Meandering Thoughts
I continue to be startled by the exquisiteness of the sunrises and sunsets in Rainier Beach - brilliant pinks, oranges and yellows streaking through the clouds as I gaze over the valley outside the window or look out over Lake Washington and the small, dwarfed skyline of Seattle from the yard of the Catholic church/school that I pass on my walk home. I had thought that Western Washington, for all its beauty, just was not up to producing vivid twilight colors, particularly after living in Greece and Ohio. The fact that I was wrong for so many years makes the sight that much more stunning. I have no idea what accident of geography, weather and pollution creates this phenomenon but I am quite happy of the result.
I have been in a weird reading funk lately; as in, I haven't really been inspired to read. I guess everyone goes through those phases - where every other hobby or pastime seems more appealing - but it feels quite strange, nonetheless. I have been easing myself into reading again with magazines (Discover and Atlantic Monthly, to be exact) and Children's Literature (and have been discovering Ben's excellent collection in the process). I even picked up an intriguing book of fairy tales at Goodwill today in addition to a novel and a memoir that I had been meaning to read (did you know the Ballard Goodwill actually has a fantastic fiction/literature section...who knew?)
I stopped by my old house today to pick up a package that had been mistakenly delivered there. Wow. I am quite pleased to report that the Manor has gotten a long overdue make over. Walls were freshly painted in bold colors, a new oven was installed and the remainder of the junk was disposed of. Indeed, quite remarkable. The tomatoes were, sadly, in their death throes and I too overburdened to take any with; still, it was nice to see a few still ripening on the vines.
I'm still anxiously waiting to hear back from the WSU Master Gardner program to see if I got accepted or not. Sigh. The decision should be made in late November and I know that I'm a good candidate...I just hate waiting. I'm so anxious to have something that will actually be intellectually stimulating, even difficult. Yeah, I guess I am missing school a bit. No, not the stress and the crazy deadlines and the even crazier reading lists but I am missing challenging my full brain. One of the greatest disappointments I have in my meanderings in corporate America is that my intellectual abilities are dismissed or viewed as downright threatening to management hierarchy. I have fantasies of pinning my Masters Degree to my office wall right next to my preschool diploma. Then again, I don't know that anyone would get the dry humor of the move.
I started volunteering again last week and it felt WONDERFUL. Every Sunday I spend two hours at my branch library gluing, taping, de-gooing, and other simple mending tasks. No, it's nothing that will drastically alter the shape of the universe, feed the poor or bring world peace; but it does make me feel good to be doing something - even so small - in my community.
I have been in a weird reading funk lately; as in, I haven't really been inspired to read. I guess everyone goes through those phases - where every other hobby or pastime seems more appealing - but it feels quite strange, nonetheless. I have been easing myself into reading again with magazines (Discover and Atlantic Monthly, to be exact) and Children's Literature (and have been discovering Ben's excellent collection in the process). I even picked up an intriguing book of fairy tales at Goodwill today in addition to a novel and a memoir that I had been meaning to read (did you know the Ballard Goodwill actually has a fantastic fiction/literature section...who knew?)
I stopped by my old house today to pick up a package that had been mistakenly delivered there. Wow. I am quite pleased to report that the Manor has gotten a long overdue make over. Walls were freshly painted in bold colors, a new oven was installed and the remainder of the junk was disposed of. Indeed, quite remarkable. The tomatoes were, sadly, in their death throes and I too overburdened to take any with; still, it was nice to see a few still ripening on the vines.
I'm still anxiously waiting to hear back from the WSU Master Gardner program to see if I got accepted or not. Sigh. The decision should be made in late November and I know that I'm a good candidate...I just hate waiting. I'm so anxious to have something that will actually be intellectually stimulating, even difficult. Yeah, I guess I am missing school a bit. No, not the stress and the crazy deadlines and the even crazier reading lists but I am missing challenging my full brain. One of the greatest disappointments I have in my meanderings in corporate America is that my intellectual abilities are dismissed or viewed as downright threatening to management hierarchy. I have fantasies of pinning my Masters Degree to my office wall right next to my preschool diploma. Then again, I don't know that anyone would get the dry humor of the move.
I started volunteering again last week and it felt WONDERFUL. Every Sunday I spend two hours at my branch library gluing, taping, de-gooing, and other simple mending tasks. No, it's nothing that will drastically alter the shape of the universe, feed the poor or bring world peace; but it does make me feel good to be doing something - even so small - in my community.