Ordinary Life

It is said that life is not a dress rehearsal,  but I've become convinced it may very well be the raw footage of a story yet told. The lead up to a highlight reel. And like the actor who never views his own work,  we do not see the final cut. ..at least not in a theatre this side of Heaven. I keep thinking about my grandfather. .. his funeral specifically.  An entire life concentrated within the walls of that old Nazarene sanctuary for 2 hours and a day. Sons and daughter told their tales,  some bickering afterwards about the tellings.

...as opposed to steaming,  scorching or scalding. 

It was so very cold,  but worth it,  to stand on a bench at the marina [I'm short],  seeing the day off into the horizon and watching as it reached its full potential; making history. The biting cold reminded every square inch of my short frame that I am an alive and limited creature, invited to partake in the awe of living on Earth,  but not to overstay my welcome.  The blazing sun made me long for the warmth of days to come, made me instantly grateful for any and all of those that will include me...and even those that will not. Colors spreading,  pelicans coasting, all is well despite all that is not...if only for the moment. This moment. Leave it to me to wait until the last minute to have made the most of my day. And I think "I should do this every day ". But,  I know that I won't... still, I leave this here a reminder that I should. I really should. 

One of the Khan courses we are all taking is Java Script: Drawing. We had to fill our 'dinner plate' with morsels of code. I cooked up a steak - ish thing,  some buttery mashed potatoes, a pile of peas [mostly already eaten...those little devils would have taken forever to make a big, uneaten scoop] and ice water. I need some practice with the bezier, but that's not new, it trips me up in graphics & drawing programs also.  Still,  I passed the assignment...come, be glad with me a sec.

I have been trying to use my time for 'worthy pursuits'. One of which has been giving more than a passing glance to Khan Academy.  Now there's a competition between myself & the BigKids for most points earned.  This week, I claim the win . . .but I'm not going to be sad [much] if one of them decides to kick my tail in points earned through learning stuff...in fact,  I'm rather hoping they all do. .. Regarding that Cookie Jam icon in the picture. ..I can explain.  :]

I am still filling out the daily journal that my friend gave me (see Jan.1) but I can no longer bring myself to post the daily entries as if they're interesting to anyone...myself included. The last couple of days' writing prompts, coupled with being sick and the very act of daily living has left me uninspired to elaborate further than the prompts insist...and that was the whole point of using them...writing prompts. Perhaps if some particular day beckons to be shared in the future... I'll share as compelled. Current Compelled Level: -3 Que Sera

It was supposed to be a quick day trip, a business errand...it turned into an exile. The plan: a few working hours Monday in Savannah, back home the same night. The reality: we left Savannah Wednesday night. Those of us who were under the weather when we left on Monday got worse and those who weren't sick decided to join the coughing-sniffling-achy-body-and-fever-so-you-can't-rest party along the way. (I'm sure it had nothing to do with being closed in the car with sick people for hours.) Add to that some 'interpersonal family dynamics ' that required our attention/prolonged presence and before long I was thinking about how good Gilligan and Crew actually had it. So, I'm catching up on the whole 'daily journal entry project'   with some post dated entries...all the while acknowledging its trivial nature and feeling there are better things, more important thoughts we could be discussing... should be discussing... but those things must wait... until I ...

"Today you lost-----." Thanks to last night's loss of sleep, there were plenty of misses and near misses today. If one awakens to a rainy, cloudy day, that same one should return to bed until a cheery song has come to mind...in ideal circumstances. Worship was good though. Maybe tomorrow will be... sunny? Different? Better.

"Write down something that inspired you today." Natural beauty: The sunset over downtown marina Man-made attempts: The pleasure of arranging colors and textures in such a way that others find the arrangement attractive, inviting, relaxing, inspiring, etc ...design & creativity... also finding someone with mutual tastes... hearing affirmative feedback

If you are reading this and you live near me, you may recognize this sign ...and know whose name appears on it even though I have obscured it...heck, you may even belong to this fellowship. The name is not important. I'm not trying to pick on or pick apart a local church. That would be like cutting off my nose to spite my face (one body, many parts...church humor) I'm sure everyone at this local house of worship is just lovely.... really...I'm sure you are. It's just that the picture of people chosen to represent this "loving church" are all looking down on the reader. It has a slightly unsettling effect .  :: please don't hit me!...I'll join! I'll tithe! I'll keep nursery!...please stop kicking me! ::   whatever works, right?

"Was today typical?  Why or why not?" As they ever are...

What song is stuck in your head? "Bright and Morning Star...You Are...Brighter than any other, Bright and Morning Star...You Are...You Are Beautiful"  [This loop courtesy of First Wednesday Worship & Mr. Spoon's melodic set]  ...good band name, no? Mr. Spoon's Melodic ... :)

Facebook is a wonder and a curse. In the last few months, I've been facing various forms of peer pressure thanks to my participation in the social media forum.  And I? ...I chose the path with cookies. Let me explain. The Path To Ridiculous A handful of local ladies in my social media circle have been signing up for and swearing by classes at a local Jazzercise studio. Regular status updates and wall posts seem to indicate they are enjoying themselves (or trying to earn free classes?) So much so, I was almost persuaded to join them. Especially when the director tagged me in a Facebook promo for a free class(what is THAT supposed to mean ?!) ;) But then I recalled how one needs rhythm and low chagrin to eek enjoyment out of such gatherings. They held Jazzercise classes for P.E.  when I was in Grade 6... The only thing I remember is feeling ridiculous. And though a lot of things have thankfully changed for me since sixth grade, this is not one of them. So, not only did I bypass ...

Lucky Girl... perhaps. You are lucky; how so or not so?

Apple Red Happiness Skin~a~ma~rinky~doo Our childhood was a musical Accompanied by you Kids Under Construction He's Still Working On Me Someday I'll Be Strong Enough I am a Possability! I see the moon The moon sees me In  bright sunshine and  friendly rain For Jesus a sunbeam I'll be

Today was tough because_____. It was a lengthy day...but at least there were cookies along the way.

What was the last restaurant you went to? I used to love the Wild Turkey Melt (turkey, cheddar &cream cheese, banana peppers) @ Sandy Bottoms but alas, it migrated with its chef to another local restaurant... Since then, I haven't found a dish on which to regularly hang my hat (unless you count Key Lime pie...I can always feel at home with pie) but the Caribbean Nachos are definitely now a contender (tri-colored corn chips, mojo pork,  cheese black bean mango salsa, jalapenos, red& green onion,lava sauce) .  The kids' White Pizza was also tasty and proved itself a kitchen creation, not a deep-freezer menu fix.  It was a nice Sunday lunch on a beautiful, sunny day.  

The Best Part of Today? The church bit didn't work out this morning because...lateness. After we gave up trying to win "CLUE: The Late To Church Edition"  --you know, that impossible mystery game where you try to pin down exactly who used up the last five minutes before "LATE" and how: "It was mom, in the kitchen, with a coffee cup" "No, it was little brother, in front of the mirror, with a cowlick" the day turned enjoyable and, as a bonus, the promised rain held off until sunset. Sometimes plans change. I find that the sooner I adjust my landing gear accordingly, the smoother the day glides past...or in shorthand: I have to remember to just roll with it. So, I shelved my Clue theories (even though they WERE the most accurate) and shed my shoes. A walk on the beach together as one big motley crew and greeting passers-by with a smile and a wave served up our dose of Sunday community... a white pizza at Sandy Bottom's was the closest we cam...

Reading- one of my favorite places to be. What Are You Reading Right Now?

Can People Change? People change and they do not. Plan accordingly.