This whole growing old thing. I thought I'd conquered it. I thought I had figured out how to do it gracefully. I really thought I'd figured out how to stay young.
Since I turned 40 I've been confronted with that number. With what that number means. With the change that number brings. And I thought I'd figured it out. I thought I was ok with it. I thought I'd fooled time.
But, even looking back at a few of these posts, shows me that I really haven't fooled anyone.
Another point in that directions ~ Friday at our annual MMS BOO-fete, Chad and I were talking about spelling, as is our running joke that he's a former spelling bee champion and they wouldn't let me in the competition room. Our very young assistant principal says to me, "Did you have Chad in class?"
Stab...Chad's 36.
It finally dawned on me that I can't keep going back to all those times I've been asked for my ID to convince myself (and everyone I tell) that I still look 21. ~ My new theory is that the youngsters working in these establishments have a running conversation ~ they pick people to ask for their IDs and watch the reaction. Then they laugh about it (me) later in the break room.
So, as in all of my times of inner turmoil, I turn to Bruce Springsteen. In his recent interview with Brian Williams he talks about aging. He feels that the band in better now than they've ever been. He says, "If you do it right, instead of running from the years, you gather them in. If you gather them in, something really wonderful happens. Give me these years. Gather all the time we can. With the time we've got ahead ~ it should get better."
Gather them in. Live and learn. It's just going to get better.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
everything I wanted
Today, my husband informed me, I got everything I ever wanted. Which, as I think about it, is pretty much the truth.
It's October. It could be cold and dreary. It could be snowing. But when I woke up this morning it was 61° ~ I knew it would be a beautiful day for a bike ride. It was raining before church, but after church the sun was shining. Mike put on the bike rack and loaded our bikes. We drove to Chardon to the Maple Highlands Trail.
What a cool thing, these old rail beds turned into bike paths. They run though beautiful land, behind farms and industry. It's a unique look at towns. This one went over the Cuyahoga River and Taylor Wells Road with covered bridges! We crossed some roads and ended up at the farthest trail head, Headwaters Park in Clairdon. There, we made a pit stop. I was so surprised when I walked into the women's outhouse and it looked like a real restroom. There were recycling toilets. Gotta love that improvement to outhouses! It was a real toilet (clean, I might add) and did not smell. The sign on the wall informed me that the system did not use chemicals or water and the waste was being composted below the building. Mike did note as we were riding that Geauga County seemed to put a little bit more money into their bike trail than Ashtabula County did with theirs. I bet the recycling toilet is a tad more expensive than the outhouses used on the Western Reserve Greenway Trail a few weeks ago.
As we were eating Mike's protein bar ~ which really isn't food (I chewed and chewed and chewed my one bite. It was rather like chewing gum. The thing just wouldn't breakdown and let me swallow it. Note to self: drink a little water before taking a bite of protein bar) ~ he said, "Today is the day you got everything you wanted. We're riding our bikes together and it's not competitive. We're just having fun being together."
Very true, Mike, very true.
However, I must note that he pulled ahead of me on the trip back. I kept up for a while, but he did beat me to the end. I also have to admit, I enjoyed keeping up with him while I could. I'm just as competitive as he is; I'm just not as good.
It's October. It could be cold and dreary. It could be snowing. But when I woke up this morning it was 61° ~ I knew it would be a beautiful day for a bike ride. It was raining before church, but after church the sun was shining. Mike put on the bike rack and loaded our bikes. We drove to Chardon to the Maple Highlands Trail.
What a cool thing, these old rail beds turned into bike paths. They run though beautiful land, behind farms and industry. It's a unique look at towns. This one went over the Cuyahoga River and Taylor Wells Road with covered bridges! We crossed some roads and ended up at the farthest trail head, Headwaters Park in Clairdon. There, we made a pit stop. I was so surprised when I walked into the women's outhouse and it looked like a real restroom. There were recycling toilets. Gotta love that improvement to outhouses! It was a real toilet (clean, I might add) and did not smell. The sign on the wall informed me that the system did not use chemicals or water and the waste was being composted below the building. Mike did note as we were riding that Geauga County seemed to put a little bit more money into their bike trail than Ashtabula County did with theirs. I bet the recycling toilet is a tad more expensive than the outhouses used on the Western Reserve Greenway Trail a few weeks ago.
As we were eating Mike's protein bar ~ which really isn't food (I chewed and chewed and chewed my one bite. It was rather like chewing gum. The thing just wouldn't breakdown and let me swallow it. Note to self: drink a little water before taking a bite of protein bar) ~ he said, "Today is the day you got everything you wanted. We're riding our bikes together and it's not competitive. We're just having fun being together."
Very true, Mike, very true.
However, I must note that he pulled ahead of me on the trip back. I kept up for a while, but he did beat me to the end. I also have to admit, I enjoyed keeping up with him while I could. I'm just as competitive as he is; I'm just not as good.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Painting the Picture
Today, as I was squeezing in my run, I realized how incredibly beautiful my route was today. In my mind I can still picture it. A scene is so much more than "pretty". A scene is sight, sound, feel, and even smell. How do you put all of that into mere words? I'm envious of the people who can effortlessly paint the picture with their words. I've been teaching word choice and "showing" with words instead of "telling" in my language arts class, realizing how difficult that actually is. How do you turn all the senses into just words without it sounding cheesy? I'll give it a try:
The sidewalk lies in straight squares disappearing into the row of trees to the left and yards to the right. The sky is getting darker, but the patch of bright blue is not far off. The wind is stronger since I've turned west and the wet decay of fall is all around. I remember dripping in the heat just weeks ago along this same route. I remember the bright blooms that would greet me at each landscaped yard. Now my sleeves are long and the blooms are leaving with the first frost not far away. Orange and red leaves litter the sidewalk next to their naked trees and crunch under my Mizunos. The green and yellow leaves still hang on their branches and cover my head from the pitter patter of raindrops. I jump over the puddles enjoying the cool of fall.
I wonder when I reread that if it will bring back the picture that I see right now in my head. I think I'm better with a camera ~ what a gift to be able to use your words!
The sidewalk lies in straight squares disappearing into the row of trees to the left and yards to the right. The sky is getting darker, but the patch of bright blue is not far off. The wind is stronger since I've turned west and the wet decay of fall is all around. I remember dripping in the heat just weeks ago along this same route. I remember the bright blooms that would greet me at each landscaped yard. Now my sleeves are long and the blooms are leaving with the first frost not far away. Orange and red leaves litter the sidewalk next to their naked trees and crunch under my Mizunos. The green and yellow leaves still hang on their branches and cover my head from the pitter patter of raindrops. I jump over the puddles enjoying the cool of fall.
I wonder when I reread that if it will bring back the picture that I see right now in my head. I think I'm better with a camera ~ what a gift to be able to use your words!
Sunday, October 10, 2010
10/10/10
On the COOLEST date of the year we may have had the NICEST weather. WHAT a GREAT day to be outside! The skies were blue and the sun was warm ~ almost hot at times in the Muney Lot in downtown Cleveland.
Mike picked the best day EVER to have Cottage's Browns tickets. We rode in with Chad and Nick and joined the CRAZIES in the Muney Lot, getting there by 8:30 and found the party was already in full swing. We play 8 home games a year and people have old school buses, RV's, vans, campers, and an assorted lot of random vehicles all painted up Orange and Brown. There were tents and tables and cornhole boards and grills all over. People were flying their Browns flags and others were selling t-shirts, necklaces, hats, and orange boas. The Boy Scouts were there selling something to the tailgaters and a little boy was selling his homemade ducktape wallets. It's unbelievable that these people do this week in and week out and then spend more money getting bigger and better tailgating gear.
To tell the truth, it is the best part of Browns games. I can't remember the last time I went to a game and they actually won. It's hard being a Cleveland fan...
There are 3 things that made today great. However, due to the significance of the date, I will count them down, Top Ten Style:
10. I ate 2 1/2 Entenmann's crumb top doughnuts. (been eyeing that Entenmann table at Giant Eagle for a long time...)
9. I learned they make whipped cream vodka. How wrong is that?
8. I took a nap, in bed.
7. I got to hang with Mike all day long.
6. Mike made the BEST macaroni salad ~ it tastes just like his mom's!
5. The sun was shining ALL WEEKEND LONG.
4. The boys cleaned the house while we were at the game.
3. While playing cornhole, I SCORED on Nick Markijohn (more than once). To explain: He IS a "sponsored" cornhole player who has won a number of cornhole championships. And, to make it even better, he was already mad because I called Chad (his usual and better partner) as my partner for the day.
2. I BEAT my husband at cornhole. He and Nick were playing against Chad and me. And I scored against him a few times. I guess my beating him was hard to take, because it didn't happen the next time we played. And probably never will happen again. But that's ok, because it happened once.
and last, but not least, the TOP thing that made today great:
#1
Becky: "One beer please."
Beer Girl: "May I see your ID?" (no better words could ever be spoken)
B: "Sure" (because I happened to put it in my jeans this morning in case I died and no one knew who I was)
BG: "Wow, I never would have guessed that was your birthday."
B: "Thanks, that almost makes spending $8.00 for a beer tolerable."
I'm hoping she thought I was younger than the ID said and not older..but since I create my own reality, that's where I'm taking this story.
Mike picked the best day EVER to have Cottage's Browns tickets. We rode in with Chad and Nick and joined the CRAZIES in the Muney Lot, getting there by 8:30 and found the party was already in full swing. We play 8 home games a year and people have old school buses, RV's, vans, campers, and an assorted lot of random vehicles all painted up Orange and Brown. There were tents and tables and cornhole boards and grills all over. People were flying their Browns flags and others were selling t-shirts, necklaces, hats, and orange boas. The Boy Scouts were there selling something to the tailgaters and a little boy was selling his homemade ducktape wallets. It's unbelievable that these people do this week in and week out and then spend more money getting bigger and better tailgating gear.
To tell the truth, it is the best part of Browns games. I can't remember the last time I went to a game and they actually won. It's hard being a Cleveland fan...
There are 3 things that made today great. However, due to the significance of the date, I will count them down, Top Ten Style:
10. I ate 2 1/2 Entenmann's crumb top doughnuts. (been eyeing that Entenmann table at Giant Eagle for a long time...)
9. I learned they make whipped cream vodka. How wrong is that?
8. I took a nap, in bed.
7. I got to hang with Mike all day long.
6. Mike made the BEST macaroni salad ~ it tastes just like his mom's!
5. The sun was shining ALL WEEKEND LONG.
4. The boys cleaned the house while we were at the game.
3. While playing cornhole, I SCORED on Nick Markijohn (more than once). To explain: He IS a "sponsored" cornhole player who has won a number of cornhole championships. And, to make it even better, he was already mad because I called Chad (his usual and better partner) as my partner for the day.
2. I BEAT my husband at cornhole. He and Nick were playing against Chad and me. And I scored against him a few times. I guess my beating him was hard to take, because it didn't happen the next time we played. And probably never will happen again. But that's ok, because it happened once.
and last, but not least, the TOP thing that made today great:
#1
Becky: "One beer please."
Beer Girl: "May I see your ID?" (no better words could ever be spoken)
B: "Sure" (because I happened to put it in my jeans this morning in case I died and no one knew who I was)
BG: "Wow, I never would have guessed that was your birthday."
B: "Thanks, that almost makes spending $8.00 for a beer tolerable."
I'm hoping she thought I was younger than the ID said and not older..but since I create my own reality, that's where I'm taking this story.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
I {heart} technology
I remember my dad bringing home this amazing machine that plugged into our 19" TV with the turn knob dial ~ actually two turn knob dials, one for regular channels and one for UHF...that's how you got those really high numbers, like 12. But this amazing machine hooked into the TV and put a game screen on with two slidey lines, one on each side, and a little "ball" that would bounce back and forth, and we had these little turn knob handheld controllers that moved the little slidey bars up and down so we could hit the little "ball". Pong was the greatest thing to hit our house! I think I was in third grade.
How far technology has come. It never ceases to amaze me that the things I can't live without I couldn't even imagine existing 30 years ago.
Technology is amazing.
How far technology has come. It never ceases to amaze me that the things I can't live without I couldn't even imagine existing 30 years ago.
- my Blackberry cell phone
- digital photography
- my lap top computer
- texting
- the Internet
- my activboard at school
- Invisible Fence
- wi-fi
- wireless printers
- my DVR
- I have an ipod smaller than any Walkman I owned that has over 2000 songs on it ~ with room for 10000 more...
Technology is amazing.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Counting the Years
Another birthday has come and gone...I turned 42 on Tuesday, September 28, 2010. 42. That sounds old, but I don't feel old. I really don't mind being 42. I proudly tell people how old I am; I've been carded buying beer more in the past two years than I have been in the last ten. (I do have a theory: The owners of big chains ~ Wal-Mart ~ Giant Eagle ~ are having their employees ask for ID of middle aged women so the middle aged women will buy more beer at their store. And let me tell you, this is a good marketing tool.)
But back to 42.
I had a good birthday. Mike gave me a very thoughtful gift...a waterbed for my head. It's a pillow that has a pocket for water. So far it's very comfortable and far superior to my Wal-Mart $5.00 pillow. The boys made a coupon book filled with all sorts of jobs they can do around the house :) I spent the day eating sugar. I made raspberry bars for a birthday treat in my first period class. JoEllen made me pumpkin tarts. Julie and Darla bought doughnuts for our fifth period class. Amy made cookies for lunch. And I got quite a bit of chocolate throughout the day. I really wanted to get DQ after dinner...but I was so full!!! I need to mention how wonderful the doughnut tasted. I don't remember the last time I had a doughnut. I love doughnuts. This one had chocolate frosting and colorful sprinkles. And it was fresh and gooey and delicious. And I loved every second of eating it. It's just wrong that a food can give me such pleasure.
We didn't do dinner or anything because Jacob had a B football game in Conneaut ~ in the rain. I guess it was kind of like a date...as Mike and I were walking into the stadium we were asked if we were with the team or parents. When we said we were parents we were asked for money to get in. Seriously ~ they charged for a 7th grade B football game. I figure I can call it a date since it cost money. As far as the football game, Jacob played well; he almost had an interception. But we just went home and had dinner and relaxed.
We take relaxation where we can get it these days. Between football, soccer, and marching band we're busy everyday of the week!
So 42.
42
I'm sure it'll be an interesting year! As long as it's safe and healthy and gives me many laughs.
But back to 42.
I had a good birthday. Mike gave me a very thoughtful gift...a waterbed for my head. It's a pillow that has a pocket for water. So far it's very comfortable and far superior to my Wal-Mart $5.00 pillow. The boys made a coupon book filled with all sorts of jobs they can do around the house :) I spent the day eating sugar. I made raspberry bars for a birthday treat in my first period class. JoEllen made me pumpkin tarts. Julie and Darla bought doughnuts for our fifth period class. Amy made cookies for lunch. And I got quite a bit of chocolate throughout the day. I really wanted to get DQ after dinner...but I was so full!!! I need to mention how wonderful the doughnut tasted. I don't remember the last time I had a doughnut. I love doughnuts. This one had chocolate frosting and colorful sprinkles. And it was fresh and gooey and delicious. And I loved every second of eating it. It's just wrong that a food can give me such pleasure.
We didn't do dinner or anything because Jacob had a B football game in Conneaut ~ in the rain. I guess it was kind of like a date...as Mike and I were walking into the stadium we were asked if we were with the team or parents. When we said we were parents we were asked for money to get in. Seriously ~ they charged for a 7th grade B football game. I figure I can call it a date since it cost money. As far as the football game, Jacob played well; he almost had an interception. But we just went home and had dinner and relaxed.
We take relaxation where we can get it these days. Between football, soccer, and marching band we're busy everyday of the week!
So 42.
42
I'm sure it'll be an interesting year! As long as it's safe and healthy and gives me many laughs.
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