There’s nothing like four days on the couch to give you clarity.

(this photo was not taken today.  it is from this summer on Seneca Lake.  dreaming of warmer weather for you east coasters!)

Today is the first day I’ve felt back to normal.  So I took the dog for a longer walk, I ate a healthy breakfast, I did the first day of my workout plan, and I played the guitar for hours.

I feel amazing.

While I was on the couch, I got extremely sick of television.  I hardly ever watch TV.  It just seems so much of a time suck to me when there are better things to be spending your time doing.

I’ve started to become aware of the fact that my time with the people I love is limited.  Limited because of the nature of life, and limited because of our schedules and locations.  So when I am with someone, I want to absorb every bit of that encounter.  I want to give them my complete attention.  I don’t want to have the TV on in the background.  I don’t want to zone out at the end of the day and fall asleep with Jimmy Fallon on.  I want to talk about what is happening and what’s new and what we are excited about, and then when we’re tired, we’ll go to bed.

Same goes with social media.  I love social media.  I am hooked on Tweeting and Posting and Instagraming.  But there is a time and a place.  And it’s not when you’re out on a date or spending an afternoon with your best friend.  #Latergram that piece of pie.  Or – if you must – check in and then put the phone away.  Pay attention to meeeee.

Ok. Rant done.

Anyway… Back to being sick of television.  When you’re sick AND sick of television, there’s really not much else to do.

So I started to write.  I just picked topics and wrote freestyle.  Sometimes it ended in poetry, sometimes in crap.  But it was pretty interesting what comes out on paper when you’re stuck home sick with the flu.

One of my favorites:

thirty

As I near the age they tell me
I should fear
I feel more peace than terror
More calm than angst
The only fear I can imagine
Is not getting to say
I’m sorry
I love you
I need you
So I say it.  Often.  When I feel it. As soon as I feel it.
And then I go back to growing old again.

xoxo