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, it is Friday.
I don’t know how that happened either.
But here we are.
The hard stuff
Tired.
A bunch of things came up last weekend that needed urgent attention. And my Urgency Monsters were loving that.
Anyway, this stuff had to be sorted because my week was going to be full with the Rally (Rally!), so I worked on the weekend. A lot.
Not good.
Some tough decisions.
That’s pretty much never fun.
A lot going on.
And sometimes more than I can take in.
Being misunderstood over and over again.
It’s a terrible feeling.
And extremely frustrating.
Noise! And timing!
It turned out that Rally week was also … the week of Giant Repairs And Renovations for the building where the Playground lives.
So we had paint fumes the first day, banging noises through the vents during shavasana on the second day, hammering on the third day and paint chips rained on us on the fourth day.
Awesome.
The good stuff
Despite all of that, the Rally was still the most amazing thing in the entire world.
Ohmygod. Rally Rally Rally. How I love to Rally.
The insights: exquisite.
The costumes: outrageous. And divine.
The people: I adore them all madly.
We invented new rallying traditions (the Sneaky Moving of the Fairy Door), ate spectacular sandwiches, played with rainbow glitter balls (of love), had a Relegating Rallygator, and learned many useful and surprising things.
Much silliness, joyfulness, revelry and flailing was had by all. Rally!
Getting things done done done at the Rally, of course.
The magical properties of rally do not cease to astound me.
Huge progress was made on the five year plan (which is now the five year CHART).
And with the Great Rebrunching project.
And now I have most of my schedule for 2011 mapped out, and will be able to share it with you next week probably.
Plus there were conversations with negotiators and with foxes, lots of good journaling, working through stucknesses and remembering what I want to do with my life.
Again, I love Rally so much that I can hardly stand it.
A more sovereign response to bullying.
Another work-related conflict that involves a lot of pushing. A new one!
Here’s the part that is good:
I didn’t take things personally. I was able to craft a strong, clear response. And — maybe the best part — I really do have faith that this one can be resolved without resentment.
And while it might take a while to sort this one out, it seems like each time it gets a little easier. And I find that tremendously reassuring.
And not caring about the shoes.
Even though there was a barrage of shoes being thrown at the blog all week because my Bolivia post was on metafilter, and the haters of Hateville came out to play …. it didn’t even move me.
It was fantastic. Like I could see the shoes and the throwing of them, and it just did not matter. And then I could choose to not see them, because flying shoes don’t belong here.*
A magic trick.
Our lovely island here can hold its own culture, even when people who have no context wind up here by accident and think it’s okay to litter. That was a good thing to learn.
* Unless you have flying shoes that are shoes which give you the power to fly. Because I might be interested in those.
The Shivanautical epiphanies.
One of the things that happened at Rally (Rally!) were the insights that came from the hardcore Shiva Nata we were doing. And they were many.
We were all getting clear information and direct instructions that were … just kind of neat.
Anyway, I now know all sorts of things that I didn’t know before. And it’s messing with my head, but in a really good way.
Hey, it didn’t suck being a Giants fan this week.
The normal state of torture torture torture torture was temporarily alleviated this week when we beat the Braves.
Post-season! Not horrible! Though there were some serious moments of DOOM and it was all extremely stressful. But a little bliss to make things right.
Grilled. Cheese. Sandwiches.
Being alive. It is such a good thing to be.
Sometimes I remember that — often when I’m chickening on Fridays, and it is exactly the thing to remember.
This.
I thought this piece from Mariko about “skin in the game” was absolutely terrific.
And … playing live at the meme beach house it’s the Fake Band of the Week!
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.”
Okay, so we came up with about ten different band names at Rally but I left my notebook at the Playground.
Next time. In the meantime, I’m pleased to introduce you to the blah blah something something stylings of:
Drugs & Popcorn
They sound pretty much like what you’d expect. Except that it’s really just one guy.
And some of the lovely presents that arrived this week.
A beyooooootiful knitted shawl (made of old saris and kookiness and love) handmade by Bridget as a gift for the Playground’s Refueling Station.
She was inspired to make it after coming to a Shiva Nata class and meeting the Playground for the first time. And I absolutely adore it. Thank you.
Some smelling salts via Etsy. Yay. A giant pile of stripey socks and fabulous pajamas from Casey. Yay.
And somehow all these other presents just kind of mysteriously showed up at the Playground itself. The delightfully sneaky Rallions bought it snacks and more art supplies and monster stickers and a fuzzy blanket.
Oh, and Elizabeth brought us the flying hippo pig, and then the Schmoppet fell madly in love with it. Sweet.
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 day and a restful weekend-ing.
And a happy week to come. Shabbat shalom.
Shoes being thrown at the blog? *sigh* Do not like.
The hard…
My Grandma died. First of my four grandparents to pass.
So much crying.
And now we have a friend in the ICU who’s had such a hard time over the past week and won’t be in this world much longer.
More crying. Seeing my partner cry. Such sadness.
Hard, hard week.
The good…
The miners were rescued. (Miraculous.)
I have a new kitten who’s okay even if I’m standing in the middle of a room crying.
She leapt off the bed one morning and clung to the (hip area) side of my pants like Spiderman Kitty and seemed so pleased with herself. Hilarious. She’s fantastic.
My family and friends and the armfuls of love we keep passing around.
To peace…
I so want to get to that space where you can see the shoes coming and have them not matter one teensy weensy bit. Kinda like in the Matrix when everything just slows down to a crawl in the outside world but you can move at regular pace within that and duck all the bullets.
So, this week’s hard:
– Overwhelm avalanche. This is a recurring theme with me. But I’m getting better at handling it when it does happen.
– I bought a lot of stuff and prepped for a class that ended up being cancelled, which I didn’t find out until less than 24 hours before the class was supposed to start. Cancellations happen; I’m not annoyed at that, it’s just that I spent so much time prepping in a week that I really didn’t have any extra time.
– I have at least a half-dozen ideas for new blog posts and just about zero time to execute them. My poor blog gets no love from me.
And this week’s good:
– A fiction editing project found its way to my desk without a whole lot of effort on my part. I’ve been wanting this for a long time, but have just never had the time to pursue it in earnest. And here it is, out of nowhere. Yay!
– Decisions finally made on new flooring for the house, after way too long of dilly-dallying about it. Finally, I won’t have to look at glue-swirled cement for much longer.
– Even in and among the craziness of this past week, I found a few quiet moments to simply relax and enjoy and just be.
Happy Friday, Chickeneers!
.-= Lori Paximadis´s last post … Rocky River Fall Arts Festival =-.
I had a very hard week. My dog died. My sweet life companion, my morning snuggle with the warm fur and warmer heart.
So much sadness.
The good in it was that I held him, and he did not suffer, and I made the right decision at the right time. Eventually knowing this will be my solace, but right now it’s just hard.
.-= Barbara J Carter´s last post … Art in Beverly Hills Oct 16-17- 2010 =-.
Being misunderstood is the worst. That’s nightmare fuel, for me. You have my complete empathy.
Chicken chicken chicken!
Hard:
-Daughter had some bumpy times at school. I wish I could just magically fix everything. Ack. So frustrating, for her and for me.
-Got sandbagged by a profoundly sad and self-flagellant mood yesterday. It did get better, but that was rough.
–Breaking commitments. That is, I’ve been breaking commitments. You know, I think maybe it’d be best if I just stop ever saying, “I’ll take care of it today,” or “It’ll be finished on _________,” because apparently it means nothing and only serves to erode my sense of personal integrity. Then that probably becomes self-perpetuating, I fear. Argh argh argh. This is probably #1 on the hit parade of patterns I most want to change. (Time to re-visit the Dissolve-O-Matic and step up the Shiva dancing!)
Good:
+The Williamsburg trip. Mini-vacation! It was a bit draining at times, but on the whole, a lovely change of pace. This was also the splurgiest thing we’ve done in ages. Two words: hot tub!
+I have been engaging with my dissertation proposal on a daily basis. Even though I still wish for a greater surge of forward motion, this is still progress, and very important, and I am giving myself credit.
+Awesome choral rehearsal this week. Our director’s delighted expression was a joy to behold.
Love and glorious weekend wishes to all!
.-= Kathleen Avins´s last post … Fifteen minutes- dammit =-.
I must also add: hugs for all the hard stuff, and my deepest sympathy to those who have lost loved ones.
.-= Kathleen Avins´s last post … Fifteen minutes- dammit =-.
Serene, comforting warmth for those grieving in the hardness, and cheers for the goodnesses.
So here’s mine.
The Hard:
OMG omg omg the hard is so frantic and demanding and now now now. There’s so much to do. And yes, Urgency Monsters everywhere, screaming that everything is taking SO LONG. I keep complicating things, but the result is so good, so I complicate it more. And then I balanced the checkbook. And then I freaked out. And the anxiety will not let up. And I feel sick sick sick. And… Ok, time to talk to those monsters, maybe?
The Good:
Making progress on the must-do list. I’m really liking the results I’m coming up with, in so many ways. New contacts, new friends. Progress! Yay. More ideas coming into focus. Ok, more good… Where The Wild Things Are. Got the DVD as a gift, and I still love it. Reading the Dave Eggers book, now, too. Good. Play. Good.
And… the spouse cleaned the bathroom. Without being asked. This shook my view of the world so much that it probably also belongs in the hard.
.-= Tori Deaux´s last post … Business Models WTF Is Mine- anyway =-.
I wondered why Bolivia started showing up in my e-mail again.
Hard:
Head and neck pain. So far nothing has really touched it, in terms of OTC help. Being really warm helps. Doing at least an hour of yoga helps, because I get really warm. Now to maintain the heat when I’m not doing yoga. Because I’m not a yoga instructor yet, so doing yoga all the time isn’t really what I can do, as much as I think I’d like that.
Shoes from my husband. Same old shoes, you think they’d be worn out by now. Miscommunications.
Doctor appointment on Wednesday and surgery now scheduled for November 12. Scary.
Good:
New Minnie the guinea pig. She’s so *tiny* and soft and *cute*. She likes to crawl up and hang out on our shoulders. Cute, cute, cute.
My parents’ visit was so fast that there wasn’t really time to fall into the same old patterns. I was able to enjoy them without all the guilt and grr.
Really funky cupcake/muffin liners for Halloween. 😀
I went to see The Girl Who Played with Fire with my friend Sonja. We really enjoyed the movie and were able to spend a little time together before the film. She loved the gift I gave her for her birthday.
Marty got a call back from the job he really wants.. And he interviews October 27.
I got a letter from the creative director at Kreinik Threads. They want me to sign on with their designer program!!!!! Major major squeeing yesterday, for both the letter and the job interview.
.-= Andi´s last post … Imaginary Pie =-.
I can’t even keep track of what day of the week it is. If you say it’s Friday, ok.
The hard:
– Someone stole my duck. At my day job, my officemate and I each had a duck on our desks. One morning they were just gone. What kind of person goes around stealing ducks? This was actually the third time in the 12 years I’ve worked there that someone has stolen something from me. (First someone stole a bag of cough drops, then someone stole my lunch.) This is just one more reason why I really have to get out of there. I don’t want to be in a place where people steal my stuff. Especially my duck.
The good:
+ I’ve had an incredibly productive week in the studio. I got a ton of yarn labeled, more yarn and blanks dyed, and more scarves knitted out of sock yarn from my stash. Having a minion to wind skeins while I do other stuff is fantastic.
.-= Riin´s last post … What I learned at my first fiber show =-.
Just a little note to say that one of the sillier moments this week was when Jay shouted:
The Giants just won! Havi must be so excited!
So yes, you are Patron Saint of Giant Fans in the green-roofed farmhouse.
Another spark of good: we got a bed! That does not sag! Or creak! And when we lifted the old box spring, we realized that it was broken in 5 (!) spots. The frame was completely snapped!
So obviously the box spring went to the dump but the mattress is now in the Guest Room of Sparseness. Making it a slightly less spartan space.
.-= Tara´s last post … The hard and soft of Money =-.
This week I’ve been talking to monsters about my apparently NEVER ENDING writer’s block. Which sucks! That’s the HARD STUFF.
But here’s the GOOD STUFF…
I decided to host a special monster tea party and every time I realize a new monster has shown itself it gets invited to sit down & introduce itself. Then we talk about what it’s doing and why it’s work is so important.
The weirdest part is that, this morning, the ‘Why Bother Monster’ came by and instead of me using logic to try explaining (AGAIN!) why my writing doesn’t have to be so exhausting, I asked everybody to think of new ways that I could have both time & energy to write every week.
And you know what…My monsters are awesome at Brainstorming (er, I mean coming up with crazy, yet extremely helpful ideas)!
So now, instead of agonizing over when I “should” write, I’m going to make dolls to store up all my ideas, read my favorite books to them, & then have tea & crumpets with them every week(literally) so they can tell me all about the great ideas I had this week & I can write it all down.
Hugs offered to everyone who is having hard weeks with loss. and happiness for everyone who is having good weeks!
The hard:
-I let go of 2 ideas this week, that I was pretty excited about working on, but I don’t think they’re a good way to spend my time and energy. (but – yay that I’m actually thinking about these things before I sink tons of time and energy into them) And one of the projects that Matt and I were working on together also got scrapped.
-I didn’t get as much done as I wanted to.
-They did something to our pipes yesterday (the apartment complex managers) and now our water tastes like…bad. really bad. yuuuck.
The good:
-Shiva Nata! I started doing Shiva Nata this week and I’ve done it every morning (and sometimes later in the day too). Granted, in really short bursts because it makes my arms hurt. But still. yay!
-I’m really really happy with how my morning practice/rituals/routine (whatever) looks now. And it makes me feel great, so it’s easy to stick to.
-I had an idea, that I think is a fabulous one. I will have to think about it some more before I decide for sure though.
-I’ve been writing! No more creative block!
-I finished an art project.
-Our roommate has been gone all week which means lots of peace and quiet and reading time for me!
-And I’m supposed to hear back from someone today about a freelancing gig, I hope I get it! I think I have a good chance. *crosses fingers*
This week was really pretty good for me, which is nice since I haven’t had one this good in a while 🙂
.-= Michelle´s last post … How to Make Space in Your Life =-.
Double dipped hugs wrapped in mojo with a chewy sparkle center for everyone who is having such sadness and ick in their lives!
And Miss Havi, when do we get to see photos of the Rallaciousness?
OK. On to the chicken.
Hard:
Too much champagne at my AVL trunk show and not enough hat sales. Lost money, way hungover the next day. Very disappointed in lack of attendance.
Staying at a friends house in AVL that kind of brought me down. Beating my self up for not exercising or yogaing or anything. I want to be there in my own space with my own stuff, damn it!
Brought all the wrong clothes (who knew it would be 75 degrees the whole time? O right me and the Weather Channel, but I didn’t believe it) and wore the same damn outfit just about every day. Fashion fail.
Recovery from a week of sloth and a 13 hour drive on either end.
Good:
Trunk show! Champagne! Asheville! I looked fabulous and had a great time. The next one will be better with more advance notice and advertising.
Asheville! 75 degrees! Salsa’s and downtown and Asheville and autumn leaves and the mountains! Trunk loads of apples! *swoons with rapture*
Met Tara teh Blonde Chicken in person and she is brilliant and hilarious and gave me SO many good ideas about my existing crafty biz (hats) and my new Tiny Sweet Thing vocal coaching business. WOOT!
Listened to Tara and lots of other interweb smarties (Naomi, Sinclair, Johnny B. Truant, Man v. Debt, all the usual suspects) THE WHOLE TIME I drove from WNY to AVL and back. It went like a flash and I am so much smarter now!
It’s lovely to be back in my pink house and pour tea in to my own pink cup, etc. etc. I didn’t even miss the leaf peak here!
Started a countdown to my big February adventure: 100 days to a monthlong nanny gig in Bermuda at a yoga retreat, followed by two sacred sound workshops at the same place! Awwwww yissss.
And the biggest WOOT of all, me and my sweetie are going to rent a cute studio in the country from May to December of next year IN. ASHEVILLE. Well Fairview but that’s even better! I can’t even tell you how happy that makes me!
Kisses all round.
I’m so sorry for the losses. And everyone’s hard. And wow, Friday. Hi.
This week’s hard:
-Sick. Sore. Varying degrees of ow and behind-ness associated with all of this.
-Hot. Why does it have to be hot?
-Nightmares. Not helping with the recovery from the ow.
-Homecoming weekend in a football town.
This week’s good:
-I had my massive every-other-week errand run today, and had there were happy surprises. Milk glass at the thrift store! My very favorite cookies on sale! Etc. Yay. I even managed to stick to my list, which I never do…
-Approaching “done” status for my apartment. So, so close.
-Deciding to collapse this weekend. I think it’s a good choice and I’m happy I made it. Plus, given the football thing, putting in earplugs or music and not getting out of bed tomorrow is probably the sanest possible thing to do!
Hugs for a good weekend for everyone. Happy Friday!
Chickeneers, so sorry to hear about the hard and the losses of loved ones! Sending comfort and warm thoughts.
My hard:
– 3 days at home turned out to be so not what I expected. Went to a wedding Friday night, came back home soooo late, and after a week with lots of work and a cold a long Friday night (with quite a few glasses of wine) was just what I should not have done. Saturday I felt like in a coma, Sunday only vaguely better and at the crack of dawn on Monday I had to leave again.
– Blaming me for having ruined my and our weekend, disappointment.
– Still in the process of finding a good mode for living together apart.
– Achy shoulders.
– Hearing that a friend’s father died.
My good:
– The wedding was fun, lots of nice people.
– I have been sleeping 8-9 hours every night since Monday.
– Discovered a bakery with the best spelt bread I have had in ages.
– Helping someone, connector mouse-like. He was happy, I was happy.
– Found two pairs of jeans, not expensive. I had been down to zero pairs of jeans since last weekend.
– Bought a few little things for my new place and it is beginning to be more and more “me”. And flowers and candles.
How did it get to be Friday, anyway?
The Hard:
– Insomnia + heat = brain death, for most of the week
– My lovely new security doors keep people out better, which wasn’t a problem for me before, but do less for bugs, so I’m less than thrilled
– Feeling heartbroken all week over something that happened in July and keeps affecting my plans and traditions and the whole end of the year and start of next year
– Very stuck on some work for my favorite client and not sure why
– Feeling quite lost when I look at what shape I want my life to have in the future, near and far, especially with regards to work, because my feasibility monsters keep hiding the real wants
– Stuck in the just-enough scarcity loop
– Having the sort of week with flu-ish-ness and lack of sleep and generally feeling not that well that makes me feel small and mortal and ignorant and in poor health, even though I’m probably in the best health I’ve been in years
The Good:
+ Finally letting myself be heartbroken about the dead not-really-a-friendship, and seeing all the ways where it wasn’t really a friendship to me, either
+ Acknowledging my patterns of being hurt in this way
+ Decided that while this year’s theme was “Better” (and in many ways it was better!), next year’s theme is “Plenty”
+ Made Halloween plans with a friend that I’m actually excited about, despite them involving me doing things I normally might not enjoy (horror movie)
+ Walked in the hot hot sun with my lacy black parasol and loved every minute of it; was told by a friend that I was the very picture of a Goth in hot weather, which pleased me greatly
+ Flu-ish-ness subsided well enough to go to Weds game night, and I got to play Cthulhu Munchkin for the first time in ages
+ Found the “Noooooooo!!!” button again, and scared my cat with it
+ Cats have been snuggling despite the insomnia
+ Am mostly committed to NaNoWriMo again this year, if I can find a story I want to tell
.-= Amy Crook´s last post … Creature Cards =-.
Oh my, I’m typing this with fingers that I’ve just covered in (remarkeably rubbish) superglue, so I feels like I’m wearing slightly hard finger tip protectors or something. Let’s hope it peels off!
The hard:
– two of lots of crappy health news, one with you should take this medicine with horrendous side effects, one with you need to come back and get tested again in six months – don’t worry too much! Eugh.
– university panic of potential screw up
– hormones. uterus trying to rip its way out of my body.
The good:
– fun burlesque weekend course – I am so excited for the dancing, the costume!!!
– getting to come home to delicious food and wine and a hot shower
– being able to sit on the beach in October
– OMG thigh high socks. Best. Thing. Ever. More needed, urgently.
– top hat fascinator!!! Yet more squeeing.
.-= Jane´s last post … On the rut =-.
yay for invisible flying shoes!
oo the hard:
for two days i felt so grumpy that apart from everything else the thought of going to Bolivia which normally makes me feel smooshy and yum made me feel like, why would you do that, why would you inflict this life thing on ANYONE ELSE??!
the grumpy came out after a yoga class, and i was patient with it, and slowly it has lifted or dispersed, and i just hope it hasn’t gone back in : ]
mm the good:
studio practice rockin. mmm, i seem to remember mentioning something about it in a vpa and even though my commitment to my commitments has wavered a little, the results are still comin in. lucky!
so now, clean room, clean head, clean start to the weekend, ready for another round. phew.
cheers chickeneers!
@Michelle: I just started this week too! We’re like Shiva Nata twins!
Hard:
-I keep getting interrupted while trying to work on personal stuff! But I’m starting to realize that I set myself up so that personal things can get interrupted and things I do for other people don’t. This is also related to my embarrassment over wanting to do things for myself to begin with. So it’s good, but hard too.
-Laptop just about died.
-I need a new journal. I’m nearly out of pages. It’s so hard to find a journal that I can work with!
Good:
-Being a most magestic shivanaut! Wanting to write a song called “Most Magestic Shivanaut” to the tune of “Modern Major General.”
-Traded in breaking laptop for a better working one.
-Letting go of my constant feeling of being too busy. I’m not busy, I’m just in motion!
-General Tso’s Vegan Chicken tastes very, very like the original.
Kat
.-= Kat´s last post … When not To Play Hooky =-.
Friday again! Dear heaven, okay.
This Friday was SO much better than last Friday.
The hard: not much, actually. Hallelujah!
Just that I’m waiting to hear about A Thing that’s making me nervous, and pleaseandthankyou I’d like to know.
The good:
right now the house smells of comforting childhood dinner. That I made. While my sweetie (of whom I am inordinately proud for going back to college) studied and relaxed. Yay.
and despite the driving rain, the house is cozy. With fire. That I built. Yay.
And I have almost not snacked at all today, which is one of my Secret Goals (secret so the Monsters won’t hear about it and get in the way.)
And I have Shiva-Nata’ed three times this week and now shall return the DVD to its kind owner, but I am thoroughly hooked.
And I convinced another Iguana to nap for the week (newsletter done! Yay!) And got a start on another several. They seem less obstinate this week.
And I did a wedding this week, which was sweet and lovely. And for which I got paid, which I do appreciate.
And there are five people signed up for my workshop on How To Talk To Your Kids About Sex, which means there are probably at least five more lurking and thinking about it. Which is happy for the workshop and also happy for this area, which needs all the help it can get in talking to kids about sex.
@Lori: yes with the shoes! I, too, would like to have Matrix avoidance powers with the shoes.
@Lira: yay for tea parties!
and for everyone with the hard, I’m so sorry. For Havi, I’m sad about the shoe throwing. And about the rest of the hard and stuckitude.
.-= Leela´s last post … the right tools =-.
Oh Friday. And middle of October. I’m trying to remember that this time of year is always extra speedy.
The hard:
– Evening meetings every night that kept me from eating dinner at a normal hour. Grumpiness ensued, as should be expected
– @Leela, I’m also waiting waiting waiting to hear about A Thing, and everyone asking me about it is not helping with patience. Gah!
The good:
– I just got back from a gorgeous hike next to my favorite creek awash in deep red & orange fall colors. I stopped at spots along the way to do Shiva Nata and stare at the water. So so so what I needed today.
– A project I’ve been working on for months is coming to fruition and it’s coming together quite beautifully. It feels good to see all the parts work together so well.
Love to everyone, especially for all the hard and stuck. XO
.-= Dawn´s last post … A Quick September Wrap-Up =-.
Boo to all the hard, yay for the good stuff and progress.
My hard:
* friends in distress
* not getting to things, and major stuckage when I do
* injured left foot and aching wrists
The good:
* surprise contract in the mail, for reprint rights to my “Prayer for Perspective”
* another poem went live, and a third was accepted
* awesome picture books. Just picked up Mem Fox’s The Goblin and the Empty Chair and it’s a keeper.
* not getting sick!
* going to spend tonight cooking for me and my sweetie, and then writing a letter or three.
Best wishes to all.
.-= Mechaieh´s last post … intersections =-.
The Good:
Rediscovering playfulness, ease, optimism. Excitement about our project that will conquer the world and help me live as I want to.
The Bad:
Nothing worth mentioning (yay)
m x
Hugs for all the hard and loss many have had this past week.
My hard:
– got a headcold that started Friday and made the weekend of doctoral classes pretty miserable.
– even further behind due to lack of energy cause by my illness
– having to teach a class for another adjunct sucked up my time in preparation. More time than the actual lecture.
– computer in lab deciding to fail during class
my good:
+ getting software required for lab onto another computed quickly enough to salvage the lab session
+ feeling like I did a reasonable job with my lectures this week despite impaired prep time
+ awesome out of class experiences for my students
+ big progress on research data
+ surviving the week!
*hugs* to all the hard and *congrats* to all the good stuff.
The ugly:
– Got hit by a wave of decidely very unpleasant emotions
The bad:
– Not getting enough sleep. Contributed to the ugly.
The good:
+ Finding a path, a journey of me to grow into. It is liek all the little pieces from the past year swirled together and hit me with a shiva nata type ephipahny saying “THIS”
+ Painting with gouache. My soul-paint
+ Spring! In all its crazy weather of sunny bursts sprinkled with sudden chilled gales
+ Rice milk chocolate
.-= Erin´s last post … Vintage ice-cream sign 60s Found on a side of a boarded-up =-.
I loved your Bolivia post. It’s how I found you! <3
The hard:
I know there was something, but I'm drawing a blank. A whole week is a large amount of time to remember.
Ok. Couldn't go to a conference I wanted to go to because I didn't get a bunch of other important stuff done first.
The good:
Adopted a bunch of houseplants which I'm determined to keep alive.
Feeling more optimistic about tackling some projects thanks to stuff I've read in your blog. =)
.-= Laura´s last post … Welcome! =-.
Just wanted to say I <3 grilled cheese sandwiches too!
.-= Steven´s last post … Practice Interconnectedness Through Empathy =-.
giant comforting hugs to all the commenters with loss of loved ones. what a week.
tgis! – unless havi posts chicken at 6am, i’m probably going to be a saturday chickeneer. where do my fridays go?
the hard:
*co-worker who thought she was pregnant isn’t. we both cried.
*reading scott simon’s adoption book – baby, we’re meant for each other – sobbing through the first 40 pages.
*calf muscle acting up again. aching pain = boo.
the good:
*easy, breezy brief mom visit.
*new old97s record came out this week and totally rocks
*awesome feedback on featured teacher interviews
*taught yoga nap – could it be any sweeter witnessing people rest?
*received blog feedback from trusted sources that made my heart sing.
*started a blog “club”/editorial board with 2 other local bloggers. already filled with ideas. so excited to be making connections.
*students ROCKED their math benchmark test. applause all around.
*2.5 hour massage
i’d definitely say the good kicked ass over evil for me this week.
thank you chicken!
.-= Tami´s last post … Saturday Senses =-.
The hard:
I’m on a writing retreat and was just told that the place I was happily writing away on my computer was not a place that one could have a computer. On a *writing* retreat. How about don’t hold writing retreats at a place where vital implements of writing are not allowed in the living room with the wood stove.
What about ball point pens?? Are those allowed or just quill. And it’s not like it’s a silent area, there are people talking, and a man with a walker that scrapes the ground.
And the place I could have a computer had people talking and a fly. So now I’m in my cold room because I don’t know how to use the heat and my groove was disturbed and I now hate everyone and everything here.
The food is weird. The people are weird. I can’t pee when other people are in the bathroom and I am envisioning leaving and going somewhere where I can use my computer where I want.
The good: I’m on a writing retreat. And I have a coffee maker in my room.
@Barbara – ohmygod I am so sorry to hear about your sweet dog. How incredibly hard. So much love and comfort to you, my dear.
@seagirl – how completely frustrating and annoying for you. A writing retreat! That doesn’t let you write in a comfortable setting! Wishing ease and hoping that everything gets better soon.
@everyone – hugs for all the hard and so much joy and love for the good. This really truly is my favourite part of the week.
This week has been kind of overwhelming, hence the Saturday Chicken.
The good:
I went swimming at Semuc Champey, after a lovely 45 minute climb through a mountainous crop of corn and jungle.
Caving at Lanquin.
Visiting, hiking and temple climbing at Tikal.
Making the effort and actually meeting other wonderful travelers.
The hard:
Ouch, my thighs. From all the climbing. Ouch.
Taxes and my disorganization came to a head this week too. Oof.
.-= Kathryn´s last post … How My Mother’s Cat and I Process Reality =-.
The Bolivia entry was promoted at a childfree forum I belong to and was my introduction to this wonderful site 😀
@ Mechaieh – thanks for the Mem Fox recommendation! Had never heard of her before.
In case anyone else is interested – there’s a page on Mem Fox’s web site where she reads that same beautiful book aloud:
http://www.memfox.com/the-goblin-and-the-empty-chair.html
(the video also includes some of the illustrations from the book.)
.-= Jennifer´s last post … Big Bi Fun Day retrospective =-.
Shoe throwing? About the Bolivia post? I do not get the point. Meeesunderstandings are very depleting. I hope the dust has settled.
The Hard
* 2nd virulent flu-like cold thing in a month. Exhausted, weak, apparently being the repository of All The Snot In The World
* Discovering an elderly relative-in-law was dying. Then dead. Worrying about how in-laws are coping
* Stressed out Spouse freaking out about whether he would be made permanent at his new job, or be thrown out on his ear resulting in us defaulting on our mortgage, becoming homeless, losing everything, and dying of starvation in the streets a la Dickens
* Hormones showing up unexpectedly, not to mention unexpectedly IN BOLD, leaving me unable to eat or move all morning
The Good
* Elderly in-law died in her sleep, with no pain. Also, Spouse reported getting a definite strong whiff of her perfume, “like she’s saying goodbye”, which was very comforting
* I now speak like someone with a really sore throat, instead of like an ancient and beloved dog’s chew toy (progress!)
* The opportunity to listen to my body without judging it helped me understand that things I tell other people to help them actually apply to me
* The application of these things got me upright and able to function, and made me far more cheerful and gentle with myself
* Spouse was – as I knew he would be – taken on as permanent staff. He has gone on to stress about other things, bless him
* I now have tissues with “ultra balm”!
Much good wishes for persons with Hard, and glee for those with Good 🙂
@Barbara, I am so sorry to hear about your dog. Sending a huge dose of love and care.
Sending love to everyone, especially for all the hard, and cheers for all the good.
I am apparently feeling too lazy to chicken myself. 🙂
.-= Elizabeth´s last post … ode to joy- volume 41 =-.
Chicken on Saturday
Because Friday was sleep with the monsters day and I
was forced again my willdidn’t want to miss it.The Hard –
Monsters got wind of my “conditions of satisfaction” shared by Molly Gordon and decided to hold a major muck-it-up party in my head. They did not choose to talk, just party with my energy, sapping it dry.
Realizing that I had been inviting a certain set of shoes from a certain set of the family. OyVey.
Not “seeing accurately” which meant having the magically appearing investment funds for the really awesome idea, be eaten by something else, that I thought was taken care of already.
The Good –
“Conditions of satisfaction” are really adding to the bank balance of esteem and confidence. And I actually was able to take the first of many long winters (fall) naps starting this week, which hahaha met a condition of satisfaction.
Naps (even if the monster’s are calling it a party)
Mastermind group helping me to see accurately that the thing I thought I didn’t have, I had all along.
Warm and snuggly doggies
Fiverr
Magically appearing investment funds for the really awesome idea – now I know there is magic, aka (or VPA’a, commitments and clarity)
My condolences to those suffering loss this week.
.-= LaShae Dorsey´s last post … It’s not you it’s the flow =-.
@Jennifer – LOVE the Mem Fox video. Thank you so much for pointing me to it!
.-= Mechaieh´s last post … intersections =-.
Your Bolivia post is loved by all of the friends, both enbabied, and non-enbabied, that I have shared it with. It is a truly wonderful and insightful piece of writing.
(You know this, but I wanted to reiterate it.)
.-= Helen´s last post … Strange Patterns and Rabid Insecurity Raccoons =-.