Is it just me ...

... or is this just really, really funny?

(If you're wondering, it's the pod left over after a canna stops blooming.)


Open. And closed. And open ...

Lil' Bro called this rainy morning, suggesting it might be a good day to put in my new garage door opener, the one that's been sitting in its box, propping up the north wall, for a month now. Huzzah! I thought ... we'll be done by noon, and I can still get in a good workout ... exchange a top at the dreaded mall ... accomplish some more readin/writin/relaxin a la yesterday ...

Seven hours and one six-pack later, the damn thing finally worked. Matt may have intimate experience with this particular variety of mechanism, but he forgot to take my crumbling, far-from-square old structure into account. A few trips to the hardware store and an afternoon of sitting around later (and that six-pack he drank in the process!), and I prob'ly saved only about $20 off the quote the professionals gave me several months ago. I didn't tell him that.

But here's one of the things I like best about my brother: Despite one setback after another, he didn't (except for a couple of self-directed f-bombs) complain once about the situation. He never does get uptight or annoyed. He just keeps trying to figure out how to solve the problem. And he's pretty upbeat about the journey.

This is not an inherited trait. How did he come to be so zen? Is it the High Life?

I was fairly zen myself this weekend, matter of fact. The rain turned my beds into a goopy clay mush, so no garden work as was the plan. I actually allowed myself to sink into relaxation mode, with only a modicum of guilt.

I feel grateful to have so many someones who are so willing to help. And grateful that my good fortune (despite my constant fears of falling into the financial abyss) allows me such luxuries as a garage door opener. I was getting along just fine on muscle power, but it will be nice to have as winter closes in (and it looks like I'll be braving another Nebraska winter). I've found I don't mind living without a lot of things I once considered essential ... a dishwasher, a savings account, a man ...


Peace, out.

Tomorrow is my first Peace Corps interview. The more steps I complete, the more excited I get. I really do see this happening. On Friday I signed up to volunteer with Nebraska AIDS Project to get some experience. The people there are so warm and lovely, I can hardly wait to hang out with them. After a weekend of training in early November, I'll be certified to do HIV testing; also hope to do education and outreach. They're just kind of reinvigorating their volunteer situation, so it seems a mutually beneficial setup. Symbiosis!


Quote of the day.

"Optimism is true moral courage."
-- Sir Ernest Shackleton