“Shoe Pile.”

It might seem a bit odd, a pile of shoes next to a shoe rack. I often think that when I walk by that spot in our house. After all, shouldn’t those shoes be properly stowed in the rack?

But then if you count the shoes, you pretty quickly note there are more pairs if shoes than cubby holes to hold the shoes. And what you likely don’t know is that the rack is meant for kids’ shoes. Mostly, anyway. And those size 9 green crocs are too big for any of our kids, in any event.

“Wait…”, you think, “…what’s a pile of shoes got to do with priorities, anyway?” Actually, I’m not exactly sure, but let’s see if we can get there together.

Sometimes, maybe a lot of times, we’re in a hurry to get to the next thing, once we get home. And so we throw off our shoes upon arrival, and they end up in the pile.

Priorities.

What ever it was, it was more important that putting away your shoes, and maybe other stuff too, in the moment. I’m sure some folks might be appalled at this approach, this blatant disregard of order. But it’s the way it is often times around here.

There’s another example of priorities that comes to mind. I have this phrase in my Outlook calendar that comes up every morning at 5am:

“Every day, start this way: What matters most? Family, Friends, PB, Friends, Community.”

It’s a reminder to keep my priorities straight every day. At least for me, for the priorities I have myself. People mean a lot to me, my family and friends, my clan, my tribe…and never want to lose sight of that.

Other things fall by the way side often due to these priorities, things I’ve committed to, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.

I do my best. I sometimes fall short. And when I do, I take a deep breath, and I keep going forward.

Priorities. Get ’em. Keep ’em straight. GOOD.

Even if the shoes end up in pile. 🙂

It’s been a busy day.

I was up very early to do some work before everyone else got up. Got the usual dogs walk in before settling down with the laptop.

After I finished up and was ready to head out, I had some extra wrangling to do with our four-year old, to get her dressed for the day care drop off.

After I dropped her off it was straight into the fray at work. Funny thing, “the fray” isn’t anything overtly intense, just the usual demands for a guy doing my job. But since it’s a relatively new job for me, so I’m still climbing that learning curve.

It was none-stop until it was time to depart for an afternoon dentist appointment. That went surprisingly well.

And now on the way home, stopping by an office to drop something off for a friend, I’m a little early, he needs a bit more time for the hand off, and so voila! I’ve got a few minutes, and that’s enough time for a short blog post.

Nice to have a few minutes to “just…sit.” I see people at work sometimes, just sitting; I often think, “I need to do a little more of that.”

Oh wait! I just did. Well, sort of. I was tapping away putting these words down…but it felt like a break.

Yea, I need to do more of that. GOOD.

Another go at getting back to regular blog posts, regular sharing of the myriad thoughts that flow through my mind. I’m like lots of folks I’m sure; lots checking in, checking out of my brain throughout the day. Writing helps to slow down the flow, to recap, to get a rope on that herd thundering along.

Great, but what’s with the title of this post? “Tales from the Tub Room”…? You might guess it has to do something with the bathtub. And if you guessed that, you’d be quite correct. Though I’m not typing away while lounging neck-deep in warm sudsy water.

Rather it was when I could snip out a few minutes to start the post; Kid 3, then Kid 2 went through their bath routine, I got a few minutes along the way to jot. Take the time where and when you can get it.

Now it’s an hour later and we’re all winding down for the night; lights are off, house is quite, jot jot jot I go to finish this post.

And just what was the point again? Finding time, busy life, slowing down, resolved that making a little effort is better than no effort.

Amen, squeaky clean, and GOOD NIGHT.

MOTHER OF EXILES. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she

With silent lips.

“Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

[Taken from the poem “The New Colossus” written by Emma Lazarus, in 1883.]

As of 844am, I’ve been up about four hours. Just got to work, and the coffee is hot.

All three kids were on point this morning, good attitudes and getting ready in a helpful, cooperative manner.

Long list for the day sits before me. I’ve got a meeting after work tonight too. Seems a bit daunting.

But early on I’m gonna say, I’m gonna say right now, I’m going To do everything in my power to make the most of the day.

Go man, GO!

As of 844am, I’ve been up about four hours. Just got to work, and the coffee is hot.

All three kids were on point this morning, good attitudes and getting ready in a helpful, cooperative manner.

Long list for the day sits before me. I’ve got a meeting after work tonight too. Seems a bit daunting.

But early on I’m gonna say, I’m gonna say right now, I’m going do everything in my power to make the most of the day.

Go man, GO!