July 25, 2006
Why is it that at least a month always seems to pass between my postings? It's not that nothing is happening in my life, just that I never sit down to write about it. I really need to get into the habit of writing more. When I was in Mexico I wrote several pages almost every night - but I come home, and pfft, away that habit goes.
Well, last I wrote about my grandma - she is now living in an assisted care living situation, only about 6 miles from the house, which is nice since it allows me to see her almost every day. She is eating better and walking around more, but still has a lot of issues to deal with. This last week she made herself sick because her snack was an egg salad sandwich, and she ate a little, then put it down and ate some more several hours later (not a good thing to do when the weather has been in the 105-115 range for five days or so). So, she still needs a lot of care. Physically, she'd doing pretty good though. Working on getting her in to have her hearing examined so she can get a hearing aid, but the first appointment is two months away. That's simply ridiculous, but that's Kaiser. Gotta work with the system, not against it. Be a squeaky wheel that drives their nerves to within a quarter inch of insanity until they get the problem fixed - i.e., calling back everyday to see if they have a cancellation.
I don't really have too much going on in my life at the moment that's new besides my grandma. Two of my best friends are leaving in a couple weeks to go get their PhDs, so that will be lonely. This weekend is the bachelor party for another friend that is getting married on the 12th of next month. Starting working with Rich at church on the big bike rally thing he's planning for the fall as an outreach. My guys'group at church is going really well - about half way through our book (The Pursuit of Holiness). Working on a couple of other books right now as well (I never have just one book going - usually three or more at any given time). Thinking of starting "The Little Flowers of St. Francis of Assisi" and Bonhoeffer's "The Cost of Discipleship" next. I have so many books to read. And so many more books that I want to read. It's a skill and a habit that I do not practice as well as I used to though.
I've been sliding on my photography of late/ Just haven't had the umph to get out there and just shoot. I have a couple things here and there that I do (wedding a couple weeks ago, party this weekend, bike rally in two months), but I haven't just taken a walk or a drive to shoot for a while. There's anew kitten in the house though, so I'm hoping to get some good shots in of her before she gets too big.
Writing - that as well has been slacking as of late. I was excited last night because something actually stirred up the desire to write some poetry for the first time in a good long while. It wasn't long, but at least it was something. I CAN write when I force myself to, but I don't write well. The truly good stuff is not something you can control. But again, I need to be in the habit of writing anyway, whether it's good stuff or bad. "Fortune favors the prepared" - and being in the habit of writing is the best way to be prepared to write.
That's pretty much it at the moment. Got a couple of nice pieces at the last auction - one ancient (couple hundred years I think - another certified piece they had was at minimum four hundred years old) white jade piece that I want to keep for myself (nice little dragon and phoenix piece), and one fairly modern urn (large - about 4 feet tall) that I want to sell. It has a gold foo dog on the top lid. Not anything old, but still a nice decorator's piece. Has pretty scenes depicted around it, and nice gold work throughout. I'm blanking on the name of the style - chinoiserie? - no...not cloisonné - ah, I forget. Too many five dollar terms when it comes to art and furniture to describe simple little things. Anyway, I'm going to try CraigsList first, because I don;t want to pack the thing to ship it, or ebay if that doesn't work. I bought one a long time ago that I sold through a consignment friend of ours, but they take 40-60% - way too much in my opinion.
Think that's pretty much it at the moment. Couple other little things that are on the back burner, so no reason to write about them just yet. Life, thought often difficult, trying, andoccasionallyy hair-pullingly frustrating, is good. Life is good; God is good.
Well, last I wrote about my grandma - she is now living in an assisted care living situation, only about 6 miles from the house, which is nice since it allows me to see her almost every day. She is eating better and walking around more, but still has a lot of issues to deal with. This last week she made herself sick because her snack was an egg salad sandwich, and she ate a little, then put it down and ate some more several hours later (not a good thing to do when the weather has been in the 105-115 range for five days or so). So, she still needs a lot of care. Physically, she'd doing pretty good though. Working on getting her in to have her hearing examined so she can get a hearing aid, but the first appointment is two months away. That's simply ridiculous, but that's Kaiser. Gotta work with the system, not against it. Be a squeaky wheel that drives their nerves to within a quarter inch of insanity until they get the problem fixed - i.e., calling back everyday to see if they have a cancellation.
I don't really have too much going on in my life at the moment that's new besides my grandma. Two of my best friends are leaving in a couple weeks to go get their PhDs, so that will be lonely. This weekend is the bachelor party for another friend that is getting married on the 12th of next month. Starting working with Rich at church on the big bike rally thing he's planning for the fall as an outreach. My guys'group at church is going really well - about half way through our book (The Pursuit of Holiness). Working on a couple of other books right now as well (I never have just one book going - usually three or more at any given time). Thinking of starting "The Little Flowers of St. Francis of Assisi" and Bonhoeffer's "The Cost of Discipleship" next. I have so many books to read. And so many more books that I want to read. It's a skill and a habit that I do not practice as well as I used to though.
I've been sliding on my photography of late/ Just haven't had the umph to get out there and just shoot. I have a couple things here and there that I do (wedding a couple weeks ago, party this weekend, bike rally in two months), but I haven't just taken a walk or a drive to shoot for a while. There's anew kitten in the house though, so I'm hoping to get some good shots in of her before she gets too big.
Writing - that as well has been slacking as of late. I was excited last night because something actually stirred up the desire to write some poetry for the first time in a good long while. It wasn't long, but at least it was something. I CAN write when I force myself to, but I don't write well. The truly good stuff is not something you can control. But again, I need to be in the habit of writing anyway, whether it's good stuff or bad. "Fortune favors the prepared" - and being in the habit of writing is the best way to be prepared to write.
That's pretty much it at the moment. Got a couple of nice pieces at the last auction - one ancient (couple hundred years I think - another certified piece they had was at minimum four hundred years old) white jade piece that I want to keep for myself (nice little dragon and phoenix piece), and one fairly modern urn (large - about 4 feet tall) that I want to sell. It has a gold foo dog on the top lid. Not anything old, but still a nice decorator's piece. Has pretty scenes depicted around it, and nice gold work throughout. I'm blanking on the name of the style - chinoiserie? - no...not cloisonné - ah, I forget. Too many five dollar terms when it comes to art and furniture to describe simple little things. Anyway, I'm going to try CraigsList first, because I don;t want to pack the thing to ship it, or ebay if that doesn't work. I bought one a long time ago that I sold through a consignment friend of ours, but they take 40-60% - way too much in my opinion.
Think that's pretty much it at the moment. Couple other little things that are on the back burner, so no reason to write about them just yet. Life, thought often difficult, trying, andoccasionallyy hair-pullingly frustrating, is good. Life is good; God is good.
