Working to Be an Appreciator

"Many people see Jim as an extraordinary creator & I realize that I see Jim first as an appreciator. He appreciated so much. He loved London. He loved walking on the heath. He loved Parliament Hill, flying kites. He appreciated his family & his colleagues & his Muppet family & he appreciated the performance & the design of a puppet. He appreciated the detail on a Persian rug. He appreciated beauty. I really don't believe that Jim could have been such an estraordinary creator if he hadn't been such an extraordinary appreciator."
--Frank Oz on Jim Henson in "It's Not Easy Being Green And Other Things to Consider" by Jim Henson, the Muppets, & Friends

This quote struck a chord inside me. I am always so busy that I rarely take the time to be an Appreciator. I have my moments but they usually are BRIEF. I really feel this way at home. I always have so many projects (the shed, organization, a yard sale (two this year), cleaning out, cleaning, not to mention work & volunteering) that I can do not allow myself to appreciate my family & friends or a good book or quietude, spiritual or mediation time. When I don't have enough quiet or spiritual time, I make myself downright crazy or manic.

I always have the mind set of "when I finish X-project(s), particularly when it comes to cleaning out the house & organizing it, that I will focus on spirituality, spend more time with my friends, playing outside (I want to ride my bicycle!) & allow myself to read or knit rather than always feeling like I should clean & organize the house. If I don't do it now, when will I?

So in addition to my main goal for 2006, which is "My Year of Decluttering", I'm also going to strive to be an appreciator. I'm going to spend more time with friends; more time outdoors; going to give myself time to pray & meditate; & more time to appreciate!

Gingrich: "Insurgents in CT"

Newt Gingrich was on Fox news & said "Third, you have what I think is a legitimate insurgency in Connecticut, which needs to be met head on and debated head on, which is people who say this is so hard, it is so frightening, it’s so painful, can’t we come home and hide? And I think if Lamont wins next Tuesday, it will be the beginning of extraordinarily important period in American politics, and in American history. For all of us to have this debate. How dangerous are the terrorists? How dangerous are the dictatorships? And what does America have to do in that kind of a dangerous world?"

Insurgency in Connecticut?

Since when did protestors or people speaking out against government policies become insurgents. This is what our forefathers & most of our countrymen for over 200 years called "FREEDOM OF SPEECH".

Newt, maybe you've heard of this concept? See Amendment I of the Constitution: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;..." Pay close attention to the next section here, it's important, "or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peacably to assemble, and to petition the Government for redress of grievances."

See also, Amendment XVII of the Constitution: "The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two senators from each state, elected by the PEOPLE thereof,..." This also applies to the House of Representatives in Article I of the Constitution. Why is Newt even commenting on this race, he's not a citizen of Connecticut that I know of. Last time I checked he was from Georgia.

This is just a blatant attempt by Republicans to redefine anyone who disagrees with the government as insurgents. From here it's just a hop, skip & a jump from Republic to dictatorship with secret police; the torture & disappearance of those unsavory citizens who may disagree with the government; & the fixing of elections.