I don’t know if you can tell, but I’ve been struggling recently with what to do with this blog.
One social media calendar says this week I should post a “day in the life of an author” blog or vlog. Another says that today I should share someone or something I’m grateful for. Could I write a blog post on either of these things? Of course. Those are actually pretty easy prompts to work with.
The problem is that it feels forced. It’s not like I would lie or anything. I wouldn’t say I’m grateful for the nice weather we’re having when it’s really reminding me that in a month or two it’ll be over 100ºF on a daily basis. I wouldn’t write that I had such a great day or week writing when really I struggled. I still doesn’t feel natural or like me, though.
Recently, Jimmy Snow started doing some freestyle videos on his YouTube channel where he basically talks about whatever’s on his mind, and I think that’s a great idea for this blog. I’m just going to sit down each week and put some words out there.
Outdoor Play for Adults
I shared a video on my personal Facebook timeline recently of several adults falling and generally hurting themselves at children’s playgrounds. They were all stiff, awkward, and unsure of themselves as they attempted to play on the monkey bars or balance on a balance beam. It was quite a contrast to what they must have looked like as children on that same play equipment.
When I shared the video, I commented that we need more playgrounds for adults. A friend commented and said, “Did you not even watch the video?!” I didn’t know what she was talking about at first. I saw these adults as out of practice and in need of more outdoor play time. She saw them as idiots who shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near a playground or they would surely kill themselves.
Here’s the thing. Why do we expect children to get sixty minutes of active play every day and one thousand hours of outside time per year, but not have those same expectations for ourselves? I know, I know. We don’t have time. We’re expected to work forty hours a week at a desk, and then we have meals to cook, chores to do, and homework to help with.
There’s a book I really want to read called Last Child in the Woods, by Richard Louv. The subtitle is Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder. But what about me? Who’s going to save me from “nature-deficit disorder”? Do we give our children all this nature in their childhood and then expect them to give it up when they grow up? Only get it in on the weekends when they can go for a hike on a crowded trail?
Honestly, I don’t know the answers. I just wish I was still as active and playful as I was as a child. I wish I could make the time to spend one thousand hours outside every day. I wish my chosen career (and my day job) didn’t involve me sitting at a desk for eight or more hours per day.
Asian Women’s Day in the Life Videos
Lately, I’ve been really into day in the life videos made by women living in Asia. I’ve watched videos of women living in Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.
The format is as follows: calming (almost lullaby) music plays in the background most of the time, subtitles narrate everything, the physical environment (usually a tiny apartment) is always spotless and full of calming neutral tones, the woman never shows her face or lets us hear her voice, cooking and eating food is always included and is always a delicate and deliberate act, and a package of some sort is usually crinkled. Okay, I guess they’re technically ASMR videos, but I’ve never reacted that way to them.
The other day, I had a dizziness attack that plagued me the entire day, and I just laid in bed watching these videos. There is no better thing to distract you from vertigo than watching such calm, soft videos. I clicked on a more traditional western video at one point and my calm mind was offended by the voiceover.
In the world of YouTube, where everyone is so in your face with their faces and loud voices, it can be nice to watch something and just feel like a casual observer. Faces are too much for me sometimes. They’re very intimate and emotional, and sometimes I need to disconnect from that.
The best thing is that these videos are pretty inspirational. After I started feeling better, I actually went into my kitchen and did some dishes. I started thinking of meals I wanted to cook the next day and shopping my pantry for ingredients. I made some iced coffee because I saw a woman preparing it in a video.
If you’re interested, I highly recommend Rhea Y., Tina’s Life, Nami, and ivykitchen.
Well, that’s all for now! I’m see you all next week!
rvbutlerauthor.com 