Bird Blasted!

This morning I was excited to get an "all day" parking spot so I wouldn't have to do the 2-hour shuffle. My one meeting of the day was walking distance away so I kept my coveted parking.

Until I made my way up the hill to go home. As I approached my car, I noticed some spotting. Not uncommon when you park near a tree in this particular area. Upon closer look, it was clear: my car was blasted in target practice by every bird in the county.

About every 6-square inches of the car covered in bird poop, of the entire car. The front and back windshield and the side windows (admittedly more sparsely covered). I had a fleeting thought that I may be pulled over for impaired vision. I tried to count. 20, 21, 22, 2-that one counts as 5... all on the front. The back window was no better. The color variety was impressive too: tomato sauce, blueberry, green, your standard white. You name it, I think it was there. Car wash will need to be repeated.

A picture is worth a thousand words, I know. Or in this case, however many words I've typed so far. I wish I had a picture for your viewing pleasure, but I do not.

Happy Wednesday, to me.

Horoscopes

This morning my horoscope informed me, "today marks the beginning of a very independent period for you -- enjoy solo time."

Yes, sometimes I buy into this stuff and this is one of those instances. Lately my brain feels so saturated with new information and discoveries that it just wants to lay low. New information with work and discoveries with my life and all the time I've spent in therapy. The work stuff is interesting, but not on a Friday night.

Today I had session #28 of 30 therapy sessions. I'm doing really great; I'm sorting out things I need to sort out. I get frustrated about being "in process" at times. Trick is, getting frustrated only leads to missing out on the journey which is actually the sweetest part of it all. It feels sad to transition out of being in therapy, yet at the same time I don't rely on it like I have in the past. I think that's the point. So tonight, it's not ironic that all I want to do is put on my comfy pants and relax.

I'm wondering though, about the other part of my horoscope that said, "Your love life is getting a boost today, even if you think it's perfect just the way it is. Your own romantic impulses are quite strong and you should find them reflected by the right person."

If my love life can get a boost whilst I sit at home in my comfy pants relaxing - I must be doing something right. Maybe it's more about my own emotional health. Maybe it's just that a horoscope can be interpreted in a lot of ways depending on who's reading it.

Either way, my love life wouldn't mind a little boost.

Reflecting

The only real security is the ability to build your own fires and find your own peace. ~Audrey Sutherland, kayaker and writer.

This was the final quote I read in my 2007 daily calendar of quotes. It sits on my desk where the calendar stand once was, reminding me to continue on the journey of finding my own peace.

If someone could have told me about all the things that would happen in 2007 a year ago, I would have laughed in disbelief. Of course, "it all works out in the end," and all that, and I'm sure 2008 will be no different.

I've met such amazing, generous, and insightful people. I'm so thankful for the supportive network of friends! At the same time, it's as if I've re-met myself and remembered all the things I so love to do and have done them with reckless abandon. I daresay there's no going back! From time to time, I surprise myself with courage I didn't realize was nestled in my soul. It's beautiful what happens when you surround yourself with people who encourage and love you!

When I was in college, I worked for a time as a tour guide for perspective students. When they seemed nervous or anxious, I would encourage them (as I was encouraged at their age) to try to enjoy visiting new places, meeting new people, and exploring... I don't know if they really listened to my unsolicited advise, and I know I had a hard time with it when I received it... but I think I am finally understanding the extent of that message and actually applying it in my life. It took me long enough!

Packing.

It's hard to believe I'm packing up and getting ready to drive home for Christmas. I've been looking forward to some down time from work, and now all kinds of exciting and interesting things are going on there. Go figure!

Must be I'm having fun, because time is racing along.

I wish I could pack and sleep at the same time; I really need to do both.

Cold weather, here I come!

A Christmas Tree

I thoroughly enjoy having a tree in the apartment; somehow I feel more prepared for the upcoming holidays. Only slightly.

We got it the weekend before Thanksgiving, when the three toothed man selling them was announcing the Thanksgiving Trees for sale.

Note the traditional family tin-foil on toilet paper tube Christmas star, atop the tree. Christmas is in 4 weeks.

Over the weekend I saw the Virginia Consort sing. At the end, after they sang Handel's Hallelujah! from the Messiah, we sang Hark the Herald Angels Sing together.

Live music and free tickets!

I was offered 2 free tickets to see John McCutcheon, an amazing folk singer and musician perform this past Saturday night. All I had to do was set up an informational table for people to learn about the programs provided by the agency I work at.

As soon as this guy picked up his banjo and started playing, an enormous smile spread across my face and I leaned over to my friend's ear saying, "I'm already glad I came!"

McCutcheon played the banjo, guitar, piano, autoharp, and hammer dulcimer. Not all at the same time. He did sing while he played these various instruments.

Check him out at www.folkmusic.com.

Life is good.

Great dinner, great company, great conversation. My stomach and my heart feel full and happy, I'm getting caught up with work. The construction site next-door to my office has been replaced with the sounds of children at the park. I get a chunk of paid time off for Thanksgiving.

I stayed up late last night finished a good book (Blink - yes, Happy I recommend it!). I have another good book to start tonight.

It's going to be a busy and exciting week!

Daylight Savings

I really get bummed when it's pitch-dark at 6 p.m. When we finished dinner at 5:45, it was already dark. I used to be able to take a post-dinner walk around the lake. Last night I saw 9 deer. Before dinner. But not tonight...

No, I think I will curl up with one of my library books. I'm more than half way through "blink," by Malcolm Gladwell. It's hard to put down, so maybe if I start now, I'll be finished in time to get to bed at a reasonable hour!

Pedestrians

When I left work today, I took a different route through the maze of one-way streets downtown. I like to find quicker routes and places where I can avoid sitting in traffic or having to wait for pedestrians walking to the parking garage.

When my light finally turned green to turn, I went, and noticed a woman in the crosswalk. Then I realized I recognized her from last week when she was J-walking and I had to slam on my brakes to avoid hitting her. It made me laugh out loud. Good thing she used the cross walk today.

I wonder if she recognized me, too.

Roller Blading Buddy

Check. I'm SO excited to announce that I have found a roller blading buddy! We had our first bit outing; it's been awhile for both of us. We circled the tennis court. Flat, fenced in, and safe.

I only fell twice. Once was on purpose, and the other was HARD on my butt. Fell in the parking lot, to clarify, I did not fall on the buttery smooth tennis court.

Good thing I have a helmet. I need to learn to utilize my brakes better. Or utilize them at all would be a great start. I'm a big fan of jumping on the grass for immediate stopping purposes.

Maybe I should invest in wrist cover-y things? For now I'll continue to take it slow.

Yay for roller blading buddies!!!