IT HURTS SO GOOD

Laughter is sometimes automatic, even when extremely inappropriate response and/or to something tragic.

One of my favorite lines from the sci-fi classic "Stranger In A Strange Land" by Robert A. Heinlein is when the main character, Michael, a human raised in the Martian culture, finally comprehends laughter - we laugh because it hurts so much.

I try earnestly not to laugh when someone is made a fool, or makes a major mistake - but sometimes it is simply impossible.

It hurts too much to do anything other than laugh.

But this afternoon, I didn't simply laugh, I ROARED for a couple of minutes.

I have to separate my horses when I feed them - otherwise the mare simply allows the colt to gobble up everything.

And it becomes a bit of a dance to get the mare on one side of the fence, the colt on the other, hay on both sides but senior feed only for the mare.

Tonight, the colt burst into the corral in his usual flamboyant manner, bucking and kicking and showing off for my benefit.

And promptly slipped in the mud, went sliding on his side until he slammed against the fence.

Nothing was damaged other than his pride - but yes, I did laugh. A lot.

4 4 4

I'm not into numbers.

I mean, I am into numbers with things such as 6 is a great number, but 3 is petty and mean.

42 is a mellow number, and 87 is just spiteful.

But 666 being a sign of Satan - heck, my land line that just got dropped when I began wireless internet has a 666 in it. I don't think that increased the numbers of telemarketers who called.

I especially get confused with things like the word Hello → 8 + 5 + 3 + 3 + 6 = 25 → 2 + 5 = 7, which means that you shouldn't ride elevators in months ending in the letter Q.

And Tom Cruise being born 7-3-1962, so break down the birthday numbers: 7 + 3 + 1 + 9 + 6 + 2 = 282 + 8 =101 + 0= 11 is his "lifepath" number - could that be why he's only 5'7"?

Did the people who come up with these things get beat up by a calculator in their youth and are fighting the repressed memories? Have an incredible crush on their trigonometry teacher? Were locked in rooms for long periods of time with only accounting logs available for amusement?

Here is another example from http://spiritlink.com/repeating.html:

"I have been receiving a steadily increasing number of e-mails from people who have noticed repeating patterns of numbers. Most people report three repeating digits . . .

"Where do these repeating numbers show up? .. order confirmation and reference numbers, "pin" numbers, car registration numbers and license plates, (and the) digital clock.

"It’s a lot easier to notice repeating numbers on a digital clock than on a traditional "big hand-little hand" clock. Multiples such as 3:33, 4:44 or 11:11 are hard to even spot on a traditional clock."

Harder to spot? Are you kidding?! Has anyone in their entire life ever looked at an analog clock and thought, "Wow! It's two-twenty-two, and that's three number in a role!"

(However, I will openly admit to opening my eyes in the middle of the night, seeing "1:09" and lying awake then until it becomes 1:11)

So I guess it's different if you just like numbers, but a little weird when you believe numbers.

This entire rambling blog began because I noticed a significant number sequence to night - two blogs ago, I posted my 444th blog on this website.

If that isn't more than a little scary, I don't know what it.

A MORNING THAT ACTUALLY WAS GOOD

To say that I am not a morning person is a gross understatement, and does not even begin to touch how bad my mornings are.


I believe, perhaps wrongly, that I am normally a cheerful and polite person (please feel free to contradict me; just remain aware that I will burst into tears when you do).


And it seems like the way I can remain a cheerful and polite person is to be the grumpiest, meanest bitch for the first hour I am awake. My excuse, at least.


So when I awake, I normally am the epitome of the the hungover, blearily-eyed staggering night owl, staggering to get a coffee fix.... except for the fact that I don't drink coffee, so some Diet Coke or Mt. Dew.


There is a line from "Stranger in a Strange Land" by Robert Heidlein which I am going to paraphrase badly, but describes this condition perfectly: "For a long long time, he had been getting through that black period between waking up and the first cup of coffee by telling himself that tomorrow might be a little easier."


However, this morning was different.


Today I woke up and felt LIKE GETTING UP. I stood up and FELT GOOD. I walked into the bathroom and ACTUALLY SMILED at my reflection in the mirror.



Lord, whatever you did, keep it coming, please.