I’ve been thinking today about how, at a time when there is so much emphasis on “out with the old, in with the new” and so many people are caught up in the need to make BIG CHANGES simply because new calendars have been cracked open, I actually find great comfort in ROUTINE. So instead of writing a “to do” list elucidating all the things I want to start and/or accomplish in the coming months, I am choosing to highlight the routines I want to maintain, the ones I find most pleasurable.
- Making espresso in the morning, and sipping it while sitting by the window and contemplating the palm tree – not enough to join the International Palm Society, but just enough to appreciate nature’s quirky nature. I may alternate with tea this year, but the jury is still out on that one.
Pure Pleasure from a Bean
- Waking up to the cat sleeping on my back, and being more concerned about not disturbing her than about how long the alarm clock has been ringing or how late I’m going to be to work.
Cutest Robot Alarm Clock
- Flossing my teeth. The pleasure comes from the consequential lack of bloody gums, avoidance of guilt trips from my dentist at my twice-yearly check-up, and desire to keep my real breasts.
- Hiking up to the Hollywood Sign on Saturdays, and having visiting tourists help me remember that some of the glitter here is gold. La La Land can get a little tarnished around the edges with the sheer abundance of smog, skinny, spending and celebrity.
Skinny Celebrity on a Smoggy Day
- Getting together with my Circle Girls on Sundays to debrief about the week that was, prepare for the week that will be, and laugh, laugh, laugh. I know it’s cliche, but girlfriends are the best mood altering and/or mood enhancing drug on the market.
Created by Sven Geier
- Waiting until I’m wearing the last clean pair of undies before doing laundry. There’s a much greater sense of accomplishment achieved after doing six loads of laundry than after doing only one.
No More Clean Clothes
Yep, there’s nothing wrong with a little routine, even some ritual, to ensure every day is pleasurable. What routines do you maintain to keep a smile on your face?
justjp
/ January 5, 2009Ha! I totally agree. Good on ya.
justjp’s last blog post..Resolutions are for the weak
lemmonex
/ January 6, 2009Try as I may, I don’t think I will ever fully get in to tea. I can definitely get behing some coffee though!
lemmonex’s last blog post..Ask Lemmonex: The Weight Post
emmajames
/ January 6, 2009JP: Yep, seems like we are most definitely on the same page!
Lemmonex: I never promised to get fully into tea, but it makes for a good balance when my eyes start twitching and I can no longer feel my toes due to that special blend of acid and bean-derived caffeine that espresso provides.
egan
/ January 7, 2009Your final entry on this great list is awesome. I do the same thing so often. It’s precisely why I’m well dressed today because my normal “casual” clothes are all dirty in a laundry pile.
My first love is tea. Coffee has given tea a run for its money the last couple years, but tea is gaining strength again.
Who is this sassy brit? She’s pretty funny. Please, keep flossing your teeth.
egan’s last blog post..Riding Shotgun with Al
emmajames
/ January 7, 2009Egan:
The sassy girl in the video is actually from Down Under. Her name is Alex and she has a bunch of awesome YouTube videos filed under the ScissorFilm Channel. Love her!
I must admit I’m a little weirded it out by my new compulsion for tea. I am a true coffee aficionado, I dig the whole experience, but for some very odd and inexplicable reason that I refuse to examine, I’m finding myself more and more drawn to mint tea with a dash of soy milk. Odd.
And I’m confused. I thought when one had a full family, the laundry was always getting done. Is this one more myth to be bashed?
egan
/ January 8, 2009Crikey, she’s an Aussie? Oh man, that’s a big time faux pas. I got to listen again and see where I went wrong. That’s almost as bad as calling an American a Canadian… perhaps not.
Tea is good. It doesn’t have the amazing smell you get with coffee when you grind the beans, but it’s so calming. It’s more of a leisure beverage whereas coffee is all about the buzz. I love mixing mint tea with green tea, it’s the bomb.
Nope, laundry is never done. It’s so rare that’s it’s clean, folded, and in a drawer. We have laundry issues in this household. I will spare you.
egan’s last blog post..Riding Shotgun with Al
egan
/ January 8, 2009I guess she is an Aussie upon further review. Oops, I missed that one. Can we call it even?
egan’s last blog post..Riding Shotgun with Al
egan
/ January 8, 2009I think you should know I’m now hooked on these YouTube videos. She’s a hoot and does some very nifty video editing.
egan’s last blog post..Riding Shotgun with Al
emmajames
/ January 10, 2009Egan: Glad to see you are hooked on Alex’s YouTube videos!
I agree. They are pretty fantastic. And we can most definitely call it even!
egan
/ January 13, 2009parfait!
egan’s last blog post..Let’s Get it Started