Some weeks I’m better at writing blog posts than others. This week is an other week, it seems. Although I’ve got a list of things I can and would like to write about, I find myself here, at 9pm on a Sunday evening, writing the blog post for tomorrow morning and it feels like pulling teeth. The words just aren’t there to write anything particularly researched, logically structured and with references of some variety.
I could spend most of this post telling you about the things we accomplished this week: finished painting the walls in the house, fixed up small bits and bobs around the house, ordered a new mattress and bed frame, set up my Zwift account (hit me up if you’re a Zwifter too!), got our rental damage deposit back. But that’s not particularly interesting. The mechanical aspects of life, as it were. Pretty forgettable in the greater scheme of things.
Instead, the things that will stick in my mind about this week – and which I’d rather talk about – are the connections with other people in my life. My aunt phoned me, and we had a long overdue catch-up about life in general. Her son in New York phoned me, and we had an equally long overdue catch up about how they’re doing. I narrowly missed a call from his brother in Toronto.
A great friend of mine put me in touch with some of his professional contacts so I can start properly building my professional network here. I spent a wonderful afternoon with new friends in town, talking guns and shooting and reloading and getting to cuddle a tiny squeaky kitten. I had a call with my family back in SA and got to see both my nephews. CF and I got to spend time together walking about town and talking about dream house designs.
It’s always fun to get new things (I should know, I’m the gadget guy), and then talk about them. After that first rush though, the excitement and happiness fades quickly. The stuff that sticks in your mind, though, is the connections and conversations with people. This week, go out and speak to that person you’ve been thinking about for a while. See how they’re doing. Reconnect. I’m sure those conversations will stick in your mind a lot longer than the mechanics of the week. The happiness (hopefully) from the conversations will also last a lot longer than anything you might buy this week.
PS.
The title of this post is also the title of a song by Finger Eleven. Never heard of them? They’re an alternative metal band from Ontario. Their self-titled album is the first album I can say I loved every song. I first listened to them in high school, then routinely listened to their music for the next decade. I didn’t listen to them for years (bad Spotify algorithm!), but I reconnected with them this week because I heard they were playing a show in Grande Prairie. Just another good (re)connection. Give them a listen.