TMI Tuesday: Oh, Nuts!

We have a, most of the time, happy little boy who is, mostly, health so there isn’t really anything that we can complain about there. So far, 2016 has been pretty good to us but there have also been many challenges this year and while we have gotten some answers there are other questions that remain. The biggest of which relates to our son’s possible allergies.

We learned rather quickly in the spring that Penicillin, for all the good that it can do, is not something that agrees with our son. The hives, rash, and bloating made us acutely aware of his allergy to this widely prescribed medication. It was one of the scariest few days of parenthood thus far with multiple trips to the emergency room and countless appointments with the pediatrician. Not knowing what was going on during those first couple of days is a feeling that I hope to never experience again.  

I guess the good and bad things about the situation is that we already had an allergist lined up for our son as there have been some minor reactions to peanut butter that we were hoping to get figured out. The appointments started in January or February but, because of the chaos that ensued since then, we are still in a state of flux. We simply don’t know if this is another allergen to add to his list.

The latest attempt brought us some hope as it was the final of three steps of testing. He had already passed the skin test and the blood work also came back negative. The final exam was to conduct a food challenge to see if anything happened while consuming peanut butter. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, our son wouldn’t eat more than the initial taste (three are required) and we are once again in limbo until the winter.

While nuts have been a part of our regular diet before this year, we haven’t had any in the house since winter and have consumed little outside of the house as well (never around our son). It is a change and sometimes a challenge, especially given the stock pile kept in the office kitchen, but it is completely manageable. Yes, we have to alter some things here and there but, beyond the aforementioned allergy and potential allergy, our son is a happy and growing boy. And, having survived last year, 2016 is pretty easy in comparison.

TMI Tuesday: Appointments

It seems that whenever we take our son to the doctor there is always another appointment to be scheduled. Thankfully, he is actually pretty good in the waiting room and even on the examination table so long as we are there and there is plenty of tissue paper to play with. However, the service that we have received from his current pediatrician has fallen far short of the expectations of quality care. The last two appointments are indicative of this level of service.

With our overachieving son deciding to cut about a half dozen teeth at the same time, we have run into a few bumps both during the night and throughout the day. It has interrupted his sleep patterns which have always been pretty good and it has had an impact on his eating. While he is still healthy and generally happy he does have his moments and once things had continued for some time we decided to bring him in to see the doctor. Keep in mind that this was after we called and were told to bring him in to see said doctor if things continued.

While I am not usually a stickler for these things when I make an appointment to see the doctor, especially when acting upon their own advice, don’t give us a hard time making the appointment and make sure that we see the doctor not just someone you call “doctor”. On top of that, it would be nice if this “doctor” would follow the same plan as the actual doctor instead of contradicting almost everything that we have been told and arguing with us each time we said anything.

That was just the first example. The second is the fact that one of the nurses, who too frequently handle the appointments, insisted that we take our son to an Ophthalmologist because he would probably need either glasses or a temporary eye patch. I honestly never noticed a lazy eye but we made the appointment to get it checked out and my wife and I spent some time trying to figure out how to deal with this new situation as we waited for the scheduled day to arrive. A couple of weeks ago, we took our son to see the specialist and it didn’t take but maybe 10 seconds for him to tell us that there was nothing wrong.

It wasn’t even a question… he found nothing. And, while he wasn’t about to say anything directly, we had a little conversation about how we should have probably never been sent there. Nice to have a professional back up the opinion that I have already been forming in my head about the current office. Needless to say, it has not been an easy experience and continued to be a difficult process simply getting someone on the phone at times as well as every time we try to schedule an appointment. Goes to show, sometimes the most well-meaning opinions and advice that you received about a place beforehand are, at the very least, subjective and experience is what really matters.

A Hodgepodge of Resolutions

For many this is the time of year when resolutions are made. Some of these are to finish project that have long been dormant. Sometimes it is a matter of getting things started. Other things on most lists usually revolve around improving yourself in one way or another. Overall, resolutions generally have one thing in common to make the coming year better than the last. For me, in this seemingly mandatory post for bloggers, my list is a hodgepodge containing a little from every category.

On the personal improvement side of things I would really like to lose some weight, quit smoking, find more time to relax, and generally improve my health. I think I will focus on that last part and let everything else fall into place so I am going to simplify things a bit. My goal this year is to go to the doctor (once I find one) and follow their instructions. This includes a general family physician, optometrist, and dentist. Others might be added down the line but those are the ones that I will focus on first.

This is also time to finish at least some of the things on my long list of projects that has been teasing my on my computer screen every week. This includes completing builds, submitting manuscripts, pulling applications together, scanning the photos and family documents that I have stored throughout my office, organizing all aspects of the house, and a variety of other things. Just like the last category, we need to simplify this so I am going to focus on completing one project a month (more if time permits) while working on others if they happen to overlap. Expect to see some post in the future on this little smorgasbord of items.

The last of the three mentioned above is to get things started, to get project off the ground. I have already started a few which I cannot mention at this time but there are still plenty of others that need to be done. There are a variety of outlines that I recently discovered forgotten on some flash drives dug up during our move. It is time to write. It is also time to start the other application that have been put on the back burner for the last 2+ years. And it is time to start the small projects around the house that I have been meaning to work on since we moved in. It is a long list which will certainly grow so expect to see this rehashed in future years. The simple approach to this is that as one project mentioned in the previous paragraph comes to an end another begins… one per month.

However, the most important aspect of the New Year that I need to focus on is to keep things going. I can’t stop, I have to keep moving forward. There are a lot of commitments that are already built into my schedule and I make sure to spend as much time as possible with my family (this could be improved upon so add it to the list). The most important things I can do is to keep myself busy, keep things moving in the right direction at work, continue writing honest daily posts, maintain the growth that we are seeing at the lodge, continue to explore during various day and overnight family excursions, further my genealogical research (hopefully more discoveries/documents are on the way), and, most importantly, enjoy and love my family, what we have, and the good aspects of the life that we enjoy every day. That is the real resolution and promise that I am making to myself for 2016!

Finding Life In Death

Death Certificate of Sarah Hansel (?) Myers.

Every so often I log on to Ancestry.com to check and see if any leaves shaking on the tree. For those of you unfamiliar with the site, this means that there is new information or documents available for review. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the information is correct or adds color to that particular ancestor but there are times when interesting discoveries are made. However, I learned early on that you can’t simply rely on the quivering foliage so, when I have a few minutes here and there, I do a general search of the site to try and find other information (especially when the spelling of the surname is a little different or flat out incorrect).

This week I have noticed that a lot of the Pennsylvania Death Certificates are now listed. I don’t know when they were digitized but I am just noticing them now. While the time frame is a bit of a hindrance (currently only 1906-1940 certificates are listed) there are still plenty of documents that I have been finding. Everything from the tragic deaths of children to the inevitable passing of aged ancestors, the causes run the gamut. These are a great source of information not just about the departure of a relative but they can, most of the time, also be a great way to confirm or correct other generations on your tree… sometimes, like a document I sent to my wife, they can provide the names of the parents which was previously unknown information.

As for my tree, it has been a means of correction and confirmation. The death certificate above lists both parents including the mother’s maiden name which is different from that which I previously had listed on my family tree. And it is not a simple adjustment in the spelling… Davenport is nowhere close to Hansel. This doesn’t mean that I will be correcting it right away but it gives pause to continuing work on that particular branch. Obviously, some more work and verification needs to be done before I change or continue with the tree as is.

These documents are also a means to confirm residence, family health problems (that may have made it across the generations), longevity, and occupation. Sometimes it is a matter of confirming many of those things at the same time. One such document added to the long list of railroad workers in my family while another verified the service of my great great grandfather in the Philadelphia Police Department… I just didn’t realize that he spent 54 years on the force.

In the end, while the primary purpose of these documents was to record the death of the family member, there is more life in them than some people realize… definitely more than what can be found in most census records. All of the information is there and it could lead to some interesting discoveries and answer questions or doubts that you may have had about your family. Just goes to show that we need to read the documents rather than just attaching them to an ancestor.

I’m Feeling Kind Of Woody Today

Five years ago today my wife and I nervously paced around the synagogue waiting for everyone to arrive. We had just finished taking the family pictures on the stairs, signed the ketubah to the right side of the bimah, and we were now anxiously waiting for the time to get started. What seemed forever to wait for, including the two and a half year engagement, was over in what seemed like seconds. While a memory that seems like a blur in time, the moments are as vivid as the world currently surrounding us.  

We frequently look back on that day, flip through the pictures, and find ourselves still amazed that it has now been five years since we became husband and wife (the gift for this year is wood). While there have been a few moments here and there since that day that we would have done differently or wished had gone better, we are here today stronger and closer than we have ever been. With life getting busier and busier by the day, I look forward to heading home for the night to be with my wife.

So today we mark the first five years of our marriage with all the love that we have shared during the past half-decade. Our bond has taken us from Pennsylvania to Brooklyn to New Jersey to Jerusalem and back to Pennsylvania. We have each experienced various levels of employment and kept a wide variety of work hours. We have seen sickness and we have experienced health. We have struggled financially but we live in the wealth of our connection to each other.

We have seen one another at our best and at our worst. We have traveled around the state and around the world. We have lived a life at varying degrees of observance. Throughout those journeys and those different points in our life, we have continued to stand by on another, grow as a couple, and, eventually, find what works best for the two of us.

I am grateful each morning to have you by my side (even when you are trying to shake me awake as you yell at me to turn my alarm off), thankful for you constantly supporting me no matter how insane my schedule gets, I appreciate you keeping me grounded and forcing me to hold back at times when I try to do too much, and I’m amazed that you put us with me day after day after day. Thank you for the first five years of marriage. I will do my best to improve a few things during the next five years. Happy Anniversary! I love you!

Another Resolution Post: What Are The Odds That I Complete This List?

Back on July 1st I made a few half year resolutions. Some have been checked off the list, a few have been amended, and others have yet to be achieved. So now is both and obvious and a perfect time to go through that list again and make those changes and/or recommitments. So, here we go. First will be listed the original resolution (A) which will be followed by the current incarnation or update (B).

1A. Improve my health – Isn’t this something that is, in one shape or form, on everyone’s list? For me, it really comes down to two very simple things, stop smoking and lose about 60 pounds (I have struggled with both over the years). There is an entire subset of things I could list in order to accomplish this but, again, those are the common things that everyone jots down. What is different than most is that I have to make sure to schedule regular checkups with my doctors just to keep an open line of communication and make sure I am doing things the right way.

1B. Thus far, no improvement has been made. While I am getting more sleep and staying active, my weight has stayed the same and my horrible habits have remained. Now that a few things have fallen into place and a new, healthier routine has been established it is time to recommit. Thankfully, I am not alone in this journey and I will now join my wife (who is much better off than I am at this point) in making the necessary changes so that she is stuck with me for a good long time.

2A. Write a blog every day – I made it through last month with only a few delays. I still got a blog out every day in June but some of them were barely under the wire. I have a blog schedule which, so far, would take me to the end of October but that is the easy part… the “hard” part is taking the time every day to write and post. To this point, I have accomplished a staggering amount of growth in a single month and I greatly appreciate the support. Thank you all for reading, commenting, liking, sharing, etc.

2B. I have been able to keep this resolution to this very day and I have every intention of carrying it through 2014 and beyond. While time consuming, this rigid schedule has forced me to keep writing and not fall into silence like I have in the past. It has also been nice to be able to look back and see all that has happened and all the experiences that I’ve had during the year (well, at least since late May).   

3A. Find a place to live – Such a basic thing to have on a list at first glance. However, there is a greater underlying factor to this which is why I have chosen to list it. We have an apartment which has served us well and we live in an area that is very familiar but we are both looking for home. We have been looking for this for a long time now and in many locations and while we have been comfortable and thought we had found it a few times it just didn’t hold up against the clock and calendar. Hopefully, we find home this year.

3B. This hasn’t happened yet. We are still in the same apartment but we have shortened our lease to 6 months so, hopefully by June, you will be reading about the hassles of moving and looking at pictures of our new dwelling. Stay tuned.

4A. Find a new job – Minor detail. As was posted previously, I have been seeking a new position for some time now. While it has been difficult at times I am still confident that not just a job but a career is waiting for me because it just takes one to make it happen. As the great SNL philosopher Stuart Smalley (not to be confused with the pull your hair out quote from Senator Franken) said, "I'm good enough. I'm smart enough. And doggone it, people like me."

4B. Done. While the journey to my new position started around the time this blog was birthed, it finally became a reality in October. It’s safe to say that I will not be renewing this exact resolution in 2014. However, finding a good side writing job would be nice. Maybe something involving this blog. Who knows but I will work on a few angles and keep you posted on the progress.

5A. Full year of Rotary – As was posted last week I am now the President Elect for the Rotary Club of Bala Cynywd – Narberth and there are certain things that I would like to accomplish in the coming year. I am not going to go over the whole list again in this post but, suffice to say, there are many things that I need to work on to truly make my first full year as a Rotarian a success in my eyes.  

5B. Yes, I made it through my first full year as a Rotarian back in August. However, as had been discussed may times, there have been a number of changes in my Rotary involvement. Thankfully, my club has stood by me and supported me every step of the way which has given me the luxury of time to figure out what my new role should be. This is something that is requiring a great deal of thought and planning and will, I am certain, result in a course of action that will be both fair and beneficial to all concerned. Again, a work in progress (notice the pattern yet).

6A. Full year as a Mason – I have only been a member of the fraternity since April and I have already gotten a tremendous amount out of Freemasonry. There are a number of personal things that I would like to achieve in this first full year and many goals that I have set for myself in this category including, just to name a few, completion of the Master Builder Award and Lodge of Research requirements as well as becoming a member of Scottish Rite. It’s going to be a busy Masonic year.

6B. Well, check all of the above goals off the list. Of course, there have been a few other things added. With my new duties and responsibilities it is definitely going to be a challenging and interesting year. As they say, sometime the best way to learn is by doing and I am going to do as much as possible including: earning Academy of Masonic Knowledge Credits (I want to AT LEAST reach level three by the end of the year), Royal Arch, work with the Worshipful Master on new lodge programs, and be the first line signer on at least two blue lodge petitions and 3 Scottish Rite petitions. The new goals have now been set!

7A. Sons of American Revolution Application – This project has been put aside since the fall and it is time to “git-r-done”. Given the time of year it is especially poignant to get this done soon. I am proud of my family heritage and for me this is a great way to show it. I will be sure to write more about this process and my family’s Revolutionary past in a future post so stay tuned.  

7B. Definitely a work in progress. At this point it is more a matter of organization and time rather than information. I have the lines outlined and all the supporting documents, it is simply a matter of presenting it in such a way that it can be easily understood so the process can be streamlined as much as possible. I will keep you all up to date as to when I hear anything back. However, this resolution comes with a rather large expansion in that other applications that I would like to submit this year include The German Society of Pennsylvania, The Irish Society, and Monacan Indian Tribe Application (just to name a few). Updates will also be provided for each as well as the potential for trips and events which may make it into posts.

 

8A. Publishing and Readings (one is already booked for November 16^th in Collegeville, Pennsylvania) – If I remember correctly, it has been almost eight years since I last actively sought publication of my work. It is a very trying and tiring process that I am not particularly fond of but it’s an addiction that never leaves you so I guess it’s time to do some lines and chase the dragon once again. So, keep in mind that I may be creatively and poetically medicated moving forward. The long layoff from giving readings coincided with my vacation from publishing. If I am going to publish I have to read as well. I always enjoyed the performance side of writing because that is where you find out if a poem or story works. You feed off of the reaction, good or bad, which helps you to improve and pushes you to challenge yourself and your audience. Words on the page are just ink and paper, the experience defines the creation.  

8B. While I have continued to write and present in other formats, the reading never took place. Finding the time to submit to publications has been nearly impossible but something that I will have to make the time for over the next year. Whether it will be in the poetry genre is uncertain as it looks, at this point, that much of it will be research based and possibly some reviews, opinions, and reporting (photography is also a possibility). I will occasionally provide updates of current and pending publications.

9A. Continue to explore my faith – Many changes have occurred in the past couple of months with regard to our observance but our faith has remained steadfast. The means by which we express and embrace our faith has evolved over time to something that suits us both as individuals and as a family rather than subscribing to the black and white outline of a particular branch of Judaism. While it is not for everyone it is how we connect with G-d and I look forward to exploring our faith and deepening that connection through His words and his creation.

9B. This will always be a journey of exploration without end. So all that can really be done is to recommit to this resolution on an annual basis so that is exactly what I am doing right now.

10A. Travel - I am looking forward to continuing our weekly excursions both as a way to spend time with my wife and also to explore the beauty of creation that surrounds us. We have weekly day trips planned out to last the summer and into fall but, like anything else, it is flexible and I am sure it is going to change. This is also a means to feed content to this blog and share with you some of the wonderful places that surround me in my own Commonwealth. I hope that it will encourage some of you to do the same and explore and appreciate the places that are near to you but you never took the time to visit (this is especially important for those of you who may have children).

10B. My wife and I were able to travel to and explore many great places last summer and I continue to travel in the coming year. While there are a few tentative trips planned for 2014, nothing as of yet is set in stone. The basic goal for the year is to go to 10 new places (places that I have never been to before not just new to this blog). While most will be personal trips with my wife, some may be work related while others may be the result of my Masonic travels. Hopefully it will be another year of exploration and discovery which will far surpass 2013.

So, those are both the results of my midyear resolutions and my edits thereof to be applied to 2014. All are reasonable commitments to make for a twelve month period and things that can easily be accomplished so long as I remain focused and committed to their fulfillment. Keep reading every day to see if I am making progress and let me know if you may want to assist me in completing this list. Now that I have posted my resolutions, what does your 2014 list look like?

Presenting Members With Alternatives

Time and again I read about proponents making grandiose claims about alternative medicine whether it is a miracle pill/supplement, a bracelet that can cure you from pain, or a drastic diet that can turn you into an Adonis. Every time I find myself changing the channel, turning the page, or leaving the room. But there are other times when I sit back, listen, and once they are done preaching I ask them a very simple question. I never ask anything tricky or that is an attempt to catch them in a trap. Every time I have done this my question has been either dismissed or I am given a general that their snake oil can cure anything.

Given my past experiences, I went into yesterday’s Rotary meeting with some underlying consternation but, to be fair, I sat back and I listened. Our guest speaker’s background was so diversified that I couldn’t help but give her my attention and see what her view is on her chosen profession. It was also in the best interest of the club that I remain neutral as I was acting President yesterday and I didn’t want to interfere or have a negative impact on the club.

After opening the meeting in both the traditional and in our own unique manner, I was honored to be a part of a long overdue occasion… the official welcoming of a new member. I recall that day fondly and, I can now say, it is just as special when you are the one welcoming someone in to the club. With all the Rotary business taken care of for the day, we moved on to having a lively lunch before welcoming our guest speaker to the podium.

Dr. Joanna Carmichael is the Founder & CEO of the Kalyana Centre (formerly The Center for Oneness) in Narberth, Pennsylvania. Her background includes 26 years in the nursing field (including psychiatric nursing) along with over 20 years of clinical experience in the pharmaceutical research industry. During that time she committed herself to simultaneous studies in Holistic Health, Metaphysics, Divinity, Yoga, and Ayurveda resulting in two doctoral degrees which has given her a well-rounded perspective on health and healing and its intimate relationship to spirituality.

Her desire to create a place of beauty, healing and transformation where people can come to experience a variety of modalities in Alternative Medicine resulted from an intention that began when she left the pharmaceutical industry permanently in 2008 and opened the centre in September 2009. “Starting this Centre has been a dream come true,” said Carmichael. “My intention to do this at a time where we need healing on all levels became manifest… I had the vision and now the vision has me.” It is here where she educates people with regard to meditation, yoga, and ayurveda to help people primarily with the one thing that plagues us all… stress.

Carmichael’s belief in the interconnectedness between physiology, psychology and spirituality and the need for conventional as well as complementary modalities provides a vast array of choices by which the individual can begin their journey into healing. Her background in both the hard sciences and in alternative medicine is a combination that allows for a much more holistic approach to the problems of individuals. Being able to seamlessly combine the two is something that few have been able to accomplish and understanding the limitations of both is a powerful tool to apply to the care of her clients.

Also of note is that this is not just all business and profit for Carmichael. This is a deeply help passion and something that she offers, in part, as a service to the community through a free community meditation program which she offers every Monday and Wednesday (Thursday with another practitioner) from 6:00 – 6:30 pm at the Centre. During these open sessions, attendees are invited to decompress from the day's activities and connect with like-minded people for a half hour of meditation with the overall objective being that “through meditation we are also tapping into the wisdom of our soul, where we can experience the field of infinite potential, creativity, health and wisdom.”

It is because of people like Dr. Carmichael that I do my best to keep an open mind and listen to the perspectives that may be radically different from my own. Sometimes my views don’t change while other time, such as yesterday, I am willing to accept the merits of some alternatives. This also demonstrates the importance of Rotary in exposing people to ideas, professions, and individuals that they wouldn’t normally come across during the normal course of their day.

What have been some of topics covered during a Rotary meeting that you wouldn’t have otherwise been exposed to? Who have been some of the more memorable speakers? Has your overall perspective been changed through Rotary? Please note that all these questions can apply to other clubs, fraternities, organizations, etc. Feel free to answer based on your personal involvement in any of the above not just Rotary.

New (Half) Year’s Resolutions

I WANT THIS PIN!

I can’t believe that we are half way through the year already. Many changes have occurred (some good, some bad) but the fact that I can’t seem to grasp the hours of each day still frustrates me. Every day there is something that gets carried over to the next making my “to do” list more of a living compilation of tasks rather than something I can simply check off and throw away.

Some people set goals in the beginning of the year but I like to be a little different and put greater emphasis on the second half of the year. Of course, there are a few certain things that are achieved in the first six months but, in the end, it’s all about how you finish the game not about how it begins. Therefore, it is now time to outline my list of goals, in no particular order, for the second half of the year.   

1.      Improve my health – isn’t this something that is, in one shape or form, on everyone’s list? For me, it really comes down to two very simple things, stop smoking and lose about 60 pounds (I have struggled with both over the years). There is an entire subset of things I could list in order to accomplish this but, again, those are the common things that everyone jots down. What is different than most is that I have to make sure to schedule regular checkups with my doctors just to keep an open line of communication and make sure I am doing things the right way.
2.      Write a blog every day – I made it through last month with only a few delays. I still got a blog out every day in June but some of them were barely under the wire. I have a blog schedule which, so far, would take me to the end of October but that is the easy part… the “hard” part is taking the time every day to write and post. To this point, I have accomplished a staggering amount of growth in a single month and I greatly appreciate the support. Thank you all for reading, commenting, liking, sharing, etc.
3.      Find a place to live – Such a basic thing to have on a list at first glance. However, there is a greater underlying factor to this which is why I have chosen to list it. We have an apartment which has served us well and we live in an area that is very familiar but we are both looking for home. We have been looking for this for a long time now and in many locations and while we have been comfortable and thought we had found it a few times it just didn’t hold up against the clock and calendar. Hopefully, we find home this year.
4.      Find a new job – Minor detail. As was posted previously, I have been seeking a new position for some time now. While it has been difficult at times I am still confident that not just a job but a career is waiting for me because it just takes one to make it happen. As the great SNL philosopher Stuart Smalley (not to be confused with the pull your hair out quote from Senator Franken) said, "I'm good enough. I'm smart enough. And doggone it, people like me."
5.      Full year of Rotary – As was posted last week I am now the President Elect for the Rotary Club of Bala Cynywd – Narberth and there are certain things that I would like to accomplish in the coming year. I am not going to go over the whole list again in this post but, suffice to say, there are many things that I need to work on to truly make my first full year as a Rotarian a success in my eyes.  
6.      Full year as a Mason – I have only been a member of the fraternity since April and I have already gotten a tremendous amount out of Freemasonry. There are a number of personal things that I would like to achieve in this first full year and many goals that I have set for myself in this category including, just to name a few, completion of the Master Builder Award and Lodge of Research requirements as well as becoming a member of Scottish Rite. It’s going to be a busy Masonic year.
7.      Sons of American Revolution Application – This project has been put aside since the fall and it is time to “git-r-done”. Given the time of year it is especially poignant to get this done soon. I am proud of my family heritage and for me this is a great way to show it. I will be sure to write more about this process and my family’s Revolutionary past in a future post so stay tuned.  
8.      Publishing and Readings (one is already booked for November 16^th in Collegeville, Pennsylvania) – If I remember correctly, it has been almost eight years since I last actively sought publication of my work. It is a very trying and tiring process that I am not particularly fond of but it’s an addiction that never leaves you so I guess it’s time to do some lines and chase the dragon once again. So, keep in mind that I may be creatively and poetically medicated moving forward. The long layoff from giving readings coincided with my vacation from publishing. If I am going to publish I have to read as well. I always enjoyed the performance side of writing because that is where you find out if a poem or story works. You feed off of the reaction, good or bad, which helps you to improve and pushes you to challenge yourself and your audience. Words on the page are just ink and paper, the experience defines the creation.  
9.     Continue to explore my faith – Many changes have occurred in the past couple of months with regard to our observance but our faith has remained steadfast. The means by which we express and embrace our faith has evolved over time to something that suits us both as individuals and as a family rather than subscribing to the black and white outline of a particular branch of Judaism. While it is not for everyone it is how we connect with G-d and I look forward to exploring our faith and deepening that connection through His words and his creation.
10. Travel - I am looking forward to continuing our weekly excursions both as a way to spend time with my wife and also to explore the beauty of creation that surrounds us. We have weekly day trips planned out to last the summer and into fall but, like anything else, it is flexible and I am sure it is going to change. This is also a means to feed content to this blog and share with you some of the wonderful places that surround me in my own Commonwealth. I hope that it will encourage some of you to do the same and explore and appreciate the places that are near to you but you never took the time to visit (this is especially important for those of you who may have children).

That is my list. It may change, in fact I am certain it will, but this is a starting point in recommitting to the process of improving myself throughout this year. This is the foundation of change and the map which I can fall back on to keep myself moving forward (ING is of no use with the above goals). What are the things that you would like to work on or accomplish in the second half of 2013?