I Owe You!

Everyone’s been talking about the U.S.’s credit rating spiraling from an AAA to an AA rating. Stocks have slipped; People are fearful. But what does going from an AAA credit rating to an AA rating really mean?

Well, I’ve come up with my own personal answers:

 

Going from AAA to AA is like going from driving a lamborghini to driving a BMW.

It’s like going from living in your own house to living in a townhouse.

It’s like going from being the Principal to being the Vice Principal.

It’s like being downgraded from bff to facebook friend.

It’s like scoring second place, from now on.

It’s like going from being totally reliable to usually reliable.

 

Let’s put it this way—I was about to invest in some new stock last week, but held off because of the new rating.

It means you’re going to lose money because you’re not trusted as much, and that sucks.

 

 

 

 

 

Falling...

in Love. I've been thinking about it a lot lately.  What does it mean when someone says, "I love you"?

Does it mean that the person is so enamored with their idea of you (either real or perceived) that they overlook the faults that others can't?  Does it mean that you have a significatnt place in their heart that makes them willing to do near anything for you? (legal or otherwise?)  Or does it mean that they like you, or perhaps lust after you, a whole, whole lot?  Maybe it means that he's just-that-into-you--enough to pursue you like a drug addict chases his next fix, and actually put a ring on it.

I don't know that there is one common definition or description of what it's like to fall in love.  Could the most universal experience be revealed in the phrase? 

Here's a definition to try on for fit: Falling in love is when you feel like you're falling--quickly or slowly, but inevitably. Your destination is uncertain, and you're not sure if you'll land in one piece, but it's okay because you're not alone.  Someone is holding your hand.

Dinosaur Dynasties

The other night, I felt disappointed while watching the nightly news.  The newscaster was reporting an event that had happened two days before, and the story felt stale and almost irrelevant as a result.  Ten years ago, reporting a story two days later wouldn’t have seemed problematic, but in 2011 it is.  I couldn’t help but feel that that news program, like many institutions created decades ago is old, outdated, and headed for extinction.  Here’s a partial list of institutions, inventions, and ways of living that are on their way to the cemetery:

• The local evening news
• The Yellow Pages
• Home land lines
• Plastic grocery bags
• Paper newspapers
• C.D.s
• Gas Guzzling S.U.V.s
• Books
• Speaking only one language
• Magazines
• Handwriting?

R.I.P.

Falling In Love Is Like Driving On The Highway

Falling in love is like driving on the highway.  It can be fun, adventure-filled, but full of danger. 

In driver education class in high school, I was taught to be a defensive driver—to look for potential dangers and to steer clear of them.  I was taught to drive for the other driver, and above all, to protect myself.  And while this is helpful and even necessary when behind the wheel, I’m finding that it can hinder your love relationships.  Yes, being on the lookout for potential dangers is good, but constantly scanning your mirror for them is counterproductive.  Yes, looking out for your own wellbeing is prudent, but continually trying to protect yourself is foolish. 

I admit that driving is at times terrifying.  You can be cruising along care free, singing along to your favorite Earth, Wind, and Fire song, when you suddenly hit a pothole, or get a flat, or another car veers into your lane, nearly hitting you or actually plunging into you. You can end up getting rushed to the hospital, on your way to the emergency room on a Saturday night.  Yet despite the risks, most of us haven’t abandoned driving, turning in a Certificate of Non-Operation form at the local DMV office.

Having been in two back-to-back car accidents a few years back, I am an especially cautious driver.  Specifically, I don’t like to make unprotected left turns, and I drive very slowly in the rain.  (I’m that car that’s going fifty in the right hand lane when it’s raining.)  When on the road, I’m always asking myself What if? And then trying to keep myself protected from the hazards (both known and unknown), that I am certain are lurking around.  It’s so bad that my family says that I drive like an old woman, and they’re right.

I’m realizing that like driving, falling in love requires being okay with a certain level of risk—recognizing that you could get into an accident at any point, but being okay with this fact because the view along the coast is too beautiful to not make the trip. 

And isn’t beauty worth seeing?   Driving worth the experience?  Imagine what mellifluous experiences await us on the journey, if we dare get in the car.  Of course we should pay attention to warning signs on the road, in the same way that we pay attention to the speed limit and other signs meant to keep us safe.  Ignoring them would be stupid.  But maybe we shouldn’t just look for warning signs.  Maybe we should look for rest stops where we can rejuvenate and remap our course, and for mom and pop diners where we can grab good grub for cheap, and for little towns that we can explore.  Perhaps more than beauty awaits us. Perhaps love and patience, her two good friends, await us too.

So today I choose to be a fearless, beauty-loving, adventure-seeking, road warrior.  This year, I am taking a drive up the coast.  I don’t know exactly where I’m going or how long the trip will last, but I do know that the view is breathtaking and the company—frabjous. 

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Make-UpLogy

Today I shot a commercial for Living Spaces.  One thing I love about being on camera is that you get to go through "Hair & Make-Up," where your make-up is applied by a professional (who usually spends about an hour on you face, meticulously grooming every part of it {from your eyelashes, to your eyebrows, to any other facial hair that otherwise shouldn't be there}).  Then that same person (or a different one) curls, pins, pulls, and sprays your hair, primping it to camera perfection.

This evening, before I washed off all of my make-up, I looked at my face in the mirror.  It looked perfect.  My skin looked even and flawless, my cheeks were rosy.  I smiled.  As the cloth began to wipe away the make-up, however, I begin to see the many imperfections: the uneven skin tone, the dark areas under my eyes (from years of wearing heavy glasses), and the tiny dark spots, small reminders of blemishes of former days.

Then it hit me: This is how God sees his children.  Those us of who have been reconciled to Him through Christ are cleansed from all impurities and imperfections through Christ's blood.  We aren't perfect (no--we are often selfish and proud and have been known to tell a lie or two, ... or twenty), but to Him, it's as if we've never done any wrong, as if we've never sinned.  We are flawless.  When He looks at us, he sees no inconsistencies, no dark areas, no signs of past mistakes.  We are camera-ready, picture perfect.  We are his children.  He smiles.

For this I'm thankful.  (And for my Bobbi Brown Moisture Rich Foundation. It works wonders!)