Dearest Rachel – After an afternoon spent walking with Lars (and these afternoons are getting longer; for the last three weeks, we’ve gone under the tunnels below the Edens Expressway, and ventured to the next major street the preserve path takes us, adding nearly a full mile to our customary route) and an evening spentContinue reading “Awake, But Not Eager”
Tag Archives: mornings
Mental Meanderings
Dearest Rachel – Some time between Saturday night and Sunday morning, I found myself in an interesting situation, but one that – for reasons that will become obvious in a moment – I can’t clearly describe to you. All I can remember of it at this point is that at the time I was thinkingContinue reading “Mental Meanderings”
Sleeping In
Dearest Rachel – I’m sure you’re looking at that title, and fully expecting to get a good laugh out of my story, in much the same way you would when I would refer to us as living “paycheck to paycheck.” In my defense, I would often point out that by the time I received theContinue reading “Sleeping In”
For the Rest of My Life
Dearest Rachel – I can’t say that I remember when I was first prescribed it, but it had to have been within the past decade; at some point after one or another company-ordered physical, I was informed that I had to go on lisinopril for high blood pressure. Not that it seemed to matter; whenContinue reading “For the Rest of My Life”
Jackson Pollock Morning
Dearest Rachel – It’s six o’clock of a Saturday morning, and with it comes this sensation that I really don’t feel like doing anything just yet. Not heading to work out (despite registering my highest weight in several days), not wanting to write you (more due to not wanting to bothering with having to write,Continue reading “Jackson Pollock Morning”
Pondering This Morning’s Earworm
Dearest Rachel – It seems apropos of absolutely nothing, but that’s pretty much how earworms work; like dreams, they aren’t required – or even expected – to make much sense. And yet, in some ways, it gives one something to think about, even if it’s only the obvious (and somewhat unanswerable, given the previous statement)Continue reading “Pondering This Morning’s Earworm”
Needing Nothing
Dearest Rachel – The morning I woke up to was gray and dark; apart from the fact that a sufficient amount of time had passed that I was ready to get up (indeed, at nearly half past six, it was already later than usual for me), I could have easily slept in quite a bitContinue reading “Needing Nothing”
Obsession? Compulsion?
Dearest Rachel – As happens all too often these days, I find myself waking up to a dark room, staring at the ceiling. This would be understandable during the winter, but this far into July, I should be comfortably sleeping in, especially after putting in twenty-five thousand steps yesterday, between working out at the gymContinue reading “Obsession? Compulsion?”
The Joys of Being a Quitter
Dearest Rachel – I woke up this morning to the quiet darkness I’ve known all along that I appreciate for a good night’s sleep, after having had to deal with yet another tiny nightmare of Mohinder berating me for being a quitter. Given my surroundings, I was looking forward to rolling over and putting onContinue reading “The Joys of Being a Quitter”
Twilight Thoughts
Dearest Rachel – In the twelve hundred plus days since your departure, I’d like to think that I’ve come to terms with my situation. You’re gone, and you aren’t coming back. Nor should I wish to drag you away from the paradise you’ve attained. Likewise, there’s no sign that Megumi is on the horizon, orContinue reading “Twilight Thoughts”
Give the Superego What it Wants…
Dearest Rachel – There are some mornings, honey, where I come to the conclusion that I don’t necessarily like who and what I’ve become. This morning found me lying in bed at a little after four, with that little nagging voice in the back of my head telling me that “well, as long as you’reContinue reading “Give the Superego What it Wants…”
An Honest Cheat Day
Dearest Rachel – Four-thirty in the morning, and I’m awake. It doesn’t exactly surprise me; while a little earlier than most days this week, I’ve been getting into something of a habit of waking up early enough to walk down to the gym and put in a few miles of walking in before getting backContinue reading “An Honest Cheat Day”
I Still Have My Appetite
Dearest Rachel – It’s almost funny; last week, I was struck at various times by a good half-dozen ideas of thoughts to tell you about – and which didn’t pertain to the moment at hand, so they could be kept in reserve until such time as I didn’t have much to tell you about fromContinue reading “I Still Have My Appetite”
Festive Dream
Dearest Rachel – I’ve got to admit, I’ve been having a pretty active dream life lately. As I understand it, this is supposed to mean that I’m getting more than an adequate amount of sleep, despite the fact that I’m still waking up within an hour or so after the fitness center opens up –Continue reading “Festive Dream”
The Sands of the Desert
Dearest Rachel – I seem to recall a phrase, used metaphorically in terms of the permanence of one’s love, that it would continue “until the sands of the desert grow cold.” My first exposure to the phrase – and its context – was a single-frame Peanuts cartoon in which Lucy is calling to an out-of-shotContinue reading “The Sands of the Desert”
Not Today
Dearest Rachel – I woke up again – sort of – at four in the morning today, but this time around, I couldn’t bring myself to get up and go work out. And just like yesterday, it prompts the question as to ‘why,’ but from the opposite direction. Some of the reasons I might giveContinue reading “Not Today”
Not What I Was Promised
Dearest Rachel – I found myself waking up at barely four o’clock this morning; I’ve no idea why. Rather than simply roll over and go back to sleep, I found myself compelled to head down to the gym in the already slightly muggy (not that I haven’t experienced worse) twilight. Again, I neither know norContinue reading “Not What I Was Promised”
Not According to Plan
Dearest Rachel – Yesterday did not go according to my plan for it, honey. Ordinarily, I try to fast over the weekend when I’m working the booth; and while there was the temptation of a party involving the worship team after the Saturday service (which for the sake of my social life, I probably shouldContinue reading “Not According to Plan”
Futile Dreams of Peace
Dearest Rachel – I don’t know enough about Indian history to know the specifics that prompted her demise, honey, but I know that Indira Gandhi was assassinated, just like her father-in-law, the supposedly beloved “great soul” Mahatma, and eventually her son Rajiv. However, last night found me at her side at some point in theContinue reading “Futile Dreams of Peace”
Back To The Plan
Dearest Rachel – It’s taken a few extra days for me to do this, but I’ve finally got around to it. Maybe it stems from a guilty conscience about what I admitted to yesterday (combined with the fact that, as per said admission, I slept far too much during the day, and not all thatContinue reading “Back To The Plan”
The Temptation of Sloth
Dearest Rachel – I realize that, given the fact that I’m fighting the remnants of both jet lag and a cold, I might be forgiven for falling behind in my self-imposed efforts to contact you every day (especially given that, by constantly failing asleep, there’s rather little about the day to relate to you inContinue reading “The Temptation of Sloth”
Does it Count When You’re Already There?
Dearest Rachel – Mom and Dad would often talk about our first family cruise that we took back in 1999. Dad and his cousin Dennis had helped organize a trip with the entire extended family, a few years prior, and for arranging that much business, when we got to Vancouver, we were upgraded to roomsContinue reading “Does it Count When You’re Already There?”
Early
Dearest Rachel – For all the times I’ve thus far on this journey ‘complained’ (if that’s really the right word; to be honest, I find it more useful than the alternative) that I keep waking up hours earlier than I really need to, as if I hadn’t adjusted to the current time zone. But withContinue reading “Early”
Not What I Expected
Dearest Rachel – After nearly a week at sea, I wake up this morning and grab my phones, only to realize that they don’t agree anymore. The old, shattered one is still working on Hawaii time, while my actual phone has just now updated itself to be presumably in line with the local time. WhyContinue reading “Not What I Expected”
Burning Daylight
Dearest Rachel – Well, honey, it’s official: we are clearly in summer. Not just because it’s so warm out (that could just as easily be attributed to the fact that we’re not that far from the equator, although we’re moving further away from it by the minute), but because it’s light out even at theContinue reading “Burning Daylight”
Attempting to Drift
Dearest Rachel – Even though I’m still feeling like I’m on Central Time to a certain extent, just because I managed to wake up early enough to watch the ship come in doesn’t mean that I’m actually productive at such an hour. Or rather, it’s not a complete form of productivity; I managed to compile and uploadContinue reading “Attempting to Drift”
Tanning Bed
Dearest Rachel – I hardly need to tell you that I’m nobody’s sun worshiper. Ra, Aton, Helios… they’re all utterly foreign to me. That being said, I understand the need to get oneself the proper amount of vitamin D even if I don’t always remember the proper dosage; when I went to restock my pillsContinue reading “Tanning Bed”
Red Skies, Rough Seas?
Dearest Rachel – I still haven’t gotten the point where I’m quite accustomed to the time zone. It’s probably not helped by the fact that I don’t see myself as having much to do after dinner, since I’m not the club type. Last night, after wrapping up, assembling a couple of videos from the day,Continue reading “Red Skies, Rough Seas?”
More Hours in the Day…
Dearest Rachel – It’s considered to be an axiom of travel that, for every time zone that you cross in your journeys, you need a day in which to recover from the change. It doesn’t matter whether you’re ‘springing forward’ or ‘falling back’; any change in time causes a certain amount of disorientation that onlyContinue reading “More Hours in the Day…”
Morning Meanderings and Meals
Dearest Rachel – Morning, and with it, the acknowledgment that this ocean view isn’t all that bad, after all. While you probably already know it from the fact that it’s smokestacks aren’t what you should be looking for, that ship docked across from our hotel is not the one that’s “come in” for me. ThatContinue reading “Morning Meanderings and Meals”
The Last Thing That I Need
Dearest Rachel – I suppose it could be worse; at least this way, I’ve got just enough time to let it run its course before I head out. This morning saw me waking up at about three-thirty to a very unpleasant sensation; not so much for the sensation itself, as what it represented. Lying there, tryingContinue reading “The Last Thing That I Need”
Accidental Mimosa
Dearest Rachel – There’s a place on the thoroughfare between our house and the folks’ place (as well as the church and the convalescent home Dad’s staying at) called Big Ange’s. It’s an authentic barbecue place, right down to the fact that it’s had its own smoker in the front of their parking lot for theContinue reading “Accidental Mimosa”
Back in the Balcony
Dearest Rachel – It seems like half a lifetime ago (possibly because, when you come down to it, it was) that you and I would find ourselves in the church balcony of a Sunday morning. It wasn’t so much a matter of trying to be inconspicuous (although, when you’re carrying a small baby who mightContinue reading “Back in the Balcony”
Still A Long Way From Normal
Dearest Rachel – It occurs to me that you’ll see that title, and assume I’m talking about how I’ve given up traveling downstate to visit your old home (and Twofeathers, who we gave possession of it to in thanks for the care she gave your folks – your mom in particular –in their final years,Continue reading “Still A Long Way From Normal”
Before I Dig Myself A Hole…
Dearest Rachel – And to think, I was going to send you a letter yesterday, griping about how the weather folk had thrown us all into a panic Monday night by claiming we were on the verge of getting hit by a Blizzard (yes, the capitalization is intentional – that’s the kind of storm theyContinue reading “Before I Dig Myself A Hole…”
Easy On the Envelope
Dearest Rachel – On paper – or on the calendar, anyway – I gave up this weekend; I didn’t manage to fast at all. Both days saw me eating something, despite the fact that, apart from December (because, you know, parties and other holiday get-togethers), I’ve been trying to go without when I’m working the boothContinue reading “Easy On the Envelope”
As Long as They’ll Let Me Show Up
Dearest Rachel – My scale didn’t groan when I stepped on it – after all this time, it’s certainly seen (and felt) much worse – but I rather did inwardly to see my highest weight of the year. And yes, I know that’s a ridiculously short span of time, which sounds longer than it is (hadContinue reading “As Long as They’ll Let Me Show Up”
Exhausted by Everything
Dearest Rachel – For all that Dad insists that he’s “ready to go,” and he’s “so weak,” especially after being put through his paces in terms of exercise, the fact remains that he goes through with them and does them without complaint. Well, without much complaint, anyway; the bedsores on his backside, while slowly diminishing,Continue reading “Exhausted by Everything”
The Important Out of Focus
Dearest Rachel – Given the situation that’s been more or less dominating our lives for the past two weeks, even overshadowing the Christmas season and its attendant hustle and bustle, you would think that I would have more to say about Dad at this point. If nothing else, I’m pretty sure I’d given you the impressionContinue reading “The Important Out of Focus”
To Fear the Day Ahead
Dearest Rachel – It’s not yet four in the morning; while, being Friday, I have every intention in my mind to head out and exercise, I’m not ready to do so. And it’s not just because the facility won’t be open for an hour an a half, or that I’m dealing with the usual squabblesContinue reading “To Fear the Day Ahead”
When You Hit the Ground Running Too Hard
Dearest Rachel – While I’ve told you a number of times about how my body and mind don’t get along with each other on this subject (if nothing else, my body has insisted that it doesn’t think it’s getting much out of the bargain but aches and pains, to which my mind counters that theContinue reading “When You Hit the Ground Running Too Hard”
The Brits Have a Term for It
Dearest Rachel – More than most people, I’m quite well aware about of how we Yanks and the Brits are “separated by a common language.” On this side of “the pond,” my name is just that – a name – while over there, it’s not used as a name for the very reason that itContinue reading “The Brits Have a Term for It”
For the Sake of the Goal
Dearest Rachel – It’s not unprecedented, mind you, but it’s admittedly unseasonal for December to start off in the mid-forties, especially before the sun has risen. It really should be colder out, especially since it’s still dark. I don’t think I’ll even need a jacket as I head off to the gym – which isContinue reading “For the Sake of the Goal”
Conspiracy Meeting
Dearest Rachel – Since my body and mind disagree – sometimes vehemently – on how to handle things, I wasn’t invited to last night’s discussion, preoccupied as I was with a handful of more or less forgettable dreams. But I’m assuming there must’ve been some coordination going on, so I’m gonna take my best guessContinue reading “Conspiracy Meeting”
Not Doing It For Me
Dearest Rachel – Fall is certainly making itself felt, with cooler temperatures and shorter days; indeed, that was just brought home yesterday when we had to set our clocks back. But at the same time, it’s not gotten so cold yet that I find myself having to wear the really bulky clothes that conceal theContinue reading “Not Doing It For Me”
Someone Else’s Story, For a Change
Dearest Rachel – I don’t know what it is about me, but I seem to be the opposite of the human stereotype, when it comes to time and energy. I used to consider myself a morning person only out of necessity (or by default, as it was fairly obvious that I was never a nightContinue reading “Someone Else’s Story, For a Change”
Life vs. Existence
Waking up to another dark morningPeople are mourningThe weather in life outside is storming… Superchick, “We Live,” from Beauty From Pain (2005) Dearest Rachel – This song wasn’t the first thing in my head this morning. To be honest – and you’ll hear about it in a minute – there wasn’t much of anything goingContinue reading “Life vs. Existence”
Failed Discipline
Dearest Rachel – In the past few years – especially in the last thousand days, for fairly obvious reasons – I’ve been constantly trying to add this thing or that to my ‘routine,’ such as it is. Some have stuck, at least thus far – these letters in and of themselves, for example, but alsoContinue reading “Failed Discipline”
The Second Side of Solomon
Dearest Rachel – I wonder if, after my letter from just the other day touching on the subject, my change in attitude is likely to give you a touch of whiplash. At the same time, for all your own emotional stability in general, you were acquainted with the caprice of mood from time to time,Continue reading “The Second Side of Solomon”
(Not) In the Mood
Dearest Rachel – I woke up this morning to a bedroom as dark as it ever gets, given that it has three walls with windows on them, and the outside light (such as it is) can always seep in. It was earlier than I needed to be awake, that seemed certain; and sure enough, whenContinue reading “(Not) In the Mood”
Thoughts In Recovery
Dearest Rachel – I hope that you’ll forgive me if this morning, my letter turns out to be considerably more fragmented than the last couple I’ve sent you. After committing more than four thousand words to… not paper, exactly… text, I suppose? it shouldn’t come as any surprise that anything I might say now isContinue reading “Thoughts In Recovery”
As Long as I’m Up
Dearest Rachel – To be fair, I hadn’t planned for things to happen like this (gosh, that’s become a familiar refrain in my life, now, hasn’t it?). After all, I’d been up until what constituted a late hour for me – eleven o’clock, yes, now stop laughing – working on a new build that mayContinue reading “As Long as I’m Up”
Old Reliable?
Dearest Rachel – There are some days when I don’t have a whole lot to write you about, and way too much time to do so. So I’ll fill a lot of space just complaining about the fact that, for all the things that I may have done in the day, there’s nothing particularly specialContinue reading “Old Reliable?”
Fitful
Dearest Rachel – There’s really no other way to characterize last night’s attempt at a decent night’s sleep. From about three-thirty onwards, there barely seemed to be a moment when I wasn’t aware (I hesitate to say ‘conscious,’ as that’s a little too on the nose) of lying in bed, hoping for sleep to comeContinue reading “Fitful”
Laundry Morning
Dearest Rachel – As with a number of mornings, I don’t really have anything in the way of a coherent story to tell you about today. No weird dreams, apart from a scene or two of the two of us competing in a old-school video game tournament against a number of other individuals and teamsContinue reading “Laundry Morning”
Random Bits
Dearest Rachel – You know, I have a couple of letters that I’m currently working on to send you, but they aren’t exactly talking about things that are happening to me at any given moment; they’re more just ongoing stuff. So I’m carefully assembling those still, hoping to release them to you when I haveContinue reading “Random Bits”
Picking Up After Him
Dearest Rachel – Another morning of waking up to a dark room. Even as I realize that it’s now September, I’m still pretty sure that it shouldn’t be this dark when I’m waking up. Sure enough, it’s not even five o’clock yet. My subconscious superego chirps that it’s an opportune moment to prepare to goContinue reading “Picking Up After Him”
The Deals I Make with Myself
Dearest Rachel – It’s still pitch black when I open my eyes this morning for the first time. Without even looking at the clock on my nightstand, my superego points out that I probably have just enough time to throw on shorts and a t-shirt, and head out to the fitness center for a workout.Continue reading “The Deals I Make with Myself”
“Let’s Just Get This Over With”
Dearest Rachel – It probably wasn’t the best idea for me to totter off to bed by nine-thirty, but by the time Logan realized we were home from having dinner at the folks’ and joined Daniel to watch anime with him, I was barely able to keep my eyes open. If it weren’t for theContinue reading ““Let’s Just Get This Over With””
An Exercise in Willpower
Dearest Rachel – So, after a day of trying to get Daniel to eat a little more (which turned out to be less than necessary, as he’s more than capable of doing so, if he wants to, and there’s something in front of him) by setting more of an example than I probably ought toContinue reading “An Exercise in Willpower”
Tired
Let’s face it! From the waist down, everything is kaput! “I’m Tired,” Lili von Schtupp (Madeline Kahn), from Blazing Saddles (1974) Dearest Rachel – You might recall, back before we all but officially turned Saturday mornings into “our” time, I would wake up early in the morning, drive to the office, and put in aContinue reading “Tired”
Impossible Things Before Breakfast
Dearest Rachel – Lewis Carroll’s Red Queen claimed that she prided herself on believing “six impossible things before breakfast.” I’m not nearly so ambitious, honey – indeed, I rarely bother to try to believe the impossible at all, let alone so many such things at once – but just for today, it seemed like IContinue reading “Impossible Things Before Breakfast”
Tinted Greys
Dearest Rachel – Much as I like to have it taken care of before I start in on the ‘real work’ of my day, unless I’ve had a dream I simply must tell you about before I forget it, writing you is rarely my first task of the day. And no, ‘tasks’ like opening myContinue reading “Tinted Greys”
To Frame the Events of the Day
Dearest Rachel – You might think that, after a day as unusual as yesterday (even for a Sunday), I would have so much to tell you about. And yet, I was dismayed to wake up this morning without a thought in my mind as to what to say to you – or really, to sayContinue reading “To Frame the Events of the Day”
Trudging the Trudge
Dearest Rachel – Last night I went to bed early; before ten, so I could wake up a little after five and get to the gym more or less when it opened. I didn’t bother to shower yesterday, so I figured I’d get my second workout of the week in before taking one this morning.Continue reading “Trudging the Trudge”
Little Things in the Morning
Dearest Rachel – You’ve heard tell from me on one day or another about how I have so little to write to you, and that’s still quite true; in the nine hundred days since your departure, some of them have simply run together, and offered nothing in particular to set them apart in terms ofContinue reading “Little Things in the Morning”
Ignoring the Thunder
Dearest Rachel – King Solomon wrote about how there would be days like this as he grew older; how he would “rise at the sound of a bird,” even as he could barely hear “the daughters of song.” This morning started with what sounded to me like the noise of movers on the roof, rollingContinue reading “Ignoring the Thunder”
Not There Yet
Dearest Rachel – I keep hearing from people that one of these days, working out will be second nature to me. There will come a point in time, or so I’m told, in which I can’t go a day or two without exercising like I do at the gym. Not so much out of guiltContinue reading “Not There Yet”
How to Start the Morning
Dearest Rachel – I wonder if you’d be amused by the fact that I’m getting this much milage out of the effects of a holiday intractably stuck in the middle of the work week like this. You’d probably point out that it doesn’t affect me as much as most people, now that I’m able toContinue reading “How to Start the Morning”
Shouldn’t It Be The Weekend By Now?
Dearest Rachel – You know, apart from putting sufficient time in at the ‘office’ (and it’s not as if I haven’t done any ‘work’ there these last few days), it rather feels like it’s been a suitably full and eventful week already. I’ve gotten in all the exercise I ever do these days in theContinue reading “Shouldn’t It Be The Weekend By Now?”
Who Bothers to Read Minds?
Dearest Rachel – Well, it seems that, in the words of the late Charles Schulz (is he up there, by the way? Have you seen him? I’m thinking he might be hanging out with his childhood beagle friend), I’d wasted a good worry. Pastor Scott hadn’t really been concerned with whatever heavy questions I mightContinue reading “Who Bothers to Read Minds?”
Moving Toward São Paulo
Dearest Rachel – I’m going to start with a few apologies with this letter, honey. First of all, this one is going to be a little rambly, compared to most of the things I write to you. I know I try to keep a consistent theme with each of these letters, but it’s not goingContinue reading “Moving Toward São Paulo”
Dull Docket
Dearest Rachel – This letter may be shorter than most of the ones I’ve written to you lately (although you never know; I might be able to stretch it out into a thousand words all the same). I hope that’s okay with you. The thing is, there’s not much to tell you about today thatContinue reading “Dull Docket”
Garbage Elves
Dearest Rachel – One of the more mundane challenges of dealing with life without you is that of being the one responsible for keeping the house clean. I can’t leave plates by the sink after a meal – at least, not for very long – lest the sauce and crumbs stick to the plate. IContinue reading “Garbage Elves”
Elevators Down
Dearest Rachel – I really could’ve sworn that I would have needed to set the alarm last night. Granted, I don’t have a panel to attend at nine in the morning (although there is one on the schedule that looks like it might be interesting), but I do prefer to grab breakfast before things getContinue reading “Elevators Down”
All That Matters
Dearest Rachel – One of the peculiar effects (I’m not sure if they should be considered advantages or drawbacks; I’m sure it could go either way, depending on one’s perspective) of my making a point of writing you as soon as I can on any given morning – so as to “get it out ofContinue reading “All That Matters”
The Order of the Day is Silence
Dearest Rachel – Although compared to you, almost anyone could be considered a morning person (especially if one has a nine-to-five – or rather, a seven-thirty-to-five-thirty – job to go to), I never tended to think of myself as such. I mean, it’s not as if I wanted to get up at five in theContinue reading “The Order of the Day is Silence”
Thanks For Your Help
Dearest Rachel – It’s so weird to think that, only a few years ago, I was regularly waking up at five or so in the morning in order to shower, shave, get myself something for breakfast and get a little reading in before heading off to an actual job at an actual office. You’d thinkContinue reading “Thanks For Your Help”
Never That Young
Dearest Rachel – So, this morning, I woke up to the bright sun pouring in from what seemed to be all sides of the room (you know how it is; the bedroom has windows all around it, apart from the one wall that’s attached to the laundry room). But when I grabbed my phone toContinue reading “Never That Young”
Never Quite Ready
Dearest Rachel – So, since I already told you about the problem that arose while we were over in Akita, I figured that I ought to tell you about how things got resolved, now that it more or less has been. No sense in letting these things hang over one’s head, after all. Sure, youContinue reading “Never Quite Ready”
Waking Up to Reality
Dearest Rachel – I suppose today is one more reminder that I made the right decision in going straight home, rather than negotiate a day or two extra in Tokyo. I probably should also be grateful for the fact that my body managed to hold it together until we were just about on our wayContinue reading “Waking Up to Reality”
Dreams of Netless Flight
Dearest Rachel – Well, we made it home. In fact, we landed at O’Hare only about an hour after we took off from Narita – all that time change, stuff you know. That, in fact, was one of the reasons why I’d decided to stay home today from the ‘office’: it was basically assumed byContinue reading “Dreams of Netless Flight”
Up Too Early, Up Too Late
Dearest Rachel – I don’t know where I first heard it, but I have heard that the difference between comedy and tragedy is simply a matter of timing. It’s probably a corollary axiom to the fact that comedy is tragedy plus time; where any occurrence involving the loss of life (no matter how horrific) canContinue reading “Up Too Early, Up Too Late”
Enforced Rest
Dearest Rachel – We had planned on taking a shore excursion today in Busan – a Korean cooking class, believe it or not – but when we got aboard the ship, there was already a card on what would up being my bed, informing us that regrettably, it had been cancelled due to the lackContinue reading “Enforced Rest”
Super Dry
Dearest Rachel – This might be a bizarre introductory topic, but I know you would bear with me as I get started this morning. That was the beauty of our relationship, or any such relationship (I assume): we were each more than willing to hop on each other’s train of thought, and see where itContinue reading “Super Dry”
Muddled Morning
Dearest Rachel – It’s that kind of morning today; I know I’ve said it before, but it never ceases to strike me as topsy-turvy that the one day a week I have to set my alarm is a Saturday. Sure, it’s the one day that I actually have a commitment to be somewhere earlier thanContinue reading “Muddled Morning”
Fewer Words, but More than Speech
Dearest Rachel – There’s no particular reason for it; it isn’t as if the morning sky is particularly grey today, nor can I hear the impact of raindrops on the bedroom roof. It wasn’t that I stayed up particularly late last night, either, although I did find myself finishing a third batch of laundry atContinue reading “Fewer Words, but More than Speech”
Tears in the Fabric
Dearest Rachel – The amusing thing about a title like today’s is that we both know that if I trailed off, you would expect that the next phrase would be something like “of spacetime” or “of the universe,” or some other such science-fiction-y turn of phrase. It’s the sort of realization that makes me wonderContinue reading “Tears in the Fabric”
Lonely Works of Art
Dearest Rachel – I’d relate my dreams to you from last night, but even at this relatively early hour (as I need to finish dressing and head off to the Bible study), the only image I can remember from last night was that of you, sitting across from me at some outdoor cafe, sucking onContinue reading “Lonely Works of Art”
If A Tree Falls…
Dearest Rachel – It was a little after five in the morning when it happened. I was in the middle of a dream about a young husband (not me, obviously) trying to raise a ridiculous amount of money – some $800 million or so – for his wife’s medical expenses, and succeeding to the tuneContinue reading “If A Tree Falls…”
Scraping By Without Patience
Dearest Rachel – Life is something of a whipsaw between having seemingly all the time in the world and suddenly running out, and having to transition from dawdling to running full pelt in the blink of an eye. What happened to you was an extreme example, of course, but it’s a situation we all dealContinue reading “Scraping By Without Patience”
Empty-Headed Morning
Dearest Rachel – After all but nodding off in front of the family room television last night at around ten, I did the sensible thing, and headed off to bed. So it shouldn’t come as any great surprise when I find myself awake at six, long before my routine kicks in and I prepare toContinue reading “Empty-Headed Morning”
And [We] Still Go On
They buried My body, and they thought I’d goneBut I am the Dance, and I still go on. “Lord of the Dance,” by Sydney Carter (1963) Dearest Rachel – So, apropos of absolutely nothing, this is what I woke up to this morning. No dreams (that I can remember), no philosophical musings. Just this song,Continue reading “And [We] Still Go On”
You Don’t See the Light Until It’s On
Dearest Rachel – Back when I was waking up barely after five in the morning to prepare myself for the workday, I would often shower with only the nightlight on in the bathroom – because I really wasn’t ready to turn on the ceiling light, and assumed that you, in turn, might be bothered byContinue reading “You Don’t See the Light Until It’s On”
The Non Blizzard
Dearest Rachel – I woke up to something other than pitch blackness this morning, which I take as a good sign. Lately, I haven’t been regularly getting my full eight hours, despite my best attempts, and I’m not exactly sure why. Not that you were ever concerned about getting that many hours at a timeContinue reading “The Non Blizzard”
I Still Can Be Happy
Dearest Rachel – There’s a certain unfortunate bias in my letters to you. This is in part because I generally make a point of writing to you first thing in the morning. To a certain extent, this is so I can get the task out of the way, and get on with the rest ofContinue reading “I Still Can Be Happy”
Trying Not to Break the String
Dearest Rachel – I think it was somewhere between eight and nine o’clock that Lars called me last night, in part to wish me a happy new year, and also to decide what day this week to go walking together (for the record, we’re going tomorrow, as today is apparently threatening rain). At some pointContinue reading “Trying Not to Break the String”
The Pull of Memory
Dearest Rachel – I’ve already mentioned this week about how the dark of the approaching solstice serves as a demotivating force towards getting things done during this season (which, given that it’s the beginning of the holiday season, is particularly inappropriate; there is so much more that needs to get done at this time ofContinue reading “The Pull of Memory”
The Difficulties in the Dark
Dearest Rachel – Yesterday, even as she arrived and got started on cleaning up the house, Kris commented on how much she hated the fact that things were so dark and gray that morning. And to think, she was so much more motivated than either of us would be on a day like that; howContinue reading “The Difficulties in the Dark”
When Nothing’s Happened Yet
Dearest Rachel – I have to assume that the concept of time is meaningless to you at this point. There is no night, as I understand it, since God Himself is everywhere, and lights up heaven wherever He is, so there is no differentiating between days, or even from any one point of time toContinue reading “When Nothing’s Happened Yet”
Letters to Rachel 