When my husband worked as art director for a casual fashion magazine, he brought home a t-shirt with a simple, but memorable, messge: Time Flies Whether You're Having Fun or Not. It has been so long since I've posted to this blog that I had to search for it with the "Tobolowsky" tag.
Time has flown, and so have I. In October I went all the way to Jordan and back(the "back" part being equally important). I was on a press tour sponsored by the tourism board, so the food was good, the lodgings were even better and the schedule was grueling. Rather than lounge in those posh hotel rooms, we spent most of the trip on a tour bus, crisscrossing the country as the board tried to show us everything that might lead us to rave about Jordan in our newspapers/magazines. We had a blast. I would recommend Jordan to even the most reluctant traveler--of which I am one whenever a flight is involved.
When I had the opportunity to revisit Russia half a decade ago, I was nervous about the trip. But Jeff wisely pointed out: "You can take the chances that are given to you, or you can spend your life being afraid." Since time flies no matter what we're doing, we cannot be reluctant about life.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
I'm Thinkin' Bizarrebys
My son and I visited our neighborhood fast food eatery Saturday for a roast beef sandwich and a shake.
"This place is kind of weird," he said. "Don't you think the people who work here are a little odd?"
I had to agree. The employees at this particular restaurant are usually as interesting the patrons. And that's saying a lot for a downtown seat-yourself establishment. Unlike the McDonald's a few blocks down the street, where the homeless men from the park mingle with senior citizens from the retirement home--and everyone knows each other's names, problems, dreams and ambitions--the behind-the-counter scene here is the one worth watching.
Saturday we gave our order to a skinny cowboy with a plug of chaw in his lip that remained in place even when he took a smoke break outside the front door. He was assisted by a preppie-looking youth who had to be about six and half feet tall. My favorite though was a girl who was covered in colorful tattoos. Her maroon hair was nearly shaved on one side and long enough to tuck behind her ear on the other. It looked like a curly dragon's claw had gotten stuck in her lobe.
"That is very cool," I told her. I had never seen an ear ornament so long and ornate. It was beautiful.
"Thank you," she said. It may have been a while since someone who looked and dressed like Typical Soccer Mom had offered approval. She became talkative and I enjoyed being a guest in "her place."
After all, we're all "odd." Or at least we were all meant to be atypical. We are told that we are each unique, that there is no one else like us, but then are judged and often judge each other for straying from the standard set by our group. More than a hundred years ago, the poet Gerard Manley Hopkins wrote "Pied Beauty," which praises God for the diversity of His creation. What fun He must have with us, even when we can't seem to stop hurting each other. It's a pleasure being a guest in His place.
"This place is kind of weird," he said. "Don't you think the people who work here are a little odd?"
I had to agree. The employees at this particular restaurant are usually as interesting the patrons. And that's saying a lot for a downtown seat-yourself establishment. Unlike the McDonald's a few blocks down the street, where the homeless men from the park mingle with senior citizens from the retirement home--and everyone knows each other's names, problems, dreams and ambitions--the behind-the-counter scene here is the one worth watching.
Saturday we gave our order to a skinny cowboy with a plug of chaw in his lip that remained in place even when he took a smoke break outside the front door. He was assisted by a preppie-looking youth who had to be about six and half feet tall. My favorite though was a girl who was covered in colorful tattoos. Her maroon hair was nearly shaved on one side and long enough to tuck behind her ear on the other. It looked like a curly dragon's claw had gotten stuck in her lobe.
"That is very cool," I told her. I had never seen an ear ornament so long and ornate. It was beautiful.
"Thank you," she said. It may have been a while since someone who looked and dressed like Typical Soccer Mom had offered approval. She became talkative and I enjoyed being a guest in "her place."
After all, we're all "odd." Or at least we were all meant to be atypical. We are told that we are each unique, that there is no one else like us, but then are judged and often judge each other for straying from the standard set by our group. More than a hundred years ago, the poet Gerard Manley Hopkins wrote "Pied Beauty," which praises God for the diversity of His creation. What fun He must have with us, even when we can't seem to stop hurting each other. It's a pleasure being a guest in His place.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
The One You Feed
I never expected my first post to be a link to someone else's site, but Stephen Tobolowsky's "A Good Day in Auschwitz," episode 34 of the Tobolowsky Files, is just too good to ignore. Stephen accepts an invitation to the home of an elderly man he met at his synagogue and learns a lot about what it takes to have a good day at Auschwitz.
The story Stephen uses to wrap up the segment hits me right where I live every day. Which wolf do I feed with my attitudes, my thought life--even my prayers?
Since I work in an evangelical environment, worship at a mainline church, studied for the ministry at a well-respected seminary, I know what the answer should be. But I know I have seen the other wolf, the greedy, jealous, murderous wolf, in every religious community I have been part off--and I know for a fact that I have carried that beast there many days myself.
Thank you, Mr. Tobolowsky, for the warning sign on the journey.
--M
The story Stephen uses to wrap up the segment hits me right where I live every day. Which wolf do I feed with my attitudes, my thought life--even my prayers?
Since I work in an evangelical environment, worship at a mainline church, studied for the ministry at a well-respected seminary, I know what the answer should be. But I know I have seen the other wolf, the greedy, jealous, murderous wolf, in every religious community I have been part off--and I know for a fact that I have carried that beast there many days myself.
Thank you, Mr. Tobolowsky, for the warning sign on the journey.
--M
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