"Won't anyone come dance with me?..."

Summer days...

Glass houses...

So I just made a disparaging comment about how all IT guys look and act the same in public  You can spot them a mile away in any low budget restaurant nearby a low budget hotel.  Must be a conference in town.  But who am I to cast such judgements?  Here I  sit, in a hotel lounge, alone, drinking a lite beer, Blackberry holster at my side, Blackberry in hand, rambling on about the geeks I detest.  I have met the enemy and he is me!  Dr. K, you left us too soon.
By the way.. drunk chick, no one else wants to hear how you use your kid's XBox to watch DVD porn.  "Bring it down, Scotty!"

"Eternity"...

"He who binds to himself a joy
Does the winged life destroy;
But he who kisses the joy as it flies
Lives in eternity's sun rise." 

William Blake

"The Royal Arch"

This is definitely becoming one of my favorite hikes.  The Royal Arch, along the Flatirons of Boulder, is a beautiful vista point and it's a great workout to get there.  My dog, Sophie, accompanies me on most hikes.  She pretty much runs circles around me, always looking back with this expression of "can you PLEASE hurry up?!"  It was a great morning.  Met some very nice people along the way.  Great way to start the weekend...

Spectator...

I've heard we shouldn't  spend life watching from the bleachers.  We need to be involved, be a player.  But sitting here at a pub in Boston I can't help but sit in wonder at the circus of people all around me and enjoy the acts being played out before me.  The drunk chicks at the bar, trying desparately to come off attractive and engaging.  The cluster of techie geeks  trying to measure their intellect as if they're the Ron Jeremy of IT. A group of Russian speaking people that makes me miss the days of the Cold War and, if given the chance, we would've bitch-slapped those fuckers out of eastern Europe. There's the semi-cute blonde waitress that's trying to put on enough charm to earn more than a 10% tip. Or how about those salesmen who are trying to hock their wares to a poor schmock who's just trying to get through a burnt grilled cheese sandwich while fighting thoughts of suicide, because that seems like a better option than going back to that dung pile he calls a life?  Sometimes it's nice to sit back and watch, like a really bad reality TV show, and feel some level of contentment that it's not your life being played out before you.  It truly makes me feel thankful for my life and for all those in it...

Summer's Comin'...

As much as I enjoy the cooler fall and winter weather here in Colorado, there is a part of me that looks forward to summer.  Going camping and hiking, wearing shorts and thongs.  Something on the barbeque and cold beer in the frig.  All the perks of the summer season.

But it also reminds me a lot of summers past and the joys of childhood…

My grandfather taking my sisters and me to a new playground every time we came to visit...
The panic induced desperation of an Ice Cream trunk rolling by as you sprint across the house in search of a quarter…
Getting stung by a bee and watching it swell up for a couple of days…
Creating forts in the backyard (or living room, when it rained)…
Running around barefoot and the occasional feel of dog poop between your toes…
Catching fireflies at night…
Sitting along the Potomac with my family, watching 4^th of July fireworks and listening to the orchestra play John Philip Sousa…
Going to a baseball game and filling up on hotdogs and peanuts and if I was lucky, getting an autograph from a childhood hero (thank you, Willie)…
My dad coming home from Vietnam and spending an entire day, just the two of us, driving around San Francisco, just doing whatever came to mind but mostly just being together…
Road trips, LOTS of road trips, usually along the California coast, taking in the sights, the smells, the colors…

But I would say the thing I miss most about summer is the freedom.  The freedom to go and do as you pleased.  Other than being home by sun down, there was little that stood in the way of my imagination and my desires.  As adults we have responsibilities, plans, details, tasks, etc… And for most of us there is no “summer break”.  The days and weeks just blend together into one long season.  But I keep those memories of childhood summers alive and well within me.  They always bring me a level of contentment to a sometimes weary soul.  I’m thankful for those times and for my family and friends who made them possible.  It’s my prayer that our kids today can create their own wonderful memories of summer.

Crap!  Is that the ice cream truck??!!  Gotta go…………….

"Mexican Standoff..."

They'll sit like that for hours...

Difficult Journey...

Believe it or not, life’s journey is really not a difficult one.  “Labor of love”, is there anyone who hasn’t heard that before?  Our passions and ambitions drive our actions and define who we are regardless of the personal costs.  Those challenges we face may require a lot from us (perseverance, dedication, compassion, some sweat), but we do them willingly and without a second thought.  We pursue those things that provide us a level of gratification and joy with little thought to the difficulty to achieve them.  And why is that?   Ownership…

So what do I mean by “own”? 

Committing yourself mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually to something, that’s ownership.  When driven by a passion, an ambition to achieve, the word “difficult” loses a lot of its luster.  Only those things that we don’t “own” can be looked upon as difficult.  When you’re tasked by someone to do something, those activities tend to be more difficult in our minds then when we’re off doing something purely for ourselves.  Hey, what kid enjoys mowing a lawn?  It’s not his lawn.  He might be getting paid to do it but it certainly isn’t something he wants to be doing. 

Ownership is connection…

Climbing that mountain may be physically and mentally challenging but that climber has an ownership to that challenge.  To the climber, ascending that mountain is one of many things that defines who he or she is.  They are compelled to take on that challenge because they are driven to do it.  To pursue that summit is an expression of one’s identity.  When you no longer feel that ownership, that connection to something, you lose the resolve to carry on.

If you don’t own that job, if you don’t own that relationship or personal goal, you’re doomed to failure, or at best, wallow in a life of mediocrity.  So, is life difficult?  You bet it is.  Everything is “difficult”, to some degree or another.  But what makes things difficult is how we perceive them.  If you’re truly passionate about something then what might seem like large obstacles to someone else will only appear to be small bumps in your road. 

So, what drives you?  What compels you?  What is your passion?

Couples...

You've got to admit, feels pretty nice to be a couple..

The Endless Forest...

 

"..all i can see is trees,
beautiful, majestice trees,
standing ever tall.

mayhap i shall stay here,
til the end of time,
in this endless forest."

Endless Forest by Deena Hardy