Watching: Okay is it just me not paying attention or is this the first year that shows are getting a little crazy with these winter finales? What is the point? And don't these television networks know that the dead of winter is precisely when I want to snuggle up on the couch with a mug of something hot, and watch my favorite shows?
Thinking about: This quote: "Your personality is not set in stone. You may think a morning coffee is the most enjoyable thing in the world, but it’s really just a habit. Thirty days without it, and you would be fine. You think you have a soul mate, but in fact you could have had any number of spouses. You would have evolved differently, but been just as happy. You can change what you want about yourself at any time. You see yourself as someone who can’t write or play an instrument, who gives in to temptation or makes bad decisions, but that’s really not you. It’s not ingrained. It’s not your personality. Your personality is something else, something deeper than just preferences, and these details on the surface, you can change anytime you like. If it is useful to do so, you must abandon your identity and start again. Sometimes, it’s the only way. Set fire to your old self. It’s not needed here. It’s too busy shopping, gossiping about others, and watching days go by and asking why you haven’t gotten as far as you’d like. This old self will die and be forgotten by all but family, and replaced by someone who makes a difference." Wow, right? Pretty amazing. So often I feel like it's easy to get caught up in this idea of "well, this is who I am- it is what it is," and become complacent. But if you really, really take a step back and look at your life it actually is possible to be or do whatever you'd like. I think about Julia Child, who started cooking when she was 32. THIRTY TWO! Amazing, and such a reminder it's never too late to switch gears or focus in on what we already we know we love. I've been thinking about this idea a lot lately- thinking about my identity and what I've told myself I am, or what I can do.
Listening to: Christmas music, of course! I actually wanted to ask all of you if you had any favorite Christmas albums, I'm kind of stuck in a rut with my old favorites and would love some new music to enjoy for the next couple of weeks. Right now (and every year) I listen to the classics: Elvis, Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, etc. But do you have any more contemporary favorites?
Excited about: BABIES! Last week our good friends Janay and Danny had their baby, little Harper! She's beautiful and I'm so excited to meet her. Then of course my sister is due so soon, and Andy too. And I feel like a million blog friends are all expecting or just having their little ones. I swear, there's just something in the air...
Reading: I just started a new book called Driving the Saudis, which is subtitled "A Chauffeur's Tales of the World's Richest Princesses." Interesting right? It's a different kind of read for me but I stumbled upon it randomly and had to give it a go. I'll keep you posted!
Also thinking about: I came back to this space tonight hoping I could somehow figure out what to blog about. I type and type, and erase and erase. Everything I write sounds so trivial- it's all so meaningless and I feel ridiculous trying to add my two cents to something that cannot be put into words. I feel like I have no right to even comment on it- I can't even begin to imagine the magnitude of that sadness those families are feeling over the loss of their beautiful children and teachers, and I feel foolish even trying to attempt to do so. I don't know, I just feel like everything up there I wrote last week when I started this post doesn't matter. My heart physically aches for these families, for their loss, for everything they'll never get to experience, and I know that nothing I or anyone else is feeling even compares. But I wish I could help, do something, somehow send love to these grieving people. I wish, I wish. And I don't know how to even put this in words but it's times like this I feel even more strongly about my own non-religious beliefs. I don't want a debate about it, I know some of you believe and some of you don't...but I don't understand how this could happen if there is a god. I just don't. And I'm sorry if that offends anyone, but I try and wrap my brain around it- how if there was a god, how he could "allow" this to happen, and then we are supposed to pray to him about it? I don't understand. I really, really don't. And to be honest, I wish I did.
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So, how about you? What are you up to today? Feel free to do your own "currently" post on your blog and link back in the comments for everyone to check out. And thanks again to my dear friend Megan for providing the original inspiration for these posts.