Sunday, April 30, 2017

Zenith

Well, here it is.
April 30.
I made it through exactly 9 days of the A to Z writing challenge. Okay, technically it was only 8 as I did a combo day...but I am talking linear here. Which brings me to my final letter.
'Z'
ZENITH
The zenith is an imaginary point directly "above" a particular location, on the imaginary celestial sphere. "Above" means in the vertical direction opposite to the apparent gravitational force at that location. Not the television set. ~ Wikipedia ~ okay, I added the part about the television set...
The word Zenith is used to describe the sun's highest point during the day in a given place. Or a person's or group's peak.
Put in non-astrophysical terms, it is the highest point above your head.
Straight up.
The Zenith of a tennis ball thrown upwards indoors is the ceiling. Marked by that black spot in the paint.
The Zenith of a stick carried by a 7 year old while climbing under an electric fence in Grandpa's pasture is approximately 11 feet after touching said fence before arcing back to earth.
The Zenith of a helium balloon escaping a 3 year old's wrist, assuming no wind and propelled by the vacuum of toddler shrieking is un-measurable.
Sky High.
That's pretty darn high.
I am left wondering, today, if I have reached my writing zenith.

I am not sure what happened with this writing challenge. By posting this I feel a little bit like that marathon runner who jumps on the subway, lounges for 13 miles then runs across the finish line.
I had the notes, I had the alarm clock...
I also had a million excuses.
Deer spraying the hostas.
Vacation planning.
A writing app which no longer works on my phone.
Trying to figure out how that Roku stick works.
That Home Design game.
Just to name a few...
But excuses don't really work. Many people manage to make it through with who knows what sorts of adversity. This makes me wonder about my place in the writing world.
But looking back via Facebook I have noticed that April is not a strong writing month for me. There are numerous references to attempting to finish various projects, staring at blank pages.
Considering today's post ~ Zenith ~ reading that definition, it occurred to me that if I allow myself to believe that I have peaked, reached that astrophysical, mental Zenith is something akin to giving up. I have absolutely no idea how high above my head I can reach. I won't know until I am at it looking downward.
And current situation?
I like looking up.
Which is a huge part of the philosophy of a Landlocked Beach Bum.
Always look up.
This moment, this day might suck like a black hole.
But, you never know what great moment will happen next.
If the sun gets a Zenith daily, then so should you. 
One of my favorite looking up photos. the possibilities are endless...
(Don't start with me, scientists. I know that you all feel that the sun doesn't really have a Zenith, it is more of a spatial, location thing. But I marched for you so just give me a break here.)
Looking up at the St. Louis United States Courts building during the March for Science. One of my favorite pics from the day.
And of course, I can't possibly write the word Zenith without pointing out that the ultimate home entertainment system back in the olden days of the 60's and 70's was the Zenith television. Complete with tubes which could be damaged by all the magnets we played with and a dial which made an awesome clicking sound when zipped from channel 3 to channel 47.
???
Did we own a lot of magnets?
Why was there a channel 47? There were only three stations and occasionally that weird UHF channel.
It was this exact discussion, about old time television, that brought me back to my love of writing and the permeating quality of entertainment.

So onward and upward.
'Keep Looking Up' as Neil DeGrasse Tyson says.*
Let's keep moving toward our own personal Zeniths.
Just avoid those magnets.
You never know....
*Take that people of science. Oh, and a few more pics from the March for Science, a non-partisan effort to raise awareness. This was my first March. About time, considering I began my social awareness career as a 10 year old in the secret room of the chicken coop....
Gathering

Waving Flags
It was a well behaved crowd, except for that T-Rex.
One of the oldest marchers

Marching down Market Street. St Louis
Science and Modern culture do mix

Science is clever.

Two of my personal favorite marchers.

Coast of Illinois's SECRETS to a Landlocked Beach Life***
Z - Zenith, the sky's the limit. Never stop reaching
G and H - Life Happens...and keeps on happening...
F- F-Flip Flops. Love them, wear them, don't call them Thongs. 
E - Extravagance, everyday should be so
D - Drinks, may all your responsibly enjoyed drinks be boat/beach drinks*


This post is part of the A to Z Challenge. Click on the link, page down to the comments and check out some of the other posts from participants!  (So, I was a little late this time, Friday became my day off, rather than this coming Sunday. It took awhile to dig the Flip flops out of the closet...)




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