Sep14
up.
Category Archives: Life
Sep13
you will never find any more loose change than you have already lost. – skarstad
close call
almost lost
my refund
windfall
and
wondering
how much
this
will
cost them
to
stop
payment
or
to
reissue
a
new check
for
nine cents
and
it’s
not really
making
any
cents
to
me
Sep12
if a window of opportunity appears, don’t pull down the shade. – tom peters
called a guy
to get a quote
to replace
two tiny windows
in my cottage
he came from
a national chain
friendly
salesy
schmoozy
trying hard
but
too
too
too
much
song and dance
and
it went on
and on
and on
he made me take a quiz
i just wanted
something
a
step
up
from
saran wrap
and
it didn’t
have to
be
able
to withstand
armageddon
he used
his special
infrared light
to demonstrate
the heat factor
all i wanted
was a clear piece
of glass
to keep out
snow
bugs
flying squirrels
and
large enough
to allow
a
friendly fireman
to
fit through
he had
no
sense of humor
and
was
nervous
and so
next
we
began
the
jumping
on the glass
test
the whole thing
took two hours
he made a series
of fake phone calls
to his office
to get me a
very special deal
and i waited
for his phone
to ring
while he was ‘calling’
then
i thanked him for his time
he packed up his things
headed out
with all
of his equipment
and i kind of
felt for him
called another guy
and
this guy
was
standing
at my door
when i opened it
a couple of days later
a gentle giant
with a smile
and
a handshake
my hand
disappeared
into
his bear claw
of a hand
he came in
sat down
asked me
what i wanted
measured my
two tiny windows
he was calm
told me about his daughter
how proud he was of her
almost a doctor
asked me
about
my own children
we laughed together
he used to build houses
now a window guy
guessed the age of my cottage
more than 100
he was right
gave me the price
a very good price
no frills
no quiz
no jumping
no lights
no calls
he was here for
a half hour
he will be back
to put
my
windows in
very soon
–
it’s about listening first, then selling.
– erik qualman
—
image credits: benderconstruction.com, drip book.com, bilingual monkey.com, izismile.com,mybaycity.com
Sep11
raindrops are the perfect lullaby.
with
the onset
of a new series
of storms
and
many more verses
it looks like
i could
be asleep
for quite some time
—
image credit: study of baby bunny sleeping, pencil on paper by gina matarazzo
Sep10
and at long last, the light has returned once more.
“In that distant beginning season, Sun Man’s warm magic flowed over all the land. Whenever he raised his arms, it was day. whenever he lowered them, it was night. The Bee People and the Elephant People and the Tic People loved the rhythm of Sun Man’s light. Their faces crinkled with pleasure in his heat.
But inside the dreamtime, Sun Man grew old. His back grew stiff and his knee joints ached. He rose later and later each morning. He napped soon after breakfast and went to bed in the afternoon.
“What’s going on here?” complained Grandfather Mantis. “I’m not getting heat anymore.” Grandfather Mantis sent the Bird People to find out. The Bird People returned, rumpled and solemn. Darkness was everywhere, even though it was supposed to be daytime. “Sun Man is getting old,” they explained. “This shining all the time is getting too much for him.”
“Well, I’m old,” snapped Grandfather Mantis. “Doesn’t stop me.”
His wife raised her eyebrows but said nothing.
― Carolyn McVickar Edwards, The Return of the Light
—
image credit: kyras.com
Sep9
“life itself is the best (and the only) timekeeper.” ― rasheed ogunlaru
as i head into
day 5
still
off the
power grid
the pace of life
has
slowed
days
spent
walking
writing
reading
thinking
bathing by candlelight
catching up with friends
in the coffee shop
on the street
with
neighbors
there is a natural rhythm to it all
waking with the return of the light
sleeping when the dark returns once more
it’s a peaceful and quiet existence
*
until
monday comes
and
i have to
wake up
in the pitch black
to go to school
there’s an art
to applying
makeup
by
flashlight
and
with
only
two hands
luckily
my loyal
carpool partner
has
promised
to alert me
if
my clothes are on backwards
or
anything looks dramatically amiss
and
i find
that
while
i
look
forward to the light
i
am
enjoying the calm
of the dark
—
wisely, and slow. they stumble that run fast.
William Shakespeare
—
image credit: maggielissel.com
Sep7
are the lights back on yet?
no
little one
not today
not tomorrow
may be a while
so
run and play
—
many thanks to aussie artist extraordinaire, jenni gray of art candy, for sharing this baby
and to the power company warriors who are working so hard to bring back the light.
Sep6
“you have to jump into disaster with both feet.” ― chuck palahniuk
worst walk ever
yesterday
on a very, very hot
late summer’s eve
humid as hell
headed out
on a
forced death march
downtown
all in the name
of being healthy
and
enjoying the city
at eye level
when i
noticed the signs
that i was headed
right
looked up
into a black cloudy sky
the air began to swirl
rain blew sideways
into my eyes
i had happened
into
a
wizard of oz
storm
somehow
and
made a decision
to head on back
lightning flashed
a mile to go
put my phone
in my shorts
to save my connection
to the world
i-pod
deep in my pocket
to save the music
people running
kind of scary
as i
quickly
transformed
into
an
unwitting
wet t-shirt contestant
cut through the park
ran into wall
of construction
turned around
shortcut down street
closed off
for resurfacing
finally made it
home to the cottage
nacho the cat not the food
was outside and missing
flipped on light
to put key in door
no light
opened door
pitch black
only light
came from my eyes
power out
fumbled for flashlight
apparently it is a 1910 model
didn’t have much effect
on the darkness
so, so sweaty
and
rain sodden
no hot shower
cell phone
powering off
internet gone
decided
only thing to do
was go to bed
stumbled up the dark stairs
still no cat
still no light
room was 157 degrees
or so
no fan
no air
heard sirens
fire department
on my street
buzzing
flashes of electric light
couldn’t just lay
on the bed
naked
and
fall asleep
in all my glory
trying
to cool things down a bit
had to be on high alert
kept the teva’s on
shorts, shirt
ready to flee
at a
moment’s notice
drifted off
dreaming of a better day to come..
woke up this morning
bright and cool
nacho the cat not the food
came home
to the cottage
police tape
decorated
the town
transformers blown
power lines down
mighty trees
toppled
car
in garage
at mercy
of electric opener
walked
back downtown
to a
friendly coffee shop
read
and
wrote
and
talked to other
blackout neighbors
and
had
a
very, very, very
large
coffee
power company
estimates
i will
have power
restored
by
wednesday
night
at 11:30
or so
—
“the major difference between a thing that might go wrong
and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong
is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong
it usually turns out to be impossible to get at or repair”
– douglas adams
—
credits: planetcurioso.com, new line cinema
Sep5
one child’s teddy bear is another’s stuffed virus.
by far the most unique cuddly toy brought in by one of our kindergarteners today
Pneumonia (Streptococcus pneumonia) Educational Plush Toy
‘Those big cute eyes betray a deadly virus – pneumonia kills a lot of people each year.
Ask your doc about it.’
yikes
—
and the company’s sales’s pitch:
‘Giant Microbes And Viruses Plush Toys Make Great Stuffed Animals Gifts
Just in time for flu season… Or in time to educate people about other nasty viruses and microbes…
Do you ever think about what those viruses and bacteria look like? They may make us sick every now and then – and hopefully not too sick (or too often). Whether you have a case of the sniffles or a bout of the “stomach flu” – there’s usually a bug behind it.’
‘And as it turns out, some of them are awfully cute, at least in their stuffed animal plush toy versions! The folks from Giant Microbes have created a whole line-up of the tiny guys – blew them up to about 1 Million times their “normal” size, and turned them into some of the cutest plush animals around.
Whether you want giant plush viruses or bacteria, or whether you want any one of a whole bunch of other micro-organisms, they’ve got you covered.’
—-
“remember when you used to sleep with all of your stuffed animals as a child
so none of them would be jealous?”
– unknown author
—
credits: squidoo.com, giant microbes and viruses plush toys
Sep4
“the world is a playground, and life is pushing my swing.” – n. kocsis
if you need to reach me,
you can find me here with my people later today
I didn't have my glasses on.... 