“I have especially vivid memories from fourth and fifth grade–In fifth grade my best friend was a sweet boy named Matt, and he and I drew a map of the playground and renamed all of the different parts of the playground to fit them into a fantasy world we’d created. We convinced pretty much the entire class to pretend to be centaurs and unicorns and pixies and fairies and trolls and any other creature you could throw into a fantasy world. Then we proceeded to enact epic battles and rescues and coups every. single. day. of the school year. We called it Adventuria, and I wonder if anyone else from that class remembers it. In some ways it was my rebellion against the second grade teacher who once caught me staring off into space daydreaming and scolded me for doing nothing. I remember even then thinking, I’m not doing nothing! I’m thinking.” –cmb

Oh man. Did you ever go back and read the comments on this post? We should have hung out.

Image source.

I’m meeting with Victoria today to talk about my bedroom makeover. I’ve been thinking I might want more plants in the house, and I remembered that when I was little, I would lie down in the backyard and blow on the maidenhair ferns to watch them quiver.

Did you ever do that? I remember hundreds of odd things I did to pass the time. What was your quirky little kid thing?

Photo by David Hoffman.

Hey, 2013. Yeah, I see you making eyes.

Here’s what. I like the way you smile, and also? I like the way you make me smile. We both know what’s coming, so let’s ease into this. No stress, no pressure — say we have all the time in the world. What should we do with it?

See more movies.
Sometimes I just want popcorn for dinner. If I have time, I’ll pop it at home in olive oil and sneak it in, because a girl has preferences. And because I am above the law. I have some root beer in my bag too, do you want one? Hell yeah, you do. Shh. Previews. Cinema! 2013.

Image credit Claire L. Evans

Eat more dim sum.
You know what I wish? I wish I could have like 15 bite-sized meals at one go. Maybe chicken, then pork, then beef, then some veggies or whatever, a little tiny soup that I could eat like it’s a chicken nugget. Wait. What’s that you say? This culinary dreamscape is a reality? Snack dinner as mandated by one of the world’s earliest civilizations? Thanks, China! As though moveable type and the compass weren’t enough. Dim! Sum! 2013.

Image credit Darwin Bell

Own less crap.
College lit anthologies, a bag of noisemakers, three sub-par yoga mats, really good empty boxes should I choose to wrap something cleverly. Ugh, all this stuff. I don’t need all this stuff. Do you want it? Purge! 2013.

Invest in good pens.
I like to write things on paper. Paper smells good, I like the way my hand feels moving across the page, I like how my handwriting unfurls while I think. And I particularly like to write with a Pilot Precise V5 Rollerball, Fine — or Extra Fine. (Let’s not be sticklers.) Anyway, this is not a crazy expensive pen. Why do I own anything else? I hereby refuse to purchase any other pen. Up yours, inferior pens. Longhand! 2013.

Image credit Brandon Blattner

Make things shinier.
Disco balls! Lip gloss! Futuristic rockets with lens-flare sheen! Admit it. Shiny things are better than regular things. For one, they catch the light. Further, they distract stupid people so you no longer have to engage in conversation with them. Finally, they really pull a room together. In 2013 I am coating everything in glitter. You! Come here. Shiny things! 2013.

Happy New Year, my lovelies. Here’s to 2013, may it find you going easy on yourself and the people around you. Good things for everyone.

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Resolved, 2012
An Easy System for Organizing Goals
Birthday Goals and Serendipity

Whenever I get to see someone laugh this way, I fall in love a little bit.

(via lonelysandwich)

Watch A Message of Hope on PBS. See more from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.

In comments, Toni mentioned this simple message Mr. Rogers recorded after September 11, and Fatemeh reminded us how traumatic it is for responders to handle situations involving children. I’ve avoided the news about the Newtown killings these last few days, because instead of focusing on one troubled person, I’m trying to remember everyone else.

A single man can’t cause us to despair of humanity when we consider the dozens of teachers who put their lives between him and our children, the hundreds of responders who rushed to find him, and the millions like them — ordinary people with the capacity for great good.

United Way Sandy Hook School Support Fund

My friend Kristen at Rage Against the Minivan is a family therapist, and I agree with her take:

“I don’t think that talking to my kids about mass shootings would in any way equip them for such an event. In truth.”

Hank was with his dad yesterday, and Bryan went over a plan for what to do if Hank ever “saw a gun at school,” but didn’t cite yesterday’s murders specifically. Unless Hank comes to us with questions, we’ve agreed not to mention it.

Now the grownups can resume waiting for someone to explain it to us.

To the parents, family, and loved ones who lost babies and educators yesterday, I am so sorry. To the teachers who were able to protect so many children from harm, and those who died in the attempt, our deepest gratitude.

-What are you like when you’re furious?
-I’m rarely angry.
-But when you are?
-I’ll snap at you, and then I feel bad for having done. You?
-It takes a lot for me to get mad, but I go silent and blank. You could pass me in a 5-inch-wide hallway and we wouldn’t touch.
-Oh yes. That would hurt me.

(Photo via Jaime F)