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...Something For When You're Bored!
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My Blog
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I started keeping this blog as an attempt to make lemonade with the lemons life tossed my way.
Coincidentally, some entries are a bit more sour than others.
The blog entries keep coming, as do the death threats and bags of poo on fire on my door step.
It's been well over three years since my first posting, and all I can say is, "I can't believe you keep coming back!"
But seriously, thank you all for the continued support, encouragement and inspiration. I
hope you all keep reading, keep smiling, and keep cashing those bribe checks I've been sending.
For all you newcomers, thank you for taking the time. I hope you enjoy the nonsense that rattles
around in my head. Oh, BTW ..... don't forget to sign my guestbook!
Please note the blog entries are listed in reverse chronological order.
To view previous entries to my blog, please follow the date links at the bottom of this page. Thanks.
Want to be automatically notified of updates to this
page? Click here.
Click here to see me hard at work.
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Friday, August 18, 2006
Seattle, Here I Come
It pains me to say it, but I’ve become one of those people. You know the type. They stroll into your local
Starbucks - which given how many there are, that is probably a redundant statement – ever so nonchalantly and nondescript.
They peruse the baked goods on display, glance the menu board as if they’ve a decision to make, then pick up a CD and pretend
to be interested in the artist. Then when asked, they spout out an encyclopedic coffee order.
Mind you, I did not set out to be one of these people. This was never my goal or my intention. Anyone who
knows me will tell you I like to keep things simple. "Simplify before you die." A friend of mine and I came up
with that motto at a bar once. Life’s too short to purposefully make it complicated. Nevertheless, there I found
myself ordering a morning brew and using more than 3 words to do so.
If I may and to my defense, I’d like to explain my transgression from casual coffee drinker to java snob. First
of all, I wasn’t drinking coffee at all. It was Chai. Chai is a spiced tea that is brewed and served with hot
milk. Venti Chai Latte. That’s it. That was the order. Sure it’s three languages all at once, but it’s a
very simple order to get out.
The problem with Chai is that in addition to being chock-full-o taste, it’s also chock-full-o carbs. In looking
at my mid-section one morning, I noticed there were more curves than corners and I decided to do something about it.
So the immediate decision was to reduce the carb intake. And as much as it pained me to give up the Chai, I figured
I would surely find a tasty replacement.
So there I was, perusing the blueberry muffins and feigning interest in a Sergio Mendes CD. I double and triple
checked the menu boards, all the while finalizing what I was to order. Low carbs. Low cal. I needed to be
consistent. Then I was asked for my order. Ugh. The moment of truth.
Café Latte non-fat with three, no four shots of sugar-free Hazelnut (of course).
And so it was official. I crossed over. I took the plunge into that mysterious world of dark brews and holiday
blends. It’s not like when you stumble into a Waffle House at 3:30 in the morning, conscious only of the amount of money
in your pocket and the location of bathroom, and simply order “coffee”. No. This is a much more involved experience.
So the next time you’re at Starbucks, or any other gourmet coffee place for that matter, and you find yourself behind
someone whose order requires them to actually pause and breath, please don’t be quick to judge. Remember, we were once
just like you.
Sunday, August 13, 2006
A Living Love
The last two weeks for me have been a learning lesson. A lesson in patience, forgiveness and love. In my desire
to bask and celebrate in this wonderful relationship in which I find myself with Lee, I neglected to remember that like all
living things, love continues to grow and evolve.
And love is exactly that. It is a living thing that needs to be nourished and cared for. It needs to be fed.
It needs to be protected from threats, both external and internal. And when bruised, it needs time to heal. Like
children, love is a gift from God that is created between two individuals and raised over time.
Love does not stay constant, and one would be a fool to think that everyday will be a magical high. Instead, there
is an ebb and flow within a relationship. There is a steadiness that is dictated by life’s everyday occurrences.
Every now and again, the winds of passion blow against the surface of this love and create those memorable highs, those splashes
of happiness and joy that become fossilized in our memories. If we’re fortunate, we feel at the very least a little
breeze in every day of our lives.
Yet there are some times when the wind does not blow. Days when the sun beats down so hard that the coolness of the
water is temporarily replaced with lukewarm tepidity. It is an uncomfortable departure from the norm, but one that exists
nonetheless. And not unlike a child that tests your patience or stretches the limits, the love in our life boils over
and splashes onto the surface of the oven that is our hearts. It’s not planned or intentional or desired. It just
happens.
And when it does, we’re left wondering why it happened in the first place. Why couldn’t we be more diligent in gauging
the temperature and tending to the situation at hand? Where did we mess up? Where did I mess up?
But that’s the magic that is love. Just when you think it’s too hot to handle, the wind blows ever so gently to cool
things off. It’s not always quick and mess-free and perfect, but at the same time it is never impossible. Sometimes
it makes sense to let the stove cool off a bit before you try cleaning it. Sometimes it’s prudent to let reflection
and introspection be the precursors to discussion and forgiveness. Sometimes we need to remind ourselves that it’s not
about two individuals, but rather one love.
What I have been the privilege to be a part of, this love built on honesty, sharing and sincerity, has been absolutely
wonderful. It’s a glorious experience that grows bigger and greater with every day, and I am honored to say I feel the
winds of passion in my life more often then not. And in those times of not, I know it’s not because it’s the beginning
of the end, but rather a step in a continued process of learning and growing with someone else.
And what an incredibly rewarding process it is!
Thursday, August 3, 2006
It's an Adventure
My kids start school next week. Although they have each been in daycare/school since the age of 18 months, this
is their first experience in public school and the size of their student population will increase by 1000%. Seriously.
So I took the week off to hang with them, and Lee, the kids and I are wrapping up the week with a trip to Miami.
Our trip began today in what is clearly an unorthodox manner for me. “Let’s just get in the car and go. See
where the road takes us. No plans, no destination……just drive!” Those were Lee’s words to me last night as we
were figuring out what to do. Once the hyperventilation stopped and the color returned to my face, I was able to process
what she was suggesting.
How could I, the master game-planner, just get in the car and go? I have tried to be a bit more spontaneous in
the last couple of years, and my friends will tell you that I have loosened up a lot compared to who I was 5 years ago.
But still?!?! Just get in the car and go? The voice of Fred Thompson in “The Hunt for Red October” kept playing in my
head. “Russians don't take a dump, son, without a plan.” I’m not Russian, but when it comes to the matter of covering
the bases, I might as well be.
So I thought about it and thought about it and figured……”What the hey?” So we got in the car and drove. To
be honest, it wasn’t all spontaneous. We followed a route I have taken before on motorcycle rides. It’s a quiet ride
down US 41 out of Tampa and down to Sarasota. It was, however, new for Lee and the kids were in the backseat, each lost
in their respective DVD movie. We drove and talked and got to reset after a hectic couple of weeks. It was great.
We arrived at our first leg-stretching stop, St. Armand’s Circle. It’s a rotunda in Sarasota that is surrounded
by shops, cafes and restaurants. It’s a bit upscale and very touristy, and it was great to finally share this with Lee.
We stepped into a quaint shop full of knick-knacks and home décor items. I knew she would love it and she absolutely
did. After splurging a little on gifts and stuff for our place, we went next door for some ice cream with the kids.
It was just a fun, relaxing and care-free couple of hours.
We piled back into our truck and headed back to destination unknown. More driving and conversation. We picked
up a map during a gas stop, developed a little plan as to where we wanted to head - I just HAD to – and headed out.
But our conversation was so in depth and engaging we completely missed our exit. So we looked at the map again and said,
“Ummm…..let’s just try this.” So we did, meandering our way through downtown Ft. Myers until we came across a La Quinta
and decided to call it a day.
The night got better as a polite complaint about room conditions lead to a new room and a complimentary stay. Then
we went across the parking lot, literally, and had a great dinner with even better service at Mel’s Diner. Completely
spontaneous. Completely out of the blue. Completely unplanned.
Even though I am not nearly as uptight as I used to be, stress is still a common part of my everyday. Not an unhealthy
amount, but just enough to keep me on my toes. It was wonderful to turn off that side of my brain for a day and share
this wonderful day with Lee and my kids. It may have been just a little adventure, but it was an enormous experience
that I will always cherish.
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