New Kind of Kick

In my pursuit of novelty and adventure, I picked up the new Strawberries & Cream Dr. Pepper AND some Chocolate Covered Strawberry-flavored Dunkin’ K-Cups. I’ve got to watch my coffee intake, for reasons, but it sounded too good to pass up. Both are very good! Had the soda yesterday and a cup of the coffee today.

I also have some chicken breast tenders simmering in canned spicy gumbo on the stove. Added some cayenne pepper and salt to the chicken for a bit of extra kick.

AND I made a new-to-me recipe yesterday. Oatmeal Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies!!!

I found the recipe on a cannister of generic steel-cut oats.

Also finished watching Season 3 of Outer Banks last night. The ending was SO GOOD!!!

Reached out to a former flame just to say hey. That could’ve provoked some trouble, but it didn’t. The impulse to contact him, though, reminded me a bit of a scene from an episode of the US version of Queer as Folk, where Brian’s playing with a train set and says roughly that sometimes we get bored of going around and around the track so we go off the rails a bit. But you can always put the train back together properly, after a crash.

Also messaged a former coworker, to apologize for a time I failed to show needed empathy. I don’t expect to hear back, but I’m glad I did it. That was less about adding spice and variety to my life (or asking for mischief) and more about striving to be an authentic human being.

I used to have this theory. It sounds shallow now.

The gist of it was, that you couldn’t always guarantee that the guy you most wanted attention from would be the one to give it to you. But by nurturing the relationships, friendship or otherwise, with the other guys in your life, you were contributing positive karma to the “man tree,” which would eventually yield more love back, from someone or other.

I’m not sure if there’s any esoteric woo-woo truth to that; after messaging that old conquest and my former coworker, however, I got a message on a dating app. So far, so good!

Also received a visit from some Jehovah’s Witnesses yesterday, after having dreamed the night before that I was wandering around a rectory attached to a Catholic church, watching the end of the mass through large glass doors separating the rectory from the church. Everyone left at the end of the service, and I noticed a massive wooden harp among the pews.

Not sure what any of THAT means.

The thought I’d had in my head before falling asleep was more along the lines of whether or not I should reach out to that one dude from my past (not the coworker… other one).

I don’t feel like that dream really applied at all. The only possible connection I can see is that I once wrote him a poem called “Sundays” inspired by all the times I sat in church wondering if I would see him that night, since he stopped into my work most often on Thursdays and Sundays.

Sadly, I think I lost any and all copies of the poem. Don’t know if he still has the one I gave him. Maybe not. It was a long time ago. I remember “We made war all over” and “shucking husks of laughter in our wake.”

Of course, romancing a poet has its downsides, as well. Heartbreak and angst make for great grist, too, not just passion.

Speaking of grist… the Jehovah’s Witnesses left behind a pamphlet with a very poetic passage from Revelations. I don’t pretend to be Christian, but the wording in the translation struck me as rather romantic. There’s certainly a lot of passages where God addresses the reader or the populace in the context of a husband, etc.

So, after listening to “Psalm 69” by Ministry like a good heathen (HA!), I wrote a very short story (about 200 words) adapting the Biblical passage into dialogue between a vampire and his chosen mortal.

I’d include it here, but I may try to do something with it, publishing-wise, and need it to go unseen for a bit, while I figure that out.

I’m also writing little slice-of-life, creative non-fiction/memoir type things to put together into a collection of some kind. So far, I’ve written 3. I’ve no idea what the audience for something like that might be or where I could publish it, but if nothing else, I could self-publish. Haven’t done that in a hot minute, anyway.

Might work on some more today, alongside some general housekeeping tasks. Reminds me, I haven’t used my chore magnets in a bit, either. Could be a helpful way to give myself some positive reinforcement to get things done today.

May also see about a walk. Not too chilly today, and nice and sunny.

OH and I almost forgot– there’s new Mandalorian stuff to watch on Disney+!!! And this time I have plenty ‘o popcorn for streaming it UP. Lots of small novelties to keep life interesting, for today.

Finally used up the last of my older foaming hand soap today, too, so I got to start the Iced Cinnamon Rolls-scented one from Christmas. Yay!!!

Maybe I’ll have to try making some cinnamon rolls sometime soon. Look at how delicious that looks!!!

Definitely want to try sheet pan nachos. Been craving nachos ever since my friend Barbara mentioned that she’d made some.

Today, I’m thankful for variety, novelty, and connection. And maybe a little thankful that I still have a bit of teenage mischief in my spirit. I think it keeps me young.

I once read somewhere that even just trying a new type of cereal, or something equivalent to that, can help your mental health, because variety is, indeed, the spice of life!

Alright, first things first. Already had lunch, and I’m still in my sleep shirt. LOL. Time to get dressed and get the day started properly!

Rock your Thursday my peeps!