Lusting and Life

I was chatting with my friend in Connecticut over YM, sending photos of what I had for dinner that night, which incidentally were prawns stewed in crab fat. It was an attempt to make her jealous for being so far away and I was trying to make her drool with envy. Aside from that dish, I also sent her a picture of the chocolate lava cake which I had two weeks back.

Suddenly, she blurts out:

"How do you do it?"

For a moment, I was perplexed.

I replied, "How do I do what? That? I didn't cook it."

Then she repeated herself a bit more specifically:

"I mean, how do you keep up your lust for life?"

For a moment, I wondered how prawns in crab fat and a chocolate cake made her think about my lust for life.

Perhaps she sensed the unwavering excitement in me, even when I talk about the most inane day-to-day things.

I realized then and there that I do derive happiness from the smallest of things --- whether it's patting a dog I saw being taken for a walk, frying breaded fish to the perfect golden brown or opening the amusing graffiti my boyfriend made for me on Facebook .

Simple thrills radiate in my life and I derive great pleasure from something even seemingly ordinary. It was also then that I realized that no matter how bored I am with life or anxious over things I have no control over, I have been blessed with the creative capacity to turn lemons into one hell of a vodka punch on a rainy day.

I took the liberty of making my own personal list of to-do's of how to take one typical day and give it a whirl and turn it into something rather extraordinary:

1. Have a pair of outrageous shoes. It could be a style. It could be some flashy color. Whatever it is, it will come in handy on days you're feeling whacked. I choose flaming red shoes.

2. Make sure TV and Movie tunes are included in your mp3 player. My friends found me odd for having "The Price Is Right", "Growing Pains", "Punky Brewster" and "Baywatch" tunes in my list. But, man, when I played it, they were hooked and rolling in laughter.

3. Have a copy of a movie that makes you laugh, or warms your heart. One that you don't mind watching at least once a day for the rest of your life. I choose "Zoolander".

4. Write something affirmative and tack it on your wall, or post it at the bottom of your emails. It could be a line from a movie. It could be a prayer. It could be your favorite quote. Whatever it is, it should be something you would like your life to be right now. I choose "One never knows the form in which a miracle will appear. Therefore, we would do well to regard all that is around us with a degree of awe and wonder."

5. Have a box of crayons, colored pencils or markers handy. Hold them in your hands and feel time stop, if not spin backwards.

6. Have a funny memory you can quickly pluck from your memory when you're feeling crummy. Something that can make you snicker out loud. I choose the conversation I had with my boyfriend over a picture of carved hotdogs.

7. Have an inspiring you can tell others again and again. Whether it's your own, or someone else's anecdote, it could be something you can tell with equal animation and enthusiasm each time around. I choose my Tokyo love story.

8. Think of at least one thing everyday you can be grateful for. Whether it's as simple as getting your laundry done, or simply waking up for the day --- there is an infinite list of reasons you can choose from and be grateful for. I choose being perfectly healthy.

9. Have a secret indulgence. I choose http://www.perezhilton.com/

10. Have one person a day you can hang your brains with. As much as possible, someone who is not from work. No, not your dog Boris or pet iguana. A real person that exists in your life. Share a slice of cake, or a platter of hummus. Talk about yesterday's play-offs. Heck, you can even talk about the dress you're slimming down for. Share your life with at least one good person a day whether over coffee or over the phone.

Ultimately, the best kind of happiness you can be passionate about is the one that can be generously shared in hefty portions.

Red Boots Image: www.google.com Movie Poster Image: www.imdb.com Crayon Image: www.google.com Sausage Image: Soure unknown

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