Yes

Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.

This is what life is all about. If ever I need the inspiration to get off the couch, get out of the house, and LIVE, all I have to do is watch this video.

I want to see some magic...and paddling in a canoe with a friend when it happens?...would be pretty wonderful in itself. That spontaneous laughter, shared between close friends...no judgement, only shared experiences, knowledge, and love... that's just as magical and life affirming, as witnessing a murmuration.

More Heroes

Average people, doing the right thing.

Rata Domestica

Lulu on Channing's shoulder, eating a blueberry treat. She loves to eat! She was kind of scrawny when we first got her, but she looks much healthier now! She's quite filled out since this picture was taken.

This is our dumbo rat, Lulu, and she has single handedly (pawly?) changed our perception of her entire species! She is such a good little ambassador.

Rats get such a bad rap, and I am of the opinion that they are probably the most misunderstood and unjustly reviled species on earth. When people think of rats, they imagine rabid, dirty, flea bitten, disease spreading, disgusting animals - animals who scarsely deserve to live. This perception is wrong, and so undeserved! Ms. Lulu has shown us that rats are sweet, affectionate, sensitive, funny little creatures - and unlike other pets, such as hamsters, they don't bite! People think that rats want to bite them, or get them sick... that they'll rabidly eat their flesh or something! No, believe me, rats have no interest in any of that zombie-like behavior! Lulu would much rather cuddle with you in the crook of your warm neck or shoulder, or fall asleep on your lap or in your arms, much like a lap dog. She is the most affectionate little thing, and is very peaceful. If she's feeling especially close to you, she may start to groom you, with little tiny nibbles around your ears or on your arm, but it doesn't hurt at all. It's quite sweet, actually.

I could go on and on about how sweet and misunderstood rats are, and how much we love Lulu, and are blessed to have her in our lives. But for now let me just encourage you to set aside your fear of rats, and with an open heart, maybe get to know one! You won't regret it :)

Lulu peeking out of her hutch. I put a part of an old pareo (sarong) in her cage. She uses it as a mattress :)

Diana Nyad - Outstanding!

"You've GOT to follow your dreams, no matter what your age." "...what freaks me out is, how much time has gone by and how little is time left."



I have to admit, I was feeling pretty cynical and Machiavellian in my attitude towards humanity today (and lately)... I saw this video and instantly felt better! Thank you Diana Nyad for truly being an inspiration! Can you believe this woman is 61?!

UPDATE: Unfortunately, Diana had to stop her swim after 60 miles (more than half way), 29 hours. I am hesitant to say she "failed", because damn, she sure gave it her best shot! Regardless of the outcome, this lady is still one heckuva role model - and tough as they come!

As cliche as it sounds, your mom and kindergarten teacher were right: no one is a failure who gives it their all and tries their best! Hats off to you, Ms. Nyad!

Snippets

juleena was standing in her backyard, watching her mother smoke a cigarette. it was cold and grey outside, late autumn. her mother was sitting on the back concrete steps, quiet. she looked hard, steely despite her soft hair and feminine affect, and she had something on her mind. she was staring resignedly into space. juleena didn't  know if her mother knew she was there, it was hard to tell. but she was there, just standing, watching. she was waiting for something to happen, she didn't know what, but she could feel that there was a reason that both she and her mother were outside together. she knew she was about to hear something, or see something. her mother was stressed. that was not unusual. there had been more arguments between her mother and dad lately. the house had been colder and more distant, full of more tension and unspoken resentment. dinner had started consisting more and more of spaghetti with red sauce. quick, easy, thoughtless dinners. dinners that said, "look, i did my job. you're fed." dinners that said, "your dad's not coming home until later." that was okay with juleena, she liked spaghetti.
all of a sudden her mother spoke, "don't be surprised if your father leaves me, juleena." she didn't say anything else, didn't offer any kind of explanation. she just finished her cigarette and went into the house. juleena felt a soft shock. she knew that things were bad again, but to hear an acknowledgment  of what would ordinarily not be talked about, was shocking in itself. it wasn't really what her mother had said, but the fact that she had said it at all.

~~~

she knew she was ugly. she had bad skin, the wrong clothes. she was missing teeth. her hair was a mess. the kids at school looked at her with disgust. but she was smart and observant. maybe not as smart as her friend Janie, but smarter than most of the kids she knew. her grades were decent. they could be better, but Juleena didn't really care. she was lazy with her homework, and forgetful. too dreamy. caught up in her own fantasy world where she was the best. the most beautiful, the most bitchy. all the boys loved her and thought she was sexy, she had big boobs, and no worries. she was a badass. but not really. in reality a confused, neglected, questioning, shy, sometimes angry girl, who tried to duck reality by delving into the fantasy land of tv, pre-teen magazines, and the make believe games her equally confused and questioning friends played. they all had issues of their own. they all had families who gave them their own sets of emotional baggage. Janie was the ringleader, and mean.

Math

                                
                                My husband saw this and said, "That's such bullsh*t." Haha!

Ok but really, people hate math! Hate it! And I understand why. Who likes feeling clueless, and dare I say it? Dumb. Not me, that's for sure, and not anyone I know of, either. Also, there are so many rules to math - you can't do this, you have to do that - and God forbid you make one little tiny mistake, then you are WRONG. Wrong? Really?? Yes, your whole answer, it's wrong. And then you take it personally - math is very unforgiving... quite judgmental really!

So you have this... subject. This way of thinking, that's full of rules, feels constricting, and is very unforgiving and judgmental. Oh, and tedious! I mean really, some Algebra problems seem to go on forever. Math can be extremely boring sometimes, especially when you are learning a concept, and you have to do problem after problem of the saaame crap, the same steps over and over. Blech.

But really, it's awesome. It is! I mean, you have the whole boring, scary side to math, but damn, math is great. For one, you could use math as an analogy for life. Life can be... problematic. Life can be hard, tedious, downright infuriating. Life takes a lot of hard work! Life can be unforgiving, even more so than math. One little mistake can lead to a lot of bigger mistakes, and then what do you have? An eraser? Thankfully, in math you do.

And when (if) the light finally comes on for you in math, you count your blessings! "Thank GOD the light finally came on! I got it!" Just like finding your niche in life, I guess, if one ever does. Plus, the lessons we learn in math tend to build on each other, get harder with time. Isn't it like that with life as well? Don't you wish you could trade some of your adult problems for some of the problems you had as a kid? If I could go back in time, with the knowledge I have now, I would be unstoppable! BUT, we live and we learn, and for us, time doesn't go backwards, only forward. And sometimes we need some help, just as with linear equations...

Okay, but now I'm going to stop waxing philosophic (philosophical?), and let you in on something very practical. As a life long math-phobic, this changed my life. And I'm not kidding. Okay, here it is: If you can do addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, you can do math. ALL math, not just some of it, all of it. ALL math is based on the things we learned in elementary school. Then, you just have to learn the 'etiquette', the rules for living in Math society. The formulas. Isn't that cool? Kinda takes some of the mystique and scariness out of math, to know that YOU can do it, doesn't it? Fabulous.

So, I have to thank Mr. Sani, for laying that crazy, practical math wisdom on me! He was my professor last semester. Now I'm considering a math minor. Can you believe it? Isn't life grand? I love it.

                                       Some very mathematical looking shells. Pretty.

A Prayer of Peace

This prayer has always brought me comfort... simple and beautiful.

Perpetual

                                                      per·pet·u·al/pərˈpeCHo͞oəl/

                                             Noun: A perpetual plant, esp. a hybrid rose.

                                                 Adjective: Never ending or changing.

                                        This is a lovely hybrid Tea Rose, a cultivar named, 'Mon Cheri'

                                            Change is perpetual, so why not embrace it?

Other things I hope are perpetual in my life: my love for those closest to me, my love for learning, living, and creativity... my faith that there is a God, and that He loves us... gratitude! I hope I am always thankful for what I have... strength, to get through the hard times.

I hope these things are perpetual for you as well! Peace

Kate Winslet! Dr. Laura, and who the hell is Jack Welch?

Kate Winslet. Really, where do I start? This lady inspires me in so many ways. She exudes so much strength, yet she doesn't come off as hardened. She maintains a sense of vulnerability that draws you in to her on-screen roles, and lends a softness to her strength. She is obviously deep, passionate, and highly intelligent. Check out her role as Ruth in, 'Holy Smoke', or her role as Hanna in, 'The Reader'. Bloody brilliant. Also, check this out: Kate Winslet winning Best Actress for "The Reader" See what I mean?

Dr. Laura! Mrs. Schlessinger! Wow, talk about not PC, and highly controversial! And I LOVE her! This lady will tell it as it is, with no punches pulled. She gets a bad rap, as she has been demonized for apparently hating gay people, when in fact she doesn't. Seriously, check her out for yourself, don't just believe the hype. Tune in to her radio program, or go to her website. She has actually helped many gay people come out to their families over the years, and she doesn't have the ignorant outlook that being homosexual is a 'choice'. She accepts that gay people are who they are, and that is fine with her. The reason she's been so maligned over the years, is that she is extremely blunt, and can come off as rude or overbearing. She also believes that marriage should be between a man and a woman, mainly because kids need a mom and a dad. Also, I know that at one point she was an Orthodox Jew, so I'm sure her religious view played a part. Personally, I believe in freedom of religion, so whatever she wants to believe in, is her right under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.

The reasons I love this woman, are thus: she is so incredibly strong. She can take a figurative punch, let me tell you, and she marches on. She has the courage of her convictions, she stands by what she believes. She's smart. She embraces life. She believes in the beauty and uniqueness of both men and women. She doesn't demoralize either gender, she's not a man-hater. She encourages women to embrace their femininity. She believes in doing good in the world, and that good people have a duty to perpetuate goodness. Really, I could go on, but I won't. Check her out for yourself, at the very least you will be entertained!

So who is this Jack Welch fellow? To be truthful, I don't know much about him. He's not like, you know, a great hero of mine, or anyone that I have ever really looked up to. I didn't even know that he existed until a few days ago, when I found the "change before you have to" quote, that I use as the tag line of my blog. Brilliant quote, I love it.

Here is what I do know, and this is all courtesy of Wikipedia - so you know, look into it further if you want to. Jack was born in Massachusetts in the 30's to a working class household. He stutters. He's a chemical engineer, and a self made man. He was the Chairman and CEO of General Electric from 1981 - 2001, and in 2006 his net worth was $720 million! Holy crap. I think it's safe to say that regardless of who this man is as a person (and I don't really know), that he has achieved great success in the business world, and probably has some wisdom to impart, in one way or another.

Here are some more J.W. quotes :

"Giving people self confidence is by far the most important thing I can do. Because then they will act."

Wow, how true! How many unconfident people do you know who take action when action is needed? Not many. Only strong, confident people really act with any kind of conviction when action is needed. And the fact that he is a leader who obviously believes in bringing out the best in people, speaks volumes to me. I have found in my life that good leaders and successful people in general will always make you feel good and motivated when you interact with them. They won't bring you down. You leave feeling like, "Yeah, I feel good, let's go do something. I can do it!" Love it.

"Be candid with everyone."

Agreed! Now, I don't think that means to be cruel, but honesty really is the best policy, in my opinion. If you are not honest with yourself or others, you are being fake, and thus the path you walk is fake. Be real, and no matter where you are in life, at least you know that you really are there, and not in a delusional fantasy world. Then, you can take real action, and grow and succeed.

"The team with the best players wins."

True! True, true, true. Don't pretend it's not. Strive to be better!

"If you don't have a competitive advantage, don't compete."

Ahh, so you find yourself floundering... is this where you're supposed to be? Are you doing what you're supposed to be doing? Find something you love, and have predilection for, and do it! You will succeed.

"Control your own destiny, or someone else will."

Yup! I know this for a fact. Take charge of your life, you can do eet! And don't blame others for your shortcomings. This can be hard to do, I know, but once you do take control, the world will open up to you. You'll have less boundaries, and the only limits you set will be your own.

                                                         Snazzy purple tie, Jack! Love it

So anyway, I feel like I've given myself a good talking to! If anyone else has joined me on this little blog posting journey, I hope you have enjoyed it! Smooches

Well Hello!

Nice to meet you! My name is Jess, and this is my fist *official* blog entry. I've been ruminating a bit (though not in a bad way), stewing in my mind, considering what to write about, pondering the direction of this here blog.

What I've come up with is... that this blog will serve as encouragement, at least to myself - as I don't know if anyone else will ever actually read it, that it will serve as inspiration - again to myself, and hopefully others - to live life to the fullest and be creative, and mayyybe as a bit of a sounding board, but not to the point that it becomes obnoxious.

In that vein, here's some pics of a few people who I find inspirational... they are many and varied, and come from many, many different walks of life. You might find someone you like here, you might not...

Natalie Portman. This lady is seriously inspirational. I know, I know, 'big movie star actress, probably hoity-toity, out of touch, blah blah blah' No! Not really! This chic is down to earth, seriously smart, and believes in pushing one's self to achieve maximum potential. We could all take a page from her book, she knows what's up!

Jesus. Say what you will about Him, but He was and still is one of the best examples of love, kindness, strength in the face of hardship, and faith in the midst of persecution. Goodness over Evil. Acceptance... and may I say... class? Jesus was a classy guy. He said what He had to say, and wasn't all Jerry Springer about it. The whole, 'turn the other cheek' thing, nice. I love Jesus, but I know, some of His followers are... a bit much. I understand.

Oh! And Natalie Portman is not above Jesus in importance rankings! Haha! I think I just had to dig a little deeper when I thought about who else I found inspirational... not so much on the surface...

Artists. Yes, artists! Artists of all kinds. If you can paint, draw, sculpt or in any other way create, I am in awe of you! You inspire me! I love art, I collect what I can of it, and I wish I was better at it! Yes, I am using a lot of exclamation marks! Because I am really so 'enthused' about art, and my passion for it! I really need to stop being so lazy, and just do more of it. It's the only way to get better really, isn't it?

And I include crafters in this category. Quilters, seamstresses and tailors, anyone who practices the folk arts... you inspire me! Thank you for keeping these practices alive!

Musicians! Thank you for giving us music to laugh, cry, celebrate, mourn, and feel with. Thank you for adding another layer of texture to this world, another level of consciousness. Thank you for helping me get through my workouts, make traffic bearable, or make cleaning the house easier. Thank you for inspiring me and everyone I know. Thank you for expressing yourselves so completely, and for providing us with the words or feelings we didn't know we had, or didn't know how to express.

And I don't care what kind of music you play - thank you!

So, yes. These people, or these types of people, I find very inspirational. There are more people, but I will save them for later, whenever that is. Also, there are some people who I find inspirational, but I don't have their pictures! For example, my American Government professor from last semester, Dr. Nasri. Wow. Amazing. He's from Iran, and came over around the time of the Iranian revolution. He's brilliant. He knows so much about everything. He's kind, and he encourages his students to no end. And one other thing he is, is a survivor. I have the utmost respect for people who are survivors, those who persevere in life, and refuse to give up. He is truly a self-made man, and a great example of someone truly achieving the American dream.

Others too, but gee, I am getting tired... signing off now, and going to sleep! Good night all of you in internet land! Sweet dreams, and God bless...