My other offices #bigcitycoffee #flyingmcoffee #javabowlofsoul

I cannot work in my house. I've tried and what happens is that I take out the garbage, clean the sink, wash the clothes, rearrange the furniture in my living room, scrub the toilet, call my mother or finish that scrapbook from 2 years ago. It reminds me of David Sedaris telling Terry Gross that he can't writing during the day because [I'm paraphrasing] all the sudden he wonders what his hair would look like parted on the other side [listen here, especially if you've never heard of David Sedaris].

And so I go to coffee shops. This week, as I work on a paper for a class, I've been to Java Downtown, Flying M, Java Hyde Park and today is Big City Coffee (they won today because they have decaf English Breakfast!). Thank goodness for comfy work spaces away from home!

Now that I've posted my blessing for the day, I'm back to work! Thanks, Big City!

Blessing #36 for 2015: First Thursday in Boise!

Every month I tell myself gee, it would be so nice to go to First Thursday this month.  And almost every month I am so tired by Thursday night that monotonously go to the gym to home to dinner to the TV to bed.  It's very exciting (Later, by the way, I have been known to throw myself a pity party lamenting my lack of a social life).

Not so tonight.  A friend from church and I have been trying to get together for months.  When I realized we could do First Thursday (where business in downtown Boise stay open late; there is often free food and beverage, tasting and music) together I hesitated.  AGAIN.  "Poor me, I'll be tired.  I have to go to bed at 5:45 so I can get up and go to school (do you hear the world's smallest violin playing?).  I ignored my doubts and we made plans.

Turns out I looked forward to this all week!  It's so fun to have outings on school nights- I always feel like I'm going to get in trouble mixed with the excitement of getting to have a sleepover on a school night (which I got to do once when my friend's parents were out of town).

We met at Java and dove right in.  Within 30 minutes we were all caught up on our travels and adventures and fully engaged in lessons learned in the past few months and days.  We wandered around downtown.  We saw art, jewelry, tasted amazing olive oils and vinegars (at a place called Olivin), each had a bag of free fries from the Boise Fry Company and listened to a great band called Bread and Circus.  And I stayed out till almost 9 o'clock!  On a school night!

Being out with her reminds me of how much time I spend fretting and energy I expend [read: waste] managing and controlling my life to get all the boxes checked off my list so that I will be happy when really the happy is right now, in this very spot, in this very circumstance with these people.  Happy is not a goal I am striving for, it is a byproduct of living in this present with integrity and honesty.  I am so grateful I am able to be present with others but more importantly, with myself, today.