Back to School Sales

I like Back to School sales. More generally I like office supplies.
I generally try not to be a material possessions person. Things aren't important, people are. But I admit sometimes buying things makes me feel better. It doesn't have to be something big -- small will do. A box of paperclips. Index cards.
Back to school sales make it pretty affordable to pick up a couple composition books.

Clear Flour Bread

I visited Michael and Wei-Ying this weekend and we stopped by the Clear Flour Bread bakery this morning to pick up delicious French pastries. Chocolate croisants and pecan rolls were delicious.

That's quite the dessert

Signing up on the website for the thing that will give me free food on my birthday, I encountered the following non-parsing sentence:

Join our BA Prime Club and receive a free dessert including a Free Steak Dinner for your Birthday!

Nice vs. Good

There's a difference between being nice and being good. Nice people refill the copier and do other nice things and generally try not to offend anyone.

Good people make a difference for the better in the world.

They're not mutually exclusive. But they're also not to be confused.

Or, "living well is the best revenge."

Meeting People in Grocery Stores

Apparently I've been going to the wrong grocery store: this Safeway is supposed to be the cool people hangout.

Raising Arizona

This evening I went to the Netflix Rolling Road Show showing of Raising Arizona. I hadn't explored that far east before today and checked out the "ghost town" near the state park before the show. The show itself was great fun, complete with inflatable screen and pre-show antics from the scavenger hunt teams.

An Aqua Kind of Day

Today I splashed around a bit at Sunsplash waterpark and caught the Aquabats concert at Venue of Scottsdale this evening.

w + o = wo.

Just Breathe

No one can find the rewind button girl,
So cradle your head in your hands
And breathe, just breathe,
Woah breathe, just breathe

...
Here in town you can tell he's been down for a while,
But my God it's so beautiful when the boy smiles,
Wanna hold him, maybe I'll just sing about it.

Cause you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable,
And life's like an hourglass, glued to the table.
No one can find the rewind button boys,
So cradle your head in your hands,
And breathe, just breathe,

Sedona

Today dad and I drove to Sedona and hiked the Little Horse trail.

By the Wayside at Yuca Tap Room

Dad and I caught By the Wayside at the Yucca Tap Room this evening. Lovesick Suicide remains their best song.

someday in the mist of time

As far as my eyes can see
There are Shadows approaching me
And to those I left behind
I wanted you to Know
You've always shared my deepest thoughts
You follow where I go

And oh when I'm old and wise
Bitter words mean little to me
Autumn Winds will blow right through me
And someday in the mist of time
When they asked me if I knew you
I'd smile and say you were a friend of mine
And the sadness would be Lifted from my eyes
Oh when I'm old and wise

As far as my Eyes can see
There are shadows surrounding me
And to those I leave behind
I want you all to know
You've always Shared my darkest hours
I'll miss you when I go

And oh, when I'm old and wise
Heavy words that tossed and blew me
Like Autumn winds that will blow right through me
And someday in the mist of time
When they ask you if you knew me
Remember that You were a friend of mine
As the final curtain falls before my eyes
Oh when I'm Old and wise

As far as my eyes can see

Old and Wise. Alan Parsons Project.

A story about a parking lot

A few weeks ago, I finished a late-evening workout at the gym and was returning to my car when I noticed a woman repeatedly setting off her car alarm and acting very frustrated. I walked over and asked if there was anything I could do to help. It turned out that she'd put her car into alarm mode somehow and couldn't figure out how to turn it off and so was stranded in this parking lot. We called her son, who apparently knew how to turn off the alarm, and then waited for him, not so very long, talking about life in Arizona, about the challenges of raising teenagers.

I tell my mother this story, and she tells me what a good person I am to have lended help in this way. Maybe, but I don't think that's it.

I tell my sister this story, and she tells me how creepy it is, hanging around people like that, the woman could have just waited for her son in the gym lobby, it being open to the wee hours of the night and all. And while I hope I'm not a creepy person, she's right, that would have been a fine solution to the problem of waiting alone in a parking lot at night.

But here's where I think it's at: that wasn't the problem being solved. Sometimes you just need someone to talk to.

Transfiguration Sunday

I'd have to admit I didn't get much out of the homily today. It was fairly deep about the transfiguration and all I grasped was the punchline -- something about needing to listen to God rather than merely look for or at God.

But I figured something else out at mass this morning that's probably more immediately and personally important, anyway. I set my alarm last night planning on going Church-hopping again today looking for a church, and I ended up just going to Holy Spirit. I think I've found a church and now I need to figure out how to really be a part of it.

Doesn't mean I won't still check out some other churches every once in a while. It's kind of fun to see some different approaches and perspectives. And there seem to be very many of them around here to be visited.

Chase's Diner Breakfast

I treated myself to a Chase's Diner breakfast. In general Lyndon was right in telling me that post-hike, I'll just feel hungry all the time for a couple days. Part of the fun of exercising regularly.

The french toast combo was very tasty but I tried the eggs over easy instead of my usual over hard and I think I'll be going back to over hard from now on. Don't want to be too adventurous.

Even though it was busy they let me take up a seat and read some Zodiak over a leisurely breakfast. Cool. Also, the coffee was really very good.

Humphrey's Peak

Today I hiked Humphrey's Peak with Lyndon and the Arizona Trailblazers hiking group. I had an awesome time, got to visit the trees, and met some new people.





I've posted more photos from this expedition.

The First Day of the rest of my life

Today is the first day of the rest of my life, as the saw goes.

I will endeavor to be more honest, more open, and more courageous.