Sunset on Top of the Fountain

9:10am

I slept really well last night once again and slept through 2 snoozes. I hope that doesn't become habit. I may want to move the actual alarm if my body really wants that extra sleep.

The apartment complex maintenance crew was blasting their blowers a few minutes ago. So I tossed on my studio headphones and started up my Buena Vista Street playlist on Apple Music. No more blower sound...LOL I really like how the Android version of Apple Music works. One song fades into the next as if it were a real radio station. That doesn't happen on my iPhone or on my Apple TV. I find that odd...LOL

My boss is out today. An issue ticket was assigned to my team (I'm the only one on my app team) this morning that I don't believe applies to me. But I know it applies to one of his other teams. Since he is out today, I'm asking around to see who I should route it to.

I'm really enjoying this music experience. I may download all of my favorites so I can listen offline to conserve power while I listen. These headphones are so much better than all others I use. Why didn't I think to try this sooner? LOL

10:20am

My new Palma 2 is receiving its first update. It sounds like there will be some improvements. We'll see...LOL My Supernotes recently received their first major update with many improvements. And a few new bugs...LOL Overall, I'm happy when updates happen.

I was able to route that ticket to the right person. I was able to talk to a team member I haven't spoken to since July. That's how working remotely works. No more running into each other at the water cooler or passing by each other's cubicles/offices.

I remember my first cubicle job. The night before I started that job, I happened to watch Office Space on TV. It wasn't planned. That was pure serendipity...LOL I laughed and wondered what I was about to get myself into...LOL The job was at a call center in Indianapolis when I made my second attempt at leaving the tech field. I briefly wrote about that job before as it was my favorite job ever. But it eventually led me to what I do for a living now. I never did write about how that happened. I should do that someday...LOL

10:45am

I was just assigned an issue that is impacting folks in California. I reached out to the manager who reported it to see if we could get someone to demonstrate the issue for me so I could begin troubleshooting. She said she would track someone down but that it may take a while since those folks are 3 hours behind us. I asked if they were West Coast and she said California. I laughed to myself because, mentally, my clock has been on Pacific time...LOL I didn't tell her, though.

Side note: my first ever trip to California was for the aforementioned office job I had at that call center. That was in 2003 and the office I worked out of for a few days was in Diamond Bar. I also spent some time in Hollywood for that trip. I think I was there for some sort of training? It was my second time ever flying anywhere. I didn't know then that I'd eventually meet my best friend who lives near all of the places I visited back then. And in the past year, I've already had 3 trips there, with my next one planned less than 2 months from now. I love to think about these things. And I love how a random issue ticket getting assigned to me triggered these happy thoughts ❤️

12:45pm

Yesterday's Vitamin G was inspired by the moment that followed after I took yesterday's featured photo. I stopped to pause in the moment of the photo because momma duck was signaling to her babies where she was and where they should land. I didn't see the babies yet. That process seems to take a while. But I decided to capture the moment in a photo with the sun near its setting. When zoomed in, one can see momma duck in the bottom middle faintly. Just a short moment later, the babies came in for a landing. I caught their landing for a warm hug, just for my deer friend. Had I not stopped to take the featured photo, I would not have been in the perfect spot to witness that warm hug moment and would not have been able to share it...thus inspiring yesterday's Vitamin G ❤️

Sometimes, perfect timing takes place when I pause just before the moment. Watching the world go by gives me the opportunity to allow the perfect timing for what was meant for me all along

My friend, Alex, replied to that post on Threads about a moment he had this morning. I'm glad these things are connected. I'm praying for him and his family ❤️

2:45pm

I was having a conversation with Tyrese that was sparked by a new cup she was showing me that she got from a friend. It turns tie-dyed when you put something cold in it. I responded with groovy and a gif of Austin Powers. This reminded me of a t-shirt I made for my prayer ministry in 1999. It was based on Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me that came out the same year. My shirt had a picture of Jesus with a psychedelic background with the tag line of Jesus Powers: The God Who Saved Me. I told her about it and she loved it. I went on to tell her about another shirt I made back then and told her I ran a prayer ministry. The second shirt had a cell phone with the carrier listed as SPIRIT and the tag line, Prayer: The Original Wireless Communication. I also had a series of construction themed shirts with sayings like Soul Construction Ahead, Narrow Road, and Proceed with Prayer. Each was in a variety of warning signage and in that caution orange color. It was fun to reminisce about all that. All because of a cup...LOL

That reminds me, I once applied for a job at a place called Narrow Gate Media. I didn't get the job. But I liked their name. They were out of Indianapolis. I'm not sure if that company still exists.

7:25pm

Tonight's walk was truly a Blessing. I had one of those moments that felt like a warm hug from God, just for me. I'm hoping to write a haiku to capture it in words. There isn't a photo or video of it...LOL

8:55pm

I wrote a haiku! Yay! I'll include it below with a description of the moment that inspired it. I'll be posting the poem on Threads yet tonight. I love writing Haiku. I have a handful written now. I wonder how many I'll have when I bid this world my final bow?

I had a moment this evening. I went straight to God with it. My heart became heavy by things of this world that are often unseen. It was triggered by the thought of someone wishing to defect due to oppression. But that led to other things in this world that happen in the darkness. I'm grateful God is sovereign over all.

10:15pm

I'm finishing off my day wrapping up this journal entry and watching the start of tonight's Dodgers game. It's Kershaw's last start at Dodgers Stadium for a regular season game. I'm glad to get to see this. But it's on Apple TV+. So local folks in LA can't see it on regular broadcast TV.

I'm looking forward to a relaxing weekend at home. I'll need to go to the grocery. But other than that, there are no plans to go anywhere. I may run by Best Buy to look for a tablet stand too. I definitely want to work on some creative projects. And I'd love to get started on my LEGO tree ❤️

Haiku

I felt the Spirit ask me to pause for a moment. I stopped and looked to my left. That's when I saw the sun kissing the top of the water fountain. I could see the sun setting to the right. The fountain was to the left. As the sun journeyed to its setting on the horizon, its kiss faded from the summit of the fountain. As softly as I noticed this moment, it came to an end. This inspired...