September 2020

by Tom Swift

28 Monday

  • New neighbors.
  • Gene Hackman.
  • Pretty hockey plays.
  • Small stretching sessions.
  • The opportunity to get better.

27 Sunday

  • Powderhorn Park.
  • People who walk their dogs.
  • People who sell self-published books in public places.
  • Tristan Harris.
  • The New York Times.
  • Intellectual stimulation.
  • Sunday mornings at the gym.
  • Salmon supper.

26 Saturday

  • A clean car.
  • The new-car smell. Even if the car itself is old.
  • Throwing out old notebooks. You think you might need them sometime but they only take up headspace.

25 Friday

  • Running in the rain.
  • Anytime spent slowly stretching.
  • The Lincoln Project.
  • Kelp.
  • Eating just enough.
  • Being able to mow the lawn in the afternoon.
  • That you get to live where you do with your little buddy.
  • People who write books that show you how to be a better human.

21 Monday

  • The placebo effect.
  • When help is on the way.
  • When fresh new notebooks arrive in the mail.
  • Car rides with your little buddy.
  • Walgreens runs.
  • Winning without your best stuff.

20 Sunday

  • Your dog.
  • Your house.
  • The wind at night.
  • Balmy nights.
  • Your breath.
  • The struggle of your life.
  • 1986.
  • Stretch pants.
  • Sam Harris.
  • Honey.
  • Your throat.
  • The challenge you face.

19 Saturday

  • RBG.

18 Friday

  • Being able to watch a hockey game.
  • Helping someone in a way that makes them extremely pleased.
  • Time to follow the beat of your own drummer.

17 Thursday

  • When you say no to the brain that tells you get revved up.
  • The power of movement on the mind.
  • Chris Botti.
  • Everyone who is outraged.
  • Everyone who is trying to retain democracy.
  • Time at the park. Just you and your dog. In the dark. Open ballfields. Empty playground. Cool air. The smell of grass. Stars above.

16 Wednesday

  • The Enlightenment.
  • People who care about animals that aren’t their own.
  • Learning about the mind.
  • A new shower curtain.
  • A day without bathing. It’s good for the skin!
  • When the dog asks you to take one more walk at the end of the day.

15 Tuesday

  • A spiffy clean house.
  • New bath mats.
  • Chris Botti.
  • Warm evenings.
  • Mike Madrid.
  • Getting over a hump.
  • People who work extra for the same charge.

14 Monday

  • When your dog lies on your person. Head on foot is especially good.
  • Leftover coffee.
  • Windows open.
  • Your porch.
  • Cold feet.
  • Warm showers before bed.

13 Sunday

  • People who mention your website.
  • Being forced into the moment.
  • Being guided there, too.
  • Coupons that work past their expiration dates.

12 Saturday

  • A new old TV.
  • Old movies.
  • Knowing what you’re talking about.
  • Hard naps.
  • Something new.
  • A surprisingly pleasant (weather-wise) night.

11 Friday

  • The people that ran into the burning buildings.
  • The people who said “Let’s Roll.”
  • The country that produced those people.

 

9 Wednesday

  • Curbside dog treats.
  • Your furnace.
  • Embracing cold.
  • Good news about your tree.
  • Comedy as an antidote to anxiousness.
  • Short weeks.

 

8 Tuesday

  • Hoodies.
  • Blankets.
  • The choice of this moment.
  • The woman who looks at your nearly 13-year-old dog and regards him as though he were a “puppy.”

 

7 Monday

  • The women and men who fought for the rights and accepted standards of American workers.
  • A mowed lawn.
  • Ginger-turmeric tea.
  • Democracy Docket.
  • Finding this month’s book club book in the Little Free Library.

 

6 Sunday

  • Naps.
  • Cool breezes on muggy days.
  • The Sunday paper at your doorstep.
  • Thoughtful books about the mind.
  • Steel-cut oats.

 

5 Saturday

  • Cool dark mornings.
  • Your notebook.
  • The voice in your head.
  • Short, smart books.
  • Dwight Eisenhower.
  • Theater popcorn.

 

4 Friday

  • Four-day weekends.
  • The tyranny and the inspiration of the Three Things To-Do List.
  • Your small home.
  • Being fooled by a bot.
  • The squirrel that sat on your fence for the longest time this morning nibbling on a bevy of small acorns, one at a time.
  • Big ideas.

 

3 Thursday

  • Long workouts.
  • New slippers.
  • Fresh air.
  • Chocolate milk.
  • The League of Women Voters.

 

2 Wednesday

  • The comfort that comes from action.
  • Sleeping late.
  • Long morning walks.
  • When the dog wants to play more than you have time for.
  • Sauerkraut.

 

1 Tuesday

    Early morning reading.
    The chance to teach.
    Water.
    Vulnerability.
    President Lincoln.
    The color espresso.