lonita.net - Journal

I believe

2023 12 05 | journal

I can't remember when I first compiled this, at least 20 years ago. But you do find the oddest things when you go digging around your hard drive. This was a list of things I believe in. I probably still believe in (most of, maybe even all of) them.

that you should avoid the necessity for deathbed regrets
in perfect moments
in vodka cocktails
in throwing your windows wide, and leaving them that way, the first day the weather's pleasant enough to allow it
in the power of the written word
in being easy like a Sunday morning
in foggy afternoons
in large salads with lots of different things in them
in sampling it, looping it, fucking it, eating it, and spitting it out
in old movies
in not being tiresome
that no part of a human, body or soul, can be ignored in the belief that it will ultimately aid the other
in scratching itches
in keeping a journal
that you shouldn't let the limitations of others become your own
in used bookstores
in the sound of rain
in the lushness of autumn leaves
that you can't ignore your past in order to reinvent your future
in Key Lime Pie
in only enough spice to augment food, not obscure it
in savouring the moment
that sometimes you need to do the things you're most afraid of
in knowing how to live and let live
in Andy Partridge
in the ridge of lime just to the south of me, full of trees and fossils and paths to explore
in being mad as a hatter
in wearing hats
that we should treat those in the service industry with better respect
in squishing your toes in the sand
that sugar in tea is a violation of all that is holy and good
that everyone should swing on a swing now and then
in puns
in random acts of silliness
that rock and roll ain't noise pollution
that monopolies should be illegal
that learning doesn't need to be had at the expense of fun and enjoyment
that knowledge means very little if you cannot apply it
that you can eat cheese and pickles without them being on a sandwich first
that you should learn how to take a hint
in making snow angels
in being left alone
in being sociable
in knowing when to speak, and what not to say, and how to speak in general
in gettin' up offa that thing and dancin' till you feel better
that lemon pie should be made without meringue
in baseball
in more cocoa than sugar in chocolate
in real sugar
in the rustling of leaves
in pea soup as a comfort food
in Gary Numan's Replicas
that banks should be slapped silly for the fees they charge for everyday services
in strong tea
in leaping outside of your habits
in cream cheese and crackers
in the smell of salt sea air
in making the most of it
in the desolate nature of deserts
in navel oranges and ruby grapefruit
in jazz
that sometimes you need to do things simply for the fact that they're there to be done
in good friends
in poetry
that no one should go hungry
you should know how to hear people and listen to them
in questioning things and challenging yourself
in not wasting land on the burial of the dead
in lounging and relaxation
in valuing yourself
that you should work to live, not live to work
that bread should be lightly toasted and heavily buttered
that "river" is a luscious word
in being charitable
that science and art are not mutually exclusive
in the ability of science fiction to relate lessons that other genres are too afraid to touch
that in many ways, far more than we realise, that while there's life there's hope
that postsecondary education should be at no charge
in lime rind green anything
that everyone should know how to make a good cup of tea
that compromise doesn't have to mean unfair sacrifice
that sometimes the best and only way to resist, is the path of least resistance
in comfortable clothing
in keeping your brother without controlling him
in late-night TV watching
that every single person on this planet should get at least one hug every day
in warm blankets on a cold night
in singing along, even if you can't sing
in comfortable shoes
in singing the blues
that once you take your own share of blame, you need less and less to embrace the concept of blame at all
in learning to live with a sadness without wallowing in it
in grace under pressure
that you should put milk in your tea, and cream in your coffee
that doctors should be paid as well as athletes
that we should appreciate the spirit of honest giving, even if we don't appreciate the gift
in junk shops
in occasionally staying up all night "just because"
in abstract photography
that growing up doesn't mean giving up
in colourful decor
that each of us is a far better and far worse person than anyone else believes us to be
everyone should learn to play at least one musical instrument
that hypocrisy is one of the greatest sins we commit
in beer served by the Imperial pint
sharing what you know with others
in blank notebooks
that heroes are fallible
in randomness
in not treating people like commodities
in weekend afternoons with comfortable films
in lemony anything
that you should accept what you deserve, even if you don't like it
in making lists
in appreciation of culture
in colouring books and crayons
in speaking up for yourself
a good night's (or day's) sleep
in summiting something
that blood relations don't automatically equate to kinship
that cursing is an art
in bright lighting
in cut and paste
in cheese
in loud music
in ketchup as a condiment
that fanaticism is a form of insanity
in warm spring days
in shared laughter
in the concept that "The foolish and the dead alone, fail to change their opinions."
in a decent haircut
in knowing how to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear
in colourful bras
in toys built for fun
in the learning of foreign tongues
in fresh breezes on a warm day
that all people are bizarre in their own way
in banana ice cream
in stop-motion filming
in fresh ideas
in Timothy Dalton's Welsh accent
in mushy peas
in bar bands
in rubber duckies
in hand-written letters
in collage
in postcards
in DIY
in finding secret places that you keep to yourself, and the ones that you share
in the delight of new gadgets
in LEGO
in Lite-Brite
in being tenacious
in hobbies that delight you
in accepting flaws
that you should know, if not where to find something, at least how to go about finding it (research of any kind is very important)
in homemade mayonnaise
in surrounding yourself with books
in dancing like a mad bastard
in pi
in old James Bond films
that if life hands you lemons, you should make pie (everything is better with pie)
in the alliteration of Poe's The Raven
in Robert Frost's The Road Not Taken
in going low budget
in Word Association Football
in chocolate-covered almonds
in peppermint
in keeping a very long list of things to be happy about in a notebook that is falling apart at the seams
in the perfect pair of blue jeans
in tattoos
in the art of (non-sexual) seduction
in medium-rare steak with nowt to drown it
in pudding
in being shy
in being bold
in dreams
in putting the funk in functional
in cleanliness
in twinkle-lights all year round
in not playing weak simply to gain an advantage
in flights of fancy
that dates should be written year/month/day or day/month/year
That "There is nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so." (William Shakespeare, Hamlet)

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