The Birthday Time Forgot

So I turned forty on Sunday. Yup. I admit it, four decades of mileage under my feet. Less hair and what I have is graying, more crows feet around the eyes and strange sounds emanating from my knees when I rise up.

When I was growing up, there was no internet, cell phones or CNN. The version of the iPod was a giant headset with an antennae with an AM receiver. We didn't download music from anywhere, we bought it or taped it from the radio. I still remember holding up a cassette recorder to tape music from "Solid Gold" on the television. And the theme song to "Fall Guy" but hey, it had Lee Majors and Steve Austin or not, he was still cool.

The point is, the world has changed.

It was a quiet day. I don't tell people when my birthday is very often, mostly because I'm very private. It's kind of getting to me as the years progress. Family members gone, friends lost to time, distance or illness. I think maybe I've gotten too private as this year, (with the exception of one dear friend on Facebook) everyone forgot; no cards, no calls, no texts. And that's my fault.

That's today's lesson, dear reader. Live. Don't just hunker down and go thru the motions each day. Make friends and get involved not only with them but allow them into your world as well. Playing it safe and avoiding the risks create the problem, it's not a solution. Being a friend is to be there for other's which I think I'm somewhat good at but it's also not fair to deny them to be there for you.

I posted this as a Facebook status and I truly believe it. "Time goes by so quickly & there's no do-overs. Don't hold back. Go big & full throttle. Take risks & savor each moment. If you fail, you've at least given your all for what you want in life. It's the path not taken that is the most worrisome." Take the time. Give and allow others in.

That's all.

Goodnight :)

Saving the Day

What if you were a superhero?  What would your power be?  Would you fly like Shazam or be invisible like the Invisible Woman? Would you control ice like the Iceman or fire like the Human Torch?

Truth is most of us would choose something that would benefit ourselves.  Sadly, I think we would far more likely use our stretching powers to grab a soda from the fridge without leaving the couch, rather than patrol the city looking to capture Captain Bedbug.

Still there is a chance to be a hero, to make a difference in the world.  As you know Japan has suffered a terrible earthquake and subsequent tsunami.  On Friday the numbers of victims numbered in the dozens, then hundreds.  By Saturday the numbers were counted in the thousands and as I write this on Sunday evening, the victims have been projected to be in the tens of thousands.  Without power, without heat, without fresh drinking water and without hope.  We can change that.  We can make a difference.

Below are the links and numbers of some international relief agencies.  If you can't donate money, please see if you can donate time or blankets.

Your super power can be caring for your fellow human beings.

To Help Online

American Red Cross
Apple iTunes
International Medical Corps' Emergency Response Fund
The Salvation Army
GlobalGiving's Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund

To Help From Your Phone

Donations to the American Red Cross can be made from your phone by texting "REDCROSS" to 90999 for $10.  The donation will be included as part of your cellular phone bill.

By Mail

Check donations for The Salvation Army's Japan efforts must be marked "Japan earthquake relief" and sent to:
The Salvation Army
P.O. Box 1959
Atlanta, GA
30301-0959

Seasons Change

I didn't need my jacket today, a reminder that Spring is on its way and the crisp days of winter will soon pass into a hazy memory.  While I'm not a fan of the holidays, I like the winter months; granted I don't have to deal with the harsh snow and biting cold as do those who live on the other side of the map but there's a comfort in brisk weather.  Hot coffee tastes better, the world seems slightly cleaner, your home is more inviting and if you're a few pounds heavier, no one notices under the layers of clothes.  And of course there's flannel.

When in stressful times I like to walk.  Just get out and breathe.  I've had better weeks than this one and that's about as kind of a description as I'm willing to offer. The sooner it's done, the better. Musing on how much I dislike the many changes in life, I looked down and discovered a budding Snowdrop flower.  Just a hint of new life bursting forth.

Apology accepted.

Thank you for taking the time to read.

Note:  Donations for our dear friend TrekJen are still being accepted.  If you're a follower of my blog, you know TrekJen lost her home and all of her belongings to a fire last month.  You can see her progress and how your generous donations are being put to work in building a new life at http://starfleetmomstrek.blogspot.com/

A new life and a new day.  Just like the Snowdrop.

Mountain of Compassion

"Until he extends his circle of compassion to include all living things, man will not himself find peace.” -Albert Schweitzer.

So many of you have helped my dear friend TrekJen and the gratitude ripples throughout the Twitterverse! For those who may not know, Jen's house burned down on February 7th. If you do know Jen, you're aware that she's funny, a little quirky, very insightful, loyal and willing to do anything to make you laugh. She's one of those people that can make your day with just a few words or a funny picture. In an era full of cynics and bad news on every newspaper, Jen is a unique reminder that good people still exist in the world.

After the fire, Jen is now in the process of rebuilding her life. Not just building or adding on, but rebuilding. That's harder than many (including myself) can imagine. Jen's a trooper and has met the challenge head on but she needs help, as we all do at some point in our lives. Take a moment and think of what you would do with $5 or $10 dollars; a cup of coffee or a movie rental? Then think about if you had no DVD player or place to drink the coffee. That same $5 or $10 could help Jen buy a shirt, soap, toothpaste. Basic necessities that we often take for granted, until they're unavailable.

I know we've all made cutbacks in a tough economy and I wouldn't ask for more than you can give but if you are in a position to donate, there's a link below to help with TrekJen's Fire Relief Fund. (A a huge thank you to StarFleetMom for starting this!) If you can't donate, I totally understand but would greatly appreciate your forwarding the information to this and any other TrekJen Fire Relief blog. Post it to your twitter accounts, Facebook, MySpace, personal blogs or wherever you communicate.

One of my "Grimisms" is you don't have to move a mountain to save one. Jen is a mountain very much worth saving.

Thank you for taking the time to read.

We All Fall Down

We all fall down.

A bad circumstance can happen to anyone.  It doesn't matter who you are or where you are; sometimes bad things will find you.  Such was the case of my dear friend Jen. (@TrekJen for the Twitterers)  Jen lives in a rather cool climate and last night was no exception; when the temperature dipped down she also lost power (and heat).  After attempting to find the solution, she did the responsible thing and shut down the main breaker (Admittedly something this writer may not have thought to do) and went to work to sleep.  It was warm there. While at work, tragedy struck and her house burned down.

"And my house burned down" She Tweeted.  (Jen is, as you may have surmised, not much of a complainer) The sad truth is that she lost everything in the fire and escaped only with the clothes she was wearing, a laptop computer, her phone and her dog.  Those of you who are familiar with Jen, know that she's had some hard knocks before and yet remains one of the most outgoing and vivacious of people.  She is kind, she is selfless and if you had the ability to build a friend, Jen would be the prototype.  That's no small thing in this world.  These are in fact precious qualities that must be preserved.

Despite the brave front, Jen's facing a tough road ahead.  While I'm profoundly and will be eternally grateful she escaped unharmed, the time is now for her friends to rally.  No one can mobilize like Trekkies and @Starfleetmom is no exception.  "The Mom" has provided a link to donate to help Jen through this difficult time and has been tireless source of updates.  (The link is at the bottom of the page, it's a safe PayPal contribution) It's not about rebuilding her home, she did have insurance for the structure but this will not replace the contents.  I'm speaking of necessities; clothing, a toothbrush, underwear, soap, the things that we all take for granted are in our closets and medicine cabinets. Have you ever gone without clean underwear? I have.  It's no picnic.  At least not one I would attend.

I know this is a difficult time for many people, but please donate what you can.  Large, small, everything and anything can be a help.  If you can't donate, I urge you to please retweet this and any other "TrekJen Fire Relief" blogs; post them to your own blogs, your Facebook pages or MySpace, wherever you may roam.

We all fall down.... but we can also help each other up.

Thank you for taking the time to read and for whatever help you may offer.

I Like Mornings.

I get up in the morning long before dawn, around 3:45am each day.  Maybe a little earlier if I've not played whack a mole with my alarm clock; I sometimes forget to set it to radio rather than buzzer.  A klaxon blaring is not the most gentle of nudges. I would not do well on the Galactica.

I rise groggily and glance at my phone.  Any new messages? I yawn (and scratch) and plead with my coffee maker to brew faster. I should set the timer to finish earlier but the aroma is best while it's brewing. Clock is ticking. Brew faster! I'll clean you with vinegar tonight, I promise.  I mean it this time, not like last time.  Ugh.  Too slow.  I'll end up stealing a little coffee before Mr. Coffee has fully completed his task.  Why I am wearing only one sock?

I do my morning chores so everything is ready while I'm at work, then I shower, shave and pour another cup of coffee.  The television is relaying bad news in some part of the world.  Where is Bago? Oh yeah, Burma.  I mean Myanmar. I'm still not awake yet.

Then I sit at the computer for a few minutes.  Last chance for my own time before I dedicate the day to my many, many other preparations.  Any new messages? I check Facebook, nothing new.  I check my email and sort thru the reminders I've mailed myself.  Meeting at 10am. I'll need to review that file again.  Maybe I'll find my other sock in the folder.

Now to Twitter; I've saved the best for last.  Who said what? I have new mentions! The strangest thing is the people I talk to the most, I rarely see.   Some I've in fact never seen but I know about their lives, their children, their health. Some I worry about, some I worry for and send best wishes to.  There are those that make me mad, those that make me laugh and those I find more in common with than I have in years. If Twitter had a physical location, I envision it like a roadside cafe.  People come in and out quickly; some are from far away, others are close and some stay awhile to chat.  There's always at least one familiar face nearby and nobody cares how different you are or whether you've shown up in your pajamas.

We all just want to listen and to be heard.

I enjoy my mornings.

Rewriting the Wrong

“You have to know the past to understand the present.” - Dr. Carl Sagan

Evidently Dr. Sagan was incorrect; we don't need to know the past, we can just rewrite it. Again and again to suit our needs.  The classic novel Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is undergoing a retrofit, they're replacing all references to the 'n' word to make it more accessible to the 21st Century.  The publisher is calling it an update; we used to call that "new wine in an old wineskin."

I'm not nor would I ever defend using that word, its offensiveness cannot be properly measured in today's context.  It is a word of hate with an edge meant only to slice away ones humanity. However to revise a work without the author's permission is censorship. I'm not sure how others feel about a revisionist practice but I'm afraid of what's next? Many classrooms already skip the nation's founding fathers because they were slaveholders. It's the ugly truth, but they were.  There are many instances in our nation's history that we wish didn't happen but turning a blind eye won't erase the occurrences.  We have to own our baggage, we can't pick and choose.

I may be off base but when you disregard history because it's embarrassing or uncomfortable, you do a disservice to those who struggled for justice in a time when little was to be found. If we don't remember the pain, how are we to remember those who endured it? If we do not embrace our past failures, how then are we to measure our success?

Thank you for taking the time to read.