Happy Thursday. Welcome to another Running with Spoons Thinking Out Loud link party, where stream-of-consciousness is the name of the game. Thanks to Amanda for hosting.

How’s your week going? How did it get to be Thursday already?

1.) I know it’s a new month and spring for real finally, but I’m still not over savory oatmeal. I enjoyed this yesterday while spending some time in the writing cave before clinic: 

2.) My mom got me a crystal. It’s for my throat chakra. Since I was a teenager, it’s been kind of a running joke that my mom is very concerned about the openness of my throat chakra (to the tune of “What do you need to say that you feel like you’re can’t say?” Etc, etc.). One day, I will have to write a book about all the crystals and oils she has given me over the years and what they were all supposed to heal. 

I am not sure if this particular crystal was intended as a throat-chakra joke or as a sincere gesture, but it’s both amusing and touching to me because, well, the throat chakra thing has always been funny because it’s true. When it comes to my personal life, I’m someone with a tendency to say too little when I could really say a lot.

3.) Speaking of my mom, this is a great excuse to share this picture of us in Miami last month. She’s always so shy about getting her picture taken, which is just silly because she’s gorgeous—inside and out. 

4.) I was reading and writing about instant ramen noodles this weekend for a media thing and OMG, guys. I knew they were not great for you, but wow. The ingredients list is basically an existential crisis of “Why does this even exist? What does it all mean?”

5.) Sometimes I need to stop asking “why” and just go with the flow. Not that I actually ask why out loud—I just think it really hard. See #1, above. And I totally wrote “glow” instead of “flow” the first time. I wish there was some kind of poetic meaning in that typo, but I think I’m just tired.

6.) My bathroom mirror is currently being held to its frame by double-sided tape. Awesome. Resisting the urge to look for symbolism in that too…

What’s on your mind this Thursday?