Wednesday, March 30, 2011

What I do while waiting for "the next great thing to come along"

* drink another cup of coffee with soy milk and peppermint syrup
* take a nap
* go for a walk or a bike ride
* send a text just cuz
* put on some loud music and dance all by myself
* recall times in my life when I have been brave and strong and not easily shaken
* climb into bed and have a good cry
* make a really strong gin & tonic and drink it with gusto
* journal - filling page after page with ungratefulness and anger and curse words whenever necessary
* listen to podcasts of poignant words and soothing music
* try to figure out if "giving up my expectations" is different from "giving up hope"
* put on my favorite new dress with great jewelry and bask in the gorgeousness
* pray: "help, help, help!"
* daydream about passionate kisses and tender caresses
* stare out the window at the grass and flowers and trees and rocks and squirrels, especially the squirrels
* lie down on the couch in the dark and scratch the dog's back
* tell the truth about what I need and what I will no longer tolerate - tell myself first of all
* watch videos on youtube
* listen to the sounds of spring without comment
* have a tall glass of ice water
* take my vitamins
* reread passages from favorite books
* remind myself that I am not alone
* blog-surf
* have a long phone call with a dear and distant friend
* declutter
* make a stop at Good Will to drop off boxes and bags of stuff on my way to the gym
* break a good sweat
* clip images from magazines and glue them into my journal
* say, "Sorry, but I can't. I've already got plans for that day...night...weekend...year"
* reread travel journals
* light a sandalwood candle
* remember good times with my father - who passed away ten years ago
* pull out sharpie markers and write things in big, messy letters on the pages of my homemade art journal
* reread Love Wins and breathe a sigh of relief at the profound truth of it: love wins
* accept the love that comes my way and rejoice when others receive the love they need
* listen to Rezandovoy
* stare at my kids when they aren't looking at me
* engage in escape fantasies, elaborate ones
* make lists of things I'm grateful for
* lie down on the floor and stare up at the ceiling
* smile at and talk to strangers
* recall where each of the elephants in my collection came from
* remember that times of sadness and loneliness are not good times to make big decisions
* watch college basketball on television
* laugh out loud as often as possible
* look at photo albums and events on my computer
* pray: "thank you, thank you, thank you!"
* watch favorite movies in small chunks while I iron and fold laundry
* feel completely sorry for myself - feel every fiber of my being cringe and flinch and writhe
* accept an invitation to attend a concert
* fold the next load of laundry
* study that long list of irregular Italian verbs and do my homework before Thursday night's class
* scrub the shower tiles
* make dinner
* shut my mouth and walk away
* be "the next great thing" that comes along
* stop trying so hard

1 comment:

Semi-A said...

First to comment!
And cosign on everything on your list especially:

-on the drinking gin & tonic with gusto Aunty. No I don't care how that sounds or makes me appear.

-telling the truth about what I need and will no longer tolerate (because for me in this life nothing is easier said than done)

-dropping stuff off at Goodwill. Although I can't help shopping in it and hitting the jackpot afterwards;-)

-journal, JOURNAL, a diario! The black croc-skin esque one you gave me at my high school graduation is has been abused, neglected, misrespresented, taken for granted blah blah blah - I'm just gonna buy a big fat one next time I hit up B&N, one of my sanctuaries.

-pray "thank you, thank you thank you!" (not always on my knees or with my eyes closed)

-accept an invitation to a attend a concert - or just hit up one yourself (I'll be seeing Sade and John Legend on Thursday) The band will also be in Charlotte too if you and S, K and D are interested.

I think you might have forgotten about one our favorite pasttimes - traveling. And, violently sweating and juking it out with glow lights at a rave;-) Although you might be too old for that..or are you?

Te amo mi tía.