My absolute favorite place in Logan is my very own home and one reason I love it so much is because of our neighborhood.
When we decided to buy a house nearly 4 years ago we really didn't look very much. We were limited in how much we could spend and that made for slim pickings. I think our house was only the second we looked at and I'm not sure we loved it at first, but it was solid, had hardwood floors and fit within our price range.
I didn't know much about the neighborhood at first, though I loved that our house was on a named street, rather than most streets in Logan which are numbered. Within the first few days of moving in we had so many neighbors come to our house, introduce themselves and bring bread or other goodies. I felt so welcomed!
As time went on I just fell in love with our little spot in Logan. The neighborhood is very diverse - probably half of the people are LDS and half are not (in Logan, this is a big deal!). We have older couples, single parents, young families, couples without children and lots of dog lovers - and Subaru drivers, which makes us stand out with our Volvos. We have a few parks within walking distance, the university is 5 minutes away and the mountains are just a mile down the road. We really lucked out.
As I looked for houses in Michigan I wanted to duplicate what we've got going right here. I have a good feeling about the neighborhood in which we're moving into, but we'll just have to see. It'll be tough to compete with what we found in Logan.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Sunday, August 8, 2010
9
Ooops, missed yesterday.
Friday night we were guests of a lovely dinner hosted by the Multicultural Center of Cache Valley. I was fortunate to be asked to be on the board of this great non-profit within 2 months of our return to Logan in 2006. It was one of the things that gave me hope for a successful return for our family, that I would be able to be involved with something I felt passionate about - helping people!
The Multicultural Center has not always been an easy organization to support, there have been bumps in the road, but I am so excited with the direction it is currently headed and the expansion of programs offered to the community. I am proud to have been part of its journey.
While here I was also involved with Somebody's Attic - first as a returning employee (I volunteered and later was employed by S.A. when I lived in Logan before) and later as a board member. It was actually really tough to work at S.A. when we came back to Logan, because I felt like I'd pressed the rewind button on my life, but it ended up bringing a lot of good: meeting some wonderful people, bringing Sophie to work with me and showing her the importance of community organizations and making connections for other organizations.
There were other ways I was able to be involved in Logan and I loved it! Logan is the kind of town in which you feel you can bring people together and do something to give back. There are so many wonderful non-profit groups in the area and so many ways in which people can volunteer. It's a great place for getting involved in the community.
Friday night we were guests of a lovely dinner hosted by the Multicultural Center of Cache Valley. I was fortunate to be asked to be on the board of this great non-profit within 2 months of our return to Logan in 2006. It was one of the things that gave me hope for a successful return for our family, that I would be able to be involved with something I felt passionate about - helping people!
The Multicultural Center has not always been an easy organization to support, there have been bumps in the road, but I am so excited with the direction it is currently headed and the expansion of programs offered to the community. I am proud to have been part of its journey.
While here I was also involved with Somebody's Attic - first as a returning employee (I volunteered and later was employed by S.A. when I lived in Logan before) and later as a board member. It was actually really tough to work at S.A. when we came back to Logan, because I felt like I'd pressed the rewind button on my life, but it ended up bringing a lot of good: meeting some wonderful people, bringing Sophie to work with me and showing her the importance of community organizations and making connections for other organizations.
There were other ways I was able to be involved in Logan and I loved it! Logan is the kind of town in which you feel you can bring people together and do something to give back. There are so many wonderful non-profit groups in the area and so many ways in which people can volunteer. It's a great place for getting involved in the community.
Friday, August 6, 2010
11
"For one moment our lives met, our souls touched." Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde is one of my favorite authors - The Picture of Dorian Gray, my favorite book and The Selfish Giant, my favorite story.
This quote came up on something I saw today and it is perfect for today's post about something so important to me in Logan, the part making it so hard to leave: friends.
Moving back to Logan was so hard for me, because I didn't want to go back, I wanted to go forward! I was very fortunate to find a job at Sophie's school right away and during the training another employee came in with a cup from Starbucks, which was a sign (I LOVE Starbucks and in Utah, it's not as common to find fellow coffee drinkers as it is elsewhere). Long story less long, Lisa and I became good friends fast. I say she saved me that first year when I was adjusting to living in Utah once again. The crazy thing was, Lisa's husband got a job at another university and they moved away nearly a year after I met her. I was heartbroken, but fortunately, I'd gotten involved in Logan and things were going well, so I shed a lot of tears, but was able to move on!
Since Lisa's departure I've been fortunate to have really good friends, some I see more frequently than others, but all who've touched my life. I am fearful of listing them lest I leave anyone out and as the quote states, they have all touched my soul.
The really cool thing for me is the friendships I've formed with some wonderful women who just happen to be LDS. I had quite a chip on my shoulder before about the LDS Church and although I still don't agree with some of the teachings of the religion, I love my friends who are LDS so much that I know there is much good coming out of that religion, because my friends live their beliefs. I think there is a uniqueness when a religion is dominant and you get to be the outsider, but you are embraced and exchanges about your beliefs can be done with respect and nurtured curiosity. I have enjoyed learning more about what it is that drives my friends in their daily lives and in the decisions they make for themselves and their families. I also respect my friends who branched out and hung out with someone who at times wanted to challenge those very things with which they use as a compass in their lives.
I'm very sad about leaving the people I love in Logan. I have to believe there are friendships just waiting to be formed in Jackson and I am fortunate to have friends with whom I get to see again outside of Jackson, but good-byes are so tough - and now, as the tears start to shed I will take a deep breath, just one of many, and be so thankful for all those lives who touched my soul.
Oscar Wilde is one of my favorite authors - The Picture of Dorian Gray, my favorite book and The Selfish Giant, my favorite story.
This quote came up on something I saw today and it is perfect for today's post about something so important to me in Logan, the part making it so hard to leave: friends.
Moving back to Logan was so hard for me, because I didn't want to go back, I wanted to go forward! I was very fortunate to find a job at Sophie's school right away and during the training another employee came in with a cup from Starbucks, which was a sign (I LOVE Starbucks and in Utah, it's not as common to find fellow coffee drinkers as it is elsewhere). Long story less long, Lisa and I became good friends fast. I say she saved me that first year when I was adjusting to living in Utah once again. The crazy thing was, Lisa's husband got a job at another university and they moved away nearly a year after I met her. I was heartbroken, but fortunately, I'd gotten involved in Logan and things were going well, so I shed a lot of tears, but was able to move on!
Since Lisa's departure I've been fortunate to have really good friends, some I see more frequently than others, but all who've touched my life. I am fearful of listing them lest I leave anyone out and as the quote states, they have all touched my soul.
The really cool thing for me is the friendships I've formed with some wonderful women who just happen to be LDS. I had quite a chip on my shoulder before about the LDS Church and although I still don't agree with some of the teachings of the religion, I love my friends who are LDS so much that I know there is much good coming out of that religion, because my friends live their beliefs. I think there is a uniqueness when a religion is dominant and you get to be the outsider, but you are embraced and exchanges about your beliefs can be done with respect and nurtured curiosity. I have enjoyed learning more about what it is that drives my friends in their daily lives and in the decisions they make for themselves and their families. I also respect my friends who branched out and hung out with someone who at times wanted to challenge those very things with which they use as a compass in their lives.
I'm very sad about leaving the people I love in Logan. I have to believe there are friendships just waiting to be formed in Jackson and I am fortunate to have friends with whom I get to see again outside of Jackson, but good-byes are so tough - and now, as the tears start to shed I will take a deep breath, just one of many, and be so thankful for all those lives who touched my soul.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
13
This morning my friend, Natalie, and I hiked the Crimson Trail and the beauty surrounding us was breathtaking and almost too real to fathom. Of course, I didn't have a camera, not even my phone, which is a bummer, because if you have not witnessed the beauty of Utah, you really should.
I have only hiked a few trails in the area, I tend to do the same ones over and over, but each time I do them there is something new at which to marvel. Today it was seeing 2 owls in flight, incredible. Their wingspan and beauty was such a sight, very powerful.
It is one of my favorite things about living in Logan, to escape to the beauty of the mountains with just a 5-minute drive. One feels so small, so at peace and realizes that if our world can contain something so incredible, it is a good place to be.
I have only hiked a few trails in the area, I tend to do the same ones over and over, but each time I do them there is something new at which to marvel. Today it was seeing 2 owls in flight, incredible. Their wingspan and beauty was such a sight, very powerful.
It is one of my favorite things about living in Logan, to escape to the beauty of the mountains with just a 5-minute drive. One feels so small, so at peace and realizes that if our world can contain something so incredible, it is a good place to be.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
14
As I was driving along 600 East today, going to Sophie's piano teacher's house, I realized how much I'm going to miss the routines we have in Logan. Every Tuesday afternoon, Soph goes to piano. I drop her off, go for a walk or run an errand during her 30 minute lesson, chat with her teacher and Soph and I chat on the way home. It's predictable.
I love going to the same grocery stores, walking our dogs along the same routes, visiting the USU campus, all the things we take comfort in because they are familiar.
I worry about the unpredictability of another move, although we are going back to a state in which we've all lived. I ache for Sophie having to be the new kid and not seeing the faces of classmates she's known for 4 years. I feel sad because we won't recognize the cashiers at the local markets and even though we may never exchange more than a few words, seeing them brings that feeling of all is right in the world. I love walking around town and having someone honk because they recognize me and as I see their car going by I can place a person with the vehicle.
Having moved a few times, I know when we first get to Michigan I'll see a familiar car and think, "Oh, there's so and so," only to sadly realize, it's not. Viewing a person from the back, I might think it's a friend, only to remember my friends are many miles away. It's a feeling that causes a deep ache and no matter how many times I move, it creeps up on me.
So today I appreciate our routines in Logan, the familiar, the predictable and the ordinary way we spend each of our days. I know it's good to shake things up once in awhile and pretty soon all will settle and we'll find ourselves chatting with the cashier at the grocery store, whose line we chose because we know he or she is the friendliest.
I love going to the same grocery stores, walking our dogs along the same routes, visiting the USU campus, all the things we take comfort in because they are familiar.
I worry about the unpredictability of another move, although we are going back to a state in which we've all lived. I ache for Sophie having to be the new kid and not seeing the faces of classmates she's known for 4 years. I feel sad because we won't recognize the cashiers at the local markets and even though we may never exchange more than a few words, seeing them brings that feeling of all is right in the world. I love walking around town and having someone honk because they recognize me and as I see their car going by I can place a person with the vehicle.
Having moved a few times, I know when we first get to Michigan I'll see a familiar car and think, "Oh, there's so and so," only to sadly realize, it's not. Viewing a person from the back, I might think it's a friend, only to remember my friends are many miles away. It's a feeling that causes a deep ache and no matter how many times I move, it creeps up on me.
So today I appreciate our routines in Logan, the familiar, the predictable and the ordinary way we spend each of our days. I know it's good to shake things up once in awhile and pretty soon all will settle and we'll find ourselves chatting with the cashier at the grocery store, whose line we chose because we know he or she is the friendliest.
Monday, August 2, 2010
A bit of a deviation
I'm going to take a break from my Best of Logan Countdown to address something I've been thinking about for awhile.
In my discussions about religion I often hear people say they just knew, they felt it was right or they heard a voice telling them the religion they follow is true. As a skeptic, I've often felt (heard a voice, just knew, hahaha) that it was a self-fulfilling prophecy situation. A person wants to believe in something, so they set the conditions for it to be so. The problem was/is, I have felt a comfort when praying or in a religious setting and I like that comfort! Then this happened...
When I was preparing to fly to Michigan a few weeks ago, I kept getting signals that I shouldn't go. Nearly every time I looked at the clock, it was 9:11 (to me that was a sign because of 9/11) and a few days before I was to leave, I stopped behind a car and the license plate read 911. I prayed about it and heard a clear voice telling me not to go. Not good. The reality was, I hate flying, I am certain each flight I take is "the one", but I usually get a feeling that it's all going to be ok. Not so this time.
When I got to the SLC airport, I tried to give up my seat for a later flight, feeling like it was that first leg that was doomed. They didn't need people to give up their seats, so I found a person more afraid of flying than I was and we chatted in the gate, sat next to each other on the plane and I ended up having one of the most enjoyable flights ever.
So what does this all mean? Who knows, but, for me it showed me that when we want to believe something, we can find all the proof we need (not that I wanted to believe I was going to die in an airplane crash, but my fear of flying is very real). I still believe in listening to that little voice inside all of us - and giving it the credit it deserves, while realizing we are the ones in control of that voice. I just don't think that praying for an answer to whether or not a certain religion is true is the most trustworthy path to take, because through the act of praying you are already giving validity to the religion you believe.
I write this also believing that if a person finds comfort within a religion, within a belief system, within a faith in a higher power, they have found a truth FOR THEM. The truth is that the religion, the belief, the faith brings meaning to their life, gives them joy, etc. It still does not mean the religion or the higher power is true, but maybe that's not important - but I would feel better if people acknowledged it.
In my discussions about religion I often hear people say they just knew, they felt it was right or they heard a voice telling them the religion they follow is true. As a skeptic, I've often felt (heard a voice, just knew, hahaha) that it was a self-fulfilling prophecy situation. A person wants to believe in something, so they set the conditions for it to be so. The problem was/is, I have felt a comfort when praying or in a religious setting and I like that comfort! Then this happened...
When I was preparing to fly to Michigan a few weeks ago, I kept getting signals that I shouldn't go. Nearly every time I looked at the clock, it was 9:11 (to me that was a sign because of 9/11) and a few days before I was to leave, I stopped behind a car and the license plate read 911. I prayed about it and heard a clear voice telling me not to go. Not good. The reality was, I hate flying, I am certain each flight I take is "the one", but I usually get a feeling that it's all going to be ok. Not so this time.
When I got to the SLC airport, I tried to give up my seat for a later flight, feeling like it was that first leg that was doomed. They didn't need people to give up their seats, so I found a person more afraid of flying than I was and we chatted in the gate, sat next to each other on the plane and I ended up having one of the most enjoyable flights ever.
So what does this all mean? Who knows, but, for me it showed me that when we want to believe something, we can find all the proof we need (not that I wanted to believe I was going to die in an airplane crash, but my fear of flying is very real). I still believe in listening to that little voice inside all of us - and giving it the credit it deserves, while realizing we are the ones in control of that voice. I just don't think that praying for an answer to whether or not a certain religion is true is the most trustworthy path to take, because through the act of praying you are already giving validity to the religion you believe.
I write this also believing that if a person finds comfort within a religion, within a belief system, within a faith in a higher power, they have found a truth FOR THEM. The truth is that the religion, the belief, the faith brings meaning to their life, gives them joy, etc. It still does not mean the religion or the higher power is true, but maybe that's not important - but I would feel better if people acknowledged it.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
16
The newspaper here, The Herald Journal, is sort of one of my favorite things for these reasons: I like checking what movies arrived at the "cheap" theater on Fridays, I like reading the opinions of local readers (sometimes), and right now I'm using it to wrap the stuff that's breakable for our move.
Logan is a small town, so one can usually find a couple names they recognize in the newspaper. It does a good job of covering events in the area and even putting in uplifting news instead of just really depressing, horrible stuff.
On Sundays I like to scan the wedding announcements and count how many people are getting married in the LDS Temple. It's rare to find an announcement of a couple marrying who is not getting married in the Temple - which means that wow, there are a lot of people of the LDS religion here or people getting married at other venues are not advertising their event. Interesting.
I just hope I don't forget to cancel our subscription before we leave...maybe I should do it now, just in case.
Logan is a small town, so one can usually find a couple names they recognize in the newspaper. It does a good job of covering events in the area and even putting in uplifting news instead of just really depressing, horrible stuff.
On Sundays I like to scan the wedding announcements and count how many people are getting married in the LDS Temple. It's rare to find an announcement of a couple marrying who is not getting married in the Temple - which means that wow, there are a lot of people of the LDS religion here or people getting married at other venues are not advertising their event. Interesting.
I just hope I don't forget to cancel our subscription before we leave...maybe I should do it now, just in case.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
17
Perhaps I should save this for #1, but I just can't wait since it came up today...one of my favorite things about living in Utah is the ability to talk about religion because it is often the big, ole elephant in the room!
I definitely think religion is a personal matter - but also one that should be discussed. I am still learning the art of discussing it without offending anyone and learning without judgment.
Utah has a very dominant religious presence and to those not from here, it can be baffling. I did not understand the enormity of it when I moved to Utah in 1999 and when we returned in 2006, I came with a HUGE chip on my shoulder. Fortunately, I learned to question and listen and invite others to learn about various religions along with me. I feel much better about my most recent Utah experience and hope to continue learning about people's beliefs wherever I go.
Today I posted something on Facebook about my friend's status that referenced her receiving eternal consequences for having her name taken off the LDS Church records. I was worried about Mormon bashing occurring, because I really did want to hear what the consequences were - though truth be told, I also wanted to open up a dialogue about religious beliefs. It sort of did.
I have heard that it's hard to be Mormon living in Utah, a lot of pressure to live a certain way, keep up with the neighbors, etc. and I can see that. It's been fun being a minority here and also learning a bit more about the Mormon culture. I'm still an agnostic, still want to learn about as many religions as I can and still baffled how often the LDS Church ends up in the local newspaper - what will I talk about in Michigan!!?
I definitely think religion is a personal matter - but also one that should be discussed. I am still learning the art of discussing it without offending anyone and learning without judgment.
Utah has a very dominant religious presence and to those not from here, it can be baffling. I did not understand the enormity of it when I moved to Utah in 1999 and when we returned in 2006, I came with a HUGE chip on my shoulder. Fortunately, I learned to question and listen and invite others to learn about various religions along with me. I feel much better about my most recent Utah experience and hope to continue learning about people's beliefs wherever I go.
Today I posted something on Facebook about my friend's status that referenced her receiving eternal consequences for having her name taken off the LDS Church records. I was worried about Mormon bashing occurring, because I really did want to hear what the consequences were - though truth be told, I also wanted to open up a dialogue about religious beliefs. It sort of did.
I have heard that it's hard to be Mormon living in Utah, a lot of pressure to live a certain way, keep up with the neighbors, etc. and I can see that. It's been fun being a minority here and also learning a bit more about the Mormon culture. I'm still an agnostic, still want to learn about as many religions as I can and still baffled how often the LDS Church ends up in the local newspaper - what will I talk about in Michigan!!?
Friday, July 30, 2010
18
The parks in Logan, those in the city, are wonderful! (We of course have the mountains, but that's another post...)
Today I took Sophie and her friend to the Willow Park Zoo and for $2 we were able to walk around, see the animals and feed the ducks. We then headed to two different play areas and I thought about how amazing parks are compared to when I was a kid. In those days we had to play at the school playgrounds, with all the equipment over cement. It was absolutely fun, but the equipment nowadays is so much nicer and the surfaces so much softer!
We have a great variety of parks in Logan and we enjoy visiting those in our own neighborhood, but we also like to go to those outside of our neck of the woods. Sometimes we'll head out to North Logan or the play structure in River Heights for a change of pace.
One of my favorite play structures is at The Whittier Center, Logan's community center. The play structure was built by volunteers and Steve and I even got to be a part of the building process. It's a great place for kids to play and adults to sit back and read, chat or just enjoy watching. It's amazing to see what a community can put together with their own hands! It was done after Ryan's Place, in River Heights, which uses the same format of volunteers - Ryan's Place was dedicated to a young boy who lost his life. That park is great and again, realizing what a community can do is astounding.
I'm excited to find great parks in Jackson - we had plenty of them in Ann Arbor, but I get the feeling that Jackson is quite different from Ann Arbor, which makes me very, very excited!
Today I took Sophie and her friend to the Willow Park Zoo and for $2 we were able to walk around, see the animals and feed the ducks. We then headed to two different play areas and I thought about how amazing parks are compared to when I was a kid. In those days we had to play at the school playgrounds, with all the equipment over cement. It was absolutely fun, but the equipment nowadays is so much nicer and the surfaces so much softer!
We have a great variety of parks in Logan and we enjoy visiting those in our own neighborhood, but we also like to go to those outside of our neck of the woods. Sometimes we'll head out to North Logan or the play structure in River Heights for a change of pace.
One of my favorite play structures is at The Whittier Center, Logan's community center. The play structure was built by volunteers and Steve and I even got to be a part of the building process. It's a great place for kids to play and adults to sit back and read, chat or just enjoy watching. It's amazing to see what a community can put together with their own hands! It was done after Ryan's Place, in River Heights, which uses the same format of volunteers - Ryan's Place was dedicated to a young boy who lost his life. That park is great and again, realizing what a community can do is astounding.
I'm excited to find great parks in Jackson - we had plenty of them in Ann Arbor, but I get the feeling that Jackson is quite different from Ann Arbor, which makes me very, very excited!
Thursday, July 29, 2010
19
It is completely ironic that my favorite bookstore in Logan is Borders, because the headquarters is in Ann Arbor, but I do, I love Borders. I love the cafe, the browsing of books, the comfy chairs where I can sit and make an impressive dent in a book without actually purchasing it, the amount of time Sophie can spend looking around as I carry a book with me and read snippets.
The Ann Arbor Borders gets amazing authors (we got a book signed by Tom Robbins) fabulous performers (They Might Be Giants took a pic with Sophie) and even some discoing celebrity (yes, John Travolta was signing Battlefield Earth, which we purchased and still have, but only because he signed it). In Ann Arbor I actually preferred going to Barnes & Noble, it just seemed cleaner, but would visit Borders when a big name was there.
The Logan Borders has had some authors, we visited one who signed a book about dragons for Sophie and there was the interesting Harry Potter Party when the 7th book came out, but it's not because of its events that we frequent the store - it's familiarity and ease. Yes, at the "big, bad chain store" (You've Got Mail!) we save money on discounted books and take proceeds away from independent stores...but, here's the thing...
Logan does not have a decent independent book store! They did - A Book Store - which was here in the 90s, but now, nothing. Used bookstores, yes, but I find them to be overpriced. Ok, I'm wracking my brain and the reality is, I think, that Borders is THE only bookstore in Logan (except for the religious bookstores).
So, one of my favorite places in Logan is a place we had in Ann Arbor and San Antonio and they have the exact same carpet in the children's section here as they had there. Borders is not unique to Logan - HOWEVER! - I do think the LDS section may be unique to Utah.
The Ann Arbor Borders gets amazing authors (we got a book signed by Tom Robbins) fabulous performers (They Might Be Giants took a pic with Sophie) and even some discoing celebrity (yes, John Travolta was signing Battlefield Earth, which we purchased and still have, but only because he signed it). In Ann Arbor I actually preferred going to Barnes & Noble, it just seemed cleaner, but would visit Borders when a big name was there.
The Logan Borders has had some authors, we visited one who signed a book about dragons for Sophie and there was the interesting Harry Potter Party when the 7th book came out, but it's not because of its events that we frequent the store - it's familiarity and ease. Yes, at the "big, bad chain store" (You've Got Mail!) we save money on discounted books and take proceeds away from independent stores...but, here's the thing...
Logan does not have a decent independent book store! They did - A Book Store - which was here in the 90s, but now, nothing. Used bookstores, yes, but I find them to be overpriced. Ok, I'm wracking my brain and the reality is, I think, that Borders is THE only bookstore in Logan (except for the religious bookstores).
So, one of my favorite places in Logan is a place we had in Ann Arbor and San Antonio and they have the exact same carpet in the children's section here as they had there. Borders is not unique to Logan - HOWEVER! - I do think the LDS section may be unique to Utah.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
20
The libraries of Logan and North Logan are fabulous!! When we first moved back to UT, we were renting in North Logan and frequented their library. Yesterday I visited again, while waiting for Soph to have her piano lesson, and oh, that library lets you check out magazines, which I love! Plus it's so new and clean, so bright and friendly!
The Logan Library has a greater selection than the N. Logan Library, but it's always seemed just a bit too dark to me. They did recently expand the children's area, which is excellent and their staff is super helpful!
One of the first things I do when I move to a new place is get my library card - and it looks like Jackson has a bunch of branches, just like San Antonio - yay!
The Logan Library has a greater selection than the N. Logan Library, but it's always seemed just a bit too dark to me. They did recently expand the children's area, which is excellent and their staff is super helpful!
One of the first things I do when I move to a new place is get my library card - and it looks like Jackson has a bunch of branches, just like San Antonio - yay!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
21
Utah State University is what brought me out to Logan, UT in 1991 and I started as an education student, but ended up with a degree in philosophy. I enjoyed the variety of classes I took at USU as well as the experience of being a student at a somewhat non-traditional university. It was odd to me that so many students were married at USU, until I learned about the LDS culture - and later I became grateful for the experience of attending a college with so many non-traditional students. I think it helped Steve and I realize the importance of education at all and any stage of life!
The campus of USU is absolutely stunning! The mountains are nearby, there are a lot of open spaces and the older buildings have a lot of character. I love walking around the campus and today I headed up to the amphitheater to get some exercise walking up and down the stairs.
I love living near a university and being a part of a culture that draws many international students, programs in the arts and events for families. I will miss being able to just walk up the hill to a university.
Soph has talked about going to USU some day and maybe that vision will be blurred once we are away from Logan, but if not, I will be all too happy to visit her in Logan!
The campus of USU is absolutely stunning! The mountains are nearby, there are a lot of open spaces and the older buildings have a lot of character. I love walking around the campus and today I headed up to the amphitheater to get some exercise walking up and down the stairs.
I love living near a university and being a part of a culture that draws many international students, programs in the arts and events for families. I will miss being able to just walk up the hill to a university.
Soph has talked about going to USU some day and maybe that vision will be blurred once we are away from Logan, but if not, I will be all too happy to visit her in Logan!
Monday, July 26, 2010
22 Days
So begins the countdown until we leave - August 17. Of course we are not absolutely certain about the house in Michigan, but assuming all goes well, August 17 is the pull out date.
I decided to spend each of these last few days writing about a place, person or something in Logan that has been part of my journey. Today - the Logan Cemetery.
I love cemeteries. I grew up playing in the one by my parents' house in Wisconsin, yes, even dancing on the headstones (sorry..not good form, but being a kid). My friend and I loved the water pump and made a whole world out of the graves in our vicinity. I know different cultures have different beliefs about cemeteries, but I've always felt they were comparable to a city park. In a folklore class in college we were told that to find out about an area's history and culture, visit a cemetery. So true.
When I came to USU for college in 1991, one of the first spots friends took me to was the Weeping Widow statue in the Logan Cemetery. We snuck over the fence at night, with our flashlights, located the statue of the widow, shined our light on her eyes and when we turned off the light, sure enough, it looked like tears had formed. My introduction into the folklore of Logan, UT.
Now I visit the cemetery when I go running. Today I ran for 40 minutes in the shade of the trees where it was relatively quiet, except for those attending a service, some other people exercising and the crew of Logan City tending to the grounds. I ended my routine with a trip to see my friend's grave - Timmy passed away May 10 and as he was a runner, I feel it's appropriate to run near his grave. A pinwheel was spinning by his grave, but it paused as I took a moment to greet my friend.
I love the size of the Logan cemetery - large, but not overbearing. I love to see the headstones that depict the local LDS culture - with images of the LDS Temple, sayings about families being eternal or yes, I believe there are some in which a man is buried with his multiple wives, to whom he was married at the same time. I like seeing the graves that represent other cultures - some in different languages, some with crosses (the cross is a symbol not used in the LDS religion) and some with images of the surrounding mountains.
I like that the cemetery is located on the Utah State University campus, near my first place of employment, The Children's House. I remember taking preschool students to the cemetery to do crayon rubbings of the grave and the little student who told me her uncle died in the cemetery. I have walked my dogs in the cemetery, strolled with my family in the cemetery and walked through the cemetery as I mended my broken heart (years and years and years ago!).
It will be interesting to visit a cemetery in Michigan and see how different the headstones are - what aspects of the local culture are represented. I hope to find one nearby where I can continue running in the shade of beautiful, large trees.
I decided to spend each of these last few days writing about a place, person or something in Logan that has been part of my journey. Today - the Logan Cemetery.
I love cemeteries. I grew up playing in the one by my parents' house in Wisconsin, yes, even dancing on the headstones (sorry..not good form, but being a kid). My friend and I loved the water pump and made a whole world out of the graves in our vicinity. I know different cultures have different beliefs about cemeteries, but I've always felt they were comparable to a city park. In a folklore class in college we were told that to find out about an area's history and culture, visit a cemetery. So true.
When I came to USU for college in 1991, one of the first spots friends took me to was the Weeping Widow statue in the Logan Cemetery. We snuck over the fence at night, with our flashlights, located the statue of the widow, shined our light on her eyes and when we turned off the light, sure enough, it looked like tears had formed. My introduction into the folklore of Logan, UT.
Now I visit the cemetery when I go running. Today I ran for 40 minutes in the shade of the trees where it was relatively quiet, except for those attending a service, some other people exercising and the crew of Logan City tending to the grounds. I ended my routine with a trip to see my friend's grave - Timmy passed away May 10 and as he was a runner, I feel it's appropriate to run near his grave. A pinwheel was spinning by his grave, but it paused as I took a moment to greet my friend.
I love the size of the Logan cemetery - large, but not overbearing. I love to see the headstones that depict the local LDS culture - with images of the LDS Temple, sayings about families being eternal or yes, I believe there are some in which a man is buried with his multiple wives, to whom he was married at the same time. I like seeing the graves that represent other cultures - some in different languages, some with crosses (the cross is a symbol not used in the LDS religion) and some with images of the surrounding mountains.
I like that the cemetery is located on the Utah State University campus, near my first place of employment, The Children's House. I remember taking preschool students to the cemetery to do crayon rubbings of the grave and the little student who told me her uncle died in the cemetery. I have walked my dogs in the cemetery, strolled with my family in the cemetery and walked through the cemetery as I mended my broken heart (years and years and years ago!).
It will be interesting to visit a cemetery in Michigan and see how different the headstones are - what aspects of the local culture are represented. I hope to find one nearby where I can continue running in the shade of beautiful, large trees.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
I Did It!
I made it a goal awhile ago to run the 3-mile Fun Run on Pioneer Day, and as the title of this post states, I did it!
For those who don't know, I started a running program about 3 months ago, a great program that really eases you into running from walking. The program is 8 weeks and at the end I was able to run for 30 minutes without stopping - a huge feat for me. I've been keeping up with running, well, 3 or 4 days a week, and yet as Pioneer Day approached, I felt myself wanting to slack off.
I ran the day before for 26 minutes and felt ok about it, not great, but I did run later than I normally do, meaning it was hotter than it normally is and me and heat just don't mesh.
I set my alarm for 5:30 a.m. and even though our dogs woke me at 4:00 (I let them out, fed them and went back to bed for an hour) I got up when the alarm went off, had my cereal, coffee and water and headed out the door. I was very nervous! At one point I couldn't find a way to enter the area holding the events for Pioneer Day and thought about just bagging it and running on my own, but I persisted. I was the first one there to sign-up...yep, 10 minutes before registration even began and then wandered around. As the crowd grew so did my nerves, as well as my excitement.
I lined up in the small crowd and when it was time to take off, I felt relieved that we were so crowded together, because I would could only run at a slow pace, a good way for me to start. During the run I followed a family of kids and found them quite inspiring, one was even pushing a stroller! I passed a few people, but later found those people ahead of me. I really had to learn that it was about my own rhythm, not beating someone else's.
At one point when I was struggling I reminded myself that the goal was to run the whole distance, no matter what that running looked like - even a very slow pace. That helped a lot. Toward the end of the race I focused on another runner's dark ponytail, yep, whatever focus one needs and as her ponytail got closer to the finish line, so did I!
I ended with a time of 30:07 which for me felt huge! I figured I ran about a 12 min. mile, so to run about a 10 min. mile was a great thing.
It really does feel good to set a goal for oneself, to work at it and to achieve it. As an adult, we often have to create these opportunities - especially if one does not work outside their home, as I'm not doing at the moment. Nobody else did it for me, though plenty were encouraging along the way, so thank you.
It feels really, really great to be able to say and know, I did it!
For those who don't know, I started a running program about 3 months ago, a great program that really eases you into running from walking. The program is 8 weeks and at the end I was able to run for 30 minutes without stopping - a huge feat for me. I've been keeping up with running, well, 3 or 4 days a week, and yet as Pioneer Day approached, I felt myself wanting to slack off.
I ran the day before for 26 minutes and felt ok about it, not great, but I did run later than I normally do, meaning it was hotter than it normally is and me and heat just don't mesh.
I set my alarm for 5:30 a.m. and even though our dogs woke me at 4:00 (I let them out, fed them and went back to bed for an hour) I got up when the alarm went off, had my cereal, coffee and water and headed out the door. I was very nervous! At one point I couldn't find a way to enter the area holding the events for Pioneer Day and thought about just bagging it and running on my own, but I persisted. I was the first one there to sign-up...yep, 10 minutes before registration even began and then wandered around. As the crowd grew so did my nerves, as well as my excitement.
I lined up in the small crowd and when it was time to take off, I felt relieved that we were so crowded together, because I would could only run at a slow pace, a good way for me to start. During the run I followed a family of kids and found them quite inspiring, one was even pushing a stroller! I passed a few people, but later found those people ahead of me. I really had to learn that it was about my own rhythm, not beating someone else's.
At one point when I was struggling I reminded myself that the goal was to run the whole distance, no matter what that running looked like - even a very slow pace. That helped a lot. Toward the end of the race I focused on another runner's dark ponytail, yep, whatever focus one needs and as her ponytail got closer to the finish line, so did I!
I ended with a time of 30:07 which for me felt huge! I figured I ran about a 12 min. mile, so to run about a 10 min. mile was a great thing.
It really does feel good to set a goal for oneself, to work at it and to achieve it. As an adult, we often have to create these opportunities - especially if one does not work outside their home, as I'm not doing at the moment. Nobody else did it for me, though plenty were encouraging along the way, so thank you.
It feels really, really great to be able to say and know, I did it!
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Not Good or Bad, Just Is
The pic was taken at Porcupine Dam last night, it was the first time I saw this amazing place! We went to Paradise, UT to check out the gardeners' market, but ended up visiting the dam instead. Such incredible beauty.
I read a story recently that really resonated with me:
There is a Taoist story of an old farmer who had worked his crops for many years. One day his horse ran away. Upon hearing the news, his neighbors came to visit. "Such bad luck," they said sympathetically.
"I don't know if it is good or bad, I just know my horse ran away," the farmer replied. The next morning the horse returned, bringing with it three other wild horses. "How wonderful," the neighbors exclaimed.
"I don't know if it is good or bad, I just know I have 4 horses," replied the old man. The following day, his son tried to ride one of the untamed horses, was thrown, and broke his leg. The neighbors again came to offer their sympathy on his misfortune. "I don't know if it is good or bad, I just know my son broke his leg," answered the farmer. The day after, military officials came to the village to draft young men into the army. Seeing that the son's leg was broken, they passed him by. The neighbors congratulated the farmer on how well things had turned out. "I don't know if it is good or bad, I just know the military officials did not take my son," said the farmer.
As my family prepares to move to Michigan, there are many circumstances that initially appear good or bad, but I am learning that what may first appear one way may later appear another. My hope is that this move is a good one for our family and yet, I realize so much of that is up to us. The fact is, we are moving, there is much to be done and how it will all turn out is not within my grasp of knowledge, but what I do know is that I play a huge part in determining how this move is perceived.Right now I still have a few weeks to enjoy the beauty and splendor of Utah!
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Onward
Tomorrow I leave for Michigan - to hopefully find our new house! I decided that now is the time to start a new blog, but I still cannot think of a name!! Maybe something will come to me while I'm visiting the town in which we use to live, Ann Arbor, and checking out our possible new locations: Chelsea and Jackson.
I do like my friend's suggestion of Different States of Mind - and am leaning toward that. Having lived in Wisconsin (10 years), Pennsylvania (6 years), Michigan (6 years), Utah (12 years total) and Texas (1 year), I feel like each has offered something unique and valuable. I'd still like to try living in the northwest and the southeast, but not for awhile.
So I'm wrapping up my time in Utah, which has been fabulous and thank goodness for a second chance - I was spreading some not nice rumors about Utah after my last stint here and now I can tell people that Utah is full of wonderful people, incredible beauty and unique experiences - most of them good :)
I do like my friend's suggestion of Different States of Mind - and am leaning toward that. Having lived in Wisconsin (10 years), Pennsylvania (6 years), Michigan (6 years), Utah (12 years total) and Texas (1 year), I feel like each has offered something unique and valuable. I'd still like to try living in the northwest and the southeast, but not for awhile.
So I'm wrapping up my time in Utah, which has been fabulous and thank goodness for a second chance - I was spreading some not nice rumors about Utah after my last stint here and now I can tell people that Utah is full of wonderful people, incredible beauty and unique experiences - most of them good :)
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Parental Influence
The other night my very lovely friends and I went out to dinner and then followed up our yummy meal with thought-provoking (at least for me) conversation. At one point we were talking about wanting our children to make the choice to follow the religion in which they were being raised - ok, my friends want that, I have not raised Sophie in one religious community and it's been something I've thought a lot about.
My own upbringing consisted of being baptized as an infant (so I do not remember it), Sunday School, learning specific prayers and songs, Vacation Bible School every summer, receiving my own Holy Bible at the age of 8 and eventually teaching Sunday School and Vacation Bible School - all before I left home at 18. Also, every Christmas season my family would read the story of the birth of Jesus as we celebrated advent. These are experiences I recall fondly, though as a child I was more excited about the food at Vacation Bible School than the actual lessons and my hope to be the one to light the candle during advent may have kept me from listening as the story from the Bible was being read.
At the age of 18 I came out to Utah and chose to foster my rebellious nature by claiming to be an atheist, or at least agnostic. This satisfied me for a few years, until I decided I wanted to go back to the church in which I was raised. When I returned physically to the church, I realized that mentally I did not believe what was being preached.
As strong as my parents are in their religious convictions, I feel my siblings and I were always taught to question, to think for ourselves and fortunately we knew people with varying beliefs. I'm putting words in my parents' mouths, but I feel they never wanted children who blindly followed along and although I think they hoped we'd all choose Christianity's path, they also knew that at 18 we'd be going out into a world much larger than the cocoon in which they'd raised us and I always got the message that this was expected of us - to experience new things, explore new horizons and learn from new people.
Now I'm the parent and Soph's religious upbringing has been more of the buffet variety than the 4 course meal. When I was pregnant we attended services at a couple protestant churches in Michigan, but decided not to have Sophie baptized into any specific denomination. We celebrate Christmas, we talk about biblical stories and may have mentioned that Easter is more than just chocolate bunnies and colorful eggs. In Texas we took Sophie to a children's class in Buddhism and I loved the focus on meditation and stories of great persons of all religions. Sophie seemed to embrace the idea of reincarnation and think about the idea of teachers coming in all forms and not needing to be worshipped. One of my favorite Sophie questions is: "Mom, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Jesus were all important people, right?" My response: "Right." Sophie: "Then why do people only worship Jesus?"
I realize that just as my parents influenced me and raised me under their belief umbrella, Steve and I are doing the same with Sophie. Often times this means we tell Sophie that we just don't know. I loved thinking as a child that death meant going to a place that is peaceful and happy and seeing my loved ones. We tell Sophie that we hope it is that way, but we just don't know. Am I depriving my child of a hopeful eternal existence? Possibly.
Since returning to Utah we have attended Prince of Peace Lutheran Church and First Presbyterian Church. The pastors at each church have been important to Sophie, and I feel she is listening to the sermons even as she reads through the Garfield books she brings along. We do not take Sophie to Sunday School - we have asked her if she wants to go, and she says no. Steve and I are very open with Sophie that we do not believe Jesus Christ is the savior, but we find peace at church and we appreciate thinking about the words that are being spoken.
Sophie knows I lean a lot toward Buddhist beliefs, that I enjoy reading books by Buddhist authors and that for awhile I attended a sangha in Logan. I also love talking about religion with a variety of people and feel it is important to explore and learn about various religions, including attending their services.
I am curious where Sophie's religious compass will point when she is 18 and then 25 and then 40 - as mine has changed as I've grown older. Will she choose to become a Christian? Will she study religions to which we have not exposed her? Will she feel sad that we were not more permanent members of one religious community?
To Sophie I say this, at this point in my life - Believe in yourself. Believe that if there is a god, that god loves you more than humans can comprehend, that that god is someone you may speak to openly, without inhibitions and without fear of judgment. Know that most religions teach of compassion, understanding and love for all of humanity and those are really, really good things. Know that your father and I believe we have been blessed by your presence in our lives and because of our love for you, we can understand the idea of a god who loves all god's children without conditions. Never stop questioning, never stop learning and although passing judgment is normal, be the open-minded, open-hearted person you are right at this moment.
My own upbringing consisted of being baptized as an infant (so I do not remember it), Sunday School, learning specific prayers and songs, Vacation Bible School every summer, receiving my own Holy Bible at the age of 8 and eventually teaching Sunday School and Vacation Bible School - all before I left home at 18. Also, every Christmas season my family would read the story of the birth of Jesus as we celebrated advent. These are experiences I recall fondly, though as a child I was more excited about the food at Vacation Bible School than the actual lessons and my hope to be the one to light the candle during advent may have kept me from listening as the story from the Bible was being read.
At the age of 18 I came out to Utah and chose to foster my rebellious nature by claiming to be an atheist, or at least agnostic. This satisfied me for a few years, until I decided I wanted to go back to the church in which I was raised. When I returned physically to the church, I realized that mentally I did not believe what was being preached.
As strong as my parents are in their religious convictions, I feel my siblings and I were always taught to question, to think for ourselves and fortunately we knew people with varying beliefs. I'm putting words in my parents' mouths, but I feel they never wanted children who blindly followed along and although I think they hoped we'd all choose Christianity's path, they also knew that at 18 we'd be going out into a world much larger than the cocoon in which they'd raised us and I always got the message that this was expected of us - to experience new things, explore new horizons and learn from new people.
Now I'm the parent and Soph's religious upbringing has been more of the buffet variety than the 4 course meal. When I was pregnant we attended services at a couple protestant churches in Michigan, but decided not to have Sophie baptized into any specific denomination. We celebrate Christmas, we talk about biblical stories and may have mentioned that Easter is more than just chocolate bunnies and colorful eggs. In Texas we took Sophie to a children's class in Buddhism and I loved the focus on meditation and stories of great persons of all religions. Sophie seemed to embrace the idea of reincarnation and think about the idea of teachers coming in all forms and not needing to be worshipped. One of my favorite Sophie questions is: "Mom, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Jesus were all important people, right?" My response: "Right." Sophie: "Then why do people only worship Jesus?"
I realize that just as my parents influenced me and raised me under their belief umbrella, Steve and I are doing the same with Sophie. Often times this means we tell Sophie that we just don't know. I loved thinking as a child that death meant going to a place that is peaceful and happy and seeing my loved ones. We tell Sophie that we hope it is that way, but we just don't know. Am I depriving my child of a hopeful eternal existence? Possibly.
Since returning to Utah we have attended Prince of Peace Lutheran Church and First Presbyterian Church. The pastors at each church have been important to Sophie, and I feel she is listening to the sermons even as she reads through the Garfield books she brings along. We do not take Sophie to Sunday School - we have asked her if she wants to go, and she says no. Steve and I are very open with Sophie that we do not believe Jesus Christ is the savior, but we find peace at church and we appreciate thinking about the words that are being spoken.
Sophie knows I lean a lot toward Buddhist beliefs, that I enjoy reading books by Buddhist authors and that for awhile I attended a sangha in Logan. I also love talking about religion with a variety of people and feel it is important to explore and learn about various religions, including attending their services.
I am curious where Sophie's religious compass will point when she is 18 and then 25 and then 40 - as mine has changed as I've grown older. Will she choose to become a Christian? Will she study religions to which we have not exposed her? Will she feel sad that we were not more permanent members of one religious community?
To Sophie I say this, at this point in my life - Believe in yourself. Believe that if there is a god, that god loves you more than humans can comprehend, that that god is someone you may speak to openly, without inhibitions and without fear of judgment. Know that most religions teach of compassion, understanding and love for all of humanity and those are really, really good things. Know that your father and I believe we have been blessed by your presence in our lives and because of our love for you, we can understand the idea of a god who loves all god's children without conditions. Never stop questioning, never stop learning and although passing judgment is normal, be the open-minded, open-hearted person you are right at this moment.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Buddhism vs. Mormonism
The book on the right, The Simeon Solution, was given to me by a friend in response to my questions about sexism within the Mormon Church. The author is a convert to the LDS religion, having been raised Methodist, but searching for something else and finding Mormonism after being impressed with the examples set by two men who are LDS.
I enjoyed the book, reading about others' experiences with religion usually fascinates me, and I was struck by Anne Osborn Poelman's thoroughness in research and studies of the Mormon Church. Regarding the issue with only men being allowed to hold the priesthood and give blessings, she puts it on her back burner and does not find it a significant problem. She points out the flaws of the people within the Mormon Church, the members, and I appreciate her candidness in relaying her experiences.
The thing that irked me throughout the book was the statement, "I know the Church is true." To me a church is an establishment created by humans. I understand the idea that the Church (meaning the LDS Church) was established by a man people believe was a prophet who received direct revelations from God, but it does not make sense that certain things have changed through the years in the Mormon religion and yet the Church has remained true. The big one, that is quite popular, is the issue regarding persons who are not caucasian being members of the Mormon Church. I don't want to harp on this issue, because it is widely discussed in many circles, but I will copy from the blacklds.org web site which states that in "1978: Revelation on Priesthood gives the priesthood to all worthy men regardless of color." This would mean that what was previously practiced was deemed, well, wrong and therefore, not true.
After The Simeon Solution I started reading the book on the left in the photo, Joyful Wisdom. In it, Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche writes, "Unlike many of his contemporaries, however, the Buddha didn't try to convince people that the method through which he found release from suffering was the only true method." This quote has been attributed to the Buddha, "Don't believe anything I say because I say so. Try it out for yourselves." I had a "Yes!" moment when reading that.
I am very skeptical of any person or group who states to know the answers for all persons. In the religion which I was raised I heard, "The only way to salvation is through Jesus Christ" and yet I had friends whose families were not Christian and they were wonderful people, doing amazing things for others. It didn't make sense to me, and still doesn't that those people would not be saved, because they had not accepted Jesus as their savior, especially when I saw Christians doing horrific things.
I spent some time while living in San Antonio studying Buddhism and one of the things that really struck me was the Bodhisattva Vow, which is stated on the intrex.net web site as "The Bodhisattva vows, out of compassion, not to enter nirvana until all beings have entered nirvana. This means the Bodhisattva practices not for her or his enlightenment alone, but for the enlightenment of all beings. The Bodhisattva vows to remain in this world of ignorance and confusion, vows to be willing to experience whatever living beings experience, until all beings are liberated." There was a man at a workshop I attended who had taken this vow and I was in complete awe and what I remember is that for lunch he ate a ham and cheese sandwich. Wait, I thought, he's eating meat! I thought Buddhists weren't allowed to eat meat! Nobody said anything and I then decided this person was living his life the way he felt it was important at that time. My god, he was willing to come back to life as we know it over and over again, under any circumstances, until all people reached enlightenment. I've never heard before or since of anything so selfless.
I believe the members of the Mormon Church have their own version of this vow, through missionary work and their testimonies, they are trying to help others reach enlightenment. What I see as the major difference is that in Buddhism we are taught guidelines: meditation, mindfulness, compassion - these are ways to reach enlightment, but they are very broad and are not specified in how they are carried out. In Mormonism I see humans judging other humans on very specific acts: tithing, abstaining from sexual relations and alcohol, and not using illegal drugs (which I completely agree with, though I do not think a person who does use illegal drugs is not worthy in the eyes of an omnibenevolent god).
Perhaps the Buddha would say that those following the Mormon Church are just following their own path toward enlightenment, assuming they are compassionate toward others. If that is the case, then I need to just stop worrying about what the Mormons are doing and try to follow my own path (this path of mine seems full of detours, obstacles and misguided directions!). The thing is, conversion within the Mormon Church is such a major component, that I feel offended, because I see it as a statement that it is only through following the teachings of the Mormon Church that one can reach enlightenment. This would mean that all those other religions are wrong, all those other people living seemingly good lives are not going to reach enlightenment because they are not following a certain church. I just don't get it (and I don't limit these remarks to Mormonism, it has been my experience with Christianity and my very, very brief exploration into the Islamic religion).
I am certainly not a Buddhist - I do not know enough about Buddhism to be a Buddhist, but when I read that being kind and mindful are the tenets, I want to get onboard. When I read that it is up to each individual to find their own truth, I feel a strength within myself, a need to trust my own endeavors. Another thing I remember from a class Sophie took in Buddhism was when a child stated something about Jesus being an important man and the teacher said, "Yes, he was." He never implied that only Buddha held the key to the door of salvation. I feel with Buddhism there are many teachers and many paths - all are to be embraced and valued. I just don't see this with Mormonism (and again, other religions), which may value the teachings of others, but state there is only one path toward salvation with only one leader.
***As always, these are my interpretations of philosophies/religions. I hope if someone reads this and thinks I am WAY off (or even just a little off) they will write of their experience and understanding and I thank you for doing so!
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Week 8
I started week 8 of the running program I've been following: http://running.about.com/od/getstartedwithrunning/ht/getstarted.htm
Last week was tough, 11 minutes of running with 1 minute intervals of walking, 3 times. I actually did it yesterday in high winds, sometimes felt like I was standing in place, but I did it. Today's run, 22 minutes non-stop, was wonderful!! It was raining, not hard, and that did not deter me. I ran along Canyon Road to Center Street (even up that little hill from the island to town), past the Presbyterian Church and back toward Main Street. I stopped at 22 minutes so I can ease into 30 minutes, hopefully, by the end of the week.
I'm feeling really good about making it through this program, as I am not one to stick with things. I'm feeling really, really good about finding something that pushes me and gives me something to focus on, away from all the hassles of moving and pressures of life in general. I don't listen to music when I run, just focus on my breathing and how I'm feeling, something I'm learning about in a great book, ChiRunning, by Danny Dreyer: http://www.amazon.com/ChiRunning-Revolutionary-Approach-Effortless-Injury-Free/dp/1416549447/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1276440366&sr=8-1
Last week was tough, 11 minutes of running with 1 minute intervals of walking, 3 times. I actually did it yesterday in high winds, sometimes felt like I was standing in place, but I did it. Today's run, 22 minutes non-stop, was wonderful!! It was raining, not hard, and that did not deter me. I ran along Canyon Road to Center Street (even up that little hill from the island to town), past the Presbyterian Church and back toward Main Street. I stopped at 22 minutes so I can ease into 30 minutes, hopefully, by the end of the week.
I'm feeling really good about making it through this program, as I am not one to stick with things. I'm feeling really, really good about finding something that pushes me and gives me something to focus on, away from all the hassles of moving and pressures of life in general. I don't listen to music when I run, just focus on my breathing and how I'm feeling, something I'm learning about in a great book, ChiRunning, by Danny Dreyer: http://www.amazon.com/ChiRunning-Revolutionary-Approach-Effortless-Injury-Free/dp/1416549447/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1276440366&sr=8-1
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Childhood Rite of Passage
We survived another sleepover at our house - whew! I had no idea how tiring they were for the parents, and to think my parents had 5 children, though I don't think we ever had sleepovers at the same time.
Soph had her first sleepover when she was 5 years old, in Family Housing at the University of Michigan. Her friend spent the night at our home, then Soph went over there. We lived in townhouses and the home was literally one townhouse away, so yep, at 10:00 p.m. I did a little walk by! Right at that moment, my phone rang, it was the mom and I thought I was busted, but no, she just wanted to know if I could bring Soph's favorite cereal over. It seems the sleeping part was about the same at the friend's house as at ours, because when Soph came home the next day she said, "Eun's mom said we can't have sleepovers anymore." I admit, I wasn't too disappointed.
Since then Soph's had quite a few sleepovers and we've not yet had to pick her up in the middle of the night nor drive a friend home in the middle of the night (as happened with me!).
In Utah sleepovers are not the thing and I think I know why, but if someone can respond to this and tell me for sure, I'd appreciate it! Late nights are big out here, which I kind of like, because we all get some sleep. A late night entails a friend coming over, sometimes in their pajamas, and staying until about 10:00 p.m. They then return home and we all head to bed, versus the up until 1:00 a.m. bit that happens at sleepovers.
The only thing is, I so fondly remember sleepovers I had as a kid, at my house and at my friends' homes. I was never molested or did anything that I shouldn't have (or that I wouldn't have done at another time of day) - and yes, I know these things can happen at sleepovers and it would break my heart. I also know the parents of the children with whom Soph plays and I feel very confident that the only thing we need fear is their sleep-deprived frustration the next day as our child can stay up LATE!!!
Now, having written this, I think I did a post once touting the great things about late nights, and they are great, but as always, my mind changes on topics...sometimes from minute to minute. Utah is the only place that I've heard of such a ban on sleepovers, or am I just not aware of this occurrence elsewhere?
What do you all think?
Soph had her first sleepover when she was 5 years old, in Family Housing at the University of Michigan. Her friend spent the night at our home, then Soph went over there. We lived in townhouses and the home was literally one townhouse away, so yep, at 10:00 p.m. I did a little walk by! Right at that moment, my phone rang, it was the mom and I thought I was busted, but no, she just wanted to know if I could bring Soph's favorite cereal over. It seems the sleeping part was about the same at the friend's house as at ours, because when Soph came home the next day she said, "Eun's mom said we can't have sleepovers anymore." I admit, I wasn't too disappointed.
Since then Soph's had quite a few sleepovers and we've not yet had to pick her up in the middle of the night nor drive a friend home in the middle of the night (as happened with me!).
In Utah sleepovers are not the thing and I think I know why, but if someone can respond to this and tell me for sure, I'd appreciate it! Late nights are big out here, which I kind of like, because we all get some sleep. A late night entails a friend coming over, sometimes in their pajamas, and staying until about 10:00 p.m. They then return home and we all head to bed, versus the up until 1:00 a.m. bit that happens at sleepovers.
The only thing is, I so fondly remember sleepovers I had as a kid, at my house and at my friends' homes. I was never molested or did anything that I shouldn't have (or that I wouldn't have done at another time of day) - and yes, I know these things can happen at sleepovers and it would break my heart. I also know the parents of the children with whom Soph plays and I feel very confident that the only thing we need fear is their sleep-deprived frustration the next day as our child can stay up LATE!!!
Now, having written this, I think I did a post once touting the great things about late nights, and they are great, but as always, my mind changes on topics...sometimes from minute to minute. Utah is the only place that I've heard of such a ban on sleepovers, or am I just not aware of this occurrence elsewhere?
What do you all think?
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