Psalm 77

¹ I cried out to God for help;
I cried out to God to hear me.
² When I was in distress, I sought the Lord;
at night I stretched out untiring hands,
and I would not be comforted.

³ I remembered you, God, and I groaned;
I meditated, and my spirit grew faint.^b]">[b]
⁴ You kept my eyes from closing;
I was too troubled to speak.
⁵ I thought about the former days,
the years of long ago;
⁶ I remembered my songs in the night.
My heart meditated and my spirit asked:

⁷ “Will the Lord reject forever?
Will he never show his favor again?
⁸ Has his unfailing love vanished forever?
Has his promise failed for all time?
⁹ Has God forgotten to be merciful?
Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”

¹⁰ Then I thought, “To this I will appeal:
the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand.
¹¹ I will remember the deeds of the LORD;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
¹² I will consider all your works
and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”

¹³ Your ways, God, are holy.
What god is as great as our God?
¹⁴ You are the God who performs miracles;
you display your power among the peoples.

November 13, 2010

Today - a couple of days late, I suppose - I am grateful for all veterans. Mike and I spent Veteran's Day at the sight of the Civil War battle of Shiloh. It was a beautiful day and because it was Vet's Day, the park waived the entrance fees.

Because the battlefield was (is) so big, they have it set up so that you can drive around to 20 key points where important parts of the battle took place. But, due to road construction, you had to walk to three of the sites if you wanted to see them. Of course, two of the three were sites that we really wanted to see. It turned out to be the best part of the trip - it was a gorgeous day and we were able to get some great snaps.



Mike was really anxious to see this pond, because it looked from the handouts they gave us at the Ranger station that it would be a great picture. It was - but the pond is called "Bloody Pond," because so many soldiers crawled here for water and died that the water turned red.



Mike made a good point. We were discussing whether we'd liked Little Bighorn (in Montana) or Shiloh better. I noted that Shiloh didn't have the same spooky feeling, because at Little Bighorn, they have markers where they found the bodies of the soldiers, where are Shiloh simply has the cemeteries. Mike countered with the observation that at Little Bighorn you were restricted to a couple of paths that they had designated, but at Shiloh, you were tromping through the woods and going anywhere you wanted - walking the same paths as those who'd fought there 148 years ago.

Verdict? - Both are worth seeing. If you go to Shiloh, set aside the whole day, because you can easily spend it there.

Kitty Docking Station

Charging...charging...charging...

September 27, 2010

Today I am grateful that I have a job.

I am.

Yeah.

Grateful.

Maybe if I keep repeating it, I'll remember to actually feel grateful in my heart.

Happy Monday, everyone!

September 26, 2010 (Part II)

I'm grateful that despite evidence to the contrary - it didn't rain today! We were back at Wrigley Field for the last home Cubs game of the season.

Will somebody please tell Mike that his jersey doesn't look stupid with his gray hoodie? I had to threaten to boycott the whole game to get him to wear the jersey!


I'm grateful for the red line, which saves us money for parking.


I'm grateful for Mike - even if he does look slightly homeless when he doesn't shave on the weekends.

(Homeless Mike)

Aww...look how cute he is.


And they definitely don't come much cuter than the two of us together!


I'm grateful for peanuts you have to crack out of the shell. Delish! A winner in almost any situation - which was good, because the Cubs certainly weren't today.


I'm grateful that the Cubs put the Detroit score on the scoreboard today and saved me from having to hear the whining.

And I'm grateful for my kitties, who are always up for a nap in the man cave.


Happy Sunday, everyone!

September 26, 2010

Today I am grateful for sunny days - because it really looks like it's going to rain.

September 25, 2010

Today I am grateful for the Mars Cheese Castle, just outside of Kenosha, Wisconsin - because I right now have a fridge full of yummy, yummy cheeses. I also have imported chocolate and Dusseldorf style mustard.


(The new and improved Cheese Castle - which is currently under construction.)

September 24, 2010

Today I am grateful that Kelly and her "special friend" are enjoying their bike riding together.

And equally grateful that Mike does not ask me to ride a bike with him. Seriously - so grateful.

But have fun, Kelly! :)

September 23, 2010

Today I'm grateful for Sam, the Russian watch guy. He took the Tissot Seastar watch that Mike bought me on ebay for a steal, got a couple of extra links, and made it all spiffy for me.

My mom always wanted a watch with a blue face. She could never find one that she loved which also fit well. Ever since she died, I've also been on the lookout for the perfect blue-faced watch. It was my mom's quixotic quest and I somehow couldn't let it end without the Holy Grail of blue-faced watches being found!

When Mike showed up with this one, I was in love. But - it was super small, and whomever it had belonged to had sent it to Mike without the extra links they had removed. I worried that it would be difficult to get the fit right - and it was a real chore to get the two new links from the company. (It took quite a bit of time). Well the links are in and the deed is done and I am smitten. My mom would have been so jealous!

September 21, 2010

Today I am grateful for the Chicago Cubs. Because they stink this year, I was able to snatch up two tickets to tonight's game for $35. Total! Ask any Chicagoan and they'll tell you, that's a damn good deal! (Here are our seats).


And I'm grateful that the Cubs were giving away pink hats tonight. Doesn't Mike look cute in his? Take a good look, because I guarantee you'll never see him wear it again.


It got darker and darker and darker.

So they pulled out the tarp and covered everything up. Good thing, because it started raining shortly after! I was grateful for this, even!


Because it created the perfect opportunity to enjoy a Ball Park frank from Wrigley Field! The official hotdog of the Chicago Cubs! (Also available at Comerica Park).


The took the tarp off, prepped the field and had to run to put the tarp back on when a deluge hit about 20 minutes later...so I guess I'm grateful that Wrigley Field employs such a dedicated grounds crew. You wouldn't catch me out there in the downpour!


And lastly - I'm grateful that Mike has internet on his cell phone.


Inexplicably, the Cubs didn't have the Tigers score posted on the scoreboard...(i.e. nobody cares - kidding! I'm kidding!). So Schmikey had to keep up on his own group of loveable losers (at least this year) on his phone. (They lost to Kansas City).

September 19, 2010

Today I am grateful for God. (Pictures below were taken during Mass this afternoon.) RCIA begins tomorrow at our parish. And I'm on the team. I'm so excited that it may be a challenge sleeping tonight. I don't know why I'm so excited, but I can't wait! I suppose it's just the idea that I'll be guiding someone through their own spiritual journey.






And RCIA was so much fun for me! It's meeting new people and talking about God and how He has influenced my own life. It's kind of scary, too! It's a big responsibility - at least it is to me! And clearly the staff thinks so - they've given us homework...books on being an effective leader and how to talk to people about God.

Today in church it was the stewardship sign up. They left a list of ministries on the pews and asked that you take it home and see if God is calling you to "share your gifts" with the parish. After Mass, we ran into Luciano (the music director). It happened that Luciano had heard us talk about Mike's decent singing voice before. He asked me where Mike was and if he was at all interested in joining the choir, since they were desperate for male singers. I said I wasn't sure, but Luciano said he'd talk to him. I prepped Mike before hand - I was sure that Mike was going to think I'd sold him out. Mike laughed and told Luciano that he'd come choir practice for awhile and sing in the choir at the 10 a.m. masses. Then Luciano turned on me and convinced me that I should sing, too - since I'll be at the masses with Mike etc. He found out that I played instruments and is working to get me to play during special masses (like Easter etc).

I said I'd think about it.

September 18, 2010

Today I am grateful for the Knights of Columbus. As evidenced by the pictures below, Mike is a Knight (1st degree, but moving up!). Not only do they do a lot of good in the world, but Mike really loves getting together with the other guys and going to the meetings. They have two meetings a month - the first one is a business meeting and the second is a "social" meeting. I suspect this second meeting is just an excuse to drink beer and talk about sports...but then, I don't know - I'm not allowed to go. Perhaps part of the draw for Mike is that it's for men only and his wife isn't allowed to go with him. He spends a lot of time in my loud-mouth shadow and, while he never complains, I suspect he enjoys being around people without me answering for him all the time. Hey - I'm trying to get better! But I still once in awhile will realize that someone has asked him a question which I answered for him. It's a work in progress.




It's tootsie roll time again for the Knights, although the organization encourages you to refer to it as the "Campaign for People with Intellectual Disabilities" as the KoC has no official ties to the Tootsie Roll company. Mike has been handing out tootsie rolls for donations all weekend. Please give generously! It's for a good cause.

September 17

Today I am grateful for sweat pants. I haven't worn them for a long time and then last month, I impulsively purchased a pair during a trip to Walmart and I love them. I'd wear them all the time if I could get away with it!

Sweat pants...that's my pick for the day. Mark it!

September 14

Today I am grateful for Sergio. I started out being grateful for Piece Pizza and iCream - then realized that, to date, all of my gratefuls have been food related. So I broke with the pattern and have decided that today I'm grateful for Serg.

More on the food track tomorrow...

September 13

Today I am grateful for french fries. Specifically I am grateful for Edzo's truffle fries. They are the best. Sure they're not good for you and you shouldn't eat them all the time - but as far as I'm concerned, they're the perfect food.


"French fries. I love them. Some people are chocolate and sweets people. I love French fries. That and caviar." - Cameron Diaz

September 12

So I never blog. I know this - you know this. I don't think anyone's surprised by the sentiment. So I thought that I'd take a page out of my mother-in-law's book and try a little gratefulness blog. That way, my posts don't have to be long and maybe it'll help me remember all those little things (and some big ones, too) that I really am grateful for. So, without further ado...

Today I am grateful for Merle's Rib Palace in Evanston, Illinois. They have a delightful wedge salad with a lovely creamy blue cheese dressing which hit the spot this evening while I was dining with my dearest.

I am grateful for Cinemark Century Theater, also in Evanston, Illinois, which allowed me to watch Resident Evil: Afterlife in 3D...or as I like to call it 3-effing-D. I spent most of the movie like this...

I'm grateful for zombie movies, which scare the bejesus out of me.

And sunglasses - you can never have enough sunglasses.

Amen.

Translator's Note

So, after a conversation with a fellow English major I work with, I decided that I'd read my way through a list of the 100 best novels in the world. The #1 book - which got 50% more votes than any other novel was Don Quixote. Why not start at the top, I said to myself. And so, today I went out and purchased a brand spanking new copy of The New York Times Bestseller - newly translated by Edith Grossman - version of Miguel de Cervantes' history of Don Quixote de la Mancha. It even has an introduction by Harold Bloom! (He usually talks about Shakespeare - so I'm interested to see what he has to say about Cervantes. Did you know that Shakespeare and Cervantes died on the same day?...but I'm getting off topic).

I could almost hear Mike sighing inside of his head when I announced my intent to read my way through this list and my request that we make a stop at the book store today so that I could get started. I know he figures that we will end up $14 poorer with an extra book on the shelf that I've given up reading. I must confess that I'm slightly intimidated by the sheer size of this book. 74 chapters - 940 pages - plus a translator's note and introduction...did I mention that's by Harold Bloom? I did? What - I'm very excited about this...I'm a geek aren't I?

Anyway - I've decided that I need to do at least a chapter a day in order to keep the flow going. I was excited to get started, but left it so late that I decided to do only the minimum, which in this case meant reading the first bit - the translator's note. All I can really say is that this woman likes to hear herself speak - or type..and she uses the word "utopian" incessantly.

Bring on the windmills!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

Due to the beginning of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Mike will be putting all non-important matters temporarily on hold until the middle of June.

LET'S GO RED WINGS!!!!!!

Quote of the Day

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in all of us. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” - Nelson Mandela (Quote originally written by Marianne Williamson)

When I'm Gone

So I finally watched the final two-peart last episodes of Monk. They premiered about two months ago, but I haven't been able to bring myself to watch. I have always enjoyed the show, but I haven't watch it much since my mom died. It was her favorite show and the day she died was the half season finale "Mr. Monk Goes to a Rock Concert." That one sat on my tivo for a year before I could finally watch it. After I got past my mental block and watched it, I would occasionally watch other episodes, but I found that the enjoyment just wasn't the same. I always thought it weird that the show continued without its number 1 fan.

And now it's over. The last episode has aired and the major mystery solved - and I realized that I liked it better when the show was still on the air. I guess you just can't make me happy. :) I cried when they played the ending song "When I'm Gone" by Randy Newman (see below) and I realized that my mom is gone and now - so is Monk. It's completely irrational. Even if they were making new episodes, Mom's not here to see them. And to be honest, I haven't been watching regularly for the last three years.

I've just shaken my head and chalked it up to "one of those things." It doesn't really make any sense - but there it is.

Incidentally, despite claims that I've seen stating that the song is available on i-Tunes, I haven't been able to find it. I really do like the song and if you find it - I'd love to have it! Let me know.

Mik and the Ice Diva

The Heart of Life

Happiness

"Happiness lies for those who cry, those who have searched, and those who have tried, for only they can appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives."

Just as Sweet

So I've been thinking that I want to rename the blog. When I started it, I stuck "Mike and Cindi" on top until I could think up something more clever and then promptly found more important things to do. My archive tells me that Mike and I will have been keeping the blog for four years on January 14. And still no title. We started this blog before we were married, for pity's sake!

But what do we call it? That is the question. I want something catchy and/or clever. Any ideas?

Not Yet

Give me chastity and continence, but not yet.- St Augustine