Nourish/Challenge: Week 23.

I went to a meeting with the new supervisor for Oliver's new therapy tech. The new supervisor seemed on top of things. I was impressed that she wore a pink blazer and linen khakis for our meeting. I wore a casual dress. She has worked in this field for 7 years, but she looks quite young (I'm getting old). I told her some funny Oliver stories. She seemed impressed with him (he was with me, and he was patient), but she has big plans for him. She wasn't thrilled with the care he'd received so far. With this new leadership and (I hope) a talented and diligent tech (who will actually stay around!), I feel pretty good about giving the company another chance. Just the meeting was tough--a challenge for me. But it was fine, and I left feeling optimistic.

I've continued to have trouble with my writing. I keep missing days of practice. I'm challenging myself to write more and to find what can nourish my writer self.

I've been reading more about Egypt. I have a book on Native Americans waiting. Right now, any kind of learning feels satisfying even if it's difficult.

Handmaid's Tale and Black Mirror are back, so I watched episodes with the guys. I could have gone on all day.

Bruce and I went to Barnes one evening. We'd not gone there in a long time. We weave slowly through the shelves and tables and try not to laugh too loudly. I found a blue hardcover book of fairy tales for $5. I took that home along with the newest Bella Grace magazines.

And Bruce and I saw Cats, the last show of the season. I think that was season 4. It's absurd that I'd not yet seen Cats. I enjoyed it more than I expected. The costumes, makeup, dancing, and lighting were fantastic. Of course, the Rum Tum Tugger was still my favorite. Everyone went wild over Grizabella.

On the drive home from the theatre, Bruce asked me several what-if questions, and some of them really challenged my brain and heart. I asked him why he was asking so many questions, and he quoted me: "Questions are love." Wow. That filled me to the brim.

What I Most Want to Know about You 2.

Play along!

1. What are your favorite professional voices?
2. What qualities do you admire in a celebrity?
3. What is your favorite kind of mail?
4. What's the easiest way to make you feel loved?
5. What is a loss that would make your life dull?
6. What is your favorite jewel?
7. With which Wizard of Oz character do you most identify?
8. What is something beautiful for your day?
9. What are your should-be-guilty-but-aren't pleasures?
10. What's something really weird about your life right now?
11. What's something odd you just love?
12. What can been a recent, unexpected luxury for you?

1. What are your favorite professional voices? Musically, Michael Crawford, Ramin Karimloo, Dennis DeYoung, Corinne Bailey Rae, and Billy Joel. In general, Alan Rickman (shed a tear).
2. What qualities do you admire in a celebrity? I love celebrities who will be good sports and make fun of themselves. I also admire their stamina, and I'm impressed when they are kind and gentle with fans.
3. What is your favorite kind of mail? I love my Stitch Fix, but a used $4 book from Amazon is really awesome.
4. What's the easiest way to make you feel loved? Probably just a sincere, firm hug. But a fun question (like one of these) can do it too. Any kind of tiny gift lights me up.
5. What is a loss that would make your life dull? Glitter. Really. I would be so down if it disappeared. I always try to incorporate glitter into what I wear and what I do.
6. What is your favorite jewel? That's tough. I love amethyst...I also love emerald, opal, tanzanite, and ruby. I wear a lot of costume jewelry rings, and they can be beautiful.
7. With which Wizard of Oz character do you most identify? Maybe the Cowardly Lion. I feel anxious and panicked much of the time, yet I've proven (to others) my courage many times.
8. What is something beautiful for your day? Hmm. Oliver's dancing. The bubbles in my wine glass of Sprite. Josh's reading.
9. What are your should-be-guilty-but-aren't pleasures? Mixing baby blue glitter drops into my foundation. Drinking a Cherry Coke. Watching scary movies by myself (with Josh nearby). Binge watching American Horror Story with Bruce.
10. What's something really weird about your life right now? Our lives revolve around magazines. Oliver is obsessed with tearing them up. I look at my magazines and then give them to him--which is kind of good since I have a lot of magazines clutter. Mom and Bruce save magazines for Oliver too. He carpets the floor with magazine shreds. Clean-up is pretty constant. This phase has become long-term.
11. What's something odd you just love? I love journals that are made to look like books, with the title on the decorative cover and spine. The most recent one I found is blue and claims to contain love stories.
12. What can been a recent, unexpected luxury for you? A box of 200 lens wipes. Now, I can really clean my glasses thoroughly once a day or so.

What I Most Want to Know about You.

I'm going to list the questions and then add answers. You can respond with your answers in the comments or on my Facebook link post. Or share with others! I believe that questions are love.

1. What are your top three favorite songs?
2. What foods make you feel peaceful?
3. What TV shows have really pierced you?
4. If you could wear any costume to a costume party, what would you choose?
5. If you could wear only one color for a year, what color would you choose?
6. What is your best garden- or flower-related memory?
7. If you had to kiss someone you don't know just once, whom would you choose?
8. If you could change one of your physical attributes, what would you change?
9. If you could suddenly possess one impressive skill, what would you choose?
10. If you could go anywhere in the world for two weeks, where would you go?
11. If you could hire a trained professional assistant, what sort would you choose?
12. What are your top three fictional characters?

1. What are your top three favorite songs? "Hysteria" by Def Leppard, the title song from Phantom, and Corrine Bailey Rae's "Paris Nights/New York Mornings."
2. What foods make you feel peaceful? Hmm...shells and cheese with broccoli, Mashhouse cheese grits, and Carrabbas Mezzaluna.
3. What TV shows have really pierced you? Black Mirror, Electric Dreams, X-Files
4. If you could wear any costume to a costume party, what would you choose? Hmm...probably Christine Daae in her costume and white robe.
5. If you could wear only one color for a year, what color would you choose? If I could wear colorful accessories, I'd choose black. If not, I'd choose green.
6. What is your best garden- or flower-related memory? My mom has always made beautiful gardens. I also have sweet memories of scribbling in a spiral notebook at the botanical gardens in Nashville.
7. If you had to kiss someone you don't know just once, whom would you choose? Probably Paul Rudd.
8. If you could change one of your physical attributes, what would you change? I'd be back to my pre-lithium weight. Perfect skin would be great too.
9. If you could suddenly possess one impressive skill, what would you choose? Playing the piano. 
10. If you could go anywhere in the world for two weeks, where would you go? The UK. England in particular.
11. If you could hire a trained professional assistant, what sort would you choose? Probably a cook. 
12. What are your top three fictional characters? Erik from Phantom, Anne from Green Gables, and Jane from Jane Eyre.