THE FINAL PHASE OF FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS
by Sarah Simon
okay, a friend of yours has timidly asked to be picked up, and, when you agree, graciously provides an address. you perform some arduous research on GOOGLE, and feel as though its mapping service has done you well: take a left there, swirl in the roundabout, and go straight. oh, and the house number is 47. you'll find it when you get in the area.
the last thought often leads to problems. notice the hypothetical mind's curtailing attention. at the later stages of following directions, attention recedes.
it's habitual; I see it in me, in others, leading us to the minutes of confusion and stress just before reaching a destination.
it's habitual; I see it in me, in others, leading us to the minutes of confusion and stress just before reaching a destination.
once the first steps of the mapping service have been imprinted, once we've mentally navigated through the major streets and terms, it's satisfying enough; we have met the request to map unfamiliar territory, focused our imagination, and implemented technology for practical use.
47 will show once I get in the area.
WAIT a minute, honey--zoom in. is 47 on some unprecedented diagonal? is it nestled between two larger structures? has it recently been demolished and you're just lying to me because you have a specific paranoia about divulging personal details? the apparent inability to locate a particular address–when you expected easy location once you got in the area–reminds of the quote,
It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so.
~~MARK TWAIN
I'm trying to find an everyday comparison–something you plan, but not specifically enough; something you take for highways and main roads but not for the side streets.
WOAH
WOAH
WAIT
STAND STILL
I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THIS INTO A METAPHOR FOR LIFE:
***Life: pay attention to the side roads. savor the little things***
no I'm not going to do that who do you think I am.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~Possible solutions~~~~~~~~~~~
Maybe just zoom in a little more to google maps? or ask your friend for specifics, like restaurants ask for apartment numbers and you say "7D as in Dog." the clarification could prevent the tight grip on the wheel from tautening conversation.
here we go to savoring the side streets. make an oreo cheesecake ball.
made 'em yesterday. literally two ingredients (or three, if you so choose). as i shared with a friend, these treats are "little bites of gratification."
he replied, "instant."
you can make 'em like this:
two ingredients. can you guess?
like this:
with extra chunk.
and like this:
coat the two ingredients in another ingredient.
THE TWO (OR THREE) INGREDIENTS
1 package of oreos (whatever kind you prefer, they could ever be nutter butters for all i care, as long as the package is around 16 oz.)
1 package of cream cheese (again, whatever u want–reduced fat, fat free, strawberry swirl, as long as you use 8 oz., or half a pound)
White chocolate or some chocolate in a form that is conducive to melting
DIRECTIONS
TAKE the oreos and crush them. I will not advise you on methodology, but I did it by pushing the cookies into a Ziploc bag and throwing the bag around. Crush to whatever level of crunchiness you prefer.
MIX the crushed oreos with cream cheese. Get that all incorporated.
ROLL the oreo-cream cheese mixture (which we will now call oreo cheesecake) into balls.
***If you like to coat the oreo cheesecake balls in something meltable, like white chocolate, have it melting over the stove in a pot. Once melted, use tooth picks to dip the balls into it. If the balls are too heavy to stay on the toothpick, use a spoon. if your name starts with a K, use your hands.
this is my hand.
