My Life is Average
Posted on 14. Sep, 2009 by kchristieh in parenting, quotes
Back in March, I blogged about FML. It’s a strangely effective way to feel better about your life, but I’ve decided that My Life is Average (MLIA) is much more uplifting. I learned about it from my kids, who like to share MLIA posts on Facebook walls. Here are a few of my current favorites:
- Today, I was talking with my mom, and she told me that when she was young, one of the reasons she wanted to come to the U.S. was because she wanted to see squirrels. if she hadn’t come to the US, she wouldn’t have married my dad. I owe my existence to Squirrels. MLIA
- Today I found out that what I assumed was a birthmark on my uncle’s head is actually a tiny tattoo of a stick man mowing his receding hairline. The artist thought it was so cool he did it for free, I love my uncle. MLIA
- For spirit week, one day was pajama day. All the girls wore something sexy and almost inappropriate, I wore my dinosaur pajamas. Guess who got more attention? Winner. MLIA.
- Today, I was talking with my friend. She was talking about how weird it would be to have pants with only one foot hole. We then realized that would be a skirt. MLIA
- Today, my roommate, who wants to be a lawyer, made me sign a contract that I would clean up more. I scribbled in a random place, ‘Not valid on days ending in y.’ Now I can tell him to read the fine print when I don’t clean up. MLIA
- Today in my dorm room the doorbell rang. Sitting outside the door was a box labeled “A present from your friends in room 201″. I opened it and a guy popped out, gave me a high five and ran off down the hallway. MLIA.
- Today, I received an email telling me that a package was waiting for me in my dorm’s common area. I picked it up, hoping that my mom sent me money. She sent me a bubble gum machine. She rocks. MLIA
I like My Life Is Average because it reminds me to appreciate the every day pleasures of life. It also gives me insights into what makes kids happy. I like the bubblegum machine idea. ;)
Hahaha!! After I wrote this post, I saw this on MyLifeIsAverage:
- Today, we had to pick the website we visited the most for class and present it. The girl before me picked FML. No one laughed. I showed MLIA. Everyone laughed. I found some new recruiters. You’re welcome. MLIA
Perfect!
What is your calling?
Posted on 06. Jun, 2009 by kchristieh in quotes, religion, work
I had the privilege of speaking about my website design business at the 8th grade career day at the La Canada High School junior high school just over a week ago. After my sessions were over, I volunteered to take some pictures of Todd Johnson, a Fuller Theological Seminary professor, speaking to a group of kids. I know Todd already, so I knew he’d be wonderful, but I was curious to see how he’d handle a theological discussion in a public school.
He was perfect. He was very diplomatic, and stuck to the questions that the kids asked him. I was struck by how interested the kids were in deeper faith issues. I wish our kids had more opportunities to discuss theology. The Mormon church and Catholic schools do a wonderful job of this, but my kids don’t attend either of those. My teens get great support for questions of faith and life issues, but they don’t have as much of a biblical education as I wish they would. It’ll be interesting to see if they pursue that in college.
Anyway, I actually wrote down my favorite quote from Todd:
“Your calling is where your greatest joy meets the world’s greatest need.”
May we all find our calling.
After I posted this, a friend informed me that,
It is a great quote, orginially from theologian Frederick Buechner, Wishful Thinking “…Vocation is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet…”
Once you learn this new math, you’ll never look at life the same way again
Posted on 07. May, 2009 by kchristieh in cool websites, my life, parenting, quotes
The title of yesterday’s post (Save the babies + educate the kids = healthy society) was inspired by New Math by Craig Damrauer. The site uses simple arithmetic and algebra to illuminate many life truths.
Here are a few of my favorite equations:
Haha! I used that one this morning with my daughter. Eventually I caved in since my husband wasn’t available for an emergency wardrobe consultation at the time.
If she’d asked him first, he may have used this equation. But he probably wouldn’t, since he’s very confident and decisive.
I thought the next two were witty:
This one reminds me of Gaby on “Desperate Housewives,” which I admit to listening to while I file and pay the bills.
The next one really speaks to me. I often say that circumstances aren’t as disappointing when expectation matches reality. It’s a good one for moms to keep in mind as Mother’s Day approaches.
And this one…it’s a message for me to go to bed now so I don’t get sick again.
Now it seems like everything that happens to me is either a potential Facebook status or an equation. Maybe that’s because Geek + Social Butterfly = Me. Oh no!!
Save the babies + educate the kids = healthy society
Posted on 06. May, 2009 by kchristieh in education, feminism, inspirational people, international, non-profits, quotes
One of the biggest lessons Greg Mortenson has learned since he started to build schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan is to LISTEN. I think he’s learned it quite well. He’s listened to children, their parents and village elders who have asked him to build schools for their villages. He’s listened to mothers who have asked him to help reduce the infant and maternal mortality rates. And as a result, boys and girls are being educated in greater and greater numbers each year, and those children are coming back and helping their villages escape the cycle of poverty and ignorance that serves as a breeding ground for Taliban extremists.
I had the privilege of hearing Greg speak at the California Distinguished Speakers Series this evening in Pasadena. He’s just like how he describes himself in his bestselling book, Three Cups of Tea: just an ordinary, humble guy. But that’s what makes him so extraordinary. He’s made it his life’s mission to educate the children of Pakistan and Afghanistan, and is particularly interested in making sure that girls get an education. He said that when a girl learns to read, she is likely to teach her mother to read, to read newspapers to her family, and to someday deny her son the blessing that he requires to go on a jihad. Greg is the son of former missionaries, and doesn’t have much money. But he’s determined and passionate, and gets others excited about making a difference in the world.
One of the first slides he showed was of this African proverb:
Teach a boy and you teach an individual
Teach a girl and you teach a community.
At first glance it’s easy to dismiss that as being more applicable to Third World countries, but I found it interesting that he said that many of the American politicians and military readers who say they’ve been touched by Greg’s book say they read it because their wives encouraged them to. I was pleased to hear that the new administration is taking Greg’s ideas seriously. Maybe Barack Obama does read my blog! ;)
Many thanks to Robin R., who gave me the tickets (my hubby accompanied me – I’d given him the book to read last summer!) since she wasn’t feeling well. I hope she gets better soon! Now I need to sleep and stay healthy to continue making a difference and to have the energy to do even more things!!
The value of volunteers
Posted on 19. Apr, 2009 by kchristieh in inspirational people, non-profits, quotes
One of the things that makes our society great is that there are so many people who are willing to sacrifice their time and energy to volunteer for a wide variety of causes. I heard the following quote from Young Boozer III this weekend as he accepted the Stanford Medal. The originator of the quote is anonymous.
Don’t ever question the value of volunteers. Noah’s Ark was built by volunteers; the Titanic was built by professionals.
Here are some other great volunteering quotes:
A civilization flourishes when people plant trees under which they will never sit. (Greek Proverb)
Volunteering is the ultimate exercise in democracy. You vote in elections once a year, but when you volunteer, you vote every day about the kind of community you want to live in. (Anon.)
It’s easy to make a buck. It’s a lot tougher to make a difference. (Tom Brokaw)
Volunteers are not paid — not because they are worthless, but because they are priceless. (Anon.)
If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else. (Booker T. Washington)
You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give. (Winston Churchill)
The miracle is this – the more we share, the more we have. (Leonard Nimoy)
Volunteering is not a choice, it’s a responsibility. (Anon.)
The best way to find yourself, is to lose yourself in the service of others.
In every community there is work to be done. In every nation there are wounds to heal.
In every heart there is the power to do it. (Marianne Williamson)
Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart. (Elizabeth Andrew)
The last one is DEFINITELY true! I have a busy week coming up…time to get some sleep so I’ll have the energy to get everything done!
Transform your pictures into stories by inserting them into templates
Posted on 08. Apr, 2009 by kchristieh in animals, cool websites, quotes
If a picture speaks 1,000 words, what do these have to tell? Many thanks to Photofunia and FunPhotoBox for their free photo insertion sites.
“If you can look at a dog and not feel vicarious excitement and affection, you must be a cat.”
~Author Unknown
“When a man’s best friend is his dog, that dog has a problem.”
~Edward Abbey
“You think dogs will not be in heaven? I tell you, they will be there long before any of us.”
~Robert Louis Stevenson
“A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself.”
~Josh Billings
I’m not blue, but my earrings are
Posted on 06. Mar, 2009 by kchristieh in my life, non-profits, quotes, shopping
It’s Etsy Friday! Today I’m featuring the bluerific earrings from Katie’s Crystals that I’m wearing to Gala tomorrow night. They match my cool blue dress and my surprisingly blue eyes.*
I still haven’t written my speech yet. I could recycle the speech I gave in October, but I don’t want to bore people. Stay tuned. I figure it’ll be a success if I can cut through the chatter and get peoples’ attention. I’m not worried: I’m an alto.
I can’t decide whether to incorporate a Suze Orman reference or include the great quote** I heard this evening while (admittedly enjoying) watching “House Bunny.” I’ll probably go with the former.
*Is it just me, or do you never see blue eyes? I’m always surprised when I actually see someone with blue eyes like mine. Maybe it’s because my husband, kids and dog all have brown eyes, as do most of my friends. There are so many more races here than I grew up with in New Jersey, and most of them aren’t known for their blue eyes.
** “Kindness is just love with its work boots on.”
Two of my mom’s friends from Escondido turned 104 today
Posted on 24. Jan, 2009 by kchristieh in inspirational people, life lessons, quotes
Happy 104th Birthday to Doris Heard and Stephanie McGraw. These two energetic Escondido, CA residents turned 104 today. My mom took this wonderful picture of them last year:
A recent North County Times article says that Doris, pictured on the left, was going to celebrate her birthday today with five generations of her family. She’s still quite active, and drives herself to the store and other errands three times a week. She participates in various philanthropic groups, and loves to attend Padres games. She’s a perennial parade grand marshal in Escondido, and often steals the thunder from younger participants. Click to see an article from the March 17, 1949 Vista Press that mentions that Doris was a hostess at a meeting of the Acacia Shrine of the Order of the White Shrine of Jerusalem. (see page 3)
Stephanie is a former Hollywood hairstylist. She helped enhance the beauty of such starlets as and Marilyn Monroe. When she was 101, she was named an honorary lifetime member of her local country club. Their said she “participates when she isn’t busy tending her 3 acre orchard or sewing or re-decorating her house.” Stephanie also started painting portraits when she was 89. She even has a “money back guarantee” and won’t accept payment unless you like the painting. Click here to see some wonderful pictures that photographer Dan Clement took of her.
Doris had some great quotes for the North County Times:
“Eat good food, keep your body well and keep busy,” she said about her secret to a long life. “Keep up with the times. Don’t sit down in a rocking chair, and keep active.”
“I have seen yesterday, I love today, and I look forward to tomorrow. I have plans up to next year.”
Good for her – and Stephanie!! May we all be blessed to live such long and vibrant lives!!
The Top 10 Quotes from President Obama’s inauguration speech
Posted on 22. Jan, 2009 by kchristieh in inspirational people, politics, quotes
I love to find quotes that distill timeless wisdom into a few key words or a sentence. It’s rare to hear quotes being spoken for the first time, so I enjoyed hearing some quotable phrases in Barack Obama’s inauguration speech. Sometimes separating quotes from their context can give them more lasting power.
Here are what I consider to be the Top 10 quotes from Obama’s inauguration speech:
- “America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we the people have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears, and true to our founding documents.”
- “We gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.”
- “We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things.”
- “It has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated, but more often men and women obscure in their labor — who have carried us up the long, rugged path toward prosperity and freedom.”
- “Greatness is never a given. It must be earned”
- “They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.”
- “Our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please.”
- “Our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint”
- “As the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself.”
- “To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.”
My favorite is #9. I actually wrote that down when I heard it, to remind myself to remember it.
Reading this speech again makes me proud and grateful to be an American.
It’s good when our world gets smaller
Posted on 25. Sep, 2008 by kchristieh in international, politics, quotes
Meet Oleksiy (Alex) Palchykov and Andrii Chakov. They stayed with us the other night when the Kiev Symphony Orchestra played at La Canada Presbyterian Church. Both are singers, and Alex is one of the lead soloists. The whole group was extraordinarily talented.
Alex and Andrii only spent one night at our house, but we all enjoyed getting to know each other and learning a little about each other’s worlds. We exchanged email addresses, and hopefully we’ll keep in touch.
This is the second time this year we’ve had international visitors. Several months ago, we hosted an amazing Pakistani family at our house, and I plan on keeping in touch with them forever.
I think it’s great when we meet people from other countries.
- It reminds us that our way isn’t always the “right” way. Andrei wanted his milk heated up before he put it on his cereal. Nothing wrong with that!
- We have a chance to appreciate our blessings. We get a distorted view comparing ourselves to other Americans.
- It gives us a human face behind the stereotypes. I have a much different view now of Pakistan’s people than I had a year ago.
- When we know people from a place, we’re more likely to want to learn more about that place. Just as I keep up with the RedBankGreen blog because I used to live in that area, I also read articles that mention Kiev or Pakistan much more closely now.
The other day I saw a CNN segment where a group of young, first-time voter Mennonites in Goshen, IN were asked whether they thought it was naive for Barack Obama to want to meet with leaders such as Hugh Chavez and groups such as Hamas. Here’s a sampling of what they said:
- “How else do you fix the issues that are important to us if the leaders won’t talk to each other?”
- “I think diplomacy and trying to find alternative solutions is something that involves a leap of faith. But if you’re willing to take that risk and to have that faith, you find hope in something greater than yourself.”
- “I think that part of being patriotic is being a good neighbor to those actually in our country and to those far away.”
- “You can’t just think about what you want, but about what others want also. Maybe their choices aren’t always the greatest, but they’re human beings, and they deserve respect.”
- “When you go to another culture, you learn that the way that you were raised isn’t the only way, and maybe not even the correct way…and you learn to respect other peoples’ views and other peoples’ ways of thinking.”
- One young woman talked about how she was shocked at how her stereotypes were shattered when she traveled to Iran and was welcomed with incredible warmth into peoples’ homes.
Amen to all of that! Note to self: must find out more about this Goshen College that these articulate young people attend…too bad Indiana’s so far away!
The coolest way to say you’re not finding something on Google
Posted on 04. Jul, 2008 by kchristieh in education, quotes
I love this quote from a college digest email I received recently:
While a google search brings up tons of hits, the signal to noise ratio is extremely low and I’m finding it hard to vet the quality/accuracy of the claims.
In other words, there’s too much stuff coming up on Google and it’s hard to figure out what’s useful.
What an eloquent way to say it! I’ll titivate my speech by using the phrase “signal to noise ratio” now. And, kaynahora, all my Google searches will go well.
I bet they don’t teach any of these in the SAT prep classes so many kids I know are taking this summer…
I wish I’d heard JK Rowling speak at Harvard
Posted on 07. Jun, 2008 by kchristieh in books, education, inspirational people, life lessons, quotes
I was set free, because my greatest fear had already been realized, and I was still alive, and I still had a daughter whom I adored, and I had an old typewriter and a big idea. And so rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.
You might never fail on the scale I did, but some failure in life is inevitable. It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all – in which case, you fail by default.
Failure gave me an inner security that I had never attained by passing examinations. Failure taught me things about myself that I could have learned no other way. I discovered that I had a strong will, and more discipline than I had suspected; I also found out that I had friends whose value was truly above rubies.
I totally agree. I haven’t experienced total failure in my life, but I’ve definitely had setbacks. They’re never as bad as I’d feared, and I usually learn something from them. Failure also sometimes gets me off a treadmill and encourages me to try another path that is often better suited for me.
I also liked this quote from her speech:
There is an expiry date on blaming your parents for steering you in the wrong direction; the moment you are old enough to take the wheel, responsibility lies with you.
That reminds me of someone I know who still blames her parents for all her ills…even though it’s been over 50 years since she was a child. There’s a point where you need to take responsibility for your own life. I’m not sure that the age is 16 (when kids get their driver’s licenses in California), but perhaps it is. Hmmm.
As for imagination,
If you choose to use your status and influence to raise your voice on behalf of those who have no voice; if you choose to identify not only with the powerful, but with the powerless; if you retain the ability to imagine yourself into the lives of those who do not have your advantages, then it will not only be your proud families who celebrate your existence, but thousands and millions of people whose reality you have helped transform for the better. We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already: we have the power to imagine better.
Amen. Hopefully the grads will heed that advice!
“Bloom where you are planted.”
Posted on 29. Apr, 2008 by kchristieh in education, parenting, quotes
That’s my favorite quote from today’s NY Times article about college admissions (or lack thereof): College’s High Cost, Before You Even Apply. The message: kids (and parents) should mellow out and not define themselves by the “prestige” of the college that accepts them.
Students complain about lack of sleep, stomach pain and headaches, but doctors and educators also worry that stress tied to academic achievement can lead to depression, eating disorders and other mental health problems.
“There are some kids who can handle it,” says Denise Pope, a Stanford University education lecturer and author of , a book about stress and academics. “But some of these kids have had college on the brain since sixth or seventh grade or even earlier. When you have that kind of stress over that kind of time, that’s where it starts to worry us.”
Ms. Pope is trying to teach students and parents to get some perspective:
“College admission is how a lot of people are defining success these days,” says Dr. Pope, founder of the group. “We want to challenge people to achieve the healthier form of success, which is about character, well-being, physical and mental health and true engagement with learning”
Amen to that! I hope my children work hard but retain balance in their lives, develop healthy relationships with others, and stay ethical (no cheating or Ritalin!) in their quest for excellence. I hope they’re genuinely excited about where they wind up going to college, and make the most of wherever they go.
If Obama were a state, he’d be California
Posted on 05. Feb, 2008 by kchristieh in politics, quotes
So said Maria Shriver at Sunday’s rally at UCLA:
“The more I thought about it, I thought, if Barack Obama was a state, he’d be California. Diverse, open, smart, independent, bucks tradition, inspiring, dreamer, leader.”
Maybe that’s why I love living here so much. :)
It’s not easy being orange
Posted on 27. Dec, 2007 by kchristieh in art, quotes
I finally figured out why I felt so out of place in 2001, 2004 and 2006: I missed the color bandwagon. Just kidding, kind of. In the NY Times’ recent article, “Pantone’s Color of the Year Is…,” I was able to see what hues the color giant declared to be the “It” colors for each of the past seven years, and get a sneak peek at 2008’s hot new color, Blue Iris.
“Blue Iris brings together the dependable aspects of blue, underscored by a strong, soul-searching purple cast. Emotionally, it is anchoring and meditative with a touch of magic.â€
Oooh. 2008 will be a magical year in which I become stronger by finding myself. Sounds good.
I doubt most people take this seriously anymore. Gone are the days when we couldn’t wear white shoes after Labor Day or brown and black together. It’s anything goes now, and we’re freer to develop our own sense of style and color.
On the other hand, I’m glad I got my blue Christmas ornaments in 2005. They were hard to find last year, and nowhere to be found this year. Maybe Pantone is on to something.
If it were up to me, the color for every year would be Pantone 2727 CS. Maybe because it matches my eyes.
A person’s life is dyed with the color of his imagination.
- Marcus AureliusThe true person is
Not anyone in particular;
But like the deep blue color
Of the limitless sky,
It is everyone,
Everywhere in the world.
Dogen Zenji (1200 – 1253)
Wherein I admit my newfound addiction to “The Office”
Posted on 17. Dec, 2007 by kchristieh in quotes, tv, work
The last thing I need is to watch more tv. I have many books and magazines I’d like to read, so I’d prefer not getting hooked on yet another* tv show. Even so, I decided to check out “The Office” since so many people whose taste I trust swore to me that I’d like it. Lisa P. and Leslie J. suggested that I start at Season 1 so I’d understand all the subplots and meaningful looks found in later seasons.
I was hooked immediately. The trials and travails of the humble (not!) employees of the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company of Scranton, PA are laugh out-loud hilarious. My kids and I have spent the past several weeks plowing through the first three seasons, and are eagerly awaiting a way to watch Season 4. (Darn writer’s strike! Darn lack of online episodes!) I love Jim and Pam (“Jam”) and can’t wait for them to find true love. I can’t believe people put up with Michael, but there’s never a dull moment with him. And recently I came across someone who reminded me of Dwight. No, I’m sure you don’t know him.
I was afraid that watching “The Office” would make my kids never want to enter the working world. To the contrary, they say it looks like it can actually be fun sometimes. We’ll see. My husband says the show drives him crazy, and that these people wouldn’t last a day in his office. He’d rather read “War and Peace” than watch “The Office.”
Of course, there are lots of “Office” fan sites. These include ones dedicated to “Jam” and others to the many quotes the show produces. Here’s one of my favorite quotes:
Ryan: Last year Creed asked me how to set up a blog. Wanting to protect the world from being exposed to Creed’s brain, I opened up a Word document on his computer and put an address at the top. I’ve read some of it. Even for the intranet, it’s… pretty shocking.
Now that I’m done with Season 3, maybe I’ll catch up on my reading.
* I already won’t miss “Ugly Betty,” “24,” and “Flight of the Chonchords.”
Living in the present is the way of the future
Posted on 04. Dec, 2007 by kchristieh in quotes
Say it didn’t happen! The Onion reported in Underfunded Schools Forced To Cut Past Tense From Language Programs that,
A part of American school curricula for more than 200 years, the past tense was deemed by school administrators to be too expensive to keep in primary and secondary education.
What will this mean for the future?
The distinction between past, present, and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion.
- Albert EinsteinÂ
Great place to find quotes
Posted on 04. Dec, 2007 by kchristieh in quotes
I found the best resource yet to find quotes: Zaadz.com. Make sure to click on the quotes tab.
Find something you’re passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it.
- Julia ChildÂ
How literature inspires in Burma
Posted on 23. Oct, 2007 by kchristieh in books, international, politics, quotes, religion
Anger, hopelessness and fear prevail in Burma now that the military has cracked down and internet access has been shut off. Here are some quotes from yesterday’s NYTimes:
“It’s not peace you see here, it’s silence; it’s a forced silence,†said a 46-year-old writer who joined last month’s protests in Yangon and was now on the run, carrying with him a worn copy of his favorite book, George Orwell’s “1984.†“We are the military’s slaves. We want democracy. We want to wait no longer. But we are afraid of their guns.â€
My daughter says that Napoleon carried around a copy of Machiavelli’s “The Prince.” I wonder what literature other famous people have cherished?
More quotes:
“Keep your pen and piece of paper in your pocket; there are spies everywhere,†said a 62-year-old retired man in Yangon’s Chaukktatgyi Pagoda. “Please don’t tell anyone my name. Big trouble for me. 
“Please solve this problem,†wrote a 9-year-old girl in her diary the day she heard her government was shooting at monks. “Who can solve this problem?â€
…
At the same time, government-run media carried pictures of generals kneeling and bowing before senior monks with cash and food donations — an apparent effort to soften the military’s image. “They come with fire in one hand and water in the other,†said the 60-year-old monk. “These days, I cannot even leave my monastery without their permission.â€
I was pleased to see that the U.S. Treasury froze the assets of 14 senior members of Myanmar’s government, and that the State Department imposed travel restrictions on them. I hope we can find a way to help the people of Burma achieve their freedom from these evil people.
For more on “evil,” read today’s NYTimes Magazine article, Speak No ‘Evil’. I hope I’m never afraid to call evil what it is.
A mother’s love..NOT!
Posted on 19. Oct, 2007 by kchristieh in quotes, tv
Heard on the season premiere of “Samantha Who?” on ABC this week:
Daughter: “You made me who I am.”
Mother: “That is a terrible thing to say!”
Catch this show – it’s got a great premise, about a woman who goes into a coma as a jerk and emerges as a nice person, and Christina Applegate and Jean Smart make it funny and thought-provoking at the same time. And, it’s only 30 minutes long, and even less if you watch it online a day later.
The West Coast has the Bad Girls
Posted on 07. Oct, 2007 by kchristieh in articles, books, quotes
Quote of the Day from the NY Times Magazine interview with Mario Vargas Llosa:
Llosa: There are a lot of bad girls in America too.
Interviewer: No. that’s just wrong. We don’t have bad girls here.
Llosa: You have been secluded in Manhattan all your life, but go to California, and you will see bad girls.
Was Christ a mean-spirited bigot?
Posted on 15. Aug, 2007 by kchristieh in politics, quotes, religion
While perusing the WikiWorld cartoons for my previous blog post, I noticed that the cartoon of Ann Coulter included the following quote from her:
I’m a Christian first and a mean-spirited, bigoted conservative second, and don’t you ever forget it.
OK, I won’t forget it. But how can she reconcile being mean-spirited and Christian, or bigoted and Christian?
If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.”
1 John 4:20-21
I’m not saying I or anyone else is perfect at loving everyone. But when I’m not, I’m not proud of it.
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Become an early bird
Posted on 25. May, 2007 by kchristieh in cool websites, life lessons, quotes, religion
ZenHabits has a great post today about the benefits of waking up early, and how to switch from being a night owl to being an early riser.
One of my favorite parts of his post is a quote from the Dalai Lama about how to approach the day. I’m Christian, not Buddhist, but I think these wise words could apply to everyone:
I love being able to get up, and greet a wonderful new day. I suggest creating a morning ritual that includes saying thanks for your blessings. I’m inspired by the Dalai Lama, who said, â€Everyday, think as you wake up, ‘today I am fortunate to have woken up, I am alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others, to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings, I am going to have kind thoughts towards others, I am not going to get angry or think badly about others, I am going to benefit others as much as I can.’“
I think it’s important to appreciate the blessings you have, and to try to share those blessings with others. If we remind ourselves of that each day, we’ll be more likely to do it.
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A lesson taught with humor…
Posted on 27. Apr, 2007 by kchristieh in podcasts, quotes
“A lesson taught with humor is a lesson retained.”
- Ruth Westheimer, in April 24, 2007 NPR interview
To thine own self be true, and just deal with it.
Posted on 08. Apr, 2007 by kchristieh in life lessons, quotes
Today’s quotes:
Always be a first-rate version of yourself, rather than a second-rate version of somebody else.
- Judy Garland
Also:
If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.
- Maya Angelou
Sounds like the Serenity Prayer.
Victims of unsynchronized passion
Posted on 02. Apr, 2007 by kchristieh in articles, books, movies, quotes
I heard on NPR this morning that 30 letters that Ernest Hemingway wrote to Marlene Dietrich have been made available at the Ernest Hemingway Collection at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston. Although scholars generally think that their relationship was platonic, it was definitely flirtatious. My favorite quote is when Hemingway said that he and Dietrich were, “victims of unsynchronized passion.” Apparently whenever one was available, the other was already in a relationship.
Here are two more, as quoted in the Miami Herald:
In a letter dated June 19, 1950, at 4 a.m., the author wrote: “You are getting so beautiful they will have to make passport pictures of you 9 feet tall. What do you really want to do for a life work? Break everybody’s heart for a dime? You could always break mine for a nickel and I’d bring the nickel.”
”Beloved Papa,” Dietrich began a 1951 letter, “I think it is high time to tell you that I think of you constantly. I read your letters over and over and speak of you with a few chosen men. I have moved your photograph to my bedroom and mostly look at it rather helplessly.”
How can anyone resist such writing???
I pity biographers of the new millenia. They’ll have to figure out how to search email archives to find the written record, and even then I doubt it’ll be this eloquent!
Evil costume idea
Posted on 23. Mar, 2007 by kchristieh in quotes, tv
Favorite quote from last night’s Ugly Betty:
“You are so evil. I’m so going as you for Halloween!”
- Marc to Wilhelmina
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Flip sides of the same Irish coin
Posted on 17. Mar, 2007 by kchristieh in international, quotes
In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, Wisegeek’s daily email instructed me in the fine art of the Irish blessing. Here’s the prototypical example:
May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face.
And rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.
Of course, here’s the flip side to that blessing coin: the Irish curse. Wisegeek highlighted the following:
May those who love us, love us.
And those that don’t love us,
May God turn their hearts,
And if he doesn’t turn their hearts,
May he turn their ankles,
So we may know them by their limping.
Interesting, but I don’t even think we’re supposed to curse our enemies. We’re supposed to love them.
[Jesus said,] “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 5:43-45
“No news is no news.”
Posted on 28. Feb, 2007 by kchristieh in books, parenting, quotes, work
That’s the quote of the day, courtesy of Tom Reynolds. Whether it means we don’t know about Louise’s surgery yet or I haven’t heard back regarding what a client thinks of a new website design, it’s important not to make something out of nothing.
(However, “” was one of my kids’ favorite books when they were little. I guess it depends on what you make from nothing!)
How much can you forgive?
Posted on 20. Feb, 2007 by kchristieh in cool websites, parenting, quotes, religion
Could you forgive a man who repeatedly tortures and rapes you? How about the doctors who failed to recognize your daughter’s serious illness? Or the man who murdered your husband?
It’s difficult, but some people find a way to forgive others who have hurt them to the core. Many of their stories are detailed at The Forgiveness Project website.
The Forgiveness Project is a young charitable organisation – with no political or religious affiliations – working at a local, national and international level to promote conflict resolution and restorative practices as alternatives to the endless cycles of conflict, violence and crime that are the hallmarks of our time.
Through collecting and sharing personal stories, and delivering educational and self-help programmes, The Forgiveness Project aims to reframe the debate about how individuals and communities can learn to celebrate difference and overcome division, thereby fostering positive social change.
The common thread to their stories is that the victims feel a burden lifted by forgiving those who hurt them, and the perpetrators feel as if they have been given a gift that allows them to move on to live a life of honor.
In , Rob Bell says something to the effect of “All truth is God’s truth.” One of Christianity’s basic tenets is that of forgiveness. Whether it’s divine or earthly, forgiveness is invaluable.
Here’s a quote I like from Thomas Szasz:
The stupid neither forgive nor forget; the naive forgive and forget; the wise forgive but do not forget.
And of course, all of this ties in to my previous post…
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