Meander

So I took the week off. I wanted one last breath of life as a mere guy with a wife. I know that in approximately 2.3 weeks, life will change exponentially. I suppose we have heard our fair share of cliche's, and how "you can't really be prepared," and "enjoy your time together while you still have it," and "(insert whatever cliche' is coming to your mind right now, cause we've probably heard it)."

I am tired of cliche's. Why do we say all the same things to each other? Are we trying to put people in our little box of how the world is supposed to work?

Several women that Jennie met yesterday INSISTED that she is "too tiny" to be almost 38 weeks. Let me get this straight: Every woman is different. Every body is different. Every baby is different. Every pregnancy is probably different too. And yet these "ladies" get to INSIST on the proper size of a 38-weeks-pregnant Jennie, who they barely know.

I would love to be there, just once, to speak up for my wife and tell them to mind their own business. I think she's just the right size, and can you tell I'm willing to defend that?!

Yeah, she's 37 weeks-plus, and 1 centimeter dilated.

We're pretty excited, and waiting in suspense. This is not one of those things I can schedule or plan in advance for. "Hey honey, why don't we go ahead and have that baby Friday night? We don't have any plans for Friday - that would work great. We could do dinner at Applebees, maybe relax at Barnes and Nobles for a while, and then drive on over to City Hospital and settle in for the main event!"

Wouldn't that be nice.

Actually, all we care about is a healthy baby. That's what we're praying and hoping for. Jennie adds, "We feel like we know her already, but we can't wait to meet her face to face." Then, after seeing that I'm typing what she's saying, she says, "No, I don't want it to be me (talking)."

"Seriously, can you erase that?" added Jennie.

"Sure, honey!" I responded without delay.

Meanwhile, it is nice to have a few days off to reflect on the world as I know it. I've relaxed a lot, cleaned out the garage (finally), and helped Jennie with the garden. You'd be proud to know I didn't see a movie this week, but I did eat at Red Robin again. The A-1 Peppercorn burger is a huge hit. Add Tabasco and you're in for a whole nuther world of fun.

So I'm writing out my personal journal at Red Robin, steak fries and all. It began something like this, "I'm thirty years old. What ten things am I most proud of about my life?"

Of course, I had to follow that up with "what things am I least proud of about my life?" It was a very revealing exercise. I dare you to do that about your own life. Usually, when you read the mutterings, it's all about getting a few updates and maybe laugh at something silly Gary says. But maybe this time you're supposed to learn something about yourself, and do a self-evaluation like I did. So rarely do we come face to face with reality, and I dare you to consider those questions.

I think it was Socrates who said that "the unexamined life is not worth living." It is hard to imagine Socrates "examining" his life while downing a peppercorn burger with steak fries and onion straws, but that's what I did.

I also dare you to eat at Red Robin. Did you hear that story?

I have other friends who do an online journal like this, and they usually say things about how it's such good "therapy" to get their thoughts out like this. Sometimes, though, it's just fun to let your thoughts meander for a while and have friends bring them up on the phone a few days later. For example, I bet one of you will say, "I can't believe you used the word "meander" in mutterings the other day." Call me crazy, but I bet one of you will bring it up.

I am running out of things to sell on eBay. It can be quite a hassle, but fun if you can buy something cheap at a neighbor's garage sale and then auction it off to the world. However, if your neighbors only peddle their junk, you're toast.

We miss Becks and Lee in Oregon. Then again, who doesn't. Wish they'd visit again and we could do Friday's or something.