Creatures of Habit

This morning, as I always do, I released my little Boston Terrier, Coco, into our back yard to do her business. As I watched from the top of the stairs, I witnessed the same process she does every day. She sniffs here, sniffs there, and nine times out of ten, ends up using the same two square feet to place her deposit. It made me think--is this the same way I live as a human being?

I don't mean this literally. Of course I use the same spot for my "business"--we have designated places for that--but in terms of the way I live. Do I always go to the same 5 restaurants when there are 50--or 500? Do I always put on the same radio station when there are dozens? Do I drive the same roads the same way to the same place five days a week? Even worse, do I think the same thoughts over and over?

This comes more into focus when I do something a little different. I went to two places I'd never been before on Saturday, one of which involved meeting some new people, and it was exciting. It gave the day a different mood. I've started a few new activities for my 2012 Jewish Roots Project and it's the same feeling. Yesterday, my band, Red Paint, practiced on Sunday afternoon instead of Thursday night and we seemed especially productive.

So, let's not be creatures of habit--unless it makes sense. Have something different for lunch today!

Sidewalk Chalk Art Cheers Me Up

By 8 p.m. it's already a pretty long day for me. I'm up at 5:30 a.m. and have a full day of work surrounded by two one-hour commutes. Then, today, my bank, normally so perfect, managed to send me a replacement debit card with the same number on it as the one I lost--utterly useless.

As I walked my trusty Boston Terrier, Max along, I was grumbling about incompetence and feeling cranky--until I came upon a little tableaux of some children's sidewalk chalk drawings. One, a happy, hairy person, was so appealing that I not only smiled--losing my sour mood--but took a photo.

It's great when you can improve your mood thanks to some small act by someone else. It worked for me this time. I even let Max spend more time sniffing things, so he benefitted as well.