A Creative Mind

Just beneath the surface waves of energy flow. Wave upon wave of ideas, thoughts, memories, questions. How do I tap into the flow and draw the energy forward? How do I tame the wild waves? There is so much mental potential waiting to break through. Do we all have the same capacity? Why are some able to bring their ideas to reality--into fruition--while others spend entire lifetimes with no apparent interest in trying to tap the source and discern what they have the potential to accomplish and who they have the potential to be.

Catching Up

The past few weeks have been hectic. A lot has happened in the world while I've been immersed in work. U.S. troops are leaving Iraq and turning control over the newly established Iraq military.At the same time a troop surge continues in Afghanistan with a once-and-for-all plan in place to destroy the Taliban--something that should have been done years ago instead of putting U.S. troops in Iraq in the first place. Of course going after the Taliban in the mountanious wilderness may inevitably resemble more of a futile game of Whack-a-Mole instead of a successful military engagement.

The world has seen the passing of several entertainment icons over the past week. I won't eulogize them here as so many others are doing. There is nothing that I can say that hasn't already been said. Life goes on and then death. It is what it is.

Another Friday

It may sound trite, but I don't care--I really look forward to Friday's. That has especially been the case lately. Work lately has been so busy--hectic, but also rewarding. Trying to maintain this physical and mental pace is draining. Just when I think that I may not have the fortitude to keep going, along comes a Friday and life slows down long enough to provide a brief respite and allow me to recharge. That is how it should be--a challenging and rewarding career and time to enjoy life. A balanced life--It is what it is.

New Toy

Yesterday my newest toy arrived--a mini laptop. It has been such a struggle to travel with my heavy, oversized laptop that I decided it was time to invest in one of these 'baby' laptops that I have increasingly noticed my fellow travelers sporting. This thing is so small I can throw it in my purse and always have computer access. My next trip isn't until the end of July--I look forward to seeing how this new machine performs on the road. :-)

Contrast

News of the violent demonstrations and government efforts to squelch the protests that have followed the presidential election in Iran are vivid reminders of the miracle of our American political system. In the United States we enjoy a peaceful transfer of power every four or eight years. Even in the aftermath of the bitterly disputed results of the Bush v Gore campaigns in 2000 our party leaders remained civil and there were no violent protests. Time and time again events around the world leave me in awe of the wisdom of our founding fathers for creating this hybrid Democracy/Republic that continues to stand the tests of time. As a Democrat on the losing side of the 2000 election I can somewhat empathize with feeling that an election was stolen, but then again I have no comprehension of what it must be like to live in a country where there is no transparency and no recourse for challenging the election results.

The fact that I am able to reflect on the 2000 election and express my dissatisfaction with the results is a gift that comes with being born a citizen of the United States of America. At this very moment Iranian citizens do not have access to Facebook, Twitter, cell phones etc because the government has shut them down. How ironic that one of the freedoms protected in the U.S. is our freedom to say negative things about that very government. No, the United States and it's political system may not be perfect--but it does seem to be the best thing that the world has going. I am grateful to be an American.

Slow-moving Saturday

After languishing in bed this morning I have now embarked on a slow-moving Saturday. Of course, as always, there are a lot of things that I should be doing--and I'll get to those tasks in good time--but for now, I'm going to kick-back and read, sketch, and chat on the phone to catch up with friends and family. Hmmm, maybe I am off to a productive day after all.

It is what it is.

Happy Friday

I am so happy that another Friday has arrived. It has been a busy week--actually, we are in the middle of a busy season in the office. I much prefer having a lot to do however, it does physically wear me down a bit. Life is good...I suppose that says it all for today.

Time!

SUCCESS!!!!

As you can see I figured out how where the time code setting is for this blog. Yesterday I mentioned that I was challenged to figure out how to do so. Oh how I cherish even the small victories.!

It's A Small World

I know the profusion of technology created to 'make our lives easier' is often more problematic than helpful, but that isn't the case with all of the tech-tools. Earlier today I facilitated a Web-based meeting with one person on the West coast and another here on the East coast. There was no travel involved. Prior to today we coordinated a time in our schedules when we were each available. Today all that we had to do was fire up our computers and Internet browsers then log on to the URL at the agreed to time. I've participated in Web-meetings, from work, from home, while traveling. In one of my first Web-meetings 6 or 7 years ago one participant was actually in her backyard hammock using a wireless connection and laptop to join-in. How cool is that? I like that we can use tools such as this to bring folks together and make this world a little be cozier.

Ah, wouldn't it be nice if all of life's challenges could be solved so easily?

Gorillas in the Mist

As soon as I stepped out of my home and into the world this morning I was enrobed in a blanket of thick fog. It was a tactile experience of a fine mist--I could feel the tiny droplets however, I was not not wet. As I walked to my car I remembered the movie"Gorillas in the Mist" and decided that I must be experiencing what the title was referring to. I don't recall if I ever actually saw the movie--I'm hopping over to Netflix now to add it to my list.

I love my job!

It's true, I really do love my job. I work with great people and do rewarding work--I also get opportunities for once-in-a-lifetime experiences. For example, Monday night I had the honor of being a guest at the annual Mathematics Olympiad Awards Ceremony, Dinner and Reception. It was held on the 8th floor of the State Department--an area that members of the general pubic rarely get to see. The rooms were gorgeous. While the building itself was constructed in the 1960's--the decor of that floor is in the fashion of the mid to late 1700's. The paintings and antique furnishings are stunning.

The most memorable thing for me was the chance to see the Treaty of Paris--I mean the actual document, signed in 1783 by John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and John Jay. The treaty that ended the American Revolutionary War. Can you imagine?

Here are a few photos from the event:

Here we are enjoying the reception out on the terrace.

Look at this amazing view. That is the Lincoln Memorial and the Potomac River in the background.


Here is a glimpse of the dining room.

Elusive slumber

It is almost one in the morning and I am once again struggling with insomnia. I hate it when I get stuck in this cycle. I've never been able to identify a single trigger---stress? changing weather patterns? the moon? all of the above? who knows!

Tuesday

It is another Tuesday...it seems like they come around faster and faster these days. Wasn't it just Friday and I was getting my weekend started? Now 'suddenly' it is Tuesday again and my work week is well underway.

I left the office a bit early today to take care of a couple of appointments that I have been putting off. I went to the dentist for my 6-month cleaning and check-up. All is well, so I can put that behind me for another 6-months. I also had some lab work done in preparation for a doctor check-up. Why do we tend to delay taking care of small self-maintenance tasks such as this? It isn't like they are painful, disruptive or otherwise inconvenient.