The Great Divide

I voted for Obama.  Not this year, but when he ran for President.  I voted for him both terms.  I admit I liked McCain better in 2008.  I was torn. But when McCain picked Sarah Palin I was out. That was the first election where I realized, or at east believed, that it’s not the Presidential nominee that picks the VP.  Even Trump said he didn’t pick Vance, and there’s no way, NO WAY, Obama picked Hilary (for Secretary of State) by choice, but maybe he picked Biden. It’s hard to know. I know Obama and Hilary hate each other. At least that’s the word on the street. Such is the way of politics and things that make you go hmmm… But, why don’t they get to pick their own running mate?  Who is doing this picking?  Why don’t “we” get to pick the running mate?  Like with McCain shouldn’t there have been a vote by the people as to who to pick for his VP?  Well, I digress.  But this is what I came to learn about Presidents and us back in 2008.  We, the people, do not agree on what we believe to be important in this country. I mean we really don’t agree.

Although, Obama was not my first choice, I did not hate him.  I got caught up in the enthusiasm of the country, of the world actually.  He exuded intelligence, hope and promise and love and his speeches were fantastic.  His impeccable values in the forefront, a family of intelligent, compassionate human beings.  How could you not be caught up in the Hope that was Obama?  Imagine my surprise when I learned that not everyone was caught up in this hope. Seriously, I was shocked when I had dinner with a friend after the 2008 election, and she was despondent.  She was sure there was no hope for her children’s future.  She believed that Obama was going to ruin America. Her boys would have to move to China to get ahead in the world.  I was stunned.  I told her, “there’s more to life than money.” But not to her. She was laser focused on money and what she believed his Presidency would mean.  Another time I had lunch with a teacher from the college where I worked at the time.  She was (and still is) from France. (you PPU people know exactly who I mean). She was in dire straights because Obama was just like Hitler.   She was incredulous that I couldn’t see the signs.  I think I spit up through my nose.  Obama is like Hitler?  No, I don’t see those signs.  She claimed she lived through the Hitler regime (not quite) and she knew the signs and Obama was going to send everyone into concentration camps. 

As the years went on I found out a family member hated Obama. The rest of us were like, wait “what?” One of us hates Obama?  This family member was the first person I knew of, who I thought was sane, hated Obama.  I was shocked.  It is something the rest of us had to reconcile in our family.  How to stay a family and not let these personal values, that are so opposite, affect our relationship.  We have never ever spoken about it, to her anyway.

I then became more aware of Fox News and it’s role in this new family divide. I never paid attention to Fox News because in my opinion nobody watches that.  Real people don’t watch Fox News do they?” WE don’t watch Fox News.  But someone in my family is watching Fox News? What?  I was convinced this was a phase and this family member must be hanging out with some new friend.  The world has been making fun of Fox News for ages. No one really believes what they report, do they?  Even Fox News admits they are not news.  They are entertainment. https://niemanreports.org/articles/fox-dominion-lawsuit/

https://www.npr.org/2023/02/28/1159819849/fox-news-dominion-voting-rupert-murdoch-2020-election-fraud

This great divide has only become more prominent since the Obama years. Fox News has become more, well I don’t know more of what, grossly negligent?.  I mean it’s always been false advertising, but people now, blatantly, just don’t care.  They want to hear something that the rest of the world, literally the world, does not agree with so they watch the one channel that gives them what they want, whether or not it’s true doesn’t matter.  And what “they” want is not what “I” or at least what about 69 million people want.  We have roughly 258 million adults (last count) in the US and out of that approximately 142 million people voted.  So 106 million people didn’t vote.  Who knows where they stand on the issues.  Apparently they don’t think it makes any difference who is in office.  I am hoping they are right.

But honestly, in my opinion, it’s no longer about issues. Something happened during those Obama years.  Something divided us.  Something turned regular people into haters against a man with impeccable values. It was a phenomenon then. What and who these haters turned to as their beacon of hope is even more of a phenomenon now.  They have taken this man who admits to, and displays vulgarity, hatred and falsities and have made him their star.  I mean it’s comical except it’s unbelievably not.

Well, bottom line, Obama did not send us to concentration camps.  My friends’ kids did not move to China and are thriving in business right here in Pennsylvania.  My life has changed a lot over the years. None of it has anything to do with who the President is.  Or does it?  Something, some weird mindset, is dividing us by our values and it’s undeniably unexplainable.  Most of us don’t talk about it with each other. At least for me, as proven in this blog, it is harder to stay neutral.  I have not blogged for months because I have wanted to stay neutral, but not now.  I don’t want anyone, ever, ever, thinking that I support this man or his ideals.  Ever.  EVER.  But, I am the first to say I am looking forward to the day when those who voted for Trump can say “see, I told you so”.  That is my dream.  I have never wanted to be so wrong about anything or anyone in my life.  I hope my resolve and belief that this too shall pass proves true. As Zachary says “ I think we’re going to be fine.”  Said with trepidation, but with hope.

We are going to get through these 4 years, or we are not.  Nobody really knows what’s going to happen.  We, the butter up side people, are predicting death, doom and destruction.  The butter side down are predicting rainbows and unicorns and money growing on trees. They believe that Trump alone will fix the evils of “their” world.  We, some of us, believed Obama was going to be the savior of the world. Obama didn’t “save” us, and my prediction is Trump isn’t going to save us either. But that is only my prediction.  We are all just guessing. Neither side knows what’s going to happen. We can only make “educated” guesses. 

I’ll just leave it there.

xoxo

Like
Like Love Haha Wow Sad Angry
1

Embracing the In-between Time: My Spiritual Journey of Self-Discovery and Work

When you write at the end of a day, but its actually after midnight, technically the next day, what day is it to you? It’s Thursday night in my book.  Friday is tomorrow.  It’s in-between time.  Maybe that’s the title of this blog then, the in-between time (AI improved the title to what it shows).  My son Jimmy is marrying Emily next week.  They are beginning their “official” time together.  I’m in-between an ending, many endings, and a beginning.  I’m measuring my time by the success of, well, by my measure of success. So not sure where that puts me on the scale of time. Like when I achieve success, have I reached the end? And my measurement of success depends on what my focus is at any given time.  My focus, right now, is on retirement and the meaning of retirement, what it means to me.

Retirement, like raising a family, in my opinion is a process; a hopefully long haul.  With any luck, retirement lasts about 30 years. Jimmy (the one getting married next week) is 33 years old.  I raised Jimmy.  I have been through a lot in those 33 years.  Therefore, it compares a 30-year retirement is another lifetime waiting to unfold.  Another Jimmy life left for me to live. My older son is 41.  I know I don’t have 41 years left in me.  I also could only have a day, a week, a month, or a year left in me, anything can happen.  But that is also true at any time in our lives.  So for now, I am planning the rest of my life on the expectation that I have a lot of life yet to live.

Sadly, I am still measuring my level of success in terms of monetary comforts.  Although my comforts have changed, it is still depressing on a spiritual level, that I continue to measure my level of success on what is in my bank account. While it is depressing, it is also a fact of life on Earth, and until I reach that level of not having to worry about paying rent or buying food, I will, unfortunately, continue to measure my success in this way.  I’m not proud of this, but at the same time this motivation does give me some momentum, some impetus to keep going, a reason to try and achieve something.  A reason to live.

But shouldn’t this be a time for spiritual awareness?  Spiritual achievements?  When the career and parenting issues step aside and we go deeper into the meaning of our existence? Although I am working, and I will always be a parent, my focus on both have evolved into new ways of being.  I no longer care about a “career” in an office – I am just working, well for the money, but also because I can. Think about that!  All our lives we can’t wait to quit working, but I find myself being proud of the fact that I can still work.  I’m not as great and on top of things as I once was, but I can sure hold my own.  I am proud of that. And believe me, I don’t want to advance! Once I start getting more and more responsibility I will call that temp service and BEG for a receptionist job.

Parenting, at this level in life, takes on a whole new meaning.  I look forward to the days when I’m asked to dinner or to dog sit, but I also appreciate that they have their own lives to live and well now mom is just a nice person to visit with.

So these two areas of my life, although still part of me, also no longer define me.  And that’s where I’m at. I’m not sure what defines me, so this should be my spiritual exploration time, shouldn’t it? But since I’m still doing some work outside of this apartment, I am going to have to try and incorporate working and discovering my new meaning of life, blending a deeper spiritual value, while balancing a spreadsheet, knowing full well when I get that call to dog sit everything else, and I mean EVERYTHING else takes a back seat.  Grandpups come first!

I would like to eventually join my co-retirees in pursuits of travel and am starting to long for those days, but until I am able to join them I will consider these days as ones of self-discovery, answering the bigger questions of “why are we here?” “why am I here?” And does it have anything to do with typing, spreadsheets or answering phones?

Xoxox

Namaste

Like
Like Love Haha Wow Sad Angry
602

Memories to make

I was just now looking at Facebook and seeing a post from Sunset Beach, a small area where I lived one summer, for 3 months only.  Only 3 months.  That’s it. But what an impression and lasting memory those three months have meant to me. My sister and I went to an open house this weekend to see the first house I lived in (Westholme Drive). Built in 1958 we were the first people to live there. We moved from there in 1967 into our next house on Campmeeting Road!  57 years ago. Talk about memories.  The people that bought the Westholme Drive house from us have lived there all this time.  They died last year so it’s the kids that are selling it.  Kids, you know, in their 60’s, like me.  But anyway, they didn’t change anything!  Even the original aluminum windows are still there with the marble window sills.  The kitchen cabinets were the same, and in great condition!  No dishwasher even.  Our bedrooms and closet doors, same same. Might have been a couple bathroom updates but we think the tub, sink and medicine cabinet were all the same.  The basement had the same tile floor and paneled walls.  And everything is in great condition. My sister spotted a rock that my mom would have brought up from Virginia that was in one of the flower beds.  Of course we wanted to buy it, but neither of us have $425,000 for a house with no dishwasher.  Okay, neither of us has $425,000 for a house with a dishwasher. 

When my childhood friends Ellen and Jennifer were here a few weeks ago, we did the childhood loop of our houses remembering all the times we were at each other’s houses.  But the house I’m referring to with these girls was the next house we lived in, the Campmeeting road house.  The Campmeeting Road house looks NOTHING like when we lived there.  Nothing like it. So the first house exactly the same, the second nothing!

I don’t know what any of this means, but it has come to my attention that I have not been blogging.  When I mentioned the other day, when asked about it, that I had nothing to say, I also said “when did that ever stop me” – realizing that in the past I would just sit at the computer and see what came out of my head onto the page.  And that’s how this started today.

I’ve lived in a lot of places. Too many. I am jealous of people that live in one house all their lives.  Barb recently told me that we are supposed to be planning our next life now, at the end of this life, although I feel like I still have a lot of life to live, but there are definitely things I will do differently next time.  I have to admit I have been saying to myself “next life,,,this…” but now, since talking to Barb, I’ve written it down.

I want to be a girl again and meet my husband in 2nd grade and be settled on that.  And since that will be settled I will focus on school work and not boys next time. I want to have all my same childhood friends.  I want to be an architect.  I want to meet all my same college friends in college again, the whole lot of them, all of 4th floor Scranton Hall.  And we will all be friends with our husbands and kids and go on vacations together, like those TV show friends of couples that hang out together.  And finish college, and marry my 2nd grade boyfriend, and live in a house that we will live in for all of our adult lives with our children who will come home to visit at the same home they grew up in. I will never move, never divorce, never even think about it.  And we will live in Europe.  France maybe.  Mountains AND beach.  Maybe I’ll like skiing next time. And I will speak several languages, because I will have grown up on the boarder of various countries. French, German, English, Spanish.   I told my sister this and that I wanted to have the same siblings, although if having my same parents they would have to agree to some serious therapy before agreeing to be parents again.  But my sister said no way.  She wants a break from us and our parents.  LOL.  I guess she had enough of my mother and us and needs a life off, or two.  Whatever. She’ll change her mind in the “inbetween” life and beg us to come back into the fold.  I just think it’s the oldest child syndrome.  They hate anyone that comes after them.  They hate sharing. She can come back the baby next time.

I think it’s fun to think about this stuff, but not sure how healthy it is to be planning something next and not taking full advantage of what life I have left to live.  Knowing that I have lived so much so far, I mean in countless number of homes and places, and even 3 months at the beach can have such an impression on my life, on the whole of my life, and even one day can be significant.  I remember a lot of “days” or moments of the day anyway, so each moment could be significant.  When I walk up and down these city streets, when I’m not cursing our mayor and state of affairs, I am remembering all the places I’ve worked, all the friends I’ve made at various jobs, friends I’ve met at the various bars and restaurants that are no longer there, all the stores I shopped in, that are no longer there, and the way things used to be.  I am grateful for those memories because the city now is a shit hole but I know that it wasn’t always like this. Not to be cheeky but there is a lot of talk about “people that look like me” – you hear it – and I will say there is NOONE in this town that looks like me.  And I’m not talking color, I’m talking working people.  I see very very few people that look like they are coming or going to work, in an office.  And when I do they are not my age.  Although once in awhile I will see someone my age.  Typically we smile at each other because we know we are an anomaly.  In the old days you’d recognize people who lived here too.  But I don’t even see that.  It is so sad to me.  Talk about crying.  But on other days, when they are setting up for an event, like this weekend, when there is so much activity getting ready for Picklesburgh, and it’s going on right outside my building, I feel pretty jazzed and kinda cool that I live here and the excitement and energy level is pumped and then I get pumped too.  But other than an event, the energy level is horrible. It’s sad and it’s past time to move.

I’m working three days a week now at my little law firm.  I know, I know, I said never would I work three days but I don’t mind.  It keeps my mind off of myself and it’s a couple bucks and I always knew I’d have to work into retirement.  It’s a lot better for me than I ever thought I would say.  Our office is moving to Mt. Lebanon in a couple months.  Which won’t be as convenient as walking four blocks, but at least I won’t have to worry about getting shot on my way to or from work.  At least I don’t think I will.  I guess that can happen anywhere.  I plan on breaking my lease then and getting the hell out of dodge after my company moves. I signed another year’s lease here but I just don’t think I can do it, especially after the firm moves. And I have too many memories to make to stay in a place that makes me sad.  I love my apartment but outside of it, well, its not getting any better. 

Mt. Lebanon here I come!!

xoxoxo

Like
Like Love Haha Wow Sad Angry
52

Thank you Diane

So, mom died. I attribute (blame) her last months here on Earth for my lack of writing.  I kinda attribute a lot of these past “lost” years to her.  Not in a “bad” way, it was just the way I coped, which to be honest was not a great example.  I moved back to Pittsburgh 6 years ago.  First of all, I was living in Daytona Beach and did not have a job.  I had a temporary job but I was in between jobs after the dreaded Stetson experience. And I was offered a job in Pittsburgh, back home.  Although I didn’t really want to move back to Pittsburgh, I did need a job, and this was a really good job offer.  And of course my kids are here.  Grown up, and used to not having me around, but still they were here.  Not to mention countless friends (those same ones I deserted when I moved to Finally Florida).  Anyway, but what was the final justification that gave me the strength to leave my Finally Florida dream?  I had to help with mom.  It wasn’t fair to my sister to bear the brunt of all of that so I should move back and help. Plus I loved my mom. And move I did.

I think there are levels of debate as to how much others may have thought I helped.  I joked with someone recently that it will be etched on my gravestone “you only came once a week” – which is a rather sore spot, but I digress.  The real impetus of my whole existence these past 6 years, while we watched and waited for mom to die, was, well, watching and waiting for her to die. Being on edge, waiting and wondering.  Every day there was some sort of guilt.  Was I there enough?  Was I there too much? Am I helping?  Am I intruding?  Am I over doing it?  Am I underdoing it? There was a whole lot of resentment.  Was I getting anything out of this?  Was I getting any money?  LOL.  She gave me plenty of money, I’m not complaining.  Really she’s my mom and I didn’t mind, mostly, helping.  But there was just so much more to it.  It’s so much more emotional than just being there physically. 

I noticed these past few months I just kinda stopped. I did not stop Jar painting, I probably picked that up even more out of nervousness, but I am now wondering, on some level, did I know it was about to end ?  I mean we always sort of joked about her ending, joked with her, and she was always cognizant enough to joke about it, and also to want it to happen, fast!  But she was basically healthy.  Other than losing her sight, which could have been avoided we all believe, her vitals were always strong. Good heart, slightly elevated blood pressure but never that high.  Clean living until the end. She had an “alert” end of her life that she could communicate, good and bad, with us. Her frustrations, her fears, her anger.  Lots of anger and frustrations there at the end.  And you know as a daughter, as this daughter, one (me) can take a lot of that to heart.  Not that she was angry at me, but just the fact that you have to witness that and figure out how to process it, and how to support it.  I mean it’s A LOT.  And I feel I have put my life on hold ever since I moved back to Pittsburgh, my life, my thoughts, my feelings and actions (or non actions) have all been based around my mom. 

Why was this a mistake?  Because now I feel pretty lost. I don’t feel lost without my mom, I feel lost that I didn’t pursue my interests more.  I didn’t forge those broken ties with my kids more.  Although I have been working on that.  I mean I have been back here 6 years and still don’t know where I want to settle.  When I first moved back I thought I had to be in Sewickley, near my mom and then in a knee jerk decision ended up in Mt. Washington.   Like where did that come from?  Then I bought a house, a goal of mine since 2010 when I sold my other house.  Then that fell through and I end up in an apartment in the city!  Like where did THAT come from?  Now my kids are in Bethel Park (south, but still a suburb of the city) and another in San Francisco.  Neither near Sewickley.  I can’t afford Sewickley.  I mean do I go to the south suburb where my one son, who I rarely see, lives?  I mean I don’t even know where to live.  I have been waiting and watching and wondering when my mom would die before deciding where to settle.

Ever since Finally Florida, ever since I left Florida and moved in with mom in Virginia, and then back to Florida and then back to Pittsburgh I have been struggling to find myself.  And then in the midst of all this I retire!!  Which I swear has been the greatest feeling (other than the birth of at least that first child.  I mean the second was great too, but that first is like “wow, this came out of me” – there is nothing so wonderous as that realization.  You created this human being!  The second one is like, oh yea, I did this before 😊 ) Anyway, so here I am.  After retirement I thought “NOW, I will find myself” – I thought now that I can do whatever I want (but obviously still need to survive financially) I felt freer to try things.  And try things I did, but always with that tie to mom.  Not to mention the support and encouragement from mom.  Which I got, but historically did not come easily.  However, this late in life she became very supportive, but also, not exactly critical, but always asking what I could do “better” – and she did this lovingly.  I know that.  I KNOW that. But I always felt like I was disappointing her because I wasn’t this huge success that she thought I should be. SHE was frustrated by it. LOL. I mean the pressure of not only not succeeding in my trivial pursuits but of also letting my mother down.  I mean, where are my therapists???

So to say that mom’s passing has been freeing, is an understatement.  First of all it was her freedom.  Her freedom of stuck in a room, in a chair, blind, with no quality of life at all.  For six years.  Was some of that, all of that, self-inflicted?  Does it matter? I had to witness it, through my own perspective of what was going on and it was stressful.  So was it freeing to me?  Heck yea.  No more worries about my role in this support of her, or the family, am I free from my one day a week? LOL. I sure am.  Is my sister free from her being in her house sharing the one bathroom, having to get up every night when she would get lost in the hall?  Is she free to sleep?  Yep she is.  There is a lot of freedom now.  And again, mostly my mom’s freedom, which we all wanted for her.  I mean there gets to a point in life where life is no longer worth living.  She got there.  She got there years ago.  But I wish it would have been different for her.  I wish I wouldn’t have moved back to Florida from Virginia. I wish I could have figured out a way to stay there in Virginia.  I wish a lot of things.  But the reality is I am “here” – and I don’t know where “here” is.

This is not in tone with my usual bloggy-ness is it?  I don’t usually like to go this introspective but my fingers are typing away on this computer and I can’t seem to stop myself.  I was talking to Diane today, on this Tuesday which had recently become “mom” visit day, and told Di that I am struggling to know what to do with myself.  The Jar decorating that kept me busy for months has seemed to have waned, weirdly, because now you’d think I’d get even more into it.  But I’m sort of viewing that now as restless energy that I was transmuting. Diane said to try and remember all the stuff that I’ve been putting off because I didn’t feel I had time.  Mom used to always ask about my blogging.  I said, recently, that I just felt I didn’t have time.  I was always getting interrupted by either an actual place I had to be, or just my thoughts and couldn’t focus on it.  So Diane said to me, just today, why don’t you try and get back to that?

I love my friends. I mean, they have been there for years of my venting, YEARS, and with such good advice.  Really, I should have gotten there myself.  I should have thought, huh, now I can do “this” and “that” and “whatnot” but I hadn’t gotten there yet.  Until today, when Diane suggested it.  And lucky you all to be able to read all of this outpouring of grief and explanation of where I’ve been.

Do you think I’m a blogger?  Is this who I am?  Am I a writer?  (yes…just say yes) I mean I am a fast typist for sure as this blog coming out is taking no time at all.  I will take Diane’s advice and start actually doing the things that I have put off for so long because of whatever reason.  I have no excuses any more.  I only work TWO days a week out of the house, and those are two HALF days so I have plenty of time to blog, to write a book, to paint a jar (or my new thing of clam shells) or to start an exercise regime.  Okay I still need time for that exercise regime to take hold… can I blame not doing exercise on grief?

I have found myself often having those split-second thoughts of “gotta call mom and tell her this” – but it’s just like a split second.  I didn’t live with her so I don’t feel an immediate loss in my home, mostly I feel a loss of youth.  Of a life gone by.  I look back at times when I was a kid, like little kid, then teenager and being 16 years old and crawling into bed with my parents because I was scared after I saw the movie The Exorcist.  I mean 16!  And she just moved over and let me in. I was 58 years old and still putting my head on her lap when I lived with her in Virginia and we would sit on the couch in front of a fire I made and listen to the fire and I would put my head on my mom’s lap. She never scooted me off.  Never acted like I was too old for any of it.  I think what I’ll miss the most is when I DO become that successful person she so believed I should be that she won’t be here to share in the joy of it.  But I know she’ll be “here” in spirit.  I did suggest to her once that maybe she could help me more from the other side and to hurry up and get over there and try.  We joked about that a lot. We, us Monahans, do not fear death.  I’m sure we fear dying too soon, no one wants that.  But 92, blind, sitting in a room, is not too soon. 

Now that I’m an orphan I can look back and say that I have had a pretty good life.  There are things that happened in my childhood that would shock even the most cynical of people, as I expect happens in more families than we know, BUT when I look back as a whole, and I think about my brother and sisters and how much I really do like us as a family I would have to say they, my parents, did a good job.  We are nice to each other, we laugh A LOT, we make fun of good things to make fun of and we share a true affection for our parents and our childhood.  I mean really, what more can you ask for.

I guess I’m back to blogging.

Xoxox

Like
Like Love Haha Wow Sad Angry
71

An Uncle Wiggly adventure

When I find myself with some time on my hands, which is often these days, I scroll. It’s awful. I have a bit of a morning routine which lasts maybe an hour and then I think “let’s just see if I have any messages on social media” which I never do, especially first thing in the morning.  But it doesn’t matter.  I look anyway, and then it’s 3 p.m. and my brain is like mush.  And the one thing I haven’t done is write, anything. Not in a journal, not in a blog, not a book.  So before I turn to mush one more day I thought I’d try and write. I do have an adventure to share.

I sold my car.  Some of my peeps think it’s a sad/desperate thing but it is not.  Although there is certainly a financial consideration at play I am having a most fun adventure.  I mean I live in the city.  Many of us city folks do not have cars.  And what some of us senior citizens have is a FREE bus pass.  My first day without a car I was staying at Zach’s new house dog sitting.  His new house happens to be one block from the “T” – You may be wondering what the “T” stands for.  I had to Google it.  This is what it says:

The “T” stands for … well, nothing. Back in 1985 when the system debuted, Port Authority ran a public naming contest because “trolley” and “streetcar” were deemed too old-fashioned. A number of suggestions came in, including PASS (Pittsburgh Area Subway System), but “T” was chosen.

Pretty funny. Leave it to Pittsburghers. Anyway, the “T” runs on train tracks that I am assuming were old streetcar tracks that serve the South Hills of Pittsburgh.  Having grown up in the northern area of Pittsburgh the “T” is very foreign to me and it’s a GREAT adventure.  So anyway, the first carless day after staying at Zach’s (he picked me up at Carvana after the sale) Zachary walked me to the “T” stop.  I said I felt like I was at one of those stagecoach stops in the middle of nowhere that you see in old movies. Not quite as bad as this photo but still a tiny stop. The train came and as fate would have it once aboard my bus pass didn’t work.  BUT those drivers know there are glitches and I was able to get home anyway. (I got it fixed the next day) – Anyhow I was like a little kid on that T.  Seeing all these back areas of the South Hills, you know those trains don’t go on the roads like busses.  I mean what a new adventure for me! Since then I have the PRT (Pittsburgh Regional Transit) Schedules everywhere.  On my phone, in paper, in texts.  I take the bus to Sewickley (mom) on Tuesday.  I catch it right across the street from my apartment building.   Getting home (back to the city) is tricky so I’ve been staying overnight at Diane’s and taking a morning bus back in. Mom loves to keep me there when I say it’s time to go.  They say your parents become like kids and what a pain-in-the-ass kid she can be. Some things just come into focus with your parents at this stage of life. And it’s only one day (and night) of my week. And Diane doesn’t seem to mind.  We go way back as roommates.  Right Di? Anyway, a whole new and fun adventure. I had groceries delivered one day this week and that worked out great – it’s a little pricier than going yourself – but hey I was in my pajamas when they were delivered.  My shopper was an early riser! Last weekend I bussed to a friend’s house and we went shopping together.  She offered to drive me home so I loaded up her car. I took advantage of the ride!  I go to a Spa across the street from my apartment, not often but anyway, the owner of the Spa who also lives in the city, doesn’t have a car either – for 15 years – she was telling me all about how to use a Zip car.  I mean how cool am I? At least I feel pretty cool. I have embraced city living even more.  Now when this apartment lease runs out next summer we’ll see what we see, but for now it was probably the step I needed to bring a little spark back into my life.  Would a new Mercedes GLC 300 have that same spark?  I’d say so, but maybe wait a month or so until this carless adventure has run its course.

You know how older people say, I still feel like an 18-year-old inside?  They are full of shit.  As I make these decisions – like selling my car, for now – my biggest concern is being afraid to drive again.  I have been proud of myself for zipping in and out of these city roads, merging and the like, I mean Pittsburgh driving is the WORST, and I’ve been doing it like a pro while other friends are slowly backing away from driving in various forms.  But I am always worried when I’m driving. Part of it has to do with the car – that it didn’t have the “go” like other cars and pulling into traffic you need that – but the other part is I’m tired of driving. I’m tired of the stress and I’m slightly afraid of not getting that confidence back if I get too far away from it.  And that’s because I’m NOT an 18-year-old.  I’m 65, and I feel every bit of my age. I can tell certain things make me nervous that I never even considered before, mainly driving, or getting lost. Honestly I don’t remember how I felt when I was 18 so it’s really hard to say what age I feel like but I just know I don’t feel young.  And I certainly don’t LOOK young but that’s in the category now of “whatever” – I was a young and pretty thing once.  We all were.  But time marches on and some of us look different and don’t drive and are very happy to sit in a chair and scroll through social media and read stupid sayings or look at dog or cat videos that make us laugh.  How pathetic is that. Just a couple weeks ago I was thinking I need a robust life. You know, like on the show Yellowstone. I need to wrangle some horses, muck some stalls, round up some cattle.  Go for horse rides.  Maybe work in the garden all day.  I need RIP (a Yellowstone (the show) reference) – I mean I really need a RIP. 

This is RIP

I need him to saddle the horse before I get on it.  I guess I need a modified robust life.  Someone to do all the hard work but I still get to ride a horse.  Anyway, I go between feeling old and feeling like I need to get out of this city and live a vigorous life. I could drive a truck through the prairie lands – as long as there’s no merging involved.

Perhaps this is a blog about “what would you do with your lottery winnings?”  It could happen.  I am learning to manifest. Why just the other day I needed a nail file/emory board when I ripped a nail at work and sure enough didn’t have one in my purse.  And then, I was cleaning out some files and pulled an empty box off a shelf and what was in it?  A pen AND a nail file.  Just like that, a manifesting master I became.  So perhaps I can manifest a ranch life with RIP, horses, cattle, mountains and fresh air all day long. Is that what I want? Hard to say.

Today, I’ll paint a couple jars.  Tomorrow I’ll take the bus to Janice and we’ll go to lunch.  I mean that’s as robust as I’m going to get this weekend.  But can that ranch life be far behind?

xoxoxo

Like
Like Love Haha Wow Sad Angry
18

Halloween is over

I know, it’s a Thursday and it’s not Halloween.  But last week I didn’t post and tomorrow I thought I’d hang with my mother and today I’m feeling quite useless in the grand scheme of things so I thought perhaps I would blog. I actually did write a blog earlier this week but ended up not posting and here’s the thing about this, if I don’t post when I write it, well, then I think it’s stupid and I don’t like it and then I don’t post it. So I have to publish right away or I will overthink it. However, since I had these Halloween photos ready to share I thought at least I’d do that. And just a quick recap – my neighbor (who is actually no longer my neighbor and hasn’t been my neighbor since I moved from Mt. Washington) has these elaborate Halloween parties. This year she had this gigantic witch in her foyer (see featured photo) and our entertainment was a group of 4 ukulele players. These four musicians entertained us and then they brought ukuleles for everyone and taught us a song. It was so fun. Our host (my neighbor) makes about 8 courses of food, everyone gives each other a gift (guess what I gave everyone..) and we end up staying for hours and hours and lugging bags of food and gifts home. I mean it, and she, is/are something. I struck gold when I befriended that neighbor (all my friends are gold but just happy to have found this one too)

Here’s something I’m doing.  I started making a PowerPoint presentation from a book.  I mean, what is wrong with me? I sat here this morning designing a graph. Does this mean I miss work?  What does it mean?  I bet it means I am a frustrated jar maker who has put all her jars in boxes and in the closet and has sworn off craft shows. Will they end up at Goodwill? I’ll wait a year before I decide that.  My part time job asked me to create an Excel file and I am having fun with that.  This office, where I am working, was founded in the 50’s and the office processes are pretty much still there, in the 50’s.  Maybe the processes are more like the 70’s because at least there are computers but honestly…The guy (a boss) came out of his office yesterday and said he was going to dictate a letter to me.  I gave him this look and said “you’re really testing me…” I mean, come on. Just type the dam thing out. Right?  That’s what I ended up telling him in the end. Since I have forgotten all my shorthand (although I would love to learn it again) I said next time I’ll just type out as he talks as I can type much faster than handwrite. I thought at one point I should be a court stenographer because I type so fast…maybe I could still do that.  Hmmmm. Wouldn’t that be interesting?  Except I’d probably make too many noises with my reactions like saying “yea, right…you’re a liar” out loud. Then I’d have to keep typing “strike that.”

In other news, well I don’t have other news, which is a problem for a blogger. But here are today’s thoughts:

  • Do I give up on having Thanksgiving decorations and just surrender to the early Christmas décor?
  • Will I get my Christmas tree up in the window by the official lightup night (Nov. 18)
    • If Christmas day festivities are moving to my son’s new house, do I even bother with Christmas décor? (other than the one in my window)
  • Should I give up on moving OUT of the city and embrace city living even more by selling my car and becoming a real city person and using my free senior citizen bus pass to travel.  The only place I couldn’t travel to would be the North Hills (sorry Jean – you’d have to meet me at a Park and Ride!)
    • Thankful for Aldi’s Instacart if I go this route
  • Or do I want to buy (living in my head) a 5-bedroom house and join this Facebook group called Host a Sister and then open my house up to weary sister travelers.  Then I could cook for these “sisters” and use all my dishes instead of boxing them up and donating them to Goodwill?
  • Do I get off this chair and do yoga for 20 minutes?
  • Should I shower today or tomorrow?
  • Do I need to clean before my Medicare home health visit later today?
    • This may be the answer as well to shower today or tomorrow.
  • Do I have anything to eat?
    • How bad is it really to live on brownies?
  • If I sat here long enough and looked at my computer would a new book idea pop into my head?
    • Conversely could I continue with one of my many other book ideas I’ve already started.

The answer is to start with 20 minutes of yoga and then shower and then decide on the cleaning up idea.  Do I really care what a home health nurse would say to my throw blankets that are not folded properly and put aside? 

And I will continue on the Paint By Number. I think I can maybe even get it done by this weekend.  If I get off this chair and away from the computer…

xoxoxo

Like
Like Love Haha Wow Sad Angry
202

It’s still Friday

Have you ever had one of those days where you cry, a lot, for no reason?  Asking for a friend.  I don’t know what her problem is because her day seemed to be okay.  For instance, she got up on time to get her car to the shop for her appointment to get the car inspection.  She held her breath all morning petrified of the results of the inspection, but as luck would have it there were no immediate threats.  There are threats that should be taken care of within the next year, which she can live with, so that’s not a reason to cry.

Then, this past Tuesday, she was invited to participate in a craft show (uncanny so similar to me) which at first she turned down due to a previous engagement, then emailed back in the middle of the night to say “wait, I can do it”..and even though they had already moved on to the next person, the next person also cancelled so she was able to get into the craft show.  But with the car being inspected at the shop she had no idea if she could get to the craft show site to set up prior to the start of the craft show start tomorrow morning.  And then, because God smiles on the downtrodden, at times, the car was ready at a time that she was able to pick up the car, swing by her apartment, pack up the boxes and drive the hour to the craft show site.  She was very unprepared because she had no tablecloth big enough but they were able to provide one. She was embarrassed at her unpreparedness but stopped by Walmart on her way home and bought 6 tablecloths (disposables) – 3 to reimburse the event place and 3 to keep for herself.  And get this, the organization sponsoring this event works with the blind!  How kismittey because she has a blind mother.  So immediately loves the organization. 

Her day went pretty splendidly having her car inspected without incident, making it to the craft center, surprised they’re an organization that works with the blind, got all set up, drove home in the pouring down rain, which was stressful, like VERY stressful but when she came home the sun came out and the sky turned blue.

So why cry?  What’s her problem?

I guess we all have days like that.  It’s cloudy, rainy, grey, and sometimes you just need a day to let it all out.  At least that’s what I told her.

Happy Friday

xoxoxo

PS – Not a lot of progress on the painting. It was a busy week.

Like
Like Love Haha Wow Sad Angry
131

Just because

I met a woman yesterday who is an artist. I asked her many questions since I am fascinated with the artist lifestyle and mindset.  She told me she is in the watercolor society, but also does oil abstract, then she went on and said she also does pottery. My eyes were growing bigger and bigger with envy.  I asked if she sells anything and then we had a discussion about being an artist and having the marketing, promotion, selling, mindset.  They are very different.  She also said she was a retired school teacher, I assumed art teacher, but she informed me she was a music teacher.  Another art form.  She then said art is like a calling, a pulling, and you can’t help yourself, you just have to do the art. She asked me if I have any experience with art.  And I was able to share about my musical family (grandparents, mother, sister, brother) and shared my sudden urge to do a craft, that I feel like is an addiction, and only came to me after retiring.  She offered that the creativity was pushed down all those years and was just now able to burst forth!  And then I added, quite as an afterthought, that I self-published a book.  And she’s like AHA!  “You’re a writer! You just write because you have to.”  And that does pretty much explain the blogging.  I just write because I have to.  Or is it because of JaNel and Patrick?  I’m not sure, but one thing became also very clear.  The more I go into that office (I met her at work in the office yesterday) the less I am inclined to paint a jar.  I’m just tired after working.  I come home, make something to eat, sit on the couch and wait for bedtime.  I only realized this last night when I walked right past my jars without the urge to paint before going to bed.  And that made me sad.

I have loved becoming an artist (or crafty) just for the sake of art. I look at those jars and just love them.  They’re so pretty.  And that just fills my heart.  It’s a weird and fulfilling experience. Working in an office, for me, is not a fulfilling experience; although I have not minded going into the office these past weeks.  And I got to meet that nice artsy lady yesterday who reminded me of what I’m missing by sitting in the office. I worked an extra day this week and although I was perfectly happy to pick up an extra day I think it is just one day too much.  I did not stick to my two-day boundary. I got carried away.  I have also been doing some fun new work tasks though.  Yesterday I filed a motion at the City County building.  That means I walked over there and dropped off paperwork and they stamped it.  LOL. I mean I was so excited because it was something new that I’ve never done before.  So I am torn.  I am having fun learning all these lawyer things.  I joked with my boss that I’m starting to feel like a paralegal.  But I miss my jars too.

I guess all life is a balance and I’m figuring out mine.

xoxoxo

PS – my cover photo is how far I’ve gotten on my Paint By Number.  It’s coming along!

Like
Like Love Haha Wow Sad Angry
73

Artsy Fartsy

This week I’ve been trying to transform to a morning person. I think a new sleep pattern will help me sleep in the night when we are supposed to sleep. I tend to stay up late and sleep late, if I sleep at all.  Many, many nights I lay in bed until it starts getting light out, like 5:30 am ish, then I sleep until 11 am.  Except now I have a job at least two days a week. Good thing I don’t start until 11:30 am.  Last weekend I had maybe 4 hours of sleep before the Saturday Craft Fair.  Since the fair was a “bust” and I sat at my table for 8 hours with nary a customer, I had a really really hard time staying awake.  Saturday night, after the craft fair,  I was in bed at 8:30 pm.  Slept straight through until 6:00 am.  So I came up with the idea to get up early everyday and maybe I’ll sleep through the night.

And now, I’m wondering why does anyone care?  Well, only because I am making myself blog once a week and this is my latest news.  So what I’m trying is to get up every day at 7:30 am regardless of what time I go to sleep and eventually I’ll start going to bed at 9 pm and getting up early.  Last night I went to bed at 2 am – got up today at 10:30 am.  I have a problem sticking to my goals.

Let’s see, Zachary, my beloved oldest child, loves to think of crafty things for me to do.  He is very encouraging in that realm.  Last year I painted a Paint By Number for him of Van Gogh Irises.  I gave it to him almost as a joke cause I thought it was so bad.  He loved it.  LOVED it.  He’s always trying to come up with things like that for me to do.  So this week he gave me a Paint By Number that he ordered for me to paint for him.  When I looked at it I knew, without a doubt, that he hates me.  I mean look at this:

He told me he created the picture using one of these AI programs so it’s an “original” piece of art and he says my painting it will be original art.  It will keep me busy and away from the jars since the jars do not seem to be selling.

I will try to sell my jars at two more events this fall.  One in November and one in December. I do kinda/sorta enjoy the idea of going to Craft fairs, even though it’s a lot of work packing and unpacking. I don’t even mind that I don’t sell them sometimes, BUT I do need to sell them sometimes too.  I understand from all the vendors I’ve talked to that these craft fairs can be extremely hit or miss.  I’m okay with that, as long as there is a hit in there at times.  Zachary thinks I should diversify.  I don’t disagree but I have limited space in my apartment so whatever it is has to be able to be made on a 2×2 piece of counter space in my kitchen. So no furniture painting. I know that’s what Zachary thinks I’d be good at, only because he’s seen me do that in the past. But again, apartment living is not conducive to furniture painting.  However I did paint this table when I lived in a much smaller apartment in Florida. 

In my hometown we have two schools.  The public school and the private school. I was always envious of the creative arts fields that so many of the private school girls went into. There were interior designers, horticulturists, painters, artsy girls. I envied their artsy paths. An artsy path is a very iffy financial path.  Very inconsistent or not at all. So I understand why people with more financial stability would be able to take those risks.  Just doesn’t seem like that should be a thing to stop us.  Do I sound like a socialist?  I think in Denmark or one of those countries, don’t they all make the same amount of money so you can choose to be a Doctor or a jar maker?  Whatever you do, you do for love, not for money.  I do like that idea.  Why do people give equality such bad press?  Does everyone want to compete with their neighbor? I believe my thoughts are now going into polarizing territory so I will stop this ramble for today.  Just know that I see myself as an eccentric artist now, in a studio with paint all around.  What I’m painting I’m not sure yet. But in this vision I don’t seem to be sitting at the typewriter writing my next book.  And maybe that is what my vision should be since sitting and writing is more conducive to apartment living. Ugh so many choices.  Which way do I go?

Today, I’m going to paint by number.  It will either strengthen my eyesight or make me go blind.  Hoping for the best.

xoxox

Like
Like Love Haha Wow Sad Angry
72