Yesterday, I got my best writing done before noon, without any music, because I had to stay laser-focused since I knew I had to leave the house at twelve. By the time I got home mid-afternoon, I was tired and drained*, though I did work a little bit more in the evening before I had to call it a night.
So this morning, I took a suggestion from the book that launched Tiny Tuesdays in the first place.
It wasn’t quite as glorious as it looks with the Instagram filter, and it was more brunch than breakfast (because I have to wait at least an hour to eat or have any dairy products after my first meds of the day, I usually forget to eat and end up doubling up breakfast/lunch, then have a snack mid-afternoon to tide me over until dinner). One egg that was supposed to be over-easy, but I broke the yolk so ended up scrambling it, a mini bagel with cream cheese, a small apple, two strips of bacon (halved so I could fit them in my favorite small frying pan), with coffee, water, and a wee glass of orange juice.
This is the music from yesterday. I have more Fleetwood Mac, but there were a lot of repeats found on the CDs I’d previously listened to, so I finally moved on to the “G”s. Who’s up next, I wonder? (For part of it, my timing is perfect, because Tom is working in the office today. He wasn’t at all excited about maybe having to hear one of my favorite bands from my early teens. He doesn’t mind when my iTunes shuffles them in an occasional song at a time, but entire CDs in one sitting are a nope for him. 😂)
Fleetwood Mac, Behind the Mask and The Dance; Peter Gabriel, US.
ETA: *I’d forgotten to put a note about one reason I was drained. Too much news. I get so exhausted by our national news when I see news from other parts of the world–like southern Turkey and northern Syria right now, dealing with the devastation and loss of life from earthquakes. So many parts of the world have to cope with those things when they are already reeling from humanitarian crises. Here, we have so much and often give so much, at home and abroad, but we behave so deplorably toward one another within our borders. Even bringing these things up publicly, one runs the risk of accusations of performative politics, being “woke,” being a sheep and a “libtard.” If that’s what compassion and hope and the occasional plea for awareness, kindness, and education are, I reckon I’m guilty.
*Guilty? Of a crime of kindness? I guess I am too.
Solidarity!
I have really tried to avoid news period while I am here as I need to be strong, strong and determined for my recovery. I just don’t have the luxury, if you can call it that, to feel badly about anything right now, I can’t even wallow in self pity right now, and things are rough… . All I think about is my story and getting a bike. Still the earth quake and a national news story seep in. I’ll catch a commentator flipping through the channels and hear them complaining about something that is trivial, at least to me, in comparison. It grosses me out
Self care has to be a priority, especially for people who are empathic and/or creative (creativity to me depends on being able to connect to the human condition). A lot of those most affected by… let’s call them current events or hot topics… in this country are enduring not only public shaming, defamation, and disinformation, but get the same from people they’ve trusted or should be able to trust. Sometimes people have to shut out the noise not because they’re indifferent, but as part of their own mental, emotional, and physical health.