BRRRRRRRRRR..........
High in Springfield today was 20 with a cold wind blowing. I went out shopping to find my grandchildren snowsuits and boots so they will be able to enjoy the lovely winter weather in Vermont and Connecticut. I am snuggled under my fleecy blanket watching Food Network Thanksgiving cooking....such excitement!
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Wow Karen i like Kellan's work very much. I was trying to find an email address so I could ask his permission to use his work as desktop graphic on my comp. I particularly like the Land of Frost. It seems quite apro po for right now. (think I spelled that wrong) Hope Lori doesn't notice, she always told me I was so good at spelling. .................
Thursday, November 20, 2008
The sad part of these fires is that we are only hearing about the "stars" homes that are effected by them...Rob Lowe talking on Oprah...Christoper Lloyd...all that destruction is sad for all. Air quality, beautiful wildlife and land compromised in part by human error. Human lives fighting these huge fires is scary too...
Gas prices here are below $2...first time in forever. Sad for the people who booked their oil prices in at $4.89 a gallon and are stuck in those contracts. Someone is going to be making money somewhere! And its not the general public.
It is 17 degrees here this morning...very cold yesterday with the winds. HOpefully, those winds won't be blowing for recess today! Found my thermals!!
Have a good day everybody. Happy Thoughts...............
Gas prices here are below $2...first time in forever. Sad for the people who booked their oil prices in at $4.89 a gallon and are stuck in those contracts. Someone is going to be making money somewhere! And its not the general public.
It is 17 degrees here this morning...very cold yesterday with the winds. HOpefully, those winds won't be blowing for recess today! Found my thermals!!
Have a good day everybody. Happy Thoughts...............
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Thanks for all the good thoughts about my surfer score friends! Doing it was actually very enervating.
So the party was this a.m. A rousing success! We had 8 ladies arrive. Several who had moved here in the last year and had not met one another. A couple who said they used to do this sort of thing but for some reason stopped. I imagine it's because so many of their neighbors left. Just a thought. There were moms with children who were a common age and did'nt know it. So we did a good thing on several levels.
So the party was this a.m. A rousing success! We had 8 ladies arrive. Several who had moved here in the last year and had not met one another. A couple who said they used to do this sort of thing but for some reason stopped. I imagine it's because so many of their neighbors left. Just a thought. There were moms with children who were a common age and did'nt know it. So we did a good thing on several levels.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
pat, great surfer score. i think that having the party puts that one (never turn your back on the ocean) pretty high up there for a score, but you get to pick. it is a good time to take the surfer rules test after you have done a ton of personal work and change. it often shows that things are quite good even though you probably feel like you just got hit by a beer truck :-)
Monday, November 17, 2008
Lori, do they report CarBQs in LA on the morning commuter radio stations? They do in Connecticut. Brave Kathi survived rain and CarBQs. By the way, I can tell you about a wild place to get a burger in San Diego if you ever head south. I also can tell you why the seahorse tatoo on the waitress's arm is upside down. It has to do with what she is doing when the seahorse is right side up. The tail is wrapped around a chicken cuz she likes 'em. She says you can imagine it to be whatever bird you like. I didn't really get that part. It looks like a chicken. What are you guys smoking in SoCal?
Driving in the pouring rain is definitely an accomplishment. At least you had something to look forward to at the end of the drive, Kathi.
Yes, Karen, we can smell the fires here. Smells like a barbecue (from animals getting burnt?). It's not right where we are, but it looks smoky at the horizon. They tell us to stay inside and keep the windows closed--and use the air conditioner.
Patti, you deserve a 10 for going through the surfers rules in public!
Yes, Karen, we can smell the fires here. Smells like a barbecue (from animals getting burnt?). It's not right where we are, but it looks smoky at the horizon. They tell us to stay inside and keep the windows closed--and use the air conditioner.
Patti, you deserve a 10 for going through the surfers rules in public!
kathi, you know i travel plenty. driving to cheshire ct in the rain is an accomplishment. i have never seen a place that had me on the edge of my seat as much as going through connecticut in the rain. it can be like driving into the spray of an aerosol can. not fun, but your destination sounds good :-). i will be driving to providence at the end of this week. i better mount the winter tires.
karen, you are really making me re-think surfer rules with a scale that goes up to 12. this is disturbing. maybe you can help the judge re-think punishments for crimes committed. driving in morning traffic may be one that could be given out to the guilty crooks.
karen, you are really making me re-think surfer rules with a scale that goes up to 12. this is disturbing. maybe you can help the judge re-think punishments for crimes committed. driving in morning traffic may be one that could be given out to the guilty crooks.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
As everyone here knows, I am not very worldly nor do I travel much. So, I can proudly say that I drove to Cheshire CT this weekend all by myself in the pouring rain to find my daughters new house. I spent last night and today, visiting with my grandbabies (who really aren't babies any longer)...helping to unpack and make things easier for my daughter. All my children were together helping each other, which was very heartwarming to see. Now CT is the central location where we can
all meet...us being the furtherest away...but it is much much better then 13 hours on the road one way to see them.
I, too, saw your house picture Pat...and wish you much happiness in your new home!
Guess you have us all thinking Richard with your surfing rules!
all meet...us being the furtherest away...but it is much much better then 13 hours on the road one way to see them.
I, too, saw your house picture Pat...and wish you much happiness in your new home!
Guess you have us all thinking Richard with your surfing rules!
Alrighty then, The Surfers' Rules
1. Have passion: Am I smiling? Since you ask, yes I am. give the girl an 8.
2. No dare, no flair: Have I joined the volunteers at the local library, inspired a knitting group at same and signed up for the local wreath decorating class? UhHuh. Again, 8.
3. Expect to wipeout: I'm going with shit happens here: Well, I still break into tears alot and have a lot of worry (among other things) that I won't see my "girls" anymore, so I give me a 5.
4. Never turn your back on the ocean: the Boy's Scout's Motto fits here I feel; expecting the unexpected and rolling with the punches; my neighbor across the street moved here in Aug. she has decided the WE need to have a getting to know you party. So we will, at 10 next Wed. Hope somebody besides us shows up! Score? help me!
5. Always look outside: It's been raining since we moved in for the most part. So I've enjoy the wow Christmasy feeling o discovery when I open incorrectly marked boxes. I'm still looking for my cutting boards. They were with the bread machine. go figure.... Score me a 7 here
6. Move before it moves you: That was interesting, I'm not sure I fully apply this, but I have to say, I think I've jumped if not dived into the deep end or certainly I've tried to so...I'll give myself 6.
7. Never surf alone: I am delighted to say that I never surf alone, any more. *8
Richard, never doubt that I love you. I began to love you one prom night when you called and asked me to the the prom. You certainly made me laugh over and over through the years and were if you don't know it, a constant friend. - Patty
1. Have passion: Am I smiling? Since you ask, yes I am. give the girl an 8.
2. No dare, no flair: Have I joined the volunteers at the local library, inspired a knitting group at same and signed up for the local wreath decorating class? UhHuh. Again, 8.
3. Expect to wipeout: I'm going with shit happens here: Well, I still break into tears alot and have a lot of worry (among other things) that I won't see my "girls" anymore, so I give me a 5.
4. Never turn your back on the ocean: the Boy's Scout's Motto fits here I feel; expecting the unexpected and rolling with the punches; my neighbor across the street moved here in Aug. she has decided the WE need to have a getting to know you party. So we will, at 10 next Wed. Hope somebody besides us shows up! Score? help me!
5. Always look outside: It's been raining since we moved in for the most part. So I've enjoy the wow Christmasy feeling o discovery when I open incorrectly marked boxes. I'm still looking for my cutting boards. They were with the bread machine. go figure.... Score me a 7 here
6. Move before it moves you: That was interesting, I'm not sure I fully apply this, but I have to say, I think I've jumped if not dived into the deep end or certainly I've tried to so...I'll give myself 6.
7. Never surf alone: I am delighted to say that I never surf alone, any more. *8
Richard, never doubt that I love you. I began to love you one prom night when you called and asked me to the the prom. You certainly made me laugh over and over through the years and were if you don't know it, a constant friend. - Patty
Wow, I didn't know the surfer rules had so much history behind them! I don't know if I want to give myself a score right now, but that's good that you periodically evaluate your life. I try to do that every year on Yom Kippur. I can't say it changes much, though. The same things need improving every year.
Patti, I got the picture of your new house. It looks beautiful. Enjoy it! You changed your email address, too?
Patti, I got the picture of your new house. It looks beautiful. Enjoy it! You changed your email address, too?
hi lori. the surfer rules have an interesting twelve year heritage with me. while i was attending uvm (the second time) and was working on my masters degree in business, the vp of ford motor company's global purchasing came to speak to us. he controlled something like $4.5 billion in annual purchases being made under his span of control. the list of countries around the world that do not control that level of annual tax revenues to bring management and change to their countries is not a short one. the ford purchasing big dog was on a transcontinental tour promoting the make-over second-coming of taurus. in hindsight, that model is looking good and promising compared to the road that suv's have caused the big three to travel. we all know that ford says, "quality is job one," right? well, the ford purch big d pressed this point and he described the surfers rules. he described how the surfer rules can be used as a summary analysis of quality. his point was to say that the quality of work, accomplishments, and direction at ford could be evaluated by seeing how these things match up to the surfers rules. i quickly scribbled the surfer rules down. i am a good note taker :-) and i checked with my professor after the fact to be sure that i captured them correctly. i have looked, but have not found the surfer rules listed anywhere else.
that is the beginning of the story. from there, the surfer rules have been part of an interesting journey for me. i use the surfer rules to periodically judge the quality of my life. i actually score myself on a seventy point scale every few months. what i do is to imagine a ten point scale for each surfer rule. for example- i consider "have passion" and think about the level of passion i would like to ideally have in my life. i set my own scale from zero (no passion) to ten (all of the passion that i could ever want). my scale is surely different than what another person would pick. then i go through the other six surfer rules, i consider my basis for personal rating, and i record my answers. for me, a strong and positive score is anything above 50 (average individual surfer rule scores at about 7 or 8). i also look to see if all my scores are similar or if there are gaps. for example, it is difficult to get a high score for "expect to wipeout." how can anyone boldly say that they are ready to get run over by a train? also, "never surf alone" has been one where i would like to score a ten, but i have had a lot of trouble getting that score up to the level of the others (maybe, omer has a similar experience). so the overall score tells you how things are going in general and an analysis of gaps provides some ideas for where personal growth can help.
here are my "surfer rule" scores that i would give myself right now.
1. Have passion- 8
2. No dare, no flair- 8
3. Expect to wipeout- 4
4. Never turn your back on the ocean- 7
5. Always look outside- 8
6. Move before it moves you- 8
7. Never surf alone - 8
this is a good score of 51. it is also a tight grouping with the exception of being prepared to wipeout. this gap tells me what i should focus on. my poor score for "expect to wipeout" is due to the fears i have about the tough economic straits we are in, having tons of college loans for my kids, and the fact that i am not getting any younger.
you should score yourself and see if it tells you something.
that is the beginning of the story. from there, the surfer rules have been part of an interesting journey for me. i use the surfer rules to periodically judge the quality of my life. i actually score myself on a seventy point scale every few months. what i do is to imagine a ten point scale for each surfer rule. for example- i consider "have passion" and think about the level of passion i would like to ideally have in my life. i set my own scale from zero (no passion) to ten (all of the passion that i could ever want). my scale is surely different than what another person would pick. then i go through the other six surfer rules, i consider my basis for personal rating, and i record my answers. for me, a strong and positive score is anything above 50 (average individual surfer rule scores at about 7 or 8). i also look to see if all my scores are similar or if there are gaps. for example, it is difficult to get a high score for "expect to wipeout." how can anyone boldly say that they are ready to get run over by a train? also, "never surf alone" has been one where i would like to score a ten, but i have had a lot of trouble getting that score up to the level of the others (maybe, omer has a similar experience). so the overall score tells you how things are going in general and an analysis of gaps provides some ideas for where personal growth can help.
here are my "surfer rule" scores that i would give myself right now.
1. Have passion- 8
2. No dare, no flair- 8
3. Expect to wipeout- 4
4. Never turn your back on the ocean- 7
5. Always look outside- 8
6. Move before it moves you- 8
7. Never surf alone - 8
this is a good score of 51. it is also a tight grouping with the exception of being prepared to wipeout. this gap tells me what i should focus on. my poor score for "expect to wipeout" is due to the fears i have about the tough economic straits we are in, having tons of college loans for my kids, and the fact that i am not getting any younger.
you should score yourself and see if it tells you something.