I've added "word verification" to the comment area to block spammers. My apologies.
Short but...okay, just short
I wish I had time to learn all the things I want to know. I walk around Barnes & Noble and want to read everything. I want a year just to read and learn, learn, learn. Then I come home and have a million things to do and don't spend time drowning in new information. I've contemplated the fact that maybe this is really bothering me lately because I'm turning 40 this year and there are still things I want to do and wish I had already done. For instance, I would really love to be steeped in technology. Or I would really love to have the time, energy and resources to get into medicine...I don't think I'm ready to start paying my dues all over again. If I don't buy a sports car but spend a couple hundred bucks a week on books, is it still considered the mark of a mid-life crisis? What if I'm not actually reading all the books because I don't have time?Hmmm....not so short afterall.
The Rise and Fall...
Today's installment of Dave the Muse...Write about something on the verge of collapse: building, bridge, marriage, contest, institution, alliance, certainty, the country (okay, I added that last one)
Wow…so many options from which to choose. I can think of two that are not so, shall we say, important. I’ll just tackle the one for now.
The dishes stacked in the drying rack.
Most of the dishes go in the dishwasher. I did the Palmolive moments growing up and in our first apartment. Dishwashers rock. However, much like laundry, there are “delicates” that do not go in the dishwasher. They have not been deemed “dishwasher safe” by the proper authorities.
These particular items, the “dish delicates”, are washed by hand and left to dry in the oh-so-decorative white plastic rack beside the sink. They typically include handmade pottery (plates, mugs, bowls, etc.), really expensive or really big knives, wine glasses, pots and pans and more plastic containers then I ever remember buying.
On a night when all the culinary planets align, there can be quite the assortment of things that need to be hand washed. Stacking them is akin to building a house of cards. Each subsequent move requires more skill, balance and a lighter touch. I usually end up putting the plastic containers and lids on last since they are lightest and I care the least about them should they fall.
This mountain of ceramic, metal, glass and plastic is always on the verge of collapse. I sometimes hold my breath when I pass by, gliding along like Little Cindy Lou Who (you never see her feet).
Then the moment will come when you will need an item near the bottom. The smart thing to do, of course, is to put the dishes away so you can safely reach the desired item. The challenging (nice word for stupid) thing to do is to carefully wiggle the damn thing out of there.
Jenga for the kitchen, if you will. 
Open An Imaginary Door.
What do you see?
1973.
I’m six years old and it’s the first day of school. When it comes to life, I know then what I know now. Reading, writing and arithmetic are still to be learned but I know the important lessons.
For instance, I know that I’ll wish I had studied more in order to earn better grades. I’ll already realize that better grades open doors to better colleges, more opportunities and limitless experiences.
I’ll also have the knowledge that grades won’t be enough and I’ll overcome my shyness to join the organizations that are of interest to me (and some that aren't), thus connecting me to more people.
All of life’s lessons won’t be about school. It will be clear that the labels on my clothing aren’t the qualties about which my true friends will care.
The fascination with medicine and the human body will have already been discovered and have possibly formed my future differently.
I won’t be afraid to be who I am and will accept it more readily. I’ll also know that my parents love me because I’m me and I’m their daughter….it will have nothing to with who I want to love.
Perhaps most importantly, I’ll know that honesty, integrity and being true to one’s convictions are not things that can be compromised. Family is family – no matter what. Friendships require attention, care and nurturing.
Though money can’t buy happiness, I’ll also be a gazillionaire because I’ll know where to get all the lottery numbers for the past 34 years. A gazillion dollars can do a lot of good for a lot of people in this world.
It’s a good start.
Commitment
Ah, my poor little blog. Lonely, neglected, isolated from the other blogs. How did this relationship go astray? We used to be tight. I think we can be that way again.
I really miss writing more than I realized. There are a few dream jobs I have; musician, philanthropist, radiologist (x-rays are cool), animal rescue, carpenter and writer. I like the last one because you don’t need a degree, money, special skills…anyone who wants to write something can. Sure, some people write better than others, but ANYONE can write. Yes, you have to know the alphabet – although picture books can tell a story, too – graphical writing.
I’ve been telling myself that I don’t have the time I used to have, I don’t have the opportunity as I did before. All I need is 10 or 15 minutes a day. I have that. So, I’m going to try this again. I’m also going to try to make it different. How many times can I complain about Britney Spears, Paris Hilton or the stupidity of society? Okay, a lot, but that’s not the point.
If I really want to write for the sake of improving my writing skills, I need something new. I found something at Barnes and Noble – my sanctuary – today. In addition to several other books, I found “The Pocket Muse” whilst I was browsing. 
Not only will this give me countless ideas from which to draw, it forces me to think about experiences. It gives me the opportunity to stretch my imagination and expand my perspective. Of course, there will still be the occasional rant about those mundane, yet newsworthy, items that I enjoy so much….writing about them amuses me. I know, I’m not proud of it.
So here goes…let’s see what my little pocket muse, Dave, has for me today.
“What’s the most you ever paid for something you didn’t even want?”
I’m paying $3000 to have braces at the age of 39.
This is going to be easier than I thought.
