In Praise of Technology

I'm typing this post from my iPhone for two reasons. The first to see if I can, the 2nd is because my laptop is way over on the other side of the bed and my watery eyes and runny nose have made my mobility considerably limited. Plus, I'd have to power it up, wait the few minutes to load up everything. Yeah, I'm that pitiful tonight.

I don't know why I've never thought to blog from my phone. I mean I do everything else; Twitter, Facebook, surf the 'net, play games, listen to music. The list expands as I download more and more apps. Last summer I was torn betweenthe iPhone and my Blackberry. I never imagined I'd find a phone to surpass my expectations and pleasures of owning a BB yet here I am, loving all things Apple.

This phone has really changed my life as it pertains to everyday chores and habits. I've long ago stopped buying CDs unless it can't be found on iTunes or downloaded from Amazon.com. A history buff, I've downloaded a daily history app, several games, an interactive app that highlights artifacts found in the Louvre, an app that calculates how many calories I've earned or burned and other things too private to mention. And where most of my music resided on my iPod, it has been relegated to furniture, having been replaced by the iPhone. It used to be I would only listen to the iPod in my room or with headphones. That all changed this Christmas when I bought an iPhone alarm clock radio from Sharper Image. Now I can listen to Slacker while I read or doze to any playlist I desire.

Last week Apple unveiled the iPad and like hundreds of thousands of people around the world, I watched and wondered if I would ever need something like the iPad. Probably not right now. I'll wait for it to be tested and recalled and updated before laying down $500. But I must confess-I'm SO glad I didn't buy the Kindle now.

Cream And Oolong

I've discovered, having survived to witness my late forties, that life is cyclical. Sometimes it can be as smooth and calm as a comforting oolong cup of tea: full of variety and bursting with flavour. Other times it's as tumultuous as cold cream being added to a hot cup of black coffee: swirling and chaotic.

Starlight, star bright. First star I see tonight.

I wish I may, I wish I might,

Have the wish I wished tonight.

Early Monday Morning Thoughts

Sitting here, breakfast is finished, Lemon/Chamomille tea is now lukewarm, I've checked the headlines of MSNBC, CNN, followed up on Grammy winners and fashion and researched the ongoing feud between Anderson Cooper and Wyclef Jean. I'm ready for bed but it's Monday morning and I'm up because I couldn't sleep. I've visited some sites I haven't been to in a long while. Fermi's feline brood look perfect, Jenn is blogging again (but I haven't seen her on FB in a long while), I've teased Dave about his lack of medical supplies but read Doc's comment for a belly laugh!

Several things contributed to my sleeplessness:

-I fell asleep with my window open and the ensuing dampness and cold that slipped in and surrounded my head and shoulders

-the gang(?) of feral cats that I've been trying to keep nourished were bickering constantly

-I went to bed around 10p, way ahead of my normal schedule of 1:30 or 2am.

So now here I am-morning hunger sated with ground turkey, eggs and cheese and the chamomille tea I received as a gift about a week ago. If I go back to bed now, I'll be able to get roughly two hours or more of sleep and be ready to start the work week all over again. It may not happen but I'm going to give it the old college try.

The Fine Art of Procrastination

I like to believe that I finish everything I start, and having a strong work ethic, I turn in the best work. In other words, I don't do anything half-done, or half-assed.

So imagine my dilemma as I sit here, taking another detour away from completing an important project.

The report was initially done 1/11 but my boss (thanks to Divine Intervention) changed the due date to 1/22. Any normal, perfectionist as I would rejoice and improve on the work already done right? Right. What I didn't figure in was the death of Uncle Tony and the subsequent time consuming activities.

Last Friday I packed up some documents and my work laptop and headed home, determined to complete the report in one day. What I didn't figure in this time was having no desire at all to power up the laptop except to play newly discovered Spider Solitaire.

This morning I woke up prepared to focus on this project while everyone is asleep and the house is quiet. What I didn't figure in this morning was acknowledging that I just don't want to work on this project, or any project for that matter.

So now here I sit. The Colts are playing the Jets, the kids are running around screaming and getting in to things, and I'm hungry. And I've just discovered the document with crucial important reporting information is at work. Now I'll have to either go in to work or wait 'til tomorrow and turn the report in even later. All because of procrastination. A concept previously foreign to me and now I'm suffering for it.

Here are pictures from last week's family gathering:

In Remembrance

"Discrimination is a hellhound that gnaws at Negroes in every waking moment of their lives to remind them that the lie of their inferiority is accepted as truth in the society dominating them."

Martin Luther King, Jr.

This Morning

This morning I cooked breakfast for the growing number of family members arriving to the house who hadn't time to eat. Unfortunately, although I love and crave all things dedicated to the culinary arts, I'm the absolute worst cook in the house but there was too much to be done for the more able to cook.

Pictures were taken, fond remembrances of loved ones who have already passed through were shared and jokes about those who remain were passed around too.

Reverence, thanks and praise was given to God for the food and the hands that laboured for it and the hands that prepared it, and the unlucky ones had to eat my cooking.

There is no greater joy than the joy of seeing loved ones after years of only verbal and electronic communications. And if you are related, you can see similarities with others, and wryly compare your signs of aging against theirs, and worry that some signs of aging and or illness have erased vitality and youthful exuberance. But sitting there in the kitchen this morning and laughing with my family about memories and current economic woes (the majority of us are unemployed), and rolling my eyes when it's my turn to be teased and lovingly ridiculed erased all that.

This morning some of my family got up and begin dressing for the special church service. White shirts were ironed, black suits were ironed or touched up, shoes were polished or wiped. White handkerchiefs for the men were located and placed in suit pockets; grand, big black hats were found for the women as well as their black handkerchiefs. Cuff links snapped to, gold crosses on the pastors were draped into the left front shirt pockets and wool hats lint brushed.

All too soon the call for the procession began, more pictures being taken as everyone began to form the family procession that would lead to the church.

There are too many who are not here to name, but this morning we that are here have gathered to attend the funeral of my Uncle Anthony, 54 who died a week after doctors discovered lymphoma in his brain. Before this diagnosis, Tony was doing what he always did: running around here and there, helping everyone, being an asset to everyone who knew him, and just being one of the greatest men in this entire world. So, from Idaho, Texas, California, and Georgia we have come to celebrate the life of one who was so awesome and will be certainly and sorrowfully missed.

As my family walked down to the church I took pictures then gave the camera to my little brother to record what I will miss. This morning while everyone's at the funeral I will clean the kitchen and find something to do while I await their return and the jokes about my cooking that are coming.

It does no good wondering why death comes to some so early. And I've discovered it's no good holding your breath wondering which of us will be the next to go. You just have to thank God for allowing you to be born into the best family in the world (I'm biased), for knowing some of the sweetest, lovingest (I think I made that word up) folks, and try harder to visit family while we're on this side.

"Will the (family) circle be unbroken by and by?

There's a better home awaiting in the sky"

I've Been Here Before

This happens every year about this time; news reports early Winter-like weather in the Northern plains of the U.S, two inches to a foot of unexpected snow is likely to fall setting records, weathermen & women warn little witches and goblins and super heroes to wrap up while roaming the streets looking for treats because snowfall is expected early Halloween night.

I read each of these stories and wistfully wish our were something more like our Northern States, especially when I'm sitting in my bedroom with a room fan blowing and hearing the heartwarming and periodical sound of the a/c kick on to prevent my home's temperature from exceeding 80 degrees inside.

I've been here before. I've been doing this for a very long time and know to expect this but why then I still growl and grumble about the heat? I really think it's because of a couple of things:

-I really love winter clothes. Last year when we went to Boise for the Christmas vacation I went wild spending money on scarves, gloves, sweater sets, socks, shoes...things I know I won't be able to wear in Phoenix anytime, unless I'm planning on spending an entire evening outside-in blowing wind during a winter storm.

-the idea of snuggling around a blazing fireplace, drinking hot chocolate laced with mint, eating sticky popcorn balls and watching old movies while snow falls prettily is the tip of romance (to me). I must confess that I have occasionally organized a gathering at a late-open Starbucks where we sat outside people watching and enjoying our favourite hot drinks. And there is the relief of knowing the roads won't be icy on our way home, but still!

So this afternoon we sat outside in 103 heat drinking our iced drinks and watching the kids play with their friends. We groused about the heat and lamented about living in the desert while I sat there on my porch barefoot, watering the bougainvillea and mesquite plants, covertly wetting my niece in the process.

The weatherman says we can expect lower temperatures this week, we are expected to be a low as 92 by next weekend but our friends up North can expect more snow and near freezing temps. I should be jealous but I'm not. I'm going to download some Christmas music to my iPod and change my screen saver to a fireplace and make some hot chocolate. Maybe I'll wait on the hot chocolate, it's too hot for all that!