Untethered Dog

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.