Sunshine (continued)

I went on a 45 minute bike ride late this afternoon following work. IT WAS SUPER.
Recently I'd purchased some new clothes as a birthday gift to myself. I decided to wear one of my new bright yellow plain t-shirts. It's that awesome super soft stretchy cotton... and it's bright yellow. I saw it, I wanted it, I bought it.

Anyways: I went on my bike ride, having said a brief prayer for minimal injuries in the fear of a wipe out and the knowledge I was going to ride with reckless abondon while the sun was still out :o) !!!! Whizzing over the patches of snow, ice, and slush. Skidding through turns on the remnants of this winter's sanding. Splashing through the melted runoff and pools of muddy water. It was Fabulous. I knew my beloved new shirt would be effed up. And I wore it anyways.

I should have taken a picture afterward. Note to self for future spring-melt bike rides.

It was frickin' great.

Sunshine

48 Degrees, sunny skies, and a bit of a wind.

EVERYONE in Decorah is out today....walking. Jogging. Running. Car washing. It's really amusing...

Starting a New Week with Sweet Sweet Words

There's nothing like hearing the words, "You can do this."

Chitty Chatty .............bleh.

It sounds weird, but I like earning my paychecks. A slow night behind a bar is perhaps one of the most excruciating things ever....(well I could think of much more frustrating and painfully agonzing things, but to list them all would be overkill). "Slow" and "forgetful" were not options for a night in the restaurant industry like we had tonight....Tonight, I got slaughtered behind the bar.....it was a brutal night of work---mostly because my co-bartender wasn't moving nearly as fast as he needed to be, nor thinking nearly as quickly as he should have been based on the constant stream of new drink orders between both the restaurant and bar patrons from 6:15-9:30. My shoulders and back feel like I got hit by a truck...literally....like I was put through a cement wall. My feet are sore and my brain is like jello.....at one point tonight I kept track of 14 different, consecutive drinks (cocktails, beer, & wine). It was during this same 4 minute window in my evening that my Co-Tender went to chat with some people who were dining and drinking in the lounge.

On another night, I might not have cared---but since I'd been doing all of my work plus half of his the past 2 hours his decision to go shmooze with our customers was not seen in positive light.

On another note, the owners were out for the evening and no-where to be found at the 'Yat. Instead they were enjoying celebratory cocktails after winning Small Business of the Year awarded to them by their fellow Chamber Members. Dam. I hope my restaurant racks up the accolades like Kim and Andy have in their 1st year of business.

What's that??? Oh, sorry----my back and shoulders are screaming at me, but it's okay--my brain isn't functioning anyways....a ridiculous night bartending.

Belief

Every morning I wake up, I look at a page inside an old, old journal of mine....worn and frayed on the binding from being toted through the forests at bible camp, crammed inside of various bulging book bags, faded from many an afternoon sunbath on the library lawn......weathered by age....opened in some of the most awesome settings, privy to some of the most beautiful sunsets, mountaintops, and coastlines, filled with some of the most memorable travels, adventures, and private entries I've ever written.

The page I read says, "I Believe. I believe every new day is worth doing good. I believe every new day is worth doing good for someone else. I believe every new day is worth this belief. Wear your belief unconditionally Jackson."

Super Bowl

Two words:

SO FULL.

Aaron's white bean chicken chili: savory....velvety....
Aaron's spinach artichoke dip: Heaven...
Rachel and Michael's Crock Pot Lil' Smokies and Chicken Sausage slices: Tri-fecta!

SO FULL.

Birthday

I would never have been able to predict that I'd learn sign language, go to a sudden death overtime thriller of a hockey game, and laugh as much as I have the past couple days. It's obvious to me, the short break this weekend was "due." And now...for a brief lesson in cooking: (Jesse is in dire need of assistance mincing onions and making Super Bowl Chili).

Great weekend....not anywhere near "finished"...