tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62899652012-02-16T20:53:21.324-06:00Unsolicited advice on life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, for all my nieces and nephews out there - biological and honorary.Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.comBlogger4211100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-89272597087204947352011-09-01T07:32:00.001-05:002011-09-01T07:35:02.363-05:00

There is a story going around the internet about a police officer in New Mexico who was caught by a survelliance camera having sex with a woman on the hood of his squad car, while he is in uniform, in broad daylight. No, I'm not going to link with it. And my reaction is not what you might expect. It's not the cop's behavior that is shocking to me. Let's face it...a lot of what used to happen

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-54773605718719540822011-08-31T06:41:00.000-05:002011-08-31T06:41:04.651-05:00

Time is a funny thing. In actuality time is constant. It moves in one direction, and always at the same pace. (No heckling from the quantum mechanics gallery, please.) The measurement of time here on Earth is constant too, with just a few exceptions. Every day has 24 hours (give or take a few microseconds), every year has 365 days (unless it is one of those pesky leap years). But a human being's

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-58169689033626958812010-09-10T06:52:00.002-05:002010-09-10T06:58:27.953-05:00

From Running on Faith:We're results-oriented people. We don't care about the process; we just want the product. Instead of working out and eating healthy food and losing weight gradually to enhance health and quality of life, millions of people take diet pills and have liposuction to lose pounds. They simply don't have the patience. They don't understand that who you become as you progress toward

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-83605178951766267552010-08-30T07:30:00.004-05:002010-08-30T09:08:49.438-05:00

Milestone birthdays are naturally a time to reflect on your life. And in case I wasn't doing so already, God thought it would be fitting to have the homilist preach on the meaning of life on my 50th birthday.Father Frank told us about Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl, author of Man's Search for Meaning. This is a profoundly serious subject and it was a long sermon, but the idea is as simple as

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-66977402733129358572010-08-22T05:57:00.001-05:002010-08-22T06:44:05.318-05:00

After a war ends, it's time to get rid of your offensive weapons, while holding on to only those defensive weapons that serve you best in a time of peace.So as I packed up the last of my diet books to bring to the resale shop, I wondered just how many of these things I've read in the last 40 years. Seems like thousands, but it's probably in the hundreds. And I'm not alone.Search the word "diet"

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-78118056328486039462010-08-11T07:30:00.000-05:002010-08-11T07:39:45.523-05:00

So the diet war is over. I declared an end to hostilities on Saturday morning. I neither won nor lost. I just decided I was tired of war and stopped fighting.Later that same day I informed my trainer I would no longer let him weigh and measure me. We had been doing this almost every month for over two years. When he brought up the subject, I simply said "nope, we're not going to do that anymore".

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-34104859139378213352010-08-07T05:18:00.007-05:002010-08-11T07:09:04.186-05:00

In a few weeks (God willing) I'll hit the big 5-0. It's one of those milestones that makes me think back over my life...what I've done and haven't done, how I got to be the person I am today. And it makes me sad to realize that I have spent most of my life at war with my body. Almost every memory is tainted by my battle with weight.When I look through my photo album, it's like there is an

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-65938778537946191112010-04-24T10:09:00.004-05:002010-04-24T10:42:38.229-05:00

This week I've been involved in several internet discussions about the cost of tonight's pay-per-view MMA event (Aldo v Faber). A lot of the commenters feel the card is not "worth" the price. This got me thinking about how "worth" is determined.The promoters of tonight's event are gambling. They've done their research, promoted their product, and decided that now is the time to try getting paid

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-33864279287500642822010-04-22T04:40:00.004-05:002010-04-22T09:54:05.720-05:00

Read from Part IRight after I wrote the last post I left for a week-long visit with my Michigan family. I brought my computer with every intention of finishing this series within a few days. But having lost the momentum and being distracted by the rest of my life, here it sits unfinished a month later.Sure, I'm busy. I'm in the midst of changing jobs, have been on a long business trip and am

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-50313807560279073042010-03-27T07:13:00.004-05:002010-04-22T07:21:32.726-05:00

Read from Part IFocus - As you might have guessed by the way I write (sporadically and in pieces), I sometimes have a short attention span. I might have been diagnosed with ADD if it were fashionable back when I was a kid. And it sure doesn't help that I spent a significant portion of my career in the era of "multi-tasking".For a long time we believed that we could be more productive by doing two

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-86998650953042040552010-03-26T04:10:00.005-05:002010-03-27T08:33:17.944-05:00

Read from Part IPassion. I have always admired people who approach what they do with passion. It doesn't matter if you're a doctor or an entrepreneur or a pastor or a fast food worker. When you do what you do with passion, that passion shows. And it's contagious. Spending time with passionate people is energizing. It's like you automatically tap into their energy just by being around them.And the

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-83339959205284593382010-03-24T05:11:00.005-05:002010-03-26T07:30:44.053-05:00

Whenever I would imagine what my life would be like as I approached fifty, somehow being a huge fan of any sport wasn't in my mental picture. And if it had been, I would have expected it to be because the Cubs had finally put it all together and won the World Series. Oh well, maybe if I live to be 150.But mixed martial arts? Seriously? Yep, that's what I'm into.Every since watching my first event

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-1470660839639258382010-02-18T07:19:00.004-06:002010-02-18T08:01:52.967-06:00

Seems to be a theme this month. Oh, yeah...Valentine's Day!Have you recovered yet? Did the hype and expectations come through? Or did you wake up the next day with tears and chocolate stains on your pillow because things didn't work out like you hoped?I've written before about Valentine's Day (2009, 2004). Sure, it's nice to express your love in a fun, romantic way. And what girl doesn't like

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-52793957270685630562010-02-04T06:20:00.003-06:002010-02-04T06:54:08.241-06:00

One more thing from my pastor's sermon on Sunday about love.Today's culture presents love (especially the couple relationship) in a lot of screwed up ways. One hour at the gym glancing at those ridiculous music videos they play convinces me of that. But one thing in particular is completely, 180 degrees backwards. That would be the premise that "you can't love anyone else until you love yourself"

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-28002254849658626982010-02-03T18:00:00.000-06:002010-02-03T18:24:42.750-06:00

"I punch guys in the face for a living."So said the tough-looking dude in the seat next to me to the guy next to him on a flight from Denver to Southern California. He was wearing pants with the "Tapout" logo and had quite a few tatoos. When I glanced over he seemed familiar. Found out he was a mixed martial arts fighter (for the WEC) as well as the owner of several gyms.Most of the conversation

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-29760072184139579632010-01-13T06:30:00.001-06:002010-01-13T11:20:41.578-06:00

(Start from Part 1)I believe that the meaning of life is found in our relationships. What other aspect of life truly defines who you are? Your looks? Your job? Your money? Those are just things you have. From the most casual to the most intimate relationships, the way we treat people - and the way we allow people to treat us - reflect our character and our self-worth.So what is the meaning found

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-89109630796516183072010-01-02T17:36:00.005-06:002010-01-13T07:50:32.175-06:00

Start at Part 1Changes in societal norms happen over time. When we are young, we are living within a time, and we are not seeing that things were ever different than they are right now. So you gals of a certain age might not know that calling each other bitches and hos used to be extremely insulting. Perhaps you cannot imagine a time when a girl getting a tattoo was taboo.And that's OK. Trends

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-83086317220093776382009-12-31T17:17:00.003-06:002010-01-09T04:24:00.154-06:00

Read Part 1It's New Year's Eve. In the parts of the world that have not yet already arrived in 2010, people are preparing for one of the biggest party nights of the year. A lot of alcohol will be consumed tonight, and a lot of hangover remedies will be employed tomorrow.But for bros, tonight may not be much different than any other Thursday night. Cause bros f'in love to get f'd up! And they

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-88061964577564384142009-12-29T04:58:00.008-06:002009-12-31T19:22:53.936-06:00

I recently set out to learn something about a facet of popular culture for which I was almost clueless. It all started innocently enough, with me thinking that two young people I know might want to meet each other. Not that I have any qualifications as a match-maker, but you never know who might hit it off.The girl I know quite well. The guy - I know one facet of his life (his profession) pretty

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-15585802020737116902009-11-30T06:32:00.005-06:002009-11-30T06:39:52.241-06:00

Meet Slim, the newest addition to our family. She's still very shy, getting used to her new home (my sister's house). She's sweet and fluffy and sleepy and I love her already.

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-54574552925622927342009-11-22T06:46:00.003-06:002009-11-22T06:50:38.796-06:00

I've always been more of a cat person, but let's face it...most cats barely acknowledge your presence unless they want something. Dogs actually do love you back.Check out these videos of dogs greeting their long-absent owners.I was in tears by the second video.

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-30398282866747273602009-11-03T08:18:00.002-06:002009-11-03T08:35:25.399-06:00

I have given up on a lot of things in my life. Some things I wanted to do I never even started. But the ones I did start...how many of them could have been a success if I had just done a little more?The line between failure and success is so fine that we...are often on the line and do not know it. How many a man has thrown up his hands at a time when a little more effort, a little more

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-65427766404332530282009-11-02T17:52:00.002-06:002009-11-02T18:03:43.108-06:00

The view from my window tonight.

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-15776418078152110732009-09-08T06:47:00.005-05:002009-09-08T06:59:04.088-05:00

A friend recently turned me on to mixed martial arts. I've watched a few bouts, and it is not at all what I expected. What struck me (pun itended) was the grace of their movement. Watching them move reminded me of dancing - right up until the point where our guy got pummeled after taking one to the chin. The MMA fighters are supreme athletes in extraordinary physical condition. Their training

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-57962093111978828042009-09-03T05:54:00.004-05:002009-09-03T06:47:28.110-05:00

Seems several of my young friends have recently experienced breakups or that unique heartbreak of unrequited love. And my heart goes out to each of you. I wish I had words to make it all better for you.All I can say is I know it hurts. A lot. It's gonna hurt for a while, then feel better, then hit you like a ton of bricks again. That is the nature of grieving.Twice I have fallen hard for guys who

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-78342270065412463602009-08-22T07:14:00.003-05:002009-08-22T07:56:51.000-05:00

This is one of those days when the exact words I needed to read appeared to me. I have been struggling with a severe case of temptation in an area of my life that I thought I had a grip on.When this temptation is dormant, I have zero doubt that I am doing the right thing by avoiding it. Actually, I don't even think about it. When the temptation flares up, it hits hard. And when it puts itself

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-16475180043893326292009-07-03T13:11:00.001-05:002009-07-03T13:15:36.508-05:00

I love this video channel on YouTube. The "embed" feature isn't working, so click on the link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qMRVwAvufA

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-8718832092979562582009-07-01T21:05:00.002-05:002009-07-01T21:07:34.836-05:00

I can't believe this image is being used to advertise an online dating service on Facebook:Can you identify this Jesus?

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-82388662799006915092009-06-28T06:53:00.002-05:002009-06-28T07:00:07.304-05:00

"In many ways his tragedy was to mistake attention for love."Rabbi Shmuley on his friend Michael Jackson.(h/t The Dawn Patrol)

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-46965840993191048382009-05-29T06:02:00.006-05:002009-05-29T07:10:26.196-05:00

You work hard in school. You sacrifice your social life to study and get good grades so you can get into a good college. You are willing to pay the price with your time and treasure. But when you receive that rejection letter, don't automatically assume it was because you just didn't work hard enough to merit admission.from today's Chicago TribuneHundreds of applicants received special

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-16708103713738288072009-05-20T06:01:00.000-05:002009-05-20T09:02:42.368-05:00

"Our thoughts become a border around our lives. If we think little, we will live little. If we think big, we will live big."~Joyce Meyer

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-42837377430604912892009-05-18T21:19:00.004-05:002009-05-18T21:33:29.930-05:00

Scratch #49 off the list. Yes, I am seriously behind on that list with only 468 days until my 50th Birthday.I walked in the Network of Strength Walk to Empower on Mother's Day. Thanks to those of you who donated for the cause. It was a gorgeous day in downtown Chicago, and there were thousands of walkers! This is me with my sister Jean (in the middle) who is a breast cancer survivor, and my other

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-59650931971293490102009-05-02T06:52:00.006-05:002009-05-02T07:03:48.425-05:00

Life is not fair. Things don't go the way you want them to. Other people are luckier, richer, prettier. You weren't born into the right family or live in the right place or given all the advantages and therefore life sucks.That's not the way this guy thinks:(h/t Mike Groom in the ShredderSphere)

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-15642632684745611282009-04-30T21:41:00.002-05:002009-04-30T21:44:42.418-05:00

Made these for a baby shower on Sunday:They are lemon butter cookies with lemon royal icing and filled with seedless raspberry jam.They were a big hit!

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-35007264116815697992009-04-18T07:23:00.007-05:002009-04-18T08:52:53.480-05:00

Read Part 1In school we were taught that a free and unbiased press is essential to our democracy, because they could be counted on to report the facts, to shine the light on what our government and the other countries in the world are doing, to keep those we have placed in power over us accountable to the masses. We were told that a free press reports the facts, investigates all sides of a story

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-77340000728145525672009-04-17T05:35:00.007-05:002009-04-17T06:17:09.889-05:00

I attended the Chicago Tea Party on Wednesday. It was my first ever politcal protest, and I almost didn't go.For one thing, I'm not comfortable in large crowds. I was once caught in a very fast-moving crowd of people leaving a baseball game - it was almost a stampede - and the fear of being trampled may be unreasonable but it's there. Another reason I almost didn't go was the publication of a

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-29938950471811384772009-03-23T06:28:00.003-05:002009-03-23T06:31:32.631-05:00

Took the CPR/First Aid class yesterday. Scratch #17 off the list.I really, really hope I never have to use it.

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-57462695462922918452009-03-18T06:11:00.002-05:002009-03-18T06:23:14.946-05:00

Detroit is my second home. I lived in the area for eight years, and many of the people I love still live there. We didn't go into the city often - maybe once a year for brunch or a ballgame. At that time it was already too far gone. You had to go through miles of awful to get to the few fun parts.Detroit was once every bit as lovely and vibrant a city as my Chicago. Makes me wonder if Chicago is

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-62241258766065523792009-03-11T05:47:00.007-05:002009-03-11T19:46:37.774-05:00

SEE UPDATE BELOWNo, this is not a diet tip that belongs on my other blog. It's some great advice from a book of the same name I found on Walk-The-Talk.com. As some of you know, I excel in procrastination. I have always intended to do something about that, but I keep putting it off!The idea is to do the most difficult thing on your "to do" list first thing each day. That unpleasant, nasty, crappy

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-87827472037424452332009-03-10T06:02:00.002-05:002009-03-10T06:45:42.869-05:00

I just finished reading Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. Big book. Hard to hold up when I read in bed. But very relevant to our times (even though it was first published in 1957) and extremely thought-provoking. There's so much to talk about - and I'll do so over a period of time - but I took one thing from the book that I want to immediately make a practice in my daily life. It has to do with logic.

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-49811405825182273452009-03-07T09:39:00.003-06:002009-03-07T10:19:25.441-06:00

These days there is a lot of mud-slinging at corporate executives and their pay and bonuses and companies having lavish parties while the economy is suffering. My current employer has cut back severely on business travel, and the days of any celebratory event beyond the level of bringing in lunch once a quarter are probably over.No doubt there are people and companies out there who appear to be "

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-66213668772116007522009-02-13T19:46:00.002-06:002009-02-13T20:20:15.534-06:00

Seems every year I see more and more backlash against the commercial "holiday" of Valentine's Day. And I approve. Not since New Year's Eve has a single day caused more useless tension and worry. "Will I have a date?" "Will he buy me something good?" "If I'm alone on Valentine's Day am I a loser?"It's especially hard for the guys on Valentine's Day. I told my nephew not long ago that I think guys

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-75871863324308785302009-02-07T06:23:00.008-06:002009-02-08T17:30:19.140-06:00

Continued from a series started in 2007 but never finished...click here to read from Part I.A week ago right about now, my friend Greg was starting his day and had no way of knowing he would never settle in for the night in his bed again. He looked forward to a fun evening of playing cards with his friends. He was talking and laughing with those friends and his wife when the countdown clock of

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-81410229369382726262009-01-28T05:36:00.005-06:002009-01-28T05:52:49.306-06:00

Check this out from MSM Careers:10 Sexy Careers You Never Thought OfNot that your first consideration when choosing a career path should be if the work is "sexy"...I wasn't going for that when I became an administrative assistant out of high school. Actually, back then they called them "secretaries". But anyone who has worked in a office knows that good admins really do "possess a hidden but

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-7216937602137637792009-01-24T18:20:00.002-06:002009-01-24T18:21:11.556-06:00

If I could buy only the Food Network and maybe the History Channel, I would order cable today.

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-349556218069453702009-01-23T04:10:00.002-06:002009-01-23T05:27:31.080-06:00

There is certainly nothing wrong with a call to service. What I find insulting is the idea that it is only worth doing when you happen to approve of who is occupying the Oval Office:Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, defend the defenseless. These celebrities would have you think these are new ideas. They are as old as man, and our calling as decent human beings.Serve your fellow man. Serve your

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-24090460693897338002009-01-07T07:26:00.001-06:002009-01-07T07:27:46.757-06:00

I don't have to get up every day trying to be perfect! I just need to get up every day, determined to press on.Today's wisdom from my Joyce Meyer Daily Calendar.

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-77150122076931918472009-01-06T06:52:00.003-06:002009-02-07T06:12:38.376-06:00

Do you ever envy somebody else's life? Wish you were as popular, or rich, or had their house or their parents or their life? Do you ever look at someone who is seemingly happy or carefree, or at least doesn't seem to have to deal with the kind of crap you have to deal with every day?I have been envious in this way a lot. I sometimes look at my situation in life and wish I was somebody else. When

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-71261074564551922792009-01-04T20:12:00.003-06:002009-01-04T20:16:30.143-06:00

You can cross off #6 on my 50 by 50 List. Today I sang in front of the whole congregation. I will be doing so at least once a month as a Cantor who sings the Responsorial Psalm and Gospel Acclamation.I was really nervous, and made a couple of mistakes. But it didn't matter. I was where I belonged.

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-79952696620244556652009-01-03T07:52:00.002-06:002009-01-03T07:55:50.649-06:00

If someone who didn't know you asked someone who did what kind of person you are, they would attempt to describe your character. Here's a great column about how you build your character, and why it is so important, from one of my favorites - Greg Laurie.

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-53299078450891289862008-12-30T07:59:00.003-06:002008-12-30T09:39:21.997-06:00

Read Part IThat sleepless night was not just a low point in my mood cycle. It was a dark place made worse by excessive eating. Even after months of working out and some success with dieting, I was into the food again and that blinded me to all the good I had accomplished. But that night something was different from all the other times I was in that dark place. There was a sliver of light. It was

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-64034593730959292232008-12-21T07:29:00.001-06:002008-12-21T07:31:16.471-06:00

"Those who don't believe in God derive the wrong lessons from what appears as bad news."Column from Marvin Olasky at Townhall.com.

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-49785031284083215732008-11-09T09:36:00.006-06:002008-11-17T18:47:24.541-06:00

Are you like me? Are there some lessons you have to learn over and over and over and over again? No matter how many times I go through this, it still suprises me at some level.I have written before about my tendency to swing from high to low, energy-wise. I will have these waves of energy and enthusiasm when I get more done in a day or two than I got done for months before. When those waves come

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-54426265942260342292008-10-16T18:12:00.004-05:002008-10-16T19:34:34.061-05:00

"What's that smell in this room? Didn't you notice it, Brick? Didn't you notice a powerful and obnoxious odor of mendacity in this room?" That's "Big Daddy Pollitt" in one of my favorite movies - "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof". There ain't nothin' more powerful than the odor of mendacity. And that's all I smell as I count down the days (19) until this interminable election season is over.The movie is

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-12320176988393058942008-09-16T20:49:00.003-05:002008-09-16T21:11:26.787-05:00

I don't write about politics much. I enjoy following it, but I'm no expert. I know a lot of the players, and I know my position on most issues.I know some of you are apathetic to politics. Maybe you don't think your one vote matters. If that were the case, candidates would not be spending millions of dollars to get you to vote for them.The thing is, decisions being made today are going to affect

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-12035829650501619012008-09-11T22:34:00.006-05:002008-09-12T07:00:39.700-05:00

...I became a widow, seven years and eleven days after becoming a wife. Doesn't mean anything, really. Just maybe it's the last milestone.The story is here, told for the last time on this blog.Daniel was loved - by God, his family, his friends and his wife. And love never dies.

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-87109671950479456832008-09-10T06:34:00.003-05:002008-09-10T06:40:21.633-05:00

Here's a mental picture for all you other single Christian girls out there who sometimes fret about finding the right guy:(Courtesy of Facebook and Pieces of Flair)

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-40960372282078778462008-08-29T19:14:00.004-05:002008-08-29T20:30:22.898-05:00

Here it is. The 50 things I will do before I turn 50 in two years (in no particular order):1. Get a tatoo.2. Go sailing.3. Climb the rock wall at the gym.4. Go snowmobiling.5. Go to the top of Pike's Peak.6. Sing a solo in church.7. Go camping (the real kind - tents, peeing in the woods, etc.)8. Visit Graceland.9. Go parasailing.10. Learn to shoot a gun.11. Bowl a 200+ game.12. Learn to

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-28381901185296967862008-08-21T22:15:00.002-05:002008-08-21T22:30:05.528-05:00

This is a limited-time offer. You have one week to contribute to a very worthwhile life experience. Fifty of them, actually.In two years + one week (God willing) I will celebrate my 50th birthday. And between August 29, 2008 and August 29, 2010 I pledge to myself to do 50 things that I have either never done before, or did so long ago that it doesn't count.I have a list going and it is nowhere

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-89863141935684387552008-08-14T17:01:00.002-05:002008-08-14T17:49:40.944-05:00

This news has actually made me very sad. Once again, image wins over substance.In the movie The Mirror Has Two Faces, Rose Morgan is a literature professor who has never liked her looks. Rose has a beautiful mother, a gorgeous sister and a handsome husband who married her specifically because he is not sexually attracted to her (the reason given is somewhat hard to believe). At one point in the

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-34325589224332188252008-08-04T20:30:00.001-05:002008-08-04T20:31:52.743-05:00

...after being trapped in a Walgreen's during a severe storm. A tornado touched down a few towns away. Even if the power goes out now, at least I'm home.

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-55829459373102707042008-07-14T20:56:00.004-05:002008-07-14T21:00:23.170-05:00

As you know I don't have a TV. But I can watch some TV shows online, and I rent from Netflix.It only took two DVDs and a few episodes online, and now I'm hooked. Yep, I'm a big fan of The Office.I think Jim is so cute. And I love it when he plays tricks on Dwight.

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-14261385383635646022008-07-07T22:15:00.004-05:002008-07-07T22:44:32.113-05:00

A friend of ours has all but disappeared. We know where he is, but he has cut off all contact.There are times in my life when I don't want to see anyone, talk to anyone, or even leave the house - those times when I am balancing on the fence between a bad mood and real depression. I eat too much, sleep too much, don't answer the phone. Those times are few and far between now, thank God. So I can

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-46848136142908853892008-06-25T05:21:00.003-05:002008-06-25T05:49:51.430-05:00

Congratulations to Bryan and Lisa on their second wedding anniversary!Back then I wrote a series on marriage that I hope you'll enjoy reading again. It starts here.

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-88319878736115148032008-06-23T05:34:00.003-05:002008-06-23T05:40:40.202-05:00

Introducing...(drum roll please)Aunt Judie's Excellent Fitness Adventure! It's a new blog I've created just for chronicling my efforts to lose weight and get fit. I don't get many comments here, but I would sure appreciate your encouraging words there. Please visit often (there's a link on the left side of this page).

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-48969292239822361032008-06-20T05:22:00.002-05:002008-06-20T06:33:13.728-05:00

Read from Part 1"You can't go home again." That's the old saying my supervisor used when I let her know I was quitting and moving back to Chicago. I didn't really understand what she meant, because of course I could go home. And I did.I arrived back in Chicago the same way I left. A friend had driven me to the airport in December and that same friend picked me up the follow August. So by age 21 I

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-58133225194008562052008-06-18T05:04:00.004-05:002008-06-20T06:34:22.982-05:00

Read from Part 1When I say "core beliefs", I'm not talking about my faith or religious beliefs. And I'm not talking about what is legal or socially acceptable at any given time. Although my core beliefs may sometimes align to some of those things, they aren't dictated by them. I use this term to describe the boundaries I have put on my own behavior, based on what I believe to be the best way for

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-39623056611349961362008-06-15T06:26:00.002-05:002008-06-15T06:42:53.968-05:00

I grew up without a mother. She left when I was eight and had very little contact with us before she died nine years later. Thank God for my father, the man who struggled and sacrificed daily to bring up his four children while also conquering his own demons. And thank God for the other people in our lives who helped fill the void.A girl growing up without a mother is one kind of pain. A boy

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-48658076271813887772008-06-13T05:19:00.006-05:002008-06-18T05:55:24.274-05:00

Read from Part 1This is not easy for me to write. It might seem like no big deal to some people, but admitting so publicly what I was like during that time is embarassing. I was 20 years old and living 2,000 miles from home in an environment where booze and drugs were everywhere. Nobody around me seemed to think it was a big deal. The drugs didn't interest me. I had tried pot a couple of times in

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-30975799269413742972008-06-08T19:42:00.003-05:002008-06-13T06:01:32.772-05:00

Read from Part 1Back in the 1970s there was a great TV show called Three's Company, about two girls and a guy sharing an apartment in Southern California. My situation wasn't exactly the same, as the other girl and her guy shared a room and I had my own.The problem was this is not what I agreed to. I was paying half the rent. It took me weeks after I realized the guy wasn't leaving to get up the

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-76132700781798926302008-06-01T09:28:00.004-05:002008-06-08T20:39:15.767-05:00

Read from Part 1The job I had just started was in a fairly large office of an electronics company. I worked in the sales department as a secretary, and another secretary there had a friend who needed a roommate. It seemed like the perfect solution for both of us. So I entered into a shared housing situation with a virtual stranger.There is something about a lack of fear - along with a lack of

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-67738207393050485642008-05-28T21:27:00.003-05:002008-06-01T09:58:47.320-05:00

Read Part 1To my 20-year-old self, it seemed perfectly reasonable to pick up and move 2,000+ miles away. I had friends to stay with, and I had skills that would get me a job in any office in no time. I had no car and very little money. But all I remember feeling was excitement.I figured it was best to tell my dad I had a job before I left. I knew he would worry, and I so I planned to tell him a

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-5335521367028643082008-05-27T05:43:00.006-05:002008-06-01T09:58:01.146-05:00

The young people in my life are growing up. I see them hit those milestones like driving, first jobs, graduation, moving out...and I remember what it was like to be taking those first big steps on my own. It was exciting to say the least, but sometimes daunting and just a little bit scary.We all have breakway moments, when we know it is time to take one of the bigger big steps. We may have no

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-56041583830219239062008-05-26T06:32:00.001-05:002008-05-26T07:16:40.113-05:00

In the movie The Kid Bruce Willis plays Russ, a successful consultant who is about to turn 40 years old. He makes a lot of money, but is still single, has almost no friends, and doesn't want anything to do with his family, especially his father. He doesn't remember his childhood, and his left eye twitches when he is stressed.One day Russ finds (or maybe hallucinates) a kid in his house who he

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-22819857894566187542008-05-21T05:44:00.003-05:002008-05-21T06:00:49.879-05:00

Change your thoughts and you change your world. (Norman Vincent Peale, the author of The Power of Positive Thinking)Do you believe that is true? I do. But it is not easy to change one's thoughts. We get used to how we think about things and those thoughts almost become automatic. But consider what your days would be like if you adopted even one of these Peale quotes as part of your personal

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-42308423492782318492008-05-15T20:38:00.005-05:002008-05-15T22:10:14.193-05:00

"I'm gonna be 40, and it's freaking me out."I overheard this a few months ago from a woman customer at the counter of a clothing store. The woman behind the counter told her customer not to worry, that the forties are the "best time of your life". Not surprisingly, the customer reacted with scepticism! I couldn't help myself...I walked up behind the woman and whispered "in your forties you

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-67883267587243025742008-05-15T05:49:00.005-05:002008-05-15T05:59:35.098-05:00

...when a big chick flick is about to come out?According to John Kass of the Chicago Tribune, it is terrifying. He wishes to spare men the agony of being dragged by their girlfriends or wives to see a certain movie that opens in two weeks. Click here for the full column and your free "Kass SATC Absolvo Carta".Thank you for your service to mankind, Mr. Kass.

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-22342822298979933642008-05-13T20:25:00.003-05:002008-05-13T20:49:14.287-05:00

...this might just be one:It's hard to see in this picture, but that's a DOUBLE rainbow. I've never seen such a thing in my entire life. And what was I doing when this possible sign occurred? I was hoping for some way to know I was doing the right thing.You see, I am on a path that started long ago, the catalyst of which is a circumstance that I just found out no longer exists! So do I go through

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-70584154957783781952008-05-13T05:24:00.006-05:002008-05-13T20:50:25.441-05:00

Read from Part 1Somewhere (almost 30 years) deep in a landfill is a box of letters. Well, I doubt there is much left of them after all this time. This was about a year's worth of correspondence from the boyfriend of my senior year in high school.Those were the days before email and before unlimited long distance calling plans. He was in college over 400 miles away most of that year. When he

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-70065789282937206062008-04-30T22:06:00.010-05:002008-05-13T06:23:29.954-05:00

Read from Part II have been promising my hair stylist that I would create a "Gallery of Hair" for her, and I want to do it before I move out of state. So here it is:Ladies, if you're thinking that once you grow up you will finally stop stressing about your hair, forget about it. Even now, at the ripe old age of 47, I'm thinking of growing it long again. Or getting a natural salt-n-peppa buzz cut

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-85091404445149222902008-04-27T19:46:00.005-05:002008-04-30T22:37:28.803-05:00

Read Part II have only been hospitalized twice in my life. First was being born, then when I had my tonsils removed at age six. A lot has changed since then. Prices, for one thing. My mother's hospital stay for my birth cost $26 per day. The total for four days including the operating room, anesthesia and drugs - $151.92.For my tonsils surgery six years later, the doctor charged $150 and the

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-19391365292619825592008-04-20T14:54:00.007-05:002008-04-30T06:30:51.915-05:00

I used to have this recurring dream, that I'm back in high school (at my present age) because I never really graduated. Well, I have in my hands (not really in my hands because I wouldn't be able to type) my high school diploma. Now they can't make me go back!As I keep going through my things to get rid of stuff that I refuse to move even one more time, I'm scanning pictures and papers that I

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-78318764948623971662008-04-19T23:21:00.008-05:002008-04-20T15:25:05.144-05:00

After taking a two-hour nap this afternoon, I woke up with a start and realized I had a really cool project I could work on. I am moving in a couple of months (don't know where...and that's a story for another post), and I am still decades behind in my scrapbooking. I'll never catch up, and I don't want to move this huge box of photos AGAIN.So I spent the evening organizing, scanning, and tossing

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-65431488505112297312008-04-08T07:04:00.005-05:002008-04-09T06:21:24.610-05:00

...when you take away the consequences?At a recent public appearance, one of our presidential candidates was in a "town hall" setting when he was asked about abortion after speaking about sex education in schools:“Look, I got two daughters — 9 years old and 6 years old,” he said. “I am going to teach them first about values and morals, but if they make a mistake, I don’t want them punished with a

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-78688004955838295842008-04-07T20:02:00.004-05:002008-04-07T21:51:35.217-05:00

Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3There are risks that you can do something to avoid, and there are some that you just can't foresee no matter how wild your imagination.Just ask the man who was enjoying the day on his boat one minute, and the next minute lost his wife to a leaping stingray. Or the two women in the back seat of a car who lost their daughters when a maintenance scaffold fell 43 floors

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-21700238416361287462008-03-18T20:27:00.005-05:002008-04-07T21:52:29.017-05:00

Read Part 1 and Part 2When analyzing project risks, we identify the worst thing that could happen, then the second worst thing, then a few more. We give each risk a number to indicate it's severity, then we multiply it by the probability to come up with a rating. And that rating determines how much effort we put into either avoiding the risk, taking steps to minimize the impact or coming up with

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-46858895923789307462008-02-19T02:26:00.003-06:002008-03-18T21:10:27.867-05:00

Read Part 1As a project manager, part of my job is to manage risks. A risk is something that could happen. Well, anything could happen, right? What the project team does is identify the things that could go wrong, estimate out how likely they are and what the impact would be they did happen. Then we make an alternative plan to have in place if a risk does happen.Let's say the project is to move a

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-32004334329726991492008-02-16T08:45:00.004-06:002008-02-19T03:19:45.223-06:00

"Adventurer" Steve Fossett has been declared dead five months after he disappeared. Read all about him here.This was man who risked life and limb in a variety of ways his entire life. Yet he died not on one of his adventures, but on a pleasure flight. Reminds me of General George S. Patton, who served in both World Wars but died as the result of a car accident while on a hunting trip.Living is a

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-82442177172199077752008-02-05T18:27:00.000-06:002008-02-05T18:58:37.420-06:00

I don't watch much TV these days. I do catch a few shows on internet replay, and I can't avoid some "previews" on the advertising panels of some of my favorite web sites. And I tend to watch TV when I travel for business, like I am right now.Overall, I just can't help but think that the best days of television programming is behind us. So much of what is on TV these days shows bad behavior in a

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-66914926053883835162008-01-08T06:24:00.000-06:002008-01-08T06:54:47.987-06:00

We're a week into the New Year, which means if you made one or more resolutions, chances are you have already given up. Don't worry, that's pretty typical. It doesn't mean you are weak, it means you are human.Most of us feel, at least at one time or another, that there is something about ourselves we want to make better. We resolve to lose weight, quit smoking, go back to school - all worthwhile

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-65462500282273277912007-12-25T06:25:00.000-06:002007-12-25T07:45:43.922-06:00

Atheism seemed quite popular in 2007. Millions of people bought books and read web site authors who think that faith is some kind of mass delusion, and religion is for the weak-willed or stupid. So many people in this world are skeptical (some are downright hostile) towards people of faith. On Gerry Charlotte Phelps's web site, guest blogger Rubel Shelly flips this thinking around, and makes the

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-77086151514652306952007-12-13T05:42:00.000-06:002007-12-13T05:47:14.414-06:00

I picked this up somewhere, and it was just what I needed. Author unknown.As children bring their broken toysWith tears for us to mend,I brought my broken dreams to God,Because God is my friend.But then, instead of leaving HimIn peace to work alone,I hung around and tried to help,With ways that were my own.At last, I snatched them back and cried,"How can You be so slow?""My child," God said, "

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-27710435326798767662007-11-24T07:55:00.000-06:002007-11-24T08:40:48.333-06:00

...I want more.A while back I picked up a movie I had never heard of from the bargain bin at the pharmacy. I'm not recommending you see it, because it's kinda vulgar. I'm not even sure why I bought it. But I felt the urge to watch it again last night and I remembered that even trashy movies can contain life lessons.It's about a woman who wanted to be famous. In the course of getting famous she

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-14895108749354906282007-10-25T21:54:00.000-05:002007-10-25T21:58:07.613-05:00

In case anyone actually makes it here from Classmates.com...hello! While this doesn't contain everything I've done in the last 29+ years since high school, this is a good place to get to know the "me" I have become.And for my regular readers...I KNOW I AM BEHIND ON BLOGGING. It's been a crazy-busy-stressful couple of months. But things are good. I just got a new position at work that's kinda

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-23116177114355521492007-10-12T20:15:00.000-05:002007-10-12T20:31:16.946-05:00

Just started reading this today.From Chapter Four - Seven Secrets of a Confident Woman:Secret #1 - A confident woman knows that she is loved.Secret #2 - A confident woman refuses to live in fear.Secret #3 - A confident woman is positive.Secret #4 - A confident woman recovers from setbacks.Secret #5 - A confident woman avoids comparisons.Secret #6 - A confident woman takes action.Secret #7 - A

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-181332642944245442007-09-29T11:28:00.000-05:002007-09-29T11:32:07.466-05:00

Especially those rare Saturdays when you have nothing really planned, and the homestead is already clean, and the laundry is already done, and you can leisurely browse the local outdoor market for a ham and cheese crepe and some pretty flowers.

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-2214516482945967832007-09-12T19:59:00.000-05:002007-09-12T20:15:52.483-05:00

Sorry I haven't posted much lately. It's been a busy and stressful couple of weeks. I'm looking forward to a visit from my niece and sister-in-law this weekend. And right now I have to get back to cleaning up the remnants of my kitchen and closet reorganization project - you know, those last few (hundred) things that came out of one closet or cabinet and have no obvious new place to go.But we can

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-82550145734373243842007-09-07T05:45:00.000-05:002007-09-07T06:36:29.154-05:00

There is also motive. And method. And the end result.Take this sad story. A mother driving her four kids races to beat a train and almost wins. She was so focused on the train she was racing that she didn't see the other one. Her apparent motive wasn't really bad in itself. Those freight trains can be really, really long. But her method was stupid, her timing was way off, and the end result was

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-63563826924292382772007-09-06T06:39:00.000-05:002007-09-06T06:42:10.860-05:00

xoxoxox

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289965.post-77187409218142122662007-09-01T08:07:00.000-05:002007-09-01T08:13:21.072-05:00

Here's why I've been so quiet this week:I just finished packaging the 150th cookie for my friend's wedding tomorrow. Now I just have to figure out how to get them down to my car:

Aunt Judiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11960796947472232952noreply@blogger.com0