Mad Macedonian

Challenging Myself to Try New Things

From re-designing the looks of my blogs, to choosing a new way to present links within a post, to choosing to write a post, first in MS Word, then moving it to Notepad, before bringing it to the Typepad editor, from challenging myself to submit a speaking proposal to the Blog Paws pet convention, and a myriad other things, including what jobs to look for here in the Houston area, I have begun, to paraphrase my friend Amanda Socci, to challenge myself to try new things, and let go of fear and stretch myself into unfamiliar territory.

For a long time I just called myself an "aspiring" writer, then, in the past year or so my attitude began to change as I decided to call myself a writer, no "aspiring" about it.

Yes, I still have much to learn, but I am trying now to "boldly go" where I have never gone before. It's a slow, and challenging, process, but I am not afraid to try.

For example, my cats Nikita and Elvira, over on their blog, Meowsings of an Opinionated Pussycat, have, for years been "Offishul Repurrters" for a site and community called The Cat Blogosphere.

Neither one, however, had a badge to show for it, mainly because the person who had made the original badges was no longer involved with the site by the time Nikita had first begun to submit "Noos" items.

I'd never thought to get a badge done in all the years since because everyone knew the cats were "repurrters".

Me? Very Inspiring? Well, I'll be Gosh Darned! Humbled, too!

On January 18, I learned that I had received the Very Inspiring Blogger award from my friend, and writing/blogging "Drill Sergeant" of the past 8 months, Amanda Socci, the Creative Idea Gal.

I am very honored, and thank her very much.

There have long been a variety of blogger "awards" making the rounds, and I received my first in 2009, and 2nd in 2010, and it is always cool to get one, and to find others to pass them on to.

This award is bestowed upon those bloggers the giver believes inspire through their writing.

All of the various social media awards making the rounds have rules, and some have variations for the same award. I'm sticking with the version of the rules for this award that Amanda chose.

RULES:

1. Pay it forward. Award the Very Inspiring Blogger award to 4-7 fellow bloggers along with a specific reason why you are inspired by their blog.

2. Promote. Thank the blogger who gave you this award and the bloggers who inspire you by linking back to their sites. Bonus if you include specific URLs of special blog posts that inspired you.

3. Add it. Add the Very Inspiring Blogger award badge to your site.

4. Talk about yourself. Last but not least, list a few things about yourself that others may find interesting or surprising. Make sure the number of things about you equals the number of nominees (step 1).

So, let's get this show on the road!

Is Downtown Houston Worth the Trip, Other Than for Work? Pt. 2

The other day, after posting a piece about how people in Houston are wondering if the downtown core is even worth their time, aside from being a place to work, I picked up the latest edition of Texas Monthly. This issue had, as its focus, articles on 6 of the biggest, most important, cities in the state.
 
The 5 Houston articles are a varied lot:
 
John Nova Lomax claims that the original capital of Texas needs to be the future capital of Texas. He calls the 4th largest city in the United States “one of the strangest and most wonderful metropolises on earth”, and “weirder than Austin” which IS the capitol, and mentions the 17 sq. block theatre district, as well as the 19 museum district venues.
 
He writes about how “the traditional, the modern, the bizarre, and their collisions” are what make Houston weird, and mentions several other interesting areas of town as well.

Is Downtown Houston Worth the Trip, Other Than for Work?

There was an interesting collection of articles in the outlook section of the Houston Chronicle yesterday.The question seemed to be about how to keep downtown vibrant, and make it interesting enough for people, who don’t work or live there, to have reason to “come on down!”

As a lifetime walker, transit user, and cyclist, the best way to experience a city, whether the downtown, or the suburbs, is by using the above methods to explore the streets of its downtown core, and the surrounding neighborhoods, and communities. In this way one can, as columnist James Furr writes, "see the sights, feel the ambience and experience the public spaces defined by the built environment."

This is how I spent a lifetime exploring cities in 4 counties in southern California, what inspired me to spend a decade chronicling my adventures, in words and pictures, on 4 blogs.

Medical Update and More: Necessity, Comfort, and a New Sense of Permanence

My latest medical results are in and my left eye is right where it should be in its recovery from the vitrectomy. My vision has returned, and I can bend over and lift, with no restrictions, and No longer need to use eye drops.

As for the right eye and its cancer; I turned in the paperwork for applying to be seen by MD Anderson hospital, but unless they decide otherwise I might not be seen by them until I’ve lived in Houston 6 Mo. (3/20/13). It is out of my hands.

The good news is that the condition of the eye won’t change in any significant way in the short term. I learned that if I end up being treated by MD Anderson, the treatment will lead to 2 years’ worth of recovery as the melanoma recedes and clears up.

Of course the other option is having Ben Taub hospital take the eye out completely. That’s why we need to have an evaluation by MD Anderson, to choose the best treatment.

The latest blood test showed my b12, folic acid, iron, and a couple of other levels are normal.

100 Word Musings 6: This Meeting is Called to Order

Downtown Long Beach, Ca., June 20, 2010, 345pm...

A typical scene along the concourse near the Transit Mall, as pigeons happily gorge themselves on bread crumbs, and other tasty morsels, tossed on the sidewalk.

One might think so, but you would be wrong...

 

Lance Armstrong: Once an Inspiration…No More

 

Everyone knows that Lance Armstrong plans to come clean about doping in the confessional that is the Oprah Show on Thursday and Friday.
Though I will read the newspaper reactions to his appearance, I won't watch the 2-parter online. His exploits once inspired me, on my Cycling Dude blog, to a bit of creative writing, and so I figure the best response I could make would be to share those pieces once again, alongside links to some essays I read in the paper this morning.

Your Sunday Smile

 

I'm letting the sun shine in,
facing all my challenges with a grin.
If I smile I will never lose.
My dreams and potential I will win,
by letting the sun shine in.
By facing my future with a grin
I open up my heart and let the sun shine in.

Medical Update: Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3, Testing

In the wake of my last update I went to my next appointment this morning, and the news is mostly positive.

The liver ultrasound came back with no onions, and the anemia is of no real concern, though my folic acid and B-12 levels were such that another blood test was done so they can decide if to prescribe 1 or both.

Since it's been 6 yrs. since my colonoscopy they gave me a packet to get samples for testing so as to see if I need another one.

My next appointment related to my eyes is on Monday.

Air Poetry 5: Houston, You Sure Are an Interesting Bunch!

...You just won't believe how you can turn it to your creative advantage.

There you are walking down Westheimer, through the Galleria, a museum, a  Fiesta supermarket, attending a Texans, or Rockets game, eating lunch at James Coney Island, attending Wednesday, Saturday, or Sunday go to meetin' at Lakewood Church, in a public restroom, on a Metro bus, actually just about anywhere where you are around other people...and can hear what they are saying...to their companion, to a clerk, a docent, a fellow parishner, on a cell phone, or yelling at a ball game, or in a bathroom where all the stalls are occupied, and someone is hopping up, and down, in desperate straits...

Have you ever thought to write down what you hear, and how those scraps of overheard conversations, when strung together, often have an interesting sort of poetry about the result?

Patty Mooney did. Of course, the notion came only after 40 years of writing poetry.

Hey, better late than never!

As she writes: "Now, suddenly, the skies have parted to reveal an unfathomably huge reservoir of poetry, a free-for-all of poems that are ripe for swiping out of the air with a virtual butterfly net.  Anyone can do it."

She first blogged about this new, fun, idea for poetry, on her personal blog, in July 2011, and it's an interesting essay.

Experimental, quirky, funny, long, short, nonsensical, thought-provoking? An air poem is all of the above, and more.

Visit Air Poetry & its facebook page as well.