jennethink

FREEDOM

A couple of years ago I was having some health problems and had to have an MRI of my head done. To answer your first question, yes, they found a brain. Because I have a tendency toward claustrophobia, I asked to have the open MRI done. The open MRI is a nice invention for those of us who find that there just isn’t enough air in small spaces. It works as well as a closed MRI (which, in my opinion, resembles a tube shaped coffin) but the sides are open so at least you can see daylight as you are lying there wondering why we can put a man on the moon but we can’t heat an examination room past 47º Fahrenheit.

So I showed up for the appointment only to find out that there had been a mistake and I was scheduled to have the closed MRI. The coffin-tube one. But being the person I am and being determined that nothing – not even being shoved into a space so tight that they were going to have to grease me up and coax me out with a donut – would beat me. So I agreed to have the closed MRI.

My shoulders brushed the sides and they moved me into it.

They put a cage-like thing over my head and face.

They strapped my forehead down with a nylon strap.

The top of the tube was no more than 3 inches from my face.

I could barely breathe. I was supposed to lie still. I could barely breathe.

I, of course, survived. And I’ve never been more appreciative of freedom than when that exam was over. I wanted to run around in an open field without any clothes on.

Yesterday, Iraqis voted and I was reminded of that feeling of being free. Not the same, I know. Not nearly the same. But I thought over and over again about freedom.

It’s a good thing.

PACIFIC CAFE

I ate at a great restaurant last night, the Pacific Café.  It is located somewhere in San Francisco. I was in the city for a series of meetings and my sister and I took a whole day to tour around and see the sites.  For dinner I did NOT want to go anywhere “touristy” so we consulted San Fran’s best resource for a recommend – a cabbie.

Now. Have you taken a cab in San Francisco? If so, you may know about the medallion system they have.  If not, and you want to know all there is to know about it from a cab driver’s perspective (and you don’t mind hearing a few curse words) simple ask a cabbie this question “Now, do you own one of those medallion thingies?”  That should get the conversation rolling along just fine.

Our cabbie filled us in on the system and other San Francisco oddities (including some landmark that resembles “titties”) and then offered a great place to eat.  “Try the Pacific Café,” he said, “there will probably be a wait, but they give you free wine as long as you are waiting.”  That settled it.  Pacific Café, here we come.

Fabulous.  At least I think it was, we weren’t exactly sober by the time we sat down to eat.  We enjoyed the whole experience.  The food was delicious, the wait staff was fun and friendly and the other patrons (all locals from what I could figure out) were warm and open. 

Note to the nice dentist we talked to before dinner: I found out that the crown cost $1000 total.  Not that I’m bargain shopping but I wonder if that is considered a good deal in the tooth biz. 

If you’re in San Francisco, try the Pacific Café.  And take a cab to get there.

AND YOU THINK YOUR JOB STINKS

Maybe it does.  But it can't compare to this poor sap.  His giant pile of manure caught fire a few months ago and they can't put it out.

Let me say that again.  His giant pile of manure caught fire and they can't put it out.

Frankly, that's why you don't let s**t pile up.

GOODBYE JOHNNY

“Johnny Carson died.”

I rely on my husband to keep me up to date on important events.  He gets up before I do in the morning and makes a quick tour of the important stations – you know ESPN and VH1.  Then, while we’re eating our oatmeal and eggs, he lets me know any vital info for the day.  I don’t know which station he got the information from yesterday, but there it was.  Johnny Carson died.

I’m not one to eulogize people I don’t know.  And I’m surprised how strongly I feel about this.  I stopped mid-bite and felt sort of a dull thud in my chest when he said those words.  I had to question why.  Why would I feel grief, even slightly, over someone I didn’t know?  Why would I feel something akin to missing someone I haven’t even heard about in months, maybe years?  Why, in short, do I care about Johnny Carson?

It took a while for me to figure it out.  Just now, it hit me.

He made my dad laugh.

My father died when I was 15.  My father was sick on and off my entire life.  He was a man of great dreams and great wisdom.  He was strong in heart and spirit if not always in body.  He was a practical joker, a phenomenal salesman and a loving husband to my mom.  He was the only father who ever came to visit my kindergarten class – and he stayed for lunch. 

I have lots of memories of my father.  My favorites are the ones when he is laughing.  Not the small courtesy laugh that a lot of us do.  Not the warm, deep chuckle that I could hear across the movie theater when I was too old to sit near my parents at the cinema.  My favorite laugh was the full-on, full-belly, red face crinkled up laugh.  It was a giggle that would explode into laughter.  It was a series of waves that would grow and grow until it crashed down on us.  I loved that laugh.  And I love anyone and anything that brought it out in my father.

Science says that laughter is good for you.  Most doctors now agree that humor and happiness can aid in healing.  Time magazine recently published an article about it going as far as saying laughter can help you live longer.

So, thank you, Johnny Carson.  Thank you for any and every time you coaxed that laugh out of my father.  Thank you for any fleeting moment you added to my father’s life. Thank you from the daughter who misses him and that laugh. Still.

Get busy, Dad’s waiting for you.

Links - They aren't just for breakfast anymore.

My friend Jeff told me today that links in your blog increase credibility.  We’ll see.

Suffering

My friend, Ronnie, blogged about suffering yesterday.  Acutally, he blogged yesterday about suffering.  I don't know that he has any specific opinion about suffering yesterday in particular.  Never mind.

I agree with him.  I think.  He uses pretty big words sometimes.  Basically Ronnie points out that we all suffer.  Suffering is universal. You are not alone.  This is not easy.

All true.  I’m taking it one step further.  I wouldn’t want to live in a world without suffering.  It is the suffering that shapes us.  It is the suffering that knocks off the hard, annoying edges.  It is the suffering that makes us more compassionate, more open and willing to step outside ourselves.  I’ve seen it over and over – in my life and in others.  Suffering adds depth to a person’s character.

Ronnie says life is hard work.

I say it’s the hard work that makes life worthwhile.

Tom Hanks as Jimmy Dugan in A League of Their Own says, “It’s supposed to be hard! If it wasn’t’ hard, everyone would do it.  It’s the hard that makes it great.”

It’s the hard that makes it great.

Risley Ranch

Are you reading Jeff's blog?

You should.

YOU GOTTA KNOW WHEN TO FOLD EM

I had this great conversation today with a friend of mine, Amy.  We talked about knowing which battles to choose to fight and which ones to walk away from.  I realized something about myself.  There are some winning battles I've walked away from.  And some losing ones I've chosen to fight.The probability of winning the battle has little to do with my choice to stay and fight or not.

To be honest, I'm not really sure what my criteria is for fighting.  I just know that sometimes I have and sometimes I haven't.

The point is, they were my battles, my choices.

I think that makes me a Grown-up.

NEW AREA

I've added a section to my blog: People and Services I Recommend.  You can see it over there on the left.  See it?

I'm going to keep adding to it when I come across people I like.  Here is my guarantee, I will not recommend anyone I have not personally done business with and had a more than satisfying experience with.  It's my hope that you will explore the services these people have to offer and that should you be in the market for such things, you will use them over someone else.

All for now.

Happy Birthday

My step-daughter, turned 6 yesterday. Steve and I were a part of three different parties for the tyke. One was a friends party - which included 9 of her closest friends and bowling and a unicorn ice cream cake. Have you ever tried lining up nine 5 - 6 year old girls to bowl in order and keep them in order for a whole game? Have you tried shoving an octopus into a gallon-sized freezer bag? Same idea. I learned a lot at this party. Here are a few of those things: 1) No matter how uncomfortable you are as the step-mother, the mother's friends are more uncomfortable. 2) Nine latex balloons plus one very special Hello Kitty mylar balloon is a recipe for trouble. 3) Anything can be airbrushed onto an ice cream cake. Also, many things are quite creepy looking on an ice cream cake. Especially when eaten. 4) Little girls know how to greet each other. If you have earplugs, you may want to watch this sometime ... hugs, kisses and squeals. We should all be greeted this way. And lastly, 5) Don't be ashamed to use the bumpers (the things that keep the balls on the alley and out of the gutters). It makes bowling a lot more fun. There is a life correlation here somewhere ... especially about the bumpers. I'll let you know when I land on it.