time to think.....

it's ironic.... but there are times lately when i think, "stop.... think.... reflect... (big SIT word)....." and i fall asleep.... really, it's not that my thoughts are so boring.... (well, i hope not), but more that i keep thinking... "oh, let me get one more thing done, then i can kick back.... and process life." but i feel like i haven't gotten to that point lately.... and there are SOOOOOO many things running through my head..... things i want to reflect upon.... that i want to ponder and analyze..... but i just don't do it....

i'll be honest.... lately, i feel a bit like a dud..... life seems to be revolving around work. this week alone i've had something at the college every single evening..... and i'm just tired....

there's been a yearning in my heart lately for something deeper, richer, more colorful.... there's got to be more than letting your work dominate your life..... BOUNDARIES. ahhhhhh..... sigh..... so, deeper i go.... and when i get deep enough i pray that things will become more and more clear.....

sometimes even my posts lately have not been very creative or thought provoking....

i better get my act back together.... hahahahahahaha

on another note, one more week before i get to see mi amor in canada..... maybe that will bring some creativity back to my dull life.... ;)

keep ya'll posted!

by the way..... can i just tell ya'll that the politics at work are insane??? i think i've got enough research topics for my CT thesis..... hahahahaha.......

al'arabiah

friends, the good news is that i'm not giving up on my semester of arabic from last year... jamila would be proud!! now that i'm back at hope, i'm able to continue taking arabic!! first class is tonight... i'm sure there is much to review since i opted to take farsi last spring rather than the second semester or arabic.... actually, an honest and fair assessment will be that i'll need to start from scratch.... at least i'm familiar with the alphabet.... :)

ma'a salama

wild women

i just could not help myself..... susan, i know you'll get a kick out of this pic....

i love my scanner

so, i've had this scanner for a number of years but rarely use it.... today it's all set up and ready to go.... i've totally enjoyed going through old photos... the non-digital ones.... so, here are the first few.... by the way, the turkey's are from bonita's turkey farm...

hawks

every once in a while, we become privy to seeing something grand... maybe it's the striking blue of a little butterfly that still has the courage to emerge at the end of the summer, the brilliant orange of a lily, or holding a newborn baby,.... whatever it is, i believe that it's a gift from god... and that he wants us to stop and look around us in amazement.....

i had one of those moments today.....

i had just settled into a chair by my patio door when strudel (my cat) started chasing shadows in the sunlight streaming onto the floor next to me... curious to know what the shadows were, I got up and went outside.... there above my home in the clearing i saw 20-22 hawks having the most amazing ritual. the hawks were soaring in one circle - half of them clockwise and the other half counter-clockwise. it was stunning. they were perfect in their movements - hardly ever varying from their tight circle.... just soaring....peaceful.... circular.... perfect symetry.... i watched them for about 5 minutes, before they suddendly dispersed into all different directions. each taking off in a different direction.... it was truly amazing..... beautiful.

i came back into the house just slightly stunned and awed by the grace and beauty i had seen....

behind the sun

just saw a very beautiful brazilian movie.... "behind the sun".... the cinematography is beautiful..... highly recommended.....

office politics and the first week of classes, shuttling japanese students from a to b, thinking about a wedding (not mine!), and fall allergies have me completely beat.... this week i've managed little more than come home from work, dig up some food, and crash in front of a no brainer movie.....

c'est la vie at this point......