Wednesday, June 28, 2006

The Magic Hour

No, this is not an piece about the old Magic Johnson talk show! It's 3:34 a.m.- I have read that the hours between something like 3 and 5 a.m. are the "God Hours" or the "Magic Hours". Apparently, it's a very creative time for a lot of people. The freaks who can't sleep like the rest of the world.

Normally, I CAN sleep. And I LOVE to sleep. But when I wake up in the middle of the night tossing and turning and unable to fall back asleep, it feels miserable. So when I read about this potential MAGIC, I decided the next time I woke up during these hours, I would get up and create!!

I had invisioned it like this: I would wake up, get out my guitar, start noodling around with it, and very soon a brilliant song would unfold that was so easily coerced from my subconcious- It would be magical.

But my house is small. And at this hour, quiet! And I can't seem to feel free to do much guitar playing, singing, or songwriting when I feel I should be whispering.

So instead, I worked a little on my latest book review, which I now do for the Diddly News. And now, here I am. It's not feeling like Magic, and it's not feeling like God. So I guess I'll try reading, and then hopefully going back to sleep soon so I don't feel like something very unmagical, and extremely un-God like tomorrow.

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

It's Not Always Fun, But I Love It

Yesterday on my jog, an older man rode up beside me on his bicycle. He was going at a nice leisurely pace. He turned to me and said, "You make that look so easy and fun."
I responded, "Well, thank you for saying so!"
And then as he passed, he yelled out, "So...is it fun?"
All I had time and breath to answer was, "NOOOO". But "no" without further explanation is misleading. So now that my run is over, and I've got my breath back, please, let me finish.

Is it fun? Am I out there just having a great time as I pound out my miles each day? Well, fun isn't the word. But do I love it? YES!
My favorite part of my run is usually the very last few steps of it. But I like the discipline of running. I like the accomplishment of running a long run on a hot day. I never, ever have thought, "I wish I hadn't wasted my time on that run!"

I know the value of my runs. They keep my head pretty clear. They keep my heart healthy. And they show me that I'm a pretty tough cookie! And so whether or not I'm having FUN isn't what it's all about.

I bet that's how a lot of people feel about their jobs. The lucky ones. Maybe they aren't having a blast, but they take pride in it and they love what they do.

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

One thing that drives me CRAZY is when I see shopping carts just sitting (or rolling by themselves!) out in a parking lot. Sometimes, the place where you’re suppose to return them gets full and people are too lazy to take them back up to the store. And even worse- sometimes, people just leave them right by a car and don’t even bother to push them to one of the cart holders. Meanies. I’ve always wanted to catch someone in that sick little act of leaving the cart out where it then becomes someone else’s job to deal with it.

And I finally got my chance! The other day, while my husband ran into Sports Authority, I waited in the car. I watched as a mother and her somewhere around 20 year old daughter unloaded their Linens and Things shopping cart. They had my full attention because their cart was so full that I wondered how they were going to fit all this stuff into the trunk of their little Mercedes. Once they opened the trunk,it was clear this had been a full day of shopping. I was thinking to myself, “Is this girl getting her first apartment?” She had everthing from a toaster to a mop. They crammed as much stuff in the trunk as they could fit. Then they put the rest in the back seat. Then the mom pushed the cart into the parking space between our car and another one. I was pretty appalled. I wanted to say something. But they quickly got in their car and started up the engine.

Just then, a gust of wind (God?!) blew and their abandoned cart began rolling toward the "other" car. HONK!!!! I figured hearing a loud honking horn would call their attention to the chaos they had created. But it didn’t. I jumped out of my car and ran up to their window, pushing the cart right up to their door. They looked at me as if I was crazy.

“Did you realize the cart you left there was just about to blow into that car!!!” They rolled down their window, but just starred. So I continued, “Can you put this where it belongs so it doesn’t hurt any cars?” The daughter looked so put off, glanced over to her mom and said, “I told you to put it up”, (that's cool, blame it on the mom!) then she sighed a big “I’m annoyed by you, lady” sigh at me and pushed the cart all the way up to the store.

I got back into our car. I realized my heart was racing. I was really riled up by this whole exchange. I never consciously decided to jump out and reprimand these ladies. It just happened.

The daughter returned less than a minute later, got in her Mercedes and drove off, probably bad-mouthing me as she pulled off. That’s cool. She can blame me, the whistle blower. Maybe to her I’m just some lame lady pointing a crooked little finger at her but I think she just might have been annoyed enough to push the cart back without anyone having to ask her next time.

Shopping Cart MADNESS!!!

One thing that drives me CRAZY is when I see shopping carts just sitting (or rolling by themselves!) out in a parking lot. Sometimes, the place where you’re suppose to return them gets full and people are too lazy to take them back up to the store. And even worse- sometimes, people just leave them right by a car and don’t even bother to push them to one of the cart holders. Meanies. I’ve always wanted to catch someone in that sick little act of leaving the cart out where it then becomes someone else’s job to deal with it.

And I finally got my chance! The other day, while my husband ran into Sports Authority, I waited in the car. I watched as a mother and her somewhere around 20 year old daughter unloaded their Linens and Things shopping cart. They had my full attention because their cart was so full that I wondered how they were going to fit all this stuff into the trunk of their little Mercedes. Once they opened the trunk,it was clear this had been a full day of shopping. I was thinking to myself, “Is this girl getting her first apartment?” She had everthing from a toaster to a mop. They crammed as much stuff in the trunk as they could fit. Then they put the rest in the back seat. Then the mom pushed the cart into the parking space between our car and another one. I was pretty appalled. I wanted to say something. But they quickly got in their car and started up the engine.

Just then, a gust of wind (God?!) blew and their abandoned cart began rolling toward the "other" car. HONK!!!! I figured hearing a loud honking horn would call their attention to the chaos they had created. But it didn’t. I jumped out of my car and ran up to their window, pushing the cart right up to their door. They looked at me as if I was crazy.

“Did you realize the cart you left there was just about to blow into that car!!!” They rolled down their window, but just starred. So I continued, “Can you put this where it belongs so it doesn’t hurt any cars?” The daughter looked so put off, glanced over to her mom and said, “I told you to put it up”, (that's cool, blame it on the mom!) then she sighed a big “I’m annoyed by you, lady” sigh at me and pushed the cart all the way up to the store.

I got back into our car. I realized my heart was racing. I was really riled up by this whole exchange. I never consciously decided to jump out and reprimand these ladies. It just happened.

The daughter returned less than a minute later, got in her Mercedes and drove off, probably bad-mouthing me as she pulled off. That’s cool. She can blame me, the whistle blower. Maybe to her I’m just some lame lady pointing a crooked little finger at her but I think she just might have been annoyed enough to push the cart back without anyone having to ask her next time.

Saturday, June 17, 2006

Why No Posts???

I haven't posted a blog in about a week. And it's not because I haven't wanted to. Believe me, I have. I would've written at least one every couple of days, because I've had so much to say lately.

My webhost has had all sorts of problems. It's funny, I've had my site for about 3 years now. It wasn't until I just renewed my contract that it started being a big headache in my little world. I get so frustrated because I have enough trouble with technical stuff when all I have to worry about it my own screw-ups! Once I also have to take their's into account it gets very, very ugly.

This past week, my email wouldn't work, my blog page went missing, and so did my burning question page!!!

I'm sure all webhosts have problems. And for people with businesses/websites that actually bring in money, this could REALLY be a problem. For me, it's just a bummer...

Why No Posts???

I haven't posted a blog in about a week. And it's not because I haven't wanted to. Believe me, I have. I would've written at least one every couple of days, because I've had so much to say lately.

My webhost has had all sorts of problems. It's funny, I've had my site for about 3 years now. It wasn't until I just renewed my contract that it started being a big headache in my little world. I get so frustrated because I have enough trouble with technical stuff when all I have to worry about it my screw-ups!

This past week, my email wouldn't work, my blog page went missing, and so did my burning question page!!!

I'm sure all webhosts have problems. And for people with businesses/websites that actually bring in money, this could REALLY be a problem. For me, it's just a bummer...

Friday, June 9, 2006

Blue Skies for....ME

The last few days, I've been on a roll of bad luck it seems. I think it actually may have started about a week ago when my dog, Scout, had diarrhea all over my yoga mat. I rememember, besides being pretty grossed out during the clean up, thinking to myself, "What does this mean?" Maybe it was a little warning that I had some "stuff" that was going to come my way that I didn't want to have to deal with but that I couldn't ignore. Maybe it was the universe saying "Shit happens. Sometimes it's ugly but you just gotta do your best to clean it up!"

I won't get into my whole woe-is-me-here's-what's happened ranting because that is certainly NOT my point here. I know when things aren't going right, the mind works it over, trying to come up with a solution. At first, there is resistance. "There is NO answer and no way to solve this problem." But once the subconcious has a chance to calm the rest of you down, you start coming up with some possible solutions.

This morning on my run, I think I finally heard some of the right answers I was looking for. "Calm down and put this stuff in perspective." I think I've been creating a lot of my own drama. The things happening were just...things happening. It was the way I was negatively obsessing over them that was probably the main problem. I started to calm down. I started to be in touch with that whole idea of "This will not be important in 5 years." (And honestly, that can be cut down to more like 5 weeks!) And then with my IPOD on random shuffle, it chose just the right song, as it often does. Blue Skies for Everyone by Bob Schneider. Here are the lyrics:

Spit on the ground hold your breath
Try and scare yourself to death
Bury your bones under the dirt
Tear your heart out rip your shirt
Stomp your feet in disgust
Curse the gray sky if you must
But you'll find when you are done
They'll be blue skies for everyone

Drink your wine break your heart
Give up the race before you start
Drop your drawers roll around
Burn your house right to the ground
Go to sleep hit your head
Scream until your face is red
And you'll find when you are done
They'll be blue skies for everyone

Blue skies & setting suns
Cherry pies & bubblegum
Lullabies to come undone
Blue skies for everyone

So get right down on your luck
Spin your wheels until you're stuck
Wring the blood out let it dry
Stick a needle in your eye
Dry your tears and drop your drink
Let me tell you what I think
I think you'll find when you get done
They'll be blue skies for everyone

Sometimes it feels right to have the fit, to throw the tantrum, to just wallow in the crap. But once you're done and you're ready to move on you can see all the good stuff again.

Tuesday, June 6, 2006

Whatever Became of NO TV Week?

I had written a blog at the beginning of my "No TV Week" and thought I'd be writing about how hard it was and withdrawals I was suffering without my daily fix. But alas, it was really nothing to write home about, or for that matter nothing much to write a blog about. It wasn't tempting, perhaps because the basketball games seem to be the only current tv current shows and I'm just not a fan. (But if I were, of course, I'd be screaming at the top of my lungs, "GO MAVS!")

There are certain shows I love to watch...The Office, Intervention, occasionally Oprah, and sometimes Larry King. For the most part, I never feel like I've wasted my time and gained nothing from the shows I watch. UNLESS, once the show I meant to watch ends I I just start clicking around to find SOMETHING because it was all so fun and I want the good times to continue without me having to really put forth any effort. Then I'll find some re-run of Dharma and Greg, and oddly, I get sucked in. The next thing you know, I'm onto We Love the 80s. Then it becomes sick.

So what I've learned from this "No Tv Week" experience is just to CONSCIOUSLY choose my tv programs. Just as I do what I choose to read. And who I hang out with. If I'm just wanting to zone out, that's just fine up to a point, but after 30 minutes, it's probably better spent sleeping. Or looking out a window and daydreaming.

Last night I knew I wanted to see Mary Kay Laturno and her ex-6th-grade-student-now-husband on Larry King. Once it was over, I knew that was all I had wanted to watch and said NO MORE. I didn't actually say "No More", I just turned off the tv. This is the new and improved Kerri, all because of my experiment with no TV for a week.

Thursday, June 1, 2006

Two Small Words


I run most days at White Rock Lake. It's how my day starts. Before I'm awake enough to know what is happening, or talk myself out of anything, I throw on my running gear, get out the door and hit the road. I could write a lot of blogs about what I've learned from my runs and how much it means to me that I am A RUNNER.

Here's just a quick little story about my run today:

I was on the final 10 minutes of my 1 hour run. It was muggy, I was sweating like a pig. My IPOD was in between songs so I was able to not only see, but to hear the friendly biker who waves whenever I see him. Today, he was more than just "the waver", he was my coach! After saying "on your left", as all polite passers do, he said "NICE PACE" Nice pace? Me? At the end of my run?

Well! Thank you sir! Those two little words I was lucky enough to hear today made me feel so good. Just two simple words of encouragement just exactly when I needed them. All the sudden, yes!, I think I did have a pretty good pace, maybe just because he said so!