Friday chickenIn which I cover the good stuff and the hard stuff in my week, trying for the non-preachy, non-annoying side of ritual and self-reflection.

And you get to join in if you feel like it.

Chicken! A leetle late, but it’s still Friday.

I have not even the slightest idea what happened this week, but here we are on the other end of it.

Let’s see…

The hard stuff

Did I really get nothing done? It kind of seems like that.

This might just be the monsters talking but I’m pretty sure I got absolutely screw-all done this week.

The past several days have been so obscenely unproductive that I would have been much better off actually going on vacation.

Note to Slightly Future Me: in times of extreme lack of results, run away!

So that’s what I look like when I laugh. Huh.

Nothing adds to general insecurity like seeing yourself on video.

And since we shot a ton of Shiva Nata footage this week, I have spent way more time than normal/necessary looking at myself.

It wasn’t all bad. I learned all sorts of useful things (Hey, I’m funny when I teach! And I smile way more than I thought I did!).

But there was also just that awkward and horrible dawning realization that yes, this is you. Sort of like this.

People.

Specifically people who don’t yet have the skill and ability to take responsibility for their stuff, and so they end up projecting their problems, stuckness and pain onto you.

A lot of really notsovereign communication coming my way this week.

Noise!

Construction near Hoppy House. Construction near the Playground.

Everything is noisy and annoying, which is probably also related to the Great Not Getting Anything Done of May 2011.

Argh.

The good stuff

Video! We shot video!

Since this project has been in the works since oh, 2005…

And since I am deathly afraid of video cameras…

This was kind of a big deal.

I wore the sparkly pink wig and taught a couple of extremely silly Shiva Nata classes, where both hilarity and buttery epiphanies reigned supreme.

Lots of giggling. And the main thing: it happened!

Which means it could — theoretically — happen again!

And it wasn’t hard.

That’s my second yay about the video.

After all that terror, it turned out that once I started teaching I completely forgot that the camera was there.

And I didn’t look half as ridiculous as I did when they interviewed me on German television either. So there!

Well, I’m sure the wig doesn’t really help with not looking ridiculous, but it helped with everything else.

Lovely coincidences.

Today was the week of running into people I know.

Or people I didn’t know that I knew but actually did.

And it was marvelous.

I have the best eye doctor in the entire world.

This is something that I always forget, so it really needs to go into the Book of Me:

Hey, Havi. Guess what? You like him! He makes you laugh! It’s a much easier experience than you think it’s going to be.

Also: there’s some fabulous new technology that means I don’t ever have to get my eyes dilated ever again.

Let’s have some serious dork dancing to celebrate this fabulous piece of news.

Sun!

Much walking around happily in the park and reading in the garden.

And making fun of all the fair-weather-frolickers. 🙂

Jeans.

So. I bought jeans this week.

This might not sound like news, but I haven’t worn jeans in seven years.

And this week it was suddenly time.

Plus the first pair I tried on fit me perfectly, which I seem to recall as being a HIGHLY unusual occurrence.

This is probably only a big deal in my head, but it’s a very big deal in there so be happy with me!

Epic healing nap.

I was at the Playground and dozed off in the Refueling Station there for nearly three hours.

After which everything was magically better.

Stuffed mushrooms!

Just like I remember from the Babar books…

My gentleman friend, who also happens to be the best cook I have ever met, has been outdoing himself this week.

Also fresh sunflower seed bread from the Hoppy House sourdough (yes, that’s our backyard!) and the most unbelievable things with jerusalem artichokes.

And … playing live at the meme beach house it’s the Fake Band of the Week!

My brother and I have this thing where we come up with ridiculous band names and then say in this really pretentious, knowing tone, “Oh, well, you know, it’s just one guy.”

This week’s band is brought to you by Amna and it’s called:

Sad Lumpy Routine

They’re more upbeat than they sound. Check them out if you have a chance. And keep in mind, it’s really just one guy.

That’s it for me …

And of course you can join in my Friday ritual right here in the comments if you feel like it.

Yes? Anything hard and/or good happen in your week?

And, as always, have a glorrrrrrrrrrrrious day, a restful weekend and a happy week to come. Shabbat shalom.

p.s. It’s okay if it’s not Friday anymore. There’s complete chicken amnesty — you can join in whenever (or not) and it’s no big deal.

p.p.s. One spot left at this coming Rally (Rally!). May 16-19. It is going to be amazing.

The Fluent Self