Things People Say to my Dog

The rhetorical question: Who's a good boy? Who's the cutest puppy in the world?
My dog's silent response: I know, it's me.

The flirtatious comment: I like your little sweater. Where did you get it?
Rufus says, "First of all, I think it's a little feminine, and second, I got it at either J.Crew or Petco. I'm not sure."

The awkward compliment: You're so cute I could just eat you up.
Rufus: Or you could just pet me like a normal person.

Lastly, the person who wants to make dog noises at my dog: Grrrr, Woof. Woof. Arf, grrr, bow-wow.
Rufus says, "Now you're just talking jibberish. That didn't even make sense. You just said,'Burglar sandwich very much no walk please.'"




Inspired by storyteller, Doogie Horner, featured in Spirit magazine, Oct., 2011

Reunification Anxiety

You've probably heard of separation anxiety . . . well, I'm not at all anxious about being separated from our sports car; it's reuniting with it that causes me some anxiety. Mr. M and I drove merrily across the desert Friday, caravanning with a group of similar sports car enthusiasts. We all arrived at our chosen hotel, rested a little, enlarged our posse of sports car enthusiasts, and had a beautiful and tasty outdoor dinner under the stars. We then met again first thing in the morning for a day trip. We all got on the freeway, but our car wasn't doing so well; so we had to get off the freeway. A number of friends followed us to offer their help. I sat in the shade and read the newspaper while 7 guys bent over the engine and theorized as to where the problem lay. In the end, our friends went on without us, and we were left waiting for a tow truck to haul us to the mechanic. We were towed, but the mechanics were stumped, and the sports car expert won't be in until next week. So we got a rental, with the idea of driving home and then driving back at some point to pick up our car. Given time to think (and internet access), we found that it would be cheaper and easier to return the car and fly home. We talked with our posse about our problem, and we were offered a ride home. So here we are--at home. Our car, though, is not. We don't know when it will be ready, what it needs, or how we are going to get it back. We do know that it is a huge blessing to have helpful friends, though.

Thoughts on Jobs

Mr. M and I watched a show honoring Steve Jobs last night. I don't know that I own any of his products, but I am affected by them on a daily basis. Thanks to Mr. M's iPhone, we found out what all the police were doing on the road when we went to see the vet. His iPhone lets us walk around San Francisco and read what other people have to say about the restaurant we're standing in front of. I think, though, that it was Steve Jobs' idea of making the computer personal, and having one in your home, that has been most influential in my life. My computer-whatever brand it is and whatever server it uses-is my hobby, and my creative outlet. It lets me share my ideas and photos with the public. I believe I've reached my technical plateau, and my lack of "iGear" is supremely evident, but I can and do appreciate the technology I have.

Theistic Evolution

I tried to believe this in high school. I wanted something different, something shocking, to believe in. This belief was completely obliterated one Sunday evening when my pastor was preaching on the literal six-day creation, and he said some people didn't believe that part of the Bible--at least not literally. The simple question he posed to the congregation completely changed my beliefs and my perspective on Scripture. He rhetorically asked us that if we don't believe what God says in the beginning of Genesis, then at what point do we start believing the Bible. Do we choose to believe the Ten Commandments but not he creation account? Illogical and inconsistent. It's all or none. If the creation account isn't literally true then it stands to reason that God didn't literally raise Jesus from the dead, the bedrock belief of Christianity and a belief necessary for salvation. (Romans 10:9,10.)

My Sister's Keeper

I have been ill and confined to the couch for a week. Yesterday, I watched My Sister's Keeper, the story of a cancer patient and her family. There were a lot of hospital scenes that reminded me of the time I have spent in hospitals with friends. In short order, my mom died, followed closely by two good friends. At the end of the movie, after the sister who had cancer has died, the other sister concludes that she sees no big picture, no grand purpose in her sister's life and/or death, and she is left simply with a feeling of much gratefulness for the sister she had, and the privilege she had of knowing her. That's how I feel about my friends. That's how I feel about my mom, too, only more so since she had so much influence on my spiritual (and daily) life, and I thank God He chose her to be my mom.