We'll take a cup of kindness yet for Auld Lang Syne.

Time is a funny thing.
One of those things that is meant to be contemplated, but never fully understood.
It seems to me that you cannot experience the present moment in time, without your memories of the past and your hopes for the future. Some would argue that time as we know it doesn't even exist. Let us save that for another day....
For now, let me just address my gifts from this past year and consider my hopes for the year ahead.

Dear 2011,

• I discovered that teaching high school is even better than teaching junior high! Thank you for the tremendous growth I had in my profession. With the start of this new school year, I saw that the growth would continue, as I met my most challenging group of students ever.  I am hopeful that I will continue to give them the very best that I have, and that your successor, 2012, somehow provides me with an extra dose of patience.
• I found out that online classes are subpar to a traditional classroom setting, and I am intrigued by the trend to this type of experience.  I wonder if the new techonologically infused generation gets more out of them than I do.  I am hopeful that this new year will see many opportunities for me to continue being a student.
• I saw again how you can truly measure the passage of time through the growth of children. New babies were welcomed into my world.  I wish health and happiness to all of the children in my life.
• I realized that I would not be the President of the Ladies Auxillary for the Eagles anytime soon. Perhaps when I am 60. It was interesting though, and I hope that new and interesting experiences will continue to come to me in the new year.
• I experienced life changing peace at the Peace Education Summit in Newark, NJ. I was able to see peace exemplified as I was surrounded by the strongest, most peaceful hearts in the world.  I also fell in love with the Dalai Lama at this event. I am hopeful that I will continue to sew the seeds that were planted in me.
• I saw a possible future cut from me, surgically. Thank you for showing me how strong I can be, and reminding me to appreciate my body.  I hope that I continue to trust in God's plans for me.
• Thank you for the people in my life that I was able to love a lot.  I hope that this new year gives me many opportunities to love the people in my life fiercely.

Yours truly,
Sierra

An Homage to Rinky-Dink Airports.

The genius behind this sign is not who I would hire for city planning. And no. I do not know where gate 5 is.

huh. Interesting order....

The ONE business. Cafe/Bar Hybrid. I don't care HOW small it is. Airports gotta have a bar.

My bro. My hero.

My brother is covered in tattoos, and loves fart jokes.

Recently, while traveling, I was sitting behind him on a small aircraft, reading a book about Buddhism, and contemplating Karma. 

My attention was drawn to the seats in front of us, as the concerned stewards called for any medical personnel to please make themselves known.

An EMT certification very quickly made my brother the most medically qualified person on board.

From my anonymous vantage point I watched my littlest brother. Working with the grace, confidence and maturity born of an old soul. He helped the patient, and instilled confidence in his wife.  With an easy smile, he managed the situation.

I watched the flight attendants faces change, from secret panic to confidence. Smiling and nodding at us passengers in the vicinity.



He offered without hesitation. Without thought of reward.

I got to watch my wonderful brother plant the seeds of later good fortune.

I hastily looked out at the bright shiny wing.

And cried.

Lobster Death Match.

Sierra vs. The Lobster

Round 1: At the Supermarket

Sierra: BIG talker prior to arrival at the Supermarket. "Shiiit...I'm part 'east coast' by birth...We need to enjoy things we can't have in the west...I'm down....Let's have a lobster dinner..."

Lobster: Just survived a giant tank spill thereby experiencing confusion and chaos.

Sierra: Looks at FULL blooded east coast mom and fearless brother. Looks at lobsters roaming the tanks. Begins to regret earlier rash words.  "Perhaps we should get some of this pre-cut, no longer looks like what it was, salmon?"

Lobster: Gets shoved in a plastic bag, along with three of his mates.

Round 2: In the Car

Sierra: Can't touch the bag with lobsters. Begins imagining them crawling all over each other, gasping in waterless plastic bags.

Lobster: Bounces around in the backseat. Gasps in waterless plastic bag.

Round 3: Preparation

Sierra: Can't go in the kitchen. Imagines lobster grasping at the sides of the pot...screaming in agony. Starts googling Lobsters. Turns out they cannot feel pain, and die within ten seconds. Begins counting to ten. It takes forever.

Lobster: Dies at the hands of Denise "100% East Coast"

Sierra: Begins to lose appetite.

Round 4: The Meal

Sierra: Approaches the beast warily. Starts with the claws. Delicately. The other lobsters being devoured in a buttery frenzy. Then. Somewhere amid shell shrapnel, eyeballs, antennas and watery guts...the bloodlust sets in.

Lobster: Is delicious...

My First Blog.

A dream made me do it. Seriously.While trapped in the moments between snoozes, my subconscious vehemently advised me to write a blog. I sought the opinion of those closest to me... on facebook. 

      AND with positive encouragement, I am here.

Though I was fairly certain blogging hadn't made it's way into the deep well of the collective unconscious, I decided to take the opportunity to peruse online dream interpretation websites.

While these sites were unable to tell me the archetypal meaning of blogging, here are some interesting things I DID find out:

• Dreams have been interpreted as far back as 3,000 B.C. ...they found descriptions carved in clay tablets...
• In an average lifetime, you will have spent about six years dreaming...
• If you dream of a xylophone, you are concerned for the environment...
• Five minutes after the end of a dream, you will have forgotten about half of it...90% is forgotten by ten minutes.
• If you are snoring, you cannot be dreaming...