Why, oh why.

Did I look at my email? See the work-related message? Get a design directive I completely don't agree with?

Look at my brother's blog? See a chair with four bullet holes in it? That I didn't need to see...

Am I dragging my feet right now? Not getting dressed and ready to go?

Well, I guess when you're going to a funeral service you'll find any excuse...

Whu...what?!

"Mom, I still think I want to be a veterinarian, but I think maybe I'll be a veterinarian, waitress in a restaurant or...president."

Did anybody write down what I said when I was seven??

So....seriously.

Looks like there's a new leader in the over-used word category. So, according to a New York Times article yesterday, we are all saying "so" so much. It's our new sentence starter, sentence "enhancer" if you will. It's how we start sentences to show of course we know what you mean and we're actually listening (and not checking other emails, playing games on our iPhone and watching TV at the same time) so we'll just recap and move forward. And, um, well, it does sound a little smarter than those other two in this sentence.

So, do you do it?

Somewhere over....there.

This is what feels nice...out in the front yard gazing at the double (you can't quite see the bigger, more faint one in the pic) rainbow with the kids..."I see all of Roy G. Biv!!"...beautiful.

Quandaries, quizzes, and things no one else can quite understand.

Quandary. My brother had one on Friday. LIkely he's still in "a state of perplexity or uncertainty over what to do in a difficult situation."

So, I was quizzed. W-W-you-D? My answer was along the lines of supporting the personal-life decision. The client was not really being reasonable. They had addressed the client's concerns, and everything would be just fine if this deadline that was getting in the way of a valuable life session of fun was moved. Until later. So my brother could go join everyone (else) (I'm not going there then) (wait, that's not fair) in Seattle.

But here I am. On a Saturday night. Doing something not many others can quite understand. I'm working. Because I want to. On a project. Because I'm loving it and I feel strongly that it needs to be the very best it can possibly be. Where did he and I get this drive? This push-it-at-all-costs passion?

I don't know, but now I think I'm in a quandary. It seems kind of hypocritical to advise him to not make a sacrifice, adjust his personal life, so he can continue to pursue his passion.

Capisci?

Rain or shine.

I think I mentioned once how much R reminds me of my brother. Always wants to wear pants. Always pretty sure he's always...uh, right.

And now the walking. Always walking. Rain. Shine. Walking. "I don't want to ride in a car. That's wasteful and damaging to the planet."

Of course, he's right.

Seriously.

You know how the word of the last half of last year was "Absolutely." Well, seriously, now, it's "seriously." And G has picked it up. Seriously. "Seriously" out of the mouth of a 7-year-old just makes me laugh. Seriously.

Which reminds me...the best times of my life have been when I have taken life NOT so seriously. Join in. It's fun. Seriously.

Well, it's that time of year again.

Time flies. When your heart is working...

Tomorrow marks the fourth anniversary of my brother's heart surgery. The siblings gathered last weekend in Chicago to share a little time, food and drink with each other to celebrate. Well, maybe a lot of food. And a fair amount of drink. (Although why was I the only one having a liquid lunch on Saturday??) (It was already 2.30 in the afternoon??!!)

So, here's to you Dave. Happy heart-versary.

Checking in.

With a little inspiration from my little (!) brother, I seem to always try these various tracking sites: daytum is really pretty neat and you should check out the 2009 Feltron Annual Report if you like lists and nitty-gritty info. It's all fascinating. And beautiful. So the latest test was foursquare. I thought I might get hooked a little deeper after being named Mayor of the Kirkwood Y after only checking in there twice. But my whole day went by today and I couldn't even fathom dealing with checking in places. Let's face it, it all goes back to my earlier thoughts on how much time should we spend on documenting the minutiae when there are so many big things to do. But here I am, checking in (and home and your office don't count):

Kirkwood Y, Acme Printing, Saint Louis Bread Company in Old Webster, McCarties' house, Bristol Elementary, mailbox on the corner, Saint Louis Bread Company in Brentwood, FedEx Office in Brentwood, Whole Foods, credit union drive-thru, McCarties' house.