After a long wait, the morning sun is finally breaking the horizon before the clock dictates I walk through the doors of the office building. And on my way into work this morning I noticed the long shadows thrown by a cluster of pine trees rising from behind a farmhouse.
That patch of shade made me think of summertime picnics. Not a basket of goodies shared between a romantic couple, but family reunion picnics. Picnics involving rows of folding tables covered with checkered tablecloths. Tables laden with bowls of potato salad, coleslaw, macaroni salad, fruit salad, and more. Gatherings where kids race between tree trunks in games of tag while men with blue jeans held up by suspenders compare returns on investment and plans for crops. Reunions where women in full and half aprons of paisley cotton carry plates of barbecued chicken to the tables and admonish everyone to eat before the main course gets cold.
It was ready to roll down my car window and draw a deep breath of summer air - until I noticed the Fahrenheit display on the dashboard reminding me the chilly days of January still ruled.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
Bliss of Ignorance
It was the three disabled cars within an eighth mile stretch that first caught my eye; though my attention was quickly drawn to a trio of deer in the middle of an adjacent clearing. The deer looked like... well.... deer caught in the headlights on an oncoming vehicle. They stood frozen and staring.
My thoughts quickly shifted to scenes from Close Encounters of the Third Kind when automobiles and trucks mysteriously loose power and wild animals run in freight when extraterrestrial spacecraft zoom in for a visit.
I briefly considered pulling over to look for crop circles in the fields of winter wheat before deciding ignorance truly is bliss and continuing my commute home..... at a slightly higher rate of speed.
My thoughts quickly shifted to scenes from Close Encounters of the Third Kind when automobiles and trucks mysteriously loose power and wild animals run in freight when extraterrestrial spacecraft zoom in for a visit.
I briefly considered pulling over to look for crop circles in the fields of winter wheat before deciding ignorance truly is bliss and continuing my commute home..... at a slightly higher rate of speed.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Celestial Lights
Have you seen the video clips of the Northern Lights that have been lighting up the skies in northern Europe the past few days?
I'm reminded of festive party streamers swirling and snaking behind adrenaline-filled children at a birthday party when I watch the celestial light displays.
No doubt the residents of Europe feel like children when they watch the spectacular overhead show.
Child-like wonder is a gift too valuable to lose. Leave it to nature to remind us never to become so obsessed with ourselves and our lives that we lose sight of the endless wonders around us.
I'm reminded of festive party streamers swirling and snaking behind adrenaline-filled children at a birthday party when I watch the celestial light displays.
No doubt the residents of Europe feel like children when they watch the spectacular overhead show.
Child-like wonder is a gift too valuable to lose. Leave it to nature to remind us never to become so obsessed with ourselves and our lives that we lose sight of the endless wonders around us.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Flight Yoga
So the latest travel related buzz is that San Francisco Airport has opened a yoga room - a quiet place in the middle of the hectic airport where travelers with some time on their hands can work on achieving zen.
While it's a great concept, my immediate reaction was - thanks all the same, but how about some airplane seating that doesn't require me to assume the Noose or Heron poses in order to squeeze into my seat.
For those of you not familiar with yoga poses, the two I refer to above involve trying to twist or stretch a leg so that it winds up somewhere near your neck.
I'd love to be able to slide into a seat without the aid of a shoehorn, stretch out my legs without playing footsies with the person in the seat in front of me, and, when that same person leans their seat back, not have the hair on the top of their head tickle my nose.
While it's a great concept, my immediate reaction was - thanks all the same, but how about some airplane seating that doesn't require me to assume the Noose or Heron poses in order to squeeze into my seat.
For those of you not familiar with yoga poses, the two I refer to above involve trying to twist or stretch a leg so that it winds up somewhere near your neck.
I'd love to be able to slide into a seat without the aid of a shoehorn, stretch out my legs without playing footsies with the person in the seat in front of me, and, when that same person leans their seat back, not have the hair on the top of their head tickle my nose.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Of Roofs and Roofs
It occurs to me that for animals living in the forest, trees losing their leaves must be the equivalent of a person having the roof of their house blown off.
Suddenly protection from the elements is gone. Rain falls without impediment, saturating the homes of ground-nesting animals. Winds howl unbroken, tearing at the homes of animals that nest in tree branches. And while sun beaming straight down may seem a blessing in the cold months; for those animals that thrive in shade, the lack of a roof cannot be pleasant.
And then there's the whole vulnerability thing too. Rodents become easier prey for hawks, ospreys, and eagles. Deer are more easily spotted by human predators when the saplings lose their leaves.
Imagine waking up one morning to discover while you slept the sleep of the dead a tornado had raced through during the night, sending the roof of your house three blocks away and ripping the siding and drywall from the walls of your house. There you stand looking out at the world through barren sticks of wood that form the framing of your house.
I wonder how animals tolerate it?
Suddenly protection from the elements is gone. Rain falls without impediment, saturating the homes of ground-nesting animals. Winds howl unbroken, tearing at the homes of animals that nest in tree branches. And while sun beaming straight down may seem a blessing in the cold months; for those animals that thrive in shade, the lack of a roof cannot be pleasant.
And then there's the whole vulnerability thing too. Rodents become easier prey for hawks, ospreys, and eagles. Deer are more easily spotted by human predators when the saplings lose their leaves.
Imagine waking up one morning to discover while you slept the sleep of the dead a tornado had raced through during the night, sending the roof of your house three blocks away and ripping the siding and drywall from the walls of your house. There you stand looking out at the world through barren sticks of wood that form the framing of your house.
I wonder how animals tolerate it?
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Shades of Gray
It was the faded and flaking white paint on the house with the sagging roof line that made me realize just how many shades of gray - and how little vibrant color - make up the first quarter of every year.
The gray overcast of the morning made it difficult to determine where the corners of the house ended and the clouds began. The muted silver bark of barren trees provided little contrast to the weathered clapboards. Even the decaying mulch in the empty flowerbeds was indistinguishable from the house itself.
Everywhere I looked I saw gray in the early January morning. Streets turned gray by morning dew, windows turned gray from condensation, the silver gray of metal poles supporting street lights, even gray and silver cars far outnumbered those of any other color.
All of this drove home just how bleak this time of year is. In search of escape I turned the radio dial until the voices of the Beach Boys came through the speakers in the car. Aruba, Bahama, come on pretty Mama.....
..... and escaped to the tropical greens of the Caribbean
The gray overcast of the morning made it difficult to determine where the corners of the house ended and the clouds began. The muted silver bark of barren trees provided little contrast to the weathered clapboards. Even the decaying mulch in the empty flowerbeds was indistinguishable from the house itself.
Everywhere I looked I saw gray in the early January morning. Streets turned gray by morning dew, windows turned gray from condensation, the silver gray of metal poles supporting street lights, even gray and silver cars far outnumbered those of any other color.
All of this drove home just how bleak this time of year is. In search of escape I turned the radio dial until the voices of the Beach Boys came through the speakers in the car. Aruba, Bahama, come on pretty Mama.....
..... and escaped to the tropical greens of the Caribbean
Monday, January 23, 2012
Relative Time
Have you ever noticed that the more stuff you have to get done, the less time is takes for 24 hours to pass?
It's kind of like vacation syndrome where the days speed by when you finally manage to set aside time for yourself.
It all goes to prove that time is relative. And I'm relatively aggravated that time is like an irritating relative - never on board with my game plan.
It's kind of like vacation syndrome where the days speed by when you finally manage to set aside time for yourself.
It all goes to prove that time is relative. And I'm relatively aggravated that time is like an irritating relative - never on board with my game plan.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Wall of Light
There is a house that sits on the street just outside of our development. It's an A-frame design with one wall nearly completely glass. Because the house is nestled among some trees, in daylight it's hardly noticeable. But at night, the interior lights illuminating some hundred square feet of glass makes it kind of hard to miss.
I frequently find myself musing on the warm and cozy feelings the house stirs in me. The warm subdued glow filling the interior of the house makes me want to hurry home to my own place and snuggle down under the covers.
During the holiday season, a string of white Christmas lights running up the interior stairs frequently drew my eye. I tried not to stare - after all there were people going about their lives inside. But the decorative lighting further enforced the cozy, welcoming feel.
With the holidays past, the decorative lights are gone - and while the illuminated wall of glass still catches my eye at night, I am no longer tempted to let my gaze linger. Somehow the welcoming warmth that that had called out even before the holidays has gone.
I frequently find myself musing on the warm and cozy feelings the house stirs in me. The warm subdued glow filling the interior of the house makes me want to hurry home to my own place and snuggle down under the covers.
During the holiday season, a string of white Christmas lights running up the interior stairs frequently drew my eye. I tried not to stare - after all there were people going about their lives inside. But the decorative lighting further enforced the cozy, welcoming feel.
With the holidays past, the decorative lights are gone - and while the illuminated wall of glass still catches my eye at night, I am no longer tempted to let my gaze linger. Somehow the welcoming warmth that that had called out even before the holidays has gone.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
The Green Burial
I thought January was kind of an odd time to run an ad for Halloween.
It must have been a Halloween ad after all. Why would someone rent a casket except to outfit a haunted house?
As it turned out, the advertisement was actually the header for an article about a growing business - casket rentals.
During the funeral service, the dearly departed lies in an inexpensive liner within the $4000 casket. When the service is over, rather than sad survivors following the hearse to the cemetery and watching a sizable chunk of change drop into a hole, the liner is lifted from the casket and whisked away to the burial site where the recently deceased is unceremoniously buried in the thin box.
No doubt this is driven by economic conditions, but marketing firms are working to expand the window of interest for casket rentals by touting the option as a way to support the recent Green initiatives.
Seems to me that the cremation option has a much more direct impact on greening. When Uncle Joe passes on, mix his ashes into the vegetable garden and - presto, jumbo size tomatoes without the need for Miracle -Gro.
It must have been a Halloween ad after all. Why would someone rent a casket except to outfit a haunted house?
As it turned out, the advertisement was actually the header for an article about a growing business - casket rentals.
During the funeral service, the dearly departed lies in an inexpensive liner within the $4000 casket. When the service is over, rather than sad survivors following the hearse to the cemetery and watching a sizable chunk of change drop into a hole, the liner is lifted from the casket and whisked away to the burial site where the recently deceased is unceremoniously buried in the thin box.
No doubt this is driven by economic conditions, but marketing firms are working to expand the window of interest for casket rentals by touting the option as a way to support the recent Green initiatives.
Seems to me that the cremation option has a much more direct impact on greening. When Uncle Joe passes on, mix his ashes into the vegetable garden and - presto, jumbo size tomatoes without the need for Miracle -Gro.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Unplugged
The best part about the past few days was being unplugged.
While focused on installing the new flooring in our house I never touched my cell phone, never answered a land-line phone, never checked or answered an e-mail.
I simply.... existed..... focused entirely on the task at hand.
And now I remember what it was like to function in a world that wasn't immediate everything. A world where people were content to wait for answers and results. A world where people were... unplugged.
Which brings me back to the theme of yesterday's post. Those were the days....
And I for one think we have sacrificed too much to gain too little.
While focused on installing the new flooring in our house I never touched my cell phone, never answered a land-line phone, never checked or answered an e-mail.
I simply.... existed..... focused entirely on the task at hand.
And now I remember what it was like to function in a world that wasn't immediate everything. A world where people were content to wait for answers and results. A world where people were... unplugged.
Which brings me back to the theme of yesterday's post. Those were the days....
And I for one think we have sacrificed too much to gain too little.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Those Were the Days
Those were the days my friend, when I could:
Undertake a home improvement project and still be able to move the next day
See the nail I was trying to hammer without prescription eyeglasses
Run between a heated house and the chilly outdoors without a sneezing fit
Get up off my knees on the first try
Yes, those were the days my friend. Back then I thought they'd never end....
...but they've done up and left town.
Undertake a home improvement project and still be able to move the next day
See the nail I was trying to hammer without prescription eyeglasses
Run between a heated house and the chilly outdoors without a sneezing fit
Get up off my knees on the first try
Yes, those were the days my friend. Back then I thought they'd never end....
...but they've done up and left town.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Pro's and Con's
When you're really in tune with your significant other, you know their are times when it is beneficial to be apart.
For Motivated Mom and I, lengthy indoor home improvement projects are such a time. My focus is on getting every detail just right regardless of the time involved - Motivated Mom's focus is on wrapping the project up regardless of the "behind the scenes" details.
So I know it's good that Motivated Mom is not in residence during the current home overhaul. Still, at dinner the dining room table seems two sizes too big and when I turn off the last light at night the bed is noticeably empty.
The thing about being married to your soul mate is.... you need your mate around to feel complete.
For Motivated Mom and I, lengthy indoor home improvement projects are such a time. My focus is on getting every detail just right regardless of the time involved - Motivated Mom's focus is on wrapping the project up regardless of the "behind the scenes" details.
So I know it's good that Motivated Mom is not in residence during the current home overhaul. Still, at dinner the dining room table seems two sizes too big and when I turn off the last light at night the bed is noticeably empty.
The thing about being married to your soul mate is.... you need your mate around to feel complete.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Motivated Mom's Motto
A place for everything and everything in it's place. These are the words Motivated Mom lives by.
Right now there is very little in our house that is in its assigned place. My office chair is surrounded by the contents of emptied bookcases and cabinets. Dining room furniture is shoved askew to accommodate ladders and drop cloths. The center of the living room is piled high with boxes of laminate flooring, and the kitchen - well the kitchen has just enough in it to cook simple meals - everything else is piled in the guest room.
I detected Motivated Mom's eye twitches as soon as the carpet came up - a sure sign she was stressing though she was polite enough not to make any comments. But when the ladders, brushes, drop cloths, and rollers moved in Motivated Mom moved out.
Actually she was sent out of town on business - but I noticed she wasn't doing any complaining.
With a little luck, by the time Motivated Mom returns, Media Girl and I will have moved the painting accessories back into storage.
Then the real fun begins when we try to cram three rooms of furniture into one while the flooring goes down.
Perhaps Motivated Mom will volunteer for another road trip.
Right now there is very little in our house that is in its assigned place. My office chair is surrounded by the contents of emptied bookcases and cabinets. Dining room furniture is shoved askew to accommodate ladders and drop cloths. The center of the living room is piled high with boxes of laminate flooring, and the kitchen - well the kitchen has just enough in it to cook simple meals - everything else is piled in the guest room.
I detected Motivated Mom's eye twitches as soon as the carpet came up - a sure sign she was stressing though she was polite enough not to make any comments. But when the ladders, brushes, drop cloths, and rollers moved in Motivated Mom moved out.
Actually she was sent out of town on business - but I noticed she wasn't doing any complaining.
With a little luck, by the time Motivated Mom returns, Media Girl and I will have moved the painting accessories back into storage.
Then the real fun begins when we try to cram three rooms of furniture into one while the flooring goes down.
Perhaps Motivated Mom will volunteer for another road trip.
Monday, January 9, 2012
A Life of Its Own
It started off as hardwood flooring in two rooms and a hall, grew into hardwood flooring in three rooms and a hall as well as new carpet in a fourth room; morphed to include repainting two rooms and a hall; morphed again to include new counter tops in the kitchen.
How did this happen? What started as a manageable do-it-yourself project has turned into a whole house makeover.
Ty Pennington could no doubt make it all happen in a single one-hour episode.
Here in the real world, where work is limited to weekends, I'm looking at five weeks of chaos.
How did this happen? What started as a manageable do-it-yourself project has turned into a whole house makeover.
Ty Pennington could no doubt make it all happen in a single one-hour episode.
Here in the real world, where work is limited to weekends, I'm looking at five weeks of chaos.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
On Our Knees
The family that kneels together... uses Ben Gay together.
Motivated Mom, Language Lass, Media Girl, and College Dude (I'll have to come up with a new blog name for my son now that he's entered the working world) and myself have all spent some part of the past week on our knees....
pulling staples out of the sub floor.
Having undertaken a new home improvement project I somehow managed to plan the deconstruction part of the project while a number of helping hands were available.
And while we may not have been bonding in prayer, we were certainly sharing sore muscles. There's nothing like quality family time.
Motivated Mom, Language Lass, Media Girl, and College Dude (I'll have to come up with a new blog name for my son now that he's entered the working world) and myself have all spent some part of the past week on our knees....
pulling staples out of the sub floor.
Having undertaken a new home improvement project I somehow managed to plan the deconstruction part of the project while a number of helping hands were available.
And while we may not have been bonding in prayer, we were certainly sharing sore muscles. There's nothing like quality family time.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
White Chill
I walked out the door this morning and discovered there was sn..
That is to say there was sn..
Sorry, I just can't seem to bring myself to say sn..
Okay, let's try this - there was white stuff on the ground.
And even though the air temperature was some fifteen degrees warmer than the previous two mornings, I was none the less shivering worse than I had all week.
Possibly because it wasn't a dry cold, but more probably because sn.. errr... white stuff on the ground triggers subconscious belief that when it sn... when white stuff falls from the sky it has to be bitterly cold.
I fought the urge to return to bed, pull the blankets over my head and sleep until... oh, say, June.
As it turned out I wasn't the only one thinking along those lines. Even though there was barely enough white stuff to be considered a dusting, school districts were announcing delayed openings
You gotta have respect for people who recognize the first occurrence of white stuff for the traumatic event that it is.
That is to say there was sn..
Sorry, I just can't seem to bring myself to say sn..
Okay, let's try this - there was white stuff on the ground.
And even though the air temperature was some fifteen degrees warmer than the previous two mornings, I was none the less shivering worse than I had all week.
Possibly because it wasn't a dry cold, but more probably because sn.. errr... white stuff on the ground triggers subconscious belief that when it sn... when white stuff falls from the sky it has to be bitterly cold.
I fought the urge to return to bed, pull the blankets over my head and sleep until... oh, say, June.
As it turned out I wasn't the only one thinking along those lines. Even though there was barely enough white stuff to be considered a dusting, school districts were announcing delayed openings
You gotta have respect for people who recognize the first occurrence of white stuff for the traumatic event that it is.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
The U.S. Power Service
A few weeks ago I commented that the Postal Service's decision to reduce their level of service due to loss of volume ranked among the most ill advised strategies I've heard in quite some time.
Well, not wanting to be outdone, our friends who bring us the Powerball have taken their own giant leap away from good sense. (It might be worth noting that both of these organizations are government agencies.)
Powerball officials, disappointed with ticket sales in 2011, have decided to double the cost of a ticket.
If you can't sell something for a buck then charge 2 bucks for it - sure, I see the logic in that (not).
The reasoning that Powerball officials put forward was that if the jackpot grows twice as big, more people would buy tickets. (This assumes that the general populous doesn't care about a meager 20 million dollar payout.)
I think the average citizen would love to have 20 million, but doesn't have the disposable income to repeatedly throw money away on a 1 in 500,000 chance of wining.
So.... I've been thinking..... and I've come up with a way to help both government agencies. Merge the postal service and powerball, charge 2 bucks for a stamp, and the person whose mail is delivered on time wins a jackpot.
Wouldn't you start a pen pal exchange with someone by snail mail rather than e-mail if by doing so you had the opportunity to win a bank account full of cash?
Well, not wanting to be outdone, our friends who bring us the Powerball have taken their own giant leap away from good sense. (It might be worth noting that both of these organizations are government agencies.)
Powerball officials, disappointed with ticket sales in 2011, have decided to double the cost of a ticket.
If you can't sell something for a buck then charge 2 bucks for it - sure, I see the logic in that (not).
The reasoning that Powerball officials put forward was that if the jackpot grows twice as big, more people would buy tickets. (This assumes that the general populous doesn't care about a meager 20 million dollar payout.)
I think the average citizen would love to have 20 million, but doesn't have the disposable income to repeatedly throw money away on a 1 in 500,000 chance of wining.
So.... I've been thinking..... and I've come up with a way to help both government agencies. Merge the postal service and powerball, charge 2 bucks for a stamp, and the person whose mail is delivered on time wins a jackpot.
Wouldn't you start a pen pal exchange with someone by snail mail rather than e-mail if by doing so you had the opportunity to win a bank account full of cash?
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
The Spiderweb Factor
I've heard a lot of people reflecting on the year just past and I've heard a lot of phrases like: I never would have thought; who would have imagined; and if I hadn't made some of the choices I did.
It occurs to me that each and every day presents us with a limitless series of options from such simple things as whether or not to hit the snooze button an extra time, on up to monumental things like deciding which house to buy.
Each one of these decisions carries with it a particular outcome. Leaving the house 10 minutes late, someone might avoid being involved in an accident at a nearby intersection. Choosing to finally confront your boss on a particular issue might get you a promotion you wouldn't have received if you were viewed as indecisive (of course confronting your boss could get you fired too!). By deciding to try a different restaurant at lunch you might meet the person who will become the love of your life.
It's really quite amazing when you think about it. So often we think of ourselves as being boxed in when, in fact, every day is a spiderweb of possible avenues.
It occurs to me that each and every day presents us with a limitless series of options from such simple things as whether or not to hit the snooze button an extra time, on up to monumental things like deciding which house to buy.
Each one of these decisions carries with it a particular outcome. Leaving the house 10 minutes late, someone might avoid being involved in an accident at a nearby intersection. Choosing to finally confront your boss on a particular issue might get you a promotion you wouldn't have received if you were viewed as indecisive (of course confronting your boss could get you fired too!). By deciding to try a different restaurant at lunch you might meet the person who will become the love of your life.
It's really quite amazing when you think about it. So often we think of ourselves as being boxed in when, in fact, every day is a spiderweb of possible avenues.
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