Um, it's Wednesday. . . and this is a new entry. . . read on. . .

Really nothing much new to say tonight. Regular day. Cleaned the apartment. Watched some episodes of "Da Ali G Show" which had been recommended to me by some friends. Very funny stuff, especially Borat :) Then I basically just spent the night running errands and paying bills and taking a walk. It actually felt good to be able to pay bills though, without the pressure of knowing each check was sending me deeper in the hole. Hopefully this is the start of a newer, more responsible era for me :)

I can't believe summer is already over. Here in Michigan it feels like we barely got a summer, although I'm sure we say that every year. But it just felt so odd to be driving around and see signs that said "School is in Session, drive carefully." How can it be the end of August already? How can we be a week away from going into September, the fall months and winter right around the corner?? Is Christmas actually only four months away from today?

I think when you get out of school and start working full-time, the months move so much faster because there really is no break. We don't get two weeks off at Christmas (unless you work in the auto industry.) We have to schedule our vacations and breaks. Unless you work for the schools, you don't get a three month summer vacation. In fact, the only proof that the seasons change and that the year is passing is when the weather starts changing and we have to flip the calendar.

Part of me mourns that loss. Of course I miss the long breaks we took for granted during our school days. And I miss being able to look forward to summer and winter because they meant summer vacation and winter holiday, instead of meaning "time for the electric bill to go up" or "time to drive through the snow." And I miss being able to spend lazy summer days sitting around the pool, lying in the grass, riding my bike for hours or play fort or war with the neighbor kids. I miss the winter, when snow meant more wars, snowmen, sledding, forts, and angels. Now snow just means praying that cars will start and hoping your back doesn't give out when you have to shovel the walk.

We've given these things up for our cubicles and offices. We've exchanged playtime for errand time or tv time. But I wonder if it's necessary to give up our play. Yes, of course we have to work. And our everyday chores and errands are a very necessary part of life we have to see to. But what about all the other time we waste? The hours we spend watching "Seinfeld" reruns or taking naps or blogging (I'm picking on me here with all of those.) Those are times we could be spending at some sort of play. . . running, swimming, doing SOMETHING that makes us remember we're alive. I think we're the most obese nation in the world not because we eat so much but because we have too many diversions. The televsion, automobile, and internet are as much to blame for our balooning waists as McDonalds and Taco Bell. Maybe more.

I'm going to make an effort to play more. Get out and be more active. Take longer walks. Actually go to the gym. Swim. Because that's where we remember we are alive and that's where we can celebrate this wonderful world God has given us.

Sorry about all the meandering tonight on that. I didn't plan to write it. Just more of a train of thought rambling :)

C-Dubbs