Ya Gotta Have ‘Em

As you go through life, it’s very easy to become insulated and lose touch with the people who helped to make you who you are: your friends. I am lucky in that I have kept in touch with people from throughout my life, and many of them were in town this weekend, which served as a reminder that as stressful as life can get, it’s your support system that will carry you through the day.

So today, stop what you’re doing, and think about one of your friends. If they live nearby, make a plan with them to get together in the next week. Even if it’s just for a cup of coffee. If they’re far away, pick up the phone. Set aside enough time for the call to be able to catch up on all that’s important. Commit to reconnecting. Maybe you can visit them, or vice versa. Plan a vacation near their city and get together one afternoon.

Is it easier to go through life, focusing on your family, getting through the day and smiling from time to time when the memory of one of your friends pops into your head? Perhaps. But the reward for making the effort to connect with someone who knows just what makes you laugh, or who had the same crazy pre-calculus teacher, or who held your hair back after a night of partying a little too hard, is too valuable to miss.

So don’t connect on Facebook, or tweet a shout out. Aim to make it truly interpersonal. Give it time. Have a real conversation. And make it a regular occurrence. It’s no wonder that a recent study on happiness said that one of the biggest factors in someone’s scale of happiness is how many and the quality of their friendships. Make the effort and commit to connect!

Frozen Burritos Tonight?

Here’s a tip for any of you who make frozen burritos in the microwave: wrap it in a paper towel. I don’t know why, but it makes them turn out better — a little crispier. The paper seems to absorb the moisture that inevitably escapes, leaving less liquid to make it soggy. Just don’t wrap it too tight or it may stick. Try it!

Etc.

Do you ever notice that your kids have some sort of sick sixth sense when it comes to letting you get as little sleep as possible? Last night I was out til 2am, didn’t really get to sleep til around 3am, and then Miss Addison decided to wake me up at 5:50am. Good times.

We had a jam packed weekend. Headed over to the members preview at MoMA of the new Monet’s Water Lilies exhibit. It’s not very large, but they have the huge triptych back on display, which is so beautiful. Worth checking out if you’re in the hood.

Austin had a birthday party on the Upper West Side yesterday, so I dropped him off and ran into a place to have a manicure done. The woman I was randomly assigned to was sniffling like crazy and then shoved cotton up her nose to catch the snot before it dripped out. I was like, “She is going to get me sick!” and yet I did nothing. All I could think about was washing my hands. In hindsight, not sure what I should have done…but now I think I’ll go take more vitamin C.

Another weekend goes by way too quickly…