My friend concocted a wonderful meal tonight (roast chicken, asparagus, fluffy rice, home-made bread, ending with strawberries and cream) and I contributed white wine and Girl Scout cookies. Everything was cooked just right and tasted scrumptious. After dinner we watched several episodes of one of our favorite BritComs, My Family. What better way to begin the season of renewal than sharing delicious food, good conversation and lots of laughter with best friends.

Labels: about me, friends, gk1, holidays

Jennifer Hudson is not only talented and pleasant, she's also kind and generous, apparently. Hold onto your Easter bonnet, this is just plain nice and doesn't have a nasty side to it. There's almost no publicity about it and nothing twisted to make of it. Go, Jennifer!

Labels: a.i., celebrities, gk1

During a difficult time last fall, I made myself feel better, and possibly helped cause something of a turn-around, by writing about something or someone good on an almost daily basis. Good karma and all that. Once things were better, I forgot to keep it up (hey, someone has to demonstrate the truth of the cliché about good intentions and some silly old road) and now there's a new iteration of the same unsettling situation. I know that part of the problem, unfortunately, is that I want something I can't cause or control by myself, and also that the others involved have feelings and opinions I simply do not understand and that they alternately deny or won't explain. I could just bury my head under a pillow and sleep a lot (a/k/a wallow in misery), which is my first self-pitying instinct, but what I will do is deliberately engage positive energy as much as I can. And remember to stick with it. Wish me luck.

Labels: about me, gk1, good ideas

Every American has the right to be prosperous. That's Obama's recent assertion and I agree. It's unclear whether he thinks government should provide that prosperity but assuming he means that it should provide the opportunity for everyone, I'm with him. Of course, who wouldn't be? Remember that old "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" thing? There was a good book about this a few years ago, Carl Cannon's The Pursuit of Happiness in a Time of War, which asserted a similar point. It seems to me it's like the parental encouragement about being able to do or be anything you want - it's true but it doesn't mean that we should expect prosperity to be handed to us. Each of us is responsible for pursuing happiness and prosperity. Language allows us to fashion how we think about and pursue them both.

Labels: economics, gk1

Wonderful that Fred T. is apparently causing a stir (read about it here). If he's what he seems, he'll change the campaign from a ghastly thing to avoid at all costs to something fun and interesting and hopeful. (That's a big "if", of course.) And even if he's not the golden calf (to mix just a few metaphors), I love it when political know-it-alls are proved to be do-not-know-it-alls.

Abjectly miserably horrible that Tony Snow apparently is sick again (here). He's one of the calmest, nicest, most rational, smartest and most lucid people in the governmental arena and any of those superlatives should have earned him a pass on further medical problems.

Labels: gk1, people, politics

Too busy yesterday so Thursday's hop is a day late. As this is entirely self-directed, though, that's all right. Right?!

1. Started at Lori Byrd, self-described as "Commentary on current events, entertainment and everyday life delivered with a Southern drawl" and written by a verbal, energetic, interesting woman. Her perceptions are often quirky with a slightly different twist than others have, and there's almost always a good dose of humor in her observations. Highly recommended.

2. From there, on to Daddypundit, literally chosen by fate because when I flipped over to Lori's site, the mouse had already selected it. This blogger describes himself as "A man who desires to be the husband and father that God has called him to be. Worship leader, guitar player, and avid reader." I'm enough of a dyed in the wool northeastern schoolgirl that my back starts to arch at that description, but I've learned that prejudging often deprives me of interesting and perceptive writing and insights. I enjoyed reading Daddypundit's discussion of teaching his daughter to play golf and, even more, his thoughts on C.S. Lewis and Calvinism, and of the Screwtape Letters as a movie (good idea!). He writes about family and work and politics, among many other things. (He mentions how much he likes Fred Thompson which is interesting to me since I was thinking of him only the other day (and it turns out we're not the only ones - check this out!) .) Daddypundit is a little too religious for me but he's very interesting and definitely worth checking in on for reasoned, calm writing on a wide variety of subjects.

3. Next I wandered to Coffee with CrankyBeach which is described as "a hoot" by at least two commenters. The Valentine photos of Star and Cricket (a fluffy dog and a sleek cat, respectively) are charming. On the other hand, the Gila monster - actually, it's a gecko - is not. It's interesting, certainly, but definitely not cute. Her subjects range from personal observations to politics to tv and movies to cars to scifi to . . . well anything that catches her interest. Fun.

4. Over to Life Under the Sun which is visually lovely although it doesn't display very well in I.E.6 (I'll have to try in 7 tonight) in that most of the sidebar flashes and eventually stays put partway down the page. I loved her serious, funny and same-to-me top 10 reasons why she loves blogging - definitely a meme waiting to be spread far and wide. A divinity school student and a stay-at-home mother of two girls, she used a nice template by Gecko & Fly who are right up there in the pantheon of blog designers, I must say.

5. So Gecko & Fly is logically the next stop. These folks have some very nice new-blogger templates as well as a slew of Wordpress templates. Also they have comments and observations on all manner of things blogging. Their techie quotations and cartoons are really funny (most of the time) but I especially like that they mention and casually review all manner of techie things like Windows Mobile 6 and that they discuss Google-and-Mozilla, for example. This is a site that deserves joining my Blog Angels list since it clearly often has useful info and remarks.

Now back to the crazy work week and looking forward to rare readers' observations of these sites - and/or suggestions of others that I should include while hopping.

Labels: blogs (others'), gk1, politics, reflections

Thanks to technorati, I discovered that the proprietess of Suitable for Mixed Company read and wrote about my first post on speeding and about the Johnny Mercer Foundation and its Accentuate the Positive project. I'm gratified to know that others have similar ideas but do also want to emphasize that speeding will never be platitudinous or sugary. If it starts to be, please someone slap me hard (verbally). Anyway, the main goal of the Foundation is

"to initiate a series of dynamic new fun, hands-on educational programs designed to introduce the songs of Mercer, and Berlin, and Gershwin, and Ellington and all our great American songwriters to our children quick, before their ears change"

which is an awesome and extremely speed-worthy goal. (I hope DevraDoWrite knows about this Foundation. It's right up her alley.) There was an "Accentuate the Positive" weekend last spring during which schoolchildren sang and danced by way of presenting the Great American Songbook. The site has a database of songs, a 'jukebox' with which to listen, and all kinds of other information. Pretty darn speedful!

Labels: gk1, s.p.e.e.d.ing

I didn't want to let the day end without speeding, and the thing that struck me today was the astonishing beauty of this year's trees along the Hudson River, which I am lucky enough to see every single day going to and from work.

Labels: gk1, s.p.e.e.d.ing

I'm always reluctant to write something quite personal on jmbm so I'll spare the details, but I'm feeling interiorly calm and warm-all-over (you know that clear-eyed, focused, quiet feeling?) after pondering whether and how to say something about something important to me, and then composing, writing and actually sending email in which I explained my feelings and thoughts. Hey, I vowed to speed each day and this is far and away the best candidate today.

Labels: gk1, s.p.e.e.d.ing

Inspired by Clare at Three Beautiful Things, whose blog I visited after reading normblog's interview with her, and remembering my own impulse to do the same thing, I'm going to try Saying something Positive Each and Every Day. It can be one thing or several, lists or thoughts. If nothing else, this guarantees one post each day even when I'm lolligagging or seem unable to write. My speeding today is:

1. living in a democracy where people get to choose who will represent them in our governing bodies - even if it's imperfect and neither the representatives nor the governing bodies work as well as I'd like them too, nevertheless it's a grand and hopeful enterprise

2. platitudinous though it is, the weather yesterday and today - in the sixties, sunny, absolutely lovely

3. my daughter's birthday yesterday (I won't say how old she is and, anyway, that would make me about 20 years older than that, which is patently impossible!)

4. the picture of my daughter's daughter that I have beside the flowers on my desk - the one where she's throwing back her head and laughing

It'd be awesome if you add some speed of your own in comments. If you want to speed with me, let me know and I'll make a group page. Meantime, I'm keeping track of my own speeding at go-4-speed.

Labels: gk1, s.p.e.e.d.ing

I guess some people are just unhappy. And some need to recognize where they leave off and the rest of the world begins. You know, just outside your own skin, right . . . there! All of which is on my mind because this weekend I went to a yarn shop about an hour from my house, one that I had stayed away from due to what seemed a kind of haughtiness the last time I was there but which a friend assured me had changed. Indeed, the owner has mellowed considerably and seems pleasant and non-judgmental now. But one of the store's 'regulars' is a doozie. Maybe she just took a dislike to me but I had been there less than half an hour and was being pretty quiet when it all began. I'd been weighing various patterns and color combinations when she asked if I generally made things for myself. An odd question but one that knitters do often ask, so I answered "not usually" and asked why. Apparently she then thought it appropriate and her business to observe aloud that since I was spending so much time trying to figure out pattern and yarns for someone else, I have "self esteem issues". I didn't want to start an argument but was tempted to say I hadn't noticed the sign saying one could only enter the store if one was making something for oneself. A few minutes later the owner got involved in my choosing and began suggesting yarn and color possibilities. I guess that was just too much for Boundary Woman who then pursed her lips and said she was surprised I was letting myself "be dictated to by a six-year-old". Gasp, clutch chest, fall to the floor. (Not really, of course.) I was appalled because I don't know what's wrong with trying to pick carefully and well. I had gone to the store precisely to find a pattern and wool for a gift for a little girl who had asked me to make her something specific, which was an endearing request so I wanted to make something special. Doesn't one usually try to please a recipient with a gift? By the way, no, I wasn't an uninvited intruder who'd stumbled into a 'knitting circle' - it was just a random Saturday afternoon hanging out. I can't help but wonder if the owner likes customers to offer personal critiques of other customers? I'm considering returning the yarn because it feels "tainted" but I know that's immature. Bad karma and all, though. What do you think?

Labels: gk1, huh?, knitting, shopping

Superb juxtaposition : Steven King and H.G. Wells share today as their birth day.

Labels: gk1, juxtapositions, s.p.e.e.d.ing

In offices, it's not ususual to make friends, given shared interests and so much time in each other's company. But on the train? I've been commuting to New York City for 12+ years and have met some terrific people. Just from a storytelling point of view, two of the best were the perfume salesman-conservationist-philantropist and the theologician-horseman-comptroller, but everyone has a story to tell and many are caring and kind with a wide variety of interests, not surprising since we all converge on superlative NYC. The long commute offers unavoidable concentrated personal time plus an opportunity to meet people. Definitely a perk of my job.

Labels: about me, friends, gk1, people, s.p.e.e.d.ing

One hears and reads much grousing about work and colleagues but, first of all, I quite like my job and my colleagues and my employers so I wouldn't say much negative anyway, but today I am hugely grateful and appreciative and just have to say something out loud. (Do you suppose two ptft's earn even better karma than one?) Anyway, I really needed help with something and was on the verge of panicking - which you could tell because my voice was getting higher (a really annoying affliction, I have to say) - until one of the supervisors offered to ask all her people for a volunteer . . . and four people appeared within seconds. Generosity, cooperation and assistance are wonderful things. Pass it on!

Labels: about me, friends, gk1, people, s.p.e.e.d.ing

I found three undeveloped one-time cameras in a drawer last weekend. (Does everyone have those drawers where you throw stuff? The trick is to remember to look in it now and then, right?) I got them developed and found some lovely pictures - some from my wonderful trip to San Francisco in September and October of 2004 (hard to believe it was so long ago) and from visits to t2cgitw at various times. I thought I had those pictures and (now) I do!

Labels: gk1, s.p.e.e.d.ing, things to do

Il y a un outil etonnant chez Google! C'est "Google Language Tools. Avec seule un clic, il traduit une Web-page entiere en une autre langue. Superbe! [Accents print in preview but not published (é) so I've removed them.]

Labels: fun, gk1, s.p.e.e.d.ing

While considering what to say for today's positive thing, I remembered the pleasure my mother always got from daisies. Which reminded me of the Dahlia flower stalls in Grand Central Terminal. The sales people are friendly and quick, and the flowers are gorgeous and colorful. Furthermore, because they're a direct importer, the flowers are extremely fresh and last a long time, as long as ten days or two weeks depending on the flowers. The flowers range from 'normal' (mums, gerber daisies, asters) to seasonal (heather, sunflowers) to commemorative (roses, lilies) to super (alstroemeria, freesia, sunflowers, tulips, orchids....) and fabulous (birds of paradise, lisianthus...). They have a master designer who can create bouquets and special orders - but best of all is that for less than the cost of a quick food lunch (honestly), those of us lucky enough to pass through GCT can have beautiful fresh flowers every week, all week long.

Labels: about me, family, fun, gk1, good ideas, s.p.e.e.d.ing

A few months ago I said I would publicize something or someone good on a regular basis. But big surprise, just like decisions to eat perfectly and exercise six days a week, I slipped. I even forgot all about it for a while. Then something difficult and sad happened recently and left me trying to figure out how to turn a negative and emotionally scary situation around. Just when I was on the verge of admitting defeat, about to sink beneath a feeling that I couldn't influence the situation, I remembered. I need to create a well of positive energy. So, one positive thing to put out on this blog, every day.

Labels: gk1, people, s.p.e.e.d.ing

The Lebanese prime minister asserted that "this is unbearable" and "we just want peace", sounding regretful just before adding that "blood calls for blood", which sure belies the first two remarks. And Simon Perez waxed melancholy about dead children. But how ridiculous of both of them. Do they seriously think anyone believes they don't know what will happen as they barrage each other with thousands of missiles? Between the endless and intense anger, lies or almost-lies, and so much disingenuousness, one wonders how this can ever be resolved.

My basic feeling is that Israel was justified in retaliating against Lebanon because, basically, how long do you try to work things out without just doing it full speed ahead. You can't have diplomatic chit-chats with people vowing to wipe you off the face of the earth. Somehow the hatred and utter determination to obliterate all jews must be changed. Until that happens, there will always be profound danger of a match getting too near the powderkeg.

Added to that, however, it is nuts to go on blowing up people. Why can't they dislike or even detest each other without it resulting in death? Perhaps someone should consider my friend's only partly jocular idea: give them all a whole lot of weapons and tell them that when the weapons are used up, whoever is left standing will be declared the winner. That, or stop shouting and shooting, and figure out how to play nicely. If not together, at least on the same planet.

Labels: gk1, huh?, politics

Why do some people argue and act offensive and then maintain that they mean to be amusing? Kidding "on the square" just isn't funny to some people and it would be nice if others were more sensitive to that. For example, my father's sister, the speed-demon knitter, was extremely sensitive about her upper arms. No, it isn't a serious issue and the political balance of the world will neither fall nor rise on it. But if one joked with her about sleeveless blouses, she was not happy, so why not simply refrain? Similarly, if people in one's family, or one's friends, hold political or other points of view that differ from others of one's family or friends, why not leave it alone? It wouldn't even be interesting if everyone had the same points of view, would it? Why do some people need to criticize and ridicule, and then pretend it's teasing?

Labels: gk1, hypocrisy