Have you ever had a craving so strong that you just had to go out and have it?

It happened to me about a month ago.

It was a Tuesday evening after work. I beetled out of school in order to make it to a Hatha yoga class.

During opening meditation my mind wandered to what to eat for dinner. I refocused on my breath and let the thought drift away. A little while later my subconscious perked up and popped out ‘Steak!’.

What? I eat a lot of vegetarian food. The last time I had steak was over half a year ago when a friend treated me to the Keg for cat sitting for her.

I ignored my mind and welcomed the transition to standing postures.

Downward Facing Dog, Warrior, Triangle – I enjoyed the movement and welcomed the opportunity to realign my body from the kinks formed during the school day.

However, I couldn’t quite focus because my mind kept bringing up steak. My stomach soon joined the chorus by starting to growl.

steak

Steak

STEAK

The message was incessant.

Dinner was decided. But how became the next burning question. I don’t know how to cook steak. I have never made it. I could go to the grocery store after class, research a recipe . . . but by this point I was ravenously hungry.

I decided to expedite the process by simply going out for dinner.

Decision made, craving put aside, I could truly relax in Shavasana.

After class I headed to Cactus Club and was not disappointed. I ordered a four mushroom steak with mashed potatoes and asparagus. It was oh so good (but also oh so expensive).

I don’t know about you, but I am bone tired.

It is as if my body is an automaton

Brain depleted

Body is on auto drive

However yearning to hibernate

Just need to make it through this day

Spring Break starts tomorrow

What comes to mind, dear reader, when you see the word ‘caterwauling’?

Something unpleasant? Off key?

Sounds that just get under your skin and make you want to shriek for the hills?

Lucky you, only seeing this word on this Slice.

I, poor sod, yesterday evening was imbedded in caterwauling.

My community choir director gleefully was teaching us the parts to Lux Arumque. I sitting in in the back row, learning my part for Alto 2, was bombasted by the various dissonant parts. I couldn’t quite figure out where to come in – with eight different parts my ear was being tossed around.

The director assured us that once we learn the song it we be hauntingly beautiful.

I look forward to the day I have appreciation for this song, as for this moment I only have an appreciation for the word that describes our singing process for Lux Arumque: caterwauling.

Lying in bed awake ten minutes prior to my alarm going off, I thought about the word ‘liminal’. I was in a liminal space, reposed and not quite awake, prior to the jolt of music which signals the start of my day.

My grey tabby hopped up on the bed and nestled on top of my chest. He batted my face with his paws, commanding me to pet him, and preceded to purr contentedly. Next he commenced making biscuits with my bosom.

I enjoyed this quiet oh so gentle greeting to the beginning of the day. Then in no time of all, my alarm came alive with the voice and lyric’s of Andrea Day’ Rise Up.

Rise Up I did, the liminal space whisping away, the hubbub pressing forward.

Today’s Slice is a Slice of

NOTHING

I have nothing to give

Depleted

Dead sore fatigued

My sofa is beckoning

Brain frazzled

I think I’ll repose a while

And hope

That I have

A slice of something

To share

Tomorrow

It’s well past my bed time and

I AM WIDE AWAKE

Wired and tired

My brain is a whirling

A hectic week ahead

And

I

Committed

To

Hosting

A

Workshop after school

TODAY

Why?

It’d be good for teachers to have this workshop prior to Spring Break!

I’ve spent today fiddling with One Note, formatting Power Point, and creating a questionnaire using Microsoft Forms.

Now in the wee hours of the night, my brain is shouting, “Do more!!!” ‘Create a survey to collect student voice and then share their input with the attendees

Dear brain, I need slumber.

The laptop is packed away ready for work.

I also have a million and one other things to accomplish during the school day.

And a Slice of Life to compose .

Brain exuberantly shares, “I found your Slice!”

“Why are you awake?”

An extra A . . . did you immediately wonder, Grades?

No, this is not an A for academic excellence.

Nor an A for awesome effort.

Neither is it an A for service.

What it is, is that extra @?%! (insert swear word) A

that auto appears while typing on an IPad or IPhone.

I do not award Apple’s AI an A.

But dear reader, I will award you one if you can explain how to rid me of these excesses of ‘A’s.

What have you read lately that intrigued you and gave you pause for thought? This past week I finished reading An Ocean of Minutes. It’s not a book that would be my first choice, especially with the Corona virus heading towards pandemic stages. But alas, I did not select this book . . . it was one of the book club set available through our public library, where my book clubs meets.

The book is beautifully written with haunting vignettes. If you are willing to be transported into the hearts of others, I recommend you give it a read.

Sweet

Lullaby

Enrobed

Entirely in

Peace

Insanity

Noooooooo not again

Some odd reason

Only my body knows

Makes me

Nix sleep

I wish I had an answer

Aargh