Required Reading

I have read just about every self-help book on the market. I find this kind of reading so facinating. I really do feel like this world would be a better place if people would read these books. I strongly believe we would do better if we knew better.

I have read more in-depth self-help books (hello, Eckhart Tolle!), ones that are deeper and more complex. I have read books that are more textbook-y and dry and boring. I have read memoirs and autobiographies that changed the way I thought about things. I could make lists all day every day about books, movies, and music. In an alternate universe I get paid to make lists.

Books that have changed my life (Part 1)

* The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
* You Can Heal Your Life by Louise L. Hay
* A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson
* Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson
* Men are From Mars Women are From Venus by John Gray

All work and no play

I am in super busy work mode. But I seriously miss writing. I wish there was a way to blog or write e-mails (or even text) while I'm driving. I don't do this (seriously, Travis, if you're reading this. I don't!), but I think it would be a fantastic time saver if I could just tap into my brain while I'm driving and type. I also would have two or three of the amazing stories floating around in my head on paper and being sent to publishers.

I swear, I was just THINKING about one book idea I have the other day and I got off at the wrong exit and was almost lost for a minute before I realized what I'd done. This is why I haven't been dictating my ideas lately. I don't think it's safe for me to drive and think so hard. I really do have a couple of amazing ideas. I just don't stay in the zone long enough after getting somewhere to get it all down. It seems like I get my best book ideas when it's impossible to capture it.

What would you take?

I want to start off by saying all is well and thank goodness for the brave and hardworking Orange County firefighters.

The last two days, our neighborhood has been covered by black, acrid smoke. Apparently two different fires broke out (I'm not sure of the how's, where's or when's) in the last two days and both were VERY close to my neighborhood. They were so close today, in fact, that the Orange County Fire Department left a recorded message on our answering machine, telling us that we are on alert and might be evacuated.

Well, I went into high gear. I packed an evacuation bag. I walked through my house, looking around at all my wonderful belongings and realized that although I love my house and my *stuff* very much, in the event of an emergency, the only things that matter to me in the world is my family and my two dogs. Of course, in my evacuation bag, I packed all of our important papers. I packed up my work bags. And then I sort of wandered around a bit, wondering what else I should attempt to pack up. Thank goodness, Travis was calmly eating the lunch I'd just made and convinced me to stop packing and come eat before it got cold. I didn't get to keep wandering around my house and figure out what else to take. As the day wore on, the huge black clouds of billowing smoke petered off to a haze of stinky yellow hanging around and I realized the imminent danger had passed.

But it's funny to realize. I love my books. I love my pictures hanging on the walls. I love Kennedy's toys and clothes (and a few of my own). I love all our gadgets and electronics and comfie furniture. But really, the ONLY thing that matters is us. And that we're all okay. All the other stuff is just that, stuff.

The Power of Prayer

Okay. For starters, anyone that knows me knows I don't often ask favors. But this is a biggie. I don't even have a clue who (if anyone) will read this blog/note. But I beseach you, implore you even, please help. I believe very strongly in the power of prayer, or the power of positive thinking or mind over matter or however you are comfortable terming it.

So here's the favor. Whoever you are, wherever you are, will you please pray for (send positive energy to, etc) my sister for the next two weeks? She's had an IUI done and now it's just two weeks to see if it took. So thank you to anyone in advance who even just spends a minute thinking babymaking thoughts for her. I have just read too many studies about the positive effects of prayer groups to not feel/hope that this will work. And I promise in return to pray for/think of anyone you all ask me to in return!

I wish I was a Charlotte but I'm really more of a Miranda

I had the best Sex and the City kind of night tonight with two of my girlfriends (I suppose my Carrie and my Samantha). We went to a dive bar for the best oysters I've eaten in years only to be followed up with a swank downtown bar's chocolate souffle with white chocolate and some liqueur that I can't think of sauce that was sex in a dessert. And of course my friend is a regular in both places, has never met a stranger and is a party all by herself.

So thank you to my husband for letting me have some girl time! Even though I can't for the life of me figure out why those super fun single girls want to hang out with a dorkwad like me.

Profiling

I don't often find myself racial profiling. I try really hard not to. I am always, however, crazy (dangerous) profiling. The guy sitting on his duffel bag outside 7/11 eating nachos and talking to himself at 8:48 a.m., he scares the bejeezus out of me.

I feel like a Cathy comic strip this morning, with my super huge sugar-free redbull and my frazzled hair. "Darn Mondays."

Word of the Day

hypo-Christian, pronunciation [hippo-Christian]
-noun
a person who claims to be a Christian and is actually the opposite of what "being a Christian" really means.


This word's origin is a friend of a friend. We'll call her Beth (because that's her name) ahahaha
stole that one from my sister. Sorry. We were out Christmas shopping. We were trying to switch lanes at a red traffic light. This woman was pulling out of a Christian bookstore and we motioned to her and asked if we could turn in, in front of her. She shook her head no and didn't let us in. Hypo-Christian to the core.

I have known many hypo-Christians in my lifetime. Girlfriend beaters. People who will screw you out of a dime faster than you can say, where'd my dime go? The epitome of why I won't join or go to a church. Don't get me wrong. I've been to a few churches I liked very much. And I'm not a God-hater and I'm not going to describe all of my religious and spiritual beliefs right here, right now.

I just detest people who *claim* to be all right with God and Jesus, their God, mind you, not everyone's. And yet, will treat you like you are the lowest form of dirt. Or even worse, try to mess with you or yours. Just for the power trip. Or whatever.

I will quote William Shakespeare to sum this now ridiculously deep blog up.
To thine own self be true.