Quick update

Today (Monday, not Tuesday) was supposed to be the most depressing day of the year, but I had a truly lovely day. Oh it was such a nice nice day. Unfortunately I don’t have time to wax lyrical about what I did, so it has to be in list form. I’ve had so much to write lately and no time to do it… this will have to suffice for now. Here’s a first: I’m sacrificing my journaling for sleep, instead of the other way around.

Satisfying sleep
I had to get up before six to take Erik to the airport, but afterward I came home and slept, and that kind of sleep is the best ever.

School and writing
I finished my first short story for my creative writing class, and I liked it so much I wished I’d had more time to work on it. I still don’t ‘get’ fiction-writing as much as personal nonfiction, but it’s starting to feel more natural and interesting to me. I felt like I understood the process a lot better this time, and this has been curiously pleasurable. It just feels really really good to be digging deep into my own imagination, experience, and subconscious thoughts, pulling out a story I didn’t even know I had in me.

I’ll post the story at some later date, after some time has passed to give me more perspective on it.

I also got some other work done, especially things that had been hanging over me for a while. That felt good.

Serendipity
I actually found a metered parking spot on campus when I went to turn in my story, so I only had to pay $0.75 instead of $8 for a day pass. That was unexpected.

Helping out young bakers and musicians
I donated $8 to an undergrad taiko group, and received in return two egg tarts, a lemon bar, two chocolate cookies, two chocolate-chip cookies, and a marble cupcake. All of these were homemade, all were tasty, and some were even unusually delicious. Go young Asian American bakers!! (And drummers!)

Jackie
I saw Jackie again for the first time in weeks, we had a healthy lunch at home instead of going out to eat, and we got some of her errands/chores done. Nice. Householdy things are so much more fun done with another person, and we talked while we cleaned and went to the post office.

KITTY!!!
I met Jackie’s new kitty!!!!!!! Oh, he’s a handsome one, and sweet.

Driving
I drove around on the freeways and there wasn’t much traffic. Nice. I love our “new” car — Erik’s 2005 (?) Honda Accord. It’s very comfortable and it drives well. I feel like I’m cheating on my old minivan… but I really do like the Accord.

Working out the heart
After coming back from Jackie’s, I dropped by Runyon and had a good uphill run. Short, but very effective. Cardio = raises energy levels for rest of day, hooray!

Niceness for dry skin
B-glowing sent me an awesome new sample, and now I predict my dry skin will be cured for the rest of this season. If this winter has been sucking all the moisture out of your skin as well, you have to try this shea butter. It’s wonderful. [original link broken, and now I can’t remember which product it was]

Connecting people and things
I found an art exhibit in Houston to tell Alison about. Yay for connections! [original links broken, but they were at the Blaffer museum]

I want to tell you how my New Year’s resolutions are going, too, but I don’t have time now. In a nutshell:
1. I need a routine. I’m starting to try to stick to one that puts bedtime at 10:30 and wake-up time at 7:30. It’s not working so well (notice what time it is now), but I’m getting better.
2. Things like exercise, being creative, and getting work done are all easier with a routine.
3. I’ve been spending soooo much time with friends, doing some really nifty things like seeing plays and going to museums. This is awesome, but combined with having no routine, has messed with my other plans.
4. I am still running, however, if a little less regularly.
5. I am also still writing and drawing, but much less regularly.
6. The month’s not over yet!!!!!!!!

GOOD NIGHT!

[This post was imported on 4/10/14 from my old blog at satsumabug.livejournal.com.]