What I Like...

While I was driving to work, I kept thinking about my next subject to blog about. Then it occurred to me that I want to write about me! What's wrong with that? Absolutely nothing. But I wanted to make it very simple.

I want to write about what I like:

I like hearing the birds sing morning (they really sing on summer mornings)

I like hearing Brendan sing

I like listening to music and thinking I can carry a tune

I like flowers and all their glorious colors

I like driving to Georgia and most road trips

I like Lays Salt & Vinegar Potato Chips

I like watching Joe sleep

I like watching HGTV and DIY on Saturday afternoons

I like very strong coffee

I like the way Aidan smells

I like the noise Aidan makes when he runs around the house

I like dark chocolate

I like wine (very much)

I my job

I like Cleveland in the summer

I like watching wedding shows, especially shows about wedding dresses

I like all kinds of music except country (sorry)

I like to read historical novels

I like Yoga and meditation (although I wish I had the time to Yoga and meditate)

I like bright green, pink and orange colors

I like to clean, but I'm not OCD about (at least I don't think I am).

I like Margarita on the rocks (no salt please)

I like it when Joe and I watch TV together (no children please)

I like Joe's family (more normal than mine)

I like cheesecake

I like watching the Amazing Race

I like watching the news (I'm a bonafide news junkie)

I like it when Brendan has a new hair cut

I like Drag Queens...I think RuPaul rocks! Seriously, have you even been to one their live shows?

I like Aidan's curls

I like talking to my mom and sister on the phone

I like the feeling of accomplishment

I like researching my family history

I like swearing (although I've been told that swearing is an expression of an empty mine...really?)

I like getting manicures and pedicures

I like watching my boys play on the beach

I like watching my boys experience something new

and exciting for the first time

I like Joe's hair and rubbing my finger through it (although he doesn't like it)

I like watching Seinfeld

I like going to lunch with my girlfriends

I like reading (mostly historical fiction)

Now I could go on and on...and I may even add to it. But you have admit it, you've never sat down and listed what you liked, unless you were forced to....

But what do you like? I would love to know....

The Dahli Lama

So today I was thinking about religion and how our world is filled with many, many religions and other various forms of worship. I think as human beings, we need religion or at least need to worship because it helps us make sense of our world, our existence. But now I wonder, does our world really make sense? Has religion really answered our most fundamental questions? In short, I that think over the millennia, religion has made sense to most people. It helps us makes sense of our world, our existence and in our everyday lives.

Then I remembered a few years ago, I was watching a TV special that asked the question, "Does Heaven and Hell really exist?" Now before I go any further with this observation, I'm not debating or questioning anyone's religious choices or beliefs. And I'm not debating about whose religion is right or wrong. I'm just speaking about the responses from today's major religious leaders, which I found to be interesting but not surprising.

That being said, in this documentary, the questions about the existence of Heaven and Hell was posed to  the all the major religious clerics or leaders, which ranged from Judiasm, Islamic to television Evanglists. And it was very interesting because all their answers were fundamentally the same, the message was the same and the passion was just as strong (I think it's how we choose to worship, is what makes us different). Now as far as worship, all the answers varied and they all believed in one way or another that our actions in this life will affect our afterlife (albeit Heaven or Hell). Their answers were incredibly intense, powerful and undoubtly sincere. I was really moved by their responses.

But what struck a chord with me the most was the response from the Dahli Lama. He was serious but smiling and reasurring. His answer was direct and sincere. Now being a Tibetan Monk, I was not surprised by his serene since of calmness and peace. But I was even more amazed by the logic of his answer. He basically said, (to paraphrase) that you can believe what you want, but it's life that you live on this planet, it is the here and now that is important.

What I took from his response, is that our Heaven and Hell is what we make our of lives now. Although attaining enlightenment is very important to Buddhists, I think I got the gist of what he was saying. While watching the documentary, tt was incredible to see him interact with people and other religious clerics. Now I'm not saying that I'm going to become a Buddhist, but I have to admit that his enlighten response to an age old (and very controversial) question definately made me think about how to enjoy and embrace my life in the here and now. And who knows, if there's an afterlife, I hope I'm on the side of God. :0)

Why I am boycotting BP!!

This morning, the sun was bright and the morning air felt good. I was watching TV while my baby was bouncing around the the bedroom without a care in the world. He was playing with "Mac" and I was enjoying the comfort of my blanket. Aidan was happy and content and I was enjoying his company.

And then I had a reality check, I was watching the news and they were talking about the horrific oil leak in the Gulf Region. Although I knew that this catastrophe has been going on for several weeks.  My morning was shattered and sense of peace was rocked to its very core. I'm sitting there looking at the news and I'm stunned by the severe  catastrophic damage that we're doing to our planet. I cannot believe that millions and milllions (and millions) of gallons of crude oil is being spilled into the gulf (as I sit here and type) and we can't find a way to stop it!!

I'm angry because I feel powerless to help our planet. We can throw money into producing, manufacting and marketing oil while increasing our dependence on it. But we cannot find the money, resources or technology to stop a major catastrophe like an oil spill!!

It literally made me sick to the stomach to watch all that oil and our natural nonrenewable resource pour into our waters. I'm sitting here and I can't believe that we are killing our livelihood and our ecosystems. We are killing the animals, sea life, plants and grasslands, and the agriculture that is completely dependent on this ecosystem in the Gulf region and not to mention, those who make their living in the out there. I got the chills when a biologist mentioned that even on a microscopic level, the plankton and other small sea animals will mistaken the miscroscopic oil bubbles for food. How awful is that?

This situation only proves how vulnerable our ecosystem is to man's greed. We take and take and take and have no concern about the future of our children. We continue to drain and destroy all our non renewable natural resources while continuing to increase our dependence upon them.  We do not honor our planet and we have let our greed and dependency to cause mass destruction of our planet and all the systems that depend on it.

So therefore, I am boycotting BP. I cannot with good conscience go to BP and buy any of their products. I wish I could decrease my dependency on gas. But then, who can afford a hybrid car (although eco-friendly and "green")? 'The average person cannot afford these more expensive cars. So much for green living. But for now, I can speak with my wallet. In fact, maybe from this point on, I will start of be more aware of companies and their lack of care for our planet.  Or maybe, just maybe, I can look towards myself and figure out ways to help my planet...so that my children can continue to play and not have to worry about depending on non renewable natural resources to live their lives.