Saturday, November 24, 2007

The Fam

Thanksgiving is behind us. Christmas looms ahead. This is my favorite time of year. The temperature is nice, people are pleasant and giving is in our hearts.

Next week Kim and I head to Israel for ten days. I am really excited but the enthusiasm is tempered by our worries about being away from the kids for 10 days. Ashley and Nolan will be fine but Deacon is a Momma's boy and he may have a very hard time. We shall see. I am very happy that Aunt Mirm will be babysitting and she is soooooo good with kids. I am sure that Deacon will be fine.

I do have a few days of work before the grand farewell and lots of charts to finish before then so I will be a busy man for a while.

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Pictures and Music...It's a miracle!!

The GREAT Outdoors

I love being outside at this time of year. The air is crisp and there is a property to it which is almost an anti-depressant. You may know that people in northern latitudes experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) which is a seasonal depression believed to be related to the long nights and lack of fresh air. I feel that i suffer from something similar in the long, hot summers where the sun is relentless and its heat even invades the nights here in the desert. But now the depression is lifting, the nights and mornings are cool, almost crisp. The top is off the Jeep which alleviates the stress of the long day as I drive home in the cooling night air. I went with Dr. McClure (my supervising physician at work) to a morning meeting he has at the local Hospice where he is the medical director. The meeting was on the screened porch off the back of the house...what a wonderful morning. Fresh air, birds chirping, green grass, shade trees...relaxes me just to write about it.

This also means that I am itching to get in the Jeep. Poor thing is neglected! I should be going out on Saturday morning if all goes well. I'll be sure to post some pictures. Have a nice Autumn

Sunday, November 4, 2007

Road Trip

I just got back from a late week trip to Vegas where I attended a conference to maintain my professional license. There is something about the solitude of silence and the open road. Alone with my thoughts the unimportant disolves from the mind and the important focuses and sharpens. As I drove I listened to Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson. A great read and I recommend it to anyone. It got me thinking about one thing that has been on mind and allowed me to really hone my thoughts...the issue of immigration as it relates to what is going on at the Mexican-United States border. People are beginning to vilify the people not the policy which is reminiscant of the attitude that many German's had toward the Jews prior to WWII. We seem to think that this is "Our country" to the exclusion of everyone else. Remeber that none of us, with the exception of Native Americans, are transplanted to this country. It is this conglomeration of the worlds people that have made us geat, however we cant get hate out of our hearts. We can't understand how the German's could do to the Jews what they did. We can't fathom the depth of hatred that was the undercurrent for segregation in this country. Well folks here we are again. Within us is the ability to see the direction that we are heading and the potential to change it. I have always loved the poem by Emma Lazarus enscribed on plaque at the base of the Statue of Liberty

cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

anyway...check out the book and thanks for endulging my rant
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