Wow

I was stunned by this picture of a 3000 year old mosaic discovered in Turkey recently.  It’s a remanant of the ancient greek city of Zeugma, which is now located in Southern Turkey near the Syrian border.  The city once housed 80,000 people and has been completely submerged in water until funds were raised in 2000 to begin excavation.  Many, many years ago, I wanted to become an archeologist until I learned that the primary work of archeology is fruitless, endless digging in the hot sun, getting very dirty and not finding much.  There ended that dream.  But for these archeologists, this set of mosaics must be the find of a lifetime.  Something so vibrant, detailed and beautiful cacooned at the bottom of a lake for 3000 years until someone dug it up.  Just wow.

I feel great today and I think I know why.  I had a good, hard workout with a trainer yesterday which means I slept exceptionally well last night.  It also means that there are multiple heretofore unknown muscles that are screaming from the workout (like the ones you use to laugh and get out of bed!).  That could also just be a case of this ole body getting worn down, but I prefer to think I brought all this anguish upon myself in zealous efforts to be healthy.  Either way, I’m looking forward to a great day.

I’m going to use that energy to vote today (mail-in ballot, thanks California).  Obviously, the big ticket decisions are made but I do have to educate myself on a mystifying set of propositions that find their way onto the California ballot every year — plastic bags, tobacco tax, and a few others that are written in such a way that even my over-educated brain can’t really compute what’s going on.  But the plebiscite will vote.  That’s how we roll out here.  Despite all the anger and, dare I say “nastiness,” of the campaign cycle, I’m proud to be an American and especially honored to live in a country where I have the right to determine our leaders and hold them accountable.  It’s not a small thing, this democracy we have.

So this weekend, go vote, or workout so your muscles will be as sore as most of mine, or find something of beauty to be in awe of!!  The world in all its wonderful, messy, glorious bounty awaits you.