THANKFUL FRIDAY
Cindy Maddera
See this Instagram photo by @elephant_soap
When I went to pick out my new iPad, I played around with Apple pencil and I really liked it. It's the first stylus I've used that actually writes like a pencil. I really really wanted to add it my purchase that day, but it seemed a little frivolous. So I said "No thank you" to the Apple pencil, but I've been looking at it on Amazon just about every day since. Wednesday night, I came home from yoga class and Michael was cooking my kale that I eat on top of my mung beans and rice (every Wednesday). We fend for ourselves on Wednesdays because Michael doesn't like what I eat and I like kitchari (that's what I call it) for after yoga class. For one thing, I can put the mung beans and rice in the rice cooker and set it to start cooking before I get home. Then all I have to do is quickly cook up some kale, but this evening, Michael was doing that. I eyed him suspiciously as I walked into my room to take off my jewelry. I pulled off a bracelet and went to set it down on my dresser and guess what I found sitting on my jewelry box? A cat! No, but the cat has taken to lounging across the length of my dresser these days. There was an Apple pencil sitting on my dresser!
I didn't get to play around with it until Thursday. The first thing I did was read a bunch of app reviews for note taking apps. I do not spend money apps. The last app I purchased, I paid $2.99 for it and it was Camera+. This app turned out to be my favorite camera app and I use it all the time. Yesterday I went way outside my comfort zone and spent $8.99 for Noteshelf and I have no regrets. I've never been able to stick with even the simplest of journals. There was one time I tried to glue images onto a page and journal around it but I couldn't keep up. With Noteshelf, I can import pictures and journal around them and I don't need glue or printed pictures or a special journal. I'm hooked. I even plan to move my lab notebook to Noteshelf. I like to hand write stuff out and create elaborate plans and flow charts for how I set up an experiment. This has kept me from taking my lab notebook to digital for years.
I am very excited about this, but also I am very thankful for Michael's thoughtful gift. I think I mentioned one time that I might eventually want the pencil, but I didn't harp on it or talk about it constantly. He just went and got it. Chris used to do stuff like that. Three years ago today, I met Michael at Bella Napoli's after a few texts and one phone call. Moments before he showed up, I got cold feet and almost bolted. He walked up to me just as I was about to step away. Later on, he would be the one to step away just as I was ready to walk up. It was an awkward two-step but eventually he caught onto the rhythm. Now we dance pretty well. Sometimes we'll fall out of step but we always hop right back into place. I am thankful I didn't walk away that evening.
What else? Well, the last time I saw my massage therapist she told me to do two things: roll around on a foam roller and do more chest openers like supported fish. I have been doing both of those things. The foam roller still makes me cry. It is awful and painful and I'd rather go to the dentist. Supported fish pose is the opposite of the foam roller. I put myself into supported fish for my savasana yesterday and I didn't want to get up. When I did get up, I was all happy drooly baby face. I am thankful for support from fish. I am thankful for scooter days without a need for a jacket (IT'S MY FAVORITE!). I am thankful for banana chips. I am thankful for evening dog walks. I am super duper thankful for you.
Here's to a blazing hot summery weekend and a super Thankful Friday!