Two offers for our lovely home. Let the bidding wars begin!
It’s a little stressful having your home on the market. One, it is stressful because you are selling your home and you want the best price. Two, you are selling your HOME and when it sells, you need to be ready to say goodbye to the 9 years of memories and good times, the neighbors and friends you’ve made while living in that home.
However, the idea of a new place (which needs to become a reality real quick), new friends, new good times, new memories to make is very exciting.
Our house is now officially on the market. We want to move to Virginia. We like the idea of being closer to the water. We like the choices of restaurants in NoVa. We like the communitiy feel of places like Del Rey and Rosemount and Beverely Hills. We like the shorter commutes. We like the change of scenery. We like the new house idea. We’re freaked out about the economy, the cost of selling, the cost of buying, the loan process, packing up, the moving process, change of address cards, mortgage rates, and higher mortgage payments.
I’m half tempted to take what we get from the house (if anything!) and chuck most of our stuff and just head out somewhere for a while. Drift. Roam. Explore. Escape. Is that wrong?
Remember when we had a president who could put two sentences together and make you want to listen to him? President Clinton reminded me again of what a smart, articulate, inspiring speaker can do. He made a great speech last night. I hope there is a place for him in the Obama administration.
I got up early this morning and was out the door for a run just as the sun was coming up. The sky was going from gray to pink to orange as it got brighter and I thought to myself, “This is a great way to start the day.” And I wondered why I don’t do simple things that I enjoy more often. Sure, getting up at 6 am to run isn’t always fun, but once I am out the door, generally, I feel good and am happy. Which leads me to this list:
Some things I like doing and make me happy, but that I don’t do enough of or often enough:
Kayaking
Mountain Biking
Journaling/blogging/writing
Calligraphy
Playing my guitar
Seeing live music
Going to the movies
Talking to my brothers
Watching the sun rise
Visiting my nephews and nieces
Next time I think I am bored, or down, or unhappy, I want to remember this list and pick one.
Looking over the list, I see a pattern. Active. Arts. Social. Translate to Mind, Body, and Soul, and you have the triad of life.
There is something about Barack Obama that is just exciting. I know he isn’t the most experienced, and he doesn’t have the foreign policy credentials other candidates have had, and he is lacking the executive experience of others, too. He doesn’t have all the answers.
I know that.
But when he speaks, he inspires. When he speaks he gets people fired up. When he speaks he makes you believe that these things can actually be done and actually happen, and will become reality. He exudes leadership, or at least what I want in a leader. I think he will move this country and the world forward, to a better and more peaceful place.
I was watching him give his energy speech today in Michigan. He makes you want to believe in his ideas, not just him. And he has ideas, unlike so many other candidates and politicians who just talk but don’t move you. Obama makes me want to be a more involved and active participant in our country and community and world.
Some of these TED talks are amazing. I just watched this one on my lunch hour and I was amazed (especially at the end). Kieth Barry Does Brain Magic.
TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from those three worlds. Since then its scope has become ever broader. Most of the videos are 20 minutes or less, and I have found that most of them are at least interesting, and quite often amazing and enlightening. I particularly liked the neurosurgeon who talked about her own stroke, the photographer who helped a young Vietnamese AmerAsian orphan get adopted, and Benjamin Zander’s talk on music and passion. It’s a great way to refresh your brain during the day.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
An interesting article in the WPost today about the Founding Fathers and some of their human characteristics, such as making mistakes.
“The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. . . . It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfire and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.”
These are some of the things I learned from my weekend away with my brothers and dad.
1) We are still just kids who like hanging out with each other and playing. When we were little and living back in Andover, we were each other’s best friend and playmate. I remember being in the backyard, or the front yard, or MonkeyLand, with just one or three or four of my brothers and time seemed to stand still and fly by in an instant all at once. We’d have GI Joes or Matchbox cars, or a wiffle ball and bat, or a kickball, or nothing at all but our imaginations. The same quasi time jump/time skip happened over the weekend. It was both standing still and moving at light speed. We had toys (Pigs, fire, cornhole, beer!) and our imaginations. We laughed out loud – sometimes too loud or too late. We mocked, mimicked, rode, rowed, belched, burped, talked, lied, and created our own class of servant monkeys.
2) We are all adults and are handling our grown up lives responsibly, lovingly, and happily. Periodically one at a time, discreet phone calls were made to wives and kids, silent text messages sent to say we made it and we miss those who live closest to us. Stories about our lives – friends, frustrating jobs, economics, politics, health – and about lovely crazy kids, happy kids, thoughtful wives, filled the miles in the Man Van and hours around the cabin and campfire.
3) Even though we are miles and states apart, and even though we are weeks and months from visits, we are closer than ever. Maybe my sappiness or emotions get the better of me sometimes, but I have to say that with each bit of history between us and behind us, the story of this brotherhood I am proud to be part of is one that defines a huge part of my identity and my life. And I miss a lot of it. And I treasure all of it.
4) Monkeys doing human things would be both frightening and AWESOME!
It is 2pm on Wednesday. If, last Friday, someone said they were “fasttracking” a job, and wanted to make a decision by “early next week,” do you think they would have made a decision by now? And if that was the case, and you knew that you were one of two candidates for said position, and they had contacted your references, do you think you may be the one who didn’t make the cut? I think I didn’t get this job!
