Listing

Seems it’s that time again, where the lists are clamoring to be shared. This time around, the nautical definition of the term listing (i.e. tilted or leaning to one side) is also apropos as I continue to fight to remain buoyant in this tsunami of dreadfulness.

So, in no particular order, with no rhyme or reason, here goes:

Wildlife I’ve Seen on My Morning Dog Walks

Snakes

Possums

Egrets

An armadillo

Snails

Dozens of feral cats

The bleached bones of a dead possum (creepy but fascinating—especially all those sharp little teeth)

Things That Almost Made Me Lose My Mind This Week (Not a Complete Accounting)

Tanks being moved into DC a week in advance of Dear Leader’s EgoFest

Naval ship and army base names being changed to the names of homophobic bigots or Confederate losers

Masked thugs cosplaying the Gestapo and rounding up innocents to fill quotas

The National Guard and the Marines being deployed in response to the “crisis” manufactured by the above-mentioned cosplay

A $100 million lawsuit brought by convicted terrorists who were pardoned by their hero

The dismantling of the entire vaccine advisory committee at the already leaderless CDC

The announcement of an investigation into the cognitive decline of the former President (irony is an advanced concept) on the heels of his cancer diagnosis

Places That Have Been Moved to the Top of My Travel List

Italy (booked and coming up)

San Miguel de Allende via Mexico City

Amsterdam

Belgium

Scotland

Iceland

Portugal

Places I’m Trying to Stay Away From

Big box stores

Starbucks (so many better options here)

The future

The past

Stubborn Patterns I’m Trying to Change (Not a Complete Accounting)

Believing that my thoughts are reality

Putting others’ happiness or comfort ahead of my own

Trying to outrun hard feelings

Catastrophizing

Intellectualizing

Things That Reliably Bring Me Joy

My dog’s unbridled, zooming rapture in anticipation of his daily walk

Arranging and enjoying fresh flowers

Swimming laps

Hanging with my daughter

Talking or laughing with a friend

Things That I Do When Paralysis is Hovering

Walk

Nap

Puzzles

Organize/Declutter

Swim

Chores

Things I Unapologetically Spend a Lot of Money On

Pilates

Massage

Skin and hair care

Home maintenance

Delivery services

Travel

Things I Daydream About Regularly

Holding a completed book in my hands

Travel

Being interviewed when my book is published

Reuniting with my son

The book I might write next

Grieving a bit less

Things I’ve Started Saying to Myself Out Loud

(a perk of living alone)

“Good job”

“You look nice”

“Oops”

“Oh well”

“Hell yeah”

“You’ve got this”

Emojis I Use Most Frequently

Crying laughing

Blowing a kiss

Eye rolling

Bug eyes

Heart

Lipstick kiss

My Unlikeliest Dear Friends

The hash-smoking artist twenty years my senior who was also a priest (RIP)

The creative genius neighbor who took a slightly warped arrow under his wing

The hyperactive, sharp entrepreneur from NYC with a marshmallow center

Things I’m Excited to Check Out Locally

An Italian landscape exhibit

Puppy yoga

A mosaic exhibit

A new tequila bar and southwest grill

A new resale shop benefitting a woman’s shelter

***

Thanks for reading. Making lists has been proven to help alleviate stress and anxiety. Any you’d care to share?

GOOD STUFF

-Sirens on Netflix (gorgeous to look at, biting satire, and a bit of mess; reminiscent of The Perfect Couple) and The Better Sister on Prime (fast-paced and twisty thriller). Both are engrossing, which is an increasingly tall order for me these days.

Egrets on their dawn watch