Some perspective

When I first started blogging, a little over a year ago, I started my online writing adventure as a way to 1) mark events/thoughts/experiences at a point in time of my own life, and 2) to share those events/thoughts/experiences with others. Some months I blogged more than others. I've noticed a trend lately that I haven't been blogging as often, pretty much because, unless there's something actually going on (trip, event, etc.), I'm not sure what to blog about. Which makes me wonder...is my life totally boring? AM I totally boring? Do I not have thoughts/feelings/opinions about things going on (that aren't necessarily travel or event-related)?? Ack!!! Talk about pressure!!!

So, some random things that are on my mind lately...

1) I'm trying to find more 'joy on the job'--I have a good position, a great boss, a comfortable work environment--sounds like it should be enough to keep me joyful and content, right? Right. But, some days I really have to work at the joyful and contentment part. And some days I'm not very good at it and I have this internal dialogue with myself that goes something like this: "Girl--get it TOGETHER! You are where God wants you to be, right here, right now, and He has a plan and purpose for your life! Stop being so selfish!"

2) I'm getting tired of freeway/rush hour driving. Let me amend that--I'm getting tired of freeway/rush hour driving when my destination is church (45 miles from home round trip - a route I take 3x/week), or work (20 miles from home round trip - a route I take 5x/week ). It seems that I don't mind the driving at all when my destinations are say, the mall, or homes of friends and family. I miss the days, back in South Dakota, when I lived across the street from my office, and within walking distance of my church. (I do not however, miss the snow/ice/cold of living in a northern state!) I don't have an ipod, or a CD player in my car, so it could be that I'm getting tired of listening to the radio (NPR and the classical music station are my go-tos now--everything else just sounds the same). I think a run to the library for some books on tape is in order (do they even make books on tape anymore?!?).

3) I attended a lecture a few weeks ago featuring a presentation by the provost of the institution where I work. The presentation was on food and the research the provost is doing in food psychology--the title of her lecture was "Why we like the foods we do: the Good, the Bad & the Fattening." Though I originally went, basically to see the provost in person, the lecture was actually really interesting and informative. Some of my take-aways: the more you eat something, the more you'll like it; candy is basically sugar and butter; kids will eat vegetables if you flavor them with something sweet/fatty like cream cheese and sugar--eventually faze out the sweet/fat and they'll still eat the veggies because their body has been conditioned to like them; giving rewards for food consumption is not a good way to train kids to eat their green beans (ie, if you eat your green beans, you can have dessert, etc.). At one point the presenter made a comment that she rarely, if ever, goes out to eat--that she loves to cook and prefers to cook with fresh/natural ingredients (she also mentioned she's currently working on a cookbook). I was fascinated by this comment, mostly because I eat out a lot--sometimes at least 5 days/week (take-out, etc.), and even those days when I do eat at home, it's usually one of four things: cereal, frozen pizza (or some other type of frozen meal), crepes, or salad. Boring--yes. Easy to clean up and plan for--yes. I know some people just love to cook, but cooking for one, and then being left with all the clean-up is, for the most part, just not worth the effort to me. I do try, on occasion, to whip out a new recipe (with sometimes mixed results)--on the one hand, I wish I cooked more, but on the other hand, cooking exhausts me and I'd rather expend my energies elsewhere!

I've read lots of blogs where the author goes through a dry-spell, has writer's block, or is busy with other things in life. I suppose I don't really believe that my life is boring but maybe I'm just going through my own drought season...waiting for spring! Which makes me think of the lyrics to the song 'Make Our Garden Grow', from Candide (an operetta composed by Leonard Bernstein in the 1950s).

MAKE OUR GARDEN GROW - from Candide

You've been a fool, and so have I,
But come and by my wife.
And let us try, before we die,
To make some sense of life.

We're neither pure, nor wise, nor good;
We'll do the best we know.
We'll build our house and chop our wood
And make our garden grow,
And make our garden grow...

I thought the world was sugar cake,
For so our master said.
But now I'll teach my hands to bake
Our loaf of daily bread.

We're neither pure, nor wise, nor good;
We'll do the best we know.
We'll build our house and chop our wood
And make our garden grow,
And make our garden grow...

Let dreamers dream what worlds they please,
Those Edens can't be found.
The sweetest flowers, the fairest trees
Are grown in solid ground.

We're neither pure, nor wise, nor good;
We'll do the best we know.
We'll build our house and chop our wood
And make our garden grow,
And make our garden grow.