Forgiveness and Peace

I went to school in Lancaster, PA, so something close to home hit me when I heard about the school shooting at the Amish schoolhouse. While certainly a society with its own flaws and troubles, the Amish reflect something that we all wish we could recapture. There is a sense of community and dependency that grows out of living so simply. A great respect for the land and nature must follow their lifestyle. But most importantly this week, I am struck at how a group of people who have shunned modern conveniences have shown this modern world the importance of forgiveness. By attending the funeral of the man who killed five Amish girls, the Amish community has made it clear that forgiving, offering peace to those who harm us, and moving past the anger are all important in the grieving process and in life, in general.

 

May we all find peace with those who hurt us. May we find forgiveness. May we find peace within ourselves.

Acutely Accurate Horoscope

Stay focused now on the work you must do and powerful lessons will be yours for the learning. Oftentimes there is pain associated with making gains, but today the difficult side of your experience is minimized. You can dig deeply, extract the juice and then get on with your day. But move slowly so you have enough time to soak it all in.”

I realized yesterday that one week from today I will be 37 weeks along in my pregnancy and, were I to go into labor, my baby would be considered full term. Let me repeat that. My baby will be full term on Tuesday. In seven days.

Aaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh! (Runs screaming around the house trying to decide what to do first)

So this week and next, I have Tuesday and Thursday to devote to getting things ready for little JoJo Skywalker. I also have the weekends. However, I also have about one-sixteenth the energy level I normally have. Couple that with my inability to sleep because there is just no comfortable position I can get into…it doesn’t matter how many pillows I use or how much yoga stretching and breathing I do before bed…sleep ain’t happenin’ much these days.

So I log onto the internet today to read my email and this is my horoscope. Yes, I truly must focus on the work I mustdo. But first, I have to calm my mind so I can delineate what I must do versus what I’d like to have done. Yes, being preggers is a big ole’ pain in the pa-toot-tie, but I suppose it will be worth it in the end…can I just say, however, that that reassurance does jack squat for a woman who spends part of her day hanging over the commode upchucking her previous meal or for a woman who has not slept soundly in two months. I guess it’ll be worth it, but I’d like to keep my food down and get a good night’s rest once in a while. And yes, I must go slowly because, well, I don’t have an option. And that is a really hard lesson for me to learn. I don’t do “slow down” well. I do “breakneck speed and go for it like your life depends on it.”

So here’s my take on horoscopes:

1. The horoscopes you read in the newspaper (or on google) are based solely on your sun sign. We each also have a moon sign and other astrological forces at play. A real horoscope would take those into account and give you a personalized reading. That’s why the ones you read in the paper are so vague.

2. If the position of the moon can affect the waves of the ocean — the thing that covers over 70% of this planet — then little ole’ me, who is mostly water, anyway, is most certainly affected by the pull and push of celestial bodies.

3. I don’t believe that we are so autonomous as to have complete control over our fate, down to the minutia. Just ask any man about how the friend in his pants will sometimes stand up and say hello for no apparent reason, or why a hormonally imbalanced pregnant lady who is normally very polite will tell you exactly what she thinks of your new haircut.

Yankees Sweep Red Sox at Fenway!

No comment, really, except to say, “Yippee!” Go Yanks!

Robbed on the Runway

I had hoped to see Allison go much farther in this season of Project Runway, but tonight one of my favorite designers got the boot.

With a great eye for silhouette and impeccable build and styling techniques, this challenge proved to be too much for Allison. What is worse is that she was booted instead of the looney Vincent. That had to be a producer’s decision. Vincent is great TV fodder because he’s borderline insane. Allison is just too normal next to him, and has not caused any controversy. So, despite the fact that I believe she was the superior designer, she got the boot.

What really gets my goat about the situation is that a couple of weeks ago the judges and producers of the show let another designer move forward, despite the fact that he had not completed the challenge. Of course, that designer was booted off the next week for cheating, but the fact remains that he did not actually complete the challenge and yet was passed on to the next round.

In real life, I don’t care for reality TV programs. But for Project Runway I have made an exception. Check it out on Bravo, Wednesday nights at 10/9!

Grr. Argh. I HATE glasstop stoves!

Oh, how I miss my gas stove! For years I have had the great fortune of being in apartments with a gas stove and oven. A pain to clean because of all the little bits to wipe around, yes, but a TRUE JOY to cook on.

I think I’m going to cry just thinking about all the fun I had with my gas stove.

We moved into a house, our first home buying excursion, last year. This house has an electric stove. Grr. Argh. Okay, at least it is new and in good shape. Grr. Argh. That glasstop stove looks kinda cool and should be a breeze to clean.

OR NOT!!

Grr. Argh. One must be very careful what one uses on said stovetop or one might royally screw up one’s stovetop.

Grr. Argh.

I’ve got one eye that has a black ring…hahaha, my stove has a black eye! I just got it. Hahaha.

Anywho, I have one eye with a black ring from water boiling over. The answer is apparently to use a highly toxic chemical to wash it off. Oh, but this toxin does wonders. I am sure it does. What do the fish in the river think of this toxin all my fellow glasstop stove owners are using? Go, go water pollution! Don’t you like your glass of water with a heaping teaspoon of questionable chemicals?

Grr. Argh.