Our giant calendar begins on Monday. Switching from a calendar that begins on Sunday to one that begins on Monday was an experiment. That decision has already cascaded into changing system defaults on iOS and macOS. The week starts on Monday, everywhere.
It’s reminiscent of switching to a 24-hour clock. I’ve run that configuration at various times of my life. Humans are adaptable. Including me!
Kids started extracurriculars this week. Ballet and karate. We’ve accepted that one night of the week is picnic dinner and shuttling children. The first week at it was fun and not exhausting. Making decisions, embracing constraints, and aligning expectations is the secret sauce of embracing a full schedule.
I accepted an impromptu invitation to the UK basketball game on Tuesday. Real conversations over a meal downtown and a chilly walk to Rupp was a fine way to spend a Tuesday. Didn’t hurt that we won, too.
Birthday week is here. In our first year of marriage Emily asked me “what do you want for your birthday?” My gut response was “I want to eat Chipotle for lunch every day this week.” And that’s how one of our stupidest family traditions was born. I’ve eaten Chipotle (including leftovers) the last three days. On the most obsessive of years there have been 13 strait days of Chipotle. The six days before a birthday can be justified as “birth week”. Same goes for the days that follow. It’s silly but we like it.
My parents visited to celebrate my birthday. A shared meal and some presents came my way. Books, art, and a do-dad for the Nintendo Switch. We ate a Costco cake that was bedazzled with Oreos. Which was perfect. We then reviewed pictures from our Fall west coast adventure. A quiet night with my parents, wife, and kids was exactly what I wanted.
I practiced some intentionally small horizon objective setting at work. I had three things I wanted to get done this week. Against the backdrop of dozens of things that could receive attention. And I got all three done! This feels like taking the waters of a flood and channeling them into a river. Floods are unpredictable, unpotable, and recede just as quickly as the arrived. I’m trying to build a steady and sustainable stream of predictable activity, behavior, and outcomes. Real settlements can be developed by a river.
A group of friends from church went duckpin bowling to celebrate multiple birthdays. I learned that not all duckpin lanes are created equal. I’m used to the lane being level with the approach like a real bowling alley. This establishment had the lane elevated above the approach like a ski ball machine. I do not like the elevation change but I managed to break 100. Preferences aside, it was great fun. The cake my friend made (which was also Oreo inspired) was incredible.
I ran for the first time since Christmas Eve. I looked like an Under Armor commercial in my thermal tights, shirt, beanie, and gloves. A break in the rain offered a window to start. The rain picked back up after 15 minutes. And continued intensifying. I ran for 60 minutes in zone 2. 15 minute miles had me landing right at 4 miles. The rain was absolutely blasting my skylights when I got indoors. That same rain had felt light while running. My new gear kept me warm and dry in the near-freezing rain. I’m very pleased with the purchase.
Went to an evening worship service at the Anglican Church. My half-a-lifetime friend was preaching and I wanted to support them. Walking with people long enough to see them grow, see their preferences change, see their gifts emerge, and see how they show up in different contexts is good. Personal motivations aside, the service itself was great. A non-performance of invitation and calm. Space to quiet oneself and reflect. Liturgy doesn’t try to be cool it just offers a predictable point of reference for anchoring. The childcare was appreciated, too.
And now we’re sabbathing. Reading books. Making puzzles. Embracing quiet. Writing weeknotes. A good day in a good week.
Published: 2024-01-14