The Canine Factor

Most days, I think that dogs are better than humans.

Fact, I am more likely to say "hello" to someone on the street if they are walking a dog. Fact, I am more likely to toss my spare change to someone who asks for it if they have a dog by their side. 

From time to time I'll come across a news article that reinforces this belief. The most recent was about a barking dog found in a ravine who stayed there to nurse an abandoned kitten.

Stories like this make me pause and give thought about being more kind to everyone I encounter.

remarkable

I received a letter in the mail yesterday. There was no return address. The postmark was "Philadelphia."

I opened it to find my tattered insurance card, along with a note indicating that it had been found in South Philadelphia.

Last Sunday I was driving my Jeep on I-95 by the airport and the card flew out. It traveled at least 6.5 miles from that spot to where it was found. Pretty impressive...and even more impressive that someone had the courtesy to return it.

what if...

It's the point where you don't let your past to dictate your future. It's the point where you learn from your mistakes and refuse to allow them to impede your growth. 

Lately, I've been asking myself the question "what if?"

I've been walking a thin line. It's a neutral line. On the left is my past. On the right is my future. At times I lose my balance and tip to one side.

What I've found is that focusing on one spot helps me stay upright.

There are too many "what ifs" in my life right now. It makes me feel uneasy, but I think that in order to become a better person I need to embrace it. Life is bound to have some bumps in the road so for now I've decided to buckle myself in and enjoy the ride.

guilty pleasure

"Chick Radio" is linked to artists like Kelly Clarkson, Colbie Callie, Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift. Yesterday, tracks from the Deluxe Edition of "Red" (found exclusively at Target) were popular on this station. So, last night, I was combing the aisles of Target looking for it. The additional songs were totally worth the drive to purchased the CD.


Pandora is in cahoots with Target. 

our last goodbye

on a more personal note... 

We walked the same path for nearly a year until coming upon fork in the road. Her hopes and dreams would take her in a direction that was different than mine. Unrequited love is painful. It is more complicated and just as hurtful when two people who are still in love are forced to part ways.

if you had the choice of knowing...

We spent the day together. We played. We laughed. We ignored the obvious. It was dark and the roads were quiet. I drove home in silence and thought about our last goodbye.

In the (feed) Zone

The refrigerator was broken for nearly a week. Everything was freezing. I did my best to get by until it was repaired, then went on a tear at Trader Joe's. I was eager to try a few recipes from the Skratch Labs cookbook, "Feed Zone Portables." 

I switched to Skratch Labs Exercise Hydration Mix this summer. It tastes light and is easy on the stomach. My favorite flavor is oranges. If you order the cookbook from the Skratch Labs website, they'll throw in a pound of exercise hydration mix for free. 

The first recipe I attempted was a "two bite pie" which was more like a four bite pie because I didn't have the patience to make golf sized balls with the warm, sticky dough. I used bananas and walnuts for filling, with a touch of cinnamon and brown sugar. Despite being oversized, they were tasty and I've enjoyed them with my afternoon coffee. 

I fared better with my second effort, sweet potato cakes, which were baked in a whoopie pie pan. A few substitutions (coconut flour instead of brown rice flour and a pack of apple cinnamon oatmeal instead of one cup cooked rice) were successful and gave these cakes the texture and taste that I was looking for.

the ugly and the bad of the good

The truth is sometimes two good parts just don't fit together. The ugly part of the good is that two rights can make a wrong. It will leave you with a bad feeling inside. You will hold on to it because it looks nice on paper. 

This morning (thanks to my friend Wendell) I stumbled upon this quote by Buddha..."In the end, only three things matter: how much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you." 

I wouldn't necessarily say that I'm graceful, but thankfully I am (at least somewhat) sensible.