So here's the thing. I actually have a few ideas of my own for this blog, many of which I've fleshed out in the barest terms in emails to myself over the past few weeks.
So here's the other thing. Bloody gmail is IMPOSSIBLE to find things in and so I can't find a SINGLE ONE of those emails today. NOT. ONE. And so I am in the frustrating position of knowing that there are things I want to write about and knowing that I did jot down a few of my hopefully-clever thoughts on those topics, but I can't fully remember what they were or find them in my inbox.
And so today, I instead turn once again to a 30-day blogging challenge for inspiration. And thankfully found a wisp of inspiration with the following topic:
Your Favorite Quote. (Or how about 10 of my favorite quotes in order to make this both more interesting and to hit at least 200 words in this post...)
1. "Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity, nothing exceeds the criticisms made of the habits of the poor by the well-housed, well-warmed, and well-fed." ~ Herman Melville
I think this every single time I'm at the gym or the doctor's office and unable to turn off Fox News... (Trust me, there are also a lot of other things I think in those moments but they probably aren't fit for print.)
2. "The greatest thing you'll every learn is just to love and be loved in return." ~ Moulin Rouge
I would like love to be as simple as this.
3. "I just may set off in another direction entirely." ~ Snufkin
A reflection of my wanderlust, held in check for now, sure to resurface eventually. My bags are always half-packed.
4. "How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world." ~ Anne Frank
It breaks my heart, but also gives me hope that it is possible to actually believe in change in this world.
5. "If adventures will not befall a young lady in her own village, she must seek them abroad." ~ Jane Austen
A wonderful summary of my life in England from the greatest English writer I know.
6. "It is never too late to be what you might have been." ~ George Eliot
I hold onto the fact that I must be a late bloomer, and one day, I'll bloom.
7. “If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning.” ~ Catherine Aird
Seems a reasonable way to live one's life, especially on days when you just can't get it right.
8. "Because you're still asking that question." ~ Joss Whedon
In response to the question he is constantly asked by reporters: "Why do you write strong female characters?" It underlines the fact that too many still view it as odd to focus on strong women and, even worse, consider it odd to focus on women at all. The gender disparities in our society are frustrating, harmful, hypocritical, and short-sighted, and I'm glad to continue to fight that good fight. And I'm glad to have Joss Whedon right there with me.
9. “Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life.” ~ Mark Twain
Yes.
10. "Let your freak-flag fly, and if someone doesn't get you, move on." ~ Drew Barrymore
This is her fundamental rule of dating, but really it applies to all of life. There's no point in not being true to who you are, a truth I've come to over the past few years. I know who I am, and I'm glad to be around people who get me and my inner freak.
A footnote:
Apropos of next to nothing, I have to admit that midway through writing this post, I took a detour, after cursing Gmail several times, to try to merge my Gmail into Outlook (one of the only times that Microsoft presents a friendlier program than other providers...). But after going through several steps, I chickened out at the thought that all of my emails might mistakenly disappear in the ether rather than reappearing in an Outlook window. Though that might actually be a blessing in disguise as I've said in the past that I want to apply a scorched earth policy to my email and CLEAR. IT. OUT. Needless to say, second guessing has led to me still being saddled with an overfull Gmail account where I can't find these bloody emails with blog ideas. Dang it.