19 July 2006

A Great Day

My brother's birthday was two days ago. Happy birthday bro, and many more! You're a great older bro!

Algae

Well, I'm not doing too well at keeping this updated....I guess I haven't done much except work recently. Anywho...
Let's talk about algae, found on rocks at the beach, in an aquarium, on the stems of the plant in my fishbowl and surprisingly enough, in the bottles that contain my drinking water. It has happened now in both my brita and in my other bottle. I can get rid of it no problem, but my question is, how did it get there in the first place. Any ideas? At least it's better than mold.

06 July 2006

True Confessions

Anyone who knew me during my early college days (the first 3 I think) and maybe my last year or two of high school, will know that I used to have a problem involving cars and poles. I had a tendency to hit one about once a year or so on the passenger side. Knowing my propensity for this egregious task, I was a bit leary of my parking space in my apartment complex, which two poles, both on that passenger side. Well, tonight, it finally happened. I cut it too close and rubbed the side of my car on the pole. To my surprise and great joy, I did not even dent the car, just a scratch on this black bar like thing that runs along the side of the car. They really knew how to make cars in the 80's!

The Dark Corner

I live on the top floor of an apartment building, and use the stairs (no elevator) to go to my house. Not that I would use an elevator at night, trapped with a stranger does not sound fun to me. Anyway, the outside lights of the apartment next door and by the stairs has a burned out light. So, as you walk up the stairs, it gets darker, and right at the corner, my breath always catches just a little with a tiny spurt of adrenaline, until I round the corner into the twilight of the dark to the light at my front door. Interesting way to return home for sure.

05 July 2006

Lessons from a Deer

I was driving home through the forest the other night, and came across a deer eating on the side of the road...kind of near the edge. It didn't move or look up, which is unusual for the skittishness deer usually show. I thought that it had to have a parrallel in life in some way, and the thought came to me. What would life be like if we could react that way to temptation...just ignore it and not even acknowledge that it is there. The world would definitely be a different place.

The 4th of July

I spent a great few days with my family in the mountains for the holiday. I had an interesting experience one the way up. I stopped in a town to get some gas and use the facilities, and had a flashback to when I was in Venezuela. I asked to use the bathroom, and the attendant said they had one but it was broken. I could use it, but the only way to flush it was to pour water down the toilet from a bucket. Since that was how we flushed in Venezuela, I told him that was fine. Totally surprised him, and when I came out we had a talk about people and places, and then he let me have my soda for free. I am definitely stopping there next time I go up to the mountains from here.

I also got to spend some time with my brother and his family. My neices are a crack up and are so fun to hang out with. I had a great time. I don't usually go to instrumental concerts in the park, but my neice asked if I would go and dance with her. Being a sucker for her and her sister, I went and had a great time. We played on the playground and ran around, made some new little friends and played tag and freeze tag. We must have run around for about an hour. It was so fun and refreshing too.

Kids have a tendency to say some interesting things. One night, my younger neice was saying goodnight and giving hugs, when our family friend, who is pregnant, asked if she wanted to feel the baby. My neice said no, and asked if it would come out. Joy said hopefully not yet, and my neice responded that it would one day and then they would both die, but not today. Um...right. We all just kind of stared for a minute, and then we realized she said it because of my aunt having died recently.

Anyway, I hope you had a great holiday sharing it with friends or family, and remembering those who are abroad ensuring our continued freedom.