Insignificant

I have had a few posts started in my mind for the last couple of days. Posts about a week-by-week breakdown of life with an appendage in a cast. Musings on the Christmas season. Humor about things in life around me that tickle my funny bone.

But somehow, with today's events in Connecticut, all of that seems insignificant. Maybe there is something about being in a place that makes you have greater empathy when a tragedy strikes the area. I felt that way when the earthquake struck New Zealand and did damage to this beautiful cathedral.

My heart hurt when I saw this building in the rubble.

Though I have no significant ties to the area, I did spend a morning driving through the beautiful woods of Connecticut just a few weeks ago. And I ache for the children and families and adults and mothers and fathers whose lives were changed today. I mourn for the loss of innocence those kids experienced in a moment. It does not take much effort to search the memory files in my mind to find events that affected me at that age.

I find it miraculous that so many of those kids will get a hug from their mom or dad and cry a few tears, then be ready to go out and play. The resilience of children really is amazing.

Equally tragic is the earlier shootings this week in Oregon. While the death toll was smaller, those numbers are insignificant. Not because it means less to have 2 people killed verses 26. But just because each individual was someone special. Every single life is precious and tragedy isn't necessarily tied to a number or body count.

I hope I never miss a chance to tell someone I love them. To hug them close and let them know they are important to me. Life can change in an instant.

The Last Month

The last month has been a good one, but with a few unexpected twists. The first was a quick trip back to Boston for work. I got my first glimpse of the Atlantic Ocean, and spent some quality time admiring the beautiful scenery between research visits. The second day we were there, we finished up right in downtown and walked the Freedom Trail on our way to dinner.

Pretty, isn't it!! I was so grateful for the chance to get to see a little bit of one of the cities central in the founding of this country.

One of the places I got to visit was ESPN. It had me wishing (just a tiny little bit) that I was more into sports, because I think I would have had a better appreciation. However, that didn't stop me from jumping at the opportunity to sit behind one of the broadcast desks when given the chance!

We decided we make a pretty dynamic duo. I'll provide the sarcasm and he can provide the actual sports commentary. Seems feasible.

Did I mention a cute little kid had a birthday right before I left? Look at that face!

So back to Boston...on the night of the Freedom Trail, fate (and my inherent sense of grace) intervened to change my holiday season. One of the cobblestones and I had a little disagreement. Since it had been there longer, I decided it to let it win the argument. My ankle paid the price. **WARNING: Images may not be suitable for people who don't like seeing big bruises and other stuff. These are probably the same people who leave bruises alone. Then there are the rest of us who poke them every 5 minutes and say, "Yup! Still hurts!"

Here is the big beauty on the night I "sprained" it. I can't figure out if I am stubborn, stupid, or just have a high tolerance for pain. I walked on it for a couple miles and a couple more hours that night. Honestly? Looking at this takes me back to the pain...and it hurt!! Luckily I found out one of my co-workers had some sports medicine experience, and he can wrap a mean ankle. We picked up a bandage at a cute little pharmacy in the Italian district. This little old man with a mustache was behind the counter and he was arguing with another old man. I loved the charm of the situation.

By the time I got home, the foot had swollen up pretty good, and check out the bruising!!! This is injury heaven for a bruise-poker like me.

The second coolest part of the injury was watching the progression of the bruise. Every day I couldn't wait to see where it was going to show up next! It made it all the way to my stubby little toes and turned them purple. This is when I learned that orange nail polish does not go well with a bruised foot. The color combo freaked me out and I took it right off after I put it on. At this point, I decided to get a professional opinion. Guess what? My sprained ankle was done broke!

The first doctor was good to me, and decided to put me in a walking boot. The second doctor (specialist) wasn't as nice, and decided that I needed to be in a hard cast. And on crutches. No weight on the foot for a full month!! Yeah, right. I pretty much suck at that, but I am trying. But as a bonus, I got to fulfill one of my silly elementary school wishes and have people sign my cast.

Of all of them, this one might be my favorite. My niece drew a picture of me. With my cast. :)

And since I have to wear FrankenBoot everywhere I go, I decided to glam it up a bit and add some sparkle. This was the concession I made because I decided to be conservative and go with a black cast instead of some crazy color. I do conservative so well. As long as it has some sparkle!

Crutches are kind of hard to use. I was lucky enough during week 2 to get a hook-up for this sweet ride. And then my co-workers thought it needed to be tricked up, so now it has a headlight, tail light, and some sweet green downlight. And sparkly Christmas balls!!

Not that I am counting, but I have a week and five days left until the visit when I hope to have the cast removed. Just in time to go skiing for Christmas! Just kidding.

The Best Ones

I love giving out candy on Halloween. Mostly because I love the little ones who come up to the door in the most adorable costumes so that it takes all my will power not to go "Awwwww...cute!" Sometimes I wait til the door is closed and do that anyway! So here are my top 3 favorites from last night.

1. A little boy about 6 or so that I gave a Kit Kat. He turned to his mom on the sidewalk and shouted, "Mom, look! It's my favorite!!"
2. A little ladybug with sparkly boots who got pulled out of her stroller right at the end of my porch. When her mom put her down, she was more interested in using her new-found freedom to try running off the porch instead of coming to get candy. When I got down on her level and offered her a box of Milk Duds, we became fast friends.
3. One little guy who came up to the door with his big brothers and sisters. They had got the doorbell and I was handing out candy, and this little guy wanted more than anything to ring the doorbell! That big glowing light on the door frame was more exciting than anything I could give him. It made me sad he was too little to reach it!! I tried to pick him up to get him higher, but that freaked him out more than anything and he forgot he wanted to hit the button.

Here were the least favorite.

1. Two women who looked like they were in their 30's. No kids with them. Seriously?
2. The teenager who towered over me and when I went put a piece in his bag, he leaned over and looked in my bucket to see what else I had. Hmm.

Things That Make Me Excited

I get to go trunk-or-treating tonight with the munchkins. And this was 5 years ago...but she and her brother are still cute as a button when they are dressed up.

Tomorrow (if the last couple years are a good indicator) we will have a long string of little tykes in costume ring our door bell. Half of them will shout "Trick-or-treat" in chorus when the door is opened. The other half will stare in wide-eyed terror and maybe choke out a whispered "thank you" when they are prompted by their accompanying parent. I love Halloween!

My nephew turns 4 this weekend. And we get to celebrate. It is going to be a good week!

Just For Fun

The weather can't decide if it wants to be Summer, Fall, or Winter. Frankenstorm is headed toward the East Coast. Halloween is this week. I have been reading fairy tales from the Brothers Grimm.

For these, and other random reasons, here is a list of things that are wonderful.

1. Turtleneck sweaters on a cold day.
2. Watching snow fall in front of a window.
3. The belly laugh of a little kid.
4. Warm blankets and a cold nose.
5. Popcorn smells a little like happiness.
6. Hearing a song that instantly makes you smile.

Photos from the Bay

Last week I had the chance to head to California for work. I spent a couple of days in and around San Francisco. In between work, I was fortunate to capture some pictures of one of my favorite cities by the Bay.

Since I can't quite figure out yet how to get my Flickr photos to show up here, this is a shortcut to the album.
 Bay Area Photos, September 2012


One day I'll have this technology thing figured out!! Just not today...

Ode to Dilbert

I don't know copyright law, and that seems like a lot to research on a Friday. So all of the comics I have posted on my cubicle wall will stay there instead of working their way to this virtual wall on the blog. But I have to say that on a regular, frequent, nearly daily basis, the writers of Dilbert make me giggle. Some days its a guffaw. Some days its a belly laugh. I've chuckled. I've laughed so hard I've cried. I think it is because I recognize in them the same sarcastic sense of humor that resides deep in my soul.

Here are some of the lines that make me giggle every time I read them. Context is everything, but these are funny on their own.

• Tell the spiders living in your skull that we'll look into it.
• I wonder what it's like to have squirells living in your brain?
• You sound like an asthmatic rhinocerous rampaging a cracker festival.
• Attention all employees. The stain is on the move. I repeat, the stain is on the move!
• Would you say you worship satan or do you simply respect his no-nonsense approach to discipline?
• Ow! Ow! It's so boring, it hurts my head! My brain is trying to escape through my ear!
• One day I realized that sadness is just another word for not enough [Dr. Pepper].
• I just lost a good glue stick, but I gained a few hours of quiet.
• I no longer worry about life passing too quickly.