3 Things I Like

Or some other, better title

In an effort to be more positive, I’m starting this series in which I will talk about three things I enjoy, or find funny, or think are good. Whatever, you get it.

Why be more positive? Well, I’ve been making an effort to not respond to everything with either anxiety or doom and gloom. It’s a lifelong habit that’s hard to break, as these responses were ingrained in me as appropriate by my parents (blame your parents! It’s so easy!).

Let me give you an example. In high school, approximately 10,000 years ago, I didn’t date. I was dealing with some pretty severe complications from Crohn’s disease, but I think the larger issue was the almost complete lack of interest in me from any boys. So, when I finally got a boyfriend the summer after my junior year of college, I mentioned to my dad that I was excited to be dating someone. His immediate and serious response was, “He could still dump you, you know”. So, yeah. Positivity does not come naturally to me.

Anyway, here are three things that I am digging right now.

1. Richard Armitage’s voice. I’m sure he’s delightful as a whole, as he seems like a nice man with a good sense of humor, based on the interviews I’ve watched on YouTube (I’ve obviously never met him), and I enjoy his acting roles. In fact, his performance as Thorin Oakenshield in The Hobbit movies was top notch (once I got over how much I disliked the changes made in the movies, and oh lord save me from long boring sequences just for 3D, and…*deep nose breath and pause because this is a rant for another time*).

   However, my favorite part of him is his melted butter voice. I’m not trying to make it weird, I swear. But, I’ve never really been into audiobooks until I realized I could listen to him read me literally any story and be happy. I signed up for an Audible trial just so I could listen to “Sleep Sound with Richard Armitage” on a recent solo plane trip, and I’ve otherwise been scouring the library for books on CD and/or e-audiobooks he’s narrated. I do a lot of crafting and art, and I’m not saying seams are straighter and drawings more realistic when his voice is rumbling in the background, but I can’t really rule it out, either. Melted. Butter.

2. Speaking of art, I mentioned in another post that I have a hard time using new art supplies, because then they’re not pristine anymore and then my mind assumes I am about to get into trouble over not appreciating their perfection long enough or something. Anyway, this week I spent a lovely morning drawing with new pencils, and although I am out of practice, it was very enjoyable and almost meditative, as I lost track of time. The result was not perfect, but it was pretty good, and I am so out of practice that “pretty good” was good enough. I have a fun idea I want to draw next and it’s nice to be back at it.

3. Sourdough bread. This is more of a love/hate relationship, to be honest, but I guess that evens out to “good”. I made my own starter successfully on the second try, and the second loaf I made with that one was pretty ok. I mean, I guess it’s successful because the bread went up, but it could have been airier. Is that due to not robust enough starter, or a cold house, or not letting it rise long enough, or because the dough can sense my fear, or what? It’s often frustrating, but I am secretly enjoying puzzling out what I may have done wrong. Plus, the loaves are edible, just not perfect. Because obviously it’s realistic to expect perfection this early in what I refuse to call “my sourdough journey” with a straight face.

So, there you have it. Three things I like. Do you like any of these things? Do you hate any of them? Are you esteemed actor, writer, and audiobook narrator Richard Armitage and willing to follow me around all day narrating what my cats are doing? Let me know in the comments.