There is nothing like the jolt of the first Monday after a long vacation. It’s jarring and disorienting in its own special way. It’s like jumping into your place in a marching band in the middle of a performance. (or at least that’s what I imagine it to be as I have never been in a marching band) It’s amazing how you have to remind yourself of your usual routine.
When I was at the Poetry Pharmacy store, I purchased a wonderful card set, called the Emotional Barometer. Many years ago, I attended a workshop that showed how often we don’t know how to describe our own emotions and what they are telling us. In order to get in touch with our own emotions, and in order to have the ability to have empathy for ourselves and for others, we have to get a better description of the myriad of feelings we humans go through in any given day, and what these emotions may be telling us, and what they could mean for us in the way of direction and insight. This card set has a wheel on the front of it, that states twenty different feelings. Today, I considered that here, at this slightly “dazed and confused” moment, I’m feeling kind of “dreamy.”
The corresponding card to “Dreamy” has this to say:
This is like having wonderful cheap therapy in a box!! This wonderful card set/tool box is offered by THESCHOOLOFLIFE.COM I highly recommend this purchase.
Have a great week, friends!! See you tomorrow.
Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.
Here is the question of the day from 3000 Questions About Me:
“Habit is necessary; it is the habit of having habits, of turning a trail into a rut, that must be incessantly fought against if one is to remain alive.” – Edith Wharton
(****On an aside, I first started today’s blog post with “I think that the most important thing . . . ” and then I stopped and I deleted “I think“. Of course I think what I am writing. That is why I am writing it. When I add “I think” it is unnecessary, and makes it seem apologetic and less full of conviction. I remember getting blasted by an English teacher once, for starting every sentence with “I feel”. First of all, feelings are sensations. They are not thoughts. Feelings are a direct result of our thoughts and our actions. Secondly, if I write something, I should be able to stand by it, with conviction. Thank you to all of my wonderful English teachers throughout my schooling. Your lessons were not lost on me. <3 And yes, we writers do feela lot about what we think. I feel. I definitely feel.)
The most important thing about taking breaks from your normal everyday life, whether it be on a trip or even a “staycation” is that you stop digging the rut of your everyday life. A rut is literally “a long, deep track made by the repeated passage of the wheels of vehicles” (Oxford dictionary). Vehicles often get stuck in ruts. So do people. Doing anything differently for a day, or a week, or a month, always changes your perspective to some degree. It gives you insight you didn’t have before. Taking the trail off of the rutted road helps you grow in new directions.
One of the meanings of vacation is this “a respite or a time of respite from something”. Is there something you need to take a respite from in your own life, so you can consider it more carefully? Look at the normal routine of your every day and ask yourself, “Why?” about everything. Be your own annoying five-year-old kid. Why? Why? Why? Why do I make my bed this way? Why do I eat these things? Why do I go to bed when I do? Why do I watch what I watch? Why do I belong to this club or organization? Why do I part my hair this way? Do these “whys” still make sense for me?
When I am on vacation, being the curious person that I am, I am a huge observer. I observe how other people do things. And then I observe my own reactions to my observations. I often start a few new trails in my own life, based on my new observations and my reactions to these observations.
Vacations do not have to be exotic trips abroad. Vacations are just movements away from our own rutted roads. Vacations are respite from our ruts. Give yourself a vacation from just one “everyday thing” in your life today. Journey off the rutted road.
Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.
Here is the question of the day from 3000 Questions About Me:
For some strange reason, my childhood mailman came to mind this morning. (that’s sort of an oxymoron, “mailman- maleman”) His name was Joe and despite living in Pittsburgh, PA the man was always deeply suntanned, before tanning beds became a thing. Joe wore his hair in a pompadour like James Dean and he walked up to each of our homes, as our mailboxes were hung right next to our front doors. He smoked long brown cigarettes as he delivered the mail, and Joe was always friendly to us kids, keeping rubber bands around his wrist and giving them to us when we pestered him for them. Do you remember your childhood mailperson? What about your bus drivers? Your school janitors? Particular teachers? Some people just have a way of “sticking out” in our memories, you know? I’m sure that Joe would have no idea the impression that he made on us little kids. I find this sort of comforting and hopeful. Perhaps in our lifetimes, doing nothing except going about, doing our daily business, we make an impression on more people than we realize. It’s such a good reminder to remember the kind of impression which we would like to make, especially for the little ones coming up in this world. The impressions we leave are our little chinks and marks and nicks on the world. Joe didn’t do anything particularly special, other than to smile and to take the time to pass out a few rubber bands, as he reliably delivered the mail each day in his cornflower blue uniform. And yet still, I remember Joe to this day. He’s probably passed on as I am 53, and I bet that Joe was my age when he was delivering our mail. But he left a mark, and it was a good one. . . .
Do you have something that you do everyday that you so look forward to doing? Do you have morning rituals or evening rituals that are your comfort signatures of the day? I have many, but perhaps my favorite habit is writing this blog almost every single day. It fills me with such joy and a sense of purpose. Thank you for being such a vital part of it. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. That being said, I am headed out on an adventure tomorrow and I won’t be back to writing the blog for over a week. I love writing this blog so much, that I used to take my computer along with me, wherever I went. I’ve written this blog from different states and even different countries. But I have learned from this experience, that it is best for me to fully immerse myself in my adventures, by leaving my daily rituals behind me. I’ve often thought that one of the best parts of travel is when you start to miss and yearn for all of the comforts and joys of home. Leaving home (fully) makes you appreciate it more.
Since I won’t be writing for the next couple of Fridays, I did want to leave you a bonus gift – a favorite of mine! The Insight Timer phone app has some of the best sleep meditations I have ever tried on it. There are so many different courses and guided meditations on this app, and so far, it has all been free. The Insight Timer is one of the most quality apps I have ever downloaded on my phone. Check it out!
If you miss me while I’m gone, please go through my archives. I’ve been writing this blog for several years now. It always tickles me when I see in the stats, years-old blog posts that are being viewed. I think there might be some treasures in there . . . .
Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.
Here is the question of the day from 3000 Questions About Me:
1921. Do you prefer cats or dogs? (I love most animals and my childhood cat is a legend in my mind, but I’m a dog girl at heart.)
“Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.” – Albert Einstein
My daughter and I were just in the elevator with an adorable little girl and her father, at the hotel where we are all staying. She had on a fancy, frilly little violet bathing suit, the kind that I loved to buy for my daughter when she, herself, was a little girl. I asked the little girl if she had gone swimming. “Yes!” she proclaimed with a big smile on her face. “Did you have fun?” I asked her. “Yes!!” she exclaimed even louder and with an even bigger smile on her face.
“Honey,” her father said quizzically. “We haven’t even gone to the pool yet.”
We all giggled a little as the father explained that he and his wife were “mean parents” making their daughter eat her breakfast first.
I said to him, “In her mind, she has already had a wonderful time swimming.”
I’ve seen it again and again in my own life, in the lives of my family members and in the lives of my friends. If you can imagine it, it can, and it often will come into fruition. Even Einstein, it seems, believed in the law of attraction.
I was recently reminded of the old adage that worry is like praying for what you don’t want. For every worry that you let slip into your mind, force yourself to imagine a possibility. Imagine the delight of swimming and playing and laughing and jumping around in a big, luxurious, fancy hotel pool filled with clean, pure, clear, refreshing water of just the perfect temperature, before you have even enjoyed a delicious, delightful breakfast. And then, smile really big. Because with your amazing, beautiful, imaginative mind, you will have the delight of enjoying this pleasure as many times as you want, before you actually even do it.
Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.
Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.
The older I get, the harder it is for me to bounce back from trips and vacations. I feel like I am walking around in a perpetual fog. I have spurts of getting things done, but then a lot of downtime of staring into space. It’s amazing how quickly you forget about the particulars of your daily routine, when you skip it for just a week.
I saw a quote from the American author of A Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L’Engle that I really liked, so naturally I looked her up and I found quite a lot of quotes of hers which completely resonated with me. I think that you will like them, too:
“Inspiration usually comes during work, rather than before it.”
“We can’t take credit for our talents. It’s how we use them that counts.”
“Just because we don’t understand, doesn’t mean that the explanation doesn’t exist.”
“The great thing about getting older is that you don’t lose all of the other ages you’ve been.”
“Truth is eternal, knowledge is changeable. It is disastrous to confuse them.”
Happy Birthday, G! I have been in awe of you since the day you were born. You’re faster. (and your mama adores you)
Friends, we are taking our annual family vacation starting tomorrow. I have honestly blogged through my every vacation and even weekend trips, in these last three years of my blogging. That being said, I don’t hold a rigid boundary on this. I might blog every day or I might not. Please don’t worry about me, and please know that I will be back to my usual form, in about a week or so, if you don’t hear from me, before then. I hope that you are finding ways to unplug this summer! It is the miracle cure for most things.
Throwback Thursday (a link to some of my most read blog posts):
I recently heard a man say that he lives for his vacations. I thought to myself, “That is scary and sad.” First of all, most Americans only get, on average, 2-3 weeks of vacation per year. So that is a lot of pressure and expectation resting on less than one twelfth of your entire year. What if your vacation ends up not being everything you built it up to be in your mind? What if you get sick? What if the venue looks a lot better in pictures than it really does in person? And even if your vacation does end up being a fabulous time, why would the rest of your life (the overwhelming majority of it) be a drab and dreary purgatory, until your vacation time is called?
I started to think that it would be a worthy goal to try to make every day feel like it has a little bit of vacation in it. Now, I recognize that this is easier to accomplish on weekends or other days that are off from work, so I figured yesterday, a Saturday, would be a good day to give it a good college try. I talked my husband (the teenagers at home had their own ideas of what a vacation day looks like, and that idea didn’t include hanging around all day, with mom and dad) into going to a neighboring town and hitting a small museum, a quaint art gallery and lush botanical garden – all three places that have been on my bucket list for quite some time. They were all three inexpensive, yet interesting venues that you didn’t need to invest hours and hours, at each one. The mix of all three made for a circus of the mind. It was like going to different tents for entirely different experiences and expeditions, and all three were easily explored in a short distance of a few walk-able miles, and the venues were explored and devoured in a time span no longer than four hours. We also managed to fit in a delicious meal at an authentic German cafe and had fun conversations with other diners, which ended with the whole cafe singing “Happy Birthday” to Kathy, a sweet elderly woman who was on her way to a baseball game, but she first sat and relished in our off-key, but full of heart and noisy song. My husband and I topped all of this off by splitting a homemade ice cream sandwich, which was made of delicious, creamy homemade ice cream sandwiched in between an award-worthy brownie and a cookie, pressed (yes, and the ice cream stayed cold, don’t ask me how) and then sprinkled with Butterfingers. While, we devoured our treat, we happily watched a little girl and her mother dance in the bubbles that were streaming playfully from a bubble machine that the ice cream parlor’s owners had installed outside of the store. The little girl wore a shirt that said this:
“Everybody Laughs in the Same Language”
When we got home, our kids were at home and still up, so we all cuddled on the couch and watched a movie together. Yesterday was easily a vacation-worthy, memory-filled experience. Now, I realize not every day is going to have the free hours for ambling, and not every day is going to be crisis free. Honestly, right now it feels good to envision the rest of my day, today, as a day at home, resting and getting organized for the week. Still, I refuse to live a life that is only zestfully experienced, two or three weeks out of a year. Yesterday, reminded me that with a little bit of effort, imagination and a “go with the flow” adventurous spirit, and without the tethers of grand expectations, even an ordinary day can feel like a vacation.
I’m headed out early this morning. I am going on a short “getaway.” I was chatting with girlfriends about it, a couple of days ago. I like my destination. I haven’t been there since I was a kid, and I always like to explore new places. However, mostly, I am excited to get out of my element. I’m excited to step out of my own life and to get out of my own routine for a few days. I want to escape for a little bit. “That’s why they are called ‘getaways’,” my wise friend said.
Sometimes I feel guilty about admitting that I want to “get away” from my daily life to other people, and sometimes, I feel guilty admitting that fact, even to myself. It makes it sound like my life is bad and full of drudgery and that just isn’t the truth. All in all, I have a very fine, blessed life. In fact, many times when I am on a getaway, I find myself appreciating my life at home, all of the more. Often times, towards the end of a getaway, I start pining away for home. I see a family laughing together or someone walking their frisky dog and I want to be home with my kids and my pets.
Still, right now, I can’t wait to only have to think about what I am going to eat, at whatever time I want to eat. I like the idea of sleeping in (or not) to whatever time floats my boat, on any particular day. I like the idea of exploring shops, and museums and parks that are unfamiliar and intriguing to me, and not having to try to compromise with a large group of people with diverse interests and moods, as to where to go to next or what to do next. I like the idea of not having to stop whatever I am doing to let the dogs out, once again.
Truth be told, I need this refresher. It is good for me and it is good for my family. Sometimes a getaway is really just about getting-a-way-back-to-yourself. In that way, you have more of yourself to give, when you get back home.
Hi friends!! Happy Friday!!! Yay!!! Yay!!! This blog celebrates Fridays in a light and happy way by celebrating three of my favorite things, ideas, tips, websites, songs, etc., on my favorite day of the week, Friday. Please check out previous Friday posts for other good ideas, and as always, I welcome your ideas and suggestions, in the Comments section.
Today, I am doing a tropical themed Friday. I grew up in Pittsburgh. I know how long and brutal northern winters can get. They are beautiful and cozy, too, I know, but sometimes you just need a break from the cold. My three favorite suggestions today will make you feel like you are on a Caribbean vacation without having to leave the house or spend thousands of dollars. Here we go:
Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess perfume and Escada Agua Del Sol perfume – If you spray either of these scents and close your eyes, you are at the beach. These scents are the essence of tropical vacations all in a little bottle. You can only get Bronze Goddess at certain times of the year at the Estee counter, but that’s okay. That is what eBay is for, right? If you are a perfume hound like me, remember that many times you can buy samples of scents that you would like to try from sellers on eBay at a fraction of the cost of a full bottle. However, these two scents are so wonderful, I recommend a full bottle purchase.
Steel Drum Island Collection CDs – Okay, close your eyes, spray one of the above mentioned scents and listen to one of these awesome, fun CDs and I assure you, you will be transported to an island or the deck of a cruise ship. I like to drive around with my car’s convertible top down, playing these CDs, especially when I pick up friends and family at the airport. Talk about setting the mood! Don’t worry, be happy! That’s what steel drums convey. I like their Volume 1 the best, but they are all good. They may have a digital form, but I still have an old fashioned CD player in my car, so they’re my jam. You can find more information at SteelDrumIsland’s website.
B.B.C. drink – There is a really cool story behind this one and by now, you know that I love stories, so read carefully before I give you the recipe. My husband and I honeymooned almost 25 years ago on the beautiful island of St. Martin/St. Maarten. We were married in October of 1994. When I decided to do a tropical theme for Favorite Things Friday, I went to my special drawer yesterday (we all have a special drawer, right?) and I found what I was searching for – a coaster. This coaster is a cardboard resort coaster, on which our favorite server wrote the recipe for our favorite honeymoon tropical drink. We have kept this coaster for all of these years, and it has made all of our moves. The resort that we stayed in was on the French side of the island and it was absolutely fabulous. The coaster jogged my memory and I decided to look up the resort yesterday, even considering a romantic revisit. It turns out that, sadly, the resort named La Belle Creole was destroyed by Hurricane Luis in 1995 and was never rebuilt. It is now in ruins and is laden by folklore and ghost stories. I told my husband that we broke the mold and I even suggested that maybe we are just ghosts! Anyway, this drink was created before Starbucks took hold. I would say that this drink tastes like a tropical, alcoholic version of a Starbucks iced coffee. Here is the recipe: 1/2 ounces fresh bananas, 2 oz Baileys Irish Creme, 1 oz Coco Lopez (canned coconut product). Blend with crushed ice in a blender. Yummy!!!
Okay, close your eyes, smell the islands, hear the islands, taste the islands! You are welcome!!! Happy Friday, my friends!!
“One of these days I am going to go on vacation and “forget” to come back.” -Margaritaville
