Virginia Is For Families

There’s a really big hockey game going to be played this afternoon up in Vancouver.  It’s the US team vs the Canadian team in hockey and I don’t know why I am even bothering to note this event.  Because everybody in the world must already know about it.

It should be an interesting game but I don’t think it’s the kind of sports spectacle we witnessed back in 1980 when a bunch of college kids beat the very professional soviet hockey machine.   There were  a few folks back then who wanted to play catch with a bunch of  ICBM’s  after the game.   But things have changed a lot and today we love and appreciate our playing partners to the north.   We still want to beat them (again) but after the game we will want to boost their spirits!

Because they are great.  Canadians are wonderful people and we are so lucky to have them as neighbors.  I especially like Evita who has a lovely blog called Evolving Wellness.  I believe she is French Canadian.   And I also like Michael J. Fox a great deal.  He made some great movies and seems like a very nice person.

I was going to write a This Date In History post today but I looked at the list of things that happened on this date down through the years and not much happened of interest.

Well there ARE a  couple of things.  Mr. Ed died in 1979.   And the first basketball game was played on television in 1940.   I didn’t even know they had television in 1940.   Back then I’m sure the basketball hoop seemed a lot further up in the air than it does now.    One of these days the players will need to  duck  when they go under  the basket.

Poor Mr.  Ed.   I wonder what he had to say before he was reunited with Trigger and the rest of the guys?

He really was a very smart horse and Wilbur should have helped him get an education or brought in a tutor at the very least.

I really would like to watch the hockey match but the commercials are driving me crazy.   The GEICO commercials are cute.  The ad agency that makes all of them is right here in Richmond.  They recently got an award for their work.

But there are others that are just plain bad.   One of the other insurance companies has a wild-eyed guy sporting an old style blue phone that is somehow tied around his waist.   I can’t figure out if he is supposed to be funny or just plain annoying.  I really wish he would just tie the phone around his neck and jump off a building.   Not in reality of course.

Do it in  a commercial.  Because that’s what it will take to make him interesting.

I still wouldn’t buy what he is selling.  But I might answer the phone if he did that.

They are having a long range skiing contest on television now as we approach the start of the hockey contest.   One of the skiers fell down and started a chain reaction.  There are skiers everywhere in the snow.

But they are getting up again.   I really admire them when they cross the finish line and collapse in the snow.  They look so young and physically fit.  Their skin radiates health.  And in just a few minutes they are up and running around again.

I could run with these guys and probably win too.

If  I had little motors in my skis.  And a relatively small seat attached to the skis so I could sit down.

And a few snacks to keep my energy level up so I could steer around the course.

I hope Evita doesn’t see this post.   She will not be impressed by my workout regimen or my attitude as I sit here waiting for spring.   And she probably wouldn’t appreciate my presumption about the victor in the upcoming hockey contest.   But that part is alright!  Because what if the US loses?

And I don’t get back here fast enough to edit a few things?   Then she can have a wonderful time in the comment section!!

And I won’t care (very much).   Because I will be happy for her and all her  Canadians brothers and sisters (and husband).   And thanks to them by the way for hosting the games.  They have been awesome!

Thank you very much!

Winter can be bleak and those who are susceptible to depression can find themselves going over the edge this time of year.  Factors that are often mentioned are the lack of light and holiday expectations.  People are confronted with childhood memories as they gather with their families.  They have a chance to reflect on their lives.  And there is a lot of flu and other sickness going around this time of year.

All of these things can contribute to an attack of depression.  The warning sign I notice is the feeling that it is too difficult to do the most basic kinds of things.   Going to the store is a major task.  Boxing up a return item from Christmas is beyond my capacity.  Fortunately I am aware of these things and know how to take measures to combat this illness.   It’s really not very difficult to avert a major attack when life is going along in a fairly normal fashion.

There is medication but there are also other avenues to take that will help when there is less light outside and a dark shadow trying to creep into the soul.

I cannot say enough about the joy of taking photos with a camera that is capable of capturing the essence of a subject or scene. If there is not much light and color available in the back yard we can at least find it in the photos we have taken in the past year.

There are also photos that will bring back wonderful memories. There are photos that have brought notice and wonderful comments. And there are photos that simply remind us that this world can be a beautiful place in its finer moments.

Getting up early in the morning when all is still quiet and looking for something new in the photo gallery is an excellent way to start the day. I often will find something that has been overlooked and post it to Flickr. Then if someone finds it interesting I will post it here and add some words and/or music. In this way I often have a better idea if a WP post is going to be successful before it is published. ( Listening to inspirational music of one sort or another and finding a connection with a photo has been a recent exercise that adds to this experience).

Photography is one way (out of many no doubt) to combat sadness and depression.  And  there are other things to do that are helpful.  Drinking alcohol is not a healthy thing and many of us need to stay far away from it.  Taking walks and breathing in some cold, fresh air can be very helpful.  And learning to express our frustrations  instead of allowing them to just sit inside and grow mold can bring about a very positive change.

Of course this needs to be done in a constructive way.  And some sources of frustration are not going to go away anytime soon.   But voicing them and having someone who will  listen and appreciate our struggles while offering encouragement is better than all the Christmas presents in the world.

Beth does this for me and I love her for it.  We have just spent our tenth Christmas together and while it wasn’t much fun being sick it was a joy to be around someone who is a powerful source of health and well being.

We do this for each other and I hope that you have someone who does it for you.   In a world that seems so concerned about physical fulfillment of one sort or another not much is said about the emotional support that couples can offer each other.    But it really is more important and young couples often need it desperately as they try to build lives together.

All of this comes to mind as  I close the door on a challenging illness and start looking  forward to a fresh start and a new year.  Set goals for yourself and expect some defeats as well as some victories  along the way.  If you are lonely and/or  depressed discover and deal with the sources of both.

You can do it.   There is an infinite well of healing power within you.  Allow yourself to be open to it.   Drown your sorrows in it and drink from it every day.  Fight back.

Never surrender to the darkness.

George Harrison

Play Wah Wah

03-wah-wah

Wah-wah
Youve given me a wah-wah
And Im thinking of you
And all the things that we used to do
Wah-wah, wah-wah

Wah-wah
You made me such a big star
Being there at the right time
Cheaper than a dime
Wah-wah, youve given me your wah-wah, wah-wah

Oh, you dont see me crying
Oh, you dont hear me sighing

Wah-wah
I dont need no wah-wah
And I know how sweet life can be
If I keep myself free from the wah-wah
I dont need no wah-wah

Oh, you dont see me crying
Hey baby, you dont hear me sighing
Oh, no no-no no

Wah-wah
Now I dont need no wah-wahs
And I know how sweet life can be
If I keep myself free – of wah-wah
I dont need no wah-wah

I was having a conversation with my next door neighbor Mimi the other morning. Everyone calls her Wait A Mimi and she is a sweet girl. She attends Freeman High School and likes to write long papers in this big round walrus font that she found somewhere.

She showed one of them to me and it was pretty impressive.

“Mr. T why do we all act like there is an afterlife? Maybe there isn’t one. We could just be wasting time thinking about it”.

Don’t you like to waste time Mimi? I thought all high school kids liked to idle their lives away.

“No way. . we don’t have time! I’ve had every minute of my life planned out since I took dance lessons in preschool. I had to reschedule my mime exercises just so i could be out here enjoying a little unprocessed air and probing you brain”

You are probing things Mimi? Have you started your premed courses already? Why don’t you take a course in fashion design and invent some examination gowns in cheerful colors like red or mint green? Give them Velcro ties that come all the way around to the front so you can close up the backs when you are waiting for the inevitable.

“Hey that’s an idea Mr. T. I think I will write a paper and present it in my Entrepreneur 412 class next week. But why won’t you answer my question? It’s not like I have eternity to wait for an answer.”

I’m sorry Mimi. You think that there’s no life after death? No God? No angels and Uncle Harry waiting for you after you leave this strange and sometimes frightening place a long time from now. And I’m the one who is supposed to talk you out of this notion? Why?

“Because nobody else likes to discuss this kind of thing anymore. Everybody is too busy talking about things that don’t matter like some old woman stealing that Yankee baseball player from his wife”.

Alex Rodriguez? Noooo. He and Madonna are just friends. She’s been teaching him the Kabbalah so someday he will actually be able to play really well in games that mean something. And the team will play well too.

In some ways he’s like the albatross in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. Remember when you read it to me long ago? Fans and sometimes even his teammates take shots at him. They “shoot him down” and then they pay for it. The wind stops blowing out at Yankee Stadium when Uncle Al’s in town.

“Whatever. People pray to their crackberries. They don’t have time for all of this spiritual stuff. It’s all superstition to them.”

Well here’s the deal Mimi Princess. People usually are focused on one of two things. . . the art of survival or the art of having fun. Unfortunately they don’t have time for the art of the spiritual afterlife . But there is something else that works even better.

“What’s that? I need to go work on my schedule for next week. Can we cut to the magic Mr Wizard?”

Sure. It’s called the School of Crash and Burn. And it’s what happens to you when you wake up one day and discover the path you have taken for years and years ends at the edge of a very deep crevasse. And you must either jump or sit down and starve. And then you relax and jump.

Not everyone gets into this school by the way. It’s difficult to gain admission. You must show great potential. Maybe Alex needs to apply. It certainly sounds like he is heading in the general direction.

Ewww. That doesn’t sound very promising. I hope I don’t have that kind of potential.

Of course you do! You have all kinds of potential. But I don’t know where your path leads. I’m just saying that if it leads over a cliff don’t despair. Just be your sincere self and ask for help. When your troubles begin  to clear out of the way you will be amazed to see what is waiting for you.

“Speaking of paths Mr. T my dad says that when your grass gets really high you need a path to find your way to the door.”

Your father is a very wise man Ms. Mimi. Please give him my regards.

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It takes a lot of imagination to be a good photographer. You need less imagination to be a painter because you can invent things. But in photography everything is so ordinary; it takes a lot of looking before you learn to see the extraordinary

David Bailey

English Photographer

I don’t know how true this quotation really is but it is a nice thought anyway. Taking photos is a wonderful way to spend free time for sure. And then many of us are fortunate enough to be able to share whatever we have done with others on the internet.

Very nice. My blog says that this is my 1000th post. That’s not really a real number because of various factors. Reading stats about blogging is a lot like reading tea leaves.

So I would just acknowledge it in passing. Also we have experienced 100,000 views and just ran by the one year of blogging mark a few days ago. So all of those things are out of the way now and we can get back to taking and editing photos, writing and listening to music.

I used to worry about not having enough to do after arriving in senior citizen land. What a joke! I have never been this busy between all of the stuff noted above and other activities with family and friends. My brain is like an old lawn mower engine that you have to kick to start. But at least it’s not sitting in the shed gathering dust and rotting away.

Getting older can be fun. And I just managed to get one of the major themes of this blog in the “1000th post”. Maybe you can teach an old dog some new tricks. . .

Dylan Thomas

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