Five-Two

The Pet Rock

2009-05-23T17:32:00.000-07:00

Fads. Crazes. There have been lots of them. I think I jumped on the blog bandwagon when I wasn't fully prepared. I liken it to a pet rock I had when I was 8. All I had were goldfish, my mother wouldn't allow anything else. And I think it was in our weekly readers in class, I had read about the Pet Rock fad. Found the perfect one too. He (yes I assigned a gender) was round and and a almost perfectly formed egg shape. I loved him and I actually shared the care of him with my best friend Erica who lived down the street. He moved between our houses all summer. Then the fall came and school started and so did soccer and brownies and all the distractions of elementary school. I am ashamed to admit he was left under a bush outside Erica's house. I didn't see him again til almost sixth grade! And then couldn't remember why we loved him so much.
So this blog has been my new neglected pet rock, and until a dear friend mentioned his blog to me I hadn't thought much about this one. I came back and read some of what I wrote and have to say I don't remember writing some of it but I know I did. I think I had better start writing again lest I find this under a bush 10 years from now and have no recollection of why I had this in the first place.

Something to be proud of...

2008-07-02T19:04:00.001-07:00

Not much to write but something to share...look what I made!!!

I love you

2008-06-26T19:39:00.000-07:00

Do you know why my life is so wonderful? Because I am surrounded by love. When I think of how many times today I told someone I loved them and how many times someone told me I they love me I am truly humbled. It isn't the romantic love that women long for. And while I do long for one person to just say it that way, it doesn't matter if they ever do. Today I know I am loved.
It is sad to think of people going through a whole day much less a lifetime without ever being told that they are loved. And so the next time I spend a Friday night throwing myself a pity party for not having plans with the perfect guy, it will be time to stop and think about how lucky I am.

Thank you Facebook for connecting us!

2008-06-25T19:31:00.000-07:00

Life is hectic. Everyone says so. So, what happens when you let 15 years go by and you haven't talked (I mean really talked) to a friend, much less a family member. Do you call up out of the blue and try to build a relationship? That is just so hard. Because see inevitably someone doesn't return a call.
Email is a little easier but so quickly the email can fall to the bottom of your inbox and you don't see it until one day you are motivated to file it away and see you never responded.
Thank goodness for Facebook. Sometimes it is hard because people find you that you were okay to have lost. That inconvenience is outweighed by the fact that the few connections you really needed in life yet could never create are suddenly so easy.
I credit Facebook for giving you back to me Steph! Every day I can log in and see your last play in scrabble, trade quips and barbs and giggle at your status (well there and in gmail). I've missed you for so long and so happy to know you again or really for the first time.

Dreamcatchers...A filter for friendship.

2008-06-16T13:53:00.000-07:00

Human interaction is complicated. Too often I have found myself invested in relationships with people only to find out far down the line that my investment had gone south. Then I kick myself for poor judgement, wasted time and stupidity. Thank goodness for my dear friend KP. .

At one of our many coffee sessions yesterday she said something that made it possible for me to gauge in less than a second whether I will ever be friends with someone.

"I am confidant that the kind of person who would hang a dreamcatcher from the rearview mirror of their car and I will not be friends."

Now when pushed as to whether she had something against dreamcatchers her response was simple...she has nothing against their intent, to catch dreams, so what the hell are they doing in a car. Fair point right!?! Who will take a nap as they drive their morning commute.

It is, when you get down to it, a thermometer for whether you and a person would work out as a pair. People that understand meaning, purpose, significance and appropriateness of certain things have values and mannerisms that either do or do not coincide with yours. It is a litmus test of sorts.

That isn't to say that opposites can't attract and I don't have a few friends outside the box whom I adore. However, in the future I think I would more likely be friends with people that have nothing on their rearview mirror except perhaps a Yankee Candle freshner or even Mardi Gras beads. Because I think it is much more likely for one to end up topless in a car than sleeping in one.

Back home in Indiana...

2008-05-05T18:33:00.000-07:00

Here is the fun part of my job. I find myself in small towns around the country that I would otherwise never go to. For instance, this afternoon I went to Fort Wayne, IN ...granted not a small town but tonight I am laying my head down in Marion Indiana. While I will not have time to take in all the sites here are some fun facts about this little town.

Marion, and the surrounding areas is home to 75,000 people. To put that in perspective it is roughly 4% of the population of Manhattan (not the whole city...just Manhattan). It is home to the Quilters Hall of Fame. Tomorrow I will go to Upland which is home to Taylor University.

The craziest part is that I go to all these small towns look around at the farming community and marvel at the fact that someone decided that in addition setting up a town, getting the land farmed and trying to exist they should really build a University. This is such a beautiful commentary on the history of this country that to provide a thriving community there must be access to education. And, whenever possible, higher education. How cool is that?!

Some thoughts on travel...

2008-04-21T14:06:00.000-07:00

Because of the nature of my job, I spend many days on the road and many hours in the air. This morning was one of those days. This morning I headed to the airport for an early morning flight to Fort Lauderdale. From Sunday evening to early Monday morning the airport is crowded with people heading off to work around the country. So, despite the long lines, I prefer travelling with fellow experienced travellers because most understand the courtesy that should be extended to your fellow passengers. So a simple list of Do's and Don'ts....

Do have your boarding pass an ID ready long before you get to the front of the security line.
Don't fumble around for it at the front of the line with 30-40 people waiting behind you. See all those signs you pass and the announcements you hear they are meant for you! You are not special you too must have these 2 little documents out.

Do accept the fact that this is the world we live in and security is not meant to piss you off, it is meant to protect.
Don't bitch about the time or waste of time it is for the security guards to make you take your laptop out of its case. Try travelling to the Middle East sometime! You want to talk about inconvenience?! So suck it UP!

Do select a seat in the waiting area.
Don't select 3 seats (one for your rear end, and one for each of your bags/coats) especially when flights are overbooked and seating is scarce.

Do place one item overhead and one under your feet and check anything that doesn't meet the requirement.
Don't complain to the flight attendant that your 8 bags of toys, shopping crap etc won't fit in the overhead (while not placing anything at your feet). It is not the flight attendant's job to help you bend the rule...I love it when they confiscate and gate check bags!

Do TURN OFF YOUR PHONE!!!!!!
Don't assume you are above everyone else who has turned off their phone when politely asked.

Do be courteous to your seatmates.
Don't get up and down 5 times in a 2 hour flight. If this is necessary, get a damn aisle seat which is easy enough when the flight is 1/2 full and it is open seating...just cause you like to lean against the window doesn't mean this is the appropriate seat for you.

Okay, enough ranting....believe me there will be more rants or helpful suggestions for air travel.

I must create...

2008-04-17T18:54:00.000-07:00

So about 2 years ago, out of boredom, I took a pottery class at the local community center. To my surprise, a childhood friend who is a great artist was teaching the class. When it was over, I decided to take it again, but life got in the way.

I think it was frustration with work and dumb luck that I ran into her mother who told me that a class was starting again tonight. Since it is at the end of my street I really had no excuse. I am pleased to say that tonight I threw 4 pots! Granted only one of them will ever see the inside of a kiln since the other three fell apart on the wheel.

If you have never thrown a pot, I suggest you try it. It is amazingly theraputic and satisfying. But if you don't have the time and if you are really lucky, maybe you will someday own one of my lopsided works.

Spoiler Alert: Yes....I am working on gifts for Christmas and Ayyam-i-Ha!

Stay tuned for pictures of my 'art'.

When did 'Blog' become a verb?

2008-04-16T18:49:00.000-07:00

blog noun:1.a shared on-line journal where people can post diary entries about their personal experiences and hobbies

I don't want to blog. I don't want to. I am not this person who puts out a diary for everyone to read. I could say that it is my fierce need for privacy and security but I know the truth.

I have nothing to say.

That was and still remains my biggest fear. Who in the world would ever sit down and take five minutes out of their day to see what was on my mind. But, after much proding from my dear cousin here goes.

I have actually had a spot reserved for some time but the title of this online adventure was my first stumbling block. If the noun portion of this word that has entered our lexicon was so difficult how would I ever execute on the action.

Thank goodness for Jen. Who provided the completion of the object. A title....'Five-two'.

In reality a perfect title for so many reasons. I have always dreamed of breaking 5'1'' in stature (missing my dream by 1/2 of an inch) and 5'2'' just seems like an Amazonian feat. But, I know why she suggested it. Five-two. The mantra of our grandfather, Hank.

"Work five, play two." And while we sometimes joke that that only three of his seven grandchildren were alive when he wasn't retired (though J was only 2 when he reached that magnificent stage of life at the ripe old age of 59) he really did work hard so he could play hard.

So here goes with the action, keep your expectations low because who knows but now I will start the action...

blog verb: 1. read, write, or edit a shared on-line journal