Alas, another day-late blog.
But don't worry, at the end of this post I also have figured a way to make it up to you wonderful readers!
So anyway, on to Perfect Day, Part 2:
When I first wrote the scenario of my perfect day, I never imagined I could actually accomplish such ideals. Looking at my life currently, I realize that I have in fact managed to incorporate, slowly and quietly, the ideals I wish to have in my perfect day without even really thinking about it. Every day is productive and pleasurable; a perfect balance of work and play. I cook, I clean, do dishes and draw, work out and read. Sometimes I even manage to get some videogaming in.
My perfect day is not quite perfect, however. A few important things are missing yet: My Earthship; my perfect, self-sustainable home, for one. Secondly, I'm still single, but this actually isn't as bothersome as one might think. I have enough projects to keep me busy that I'm rarely lonely, even though I'm missing another thing: My friends. I see them once or twice a week, sometimes more (others much less), and I'd like to see them more. I also realize that not every day can be perfect, so I cherish my weekly meetings like the rarest diamond on Earth. And of course the biggest item missing is the fact that I'm not being paid.
Down to my last three hundred dollars again, and I'm quickly reminded I can't be a bohemian forever. I'm still filling out job applications, sending out my resume, making phone calls, and hoping. But part of me still wishes I could have this life forever. Until I can afford my Earthship I will have to resign myself to the dreaded "job," lest I become a mooch for the rest of my life. And I must say, I would rather be a mensch than a mooch. Now that I have the ideal day down, I might try practicing a life of unconventional work. I just have to figure out where to start.
Even caring for my mom has been easier lately; my mood is lifted and I feel almost completely back to my overly-optimistic old self. Simply changing small habits, one at a time, I have crafted for myself my perfect world within an imperfect bubble as I attempt to make my ideal day a complete reality.
What have you done to make your perfect day a reality? What kind of bumps have you run into along the way, and what have you learned about what you really value?
One of these days I plan to grow up, I promise.
But when I do, you probably won't recognize it for what it is.
----------
And now, for my day-late apology, I have a fun addition to my usual posts:
Motivational Music for the Non-Conformist
I begin this segment with one of my favorite songs of all time: "Believe," by The Bravery. This has been one of my theme songs for years, and continues to be a big morale booster equally when I'm in good moods and bad.
The lyrics of this song embody every discontent I have with life. The chorus rings out "So give me something to believe, 'cuz I am living just to breathe, and I need something more to keep on breathing for- so give me something to believe." This is how I feel about life. Not my life personally, but the overall fatalism that seems to infect our society. You are a child, you have fun, you grow up, go to college, get a real job, and are unhappy until you retire, then you're allowed to have fun again. Or at least that is the impression I get. With an anthem that asks the questions like "We do our time like pennies in a jar, but what are we saving for?" and "We sit and grow our roots into the floor, but what are we waiting for?" I am reminded of the fact that I am in control of my own life; that I should grow my roots in a place I love, not somewhere I feel stuck; somewhere I should not sit idly; that I should not wait, I should do. Even my worst fears are embodied in this song: "That I am just nothing, now that's just what I've become." Being forgotten, in essence to be nothing, will only happen if I let it. I take the reigns of my life and create my own story, even if it doesn't fit onto the bookshelf with everyone else's.
I continue the segment with "This is Not the End," also by The Bravery.
My favorite line in this is also from the chorus: "Not even Earth can hold us, not even life controls us, not even the ground can keep us down.," and this is everything I love about the world. This song is in musical form my feelings for everything I love: My friends, my lovers, even my goals and motivations. Where "Believe" is an emotional morale booster, an affirmation of my own beliefs and that someone out there agrees with me, "This is Not the End" is a song that gets me pumped and excited, that makes me feel ready for action. When the bridge hits and I hear the lines: "As long as you are in my heart you're just real as me. Or maybe, maybe even more. Someone who's touched so many lives can never, never die," I remember the lives I've touched, the people I've changed; who have changed me. And it's exciting. My fear of being forgotten- being nothing- dissipates every time I hear this song. With this song, I am ready to take on the world.
After all, not even Earth can hold us...
And that's all I have for this week! Catch you next week, hopefully back on schedule!
But don't worry, at the end of this post I also have figured a way to make it up to you wonderful readers!
So anyway, on to Perfect Day, Part 2:
When I first wrote the scenario of my perfect day, I never imagined I could actually accomplish such ideals. Looking at my life currently, I realize that I have in fact managed to incorporate, slowly and quietly, the ideals I wish to have in my perfect day without even really thinking about it. Every day is productive and pleasurable; a perfect balance of work and play. I cook, I clean, do dishes and draw, work out and read. Sometimes I even manage to get some videogaming in.
My perfect day is not quite perfect, however. A few important things are missing yet: My Earthship; my perfect, self-sustainable home, for one. Secondly, I'm still single, but this actually isn't as bothersome as one might think. I have enough projects to keep me busy that I'm rarely lonely, even though I'm missing another thing: My friends. I see them once or twice a week, sometimes more (others much less), and I'd like to see them more. I also realize that not every day can be perfect, so I cherish my weekly meetings like the rarest diamond on Earth. And of course the biggest item missing is the fact that I'm not being paid.
Down to my last three hundred dollars again, and I'm quickly reminded I can't be a bohemian forever. I'm still filling out job applications, sending out my resume, making phone calls, and hoping. But part of me still wishes I could have this life forever. Until I can afford my Earthship I will have to resign myself to the dreaded "job," lest I become a mooch for the rest of my life. And I must say, I would rather be a mensch than a mooch. Now that I have the ideal day down, I might try practicing a life of unconventional work. I just have to figure out where to start.
Even caring for my mom has been easier lately; my mood is lifted and I feel almost completely back to my overly-optimistic old self. Simply changing small habits, one at a time, I have crafted for myself my perfect world within an imperfect bubble as I attempt to make my ideal day a complete reality.
What have you done to make your perfect day a reality? What kind of bumps have you run into along the way, and what have you learned about what you really value?
One of these days I plan to grow up, I promise.
But when I do, you probably won't recognize it for what it is.
----------
And now, for my day-late apology, I have a fun addition to my usual posts:
Motivational Music for the Non-Conformist
I begin this segment with one of my favorite songs of all time: "Believe," by The Bravery. This has been one of my theme songs for years, and continues to be a big morale booster equally when I'm in good moods and bad.
The lyrics of this song embody every discontent I have with life. The chorus rings out "So give me something to believe, 'cuz I am living just to breathe, and I need something more to keep on breathing for- so give me something to believe." This is how I feel about life. Not my life personally, but the overall fatalism that seems to infect our society. You are a child, you have fun, you grow up, go to college, get a real job, and are unhappy until you retire, then you're allowed to have fun again. Or at least that is the impression I get. With an anthem that asks the questions like "We do our time like pennies in a jar, but what are we saving for?" and "We sit and grow our roots into the floor, but what are we waiting for?" I am reminded of the fact that I am in control of my own life; that I should grow my roots in a place I love, not somewhere I feel stuck; somewhere I should not sit idly; that I should not wait, I should do. Even my worst fears are embodied in this song: "That I am just nothing, now that's just what I've become." Being forgotten, in essence to be nothing, will only happen if I let it. I take the reigns of my life and create my own story, even if it doesn't fit onto the bookshelf with everyone else's.
I continue the segment with "This is Not the End," also by The Bravery.
My favorite line in this is also from the chorus: "Not even Earth can hold us, not even life controls us, not even the ground can keep us down.," and this is everything I love about the world. This song is in musical form my feelings for everything I love: My friends, my lovers, even my goals and motivations. Where "Believe" is an emotional morale booster, an affirmation of my own beliefs and that someone out there agrees with me, "This is Not the End" is a song that gets me pumped and excited, that makes me feel ready for action. When the bridge hits and I hear the lines: "As long as you are in my heart you're just real as me. Or maybe, maybe even more. Someone who's touched so many lives can never, never die," I remember the lives I've touched, the people I've changed; who have changed me. And it's exciting. My fear of being forgotten- being nothing- dissipates every time I hear this song. With this song, I am ready to take on the world.
After all, not even Earth can hold us...
And that's all I have for this week! Catch you next week, hopefully back on schedule!
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