drawbridge by the museum of science, boston
My advice, that no one is asking for: If you aren’t happy, try something different. Anything different has the potential to shake up your perspective. Big or small, doesn’t matter.
Lots of flour. I’m working on my first ‘San Francisco’ Sourdough, a multiple day project. The sourdough is growing growing growing- shipping some off to St Louis tomorrow, but if anyone else wants any please comment!
In other news: I biked to North Station from my house in Somerville in 24 minutes this morning! And I’ve decided to devote more energy to blogging for work, daily posts with book reviews and kids’ art. Happy Thursday, All!
PS: Patrick claims that the antique linoleum in my little kitchen is made out of Scottish whales. I have no idea what that means, but I like the way it looks.
Posted in muttering
Hello friends.
It’s very hot and I’m going to go find air-conditioning now. Although I haven’t been blogging too much, I think of you often. How are you? Please keep me informed.
Love, Emily.
P.S. if I had a book club for adults would you be in it?
Posted in muttering
I am now free from the bonds of car ownership! Thank you, blue car, for your months of service- but some people are just not meant to own cars. I’m focusing on being a better biker and also divesting of even more possessions since I’m moving at the end of the summer. Again. Move #16ish. and counting.
“1. How can I get closer to making my job and my vocation be the same thing?
2. What am I doing to become an even more robust and confident version of myself?”
The boyfriend is very practical and pragmatic. He also instructed me the other week to subscribe to my freewill astrology so he wouldn’t have to read it to me over the phone when the news was urgent. This week’s forecast is clear instructions- unfortunately all the changing and growing I’ve been doing this year is just the start.
Job vs. vocation is most vexing and lately I’ve been soothing myself with the ideas a) I’m very lucky to have any job. b) my job is often satisfying intellectually emotionally and communitywise. Sooooo- isn’t that enough for now? Do I really neeeeed to get paid to make feminist comedies? That sounds much more difficult than just going to work everyday. 
Evidence that I’ve been doing Summer Reading for 30 years.
When the student is ready the teacher will appear.
This is one of my favorite Buddhist sayings. I think it when I’m having an unpleasant reaction to a patron or when the boyfriend does or says something unexpected. I’m learning so much! The phrase comforts me because I think I can go into each situation thoughtfully, with a nice blank new notebook and that I’m not expected to know all the answers right now.
Last winter’s resolutions have been so resolved as to be meaningless to this summer’s self. (did I really wonder that? did I really think that other thing was an option?) But this summer’s questions feel urgent. In her book Rapt Winifred Gallagher makes a scientific set of arguments for slowing down and paying attention as a way to better mental and physical health. Does this mean that if we were all better listeners, we wouldn’t be in economic and environmental Armageddon? Why yes.
On the other hand- see what I did there? I started off talking about how I am learning from situations that irritate or surprise or confuse me and I ended up with a lecture on how other people need to stop driving etc…. This is judgmental. Looking to what others should be doing or not doing instead of keeping my eyes on my own paper. Watching and comparing and competing is an exhausting habit. That is my summer resolution: to keep my eyes on my own paper.
So, two days ago I was reading my resolutions and thought: These were written by a completely different person.
Yesterday I wrote some new resolutions. When I reread them this morning I thought Who the hell wrote these?
The mind is a changeable creature. Thoughts! Who needs them?
Ack, I’ve been very Eeyore lately. It is a defense mechanism. Everything is so wonderful for me right now- I can’t even begin to count my blessings and instead am pretending that every thing is bad and difficult so I won’t be struck by a lightning bolt or a city bus. Does that work?
This is my bike. It is red!
Posted in muttering
Why is it so bad? How can the design suck this much and still exist in a seemingly enlightened society?
Really makes you want to just ride a bike into Boston traffic. Instead of waiting like an unloved peasant.
Posted in muttering
Tagged boston, charlestown, commute, public transit, somerville
Caper and I, having ingested pond water from the sink (not our first, certainly, but somehow pond water from a pond is less sinister) are now lying on the couch awaiting intestinal upset. Just to keep you posted. Also my landlady gave me a ceramic bowl full of four kinds of fancy cheese that I’m supposed to take downstairs and refill whenever it is empty. That’s right, I have a magical bottomless cheese pot. Could also lead to intestinal upset.
Posted in muttering
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