Reach for the stars----Christa McAuliffe

     It is time again to re-evaluate the old and plan for the new year.

"The spark divine dwells in thee: let it grow."-----Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Christmas through the eyes of my dog....

                                    Having to say goodbye for now.

     So much loving and tug-of-war and treats and leftovers....especially all the loving.  She will never forget you.

“How very special are we / For just a moment to be / Part of life's eternal rhyme,” Charlotte, in Charlotte's Web, voiced by Debbie Reynolds

When sorrows come, they come not single spies

But in battalions.  Shakespeare's Hamlet, 1602

This makes me crazy

Every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home.....Matsuo Basho

     I am grateful for spending the holidays with the very best people on the planet.

There is only now

Merry Christmas, the candles are lit, even dust is Sacred, and the names of my children burn as brightly as any star

Christmas at Midlife

I am no longer waiting for a special occasion; I burn the best candles on ordinary days.
I am no longer waiting for the house to be clean; I fill it with people who understand that even dust is Sacred.
I am no longer waiting for everyone to understand me; It’s just not their task
I am no longer waiting for the perfect children; my children have their own names that burn as brightly as any star.
I am no longer waiting for the other shoe to drop; It already did, and I survived.
I am no longer waiting for the time to be right; the time is always now.
I am no longer waiting for the mate who will complete me; I am grateful to be so warmly, tenderly held.
I am no longer waiting for a quiet moment; my heart can be stilled whenever it is called.
I am no longer waiting for the world to be at peace; I unclench my grasp and breathe peace in and out.
I am no longer waiting to do something great; being awake to carry my grain of sand is enough.
I am no longer waiting to be recognized; I know that I dance in a holy circle.
I am no longer waiting for Forgiveness. I believe, I Believe.

-Mary Anne Perrone

“The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease for ever to be able to do it.” ― J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.” 

― Roald Dahl


"Expectancy is the atmosphere for miracles."---Edwin Louis Cole


May your Christmas eve be magical and miraculous. Expect it and make it so.

     Ben arrived and Kate was over last night.  Jason, Kuldeep, Syd and Alex arrive today.  The magic has begun!  Best family ever.

     Even the dog is in 7th Heaven.

“You are one thing only. You are a Divine Being. An all-powerful Creator. You are a Deity in jeans and a t-shirt, and within you dwells the infinite wisdom of the ages and the sacred creative force of All that is, will be and ever was.” ― Anthon St. Maarten, Divine Living: The Essential Guide To Your True Destiny

                                                             Peace, Love, And other Good stuff

“The Voice

There is a voice inside of you
That whispers all day long,
"I feel this is right for me,
I know that this is wrong."
No teacher, preacher, parent, friend
Or wise man can decide
What's right for you--just listen to
The voice that speaks inside.” 
― Shel Silverstein

   

“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.” – John Muir

     Everything and everyone are connected.

Stand up

Amerithon update...virtual run/walk

12-7-2016  I reached Rocky Ford, Colorado.

12-20-16  Today I entered Kansas.  I haven't been getting many miles in due to wintry weather and being busy with other things, but I'm making slow progress.

and something cute for the day

Less

     At the end of every year I donate to charity boxes of stuff that I don't use.  Where did all that stuff come from? Lighten your load and get rid of some of your stuff. It may take me a few years to re-read all the books and go through everything, but I will get there.

     My family is trying a non-stuff Christmas this year and are donating to charities in each other's honor instead.  This is definitely the year for it.  There are so many poor people, refugees, and victims of war.....and now democracy in the US and the life of our very planet are in danger. You cannot view the videos coming out of Syria without realizing that there are more important things in life than more stuff.
   

"It is estimated by a United Nations world hunger project that it would cost approximately $30 billion per year to end world hunger. Think about that. It would take only $30 billion per year to end world hunger, and yet, through the season of giving, Americans will spend $465 billion on our own material gratification, most of which is disposable and dispensable. This is not suggesting to abolish Christmas altogether, but if every U.S. household reduced their Christmas budget by only thirty-percent and contributed that money to impoverished communities, we would meet the forecast amount to end world hunger."

http://wakeup-world.com/2015/12/17/compassion-christianity-or-consumerism-the-true-meaning-of-christmas/

#1 gift wish=time spent together

     Yesterday I did venture into the basement crawl-space and dig out Christmas decorations collected over a life-time.  I do have too much stuff and am trying to winnow it down, especially by not buying more.

Ben, recognize the reindeer you made in Cub Scouts?

Had to share

     I struggle to remember this.

Early holiday wishes

     -2 degrees this am, and it will drop to -9 later, windchills of -20, 9 inches of new snow.
Let's hope the power stays on, as it is off in some Denver neighborhoods.
     My Charleigh-dog isn't getting much of a walk today, maybe to the mailbox and back.  Scooping snow will wait for tomorrow when we are in the + digits.
     Keep warm out there, people.

The greatest way to live a life with honor in this world is to be what we pretend to be----Socrates

Running---the thinking person's sport

This is an interesting article.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/14/well/move/running-as-the-thinking-persons-sport.html?hpw&rref=health&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=well-region&region=bottom-well&WT.nav=bottom-well&_r=1


I will spend today running around doing errands....I wonder if that counts?


Which sports add the most years to your life?  (Hint, running isn't the winner).
http://sportsgeezer.com/2016/which-sports-add-the-most-years-to-your-life/

There are two kinds of cardiologists: vegans, and those who haven’t read the data. Dr. Kim Williams, president of the American College of Cardiology.

The late Martin Luther King Jr. said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.”

     I need to keep this quote in mind, to keep the faith over the next 4 years.

"Yes, I Can!"

     Another YouTube video for today, this one is so heart-warming.

And here are the lyrics from that perfect song:
http://www.specialhockeyinternational.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/YES-I-CAN-Lyrics-2.pdf

Protest Music as Responsible Citizenship, trailer

     Coming of age in the late sixties, protest music was everywhere.  This trailer shows a few of the artists and features a bit of their music.  We could use more of this, today. (Maybe it is out there in the world of hip/hop but I cannot make out the lyrics-lol).

https://vimeo.com/68558847?ref=fb-share

     Here is a link to protest music of that era.  I intend to go back to listen to them all later.
http://www.shsu.edu/lis_fwh/book/american_renaissance/Protest%20Music2.htm


 Here is an anti-war classic:  Eve of Destruction, by Barry McGuire.

Another classic, Buffalo Springfield, For What It's Worth.

Simon and Garfunkel, Silent Night/7 o'clock news

    And finally, Give Peace a Chance by John Lennon and the Plastic ONO band.

      That will do it for this morning.

Hamildolph on YouTube.

     "I am not throwin' away my shot,"----Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.

     Listen to this Hamilton parody just a few times and it will really grow on you. It is perfect for this Christmas.

     "Flying is easy young man--leading is harder."

     "It's alright you want to fly, you've got a Hunger!"

     "I am not throwin' away my shot!"

     "All the haters will be surprised."

     "Here comes the Santa Claus!  Rise up!"

God bless us EVERY ONE!!!!!

   

Youtube Christmas music to make your day better.

     Some Christmas music to start your day....

Love trumps hate, but "I know when something is not right."

     Here is an excellent article! I know when something is not right.
https://medium.com/@alexyoung_59363/we-aint-gonna-play-trump-city-e3ecd0125d60#.9ipltrslo

     I just read this today, so have not verified, but if true....And So It Begins.
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/12/9/1609106/-And-So-It-Begins-no-demonstrations-allowed-in-Washington-D-C-from-now-til-March-1-and-later

     In case anyone has forgotten:
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits the United States Congress from enacting legislation that would abridge the right of the people to assemble peaceably.[1]  The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution makes this prohibition applicable to state governments.[2]

Be like Jane

Create Courage

     I had to share this FaceBook video, an ad for the new Star Wars movie.

                                                We are stronger together.

I work on this every year

     We've had 2 days of extreme cold with wind chills and temperatures below zero.  I've learned that if I wear 2 layers of jackets over long sleeves with a gortex jacket on top, plus ski cap and hood, I'm good, plus 2 pair of mittens, and scarf.  Now to learn to deal with all the ice on the sidewalks.....
     I've got to get out to walk my dog, at a minimum, every day.  I'm lucky, though, that when it is snowy and icy, I don't have to drive anywhere.

     It's time to watch " A Christmas Story" again, too.

(Update:  you've got to love Colorado, today is a sunny 1 jacket day!)

They’ve summoned up a thundercloud And they’re going to hear from me. Leonard Cohen

     Here is an article giving a little hope despite the gloom to our future, and that of our children and grandchildren, brought on by the president elect.
https://www.nrdc.org/onearth/what-leonard-cohen-can-teach-environmentalists-about-fighting-back?utm_source=fb&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=socialmedia

      And here is the song sung by the great man himself from YouTube.

     Peace. Love trumps hate.

Always vote with your wallet

“I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. I will not refuse to do something I can do.” – Helen Keller

     There is a vegan online calculator.  I have been vegetarian for 22+ years, but strictly vegan for only 7.   During those 7 years of being vegan, I have saved 2,810,500 gallons of water, 102,200 pounds of grain, 76,650 square feet of forest, 51,100 pounds of CO2, and 2,555 animal lives.
     I may be only one person, but it meant a lot to those 2,555 animals who were were not slaughtered needlessly, and has slowed down climate change a bit, not to mention the immeasurable value to my own health. Just think what could be accomplished if all joined in....the human and animal lives to be saved.
     See the below link to find out how much you save for every day of being vegan.
     http://thevegancalculator.com/#calculator

                                                  Let's try to do both.


     We are stronger together.

I'll be there. Hear us roar.

     Women's rights are human rights....Hillary Clinton
   
     They tried to bury us.  They didn't know we were seeds.

     Thousands and thousands of Canada geese were grazing outside the library yesterday.  The picture doesn't do them justice.  They go on back forever.

     This little guy was resting just outside my back door this morning.  Charleigh-girl and I saw lots and lots of deer on our walk.  They are down here eating all the remaining crab apples they can find on the ground.  They are all so skinny, I don't know how they'll make it through the upcoming winter. Snow must be coming later this week for there to be so many of them!  Note--Charleigh-dog did great at leaving them alone. Of course, they have no fear of us.

"In the beginning I was so young and such a stranger to myself I hardly existed. I had to go out into the world and see it and hear it and react to it, before I knew at all who I was, what I was, what I wanted to be." -- Upstream, Mary Oliver

"Look at your feet. You are standing in the sky. When we think of the sky, we tend to look up, but the sky actually begins at the earth. We walk through it, yell into it, rake leaves, wash the dog, and drive cars in it. We breathe it deep within us. With every breath, we inhale millions of molecules of sky, heat them briefly, and then exhale them back into the world." Diane Ackerman, A Natural History of the Senses

Pope Francis: There has "never been such a clear need for science" to protect the planet.

 and as a Facebook poster said,  "That awkward moment when the catholic church is more open-minded than our own government"....



     Yesterday was the birthday of Louisa May Alcott.  She was an abolitionist, a feminist, a suffragette.  I read this summation on Facebook:
     She was such an amazing woman. She ran five miles a day in high button shoes and petticoats because she believed women should exercise. She paid for her sister to go to art school in Europe where she could paint portraits including nudes. At the time in the US women could only paint Still Life's. Great role model for you. She was the highest paid author of her day and contemporaries included Mark Twain, Thoreau and Emerson. As a unmarried woman with no direct heirs, she was not allowed to write a will and all her estate would have gone to the state, so she adopted her nephew from her sister and gave him instructions on how she wanted the estate divided. I am sure if they had Pantsuits in the 1880s, she would have worn one proudly.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=121831612

Choose compassion this holiday

A holiday thought — become a vegan

As Christmas approaches, I am reminded of this plea by author C. David Coates:

Isn’t man an amazing animal? He kills wildlife — birds, deer, all kinds of cats, coyotes, beavers, groundhogs, mice, foxes, and wolves — by the millions in order to protect his domestic animals and their feed. Then he kills domestic animals by the billions and eats them. This, in turn, kills man by the millions, because eating all those animals leads to degenerative — and fatal — health conditions like heart disease, kidney disease, and cancer. So then man tortures and kills millions more animals to look for cures for these diseases. Elsewhere, millions of other human beings are being killed by hunger and malnutrition because food they could eat is being used to fatten domestic animals. Meanwhile, some people are dying of sad laughter at the absurdity of man, who kills so easily and so violently, and once a year sends out a card praying for “Peace on Earth.”
• Wildlife “services” killed more than 3.2 million animals during fiscal year 2015. This rogue agency does it at taxpayers’ expense. The total does not include wildlife that ranchers kill on public land.

• In 2014, the U.S. raised and killed 9.5 billion land animals for food.

• The U.S. Surgeon General has stated that 68 percent of all human disease is diet-related.

• Each year, it is estimated that more than 100 million animals — including mice, rats, frogs, dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, monkeys, fish and birds — are killed in U.S. laboratories.

• Every 10 seconds, a child dies from hunger. Approximately 21,000 people die every day of hunger or hunger-related causes, according to the United Nations.

• It is estimated that if North Americans were to give up just 10 percent of their intake of animal protein, enough grain would be freed up to feed every human being on Earth, who goes to bed hungry.
As painful as it is to reflect on inconsistencies that so many humans share, none of us are forever locked into this cycle of violence. Each of us has the power to choose compassion (for humans and animals), sustainability and improved health.

Please join the tens of millions of other caring people by visiting these websites to align your core values with life-affirming choices: veganvideo.org and veganuary.com. As someone who made the switch many decades ago, I can tell you, the transformation is immensely rewarding on so many levels.

Amerithon updates

11-14-16

11-28-16

     I virtually passed Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, today.  I next will be traveling south to Pueblo and then east to La Junta and Rocky Ford, CO.  I still have a long way to go to get to the Washington Monument in DC.

     I did reach my goal of running 2016 miles in 2016.  I'm not sure if I'll make 2200 by the end of the year....that may be a stretch.  Today was run streak day 816.  I'm still chipping away at it, day by day.

     I picked up Charleigh-girl from the kennel today, so maybe tomorrow we'll get a good long walk in, weather permitting.

This is so hard to remember, especially over the upcoming holidays

  I hope your Thanksgiving is a happy one.

Heal