A Mood Continuum

This is probably going to be a mixed bag.

It was a mixed bag sort of day.

***

I woke up tired, out of sorts. I go to bed too late and get up too early. I may now be cursed as one whose eyes pop open at workday hours even when I have every right to sleep in.

So, up I was, well before seven a.m.

I spent all morning battling fatigue and the tricky guts and surly dispostion that go with it. But I made it, and the kids didn't push their luck too much.

But mostly I sat here all day, just trying to gather myself. I move so much, just always. Work, school, family...

I'm rambling.

I did eventually get my butt up and go work out, and that was perfect. It was exactly the therapy I needed. I held up okay, and even late in the workout had just a bit of a second wind, somehow.

***

The highlight of my day, I think, was watching THEGIRL at the piano. She's taken to sitting on the bench, banging on random keys and singing nonsensical word pieces and sounds in that crazy-high little girl range. We applaud her when she's done, and she bows, saying "thank you!"

And tonight's performance, which I got on video, included a the final lyric, "And I'm a PRINCESS!"

Classic, just classic.

***

I hit Wal Mart for groceries tonight. Good prices, but man that place makes my skin crawl sometimes.

I put 101 Merle Haggard songs on the iPod and set out. Merle got me through just fine.

There is a distinctive smell that someone who drinks a lot of beer puts off. Are you familiar with it? Yeah, I bumped into two separate guys in the Wal Mart tonight who smelled like that. One of them was stumbling pretty badly.

***



Oh, and Wal Mart now sells this, a Steven Seagal energy drink called "Lightning Bolt." It's only a dollar. I didn't buy one. I think it'd interfere with my ninja mind control skills.

***

Take a look around sometime. At Wal Mart, church, a city street... take a look around.

Just pause and cast a glance over a big group of people. You know, there's a wide array of experiences out there. Most folks don't just jump out at you in any way. But at any given time you could be looking at someone who has loved and lost, been abused, been ecstatically happy, been robbed, been rich, been appreciated, been slandered, been promoted, been cheated, been blessed, been given no choice, been cured, been given a raw deal... they're out there, folks.

They count, they all do.

***

So stop, or pause at least. Take time to tell someone it's going to be okay, or that you're going to do your damnedest to help them make it okay. Tell someone you value their friendship and or cherish and or love them.

***

Good night. Sleep peacefully.