Good, good, good, good distractions (oom bop bop)…

I’m sitting in my kitchen typing on my laptop at the dinner table, trying to think of something good to write about. This is my first blog post of 2021.

My youngest daughter Lana is at the table next to me writing a folk tale for a class assignment that she did not finish on Friday.

Our dogs are at our feet and they keep bringing us toys while we try to write. They are confused since we are at the dinner table, wondering why we aren’t eating or dropping crumbs for them.

I am trying to be witty or say something inspiring, but nothing is coming to me. I don’t have it in me today.

Instead, I’m glad for the distractions of the dogs. They are annoying but cute.

I’m glad Lana is stopping every few lines to show me what she’s written or share what idea she has for the next part in the story.

This morning I entered two writing contests. I hadn’t planned on it but welcomed the distraction. It isn’t often that I follow a writing prompt or find one that I feel suits me. But these two did.

One requested a holiday story. I wrote about our new year’s tradition that our family just finished and is repeating in 2021.

The other writing prompt insisted on writing an entire piece using dialogue. That one intrigued me. Gilmore Girls is one of my all-time favorite shows because of the fast, non-stop conversation. I often write lots of dialogue and find that easier to do than describe a character or a place.

Kirk is building a new computer today. That will be an all-day distraction, or it could end up being a week-long or month-long project depending on the complexity of it. That is a good distraction that he loves.

I have exercised for six days in a row. Fitness is always a good distraction for me, one that I regularly do for my mental health more than anything.

This morning Lana and I danced in the kitchen. We held hands and bounced up and down going in different directions. My immediate thought was we should try ballroom dancing. Maybe I’ll look up videos on how to do different dance styles that she and I can learn from home. That will be another good distraction.

Vivian came up to me while I was watching a television program to hug me and ask me to visit the library soon to pick up a new book she has placed on hold. Reading books are her distraction. I can’t argue with that hobby. I’m grateful she has it and want to read more myself.

I go back and forth between writing and reading. I’ll write a lot and then switch to reading.

I am doing a Haiku poetry challenge during January. I welcome the creative challenge this month as I do enjoy the three-line, 5-7-5 Japanese syllable-styled poem. I’ve been following along with the prompts for each day and sharing my poems on Facebook.

A few days ago, I cleaned out the drawers of my dresser. It was a long overdue distraction. I can’t say that I was purposely decluttering. I just had trouble finding a bra that I knew I had but hadn’t seen the likes of in months (pandemic problems). Once I saw how clean one drawer looked, I decided to tackle the other five. In doing so, I found my Kindle reader, a swimsuit I had forgotten about and several pictures of my kids and some jewelry I didn’t realize I still had.

When I stepped outside earlier and felt the cool breeze, nature quickly distracted me in good ways. The confused trees can’t decide if it’s winter, spring or fall. Beautiful red leaves are flittering in the wind and landing on the ground. The horses in the pasture behind our neighborhood neigh and run around. Lana points out a bug on the ground and watches it. I notice my dog just pooped. Let’s take a bike ride later, I say. That will offer more good distractions.

This morning’s music that played on our streaming device was a good distraction for all of us. We all love “Hang on Sloopy,” and the oldie songs that followed it.

Sometimes distractions are good. They can even be meaningful or good for the soul.

I may not have something incredible or profound to say yet. But I’ll keep writing and continue seeing where my distractions lead me. I welcome them all instead of the recent reality and news spreading. I need these little distractions for my sanity.

Right now, the word “distraction” is causing me think of the Beach Boys song, Good Vibrations. Instead, in my head, as I type this, I’m singing… Good, good, good, good distractions (oom bop bop)…

What’s distracting you lately, in a good way?