“This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy.
Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.” ~The Dalai Lama

Friday, January 4, 2013

Hibernation, aka Hiding Out.

So, I didn't go anywhere today. No real reason to venture out into the bitter cold and fight the rocky ice floes cemented to the streets unless I had a need, and I really didn't. I watched a little TV, cleaned a little, thought and worried way too much, and tried to stay positive. My job ended between Christmas and New Years. I had been planning to leave anyway after the new year, but it would have been nice to have time to get something else in place first. I'm existing in that limbo place where I have no choice but to make peace and be comfortable with uncertainty. When my son was little, I found it a bit aggravating that he always needed to know the "next and next and next", as I called it. He was uncomfortable with times just spent meandering from destination to destination with no timeline or specific outcome. Right now, I wish there were someone to tell me what's "next and next and next". My horoscope (I'm an Aquarius) says that these early weeks of January are a time for me to spend time alone, be private, lay low, regenerate, ponder, heal, rest. It seems to fit my mood to do just that, so I am going with it. Things always happen when and how they are meant to, and I know that something will happen to re-energize and interest me in time.

Segue! Here's a picture of my jasmine plant, Jazzy. She's been blooming with fragrant blossoms ever since I brought her in from the late fall cold, just before the freeze. She thinks it's summer in here. I am not going to tell her any different. Smelling these beautiful white blossoms each morning is pure bliss, transporting me back to morning walks in New Orleans in the spring. Yes, I do talk to this plant, and sometimes even give her a gentle hug. She doesn't seem to mind. We're old and best friends.


Ok, so the other important development you need to know about concerns my fingernails. I have never been able to grow my nails, ever. They are thin and bendy and peely, like a baby's nails. When shellac manicures came along, they were like a dream come true. Not damaging and fake looking like acrylics, but adding a tough coat of shiny gorgeous color for two weeks. Since my job involved a lot of public meet and greets, I always wanted to look my best, so I was willing to plunk down $35 twice a month to have attractive nails. The problem would occur when they would remove the old coat to apply the new one, and they would always comment on the sad condition of my nails. I really didn't see what the point was in even discussing that. It's my genetics, that's just how they grow, just slap on the new coat and I will be on my way, 'k? They always told me I should buy this nail product they sold for $17 a bottle, promising that it would make my nails completely awesome. After a few months, they finally said, look, we want you to take a break from shellac, and use this product. SERIOUSLY. Well, that made no sense for them financially to tell me that, but these people actually care about their clients and their nails. So I agreed to try it. I had no faith in it whatsoever. I have tried a million nail strengtheners and hardeners over the past 35 years or so of my life. Nothing worked. Ok, so enough of the buildup and back story...this stuff actually WORKS. It takes about a month, and you have to follow the directions, but now I have ten long, strong, amazing nails that are totally mine. No shellac. No acrylic. My own. They don't peel. They don't bend. They don't tear. They are so hard and strong that they will at most get a tiny chip if I accidentally bang one on something really hard, but that's easily evened out with a nail file. They don't even stain if I wear dark polish! So amazing. For me, this is like a bald man suddenly finding a shampoo that gives him a head full of thick gorgeous hair. So behold, here they are. MY NAILS!


So there you go. That's my day, that's what's on my mind, nothing fascinating. Final thought before I go: I wish I had ice cream. Peace.

No comments:

Post a Comment