Whatever will be, will be.

The twins from Liberia spent most of yesterday at my house working on my computer, watching the SU game, talking, eating pizza and watching movies. At night, however, they called a friend and found a web page with a documentary on General Naked Butt, a war lord during the Liberian war in the early 1990s. As we watched the documentary, we wanted to turn it off - it was a bit too raw, but we watched it all. General Naked Butt, who killed, raped and ate human flesh during the war, is now a man of the cloth preaching the gospel. The film showed a lot of poverty and human conditions that we, in America, might find very difficult to comprehend.

I took the day as a karmic wake up call, and let the kids guide me through what their interests were. This online documentary blew me away (email me if you'd like me to send you a link...it is 57 minutes of harsh, brutal truth). The boys, however, showed me recent photos of their country and said the new government is making great changes for the people.

And General Naked Butt has changed his life. He wants goodness for the world in the ways he once knew evil.

The Giving Tree

I taught a tree once. He was a sapling and I met him, first, when he came to nature camp. Later, he was in my English classroom and I taught him for four straight years. In his senior year, he was a bit uprooted, but he remained strong and continued to grow.

Yesterday, I heard from this tree and got an update. He's been reading a lot and, because of this, he thought of me. It's been nine years.

I suppose teaching is garden work. You spend a lot of time in the soil, tending to the needs of every seed, dealing with the seasons and their weather, and doing your best to see every seedling will grow as it should. Later, when you hear back that such gardening paid off, it is the best karma in the world.

It's been hard moving out of the classroom and into theory and books. I miss adolescents and their thorns and beauty. I think of Shel Silverstein's book and I shall read it again real soon.

Have a great Saturday.

Karma floor

I discovered I have a bottom to this Karma Blog. Apparently, what I write registers with YouTube and at the bottom of this site, four videos link with what I've written and offer videos that may have something to do with the energy I type with words. If you scroll to the bottom, there are four videos that change according to my posts. Some of the videos are rather funny and it is interesting to scroll down to see what YouTube thinks I'm up to. You should give it a try. It is Karma's bottom feeder.

Tick, Tock, Tick, Tock, My sister cares. She gives a ...

Out of the karmic blue, my sister Casey sent me an email to warn me that I should be wary of hiking at Green Lakes. Of course, this message comes after Baby and I spent Sunday there.

Above is the tick I pulled out of groin.

That is a lie. I have pulled ticks out before, but not this one.

Now, thanks to my sister's knowledge, I shall be wary of traveling two roads that diverge in the NY woods and cautious about State parks. Advice is karma, indeed....although, I think my mom had a tic growing out of her forehead once that looked like a banana tree.

McKarma on Its Way

In a ritual that has become attending a show in Homer with my sister and her husband on the third Saturday of January, we stopped for dinner at McDonald's.

Last year, I called to compliment the good coffee, but this year I called to complain about our frozen fries and messed up order. Bethany, the store manager, returned my call yesterday and offered me two free meals. I drove to her store redeemed her offer, which allowed me to feed a goalie from Sudan who I was dropping off at Soccer practice. Universal McKarma.

And I also received an email from Saucony wanting to know more details about my sneakers that can't contain my left toe. I sent it to them, but we will have to wait and see what comes next.

This is Your Life

Growing up, I remember catching occasional glimpses of the show THIS IS YOUR LIFE. What I always found fascinating is they caught some one off guard and did a story on them, in front of them, by bringing together a life time of memories. That's rather moving, actually.

And I think about how karma works here. Imagine stopping where you are, right now, and having ten or so people from your past come onto stage and share stories about you. Then, watching video clips and audio about your life, your memories are displayed in front of others. It would be somewhat surreal, but I think that it'd be really cool. Everyone should have such a moment.

I found this version of a modern show and it is part one featuring Simon Cowell of American Idol. I haven't watched it, but if you do, you can let me know how it is.

Ice-skating the trails in sneakers

In an early a.m. change of plans, I took Baby for a hike at Green Lakes State Park. I've never hiked this park, but my friend Tricia convinced me I needed to breathe and get away from my academic nerdiness of the weekend. I met her at 11, yesterday, and we hiked until 12:30.

The trails normally take 40 minutes to travel, but they were caked in thick ice from all the use of the last few weeks. The result was catching up on our lives while trying not to cut open our heads. We weren't the only fools, either, and many were being silly like we were, tip toeing as a means of not falling.

Even so, it was beautiful and I'm thankful for the opportunity to be outside, to walk and talk, and to contemplate how karma works in the world. At one point, I stopped and said, "listen to the geese. This is nature's music." I told her, I'm doing karmic chronicles this year and that the honking birds were good enough for an entry.

Following yesterday's post, I am now wondering if Saucony makes skates, however.

Sending Karma to Saucony

I sent the following to the headquarters of Saucony (a sneaker company) yesterday.

Dear Saucony.

I have been wearing your sneakers since 1988 when I began running as a way to lose weight. I was a fat teenager and I needed to drop the pounds because I looked like August Gloop from the Willy Wonka movie. I am extremely loyal to your shoes and company and will continue this respect, because your product has been phenomenal in my world. I've run many miles with your logo on my feet and stomped a great deal of pavement with your original soles (my running soul and your running soles are united).

Alas. The last three pairs of sneakers (I average a new pair every three months) have not held up as strong as in year's past. In particular, the stitching on the left foot by the little toe breaks away quickly and does not contain the foot. I don't know why this is, but my friends and family who I've convinced to buy your shoes, have also found the same thing. Perhaps we all have abnormally large toes on our left feet and this is the problem, but the toe on the left shoe breaks away. I am sending a photo of what I am talking about --- follow my crooked eye (I have a strabismus) and you will see the place where the seams come apart..

I wish you the best sneaker-making 2010 year and I promise I will remain a loyal fan of Saucony. Even so, I worry about the caliber of your shoes; in particular, the small toe of the left sneaker. I've dedicated this year to the pursuit of karma and I send this note to you, today, with wish that your good product with my good concern will bring more bring good into this world. Your sneakers have been good to me, you see, so I want to be good to you, so you can continue being good to me. It's a cyclical relationship, and what it's all about

Best,

Bryan Ripley Crandall

Syracuse, New York

PS: Send everyone in your world my best wishes. I'm sure, like most jobs, you have good days and bad. You probably hate customers like me, too. We're such pains and are ungrateful. I don't mean to be ungrateful. If I could, I'd send you an ice cream cone, but it'd probably melt by the time it got to you. Be happy.

shoes for elephants

In a classic classroom move, I often told students who were having a bad day to go to a bathroom mirror and say "elephant shoe" three times without actually speaking.

When the chaos gets to you, such a whisper can be a karmic reminder that good exists in the world, too. This video models the chant, and I encourage you to say "elephant shoe" to others in your world without letting them hear your voice.

Elephant Shoe.

illusions

I am so thankful to have Alice in my life because she throws one liners at me and I have to do internet searching. Her recent one was "Potemkin villages" which were the fake settlements created by a minister in Russia, Grigory Potyomkin, as a way to impress and woo Catherine II. The villages were resurrected as superficial towns to impress the Queen and hide the fact that Russia was in dire straits. The screen towns were used to look like a vibrant place (like Disneyworld, where the behind-the-scene truth of life is also very Potemkin ... hmmm, Jackson's ranch, Neverland?).

Bring in Oz from the Wizard story. When one reaches the Emerald City, one learns there is not a Wizard, at all, but a man holding the front of civility as if a magical deity has control (we do this with our presidents and idols). This is the cover story, but behind the scenes lie a different reality. All that glitters is not gold (see Hollywood for this -- sets of grandiose fibs to create superficial realities0).

What's this have to do with karma? Well, eventually the exterior fades and the real story/truth is learned. I might posit anyone who has moved forward into leadership and tried to challenge the structures of any society will soon learn the Potemkin village is more a reality than we recognize. The structures create a mirage that hides much of the behind-the-scenes truth. Interesting concept.

KMart Karma

I needed deoderant and dog biscuits so I stopped at KMart in Mattydale to make a quick purchase and to be on my way. This is the store my family frequented a lot while growing up and one where my sisters grew aggravated because of our 80s fashion and the affordability of their blue light specials. Entering the store today, I felt I was taken into a time warp and brought back to 1987.

Nothing had changed: layout, clothing, hairstyles of people shopping there, and bargains. I remembered how much I enjoyed being treated to an Icee while there and how every trip was made worthwhile so I could get a sugar buzz and red tongue.

Fast forward to the 21st century and I entered a karmic time warp. Everything I hold dear to my KMart memories has remained frozen in time at the store in Mattydale. I know now, whenever I need to revisit my past, all I need to do is go shopping at the store of my youth.

What goes around...

...does come around. And like many of you, the bills from the holiday are arriving and saying, "Well, you charged this and now we want to be paid!"

The carefree spending of December caught up in January. I'm sure you're all feeling it, too.

When Karma is Dark

I spent the majority of my Monday working on making academic progress with my research. At 6:30, however, I turned on the nightly news and watched a report of a woman who was found alive under the rubble and destruction caused by the recent earthquake in Haiti. The report - merely two minutes - recalled the three hours it took to uncover this woman as her husband stood by scratching at the rocks. My claustrophobia and concern for humanity were trapped and I had a moment of panic. What would I do in a similar situation?

I know many have explored why bad things happen to good people and there has always been a larger search for meaning. Yet, I'm confused. How does karma work in situations like this? Why this destruction now and for what reasons? For this I have no answers.

Bluebeard no more.

After a month of not shaving my goatee, I tackled it yesterday morning. Why? Mom hated it. Every time she saw me, she'd complain, "I can't get used to that scruffy look." Actually, I was being lazy. It was easier not to shave in the morning.

At one point, I thought I'd join the karma of the Barnwell boys and stop cutting it entirely (to look like ZZ Top), but I decided mom is right. I probably look better with a clean shave. I definitely look younger.

And ouch. Three layers of shaving cream and it still took a half hour to remove. I'm hoping, however, because it is gone and I did a good deed for me mum, she might do a good deed for me. We shall see.

Sometimes Karma works slow

My Baby's Mama got married in October, but I couldn't attend. I was very happy for her and wanted to celebrate her new joy, but I couldn't afford a trip nor the time off from my SU work.

Fast forward a few months and I have finally sent a congratulatory package of dog biscuits. Actually, they were Baby's idea.

Baby was Lacey's dog and I took her in while living in Kentucky. She's been with me for several years. Even so, Lacey continues to be my Baby's mama and there isn't a better wedding gift (although late) that a package of Milkbones. Hey, I did wrap the bones in the colors of the wedding. That counts, right? And it is good karma even if I'm slow to act.

Defining Karma a little more

In this world nothing happens to a person that he does not for some reason or other deserve. Usually, men of ordinary intellect cannot comprehend the actual reason or reasons. The definite invisible cause or causes of the visible effect is not necessarily confined to the present life, they may be traced to a proximate or remote past birth.

According to Buddhism, this inequality is due not only to heredity, environment, "nature and nurture", but also to Karma. In other words, it is the result of our own past actions and our own present doings. We ourselves are responsible for our own happiness and misery. We create our own Heaven. We create our own Hell. We are the architects of our own fate.

There are five orders to the mental and physical world. The third is Karma Niyama - the order of act and result, e.g., desirable and undesirable acts produce corresponding good and bad results. As surely as water seeks its own level so does Karma, given opportunity, produce its inevitable result, not in the form of a reward or punishment but as an innate sequence. This sequence of deed and effect is as natural and necessary as the way of the sun and the moon.

In other words, do good for the world and receive good from the world. Do bad for the world and have pervasive hangnails.

Hibernal Music

At the bus stop yesterday morning, I heard a sound that has been missing for the last few months. Then, out of nowhere, the sun actually peaked through the winter clouds. It was just a tease, of course, but it added a fresh sense to the day. We often kid in Syracuse that if it hits 32 degrees it's time for shorts.

It got me to thinking about the smaller noises in life, and how goodness arrives when we hear sounds that aren't a central part of our everyday. Most of the time we don't hear them because we're too busy to listen: coffee brewing in the a.m., giggles of little kids playing with their toys, a loved one singing in the shower, the deep breathing of a sleeping dog and even the celebration of hope birds offer when they dust off the snow from their wintering feathers.

It's nature's karma, I believe. Maybe not. But it sounds good.

Some John Lennon For Thursday

It's been a hectic couple of days of getting work done and trying to make sense of the universe. The result of this is short-sightedness on paying attention to karma in the last 24 hours. So, I do as I always do when the obvious doesn't present itself to me. I Google and YouTube for ideas.

Enjoy John Lennon. May the song ring in your head all day long.

Instant Karma's gonna get you,
Gonna knock you right on the head,
You better get yourself together,
Pretty soon you're gonna be dead,
What in the world you thinking of,
Laughing in the face of love,
What on earth you tryin' to do,
It's up to you, yeah you.

Instant Karma's gonna get you,
Gonna look you right in the face,
Better get yourself together darlin',
Join the human race,
How in the world you gonna see,
Laughin' at fools like me,
Who on earth d'you think you are,
A super star,
Well, right you are.

Well we all shine on,
Like the moon and the stars and the sun,
Well we all shine on,
Ev'ryone come on.

Instant Karma's gonna get you,
Gonna knock you off your feet,
Better recognize your brothers,
Ev'ryone you meet,
Why in the world are we here,
Surely not to live in pain and fear,
Why on earth are you there,
When you're ev'rywhere,
Come and get your share.

Well we all shine on,
Like the moon and the stars and the sun,
Yeah we all shine on,
Come on and on and on on on,
Yeah yeah, alright, uh huh, ah-.

Well we all shine on,
Like the moon and the stars and the sun,
Yeah we all shine on,
On and on and on on and on.

Well we all shine on,
Like the moon and the stars and the sun.
Well we all shine on,
Like the moon and the stars and the sun.
Well we all shine on,
Like the moon and the stars and the sun.
Yeah we all shine on,
Like the moon and the stars and the sun.

And then there's better news

This post is in celebration of my Aunt Bobbie and the good news! Breathe in! Exhale! It is such a relief to know all is well - The sun can break through the dark clouds any time now; you deserve it.

And this is for the woman who apprenticed my running life.

This is for the woman who honored my good runs with a batch of butterscotch cookies.

This is for a woman who knew to let Uncle Dick and I make the coffee.

This is for the woman who plugged mud on my head to pull out a bee sting and let us wear every coat in the house to get revenge on the bees.

This is for the woman who didn't mind smelling like garlic after eating hummus before a U of L basketball game - GO CARDS!

This is for a woman, a middle child, like me.

This is for a woman who takes the back stage so others can always be supported.

This is for a woman who makes the trainers on The Biggest Losers look unhealthy.

This is for a woman who is an aunt, a mother, a wife, a sister and a grandmother.

This is for Bobbie and the fantastic news we all received yesterday.

What a relief! We LOVE you and we always will!

The Ultimate Culmination

In the movie, Cinema Paradiso, the character of Alfredo becomes a surrogate father and mentor to a young boy, Toto. I posted about this movie on June 10, 2008, but I repeat myself for the year of Karma. The film takes place after WWI and Alfredo runs a film projector at a local theater. The movie follows their friendship, but emphasizes Alfredo's advice, "Go. Go. Leave" which Toto does. As a young man, he departs his home town and doesn't return until the death of his mentor.

Throughout childhood, however, Toto was obsessed with the cinema and he'd spy on Alfredo's work. To a young boy, movies were magic, but at the time, all the love scenes were cut out because they were considered raunchy and inappropriate. Toto wanted to know why the actors and actresses never kissed. It was because Alfredo cut out all the kissing scenes.

In the final scene of the movie, however, an aged and accomplished Toto returns to his film industry to view a gift Alfredo, blind, left for him at the funeral. It is the ultimate culmination of Karma and a story I think of often. What if you spent a lifetime collecting for another individual and only delivered the collection to them after your death? What if it was a collection of all the edited scenes taken from movies shown in your childhood? What kind of effect would that have? It's beautiful. But do note: (Tiana) the re-release of the editor's cut of this film is horrendous karma. Stick with the first version - it's a much better story.

Karma is a Butch

Dad discussed with me over the weekend, "I don't get this karma thing nor your 2010 blog." He got me thinking that a definition might help him.

Karma is about good energy and bad energy in the world, dad, and how we deal with our ups and downs in one lifetime. For instance, it snows an awful lot in Syracuse, New York and some people let the snow banks depress them. They do nothing but complain about their lot in life. But not you. You snow blow and shovel, resulting in a clean driveway (very much like a manicured lawn). You embrace the hardship of outdoor labor with a good attitude and perseverance.

You also snow blow the neighborhood because you find joy in bringing

clean driveways to the area. Your friends, in return, thank you for your good snowblowing karma by buying you gift cards to The Clam Bar and/or filling your refrigerator with cases of beer. Making your adolescent son, e.g., me, clean the driveway before school during his high school years can play with karma, too, because your son has the ability to post sexy photographs of you on the web.

Twenty years ago, you could not have predicted this when you were sweeping the floors during intermission or helping load the band truck for the CNS Northstars. But, what comes around sometimes does come back around - at times this is good (like Labatt's Blue for snow blowing) and at times it is bad (like the case of Mike which I'll now explain)

See, Mike is the youngest child in his clan and, rumor has it, he was a calm, collected, in control and extremely obedient son. He never gave Fred, nor Laura, a gray hair in his life. It is the case, however, that he was the younger sibling to Paula who never forgot what a pain in the $#$! Mike was while growing up.

Although she loves him, supports him and wishes him the best, she was still able to utilize karma to get back at her brother (see colorguard dad photo). Karma is a Butch, dad, and it magically finds its way into all our lives, even Mike's.

Look at Nikki. Over the weekend, she united our families together in one place - a gym. Although she takes after Mike at times and is a total pain in the #$@!, she now brings memories of Cynderballs whenever she takes the floor for competition. Yep. That's Karma.

And poor mom. She has to put up with us all. What did she ever do to deserve any of us?

...and then there was a follow-up to a Cookie Monster

Two things about last Friday night - it was an evening with decent karma. The first is that my God son's Goddess Mother, Lisa, learning about cookie karma, delivered baggies of baked goods to my sister, her husband, her son and me! Way to spread the sugar-love, Goddess mother! You're the Guardian Angel of Keebler land and Nabisco. The Gingerbread man sends you dap.

The second is Pixar's film UP which I watched with Mr. Sean-Man, the J-cub, and K dot C dot. "This is a sad film." It's not necessarily The Incredibles, but as most Pixar films, it has a good story and this one is to carry forth all dreams and deliver all hope via faith, determination, luck and a billion helium balloons. I believe the lil' adventurer meeting the dorky girl for a lifetime of adventure (and economic hardship) was a karmic plot. Mr. Square-jaw, however, with his rotund little cubscout, a mongrel, and a bird named Kevin deliver a promise in the end that is worth the last badge of achievement. I recommend it for a light evening at home.

Let good things come, Gretchen

Two years ago when I taught myself to join the blogging generation and when I focused on Happiness for a year, I came across Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project, where she was in the beginning stages creating a book to showcase a focus on happiness for one year. I wrote Gretchen when I learned of her project and shared my pursuit of thinking about happiness in 2008. She quickly wrote back and enlisted me onto her newsletter and kept me up to date on her goal.

Fast forward and welcome great karma for Gretchen in 2010. Yesterday morning on the Today Show, I looked up and there she was. Her book has come out and, rumor has it, it's going on the New York Times Best Sellers list! That is excellent happiness, indeed. What comes around DOES go around. Her success is wonderful news. I'm looking forward to finding a copy of the book real soon!

Be a Cookie Monster

Here's the homework. You are to bake a batch of cookies and deliver them to someone who isn't expecting them. That is good karma for a Friday. Let me know how it goes.

At Wednesday's soccer practice, one of the boys texted and said he wanted a cookie. I told him I'm in graduate school and can't afford cookies. There was a vending machine, however, so I was able to get a package of Oreos. I gave them to his brother to deliver to him, but the clown ate them and gave him an empty package full of snow instead. Brothers.

Today, however, I brought to school a bag of Ginger Snap cookies that were on sale at Prithe Thopper. I said, "These are for your brother's bad karma - he ate your cookies!" (It was only half a bag, though. I ate the other half - and who knows if ginger snaps tastes good to a teenager? It's what I had in the house.)

An unexpected batch of cookies are always a treat. Who will you bake them for? (email me and I'll send you my address if it's me)

A Guest Posting - from Rhiannon

My best friend died of a brain tumor when she was ten. She was on hospice during the summer and no one told me because, well, I was ten.

She died on October 8th. I found out from the meanest girl in the school the next day. I went to my friend, Ariel's, wake and told the family I would keep in touch. They lived a mile away, and her sister, Silver, was five or six. I never spoke to them again, however, and for years it tortured me. I felt like the worst person alive and that I let Ariel down.

Ten years later, I was on Facebook. I thought of Silver as I watched the snow fall, something that always reminds me of Ariel, and wondered if she had Facebook, too. I figured it was silly since she was probably only fifteen or so. I looked her up and her face, Ariel's face with darker hair, showed up. I sent her a private message, and within moments I got my response: "I remember you. Oh my God. It's you."

They had moved and her grandparents lived in their old home. They went there on Christmas and so did I, and I was reunited with their family. Silver and I have a bond like no other, but I recognize it must be strange for her parents. Silver is an amazing young woman. Nineteen, beautiful, smart, and has a great head on her shoulders.

I saw her tonight for coffee. She eventually spilled that she was engaged to someone she hasn't been dating for very long...at all...but, she's happy and he treats her well. She asked me to go to David's Bridal to look at colors, and the "dream dress" appeared out of nowhere. It's perfect- that was the one. As we walked in, she asked me to be a bridesmaid and I said I'd be honored.

After some time, she got choked up and said that Ariel was supposed to be her maid of honor- that's just how it was supposed to work. She missed her and wished she could be here, and asked- if I didn't think she was nuts- to be her maid of honor instead since Ariel couldn't be there. I told her I would be more than happy, but I wanted her to really think it over first. The whole time I was in there, I kept feeling Ariel around and thinking, "Don't worry. I've got her back. She's okay."

It has been a crazy journey, and this is something I never believed was possible. Call it what you want- God, Karma, coincidence...but, here we are, and there we will go. ~ Rhiannon

An iPod of Shoveled Hope

The snow continues to drop and I am thankful that my friend, Tricia, gave me a gift certificate to Audible.com so I was able to download books to my iPod. Good karma in my view, because now I can work up a sweat, move snow, and listen to stories as I go along.

I began with Shel Silverstein's Runny Babbit and loved the word play of rearranged letters and hysterical puns as a result. I could listen to Silverstein's writing all the time because it is clever and funny.

I've also been listening to Uwen Akpan's collection of short stories Say You're One of Them, a collection of tales that feature refugee children in Africa as they interface with changing lives caused by politics, international NGOs, and a 'whatever it takes to survive' attitude

of individuals trying to make it in their worlds. The stories are well crafted, well conceived and well read. They are, however, a bit haunting.

Because there is never enough time in the world to do everything, it

is great to be able to make the most out of snow removal. I'm sure some never thought there'd be a day when scraping six inches of fluff could coincide with 60 minutes of a textual reading. Oh, but in 2010 it's a reality.

The Stupendous Karma of Louisville

This fall, a wonderful mentor of mine took a position at the University of Louisville. I received email from her to learn two of my teaching mentors in Kentucky, Sue & Dee, contacted her and took her to my favorite restaurant in Louisville - The Vietnam Kitchen.

Nisha (pictured right) told me she was introduced to Valu-Market and I had to laugh. Since reading OUTCASTS UNITED by Warren St. John and his depiction of super-diversity in Georgia, I've been trying to remember the name of the grocery store that serves many of the refugees arriving to the south-side of Louisville, where Vietnam Kitchen resides. As if it was kismet, she reminded me of the store - one that serves a diverse demographic like St. John described in his book. Good karma, indeed!

I am thankful for the fusion of Syracuse/Louisville friends and if I live a good life, perhaps I will one day return to Vietnam Kitchen for an A4!

Karma ist Karma, meine freunde

Guten Morgen!

Wie gehts es ihnen heute? Haben sie ein gutes schlaf? Ah, das ist gut...gut.

Ich bin sehr glucklich.

Last night at the gym, I ran into my middle school German teacher. I immediately said, "hi," and went on my sweaty ol' way. About an hour later she came up to me and said, "It took me forever to think who you were. I can't believe you recognized me."

We had a good talk and I thanked her for my middle school experience at Gillette Road (she advised the yearbook, too, in middle school). She updated me on her girls and we talked about learning languages.

I like to think that both of us left our workout last night with a greater smile. I told her it is hard for me to imagine she has memories of my middle school self. She said, I can't believe YOU have memories of me as YOUR middle school self.

Karma is about keeping connections open as you age. Liebe ist gut!

Proof of Serpentes Karma

During summer months, I try my best not to run over the abundance of snakes with my lawn mower. Because they are everywhere, I have to be extra cautious, and I spare them because I believe that saving snakes (like spiders) is good karma.

Yesterday, while shoveling round four of CNY's snow fall, I noticed the snakes left me a gift in the form of an icicle hanging from my back roof. I didn't know they had a connection with Jack Frost, but it is evident my good deeds of snake saving has resulted in the delivery of a special tongue hanging from my roof.

I am not a Slytherin, but like Potter, I like to keep the serpents close to view. I don't speak parcel tongue, but my lil' home in North Syracuse obviously does.

Day Two

On the last day of 2009, I disciplined myself to write, write and then write some more, until 5 p.m. - when I would go to the gym and release tension. Luck wasn't on my side, though.

It was closed.

I traveled to my sister's and said I was going to Wii for an hour (Wii is now a verb). I ran in place, but the machine said I was uneven and lopsided (it told me I was likely to die of obesity and blindness before the night was over). I updated my Wii profile twice (clearly it was malfunctioning), and in a matter of one minute, I gained a pound and a half (it must of been the smell of Mike's pot pie and Dylan's fish sticks). I was given the health age of 53 and the news my posture, balance, girth and coordination were geriatric for my age and I should be concerned. According to the Wii machine I'm pathetic.

I repeat a link to my first post in 2008: Resolution. I stick by my 2008 statement and say to the Wii, "I don't know what I ever did to you to deserve your harsh judgment. I wish you stability, trust and use in 2010. Although you pushed bad karma onto me, I appreciate you. I love whacking dem Rabbids while they do their business in open stalls."

In the meantime, I'm going to the gym. (This just in. I got to the gym yesterday and it closed early. I only could run for 20 minutes. Sigh)

Welcome, 2010 - A Year of Tracing Karma, Mr. Crandall

During the summer of 2009, I started thinking about Karma and decided it might be a good thing to explore in 2010. Building off a year of Happiness in '08 (A'ight) and a year of Quirky in '09 (Feeling Just Fine), I thought a karmic year was now in order. There's not a need to party like it's 1999, because that year is over. Instead, it's time to party like it's 2010 (It's better now than it's ever been).

As a fan of MY NAME IS EARL, I thought the best post for a new year should be the opening theme song to the show. The lyrics suit my purpose just fine:

i look in the mirror & what do i see?
some kinda flacker lookin back at me,
aint noting lost to get me found
& it's never too late to change.

(what goes) what goes around
(comes) comes around (look out),
(what goes) what goes around (comes)
comes around (here it come now)

well i dont know what i've been told
& the truth confessed is a good for your soul,
i'm a makin a list and a checkin it twice,
it's never too late to change (oh no)

(what goes) what goes around (comes)
comes around (look out),(what goes)
what goes around (comes) comes around
(here it come now)
(what goes) what goes around (comes)
comes around (look out),(what goes)
what goes around (comes) comes around (here it come now)

(repeat)