Aug18

Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award

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Thank you so much Rhonda (http://help-me-rhonda.com/2012/08/13/four-more-and-seven-tears-ago/) not just for the award but also for your friendship. You are one of a kind.

Rules For Accepting Nomination: 

  1. Give thanks to the blogger that nominated you.
  2. Write Seven things about yourself.
  3. Nominate seven other bloggers.
  4. Include the logo of the award in a post or on your blog

Oh Lord, seven more things about me. I think I might be out of     things about me, but twist my arm and I’ll take a stab at it.

  1. I’m not a big drinker but I love champagne, Veuve Clicquot to be exact.
  2. Unless of course there are oysters and then I need a Grey Goose Martini, shaken, no vermouth, 3 olives…jeez it sounds like I’ve ordered that more than once huh?
  3. My favorite movie is The Wizard of Oz. I sing along so you may want to leave the room when it comes on.
  4. My favorite book is Man’s Search for Meaning  by Viktor Frankl. 
  5. My favorite actor is John Cusack. Loved him in Grosse Point Blank and High Fidelity.
  6. Sometimes when I read other people’s posts I consider not blogging anymore because they are just so good.
  7. I’m in a pissy mood and I’m going to go eat an entire container of Ben and Jerry’s Cookie Dough Ice cream and wake up tomorrow, quit whining, and get back on the healthy diet/lifestyle band wagon. Really, I swear.

The first person I’d like to pass this award on to is currently one of 18 finalists in a photo contest. Why not take a look and vote for her. In addition to that she has an incredible blog full of interesting and timely posts.

http://newsofthetimes.org/2012/08/18/travel-photo-of-the-year-contest-and-travel-theme-sunset/

The following blogs are fairly new to me but I’ve really been enjoying them and I think you will too.

http://nevercontrary.com/ 

http://jmgoyder.com/

http://wildwomancommunity.com/ 

http://professionsforpeace.com/

Okay now I’m going for the ice cream and an attitude adjustment!

Aug16

Counting Blessings

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Well as they say, the best laid plans…what is it that they say? It’s funny the things you think are so important until something really important comes along. Yesterday, my children’s aunt who was just 52 on August 8, took a turn for the worse and is not expected to live to see the weekend. All plans are off and there is a lot of scrambling this morning to get her brother and my ex to Florida in order to see her before she leaves us. He and I continue to be very good friends so he stayed here last night because I’m closer to the airport and can give him the 5 am lift to Logan that he needed. The kids and I sat here last night with him for a long time talking and trying to take his mind off where he was about to go and what he will need to do over the next few days. He and I spent some time talking about how quickly life has gone by. We know each other for almost 30 years and it’s gone by in a blink. I can’t even begin to fathom knowing I had hours or at the most days left, as his sister does right now. She was at work, going food shopping, and I’m sure craving some time alone as I was recently, just a few weeks ago, completely unaware of how this summer would end.

So, with a very heavy heart, instead of packing for my get away I am counting my blessings.  First that my heart continues to beat, and it seems it will for some time. Secondly, for all the people that won’t give me second to myself and can’t find the ketchup or the date or their own shoes without me.  Also, for the fact that although disappointed I have wonderful people looking forward to seeing me whenever I manage to see them. I’m not going to make them wait too long.

I think I may just spend this weekend counting my blessings and leave the plans to a higher power.  Enjoy the weekend, my friends.

The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men,

Gang aft agley,

An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain,

For promis’d joy!

(The best laid schemes of Mice and Men

oft go awry,

And leave us nothing but grief and pain,

For promised joy!)

Robert Burns, To a Mouse (Poem, November, 1785)

Aug15
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Holy Moses do I need to be alone! I adore the people around me but I’m a person who needs her solitude. This weekend I’m planning on taking a road trip and visiting some friends I haven’t seen in awhile back in NYC. I can’t wait, but almost as much as seeing them I am looking forward to being alone. That hours of driving alone sounds like nirvana to me right now. I need to think, to contemplate, and to get ready for what’s next. I need to do all of this without being asked where the ketchup is or what’s today’s date or what are we having for dinner at 8 am. In order to be calm and loving and not scream “how the f*ck do I know” when asked these perfectly innocent questions I need some time alone. I’m praying I make it to Friday.

“We must become so alone, so utterly alone, that we withdraw into our innermost self. It is a way of bitter suffering. But then our solitude is overcome, we are no longer alone, for we find that our innermost self is the spirit, that it is God, the indivisible. And suddenly we find ourselves in the midst of the world, yet undisturbed by its multiplicity, for our innermost soul we know ourselves to be one with all being.”

― Hermann Hesse

Solitude

Aug8

Very Inspiring Blogger Award

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Let me say that receiving awards does not get old. That being said I’m going to inflict yet another 7 things about me on you, and as a reward for reading I’m going to recommend some really terrific blogs that you may or may not have checked out already. There! That seems like an almost even trade.

To accept the award, the rules are:

Link back to the person who nominated you:

Thank you, Mimi @ http://waitingforthekarmatruck.com/. What can I say about this woman and how would I know when to stop? If there is some small chance you haven’t been following her you absolutely need to. She is just as likely to make you cry and make you laugh and often will do that in the same post. I’d insist she write a book but that would have a beginning and an ending and I prefer to read her every morning with my coffee along with my buddy http://help-me-rhonda.com/. WWW forever!!

Post the award image to your page: Done

Tell seven facts about yourself: Okay, I’ll try short and sweet this time. Long and funny is on my previous post. I like to mix things up : )

  1. I’m an only child. It seemed okay when I was younger and life was not so easy but now I wish I had siblings. Actually I’m thinking about putting an ad in Craigslist for a sister. Do you know anyone looking?
  2. When I was younger I wanted to be a writer for Saturday Night Live. Well, I still sort of do.
  3. I hate speaking in public or in front of a group larger than about 3. I rethink everything I’m going to say until it’s too late to say it. If I have notes I’m better but I still dislike it. Plus it’s weird to carry notes with you at dinner. It’s been misinterpreted for shy, but really it’s just over thinking.
  4. I never wanted to get married but had nine names picked out for children. I guess I was ahead of my time although none of the four I did have were named for fruit or Greek gods.
  5. I love to go to the movies alone. No one talks, you don’t have to share your popcorn and no one reminds you 6 months later that you sobbed like a fool.
  6. This is probably creepy enough for an entire post but when several people I have known passed away I “knew” before I was told. Twice it woke me up in the middle of the night gasping for air. Several were accidental deaths so I could not have expected it, and it happens almost at the time of death so I can’t warn them.  I really do not like this but have no idea what to do about it. 
  7. My family nickname when I was a child was Miss Closed-mouth because I never talked and would never share a secret amongst a family of gossips. The spilling of my guts on this blog is causing much rolling in graves! Haha Gotcha! 

Nominate 10 other blogs (Yes, I can count and I know I’ve listed 12. You’ll thank me, trust me. Remember, this is your reward.)

http://talktodiana.wordpress.com/

http://blessedwithastarontheforehead.wordpress.com/about/

http://aleafinspringtime.wordpress.com/about-me/

http://raisingthecurtain.net/

http://truthletsandthoughtbits.wordpress.com/

http://almostspring.com/

http://joyfulonpurpose.com/

http://donnaanddiablo.wordpress.com/

http://onesidedpancake.wordpress.com/

http://rendezvouswithrenee.com/

http://spilledcookies.com/

http://momentumofjoy.com/

Let them know they are nominated: Will do!

Aug7

Seven Things About Me Award

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Well, I’m a sucker for an award!  Honestly. I am very grateful that anyone wants to read what I have to say, much less award me with anything.

Okay please humor me and play along.

1.  Thank the blogger who nominated you.

Thank you, http://forcingmyselfhappy.com/ I just recently started to follow her journey to a happier self and I have to say you’re not only brave but very sweet and interesting. I’m rooting for you!

2.  Share seven things about you. See list below if you are in need of a sedative. : )

3.  Nominate other bloggers you think deserve the award and post on their blog to let them know they’ve been nominated.

 This is difficult. I will spare the several bloggers I adore and who I think deserve every award out there because they are so incredible, because they’ve already received most of the awards and because they will wish a pox upon me for giving them one more thing to do. You know who you are and they know where I live. Enough said.
Instead I will offer you two new blogs I’ve been following in hope that you will take a look and possibly follow:
Wonderull, smart and funny. Enjoy!

7 Things about Me (you’ve been warned)

  1. I talk about them all of the time, but the most important thing about me is that I am the mother of four children ranging in age from 28-16. Everyone is about to move up an age which clearly meant I desperately needed to get a winter hobby in my childbearing years. I adore them all.
  2. I am a pescaterian (vegetarian who occasionally indulges in fish) and a vegan wannabee. I’ve eliminated almost all meat and diary since April. Oh, and wine is made of grapes and vodka from potatoes for those you who wondered. : )
  3. My second biggest fear is getting sick. Not just a flu, but incapacitated and reliant on others. I’m fine being there for others and have done it many times, but I am terribly afraid of ever being on the receiving end.
  4. What is my biggest fear, you ask? The inability to correctly punctuate even though I was an English teacher? Noooooo. It’s that something will happen to one of my kids. Whenever I would hear sirens my heart did a double beat until my youngest finally said, “for crying out loud Mom, they don’t put the sirens on to tell you bad news.” He is so much smarter than I am, although now I just shake when I see any emergency vehicle.
  5. I will turn 50 on December 10. I’ve tried to get it declared a national holiday but so far no luck except for one friend who agrees, or thinks I’m nuts and pretends to agree. I really never considered making it to 50, so I am incredibly pleased. I’m planning on redefining middle age and also living well past 100. The child with the worst record of being consistently nice gets “Depends” duty eventually. It’s my oldest son right now. He is praying for my continued continence.
  6. I just quit my job, started a new business and a nonprofit. When I tell people this they smile and say, “*That’s wonderful.” I suspect they also think I’m nuts, but that’s’ what they say about most people that live extraordinary lives. I’m so full of surprises I usually don’t know what I’m going to do until it’s done. Sometimes it’s great and sometimes it’s a hellish disaster. It’s been quite a ride.
  7. I always like to be learning something new. I just learned how to make pasta and made it with my son this week. That gave me more joy than I can possibly explain.

I have been very fortunate to not only spew my thoughts on to these pages almost daily, but also have some of you like them. Thank you all for reading and bless you all for taking the time to comment.

Aug7

Just Breathe

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After spending the last couple of days recovering from the asthma attack from hell “Just Breathe” takes on a whole new meaning. How we neglect to appreciate the ability to take a deep breath in!

So, today instead of rushing through your one guarenteed day, take a moment and be grateful for something. Think about how simple but lovely the ability to just breathe is.

It won’t take long, I promise. 

Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.
Oprah Winfrey