Day 23,976: Rain Days, Rain Delays and Dancing in the Rain

At what point am I sensible vs. lazy vs. wise?

It has been raining for two days straight — a hard, windy, viscous rain.  Yesterday, we were going to venture out, but by the time I got through a series of inside errands, my partner pal called for a full-fledged family rain delay.  We happily spent the rest of the day in front of the fireplace and TV watching inexpensive movies, saving money, and killing time.

It felt great, but also a bit elderly.  Elder relatives watch the weather like a hawk and don’t venture out with just the suggestion of bad weather.  Youngsters, in contrast, don rain boots, snow gear, or even inappropriately sufficient clothing to run, play, romp in the elements.

Not going out in a massive rain storm can be sensible. Surely, we’re less likely to get in a massive car accident by sliding off a slippery road.

It can feel lazy. I go out almost every day to work, so a day in feels luxurious like when I spent days as a youngster doing nothing and not feeling guilty at all. I got laundry done, watched two movies, cleared email, and handled some volunteer duties.  Come to think of it – doesn’t seem so lazy after all.  In-home productive time does come at a premium these days

Then there’s wisdom.  Certainly it’s wise to indulge in downtime. Truly, we don’t have enough of it, but the fact that I’m not reading a book from the pile on my nightstand makes it feel closer to sloth than wisdom.

Now it’s day two of a crazy rain storm, and we just again voted to stay warm and dry indoors. It’s a great formula for getting fat.  OK, it got me back to blogging, but I’m still fighting an internal productivity battle of my mind. It’s why I think I’m not a good candidate for retirement. Slowing down just doesn’t feel calming, and potentially expensive as we build up entertainment costs.  For now, it’s back to the $5.99 movie rentals or free movies on HBO.  Somehow if it’s a bad or mediocre movie the price seems right, and if it’s a great movie the price is a bargain.   No wonder two movie theatres in town just went out of business.  Now, I have to worry about guilt as well.

For now, I’m headed to the microwave for air popped popcorn. The fireplace again calls.

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Focus on Gun Sanity:  It’s been six months since I’ve last blogged. That’s an extended vacation. I’m happy to report I haven’t taken a similar vacation from Gun Sanity, and have become involved in my local Moms Demand Action for Gun Sanity group. There’s one now in almost every county of every state, so I encourage you to find one near you. At the least, it’s a small time commitment of one monthly meeting where your attendance helps keep the local leaders motivated. At most, it’s an occasional walk, vigil, or postcard writing session on a legislative issue. It’s sensible, wise, and gets you out of the house for a good cause.