That Dreaded Place

Here's what's been going on in my world...

'V' for vegetarian :)

They want to be married;)

Knotty Power

Ratty Mess !

She Drives Me Crazy...Like No One Else....

Today-was a seesaw. I have laughed, I have cried. I felt excited, I felt anguished. My girl and I had Power Struggle #1543. How can I love her so fiercely and wanna knock her head off at the same time? She has always been crazy independant since day One.She's chomping at the bit to be on her own(one more year)and I'm thinking, 'it's no picnic once you get there'...ya know?! It's funny to me, those things about her that drive me crazy,are the traits that are most like me! I guess it's so true we don't really see ourselves. I'm glad my guy is able to point these things out to me and make it so clear. She and I can be at each other's throats and it's one big emotional upheaval, but then he explains to me why I feel so frustrated...and why she is frustrated...simply because we are so freaking much alike. Like rubbing sticks together!

If you could see what I see..

post storm

                               

constant movement..

                                 

welcome home (view from back door)

Best buy of the day from the thrift outing-no joke. What do you call it-housedress?Duster?! Love it...

And the ink goes on......

Um....see?!

notre chambre `a coucher

grow,grow,grow..I wish you could smell this.Incredible!

                                                                                                 

Teenage Dirtbag trailer

With a Little Help from my Friends....

I've been thinking so much today about the dynamic of our friendships. Mainly between us gals(sorry,fellas). I watched an incredible indie film a few days ago, and it's intense-to say the least. Watch it, I'm jus' sayin. Anyway,much of the backbone of the film is the social differences between kids in high school, and how those social boundaries cripple everything. Think "Breakfast Club" only uber-intensified. Do we really come away from those mindsets as adults? I had my 20th high school reunion last fall, and that will do a number for putting right in your face what an ass you really were like growing up. I heard from far too many people,on hearing about the reunion, say 'people didn't even talk to me in school, why would I want to spend an evening with them now?' Yikes. and Blech. I have an incredible circle of friends. Some near and some very far. Some new friends, and some I've known since I was a little girl. But when you think about it, the ones closest to us are the ones the most like us. I think we call it compatibility. Like- minded. "having so much in common". But isn't it really because that makes us feel safe, ya know--better about ourselves?! Dan and I are very different, and I say to people that we balance each other, I'm the free spirit and he's grounded. I am emotionally bent, and he is practical. But when I think of the instances that I am upset with him--it's because of those differences. It erks me when he doesn't feel the same way I do! The nerve of him! I don't want to play 8th grade games when I'm going on 40. I don't want to be a hypocrite and teach my kids to appreciate and embrace diversity when I cling so tightly to like mindedness.







"It were not best that we should all think alike;



it is difference of opinion that makes horse races" Mark Twain







"Diversity is not about how we differ.



Diversity is about embracing one another's uniqueness" -Ola Joseph







"Everybody's happy, Everybody's free



We'll keep the big door open, everyone will come around



Why are you different?Why are you that way?



If you don't get in line, we'll lock you away..." -Typical Situation DMB

Poo and Goo...

Isn't it a sure sign of a rotten day when at noon you step in dog poo..then at 4:00 you step in hot chewing gum?I would say so--this was my day Friday. Crappy. I am trying so hard not to be inside with the Littles everyday, though the heat wave we are having doesn't exactly make the outdoors enticing. Yesterday, my sweet guy came home from work and said "go...you need to get out of here". Ahh-yes! So I did my favorite(s), thrifting and Starbucks. By myself. I have been having a hard time lately, my gypsy soul and I fight alot. I feel so stuck in a rut--always striving to simplify our life, yet yearning for the pace to slooowwww down. And really wanting to hit the road(Jack). Not running away from anything... but running to something. I wish we had the means to be more self sufficient. I wish I had the patience(and desire) to school the Littles at home.I wish I had learned to sew. I wish Dan didn't have to work so much. I wish I had a latte' right now---er,wait a minute! What was that?! But, in striving to simplify and pare down, you can almost become lost in the process in doing that, as easily as getting lost in the fast paced life. Frugality can absorb you as easily as consumption. I have to keep this in check all.the.time. My nomadic self doesn't help these endeavors..because it's so easy to always feel discontent. That is NOT what I want. I'm gonna leave this post with a piece that I LOVE--I have it taped to the cabinet in my kitchen, and I read it everyday. It helps me bring it(this journey)back into focus.

To Live Simply-William Henry Channing

To live content with small means,to seek elegance rather than luxury,

and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy,

not respectable, and wealthy..not rich.

To study hard,think quietly, talk gently, act frankly;to listen

to birds, to babes and sages, with open heart;

to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never.

To let the spiritual,unbidden and unconscious, grow up

through the common.

This is to be my symphony.

mellow yellow

First things first- I don't really consider myself all that nice.Nice enough, but not the go-out-of-your-way-with-a-grand-smile kind of nice.Anyway...if you don't know me,I am pretty forthright.Maybe blunt. I want this space to be very much a true reflection of myself.No airs.I'm almost 40,(while we're just puttin it all out there!) and I spent too much of my life in phony bologna land. But that's too heavy for first post Blog-ness---we'll go to phony land another time. I'm sure you're excited about that. So,basically I just wanted this to be a way of setting the stage for the vision I have. I've been putting off blogging for a long time, but I'm tired of writing all these thoughts down on scrap paper, receipts while I'm driving,or just forgetting them altogether. Especially when you consider that i forget 97% of what enters my brain on a day to day basis. I'm not sure why I'm so forgetful, and even if I did know-I would've forgotten by now! I hope that you will check back in--I'm still trying to get this setup figured out, so there may not be alot of bells and whistles just yet. Peace.