Appreciating Distractions

      When I started this, it really wasn't my intention to just go over the mundane happenings of my life. I started this with every intention of it being about the title Thoughts on Life. Although I guess it technically is still about thoughts on life, it's not quite what I imagined. It did start off that way, in the long, long ago. However, at that time, I was doing so much more. I was looking things up regularly, I was constantly trying to write bits for my class, I had an active social life, there were things going on. It seems to me, that with all of that going on, I had a lot more to say. I noticed a lot more, since I was doing a lot more. I was even keeping a little journal to keep track of all the things I wanted to cover. I had pretty much covered that list when I took the big pause 7 years ago. I think there were only 2 things left on the list. I don't remember them both. I do remember one of them, it was something about people being filmed using infrared. I don't know if you watch any of these show where the people are out investigating things. Paranormal experiences, Bigfoot, Ghosts, whatever, it seems like there are a lot of these types of shows. And, it seems like most of them use some type of infrared camera to be able to film at night. I find it interesting that a lot of the times, being filmed in infrared makes the women look better. Is that just me? Or are other people having this same issue. It seems so weird to me that I think they look a lot better in the green hue. When they switch back to regular footage, it's like the lights coming on at the club after last call, all of a sudden it's like “Whoa! That's what you look like!?” There now I consider the old list complete. Yay!

     I lost my train of thought. I went to look up a word, and the internet wasn't working. I had to restart my computer. I really dislike when that happens. It happens often. I think it's 'cause my computer is so old. Sometimes, when I'm trying to listen to music from the Web, it won't make any sound. I can listen to my files, I can use the Web, I just can't listen to it's music. Then I'll restart it, and it'll work just fine. Just like now, restart, and it works just fine. I probably should upgrade. I'm still using Windows 7! I don't even know what number they're up to now. All I do know is that my laptop is lightning compared to this. I've all but stopped coming into the office to use this old dinosaur because everything takes so long. But I like the chair, mostly, I like the keyboard, and I really like having the big screen! So I do use it. About once a week. I built this whole office thinking I'd be in here all the time, pounding on the keys. Getting stuff done! But it takes so much time that things don't go smoothly. I need things to go smoothly. I don't know how creative you are, but as I've mentioned, several times, I don't like my flow to be interrupted. Even right now, I was planning on writing this very eloquent piece on the changing status of my weekly offering, and I had to restart the computer, and totally lost it. But hey, this is real life isn't it? This is a thought about it. This happens to people. We get distracted. And I think for most of us, it's not that fun. There have been times, usually late at night, when I practically drive myself crazy trying to remember what I was just thinking about. I take my thoughts very seriously. Usually.

     On the other hand, sometimes the detour is a win. I can not tell you how many times the distraction actually leads you to a better place. A place you never would have found, had you not been distracted. So I try not to get upset by the detour. Detours happen. And once you've been through it a few times, and train yourself to look for the benefit you could be receiving, it makes all the difference in the world. Appreciate the distraction! Appreciate staying on topic! The more we can appreciate, the more appreciative we are, the more things work out in our favor. It's not always easy. Believe me, it has taken a little bit of time to come to this determination. Thinking this way, and feeling this way, are not always easy to maintain. Sometimes, stuck in traffic, I have a very hard time trying to maintain my level of appreciation. I have to start saying sh*t out loud sometimes, like “I'm thankful I'm not having to walk this far.” Or “Thank goodness I have AC.” Or my favorite “At least I have shade so I'm not getting sunburned.” I know it may sound silly, but it does help. Just thinking of things I'm glad about usually distracts me from the problem I'm having anyway, so it's a win-win. Distractions can be helpful! But I still try not to get distracted. I still like being focused and in my flow state. I still like finishing the thought that I started with. But alas, it looks as though that won't be happening on this day. Oh well. I do feel as though I got some nice morsels out there, so that's good. I finished my old list, so that's good. I have a gig tomorrow, so that's good! And hopefully next week I'll have more interesting things to write about, so that's good too!