the new year
I went to Quaker meeting for the second time last Sunday. My experience attending meeting is worth more than a passing reference, but for now I just want to say that as I pondered in silence for two Sundays in a row, I realized that I am unhappy with some trends in my life.
I have fun hobbies, amazing friends, and a congenial city. However, I become so caught up in a constant stream of dances, weekend trips, evening pots of tea, movies, cooking adventures, pubs, etc. -- all of which are great! -- that I don't make time for activities that I do sincerely value. I would love to keep my flat more neat so that I would feel more comfortable extending spontaneous invitations, I would love to read books, I would love to talk to friends in other cities occasionally. I think that spending a few minutes at the beginning of each week, planning a couple hours here and there to devote to my apartment or to reading a book/calling a friend, would help incorporate these other priorities into my life without making me feel like I have to DROP everything else that I do.
I also realized that I want to care about my job in a passionate way. Next up will be a post on my summer plans, which may relate to job possibilities. I haven't had the courage to make this happen yet, but as I sat in meeting, I remembered what Nina said about George Lakey and other founders of the Movement for a New Society -- that they wanted to work for peace and justice not just from 9-5, but 24/7. They wanted their lives to illustrate what they wanted the world to be like.
In the meantime, while I haven't felt inclined to make new year's resolutions for many years because it felt repetitive, I have thought of a few small, interesting aspirations.
1. Eat only 2-3 meat-centered meals per week. (e.g., this would not include beef/chicken stock in vegetable soup, but probably would include bacon with breakfast)
2. Say happy birthday to friends. I like when people remember to say it to me. :)
3. Write down some of the books that I complete. (And, y'know, read more.)
...And now, inspired by listening to jazz over the weekend while applying coats of polyurethane to siding and being true to my perpetual resolution to learn new kinds of dance, I am off to swing dance in Old City!
I have fun hobbies, amazing friends, and a congenial city. However, I become so caught up in a constant stream of dances, weekend trips, evening pots of tea, movies, cooking adventures, pubs, etc. -- all of which are great! -- that I don't make time for activities that I do sincerely value. I would love to keep my flat more neat so that I would feel more comfortable extending spontaneous invitations, I would love to read books, I would love to talk to friends in other cities occasionally. I think that spending a few minutes at the beginning of each week, planning a couple hours here and there to devote to my apartment or to reading a book/calling a friend, would help incorporate these other priorities into my life without making me feel like I have to DROP everything else that I do.
I also realized that I want to care about my job in a passionate way. Next up will be a post on my summer plans, which may relate to job possibilities. I haven't had the courage to make this happen yet, but as I sat in meeting, I remembered what Nina said about George Lakey and other founders of the Movement for a New Society -- that they wanted to work for peace and justice not just from 9-5, but 24/7. They wanted their lives to illustrate what they wanted the world to be like.
In the meantime, while I haven't felt inclined to make new year's resolutions for many years because it felt repetitive, I have thought of a few small, interesting aspirations.
1. Eat only 2-3 meat-centered meals per week. (e.g., this would not include beef/chicken stock in vegetable soup, but probably would include bacon with breakfast)
2. Say happy birthday to friends. I like when people remember to say it to me. :)
3. Write down some of the books that I complete. (And, y'know, read more.)
...And now, inspired by listening to jazz over the weekend while applying coats of polyurethane to siding and being true to my perpetual resolution to learn new kinds of dance, I am off to swing dance in Old City!