This year we ended up celebrating Christmas on the eve off Christmas eve. It just made more sense that we have the holiday in the middle of the week that Nick and I were visiting mom. This way we don't leave her with a ton of left overs and make sure she can work her latest gadgets.
This Christmas was a technology year. Got mom set up with wireless and a MP3 player and the gadgets that go with it. And got Nick a nice fancy watch. He is in his 30s after all now.
I actually set up the wireless a few days ago to make sure it worked and it reminded me when I got her Tivo. I was setting it up and getting it working while she was still around. The key is to act like nothing is up and that what you're doing is just normal "stuff". And the gift can still be a suprise. Of course, the danger was Nick might give it all away but not ever coming down. But he's been good and pops down periodically between reading and working.
Yesterday it was light fluries here in the mid-west and got to enjoy it while taking mom's dog, Maggie for a long walk around the neighborhoods. Of course now, I'm her best best friend and she won't leave my side. Which makes me appreciate and miss my boys.
Speaking of which, I don't know if I blogged about this before, but am too lazy to check, the latest discovery is Winston and the ladder. After getting back from Thanksiving away, I had a rare moment where I was hanging out in the living room watching tv or talking on the phone or something and I suddenly realize that the cat on the ladder eating the plate of cat food wasn't little Walter but his big brother who had been to afraid to climbe the ladder before. I haven't quite figured out what to do yet, but am now faced with the dilema of one over-weight cat who is on a restricted diet and one cat who doesn't eat too fast and is on the slim side. Walter could always graze in the safety of knowing his food couldn't be gobbled down by his brother. Now, I don't know. I need to figure that out when I get home I guess. But as someone pointed out, at least Winston gets a work out climbing the ladder to get the food.
Still trying to finish the Christmas shopping and making of presents. I'm almost there, the list is shorter. Still finishing up a gift for dad who we get to celebrate with this weekend. This years plans have been up in the air, not knowing exactly when my nephew will arrive. He's due on Christmas day, but we'll have to wait and see!
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
A-Z
I’m on a mission. I just noticed I’m a few posts away from the big 2-0-0 so you should be hearing from me a bit more frequently in the next couple of weeks so I can time the milestone for the big new year.
I had another one of those mornings. No, not one of those kind of mornings. Although, come to think of it, my train ran out of energy and petered to a stop at Park Street and they kicked us out. And it was wicked cold this morning. Wicked wicked cold. Yesterday was ridiculous. And I’m the type to embrace the cold. Especially at the beginning of winter. There must have been a bit of wind, as it just cut through all your layers and made me realize that I really need to go out and buy some new pants – that aren’t skin tight. I didn’t initially buy them that way but they must have shrunk recently. That must have been it. I was happy that I’m local enough now to know how to get from the Park Street Station to the Downtown Crossing exit completely underground through the maze of old tunnels.
So my bus comes and it is one of those beautiful sunny, crisp mornings. And I’m in the middle of a good book. It’s perfect reading for the commute as it’s broken up into lots of little bite size readings really. It’s called “The Know-It-All: One Man’s Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World” by A.J. Jacobs. He’s reading the encyclopedia Britannica cover to cover and writes about the journey interspersed with funny memoir moments. My two favorite things – funny memoir and random funny facts. Of course I can’t remember any of them, don’t know how well he’s retained all the information either. So I’ve used a pencil as my bookmark so I can mark the little quirky things I want to remember, like:
- Berserk is from the savage Norse soldiers of the middle ages, the Berserkers who went into battle naked.
- Dr. Condom invented the form of birth control in response to Charles II’s growing flock of illegitimate offspring.
- Or my favorite, a book is defined as a text with at least 49 pages long. There’s no mention to the word count on each page though, which makes you wonder.
- Casanova was a librarian later in life.
- Rene Descartes had a fetish for women with crossed eyes.
- Stinking smut is an official disease.
- Ten-pin bowling came about when authorities outlawed nine-pin bowling in colonial America.
- John Adams enjoyed his tankard of hard cider each morning before breakfast during his retirement years.
- No more pole jokes – they broke the Enigma code.
- Etruscans wrote boustrophedon style – direction of writing alternates with each line. Very efficient!
- First image ever broadcast on TV: the dollar sign. A bit foretelling.
- Fellini’s 8 ½ comes from the number of films he had directed up to that time: 7 features and 3 shorts.
- Fondue originated from a Swiss truce in the 16th century – the Protestants brought the bread, the Catholics brought the cheese.
- Duck technically refers only to the female.
- Arthur Conan Doyle had a venomous feud with Harry Houdini.
And then, there it was, something that jolted me out of my passive reading this morning:
“(By the way, the first true frat was Kappa Alpha, begun at Union College in 1825.)”
Yes, it was in parenthesis, but I was there, in that little tid-bit of fact that lies in the tombs of the encyclopedia. I had drunk beer in that frat house. I think. I’m a bit hazy of which frat house is which these days but like to think it was the one at the end of frat row, with the big colonnade porch and wonderful woodwork inside. And I wouldn’t be surprised if the building dates back to before 1825. A little bit of history, and I was there.
Now I’m up to the Hs and learned that technically John Hanson was the first president of the US, being the president of the Continental Congress. And that Hollywood was founded by a man named Horace Wilcox, “a prohibitionist who envisioned it a community based on his sober religious principles.” Funny stuff!
I had another one of those mornings. No, not one of those kind of mornings. Although, come to think of it, my train ran out of energy and petered to a stop at Park Street and they kicked us out. And it was wicked cold this morning. Wicked wicked cold. Yesterday was ridiculous. And I’m the type to embrace the cold. Especially at the beginning of winter. There must have been a bit of wind, as it just cut through all your layers and made me realize that I really need to go out and buy some new pants – that aren’t skin tight. I didn’t initially buy them that way but they must have shrunk recently. That must have been it. I was happy that I’m local enough now to know how to get from the Park Street Station to the Downtown Crossing exit completely underground through the maze of old tunnels.
So my bus comes and it is one of those beautiful sunny, crisp mornings. And I’m in the middle of a good book. It’s perfect reading for the commute as it’s broken up into lots of little bite size readings really. It’s called “The Know-It-All: One Man’s Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World” by A.J. Jacobs. He’s reading the encyclopedia Britannica cover to cover and writes about the journey interspersed with funny memoir moments. My two favorite things – funny memoir and random funny facts. Of course I can’t remember any of them, don’t know how well he’s retained all the information either. So I’ve used a pencil as my bookmark so I can mark the little quirky things I want to remember, like:
- Berserk is from the savage Norse soldiers of the middle ages, the Berserkers who went into battle naked.
- Dr. Condom invented the form of birth control in response to Charles II’s growing flock of illegitimate offspring.
- Or my favorite, a book is defined as a text with at least 49 pages long. There’s no mention to the word count on each page though, which makes you wonder.
- Casanova was a librarian later in life.
- Rene Descartes had a fetish for women with crossed eyes.
- Stinking smut is an official disease.
- Ten-pin bowling came about when authorities outlawed nine-pin bowling in colonial America.
- John Adams enjoyed his tankard of hard cider each morning before breakfast during his retirement years.
- No more pole jokes – they broke the Enigma code.
- Etruscans wrote boustrophedon style – direction of writing alternates with each line. Very efficient!
- First image ever broadcast on TV: the dollar sign. A bit foretelling.
- Fellini’s 8 ½ comes from the number of films he had directed up to that time: 7 features and 3 shorts.
- Fondue originated from a Swiss truce in the 16th century – the Protestants brought the bread, the Catholics brought the cheese.
- Duck technically refers only to the female.
- Arthur Conan Doyle had a venomous feud with Harry Houdini.
And then, there it was, something that jolted me out of my passive reading this morning:
“(By the way, the first true frat was Kappa Alpha, begun at Union College in 1825.)”
Yes, it was in parenthesis, but I was there, in that little tid-bit of fact that lies in the tombs of the encyclopedia. I had drunk beer in that frat house. I think. I’m a bit hazy of which frat house is which these days but like to think it was the one at the end of frat row, with the big colonnade porch and wonderful woodwork inside. And I wouldn’t be surprised if the building dates back to before 1825. A little bit of history, and I was there.
Now I’m up to the Hs and learned that technically John Hanson was the first president of the US, being the president of the Continental Congress. And that Hollywood was founded by a man named Horace Wilcox, “a prohibitionist who envisioned it a community based on his sober religious principles.” Funny stuff!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
All Shook Up
I’ve been enjoying having a house guest this week. Granted it’s only been two days, but my schedule is different from the normal grind, which isn’t such a bad thing. I really haven’t watched tv for over a month. Maybe it’s from being home, sick for a super long time, that I got tired of watching tv and got it out of my system. Or maybe it’s because life has decided to shake things up. The snow globe of my life is no longer sitting in the background on the shelf with a clear sky, but has the flakes flying around. The downside is sleep. I think. I love sleep. As everyone knows, I’m a 9 hour girl. But usually get 8 hours during the week. Anything less and I’m not functioning well. Take last night – didn’t really get to bed until midnight (yikes!) and then took a while with the cold to get to sleep. But we did get the Christmas tree decorated (and picked an architect for the work on the Public Safety building). Nick woke me up this morning. He had wanted me to wake him up at 8 am. No problem, I’m usually up at 6 and out the door way before 8. But my schedule has done a nose dive off the chart recently. And he comes stumbling downstairs letting me know its 8:30. But it really isn’t – the clock upstairs is off by about 45 minutes - strange. Still, it’s later than expected and I just want to stay in bed. But jump up and get going and I feel fine, so maybe I can do less sleep and I’m good. It’s the other stuff that wears me down. Although, writing this I just realized I hadn’t done the math and I pretty much got about 8 hours. So there goes that theory. I’m back to being an 8 hour girl. Which just shows that theory is wrong too, because I’m not really functioning with the math error and all, so maybe I am really a 9 hour girl. 
Well, back to my main point – shaking things up. There is a daily grind. 99% of everyone has it. Elements may change from day to day. You stay for drinks after work instead of going straight home. You skip brushing your teeth one night. But it’s there. And you sometimes run on auto pilot during parts. For me, I was standing on Mass Ave this morning, waiting for my bus. Like I have done a thousand times. Today I was concentrating on not feeling cold – it was windy. I opted for waiting for the fast bus versus just hopping on the first warm bus that came by. And I’m standing there, looking straight ahead, trying not to move. Seeing people from my peripheral view come and go at the bus stop as the other two buses come. And then I’m pulled suddenly from my state by someone encroaching in my space. It startled me. Nothing bad, just different. It was Nick – he had finished his shower and was coming to catch his bus and had just sauntered up, just as my bus was about to pull up. It was so strange though. I’d never expect to run into my brother, who lives on the other side of the world, while waiting at the bus stop by my house. Normally we’d leave together or I would know he wasn’t leaving. It just was one of those mornings that my wait was long enough that our lives overlapped at that moment, and I hadn’t anticipated it. It was a nice pleasant surprise. Something that puts those smiles that reach ear to ear on your face.
Which reminds me I had an ear smile last night too with a very similar encounter. I had left work and was sending a text to Nick to let him know I was on my way home when I look up and just like in the movies, on the subway platform, through the crowd of commuters, I see my friend Noah waiving at me with an ear smile on his face too. Just a happy coincidence that we were in the same place at the same time and actually saw each other.
And on a completely different note, I think I have a new resolution I’m going to try on for awhile. I’m one of those passive blog readers. I religiously read every blog post of my friends but rarely comment. Why, I don’t know? So I’m going to post more frequent comments on my friends’ blogs I follow. Not too hard since there are only three. That I know of – let me know if you have one if I haven’t posted a comment on. I’m not talking daily, maybe not even weekly but more often than my current rate.
And while I’m at it, I’ve decided to start paying more attention to the spellchecker corrections. Instead of just blindly accepting the correct spelling of my misspelled word, I’m going to try to understand the new spelling. I’ve found it useful already. I have a feeling I’ve been mispronouncing some words due to the spelling errors. Case in point, ‘peripheral’, that I just used earlier. I wrote it as I said it, ‘periphal’. I dropped a whole syllable. Well, half a syllable. Ok, maybe a whole syllable. I can’t figure it out. One thing at a time though – spelling first. Grammar later, maybe. See, there, I just learned there are no ‘e’s in grammar. But I don’t know if I’ll actually change the way I say the word. It sounds strange with an ‘ar’ at the end. I’ll keep with my accent on this one.
Oh, and, this is the final one, I’ve started listening to more music. I’ve been an avid podcast listener for awhile now, but just downloaded my NPR shows: Fresh Air, Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me, Car Talk, TAL, PHC, Science Fridays, etc. I’ve just discovered there is a bit more to this whole podcast thing. This free podcast thing. My two new podcasts I’ve added to the library are Flop House Sessions from Band in Boston and the Tartan Podcast. The first is just music with some great gems in there. The second I admit I listen to more for the accent. Hey, it’s work related – I still have trouble understanding some of my colleagues when they get talking fast. Plus who doesn’t love a glorious Scottish accent?
So that’s that. Not sure where the last bit is coming from. It’s like a new year is about to start or something.
Well, back to my main point – shaking things up. There is a daily grind. 99% of everyone has it. Elements may change from day to day. You stay for drinks after work instead of going straight home. You skip brushing your teeth one night. But it’s there. And you sometimes run on auto pilot during parts. For me, I was standing on Mass Ave this morning, waiting for my bus. Like I have done a thousand times. Today I was concentrating on not feeling cold – it was windy. I opted for waiting for the fast bus versus just hopping on the first warm bus that came by. And I’m standing there, looking straight ahead, trying not to move. Seeing people from my peripheral view come and go at the bus stop as the other two buses come. And then I’m pulled suddenly from my state by someone encroaching in my space. It startled me. Nothing bad, just different. It was Nick – he had finished his shower and was coming to catch his bus and had just sauntered up, just as my bus was about to pull up. It was so strange though. I’d never expect to run into my brother, who lives on the other side of the world, while waiting at the bus stop by my house. Normally we’d leave together or I would know he wasn’t leaving. It just was one of those mornings that my wait was long enough that our lives overlapped at that moment, and I hadn’t anticipated it. It was a nice pleasant surprise. Something that puts those smiles that reach ear to ear on your face.
Which reminds me I had an ear smile last night too with a very similar encounter. I had left work and was sending a text to Nick to let him know I was on my way home when I look up and just like in the movies, on the subway platform, through the crowd of commuters, I see my friend Noah waiving at me with an ear smile on his face too. Just a happy coincidence that we were in the same place at the same time and actually saw each other.
And on a completely different note, I think I have a new resolution I’m going to try on for awhile. I’m one of those passive blog readers. I religiously read every blog post of my friends but rarely comment. Why, I don’t know? So I’m going to post more frequent comments on my friends’ blogs I follow. Not too hard since there are only three. That I know of – let me know if you have one if I haven’t posted a comment on. I’m not talking daily, maybe not even weekly but more often than my current rate.
And while I’m at it, I’ve decided to start paying more attention to the spellchecker corrections. Instead of just blindly accepting the correct spelling of my misspelled word, I’m going to try to understand the new spelling. I’ve found it useful already. I have a feeling I’ve been mispronouncing some words due to the spelling errors. Case in point, ‘peripheral’, that I just used earlier. I wrote it as I said it, ‘periphal’. I dropped a whole syllable. Well, half a syllable. Ok, maybe a whole syllable. I can’t figure it out. One thing at a time though – spelling first. Grammar later, maybe. See, there, I just learned there are no ‘e’s in grammar. But I don’t know if I’ll actually change the way I say the word. It sounds strange with an ‘ar’ at the end. I’ll keep with my accent on this one.
Oh, and, this is the final one, I’ve started listening to more music. I’ve been an avid podcast listener for awhile now, but just downloaded my NPR shows: Fresh Air, Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me, Car Talk, TAL, PHC, Science Fridays, etc. I’ve just discovered there is a bit more to this whole podcast thing. This free podcast thing. My two new podcasts I’ve added to the library are Flop House Sessions from Band in Boston and the Tartan Podcast. The first is just music with some great gems in there. The second I admit I listen to more for the accent. Hey, it’s work related – I still have trouble understanding some of my colleagues when they get talking fast. Plus who doesn’t love a glorious Scottish accent?
So that’s that. Not sure where the last bit is coming from. It’s like a new year is about to start or something.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Trains
It’s been a crazy…. fall. I’ll put it down to the weather like everything else. I’ve definitely felt like that second guy in those movies. You know, where they are running alongside the train that is heading out of town, escaping whatever or whoever it might be. And the first guy jumps and makes it into the empty train car and turns around to reach out a helping hand to the second guy. But the train is gaining speed and the gap is growing and the second guy, no matter how fast he runs just can’t quite make it. And you never really know what happens to that second guy. The scene moves along with the train and the first guy. But I think it all works out. The second guy just deals. So that’s me. The end of October is when the train started going faster than I could run. I had a little pattern going there – body, work, family & friends, and then repeat but in reverse order.
Body – vertigo issues that just shut the shop down for a few weeks
Work – crazy week of catch up, presenting at a conference, trying to keep things limping along
Family & Friends – two weddings, one pregnancy and three babies – lot’s of drama
Family & Friends – hopes and fears all rolled into one, last week – beginnings and endings that were just mentally exhausting
Work – the limping was called out and so buckled down and picked things back up
Body – the New England cold has descended upon me and I now have that annoying cough that occasionally makes me think I’m choking if I don't drink something immediately
But this weekend, Sunday, I just started letting go. I stopped trying to chase the train. Letting go of what should be and just accepting it is where it is. I’ll catch the next train. If I even want to. I had a chance to reconnect with Colleen on Sunday. We used to spend endless amounts of time together, sharing an office and socializing and then things changed. I left and she got pregnant and it just got harder and harder to get that laid back feel again. We’d squeeze in rushed lunches or catching up after work here and there but that’s not the same. Sunday I was torn if I should just hole up and recharge the batteries and forget my social schedule. I had yet to have a good day at home for weeks. Catch up on sleep and all that. But out I went, knowing I needed the benefits of my community. I opted to spend the afternoon vegging with Colleen and Mark chatting and knitting instead of rushing home and cleaning the apartment for my brother’s visit the next day. And I listened. I think that’s what I need to do more – listen. And not the fake listening where you are ready to have something to say, ready to fix things. They had some good advice which helped me change where I was in my head on certain things. Oh and I discovered a new tea I really like. I think it’s called Lapsang Souchong. Imagine drinking tea by the camp fire. Nothing needs to be added but hot water for a perfect cup. I’m going to start drinking more tea too. I’m going to go fix a cup right now actually. Ok, I’m back and realize I’m not a huge fan of Earl Grey. Mental note, I need to get some good tea and learn how to drink hot drinks without burning my tongue every time.
So Monday I call home and leave a message for Nick that my place is completely trashed. Like really bad, but that’s the way it is. And, you know, I got some cleaning done last night, and some cleaning done this morning, and there’s more to be done, but it’s all good. We made a run to Trader Joe’s and I was going to just get a wreath as I had given up on the Christmas tree this year. My head was just telling me it doesn’t make any sense. The time has passed. But low and behold, I find I listen to my heart in the end. And say forget that, I want a tree. And it barely took any time too. And now I have a nice big naked tree in my living room.
I realized that I should just do what I want to do and in the end it all works out because I have a pretty good life set up where everything I “have” to do is really what I “want” to do anyways. Somewhere along there a switch got flipped that made life a chore and it isn’t. Fall is what I needed, to get me back on track. Not sure why I’m waxing poetic on the philosophies of living but think that from the crazy comes the peaceful. And it’s been crazy. A crazy good ride.
And all this before I have even begun to see my shrink- I start tomorrow officially. Nice surprise too. I realize I had never been covered by insurance in the past - $15 visits is such a good deal. I’m definitely going to max out my allotment. It’s always good to have an ear. So that’s where I am. Writing this, listening to Elizabeth and the Catapult (from Band in Boston podcast) and sipping my not so great cuppa. And realizing I really need to get a good soundtrack for my life. I miss good music. And realizing that tonight I’ll eat some cake (it was my bro’s b-day Sunday) and remember what it’s like to be one, like my god-son here on his recent first birthday.
Body – vertigo issues that just shut the shop down for a few weeks
Work – crazy week of catch up, presenting at a conference, trying to keep things limping along
Family & Friends – two weddings, one pregnancy and three babies – lot’s of drama
Family & Friends – hopes and fears all rolled into one, last week – beginnings and endings that were just mentally exhausting
Work – the limping was called out and so buckled down and picked things back up
Body – the New England cold has descended upon me and I now have that annoying cough that occasionally makes me think I’m choking if I don't drink something immediately
But this weekend, Sunday, I just started letting go. I stopped trying to chase the train. Letting go of what should be and just accepting it is where it is. I’ll catch the next train. If I even want to. I had a chance to reconnect with Colleen on Sunday. We used to spend endless amounts of time together, sharing an office and socializing and then things changed. I left and she got pregnant and it just got harder and harder to get that laid back feel again. We’d squeeze in rushed lunches or catching up after work here and there but that’s not the same. Sunday I was torn if I should just hole up and recharge the batteries and forget my social schedule. I had yet to have a good day at home for weeks. Catch up on sleep and all that. But out I went, knowing I needed the benefits of my community. I opted to spend the afternoon vegging with Colleen and Mark chatting and knitting instead of rushing home and cleaning the apartment for my brother’s visit the next day. And I listened. I think that’s what I need to do more – listen. And not the fake listening where you are ready to have something to say, ready to fix things. They had some good advice which helped me change where I was in my head on certain things. Oh and I discovered a new tea I really like. I think it’s called Lapsang Souchong. Imagine drinking tea by the camp fire. Nothing needs to be added but hot water for a perfect cup. I’m going to start drinking more tea too. I’m going to go fix a cup right now actually. Ok, I’m back and realize I’m not a huge fan of Earl Grey. Mental note, I need to get some good tea and learn how to drink hot drinks without burning my tongue every time.
So Monday I call home and leave a message for Nick that my place is completely trashed. Like really bad, but that’s the way it is. And, you know, I got some cleaning done last night, and some cleaning done this morning, and there’s more to be done, but it’s all good. We made a run to Trader Joe’s and I was going to just get a wreath as I had given up on the Christmas tree this year. My head was just telling me it doesn’t make any sense. The time has passed. But low and behold, I find I listen to my heart in the end. And say forget that, I want a tree. And it barely took any time too. And now I have a nice big naked tree in my living room.
I realized that I should just do what I want to do and in the end it all works out because I have a pretty good life set up where everything I “have” to do is really what I “want” to do anyways. Somewhere along there a switch got flipped that made life a chore and it isn’t. Fall is what I needed, to get me back on track. Not sure why I’m waxing poetic on the philosophies of living but think that from the crazy comes the peaceful. And it’s been crazy. A crazy good ride.
And all this before I have even begun to see my shrink- I start tomorrow officially. Nice surprise too. I realize I had never been covered by insurance in the past - $15 visits is such a good deal. I’m definitely going to max out my allotment. It’s always good to have an ear. So that’s where I am. Writing this, listening to Elizabeth and the Catapult (from Band in Boston podcast) and sipping my not so great cuppa. And realizing I really need to get a good soundtrack for my life. I miss good music. And realizing that tonight I’ll eat some cake (it was my bro’s b-day Sunday) and remember what it’s like to be one, like my god-son here on his recent first birthday.
Monday, December 07, 2009
Hard call
It's strange how life puts things into perspective sometimes. Friday night I was faced with making a hard phone call. I felt like I was in highschool again and calling the boy you have a crush on. I was working out what to say in my head and even figured out what to say if I got voicemail. And yet I kept chickening out and not being able to put the call in. It was silly, especially considering how many guys I've called in my life. Don't get me wrong - it's not like I don't do it all the time, but it's also not like I've never done this before. I think it's just because I think he's so gosh darn cute, and great. Well, I finally work up the nerve, call, wait, and get voicemail.
I learned that it's probably best not to practice the message too much as I basically just rattled it off super fast (and super unnatural and dorky) and hung up. I really wanted to press ctrl-z and do it over again, but no dice.
Not a fun thing, but had to be done. Well, luckily I had left the phone by my bed (which is unusual for me) because a few hours later I get a call from a friend to find out they are in the hospital and had lost one of their new born babies. More information here.
After a long night and very little sleep, I faced the next morning having to make the call. The call to tell folks about what had happened. It kind of puts the silly boy crush call in perspective doesn't it? The strange thing is later in the day on Saturday, I was on to making calls to my people - canceling my weekend plans, getting someone to feed my boys and touching base with my parents, and although I was pretty composed (still choked up and broken voice) calling people for cece and aaron, I was a mess calling my people. My poor landlady downstairs had to play my message repeatedly to figure out what I was asking. It's just a hard thing to deal with, no matter who you are. The good in it all is the community - both theirs and mine. They have a great group of folks to lean on and ask for help from. And I found it very comforting having my people I could call on and lean on as well.
They are doing better today and continue on their process of grieving and growing. I had the pleasent treat of playing mom today. I had my god-son this morning all to myself and felt very domisticated doing laundry while keeping an eye on him. I would fold the laundry on the floor in his room and he would help me put it away in his drawers. He was very interested in helping, versus just playing and emptying the drawers. He had purpose in his actions. Then this afternoon we all drove to his doctor's appointment. Aaron set up an extra car seat in my car and I took him home while they went on to the hospital to check on the remaining twin. On the very careful drive home I couldn't help admire my new "outfit". This beautiful snazzy car with this beautiful, perfect little boy in the back seat - happy as happy could be. He even took care of himself and part way home I look back and he had put his binky in and decided to take a nap - no crying, no help needed, he had it covered. It was so nice to be able to bring him in and put him down for his nap - all snuggly and peaceful. His new thing is he loves being chased. He's just a bundle of joy. And so cute too!
Well, I made it home tonight. I think I brushed my teeth for 10 minutes. It had been awhile. Quite awhile and nothing compares to a toothbrush. I've got quite a day at work tomorrow, so really need to turn in. Sleep is good.
I learned that it's probably best not to practice the message too much as I basically just rattled it off super fast (and super unnatural and dorky) and hung up. I really wanted to press ctrl-z and do it over again, but no dice.
Not a fun thing, but had to be done. Well, luckily I had left the phone by my bed (which is unusual for me) because a few hours later I get a call from a friend to find out they are in the hospital and had lost one of their new born babies. More information here.
After a long night and very little sleep, I faced the next morning having to make the call. The call to tell folks about what had happened. It kind of puts the silly boy crush call in perspective doesn't it? The strange thing is later in the day on Saturday, I was on to making calls to my people - canceling my weekend plans, getting someone to feed my boys and touching base with my parents, and although I was pretty composed (still choked up and broken voice) calling people for cece and aaron, I was a mess calling my people. My poor landlady downstairs had to play my message repeatedly to figure out what I was asking. It's just a hard thing to deal with, no matter who you are. The good in it all is the community - both theirs and mine. They have a great group of folks to lean on and ask for help from. And I found it very comforting having my people I could call on and lean on as well.
They are doing better today and continue on their process of grieving and growing. I had the pleasent treat of playing mom today. I had my god-son this morning all to myself and felt very domisticated doing laundry while keeping an eye on him. I would fold the laundry on the floor in his room and he would help me put it away in his drawers. He was very interested in helping, versus just playing and emptying the drawers. He had purpose in his actions. Then this afternoon we all drove to his doctor's appointment. Aaron set up an extra car seat in my car and I took him home while they went on to the hospital to check on the remaining twin. On the very careful drive home I couldn't help admire my new "outfit". This beautiful snazzy car with this beautiful, perfect little boy in the back seat - happy as happy could be. He even took care of himself and part way home I look back and he had put his binky in and decided to take a nap - no crying, no help needed, he had it covered. It was so nice to be able to bring him in and put him down for his nap - all snuggly and peaceful. His new thing is he loves being chased. He's just a bundle of joy. And so cute too!
Well, I made it home tonight. I think I brushed my teeth for 10 minutes. It had been awhile. Quite awhile and nothing compares to a toothbrush. I've got quite a day at work tomorrow, so really need to turn in. Sleep is good.
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
First App!
I just bought my first App! It’s for a game that my friend Joanne introduced me too last week called SET. I bought it as an early X-mas gift for my dad and we played it a bunch last week. I love finding patterns, usually with numbers, but shapes work too, and that’s what this game is all about. Hopefully I won’t go too cross-eyed scaring at the small screen and shapes. I still love the card game best. Check out the daily puzzle on their website.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Three babies, Two weddings, and an Engagement
This last week and a half seems to sum up the goings on during my silence in posting. I just got back today from my holiday vacation. I started off in DC for a wedding of a dear friends Andrea and Chris. Chris is a part time musician with several bands and Andrea is part Bolivian part Irish so the two days of festivities were quite something. Had a wonderful time even though several Boston friends pulled out last minute in coming. I was bummed at first but as these things usually go, it worked out even better, and ended up making new friends (more on that later). Not great pics of course, but here's one with me and Andrea and Dawn.
Then it was a mini college reunion as I headed off to Annapolis area with Joanne to visit Emily who had just had a little adorable baby boy a month ago. I was amazed how normal she was. I think I’d be a complete mess: physically, mentally and emotionally. This was her second but I don’t know if that really means anything. I had to chuckle at one point where Joanne was a little confused how we knew so much about each other’s lives – it was all thanks to the blogging. Another reason to write about yourself!
I had a nice stay with Joanne and her husband Kevin. Kevin and I ended up hanging out on Monday while Joanne was at work which was another pleasant surprise. Of course I had naively scheduled the time to get some work done, but much rather preferred socializing. I was on vacation so no guilt (ok, there was some as I had just taken almost two weeks off being very ill with vertigo).
And then it was family time, my Dad and step-mum picked me up on their way down to Richmond where we got to visit with my step-sister Karin and her fiancé Adrian. It was a busy time of preparations. First it was preparing for the Thanksgiving/Wedding celebration for Thursday. My brother-in-law is Peruvian and the wedding was just close family. A small celebration with my step-mum officiating in the dining room. It was great having a chance to meet the Peruvian in-laws and I love the food! I really really need to learn Spanish now. And then a quick breather before preparing for the baby shower and mother blessing for Karin that was on Saturday in Staunton and Charlottesville. We got to stay at family friends while in Staunton. It’s a crazy house – very incongruous, at first glance, with the couple who owns it. It’s this old large house sitting up on a hill overlooking the rolling land of the Virginia hills. Unfortunately, since the last time I visited, the development has been encroaching on their peaceful homestead. This time we learned the house was originally three separate buildings (from the early 1800s maybe even late 1700s) that got connected over the years. And it’s filled with an eclectic array of decorations in the ornate, high-ceilinged rooms.
Lastly, but not leastly, as I was packing to come back home last night, I get a call from Cece. I got a little scared at first – she’s due on Wednesday and her voice was a little scratchy. But it was good news – two new baby girls happy and healthy, just a little anxious to join us in this world. So you know what I’m doing tonight after I drop my suitcase at home – hopping in the car to visit Cece and the girls. No red hair like my god son, but you never know, I’m still hopeful. Oh, and this morning when I got into work the big announcement was a colleague of mine had just gotten engaged over the weekend to her Swedish boyfriend. When it rains, it pours!
Then it was a mini college reunion as I headed off to Annapolis area with Joanne to visit Emily who had just had a little adorable baby boy a month ago. I was amazed how normal she was. I think I’d be a complete mess: physically, mentally and emotionally. This was her second but I don’t know if that really means anything. I had to chuckle at one point where Joanne was a little confused how we knew so much about each other’s lives – it was all thanks to the blogging. Another reason to write about yourself!
I had a nice stay with Joanne and her husband Kevin. Kevin and I ended up hanging out on Monday while Joanne was at work which was another pleasant surprise. Of course I had naively scheduled the time to get some work done, but much rather preferred socializing. I was on vacation so no guilt (ok, there was some as I had just taken almost two weeks off being very ill with vertigo).
And then it was family time, my Dad and step-mum picked me up on their way down to Richmond where we got to visit with my step-sister Karin and her fiancé Adrian. It was a busy time of preparations. First it was preparing for the Thanksgiving/Wedding celebration for Thursday. My brother-in-law is Peruvian and the wedding was just close family. A small celebration with my step-mum officiating in the dining room. It was great having a chance to meet the Peruvian in-laws and I love the food! I really really need to learn Spanish now. And then a quick breather before preparing for the baby shower and mother blessing for Karin that was on Saturday in Staunton and Charlottesville. We got to stay at family friends while in Staunton. It’s a crazy house – very incongruous, at first glance, with the couple who owns it. It’s this old large house sitting up on a hill overlooking the rolling land of the Virginia hills. Unfortunately, since the last time I visited, the development has been encroaching on their peaceful homestead. This time we learned the house was originally three separate buildings (from the early 1800s maybe even late 1700s) that got connected over the years. And it’s filled with an eclectic array of decorations in the ornate, high-ceilinged rooms.
Lastly, but not leastly, as I was packing to come back home last night, I get a call from Cece. I got a little scared at first – she’s due on Wednesday and her voice was a little scratchy. But it was good news – two new baby girls happy and healthy, just a little anxious to join us in this world. So you know what I’m doing tonight after I drop my suitcase at home – hopping in the car to visit Cece and the girls. No red hair like my god son, but you never know, I’m still hopeful. Oh, and this morning when I got into work the big announcement was a colleague of mine had just gotten engaged over the weekend to her Swedish boyfriend. When it rains, it pours!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)