lovely day

Well, I am headed in for the first day of the 2nd session of summer school shortly (at least I can be relieved not to be missing a sunny day at Barton Springs or Hamilton Pool!), but I had a lovely day yesterday, and just thought I'd finally log-in to share.
By the way, I'm sorry I didn't make it to "Happy Hour" at Habanera (so I hope there's another one -- great location). But I'm really excited about Big Bend -- thanks, Nola! I'll begin saving pennies ASAP (that's if I ever get anymore -- hence summer school!).
Anyhow, yesterday . . . nothing huge.
Just did a few things I usually don't get to do -- all for me!
Well, the 1st thing that got me out of the house (at 10 -- that's already sign of a good day!) was to attend a contemplative prayer group I have occasionally gone to. Actually, I had only been to the Thursday afternoon group that meets at the same place on Thursday afternoon, and that not in far too long. The facilitator was just about to leave town for a summer retreat, so it was sorta "hello again" & "goodbye for a while," but the SILENCE was just so wonderful. Why do I ever let myself get away from this practice. There were some cards with something called the WELCOME PRAYER, which I will gladly post if anyone is interested. And one of the three people there was also an organizer for something this Saturday called the Harvest of Justice conference (www.harvestofjustice.org) which I was pleased to learn more about.
This was followed, miracle of miracles, by my heading over to Gold's Gym -- where I had not darkened the door in months and months, for a great two-hour work-out. Halleluia!
Then I went home, and straightened out some overdue personal business. Oh, like finally getting "current" with SallieMae about my student loans. They've been on my backs for months and months. This debt is my most gargantuan financial hurdle, by far. No, I'll not be able to pay it off in this lifetime at the rate I'm going -- but at least I finally sat on hold during business hours long enough to discuss options with someone who was not in a call center in Bangalore. This will probably help with my credit as I inch toward the long-awaited objective of moving out of my shitty old apartment to a little bigger, slightly less shitty apartment by the end of the summer. That will be huge! Unfortunately, I recently learned that it's "adopt a cat" month the rest of the week at the Austin Animal Shelter -- hopefully, that won't complicate things too much.
Then one of my dearest friends from Travis -- um, I mean "Neverland," (there are fewer & fewer, it seems -- either this ogre is scaring them off, or someone else is), called because we'll be teaching together starting today.
No sooner did I hang up with her than I listened to a gripping report on NPR about two poor teachers at high schools in Philadelphia (rest easy, the other one, Lyric!) who got the crap beat out of them by students. Did anyone else hear that? How much courage we have to do what we do! Of course, not everyone is lucky enough to be a giant green (albeit lonely) ogre!
Finally, I checked my bank balance on-line, and whulah! (sp?) a final reimbursement check had been deposited. Hurray -- back in the black until payday! Naturally, that meant a trip to Vulcan video for two-for-one night.
First, however, I had to head down to the Paramount for one of the Summer Classics I had most been looking forward to: "McCabe & Mrs. Miller" by the recently departed maverick genius director Robert Altman. His "Nashville" has long been on my list of top-ten films, but this is one from about the same period of his career that, amazingly, I had never seen. And, guys, it was just wonderful, every minute! Warren Beatty could do more acting with his eyelashes in those days (1971) than most of our leading men today. With Julie Christie! Cinemotagraphy by Vilmos Zsigmond (the best in the business, ever) -- and I really nice, seemingly new print, too, I might add. AND songs by Leonard Cohen (I had no idea!) What more could you want?
Well, I could go on about the film (try me!), but the fact is: I DID get more!!!
Who should have met me at the door -- but that adorable little "Tap Wonder"!!!
I got to hear about her trip to NC, and meet her dashing husband.
OK, gotta run. Just had to blather on about that nice day. Hope your all having some, too!
Be nice to have more days off, wouldn't it, but as the cliche has it, "I owe, I owe . . . ."