The end to the holidays came as a relief.
Our problems never arise out of a single cause; they’re always complicated. But one of the causes of my relief was of having put too much pressure on my desire to finish a first draft—or at least an outline—for the end of the sci fi trilogy I’m working on.
Pressurized creativity doesn’t work, at least for me. It dried up my ability to write, while simultaneously tying me in knots so I had no energy for anything else—other than overeating.
So yes, it’s a relief to see the December 31st deadline pass. Bring on the new year!
I’m currently indulging in read-aloud sessions of my verse novel, after allowing it to rest for several months. Editing is so much more fun than first drafts!
Promote the healthy—
My breakfasts tend to be simple, tea and toast for instance. It occurred to me one day that I hadn’t made hummus lately, so I pulled the last container of chickpeas from the freezer. In the morning, I concocted a batch of hummus and ate some on toast.
Thoughts when almost asleep are always interesting. That night, lying in bed, I realized that my original vision of hummus had been on a whole wheat tortilla, and included a generous layer of kimchee on top.
Healthy eating is supposed to include probiotics, i.e. fermented foods. I’m pretty good about eating yogurt (store-bought), and drinking kombucha (home-brewed). My sister taught me how to make kimchee, but I’ve never been a big pickle eater, so the kimchee tends to sit at the back of the fridge, forgotten.
In the interest of starting the new year right, the next morning I ate hummus again, topped with kimchee, and even threw in some avocado. Yum!
Back to the new—
Trying new things brings me back to the beginning of this blog. New activities can slow down our perception of fleeting time. What if I tried to do something new every week? In a year, that would amount to 52 new experiences.
Except right now, I’m rather down on resolutions, so let’s just call this a suggestion. No pressure at all if I keep it small. Okay?
Week 1: Kimchee on hummus. . .
Kate Harrington 