Jennifer 4/24/91

For my sister, flirtatious and alive

in the humor of life.

Agonized by the rules and requirements

of trivialities that are not fun.

Her laugh resounds a room

her smile the light

that draws in and makes at home

those who are not sure when the punchline has been delivered.

My sister accepts what is real,

dismissing the unnecessary.

Randy 4/24/91

To my brother

tall and quiet

armed with his silence

and willful determination

that how he believes

is how he shall live.

His surroundings shall accommodate

or remain unknown, almost dead.

His senses shall not recognize

that which displeases him.

The Wonders of Flaxseed

I found this brochure at the grocery store the other day espousing the wonders and benefits of the particular product Nopalina, a brand of ground flaxseed. Some highlights:

"Have you tried everything from grueling exercises to impossible-to-follow low carb and starvation diets, and NOTHING has worked?

We know you must have felt it over the years no matter what you do. Even if you do lose some weight, IT COMES RIGHT BACK.

So, how can NOPALINA help you solve this old problem? The conventional wisdom--work out, eat less--is just TOO HARD to accomplish on its own.*

Even when you do all the time-consuming and difficult workouts people suggest, you still only burn energy while you are actually doing them! The rest of the day you (sic) body engine is still idling and turning all the food you eat into fat.*

Even when you go on a starvation or low carb diet, you (sic) body screams at you for food and slows everything down so you still don't burn fat.

NOPALINA is a special combination of natural herbs to activate and accelerate your METABOLISM, kill your APPETITE, and promote rapid WEIGHT LOSS!!!

With our All-Natural Formula NOPALINA, you can:

• Lose pounds and inches like crazy.
• Quickly break down fat in your problem area.
• Jump-start your metabolism.
• Boost your energy levels.
• lose your appetite and feel satisfied.
• Eliminate cellulite and excess fat pockets
• Stimulate your body's natural fat-burning ability.

Take 1 or 2 tablespoons of NOPALINA before your meal 2 times a day. Drink 2 to 3 liters of water a day. Repeat for all the weight you want to lose."

*I don't agree with these statements, although I understand that everybody doesn't enjoy exercise in the same way I do.

What do you think, Mom? Should we go on a NOPALINA diet together?

Patterns

Back when I was doing some serious research (about instincts--in animals and humans) while trying to find the direction for my middle grade novel, I came across the quote. I believe the author's name is Laura Day. She claims to be clairvoyant. Don't know how you feel about that, but her work is interesting. She proposes keeping a journal in which you describe yourself living the life you desire. Good advice. The motivational 'guru' I've selected as my own is Dr. Wayne Dyer. Check him out, it will be worth your time.

Anyway, here's the quote from Laura Day:

We continually send out the same messages and attract the same people toward us with little variation. Like many of our abilities, these messages tend to be shaped and patterned by our early experiences. All thought, action and energy have a pattern. If we are sending out a conflicting pattern, people respond to the confusion accordingly, and events may clash with us.

Try Again

Have you ever tried to crochet?
I tried just today
But I wouldn't say:
'Grandmas get out of my way'
Because I did not do very swell
And at it I am not very well
I gave up, I just had to
Which you should never do
Because giving up
Shows you never wanted to.

Total Bore

I have always thought of a door
As a total bore.
If I was a door
It would be a horror
All I would do is open,
Shut, slam, squeak,
Groan and creak.
I would be no fun at all
Next time we'll talk
About something fun
Like a wall

Attention

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile. My attention has been captured by the phenomenon that is Facebook. Jennifer and Sarah are on there. I'll have to send you an invite.

I have also found myself fascinated lately with the topics of architecture and decorating, having come across such wonderful witticisms as:

Connect activity areas with views from one place to the next, but don't make the space so undifferentiated that it all looks and feels the same.

Or:

The ancient home was bound to its natural setting; by nature it was externalized, a reflection of its surroundings. The modern was internalized, a personal sanctuary.

This distinction is not between old and new but between house and home. A house is just shelter--four walls and a roof--but home, of course, is where the heart is.