Since I'm only working a few days a week right now, I've been spending all my time lately in coffee shops. So I started the week out at Woods Coffee on the water at Boulevard Park. It was a gorgeous day, sky and sea a bright, eye-popping blue.
On Tuesday I worked at my salmon call center and I don't remember if I did anything sea-related.
On Wednesday I had job interviews, but when all that was over I went for a walk on the waterfront. Another absolutely gorgeous day.
This photo reminds me of a song by Over the Rhine. (Like everything does).
I had a peaceful time walking along the marina, the harsh sunlight of the golden hour enveloping me with reflections off the water and the boats. Sparkling. Beautiful.
What is it about boats and seas and marinas that is so aesthetically pleasing?
Boat naming is interesting. On my walk I saw three boat names that I particularly liked - Hey Jude, Blew by You, and Just Fiddlin'.
I discovered Squalicum Beach for the first time and collected shells. After bringing home a bunch of really ugly shells from Australia and Cannon Beach, Oregon, I'm learning to try to be discriminate shell collector.
I walked for a while and listened to Misty Edwards on my phone. There's this line in the song that says, "Through that cloud of unknowing she's gazing at me..." I recently bought a book at a used bookstore called "The Cloud of Unknowing." I have no idea what it's about but it's supposed to be a great spiritual classic. The author is anonymous. I'm anxious to read it.
At dusk I decided to use my Anthony's gift card and eat by myself by the water. I've eaten by myself at a lot of restaurants over the last year. I like it. It is a bit awkward at first...being seated and all that. But I just enjoy myself and all the words running through my head. I like to imagine that I'm getting better service because they think I might be a restaurant reviewer. I had a four-course meal and the waiter kept setting down each course saying, "Just for you!"
I have this really bone-headed thing I always do when I go to a restaurant. I don't know how it happens, but I always seem to order something I don't want inadvertently. That is, I'll look at something on the menu, think I want it, then look at something else and decide I want that instead. But when the server comes to take my order I ask for the first thing I looked at by mistake! And I usually realize it like right as he's taking the menu away and am too embarrassed to change it. What is wrong with me?
The meal was very good, in my opinion. Much more fancy than I usually eat, and almost free! (Thanks to the company I work for who gave me a gift card - woo hoo! It's a Vital Choice!) And cheers to not getting carded for my IPA. (The people behind me did! Take that!)
My appetizer was barbecued oysters, and I had no clue what to expect with that. It was two very fancily-prepared (fancily?) oysters on a plate completely covered in rock salt. Huge grains of salt. I needed like, one grain, for each oyster. (My little sister would have been in heaven. We used to call her "the salt lick" growing up).
I'm learning to live graciously. To accept my humanity. To enjoy being human. This is what it means to worship God - to love our own lives gratuitously. To, as Debbie Blue says, "delight in the fatness and live!"
God makes the artist's job too easy.
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