Ten Days to 60 (maybe nine. You get the idea).

Hey Dear Ones,

Yes, it's been a minute since I checked in on this journey to 60...July continued the wild ride, aka 2022, which began with an as-of-yet-unknown source of debilitating neuropathy, followed by a month-long hellcat bout of vertigo capped with a touch of Covid for good measure.  No doubt many factors, stemming from an assortment of sources,  contributed to this hit parade of challenges and maladies.  

But as some old white president said: The buck stops here. 
​Or, in the words of the wiser Elders of the Hopi Nation: "We are the ones we have been waiting for..."

​The care and nurturing of self begins and ends with the self.  My Self. 

Feeling quite determined to step in my seventh decade with intention, and on steadier ground than I've experienced in the past half decade, I devised a plan.  Over the ten days leading to my 60th, I incorporate or release, a daily habit in service to the nurturing of Toni.

Not exactly like cramming for a final - heavens no! - more like plotting how your gonna write that term paper assigned at the beginning of the semester  in the final ten days of class.  
Been there. 
Done that.  
Got an A+.


Day One
July 21

Suspend practice of false self-care practices including:
The purchase of store- brought, packaged, cakes, cookies, candies and treats.
Not only do i have no business eating that crap, but I possess the skills and tools to make most anything I happen to crave.
Note the qualifier “packaged”.  Exempted from the restriction are artisan baked goods, especially Bemees from Maryland’s folkandpalate.com, or another fave from bauerscandy.com the irresistible confection, Modjeskas and i can’t omit the bodacious  cran-orange muffins from Rockenwagner in Los Angeles.  Really… with all this delicious goodness available coast-to-coast, why would I punish my body with a steady diet of Nabisco, Keebler or anything from a food conglomerate?
[of course the consumption of fancy desserts requires a bit of reigning-in as well.  And of course, the price point for these delectable goodies is higher than yoru average Oreo™.  But often the cost of something extends beyond the price, yes? I’m just saying…if I’m gonna indulge it should be worth the calories.  
Mantra of the day: Pay More, Eat Less.

Streaming.  Especially in the form of binge watching anything.
There are too many books, a mountain of magazines, and ideas for essays all of which largely get ignored because I chose to re-watch the entire run of The West Wing for the third (maybe fourth) time.  Don’t get me wrong: this show proved quite the salve to my overtaxed nervous system in the wake of the 2016 election.  Even though the health of the republic still feels precarious at best, it’s long-past time for self-numbing. 
2nd Mantra of the day: Education over Entertainment.

O.P.O.
This represents both the simplest and most challenging habit to break. 
Simple as it requires no tools or substitution nor does it quell a physiological need; yet challenging as it requires a profoundly strong internal reserve of confidence, groundedness (if that's not a word, it ought to be) and ability to simply not give a f*ck.   Today I commit to not giving two milliseconds of energy to Other People’s Opinion.


Day Two
July 22

Now we begin incorporating the good stuff;  the real-deal elements of self care!
First, start eating dinner between 6PM and 7PM daily.  It’s better for digestion and assists with a whole host of other goals such as a retiring at a reasonable hour. 

Thinking of inviting me out? Please don’t bother calling me for a 9PM reservation.  Believe me, I’m just as shocked as anyone else at this new development, but the body has made it’s boundary on this front unmistakable clear. Packing in a full meal after 9PM means it’s on the express train through my system or it’s coming right back from whence it came.  Yes, it took me far too long to  make the connection, but I get the assignment, finally.  

Starting today, with a menu of asparagus soup, sauteed shrimp over a roasted vegetable salad and challah (Shabbat Shalom, Baby!) dinner will be served on teh back porch no later than 7PM. 
[fingers crossed]