#2226 - This SKY

#2227 - I have had a letter I've been meaning to write for over a week. Today I woke up at 8am and just started writing. For me, it wasn't a long letter, yet I still wrote for an hour.

#2228 - The excitement I heard in my own voice while telling a friend about how embody, my word of the year, has manifested for me this month.

#2229 - On wed my computer (which is actually my father's old computer which he had "for spare parts") apparently had a dramatic death. I say apparently because I've been afraid to even try turning it on again. Tonight my brother spent at least an hour with me looking at computers online and being helpful.

#2230 - These juices (my favorite) were on sale, this is a Tammy splurge, serious wealth. Besides selecting some old favorites, pear nectar, I ventured into the new world of cherry.

Real Men Don't Buy Girls

*I always think flowers, happen so fast. Yet I it is because of this post I realized this took two weeks (from my last photo of this flower). I guess I'm just not paying attention.

*I am usually hesitant when I'm not sure what I'm doing. Maybe because I have absolutely zero bs ability. Today I made a new type of phone call for work, and as expected I was unsure. It was easy though and went really well and afterwards I felt confident.

*Having somewhere else to sleep (living room/basement etc) so I can take my time putting my bedroom back together. So it can be how I want it now.

*Having a friend tell me he took something I said as the voice of God. I told him this was quite a promotion :)

*Jason Mraz does it again.

Can These Pictures Just Speak for All Five?

Thursday Evening

Today

Buds

#2181 - I took everything off my walls and moved my furniture either to the center or out of my bedroom. My painting project has begun.

#2182 - I reflected that this will be the third time I've painted a bedroom. The first when I was 15 - Creme, then 27 - Bright Yellow and Bright Green, now - "Buffy Orange"

#2183 - I am sure #2182 means something, but what it means I don't know yet.

#2184 - I never thought my "Minnesota friends" would be into Kirtan, but I bought tickets today for myself and four friends to see Krishna Das. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever gotten tickets for four friends to go see/hear anything.

#2185 - A friend's four year old, who was bouncing around the room and full of attention getting energy, sat still and listened while I sang and played one of my songs on the guitar. I actually didn't even realize this until now sitting here. I hesitated to play a song for her mother because I knew I would be interrupted, but I wasn't - at all.

Paint Samples

#2166 - So my bedroom border is down...now I'm thinking new paint. What I know is that I want something warm. I have this dark green carpet to work with. I'm thinking some version of orange. The store where I last bought no VOC paint no longer sells it, so these aren't the right samples, but in the ballpark of my color range. I'm grateful to feel energy towards this project.

#2167 - Someone sent me an email to clarify something he'd said, I smiled because usually I am the one doing that.

#2168 - Feeling less intimidated by "really coolness." I found out a friend (who already has done a million cool things) is right now training to be a white water river rafting guide. I know there were times in my life when I would have felt envious or intimidated by all the cool things she does, now I just laugh.

#2169 - Sweet song, Prettiest Friend, on Mraz's blog

#2170 - On February 9th I posted my list of the people I would be most excited about coming to town because my #1 - the Dalai Lama was coming.

Today I found out #3 - Krishna Das (musician), is coming one month later - June 22nd. A perfect summer solstice event!

Blister

#2151 - Bad Dream to Good Dream - Early this morning I had a bad dream where I am pretty sure my physical body was actually crying. (I think this is actually healthy/good sometimes, I figure I have some emotion I need to let out so my dream life takes care of it.)

In the dream some woman (well actually a woman from high school that I never personally had a problem with but anyway) was verbally assaulting me, but only when no one else was around or listening. We were sitting in desks (outside - not really in school) and my teacher was my kindergarten teacher. (I'm sure all this has some sort of meaning). Finally, I asked my teacher if there was some sort of counselor the abusive woman and I could talk to. Nope.

Then everyone was leaving for a field (?) trip of sorts. I wasn't a part of it, so it would leave me alone/vulnerable. Some guy/man volunteered to stay with me. So like children, though I still do this, we laid on our stomachs next to one another with our papers and started doing our homework. I felt safe, happy and loved. I woke up with this feeling.

#2152 - When I awoke for the day, I still had the wonderful feeling with me.

#2153 - I'm trying to psyche myself up to bike to the yoga studio to clean. It is windy out though (I'm not a fan of biking in the wind), and it's kind of cold. I'm grateful that this is about as serious of a debate/decision as I am likely to make today.

#2154 - Receiving a letter in the mail saying that the letter I'd sent was a "page turner" :)

#2155 - Resisting the blister. I resisted popping a couple blisters on my feet for at least two weeks. (I just gave into one, but it was pretty much gone.)

No More Border

Rumi is my favorite poet, and my favorite versions of Rumi's poetry are written by Coleman Barks. A few years back I met someone who was a student of Barks' classes in college. My friend said that when Barks read your poem, he put so much into it that something you hardly cared about sounded extraordinary.

I had a smaller version of this today volunteering/visiting an elementary school where I used to work. I was sent into a second grade during reading. They break up into four small groups so the teacher can work with one group at a time. The other three groups had a rotation of assignments, one of which happened to be writing a nature poem. Watching the kids work, I am pretty doubtful more than one, two (or maybe any) of them would have written a poem without me encouraging them. After I helped the first two though (and then in an excited voice read the product out loud to the class), most of the kids wanted to write a poem and especially wanted their poem read out loud.

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So this was a gratitude yesterday, but I can extend it specific to today. Yesterday I did something I've wanted to do for more than two years. I thought it would be a hassle/time consuming/require renting equipment. Three things inspired it:

#1 - The day before I'd been at friends' house where they were painting a bunch of rooms (adding color) all in one day and it was inspiring.

#2 - We were having some change done to our internet, so I couldn't do my data entry work.

#3 - I asked a friend on the phone if she'd ever removed a border and she said she got wallpaper off with a squirt bottle with dish soap, water and a little scraping. I tried it and it was surprisingly easy! I could say I can't believe I put up with something I detested for so long when it was that simple, but instead I'll just be grateful.

Anyway, I already used that yesterday, however today I can say how enjoyable it was to return to my bedroom without the 1992 flower border!


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So both my Dad and Jason Mraz think the Decorah Eagles are really cool. I think it is really cool that I originally checked them out because me Dad sent the link and today did a second time because Jason posted it :)

Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me

#1221 - At 2pm I was unsure what to do with myself. So I decided to write a card in response to the one I received over the holidays from my host family in college - finally!

#1222 - I looked through my photo album to see if I had a photo I could send them. I looked quite a while for the digital version, but didn't seem to have it anymore, it was not anywhere. I was about to give up, and then I found it.

#1223 - I really enjoy listening to Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me on public radio on Saturdays. My favorite part of the show is when they list three news stories (crazy sounding news stories) and you have to guess which one is correct. Today was the first time I'd actually heard the news story and therefore knew the correct answer. (It was about a girl in Southern Germany who wanted a horse to jump. Her parents wouldn't but here a horse, but they had cows and so the girls started training one of the cows to ride/jump :)

#1224 - I read in the Oprah magazine a while back an interview with her (Oprah). Apparently she was depressed after the movie Beloved came out because it wasn't a commercial success. Someone told her that if she wanted it to be a commercial success she would have made a different movie, and upon reflection she agreed. Anyway, this interaction and the fact that I remember really enjoying the reading Beloved in college (but can't remember it at all) made me request the movie from the library. The first time I didn't watch it before it was due, but unless something comes up I plan to tonight. I suppose it is dangerous to have expectations, but I am pretty sure I will like it.

#1225 - One of my last impulses of 2010 was to join EHarmony (this is a test to see if any friends I have not mentioned this to read my blog :). Anyway, one of the items is "the last book you read and enjoyed." I updated it to Bonobo Handshake today which makes me happy because I want to spread the word on the Bonobos :)

The Cathedral of Your Silence

#2106 - Sidewalk Poetry

#2107 - My friend telling me about an administrative assistant opening at a local publisher.

#2108- Having a previous cover letter that is almost perfect for this job too.

#2109 - The job asks for a writing sample, which made me go back to my writing looking for something and thereby remember its value.

#2110 - Finally checking out Sample Night Live, something I've been meaning to for two years. By far my favorite was "Bearded Men Improv" for making me laugh.

Chase Me

#2091 - Following my impulse to call a friend this morning about coming over to her house after soccer, and then doing so even though we weren't sure it would work out.

#2092 - Because of this I watched a movie with her called Food Matters. I am grateful to have a friend who values nutrition and who asks questions.

#2093 - The flirtacious/mischieveous look my friend's child gives you when he wants you to chase him.

#2094 - How passionate my friend became while telling me about the movie, The Blind Side, which she watched recently.

#2095 - The conversation I had at the co-op with the people who were trying to buy a mango and didn't know how soft it should be. It was a simple interaction, and it made me smile.