Another morning sleeping until I was ready to get up. So nice. It would appear that I wake up refreshed after nine hours. Sadly, nine hours of sleep cannot always be arranged. But mostly, I think it can.
At lunch today I got a table for 10. I had 8 rsvps, and a couple of extra usually show up. Instead, we had 4. Man, I hate taking up multiple tables at a restaurant and then not using them. But, that's the sort of thing that happens. The indeterminate number of people who will show up for a meal is why the field of restaurant math was started in the first place.
I'm not going to describe my whole meal for you, but I will say that they had tapioca pearl dumplings with purple taro paste, and they were fantastic.
The weather was spectacular this morning - crisp air, clear blue skies, and wowza leaves. By the time I got out for my walk after lunch, it was cloudy. You really need sun to bring out the best in a fall afternoon. Still, I was enjoying it until my back spoke up. It's still pissed off about the reverse triangle poses on Wednesday. I cut my walk short and went back to the office, hoping that it will feel better tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to going for a hike in the snow, if the spine holds out. (It is supposed to snow tomorrow, FYI. Just an inch. Or a foot. It's kind of hard to tell right now.) My first crisp, cold, crunchy walk of the season. Love it. There is something clean about walking on new snow. The woods look different, sound different, smell different. The third snowy walk is just tedious, with the slipping and sliding. But the first one? Pure magic.
I'm also looking forward to my next backpacking trip, in two weeks. DeLee caught a bug and I don't know if she's going to be up to it, but I'm going either way. (Assuming they aren't calling for three days of 42 degrees and rain. I'm dumb, but I'm not THAT dumb.) I went ahead and ordered the Zpacks Exo backpack that I've been pondering, and there's a chance they'll get it to me in time. A long weekend's hike should tell me if I love it or hate it. If they don't get it to me in time, well.. I still have Old Faithful. I'm also looking forward to trying out my 15 degree bag. I got it after a nasty cold night's sleep last winter, but then it got warm out. I've still not had a chance to use it. Oh, I hope it's cozy!
Showing posts with label snow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label snow. Show all posts
Friday, October 28, 2011
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
You don't have to be happy all the time
I got faked out this morning. I became aware at some point that JD was still in bed, which meant his work was delayed. I figured "Great! More sleeping in!" And I turned off my alarm.
When I eventually got up (eight-ish) and stumbled downstairs, I found email from my job saying that there was no delay, i.e. get your lazy butt in to work. JD was still home, and had made blueberry pancakes and bacon. (NOM!)
So I ate pancakes and bacon and got to work late. Again. After spending half an eternity scraping snow and ice off my car. Seriously? That wasn't worth a couple of hours of delay?
It was a very quiet day at work. Even though we had no delay or anything. I guess everybody was hunkered down.
I was supposed to have yoga this evening, but I nevertheless bundled up in the afternoon and went for a nice walk in the snow. It was very pleasant. It all had that snowy smell to it. I realize that snow isn't supposed to have a smell. I guess it's more of a lack of dirt smell. Lack of dirt plus cold smells like snow to me.
Also I could easily see footprints. Cats, dogs (or foxes?), bunnies, deer, birds, and even two people. One of the people walked approximately twenty feet into the woods, turned around, and left again. I wonder what that was all about? You're up to walking in the snow for twenty feet but that's it? Why go in the first place?
When I got back I found email that yoga had been canceled, and then I was doubly glad I went. Sane-making walking time PLUS the only exercise I got today. I miss yoga. My whole body misses yoga. It said so pointedly the other day by aching between my shoulder blades.
While I was walking I thought (as usual) about thruhiking. And happiness. And how though I was pretty happy, I wasn't happy 24x7 when thruhiking. Is anybody super happy all the time? Maybe some monks in some Tibetan order? Or somebody on heavy medication? Anyway, it doesn't seem to be the normal state of being. Mostly you're busy, or something hurts, or you're having deep thoughts. Happiness seems to me more of an emotional spike than a constant. I wouldn't say I was mostly *unhappy*, either.. that's a spike in the other direction. It seems normal and okay to me to be happier sometimes than others. And I think it's perfectly okay to be unhappy sometimes. There are good reasons for it! Like discovering you have run out of chocolate and it's two days to the next store. Or your boots have suddenly started supplying you with intractable blisters. Or there's a jackhole in the shelter with you who won't shut up about something with which you disagree vehemently. Even the monks might lose their glow.
And yet, every so often, last year on the trail, somebody (usually a weekender) would tell me that if I didn't love every instant, I should go home. Which makes me wonder how they maintain a long term relationship. Or a job. It also makes me wonder why they felt qualified to judge me, but since they were strangers I guess I'll never know.
So. My personal feeling about these feelings is: it's okay. If you are generally miserable for days on end, perhaps this is not the right time or place for you. But if sometimes you're happy and sometimes you're not? That's just life.
PS: Speaking of happiness, I spent half an hour cuddling kittens on the guest bed, and that's very happiness-making. Except for the part where Nazca tried to jump up, failed, looked horrified, and ran away. That made me a little sad. He still hasn't come out of hiding. Poor little guy
When I eventually got up (eight-ish) and stumbled downstairs, I found email from my job saying that there was no delay, i.e. get your lazy butt in to work. JD was still home, and had made blueberry pancakes and bacon. (NOM!)
So I ate pancakes and bacon and got to work late. Again. After spending half an eternity scraping snow and ice off my car. Seriously? That wasn't worth a couple of hours of delay?
It was a very quiet day at work. Even though we had no delay or anything. I guess everybody was hunkered down.
I was supposed to have yoga this evening, but I nevertheless bundled up in the afternoon and went for a nice walk in the snow. It was very pleasant. It all had that snowy smell to it. I realize that snow isn't supposed to have a smell. I guess it's more of a lack of dirt smell. Lack of dirt plus cold smells like snow to me.
Also I could easily see footprints. Cats, dogs (or foxes?), bunnies, deer, birds, and even two people. One of the people walked approximately twenty feet into the woods, turned around, and left again. I wonder what that was all about? You're up to walking in the snow for twenty feet but that's it? Why go in the first place?
When I got back I found email that yoga had been canceled, and then I was doubly glad I went. Sane-making walking time PLUS the only exercise I got today. I miss yoga. My whole body misses yoga. It said so pointedly the other day by aching between my shoulder blades.
While I was walking I thought (as usual) about thruhiking. And happiness. And how though I was pretty happy, I wasn't happy 24x7 when thruhiking. Is anybody super happy all the time? Maybe some monks in some Tibetan order? Or somebody on heavy medication? Anyway, it doesn't seem to be the normal state of being. Mostly you're busy, or something hurts, or you're having deep thoughts. Happiness seems to me more of an emotional spike than a constant. I wouldn't say I was mostly *unhappy*, either.. that's a spike in the other direction. It seems normal and okay to me to be happier sometimes than others. And I think it's perfectly okay to be unhappy sometimes. There are good reasons for it! Like discovering you have run out of chocolate and it's two days to the next store. Or your boots have suddenly started supplying you with intractable blisters. Or there's a jackhole in the shelter with you who won't shut up about something with which you disagree vehemently. Even the monks might lose their glow.
And yet, every so often, last year on the trail, somebody (usually a weekender) would tell me that if I didn't love every instant, I should go home. Which makes me wonder how they maintain a long term relationship. Or a job. It also makes me wonder why they felt qualified to judge me, but since they were strangers I guess I'll never know.
So. My personal feeling about these feelings is: it's okay. If you are generally miserable for days on end, perhaps this is not the right time or place for you. But if sometimes you're happy and sometimes you're not? That's just life.
PS: Speaking of happiness, I spent half an hour cuddling kittens on the guest bed, and that's very happiness-making. Except for the part where Nazca tried to jump up, failed, looked horrified, and ran away. That made me a little sad. He still hasn't come out of hiding. Poor little guy
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Feeling a little low-power
I awoke before dawn to a bizarre clicking sound. It happened several times. Finally I realized it was my bed. We have one of those sleep number beds, and when the power flickers the little pump inside it goes nuts. I foggily deduced the power had gone out, and looked over at my clock. It was flashing "12:00" at me. I lay there trying to figure out what to do. "Think!" I told myself. "There must be some way to figure out what time it is."
The clock didn't work. I didn't have a watch or a phone upstairs. In order to find out the time I'd have to get out of bed and go downstairs. Obviously, the situation wasn't dire enough to convince me to get my precious self out of bed and go down into the frigid air of the downstairs. What could be so urgent? I figured I could sleep an hour longer, and I nodded off again.
When I awoke again, it was broad daylight. Hmmm.. it's usually still a little dark when my alarm goes off. I still had no idea what time it was. I got dressed (warmly) and headed downstairs. It was a little after 8. Ah well.. could have been worse I guess. I could have slept until noon.
So my day started a little late and disoriented. Unlike most days, which just start disoriented. It takes me a little while every day to remember what's going on in my life. Important work due, chores imminent, bills to pay. It's all concealed by my own morning fog. It's peaceful.
Less peaceful was me choking on my own spit as I left the house to go to work. I seriously thought I was going to die ignominiously on the front walk. What a way to go. I can just see the coroner. "There isn't a mark on her, but she looks really embarrassed. I think we have another spit-choker."
We all spent all day waiting for it to snow. At one point I went out to my car (because I needed to drive somewhere) and found a co-worker industriously raising her windshield wipers. Several flakes had fallen out of the sky and she didn't want the windshield wipers to ice up. It was just wishful thinking, though. The snow stopped immediately. I eventually gave up on waiting for it to snow and went for my daily walk. No snow, but enough celestial spit rained down to leave drops on my glasses.
I tell you what, though, it was a long day. Work wasn't bad or anything. I was just hungry. Stupid diet! Stupid thighs that are making me diet! Hunger is very distracting. Fortunately JD was hungry too so I texted him that I was leaving work and he had hot food ready when I got home. Because I might have started eating the furniture if he hadn't. Man. Hungry.
Tonight we decided to watch two queued up episodes of Castle (in the living room, which is not near the kitchen, because see above about hungry.) Halfway through the second episode the power went out again. I decided it was a sign that I was done watching tv for the night. The power came back on before I got the flashlight app working on my cellphone.
So now I have a little squeeze light in my pocket, and a 9 volt battery waiting to go into my clock. (Like the clock couldn't have let me know it needed a new battery? Sheesh.) I wouldn't mind a little more oversleeping, but the bed clicking could drive me nuts. Not that my 9 volt will help that. Maybe my bed needs a UPS.
The snow is finally falling, as is the ice. I can't decide if I'm hoping it will be really bad so we'll have some time off, or hoping it amounts to nothing so I don't have to shovel. Either way it means I'm a lazy person. I'm so embarrassed.
But not as embarrassed as if I died of spit.
The clock didn't work. I didn't have a watch or a phone upstairs. In order to find out the time I'd have to get out of bed and go downstairs. Obviously, the situation wasn't dire enough to convince me to get my precious self out of bed and go down into the frigid air of the downstairs. What could be so urgent? I figured I could sleep an hour longer, and I nodded off again.
When I awoke again, it was broad daylight. Hmmm.. it's usually still a little dark when my alarm goes off. I still had no idea what time it was. I got dressed (warmly) and headed downstairs. It was a little after 8. Ah well.. could have been worse I guess. I could have slept until noon.
So my day started a little late and disoriented. Unlike most days, which just start disoriented. It takes me a little while every day to remember what's going on in my life. Important work due, chores imminent, bills to pay. It's all concealed by my own morning fog. It's peaceful.
Less peaceful was me choking on my own spit as I left the house to go to work. I seriously thought I was going to die ignominiously on the front walk. What a way to go. I can just see the coroner. "There isn't a mark on her, but she looks really embarrassed. I think we have another spit-choker."
We all spent all day waiting for it to snow. At one point I went out to my car (because I needed to drive somewhere) and found a co-worker industriously raising her windshield wipers. Several flakes had fallen out of the sky and she didn't want the windshield wipers to ice up. It was just wishful thinking, though. The snow stopped immediately. I eventually gave up on waiting for it to snow and went for my daily walk. No snow, but enough celestial spit rained down to leave drops on my glasses.
I tell you what, though, it was a long day. Work wasn't bad or anything. I was just hungry. Stupid diet! Stupid thighs that are making me diet! Hunger is very distracting. Fortunately JD was hungry too so I texted him that I was leaving work and he had hot food ready when I got home. Because I might have started eating the furniture if he hadn't. Man. Hungry.
Tonight we decided to watch two queued up episodes of Castle (in the living room, which is not near the kitchen, because see above about hungry.) Halfway through the second episode the power went out again. I decided it was a sign that I was done watching tv for the night. The power came back on before I got the flashlight app working on my cellphone.
So now I have a little squeeze light in my pocket, and a 9 volt battery waiting to go into my clock. (Like the clock couldn't have let me know it needed a new battery? Sheesh.) I wouldn't mind a little more oversleeping, but the bed clicking could drive me nuts. Not that my 9 volt will help that. Maybe my bed needs a UPS.
The snow is finally falling, as is the ice. I can't decide if I'm hoping it will be really bad so we'll have some time off, or hoping it amounts to nothing so I don't have to shovel. Either way it means I'm a lazy person. I'm so embarrassed.
But not as embarrassed as if I died of spit.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Hate it when I'm right
I was right. I hurt all over. Also I've had a crappy day, starting with the pull tab ripping off my sugar free, caffeine free, artificial sweetener free, everything free Ginger ale. Which, yes, I drink with breakfast. Don't look so superior, that latte you had isn't any better for you.
Add in engineers mistakenly deleting firewall rules, remote users trying to login to a machine with the credentials for another, snow composed of Teflon and snot, and drivers who slow to fifteen miles an hour because they see snow somewhere near a road... And you have one unhappy me.
Oh and my wiper blades froze over. Can't forget that. Icicles do a crappy job of window cleaning. By the time I got home I was looking through a five inch arc of clear glass.
And the support person who supposedly got back to me in early November, except I have no recollection of it. Good thing I didn't wait around, because the data would have been lost by now. Anyway she got in touch with me today.
I realize people have had worse days. Hell, *I* have had worse days. Nonetheless, I am done. Toast. Stick a fork in me.
The love of my life made dinner and cleaned the litter boxes. Which just shows how wonderful he is. But I already knew that. Now I'm going to watch tv and then go to bed early. Perhaps tomorrow will start more genially.
Add in engineers mistakenly deleting firewall rules, remote users trying to login to a machine with the credentials for another, snow composed of Teflon and snot, and drivers who slow to fifteen miles an hour because they see snow somewhere near a road... And you have one unhappy me.
Oh and my wiper blades froze over. Can't forget that. Icicles do a crappy job of window cleaning. By the time I got home I was looking through a five inch arc of clear glass.
And the support person who supposedly got back to me in early November, except I have no recollection of it. Good thing I didn't wait around, because the data would have been lost by now. Anyway she got in touch with me today.
I realize people have had worse days. Hell, *I* have had worse days. Nonetheless, I am done. Toast. Stick a fork in me.
The love of my life made dinner and cleaned the litter boxes. Which just shows how wonderful he is. But I already knew that. Now I'm going to watch tv and then go to bed early. Perhaps tomorrow will start more genially.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)