If you've got to get stuck on 520...

...do it going eastbound on the bridge. A bit after 6pm, say, when the west sky is just starting to have hints of orange and pink, overhead is bottomless azure, and the east sky approaches sky blue. Fluffy clouds for contrast. If you tire of the sky, the variated greens of the Arboretum and watching the waterfowl along the marsh trail provide ample scenery.

Once you get on the bridge proper you may speed up to 25 or 30 mph. This is fine, allowing plenty of time to appreciate the waves on the lake, check out any boaters, and spot the various parks in between the mansions. You may spot a few hot-air balloons over the Kirkland end of the lake.

And the smells! A childhood of swimming in Lake Washington has made the smell of the lake always enjoyable. I still remember how Green Lake's smell has a hint of algae that Lake Washington's doesn't. Roll the windows down and breathe deeply.

I recommend the 2nd movement of Dvorak's 9th "From The New World" for the stereo, but it's not required.

Busy busy busy

I read several magazines today. Girlfriends stuck primarily to lesbian topics, but Self and Health both had a recurring theme: "We're all so busy". There are endless variations on this theme and lists of what we're "too busy" to do: exercise, eat well, cook for ourselves, read, enjoy friends and family, think.

Are we really?

I know, the unemployed person is not in a position to throw stones. And yes, some people really *ARE* very busy. But I can't help but wonder: What happened to the people who procrastinate? Who lack motivation? Who want to get things done, but put it off? Who figure there's always tomorrow? Magazines used to advertise articles on "Destroying procrastination" and "Do It Now!" on the cover. What happened?

Maybe people got tired of "Do It Now!" and sent death threats to magazine editors.

Still, I wonder. Maybe there's a secret society all sitting in shame, heads down, feeling guilty about not being "too busy". Maybe we're doing anything but what we actually want because we're scared to go for it. Maybe we're scared of proving that we're failures instead of just suspecting it. Who knows?