Indigenous Tribe Spotted and Photographed on the Border between Brazil and Peru

I read this on the BBC News today and I was so excited! What a totally cool discovery. The Brazillian government is protecting the tribe and the land for these people that have not ever been contacted. Most of the uncontacted tribes of the world acutally live in Brazil or Peru.

"We did the overflight to show their houses, to show they are there, to show they exist," the group quoted Jose Carlos dos Reis Meirelles Junior, an official in the Brazilian government's Indian affairs department, as saying. "This is very important because there are some who doubt their existence." He described the threats to such tribes and their land as "a monumental crime against the natural world" and "further testimony to the complete irrationality with which we, the 'civilised' ones, treat the world".

Here are the pictures they took from an airplane. After they flew over, the tribes people painted themselves red. I wish I knew why. I wonder what kind of food they eat and what their communication is like. I wonder what our similarities are.

Another Pic of The New Kitty with JoJo

The New Kitty

We don't have a name for her yet, but I've been calling her Maria Conchita Alonzo Gonzales for short. Any suggestions? This picture was taken right before she peed on my little girl...oops.

Okay you guys, I know I've been lame on the blog lately...I don't have an excuse...just been focused elsewhere...

oh! guess what? I had the doorbell ditcher again last night...this time he only rang once and did not leave any statues...I guess he wasn't in a very playful mood...

As I See It

This morning I read that humans share all but 1/100 of 1% identical genetic sequences. That means, obviously, that we are sequenced genetically more than 99.9% the same.

I got to thinking about this and the same thing kept entering my mind. Does that mean that in that 1/100 of 1%, all of our differences must lie...our prejudice, our hate, our difference in opinions, our war and violence? Those things are all wrapped up in less than 1% of what makes us a human? Wow. Okay, yeah wow.

So if I completely recognize and focus on the other 99.9% of me that is genetically the same as you...what does that world look like? Wow. Yeah, that sounds like a cool place to live. A place where I am fully cognisant of how connected I am to each person walking by me. Wouldn't that make me more likely to cherish and celebrate mine and my brother's differences more than fight over them?

Cool.

Really cool.

I'm going to Starbucks to think about this further...

All I Can Feel Is The Rain

Have you noticed it's been a long week already? It seems that way for me. A birthday celebrated, a baby shower attended, a death mourned, a vacation had, a half-marathon ran, a party rocked, the bachelor picked his girl and one dead cat later...by Sunday...that will have summed up my week...and all I can feel and smell and hear is the rain coming down in Colorado...thank God for the rain.

Humanize Me

Put your load on me
And burden me
Like a freight train
Hauling you to safety
I am sturdy

Call on me
And disturb me
Keep me up all night
With your worry
It’s my cup of tea

Fall on me
and bother me
Let me catch you
I want you to be free
You can trust me

Occupy me
and distract me
Let me take you in my arms
Like a shade tree
I will keep thee

Talk to me
and need me
Look me in the eyes
Humanize me
I am listening

©2008 – Michelle Hix

In Memory of Billy

I wrote this last year in memory of Mary. Mary was the mother of a good friend who passed away from cancer. Last night, cancer claimed another great soul.

Another casualty of war today

Wounded

She marched

Firing assets of prescriptions

Under command of senior intelligence in white coats

We want to thank you

The civilians sending convoys of support

Coalition forces who understood the battle firsthand

The battalion that have been victorious

The forces before them that were defeated and went home

The enemy fights hard

Taking prisoners

Hoping for surrender

Armed with ammunition

Firing when the soldier is weak

What chance does a warrior have?

The rebel invades

Reconnaissance on the body

Stealing good men and women from this earth

Sending them home to rest

We love you and you will be missed

Crestfallen, our heads in prayer

Thinking of you

We honor your bravery

Cancer took your life, but the memories remain

To Everything There is a Season

Our friend Billy passed away peacefully last night at 12:30 am. Billy had a lot of friends. That's all I need to say about Billy. He will be missed.

To everything - turn, turn, turn
There is a season - turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under heaven

A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep

To everything - turn, turn, turn
There is a season - turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under heaven

A time to build up, a time to break down
A time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones
A time to gather stones together

To everything - turn, turn, turn
There is a season - turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under heaven

A time of war, a time of peace
A time of love, a time of hate
A time you may embrace
A time to refrain from embracing

To everything - turn, turn, turn
There is a season - turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under heaven

A time to gain, a time to lose
A time to rend, a time to sew
A time to love, a time to hate
A time of peace, I swear it's not too late!

Goodbye Billy...you will be missed...

Dinner at Montauk in Vail, Colorado

Going Home

I arrived home today from my vacation to unexpected news…well, somewhat unexpected. A friend is dying. His belongings are sitting in my living room waiting for a new home. Everywhere I turn, there are things that remind me that a precious life will leave this earth any second. The kids are excited to have me home. They’ve spent most of the weekend helping their father gather our friend’s belongings to donate to other families. I don’t think they quite understand what is happening though. They’ve been asking a lot of questions about my vacation but I can’t seem to stop thinking about all the stuff in my living room. Where did he get all this stuff? What memories did this stuff hold for him? It just looks like a bunch of junk to me but when I pick it up it feels valuable and it breaks my heart. A man is dying right now and he knows he's going home. He’s so aware of his own passing that he watched as everything he ever owned left his possession today and then he let himself be taken away to die, alone in peace.

On another note…vacation was just what I needed. Not because it was relaxing…although it was. But because it was soul food. You see, I have the greatest friends in the world and spending time with them fills me up. We shared stories and memories. We told secrets. We gave each other makeovers and watched movies. We cooked together and ate together. We laughed...and laughed...and laughed...going home was bittersweet.

Hello From Vail!

Today is Saturday...been vacationing in Vail for a couple days...using my girlfriend's laptop. Having a great time and relaxing. We had a nice dinner last night. Had a few moments of Toasting and Texting...I'm so awful with text messaging...all thumbs! Sorry to everyone who received the picture with no text...my kids will have to help me with that one...not sure what went wrong (obviously user error). It is totally snowing in Vail today...absolutely beautiful...will have to post some pics when I get back to my office. Hey Post to Posters...I'm looking out for some post cards to send...thanks to all who have sent their's already.

Hi Mommy! Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to My Wonderful Mother-in-law Terry too!

I know Mother's Day isn't til Sunday but I'm heading to the mountains with my girlfriends for a little R&R for several days.

Mom, want to thank you for many things…in no particular order but all equally important…

Thank you…
For taking me to the beach.
For letting me crawl into bed with you when I was scared.
For being a room mother.
For planning my birthday parties.
For sewing my Halloween costumes.
For picking me up across town and not yelling at me when I accidentally got on the wrong bus at school in 1st grade.
For French braiding my long hair.
For going without so I could have a prom dress.
For letting me make mistakes.
For being my biggest fan.
For teaching me to hate racism.
For teaching me how to share.
For not giving up on me.
For being the “strict” mom.
For letting me make messes and for making me clean them up.
For packing my lunches.
For painting my fingernails.
For driving me and my friends everywhere.
For helping me sell 256 boxes of Girl Scout cookies.
For losing sleep when I stayed out late.
For reading me stories and singing me songs.
For giving me 7-up and crackers when I was sick.
For hiding my Easter Baskets.
For showing me how to be a good mother to my own kids.

I love you!
Love,
Michelle

And since you will be thinking about Nanny on Mother's Day...

Such a feelin's comin' over me
There is wonder in 'most ev'ry thing I see
Not a cloud in the sky,
got the sun in my eyes
And I won't be surprised if it's a dream

Everything I want the world to be
Is now comin' true especially for me
And the reason is clear,
it's because you are here
You're the nearest thing to heaven that I've seen

I'm on the top of the world lookin'
down on creation
And the only explanation I can find
Is the love that I've found
ever since you've been around
Your love's put me at the top of the world

Somethin' in the wind has learned my name
And it's tellin' me that things are not the same
In the leaves on the trees
and the touch of the breeze
There's a pleasin' sense of happiness for me

There is only one wish on my mind
When this day is through I hope that I will find
That tomorrow will be
just the same for you and me
All I need will be mine if you are here

I'm on the top of the world lookin'
down on creation
And the only explanation I can find
Is the love that I've found
ever since you've been around
Your love's put me at the top of the world

Leaving a Legacy

With Mother's Day approaching, I've been thinking about the most important things I hope that I am exemplifying for my children and teaching them. These are things my mom passed down to me that I hope to instill in my darlings.

-Be dependable, someone that can be counted on
-Never be indifferent to racism or injustice
-Be a good friend to someone
-Risk everything for love…it is worth it
-See things through to the end
-Read…a lot
-Sing...a lot
-Experience cultures other than your own
-Share your life with the people around you
-Try scary things
-Do things because you can, because others may not be able to
-Take responsibility for your neighbor
-War is never the answer
-Hate racism
-Use your anger and frustration to change things you don’t like
-Discover what it means to be human
-Be honest, especially when it’s difficult
-Trust your instincts and your intuition; they are strong and good for a reason
-Know that there is something bigger than you out there; it’s not always about you
-Be the person who brings out the best in others
-Let the miracle of nature startle you every day
-Laugh at yourself
-Command respect for yourself by being respectful
-Practice tolerance and acceptance of those who are different from you
-Enjoy differences in people
-Go out of your way to say thank you
-Listen with your heart first

Okay, Figured it Out

Found the Ratings option if anyone needs to take it off their blog also...it's under Layout in Edit the main body of the blog.

Whew!

Ratings????

Can someone please tell me where those rating boxes came from? Did Blogger just totally blindside me and put those on there without asking me? Yes they did!

Yikes! Do not rate my blog! This feels like hot or not...please don't tell me, I don't want to know! Somehow I have to get that off there!

Borderline Totally Uncool

For those of you with younger kids, listen up, I'm going to save your children from the depths of their uncool and unfabulous parents...

Older Child: (while in the carpool lane) I'm going to be the only one wearing a fat coat today.

Mom: It is snowing and cold today.

Older Child: But mom, 5th and 6th graders don't wear fat coats. It's just not cool. They only wear their hoodies.

Mom: Your coat is not exactly uncool. It's the most cool snowboarding coat I could find in Winter Park. It's also the most fab color EVER!

Older Child: And mom, by the time you are in 7th and 8th grade, you don't even wear a hoodie...you just wear your short sleeve shirt. See, look at them.

Mom: Yeah, I see them, they look cold to me.

Older Child: Cold and cool.

Mom: Okay, time to hop out of the car...did you want to leave your fat coat here?

Older Child: Nah...(that's short for mom is right)