three things on a thursday

1.) we have a betta fish. his name is jacques, and he came home with me a few days ago when I saw him languishing in about an inch of water in a tiny container, on the shelf at wal-mart. he's feeling a bit frisky tonight, swimming around his (comparatively HUGE!) fishbowl, winding his way between the plants, blowing little bubbles up at the surface. This is in contrast to when I first brought him home, and jacques did a lot of what John called "Lying on his couch" (lying almost perfectly flat, nestled against the botttom curve of the bowl).

2.) I haven't told anyone, but I have a huge thing for this show on TLC. I love how they don't try to pretend that their lives are perfect; yeah, they get cranky, yes, sometimes the screaming makes them want to scream. But they love each other, work it out, and are doing a wonderful job. Yay Jon and Kate Plus 8!

3.) I've been reading SARK's Succulent wild woman : dancing with your wonder-full self!. I'd heard things about her for years, and finally Inter-Library Loaned a few of her books; this was the first to arrive. and my, is it ever talking to me. relax. let it go. you don't have to be - or keep trying to be - perfect (what?!). be powerful. have fun. let yourself be creative. be delighted. These are all things I should know, but really, I get so distracted by other things to the point that I don't put enough of a priority on them; so I wander around in a sleepy haze after work until something tells me to snap out of it and do something for us or myself, instead of obsessively thinking about the latest bad situation at work.

(also, I just stumbled across this wikipedia page. oh my goodness! I want to go pack my little red suitcase, grab John's hand, and go there right now.)

(ps, I do actually have a little red suitcase. I found it at a yard sale last summer, and it is in 1950's mint condition. I took it on our honeymoon - it's small enough to be a carry-on and fit in the overhead compartment, and besides, it's just so darn cute!)