Glad to Be Alive

Instead of taking the interstate, tonight I chose to drive home from a neighboring town using the back roads. I rolled down my window, drove slower than usual and smelled honeysuckle in the air. The weather is warm and summer is almost here. I'm glad to be alive.

Lovey

Cancer

Farrah Fawcett was on prime time this week. She has chosen to let others follow her as she faces cancer and the probability of death. Just this past Friday a lady I work with lost her 9 year old grand daughter to cancer. The funeral is tomorrow. My mom's friend is currently in treatment. And then I remember with sadness, my cousin who passed away earlier this year from cancer. For those who are facing cancer in one way or another, Fear Not - Learning From Your Cancer is a book that will provide comfort and strength. A friend and colleague wrote it after experiencing cancer. You can find it Amazon ISBN 978-0881775389.

Lovey

The Beach

It sure would be nice to be at the beach tonight.

Lovey

Blending In

What makes some of us need to stand out in a crowd and others want to remain unseen? Wanting to achieve is in my make-up and part of that is having others recognize me for my achievements. Currently, I'm reading "Plain Truth" about an Amish girl who is accused of killing her newborn infant. The most striking part of the book to me so far is that the Amish people do not crave notoriety. They prefer to blend in to their community. The "plain people" prefer a life of sacrifice for family and community over private gain. I like that. When I do something, I want to be more conscious of whether or not it is to impress.

I have certainly learned something from the book and the plain people.

Lovey

State Fair

The Iowa State Fair has quite a history. I have had intentions of attending for years, but could never get excited enough for the fair to make my "to do" list. I'm sorry to say that my only experience with a state fair is the Tennessee State Fair. For those of you who organize the TSF, I apologize, but it is certainly not an event I ever want to visit again. I'll leave it up to other Tennesseans as to whether or not they disagree.

Anyway, I'm making reservations today for a hotel and will be arriving in Des Moines on August 14. Since Des Moines is the place of my birth and I have many family memories, I always enjoy visiting. This year, however, I will be really immersing myself in the fair culture. The "Butter Cow" is evidently a must see. One can choose from a variety of foods on a stick. The list is extensive, but I think worth posting on this blog. I'll have a hard time choosing what to eat.

1. Pickle on-a-stick
2. Pork chop on-a-stick
3. Corn dog
4. Cheese on-a-stick
5. Cajun chicken on-a-stick
6. Sesame chicken on-a-stick
7. Carmel apple
8. German sausage on-a-stick
9. Teriyaki beef on-a-stick
10. Corn on the cob on-a-stick
11. Cotton candy
12. Veggie dog on-a-stick
13. Turkey drumstick
14. Nutty bar
15. Fried pickle on-a-stick
16. Hot bologna on-a-stick
17. Shrimp on-a-stick
18. Chicken on-a-stick
19. Monkey Tails (chocolate covered banana on-a-stick)
20. Taffy on-a-stick
21. Honey on-a-stick
22. Ice cream Wonder Bar
23. Deep fried Snickers bar on-a-stick
24. Deep fried 3 Musketeers bar on-a-stick
25. Deep fried Milky Way bar on-a-stick
26. Deep fried Twinkie on-a-stick
27. Lamb on-a-stick
28. Meatballs on-a-stick
29. Deep fried hoho on-a-stick
30. Fudge Puppy (waffle drenched in chocolate syrup and topped with whipped cream)
31. Chili Dog on-a-stick
32. Funtastick Pork on-a-stick
33. Dutch letters on-a-stick
34. Turkey tenders on-a-stick
35. Deep fried hot dog on-a-stick
36. Chocolate covered cheesecake on-a-stick
37. Potato Lollipop (4 thick slices of russet potato deep fried and on-a-stick with dipping sauces)
38. Pineapple on-a-stick (Fresh pineapple dipped in funnel cake batter and deep fried)
39. Chicken lips on-a-stick (breaded chicken breast smothered with hot sauce, served with blue cheese dressing).
40. Cornbrat on-a-stick (bratwurst dipped in corndog batter)
41. Frozen fudge brownie on-a-stick
42. Ice cream cookie sandwich on-a-stick
43. Rock candy on-a-stick
44. Salad on-a-stick
45. Hard-boiled egg on-a-stick

Well, you get the idea. The stick is obviously very important to Iowans. Then there are the swine exhibits. With swine flu being such a worry, I won't be kissing any pigs. It will be exciting, though, to see which pigs win blue ribbons. Pigs are so cute and I love seeing the little pig houses dotting the landscape.

Please don't think I am poking fun. I really can't wait. Flat land beckons me and memories of playing with my cousins as a child and my grandma cupping my cheeks in her hands as she kissed me hello, makes visiting Iowa invaluable.

I'm not a true fan of musicals, but I intend to rent "State Fair" before my trip. Since the movie is based on the Iowa State Fair, it will surely put me in the festive mood. You can check out the 1945 movie at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038116/. For friends and family who read this, I hope to see you there.

Lovey

Job Stability

I'm not normally a fan of stability in the workplace. It makes people complacent. Instead of looking for stability, my tendency is to want to keep things changing. I get a sense of forward movement, although sometimes my need to keep things changing hasn't always served my best interests. As retirement approaches, I'm going to be fending for myself. It is exhausting and scary, but self-reliance is a good thing.

This past couple of months my company has had to lay off a number of people, some that have been there for more than 20 years, some in the same position for many years. I have never been in a position for more than 3 years and it is a wonder to me to see people who are satisfied with this type of stability. This is certainly not a judgment call on my part, because in the long run the people who have planned to retire by staying in one job for the duration are really smart. I'm sure there is nothing like knowing that a check will be coming in for the rest of one's life. But it is not for me. I will never rely on a company to control my destiny. It is tempting as I grow older, but in this day and time it is not realistic.

For those of you who are still living in the days of the gold watch after 25 years of service, I would say "wake up." Have a contingency plan and be prepared to use it. It is no longer the company's responsibility to make sure you leave the company having enough money to spend days on the golf course or relaxing on the front porch. Some of us have worked all of our lives and will probably be working past 80 if our health holds up. My company owes me my paycheck and I owe them a good day's work. That is as far as I plan to take it.

Lovey

Eyesight

I'm heading to Atlanta today to volunteer for a run for eyesight. My friend works at an international company by the name of Luxottica and they are sponsoring the event. Luxottica is the home company for Sunglass Hut, Pearl Vision, Lenscrafters, and others. They also provide free exams and glasses to children in need. I can't imagine not being able to see and not having the means to obtain glasses. I had to enlarge the icons on my laptop last night which was frustration enough for me.

Anyway, I'm excited to be a part of this worthy cause. Also - don't forget that Earth Day is April 22. Check out "Earth Gospel" at www.upperroom.org/bookstore. One way to care for the earth is to pray.

Lovey