Reverb 10: Day 9 - Party

Today's Reverb 10 prompt:

December 9 – Party

Prompt: Party. What social gathering rocked your socks off in 2010? Describe the people, music, food, drink, clothes, shenanigans.

(Author: Shauna Reid)

Asking a decided introvert what social event was the best of the season seems a bit crazy to me.  I am the person who will weigh my options and at least 5 of every 10 times I'm invited out, decide that staying home alone sounds like the far better option.

That said, three social events, all very different, and spread across the year stand out.

The first is my brother's wedding.  It stands out for a couple of reasons.  He was the first sibling (and the baby of the family) to get married.  My other brother and I were in the wedding party, and our dad performed the wedding ceremony - it was truly a family affair.  It was full of laughter and celebration, and maybe just slightly bittersweet as we officially entered a new era as a family.  It also stands out because I lost the job I'd had for the previous three years in a rather dramatic fashion the day immediately after the wedding.

The second is a Moroccan Tea that I attended while I was in California.  It was special for the newness of the experience and the chance to meet and enjoy friends of a friend.  It was full of color and joy, and held my interest in a "I'm taking this all in" sort of way, as someone who loves the nations of the earth, and has spent time praying for them, including for Morocco.  A photo of the spread on the tea table that day hangs on my "wall of happy memories" full of photos surrounding a map of the world.  It was also the place where I discovered one more place (bringing the grand total on my list to three) where mint flavoring is acceptable.  The list now includes chewing gum, toothpaste, and Moroccan mint tea!

The third event is a baby shower that I attended last weekend.  It was unique in the chance to celebrate the fact that a very dear friend is about to become a parent.  It was unique in the mixture of people that my friend drew together, from incredibly varied social and cultural spheres, and how, because of a shared love for our friend, a group that would likely have never mixed well in any other setting, bubbled over with laughter, girl talk, and the joy of celebrating our friend's impending motherhood.  It was unique in that conversations flipped back and forth from Spanish to English, with either translation, or not, depending on which one you happened to join.  No one minded, and there was laughter, bubbly personalities, and much co-mingling as we celebrated joyfully together.

Three events, not bad for an introvert huh?  What stands out in each are the people, the mood, the moments that made them special.  But mostly the people.  There are special memories in each of those moments that I am so grateful to pause and recall.

You Might Be a Book Nerd If...

I took this photo last night, after I crawled into bed for a quiet evening. This was the stack of books that I felt was necessary to have within arm's reach!  Because it's hard to see, let me just tell you that there are 12 books and two journals there. 

Yep.  Book nerd.  Can't even deny it.

Daily 5 - Year 2, Day 115

Today's Daily 5:

1. 1 year, 115 days of making these lists
2. the youngest "volunteer" ever - a three week old, very cute little boy, who came with his mom and dad for their volunteer shift at my job today
3. a high school teacher who brings a class of his students to volunteer every year
4. the fun of reflecting each evening and writing a reverb 10 post
5. an evening with no obligations, that was thus spent in pajamas
6. a hopeful phone call this afternoon, returning a message I left yesterday
7. getting a seat on the train for the ride to mom and dad's tonight

Reverb 10: Day 8 - Beautifully Different

Today's Reverb 10 prompt:

December 8 – Beautifully Different.

Think about what makes you different and what you do that lights people up. Reflect on all the things that make you different – you’ll find they’re what make you beautiful.

 (Author: Karen Walrond)

This is a hard question to answer.  In fact, I was tempted to skip it all together.  I think I'm still discovering what it is that makes me beautiful.

I was reflecting just the other day that for the first time in my life I'm coming to believe that I am loved, that I am not a failure.  I'm learning it in different ways each day.  I'm learning it as I realize that some things that come naturally and easily to me are not natural and easy for a lot of people.  I'm learning it as I discover things like bus reading that are unique ways for me to feed my soul.

I feel like this is a cop out answer, but this is so much a journey of discovering for me still that it's a question I'd rather ponder within me than try to put words where none exist just yet.

Bus Reading

Barring last weekend's failed attempt at bus reading involving a migraine headache and motion sickness, spending three hours or so on a weekend riding a bus circuit has become one of my favorite ways to relax, and to find time to read, think and pray.

So, I thought I'd give some tips on the best way to have a bus reading experience.

• Pick the right length of loop.  Only you can know how long this is.  Mine is about three hours.  
• It must be a loop.  Transferring takes away from the relaxation factor.  You're preparing for the transfer, making the transfer, and then waiting for the end of the route.  The interruptions to the thinking time will not do.
• Make sure, if at all possible, to sit in your favorite seat on the bus.  Mine is on the left side as you're facing the back, the first bench seat in front of the back doors.
• A sunny day is the best.  Or a grey day where the sun somehow manages to poke through.
• A variety of reading materials is essential.  At least two to three options.  You're probably only going to read one, and depending on your speed of reading and your ideal loop length, you're probably going to read almost all of that one, but at least for me, I never know for sure which book it is that's "right" for that day until the loop starts.
• Resist the urge to check email or facebook on the phone.  I check mine once or twice.  I limit it, because I get on the bus so that I'm reading with focus, away from a screen.
• Notice the route.  Put down your book and let the things you're driving past stir you to pray.
• Snacks are necessary.  I recommend chocolate.  Also, a bottle of water.
• A journal and a pen for both the journal and for marking key passages in your book (well, obviously not if it's a library book!) is also helpful
• this is a solitary thing.  I was thinking the other day how much I'd like to share this particular pastime with some dear friends, and realized it wouldn't be the same if it wasn't solitary.  I'd never manage to have a friend there and not be conscious of them and what they're doing, even if we didn't sit together and weren't talking.  The solitary time is what makes it an introvert's dream escape.  There are people around for people watching, but they're mostly quiet, and most won't talk to you.

Mostly though, I think think bus reading has to be personal.  It works for me in a way that sitting in a coffee shop or a library or a bookstore wouldn't.  It has the right mix of people and lack of distraction.  It's a place and a way to spend time that lets me relax and enter into my own heart.  Into my love for words and ideas.  Into praying for the important things and people in my life.  Into dreaming and longing.  And my place to do that on the bus is just that, my place.

I hope each of you has one of those places, too, and I'd love to hear what it is for you.