Who Says You Can't Savor Junk Food?

I just love the melt-in-your mouth flavor of preservatives. Oh crispy goodness of the handlessly prepared Austin cracker!

Nothing to Say

It's hard not to feel like I have nothing to say nowadays. Perhaps every now and then we just need a time of taking in, without criticism, the good things of life. Perhaps, on the other hand, I need to battle my mental laziness. I certainly feel it today. Small chunks of items to put on my mind are best. If someone were to set a complex math problem before me, I would be hard pressed to complete it.

Criticism

It may be a comfort to know that no matter how good you get at something, you will probably still be criticized. In fact, the better you get, the more criticism will fly your way. A case in point is today's great soprano singers: do a quick search on Natalie Dessay, Cecilia Bartoli, or Anna Netrebko, and you will find not only clips of their music, biographies, and the like, but also scathing critics of each. As we like to say at our house, de gustibus non est disputandum, so there's no point in arguing with these critics (or with agreeing with them, either). The fact is that the singers listed above have risen to fame through their talent and hard work. The quality of their singing is on a different level. Nevertheless, they still receive a lot of negative comments, perhaps because their vocal quality is not to some people's taste and also perhaps because, since they have gotten so good, people hold them to an even higher standard. All this is a lesson that critiques and negative feedback should never discourage you from aiming high and from remaining confident in the accomplishments you have already attained.

Driving a Car

Your life is like driving a car. Don't drive it too fast or you will spin out of control. Always look where you are going and maintain your focus. Drive with the windows down for an optimal journey.

Anastasia

Anastasia is my fish. When I don't have anything else in particular to do, I like to watch her frolic and zip back and forth in her fish bowl on top of my mini-fridge. I keep a close eye on her activities, because I know I need to change her water regularly. I should change it every week. Usually, however, I wait until the water looks messy at the bottom and Anastasia looks unhappy. I can tell she's unhappy because she doesn't have her usual pep in swimming around and because her color, usually a vibrant blue hue since she's a betta fish, becomes duller. Then I know I really must change the water and I do.

Today, I thought, "I should not let the water (and my fish) get to that state before doing anything about it." I realized also that this is what I do to myself, both in my spiritual life and in other ways. My goal is to keep Anastasia alive for at least a year: I got her in April and she hasn't expired yet. I should make it my goal for her to thrive, and for myself to thrive, and not just to get by doing the bare minimum.