Mr. Chin

Today has gone shockingly better than expected. I immediately want to take back that sentence because I think I way oversold that. What I meant to say is, Today's been reasonably better than I would have thought.

I was up late (for me) last night (10pm) packing up 60+ ebay items, and I had a storage auction at 8:30 this morning, so I planned to just sleep in and skip the gym. But when I woke up this morning, I saw that the auction was moved to tomorrow! That in itself was a blessing because today is full. (I have a Dr. appointment, a trip to the post office, a meeting with an accountant about the store, more ebay packaging & of course, work.) So having one less thing to squeeze in was a blessing!
 So I decided to go to the gym after all.

Mr. Chin (I call him that in my head because he has a crazy chin) came up to me while I was working out and said, "Hey, I just wanted to say I see you in here every day, and I noticed you've really made some huge improvements! Is is just the dedication and keeping a log of your workouts or is it your diet or what is it?"
I laughed and said it certainly isn't the diet, that if anything, I need to do more cardio.
 He said that he sees me all the time and it must be my dedication. I told him that I was in the gym probably 6 days a week, but I dont think I'm making any gains, if anything I'm just maintaining.
 Then we talked about how it's pretty much impossible for us to see progress because we see ourselves every day and can't tell any change at all. He says that his wife (yeah this guy is straight! finally!) has to tell him that he's making gains because he can't tell either. He said that we have to hear it from other people, so he just wanted to come over and tell me that he definitely sees progress in me!

I know I don't see progress, and I don't think I've made the gains he's claiming he sees. I think it mighta just been the shirt I was wearing (We Bleed Maroon. Whoop!)  But it was still an encouraging moment for me. A blessing.
I love Mr. Chin, and I do see him in there every morning. He's the kinda guy I'd like to be someday, if i ever get to be that old. Mid 40's. (oh and he also told me that I'm still just a kid, which was also nice to hear!) He's always talking to people. He knows everyone.
He's talked to me one other time before, when we were laughing about my tuxedo tshirt, but I've always secretly wished he'd be my friend.
I know that Dave Penny has a rep for being "the mayor of the gym" (but not on Foursquare, cuz that's me!) but Mr. Chin definitely has him beat! Friendliest guy ever. I wish I were that bold and friendly.
But I think as Christians we should just absorb and engage everyone around us, and that's what Mr. Chin does. He's always been a good encouragement and example of what we as Christians should look like in the world, people magnets. I doubt he's a Believer, but he's different. He's how I strive to be.  So when I went to the post office afterward, I talked to Janet (my favorite postal worker) the entire time and engaged her as much as possible.

I know I don't share many personal stories with you, but that just made my day and encouraged the snot outta me, so I wanted to tell ya.

Maybe someday

Maybe someday I'll finally get some more piercings. Some people love tattoos, I kinda love piercings. Nothing below the neck, cuz that's disgusting. what's wrong with you?
Since junior high I've wanted an eyebrow ring. I like the way they look. I know everyone else would completely disagree, but screw you, I like it! haha...I'm kidding! Don't screw you. Unless you're married. Then go ahead and knock yourself out!
But I think I'd also like a lip ring.
I want a lip ring on the right side of my lower lip and an eyebrow ring on the end of my left eyebrow. I'd have to finally figure out how to do my hair to match my piercings. I'd probably need longer hair, but I absolutely can't make that work.
I'm probably more likely to get rid of one of my piercing than to add more, but ya never know!
Maybe someday.

Also since junior high I've wanted to be in a band. Fine, a SKA band. Ya know, the kind of band that doesn't make any money anymore. But I'd be a really sucky musician because I would hate promoting myself. Humility and self promotion make my brain short-circuit. I know it's not wrong, I just can't make my brain reconcile the two. I see musician friends on facebook and twitter constantly talking about themselves and their music and how great it is. That's so not me. But I mean, good for you, musicians! You're good at doing at least 2 things that I can't do well!

I love being awake before the rest of the world. Makes me feel like I'm a king. Everyone's asleep, I'm awake, therefore I own the world. Sometimes I feel like Batman. I want to perch on the edge of a tall building and watch the city and make sure it's safe, sound and slumbering.
I don't understand how people spend their quiet time at any other time than the morning. It just doesn't make sense to me. The morning is when your soul is awake and hungry!

You always hope your affections come across as flattering and maybe even sweet, but it seems more often than not it gets perceived as creepy and unwanted. It doesn't matter how pure your intentions are, it's all in how it's perceived and received...and that's out of your control.

That being said, there's a reason Proverbs beat you over the head about being wise. You shouldn't always act from your heart. That bugger is deceitful.

Its ridiculous, with as incredibly self-aware as I am, I still have giant gaps where I'm oblivious to how things are perceived, which is something I've been thoroughly taught to be aware of.
I just wish other people understood and saw and felt where I'm coming from. But they can't. They can only see through their lens, which means YOU have to see through their lenses in order to make sure you're being understood.

That's all. I wasn't really going anywhere with this. Just thinking out loud. Sorry to confuse you all.