Of Talents, Gifts, and Dreams

I've more to say on the subject of dreams. Weeks back I posted about some of the weird and wacky dreams I've recalled come morning. We all are dreaming nightly, "they say", but most dreams never register into our daytime consciousness.

As I sit here on this early Sunday morning the skies are still dark and the coffee brewing all too slowly in the kitchen. I remember snippets of my dream from last night.

I am a student again, taking classes in medical school. But, the strange thing is, I am already a doctor fully trained so why I am in school isn't clear. Renal Physiology is taught by a master, someone I've known in the past, someone who in non-dream life is deceased, his life cut short by a devastating heart attack when he was in his early sixties. This already sounds way too convoluted.

True to form, I've missed the first class and have to admit this to the snooty course coordinator the next day as I pick up the course materials. She shakes her head and says, "The first assignment is due on Friday and the test is after that." She goes on to acknowledge that the topics are so complex that even after all her years listening to the chief deliver the lectures, she'd never be able to pass even the first test.

Lecture 1, which I've missed, covers the renal handling of potassium, a subject in "real life" which continues to fascinate me and for which I feel I'll never really have grip beyond the basic talking points. The lecture outline and diagrams are gorgeous, beauty to behold (I've always loved great study guides and visuals, especially in relation to renal physiology) Wow, I think, missing this lecture was poor timing and here's the course coordinator adding fuel to the fire by admonishing me that an assignment and test are on the horizon, implying it will be an uphill battle for me to catch up having missed only one of his lectures. (She doesn't know that I'm already a fully trained nephrologist, I say to myself).

On my way out of the office, I drop my handbag and everything spills out. I hear Professor Hebert who has been wandering about in the background and who spies me, requests that his assistant ask if amongst all my stuff scattered on the carpet might there be a tube (unopened) of toothpaste? In "real life" there was such a mini-tube, the type you get from the dentist's office, in my purse yesterday. Ahhhh, the nature of dreams to weave reality and fantasy in the most twisted ways.

The dream ended but I know from a deep place the message is prescient.

I'm struggling these days with just how to use my talents (writing and teaching) in such a way that I'm ignited with passion rather than beaten down by self doubt and criticism.

I'll think on this; the dream and the real life realities.

If we are blessed with talent(s), must we use them? Are our gifts our destiny?

Cute Book

I'm "reading" another audio book on my "to and from" journeys in the car. This one is cute....a memoir replete with wonderful recipes which make me want to check out the hard copy from the library so I can jot down some of these delicious sounding meals.

I love the author's name too...Giulia Melucci. The title is I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti. Giulia, born of a Sicilian mother and an Italian father in Brooklyn learned to cook like a pro and describes her journey with relationship after relationship with guys/men who never turn out to be Mr. Right. Interspersed is her cooking which tantalizes most of them and delights the reader with (real) recipes which are simple yet sound amazing. Lots of pasta, salads, fish dishes and more. Ahhh.

I may buy this book for Laura. She loves to cook and it may help her to read about others who've struggled to find the right guy.

Giulia writes well and reads the audio version of her book; her voice is like butter.

Word for the Day

Farkocktah

(far-KOK-tah) adj. Worse than "crappy" (be careful with this word!) Utterly messed up and out of order; lousy

Once again, a Yiddish word comes through for me.

Life is farkocktah caught between the woes and dramas of the very old and the very young.

Senior's Discount

Hmmmmm.

I don't know how I should feel about receiving my first "senior's discount" at a diner in Marblemount, Washington, a tiny little village along the Skagit River. Denny and I ate there yesterday for lunch. We were on an outing to see the bald eagles who make their migratory path south each winter and spend weeks along the Skagit River feeding on salmon.

When the check came Denny remarked that we got a 10 percent "senior's discount". Yikes! Let's only hope their definition of a senior is someone 50 or older. Otherwise, I'd say we looked weary and worn yesterday, older than usual. I suppose it has to happen sometime.

We did see a few eagles by the way. Gorgeous birds. My pair of binoculars was nothing compared to the telescopes professional birdwatchers had set up. A glimpse through those lenses brought up the image of an eagle perched on the high branch of a pine across the river into sharp view. The eyes, that see with 12 x the acuity of human eyes, were likely staring right back at me.

Factoids: Female bald eagles are larger than males and the lifespan is up to 30 years. Bald eagles mate for life.

The Gargoyle

Several days ago I finished the audio book The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson.

This is a gorgeous book, beautifully written and researched. A love story down to the bone but with a twist; the tantalizing blend of modern day with 14th century Europe with the story lines indelibly intertwined by the real time dance of a talented schizophrenic woman and a man who suffers a life threatening and life changing burn.

I'm not much of a book reviewer so I reference "Beauty and the Beast" from the NY Times.

The Gargoyle, a first novel for Mr. Davidson, is the best book I've read in many years.

The U.S.Figure Skating Olympic Team

Laura and I spent a fabulous 3 hours enjoying the show at the Spokane Arena Sunday. The Skating Spectacular featured the newly selected U.S. Figure Skating Olympic Team, those skaters who will compete in Vancouver, B.C. next month. Wow. I had no idea I could score tickets at (literally) the 11th hour but there were tickets to spare probably since this was not competition but fanfare. The competition over, the Olympic Team performed for a delighted crowd. No pressure. All performance. We also were treated to performances by winners in the Novice and Junior categories as well, future Olympic team members in 2014 and beyond. Very cool.

Laura and I stood in line to have an 8x10 photo autographed by this particular young lady, Rachael Flatt. She won Gold for her overal performance in the Woman's Figure Skating Event. She's very cool. She signed hundreds of photographs with a personal smile and a comment. For me...."I like your scarf!" Very sweet.

I wish Rachael well at the Olympics and will keep my eye on her!

Just after the intermission, we were treated to a special gathering of the 12 Olympic Gold winners in figure skating dating back to the the 1940's. They were: Dick Button (1948, 52), Tenley Albright (1956), Hayes Jenkins (1956), Carol Heiss Jenkins (1960), David Jenkins (1960), Peggy Fleming (1968), Dorothy Hamill (1976), Scott Hamilton (1984), Brian Boitano (1988), Kristi Yamaguchi (1992), Tara Lipinski (1998) and Sarah Hughes (2002).

What an amazing group gathered to wish the 2010 Olympic team the very best in Vancouver! Seeing all of them together, over half of whom I've seen compete over the years was very cool indeed. Very cool indeed. Can't wait for the 2010 Olympic Games!

Weekend in Spokane

Quiet college apartment; I am the only one awake. This is not surprising when I am the middle aged mother visiting a daughter who shares her place with two other young women in their very early twenties. I drove from Seattle yesterday for several reasons:

1. to deliver my daughter's car back to her (how her car ended up in Seattle is a long story and isn't relevant to this post necessarily)

2. to provide emotional support to my daughter in the midst of a rough patch in her life

As I started this post, I thought...."Gee, wouldn't it be nice if I were here for the U.S. Figure Skating Championships?" (an event going on here in Spokane for the last ten days or so....). Today is the last day. Not even knowing what the event of the day (pairs, ice dancing, women's, men's), I thought......what the hell. Let me see if there are any tickets left.

And.....because the competition is officially over as of last night, today's event is The Skating Spectacular. Yes!

Laura and I will likely be up in the 'nosebleed' section for this event but just to see all the magnificence and talent on the ice will be fantastic. We have tickets!!!

Gotta run.

Laura is now up, preparing breakfast for me and then we'll get dressed and head to the Spokane Convention Center to see the best U.S. skaters!