Late last night, after suffering through a day of insults on my MySpace blog, I got bad news about a scholarship I’d had high hopes for. Bye-bye dreams of grad school, unless something surprising turns up. We’re just not in a position to take on big loans. Both our cars are falling apart and those will have to come first.

This is just a few weeks after a deeeeeelish book project I thought was in the pocket was given to another writer. I’d planned to hit the ground running on it when I got back from India, but no. Someone else is writing my book. Bastard.

My friends, I am flattened today. See that person-shaped rug on the floor? That’s me. If you poke me with your toe, I will grumble, but I won’t have the energy to pick myself up.

So, what do you do when you need to soothe yourself?

My yoga class this morning was useful. It was with the teacher with magic hands. She likes to walk around making adjustments. Sometimes she just lays her hands on the spot on your body that needs relaxing (usually my upper back) and the muscles just let go. Magical.

I know Mary self-soothes with British costume dramas. She has a huge library of them and I have to say, they can be effective. Especially accompanied by wine and chocolate. Chocolate always helps, of course. Also baked goods. Things involving cinnamon.

But last night, while a protoplasm of beaten-down-ness on the couch, I stumbled upon the last 30 minutes of My Fair Lady, starring Rex Harrison and Audrey Hepburn (and whoever played Audrey Hepburn’s voice). Boyhowdy, there was some good distraction. I started enjoying The Reluctant Debutante afterwards (it was Rex Harrison night on AMC) but the hour was late and I needed to go to bed.

I’m still feeling pretty blecchy today, though. So what shall I do for myself?

I say, more Broadway musicals!

My office is a sty. Nobody can work in a mess like this. So off to iTunes I go, to buy My Fair Lady and maybe The King and I and Guys ‘n’ Dolls who knows what else. I will crank up the show tunes, sing along lustily like a great big goober, and clean my office. I might even have cinnamon toast.

Fuck ‘em all! Onward ho!

Labels: music, personal growth