Spring is (finally!) arriving in Brooklyn, after what has felt like an incredibly long and grey winter. I took a long walk through Prospect Park this afternoon, which was lovely, but after all that fresh air and sunshine, I am officially tuckered out – which is the perfect excuse for sitting down to write for a bit. One of my windows is propped open; there’s a nice glass of Malbec poured to breathe for a bit; a hazelnut candle from J.B. & Me is burning quietly; the beginnings of dinner are steaming in the crock pot; the birds outside my window are doing their best to drown out the almost ubiquitous sound of traffic. I don’t know that I’ll have anything unique or inspiring to say, but while I’ve got so much other work to do, I realized (again) today that neglecting the creative for the necessary isn’t a sustainable practice. So – here we go: seven things on a Saturday, vol. 3.
I’ve spent an extraordinary amount of time on trains since moving to New York. The subway definitely exists in its own little world beneath the city (Jim Dwyer refers to it in a New York Times documentary as “the great public commons of New York”).
I had to be in to work early one day this week, and was reminded by the experience that 8:30am is a terrible time to enter that public commons. I’m grateful that I’m usually able to ride in an hour later most days – and I’m looking forward to better weather and warmer temperatures this summer, so I can stay off the subway altogether some days. (It takes me about an hour to walk to work, which isn’t so bad, and it’s a pretty walk through the park.)
I’ve also spent a lot more time on Amtrak – it’s a little pricey, but it is a really comfy ride, and the most convenient way to get home over a weekend to visit my folks (and, of course, borrow their laundry room, because – well, laundry in Brooklyn continues to be an adventure).
Brooklyn loves its festivals, and this weekend is no exception. The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is hosting a celebration of Japanese heritage today and tomorrow (timed perfectly with the arrival of spring; the cherry blossoms are beautiful this time of year). I’m not going to the festival, but I spent an hour hiking through the garden last weekend, and it was lovely.
I’m not exactly proud of the excessive amounts of time I have spent binge-watching ER this winter, but I am currently on Season 11, and I will say this: binge-watching a show that spanned so many years definitely gives you some insight into how quickly the world we live in changes. For example, Dr. John Carter is one of the first people on the show to own a cell phone, and it is, at first, a very large and clunky item (which actually looks a little bit like a walkie-talkie; remember those?!) By season 11, the cell phone is more universally used (tho Abby still has a pager), and has progressed to a flip phone (ha – remember those?!).
But beyond the entertaining observations about the progress of technology, I’m actually really impressed with how forward-thinking this show was for its time(s). I am not at all sorry to have put in the time to watch it (tho maybe a little bit sorry about the resultant lack of sleep at times), and I’m looking forward to watching all the way through the final episode over the next month or so.
Speaking of watching things – one of my absolute favorite books ever is The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society (I mean, the title!! And it just gets better from there…) And now it’s a movie. I hope it comes to the US soon; I cannot wait to see this! (Even if none of it was actually filmed in Guernsey.)
I am completely hooked on a newer podcast by philosopher Peter Rollins and his housemate, comedian Elliott Morgan. It’s called The Fundamentalists, and it definitely falls under the category of “food for thought.” Not only do I have the joy of listening to Peter Rollins’ accent, but I also get smarter when I do. I’m only six episodes in so far, but I am really enjoying both the realness and the humor of these podcasts. It’s probably not one to listen to with the kids in the room, but it’s excellent content for those of us who like to analyze everything.
Maybe it’s simply the fact that I’ve been binge-listening to The Fundamentalists and The Robcast lately (I mean, I need something to do on all these long spring walks) but I’ve actually been thinking about (maybe) starting my own podcast. (In all my spare time… I know.) It would definitely be a grassroots sort of thing, but sometimes talking about things is easier than writing about them (tho vice versa). I don’t know. At this point, it’s still just a pipe dream. But I’m thinking about it.
Coming up with a title was actually relatively easy: I’d call it The Happy Little Heretic. (We would, of course, reframe that word – heretic – in episode 1.) Coming up with a plan for sustainability and content, including, um… well, interviews (because I sure don’t want to listen to myself all the time, and conversations are more interesting) – that might be a little more difficult. It would be about all kinds of things – but I think mostly it would be about the (complicated) intersections of theology and daily life. What do you think?
I was reminded today as I was catching up on older episodes of the Robcast that I’ve lost sight a bit of the unforced rhythms of grace that Sabbath can establish. I’ve slipped into letting it be a slightly spiritual day off when I have time for it, instead of letting it be the day that shapes the rest of my week. I’m behind on my work for my virtual assistant job this month, so tomorrow will be full between church and catching up, but I’m grateful for this afternoon of rest at least, and the reminder that this needs to become a priority again. If I build a day of true rest and creativity back into my routine, not only will I be so much more efficient in the long run, but I’ll also be (and feel) more rested and whole, even in the midst of busier seasons. Something about the Sabbath being made for man… as if the universe were actually for us. (It is.)
Grace and peace, friends. And happy Saturday!
All the best,
Happy
all images © Simple Felicity 2018
