deep thoughts from kris kringle

You know what one of my favorite parts of the day is?  The 20 minute tram ride to and from the gym. It's the one part of the day where I'm forced to just slow down, ride and reflect (without a computer in front of my face).  


{source}
I'm never jumping out the door around 5pm to go, especially at this time of year when it's already dark, but once I'm on my way, I'm in my zone.  In the past couple of months on most days, I've been sitting inside my house in front of my computer tweaking design details, modifying code, catching up with e-mails, etc.  Just to sit, ride and watch the little lives living in this quaint town through the window (while listening to David Gray, Counting Crows, Coldplay or something of the sort) is just wondey and sorta rejuvenating.  I feel like I'm back in the 'real world' and not living in la-la cyberworld anymore.  Seriously, I think it gets to you...I'm constantly communicating through e-mail, reading blogs, skyping...I mean..it starts to feel weird and you just need some real world time to breathe. 

Did you know that research shows that little breaks throughout the day (esp. accompanied with fresh air or a bit of exercise) help clear your mind for new ideas and better productivity?  Not shocking, but something we all forget to make ourselves do.  At least I do.  I get fixated on a minor detail in a design and can drive myself crazy trying to perfect it.  Art says he frequently wakes up in the middle of the night and an idea for his research comes to him.  My dad has said the exact same thing for years.  Why is this?  Because we've finally had a time to rest.  This could be a really good case for my once weekly afternoon snoozes from 1:30 - 3:00.  :)

My little tram rides are especially wonderful at this time of year because they are putting up all the red Christmas market stalls, lights, trees and carousels in preparation for the advent celebration all month long.  Christmas feels magical here.  And holy.  It probably feels that way to us partly because it's new and different from home, but I think anyone who's experienced Austria during Christmas time would agree.  Austria does Christmas right.   


{last Christmas}

Now, I will not be here for most of it, but I will be experiencing the magic where it's most familar.  I will get to see my mom's glorious, sparkly, perfect tree.  Nobody does a tree like my mama.  I get to see all the decor I've grown up with and that has changed over the years.  I get to have that annual discussion with the six siblings of whose stocking is the best.  I get to sit around and laugh, eat my mom's Candy Crackers, listen to my dad's Christmas CDs and be canty with all my siblings.  I won't be there for Christmas day, but it doesn't matter..it will still be Christmas time and the weeks before Christmas are really the best..in my opinion.


I actually have a picture from several years ago of the family stockings...the collection just grows over the years with new husbands, wives and babies. (Mine has been voted 'best' year after year..it's got 3-D Santa going down the chimney and it's sprinkled perfectly with sequins.  My mom made mine and almost all the other kids'.  Around kid 6 or 7, the stockings were bought from little old ladies.  Sorry, Molly...."made with love by Granny Greta" is on the back of yours.)

{and this doesn't do it justice bc the camera can't capture the bling sparkle bomb that is our tree, but here is the best tree in all the land.} 

'Tis the season, my friends...