6:16pm in my apartment, chandler Arizona, Saturday evening, December 4, 2021. My best friend from high school called this evening. He was parked outside a shopping mall in Utah. We texted earlier today but haven’t talked on the phone in over a year. It was nice to talk with him. I told him I was abstaining from alcohol, he told me he was fasting. In the end we are both looking to further personal conscious our own way. I miss the philosophical conversations we had in high school and college. I am going to go out there at the beginning of the year so we can catch up.
Tag: Happy
How I spent my Saturday morning
8:04am, in my apartment, chandler Arizona, Saturday morning, December 4, 2021. Woke up at 4am. Went for a walk, went to the gym at the complex and worked out. Watched television, drank coffee, had a protein bar. Then I took out the trash, unboxed some new shoes, loaded the dishwasher, wiped down the counters and put things away. Going to get out the Christmas decorations and stream Christmas music. 9:18am, got everything out and put up decorations. Time to take a break. Side note: for the past year I kept a plastic box On my balcony I assumed held an escape ladder. I opened it and realized it was just some pieces of a ladder we threw out a decade ago. Glad I didn’t discover that when there was an actual fire. Side note x 2: go buy an escape ladder
12:12pm being lazy, watched some television, took a nap, snacking/grazing, on string cheese, salami, salad, peanuts, crackers, Doritos and coke. I am going to post this now.
The WIL and December 1st
5:43am, Wednesday morning, apartment in Chandler, Arizona, December 1. Seven years ago I was traveling for work to the Chicago area. Thanksgiving was late that year so December 1st was the Monday after the holiday. My itinerary was to fly from Orange County to Salt Lake City and connect to Chicago, however the flight was delayed. Then it was delayed again. Before long I missed my connection to Chicago all together. The airline counter agent recommended I fly to Salt Lake City. They would pay for a hotel and book me on another flight the next morning. Doing that would minimize the odds of not making it to my destination the next day as well. While some of my fellow travelers were probably annoyed, I was ecstatic. I had been texting with the WIL the entire morning, lamenting I would be in Utah but wouldn’t get to see her. Now I was staying in a hotel the airline was paying for. She came and saw me after work that day and we got to spend a couple hours together. The memory is so strong and so meaningful for many reasons, some I will keep to myself. But it is easy to say that day stands as one of the most beautiful moments we shared in a lifetime full of them.
Money
1:54pm, afternoon, last Monday of November, in my office, Phoenix. I am not obsessed with making money. I want more if I can get it but the need doesn’t consume me. I work to make money but the jobs I do aren’t particularly exciting, enjoyable or rewarding. What if money wasn’t an issue? Scenario: I get my current salary/benefits + 3% COLA adjustment for the rest of my life. What would I do? First, I would focus on how the amount isn’t enough. I would complain that I can’t pay down debt, buy a decent house or cover current expenses. Then I would look for a job to make more money! Would I seriously do that? I hate to say it but I think it is true. I would be bored and getting a job would alleviate boredom and give me more financial power. Oh my hell. I can’t believe that. Now I am depressed.
Monday after thanksgiving
6:03am in Arizona apartment, Monday morning, after thanksgiving. My energy has a positive flow with no post-weekend let down. I am feeling refreshed and ready to work. The holiday was busy and I spent more time in Irvine/Lake Forest than Dana Point, but it was enjoyable. I like to be active. Keeping busy keeps me from overthinking.
Back in Arizona
8:29pm, apartment in Arizona, Sunday night. We made it back to Chandler around 6:15pm. Traffic sucked. After a quick dinner we went to bed early. My mom leaves for Wyoming on Wednesday.
Thanksgiving eve
2:32pm in my office, Phoenix, Wednesday afternoon. It is quiet, and boring. Not much going on. The phones are silent but there are a couple loose ends to take care before the holiday. I spent most of the day scrolling through the newsfeed on my computer. On my walk this morning I felt gratitude, specifically for my time in Arizona. 2021 has been nice in that I can look back on the last 9 plus months and not hate what I see. Which is not nothing. Often when I think about the past it is like wandering into a mine field. Memories start happy but end up sad. Or worse, just plain suck. Arizona hasn’t been perfect but it has been pretty good. Good enough that I can get lost in thought, even just for a little bit, without devolving into sadness. It ain’t much but I will take it.
Hole-in-the-rock
1:31pm, apartment in Arizona, Sunday afternoon. We hiked Papago Park this morning, up to Hole-in-the-rock. The path was short (0.3 miles) but uneven and crowded. My 79 year old mother said she liked the challenge but it was probably too dangerous. “All’s well that ends well,” she quoted. After we cooled off and drank water we grabbed fresh fruit at the store and had lunch. Now we are resting with the ambitious hope of hitting the casino up the road this evening.
Saturday
13:35pm, apartment, Saturday afternoon. My mom and I ran errands around town this morning. It is the weekend before thanksgiving so it was busy. She wanted to get me some groceries and paper products, typical staples I need for the house but haven’t gotten in a while. She enjoys shopping and I of course am thankful for the gesture and getting to spend time with her. While we were at the store I remembered an item my daughter requested for Christmas a couple of weeks back. On a whim I looked for it and it was a good thing I did. The store did not have it in stock. I checked online for another location nearby and realized it is becoming scarce. Apparently this particular item is nearly sold out within a 20 mile radius and I imagine will be very hard to find by next weekend. I ended up ordering one at a store west of town. After resting we are going to go pick it up then grab some dinner.
November 17
11:03am, in my office, Phoenix, Wednesday morning. My mom arrives today. She is flying in from Salt Lake City. Her flight is boarding at this very moment. She gets in shortly after 1pm. I will pick her up at the airport, drop her off at the apartment then return to work. Today is also my brothers birthday. He would have been 52. The next two weeks will be nice to have company and to see my mom again.
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