R.I.P.

October 20th, 2010

The poor, bruised and beaten Work Shoes Of Justin were laid to rest ceremoniously into a garbage can after more than a year of dedicated service and abuse. A Photograph is not included due to the sad state of the bodies' appearance-- we would prefer that they were remembered as they were in their better days... On a lighter note, new work shoes have been purchased ($37!!! At PayLESS???) and today have begun their courageous crusade of walking, running, and stepping in strange new gross things 8+ hours a day.


I heard today the coolest Remix of Pixar's UP- If you click on the title of this post, you will be directed to a blog featuring the video. In my opinion a work of art worth appreciating.

I love jumping.

Often it takes a running start,
a little preparation of which I am all too fond,
but the jumping is definitely there.
Over hills, into holes,
through rings and clouds
of interesting people
that’s where I’ve found my favorite past times
memories bottled up
then drunk in reflection
now a whole new part of this self.
To jump is to love
oneself and everything around.
And when I happen to land
in a bit of mud
something sharper
harder than expected
that’s when I appreciate.
The colors of soil
swirled into a fluid marble
reflecting
the grandness of things still greater than myself
and the miraculous ability of one soul
to stand, recover,
rebuild the broken, severed, and burned bits
into a much better jumper.

Field Trip!

This last Tuesday was probably the best day-off ever! At least, it has been since I did deliveries for the Bishop's Storehouse. I grabbed my Xathanael (brother, 6-years old), two sack lunches, and loaded into the school bus for my first elementary school field trip in ages! An hour and a half bus ride with a trillion rowdy first grades isn't exactly on the top of any one's wish list, but it was totally worth spending the day chaperoning(still does not make me an adult) a trip to the Exploratorium in San Francisco.
Accompanied by my brother and his friend James, we spent three hours jumping form exhibit to exhibit nonstop with a brief lunch somewhere in there. One of the first exhibits we encountered was this kind of coyote-walk thing where it grades your quietness in crossing a path of gravel. I was extremely disappointed that Xathanael insisted on cheating every time by putting his feet up against the box walls instead of actually walking in the gravel. Typical little brother(I'm sure that at his age I would have done the same). Another game on the upstairs floor involved swinging a stick back and forth to get another stick attached on a rotating joint to balance vertically on top. With the two younger boys cheering me on, I was very happy that my contact-juggler training finally paid off and I got it balanced on the first try. Definitely a highlight of my day.

One thing I can't get over is how incredibly and easily frightened Xathanael gets over little things. He refused to put the color-bubble over his head on the grounds that it was too frightening (picture to be included later) and he was not too keen on several of the living creatures nor the shadow-catching box (which James didn't want to move away from). Instead he touched anything and everything that had controls, buttons, or a joystick. I fear he is of the electronically addicted generation... although I must admit that having a cell-phone with distracting games on it bought me a good 30 minute nap on the way home so it's not all bad. Love my little brother, and thank him for letting me tag along. If only I was three feet tall... then maybe I could re-enroll.