Three Nice Things

I have tried to write today’s post in multiple ways, on varying topics, over the course of several hours, and it’s not happening. Things are just… I give up.  Setting the bar low for tonight, I gave myself a goal of writing about three nice things I could talk about or recommend.  Any three things.

This beautiful walk-through video game puzzle with Escher-esque twists and turns — Monument Valley.  I think there are three or four in the series – Monument Valley, MV II, Forgotten Shores, and Ida’s Dream?  They’re like $3.99.  I recommend downloading them onto something like an iPad.  I find them comforting when I need to de-stress; I’ve been playing them over and over for years and I never tire of them.  The music is soothing, the visuals are stunning, the stories are lovely.

Erik Satie.  I listen to his chill piano pieces over and over again.  I can listen to Gymnopédies or Gnossiennes every single day, and lately I have been.

Watching this guy’s planted tanks.  My daughter and I are in the habit of recommending quietly pleasurable videos to each other when we run across them, and we are amused by how many of the same videos we found separately in the vast wasteland that is YouTube.   Anyway, this guy does Walstad tanks – no filter, no fertilizer – and these are time-lapse videos of watching things grow and swim around in various tanks over the course of months, with some soothing background music.  In this particular case, with this particular guy, it’s usually Satie, so win/win.

I had one of these in my office for months, and it was a delight.  I’m trying to figure out how I can lug it home and start again.

What are you doing to soothe yourself these days?  Recommendations?

 

 

  • Patty says:

    Oh, thanks for the Erik piano, had to grab that, that is perfect for floating outside, and my new outdoor speakers arrive today. I’m pretty soothed all the time. I try to just not let daily anything rile me up that much before I take a deep breath and try to see that everything is more than what happens in a day, a month, a year, a decade. We just have to keep plotting and re-plotting a trajectory towards the good.

  • Sarah says:

    March I love all of your gifts. I didn’t know anything about the three you shared-but I shall enjoy them all now. Thank you.

    • March says:

      You’re welcome! I feel so stuck when I can’t write, and it was such a relief to get UNstuck and share things that comfort me, even if they weren’t fragranced.

  • rosarita313 says:

    Lovely post, March. Definitely going to start watching those tanks.
    Too much stress and idle time has allowed an old demon back into my life with a vengeance and fighting it is exhausting but giving in leads to all kinds of problems. I don’t think addiction ever goes away, we just get better at suppressing it and I got nothin on the relaxing front. On a lighter note, my husband – we’ve been together 38 years – casually shaved off his trademark mustache Sunday without a word of warning and I’ve never seen him without it. Holy moly, what a shock, and I don’t like it! It instantly ages him 5 years and he now looks exactly like his dad. I’m hoping he’ll grow it back but I’m being cool about it, it’s his face after all. Wah.

    • March says:

      WHOA that would be wild to wake up to all of a sudden. And yes, for sure, this is such a tough time for anyone in recovery — e.g., virtual meetings are better than nothing but they’re not the same. And the lack of routine. And the general craziness. I will keep you in my prayers.

  • Dina C. says:

    I’ve been watching America’s Test Kitchen videos, reading mysteries, playing Mahjong Blossom on my phone. But that Monument Valley game looks intriguing. I’ll have to check it out. I love Gymnopedies by Satie. That’s beautiful stuff. I’ll have to check out the tank videos too. Thanks March!

    • March says:

      You’re welcome, and I should check out America’s test kitchen, I am pretty sure my daughter recommended those to me as well!

  • HeidiC says:

    I love Satie! I’ve also been listening to a lot of Chopin and Arvo Pärt lately. Making strawberry-rhubarb jam (the pop when the jars seal is magical!). Writing longhand.

    • Musette says:

      omgosh, yes! the POP!!! I can tomato sauce, salsa, etc – and there is nothing more satisfying than to hear that POP! xoxox

    • March says:

      Arvo Part…. his religious music is gorgeous and/but I’m especially drawn to his instrumental stuff. The first time I heard Tabula Rasa was on the radio and I had to pull the car over, I was so overcome with its beauty.

      • HeidiC says:

        Tabula Rasa was my entry drug to Pärt! It’s so gorgeous. Also his Cantus in memory of Benjamin Britten.

    • Patty says:

      Okay, added Arvo to my floating play list, just gorgeous.

  • Tara C says:

    I’m doing the same things I’ve been doing over the past three months: baking, walking the dog and listening to interesting lectures on youtube. I sadly live in an urban apartment with no garden, but I have a few pots on my tiny balcony. And I am busy plotting my escape to the country. 🙂

  • Melanie says:

    Monument Valley is awesome. Even if you can’t get past the levels it’s so beautiful. Thanks March xx

    • March says:

      Glad to see several fans on here… I can’t remember the sequences so it’s always like I’m playing it for the first time, lol. A couple times I gave up after awhile and watched the walk-through on YouTube so I could get to a next level. It’s just so magical.

  • Portia says:

    I watched the Planted Tank March.
    How freaking cute are the shrimps? WANT!
    Portia xx

    • March says:

      Portia, you can make one! It inspired me, I wanted some of those shrimp! I have mine on my desk and it’s so much fun to watch. He has dozens of videos, including larger tanks. Pretty amazing when the mind realizes you don’t need all the gadgetry.

      • Musette says:

        okay – y’all need to get me some MEDICATION – STAT! I didn’t click on your link because a) I was exhausted … and b) (and I sweatergawd this is a true story)… somehow I saw an image of Planted MILITARY Tanks in my poor ol’ haid….. and, like I said, MEDICATION!

        the actual bowl/tank is fabbo!

        xoxox

        • March says:

          You are SUCH a weirdo! I’ve watched those tank videos over and over and I am clearly not the only person doing so, lol

      • Portia says:

        March,
        I find it really interesting that he doesn’t. My tank with plants and fish gets mossy within a fortnight. That’s with a filter and heater.

  • matty1649 says:

    The planted tank was just amazing. Thank you

    • March says:

      You’re welcome, he has a bunch of those vids including larger (but still nano) tanks. Having set two up myself I can attest to how fun they are to watch.

  • Taxi says:

    I love the Gymnopedies! Few people mention Satie’s works & they’re beautifully unique.

    • March says:

      Yeah, he deserves more love. I didn’t realize until writing this piece what a character he was, either.

  • Carolyn says:

    I love the Monument Valley video games. I’ve downloaded all the levels but have been unable to beat the last level’s final puzzle.

    • March says:

      I commented above that I forget the solutions so every time is almost like the first time…. an FYI if you didn’t know, there are walk-throughs on YouTube, so if you wanted to solve it there’s probably a video showing the solution. I ended up doing that a couple of times.

      • Carolyn says:

        Thanks March. I didn’t realize there were solutions on Youtube. I’ll have to hunt down solution to final level.

  • Musette says:

    You know what I’m doing? Balancing working in the garden with… (imagine this!) ENJOYING the garden. Right now, midday is impossible, with 90+F temps between 11a and 2-3p, so I get up at the crack of o’dark-thirty, do a few chores in the cool……. then do a few more chores after work shuts down. But at 5:30p? I grab a glass of Whatever and sit my happy ass down, watch the hummingbirds fight over the Wave petunias and the feeder (because it’s not at all about availability, trust me)… and then, around 7p, the evening feed starts at the watering holes. It’s very soothing.

    xoxo

    • March says:

      I really wish I could magically transport myself there and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Sitting in your garden is wonderful.

      • Musette says:

        Thanks! You know what would be even more wonderful? If, perhaps, next time it’s not 98F in the freaking shade – at 9p! THAT would be wonderful! xoxox

  • Paddy Mogan says:

    I just love this post! Many thanks