The Moonlighting Student

Summer goes so fast

August 28th, 2008 11:07 pm —  25 views

Tonight was the last night of golf league. At a part-time student orientation lunch yesterday where I was invited to talk about being a part-time student, we were asked how we spent our summers. A couple other part-timers talked about how they did internships and such. I on the other hand said I spent my summer golfing and not thinking about school. It was mostly true. I did think about school quite a bit.

Hard to believe how fast 18 weeks of golf went. And here it is, the end. School starts next week and I may not golf again until next summer. Not that I’m a huge golfer or even that good of a golfer, it’s the comraderie and socializing that I appreciate. And the burgers at the clubhouse…and the draft beer. And the course staff. Like Mort, the head ranger, known for his unique demeanor. But he’s a kind soul that cares about the course and the players.

For this last summer weekend we’re heading north to visit our families. We haven’t seen them much this summer and look forward to some rubbing of elbows.

But yeah, summer isn’t really over yet. There will be a few days of blistering heat yet to remind us of global warming and all that. But once I’m in school and golf league is over, that’s pretty much the end of summer to me. From here on I consider it fall until snow comes. Then I get to fire up the snow thrower. That’s a good time.

School will fire up my brain and as a result, push me to write more. I’ve enjoyed the summer break. I’ve enjoyed watching my classmates get jobs and move out into the U.S. I suppose I’ll see that happen a couple more times before this school gig comes to a close.

Image: An early shot of “Team Callaway”. Yes, my new clubs helped my game. As a team, the Waltzing Bear and took first this season. Yes, run the league. And yes, our team won. Seems fishy maybe, but we both rocked it all season.

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Don’t trust the monkey

August 20th, 2008 7:31 am —  40 views

13 days now until school starts…it’s never far from my mind. So much easier to write about being in school when you’re actually in school.

I’m back from Mackinaw and everything that was here when I left was waiting for me to return…and then some. We got home mid-afternoon on Monday, unpacked all our shix and collapsed into tired little piles on our couch to watch some Olympics through half closed eyes. That was nice. But then we had to work the next day. The tornado of work picked me up like a styrofoam cow and I was back in the blur, caught in the maelstrom, just like that. No easing back into things. Just take it full force and smile.

We camped with some friends that travel with a little monkey doll named Seaweed. Seaweed is the most well traveled monkey I’ve ever know. He’s been to Brazil, Amsterdam, Italy, all over the U.S. and now Mackinaw. There is a great story behind Seaweed and how he came to show up in so many pictures but I don’t know it well enough to go into here. Maybe someday there will be a made for t.v. movie about his life and times. There is romance, intrigue, kidnapping, and action. As for me, I don’t trust him. He’s too little.

For those that are in my thoughts: DK, good luck at the library (but don’t settle); Mel, I’m happy for you and your new beau; Ma, sorry to hear about DM…I hope everything works out there; MoHend, I love that you’re blogging and am now following you with Google Reader; W, I’m glad you’re still willing to put up with me.

No time to process any pictures yet. I’ll get to them eventually.

Image: This is Seaweed…the naughty monkey swiped my camera and took this self portrait. You have to keep you eye on him or he’ll steal your stuff.

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Time to load up

August 14th, 2008 7:33 am —  23 views

This morning I’ll be loading up the Jeep with what seems a ridiculous amount of stuff to take to Mill Creek Campground in Mackinaw City. Yes, we’re finally going on our summer vacation.

It’s the third (maybe fourth?) time in a row we’ve gone to this campground to party with family and friends. W. used to camp there with her Grandpa when she was knee high to a cricket.

Yesterday I gave the Jeep a thorough cleaning and prepared it as lovingly as possible to be my mule for the weekend. Every year we think we can get by with less stuff but that never seems to happen. But we’re getting good at packing (thanks to W. and her detailed ‘camping list’).

So with our cameras, phones, blow-up rafts, swim suits, Jiffy Pop, and numerous other goodies…we load up and head out. Until later…

Image: The red mule getting a cleaning. Empty and clean…but not for long.

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“Control is an illusion”

August 6th, 2008 7:54 am —  59 views

There are so many opportunities every single day to practice the awareness of non-control. And by practice I mean recognizing the limits of a situation and your role within it. I don’t always make the best decisions but I know that if I make a bad decision, I can chose to make another decision that tries to correct the ‘bad’ decision…and so on. It requires that I pay attention and not cling to illusions of what I think should be.

Over the summer I’ve been slowly reading a book by a Buddhist priest titled, “Sit down and shut up.” While it may not be your conventional book on Buddhism1, it does a good job cutting through a lot of the crap associated with Buddhist practice. The book focuses on the teachings of a guy who founded the Soto school of Zen in Japan around during the 12th century.

A couple lines struck me this morning.

You can’t control your circumstances. Control is an illusion. But how you respond to them is totally up to you.

How I respond to the challenges and decisions associated with refinishing and selecting furniture, the weather, my floundering golf game, technical decisions, leadership opportunities, family involvement, and all things related to personal relationships is totally up to me. I’ve learned how you respond to a situation can effect how others respond and in that way you can influence circumstances. But control them you can’t.

Take for example the header picture of this post. It’s a shot showing the contrast between my lawn and my neighbors lawn. Five years ago when we moved in and actually had a lawn that I was responsible for, I ended up being a slave to watering it. Not wanting it to die or be brown and crunchy, we responded to the situation by investing in a sprinkler system. But hey, it’s just a lawn. Frogs live in it. I mow it sometimes. Dogs poop in it. It’s just a lawn.

The point is that you can’t control your circumstances. Only how you respond to them. In truth, this is a circular relationship. So relax and respond to circumstances appropriately. And smile knowing that you’re doing all you can.

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  1. By conventional I mean dull, dry, and encyclopedic. [↩]

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