Not much to say

I just wanted to have a blog post dated 29 February. Yeah, I know I'm special.

My poor little girl, part II

Pictures of Reba's ear

What a day!

Check it out here.

The Right Place

We all get those days where we feel stressed, whiny, etc. We feel like we've lost touch with our dreams, that we'll never achieve them. Sometimes, what we need is a shift in perspective to get us thinking about those dreams and our happiness. I've had two today in the span of two and a half hours.

The first: An episode of Babylon 5 (did I mention I now have the complete series on DVD?). It was a science fiction series of course, but its creator/writer J. Michael Straczynski had some pretty profound things to say. Today, in the second season episode "A Distant Star," Captain Sheridan wonders if Earth President Clark made the right choice in naming him the new commander of B5. Delenn, ever the philosopher, remarks, "The Universe puts us in places where we can learn. They are never easy places, but they are right. Wherever we are is the right place at the right time. The pain that sometimes comes is part of the process of constantly being born." We are constantly changing -- as a species, as individuals -- constantly growing, constantly remodeling our goals, our needs, our beliefs. We are constantly being born. While it is difficult to comprehend why the Universe allows war and sickness and poverty and particularly gimpy days and delays in getting that computer and putting students in charge of things they have to rearrange their schedules for, it is comforting to know I am in the right place. The fact that I ultimately get back on that plane and return to New Orleans means I am in the right place. Sure, I don't have that thought in my head every moment of every day, but I do eventually remember it. Other days I rail against it, but I always come back to it and find some peace within it. I am in the right place.

The second: A modified, shorter version of Carnegie Mellon professor Randy Pausch's "last lecture" (video below). The complete original lecture, with closed captioning, can be found here. The part that really resonated with me was when he said brick walls are put in our path for a reason -- to test how badly we want something. In everything that's happened in the last two and a half years, I'd lost sight of what was important to me.

At least, I thought I had.

Hurricane Katrina. Kidney stones. Acidosis. Numb bum. Another kidney stone. All Paul's illnesses. Blood clot. Depression. Paul's death. Dad's prostate cancer.

And yet, I kept coming back to New Orleans. I moved back after the hurricane. I returned after every trip home though 80% of me wanted to stay. I guess I hadn't forgotten what was important to me -- at least on the subconscious level.

I am in the right place, and I badly want this.

I'm not complaining . . .

. . . but I am experiencing a sense of contentment and calm that I haven't felt in the entire year and a half I've been back in NO. I'm still suffering from a bit of motivation lack, but nothing compared to the previous 16-17 months. The really puzzling part is that I have no idea as to its basis -- read = how would I be able to get back to this shiny, happy place if depression were to come creeping back into my neighborhood?

I don't think it is merely the abundance of sunshine and mild weather. Nor do I think it is dependent on happy baby energy.

The contentedness and peacefulness are not unmarred -- I had a meltdown last week when the elevator broke down (AGAIN!) as I was trying to leave the office, and I started crying yesterday evening for no apparent reason (and I'm beginning to suspect that bout wasn't ME, i.e., I think I might have been feeling someone else).

It's quite strange -- but I'm probably over-analyzing. Need to enjoy the ride and see where it takes me.

Comment Moderation Enabled

I had an extremely annoying anonymous comment to one of my recent posts that was LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG and nothing but gibberish (one portion -- God is a computer playing an RPG). I couldn't just delete the comment, so I deleted the post and thus every comment attached to the post (sorry Michelle). I have now enabled comment moderation because though those types of posts are infrequent on this blog . . .

THEY IRRITATE THE SNOT OUT OF ME!!!

So all you people who have no life and no friends and think it's HIGH-larious to comment anonymously on people's blogs with long-winded BS . . . no more on this rhino's blog, baby.

Gakked from Jess

You're the time of day right around sunrise, when the sky is still a pale bluish gray. The streets are empty, and the grass and leaves are a little bit sparkly with dew. You are the sound of a few chirpy birds outside the window. You are quiet, peaceful, and contemplative. If you move slowly, it's not because you're lazy – it's because you know there's no reason to rush. You move like a relaxed cat, pausing for deep stretches that make your muscles feel alive. You are long sips of tea or coffee (out of a mug that's held with both hands) that slowly warm your insides just as the sun is brightening the sky.

It's hard to have a bad day . . .

. . . when your three month old nephew smiles a toothless smile and pudges out his cheeks at you. Not that I was having a bad day when he and his mama came over today, but the little booger is just

So. Damn. Cute.

Meme-age

Which Battlestar Galactica Character Are You?

Created by BuddyTV

Which Heroes Character Are You?

Created by BuddyTV

What is Your Fate on Lost?

Created by BuddyTV

Sad commentary on society

I just saw an ad geared toward kids, and its tagline was "Get up and play an hour a day." That in and of itself was pretty sad. I remember when I was a kid how we couldn't wait to get home, finish our homework, and run outside. Winter was hell because we were cooped up inside. Now we have to come up with dopey little songs and catch phrases to get kids outside and interacting with other kids.

But the truly sad part of the ad was when an Internet address was given where kids could go to "get fun playtime ideas."

WTF?!?!

Has it gotten that bad? Do kids not know how to play outside? Make a mud pie? Look for bugs, worms, and other creepy crawlies under rocks and pieces of wood? Play fetch with the dog? Jump rope or hop scotch?

But then again, these kids have parents that have to drive three blocks to the grocery store.

::sigh::