Friday, July 23, 2010

For Some Reason...A Day For Reminiscence

Shattered Soul
Shattered soul,
Tombstone eyes,
Long gray hair,
Too wasted,
Too bleached with horror
To bleed red.
(Sun sets)
Soft nestling grass,
Dark at shadowy edges,
Yielding love to the night.
Old warrior-poet-hero
Who wants your sad songs
And dismembered yesterdays?
Old warrior
The last target in your sights
Must be yourself.

So Very True!

The only Zen you can find on the tops of mountains is the Zen you bring up there.

Robert M. Pirsig

Thursday, July 22, 2010

How To Live With A Republican

No, No, No – Living with a two year old

If your child is approaching the age of two, your life is about to change dramatically. I know, your life already has changed dramatically, but you’re about to enter a whole new level of, well, frustration and despair. Luckily, the difficulties only last for about two years………..sigh. Well, to help you out, let me give you some tips about living with your two year old.

First – you need to understand that toddlers have no impulse control. This is a critical piece of information, and you will need to chant it to yourself several times a day. Even when a toddler knows what she’s doing is wrong, and knows she’s going to get into trouble for it, she can’t help it. She just has to do it. So, don’t think your child is incapable of being trained when she gets into the toilet paper for the tenth time today. The best advice is just put the stuff away. And, don’t punish her too harshly. At this age, making punishment harsher for subsequent offenses isn’t helpful. The same time out routine each time will have more effect, though you must understand me when I say this – nothing except growing older will have much effect on a two year old.

Secondly, if you live with a two year old, don’t try to do anything in a hurry. Gone, at least for a while, are the days when you can "run to the grocery store". At this age everything takes a long time, and you should just get used to it. Trying to hurry them along only creates frustration for both of you. Let them try to get in and out of the car themselves. Let them pick exactly which grocery cart you’ll use. It’s good for their development and it helps keep peace.

Thirdly, pick your battles. Don’t allow anything that’s unsafe, but don’t try to control how and when everything gets done. If she wants to wear the purple plaid pants with the yellow striped top, some days you just need to let her do it. One way to minimize the battles is to give your child some choices up front, but not too many. For instance, pick out two appropriate outfits for the day, and then let her choose between them.

Finally, enjoy this age. As difficult as two year olds can be (oh, and three year olds can be just as bad), they are also simply magical to watch. They learn something new every day. They’re excited and amazed by the simplest things, like blowing bubbles and getting a sticker. They’re a wonderful combination of baby and child, and they’ll never be this age again. Thank God.

Sarah is a 41 year old wife and mother of two boys and one girl. She spent many years as a manager in the corporate world, and gave it up to be a stay at home mom.




 - www.buzzle.com

Doh!

Anybody who has tried to solve an integral calculus problem from a math exam in less than an hour and without a computer or hand calculator knows this quote is right on:

"The solutions all are simple...after you've already arrived at them.  But they're simple only when you already know what they are."

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Zen Rehashed

Currently re-reading "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance".  Easy reading but heavy mind stuff in there.  Hope I don't get a migraine.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

4th Quarter...Score Tied...14 seconds to go....

This morning I'm pondering the vexing question: Who is important and what is important? I mean REALLY important. As I get older, I life seems like a closely contested football game. With less time left, each decision, each relationship and each focus seems so much more critical, so much more important to get right.

Sunday, February 12, 2006

Sudoku At Dawn

Yesterday I discovered sudoku and its elegantly simple rules. Over at WebSudoku I soon also discovered simple rules does NOT necessarily equal simple solutions. In fact I found my brain bent almost to the breaking point in directions it hasn't gone in ages. All those long nights keeping beer company may have dulled my logical facilities. Beer is indeed a harsh mistress.

This strategy page may help...but right now it's nearly as hard to decipher as a seduko puzzle itself.

Saturday, February 11, 2006

Disclaimer

The facts and truth contained herein are the sole property of the real world and are in no way endorsed by the author or the author's designated representatives.

I resume...

with a shiney new blog ripe for the babblin'. My previous venture Muzzleflash , though still available appears (due to extended creative inactivity) to be of largely historical insignificance.