Just between you and me, I’m a bit crabby these days.
If I’m not at the vet with a vomiting dog, then I’m at my own doctor saying, “I’m getting these weird hives…” ( To which my lovely doctor replied, “Oh, sweetie. That’s not hives, that’s shingles.”)
Which are exactly as much fun as advertised, let me tell you.
It’s all been a bit stressful here the past while. Work on Date Square Dharma has ground to a halt, deadlines of all sorts are whooshing by at alarming speeds, every flat surface of my house needs clearing (and possibly disinfecting) and every time I read the news, I have to take deep breaths in order to avoid having an aneurysm from all the rage I’m suppressing.
This is obviously no way to live and since I take a lot of my life advice from Julie Andrews, it’s time for me to do as she says and simply remember a few of my favourite things. In that spirit, here’s my current Top Ten Favourite Things List with a Bit of Gratitude Thrown In for Good Measure :
- Safe Houses: My tiny family are safe and sound after six tornadoes roared through the area a little over a week ago. Many in other neighbourhoods weren’t so fortunate and some of the city was without power for days.
- Health Care: I was able to go to my lovely doctor about my developing case of shingles because I live in a country that provides me with health care in return for my taxes. I was then able to get the absurdly expensive anti-viral medication she prescribed because I have benefits through my job. Everyone should be this lucky.
- Amazing Colleagues: I teach with some inspiring and awesome people, including the fantastic Mrs. Corrigan, who changes tiny lives every day and who embodies what I think is one of the best teaching strategies of all time – be kind, be kind, be kind.
- Hilarious Kids: I am grateful for my students who never fail to make me laugh and specifically for one eight-year-old philosopher who asked this week, “Why do people always say ‘overwhelmed?’ Why isn’t anybody ever just ‘whelmed?'”
- Book Clubs: Because whether you’re there for the wine, the book or a little bit of both, you’re my kind of people. (Also, if you’re just there for the wine, then come sit by me…)
- The Great British Bake Off: Under the guise of research for Date Square Dharma, I have recently obtained DVDs of this very British competitive baking series and am rationing out episodes like medicine to soothe a fever.
- Good Friends: Especially my friend Sonia who has been a pillar in my life since our university days. She finishes my sentences, she calls me on my bullshit and she is ferociously loyal. She is the smartest person I know, she’s astonishingly kind and she can harmonize like nobody’s business – she’s my Indigo Girls duet partner and there’s nobody I’d rather sing with.
- Cool Weather, Warm Sweaters and my Nespresso coffee machine: I mean, it’s right there in my bio. You can look it up.
- Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies: My partner makes these for me and ensures that there is a constant supply in our freezer. That is the sort of thing that makes a twenty year relationship work. Also, she’s an incredible baker so they’re ridiculously delicious.
- The Marvellous Mrs. Maisel: Amy Sherman-Paladino is a goddess and thank goodness she is writing about clever, funny women again. The world can always use more of them.
The shingles will pass. Date Square Dharma will get written. Someday, my house will be clean. (Maybe.)
In the meantime, I’m just going to focus on the good stuff.
Pardon me, I’m off to get a cookie…
P.
P.S. But seriously, if you’re over 50, you might want to think about getting that shingles vaccine. I’m just sayin’…
Sorry to hear you are sick Patti. My theory on Shingles is that is usually comes with stress. Just Saying!! Hope you get better soon. I know how a dirty cluttered house can drag you down, if the house is really causing you stress why not bite the bullet and hire someone to clean for you? There are times when you just have to do it.
Our Memoirs group have disbanded for the winter. Our fearless leader and some of our members head south at different times of the winter. Driving out to Gailes might be an issue as well. We all look forward to reuniting in the spring. I have lots of writing to do but find if I don’t have that commitment every week it gets put aside. My father wrote a memoir of his life and I would love to get it copied onto my iPad. The problem is his writing is so bad I will need a magnifying glass and good strong light to read it. He was left handed and the teacher decided he should write with his right hand.
I love reading your blogs especially the one about where you write about teaching. Which makes me think of another memoir I want to write. Take care and feel better soon. sue
Oh, Sue, you are so right about the stress part….I think that played a big part in my getting so run down.
You’re also right about how much harder it is to get writing done when there is no deadline. I find I actually prioritize writing blog posts over Date Square Dharma, simply because people expect something to be published here once a week.
I’ll bet your Dad’s memoir is amazing. Stick with it! And keep writing!