It’s Saturday, Modern Philosophers, and I had a very difficult time getting out of bed this morning.
And that wasn’t just because Dr. Jekyll had my house staff strap me in a little too tightly last night. Rather, it was because I’m in a bit of a funk.
Life has been a tad like Groundhog Day lately, in that the exact same thing seems to be happening over and over again, and I am incapable of breaking the cycle. Then the day always ends with Bill Murray kicking me in the junk.
What’s the deal with that, Bill? What did I ever do to deserve such treatment? And why the hell haven’t I smartened up yet and put on a cup since I know that kick is coming?
I thought I’d mix things up a little this morning, and take the blog out on the road. There’s nothing like a road trip to bust a slump, and I’m happy to leave the funk back at The House on the Hill while I seek out new adventures.
So this morning, my Jump Start post is coming to you live from The Brewer Public Library. That’s right, Modern Philosophers, I am at the library, soaking up the silence, and surrounding myself with books.
If any of you are in the area, why don’t you drop in for a visit? I’ll happily autograph your favorite blog post, chat with you about blogging, and see if I can get some of your favorite characters from the blog to come down and visit as well.
Things are pretty quiet here right now, which leads me to believe that the library needs a jump start. Perhaps by tapping out these Deep Thoughts from the reading room, I’ll will get things humming throughout the entire building.
And like Magic, this jump start has made the library come to life. There are three other people at the table with me now, and a little old lady just came in who is quite the live wire. I think she’s hard of hearing because she is speaking very loudly while engaging the librarians in conversation.
I’ve just learned that she used to run a nursery school for 35 years, and she seems to know everyone in the place except for me. I hope when I’m her age, I can walk into the library and have everyone know my name.
It’s like Cheers for the book crowd…but you still get carded.
Now another patron is engaging the librarians in a conversation on Autism, and they are discussing their favorite books on the subject.
I knew coming to the library would give my day the jump start it needed. Hope this post has given your Saturday a proper jump start. I’ll be here for a little while longer if you want to come down and share some Deep Thoughts live and in person.
Thank you, Brewer Public Library, for hosting this live blogging experience!
What do you do, Modern Philosophers, when you find yourself in a funk and life seems to be rerunning the same day over and over? What do you use as a slump buster? Has Bill Murray ever kicked you in the privates?
Take a vacation. Road trip!
I probably should do that. Doesn’t going to the library count as a road trip, though? 🙂
Hmmm, in a different town perhaps. Read in a cafe in someplace you don’t often go. Take your mind and your body out of the same old same old.
I shall give that a try. Thank you. 🙂
Best of luck!
As a former public librarian, I LOVED this post! =) I will give you the inside scoop that there are many “Norm Petersons” in the library world. They are usually older and retired…But they are also moms (and dads) who bring their kids to storytimes every week…the teen who checks out 10 anime books…It really is a diverse crowd. Oh, and I what do when in a funk?? Seek out Mother Nature…she always has a cure.
I knew I liked you for a reason, Lisa. I think librarians are awesome. 🙂
Does Mother Nature have any single friends? 🙂
Yes, many!
Oooo, that sounds promising. I’ve been having trouble meeting nice single women…
Yes, it can get dark and stormy some times, but never fear, it always clears up! =)
Then again, her son is Snow Miser, who is my sworn enemy. Could be trouble…
Good heavens. I am in a funk more often than I care to admit…and I usually get myself into some sort of trouble because of it. Right now I have committed myself to a papermaking party with some friends in a few weeks. So. Now I get to figure out how to make paper.
I believe trees are involved, so I’d say plant a forest first. 🙂
Okay, I live in a forest. Check! Now, should I buy an axe, or hire beavers?
But it’s so wrong to cut down a tree just to make paper. We should live in a paperless society before it becomes a treeless one!
Second idea: I recycled junk mail into pulp and added the army of stinging nettle that surrounds me. And build a papermache forest. And cut down those trees, and made paper.
I prefer that idea.
I too have been in a funk. Since my Dad died in October (heartbreaking) and I brought my mother home to live with me. The woman is driving me nuts and I’m a moody mess. I like to go for a walk in the woods by my house to get away from everything, but it’s raining today. It’s really difficult to find somewhere to go where Mom doesn’t want to tag along. She even wanted to go to the DMV with me when I got my license renewed last week!
And, I have always hated Bill Murray. He’s an insufferable jerk. Perhaps a bag of frozen peas will help your pain.
Maybe if you get Mom out of her funk, your funk will vanish, too.
Sorry for your loss.
Thank you Austin.
I love Bill Murray Christie – because he’s an insufferable jerk. I tend to be “too nice” so seeing someone who doesn’t suffer from this is refreshing. I also tend to trust people who don’t care what I think of them. I get honest answers from them. Enough about Bill.
Sorry about your loss. Having your mom in your space has to be extremely difficult especially on top of the change that being without your father is for both of you. This too shall pass and you’ll be happy for what you’re doing now. I’m sure that’s tough to imagine in the moment though. You might need to set boundaries by telling your mom you need time alone to process. If not, you could end up resentful and that wouldn’t be good for either of you. I’m sure she’s not sure where she fits anymore either. Tough situation. Hang in there.
Thank you Anita. Yes, it’s an intricate dance that my Mom and I are doing. She does try to give me space, and I try to include her in things I’d like to do alone. When I want to scream at her to leave me alone, I take a beat and remind myself that one day she will be gone too, and I will be glad for this time I have with her.
Going to the library! I sigh in envy. I, too, am in a funk. I had several Mohawk Valley adventures planned for today, which may have helped, but instead I took my poor dog to the vet and now am staying home with her so she doesn’t have to be all alone and sick. But you inspire me to do something else to jumpstart my brain. Hmmm…. I’ll come up with something, never fear.
I hope your doggie is okay. My kitties send their love. 🙂
Thank you. It is Lyme disease, she’s gotten shots and meds, so she should be her happy, jumpy self soon.
Good to hear!
I pet dogs and cats, or go for a walk. Usually, I’m at the computer typing. The worst days are those in which I’m unable to write my books. At this time in my life, I’d much rather have a very satisfying groundhog day filled with writing..
I am definitely spending quality time with Cali and Luna. They help a lot!
I was at the library this morning too.
What do do in a funk, I kind of wish my life were a little more boring right now…
No, luckily Bill Murray is kind to me. 😉
I don’t know what I did to accept Bill…
When I’m in a funk, I cook, usually make soup from scratch. All that chopping and slicing and dicing gets me energized again. I take out my angst on the poor vegetables but then I get to eat a wonderful soup afterwards. Do you cook?
I did cook up a nice burger for lunch…
Chopping get you brain working. Take THAT. And t.h.a.t. Pretty soon the juices are flowing and you want to grab life again by the shirttails. 😀
When I’m in a funk, I…wait, I’m always in a funk these days! Reading fun blog posts helps, though!
🙂
When you said The Brewer Public Library, for a second I thought you were going to say The Brewery…which might be an interesting post.
Does the brewery have a library? 🙂
I’m pretty sure they do. Just ask when you get there.
I will give it a shot. 🙂
I double-dog dare you to go into a brewery with your laptop and ask where the library is. Ha!
When I get in a funk I remember having lived through previous funks. I also try to get more sleep. I can almost always trace a funk to sleep deprivation which makes everything feel more harrowing.
But isn’t too much sleep a sign of depression?
When I get in a funk sometimes I listen to some funk. George Clinton and the P-Funk All-Stars. Parliament-Funkadelic. James Brown! Stevie Wonder will work, Austin. Loud and proud.
The library is good, though. Very good.
I prefer Foo Fighters, but I understand what you’re saying…
I like rock, jazz, blues. Rock. Rock. Rock. But you brought up funk, so.
I like rock, paper, and scissors. 🙂
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Yeah, feeling stuck as well. No idea. And it didn’t help to watch OUAT where one of the characters that is labouring under a curse says something like “Even when I try to make good decisions they turn out wrong”. LOL So, this skeptic is almost ready to call in a cursebreaker, if there is even such a thing. *wry laugh*
I do know some very nice witches who might be ableto help you…
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