Month: August 2013

What’s Your ‘Something’?

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Let’s be honest today.  You know you’ve got something.  You know there is something that you can rock in a way that only you can:  Parlor tricks you learned in fifth grade that magically entertain restless kids at the family gathering;  dated jokes that amuse your crabby uncle at Sunday dinner; starting the campfire with tinder and a flint block;  deciphering the ingredients of Kabocha Croquettes in umami sauce after only two savory bites (my cousin can with most restaurant dishes… love it). Consider the little things that you are able to do that very few, if any of your other friends can or are willing to do themselves and love you for it.  Even if you don’t think much of it.  What is it that you may be underestimating in yourself.  We aren’t islands.  As people we are meant to be social, and whether we are extroverts, introverts, or ambiverts (like me) we all have things to share within our circles and within our communities.   We must give ourselves credit for the hodgepodge …

Couldn’t Love Them More

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Our little godsons. Truly God sent. Aug ’13.  Please do not reuse. With your little face and those sweet sweet hands … I couldn’t love you more When you squeal and shout though I know not what about … I couldn’t love you more When I look into your eyes and I know you see me … I couldn’t love you more Even if you push away because you aren’t a hugger … I couldn’t love you more When you make an effort to love your brother … I couldn’t love you more As your chest rises and falls while you sleep … I couldn’t love you more Hiding under the blanket without a peep … I couldn’t love you more Not knowing how to write a poem Nor how a stanza goes Attempting to express my love When everyone already knows You are both so precious and still so small My love will likely grow Being your auntie is the world to me I just wanted to tell you so.

Her

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  Note:  This post was written and posted 6/6/2012.  I thought of it yesterday while shopping downtown with my sister, both of us doing double takes at well put together & effortlessly cool women.  It’s funny how all of us look at other unsuspecting women with admiration & awe, but cannot imagine other women who might be looking at us the same way.  What do you think?           You know who she is.  Effortless.  Poised.  Pretty.  Cool.     Audrey Hepburn casually reading a book outdoors in between takes. When I was about six years old, there was a girl in my school who could sing, dance and was cute as a button.  She was a cheerleader, a brownie, and had a starring role in every school play and holiday show from what I can recall.  Everything she did, I thought was just right.  Her bowl cut was always shiny and perfectly curled under at the ends.  Her satin green bomber jacket gleamed in the sun.   I loved her classic …

Economy and Grace

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Who wants to be a millionaire?  I do.  But I do not want to become a millionaire to start conspicuously consuming market goods.  I do not want to become a millionaire because I need to rub it in anyone’s face.  I do not want to become a millionaire in order to qualify for “The New Housewives of…”.  This summer I have decided I want to become a millionaire so I can start traveling like this: and stop traveling like that: I don’t want much more in life.  Really, I don’t.  I was recently asked how I would rate my life satisfaction on a scale from 1-10, and I said without a doubt it is an 8.  I have a peaceful non violent, war free life.  We have a safe, and comfortable home, and we have access to clean water and organic produce (not to mention endless varieties of potato chips).  We have good health insurance, and go to sleep each night without fearing what the next day might bring.  In the global scope of the …

How He Shines

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Surprise, surprise!  An actual photo I took myself, thank you very much! I did not post yesterday because I have been under the weather and slept practically the entire day.  First on the full sofa, and then scrunched up on the love seat with my iPad and journal,  I must have taken three long naps between 11am and 10pm.  As I was in and out of sleep, my husband exited to do errands, returned with lunch, did laundry, washed dishes, and cleaned up.  When I glanced over his way during the early evening, the side of his face basking in the light of the 60 watt floor lamp bulb, and our orderly apartment surrounding him, I thought, “Wow, I love him.”  I am always surprised when Cupid shoots an extra arrow my way,  even when I am already in love. Even though we have monthly deep cleaning service, when my husband cleans, he cleans.  He will hand wash each dish, and put them in the drying rack, wipe out the sink, run the garbage disposal …

Working on Work

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When the career coaching is over, the skills seminars have packed up, and you’ve returned the success planning books to the library, what is left?  You just need to work.  It is time to put your head down, draw the shades, and turn all other distracting devices off.  I was surprisingly uninspired by the latest motivating post I read on one of my favorite blogs, so it is likely that I am just ready to get to work.  What needs to be done?  What do I really have to complete in order to move towards the next project? I have been an attentive student, but it is time to put all of the wise nuggets of advice, words of support and experienced pointers to work.   My husband once joked, “We can’t go through life without making at least some effort.”   Even if living out our most passionate vocations it will still feel like work and I must remind myself the pressure of work is not bad.  Like working to strengthen a muscle, sweat and exhaustion …