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And Hilarity Ensues

In two days, I leave for Tanzania with my mom.  I am so stinking excited.  I have no idea what day it is right now, I’m so excited.  I have thought it was Thursday since Monday.  I have never been to Africa, so that will be amazing.  We will be there during the Great Migration, so the animals should be amazing.  It will be warmer than Minnesota, which is amazing.  But honestly, the thing I am most excited about?  The twelve days I get to spend with my mom.

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Wales, 2014

Every year, my mom and I go on a trip together.  We’ve been doing this for about five years now.  We have been to Lisbon, Wales, Austria/Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium, and Italy. My mom loves to travel.  My dad, for all that he is a very curious and brilliant person, does not love to travel.  So my mom takes me on her adventures.  We travel incredibly well together.  We go at more or less the same pace.  We like to see the same things, we like to shop the same amount, we both know the value of naps, and we have a similar sense of wonder for the world.   But most important, we both know how hilarious we are.

Each trip starts out with both of us passing a sane and normal travelers.  We get through airport security with cheerful excitement.  We wait patiently at the gate for our plane.  We board, we get settled in.  My mom puts on her airplane booties.  Yeah, she has airplane booties.  We read our books, we watch the movies, we try to sleep a bit.

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Somewhere mid-flight, the giggles begin.  Lately, it has tended to involve one or both of us putting our travel pillows on our heads.

I do not know why this happens.  But it is hilarious.  Other people are not always party to our hilarity.  One lady on the flight to Italy was grouchy at us for grooving to some music on the headphones we were sharing.  She clearly did not know how to travel.

By the time we finally reach our destination, the loopiness has set in.  Jet lag is a funny thing.  Travelling is exhausting, but we never end a flight grumpy.  We end it in giggles.  Literally everything is funny.  Especially when it’s nothing.  In Portugal, we dissolved into giggles taking our “after flight” selfie.  We always take a before and after photo.  There was nothing objectively funny about the photo we were taking except that we were both in it and very, very tired.

We have pretty much giggled our way through Europe.  In Belgium, there were always french fries around and they always smelled amazing. After a long day of walking, the smell of fries caused us both to perk up and look for them.  This was cause for a photo, in which my mom somehow managed to look like she had swallowed a goldfish.  I would post the picture here, but she would kill me.  Trust me, it is hilarious.

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It is hard to write about inside jokes because, as I have said, not everyone gets how funny my mom and I are.  It’s pretty much just us who get it, really.  But my mom is one of the most unintentionally funny people you could ever meet, and being around her makes me so very very happy.  Travelling with her is one of my favorite things.  I am always excited about the destinations, of course – the places we have been have been wonderful.  But the best part has always been and will always be the laughter my mom and I share.  When memories of the trips have become fuzzy, the memories of the laughter are sharp and clear and present.  I treasure that.  I love my mom and I feel so blessed to share in the joy that surrounds her.

So watch out, Tanzania.  I think accidental photos of zebra butts are about to become uncommonly funny.

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7 Things that make me happy (That I think other people should do because maybe then they would be happy too)

I, on occasion, have been known to think that I know what is best for everyone.  What follows is a list of things that I have recommended or wanted to recommend that people do in order to be happy.  I am a generally happy person and tend to want to spread that around, whether others like it or not.

Running

So I am aware of the thousands upon thousands of blogs and websites and magazines and books and podcasts dedicated to the joys of running.  And yet, people still don’t believe me when I say that running fixes everything.  I guess maybe they don’t read/listen to those thousands of running dedicated media.  It’s true though.  I took up running about 6 or 7 years ago, starting out very slow with low mileage.  Since then, I have run two half marathons and one full.  And there has never ever been a time when I regretted a run.  There have been runs that weren’t what I expected or hoped they would be, but I have always felt better afterwards.  My friends and family have seen the (sometimes dramatic) improvement in my mood after a run.  And still, there are those who are all like, “Nah, I think sitting on the couch watching TV will be better for my mental health.”  They are wrong.  Dancing also falls into this category.  Dancing and running have never failed to make my life better.

I am also aware that running is not a possibility for all due to physical constraints. To those of you who are not able to run (not wanting to is not the same thing), I am a firm believer that going outside and moving, or sitting by an open window, is a decent alternative.

Reading

Books are amazing.  Not all books.  Some books really had no business being written.  Some books have turned out to be a waste of my time.  But books, in general, are fantastic.  Reading is calming, a safe and healthy means of escape, and can actually make you smarter.  I’ve been an avid reader my whole life.  I highly recommend it.  I have also become an avid listener of audiobooks lately.  Thanks, hour long commute.  The best thing I have found to feed my reading habit has been Overdrive.  This amazing app lets you borrow ebooks and audiobooks from the library and download it right to your phone!  It has saved me piles of money and allowed me to make better use of my commute.  Most recently, it nearly caused me to drive off the road from laughing so hard at “Furiously Happy” by Jenny Lawson.

Spending time with kids

Kids are hilarious.  I don’t have my own, which may be why I think so.  But working with or volunteering with or even just hanging out with kids tends to make you check your problems at the door.  Kids do not care that your check engine light is back on for the third time this month, or that your work deadlines are insane, or that your mother in law is driving you bonkers.  (That last one I made up.  Love you Kathy and Debbie!  Yes, I have two mothers-in-law.  It’s a stepmom situation, not a married to each other scenario.)  Kids demand and require all of your attention in the time that you are with them.  Their joys and concerns are the biggest thing in the world to them, and need to be the biggest thing in the world to you too at that moment.  I have taught pre-school and had to say things like “Stop punching the duck,” “We do not make our friends into horses,” and “Nope, that is definitely not food.”  Little ones are a fun escape if you don’t have any of your own.  I can’t speak to what it’s like to have kids of your own.  I’m now a volunteer coach for Girls on the Run and work with 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders.  I don’t have to say quite as many ridiculous things, but their joy and learning is still a bright spot in my life.  Spending time with them makes my day better.

Spending time with dogs

Similar to kids, dogs are hilarious.  And I still get to say “Nope, that is definitely not food” pretty frequently.  Plus, snuggles.  So many snuggles.  And they depend on you, so it kind of forces you to get yourself together.  I’m just going to leave this picture of a dog here to prove my point on why they are fantastic.  Feel free to hear the “Jaws” theme song in your head.

Crafts

Making things is amazing!  You start with stuff that isn’t anything, and you turn it into something!  Gives one a feeling of accomplishment.  And if it’s total crap you can start over or throw it out.  No pressure, just something to do that has no connection to whatever else might be stressing you out.  Arm knitting and cross stitching have been my latest endeavors.

Travelling/Exploring

If you have the means, travel the world.  If you don’t, this site has some interesting ideas on how to travel for cheap. (Disclaimer- I am not on board with their hitchhiking recommendation.)  Travelling is incredible.  Seeing things you’d never have seen otherwise, experiencing other cultures, meeting new people – there really isn’t anything else like it.  I believe some of this experience can be found in your hometown.  I love Facebook’s Events feature.  It is so easy to find things going on near you any day of the week.  A lot of it is free, too.  Art, music, dancing, sporting events, comedians, activism, charitable events, it’s all there.  And if you live in the Twin Cities and can’t afford a study abroad program for you or your child, check out City Stay.  This unique non-profit brings study abroad to the local community level by arranging stays in the homes of families from other cultures.

Journaling/Therapy

I’m putting these two together because they are similar in my mind.  For the love of God, if you are having trouble, talk to someone!  Here is a list of 81(!) mental health resources that are low or no cost.  Finding a professional to talk to is the best thing you can do if you are struggling.  But it’s important to have an everyday outlet too.  If you have a close friend you can talk to, that’s awesome.  That can be such a help.  I find that writing helps me.  I try to journal most nights before bed.  This gets all my thoughts out and allows my brain to slow down enough to go to sleep.  This does not solve all my issues or get all my crazy out, but it helps me to be calm enough to see the good around me.

I will continue to recommend these and other happiness inducing activities to my friends and family to the point of annoyance.  I’d love to hear what others do to keep calm and find joy in the midst of life’s craziness.  Leave a comment or contact me!