grateful

Today I am grateful for:

- Blooming crocuses under the Ballard Bridge, I found during my usual bridges run. A little early for spring, but I don't mind. Like my dad always says, "You know it's spring when the forsythia blooms." Well, the forsythia has bloomed.

- Coloring pages with markers yesterday with clients at Fairfax. A self-soothing exercise that promotes focus. Indeed.

- Psalm 24, which I read last night before going to bed. But am still thinking about. Read it. Beautiful promises.

- Oatmeal. I could eat this everyday and be happy. Perhaps I'm more in love with what I put in my oatmeal though. Strawberries, almonds, brown sugar, PB&J, ect. It's not very often that I eat breakfast out in Seattle, but if I do, you'll find me testing oatmeal at various places. My favorites: Macrina and 5 Spot. Hands down.

- Blue sky. I went to sleep to pouring rain last night, but woke to a bird's egg blue sky.

- Running dates; happening in t-minus 41 minutes.

the ladro man.

My post yesterday was filled with sunshine and relaxation. Indeed it was such a day. But, as I finished out my day, I couldn't stop thinking about the cafe ladro man I observed out of the corner of my sunglasses.

Here I was, stting in my window seat, sun flooding the table I sat at. My sunglasses were a necessity [and are always helpful in keeping my creeper-status downplayed. Hey, I like to people watch]. Ladro man walked in, wheeling in a huge piece of lugggage. Attached to the luggage was a 10 gallon bucket, sealed with a lid. He wheeled right up to a table near my own, popped off the lid on the bucket, and proceeded to set up an office space.

While still absorbed in my book, I occasionally took glances up. Each glance held something new. A laptop came out of the bucket. A telephone complete with a phone jack. Papers and flash drives cluttered the table. 20 ounces of hot tea in ladro's sunny yellow to-go cups. This man was completely intriguing. He went about his business. Reading papers, figeting with his dark beard, his bald, shiny head bent over his computer, reflecting the sun pouring through the window. His clothes were clean, with a hint of unkemptness. I went back to reading. Another glance up, and I noticed he had donned some reading glasses. While one of the arms of the glasses remained intact, the other had a piece of string in its place. This piece of string wrapped around his entire head, tied off on the intact arm.

I felt an overwhelming sense of empathy. I wanted to know his story. Why was he here? What was he doing? I thought about the pairs of glasses that I own. My usual prescription pair; an old prescription pair kept in my glove box for the sole purpose of boosting my night vision; my various pairs of sunglasses kept in various places so that I won't have to endure one minute of being uncomfortable in the sun.

It made me think of the topic of homelessness; a topic I am comfortable around; people I enjoy interacting with; people I interact with on a daily basis; a topic I spent hours and hours on last year, as I worked with various organizations in order to raise awareness. I do not know if this man was homeless or not; most likely yes. But it gave me something to think about. Gave me a moment to think not of myself, not of the materials of the world that constantly circulate. Gave me a moment to think of the cafe ladro man, who tied his glasses together with string.

Mmmmmmmmm.

My lazy Sunday afternoon was perfect. Spicy morning glory chai at Ladro in Fremont. Walked to and from, along the canal, literally soaking up the sun. Spent my time at Ladro with a book and Iron & Wine; and my huge cup of foamy chai.

Happy Lord's day.

Don't run under window washers.

The scenario:

Beautiful sunny Seattle Thursday. Had a 4-miler to do today, so I decided to run my normal bridges run (across the Ballard Bridge to the Fremont Bridge), but ventured off the Burke-Gilman to get an extra .5 mile. Was pacing at a good tempo, and noticed a bunch of water on the sidewalk about 50 meters in front of me. As I reached the spot, I looked up and noticed nothing. Looked down and WHOOSH. 10 gallons of water; everywhere. A little scream and I look up at a very scared window washer who had appeared out of no where. I kept going, not breaking my pace. Funny.

Anyways, back to the beautiful sunny Seattle Thursday. Beautiful! My windows are wide open; casi cielo in my cup. I'm trying to soak up as much natural light as I can. It's supposed to stay sunny and clear throughout the weekend, which is the perfect equation for my upcoming staff retreat in Anacortes this weekend. Mmmmmmm. My freckles are thanking me advance.

A little bit overwhelmed, disturbed, tired.

First week at Fairfax Hospital on their acute wing. Seclusion rooms, darkness, hysterics -- evenings in a mental institution. I am learning alot just by sitting in the day room; observing; talking to the patients. I played checkers yesterday with a very talkative gentleman, and won. I tried not to, but couldn't quite help it. I can't imagine processing what I've seen; haven't been able to quite yet.

Tired too. Been feeling extra fatigued for the past two weeks. And have been having trouble falling asleep. I'm about to start a melatonin regimen once again. Running too much? But running so much that I'm eating everything in sight. Where is the balance. Stumbled out of my bed this morning on achy knees. I've always taken great pride in my strong knees. Not so much today. Am still on the fence about the Mercer Island 1/2. Not sure if I'll be ready, but on the other hand, what a wondrous 22nd birthday celebratory event.

But I'm drinking my coffee, thinking of when I can squeeze in a siesta, and am one hour away from my usual 4 mile muddy jaunt on the Burke-Gilman. Hopefully the bridges stay out of my way for 35 minutes.