The Art of the Day is: Making choices (buying a car).
This is what has been consuming my thoughts, time and energy. I've had disturbing dreams, but no dreams about cars.
I still have doubts and am second guessing myself... did I look up everything I could? Did I test drive enough cars? Did I let a salesman talk me into something. It's OK. I've come to a decision and I feel relieved. Friends reminded me that my car is not only transportation, but practically my office. This will work.
The Art of the Day is: How to report bad news
I've been watching some of the coverage of the UVT shootings, and I've been hearing about car bombings in Baghdad taking out 80+ people at one time, and I've recently learned of a friend's losing the grandmother she has been actively taking care of, and I don't know. My sympathy is stretched. My sympathy is elastic. Bounce it off me. I can take it. I can't get my head around it, but I know that it needs telling, and that's something I can do.
The Art of the Day is: Taking exquisite care of yourself
Last night on my local PBS channel there was a series of programs on women's health. I also got a message from a cousin, about another cousin who is having serious
consequences from diabetes.
This was more
scary than helpful, but there was one woman in one of the programs who talked about taking better care of herself, of cutting back on stress, and approaching
exercise in baby steps. It reminded me of a friend who used to tell me to take exquisite care of myself, and treat myself like I
was own best friend.
Taking exquisite care of oneself means not overdoing it. Choosing the best (food, activity, people to hang out with). Sleeping well, eating well, dressing well, moving well. Taking the time it takes, or maybe some extra time to do things for my own good, in my own best interest.
In this overlong winter, with too many late storms and grey cold days, it is good to think about being good to yourself.
The Art of the Day is: Meteorology
Lots of weather.
The Art of the Day is: Schmoozing
I am at a job fair. I am one of the "vendors". I have no jobs available, so I am selling them a course.
I am schmoozing, chit-chatting, putting on the charm, such as it is. Once again, my theatre training comes in useful. I am "playing the part of an executive recruiter". Smile. Nod.
I am hiding behind my laptop. Behind the scenes, not really. There is a recruiter here from the State Police. You can tell he's trained to stand "at ease", but his "at ease" is very formal, and he's eagle eyeing everybody. There are at least two styles of salesfolk here. The ones who stand, at meet people at eye level, and the ones who sit and look up at people. This is a very interesting gathering for watching body language. I am amused. It makes it easier to smile. And nod.
The Art of the Day is: Patience
I'm waiting for work to get busy. It's not, and it's requiring a great deal of patience just to stay put and wait. I have patience for some things and not for others, which means some people perceive me as quite patient, and other's perceive me as impatient, based on their own levels and types of patience.
I probably can credit my theatre training for the ability to "hurry up and wait". It comes in handy now and then.
The Art of the Day is: Values Clarification
Over the weekend I got involved in a conversation about what makes home home. Place identity and community and family. I feel fortunate to have had all three. It grounds me. What hangs me up is feeling like I'm disconnected now, that I could be more connected, more involved, more grounded. That I miss people. That there are changes to be made, and resistance to be overcome. That things can be both sad and sweet.
The Art of the Day is: Keeping Passover
Matzoh. Matzoh. Matzoh. Matzoh.
Actually it would be better if I didn't like matzoh. I like it with jam, with butter, with cream cheese and apple butter, with tuna salad, with homemade bruchetta, with melted cheese, in matzoh brie. It's been interesting to see how to eat out on the road and keep Pesadich. It's also been nice to come home and cook things that I only eat this time of year, and even though it's been unusually snowy and cold, so many of them are spring dishes that it makes a real difference. It is a new season.
The Art of the Day is: Making Pesach
I've been at my brother's house making matzoh balls and chicken soup, and going through boxes of stuff we've collected over the years. We have an assortment of private and published Haggadot, picture books, recipe books, song sheets and props. There are dishes that come out especially for Passover, and sets of chairs that come up from the basement. We rearrange furniture to accommodate everyone who needs a seat at the table. We argue about the best recipes for Harroset and brisket, and the salinity of the salt water. We have lots of personal family traditions. Our Seders are pretty lively and multi-media, and yet have an order, like any Seder, that gets a little refinement every year as songs and shtick get set in place. Passover is work, but Passover is fun, and memories built on memories.
This is the Jewish holiday that feels the most like Christmas must feel like to Christians.
