i know, that wasn't a great participation question. i promise it'll be a better one next time. thank you to all who participated. your names will be entered in the christmas raffle. :)

yesterday? yesterday was a good karma day. one of those days when you think there is something out there taking care of you. got my haircut. complete with a hairstylist therapy session. i used to laugh at the thought of women chatting with their hairstylist. you see, i am not usually very chatty with other women - not into the whole 'chick sorority chat about girly stuff' thing. diana, my hairstylist, is great. she is older (not old, she just turned 40) and very much like my mom was - totally hip, very cool. maybe that's why i enjoy talking to her. anyways, it was good for my psyche.

had library books to return. drove to the library in downtown sac. (it's in a gorgeous old building, but i really wish it were a better library inside) parking is usually impossible. i drove up. what did i find? i spot directly in front of the library. one with a red zone behind it, so i didn't have to parallel park by squishing between to cars. even better? 30 minutes in the meter. perfect, considering i used all my quarters in LA at the rose cafe. my lucky day.

returned my books, and wandered over to the new books section. picked out a couple - some travel guides (i love travel guides. even for places i am not really planning on going to. kinda a mini vacation to read them), 'the philosophy of pooh' (my mom had to read the 'tao of pooh' when she was in college, and gave it to me to read. i read it for the first time when i was about 10. it made much more sense when i read it when i was in college.), and a book entitled 'zen and the art of travel'. it's a small book, square and thick - filled with pictures, quotations and stories. i love to travel. anywhere, anytime. new places, new people, new experiences. a thoughtful book.

'it is good to have a journey toward, but it is the journey that matters, in the end' - ursula k. le guin

my stomach was growling, and i was out of gas, orange juice, salad, and everyday drinking red wine (ravenswood zin and rosemont shiraz), so i decided to head to costco. free samples! the only time i eat junk like fried mozerella sticks and pecan pie. they always have the least expensive gas, but you have to be a member to use the pumps. i pulled up to the pump, and was fiddling through my wallet when i heard, 'how are you today?' i looked up, and there was a costco worker. i had never seen anyone actually from costco working there. the pumps are do-it-yourself pay at the pump only ones. 'i'm great, thanks. just looking for my card'. he took out a card from his pocket and swiped it into the machine. 'don't worry about it.'

'thanks!' i pumped my gas, and got into the car and drove over to the ocean of asphalt surrounding costco. while walking toward the store, i pulled out my wallet to look for my card. couldn't find it. sat down on the curb, took everything out of my wallet. no card. after losing my REI credit card this weekend, i think my wallet has developed a voracious appetite. damnit. fortunately, when i went inside they were able to give me a temporary one. but i wouldn't have been able to get gas without it earlier. i was below 'e' on my gas tank gauge. that worker must have been there for a reason. a good karma day. i like those. wishing y'all good karma days today.

alone. i realized that i was the only one truly responsible for my life on earth. if i made a mistake or got lost or became injured, ran out of food or money or, conversely, had a great time, then there was no one to blame but myself. until then, i had not even been aware that i left decisions effecting my life up to other people-my parents and teachers. i realized that many adults relinquish power over their lives to others, such as their spouse or employer.eric chaline | zen and the art of travel.