Saturday morning, November 29 - what has happened to the week?!?!?
Mom came on the 23rd, Joe and Andy got home on the 26th. Lesley was not able to come home from Taiwan.
I bought groceries the week before (and some this past week). But, all in all, things went very smoothly - we made pecan pie, cranberry dressing on Tuesday, all the sides and an apple pie on Wednesday. On Thursday morning we made rolls, , blackberry cobbler (which was my birthday cake) and got the turkey in the oven. The turkey was freaking fantastic and had a mind of its own on when it was ready! We kept moving the meat thermometer to gain a little more time! We ate right about when I thought we would...We drank champagne t0 celebrate my birthday and Thanksgiving, then we opened a Sinskey 2005 Four Vineyards Pinot, then a 2007 Poppy...Of course, my dear husband who helped me purchase all the wine we bought in California is convinced that the less expensive wine he buys is better. Pisses me off - why spend money on wine if you don't think it's worth it. He seems determined to prove that less expensive wine he can purchase here is better! Refuses to enjoy the wine we purchased...oh well, guess I will have to do it without him.
We went to see Quantum of Solace in the evening - I loved it. Joe was hot and wiggly the entire evening, Mother talks too loud and sometimes makes inappropriate comments...I may have to go see it alone just to get to really enjoy it...
Yesterday we bought Joe a MacBook - his other computer that Lowry bought him before college died. Joe agreed that it could be part of his Christmas present - a big part.
The boys have hung around only when necessary - for Thanksgiving lunch and movies, etc. Last night they both spent the night out with their friends - Joe and his boys were up at Matt's lake house and Andy and his boys were at Matt's house. I believe Joe, not so sure about Andy. I worry about them both. Joe and his boys drink a lot - the last time they were at Matt's they had a visit by the police who asked them to keep things down! They were lucky they didn't get arrested...Andy, well he has been known to say he's going somewhere and not go there - plus, I'm not so sure he's completely honest about where they are and what they are doing!!! Oh well.
I'm restless and would really really love a nice long workout. I did get a chance to go to yoga yesterday - it was awesome. But, I really need some kind of cardio workout. I'm grumpy and can feel the energy storing up in me...not a good thing. Plus, I can see and feel it in my reactions to others. Too much energy.
Gotta run.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Lazy Sunday
I finally got some sleep but have been tossing and turning every night.
Tim has been sick all weekend. He leaves tonight for a day, home tomorrow night. I leave on Wednesday for the night, home Thursday.
The weather has been crummy - rainy, windy and now cold. I need to go for a walk so I think I will just suck it up, put on some extra clothes and head out the door. I waited until 10 to go figuring it would be warmer but, the joke's on me - it has gotten colder and windier. I suppose I could just go to the gym but I don't want to walk inside. So, I'm headed out.
We went to our friend Christine Stokke's new exhibit opening at Two Doors Art Gallery - her new exhibit features mannequins - they are very lovely. Great colors and depth. After her exhibit we went to the Horstman's for a "tailgate" party. Their son who is in college at University of Kentucky plays intramural hockey and they were in town for hockey games against KSU. Since Tim hasn't been feeling too good, we came home around 9 when Horstmans were getting ready to go to the hockey games. The games start late - at 10!!!!!
No fabulous insights. No fabulous words of wisdom.
Tim has been sick all weekend. He leaves tonight for a day, home tomorrow night. I leave on Wednesday for the night, home Thursday.
The weather has been crummy - rainy, windy and now cold. I need to go for a walk so I think I will just suck it up, put on some extra clothes and head out the door. I waited until 10 to go figuring it would be warmer but, the joke's on me - it has gotten colder and windier. I suppose I could just go to the gym but I don't want to walk inside. So, I'm headed out.
We went to our friend Christine Stokke's new exhibit opening at Two Doors Art Gallery - her new exhibit features mannequins - they are very lovely. Great colors and depth. After her exhibit we went to the Horstman's for a "tailgate" party. Their son who is in college at University of Kentucky plays intramural hockey and they were in town for hockey games against KSU. Since Tim hasn't been feeling too good, we came home around 9 when Horstmans were getting ready to go to the hockey games. The games start late - at 10!!!!!
No fabulous insights. No fabulous words of wisdom.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Sleep?
Either it's the full moon or it's the fact that my hubby snores like crazy or that I have been so energized by the people around me and the work we do...
I haven't slept in two days...maybe about 10 hours since Wednesday!
I'm tired.
I haven't slept in two days...maybe about 10 hours since Wednesday!
I'm tired.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Coldplay and CEO's and CDC
Went to see Coldplay again on Tuesday night - I have now seen them the same number of times I have seen U2 - I like U2 a lot more. Coldplay is a good band - Chris Martin is fun to watch and they are all incredibly musical - and that is absolutely amazing! When we were leaving we saw the Suburbans right underneath where we were walking that were waiting for the band, there were only a few people waiting and we honestly toyed with the idea of going down to meet the band. It gave me the giggles though - I can't imagine the band's response when they come out the door to go to their cars and there are a couple of old ladies waiting for them!!!!! Even so, I did have on a very cool red sequin t-shirt!
My friend Kristi wants to go into the t-shirt business - she has a graphic designer and I have the edunLIVE connection...would be so fun! I want to do Mango Tree shirts but have absolutely no artistic talent so I would need somebody creative to help me. I want to pursue it...
Went to TaiChi yesterday and had a very interesting experience! We did our movement stuff and during the meditation, our teacher mentioned a couple of things that really resonated with me. We were working with our chakras, the third chakra (I think) the heart. What stuck with me is that the heart is the middle spot between our physicalness and our spiritualness. It is through our humanity (or humanness) that we come to our spirituality! Interesting! Next Shane told us to open our hearts - to open up to being vulnerable...before I could even process the words, I said NO - no way I'm going to open myself up to vulnerability! It was really strange - the quickness of the response, the immediacy of the response. Shane told me that I should really explore that feeling - I may, I may not. I don't tend to dwell too much in the past. For me, the experiences of the past have helped me to be the person I am today - for better or worse. It is what is!
My husband came home yesterday - Wednesday. For the past 14 months he has been commuting weekly from Atlanta to Philly. He hates travel and is a constantly reminding me of how much he hates travel! I have started to get used to doing my own thing lately - living alone is an interesting experience - I have spent the last 23 years raising a family, blah, blah, blah. So, it's really challenging to learn to be alone! I've never liked being alone - always enjoy people around, not that I need to take care of others, I just like people and noise in my daily life. I have learned to occupy myself at night, developed some good friendships and really enjoyed having no restrictions - except of course for my dog who thinks she is really a rooster! The first words from my hubby: "Do we have any soup left?, geez, I didn't sleep last night at all, geez, I don't feel good." Then the clincher - I was going to a meeting last night - "what are you fixing for dinner?" You've got to be kidding!?! This may be a very interesting transition!
Went to a meeting with the CARE Global Connections group last night. Our guest speaker was Charlie Stokes - the director of the CDC Foundation. He describes his efforts as a grasstops initiative. His rolodex is amazing - he can call this person for 500 phones to help rescue and relief efforts in China and he can call that person to leverage his senator to get $1.7 billion for new buildings. It's pretty amazing! But the bottom line to creating change isn't your rolodex - it's your commitment to education and to building relationships. The CDC Foundation operates at a level I don't want to achieve. But they are able to do some good things at that level.
But the part of this discussion that stuck with me is the issue of bed nets! The CDC Foundation does some work with bed nets - they sell them for $5 and then distribute them where they are needed. CARE sells bed nets for $10 which they also distribute where needed. I think it costs about $1.50 to make a bed net. I felt like these two organizations were using lifesaving bed nets to make a profit for themselves! This reall really bothers me!
Here's the deal: We haven't had malaria in the US since World War 2. It's entirely preventable and entirely treatable. Why are people still dying? There's just no sense to me. We know how to stop malaria, we know how to prevent malaria yet - we have the technology and the ability yet people are still dying. Yet our worldwide organizations are offering a bandaid to stem the flow of malaria. If there were to be an outbreak of malaria in the US, would we rely on bed nets to save us or to control the epidemic. No, we wouldn't. I know we wouldn't. So, why is it okay for others? But what pisses me off more, I can't do a freaking thing about it. What can I do to make this stop, how can I make this stop!???
Going to yoga and then working on social entrepreneurship!
My friend Kristi wants to go into the t-shirt business - she has a graphic designer and I have the edunLIVE connection...would be so fun! I want to do Mango Tree shirts but have absolutely no artistic talent so I would need somebody creative to help me. I want to pursue it...
Went to TaiChi yesterday and had a very interesting experience! We did our movement stuff and during the meditation, our teacher mentioned a couple of things that really resonated with me. We were working with our chakras, the third chakra (I think) the heart. What stuck with me is that the heart is the middle spot between our physicalness and our spiritualness. It is through our humanity (or humanness) that we come to our spirituality! Interesting! Next Shane told us to open our hearts - to open up to being vulnerable...before I could even process the words, I said NO - no way I'm going to open myself up to vulnerability! It was really strange - the quickness of the response, the immediacy of the response. Shane told me that I should really explore that feeling - I may, I may not. I don't tend to dwell too much in the past. For me, the experiences of the past have helped me to be the person I am today - for better or worse. It is what is!
My husband came home yesterday - Wednesday. For the past 14 months he has been commuting weekly from Atlanta to Philly. He hates travel and is a constantly reminding me of how much he hates travel! I have started to get used to doing my own thing lately - living alone is an interesting experience - I have spent the last 23 years raising a family, blah, blah, blah. So, it's really challenging to learn to be alone! I've never liked being alone - always enjoy people around, not that I need to take care of others, I just like people and noise in my daily life. I have learned to occupy myself at night, developed some good friendships and really enjoyed having no restrictions - except of course for my dog who thinks she is really a rooster! The first words from my hubby: "Do we have any soup left?, geez, I didn't sleep last night at all, geez, I don't feel good." Then the clincher - I was going to a meeting last night - "what are you fixing for dinner?" You've got to be kidding!?! This may be a very interesting transition!
Went to a meeting with the CARE Global Connections group last night. Our guest speaker was Charlie Stokes - the director of the CDC Foundation. He describes his efforts as a grasstops initiative. His rolodex is amazing - he can call this person for 500 phones to help rescue and relief efforts in China and he can call that person to leverage his senator to get $1.7 billion for new buildings. It's pretty amazing! But the bottom line to creating change isn't your rolodex - it's your commitment to education and to building relationships. The CDC Foundation operates at a level I don't want to achieve. But they are able to do some good things at that level.
But the part of this discussion that stuck with me is the issue of bed nets! The CDC Foundation does some work with bed nets - they sell them for $5 and then distribute them where they are needed. CARE sells bed nets for $10 which they also distribute where needed. I think it costs about $1.50 to make a bed net. I felt like these two organizations were using lifesaving bed nets to make a profit for themselves! This reall really bothers me!
Here's the deal: We haven't had malaria in the US since World War 2. It's entirely preventable and entirely treatable. Why are people still dying? There's just no sense to me. We know how to stop malaria, we know how to prevent malaria yet - we have the technology and the ability yet people are still dying. Yet our worldwide organizations are offering a bandaid to stem the flow of malaria. If there were to be an outbreak of malaria in the US, would we rely on bed nets to save us or to control the epidemic. No, we wouldn't. I know we wouldn't. So, why is it okay for others? But what pisses me off more, I can't do a freaking thing about it. What can I do to make this stop, how can I make this stop!???
Going to yoga and then working on social entrepreneurship!
Monday, November 10, 2008
Daily Horoscope
Sagittarius (11/22-12/21)
Your inner wild child may pop out today at an inopportune time, but it will be fine.
Section 1: How You Approach Life and How You Appear To Others
You are very strong-willed and proud, but intensely private
and not easy to know well. Behind your quiet exterior lies a
great deal of emotional depth, sensitivity, complexity, and also
fierce determination. When you want something you go after it
rather quietly but insistently and wholeheartedly - and you
usually get it.
Section 2: The Inner You: Your Real Motivation
You are a gambler and an adventurer at heart, one who loves
to take risks, to discover and explore new worlds, and to take
the untried path rather than the safe, reliable one. You are an
independent soul, freedom-loving, and often very restless. You
need a lifestyle that provides opportunities for travel,
movement, change, and meeting new people. A steady routine which
offers much in the way of security but little in the way of space
and freedom is odious to you.
I always read the comics, the obituaries and my horoscope. Today, the above is what came up as my horoscope. Then, there was this link to get a "reading." My reading is above.
The End is Near
It looks like the end of the CEO World Tour is finally coming! Tim is wrapping up his 14 month stint traveling weekly to Philadelphia. It's a complicated story but he will technically still be an employee through January. He will be working primarily from home with a few trips interspersed in between.
Tim doesn't really like to be away from home as much as he has been. It's what he agreed to do when he took the job but it's been challenging for him. So, in order to make his job/commute somewhat easierI've worked hard to make sure that when Tim comes home on Thursday nights that I'm available for the weekend - no stress, no agenda. Most of the time, we stay home because Tim's been gone all week, we eat at home, drink our own wine. Sometimes we have friends over. And, for the most part, it's been fun.
How do I feel about this? Really, pretty good! It will be the first time in our 26 year marriage that we have spent this much time together. Lesley was born after three years and then within five years we had three children. We were busy, busy, busy! Early in our marriage, when our kids were young, Tim was home every night. When he left private practice and went corporate, he really started traveling a lot. So, we've lived like everyone else with partners traveling. When Tim took a year off before, I was in school, very busy. So, while he won't be home everyday all the time, things will begin to look a little more normal for us. There's no kids home so the time will just be for us and whatever projects we are working on. Weird!
Except for, I've almost gotten used to having my time and space from Monday-Thursday. The hardest time for me is always the evenings. I'm used to the kids being gone all day but when it's 6:30 and it's dark, I'm ready for bed! So, I've worked hard to establish a "schedule" for myself - no tv before 8, read, walk, work out. Most importantly, I have some good friends that I really enjoy doing things with. It's been a lot of fun. I go out for dinner during the week, go for lunch - no one to answer to but myself.
Transitions are interesting. It will be nice to have a full time mate but it will take some getting used to!
Gonna go walk!
Tim doesn't really like to be away from home as much as he has been. It's what he agreed to do when he took the job but it's been challenging for him. So, in order to make his job/commute somewhat easierI've worked hard to make sure that when Tim comes home on Thursday nights that I'm available for the weekend - no stress, no agenda. Most of the time, we stay home because Tim's been gone all week, we eat at home, drink our own wine. Sometimes we have friends over. And, for the most part, it's been fun.
How do I feel about this? Really, pretty good! It will be the first time in our 26 year marriage that we have spent this much time together. Lesley was born after three years and then within five years we had three children. We were busy, busy, busy! Early in our marriage, when our kids were young, Tim was home every night. When he left private practice and went corporate, he really started traveling a lot. So, we've lived like everyone else with partners traveling. When Tim took a year off before, I was in school, very busy. So, while he won't be home everyday all the time, things will begin to look a little more normal for us. There's no kids home so the time will just be for us and whatever projects we are working on. Weird!
Except for, I've almost gotten used to having my time and space from Monday-Thursday. The hardest time for me is always the evenings. I'm used to the kids being gone all day but when it's 6:30 and it's dark, I'm ready for bed! So, I've worked hard to establish a "schedule" for myself - no tv before 8, read, walk, work out. Most importantly, I have some good friends that I really enjoy doing things with. It's been a lot of fun. I go out for dinner during the week, go for lunch - no one to answer to but myself.
Transitions are interesting. It will be nice to have a full time mate but it will take some getting used to!
Gonna go walk!
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Closer
I must be hormonal - I'm 53 almost 54 and hormones seem to be the theme of the age. It's like I've been on the verge of tears all day - happy tears, peaceful tears, lonely tears...I didn't know there were so many thoughts and feelings in me that could all come out in only one day. I feel so all over the place! I noticed it today first in yoga. It was such a good practice and felt so good. But a couple of times I found myself thinking "yoga is saving my life." A kind of weird thought. Then as I was driving home, I had turned on the CD player in my car and, surprise, a U2 song came on - "One Step Closer" from HTDAAB:
I’m across the road from hope
I’m under a bridge in a rip tide
That’s taken everything I call my own
One step closer to knowing
One step closer to knowing
I’m on an island at a busy intersection
I can’t go forward, I can’t turn back
Can’t see the future
It’s getting away from me
I just watch the tail lights glowing
One step closer to knowing
One step closer to knowing
One step closer to knowing
Knowing, knowing
I’m hanging out to dry
With my old clothes
Finger still red with the prick of an old rose
Well the heart that hurts
Is a heart that beats
Can you hear the drummer slowing
One step closer to knowing
One step closer to knowing
One step closer to knowing
To knowing, to knowing, to knowing
And, it was like the world around me went away...there was no traffic, it was so quiet all around me. Maybe it was just me...it was the weirdest feeling. Just so peaceful...
Had a surprise invitation to see Coldplay last night. Kristi called last night and asked if I wanted to go. I hmmmed and hawed, but I decided to go. I'm glad I did It's been a while since I've been to a concert and apparently I had forgotten how much I love live music! The show was a little loose, a little muddled at times, Chris Martin totally lost it a few times but it was fun to see a band I don't know too much about. I found myself comparing Coldplay to U2...not even close. But they have a little Brian Eno influence and when they go into that full, round, big sound, I love it. It's just so full and satisfying, so rich. Makes me want to see U2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I slept until 5:30 this morning. A little early to get up so I laid in bed and did some stretches...got up aboout 6:30. Cassie was glad to see me. Bethany had come over to walk her last night while I was out and when I got home Cassie didn't even want to get up. So, I let her sleep...I was going to skip yoga this morning so I could take care of details around the house. I had to mail stuff to Lesley and wanted to make sure I got Joe's card in the mail. He won't get it by tomorrow but after he has such a difficult week maybe getting it late will be okay. I know Mom sent him something, Dad sent him something and he got the humidore that Tim and I sent him.
Will Smith was on Oprah today (I know, I know) and he said something that is really resonating with me...he said he doesn't do anything anymore that doesn't have meaning for him. I'm there, I'm there!
One Step Closer
I’m ‘round the corner from anything that’s realI’m across the road from hope
I’m under a bridge in a rip tide
That’s taken everything I call my own
One step closer to knowing
One step closer to knowing
I’m on an island at a busy intersection
I can’t go forward, I can’t turn back
Can’t see the future
It’s getting away from me
I just watch the tail lights glowing
One step closer to knowing
One step closer to knowing
One step closer to knowing
Knowing, knowing
I’m hanging out to dry
With my old clothes
Finger still red with the prick of an old rose
Well the heart that hurts
Is a heart that beats
Can you hear the drummer slowing
One step closer to knowing
One step closer to knowing
One step closer to knowing
To knowing, to knowing, to knowing
And, it was like the world around me went away...there was no traffic, it was so quiet all around me. Maybe it was just me...it was the weirdest feeling. Just so peaceful...
Had a surprise invitation to see Coldplay last night. Kristi called last night and asked if I wanted to go. I hmmmed and hawed, but I decided to go. I'm glad I did It's been a while since I've been to a concert and apparently I had forgotten how much I love live music! The show was a little loose, a little muddled at times, Chris Martin totally lost it a few times but it was fun to see a band I don't know too much about. I found myself comparing Coldplay to U2...not even close. But they have a little Brian Eno influence and when they go into that full, round, big sound, I love it. It's just so full and satisfying, so rich. Makes me want to see U2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I slept until 5:30 this morning. A little early to get up so I laid in bed and did some stretches...got up aboout 6:30. Cassie was glad to see me. Bethany had come over to walk her last night while I was out and when I got home Cassie didn't even want to get up. So, I let her sleep...I was going to skip yoga this morning so I could take care of details around the house. I had to mail stuff to Lesley and wanted to make sure I got Joe's card in the mail. He won't get it by tomorrow but after he has such a difficult week maybe getting it late will be okay. I know Mom sent him something, Dad sent him something and he got the humidore that Tim and I sent him.
Will Smith was on Oprah today (I know, I know) and he said something that is really resonating with me...he said he doesn't do anything anymore that doesn't have meaning for him. I'm there, I'm there!
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
I'm whacked out today - don't know why but I am.
Busy yesterday - yoga, Pattersons to work on grant with Mark (and, of course, to see Baby Claire - who is just a complete hoot!), dinner with my hubby and an old friend from Alabama. I didn't drink last night, at all.
Got home from dinner and on going through the mail found Andy's midterm grades - 4 A's and 3 C's...Tim flipped out, got on the phone and had a very serious discussion with Andy. Andy said the comp teacher had made a mistake that was now corrected, that his computer class was really hard and that he had no idea what was going on in his freshman seminar or his oral communications class. Tim made him promise to talk with his teachers and call him today - Andy did, he talked with his freshman seminar and oral comm teacher - Andy reported to Tim that his teacher said she really liked to hammer the kids first half of the semester so that they understood they were in college (?) and that she had no doubts he would do great in her class! Weird attitude and thing to say - in a way I agree but in a way I don't.
I'm worried about Joe - no word from him today on the status of the issues with his fraternity brothers having their house broken into and getting beaten up (along with their girlfriends). Joe is stressed out - he's pretty sensitive and, of course, if Joe's stressed so am I.
I'm so anxious and worried, did I mention that I was anxious and worried! I didn't sleep Sunday night, I didn't sleep last night - tossing and turning - first one way, then the next. Sleeping on my back, then my right side, then my left back and forth all night...I wanted to take a nap this afternoon so bad but I decided against it. Figuring since I was tired that if I didn't sleep this afternoon, and since I don't have anything going on tonight I can relax...I'm hoping for sleep and hoping that Joe is okay, hoping that Andy does well in school...all things I cannot control. If I don't sleep tonight I need to try something different - more exercise maybe...unbelieavable.
I voted today and was absolutely giddy about it. I remember the 1972 elections - I missed the election by about 20 days. It was Nixon and McGovern. Our society was in turmoil and civil unrest was the norm for the day, every day. Riots, student protests...I have lived through tumultuous times! I've voted in every presidential election since 1976. But, as Tim and I stood in line this morning (we only had to wait about 20 minutes) I was absolutely excited about the possibility of getting to vote. Tim thought I was absolutely goofy - I left the house at about 7:30 to go check the lines. Then I stopped to get biscuits. Came home, ate and finally drove Tim crazy enough so that he agreed we could go vote at about 8:30! It was so fun! I voted, Tim voted and then we went to Starbucks for a free coffee. I tried to talk Tim into going to Krispy Kreme for free donuts but he wouldn't go! Oh well! I didn't need the caffeine or the sugar.
I was particularly moved by this election process. It was exciting, it was contentious, young people have become motivated and have become engaged in the election. It is time for change - what's that line from an old song - "revolution in the air." I read as much as I could, listened to as many thoughts and theories as I could. But, for me, in my newly found BA of International Affairs I thought about people who don't have the right to vote, who may never know what it is like to live in a society where this process occurs, where a smooth transition of power occurs with regularity. Our system is flawed in so many ways, however, our democratic process is still effective. So many people are voting this time for the very first time - adults - who have never felt their voice would be heard, even if they voted. We the people of the United States believe that we can make a difference in our political system and we are using our vote to do it. I'm not naive, just optimistic.
Then I came home and crashed. I had allowed myself the entire day to vote - worried that the lines would be ridiculously long... and when we were done so quickly, I just hit the wall! Weird!
I putzed around the house, messed with things here and there but had no focus and no desire to do anything worthwhile. I worked on the computer, sent some emails.
The days are so short now - it's dark by 6! I hate it. Means I have more hours to try and fill with things. I guess tonight I will watch the election results, maybe some reruns...and hope, cross my fingers, for sleep.
Busy yesterday - yoga, Pattersons to work on grant with Mark (and, of course, to see Baby Claire - who is just a complete hoot!), dinner with my hubby and an old friend from Alabama. I didn't drink last night, at all.
Got home from dinner and on going through the mail found Andy's midterm grades - 4 A's and 3 C's...Tim flipped out, got on the phone and had a very serious discussion with Andy. Andy said the comp teacher had made a mistake that was now corrected, that his computer class was really hard and that he had no idea what was going on in his freshman seminar or his oral communications class. Tim made him promise to talk with his teachers and call him today - Andy did, he talked with his freshman seminar and oral comm teacher - Andy reported to Tim that his teacher said she really liked to hammer the kids first half of the semester so that they understood they were in college (?) and that she had no doubts he would do great in her class! Weird attitude and thing to say - in a way I agree but in a way I don't.
I'm worried about Joe - no word from him today on the status of the issues with his fraternity brothers having their house broken into and getting beaten up (along with their girlfriends). Joe is stressed out - he's pretty sensitive and, of course, if Joe's stressed so am I.
I'm so anxious and worried, did I mention that I was anxious and worried! I didn't sleep Sunday night, I didn't sleep last night - tossing and turning - first one way, then the next. Sleeping on my back, then my right side, then my left back and forth all night...I wanted to take a nap this afternoon so bad but I decided against it. Figuring since I was tired that if I didn't sleep this afternoon, and since I don't have anything going on tonight I can relax...I'm hoping for sleep and hoping that Joe is okay, hoping that Andy does well in school...all things I cannot control. If I don't sleep tonight I need to try something different - more exercise maybe...unbelieavable.
I voted today and was absolutely giddy about it. I remember the 1972 elections - I missed the election by about 20 days. It was Nixon and McGovern. Our society was in turmoil and civil unrest was the norm for the day, every day. Riots, student protests...I have lived through tumultuous times! I've voted in every presidential election since 1976. But, as Tim and I stood in line this morning (we only had to wait about 20 minutes) I was absolutely excited about the possibility of getting to vote. Tim thought I was absolutely goofy - I left the house at about 7:30 to go check the lines. Then I stopped to get biscuits. Came home, ate and finally drove Tim crazy enough so that he agreed we could go vote at about 8:30! It was so fun! I voted, Tim voted and then we went to Starbucks for a free coffee. I tried to talk Tim into going to Krispy Kreme for free donuts but he wouldn't go! Oh well! I didn't need the caffeine or the sugar.
I was particularly moved by this election process. It was exciting, it was contentious, young people have become motivated and have become engaged in the election. It is time for change - what's that line from an old song - "revolution in the air." I read as much as I could, listened to as many thoughts and theories as I could. But, for me, in my newly found BA of International Affairs I thought about people who don't have the right to vote, who may never know what it is like to live in a society where this process occurs, where a smooth transition of power occurs with regularity. Our system is flawed in so many ways, however, our democratic process is still effective. So many people are voting this time for the very first time - adults - who have never felt their voice would be heard, even if they voted. We the people of the United States believe that we can make a difference in our political system and we are using our vote to do it. I'm not naive, just optimistic.
Then I came home and crashed. I had allowed myself the entire day to vote - worried that the lines would be ridiculously long... and when we were done so quickly, I just hit the wall! Weird!
I putzed around the house, messed with things here and there but had no focus and no desire to do anything worthwhile. I worked on the computer, sent some emails.
The days are so short now - it's dark by 6! I hate it. Means I have more hours to try and fill with things. I guess tonight I will watch the election results, maybe some reruns...and hope, cross my fingers, for sleep.
Monday, November 03, 2008
Weirdness
Halloween was Friday. In our neighborhood on October 1, we start a thing called "ghosting." People drop treats off at your door, ring the door bell and then run away (ding dong ditch). Part of the treats left behind is a laminated ghost that you're supposed to put on your door. The ghost is supposed to signal to the kids trick or treating that you are participating in trick or treating! No one ghosted our house this year! I had to ghost myself - fortunately, I had a ghost left over from previous years so on Halloween, I put it on my door! I didn't carve a pumpkin this year either! The first time in 23 years! I suck!
I met with the gastroenterologist last week. We scheduled my colonoscopy for December 5. I think it will be interesting. Fortunately, I don't think I have problems, neither does the doctor
We met with Phil Johnston on Wednesday morning. Phil is doing a project in Colombia with FARC orphans. He's worked for CARE, USAID - and more, he's lived all over the world. He's a great guy - reminded me of my Uncle Vic - about 6'3, balding, with a little bit of a tremor. But his experience and background are invaluable for us. It was neat to meet him. The Pattersons came over for the meeting. They're so awesome. Without them none of this would happen.
We're trying to write grants. I don't have a clue how to put one together...I mean, I understand the physical mechanics but in terms of how to describe outcome measures, I'm lost. We worked at Pattersons on Wednesday night but after a bottle of wine, what I had on my notes pages was not what we needed. Funny thing though is that both Mark and I were taking notes and neither one of us had anything "specific." We're working today to finish a rough draft. I'm going to get this done, I'm going to figure this grant writing thing out. Takes me a while to get in the "academic" writing mode!!!!!!! But, I'm the one who has the time, I just need to figure out how to put my thoughts into something concrete! I suck!
Tim came home on Thursday - he's tired, sick and it appears he's going to be going through a job transition. Whatever he needs to do is fine with me! He's the one who goes to work every day, not me! He needs to be happy with what he is doing! I'd love to be able to retire sooner rather than later! But, not yet!
Saturday I had the opportunity to meet Sam Daley Harris who is the founder of not only RESLTS but the Microfinance Credit Summit Campaign - they meet once a year to discuss microcredit. He was a very nice man and I enjoyed hearing him speak. I like RESULTS and he liked the partnership with ONE and RESULTS here in Atlanta! I'm thrilled. We are working to get ONE moving forward. Sam has a Mango Tree Foundation business card in his pocket - he may throw it away, but at least he knows we exist.
We had friends over for dinner on Saturday. It was fun. I drank too much wine. We finished the evening with a Darioush Syrah! OMG! I ordered four more bottles yesterday. But, yesterday I was so tired. I just can't do the drinking thing any more. But the wine was so good. tim is really funny in that he doesn't want to share our wine with anyone! It's hard. I know there's good wine in the basemnent so why would we buy any other kind of wine! Tim's determined to save it! Oh well, I guess we'll just figure it out!
Lesley called and she sounds awesome! Joe's having some issues in that some of his frat brothers were attacked and beat up. Andy's remains barely communicative. My mom is still struggling with her finger. No one has talked to Daddy lately!
I met with the gastroenterologist last week. We scheduled my colonoscopy for December 5. I think it will be interesting. Fortunately, I don't think I have problems, neither does the doctor
We met with Phil Johnston on Wednesday morning. Phil is doing a project in Colombia with FARC orphans. He's worked for CARE, USAID - and more, he's lived all over the world. He's a great guy - reminded me of my Uncle Vic - about 6'3, balding, with a little bit of a tremor. But his experience and background are invaluable for us. It was neat to meet him. The Pattersons came over for the meeting. They're so awesome. Without them none of this would happen.
We're trying to write grants. I don't have a clue how to put one together...I mean, I understand the physical mechanics but in terms of how to describe outcome measures, I'm lost. We worked at Pattersons on Wednesday night but after a bottle of wine, what I had on my notes pages was not what we needed. Funny thing though is that both Mark and I were taking notes and neither one of us had anything "specific." We're working today to finish a rough draft. I'm going to get this done, I'm going to figure this grant writing thing out. Takes me a while to get in the "academic" writing mode!!!!!!! But, I'm the one who has the time, I just need to figure out how to put my thoughts into something concrete! I suck!
Tim came home on Thursday - he's tired, sick and it appears he's going to be going through a job transition. Whatever he needs to do is fine with me! He's the one who goes to work every day, not me! He needs to be happy with what he is doing! I'd love to be able to retire sooner rather than later! But, not yet!
Saturday I had the opportunity to meet Sam Daley Harris who is the founder of not only RESLTS but the Microfinance Credit Summit Campaign - they meet once a year to discuss microcredit. He was a very nice man and I enjoyed hearing him speak. I like RESULTS and he liked the partnership with ONE and RESULTS here in Atlanta! I'm thrilled. We are working to get ONE moving forward. Sam has a Mango Tree Foundation business card in his pocket - he may throw it away, but at least he knows we exist.
We had friends over for dinner on Saturday. It was fun. I drank too much wine. We finished the evening with a Darioush Syrah! OMG! I ordered four more bottles yesterday. But, yesterday I was so tired. I just can't do the drinking thing any more. But the wine was so good. tim is really funny in that he doesn't want to share our wine with anyone! It's hard. I know there's good wine in the basemnent so why would we buy any other kind of wine! Tim's determined to save it! Oh well, I guess we'll just figure it out!
Lesley called and she sounds awesome! Joe's having some issues in that some of his frat brothers were attacked and beat up. Andy's remains barely communicative. My mom is still struggling with her finger. No one has talked to Daddy lately!
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