Today is my birthday, and like most of my last ten or twelve birthdays I didn�t really treat it any differently than any other day. I went to work, went to Wal-Mart and then came home and mowed the grass. I must admit however that there were some events concerning it. My fellow �deli bitches� as they like to be called made up a cupcake with a candle and icing with the phrase �Happy Birthday Anthony� on it. Vanessa announced it over the store intercom in an attempt to embarrass me and Jamie in the office sang a quick and tentative but genuinely felt happy birthday song. When I got home I found a bag with a present and some cards hanging from my door from Drew (with chocolate too!) and my answering machine had one message from my Aunt Sue and Uncle Ray with their own birthday song rendition. All this is probably more attention a birthday has gotten for me in all of those last ten to twelve years combined.
All the above was nice of course, and I truly appreciate the thoughtfulness. But my greatest gift on this day came later at dusk. After I had finished mowing the lawn and dumped the dirt I had bought at Wal-Mart into all the dips in the yard I wanted to fill in, an amazing thing happened. The sun had gone down and it was a bit more dark than light. I had noticed a lot of noise coming from up in the trees near where I was standing. I thought that the birds were being quite noisy and kept glancing up to see if I could see any of them. Then, to my delight I saw a furry little fellow jump from one of the cherry trees in the back woods and glide gracefully through the air and land on the big cherry tree next to me. He quickly scurried around to the other side and avoided my gaze, but kept rustling the upper branches which was answered by other branches in other nearby trees rustling as well. In all I detected three or maybe four of the fuzzy little flying squirrels playing about in the cooling summer night air. I had known they were nesting in the locust trees on the southeast side of the house, but I had only seen one once before when I scared him out in the daytime by sawing off dead branches in one of the trees, and then he did not glide, just ran up another tree. He probably had trouble seeing since they are nocturnal by nature. I decided to call the group �Rocky and company�.
It soon became too dark to make them out clearly so I started walking back to the front porch. As I got under the Apple tree I noticed the fireflies rising from the surrounding grass. I stopped a moment and simply watched them. Their luminous little lights seemed to dance as they circled closely all around me and it felt like a moment of pure magic. One of those moments where all the troubles of daily life just melted away and it made everything seem, for just an instant, like paradise. My thoughts fell only on the moment of tranquility and my heart and mind were once again at peace. Such perfect moments seem fleeting and few, though I probably have them much more often than most. Why does it seem that way? And how is it that with all the wonderful moments I have in a day I tend to dwell more on the boredom and restlessness? What is it that I still feel I am missing that I should feel so restless much of the time? I mean, surely I can�t spend every waking moment up in the woods exploring the beauty of God�s creation. I suppose I envy the creatures of nature for that. Instead I often feel a little confined attending to all the responsibilities of life in society I guess. It is dealing with all of the mundane things in life that has always been my most difficult challenge. And though tedious, I diligently attend to my responsibilities very well. But yet, I seek to find new distractions and experiences.
Which leads me to the other point I wish to record in these pages tonight. Upon prompting from friends and the need to satisfy my own sense of adventure I have submitted my video and application to try and become a contestant on the next Survivor show in the Pearl Islands. With the help of my trusty camera man Drew, and a hasty but adequate bit of creativity I managed to put together my three minute video on why I would be a good Survivor contestant. Personally I think it was a bit dull, but it got the point across I suppose. I guess I could have swung from some of the wild grape vines in the mountains (like I often do) or done some of the other semi-daring things I do while hiking, but my poor camera man has a fear of heights and such things. I mean, when we filmed the ten to fifteen second clip atop Cooper�s Rock he nearly passed out as I sat on the edge of the precipice�s guardrail, fearing that I was going to plummet to my death. I guess that automatically ruled out bungee jumping from the high bridge at OhioPyle. I guess I could have stripped down and showered under the Bridal falls, but there were quite a few other visitors around and I certainly wouldn�t want to offend anyone. But, despite the lack of action-packed adventure in the video, I think I was successful in getting the main points across.
I must admit that the idea and prospect of being shipped off and stranded on a deserted island to test my skills is highly appealing. I think it would be an awesome experience that might even reveal some thus far unknown qualities of myself. I know that if I do get picked to go then my biggest challenge will be the interpersonal relationships with the other castaways. Not that I have any problem dealing effectively with others, I think I am quite good at it in fact. But it definitely takes more effort than anything I have ever faced in nature, including finding nourishment. Making shelter and finding coconuts, shellfish, other fruits and catching fish (even with my bare hands) would be an easy task compared to the complexities of dealing with a diverse group of other individuals in a competitive environment and in close quarters. The game challenges and competitions might also be a bit difficult but I know I could manage that since my physical and mental skills are at the very least average. (Though I am being a bit modest I think in this regard.) But then of course, there is the possibility that I could make a big fat fool of myself. This doesn�t bother me in the least however, and the thought of it actually makes me chuckle to myself as I envision all the hilarious possibilities! At least there is the possibility of great entertainment value. :-)
So, that is about all that is going on now. I guess I am more excited about the possibility of being on the show than I have been about anything for a while, but I am not going to work myself up about it or hold my breath. I think I have a pretty good shot however. I mean, I would fill two rolls for them. Both the somewhat obligatory Gay contestant and the Religious one, all in one shot. And of course there is that quality about me that seems to make me stand out. Call it charisma, my different world outlook or just plain likeability. Whatever it may be I think it would probably come through on the show. And just think, all my faults would probably shine through as well. My morning grumpiness, and can you just imagine me blowing snot rockets on national television like I do out in the woods? I can just hear all of America letting out a collective �EWWW!� :-) Well, it�s time to go to bed now and dream about those little tinker bell like fireflies.
