Category: 3 for Thursday

Man, it’s been a hell of a week. A screwball schedule combined with some of the strangest summer weather we’ve seen in the Portland area in years*, has me feeling all discombobulated.

So here’s what is helping me get through this week:

1. What I’m reading: First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong by James R. Hansen. You know you’re reading a thorough biography when the author doesn’t get to the birth of the biographee until page 30. Seriously. Because we needed to go over the history of the Armstrong family name (it’s Scottish), and the history of Neil’s great-grandparents, and then his grandparents, and then his parents before they met each other. But I’m learning about Neil (can I call him that? I feel like I’m getting to know him pretty well), and I’m impressed. Getting your pilot’s license before your driving license? Getting into MIT, but choosing to go to Purdue? Playing in a ‘military’ band** to fulfill ‘military’ course credit for a Navy scholarship? Brilliant.

2. What I’m eating: Kettle Brand Kettle-style BBQ Potato Chips. I never liked BBQ chips before: they were too sweet and smoky and just plain funky.*** These are addictive. In fact, I just ate a whole bowl of them. I think. Or maybe the house elves were snacking on them as well when I wasn’t looking. Bad house elves.

3. What I’m drinking: Sunriver Brewing’s Fuzztail Hefeweizen. It reminds me of Rogue Ale’s Honey Orange Wheat, but with less orange (i.e. none)****. Honestly, it’s a perfect summer beer. And I must say, it goes very nicely with Kettle BBQ potato chips.

And now, back to enjoying a fine summer evening. At last.

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*There was “Juneuary” a year or two back, which saw June all cool and rainy. Lately (by which I mean the past month and a half) it’s been again cool and rainy, to the point of seeming more like winter than proper summer. My basil plants are wilting in the overcast damp chill. Today was the first day in awhile that was actually sunny, and even somewhat warm. Huzzah!

**He played baritone horn—the same horn I played in college marching band. We’re kindred spirits!

***Funky in a bad way. Not funky in a good way, like Earth, Wind, and Fire.

****Sunriver describes it as having grapefruit and lemon notes, so there is a citrus commonality.

What’s on my mind, or in my belly, this week:

Reading: The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday.
Stoicism isn’t just for philosophers anymore. Real, practical strategies for dealing with life. No religion required.

Drinking: Get Happy tea by The Republic of Tea
I thought I would try something different from my usual Tension Tamer tea from Celestial Seasonings. Get Happy has a peach edge to it, which is different from most other mood lifting teas out there.

Thinking: It takes the time it takes.
This seems so cliched, but I’m finding that it is applicable to so many aspects of my life right now (from writing to grieving to driving). It’s a reminder to myself to not stress about how long it takes to do something. I tend to have mental timelines for damn near everything, so when I get behind on those timelines, I get stressed. Who set those timelines? Some optimistic Pollyanna figment of my imagination. While it’s good to have deadlines, it’s also good to not cause yourself problems when you don’t meet those self-imposed goals. (As I have to keep reminding myself.)

Now, back to the writing desk . . .

 

 

Three things that are helping me get through this week:

1. Fortune’s Pawn by Rachel Bach – space opera with a strong lead woman, imaginative world, and even better . . . it’s the first in a trilogy.
2. Spur of the Moment Vegetable Soup – made from veggies on the downward slope. There is nothing that feels better than cleaning out the fridge by creating tasty dishes. (Well, there are some things that do feel better, but I’ll run with this for the moment.)\
3. Elk pepperoni sticks – when you just want a meat snack. So good.

The biggest thing? The thought that tomorrow is Friday.