Thursday, February 12, 2009
Am I a Young Adult? Or Just an Adult now?
I need to check out the qualifications for those "young adult" activities I don't attend. What if I'm no longer a Young Adult? What if I'm just an Adult? I don't feel like one of the old ones. Is being a parent an automatic disqualification from this church group? LOL. Since I didn't go to the young adult activities, will I still not attend the adult activities? Why did I not feel old before I starting wonder if I'm too old for the Young Adult group anymore?
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Who is my neighbor?
Something today reminded me of a conversation between my daughter and me about a year ago (she was 5) in the car (where all the best conversations happen) going through downtown KC.
She had not yet developed that callousness of they're probably drunks, or addicts, or too lazy to work, or any of the other snap judgments people tend to make. I always give the guy on the corner a dollar if I have one. I'd like to give him the benefit of the doubt that this dollar matters in his day.
When I hear projects to help those in need, it's easy to get caught up in the big ones that sound impressive or the exotic ones in other countries.... and I'm not discounting those programs at all, but I wonder how we (me) can find the invisible neighbors. The neighbor we don't see that sits in the back row of church and doesn't say a word, or the elderly neighbor on our street who never has a visitor, or even the kid that we see that just doesn't seem to belong.
I'm still working on how I can take these musings and use my life to help the invisible neighbors. Until I do, I think my life is incomplete and not totally compatible with the way I want to live my life.
I remember at that point, all I could respond with was, "I wish we could honey."
A : Why are there people under that bridge? It's cold out.
Me : Well, um, yeah, well, um, they live there honey.
A : why?
Me : they have no other place to go.
A : Can't they go home?
Me : No, they can't, they don't have one.
A : can't their mother give them a place to live if they don't have a home?
Me : my guess is honey they don't have any family to live with.
A : (starts crying) Mama, I think we should give them a home to live in or they can stay with us.
She had not yet developed that callousness of they're probably drunks, or addicts, or too lazy to work, or any of the other snap judgments people tend to make. I always give the guy on the corner a dollar if I have one. I'd like to give him the benefit of the doubt that this dollar matters in his day.
When I hear projects to help those in need, it's easy to get caught up in the big ones that sound impressive or the exotic ones in other countries.... and I'm not discounting those programs at all, but I wonder how we (me) can find the invisible neighbors. The neighbor we don't see that sits in the back row of church and doesn't say a word, or the elderly neighbor on our street who never has a visitor, or even the kid that we see that just doesn't seem to belong.
I'm still working on how I can take these musings and use my life to help the invisible neighbors. Until I do, I think my life is incomplete and not totally compatible with the way I want to live my life.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Trifecta of Disaster
Very rarely do I cross-post between my two blogs, but thought someone might find the humor in my not-so-humorous workout this week! haha
In January, I had a crazy friend talk me off the fence about a triathlon. Found one for July, so luckily I have some time, but not much.
First things first, I have to learn to swim. Keep in mind, I can swim playing around at the pool, lake, or in the ocean, but have never swam a lap before Jan 2009. Seriously. So, I noticed the community center is offering a triathlon swim class on Saturday mornings. I take it and have been trying to practice at lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
This weeks practice? The trifecta of disaster.
First. I walk out in my swim suit to only discover another trader from another company works out at my gym and is sitting in the hot tub. I've known him 12 years. Greeeeat, an audience. Disaster part 1.
Secondly, I suck at swimming. Truly this is one of the hardest things I've had to learn and I hate not doing anything well. I am also convinced I am going to die this summer of cancer of the stomach considering how much pool water I manage to ingest. Dear lord, how hard can this be? I gulp so much air, I burp chlorinated water for an hour after practicing. My stomach will hurt for 2 hours after a practice haha
Third, the middle aged men at the pool don't help. They are swimming 2 or 3 laps to my one then like to head over to the hot tub and watch me struggle. Keep in mind, these men have bellies bigger round than my ass circumference and look like they would have a coronary if they tried touch football with their grandkids. They like to comment on how "this week looks a lot better than last". Did I mention colleague from other company is watching all of this?
So, add together:
water in stomach +
middle aged men kicking my butt +
audience from a colleague I wish had never seen me in a swim suit
= trifecta for disaster.
Said friend who kicked me off the fence? He said, "it sucks until it doesn't." I hope he's right.
In January, I had a crazy friend talk me off the fence about a triathlon. Found one for July, so luckily I have some time, but not much.
First things first, I have to learn to swim. Keep in mind, I can swim playing around at the pool, lake, or in the ocean, but have never swam a lap before Jan 2009. Seriously. So, I noticed the community center is offering a triathlon swim class on Saturday mornings. I take it and have been trying to practice at lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
This weeks practice? The trifecta of disaster.
First. I walk out in my swim suit to only discover another trader from another company works out at my gym and is sitting in the hot tub. I've known him 12 years. Greeeeat, an audience. Disaster part 1.
Secondly, I suck at swimming. Truly this is one of the hardest things I've had to learn and I hate not doing anything well. I am also convinced I am going to die this summer of cancer of the stomach considering how much pool water I manage to ingest. Dear lord, how hard can this be? I gulp so much air, I burp chlorinated water for an hour after practicing. My stomach will hurt for 2 hours after a practice haha
Third, the middle aged men at the pool don't help. They are swimming 2 or 3 laps to my one then like to head over to the hot tub and watch me struggle. Keep in mind, these men have bellies bigger round than my ass circumference and look like they would have a coronary if they tried touch football with their grandkids. They like to comment on how "this week looks a lot better than last". Did I mention colleague from other company is watching all of this?
So, add together:
water in stomach +
middle aged men kicking my butt +
audience from a colleague I wish had never seen me in a swim suit
= trifecta for disaster.
Said friend who kicked me off the fence? He said, "it sucks until it doesn't." I hope he's right.
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