Trials and Toolbelts

#1 - My niece's "toolbelt" which she created out of paper etc. It held a pencil, a small notebook (which she also made), a sword (which she also made), some rolled up "POLICE LINE DO NOT CROSS", and at least five other things that I don't know what they were. It was secured around her waist via velcro. I'll try to post a photo later.

#2 - We held the trial for my niece. I represented the "Fun Police" whose motto is "No Fun For Everyone". I had prepared in advance my testimony with all of her recent fun infractions and the community service that she failed to complete (making three fun police badges). The judge gave her the chance to complete the badges in 20 minutes before offering a more harsh sentence. She was able to complete the task in time. I'm not sure if the trial was worth the time I put into it, but she did say she wanted another trial later, so maybe it was.

#3 - Finding that my 2 year old nephew could be distracted from plastic toy guns by reading him stories. I am not a fan of toy guns at all and once he discovered them it didn't look like anything would distract him. But we were alone in the basement so I grabbed a book, and for a while at least, that was all it took.

#4 - Anger is a tricky emotion. It is so often misused, but in fact it has an important role, which is protection. I was annoyed at being angry again today in relation to things we are working through in my relationship. "How long is this going to keep popping up?" I asked myself. As I walked towards my soccer game a teammate asked, "How are you?"

"Good," I automatically said, then continued, "Actually I'm pretty angry but 'good' is the word that came out."

Which led to a simple, but supportive, conversation.

Then on the sidelines waiting for our game to start I asked another teammate if he'd gotten ahold of our mutual friend. He'd emailed a few weeks ago asking if I had this guy's phone number. I wasn't sure if I did, but I gave him what I had and it turns out they went to a play together last night called something like "Luther on trial." The friend is a Lutheran pastor and the play actually sounded quite interesting. For example, one of the witnesses is Adolf Hitler, because apparently, Martin Luther later in life said some pretty anti-semitic things.


#5 - I've had a lot to write about this past year, but I haven't done a whole lot of writing. Besides one weekend workshop this summer, nothing has jumped out at me. Just now though I received an email from a woman whom I did writing and meditation with two years ago. I love the two of those together but she did not continue because of a lack of interest. I just received an email from her looking for interest in a once a month writing/meditation group for next year. I told her I'd love to.