Productivity

I've spent a lot of time lately being "busy". I rush to work early in the morning, I sit in the same chair, staring at the same computer screen, for 10 and a half hours, I rush home or to whatever meeting or class or activity I have scheduled for the evening, I rush home, fall asleep, to get up and do it all again the next day. In between all of this rushing I try to build my relationship with my wonderful husband. He helps me keep it all together and figure out where it goes. Bless him.

But, for all of this rushing and business, I just don't seem to be getting a whole lot done.

I guess that's why I love my camera. It suits my need to sit and ponder. Collect stuff. In my mind, if I take a picture of something, I can take it home and inspect it more closely, analyze its features, appreciate it-- later. I don't have to take the time now. I will get to it. Later.

I can get through the day as long as I know there will be a time, down the road, where I can sit and be still with my thoughts. I guess that's why companies don't, or didn't used to, mind retirement plans. It keeps people going when they have something to look forward to... down the road.

Taking snapshots of life for an eventual "memory" slide show is risky. So much of what I know now has come from lessons I learned during those quiet and still times of reflection. If I wait until later, I'm afraid I will discover, too late, the wisdom I needed for along the way.

The camera doesn't work for maintaining relationships. Taking pictures of family and friends is great, and those pictures are a good thing to have. But, if those people in the photos aren't around to share and recount memories with me... chances are-- regret will be one of the thoughts I will be sitting still with and pondering.. later.

I'm making an effort to reach out more. To connect with people. To grow and strengthen my relationships. The most important relationship in my life, that between me and my Lord, has become more like someone I cc on a forwarded email than the deeply intimate, spirit to spirit one it should be.

What to do? Well, I'm working on it.

But, for now, I'm still going to take pictures. I'm still going to sit in this chair, eating my microwave meals and scrolling through page after page of inconsequential "snapshots" from other people's lives, hoping that one day... I will be able to enjoy the smell of the flowers and not just admire their pretty picture.

Robby's Presidential Run

It isn't often a woman gets to see her husband in a Presidential Race. I consider it an honor to be among the select few who have supported their men through this difficult endeavor.

It was thrilling, exciting, and I'm proud to say that despite the drizzling rains.... it was a clean race! No mudslinging.

A good friend of Robby's works for the Washington Nationals and gave us a call this morning to see if we'd be interested in running in the Presidential Race. Robby was up to the challenge. I respectfully declined, however, and opted to be official campaign photographer instead. (There was no way I was going to go run across a soggy baseball field with a 6+ foot tall head braced to me. No way! But, I would gladly go along and take lots of photos of this madness.)

So, we headed down to the stadium where Robby suited up and took to the field against three strong contenders-- George Washington, Abe Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt.

The team runs the race every game between the top and the bottom of the 4th inning. So far this year, Teddy Roosevelt has had zero wins. You wouldn't believe how quick some "fans" are to heckle a former President. The whole thing is getting to be a little sad. He's had some pretty good starts, but, he has never had a win. As Robby was taking the role of Thomas Jefferson, we were hoping that today was not the day for Teddy to break his streak.

It looked pretty good for Mr. Roosevelt at first. Teddy and Abe were giant head to giant head coming out of the tunnel and onto the field. George and Tom were bringing up the rear. It appeared as though this just might be Teddy's day.


All of the sudden, big Ted pulled out his umbrella and busted into a clumsy rendition of "Singing in the Rain". It was a poor choice of campaign tactics. This brazen showboating lost him the race, as a long-legged Lincoln strode easily to victory.


As for Tom and George, well, they didn't win, but, they both ran a good race.

I was very proud of Robby's performance and would gladly support him should he choose to run again.