In spite of all the things-things-things to do at home, it was necessary to slip away for a few days. I was having anxious dreams every night - of being late or being trapped or being chased or of things exploding. I was restless and unfocused. And I owed a visit to a friend who had just moved from California to Grand Marais - which happens to be much closer than California and also one of my favorite places on planet earth.
So I looked at my calendar last week, saw a window, and took it.
I'm glad Liz Lemon was around for my 20's.
“I want someone who will be monogamous and nice to his mother. And I want someone who likes musicals, but knows to just shut his mouth when I’m watching “Lost.” And I want someone who thinks being really into cars is lame, and strip clubs are gross. I want someone who will actually empty the dishwasher instead of just taking out forks as needed – like I do. I want someone with clean hands and feet and beefy forearms, like a damned Disney prince. And I want him to genuinely like me. Even when I’m old. And that’s what I want.”
Liz Lemon, 30 Rock - Lee Marvin vs. Derek Jeter
Lately, I've been the first time I heard the morning call to prayer in Istanbul.
I remember waking up to a haunting, tinny, megaphone song floating in through our window.
I remember being confused and scared for a few seconds ... until I was awake enough to realize that I was in Turkey and it was normal.
I remember my mind turning - as it does - to the things it wanted to be anxious about on that trip (bird flu, political violence, money, homesickness).
I remember the sheets on the bed - a comforter covered with a clean, white duvet and no top sheet.
I remember sitting up and looking out the window and the sky being silvery gray with mist and the cool light that comes before dawn.
It’s been 9 years but suddenly it is as if it happened last Tuesday.
Some new and old things on rotation lately ...
Enjoy!
Happiness is 60 percent good habits, 30 percent deep understanding of yourself, and 10 percent blind faith. You have to wake up in the morning and instead of thinking, "I don't want to get out of bed. I hate my life," you think, "I'm going to get out of bed and make some tea and think some good thoughts, goddamn it."
