Thanks Dad and Mom

Sunday, Monday and Tuesday we had the chance to take a surprise vacation to the Hinckley/Duluth area. Mom stayed with us at their encampment, and we had a great time. Temperature variations on the trip nearly reached 40 degrees, so we could fit in swimming in the pool to huddling indoors over a pint all in one short period of time.

Wake Up World!

Although I detest the news, like all humans I love a morning routine. For weeks now I've been pouring my coffee, grabbing my laptop, settling into my favorite loveseat and firing up the Morning Cup of Links at the Mental Floss blog. Here I am pleased to say I find a tasty mix of art, social updates, weird history and just general good yet stimulating stuff. A few days ago, the links included one to Improv Everywhere's blog. This blog has definately been the highlight of my week. The purpose of Improv Everywhere is stated as;

Improv Everywhere causes scenes of chaos and joy in public places. Created in August of 2001 by Charlie Todd, Improv Everywhere has executed over 80 missionsinvolving thousands of undercover agents. The group is based in New York City.

I had seen their infamous Frozen Grand Central some time ago, but didn't realize they had a website and an ongoing plan to continue these sort of missions. Recently they have incorporated MP3 players into their plans, for even bigger and better executed missions.

What surprised me most was my reaction. By the time I had watched two mission videos I was sobbing. The reaction was similar to how I feel at classical music concerts, as if my solid wall of resistance is being broken down and pure joy is immerging...against my will for some reason.

I find myself to be somewhat out of sync with the world in general, lost in a sea of people who seem content to be like each other, to fit in, to go with the flow. I think these missions strike at that core feeling and give me hope. Hope that their is life on this planet. Hope that we can be jarred out of our automaton state. Hope that the world will awaken and we will all see each other for who we reall are; unique, perfect, blessed.

How about you? Is there anything that causes you to sob for joy? What would you say best wakes you up and helps you to feel alive and whole?

The Participles of Imprisonment

Why do we teach our children incorrect words for things? Nappy and Uppy and Night-Night. Is it so that we can keep them to ourselves, a private language code to hold them to us a while longer?

Scott and I never did this with Andrew. Perhaps we should have named him Samuel, because even before he was born we felt it: that he did not really belong to us, but was lent out, until it was time to return him to his Maker.

We told him rabbit and fish and cookie, and when he played them back to us as bunny and sheesh and keecoo we said no, this is the way you must connect with all that is outside of us, we rejected his private language. We drew him to the bigger world.

Eight years later we see him daily asking for new words, hearing them pronounced, taking in their meanings. Each word draws him farther away from us, gives him one more brick in a path that will lead him on his own journey.

As he spends more time with his peers, he begins to use words to harm, not just as a way to draw things to himself. We try to take a balanced approach, not forbidding some words as “bad”, but making sure he knows their real meanings, and expecting him to reach deeper for what he is really trying to say.

We read about how to be better parents for the special type of learning that Andrew excels in, and work hard to not apply labels that will limit him. Again our goal is keeping him free to explore the depth inside of him and how he can take that to the larger world.

Will Have an Opinion for Money (and candy)

Months ago I signed up to be considered for future market research focus groups at a local marketing firm. They have called me several times over the past months, but I've always either missed the call, or been unable to attend the group due to scheduling issues.

Last week an opportunity arose that was just too good to pass up. For an amount of money similar to what a lawyer would make in two hours, I got to sit in a lovely air-conditioned room today and eat my favorite candy bar and talk about why I love it.

I also was asked, for a chance to earn additional money, to create a collage that talks about my perfect candy eating experience. I am sad to say my collage did not win, but it was still fun to make.

After I left, chatting up the other participants all the way to the elevator, I realized I felt like I was leaving happy hour, instead of a product meeting. The group of 8 people were great fun and many laughs accompanied this happy topic. I even found out after the meeting that I used to work with one of the participants...I should have realized from his warped sense of humor that this was a guy who had lived through the trenches of American Express and come out on the other side with a smile on his face.

What is your favorite candy bar? What do you love about it? How often do you have one? Do you keep candy around the house, or is it something that you have to go buy when you want it?

Where have all my words gone?

I may have gone so long in posting here that no one will be left to read this. Where have I been? Well, lately, I just haven't found what I have to say interesting enough to share. Its been a quiet time in my brain, and therefore on my blog. I have a couple of things to say though, so watch here over the next two days and watch my blog rebloom!

In the meantime, here is a quick update of the past month:

Andrew has been officially accepted to Connections Academy, an online school. Since he falls age-wise half way in between 4th and 5th grade, we chose 4th grade to give him a nice easy start to this new way of learning. His first day is September 1.

I have been scrapbooking at a rate more like once every 10 days rather than once a day. It feels more balanced. I also haven't felt the need to spend money on additional scrapbooking supplies. It hasn't been a struggle to cut back, I just haven't felt the need for new stuff. That also feels more balanced.

Scott and I have started talking about dreams and goals again. Nothing concrete on that front, but we are getting things started.

The neighbors K and K are hanging out with us on a regular basis, and we are enjoying their company.

Overall, that is about it. Its been quiet and consistent here and that feels good too.

Now I'm off to sample candy for $100 an hour, have a great day!