miasma

"It's up to the government to resolve this kind of problem, they must take responsibility and tell us what to do." - Gelin Wesnel, native Haitian.

Culture shock.

it never rains in sunny...western washington?

It's a rare event, but it does happen. California is getting hammered with wet weather, while we Pac NW-ers enjoy sun and 50º weather. I even went jogging on Monday to 1) get rid of Christmas indulgences and 2) get my heart back in shape.

Okay, I didn't jog non-stop. More like: walk, walk, walk, walk, jog for about half a block; recover for 5 minutes to get my breath back; jog for half a block; recover for another 5......you get the idea.

I used to run distance, really. Had to for high school sports. Hated it. Hate the floppy feeling of it all. I much prefer step aerobics, floor aerobics, cycling, or the elliptical machine - lower impact than just the pound-pound-pound of jogging. Indoor, too, so not affected by Washington weather.

However, it's sunny out, and I have a vitamin D deficiency*.
(* statement not verified by a professional. Opinion only.)

I also have an mp3 player and I know how to use it. Nothing beats a good set of tunes to keep you motivated to keep slogging along. Come on, make it to the end of the 32...now go for 64, you can do it!

Yesterday was recovery from Monday. So this means today I need to go at it again.

Baby steps.

raindrops keep falling in my coffee

Blattery rainy weather lately. I keep thinking about the character in So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish where Rob the lorry driver has kept a personal journal demonstrating that it NEVER stops raining. Never. In the book, of course, the omniscient narrator informs us this is because Rob McKenna is, in fact, a rain god, so the clouds just follow him everywhere to cherish him, be with him, and water him. Rob eventually turns this into a lucrative career, receiving payment for staying away from important outdoor events; or conversely, going where crops need to be watered.



I, however, just get bucketed every morning as I walk from house to car, clutching my mug of coffee for warmth and a gradual, timed dosing of liquid awareness. The last two mornings I've been splashed by coffee as herking raindrops plunk into the cup and displace coffee onto me. Never fear, it was not wasted.



The morning commute under such circumstances is watchful and focused. On rainy days, the 167 freeway from 7:15 - 7:45 a.m. assumes the color of the sky above it -ranging from rain-shiny slate grey to rain-shiny grey blue. The only distinguishing features are the red of the taillights, the glare of the headlights on the water, or the occasional reflector on the road. I can hardly see the lines painted on the road on days like today. A little standing water here and there helps my massage therapist have something to exclaim about when I visit. Toss in a passing semi-truck or two with the resulting washout over my car hood and I'm a mass of shoulder and neck knots.



Please note that I have no massage therapist. With all the muscle tension going on, I'm tired by the end of the commute on rainy days. It's sketchy enough on dry days; exponentially worse when the weather behaves like Western Washington's does.



I am grateful to arrive home, intact, and mostly dry after sitting in a warm car. I have faith the sun will shine again soon.



Once Rob McKenna goes away.

the non-resolution post

Well, well, where'd the time go?! Happy Twenty-Ten!

In reading up on some other blogs I follow, the common theme seems to be "boy, I wish I had something awesome/creative/inspiring to share, but I've been too busy/boring/uninspiring over the Christmas/Advent/Hanukkah/Kwanza season that I haven't posted anything..."

So rather than add my own variation on the same theme above, I will be just as boring/uninspiring as I regularly am and not give a fig. If you're reading this, it's probably because you know me and, despite that, are fond of me in some twisted way.

We enjoyed a restful, relaxing Christmas at home. My parents were unable to travel up from California, and we were unable to travel down to them, so it was a new experience having Christmas on our own. Some empty-nester church friends invited us over for supper that day, so it wasn't too lonely for them or us.

The kids thoroughly enjoyed all the late nights and sleeping in over the holidays- plus the lighter restrictions on TV and Wii hours. :) We had to get some practice in on our new Wii games, after all: Lego Batman, Super Mario, and Mario and Sonic at the Winter Olympics!

Now that school is back in session, however, D is no longer able to play Wii until his grades improve. :\ By necessity, I have taken to reviewing all his homework for him and sending it back to him to make corrections. This has made for some extremely late nights of homework, and more than a few battles. I think no matter what happens, I end up being a homeschooling mom - to one during the day, to the other after supper. The 6 am rise-and-shine time this past week was brutal--doubly so on Monday after staying up until 1:15 am Sunday night/Monday AM to finish assignments that were due. Why these were not done until the very last minute is bad parenting on my part. I should have pinned him like a bug to a styrofoam board with questions about whether his homework were done or NOT. Sadly, Monday night we had a similar experience - getting math done and then, REdone. The Tuesday morning commute passed in virtual silence, D stretched out in the reclined car seat, scrabbling for 30 extra minutes of sleep as we drove the 167 freeway to school.

I don't remember much of this week except for being very tired. This morning I awoke at 8:30 and still wasn't completely rested. I can't seem to shake off late nights like I used to. No doubt it has something to do with age.

And for the record, this May will bring my 40th birthday. I am debating whether to pull out all the stops and plan a big shindig, or just let it pass and ignore it completely.

What I'm reading right now: The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill, Vol. 1 by Manchester. I had gotten about 3/4 of the way through, but didn't clinch the deal by finishing the book, so I'm starting over. This week I did not make much headway, with the exhaustion factor playing a heavy part. My goal this year is to read one non-fiction book for every fiction book I read. A. guffawed when I mentioned this to him. Clearly, he doubts my resolve and ability to stick to this. He is probably right, but one should set goals when embarking on a new year, fresh with no mistakes in it!

What I'm pondering right now: Stewardship. I have one life, one body, (one Lord, one faith, one baptism...) - and since taking the Dave Ramsey class from September-December have been thinking in terms of credits and debits - not just with finances, but also with my time, my sleeping habits, with my eating and exercising patterns, in my personal relationships....... Stewardship. I don't truly own any part of me --or my so-called possessions. It's all the Lord's. Am I managing these things in a profitable way for my Lord, as a good steward should?

I haven't made any "resolutions" this year - I never do. But I do like a good theme to build my thoughts and plans and life around. Sometimes a theme takes me several years to explore fully. This idea of stewardship should keep me suitably occupied for the rest of my earthly existence. I will be updating my personal mission statement sometime "soon" (my weasel word-of-choice that gives me all the procrastination time necessary) to reflect the idea of Stewardship. If you have thoughts, wisdom, insight, and scripture to share, I will add it to my notebook.

And with that, it's now 9:33 p.m. and I have church bulletins to print. Stewardship in action!