Our local news channel has a page on its website that hosts the list of school cancellations.  Being able to access that information on my iPhone was incredibly convenient, as I use my iPhone as an alarm clock.  On mornings we were expecting rotten weather, I simply touched the little icon on my phone and “bing!” up came the site that listed all the closings across the state.  I didn’t even have to get out of bed; it was great.

Notice I said that it was incredibly convenient…

I lost the ability to access this site ’round about last February (which, not for nothing, is just about when we need it most).  The news station decided to “update” its website and, in the process, completely alienated all its mobile users.  Now, when I touch the little icon on my phone, I get directed to something called a “wap” site; I have no idea what that means, I just know that it doesn’t work the way it used to.  Regardless of what I type into my phone’s browser now, I cannot get to the closings and cancellations site.

I’ve been complaining about this about every other month or so since last February.  Today, I fired off another email (I just keep recycling the same one, changing the dates as needed).  Observe:

Dear Tech Support:

I believe this is the fourth or fifth time I’ve contacted NEWS for assistance with this problem.  I’d greatly appreciate it if someone can address my concern, as I’m certain I’m not the only one who has it.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Chili

This time, however, I got an answer!  Not a particularly helpful answer, mind you, but at least I know now that my message has actually been read by a human being, someone named Doug, to be exact!

Mrs. Chili

Thank you for writing. Last year we redesigned our Mobile site to be optimized for the iPhone. In the process some pages became inaccessible — school closings being one of them. We are currently working on a solution that will get closings back to the iPhone.

I’m thinking that their redesign was a total failure, considering that I can’t get anything useful off of their site from my iPhone, but whatever; at least I know they’re working on it (or, at least, they SAY they are).  I emailed back asking for an ETA on the fix, but so far, no one’s gotten back to me.

OH!  I TAKE IT BACK!  As I was writing this, my email popped.  Here’s Doug again:

We don’t have a definitive timeline that I can share at this point. My advice is to keep checking the mobile site — when closings return we will make it obvious that they are back.

I’m thinking that they may want to hurry things up a bit; it’s getting cold out there…..

I haven’t said a thing lately about politics, and I’m not really going to say much of my own words here, either, except to say that, as a consequence of some of the work that I’ve been doing lately, I’m really starting to notice when people are inconsistent in their logic:

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I’m going to refrain from making characterizations or judgments here; I think that habit is really at the heart of what’s wrong with this debate.  Suffice to say that I wouldn’t begin to think that I should have a say in someone else’s choice, and I thank them kindly for leaving me to mine, whatever they may be.

I mean, I love my job, really, I do, but there are just some days when it’s all I can do to keep a straight face….

I seem to remember that, a long time ago, we had a blast with Ten Movie Quotes.  I posted ten quotes, and you all went nuts trying to figure out which movies I took the lines from.  Wanna do that again?

1.  “We’ve all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That’s who we really are.”

2.  “If you don’t want to tell me exactly what you’re doing, when I’m asked, I don’t have to lie. But don’t think of me as an idiot.”

3.  “Your life is defined by its opportunities… even the ones you miss.”

4.  “I do not like wars. They have uncertain outcomes.”

5.  “They could be utterly negligent. Maybe they’ll do a far shittier job of raising a kid than my dumbass step-daughter would. Have you considered that?”

6.  “Hey, you know what’s scarier than not believing in God? Believing in him. I mean, really believing in him. It’s a fucking terrifying thought.”

7.  “I am already grown up, I just get older.”

8.  “Yes. You annoy me, therefore I exist.”

9.  “You’re an asshole. I know. I call it like I see it, though. It’s not a crime to be an asshole, but it’s very counter-productive. Not a crime, but you are an asshole, don’t you think?”

10.  “Disturbing the peace? I got thrown out of a window! What’s the fuckin’ charge for getting pushed out of a moving car, huh? Jaywalking?”

Aaaaand, GO!

Stolen, with love as always, from Kwizgiver.

1. Do you think it was important to send a man to the moon? Mr. Chili tells me that some amazing advances came out of the space race. Plus, I love the romance of it – I look up at the moon and imagine what it might be like to be on the moon looking up at us…

2. What is your biggest fear? Unanticipated and unavoidable loss; aneurysms, heart attacks, car crashes, that sort of thing.

3. If someone hung a sign around your neck today, what would it say and why? “If I’m talking, you should be taking notes.”

4. What is the longest line that you’ve stood in and was it worth it? I was one of 2-point-something million people in attendance at the inauguration for President Obama. It wasn’t exactly a line, per se – it’s hard to get 2-point-something million people to line up – but I think it counts. Was it worth it? Oh, Goddess; yes.

5. As the holidays approach, what song are looking forward to hearing again? Gabriel’s Message by Sting

6. Whose music do you think is the most important of your generation’s? Huh. That’s a hard one. I don’t know if I can choose, really (and what is meant by “my generation;” the music we grew up listening to, or the people our age who are making music now?). I’m going to pass on this one, I think. Sorry.

7. Do you find it is difficult to be kind to strangers? Give an example. If you haven’t figured out by now that I try my best to be kind to everyone, then you’re just not paying attention. Sometimes, it’s easier to be kind to the stranger than it is to be kind to the jerk you know.

8. When do usually lose your patience? Fortunately, I “usually” don’t lose my patience; however, when I do lose it, it’s often in spectacular fashion, and it’s often because my eldest daughter has pushed me just that much beyond my limits.

9. Is there a book that you’re dying to see as a movie? I would love to see The Book Thief on the big screen, but only if it’s done carefully and well.

The Dalai Lama said that “Kindness is my religion.” I couldn’t agree more.  So much of the practice of my faith is rooted in my loving interaction with others (you know who you are!), so when I saw this at PostSecret this morning, I knew it’d be my entry for today.

Happy Sunday, Everyone.

What’s right isn’t always what’s easy.

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I’ve been sitting here, staring at a blank text box, for about 15 minutes.  I’ve got nothing for you today, friends.  Sorry.

Come back tomorrow.  Perhaps the fickle little inspiration faerie will come back…

I really love it when I’m in synch with the Universe.

A while ago, I was trying to think of ways to help my children understand some of the basic principles of playing nicely with others; PECK – patience, empathy, compassion, and kindness.  Punkin’ Pie, especially, sometimes has trouble recognizing that there are other people in the world (she’s a nearly-teen, after all), and beyond the fact that it is crucial that I raise kind and compassionate people to release into the world, I wanted some means of getting across the idea that how we treat people directly affects the way we, in return, are treated.  I wanted this message to get to my daughers – and to all of us – in a way that was both palatable and ever-present.

I wanted (and still do want) to make little bracelets for all of us – Mr. Chili, too (and he’d totally wear one) – with those letters on them.  We could all wear these them; they would become a conversation starter for people who didn’t understand what they meant (let’s spread the message!); we could gently bring one another’s attention to them when we observed a veering from those ideals.

I haven’t gotten around to putting the bracelets together yet, mostly because I’ve not been able to find letter beads that make me happy, but it’s still very high on my agenda.  I even mentioned it to The Girl yesterday, in fact.

The synchronicity with the Universe came today with the release of the Charter for Compassion.  This document essentially says the same things I’ve been spouting for years.  We are CONNECTED to one another.  We have an essential responsibility to one another – to acknowledge our common humanity, to engage in active empathy, and to consciously and constantly refrain from inflicting pain and suffering, in all its varied forms, upon others.

So much of this sounds like a radical idea; and, it seems, to a lot of people, it is.  Compassion requires humbling of the self.  Empathy requires that we acknowledge that others’ feelings are important to us.  Kindness requires that we allow for the idea that others have an essentially human right to their own ideas, opinions, faiths, and traditions, and that those things are no less valid than our own.  All of this – this whole mindset – requires that we not always put ourselves first, but that we recognize that we’re all in this together.  For a lot of people, this is so much liberal bellyaching.  For a lot of people, this goes against the “what’s in it for me” mentality.  For a lot of people, this all seems like far too much to ask.

I’m going to keep asking, though.  The only way we’re going to survive – the only way we’re going to figure out our economic, political, social, and moral issues – is to finally, once and for all, understand that we belong to one another.  The only way we’re going to not destroy each other is to learn to see that we are all connected.  Learning to interact with patience, empathy, compassion, and kindness is how we begin.

Care to join me?

To all who served – and who continue to serve – thank you.

A special thank-you goes to my favorite veterans (and current servicemen) in no particular order: Father Chili, Bruder, Tonks, Gerry, BoBo and his Mrs., Matt, Auntie Teacher, and Grampa Bud.