Snow, wind & waves
It was windy and snowing like crazy when I went to Edgewater Park about noon today. I didn't get down there at all earlier in the week. I seemed to always be playing catch-up on work stuff.
It was exhilarating to walk in the snow and the wind. For most of the time I was the only person braving the elements.
The waves were crashing continuously on the beach where the gulls had taken residence. If it had been warmer, the surfers and windsurfers would have been out in full force, but not today.
It makes last week's "surf" day—March 28th—seem idyllic by comparison.
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Life lessons from a walk on a snowy day
When I started to walk the path that loops around the park—something I've done hundreds of times before—I realized it wouldn't be easy.
The snow had covered everything with a smooth white blanket. I could see the twin tracks of an earlier cross-country skier and the faint remnants of another set of footprints in the snow.
The first time around I just put my head down
and slogged ahead, following the tracks of those who had gone before
me.
When I came around on my second loop I looked up and noticed that the path was faintly visible, a smoother section in the snow.
I also noticed that my previous footprints veered off the path pretty significantly at one point. I ended up off in the trees on the right instead of following the path that went pretty much straight ahead.
At about this point I began thinking about this as a metaphor for how you can approach life: head down, slog ahead, follow others, or head up, look for the big picture, choose your own way.
The third time around I decided there was an even better way. I kept my eyes on the big picture but every now and then stopped to scrape the snow away with my boot. If I found grass, I knew I was off the path and looked around to make a course correction. If I found asphalt underneath I was OK. These occasional reality checks were the only way to not get more and more off-course.
It occurs to me that this is a lesson George Bush needs to learn. He's praised by his defenders for having a vision (democracy in Iraq?) and sticking to his convictions. But he lacks the common sense to stop and scrape the snow away every now and then to make sure he's really where he thinks he is. And not even included in this particular methaphor, is it worth the price?
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My first YouTube video
I didn't actually make the video, but I did kind of commission it.
Last Wednesday, Remington and I were brainstorming ideas on how to encourage more high school student to enter this year's Click! High School Web Competition.
We decided we'd better go where the students are, and create a MySpace page and put a video or two on YouTube.
We're just getting things put together at MySpace, but as of Saturday afternoon, we're on YouTube!
This is the video that Garrett, current Tri-C student and 2005 Click! winner, created to answer the question, "Why enter?"
And
speaking of the web competition, if you'd like to help us spread the word among
NE Ohio high school students and teachers, you can get lots of info on the
website,
ClickWebCompetition.com.
Or download a mini-poster to give to students and teachers. We appreciate your help.