Here's my top 10 for 2012:
1. Compete in my first marathon. Ok, I said it. Now I gotta do it. Notice I didn't specify whether a half or full.
2. Attend fewer funerals. Entirely too many people in my life died in 2011--and, if you can believe it--I kinda ran out of things to say. Death is final--and while memories live on, you can't call up a memory on the telephone. I'm done with funerals.
3. Get rid of stuff. After Lonelli moved to Boston, my house felt noticeably lighter. Especially now that the basement is no longer a storage unit, I'm looking around and thinking, where did all this stuff come from?
4. Make a new friend (or two). Nothing wrong with my current crop of friends and family, but, I'm well aware that much of my life is wrapped up in my children. As they continue to make their own lives, and need me less and less, I need to nurture other relationships as well. Which, leads me to my next resolution.
5. Work on my marriage. Clarisa and I have been together 22 years and throughout that time our relationship has focused on our kids. While our love for each other is strong, this year we need to find more things we enjoy doing together BESIDES eating, traveling overseas, and watching NCIS.
6. Build a grotto. I've identified a spot in the backyard for quiet contemplation. It would be so cool to build--just gotta move some dirt, plant some shrubs, and install a bench.
7. Pray more.
8. Write more.
9. Preach more. Haven't delivered a sermon in two years--and I miss it.
10. Get out of purgatory (subject of a future blog post)--but only if that means finding some heavenly bliss here on earth. I appreciate all prayers to that end.
A goal without a plan is just a good idea. I know I'm planning to tackle this list with discipline and hard work. And, while I'm ticking items off the list, let me know if I can help you achieve any of your goals. Why? Because my 11th resolution for this year is: "Be more generous and less self absorbed." Come to think of it, that one might be the most difficult of all!
Saturday, January 7, 2012
I Shot Your Dog?
"Did he just say what I thought he said?" I asked my daughter as I listened to the song. She said it was her favorite tune currently getting played in Chile's clubs and on popular radio stations.
My wife and I were in Chile to retrieve our daughter Amelia who had just completed a semester of studies overseas. She loved her stay and we could see why. Chile's mountains, lakes, cities, farms and beaches are beautiful--and the country itself, while still firmly rooted in it's Latin American culture, also felt different than other places we visited in the region. Chile is cleaner, more prosperous, more European than its neighbors. For North American guests it's easier to visit.
But back to the song my daughter was playing from her IPhone. The song was in Portuguese, with an infectious beat and happy, almost joyous vocals. So why did he say, over and over, "I shot your pero, I, I."
"Why is he so happy if he just shot my dog?" I asked.
To all you non-Spanish speakers "pero" is the Spanish word for "dog."
Alright, I have no idea what he really said, but "I shot your dog" just seems funny to me. Kinda like the "haunted bear" I'm sure was in that Green Day song. Or being asked, "Do you wanna make fudge? Or do you just wanna fool around?" from that old 70s song.
Now I sing those lyrics every time my daughter plays that song--much to her annoyance. My kids swear I'm the only one who thinks my jokes are funny. I don't really care. If I'm laughing--and not hurting anybody's feelings in the process, who cares if the jokes are lame!
My wife and I were in Chile to retrieve our daughter Amelia who had just completed a semester of studies overseas. She loved her stay and we could see why. Chile's mountains, lakes, cities, farms and beaches are beautiful--and the country itself, while still firmly rooted in it's Latin American culture, also felt different than other places we visited in the region. Chile is cleaner, more prosperous, more European than its neighbors. For North American guests it's easier to visit.
But back to the song my daughter was playing from her IPhone. The song was in Portuguese, with an infectious beat and happy, almost joyous vocals. So why did he say, over and over, "I shot your pero, I, I."
"Why is he so happy if he just shot my dog?" I asked.
To all you non-Spanish speakers "pero" is the Spanish word for "dog."
Alright, I have no idea what he really said, but "I shot your dog" just seems funny to me. Kinda like the "haunted bear" I'm sure was in that Green Day song. Or being asked, "Do you wanna make fudge? Or do you just wanna fool around?" from that old 70s song.
Now I sing those lyrics every time my daughter plays that song--much to her annoyance. My kids swear I'm the only one who thinks my jokes are funny. I don't really care. If I'm laughing--and not hurting anybody's feelings in the process, who cares if the jokes are lame!
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