Do Your Best For the Black Belt

Today at the cafe, I walked passed a table with several young children at it. I heard one of the girls tell her younger brother "in karate we do our best, otherwise we will never get the black belt." I wanted to stop and tell her to keep that attitude through the rest of her life.

I was feeling lonely today. The weather is overcast and cloudy, and it's been raining off and on, not normal for this area. It didn't help my mood. Then I kept running into people I know, and even if they just waved hello as they walked by, I realized I knew more people then I thought.

Honestly, I wasn't even intending to write a blog post. I was going to work on my outline for my NaNo novel this year, but then I realized the outline I already have started is in a notebook, at home, under my bed. I can't go home to get it until later tonight after I get off at Gymboree. I suppose I could just wing it, considering I'm just going to write the whole thing over again, but I actually don't remember the majority of what happens in this novel. Despite the fact that it's part of a series I've been working on for the majority of my writing life.

Speaking of my entire life, I turned 20 last week. That was weird. Not really, it doesn't feel any different then 19. It just feels weird that I'm 20 now, and all my friends are getting engaged, or married, or joining the military, or have kids. At what point did we all grow up, and why do I still feel like the child, left behind because her legs are to short to keep up? 

Lessons From Three Year Olds

I've slowly compiled this list as the three year olds in my life have graciously shared their... uh... wisdom.

1. Raccoons are the reason peach pits mold.

2. He who falls behind, screams the loudest.

3. Tripling the number of pleases will greatly influence the answer in your favor.

4. A hotrod is any car that looks cooler than yours.

5. Batman is his own sport.

6. If you don't know where a place is, it must be the next driveway over. Idaho for instance.

7. If you're tall enough to reach the piano keys, you play beautifully.

8. A priests job is to check people in at the door.

9. If you live far away, you must live in Africa. Even if the return address label says Ohio.

10. If someone makes you unhappy, imagine a world without them in it. This includes ignoring them when they beg for your forgiveness.

I wouldn't worry to much if you can't remember all of them, they're more like guidelines anyway.

Indiana Jones: the Adventurer

"I can't go to Panama!"

The outcry caught my attention and I turned to watch one of the kids I was watching that day. He was talking to his friend. Last I had heard, they were playing Indiana Jones. Kids after my own heart.

"I can't take it back there! It's what made me an adventurer!"

If I had my way, the definition of adventurer would be "the kid word for archeologist." I'm gonna go re-write the dictionary now.