The Mouse in the House

So, last night I walked into the kitchen and the compost bucket...was moving.

I thought I'd been seeing a mouse sometimes, out of the corner of my eye, and today, I thought it might be getting into the compost bucket since I saw a few pieces of fruit peel on the floor that I could have sworn were not there when I went to bed the night before.

But now - it was undeniable: there was a mouse in the house. My husband picked up the bucket, which was still shaking, and carried it gingerly out the back door onto the deck, and opened the lid. At this point, the mouse launched itself out of the bucket, 5 feet into the air, and disappeared into the night.

All night, I kept waking up, thinking I heard it coming back. I am still not sure if it has indeed been back or if it is just my imagination...(I wish I had a cat!) Or if someone started a business where they rented out the services of a mousing cat - because I can't really have another cat in my tiny apartment.

But I can't stand another night with a creeping mouse!

Freedom of Choice

Ever since I started running every day, I noticed that my running time is also my best thinking time - time when I can let my brain run free as well. Often the thoughts I have while running are things that I want to write about in this blog.

Today I was thinking about choice. We all make choices, each and every moment of our existence. Some choices are good, while others are not so good - or even disastrous. But I believe the important thing is to realize that you are making the choices - you are not powerless.

Making choices can be tough. It is not always easy to do what needs to be done, to make the first good choice in a chain of good choices that will lead to a good outcome. But the opposite - the first bad choice in the chain of bad choices that will lead to disaster - well, we often fall into that first bad choice without seeing the path of destruction that will ensue.

I was thinking about how many people get to a point where they say, "I have no choice!" And maybe they don't - now - because the choices they made earlier have led them to this dead-end. Even then, it's never final - the story is never over until the last chapter is written and the book slammed shut - but wouldn't it be easier to keep your eyes open and make conscious decisions in the first place rather than try to fix the mistakes later?

I'm not trying to make this blog all preachy - if I'm preaching to anyone, I suppose it is myself. My story is not over yet, not by a long shot, but I know people who believe that change is impossible once we get to a certain age. I don't believe that is true, and I suppose that part of my writing this blog has to do with wanting to witness that change.

About 5 months ago, I quit smoking and started trying to eat better and exercise more. The exercise and the quitting smoking are a symbiotic pair - they feed into one another. If I smoked, exercise would be more difficult, and conversely, exercise makes me relaxed and focused, which causes me not to need the cigarettes anymore.

I'm as surprised as anyone else that I have been able to quit cold turkey and never look back, and I really think the key has been exercise. Exercise, combined with healthier eating, has stabilized my mood to a point where nicotine would feel more like a poison than a tonic.

Now I do sound preachy - and so I will hop off my soap box and leave it until another day. Tomorrow, that is, since I have a goal of writing in this blog each and every day for the entire year of 2010.

Make good choices!

New Year's Revolution

(Seeing as I first created this blog about 2 and a half years ago, it's about time I actually wrote a post, right?)

So, greetings and Happy New Year, everyone who might be anyone and might be no one at all. Perhaps you are wondering, "What in the hell is this?" Maybe the name of the blog is confounding - what does it all mean, anyways? "God drinks beer in the morning and talks on the way to the soup kitchen...?"

It's simple: it means nothing. And it means everything as well.

It is now January 1st, 2010, and this blog is actually part of my New Year's Resolutions - Resolution # 1: Write in my blog every day.

The rest of the 10 are as follows:

2) Continue to exercise at least 1 hour per day. (Lately it's been running - we'll see what else I get into).

3) Eat whole foods - whole grains, fruits, vegetables, preferably organic as well. Visit the farmer's markets for seasonal produce at least once per week.

4) Buy only things from local and independent retailers and suppliers - preferably from businesses who are co-ops. And buy only what is truly necessary.

5) Celebrate my friends & family every day - make efforts to spend time with people I love and care about, and stay in better touch with those both near & far.

6) Make an effort to simplify my life and organize my universe. Toss or give away things that are not essential.

7) Avoid procrastination.

8) Continue both my formal as well as my informal education - remain curious about the world, read more, learn continuously. and work toward my scholastic goals in a more courageous and dedicated fashion.

9) Be a better wife, sister, friend, & daughter. My husband, especially, deserves better.

10) Live - instead of just existing. Be brave enough to live my life the way I envision, and true enough to actualize the vision I have of myself.

I remember when I was a child, diligently writing resolutions and sharing them with my family. I don't recall specific ones but sometimes, I feel like my entire life has been a quest to pursue the same elusive goal: a life that is truly worth living.

And oddly enough, I feel like I already have reached that goal - I love my life and feel truly grateful for all of the people, experiences, and elements that make up my world.

But there is always room for improvements, and this is my way of trying to keep track of my progress toward the evolution of my self.