Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now

There are all different kinds of sights and people to be found on Memorial. There are some homes that cry out money doesn't equal good taste. One particular home is on it's 3rd make over. Who ever lives there now, has armed guards that sometimes patrol outside the gate. They are dressed in black fatigues and carry pistols and sometimes even a rifle. Who can forget the lizard who fell from the tree and onto my arm during the spring? Yep, happened on Memorial. Last year as I drove into work, right there on Memorial was a man jogging and smoking at the same time. My thought was, at least he is honest. Peggy said it is like drinking a Diet Coke and having a brownie at the same time. Last night on my way to choir a young man was jogging on Memorial. Very buff, very manly...well at least from coming from behind view. Anyway, young guy is jogging and in a twinkling of a moment, he begins to do jumps and turns and all kinds of moves that belong more in Swan Lake than on a hot sidewalk in the city. And just like he had gone into dance, he resumed his jogging pace just as quickly. You know I wanted to stop and ask him about his dance interlude. His dancing looked professional but maybe his iPod had something to do with it. I love the surprises along Memorial Drive.


I wish I could be so uninhibited that I could break into some kind of dance when certain songs come on my iPod. There are a few moments in life when I have done that very thing, danced, but fear has kept me from experiencing that kind of joy less often than not. It comes to mind and reminds me that I have lived most of my life as a tourist, not a traveler. Too many times destination has held more import over me. There are things in life where I have visited and maybe have even returned to several times, but rarely have I taken on the identity of traveler. You know, one who goes slowly, learns about the culture they have suddenly been immersed into, studying and learning along the way. I am going to do something about this.


Today, I did one of my very favorite things to do. After getting my highlights at Emmanuel Salon, stopping in at Super Target, shopping at Academy, and Barnes and Nobles, I stopped for late lunch, early dinner at Fu's Garden. Of course I got the Orange Flavor Chicken and today I asked for my orange slices at the beginning of the meal so I would be able to use them in my iced tea. Yum! When I arrived there was an older couple sitting several tables away. They spoke in German, Spanish and English, very loudly. Once they left, I had several quiet moments to myself, only to have a French speaking couple come in and be seated at the very same table as the previous couple. It was international day at Fu's Garden and today I could hear Chinese spoken back in the kitchen. As it happened to be, I was reading a travel book and the essay I was engrossed in, happened to be set in Paris. Nice touch. Ooh la la.


Sitting in Fu's I felt like a traveler. I read and ate my meal slowly. I even drove home at a much slower pace. While sitting there in Fu's I came to the conclusion that I should give myself some required summer reading like they do in school. I am picking books that I'm not necessarily drawn to, but would be a good learning tool for me to expand out of the South. Once I complete my list of requireds, I will post the list.


Maybe becoming more of a traveler will help me deal with some frustrations that have crept up on me. I realized this week that I haven't read any "Christian" books lately. I read my Bible but maybe not as much as I have in the past. It seems that those two things press a nerve in frustration for me right now. In the big picture view, this is not a good thing and I sense that being spoken rather firmly to my heart. Praying is a whole nother thing, in good stead and time listening to the Lord=no frustration in that arena. Some frustrations come along from moving among and having to be with other Christians who I either frustrate or those who frustrate me. We all do this, you know, the no eye contact thing when someone who annoys us comes near. We might or might not acknowledge they are in the room. We keep people and conversation centered near us, not directing any words or looks to the other person standing there. We conduct ourselves in fear, fear of them taking attention or someone finding out they are pleasant and actually fun to be around. I'm frustrated that I do this and I am frustrated that on an ongoing basis this happens to me.


Last night after choir, Peggy, Marcia L and I stood around and visited for a long time. We finally moved away from the choir room and spent more time in front of the church laughing and talking, making plans and telling stories. On the way home I thought about my friends like Peggy and Marcia. Wow, God has given me some of the best friends...they're good people. I thought about Dena and Lisa P, my friend Beth in Seattle, my long lost college friend Alice who we have just found one another on Facebook after all these years. There are many more, scads of friends that God has gifted me with. I am going to slow down and enjoy these moments and times I get to spend with my friends. Maybe that is what I should focus on anyway instead of fretting over those who I annoy.


It occurred this morning while getting highlights that I spend a lot of money on fake color, whether it be my hair or my skin. Color on my toes and fingernails. There is a lot of maintenance into looking faux. Stevie let me see the color book of the fall's hottest colors and haircuts. So interesting to see the professional instructions to coloring or highlighting hair. She didn't need to worry about me picking up a few do it yourself tips, I can barely style my hair like I am supposed to. My friend Dena, the flat iron queen, is letting me borrow some flat irons from her extensive collection. I have been more of a curling iron girl in my life and this making your hair lie flat is beyond my comprehension.


OK, I know this has gone on forever, but one last thing. Roy will soon be home from Las Vegas. He and several from his company are attending a conference there, an accounting conference at that. Nerd alert...thick glasses, pocket protectors and people good with numbers are hitting the casinos. Roy said you can't get anywhere without going through a casino. Now that is some good marketing. Yesterday morning, Roy called and he was as serious as can be. He said, "Nancy, I have called you to confess a sin that happened here in Vegas." Now you know I got all quiet like and to be honest was totally dumbfounded by this remark. My mind is racing over what could have happened? We've been married 32 years and know each other inside and out. What in the world was he going to confess to me. I braced myself for the worse case scenario. Roy's confession, he had spent $75.00 to be able to use the workout facilities at the Wynn for the three days he is there. Uh, in my book, that ain't a sin, highway robbery, but not a sin. It keeps him from the sin filled places. Being the good steward that he is, he also let me know how much of the free bottled water he was drinking from the workout room and that he always picked up a couple of bananas to eat later. I love him!!!


Well, I am going to go read some more. I started a really great book in Fu's, Educating Alice. It is the follow up book to Without Reservations.