The hills are alive

The last few weeks I have been getting up on Saturday mornings and taking walks on a hiking trail that meanders through a very wooded park along the Root River here in Racine, WI. It amazes me how much my heart and soul cries out to be in nature. It reminded me of a story I heard on NPR about a 3rd graders home work where the goal was to match two pictures with either the word need or want. First example was a New Bike or Food. New Bike = Want & Food = Need The last one was a man reading or flowers. I think sometimes we under estimate how much we NEED flowers!

Submitted by: Ancient Path

Age ain't nuthin but a number

Last year my family had a huge party for my grandmother's 95th birthday. I was over to her house making mixed cd's for the party. I asked my grandmother what she'd like to hear. She said, "Louis Armstrong, Sara Vaughn, Josh Groban and Angie Stone." What kind of playlist is that! How does my 95 year old grandmother know Angie Stone?

Lesson Learned: You're never to old to get your groove on.

Submitted by: Nicole

Shopaholic

My mother, aside from being a sci-fi geek, is also a shopaholic. She is all about the outfit. She won't go and buy a simple pair of pants. She has to buy the pants and at least 2 matching tops, the skirt if it happens to be a set... and in every color! She's seriously the only person that I know who owns and rocks yellow pants. The other funny thing is she will spend $100 on a pair of shoes, but will refuse to buy the matching purse if it cost more than $20.

Lesson Learned: My mother is a fashionista!

Submitted by: Nicole

What's with people getting pregnant before marriage?

At a recent wedding shower... needless to say for a dude, my friend Chris told us about his proposal to his girlfriend who was three months pregnant. He proposed to her at a hot dog stand in Santa Barbara. When he asked her: "Will you marry me?" Being traditional and Catholic, she said: "Of course. I have to." I was cracking up when I heard that.

Lesson Learned: Use contraception.

Submitted by: Anonymous

Beam me up!

You know all those shows you see on TV and you wonder 'who in the world watches that?' Those are the shows my mom LOVES! Xena Warrior Princess, Stargate SG1, Beastmaster, Ghost Whisperer, the list goes on and on. It's almost like she has a tacky TV radar that has no off-switch. It's hilarious.

Lesson learned: Sci-fi geeks come in all shapes and sizes.

Carpe

I got some really cool advice yesterday that really hit home. Enjoy:

"Life doesn't get any easier as time passes, so if you think you don't have time to do something today, you probably won't have time to do it tomorrow either. "

Lesson learned: Don't put off living.

Hardcore

My sister hipped me to this show on Discovery Channel called "Man vs. Wild". HIGHLY recommend it. Each week this guy gets dropped out of a helicopter into the middle of nowhere, and has to find his way to civilization with nothing more than a hunitng knife and a cantine. Dude is nuts! But somehow he gets it done week after week. I've seen him make his way out of the Arctic, the Sahara, the Costa Rican rainforest and a deserted island! Bananas.

Lesson learned: The term rock star has officially been re-defined.

My Filipino Proverb

It was a cold, winter weekend and I was visiting my best friend in New Jersey. Her family is traditionally Filipino, which meant lots of food and unyielding hospitality. In other words, I couldn't pass the kitchen without my friend's cheerful dad asking me, "Are you hungry?" Each time I'd answer, "No thank you, Tito." And then my stomach would grumble. Then he'd ask, "Are you cold? You want the heat turned up?" I'd just shiver and respond, "No, I'm just fine." Finally, he realized I was just trying to be overly polite and said, "Don't be shy. You know what they say about shy people. They are cold and hungry."

Lesson learned: My favorite words of wisdom came from a Filipino man in New Jersey.

Submitted by: CG

Unraveling the mystery

I wanted 1-ply. She had to have 2-ply.
I found a good deal on generics. She said only Charmin would do.
I thought the 6-pack would suffice. She wouldn't accept anything less than the super-24.

If it's just going to get flushed, what's the big deal????

Lesson learned: I know there are many differences between men and women, but toilet paper is the one I have yet to figure out.

Reality is perception

Last night I watched "Wheel of Fortune", then "Run's House", then "Flavor of Love Girls: Charm School", then "American Idol", and then "Real World".

Am I addicted to reality TV? Or is that all that's on anymore?

Lesson learned: I miss Seinfeld.

Prep school memories

Yesterday I got my annual high school "communique"-- a publication that provides annual updates about what our graduating classmates are up to these days. I went to a small, all- girls prep school for 12 years (hey! stop that! I know what you're thinking!), with forest green uniforms and a martian for a school mascot (don't ask).

Sometimes when I look back at those years all I can remember are heavy workloads, academic pressure to succeed at all costs, and unholy competitiveness between us girls from everything ranging to boys, grades, weight, sports, and where you got into college. I sometimes wonder about how badly I missed out on a "true" high school experience and question my parents' wisdom in sending me there. Plus, it would have been nice to have gone to school with at least one other Latina.

But after reading my classmates' updates-- so many of I knew for the entire length of my K-12 education- I could only admire how far we all had come. Many of us have excelled in our chosen fields (from fashion designers to doctors to authors to street- pounding journalists), broken away from our high school molds and used our respective skills to become the best possible versions of ourselves.

It's possible that this array of 30 - year- old women would have been as successful as they are even if we had not all attended this one particular school. But when reading about all the fascinating things my classmates have been up to this year, I felt a sense of comfort in knowing that I shared the most formative years of my life with these women. I'm glad that the network of our alums retains a palpable sense of vibrancy, and that after so many years, these women are the closest thing to my extended American family.

Lesson Learned: Never underestimate the ties that bind people who've known each other since first grade, through puberty, and into adulthood.

Submitted by: Claudia

Thin Line

The other day I was walking down the street and there was a guy in a wheelchair coming towards me. The street had a long incline and it looked like he was struggling a little bit. As we neared each other I simply asked him, "You alright?". He replied just as simply, "Yeah, I'm good." That was it and we both went on our separate ways. Later I wondered to myself-- would I have offered him the same help if he was walking? I hope so.

Lesson learned: There's a thin line between compassion and pity-- it's important to know the difference.

Falling Apples

I prefer a home-cooked meal over eating out. I cut my own hair instead of going to the barber shop. I'll eat anything in the refrigerator. And I can whistle any song on-key.

Lesson learned: My sister was right.....I'm turning in to my dad.

2nd grade

I think the most significant moment in my life happened in 2nd grade. I was in elementary school, at the blackboard trying to learn long subtraction (e.g., 342 - 289). I was standing in front of the entire class with everyone looking at me and I just couldn't understand it. I was almost in tears from embarrassment and self-doubt. Just as I was ready to turn around and give up, my teacher (Mrs. Brown) said to me, "Oh no you don't! I am not going to let you give up. You stay up there and work thru it. Just take your time and work thru it." I stayed up there, and you know what....I got it! In that one instance everyting clicked, and to this day I still believe there is nothing I can't do.

Lesson learned: There's that one moment in life when every kid needs a "Mrs. Brown".

"My future's so bright....."

One time I was in the mall shopping with my mom and I was looking for a pair of sunglasses. As I perused the sunglass stand looking for a $20 pair like I always do, my mom said to me in frustration, "You're getting to the age where its OK for you to spend $100 for a nice pair of sunglasses. Stop being so cheap."

Lesson learned: Getting older is expensive.

Lost In Translation

During my junior year of college, I decided to spend a semester abroad. The only criteria in choosing where I wanted to go was that it had to be an English-speaking country. What better a destination than the country named after the language - England! So, during my four months in London, I joined a dance group where I became aquainted with a bunch of local college students. At one of our practices, I asked my new friend what his parents did for a living. He said with an English accent, "My dud's an engineer and my mum's a barista." I was astonished. "No way," I said, "I used to work at Starbucks, too!" He looked bewildered, "No, she's a barrister. You know, in England that's a lawyer."

Lesson: Even though you think you may know the language, don't forget to learn the jargon too.

Submitted by: Anonymous

Ikhlaas (Sincerity)

I learned a lesson recently which I was reminded of today after I paid for my food and the cashier said, "Take care!" I returned the greeting, "You too" in a very soft-spoken voice to which she most likely didn't hear. It was only when I left the cafeteria that I noticed that I hadn't been sincere in my speech and just returned the greeting in an artificial and routine way.

Prophet Muhammad reminds mankind that, "Successful indeed is the person who is sincere in faith, whose heart is pure, whose speech is truthful and whose character is upright."

Lesson learned:May we all strive to be of those who are sincere in their speech and actions.

Submitted By: Omar

Patience....

Today I went to the grocery store. There was an old(er) man walking very slooooowly through the parking lot. I waited, although somewhat annoyed, for him to get out of my way. I parked, grabbed my basket and headed inside all while he was still making his way thru the doors.

I did my shopping, checked out and headed back to my car. I glanced over and saw that the man was still in the produce section, the first section of the store. "Dang", I thought. "He is hecka slow." In some ways I felt sorry for him, thinking how sad it must be to reach an age where your body doesn't move as quickly as you want it to.

As I was head home I realized that in my haste I'd forgotten about 3 items that I needed at the store.

Lesson Learned: Maybe there is something to this patience thing after all.

Keepin It Real

The other day I was watching Spike TV, and Ultimate Fighting Championship was on. At first I was repulsed. But then I realized: in a world that can be so fake, it is refreshing to see something so real as two bloody guys beating the hell out of each other.

Submited by: Nandu

Frosted Tips

I'm a California native and I spent the first 27 years of my life in the great golden state. Then I moved to Boston for 2 years. During my first winter in Beantown, I walked outside one morning, inhaled, and my nose hairs froze up.

Lesson learned: Cold weather is a mother******.