I am having a hard time believing that it has been almost two weeks since I wrote a blog post. Whaaa? As some of you may know I began my new full-time job last week, as in my 8:00 am – 5:00 pm J.O.B. There is nothing particularly earth-shattering or even interesting in that bit of news, other than the fact that I have worked out of my home for the past 9 years. This made for a completely exhausting week last week. I literally came home each evening and plopped myself onto the couch where I stayed until 9:00 or 10:00 pm and then dragged myself to sleep. How do you working ladies do this??
This is going to take some getting used to, that’s for sure. Among other traumas of the past week (like the alarm going off at 6:45 am every day), I am terribly missing my blogging, and I don’t mean just the posting, but reading everyone else’s blogs too! I have well over 200 posts waiting for me in my Reader. Yikes! When will I ever find the time? I am going through some major blog withdrawal over here.
I imagine in time (hopefully within a few weeks) I will fall into the groove of this new schedule and find time for important things, like laundry, cleaning, and blogging.
Until then, have a great week and Happy Valentines Day. Lots of love from me to you!!
Today is my last Friday forrreeevvvveerrrrrr! (name that movie). At least it feels like I’m saying goodbye to Friday forever. I have always had my Fridays off, and now next week I begin my full-time job. I am going to miss my Fridays.
Saturdays and Sunday are special, but those belong to Steve and the kids. “My Fridays” were MINE. So today I will spend my last Friday doing what I love to do on Fridays: on the computer, cleaning my house, getting my nails done, and maybe a little reading.
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I will leave you with a few random thoughts for this cold and snowy Friday:
~Have you visited the Shutter Sisters? A talented group of women come together to share their photographic artistry and talent. Each day’s post is more than just a photo however, it is a photo essay. Beautifully photographed, beautifully photo-shopped post-processed, beautiful words.
Here is a video from today’s post. Being a Woman is a Gift.
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Blissdom. Is anyone else sick of hearing about Blissdom? Yes, I know what it is. Yes, I am happy for you that you get to travel to the beautiful Opryland Hotel in beautiful Nashville and spend an entire weekend away from home with other Bloggers. But really? It’s a bit of overkill.
Dear Blissdom Attendees,
Kindly keep the pre-Blissdom chatter and excitement to Emails amongst yourselves and then later bestow upon us non-attendees a nice, neat, tidy ReCap Post. We are just a bit envious bored hearing about Blissdom.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
The Non-Attendees
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flickr: gkriniaris
Are you a lingerer or a fly-by?
My friend Lori wrote a lovely post about the difference between “doing” it all and “experiencing” it all.
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Here is some Friday Linky Love for you:
Centsational Girl shared via twitter that we can get free shipping at Ballard Designs through March 31st with Code: THFB10FS.
One of my favorite blog reads is Clover Lane. The lovely Sarah Turner from Clover Lane was interviewed all this week on the Incredible Women blog. It’s always fun to learn more about your favorite bloggers.
Speaking of learning more about bloggers, feel free to pop over here and ask me anything you would like. (Thank you to Katie Maddie for getting me hooked on this site, so now I am fully immersed in all of this Social Media nonsense!)
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I wish you all a Happy Friday. It is now 11:49 AM here in Ohio, and I plan to go enjoy my last Friday!
It is always fun to see what new and innovative artwork that Anthropologie has in their window display.
Yep. Plastic soda bottles.%5B5%5D.jpg "DSC09554 (1)")
Well, those pesky taxes aren’t going to figure themselves, so that is what I will be doing with the remainder of my rainy Sunday.
Life is a series of adventures. At each phase in life we are forced to venture into the unknown. First day of school, first day of high school, first kiss, first relationship, first time we leave home, a marriage, parenthood, a new job, these are all adventures waiting to happen. We can enter each phase with fear, trepidation, and worry, or we can jump in with both feet and enjoy the adventure.
We encounter stages of life with a range of emotions: happiness, worry, positivity, excitement, hesitation, wonder, or fear. However, we have choices. We can choose to round each turn with hope and anticipation, or we can make the choice to drag our feet, afraid to peek around that next corner.
I am about to round one of those bends. I figure if I survived turning 40, I can survive a new job. This isn't just any new job, this is a full-time job. You see, I was a stay-at-home Mom for many years, then I picked up a part-time job just a couple of days per week. After 2 years with that employer I switched to a 20-hour per week job with the fringe benefit of having my office in my home, and that is where I have been for the past 9 years. In my home. In my home office. Working from home. Part time.
Now is the time that my seasons are changing. My babies aren't babies any longer, I have reached the half-way mark, and my next adventure is about to begin. I realize that I am fortunate that at the age of 40 I have never been forced to work full-time. I know I am extremely lucky to have had so many years home with my kids, but now is the time. Now is my time. Of course I feel the range of emotions. I feel the happiness, worry, positivity, excitement, hesitation, wonder and fear. More than anything? I feel ready. Ready to turn that bend and grab ahold of what is just ahead. I am taking the plunge with both feet and I can't wait to see where it leads me!
I am linking this post to Tuesdays Unwrapped at Chatting at the Sky.
I read a hilarious post yesterday about airplane travel (I’ll get to that soon), and it made me wonder if there is any such thing as a mundane flight? I suppose there is, if you travel all the time. For someone like myself that can count how many airplane trips I have taken in my life on two hands, it seems there is always some little hiccup.
Continental Airlines: Cleveland, OH to Orlando, FL – December, 1995:
To save on airfare we decided to fly out of the nearby Akron/Canton airport. We were forced to board a little puddle jumper to take us to O’Hare in Chicago where we would catch our flight to Orlando. Akron/Canton being the little airport that it is generally has lower fares, but it also forced us to board tiny a plane directly from the tarmac. This was the last week of December and it was freezing cold. We trudged out onto the windy tarmac with the other passengers and boarded the dark plane. Dark? Yes, and cold too. Seems there was a little problem with a “back up generator”, so instead of starting the plane ahead of time and oh, warming it up a bit, they decided to turn on the plane right before takeoff.
There we were in Rows 11 and 12 awaiting the takeoff and the lights, and the heat, along with the rest of the passengers. First the engines started up. OK, that’s a good sign. Then the lights kicked on. Ahhh, now I can get a better look at this tiny plane I was about to fly in. Lastly, the heaters kicked on. Now we’re talking, finally some heat. Only problem? As we begin taxiing down the runway smoke began blowing out of the heater vents. Everyone looked around in a panic, the Flight Attendant came flying down the aisle towards the cockpit, and some guy in 4A started shouting “We have smoke!” over and over again. ‘WE HAVE SMOKE!” “WE HAVE SMOKE!” “WE HAVE SMOKE"!”
If I wasn’t sitting on the plane rows behind him I might have found the situation hilarious. Well it turns out that the smoke was caused by sudden heat, and moisture, and condensation, etc. I don’t remember the technicalities of it all but I do remember the smoke and the smell of the smoke, and looking at my trusting children’s faces and my husband’s reassuring nods and thinking “Oh God, we are all going to die”.
Imagine my thrill when the return flight home involved catching a 13-seater from D.C. to Cleveland. The worst. Ever.
Continental Airlines: Cleveland, OH to Orlando, FL – same trip in ‘95.
This is the first time flying for my then 6-year old son. He is excited. I am nervous. He insists he is a big boy and old enough to go to the restroom by himself. You know, because peeing standing up in a moving airline ranks up there pretty high for an 6 year old boy. While he is in the restroom we hit turbulence. TUR. BU. LENCE. I am holding my drink, I am holding my toddler. My stomach is dropping along with the plane. The captain comes on and tells everyone to “put your seats in the upright positions and fasten your seatbelts”. I am freaking out!! Suddenly I remember, my poor baby is in the restroom!! I look around frantically. There is not a stewardess flight attendant in sight. What do I do? I am not allowed to “move around the cabin”. My baby boy, he must be so scared!! Minutes later he shows up next to me with this huge grin on his face. “Mom! That was soo cooool!!!”. Like I said, he was 6.
Southwest Airlines: Cleveland, OH to Orlando, FL – April, 2008
My daughter and I are flying to Orlando for her cheerleading & dance competition. It’s the big time folks. The Ultimate National Championships. The culmination of a year of practice, sweat, hard work, and sacrifice, and we both have the Seasonal Flu. The Flu, not a cold virus or a stomach bug, but the gosh darned, doctor confirmed, actual Influenza. We have no choice. We have to go. She has no choice. She has to compete. We slept at the gate waiting to board the plane. We were feverish and miserable and hoping that we’d be on the mend two days from then, when it would be time for her to put her game-face on. We tried to steer clear of her teammates and her coaches. We didn’t want anyone else infected.
We were some of the last to board the plane. In case you have never flown Southwest, you get to choose your own seats. The front of the plane naturally fills up first, so we trudged to the back along with the rest of her team. As we get to the rear of the plane it is evident that the seating is not going to work out and Lizzie and I will be separated. Do her teammates offer up seats? Heck no. They’ve been planning their “flying buddy” for weeks now. Do her coaches move for us? No, and I still haven’t figured that one out yet. As I stand there surmising the situation and trying to figure out what to do with my feverish, flu-ridden child, her Coach stands up and takes matters into her own hands. As loud as she can she announces to the entire rear of the plane, “Excuse me everyone, we have a VERY sick child here. Is there anyone that would be willing to give up a seat so she can sit with her mother?” Yep. She went there. Now not only do I have a whimpering 13-year old, but I have the entire tail section of Flight 693 glaring at me and my “sick” child. It was definitely not what they wanted to hear.
Sooo, no one moved and we were forced to sit in different rows. I made sure to sniffle and cough and be completely miserable as close to the personal air space of the person next to me as I possibly could. Maybe he ended up sick, maybe he didn’t, but he can’t prove a thing.
Continental Airlines: Las Vegas/Cleveland – July, 2008
I went to Vegas on a business trip with my brother (yeah, it pretty much sucked being in Vegas for my first time, on a business trip, with my brother.) By 2008 I had wonderful things to think about while flying, like 9/11 and Oceanic Flight 815, so flying for me was now more nerve racking than ever. Enter Xanax. Hello my little friend. I first tried it back in April on the trip to Orlando and it did the trick. So when I had to fly to Vegas I called up the doctor and requested a few pills to calm my nerves. On the flight out to Vegas I took 1/2 pill which is like 1/2 mg. of Xanax. It was enough to calm me down, plus I had my brother’s chatter to keep me occupied. On the return flight home I was flying ALONE, my first time flying alone. I was not happy. I had to be at the airport at 5:00 AM. I am sooo not a morning person. I tried to calm myself while visions of The Others danced through my head. Then I had a light bulb moment. Why not take a full dose of of Xanax instead of just 1/2 dose? It can’t hurt right? If anything I’ll get a nice buzz and have a calm and happy flight.
I did mention that it was 5:00 AM right? In my groggy, nervous state I took my double dose and then realized 5 minutes later (when I began to feel odd) that I didn’t just take double my dose, I TOOK TWO PILLS! Double dose would have meant 1 whole pill, but since I was sleepy and not thinking clearly I mistakenly took 2 pills thinking my original dose was 1 pill!
Folks, I slept through takeoff. I was smooshed up against that window with my neck all crooked, but I slept like a newborn babe. The kind elderly lady smooshed up on my right side woke me when they served the food. I ate the food (no idea what it was), and immediately fell back to sleep. I woke up about an hour before we were scheduled to land and could not for the life of me figure out what large lake we were flying over. It must have been a Great Lake, but I just couldn’t figure out how a straight line from Vegas to Cleveland would involve a Great Lake. We were too far from arrival for it to be Lake Erie and I was perplexed. To this day I still can’t figure out where the heck we were. Anyway, I fell back to sleep and the kind lady woke me when we landed.
While we were taxiing in I called my Mom (who lives like 10 minutes from the airport) and asked her to come pick me up. I got off the plane, stopped in the restroom to pee, and went straight to baggage claim. There I stood in baggage claim for what seemed an eternity waiting for the luggage. I began to get annoyed. How long does it take to get the luggage from the plane to the terminal? Where are the rest of the passengers? I looked up at the monitor. Yep, this was my flight. What the heck was going on? I looked to my left, I looked to my right, and then I looked left again. That’s when I saw it. My suitcase sitting all alone in the baggage claim, standing upright next to the conveyor belt.
What is going on here? Where are the other passengers? How did all of this happen so quickly? Truth be told I must have passed out on the toilet. It’s the only explanation that I can think of. I know I went straight from the gate to the restroom to baggage claim. I know I didn’t get lost. I passed out on the john like a 17 yr. old at a rock concert. I lost track of time. I blacked out. I OD’d on Xanax and I didn’t even get the benefit of a full prescription. Wow! I don’t remember the lift home from my parents, I don’t remember my family greeting me after my 8-day absence. I just know I woke up the next morning and felt as good as new.
Let’s just keep this between us, shall we? What happens in/to/from Vegas stays in Vegas, right?
Whew!! If you actually kept with me through the longest post in history and my goofy flying stories then you deserve a reward!!
Here are links to posts written by two actual writers that tell much more humorous and compelling air travel stories than I do. They are hilarious and favorites of mine. The world of air travel according to Fussy and Dooce.
Happy contrails to you, until we meet again!
I am not one to indulge in material things for myself. Like many mothers I afflict upon myself the “burnt toast syndrome”. Putting family before myself, choosing to put the wants, needs, and desires of my children before my own. For whatever reason I choose not to spend money on things for myself (even at Target!). In this cold Ohio winter you will not see me trudging around in Ugg boots, nor is the back of my right shoulder emblazoned with The North Face logo. I do not own designer handbags, although there is a particular Coach bag I’ve been coveting lately.
Don’t get me wrong, if I had the spare cash to spend I’d be first in line at the mall. However, the extra cash isn’t there, so I don’t spend it. Don’t feel sorry for me. I, like so many mothers, choose this path willingly and with no complaints. It’s a big whatev.
There is however one little indulgence that I do allow myself, and that is getting my nails done. I have been a nail biter my entire life and a couple of times over the years I have indulged in acrylic nails. In January 2009 I decided to take the plunge once again and headed to the local nail salon to get a “full set”. Here we are one year later, January 2010, and I just returned this afternoon from getting a “fill”. I didn’t think I would keep up with it this long but boy, do I love it! After a lifetime of stubby, chewed upon fingertips, I feel so luxurious with my long nails. I feel pretty. I feel put-together. I feel sexy.
Getting my nails done is the one thing that I shell out the cash for on a regular basis. It is the one time I don’t feel guilty for spending money on me.
How about you? Do you have a luxury that you allow yourself? Maybe it’s a certain perfume? or a favorite brand of shoes? Or a regular mani/pedi ? Do tell.
