflections and resources can be found at  

Both my Significant Other and I grew up with fathers who were alcoholics, and we've witnessed the worst of this disease in our respective childhoods and know full well how devastating this disease can be to children and families.Thus, neither of us are heavy social drinkers. My partner has an Irish last name, and I too carry some Irish blood. And here it was coming around again: St. Patrick's Day--the day for all Irish people everywhere to celebrate! Whatcha gonna do?So out dining with friends, he had two beers. Usually one is his max if we're celebrating something! And I had two glasses of wine! The following day we both went ugh and knew we didn't want to drink two of anything alchololic again anytime soon! We're obviously not your normal hard-partying Irish people. Our bodies feel bette

Reflections from Fr. Tom Rosica, CSB during the third week of Lent 2008. This the fourth in a series of reflections from Salt and Light Television. Additional reflections and resources can be found at

Yea! I’m home! We didn’t have a typical weekend… I was away at a women’s retreat and DH took the three kids camping on the coast. We’re all wiped out!!! Although we were separated , we each had a wonderful and special time at our destinations. When I arrived at the “ranch”, I was told it [...]

Reflections from Fr. Tom Rosica, CSB during the second week of Lent 2008. This the third in a series of reflections from Salt and Light Television. Additional reflections and resources can be found at

We use various ways to express ourselves. We either use words or we use other symbols. We make use of signals, we make use of gestures and we also make use of fashion to tell the world what we want to say. When we put on our clothes for the day, it is like we are declaring to the world our attitude for the day. This is the reason why it is so interesting to observe the back-to-school fashion

The older I get, the more I understand why my mum would throw plates. Now, I know that's not acceptable behavior, and I know she's bipolar, and I know throwing things is never the answer. Maybe this is a sign that I'm sliding toward insanity, or maybe I'm just being honest--don't we all want to throw things sometimes?--but I understand. That stack of Fiestaware plates, to her, wasn't just a stack of plates: it was proof that she wasn't just a housewife who lived in a tiny cinderblock house with a leaky roof and five children, but a person with taste and appreciation of beauty. Those plates were proof that she was more than the sum of her parts, that there was a life beyond the obvious, that someday she would have a house and lifestyle to go with her dreams. So when one broke, the frustrati

I turned 43 today. Amazing.It's been a good year. It's also been a challenging year.A few days ago I was reading in Deuteronomy in my quiet time.For the Lord your God has blessed you in all that you have done; He has known your wanderings through this great wilderness. These forty years the Lord God has been with you; you have not lacked a thing." (Deut 2:7)As I reflected on my birthday this week, I was so grateful for the Lord's continued provision for me and my family. He has blessed us. He has been with us--especially in our transition from serving as pastor of Lake Hills to being a missionary with OC International. In the midst of financial challenges, in a wonderful sense, we have not lacked.--even when it feels like we are wandering in the wilderness right now.The next day I read...O

Sen. Hillary Clinton is blatantly playing the gender card, at almost every campaign appearance she mentions what a great victory it will be for women if she wins the Democratic nomination and the general election. Hillary Clinton Barack ObamaCopyright © 2008 PoliticalArticles.NET. This Feed can only be displayed in a Feed Aggregator or website subject to [...]

I am sitting here this morning with a tall cup of coffee. It is a very special occasion so whipped cream was added. There is much to be proud of so my "Celebration Coffee" was in order. More on that in a minute.I woke up this morning with a pain that I hadn't felt in years. However it is all-too-familiar. It's the same pain that I woke up with the morning after The Atlanta Braves lost the World Series in 1991, 1992, 1996, & 1999. However as familiar as it is the pain is somewhat different this morning. Sure those times I was just a fan sitting on the sidelines but this morning the pain is more personal. For good reason. Over the past seven months I was not a spectator but I was one of the men running around on the field of play. I got my shirt muddy and my face bloody and I g

This post is brought to you by Olya Veresyuk, an FSA/FLEX alumna 07 who together with Anton Podilchak did a great job in organizing a wonderful seminar for Ternopil Alumni and students on Sexual Health and Leadership. Unfortunately, me and Olena Dolya were only present at the beginning of the seminar, so we can’t really tell [...]

Simple matter isnt it !Intuitions and reflectionsWhen light falls on matter it is reflected, deflected, suffers refraction, transmits partially or completely, gets absorbed OR adsorbed.With scientifically invented instruements and based on parameters set within framework of science of physics, one can actually measure the extent of reflection, deflection etc etc. Before the invention of respective technical instruments one could sense each of the above referred phenomenon even though measurement of same was not possible.Human mind with its inherent powers of understanding had an idea about measuring each phenomenon even before advent of methods of measurement of each in a scientific manner.What is measurable sufficiently accurately to an extent determined by available understanding of each

At church today, the fourth Sunday in Lent, I placed Asher on my lap with a baggie of Cheerios and raisins, hoping to catch a few minutes of the service. He's been going through some separation anxiety lately. He's interested in being in the nursery, but not without mommy. As a result, I've caught only snatches of any church service for months now.In the three minutes he stayed on my lap and in the room he grabbed my liturgy handout excitedly, pointing to the picture of a cross on the front cover. Then, with his characteristic squawk of excitement pointed to the cross in the front of the church. Back to the cross on the handout; back to the cross at the altar. "That's the cross, Asher" I whispered into his ears, "the cross."He doesn't know what it is, of course. He's still far away from e

“I have often thought the best way to define a man’s character would be to seek out the particular mental or moral attitude in which, when it comes upon him, he felt himself most deeply and intensely active and alive. At such moments there is a voice inside which speaks and says: ”This is the [...]

Reflections on Flight 19 x 26 Watercolor on Strathmore Bristol(Process shots start at the bottom) This will be exhibited - along with 30 other paintings - at Descanso Gardens in the Boddy Carriage House Gallery from March 7 to April 3rd. If you're in the neighborhood (La Canada, CA), stop by and say hello.Consulting on next steps with studio-helper Lucy. I took a break for a few days at this point to ponder details; what to render or leave out in the shadows and sky reflections. I was aiming for the boundary between abstraction and representation in the splash of shapes across the tiles.Laying in the first glazes of detail on the objects on the window sill, and their shadows and reflections.Slathering pigments across the paper with a wide brush: warmer colors on top and cooler colors on th

Time is the most indefinable yet paradoxical of things; the past is gone, the future is not come, and the present becomes the past even while we attempt to define it, and, like the flash of lightning, at once exists and expires. ~Charles Caleb Colton Over and over and over again. Midnight. I find myself [...]

It's going well so far but then again it's only day three. The urge to constantly step onto the scale has taken me by surprise so I've turned the digital demon over to my husband who will present it to me on my weigh in day and not before. I'd read that you shouldn't weight yourself for the first full month of your weight loss endeavor in order to allow yourself a chance to get into a solid routine. After the first month you then begin to weight yourself once a week. I might do this but haven't made a definite decision just yet.I love my treadmill and I'm happy that my husband can no longer use it as a place to toss his sweatshirt. He's still trying to break the habit but my grumbling might just speed his efforts. Last night I was really annoyed when he strolled into the bedroom after work

"Capsicums Reflections"click for larger viewStill Life SeriesPainting with Light and Natural FormCertified Original Oil Paintings copyright 2008 MkM___________________________History of the CapsicumsBell pepper is a cultivar group of the species Capsicum annuum. Cultivars of the plant produce fruits in different colors, including red, yellow, green and orange. Bell peppers contain a recessive gene that prevents capsaicin from being produced, so they lack the spiciness that many other varieties of peppers have[citation needed]. Bell peppers are sometimes grouped with less pungent pepper varieties as "sweet peppers".The term "bell pepper" is one of the many names for some fruits of the Capsicum annuum species of plants. The misleading name "pepper" (pimiento in Spanish) was given by Christo

THE articles introduced in yesterday’s reflection, on February 14, were written in the last two or three days. More than two weeks ago, on January 27, 2008, the digital publication Tom Dispatch reproduced an article translated for Rebelión by Germán Leyens: "Why the Debt Crisis is Now the Greatest Threat to the American Republic," by Chalmers Johnson. This American author has not been awarded the Nobel Prize, as has Joseph Stiglitz, the famous and well-known economist and writer, or even Milton Friedman himself, who inspired neoliberalism and led many countries down that disastrous path, including the United States. Friedman was the most intensive advocate of economic liberalism opposed to any government regulations. His ideas nurtured Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan. An active m

When in the previous reflection I asked McCain what he thought of the Five antiterrorist Cuban Heroes, I did so because I remembered what he had published on page 206 of his book Faith of My Fathers, co-written with his assistant Mark Salter: “It’s an awful thing, solitary. It crushes your spirit and weakens your resistance more effectively than any other form of mistreatment. Having no one else to rely on, to share confidences with, to seek counsel from, you begin to doubt your judgment and your courage. But you eventually adjust to solitary, as you can to almost any hardship, by devising various methods to keep your mind off your troubles and greedily grasping any opportunity for human contact.” “When in 1970 my period of solitary confinement was finally ended, I was overwhe

I haven’t felt the way I feel today in so long it’s hard for me to specify I’m beginning to notice how much this feels like a waking limb… pins and needles … ~Incubus We exist in antirealism; a bubbled dystopian of hope and regret; of right and wrong; of truth and consequence; of continual self repair. On [...]

YESTERDAY, I said that while Bush was speaking to Congress, McCain was being honored at the Versailles Restaurant of Little Havana. It was there that most of the fiercest enemies of the Cuban Revolution and their families took up residence, Batista’s followers, the big landowners, owners of apartment buildings and millionaires who tyrannized and plundered our people. The United States government has used them at will, to organize invaders and terrorists who have shed our people’s blood through almost 50 years. Later, illegal emigrants joined that stream, along with the Cuban Adjustment Act and the brutal blockade imposed on the people of Cuba. It is incredible that, in this day and age, the Republican candidate, honored as a hero, is turned into an instrument of that Mafia. Nobody ha

“Se me han dado todos los bienes desde el momento en que ya no los he buscado” (S. Juan de la Cruz) “Siempre es el momento adecuado para hacer lo que está bien” (Martin Luther King Jr.) “Todo lo que no se da, se pierde” (Desconocido) “Siempre hay flores alrededor para los que quieren verlas” (Henri Matisse) “Lo que [...]

ONE of the most hostile U.S. newspapers when it comes to Cuba, headquartered in Florida, offers the following report: “Taking advantage of the negotiations to free the Bay of Pigs’ prisoners, the CIA tried to use a key person in the talks, American lawyer James B. Donovan, to deliver a lethal gift to Fidel Castro: a wetsuit contaminated with a fungus that lacerates the skin and an underwater breathing device infected with tuberculosis...the gear in fact was given to the Cuban leader in November 1962. “The revelation is one of many anecdotes in After the Bay of Pigs, a book on the negotiations held between the Committee of Relatives for the Liberation of Prisoners and Havana from April to December 1962. “The 238-page book, published late last year, was written by Cuban exile Pa

(Part One) THESE reflections are self-explanatory. On the now well-known Super Tuesday, a day of the week when many U.S. states selected the candidate of their choice from among a pool of aspirants to the presidency of the United States, one of the possible candidates to substitute George W. Bush was John McCain. Because of his pre-designed image as a hero and his alliance with strong contenders like the former mayor of New York, Rudy Giuliani, other hopefuls had already gladly given their support. The heavy propaganda of weighty social, economic and political factors in his country and his style of conduct had made him the candidate with the best possibilities. Only the Republican extreme right, represented by Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee, dissatisfied with certain insignificant conces

“Thus, with child to speak, and helpless in my throes, biting my truant pen, beating myself for spite: Fool! said my muse to me, look in thy heart, and write.” ~Sir Philip Sidney   Maybe I should care but I don’t. Imperceptible shadows etched into a concrete wall, hidden like graffiti mistakes. All these memories [...]

“‘But I don’t want to go among mad people,’ Alice remarked. ‘Oh, you can’t help that,’ said the Cat. ‘We’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad.’ ‘How do you know I’m mad?’ said Alice. ‘You must be,” said the Cat. ‘or you wouldn’t have come here.’” ~ Lewis Carroll   Cold turquoise blue; an ache of crimson on the skyline. [...]

I was a little bit "under" a average person as a kid coming from a lower middleclass family.As a teenager I was a average person, although in the top of the class for three years (although that was not hard in the class I was in :))Now I know I have experienced a lot more than a average person in my age and before I die I want to be this wise old grandmother that shares love, peace and wisdom with the loved ones around her.I guess that is the meaning of my life, growing as a person and becoming happier and wiser. But it is not the goal, it is the road that is important, otherwise my life would have no meaning

I watched the Super Tuesday returns come in last night with the same feeling I've had for weeks -- internal conflict resulting from my likely choice of candidate in the upcoming Democratic primary. Since that blog entry, every other member of my family that has voted in the Democratic primary in their respective states has voted for Hillary Clinton.* And I totally understand why. (I'd probably only find it really puzzling if one of them suddenly voted for Mike Huckabee, Ron Paul, or this guy.)Today, via email, I had a conversation about the candidates with a friend, someone who seems to reach similar decisions to me but approaches pretty much everything in a very different way. She asked me if it was an easy decision. On the one hand, it's sort-of funny because I'm not 100% decided -- a

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints partake of the sacrament every week during normal worship services. Other churches often call this the “Lord’s Supper,” or “Communion.” During the administration of the sacrament we reflect on the on the life and mission of Jesus Christ. I found myself pondering today on the significance of eating and drinking the sacred emblems. Catholics believe in what is called “transubstantiation” in which the bread and wine they drink literally transform into the flesh and blood of Christ. While we do not believe the bread and water (in our case) literally transform into the flesh and blood of Christ, we treat seriously the ordinance as a means of renewing our covenants with the Father and retaining a remission of our sins. I

well, it is getting late on the west coast and the new year is about 5 hours away. i have to admit that things have been pretty crazy this year - i have been riding an emotional roller coaster, while dealing with some pretty crazy things in my life - but all is good and God is leading, i pray. as i look over the past year i can point to some pretty hectic stuff, and i can point to some pretty

The Season is underway, but for the most part the crying is over. The office party gives an excellent opportunity for you to think about your future and to consider your options. Did you get a bonus? Was it really that lame?!And what about those people you spend all that time with all year long? No, not your family or friends.... I'm talking about the person sitting in the next cubicle from you at work; the idiots in the sales force, the socially backward engineers, the lazy bastard who does nothing and the executive who holds the key to your financial future. A rare look at the Season through the Eyes of the Office Party...Songs for the Office PartyA Witty Mix - Share it With a FriendHowlin' Maggie - Easy to Be StupidThe Damn Personals - 10,000 Ways to BurnBelle & Sebastian - Step Into My Office, BabyAnother Cynthia - Lay OffThe Archie Bronson Outfit - Dead FunnyThe Rakes - Work, Work, Work, (Pub, Club, Sleep)The Clash - Should I Stay Or Should I GoThe Kinks - Father ChristmasTh

It seems like every year at this time my person to person spirit grows stronger. I generally have a little more spring in our step and a smile on my face. I also find myself continously reflecting on the past year(s) and doing what I call ‘wisdom development’ meaning that I make conscious some of my lifes lessons and human operating paradigms. (Had to throw in some business lingo) Below are some widom thoughts that ring true with me as written by Andy Rooney. I’ve learned…. That the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person. I’ve learned…. That when you’re in love, it shows. I’ve learned…. That just one person saying to me, ‘You’ve made my day!’ makes my day. I’ve learned…. That having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world. I’ve learned…. That being kind is more important than being right. I’ve learned….

By: Deon Melchior We use various ways to express ourselves. We either use words or we use other symbols. We make use of signals, we make use of gestures and we also make use of fashion to tell the world what we want to say. When we put on our clothes for the day, it is like we are declaring to the world our attitude for the day. This is the reason why it is so interesting to observe the back-to-school fashion preferences of people. The back to school fashion preference of a person shows who he will be for the whole term in a nutshell.There are those people who wear practically the same thing they did in the last term. The bad thing about this is that this could be an indication of little to no personal growth in the past term. This could be an indication that the person did not mature in the past year. What could make this worse is if that person had been wearing the same fashion for more than 5 years. That could be an indicator of a serious problem.The positive interpretation of this

Children Are Reflections - What Do You See? - If your child is misbehaving more than you think he/she should be for their age perhaps the answer lies with you. It is good for a child to see his/her parent express negative emotion, as long as the parent role models expressing and releasing the negative emotion without emotional trauma to the child. More: continued here Other Review: Chicco Cortina Stroller - Iceberg (Baby Product)

Roadside bombs, also known as Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) are a powerful notorious weapon used by guerrilla fighters and terrorists against both organized armies and civilians. The war in Iraq, however, made roadside bombs more "popular" than they have ever been. Even though a huge effort is constantly being made to improve protection, according to Wikipedia, since 2003 and until today

Again the sky did not work in my favor or Bob's favor from Blackholes & Astrostuff. It was overcast to observe the Geminid Meteor Shower on December 13-14, 2007. It was clear next day on the 14th, but I guess I looked up the sky too late. However, I had more time to try something new in my blog post then, enjoy this Full Moon animation (not so full, as it is actually hard to catch the exact Full Moon) taken November 23, 2007 at 7:46 pm over Aurora, Ontario, Canada. Thanks to Kriz Cpec from Kriz Cpec Photo blog, and Roger from Idaho Daily Photo blog for great how to tip - it worked as you can see. Enjoy!

I find Augustines rundown of these sources of sins fascinating, as he does not simply recite dangers and examples. He does not condemn them like a vengeful preacher. Instead, he highlights how people who commit these sins are looking for something, and have a certain rational behind what they do. But they will not find what they are looking for apart from God. God is the source of all good and so, in essence, is the reversal and cure of these sins. A solid rock that makes these sins irrelevant. Book 2, Chapter 6, 13 Human sloth pretends to long for rest, but what sure rest is there save in the Lord? Luxury would fain be called plenty and abundance; but thou art the fullness and unfailing abundance of unfading joy. Prodigality presents a show of liberality; but thou art the most lavish giver of all good things. Covetousness desires to possess much; but thou art already the possessor of all things. Envy contends that its aim is for excellence; but what is so excellent as thou? Anger s

Just to the west of my old high school can be found the start and finish line for the cross country course. The three mile course was a notoriously grueling one, as it dropped nearly 300 feet down towards the river and then snaked its way back up the valley through a series of very [...]

- It’s alright when the phone does not ring for two weeks. - It’s alright to plan a weekend trip to Charleston, and to tell the family you want to go alone. - It’s alright to get up early at the hotel, drive to Meeting St. before sunrise, load yourself down with a ton of gear, and [...]

Now it is exactly two weeks after the Fitelberg conducting competition finished in Poland. I have been thinking a lot about all the things I saw and heard and learned there, and concluded that again it really was an experience worth living. I feel that after doing these two competitions (Matacic and Fitelberg) this autumn I am much better conductor... Read Some reflections after the Fitelberg competition

November 28, 2007 I’ve just discovered the website of psychotherapist, writer and poet Robert Augustus Masters. His system seems partially based on the work of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. I don’t agree with everything he says, of course, but I am stunned by the quality of his writing — what eloquence! It just reminds me of what a long way I have to go before learning to write with such elegance, beauty, and simplicity. Here is a sampling of his poetry:When Truth cameDid you crucify it in a field of facts?When you condemned the executionerDid you see in your hands the bloody axe?Such a deep art it isTo learn our lessons by heartWhile we roam in dreamlandHungry for HomeSince I often have a lot of neuroses related to guilt, I really enjoyed Robert’s essay, The Anatomy of Guilt. Here are some wise words from this essay:Put another way, guilt means that we get to again do whatever it is that seemingly generates our guilt — we permit ourselves to do it over and over again, even a

Ever since I began traveling solo at age 19, I’ve been told the same thing over and over: traveling alone as a woman is dangerous. Many people speak as if I’m inviting violence upon myself, as if it would be my fault if something happened, as if we live in a world that is populated only by creeps and muggers. I always explain that danger is a fact of everyday life wherever we live, and that an autonomous woman is safer than one who depends on others for protection, because she is self-assured. Traveling has given me a take-charge attitude that makes anyone with bad intentions less likely to mess with me. Furthermore, it has enriched me, taught me how to support myself in difficult situations and cope with things on my own. Traveling solo I suppose, is one of the ultimate challenges for a woman, and that is part of the reason why I enjoy it so much. A Dose Of Inspiration Growing up, some of my greatest role models were fictional traveling men. I became a traveler i

Well, after 10 weeks of working at Plenitas, my time in Buenos Aires is coming to an end.  It has been many things, nearly all of them positive, and the majority very positive.  It's been good folks, but here's a round up of the bits that stand out:   Best thing: The people. full stop. Argentinians are warm, friendly and welcoming.  The culture is very open: people kiss on the cheek when they meet, and there is a lot more general contact between people.  Strangers are happy to see you and want to talk to you.  When I first arrived I was struck by, and even disappointed by the lack of ethnic variety in the people.  However, in some way, Buenos Aires is better off for this.  Though London is enriched by being a fully cosmopolitan city, it also suffers from the 'not another darn foreigner' attitude.  Here, people woth different coloured skin stand out, and the locals want to know where you are from, what you are doing in Buenos aires, and w

This weekend, I decided to drive to the location of the new ball park in Washington and take a stroll around to see how the ballpark development was coming along with my own eyes. I know that the Nats320 blog has done a lot of reports with the new ballpark, and in addition has been able to secure interviews with people responsible for the ballpark development and planning.That particular blog has done wonderful work in chronicling the ball park, as well as JD Land that has been following the development since day one.Since my trips into Washington seem to few and far between these days, I wanted to see how things were coming along with my own eyes. I have been impressed with the work done so far, along with how they have been able to build up the ballpark in an efficient manner. The structure looks magnificent so far; however, I am reminded walking past the new stadium that it reminds me more of the Verizon Center or a government building, rather than what I associated with today's st

Throughout the off-season, I'm going to take a look at what I have said during the course of season and some predictions I made before play started in 2007.Today, it's the AL East's Turn as I did the AL West several weeks ago...Boston Red Sox (96-66), World Champions: This is what I said: After a season of spending a few bucks to strengthen the team, New England and Red Sox Nation will be waiting for the 2007 season with great anxiety and anticipation. It’s a forgone conclusion with the additions and the mainstays that the team will be competitive and Fenway will be rocking for Ortiz’s exploits and dancing when “Sweet Caroline” blazes.Will this season get them into the playoffs and more importantly, dethrone the hated New York Yankees from supremacy in the American League East? Will the disappointment of 2006 end up in 2007 to be another 2004?Only time will tell. My Take Now: As we all know, the Red Sox took it at all in 2007 and it was no surprise; however, I did not have t

The following article is by Scott Ditullio.  Scott has written a couple of articles for us before and I have asked him to become a contributing author here at mustech.net!  I welcome him into our fold and into our global conversation about music, education and technology, and look forward to many great insights and posts from Scott in the future.   The first portion of this article was originally written in June of 2007.           ****************************************** Where has the time gone?  As I look back over the past twelve years, I have to stop and ask, where have all the hours gone.  The summer of 2007 marked the first true summer vacation for me.  Sounds crazy, I know, but very true!  As a high school band director, my former school was committed to participating in a summer parade (like many of you are doing), that meant teaching thr

  Three days ago I clicked enter to save my entry and something went wrong. Somehow every word was deleted and lost forever. I wrote it off as an exercise in patience and tolerance since there have been times in the past when such an occurrence would have resulted in great anguish and frustration for me. I'll be more careful with today's' effort. It's hard to believe it will be a new year in less than two months. 2007 thus far has been a period that has been an endurance test for me personally. A female aquaintance recently described her impression of me as being miserable. Being quite fond of this person caused me to feel a bit troubled by such a perception for I know that is not who I am as a person. My suggestion to her was to reserve judgment a while longer. My personality traits consist of unusually high degrees of thinking, feeling, and intuition. This translates to a tendency to often react intensely to acute threats of change or actual change in circumstance

Things don’t change when I talk to God; things change when God talks to me. - Bob Sorge I don’t set aside listening time for God often enough. I’ve grown lazy in waking up early enough to spend a few morning moments quietly with God, in His Word, or in silent prayer, waiting on Him. I need to go to bed earlier. I need to force myself to get up. I need to remember how much I yearned for that time before & remind myself why I cherished that time so that I’ll yearn for it again. I’ve been so fortunate that God has still been answering my prayers lately in ways I do not deserve in the least, still making the way known to me, making His will known despite my lack of spending alone time with Him away from the distractions of life! Thank You for Your graciousness, Lord, thank You for loving me so much that You continue to work in my life despite my own neglect of setting aside time & energy solely for You. How You bless me even though I fail You & n

Mt. Rainier reflecting off Hugo Lake near Packwood, Washington. You can read about this trip at Washington Cascades Overland Tour 2007. Copyright © 2007 Steve G. Bisig / Pacific Northwest Backroad Adventures (digitalfingerprint: 0d8459512b4aa419ada4319003a9917e)

The inconspicuous bronze people lurking around various parts of Albuquerque… This week we are back over on Masthead and Jefferson. This older woman is sitting quietly outside. She is enjoying another beautiful sunny day in Albuquerque. She is part of a small group. I will post the other part in the future. Come back next week to see where the next one is spotted! If you have seen any of these people in Albuquerque, leave me a comment to let me know where. I will go grab a photo for a future post. Bronze People: The Series click to see more photos.    For Albuquerque real estate information contact: Ashley Drake Gephart, Associate Broker, REALTOR® 9201 Montgomery Blvd., NE Suite 101 Albuquerque, NM 87111 Cell: 505.261.0389 * Office: 505.271.8200 * Fax: 505.271.8217 Albuquerque Real Estate Albuquerque Home Value - Complimentary CMA Search Albuquerque Homes - MLS Search No registration required Email Ashley Bookmark this article to:

Last night, the Boston Red Sox took a 2-0 lead in the 2007 World Series as they beat the Colorado Rockies in a tight pitching matchup, 2-1. Instead of a slug-fest, fans were treated to a pitcher’s duel, supplanted by both Boston’s and Colorado’s strong bullpens.Curt Schilling, who is making a strong case as being one of the top post-season pitchers of all time, allowed one run in 5 1/3 innings last night and impressive outings by Hideki Okajima (who went 2 1/3 amazing innings with 4 K’s) along with stud closer Jonathan Papelbon, sealed the Rockies’ fate.Ubaldo Jimenez held his own against the veteran Schilling, as he went a little more than 4 innings and gave up two runs, before being yanked by Clint Hurdle. If there was a bright side to the loss, the Colorado bullpen was excellent, but the offense could not produce anything at all.It’s critical the Rockies win at home in the next few days, or their series is done. From the looks of it, Boston looks strong and the magic tha

Playing a little catch up with last weekend's Mt. SAC Invitational, here are the reflections of Kenny Durell of Davis and Sarah Sumpter of Healdsburg. Durell is the lead runner for one of the San Joaquin's section best team following their 3rd. place finish last year at the Division 1 state final. His time of 15:31 at Mt. SAC is 2nd best time on the all time Davis list which dates back to 1985. After completing last year's season as the Davis 4th man, Durell has taken on the leadership role of the Davis team, both in running and as a mentor to his younger teammates.Kenny Durell: I have been on the Davis High cross country team for four years and this is my fourth time going to Mt. SAC. Each year has brought vastly different results, both personally and team-wise, but I have enjoyed each and every road trip down to the fabled course. The entire team (71 out of a possible 100 strong) showed up at 5:45 AM on Friday morning (though some very committed runners chose to come on Thursd

"Spring in Dentdale" Dentdale, Cumbria 12"x16".Oil on board. Alistair Butt © 2007.What first attracted me to this view was the sparking highlights on the water, the River Dee in Dentdale, Cumbria as it flowed over and around the rocks, followed by the contrast between the still water with the reflections and the moving water towards the foreground. The trees and bank added a nice backdrop to the river. The first task was to find a spot that had as much water as possible, i.e. less rocks as the whole river bed was covered by them. When located it was about 6 feet into the river.This was not the quickest of pictures to paint and many of the smaller stones/pebbles were not painted. The under painting was completed first and was really done to establish the sky and background hills for the over painting (of the trees) to come later, though the mid and dark tones of the water/tree leaf/bank etc were painted at this stage plus indicating the positions of larger stones and main tree branches

I watched some of the World Series last night, and I learned two things.One, Josh Beckett is well on his way to becoming one of the best post-season pitchers of all time. Two, for what it is worth, the layoff may have affected the Rockies; however, the Red Sox were just so much better, it doesn’t matter.Unless, you are just waking up, or didn’t know, the Boston Red Sox demolished the Colorado Rockies, the feel good story of October, 13-1. For now, it looks like the magic that Colorado had that enabled them to win 21 of their last 22 games fluttered away as Jeff Francis got lit up for six runs, and then the Rockies’ bullpen just imploded.Boston scored seven in the fifth and that more than anything led them to victory. It looked like the Sox were getting all the key hits and every play going their way; in hindsight seemed to be the exact opposite Colorado was experiencing.Folks, in the last four games, Boston has whooped up on any opponent their way, looking more like the Patriots

1. Never raise your hands to your kids, It leaves your groin unprotected. 2. I'm not into working out. My philosophy is no pain, no pain. 3. I'm in shape. Round is a shape. 4. I'm desperately trying to figure out why Kamikaze pilots wore helmets. 5. Do you think illiterate people get the full affect of alphabet soup? 6. I've always wanted to be somebody, but I should have been more specific.

Today we hear from four more runners about their Mt. SAC experience: James Attarian of Dublin (winner of Boys Sweeps, Race #32 in 14:59), Laurynne Chetelat of Davis (3rd place in the Girls' Supersweep race #61 in 17:15), Jacque Taylor of Casa Grande (4th place, also in the Girls' Supersweep race #61, one second behind Chetelat at 17:16) and Garrett Rowe of Mountain View (winner of the Boys' Varsity Division II race #80 in 15:24). 1) Was this your first experience at Mt. SAC? If not, how many years have you attended the meet?James Attarian: This was my third time at Mt SAC. Sophomore year was my first year.Laurynne Chetelat: No, this was my second time racing at Mt.SAC.Jacque Taylor: No, this is my third time at Mt. Sac. The first time was in 2005 when I was in eighth grade.Garrett Rowe: This was the first time I have ever attended the Mt. SAC Invitational. 2) Transportation to the meet, drive or fly?James Attarian: We drove down to the meet. It was about a six hour drive

Here is feedback from three runners about their experience on the Mt. SAC course as well as their trip to the southern part of the state. More reflections to come during the week.Nicole Hood (above left) is the lead runner for the top ranked Northern California girls' team as well as nationally ranked, Carondelet HS. Garrett Seawell (above center, trailing) leads the second ranked Woodcreek cross country team. For more about Garrett, check out his interview at this link. Charlie Sauter (above right) is the top runner for College Prep HS, last year's 2nd place finishers in the Division V race at state. (Pictures courtesy of dyestatcal.com)1) Was this your first experience at Mt. SAC? If not, how many years have you attended the meet?Nicole Hood: Yes this was my first time running at Mt. SAC Garrett Seawell: Yeah, this was our first time to Mt. SAC.Charlie Sauter: OK, so every year, our varsity teams goes down, so I've run 3 times.2) Transportation to the meet, drive or fly?Nic

Could it be curtains for the Red Sox tonight, as they face the Indians in game five of the American League Championship Series? Well, Boston ace Josh Beckett faces the large, and in charge, C.C. Sabathia tonight at Jacobs Field in Cleveland.Now, I predicted the Red Sox to takes the series; however, my prediction is not coming to fruition. The Sox have been battling with lack of clutch hitting, poor starting pitching (aside from Beckett) and a bullpen that was gone through the ringer.According to some reports now, Josh Beckett is battling back issues, but should be able to make the start. Meanwhile, C.C. Sabathia has been ineffective, as he now has an ERA over 10 in the playoffs.What will happen? We shall see? I think Boston may win tonight, but it is uncertain if they can take the series.If Boston makes it to a game six or even seven, will they be able to rely on Curt Schilling and Daisuke Matsuzaka? Can Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youlikis, and the bottom of the order deliver? On the other

Well, the Boston Red Sox are in trouble as they are now down 3-1 to the Cleveland Indians. Indians’ right hander, Paul Byrd, once again came through in the clutch; pitching five strong innings where only allowed two runs and struck out four. Once again, Cleveland had a huge inning, this time in the fifth, as Casey Blake started the fun with a home run. They would soon knock Tim Wakefield out of the game and that coffin was nailed shut for the Red Sox by Jhonny Peralta’s three-run homer. Peralta’s homer was the second for him in the series. Despite an amazing display of back-to-back-to-back home runs by Boston’s Kevin Youkilis, David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez, they were done in Game 4. The Red Sox season may come to an end tonight as Josh Beckett needs to have another amazing game, and the Tribe counters with C.C. Sabathia, who has struggled in the playoffs.*** Meanhwile, what can you say about the Rockies? Incredible. Right now, they are the biggest st

A little more than a month or so ago, the Colorado Rockies were not even an afterthought in terms of postseason play. Well, after a hot streak, they found themselves in a pennant chase and needed a 163rd game to get into the post-season.Now, they are in the World Series.Colorado shocked Arizona and the world with their 6-4 win last night, thanks their offense outburst in the sixth inning topped off by a three-run homer by series MVP, Matt Holliday. The Diamondbacks countered with a three-run homer by Chris Snyder in the 8th inning; however, the Rockies’ Manny Corpas kept the game in check and earned the save.The Rockies now obviously don’t know how to lose, and have won their 21st game in 22 chances. Seemingly everything has gone right for the Rockies, and now tenured veteran, Todd Helton is seeing his first World Series after being in the league for 12 years.With their amazing momentum, they are primed to perhaps win their first World Series in franchise history.More Video:***Mean