Self-Portrait Tuesday

The SPT challenge for this Olympic month is to find ways that we're incorporating the Olympic motto in our own lives.

Citius. Altius. Fortius. 

[faster, higher, stronger]

This week I'm focusing on Citius - FASTER:

At the beginning of each month, I make out a dinner calendar for the month. 

Here you see it on my fridge.

Having a planned menu for dinners helps me to be faster 

in making my grocery list, 

but most importantly...

it makes me faster at answering that age-old question - 

"Mom, what's for dinner?"

Visa "Go World" Commercials

I tried to use my camera's YouTube capture feature to videotape the commercials (thank heavens for DVR), but it didn't quite work - no sound.

Here's one of the commercials from last night that Leah found online for me.

It's sort of funny. I was watching the commercials on the DVR and describing them to Leah. I couldn't even do it because my throat would choke up and I'd be crying. Silly Windy!



You can go to the Visa.com/goworld site to see great commercials telling the story of many amazing athletes. Unfortunately, the 2 commercials I want weren't on the site.

Go World!

We just finished watching the United States enter the Olympic Stadium in Beijing. 

(I got this picture off the official Olympics site)

Our family was blown away by the beauty and technical (and human) precision and excellence of the Opening Ceremonies.

But as always, my favorite part is the commercials. I'm a sentimental fool, I admit it. Those Home Depot ads brought tears to my eyes every time. And the "Go World" Visa commercials made me weepy. 

I love the Olympics! I love seeing people win and hearing how hard they worked to get that medal - no matter what country they're from. Of course, I cheer the loudest for the USA, but I get verklempt whenever any national anthem is played at the medal ceremonies.

Go World!

(P.S. I couldn't find the Go World Visa commercials from tonight on YouTube. If you find them, let me know.)

(P.P.S. Now that the Olympics are on, I don't see myself starting to read Breaking Dawn. I'm so nervous that I'm going to hate it, that I just don't want to start. Watching the Olympics is the perfect excuse to put off reading it for a while. So - please, don't try talking to me about the book until after the Olympics are over and I've had a couple of days to read the book. Thanks!)

Self-Portrait Tues - uh - Thursday

Lelly was inspired by the upcoming Olympics 

when she issued the SPT challenge for August.

"Each week, think about the Olympic motto, 

and how it can apply to our every day lives. 

Citius. Altius. Fortius. 

[faster, higher, stronger]

Are we giving our best? Can we find victories 

in the efforts we make every day?"

Today I decided to put these babies on and 

work on getting STRONGER again.

It's been exactly a month since I went under general anesthesia and had a bad reaction to it. It has been a month of nausea, headaches, and eye pain, with some general misery mixed in. I've had a CT scan, blood work, and many doctors appointments. No one can explain what's wrong with me. On my last doctor's visit, my primary care doc finally admitted that my symptoms could be a reaction to the anesthesia (none of the doctors I saw were willing to accept what I was saying - that all of this had to be a reaction to the anesthesia).

A month later, the headaches are still here, but they're not constant any more and they aren't as painful. I can actually look at the TV, computer, or a book now, just not for very long.

So this morning, I was determined to start making myself STRONGER again, by exercising. It felt good to hit the pavement again.

Sadly, I had only done one block of my walk when the headache came, but I stuck with it and finished my regular course.

I'm just hoping they're right when they say:

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

The number 4

The other day we were sitting around the dinner table and Emily (actually, it was me, protests Peter) popped out with this question, "What is your favorite number?" As we went around the table I found that I was the odd man out (literally) by selecting the number 3. Apparently, I am surrounded by a house full of 4 lovers. (Meaning they all love the number 4 . . . ) I did not know this about my family. In order to please those who love the number 4, I offer up this little ditty by the singer Feist. This is a take-off on a little song she did. Here it is, enjoy!

-Shad

Breaking Dawn

I have to vent my concerns about the release of Breaking Dawn tomorrow.

My first concern is that the copy my sister pre-ordered for me as a birthday gift will NOT come because we all know that UPS and FedEx do NOT deliver on Saturday.

My second concern is that someone will spoil the ending of the book for me before I have a chance to read it all myself. I've been suffering from wretched headaches for 3 1/2 weeks now. It is quite painful to try and read anything - so I have a feeling I will be reading this book at a snail's pace. So please, for pity's sake, don't talk to me about this book at ALL! If you start to try and talk to me about it, I will walk (no - run) away from you, hang up the phone, or delete your email.

My third (and largest) concern is that Bella will continue to be stupid. If she doesn't make things right with Edward, I will hate Stephenie Meyer FOREVER! Do you hear me, Stephenie?!