Morning musings on mindfulness (and more)

I'm posting this "fun" diary-type post here, though I usually post things like this on my other blog, but the host seems to be having some problems with the database server and I can't access it at the moment!

This morning I felt so sluggish. I was chilly and didn't want to get out of bed and thought both Ava and I could benefit from trying to go back to sleep when Daddy left for work, after having been up since just after 5 am. Well, my dear daughter didn't like that idea so much, so we had to get up and get out for a bit.

I thought a nice chai latte would warm me up and wake me up without caffeinating my breastmilk too, too much, and would provide a destination—the local Starbuck's—for a walk. So I bundled her up in and got her into the fake Moby (I accidentally had the real one shipped to my office, and I'm not comfortable going in there during business hours til my resignation's been announced to the whole staff).

So we had a nice walk. It's funny how we in the suburbs now have Starbuck's to walk to, but no funky little independent coffee shops. I think Starbuck's has kind of lost its cache (probably did long ago) as it's grown so huge and ubiquitous. Although, it apparently changes some people's lives! Anyway, I still enjoyed my drink and am glad there is such a place within walking distance. I'm not going to be splurging on drinks like this every day, but I am feeling a little bit more financially confident given that work has already offered me some freelance writing to last me through the end of November. Still, I've got to be frugal.

I'm now waiting for some work assignments with deadlines to flow in. I have some non-pressing things I can work on, but I'm not that motivated today and I want to save the time I alot for work for the things I know they will be expecting quickly. I'm just waiting on some missing pieces from various contacts.

I read a couple interesting posts on HuffPost today...one on "mindfulness" which they say is "the practice of applying a moment-to-moment attention to experiences—as they arise (whether the experiences are of the senses, such as sound or taste, or experiences of the mind, such as thoughts or feelings)." I've been interested in this kind of "meditation" for some time, and even got a book on the subject several years ago that I still don't think I've read in its entirety. This, being evidence of my own struggle with mindfulness. I always seem to be plotting my next project, thinking of my next idea, daydreaming about something. I have to say, though, that having a baby and having everyone warn me of them growing up so fast has made me often stop and savor a baby moment here and there. My child is already teaching me so much! (Ah...this springboards another idea for a project I must file away....)

But, even as she's teaching me to savor life as it happens, I'm constantly chasing the documentation of it all—which brings me to the other interesting post. My daughter is definitely among those "kids [who] are forming the most documented generation ever, as parents, relatives and friends capture forever the first, second and hundredth smile" this thanks to "cheap and easy-to-use recording devices—digital cameras, camcorders, camera phones." We are in the market for a new digital camcorder, actually. I just have to remember to enjoy all the precious moments as they're happening and not just frantically try to record everything somehow!

I'm signing off now to try and do just some of that savoring! (Speaking of savoring, I made veggie chili and cornbread today...will be a yummy dinner...)