Faded Memories (1996 or so)

Sometimes, something comes up that brings back a wave of memories.  That happened to me Saturday while I was noodling around on the computer, looking at some music files to transfer to my MP3 player ( yes, i know, I'm Old Skool!!)   Back in 1996 (while I'm not positive this was the exact year, its close), I was married but not happily.  I considered myself content, but perhaps because I didn't know any better?  

And somewhere in there I met JavaJoe from Chicago online.  In 1996, the internet was just beginning to be readily available, and I was learning all I could.  There were newsgroups and IRC to connect with folks from all over, all of us learning what the internet could do for us!  We started chatting and sharing, we had an instant sympatico, with long conversations about nothing and everything at the same time.  

He taught me so many things,  and introduced me to the singer Joshua Kadison. And the song Beautiful In My Eyes.  I love his album "Painted Desert Serenade".  He has a unique style of story telling in his music, but Beautiful is my favorite:

"You're my peace of mind in this crazy world.

You're everything I've tried to find

Your love is a pearl

You're my Mona Lisa 

You're my rainbow skies

And my only prayer is that you realize

You'll always be beautiful in my eyes."

It was through JavaJoe that I learned what a truly deep love is about. I can remember humming this song to myself, my arms wrapped around a pillow, smiling as I drifted off to sleep.  It also made me very aware that my own marriage wasn't everything it could, and should, be.

We never know where true inspiration will come from, or where it will lead us.  Here more than 15 yrs later, I rediscovered this music, added it my iPod and have listened to it many times today.   And it makes me understand why I am still single to this day.  Finding a man who can resonate that feeling toward a woman is rare. And I'm not willing to settle for less again.  Three times was enough!

Gal Vs The Gecko

About a week ago, I came home and walked in the front door; I immediately noticed a gecko clinging to the back side of my couch and I thought, WTH?  So I ran to the back door and grabbed my broom.  I slowly walked past the gecko just hanging there on my couch and opened the front door, with the intention of swooshing him off the couch and out the front door, where he belongs.  I swung the broom and woosh he went, but hit against the wall instead of out the door.  When he thumped to the floor, he took off running down the hallway.  I chased him for a bit, but he dashed into Brian's room where there are too many places for him to hide.  

Round 1 to the gecko.

Three days later, I walked into the living room and there was that damned gecko clinging to the back side of my couch again!  Luckily, I hadn't put the broom away because I knew that my battle with this gecko was not done yet.   I grabbed the broom, and opened the front door again.  I was so sure my aim would be better this time!   I took my stance, batter up!  Swing and woosh, the gecko hits the frame of the door.  But I never saw where he went after that.  I couldn't find him and I looked everywhere.  I thought perhaps he had somehow fallen into 12pack of Lime LaCroix sitting on the floor.  If he had fallen into that, then maybe he wasn't able to move, and I'd just let him be for a couple days before I attempted to move it anywhere.  

Round 2 to the gecko.

Today, my day off, and I knew that I needed to make sure there wasn't a rotting gecko corpse in my box of drinks. I grabbed my garden gloves and kicked the case out the front door.  I ripped open the package and shook all the cans onto the ground.  Nope.  No gecko corpse.  But I decided that I needed to move the couch and the hope chest, vacuum all around it, making sure I didn't have a gecko corpse anywhere, and I didn't.  *whew*   

After all the cleaning, I was sitting on the couch, reading a good story on my phone when I heard this weird swish sound.  Curious, I peeked over and noticed that my little "bug house" -- really a glue board that catches the crickets that worm their way under my front door-- was moving!  I looked at it from far away of course! and could see that the gecko's tail was attached to a bit of the glue.  I ignored it for a bit, thinking he would get tired out and I could scoop him outside in a while.  But noooooooo.  I put away some laundry in the bedroom and walked back out.  I could see that he had gotten free of the little bug house and was under the front door.  I could see a foot and part of his tail sticking out.  I opened the front door, thinking he'd be really happy to be out where he could be free, but nope! That little bugger ran back down the hallway.  He was standing there in between Brian's door and the garage door, not moving, as if he was taunting me!!

Not to be outdone by a gecko, I grabbed my garage door opener and opened the garage door.  I thought if I could open up the door from the garage side, perhaps he would run into the garage.  I turned the knob and -- oh shit, it's locked!  I happened to have my keys on my, so I tried every key but none of them open that door.  I walked back in through the front door -- mind you, it's hot and my front door has been standing open for 15 minutes or so because of this gecko! -- and I grabbed the spare keys off the rack, hoping that one of them would unlock the garage door.  One of them finally did, I slowly opened the door and propped it open with a paint can.  And there's the gecko, still staring at me, but hasn't moved from his spot on the tile floor.  I ran around to come back in the front door, grabbed my broom and started swishing it on the floor and the gecko zoomed his little self out into the garage.

Round 3 to Gal!

Tomorrow, I'll use my leaf blower and make sure he hasn't decided to make his home in a corner of my garage!!!