Friday chickenBecause it’s Friday AGAIN. And because traditions are important. In which I cover the good stuff and the hard stuff in my week, trying for the non-preachy, non-annoying side of self-reflection.

And you get to join in if you feel like it.

Yes, it is Friday. Again. Uncanny.

I have been Distracted Mouse all week. Lots of hard-to-explain hard. Lots of just-plain-good in the good.

Yes, I just said good in the good. And no, that’s not one of the Fake Bands of The Week.

Though that could actually totally work. The Good In The Good: drummer wanted.

The hard stuff

The usual.

More stuff that wants doing than time to do it in.

And then having to “prioritize” (bleargh). Talk about something that needs help from Metaphor Mouse.

Anyway. A lot of second-guessing myself.

Hopes and disappointments.

We’ve been looking at so many spaces for the Playground.

It’s crazy time-consuming. And every time we’ve thought something was going to work, it’s fallen through.

And then all of our Plan B backup spaces crashed too.

Hard.

Moments of cranky.

Often corresponding with moments of leaf-blowers and lawn-mowing.

Tough decisions.

Crossroads.

Not always trusting myself.

Being misunderstood.

Still the most frustrating, hard, unpleasant thing there is.

Bumping into everything that can be bumped into.

Mostly metaphorically but also literally.

So now I have bruised ribs, a sore back and a sad shoulder.

Lovely.

The good stuff

The gigantic Fun Brewing project is GO!

After months of behind-the-scenes work, hinted at in previous Friday Chickens, the Fun Brewing for The Playground went live.

We have a baby (that’s not actually a baby)!

We announced the monster coloring book!

And dropped hints about some other things. And it is all extremely exciting to finally get to talk about it and celebrate joyfully.

We may have found a space?!

Keep all extremities crossed, please.

But maybe maybe maybe maybe.

AND we found the perfect Plan B space that blew all our other Plan B spaces out of the water.

So there. Whew.

Punk Rock Shivanauttery!

I have never been this excited about teaching anything.

This is going to be the most fun thing in the entire world.

Must. Go. Bounce.

Lots of help, encouragement, magic and reassurance from Hiro.

Oh that Hiro. She is amazing.

I hired her to work with me on a bunch of different aspects of the fun-brewing, and it is just what I need.

Kneidelach!

The size of baseballs.

My gentleman friend is a prince.

Because if you have to do peach, you should at least get to go crazy with the matzah ball soup. That someone else makes for you.

Pesach being over.

And over-dosing on lovely, lovely chametz (and carbs!) the next day.

Starting with The Big Egg and moving on to mac n cheese. I believe bagels may have been involved at some point as well. It was chaos. But kind of hot.

Making an executive decision.

Well, making an executive branding decision on a tough day. Which was … going to bed with a glass of brandy. For some brand-ying.

Good call, me.

Napping!

Ever since that one Very Personal Ad where I committed to making this a practice, wow.

It’s been happening. Almost every day.

And while I’m definitely feeling the frustration of everything that’s not getting done, it is so obviously good for me in every possible way that I am appreciating the hell out of it right now.

And … playing live at the meme beach house!

Yes, that’s a Stuism too.

My brother and I have this thing where we come up with ridiculous band names and then say in this really pretentious, knowing tone, “Oh, well, you know, it’s just one guy.”

This week we have two bands vying for Fake Band Of The Week. It’s a toss-up. Enter your votes in the comments please.

Is it going to be …

The Supreme Quart

Or do we give the honor to …

Ironic Deaths and Miscellaneous Shenanigans Department

Oh, it’s so hard to decide.

Weirdly enough though, the one thing both these excellent bands have in common is that they’re actually just one guy.

* Kiss to Steve (who is @sbspalding and really is just one guy) for giving me the name for Band #2.

That’s it for me …

And yes yes yes, of course you can join in my Friday ritual right here in the comments bit if you feel like it.

Yeah? Anything hard and/or good happen in your week?

And, as always, have a glorrrrrrrrrrrrious weekend. And a happy week to come.

The Fluent Self