Time Management Issues

A few weeks ago, I felt guilty about the amount of time I spent on the computer. Not that I was doing anything bad on the computer, but I've sometimes found myself practically hypnotized by the monitor, unable to get up, my finger holding onto the mouse like it's going to run away. It's hard because I'm home a lot, and the internet is always available to me. I'll zip into the office to check my email, and then I'll click on another site, and then another...

So I set a strict rule for myself: 20 minutes a day. That shouldn't be hard, right? I mean, that's a goodly chunk of time! Keep in mind that's for all computer time, including email. I was shocked at how quickly 10 minutes would speed by! I'd try to limit myself to 5 minute chunks and it was so hard! So yeah, I decided to scrap that idea, though it helped me see how much time can be frittered away at the computer.

I'm not even sure I could limit myself to 30 minutes. I mean, I have email, plus 2 blogs, plus Facebook, plus other oft-visited blogs and sites! I'm sure the days will come when I don't have as much time to spend on here, so maybe I should just enjoy it while I can. On the other hand, should I be more regimented? Does anybody care?? Didn't think so. Just rambling.

Savior, Lead Us

One of my favorite names of God is the Good Shepherd. Maybe because my name means follower of Christ. This meaningful song has been running through my head the past few days:

Savior, lead us thru the darkness of this world's delusive way.
Though the battle rages round us, be our light from day to day.
Keep our eyes fixed on Thee so the shadows will flee.
In our weakness, in the bleakness lead us home.

Chorus
Storm clouds are gath'ring in the western sky.
We're pilgrims on a journey, assigned from on high.
There's a task here, we see, so we'll keep trusting Thee.
Savior lead us, Savior lead us, lead us home.

Friends may harm us, foes alarm us. This will push us to our knees.
Unknown testings, trials and wrestlings, what are these, dear Lord, to Thee?
Though the path be unclear and we're tempted to fear,
Blessed Shepherd, lead us onward, bring us home.

~Mac Lynch

Tyranny of Cell Phones!

What would cause me to burst out laughing in a Boston airport terminal? Would you believe it was a cell phone? Ah, but not just any cell phone. It's the oh-so-sophisticated ear-piece, hands-free version. The first person I laughed at was an Asian man, well-dressed and successful looking. As I waited in the sitting area of our gate, he was standing off by himself, talking away with this huge smile on his face. It didn't take me long to realize that he had an ear-piece to his cell phone, but if you hadn't seen it, the scene would have been even funnier than it already was! He was talking, laughing, and gesticulating as if to some ghost next to him and it totally struck my funny bone.

A very short time later, maybe even overlapping the Asian's conversation, another man entered the same waiting area for the plane bound to LaGuardia. He looked every inch the prosperous New York business man -- 40ish, iron colored hair, nice suit, long wool overcoat, and handsome features. Pretty soon he got his little earpiece warm as he carried on a conversation with an apparently imaginary person. Only he didn't stand still. Back and forth he paced in front of the waiting area, talking away and using his hands expressively. I guess it's only our high-tech culture that kept anybody from really admitting how idiotic he looked.

Most people just hold their phone, and airports and airplanes are full of people with their ever handy cell phones, usually glued to their ear. Some are most probably important conversations, but I'd venture to guess that about 75% of the conversations are merely idle chit-chat instigated because that person has nothing better to do. I saw several people very importantly take out their cell phones, dial, and then say something, "Hey, how's it going? Oh, nothing. We're just waiting to take off. So you're going to be there when I get there, right? Where are you at? Blah, blah, blah." And people are spending money for those words!

It's just amazing how many people have cell phones. I have 9 and 10 year old students who have little pink phones, and they know how to do all sorts of things with them. Last week, on our way to Friendly's, there were five of us in Derrick's car, and at one time, three of those people were on their cell phone. Of course they were pretty legitimate calls (I suppose), but it struck me funny all these people riding along carrying on multiple conversations! Silly me left mine back in my room or I could have whipped it out, too!

Ah, well, cell phones were a great invention and I'm thankful I have one. My state is working hard to ban using hand-held cell phones while driving. So I suppose there may come a sad day when I, too, must look silly with a little thing in my ear while I'm driving. Sigh. Welcome to the future.

Winter to Spring in 6 Hours

Happy first day of Spring, everyone! As you can see, we're just a wee bit ahead of New England in springiness.

Home again, home again, jiggedy-jig!

Well, here are a bunch of pictures, so that should be worth about 9,000 words, right? Okay, I'll add a few more. We got home from New Hampshire (Dad and I flew from Boston) quite late last night and I'm sort of in slow motion today unpacking, doing laundry, catching up on email, teaching, and replenishing Cheeky's empty love tank. He was one happy pussy to see us last night!

Hmm...I just wrote a bunch on my Xanga blog, but for most of my readers on this blog, there won't be anything new to say. I had a great time, even though my back and neck were out and sitting was pretty uncomfortable. Lots of laughter, good conversations, reconnections, worship, prayer, inspiring messages, and family more than made up for it, though!

Highlights of the trip?

~Seeing Jill, Evan, and kiddos. Chloe stole my physical affection loving heart with her tight little hugs!

~Visiting my grandma, who is doing pretty good for a 97 year-old crippled lady.

~Seeing old friends and relatives

~Singing several songs, including a duet with Craig on Sunday morning

~Friendly's and volleyball! And my team won (in spite of me)!

~My first New England snow storm! It was so beautiful!

~Time away from the internet, TV, radios, traffic, and those other things that clutter up our lives.

I have some other trip-related subjects to write about, but I think they'll wait for another day. My fertile, caffeine-fueled brain kept thinking blog thoughts on the flight home, but of course I didn't have any paper to write anything down. So now I'll have to remember it all. Thanks for the great time, my friends who were there!

Can anything top a simple, old-fashioned, home-made, American apple pie on a Friday night, perhaps joined by vanilla ice cream and coffee?? Nah, I didn't think so. ;-)

Hacked!

Can you believe my website was hacked?? I checked it on Wednesday because I wanted to (finally) write down cousin Katie's email address from the guestbook, and was surprised to bring up a page full of nothing but colorful letters. I wrote in panic to my webmaster and he said it looked like it was hacked. I guess I need to check it regularly. So it's up and running now, but it makes me mad at all the aimless, mischievous people out there messing with computers. Hmph. Katie, if you read this, I would like to get in touch with you, but some of my guestbook entries disappeared, including yours! You can email me at double k, plus my last name at juno dot com. (How's that for code? :-o Yup, just a little paranoid about spammers right now.)

At this time next week, I shall be 3,000 miles east of here, shivering in the New England cold. Yup, that's right, I might just see some of my readers at a certain place of worship in the lovely woods of New Hampshire. And I'll get to see Jackson for the first time!! Yay! Last week I called Jill on her birthday, and Jed answered the phone. It was gratifying to hear his excited "HI!!" and know they're excited about us coming (my parents, too).

Poll

No, this isn't about how many people read my blog! I just wanted to ask some opinions. If I were to make another CD this summer, it would either be solo harp (hymns and such) OR a Christmas conglomeration ~ vocal solos w/harp or w/piano, a few solo harp, maybe a couple duets. So I thought I'd ask those of you who have heard past CDs, or even if you haven't, which would you be quicker to buy/listen to? The challenge of doing a Christmas CD is its shortened market (about two months out of the year), but people do want Christmas music at Christmas time!

Vote now! :-D

New Blog

I now can be found on one more place on the web: Xanga! That's right, my friends, you can find me on xanga.com/singingharpist. Although I'm not sure you can view it if you don't become a member. But anyway, I know some people with Xanga blogs, so I thought I'd give it a try. I might drift out of using this blogspot at all because either hardly anyone visits or it's too boring for words, as I average 1 or 2 comments per post.