Second Child Syndrome

I no longer remember what my sister said, but it’s clear that it had the desired effect.

The Second Sibling

Going For Gold

My sisters and I are throwing a party for my parents in a few weeks. They are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary.  

I am looking through hundreds of photos because we thought it would be nice to have a slide show going in one corner of the reception hall (for optional viewing of course; nothing kills a party like a mandated slide show).  I have been struck by how difficult it is to find photos of the two of them together. Of course, there are some. But most are photos of them doing their own things, or one of them posing with the kids and grandkids. 

Now, I know that correlation is not causation and I shouldn’t draw any conclusions. Still, after hours and hours of looking at photos, I can’t help but wonder if the secret of a long marriage is limiting the amount time you spend in the same room. And only standing side by side when someone forces you to pose for a photo. 

At the very least, it seems to have worked for my parents. 

Don’t Quit Your Day Job

I heard a piece on NPR this weekend about how the first person to live to be 150 years old has already been born and we all need to re-think retirement age. It made me want to start smoking.

To Do List

Things That – at One Time or Another – I Have Told Myself That I Should Do EVERY DAY, Without Fail:

  • Write
  • Meditate
  • Learn a new word in Spanish
  • Learn a new word in English
  • Take a multi-vitamin
  • Take a calcium supplement
  • Eat several servings of fruit and vegetables (Note: servings should occasionally include blueberries, which I dislike, but are supposed to be very good for me)
  • Take a fiber supplement
  • Go to bed at 9pm
  • Get up at 6am
  • Yoga
  • Abdomnial Crunches
  • Read the NY Times headlines
  • Run two miles to three miles
  • Think of an entrepreneurial idea
  • Eat flax seeds
  • Practice the guitar for 30 to 45 minutes
  • Floss
  • Make my bed
  • Dust, scrub or tidy some part of my house for 10 to 15 minutes
  • Read at least one page of a classical novel
  • Listen to Marketplace on NPR
  • Initiate a conversation with a complete stranger
  • Lunges
  • Contemplate gratitude
  • Write lists of things I would like to have accomplished by the time I’m 40
  • Write lists of things I could be doing to further my career
  • Write lists of memories or ideas for stories that I should consider writing (instead of lists)
  • Cook at least one meal from scratch
  • Get an outfit prepared for the following day [work nights only]
  • Take a nap [weekends only]
  • Avoid all elevators and good parking spaces

Things That I Actually Do EVERY DAY, Without Fail:

  • Eat cheese

 

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 122 other subscribers