A Life's Pursuit: sunshine
Showing posts with label sunshine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sunshine. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Snapshot, Sweat and Sunshine


The sun feels so warm outside in spite of being comfortably cool behind the huge window before me. I tell you this upfront. This blog has no overarching theme. Read at your leisure. My wifey and I are entering our third week of working out together. She has really hung in there. Beyond my proudness of her for just being who she is, she's a tough little cookie. I dont hold back on working out. She's doing good. I dont remember when it started; but I only hunted (and I use that term in every sense, hunted) women whose audacity to be different made them strong enough to survive what might crush the ordinary/fickle. She's a wonder woman.


Women tend to think strange things when it comes to sweat and what men consider sexy and a whole host of other $50,000.00 assumptions. Meanwhile, this blog isnt clearing up any of those deep mysteries in spite of being fully capable. One of the trainers walked by yesterday and remarked, "if my girl would workout with me like that, I would marry her today!" My response was, "be careful what you ask for." I knew he wasnt ready for that kind of commitment yet. We, men, are always ready with the next excuse/condition. Men are masters at turning a situation back on women and even convincing them it was there fault. Maybe its just our modern culture — its always somebody else's fault. Why does it take men so long to commit, to abandon the field, to leave the game, to walk off the field? Hmmm...boy would my readers increase if I answered any of these questions; so I guess I will just be happy with you being here now. Its one of those subjects that only breeds more conversation; not answers.


I assume its from being a nerd, then a college cheerleader and now in modest disguise that I always have a heart for the "neglected side of life," for the questions that one may have noone to ask or trust and/or those who cannot bear one more joke at your expense. You know who you are. Everyone matters. Everyone counts. Nobody has to be a size 2 or have a cosmetic surgery season pass to Dr. 90210. You dont have to be a Calvin model. Just be you and really understand loving yourself; especially if there is a shortage of those who feel the same way. Now thats not a ticket to be stupid or inconsiderate; just to stand your ground. Afterall, Bill Gates still isnt a Calvin model but....he's just as famous and certainly richer. No color makes you look better than green!




Nonetheless, my little warrior princess deserves a night off. The iron and steel will still be there when we get back. Its a great night for some nice romantic date that we can just enjoy living and appreciating. That's cool too. All work and no play makes mean people....and we know what they do. Hmmm feels like a wine and candles night.

Monday, July 21, 2008

The Aftermath of Death


Rest in Peace

Well its Monday and I am sitting outside by the pool watching my wifey trying to relax after what can only be termed as a grueling week of saddness. We spent Saturday at his funeral service. I believe the preachers message could be summed up by saying "everything goes back in the box." Funerals always have different effects on different people. Some are angered, some are saddened and some intellectualize its effects into something softer and far more paletable. I reserve judgement as to its effects I feel; for the rain is as necessary as the the sunshine; so is death to life; irregardless of anybody's feelings - so I tend to ignore feelings.


I know that the sun is hot here in sunny California. I note that everything else continues along its path as if everything was normal. I hear the hummingbirds swoop by, I hear the airplane overhead, I watch the wind move through the palms; even the water is just as blue. But in my heart, someone special is missing...their footprint still fresh in sand of our lives.




Alfred Tayolor Keil saunters on another shore. He often joked of how much I noticed light and shadows. I am certain that he is probably chuckling at this moment amidst the extreme joy and relief of the afterlife. I dont know if God is as harsh as we humans or even if he submits to our limiting and suffocating boxes we attempt to lock him in by our "human/traditional" understandings that we hold others accountable by; but I do know that He has the final word. The bible speaks of many things, practically all still relevant to today; but its greatest gift is still LOVE. It is a love so indescribable that we are always agast when we discover someone has made the sacrifices only it has the power to dictate. Love always overcomes whatever we decide is empassable. I reflect on one who made many sacrifices and spent a great amount of energy in just doing the right thing. Sure no oness perfect; but what we do with what we have pretty much speaks for itself. I wont attempt to translate the necessary volumes such would require. I simply will say, Al was such a man. We would appear quite different from each other to the untrained and uninspecting eye. The truth, as in most cases is a bit opposite. We shared many of the same ideals and cared for many of the same people, family and things. Even as I sit here, I remember us in the evening shade sipping a Early Times on the rocks, watching the sunset and reciting just a few verses of our favorite poems. He liked the Rubiyat by Omar Kyanam and I Edgar Allen Poe. Mix in a bit of Robert Frost and you have to unique individauls on the road less traveled. Some of the choices were simple; the consequences were far more complicated. Thats the beauty of the road less traveled; no traffic jams.


I have met many new and familiar faces. To some degree, funerals are like family reunions...everybody's family and knowing is quite enough. Everybody promises to stay in touch but they dont til they see you again at the next unfortunate incident requiring respects. I suppose thats just the way it is; I am no less guilty. WHY is is always death that makes people think of love and family more than they did before? Is it the loss of the possiblity of communication or the knowledge of the adsence of choice? I dont know. I suppose I am nont saddened for several reasons; but I will share only one or two. Sometimes in the breeze, I can feel my deceased mothers hug; sometimes in the stillness, I can see her smile; I suspect the same will be for sitting in the evening shade that I will be reunited with my friend and father-in-law, Alfred. I will hear his familiar phrase "at any rate" as he gives me the opinion or insight that would have only required yes or no. I never got the simple or short answer; apparently noone ever did. That was something you grew to enjoy, respect and look forward to. AL knew quite a bit about everything and didnt mind sharing that knowledge. We all pass along something special to those we meet that is completely unique to our own souls. His kindness and insight will be long missed; but not long forgotten. I love his daughter, my wife and mother of our two boys. This week my Jason and Nick make me extremely proud. My brothers and sister-in-laws honor their father well. His legacy will live on in the remaining family but my boys will always remember the value of "this little finger."


This time of grief will pass as will many others. Thats ok by me. One of them will be my own passing of which I have no fear. I have always been inspired by my ironmaiden sister-in-law, Kathy and how much she loves her family and takes care of them. She got that from her father. My Cousin Gina, well thats another whole blog for another time...but your hospitality and dedication to family cannot go without mention. Many good people in my inlaw family; but the same I would say for my own blood family...some really good people. It is the absence of knowledge that separates men and the denial of love that keeps them apart. Everything else is only a shade of grey we paint black and humans must take their scars as proof of existence, survival and defiance. We need our scars!

Monday, May 14, 2007

"Squaaaak Shook" as the Mulch Monster Died

mulch monster

Sqak Shook, Squaaaak Shook as the Mulch Monster died one shovel before the last.



mulched yard



Well, let me tell you; it was another spectacularly sunny warm weekend down in the 'boro. I had a fantastic weekend. Our day started at 7am Saturday morning and ended at sundown. That intense day of outsideness included mowing the lawn, weeding, 7 yrds of mulching, stipping and painting the mailbox, planting MORE flowers, and applying turf builder. WHEW! Glad its Monday! The bad news; that was only half of the yard work.


mulched yard


Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers; we wouldn't be here without 'em. My wife had a nice Mother's Day. She enjoyed a Keri Underwood CD, cards, visiting with youngest son Nick and Tyler and voicemails wishing her well. We laughed and talked for several hours along with some outstanding french toast, cheddar brots, poundcake, and tapioca pudding. (Hmmm...I better workout tonite) Oh yeah, pass the popcorn.

mulched yard


Traffic was great and this day is moving along. I cannot help but think about our flowers. There's just something exciting about "life" and watching it happen and how it works in synchronicity. With the flowers come butterflies, hummingbirds and various other little critters that we don't normally see or notice. The air wafts by with a sweet perfume. The honeysuckle permiates the air in the backyard. We have two squirril-proof bird feeders on the back deck...only one is really squirril proof — they're pretty sneaky little brainiacs! Great bird watching weekend. I saw bluejays, goldfinches, english sparrows, wood thrushes, cardinals, chickadees, starlins and a tufted titmouse. (in case you had any doubts of my nerdness....)

Pickle Scans The Yard




Thursday, April 26, 2007

Don't Worry Bout a Thing!

Three Little Birds


I awakened to the sound of a soft falling rain lulling me to continue to sleep and remain in the confines of a warm cuddly bed; but I got up anyway. A lot of things go through your mind first thing in the morning while you go through your Bob Marley, Legendroutine. I laughed to myself about past situations that seemed bad or unsatifying and how they miraculously worked out for the better. It was funny how easy we forget not to worry. It was funny how every new something seems unlike anything else before. Funny ha ha; funny odd. I rode into the office a different way — one with wide open fields and lush green carpets all the way to the sun. I saw the cows gossiping in the morning haze. I saw the casual buzzard staring at his next victims...afterall he had plenty of time to wait. I love early mornings. To be out just before the night surrenders its secrets to the morning, you have a great opportunity to observe and reflect in a deeper way. The light is almost dark enough for you to see what isnt there normally. I slid in my Bob Marley CD as the rain quickened and activated my cruise control (besides I was very early). Marley sang away at "Three Little Birds" which I had always assumed the name was "Don't Worry;" but you know what happens when you assume. Cool lyrics that made me laugh again. Funny ha ha, funny odd.


Rise up this mornin,
Smiled with the risin sun,
Three little birds
Pitch by my doorstep
Singin sweet songs
Of melodies pure and true,
Sayin, (this is my message to you-ou-ou:)
Singin: dont worry bout a thing,
cause every little thing gonna be all right.
Singin: dont worry (dont worry) bout a thing,
cause every little thing gonna be all right!
more...


Ahhhh......time and truth mix to form a most unlikely alixer. Meanwhile, this day is beginning to drag like a wooden cart with one broken wheel, a rusted axel and a 101 yr old donkey wearing blindfolds pulling in circles.


Relaxed Lizard