Fruitful Mornings

I've heard from a lot of people that they think best on the toilet or in the shower or right before they go to bed. Well, I think the best on my drives to and from work and school. When I'm at this intellectual high, I make up games for myself--don't worry I'm still highly concentrated on the roads and all that. 


Each morning that I wake up, I usually am by myself and don't see anyone while I'm getting ready. This means that besides singing in the shower, I normally don't utter a thing in the morning. As I'm driving to my job or to college, I don't allow myself to say anything until I sing lyrics of a song (normally on the radio, sometimes on my iPod) that I want to live out that particular day. 


This morning, I sang, "I'll buy you Rogaine, when you start losing all your hair," from the song "The Way I Am" by Ingrid Michaelson. To commemorate this song, I put together all my birthday gifts for people this month. Yesterday, I belted out, "It was a hot June day, and my ass was sticking to the seat of my girlfriend's car. Staten Island traffic in the summer, baby." It's a classic Bomb the Music Industry song called "Side Projects are Never Successful." It's about a number of things, but I let myself sing these lyrics yesterday because it was warmer outside and I was stuck in traffic on my way to work. 


I guess there are other games I play with myself. Maybe I do it just to keep life interesting, who knows? Maybe I'm just superstitious. When I walk in my bathroom, I shove the door shut, but I make myself turn on the the light before the door latches. It's been a little more difficult since we've gotten new doors, but I've only failed six times since I was a little girl and started doing it. If I'm going back up the stairs in the basement, I have to run up them and turn off the light without looking back. Apparently my subconscious thinks if I turn around, something from the darkness will be looking up at me. Let's face it, that's just creepy. 


Are there any games like this you all play to keep yourself entertained? Do you have any crazy, quirky superstitions? Comment if you'd like to share. :) 

I'mma Soak Up the Sun

There is something to be said about the sun's energy. It's so beautiful outside--hardly a cloud in the sky! Instead of being stressed or tired like I normally am, I'm ready to do things. On my way home from college, I took the long way home *hums Supertramp* just so that I could wear my new sunglasses (with a cute bow on them) longer and so I could soak up all of the sun's rays that I could possibly muster. It's addictive like a drug! 

Suddenly, surged with this new energy, I feel like dancing, cleaning my room, starting the research project I've been putting off for way longer than I should have, and dragging my cute, pink bicycle out of the shed to take a small ride around my neighborhood. 

Granted, it's still pretty nippy outside, but the sunshine is shining a new light on my outlook of the bitter cold. When Coldness and Sunshine hold hands, the Coldness suddenly becomes tolerable. I suppose this is like when a really cute, outgoing guy starts dating the most nasally, annoying girl--she is soaked up by a group of friends and becomes part of the group. Until they break up. Then Lord help the poor girl as she is ostracized once again by the group and is told to go back up to Canada where she came from. Poor Coldness. 

I think our bodies were made to soak up days like this. The energy is invigorating, not to mention intoxicating. It's amazing how active I become just when the sun is out. I find it interesting how just being active can be so healthy to a person's body. Since I started my retail job (where the only difference in my day is literally just standing more) I've lost 15 pounds. I didn't change my diet or anything. How do people in California not get more things done? If I lived there, I don't think I would be physically able to just sit around on a beach all day. I'd be curing cancer. Or...doing something really helpful in my particular career field that would benefit a lot of people. I'm not sure what. But I would know if I lived in Cali. 

What I'm trying to say is this: Take a few minutes of your day today (or any sunny day if you don't live in Michigan) to take a walk or bike ride today outside. Maybe it will give you the energy to get things done you've been putting off. :) 

Fatties and Escalators

Ever since I was in London traveling tube to tube (saying this three times fast sounds like a doo-wop song), I have this ever-growing pet peeve toward escalators. Firstly, I'm going to define what an escalator is in my own words: A slow moving staircase used to speed along and simplify the process of climbing stairs. Secondly, I'm going to give the dictionary definition: a moving staircase consisting of stair treads fixed to a conveyor belt, for transporting passengers between levels, especially between the floors of a building (taken from the English World Dictionary). 


Okay, so in London, people are on the move. Constantly. They have places to be, people, and they do not need to be slowed down by tourists. When I say tourists, I mean Americans. Americans have this learned habit of standing on escalators. In London, they have to designate the right side of the escalators for chubby, white people with 2 ft backpacks sticking out who decided that stairs were the most stressful and exhausting things to be made since weightlifting. 


In the retail store I work at, there's an escalator in the middle of the store. When I'm running into work late, I have to set aside two extra minutes to make it up the escalator on time. I always get stuck behind the old lady who's afraid to move off of the stairs, the child who's afraid to step onto the stairs, the woman who has forty bags taking up the entire space, or the millions of people who stand in the middle of the stairs and give rude looks at me when I say, "Excuse me," and walk past them. Oh, I'm sorry that I'm using the stairs for their intended use. That was so wrong of me. 


I propose we set up escalator etiquette like London.
1. If you have forty bags and purses, hire a personal holder or don't take the escalator. 
2. If you're afraid of the escalator, there is probably a good reason and you should just use the elevator and/or the real stairs.
3. If you have a stroller/cart/excessive luggage, do not use the escalator. 
4. If you plan on just standing on the escalator, kindly move over to the right side. 
5. If the width of your body exceeds the width of the escalator, I'm sorry you are large. I'm sad that I got stuck behind you, but maybe you would benefit from using the escalator as a stair master. 


Nothing against anyone who stands on escalators. Just please don't give me rude looks when I wish to pass you. You chose your speed, now let me choose mine. 

Shelby Writing a BLOG?!

The name of my blog is named after the book "Soul Pancake" by Rainn Wilson. You know, that one goofy guy from The Office. He wrote this awe-inspiring book that reminds me that I am a human and I have artistic needs and abilities.

I decided on a Saturday night, a half an hour past midnight that today was the day I was going to start a blog to emanate my creativity to anyone willing to take a gander. I do warn anyone that these are going to be quickly written and then posted even quicker, so judge lightly and take the contents warmly...like strudel. (Bring a plate though, strudel is so damn messy. But tasty. So it's okay.)

My mission involves making idle observations of the world, recording dreams and random thoughts of the day, sharing things I think are unusual, fun new facts I learn, or whatever else happens to strike my fancy. This is the mission--however I reserve the right to change or alter any of these plans as I see fit (Ahh, the teacher in me comes out).

This blog is for myself. It would be wonderful to expand my writing abilities so that I can do awesome things like teach and write moar and tutor and edit and blah, so here's my sorry attempt at entertaining myself. Uh...enjoy!