It’s not easy.
Sometimes you have to poke and prod a little. Not fun.
Maybe even a little unpleasant.
But I guess that’s the job.
You’re gonna be living in it soon.
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Discovery Museum, Las Vegas
The other day, we went to a free event at the Discovery Children’s Museum.
A couple years ago we had a membership to this museum, so it was intensely nostalgic to watch our daughter in the same space we used to frequent regularly, just a couple years older.
It seems to be a frequent theme on this blog, but it’s worth repeating. Single days crawl slowly, but time disappears fast.
As for the trip, the girl had just as much fun as before, but we found the place equally boring as before. We still prefer Springs Preserve.
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Chase Bank Parking Lot, Arroyo Crossing, Las Vegas
When you live in an area for an extended period, mundane places begin to pick up the residue of various experiences.
Last year (just around this time) we sold our little Mazda that we owned for nine years. I met the buyer outside of this bank because he was pulling his cash out from this branch.
This year, I met my new tenant to sign the lease and transfer the rent and security deposits between our two accounts.
Looking at it, you’d never anticipate major exchanges would happen in this little parking lot.
Until it happens.
Twice.
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One shovelful at a time
The way to fill in a hole is the same way it got there, a little bit at a time.
I can’t imagine this is an original thought, but I’m stealing it, cause I got a big project to review.
Heroic effort in this type of work is only enticing in the abstract, effectiveness is found in each little step.
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Upper back pain
I’ve had several bouts of lower back pain, usually attributable to various forms of physical exertion. However, I’ve realized that such events are always preceded with various forms of neglect or stress that allow the proverbial straw to do the final break.
But recently I’ve had a new twist – upper back pain! I suspect it was a mix of working on deadline without the greatest ergonomics and playing with my daughter as she sat on my shoulders at the park.
I’ve had various other forms of non-lower back pain, but of the individual localized variety, not this comprehensive regional stiffness and swelling that I’ve previously only associated with lower back pain.
In any case, I guess as I stumble past 40, I’m gonna after to take care of my back. All of it.
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“walking”
I usually write my posts a month in advance, and it’s always interesting when I do it about the family and especially the boy cause you never know if the phase will be long gone by the time it actually publishes.
Over the past week he’s gone from being good at squats to being able to put one foot in front of the other, but his strength is not such that he can actually walk on his own.
However there are plenty of willing hands to help him walk.
And he’s got such a big grin when you do.
Must be fun growing up. Frustrating too. But fun.
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Therme Vals, Switzerland
We once visited the Peter Zumthor’s Therme Vals which is a free standing structure spa in the Swiss mountain side.
Which is technically true.
But its also in the middle of a little resort town and surrounded by boring old hotel towers on all sides.
The photographs of the building are honest, this is an gorgeous structure, interior and exterior. But if the camera was shifted even a millimeter one direction or the other, the exterior shots wouldn’t look nearly as pretty.
Razor Thin.
Hanging out at the baths felt like standing on a mountain vista with litter in the foreground. However awesome the expanse, you are also burning a little mental energy to not think about the messy context.
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Breaking a habit
I thought about skipping my morning routine and jumping straight into my deadline.
But then I realized how bad I am with keeping good habits.
Not worth the risk.
So here is a short blog post.
And a plug for Atomic Habits.
(where he says the really dangerous move is to break a habit two days in a row…so why volunteer for day one?)
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Row, row, row your boat
Over the years, I’ve given my daughter rides between the bedroom and laundry in a bin full of clothes.
Yesterday I gave my boy his first ride in the bin.
Halfway there, she saw him in her bin and decided to jump in as well.
So the three of us did a couple loops around the house.
My heart was full.
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Connections
A connection won’t just give it to you.
But just knowing about an opportunity.
And maybe one day’s head start.
That might be all you need.
If you’re ready to capitalize on it.