22 in 22? Don’t mind if I do!
#3 Scoop the kitty litter as an act of love
It’s been a month and a half since we lost our best boy, Titi. Since then, we have just this one, gigantic black seal of a cat who is almost exclusively nocturnal.
I didn’t realize how much of our kitty litter situation was a problem created by a cat with severe diabetes. This must have been going on for years, because now that we have only one, very healthy cat, well, kitty litter is very much less of a problem.
I’m not going to say I love doing the kitty litter. But it is so much less unpleasant with only one cat. The fact that the burden is lighter means that it can actually feel more like an act of love.
As a side note, this gigantic black seal of cat did make an appearance when my husband, who is going to be a guest on the podcast in a few weeks, came to record with me. The cat decided to singlepawedly impact the sound quality and I am debating whether or not to keep it. Because he does have a lovely purr.
#13 Develop the Go-To Catalogue
The changing seasons means that I feel like a stranger again in my closet a little bit. I need to get serious about writing things down that “work”, so that when I am feeling uncreative I can put something together without thinking.
Now that I actually own jeans that fit me, and I own that fabulous pair of zebra high top Converse, I feel like pretty much anything I do mid-season can be a winner. So yay for now, until summer dresses can come back and rule my world.
#21 Practice Mindfulness: Articulate the good moments
I love virtuous cycles. There. I said it.
It seems that the more I articulate, out loud, the good moments, the more good moments there are. It goes back to that “beads of joy” theory: stringing more little beads of good moments onto the necklace of my life can make the whole necklace look a lot more joyful.
The more I say “this is a good moment,” the more my youngest will ask, “is this a good moment?” and he kinda has a sixth sense for these things. The more I say “this is a good moment,” the more my eldest, who is six going on sixteen, will say, “you said that like an hour ago,” to which I will reply, “well, is there a limit on good moments we can have in a day?” to which he will usually smile and say something snarky that turns it into another good moment.
This is never better illustrated as in our school drop-offs. When it is morning drop-off time, he usually runs ahead to wait by the gate (he’s too cool to walk with his mom and little brother.) I will pass him once the little one and I arrive, and, discreetly as possible whisper in his ear, “Be great!” which makes him roll his eyes.
But recently, now at the afternoon drop-off, just before he runs off to join his buddies, he’ll run to me, do double finger pistols and say, “Be great, Mom,” to which I will call after him, “Good moment!” which of course elicits the nth eyeroll of the day. Also a good moment.
Sing With Your Feet 