Yearly Archive: 2011

18
Nov
2011

THE BUSY HAVE NO TIME FOR TEARS*

Someone at work, who is probably looking for another job, told me today that I should get out too, and find a place where I would be more appreciated, because in her words, “you are not appreciated enough around here”. This actually made me laugh (though it made me sad for her, because she obviously feels it applies to her), because it couldn’t be more untrue. I swim in appreciation at work. I dive into it daily and dog-paddle merrily about, with my chin held high. I honestly don’t think a day goes by that I don’t get a thank...

17
Nov
2011

MY KARIN

Karin is a monkey in disguise. Karin is a girl learning how to become a young woman. Karin has a top made out of rubber and a bottom made out of springs. She’s bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy, fun fun fun fun fun. And wonderful! Just like her brother, Karin’s favorite food is sushi. Her next favorite food is creamy crab nachos. Whenever Karin asks you what your favorite something is, be prepared, because as soon as you answer, she’ll say, “And after that?” Karin’s mobile phone is glued to her hand and she gets frantic if I try and take...

16
Nov
2011

ROLE MODELING

I’ve been going through a million bazillion CDs of photos from the past million bazillion years for a couple of projects I’m in the middle of and I’m not even halfway done, but I found these 2 today and they made me laugh: We have a family tradition of rabbit ears and moose antlers behind people’s heads in photos (which my mom HATES), but I sure missed the placement on this one! 😀

15
Nov
2011

THE CAMEL

It’s really hard for me to climb on top of my quivering pile of motivation to write something when I’m angry or upset or sad or stressed out. Taking deep breaths doesn’t really help. Straightening my back and consciously lowering my shoulders only works so long until the next time, minutes or hours later, when I realize I’m hunching or slumping again. Some days are just full of Suck and some days that start out fine and putter along at a pleasant speed are suddenly derailed by an unexpected turn of events: something done or not done, expectations not met,...

14
Nov
2011

GETTING WHAT I’M SETTLING FOR

Being born a military brat can be both blessing and curse, but for me it was largely a blessing. Moving around so much simply opened my mind and made me aware of the fact that there were other possibilities out there than the one proscribed by my own family and upbringing. For some people, I know, moving so much is simply hard work: always being the new kid in school can especially filter a child’s experiences of an already potentially fraught time period with much more anxiety and stress. For me, it was liberating, though leaving friends and a place...

13
Nov
2011

IPAD POSTING

I am posting this from my iPad, mostly to get rid of the notification symbol showing I have an unfinished draft because I can’t figure out how to delete it. Posting from the iPad is too slow since it’s harder to type without a real keyboard for an old person like me. You should see how fast Karin can type on her phone when she is texting, with just one thumb! I am a snail by comparison, though I can beat her typing on a regular keyboard and my accuracy rate is higher 😛 It is Swedish Father’s day today...

12
Nov
2011

FINE FEATHERS

Why is it every time I take my kids to the mall with a specific purpose in mind…this time: Father’s Day gifts and a baptism present, I end up spending 3x what I planned on because I get hijacked by things my kids suddenly remember that they need? Only this time, it was ME suddenly remembering that if we needed a baptism gift, that meant we were going to be at a baptism. A formal event. In a church. Where I would be winning Mother of the Year awards along with the disapproving glances shot my way, engendered by the...

11
Nov
2011

11:11:11 11/11/11

My kids tell me I’m supposed to make a wish at 11:11 today, because it’s 11/11/11 (even if you write it the way the Swedes do: year/month/date and not the way the Americans do which is date/month/year). I missed the first 11:11 today, even though I did think about it, only it was only 10:32 when I thought about it and then I got absorbed in the major presentation that I was revamping and forgot about everything else until someone said it was lunch time. I feel like this has been an incredibly long, hard week of work and I...

10
Nov
2011

STARING AT THE SUN

This morning, as we drove away from the neighborhood, I was completely boggled by the rising sun. This has happened to me before and it’s hard to not drive off the road and instead keep myself concentrated on what I am doing. The sky was fairly clear and the sun was rising just above the horizon line…it moves quickly at that point by the way…only a couple of minutes and it was all the way up and diminishing in size rapidly. But what struck me was not the daily fact of sunrise, or the clear sky and fact that it...

09
Nov
2011

A LIBRARY IS NOT A LUXURY BUT A NECESSITY OF LIFE*

Out of curiosity, a few minutes ago, I checked the Excel sheet I use to keep track of my Library (wittily titled Library.xls) to see approximately how many books I currently have, and why yes! I DO keep an Excel sheet that lists all of my books. This surprises you? My Library spreadsheet lists all my books in order by author’s last name, and includes titles, whether or not they are paperback or hardcover, what genre they fall into, and what country they were published in. God knows why I thought I needed that last column. I faithfully add new...

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