Remember when you were a kid playing a game and you hollered "DO-OVER!"? Depending on what game or sport you were playing, and who you were playing it with, sometimes a do-over was not only feasible, it was really (at least in your humble opinion) the only way to keep the game going. Your teammates and opponents could either agree with you, begrudgingly allow the do-over and continue playing the game, or argue until you were all called in for dinner (or given the "five minute warning"..."dinner in 5 minutes, and wash up in the laundry room before you come into the house"), at which time all bets were off and the game was over, or at least postponed until dinner and dishes were done.
I'm wishing for a do-over right now. Otherwise known as a mulligan, in golf terminology. Some days we get a gimme, which is pretty similar to a freebie, in that the golf shot is so incredibly easy, of course you make the shot you were going for (amazingly enough, I don't always get those gimmes, which is a testament to my horrible golfing, which I can now blame on my hand, elbow, and shoulder issues that have been plaguing me for over a year).
Yep. A mulligan is what I am after. I wonder if grandchildren are nature's way of assuring us (less than perfect) parents of a do-over?
Friday, May 29, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Dare to be fabulous
I heard this poem the other night when I was watching Akeelah and the Bee, and I thought it was really great. See if you agree:
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
It was written by Marianne Williamson and published in her book, "A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles".
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
It was written by Marianne Williamson and published in her book, "A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles".
HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Happy Birthday to my little Miss Flannels! Flannery turns 21 today! Twenty-one! Imagine that! My little doodle bug, turning 21. So many memories of Miss Flanny Face. So many nicknames! So, indulge me, as I take that trip down memory lane.
Flannery, at age two, saying to her one year old brother, at HER birthday party, "Here, Taylor. You open this one." Or, at three, when being asked at a dinner party by a guest, "Are you Irish?" (come on, with a name like Flannery?) answering with a straight face, in a very matter-of-fact tone, "No, I have diahhrea!". Or at under five, being able to tell me, to the penny, how much change I would get back from $100 at Disneyland (as you know, mental math and I have never been the best of friends...she beat me to the answer). Or telling me that she reported on her STAR testing at school a different ethnicity each year (that particular year, as I recall, she bubbled in "Native American"). Or the time, during one of our annual camping trips at the beach, she ate a bowl of Lucky Charms, and then laughed so hard, she tossed them back up in the bushes, at which point her brother, Taylor, announced calmly, "I guess those Lucky Charms weren't so lucky". Or the time we were playing "restaurant" (I did this frequently to practice proper eating etiquette in public), and after I took everyone's "order", made the food and served it, someone mentioned paying the "bill", and Flannery said in one of her many accents,(this one was distinctly Scandinavian) and once again, completely straight-faced, "Will you be charging or will you be paying with the pigs?". Okay, so maybe these are not funny to anyone else. But they certainly were to me. Maybe you had to be there. I hope my children remember how silly we all were, so much of the time.
Many laughs, my little doddle bug. Happy birthday to you! I love you.
The Family
I spoke to my oldest daughter last night on Skype. Here she is with her husband, Krus. His full name is Krusnedi Sukarwanto, but he is simply called Krus (pronounced like caboose, not cruise, but roll the "r"). So, now I have a son-in-law. He calls me "Mama Leslie", because in Indonesia, it's not polite to call an elder (oh my god, I am an ELDER. How and when did that happen?) by just their first name. There needs to be some sort of title first. So, Mama Leslie it is. Chosen by Krus. At least for the time being. Eventually it will become nenek.
Maeg's Indonesian is so lovely! She is so fluent, in such a short time. Which is very fortunate, because Krus does not speak much English. Maeg is teaching him English, and he now says "hello Mama Leslie, how are you?" and "Goodbye Mama Leslie". Apparently, Maeg found a book written in English and he reads it at night. Although I sent her an entire box of books printed in English, they have not arrived in Java yet. She laughed when I told her the post office explained to me that the books would arrive in Java in 6 to 9 days. She thinks 6 to 9 months is more like it.
Krus is an accomplished cello player and works as a musician. He does not play in the gamelan, though. I'm not sure what type of music he plays. He has the most melodious laugh. It truly sounds like music. I am sure to Megan's ears, it is.
Friday, May 22, 2009
The Eight Irresistible Principles of Fun
Thanks to Janet, I would like to share a very delightful video with you, entitled "The Eight Irresistible Principles of Fun":
Dream the Drink, Drink the Dream
Oh, the pomp and circumstance of it all! Last night was graduation night, and in usual form, our handsome, eloquent president was doing his presidential thing at the graduation ceremonies. You know, the speech. We, as faculty, were promised a shorter, succinct series of speeches by the "Dream Team" (chancellor, president, etc., etc.), so I happily settled into my seat, all decked out in my regalia (it's actually kind of fun prancing around in cap and gown, complete with colorful hood, wondering if anyone is naked under their gown).
For the third year in a row, I was not disappointed with the performance of our President. I was afraid, with all the budget difficulties, and grumblings about layoffs, cut-backs, and such, that the pre-graduation festivities would be squashed. Rumor has it that the "Dream Team" has a small, exclusive reception prior to the graduation ceremonies, and alcohol is involved. Yep, the wine apparently flows like water. Remember, this is just a rumor, but I must say, after attending graduations for the past three years, I suspect the rumor is true. Here's why I believe it is so.
Our beloved, and remember, normally quite eloquent President, during one of his speeches, said things like "A little Michelle, a little Barack, a little love", obviously referring to our new President and First Lady, almost under his breath, after quoting something MISTER President had said recently.
At one point, in acknowledging the oldest graduate (71 years young, looked like 50), whose matriarchal family was dressed in purple and wore red hats (clearly part of the Red Hat Society), and has a very strong presence in our district, our President jokingly threatened to wear a red hat to next year's ceremony, and then we could all see who was really the "Queen Bee"! (It's kind of an inside joke; you have to know him to really get this one...the operative word here is queen.)
The best, though, was when our President stated that we need to "Dream the Drink" or "Drink the Dream". I was laughing so hard, I'm not really sure which he said, and HE clearly was dreaming about the drink, or maybe he was DRINKING the dream. I imagine he meant to say "dream the dream", but, boy, oh boy, it didn't come out that way.
The evening was filled with little quips like this. Not only do I love attending graduation for the relieved, smiling faces of the graduates, for the thank you hugs from the students, for the celebration of all things realized and accomplished, I secretly go because I just know I am in for a real treat: the humorous, endearing, unintended verbal slips of our slightly tipsy President, who, for just one evening in the entire year, is just that: tipsy. (Don't you just love that word, tipsy?)
Congratulations, graduates. Job well done.
For the third year in a row, I was not disappointed with the performance of our President. I was afraid, with all the budget difficulties, and grumblings about layoffs, cut-backs, and such, that the pre-graduation festivities would be squashed. Rumor has it that the "Dream Team" has a small, exclusive reception prior to the graduation ceremonies, and alcohol is involved. Yep, the wine apparently flows like water. Remember, this is just a rumor, but I must say, after attending graduations for the past three years, I suspect the rumor is true. Here's why I believe it is so.
Our beloved, and remember, normally quite eloquent President, during one of his speeches, said things like "A little Michelle, a little Barack, a little love", obviously referring to our new President and First Lady, almost under his breath, after quoting something MISTER President had said recently.
At one point, in acknowledging the oldest graduate (71 years young, looked like 50), whose matriarchal family was dressed in purple and wore red hats (clearly part of the Red Hat Society), and has a very strong presence in our district, our President jokingly threatened to wear a red hat to next year's ceremony, and then we could all see who was really the "Queen Bee"! (It's kind of an inside joke; you have to know him to really get this one...the operative word here is queen.)
The best, though, was when our President stated that we need to "Dream the Drink" or "Drink the Dream". I was laughing so hard, I'm not really sure which he said, and HE clearly was dreaming about the drink, or maybe he was DRINKING the dream. I imagine he meant to say "dream the dream", but, boy, oh boy, it didn't come out that way.
The evening was filled with little quips like this. Not only do I love attending graduation for the relieved, smiling faces of the graduates, for the thank you hugs from the students, for the celebration of all things realized and accomplished, I secretly go because I just know I am in for a real treat: the humorous, endearing, unintended verbal slips of our slightly tipsy President, who, for just one evening in the entire year, is just that: tipsy. (Don't you just love that word, tipsy?)
Congratulations, graduates. Job well done.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Bringing luck to the SF Giants
Apparently, the San Francisco Giants were waiting for us to attend a game. Once we did, they actually won a game. Not by much, mind you (SF 2, NY 0), but win they did. It's a little embarassing to lose that many games when you are on your home turf (Giants, one game; Mets, three games, all played at AT&T Park). Thankfully, the stadium is beautiful, so even when they lose, it's not so terribly bad.
Our seats were in the nose-bleed section, naturally. I didn't bother oiling my glove and hauling it with me to the game. I figured it was not really plausible to actually catch a stray or a pop-up when you are nowhere near the base lines. We were directly above home plate, just up really, really high.
Lest you feel sorry for us, don't. We had a spectacular view of the bay, on one of the clearest, warmest days the City ever experiences. Not a whisper of fog. Just watching the boats glide into McCovey Cove was relaxing. No big crowds in the Cove these days. Actually, it was sometimes difficult to pay attention to the game, because the view was so phenomenal. Of course, it WAS nine whole innings with only two runs, so it was really in our favor to have the view.
Even the train ride to and from AT&T Park was fairly pleasant and uneventful. Certainly more boisterous on the way home, thanks to the many $8 beers consumed at the game by the train riders prior to getting on the train, but it was all in good fun.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
The Power of Women
Once again, here I am doing my homework for class. I COULD be outside (well, technically I am outside, on my balcony, but I am not playing, so it doesn't really count), enjoying the company of my colleagues at The Annual Garden Party. But no, I just finished my ning assignment by developing a social network (really, it's mostly informational, not so much social) called The Power of Women. The assignment was to research female technologists who have used technology to advance their respective areas of interest/inquiry/science.
I actually learned a lot by researching these brainy, inquisitive, amazing women and their inventions and discoveries. I first decided to research female scientists, and WOW! Was I ever impressed! I then narrowed my search down to marine biology, just for fun and giggles, and again, oh so impressed. I chose, however, not a marine biologist, but a woman, who when she was just twelve years old...wait a minute. You'll just have to go to my ning site and check it out for yourself! I'm not telling you HERE! Maybe I'll get extra points for number of people checking out the ning thing. Go ahead, click on The Power of Women and have a look. Leave a comment (remember, be nice and it's for school, so be clean about it), follow it, whatever. Thanks. I bet I can use those extra points. My transcript will thank you. I thank you. Mostly, my 4.0 gpa thanks you.
I actually learned a lot by researching these brainy, inquisitive, amazing women and their inventions and discoveries. I first decided to research female scientists, and WOW! Was I ever impressed! I then narrowed my search down to marine biology, just for fun and giggles, and again, oh so impressed. I chose, however, not a marine biologist, but a woman, who when she was just twelve years old...wait a minute. You'll just have to go to my ning site and check it out for yourself! I'm not telling you HERE! Maybe I'll get extra points for number of people checking out the ning thing. Go ahead, click on The Power of Women and have a look. Leave a comment (remember, be nice and it's for school, so be clean about it), follow it, whatever. Thanks. I bet I can use those extra points. My transcript will thank you. I thank you. Mostly, my 4.0 gpa thanks you.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Grateful is sometimes scraping the bottom of the barrel
I guess it's time to take out my "lucky list". I do this when I am feeling especially UNlucky or UNgrateful, as I do right now. My cute little car blew up again this weekend on my way to visit my parents in Reno. What a hassle. Just got it back from the mechanics in Pleasanton, revved it up, and off to Reno we went. Not quite.
The good news is that the tow truck driver really liked my homemade chocolate chip cookies I was taking to my parents, and that made the 10:00 p.m. call in the middle of nowhere a little sweeter for him. Plus, he drove us all the way to our destination, and entertained us with tales of a horrific 62 car pile-up on Hwy. 80 between Auburn and Tahoe. Not 62 separate accidents. No, sixty-two cars in one really, really big fender bender. He also provided us with an illustrative account of the woman in an SUV who jumped out of her SUV and flew down a mountain to search for her dog in a snow storm; she then got confused and lost in the snow storm, and didn't realize that the search and rescue team had found her dog and was looking for her. Oh, my.
The good news is that the search and rescue team found her, alive. Cold, miserable, shaken, but alive.
So, I guess the first thing on my lucky list is that I didn't break down in the snow. See, already feeling so much more grateful and lucky. It was a balmy evening, actually, by Tahoe standards. I actually remembered to pack a sweatshirt, so I was set. Plus, I also remembered to bring a lot of water. So, watered and bundled up, we were able to tear into the chocolate chip cookies (remember they were for my parents) after we finished cussing and cursing the mechanics that had just finished repairing my car last week, to a tune of $2,500, which doesn't even include the part the extended warranty people paid (Old Glory, I think is the name, who paid another $2,500). Once the sotrming and stomping and cursing was finished, we were thirsty and hungry. Out came the cookies. Yum. Plus, we had some cold coffee leftover from our pit stop at Starbucks earlier in the drive. Double yum. We were set.
The car was towed to Sacramento. No clue how I am going to get it back, or when, or how much it is going to cost. We were towed to Reno and arrived very late, but in one piece and full of sugar and caffeine (parents always love that).
Grace in Small Things: 33/365
1. While I am not happy about my car, I didn't kill it on purpose, nor was I killed
2. I did get to Reno and then home in one piece; not happy, but in one piece
3. 7 days of the semester left
4. My friend Cindy, who I heard from when I got home; just hearing her voice was so delightful, and reminded me how lucky I am to have such interesting and thoughtful friends
5. Little Johnny Handyman, who can curse and stomp around even better than I can
5.
The good news is that the tow truck driver really liked my homemade chocolate chip cookies I was taking to my parents, and that made the 10:00 p.m. call in the middle of nowhere a little sweeter for him. Plus, he drove us all the way to our destination, and entertained us with tales of a horrific 62 car pile-up on Hwy. 80 between Auburn and Tahoe. Not 62 separate accidents. No, sixty-two cars in one really, really big fender bender. He also provided us with an illustrative account of the woman in an SUV who jumped out of her SUV and flew down a mountain to search for her dog in a snow storm; she then got confused and lost in the snow storm, and didn't realize that the search and rescue team had found her dog and was looking for her. Oh, my.
The good news is that the search and rescue team found her, alive. Cold, miserable, shaken, but alive.
So, I guess the first thing on my lucky list is that I didn't break down in the snow. See, already feeling so much more grateful and lucky. It was a balmy evening, actually, by Tahoe standards. I actually remembered to pack a sweatshirt, so I was set. Plus, I also remembered to bring a lot of water. So, watered and bundled up, we were able to tear into the chocolate chip cookies (remember they were for my parents) after we finished cussing and cursing the mechanics that had just finished repairing my car last week, to a tune of $2,500, which doesn't even include the part the extended warranty people paid (Old Glory, I think is the name, who paid another $2,500). Once the sotrming and stomping and cursing was finished, we were thirsty and hungry. Out came the cookies. Yum. Plus, we had some cold coffee leftover from our pit stop at Starbucks earlier in the drive. Double yum. We were set.
The car was towed to Sacramento. No clue how I am going to get it back, or when, or how much it is going to cost. We were towed to Reno and arrived very late, but in one piece and full of sugar and caffeine (parents always love that).
Grace in Small Things: 33/365
1. While I am not happy about my car, I didn't kill it on purpose, nor was I killed
2. I did get to Reno and then home in one piece; not happy, but in one piece
3. 7 days of the semester left
4. My friend Cindy, who I heard from when I got home; just hearing her voice was so delightful, and reminded me how lucky I am to have such interesting and thoughtful friends
5. Little Johnny Handyman, who can curse and stomp around even better than I can
5.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Happy Mother's Day!
Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there, biological or otherwise! Although I tend to view this day as sort of a "Hallmark Holiday", most of America celebrates it, so I extend my best to each and every mother or anyone who nurtures and cares for us all.
I am of the opinion that my children should be kind to me every day, and celebrate my existence on a regular basis, not just on a day that happens to fall on this particular day of the year. Actually, they do! I should be celebrating their existence, thankful that my children are exactly who they are: individuals in their own right, brainy, thoughtful, beautiful, well read, kind, creative, divergent thinkers, and all around really great humans. Not particularly easy to raise, but worth every second of it. Really. They have taught me so much about myself, people in general, and life. I am so lucky!
Thank you, Taylor, Flannery, and Megan. Please don't read anything into the order I listed your names (youngest to oldest). I love you (don't ask who is the favorite, you know who you are)! Loving you this much has nothing to do with who got the window seat (shot gun), the biggest scoop of ice cream, or an extra story at bedtime. Don't make me come back there!
Of all the motherly things I have done in my life, one of my favorites is baking cookies. Since I have been baking chocolate chip cookies since I was ten, and I just happened to be baking cookies when Taylor arrived, he felt obligated to enjoy a few of them, just to make my day complete!
I am of the opinion that my children should be kind to me every day, and celebrate my existence on a regular basis, not just on a day that happens to fall on this particular day of the year. Actually, they do! I should be celebrating their existence, thankful that my children are exactly who they are: individuals in their own right, brainy, thoughtful, beautiful, well read, kind, creative, divergent thinkers, and all around really great humans. Not particularly easy to raise, but worth every second of it. Really. They have taught me so much about myself, people in general, and life. I am so lucky!
Thank you, Taylor, Flannery, and Megan. Please don't read anything into the order I listed your names (youngest to oldest). I love you (don't ask who is the favorite, you know who you are)! Loving you this much has nothing to do with who got the window seat (shot gun), the biggest scoop of ice cream, or an extra story at bedtime. Don't make me come back there!
Of all the motherly things I have done in my life, one of my favorites is baking cookies. Since I have been baking chocolate chip cookies since I was ten, and I just happened to be baking cookies when Taylor arrived, he felt obligated to enjoy a few of them, just to make my day complete!
Thursday, May 7, 2009
The impending trip to Mom's to celebrate Mother's Day
Grace in Small Things: 32/365
1. Meeting Raquel tonight
2. Having a mother to visit for Mother's Day
3. Having a patient, helpful brother to take along on the visit to Mom's
4. Having a newly repaired car to take on the road trip to Mom's (very expensive repairs)
5. Seeing Taylor looking so happy (and thankful for his proofing talents)
1. Meeting Raquel tonight
2. Having a mother to visit for Mother's Day
3. Having a patient, helpful brother to take along on the visit to Mom's
4. Having a newly repaired car to take on the road trip to Mom's (very expensive repairs)
5. Seeing Taylor looking so happy (and thankful for his proofing talents)
Sunday, May 3, 2009
EDIT 024 , ning and the power of breakfast
One of our assignments is to join ning.com, and announce our URLs. So my URL is http://www.ning.com/leslieaawilliams . The only thing I know about ning (besides joining it in a very hurried fashion) is that Mr. Handyman (my little brother, John) went to fix something at ning (I think they are in Palo Alto). Later that night in recounting all the places he traveled to that day, he exclaimed "They have everything you could ever want for breakfast!". He went on to explain, in great detail, all the choices the young techies have when they manage to roll in to work, hair tousled, sleep still in their eyes, wrinkled shirts and all. Not one or two choices for cereal, seven or eight! Not one or two kinds of juice, every kind imaginable! And fruit. Lots of fruit. Fruit that he had never seen before.
He was rather sad he couldn't stay to enjoy a bowl or two of cereal, or maybe sneak in a doughnut or other fancy pastry, or even heat up a waffle or two, as a mid-morning snack. But duty called, and on he went to another Mr. Handyman job after finishing his tasks at ning. It definitely made an impression on him, my breakfast-loving brother.
So, that's really about all I know of ning. Oh, except little Johnny Handyman also told me that the people who work at ning think of themselves as the "Cadillac of social networking". A rung or two up from Facebook or MySpace, I guess. Even in social networking, there seems to be a pecking order. Humm.
He was rather sad he couldn't stay to enjoy a bowl or two of cereal, or maybe sneak in a doughnut or other fancy pastry, or even heat up a waffle or two, as a mid-morning snack. But duty called, and on he went to another Mr. Handyman job after finishing his tasks at ning. It definitely made an impression on him, my breakfast-loving brother.
So, that's really about all I know of ning. Oh, except little Johnny Handyman also told me that the people who work at ning think of themselves as the "Cadillac of social networking". A rung or two up from Facebook or MySpace, I guess. Even in social networking, there seems to be a pecking order. Humm.
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