Hopeless

I've still got it. You'd think after this many years of real life, I'd have lost my "edge", but listening to Hillary Clinton's speech last night confirmed it -- I remain a hopeless idealist. I actually found myself in tears throughout most of it.


Now, I'm a staunch "Independent", so this post isn't about politics, it's about hope. I know that sounds corny, but welling up from deep inside me is the hope we will (and the belief we can) collectively create the kind of community that nurtures each individual's capacity then harnesses it through service to the community. We must. I'm reminded of my favorite Bill Clinton quote, "There's nothing wrong with America, that can't be fixed by what is right with America."

Jesus wasn't kidding when he promised the "meek shall inherit the earth." Evidence abounds. "The world in the past has been ruled by force, and man has dominated over women by reason of his more forceful and aggressive qualities both of body and mind. But the balance is already shifting -- force is losing its weight and mental alertness, intuition, and the spiritual qualities of love and service, in which woman is strong, are gaining ascendancy. Hence the new age will be an age, less masculine, and more permeated with the feminine ideals -- or, to speak more exactly, will be an age in which the masculine and feminine elements of civilization will be more evenly balanced." ('Abdu'l-Bahá, 1912)

cue music...

Inspiration for the Week

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power,
the world will know peace."
* Jimi Hendrix

Fav. Foto Friday

O. M. frickin' Gosh!!

Meet-the-teacher-night can mean only one thing...
school starts Monday!
Where did the summer disappear to so quickly?!

Inspiration for the Week

"You cannot teach a person anything;
you can only help him find it within himself."
* Galileo

Fav. Foto Friday

See that adorable young girl on the bottom left?!Tomorrow, we're going to her wedding. How do 13 years fly by so quickly?!!

Uuggh!!

Today I'm treating the house (most especially my bedroom) for fleas - gross.But all I kept thinking was, "At least it's not bed bugs."

Inspiration for the Week

"When an idea is ready to be spoken - it is ready when there is someone ready to speak it. If you wait until people are ready to hear it, it is no longer an idea."
* Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Fav. Foto Friday

When I arrived home from visiting my sister in Texas, my kitchen looked like this:
Which was pretty thrilling considering I left it looking something like this:
Much love to my incredibly wonderful stepkids, Vahid and Leyla, and my loving husband for the best gift EVER!!

Catching Up

Well, I'm back from 10 fun-filled relaxing (and, yes, hot) days with my sister and her family in Texas (post forthcoming), and catching up on email, blogs, facebook, etc... and I discover that I've been tagged with a meme by foolery. So here goes:

1. What is your favorite quotable line from a movie?
My husband and I quote movies ALOT, but the most invoked has to be: about every third line from Dumb and Dumber including (but not limited to)
"Good bye my loooooove!"
"Our pets' heads are fallin' off!"
"There's no jobs in this town."
"Hello, 'Flo'..."
"I'm gonna go with my instincts on this one."
"You're hands are freethzing!"
"I'll stay here at the bar and put out the vibe."
"So you're saying there's a chance."
"I desperately want to make love to a school boy!"
(somebody stop me!)

2. Who is the most famous person you've talked to?

Lynn Swann

He ate at a restaurant where I waitressed in Raleigh, NC. I wasn't his server, but I marched on up to his table and got his autograph for my Mom, who's a HUGE fan of his. He was immensely kind and patient with me, and a genuinely decent person - it was a great experience.

3. How many bags/boxes of potato or corn chips are consumed in your house per month?
We're also not big chips eaters, but if the question had been about mini white powdered sugar donuts...
4. What foreign food dish so you prepare from scratch and serve?
It'd be easier to count the "traditionally American" meals I prepare. I'm a BIG fan of international foods, the legacy of being vegetarian for so long.
5. What is your favorite section at the supermarket?
Produce - because it's just so dern purty.

6. What was your high school team's mascot and what were your school colors?
We were (are) the Jacksonville Eagles and our colors - blue and gold.

Inspiration for the Week

"It is better to fail trying to do something challenging, than to live your whole life doing only that which is easy."
* my sweet husband

Fav. Foto Friday - belated

Having so much fun here in Texas... went to Sea World!!