When I was eight, I climbed into the hatchback of my aunt’s and uncle’s Civic and rode from Raleigh, North Carolina through Tennessee to Paragould, Arkansas. We then headed north driving through countless states until arriving to spend a week at Yellowstone National Park. From there we took off west, driving through Utah and Nevada. We drove end to end through Cherry County, Nevada, 100 miles of nothing going 80 miles an hour. I dipped my toes in rivers, streams, and creeks. I learned to skip rocks. Eventually we headed north again via Idaho and Wyoming to Montana where I spent two weeks in Great Falls, Montana. I saw snow in July, fed marmots and learned how to make homemade pizza dough. It was the best summer of my childhood.
My life of late… better know as insanity
November 28th, 2009 | by Jeri | published in Life
I’m a chronic volunteer. I cannot stand a need not getting done. I’m Type-A, except when I’m not, and then I’m so Type C you wonder where all that OCD, anal-retentive, I alphabetize my DVDs and color-coordinate my outfits to my underoos dominant – and occasionally domineering – life is a project and I must manage it, personality goes. Well I’m here to give you the answer. It goes to Madagascar. Why Madagascar? I don’t know. I just like saying “Madagascar”. But now you know. Tangent about my weird personality aside, my organizational skills and inability to Just Say No to something that needs to get done often works in my favor. For example, when Drue got transfered to her present elementary school and someone mentioned they needed an arts coordinator to run the Talent Show and restore the Drama Club, it took less than a second for me to raise my hand and say “I’ll do it”. In fact, I wasn’t even consciously aware of agreeing to take on these projects until people started clapping. But me being me, I figured I’d feng shui and organize the H-E-double hockey sticks out it (see Drue, Mommy even stopped cussing on her BLOG), and all will be well. How hard is it to put on a play and run a Talent Show right? Right?
Count your many blessings…
November 27th, 2009 | by Jeri | published in Life
I know what you’re doing right now… you’re counting down from week one to two to three to um… six? Yes, I know how to count and no, I did not bump my head and go into a coma for two weeks. Nor did I contract swine flu and spend the last two weeks in bed (although lord-a-mercy the thought of two weeks in bed just sounds so good right now). Weeks 4 and 5 are coming! They are, in fact, being written right now, at this very minute, while you sit here reading about this week, week 6. So finish shaking your head and throw in a few “ohnoeshedi-ent”s and then get over yourself. Because if I can get over myself after this week, so can you! Just sayin’.
A very merry un-aversary
November 13th, 2009 | by Jeri | published in Life
Eleven years ago, Jason and I got hitched for better or worse in the Hillsborough courthouse in front of a jail cell by one Mr. Cleatus A. Marmaduke III. He had bug eyes and a blue and white polyester suit and moved and talked like he existed in a vat of molasses (pronounced MOE-lasses for you uninitiated). One of our witnesses made the comment that the setting and the justice of the peace looked like something out of a bad Southern movie you’d find on Lifetime. I was roughly three months pregnant and our latest prenatal tests had come back iffy. Jason had better health insurance and we had a big church wedding on the horizon, something I absolutely did not want, so the JOP ceremony gave me the wedding I desired and took care of the health insurance issues in one fell swoop.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
November 3rd, 2009 | by Jeri | published in Life
I want to full-on, smooch all over the person who invented Tamiflu because without this little wonder drug, I wouldn’t be posting at all. Instead, I’d be cleaning up projectile vomit for the second night in a row and wishing I would just die and put myself out of my own misery. But I’m leaping ahead of my entire week and starting with the ending. While this is just like me, I figure if you’re reading you want the entire recap and not just praise of my new H1N1-destroying wonder drug.
Who we talking ’bout here?
October 26th, 2009 | by Jeri | published in Life
Ever had one of those weeks where you were so busy, you wonder how you got to Monday? And were you so busy that when you got to Monday, all the stuff you did was a blur and you can’t quite put your finger on exactly what kept you so busy that entire time? That was my week, last week. And while I’m doing a lot of tasks that seem simple and mundane to the outside viewer, I find myself calmer and happier than I’ve been in a long time. Well, okay, except last Wednesday night, but I’m allowed the occasional exception to the rule.
Setting goals or boy, would I like to sleep in this Saturday morning…
September 12th, 2009 | by Jeri | published in Life
Throughout my life I’ve set rather lofty goals for myself. Usually, I achieve my goals at huge personal sacrifice to myself or to other things going on in my life. Or I don’t achieve my goals because I am overwhelmed and burned out from trying to accomplish too much, all at once. Recently, I read a great article by Paul Norwine. To summarize, rather than setting a series of goals, narrow your focus and concentrate on specific goals, one at a time. This allows you to a) have a life while achieving your goal and b) ups your success factor by a significant percent. Why? Well, you won’t be distracted by other goals for one. Second, you won’t overwhelm yourself or burn yourself out by doing too many new things too quickly. And god forbid you multi-task because then you may reach your goals but you won’t have paid the attention needed to learn from the process and enjoy the end result. And frankly, the end result may not be as good or powerful as it would have been with some single minded determination and focus.
My first goal is teaching the pets about the sacredness of Saturday and Sunday morning. I figure it can be done. It only took me eight of my daughter’s ten years on earth to teach her that waking Mommy before 9 AM on a weekend should only be indulged in when bleeding or because the house is on fire. Otherwise, the rule of thumb on weekends is for Drue to go to the bathroom, get her own drink of water and then snuggle up in her room, reading, until hearing the inevitable thump and moan that alerts the world that I am up. Drue has embraced this weekend rule with dignity and grace and even occasionally lets me sleep in until 10. My pets, however, are a different story.
Security or lack thereof
September 3rd, 2009 | by Jeri | published in Life
I woke up this morning around 6 AM from a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad dream.
