More Imponderables

A while back I shared some of the frivolous questions that keep me entertained. There are always more where those came from. The latest:

Why, as soon as I become obsessed with a scent from Bath and Bodyworks or a treat from Trader Joe’s, is it discontinued? Forever?

How in God’s name am I supposed to eat my weight in grams of protein? As someone who was barely cognizant of the need for increased protein until a couple of years ago, I felt like I was doing great these days. Front-loading in the morning, discovering collagen and chia seeds, lots of chicken and beans. And still. We’re talking about, for me, roughly 45 grams of protein three times a day. I’m sorry, but the amount of food I’d have to consume to reach that goal is preposterous. And I’m not worried about it making me gain weight. I’m worried about vomiting. I saw a discussion on the subject this week where an influencer was basically saying “Yeah, it is really gross, and difficult, but you get used to it and then you feel so good”. Hard pass.

Why do all the books I put on hold at the library arrive on the same day?

What is up with my temperature regulation? I was always cold intolerant, which was ultimately a huge factor in relocating to Florida. I also suffered from seasonal affective disorder, virtually hibernating through the dark winter months. Ten years later, I’m now hiding in my air-conditioned house in the summer because it seems I’ve become heat intolerant. As I used to pine for the arrival of spring, I now eagerly await the advent of cool weather here (late October) when I can resume walking everywhere and largely living outdoors.

Why are so many young women still rushing into marriage? (I wrote about that here.)

Why does my mind act like packing for a trip is a Herculean task? You’d think I’d be over it by now. But, despite being generally more relaxed than I was in my youth, the thoughts of packing for a trip of more than a few days seriously frazzles my brain. These days, I’m noticing that when my brain goes into overdrive (worrying about what to bring, will it fit, what the weather will be, will I remember) I short circuit it by procrastinating. Then I get serious at the last minute, tell myself that it's not actually life or death, and do my best. And despite the fact that every time it’s fine, I just can’t seem to avoid all the unnecessary mental gymnastics.

Why do people feel the need to deploy fireworks in densely populated residential areas? And why is it allowed?

What if I don’t want to live to be 100? I see at least one post or article every day: “X Things People Who Live to Be 100 Do”; “X Things You Need to Stop Doing Right Now If You Want to Live to Be 100”; “106-Year-Old Shares Her Secrets to a Happy Life”. When did longevity become the prize? What about quality of life? This may be the only issue on which I’m conservative. I believe that there are so many cases where technological advances in medicine have prolonged suffering and simply delayed the inevitable. Daily affliction and knowing you’re a burden to someone else? No thanks. I’d much rather end on a high note.

Why does my lunatic of a dog insist that we get out of bed before 5 A.M., but sleep in until after 8 when he’s with anyone else?

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Thanks for reading. Please share your imponderables.

GOOD THINGS

Another trip! This weekend I leave for a trip to Italy (Florence, Lake Como) and Switzerland (Zurich). This trip was arranged in May after I cancelled a long-planned Viking river cruise through Portugal when they botched my airfare and wanted to charge me an extra $2500 to fix their mistake. Things do happen for a reason: I’m even more excited about this trip, as my number one travel companion and I designed our itinerary and will have full control over everything. The order of the day will be going with the flow.

That said, I won’t be posting again until Thursday September 25^th. At which time I’m sure I’ll have lots to talk about. Enjoy September, wherever you are.