Apparently, I’ve grown a discernment bone
Arguably, people will tell me that I’m not that old, and I don’t think I am either. But there are things better suited to youth and the bravado that comes with it—things that simply don’t look as good in any other decade. Or, at least, don’t look good on me in the decade I currently reside in.
I hate to admit it, but there are things that are simply no longer my cup of tea. Or my glass of whisky.
Coffee. This one I will never let go of. Hot or cold, depending on the mood I woke up in, that gorgeous first gulp of bean water will always be soothing and somehow trick my brain into believing I can do anything.
Good, fluffy towels. There is something about a fluffy, clean bath towel that makes getting ready that much better. It doesn’t have to be an expensive brand. It just needs to be soft, substantial and actually capable of sucking up water. At this age, I refuse to emerge from a shower and dry myself with what feels like an oversized piece of paper.
Pillows and bedsheets. This one definitely came with age—and unfortunately, so did the price tag. Good pillows and sheets cost an arm and a leg, but if you do your research and wait for one of those seemingly monthly sales, they are worth it. We spend roughly a third of our lives in bed. I have decided that mine should be comfortable.
Good earphones. I have had the pleasure of playing drums with some of the best musicians in the Philippines, and consequently my hearing is sort of shot. Now that I’m actually trying to preserve what remains of it, I’m particular about what I put in or over my ears. They need to sound good, fit properly and be comfortable. My days of enduring terrible earphones because they came free with something are over.
Books. Physical, electronic or audio: I need them. My brain apparently requires constant occupation, preferably bordering on ADHD levels of stimulation. My TBR pile is now so enormous that I am haunted by the knowledge that there may not be enough years left in my natural life to finish it. This has not, incidentally, stopped me from buying more books.
Green and Blue things. I need to see foliage every day. Trees, plants, leaves, mountains, clear skies, the horizon, waves on the beach; some hue produced by nature rather than a screen. I’m sure there is a perfectly respectable scientific explanation for why greenery makes us feel better, but I don’t really need to know it. I just know that seeing something alive and green makes me simultaneously calmer, more focused and somehow more awake.
Good shoes. Low heels, two inches or less, if that is as high as I will go. FLATS, BOOTS AND RUBBER SHOES ALL THE WAY.
Proper lighting. Overhead white light becomes an act of aggression. Lamps, warm light, natural light, these are much more important for the “vibe” of cozy and comfy I want to project in my home. This also goes with natural light. There are some out there that have gorgeous natural light, but also keeps all other lights on for some reason.
Good pajamas. Nobody necessarily sees them, which is precisely the point. They’re for you. Anything that is scratchy is NOT allowed. As one gets older, unfortunately the quality of sleep becomes questionable. So in whatever way I can control the quality of my sleep, I will. Blackout curtains included!
I know what makes an ordinary day better now: good coffee, a proper towel, excellent sheets, comfortable earphones, something worth reading and something green framed by the sky outside the window.
A decent pair of glasses. Yeah, I know it is old-timey, but as a reader, and someone who spends a lot of time in front of a screen, it makes a huge, huge difference. Especially with the speed in which I can get through books and articles.
Time alone. I’ve always liked hanging out alone, but it has been emphasized since I’ve gotten older. I just like having time to myself and have a think. There is nothing more luxurious to me than a rainy afternoon, a great cup of something, and a book or movie at the ready.
Realizing “NO” is a complete sentence. In the past it was hard for me to say no to things. Because of FOMO perhaps, but now I wallow in JOMO (the joy of missing out). I think I have enough memories to hang on to, and the ones that I would like to make do not hinge on me going out or being there for the next big thing. Most memories I want to not only create but hold on to are specific situations with specific people.
Traveling. Inasmuch as I can romanticize talking about being home and staying home, I also now am at the age wherein I can travel a little more than I did when I was younger. I definitely have more “pro tips” up my sleeve, and through work and school, or even just chance encounters in my life, I have been lucky enough to find myself a good enough friend in some corner in the world that is willing to put me up on their couch in exchange for my funny stories or homemade cooking. The other perk is since they’re the locals, I get insider info on what’s going on around town that may not be published in the usual tourist magazines or websites.
Maybe that is what getting older has really done. It hasn’t necessarily made me wiser (no, definitely not that!); it has simply made me much more specific.
I know what makes an ordinary day better now: good coffee, a proper towel, excellent sheets, comfortable earphones, something worth reading and something green framed by the sky outside the window. My dogs’ noses wiggling on my leg, and hearing my family in the other room discussing what to have for dinner.
Youth can keep the bravado, the going out and the places to be. I’ll take the fluffy pillows and slippers.
