Monday, January 01, 2007

Resolute

Coffee in the Los Angeles mug, "I Will Follow You Into the Dark" by Death Cab for Cutie, both in honor of Ren who is Lost in America. Drive safely.

It's sunny, still and 54 degrees this New Year's Day in Atlanta. The studio is dark today so by rights I should be writing in Stranded in the South. But my life is so tangled with the parts all inseparable that it feels right to continue here.

What will I do today? No, first let's start with what we did for New Year's Eve. It has been Dave's and my tradition ever since we married to spend New Year's Eve attempting to watch six movies. He picks three and I pick three and we never make it through all of them. We also race around the house stark naked, in the dark, playing with sarbacanes and boules de cotillons, screaming and giggling like mad fools. Before any thoughts should wing into the lewd or truly gross, sarbacanes and boules de cotillons are peashooters and spit wads.

This year I picked two movies, Dave picked two and Jessie picked two. We kept our clothes on and J threw more cotillons than she blew through her sarbacane, but the screamng and giggling were just as intense. The movies in order of watching (and we made it though all six!) were: "Barbie in the Nutcracker", "My Fair Lady", "Planes, Trains and Automobiles", "Shaun of the Dead", "Star Trek First Contact", and "The Big Night". Can you guess who picked which? J collapsed about 11:15 (most unwillingly) and D and I finished the night in the skychairs on the front porch making our resolutions.

I have only two resolutions this year and they could almost be combined into one: mental and physical health. I strive for slim and serene. With slim(mer) will come renewed energy, freedom from many of the aches and pains that plague me currently, and flexibility. Walking, yoga and moderation in food and drink will get me there. Yoga, meditation during stretching and slowing down this year will move me towards serene. This is the year of smiling and saying "No."

Now today, what for today which is marching toward noon? Clean J's room and put away all the new toys. Take down the tree and all the Christmas decorations and pack them away for another year. Pack in boxes all the things for Goodwill and Craig's list. Then potluck with good friends at their house at 4:00, dressed up to ring in the new year.

Peace to all. Peace to all I know and the many more I don't. Peace, safety, and freedom.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Any spitwads left in your hair?

Jodi said...

Happy New Year, Brenda!

Anonymous said...

i am not sure that explaining that it is spit wads takes any of the lewd or gross out of it but hey, we all have our traditions.

and thank you sooooo much for dedicating a song about death to me. that makes oklahoma so much more OK! (hee! just kidding. we are halfway home!).

happy new year. i celebrated by falling asleep at ten and then had black eyed peas for lunch. i need all the luck i can get!

-ren...in oklahoma...i think....

Brenda Griffith said...

Aw Ren, anytime! Actually, I would have dedicated a more upbeat song to you, but I was listening to the Melancholy mix you sent me, and, well, the name of the playlist pretty much says it all!

Aren't you home yet?!?

Brenda Griffith said...

And Bill, no. No spit wads in my hair. There is actually no spit involved here. They are big, fluffy, brightly-colored balls of cotton that stay together without spit. Or maybe some Frenchman spit on them in the factory to make them stay together, but if that is the case, I don't want to know!