The Slow Show

Life often goes far too fast for my taste. At heart, I am a slow moving person. I might appear at times to be a flurry of activity, but really, going fast just stresses me out and makes me anxious. Vacation offered me the chance to see my life in slow motion again. All those things that sometimes we are just moving too fast to notice or notice too much because we are moving too fast and stopping to notice seems like an annoyance. Instead of the Puppy Uppers, I took the Doggy Downers this last week and realized that I definitely like it better that way.

I took the time to appreciate the Wisconsin clouds and sky, the ferns that grow large and lush on the floor of the woods with sunlight dappling them, the sound of our trusty rowboat bumping up against the pier, and the wonders that are my children. They possibly had the best time of all. Removed from the pressures of school and the influences of the world we have to live in, they found joy in nature and rushed to greet it every day.

Life has a tendency to be too complicated. We rush through days forgetting who we are and who we can be in our best moments. Maybe sometimes we just need a reminder of what matters and what we love. While it certainly is never a permanent cure for the ferocity of a life lived to fast, it softens the impact at least for awhile.

Gone Loony

I know, I know. We just got back from Kauai. This time we are off for our annual family vacation to Northern Wisconsin, my favorite place on earth. While I realize it's not exotic, other than perhaps the loons, it is where I often dream of being on a regular basis. It's all tied up in childhood memories and long afternoons of nothing but peace and quiet. It is possibly the only place on earth where I cannot be reached by phone and I like it that way.

I suspect that I will probably play shuffleboard, tetherball, air hockey (if it rains), and a serious game of Monopoly or two. This will be accompanied by swimming, fishing and my favorite, laying on the dock in the sun. I'm sure that we'll catch enough fish to grill some one night and if not, we'll head up the road to a quaint supper club. This is the land that time forgot and I like it that way. Nothing has really changed all that much since I was a kid. Sure there's the new bypass around the big town of Eagle River, but other than that, really, not much has changed. As Martha would say, "It's a good thing."

Steaming Mad

Why is it that every time I bend a little further than I should for someone, I end up wanting to commit a jailable offense? You know, if this was just me involved that would be one thing, but I have a little guy whose family doesn't have much money and has been patiently waiting to start his therapy and the week he is finally supposed to start, the therapist that they hired bails. It's a good thing I don't know where she lives.

Ready to Rock

I know I've been a bit elusive lately. Busy season at work and in life. Just wanted you all to know that I am alive and kicking. In typical Ten S style, I will be heading out to R.E.M. tomorrow night and am equally excited that Modest Mouse and The National are both opening up for them. Perhaps a dose of loud music will bring me out of my semi-hibernation.