Wednesday, November 07, 2007

On this day of clear blue sky and November sunshine flooding in through clean windows, I've been appreciating little things. Lots and lots of little things, along with a few things not so little. It's a process that could be deadly boring for anyone not me -- keep that in mind if you continue on.

For instance, some basics: having a roof over my head. A roof over my head, four walls around me, and a strong, secure, working door. In a building currently free of work crews, and therefore free -- after nearly three long years -- of dust, of scaffolding, of noise like you wouldn't believe, of workers showing up between 7:30 and 8 o'clock every weekday morning, yelling back and forth as they ascend the stairs, leaving cigarette butts in their wake. A living space that feels like home, that's felt like home for several years. Austere, sparely furnished, which is okay by me. A couple of comfortable living room chairs courtesy of Ikea, a reasonably comfortable bed, a pretty good shelf-size stereo. A few lamps, a decent TV, a couple of clocks, an armload of books and CD's. A working kitchen that gets nice afternoon light. With responsive landlords, who are good people. A slew of little details that add up to a sizeable chunk of my daily reality.

More: The laptop computer I spend far too many hours planted in front of, and the money that allowed me to buy it -- zipping through my life, leaving a fundamental a little machine in its wake, one that is central to what passes for my existence. Programs and applets -- lots of them free -- that unknown people spend time developing for my fun and convenience. Flashdrives, cellphones, digital cameras. CD's and DVD's. High-speed internet (a massive blessing). Websites like Blogger, Statcounter and Facebook, providing major resources of one kind or another free of charge. Email and IM, keeping me in touch with friends and loved ones spread all over the map.

And those friends/loved ones. All of them, no matter the depth or importance of our connection -- the ones who have hung around and remain featured players in this life of mine and the ones who have come and gone. All kinds of people, dragging all kinds of experiences into my existence, from the blissful to the hellish. At the risk of sounding tooth-rottingly saccharine, I am more grateful than I can say for them all, whatever course those relationships took or continue to take.

I suspect more time may get devoted to this kind of thing in future posts. As boring as it might be for the unsuspecting souls who stumble upon this page, it feels right fine from my side of the equation.

Here's hoping your day brings an embarrassing abundance of things to enjoy.


EspaƱa, te quiero.

rws 11:46 AM [+]

Comments:
I'm just happy to wake up n the morning. No, that's not true. I tend to take waking up in the morning for granted. I'm inspired now to go write some haiku.
 
Waking up in the morning can be lovely. Waking up, turning over and going back to sleep can be even lovelier. :)
 
Speaking of little things, the other day I thought again that the little disappointments are what give me the biggest heartbreaks for people. A woman was walking to the bus stop and tripped over the pavement falling flat on her face (in front of a long line of people no less). In her hand she'd had a very large cup of iced tea (likely brand new and full to the top) which subsequently hit the ground and spread out across the pavement in an almost perfect triangle from the cup's mouth. I spent nearly the rest of the bus ride home thinking what it must have been like from the moment her body first told her she was thirsty, the cheap thrill of deciding "Where will I go and what will I get to drink?", the even cheaper thrill of buying the tea, maybe even a sip or two before heading out the door only to lose the entire drink on the ground in front of everyone. Those are things that when you are a child you cry for hours about but as an adult you tend to know better. Those unexpected, but everyday, little disappointments are sometimes the most heartbreaking to think about, I thought, walking underneath the trees to my apartment after the bus ride. And then a bird in one of the trees I was walking under pooped right on the tip of my nose and I thought, eh, it's not so bad.
 
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