The Decade In Review?

It's hard to believe the first ten years of the decade are coming to a close. I would have missed it, had it not been for the media. After all, 2010 is a nice round number.

Most of it has been colored by September 11, 2001, and its aftermath, n0t to mention the Great Recession. It's a grayier time, and leaner time, a meaner time, and a ME-er time. At the end of it, we've become tougher and more resilent because of it.

The World In World Cup

A few weeks ago I left work a bit later than I should have, so I ended up catching a later bus. When I arrived at the bus stop, a gentleman who looked unsure about whether he was at the right bus stop, approached me. He me asked how to get to Porter Square, Cambridge from the stop. I told him he was at the right bus stop, and that from it's destination in Harvard Square, he could take a train to Porter Square. It turns out I was headed the same route, one train stop further.

Then I asked him about his accent? He told me he was from Germany. I told him I was originally from Nigeria. Before you know it we were talking about world football (soccer in the U.S.), the different international leagues, their politics, pros and cons, the World Cup, and the future of the sport.

By the time he got off the train at Porter Square, you'd think we'd been long time acquaintances.

Memographs

While doing file restores, I came across all the photos I had backed-up over the years. It took me back to face and places, that had passed. They made me smile. They all did. They are snapshots of my life, a live lived smiling.

Winter Memories

Just had a lovely flashback to when I did nothing but ski winter weekends, nothing hurt longer than a day, and people would look at my snowboard on the train and look at me like I just introduced fire.

World Cup Draw 2010

Nigeria, Argentina, and Greece are in the same group they were in World Cup 1994.

A Not So Black Friday

I found myself escorting my in-law to the local mall on Black Friday. I dropped her off, and told her I would be back in an hour. My heart raced as I drove into the Porsche dealership across the way from the mall, wondering what the heck I was doing, when I knew darn well I had no intention of buying any sort of Porsche today.

Nonetheless, my spirit man had been ringing all morning to go, just go. You don't need a reason, just go. So there I was, parking my wife's SUV, and stepping out into a consistent drizzle, expecting to be scolded away, any moment, by a saleperson accustomed to higher-rollers than me.

I started towards a 911 Carrera Turbo, then a Carrera 4s, then a Boxster, then a Cayman, enjoying the variation in transmissions, colors, et al. My confidence grew, my eyes widened. Plus, I answered a fundamental question. No, the 911's rear seats wouldn't cut it for the kids, so it would have to be a Boxster or a Cayman, in my dream state, and the missus would worry about driving the kids. I walked in as I saw a man with his kids do the same. All right, I thought, you may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one.

Inside the showroom was embarassingly barren, even for a rainly day after Thanksgiving. It was a Boxster, a Carrera Coupe, and another gentleman, apart from the father of two. The gentleman and I struck up a conversation, and his response that he was here having his Boxster serviced, intrigued me. I joined him for a seat in the service department's waiting area, where he spoke of his Porsche history, the inherent brevity of human life, and the importance of keeping one's dream alive.

After being educated a bit more on his earned wisdom in life and motorsports, I glanced from my notes on my mobile phone and realized my hour sojourn was over. I thanked the gentleman, and inside, God, for the omen. When I exited the dealership, I walked into a downpour, but inside it might as well have been a glade of heaven in June.

Five Things I'm Thankful For...

1. Faith
2. Serendipity
3. Learning opportunities
4. Love
5. Health