Filled or Frazzled?

I have a busy day ahead of me, including but not limited to completing my lesson for Relief Society on Sunday. It's an interesting one on temple work and family history, and my son just taught it in his ward two weeks ago. I will also be praying for my son-in-law, who is having gall bladder surgery this morning, and revising a poem or two for my husband's use.

Tomorrow will keep us on our toes as well, with a marriage (temple sealing), a baptism, some grocery shopping, a program for those who were unable to attend the temple, and a wedding reception.

The Sabbath is always our day of rest, but on this Sunday that rest will be more spiritual than physical. I will be attending our home ward to teach the lesson I'm working on today, attending my husband's ward to welcome a new counselor into the bishopric, and getting ready for a fireside in our home that evening for all of the single adults we enjoy so much.

There is much to do this weekend, and that is a blessing. As always, the decision to be filled or frazzled by all of it is entirely mine to make.

I choose filled!

=)

Ubiquitous Collections

The man in my life is often dismayed at my ubiquitous collections of certain household items that I cannot seem to resist. Among these are...

delicious-smelling (preferably spicy) candles,

adorable napkins that I find on sale,

multi-sized flower vases,

aromatherapy plug-ins...antibacterial hand washes,

and various hair products.

I also collect my share of shoes and dangling earrings,

but that's a subject for another day.

I think my husband dislikes the accumulation of hair products least of all. After several uses, I've been known to decide that I don't like the way they make my locks feel or behave. (I am pretty picky about my shampoo and conditioner.) In fact, I regret to say that the cupboards in my bathrooms are filled with barely sampled bottles of unsatisfactory mane-cleansing concoctions, and my darling Dave has taken it upon himself to personally use up as many of these as possible and gift the rest to our children.

I applaud his action, because he is making good use of my cast-offs and avoiding unnecessary waste of perfectly viable products. However, he is now eyeing my napkin supply and threatening to hit my candle cupboard! If he is foolish enough to pursue this course of action, my protestations will be ubiquitous. And so will the consequences...

;)

PS. I will defend my pursuit of ubiquity to the end!

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I Like Jimmy Kimmel

I always knew Jimmy Kimmel was funny, but now I know that I like him.

Last night, for those of you who missed Jimmy Kimmel Live, the always entertaining host paid tribute to one of his sidekicks on the show, Uncle Frank (his real uncle, by the way). Uncle Frank, who passed away recently, was lovingly and humorously remembered by his nephew in a way that was so refreshingly non-Hollywood that I was kind of smitten by both of them.

Oh, I'd always thought Uncle Frank was a lovable old character, but now I think that Jimmy Kimmel HAS character...in amounts usually not seen in the entertainment industry.

You don't often come across genuine sweetness on television, and it did my heart good.

=)

New Shoes

New shoes.

New shoes.

New backpack, too!

(Sure makes kids happy. How 'bout you?)

photos by tendershootz

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Paul Simon Writes, Sings, and Soars

I ran across an interview with Paul Simon on the subject of songwriting last week. The man is no less than a genius with words and melodies, so needless to say, I was fascinated reading these insights into his unique and remarkably fruitful creative process.

When it comes to reinventing himself as an artist, no one does it better than our old friend, Paul. He is definitely Still Crazy After All These Years, and he just seems to get crazier as the years go by. (I mean that in the very best way, of course, musically speaking.) How many songwriters have the complexity of style to go from I Am a Rock and Scarborough Fair to Bridge Over Troubled Water and Cecilia to 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover, Graceland, The Rhythm of the Saints, Father and Daughter, and back again to his newest offering, So Beautiful or So What? (Check out this cut: Love and Hard Times.) Just one look at his website speaks to his prolific nature, and he doesn't even claim the Simon and Garfunkel stuff there.

This always cool, so-smart-that-it's-sexy man is definitely one of my favorites ever, with Kathy's Song being the one that speaks to me the most clearly of all and America standing a close second. I do love the newer work, too, including every song on the Graceland album, most of Still Crazy After All These Years, the very tender and whimsical Father and Daughter, and more. Apparently, Rolling Stone agrees with me, because they have written about Paul Simon no less than 3228 times since his amazing career began.

Need I say more? (If you turn up the volume on my playlist, Kathy's Song will serenade you.) Enjoy!

=)

PS. Happy Labor Day to all, y'all.

Pardon my Pizza (and My French)

It's Saturday Centus and Labor Day weekend, all rolled into one! As you can see, Jenny's got us off on some kind of oddball food-prompt tangent, and I can't seem to resist going along for the ride. Misery loves company, so I hope you join us! My own hundred words are below, with the prompt, as always, in red. (Twice, as it were.)

∞§∞

Pardon my Pizza (and My French)

©2011 Susan Noyes Anderson

She gave it to him with a kiss,

in hopes that the truth he would miss.

But when he saw the tofu,

he yelled, “No, NO, NO, Sue!

What kind of a pizza is this?”

“What kind of a pizza is this?

It’s the kind that will bring you true bliss.

With no meat, there’s no fat;

it’s more healthy like that.

So eat up, or me-off you will piss!

(Yes, I know that’s a vulgar last line,

but it suited my meaning so fine

that I had to enlist it.

I couldn't resist it!

So pardon my French, just this time.)

∞§∞

Disclaimer: Even though my name is used in this long limerick, it is not a true story. Cooking with tofu is not my forte. Having said that, it's true that my husband would "up his nose turn" at a tofu pizza! ;)

The Copycat Hatter

Wednesday I posted my admiration for this tranquil woman.

Thursday I posted my admiration for this peaceful man.

Today I posted myself impersonating them.

But I didn't get the hat quite right.

And I look a bit more silly than serene.

Tribute to James Taylor

Please turn on your volume to hear JT on my playlist today.

The timbre of his voice is smooth as golden honey, but it's his songwriting talent that makes James Taylor my favorite artist. I've always enjoyed his music, but I became a major fan in 1990, the year I went through a long and difficult recovery after major surgery that catapulted me into an abrupt, extreme, and way-too-early menopause. My nerves were raw from lack of estrogen and other hormones, but JT soothed every last one of them. I think I listened to the guy non-stop for over a year, and it's safe to say that he got me through one of the worst times in my life.

As a songwriter, Taylor is more autobiographical than most, and my personal theory is that he used music to deal with recurring bouts of depression, especially in the early years of his career. Like a snake charmer coaxing a reptile out of its cold, dark pot, James sang and played his way out of the cold, dark feelings that plagued him. His unique blend of guitar, lyrics, and tonal quality charmed me out of my darkest feelings, too, providing a powerful healing balm for the raw hormonal discomfort I was experiencing. The music he made for himself helped me as well, and I am grateful.

Today it seems as though time, maturity, sobriety, and an apparently happy marriage have exorcised most if not all of his demons, and I have long since left my surgical menopause and its worst effects behind. Taylor's work has ripened and evolved over the years, but it has never lost that lilting, lyrical quality that lulled me like a lullaby, lifting and sustaining me when little else could. I will never forget him for that.

Thanks, James.

=)

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When I Grow Up

Just had to post this woman's photo this morning because her countenance makes me feel right at home, as if I were not only invited to her world, but made welcome there. Her friendly face looks well-lived-in, like the coziest kind of cottage, and you know what? I want my face to look like that, too.

I have a feeling getting there is all about being at peace with yourself and others, opening yourself freely to life and the people who live it, expecting good to come your way because goodness is what you are giving out, and being grateful for the beauty that surrounds (and becomes) you.

Yep, I think I want to look like she does when I grow up. I even want the hat.

=)

PS. As many of you know, PJ from Seens From The Backs Of My Eyelids, has a brother, Henry, who lost everything he owned to fire on Saturday, July 24, 2011. The outpouring of help for Henry has been so overwhelming that PJ wants to thank everyone in a special way. On the evening of September 7th (a week from now), she will have the computer randomly select three names from the comments made on her blogpost today. The first name selected will win a $100 e-certificate to Amazon.com. The second name selected will win a $75 e-certificate to Amazon.com. The third name selected will win a $50 e-certificate to Amazon.com. Not bad, eh? Just visit her site for more details. Thanks, PJ! And we're glad your brother is getting lots of support from blogland.

Rain Gutter Regatta Rules

My grandson: King of the Raingutter Racers.

{winning first place always feels good}

=)

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