Dear Universe,

Thank you.

As you know, I had a very loooooooong two weeks, prepping and working the biggest tradeshow of the business year. And I'm tired. I was supposed to take Monday off to recuperate, but CBL couldn't do without me. As such, I'm REALLY tired.

This a.m. I felt too tired to even move. Woke up out of a bad dream an hour before the alarm went off and - due to kitties being hungry - could not go back to sleep.

By the time I got in the shower, I was literally crying I was so exhausted.

Just a few minutes later, my work phone rang. Amazing Database Administrator. A firestorm was brewing and he wanted to run his response by me. And, as always, in the process he made me laugh.

And realize once again just how many blessings I have.

So, Universe, thanks for having my back.

Knot Tying Demonstration And Class With Gardy Winchester Video

This post practically wrote itself:

"Little brown eel comes out of the cave... Swims into the hole... Comes out of the hole... Goes back into the cave again... It's not too good is it Chief?"

What are you, Captain Knots? Capt. Tying Knots? Anyone needs a knot tied they go to you."

PS - this awesome guy saved my computer from death. Weird weird world....

PSS - Props to Capt Joey for recording and posting this.

TMI

I went for an early morning bike ride this a.m.

Because I was not thinking clearly whilst purchasing my new bike, I forgot to add in a bottle clip. So drinkage is difficult while cycling.

Ergo, I usually stop at the Rockport General Store and down a Gatorade before tackling the second half of my route.

Today, an old salty seadog followed me right into the store. Feeling rather spritely, I noted that "it's way too hot to be wearing coveralls."

He grinned at me - several teeth missing - and gave me a wink. "You'd be surprised. They let the air ... circulate."

OK - I know I invited that one. But really? Ew!

"Therapy Speech"

It's kind of a joke among many of my friends that, when one is in therapy for awhile, one develops "therapy speech.' (or, as Sheldon on BBT would say, "one can also get beat up in high school for referring to oneself as "one"...) Therapy speech is basically using the language of talk therapy in everyday life where, unfortunately, not everyone is so blessed or priveleged as you and is not currently "In Treatment."

Today, I caught myself using therapy speech. A friend asked me how things were going.

"Pretty good. I had a bit of a backslide this weekend, but I realized it, acknowledged it, found my center again and forgave myself for forgetting myself momentarily."

OK - maybe it's not QUITE as corny as that. But still, it is pretty corny.

Which is why it amazes me so much that it works.

I really did see myself backsliding this weekend. After a week of 24x7 CBL and "team bonding" with the work group, I pretty much felt emotionally ambushed. That on top of a really insane travel schedule and I was in danger of losing sight of the me that is me.

But, I managed to wake up this a.m., recite my mantra in the shower (hey, that way the roomie can't hear it) and take the steps I need to take to take care of myself.

Including bringing a travel alarm clock to the office to make sure I don't miss yoga!

So, it sounds new age, fluffy bunny, touchy feely, but this stuff works.

And, then, of course, I took an amazing yoga class where the instructor assisted me no less than three times. We did lots of poses that I can easily do (encouraging) and many poses I need to work on (challenging) and managed to hit a great balance so I walked out of there glowing.

And I've got a bike ride planned for the a.m. Altho - if I'm as sore tomorrow as I was last Tuesday, maybe more yoga is what the doctor orders...

Damn Leftist Elitists

So, I'm almost halfway through Team Bonding Extravaganza 2010 Part One. I hate this shit. I like some of the people I work with. I love some of the people I work with. I hate some of the people I work with. And others? Well, it's wicked complicated.

(And yes, I know there are many dangling participles in the previous 'graph. Deal.)

So this Group Hug shit drives me wicked crazy.

Regardless. Or irregardless. (They mean the same thing btw.) We all went to Blue Man Group tonite. Just so happens I wind up sitting next to CBL.

Not going to pretend the show wasn't mesmerizing. The "actors" were phenomenal. And even though the show was a visual and aural extravaganza, I also was really blown away by the social and metaphorical commentary the show offered.

Or maybe that was just me.

Because CBL sat there and laughed and giggled at the silly bits and couldn't seem to understand why I was disturbed at some bits or gleeful at others.

So, yes, I spent a lot of the show evaluating and comparing my reaction to the performance to the reaction of those around me. Which, I guess, is pretty Meta. And I guess I'm still on the fence about whether this is a good thing or bad thing.

But I do know that it made me realize I am glad that I have friends who could go out for coffee with me after this show and discuss/debate the meaning behind the cool drumming, the boggling blacklight effects, the atmospheric use of audience participation, A community to evaluate the commentary on decadence/consumerist nature of society, the duality of seeing and being seen, the effects of conformity and non-conformity, and the commercialization of art.

Because CBL thought it was just really funny to see a bunch of guys force feeding Cap'n Crunch.

I saw an expose on the commercialization and devaluation of consumption and the loss of communal values.

Does this make me a damn elitist? Probably. Am I glad that it does? Probably. But the jury is still out on the issue...