September 15 – journey continues

journey continues
highs, lows, both unexpected
Jackie bought doughnuts

Reportedly, the share of American young adults living with their parents is the highest in 75 years.

33% of those aged 25-29 or 3 times as many as in the 1970’s.

Our son, Jackie, known as Jay, lives at home.

I guess I should say he stays at home as he live online in the gaming world when he is here.

Last night he came home with a dozen chocolate covered, cream filled, Dunkin Doughnuts.

How can so many highs and lows be tied into a food item at the same time.

Start with a deep fried cake, fill it with creme, coat it with a sugar glaze and cover the top with chocolate icing.

But the calories.

Oh the sweetness.

Deep frying?

Fluffy cake.

How fast it disappears.

The sugar high.

Bliss of kinda doing something wrong.

The ‘thunk’ when it lands in my stomach.

Do I need this?

Do I want this?

I shut off the discussion, tabled the question and called for an end to the debate.

Then, ate a doughnut with a clear conscience.

September 14 – in spirit, same mind

in spirit, same mind
tenderness and compassion
having the same love

based on:

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.

Philippians 2:1-2 (NIV)

What happened to compassion today?

Where did it go?

Once my brothers and sisters came home from Crestview Elementary School in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and we told our Mom that there was a family of kids with no winter coats.

It was fall and starting to turn cold and these 3 or 4 kids arrived at school and went out for recess without warm coats.

Our Mom, without telling us, called the Principal, Mrs. Adams (as I said at my Mom’s funeral, Mom knew Mrs. Adams really well, for some reason, I sure didn’t know why).

And Mom made arrangements to get these kids winter coats right away.

Mom did not want the kids or us to know about it but Mrs. Adams had the kids write thank you notes which we found later.

Compassion.

September 13 – traffic problems, sounds

traffic problems, sounds
chopper overhead, stomach sinks
red lights were northbound

As much as Daniel Boone had his forest craft and could recognize the first signs of problems, I am tuned to the sounds of the city.

As I walked to my car this morning, a helicopter went low overhead from the sounds, I knew it was hovering nearby.

That could mean only one thing.

Traffic problems on I85.

I85, which had just this week been described as the ‘lifeblood of Gwinnett County’ though I bet the county commissioner meant to say, ‘lifeline’.

I85 is my magic carpet ride to downtown Atlanta.

And something had happened on I85.

Something so bad that of all and any traffic issues this morning in the Metro Atlanta area, this issue was worthy of helicopter coverage.

My usual 45 minute drive was not SOUNDING good.

My mind went into TRAFFIC Evaluation mode.

What were my alternate routes?

Had whatever happened filled up the alternative routes?

Where exactly was the problem?

Where was the helicopter?

All this in more was processing through my head as I tentatively approached my entrance to the freeway.

I turned onto Lawrenceville-Suwannee and I had my first view of the freeway.

I exhaled.

As far as I could see were red tail lights.

All going north.

The accident was on the other side of the freeway.

Made it to the office in 37 minutes.

Starting my day and ending my week feeling ahead of the game.

September 12 – Yogi Berra wrong?

Yogi Berra wrong?
not over, but it’s over
Aussies keep Ashes

Mr. Berra is credited with saying something like, “It ain’t over, until it’s over.”

Many times in sports and in life, this rings true.

No surprise that, in the Ashes, it doesn’t apply.

The Ashes is a test cricket series between Australia and England that is played every other year and alternates sites between England and Australia.

A test cricket series is made up of 5 test cricket matches.

Each match can last up to 5 days with breaks each day for lunch and tea.

A cricket match can end as a:

WIN: One team has more runs at the end of the match

Tie: Both teams have the same amount of runs and wickets at the end of a match.

Draw: If a match ends with one team not being able to complete their innings at bat before the end of play.

No Result: Match has started but due to weather or light or something else cannot be completed.

Abandoned: Match never stated.

One quirk of Cricket is that the Ashes is a best of five series, but regardless of results, all five matches are played.

If this was a World Series, all seven games would be played even if one team won the first four.

Another quirk of the Ashes is that in case of a series draw, the team holding the Ashes, gets to keep the trophy.

This year, Australia won Test 1 and Test 4.

England won Test 3 (in dramatic fashion)

Test 2 was a draw.

The best England can do is a Draw for the 2019 Series.

So it’s over and Australia keeps the Ashes.

But Test 5 still has to be played.

So it’s not over.

That’s Cricket!

September 11 – man on a rooftop

man on a rooftop
neon orange shirt, red shoes
visible, hidden

The building across the driveway is getting a new roof.

I have been watching the work from my office all summer.

The work seems to be in its final stages and the entire roof has been coated in a bright white paint or plastic coating of some sort.

This morning, one of the workers was walking across the vast white expanse.

The worker was wearing a neon orange t-shirt, blue jeans and red shoes.

Dots of color in motion over a blank canvas.

Calderesque.

A two dimensional mobile.

The worker had no place to hide.

Completely exposed.

Visible.

At least to me as my office window is on higher than the roof the worker walked on.

From the ground, the worker was hidden.

Unseen by most of the world.