The Joy of Free Time

Hi, Monday. Just hi for now.

So there was no rapture to speak of- not much of a surprise there, really. But I was kind of looking forward to looting. Quel drag.

Besides being rapture free, this was a significant weekend in that I didn't have work to do. I managed to go to the gym (twice), get a lot of stuff done around the house, and generally just laze about. I also managed a self imposed digital exile on myself- barely looked at my computer and decided to read all my new mags, newspapers, and books instead. I know none of this sounds terribly exciting, but trust me, it was. We are all so often working 24/7/365 that we barely have time to buy toilet paper (isn't there an app for that yet?). So having time to just sit by my pool, read the Sunday Times and listen to music felt indulgent and decadent. I recall a time when those two adjectives had more to do with alcohol soaked evenings at some Manhattan boite, but now some quiet time feels much more hedonistic, since I too am always running around like a loon.

I have to learn to enjoy and appreciate the wonder of free time more- I've sort of become that person who can't slow down. I notice this now because I have a dog, who follows me wherever I go, which made me realize how much I run around my own apartment. This weekend found him much happier to just chill with me, and the fact that he had this new Himalayan bone thing, which he is obsessed with. There is great joy in the every day, in things that used to seem mundane. I'm not sure many of us appreciate just chilling out anymore, and the art of doing nothing is kind of lost on us. There is great luxury in "free" time- never before have I associated the words "free" and "luxury" together, but here I am doing it. Because as great as spendy luxury items can be, think of how much 24/7/365 effort we need to put forth to purchase them. In light of the past few years of downturn, let's make an effort to enjoy the free stuff, shall we? Because relaxing and laughing at your dog and reading the latest issue of Vogue in the sunshine t  are more valuable than any "it" bag. Just remember that.

And that's what's up this back to it of a Monday in the MIA. XO