Remembrance of Things Present

11:11AM.  Waking up early this morning to try and land yet more tickets to unknown matches months hence, and so A2 v. A3 is in the bag and the wait for the draw is on in a huge way.  Bound to be disappointing in at least some respects, but fun to dream of the consequences nonetheless.

For now, the preparations for Kili continue.  Strolling back through Novembers past makes for fine reading, the hazy drunken posts of early post-Oxford years, Egypt, Peru, and last year's Old Trafford sojourn that was eerily similar to yesterday's disappointing loss. 

Will next November hold similar promise in the Himalayas?  Possible.  For everything is possible.  Paul Simon tickets purchased as Christmas presents, and over $1000 sunk into the coming World Cup, dreams of a return to the Emirates to see some trophy winning performances in the Spring, while the 7 minute workout and random hikes into the sweet-smelling woods with strangers used as a distraction from the month's non-drinking pledge.  11 days in, and ideal since no occasion really too tempting with such a goal at hand.  The body feeling stronger, which helps, even a cleanse lined up to pass the time starting next Saturday, which is just too funny.

Chatting with Tupper over soup just now, speculating on the potential cost of a trip into the 20G territory.  Do it for 1/3 of that and you'll be doing rather well, although there are supplies and vaccines that need to be purchased and there is no point going cheap on that front.

Time to rush off to the building that you ran away from as it was built for more witness preparation.  One more week and then it will be time to move on to what is next.  If I could only crank out this opinion, that would be wonderful, but that will happen tonight.  It will come together at the end when it is required as it always does.  Game on.  And remember this next November.  Looking out the window again at the gray overcast skies in another holding pattern.  And with such events and sights to come, I can handle that.

But back to the title - the conversation over tea last night worth remembering, the difficulty in being in moments, of not being afraid of letting them go without capturing the picture or the words, not even trying to remember details, just being - experiencing - living - absorbing.  Enjoying the day for what it is and nothing more.  Something to try and practice in this upcoming trip in which so much will cry out to be held for posterity, and so all the more valuable in taking in the flicker and then letting it pass.  Remembrance of the present and no more.  Yes.  Remember to do that.