Rainy Day

Rainy days are fun! I like to take walks in a nice warm spring rain. It is not so fun after, with the wet clothes and wet hair. It's dark today, and the weatherman says that there is an 80% chance I will need an umbrella. It has not rained yet. Just dark.

I remember being little, and when it would rain really hard the drainage ditches along our street would fill up with water and flood out into the street. My siblings and I would run out and play in this water. We would put on swimsuits or whatever and run around in the rain water. One time, a kid down the street had a boat and he was trying to boat in the water.

It seems a little dirty to me now, rain water in a drainage ditch. But when it is rainy, and there are puddles on the sidewalk, I sometimes step in them rather than around them. I always have the urge to splash a bit (like Calvin and Hobbs!) but I refrain because I have to wash my own laundry and muddy clothes are not always fun.

Water

How much water can a person drink in a day?

I like to drink water. Water is good for me. I sometimes wonder how much water you could drink in a day. Gallons? I wonder what would happen if you drank a gallon of water a day. How many people do not even drink 8 ounces of water a day? Are they healthy? Is the reason they are not healthy (if the case is that they are not healthy) because of the water? Should we all drink more? Do I drink enough?

Success

I have spent time thinking of what I want to do, who I want to be and where I want to go. I have come up with my idea of success. . .

I will be successful in life when everything I do is because I want to do it. I will measure my success as when there is no "have to" in my life, but only "choose to."

Now I ask that this not be misunderstood... I am talking about doing things and not talking about selfishness. However, I am picturing sleeping until I want to wake up. Working and volunteering at places because I choose to, not because I need the paycheck or the resume builder. Visiting my family and friends as often as I want (not avoiding visiting because I don't want to) and not worrying about details.

I had this realization while in the restroom at a DC United Soccer game. I realized I enjoy volunteering at those games because I choose to do so. I have no ulterior motive -- not the working towards a position there, not class credit, not money, and I actually look forward to going there. The crabby people do not bother me when I am there, I am able to smile a real smile (not one of those forced kind with the gritted teeth behind) and walk away.

I challenge everyone to determine their definition of success and figure out how to get there. I'm still working on my getting there, but one step at a time.

Chipmunk Nuts

It's funny how you can think you heard something different that what was said or sung. It is common to mis-hear, but why? Is it because we want to hear the different thing? Or is it because the art of speaking clearly has been lost over the centuries (if this art ever existed in anyone other than over dramatic actors). For instance, I have never been able to hear anything different than "never had another wang on my shoe" in a popular song. If you can't live without knowing, the real line is "walking 'round with little wings on my shoes." I know. It's nothing the same. Now how did I come up with the line I hear? It could be psychological, that I wanted to hear about a wang on a shoe. It could be a hearing problem I have or that I don't listen properly. I could blame the singer and state he should enunciate properly.

Arizona

We spent the weekend in Arizona. It was fun. It was hot. It is always good to be home. We got to see the family, fun. We also saw the desert and the mountains. I have to wonder what the area looked like before Phoenix existed. The flat desert with the mountains rising out at random intervals. It must have been beautiful.