Loving

Not Lonely, Not Bored

/ Ally Bean / 24 Comments
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The Forest Primeval says Good Morning to You.

– – • – –

Another rainy morning here.  Unlike earlier this Spring when the rain made me cranky, this rain is soothing.  Now that bushes and flowers are in bloom the different colors outside combined with the rain make the scene look serene.  Funny what a few weeks will do to a person’s perspective.

Seeing as the forecast says that this rain will continue most of the day, I’ve gathered my favorite electronic gadgets* and am thinking that I’ll make a nest for myself on the TV room sofa.  We’ve got lots of pillows in there and with the window blinds up, I’ll be able to watch the subtle changes in the trees in the Forest Primeval [aka our back yard] without getting damp.

Only five years ago a Summer day like this one would have made me irritable.  But today, thanks to wi-fi, I can sit anywhere in the house and not feel lonely or put out by the weather.  Thinking about it I realize that this development might be one of the biggest changes in my lifetime.  Used to be that a rainy day meant only reading a book sitting in a corner all by myself.

However, now in addition to reading a book I can: connect – research – catch-up – enjoy without going outside in the muddy, wet world.  This is progress, my gentle readers.  Oh yes it is.  Don’t try to tell me otherwise.

– – • – –

* On deck sofa for today are:

  • my [new] Kindle – reading a book 
  • my [relatively new] iPad – watching a TV show or a movie, tweeting on Twitter
  • my [ancient] Motorola clamshell wireless phone – chatting, texting with whomever about whatever, as usual
  • my [almost new] Nikon Coolpix camera – observing the world in case there’s a photo opportunity
  • my [old] MacBook – reading + commenting on blogs, writing a post should the muse strike 

Because We Are Just That Exciting, We Went On A Date

/ Ally Bean / 17 Comments

On Thursday I got home late in the afternoon and saw that there was a message on the answering machine from Z-D.  This struck me as odd because I had my cell phone with me and if he really wanted/needed to get hold of me STAT he’d use that method.

So I listened to the message, wondering what was up.  As I did not just fall off the new wife-y turnip truck, I figured that there was something going on that was a bit wonky.  And I was right.

• • •

First: He said, “I have an idea– let’s go out on a date tonight.”

[ME, suspicious:  Hmmm.]

Next: He told me his date night plan.  He wanted us to drive to a town about an hour away & pick up some sandwiches at a local grocery store that has a deli sandwich counter inside it.

[ME, with raised eyebrow:  Okay, maybe.]

Then: He told me that he wanted us to go sit in a parking lot to watch some lights in the parking lot come on.

[ME, stunned:  Do what?!  That’s a date???]

Finally: He said, “I’ll pick you up at home in about an hour or so.  See ‘ya soon.  ‘Bye.”

[ME, shouting at the phone machine:  That’s not a date.  That’s something you have to do for work, isn’t it?]

• • •

And you know as I stood there staring at the answering machine I had three thoughts.  Simultaneously.  Before the machine even turned itself off.

  • My God we are old if this is his idea of a date.  Honest to Pete, watch lights come on?!!  What kind of date is that?
  • Rather clever of me to know that there was something up with this message before I heard it.  I’m getting good at this marriage thing.  Yeah me!
  • Well– phooey, I don’t have a thing planned for this evening and those sandwiches are yummy, so I guess that I’ll go out with him.  Might be kind of fun.

… and you know what?  It was.

Springing Forward, Feeling New

/ Ally Bean / 19 Comments

Birds are chirping outside our front door this morning.  They nest in the river birch trees that create a barrier between our front yard and the neighbor’s front yard.

Then, because the little birdies feel so safe, they like to flit and hop around on our bushes, concrete bench, front stoop.  Sometimes they even look in the window at me.

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They are cute, but not all that melodic.  No surprise.  They are little birdies whose primary purpose in life is to build nests and procreate.  And to not get eaten by the neighborhood cats.  I’m sure that figures into their nest-building.

I find their presence outside my front door to be the most immediate and clearcut sign that Spring is here.  Last week, Winter.  This week, Spring.  The change of seasons happens quickly and easily in this part of the world with Daylight Savings Time underscoring what is already going on naturally.

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I find March, and the shift into Spring, as inspiring and focusing as New Year’s Day.  For me, this is the time of year to start new things.  To say: “Today I will begin  ______.”  And then go out and do it.  Rather like NY resolutions, without the formality and fuss, but with the follow-thru.

So with that in mind I plan to start anew today.  To follow the lead of the little birdies who are happy as can be doing their own thing.  To embrace change.  And growth.  And adventure.  And fun.

Definitely fun.  Care to join me?

Sure, You Can Do That

/ Ally Bean / 19 Comments

“In vino veritas est.” ~ Pliny the Elder

“God bless the honest, for they shall make my days more entertaining.” ~ Ally Bean

~ • ~

As I have mentioned here before I am a good listener.  I am also the “go to” person in my social group for how to start a blog.  And, as you have probably already figured out, I get tickled by the darnedest things.  To wit, the following real life vignette.

An acquaintance, who I see about once every 3 years or so, asked me about how to start a blog.  We were at a fancy reception and there was much wine being served.

I told her my standard response* to her question.  She seemed intrigued and started asking a bunch more questions about blogging.  In the flow of the conversation I told her that I thought that she’d be good at blogging because she is smart and articulate.  [Which all bloggers are, right?]

Of course, I wanted to know what she thought that she might be blogging about, so I asked her.  Knowing a little bit about her I figured that she’d say something like: my kids, my love of interior design, tips on antiquing, tips on cooking, my conservative political opinions.  Subjects that I know she cares about.

But what I did not expect her to say is the most unanticipated, yet delightful, reason for blogging that anyone has told me to date.  She told me that she didn’t care what subject she wrote about.  That didn’t matter to her at all.  No, what she wanted to do in her blog was to: Tell people what to do.  Her way.  So that they wouldn’t bug her with their stupidness any more.

Now this is an approach to blogging and a point of view, which you have to admit, is both authentic and could be fun to read about, subjects be damned.  Plus, I suspect, that in our heart of hearts there isn’t one blogger [or person] out there who hasn’t thought the same thing, but just never had the amount of wine necessary the gumption to say it.  So clearly.  And so loudly.

~ • ~

*  When you start a blog you need to consider three basic questions.

  1. Do you have something to say?  Can you say it in a way that other people will understand? Hmm?
  2. Where will you put your blog?  That is, when you decide on your platform will you pay money for it or will it be free?
  3. Will you commit to showing up to your blog on a regular basis?  If not, you’ll tick off your friends and readers. And you don’t want that, do you?