Monday, February 21, 2005

When It Rains…It Pours…

…and pours. And pours. And then pours some more. And we Southern Californians can’t take it. We are weather-wimps at the best of times. The temperature drops below 60 degrees, and we are shivering and shaking as if it were 60 below.

It rains a few drops and we are screaming: Flood! Flood! Run, run! A couple of bolts of lightning followed by a few crashes of thunders equates to a full-blow severe thunderstorm.

But I think the rest of the country that knows what weather is will agree that six inches of rain in a couple of days is a true weather story. Especially when it is the fourth weekend out of five that we’ve had six inches in a couple of days. And it rained during the week, I might add.

I’ve never really cared for rain…one of the big reasons I live in this area. Enough I say! Please stop! Go home! Let Mr. Sun come out!

Rain, rain, go away! Come again another day! Like next year!

Wednesday, February 16, 2005

The Beat Goes On...and On...and On....

Ever have one of those days? Where you tell yourself that when you get home from work, you are gonna do this and this and that, and oh, maybe something else, too.

Well, when I left for work this morning, I told myself I was going to get four things done tonight. Without fail. No excuses. No whining. Was just gonna sit down and get them done.

I have now been home for 45 minutes, and not one of the things has been started…let alone finished. And you know what? None of the four things are gonna get done tonight.

That’s right! I am on strike! It might have something to do with the fact that I didn’t get home until 9PM, and that I am tired of eating dinner that is closer to being a midnight snack, but tonight I am saying Bah Humbug…Screw it…it will be there tomorrow, and will merely multiply (like bunnies!) into eight things!

And instead…I am going to go to bed and watch TV!

Have fun Little Bunny-Tasks! Live it up!

Tuesday, February 15, 2005

A Jolt of Reality…

Woke up this morning the same way I do every weekday morning with the clock radio coming on to a soft-jazz station. No jolting outta bed for this kid. The sucker comes on at 5AM which I figure is cruelty enough. I stumbled outta bed to turn the heat on, turn the coffee pot on, turn my computer on and made a bee-line back to bed to catch the morning traffic report. Another ritual…

Today instead of hearing about the usual slow spots, the nice sounding traffic reporter announced a Sig-Alert. A possible fatality…which I have learned means a definite fatality. A chill stole over me… I always hate this type of news.

As the morning progressed, this particular accident turned out to be even more poignantly gruesome. A semi-truck had stalled in the slow lane, and a minivan had plowed into the back of it. Never even had the chance to brake. A husband and wife in their sixties with their twenty-year-old grandson were on their way to the airport. All three died.

A day they had probably all been looking forward to never really got started for them. They never even got to see the sun rise.

It definitely brings home the fact that life is so precarious. Anything can happen in an instant…faster than one can snap their fingers. It also reminds us that we can’t wait to put off those goals and plans that we keep thinking we’ll do tomorrow. And it definitely means there is no time to spare expending energy on trivialities that really don’t really matter in the total scheme of things.

Maybe sometimes we need incidents like this to spur us on, to remind us of what is really important. I know I certainly didn’t mind being at work one bit today. While I may have the same attitude tomorrow, I will probably become complacent again in the next few days or weeks…until another jarring jolt of reality hits me…

Monday, February 14, 2005

Whine…Whine…Wine, please…

Yep, I am gonna break down and grumble a bit. Maybe it will get all this discouragement and crabbiness outta my system. We can only hope.

I cannot believe it is now over five weeks since the Sunday House-Breakdown from Hell. The stove knob is still broken, the roof is still leaking, and the drainage in the backyard is barely functional and definitely still in need of repair. And tomorrow they are predicting the rains to start again bringing about three inches in the next two days and continuing for the next ten days or so. Of course, if I have to buy a new stove because of the roof leak, I guess I really don’t need to worry about getting the knob fixed. I am figuring I’ll get all new knobs as part of the nice, new, shiny appliance…

I feel I have been more than patient. I know this is a horrendously busy time for roofers. I appreciate all that. But when they tell me they’ll be out to fix it on Wednesday, and no one shows up, and this happens four times, I start losing my patience. Particularly when there is no call alerting me to the fact that they can’t come.

Probably part of the reason this whole fiasco is getting to me so much is that I called right away…as soon as I discovered the waterfall in the kitchen. I did not wait until the following morning. Or the day after that, hoping that the leak would seal itself. I called right away…and was promised good service. And have received nothing.

I guess it makes me feel like a sap because I am so careful to honor promises I make, even if they inconvenience the heck out me later. And it seems, at times like this, that I am the only one.

Oh well, eventually this will all get sorted out. And it could be a whole lot worse. I do not have to worry about my home sliding down the hill and crashing into the neighbor’s pool. I fortunately have the funds at the moment to pay for the repairs (barring having to do a whole new roof! But let’s not even entertain such dastardly thoughts! EEEKKK!!!)

And most importantly, I have my health. So, I have everything.

Sunday, February 13, 2005

Man! How Time Flies…

Such an old cliché, but it’s so true! And I am always stunned by that fact. I suppose it is naïve on my part…that I keep thinking I have plenty of time to do everything I want to do. Maybe that is why I am such a good procrastinator.

Perhaps it is an equal part of arrogance on my part. Thinking that once I get going, I won’t have to pay my dues and all that jazz. But more likely, I think it might also be a bit of fear. What if I fail?

And would that be such a huge big deal? Would the world suddenly come to an end? Would a lightning bolt suddenly drop out of the Southern California sky and strike me? Would I wind up being shunned by one and all forever? Not likely.

I know I am a very competitive person…I must always do the best at anything I try…or I won’t do it. I am not quite sure where this streak came from, but I do know that while a good dose of healthy competition is good, too much is crippling. It makes one not go forth with things that could bring them joy.

Pretty simple, isn’t it. Nothing bad will happen from trying and failing…at least with the things I want to try…we are not talking skydiving here where the parachute might not open… But a lot of good could (and most likely would, even!) occur from lowering the bar a bit and just jumping in.

So, with all that said, I am going to get started on something that will move my goal of publication a bit closer to reality…after I go to the store…and take a snooze…but definitely today…for sure…maybe…

Saturday, February 12, 2005

Ramifications of Being a Blogger…

So, yesterday I created my Blog…woo hoo! Wandered around the house all afternoon in giddy-fashion…I own a Blog…I own a Blog!

And then…being the responsible sort of person I am, I decided perhaps I ought to learn a bit more about this blogging craze… Oh sure, I knew generally about blogging. Knew what it was. Had even read a few. And to my credit, cuz I am usually about a quarter-step behind on all new technology…gotta make sure it is gonna work and stick around before I step into it…knew that I’d have a blog that would tie into my website…which I’ll do…someday…very soon…well, soon…okay…someday….

Found out that the “best” blogs (and I always wanna be best!) have a theme that draws readers back time and time again. The “best” blogs are updated regularly…like everyday! The “best” blogs have links and pictures and something called RSS feeds… “RSS feeds!” I cry. “What in the world does RSS stand for!?!” I am still trembling over the thought of having to think of good links and track down photos (hmmm…that might actually be a good thing cuz then I’d learn how to use the beautiful digital camera I own that has hundreds of great pictures inside just waiting the moment when they can launch themselves into my computer…). Not to mention a theme! Heck, this is the person who took well over an hour to pick out the template for her blog… we might be in big trouble here!

But trouble or not, lack of technical know-how or not, currently theme-less and adrift…this is my blog…and I am likin’ this whole thing! Ramifications and all!

Friday, February 11, 2005

I am a Blogger!… Imagine that!

… and probably one of the world’s biggest copy cats. Yeah, I admit it. As soon as my friend and writing partner, Randy, told me she had started a Blog, I promptly whined: “I want a Blog, too!”

“Go get one,” she replied and instantly sent the link. Took me four more days to get up the nerve to go and peek around the site…and voila! Here I am!

Now, I am sitting here, composing my very first Blog post…and I am suddenly speechless. Can’t think of an intelligent word to write. Oh, sure! Tons of dumb things are flitting through my mind…but the first post should sound sensible.

So…probably the best thing to do is to sign off now while I am ahead. I think I am going to like this new venture…I think I am going to like it a lot!