Is it time for coffee?
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Coffee Time -
… like, all the time.
Coffee and Conversation I visited a coffee shop yesterday, one I don’t frequent often for a couple of reasons: their prices are high and they are on the other side of town. Their seating area is quite small so it’s easy to like hear other peoples conversations. I mean like this couple seemed to be like just getting acquainted like maybe a first encounter. Like they were trying their best to express like who they were, or like who they wanted to be. But, I was like interested in their table and the story it told. So, I asked if I could like take the above photo. Like they said, yes. It was like an interesting conversation to hear. I hear similar conversations like this all the time.
Like I needed to look up this constantly abuse word. It seems the habitual use of the word “like” has become an epidemic. They even have a name for it: “Like Epidemic.” There are multiple articles on line about how to stop using the word. Hope I don’t start talking this way like all the time now.
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“From my experience….”
Arches National Park All of us have heard people say, “I know…” when they really don’t. And, if we’re honest, we are well aware of the times we say it, and don’t. There is a saying that “what I think I think I know, ain’t so.” Reality is we do not know what another thinks or feels unless they share that with us and that is filtered through their ability to articulate and how we listen and understand. We do them an injustice when we assume to know. Our assumptions can easily be our imagination or a thought which we quickly make into a false reality. We’ll believe it. I’ve not found this to be a good foundation for a conversation or relationship. So, what if we were to say, “From my experience….” or something similar. Seems the mind wants to know, plan, or control the next moment, as if it’s real, rather than stay in the present and find out what we don’t really know.
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Spring Break Aftermath
Spring Break Aftermath Students were back in class this past week after having the previous week off for spring break. I took this image yesterday. So, I’m thinking they had beer left over and just continued to party into this week or there were no survivors from spring break. 🙂
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Looking for Awe and Wonder
Afternoon Clouds on the Farm I have always carried stress in my shoulders. It’s there now. There is a feeling of restlessness. I find my mind wandering to unknown places in the universe. Feel I’m not listening to the inner voice within me but the chatter of my ego and the noise of the world around me. Maybe if I share myself more on this blog, hear what you have experienced, take more action, the stress will lessen.
Now in my retirement there is a life to live full of excitement and adventures, images to receive, words to write in my journals, blog posts to write, places to visit, people to meet and a chance to discover more creativity within me. I find this exciting. However, this requires me to take action and not just dream of them. In the past I have only dreamed. There are no excuses. As I’ve heard, “Dreams without action are only fantasy.” I hope and pray I live the rest of my life with excitement, without fear of failure or success, looking for awe and wonder all around me.
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Silence Within
Solitude at Sunset I go to this area on regular basis because it’s only about 5-6 miles from my home. Until last night I never paid any attention to this tree. Just to to right of of the image are a group of trees I photograph on a regular basis but not this one. I don’t even remember seeing it before. Anyway it is now on my list of subjects to look for.
Silence has become an essential part of my life. It’s not just a time to sit and have external quiet. Finding inner quiet has been a process over the past 20 years or so. I found it useful when I worked as a fight attendant. When flying I discovered how to find places of silence. After the chaotic boarding process we would begin pushing away from the gate and begin our taxi to the runway. It’s at this point we take our jump-seats and as we are trained, make a silent review. This silent review entails a walk through our minds all steps we would take in case of an emergency during takeoff. After a silent review I would also use this time to quiet my inner self. This included deep breaths to help silence the mind. There was no silence in that aircraft but I could find the silence within me.
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Connection to the natural world
Cloudy afternoon at Cathy Fromme Prairie Area I needed more time away from the bustle of the city so drove out to the Cathy Fromme Prairie Area for a walk. This short grass prairie was established because of the large prairie dog community and the support it provided for coyotes, raptors and rattlesnakes. This area has never seen a plow so it remains in a pre-settlement state. They built a nice covered observatory allowing visitors to see hawks and eagles. The birds are amazing with my favorite being the Western Meadowlark and its song. A sad part was the city deciding to poison off the prairie dog community due to disease. Never the less its always a place to find a connection to the natural world for me.
