Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Last week I was sitting adjacent to an elderly Japanese woman.
We did not share a word nor exchange a glance throughout the 3 odd hour flight from Osaka.
When we landed, I noticed she was struggling to get her bag down from the overhead compartment.
I would guess she was in her '80s but she could have been a super centenarian.
She had on a thatched hat wrapped with an animal print ribbon.
She was well dressed and had on heavy make-up.
Her sunglasses were dark and must have been more expensive than my itouch.
She looked frail and her back was extremely contorted.
I wondered how tall she was before the hunching of her back (kyphosis).
I gently tapped her shoulder to get her attention.
I offered to carry her bag and hand cart.
She quickly responded in Japanese followed by hand signals since I was clearly oblivious to what she had to say to me.
In a nut shell, she told me she could handle it, I guess.
What's the point? I had great admiration for this super centenarian because she displayed dignity most of us can learn from.
As we approached the aircraft's exit, she hopped onto a wheelchair and was carted off!

Sunday, April 6, 2008

I am often tortured by the things I dwell about.
On occasion, the agony is alleviated by random, fleeting thoughts.
Today, I noticed that a coworker was wearing a crucifix pendant.
I thought to myself how funny it is that one of our most revered signs is a torture device.
A sign of Christianity and revered by 2.14 billion Christians +/- 140 million.
What if Christ was tortured by way of the iron maiden or executed via guillotine?
Can you imagine doing the sign of the iron maiden?

$75 for renewing passport
$60 Procrastination fee (expedite)
$38 and some cents multiplied by 2 for DHL courier service (added procrastination fee)

I am a recovering procrastinator.
I have been afflicted with this disease since I was a strand of DNA.
I always pay late fees.
I don't know why I wait until the 20ish to pay for my phone bill? Do I find it erotic rushing over to PTI to drop off a check into the drop box by 4:29 pm? (Note to self: The PTI Customer Service Rep said "Sir, just to be safe, pay your bill before the 14th of each month." He could have made my life simpler by just saying the 13th!!! Wait, I forgot to ask by what time?!?!
Do I simply put things off or do I find extreme pleasure in beating deadlines…or both? I guess I'll just wait and see.