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| Wednesday, February 17, 2010 |
| Quiet |
There's just something about the roll and crash of the drum. The sound of a longing voice, singing of love lost and rain. Such joy in the crisp, clean blues scale, reverberating from keys. There is an appreciation for the guitar, but the more subdued version. Who needs ripping riffs of electric discoarse? A deep bass issues lazily, as though it just occured to its strings that its time to sing.
Flowers on the table, perched in a yellow pot painted by small hands. A sprig in the bottle blue, contents long sipped and gone. It is a day of introspection, a day of deep contemplation, a day the clouds threaten to burst. Rather they float along, various shades of white, gray and black. The mountain hides cleverly behind a veil of fog.
Phone calls ignored, the bath is drawn. Too early for champagne and strawberries, though the scene calls for it. A book, perhaps, something new, heavy and strongly written, with just enough left to the imagination, so the reader can relate. A cup of hot hibiscus tea, sent from a faraway land in a package that makes the heart soar.
Quiet. A hunger awakens. Time to lunch. |
posted by katmandusuekookachoo @ 12:09 PM  |
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| Coffee at McDonalds |
I don't care what the reputation is. The American Fork McDonald's employees, especially the morning shift are WAY too enthusiastic. The girl that took my order this morning asked me very congenially, or rather the pre-recorded order greeter version of that girl, if I would like to try a hot chocolate topped generously with whipped cream and chocolate syrup. I must admit, it did give me pause for thought. That really did sound good. Then, knowing that was a recorded message, I suddenly felt really uncomfortable. Do I politely decline? Will the person on the headset be ready for me? Will they know what I am refusing? I stammered a no. The girl taking my order actually giggled while asking what she could get me. I wondered if she knew of my trepidation. Am I supposed to order the hot cocoa? Did I make a mistake in judgement? I order a mocha coffee. Large. I hate mocha. She all but sang my total to me. Curiosity piqued, I had to see who this very very morning morning person was. When I pulled up, she was there, leaning down against the tiny metal platform that is a window sill. "HI!!! And good morning!" she shouts out to me. As if I am 400 miles away. She has several different neon colored loops decorating the outer curve of her ear. Top to bottem. She is a bit chubby, with perfect teeth. I smile and hand her my money. She makes my change and thrusts it with my receipt into my window. "There you go!!! You have a fantastic day, and ENJOY that mocha!!!" Have I traversed to an alternate universe? I pull to the next window. A handsome latino man pushes my coffee into my hand, leaning his whole upper body out the window (I feared he might fall between the small space of my car and the building) while saying, (all in one fluid motion) "Goodmorningma'amhaveagreatdayenjoyyourcoffee!!" The window slides closed almost as quickly as it had opened.
I am sitting in my car. I am dumbfounded. Perhaps not yet awake. I sip my mocha. The window opens again. "Everythingokay?" Oh. Oh! Yes, yes I'm sorry, I don't know why I am just sitting here. Only I didn't say any of that. I just looked at him funny and threw the car in gear, pulling away. Nothing like being your socially awkward self first thing in the morning. Helps get the blood pumping. |
| posted by katmandusuekookachoo @ 9:09 AM |
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| Thursday, February 04, 2010 |
| Peace, Love, and Kindness to each other... no I haven't been smoking anything. |
Today, while I was in the bank, listening to their horrendous elevator music and waiting in line.. I had an epiphany. Well. Not so much as an epiphany, but a realization. There were only two tellers, and the line quickly formed through the lobby. Its a smaller branch, and so I was surprised that so many people had converged all at once. I was third in line, but had waited for around ten minutes in total. The two tellers, one on the phone helping a customer, the other busily dealing with another upset customer, were seemingly swamped. There were customers at each of the specialty banking desks, the bank manager trying to sort out a mess or two with them. Behind me a man stood reading an article from a finance magazine he plucked off a table when he arrived, which was five short minutes after I had. Concluding his business with the specialty banker, the manager, half ran to his office, apologizing to the horde of people in the lobby for the wait. The man behind me snidely remarks,"Well, then lets us DO something about it, shall we?" I had a sudden rush of annoyance with this impatient man. The bank manager took up a station, and began completing transactions with great vigor. I was up to the window in seconds. The teller caring for me blushed and apologized for the 'long wait'. I laughed heartily and half turned, "It really, REALLY wasn't that long. You are doing a fantastic job!" . We conducted our business in a matter of moments, the teller was quick and efficient with his duties, and I was impressed. When I turned to leave, I came eye to eye with snide man jackassery... he half snorted as he rushed the teller window. And then it dawned on me. Like a light shining from an ultraviolet bulb... people are too rushed these days, so rushed that they unwittingly, or perhaps very wittingly trample other people because of their sense of self importance.
Recently I have been involved in a battle of sorts, with some people that have the art of jackassery down to a perfected T. Obtusely, they argue their 'side' of things, never really stopping to realize the kind of hurt, and hypocrasy they are spouting. It is important that when accusing one person or another of atrocities, or unatoned sin, that you check your own moral code... to be sure you aren't guilty of commiting those atrocities against the very person being accused. Life is hard. There is nothing in it that is certain or guaranteed.. except perhaps that it will eventually end. People experience a multitude of different things. Maybe the manager of the bank was having a really hard day. Maybe he woke up late, stepped in dog pooh from the neighbor's dog on the way to his car, and walked into work to find two of his employees called in sick with the flu. Maybe the people shouting about the boulders I have dealt with in my life are blissfully unaware of the hurt they are imposing. Maybe not. Maybe they want to inflict pain. Then again, maybe they are having growing pains. Maybe they woke up one day, realized they hadn't chosen to actively participate in their responsibilities of this life, and needed someone to point the finger at.
The point is, that it really doesn't matter. It isn't necessary to be a jackass to someone else, because you perceive in one way or another that that person is your mortal enemy for causing a moment or even a lifetime of uncomfortable grief. There isn't any satisfaction in entering into battle with someone, or imposing yourself on someone for your own gain. How hard is it to just say, "yes, there was a bit of a wait, but its okay.. because I was able to read a really great article in this magazine I found in your lobby." How hard is it to say," yes, I have chosen to negate my obligations in this life, and I am sorry, I would like to rectify that now." Then actively prove that the statement made is true by DOING it.
I don't mean to sound preachy. I have been guilty a time or two of being ugly, of saying brash and rude things to people because I felt they had wronged me in some way or another. I just feel... well, okay, its going to sound ultra cheesy, but this verse has been rolling in my head for days, "Let us all speak kind words to each other..." I feel better when I respond to something I don't like in a positive way. When I open the proverbial can of worms to negativity, I feel like ... shit. For hours I feel bad. For days sometimes. Its worse when I am 'mean' to someone I don't know.. and for what? Because I had to stand in line? There are definately worse things out there. You cause someone to feel bad, and that ripples on through the people in that person's life, then in turn ripples to all the people in the lives of the people in the original person's life... and so on. Pretty soon, a whole community of people are infected by your negative vibe. Lets pass some kindness around. Lets have patience for one another. Everyone has a responsibility in this world... some of that responsibility should be to one another.
*sigh*
Now that THAT is out of my system, I'm going to go lie in a giant field of daisies, and dream of world peace. ;) Love to all. |
| posted by katmandusuekookachoo @ 2:54 PM |
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