head in the CLOUDS
My husband and I like to play basketball in the summer. It reminds me of when I was a kid and used to play with my cousin, Harley, during my tom-boy phase where I thought Michael Jordan was the bomb and let the same cousin name our farm cat L.J. for Larry Bird Junior.
I also used to play basketball in school but quite frankly I think my skills lay more in running up and down the court than in technical things such as the rules. Later I found dance to be invigorating and theatre to be liberating so I didn’t play through high school but I always liked basketball. Still do apparently.
Instead of games of one-on-one Jay and I usually just shoot around and play silly games like H-O-R-S-E. For the record I beat Jason 90% of the time. Basketball is not his sport. (He may try to tell you otherwise – but don’t give him two seconds of your time. He’s just foolin’ you.)
He will however tell you this, and I’ll be honest and agree that it’s the truth so that’s why I’m telling you first. More often than not I’ll forget it’s my turn even though there are only two of us playing. Clearly after one misses a shot the other is “up” but sometimes my head is in the clouds. If you didn’t know me you might mistake me for the type of girl that rhymes with a ‘fritzy’ blonde. But here’s the deal – I’m really just thinking! Granted sometimes it’s about flowers and ponies but often it goes much deeper than that – so don’t laugh!
Have you ever noticed that doing something mundane or repetitive gets your creative juices flowing? I’m not saying that basketball is mundane, but the peaceful nature of just dribbling the ball, lining up for a shot and the follow through is quite massaging to at least my cranium.
Washing the dishes. Now that is mundane. I hate cleaning. loathe it actually – I wish one day for a house cleaner. Maybe some of you have one and for that I am openly jealous. (How lovely it must be!) But I guess I’ll be grateful for the physical tasks that give one side of my brain a break and lets the other side dance around a bit.
Did any of you grow up watching the animated Disney classic, Cinderella? My favorite character was not the princess but the mouse Gus Gus. I always went for the animals not the dolls and the dresses. Anyhoo.. “Cinderella Cinderella night and day it’s Cinderella, they always keep her hoppin . . . . . . . She’ll go around in circles till she’s very very busy still they holler keep ‘em busy Cinderella!” Remember that song? (I can’t be the only one.)
Some times I feel like Cinderella before the ball. All rags and chores. But I guess I can choose to be grateful for those dirty dishes, the tub that’s itchin’ for a scrub and even those clothes begging to be folded after a good tumble in the dryer. (Not so much fun as a tumble in the hay but I’ll take clean clothes and Downy any day.) I’m curious. When do you come up with your best ideas?
Here are my top 5:
1. showering
2. chopping vegetables
3. washing dishes
4. driving
5. running
I don’t think having your head in the clouds is such a bad thing. Just beware of a low flying bird or two and make sure you don’t get hit in the face with a basketball (done that,) miss your exit (done that too,) chop your finger or start the kitchen on fire.
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My name is Makenzie but my family & friends call me Makie for short (and I like it). I'm a songstress, actor, artist, designer, cowgirl and thrift-store fashionista. Just a small town, country girl from MN with a big city dream in NYC. I love BIG & BELIEVE!
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I used to do my best thinking doing those mundane tasks. Then I had kids. Now I have to keep one ear attuned to the desperate shrieking I had begged them no to do while I took care of said tasks.
I miss thinking.
So I am the cousin mentioned above and I just wanted to note a few points…
1) Michael Jordan is and forever will be “the bomb”
2) the kitten L.J. was named in honor of Larry Johnson of the then Charlotte Hornets, not Larry Bird Jr
3) not sure when I do my best thinking but its certainly NOT playing basketball! I will always know when its my turn to shoot in a game of horse or pig! My best thinking probably comes after a thought provoking question during conversation. Otherwise I feel I only think about minor things like the grocery list or that I need a haircut.
Hmmm, I remember that tom-boy phase Miss Makie. And about that cleaning thing – you got that from me. I’m sure of it.
Where do I do my best thinking you ask? Riding in the car. During walks with the dogs. Swinging in my hammock. Washing dishes…which I love to do by the way. In church.
I remember that incessant bouncing sound. It went on both in our driveway and yes in my kitchen. We had a hoop attached to the opening between our kitchen and dining area. Thank God both of you realized pro basketball teams were just a dream, and went on to very grown-up jobs! Most of the time when I heard the bouncing , I WAS washing dishes. I love washing dishes and that is where I get my thinking done. Other favorite places to think are while I ride my exercise bike and (sorry Hubby), while I’m watching tv. I have to continuously ask him what I just missed and he says, “you were sitting right here!” PS, I still practically wash my dishes before they go in my dishwasher!
And by the way, I got my nose broken when I got hit in the face by a basketball!
For the record, I will admit this one time that I do lose most of our basketball games. Somehow, despite her wandering mind, Makie never forgets the scores.
My top five:
1. Driving in the car listening to rock music LOUD
2. Airplanes
3. Middle of an unusual place (on a lake, hike in the woods)
4. Treadmill
5. Train into NYC
Well, Miss Makie, since you asked, I think I am embarrassed to say it’s during, or at least shortly after, the aforementioned roll in the hay. (I can now hear you going “Ewww!”). I can’t tell you how many times I have re-done my house.
Also, those long drives to the Twin Cities allows for the solving of the world’s problems, as well as those of the sibling rivalry taking place during said car drives.
Once again, thank you for the thought-provoking article.
Tiff – now I absolutely cannot wait to have kids! (hehe.)
Har, I knew I got L.J. wrong! Happened to see Michael Jordan on SNL reruns last night – I will agree…he’s still the bomb.
Mom, definitely got the cleaning thing from you. xo
Patty (and Mom,) Harley and I were discussing remembering cleaning at both our homes and the other. That was good thinking. –And I well remember that hoop in the kitchen – it got a lot of use!
Yes, Jay – you and your LOUD music! Someday I will be cool enough
Love you.
And finally to Lynn, thank you for highlighting my roll in the hay comment – haha!