One of those moments

I just had what I call a Harry Potter moment. I call them that because when watching the movies, I so often find that they never do the logical thing. For example, instead of telling a teacher that something terrible has happened or might happen or what have you, like a rational person would do, they decide to solve the problem themselves. (The movies somehow make this irrational behavior more apparent).

Now, I get that this is a plot device, and no one would want to read a book about a kid who just made sure that adults had all the information. Boring. But that's not my point.

My point is, I find that I do the same thing all the time! Okay, maybe not ALL the time, but way more often than I want to. Today's example: I was expecting a phone call. The phone call never came. After waiting half an hour, I finally gave up and went home. It was just before I got on the bus that my phone gave me the alarm indicating I had a voicemail message. Meaning, I'd missed the call. Correction: meaning my phone failed to work the way it is supposed to, namely, by ringing when a call comes in. (Honestly. I aspire to have a landline someday). And just now, literally 5 minutes ago, I thought, "Why didn't I call them?" That thought didn't even cross my mind at the time. Never even presented itself in the tiniest form. It took 5 hours for me to have that embarrassingly simple and highly rational thought.

Harry Potter moment. And while part of me feels stupid and frustrated with myself, another part (possibly a bigger part) can see exactly why it never occurred to me to call, and can't get up the energy to be too critical.  And, on the bright side, the future of the wizarding world doesn't depend on my rational or irrational behavior, so I think today I'm just going to cut myself some slack.

I think, therefore I am...Now if the sink would believe it

If any of you have ever been looking for a job, carless and therefore reliant on others to get around (or you become one of the nameless bus people), lived in a town an hour from where you work, and just generally been stuck in nowhere and headed nowhere fast (or at least felt like it), then you know what it means to be in limbo. And you start to question your own existence.

In that situation, it is not very helpful to have your existence questioned by a sink. Yes, a sink. I admit, I think the motion-sensor sinks are fantastic, but lately, they haven't really been acknowledging my existence. Somehow, I just have a hard time registering with them. And, when a sink doesn't recognize you, it really doesn't build your self-esteem.

So, I just want to affirm here and now, that I DO in fact exist. Don't trust the sinks. They don't know what they are doing.

Home Sweet Home

This weekend, I flew home for my brother's wedding. It's the first time in 2 1/2 years that I've been home. (I've been close to home a few times, and I've seen family. And talked to them. But I haven't actually been home). I am proud to say, the dog remembered me, and still loves me. And I wish more than ever that I could bring her home with me, but it isn't an option. Sadly. Anyway, she was very excited, and we got to do all the old fun things together, and it was still the same old fun, which was nice.

I also got to meet a nephew for the first time (he's adorable) and re-meet some nieces and nephews that I haven't seen live for the said 2 1/2 years, as well as endear myself to a nephew that I saw a year and a half ago (give or take), who didn't appreciate me quite so much at the time. Although he really liked the Hippo song and watching Phineas and Ferb. It was just me he wasn't entirely sure of. But, I think we overcame any obstacles. And I had a lot of fun with him. All of the mentioned children are darling. Seriously adorable.

And I learned to play a new game, which is unsurprising because my game brother was there. The game basically consists of 10 minutes of absolute chaos, but it was fun. And I liked the house rules, invented by the 4-year old and involving teleportation.

It was also the first time in five years that all of my siblings have been in the same place at the same time. There are 8 of us, so that makes it trickier, but we were all there. And I was so proud to be part of that family! It was amazing to be there with them.

The only weird thing about it was that feeling of being out of context. Or, more precisely, re-contexted. It is still sometimes mind-boggling to me that I sit on a plane for 4 hours, and am in a completely different place, miles and miles and MILES from where I was that morning. Surrounded by different people, who have no idea what my normal residence looks like. And I can drop into that new context and be right at home there, but somehow, not completely me. It is weird, and I guess you'd probably have to have felt that to really get it, because it's a sense, more than something to be verbalized. I don't know if it's bad, it's just ... interesting.

Anyway, I'm back now, and missing the kids and the dog and the family. I've never really wanted to move back home, and I don't think that has changed. But I sure do wish that I was closer to more of my family. Because they are good people.