Month-End Review, September

Because my hands always want a book in them, I was looking through old Jet magazines at my aunt's house when I saw this quote in the June 2010 issue:

The most important muscle in your body is the heart. It deserves your primary consideration. - Dr. Ian Smith

My list of activities is short this month. Looks like I was pulled outdoors by the nice weather...


10 Minute Solution: 5 Day Get Fit Mix

Power Yoga, 1 x

10 Minute Solution: Tone Trouble Zones!

Stretching, 10 x's

Basic Yoga Workout for Dummies, 2 x's


Bicycling, 4 x's


Cardio and Muscle Class, 3 x's


Lawn Mowing, 1 x


Personal Training With Jackie: Power Circuit Training

15-Minute Upper Body Circuit, 2 x's

Rock Climbing, 6 x's


Swimming, 2 x's


Walking, 14 x's



What did your September regimen look like?

The Places In Between

The minute I laid eyes on a synopsis of The Places In Between, I knew that I wanted to read it but it took me four years to get around to it.

I like memoirs. I like to know how people got over, rose to the top or emerged from the ashes.

I wanted to get into the mindset of someone like Rory Stewart who walked from Herat to Kabul, Afghanistan, a trek that took 16 months with an average of 20 to 25 miles walked per day.

The chapters in The Places seemed abrupt but, once I got into the book, I settled in and was captivated by Stewart's journey.


Stewart has to have letters of introduction to get into each valley. People constantly ask him for medicine and/or money and he's called an infidel at least once.

There is mention of blood vendettas, human rights, illiteracy and land mines.

In a seminar in Kabul, I heard Mary Robinson, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, say, "Afghans have been fighting for their human rights for twenty-five years. We don't need to tell them what their rights are." The head of a major food agency said privately," Villagers are not interested in human rights. They are like poor people all over the world. All they think about is where their next meal is coming from." (247)

This just reaffirms what I heard an Afghan woman say on the evening news years ago:

People who have food do not care about people who do not.

Reading The Places in Between makes you wonder about living under the duress of a regime that banned public music but flaunted public stonings.

As we ate, our host, Khalife Amir, played a tamboura lute...The others, who had not been able to hear music performed in public during the years of the Taliban regime, were quiet. (251)

By the time I got to the end of this book, I was sad to realize that there were no more words to read and that it was time to close the covers.


If you haven't already seen it, check out this fascinating article about how, in Afghanistan, families without sons feel forced to turn their girls into boys.

Furthermore, if you haven't see it, I recommend the documentary Afghan Stories.

I've also heard a lot of talk about The Dancing Boys of Afghanistan but I don't think that I'll be able to stomach that one just yet.





Are you reading anything of note right now?

Holding On

The shoulder situation made a comeback and I've been treating it with massage therapy but a funny thing would happen on the way to massage therapy: the pain, discomfort and soreness (from exercise) would just about disappear.

The second time the pain disappeared prior to my appointment, I figured something psychological might be going on.

The day after the last massage that I had the discomfort, which had already switched sides of the shoulder, returned to my upper right arm, my shoulder blade and sometimes on the side of my neck. The shoulder blade situation felt like a tight little radius of intensity and heat with a kink right in the middle.

My friend (HC), her sister and I went to Community Acupuncture's open house today. After treatment, my friend asked me what I thought.

Me: It is what it is...

That's when I realized I was in a foul mood and stressed-out.

I have been feeling stuck and there is little wonder that my muscles are in a holding pattern.

I'm frustrated with rock climbing no matter what my belay partners tell me about my tenacity and strength.

I'm frustrated with front crawl breathing even though I've been told that everyone struggles with it.

I'm frustrated that I seem unable to lose more weight. One year plateau anyone?

I have angst about my new body and I didn't see that one coming.

I may have fitness fatigue.

And my face? Even it looks strange after weight loss.


While I was waiting on my friend and her sister to finish up their acupuncture sessions, I read through The Asian Diet book and one of the things it said about stress is that your body holds on to weight. Imagine that...

A few weeks ago, I was talking to my friend Lori and I was reluctant to vent. I told her that I sounded ungrateful and she told me that I wasn't being ungrateful; I was just expressing how I feel.

I also have a tendency to not want to own up to sadness etc. because, in the back of mind, I feel as if things might get worse if I vent. Not sure where I got that idea from and, having said that, turning the calendar page from August to September made me sad. I even took the calendar off the wall for a while.

I went rock climbing yesterday and swimming today. Clearly, if I had a serious shoulder injury, I would not have been able to climb or swim.

Just acknowledging, though, that I haven't been feeling cheery has taken some of the weight off my shoulders. I'm sure that floating helped too...


Postscript: Since I'm getting stuff off my shoulders, even though I swim laps, my treading bites and I am not wholly comfortable with the deep end.

Saturdays Are Synonymous With

Email subject line: Climbing

That one word made my heart hiccup. I thought that Patti, my belay partner, might not be able to climb but she was just verifying our meeting time because, you know, Saturdays in these parts are synonymous with rock climbing.

I had a lot of fun on Six Week Warrior, my second route of the morning; it took me awhile to figure it out but I had a great time on my way to the top.



Patti had fun on it too.





I tried mightily to get over this arête on Hermano? -- like seven times but it wasn't meant to be.



Later on, Patti and I were talking about food and we both came to the conclusion that we need to count calories again.

Me: I've gained weight.

Patti: You don't look like it.

Do I need to tell you why I love this woman?


Route Tally for Sept. 25th:


Grab The Jug, 5.8
Scott's First, 5.8
Steller's, 5.8
Have Fun, Be Fun, 5.9 (Attempted 5 x's)
Hermano?, 5.9 (Attempted 7 x's)
Six Week Warrior, 5.9
Pacman Revival, 5.9
Photosynthesis, 5.9


Hope that you're having a great weekend and that you're making it a fit and active one.

The Situation

Me: Hey Patti,

Long time no talk to or maybe not. Seems that way.

Last time we talked, we were thinking about Wednesday for climbing.

How's your situation?



Patti: My situation is still crazy, that is why we must climb on Wednesday… after work?



Me: Gonna take it out on the wall, hunh?

Yeah, after work works better if it works for you too. Haha...


Patti: Yes it works! And it has been a long time since we’ve talked/climbed/giggled.

Patti and I behave as if we've been away from rock climbing forever when, in reality, we went on Saturday. I guess it just felt like a long time since giggling is so much fun.


Route Tally for Wednesday, Sept. 22nd:


Climbing Is Awesome, 5.6 (Ascended and Down Climbed 3 x's)
Life In The Pack, 5.8 (2 x's)
Where The Beer Flows Like Wine, 5.8
Steller's, 5.9
Hermano?, 5.9
Pacman Revival, 5.9
Photosynthesis, 5.9


Stay tuned to see if Patti becomes annoyed with my posting email tidbits...

The Gospel According to Mike

Note: Mike is one of my belay partners and Patti's husband. I'm kind of jealous because Mike just took Lead Climbing 101 which I want to, eventually, take.

After Patti climbed Bristol Crix, a 5.9 route:


If Patti had trouble climbing that route, I'm not going to attempt it; I know who wears the climbing pants in the family.

After climbing and before heading out to lunch:

When I'm sitting with Patti, I give fat bald men everywhere hope...

On Patti's Delayed Onset of Sarcasm:

Yeah, then she shows up with a sword in one hand and a salt shaker in the other...

After Patti tackled Inconceivable, a challenging 5.9 route:

You're queen of the wall.

As Patti and I were leaving: Thanks for driving my wife up the wall. (There were four of us climbing that day so we split off into groups of two.)

A Few Days Later:

Me: How long did you and Chris stay after Patti and I left?

Mike: Not long. I only did four routes. I'm lazy, no good and worthless; just ask Patti.

Mike's answer to a question posed by Joe:

She's (Patti) not sane; she married me.

On why I decided to climb Chag, 5.9/5.8 route.

Me: Patti goaded me into doing it -- but in a nice way.

Mike: Good thing you're not married to her; it wouldn't be in a nice way. We've had 11 good years of marriage but we won't talk about the other 17.

We stayed together for the sake of the children...Neither one of us wanted custody of them.

Juanita, a rock climbing newbie: My forearms hurt. I'm taking a break.

Mike to Juanita: Just remember: there is no problem big enough that you can't run away from it.

Mike experienced a little post-Pacman Revival (a 5.9 route) elbow pain:

Patti: Do we need more ice packs?

Mike: We need more youth.

Mike to me: Did I ever tell you about my concussion?

Me: No.

Mike: It didn't effect me at all.


An hour later...


Mike to me: Did I ever tell you about my concussion? It didn't effect me at all.

Patti put her head down, laughed and walked away.

Mike: You get the girl and the laughter...

(Mike belaying for Patti)

Patti -- after climbing Chickens Don't Clap, a 5.10a route: I'm going to get a drink of water then throw up.

Mike: Don't waste the water...

Mike: Climbing is like baseball -- there is no clock.

Me: Patti's in rarefied air; she's rocking the 5.10's now.

Mike: She's always been a perfect 10 to me...

To Mike who was belaying for me: Do you mind if I do laps?

Mike: Now, we wouldn't be friends if we didn't let you abuse yourself...

There are two ways to have a successful marriage.

1). Let your wife think she's in control.

2). If number one does not work, let her be in control.

Not A Better Way To Spend The Day

American Family, Geico and Holland America beat my family and friends to the punch. Ah, corporate birthday greetings generated from stored information. Holland America's was the most memorable. If HA thinks their e-card makes me want to go on a cruise, they can just think again. Well, actually, a cruise would be nice.

Me: I gotta go. I'm supposed to meet someone for rock climbing in 10 minutes.

My brother: You're going rock climbing on your birthday?

Me: I can't think of a better way to spend my birthday.

This newbie, Wynne, who was climbing with Patti while she rock climb cheated on me, told me that she had seen me climb before and that I was awesome and she told me more than once and it's amazing how people tell you things when you need to hear them. I've been feeling like I've made little progress with climbing but Patti gave me a pat on the back as well. She said that, at nine months, I am more advanced than she was. I will believe Patti because I want to.

Birthday Route Tally:

Wild Card, 5.6
People's Choice, 5.7
Steller's, 5.8
Where's My Mind?, 5.8
Pacman Revival, 5.9 (2x's)
Hermano?, 5.9
Photosynthesis, 5.9
Slammer, 5.9 (Attempted 2x's but, alas, I got slammed)


Had baked falafel for dinner with a few friends and one still doesn't know how weird I am about food. I told her what I thought was in the super sized mocha muffin.



Instead, I'm gonna have a VitaTop from my 12 pack that was given to me by a colleague for my b-day.



And I'm gonna enjoy my flowers too and continue to ride the wave of warm and fuzzy feelings.



I'm also going to think about the woman with the Jack Russell Terrier Pug who greatly amused us for about 30 minutes outside of the coffee shop where we had the falafel. When she said Imagine if I were to get down on all fours..., I laughed and laughed. She was such a sweetie, quite the storyteller and completely in love with Conner, the JRT Pug.

Stay tuned to see if I give myself the gift of Wii...

The Plan

Patti: What’s the plan for tomorrow?

'Drea: First, LOL, I plan to take an Epsom Salt bath. My calves are so sore that I was walking down the steps sideways. I did a bit of yoga so they are feeling better. You know that I wanna climb though. So, if the Ep doesn't do the trick, I might just gut it out anyway...

Colleague One: What is going on with you?


Mother: Are your legs sore?


Colleague Two: Are you okay?

Colleague Three: What happened?

Me: Too much exercise.

Colleague Three: That has never happened to me.

Me: Maybe it will.

Colleague Three: It hasn't happened yet.

Colleague Four: I should take a picture of you.


Mother: Whatever exercise you did, don't do it anymore.


My sore calves and penguin-like walk are courtesy of Kate's Tuesday night special. About 15 minutes into class Kate asked us, in the middle of jumping jacks, how we were doing but no one answered because, well, we had already exerted a lot of energy. Our inability to respond resulted in more jumping jacks -- not to mention the lunges and planks that followed.

In the end, I should know better than to take a class from someone who wasn't alive in 1980 or 1985 or 1989.

Been to any painful exciting classes lately?

A Few Good Podcasts

I definitely dig my Go List of songs when I'm working out but I like something different every now and then. Here are podcasts that I found engaging:


1). Instant Stress Relief, an interview with Aila Accad, RN, MSN

Accad contends that the main kind of stress is distress which occurs when you feel out of control. She believes that people respond to distress in the following manner:

Fight
Shut Down
Freeze

She also believes that the body is the last thing to break down when you're experiencing stress because, before that, relationships etc. have suffered.

Also notable is the fact that Accad lost 100 pounds three times -- saying that, among other things, her infantile pattern of eating was to blame.

Accad's number one stress buster: breathe. She also talks about strategies for dealing with our future-oriented mind that is prone to worry.

Also mentioned in this podcast is the documentary, Try It On Everything, about EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique).


Link to podcast:


Total Time: 29:55

2). Healing Touch: Hands-On Energy Balancing for Wholeness

Nurses Kimberly Gray and Vicky Slater (holistic nurse of 2002) discuss the benefits of Healing Touch, an alternative healing method that deals with balancing the energy field through contact and non contact.

Points made in podcast:

People come in because their lives aren't working.

Hands in motion (energy work) is more powerful when you have someone else do it.

The heart puts out the strongest magnetic field in the body.

Link

Total Time: 55:41


3). Health Benefits of Massage Therapy

Kelly Stone and Raena Morgan talk with Juliet Trinka about massage. Trinka became interested in bodywork after taking up yoga. She also answers questions from listeners.

Trinka is particularly fascinated with Thai massage and says that it is very similar to yoga as far as benefits are concerned.


Link

Length: 41:54




4). Yoga: The Mind Body Connection

In this podcast Kelly Stone interviews Dawn Morgan the founder of The Spirit Room in Fargo, ND.

Discussed:

How the state of the mind often dictates the state of the body

How some people are more prone to have quieter minds than others...


Advice given by Morgan:

Don't malign others

Appreciate everyone even those who anger you because your response indicates that there's something that needs to be worked on

Don't expect applause

Belly dancing as holistic

Morgan also talks about a grant that she received enabling her to feature the artist Izudin Becic, a Bosnian refugee.

Of Izudin she says:

...When he came to this country, he found himself carving. And it meant so much to him. It was a healing art to him.

Link


Time: 36:37


5). The Health Miracles of Coconut Oil

Dr. Fife talks about coconut -- the meat, milk, heart and sap

He believes that coconut oil is superior to olive oil, is good for diabetics -- especially in helping with circulation, is just as good as breast milk, can be used for sunscreen and in treating fungus.

Link

Total Time: 44:56



6). Flight Attendant Confidential

David Lytle of Frommer's sits down to talk with Heather Poole who discusses the challenges of being a flight attendant including lower wages after 9/11 and pleasing a wide variety of people. She says that one person will say it's the best flight they've had and another will say it was the worst.

While Poole contends that flying can be like an episode of Survivor, she ultimately says:

Go with the flow.

Deal with it.

Get to know the people around you.

Link to Frommer's Episode 99

Length: 29:14


7). Eating Our Way Through Europe

Rick Steves takes listener questions and talks with Jaime Blair Gould about cheese and olive oil appreciation plus slow and seasonal eating.

Steves also mentions how Americans usually eat on the way to somewhere while eating out is a slow affair for most Europeans who will, in fact, be insulted if the restaurant staff in any way appears to be rushing them out the door.


One of Steves' top travel payoffs? Eating good food.

But don't believe the commercial when it says "Public radio -- the next best thing to an airplane ticket." Um, don't think so.

Steves has a good radio voice.

52:40, length of program

Link to Rick Steves' archives because I, oops, misplaced link to this one.


8). The Many Voices of Lauryn Hill (All Things Considered)


Speaking of good voices, this podcast is short but sweet, talks about Hill's possible comeback and likens Hill to LeBron James -- someone who entered the league with a lot of potential and delivered as a rookie. Hill answers the question of why she disappeared.

Link


Total Time: 09:00 minutes


9). It Was The Best of Sentences

The Grammar Girl a.k.a. Mignon Fogarty interviews June Casagrande who is the author of Grammar Snobs Are Great Big Meanies and Mortal Syntax.

I like what Casagrande had to say about a Stieg Larsson book. She said that she found it poorly written but wildly fascinating and that when she is reading a book, she is, primarily, looking for a good story.

Mignon asked Casagrande what she thought about the English professor that got arrested at Starbucks because she wouldn't order something in the *appropriate* lingo.

Casagrande was like, first of all, why was she going to Starbucks for a multigrain bagel when there are so many great bagel establishments in New York City. She also talked about the power of asking questions when it comes to corporations and how many of them force you to speak their lingo...

Link

Length: 26:35



10). Rolfing

This Rolfing practitioner can't thank his massage therapist enough. He was referred to a Rolfing practitioner which lead to his eventually becoming one. He says that most people seek out a practitioner for permanent relief from pain.

He also discusses the difference between a Rolfing practitioner and a chiropractor.

Link to Episode 68

Length: 18:21


Have you listened to any memorable podcasts?

If It's Magic

Instant viewing on Netflix has sucked me in but I never thought I'd watch so many episodes of LA Ink starring Kat Von D.

Part of the appeal is that I keep toying with the notion of getting a discreet tattoo. Perhaps, cherry blossoms with branches and names, a dove with an olive leaf or a bouquet of flowers, an idea that I got from the show.


So many people on the show get memorial tattoos. There was this one woman who got a sleeve of her friend who died of breast cancer. The friend was a fellow surfer fascinated by mermaids and dolphins and such. So, the tattoo is of her friend as a mermaid surrounded by all of things she loved.

There was a woman who got the symbol for the National Eating Disorders Association on her back so that she can remember where she's been and how for she's come.

On the flip side of an eating disorder is the father who got a tattoo of his daughter (with words My Angel and Ecle 3:4) who has Mitochondrial disease which I hadn't heard of. The father describes it as an inability to produce fuel from food that we eat.

A young lady comes in wanting a life preserver, the symbol for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, to honor her brother who committed suicide.



One guy got a It's called Vitiligo tattoo.


Yet another woman got a series of tattoos on her back of a bird tentatively leaving a bird cage, then another bird in the middle and, finally, a bird soaring. Recently divorced, she also had an eating disorder and wanted to document her flight so to speak.

There were a number of phoenix tattoos done, including one on a man who saved his friend from a fire but ended up being burned himself.

The comedian Margaret Cho comes in to get another peacock tattoo because it represents beauty for her. Cho said that it took her a long time to get to the point where she thought of herself as beautiful.


In Vol 2, Epi 2, Hannah Aitchison, an LA Ink artist said:

One of the best pieces of advice that I ever got is the idea of the responsibility when someone gives you their body and wants you to do something on them that they will die with, it's a tremendous amount of trust...

I was completely moved by the woman who got a Japanese crane on her rib cage to honor her friend Mary Crane who was going through a second bout of lymphoma. About her friendship, she said:

I don't know how much farther I can go but I will continue going as far as I can to validate how much I love that girl. Wherever we are in the world, I will always looks at this tattoo and think of good memories -- hugging her, her smile and just always think about friendship and how magical it is. (Vol. 2, Epi 5, Novelty Girls)

Unconditional Positive Regard

Recently finished Gang Leader for a Day recommended by Prevention RD. Sudhir Venkatesh, the gang leader for a day and then sociology student, goes to The Lake Park projects in Chicago complete with a clipboard and questionnaire. After being harassed, he's finally given permission to ask a question. The first one:

"How does it feel to be black and poor?" I read. Then I gave the multiple-choice answers: "Very bad, somewhat bad, neither bad nor good, somewhat good, very good." (14)

My coffee almost flew across the room as my cackle got caught up in the shuffle.

Venkatesh ends up spending several years with gang leader J.T., other gang members, residents, police officers and J.T.'s mother:

Ms. Mae gave me a big hug and told me to sit down for lunch. She had cooked some of my favorites -- okra, greens, mac and cheese -- and so I gladly obliged. J.T. quipped that I was eating his share of food. "You're becoming the little brother I never wanted," he said. (178)

Gang Leader was an intriguing read with universal truths:

The worst-paying jobs, meanwhile, often required the longest hours...(199)

I can't remember what I was talking with my friend Lori about when I said one should not clown in other countries. For some reason Lori Berenson, convicted of terrorist collaboration in Peru, sticks in my mind.

From that conversation, my friend recommended that I read Mutant Message Down Under by Marlo Morgan. The author's note said that it's an actual experience but it was written as a novel to protect the tribe that she went on a journey with. My spidey sense started tingling immediately and made me think of James Frey's book, A Million Little Pieces, which I was in the middle of reading when news broke that it was not autobiographical.

I read Mutant Message anyway. The author was lead into the Outback unwillingly and stripped of all that was dear to her and led on a fairly long walkabout with an Aboriginal tribe.

To sum it up: The Aboriginal tribe does no harm, wastes no natural resources, has respect for others and animals. They leave the world better than they found it. And the Mutant i.e. the author is to take their message of love and respect back into the world. I don't know whether or not I believed the story being told but there were certainly beneficial messages:

You either have faith or fear, not both. Things, they think, generate fear. The more things you have, the more you have to fear. Eventually you are living your life for things... (152)

I really like this concept because I'm sappy like that:

The Real People nation have for centuries had the practice at birth of speaking the same first phrase to all newborns. Each person hears the same exact first human words: "We love you and support you on the journey..." (153)

And, really, how cool with that be if every child had a life journey with unconditional positive regard?

I have been on such a nonfiction streak and I'm ready for fiction. Any recommendations? Please, save me from another nonfiction book.

Some books that I've enjoyed:


Deception Point by Dan Brown
Gone Fishin' by Walter Mosley
Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton
Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
Vanishing Act by Thomas Perry


Has anyone checked out Bookseer? When you put in a book that you've read, it gives you, mostly, Amazon recommended books. When I put in Thomas Perry, it gave me all books by Thomas Perry which is cool -- if you're looking for another TP book...

The Good Life

Patti to me: Climbing doesn't look too promising this week. August 30th

Patti: Friday lunch is out for me...but Mike might be available.

Me to Patti: I'm not sweating the climbing thing; it's probably time to shake up the routine anyway...

Me: I said that I wasn't sweating not climbing but knowing that Upper Limits will be closed on Monday, LOL, I'm starting to sweat it. Sept. 3rd

I have fingernails and receding calluses -- a sure sign that I needed to get back in the climbing gym. It wasn't a great outing but it wasn't bad either.

Route Tally for Sept. 8th:

People's Choice, 5.7
Scott's First, 5.8
Steller's, 5.8
Where's My Mind?, 5.8
Where The Beer Flows Like Wine, 5.8
Hermano?, 5.9 (Attempted four times but couldn't get over arête.)
Pacman Revival, 5.9
Photosynthesis, 5.9



Side note: My barber asked me about my holiday weekend. Had to think a minute about what holiday then I recovered. I told her that I bicycled, walked, read etc.

Oh, you gotta good life; I wanna do stuff like that...

It was interesting to see her perspective on what constitutes a good life especially since I've been feeling stuck lately.


Do you feel like you have a good life? Feel free to elaborate...

The Rough Guide To A Fit & Active Holiday Weekend

Friday

Take a break and don't ignore what massage therapist said about hip. End exercise streak at 64 days and get rest.

Saturday

Ride on Grant's Trail and brake for pedestrians.

Sunday

Go to The St. Louis Riverfront Trail.

Take an extra shirt.

Put on sunscreen.

Don't forget sunglasses, MP3 Player and snack.

Chill out...

Don't freak out because your starting point was the Arch and, now, it's so small that you can barely see it.

Look at Riverview memorial.

Be reminded of one closer to home.

Monday

Hug the bed a little longer, forgo bicycling and get back in touch with the wonder that is Forest Park.

Check out the tree losing bark.

Stop and smell the chipmunk.

Check out the algae.

Revel in the joy of moving about...

Ponder the I Love Women t-shirt worn by woman: Intimate love or love in the Alice-Walker-I-Don't-Fear-Women's Culture-Way?

Were you fit and active this weekend? Did you hug the bed a little bit longer? Hope so...

High Tea Anyone?

I like this comic even though it didn't make me chuckle or laugh out loud. It worked for me on several levels. The toxic apple -- maybe it was not organic and, also, I used to like CSI: Las Vegas even though I knew someone had to die in order for the crime scene specialists to do their mock work. I would have a little tension at the beginning of the episode with the creepy music and darkness -- knowing that the first person who appeared on the screen was usually the one that was going to get it. And a lot of the persons getting it were women of course.

CSI: Miami and CSI: New York came along and that proved to be too much crime scene investigating for me.

Combine CSI with Law & Order, Law and Order: SUV (Special Victims Unit), Law & Order: Criminal Intent and the hospital shows and you just had one big gross out festival. How many people really need to be intubated? And do I really need to see someone having a needle stuck in their eye?

There's one CSI (Las Vegas) episode, though, that sticks with me. Grissom needs to visit Lady Heather because, well, one of her ladies got killed. Lady H serves Grissom tea and tells him:

You spend your life uncovering what goes on underneath the surface of civility and acceptable behavior so it's a relief for you to indulge in something like high tea; it seems, if only for a moment, the world is civilized...The most telling thing about anyone is what scares them. I know what you fear more than anything Grissom...

Like Grissom, I need to believe that the world is civilized and it bothers me when people don't do little things like wait their turn. In the end, though, you can't let the little stuff get to you.

I think Miquel Angel Ruiz had it right in The Four Agreements:

Be Impeccable With Your Word

Don't Take Anything Personally

Don't Make Assumptions

Always Do Your Best

I really try to keep the second agreement at the forefront of my mind. Doesn't always work but...

Do you have any agreements that help you stay centered?

Getting Myself Out of Corners

And hanging out over at Purty's Place...