I love doing things outside of the box to the vast disapointment of others (sometimes). I don't exactly try to do this on purpose, it's mostly just that the circumstances of my life have forced deviation from the norm which was upsetting when I was younger but not so much anymore. For example: My parents were divorced when I was young and my mom and I were alone, my sister being grown up and living her own life and all other family living far away/ my father's family being crazy. To combat the feeling of being alone, just two, we developed a tradition of going to art museums in various cities on the "family" holidays - Who needs huge families when you can have an "experience"?
One Easter Sunday we went to the MoMA when it was in Queens. We saw a Picasso-Matisse exhibit and then we had dinner at a fabulous Middle Eastern restaurant with glass evil eye tiles all over the floors and walls. It was magical and original and so much better than anything before my father left the picture. There would be no more 'sitting on Grandma's couch eating pink bunny shaped cookies, dying to go home' for us! (Thank God) This is how we went on. It was as though we said "If you have disrupture in your life, go with it, make it your own. Use this to your advantage." I embrace this.
So as you can imagine, I was so happy that Scott agreed to skip out on Easter at his mother's cousin's house and go into the city together for the weekend instead! New York City to be exact. (For all my non East Coast people -Everyone in the tri-state area just calls it "the city") It was refreshing to be out in the world doing something "else"! Even though circumstances have changed and there is now more that just me and my mother in the family I like being able to not get stuck in the boring holiday rut of drinking wine and sitting on couches talking to people you don't like that much "just because". I'm really trying not to always bend and end up doing things I don't want to do just to please other people. Sometimes you have to "just do you". My comfort level is being out in the world. Does that make sense?
Oh, all those years of feeling weird because it was just my mother and I on an adventure. Now, looking back, I wouldn't trade that for any bit of "normal". I could never go back to that kind of life. I hope Scott and his family don't mind. (We may have to miss some family functions, I hope that's ok.)
It was a wondeful weekend and really helped me recharge. Sunday was breezy and warm - finally Spring!
Below are a few pictures I took in Chinatown. The store is called "Pearl River". It's a huge three story building filled with gorgeous Chinese housewares, decor, etc. They even have a cafe and Asian market (my source for lavendar flavored gummy candies and crystalized ginger).
Also, Can I just remind you to not let weird circustances be the only reason you do things outside the box? Deviation can be so refreshing!
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