Chrisonomicon

Monday, June 17, 2002

The sky is a muddled puddle of yellow ochre and grey, the smoke from forest fires so thick that you can taste it in the back of your throat and watch thick white flakes of ash flutter to the ground like feathers. I had imagined that the fires were under control by now, but the afternoon proved me wrong as the smoke rolled in: it's getting worse.

I'm a little worried, mainly because I'm having difficulty breathing, but I'm also wondering how close it will burn since I can't see the mountains anymore. Visibility is limited to about a mile in all directions. I went to the doctor for a checkup and later realized I might be feeling under the weather due to a lack of sleep and the smoke that sorta seeps in, unnoticed, until it's grown thick and viscous.

Thankfully, the weekend was clear and we took dad out for Father's Day to a few of his favorite activities: pool, dining out, golf, and the movies. I keep thinking that if this is the end of the world, at least I got to spend some quality time with the family and have a nice big Jamba juice this afternoon before the sun is blocked out by the smoke, the plants die, and we have to survive on MREs.

Despite how it may sound, I'm staying relatively optimistic?for the fires and for life, in general?by keeping myself active lately, both physically and socially. I've stopped looking for signs by which to judge the fires in my life, instead accepting the smoke and realizing that when the fire comes close enough to be an issue, I'll combat it then and there.