Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign.

Signs are everywhere. 
Stop.  Beware of Dog.  No Trespassing.  Smoking Prohibited.  Open.  Closed. 

These are all signs that tell us - specifically - what we need to know.  But my favorite signs are the ones that are not tangible.  Ones you can't directly touch or see.  The ones that are guided by our intuition.  The ones that we piece together ourselves.  A fleeting moment of "Eureka!"


There are no accidents, no coincidences.


Sometimes you might find yourself - to quote David Byrne - asking, "Well, how did I get here?"  Why do I live where I live?  What made me choose the profession I'm in?  Why did I fall for the person I'm with?  Your entire life is made up of choices.  Do this or do that.  A or B.  Option 1 or option 2.  If you pick option 1 instead of option 2, that opens up an entire realm and universe of new choices.  All of the old choices disappear.  You'll make wrong choices.  No one ever makes the right choices all of the time.  No one.
But eventually, if you're lucky, you'll find yourself saying "This is where I'm meant to be."  It might take 20 years, it might take 50 years.  But everyone gets there. 


Never, ever stop looking for signs.  Pay attention to what the universe is offering you. 

Wake Up To Find Out That You Are the Eyes of the World

What goes through someone's mind when they decide to run 50 miles?  Why would you run for several hours in a row, torturing your body? 
Most people who decide to do this are neurotic in nature: they obsess over every detail of not only their running, but their daily lives as well.  I think it's because they know that the small details - thousands of them - all count in the end.  I once read that an ultra trail runner - Matt Carpenter - used a razor to shave "micro ounces" off of his shoes to be able to run faster. I don't go to those extremes, but those who know me well enough certainly would use "neurotic" to describe parts of my personality (along with "imbecilic" and "nerdy"). 


Anyway, my steely determination will not allow me to not finish this race.  Even if I have to slither across the finish line with my nipples.  Seeing a "DNF" next to my name will bring tremendous amounts shame and embarrassment to my family.  Not really, but I'd be, like, pretty bummed out about it.  So upon finishing the race - which will be done in darkness wearing a headlamp - I've decided to celebrate.  The initial reaction would be to spontaneously celebrate - having spent the better part of your waking day running in circles in a forest - with whatever little adrenaline might be coursing through your veins at that particular moment.  But alas, my meticulous planning for this race (which includes drawing a diagram that shows exactly what and where will be laid out in the back of my vehicle for pit stops during the race) will encompass my finishing celebration...a dance. 
I do believe I've narrowed it down to 3 choices: The Deion Sanders touchdown dance, MJ's Moonwalk, and Napoleon Dynamite's talent show dance.  I'm leaning towards the touchdown dance.  Is it silly to actually plan something like this?  Probably.  Do I care?  Not in the least.