Tuesday, December 11, 2012

A few things....

Some ramblings about life ....

I have a cold.  Not a terrible cold. Just an annoying stuffy head and uncontrollable sneezing cold. 

I made art this weekend.  Actually I made guest room wall decor. 

Scrapbook paper.  Owls.  Record frames.  Kate Bush and Heart on Spotify.  2 hours of bliss. 




We also cleaned the house, watched Home Alone (in which Tori almost peed her pants with laughter), Christmas shopping, Illuminations at Botanica (Christmas lights), drove around looking at lights sipping hot chocolate, made a gingerbread house,  did homework, paid bills, went grocery shopping, gave self a pedicure and a long bath.... and still managed to make my owl art.  Who am I?

It was like I got this huge surge of energy and did so much yet felt like I actually had a long weekend.  I could take more of these.  Perhaps I owe it to Danielle LaPorte's Desire Map.  I'm working on the Audio and Worksheets and I love it.  It is all about understanding why you chase the goals you chase and gaining a deeper understanding of what motivates you and then turning that into real actions not lofty goals that leave you feeling empty at the end -- accomplished or not.

I find my attitude about work has also improved.  I am still fairly miserable in Corporate America but I find that I am more eager to walk away at the end of the day... not so eager to give it all my blood, sweat, and tears. So I'll call that progress for now.

I am currently inspired.  To do what you may ask?   I'm inspired to live more simply and in the present.  Not everything needs to be about tomorrow (or yesterday).

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Beginning to look a lot like Christmas

I've gotten a head start on Christmas this year and I'm actually feeling pretty good about all we've gotten accomplished so far:

Christmas shopping is nearly done.
Christmas wrapping nearly done.
Christmas decorating is done.
Christmas baking list is about complete.
Christmas cards have arrived and are ready for me to stuff and address.
Christmas dresses purchased
Christmas photos are planned for Tuesday.

With all of this behind us, it's going to leave plenty of time for the fun stuff:

Baking
Christmas lights drive
Botanica's Illuminations
Christmas show watching -- National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, A Christmas Story, Santa Claus the Movie.....

Monday, September 24, 2012

Sunday, September 23, 2012

On Writing

I've got a ton of things to write about following up to my Literary New England vacation but first, I've got to tell you about my most important news....writing!

So it turns out that visiting the homes and burial sites of some of America's greatest writers is really inspirational.  In fact, it inspired me to read Stephen King's "On Writing."  I'm 80% of the way through and I have flown through the book so fast.  Initial comments are this -- Stephen King and me.... well, we think a whole lot a like.  In fact, I can even relate to a lot of his initial attempts at writing down to the short stories I started writing and submitting around age 7. 

Suddenly, I have the desire to pull out all my old stories, even the ones written at my now daughter's age.... "The Joyful Small Cafe," "Brigindale and Picklewell, " and one I can't recall the name of but I submitted to a Madeline L'Engle writing contest in 3rd grade, I think.  I want to recall those stories and how hopeful I was at one time to be a real writer.  I want to give my self some credit... I wasn't completely horrible, especially as I got older.  I want to find the drafts of the various novel starts and short stories I've written in the last 15 years and sit with them. 

And then, I want to write something new.  I want to write like I haven't wanted to write in a long time.  I know it's going to take discipline and dedication but when I truly step away and think about what I want to be remembered for, it's this:  I want to write something that impacts other's lives.  I think all the time about how I play therapist to my friends and family but I think I could really do more in writing.  And I observe a lot of people, I'm a watcher.  Sometimes I think the only way I really will be heard is by writing it down.

Tomorrow I return back to the real world but I'm ready to set my limits and deliver only what I humanly can within a 40 hour work week and then I'm devoting the rest of my time to the things I want to do... like writing.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Salvage the Bones




I finished Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward last night.  I had not heard of Jesmyn Ward before but the premise of the story sounded interesting -- a  poor black family living in Mississippi when on of the most devastating hurricanes in US history hits South, Hurricane Katrina. 

Much of my ex's family lived in the New Orleans area during Katrina and we spent a lot of time helping them get back on their feet and relocating to KS. This summer we traveled to New Orleans to port out of the city on  a Caribbean cruise. While visiting,  I was able to finally see how the South had and had not recovered from Katrina's devastation. There is still so much to be repaired.

I thought the story was a bit slow at the start but was intrigued by the impoverish ways of living described by Ward -- stealing from neighbor farms, breeding and fighting dogs for money, and living off Vienna sausage and Ramen noodles as a norm.  About midway through the story, it started to gain speed and I, interest.  There is a deep theme running between the main character - a pregnant teen daughter named Esch, Esch's mother who died while giving birth to a son, a  female dog named China that gives birth to puppies, some who make it and some who don't,  and then Hurricane Katrina who is impregnated with fury.  There is symbolism in the idea that the "mother" is a vessel for new growth and delivering death and despair as part of the birthing process.   I rather liked the comparisons and the idea that motherhood is an imperfect process and that in the end, mother nature will take her course.

Big 2nd Grader Now



We were going for the Anthro look for the first day.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Live Deliberately







I'll be visiting Thoreau's resting place next month...
I think this quote speaks well as to how I've been feeling lately.

True Blood: An Addiction

There aren't many shows that I get really excited for these days.  And I don't know that I've been been so into a show that I'd consider going to a Con just to meet some of the actors, writers, etc. until now.  I was late to the game with True Blood and started watching the show in 2011 via DVD.  A friend had recommended the show to me and even mentioned that there was a series of books written by which the show was based.  I made a mental note and went on watching back episodes of Lost, Super Natural, and Veronica Mars.  Then came the day when I needed a new show to watch.... so I thought, why not? 

I had no idea that the show was a southern gothic tale of vampires, witches, and other supernatural creatures.  Imagine my suprise when viewing the intro with its catchy tune by Jace Everett and realizing what kind of story was beig told.  I was immediately hooked.  Fast forward to now.  I'm caught up.  I finished Season 4 today and I want MORE!  Unfortunately, I've got a long wait ahead of me.  We don't have cable which means I'll be waiting for the DVDs once again...sigh.  I guess in the mean time, I'll just have work my way through all 4 seasons again.

I did try reading the Sookie Stackhouse books written by Charlaine Harris but just didn't get into them like I thought I would.  Maybe it's time to try them again to help tide me over.

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Meet Miss Mable



Meet Miss Mable.

Mable is our three month old Basset Hound puppy that we adopted from the Humane Society a couple of weeks ago. She was a high interest puppy and we knew we had to act quickly to get her. Adopting a dog is something my husband and daughters have been wanting to do for quite some time and now that we've moved into our new home, it was just a matter of time to find the right dog for us. We debated for months over Shelties (Josh), Chihuahuas (girls), and Boston Terriers (me) until finally settling on a Basset Hound. Mable's ears and paws are about five times too big for her body and she's clumsy as can be -- but a sweet, sweet girl. Even our cat, Grimm, seems to be getting used to her and we're well on our way to being fully crate trained.

I have to admit, I have forever fantasized about the idea of sipping sweet tea while my hound dog lazily slept on my front porch at my feet. I'm very quickly learning... Basset Hounds aren't that lazy... especially puppies. Hounds do symbolize a lot about the south to me and another reason I'm so happy with our choice. Mable's got the saddest eyes I've ever seen but I absolutely love her old soul.