People Who Matter Most

My lovely friend in Colorado sent this two-part quiz to me this morning. See how you come out on the answers:

Part 1
1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.

2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.

3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America pageant.

4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.

5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.

6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

I did not get one answer right. Zip. Zero. Zilch. Nada. I have no idea as to the answers, but in all honesty I could care less.


Part 2
1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.

2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.

3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.

4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special!!

5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

This one is easy. I can come up with all kinds of answers because the people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They simply are the ones who care the most.

Ok, that was a bit fluffy, but I think sometimes we take those who mean the most to us for granted. It's a reminder to be thankful for all of the wonderful people in my life.

Counting my blessings...

Bend Is Not Experiencing Global Warming

Yes, that is my most ridiculous dog Bozley thinking the same thing I was this morning when I went out to scrape the windows, "what gives...snow already?" (Jon would argue that Bozley actually thinks, but I am positive the dog has conversations with himself in his head.)





As for waking up to snow so early in the fall, I have to argue the idea of global warming since it doesn't seem to be happening in Central Oregon.

Days Like Today

Do you ever have days like this? Mine. Is. Today. Probably the only thing that could make it better is an order of biscuits and gravy from PB Drive Inn...or the weekend.

Boys Being Boys and Other Simple Stuff

A 'Beary' Interesting Situation
Not sure what got into my son and stepson this weekend as they have never really been ones to hang out with each other. And I don't know who came up with the idea, but it involved a large teddy bear, a skateboard and a gazillion feet of fishing line attached to the bear. I knew they were up to something, but at times I choose to be a completely irresponsible parent by not getting involved and let boys be boys. All I saw was our neighbor's big truck stopped front of our yard and the teddy bear moving slowly across the front yard. Apparently our neighbors lack a sense of humor and decided to take the bear hostage. When the lovely policewoman pulled up and took the bear out of her trunk I was laughing hysterically and it was all she could do to say with a straight face, "what the boys did isn't illegal and maybe they could just keep the bear on this side of the road." I don't think we've laughed so hard in a long time and our neighbors(those little rays of sunshine in the hood) really need to loosen up and have a sense of humor. After all, they do live a few doors down from one of most ridiculous blended families in the city.

Simplify. Life.
The message at church right now is about getting back to simple living. It's true that we are an over committed, overloaded, overworked, over accumulating and overwhelmed society that has overly complicated our lives. At my house are three TVs, four computers, closets full of clothes and who-knows-what-else, excess furniture, books, drawers of junk and that's just the beginning. Out back is a storage unit full of bikes, motorcycles, car parts, old paint, miscellaneous household and kid stuff, an enclosed trailer full of junk, a side shed and garage filled with more bikes, a law mower, some weed-eaters that don't work, unused camping gear, broken Christmas lights, more car stuff... and the list could go on. Most of it is unused,has been sitting for years and is clutter in our lives. On top of that are the hectic schedules, cell phones stuck to our ears and computers we take with us wherever we go. Jesus had the right idea - we don't need all of that to love God and love people. Simplifying doesn't seem like a bad idea.

When Friday Starts Out Like Monday

After the morning I had, I was beginning to wonder if I missed the weekend and my Thursday went straight into Monday, or what. The alarm went off way too early and instead of hitting the snooze button 82 times I should have just set it for an hour later. And, because I got home so late last night and all I could think about was crawling into bed and sandwiching myself between my down-filled pillow top mattress and my down comforter, I forgot to set my coffee pot. I hate waking up and not being able to just push the button and presto, coffee. Normally when this happens, I pretend I'm sleeping and Jon will get up and make the coffee - but since he was out of town last night the task was all mine.

By the time I left the house I thought there was something amiss about the way I was seeing things - so I did the 'eye test' while driving in the dark on the way to work. It's the one where I think I may have gotten my contacts mixed up. Unfortunately, my vision is different in both eyes and yes, I have put the right contact in the left eye and vice versa. It's like one eye is really clear and the other is looking through a fish bowl. Crazy, I know. So I close my right eye and wow can I see really well with my left eye. I close my left eye and whoa, not so good. Yep, mixed them up. Just for fun, try switching out your contacts with no case to put them in or contact solution (you can't use spit - that's disgusting) while sitting at your desk. Good times.

Since Jon took my car out of town that means I get to drive the Ebay special. Right after Jon became the proud owner of a 69 Camaro he thought he should add a 70 Chevy short-box truck to his collection of one classic car. He found one on Ebay and in a moment of 'my husband will love me forever if I buy this for him compulsivity', I became the highest bidder of that flat-black lowered truck. (I'm still waiting to be surprised with a 61' Impala). I know guys into cars think it's cool to smell like a carburetor and oil, but the only time I've ever been OK with that was after riding my snowmobile. Not so much though when I'm walking into work. Somehow carbureted CK One just doesn't do it for me. When I got out of the truck, my key chain with all of my work keys got caught on something, broke, and yes, you guessed it, my keys flew everywhere. Luckily my cell phone makes a pretty good flashlight...

I am ready for the weekend no doubt.

What Would You Do

I came across and interesting scenario and it made me think of the bail out that was passed by Congress. That whole thing is just too big for me to get my mind around. While there may be some good things about the bail out, there are some really scary things that make me wonder if it truly is in the best interest of our country. It's like being presented with an opportunity to donate money to a family that is in desperate need of food so that the children can eat, but you also have to give the same amount of money to a person who will buy meth to feed their horrible habit. What do you do?

Jesus's Top 10

Since I've known Jon his black hair has become a little more salt and pepper, but in a distinguished kind of way. I'm sure some of the gray is due to the fact that I've forgotten more than once to set the coffee pot the night before, and sometimes I throw my clean clothes on his pool table just because, or maybe it's hearing me yell 'Jooooonnn' from the bottom of the stairs in that most annoying voice and him thinking 'Dang, what now. Doesn't she know I just got my new Super Chevy magazine in the mail today?'. Regardless of the gray I may have caused, I know that I'm on Jon's Top 10 list. Some days I may be a little lower on the list than others but I'm OK with that.

There are times when the most ridiculous things pop into my head and it usually happens when I'm driving from point A to point B. Today I was thinking about Top 10 lists and thought to myself if Letterman has one, does Jesus have one too? If He did, what would be on it? Here is what I think it might look like.

1. God. (Duh).
2. Holy Spirit.
3. People - from all walks of life. He's very accepting and cool that way.
4. A 1961 Chevrolet Impala (Jon would argue that it is a 69' RS/SS Camaro in Cortez Silver with black SS stripes, but this is my list and he can put that on his own list).
5. Vacationing in Mexico. The people are awesome, the food is yum and Corona tastes better there. Ok...ok...he can turn the Corona into wine.
6. Volleyball is most definitely Jesus's favorite sport. You think he's not competitive? Jesus, Gabriel and the hosts of angels vs. Satan and his goons. That would be a barn burner!
7. Johnny Lang and DC Talk. I'm sure he likes the traditional hymns, but Johnny's got soul(!) and I know he jams to DC Talk. Boomin'.
8. Pepperoni pizza, Cibelli's style. Hey, there is more to food than just fishes and loaves.
9. The 'color' white. Not just because a zillion women are happy it's no longer taboo to wear it after Labor Day, but because it represents how much He loves us.
10. Bend, Oregon. Because He is the creator of beauty and let's face it...we live in an awesomely amazing place.

Is this absurd? Yes. But I think Jesus has a sense of humor. After all, He created us and we are ridiculous.