Timing Matters

I sometimes look around my domestic surroundings at what I've been inspired to put together after a chance encounter with a painting and am fascinated. That encounter was the spark! I could have never imagined this five years ago. What if I had began in my younger years? And to think it could have easily never happened if I had glanced to my left instead of to my right at that instant that I walked by the painting that caught my eye and caused me to pause for a moment ..... just to look. Had it been 30 minutes later or another day would it have had the same reaction? So many things are just matters of timing.

Count This!

Sounds like we aced the annual audit. Good results for much hurried effort the past few weeks. We initially thought that we were going to have two more months to prepare. Then it was, "SURPRISE!" .... You have a couple weeks instead. There was a frenzied moment or two where I had doubts, usually involving computers freezing or going down at timely moments, but thanks to several people who either amped up or adopted a grind it out attitude, we made it!! A good feeling to enjoy over the remainder of the weekend.

March Madness Ruminations

I love this Round One of "March Madness" when all the teams are alive and have hopes!! .... And it only gets crazier from there though there's already been a few moments that will be difficult to top.

I read where everyone that entered is already eliminated in the Warren Buffet, billion dollar bracket challenge. Most likely due to Mercer beating Duke in round one. They ought to let anyone who picked that one but lost out on another pick, have a second chance starting with round two ..... at least for a million dollars.

By the way, Mercer beating Duke .... I guess that's what often happens when you have a bunch of seniors playing a bunch of freshman hyped up superstars. It's still 22 and 23 year olds against 17 and 18 year olds. Who among us ever thought that we couldn't handle the younger kids in the neighborhood?

Not sure sometimes if I enjoy it more in my car on the radio or on television?

I watch these games and feel the temptation to play again. Then I remember my age and how long it's been since I last played. And how my knees felt after shooting just a few baskets at the playground with my niece. My days may be numbered. Though I did pump up my basketball last weekend and place it in my car. And I did in fact, drive to a local vacant playground intending to shoot around ..... but before I could hit the court, or even climb out of my car, a van drove up and dropped off two twelve year old kids with their own hoops dreams, which had the net result of squashing mine. I departed with the local record store destination in mind.

Back when I was a kid, UCLA dominated this tourney for years. There was rarely a challenge (or faint hope) from anyone else. Though North Carolina State did rise up to overcome the dynasty. No hope then of some unknown "mid-major" knocking off the top seed. It was total domination from beginning to end. UCLA and their full court press! From the Lew Alcindor through the Bill Walton years .... and the year or two in between. They just don't form dynasties like that anymore!! Also there was no three point line, no dunking (at some point), no "one and done" players and no eligibility to play Varsity until one's Sophomore year in school. And I'm pretty sure that the concept of TV timeouts by the dozens had yet to be dreamed up. Those were the days as I recall ..... Or were they?

The King of Misery

You know ..... They gave you a position of leadership. Yet you don't seem to understand what that involves. You get a little bent out of shape about some imagined slight or injustice done towards you and decide to pull the basketball equivalent of taking your ball and going home. You think that you'll stay away for a few days and "show us" but it actually makes for a nicer day for everyone when you're not around. And surprise, a much more productive day!!! It's incredible what can get done sometimes minus all the bitching and moaning. And no one is holding their breathe anticipating your return. You bring constant misery with you. Do you really enjoy sitting in that stew each day while it bubbles away non-stop? Don't you get tired of it after awhile? Do you have any idea what people are saying behind your back? Probably not since you seem to think every act is part of a conspiracy to make your life more difficult. But guess what? .... Most of us have much better things to do then to worry and plot about fueling your personality disorder.

At times like this, I find myself thinking that just maybe, after some time for reflection, you'll return from your self-imposed exile humbled and with a new outlook and maybe with a degree of humility. I suppose that's too much to hope for though.

Life 101

Take a chance again. It doesn't work out as hoped for. Retreat and heal. I don't know any other way. I swear never again, but it never works out that way. Eventually I blindly jump back in. Does that make me a fool? The alternative is to live inside a shell. There are those moments where that's preferable.

Transitions

Word of a high school classmate who passed away a couple days ago. That's three acquaintances, all about my age in three months. It causes one to stop for a few moments and consider their own mortality. You go along all your life thinking that dying is just the rare random occurrence in your world. Suddenly it no longer becomes rare or random. Will tomorrow bring news of another?

Key Notes

It's a strange feeling. I take my car in for an oil change and tire rotation, handing over my keys to the guy behind the counter. While waiting, I wander down the street for a little breakfast. Being key-less is like being naked out in public. Each time that I reach into my pocket and feel no keys, I go into a mini-panic as the initial reaction is that I've lost them. No amount of inner assurances beforehand seems to prepare me for that naked moment. I think that it's a flashback of sorts to the panic sensation felt when you actually lock your keys inside your car or home. You just never fully recover. It always seems to be lurking in the shadows waiting to rise up and strike again. Like life having a little fun with my emotions. The joke is always on me!!

I always make a point to savor and enjoy those initial moments following an oil change, complimentary car wash and other routine basic services. Combined with the same day pre-service dashboard and steering column wipe down, interior vacuuming, removal of assorted items of clutter and a liberal spritzing of air freshener and it always feels like I'm driving a brand new luxury car. It helps to ease the aching and tempting yearnings experienced after walking through a lot full of new automobiles.

I look at those new cars all lined up so shiny and neatly and it's extremely tempting. I don't want to commit to monthly payments ever again but I do start calculating the trade-in value of my car and how much of a hit my savings account would take if I just walked in and said: "I'll take that one!!" It's a spur-of-the-moment daze that I often have to be shaken out of.