Because 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, Friday.
I know. It’s weird how that keeps happening.
Anyway, here we are.
The hard stuff
#$@%.
So the joy of sponsoring a Roller Derby team is that I get to wear derby drag and scream a lot.
And then last weekend we lost to the Heathers (no, not those Heathers) in the most ridiculous loss in history of derby. Seriously.
We were up by about a million points at halftime. Brutal. I don’t even want to talk about it anymore.
Technical stuff.
Then WordPress, which is generally the only technology in my life that isn’t driving me batty at any given time, ate two-thirds of a post.
After I’d published it. And double-checked that all was fine.
All of a sudden, there was a third of a post up here. And uncommentable so you couldn’t even tell me about it.
Ugh. Annoying.
Pulled over at Canadian customs.
And grilled.
Absurd.
Had to make some tough decisions.
And say goodbye to some things I was looking forward to.
Sadface.
Just the tiniest bit sad.
But that’s just me.
The good stuff
A freaking miracle.
After all these months of not finding, and not being sure and almost-compromising, we found the most perfect place for The Playground.
About three hours before hopping on a plane.
All because Hiro looked at the address and said it looked really, really great.
This is the thing about hiring someone who is clairvoyant and always right (hmm I wonder if those two things are connected).
If they say something looks good, you are completely stupid to disregard it.
I am a bit odd but definitely not stupid. Also, I hire Hiro for everything. If you ever hear me talking about something that was a horrible mistake, that’s a sure sign that I didn’t run it by Hiro first.
Anyway, we thought this particular place had fallen through and anyway, it was supposed to be too small and we were pretty sure that it wouldn’t work because it was too something something.
But Hiro said. And when Hiro says, you have to go see it.
So I saw it. And fell crazy in love.
We’ll know in a few days if we get to lease it. Please keep all extremities crossed!
My boots.
They’re so hot I can’t even stand being around myself.
It’s outrageous.
It was a glorrrrious day!
Well, I don’t know if it was.
But we went to the now famous glorrrrious day cafe, the one I can’t stop talking about. The one that inspired Pace and Kyeli to sing the milk song.
So that was awesome.
Sweet Jane!
I really just go to Vancouver to see my darling Jane.
Jane!
Hmmm, could it be that my mad love for her might be why the Canadian customs people view me with such suspicion? No. That makes no sense.
Seeing Hiro!
Yes, that would be the same Hiro I talk about all the time.
She is wonderful.
In fact, Selma and I are sitting with her right now.
Also, I may have just talked her into teaching a class on Internet Hangover (like, how to cure it and how not to get it). Please ask her to do this because I want to take it.
Fabulous Shivanautical epiphanies.
I have been dancing up a storm, using Shiva Nata to generate brain-zapping insights related to opening the Playground studio.
And all sorts of other things have been happening as well.
It’s brilliant.
Our sourdough starter.
Is fantastic.
Best. Bread. Ever.
Thanks, backyard.
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’s band (thanks, Vancouver!) is …
Zombie Rainboots.
They’re big in Japan. And yes, it’s just one guy.
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.
Follow
Is mine the first Chicken? Wacky! It’s Thursday night really, but the Chicken post is up so I’m posting my chicken!
Your sexy red boots sound awesome, I am envious.
The Hard
– Not having a lot of money this week. Hard and anxious and stressful.
– Wallowing in confusion about my career direction. I want to make more art and fire my biggest client. These things make me extra anxious together!
– Monday was a fog of procrastination and blah, but, gone now.
The Good
+ Restful weekend was awesomely restful, with hours and days of glorious slack and doing nothing.
+ I got so, so much done this week! My work-plate is almost cleared, which means soon I can load it up with delicious new projects.
+ I am growing slightly addicted to that glorious feeling of accomplishment.
+ I very quietly put my awesome “my heart bleeds” image from my unvalentine cards onto some t-shirts and stuff on Cafepress, and they are awesome. I really want a cute-morbid babydoll now.
+ My cats have been sleeping with me all week!
+ I got new pillows last week, and they are comfy and my stiff neck is finally almost better. One of the pillows is mine, and one is, apparently, Bella’s. Pod has decided this means the rest of the bed is his.
+ I get to draw Monsters! I sold all 3 spots and one of them is already inked. This is such a brilliant product, I am definitely going to have to add it to my permanent offerings at some point. Also, this means I got the awesome version of the Monster Coloring Book.
+ This week has really just been kinda awesome, and helped me see that my life is already pretty great, even before the scary changes I’m trying to make. After, it will rock. Seriously.
.-= Amy Crook´s last post … Hooray! =-.
Everything is crossed for you and for the Playground!!!
And I agree, those boots sound damn sexy.
I’ve never posted a chicken… first time for everything right?
The Hard
– Being around people who don’t quite support you. Stressful times.
– Some emotional nights for no obvious reason. Just general mourning of lost things. Feeling powerless.
– Complete and utter confusion over my path ahead. Trust can be hard to keep in the foreground.
– Missing my morning Yoga due to an injury. Apologies to my yoga session.
– Bad dreams. Not sleeping well. Lots of nightmares leads to a cranky Rose. feeling powerless.
The Good
+ I’m back to Uni this weekend where I can spend my time with people who know how to support me.
+ I have people online who’ve supported me all weekend. Big hugs to everyone.
+ I had oat biscuits.
+ I’ve been drinking loads of green tea. It’s been awesome.
+ I love the trees.
+ I am incredibly blessed. I have people around me, I have a roof over my head and healthy food and green tea [and oat biscuits]. I’m safe and cared for. I’m healthy. I’m not alone.
I hope everyone has a glorious weekend!
~Rose
.-= Rose´s last post … Rumination =-.
All extremities crossed for the Right Playground to happen!
The past weeks have been Hard.
Today is PhD Dissertation final draft deadline. I did not make it. Not by a long stretch. So I will get another week of hard. And social seclusion (which I like, but only if I choose to and not if I have to because of other Things.) And stress. Mucho stress. I’ve only slept for 3 hours last night, and badly to boot. Shouldn’t do that and I know it. Note to self: less sleep does not equal more useful output (shudder).
a little good
I’m going to see my parents tonight, mostly to pick my dad’s brain about doing job interviews. I have two of those next week, sort of, and had no preparation or contemplation-about-the-future time. They are more orientation meetings, but they still might ask job interview-ey questions. I mostly regard it as ‘Hi, I’m coming in to chat with you and see if I would like to work here, maybe’ meetings. At least I can tell them current Cranky Pants me is the worst version of me they will ever see, it can only get better. Stress doesn’t do much for my physical appearance either.
Have a glorious weekend, all. Enjoy any bit of loverly weather you can get your hands on!
Havi: I was just thinking as a read this post – the great thing about the chicken is that you realize that everyone has hard stuff every week. Even when things are going well.
My chicken..
The hard:
Lots of work. Busy, busy, busy with massive quantities of overwhelm.
Tax time. Ugh. ‘Nuff said.
Lots of upheaval for my family. So lots of worrying.
The good:
Big living space issues were resolved this week for family. Sister and her family found a place to rent that they LOVE. Mom and I found the PERFECT apartment for grandpa to move to. Son and finance closed on their house. AWESOME! And a huge relief.
Other son arrived home from trip to Reno exhausted but having accomplished many things. And he is safe. We missed him.
Had the money for the taxes. Unbelievable.
Made great progress on work this week. Yay! Maybe I’ll spoil myself and ride my bike this weekend.
.-= Avonelle Lovhaug´s last post … Your design will never be “perfect” =-.
Extremeties duly crossed! As for this week…
The hard:
-Decision. So much hurt and fear. Exhausting.
-My sinuses are trying to kill me. Seriously. So much so that I’m getting allergy tested next week, because this is just ridiculous.
The good:
-I decided. And I think it will be okay. The fear is still there, but I feel better for talking about it and planning for it.
-I have some amazing friends. And an extremely shiny Congrats! balloon.
-Being busy. Feeling like I’m doing stuff again after being in a holding pattern sort of thing for a while. It’s nice!
-It’s a beautiful morning, and I got to sleep late.
Happy Friday!
Go playground! I’m so glad you found the perfect spot.
The hard:
-Dealing with lots of “shoulds” in my life.
-Totally business dead this week due to tax season, so I spent the whole week stressing out about how I’m clearly a business failure and may starve to death. Need to work on being more rational.
The good:
-Coming back to Twitter after a long period away from it, and really remembering why I loved it so much in the first place.
-Getting to go to Paris in a month and a half with my mom who I love tremendously and haven’t spent a long amount of quality time with in years.
-Having amazing retainer clients who come to me with crazy ideas and let me make them crazier and trust me to just write and have it all work out. And then send me cards thanking me for helping them. It’s incredible.
.-= Holly´s last post … The Great Debate: Writing on Spec? =-.
Ooooh! So excited about the playground. And since Hiro said, well then, I’m not even bothering to cross extremities. It’s already done.
My hard: Floods of tears over missing Spring last year, because I was busy cleaning up and selling the house and 1-year-ago-tomorrow, hosting a fabulous garage sale to send off the last of Trent’s things, which even though it was a great party and made a lot of people happy, was still sad.
My good: My playground! Or more accurately, home-ground. I put money down on it at Thanksgiving time (my favorite time!) 2008 and now, after many financial impediments (banks failing, etc.) construction is progressing and what was just a dream is turning into reality. Yay!
.-= julekucera´s last post … 17. Black Ink =-.
I’m jealous. I don’t think I’ve had a good pair of boots (or any pair of boots, now that I think about it) in over a decade.
Also, multi-appendaged finger-crossings for the Playground!
The Hard:
* I’ve been having a lot of mood trouble this week. I’m waking up depressed and the slightest thing sends me back into a foul mood.
* I had a fight a couple nights ago that left a sour taste in everybody’s mouth. Now we’re all walking on eggshells around each other.
* I’m really, really stuck on what I want to do with myself. I can’t decide if I want to do web design because I like it or because it’s what I’ve been doing for years and years and so it’s comfortable. Meanwhile, I’m not doing the things that aren’t comfortable because they don’t feel Productive (and by “feel Productive” I mean “feel like something I could make money doing”). At least if I set up these websites I can use them as part of a portfolio. Nobody’s going to want to see my random sketches or GarageBand doodles.
* Actually, that last one is really the thorn in my paw. The longer I go without being Productive the worse I feel, but nothing I want to do feels Productive…
The Good:
* Even though there are lingering after-effects, the fight really cleared some things up and I think we’re all better at communicating with each other for it.
* I’ve been making a conscious effort to find the good in every day, and that’s helping me to find and stay in a good mood even with the depression issues.
* I (mostly) finished the design for my gaming blog and I’m really pleased with how it came out.
* I spent quite a bit of time cleaning the house over the last week, and I’m really pleased with how that turned out.
* Inspired by Amy (above; hi Amy!), I think I’m going to start a Monstriary; which is to say, a bestiary of my monsters. It’ll be useful reference for me, anyway.
* I’ve finally found a goal that really inspires me – a new bed! (Still no idea how I’m going to save up for it, but c’est la vie.)
Have a fabulous weekend, everybody!
.-= Chris Anthony´s last post … Looking for feedback – new design =-.
A pretty quiet week, but it was positive.
The Hard:
-Happy to report, not much!
The Good:
+So much good!
+Working at being more positive has had a noticeable impact in my mood
+Decided to blog regularly, since I’m bored out of my skull at work and it’s a good way to write daily but still look like I’m diligently working
+Working on self-confidence, and feeling good
+Lots of exercise, much of it outside! I have forgotten how much I NEED this kind of movement
+Have a fun day planned for my birthday on Monday. A massage, cake, shoe-buying
+Felt relaxed all week on long, often-stressful commute thanks to more mindfulness around how I live my daily life
.-= Dawn´s last post … Sounding Sure =-.
Ooh, go Playground, go! /crosses everything
@Avonelle: That’s an incredibly, beautifully true thought. Brilliant.
This week in Kailand~
The Hard:
-Triggers and Yuck.
-Enough anxiety to fill up the world’s biggest bathtub.
-My body not feeling well and getting an infection.
-Being tireddd.
-The Great Migration closing in.
-Realizing that our house was never quite ‘home’ in the sense that I wanted.
-Letting go.
The Good:
-Signing the lease for our new Nest!
-Picking out super cool stuff for the Nest’s bathroom. The shower curtain has an octopus pirate on it.
-Being excited about having a Nest that might be ‘home’ this time.
-Getting to know my fiance and his stories that he’s been too afraid to talk about.
-Falling even more in love. It’s become a weekly thing, I believe.
-Corrective experiences galore.
Hooray for the Playground! Everything I can cross is crossed and remain that way until the all clear is given.
The Hard:
– I told my parents about how I might be moving halfway around the world for a year this weekend. My mom is having a really hard time wrapping her head around it. There is a lot of guilt and stress and unhappiness.
– Working. Always with the working. I miss weekends.
– TAXES. Enough said.
The Good:
+ I made a decision about my future and I am standing by it (something I have had a really hard time doing up until this point).
+ I made the decision to buy the Shiva Nata starter kit as an aid in helping me make other decisions about my future (like maybe help figuring out what sort of “career” path to follow)
+ Making all these decisions and sort of just … coming into myself? I honestly don’t even know how to put it into words. It was just good and wonderful and full of grace.
.-= supercareo´s last post … Title Unkown =-.
Thumbs crossed for the Playground space!
The hard:
– a conversation last night, and then some thinking this morning, that has led me to a conclusion I really don’t like (but which I think is correct). I can’t keep going with this relationship in the existing circumstances. I’m hoping that talking to the other person about it may throw up some ways to change the circumstances, but I have to accept that maybe that’s not going to happen. I really, really hate this.
– realising at the same time that several of my closest relationships aren’t really fitting into their official labels right now.
– really busy week in lots of ways — lots of meetings, lots of meeting up with people socially, lots of stress.
– not actually being all that productive — not managing to get as much done on my various projects as I wanted to. This is, of course, partly as a result of the *other* sort of busyness.
– trying to work out how to get along to the course I want to go to next week, when it means leaving the dog on her own for 3-4 hrs every morning (which is not going to be popular).
– nervous about starting Samaritans training next week!
The good:
– that realisation this morning? Feels like a clear thing inside my head. I think that’s probably good.
– maybe realising that my close relationships aren’t fitting into their official labels can give scope for working out where they *do* fit instead. That could be a positive thing.
– I went to all the meetings and they were largely useful!
– I met up with several people I haven’t seen in a while!
– I made some contacts that might actually help me to get moving on the sort of things that I want to be doing with my time.
– the dog went on trains & buses & tubes & behaved outrageously well.
– I did actually get creative work done despite the time pressure.
Right now I’m feeling a bit sore & bruised, though 🙁 But better, for reminding myself that there has been positive stuff this week.
.-= Juliet´s last post … linky linky =-.
Really? It’s Friday again? Wasn’t it just Friday a couple days ago? Huh.
The Hard
– Scary doctor thing.
– Worried and trouble sleeping because of scary doctor thing.
– Flaky client forgot to show up after assuring me that he’d definitely remember and I didn’t need to call to remind him. Oy.
– Sore and tired from too much activity and not enough rest.
The Good
+ Native Plant Garden Tour! So many beautiful gardens.
+ Keeping up with the regular exercise, in spite of the sore and the tired. Go me!
+ Another painting (nearly) finished. Very pleased with it.
+ Got my booth assignment for the Beverly Hills art show. I’m definitely in. It was not an April Fools joke.
.-= Barbara J Carter´s last post … Some spring wildflowers =-.
@Barbara – wow, I am STILL excited about you being in that show. Just wonderful!
@Juliet – that’s a lot of week in your week. Hugs for the hard (especially relationships changing), and happy to hear there is clarity too.
@SuperCareo – whoo! Well done on the sovereignty thing. Very nice.
@Kai – sounds like lots of good things in Kailand. Yay. Sending love and support and good wishes for the bathtub of anxiety (which might have to become one of my fake bands).
@Dawn – happy birthday, sweetie. So glad to read about all the good in your week this time. Awesome.
@Chris – a Monstriary! I LOVE it. Genius. Wow.
@Jule – you’re so right. And happy for the good.
@Holly – hi! Hi!
@Beth – Happy Friday! And excitement for your extremely shiny Congrats! balloon. Made me smile.
@Avonelle – mmm, that is so right. One of my favorite bits about reading everyone’s week each week is that reminder that we’re all in this stuff together. It’s so reassuring. Well put!
@inge – sending love for the crankypants and all the rest of it! Hug.
@Rose – happy first-time chicken. And wishing good things to ease the sleep stuff.
@Amy – oh wow. Drawing monsters and achievements and stuff working out. That is LOVELY.
Big love all around to all the Chickeneers (yay for the good and oh no for the hard)!
The Good/The Hard: I got divorced today. I sometimes don’t know how we got from the people who walked excitedly into that courthouse to get a marriage license to today but I’m glad that I can say that rarest of things: that he is still my friend even if we can’t stand being together, being married, even if he doesn’t know how to make me happy. It’s hard not to regret it. Today, all of it. It’s hard to know what to say when people ask if they should say ‘congratulations’ or ‘I’m sorry’. Yes, both, I guess, don’t make me choose. I love him. I wish we could’ve made it work. I suppose I’m sorry. I’m happy to be starting over, to be putting my happiness first and not to have to manage his neediness anymore. I guess that amounts to congratulations. It’s a paradox.
I guess I’m here talking about this because Havi’s story gives me hope that I will find happiness again. That you can get divorced and go through hell and there is a light at the end of the tunnel. And strangers will cheer you on.
I’m looking forward to the future.
Not a lot to say, just miss talking to you. No fair having a clairvoyant friend. the closest I have is someone who understands feng shui.
Oh and awesome post, as usual!
.-= Troy Jensen´s last post … Addicted to Punch =-.
So glad you have happy boots…
And that my flip flops and I aren’t experiencing Boot Envy… 🙂
The Hard:
– Eating vegan carrot cake for the first time in over a year and feeling crappy afterwards. Sugar/wheat overload.
– Feeling like there are tears that want to come and noticing that they’re not interested in coming out.
– Worrying that I opened up a scary can of worms by putting myself out there with my business again.
– Panicked feeling that I won’t be able to maintain what I’ve started with my business. Which leads me to tell myself I’m a loser – and that sucks.
The Yay:
– Getting a new workspace in my bedroom thanks to an antique wooden thing that has a door that folds out so I can put my laptop on it. It is so cool.
– Daiya cheese. Vegans never had it so good I tell you.
– Going to Zumba dance class with my favorite instructor for the first time in over 6 months. She even played some of the songs for the routines that I know. Loved it.
– My first content oriented free teleseminar in over 6 months too. I did it with only 4 bullet points for notes. I rock.
– Basically, waking up after being in a really really Hard Place for the last 6 months. I’m alive again. Oh boy!
.-= Mona´s last post … 12 Assorted Sharings & Learnings From My Day Without Shoes =-.
Great news about the progress on the Playground!!!
The Hard
– Head cold. Started Saturday and I was completely miserable through Tuesday. Finally started to show improvement on Wednesday. Not completely out of my system, but at least I’m functional again.
– Too much work. Too little time. Same old complaint.
– Interview being setup for program director candidate. Bringing up much fear of a repeat of my former boss. Irrational fears, but fears nonetheless.
The Good
+ A verbal agreement on renting the big half of my rental property. Came completely out of the blue!
+ Much improved kidney function numbers for our older kitty (she is only 5 so it is a little scary that we are even having to worry about this now).
+ Much progress on drafting a proposal for conducting research for an outside firm.
+ Break from doctoral classes finally announced! I get a week off beginning June 26th. 2 days before my birthday. WooHoo!
+ State tax refund is in our checking account. Our state has a huge deficit so I’m amazed this occurred. Very grateful as it helps offset the kitty bloodwork expense.
+ Crabapple trees and magnolias are in full bloom. The earth is alive again!
Happy Spring!
Bah, internet cut out when I was mid-chicken! Fortunately, I saved my text before restarting, so let’s try this again…
The hard:
-I was stupid and read fashion magazines at the Laundromat. That *never* ends well.
-My computer is ill.
-I mentioned last week how much I *hate* cleaning the apartment, right?
-It’s still too cold to wear my new pretty clothes.
The good:
+If I decide to get my hair cut, and I donate it to Locks of Love, the fancy salon that did my wedding hair will cut it for free! (And yes, I’m familiar with the ambiguity of Locks of Love)
+The computer doctor is covered under warranty.
+A massive clean really does make the minor cleanings easier.
+Yay, new pretty clothes!
.-= Laura G´s last post … In which I get ready for another year =-.
Oh, happy playground!
This week’s hard:
– I emptied my bank account to pay my taxes. That’s always such a triggery thing for me after so many years of living so close to the edge. Makes me nervous.
– I had to file extensions on the taxes, because things got more complicated this year and I’m not confident I’m doing everything right, so I may end up owing even more than I sorta kinda think I owe and sent in already.
– Feeling generally irritable and not at all social this week.
This week’s good:
– At least there was money in the account to pay the taxes this year. That hasn’t always been the case.
– I managed to get a couple of hours of yard work in this week, so I feel like I’ve got a jump start on the weeds and making the gardens look nice.
– A couple of sales and a custom order came out of the ether. I’ve got most of tomorrow blocked out for studio time. Yay!
Happy Friday, Chickeneers!
.-= Lori Paximadis´s last post … rainy days and Tuesdays… =-.
@R, my best to you. I been there. I’m glad for you that you are still friends with him, and I’m really glad for how gentle and real it sounds like you’re being with youself, trusting yourself in the middle of all those confusing emotions and transformations. Congratulations? I’m sorry? Yeah, all of that.
@Havi, wow, I’m really excited about the playground! Hearing about the space makes it feel so much more real. And I’m with @Jule, if Hiro says “this one” I’m thinking finger-crossing isn’t even necessary. Makes me really think about taking a trip to Portland, to play in whatever playgroundifying games you’ve got cooking.
For me:
Hard:
* Seeing more clearly some patterns I’m playing out with my husband (2nd husband, for those of you counting along at home), that are kind of icky and not-so-fun. There’s also going to have to be some not-so-fun work, to get to know them better so that I can maybe not do them so much.
Good:
* Seeing more clearly my own power and value and what I have to offer. Being more in my sovereignty with that. Seeing how other people are so gratefully appreciative, even cherished-wonder-filled, when I give them what I have to offer. Astounding. Amazing. Fun as all get-out.
* Telling two close friends about my thing. For the first time to tell anyone the details. (Ooh, the courage that took!) They, too, were amazed, astounded and excited. That was fun as all get-out, too. I betcha the thing itself is gonna be fun like gangbusters!!
* Grateful that while my life is really super-full, and there’s way more than I can do in any day, I am truly enjoying and happy with all of it. It all feels good.
Internet Hangover class by Hiro! I’d be there in a Google Reader minute (that’s like a New York minute, but more disorienting).
I am fascinated by this sourdough business. Your Gentleman caught the…what’s the word? sour stuff? himself, right?
Fascinated! Need details! (undemandingly and sweetly)
Which is ridiculous because I don’t even *eat* bread anymore. But the idea of catching a sourdough…what’s the word? bacteria? starter? ?? anyhow, it fascinates me!
.-= Tara´s last post … The Cycle of Creativity =-.
@Havi – Yay! Playground! Fingers crossed!
@R – *hugs*
@supercareo – Moving half-way around the world! So exciting!
The hard:
– Sniffles. All week. Not quite a cold. Not quite not a cold. Not allergies. Wtf?
– I have a big flight on Saturday. My “airplanes-are-coffins-with-wings” monster is not thrilled. He’s being quite vocal. How ironic is it to live abroad and be scared of flying? Again, wtf?
– Lots of asking myself completely unhelpful questions like: Why can’t I be normal? Why aren’t I doing MORE? Why do I suck? . . . Ugh.
The good:
– Working. Employment. Projects. With fun clients!
– Realizing that despite significantly un-ideal circumstances like a major natural disaster coupled with a near total restructuring of some of the major economic realities of my surroundings, that I can STILL find ways to earn a living that aren’t 1. morally destestful 2. dreadfully boring or 3. utterly exploitative. . .
– My favorite burritos from my favorite Mexican place have finally returned to normal after being altered temporarily due to a shortage of ingredients. So delicious!
– I have a big flight on Saturday. To go visit my friends and family. And drink Guiness. Yay Guiness!
Happy Friday Chickeneers!
To hell with hard/good.
I want Hiro’s Internet Hangover class!
.-= Colleen Wainwright´s last post … Frrrrriday Rrrrroundup! =-.
I’m currently thinking which of my outfits red boots would go well with…. 🙂
The hard:
– the cold of doom – five days of feeling like the proverbial reheated death, and trying to struggle on with work and my MA. Bah!
– realising that MA deadlines are looming..
– carrying on with something that I know is a self-destructive pattern taking me far away from what I really want, resolving to stop, and then…not. frustrating, and so hard not to lapse into self hating.
– an emergence text from my cousin, who had run out of money travelling in Cuba – muchos stress, worry and feeling a tad pissed off
The good:
– concern about the ill from family, friends and work colleagues – sympathy, being cooking delicious healthy homemade food, being sent home from work early, knowing that people cared if I was ill.
– confirming attendance at the London Book Fair next week
– watching a couple of awesome films that insipire me carry on living and caring and doing what I love
– laughing a lot
– summer seems to have finally arrived – getting to sit on the beach at lunchtime without freezing cannot be betterd
Havi, ich drücke alle Daumen! (Und alle anderen Finger und Arme und Füsse und Zehen und was ich noch so finde, aber erstmal schreibe ich).
The hard this week:
– Husband far away.
– Husband sick for a few days and I am far away.
– Feeling queasy after oral typhoid fever vaccination.
– Planned too many things for the evenings, ended up cancelling one last minute because I couldn’t cope. Annoyed because I knew it was going to be too much but still arranged it.
– Spring disappeared, it was bloody cold again.
The good this week:
– Visit cancelled by relatives who had planned to stay three nights and hence an unexpected free Sunday.
– Making a friend’s son happy with the dinner I had prepared for relatives who cancelled visit.
– Seeing a great play with two friends.
– Lots of work but getting lots done. Working for a very special person.
– Official start of the white asparagus season here, can’t wait to go to the market tomorrow. YUMMY!
– Call by my old friend T.
– Wonderful long walk and chat with another friend.
May your next week be filled with more good than hard and have a wonderful weekend everyone! And now that I am done with the chicken I am re-crossing my fingers and all other extremities. Just need to press the submit comment button but this should work with crossed fingers.
Ooh, fingers and toes crossed for The Playground.
The Hard
Having very little energy & needing to go to bed a LOT
Not getting very much done and feeling frustrated about it
Not being able to blog because I have a zombie head
The Good
Seeing a friend that we hadn’t seen in a while
Meeting an interesting new person
Getting lots of reading time
Beautiful spring weather
Getting a little bit of gentle gardening done
.-= Kirsty Hall´s last post … ‘52? Exhibition =-.
Eeys crssode fro teh Playground.
Ok, eyes uncrossed now, but wishes still sent. 🙂
I too have boot envy.
Hard:
Learning curve on silkscreen isn’t as easy as I thought it would be. Only having one screen so that there is a 24 hour minimum between applying emulsion and then testing screen makes things more stressful.
Needing to have 4 pieces made for show next month and running into roadblocks of materials and processes.
General Ennui (salute!) and lack of interest. Not finding my mojo with my art, blog, etc. Reading and playing SuperPoke Pets instead.
Good:
Glimmer of mojo this morning when a thought popped into my head to try printing on fabric (“use what you have” theory).
Good talk with friend on Tuesday that led to a not-quite Metaphor post with the concept of discipline.
All the trees and flowers and bushes seem to have bloomed at once, it is so pretty. Redbuds have really filled the hillsides in the area.
Bike path! Three days so far this week! Yay sunshine and endorphins!
.-= Andi´s last post … Reboot of Doom =-.
the hard:
–feeling exhausted every day this week; getting back into the routine of teaching after spring break
–feeling totally not myself and uncreative and unconnected to my students and work
–teaching a series of bleh classes
–catching up on the work i should have done over break but was too busy having a vacation
–the really hard, right now: signed up for an expensive self-help course (all! effing! weekend! what was i *thinking*?) and really, really, really am being attacked by the resistance monsters. everything from “i have nothing new to learn” to “there’s no way i’ll meet anyone i like” to “i should just stay home” to “i need to focus on work!” is coming out to play…
the good:
–jumped on my trampoline
–made it outside for a walk
–was good about sleeping as much as i needed to
Wow – a Chicken. I can’t remember the last time I joined y’all here. Pretty unfortunate considering I once vowed that if I could do nothing else all week, it would be the Chicken. Vows change – one of the reasons the Big Book of Casey will be in a binder where the pages can be swapped out.
Red boots?! YAY! Happy feet are the best – and feet in S-E-X-Y boots make the happiest of feet.
Everything crossed for the Playground, plus Hope (hee hee) that we find our home in the north.
Yes, Hiro, Internet hangover class please!
And, finally, my Chicken:
The hard:
– Hippie husband threw out his back the day of the first weekend we actually had fun things to do in the city this year. Being the caregiver/reversing roles is really weird.
– gloom, gloom, and bad dreams first part of the week
– trying to find my rhythm when I don’t have a job
– pet health on the decline
– Red Wings lost first game of the first round of the playoffs. (This is important when you’re married to a Michigan man.)
– dealing with bills, bureaucracy, and bullshit
– all the stress of looking for a house: scheduling with realtors, refining what we actually want/can afford, etc., and then abrupt changes that happened in the dynamics of the stress when…
-/+ crazy neighbor hasn’t been around and there’s a note taped to his door that he has 15 days to pay rent or face eviction. Hope is a dangerous thing, here, so I can’t actually be *happy* or relieved about that just yet.
But that brings us to the good – yay!
+ nightly askings of the gang in my head (thanks, largely, to Eileen at soulsleuthing.com), the nightmares have reduced themselves to bad dreams. Much more manageable and less painful.
+ time for meditation and shivanata and walking and orchestrating the impending move
+ getting one more disability payment and probably unemployment means being able to not work while moving is upcoming
+ possible eviction of crazy neighbor
+ getting to look at houses next weekend – ones we might *buy* – is awesome and weird but because I get to do it with Dave, I know it’ll be fun
+ catching up on all the blog-reading I’ve been missing. So grateful to get to read things from amazing people who are doing fantastic things on their own terms. Truly inspiring. (I’m looking at you, Lucy, and Patty, and Kelly, and Elizabeth, and Eileen, and Briana, and Havi, and even you, TroyGen, you nihilistic bastard)
Fair winds and following seas this weekend, everyone!
i’d love for my orange frye cowboy boots to meet your sexy red boots. i’m sure they’d be fast friends.
playground wishes.
i’m giving the hard the finger. i just had a massage and i don’t want to revisit any of the poo from the week.
the good:
massage.
weekend away with old friends. great music, food, conversation, sleeps, and a hot tub.
hormones are no longer running the show. whew!
.-= Tami´s last post … Song of the Day! =-.
I want Hiro’s Internet Hangover class as well!
I also want to see Havi’s boots.
.-= Sonia Simone´s last post … The Law of Anti-Attraction =-.
All extremities crossed for your playground!
Hard:
– One hurt dog limping around the house.
– Money worries. Uugh! I was laid off last week and have mountains of bills and very little savings. Must. Find. Job. Quickly.
– Staying up too late and sleeping in until noon almost every day this week. You’d never know it from the hours I keep sometimes, but I’m a morning person. When I sleep late, I walk around in a drug-like stupor all day. Must put that in the Book of Me.
– Went to the dentist for what I thought was a routine cleaning. Oh, but no. I need serious $$ dental work done.
– Not hearing anything from most of the gazillions (okay 8) resumes I’ve sent to prospective employers.
– Not knowing what my thing is, because now would be a perfect time to breathe some life into it.
Good:
– Hurt dog + NSAIDs + doggie chiropractor = non-limping dog
– Went on a job interview on Tuesday, which was my birthday. I’m pretty sure they’re obligated to hire me since they put me through four hours of interviews with various people on a day when I should’ve been taking it easy, goofing off, and celebrating. We’ll see if they got the memo…
– So many people saying such wonderful things about me when I asked for recommendations from my LinkedIn contacts. I’m humbled and kinda blown away!
– Although I worry about money from time to time, I’ve not gotten the least bit depressed. And that’s a major big deal for me. Depression often swallows me whole, but not this time. God certainly must have sent legions of angels to keep the depression monsters away this time because if ever there were the right circumstances for me to have a major depressive episode, they are right here, right now.
.-= Sherron´s last post … A Name to Grow Into =-.
Yay for the playground and yay for boots! So exciting!
I’m feeling kinda like I’ve been run over by a truck this week, and it’s not even over yet.
The hard:
-Realizing I didn’t give people enough notice for a thing I’m doing next week. I’m hoping folks will show, but it’s really not at all clear whether anyone will or not.
-Hard stuff at my son’s school. Everyone’s having to do more with less.
-DH was away all week in the middle of all the hard.
-DS came down with a stomach bug last night. Fortunately it was relatively mild (compared with one of his friends) but still… no fun for him and all my plans for today were shot.
-I’m late getting articles to my editor this week. I feel bad because I know I’m putting her in a bind.
The good:
+DH is home now.
+I kept DS at home, but he was more or less completely recovered by noon.
+Two of my articles got bumped before I wrote them, which was a huge relief.
+I busted my ass to get my thing together early this week, and so it’s done…
Still lots to do this weekend- one more article and finishing the workbook for the thing…
.-= Liz´s last post … Pick Your Stories- Part 2 =-.
the bad
+too, too, too many distractions to work on my thing
+had to go to meeting I didn’t want to go to, ran into my advisor and he made me cry. Mostly because he was being nice, but also because he is the physical manifestation of the ick.
+have to accept that my current rate of working is NOT getting it done…must make massive changes…will need help.
the good
+figuring out who can help and getting them on board
+finally starting an unworkrelated blog that I have been thinking about for a long time…I think it will be fun, creative, and cathartic to balance out all my yuck.
+spring/summer is in full swing and it is all I can do to not be in the garden all day every day trying to make the veggies come FASTER
+had a phone interview for a job I really want in a place I really don’t want to live…hmmmm.
That’s all, but being a frequent lurker here has helped me be courageous enough to put my fun thing out there and see if blogging is right for me.
Much Love to All!!!
.-= Kristen K.´s last post … This year’s cast of characters…all from Cook’s Garden =-.
I want to see the boooooooots!
Internet hangover? I don’t even know what it is, but am sure I must be suffering from one.
Hard:
– Migraine. Ugh.
– $111 vet bill, because the damned bully princess kitty bullied her way into the other kitty’s crunchy food, which *always* gives her a urinary tract infection.
– Overwhelm! Feeling like I’m running up a down escalator again.
– Sad: reminders all over my trip east of my ex and the relationship I thought was for life.
Good:
– Teaching! (And great reviews of my class.)
– New ideas and directions!
– Trains!
– Making my 6 1/2 month old nephew smile.
– Illuminated manuscripts at the Morgan!
– Noticing where I’m already living the life I’m trying to create.
– 9 hours of sleep last night!
Happy weekend everyone!
.-= Melissa Dinwiddie´s last post … The Cost of Money and the Value of My Time =-.
Hiro’s Internet Hangover class sounds wonderful, and I’m sending lots of hopes and good vibrations for the Playground!
Quick Chicken for me this week:
Hard: The final push to finish those preliminary exam projects. Never enough sleep, nowhere near enough quiet time. Plus, one of my partners was so anxious himself about wanting me to finish the projects that he got very agitated at times, which only made me feel worse.
Good: All seven projects were sent off to the faculty in Tuesday’s mail. I did it. I did it. Those projects have been hanging over my head for more than seven years, building up pressure, building up anxiety and shame, coloring my self-concept and everything else in my life…and they’re done. (Thank you, Havi, because I firmly believe that I was helped by your teachings, as well as by your supportive presence.) Whatever happens with my doctoral program from this point on, whether I make it through to the end or not, is almost irrelevant. The projects that I feared I would never, ever finish are finished. It’s still sinking in, and it feels really good.
Whew! I’m ready for a glorious weekend! How about you?
.-= Kathleen Avins´s last post … When the going gets tough… =-.
Hiro’s Internet Hangover class sounds wonderful, and I’m sending lots of hopes and good vibrations for the Playground!
Quick Chicken for me this week:
Hard: The final push to finish those preliminary exam projects. Never enough sleep, nowhere near enough quiet time. Plus, one of my partners was so anxious himself about wanting me to finish the projects that he got very agitated at times, which only made me feel worse.
Good: All seven projects were sent off to the faculty in Tuesday’s mail. I did it. I did it. Those projects have been hanging over my head for more than seven years, building up pressure, building up anxiety and shame, coloring my self-concept and everything else in my life…and they’re done. (Thank you, Havi, because I firmly believe that I was helped by your teachings, as well as by your supportive presence.) Whatever happens with my doctoral program from this point on, whether I make it through to the end or not, is almost irrelevant. The projects that I feared I would never, ever finish are finished. It’s still sinking in, and it feels really good.
Whew! I’m ready for a glorious weekend! How about you?
.-= Kathleen Avins´s last post … When the going gets tough… =-.