A Life's Pursuit: February 2010

Friday, February 26, 2010

FRIDAKUs and Reading Moments…

snowy days



Fridaku: Winter Days

Cool breeze, gentle air
Cuddling winter's presence
Delaying warm days.

snowy days








Spare Time What doest that really mean?
Do you need a spare watch to tell spare time? Does that mean you have 2 sets of time and do they co-exist? Is it the one you use in case of flats? Does it hang out on an overweight watch/clock?


In searching for some great pics for another blog, I found these fascinating sites. My best resources are happy accidents. I am sure there’s a great blog in there somewhere. If you beat me to it, let me in on the funnies too and link back. Everybody loves a good laugh.


Some really great sites to spend more time reading….

Prints Old and Rare

Mississippigarden

Tip Hero

Create and Smile

Clown-Politicians

Past Is Present

Thursday, February 25, 2010

TIME, FRIENDS, LOVE, SEX and Groovy Old Couples






They say love covers a multitude of sins. Though I have often wondered who they are and how everybody else knows who they are but cant identify any of them is a continuing question crawling along the lines between light and shadow in my skull. Nonetheless…for all that love does and is; it is common ground. With a commitment to this common ground, other decisions and issues pale to its statue. In our deepest love, we find ourselves lain naked before someone whom we trust not to destroy us and love not to hate us. I have watched issues divide people every since I was the youngest of children; even when people no longer remembered why they were at odds. Hence, the oldest of friends is worth my personal ego sacrifice to continue a prolonged story of endurance.






Old friends are some of the very best. Old friends have more credibility because you know that they know the good and the bad and they remain. That is something I value. The same is true for great marriages and I suppose most other unions / relationships. Old friends also understand their own lack of blamelessness, increasing the commitment from both ends to endure beyond the safety of comfort and venture into the forest without weapons drawn. They always say, “dance with the one you brung,” and that’s just good policy, if not law. I always look forward to meeting some groovy old couple on every trip we take. It’s easy to tell when two people like each other, as well as love each other. The twinkle in her eyes when she looks at him; the grin in his smile when he winks at her are marks of this enduring story that typically is or has been a never-ending adventure. I love to hear the stories of how old couples got together. One always has the facts and the other the dates and details — and the devil is always in the details.






Groovy old couples are fantastic people. Some say nobody else would put up with either of them so they stay together. I don’t discredit that statement; but I would be inclined to add that perhaps they are so intuned to each other, anything else would be out of order. The other common factor of groovy old couples seems to be great sex. I have heard it come up more than once. One is typically grinning and nodding and the other is all-too-happy to use comical euphamisum to tell some funny story. We were at an IMAX in Chattanooga by the aquarium when this couple who must have been in there late 70’s sat behind us. Their snickering gained our attention; their age earned our shock. We immediately began conversating about happiness and marriage and how long and how they met. Of course, he comes out with be careful, she’s a screamer. After a sock in the arm from her and our laughters, we watched a great show on Creatures of the Deep…no pun intended. Happiness is a contagious thing. It’s also hard to hide.

Becoming a groovy old couple has its costs. Love, patience, trust, respect, gentleness, understanding, endurance, kisses, holding hands, sacrifice, selflessness, selfishness, forgiveness, smiles, tears and embraces are all part of the recipe. A coin is incomplete without a heads or a tails. Without bread on both sides, is it really a sandwich? I am looking forward to becoming a groovy old couple. I don’t mind and am certainly not offended by the marks of age. That’s reality. I don’t care about looking good in the coffin. I prefer a restored classic to a hot new corvette. Other cars are only for glancing, my classic is just for me. To infinity and beyond!

Friday, February 19, 2010

The Black & Shawn White of a Champion: Goldfish Out of the Bowl



I must admit, I like being completely mystified; even better when something can ONLY be described as jaw-dropping! If you watched Shawn White’s performance during the snowboarding portion of the Olympics; then you know exactly how inept these adjectives perform. I watched his first run, I was already shocked by the superb execution of various jumps, the height of those jumps and the execution of pure grace and style. I really enjoy watching these kinds of sports but certainly am not some die-hard follower; but I’ve heard of Tony Hawk and Shawn White. In fact, I even met him around three years ago here in Nashville. I thought he was a cool kid that made me think of a young good-looking, fun-loving Carrot Top (before the steroids). I was struck by his openness and accessibility to the cohorts and fans around him.


Considering that he had already won the gold for the Americans, most people would just take the bow and accept the award with a smirk. Not this guy! The next performance I witnessed made me consider having a DVR so I could replay it over and over. Long after he had defied gravity with all the grace of any supreme skydancer; his tricks ripped the fabric of reality! That crazy double corkscrew whatever left me gasping for air from my living room couch. Honestly, I like watching a good crash; but the thought never even had time to form. The lack of oxygen had me glued to the screen watching what had to have been impossible. He ROCKED IT! Not only had he won, but done it with unquestionable defiance of resting on any laurel. He pulled out all the stops all the way. The best part — he didn’t even have to take the risk. There in lies the mark of a champion who LOVES what he does and LOVES who he is. Other than the agony of defeat opening (for those of us old enough to remember that played every Olympics), that moment will be burned into the powder of my memory for many years. It was one those moments that marks time for a long time after. Well done, Shawn. That my friend was completely GNARLY RADD!

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Laughing Like I Was The Child I Was

laughing children


Somehow the week has climbed up to Wednesday. In spite of being extremely busy, I promised to squeeze in a blog or two; afterall, what is life if you never get to do anything you want. I am a “work to live” not a “live to work” person. Life is such a great thing that it should at least be lived to its fullest. I have absolutely nothing against hard work or staying focused; but it shouldn’t have to ALWAYS be that way. Besides, creatives need that break from the PC structure of the world.

snow fun children


While I am definitely a sun child, I love snow too. That is provided there is enough to make a monumental snowman and work/driving for a week is out of the question. I miss the snows of old. Maybe Al Gore’s on to something. When I was a kid, snows would be thick, moist and high; now, we’re lucky just to get a good thunderstorm. Watching the children sled and have snowball fights de-ages all of us. That was the stuff of magic. Don’t you remember how much fun and how little the chill of the air actually mattered. The joy immeasureable from the act of being in the moment and company with whom vs what I was getting out of something or who would owe me later. We seem to lose such abandon as adults. Kids understand that they don’t have to understand; maybe that is the secret we rob ourselves as we age.

laughing children


Nonetheless, as the memories of laughing children fade, I resign to have an excellent year of unforetold blessings, laughs, joys, service to others and maybe even a few tears. I think I will remember that everything doesn’t have to be understood; the whys are not so important as the you-wont-believe-what-happened-next moments. The beauty of magic is that it entertains even the skeptic. A doubter loves to doubt even if it forces him to never take another step in comfort.

Friday, February 05, 2010

Fridaku Birthday Weekend and Antics

It’s Friday again and it has been a very busy but fast week. Sometimes you have those weeks you wouldn’t mind doing again but only if you had to pick one—this was one of those. Friday we have implemented a new tradition — Fitness Friday! Yep. We will start out slow with 10 pushups for a month and then progress from there. So far all the guys jumped in and it felt great. I am planning on having a killer workout this afternoon as soon as I can get out of here.

Of course, the weekend will go quickly. Luckily its also Birthday Weekend for my nephew Christopher and my brother-in-law Mark. Birthdays are fun; especially since they are not funerals. It adds a sunny outlook to a weekend rumored to be nasty weather wise. At least with birthdays we are reminded of our strength and that sometimes we do win; otherwise we wouldnt be here. If you feel like you have a lousy life or that things are always bad; it serves as another small amount of evidence that perhaps you should be looking for somebody to help. There’s always somebody doing worse than you are. Sometimes you see people with incredible spirits who really could easily pick a reason to not be happy. On those days, you know you dont have any legitimate excuses. All your parts are there and functioning...surely they could be put to better use than complaining. This week I have talked to several people who have been evaluating their lives. I think that’s healthy to take assessments often. In doing so, it always means change—which we rarely are willing to make; especially drastic change immediately. One of my favorite podcasts Dan Miller is loaded with common sense solutions that we have to constantly be reminded of by some stranger.

Friday! Oh, that means its time for Fridaku too! I met the Pensive One at our favorite coffehouse for a chat with the chattables. Since he’s from Louisiana, he reminded me that its Mardi Grais weekend. I suppose I will be rooting for the Saints only because that region has had a long rough time and could use as much sunshine as possible. Meanwhile, I still like Payton; so its ok either way for me.


bald head


Cold Rain on Bald Head

Cold spikes on my head
falling tiny and sharp,
Plop the raindrops fall.




listening to cars outside


Cars on Wet Streets

Thwack four times make one
Cars passing on the wet street
Tires kissing the road.


melting watch


Waning Friday Workday
Fingers tapping keys
Hours slipping politely by
Friday slips away.