Ideal Reality Vs. Real Reality: Anna Karenina

When I started this blog way back when, I did it on the premise of finding ways to reconcile my ideal reality with my real reality. 

I love it when I stumble on examples in the world. One of the books I'm reading right now is Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. I love a good Russian lit drama, and this one does not disappoint.

Anna Karenina is cheating on her husband with Count Vronksy. And she's pregnant with his child. Yet, the excitement of a new (albeit illicit) relationship is wearing off. After the couple quarrels, Tolstoy writes,

"She placed both hands on his shoulders and gazed at him for a long time with a deep, rapturous and at the same time searching look. She studied his face to make up for the time in which she had not seen him. As at every meeting she was bringing together her imaginary idea of him (an incomparably better one, impossible in reality) with him as as he was." 

A perfect example of ideal reality vs. real reality ... and one that beautifully captures human nature. 

Wherever you are, whatever you're doing ... Keep It Real.  

The Shingles Shot: Painfully Necessary

I really don't feel like writing tonight, but I gotta keep the writing muscle flexed. So, this is a weird little post that serves that purpose. Remember, I'm writing just for me so I can write what I want when I want and how I want.

I celebrated 50 years on this planet in April. With this milestone comes many health-related musts, namely the shingles vaccine and a procedure that I don't want to talk about. 😁

First some backstory, just because. I had grown increasingly dissatisfied with the primary care provider I've seen for years. I'm pretty healthy overall, which means I'm a low-maintenance patient. If a doctor sees me twice in one year, that's a busy year. You'd think a doctor would love having me on their patient list, but mine actually seemed a little annoyed when I'd come in for my annual check up. She never asked me questions about lifestyle habits or offer advice and guidance. I felt like I was bothering her. So, I vowed to switch docs this year, and I followed through. I had to wait until August to get in with a new one, but it was well worth the wait. 

So, the shingles shot. It hurts like a mother. My right arm is so sore. It is also red and puffy around the injection site and several inches beyond. I Googled it and apparently, those are common side effects. And I know the shot is way less painful than getting shingles, but man it hurts! And, I have to get a second dose in 2-6 months.

So there you have it. A mundane, random post about the healthcare needs of a 50 year old woman. Just what you were hoping for, yes?

Wherever you are, whatever you're doing ... Keep it Real (and stay up to date with your own health needs).

Content Share: There's Now a Willy Wonka Hotel Room With Lickable Wallpaper

Image Credit: LateRooms

This is the ultimate example of ideal reality meeting real reality.

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is my all time favorite movie. How awesome would it be to experience an Willy Wonka hotel room? 

Read all about it on Hunker Willy Wonka and LateRooms' blog. Would you splurge for the chocolate bath? I'm a little on the fence about that.

Anyone else looking forward to the Willy Wonka prequal flick starring Timothee Chalamet?

Wherever you are, whatever you're doing ... Keep It Real (even when licking wallpaper).

The Blue Peanut M&M and the Hot Car

Troublemaker

On two of our past three road trips (Michigan and Breckenridge/Denver), I've lost a M&M in the car while we were driving home. Not a huge deal to anyone in the world except my husband. 

He keeps the inside and outside of our cars clean. It's a symbol of his love language, and I love him for it. 

The thought of an M&M rolling around inside a black car in the August heart, or worse, melting into  goo in some crevice makes him insane. He doesn't trust that I'll find it at the next stop or when we get home. 

The first time, it was a green plain M&M, and he couldn't handle it. We had to pull over at the next gas station and look for it. It didn't help that he was stressed from work, and I painted a verbal visual of the melting process (the car was pretty new at the time). The description made him really made. We found it, intact, not melted. In fact, one of the girls popped it her mouth with an exuberant, "Yum!" That about put the poor guy over the edge. The green M&M incident became a family joke (more to me and the girls than to him.)

Then, it happened again. This time, it was a blue peanut M&M. I searched and searched at the next stop, but no luck. I searched again when I got home and almost gave up. As a last ditch effort, I lifted a floor mat, and there the little guy was, intact, not melted. I lovingly brought it inside, snapped the pic above and sent it to my husband as proof that all was right in the world (at least in terms of melting M&Ms in hot cars.)

That's what love is ...

Wherever you are, whatever you're doing ... Keep It Real.

 

Food Rules: Breaking Even?

Lunchtime

That's a picture of my lunch today. It's not a great picture because I was eating outside and I'm not a great photographer. It's a small bowl of canned chili leftover from the last time we had hot dogs (which was who knows when.) joined by side of leftover spaghetti, a few pepperonis slices, an apple and some water. 

You'll also notice a copy of Food Rules: An Eater's Manual by Michael Pollan nestled on the table. I finished reading while eating lunch. It's a fantastically interesting read. You should check it out. It's a quick read, entertaining and informational This was the first book I've read by this author, and I loved his writing style. Easy going, yet authoritative. Perfect blend. 

The "rules" Pollan sets forth are completely reasonable common sense. For me, the book was the perfect refresher to kickstart my approach to food and my relationship with it. I highly recommend it, but you have to get the copy with the illustrations by Maira Kalman. Beautiful and timeless. Her illustrations complemented the book perfectly. 

Anyway, back to my lunch. Here's how I see it, at least for today. The chili and pepperoni are likely food rule breakers and the spaghetti is a slightly better option (but it wasn't whole wheat). But the apply and water? Totally followed the rules with those choices. So, I think I pretty much broke even. Right? At least, that's how it works in my Ideal Reality. (Seriously? I'm supposed to avoid cereal that changes the milk's color? The struggle is real. Fortunately, my milk-altering cereal binges are few and far between. I think that means I follow the Treat Treats as Treats rule.)

Wherever you are, whatever you're doing ... Keep It Real.  

A Big Fudge of Awesomeness

I love my Alexa. She tries to hard to make me happy. She doesn't always get it right, and I love it. 

Today, I was goofing around and asked her to add "a big batch of awesomeness" to my grocery list. 

She added "big fudge of awesomeness." Who doesn't need that? 

Ideas for Where to Stay & What to Do: Breckenridge/Denver Areas

Just spent five days in the Breckenridge and Denver area (two days driving to/from Kansas City). Wanted to get a quick trip in before school starts and also find relief from the excessive heat warning in our area. 

Where We Stayed

The Irish Rose

After looking at umpteen Breckenridge condos, we decided on a VRBO. We wanted something a little less cram-packed with people, somewhere quiet where we wouldn't hear our neighbors all hours of the night. I can't recommend the Irish Rose in Alma, CO, enough. PERFECT. Mountain views. Plenty of space. About 20 miles south of Breckenridge and not far from Pike's National Forest. 

View from the cabin

What We Did - Alma, Fairplay, Breckenridge

We explored the area around the cabin (several old abandoned mining areas), hiked a small stretch of Mosquito Gulch Road and tooled around Fairplay, CO. We toured the South Park City Museum and Visitors Center (worth it!) and ate a pretty good meal at the South Park Pub & Grill. Mark pick up a "souvenir" from South Park Distilling. Our first night in town, we stopped at the South Park Brewing Company for some dinner. Great food, service and craft beer. 

We had planned on spending a day in Breckenridge, but when we got there the roads and streets were packed. Parking was at a premium, and our tolerance for crowds (and COVID-19) were at a low. So, we drove through town and headed back to our cabin. 

What We Did - Denver

My Brother's Bar

We spent one night in Denver, wanting to cut down on some of the driving we'd need to do on the way home. We walked the 16th Street Mall and went to the Denver Art Museum before heading to our hotel. We stayed in downtown Denver at the Fairfield Inn. It was a great location for us, easy highway access and within walking distance to the Platt Park neighborhood, a trendy spot with shops, an REI store and several restaurants. 

We ate dinner at My Brother's Bar, the oldest bar in Denver (AMAZING food, best onion rings ever) and grabbed some delish homemade ice cream at the Inside Scoop Creamery. That's it. Pretty low key, like we wanted. One of those beautiful moments in life where my Ideal Reality and Real Reality coexisted in peace and harmony. 

The Inside Scoop Creamery

Wherever you are, whatever you're doing ...  Keep It Real. 

The Queen's Gambit:: The Beauty of Human Connection

Source: Wikimedia Commons

I just finished watching The Queen's Gambit on Netflix. I wasn't a chess fan before I started watching and the show didn't change my mind. But I enjoyed every minute, and two scenes stuck out in the final episode because of their humaness (is that a word)?

As Beth, the main character, battles the Russian player Borgov, she believes she is on her own, having alienated many of the people she met in the chess world with her arrogance and feelings of inadequacy. Beth only saw her interactions with them as chess lessons or people to best at the game. She didn't realize she was forming friendships and connections.  When a group of chess players she has known forever calls her in Russia to help her plan strategy, she realizes they are her friends and also the family she never had. She realizes they like her and genuinely care about her. Is there a feeling better than the moment when you realize you belong somewhere?

Then, at the end when Beth is on her way to the airport with her State Dept escort, he is going over her itinerary and talking points for the Russians delegation of chess players she must meet with upon her return to America. Tired of hearing how careful and wary she must be around Russians, Beth asks the driver to pull over. She steps out of the car and begins walking. She walks to a park filled with older. chess players who immediately recognize her as the new world chess champ. They greet her, shake her hand and ask her to play. In her heart Beth knew the gentleman were just like her ... humans, people, who enjoy a good game of chess. Is there a more beautiful or authentic connection?

Wherever you are, whatever you're doing ... Keep It Real.

Image license: ShareAlike 4.0 International

Stuff I Find in My Yard - "I Need Weed"

 

My 1942 house is parked on a fairly busy thoroughfare, which means we find all sorts of trashy treasures in our yard on the regular. Some of the treasures blow their way from the Sinclair station across the street; others are dropped there by late night passersby. It's really a fascinating study in human nature and provides curious insight into the people around us. 

I found this sign in the yard yesterday. It was written on a  piece of cardboard from a Jack Linl beef jerky box. Another random piece had "Bronell be goin' bald" written in black Sharpie. People crack me up!

Wherever you are, whatever you're doing ... Keep It Real (like Bronell and the weed needer). 

Stay Curious

 

I've been a fan of Rob Walker and his book and newsletter The Art of Noticing for a few years. Such incredible, fun and interesting food for thoughts comes out of Rob's brain. 

Check out my previous posts:

• 4 Must-Read Enewsletters for Your Inbox

• Fire Hydrants & Snacks in the Stairwell: How I'm Paying Closer Attention

One of Rob's recent newsletters, Committing Acts of Curiosity, really stuck with me. He shared the joyful video Stand Here for Dance Party by Improv Everywhere. It's a beautiful and fun example why being curious is a trait that should be practiced, cultivated and encouraged.

On our recent trip to Denver, CO, we ate at My Brother's Bar, an unexpected gem. Great food, good vibe. On the sidewalk outside the door, there was a decal encouraging passersby to scan the QR code to find out "what happened at My Brother's Bar." I was treated to a short audio clip sharing fun history about the bar. My family thought I was crazy for scanning something on the sidewalk. :) 

Wherever you are, whatever you're doing ...  Keep It Real.

Out of Range

Alma, CO

We headed out west to Colorado for a few days. Just got back. No chance to post because no reliable service. It was glorious! Just days of gazing at a mountain, nights of sitting in a hot tub, mixed with a little hiking, movie watching and and exploring. I'll post pics and recs soon. Everyone deserves the chance to unplug!

Wherever you are, whatever you're doing ... Keep It Real.

With Intention

I just finished reading The Afrominimalist's Guide to Living With Less by Christine Platt. I highly recommend the book. One concept that has stuck with me is that of living life with intention. Doing things with intention. I have several little mantras I repeat everyday. They all start with commands. The one I have been working on a lot lately is Stay Calm. Sounds easy. Is not easy.. In her book, Platt talks about setting intentions. She starts statements with, "I will ... ." I started adding those those two little words to my mantras. 

"I will stay calm."

It's working. I love simple solutions.

Wherever you are, whatever you're doing ... Keep It Real.

Happy Belated Grab Some Nuts Day

In trying to find something - anything - to post about to keep up my four-day posting streak (go, me!), I came across this little gem: Apparently yesterday was Grab Some Nuts Day. And yeah, I giggled. Because I will always laugh at stuff like that, and audible toots, and jokes about Uranus. 

Also, I giggled because after about a year hiatus, my teenage girls are back on the deez nuts jokes, and Grab Some Nuts Day made me think of my girls. 

Today is National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day. To boost employee spirits at the hospital where I work, we all got a gigantic chocolate chip cookie. I was going to go halvsies with a co-worker, but ended up eating the whole thing myself before I realized it. Not the best habit, but sometimes it happens. 

Wherever you are, whatever you're doing ... Keep It Real (and enjoy some nuts and chocolate chip cookies).

I'm Diggin' The Rabbit hOle

Life-size replica of the bus in Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena

I'm super excited about The Rabbit hOle, the world's first explor-a-storium, coming to fruition in Kansas City. It's going to be a a big 'ol celebration of 100 years of children's literature in interactive life-size form! I cannot wait! The museum is under construction right now, with an opening date scheduled for 2022. I got a behind-the-scenes peek a few weeks back, and it was a-MAZE-ing! I had the silliest grin on my face the entire tour I could envision myself working in every area (except the fabrication shop). 

The space is perfect, and the exhibits are fantastical in their form and fun. They made a life-size replica of the bus in Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena. You can RIDE on it! And, it TRAVELS to events!  But The Rabbig hOle is so much more than exhibits. There's a bookstore and a writer's workshop area and a printing press and a craft area and a cafe. Plus, they plan to hose authors from around the country for presentations and author-in-resident stints. 

I've been thinking a lot lately about what excites me, what sparks my creativity, what I'm passionate about. My heart always comes back to books, reading and literacy.  When I left the classroom, I thought that passion died. I've realized it's still there. I just to give myself some time and space to realize it. I've been looking for ways to get more involved, and I think this will be one tremendous avenue. The most recent newsletter finally had an all-call for volunteers, and I jumped on the opportunity. 

Check out The Rabbit hOle website

Watch videos on The Rabbit hOle Channel 

Find The Rabbit hOle on Facebook

Follow The Rabbit hOle on Instagram

Yes, I'm obsessed! 

Wherever you are, whatever you're doing ... Keep It Real.

A Draft From 4.26.20 Early Pandemic

I don't know how many times I've sat down over the past year-plus to write about the pandemic. Plenty. But the words, my thoughts, my feelings were so jumbled and confused it seemed pointless. I came across a draft I saved of a blog post from April 2020. I left it unfinished. Here it is. Typos and all.

Wherever you are, whatever you're doing ... Keep It Real.

April 26, 2020

I don't know about you, but it has taken me several weeks to find my new normal. In the early weeks, all the changes and scary news and sad news was so overwhelming. I didn't know what to think or feel or do. I'm just now starting to feel like I'm settling in and wrapping my head around this pandemic and it's long-reaching effect on life.

That said, I still have unexpected highs and lows. Some mornings, I wake up full of hope and motivation and positivity. Others, I swing the other direction. I can't focus, engage in full on procrastination and lose my comprehension skills. Sometimes, I'm just unexplainably grumpy. I've had vibrant, strange dreams and nights when I wake up and can't get back to sleep. I've read that both of those behaviors are normal and my brain trying to process in a time of uncertainly (that's the commercial buzzword).

My saving grace has been my penchant for structure and routine. I find such comfort in consistency, and at least in this situation it's something I have some control over. Every morning, I workout, shower and get dressed, even dabbing on a little make up. I worked with the peeps to create a routine for their day, too. They days aren't perfect, but have some structures help.

There are silver linings. I have time to eat breakfast, and often lunch, with the girls. I relax more. I watch TV with the girls. I created Roblox (UndercoverKaryn) and TikTok (Karen7.0) accounts so we can play and laugh even more together. I'm baking more. My stomach isn't upset nearly as much as it was when I was going into the office. Not saying there's a connection, but definitely something I noticed. And you know what? I'm not doing those things during the day. I'm working my tail off during the day. I'm doing them at night and on the weekends with the same amount of time I've always had. Huh. Weird, right?

The time I spend scrolling mindlessly through social media as increased while the time I spend reading has decreased. Not proud of it, could easily change it, but right now, many days, I just need mindless.

I created a coronavirus journal in Google Docs. I don't make an entry every day (because sometimes there's nothing to report), but most days. It's not about my thoughts and feelings; just a log of what I did that day. I also started written journals for the peeps. It goes by weeks, and I start each entry with, "I loved it when you ...:, and I jot down different things I notice that they say or do during the week.

For Me

It's me. Dropping in. But this time, it's not with the hope I'll get likes, shares, pins, comments. It's because I need a space to write. Just write. For me. Not for an audience. Not for my job. Not to please or impress anyone. Just for me.

When I started My Ideal Reality all those years ago, I was excited about it. I enjoyed it. I loved crafting posts and planning content. And then, I didn't. Blogging became a chore. Writing in general  became less fun. I felt like blogging was something I "had" to do. Finally, I just stopped. And I haven't missed it all that much. 

So, we'll see what happens here now. Just me tapping away, adding my musings. Plain and simple. I won't worry about followers or SEO or content or typos or even having a point. 

It's just for me.

Wherever you are,whatever you're doing ... Keep It Real.