The Rabenstranger

I have a new schedule at work, a schedule that just might force me to become a morning person.

By nature I am a night owl. I like to stay up late. If I have to see a sunrise I prefer to do so before bed rather than just as I wake up. I love being the only one awake, free from interruption and constant demands to switch projects. Unfortunately, this can lead to problems. I am usually rather prickly in the mornings which doesn’t put me in a repentant mood when I am rebuked for staying up so late the night before. Perhaps worse, my first round of procrastination before my feet hit the floor, setting a pattern that is often continued through the rest of the day.

All of that looks like it is going to have to change. My new work schedule has me rolling out of bed before the June dawn. It will be simply unsustainable to maintain my habit of watching the clock change from one day to the next. When the alarm went of at 5:20 this morning I finally realized that I really need to get to bed earlier. I’m going to have to force myself to be a morning person.

I really appreciate the fact that God chose to place me in the 21st century in a country with a high rate of broadband proliferation. Tonight, I had the pleasure of chatting with friends across town (Issaquah, Fairwood), across the country (Colorado) and across the world (Japan).

This being Saturday, I was free to enjoy the day with my family rather than slave away at work. Everyone went down to Kent Station and we watched the cheap, morning showing of Kung Fu Panda. As I expected the movie was entertaining but not enthralling. After the movie, the Emily and Arita went to a birthday party while the rest of us returned home for lunch.

After lunch, Zach, Maddie and I drug out the bins of Lego.

Despite my age, I love Lego. There are few better ways to spend a Saturday afternoon than to stage a Lego melee with your six year old brother.

Today, I took my sisters out to the Olive Garden. I had promised them a long time ago that I would but, as is too often the case with me, it took me awhile to get around to it.

Like most lunch patrons we ordered the all-you-can-eat Soup, Salad and Breadsticks. It’s amazing how much three young people can put away when they are swimming daily miles. It took a couple rounds of soup, three baskets of breadsticks and two large bowls of salad to fill us up. We had the waitress running laps for more food (She was a really cool lady). Finally, when we had eaten enough, I got the idea to play a little joke on her. I decided to ask her to bring back the menus, “We’re ready for our entrées now.” Unfortunately, I told my idea to the girls and they laughed so hard and couldn’t keep a straight face so it was impossible to pull off. Oh well, next time I suppose.

Having sisters is a joy.

Yesterday, I tried to dissect my last week and figure out why I was able to get so little accomplished. It didn’t take much reflection to recognize that my problem is that I spend way too much time on the internet.

My solution was to turn off my computer and not turn it back on again until after dinner today, with the self imposed injunction that it would be turned off again at 21:00. So far, after only one day’s implementation this has worked well. Unfortunately, I don’t trust my self to be disciplined enough to both remember and maintain this time limit.

Fortunately I thought of a clever solution. I’ll just get an outlet timer. So I popped onto Amazon, did a little Googling and started shopping to find one. It was then that it struck me: I was shopping online for a device to help me stop spending so much time online. Something is wrong with me.

I mentioned this site awhile back but thought it’d be fun to turn it into a challenge. I know my readers are pretty smart, lets see who can log the top score.

Mount Si After Action Report:

The ascent up the mountain was very slow, but a good time was had by all. We had a large turnout. Justin, Josh, Nat, Aaron, Melissa, Emily, Arita and I met up at the trail head around 2:00, ate a quick lunch and started up about 2:30. The last person struggled over the peak a few minutes until 6.

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If you would attain to what you are not yet, you must always be displeased by what you are. For where you are pleased with yourself there you have remained. Keep adding, keep walking, keep advancing.

- Augustine

Trebonte has once again organized an expedition to Mount Si. We’ll be meeting up at 1 pm to begin the steep ascent. The trail climbs 3500 ft in about four miles, an approximate average grade of 17%. Round trip, it will be about an eight mile hike.

Our last visit nearly ended in the gruesome deaths of our entire group but Providence saw fit to extend our lives. Fortunately, we anticipate less bodily danger this time around.

I am delighted to have my sister, Emily, home. Since she arrived back on Sunday, we are living under the same roof for the first time in a year. We have always been very close and it is so good to be able to spend time together again.

Since Sunday, we’ve been busy catching up. Last night we stayed up until 3:15 talking. Monday night we stayed up until 4:15, literally until the sun started to come up. I helped her paint her room for most of today and then she came with me to my church group this evening.

All this to say, I really love her and am so glad she’s back.