Zen on Town Lake

Today I went for a walk around Austin's Town Lake. There is a hike and bike trail there that I love, though on weekends it can feel a bit like human frogger--dodging strollers, runners, and bikers.

I stopped to sit on a rock by the water. My back was to the trail which was just a few feet behind me. I suddenly realized that there were lots of baby turtles under water. Eventually a couple of adults came along too. I noticed the fish and then the cottonwood fluff drifting ever so lazily to the water. Every once in a while I would again hear the exercise strivings on the trail right behind me and then I would focus in again on the slow drift of leaves on top of the water. The easy sway of algae swirling around the paddling turtles. It was so nice to step away from the go-go-go and remember the slow luxury of summer. I have the visual for what I need to do everyday. Let my mind keep racing, but just take 2 steps away and find a calm vantage point.

The spot where I was sitting is a popular dog swimming hole because it is fairly shallow by the bank. One dog stepped in very regally and stood with water just over his paws. He took one step further and there was a drop off, so he jolted clumsily to chest depth. He looked over at me with the very clear expression of, "She didn't see that did she? Damn, she did."

Made my day.

Word Choice... Really?!

I was totally going to let this one go un-blogged. One more piece of horrific world news. But then there was such a special word choice I *HAD* to share. NPR (color me surprised) reported yesterday on the Ugandan Pastor Martin Ssempa. He is leading a movement to criminalize homosexuality.

That's right, criminalize it. Life in prison for consenting gay sex. Death penalty for gay sex with a minor or for having sex with your partner if you are HIV positive. In an effort towards equal opportunity, there is also jail time for straight individuals who don't turn in a suspected gay. I thought "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was out-dated.

There is a church in Nevada headed by Pastor Kevin Odor who is supporting Pastor Ssempa out of their desire to help the AIDS problem and to support Ssempa's work teaching abstinence to college students in Uganda. Ummm, let me give you a snipet from the NPR piece:

"His heart is not to kill people," Odor says. "He is a pastor of the Gospel that believes in redemption and his heart is to redeem people."

Odor says he does not "personally" endorse the death penalty or life sentences for gay men and lesbians. Asked why he would support someone who does, he sighs.

"We want to help the AIDS problem in Africa, and we found somebody who is making a difference," he says. "So we support him."

By the way, we still aren't to the special word choice. Here it comes. Pastor Odor is up in arms that he and his church are being "crucified" for their compassionate support of the people of Uganda. Of all the groups in the world, you would think a fundamental christian organization would understand the term "crucifixion." I love hyperbole as much as the next little lady, but if I remember correctly Jesus died because he was wrongly accused. Even if Odor's church adamantly opposes homosexuality, it seems like a stretch to suggest the death penalty is a compassionate attempt to redeem. I do not see how Odor misses the lack of compassion.

A lot to ponder.

Micmacs

Do you like cool stuff? Then Micmacs is for you. Oh, you think a movie review should have a bit more meat to it? Aren't you picky. Fine.

This movie is Fraaaanch. If you cannot stand sub-titles you are excused from this review. If, however, you are not put off by subtitles and are, therefore, still reading this post, let me wax poetic. Jean-Pierre Jeunet is the writer and director of Micmacs. He also wrote and directed Amelie and Delicatessen. Much like his earlier films, Micmacs captures that quirky state of whimsy where you just feel good about life, the universe, and everything as you leave the movie theater.* A man, Basil, becomes homeless after surviving a gun shot wound to the head. He goes into cahoots with a family of misfits who help him destroy two weapons manufacturers.

Micmacs is filled with delightful twists and turns. It is like brain candy for the creative mind. There are lots of inventions that mix sculpture, recycling, and functionality throughout the film. I thoroughly enjoyed this moviea and hope you do too!

*Disclaimer as Footnote: I did have 2 hot, chocolate chip cookies during this movie which may have contributed to my state of euphoria. I highly recommend it.

Now? Can You Hear Me Now?

I just finished listening to an Eckhart Tolle lecture. He spent a lot of time discussing the Now; not surprising since one of his best sellers is The Power of Now. There were a couple of ideas that I wanted to share. We get so wrapped up in what we want in the future yet when we get there we are often disappointed. Why? Tolle's point is that we are disappointed because we are still focused on the future and we can never get there, because we perpetually find ourselves in the Now instead.

Even as I was listening to the lecture I caught myself jotting down a reminder for my grocery list and thinking about what I wanted to eat for dinner. I am clearly a future addict. I went for a walk and kept repeating, "Am I still in the Now?"--usually I would find I had rabbited off down a side, thought path. Hrrumph. Tolle is very forgiving of this habit and just suggests practicing remembering that the future doesn't exist yet, so why not enjoy that which does exist.
Tolle also presented the idea that we can have thoughts or thoughts can have us. When we no longer separate our identity from our thoughts, they have us. Made me start thinking about my time with Lyme disease. My brain wasn't able to sustain long, convoluted thought patterns. I was pretty foggy and out of it. I was forced into the Now quite abruptly and my ego took a major blow during that adjustment. I realized how much of my identity I had built on my mind functioning quickly and adeptly...when that wasn't in the cards, my ego said, well then, um, who am I?

I am so happy to be healthy, but I have once again become a thought and future addict (to be honest a slight caffeine addict as well). C'est la vie. I will find my way back to the Now in bursts. Like Now. How about Now. And Now.

Where are you?

Ooo...Purty

I have been thinking a lot about Design this week. I am reading Daniel Pink's A Whole New Mind which asserts that left-brain directed thinking--i.e. your analytical, test-taking thought process--is no longer sufficient. Many of those jobs and tasks can now be automated or off-shored. Now there is a need for whole thinking that incorporates the logic of the left along with the emotional and aesthetic intelligence of the right.

Pink states that there are "six senses" that make up right-brain directed thinking:

1. Design
2. Story
3. Symphony
4. Empathy
5. Play
6. Meaning

I just finished the Design chapter, so I am trying to notice the details around me. I thought I would share a few of my favorite Design eye-openers of the week.

Catching up on Reading Category:
Before & After, whose slogan is "Graphic Design for Everyone," is a great publication that puts side-by-sides of printed materials before and after they get a Design overhaul. As a kid I loved looking at the glossy pages of 17 magazine with the before and after makeover pictures; this publication appeals to the same kid in me. However now it isn't makeup experimentation, but layout, fonts, and images for brochures and business cards.

Tom Kuhlman's Rapid eLearning blog is my absolute favorite blog when it comes to practical, innovative training ideas. This will really only be worth clicking on if you use Articulate software, but it is a really cool way to incorporate tables into eLearning.

Whenever I start pondering Design I have to pull out my copy of Nick Bantock's Griffin & Sabine. If you have never picked it up, I urge you to check your library. It is a beautifully illustrated love story that unfolds through post cards and letters. As the reader you actually get to reach inside envelopes to pull out letters to read.

How I Think Category
I started thinking today that there can be a high level of Design in some writing. Writing that gets me to visualize a situation or look from a completely different angle. Today I had this experience twice. My sister wrote a beautiful post about birds, yoga, and effort. I think anyone who reads it will feel instantly a little calmer. So, read it. I'm just sayin'. On the other end of the spectrum, may I recommend the blog In the Pink. Texas Monthly blogger Eileen Smith takes the days news and attacks it with a dry sense of humor and of the ridiculous.

I have a sneaky suspicion that there will be other posts about the remaining 5 of the 6 senses. In the meantime try to slow down and notice.

Inefficiency Defined

I performed my civic duty yesterday by sitting in the basement of the Justice Center all day--that's right I had Jury Duty. Fun. Fun. I was never called to a panel, I just sat and sat. Now, I am not complaining. I am glad I wasn't picked because that would have put a definite hamper on my productivity at work; however, it doesn't feel like I accomplished much for my country yesterday.

Jury trials have been around in the US since it became itself (read constitutional right). Beyond our borders jury trials date back to ancient Greece. There has been plenty of time to perfect the jury selection process. This is a modern world and it seems like there must be a more streamlined approach.

So, I did a quick google search to see if there were some brilliant ideas on how to make jury duty worthwhile and (gasp) efficient. I found nothing. However, there are plenty of articles detailing how to get out of jury duty. Hmmm.

Nature vs. Videocamera

Well, Game 7 did not go as I hoped. As part of the "dig myself out of the deep, dark, sporty depression" campaign I came across the video above entitled "octopus steals my video camera and swims off with it (while it is still recording). A little bit of octopus action-packed chase scene for your Friday.

Speaking of which you should definitely see the A-TEAM. It is one of the best action movies I've seen in a long time.

Thanks YouTube... I thoroughly enjoyed watching this. Hope it makes you smile and, of course, ponder what would you do if an octopus stole your new video camera?