A thought, a photo. a video, an idea a day for a week or a clump of them ahead of time - 5 of them
That's what I've been doing since March.
Here is this week in review!
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1. MONDAY
Monday, I pulled into a parking place at work only to see this beautiful hummingbird,
very busy in the morning sun. It was so shimmery!
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2. TUESDAY
Taco Tuesday a part of the month's Teacher Appreciation celebrations. Yum & Thanks!!
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3. WEDNESDAY
Lunch Break: sunshade in my windshield. 76 degrees, felt like 96 degrees.
Why am I always so darn hot these days, even when the temps don't demand that? Ugh.
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4. THURSDAY (2 pics, my game, my rules! ð)
Typical lunch: raw, healthy and good ðð ð ðĨ
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5. FRIDAY (again, more than one photo, which totally undoes the whole 5 Thing Friday - I know. Plus I took 'em on Thursday, so I could post Friday AM before work! haha Again...my game, my rules though! lol)
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From top to bottom:
The most expensive gas station I pass each day. I've actually seen this particular station on the news during stories about the high cost of gas. Whatever you are paying, I can guess CA is paying more. ð
Church sign: I've read this churches' signs for years. They put the oddest things. Truly. I'm pretty sure I've posted a couple here before. This one really was really out there! What could their sermon be about? All I could think of though was work...so I took it literally!
The teeniest squirrel I have ever seen, noticed while at a red light. It was darting around in the bushes and then hopped down into the gutter. It must be a young one, which leads me to the question, why are all young animals so darn cute?!
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May you continue, one day after the other, adding up to many wonderful days.
May you follow, make, bend, break the rules as needed.
May you look and find, always.
xo
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PS I'm in need of some yellow yarns for a medicine bag. I have none that read YELLOW.
If you have any and would like to send some snips on to me, I'd greatly appreciate it. I use such small amounts for these weavings, it makes no sense to purchase the several skeins needed for variety, for the little bit I'd use. ð If you're interested in sending bits...THANKS!
I remember a while ago, I heard some story or another that talked about how mis-used the word RANDOM is. I hadn't really considered this, so this tid-bit stayed with me for a long while.
My random things, like my use of the term, may not be TRULY random. This is fine by me. Words and their meaning morph over time. J. often mentions the true definition of "irony" and we go back and forth about coincidence-odd-strange and weird, among other words I throw about, using them as I wish. My mama would cringe!
1. When I casually took the rusty washer out of my back pocket and placed it on the tissue box, I did not notice the similar design on the box. Random placement?
I looked for that old story, only to discover these videos instead. Aren't they fun? Of course, say the word "quantum" and my eyes glaze over and I am lost. But, I did enjoy, as he makes it easier to understand. That being said, folks sure do get uptight about precise meanings of words! I have grown to realize I use much more slang than precision!
2. Playing solitaire: I will say that I used to think the cards that would pop up as I turned them over in my hand were quite 'random'. I even started experimenting with shuffling VS not shuffling. Only with time after playing on my lunch breaks over and over and over, did I begin to notice patterns. I'd often get 3 cards in a row that are of the same suit (i.e. 3 hearts), so I can't remove any of them from my hand. Or I will flip the card suits in an every other fashion (heart-diamond-heart-diamond) , so again I can't pull any out to set aside. Something interesting to consider as I play. I have also noticed one red or black suit often follows another (club, club, club, spade). However, I still can't predict what I WILL turn over!
3. Noticing: Perhaps this is more coincidence than anything else, which led me to google "random coincidence"...finding lots of scientific and spiritual information. Spreading it out to ideas of synchronicity
all of which just goes to show what we know, think we know or make up.
Anyway, as usual, we've been watching the morning crows before I leave for work. I am happy to report that they like the new water feature and continue to wash their food. I tried to get a photo, but was in a hurry and didn't want to disturb the crows, so excuse the burry mess.
Anyway, recently while heading down my street on my way to work, I Noticed (for the first time) two yard art fence sitting crows. I did a double-take to see if they were real or not. They are not. This led to many thoughts connected to the ideas here, along with my wondering: How long have they been there? Why did I not notice them in all of the many days I passed by this fence?
Perhaps some cases of Random are us not noticing?!
After finally taking the fake crow photos, driving away - around the corner, I notice a fake cat.
Has that always been there? I drive by this place twice a day! Do you see it below?
It's kinda strange looking, eh?
*NOTE: While looking to see if I'd used the crow pic already, I found this statement in a 3-20-22 post:
"AFTER NOTE: J. found a MAYA ANGELO QUARTER while doing laundry today. Isn't it grand?!"
This falls right in line with my choosing this part of Random to delve into, Noticing...as Marti sent me a Maya Angelo book for my birthday in early April, Random, coincidence, synchronicity, Baader-Meinhof phenomenon...you decide...or perhaps she read that post of mine and figured I'd like this particular book?! (Thank you again Marti!)
4. Perception: Through watching those two videos above, I came upon this one. Once he began explaining the shape of the 'window' , how could I not think of Jude and her Perspective Patch?!
Upon noticing this connection, I would say how 'weird'...but J. would claim a mere coincidence. I would then conclude, yeah a weird coincidence! ðĪŠ This was a super fun illusion video to watch, but was there a random factor in my finding it so close to Jude's playful sewing?
5. Intentionally Searching: How does Random happen when we go off searching for things? I dunno, but this follow-up to a previously posted story...this real story will just be my #5 "Random" for today. I was wondering about this man and his hill, so I did a search. It turns out that this was a local news story during the time I was not commuting.
I've also noticed since, that hidden up against the freeway on the other side of the street, is another encampment, with a white picket fence (I believe Sanity Hill had one too). The configuration of the road, where I sit at that stoplight has not made it easy to notice, unlike Sanity Hill. But, yep there it is. So, is there some reason, deeper meaning to these white picket fences or it it some random coincidence? Why did my eyes suddenly 'find' this home? Some American Dream, eh?
I recently came across this quote (below) and in my brain, connected it to these hillside homes.
One much more well-known than the other.
Some folks remembered, some not so much.
"As long as there is one person on earth who remembers you, it isn't over"
~ Oscar Hammerstein from Carousel
ðŠķ
May you discover, delving deeper at times
May you embrace things, whatever way they come to you
May you find things in 5's ~ or if you don't, may you make 'em up!
I stumbled onto the first video below and found it so soothing to watch.
This led to a long evening of viewing and considering what I find calming, where I find comfort.
We need these things these days in this hurried and troubled world.
Besides the weaving I've completed, I haven't done a lot of making recently (I think I am still wondering why.), except I did begin one small moon on leather. It is surprisingly (read that ridiculously) slow stitching for me. There will be more, eventually.
*I included the links, in case the video doesn't show up*
Lastly, over at DEE'S PLACE, she talks about a journal practice: The 5 things (sound familiar!).
"...the Five Things are: 1) the weather; 2) some thing you commit to doing this day; 3) one thing you did well yesterday; 4) one thing you could’ve done better; 5) one thing that brings you joy."
Perhaps one of my 5 Things Friday will be a post like this!
May you find ways to calm and comfort you, be they new or old
