The purpose to the goals I've set forth for myself this year is to really rediscover or recapture the joie de vivre I experienced while living in England. While G is still on the lookout for any opportunity for us to go back there, it is also important to really adapt to here. It may take more effort, but it can be done.
We've managed it somewhat, with the farmer's markets and frequenting small businesses. We walk often while out, but realized we need to incorporate walking more. We had begun to be less intentional with life, to live more mindlessly, and so decided that "Intentional" is the word of the year. Intentional with eating, intentional with getting out more, intentional with every aspect of the life we are leading.
We began on a good foot with New Year's Eve, choosing to stay in and have a dinner with a few courses. We begun with a pea soup, something neither of us had had before (for the record it was delicious!). The next course was a small salmon filet flavored with lemon and roasted fingerling potatoes. We finished up with some baguette and a French cheese that had the coloring and consistency of softened butter. All this was enjoyed while savoring Veuve Clicquot's Grande Dame 1998 champagne I had picked up this summer for when G returned. The champagne, it must be said, is absolutely divine, and I wish was more affordable for our weekly bubbly! We were still eating our cheese course as it struck midnight. We finished the evening with coffee and a movie, with Nora tucked into us.
Life truly is what you make of it. And it's not perfection; we fall off our course often, but make the choice to make our way back to the path we feel is the best way to live. It takes speaking up, being honest with one's partner and oneself. It takes debating the little things. Last night we finally purchased a flat screen t.v. after being back here for 2 1/2 years. We originally had planned to purchase a 40" but decided that the 32" would be more than enough for our movie viewing. It was something small, but it was a choice we made in what was and wasn't all that important to us. By going with the smaller t.v. (which after we chose it turned out to be on sale for $20 off) and grabbed the blu-ray player (on sale for $50 off), we ended up being about $300 under our budget for this purchase!
And it is just that---choosing what in life is important to you, and creating a life filled with that. Please stick around for a year full of small decisions that add up to an intentionally well-lived life.
We have a 32" tv and it is just fine. I actually got made fun of by a fool at work who is very into electronics that I "ONLY" had a 32" TV. Seriously?
ReplyDeleteAll good goals that make up a well-intentioned life.
ReplyDeleteWe blow people away by admitting that we only have one TV (it's bigger than 32-inch, but that's not the point). It's primarily used for movies and watching PBS Newshour, or if I'm sick and want to veg out watching BBC. When people find out the TV is upstairs in a small room and is intentionally watched instead of just "on", we get confronted with, "What do you do during the day?"
It really is comic and sad the central role that a super huge TV plays in American life!
Your New Years Eve sounds wonderful, and your meal delicious!
ReplyDeleteYou always manage to inspire me, and you've done it again. I really need to pay more attention and live a more intentional and mindful life.
As for TVs, I've never understood the big screen fascination. We have a 32" screen and it's perfectly adequate. I can't imagine having a bigger screen taking over my living room. That would be awful!
Rebekah, We get that too! I can't stand being at a place where the tv is always on or people flip it on just to find something to do. It seems so silly when there are much better things to do with one's time...and a tv always on is rude and distracting!
ReplyDeleteJacqui, Thank you for your kind words and encouragement! The amusing thing is that the tv is for our office/family room (a spare bedroom we didnt need) so without a tv in the main living area people already think we're a bit odd!
Hi, just found your blog through Rebekah!
ReplyDeleteOur TV is downstairs in the basement, out of the way. When we first moved to our house, the previous owners had their TV mounted to the living room wall and left us the brackets, etc but I was insistent on moving it downstairs so it wouldn't be the focal point in the room. Hubs fought me on it, but agreed to let me have my way to see how it would work....2.5 years later, the TV is still in the basement!
Our neighbours across the street have their TV on constantly -- their blinds are left partially open and it's actually a little distracting to see their TV on through the window! lol