A few months ago I started listening to the Shonda Rhymes book “The Year of Yes” but for reasons I was not able to finish reading the book at the time. However, the concept of the book stuck with me…say “yes” more things and, most importantly, follow through with that “yes.”
There are times, though, when the idea of following through with that yes is a little harder to actually do. I have a routine that is comfortable, complacent even. I talk a good game about busting out of my rut but Law and Order re-runs and blocks of The Simpsons on FX ain’t gonna watch themselves. There have been a few days when I would find myself doing not Rachee things but then it’s like my car is on auto pilot and I’m headed home because as much as I love my job, work is work and I be tired (yes. I be tired).
This weekend I found myself home alone. The Bee is away with her dad and The Librarian is visiting his people in upstate New York. Obvs, I would not be traveling with The Bee but I missed the opportunity to travel with The Librarian. When making my summer schedule I was feeling super ambitious and put myself on the schedule for work this weekend (sucker) and was feeling obligated to, like work. (Kids…this is an example of when that yes not meaning yes should have come into play but I digress). Also, it has been a long week. I’m tired and a little sore; I missed some meds and my body is all like, lady…get your life. Summer programs are so close that I can actually see the end but dig it, there are still two weeks of running stuff and we are planning for fall and I can’t even.
Originally I was going to spend the entire weekend working on a stage two decubitus. There is yarn to dig through, a few books to finish and I totes need to catch up with Power before the newest episode comes on.
But this is no way to spend a partner and kid free weekend! Sure I had to work but those few hours that are earmarked for the work are just THOSE hours. The rest is my time.
Don’t be mistaken. There was some yarn play and binge watching of TV but there was also time withy family, friends and I said yes to a few things that normally would have been a big fat no. And the earth did not stop spinning! Life went on! And saying “Yes” was actually fun.
A year of yes is a little extreme for me. Mostly because “Idonwanna” but a month of yes may be doable. Y’all know how I LOVE a challenge and with July ending I wanted to revisit my bucket list and possibly explore some August goals.
July Bucket List
Move it: I started July off so well! I did more miles this month than I had all year-long but it rained a few days, was to damn hot and yo, the body was just not willing sometimes. August will be spent getting that wogging routine back. I like my mornings and, more importantly, I like the fact that my labs were looking good at my last appointment.
Hygge: This is where the “yes” will come into play. I don’t know WHY I feel like everything has to be so damn together before I make a move having people over. I have been talking about a knit night FOREVER and have I done it? It’s too late for a Fiber Fest for July but to paraphrase Scarlet O’Hara, “As God as my witness, I will have people over to finger yarn before the end of the month!”
L because even though she was doing a slow walk from California she StiLL made sure to say hello!
Road Trip: I can say that The Bee and I DID take a road trip! We went to visit Dill at his camp two hours away. The trip up was rough, I was tired and my GPS was drawlin’. The trip back was through a torrential rain that had me driving about 30 miles an hour on the highway. Whatevs…I did it!
Visiting the now taller than everyone teen
Garden: Oh how my garden grows! I have a few peppers that are ready to pick! I ate tomatoes straight off of the vine (fare thee well store-bought tomatoes!) and weeded the bed on the side of the house. Gardening is becoming my jam. Like, I don’t want to take over the garden at work but I can see me helping out when they have a garden thing. Maybe…probs not. I can see me taking some classes with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society to learn how to better maintain my garden. The classes are relatively inexpensive and will be something that will allow me to make the garden space even better.
Books: Well…of the six I had listed, I finished two, “The Hate U Give” and “The Last Train” BUT picked up and read a few others that I saw at work or lying around the house. That counts, no? I am going to justify my no completing the books by saying that at least I *AM* reading but do want to try to finish the books I started for July. I am going to work on a new reading challenge because me. A Facebook friend is doing a reading challenge of books she has avoided because they were emotionally challenging. I can get behind this challenge. There are some books that I have not read because I think I am going to be feeling some type of way when I read them (I’m looking at you Ta’Nehsi Coates) but I am going to put on my big girl pants and read some books. The list of books will be forth coming and I am going to give myself through the end of the year to complete this challenge.
Exploring: The family and I have been taking advantage of all of the freebies and sites that the Philadelphia area has to offer. Beer gardens (one can visit without imbibing). There are concerts, movies and it’s been mini adventures. It proves that one does not have to break the bank in order to have a good time. Just pack a lunch, a lawn chair and some sun screen.
On to August and yes. I don’t plan to say yes willy nilly to everything but I do plan to not always say no. So the coffee I have been promising to a former co-worker…let’s make a date and time. The soccer game that I was invited to I am going to actually go and have a good time! The hike that The Librarian keeps talking about…well I may be at the bottom of the hill waiting for him but I will not rule out a walk.
I am curious about what an Affirmative August (I love me some alliteration) will look like. I hope for new experiences and stories to tell and, more importantly, to get out of the rut that I seemed to have gotten was to comfortable as a way of life.
So tell me…what is your “yes”?
Dang. I’m inspired by your list! And by the parts of it you’ve done! I found “Year of Yes” very motivating but like you — not in a “SPEND THE NEXT TWELVE MONTHS SAYING YES TO ALL THE THINGS” way. She made great points, though, about courage, really seeking to pare down to what we personally need to do to feed our souls, and there’s a great chapter about accepting compliments graciously which kinda rocked too. Good luck!
I said yes yesterday… a woman I don’t really know invited me to come and hang out with her. She’s another writer and I was already going to her book signing, but I decided to say yes. I spent most of the day in a brand-new world, meeting a 17-year-old BookTuber, meeting sci-fi/fantasy geeks, and generally being out of my comfort zone. I am really glad I did it, as I got a ton of new ideas for my own work and also supported a hard-working friend.