At the turn of the 11th century, Sei Shonagon was an attendant to the Empress of Japan. During her time in court, she wrote a Pillow Book, a sort of poetic journal comprised of musings, gossip, and lists. We don’t know much about her–no one is even completely sure of her real name. But the book is easy to find, and I heartily (haha, sigh) recommend it. “Pillow” referred to where it was kept, rather than hinted at bedroom content, but I would hazard a guess that Shonagon had a lot going on inside. Eight hundred years before Austen, she wrote with much the same charm, cleverness, and occasional sharp bite.
It’s a happymaking week here in Jensenland. The Fine Art of Truth or Dare is out on Thursday. And it’s Valentine’s Day. Two things that can definitely make my pulse a little skittery. Despite any wry, skull-accessorized appearances to the contrary, I’m really a hearts-and-flowers kinda girl. So, in honor of cardio-pulmonary systems and Sei Shonagon, I’m borrowing one of her list themes for a Tuesday Ten.
Things That Make One’s Heart Beat Faster
10. The clatter (or electronic ping) of the mailbox. Because maybe, just maybe, there’s a check or acceptance letter or new J. Crew catalogue or love note there.
9. The phone ringing in the middle of the night. I suppose there are good reasons for someone to call you at 3am (new baby, you won the lottery in an Antipodean country, just-couldn’t-wait-to-say-I-love-you), but it never seems to work that way.
8. Looking into your rearview mirror or zipping past a lay-by and seeing a police car.
7. Scary movies. Doesn’t matter that you know what’s coming, that you actually saw the ghost/ghoul/wronged-hockey-player climb into the steamer trunk with a machete. When they come bursting out…Aaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!
6. Jack-in-the-Boxes. Like the scary movie, you know what’s going to happen. You’re gonna turn the crank that last half-turn, get to the end of the weasel song, and…
5. Fireworks, thunder and lightning. There’s just something about that combination of flash and bang in the sky. Which leads into…
4. Shooting stars. Maybe because it’s another little flash-in-the-sky. More, I think, because it’s the sparkliest symbol of hope and wishes out there. Even looking for a shooting star can get the heart-rate (and hopes) up.
3. Going into a shop on a thing-hunt (the lipstick you saw in Vogue, the gloves to replace the ones he left in a cab, the new book you want to curl up with tonight) and getting the first glimpse of it on display, the possibility that maybe you’ll actually be holding it in a moment.
2. Dancing. Any aerobic exercise, sure. But it’s just so much better when there’s music and choreography (even random, spastic, and just plain bad) involved. Kitchen floors and classes count. Personal faves for pure joy: bhangra and hip hop.
1. That moment when you look at someone and want to fling yourself at them and get lip-to-lip fast. You know what I mean. Made almost dangerous, heart-wise, when you can tell they want to fling themselves at you, too. Made all the sweeter when it still happens fifteen years after the first time.