A Birthday! and Ten on Tuesday!

It’s Neal’s birthday!

I snapped this photo of him last week, in just one of the many poses I love to see: him, reading on the deck. When we first got together, he wasn’t much of a reader (though there was plenty of evidence that he had, in fact, once been an avid reader). He claimed law school ruined him for reading (I understand; the summer after I finished my MFA, I read ONE book. It was a long book [Blonde], but, still), but then sheepishly acknowledged that law school had been over for quite a while.

Trying to recreate some of my favorite pastimes from my life in New York, I started a book club here. When we read The Road, or maybe it was The White Tiger,  he joined us for the discussion, and soon after became a regular member, in part because it pleased me beyond measure to read together and discuss books with him.

That’s how Neal is. He will make an effort. He’ll make a commitment, and he will take that commitment seriously. I have learned more about loyalty and love from him than I ever thought I needed to learn. I’m grateful to be married to a dear man, a dear friend, and if I could shout it from the highest mountain, you’d hear quite the echo of “Happy birthday, Neal!”

While I don’t get to say happy birthday to him every day, I can manage to segue to this week’s Ten on Tuesday list. Carole asked for Ten Things I Do Daily:

1. Tell Neal I love him.

2. Move. At a minimum, I walk the dogs, but I also try to run some stairs (laundry in the basement is good for that), walk instead of drive (especially on campus), ride my bike or the trainer. I’m going to run a 5K in December (and, hey, there’s a $100 fundraising goal if you care to contribute to a good cause), which will mean a little more diversification in my workouts. It isn’t much of a run, but I’m looking forward to the camaraderie of running with my friends and colleagues.

3. Straighten up. I have a routine before I leave for work or start my day at home: wipe down counters, bring out recycling, tidy the living room, make the bed, put dog toys away. This doesn’t replace real cleaning, but I do like to come home to tidy rooms.

4. Hang out with the dogs. Sometimes Neal gives them their afternoon walk, but even if he does that, I hang out on the deck or in my office with them.

5. Read. It often takes me all week to read the Sunday New York Times, which I usually read with my breakfast and lunch. I also like to read for a little while when I get home from work (often on the deck, while the dogs roam the yard) and again before I go to sleep.

6. Write. Sometimes I’m working on a story, sometimes I’m writing here, sometimes I’m writing in a paper journal, sometimes I’m writing letters. I try, as my tattoo reminds me, to never go a day without a line (or more!).

7. Feel gratitude. My religious life has changed a lot since I was a girl. I still maintain the belief I held as a young Roman Catholic, though, that prayer is simply reflection, a time to feel gratitude, to examine myself, to examine my world, and to consider how I might improve both. I subscribe to belief in a Great Creator who wants me to create, too, and I honor that as much as I can.

8. Dream. No, I’m not one of those lucky persons who remembers all sorts of crazy dreams upon waking. I rarely remember my dreams, and most often, what I remember could be better called nightmares. I do spend some time every day dreaming about my goals, considering the possibilities, refining what I want to do to breathe life into those dreams.

9. Enjoy social media. Once in a while, I have a day when I don’t post somewhere: Twitter, G+, Ravelry, Facebook, Pinterest. Most days, though, I have happy little breaks when I look at pretty things on Pinterest or catch up with my writing, teaching, and crafting communities. While I know it is easy to use social media as a procrastination tool, used with restraint, it enriches my world.

10. Shower. Yeah, this is an exciting addition to the list, almost as thrilling as teeth brushing. While I no longer wash my hair every day, the rest of me does get clean. Mostly, though, I like the water’s heat on my back. Even without coffee (which I drink every day, just one cup), if I’ve had my shower, I’m awake.

How about you? Beyond the obvious, what do you do every day?