Love principles, a gift from my mother

As we honor this season of peace, light and love, I treasure the simple list of principles for love that guided my mom's life.

My mother was an Anglican minister's daughter. As a child, she went to church three times on Sundays. But she was no ideologue. As the oldest sister in her large family, she practiced a deeper compassion than I'll ever learn, she faced new adventures with an open spirit, and she absolutely loved to have a silly, crazy good time. She sought peace and beauty while challenged by poverty, disappointment and insecurity.

As an adult, she found these Love Principles, and typed them out, mistakes and all, on a manual typewriter and scotch-taped them to a picutre frame -- a humble presentation, but smack dab in the middle of the kitchen shelf where she could refer to them daily.

Her kids were always the first to point out how flawed Mom was, but we couldn't get better advice than this:


Love Principles

• Receive all people as beautiful, exactly as they are.


• Provide people with opportunities to give. instead of trying t o change someone else


• Perceive problems as opportunities


• Be the change you want to see happen, instead of tryiing to change comeone else.


• Have no specific expectations, but rather abundant expectancy


• Create your own reality consciously, rather than livjng as if you had no control over your life.

We've been gifted with this beautiful snow and slowness and quiet, to envision and practice whatever our dreams are.

'Twas the night before Christmas when all through the house...

Rhys and Grace Thompson wait up for Santa Claus as part of "The Magical Season." Dinner theater-goers saw an re-enactment of Clement Moore's composition of the Christmas classic, "A Visit from St. Nicholas," last Friday night at the Outlook Inn's Victorian Room.

Daily news, journals, blogs and lists

What’s a blog?
Many people have asked me this, and my simplest answer is “It’s a log (journal) you read and write on the Internet.”
If you have Internet access (and you do if you’re reading this) you can blog. Not to be self-deprecating, but think of it as “blah blah blah….”
As a lifelong journalist (both personal and professional) I find blogging, or “journalling” an excellent way of staying connected to my own thoughts, and through blogs, the experience and attitudes of others.
I hope that as this blog, Orcas Issues, continues, people will contribute comments so that we can have conversations about the things on Orcas that matter to us – the schools, our Seniors, business and the economy, ferries and border “checks” at Anacortes, affordable housing, growth and government, our beautiful and endangered environment, Camp Orkila and Rosario, Turtleback Mt. and Moran State Park, profiles of the work of our neighbors and entertainment and expression through the arts.

Lists and the magic of writing
There’s something magical about writing things down and in these days of year-end recaps (and hazards of driving in the snow), I think it’s fun to make lists – of books read, movies seen, trips taken, parties enjoyed, goals accomplished, lifetime ambitions, performances attended, proud moments, walks taken, miracles experienced and the like. The magic of writing lists down is it focuses our attention, and gives us a "big picture" view of our everyday life that forms our characters and our destinies.
In the next 10 days, I plan to consider the top stories that we talked about on Orcas Island last year, and the personal connections that make those stories so real to us.
Your comments have the ability to enhance this blog, as they expand the conversation and often provide more thoughtful insight into the topic being written about. It makes the blog content more community-driven.
I've just experimented with making a comment and it seems to only accept "anonymous" as a profile -- I'd really appreciate you identifying yourself in the content of your message until I figure out how to get it to accept other profiles, which it asks for after you write your comment. Thanks for working with me on this!
Feel free to continue the discussion on any topic that is an Orcas Issue. Send your own lists in and let’s play “Letterman” with our Top Ten lists! I'll start with a list of "Top Time-wasters"
My Top Time-wasters
vegging out in front of CNN news (especially for the second same hour)
driving into Eastsound instead of walking
rushing
gossip
surfing the internet

Keep posted on ferry information

The Washington State Department of Transportation Ferries Division (WSF) reminds travelers to allow extra time for ferry travel throughout the holiday season.
In addition, route disruptions due to the extreme weather conditions may affect sailings, as happened before Christmas Day.

Holiday schedules
Some routes will operate on special holiday schedules on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. All routes are expected to see heavy traffic over the holidays. WSF will operate ferry service in the San Juans on Christmas Day (Thursday, Dec. 25) and New Year’s Day (Thursday, Jan. 1) on the regular weekday schedule. Holiday schedule details are available from the WSF Web site: www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries

Winter sailing schedule
The winter sailing schedule starts Sunday, Jan. 4 The Anacortes/San Juan Island routes experience the most change during the winter schedule. The normal four boats will run in the San Juan Islands during the week, Monday through Friday, while only three boats will run on weekends. The winter schedule includes two different sailing schedules for this route, a weekday and a weekend schedule.

For more ferry system information and sailing schedules, please visit the WSF Web site at www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries. To sign up for free e-mail alerts about service disruptions and other route information, click on the link in the far left column of the Web site.

Islands' ferry service - weigh in on new plans, including local control (and costs) for ferries

WSDOT Ferries Division seeks comments on its draft long-range plan
On Dec. 19, Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) Ferries Division (WSF) released its draft long-range plan for services and investments through 2030 for Washington’s marine transportation system.
“The draft plan comes at a historic point in marine transportation,” said David Moseley, Ferries Division Assistant Secretary. “Demand for ferry service is projected to increase as population in ferry-served communities grows, but the system is constrained by tight financial resources, limited vehicle carrying capacities during peak periods, and aging vessels and terminals.” The draft plan puts forward two options for consideration:
Plan A. This option assumes that the State will continue in its current role as owner, operator, and principal funder of ferry services in the Puget Sound region. Current level of service remains with operational strategies implemented over time and several new vessels coming online. This plan contains a significant budget shortfall that will require new revenues.
Plan B. This option recognizes that the State may not be able to provide new revenues to meet the evolving needs of all ferry customers and communities, and looks at marine transportation very differently. It proposes an alternative where the State takes responsibility for the core marine highway system and a locally-funded entity or entities would take responsibility for a new marine transit system. This option also assumes operational strategies would be implemented over time. It also contains a budget shortfall, but it is significantly smaller than Plan A.
In January 2009, WSF will hold public hearings on the draft long-range plan. The hearings are an opportunity for the public to learn more about the two options for consideration and to provide feedback. Public comments received will help inform the final plan, which will be provided to the State Legislature on Jan. 31.
The format for the hearings is a 30-minute presentation followed by a 90-minute public comment period. “Public feedback is critical to the development of the long-range plan,” said David Moseley. “This is the community’s opportunity to comment on the draft plan which will guide services and investments for our state marine transportation system over the next 22 years.”
The public hearing schedule in the San Juan Islands isas follows:
Thursday, Jan. 15, 11:35 a.m.-3:30 p.m. – San Juan Islands Aboard San Juan Inter-Island Ferry.
Thursday, Jan. 15, 6:30-8:30 p.m. – Anacortes Fidalgo Senior Center, 1701 22nd St., Anacortes.

Those concerned can obtain a copy of the draft plan by:
Attending a public hearing
Going online at www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/planning/ESHB2358
Visiting a local library
Requesting a CD by calling 206-515-3411

To comment on the draft long-range plan:
Attend a public hearing
E-mail wsfplanning@wsdot.wa.gov
Write to Washington State Ferries, Attn. Joy Goldenberg, 2901 3rd Ave., Seattle, WA 98121

Background: WSF has spent the past year working to address the long-term financial sustainability of the ferry system. This work stems from 2007 legislation (ESHB 2358). The legislation identified specific topics for study and required new levels of cooperation and collaboration between the Washington State Legislature, Washington State Transportation Commission and WSDOT.
For more information on the ferry financing legislated studies, visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/planning/ESHB2358.
For more ferry system information, please visit the WSF Web site at www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries. To sign up for free e-mail alerts about service disruptions and other route information, click on the link in the far left column of the Web site.

Eastsound apartment for rent - move in right away!

Eastsound apartment for rent

2 bedroom, 2 bath upstairs condo is unexpectedly vacant as of now.
Responsible tenant sought - family, couple, roommates.. etc.
It is freshly painted and deeply cleaned.
The apartment is quiet,
has quiet neighbors too,
has laundry facilities on the premises
and is located within very easy walking distance of every part of Eastsound.
$875/mo and 1 year lease
No dogs and no smoking.. I'll certainly consider a kitty... and, let's talk 376 2986 or work 2281 ext. 4

Clement Moore recites "A Visit from St. Nicholas"

Staub: A Cold Christmas Threatens Joy

Pastor Dick Staub of the Orcas Island Community Church wrote on his website's blog (www.dickstaub.com "staublog")yesterday:

It is 12º outside ~ a bleak midwinter morning if ever there was one.It is Christmas week and Sunday the fourth candle of advent will be lit at Orcas Island Community Church.I will speak on "Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room," picking up on the theme of "Joy to the world, the Lord is come."
Last Monday Mark felt severe pains in his chest and was airlifted off the island for a life-saving surgery removing a cholesterol blockage from an artery. Scary, but the amazing news is on Monday he plans on being back at work baking his scrumptious goodies at his popular coffee shop/bakery.
Wednesday afternoon Jordan went snowboarding and while doing a flip landed wrong on his neck leaving him numb from the neck down. It was a windy, blustery evening and the medical airlift helicopter couldn’t fly in the high winds. A Coast Guard helicopter tried and after one failed attempt at touching down, managed heroically to pick up Jordan and airlift him to Harborview hospital in Seattle.
Emergency medical flights carry only the patient, so Jordan's mother Rachel and other family members had to wait for the next ferry and make their way on icy, snowy roads to Seattle ~ they arrived in Seattle four hours after Jordan did.
Tests and surgery the next morning revealed that a vertebra in Jordan's neck was shattered and his spinal cord severed. His chances of walking again are slim.
But never underestimate the power of prayer.
To see Staub's complete sermon, go to www.dickstaub.com