One of my goals for this summer is to be more spontaneous, to go with the flow, to allow new experiences to wash over me, instead of avoiding them. Sometimes I joke that my alter ego is named Grandma. She enjoys curling up on the sofa with her dog, reading good books, and going to bed around 11PM. She has even been known to fall asleep in her chair with company over, and she often avoids unscheduled activities.
Don’t worry. I do not have multiple personalities. I just have a part of myself that is very set in routines, plans, managing expectations. I’m alright with this because I think it is important to know what you like and to not always do things just because you do not want to disappoint others. However, I also do not want to miss out on exciting parts of life just because I did not plan for them.
So, yesterday, on a whim, I climbed into my car with my husband and my dog and drove to Berkeley for lunch to celebrate the birthday of one of my nearest and dearest friends, Liz. We picked up fried chicken sammies from Bakesale Betty’s in Oakland, (which is absolutely amazing and a must-eat if you’re in the area). Then, with the help of another one of my nearest and dearest, Jen, we surprised Liz on the Berkeley campus with a picnic near her office.
Mind you, this may not seem over-the-top crazy, but it was spontaneous and required some effort to get down there, two things that Grandma doesn’t like. So, I’m happy to report that I successfully overcame my alter ego and had a lot of fun in the process. Our picnic was delicious and it was awesome to hang out with friends in the town we used to call home, (and miss dearly!).
Now, for the next adventure Grandma is dreading, a five-day road trip to Olympia, WA and back, for roller derby, dirty Portland bars, and that magnificent Oregon coast…
oliviaobryon 