Happy Second Sunday of the Month!
Historically, this has been a guest writer Sunday, but I haven’t scheduled any guest writers for 2023. I was just going to take a break today, but I found myself thinking about great questions to ask on my walk earlier, and thought I would share.
These questions lean silly, but silliness just opens the door to curiosity. And curiosity is so valuable.
Enjoy// let me know what you think of the format… do we like doing non-things things?
Unrelated: this week’s picture of the week is of two prints my friend Rachel (@mediocre_watercolor on insta) made for some of our most faithful volunteers at the church. I keep looking at them filled with gratefulness for where I work and worship and for my friendship with Rachel.
Number One: Given the opportunity, would you go to space?
This is a great, all ages question. And the question that inspired this newsletter. I asked five kids this morning, mixed responses.
I would not go to space. I love Earth. Happy to be here, don’t need to go up. This also applies if there was like this “We can only fit 1000 people on this space craft, and the rest of you have to stay here on Earth as things get dicey.” I would stay, I’m not fighting rich people for space. Not in a morbid way, but mostly in a claustrophobic//don’t love the unknown//full assurance of faith in Jesus way.
Number Two: How many birds would you have to find in your house before you suspected someone was putting them there?
I saw a version of this question on TikTok (I know) that had seagulls instead of birds. But we used it as an ice breaker in Kansas and seagulls are extra suspicious here. Great question. Guaranteed laughs. Really telling about a person’s tolerance for critters, and how quick a person is to blame something on their enemies.
Number Three: Is this a problem a little self tanner could fix?
Just worth asking. And if you’re asking, I still like Loving Tan 2 Hour Express, Dark.
Number Four: How do I want to feel?
I think this question is just such a valuable compass. Do I want to feel rested? Do I want to feel productive? Do I want to feel full? Do I want to feel proud?
I just subscribed to a personal style newsletter, tbd on the full rec, but the writer suggested “dressing for the day you want to have.”
I don’t know, saying “live expecting good things to happen” seems more new-agey than I want to be, but I do think there’s something to be said for deciding you want to have a good day, and then working towards it. Or deciding you want to have a chill day. Or that you want to feel welcomed.
You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you can.
Number Five: Does anyone have a dog poop bag brand they love?
I’m asking you, my audience, this question. I’ve been using these guys, maybe even recommended them. But they’ve started taking a long time to open. Like so long that I somehow lose sight of Honey’s poop amongst the leaves and it becomes a problem.
As my friend Annie says, “I like the idea of compostable bags, I don’t like when they feel like they’ll decompose in my hands.”
Bonus: What do you do when you’re not at parties?
I ask this question at parties in hopes that the recipient will answer with their hobbies, not just their job. But usually people just answer with their job, which is fine too.