Choreographed Kitties

I'm feeling a little puny tonight, so Happy Fun Night is going to mean turning in early. I didn't want to post another video so soon, but I also didn't want to go to bed without posting something. Since I needed a smile, I searched "funny" and "cats" was the 1st suggestion that came up. I am amazed at how choreographed these little guys are. :):)
Boy I wish blogger had smileys.

What Bernie Should Do

I normally do not write about business or political things on my blog. However, today I started working up a head of steam about something and I figured I'd share.
Bernie Madoff was not content with the vast sums of money he earned in his very successful position. So he stole even more money from many, many people who had set that money aside after working for it. The kinds of people he stole from are people who didn't want to be a burden to their kids, or perhaps they were concerned about how long the money would last upon retirement given the overall economy. Maybe they'd planned to travel through their golden years, after decades of hard work.
So why is it that after that this guy has stolen from so many "regular" folks, us "regular" taxpayers are now going to pay more to send him to jail? I don't get it. Granted I don't know everything about the story. I haven't diligently kept up with it, and this sort of thing is not my area of expertise. But here's what I think Bernie Madoff should do.
I think he should go back to work. And I think he should continue to receive his pre-existing salary. However, he's proven he cannot handle the responsibility of his position nor the income he was accustomed to. So, he ought to go back to his huge empire and start at the bottom. In the mail room. Bernie Madoff should be the assistant to the newest, greenest, youngest employee in the mail room. He should have to be the gopher to the gophers.
He should have to go fetch lattes for his "boss" and friends. And when he returns he'd better be sure to count out the coins and state "Here's your change, sir." As for his salary, Bernie himself ought to get a sense of what it's like to live on a fixed income. Perhaps minimum wage, or the Social Security benefits many of his victims will now need to settle for. Under the supervision of an accountant, he should be expected to write weekly checks consisting of the remainder of his salary which would go into a fund to repay his victims.
That's what I think Bernie should do.

Fly

Be still

Let your hand melt into mine

The part of me

That breathes when you breathe

Is losing time

I can't find the words to say

I'll never say goodbye

And I'll fly with you

Through the night so you know

I'm not letting go

I'm not letting go

Tears like rain fill up the sky

Oh my love

I'm not letting go

I won't let you go

I saw a host of silent angels

Waiting on their own

Knowing that all the promises

Of faith come alive

When you see home

Hold still and let your

Hand melt into mine

Shed your heart and your breath

And your pain and fly

Now you're alive

Now you're alive

Now you're alive

Now you're alive

I won't let you go

I'm not letting go

Fly, Jars Of Clay

Taking What I Can Get

Today I was told I have a very nice sneeze. It was one of the best compliments I've gotten in a while, if only for the comedic value.
What are some of the best or most interesting compliments you have received?

Not All Your Fault

Once again I am touched by the number of people who stumble across my blog looking for "relaxing activities" or "how to get through a bad day." Or even, "and death shall be no more (comma) death thou shalt die." Today I am commiserating with these people as the calendar fast approaches the anniversary of the day I lost someone very important to me.
In stark contrast to this, there are the pettier issues we have to deal with each day. Someone close to me was telling me that he has an infallible co-worker. This person he works with is certain you either spoke wrong, heard wrong, or meant something wrong. If you suggest she is making an assumption, she states you made an implication. If she is angry, it is in response to your behavior. On the other hand, if you are angry, you must have jumped to a conclusion or otherwise miscommunicated somehow.
Let me reassure you, it can not always be your fault all the time for everything. Everybody makes mistakes. Sometimes it's your fault. Sometimes it might even be all your fault. I'd venture to say that if you are anything like me, most of the time it's probably partly your fault. However, it takes at least two people to create a dynamic and you just can't bear all of the responsibility all of the time. Life has so many other things to focus on.

Serendipitini

My friend Teena has started a new blog, Serendipitini. Along with her daughter, she is writing some great stuff on creativity. Teena is such a great inspiration to me; she has so many artistic gifts. Stop by her site if you are looking for something fresh to spark your own creative muse.
We'd both appreciate feedback when you visit.
Have a wonderfully creative weekend.

Imagination

Discoveries Pt. 2

I've been tracking my schedule on MS Outlook for over a week now. The first thing that has been revealed to me is that I am tired. I don't mean "I could take a nap." I mean exhausted and drained of energy; to the core. Henceforth, I have decided to stop beating myself up for my lack of productivity on my weeknights.
I have about 5 hours each evening before I go to bed. Once I started tracking how long it actually takes to eat dinner, get ready for work the next day, and maintain a basic minimum of organization to my home and personal life, I realized I am lucky to blog and to return phone calls and emails in a timely manner. I now grant myself permission to "waste" the remaining 47 minutes of my evenings watching TV, messing around on Facebook, reading, or scoring Katerina some great catnip and watching the resulting amusement.
I know there are parents who do much more with their evenings, and many authors have managed to write more than one book with the same few hours. I admire them. Once upon a time, I was among the super achievers as well. My standards have changed. Those little color coded blocks of time graphically illustrate work, creativity, family, and church as my priorities. I can't force a clean house or a sold manuscript into the remaining sliver of white space. So I'm going to go watch TV with my cat.