my mellow

I love the movie Cinderella Story. It is a Disney film, one of those made for the pre-teen/teen audience, starring Hilary Duff. I have watched it over and over (okay, I am usually folding laundry or doing some other task that occupies my hands) and over, and I still love it. why? because the good guys win and the bad guys lose. honesty triumphs over deceit, those who hold true to their dreams achieve them, and best of all, in the end, true love prevails. what more could I ask for?
along the way we are thrown some funny jokes, a few exceptional characters, moments of teenage angst, and some pretty cute actors to look at. my kids and I have a few favorite lines that we weave into daily life at times: the evil step-mother has some great moments! at one point she talks about how expensive it is to fly her Norwegian salmon in all the way from Norwegia. So now Norwegia is part of our vocabulary, a land far, far away. The step-mom also has a great line where she calls herself a "very appealing person," in this nasal, whiny voice, which we love to imitate.
but the line that is staying with me lately, often during rides, is one from the cute, female disc jockey. at one point a teacher interrupts her DJ-ing, and she replies, "Hey, Mrs.-- , you just harshed my mellow."
you harshed my mellow. wow. this is a description that is sometimes unbelievably accurate. coming down emigration, light tailwind at my back, pedaling hard and feeling great: this is a mellow for me. I love it, I'm feeling good, I've done most of the hard work already and now I'm on my way home. no big bugs jumped out and scared me; I'm good.
and sometimes things harsh that. in particular, anything that makes me apply my brakes! a car backing into the road from its driveway, a spray of gravel across the road, anything unexpected that causes me to use my brakes and slow the downhill rush.
this is all in my head, usually. I would never use that phrase out loud in front of my children: I'm sure they would cringe first, then give me grief for the rest of my life. I know I'm old ~ I try not to pretend otherwise, but sometimes I really like these descriptive phrases kids come up with.
I like being in my mellow.
in fact, I am going to remain there today. It's a beautiful morning, still cool, and it's friday. I have my whole life in front of me, and my bike doesn't need to go to the shop today. I am fit and healthy and my kids are the same (yes, my son's leg is still broken but at least he's healthy), I have food in the fridge and gas in my car, school supplies in backpacks and shoes for my kids' feet. I am set, I am in my mellow, and if anything tries to harsh it I'm going to take a deep breath and tell it no way, not today.