Rent "The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill." It's a delightful story about a man and a flock of wild parrots in San Fransisco. If life purpose seems elusive, this heart-warming, true-life story will give you a lot to think about. Filmmaker Judy Irving eloquently captures lives and thoughts most of us rarely ponder. The extras with even more information on the flock and the human lives touched by them are amazing-better than the extras on most dvds. I have ordered Mark's book, which is his memoir. I adore the positiveness of his life-I'm a bit envious even. Yes, there are tears, but it's really just the circle of life, which continues regardless of how humans feel about anything. One can't help but relate to how these birds have influenced Mark's life, in some small way, perhaps we all long for such profoundness to come to our lives to lift us up and inspire us. We can all admire Mark for caring for the birds, for trying to learn and understand them. But the bigger gift is what they have given to his life. It's apparent in his disposition, his blog, his website, and throughout the film. Check out his website and his book and be inspired.
http://www.wildparrotsbook.com/parrot_pages/wildparrots.html
http://markbittner.wordpress.com/
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Carpe Diem; how to live an "extraordinary life"
My oldest son was disrespectful to a teacher one morning, so I got a bright fuzzy pink bathrobe and slippers and went to his school to "shadow" him (the office staff were all giggles when I signed in and got my visitor badge).
The Language Arts teacher had challenged the kids to do a free-write essay (no gramatical rules or formal writing etiquette) on what Carpe Diem means and how to live an "extraordinary life." She gave them the quote: "It's not the number of breaths that we take that is important, it's the moments that take our breath away."
Popularly translated as "seize the day," per Wikipedia, "Carpe literally means "to pick, pluck, pluck off, cull, crop, gather", and that someone named Ovid intended the word to mean "To enjoy, seize, use, make use of." Wikipedia continues, stating that "though it is a misconception that it says "seize the day" this may be because it is an imperfect translation." The Miriam-Webster online dictionary states "the enjoyment of the pleasures of the moment without concern for the future." The teacher gave this in the context of "living," after telling the students about a former student of hers who had passed away.
What a great thought-I love free-writing! Think The Bucket List and Live Like You Were Dying (a movie and a song, respectively).
So, how do we live an extraordiary life? How many of us can afford to go sky-diving, drive our dream race car at any raceway, or even have the practical ability to just escape to the woods on a regular basis (if you don't already live there)? How do we make each day special? Can we manifest just one thing each day to create "moments that take our breath away?"
Tim McGraw's take on it is one place to begin (lyric from Live Like You Were Dying):
I think Carpe Diem takes this a step further, however. It's the difference between truly living and just existing. The idea behind The Bucket List is to find joy in life. Two terminally ill men go on adventures to experience grand things before they die. "Grand" is subjective, however, and included on their bucket list is something along the lines of "kiss the most beautiful girl." It turns out that the character Jack Nicholson portrays has a beautiful granddaughter who he has never seen due to a falling out with his daughter. "Kiss the most beautiful girl" takes on an entirely different meaning in this context. Also on this list is "laugh till I cry" and "witness something truly majestic." Do we have to drink Kopi Luwak or go to the Himalayas to achieve these?
What can we love in our daily lives, and what can we manifest in our everyday lives, that is extraordinary living that will take our breath away?
Hard thought... brainstorming..... brain hurts....
Lets see. I love the smell of freshly cut grass, but we don't have grass, as is common in this area. I love the smell of burning wood, but we don't have a fireplace or wood stove. I love the woods, but have to go out of my way to get there...so... what next?
Helping my kids with math or having a clean kitchen floor doesn't take my breath away. I was never a good teacher, and gave up on having a clean house years ago. I adore sitting with my cats, petting them, hearing them purr, but it doesn't take my breath away. It's not that I'm not grateful for these things. Perhaps Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs partially explains why we need something more to feel like we're truly living rather than just existing. But I think it comes back to gratitude.
I love being healthy, strong, and vibrant. I love Tae Bo, yoga, meditation, shamanic journeying, and listening to that which is not audible to the ear. I love being gifted with the ability to share healing Reiki energy. I'd forgotten how I enjoyed lifting weights-the mere action is empowering, and the after-affects, enlivening. I enjoy playing Lord of the Rings Monopoly with my son, and making my boys do Tae Bo when they're acting rowdy and rambunctious.
The goal, then, is to figure out what we can do right here at home to take our breath away on a regular basis, whether it's meditation or sky-diving. Everyone may have a different definition of what an extraordinary life is, but let's take a shot at this. Let's find what we can do that brings us joy and creates extraordinary living right here close to home.
*Meet the barn owl at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Feel the majestic power of his wings as he flies past you. And check out the Meerkat Cam at http://www.cmzoo.org/! I love this beautiful owl and the beautiful and smart raven who lives in the same building!
*Provide for someone else's need. Participate in ColoradoSpringsFreecycle by checking in occassionally at http://groups.freecycle.org/ColoradoSpringsFreecycle/posts/all to see what others are asking for. You might find something you are looking for as well as saving the environment by recycling items you no longer want. Occassionally people will ask for help in some way (for food). You will feel joy by anonymously and spontaneously helping others.
*Visit the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center in Divide, CO or the Serenity Springs Wildlife Center in Calhan, CO for a tour. Standard tours at both locations are $10, and you might be rewarded by the majestic sound of howling wolves or the mighty roar of regal lions. http://www.wolfeducation.org/ and http://www.serenityspringswildlife.org/.
*Hike the Manitou Incline a few times per year. It will take your breath away -literally- during the hike up and again once you're at the top.
*Hike to the top of the Crags. There are a couple different routes of varying difficulty, and once at the top, you won't want to leave.
*Attend a drumming ceremony at the Garden of the Gods facilitated by the Inner Light Center. Very uplifting and healing, it will take your breath away. http://www.theinnerlightweb.com/
*Commit to learning something that you would never ever have attempted before: belly-dancing, shamanic journeying, golfing, fencing, kickboxing... find whatever it is that you ever dreamed of, or something that you would never have thought of before, and dive in!
This list will be updated as more ideas and information are received at Renee's Fountain Valley Fotos Facebook page.
The Language Arts teacher had challenged the kids to do a free-write essay (no gramatical rules or formal writing etiquette) on what Carpe Diem means and how to live an "extraordinary life." She gave them the quote: "It's not the number of breaths that we take that is important, it's the moments that take our breath away."
Popularly translated as "seize the day," per Wikipedia, "Carpe literally means "to pick, pluck, pluck off, cull, crop, gather", and that someone named Ovid intended the word to mean "To enjoy, seize, use, make use of." Wikipedia continues, stating that "though it is a misconception that it says "seize the day" this may be because it is an imperfect translation." The Miriam-Webster online dictionary states "the enjoyment of the pleasures of the moment without concern for the future." The teacher gave this in the context of "living," after telling the students about a former student of hers who had passed away.
What a great thought-I love free-writing! Think The Bucket List and Live Like You Were Dying (a movie and a song, respectively).
So, how do we live an extraordiary life? How many of us can afford to go sky-diving, drive our dream race car at any raceway, or even have the practical ability to just escape to the woods on a regular basis (if you don't already live there)? How do we make each day special? Can we manifest just one thing each day to create "moments that take our breath away?"
Tim McGraw's take on it is one place to begin (lyric from Live Like You Were Dying):
He said "I was finally the husband,Is this enough to create "moments that take our breath away." Sometimes. Emotional connections can have a huge impact. How do I become the "husband/wife" that most of the time I am not? How do I become the friend that a friend would like to have? In our regular life, day-to-day relationships can feel mundane, uneventful, comfortable. There is nothing wrong with comfortable, but there's a reason magazines spout articles on how to spice up relationships. Tim McGraw's intent here is to simply not take those things for granted. To cherish and value those ordinary, comfortable relationships. Gratitude.
"That most the time I wasn’t.
"An' I became a friend a friend would like to have.
"And all of a sudden goin' fishin’,
"Wasn’t such an imposition,
I think Carpe Diem takes this a step further, however. It's the difference between truly living and just existing. The idea behind The Bucket List is to find joy in life. Two terminally ill men go on adventures to experience grand things before they die. "Grand" is subjective, however, and included on their bucket list is something along the lines of "kiss the most beautiful girl." It turns out that the character Jack Nicholson portrays has a beautiful granddaughter who he has never seen due to a falling out with his daughter. "Kiss the most beautiful girl" takes on an entirely different meaning in this context. Also on this list is "laugh till I cry" and "witness something truly majestic." Do we have to drink Kopi Luwak or go to the Himalayas to achieve these?
What can we love in our daily lives, and what can we manifest in our everyday lives, that is extraordinary living that will take our breath away?
Hard thought... brainstorming..... brain hurts....
Lets see. I love the smell of freshly cut grass, but we don't have grass, as is common in this area. I love the smell of burning wood, but we don't have a fireplace or wood stove. I love the woods, but have to go out of my way to get there...so... what next?
Helping my kids with math or having a clean kitchen floor doesn't take my breath away. I was never a good teacher, and gave up on having a clean house years ago. I adore sitting with my cats, petting them, hearing them purr, but it doesn't take my breath away. It's not that I'm not grateful for these things. Perhaps Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs partially explains why we need something more to feel like we're truly living rather than just existing. But I think it comes back to gratitude.
I love being healthy, strong, and vibrant. I love Tae Bo, yoga, meditation, shamanic journeying, and listening to that which is not audible to the ear. I love being gifted with the ability to share healing Reiki energy. I'd forgotten how I enjoyed lifting weights-the mere action is empowering, and the after-affects, enlivening. I enjoy playing Lord of the Rings Monopoly with my son, and making my boys do Tae Bo when they're acting rowdy and rambunctious.
The goal, then, is to figure out what we can do right here at home to take our breath away on a regular basis, whether it's meditation or sky-diving. Everyone may have a different definition of what an extraordinary life is, but let's take a shot at this. Let's find what we can do that brings us joy and creates extraordinary living right here close to home.
*Meet the barn owl at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Feel the majestic power of his wings as he flies past you. And check out the Meerkat Cam at http://www.cmzoo.org/! I love this beautiful owl and the beautiful and smart raven who lives in the same building!
*Provide for someone else's need. Participate in ColoradoSpringsFreecycle by checking in occassionally at http://groups.freecycle.org/ColoradoSpringsFreecycle/posts/all to see what others are asking for. You might find something you are looking for as well as saving the environment by recycling items you no longer want. Occassionally people will ask for help in some way (for food). You will feel joy by anonymously and spontaneously helping others.
*Visit the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center in Divide, CO or the Serenity Springs Wildlife Center in Calhan, CO for a tour. Standard tours at both locations are $10, and you might be rewarded by the majestic sound of howling wolves or the mighty roar of regal lions. http://www.wolfeducation.org/ and http://www.serenityspringswildlife.org/.
*Hike the Manitou Incline a few times per year. It will take your breath away -literally- during the hike up and again once you're at the top.
*Hike to the top of the Crags. There are a couple different routes of varying difficulty, and once at the top, you won't want to leave.
*Attend a drumming ceremony at the Garden of the Gods facilitated by the Inner Light Center. Very uplifting and healing, it will take your breath away. http://www.theinnerlightweb.com/
*Commit to learning something that you would never ever have attempted before: belly-dancing, shamanic journeying, golfing, fencing, kickboxing... find whatever it is that you ever dreamed of, or something that you would never have thought of before, and dive in!
This list will be updated as more ideas and information are received at Renee's Fountain Valley Fotos Facebook page.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Just for fun (even on Wordless Wednesday..)
1.What color are your socks right? two-toned blue
2.What are you listening to right now? discourse of my kids & my father while they're washing dishes
3.What was the last thing you ate? just ate cinnimon dessert pizza (sorry)
4.Can you drive a stick shift? I learned on a duce (old Army two & one-half ton truck)
5.Last person you spoke to on the phone? my hubby
6.Do you like the person who sent this to you? N/A-I read her blog!
7.How old are you today? 42
8.What is your favorite sport to watch on TV? Olympic figure skating and gymnastics
9.What is your favorite drink? black tea with honey or a nectar
10.Have you ever dyed your hair? can't live without it
11.Favorite food? smoked salmon that only my hubby can make!
12.What is the last movie you watched? The Blind Side
13.Favorite day of the year? Close tie between 4th of July and the Renaissance Festival!
14.How do you vent? Talk to my hubby, write, meditate, or sing
15.What was your favorite toy as a child? Barbie
16.What is your favorite season? Spring
17.Cherries or blueberries? Both; use in cereal, smoothies, etc
18.Do you want your friends to e-mail you back? sure, why not
19.Who is the most likely to respond? not sure-ditto
20.Who is least likely to respond? is this really important?
21.Living situation: In my beautiful house, my hubby, my two sons, my princess cat Shadow and my lioness kitten, Solstice, husky Sienna, and currently, Grandpa is with us
22.When was the last time you cried? must we air dirty laundry?.. Christmas night (drunk sister acting inappropriate)
23.What is on the floor of your closet right now? which closet? LR just has shoes, toys, and vaccuum
24.Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending to? Lisa G.
25.What did you do last night? masters degree homework
26.What are you most afraid of? Spiders, failure...let's see, boats
27.Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers? Swiss cheese & mushrooms
28.Favorite dog breed? Huskies, Goldens, Australian Shephards
29.Favorite day of the week? I don't have one these days
30.How many states have you lived in? 10 (if military training counts)
31.Diamonds or pearls? I used to think rocks belonged on the side of a mountain, but, I truly adore my wedding ring, do diamonds
32.What is your favorite flower? Cala lillies... lilacs...gerbera daisies... must I choose?
Find previous person's list at Laughs & Frustrations of a Proud Army Wife
2.What are you listening to right now? discourse of my kids & my father while they're washing dishes
3.What was the last thing you ate? just ate cinnimon dessert pizza (sorry)
4.Can you drive a stick shift? I learned on a duce (old Army two & one-half ton truck)
5.Last person you spoke to on the phone? my hubby
6.Do you like the person who sent this to you? N/A-I read her blog!
7.How old are you today? 42
8.What is your favorite sport to watch on TV? Olympic figure skating and gymnastics
9.What is your favorite drink? black tea with honey or a nectar
10.Have you ever dyed your hair? can't live without it
11.Favorite food? smoked salmon that only my hubby can make!
12.What is the last movie you watched? The Blind Side
13.Favorite day of the year? Close tie between 4th of July and the Renaissance Festival!
14.How do you vent? Talk to my hubby, write, meditate, or sing
15.What was your favorite toy as a child? Barbie
16.What is your favorite season? Spring
17.Cherries or blueberries? Both; use in cereal, smoothies, etc
18.Do you want your friends to e-mail you back? sure, why not
19.Who is the most likely to respond? not sure-ditto
20.Who is least likely to respond? is this really important?
21.Living situation: In my beautiful house, my hubby, my two sons, my princess cat Shadow and my lioness kitten, Solstice, husky Sienna, and currently, Grandpa is with us
22.When was the last time you cried? must we air dirty laundry?.. Christmas night (drunk sister acting inappropriate)
23.What is on the floor of your closet right now? which closet? LR just has shoes, toys, and vaccuum
24.Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending to? Lisa G.
25.What did you do last night? masters degree homework
26.What are you most afraid of? Spiders, failure...let's see, boats
27.Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers? Swiss cheese & mushrooms
28.Favorite dog breed? Huskies, Goldens, Australian Shephards
29.Favorite day of the week? I don't have one these days
30.How many states have you lived in? 10 (if military training counts)
31.Diamonds or pearls? I used to think rocks belonged on the side of a mountain, but, I truly adore my wedding ring, do diamonds
32.What is your favorite flower? Cala lillies... lilacs...gerbera daisies... must I choose?
Find previous person's list at Laughs & Frustrations of a Proud Army Wife
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Is Facebook a Blessing or a Curse?
There seem to be mixed responses among military wives at Is Facebook a Blessing or a Curse?. Here is my feeling on the matter:
The issue is how we cope through their absence. My husband, now over 20 years of service, is leaving in a few months (not including a year in Korea). We have had separations with and without the use of any internet technology.
How we manage during these times is a matter of choice. Our responses are often a result of our own insecurities ("why is he posting on someone else's wall and not mine?”), which will eat us alive. Do not let unfounded insecurities not only paralyze you.
In a healthy relationship, you will have a life outside of that relationship - if I have 5 minutes to post on someone else's wall, why can't he if he gets the chance? In a healthy relationship, this is not a problem. We all have friends, family and acquaintances outside of our primary relationship. And we use whatever practical tools we have to communicate with them. There was a time when being overseas meant the only communication was through written letters. Phone calls were impractical and costly. Facebook is just another form of writing that requires less time, thought, or effort to be connected. And the connection is superficial. Facebook is a spontaneous tool for short notes and pictures.
Facebook should not be the only tool we use to communicate with loved ones. Letters and phone calls connect us better. We tend to abbreviate correspondence when using the internet. I remember when my husband did not have reliable phone access and had no internet access. Every few weeks he would go to a place where he had to pay by the minute to use the computer or make a phone call. And he wrote letters. I still treasure those letters.
We will use Facebook this next time around, but I am not reliant on it, and not hurt if he chooses to communicate (briefly as is the way with Facebook) with someone else. I am the one on whom he spends the money to call over static-filled phone lines. I am the one he is coming home to. But I will cherish every photo or comment he gets the chance to post on Facebook that gives me a small insight to what he is experiencing and how he is doing life at that moment.
The issue is how we cope through their absence. My husband, now over 20 years of service, is leaving in a few months (not including a year in Korea). We have had separations with and without the use of any internet technology.
How we manage during these times is a matter of choice. Our responses are often a result of our own insecurities ("why is he posting on someone else's wall and not mine?”), which will eat us alive. Do not let unfounded insecurities not only paralyze you.
In a healthy relationship, you will have a life outside of that relationship - if I have 5 minutes to post on someone else's wall, why can't he if he gets the chance? In a healthy relationship, this is not a problem. We all have friends, family and acquaintances outside of our primary relationship. And we use whatever practical tools we have to communicate with them. There was a time when being overseas meant the only communication was through written letters. Phone calls were impractical and costly. Facebook is just another form of writing that requires less time, thought, or effort to be connected. And the connection is superficial. Facebook is a spontaneous tool for short notes and pictures.
Facebook should not be the only tool we use to communicate with loved ones. Letters and phone calls connect us better. We tend to abbreviate correspondence when using the internet. I remember when my husband did not have reliable phone access and had no internet access. Every few weeks he would go to a place where he had to pay by the minute to use the computer or make a phone call. And he wrote letters. I still treasure those letters.
We will use Facebook this next time around, but I am not reliant on it, and not hurt if he chooses to communicate (briefly as is the way with Facebook) with someone else. I am the one on whom he spends the money to call over static-filled phone lines. I am the one he is coming home to. But I will cherish every photo or comment he gets the chance to post on Facebook that gives me a small insight to what he is experiencing and how he is doing life at that moment.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)