Best Workout Ever

Tonight I had the most awesome opportunity to play pillow polo with the high school kids. There was running, jumping, crashing, wall collisions, tackling, smacking, ball attacking, clobbering, whacking balls, slipping, falling, ball busting (sorry guys!), gut poking, screaming, sweating, squealing and laughing. This is quite possibly the best game ever to be played. And play we did for 2 hours straight. If you played this game everyday or even 2-3 times a week you'd be in phenomenal shape.

Best highlight: Josiah (Jeremiah Center Director's son) getting smacked in the nuts, bending over with a look of sheer pained horror on his face and turning white pale as he tried to "shake it off."

Plus I got to get to know some of the high schoolers. I'm teaching for them next week. Probably going to address identity and knowing yourself. Truthfully, I'm mostly just pumped for pillow polo!!

Confectious Disease

This afternoon was spent in a food coma on Libby's couch in Pasadena, CA. After consuming couscous flavored with pearl onions, sundried tomatoes, ripe tomatoes, currants, lime and basil and a huge cup full of beef stew, the next 2 hours were a blur in and out of sleepy consciousness. Libby returned post class and she shared some bizarre stories of recent connections with people from long ago. Whilst she was gone to tutor a kid, I putted around the apartment, downloaded some music and swept the floor.

While working on my computer I looked down at my hand to notice a brown smudge. It smelled of chocolate. As I itched my forehead trying to imagine how this could be, I noticed a huge line of chocolate on my left hand. Fearing it was all over my face I went to the bathroom mirror. Face clean, however shirt with large chocolate blob. Even more dismayed than before I cleaned up my hands and shirt. Looking down to my pants I found yet more chocolate. Feeling remorse for having looked at the chocolate bowl earlier and now wondering if that caused some kind of strange attraction of chocolate to my body, I began questioning if I had blacked out and missed some period of time when I consumed chocolate and proceeded to get it all over myself. Remember no time when this happened, I cleaned off the bottom of my computer and sat back down on the couch.

Is it possible that if you don't eat chocolate when you see it in a bowl it will later attack you? Is there such a thing as a confectious disease which causes chocolate to appear on your body in odd places without your consent or knowing it? Someone explain this mystery to me....

Three Cups of Tea

Tonight I devote my blog to the social phenomenon of coffee and tea drinking. Both are truly addictions. Cafes provide open community meeting space. For the most part, gone are the days when community was formed in the streets as kids played games. It's absolutely fascinating to observe how people combat the loneliness and lack of human contact technology creates. Local cafes are now my 2nd office. Honestly, if you're in the people business, why not go where the people are?

Where have my 3 cups taken me today?

Cup #1 delivered calming comfort and fidget prevention during my meeting with Paul today. It's nice to have something to keep my hands busy and taking a drink always gives you a chance to think questions over before answering. I suspect this is why offices are outfitted with coffee and everyone is always encouraging you to "have something to drink." It's a buffer for awkwardness and slow/delayed brain processing.

Cup #2 was a delightfully refreshing Iced Pomegranate Red Tea. That cup helped me get a start on the evaluation and to reconfigure my taxes after having completely skipped a worksheet which increased my federal refund by about $5. When I redid the state taxes the $5 was taken back. Easy come, easy go. Coffee and tea provide motivation and energy for finishing projects. That cup also allowed me to overhear the story of a woman sitting nearby as she told her friend about working through an abusive relationship with her previous husband. I'm continually amazed at the conversations people will have in a cafe. Such a public piece of property is magically transformed into a personal, private confessional where people feel open to speak about whatever is on their mind. All this is done with a couple cups of coffee and/or tea. Humans are excessively creative in how they create personal space in a public area.

I'm on cup #3 at the moment. This one is Ginger Peach Black Tea. It's also pouring outside so I'm trying to make this lukewarm cup last as long as possible in the hopes that I will not be drenched on my way to the car. This cup is helping me work through my 6 mo. evaluation that probably should have been sent in about a month ago. My excuse is that Easter got in the way. In-between creative responses to poorly worded questions I am compiling two new playlists: one for the car ride when I leave WA and one to leave with Paul and all the people I love at Trinity. Hopefully when they hear those songs they'll think fondly of me. The playlist is by far the more important task compared to the evaluation. This cup has afforded me the opportunity to connect with the young girl who sold me the cup of tea. She ventured outside in the pouring rain to take down the umbrellas on the outdoor tables. As she pulled the catch out of the first one, water doused her. When she asked if I was laughing at her I said through the glass "You're very brave!" A brief connection that will probably not be remembered by either of us in the near future, but a moment of time to feel slightly less disconnected and isolated on this Earth.

Where could 3 cups of coffee/tea take you?

Death By Cereal

It's official. I have fallen prey to the comforts that sugary cereals can offer. Imagine with me the possibilities.

• It's late at night and your tummy rumbles. You don't want something heavy because you'll be going to bed soon. If you don't eat something your stomach will keep you up all night. What's light, tasty, easy to fix and satisfying? Cereal.

• It's lunch and absolutely nothing in the fridge looks appetizing. There's not much time to "cook" food. What can you have that's quick and will help take the edge off of your hunger? Cereal.

• It's morning and no breakfast food sounds appealing. Eggs are too eggy, sausage and bacon are too greasy, potatoes are too much work, there aren't any bagels around, you don't have a toaster or bread on hand, and oatmeal and cream of wheat sound gross. What's left? Cereal.

• It's the middle of the afternoon. You just got home from work and you need something to tide you over until dinner time. You could have a granola bar. There's chips around, but too much salt. You're tired from the day and could use a pick-me-up buzz. The cafe is too far away for walking. To what do you turn? Cereal.

If I haven't convinced you yet, give it a try for a week. The only caution I offer is that this is a truly addictive behavior. Be prepared for sugar withdrawal if you embark on this venture.

Sleepless in Seattle

Not one of my favorite movies, but the title is clearly descriptive of my present situation. I am having a difficult time remembering when I last laid down to go to sleep and actually fell asleep on my own and didn't wake up throughout the night. I know....I'm a walking Ambien commercial. Pathetic!

As I'm not quite sure if I actually slept last night, I am witnessing to the loss of fine motor control and the inability to focus mentally on anything for more than about 15 seconds without a reminder.

To add to the hilarity of today, last night I went downstairs where I am dogsitting to print out a letter for a meeting this morning. I was excited when my flash drive loaded with no problems and the archaic version of Word 97 actually accepted my 2003 file. The printer even turned on and had paper in it. With so many positive signs I figured I could save myself a trip in to the church office for the printer. However, as the paper came out of the printer I was torn as to whether it was using invisible ink or if it was just out of ink. For all I know it was printing in braille that I just couldn't see in the darkness of their basement office that is being remodeled. There are no working lights down there though there is an overhead lamp but no light switch.

As I sit here at my desk I'm dreaming of being comfortably in my bed and asleep. At the same time I know when I finally get to bed I will still be thinking about the day and tomorrow. My prayer is that I pass out tonight.