I vividly remember going to the polling place to vote back in 1968. Mom and I stepped into a lined-curtained booth. She pulled a handle and the curtain closed around us. I stood only a little over three foot tall, looking up at the great greenish-gray metal thing with curious interest.

The red handle and rows of levers called out to me! I really wanted to pull and turn all these gadgets. They even made clicking clacking noises that appealed to my 4 year old senses. My view was well below the action as Mom turned the levers and before I knew it, she pulled the red handle and the machine made a loud metal clack noise, the curtains were drawn and we stepped out.

Her vote was cast. I was with her. My mom was my #firstwomanvoter leaving an indelible memory that I cherish as we head into the American election of 2020. #TexasBlue #Vote4Texas #whenweallvote

Know You Know

No exceptions. No excuses. No apologies. If the water leaks down the kitchen wall from the toilet upstairs and shorts out the microwave on new year’s day in your 42 year old house, remember the foundation was fixed just one month ago (for the 3rd time) and this is a minor setback. It’s okay that you are living on concrete floors without baseboards. At least the water that was flowing from the middle patio through the kitchen and hallway into the front room creating a mini-river every time it rains since Harvey, has quit. Know what you are doing is right. Know what you are doing is good. Listen to your truth. Get up and fight.

I am so glad we ran up that tall bridge into the strong north wind this morning at 6am in Kemah. Hope came to life once again after realizing the pain in my body while running the rising incline of concrete in freezing cold over the waters between Clear Lake and Galveston Bay, would subside a bit. Body and mind began to work together along with my willing spirit to keep going. The drifting from the night before is done and I am anchored once again, remembering 2017– march in Austin, birthday party in Arizona, St. Patty’s Day bike ride, Hico, Colorado, Amarillo, Studio 64 Thanksgiving and a white Christmas.

The floor in the upstairs bathroom is dry and the toilet flushes with one swift push of the handle. No need to hold and count for 11 seconds before releasing. The hair dryer took care of the wet microwave circuit board to restore full functionality. And, my body is worn out from the work of the day; my mind is ready for a good night’s rest; my spirit is nourished by the successes of the day.  We rose and shone.

Maximize accomplishments and run with a friend! You are a success.

January 14th 2018

Built an evening fire using oak logs instead of cedar. Scentless pillar candles flicker on two black metal stands. Football playoff game on TV. Remember the Houston Oilers playoff game back in the late 70’s. Watched from the shag carpet floor on Sagevalley St. Console parked in the wood-paneled cathedral ceiling living room corner with sliding glass patio door. Systematically, play-by-play, Oilers lost the game to Pittsburgh. Luv Ya Blue era virtually came to an end.

Stoked the fire a bit. Memories associated with football go on and on. Up early, 4:00am. Headed downtown to give support to buddies running half marathon. Found early refuge for hot breakfast along the way. Unplanned spot while maneuvering streets in the dark to position morale boost at mile 10 of 13. Mission accomplished. It was really cold.

Life in the 70’s without remote controls was tremendously less complicated. Getting up to change the channel by turning the dial, “click” “click” “click,” required only two simple decisions– 1. what channel out of five and  2. who’s getting up to change it. The TV guide came every Sunday to our front yard via the newspaper, either the Houston Post or the Chronicle. One whole week’s worth of shows with short descriptions of televised movies.

Everything is important.

February 9th 2018

Stay strong my friends. As I drove Bayport Rd. this morning, I thought about the strength it takes for people to carry on each day. Getting up and getting out, joining the mix, staying engaged with an active, present mind takes resolve. I immediately thought of the beer commercial, where the actor says “stay thirsty my friends.” I chuckled to myself as my gaze shifted upward where I saw two pink flamingos flying east. What a sight to see against the gray sky.

Client #2 was ready to roll when I arrived. We sipped coffee for a few minutes and talked about the week behind us. She is a nature enthusiast too. I told her about the pink flamingos. She laughed and told me they are Roseate Spoonbills and showed me a picture. Come to think of it, their bills did favor wooden spoons.

Staying strong is what we do. No excuses. The alternative is bleak and not inviting. We get up. We fight.

February 27th 2018

Toastmaster Tuesday. I awoke really early, around 4:30am, to get things going for the meeting. The Toastmaster for the week cancelled yesterday which meant I would need to fill in. I also needed to reconstruct a user friendly agenda for members reference and print copies. Many things to do before getting out of the house.

I arrived on time at the usual spot. It’s a pancake spot and guess what? Today is international pancake day. As soon as I entered the meeting room at the back of the house, I was greeted with “our room is not reserved” and “do you want pancakes, they’re free today?”

Well, of course I want pancakes and what do you mean our room is not reserved? Our group was scrunched up nice and compact at the back of the room with discombobulation circulating through the air.

The last three months presented hiccups to our usual smooth as silk weekly meetings.  The pad locks on the door

in mid December and the unexpected sidelining of a Club VIP in early January left us scrambling to pick up the pieces like all the kings horses and all the king’s men putting Humpty Dumpty back together. We adapt WELL, realizing change is apparent and undeniable.

Our team pulled together, literally and figuratively, to make great use of our time together. With integrity as our word of the day and “moving forward with confidence” our theme, we shared one hour’s worth of journey together. As iron sharpens iron, our group continues to build one another in a spirit of true relationship and relevance.

March 5th 2018

Morning reserved for sun salutation, several. Journaling the dreams of the night is easy. Images remain real through those first few minutes after arising, causing perplexities of mind and heart.

Dreams of flying from the mountains to the city without use of airplanes or engines. Just balancing on a pillow with a patchwork quilted dog beside you, helping. Family members fly alongside pointing out places of special gatherings from the early days. Staying centered on the pillow is paramount otherwise the tilt created by being off-center can’t be corrected and you fall to the ground.

At one point, I think about taking the bus during this dream ride. It’s slower but seems like there’s less risk on the ground. The call is made ahead to those helping with the flight plan. We take off back towards the city. Other dreams follow. I record as best I can remember and head out the door.

Client #1 is ready to go when I arrive. We take ourselves to the 1/2 mile track. High hopes and expectations this morning. The first lap rocks solid while the second is the slowest out of six. Lap number five turns out the best time at this course for this person up until today. Getting the heart rate up and challenging the status quo paid off. A few minutes of pain and struggle returns quick substantial profit– eggs, bacon, pancakes, coffee.

For some time now, I’ve dreamed of owning a community style coffee shop, complete with smoothies, beer, wine and selective food choices. Recently, a group studio workout room, several small private workout rooms, an outdoor obstacle/challenge area, roof top micro-green urban growing and community collaboration space attached to the vision out of necessity. It’s clear this dream is sustainable through fundraising on a grand scale.

After lunch, an investor and I load up to scope out north Pasadena, near the high school, for possible locations. Old Pasadena, near the brick six column abandoned U. S. Post Office building on Munger St. appeals to me. My mom and dad tell stories of pep rallies on or near the old post office and dates at El Capitan movie theater, back in the 1950’s. It’s a block or two off of Main St.

The center of an old city remains even if its border changes. This spot works, bringing the old and new together, fusing the future of every one. It’s what dreams are made of.

Grow

The year started out strong with a run over the Kemah bridge in a cold north wind and acceptance of a challenge to write and publish 365 days. Enthusiasm and content flowed freely and unhindered for the first two months of the year. Like the moon in its cycles, my purposed enthusiasm waxes and wains.

Today is a new day. Affirmations and meditations resonate within my spirit. They help fuel my body and mind– nourishment. Last fall, our community garden was filled with colorful Zinnias

I collected the seeds a couple months ago, and propagated a few in my kitchen where the sun shines bright. Two of them germinated and began to grow in a square white porcelain dish on a wet paper towel. After several days, they emerged from their pods and began to stretch out. I planted them in the shallow dirt of a clay pot. Within a few moments they began to stand straight up.

Choose to grow and be strong like the Zinnia seeds. Find nourishment for the body, mind and spirit. Then reach for it and move forward. Push aside those things that hinder growth. Things like jealousy, envy and fear– abstract brutalities that wage war against relationship and spirit. Fight back. Step away from the muck and the mire. Allow your beautiful to be uncovered.