I’m teaching myself how to use my new graphics tablet by putting twenty minutes of tablet time on my goal list for every day. Most of the time, I forget even though it’s on my list of goals. I need to link it to a habit I have — in Tiny Habits construction, “After I X, I will spend twenty minutes practicing with the graphics tablet,” but I haven’t figured out what the X is yet. It’s supposed to be a X that is logically consistent, so it ought to be something like “After I have finished writing for the day, I will… ” Unsurprisingly, though, after I have finished writing for the day, I don’t really want to spend another twenty minutes on the computer. I want to get up and walk around and have a snack and talk to the chickens. But I am enjoying it when I remember it, so I’m hoping that enjoyment turns into remembering to do it.

I’m also reframing my mental attitude from “playing” to “practicing.” Playing implies that it’s trivial; practicing reminds me that it’s a goal, that it’s something I want to develop my skill at. But the above graphic is yesterday’s twenty minutes (maybe closer to 45 before I was done), posted so someday I can look back at it and smile. Hopefully smiling with, “Wow, I’m so much better now” and not with the wistful, “Oh, yeah, I remember when I wanted to learn to do that.”

I’m also starting to look at maps and campground apps. Two weeks from now or so, I’ll be on the road again, making my way across the country. I haven’t made any decisions about how long I’m going to be on the move or how I’m going to drive. My last cross-country drive was in the north, through Montana and Minnesota, but I’m early enough this year that I’m going to stick to the south. But I might zoom through the east to Texas, then slow down and enjoy the wildflowers for a while. I don’t need to be in a hurry, even though I’m looking forward to getting back to Arcata and taking Z to the beach.

It might be a weird time to travel, though. Last night, I couldn’t fall asleep. My throat hurt, my nose was running, and I wondered whether I was coming down with something. I reassured myself that it couldn’t possibly be the corona virus and then remembered that two of the people I’ve been spending time with flew through international airports within the past month. Plus, they’ve visited Disney and Universal Studios. They could totally have brought me some germs. Of course, it’s far more likely that I’m having a gluten-reaction. But I really don’t want to become a disease vector: graphic designer, yes. Disease vector, no.

I have decided that I don’t like February. Actually, I’ve known that before. February 2012 was a very bad month; February 2018, also not a good month. Really February 2020 doesn’t at all compare to either of those and so I should be counting my blessings. In fact, I think I’ll do that.

Blessing #1: Christina, who brings me chocolate and cooks amazing meals. Last night was bacon tacos with tomatillo salsa (really pork & pork belly, but fondly called bacon tacos), which reminds me that this morning I can have leftovers, always a nice thought.

Blessing #2: my brother, who sends me puppy pictures when I am feeling sad.

Blessing #3: Zelda, the beloved dog, who has developed the sweetest snore in her old age, always charming me.

Blessing #4: my dad and stepmom & their comfy driveway. I am so incredibly lucky that I get to sit at their breakfast table and talk to my dad about life, the universe & everything. I don’t take that for granted at all.

Blessing #5: Serenity. The van, not the emotion. I love my cozy tiny house and I love the freedom it’s given me.

Blessing #6: Lynda, my writing buddy, always in reach at the end of the text message window to encourage me and inspire me.

Blessing #7: Beautiful Florida weather. Even February could be made so much worse if it wasn’t sunny and clear outside.

Blessing #8: my chicken friends. I love that they now come running when I open the van door, I love that they’ve decided that Zelda is harmless, I love the sounds they make and I love watching them. It is impossible not to smile when you have these crazy birds in your life. Go, chickens!

I just realized that I was trying to think of two more blessings in order to make my list include ten and that annoyed me. Ugh. I am not going to become a person who writes top ten lists, that’s just ridiculous. So I will stop counting my blessings now, at least in pixels, but I will keep counting them as I get dressed in comfy clothes, walk the dog through a beautiful park with lovely spring flowers, eat a delicious breakfast of bacon tacos with eggs from chickens who eat my blueberries and Z’s dog food, and enjoy the first day of a new month. It’s going to be a great day. And a great month, too.