On the Agenda

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Renewal of Curiosity


"Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends -- hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism-- these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths."— Obama

The strange looking animals pictured above are Highland Cattle, also know as Hairy Coos. Don't ask me why, I have no idea. But they're kinda cute. I don't know how they see where they're going.

I wanted to write something after the inauguration. Something about how real it felt to me and how good. And about how I love Michelle's comfortable glamor and Barack's humble wait in the hallway. I'm excited to see what will happen and hopeful because I might actually have the chance/inclination to become involved this time around.

My parents gave me a subscription to Newsweek for Christmas, and this week I've read the issue nearly cover-to-cover, which has been a real treat. I'm for staying connected and informed without being pulled down into international pessimism. I'm hoping that reading well-written news will do better for this than too much TV or even radio.

Which all kinda leads me (in a very weird, indirect way) to what I am considering to be my New Years Resolution. Yea, yea… I know it's been a month already so I'm a little late, but these things need to be considered. And in my defense I did come up with this at the beginning of the month. I'm just getting to posting it now, which you will come to see is the slightest bit ironic.

The word of the year is "intentional." I want to live with my with more intention. Do what I say I am going to do, in a way that encourages curiosity and productivity. It's not that I want to get more done, I want to do more with the full awareness of what and how I am doing.

So there. That is the big picture for 2009. A little late, maybe a little hairy. But hopefully a lot curious.

Friday, January 02, 2009

Shine On


Into a new year, a new job, and a new home. Quite the quiet NYE this year, but maybe that's best. It was a crazy holiday, with everyone together and things changing and such. But maybe that's all for the best too, in the long run.

What I have realized more than anything else in the coming weeks is the importance of my friends. Not just how great it is to know people, but how much those special few really mean, and how much I am like them. Even when they are far away, real friends are always able to make you feel at home, to make you feel like one of them, to make you feel loved.

Of course it's wonderful to feel loved by your family and those people who are closest to you, and I would never want to give that up for anything. But that special call after midnight on New Year's Eve, or the strange similarities between hopes and dreams and life discussion, I would give that up either.

The bulk of my NY Resolutions appeared in a post a while ago. But for now I just want to say how thankful I am for my friends.

Happy New Year, and more about the new life later. Peace.