What is a word you feel that too many people use?

A word

That too many people use

Hmm

Anything that isn’t true that causes pain or suffering? Which is never one word…

I can’t think of a single word that I feel too many people use.

Literally? That word was hilarious when Rob Lowe used it on Parks and Rec

Sometimes when I hear someone over use a word it’s funny. Even if they don’t intend to be.

I have nothing. I’m sometimes less a fan of silence. Depends.

What profession do you admire most and why?

Nurses probably.

The nurses I know are very selfless, kind, dedicated professionals. They seem to be a bottomless pit of compassion.

Often they cheer people at their worst.

What is the most important thing to carry with you all the time?

Snacks?

Yesterday I had to speed mow the lawn because there was a very short window between rain storms due to ‘Depression Debby’. Later, in the rain, we loaded branches from the tree we trimmed the other day, into the back of the pickup and made three trips to the dump. This is how we pass the time here. It’s better than staring out the window hoping to see some blue sky.

Unfortunately there were no pressing things to do today, Debby is sticking around. so we decided to take a drive.

It’s actually less rainy in Massachusetts, but no less green.

A little snack is always a good idea on epic road trips to nowhere in particular. I would recommend it.

Describe your life in an alternate universe.

Other dimensions have always fascinated me, quantum physics. I sometimes like to read about the concept of infinite possibilities. Probably philosophy in general because I also read a convincing book about no free will. I probably live in my head more than I ought to. This stuff can inspire some fun conversations with the right people.

I wonder who I’d be if some of my sliding door moments had gone the other way.

So many tiny things affect who we are and how our lives play out. What if we could go back in time and change one or two things?

At the end of the day, I think you just get what you get and do the best you can with it, but what if one change could mean a whole different me?

Are our thoughts, beliefs, lifestyle, preferences etc influenced by where we were born and how we grew up? What does that mean for when we die?Assuming we don’t end, but continue on without a body or culture or any physical senses like sight or sound.

I easily get mind blown over these concepts. Death seems like the ultimate alternative universe. I hope I turn out to be genuinely kind. I guess I mostly just don’t want to be a jerk, or find out I’m one. If I get to choose, I choose to be encouraging and nice to hang out with…

But let’s just, in honor of changing up a few small things, change a few small things today.

I decided I felt like eating toast for breakfast. So I did. I decided I wanted to read a book before going to see the movie when it comes out on Friday. I liked the superficial things I saw on the news about the movie. Fashion, set design. I’ll probably go alone because I don’t yet have a friend to invite along. It might be a cheesey movie, the book isn’t like actual literature, but it’s a fun summer read.

Maybe I’ll just go through today doing things I wouldn’t normally do because, why not? Who will care? Maybe I’ll affect the cosmic dimensional reality of my life’s trajectory. Maybe not, but who would know?

A year from now, I’m completely different because I ate toast and read a book, went to a movie, and let’s see, what else do I feel like doing today?

What’s the most money you’ve ever spent on a meal? Was it worth it?

I used to spend huge amounts of cash on holiday meals. It was one meal, many many one celebration meals, full of tradition and family and deliciousness, there were so many! Were they worth all the time, trouble and money?

Absolutely.

I couldn’t have known then, that those days and with them, those little kids, and all the extended friends and family would pretty much disappear too.

I love my memories of big family meals. I actually enjoyed all the extra work, (with the exception of cleaning ahead of time, deep cleaning has never been my favorite, but it was fun to have a super clean house afterwards, so no regrets there either). My kids helped me shop, prep, decorate.

Every sort of celebration birthday, holiday, accomplishment had its own food, and decor and fun aspects to get inspired by. I don’t know why I find this kind of thing so fun, but we all did.

We had some amazing meals over the years. work? fun? I can’t explain it. I have funny memories of my little capable sou chefs sitting on the counter peeling potatoes, shucking corn, grating cheese. I’d maneuver around, baby in a carrier, kids all over the place helping, music playing, how did they understand all the dynamics of aesthetics and food? They just knew what was important or I guess went along with it. Not surprising that they all grew up to be great cooks who love to celebrate!

One time we prepared for their younger brother’s Star Wars party. My daughter paper macheted a remarkably believable Death Star piñata. The whole week before was our own party. Costumes, they decided would be optional, but for them, super important. Cutest four year old Han Solo ever!

I’m glad for all the time, work, mess, and chaos. I loved piling food in the grocery cart and so did my helpers. I’m so glad for the memories, which funny enough, are more from getting ready, than the actual meal itself.

Worth it? Oh yes! Completely!

Scour the news for an entirely uninteresting story. Consider how it connects to your life. Write about that.

There’s a somewhat uninteresting post that comes up often enough on my insta feed. I’m going to use that instead of an uninteresting AND negative news story. I’m pretty much a big yawn on all the manifesting “learn more” posts, but this one I swipe past with the speed of zero interest every time.

Until today. I decided to google her to see who she was. A TED talk by her came up, so I listened to it.

It’s a good reminder that when you are ready, you’ll ask.

So her advice was simple and perfect for me today

Create a specific dream, visualize it often. Refuse to stay discouraged. Understand that change is uncomfortable but good. Trying to stay comfortable isn’t how to evolve.

Something like that.

Refuse to STAY discouraged! I love that. I can’t decide not to ever become discouraged, if I could, I would. These last few days were impossible. I was sick and exhausted and trying to rally and losing. So much was a struggle, I stepped away and forgot, then feeling terrible, I was back defending the silliest choices. Plus the heat and the level of humidity I’ve never contended with for so long…

But I never have to STAY discouraged! In fact I get to refuse to stay discouraged. Things change. My throat stopped hurting, rain and wind cooled off the day. Life moved.

This was helpful.

Also, my discomfort, it might be okay. I can mostly ignore it. But when I can’t, I can remind myself that change is underway. Change IS happening.