Friday, May 4th, day after my birthday, day before my epic birthday party. I'm at the office briefly to write a quick blog, do a bit of paperwork and then home to do an insane amount of cooking. One thing I'm good at is cooking for a crowd, cranking out delicious food for masses of people. I've always suspected that most people have a restaurant, a book, and maybe a TV show "in them" - or maybe that's just the people I hang with. When I ask people what type of restaurant they would like to own, I get everything from a Chicago hot dog cart to an upscale French bistro. It's a fun question. Me? I see myself as the owner of a great truck stop, the one all the truckers frequent - a legendary stop on the interstate truck routes. Comfort food, every type of pie, my grandmother's meatloaf, stews and soups, food to stick to the ribs of big appreciative men. The book is underway and a sitcom would have to be about the comic side of psychotherapy.
Yesterday, the birthday was great. I decided early on to accept with wonder and appreciation anything the day had to offer - left my expectations at the door and let the day unfold. Phone call from Christ as I was driving on Lake Shore Drive, he was stuck in horrific traffic and wouldn't get to the Girl and the Goat in time for us to eat and make curtain call for Spider's show. He suggested an alternative restaurant, Mon Ami Gabi in the Belden Stratford hotel in Lincoln Park - it would put us only five minutes away from the Victory Garden's (theater). I ended up waiting for about an hour for him in the lobby - his traffic was that bad. By the time he finally arrived, we had less than a half hour to eat. It was OK though. We made the best of it and the wait staff brought food quickly and got us out of there on time. Spider's show was fabulous and we all went out to Clarke's for late night diner food afterwards. I drank my chocolate matte tea that I keep in my purse - had no WW points left.
The returns of the day came in all day - the people I love and who love me made a point of observing the day. I had hoped for a call from P.- it would have made the day perfect, but it didn't happen. I know he didn't forget, so I have to respect his decision not to communicate. He is not a cruel or forgetful man, it wasn't a careless oversight. He is establishing boundaries and it's my job to honor them. Hard though, and as I drove home from the evening's festivities, there were some tears that I hadn't heard from him.
What is on my mind is Spider's show which is the culmination of an eleven year effort. I am awed by people who "take it home" (my favorite expression lately). What a long arc from concept to birth this has been and what satisfaction she must feel seeing her name on the Victory Garden's marquis! I'm hoping the reviews are great (they should be in today's paper) and that she gets to take this show to New York.
Two challenges today: play with the idea of whether you have a restaurant, book and TV show "in you." What would they be? It should tell you a lot about yourself. Everyone thinks I'm Martha Stuart fancy in many ways, but the fact that I envision myself slinging hash in a truck stop diner means, I think, I am, at heart, an earthy, simple gal. The second challenge is to think about the concept of "taking it home". There are "do-ers" and their are "wanna-be doers" in this world. Spider is a "do-er". She had a vision, worked the vision and made the vision a reality. Is there a vision you have for yourself that you should get re-energized about and make a reality? It could be something as simple as getting your orchids to bloom (reading up on them, adjusting the light and humidity, etc) or coaching your kids Little League team to victory (even though they suck). Or, it could be something really big - reinventing or changing careers, learning to paint, getting your MBA. Today Spider probably woke up in her comfy bed and looked at the ceiling and said to herself, "Congratulations, Baby...you did it." How proud she must be!
Peace,
Sarah
Picture is Spider in costume.
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