Sep 7, 2013 | Live
I’m blessed with amazing friends, who are
black
white
Christian
Jewish
atheist
Muslim
gay
straight
bi
transsexual
empty nesters
parents of small children
parents of teenagers
childless
geeks
technophobes
luddites
conservative
liberal
young
middle-aged
old
reserved
extroverted
wealthy
homeless
… and I love that I don’t live in a bubble in which everyone agrees with me, lives like me, and thinks like me. If we’re never challenged, how on earth do we grow?
If you don’t have friends with whom you disagree, you’re missing out on far too much of life’s color, on perspective gained from hearing other points of view from people you care about.
Life is not one-sided, it’s not monochromatic. One of God’s best creations is the rainbow, which represents the spectrum of all colors.
Do you have friends from different walks of life, different stages, different lifestyles? If not, find some. Life is so much richer when you see all of the colors.
Feb 8, 2013 | Live
Insomnia.
It comes and goes, and I never know when it’s coming or when it will go. It perpetuates itself; the longer you go without sleeping, the more you worry because you’re not sleeping. The anxiety keeps you awake, so you can’t get to sleep, because you’re worried about not sleeping … I do not exaggerate.
But I’m nothing if not an irrepressible optimist. So I believe that every cloud has a silver lining. (And, obviously, that some clichés are just truth that a lot of people recognize.)
About a week ago, after several nights of either sleeplessness or what could be considered a short nap in the middle of the night, I figured there had to be some productive way to use this time.
I was preparing for a presentation for a group I’ve been involved with for quite some time and really did not want to screw up. The topic was something I know well and am comfortable with. Earlier in the evening, I had been working on it and had really reached the point of burnout. I realized that the work I had done up to that point was crap.
So, I gave in to my fried brain and went to bed. But not to sleep. Once I laid down, my mind came alive. With ideas.
And suddenly, the presentation took shape. I sleep with my phone, so I took a few notes, but my mind just kicked into overdrive and I wrote the entire presentation in my head. And when I woke up, I still remembered it and it was so much better than what I had done that I deleted it all and started over.
Turned out to be one of the most successful presentations I’ve done, based on how much fun I had and the feedback I received.
So why do I do my best writing lying down?
I think it’s because my body is relaxed. Lying down, there’s no tension, no pressure. My mind is out of work mode. No one works lying down, right? Since I don’t think I’m working, I’m relaxed enough to free up my brain, so it just flows.
In the past few months, I’ve realized that I really do my best writing lying down. Which I thought was weird, and has definitely brought eye rolls from my husband, Jim, who still doesn’t believe I’m not just napping.
So when a study from researchers at the Australian National University found that participants solved anagrams 10 percent faster when lying down, I felt vindicated.
How do you do your best work? Sitting up, standing, lying down?
Here’s the study.
See, it’s not just me.
Aug 25, 2011 | Enjoy
I’m going to preface this by saying that sometimes I have weird dreams. And weird thoughts. So maybe this is one of them, but it’s a kind of a fun mental game I’ve been playing for quite some time.
A few weeks ago, on the way home from our last lake trip, I shared my mental exercise with my family over lunch. They thought I was nuts. They still do. And they are probably going to roll their eyes if they read this (I’m used to it).
So I offer to you:
Let’s say you were being held against your will in an undisclosed location and had the opportunity to speak to your family in the presence of your captors. What would you say that is so out of character for you that your family would know you were in deep trouble?
For me:
- I sure wish I had a cold beer (I hate beer).
- Boy, do I need a good, hot cup of coffee (hate coffee too).
- Ugh. All they are playing here is Simon & Garfunkel and it’s driving me crazy. Those guys can’t sing at all.
- Just saw the most awesome ad set in Comic Sans and Papyrus.
- I’m dying for that new Dell laptop (that one would have Jim sending the people in the white coats to carry me away).
You get the idea.
Some other favorites:
- Jim: I’m craving broccoli. Ha.
- Sara Ann (19-year-old daughter): My favorite word is crusty.
- Elizabeth (22-year-old daughter): Sports are boring.
- Ethan (Sara Ann’s boyfriend): I’m craving licorice and bell peppers.
- JP (Elizabeth’s boyfriend): Sports are boring.
You get the idea. If you know these folks at all, you’d know that Jim despises broccoli, Sara Ann can’t stand the word crusty, Elizabeth and JP are sports fanatics and Ethan feels about licorice and bell peppers the way Jim does about broccoli.
I realize this has absolutely no value to anyone, but, please, I’m recovering from surgery, ok? Gimme a break.
So … how would I know if you were in trouble? Hit me up in the comments.
Aug 12, 2011 | Believe
I’m having major surgery this coming Monday. A hysterectomy, to be exact.
Not too long ago, I had a minor procedure that involved a biopsy and they found some abnormal cells. Not cancer, but precancerous. For any cancer survivor, the word precancerous is actually code for Cut. It. Out. Of. Me. Now.
So I may not be blogging, writing, geeking out, tweeting, Plussing (is that what we’re calling it?) or Facebooking for a week or so. Or I might. It depends on which is more painful: the pressure of an electronic device on a fresh abdominal incision or the horrifying prospect of tech withdrawal (I’m predicting the latter).
My phone and iPad will go with me to the hospital, as they did last time. After all, it’s difficult to freak out when your mind is focused on 38 Down in The New York Times Thursday crossword puzzle. Or level 5-7 of Angry Birds, which I still can’t beat, dangit. And I think there’s wifi, which means there will probably also be tweets. At least until they take my phone away. This is cool because it gives my family something to laugh at me about so they won’t worry so much.
I won’t say I’m looking forward to it, but I’m not really scared either. I’m anxious in the same way we all are when we get a shot — you know that moment just before the nurse jabs the needle in? That, but worse — this is going to freakin’ hurt a lot. And I really don’t like pain meds because they make me itch.
I know I’ll be frustrated at all the things I can’t do. I’ll miss going to church. And tech coffee. And driving for a couple of weeks.
Even so, I’m blessed far beyond what I deserve by a community of awesome friends and family. I know right now that there will be people praying for me Monday morning and four very dear colleagues have already offered to bring me dinner in the coming weeks. I have an incredible online community as well, made up of folks I’d never have met without these here Interwebs.
I’m convinced that something good will come of this, as one of my favorite Bible verses promises:
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 (NIV)
Emphasis mine. In all things. Not just good things and fun things, but painful things too. Surgery will hurt in the short term but it will make me healthier in the long run. So it’s all good.
For those of you who are so inclined, please pray for me and for my family. If you’re not the praying sort, your good thoughts will do nicely, thanks.
Catch ya on the flip side.