Thought for Today...

"The purpose of our lives is to be happy." --Dalai Lama

Friday, October 17, 2008

Anniversary 'Trip'

Since we've been married, Lon and I have been fortunate enough to take a trip for each of our anniversaries. This year things are a bit different, so we're taking a 'staycation' and becoming tourists in and around Chattanooga. We have done a lot of exploring, but have yet to do some of the touristy stuff. Tomorrow morning we're going to a real country fair...you know, the kind with the 3 C's (clogging, cakes-funnel, that is, and crafts). Then we'll be off to Rock City to see seven states and enjoy the German Oktoberfestival they have going on. We may try to hit one of the area cornfield mazes, but I don't know that I'm up to a haunted house...we'll see! Sunday I think we're going to do a nice brunch and then head out to explore wherever the Jeep takes us...The weather is cooperating as we had a cold front move in last night and we should see high's in the mid-to-upper 60's and sunshine all weekend! Maybe the cooler air will persuade the fall colors to come on out, too.
Well, the debates are over (thank goodness!) and TN has early voting...I can vote 6 days a week for the next two weeks...which means NOT waiting in line on Nov 4th. I was going to go today, but I'll be studying for a Monday test and getting ready for our fun weekend...I'll vote next week. :) It's nice having the option to get in there early!
Hope you all have a wonderful weekend as well!!!

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Happy Saturday!


Sorry it's taken me so long to update...but a lot has been going on! The country/world is in a government/Wall Street-made crisis, the election is turning very negative (Thanks, John), I made an A on my A&P midterm (Woo Hoo!), and the colors are starting to turn (yeah, Fall!). Whew...that's a lot.

I would like to remind everyone of a very important fact. My good friend, Christine, did the same thing on her blog. Life is short...be grateful for every minute you can spend enjoying life and being with the ones you love. None of us have been promised tomorrow. I hope we all get many of them, but there are no guarantees. Live, love, laugh...always has been one of my favorite sayings. Every morning that I get to walk at the Riverpark, I leave my MP3 player at home so I can soak up every bit of this beautiful land that surrounds me. I appreciate the fact that I'm not injured or diseased and can walk freely, I don't have asthma and can breath easily, I'm not blind or deaf so I can hear and see the birds, trees, river and other people enjoying the park. I know this whole financial thing has got everyone stressing out about where their 401K is invested, if their stocks are plummeting and what they are going to do about retirement. Money isn't everything...there is so much else to enjoy and cherish. Maybe I'm able to say that because we don't have any money, but we are happy anyway. Very happy...Sure, things could be better everywhere. We could make more money (there's that word again), live in our own home instead of an apartment surrounded by neighbors we wish we didn't have, be able to travel whenever the mood hits...those things will come in time. But being married to your best friend, knowing that your family is doing well, living in a beautiful, friendly city surrounded by rivers, lakes and mountains...those things make us truly happy.

I hope you have more happy things in your life than you can count. :)

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Ready to open your mind???

Lots going on right now...I have two midterms next week, so studying is a priority. The weather is absolutely amazing, so having all the windows/doors open is fantastic! Tonight Lon and I are going to the Three Sisters Bluegrass Festival on the river in downtown Chatt. That should be a lot of fun...unfortunately we were unable to attend Wine Over Water, but we'll get to walk past it! Maybe next year...This town has so much going on and a ton of it is FREE (one of my favorite four-letter words!) The MI/Illinois game is coming on shortly, so GO BLUE...let's hope they can pull off another conference win. Woo Hoo!
Lon and I also discovered an eye-opening movie. If you are capable of and/or interested in learning some alternative views of what you've probably grown up believing, I definitely recommend it. It is two hours long, so if you can hook your computer up to your TV it makes for a great evening film.
This is the official website: http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/
Or this is the movie on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kHhc67GopM
I will warn you...it's sobering. It's very interesting, but not uplifting. I have not done all the research to guarantee you this is true, but it sure does make a lot of sense. I can promise it will make you think. Zeitgeist means the spirit of the time; general trend of thought or feeling characteristic of a particular period of time. (www.dictionary.com)
Let me know what you think!!!