Unattended

Neglect, neglect, neglect!

I have not forgotten, I have just gotten sidetracked. Re-tracked by an issue of Real Simple, which happens to be my favorite magazine. I spent 20 minutes in the magazine aisle of the grocery store today, trying to find a good magazine about healthy eating or healthy moving or something. But after about six or seven new magazines, I decided to go to my favorite magazine instead. Real Simple always gives me something to think about.

I'm reading in bed, to try to wind down (but also watching Reno 911! so it's a half-hearted effort at winding down) and the question of the month was "What do you do to cheer yourself up?" Readers responded with a variety of different things, and I started thinking about what I do.

I don't have a thing I consistently do to lift my spirits, but maybe I should. One reader said she sets a timer for 20 minutes, and vents for 20 minutes, when the timer goes off, it's done. I don't do that, but I've done it. Ranted to a friend, gotten everything out, until I felt empty enough that I felt better. I look at pictures of kittens. I go for a walk. Or a drive. I want to make a list of the little things that always settle me down and cheer me up. I pretty consistently listen to "Learn to Be Still" by The Eagles. It doesn't cheer me up, but it does settle me down and remind me that I need to slow down and figure everything out.

Hooray figuring it out!

A project in the near future will be a list of things that lift my spirits. Small things. It's good to know what those things are, in case you ever need a list in a really upsetting moment.

In addition, Real Simple has an article "5 Things You Shouldn't Say to a Recent College Graduate." Thank you, Real Simple, for giving good advice to people everywhere!

It's time for bed.