Causerie

Sleep

 

In gardening terms we call it "Putting the Garden to Bed."  It's at the end of the growing season when you cover your garden area with compost, mulch, and/or fertilizer and you let it "sleep" through the winter months.

I'm told that during this time of rest, things are happening beneath the surface that will either help or hurt your garden when you are ready for the next planting.  If weeds had been present during the summer and fall and had not been taken out by the root, they will return only stronger and more resiliant during your next growing season.

And if you have put down a good organic blanket of live matter (manure, leaves, compost, etc.) microbes and organisms and worms and all kinds of good things will work extra hard throughout those dark, cold months to create a soil mixture that'll feed your plants what they need, when they need it, so that they'll be able to make through the wind, the rain and the summer heat.

I'm an insomniac - have been for as long as I can remember - and while I've known how important it is to go to bed and go to sleep,  I've become much more aware of the need for a good night's rest as I've gotten older.  Lately, my mind has been demanding that good things need to happen beneath the surface as I sleep. My body is telling me that it can't take any more weeds.

So, from now on I'm going to try to be in bed by 10:00 p.m. (central standard time). Now, I might not be asleep, but least I'll be ready.

Pigtails to Perfume, Crayons to Cologne

She had a birthday today.  His birthday was Friday.  I recently learned that siblings who are born this close together, often less than a year apart, are referred to as "Irish Twins". I kind of like the sound of that.

My daughter is 18 years old now and Sir Richard is 17.  I can hardly believe it.  In fact, I'm sort of lost in a haze of nostalgia.  It feels as though the huge black holes in my time line have distorted reality and the truth is that these two are still snotty nosed toddlers who are trying to ride the dog. 

But look at them.  They are at the precipice of life, standing at the edge of eternity and ready to fly.

I pray for calm winds.

Log Off

(Part 2 of the Computer Prompt Series "Living in the Matrix")

Over the holidays, I spent time in Colorado.  Have you ever spent time in Colorado?  Maybe it's just me but, there seems to be a sense of serenity, peace and calm out there that I haven't experienced in any other city.  Life seems to take its time and everyone seems to be okay.

As we made visits from house to house, I noticed that most people didn't have the television turned on.  Grown folk sat face to face and had meaningful conversations.  Children were not planted in front of a computer or the t.v. screen. They were outside playing or inside doing other stuff. Like reading or playing board games. It was amazing.

I had my computer up and running and my smart phone at the ready practically the entire time.  I just couldn't "log off".  I was unable to disconnect from the mother board. This is not good a thing. The madness must stop.  I have to schedule my time better.  I need to log off.  From the television.  From the telephone.  And from time to time, this computer.

The Colorado state of mind.  It's a good thing.

 

Restart

Right before I turn off the computer I'm given the choice of several options: Restart, Switch User, Log Off, Lock, Sleep, Hibernate or Shut Down.  Sometimes, I have to think about these choices.  Do I really want to "Shut Down" or just "Log Off"?  "Sleep" or "Hibernate"?

The more I think about it, the more I realize that these mundane computer terms are actually profound and significant little prompts for my life.  Like "Restart".  This is where I am right now.  It's a new year and I need to begin again. Like my health, for instance. There's no question in my mind that I need to restart my life over without sugar.  And I need to restart the treadmill that's sitting in the basement collecting dust. 

My thought process could use a restart.  There are things I need to seriously think about -  like budgeting for real this time and not standing in the grocery line praying that lint will be turned into dollar bills.  I've neglected a few friends for a while now and I need to restart some of those conversations.  Quiet time. I definitely need to restart that.

Did you see the change on this blog?  I'm restarting this new year with a different banner.  

(I'll post on each computer term throughout this month, so please check back)