Vacation from myself

Hello, it's been a long time. I've been tired and just ready for a mental break from things, and then out of practice with the habit of writing. I was living instead of narrating my life. Other, more physical creative projects claimed me. 

I built things out of wood for Christmas gifts. I narrated for the good folks at Pseudopod. I cleaned the house. Nested. Rested. 

Its hard to think of a single moment right now. I'm listening to a singularly disgruntled surgeon and fighting off a headache of multiple origins. And, frankly, it seems as if my life is built of a thousand thousand building blocks of wonderful (and bad) things, and I'm having trouble picking up the signal through the noise. 

I work in the medical field and there is a lot of complaining, angst, and general digruntlement. I am not entirely immune to these feelings. But, I do feel rather that some of the doom and gloom is simply to much. There are so many things in my life -and in the lives of those around me- to celebrate. 

I will devote this space to some of the many things I am currently enjoying.

1) My parents' visit to my house and newly (thanks dad!) repaired light fixture in the previously unbelieveably dark mud room.

2) Fruit salad. I'm not joking. Cookie Monster's love of chocolate chip cookies has nothing on my obsession with this supposed side dish. Especially pineapple, oh how I love thee!

3) Clean air. It finally rained and the air is clear. I can see snow on the mountains and breath deeply. Everything has been washed clean and revealed in its best form.

4) My bed. I love my bed. I love sleep. Not enough can be said for this simplest of neccesities.

5) Resting on the couch covered in cats. Once they have all applied themselves to me, they dare me silently to move. It is a contest of wills that I often lose, staying in one position for far longer than is physically comfrotable. 

6) My dog collapsing on her side in bliss whenever I scratch her although she looks rather terrifying when her lip curls to reveal her rather large white fangs. Also when she slithers onto the couch and adopts her persona of Large Cat. And the fact that the cats are apparently fooled by this behavior.

7) Electronic literature- podcasts (Escapepod, Podcastle, pseudopod, This American Life, Radiolab- I'm looking at you), e-books (paper is swell but very heavy and now I never run out of something to read when I'm at work), and audiobooks (Audible- you make vacuum time fun!)

8) Health,clean clothes, fresh food, a clean house, a good car, family, friends and life itself. 

9) Dog walks in the warm air. I love their serious expressions as we travel our route.

10) Wisteria in bloom. It is a good thing I have run out of places to plant this vine, else my home would be more wisteria than structure. 

11) Strawberry ice cream.

12) Those quiet in-between times that allow for reflections such as these.