"there's a two-for-one special on brooding young men"

shiny happy people

For the first time in a long time, I came home before dark today. Took advantage of the last few remaining hours of daylight, threw my parka on and headed out for a walk. I figured that it's been a while since I've gone running that I should probably ease myself into it, rather than be all hard core about it. With the sounds of Donovan crooning in my headphones, I set of for a brisk autumn stroll down by the creek.

The air was cool and crisp, and I was entranced by the steam of my breath mingling with the cold air. Rain from the past few days made the grass soggy and wet, so no crunchinhing of leaves beneath my feet was to be had. Just the occasional squish and slosh of wet leaves permeated with yesterday's rain.

When I reached the creek, I noticed a pair of eyes peering at me from across the way. Startled, I took a step back as my heart skipped a few beats. Turned out to be an owl, perched on a trre branch, starting at me, but not commenting on my intrusion. I stared back, and after a long silence, we made our peace and only half-heartedly contemplated each other with polite disregard.

Seconds later, I was startled by a violent thrashing in the creek bed below. Upon closer inspection, I realized that I had stumbled upon a salmon run. The sleek silvery coats of the fish reflected the dwindling sunlight left peering through the treebranches overhead as they struggled to make their way upstream. Several of his comrades followed, each larger and more brutish than the last.

As they bellied their way past the large stones that dotted the creek, using them as leverage to push past the currentforcing its way downstream, I recognized the bullheaded determination in the midst of seeming futility. Part of me wanted to step into the frigidly cold waters, and guide them to the edge of the creek where the water doesn't flow as strong, and where they could propel themselves upstream with greater ease. But I realized that part o the beauty of this cycle is the struggle against adversity and the determination required to succeed.

I wish I could say that I returned home with my head held a little higher and a bounce in my step, determined to face the challenges ahead. Unfortunately, the only determination I had was to prepare a real dinner for myself - not that Chef Boyardee or Top Ramen crap that I've been ingesting lately out of sheer laziness.

Soy chicken with a side of stir-fried snow peas, miniature corn and cashews, served on savory steamed rice. After diner, I'm planning on indulging in some freshly made sorbet and the return of my favourite guilty pleasure.

Speaking of which, I just had to take this personality quiz. (I'm such a fourteen year old girl sometimes!) Apparently, I'm sooo Ryan. I would have thought more along the lines of Seth, but, like, what-ever!


really?

Here's to another season of watching spoiled anorexic girls boozing it up, brooding Russel-Crowe look-alikes in uniform wife beaters, and dorky protagonists getting the girl, an insane amount of pop culture references, and a pretty good handful of pretty good tunes.


Leaving New York :: REM