Happy Monday

I've had a week of ranting and frustration, mostly at myself. You know that Wake Up Call post I published, oh, 5 days ago? Yah, forgotten it already. Hit snooze by focusing on the really unimportant detritus like worrying about not enough people 'liking' me on Facebook or 'following' me on Twitter and Instagram. Has it ever occurred to anybody else how banal these terms are- follow and like. People 'followed' Jesus and I am not promising anything like the kind of stuff he was; and well, we all want to be 'liked' but I would much prefer to be 'loved' or 'respected' or any number of other less passive conjugated verbs. Even 'hated' is a much better, more passionate emotion (is 'liking' an emotion) and so much less schoolyard. I was never very popular at school. I always wanted to be 'liked.' I thought I had grown out of that need but it seems not.

I think it's time to move on from 'liked.' By all means please 'like' me on Facebook if that is a way you will keep up with me and read my words. I want you to read my words. But I'm going to try not to worry about those silly little numbers anymore.

Wanna know who doesn't 'like' me?
Ted.
Nothing passive about my boy. He LOVES me, he WIGGLES me, he IDOLISES me and sometimes he FARTS on me. All big passionate verbs and far more important.

Things that made me happy this week:

:: A catch up with a brand new friend that went for four hours and only ended when it did because the restaurant was closing.

:: A big-hearted tram driver who was concerned enough to open her little window and ask me if I was OK after a moterbike man was being all macho and revving his beast next to me as I waited for the tram. I was. Motorbike revving doesn't concern me, but I was touched that she looks out for the safety of others.

:: A cup of tea with a friend that helped me put things back into some persepctive. There are days I cannot shut up my mind but tea and chatting helps.

:: The return of the neighbourhood dog. Ted loves barking at Wesley. He starts getting excited as soon as he realises we are approaching Wesley's fence and they both start circling and yapping. But 2 weeks ago Wesley went missing. We'd noticed his absence but thought him inside or out on a walk, until Dad-of Wesley put up a sign asking for information. They believed he had been stolen. I shared a number of sympathetic conversations with Dad-of-Wesley; the last time I spoke to him he had given up hope. Then suddenly Wesley was back, fence shenanigans have recommenced and all is well in the world.

:: A note from a friend to reconnect. We hadn't fallen out but we just couldn't seen to sort out our schedules. It was a note just to say she values our friendship (as I do) and it meant so much. Life is busy, connecting is hard sometimes.

:: Getting lovely feedback from a restaurant that read my review. I usually tag places I review but so often don't hear back. People read Urbanspoon, regularly.  If a review is good then that is some very handy, very free advertising. I review because I want to but a hint of gratitude or a retweet here and there makes such a difference to whether I want to return. I believe in saying thank you.

:: A message from one of my dearest friends in the world. Enough to be happy about right there, but he said he reads my work. Now here's the thing; I post links and such on Facebook but I haven't 'invited' (all these crazy verbs) many of my real life friends to 'like' my page. Most of them knew me as an actor and, I assume, probably aren't terribly interested in what I have to say now so I don't want to push it down their throats. To receive positive feedback from this very clever friend, who is a Proper Writer to boot, is a bit of a blue-sky moment for me.
Hmm. He will probably read this. You know who you are- enormous love and hugs x

It has been a week of connecting hasn't it? What has happened in your world?

Happy Monday