Oh My Aching Back

I picked up too many heavy objects over the weekend and hurt my poor little old back. I spent yesterday at home on a heating pad and took many pain blocking pills. Today, I had to trek back to work. My office is the last office in the building, so it was a long, long walk. I was so glad I had cleaned my office on Friday before I left for the Special Olympics Polar Plunge in Lawton.

At the end of the hall, turn left. My office is
the last one before exiting the back of the building. It doesn't look so far, but
with a huge pain in my back, it was a long way...believe me!

That's my desk, and yes, I painted that picture on the wall.
I have nice windows that look out onto the parking lot. Since
my office is below ground level, I can see underneath any
car that happens to park outside my window. Lovely!



Here's my workspace. And, yes, I painted the little birds hanging on the wall. The doll hanging to the right of the pictures is a gift from a group of teachers from Russia. The doll on the lamp shade was a gift brought back to me from my boss who attended the 2008 Special Olympics World Games in China. The numbers
on the legal pad are the the kajillion photos taken at the Lawton Polar Plunge that I want to
include on the Special Olympics Oklahoma Flickr account.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/55010642@N06/sets/72157626111308096/

 That's the tour. I will be taking more pain pills at lunch, so the posting today may be a little awkward, to say the least.

Happy (hurting) Tuesday,
PG

Just Walking Through the Capitol

 



Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry with Special
Olympics Oklahoma athletes' Chris Paynter,
Blake Reynolds and Heather Hancock.
Governor Henry presented the athletes
with the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day
Proclamation for September 25, 2010.
The athletes presented the Governor with
 a Special Olympics Oklahoma shirt.



I was at the Oklahoma Capitol last week for a meeting with Governor Brad Henry. He was presenting Special Olympics Oklahoma with a proclamation for Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day, September 25, 2010. 



After the presentation, I was walking through the Capitol and took a few minutes to take some photos of the dome, the front of the Capitol and the Hall of Governors.



This is the inside of the dome. I thought it made
an extremely interesting geometrical photo.





 

Taking this photo brought back a funny memory...
This is the hall of Governors "past". Years ago, my friend Kay
and I came to the Capitol on a Saturday with my husband's
Boy Scout troop. While they were off touring the building, Kay
and I ended up in this hall. She started doing pirouettes down
the hall. I followed her doing the same. Now, we can always
say that we danced before the governors! I'm sure the guys
on the security cameras that day got quite a laugh. But,
no one can laugh with me better than my friend Kay.


PG







You're NOT a Nobody

I work part time on my artistic endeavors; but, I work full time at Special Olympics Oklahoma. Last week, Special Olympics Oklahoma athletes were invited to come to a closed practice of the OU Sooners in Norman for an autograph session. The Special Olympics athletes were having a good time meeting the players and getting autographs. Toward the end of our time with the Sooners, one of the Special Olympics athletes turned to me and asked me to sign her football. I laughed and said, "Oh, honey, I'm just a nobody."  One of the young OU players overheard this and looked me in the eyes and said, "Oh, no, no, no...you are not a nobody." I laughed and took my Sharpie with the lid on, and signed her football with invisible ink. The OU athlete smiled.

Later, what he said really stuck in my head. I hadn't really meant I was a "nobody" in general, just in that setting. However, I thought about how important it is that in every setting "I'm NOT a nobody." That young football player has his OU football season ahead of him and all that that entails. However, he has the right frame of mind. Unfortunately, I didn't know this young player or catch the significance of looking at his jersey number. I was just caught up in the moment. He touched my life profoundly, though, by reminding me that we are all equally important and that "I am NOT a nobody."

I pray for great success in this young man's future. He's grounded in what's important. OU has invited Special Olympics Oklahoma athletes for special autograph sessions every year for many years. This year, I was impressed that although these student athletes had just spent a long time practicing in the heat, they and Coach Stoops took the time to come to the sidelines, greet a bunch of Special Olympics athletes, sign autographs, pose for photos and treat each Special Olympics athlete with respect. With their actions, the OU Sooners were saying to all of us, "You are NOT a Nobody."

BOOMER SOONERS!

PG