Something about dogs.

They like to lie down.  On the floor.  In the middle of it.  Where feet walk most frequently.

Macy, Ruler of the Floor and Other Fine Establishments

Or be physically present in any stance where your body may wish to occupy.

How does one handle this? People vs Pets? Is there a historical case noted in the legal annals?  Is this something that will go as high as the Supreme court?   Smith vs Snickerpoodle?

Over the years, I’ve become used to taking the Macy obstacle course.  Or more appropriately, an Obst-dog-cle course.   It keeps me limber and agile.  On my toes.  Almost like yoga.  More like boot camp.

I’ve learned how to balance dishes and half-full glasses of water and other beverages, while I walk spread eagle from the dining room to the kitchen. Stomp.  Stomp.  Stomp.  Just like Gigantor the Giant Robot.

Gigantor's Spread-Eagle-Dog-Avoidance Stance.

Maybe it would be easier on stilts.  Maybe then Cirque du Soleil will call me…

Macy’s ability to be where my feet wish to land has taught me to walk sideways, pressing my body against the railing, inching and side-stepping my way up the stairs in order to allow her the right-of-way. As she races me to the top.

Then there’s the track and field events for which she’s been prepping me.  For some unknown reason, Macy will get an urge to fold into a downward facing dog the moment I pass over her.  Suddenly my steps must transform into a high kicking hurdle leap.

But the most interesting position she has taken lately is the Incredible Door Stop Pose.  And with the look on her face and the heavy sigh she takes when you even suggest that she might have to move…  OMG!  I never have the heart to go through with it.  I just know she has the ASPCA speed dial set on her bark-o-phone.

So I have decided that I must learn how to walk through walls and unopened doors.  Rather than suggest that Macy move.  If they can do it in “The Men Who Stare at Goats“, I can do it in the House Of Macy, too!

Obstacles. Positively open new pathways.  Find an obstacle.  Gain an opportunity or at least a little work out.  Explore new worlds.  Walk new walks.  Be a cartoon.  Or walk like a cartoon.  No matter what, it’s something new.

Fun Your Way Out of the Box!

balancing act · bark-o-phone · boot camp · Cirque du Soleil · door stop pose · exploration · Gigantor · obst-dog-cle course · opportunity · overcoming obstacles · people vs pets · ruler of the floor · smith vs snickerpoodle · the men who stare at goats · yoga

Today Zill and I went on an adventure.  We weren’t supposed to go on an adventure.  We were supposed to go to yoga.

But when we got to yoga, yoga was full of yoga-nauts.  They were having a free promo class, and the spaceship from Naut-payin-a-ting landed in HB.  And there was nowhere for us full paying people to throw down a mat.

So disgruntled, I changed into my civvies.

And we walked around downtown HB.

It was beautiful out.  And my disgruntlement fled immediately, erupting into happy-ment.

And as we always do when we explore, we found a bunch of stuff.

Like a shop full of punkers.  I would have gone in, but Zill was a little freaked.  That maybe her hair would turn Mohawk upon contact and her skin would break out in tats.  So we didn’t go into that place.

Some guy collecting for the homeless vets shoved a bucket into my face.  For some crazy reason, I can’t refuse a beggar’s request.  I give to them all.  To all I throw in a buck.  Buck thrown in.

Then we happened upon a red light.  A light that eventually turned green.  Yay.  We verily crossed the Highway of the Pacific Coast.

Then we happened upon  a random farmers’ market.  Ate a load of free fruit.  Then we short paid a buck for our haul cuz we didn’t have enough cash.  Poor farmer guy.  I promise I’ll pay you back.  I gave the buck that should have been yours to a guy collecting for the homeless vets.

And then there was that craft show.  The show of crafts that you see.  At all craft shows.  Nothing new.  Just crafty stuff.  Put together with glue and Popsicle sticks.  And paintings that were made with Photo Shop.  Fortunately not on black velvet and gold paint.

Aha! It’s the beach.  So we saw a surf tournament.  With no surfers.

And because it was the beach, there were a whole lot of people in various stages of clothed-ness.  And various stages of local flavor and tourist-ness

We also saw a homeless lady sleeping in the grass curled around a lamppost.  Nothing like spooning to help you sleep.

Ah.  Adventure.  What a life we lead.  Zill and I.

Adventure is everywhere if you let it be so.  Fun Your Way out of the Box!

beach · craft shows · farmers market · homeless vets · local flavor · punks · surf tournament · surfers · tourists · yoga

So it wasn’t exactly a party.  But there were a ton of people.

And John Belushi wasn’t there.  But it was still mayhem.

Mayhem in June.  Should I say Junehem?  Nah. That would be like sewing up the train on a bride’s dress, and I am not exactly the best at seamstressing.  Sewing of seams and stress have no place in my life, thanks.  Also, a needle in Vick’s hand is also through the other.  Yeah.  I best leave the sewing to other chicks who are not Vicks.

Anyway.  I digress.

Let’s just say, mayhem, junehem,  it could have happened.  People could have begun chanting:  “Yoga!  Yoga!  Yoga!”  Instead they were very mellow.  And quietly intoned “Namaste.”  Except for the guy next to me changed it to, “No more steak!”  He’s trying to be a vegetable-arian, I guess.

But again.  I say.  It wasn’t a party.

It was pretty tough, actually.  Because beginning yogi me misread the schedule and stepped into a more advanced class than I intended.  And I got yoga’d in many more directions than I could pretzel.  Fortunately, I didn’t eat steak.  And was happy to intone Namaste at class end.

And I’m taking in Teacher Betsy’s mantra for the day, “A kind gesture large or small never goes unnoticed.”

So.  From me to you.  Be kind to yourself.  And you can guarantee that someone always will offer you kindness.

And… oh, yeah.  Don’t forget to smile.  If you are a lazy person, it uses less muscles to smile than to frown.  So you may be lazily happy, and whilst being lazy, your laziness will spread good cheer to all who encounter you.  A happy and lazy society would solve all the world’s problems.

So.  Problem Solving I’m all for that.  Here’s one small problem solved from mini me:

Yoga your way out of the box!  It’s fun.  Kind of…

yoga