Merry Christmas '08, family & friends:

I can't believe another Christmas is upon us, and 2008 is almost over. So far, the weather here in NC is great. It's Dec22, and I still have gifts to buy. Luckily, I'm on vacation for two weeks -- yeah!

I was just thinking about all of the things that I love most about Christmas...the lights in Christmas trees and in windows..the food...the drinks...the laughter...the fun...the time with family and the time with friends. But most of all, I ponder Him. I sent some of you an email which said: "remember, when forced to choose between living without you and dying for you, He chose the nails," and this video clip that I love: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJaophUPLY0&feature=related. What a gift we believers have been given.

Today I debuted my Christmas snow globe collection on my mantle as well as my little tree with the sand dollar ornaments and red ribbon. Here's a cute picture of my little tree as well as a funny little Christmas video...I wish all of you God's faith and His peace during this season and throughout your lives!....Ruth

Thanksgiving Down East 2008

Hi, Friends and Family:

It's hard for me to believe that it's the eve of December 2008! 2008 has been flying by, and I am thankful for my many blessings. I had the pleasure of returning to my older sister's home in Tarboro to celebrate Thanksgiving this year with my family. It was fun seeing my Daddy wear his custom-made birthday boots and hanging out in Tarboro and "on the Common." See the attached pics.

Besides maintaining this blog, I've also been participating in the social networking phenomenon by maintaining a Facebook site as well. It's really been incredible to reconnect with so many friends from the past via FaceBook, and it's an interesting way to keep in touch with friends/acquaintances. I'm not sure how long I'll participate in FaceBook, but, for now, I think it's fun.

While searching on YouTube today, I rediscovered an Italian song that I first heard back in the 1993 timeframe. I still love the song and was amazed at how listening to the song took me back to that time. And, that's why I love music...as Carlos Santana has said, music can "take you there." I'd like to share it with you now: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSwmnKH9YGc&feature=channel

I wish all of you a wonderful holiday spirit and can't conclude without mentioning Him, who is the greatest gift of all!

Peace be with you all this holiday season!...Ruth

November and a Covered Bridge

My dad has a role in a soon-to-be released N.C. independent film, and, my mom and I accompanied "the star" on location today and witnessed one of only two remaining covered bridges in the state of N.C. It was a cold but "cool" November weekend experience, and I'm proud of my dad for his continued zest for life and for trying new things. I'm also appreciative that my mom first learned and suggested this creative opportunity to my dad, because, if she had not, neither my dad nor I would have experienced this day. Attached is a picture of the covered bridge, "the star" and a little video as well!...Hope all of you are having a great November 2008!...Ruth

Halloween 2008

Halloween is an unusual holiday where partakers can take on the role/person/image, etc. of someone who is totally different from themselves. Some people think Halloween is simply an excuse for others to show their true colors, their innermost desires, etc., while some people think that Halloween is about briefly experimenting with an opposite side of yourself, a minor, minor part of yourself.

I was Amy Winehouse this year and had fun going to my friend Charlotte's (roller girl in pic) party.

To self-analyze a bit, I think I had fun choosing to be an outlandish character. There is much about Amy's publicized demons that I don't and can't relate to, but I think we can all relate to the complicated force of human nature that she represents. Amy's recent Grammys recognize her creative talents and musical genius, however, the headlines she makes show she's far from being a total success. Again, I think all of us can relate to being imperfect, and I think that's why I was relaxed in my Amy "get-up."

Who knows what I'll be next year, but, this year, it was fun to be Amy for a little while....RTD

VEGAS and Halloween

Hi, all:

This month has been busy for me and will be topped off tonight as I morph into Amy Winehouse for a Halloween par-tay! The after-party pics will tell the tale.

For now, I'll leave you with a fun video from my recent Vegas work trip. I was lucky that my sis, Dee, was able to fly out and join me at Caesars. The video captures her "winning" (pun intended) moment.

I wish all of my family and friends similar joy and luck for the rest of 2008!...RuthieD

October has arrived!

Happy Birthday to me...Happy Birthday to me...hee hee hee...it's hard for me to believe that October is here already! But the presence of mums as well as the arrival of my birthdate have left me unable to ignore the fact that we have only three months left during 2008.

My door is marked with mums and my face is marked with a bit more age in the attached photos.

I hope all of you family and friends are well and getting ready for Halloween! I'll leave you with this song about aging by Frank: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDp8anVM0eU

:-) Ruth

Time and what's becoming of me and you

Hi, all:

2008 has been flyin' by as far as I'm concerned. Of course, this sort of feeling tends to happen when you relocate/move -- something I did earlier this year.

Beyond the sense of fleeting and fast-diminishing time, I'm struck by my overall sense of time and timing in this life. In so many ways, when I reflect on my younger self, I realize things now and see things now about my previous experiences that I didn't see then. Yet, I have a memory of that time that was, and I can still recall how I felt during those earlier times...how I felt that I was seeing things/life/etc. as clearly as I could at the time -- hence lies a feeling of contradiction within me that so many of us hold.

And, now, ringing in my ears, I hear a line of scripture (1 Corinthians 13:12), "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known."

This life is a mystery. And, I, an optimist, believe that through it all, the good and the bad, life is a blessing.

I wish all of my family and friends continued blessings and happiness in this life...R.

What About Now?

Hello, friends:

I just got went for a long run and concluded the run listening to one of my all time fav Simon & Garfunkel songs, "Kathy's Song"...listen...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FE6JTtCLK0&feature=related I love so many of the lyrics and the melancholy melody is perfect for this Sunday (in my personal opinion)....

I also really enjoyed watching and listening to Chris Daughtry's new video, "What About Now?"...very inspiring and go NC boy!:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-KZyn3ep9U The message I love is: no matter the pain, consider your blessings and constantly ask yourself the question, "what else can I do to help others who are less fortunate than me?"

I wish all of my family and friends a positive and inspired week ahead!...Ruth

Labor Day Weekend & Labor-less Days - Sep2008

Hi, friends! I've been on vacation for 9 days -- yeah! From visiting the coast to celebrating my mom's birthday in Smithfield to hanging out in Raleigh, I feel blessed to have shared some fantastic quality "down time" with my family and friends. My twin sister was in town all week, so all of my vacation days were "doubly fun!" And, Hannah made only a minor dent in the schedule weather-wise. During our time in Smithfield, my twin sis and I got to hear my dad jammin'. It's always great to hear a steel guitar. Check out the pics and video below!...Ruth

Last August weekend

Hi, everyone!

I ran at 9 a.m. this morning, and it's a glorious day here in the Capital City!

When I was a little girl, I remember hearing adults talking about how "time flies." Is it just me, or has the summer flown by?! I can't believe that this is the final weekend of August 2008.

I recall a popular poem I studied in school, "To the Virgins, To Make Much of Time," by Robert Herrick, and I'm sharing those lyrics now:

Gather ye rose-buds while ye may,
Old Time is still a flying:
And this same flower that smiles today,
Tomorrow will be dying.

The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun,
The higher he's a getting;
The sooner will his race be run,
And nearer he's to setting.

I hope all of you are making the most of your time. One of my friends captured me spending some time last weekend. I'm all smiles on weekend time. Bye for now.

Let It Be...

While the Olympic Games are in process, great athletic milestones are being acheived and athletes worldwide are coming together in friendly competition, humans continue to be unkind to each other.

Just today I've heard that "ethnic cleansing" is being carried out by Russians against the Georgians. When I ponder that reality, I'm saddened and reminded that human beings can be so unkind to each other. So many music lyrics, works of art, etc. speak to human suffering and pain, yet many artists have created works about overcoming pain and the human ability to "rise from the ashes," as AIDS activist Mary Fisher stated in her book, "I'll Not Go Quietly."

The Beatles said it best, "Let it be...": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oZYqAeIdYk&NR=1

Peace, friends...Ruth

"It costs nothing to be honest, loyal and true"

Hi, friends!

It's been awhile...it's been a busy summer so far...this past weekend, I saw a fabulous concert in Cary at Koka Booth Amphitheatre...the Avett Brothers...they rocked! It was a beautiful NC night under the NC pines listening to some NC boys play bluegrass with a twist...

their new song, "Murdered in the City" is cool...listen to the lyrics at: http://www.myspace.com/theavettbrothers

Also, I don't even need to comment on "If It's the Beaches" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WotnK7pt7IM&feature=related) or Scott Avett's version of "November Blue":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rq08Mc4eLbw here's to those of you with October and November souls, no matter your age!....Ruth

"the two Andreas"

Hi, friends and family!

Happy July! Thought I'd share a cute pic of my friend Andrea (right) who recently participated in her friend Andrea's wedding in the Princeton, NJ area. I love the photo of the two friends...I refer to it as "the two Andreas"....Ruth

Differences and Similarities in a Wild World

Happy Weekend, everyone! These are interesting times in the U.S. Gas prices, politics, etc.

What I love to see are the reminders that we are all alike in our differences. I think a great example is to watch these two versions of "Father and Son":

first version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jek6iP6AuAQ
second version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cpX1ZjuaiA&feature=related

The first by Cat Stevens and the second by Yusuf Islam (formerly Cat Stevens). It's interesting to view the two versions of the man juxtaposed against each other. The young and the old. The non-Muslim and the Muslim. Yet the song remains the same. I think it's also interesting to consider the audiences of both videos -- the 1970s afro-donning kids and the 1990s/2000s Muslim families. So different at a glance, yet both groups are enjoying the same song, the same lyric, the same meaning.

I'll end this entry by restating the fact that these are interesting times, and I'll leave you with the aptly-titled "Wild World" by Cat:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHXpnZi9Hzs&feature=related

Peace, Peeps!...Ruth

Laugh Out Loud Funny

Hi, Friends:

I happened to catch The Chris Matthews show on Sunday, and they re-aired a 2002 Saturday Night Live skit featuring John McCain as a creepy husband. I think it's LAUGH OUT LOUD funny! Check it out:

http://www.redlasso.com/ClipPlayer.aspx?id=0fba3365-d687-467b-bf81-2c2cd91c3c39

When he says, "The door was open, angel. Shall I loofah your back?" I totally crack up laughing!

It was funny to watch the clip in the context of the conversation that was being discussed on The Chris Matthews show. The guests aired the clip in the midst of a discussion about a new book titled, "Save the Males: Why Men Matter Why Women Should Care." I hope to read the book. I'd like to see how it compares to another book that I've read by Maureen Dowd titled, "Are Men Necessary?" I'm guessing that the Save the Males book explores some of the same themes that Maureen's book touches on, etc.

Hopefully, each of you is finding time to treat yourself right. The days of summer have begun, so don't forget to have some fun!...Ruth

Thinkin' About You, Daddy!

Hi, all:

Happy Father's Day weekend to all the dads out there! In honor of my fantastic father, Tyson Yates Dobson, Jr., my twin sister, Caroline, and I have written a new country song titled, "Thinkin' About You, Daddy." I composed the melody, and, again, she and I collaborated on the lyrics. We hope you like it, but, most importantly, we hope Daddy likes it!....Ruth

My international broadcast debut

Hi, Peeps!

Though I usually don't mention my work life on this site, I thought I'd share the fact that I'm now an international broadcaster! Ha Ha. Anyway, I've been working with the SAS Education team on a new web video series and am actually serving as one of the interview hosts of the series. We'll be debuting an official revamped SAS Training site at support.sas.com soon, but, until then, you can view one of our episodes which is currently posted on SAS' Self-Paced eLearning web page at:

http://support.sas.com/training/video/el.html

Vanna White betta WATCH OUT!.....Ruth

A "love"ly movie - SATC

Hi, all:

I saw the SATC movie yesterday, and it was great. I thought it was a nice adaptation of a TV show on to the big screen. The movie's main message called out by Carrie at the end of the film was noble: love is the only label that really matters. In the spirit of "Big" romance, I'm incorporating one of my favorite sonnets into this blog entry -- it reminds me of another favorite film of mine,"Sense and Sensibility." So, here's to art, and here's to words that inspire us!...R.

Sonnet 116

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments.
Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wand'ring bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come;
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom:
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.
–William Shakespeare

Memorial Day '08 in San Antonio

I'm back today from San Antonio! I had tons of fun visiting with my twin sis and her hubby over the Memorial Day weekend. From enjoying dinner and CRAZY dessert on the first night with friends, to running with a successful and inspiring mother-of-four/pediatrician in her hill-ridden neighborhood, to visiting with friends in Boerne, TX, to watching the Spurs win, to visiting Chavez ranch and with my twin's sister-in-law, to, finally, meeting a Telemundo TV star (with his jealous wife -- see pic!), I had a blast! I can't wait to return in November for the RocknRoll Marathon (at this point, I'm planning on trying the half). The attached pics and videos "tell the tale." And, one last, important thing: HERE'S TO THE TROOPS!...Ruth

Mother's Day 2008

It's always fun to grab a great brunch in the Capital City, and today was no exception. Of course, today has special significance -- it's Mother's Day. A time to reflect and be grateful for our mothers. In that regard, for me, today is no exception either....Ruth

Bottled Water -- "Over It"

Hi, all:

I've recently decided that I'm SO OVER bottled water. I'm finally tired of the trend. I'm back to Brita tap and pitcher filters. Isn't it strange how trends develop, mature and die and, then of course, sometimes resurrect themselves? Like CountryTime Lemonade. JUST KIDDING.

Though I'm over the whole bottled water thing, I still can't say I'm 100 percent behind all of the "Green" messaging either.

What about you? How are you these days? Green? Blue? If I had to pick a color to describe myself today, I'd say, "violet turning yellow." Bye4now!...R.

God sends rainbows

This evening around 7:30 p.m., I was at my desk here and something compelled me to look through the Charleston shutters...it's been raining all day and something about the sky color that was peeping through my shutters seemed strange...imagine my surprise at the view directly in front of me -- a rainbow shining through the cloudy sky! I was reminded that God sometimes sends rainbows to remind us that He's with us even on the cloudy days and during the times of storm and rain in our lives. I've actually seen two rainbows over this weekend, so right now I feel, "rainbow-lucky"!....Ruth

"With 4 miles to go before I sleep..."

I completed a 4-mile race to benefit the Umstead Coalition this a.m. -- yeah! I don't know my time yet, but I think it was decent. It was so much fun to run in the park, and the weather was great for the racers. And best of all, after the race, I got to listen to local bluegrass pickers Nixon, Blevins & Gage (http://www.nixonblevinsandgage.com/website/index.html) sing, "Just a Bowl of Butter Beans"...their latest cd, "Picking With Friends," includes a great song that all of us from eastern N.C. can appreciate: "Carolina Pig Pickin' Night." My favorite lyric from the song is a reference to Texas bar-b-que...they sing, "...the Texas bar-b-que -- that's no way to cook a steak." Ha ha! I don't want to forget that I met an owl today as well! Check out the links....Gotta run!...Happy April 2008!...Ruth

When a Book Speaks

Hi, everyone! I think I mentioned that I was reading "The Kite Runner" a few entries back. The narrator's voice is so strong within the book...sometimes, when I'm reading the words, I really feel like he's talking to me. The story continues to move me and so effectively speaks to the truths that so many of us never utter aloud and keep only to ourselves.

What truths do you know today? What lessons can you share?

I like this one: sometimes those who are most different from us teach us the most.

Peace....R.

Smithvegas

It's always fun when "the sisters" and "the twins" get together in Smithvegas...the violin playing for the newlyweds was cool, but we'll never forget when "Reba" performed (You had to be there!...LBJ will never be the same!)...Ruth

"Don't"-cha wish...

I've heard that T.S. Eliot's "The Waste Land" is a metaphor for the time of "un-inspiration" or the time between moments of inspiration. I've been inspired in moments to write poetry, but, until several weeks ago, I had never been inspired to write a song.

I apologize in advance for my singing ability, but I'm happy to share my debut song titled "Don't" with all of you. It was amazing how the music and lyrics flowed the evening that I wrote it. Also, I need to mention that my twin helped me finalize the lyrics, so she gets a "credit" on this song.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this little video...and HAPPY EASTER 2008 to all of you!... He is Risen!...Ruth

Today's View

It's pretty fun to run outside in weather like this....not too bad for March 2nd! (this pic was taken around 5 p.m. EST)

I love NC's intracoastal waterway views...but I think it's more fun to view them "up close and personal" -- from a boat or kayak. Unfortunately, I don't own either, so today I used a bridge.

Happy March days to all of you!

09-08-07

A pretty cool wedding date, don't ya think? Most of you friends & family are aware that a certain twin of mine married a certain Texan back in September. Here's a pic of the bride and my other beautiful sis at The Bellagio in Vegas where the ceremony took place...R.

A Short Month

Hello, friends! February has been an extremely busy month for me -- "my..my...how the time has flown!"

The ALABAMA lyric, "I'm in a hurry to get things done...well, I rush and rush until life's no fun..." keeps popping into my head this month...between working, volunteering, etc., I've been feeling rushed lately.

On a lighter note, I'm reading "The Kite Runner," and the story took an unexpected turn the other day. I like being surprised when I read. I also love reading about other parts of the world. "They" say that at the end of your life "you're only as different as the people you've met, the places you've been and the books that you've read." I love the way that you can travel to other places just by reading books. Music is the same for me...like the song goes, "music is my aeroplane...it's my aeroplane." Music takes me away....

My question for you today is: can you hear your song? do you hear your lyric? do you hear your melody? are you playing it loud, or are you playing it soft? or are you humming the tune to yourself alone? My wish for all of you is to hear the music of your hearts and get in tune with the message of Lawrence of Arabia: live your dreams in the light of day!

Sunday singin' - the real #1 singer

Here's a song by my favorite Smithfield "picker"!...enjoy!...Ruth

Sunday singin' - singer #1

I didn't know that there were famous country music singers in Smithfield, but there are!....Ruth

Escargot and Vouvray

How is it that someone can love escargot and a glass of Vouvray but, at the same time, love a bar-b-que sandwich and sweet tea? I don't know...that's just me! I enjoyed the former this evening...

Of late, I've felt the sense that it's time to "make haste"...to do things that I've never done before and to travel to places that I've never before visited...my sense of late is "carpe diem." I recall reading an Oprah statement along the line of: "If I make it to heaven, when I get there, I want to high-five God and say, 'that Earth thing...been there!...done that!' "

Make haste my friends...reach for your dreams this year! And, remember: when it comes to "the American dream," no one is going to wrap it up for you with a bow!....R.

Happy Mardi Gras!

It's hard to believe to believe that the Lenten season is upon us. And, in that spirit, I'd like to share a bit of scripture from 2 Peter that I heard over the weekend:

"You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. "

I think this verse of scripture is beautiful.

Often we focus on landscapes instead of "inner scapes." I'm wishing that all of you keep His Light and your inner lights shining, no matter how dark the sky gets from time to time.

And, HAPPY BDAY to the fantastic mother of two from Kings Mountain, NC and who's now in Charlotte-town!....Ruth

Go Giants!

This year's Superbowl was fun for to watch (and not just because of the T.B. eye candy). I enjoyed seeing the underdogs win.

At least once a week, I utter a "Jessica Simpson"-like remark to a coworker or friend. It happened today while I was speaking to my friend, Scott, at work. Commenting on the SuperBowl, I uttered these words: "It was such a fun game to watch....and the weather was so good in Phoenix!" My friend replied: "Ruth, the game was played under a dome indoors." Enough said.

Well, gotta run! Here's hoping all of you enjoy a fabulous FAT TUESDAY tomorrow (I'll be looking for a pancake supper, so I can get my sweets in before Lent begins!).....Ruth

Running in the Sun

Happy February, everyone!....Ruth

Little Friday

It's "Little Friday" here in the big town, and it's been that way all day! The only thing better is the real deal, and that's about 60 minutes away -- yeah! onward!

2008 -- WEEKEND ONE

HELLO TO THE WORLD! It's 2008, and I'm still alive! I want to wish all of my friends Happy New Year! I hope all of your dreams and wishes come true this year!

I'm excited to be entering the world of blogs...I realize I'm a bit late (a college friend of mine has been blogging for more than 5 years now!)...oh well, as "they" say: "better late than never!"

For those of you with whom I've been out of contact, just know that Simon and Garfunkel's lyric, "still crazy after all these years," still applies in a good way. My current abode is located near the coast of N.C. Only two miles from the beach, I'm heading out to meet some friends and enjoy the NC coastal scene on this first weekend of 2008. And related to this year, I just purchased David Lynch's new book, "Catching the Big Fish." That's my plan for '08, and I wish the same for all of the loves and likes in my life. "Catch" ya later!...RTD