Wow, I didn't make it very far towards my goal to blog every day before I fell off the wagon! It's almost been a week since I last wrote and I'm beginning to wonder if I should have tried to be more realistic, as life seems to be taking on a more rapid pace as we step into the second half of summer.
I have been taking the time to reflect on my sources of gratitude every day, even if I haven't taken the time to make it to an actual computer to get it all down. I also feel silly so much of the time, knowing that I'm sharing this primarily for me, as I don't expect others to necessarily read my ramblings. But it's about holding myself accountable, to really find new reasons to reflect and be grateful every day, and for some reason, putting it out there for the public to see helps me do that.
So here, I'm transcribing my different thankfulness-es from the chicken-scratch notes I wrote in my various journals and daily planners for the past few days. Hopefully I can be better moving forward!
Day 97 (Friday): Okay, this might sound silly - but as I was pulling my sparkling-clean, piping hot dishes out of the dishwasher in the morning, I had a rush of gratitude. Yeah, it's wonderful to have a dishwasher that works after years of subpar dishwashing experiences, but more than that, I'm grateful to my in-laws, Bev and Larry, who were thoughtful enough to salvage it for us from a home they were doing work on, drag it all the way to Minneapolis, take out our old, gross one, and install it for us, for free. Every single time I put a dish in that dishwasher, I'll remember that my in-laws are the kind of people who are willing to install appliances for their loved ones when they drop in for a visit. That's pretty inspiring to me - I also hope to be the type of person whose joy comes from helping the people I love.
Day 96 (Saturday): Summer - and it's already half-over! Travis and I sat outside and played Scrabble by the fire as we watched a rare blue moon rise over our neighborhood. This is my favorite time of year, when the crickets are chirping and the flowers are already starting to look a little rough-around-the-edges. It feels like the part of the party where the dancing is dying down and everyone settles in for genuine conversation.
Day 95 (Sunday): Minneapolis - I'm sure I could write volumes about why I am grateful for Minneapolis, but today Travis and I took advantage of one of the city's coolest summertime traditions - Open Streets. There have been a few different Open Streets in various locations across the city already this year, which are basically block parties that go on for many blocks. The streets are closed off to all but foot and bicycle traffic, and a temporary marketplace of food trucks, vendors, activists, and entertainers take over. I walked 6 miles and very nearly kissed the front stoop of my house when I got home! Me and Bartleby were both exhausted after a day-long walk in the sun.
Day 94 (Monday): Quiet - I know that this time of peace and quiet is short-lived, but it is wonderful to just sit in the morning with the windows open, listening to the cicadas as I plan my week.
Day 93 (Tuesday): Singing - I finally finished my last vocal bits for the Lovely Dark album, and I was so grateful that my voice is still going strong, even with a little baby nestled up against my lungs! When I perform, it's the closest I ever really get to that Zen feeling, that sense that I'm experiencing the very heart of a moment, and everything else just kind of moves around me. It's important for me to remember to keep finding opportunities to sing in front of people, to never lose that, even as it gets harder to find opportunities.
And that brings us (almost) up to date!
I have been taking the time to reflect on my sources of gratitude every day, even if I haven't taken the time to make it to an actual computer to get it all down. I also feel silly so much of the time, knowing that I'm sharing this primarily for me, as I don't expect others to necessarily read my ramblings. But it's about holding myself accountable, to really find new reasons to reflect and be grateful every day, and for some reason, putting it out there for the public to see helps me do that.
So here, I'm transcribing my different thankfulness-es from the chicken-scratch notes I wrote in my various journals and daily planners for the past few days. Hopefully I can be better moving forward!
My Father-in-law, Larry, and Mother-in-law, Bev
Day 97 (Friday): Okay, this might sound silly - but as I was pulling my sparkling-clean, piping hot dishes out of the dishwasher in the morning, I had a rush of gratitude. Yeah, it's wonderful to have a dishwasher that works after years of subpar dishwashing experiences, but more than that, I'm grateful to my in-laws, Bev and Larry, who were thoughtful enough to salvage it for us from a home they were doing work on, drag it all the way to Minneapolis, take out our old, gross one, and install it for us, for free. Every single time I put a dish in that dishwasher, I'll remember that my in-laws are the kind of people who are willing to install appliances for their loved ones when they drop in for a visit. That's pretty inspiring to me - I also hope to be the type of person whose joy comes from helping the people I love.
Day 96 (Saturday): Summer - and it's already half-over! Travis and I sat outside and played Scrabble by the fire as we watched a rare blue moon rise over our neighborhood. This is my favorite time of year, when the crickets are chirping and the flowers are already starting to look a little rough-around-the-edges. It feels like the part of the party where the dancing is dying down and everyone settles in for genuine conversation.
A very mysterious moonlit game of scrabble
Day 95 (Sunday): Minneapolis - I'm sure I could write volumes about why I am grateful for Minneapolis, but today Travis and I took advantage of one of the city's coolest summertime traditions - Open Streets. There have been a few different Open Streets in various locations across the city already this year, which are basically block parties that go on for many blocks. The streets are closed off to all but foot and bicycle traffic, and a temporary marketplace of food trucks, vendors, activists, and entertainers take over. I walked 6 miles and very nearly kissed the front stoop of my house when I got home! Me and Bartleby were both exhausted after a day-long walk in the sun.
Day 94 (Monday): Quiet - I know that this time of peace and quiet is short-lived, but it is wonderful to just sit in the morning with the windows open, listening to the cicadas as I plan my week.
Day 93 (Tuesday): Singing - I finally finished my last vocal bits for the Lovely Dark album, and I was so grateful that my voice is still going strong, even with a little baby nestled up against my lungs! When I perform, it's the closest I ever really get to that Zen feeling, that sense that I'm experiencing the very heart of a moment, and everything else just kind of moves around me. It's important for me to remember to keep finding opportunities to sing in front of people, to never lose that, even as it gets harder to find opportunities.
And that brings us (almost) up to date!
