my new hobbies
My bestie and I were texting each other this week:
What’s crazier: The fact that the song “Yeah” is from 20 years ago or the fact that Mean Girls is from 20 years ago?
Ultimately, the verdict was that it’s just crazy that we are old. Period.
Every time my friends posit that we are old, I immediately get defensive because yes, I always thought this age was O.L.D., but also, we only get older from here, so if we’re old now, what are we when we’re actually old? Future me will think this version of me is baby.
That being said, my beliefs aren’t quite lining up with my actions. For example, we went out with our friends last weekend. By the time 9 p.m. rolled around, I was yawning and wondering why they (a literal teacher and a scientist who start their days way earlier than me) were not absolutely ready for beddy-bye yet.
I’ve realized that my schedule and routine have significantly sloooooooowed down since 2020 and even more so since my knee surgery. Leaving the house has become A PRODUCTION. I no longer run late. I get ready for appointments and errands 60-90 minutes beforehand and I show up early.
When I get home from work, all I want to do is one of my hobbies:
1. Look at videos of stained glass and wonder if this is a craft I could be successful with.
2. Work on my embroidery kits.
3. Make friendship bracelets.
4. Read.
5. Listen to an audio book, a podcast or… an actual radio show.
6. Watch movies released in the years 1987 - 1989. Examples: Moonstruck, Steel Magnolias, Fatal Attraction, My Neighbor Totoro
7. Soak beans.
8. Look up bean recipes.
9. Research teas.
10. Cuddle with Muppet.
11. Use my Theragun on my back.
12. Pick a bath bomb from within my clothes and marinate in the tub.
13. Bake a mochi cake.
14. Organize the medicine cabinet.
15. Organize the fridge.
16. Organize the closet.
17. Sing.
18. Ice my knee.
19. Cook something in my Instapot.
20. Figure out which combination will help me sleep tonight: valerian tea, magnesium, melatonin, reading, audiobook, Danny Pellegrino’s voice and/or prayer.
In the words of the 25-year-old blowing out her candles on Carrie’s 35th birthday episode, “Fuck I’m old.” Then again, these are all the things I cared about as a child, except I didn’t have a dog then.* So I am baby, after all.
*I was and am allergic to dogs, but I love Muppet too much to care slash he is “hypoallergenic.”**
**Not a real thing.