Justifiable

November 27, 2005

I've had a nice weekend, even if I should have spent more time studying.

Earlier in the week a couple of us were given invitations to join one of our fellow students for a Christmas tree cutting party up in the mountains. The party is an annual event that is held the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

I had decided some time ago that I would probably like to hike up in that area next year and I jumped at the invitation.

No one else from the school showed up, and they missed a really good time.

The people were so friendly, and that's one of the things that I love about New Mexico. It's not at all like Michigan where everyone has developed the art of ignoring one another, even as they pass in the hall.

No one seemed to mind my questions about the food, since after all, it's all new to me.

But I can tell you that I've progressed to the point where I can make a mean breakfast burrito.

Anyway, after lunch about 14 or 15 cars headed up the mountain for some 20 or 30 minutes till we came to a place where we were all turned loose with our saws and told to go get our trees.

It was funny when the host of the party looked around the parking lot and said kind of to himeslf, "All these people were just in my house?"

I was told that last year at this time there was 4 feet of snow on the ground. I kept that thought in mind, since the kiddies are going to be here in just 3 more weeks. I though that if I did not find a tree to my liking, I just might bring everyone with me on "tree search 2."

Then I remembered the 200 mile drive and decided that perhaps I should just get out there and find something, which ultimately, I did.

Our trees tied down, we all headed back to the house for another round of food, and of course, some nice cold beer. I alternated between the fire pit outside and the fireplace in the family room.

Reluctantly I headed home about 4:30 and got home some 2 hours later. I did listen to just about 4 hours of law review, so the drive time counts for some quality multi-tasking.

As spouse is off to a medical conference I decided that a fire would be good company for the balance of the evening. I lit one of those 4 hour logs and did some studying.

Today however, is a different story.

Earlier today I heard a really great term that has described my day up until just a few minutes ago.

The term, productive procrastination.

That's rich.. just rich.

I do that a lot.

Perhaps since I'm studying law I should change it to "justifiable procrastination."

You know, I did the dishes, did two loads of laundry, and did some home improvement type of tasks.

Last night we had a cold front go through, and there were traces of snow on the grass this morning. But what got me working was the fact that the wind was howling between 30 and 50 miles per hour.

When that happens, if there are any drafty places in the house, they sure stand out.

Locking a couple of windows did the trick in two rooms and a tube of caulk fixed the third. Granted, if you look at the floor below the doorwall in my office it doesn't look so great, but the cold air has been sealed out for good.

I worked on my office for a while, tried to fix a computer problem, and rearranged the office printers. Then I spoke with my parents for a while, and conferenced in my daughter as well.

And here I need to tell ya, if you don't know about SKYPE, you should. It's the greatest program in the world for free internet communication and it blows away the sound quality of any instant message software.

We have used it for a year or better, talking to our daughter in Eurpoe, just as clear as a phone call, and it's all FREE!

Speaker and mike placement can be an issue, and you may have to deal with feedback, but one way around that is to use headphones.

What we did today is conference the three of us on Skype, all in different cities, and then my daughter and I used our web cams through Yahoo so my parents could see us. For whatever reason theirs is not broadcasting, but my mother enjoys "seeing" us face to face.

Anyway when that was done, I ate, and decided that before I started to study I would lite another fire, this time with some real wood.

And there you have it.

I think I sat there and read for 5 maybe 6 minutes and then ran up to get my camera.

I call that creative procrastination.

Now I really need to get back to the books.

This time I mean it... I'll go study now.