The Stupid Zone

After rafting yesterday (which by the way was one of the most fun things I've ever done in my life) I stopped by a gas station to fill up with gas and get something to drink. It was like the Bermuda Triangle of stupid people. On each island there were two pumps that could be used on either side. Thankfully as I pulled up folks had pulled into fill up in such a way that only the four cars there were able to fill up. As it finally cleared up so I could pull forward and pump my gas at the tank across the way I thought I fight was about to start up between two customers because of how the fellow had pulled in. I was grateful to get my beverage purchased and to pull out of there.

Just outside of the station I had to wait at a light to turn left. I guy pulled up on my right and was trying to say something to me and gesturing. I couldn't understand at all what he was trying to say. The light changed and I chalked it up to the other driver having been influenced by "the stupid zone" next to us at the gas station. About fifteen to twenty miles down the freeway I noticed something strange in my side view mirror. I did a double take and realized my gas cap was hanging from the side because I had forgotten to screw it back on. It was then that I realized that I too had been sucked in by "the stupid zone." I'm pretty sure that I pulled away from the pump without replacing the nozzle in the pump. Doh!

An Interesting Move

I'm not sure why, but it just recently struck me. I was noticing that while the sun moves across the sky from East to West the dark clouds normally move across the sky in the opposite direction. It's almost as if the clouds are drawn towards the sun. I'll let you draw whatever analogy you would like about dark clouds in your life and being drawn towards the son. I don't know, I was struck by the move. There are a lot of different ways that I would like to go with the thought, but instead I think I'm going to just put it out there and not make any moves myself and just let it sit with you.

I Don't Know

Sometimes even I am called to question my own logic. Yes it is true that I came out to Colorado for some adventure. Yes it is true that I only have a few more days left to experience some good Colorado adventure. Still, I currently don't know about tomorrow.... Let me back up a bit first.

I love being on and in water. Some might like argue that it's a theological thing and it's about me being drawn back to my baptism. I suppose at some subconscious level it could be, but really I just think it's fun and refreshing. This past summer I started to learn to whitewater kayak. Water is rated on different levels. Basically, class I would be a lake, class II has some waves and is clearly moving a bit, and class III has some drops and you may have to do some work to get through the rapids that are now finally identifiable at this level. Kayaking has taken me through class I and II water. I've done some whitewater rafting that has put us on class III and even a couple of rapids verging on class IV. As you will note the higher the number the closer one is to certain death. This is why I just don't know about tomorrow. I am voluntarily going rafting on class V rapids. That's not quite true, it's not just voluntarily, but I am paying people to take me down this death trap of a river. I would like to assume they know what they're doing. On the bright side since we are on water I won't have to worry about wearing my depends.

I just don't know what I was thinking.... there is adventure ahead. Who am I to say "no" to it? It's a simple answer really, "I don't know?!"

Jerk

Okay, so what I want to share today isn't exactly insightful, but I thought it was fun. Last night working at the Diner I didn't wait on tables. I got to be the fountain person and bus tables. I suppose that's not all so exciting for many of you, but it was for me. Unfortunately there weren't a whole lot of orders for ice cream stuff. Although, I did make a few killer milkshakes and two amazing malts. My banana split still leaves something to be desired. All in all, though, I just thought it was fun to be a soda jerk for a night. How often in life will I get that sort of opportunity?

Tears

As I got home from worship today I was able to catch the last 25 minutes of the women's marathon from the Olympics. What an amazing thing to watch. I saw Paula Radcliff, the favorite coming in, drop out in tears at mile 22.5. I felt like I was there with her as just a week ago it was at mile 22.5 that I was brought to tears wanting nothing more than to drop out and disappear. It is really something to push yourself to the point where you have nothing left in your body, except for tears. To have pushed yourself so far physically that your emotions are spent as well.

Shortly after Paula Radcliff dropped out I watched as Deena Kastor finished an amazing race. As she was coming in the final 200 or more meters she was weeping just like Radcliff had been minutes earlier. This time, though, they were tears of joy. Once again, though, I have to imagine it was also a result of having pushed yourself so hard physically you are left with nothing but tears.

What a fine line it is between tears of anger/frustration and tears of joy. Marathon running pushes you right up to that line and you just never know which side you are going to fall on. I think that's why I love the marathon so, it pushes you to the limit both physically and emotionally. I suspect anyone who has ever run a marathon can totally understand... run on my friends!