I generally think of myself as a positive person. Although lately I’ve found myself giving things a bit of a negative spin. It is so easy to get sucked into that deep pit of negativity. At first you let some little thing make you grumpy, then another and the next thing you know you’re grumpy at the whole world. When you have that negative attitude, you begin to see everything that happens to you in a bad light. I’ve known people that always seem to look to the negative. If they find twenty dollars, they’ll complain because they really needed the extra money last week. If you make a comment about how nice the weather is, they will tell you it’s supposed to rain tomorrow. Even worse is the fact that negativity can also be contagious. Hang around negative people long enough and you start to be negative yourself.
Yearly Archives: 2004
The giggles
There was a cute little girl (about two years old) at the library today who had a delightful case of the giggles. I think one of my favorite sounds in this world is that of a child’s laughter. It’s such a pure, innocent and joyful sound that we adults have long lost. Even if you’re having a bad day, hearing such a sound can do wonders for lifting your spirits. I was glad I was around to hear that little girl’s giggles today.
Daylight again
Today while I drove home from work I saw the most beautiful sunset. The sun was just above the horizon and was shining with a gorgeous, golden-orange hue. It’s great to see the sun after I get out of work again. The worst part of winter for me is when my workday ends at 5pm and night has already brought its dark shadow upon the landscape. Seeing the sunset today reminded me that I made it through the darkest period of winter. Another month or two and I can start thinking about real important matters — like where to take my first camping trip of the year.
The Reverend returns
The other day I picked up an album that should have been included on my best music of 2003 list. Last year, Al Green reunited with his producer from his soul records of the 70’s to release a new CD. Consequently, I Can’t Stop sounds like a lost album from that time period (when some might say his music was at its zenith). Every song on the CD screams 70’s soul with the same beautiful voice Al had 30 years ago. My favorite tracks (so far) are the danceable “Million To One” and the bluesy, “My Problem Is You” where he demonstrates his masterful ability to use his voice to convey emotion. A most welcome comeback for the Reverend Al Green.
Musical risks
Buying an album just on the basis of a few reviews can be risky, especially when you’ve never heard any of the artist’s music before. I’ve definitely been burned in the past by doing this. Today taking that risk paid off for me when I put Talkie Walkie, the new release by the French duo, Air, into my CD player. Air’s blend of voices, electronic sounds, synths and guitars creates lush, psychedelic soundscapes which can be melancholic and playful at the same time. Perfect music to let you zone out and relax in the middle of the winter. Next time I listen to it, I’m getting out the headphones.
Sports, rock and roll
So it was about time for the evening news and I turned on the television. The first thing I saw was the Superbowl pregame show. Not a regular pregame show, but a hyped-up, rock and roll pregame show. At halftime there was another hyped-up, rock and roll show (and with the exposed breast incident, the hype continued long after the show was over).
A winter hike
I’ve come to realize that being outside in nature is very important for me and my psyche. This fact really becomes apparent to me in the middle of winter (when I’m not outside as much as I am in warmer weather).
Thanks to a nice blanket of snow that fell over the past few days, I was able to strap on my snowshoes today and hike around the Wehr Nature Center near my house. I wasn’t the only one taking advantage of the winter conditions. There were people cross country skiing, sledding, snow boarding and tobogganing. You might wonder how a person can enjoy the beauty of nature around you with all those people around? That’s the great thing about having snowshoes.
The Moon / Mars plan
I’ve been conflicted about President Bush’s proposal for establishing a base on the moon and a manned mission to Mars. My first reaction is I feel space exploration is something we should be doing. We humans can learn a lot from exploring the universe around us. The more we learn, the better off we will be. Just think of all the technological innovations we use everyday, which evolved from the work NASA did in the 1960s. I also feel that someday humans will be living on other worlds and in space. Perhaps that’s the best insurance for the disastrous asteroid strike that scientists say will inevitably occur on our planet.
Go Badgers!
In the dead of winter there can be times when you need something to get your heart pumping and lift your spirits. Yesterday, I was at the Kohl Center to see the Wisconsin Badgers defeat Michigan State, 77 to 64. When your team is playing well, the band is playing the old college fight song and an energetic crowd is screaming (like we were yesterday) it really gets your adrenaline going. Just thinking about it gets my heart beating a little faster. Over the past several decades the Spartans have dominated Wisconsin. Consequently, it was real sweet to watch the Badgers beat Michigan State for the third straight time in two years.
After the game, Dad and I were cheering Wisconsin on as the team left the floor. When Devon Harris approached (one of the best players in the country) we both reached over the rail and he jumped up and gave us high fives. That was sweet too. Great game Devon and Go Badgers!