Lead Thoughts, Volume 9
I'm really not diggin' my Monday morning so I think maybe the best thing I can do is try to take a cue from an advance copy of the the new CD from The Hold Steady that I've been listening to lately and Stay Positive.
Its not that there is anything wrong today... just a little off. So allow me to clear the table a bit...
"What the hell... it worked for Art Garfunkel... I think..."
We've all heard of 'Runner's High'... that addictive surge of endorphins that some people get from jogging. I've personally never felt this because I'm not much of a jogger, thanks in good part to a right knee I tweaked twice in my senior year, once from weight training (legit injury) and again from a drunk-on-the-trampoline-at-a-party incident where my best friend saved me from a terrible crash (he caught the flying me!) but I even his breaking my fall didn't prevent my already hurt knee from slamming down hard.
Anyway... I've never had Runner's High but if there is such a thing as 'Walker's High' I think I've got in my system. In the last 36 hours I've walked around 12 to 15 miles, via two long journeys with my dog and then 3.5 miles this morning during my workout. It could be an endorphin rush or maybe it's just the general calm and peace I find from a good walk. Either way, my mind is grateful and my body is reacting (for lack of a better term). I've lost 12 pounds now, with a soft goal of about 20. I'd like to drop a couple more before my vacation that begins in the middle of next week because travel with children on a budget can lead to 'bad' foods, plus less opportunities to walk.
The physical rewards of these journeys pale in comparison to what I'm taking from them mentally. I can leave my house confused, spend an hour on a walk with Foppa, and return with a smile. That, my friends, feels like a gift... so I've been good to myself and I fully intend to keep giving. :)
"Things that go SPLASH!"
I don't know why but I've been having a hard time getting really psyched for my mid-July vacation. Part of it is because one of the down sides of my job is that in the week leading up to a vacation I have 1.5 the usual work load just to get out the door and I know that another 1.5 to twice a week's worth of work will await my return. So its hard in the lead up to my time off and then, during the time off, I have to make a conscious effort to just -- as my boss once said -- "put the phone down".
But this morning at the gym I finally got a BIG OLD SMILE :) from something on the Travel Channel. They were doing a show on Water Parks around the country and, wouldn't ya know, that is one of the items on our vacation plans is Wild Waves in Washington State, which is one of the only major waterslide/water parks in the NW. The kids have never been there or to any kind of big water park and after watching this show I'm really excited for them and for me! I grew up in the East Bay Area of California so I spent a lot of time on water slides as a kid and I always loved it. But I haven't been to a really big water park since I was about 18 so I imagine this time around will be a whole different experience. From the looks of this Travel Channel program and from the Wild Waves web site it is clear the technology and size and scope of these suckers has evolved. I fully expect to have to go tandem with Gavin a lot while Bailey goes full on kamikaze. Either way, I'm now officially excited for that part of our trip (which is on Day 1) and I'm definitely starting to get my ahead around all the other stuff we're going to do.
I'm definitely at that place where I want the next 7 work days to fly right by so I can get myself out of here and off to some fun and exploration.
"American Music"
As I mentioned at the top of this entry, I've really been enjoying the forthcoming new album from the band The Hold Steady. Their last album (3rd in total), Boys and Girls In America, took a little while to grow on me but once it did I just fell in love with their audio collision of Springsteen, Husker Du, and Thin Lizzy. They write great songs about LIFE and the new album, Stay Positive, has been a real nice match with my current mindset and life events. It seems appropriate that the album's official release date is 1 day before my vacation starts and two days before my 35th birthday. Is this band singing directly at me? Of course not... but it feels that way and if it feels that way it is that way. Stay Positive, indeed.
"Give Me an 'R'"
I need a good book to read. I've exhausted my list a bit and could really use some recommendations. I usually like fiction best but I'm open to anything. So if you've been reading my LJ for a long time and feel like you "know" me or if you barely read this sucker at all but have a book in mind you think people should check out, throw a suggestion my way. Thanks!
"She's Fresh... Fresh... Exciting..."
Kelly starts her new job today and I'm really excited for her. For those who missed it, my wife left a stable job with pretty good pay and solid benefits but one that was causing her legitimate depression and anxiety in favor of a new job that pays (about) the same hourly but has a few less hours per week and is pretty 'bare bones' in terms of it's benefits. This change was a point of contention for a while but now I can really say I'm 'over it' and I fully understand why she had to do this. Ever since she took the new job and began transitioning out of the old one (she's actually doing some contract projects for them so she still has a connection to her old company) she's been way happier and this morning, for the first time in forever, she was excited to get up and go to work. It'll be nice to go home later today and hear how it went.... probably while we're taking yet another walk. ;)
"Ya Ain't Never Had a Friend Like Me...
You know what's a good feeling? Mailing birthday presents to a dear friend who is far away and just being psyched for when they get what you sent it and get to open it. Since I don't get to see her open these presents all I can do is imagine it... and thats actually pretty cool. It's like streaming imaginary video for the brain and heart... or something.
Ok... head clearer, heart full, eyes more open.
But Mondays still suck.
J
Its not that there is anything wrong today... just a little off. So allow me to clear the table a bit...
"What the hell... it worked for Art Garfunkel... I think..."
We've all heard of 'Runner's High'... that addictive surge of endorphins that some people get from jogging. I've personally never felt this because I'm not much of a jogger, thanks in good part to a right knee I tweaked twice in my senior year, once from weight training (legit injury) and again from a drunk-on-the-trampoline-at-a-party incident where my best friend saved me from a terrible crash (he caught the flying me!) but I even his breaking my fall didn't prevent my already hurt knee from slamming down hard.
Anyway... I've never had Runner's High but if there is such a thing as 'Walker's High' I think I've got in my system. In the last 36 hours I've walked around 12 to 15 miles, via two long journeys with my dog and then 3.5 miles this morning during my workout. It could be an endorphin rush or maybe it's just the general calm and peace I find from a good walk. Either way, my mind is grateful and my body is reacting (for lack of a better term). I've lost 12 pounds now, with a soft goal of about 20. I'd like to drop a couple more before my vacation that begins in the middle of next week because travel with children on a budget can lead to 'bad' foods, plus less opportunities to walk.
The physical rewards of these journeys pale in comparison to what I'm taking from them mentally. I can leave my house confused, spend an hour on a walk with Foppa, and return with a smile. That, my friends, feels like a gift... so I've been good to myself and I fully intend to keep giving. :)
"Things that go SPLASH!"
I don't know why but I've been having a hard time getting really psyched for my mid-July vacation. Part of it is because one of the down sides of my job is that in the week leading up to a vacation I have 1.5 the usual work load just to get out the door and I know that another 1.5 to twice a week's worth of work will await my return. So its hard in the lead up to my time off and then, during the time off, I have to make a conscious effort to just -- as my boss once said -- "put the phone down".
But this morning at the gym I finally got a BIG OLD SMILE :) from something on the Travel Channel. They were doing a show on Water Parks around the country and, wouldn't ya know, that is one of the items on our vacation plans is Wild Waves in Washington State, which is one of the only major waterslide/water parks in the NW. The kids have never been there or to any kind of big water park and after watching this show I'm really excited for them and for me! I grew up in the East Bay Area of California so I spent a lot of time on water slides as a kid and I always loved it. But I haven't been to a really big water park since I was about 18 so I imagine this time around will be a whole different experience. From the looks of this Travel Channel program and from the Wild Waves web site it is clear the technology and size and scope of these suckers has evolved. I fully expect to have to go tandem with Gavin a lot while Bailey goes full on kamikaze. Either way, I'm now officially excited for that part of our trip (which is on Day 1) and I'm definitely starting to get my ahead around all the other stuff we're going to do.
I'm definitely at that place where I want the next 7 work days to fly right by so I can get myself out of here and off to some fun and exploration.
"American Music"
As I mentioned at the top of this entry, I've really been enjoying the forthcoming new album from the band The Hold Steady. Their last album (3rd in total), Boys and Girls In America, took a little while to grow on me but once it did I just fell in love with their audio collision of Springsteen, Husker Du, and Thin Lizzy. They write great songs about LIFE and the new album, Stay Positive, has been a real nice match with my current mindset and life events. It seems appropriate that the album's official release date is 1 day before my vacation starts and two days before my 35th birthday. Is this band singing directly at me? Of course not... but it feels that way and if it feels that way it is that way. Stay Positive, indeed.
"Give Me an 'R'"
I need a good book to read. I've exhausted my list a bit and could really use some recommendations. I usually like fiction best but I'm open to anything. So if you've been reading my LJ for a long time and feel like you "know" me or if you barely read this sucker at all but have a book in mind you think people should check out, throw a suggestion my way. Thanks!
"She's Fresh... Fresh... Exciting..."
Kelly starts her new job today and I'm really excited for her. For those who missed it, my wife left a stable job with pretty good pay and solid benefits but one that was causing her legitimate depression and anxiety in favor of a new job that pays (about) the same hourly but has a few less hours per week and is pretty 'bare bones' in terms of it's benefits. This change was a point of contention for a while but now I can really say I'm 'over it' and I fully understand why she had to do this. Ever since she took the new job and began transitioning out of the old one (she's actually doing some contract projects for them so she still has a connection to her old company) she's been way happier and this morning, for the first time in forever, she was excited to get up and go to work. It'll be nice to go home later today and hear how it went.... probably while we're taking yet another walk. ;)
"Ya Ain't Never Had a Friend Like Me...
You know what's a good feeling? Mailing birthday presents to a dear friend who is far away and just being psyched for when they get what you sent it and get to open it. Since I don't get to see her open these presents all I can do is imagine it... and thats actually pretty cool. It's like streaming imaginary video for the brain and heart... or something.
Ok... head clearer, heart full, eyes more open.
But Mondays still suck.
J