The Gait

I am endlessly fascinated by people’s gaits. They are so varied and different but they all accomplish the same task. I haven’t walked without crutches or wheelchair since I was 12 so I’ve all but forgotten the feeling of walking. It is a completely foreign skill to me other than I see people do it all the time. I can’t stand because I can’t support weight and I have terrible balance. The idea of your body being completely vertical and then managing to propel yourself forward without constantly falling astounds me. How do you do it? How are you not surprised at how easily it comes to you?

A few years ago at some physical therapy sessions I stood in a standing frame which basically sandwiches you in until you’re standing. It’s a whole different point of view seeing the world from a standing position. Someday when I win the lottery, which is the only way it’s ever going to happen, I will get one of those things for myself. Anyway, my world view is low which means I have the vantage point to notice and compare people’s gaits. When I am behind a group of people all I see it butts and how their legs move. It’s sort of an ironic fate to be forced to notice how other people walk when you can’t.

Walks vary but there are a several standards. There’s the shake-it-but-don’t-break-it hip swinging walk, the bounce-on-the-balls-of-the-feet so it looks you’re in a hurry, the slow-and-steady trying not to be noticed, the heavy heal-toe stomp, the head-forward-running-without-running, and the limp. Limps come in different forms including the hip limp, the knee limp, the foot/ankle limp. Limps intrigue me because I know that when people limp they are probably more conscious of how lucky they are to be able to walk. The hip swingers don’t think about how lucky they are but I do.

I’m not envious all the time. It’s not a constant thought in my head but there are some days when I see someone skipping or running with ease I think about how I used to run and try to feel it again and I can’t. Like I said, I’m endlessly fascinated by people’s gaits.

Loans That Change Lives

I just made a loan to someone in the developing world using a revolutionary new website called Kiva (www.kiva.org).

You can go to Kiva’s website and lend to someone in the developing world who needs a loan for their business - like raising goats, selling vegetables at market or making bricks.  Each loan has a picture of the entrepreneur, a description of their business and how they plan to use the loan so you know exactly how your money is being spent - and you get updates letting you know how the entrepreneur is going.

The best part is, when the entrepreneur pays back their loan you get your money back - and Kiva’s loans are managed by microfinance institutions on the ground who have a lot of experience doing this, so you can trust that your money is being handled responsibly.

It’s finally easy to actually do something about poverty - using Kiva I know exactly who my money is loaned to and what they’re using it for.  And most of all, I know that I’m helping them build a sustainable business that will provide income to feed, clothe, house and educate their family long after my loan is paid back.

I made small $25 loans to two different African women. One is a seamstress and the other owns a small cosmetics boutique. I find that helping this way make me feel much closer to what is happening with my money and who and how it is helping. The fact that it is such a small amount and that it can be reinvested when it the loan is paid back is an excellent reason to get started right now.

Join me in changing the world - one loan at a time.

Thanks!

If you sign up you can note my referral with my kiva.org email address (chandra  @  bobohead .com).

Old School TV

I’ve been watching old television shows on hulu.com.

I started with One Day at a Time. I remember watching it as a kid, but it must have been in syndication because it started in 1975 when I was only one. The clothes and hair are so funny. The show makes me wax nostalgic about my sisters who were older than me and close to the ages of the girls on the show. Mackenzie Phillips was wild and so were my sisters. Anyway the show, as outdated as it is, still works. I miss the days when the actors on television looked like real people, not that they were unattractive, they just looked like actual people you’d see at the supermarket.

Now I’m watching Silver Spoons. I had forgotten that the premise of the pilot was that Edward didn’t know he had a son and Ricky just showed up. I’m not up the Alfonso Ribeiro years but Jason Bateman as Derek is ridiculously good. He plays the sleaziest character and he was only 13. Within the first 8 episodes there have been guest appearances by Mr. T, Gary Coleman, and an orangutan. Gary Coleman played Arnold, his character on Different Strokes. I always thought it was cool when they would do sitcom crossovers in the eighties. You’ll never find Barney Stinson on The New Adventures of Old Christine.

I had a huge crush on Ricky Schroder back in the day. When I was 8, I went to a Girl Scout Father/Daughter banquet and we had to fill out these cards to give our dad. It had fill in the blank information like, “My favorite subject in school is…” and “My favorite color is…”. The last one said, “In the year 2000…” and my answer was “In the year 2000, I’ll be married to Ricky Schroder!” Sadly, that time came and went and he was already married for 8 years at that point. Also, he’s apparently a Republican so it never would have worked out between us anyway. Que Sera Sera!

The best part of watching these old shows is the featured technology. Here is a screen shot of One Day at a Time when Ann went to the telephone company to complain about her bill.

Here are a couple from Silver Spoons. The second one is the episode where Ricky broke into a military database. Ah, the common themes in eighties entertainment are so comforting to me.

Next on the roster is Doogie Howser, MD. The original blogger.

hot chocolate has mail

This morning it is chilly so we have the windows open and I am enjoying a cup of hot chocolate and trying to write posts for my blog, which I’ve been neglecting since we got back from Disney World last week. A neighbor of mine just had a baby so there are a ton of people over there and with the windows open we can hear all that’s going on. On top of that Toca is barking up a storm. Stacy is working in his office with his music blaring. I am sitting in the living room surrounded by noise, none of my choosing. So, I reluctantly turned on the television to at least have some say as to what I’m listening. And the winner is You’ve Got Mail for the millionth time. I’m not proud. I enjoy a Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan movie. Now I’m not going to write any new posts because I’m entranced.

I just realized this movie is 10 years old. If not for the title of this movie would anyone even remember the phrase “you’ve got mail?”

Finally

(note: this post has been fixed to allow comments again, have at it!)

I grew up taking pride in America. I lived in Texas until I was 12 and they are a proud group, bigger and better. I got emotional when the flag was raised and soldiers saluted. I learned that one’s country is worth being emotional over. During the Gulf War, I was just finishing high school and registering to vote. I registered Republican because that’s what my parents were. I hadn’t met anyone or done anything. When Bill Clinton was elected President, I’d voted for Ross Perot for some reason I still cannot explain, I was just ejected out into the world. I was on my own and I met different kinds of people and learned what is important to me. People are important to me. Social issues are important to me. Love of country and hope for more are important to me.

For the last 7 years I have experienced an underlying feeling of sadness. For what was being done to the country I had been so happy to live in. That there were millions and millions of people who were content to let it happen. Content to keep people in power who let it happen. I am not saying all of our problems are Republican born, I am just saying that I felt a weight. A heaviness that made me wonder if we’d ever be able to get to a point where the American people wanted and demanded progress.

Last night, as we watched the results every time a state was projected for Obama I remained apprehensive. I did not want celebrate. I wanted to be sure. After CNN declared PA for Obama, we switched to Fox News to see if they had different results. They had PA for Obama, then declared OH for Obama. My hope index was rising exponentially, but I wouldn’t allow myself to go there yet. We switched over to Comedy Central for Indecision ‘08. When Jon Stewart announced that Barack Obama was elected President tears just started flowing. I didn’t move, I didn’t talk, I didn’t blubber. I just sat there and let the tears roll down my face. It was brilliant.

I respect John McCain’s concession speech and I do feel like he will be willing to work with Obama now that he isn’t under the thumb of the RNC to win, win, win. I feel like they can make great strides together and I hope that they do.

People are saying that Obama has work to do. This is true of any President-elect. It is their duty to go and work to achieve the goals they set out in their campaign. I have faith in Barack Obama’s intellect, hard work, and common sense to make good decisions.

I am proud. I am happy. The weight has been lifted and I see light.

Oh yeah, and he’s black.