Conspiracy of The World's Best Donut

At Sesame Donuts, a special donut calls my name when I get within a mile of the place. Sid's Special is the best donut in the world. I'm not kidding. I'm not exaggerating . A tasty, succulent, doughy wrapper containing the finest blueberry pie filling known to human kind with a thin layer of white icing and a crumb topping wrenches my soul away.  Sid's Special is so delish that if  not available, I just don't get anything.

I know that donuts are not good for me. I want the donut. I love the donut.  I can't resist it. So I raise it  up in a form of twisted pastry worship, and  I sink into a quality mouthful knowing how great it's gonna taste. As I reach  donut ecstasy ........ it never fails...  a super blob of  most awesome blueberry pie filling will caress my chin as it falls down my shirt and onto my favorite white shorts.

The worst part is that the 100% post consumer recycled napkins that came with the donut fail me in all attempts to remove the sticky, purple, evidence. Now everyone can see what I have done. Everyone knows about that donut and what a slob I am. My regret is that so much good filling was wasted. I  feel like a dumb ass ........... and still want another donut.

Peace (and donuts) ! lw

Sid's Special Donut (before) 

after

Doing the "Right" Thing

Why is it that when presented with the opportunity to "do the right thing",  I am  so often presented with the opportunity to do the most difficult thing? What is it about the universe that makes doing what is wrong easy enough and doing absolutely nothing even simpler?

We all make sacrifices now and then. Sacrifice implying that whatever deed is done is not necessarily in the best interest of the doer. We do what is ethical, say what is true, keep a promise that should be kept knowing that we may not receive even simple gratitude.

And so I ask myself often why I continue to do what is right when I don't get much return for the investment.
The answer:  because that is who I am.

"See, you don’t have to think about doing the right thing if you are for the right thing then you’ll do it without thinking.” Maya Angelou

Peace! lw

Sometimes it's a race..........

The race is flyball ....... the journey is getting a Grand Champion or 30,000 points.

Flyball is the only dog sport where 4 dogs must work in harmony with 4 handlers and the box loader to reach two common goals. Goal #1 is to out race the other team, and goal #2 is to post a time under 24 seconds. The ultimate goal being to accomplish Goal #1 and #2 simultaneously for the "perfect run."

Pi loves this game. It's his life. The best thing is that we love it together. When we go to competition, we forget about everything else. I put away concerns about work and turf my personal struggles for a weekend. Pi's focus changes from day to day living to that of a fine tuned ball fetching beast.  WE RACE! Sometimes we win. Sometimes we don't. Either way we work together, a team within a team. We come home dirty, tired, and smelling like sweat, dog spit, and old cheese sticks, and we don't care.  In a few weeks and just after his 7th birthday, we will compete in Canada for Pi's 30,000th point earning him a Flyball Dog Grand Champion title. So while in flyball there is always a race, it's been a journey indeed to get this far. We remember that in flyball you don't get there alone. A TEAM must take you there.

Thanks to all the handlers, dogs, and boxloaders, past and present, from many different clubs who have traveled with us on this journey.You are too numerous to name but you know who you are.
Our biggest thanks goes to our current X-Fidos team mates. We love racing with you guys most of all. Look for the update in a few weeks.
Peace! lw

p.s. I must pay homage to Pi's medical team. After he was injured last June, I thought his career might be seriously stalled or even over. Thanks for looking after Pi and helping us get him back in the ring. You're an  important part of  Team Pi.

Can you hear me now?

Communication is the heart of every relationship. We communicate every  day with partners, children, co-workers, friends, neighbors, and service providers.

 The person who pumps my gas (yes, only Oregon will they still pump your gas for you) can't deliver what I need if I don't communicate. If I pull up to the pump and just sit there, the gas pumper might put diesel in my tank. Most likely s/he won't do anything. Then I will be irritated and call him incompetent when all the fuss was my own fault for not communicating.

So my question is: why is it that we fail at something we have to do all the time? You would think that with all the communicating we need to do to survive, we would all be great at it. Yet, so much communication fails.

So I ask my self why I fail.......... and here's what I came up with......
lack of awareness. sometimes I just don't have a clue I need say anything.
and fear of being misunderstood or rejected. Can you relate?

If I speak the truth will I be shunned? If I say what I mean, will it be taken out of context?
If I tell I how I feel, will I be misjudged? Will my attempts to communicate be cast off and ignored?
So I decide it's not worth the risk and choose silence.

Choosing silence robs myself and someone else of the opportunity to place a brick in that path to understanding. Knowing this doesn't make it easier. Communicating the right way is hard. And if we could all communicate  then maybe we'd  get along.

In the words of Jimmy Dugan,  "If it was easy everyone would do it. It's the hard that makes it great."
Peace! lw

A Noble Art

Welcome Aboard! I have been told I should blog. The journey's in the learning.