"There is nothing you can't do"

From Ted Kennedy, Jr.'s eulogy for his father (thanks, John):

"...But today I'm simply compelled to remember Ted Kennedy as my father and my best friend. When I was 12 years old I was diagnosed with bone cancer and a few months after I lost my leg, there was a heavy snowfall over my childhood home outside of Washington D.C. My father went to the garage to get the old Flexible Flyer and asked me if I wanted to go sledding down the steep driveway. And I was trying to get used to my new artificial leg and the hill was covered with ice and snow and it wasn't easy for me to walk. And the hill was very slick and as I struggled to walk, I slipped and I fell on the ice and I started to cry and I said "I can't do this." I said, "I'll never be able to climb that hill." And he lifted me in his strong, gentle arms and said something I'll never forget. He said "I know you'll do it, there is nothing you can't do. We're going to climb that hill together, even if it takes us all day."

Sure enough, he held me around my waist and we slowly made it to the top, and, you know, at age 12 losing a leg pretty much seems like the end of the world, but as I climbed onto his back and we flew down the hill that day I knew he was right. I knew I was going to be OK. You see, my father taught me that even our most profound losses are survivable and it is what we do with that loss, our ability to transform it into a positive event, that is one of my father's greatest lessons. He taught me that nothing is impossible..."


"There is nothing you can't do".

Socialism Is Not An Evil Word

This is a great video about the need for government-funded healthcare. I am 100% for this. Bash me in the comments if you feel the need.

Thanks to Kyle.

Can't Get It Outta My Head

Okay, now I'm on a Flash Mob quest and we're going to do the next one ... so I was searching for videos on YouTube, and this looks like one of the funnest ones to do ...

Some fun fun fun fun fun sounds good about now, no?

No One Wants To Be Defeated

There was a flash mob in Seattle today, performing the dance to Michael Jackson's "Beat It" in three different locations to celebrate his 51st birthday. I found out 12 minutes before the rehearsals started - it would have been a blast to be a part of this! A co-worker was one of the mob - he's a riot and I bet he had a great time! (Dance, Clarence, dance!)

The first flash mob took place in Pioneer Square, about a block from where our offices used to be when I first worked there; the second is at the Pike Place Market (home of the fish-throwers). Fun fun fun. Enjoy:

(Update: The Official video including the third performance at Kerry Park on Queen Anne)

12 Years.

Happy Anniversary, sweetie.

Dog Is My Co-Pilot.

I admit it, I stole this. But hell, I can't look at our dogs and not believe every single word of this.


This is an excerpt from the book "Dog Is My Copilot" (Three Rivers Press, ISBN 1-4000-5053-7). The author is Pam Houston. Enjoy...

LESSON #1 That if your paws are too big to fit in your ears, you have to get someone else to do the scratching.

LESSON #2 That if you want your hand to be licked, you might have to put it under somebody's nose.

LESSON #3 That the exact right dog will always come into your life just when you need him or her most.

LESSON #4 That loving in the face of inevitable loss, is the single most important challenge of our lives.

LESSON #5 That all your new habits. like weeping and praying and talking about your feelings, will actually endear you to more people than they will drive away.

LESSON #6 That sitting in the grass together doing nothing isn't really doing nothing at all.

LESSON #7 That if you love somebody deeply enough, cleaning up their diarrhea doesn't make you want to puke.

LESSON #8 That in the end, the money doesn't matter a bit.

LESSON #9 That sometimes, even if you haven't acted perfectly, the good thing happens after all.

LESSON #10 That everything is forgivable, that every moment contains eternity, and that loving unconditionally doesn't mean you are a self-annihilating fool.

"I ask (my dog) for a story to go with lesson #10, and he says in his Zen-ish way that there isn't one story that goes with this rule because they all do. He says that lesson #10 is what every dog has been trying to teach every human since the beginning of time."

Hit and Run Hula

Yeah, I'm stealing this from Joe ... but it's a gorgeous hot summer day here in Seattle and this video is absotively perfect for it. Enjoy.

MatterPics

We took a day trip down to Mt. Rainier National Park today, a little over an hour away. Unfortunately it was cloudy down by the mountain, but it was still nice to get out of the city for a few hours.

Heading toward downtown:

Leaving the city:

Seattle finally has some semblance of modern mass transportation:

Passing near the adoption agency where I got Joe Jetta:

Farther south, somewhere near Puyallup:

Really in the middle of nowhere ... getting close to the park:

Yes, that blue sign says "Volcano Evacuation Route":

Entering Wilkeson, the last town before entering the park:

The long and winding road:

Too cloudy to see the mountain:

The Carbon River flowing from the Carbon Glacier - the water is kinda milky-white from the mineral content:

On this side of the sign, you're in Mt. Rainier National Park ...

... and on this side, Mt. Baker - Snoqualmie National Forest.

The road was closed and we couldn't go up as far as we wanted, but we took a short hike through the rain forest:

There's Scott - he really is standing on a path:

Hiking up the mountain:

Hiking down the mountain:

Crossing that bridge when we come to it:

On our way out:

There's a steep drop-off to the right - and one lane of the road had, well - dropped off:

Looking down at the valley:

NOW the sun comes out:

Back in Seattle - for those of you who really believe it always rains here:

Downtown:

We won't talk about the other road we took in the mountains to see a pretty lake. Let's just say that I think it is completely idiotic to have a gravel road hugging the side of a mountain with no guard rail. Since my hands were sweaty and I'm pretty sure my heart stopped a few times, I wimped out with no shame. I'm like that.

Hope you enjoyed our little trip!

August 12 of 12

Read it here. Do it next month if you haven't before. I know who you are.

I present ... Tropical 12 of 12. Ummm ... Seattle style. How 'bout "Flora and Fauna"?

Schotzie the Preening Wonder Bird.

Cool things Scott inherited (yes, that's a carved ivory tusk)

More CoolThings Scott Inherited (also carved ivory):

Pineapple on top of the fridge:

Tiki Bob clock from Hawaii:

Hunter the Wonder Cat - grrr:

Very fragrant white lilies on the balcony:

Banana tree in the back yard:

Stargazer lilies - one of the best fragrances in the world:

Bougainvilla:

Kali the Wonder Puppy:

Boo Boo the Indian ringneck parakeet:

Happy Tropical 12 of 12!!!!

But Who May Abide?

I've posted Matt Alber before. Here's another video, just to remind you who he is:

But did you know he can also sing contralto (well, I guess technically countertenor)? Watch this:

Cool, huh?

Goodbye, John Hughes.

His movies were usually set near Chicago, mostly in places that I recognized since they were very close to where I grew up.

This tribute rocks.

Bad Blogger.

My name is Matt, and I'm a bad blogger.



One thing I know about myself beyond a doubt, is that when things get rough, I collapse in on myself. Kind of a mental and emotional fetal position. I ignore the fact that the world exists until the clouds all blow over and there is some semblance of a livable reality out there.



If anyone sees one, please forward it my way.



No, life isn't over as I know it. But things are scary, and agonizing, and ... well, making me stay in a fetal position.



(Oh, I threw my back out last week, which makes this even more pronounced).



Please don't be offended by my disappearance. I need to be inside myself for a bit.



Here's a pretty picture for now: