Lord Stanley's Cup Returns to Big D

I read that the Stanley Cup was going to be making an appearance at the Dallas Galleria today.  I just HAD to go!  HAD to!  And I'm so glad I did!  What a very cool moment in life.

I was thinking about this silliness I am experiencing about The Cup.  It's downright giddy to be truthful.  Anyway, I was getting dressed and thinking to myself:  self, why is this so important?  I mean, in the grand scheme of life, it's not all that life-changing or moving.  It's mostly just entertainment.  So why does it matter?

Then I concluded it really DOESN'T matter, but it's one of those quality of life things.  If I had to surrender something to give more time and energy to something else, I could surrender hockey, football, television (TV would be SO easy!  I want to do it NOW!), and some other things.  But, since life is such a struggle, I cling to the things that make me excited -- like hockey, like seeing Lord Stanley's Cup IN PERSON.

KBD was there, too, and she took most of the pictures (thanks KBD!), then we had someone else snap us both together with the cup.  I took the closeup of the 1998-99 Dallas Stars Championship Team.

While there, KBD and I learned that every year, The Cup takes a tour, and every Friday after Thanksgiving, it's in Dallas.  Maybe I'll make an annual trek!

Oh!  And Happy Birthday, Dad.  I continue to love you more and more each day.  I miss you as much today than the day you rose.  Well, truthfully, miss you MORE than that.  xo

Kind & Generous: A Thanksgiving Day Dedication

Not unlike the rest of the United States, I'm taking a moment to reflect on that which I've been ever so blessed.  I really get filled with humility and strong emotion as I walk that path.  Tears well up and my chest feels as if some force is pushing from the inside out, no doubt swelling with love -- pure, sweet love.

Thank you for walking the path with me, holding my hand and stopping every once in a while to listen to the lullaby of leafy trees, the kiss of a wandering breeze, a the putting me at ease.

You are ... Kind and Generous.

you've been so kind and generous
I don't know how you keep on giving
for your kindness I'm in debt to you
for your selflessness, my admiration
and for everything you've done

you know I'm bound...
I'm bound to thank you for it

you've been so kind and generous
I don't know how you keep on giving
for your kindness I'm in debt to you
and I never could have come this far without you
so for everything you've done

you know I'm bound...
I'm bound to thank you for it

I want to thank you
for so many gifts
you gave with love and tenderness
I want to thank you

I want to thank you
for your generosity
the love and the honesty
that you gave me

I want to thank you
show my gratitude
my love and my respect for you
I want to thank you

I want to...

thank you
thank you
thank you

Stomping Queen

Do you remember (or ever heard of) that song by Abba called "Dancing Queen"?  Well...just think of that song and insert "Stomping" in lieu of "Dancing" and that was me this morning!

I fell asleep feeling very angsty and kinda blah.  I slept very hard for a very short amount of time.  Around four of the clock in the ante meridiam, I awoke.  And I thought.  And layed.  And counted.  And thought.  And layed.  And counted.  And thought.  And layed.  And thought.  And thought.  And thought I need to quit laying and DO something.  I was *still* feeling angsty.

So, I decide to get my happy arse out of the bed and take a walk!  It was 4:55 ayem and this angstygirl was gonna just breathe in the crisp 40 degree weather and hopefully work out all the angst.  So, I slipped on my black and white Nikes, grab my iPod nano and head out the door. 

I don't know why I don't thrive on this.  I love that time of the morning.  It's quiet, peaceful.  It's still.  It settles me.

I turn the volume on my music up really high and listen to the Cowboy Junkies, Metric, Dandy Warhols.  I ended on "Santa Monica" by Everclear.  Let me tell you what...  I was so relaxed and uplifted when that song came on that I was literally stomping and dancing to that song on the last half block or so.  I'm sure my neighbors, if they saw, were giggling at me.

It felt good to feel good.  I am not used to that feeling, so it definitely feels even uncomfortable to feel that good. 

Here's hoping I can keep stomping in the mornings.... *clink*

Music Minute: Friday Night by Girl Talk

Okay, so I've been freakishly obsessing about something, so I *had* to feature it on my blog. 

Have you ever heard of mash-ups?  Sometimes they're referred to as "mashables"?

If you've never heard of this amazing phenomenon, then get on the bandwagon!  It's not too late!  There's something in them for everyone!

So...I was watching a documentary on Hulu earlier this week called RiP:  A Remix Manifesto.  This guy, Gregg Gillis, a.k.a. Girl Talk, is a biomedical engineer who is essentially spearheading the movement to change copyright laws in the United States.  And I have to say I agree with him. 

Girl Talk is Gregg's DJ name and he takes familiar words, tunes, songs and digitizes them into a new song.  I am featuring "Friday Night" which has elements of the following:

0:00 (21:04) The Notorious B.I.G. - "Hypnotize" (portion sampled samples "Rise" by Herb Alpert)
0:01 (21:05) Salt-n-Pepa - "Let's Talk About Sex"
0:04 (21:08) Public Enemy - "Rebel Without a Pause"
0:18 (21:22) J-Kwon - "Tipsy"
0:36 (21:40) Billy Squier - "The Stroke"
0:36 (21:40) Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg - "Nuthin' but a "G" Thang" (portion sampled samples "I Wanna Do Something Freaky to You" by Leon Haywood)
0:55 (21:59) Missy Elliott - "I'm Really Hot"
1:22 (22:26) N.O.R.E. - "Nothin'"
1:31 (22:35) Black Sheep - "The Choice Is Yours (Revisited)"
1:40 (22:44) Donnie Iris - "Ah! Leah!"
1:40 (22:44) Chris Brown featuring Juelz Santana - "Run It!"
2:01 (23:05) The Waitresses - "I Know What Boys Like"
2:17 (23:21) Lady Sovereign - "Random"
2:26 (23:29) Nikka Costa - "Like a Feather"
2:44 (23:48) Mark Morrison - "Return of the Mack" (portion sampled samples "Genius of Love" by Tom Tom Club)
2:51 (23:55) TLC - "Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg"
2:54 (23:58) Busta Rhymes - "Touch It" (portion sampled samples "Technologic" by Daft Punk)
3:02 (24:06) The Black Crowes - "Hard to Handle"

This is how he does it (it looks so easy!):


So...I hope you did a little Girl Talk and I hope you support his cause. 

Now, git down witchyo bad self!

Claim to Fame

It was so lovely and romantic that I had to blog about it.

I was at a party where I met a slew of new people.  One man, an 88 year old retired M.D., was most fascinating.  We had a great conversation about West Texas, being as I grew up 'round those parts, and his life was mostly spent out yonder. 

Before he hobbled over to me, he stopped to introduce himself to another party guest.

M.D.:  *offering his hand to shake*  Hi.  I'm Ken Green.  My claim to fame is marrying that woman right there.  *motions to his wife*

How supercute is that?  And romantic!  After all their years together!

Whoosh!

thirtynineyears

In no particular order of importance, I've compiled

1.  Passion is the essence of all things.  Be passionate.

2.  Love.  Move past the physical.  Plant yourself in the Spirit.  Don't allow differences to bound your love from being given and received.  And at the moments when you think you cannot offer love, dig deeper and love anyway.

3.  Money is badbadjuju.

4.  It's a lot harder than it looks.

5.  From bad comes good.

6.  Pain is growth.

7.  Trust the process.

8.  The Dallas Cowboys will ALWAYS be America's Team.

9.  More Americans need to give hockey a chance.  If you like football, you'll more than like hockey!

10.  Sometimes I just don't want to.  So, STFU.

11.  Ice cream soothes the soul best.

12.  Pizza is the best food on Earth on Thursday nights.  Hamburgers on Monday nights, especially during football season.

13.  Sunday afternoon naps are life-giving, soul-warming, peace-promoting and uber-necessary.  In fact, all naps are.  Nap as often as possible.  Just don't miss out on life.

14.  I am certain to die of cancer.  The mathematical genetics are in favor of cancer.

15.  Being a mom is the greatest gift in the whole entire span of humanity, but I'm so much more than a mom and for that, I fall to my knees in thanksgiving that I have been made to so dynamic, so full of life, and I will continue to walk with my arms outstretched learning to be more and better than I am at this very moment.

16.  Sex outside of the bed is better than inside the bed. Probably.

17.  Sometimes the relief of peeing when I've been holding it for a reallllly long time is better than an orgasm. 

18.  I wish I could sing and play an instrument well.  I want to learn how to play the harp before I die.

19.  My children love me.

20.  I make yummy enchiladas -- gringa style!

21.  Lip gloss or some sort of lip moisturizer is a must-have for me.

22.  Teenagers aren't as bas as I made them out to be.

23.  Grilled ham and cheese sandwiches...yeah.

24.  Give things and people a second chance.

25.  Every woman wants to feel pretty.  Every woman has a way to feel pretty -- her way.

26.  God created Eve for many reasons.  He gifted Adam with her.  One of the many reasons for this is so Adam knew he was not alone.  It's not even a male/female thing.  It's about community.  It's about validation.  It's about selflessness.  It's okay to withdraw sometimes, but don't shut people out.  You are needed.  You need.  Love your lover.  Love the unloveable.  Love never fails.

27.  Smiling and laughing is possible even in the depth of sadness and grief.

28.  Playing with my hair, stroking it, rubbing my scalp...this is one of the most intimate acts that I adore. 

29.  Kissing is absolutely a deal maker or deal breaker.  Kiss well in love.  Kiss often in relationships.  Be a good kisser and don't be afraid to recieve kisses.  Don't allow social rules to define or limit your expression of love.

30.  My friends are rocks.  Each and every one I cling to, and I thank each of you for not moving.

31.  I need to be surrounded by positive energy; therefore, I don't watch or read the news (it manages to find me anyway if it's a big enough story).

32.  If I won the lottery, I'd become a philanthropist. 

33.  Growing up in my formative years in El Paso, Texas, allowed me the extreme of living in a bubble to living in the wars of gangs.  Border life is indescribeable.  In spite of it's negative stereotype, El Paso holds some amazing beauty, rich tradition, woven cultures, and I am proud to have been raised in the Sun City.

34.  I was born in Alaska and often say in a tongue-in-cheek manner that I need to be near my people.  I will return to Alaska some day and breathe in the clean, crisp air. With any luck, I'll make a snow angel while there.

Airplanes and Such

Heaving for breath.  Gasping almost.  A full on panic.

That's how I awoke this morning.  Internally, my body was afrenzy yet, externally, I lay in peace, nestled 'neath the teal and chocolate brown.

I had a lot of dreams through the night, but the one that left me in a heightened state was about an airplane crashing, and I was in it.

I don't remember too many particulars, just a few ... peripherals ... for lack of a better word.  I remember work was involved, and family was, too.  I was in an open meadow and boarded an airplane.  It wasn't at an airport; the meadow was literally an open field.  I stepped up the stairs and filed to the back of the plane since all the other seats were taken.  I was irritated because the back is the noisiest part and I was right by the bathroom. 

An older woman sat next to me, dressed sharply.  I know I knew her, but in retelling the dream, I cannot recall who she is.  I can't see her face.  I can only see her white button down shirt, starched and tucked into a gray wool skirt.  She had long legs, bare.  Her feet were adorned with black patent leather heels. 

So the plane takes off, elevates quickly into the clear blue sky.  I look out the window to my left, where the woman was sitting, and I see a jetliner heading RIGHT for us.  The nose of my plane lifted, dodging the jetliner, whose speed has left my plane in a bit of turbulance. 

My plane settles back into a safe state of flight.  I don't think anyone else has realized what's just happened.  I specifically recall no screaming, worried chatter, shifting of items.  It was weird.  And quiet.  Very quiet.

I look out my window to the right and see that same plane literally make a wide u-turn and target my plane again.  It clearly has a mission to take my plane out, and it's not going to fail.  I grip on to the armrests and watch incredulously as it lifts over my plane.  With my cheek pressed to the window, eyes fixated on the attack jetliner, I see it lift high above us, turn it's nose down and point it straight down toward the ground.  It dive bombs into my plane, ripping my plane right under my feet.  Literally I felt the whoosh of wind and the near-scrape of my chinny-chin-chin.  My body is tense, my back pushing so hard against the back of my seat, arms straight, fear and tears all over me. 

No sooner did it destroy my plane did it go away.  There was no debris.  No screams.  No bloodshed.  There was no sign whatsoever that an accident had just occurred.  Still quiet.

I'm floating in the sky, in control, alone at the back of the plane, nothing but the blue clear sky before me.  It was kind of like riding in my car with the windows down.  My hair was fluttering about, locks sometimes stinging a slap on my cheek and tickling my neck.  I was navigating that thing!

I grew immensely calm.  My body relaxed.  I felt free. 

I woke before the dream completed.  I've no idea if I crash landed or what.  I do know that I went from complete panic and fearful of dying to immense peace and calm, feeling very in control of that vehicle. 

Now, I don't know about you, but this girl thinks dreams are functional.  I believe my mind picks up on things subliminally, sensorially.  And I also believe that the emotions I feel during the day that I don't necessarily label or acknowledge as a particular feeling are manifested in my dreama.  Dreaming is the mind's way of reconciling all these issues and sensory stimuli, processing information and attempting to convey a message that's custom built for me.  One caveat here: I also think themes of dreams do have universality.  For example, dreaming of being naked means a fear of exposure -- of being vulnerable -- something secret being revealed.  Get the picture?

So, what do I think my dream meant? 

I think it meant that I need to be more confident and realize that I'm in control of more than I realize.  I also believe it means that I feel like I've made goals that I probably feel like I cannot attain, and by me feeling at peace and free at the end of my dream means that I am able to handle my goals.  In spite of obstacles, I can pilot my own plane so to speak, even if I'm not in the cockpit.  I don't have to be the leader to lead.  I don't have to be in uniform; I just need to be me, even if I'm afraid of myself. 

Hoaky, huh?  But legit.  Tewwwwwtally!

The question now is.... Do you want to get on an airplane with me?

Thank You

Just wanted to say a heartfelt thank you to all you folks who have visited my blog, especially to those regular readers.  I know some of you, some I don't.  The folks I don't, I have a special fondness for since somehow our paths have crossed and keep crossing for reasons yet to be told.  That kind of connection is what makes life very intriguing to me.  To those who come regularly, some I know personally and others I don't, but have had some 'outside the blogosphere' conversation, and I'm ever grateful to have been given the privilege of some level of friendship with you.  I pray it blossoms.

Today I'm pushing out the phrase Be Life Giving Not Life Draining. 

I'm finding all of you to be life giving. 

Forever yours,

~J