My Morning People

I've developed this habit of opening the slatted windows in the bathroom while I'm taking a piss. Partly because I can. Partly because I want fresh air while I urinate.

During the morning, though, another strange habit has consequently appeared. I've been trying to get back on the "early riser" routine, again. My first piss arrives around 6:30am. Even today, a Sunday I was doing my business with window open soaking in the morning air.

But I noticed that I've been keeping tabs on who has been awake around the same time as I am. It's just dark enough that people's lights have to be turned on. If I'm lucky, I can still see inside their dwellings.

In my split second assessment, I make my rounds from window to window. It's liking taking a roll call:

Shitty apartment dweller, who uses their deck as a storage area.... Here!

Nice apartment on the opposite hill with party lanterns hanging from their front window... Present!

The back of a poorly designed 60's apartment with a forrest on their deck... Awake!

Buhler...Buhler...Buhler...

I have an intimate knowledge of their sleeping habits. Or at the least, their lighting-usage habits. They are unknowingly part of my morning community and my morning routine. We are closer than they'll ever realize. Every morning for about 20 seconds we share the start (or end ) of the day together. I close the slatted windows and I start my day.

Mirror images and Status update

1) Yesterday, I saw a deer crossing in front of a deer crossing sign.

2) I've experimentally uploaded most of this blog on my experimental WordPress.com experiment.

Status Update:
* Twitter status: Alvin... yawning on my 2nd Monday of the week(5 minutes ago)
* On repeat: Wilco's new album
* Reading: The West with the Night by Beryl Markham
* Current Obsession: footballing
* Last unnecessary purchase:football boots (soccer cleats), soccer ball, soccer socks, and a ball pump

Taking showers in the dark

This is definitely going to be a TMI entry. You can stop now.

Or go on. You've been warned.

My last "tweet" was "about to take a shower in the dark." I thought it was worthy of explanation. About a month ago, when I was about to take a shower, I noticed that the sun was reflecting off the skylight alley of my bathroom window. The light was bright enough to light the bathroom but just dim enough that reading would be difficult. The electric light was already on, by habit. I decided, then, to turn off the light and take a shower in the reflected sunlight.

Interestingly, the shower had a different feel. It could have been because my sense of sight was dulled and I took more notice of my sense of touch. Or it could have been that the muted natural light was calming. Whatever it was, it just felt good. I was refreshed in a new way.

Since then, I've done it whenever there is any sign of light in the alley. There have been times in the morning when I can barely see what I'm doing. I highly recommend trying it at least one time. If you do, please make a comment and tell me how it was.

It's like watching grass grow

As requested by A1, I took pictures of my grass, yesterday. The pictures came out unexpectedly amazing! There's something about growing something from a seed that seems to be dead, into something green and alive. I can understand the passion people have for growing flowers or planting a garden.

I've been a little kid all week, checking up on its progress. Every morning I've gone to the living room, have lain down on my stomach to examine its growth. I've watched the seeds sprout fine white roots and new green blades emerge. I've easily spent 10 minutes exploring an 8x5 piece of soil. It's fascinating!

The pictures below are from yesterday. I took about 20 pictures, but these are the best 8. The grass has since grown half an inch in the last 24 hours. I'll give another picture update next week. I'm so proud at how much they've grown. *tear*

Click on each to see full sized picture:

83 Problems

I found this story, yesterday, and it comforted me. I hope it does the same for you, too. You're not alone.


83 Problems

There once was a man who had a problem. He’d heard about a wise guru that had answers to difficult questions. He decided to find this man.

After a long and difficult journey, he ended up at a temple high on a mountaintop. He entered and found the guru meditating. The guru, sensing the man’s presence, opened his eyes and looked up.

Guru: Ah, I see you have a problem.

Man: Yes. That’s amazing! How did you know?

Guru: Actually, you have 83 problems.

Man: Oh my gosh! It’s worse than I thought! 83 problems! What should I do?

Guru: Solve them.

Man: OK… I guess I can work on that. When I solve my 83 problems, then what happens?

Guru: You get 83 more.

Man: @%#$@!!!

Guru: Actually, everyone, every single human being, has 83 problems, from the homeless peasant, to the leader of your country. And actually, some people have 84 problems.

Man: What’s the 84th problem?

Guru: The 84th problem when you believe that you're the only person that has 83 problems. This is truly the greatest problem.

Do you have 83 problems? Great. Solve them. Do you believe you’re the only person that has 83 problems? Then you have 84. Solve that one first, then work on the other 83.

via Human Being Curious

soggy but happy

I just took a walk in the rain with the Taku jacket that La got me for Christmas. It was the first time that I've used it in the rain and can officially proclaim that it works as advertised.

I was so excited to be using it for its intended purpose that I intentionally ran through some gutter downspouts, forgetting that my jeans and sneakers aren't waterproof.

I'm soaked and have to sit with wet pants and socks until 6pm. But I am happy.

Powering Down

I feel like I'm in a rush to get everything electric done before the next 15 minutes are up! Tonight will be a relief, but right now it feels frantic.

In the 28 January 2007 San Francisco Chronicle Magazine, there was an op/ed piece on powering down. It's an idea that I've had for awhile, but never really put into practice.

The idea is no electricity after a certain time. La and I have decided 6pm, on Tuesdays. It has political, ecological and psychological implications that I won't get into. It was simply stated:

Shutting off the power once a week is my way of addressing this concern while nudging myself to conserve a little more. I asked myself what I could sacrifice, what I could afford, and this was an easy answer. Sometimes I tell myself it's not enough. But if we all really did the easiest things to do -- beyond thinking about what we could do or should do -- what resources we would save.

So, as I grasp to my last minutes on being connected to the grid, I wish you well and will see you in the morning.