POURED.

Just as my class let out, the drops started.  Within a few minutes it was teeming down.

Then, just like that, the sun came out, peekin’ through the clouds.

Just like that!

I know there is a lesson in this day’s weather somewhere.  But when we’re a little down, it’s probably harder to see…

But I saw.

So, I will have faith that tomorrow, the sun will shine again, even if it’s raining.

After all, the sun is always there, even if she can’t peek out all the time.

-josh

I’ve been a little busy, but I just took this rainy day to catch up on the Survivors that I’ve missed.

There was a lot!

Some of it was business as usual, and some of it was not the usual course of business…that’s for sure.

Coach is never a letdown.  He continues to be the same enigma he always is…a role in which he seems to revel.  Although I found it interesting that he stated to America (after quoting some men of honor) that he would protect Randy, right before writing Randy’s name down.

Honor, indeed, coach…But thank you for revealing what we already know about you.  I get that you are sensitive.  I do.  But the problem is that when you profess sensitivity while at the same time avoiding the issues that create problems for you, it rings hollow…and yes, for once, Tyson had sage advice (during what you call a breakdown, but was probably the most honest moment of your life)…don’t tell the stories.  Don’t do Tai Chi in public.  It’s not that these things are bad.  Your stories are important to you.  Tai Chi is an amazing pursuit for inner peace…but even Jesus said on the Sermon on the Mount, go in your room, close the door, and pray to your Father in private.  Why?   Because if you truly live your tenets, then the only place that matters is in your soul and in your mind…not tattooed on your body and done in full view.

It doesn’t matter who sees your devotions.  Only the devotion matters.

But coach aside, there was other excitement, including the immunity idols that became tribal-public when the scrolls dropped to the ground on each beach.  The Villains, oddly enough, turned to Heroes when they made a gentleman’s agreement to not look for it.

Russell, of course, always the consummate gentleman, immediately took off to look for it.

While, on the Heroes beach, everyone scattered to find it.

Although, I must say, digging for it as a group in the open was probably a good approach, and it ended up saving Tom, leading to the (surprising?) vote for Cirie.  I’m not sure how I feel about that.  I like Cirie.  Always have.

Shifting, voting, losing, winning, spying, backstabbing.

*whew!*

It was a heckuva two weeks.

But what can we take away from it here at Orumai?

Well, the line between hero and villain is certainly blurred.  I think if this season shows us anything, it is that people are generally people, and despite perception, games are games down to the end.

The merge should be interesting.

Also, we learned that sometimes silence is the better part of strategy, even if it might be against our nature (Cirie?).

And, I think that Sandra and Coach’s little play at tribal, and Coach’s subsequent breakdown, reveal that even the most ardent slayer of dragons has a soft side…and that the burden of hiding that side is often so great, that often folks like coach are the most fragile, even for all of their hardened quotes and military metaphors.

I’ll try to do better in the future keeping current with Survivor posts!

But I won’t make any promises, though.

This is Survivor, after all.

-josh

I look out at it often, but today, something caught my eye.

There was a rabbit sitting next to the Buddha statue.  It was still…as still as the statue!  I almost didn’t see it.

They just sat there together.  Quietly listening to the water.  It was a great scene.  I stared at it for a few minutes before going on with my day.  I found myself wishing that I had that kind of composure…the discipline to sit so quietly for a few minutes like that rabbit.

Now, I know rabbits can be a nervous bunch!  I know they scamper around and avoid snakes and coyotes.

I know.

But at least for those few minutes, it wasn’t a nervous rabbit I saw.  It was a calm, quiet creature enjoying a few moments.

Honestly?  I don’t know if rabbits “enjoy” their moments…I’m guessing…

But it was pretty special.

Just thought I’d share.

I’m going to go be quiet for a few minutes.

-josh

I saw the women’s figure skating a few nights ago and even though there were no real surprises, it was nice to see the winners all skate clean…But I’ve been thinking about how we get so sucked in to all of this!

I’ve been getting so caught up in so many of the sports.  It’s just amazing how we become students of various sports that we never think about during the year (most of us) – biathlon, luge, speed-skating…it’s easy to get lost in the pageantry and drama. Joannie Rochette, Kim Yu-na, and Mao Asada had a rather predictable battle, but one that probably made you sit on the edge of your seat just a bit!

I would probably never turn on too many extreme sports during the year, but I watched the snowboarding.  I watched the aerials.  I watched the ski-cross.  We just do!

And no matter how detached we think we are, we let the commentator give us a lesson in technique.  We watch for the skis coming apart and wonder how that will affect scoring.  We wait to see who will pop out of the starting gate first and take the advantage.  We look for the quad or the triple.  We silently (or loudly) cheer for our country’s athlete in whatever sport, hoping they’ll do well, even if we are just waiting for the hockey or skating competition to begin.

That’s the power of the Olympics.  We put aside a lot to watch them.  We clear schedules.  We open our minds to new sports.  We inflame rivalries we never knew existed, and we stand around the watercooler the next day and talk about it all.  And, aside from the occasional sour grape silver medal skater or the angry short-track athlete, it is usually in a spirit of friendliness.

I love that.

I’d love more of that.

Maybe I’m just a Pollyanna, but so be it.  If it is in the name of togetherness, I’ll take the label.

And, I’ll still watch the Olympics.

-josh

Due to the Olympics and life craziness, I am not able to get out a Survivor entry on last night’s episode…one may not be forthcoming until next week!  I have the episode safely tucked away on the ol’ DVR and will get to it soon.

So far, I don’t know the result, but I can tell you that I will try to avoid finding out who was voted off, although through life, I have had some funny movie and TV spoilers!

In the meantime, if you want to comment, please share a story of a time when someone ruined an ending or a result for you if you missed something! (And don’t cite my Olympic blog entries as spoilers…Ha ha!)

-josh

I didn’t hear about it until a friend mentioned it to me.

I was sad.

I love the show The Dog Whisperer.  It’s nice to see dogs on the screen for an hour, but it’s also nice to see how people change their attitudes toward each other, and their pets, through changing their energy.  That’s a lot of entertainment and a lot of enlightenment in sixty minutes.

At the center of the show is, of course, Cesar Milan, but Daddy was such a huge part of the program.   My favorite moments are when a dog is hysterical and Cesar brings Daddy in.  Daddy usually just ignores the ruckus and lies down, and, through his calm energy, brings the other dog(s) to a state of calm.

Cesar’s dog, indeed.

Daddy’s death reminded me of the death of my own dog years ago.  He was just the greatest.  So calm, so gentle, so quiet.  He was the perfect companion and, really, a perfect dog (I know everyone says that, but really…it’s true!)…He got wild once in a blue moon, but it wasn’t that often.  Usually he was content sleeping on the cool shower tiles or…well…sleeping on the couch.

Ok, sleeping in general.

But, I know how it is to lose a buddy. And Daddy, from what I could see, was a buddy to many.

Cesar says, “Exercise, discipline, affection” is the key to a happy and prosperous pet.  It’s a great formula and according to the show, gives great results.

But maybe just for today, you could put affection at the beginning…

-josh