Live Loud

I was listening to the radio when I heard the lyrics “When is the last time you did something for the first time?”  And just to be clear, yes, I still listen to the radio.  It’s one of the old school things I cling onto.  I also mail handwritten thank you notes,  listen to cassette tapes and just to piss people off, I’ll leave an occasional voicemail.  It keeps me grounded and doesn’t make me feel like such a drone.  Alas, it got me thinking and I couldn’t come up with an answer.  I thought harder and I did get to go into the VIP bar at the Comedy Store which was V kewl and I drove the 405 for someone which, in LA, is the epitome of love.  My point is, I should be doing stuff like that everyday.  Carpe the diem you know?  It is a great big huge wide world out there and it’s full of people I’ve never met, places I’ve never been and things I’ve never tried.  Why have another ordinary day again?

We get stuck in our routines, we get lost in our circles, we quickly become creatures of habit and we have to remind ourselves, as Wilson Phillips did, to break free from the chains.  I don’t know about you but when I was a little girl, I wasn’t chomping at the bit so I could spend all my money on bills, cry and eat salad all the time.  I wanted adventure.  I wanted to go and do whatever I wanted when I wanted to do it.  There was this whole idea of amazing equated with growing up.  Embracing that mentality again might not be the worst idea I’ve ever had…and I have had  A LOT of bad ideas in this lifetime.  If you saw me in the 90s, you’d understand.  I’m also the girl who lived in a house of cricket-spiders (they are a thing and they are real and they are terrifying) and instead of killing them would just trap them under cups.  So if you’ve wondered what it’s like to live with me just imagine waking up to a house full of cups all over the floor knowing there are spiders inside of each one.  You’re welcome.  I also had a bachelorette party for myself (no, I’ve never been engaged) which was the best idea until my boyfriend at the time walked into the bar and then it wasn’t.  I had to hide under a table for an hour and threw up in my glass.  A proud moment of my collegiate career for sure.  Thank god social media was still a tiny child who didn’t really know what she was doing.

I have to go on this tangent for just a second.  I am gracious if not blessed most of my life has not been documented.  First off, I would be in jail.  Just kidding.  I think.  Frankly, all of this new technology scares me.  I still can’t wrap my head around instastory.  Is anyone really that interested in what I’m doing?  I’m still shocked that people even read this every week.  I put tape over the cameras on all my devices.  Partially because I’ve watched too many crime shows but also because people are insane and I trust no one cause there are some real creeps out there.  As a writer, I google some really weird things sometimes so who knows who’s tuning in.  I think last week it was ‘can you legally bury someone in your front yard in Nevada?’  It’s part of the job guys.  And now everyone has an Alexa just sitting in their living room, listening to their every word, documenting everything, like some kind of WWII spy.  Except she isn’t a spy, because you paid for it and now everything you say and do will be used against you.  People used to pay for privacy.  Times be changing.

Find what makes you feel alive and dances the mambo through your veins.  A saleswoman came running at me with this ridiculous grin across her face and said “Are you excited for the wedding?!”  I froze before I realized a second later she was talking about the royal wedding and I had to refrain from slamming my face into a wall.  She was literally flitting around the store like a blown up Tinkerbell.  I gotta tell you, I’m not excited.  Not even a little bit.  Like yay, congratulations, what am I going to eat for lunch?  I don’t even care when William and Kate have kids.  I can barely keep up with the children of the people I know.  All it really makes me wonder is why monarchs still exist.  It’s weird you guys!  But this woman was GLOWING and she is going to have the best time of her life watching that wedding and I love that for her.  We should all be that excited about our plans all the time.

I have a lot to do.  There is still so much more I need to see and try and mark off my list.  I need to travel the globe, punch someone in the face – don’t worry, they’ll deserve it and you’ll be glad I did- , pet a whale’s tongue and fall in love again.  I have a book list a mile long.  I have recipes I want to try, music I haven’t heard and castles to explore.  Don’t let yourself fall into a routine.  Challenge yourself to branch out.  Try new restaurants, drink new drinks, wear something crazy, call someone you miss, eat spaghetti with someone Lady and the Tramp style, write a letter, go on new hikes, always seek adventure.  Remember that at one point in your life, you were excited and in awe of adults.  Change your perspective.  Do something everyday that scares you a little.  Stop letting yourself go through motions wishing it was Friday.  Be appreciative of now and remember all the reasons you wanted to grow up and the beauty there was in the idea of living your life your way.  Be the person your dog thinks  you are.  Shine in ways that are blinding, find your happy and always seek the extraordinary adventure.  Be colossal always.