I like... (Part 1)

2012 has not been my favorite of years so far. There has been much to cause despair and worry, stress and pain. When a few big things go bad, it becomes easier to only all the bad things. It’s the beauty and comfort of confirmation bias. Instead, as I meander through this early and astonishing spring, I want to try to remember that there is so much more to life, and there are many, many things that are good.

I like...
Distinguished men in dashing hats
Drinking beer and wearing a tiara while cleaning the house
The sound of chickadees in the morning
The freshly-painted ceiling and walls in my bathroom
Cooking in a calm, clean kitchen
Watching planes take off and land
Curry, onions, and garlic... (now, kiss me)
A dark pint after a task well done
Poetry
Making lists and crossing things off
Arts and crafts bungalows
Glimpses of red rooms in houses as I walk through my neighborhood at night
Old neon signs
The line between dirty and clean
Spring and autumn
Seeing how many things I can remember from a grocery list without looking
The green watercolor wash of early spring
New music by beloved artists that sends you back into their old music
Large scale public works projects that benefit a significant cross section of society
Late breakfast with friends after a good party
Paying bills
The smell of coffee beans
Sun-warmed cement
Driving the speed limit

Busy Busy

In the past two days, I have re-loaded software onto two of our computers, coming closer to restoring them to their former glory; assembled and filled two sets of shelves in the basement; done the laundry, vacuumed and shampooed the living room rug; cleaned the bathroom, including scraping and painting the ceiling and the walls in half of the space; made two runs to the compost yard; taken care of the money; cooked dinner; kept up with the kitchen (it could use a deep cleaning); cleaned the cat box; taken three career assessments online; applied for the "Dislocated Worker" program; taken care of my unemployment insurance reporting; transcribed information from the SWOT analysis portion of the diversity strategic planning process I am involved in at my former place of work; taken out the trash; kept up with my four email accounts; taken Finn back and forth to day care twice; and gone to Irish class.

I feel like there is more as that does not seem to cover the busy-ness I have been experiencing, and I feel like I could or should have done more. As of now, I am jotting down this note, Pete is at band rehearsal, and Finn is watching vintage Superman cartoons on the iPad. We are about to make popcorn.

How did I ever have time for a job?