tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60267108016977044612012-01-17T12:06:51.293-07:00Bathtime BloggerLornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.comBlogger801100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-17630512480886271032011-02-12T13:25:00.026-07:002011-02-24T12:49:09.763-07:00

  I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do. ~ Edward Everett Hale You can read more about this lovely man from an article in The Daily Californian newspaper or get to know him on one of his many Youtube 'satsangs' :). Enjoy! here

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-80562716703998531372011-02-02T19:12:00.007-07:002011-02-08T11:15:30.856-07:00

All this winter snow is getting tedious, so recently I parked at our local Starbucks with my eyes closed to soak up some sun. I was also supposed to be sitting silently in a public place (for a class I was taking) listening, so my windows were rolled down, in the spirit of being more public. There was a car parked on both sides, and the one on the driver's side also had a woman in it, who was

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-6789281400992152702011-01-03T12:37:00.004-07:002011-01-26T23:07:01.654-07:00

What I wish for all of us this year!

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-36676240759025377822010-11-27T12:54:00.024-07:002011-01-05T00:26:56.339-07:00

"God is a comedian, playing to an audience too afraid to laugh." ~ Voltaire First, let me just say it is never a good idea to spill water on your laptop. Ever. I don't know why PC manufacturers don't find a way to make water-proof keyboards, considering all the people in homes and offices who drink coffee/tea/Singapore Slings at their workstation....well, actually I suppose it's because THEY

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-4283848174293721232010-10-03T11:23:00.020-06:002010-10-04T14:02:34.879-06:00

Funny how things change.   Courtesy Arie Van De Graaff at mormoncartoonist.com Sundays used to be a time of great stress, dressing up and corralling four kids and a husband to haul ourselves down to church for three hours of intense brainwashing gathering with our community in communion. Heh. Not to mention running myself ragged in some calling or other dealing with actual PEOPLE outside my

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-45568591861272452132010-09-20T14:55:00.000-06:002010-09-20T14:55:22.816-06:00

I love how the world is so very, very big or small, depending on your lens. Your life is an album and each moment is a photo. Are you enjoying the development?

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-75474216014067025412010-09-11T23:40:00.000-06:002010-09-11T23:40:46.612-06:00

On the Anniversary of September 11, here's a thought:

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-58840063640956638042010-09-07T10:54:00.013-06:002010-10-04T08:00:43.544-06:00

August and September, while marking the end of summer, also herald new beginnings for me. I 'lost' two very special people during both who forever changed my life for the better. Each taught me about compassion and humor--two traits I cherish. August marks the anniversary of the birth of my grandson who was placed for adoption. The last time I saw him he made me laugh and I will always remember

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-26524400043573498092010-08-28T23:54:00.006-06:002010-08-29T00:16:41.260-06:00

It's been an eventful summer. For all of us. You, and I. You've seen my photo posts; words are elusive of late. I've learned a few things as I reflect in the heart of the canyons here... One, that I have missed you. I've visited your blogs and tasted cups of love and the touch of your hearts. I'm glad to walk with you as we travel together.  Two, that with the many storms facing us, we are

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-89031654147991034842010-08-07T11:31:00.001-06:002010-08-07T11:58:01.822-06:00

I don't know about you, but this summer has brought with it much change and growth and love.  Here are some of the ways summer refreshed me: Flying high in sky... Dipping into the sea... Finding treasures...(if not Nemo) Exploring new terrain... Enjoying natural and man made art... Absorbing colors... Kicking back... Outmaneuvering sharks...(hint: shopping carts involved) No, still not

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-51214273196752374162010-06-24T11:47:00.007-06:002010-06-29T11:46:43.248-06:00

This is pretty much in my book what religion is supposed to be about. Bringing everyone together. Not dividing us into 'us' vs. 'them'. We are all a family, traveling together. Hugs break through the limitations of mind; they are the uniting of what's inside of all of us. The commonality of love. Italy. China. Cleveland. Brazil. Samoa. Kenya. Iceland. Croatia...wherever we are, here's to

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-21517559101201161472010-06-09T14:42:00.012-06:002010-06-14T02:00:11.020-06:00

I figured out why I love the internet so much, or more to the point, my internet connections from around the world. Besides being a communications major in college, and having been told my entire life that I talk entirely too much--my parents thought it was endearing as a toddler, and my first husband was sweet about it, but grade school teachers and my childrens father protested otherwise. When

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-4598566868818701662010-05-18T12:51:00.011-06:002010-05-19T10:34:08.437-06:00

It's entirely possible that I spend far too much time reading. But one of the things I've noticed is, when I hear words of wisdom from someone who knows me, it can feel like criticism, and I don't hear the message because I'm too busy taking it personally. But come across the same thought in a book, and I am free to ask "Could this be true for me too?" and feel willing to changing things that I

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-86704828462032902522010-04-22T15:24:00.016-06:002010-04-27T11:59:48.259-06:00

Happy Earth Day everyone. It feels like a day of celebration, so I'm putting aside the blog I've been writing to post something a little more, well, earthy. A few years ago I was blown away by Eckhart Tolle's A New Earth. I had been listening to his CD's for awhile, but must have been ready for the messages in the book because it was one of those defining moments where life around me changed

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-79342166477702656852010-04-08T15:31:00.007-06:002010-04-22T13:43:07.142-06:00

While sipping my morning 'joe' of kale/mango/banana/coconut/lucama (wtf?) green smoothie, my heart is leaping and soaring all at once. Nearing the end of Geneen Roth's newest book (the first of which I've read even though I've devoured her column in Good Housekeeping which my mailman drops by, faithfully), is filling a part of me I haven't touched in a long, long while and it's dangerously

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-54142146610099944962010-04-02T11:48:00.010-06:002010-04-08T15:33:17.018-06:00

Did you know in 2007 coconuts were banned from the US? Read article here because we almost lost pineapples too. Thanks, USDA. No joke, here's the scoop on why you might want to include some in your diet: "Coconut water kefir is a relatively new kefir form, due largely to the popularity and education about coconut water's health benefits in recent years in the United States. I find it to be

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-31276967175968343712010-03-21T13:23:00.021-06:002010-03-21T17:27:07.777-06:00

To those of you who have been wondering, I am off The Cleanse as of a week ago Thursday, after spending a fun-filled night at the ER--again--when my cleanse supervisor told me to hie myself there, pronto. I'd called her to say I couldn't sleep because my heart kept pounding erratically and my hands were not only seizing up and going numb, they were endlessly twitching in different directions...

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-31371371982512820612010-03-06T09:48:00.010-07:002010-03-07T09:41:54.774-07:00

Asilisaurus kongwe from the Middle Triassic of Tanzania, with the sailbacked archosaur Hypselorhachis in the background. Photo: Marlene Donnelly/Field Museum The interesting thing about colon hydrotherapy, is that you get to see stuff you don't ordinarily see. Stuff that will curl your toes. Dr. Oz says 90% of humans carry worms, and turns out I'm one of them. Years ago, I met with a colonic

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-35759638517206421432010-03-04T10:01:00.004-07:002010-03-04T10:20:51.751-07:00

My sweet friend Julie, over at Prarie Thistle is sponsoring a giveaway this month. She runs a fabulous Etsy Shop of beautiful jewelry/artwork collections. Folks, these are truly one of a kind pieces and she has a heart of gold. I discovered her blog last year while Googling the house from Practical Magic, and fell in love and stayed. You might find yourself doing that too.  

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-27655828085178900862010-02-26T13:05:00.024-07:002010-02-27T14:26:46.881-07:00

It's been awhile since I've been prompted to write. But it makes sense, since I've gone into a type of February-esque end-of-winter hibernation. So much has been on my mind with the kidney episode and the resulting hospital bills that I felt something had to change. I suppose it's the state of our Healthcare here in the U.S. and hope I don't offend anyone, but frankly, it needs help. Because

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-41119325345559583362010-02-10T13:03:00.031-07:002010-02-11T14:16:38.257-07:00

I can't tell you how excited I am this week, and getting more agitated the closer we get to the western world's love culture--known even in kindergarten circles as--St. Valentine's Day. Heralded in the stores with love tokens right after New Year's, it gives retailers an early boost and the rest of us something to celebrate. We Utahns get through our winters honoring all the celebrations we can

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-16170080165719818042010-02-01T09:44:00.024-07:002010-02-02T20:05:17.468-07:00

Last night was another sleepless one. Thanks to a persistent migraine--probably from trying to watch the 3D tribute to Michael Jackson on the Grammy's without 3D glasses--I could not shut my mind up so around six a.m. I gave up, picked up some not-so-light reading, and came across something to share.In her book Defy Gravity, Caroline Myss asks us to consider what the grace of Wisdom represents,

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-56204422200861985812010-01-27T10:15:00.057-07:002010-01-28T00:04:11.817-07:00

I used to be a voracious reader. Sunlit libraries and book stores with the aroma of coffee drifting between the shelves are some of my most beloved indoor haunts. Then a year ago I went through a phase where I thought I was done. You know, if I read any more non-fiction spirituality/healing/self-help books I was going to throw up/jump off a cliff (again)/remarry. But reviewing my book list so far

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-40950320388849068712010-01-25T10:21:00.051-07:002010-01-27T12:07:42.434-07:00

Linda at Wander To The Wayside passed along a Happy 101 Sweet Friends award this weekend. Thank you Linda! It says "Add kind words; Mix in sweet thoughts; Enjoy good times". The rules are that I tell you about ten things that make me happy, then pass it along to fellow bloggers. It's a great way to start out the week, especially discovering there was so much that pushed my happy buttons.Happy

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-34825920662627236302010-01-19T13:24:00.026-07:002010-01-21T12:41:17.540-07:00

First let me thank those of you who have been checking on me since the Emergency-room Episode, happy to report that le stone has come to pass. I never got to see it, but that's what the cat scans illuminated, and because of the three scans in one week, crossing my fingers that my insides stop glowing soon.I was speaking with my mom recently about the devastation in Haiti, and she said it got so

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-38514560042584160472010-01-10T11:03:00.034-07:002010-01-10T15:11:09.883-07:00

Apparently I'm dedicated to enduring a life of pain. I have no idea what I did in my earlier life to earn such karma, but for dear-god-in-heaven's sake I say, "Uncle, uncle, already!"This week kidney stones decided to pay a visit. Early one morning, after the pain woke me up and wouldn't go away, I found myself, in escalating worry. I told my dear daughter, who recently earned her driver's permit

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-68451744019667631952010-01-03T11:10:00.016-07:002010-01-04T13:51:23.945-07:00

Waving my last good byes to 2009, I'm not terribly sorry to leave it behind. It was a great learning ground, lots of experiences and some accomplishments while enjoying the company of amazing people along the way. Fellow hikers on the trail. So thanks 2009, we're still standing, and now looking forward to wandering into the possibilities of the days to come.This journey we're all on. I've been

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-66414207222608711312009-12-20T11:02:00.022-07:002009-12-21T13:56:15.841-07:00

Last Christmas I held my grandson for the second time, after the two days at the hospital where he was born and right before he was placed with his adoptive family. The joy I felt in reuniting -- however brief -- with him fulfilled every Christmas wish I'd ever had.Since I posted about him (http://lornasbubbles.blogspot.com/2009/09/wide-open-heart.html) on the one year anniversary of his birth,

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-15848465772034941872009-12-15T12:29:00.025-07:002009-12-17T09:49:56.588-07:00

Not only has Mother Nature kept herself busy depositing white stuff all over our mountains, but she also deposited it all over my farm. The FarmVille farm, just to be clear.Speaking of suburban farms, there is a ranch by my daughter's school called Wimpy's Half-Ass Acres. The first time we drove past it I cackled in disbelief. After all, this is VERY Mormon Utah--our neck of the woods is actually

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-52613930426896773542009-12-09T09:35:00.026-07:002009-12-17T09:50:54.582-07:00

TIP: Click on the photos to get the full icy effect.When not acquiring sleighs and elfin garden gnomes for the Farm(ville), shoveling snow off the deck before our Home Owner's Association kicks in a fine, and decking our halls with all manner of Christmas festivities, I like to go out to play with my camera and breathe in the fresh winter snow. Normally I would drive snowshoe to a scenic

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-68714587110726203132009-11-26T14:54:00.009-07:002009-12-17T09:51:22.180-07:00

On the eve of Thanksgiving here in the U.S., and I can't get over how much I have to be grateful for. It's a quiet time, with three of my four children on an impromptu trip to Vegas with their father, parents and sister in Florida, and an only grandchild with his adoptive parents. I guess it's the perfect time for reflection.The Utah weather is sunny and crisp, without any dreaded snowstorms (for

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-58058731512271887492009-11-21T14:18:00.022-07:002009-12-17T09:52:08.928-07:00

You either love Russell Hantz or hate him. When Survivor Samoa debuted its first episode, I emphatically hated him. Privy to Russell's dark side the first week, we saw him burning one of his tribe mate's socks by moonlight, emptying his entire tribe's water canteens, and lying to them about his background. I almost boycotted watching this season--my ONLY reality show obsession--because of his

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-14226364781452687412009-11-13T09:20:00.024-07:002009-12-17T09:52:51.233-07:00

Yes, that's right folks, the clouds are below the snow-peaked mountains. We had a bit of weather last night. What can I say, this is Utah. Breathtakingly beautiful, but weird. A little like our new ranking as 'happiest State' in the latest American poll.Really, pollsters? I'm still coming to terms with the fact that for years, we Utahns have "Lead the nation in anti-depressant use, mental health

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-71053848766870810332009-11-06T13:07:00.006-07:002009-12-17T09:57:54.244-07:00

Just for fun and to get you in the holiday spirit, here's a give-away for some really pretty ceramic and sterling silver earrings on a friendly blog:http://vintagebluestudio.typepad.com/vintage_blue_studio/2009/11/ceramic-earring-giveaway.htmlNow if you'll excuse me, I have some squash to harvest and goats to milk...

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-50403198542939039912009-11-04T13:19:00.016-07:002009-12-17T09:58:37.133-07:00

I've been very productive lately. Oh yes I have.Have you found a job yet? No, but...So have you winterized the van yet?No, but... Well, have you taken the kids to the dentist yet for their yearly cleaning?Not yet, but...I achieved level 24 on Facebook FarmVille!!!There may be an addiction afoot here. Are there 12 steps for cyber-farmers? Is there a drug on the market yet that can slow the effects

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-83528132129430862422009-10-31T15:18:00.006-06:002009-12-17T09:59:04.967-07:00

I love how we follow Christmas and Easter and such that have origins in the ancient celebrations. So too with Halloween. I LOVE FALL!!!I'll be handing out trick-or-treat goodies as an environmentally friendly 'green' Witch this Halloween....where's a cool cat when you need one?So, in that spirit, enjoy the night and the beginning of a new year, leaving the old behind as the leaves fall. Here's a

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-25994694235159779932009-10-25T12:55:00.010-06:002009-12-17T09:59:32.755-07:00

I'm more than a little tired of sticking my head in the proverbial sand while life marches gaily on even as I cower in fear of getting a job. (a job? what job? what's the perfect job? what are my talents? how can I contribute to society and pay my bills and be there for the kids....blah blah blah). Too much hysterical panic.Not to mention leaving the butt sticking quite vulnerably just

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-54602536131649299392009-10-16T18:18:00.007-06:002009-12-17T10:00:07.536-07:00

Recently I started exercising again. Over the years I have walked, hiked, snowshoed and danced. I've taken yoga, tai chi and bellydancing classes. But the one I always keep coming back home to, is a little-known 15-minute-a-day aerobic exercise called 'Oxycise'. I can't even remember how I came across it, but one day after we first moved to Utah I found it online, ordered the how-to video and

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-39834250835548193552009-10-05T13:18:00.031-06:002009-12-17T10:00:41.053-07:00

For me, nothing opens the heart more than a baby, the creative seed of life and innocence. Blessed are those caregivers who get to be with them, struggle with them, love them, and let them go if life demands it. This video is a heartwarming and life-affirming example of one family's experience. This couple wrote letters to their son Eliot, even before his birth. These letters helped them heal

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-167256178196105622009-09-30T23:22:00.015-06:002009-12-17T10:01:11.976-07:00

The kids and I hiked the Alpine Loop in the American Fork Canyonbefore a storm arrived this week, threatening to drop the leaves.After crossing three forests, we found lots of aspenssurrounding a meadow, quivering their joyous welcome.We call this aspen grove the Golden Palace,because standing in it,you are bathed in a shimmering golden light.We passed mountain bikers and riders on horsebackbut

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-7487255715440966662009-09-17T09:32:00.002-06:002009-12-17T10:01:44.352-07:00

Credit: Photo courtesy of Aaron Penn, photographerThere are many ways to experience one's connectedness with God. The search takes you outside and eventually leads you inside. One of my most memorable church experiences of that connection was while serving as a young women's counselor while in the LDS faith as one of several stepping stones on my path to finding God.We were at a summer camp in

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-80377659668649886262009-09-12T21:32:00.001-06:002009-12-17T10:02:11.940-07:00

Linda over at wandertothewayside.blogspot. com presented (drum roll) me with an award for writing from the heart. She is also a fellow writer-from-the-heart, so if you haven't read her blog before, check it out before you leave.Thank you Linda! You are my first (and only) blog award and have set me to jumping around the house for joy. Now I get to pass the award on to seven more bloggers who

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-90912232534166460672009-09-04T14:18:00.002-06:002009-12-17T10:02:51.268-07:00

A little over one year ago, I witnessed the birth (as best as you can outside a hospital delivery room door) of my first grandchild. Samuel James was brought into this world only to leave too soon with his adoptive parents. His birth parents, two good-hearted teens dealing with the tumult life sometimes brings, chose to place their little boy with an equally good-hearted couple who had been

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-38586307609261298892009-08-29T13:40:00.002-06:002009-12-17T10:03:21.195-07:00

Growing up in Florida, Walt Disney World was a prominent fixture of my youth. Our family visited the day the Magic Kingdom theme park opened their doors on October 1, 1971--a particularly easy time to enjoy rides because as I remember it, there were bomb threats so some folks stayed home. Lucky us. The lines were never shorter than on this bright fall Florida day...Besides my favorite E-ticket

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-40529874509405812102009-08-20T10:00:00.001-06:002009-12-17T10:03:49.318-07:00

It...finally...happened.The dreaded first day of the kids going back to school.Relief at surviving their exodus couples with pangs of missing them and the winds of change that always blow this time of year.I was lucky; not everyone gets to spend their summer with their kids without leaving for work every day, and for that I am deeply grateful but now it's back to looking-for-a-new career

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-82798782124775062032009-08-07T12:16:00.001-06:002009-12-17T10:04:14.543-07:00

So the countdown has officially begun and my anxiety level is skyrocketing. Every time I hit a store now it's filled with back-to-schoolers, harried moms with even more harried kids trying to get ready for that moment when the alarm goes off the first day of school. Okay, maybe some moms are deliriously happy to have that block of free time when the house is empty, and maybe some kids are bored

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-69105285821990524282009-07-29T12:43:00.001-06:002009-12-17T10:05:09.508-07:00

It is entirely possible I emerged from my mother's womb reading....at least that's one theory. The love affair with books began early in childhood with fairy tales and mysteries and later science fiction. We never swam in money, but my father loved to bring me books he'd find here and there, like "Alice in Wonderland". Visiting my grandparents in rural Georgia usually found me in a corner of the

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-42630787249799607642009-07-19T18:16:00.001-06:002009-12-17T10:05:39.924-07:00

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince is finally out in theaters! I confess to being a fan of all things J.K. Rowling (not to mention things British in general). I revel in her books like a kitty does her catnip. Immensely.Once upon a time I was in a local religious (please, don't go there) writer's group, and there were some snarky comments made about Rowling's writing not being all that good.

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-41976969134004946802009-07-09T16:06:00.001-06:002009-12-17T10:06:03.087-07:00

This pretty much describes my eating habits, which often resembles an out of control frisbee:From the Watcher perspective, you can see when weight gain is related to stressors in your family life, your career, your friendships, your health, the way the White House is dealing with issues that matter to you, etc. Then you can choose to respond in a way that addresses the actual problem--again,

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-73442921717166923462009-07-07T14:24:00.001-06:002009-12-17T10:06:46.582-07:00

"I always liked Michael Jackson, I think he was a great parent. He was misunderstood in life. I think he was a very deep person with lots of love. I think he will live on forever." My sister wrote this recently, and it echos my feelings exactly about this truly remarkable man. Growing up with Michael like so many around the world, having loved his music and his art, I will forever remember his

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-45586312265347882912009-07-03T19:04:00.001-06:002009-12-17T10:07:58.606-07:00

Apparently, I don't have one.It is the eve of our nation's birthday, and I sit here, alone. My eldest, who had earlier invited me over for a fireworks swimfest, left to camp at the lake with her boyfriend and his family. Well, okay, good for her. I can summon up some happiness for them.Her sister, who prior to going to girl's camp to humor her father, begged me to pick her up the moment she got

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-25677136351412048182009-06-25T15:31:00.001-06:002009-12-17T10:08:43.020-07:00

While unsuspectingly sitting in an empty movie theater having settled in to watch "The Proposal", a troupe of about ten elderly women noisily arrived and decided to change their seating (wtf? the theater was empty) by sitting in the row right behind me as the movie began. How did I get so lucky...Their raucous bantering continued through the opening of the movie into the dialogue already in full

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-62543001438155084182009-06-17T13:00:00.001-06:002009-12-17T10:09:12.575-07:00

I decided to visit the park where I had often over the last decade connected with Utah's four seasons, both with family and on solitary meditative walks. Where I strolled with my aging parents when they visited from Florida. Where the kids and my ex rode their bikes and where we played on the playgrounds. Where I rediscovered my youth on the swings, something about whistling through the air, your

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-27424483009039544352009-06-09T07:00:00.001-06:002009-12-17T10:09:41.267-07:00

Monday morning I thought the world was coming to a raucous end (and I'm not an apocalyptic sort) when this incredibe earth-shaking, lingering thunder woke me up. Which is remarkable since I was wearing earplugs. And I live three stories up.I moved my gravity-resistant (well, not really, I just didn't want to get out of bed) body to the window to see what all the hullabaloo was. I was scared and

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-31437554539257409552009-06-08T14:01:00.001-06:002009-12-17T10:10:11.956-07:00

This wondrous book about Wesley the Owl is making me trippy...all the way down memory lane.What I wanted to be when I grew up: scientist. And this book is making me wonder what the hell happened along the way?As a child I went through career phases. Astronomer for a long time (thanks, Dr. Smith, from Lost in Space), archaeologist (both Indiana Jones and Lena from Summer Lovers), and psychologist

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-86571538369227378202009-06-04T11:41:00.001-06:002009-12-17T10:10:36.362-07:00

I was reliving the almost nightmare of yesterday--when the fire alarm was pulled by a child in our condo--recalling the screeching, light-flashing siren going off indoors and other strategic areas of the building that made it impossible to ignore, although some folks did try.Only after the police, fire department and paramedics arrived with the rest of us milling around, and with the screeching

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-63109076901496840112009-06-03T07:05:00.001-06:002009-12-17T10:11:05.575-07:00

The story goes I ate the mums at my parent's wedding reception...but, I digress.It's been 24 hours without a vanilla Coke (my own personal brand of heroin, for all you Twilighters). And I haven't displayed any wierd withdrawal symptoms, like killing my neighbors. Yet.Although I came close when a bored--and apparently unsupervised--child in the building pulled the fire alarm. Not only did the

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-59636929719923624382009-05-30T05:18:00.001-06:002009-12-17T10:11:28.886-07:00

Eldest son graduated from high school this week after a fast-and-furious paced couple of years (literally, he is a true fan of the movie). Following the time honored tradition of using the high school years to broaden his horizons experientially, he really savored the banquet of life-- if you get my drift.Being the brilliant, good-natured, humorous being he is, he emerged wiser and kinder and

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-80569827999770034582009-05-25T12:24:00.001-06:002009-12-17T10:11:54.159-07:00

It's Memorial Day here in the U.S., and my father sent me a news clip from Florida, where he is retired from the Air Force. His father also served in the military -- in the U.S. Navy.This July 4th 2008 clip shows a flag ceremony in Siesta Keys (Tampa Bay, Florida area) honoring fallen veterans.I love this story because retired Navy Captain Ralph Styles speaks so passionately from his heart. While

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-2062986101473227612009-05-23T18:59:00.001-06:002009-12-17T10:12:22.893-07:00

Oh wow, folks....I've been blogging about a place I didn't even know how to spell properly. It's not 'Dafur', it's 'Darfur'.Well, then.My sincere apologies; nice having my ignorance laid out for all to see. And yet, this isn't going to stop me from writing about it as I learn you know.I'm still planning on fasting for solidarity with the people of Darfur (okay, at least it will make me feel

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-20958811735045610732009-05-19T00:00:00.001-06:002009-12-17T10:12:46.235-07:00

It's mere weeks away but I am aching for the laziness of summer.School will be over, which means the kids will spend an entire month with their father for the very first time since the divorce, work will end and a new career will loom on the horizon.But first I intend to take time out for restorative stillness from all the busy madness that has defined the past six months. No tropical vacations

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-67972116593665474702009-05-16T20:33:00.001-06:002009-12-17T10:13:10.882-07:00

So I wanted to update on my Dafur fast and here it is...It hasn't happened, yet.I knew I was in trouble Wednesday morning when I found myself in the shower, water running, groping for the shampoo in the dark. Turns out I'd forgotten to switch the lights on after stumbling into the bathroom.It might have been hump day but it had been an exceptionally draining week already and I wasn't feeling

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-31156856369705758532009-05-10T11:10:00.001-06:002009-12-17T10:13:31.212-07:00

I'm sitting here enjoying a rare treat; nibbling a white chocolate macadamia nut cookie with my usual cup of green tea for breakfast while reading about how the situation in Dafur is getting worse. http://www.fastdarfur.org./?cat=3So on Wednesday I'm going to do something I have not done in a long while; fasting on water for 24 hours -- on behalf of the situation in Dafur.Some of you may be

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-29228530284775335732009-05-09T16:03:00.001-06:002009-12-17T10:13:54.325-07:00

As I've mentioned in a previous post, mothers come in various forms. So even if I never gave birth to four children, I would feel the nurturing connection of mothering. We nurture in so many ways! Not to mention we have all had mothers of our own.We nurture the planet every time we pick up a piece of trash, we nurture each other every time we hold a door open for a stranger, every time we listen

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-89611747936739089952009-05-06T22:29:00.001-06:002009-12-17T10:14:19.947-07:00

Martha Beck said something in her latest newsletter that resonated like a sitar in my heartstrings; to paraphrase, she said that while the market these days may not be so hot for finding a job, it is ripe for coming into your own creative field, being the best you.And I'm all, so what is it I really want to do?! (still haven't leaped that hurdle yet. Fear of commitment? Fear of failure? Sheer

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-38204618609570839042009-05-03T22:02:00.001-06:002009-12-17T10:14:49.086-07:00

This is one of my favorite photos, taken a few years ago, in one of my favorite places on earth (the American Fork Canyon near Utah's Mt. Timpanogos), with some of my favorite people on earth (my kids) doing one of my favorite things -- hiking.Especially hiking in the fall. Leaf peeping; that's us.It's rare that my kids will come hiking with me anymore, but back then, I could bribe them with

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-57989992096699068152009-05-03T12:06:00.002-06:002009-12-17T10:15:16.927-07:00

I can hardly believe it's a week already since my last foray into blogging world.It's another rainy spring day, which is quite lovely around here. Things are turning green fast. and new things are cropping up everywhere.What's new in my life?Soon to be done with my job of the last two years, and I will be venturing into new arenas. This job is extremely physical and not-so-well paying, but I have

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-18081701357142819242009-04-25T17:02:00.001-06:002009-12-17T10:15:41.316-07:00

I must be really dehydrated these days, because I'm craving liquids out the wazoo. So I'm looking at what cravings are at the forefront and found what I call, "Yum Foods that Make Me Hum":Perrier lemon sparkling waterYogi gojiberry green tea (with raw honey and lemon)Imagine Natural Creations organic vegetable soupsMilton's all natural multigrain crackers (okay technically, they aren't liquid but

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-4624653321445874642009-04-25T15:54:00.001-06:002009-12-17T10:16:04.418-07:00

Today we enjoyed cold, drizzly rain -- (hello spring, goodbye winter :0) -- so a stop at my favorite weekend comfort splurge, Starbucks, was on the menu.Here's what the green tea soy latte had to say:People need to see that, far from being an obstacle, the world's diversity of languages, religions and traditions is a great treasure. affording us precious opportunities to recognize ourselves in

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-38726106726055026822009-04-24T22:13:00.001-06:002009-12-17T10:16:32.022-07:00

So, it's Friday (TGIF to high heaven, because it was the day from hell) and my co-worker told me to shut up during serve (we work as lunch ladies at our childrens' elementary school) because apparently I talked too much....Excuse me? You want me to what? I mean, seriously, ask me something I CAN ACTUALLY DO for Pete's sake! "Talks too much" was the most common complaint, I mean, constructive

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-31802606529655749752009-04-20T16:37:00.004-06:002009-12-20T13:48:00.895-07:00

Motherhood...Birth mother.Grandmother.Adoptive mother.Comes in many beautiful forms.

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-22098218872708645412009-04-17T13:13:00.003-06:002009-12-20T13:46:53.975-07:00

This weekend my grandson is receiving his baby blessing with his adoptive family. Our household is brimming with barely contained excitement.The event is divided into two days of celebration; a luncheon on Saturday where we party with everyone, and the ceremony on Sunday. Now, normally I am not into rituals and such, but this generates excitement because we get to see him. Which is a rare gift

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-43768835271818178102009-04-05T18:16:00.001-06:002009-12-17T10:18:44.855-07:00

One of the reasons I love going to and being in the mountains is fond childhood memories of treks in the wintry forest in Germany with my brother, dad, cousin and uncle.I remember how peaceful the quiet felt, not a single bird whisper, how our footfalls were muted, muffled by the snow blanketing everything. Occasionally you could hear our boots crunching in the snow if it was hard, but mostly I

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-20171483614252055772009-03-15T10:09:00.002-06:002009-12-17T10:19:11.770-07:00

“Marriage should be forever, is that true?”That's what I believed in my twenties and thirties and halfway through my forties. But then reality hit like a monsoon, washing away that belief in the awakening storm.And I am left to wonder....Throughout my life relationships flowed in and out like the ocean tide. Even family (I have relatives scattered across the globe; in Germany, Florida, Georgia

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-17327305854240013112009-03-09T13:31:00.001-06:002009-12-17T10:19:37.793-07:00

It's been 16 months since I left my identity as a raw foodist behind. Even though I was only raw a year, I don't think I'd ever felt as comfortable in my own skin as when I lived on raw foods, juices and green smoothies.Being raw was not just a lifestyle, it became my religion, metaphorically speaking. So when I rebelled against events in my life at the time, I rebelled in a big way, leaving the

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-76051739948770437012009-03-08T12:42:00.001-06:002009-12-17T10:20:00.329-07:00

While showering this (Sunday) morning, I got to musing on how religion can be like the military-- institutions with rules designed to protect and defend against something; usually something bad.We use the military to protect ourselves from seen enemies and religion to protect ourselves against unseen enemies, which often ironically includes ourselves.We even divide religions into segments:

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-71993128111515277192009-03-04T23:05:00.002-07:002009-12-17T10:20:28.135-07:00

For some time now, the one book I'd want with me during an emergency or should I ever be stranded on some remote tropical island ala Castaway--is Eckhart Tolle's A New Earth. Well, today I fell in love with another book that feels like breathing a restive sigh into peacefulness: Wake Up Now, A Guide to the Journey of Spiritual Awakening by Stephan Bodian. In the first chapter I am reminded of my

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-1601872831949489652009-03-01T19:04:00.001-07:002009-12-17T10:20:52.822-07:00

In an attempt to go a little more raw while making use of what I had at home, I came up with a soup for dinner that may offend both raw foodists and die-hard processed fooders in one go:2 packets ramen chicken soup5 leaves organic black kale, chopped1 large organic green onion, choppedjuice of 1/2 large lemononion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, thymehot water to coverPut noodles in large

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-75964807778267715282009-03-01T15:16:00.001-07:002009-12-17T10:21:19.883-07:00

A few years ago I opened a forwarded mass e-mail from a dear friend at my church about how an ex-member, Martha Beck, wrote a book slamming one of our revered church members (Hugh Nibley, Martha's own father).I'd actually been to one of his lectures and, when I could understand what he was saying, enjoyed it. I boarded the bandwagon and wrote Oprah criticizing Martha's book--never mind that I

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6026710801697704461.post-58969794502556124542009-02-28T19:36:00.001-07:002009-12-17T10:21:43.944-07:00

Welcome to the Bathtime Blogger. Let me say right off that the cat is not mine, but she's funny and she makes the point rather tastefully. I'm naming her Bubbles. She's got the expression on her face that I get when one of my kids barges in on me--soaking peacefully, minding my own business -- no knock, no warning....And by the way, Bubbles could very well be a he, because honestly I can't

Lornahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16324378141061370103noreply@blogger.com0