New Year, New Do

Twenty three has officially come and gone. And looking back, it was a good year. But I see even better things for twenty four. And I've started off my new year with a new do. Chopping eleven or so inches of hair was just what I needed. (There may be photos soon. We'll see.)

Here are a few predictions for the year to come:
-This is the year I will meet that special someone...hopefully.
-There could possibly be a big move in my future...who knows.
-I anticipate purchasing a new car...if I can get the money together
-I need to start investing in my retirement...also a money issue.
-I want to travel for fun for a change...look for me in the mountains.
-I will climb a 14000 mountain...ready Dad?

Well, that's a start. Ready or not, twenty four, here I come.

Bzzzz.....

You know what's fun? Having an apartment (that I used to love a lot) infested with hornets. (Loving it a little less.) And even after the landlord comes and "takes care of it" I'm still killing them. He says they are living in the walls. Great.

You know what's even more fun? The nightmares of hornets crawling on me or flying around my face. Maybe when it snows I'll feel better.

A Bit of Perspective

A few wise people recently gave me a tape of a sermon that they insisted that I listen to. At first I wasn’t sure why they were so insistent, but then I stopped and looked around.

I have been grumpy. Really grumpy. And what for? A number of things have been weighing on me as of late, including traveling, the office, the chaos of my house….a few little things. These things have affected my happiness, but somehow, they managed to affect more than that.

Happiness, as a matter of clarification, comes primarily from external circumstances, events, and such. Things like making my house clean, making people happy, and spending time with friends make me happy.

Joy, however, is something completely different. Joy is internal. It should not be affected by the external things that happiness is so often tossed around with. Joy sits in that place in your heart where hope and love live. And much like hope and love, joy is one of those things that is much too easily forgotten somehow. We forget where it comes from, or rather Who it comes from, and what it feels like.

So, I have decided, thanks to those wise people and that little sermon tape, that it is time to get a grip on life’s perspective. No matter how crummy a job or office dynamic becomes, or how messy a home becomes, or how long a week is on the road. Throughout it all, I still have joy. With joy in the forefront, these crummy things just aren’t so bad. They can’t be. With a heart of joy, even the worst situations can viewed as positives.

Now, I won’t claim that this new perspective will take place overnight. It is not so easy. This will take some thought and persistence. In a world where joy is not even a recognized emotion, I will need to strive to make it central to my life. Think about it. Even if things aren’t great, they could still be good. And I’d really like for my life to be good again…joyful.

Morning Glory Coffee and Conversation

Oh West Bend…

I had to pick the hottest grandparent spot in the whole town. Morning Glory looks from the outside like a quiet, cozy shop to sit and get some work done, but not so much. There wasn’t much atmosphere, except the music was nice. Low jazz tuned hummed in the background of 25 or so hard-of-hearing chatters.

No credit cards were accepted….I have to write a check? Hmmm. No high speed internet….and of course I took the time to start up my computer and then proceed to sit there like an idiot wondering what to do without being connected.

Needless to say, I was slightly disappointed in my find and won’t plan to make a repeat visit. The smell of old-person perfume masked the aroma of the coffee that I smelled outside. But I’m in luck. There are several other places around the area that look better. Maybe tomorrow I’ll venture to the St. Somewhere downtown West Bend, or maybe hit up a little place in one of the tiny towns around here. I’ll keep you posted.