Wanna Cookie?

During one of those "longitudinal studies" where they conduct an experiment and then observe the person for many years afterward, a series of children were placed in a room with a big, delicious cookie. The researchers explained that they would leave the room, and that if the child refrained from eating the cookie until the researcher returned, then they would earn a second cookie.

What would you do?

Amazingly (to me), several children ate the cookie - their impulses to enjoy the moment being too strong to justify waiting around for the reward of the second one. As you might have guessed, those children grew up to be people with some fairly ugly problems later in life.

But maybe I shouldn't be amazed. After all, I still find myself sitting with a proverbial cookie in front of me from time to time. My ego cries for things to change for my betterment and right now. And I've eaten the cookie more than once, with disastrous results like broken relationships and failed projects. Life is natural, nature is gradual, and there's more than one right path to success most of the time. The more I sit back and accept today for what it is, with eyes on the more distant future and visions of a joyful ending, the better I eat!

Is A Bad Attitude Really All That Bad?

Someone made a comment yesterday that "When someone says 'Watch your attitude,' they really mean 'Watch your behavior.'" How true! We all have bad attitudes at least once in a while, don't we? Bad attitudes are simply bad thoughts, which are a problem in their own right, culminating in things like heart attacks, crippled posture or wrinkles in the wrong places. But relationship-wise, bad attitudes only become a problem if they turn into words. As I heard on one cops-and-robbers show between a commanding officer and a blunt detective, "Just because you have the thought doesn't mean you have say it." Hence the beauty of the venting e-mail that you type and then delete, or the satisfaction in letting go of anger. Or the habit of respecting differences of others. The other day a friend of mine whose husband is Hispanic was shocked to hear some landscapers make racially insensitive comments to a group of visitors. Coming to grips with the fact that we're each naturally superior and inferior to everyone else in something, so that we treat each other with a spirit of humility, is what molds us from factions in to a harmonious and true human race.

Chuck Norris Fact For The Day

Chuck Norris can unpop a balloon.

This tells you a lot about Dena and my shared sense of humor... when she read that I went from stoically writing a report at my computer chair to gut-busting head-throwback laughter. I just love illogical humor like that. I mean I LOVE that type of humor.

It elicited one of Dena's rare episodes of what I call "four-tier laughter" that I love about her. Round 1 is a series of low-level chuckles that resonates from somewhere low in her diaphragm. Then after 10 second pause round two begins, with higher pitch and more force. By round four she's nearly helplessly limp with laughter (which by that time has me guffawing too) and tears starting to trickle. If we were in a reality TV show I'd find a way to incorporate that laugh into my screen saver or something.

Sometimes Faking Is Good

Integrity is usually good, but sometimes faking is just more productive:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wePGIGNJCic

Today's Obituaries

Wanted to share thoughts and prayers for my friend Brandi Peterson's family...

Mary Lynn Alderman

BLOOMINGTON - Mary Lynn Alderman, 54, Bloomington, died Monday (Feb. 2, 2009).

Private family inurnment will be at a later date. The family will receive friends from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday at the Calvert & Metzler Memorial Home, Bloomington. Memorials may be made to a charity of the donor's choice.

She was born Nov. 14, 1954, in Bloomington, daughter of Donald Lee and Joyce Joan Radley Riddle.

Survivors include two daughters, Brandi (Brad) Peterson, Hudson, and Cortney (Rob Hil ) Alderman, Bloomington; one sister, Debbie Julian, Bloomington; two brothers, Mark (Valerie) Riddle and Harry Brian (Volita) Riddle, both of Bloomington; and three grandchildren, Sydney Alderman-Thomas, Bloomington, and Sage and Jaslynn Peterson, Hudson.

She owned and operated Final Touch Cleaning Service of Bloomington. She dedicated her life to helping people and giving to others. She was a loving mother and grandmother. She will be missed by her family, friends and neighbors.

Freezing's Pretty Cool

The seemingly near-record cold snap is distracting while walking to and from the car, but while trucking home from Monical's Pizza last night Dena and I got to enjoying the fact that a freeze like this ought to have us feeling thankful. It'll kill off insects and pests and please us to no end when the warm months arrive!

Grandma Returns Home From Hospital

From Mom:

"Well, she's finally back at Beacon Hill. Spent 5 hours with her today and she seemed to be at ease, restful and cooperative. Went to lunch with her and though she didn't eat much, she still had room for cake. :-) Slept a good part of the time, but seemed to realize her surroundings. That's the way it is today, heaven only knows what tomorrow will bring.

Say a prayer and hope for the best. Luv yas"