It’s weird and kind of cruel and kind of cool with it.

These ladies of mine.

For a bald guy it’s amazing how much hair is in my life.  

Aiming the same way, but slightly looking different directions. 

I’m always feeling like 5 minutes late but am usually early.

It’s been a bit, so impossible to capture it all but you should know we’re getting over Flag/State mode and moved into Track/Field mode. Hoop dreams coming. Daughter in the orchestra and our Head and the Heart was with symphony. Time changes and scratch brownies. Sip and Singo. Ruckus. Majestic clouds and stars that shoot have looked down on us this past stretch. Stretch also withstood driving and square pyramid lessons. WNBA CBA! Good-night—–> the Seahawks won a Superbowl since I last tracked. We have Lego flowers now, rosemary muffins still. Self driving-ride, and questions about that ride. A Summit not climbed but traveled to. Bikes dusted off. We crashed the Moth and the Glow Dance. Rony Seikaly. Earbuds key. We critique survivors and the wind critiques us. Nosotras escuchamos musica. Alysa Liu, Shiffrin, Lollobrigida and King Klaebo. Newspaper articles and homemade posters. And I know I should use some paragraph breaks or bullet points but our stories can get paused, blended and built up and up ’til sprayed out straight all at once. Like Mad Max and Will the Wise we are up and sometimes upside down. We keep just trying to be heroes in our world(s). Life Force Ninja, chemistry, violin tuning lessons and starting to garden. Sickness and blisters. Bantum chicken, Massaman curry. Flood. I’m sure I missed some thing(s) in this super-paragraph. I track what/when I can.

My backpack is loaded.

I’m the guy on the trip who’s got a binder-clip or single straw with a deck of cards and zip-ties.

You could find rubber bands/gloves, a blade or two and even a spare stake in my pack. Several pens plus a minimum of one headlamp. You want a hair tie–> bald guy coming at you with five asking what color you like.

First aid kit obviously, but everyone has one of those. I’m talking about helping someone in desperate need with a golf ball, glowstick or drumstick sized piece of driftwood. I don’t even golf or rave or drum but I’ve got ’em.

I’m almost certain there is a forever stamp in my bag and I’m positive there’s a wristband. Reader glasses and a pack of gum and various rocks from various missions. Sharp stuff, chewy stuff, fun stuff and memory stuff.

I’m prepared in an orderly and possibly misguided way. Often I don’t use most of the stuff I bring, but I’ve saved people with a bandana or portable speaker. Saved myself way back with an actual map and compass. Body  Slide in the side pouch has made a difference. 

In my backpack are spare sunglasses and two types of gloves. I’ve got a matchbook from a place I’ve never been.

Oh you got your socks wet? Here’s some more. That charger you desire–> good chance I got it. Reach in and grab the sticker or snack you need.

There are a lot of things I don’t have figured out or properly packed up. But my bag is not one of them. I’m transitioning to a new one after 2+ decades but they both do their job and are ready to give what is in them. One has touched White Desert sand, and the other Cascade snow. Like I said, loaded.

That mini-football you covet and those plyers you need. Screw driver set, a mouth harp and batteries. 

Sharpies? Yep. Pre-prepaired.

Water or Gatorade Zero? In there too. Open the zippers.  I’m hydrating fools. With my backpack.

I finally figured out the plot.

I am the scene setter 8 out of 10, and 15 % of the time I’m the scene stealer. Once in awhile I’m an agent or I like to be sound engineer.

Regardless of the numbers I’m going to need you to do your(s) and show up to set if this whole production is going to work. Ovations are not just given out freely, and even an amazing actor is not enough. It takes a crew.

I am not a monk and I don’t have one of those sweet brooms, but I pretty much sweep every day. Sometimes I pay attention.

I dig and am continually fascinated by rainbows.  The real ones. I know you can sometimes create the effect with a spray bottle and the right light or a prism tool, but those are momentary and coerced.   I’m talking about the ones only the perfect sky and rain and sun placement provide us.

I’ve become sort of an expert on finding them and knowing when they are coming.  I’m a rainbow hunter armed with eyeballs and wonder. When I see the sunstreaks and angled skywater mixed I get excited. Demanding them even sometimes when I see the conditions are right and cursing the sky if they don’t show up.  We live in a good spot for rainbows.

Each one, or two if lucky are still novel to me.  I haven’t outgrown them. I’ve tried but can never get to the end of one.  Every time I arrive where I’m sure it’s landing it just appears farther off arching down to a new place.  And it’s risky to chase and try touching the rainbow because I might lose it altogether and wish I’d just stayed in the first spot to admire.