Tales from a Mid-Lifer

Sharing curious and beautiful observations from the last couple weeks… 

Strange/Curious

1. I stopped in the middle of a semi-busy road thinking the 9-yr old on a banana bike in front of me was trying to cross the street. I finally realized he was watching a video on his phone – which was propped in the cup holder…
2. The miles of newly constructed apartment buildings are mind boggling. I’ve been to three major and a few mid-sized cities recently. All have an extraordinary number of new apartment buildings. I did some quick research… Well past Covid, this continues to be a thing across the country. 
3. Walking through people’s homes with high tech cameras mounted on fireplace mantles, shelves, kitchen cupboards…when I turned, the cameras turned. I’m still not used to society-at-large recording absolutely everything, everywhere.
4. Airlines offering free in-flight Rated R movies. Passengers watching them on seat screens, thoughtless of the young children (and protective parents) around them.
5. You can be the nicest, helpful or thoughtful person and some will still criticize, not root for you, feel threatened by anything you do differently. 
6. Empty front counters at restaurant entrances – originally built for registers and workers taking food orders. Now, the counters sit empty while you order at cashless kiosks and wait for your number to be called. Not all of these places are “old” but some recently built to house registers/hostesses that never came to be. Maybe related to chronic staffing challenges?
7. Announcement at airports: don’t accept any bag or package from someone attempting to have you transport items to your destination. What adult is accepting a package from a stranger for transport? 

Beautiful Things 

1. A string of sunshine-filled, cloudless days. Warmth. No warning to cover your plants in case of a Spring freeze…
2. People dressed up for dinner
3. Grandmas and Grandpas walking alongside their grown children and grandchildren
4. Wildflowers lining each step along a five-mile walking path
5. Spectacular, vividly-colored sunrises and sunsets
6. Families talking together at lunch – absent phones 
7. You, kind reader who made it this far in my post today! You are appreciated and I wish you a wonderful Monday and excellent week ahead💗.