This blog is part of ChicagoNow’s monthly blogapalooza where bloggers are challenged with a topic at 9:00 PM and required to publish a post an hour later. Here is this month’s topic:
“Without trying to be humble, write about something you’re really good at.”
Oy. I have to laugh because as of late, I am not feeling really good at much of anything. I am slowly crawling out of a caregiving coma that has pretty much consumed most of my life since November. Throw a little grief in there, and, well, you got yourself a cocktail of life, my friends, that does not go down too easily.
That led me to think of a topic for this post, which was feelings. I am really good at feelings — feeling those suckers, expressing them, coaxing them out of others, sitting with them. I excel at feelings, my friends. Feelings, nothing more than feelings.
But you know what? I am kind of maxed out on feelings right about now and don’t for a hot second want to spend an hour writing about the damn things. Plus, I just, like fifteen minutes ago, purchased a pair of sparkly peep toe pumps, so I am feeling (get it) a bit playful tonight.
Exhibit A:
Given that one of the prompts for this exercise allowed for lists, that, my friends, is what I am gonna do for the next few minutes here — list those things that I am good at. How cool is that?
The next time life gets me down, which might be tomorrow morning for all I know, I can look at this post and remember to toot my own horn once in a while. As bad as things can get now and then, there’s this list, so suck it, Universe.
THINGS I AM GOOD AT:
- making banana Nutella and strawberry crepes;
- blogging;
- building consensus;
- planting colorful window boxes that get only indirect light and mostly shade;
- finding bargains;
- taking care of people I love;
- writing eulogies;
- doing nothing;
- dressing tables for holidays and dinner parties;
- arranging flowers;
- kitchen dance parties;
- knowing my limitations;
- writing status updates on the Facebook;
- keeping a clean car;
- making beds;
- baking Irish soda bread;
- exfoliating;
- moisturizing;
- using the camera on my iPhone;
- seeing the beauty around me;
- seizing opportunities;
- wearing horn rimmed glasses like a sexy, middle-aged librarian;
- changing the diaper of a 21 month old bucking bronco;
- appreciating what I have;
- picking myself up and dusting myself off;
- not letting bastards on the Internet get me down for too long;
- expressing myself;
- communicating;
- building community;
- impressing people with my ability to bake boxed Ghiradelli brownies;
- knocking out homemade chocolate suckers for the holidays;
- decorating;
- helping people cope with sadness and grief;
- fundraising for pediatric cancer research;
- getting folks to shave their heads;
- loving on my boys;
- spontaneous trips to the beach;
- styling my kid’s curls;
- plucking my eyebrows;
- going to the movies alone;
- talking with older adults and young children;
- flirting;
- knowing when to say when
Okay. There it is. This has improved my mood immensely. Do me a solid and help me feel less like a narcissistic jerk about posting this by telling me something you are good at in the comments. xox, MTM
Mary Tyler Mom 