It would appear, while doing my daily lurking in the blogosphere, that there is a lot of funk going around. The Baroness wonders - what the deuce is going on? Is it something in the water? The radiation from the microwave? The alignment of the planets? I've been doing a lot of thinking about this (like I don't have anything better to do - sheesh), and I've come up with a couple of theories.
The first theory is strictly calendar-based. It would appear that mid-February is just around the tipping point where the people who are geographically blessed with seasonal mayhem cannot possibly take the winter weather another day. Even here on the left coast, we have been teased mercilessly by Mother Nature. We get glorious sunny days, we think spring is here, and then it rains for a week. Another sun-soaked couple of days, then rain again. My poor daffodils are so befuddled, mental illness of the botany kind is imminent. Rather than looking like a Monet painting, the von Bloggenschtern gardens are going to look like some Dali melting nightmare.
The second theory is a little more psychological. And while The Baroness is in no way a professional, I have been known to see a psychologist once or twice, and I also own Season One and Two of the original Bob Newhart show. So, I know of what I speak. Perhaps our funks present themselves so that we can sit with our unhappiness, our restlessness, our yearnings for awhile. No one really wants to acknowledge the icky black tar that gums up our spirit, but perhaps now is the time to muddle through it. By reframing the funk with a dose of positivity, we can choose to look at the funk as an experience that leaves an lasting impression, so that even experiencing the mediocre will begin to seem spectacular by comparison. How dull would our lives be if we had it easy and carefree all the time? Look at those who seem to have it all - they seem to feel the need to infuse drama into their lives just to break up the monotony. In keeping with the Spring analogy, maybe we're a bit like seedlings ourselves - we've been buried all winter, and now's our time to writhe around a bit underground before we emerge through the warmed spring soil.
So what do we do to de-funkify? We're all feeling a little lethargic - how about we all just take baby steps? Think of one, singular, wonderful thing in your life right now. Just one. I know that I've read some requests for five or ten things that make you happy - but for now, let's just start with one. Let's grasp that one thing in our hand, and turn it over and over, and admire it, and love it until it's all smooth and shiny and polished from our devotion. To that one cherished thing. Major, minor - it doesn't matter. Sit with that for about a week. If we feel energized, we'll move on to a second. If all goes according to plan, we should have quite the little pocketful of wonderful by the time Spring actually comes to stay.
I thought I would also send along a link that my sister sent me - it's a great pause for thought, and a inspirational way to start the weekend. The fellow's name is Randy Pausch, and his spirit is extraordinary (and no, I didn't watch Oprah to get the link. Honest. You know how I feel. This is one of the good things she can do, albeit I could have done without the camera pans to her attentive visage. Ack.)
The Baroness really means it when she signs off with the following:
Peace Out.
The first theory is strictly calendar-based. It would appear that mid-February is just around the tipping point where the people who are geographically blessed with seasonal mayhem cannot possibly take the winter weather another day. Even here on the left coast, we have been teased mercilessly by Mother Nature. We get glorious sunny days, we think spring is here, and then it rains for a week. Another sun-soaked couple of days, then rain again. My poor daffodils are so befuddled, mental illness of the botany kind is imminent. Rather than looking like a Monet painting, the von Bloggenschtern gardens are going to look like some Dali melting nightmare.
The second theory is a little more psychological. And while The Baroness is in no way a professional, I have been known to see a psychologist once or twice, and I also own Season One and Two of the original Bob Newhart show. So, I know of what I speak. Perhaps our funks present themselves so that we can sit with our unhappiness, our restlessness, our yearnings for awhile. No one really wants to acknowledge the icky black tar that gums up our spirit, but perhaps now is the time to muddle through it. By reframing the funk with a dose of positivity, we can choose to look at the funk as an experience that leaves an lasting impression, so that even experiencing the mediocre will begin to seem spectacular by comparison. How dull would our lives be if we had it easy and carefree all the time? Look at those who seem to have it all - they seem to feel the need to infuse drama into their lives just to break up the monotony. In keeping with the Spring analogy, maybe we're a bit like seedlings ourselves - we've been buried all winter, and now's our time to writhe around a bit underground before we emerge through the warmed spring soil.
So what do we do to de-funkify? We're all feeling a little lethargic - how about we all just take baby steps? Think of one, singular, wonderful thing in your life right now. Just one. I know that I've read some requests for five or ten things that make you happy - but for now, let's just start with one. Let's grasp that one thing in our hand, and turn it over and over, and admire it, and love it until it's all smooth and shiny and polished from our devotion. To that one cherished thing. Major, minor - it doesn't matter. Sit with that for about a week. If we feel energized, we'll move on to a second. If all goes according to plan, we should have quite the little pocketful of wonderful by the time Spring actually comes to stay.
I thought I would also send along a link that my sister sent me - it's a great pause for thought, and a inspirational way to start the weekend. The fellow's name is Randy Pausch, and his spirit is extraordinary (and no, I didn't watch Oprah to get the link. Honest. You know how I feel. This is one of the good things she can do, albeit I could have done without the camera pans to her attentive visage. Ack.)
The Baroness really means it when she signs off with the following:
Peace Out.
5 comments:
Sometimes it is nice to know that you are not alone in funky town. Me, I was surrounded by tons of encouragement yesterday, which helped a lot. Plus, my bang-hawk has settled down and is a nice submissive position.
It's almost the end of Frickin' February - the most fearsome, funk-ridden, filthy, frantic, fat, flea-bitten, floury, ok I am running out of "f" adjectives - month of the year and yes, really, fucking can be shamelessly applied here. Some of my most favourite people in the world were born in this month and I am sure it just so I would have something good to list in these dark days. Year after year, this is when I question everything - job, home, kids (why can't they just get on with it and leave me alone!?) and what keeps me going is knowing that in 2010, as my city fills with all the winter sports fans in the world, I will finally not be here in this dreadful month - Barcelona will let me know once and for all - is the month? or me?
I was in a monster marathon funk for the last half of 2007, and it totally freaked me out because I've never been in a funk for longer than a day in my life. Anyway, it appears that the bad funk has gone and 2008 is off to a flying start. Good funky happy Barbra Peapod is back .... yay!!! I hope everyone de-funkifies soon! ... Babs Peapod
Countess Scarlett: I'm relieved to hear that the Great Bang-Hawk fiasco of '08 is drawing to an end. Bad hair days can ruin everything (she said, wondering if she would ever get the chance to have a shower and wash away the wild and squishy bed-head). You are loved by many - more than you could possibly imagine - we'll all get through this!!
Countess KR - This is February calling. I know you. And it's not you - it's me. You deserve better. I suggest March - it's a nice month, with a good sense of humour, a secure job, and it comes from a nice family.
Countess Babs: Yippee for the Good Funky BPDB! Because that bad funky smells like the back of my fridge.
As an advocate for pancreatic cancer research, I thank you for postin Randy Pausch's last lecture. While it is not about his cancer, it is about a very sick and very brave man giving inspiration and hope to millions of people.
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