Ode to Curiosity

 3/31/10

Those who know me are aware of the fact that my curiosity knows few bounds and I will often chide others for their lack of same. Someone will be telling me a story and I am constantly asking, "Well, did you ask...??" or "What did they say when you said...??" only to be met by the reply that they didn't ask or didn't say whatever it seemed so obvious to me needed to be asked or said.

So ok, maybe I am overly curious if there is such a thing. And sure, I've been known to embarrass myself on occasion (though I have yet to end up with a garbage can lid on my head). But I staunchly maintain we cannot learn if we do not ask. The quest for deeper knowledge and understanding is well worth the risk of embarrassment.

Here is what I think.If you have no curiosity, develop some! If you are already of a curious bent, don't be dissuaded! Sprinkle a little curiosity on and watch yourself grow.

Wicked... and the cost of belonging...or not

 3/28/10

I am a lover of books and a lover of quotes. I have about ten years worth of favorite quotes on a fried hard drive with no backup disc. A tech says it would cost me about $600 to retrieve them so they remain a painful loss at the moment. But I realized today that Google is storing this blog for me so I can start a new list here.

I just finished reading the book "Wicked" by Gregory Maguire. It runs around 400 pages and three sections in it particularly caught my eye on this first read. I may well read it again someday, there is a lot of thought provoking material there and I would certainly recommend it highly. Anyway, the three quotes I want to save here:

"There was much to hate in this world, and too much to love."

"When the times are a crucible, when the air is full of crisis, those who are the most themselves are the victims. But the choice to save yourself can itself be deadly."

and finally...

"Maybe the definition of home is the place where you are never forgiven, so you may always belong there bound by guilt. And maybe the cost of belonging is worth it."

A lot of the proverbial food for thought in these quotes, for me at least, so I assume others might find them equally provocative. I want to write about the third one in particular tonight. I must say I would prefer to think of home as the place you are always loved, of course love can cause bonds of guilt as well. The "cost of belonging" has always interested me in both the microcosm of family and the larger world of our society as well. Really all three of the quotes above speak to the issue.(If you ever want to see this idea worked out visually see the movie "Witness". An outsider must hide within an Amish community. He becomes involved with one of the women, and the whole idea of what it costs her to belong is played out in a stunning barn building scene where not a word is spoken.)

Anyway, the cost of belonging versus the cost of not belonging. Here is what I think. It is something to which we should all give a lot of thought.

The Spoils of...

 3/10/10

Well, a little over 2 weeks in and only 2 days after Valentine’s Day (when appropriately thoughtful and romantic gifts & cards were given) my daughter’s boyfriend broke up with her by texting her cell phone. Hmmm… there is so much that comes to mind at this point, but I want to stay brief and hopefully entertaining.

While they were still “in love” (and yes, he did use the “L” word) he lent her Seasons 1 & 2 of a very hilarious show called “The Big Bang Theory.” I mention this because he made the error of not retrieving them before he broke up. With the notable and interesting exception of my eldest daughter (feel free to write a comment concerning your disapproval, dear), everyone, especially the males interestingly enough, I have shared this info with agrees that the DVDs are now the property of my daughter unless the ex has the cojones to come and get them in person. She hasn’t heard from him since “The Text”, so it pretty much looks like she has a very nice consolation prize (one that will give her many more laughs and dare I say pleasure than the ex ever would have IMO).

So here is what I think. Never break up with someone other than face to face (with the obvious exception of potentially dangerous psychos, very bad choices indeed). It is hurtful, disrespectful and cowardly to say the least and you may very well be forfeiting some cool stuff in the process.

Winter Wimp’s Whine

               ( My house in the dead of winter... emphasis on dead!)
 

3/2/10

Well folks, I was hoping I wouldn’t have to raise this subject this year. If winter had just shown a tad of mercy I might have made it through to Spring without feeling the need to indulge in a major rant on the season of my discontent, to paraphrase the Bard of Avon.

But oh no, winter had to flex its icy biceps with a freak storm that started six nights ago with a power outage at around 9pm. The weather folks called it a “Snowacaine” because the storm boasted 90 mile an hour winds too. So I resignedly went to bed hoping for the best, meaning power restored by morning.

Well, I awoke to no power. That wouldn’t have been so bad maybe, but add the insane rain that turned my basement into a wading pool. (I have a pump that usually spares me this problem, but there is one catch… it requires electricity.) Oh, and did I forget to mention the two huge pine trees that crashed into my house in the night? Looks like the house won that fight, but I won’t know for sure until I pay some handyman to remove the tree parts on my roof and the huge fallen trees in my yard.

Let’s add the expense of four nights in a hotel room. (I don’t do well when there is no running water, so I abandon ship pdq if the electric company says it will be "days" before power is restored.) Once I retire in 5 years or so I do plan to move somewhere away from winter, but for now I am stuck. I already have cabin fever by November. I hate winter with a fearsome loathing that deepens with each passing year. How I ended up in the Northeast and why I am still here will be a subject for some future blogs perhaps.

When my husband was alive we often talked about getting a generator but never did. I wouldn’t know how to run one anyway, and it isn’t really something I want to deal with at this point in my life. So my youngest daughter and I are holed up at the hotel and she tries to cheer me up. “Mom,” she proclaims, “now that I have a full time job I am going to save my money and buy us a generator.”

I tell her that is a fine and generous thought. I also tell her that if she does get a generator for the house it will be totally and utterly her responsibility because this old dog most emphatically does not want to learn the new trick… “generator”! She protests and says I will have to learn about it too because, “What will you do if I am not home and the power goes out?”

I reply? “If that happens darling, I will do what I know how to do…call a hotel!!”

In winter Mother Nature divides us into two groups here in NH, winter warriors and winter wimps.I know where I belong in that scheme.

So here is what I think. While I am all for the pursuit of knowledge, it is also important to know your limitations and stick to what you know. Oh… and winter sucks!!!