City of Blinding Light

U2 - City of Blinding Light Pin It

Gratitude

As I was playing with my nephew last night I noticed something unexpected happening on TV - I grabbed the remote and turned it off mute.  As they announced the death of bin Laden, I felt a great sense of relief that he could no longer spread his message of hatred.

Later as I listened to the President speak, I started crying as I was overwhelmed by a sense of gratitude for all those in the armed forces who serve and have served.   I'm overwhelmed by the sacrifice of the men and women of the armed forces and the families who have carried on during their long absences.  I'm incredibly grateful to them and so very proud of what they do every day.

I echo the President's hope that we can again become united as a country (and a world) - and I hope we can move forward together to a peaceful future.

U2 - Peace On Earth
Pin It

Dirty Secret

I spent some time over the weekend indulging in a guilty pleasure, watching episodes of "Dirty Jobs."  It's one of my favorite time wasters, and while it has been known to seriously gross me out at times, there is something about Mike Rowe that pulls me into the show and keeps me coming back for more.  Maybe if it is his voice - which is so incredible I find myself even enjoying Ford commercials.  Maybe it is fearless attitude - it seems like he'll try anything.  Maybe because even my worst day at work can't measure up to the jobs he tries.  Maybe it is just the fact that it involves very little thought on my part and yet isn't quite as embarrassing to admit to enjoying as some of the other reality shows out there.

Am I the only one out there who has a bit of a crush on Mike Rowe?  Have you ever wasted several hours on episodes of "Dirty Jobs?"

Speaking of crushes, after all these years I still have one on Bono.

Pin It

Surprise

Friday at work we decided to order in from a new restaurant.  Someone collected the order and I got busy with a project.  I soon hear the food had arrived so I made my way to the break room only to discover it had been decorated with birthday banners and a beautiful cake.  I turned and asked whose birthday it was and feeling very guilty that I hadn't known and at least gotten a card.  Then I realized they were singing happy birthday to me.  Except the surprise was on them since my birthday isn't for several months.

Turns out a co-worker in another area thought she saw that my birthday was Sunday on Facebook.  She called someone on my team late Thursday night to make sure they knew so they could do something.  The team did some mad scrambling Thursday night/Friday morning to pull a celebration together.  I feel very honored and very much enjoyed my non-birthday celebration.  The entire team had such a good time laughing about it that we've decided to keep on celebrating non-birthdays.  After all, any excuse for cake.

Pin It

Theme Week

Have you picked up on this week's theme?

I listened to a bunch of U2 last weekend and was reminded again why they are who I'd chose if I could only have one artist with me on a deserted island.  Not only do they have a deep history (which means lots of music) they write and perform songs with a passion that isn't often matched.

I had a couple of their CDs in my car last week when I did the roadtrip from SLC to Aurora.  Driving back as I sang my heart out I realized U2 was a big part of the soundtrack of my life and I decided I would devote a week of posts to their music.  I didn't know what that would mean post wise, but somehow I'm not surprised that it ended up also being a week devoted to family, love and home.

I was going to close the week with my favorite U2 song, only problem is I can't pick one.  So instead here is the one that for me defines the journey of life, "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For."  As a bonus I found a vintage clip of Bono explaining the song.

Pin It

Where the Streets

I'm a big fan of the internet phone service, Skype.  I use it for work and to stay in touch with my family.  Because everyone in my company travels so much we all make it a practice to put our current location in our Skype profile so if someone needs to contact us they can work out the time difference and avoid calling in the middle of the night.

When I'm in Utah I typically just put Salt Lake City in the status - but for some reason last week I changed it and put the name of my hometown, Aurora instead.  This generated several messages asking me exactly Aurora was.  I even heard from a Brazilian friend, currently living in South Africa telling me that she lives in a development called Aurora.

How do you explain a place as small (and wonderful) as Aurora to people who've never experienced it?  I'm not really sure, but I've always secretly thought U2's "Where The Streets Have No Name."  Was a pretty good start.

Pin It

My Face

A few months ago I complained to my mom about a dark patch of skin under my left eye.  I hated looking in the mirror and seeing it.  My mom told me that her mother had a similar mark.  I won't go so far as saying that I now like having the mark on my face, but I do find myself thinking about my grandma now when I look in the mirror.

Yesterday I shared some memories of my paternal grandpa, sadly I don't have as many memories of my maternal grandma because she passed away while I was still young.  But thanks to some quirk of genetics I have a daily reminder of her in my life.  I also have the stories my mom, aunts and uncles have shared over the years - I know I share her love of reading, I know she was kind, put others first and loved to laugh.

I know many of you reading also knew grandma Lucy - what do you remember about her, or for those of you who came after she passed, what stories have your parents told you?  I'd really like to have a few more memories of her so please share.

Pin It

Walk On

As I mentioned yesterday I spent some time with my grandpa while I was in Utah, he has Alzheimer's which has gotten progressively worse over the past few years.  He's finally reached the point in this terrible disease where he needs to live in a place where he can have round the clock professional care.

Watching him lose part of himself over the past few years has been extremely difficult to watch, but I can't help but be grateful for all the years we had together.  I grew up next door to my grandparents and they were a part of my daily life.  What a gift to have a lifetime of memories.

Most of my early jobs involved yard work, my mom and dad would help me line up jobs in the neighborhood, they supplied the lawn mower, the gas and the reminders, but it was up to me to get the job done - or it would have been if my grandpa hadn't kept popping up to give me a hand.

My first time on an airplane was with my grandparents (it was also their first and only time on a plane) when they took me to Hawaii.  We had such a great time together and still talked about the trip nearly 20 years later.  I think this trip was at least partially responsible for my love of travel, which is what led me to this crazy job, although I remember that first plane ride as being much more pleasant than air travel today.

My grandpa was the head mechanic at a gypsum plant and I could occasionally talk him into taking me with him to work.  I was so proud to be his granddaughter - it seemed that everyone knew and loved him.  He'd give me a tour of the plant, patiently explaining how everything worked.  I think my tours of the plant were the beginning of my love of process and finding the most efficient way to get a job done.

It is hard to see my grandpa as he is today, but I'm grateful for our wonderful memories and I'm incredibly grateful for the people at the center who are giving him the care he needs at this point in his life.  Mostly I'm grateful for my belief that there is a life after this, a time when he will again be whole in mind and body.  Until that time I pray we will all have the strength we need to walk this path along with him.

Pin It

Family

It was a crazy few days but I managed to spend some time with every member of my family during my whirlwind trip home.  I saw Tiny T take a few stumbling first steps, I reassured myself that Miss M still knows who I am, and perhaps hardest of all I spent some time with my grandpa who may not know exactly who I am anymore, but who seemed to recognize at least that I was someone he loved.

I am so incredibly blessed to be a part of my family.  Individually they are amazing people, but together we've proven time and time again we can do anything we put our minds too.

I'm often asked how I manage the basics of life while I'm away from home.  The truth is - I'm only able to manage it because I have a great family who helps me out.  A mom who picks up my mail and helps me get the bills paid on time.  A dad who helps me keep up with boring things like taxes and insurance.  A brother who keeps my technology stuff up and running.  And a sister and BIL who watch over my house.  

I know, without a doubt, I couldn't make it on my own.  

Pin It

Welcome 2010

Thanks to a well timed vacation this week I feel like I'm entering 2010 as prepared as I can be.  In the past couple of days I've managed to tick off a few items that have been on my to do list for months (if not years!)

• My office is cleaned out and ready to be painted and have new flooring laid when it gets a bit warmer.  
• My basement is cleaned and organized, including those boxes that haven't been opened since I moved nearly four years ago.  
• All the art work and pictures I've had sitting around the house are either in new frames and hung or at the frame shop waiting to be finished.  
• My closet has been cleaned out and all the clothes that are worn out or don't fit are gone.  
• I dropped off the stuff I was getting rid of to the DI (Goodwill) so it is officially out of my house.  

I love knowing that I'm kicking the year off with less clutter in my house, taking care of the "out with the old" part of a new year.

For the "in with the new," I've spent a lot of time this past week thinking about resolutions (don't we all.)  I realized that last year I set one very simple goal, drink at least 2 liters of water a day, and for the first time in forever I managed to keep a resolution (not perfectly, but still a success.)

I think this year I'll keep it simple again - just one resolution - exercise 3-4 times a week.  I know it will help with my stress levels and will make sleeping a bit easier on me.   It isn't original, but it is the thing I most need to add to my life right now.

I'm going to kick the New Year off right with a little something from my favorite band of all time, U2 and "New Year's Day."

Pin It

Grace

One of my favorite words is "grace" I love the way it sounds when you say it. I love the image I have in my head when I hear it; and I love when I see grace in the world around me.

My love of this word includes a love of two songs about grace: U2's "Grace" and Kate Havnevik's "Grace"





Both of these songs are on the playlist I listen to when I'm trying to find some peace in my life - they remind me how much I hope to live a life full of grace. Pin It

Magnificent

I had big plans for Tuesday - hit Target to pick up the new U2. While I download most of music these days, there is something about U2 makes me want to have an actual physical copy I can hold - to upload to my iPod and to play in my car.

My big plan failed when I woke up early Tuesday with a nasty case of the flu. I spent the entire day in bed - even had to send an SOS to my sister to deliver some supplies to get me through the worst of it.

But, thanks to David Letterman (and YouTube since I fell asleep early) I was able to get a little U2 fix while I'm recovering.

Pin It

One

Pin It

Happy Holidays

Peace On Earth - U2

And, just for the record - the picture was taken in my snowy front yard this morning.

Pin It

Homecoming

Being home again is wonderful!  I returned to my house on the mountain in time to see some of the beautiful fall colors.  The leaves are falling now, but the first 3 or 4 days I was here was amazing, all yellows, oranges and reds.  There is nothing more beautiful to me than the fall colors during the day and the clear, star-filled night sky we've been enjoying.

I've had time to catch up with friends and family - I've missed them all so much.  I am truly blessed to have such an amazing family and group of friends.

Miss M and I have gotten reacquainted, I can't believe how much she has changed over the past four months.  I left a crawling baby whose sun rose and set on her mom, I've returned home to a running whirlwind full of life and sass, but who still thinks her mom is the best.

Today I'm finally finishing my journey home, soon I'll be in Aurora, the place that will always be my first and best HOME.

Oh don't sorrow, no don't weep

For tonight, at last

I am coming home

I am coming home

Pin It

Beautiful Day

Monday was one of those perfect days you wish would roll around more often. It was a holiday here (although which holiday none of us knows.) Normally for the folks I work with, a holiday means a day you sleep in 30 minutes, dress down and work from home. But Monday my flat mates and I got up and came in the dining room about the same time, looked at each other and said “stuff it we’re going to take an actual holiday.”

I was the only one who was really up and ready for the day, so I called the other two guys who work with us and asked if they wanted to take the car and explore for a while in the morning. They were up for it so the 3 of us went and explored Humayun’s Tomb, a world heritage site. Since we got there around 10AM and Delhi is not a morning city, we were nearly alone there for about the first 40 minutes. Then, just as we moved onto the big, centerpiece of the site, 5 tour buses full of German tourists moved it, things were a little less peaceful after that, but still interesting.

We eventually got tired of taking pictures (well, to be more truthful, two of our cameras had dead batteries.) So, we found our driver and had him drive us in the nice air conditioned car past India Gate (basically Delhi’s version of the Arc de Triomphe) and then headed back home to let the others have a go at the car and to cool off (it hit 107 here yesterday.)

Since the second group to get the car was my flat mates I decided to tag along with them also to our favorite market, Khan Market. We started by booking hotel rooms at a resort a few hours out of the city for this weekend. We’re going to stay at a former fort/palace built in the 1400’s. Then we split up to shop for a few hours. I hit my favorite book stores and stocked up for the trip, then went to my favorite juice bar/coffee shop for a light snack and got a head start on my reading. Eventually we all met up again and headed back home for an afternoon nap.

A few hours later we invited everyone over to our flat and ordered in Thai food for a group dinner. We finished the night in front of the telly catching a cricket match and eating brownies E made. The end to an all around beautiful day, the kind Bono & the boys must have been thinking about when they wrote Beautiful Day:

You’re on the road

But you’ve got no destination

You’re in the mud

In the maze of her imagination

You love this town

Even if that doesn’t ring true

You’ve been all over

And it’s been all over you

It’s a beautiful day

Don’t let it get away

It’s a beautiful day

Since the batteries in my camera were the first to die, I’ll add pictures of the Tomb in another post. Pin It

Blind

We were discussing cultural differences today and I asked a friend today if they had high school reunions in Greece (they do, but only after they started seeing them in American TV shows and movies.) I couldn't help but reminisce about my teenage years and how smart I thought I was, I really thought I had things figured out. I had a plan for my life - and boy am I glad I was wrong. I didn't know enough then to even imagine some of the experiences I've had since.

Bono and the guys got it right:

The more you see the less you know
The less you find out as you go
I knew much more then than I do now

U2
City of Blinding Lights

Here I am, 15 years out of high school and my life plan extends to the end of May when I leave Delhi and have no idea where I'll go next. My 18 year old self couldn't handle the uncertainty, it's a good thing I don't know enough anymore to worry.

Pin It