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positivity lately

“Positivity” may not be a word. Positivism. Positivism. Positivist. Those are words. It’s been said that I tend to dwell on the negative. As much as this may be true I do always find much positive in life and try to share that in conjunction with nay complaints I may express. So here are some of late: 1. I get to have rainbow sprinkles atop birthday waffles TOMORROW! 2. People tend to wave, smile and giggle, more, when they see me walking to work with Slayer…one lady even said “Oh, God bless you, bless you, bless you, blessings on you…” as I walked by her and her walking buddy yesterday. 

Above pictured is my birthday place mat awaiting it’s sprinkle-full waffle.

In other news, I am planning a FUN GAME for youth Sunday School, not this coming Sunday but, for next Sunday. After our camping trip to Hanging Rock State Park, which is going to be a blast, I’ve thought ahead enough to plan a super-awesome game as to not let down any youths’ fun high.  The game is one version of “Two Lies and a Truth…” or is it “Two truths and a Lie?”…It doesn’t matter, I suppose, as I have nearly two weeks to plan execution.

My mornings have been spent in the quiet of the living room with back door open to eh beautiful breeze outside. Thank you, chilly NC April, for your pleasant company.

 

Thanks to my aunt, we are eating plenty of glamorous food, although this raw chicken pre-cooking does not look so tasty. Last night we began to watch “Babel” and made a unanimous choice to not, further, subject our evening to depressing footage from a movie who’s four sub-plots seemed to be headed in directions nowhere other than BAD. So we switched to this movie: Love’s Kitchen in the middle of the Babel scene where Kate Blanchett’s character is on the brink of bleeding to death.

No, that scene does not remind me of eating nor does the photo scene above wet my appetite all that much. Nonetheless, I thought I’d share the photos because I, quite, enjoyed the evening at home with Aunty Sharon and it did include the yummy asparagus and chicken featured in this post. To come, later I think, will be some movie reviews as I often end up watching random movies that I find interesting and think it’s be great to keep feedback from my criticism. If that’s not complicated {getting criticism of my criticism} then I do not know what is.

This was a breakfast of mine from this past January and it reminds me that, while my 50 gallons of free blueberries last season are all gone, blueberry picking is not far off! Bring on the blueberries, May. Just thinking of them makes me weak with excitment. Also, a “best of reel” from the office {my office} is soon to come so get excited!

Much love and happy Wednesday ~ Jasper Naomi

Posted by  |  April 18, 2012 | Categories: animals, little thoughts, news flash, smiles, snackeroo | 2 Comments »

I’m gunna get rich

This past Friday evening I went on a walk with my aunt. The usual, you know. On the walk, she and I began to discuss my future plans, career, life, etc. It did not take long for me to share, with her, what’s been on my heart lately. And that’s just it: my running mouth is exactly what I DON’T want her to get a load of…alas. I shared my remorse over these facts: my goals are self-centered, self-focused and self-absorbed. Even if I wanted to “write a book,” it’s be because I want to make money under some Christian-faced-help-others-with-self-help story. If I end up “finding a career that I love deeply,” I’d also want to make lots of money doing it so that I would feel like a success. Or if I traveled the globe photographing orphanages and interviewing philanthropists, the collection of portraits would, more or less, be dripping with my pursuit of self-gain. It is a sad truth, really, that the only plans I seem to have end up in the same place: obsessed with self or money. So who am I really serving? Myself or others? And, is there a quick fix for what feels like hopeless self-centeredness?

The answer for the above questions are no clear-cut or easily found. Perhaps it will take a long time or a great many more honest conversations with myself  and others in order to find a way to genuine servanthood. As much as I’d like to think that true selflessness is possible, there’s something this world tells me: there exists a closeness to that possibility but it’s not, easily, found or “acheieved.” In fact, I may be going about “acheiving” this end in the wrong way. Perhaps my goals will not begin, nor find their means in my “acheieving” whatsoever.  Perhaps I’ll make way toward servanthood with the help of these tools: changing my perspective, little bye little, each day, being rigorously honest with myself and others and being more gentle with myself.

Wouldn’t it be great if it reaching my potential were as easy as this song that’s been on “repeat” in my head lately:

“I, I love you like a love song, baby
I, I love you like a love song, baby
I, I love you like a love song, baby

And I keep hitting re-peat-peat-peat-peat-peat-peat” You may call it cheesy but I find it incredible how Selena Gomez just sketched-up these thoughtful and inspiring words on, perhaps, “love’s wings” alone. Am I missing something? Or should I just

“live a little” and the words and answers will then flow like a billboard hit ;) ?

Hopefully this “heavier season” will, soon, pass. It’s fun to feel “upbeat” but, occasionally, the heavier things are just going to break wide open, too.

How do you find healthy balance between the “sillier” things in life and the “heavier” things in life?

Posted by  |  April 17, 2012 | Categories: still life, worship | 2 Comments »

Wake-up call

Have you been reading the Hunger Games like I have?

Yes, I am a bit behind the times but I figure: now is just as good a time as any to begin! Anyway, someone was asking me, today, about how I managed to break my arm. I explained that I fell off of my bike but “[it's] okay, that’s how the cookie crumbles!” To which they replied “You were reaching for a cookie when it happened?!” I have been told that I mumble but I am pretty sure that the person just wasn’t paying attention to my  story.  The misinterpretation did make for one unique twist on how I broke my arm. Perhaps I should use that story from this point, forward.

In regard to this post’s title, I will say that the arm-breaking has been a wake-up call for fitness. Not excusing myself from getting an appropriate amount of physical activity has been interesting. Instead of riding my bike all around town, I try to walk as much as possible and then make sure to give myself needed rest and relaxation time. There are other stretches and around-the-house activities I can do to keep up with simple work-outs. I’ve been told that kids are great with making physical activity and fun a priority while simultaneously being able to take in an appropriate balance of food/calories for their activity level. It’s interesting to me that my disordered eating practices developed from what was otherwise a very natural and healthy relationship with food from when I was younger.

But just because I do struggle with some things, today, does not also mean I do not find happy stories in the middle of each day. Some days, there are more fun times than others. Until heaven, folks, stay tuned for more adventures from my neck of the woods! And have a very nice Monday ~ Jasper Naomi

Posted by  |  April 16, 2012 | Categories: animals, news flash | Leave A Comment »

change your photos into cartoons, today!

Would not the world be a more fun place if you could take what you picture in your mind and turn it into this:

from this:

or this:

from this:

Perhaps you do not think the world would be such a fun place if one could do this magically. I would, though! And some of you may, already, be able to do this. If you dream it up or something like that. Or dream in cartoon-vision. Sometime I dream in cartoon vision. Last night I had a dream about the movie that I watched after dinner with my aunt. Expect, in my dream, the characters were a lot more complex.  More complex in that: nerdy FBI agent who turns out to be Soviet spy was played by a goat in my dream…well, goat-ish-centaurish-Soviet-spy and the hunted, older assassin from the movie night was played by a kingly-horseish character in my dream last night. No, I did not say horseradish, I said “horseish.” I like that I have completely random {although last night’s dream was not so random as it was loosely based on the movie viewed, just, before bed} dreams each and every night. Let me know if you would like to hear more about them…

And for those of you who wonder how to cartoonify your photos, check out this website where I changed mine: http://www.clker.com/my-cliparts.html

Happy Saturday loves ~ Jasper Naomi

Posted by  |  April 14, 2012 | Categories: craftiness, dreams | Leave A Comment »

what, the smell, happened to you!?

Last night on my walk home from the hospital I got to thinking {since my iPhone is deadzo} instead of tuning out to some classic JB tunes…which is sometimes a good thing and sometimes a bad thing, NOT listening to music, that is. Anyway, I thought of something weird, of course: What would be a good time to use this play on words: “What the smell happened to you?!” and it really only made sense in this context: if someone arrived at your doorstep after a run-in with an angry skunk. I know, I am weird, feel free to judge.

This guy is was completely secure in his costume and I wonder if one day I’ll find myself, the same kind-of confidence an all, in his spirit one day. For the last couple of days I have found myself sort-of dwelling on what “others” think of me and as much as I’d like to think it doesn’t ”get me down,” it does. But life is full of criticism for all of us. Good and bad. And we’re not alone in struggle. Many talk about it more or less than others but we are certainly not alone!

This chica is a talented, fiery, probably very kind lady whom I saw performing at a cultural arts festival. As much as I’d like to think that no one would ever make negative comments about such a fine lady, I am probably wrong. People might always have “something” to say but I sure am glad that no comments stop her from performing her art. Beautiful.

This morning I saw a robin just hanging out around a tree on Duke’s campus and next to him: a squirrel! And just yesterday I saw a rabbit and a squirrel chilling at the park. Tomorrow, I hope to see, both, a rabbit and a robing together although the likelihood of seeing two squrrels together would be greater. A girl can dream I suppose :)

The feautured image on this post was an “artsy-shot-gone-wrong-fail” I took of my friend Bria’s engagement ring. It reminds me that life is full of spectacular things in the middle of simple, run-of-the-mill-regular days, like this diamond in a flower. It’s a stretch, I know but I don’t deny my lameness one bit. Happy Thursday folks ~ much love ~ Jasper Naomi

Posted by  |  April 12, 2012 | Categories: jasper's journey, movement | Leave A Comment »

I have a new pet

He’s so cute. Hairless, from Indonesia {at least I think was made there}, weights 4 lb. 6 oz. and goes with me everywhere!

His name is “Slayer.”

Seriously, though, this cast is made of indestructible incredible durable fiberglass and will take all impact, protecting my currently broken wrist and arm from harm.

The high school youth signed this cast this morning. And I am thinking of making a quick trip to NYC to see if Conan won’t also autograph Slayer.

It’s big, it’s beautiful. It’s HOT PINK.

If you had to choose between: HOT PINK, HOT ORANGE or HOT GREEN for a cast, which would YOU choose?

Happy Easter, all! ~ Jasper Naomi

Posted by  |  April 8, 2012 | Categories: bike crash | 21 Comments »

should I, still, run that Charlottesville marathon?

Yes, Jasper met the asphalt Monday evening. {sorry about the cleavage, awkward} It could have been worse, right?! I didn’t die…or fracture my collarbone…or require surgery {things are actually, quite, awesome around here!}…if you’re interested: On Monday evening, I was biking to Chapel Hill and flew, yes flew {can you believe that?!} from my bike on old Erwin Road. Mostly my should, back and head took the brunt of my crash but I think onlookers believed me to be dead because I HOPPED up to get my bike and me off of the road and six cars all stopped to ask: “Seriously, are you ok?!” “Well, duh, I’m ok…” I thought. So I just kept heading for CH. After 20 minutes of initial shock, I wondered why I could not use my left arm, left hand or left leg, so I turned for home. My poor aunt, have mercy…she met a rather pathetic version of myself wimpering and sputtering, with bloodied limbs. It’s only my wrist and arm broken in a couple of places {sill, handle bars} — and I think I might have to choose a hot pink cast that will go lovely with the majority of my wardrobe. You could be the first to sign it!

There’s the old Jasper, when she had the use of both of her arms…

And she could pin her hair up, no problem! Now, I can barely scratch my nose with much less than a pitiful wimper, oh well! Such is life…

What’s YOUR crash, fall or accident “story?” 

happy thursday ~ Jasper

Posted by  |  April 5, 2012 | Categories: bike crash, inspirational escripts, smiles | 4 Comments »

all the single ladies

This morning I read this email from my inbox.

That’s right, this Saturday, April 7 th 2012, I shall run my first official marathon. Never, have I run a marathon distance (longest I have run was 21 miles) and I have run a few unofficial half marathon plus one official {San Francisco Half Marathon 2010} half marathon.

After I read that email, I sort-of wanted to distract myself and went ahead to make a little t-shirt mock-up for our family’s next reunion…what’dya think!? Georg and Arabelle are rockin’ Madagascar!

{edited to add: Kathryn and David: Heather and Georg’s kiddos!}

marathon training option

This was one of those “half-marathon” training schedules I proposed 10 weeks ago {cannot believe it’s April, already!} for my, err, marathon and ended up using this one (more or less)

And by “more or less” I mean, today I ran 8 miles instead of 3 and may have to bike 12 this afternoon because I am going to Chapel Hill. Alas, I will get LOTS of sleep this week (going to bed each night before 9 pm) and rest, like UBER rest, on Friday. It’s going to be so much fun!

That’s how excited I sort-of am about running a marathon this Saturday. At least my pretend face appears legit!

Did you get a load of my post title? Yah? This morning on my run, I was wondering about posing a question to all you ladies out there for advice on how to spend “fun” time as a single lady! My friend Elizabeth said that I should “tell” people that I am interested on being set up on a date if, indeed, I am actually interested. After that, I thought “well AM I actually interested?”

Has anyone ever heard Einstein’s definition of insanity: “Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results… “While I ran, I wondered: “Am I doing the same thing over and over with males {absolutely nothing} and expecting different results?” The few times I have flirted or acting, even the slightest or -worse- majorly interested, the fella’s seem to drop me like a hot bowling ball. Ouch. {for them or for me, I wonder which is worse?} Thus far, the best advice I have gotten is to eNJOY the single life while keeping faith that some day I can share some time with a guy who likes me back!

What is the best “single” life or EVEN “how to go about dating” advice YOU’VE heard, to date?

happy monday everyone ~ jasper

Posted by  |  April 2, 2012 | Categories: health, jasper's journey, juicy bites, news flash | 2 Comments »

I’m gunna eat an unhealthy fat

{source}

This morning I considered frying up some bacon to go along with eggs. However, I threw together an oaty, amaranthy, eggy hot cereal mixture and topped it with berries and butter. I do not eat the latter for breakfast because I am frightened of FATS, though. Are you afraid of “UNHEALTHY FATS?” If anything, I’d love to argue to there should be no labeling of fats as “healthy” or “unhealthy.” Where are the limits for such labels? More and more I read about consuming “healthy” vs. “unhealthy” fats and wonder over this, ultimately, arbitrary terminology.

i shot breakfast

The truth is blurry, I suppose. I would argue that if we are going to but “good” and “bad” labels on fats, then we also give license to label anything as “good” and “bad.” Isn’t that just a bit extreme? “This day was [GOOD] or [BAD].” I hear that one a lot. And it’s not social taboo or anything but what are the implications of statements like that? To me, it means that if I have mostly “gray” days or “mediocre” days, which I think most of us experience in the majority of our days, then my day is insignificant…

I digress. It’s not that I am against “fast food” or “junk food,” even. Who doesn’t like a nice serving of curly fries now and again? I will tell you, though, that the smell of fast food doesn’t appeal to me and, furthermore, can make me a bit queasy if someone in the office walks by with Chick-fil-a take-out bag. When people label fats as “healthy” or “unhealthy,” it send the message that one “should” or “should not” eat “unhealthy” or “healthy” fats, almost as if one would be making a MORALLY profound decision each time the choose between walnuts or pig fat. Sheesh.

{source}

Please do not misunderstand. By no means am I trying to argue that eating bacon three meals a day for your entire life won’t put your arteries at greater risk for disease.  Perhaps I am just attempting to reiterate a more reasonable, and relatively antiquated but realistic, suggestion that moderation is key.

What do you think, REALLY, of “healthy” vs. “unhealthy” fats? Do you put your real view where your mouth is? 

…and for the lighter conversation: What are your weekend plans? What did YOU eat for breakfast?

happy friday all! ~ Jasper

Posted by  |  March 30, 2012 | Categories: amaranth, bacon, cinnamon, fat, yogurt | 12 Comments »

no miracle diet

Have you ever seen something so absurd in YOUR grocery store? If there is one message I’d like you to take away from this post, alone, it’s to NEVER BUY SOMETHING LIKE THIS! Please. How in the world did the manufacturers come up with this one? A calorie free peanut butter spread.  Is, not, peanut butter supposed to have CALORIES? Furthermore, is food, not, supposed to have calories? When I pack my lunch every day I hope that it contains calories. After all, that’s what keeps my heart beating and my brain sharp functioning.

Interestingly enough, after stumbling over this wretched product, which I did not purchase {needless to say}, I overheard these two men walking by the end cap of the aisle where I found the “whipped peanut butter spread.” “There are like no hot chicks around here.” That’s what I heard. And I should not be knocking these guys – I am guilty of judging others based on their physical appearance, though I’d rather not admit to it – but it got me to wondering: “We get these verbal messages that we should ‘accept ourselves’ and ‘love ourselves’ often in society and mass media yet, what it might all boil down to is, I will always be judged based ONLY on my physical appearance.”

Now you tell me: “Who doesn’t want so O’ dat?!!” KIDDDDDDDDING. Really, I just want you to know that, as much as I’d like to be somebody different, those thoughts and feelings are unfair to ME and unfair to my creator. He loves me just as I am, WHY CAN I, not, TOO?! And that goes for you, too!

After biking home with my gallon of organic milk to share with my aunt, I had to tell her about what I saw in the store. Unfortunately, this “whipped calorie free *Contains Trace Calories peanut butter spread” is not the only product available of it’s kind. Let me tell you that the way to keep your body healthy and whole and happy is to eat well and listen to your hunger (while getting a fair amount of regular physical activity) cues. Sadly, many suffer from an inability to distinguish the body’s natural “hunger” signals. So talk to someone if you’re feeling like this describes your situation.

There’s the pops listening to his hunger…

And there’s Jasper, listening to hers…

By the way, THIS peanut butter had lots of calories in it. And it was tasty.

Have you ever felt victim to society’s overt or underlying message about how you should look or what you should eat? What’s one technique you have found helpful for accepting and loving yourself AS YOU ARE?

I love you. I love me. Happy Wednesday to you! ~ Jasper

Posted by  |  March 28, 2012 | Categories: health | 2 Comments »

and then I said

Currently, my blog is undergoing a major overhaul. Now, you may not be able to see this but it is happening…

:: It is happening. Mostly, the change is all happening in my mind. I’ve tried to manually tweak the styling and format/layout of my blog but this only seems to make matters worse. It’s like I am trying to learn Martian a new language while I am living in the foreign country. The theme: I look like an idiot most of the time. Alas, blog world, I am here to stay {that is, at least for the long short-term, if that makes sense}

This morning in the shower, I thought to myself “And then I told her…And then she said…And then I said…And then she said” as I planned out telling my aunt a funny story. “Is that the most eloquent way to describe what happened, Jasper?” I had as an after thought. Believe me, there’s a point to this tangent. It’s as if, of late, I’ve been trying to create something spectacular and then only coming up with less-than or, at most, mediocre.

Either way, I am going to press on and try to be a bit more gentle with myself. Nobody’s perfect, right? And my blog will certainly never be perfect. It’s like if I played golf…which I don’t. Sometimes you need to work on feeling awkward with you swing, for a while, before it can adapt and change into a really powerful stroke. And you’ve got to keep on practicing before you see any significant strides in your playing. You have to sow willing hours so you can reap beneficial results.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have you ever planned out one enormous idea in your head before you were able to make any sort of physical progress on it? Could it have anything to do with personality, or your personality, in particular?

Have your GINORMOUS plans come to fruition?

…perhaps they will, soon. Happy Tuesday to you!

Posted by  |  March 27, 2012 | Categories: little thoughts | 4 Comments »

i’ll give you a cupcake

HHappy HaPPy HAPPY Friday to you all! It’s been an interesting week and, to finish it off, some friends and I are taking a lil’ nature hike into the woods for a bonfire! How much lighter fluid will it take to bonfire in the middle muggy North Carolina forest?

arial view of da cookies!

And what could be tastier than cookies for warm over the bonfire? That’s RIGHT: s’mores! Wish you could all some and share some s’mores…

just another sunny day

This morning on my bike ride to work I was thinking about how I could ask some friends to come support me at my marathon on April 7th in Charlottesville, VA…the only thing I came up with was “I’ll give you a cupcake.”

Has that bribe worked for for any of you?

Perhaps while you were babysitting.

Last night we might have had a potluck supper and game night…the old one gets, the less mature game night becomes…and it was Julie’s birthday week…

The video was not that exciting but the cake was delicious!

Wat are YOUR weekend plans? Perhaps you’re attending a bonfire, too?

Posted by  |  March 23, 2012 | Categories: smiles | 2 Comments »

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