River Rats

#1 – River Rats Water Ski Show on the Mississippi – I’ve known this existed for multiple years, I finally went today.  It was my first water ski show.  I really admired the athleticism and time/dedication it must take from an all volunteer team to put that together.  It’s beautiful to see.

#2 – It was a Mario Bros themed show.  So there was Mario and Luige (sp?) and a princess and a bad guy.  The 4 (?) year old sitting near me said with deep concern to her father, “Is he being mean?...  Is he being mean to us or to the people up there?…Is he just pretending to be mean?”  She also thought it was hilarious when the bad guy thought he had a lion tattooed on his back and it was Hello Kitty.

#3 - My bad@ss brother.  I was thinking I would bike to the water ski show, but then it looked so hot I wasn’t sure I would go, no less bike.  But then I thought of my brother who I knew biked 30 miles (round trip) to work even today in the heat and I thought, if he can do that...

#4 – So I took the bus there and biked home.  It grew dark about half way home.  I was prepared with a light and a reflector vest.  It was humid, but also so peaceful and quiet, I felt grateful my brother and the river rats got me outside.

#5 – I went by a house with a few people darkly dressed with flashlights.  It looked a little sketchy but then I saw they were three police officers looking at the side of a house and a woman was standing in the doorway.`  As I biked by I thought, “That woman was afraid for whatever reason, and she made a phone call and three men came to her house to help."  I often think of cops as people attracted to power or adrenaline.  Tonight I felt grateful that anyone would choose such a stressful job, and that after they leave, that woman will not be left with a bill for their service.  That (unlike an ambulance) no one has to consider the bill before making that call.

I Have No Title

#1 - Having some visitors which gave me the excuse/motivation to go for a walk at a nature area 5 or 6 miles away that I realized I probably haven't been to for a good year.

#2 - I've been in the online dating world on and off for a couple/few years now.  I'm at the point where I just generally appreciate a simple message from someone who appears interesting and whom I can easily and authentically respond to.  Today I got a couple - one asking about my poetry, one from a natural foods store person/gardener.

#3 - Yesterday an old friend was in my dream and I thought, "I have to tell him about this dream!"  Though when I woke up I realized the dream really was not at all interesting, and that I had actually dreamt thinking, "I have to tell him about this dream."  However I wrote him an email anyway.  This morning I read his response and I realized I hadn't seen him (or a photo of him) for probably ten years.  The last time we communicated he didn't have a little photo that was attached to his email, but today he did and I thought to myself, "what a handsome man." :)

#4 - I also really enjoyed writing the longer response I had to his message which included quoting Khalil Gibran which is always a good way to start the day.

#5 - I was asked to bring a nature poem to the staff meeting next week at the yoga studio (where I do a work exchange).  I would love to.

Heroes of the Day - Mos Def &...

#1 - Yasiin Bey (aka Mos Def) force fed under standard Guantánamo Bay procedure 

 

This is the video that popped up at the top of You Tube today.  I'm not even brave enough to watch it, and Mos Def is brave enough to go through it.

#2 - This one I did watch

 

Shutting Down

#1 - Suddenly my computer stopped working today and made a scary noise. I tried to move the mouse, I tried Control/Alt/Delete - nothing. Eventually it restarted itself and it seemed fine, however, I had no sound...which made me realize how important sound often is when I am on the computer. "What am I going to listen to?? The radio??!!" (Actually what I often listen to ARE radio programs, just available for when I want to listen to them.) I tried everything I knew - did a full virus scan, audio playback problems etc. The only thing I had left was turning the computer off. I wasn't hopeful but I tried it.

It worked.

#2 - I just clicked on my last Mary Lambert post to make sure my audio still works, it was quiet while I typed this and I started wondering again...There are some of my favorite lines

"Some women just have more guts than others."

"I only know how to exist when I am wanted."

"Love your body the way your mother loved your baby feet."

"You are no less valuable as a size 16 than a size 4.  You are no less valuable as a 32A than as a 36C."

Amen Ms. Lambert!

#3 - I didn't have any energy last week.  I don't know what was up, but the fact that I got up this morning and went to an outdoor yoga class (which is only being offered this month), I guess means I am feeling better.  There were mosquitos, but they were manageable and luckily I wore pants and long sleeves.  I am sure it also helped that I went to bed with the sun last night.  This is something I try/want to do when it stays light late enough for this to be possible, but often I fail to make it, last night I did.

#4 - I washed a load of clothes specifically because I had something soaking that needed to be washed.  As I dumped out the bucket and set that item in the sink I thought to myself, "I need to remember to put that in the washer," previously I have done that and forgotten.  Well, when I took my clothes out of the washer, I realized the item that I most wanted washed, was still in the sink.  "I can't believe I did that again!" I thought.

Thankfully my mistakes do not involve nuclear power or other such consequential human errors.

#5 - Someone is organizing a block party on my street this year and just came to the door with the invites!  (Actually I find this kind of socializing quite challenging, but I totally believe in the concept so I'm grateful to the woman who just by.)