Writing Their Stories...

Everyone complains about their job at least once or twice, myself included. However, writing for a living does have a few precious perks. Newspapers definitely set some parameters on creative writing, but there are ways to be creative and simultaneously learn some amazing stories.
I have had a few privileged opportunities to talk with people, learn their stories and than translate them to our readership. Last year I met with a woman in her nineties who, for all intensive purposes was a historian. Years of history were kept by her mother and now by her in binders and photo albums. Those albums categorized by the areas business growth, regional changes, education and social highlights. I spent hours with her and the several more hours trying to condense all I had learned into one feature piece. I also met with an elderly gentleman, who recently passed away and took who knows how many good stories with him, who had been the first bus driver for Jefferson Central School (my high school). Just this past week I had to find a story for Memorial Day and I went as far as my neighbors house. My neighbor, a former Marine is also a race car driver (does it get any better for two little boys next door to him?). However, to sit and listen to his stories you could see the love for what he does spilling over with every picture he showed me, every album and every story.
From just those three interviews I developed a new appreciation for racing cars, a love for the simple farming life of a school bus driver and a recognition of the history that came before me.
I can only encourage anyone to take the time to look at the people in their lives and learn their stories. It's enrichment is priceless and their stories survive the more they are retold. So, even though I MAY complain about my job, it has opened the doors to so many people and the stories within them that I may have never known. Even better, I get to write their stories down.

It would be remiss of me not to express the various forays of emotions that come with every May 16. I am writing today, because I did not want tomorrow to pass without thanking God for sparing my brother's life. Just about everyone who knows me knows that Joshua was in a severe car accident six years ago. Through that accident he suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) that catapulted my family into a whole new world of grief, fear and some realistic conversations with God.
Despite the hard core evidence doctors produced to explain to us that Josh would not live or at the very best would barely be able to function on his own, God has his own ideas. Joshua did live and not only that he regained everything the doctors said he would surely lose.
There are million things I could write about when I journey back to May 16, 2004 like the amazing staff at Sunnyview Rehab Center in Schenectady, the powerful prayer support that pumped in from around the world or the brilliance of God defying some of the most intelligent doctors in their field of expertise.
However, Josh is extraordinary... recently Michael J. Fox did a special that was titled "The Journey of Incurable Optimist" and two people immediately came to mind...one of which was my brother. If he ever has been discouraged he has masked that discouragement with thanking God, working hard and laughing at the incredible odds set before him.
In the years that have followed, personally the word that has grown in meaning to me has been perspective. And, I have learned to answer some hard questions such as "Would you still thank God if Joshua had died?"
That's been one my family and I have discussed and to use one of my dad's hick phrases "hard-sayin', not knowin'. " It is hard to say what would have emerged out of the inner core of faith and gut wrenching grief, but I pray that in the end, yes I would still be able to thank God for the family I had. In no way do I know this, but the alternative to not keeping my faith alive in God seems a lot darker. Would I have spent my entire life being Angry? Sad? Depressed? I think those emotions would have raged for a time, but keeping faith in God is what's real despite circumstances right? So, its still a tough question and its one I am glad I did not have to go through the experience to answer. So yes, I praise the Lord that my brother is alive, working in his complicated computer field, getting married and moving on with life.
Additionally, we were able to write the book, (thus the poster )which gave Joshua the ability to look back on a year of his life that the rest of us remember better than he does. It gives us a chance to realize how far we as a family have come since then. We have all been blessed with a new perspective, a new compassion for people, less judgement and a God-given renewed vigor for each new day :)

A Recipe You Don't Want To Miss...

Andrew asked if he could make brownies for Mother's Day - so he picked out the brownies and I laid out the ingredients...brownie mix, eggs, water and oil. Perfect. He did it by himself and was so proud.
When he was asked what ingredients go into the brownies..he explained..."the brownie mix, the eggs, some water and then fuel."

*Best Brownies EVER!

Something Weird Happened...

Anyone who knows me but at all knows that I am, in no way, a morning person. I am not even close. But, this morning, I woke up and I actually felt awake! I got "the boys" off to school and instead of crawling on the couch to groggily make it through some morning news and coffee - I actually had energy! This morning turned into a productive morning... not sure what that is all about and it might be an eternity before it ever happens again...but I was thinking, "so this is what morning people are like". I had to think about that because you see I have tried to be a morning person, chalking it up to a state-of-mind -Kinda like resetting an internal clock. That whole idea lasted for approximately a week.
I coached with a guy who though that 5a.m. was the best time of the day....um. what?. no. I do wish I WAS a morning person, there is something about taking charge of a day rather than letting it slowly unravel through foggy eyes and a "don't talk to me yet" attitude. However, its just not meant to be. I function much better in the latter part of the day. I would rather go for an evening run than even THINK about working out in the morning ( when I was in high school my dad with run with me at like 8 or 9 at night). Staying up late to read or watch a movie is much more my speed than embracing a sunrise (tho very pretty).
So, this morning was an anomaly of sorts and I'm not sure what sparked it, but I'll roll with it.

Note To Self:

One should not bake when one is really hungry. Thus there be no real baked goods when one is done with the baking and one is no longer hungry.
Poetic? yes?

A cherry coke without the cherry please...

My friend Shannon will order a cherry coke without the cherry.... and I mention it only to preface my issues with randomly flavored items. This week alone - I made THREE mistakes...a trifecta of various mistakes if you will.
First: I picked up Tostitos to have at the house along with an array of snacks for some friends. I went to eat them that night and ....they were LIME Tostitos. Sorry, they were gross. I didn't notice the LIME scribbled on the bottom of the bag.

Second: Then the other day I picked up a 12-pack of Dr. Pepper...only to get home and realize I had grabbed CHERRY Dr. Pepper. GRRRRRRR. ( which I ended up liking btw)

Third (and biggest mistake of all): We were on the way to my mom's house and we stopped at a gas station to grab a few drinks for the ride. Andrew asked for water...I got it, regular water. Gregg asked for a Diet Dr. Pepper (without the cherry). So I flew in and there were no Dr. Peppers in sight. So, I went for the next best thing...and found Diet Pepsi. Got out to the car and Gregg took a swig only to find out I had grabbed LIME Diet Pepsi!

WHAT IS UP WITH THE WEIRD FLAVORS ON EVERYTHING! So, he asked for a diet dr. pepper and instead..got a diet pepsi with lime...I dunno.

So, just give me a cherry, lime soda without the cherry or lime puhleese. Can't we all just be happy with regular coke and regular tostitos and regular diet dr.pepper ........:) Or perhaps, one should just pay better attention to what things one is pulling off the shelves to buy:)

97...days...

Ok, so in my world of P90x will become P97x...why? because of life in general. However, its day 52 and well...surviving! I allotted myself seven skip days over the 90 day period...and it looks like I will use all of my self-allowed "free days".
I also finally finished Emma...so now I am allowed to watch the movie :) After that I told myself I would not start more than one book at a time...so much for that. I have started The Lord of the Rings trilogy...which may take me the summer with all that hobbit talk. But, I'm enthralled with other people's imaginations and those books definitely portray one of the greatest imaginative minds ever!
At the same time I started reading The Rescue by Nicholas Sparks...because I told myself I just wanted to read the opening chapter....and got sucked right in I did.
Well, I'm supposed to be working for work...and I'm not doing a very good job :)
BTW - THANKS for all the recipes! I will put them to good use!promise! keep em coming.