That which you miss most, may indicate that which you love most.
Isn’t there some saying like, “You never know what you have until you don’t have it any more?” If not, there should be, because I have only recently, after six weeks of quarantine, begun to think about “what I’d like to do, but can’t.”
Content in Quarantine???
First of all, let’s be clear on this: I am certainly more fortunate than many in that solitude and seclusion actually are, for me, preferred states of being. I am also fortunate that I am married to the perfect woman, totally self-dependent. We ardently respect one another’s privacy while at the same time enjoy walks, long soul enriching chats, as well as evening movies.
4 Gonna Do’s
As we were chatting a few nights ago, I confided in Pam four things I miss most in quarantine. That my list was confined to only four activities was not as surprising as the utter simplicity of each of them.
- Sushi. I miss dining with my son, Austin, at Sushi Tadokoro near Old Town San Diego. Trip Advisor ranks the tiny hideaway as the best sushi restaurant in San Diego. At this minimalist refuge with a 7-seat sushi bar and 5 tables, seating a maximum of 28, owner and sushi chef Takeaki Tadokoro delights in serving Traditional Japanese Edo-mae-style (totally “traditional”). We order “omakase” which means every piece of fish is selected by the chef.
- Movie Theater. I love movies. I love big screen. I love big sound. Typically, pre-quarantine, I would find myself in a movie theater usually two times every week. I’m not much a fan of blockbusters, although I see most of them. I most enjoy indie and foreign films. Still, I saw every movie nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars.
- The Broad Museum. This one is surprising. I have visited the museum only one time. The price is right: It’s free. But the museum offers undoubtedly the finest selection of contemporary art that I have ever seen personally. And I visited dozens of contemporary art museums both in the US and Europe. Eli Broad’s collection is most exceptional, featuring artists like Warhol, Twombly, Koons, Johns, Basquiat, Rauschenberg, Ruscha, and Lichtenstein (yes, including “I’m Sorry”)—all on the second floor of his $140 million masterpiece of architectural brilliance.
- Coffee in Europe. One of my very favorite things to do is walk the streets of quaint European cities, eventually resting in a coffee bar with MacBook or iPad in hand sitting for a couple hours (or more) of writing, people watching, and gazing at architecture hundreds of years old. Seville, Amsterdam, Prague, Oslo, Budapest, or Syracuse in Sicily all work just fine.
So???
What do these four simple choices say about me and what I most love? Well, one thing they confirm, I am an introvert. I adore good food, good art, and good travel.
Duh!!!
Until time comes that it is safe to do so, I am diligent to remain in quarantine. The safety of one is the safety of all.
So what does your list of “wanna do’s” look like? Please let me know.
What You Miss Most
Can Be a Surprise
Photo courtesy of aroundtheworld.photography at istockphoto