My Eagles won last night, beating Kansas City in a 2nd half surprise victory that had me on the edge of my seat until the final touchdown. And no, Taylor Swift wasn't in the skybox shaking her cakes at the doofus, nimrod, simpleton, Neanderthal, (that's it) she's currently dating, and I'm sure that had something to do with it (just kidding, relax. I like Mr. Taylor Swift!). :)

That and the rise in both the HIVE (and LEO) token prices, bring a smile to my face in these often troubled times.

This has been a season (actually a year), where the unexpected is expected time and time again. So much so, that it has me eagerly looking forward to today, tomorrow, and the year to come. While we may be coming out of a slow time here on Hive, I have noticed that some of us have stepped up to fill in the gaps and keep the platform moving forward.

I've been able to carve out more time in my own busy life to both post and comment more. It's been a sea-change for me compared to just a few months ago when responsibilities kept me away for extended periods of time. For a minute there, I even went several weeks without writing a post, but that feels like a distant memory to me now.

When I woke up this morning (still reveling in the Eagles victory!), I was checking out some of the different Tuesday-morning breakdowns of how the Monday-night game unfolded, when I realized that if I had time for this, I had time to write a post for Hive.

So here we are, yet another surprise.

I had no destination in mind, and it actually felt freeing that way. Unburdened. Just place those fingers on the keyboard and see where it takes me. I think a lot of bloggers put too much pressure on themselves. While creating a decent post takes effort, I'm of the mind that it should never feel like work or drudgery.

What it should feel like is the slow unwrapping of a gift that is unveiled bit by bit. For example, my goal always, is to post seven days a week. But I don't force it. I write when it comes to me, and then I let it pour out onto the screen, and that gives me a good feeling, and a sense of accomplishment that I wouldn't get if I wrote as if punching a time clock.

Know what I mean?

The post length is also a surprise. I have no idea how long this post will be or when it will end, but I'll know it when it gets there. Part of what also spurred me to write today, was a chat I had with a fellow blogger.

He came up with a killer title for his school paper that involved a smooth contrast in the meanings of the words he used. I won't repeat it here, as he deserves the positive attention he'll likely get from that, but it inspired me to write something myself today, and I'm glad I did.

I've also been inspired by some of the amazing photographer we have here on Hive. When I was out yesterday, I kept running into beautiful wide vistas and charming little nooks that would have made for some great photography. Damn this 5-year old phone for not having the hardware I need to take more than just basic photos.

I'd love to join some of these people with nice DSLR's or high-end smartphones with amazing cameras. I saw texture, contrasts, and morphing shadows all around me, just waiting to be captured and shared with the world. I can only do so much with this old moto G Power device that I have, and can't wait for an appropriate upgrade.

Until then, I'll let my fingers do the talking, and make use of the many wonderful surprises that greet me in life each and every day.