I’ve driven over the Yolo Bypass—a stretch of I-80 between Davis and West Sacramento—hundreds of times, but had never visited.
The views have always intrigued me: rice fields, scattered throughout a natural basin in the north part of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, can be seen from the road—flooded after harvest and attracting thousands of waterfowl and shorebirds in the Pacific flyway. At sunset, the views can be painterly. And, if one is lucky, she might see a cloud of bats emerging for their dusk hunt. It’s estimated that 250,000 Mexican long-tailed bats roost under the Yolo causeway.
Despite living so close for so many years, neither Aron nor I had ever visited the wildlife area.
Do you incorporate music into your morning routine? I’ve been thinking it’s something I might benefit from, as a way to feel more energized more quickly after waking up. I got to talking about this with writer Sarah Ann Noel, and she agreed to do some more research on the subject—including asking some other successful women about their routines. I hope, if you’re reading, that you’ll weigh in as well!
In my house, I’m always the last one up in the morning, and it’s a luxury I don’t take for granted. I normally pad out to the dining room as my daughters are eating breakfast, and when they finish, I brush their hair to start my day. It’s quiet, except for their chatter. I kiss the oldest as she heads off to school with her dad, and then I’ll start some soft music in the living room to accompany my morning chores. My little one likes to take her morning slowly too, and so, for now, a mellow accompaniment suits us best.
I imagine life won’t always look like this; and I know a lot of people like to use music to infuse their mornings with energy. This Time Magazine article looks at the best songs to wake up to, according to a psychologist, and they are all quite driving and upbeat. I had a vision of Kate Winslet, a la The Holiday waking up to Jet and dancing around her bed in pajamas. I could only hope to start the day with that much energy—maybe music is the key? Apparently the secret to the devised playlist is two-fold: Each of the songs builds slowly, so as not to be a slap in the face; and they all send more positive messages. (Also according to these morning routines of successful people, music is the way to go.)
I’m not necessarily doing it wrong, but since my morning rituals look different than the recommended habits, I decided to ask around to establish a trend. I reached out to creative women who are successful in their fields, women I look up to and who exude style and fun. What do their mornings look like and what gets them moving in the morning?
I go back and forth about what there is to say. Does one simply move on and post per usual? At my most maudlin, my mind hears the refrain of W.H. Auden’s Funeral Blues, forever linked now with Four Weddings and a Funeral…
Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone, / Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone. / Silence the pianos and with muffled drum / Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come. […]
Oh, right. Grief. That’s what this is.
I’m shocked, and the magnitude of what has happened is still sinking in. I want to feel emboldened to go forth, as Obama said, “with a presumption of good faith in our fellow citizens.” I want to feel emboldened to go forth, as Clinton asked, “believing that fighting for what’s right is worth it.”
