Wise enough to know how ignorant I am!

I just listened to an impressive discussion between Richard Dawkins and Steven Weinberg. I listened with fascination and gratitude that such brilliant minds exist.i could not get my brain around much of which they spoke.

I could shrivel up in embarrassment that my intelligence is nothing compared to these gentlemen, but instead, I can glow with a sense of satisfaction that I know enough to appreciate the wisdom and education of others.

I allow myself to soak in the brilliance of my brethren. What joy can we feel when we replace jealousness with wonder and curiosity! 

If, Instead of crumbling into feelings of inferiority, we take the opportunity to step up, even by inches, to celebrate our humanity. I grasp joy eagerly and hungrily at every opportunity.

That's how I roll!

Imitation is not always the best form of flattery

Well, today I'm still swimming in gratitude. Thank you all very much for that! However, I just got a bug -- you can decide where -- to look at a photo I admired as a teenager. I always wanted to try to emulate that picture. Now, in the selfie age I can. Trouble is, now my face is thicker and my hair is thinner. Ah, well, where is the adventure when everything is at your disposal all at the same time? Looking at life from your teenaged perspective can leave you feeling disappointed, scared, angry, grateful, and excited at the same time. Cool thing is, that we get to decide the proportion of each of those emotions. It's a good time to reevaluate and come to terms with some things. Sobering? Yeah. Still it's a great place to be! It's a great time to enjoy your power of determination as an adult. As I look at my face, I see rather deep lines, but fortunately they are all smile lines! Crows feet are beautiful ornaments to one's eyes. Age is not a terrible thing, but it does tell you how you're living your life and affirms that you are resilient. When counting up all that's right in your life, you can count that in! Excuse my little Pollyanna rant, but its great that the little brat still comes out to play! Thank you Karen Machleit for your contribution! It is greatly appreciated!

Here's a giggle for you...

My sad imitation of Hedy Lamarr as seen in Leading Ladies
Published by Crescent,
Authors:Don MacPherson and Louise Brody

Sailing on waves of gratitude

I feel like the luckiest woman I could possibly

imagine! My beautiful friends have shown me so much love and also have given me the money that will help me get better. I still have a chronic illness and I still use a walker and a wheelchair sometimes, but a load has been lifted from my shoulders. Now I will be able to see a counselor to deal with the stress that has been crushing me. Also, the causation of the stress has been greatly lessened. n addition to the appointment with the counselor, I will soon be seeing a neuro-ophthalmologist to see what can be done to ease my maddening case of nystagmus.

I'm glad to report that I will be using a pedometer (free app, yay!) to exercise and strengthen my legs in conjunction with my the treadmill downstairs. My next body adventures are re-commitments to Pranayama and stretching.

I am also inspired to put energy into singing again, due to your outpouring of support!

I wish to thank Leslie Sharp. Lee Maier. Robbie Richard Warinner, Diane Haslam, Sonya Green, my mystery heroes, and, of course, Rupa Chatterji, who was the mastermind of the campaign!

Thank you all so much!

Jodi

Grilled meats + fresh produce = Urgent responsibility

I am a lucky, lucky woman! My roommate/life partner made me a bundle of easy-to-prepare meals! A boatload of grilled chicken and burgers and bagged salad. Fantastic!! It looked so wonderful that my senses completely left me and I didn't plan properly how and when I was going to ingest it all. An embarrassment of riches indeed!

Lesson learned: When given such a glorious cornucopia, freeze ⅔ to ¾ of all things freezable, then dive into the produce like an animated rabbit.  :-D

Yay for plenty!!

Jodi

Separating wheat from chaff

I’m trying hard to restructure my life. Tricky for everyone to do. Everyone has their own challenges. Mine are a brain that is a little flaky, (well a new sort of flaky with the growing number of scars in it) and a body that would rather sit than stand, rather lay than sit.  Nystagmus makes sure that the world is always jumping and spinning. Who needs Kings Island when when your own  brain creates this sort of ride?

Here I am, 43 years old – and yet I'm a brand-new baby skeptic! I'm turning with a critical eye to everything. Religion, politics, philosophy– Everything is up for review. My theology has faded until is now no more than a wisp of smoke from a newly extinguished birthday candle. I'm turning a critical eye toward politics so that I may be honest and educated about my vote. Philosophy is actually new territory for me and it is rather exciting. Something left over from my childhood which I will not give up entirely is being a romantic. There is something addictive and beautiful and warm about fantastic harmony underneath beautiful poetry. I love song!

Song is, to me, a complete culmination of religion, politics, and philosophy. When you combine these very important ideas with clever turns of phrases and exquisite changes in harmony, some sort of magic happens. Pulses quicken. Breath catches. Tears fall. Imaginations ignite. Hearts swell. Ideas are born.

I have compiled a Spotify playlist that somehow makes me feel like a teenager. My health is restored– As well as my hope. Badly needed tears fall to open my eyes to wonder and opportunity. I admit it's only in my imagination, but it is like a drug to me - a legal high with no dangers.

If you would like to peer into my soul (if you dare), listen to this list. You might need some help, I'm weird.

Love so much it aches

I'm no sports fan, but I'm making a sport of my life!!

Now, with 14 billion eyes on the world cup (give or take), I must confess that I really don't give a rat's ass about the games, or any sports for that matter. There's only one game I have anything invested in. My life. I find that I have invested poorly and my ass (not a rodent's) is on the line. I'm in over my head in so many ways, that it is a great stroke of luck that I'm not on the bottom of that infamous creek with lungs full of sewage!

New plan. (Yeah, again...) I'm gonna play my life like the only game I've ever cared about. I've even created my own scorecard. Ooohh- I'm such a dork. It's a spreadsheet called "Scorecard for the Big Game." Yeah, I'm a big dork, but I'm charming as hell. The sheets included in the spreadsheet are: Upper Body, Lower body, Every day, Stretching. Money. It is important that I don't fill out every cell, just that there is a record. This is the rub. I'll fail if I make it impossible not to. Does that make sense?

So, my friends, You are an inspiration to me! If you kinda like my rantings, let me point you to a woman who is far more artful than I. She's the awesome author of http://initfortheparking.com/.

Keeping it real,

Jodi

The new me

I recently came across a quote from Pete Seger,  He says, "If it can't be reduced, reused, repaired, rebuilt, refurbished, refinished, resold, recycled, or composted, then it should be restricted, redesigned or removed from production.”

That is about as sobering as I can allow it to be. I choose to think of it is a chance to redesign, streamline, and make it more elegant.

That is the way I choose to make living with disability not only bearable, but also creative. So there!