my thoughts

Today's post follows ten not so tantalizing minutes of my thoughts. It began simple enough, as I pondered my blog and my incapacity to write... {Enter dreamlike sequence} Man, seems like so long ago that I would think up blog posts when I was drifting to sleep or on my way to work. Every day occurrences would be framed in "how can I write this?" Then it all stopped. I lost my drive. My posts started dwindling along with my creativity. Nothing seemed very interesting anymore. Hey, maybe that's the next post I should write. I'll call it "Readership Down" because, it's not like I write frequently enough. Watership Down freaked the crap out of me. Seeing it on the bookshelf always made me shudder. I'm pretty sure it still freaked me out as a teen. I still have no freakin' clue what it is even about. But I don't know why they made such a scary cover. Is it supposed to be scary? Is it a kids book or what? I wonder if I still think it's creepy. (Pause in thinking while I do a google image search). Okay, so maybe it's not that scary but it still has a creepy factor. Maybe I just don't like rabbits. What was my rabbit's name that ended up with a permanent kink in its neck? I promised I would take such good care of that stinky thing but I didn't really. Mom thought my neglect may have been the cause of the sideways tilt. Ha! When we euthanized it the vet said it was likely a stroke. Innocent! Dang thing. If I ever have kids I'll be sure to know that when the promise to look after whatever thing they want, they're lying. Maybe I should just give up this whole writing gig. Or maybe I'll just write about this.

And I think that took ten minutes or maybe five, but hey, who's counting?

orbit

The best thing I can say about my last relationship is "I got 12 packs of Orbit gum for free." I smile ever time I chew a stick of gum and remember that it did not cost me a dime. Oh how I love bulk purchasing at Costco.

mary jane

On a particularly dark day several months ago my mother said to me "you certainly are an up and down girl, aren't you?" It wasn't the most comforting of words but I love her despite her timing. If she could actually prescribe me medication for my bipolar moments, I might love her even more! She does live on an island that is crawling with folks happy to sell me some medicinal plants to ease any anxieties I may have. I bet those same people enjoyed said herbs today, being 04/20 at 4:20 p.m.

Happy birthday Mom. Stay away from the any special birthday brownies. Thanks for sometimes saying the right thing at the wrong time. It provides humour after the fact.

tips

Here are the travel tips that I will take with me on my next adventure:

1. Always break your Chaco's in several weeks before any excursion. This avoids the embarrassing "tacky tourist" look but the socks provided much needed protection for my blisters. Let's give a round of applause to Lisa for taking this candid shot.
2. Always stop to see the views...

take a cold dip and swim in waterfalls...


because even though the eight hour excursion on the road to hana can be exhausting, it's well worth it. (Even if our faces at the seven sacred pools didn't show it).
3. Take any opportunity to see the sun rise, especially atop Haleakala. It was truly majestic.

4. Even though three can be a crowd, it is always worth the squeeze. I can't believe how much my nieces adored the sand and beach... does it show?

5. Swim with the turtles, get lost in a book and take time for yourself.

Thank you Hawaii, and thank you Lisa for being a great travel buddy.

clarity

The following excerpt is a conversation overheard today at work involving a therapist (who shall remain nameless) and the plant operator.

Therapist: "Has anybody told somebody about the broken handle thingy in the women's restroom?"
Plant Operator: (Laughs) "Has anybody told somebody?"

The conversation proceeded for several minutes to see how often each person could insert the phrase "somebody and anybody." To this therapist's credit, she did use the American term "restroom" rather than the more common usage in Canada, "washroom." It's been hard getting back in to work mode.

on leave

This blog is on a brief hiatus while it takes a vacation... or while its author tans herself in Maui.