lifeinflux

Ode to my cat who chews cords

// February 26th, 2010 // Comments Off // Life

Mimir goes by many names – Meer, Meemsy, Pooh Bear, Tiger Cat.   And then there is my personal favorite – Mimir Damnit – which is probably the name the cat is called more than any of the others.    Granted, in the past, calling the cat “Damnit” has gotten me in trouble.   Who can ever forget their first call by their child’s teacher asking that you come in for a meeting.  And who can forget the ensuing discussion of your child’s family tree whereupon you find a picture of an orange blob with the name “Mimir Danmit” written on a bottom limb?    Mimir, like the other females in this house, is opinionated, stubborn and determined to do it her way.   You’d think we playing Frank Sinatra on perma-loop around here.
(more…)

My life of late… better know as insanity

// November 28th, 2009 // 3 Comments » // 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.  My Type-A personality 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 transferred 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 of it (see Drue, Mommy even stopped cussing in her BLOG), and all will be well.  How hard is it to put on a play and run a Talent Show right?   Right?
(more…)

Invasion of the Body Snatchers

// November 3rd, 2009 // No Comments » // 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.
(more…)

Who we talking ’bout here?

// October 26th, 2009 // 2 Comments » // 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.
(more…)

A simple(r) life…

// October 5th, 2009 // 2 Comments » // Life

There are so many good things that came from leaving the 9-to-5 grind that I find it hard to define the “best” one.   Surprisingly, cutting back has become less of an obstacle and more of a challenge.   Sure, I freaked out a little when I realized that dropping $25 a week on hair product that just sit on the shelves in my bathroom was no longer going to be the norm.  And by a little, I mean I sat in the back aisle of Ulta, clutching my basket filled with gel and spritz and hair wax in one hand and my iPhone in the other, looking at my bank balance while moaning that I sliced my toiletries budget way too much!   I mean, I love my hair product.
(more…)

An unstructured structured existence, part one

// September 17th, 2009 // 3 Comments » // Life

Now that I am working from home and am only responsible to myself for getting my ever-growing list of to-do’s done, I find I am indulging in a rather unstructured existence.   Granted, this is a nice change after four and a half years of structured and stressful living, meeting the demands of The Man^TM and wondering what was missing since I was not really enjoying myself or particularly happy. My life was not so different from most people. I woke up at 6 AM every day, hit the snooze button for half an hour, talked myself out of bed only to glance at the clock and realize I was officially running late and compensating for that by rushing through a shower, throwing on a suit, attending to Drue and getting us to our respective venues by specific and set times five days a week, forty-nine weeks a year. I’d rush to pick up Drue, rush home, make dinner (occasionally), or eat something quick and processed (usually), stress through Drue’s homework while juggling client demands, get her to bed, and then either work until I fell asleep over my laptop or give up on that day entirely and crash out in front of the television until I fell asleep. I’d wake up around 1 or 2 AM, wash my face, brush my teeth and pass out until the alarm rang at 6 AM the next day. Sounds great, right? Yet day in and day out, this is the life so many people lead simply because they feel it is the right thing – the only thing – and what they are supposed to do. So we settle. I settled. And I settled for the two worst reasons: a paycheck and I had no idea what else I should do.
(more…)

Onward and upward

// August 12th, 2009 // 5 Comments » // Life

I’ve spent the last two weeks living in my head quite a bit, working on my list of 100 things that make me happy. I also spent some time traveling down South, reconnecting with wonderful friends, and getting to know my new nephew. As I’ve worked on my list of 100 things, I decided to write down only those items, occasions, or happenings that truly make me happy as opposed to simply listing things that don’t make me unhappy. A few of the entries concern individuals who are no longer in my life. I came to the realization that, for myriad reasons,  I’ve pushed away a lot of people who truly made me happy or whose company, both online and/or in real life, I’ve truly enjoyed while spending a lot of energy and time on people of whom, ultimately, I’m not particularly fond or who bring such drama and negativity into my life – either on their own or through the negative people with whom they associate, that I’m left feeling upset, confused, and occasionally hurt by the stress and the noise.  I have long arms – I can stab myself in the back, thank you very much.   Luckily, I have some great friends who hang in there with me. I also recognize that I’ve let go of a lot of activities that define me, as well… me. For the first time in a long time, I feel emotionally and physically ready to make some good decisions to get me back on track.
(more…)

Invasion

// July 29th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Life

On Sunday night, my friend Angela came into town from the Bay Area via Philadelphia. Being from the Bay Area, she has that semi-punk, I’m cooler than you San Francisco vibe thing going on. Angela is truly a citizen of the world having lived in Colombia, Spain, and England to name a few. She claimed that title years before Angelina Jolie borrowed the phrase as her own. Every time I hear her say it, my immediate thought is “Nope, Angela claimed that title years ago and you can’t have it!” Once Angela adopts a few kids and lives in Africa, I’ll try to copyright the moniker “Citizen of World” for her. Until then, she may have some stiff competition. But I digress. Yesterday, our friend Bert from Belgium came into town. My place is essentially their jet lag recovery home away from home before they venture south to Florida. Bert from Belgium brought over waffles, four kinds actually. And no these are not your standard waffle iron waffles either. These are amazing cookie-life, waffle-shaped yumminess in different flavors and different sizes. They will completely change your American point of view about what a waffle is and isn’t and you’ll realize that American waffles just have not reached their full potential. The so-called Belgian waffles we eat here have nothing on the real thing, baby.

Bert also brought over amazing bitter dark chocolate infused with whiskey, cigar smoke and who knows what else. Angela and I proceeded to eat our way through an entire box, pausing on occasion to make sure that we were sharing nicely. Today, I returned the favor by taking Bert to an Einstein’s Bagel, a 7-Eleven, a smoothie shop and a Jerry’s Subs whereupon he purchased and consumed some good ol’ American crap food. To each their own, right?
(more…)