Last week I took a hiatus from blogging...unintentionally.
Every year for as long as I can remember, as soon as the seasons change, I end up sick. And this year was no exception. :( So last week I spent my miserable time just trying to shuffle through the days while mucus clogged my lungs and poured out of my nose. Now isn't that a lovely image?!?
Worry not...I'm finally now feeling better.
And with any luck, by then end of the day there might even be something worth reading posted up here.
01 April, 2009
13 March, 2009
...back away from the magnified mirror...
Among other things I struggle with on a daily basis is the big one...self confidence, or in my case an extreme lack of it. The only time I really remember loving myself full on was right after I had my son...looking down at that perfect being and knowing it came of me...wow...
One of my efforts to combat my recognizably-untrue vision of myself is posting to ST in Threadstyle. Isn't it funny that when we look at pictures of others we automatically take in the whole, but when we see one of ourself we view it in bits and pieces?
The other day I was reading on fellow blogger Chiara's Forever Out Of Place and followed her advice to read more of Already Pretty. What a refreshing read...a woman, speaking honestly, about the quirky ways in which women see themselves. Check out some of her postings on body image and try, as I am, to embrace the wisdom in them.
And then yesterday my dear friend Jen, who in my book is the Queen of Confidence, sent on a bit of wisdom she had found:
“There comes a time when you have to stand up and shout:
This is me damn it! I look the way I look, think the way I think, feel the way I feel, love the way I love! I am a whole complex package. Take me... or leave me. Accept me - or walk away! Do not try to make me feel like less of a person, just because I don't fit your idea of who I should be and don't try to change me to fit your mold. If I need to change, I alone will make that decision.
When you are strong enough to love yourself 100%, good and bad - you will be amazed at the opportunities that life presents you." (Copyright © 2000 Stacey Charter)
So what's my take of the day?
...we (insert I) are so concerned with how others see us that we can't see what others see in us...
I'm so focused on what I see as flaws...the size of my nose and mouth, the colour of my skin, the size of my bustline...that I am incapable of seeing the whole. What a surprise it is then to catch out of the corner of my eye a reflection in the windows as I stroll down the street and compliment the elegant graceful image...only to realize...that's me.
And while that sounds like a positive step forward, I know I've a long ways to go.
Meanwhile:
Does this Halloween Fairy Princess Mask make my nose look big?!?
One of my efforts to combat my recognizably-untrue vision of myself is posting to ST in Threadstyle. Isn't it funny that when we look at pictures of others we automatically take in the whole, but when we see one of ourself we view it in bits and pieces?
The other day I was reading on fellow blogger Chiara's Forever Out Of Place and followed her advice to read more of Already Pretty. What a refreshing read...a woman, speaking honestly, about the quirky ways in which women see themselves. Check out some of her postings on body image and try, as I am, to embrace the wisdom in them.
And then yesterday my dear friend Jen, who in my book is the Queen of Confidence, sent on a bit of wisdom she had found:
“There comes a time when you have to stand up and shout:
This is me damn it! I look the way I look, think the way I think, feel the way I feel, love the way I love! I am a whole complex package. Take me... or leave me. Accept me - or walk away! Do not try to make me feel like less of a person, just because I don't fit your idea of who I should be and don't try to change me to fit your mold. If I need to change, I alone will make that decision.
When you are strong enough to love yourself 100%, good and bad - you will be amazed at the opportunities that life presents you." (Copyright © 2000 Stacey Charter)
So what's my take of the day?
...we (insert I) are so concerned with how others see us that we can't see what others see in us...
I'm so focused on what I see as flaws...the size of my nose and mouth, the colour of my skin, the size of my bustline...that I am incapable of seeing the whole. What a surprise it is then to catch out of the corner of my eye a reflection in the windows as I stroll down the street and compliment the elegant graceful image...only to realize...that's me.
And while that sounds like a positive step forward, I know I've a long ways to go.
Meanwhile:
Does this Halloween Fairy Princess Mask make my nose look big?!?
11 March, 2009
...nothin' but grey skies...
We all know there is something quite dismal in waking up to a rainy day. We crave that added jumpstart of sunlight in the morning...and when it's not there, no amount of caffeine will suffice.
After a gorgeous, mild weekend here, the past few days have been depressingly gray and drippy. I've had to really stretch my rainy-day-activity assortment, and I'm the first to admit, there isn't much left. After being cooped up all winter, we need the reprieve of warm sunny days.
Homeschooling has been an adventure. I've spent most of my son's life bouncing back and forth between being Mami one moment and being the special-needs therapy provider the next. Which was already a struggle...but well worth it. This year I got to add into the mix teacher, and boy, do I feel thinned out. I think it's hard to in one moment step back and assess without emotion, and the very next jump back into emotional loving mother mode. And then there's the frustration level...nope, not mine...the mister man's. Part of his makeup is that he gets easily frustrated...both with tasks and people. So here I am, trying to get in the lesson for the day, and the next thing I know my child has dissolved into a puddle of tears. :(
Homeschooling is easier for me when we have the outdoors to add into the lesson. We can take our education to the road...or rather, the woody path or sidewalk and observe 'real-life' examples. Last summer our daily walks took longer than ever when the mister man came around to the concept of street signs having familiar letters on them. How many people must have passed us in their cars wondering why we were sitting on the sidewalk staring up at the street sign?!?
So today...I'm working within my parameters and using the rainy day for all its worth: we're going to go sit outside with our measuring cups and hide under umbrellas while they fill up with rainwater. How better to prove that you can fit 3 1/3cups into 1 cup?!?
After a gorgeous, mild weekend here, the past few days have been depressingly gray and drippy. I've had to really stretch my rainy-day-activity assortment, and I'm the first to admit, there isn't much left. After being cooped up all winter, we need the reprieve of warm sunny days.
Homeschooling has been an adventure. I've spent most of my son's life bouncing back and forth between being Mami one moment and being the special-needs therapy provider the next. Which was already a struggle...but well worth it. This year I got to add into the mix teacher, and boy, do I feel thinned out. I think it's hard to in one moment step back and assess without emotion, and the very next jump back into emotional loving mother mode. And then there's the frustration level...nope, not mine...the mister man's. Part of his makeup is that he gets easily frustrated...both with tasks and people. So here I am, trying to get in the lesson for the day, and the next thing I know my child has dissolved into a puddle of tears. :(
Homeschooling is easier for me when we have the outdoors to add into the lesson. We can take our education to the road...or rather, the woody path or sidewalk and observe 'real-life' examples. Last summer our daily walks took longer than ever when the mister man came around to the concept of street signs having familiar letters on them. How many people must have passed us in their cars wondering why we were sitting on the sidewalk staring up at the street sign?!?
So today...I'm working within my parameters and using the rainy day for all its worth: we're going to go sit outside with our measuring cups and hide under umbrellas while they fill up with rainwater. How better to prove that you can fit 3 1/3cups into 1 cup?!?
05 March, 2009
...blog-er-itis...
A few other blogs I check in on seem to have addressed the problem I'm facing by making it a Lenten requirement to post daily. While I know I could very well do the same, I'm quite certain I'd run out of interesting thoughts 7 days in and you the reader would be stuck with pictures of cats and ramblings about snow. So rather than give in to peer pressure, I'm once again mentally tying a ribbon round my finger to remind me to get on here more often.
At least I'm *trying* to be diligent in not boring you to tears, right? How well that's working is another matter...seeing as no one has been commenting lately.
I think this last blast of snow has frozen any creative part of my brain...even my crafts sit idly by, waiting for the thaw out. And all I really want to do is crawl back into bed, throw the covers over my head, and hunker down with the mister man until spring sunshine bursts in!
At least I'm *trying* to be diligent in not boring you to tears, right? How well that's working is another matter...seeing as no one has been commenting lately.
I think this last blast of snow has frozen any creative part of my brain...even my crafts sit idly by, waiting for the thaw out. And all I really want to do is crawl back into bed, throw the covers over my head, and hunker down with the mister man until spring sunshine bursts in!
04 February, 2009
...Mami why's...
Mister Man: "If I get a spider on me, what would happen?"
Mami: "Well, it could bite you and that would hurt."
Mister Man: "If it bit me, I would get amazing powers."
Mami: "Oh, you mean a spider like the one that bit Spiderman? Those spiders were pretend, honey. That won't really happen."
Mister Man: "Well, then...what would I turn into if the cat bites me?"
All this before coffee? Good morning to you, too!
Mami: "Well, it could bite you and that would hurt."
Mister Man: "If it bit me, I would get amazing powers."
Mami: "Oh, you mean a spider like the one that bit Spiderman? Those spiders were pretend, honey. That won't really happen."
Mister Man: "Well, then...what would I turn into if the cat bites me?"
All this before coffee? Good morning to you, too!
22 January, 2009
...you can run, but you can't hide...
The above: that's not mine.
The first years I lived in Ohio were spent in Campus Area/Columbus. Where the focus of every living breathing moment is, apparently, all football...all the time. Needless to say I did not adjust well to early morning inquiries about the game last night...especially when these were asked of me as I walked into church on Sunday!!! And I adjusted less well to being told, at the bar where my then-husband worked...that I should definitely hook up with self-aggrandizing beefcake* blocking my way because...he's Mr. Football. Like, totally, man...let me hop right on that.
UGH!
When my son was born at a healthy, happy, hefty weight...every person who came within breathing distance felt the need to inform me of their psychic connection to his future as a Buckeye. Cause ya know, that's what every Mami wants...a linebacker baby.
Double UGH!
Fast forward through multiple years and growing annoyance to finally getting the heck out of Dodge...whoops...I mean Buckeye-land... Any you'll find us here, with a whole massive pensi-sized state in between us and the dreaded pigskin-itis.
Oh, and there goes the mister man...running past with Transformer clutched tightly to his chest...wearing, you got it...an Ohio State hoodie. And I lift up my Ohio State mug of coffee, take a deep gulp...and sigh...
P.s.-the mug was unearthed in the dust-ridden caverns of the 'Man of the Hour's kitchen cabinets.
P.p.s.-the hoodie was a thrift store find the week after we moved.
Can I put a P.p.p.s. on a P.p.s. following a P.s. to note that I WILL take a picture of the mister man sporting team pride later and post it?
---
*: 'beefcake'-a term used here solely to designate the footballer's skull being full of useless mash, but generally used by lil'sis Raquel as her nickname for the Man of the Hour. Enjoy the clarity!
13 January, 2009
..let time gone be a bygone...
Can it really be so long that I have neglected this blog? Yes indeed, I know full it can...
For several months now we have lived something of a transitory life and until now I was without a home internet connection. Mind you, I could have taken the extra time to log in and update from someone else's computer...but honestly, I prefer blogging in my own space and time.
Last night we set up my home computer with a wireless connection...so fingers kept crossed...I ought to be able to maintain some semblance of regular updating! At some point in the next few days I hope to get some back-dates up and running and add a whole slew of photos from the past few months.
For several months now we have lived something of a transitory life and until now I was without a home internet connection. Mind you, I could have taken the extra time to log in and update from someone else's computer...but honestly, I prefer blogging in my own space and time.
Last night we set up my home computer with a wireless connection...so fingers kept crossed...I ought to be able to maintain some semblance of regular updating! At some point in the next few days I hope to get some back-dates up and running and add a whole slew of photos from the past few months.
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