Best of 2009: Night Out

*YAWN*

That's not because of the topic suggested by Gwen Bell. It's because it's 7:00, and bedtime approaches. When you have a youngster in your house who gets up at 6:00 without fail, it's almost impossible to ever sleep in. Even when he decides to sleep in or he is at a grandma's house for the night or DH gets up with him, I'm up by 6:00, even earlier most of the time, wide awake unable to go back to sleep even if I desperately want to.

So nights out are rare for me because they usually require being out past a bedtime that allows for me to get some sleep. Still, I will occasionally venture out.

I have had a few fun nights out with the girls eating and drinking or eating and then catching a movie. The picture below was from a very fun night.

And tomorrow night will be another one of those nights. We don't often get wild. Sometimes we enjoy wine; other times we eat dinner and go window shopping. But just being with my girlfriends, enjoying their company, is a blast in and of itself.

However, I still think my best night was the one in which Jason and I went to La Strada and then saw Bill Maher. I knew we were going out to dinner, but my husband had tickets to Bill Maher purchased long in advance as a surprise. The dinner was great; the company even better. The kids had their first sleepover together, so we got to not worry about what time we got home or paying a babysitter. You can't beat that!

This weekend . . .

. . . was a blast. I got to attend one of the two single-day retreats by Donald Rothberg. He is one of my favorite teachers because he incorporates interactive activities to the day. While I felt that the second day's topic - Keeping Cool In The Fire: Becoming More Skillful With Inner Or Outer Conflict - was more personally relevant, I was only able to attend the Saturday retreat on Emptiness and Compassion. As it turns out, it was a happy accident, as I found the day enlightening and relevant.

I had previously decided the Buddhist concept of emptiness was beyond me, that okay - if I ever have the opportunity to go deep into practice, that I might get the chance to understand this topic somewhat vaguely.

But alas, Donald made the topic very clear. And this abstract concept is paradoxically kind of simple. He defines emptiness as no self without interdependence, meaning that we as individuals and our experiences do not exist without the myriad of other elements that play into/build upon the "self" and its experiences.

I try to come up with examples, but they fall flat, so let's just leave it at that. I feel very grateful to have had the opportunity to spend the day with such loving, compassionate people and to learn so much in so short a time. Plus, I meditated today for forty minutes, which I never do at home. It was a breeze. The day-longs definitely further my practice.

Meanwhile, DH and I attended a party sans kids, which we haven't done in YEARS. It was a blast hanging out with friends where none of us had to change a diaper, settle a dispute, leave at 7 p.m. for bedtime, or wipe a nose.

Today was productive. The kids spent the night at my MIL's house, which meant I was able to work on Rosalind's costume, clean my car, do laundry, go to lunch DH and meditate all without interruption.

I feel very lucky to have the life I have.

Hair Cut, Life update

• Took DD to get her first salon haircut last week. It was fun to see her actually sit still for a haircut and fun for me to not have to worry about how I was cutting. I found out that I hadn't been cutting it evenly. Oh, well. She's always cute - with a straight haircut or with a crooked one. Meanwhile, DS liked the "car seat."

• By now, you have probably noticed I haven't been up on the weekly challenge of a blog-a-day. With research papers en masse and DH's sprained ankle, very little has been done around the house or around the computer. No worries. I'm not beating myself up. I'll take March off and be back on the schedule next month.

• I get to give my first Dharma talk next week. It will be on Buddhist teachings on consumerism. It's focus will be American society as the hungry ghosts. Once the outline is finished, I'll post it.

Obama Speech

Obama came and spoke here in my town a few weeks ago. My friends Mandy and Terri and Jason and I were lucky enough to get great seats. Although we were off to the side, we were pleased, as Obama mostly faced our direction. I believe Obama is a good choice for president in that I believe he is one of the few candidates who can create unity rather than divide. He can speak to liberals and conservatives. He is running his entire campaign without the funding of lobbyists.

Hilary has a solid platform, but she may prove too divisive if she can even get elected.

One of my favorite things about Obama is that he appeals so incredibly to the younger generation, and I have seen an interest in politics in my students that I haven't seen in my previous ten years of teaching. Teenagers love him, and I'm pleased that they are finding an interest in national happenings.

None of my pictures came out that well. This is the best shot I could muster. The rest were too blurry or of the back of his head. For those of you who know Mrs. Q-D, she's in the background there, and my student is the blonde head in the front row.

Here is Jason, who actually ended up a couple rows ahead of me. He got a "blue ticket," which got him in earlier than those of us with yellow tickets, but somehow we ended up right behind him. :p

Husband Look

My friend Mandy and I were discussing husband looks today. You know them, there's the woman! are you crazy look that I usually get after I ask my husband to agree to pay for house cleaning, to give me a back rub, or if he wants me to go clothes shopping for him.

There's the woman! are you stupid look that usually comes after I . . . well, say something stupid. I admit, this look is usually well-deserved by me.

And then there's the woman! don't you know there can be only one funny person in a marriage . . . and it ain't you look. This is usually accompanied by the sound of crickets chirping and follows me saying something I think is funny.