Under a Red Roof

13,780 Reasons to Sit In Wild Wonder

March 1, 2009 in Being, Thinking by Colleen | 1 comment

This past weekend, after contemplating it for some time, I asked the dear hubster to venture a guess as to how many days we’d been alive, independently or collectively. As is his custom when I ponder such notions, he smiled tenderly and said, “I have no idea.” We changed the subject without any further investigation, but the thought lingered in my mind. Then, thanks to my marvelous friend serendipity, the habit of being posted how many days she has graced the earth, along with the place I could complete the calculation for myself (and you too!).

In these times of enormous human populations and gigantic budget deficits, digits increasing seemingly exponentially, my number feels a little small, but when I think about it in terms of what it is – actually being alive – I become quite giddy. That is 13,780 days of living, breathing, loving, laughing and experiencing the joy that accompanies occupying this precious and sometimes mysterious skin.

The more I sit with it, the more the glory of my days shimmers and expands into a large and luminous ball glimmering on the horizon, energy that wants to spread sweetness and light everywhere it goes.

That is me. These are my days.

Just think:

Every single day has had a sunrise and a sunset. Every one! Oh goodness, I swoon at all the marvelous reds, pinks, purples, and blues that have filled the sky!

Every single night, there have been beautiful stars, even if they were obscured by clouds – Orion, the Pleadies, Castor and Pollux, Cassiopeia, and the rest of the heavenly assemblage.

Every single minute of every single hour, people have died and been born; some I have known; most I have not.

Just wonder:

How many gibbous moons, eyelash slivers, and full orbs of evening light?

How many steps, hops, skips, dashes, and leaps?

How many delicious meals, slices of pie?

How many kisses, hugs, and cuddles?

How many tears, sobs, and cries?

How many songs sung and heard?

I sit here, incredulous at all that has happened in my humble collection of days, all that I know, all I have yet to learn, all that I can only dream about. I ponder what lies just around the corner or on day 15,000 (July 4, 2012). No matter what, I am confident and rather sanguine about this marvelous gift, how lovely just to be alive!

Keep On Keepin’ On

January 12, 2009 in Being, Thinking by Colleen | 1 comment

I know, so cheesy for a title, but I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. I used to believe that once I made it over a hurdle that was it. I was done. Then when I’d see that I was approaching that same hurdle for possibly the millionth time, I would get so bitchy, especially at myself, thinking I had grown beyond it, even though I hadn’t.

Now, with a hefty dose of forgiveness for not being the perfect being I would like and a lot of humor mixed in, I know that there are always going to be more hurdles. More writing, creating, destroying, befriending, letting go, more yoga sessions, more people I don’t like encroaching into my space.

The cool part, however, is that I now mostly accept that I am an ever-evolving human (this is a hurdle, too!). I can change my mind, my habits, and my jean size. If I approach life with an open heart and mind, it is all good, sweet, and wonderful, too. I don’t need to lament, lambast, or whine, but will when required. I can keep on keepin’ on. It’s such a good feeling!

Truths Revealed

November 17, 2008 in Remembering, Thinking by Colleen | 2 comments

Well, finally, sheesh. I was so tickled that my Arizona pal Kelli, tagged me, but then when I sat down to do it, not a single thing popped into my head that I hadn’t said before on the blog – maybe I should keep the cards a little closer to the vest, huh? So after days of thinking, I asked the hubster to help me out, and here’s what we came up with. This time, I’m going to tag people back, too, but not six because I don’t know that many, at least in the blogging world! So how about it Amber and Sarah? Six random facts for the good of the order…

1. I was once a pastry chef for a creepy uni-browed man named Bruno. And why was he creepy, you might ask? He told me that I should wear red lipstick to work. Yeah, like that would make the cakes taste any better!

2. I have a very keen sense of smell. It drives my hubby nuts. “Do you smell that?” “Um, no.” “Well, I do, and it’s awful! Help me find it!”

3. I am a J Crew-aholic. Thank goodness for good sales.

4. I can have a very short fuse, particularly with my cat Milo. He likes to paw at the blinds, making this awful racket, like he’s doing right now. I yell, then he runs away and comes back in two minutes to start it all over again.

5. I love maps of all kinds. I find them beautiful and inspiring.

6. I love Star Trek movies! My favorites are Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and First Contact. Even though I’ve seen them both many times I always cry when Spock dies and love it when Data says for how many milliseconds he was tempted by the Borg. Good stuff. This also brings me to random fact number six and a half: It is Star Trek, not track. Whew – glad I cleared that up!

Have a great day…

Missing Four

November 7, 2008 in Thinking by Colleen | 2 comments

An easy meme for a writing day. I’ve taken out the questions I didn’t like. If you’d like to see them all, check out: Country Girl/City Girl where you will also see a photo of one of my favorite bands from my days at North Arvada Junior High.

1. Do you like blue cheese? In thick, mayonnaise-y sour creamy-y salad dressing. Not so much plain.

2. Have you ever smoked heroin? No, only cigarettes and doobie.

3. Do you own a gun? NO

4 Your favorite song? At the moment, Iron and Wine’s “Carousel.”

5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? No, I like to go.

6. What do you think of hot dogs? Thumbs up, especially at Zach’s Shack on Hawthorne.

7. Favorite Christmas song? When Marian Anderson sings Ave Maria, I weep like there is no tomorrow.

8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? I call it my a.m. concoction: Kombucha, Emergen-C, acidophilus, fiber, spirulina, and lemon flavored cod liver oil. I think it is yummy, and that’s no lie.

9. Can you do push ups? Yes

10. What type of movies do you prefer? Good ones

11. What’s your favorite piece of jewelry? My wedding ring

12. Favorite hobbies? Cooking, Reading, Gardening, Decorating, and Imagining

13. Secret weapon to get the opposite sex? Love myself first

14. Do you have A.D.D.? Sometimes

15. What one trait do you hate about yourself? Quick to judge

16. Middle Name? Louise

17. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment:

I don’t think that tofu scramble was a good idea.

It’s warmer than I expected today.

I hope I can see my friend Jen tonight.

18. Name 3 things you bought yesterday:

Tulips

Bagels

Cream Cheese

19. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink. Water and my fiber drink, there is no regular third.

20. Current worry right now? Don’t worry. Be happy.

21. Current hate right now? I don’t hate anything. It isn’t productive for me.

22. Favorite place to be? Comfortable.

26. Do you own slippers? I’m wearing them now.

27. What shirt are you wearing? A silk undershirt and orange t-shirt, with a Norwegian cardigan over it all. I’m cozy.

28. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? Never tried. I am, however, considering a satin pillow case to keep my locks purdy.

29. Can you whistle? Not well

30. Favorite color? Not presently

31. Would you be a pirate? Stealing is wrong.

32. What songs do you sing in the shower? I’m too busy daydreaming to sing.

33. Favorite girl’s name? Pilar, Penelope

34. Favorite boy’s name? Quinn

35. What’s in your pocket right now? Nothing

36. Last thing that made you laugh? Life

37. Best bed sheets as a child? White with tiny pink rosebuds. I still have the top sheet.

38. Worst injury you have ever had? A ganglion cyst that was removed with surgery in the fifth grade. The worst bit was learning two months ago that someone could have smacked it with a heavy book and it would have gone away.

39. Do you love where you live? Yes! Yes!

40. How many TVs & computers do you have in your house? Two of each

41. Who is your loudest friend? It’d be pretty tough to beat me.

42. How many pets do you have? Two cats

43. Does someone have a crush on you? My hubby. The guy at the grocery who likes to smell my perfume.

44. What is your favorite book? Not possible to choose.

45. What’s your favorite candy? I love a chocolate and peanut butter combo.

46. Favorite Sports Team? The underdog

47. What song(s) do you want played at your funeral? Happy ones!

48. What were you doing 12 AM last night? Sleeping

49. What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? I’m not ready to get up.

Contemplation

November 5, 2008 in Admiring, Thinking, Writing by Colleen | 4 comments

I imagine that running for President and then actually learning you are going to be POTUS has got to be akin to writing a novel. At first, you are woozy with all the possibilities. “I could create something amazing!” Then, you realize that despite your best efforts, not everything you wanted to put on the page is as easy as it first seemed.

With that knowledge, you spend a lot of time in your head, making lists, listening to voices, remembering important tidbits that you have heard here and there. Then there are those crazy moments when you find yourself talking aloud, to yourself, while standing in front of the refrigerator, open jar of pickles in your hand. “That Fareed Zakaria, now he would make an interesting Secretary of State. So smart!”

As I think about my next chapter, I am so very grateful that America is writing a new one as well. I am grateful for the millions of people who participated in this election, regardless of the candidate they chose. I am grateful for John McCain and his gracious speech. I am grateful for Barack Obama, a man who would desire, even relish the task of being President in such a crazy time in America and the world. May he write an astoundingly wise and courageous chapter in this book of American life.

p.s. My word count is 7607