As I mentioned in my last post, I am not able right now to do many of the activities I find pleasurable. If all goes well, I will have a full recovery and be able to return to my normal recreation in time, but for now I'm looking for alternate ways of adding joy to my days. During the pandemic I was gifted the novelty book "Do One Thing Every Day That Makes You Happy." The idea is that for a year you pick one of the exercises to do each day and periodically check in on your happiness scale. Each exercise is based on a quote by a famous author, entertainer, politician, philosopher, etc. Previously I've only thumbed through the pages and read some of the quotes. I thought this would be a good time to try doing the activities.
My first approach was to open the book to a random page to pick an exercise I could begin with. That didn't go well. I happened to choose the page with a quote from J.F.K., "Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride." Then I'm supposed to describe today's ride. Seriously? On the opposite page I'm asked to list the Top 5 outdoor activities that make me happy. At least I can do that, but not without feeling a bit melancholy. Riding on trails - dirt or snow; snowshoeing; hiking to scenic summits; riding under the night sky; sitting in a shady spot on a hot summer day reading a book while drinking a cold brew coffee. There.
My next approach was to choose deliberately, based on a high ease of execution to good feelings ratio. I found one by Iris Murdoch. I don't know who she is, but will find out. She says, "One of the secrets of a happy life is continuous small treats." I totally buy into this doctrine. I often say I work well on the treat system. The exercise is to list today's small treat. That's easy. In one of the get well baskets I received, there was a box of small Italian cranberry sesame flavored biscuits. They were delicious and paired well with my afternoon tea.
Another good cocktail I never got around to posting was the one I had for Saint Patrick's Day on a Zoom call with Tricia. I liked it and it was made even better because I drank it from the pretty glassware Tricia had sent me as a surprise gift for no reason. I enjoy pretty glassware and am hoping to build up my own collection. In addition, I used, for the first time, one of the Luxardo cherries I had splurged on and treated myself to. (Bonus points for listing a second and third small treat without even trying.)
An ingredient in this drink is Benedictine, which is a liqueur I had never heard of prior to January and now seem to be putting it in most of my cocktails. It's like farro was to me for cooking during winter 2020. Something I had never used and then ended up wondering how I ever lived without it. (I'm really knocking it out of the park here mentioning many small treats in my life, past and present. Mission accomplished. My happy meter has been taken up a notch.)
p.s. Iris Murdoch is an Irish and British novelist and philosopher best known for her novels about good and evil, sexual relationships, morality and the power of the unconscious. Hmmm. Seems fitting to have chosen an Irish philosopher for my St. Patrick's day cocktail post.
Tin Lizzy/ Irish Manhattan (inspiration from @denverbarkeep on IG)
2 oz Irish whiskey
3/4 oz Benedictine
1/4 oz Lillet Blanc
Dash of angostura bitters
1. Stir with ice, strain into glass of your choice and garnish with a Luxardo cherry or lemon peel.
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