Big Smile Blows a FuseLights out. Frustrated, I put my book down on the toilet set cover. Power must have went out. Wonder if its the entire house. Maybe its the entire block. Probably, I think its just the circuit breaker for the bottom floor of the house. I move the light green shower curtain to the side. Not even ten minutes in the tub. I like to soak in the tub for 20 to 30 minutes reading a book here and there. Sometimes its an Encyclopedia of Mythology. Other times, its a Sudoku puzzle book. Often, its the Sun Tzu's Art of War. Today it was the Anatomy of Strength and Weight Training. I was beginning to understand the nuts and bolts of a proper squat. Learned about blocking and how not to cave in your chest or something like that. Guess, I got to re-read it again.
G-Time and Firebird Promise
Guess, it was a sign. Unusually, I didn't work out in the morning as I originally planned. Last couple of months, Sundays are for a couple hours of cardio and 30 minute shoulder routine. This time I was disturbed by hot air balloons. No, not really disturbed. I was disrupted. Okay,fascinated. You see every morning . . .wait, almost every sunrise and sunset I have been having some G-Time. G Time is my promise to myself and the Big Smile that I would thank him and reconnect with what is important. Its my Firebird promise. Every sunrise and sunset I will take at least 5 minutes out of the day and listen to the sound. Stole this idea from Dvd City of Angels. If you don't know, find out.
Well, this morning I did my G-Time to get right with you know. . .everything. It was a cloudy morning and the Sun was having a hard time shining through. At this time, I like to document my health stats, write in my journal, and review my "To-Do" list for the day. I was highlighting my "Dones" and was reaching for my Exercise/Diet Journal, then all of the sudden the movie screen which was my car windshield was filled with Hot Air Balloons. Where did they come from? I remember a white, clean truck with extended cab in the desert by its lonesome. This was unusual, but not uncommon in the Antelope Vally. What was a white F150 now was a red and yellow giant hot air balloon. Actually, it was five hot air balloons. Let me correct that. It was seven hot air balloons laying on its side getting fired up with blasts of propane burners. (Riding a Hot Air Balloon will be going on my resolution list,Thank Ms. Stipech)
At any rate, there they were. Balloons were getting larger and larger. Seventy feet in height, balloons were taking up the my entire beautiful view my San Gabriel Mountain sunrise. It was an Ansel Adams picture with hot air balloons--in color) Maybe not so Ansel Adams. I must admit that I was frustrated that my G Time was being obstructed by Hot Air Balloons. Little did I notice that I needed just that. Got out of my car. Grabbed my Blackberry from its car charger. I started walking out the parking lot toward 10th Street West. I parked at the Lancaster Park, next to the new Y. Raised up my phone/camera/organizer/mp3 player/flashlight/etc and I started clicking away. Sent to my facebook account and that was it.
Look Ma, I Riding a Hot Air Balloon with No Basket
Another balloon onlooker started saying something, but I was not listening. I was lost in the moment. One man was in hot air balloon. Almost 80,000 cubic feet of hot air, at the will of the AV Winds,and this guy is going solo on a freaking strap-on swing seat. Yes, there was no giant basket that can fit 6 people comfortably. This guy was strapped onto a swing seat. Ah, some AV people are listening to the beat of different drum. It reminded me of one of those carnival rides where you are strapped onto a swing and it just twirls you round and round. This guy had the hot air balloon and a swing seat. That's it. I got to try that.
Book Said Green Grass and I Get Tumbleweeds
I was just present and in the moment. Little did I realize that I just felt. . .lighter. Buoyant. I was happier. I was deep in G Time and I felt my heart rate speed up. Blood rushing. Headache starting. BP rising. I was getting stressed out all the worries in life. The usual worries I guess most of us feel. Not enough money. Not enough time for family. Not being healthier. Not enough, whatever. Watching those balloons fill up with air and head to the sky, I just felt amazingly lighter.
Funny thing is I was reading a passage from the "How to Lower Blood Pressure." Passage was an mini-exercise on how to relax. Visualize a big park. Full of green grass. Imagine walking around and coming up to a small hill. There over the hill. There are bunch of hot air balloons sitting. As you get closer, all your worries, are climbing into the basket of the hot air balloon. As you get closer, all the balloons slowly are picked up by the wind currents are flying away. As I was taking my pictures for facebook, I realized that this just happened. No grass, but brown, sandy tumbleweed-filled desert. Thanks, Big Smile.
Bathroom Blackouts: Its A Sign To Keep Promises
Anyways, back to the reason why I write. It was a blackout. Not to the entire house, just the part I was in. Standing in the shower with the lights out, the flashed. Go to Church. You see days back I made a promise to myself and Big Smile that I have my heart open and listen to the synchronicities of Life. Couldn't tell what time it was, but I thought to myself, "I can do this. I can make it." Lights out reaching for the conditioner. Reaching for the Scrub brush and the green body wash, I said, "I have time. I can make it." I thought to myself, I made a promise to got to church at least once a month for an entire year. I wrote it down. Its a promise. Its a contract. Its my Covenant.
Got out of the searching for light. Stepped on my shoes and shorts. Forgot that it was blacked out. I felt for the light and my toothbrush. Wait, I already brushed and flossed. Then I realized, Blood sugar. Getting low. No workout. No meal replacement bottle. Didn't have my breakfast. Blackberry flashes from the bathroom floor. Must have fell of the toilet seat cover. My screen reads, "Breakfast. Morning Meds." Thank you Calendar Daily Event Function.
Got dressed and started the oven. Butter, shrimp, and one egg. Grabbed Quaker Oats "Maple and Brown Sugar" packet. Butter sizzled, threw in the shrimp. Cracked the egg and went to the fridge to grab the block of cheese (another post, remind me) Shrimp ready and scrambled egg is poured in the frying pan. Wash the same bowl (I hate doing lots of dishes). I open the oatmeal packet and pour two 1/4 cups of water. Throw it in the microwave and I take a breath.
Big Smiles--Eat, I Will Get You There
I am not a big fan of microwaved oatmeal. Too creamy for me. I would have liked to have used the kettle, but I have this amazing skill of burning water and setting off the fire alarm, even when its not my fault. Someone threw away the several times burnt over blackened kettle. I looked at the time, 9:45 am. I can make the 10 o'clock service (I think that is the time of the service. I don't go often enough to know the time.) I take 5 minutes and sit. I look at the time again and see its 9:50. I calculate driving time to St Mary's will be 10 minutes. I decide I will be late, but that's okay. I figure its better be late, then feint. I eat hurriedly, not gulp the food. I say to myself, "I have time."
Out the door and in the car. Of course, red light. Traffic. Cars ahead of me slow down to see, of course, the many yard sales on the east side. I am on Avenue S, passing Mickey Dees, KFC, and I am the curve. The Curve is 20th East. Can't forget the curve. Its a Palmdale landmark. At end of the curve is a cemetary. Some say its a pet cemetary. I never really checked. I think pioneers are buried here. Guess, I need to look it up sometime. Anyways, I head toward the high school and turn on R-4 (I think). There it is St. Mary. Looks like the cars ahead of me had the same blackout in the shower. My car dashboard reads 10:15. Boy, I am late. I think to myself, maybe I will go to the 11 am service, if they have one.
As I turn into the parking lot entrance, its not full. I mean its not filled, but its filling. I see families get out their car and start quick walking into the church. Some are quick walking. Others are still in the car. I say to myself, "Maybe, I am not late."
I get out my car. I tuck in my shirt. Tighten my belt. My pants have been kind of loose. All that cardio time looks like its paying it off. I walk in. Church is three quarters filled. Choir is singing. People are reaching for the fountain to anoint self. To the left, there is a giant crucifix. Over the Jesus, the letters read "INRI" I say to myself, I know what that means. Took a Bible at Lit class and Philosophy religion class. Probably the only thing I remember. "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" I's were often used as Js. It looks the Big Smile got me in on time. Thank You.
HUAA: Marine-Speak "Heard, Understood, and Acknowledged
Father comes in and apologizes for being late. I laugh to myself and say, "I bet it was a blackout." The teenager next to me looks at me funny. I say, "Inside Joke." She shakes her head and takes a step away from me, closer to her family. Whatever, she smelled funny any ways. I smile. Before I knew, the Father in his Jamaican (or maybe its West African) accent he talks about Baptism and talks about the priesthood as a vocation. Two things I have been seriously thinking about. Definitely, Baptism and kind of like the idea of being license to marry people. Questions I have been considering for years and that have been resurfacing a lot lately has been answered. I shake my head. I ask myself, "Do I have the stuff to make a commitment?" Honestly, I don't know. I like women, a lot. Ever since Mac gave me a Bible, I have been thinking about getting involved in Church. I consider myself Catholic, but not heavy. No,I am more of the Holiday Catholic. Sure, I go to church for Midnight Mass, Baptisms, Funerals (I have been to too many last year) I have been this ache, no, calling, I don't know what to call it but whatever it is I have been considering being more seriously involved. I dedicated one year of my life learning in Faith, "My journal was Get my Soul Stronger" I was heavy in DABDA self-defense mechanism (Dr. Poole, Thank you. Another blog for another time).
Gorillas, Crushes, Old Friends: Life in Review
Sitting in St Mary's I have thought about my life and how people that were gone or I left are coming back in. Trouble is that the one I want in, isn't. (Corrina, I hope things are working out. Gorilla thing, you know) As I was writing, I just got an invite from Mike. He used to live with my family in high school. I was a Jodie, as my AP Biology teacher said.(Not a good thing. He enlisted and I unexpectedly met my my soul mate. His girlfriend) I thought of Christy (No, its not her real name. Its her sister's. She is now a friend on my facebook. I thought she was incredibly cute. Out of my league. Boy, I would have liked to have kissed her.) I think of my old friend Brian and I apologize to him in my head and pray he forgives me. I say to myself, that I believe that I would be a good priest. Its a big commitment. I don't know if that is what I should do. I have the inkling. The calling is not screaming to me, its just. . .I do not if I got the stuff, the real stuff to be the Big Smile's voice, to be his messenger. Tough things are that I have asked and he has given. I have received. How can I turn and not do this? I made some promises. Promises to myself. Promises to Big Smile. Promises. Nothing is set it stone and I know that I will be at the moment. I will be looking into George Foreman's eyes and I will have to answer that bell. "Miyagi, boma ye" Miyagi was my nick name at LA Fitness.
Its a Question Fuse Box Faith
Do I have stuff? Is my Faith Strong Enough? Is my Will Enough? Is it my destiny? What is His Will? Big Smile I hear your calling. I am not what I am being asked to do. I will keep listening to the message and I will do my best to interpret your messages. This I promise.
By the way, can I have lights back on? I am okay going to the bathroom in the dark, I have Faith. Its just this. My aim is better with the lights on. Just kidding. I will check the fuse box. Big Smile, thank you for the balloons and blackout. I needed both.
