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TToT -the Wakefield Doctrine- (“You know, sometimes all you can do is start typing…“)

Welcome to the Wakefield Doctrine (the theory of clarks, scotts and rogers)

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1)  grateful for being able to (continue) my morning walks to the mail box. We always walk up to the mailbox in the morning before we Phyllis and I leave for work and Una takes up her daytime position on the couch in the lower level family room.

2) I am grateful for the fun of having a dog in the family. Not an un-common characteristic in dogs, Una has a different ‘returning home’ greeting for each of us.  On most weekdays, I’m able to get home to give Una her lunch. The fun part, (for me, and maybe her), is that I start talking before I open the door to the lower level, usually something topical like,  “…oh man! look at the time!! a certain dog must be famished… (step into the Family Room) oh! I didn’t see you on the couch!!”  (I laugh and Una, I assume, gets a kick out of it).

3) that morning walk in Grat Item #1? just in case anyone is thinking, ‘Well! that’s a relief! A walk with the family to the mailbox in the morning, how normal can that clark guy get!’  I am grateful that I have been able do this exactly as I did in the summer, no shoes or coat. (This is a clark thing. It should have little or no appeal to a scott because scotts, by worldview definition, tend to live pretty much all in the here and now . rogersthey would tend to see my little morning exercise as either a) a funny quirk or 2) an annoying affectation.)
Having said that, as a clark, I find that when I’m walking to the mailbox in the rain without a coat or in December without shoes, it helps me realize how important it is to appreciate what is. That I am not in a hospital bed, or in a wheel chair or in the house because I am not able to leave…. I find that I ‘enjoy’ the harsh feelings of the 30 degree morning in part when I can know that it is a very real possibility that someday I will be in a place where I look back on (these days) and wish to anything that I might again have the opportunity to do something as silly as walk to the mailbox without shoes or a coat in December.

4) Phyllis obviously,  because she doesn’t refuse to go out to the mailbox because of that guy that’s insisting on making a simple family activity into some kind of ‘inside-your-head-metaphysical-adventure’

5) …grateful to the blogosphere for the opportunity to get to know Cynthia (tbfka Cyndi)…She writes the blog Pictimilitude which, among a whole bunch of things, was the sponsor for the short-lived ‘Wakefield Doctrine 30 Minute Hour’ on blogtalk radio!  In any event, she is a pretty amazing person and she is graduating from Graduate School today!     “Así se hace !!! Cyndacito!!

6) Vidchat… despite my best effort to the contrary, a Friday Night vidchat is fun and enlightening… last night with zoe and Lizzi   (hey!! Joy   sent FB invite  but the vidchat app was acting up  though, I heard that Kristi was also planning on stopping by, but I got elderly around 9:00 pm and had to go fall down in the room with softened floors. perhaps next Friday!)

7)  I’ve been listening to this one song for the better part of the week, so I might as well invoke SBoR 87.3.1 [sec. 3]  and post it as Grat Item #8.  (an example of a cover being superior to the original)

8)  

9)  The Book of Secret Rules (aka the Secret Book of Rules)…. (motto: ‘well, don’t feel embarrassed, spend the time and take the chance finding a Rule that allows you to do what you want/need to/feel-you-must and go ahead and cite it!‘ )  The SBoR’s has been referred to as the ‘...rather nice tool that those odd folks who participate in the Ten Things of Thankful bloghop apparently have, it clearly makes a fairly common bloghop theme, i.e. gratitude lists, such a delightful exercise.

10) 1.3   y’all

Ten Things of Thankful

 

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* what, no Footnotes?

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clarkscottroger About clarkscottroger
Well, what exactly do you want to know? Whether I am a clark or a scott or roger? If you have to ask, then you need to keep reading the Posts for two reasons: a)to get a clear enough understanding to be able to make the determination of which type I am and 2) to realize that by definition I am all three.* *which is true for you as well, all three...but mostly one

Comments

  1. valj2750 says:

    Frist. I promise, no more irreverent comments about duct tape. Do you suppose irreverence breeds irreverence? Anyway, good week.

    • clarkscottroger clarkscottroger says:

      (I would certainly hope so!)

      … you know that old saying! “Irreverence is understanding the True Meaning of Life, …as a smartass”

      lol

  2. What the hell Val! How’d you get here FRIST!! Fine! I’ll be FRIST x 2.

    Enlightenment. Into the world of clarks. #3. For the scotts and rogers, better “understanding” :D

    YIPPEE for Cyndacito! Hers is a HUGE accomplishment and she be an inspiration:)

    Covers of covers that cover the cover better? Yeah to that.

  3. Dammit! How quick do I have to be?! Still FRIST X 2 – answers by blog hosts don’t count!

  4. Ah, yes, what struck me when I saw Una was that she blends in so well with the couch! I couldn’t see her on the vid, seriously!

  5. zoe says:

    I got nuthin… OK I DID enjoy seeing you guys last night… even though I kinda fell asleep on you… needed it…sorry….

  6. lrconsiderer says:

    I failed at ‘ordeal’ today. I went cycling and it all went horribly wrong and kicked my ass and I ended up having an (anxiety) attack of the clark, in the completely to-the-brim-with-self-hatred-y way only a clark can.

    • zoebyrd says:

      my turn *hugs* bummer! effing anxiety!

    • clarkscottroger clarkscottroger says:

      … I know how that feels, I currently do not feel that way* (thank you for that)

      * to non-clarks: that statement is one of sharing-among-outsiders that may make little, if any sense, but I benefit from Lizzi’s statement of her experience because it is a place that I have (but not at the moment) been…as there will be a time when the positions are reversed the key to this ‘exchange’ is what it does for/to the air-tightness of the experience of anxiety that L is referring to

  7. I love special little family rituals, like sharing a cup of coffee with hubby in the morning. Going to the mailbox together would be somewhat pointless and weird, because our mailbox is stuck to our house and our hallway is quite narrow. But if you actually take a walk to the mailbox, that’s sweet! Early next year, we’ll get a kitty, and I can’t wait what this creature will have in store for us :-)

    • clarkscottroger clarkscottroger says:

      Stephanie

      (lol visual: “ok I’m out here on the porch, the girls first…ok move to the side, I’ve got Calvin… no! close the door first… “hey! we have mail!!””)

      non-human lifeforms can be fun too!

      • Yup, that would be about the picture I had in mind when I thought about the scene at our home ;-) Hubby always had kitties growing up, and tells a lot of stories. I’ll be a first-time pet-owner and slightly nervous but quite excited as well..

        • clarkscottroger clarkscottroger says:

          …funny you say that! (the part about your husbands experience with cats and your non-experience), Phyllis grew up without having a dog in the family (at least, not successfully) and I always did, so when the time came for Ola, I stated that I would be responsible for the (new) dog and I meant it and Phyllis was able to relax and enjoy it much more than she would have if she felt that she had to do it. That was such a good experience that when Bella came along, Phyllis got to be alpha (which is an experience everyone should have with a dog). I’m sure you’ll be just fine and the family will totally love the idea of a non-human family member!

  8. amycake76 says:

    I’m sorta known at the bus stop for my bare feet. Not sure I do it for the experience so much as just because I detest shoes and wear them only when I absolutely MUST. Which is not at the schoolbus stop in the mornings. When there’s snow on the ground, I can be convinced to slip on my rain boots.
    Your description of how you start talking before the open the door gives me one of those surges of affection for you. That you probably detest. But ha! I can’t be stopped!

    • clarkscottroger clarkscottroger says:

      I do not detest. I enjoy, albeit, at a slight distance, this affectionate impulse.*
      And, oddly enough, I am believing that I need to walk in bare feet, especially on the macadam driveway, to stay healthy… the soles of our feet are our connection to the earth and all.

      * best ask Lizzie

  9. Being thankful for what we have, what we can do, and where we ARE right now is some good things to be thankful for. All too often we forget about the things that we have and can do as we are too wrapped up in the day-to-day tasks of living. We have forgotten that the simple things ARE living, and a walk to the mailbox on a brisk December morning is a good thing. Thank you Scott, for bringing simple back!

    • clarkscottroger clarkscottroger says:

      yeah… that ‘here and now’ thing is a challenge I am constantly struggling with, but I’m sure that I’ll have it bear someday (damn! did it again!) lol

  10. susanzutautas says:

    Cyndi is the person who got me started on TToT! She’s a great gal and I am so happy to see that she has now graduated.
    All your talk about walking has inspired me to get out and start walking this week, something I used to do every day but I’ve gotten quite lazy :)

  11. Joy Christi says:

    This particular Scot is pretty amazed by your daily practice of exercise and exposing yourself to the elements. Does anyone ever go all Mother on you and say something like “Don’t come crying to me when you catch a cold?” If not, allow me to be the first :) I can barely take out the garbage or recycling without a coat, and those bins are LITERALLY 3 feet from my back door! I’ve done it a lot and it’s always amusing when I’m in my pajamas or something and one of my neighbors just HAPPENS to be in their backyard at that exact time, because OF COURSE they are. I predict soon they will build giant privacy fences. I can’t say I blame them.
    The VIDCHAT! I had sent Lizzi a message, and she answered she was going to boxing and I should send you a message. I had intended to but had a sinus headache for 2 days so when I “rested my eyes for a minute” I fell asleep. Fridays are hard, my friend. Next week? I’ll join the “DInner at 4:00” Club and make afternoon coffee. I think it’s time for me to just accept my Early Onset Elderly Syndrome and embrace it with hard candy, high-wasted stretch pants, and ONLY slip-on shoes. Who has time to bend to put on shoes these days??

    • clarkscottroger clarkscottroger says:

      I think Phyllis is just kinda resigned to certain… proclivities of mine.

      yeah… the vidchat is fun, but ‘they’re’ making it more difficult for some reason…it took me, like 15 minutes to even start the thing, my google plus kept crashing on me!

      sans belt! lol

  12. fangboner1 says:

    It is an interesting way to remain grateful for what you do have and an interesting way to create memories to look back on. That walking in the cold to the mailbox. Maybe a little masochistic .

    Ah Vidchat. Friday found me in a pile of goo in bed by seven forty five. if that. It may have been earlier. Truthfully I don’t look at the time quite as often as I probably should.

    • clarkscottroger clarkscottroger says:

      Not really masochistic, but I’m glad you mentioned that item! (Part of the ‘fun’ of writing is, for me, explaining something in print. Not as easy as most of you skilled writer-people make it look!)
      in the case of the barefoot thing, I was trying to communicate the feeling I get from the barefoot/no coat thing as one of appreciating my present state…. (see? that’s pretty clear! lol) For me it’s taking the normal thoughts/feelings of ‘jeez!! it’s fricken pouring, and the rain is cold and my feet feel on fire’ and then bring into mind the feeling/thought ‘there can very well come a day when I would give anything to be able to walk in the rain…’ that is what my barefoot walks are for, helping me to remember, if only for the duration of the walk that I need to focus on what is.

  13. Louise says:

    Sorry?! Walking to the mailbox barefoot? This is me typing ENVY through to you and yours. My kids and hubby built a snow fort today. It was super cute, but I miss summer.

    And Tesla. I listened through. You had me at Tesla.

    • clarkscottroger clarkscottroger says:

      Louise

      ….I totally miss Summer, I hate the cold, the barefoot thing is me causing a part of myself to react/respond a certain way

  14. Carin says:

    I love the walks with my dogs too, usually passed my mailbox and many others’ boxes. :)
    And . . . better late than never posting.

    • clarkscottroger clarkscottroger says:

      totally agree… one of the things that I love the most about dogs is their capacity for total enjoyment of the simplest of things

  15. Kristi says:

    Knowing cold does make one appreciate warm more. Maybe I need to walk to the mailbox in bare feet so I can appreciate the heat of the sidewalk in summer time?

    • clarkscottroger clarkscottroger says:

      It is …artificial, but works. Since you asked…. lol no! seriously, given that you are one of our rogers, I think I should write a Post on this… (it is in the nature of the clark roger relationship that simple topics can give rise to long (and enjoyable conversations)

  16. dyannedillon says:

    #1 Is this like walking Una, or is this a REAL walk, like with feet and everything?
    #2 Can dogs roll their eyes?

  17. Lisa @ The Meaning of Me says:

    I genuinely love that feeling of bare feet connected to the bare earth. But my rheumatoid arthritis also likes not having cold and painful feet! So in the winter, I do kind of struggle a little bit. Gotta find a way to get that connection and grounding that doesn’t involve bare toes in snow and frigid temps.

    • clarkscottroger clarkscottroger says:

      Maybe so poor quality indoor/outdoor carpeting! that has that certain un-even feel, to stimulate the bottom of the feet.

  18. All the outpouring of love! I’m so grateful for you and Denise! I can finally comment. Took the day off work today – was so sick I could barely see straight. I’m getting better now. :)
    Graduation was great. Until I got sick. But oh well. I’m done. And now it’s time to write. Except maybe not til next week. Cuz this time of year is ALWAYS crazy!
    Thanks for the support, the awesomeness that you are, the everythings that make the WD what it is!

    • clarkscottroger clarkscottroger says:

      Very well done! Now that the graduation is done, you can see how the changes integrate and modify your timeline, going forward.
      totally welcome, yo

  19. Kristi Campbell - findingninee says:

    I fell in the room with soft floors at 9:30 this morning after Tucker got on the bus so I don’t blame you for 9pm. Also I didn’t make it. Isn’t it freezing there? And you make Phyllis walk to the mailbox with you every day? Is it super far? You’re awesome. And I am positive that Una gets a kick out of your entrance.

    • clarkscottroger clarkscottroger says:

      cold but no snow which is not as bad (as it might be)… she actually is the one who wants to walk (being a female and all…what is it about walking that you people find so damn attractive?!? I mean if it’s exercise you’re after there are a lot more interesting ways to achieve and elevated cardio….never mind, I think I know the answer) lol

      yeah… I believe Una does (“…here comes the human again! he’s a trip!“)

  20. basicallyb says:

    The blogosphere is indeed, awesome. I forgot just how awesome it could be. Equally as awesome are dogs. Great therapy for free!