Get Out of that Rut!

As humans, we settle into routines. It's comfortable and familiar. But if we're not careful, that routine can turn into a rut. And when you are in a rut I think you are stuck.

I know women who haven't changed their hairstyles in the ten or more years that I've known them. And I suppose that if you find a style that works for you, perhaps you should stick with it. After all, the Queen of England hasn't changed hairstyles in 60 years. It seems to work for her. I'm just afraid that I would find it boring.

I know people who eat the same thing week after week. I'm reminded of a conversation I was listening to when an acquaintance was talking to her son about the summer his cousin came to visit for a month. "Remember? We had hotdogs on Monday, that boil-in-the-bag turkey with mashed potatoes on Tuesday, chicken noodle soup on Wednesday...." The same food every week! Didn't even switch the soup around to have it on Friday. Soup was always on Wednesday and it was always chicken noodle. I found it boring just hearing about it! I try new recipes every week. Yes, that's right. Every week that we're at home, we are trying new recipes. Sometimes we even try new foods. I grew up in a house where spaghetti and meatballs was considered an exotic ethnic food. I think Mark's upbringing was much the same because spaghetti and meatballs is way too exotic for my father-in-law.

I know people who go to the same place for vacation every year. We typically end up going to England once or twice a year since most of Mark's family live there. And we usually try to go north to my family reunion once a year. But we always try to combine those trips with a side trip just to keep it fresh and interesting. I don't mind going back to a place I've enjoyed, as long as I get to go someplace different, too. We go to San Antonio at least once a year. But we don't always stay at the same hotel, and with one notable exception, (Boudro's) we don't always eat at the same places.

But like most people, we have a routine. After we've cooked dinner and tidied the kitchen we sit on the porch and talk. Sometimes we listen to music, sometimes we play backgammon, sometimes we fiddle with our phones and ipads. Sometimes instead of sitting on the porch we get in the hot tub and sit there. Sometimes we stay inside and watch TV. Sometimes we go out to a movie, or out to play darts or trivia. Sometimes we go to a musical or a play. And sometimes we go out for dinner instead of cooking at home. We've even been known to go shopping. The routine is really quite variable.

So get out there and try something a bit different this week, even if it's just a new nail polish color.