I am thirty now. And it is different. I know people say it’s just a number and they didn’t feel any different after their birthday, but I do. I’m thirty. It’s really my life that I’m living. Growing up is surreal, because it’s spent admiring all these other people, thinking that they know what they’re doing, and imagining that when we get there, we’ll be able to be that great too. But then we grew up and our allusions of life proved to be, well, allusions. I think the main allusion that has taken the longest to be eroded is the one that says there is some sort of pre-destined path that I can walk in, as if in a dream (yes I used the word pre-destined but I’m not really talking doctrine. I’m using it in a different sense) and regardless of what I do, my path will be secure – the belief that the world owes me things, there are promises I can rely on, guarantees that will happen to me. But they didn’t. I got injured. I didn’t get married. I’m not a teacher. They didn’t let me into the sta...
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It’s Monday, and a rainy one at that. All grey. We’ve got the wood stove ticking away (yes it does tick as the cast iron heats up and expands ever so slightly). I just had a great rough week. High internal activity. There’s a line in “Freaky Friday” (I think) that cracks me up – where the mom drops her daughter off at school and says, “Make good choices!” Of course the daughter rolls her eyes. But imagine if that’s all we did – make good choices. Imagine if that’s even what we did 75% of the time. Speaking of ticking as we were just a moment ago – I don’t understand what makes ME tick. We had an alumni basketball game this weekend. I wasn’t going to go. I had my reasons – I wasn’t really invited (officially, like with an invitation, but neither was anyone else), I didn’t know who else was going to be there . . . honestly I just didn’t think about it. The option was presented to me and I presented it with a firm “no” and planned to be out of town. But some teammates talked me into it – ...
I love it when kids are still young enough that when they’re caught at pretending, they don’t quit or get embarrassed. They just ignore you and keep on doing whatever it was they were at before you so ungraciously came by. There’s something precious about that un-embarrassment. I just saw the most beautiful thing at the park as I passed. Yes, there were kids pretending at some game where they were collecting tickets and buckling someone into a plane or ride at the fair (yes they looked at me but didn’t alter a single thing about their little magic game). But that’s not it. It was a dad with about 5 little girls. They must be 6 or 7 years old. 2 sets of ratty old pylons. A new pink soccer ball. Definitely no team, no league. Just a dad and 5 little girls. Maybe his daughter and their friends. He was leading them in stretching. Reach up high. . . Bend low and relax. Swing your arms. . . Some had their little outfits all ready to go – cleats, long socks, little umbro shorts and a jersey, ...
The News. 7:12pm. The place is empty. A couple of guys might be talking about "Amero" - the new North American dollar that is rumored to replace all Canadian, American, and Mexican currency. I bet people who watch the news and keep up with every little development have higher blood pressure than those of us who don't. I remember having to teach a grade 9 class about news. I was supposed to help them understand the difference between "News" and "Entertainment." Not so easy as I thought. I don’t remember what we actually came up with as a definition for either heading, but I do recall being more confused at the end of the unit than I had been at the beginning. We’re a generation that pushes things to their limits and formerly clear delineations disappear and everything begins to blend. Could be good. Could be bad. It all depends on what. I’m just saying, is all. It’s news if the Prime Minister stubs his toe in public, or gains wait, or calls one of the m...