Thursday, December 18, 2008

Snow revisited

I was reminded today of this post from nearly two years ago. It's one of my favorites and I thought I'd share it again with a few minor changes...

Today it snowed. More than was expected I expect.

After lunch I'm walking back into the building. It's still snowing. I yield to the tendency to be annoyed as soon as the first bits get down my neck. Then I'm surprised that it didn’t stick. The annoyance, that is. I find that I'm happy and I can't help it. It's the snow.

Oh the snow! It's always tickled me. First snows are best, but any snow will do - gentle, playful downward dances.
 I could be coaxed into verse. 

Remember standing at the rail of a bridge looking into the passing water and getting the feeling that it's you moving?
 Ever notice how falling snow can do the same? Only instead of riding forward, you are lifted up? That’s just one of snow’s gifts. Snow is beauty. It is quiet. It is change.

How many artists have been inspired by snow covered hills, mountains and forests?
 Snow clashes with nothing and fits everything. Snow is nature and it falls upon God’s creations and mans. A grimy street, a meadow, a battlefield - all are blessed by this barren beauty.

H
ealing moments, enlightened thoughts and treasured memories all emerge as blankets of snow steal away the distracting sounds.
 Snow is cleanser that reveals the silence beneath. The clamors of wind and beast and machine - all prove weak against this patient power.

If I left tracks every day as I returned to work, normal days would see a strait, steady, solid set of foot prints .
 Today was different. Some solid lines, a few curved lines, and two abruptly interrupted lines were left in the snow as I did a little dance. Snow changes our walk, changes our mind, it turns us around, and it urges us home.

Snow is also a message.
 It reminds us to go slow, to look around, to enjoy ourselves - to play a little. Let’s listen. It’s in that delightful, mild, quiet little crunch – more felt than heard - beneath your feet.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Dear Cyberspace

I want to virtually walk into my news room (cnn, fox, drudge, blogs) from my main room which I decorated with the gadgets of my choice. My social networking room (facebook/twitter/linkedin) is accross the hall next to my library (goodreads) which is at the top of the grand staircase which leads down into my music/game room (pandora) which itself leads into my theater room (netflix etc). Afterward I'd relax in my study (stumbleupon/google) avoiding my office (banks/bill/mint/blogspot/google docs) and work rooms (live mesh/vpn).
At my side, I want my eAssistant who will update me on my friends activities, recommend interesting sites and useful tools, deliver my mail, remind me of tasks and events AND collect and push memories to me all without being annoying. 
(the collected and pushed memories would be things like "Don't forget that you vowed never to eat at sonic drive-in again because..." that don't work with the calendar or task list.)
Hasten the day!