Thirty-One Thoughts Upon Turning Thirty-One

1.  All good things start with curiosity. 
2. Adding a little vanilla into your chamomile tea is always an option.
3. I don't know much about comedian Caleb Heron but this story he tells on Mike Birbiglia's podcast is the perfect trifecta of mundane, relatable, and horrifying. Skip to minute 44 if you just want to hear the story. 
4. I've spent the past year-ish listening to a specific playlist when I have to run a bunch of small errands and it has tangibly made that a more enjoyable experience. 
5. Around this time every four years the Carnegie Art Museum puts on the Carnegie International. In which a curation of pieces from international artists are placed throughout the museum. Some years ago this guy (Prince of Swords) showed up during one of the international shows. At first I hated him. Yeah phone bad blah blah blah. But each time I visit the museum I grow a little fonder of this sculpture. He's in a very formal marble looking room, surrounded by detailed, chiseled statues, they've got abs and intricate armor and flowing hair and then there is this guy! And on the one hand my thoughts are still eyeroll to infinity, phone bad boring take. But on the other hand like... look at this blobby guy just chilling. The rest of the statues are striking crazy poses but this guy?? He's just scrolling. Completing his daily crossword. Dangling his legs, and probably kicking them a little bit too. 
6. If you're ever feeling congested, you can press your tongue against the roof of your mouth and it'll help move the mucus along. 
7. I stand by my earlier post that it's fun and nice to have a normal day on your birthday, but it's also true that I find the expectation to have a good day on my birthday overwhelming. 
8. It's so powerful to do things that suck. Especially necessary things that suck.
9. Whose life are you living? Yours or somebody else’s? 
10. I think you should watch Wes Anderson's movie the Darjeeling Limited. And then read the Roger Ebert review of the film. 
11. The thing about doing things in adulthood is that no one is going to force you. You can just not do them. But you'll probably feel better if you do. 
12. I've figured out the secret to happiness. No you have to get closer, this is a secret I have to whisper. Okay, so first you make some hard-boiled eggs- four or six. Then you peel them and put them in a container. Next, you add 1 part rice wine vinegar, 1 part sesame oil and 2 parts soy sauce then top with chopped green onions. Lastly, you let that all marinate for 12-ish hours and presto the world's best snack in the world. Cut the eggs up and serve them on buttered toast. Wow!
13. CRUNCHY. LEAVES.
14. pb cup rat king (inspired by true events). 
15. Working for the Knife by Mitski
16. It's daylight savings we should all go on daily walks okay? okay! 
17. The way Marcel the Shell with Shoes On screams is so special. 
18. Hilma af Klint's The swan no. 1
19. Japanese Cropcircle Forest
20. Relatedly, Biosphere II in Arizona 
21. Did you know you can buy small trays at a thrift store and put a bunch of tea candles on them and then light those candles at night and have many clusters of warm glowing spots in your home?
22. I don’t think you can be anxious and hum at the same time. It’s just not possible.
23. I binged about 10 episodes of Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso one weekend in October. This is an interview podcast and it was a fun way to learn about people I'm interested in but an even better way to learn about what makes Sam Fragoso a good interviewer. He (and his team) do a really excellent job of researching the person being interviewed, but I also think Sam tries to learn what each guest responds positively to in interviews. He seems to know when to make a joke, when to push a question, when to share a personal anecdote, and when to stay silent. I'd recommend the episode with Ocean Vuong (because it's very good) , the one with Monica Barbaro (because it's fun to listen to two people become friends in real time) and the one with Ira Glass (because it's not what you'd expect). 
24. Soup for breakfast, soup for lunch, soup for dinner. 
25. I'm not the best at dealing with change, but what I have learned is that it's pretty normal to not feel like yourself when things are changing. You're building a new self. You still have to meet you. 
26. If joy is feeling elusive you can substitute comfort. If comfort is feeling dull you can substitute newness. 
27. How to Live
28. Present Energy: Ace of Wands - Upright
29. What Is to Come: The Lovers - Upright
30. What Should be Focused On: Ace of Pentacles - Upright
31. The secret to remaining youthful is probably perseverance. Children run, fall, scrape their knees, cry, and start running again. The knowledge that something bad could happen isn’t an indicator that something bad will happen. You gotta keep going to know how it ends.