Changing

The landfill is where I figured out one of my main philosophies -- that everybody alive is basically in the process of changing out their old stuff for different stuff. Day in, day out.

~ Barbara Kingsolver

- - - - -

For some people, this is true of relationships, too. Trading partners or friends. Constantly trying to "upgrade" for better people. I don't think you should treat people like things.

(pause)

I just accidentally typed, "I don't think you should treat people like friends."

(pause)

Maybe that's all you really need to know about me.

Almost

The road to success and the road to failure are almost exactly the same.

~ Colin R. Davis

- - - - -

So, bayous are found mostly in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas, according to my extensive research. This photo was taken in Maine. Now, in the scheme of space in the universe, I guess we were almost to the bayou. In the scheme of maps I use, we really weren't.

 

Renewal

Things are always better in the morning.

~ Harper Lee

- - - - -
 

On a trip where I was trying to unplug and regroup, I had an important conversation with Leslie. I had gotten up very early the first morning and looked at my work email. I was frustrated with myself.

Leslie said, "Every day is a chance to start over. In fact, every moment is a new start."

I needed to hear that. She says the right thing at the right time a lot of times.

Sometimes she doesn't, but if I list those, then this post loses the tone of kindness I'm going for here.

Trucks

I didn't wait for luck. I tore after it with a truck.

~ A. A. Bell

- - - - -

Trucks do a lot of things. They fight fires. They bring ice cream. They dump things. They carry things without dumping them.

Rocks

"It isn't fair," she said. A stone hit her on the side of the head.

~ Shirley Jackson

- - - - -

I read something recently that you shouldn't stack rocks. The scientists quoted said you are disturbing an ecosystem when you stack stones - even if you put them back. I agree completely. That time I lifted a rock and there was a guy living on it... He was NOT happy. I won't be doing that again.

Favor

He decided in favor of life out of sheer spite and malice.

~ Patrick Suskind

- - - - -

So, you can do a favor for someone - a kindness. Or you can look like someone - likeness. Or you can do a favor for someone who favors you - nepotism.

Maybe don't do so much of that last one.

Bright

In this bright future, you can't forget your past.

~ Bob Marley

- - - - -

I am lucky to know a lot of pretty bright people. They give me interesting things to think about. It would be cool if they gave me tons of money, too, but I'll take interesting things to think about if that's what I can get, I guess.

Signs

My position has always been that the way people age and the signs that we show of aging are nature's way of tattooing. It's natural scarification, and the life you lead gives you the symbols and the emblems of your life, the road map you followed.

~ Frances McDormand

- - - - -

I don't think most signs in life are cryptic or mysterious. I think if you pay attention, not only will you see them, but you will understand what they are trying to tell you. 

This isn't always the case. One time there was a package of something - Twinkies? Dish sponges? I forget. Anyway, the sign said, "Now in four-packs. Buy three and get one free!" I asked the cashier if I could just have the free one. They said no.

So... some signs are mysterious, I guess. 
 

Ago

The beginning of my interest dates back to a long time ago...

~ unknown student

- - - - -

Me, too, student. Me, too.

Consultation

There is a wisdom in children, a kind of knowing, a kind of believing, that we, as adults, do not have.

~ Adam Gidwitz

- - - - -

I learn and relearn things from children all of the time. Like when Zak said, "Want me to show you how I can hack Papa's phone?" and I said I did. He asked to borrow my phone. 

When Kirk came back to the table, he declared in a frustrated tone, "My phone only communicates in Portuguese now!"

Zak smiled at me and then talked Kirk through how to resolve the issue. 

Of course, ever since I let Zak use my phone, I have felt guilty about that trick I helped him play on Kirk. Well, not guilty, exactly. It is more a sense of outrage because I can't turn off the flashlight anymore, and the alarm on my phone is now just a long string of profanities. 
 

Nicole

I have a different approach. I don't file lawsuits because I really don't care.

~ Nicole Kidman

- - - - -

I hope that's true since I sold her house without asking.

 

Wishes

If there's a single lesson that life teaches us, it's that wishing doesn't make it so.

~ Lev Grossman

- - - - -

If there's another lesson that life teaches us, it's that we can't make it so without first wishing for it.

Peachoid

Artwork by Milly Green

Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.

~ Pablo Picasso

- - - - -

My friend Milly sent me a drawing of Leslie and me in front of the peachoid. My wonderful friend Amanda included an exchange she and Milly had while Milly was creating the art.

Milly: Mom?

Me: Yeah?

Milly: Do you think they knew how much that water tower looks like a butt when they took this picture?

It really does look like a butt.

And, yes. Yes, we knew, Milly. And I'm glad that photo gave you a reason to draw a butt.

Rice

I don't want to throw rice

I want to throw rocks at her...

~ Dolly Parton

- - - - -

Once upon a time, there was a film director. He really wanted to hire a real rock band to star in his film. He reached out to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards - who happened to be vacationing in his town. They were amenable, but had to talk it over with the rest of the band.

The director was incredibly excited. He went to the film's producer who was NOT excited about the idea. The producer said, "We don't want to be casting Stones." 

The director quit and worked for a different producer.

 

Sun

Your days are numbered. Use them to throw open the windows of your soul to the sun. If you do not, the sun will soon set, and you with it.

~ Marcus Aurelius

- - - - -

If we counted our days the way dogs do, then we would be less focused on counting and more focused on living. Mainly because dogs don't know how to count.
 

Magic

I am a great admirer of mystery and magic. Look at this life - all mystery and magic.

~ Harry Houdini

- - - - -

I think these are Zak's favorite pants. He wears them a lot. I also think they might be magic because it is almost like Zak is floating along instead of walking. 

The world is magic. At least the kid parts of the world.

Dog

Did you know there are over 300 words for "love" in canine?

~ Gabrielle Zevin

- - - - -

People think they're all clever when they say things like, "Dog spelled backwards is God." 

Oh. Okay, Penelope. Also, poodle spelled backward is el doop. What about that?

 

Abandoned

Old houses, I thought, do not belong to people, ever, not really, people belong to them.

~ Gladys Taber

- - - - -

If you're out driving around and you see a cool-looking empty building, don't go in there. It isn't yours. And when you leave, a couple of weirdos in a truck might try to chase you down and accuse you of dumping a litter of kittens at the house. 

I dunno. It could happen.

Mountains

How glorious a greeting the sun gives the mountains!

~ John Muir

- - - - -

One day the mountain greeted the sun, "Good morning, my friend. How are you today?"

The sun smiled at this, as the mountain was not always friendly in the morning.

"I am fine, my friend. How are you?"

"Lousy! Thanks for reminding me!" the mountain growled and then spit at the sun, for this was not a mountain, but a volcano!

The thing is, the sun isn't afraid of volcanoes. Ultimately, when volcanoes erupt, they burn themselves first and most.

There's an important lesson here. I don't know what it is, but it's here somewhere.

Priorities

Action expresses priorities.

~ Mahatma Gandhi

- - - - -

Priority means coming before, but starting in the 1400s, it started meaning most important. Today it means cell phones.

Glorious

Just because you didn't put a name to something did not mean it wasn't there.

~ Jodi Picoult

- - - - -

Gloria wanted to call her diner "Glorious Diner," but everyone was an asshole and said that was a stupid name. So she moved away and opened her diner in another town. The food was terrible, but the name was "Glorious".

Milestones

The moments between your milestones are not filler.

~ Nelou Keramati

- - - - -

This is my 5,000th blog post. I started this blog when I was struggling as an outlet to make space for my random observations and a place to share my photos.

Who is this blog for, you ask? This is for me. I just let others eavesdrop on my brain. 

Cow

A cow's heaven is a flower's idea of hell.

~ Oliver Gaspiritz

- - - - -

The calf looked up at his mother and said, "I am a great leader." 

His mother, who loved him very much, said, "You could be, but right now, you are just a baby."

The calf thought about this and said, "So, I'm just a boy. I'm a cowboy! Yee-haw! Howdy, howdy, howdy!"

His mother, who loved him slightly less than before, said, "Not everyone is a leader. It is important to have good followers in the world, too." 

Learning

I'd rather learn from one bird how to sing than teach ten thousand stars how not to dance.

~ e. e. cummings

- - - - -

Hm. I think most of us would rather learn how to sing than kill the vibe of a bunch of stars. Other things I'd rather do include:

I'd rather learn from a dolphin how to swim than stop all puppies from wagging their tails.

I'd rather learn from one butterfly how to fly than stop all the kangaroos from hopping around.

I'd rather learn from a squirrel how to climb a tree than extinguish the sun - which would kill me. And the squirrel. And the tree.

Bird

Every bird, every tree, every flower reminds me what a blessing and privilege it is just to be alive.

~ Marty Rubin

- - - - -

If someone wants to give me the bird, it might be weird, but I hope they flip me off with their finger because do I look like an estuary to you?! (pause) I mean, do I look like an aviary to you?!

(pause)

Stop laughing at me.

(pause)

Fine, if you're going to laugh at me, take this (I hand you an osprey). Who's laughing now, jerk?

Doughnut

With a doughnut in each hand, anything is possible.

~ Jameela Jamil

- - - - -

Anything except helping someone move a piano, but you didn't really want to do that anyway.

Judgment

Art knows no prejudice. Art knows no boundaries. Art doesn't really have judgment in its purest form. So just go. Just go.

~ k. d. lang

- - - - -

There are times, on rare occasions, when it's okay to judge a book by its cover. 

Egg

Probably one of the most private things in the world is an egg until it's broken.

~ M. F. K. Fisher

- - - - -

If an egg is not only broken but then splattered on a wall somewhere, not only is it not private, it, in fact, but also becomes something of a eggsposition. 

Robots

Our robot overlords are coming regardless, but I'm not going to hold the door open for them.

~ Catherine Ryan Howard

- - - - -

Me: What do you think of when I say "polar robot"?

Chat GPT: When I hear the term "polar robot," I think of a robot specifically designed to work in polar environments such as the Arctic or Antarctic regions. These robots are typically designed with specialized sensors, instruments, and mobility features that enable them to navigate through icy terrain, withstand extreme cold temperatures, and gather scientific data and samples for research purposes. Robots can range from small, agile rovers to larger, more complex machines like icebreakers and submarines, depending on the tasks they are designed to perform.

Me: So, you don't think of a robot that looks like half machine and half polar bear?

Chat GPT: No. No, I do not think of that.

Done

I don't stop when I'm tired. I only stop when I'm done.

~ Marilyn Monroe

- - - - - 

That's where Marilyn Monroe and I are different. I stop sometimes when I'm tired.

(pause)

Really, that's the only difference between the two of us.