Author: Lynn Monahan

I woke up, (thankfully) looked outside the window and thought “how cool is it that I live here”.  I then continued with my now daily routine of turning on the hot water for my tea, brushing my teeth, pouring the tea and then sat in my chair and proceeded to write my morning pages.  Morning Pages is an exercise suggested in the book I’m reading, the Artists Way, suggested 5 years ago by my old blogging pal/teacher Amy.  Amy is now (and maybe was then) a world-renowned wedding photographer.  I have never seen better wedding photos (she posts on Instagram. I am a huge fan).  She may even travel the “world” to photograph a wedding. Here’s her site. Amy Sampson Photography. ANYWAY, I picked up the book when I first bought it 5 years ago and life just got in the way and it’s been sitting.  Recently, while listening to a webinar it was suggested that we purchase the book How to think like Leonardo DaVinci.  Being a sucker for these types of books, I bought it.  When I got it I realized this is the same concept as Artists Way.  Why don’t I just use what I already have? (and I’ll gift the Leonardo book – I have the perfect candidate) Soooo, 5 years later I am now committed to this process.  IF I become a world renowned photographer we will know, without a doubt, that the process works.

Anyway, back to my original story. I sat on my chair and I wrote my three pages.  I shared with myself how great it is to wake up and just love your life, love where you live and just have this positive outlook. Yay for me.  By 8:15am it all went downhill, and continued downhill throughout the day.  I did attempt to make it better and took myself out for a lunch break to complete another Artist Way assignment, which is to take myself out on an Artist Date once a week, by myself, so I went to the free Serbian Women artist exhibit on Liberty Avenue.  I was the only one in there and really took my time and used up my whole hour.  I read every plaque and looked at every exhibit.  One of the exhibits was very cool – an embroidered tapestry kind of thing that depicted scenes from their town.  Very rudimentary stitching. It really told a good story about their town.  The rest of the exhibits just wanted to make me kill myself.  I shouldn’t really joke about that kind of thing, but my goodness, these exhibits just make you glad you don’t live in Serbia, or at least that you’re not an anguished, tortured soul taking it out in your art.  Very disturbing and depressing for the most part. And I really did feel grateful for where I live and how I live. Sometimes, I believe, we lose site of how great we really do have it, most of us. And like Diane always says, “there’s always someone better than you and always someone worse.” Although they say, grief and heartache do make for good songs.  Look at Adele. Hello, it’s me…

Well, it’s the end of my workday, and I REFUSE to stay in a down mood now that the aggravating computer can be shut off.  I shall remember that I am thankful for that stupid job that pays the bills.

And then hope for the best after looking out onto this scene just now. Winter is settling in and my view, in one day, went from blue sky to this:

Your typical grey Pittsburgh sky.  I certainly hope this isn’t going to be it until March. That’s what happens around here. I checked flights and can go roundtrip to Florida for $120.  I should book for once a month until April. Stephie get my room ready!

I also need to make a note not to go to a depressing art exhibit on a depressing day.  The attendant at the exhibit gave me a couple other galleries to try.  He assured me they are more uplifting. Still it’s good to broaden my horizons and think about what kind of artist I want to be.  I don’t want to be someone that brings people down. I want to be the “up” artist.  UP. Rise UP….hmm, perhaps that is the first line of my first paragraph of my next first novel. Grey skies are gonna clear up, put on a happy face….

Oh, that’s already taken.

I’ll keep working on it.

xoxoxo

Well, I’m a bit disappointed.  I got my Covid Booster shot yesterday.  I work in healthcare and I’m 6 months past my first shot (like 9 months) and well here’s the bottom line on reasoning a vaccine for me, other than Covid.  My mother went blind because she didn’t want to go to the doctor to refill her prescription. Ya know?  So, I say learn from your mother’s mistakes and do everything possible not to go blind.  This is why I’ve changed from never having a flu shot and never wanting one to “sign me up.”  Although, my roots (mother), tells me that flu shots are a racket, which I also tend to believe, and I also believe the MMR shot can cause autism.  I know I am in the minority there, but I just think wait a while.  Get that shot right before you have to get that MMR for school.  Give your little body a chance to develop, ya know?  Does anyone die from not getting that shot as a baby (I don’t know, does anyone?) Get that whooping cough shot early but why not wait on the other? Just wait. Anyway, why am I disappointed?  With my first Covid booster shot I had no reaction other than a slightly sore arm.  With my second shot I had a full-blown reaction.  Fever, chills, like just achy flu like symptoms.  My temperature lasted about 8 hours and the rest of the day was just a jammies-kind-of-day.

So, in anticipation of another jammies-kind-of-day post Covid shot, I went to the Farmers market, stocked up on veggies, got some extra water (forgot the Green Tea) and today when I woke up, I put on clean jammies and kinda made myself ready for a jammie- kind- of- on- the- couch- day.  Much to my chagrin I feel fine.  Perfectly fine.  Maybe even a little better than fine. Of course, the slightly euphoric feeling could also be a side effect. My arm doesn’t even hurt.  Nothing. It’s kinda pissing me off. I mean I had some movies lined up and everything.  But no, nothing.

I am not a true fan of western health care.  I admit that.  Mostly because in my experience no one ever knows what they’re doing.  So so many stories of people who are sent home with “there’s nothing wrong with you, take an aspirin” and then wind-up dead, or with cancer.  I mean those stories are endless. ENDLESS.  I’ve shared my Jimmy story (not Jammie), didn’t I?  When he was a senior in highschool and fell on his head and I took him 3 times to the doctors because he kept complaining about his head.  Finally took him to Children’s Hospital in the middle of the night, which was like an hour drive, because I just assumed I would get the best care there.  I told every one of those doctors how he fell on his head.  And the Children’s Hospital doctor told me he thought he was on drugs and drug tested him.  Never even looked at his head or neck.  Drug tested negative by the way.  Finally, the 4^th time I went to Dr. Hennessey and kinda yelled.  I said “GIVE HIM THE EFFING XRAY” – he went had the x-ray and then went off to basketball practice.

While he’s at practice for some reason the doctor calls Jimmy’s grandma.  Not his mom or his dad.  It was bizarre the phone calls made and the doctor was FRANTIC. Jimmy had broken his neck.  Seriously broken his neck.  And the doctor said get him IMMEDIATELY and don’t let him move. Well anyway, we all know (or for those of you that don’t) that he is fine now.  The C6 is not a paralyzing bone to break. (I think it was the C6 but whatever one it was not the paralyzing one) He did miss the rest of the basketball season in his senior year and he was on fire (as in doing really well) before this happened.  I mean “fire.”  It was very very sad.  Both for his neck, of course, LOL, but because you just can’t regroup those high school experiences. Anyway, health care.  Yea, so Children’s is giving him a drug test and his neck was broken.  Why didn’t they check the very first time when I took him in and told them he fell on his neck.  WHY?  Like just why. 

My story is not uncommon at all.  At all. And these are my issues with healthcare. If you don’t advocate for yourself, and end up screaming, no one listens to you. They just give you a drug test.  And here’s one more stupid story.  My 89-year-old mom (the blind one) was in the shower and one of those mega shampoo bottles fell onto her foot.  Well, it got really bruised and swollen and a surprise miracle my mom said yes to going to the hospital.  She got an x-ray and had to sit there for 10 hours before getting the results.  They told her it was soft tissue damage and when my niece (who was with her) asked if she could she get a prescription for like 800 mg Motrin for the pain they said they prefer not to give her that. Why? Cause Motrin is addictive? Why? Last week I go into the urgent care because I also stubbed my finger and it wouldn’t stop hurting (after a month).  They did an x-ray; it is slightly swollen – gave me a splint and prescription for 600 Motrin saying same thing, soft tissue damage although admittedly couldn’t find anything wrong with it.  But my poor mother whose foot looks black, made her sit 10 hours, that is not an exaggeration, and no prescription.  Unbelievable.  UNBELIEVABLE.

She’s getting better.

My finger still hurts – it just goes numb sometimes. And it’s still swollen. I really jammed it.

Anyway, who knows about these vaccines and what we put into our bodies.  Seriously who knows. But I don’t want to go blind.  One of the conspiracy theories is that all the people that have been vaccinated will die in 18 months.  That’s a pretty interesting one.  So, I’ll get my affairs in order, just to be of in case.

Except I have no affairs to get in order so that’s easy.

I’ve always promised my brother my pots and pans in the event of an untimely death.  This must have been at a time when he was single because I don’t think he wants my pots and pans now.  But I’ll show him, he’s getting them anyway.  Except he’ll be dead too because he got the vaccine.

I also saw on the weather channel this morning that bad storms and tornados are expected in this area today.  Look at this sky.

I just really wanted a jammie day.  On the couch with storms.  Just disappointment everywhere.

xoxoxo

Here are my random thoughts for this blog today …

• I’m too busy for work
• I love juicing, but not my juicer
• Did anyone miss me last week and my weekend with the girls.

I couldn’t decide on just one so bear with me while I do all three.

I’m too busy for work.  Why?  Because Life.  I mean just life.  Am I right?  I have things that I need to do and I just can’t get to them because I have this job.  I’m really not too busy to work. I’m too busy for my “job” – see the difference?  It’s very slight, that difference, but once you get it, you get it.  My life should be about my work.  Not about my job.  Now I’m just waxing philosophically.  Like this blog I’m trying to write on Fridays and don’t have time for which brings me to:

Did anyone miss me last week?  I was on my, what’s turning out to be, yearly fall trip with the Sewickley girls.  Here we are in Deep Creek, Maryland:

You know what’s unique about this group?  I mean other than we’re all a little crazy?  Like everyone else?  No, it’s how we’re all connected.  So, there’s me and my sister.  We’ve known each other about 63 years, give or take.  Cause really, do you ever really know someone? Now Jerry and Janice are first cousins.  Their dads were brothers.  So they’ve been “like” sisters their whole life.  Diane is a distant cousin to Jerry and Janice but I don’t know if she knew that until she was older. If I remember correctly Jerry and Janice’s grandfather and Diane’s grandmother were siblings.  Something like that.  Kerry (my sister) and Jerry were in the same class in high school and they were friends back then as well.  Diane and I were in the same class in high school but didn’t know each other until 2 years after graduation when we met each other in secretary school.  Janice was a year ahead of me and Diane in the same high school and although we were at the same parties sometimes, we didn’t really become “besties” until around 2013.  I mean. Relationships.  Am I right?  Now Jerry’s husband Dickie I’ve known since 7^th grade because I was BFF’s with his sister Susie.  And he used to call me Fidget. I don’t remember why.  I guess I was fidgety. Jerry and I had children within days of each other (Lucy and Jimmy) and we have photos of them in their car seats at 1 month old and throughout their school years.  For awhile Lucy dated Jimmy’s best friend and then was best friend with his other best friend. See what I’m saying? Diane is Lucy’s Godmother. Are you still with me?

Are all small towns this way?  So interconnected and weaved together?  And isn’t it interesting that Diane and I weren’t friends in highschool but friends ever since.  It used to really throw people at class reunions.  Like we weren’t allowed to be friends now.  Pretty funny these rationalizations we make in our lives.

And the third topic for today?  Is really a lesson.  Always, always, always, spend the extra money and get a good juicer.  Years ago, like years ago, I was advised by a very wise friend, when I started juicing, to spend the extra money and get a good one.  I listened then.  I lost that particular Juicer in the last reorg (that’s what I’m going to start calling my life changes) – So you know that time, that I talk about ad nauseum where I lost everything, now called my last reorganization…bottom line I don’t have that juicer now.  So, when my nutritionist said, “drink a green juice every day and you’ll be healthy as a horse” I decided to get another juicer.  I started small – $40.  Worked well enough, until I guess I put the lid on wrong and ground half the juice cup into my juice not realizing I must have been drinking plastic along with my Kale.  Anyway, I ordered another one.  Same brand so I could interchange parts if it happened again.  This time it was only $30 on special (all on Amazon)…Well, it doesn’t quite fit the other juicer so my hopes to make the parts interchangeable did not come to fruition.  And now this juicer leaks.  Something is going on that the juice sometimes dribbles down the side and doesn’t go in the cup.  A lot of it does make it into the cup but some of it dribbles.  AND I’m finding that the pulp left over is kinda wet – which it should be totally dry because the juice should be sucked out of it.  So although I am getting the juice, I am not getting all of it.  I COULD send it back but then I wouldn’t have a juicer for a week or whatever until the next juicer came.  And now I’m addicted to the juicing.  Just one a day.  I’d lose weight if I didn’t eat Junior Mints immediately following the kale juice.  Anyway, had I just bought ONE good juicer again like my very good friend advised years ago I would not be having these problems now and therefore nothing to write about.  Well, I would have something to write about and perhaps it would be more interesting that this.  But there’s a lesson in here.  SPEND THE EXTRA MONEY.

Am I right?

xoxox

It’s Friday.  You know what that means don’t you?  Well yea, means different things to different people.  At this very moment it means to me that I’m going to write a blog.  Cause it’s Friday.

My mom visited this week, which was a very first since she moved up here from Virginia in 2019.  My sister was getting her house exterminated so mom had to go for the afternoon.  Not an easy feat because she is injured. When mom was in the shower, a week or so back, a big bottle of shampoo slid off the side of the tub and onto her foot.  You would not believe how black and blue and swollen and painful it has become.  Don’t you worry, Kerry took her to the hospital.  It is not broken but nevertheless it is painful for her to walk on.  So getting her in and out of the car and up here was a bit of a challenge but Kerry got her this walker on wheels that has a seat so she sat and I pushed and it went pretty smoothly.  It’s all level from the car to the apartment but with an almost broken foot it makes it hard. That aside, we had a perfectly lovely day on her very first visit.  Really it was nice.  She did complain (good naturedly) about the city noise.  I know she likes fresh air (as do I) so I kept the window open for the air but the traffic and city noise is relentless.  They say you get used to it, and I am getting used to it but that window would be closed a lot more if I had to have conversations with anyone.  It’s loud.  That aside she joked that she wanted to come twice a week.  Good thing I work at home. 

In the big moveout, when we sold mom’s house, I kept all her albums (lp’s, vinyl, whatever they’re called these days) and subsequently bought a record player with the intent to play her the albums when she visited.  And look at that!  Two years later and I got to do it.  So many of the albums I grew up listening to.  When we were kids she played showtunes all the time.  ALL the time.  The soundtrack to The Fantasticks is one of my favorites.  I’ve never seen the play.  I’ve never even seen it advertised.  I don’t even know what it’s about, but I know all the words to all the songs. Mom admitted she never saw it either but we love the music.  Other’s in the day’s line up were Brigadoon, Hello Dolly and I even have Barbara Streisand’s 2^nd album ever (not a show tune). Barbara always brings a tear to her eye.  She feels like she discovered her back in the day and has always loved her voice.  Who doesn’t? Anyway, so many memories listening to those albums. I remember us dancing around the family room as kids. Fun fun memories.

If you remember my blog from last week and the dragonfly meaning transition, I think it might be happening.  The reason I think this is a possibility is that one of these albums brought up a memory that at another time in my life might have been cause for embarrassment.  But I shared this particular memory, with my mom (another first for me as not a story I would typically share with her)and well I laughed and laughed as well as remembering the time fondly. The memory was brought up by an album by Vaughn Williams, which reminded me of a time I went to the Symphony with a date where they played Vaughn Williams and we both had tears in our eyes it was so beautiful.  I don’t remember which piece was played but I remember the name Vaughn Williams and my date, who was 12 years younger than me.  Who was he you ask?  Well, Sally, Liz and I were at Metropol, I believe it was 1990, and this very cute boy just grabbed me to dance and well it was so fun, and he was so stinkin cute.  He was visiting from California and in college.  So you know, that’s not that young, right?  And I mean I was 31 or so.  Maybe 32.  Well anyway, it was so funny when I went running up to Sally and Liz saying “what should I do, what should I do? He wants my phone number”  They were behind me 1000% – DO it, DO it!! (they said) It is such a fun memory, because luckily, he was not an ax murdered or a pervert. I had not thought about this in a long time, but the Vaughn Williams album brought back all those memories. Isn’t that something how a song can do that? Daniel’s, the boy’s, only fault, at the time, was he was not old enough to be in Metropol (so younger than I originally thought) and well I was probably closer in age to his father. I remember he told me that his dad said if he didn’t want to ask me out, his dad would.  I mean that’s kinda funny.  His dad was kidding of course.  Just his way of saying I may have been a little too old for his son. His father was also a Pittsburgh Symphony patron and had season tickets and so we went and saw Vaughn Williams and it was ridiculously romantic. Mom asked me what happened between us and I admitted that it was probably due to my drinking problem at the time, over indulging and making a complete ass of myself at a grown-up event we went to with his father, and the fact that he was in college, in California and a kid. I think the last time I talked to him was to tell him I was pregnant with Jimmy (months after he went back to college..) A relationship was not really in the cards for us.  But honestly I love that memory, and I learned my lesson and quit drinking and I even still remember his whole name!  

I used to be (and probably still mostly am) embarrassed of all the “mistakes” I’ve made.  You know in movies when people are dying and they say “no regrets, I have no regrets” I often ask myself, “how do you get there?”  But my visit with my mom the other day, and sharing that story with her and you, and laughing, and not beating myself up about the drinking, well it’s like I’ve matured and have started to accept myself.  I feel like a grown up. Maybe I’m on my way to that “no regrets” stage.  That will be very freeing if/when I get there. A transition for sure.

Also, just to clear – Daniel was old enough that he was not illegal. I’m just saying that to clear anyone’s doubts. And he is probably 50 now!  And well that means now we’re the same age. 😉

xoxoxo

I have come to the conclusion that the “meeting” is going to be the downfall of Corporate America. When does anyone get anything done? And why do you need so many people in one meeting to make a decision?

Years ago, I was in what in retrospect will probably be the best “job” of my career of jobs. (not to be confused with having a single career, my career has always been to have a job).  Well anyway, although I went through several Deans, at this job in higher education, one Dean said it best. “You know your job better than I do so I’ll leave you to it.” And that was that.  No 1-1’s ever.  If he had a question he’d simply walk into my office and ask.  If I had a question he was rarely the one I’d go to.  He didn’t know operations.  That was my job.  So when I had a question I would call someone else in operations, on the phone, and they would answer their phone, and we would talk and then the issue was solved.  Just like that. No meetings for discussion, just a phone call.  I did arrange for one meeting per month with colleagues to discuss anything that needed discussed, always with food, because why else would anyone come.  Ideas were shared, food was eaten, team building achieved, and back to work.  Sometimes there was no reason to meet again the next month.  I mean seriously, just do your job!  Did I need a weekly check in from my boss. NO. Like why would I need that?  I had a job to do. He trusted me to do my job and I did it.

I don’t know what’s going on in the world today in this area. In my new role I manage people’s calendars. It has to be one of the worst jobs in the world. My main purpose is to arrange meetings that are impossible to arrange. One person under my purview accepts 4 or more meetings at a time. So, is he going to all 4 meetings? And who put all four meetings on there in the first place and overlap them. How is one supposed to interpret that?  Are they just place holders or as an FYI and he’ll dial in/attend if he doesn’t have another meeting? Does that mean I can put another meeting there that maybe he would like to attend instead? And then if you have to skip that day and keep looking because he has no available time and then when you go to when there’s an available time and then they say “I need it sooner” – well then clear your fucking calendar. (sorry I’m channeling Roy from Ted Lasso) – I swear I’m turning into Roy (you really need to watch that show)

A few weeks ago, when tasked with arranging a 10 person meeting, proudly having found a time rather easily, after a few days someone responds and says “please change this meeting, I am out of the office this day.”  First of all, you have to ask yourself, how important is this person?  Is she “required” to be there?  Why is she telling ME that she is out of the office.  Shouldn’t she tell the person who is having the meeting that she is unavailable and let that person tell me to change it?  How am I supposed to know her “clout” and necessity of being in the meeting (I have since asked that they make a “required” and “optional” list. ) Also I responded to her, “please update your calendar with your availability.”  Then she said, “yea, I’m bad at that.”  I’m sorry, WHAT?

Bad at that?  BAD AT THAT?

I would never unfriend someone because of their political views. I may hide them or unfollow but not unfriend.  But not updating your calendar correctly and then expecting all 10-20 people to rearrange a meeting because YOU’RE bad at that?  Unfriend.

Here’s the issue, as I see it.  Nobody just does their job anymore.  Everyone wants a “say” in decision making.  Why?  Is that your job?  No, that’s another person’s job.  Do you trust them to do their job or not?

My suggestion, to combat this issue, which must have started with everyone receiving a participation trophy when they were younger, call the person you need a decision from. If you need another person on that call conference them in. If you need more than that then someone isn’t doing their job right. Or if you must have a mini meeting with two or three decision makers, record the meeting, and if the others really need to have a say they can watch the recording. I mean this is the most ridiculous approach to work that I have ever experienced in my 45 year career.  RIDICULOUS.

1,257 days until retirement. I’ll mark Out of Office..forever on my calendar.

xoxoxox

I’m vacuuming.  Or if you’re from Pittsburgh, “running the sweeper.”  How can I be blogging at the same time as vacuuming?  Funny you should ask.  It’s a Roomba.  There have been few “material” things that have brought me as much happiness as my Roomba, or as I like to call her “Beverly”.   From a young age I’ve been a duster, meaning I don’t like dust accumulation.  It must have been the task assigned to me by my mom. I also like cleaning silver. I did that at home, at Jennifer’s house, and at Edson’s when I was babysitting.  My sister, Kerry, is a really good clothes folder.  I am not. I also remember watching her iron clothes and trying to learn that.  I’m okay at that (I think).  Folding clothes I struggle with.  My other siblings have moved away so I don’t really know what their task was that mom gave them that they’ve carried (or not) into adulthood.  Although my brother can fix anything.  He’s one of those kinds of people that you love and hate at the same time.  You know the pains-in-the-ass cause they think they know everything, and as it turns out they do.  Well, he certainly doesn’t know everything, but he can fix things.

You know what I never learned about?  Makeup, hair, or accessorizing. Nothing about fashion.  Ever. I only remember going shopping with my mom one time.  ONE.  I didn’t go to school naked so clearly she must have shopped for us.  I know she made some of my clothes and I remember getting hand me downs from my friends – I loved that.  I also remember mom taking us to get our haircut in the village (we didn’t call it the village then, but we lived in the country so it really was the village to us at the time.) – and here’s an interesting tidbit.  The woman that cut my hair would eventually become Nunni.  (my youngest son’s grandma – which had I married his dad would have made her my mother-in-law.  Maybe I should have just called her my mother-in-law and been done with it, for the sake of the story, and so I didn’t have to explain it). I also remember coming home from one of those haircuts and hating my mother for cutting my bangs so short.  I also remember the look the hairdresser (Nunni) had after cutting those bangs so short.  She knew I would hate them, but she listened to my mom.  I have a very vivid memory of that day and that haircut and fuming in the back of the station wagon on the way home from “the village”.  Isn’t that something? I wonder if somewhere in my psyche I knew I would be the mother of my hairdresser’s grandson. I wonder if she knew it. She was very wise. Maybe the memory is about knowing Nunni more than that haircut.  I think I was 6 years old. I wonder why I cared about that haircut so much.

I also remember getting a hairbrush stuck in my hair – I believe it was a round brush and I must have been trying to curl my hair.  My grandmother, who was visiting, spent hours getting that brush out of my hair.  Some of the hair was cut but I don’t remember it being traumatic for me.  I remember her being very patient.  It’s one of the best memories I have of my grandmother. I think I was 19. Had I had hair lessons maybe I would have known better. But then I wouldn’t have that memory.

My two “hair” memories.  Well, those two and my mom ALWAYS (and I’m not exaggerating) always criticizing my hair.  “What are you going to do with your hair” she’d say.  All my adult life I think she said it.  I remember when she lost her sight I said “well at least you won’t comment on my hair anymore” – we all laughed.  I think she’d like my hair now.  Well maybe not.  Maybe that was our thing.

My makeup memory is from my wedding. On my wedding day, I had Kim help me do my makeup.  I never (or rarely) wore makeup.  I don’t think I even owned any at that point.  My dad asked me, on my wedding day, in my wedding dress, “what’s that on your face” – honestly.  I still feel like I have to apologize when I wear makeup.  Like I’m breaking some rule. Although at some point I wore mascara because I remember those mascara curlers and mascara combs.  I don’t wear mascara very often anymore. I just end up rubbing it off anyway. However, lately, at this age, foundation is becoming my friend.

I’m listening for Beverly.  Sometimes she gets stuck and I have to run and help her. I have her in the bedroom today  I just checked on her.  She was under the dresser. She also goes under the bed.  If I was doing it myself I would never go under the bed – maybe once a year, or when I move. But now just think of all the dust she gets, all year long. Beverly is my best friend.

I wanted to write today and stretch that part of my brain.  That’s something I did do growing up.  I wrote a lot of letters.  I liked writing letters.  I kept diaries too.  I found a dream journal that I kept when I was maybe 10? It doesn’t shed light on anything.  Doesn’t portend that I will be a writer. My dreams weren’t prophetic.  But hey it’s something to look back on.  When I find these “treasures” I try and reconnect with my younger self. I have to be honest.  It doesn’t happen.  I could be reading a diary I picked up off the street.  Although, that said, I do remember some of those dreams.  And I remember Nunni and that hair cut.

I have too much time on my hands. Remember when you’d HAVE to be in the office and when you were done with work you’d make up stuff to do because you’d have to sit there for the rest of the day?  Well now, working at home, if I don’t have something to do I still sit here.  And I still make up stuff to do, like write this blog, and think about diaries, haircuts, makeups and dusting. I wonder what I could think about that would be useful, now that I have Beverly, and have so much more time on my hands.

Although I’ve entertained myself with today’s writing it doesn’t appear that I’m going to start channeling ancient Egyptian healing methods to share so I might as well wrap this up. I guess I’ll go dust the tops of furniture and keep Beverly company.  Maybe I’ll strike up a conversation with her and see what she has to say.  Typically it’s just a series of beeps. I’ll keep you posted if she ever responds with anything else.

xoxxo

Is there a law that says earrings have to match?  I have two lone earrings who have lost their mates.  Not unlike the lone sock that comes out of the dryer problem.  Do we just discard these lone items?  Is there any reason I can’t wear each lone but different sock or earring at the same time?  Do our socks need to match?  Shouldn’t we save the lone socks to wear with other lone socks?

I don’t think I’m a trendsetter in this area – I have seen it done.  I believe there is a store that sells nothing but mismatched socks.  And I know there are some fashionistas, mostly in the boho category, that wear one or different earrings.  When I’ve tried one earring people usually say “oh you lost an earring” – lol – I guess I just can’t pull that look off.  My “look” has historically been Florida-beach look.  Linen, flowing, summer.  However, when I was actually in Florida it was much more relaxed. MUCH more.  Looking back over the years.  I would have to say my favorite look was when in Malibu visiting my brother and sister-in-law. We were headed out somewhere and always stumped at what to wear, Janis told me the “in” look was wearing layers in Malibu.  As a joke, I put on all these tops, thinking she would laugh. It had no flow, no thread of matching. It was chaos.  She said it was perfect.

I think that’s the look I’m going for now. Perfect chaos.

I’m just trying to catch the wave of this “new normal” they keep making reference to.  I have yet to see what this new normal is exactly.  If it’s just working at home, sometimes, how is that new?  It’s still “them” calling the shots, letting us work from home (or not).  It’s still the same, just in a different location.  What I want the new normal to be is a total shift of power.  Total.  I want to tell my employer when I’m coming in (or not) – I have to confess I am allowed to do that already – but the majority of everyone I know left in the working world does not have that luxury.  Here’s some other shifts I’d like to see:

When I do go in – I want to just throw on clothes – I will shower – but makeup, “work” clothes – no.  Since I live within walking distance of my office there are times when I could just pop in and go through mail or whatever, but the getting ready, the clothes, the makeup, the matching earrings.  Why?  Why do we have to do that?  Especially when no one else is in the office.  And we don’t deal with the public.  This work dress rule is out dated, and made by men, and it needs to go.  However, that said, I do draw the line at sweats and slippers.  I mean I have standards.

There are other transitions in life that I would put more in the “new normal” category than what we are going through now.  I think this is a transition period and we might get to a new normal.  But these times don’t even compare to the new normal we have already gone through.

For instance, telephones.  From party lines, to rotary/desk phones, I remember when the kitchen wall phone was new, then pushbutton phones, then walk around phones (portable) and I mean just look where we are now with cell phones.  Just look at it.  THAT’s what I call a new normal.

What about social media and our attachment to “likes” and “comments.” Actually I don’t have a lot to say about that (as I write a public blog and put this out there for people to react to.  i.e,  like and comment) but the younger generations – it’s big time.  And the photos on social media?  My friend’s daughter – we were on vacation sending beach photos, sunsets and the like and what did this 20 something want us to send her?  Photos of food.  FOOD.  That’s just crazy.  But it’s the new normal.

Know what else is new? TV watching.  How many times does anyone watch one show a week anymore?  I miss those days.  30 minutes or an hour, turn it off and go to bed.  And wait a week. Now I can’t stop.  I start a show and it is very very hard for me to stop because I don’t have to wait until next week now to see what happens.  It’s the making of slugs.  When we get together with friends and family what invariably comes up in conversation now? “What are you watching?” That is the new normal for all of us. 

And lastly, what about these dogs.  This is NOT normal.  Daycare for dogs, with report cards, photo days and craft days.  Daycare for dogs is genius and a god send but the report cards, photo days and CRAFT days?  Hilarious.  And I have grand pups.  I love them like a true grandma would love a Grandchild.  I hang out – I love them – I take them to Daycare and after a weekend I go home!!  I am always relieved of my desire to own a pup after a weekend. 

Anyway, I went to the farmers market today and wore what I think I would wear if I was back in Malibu.  I wore two different earrings.  No one commented and said “hey – do you know you put on the wrong earrings.” Also no one commented and said “cool look.”

I’m going to keep going with it. My new normal.

It is my firm belief that when you are sitting in a chair in a doctor’s office waiting the interminable wait for them to come in; there should be someone there giving you a neck massage while you wait.  I think it would increase customer satisfaction exponentially.

All apartments should come with water filters built into the faucet.  Nobody drinks tap water anymore (well most people don’t) and now I’m in a quandary.  I was using the ZERO pitcher/water filter but I don’t know, I just don’t love it.  But do I want to go back to a Brita filter?  Or maybe I should just buy one of those faucet mounts and install myself. 

I have anxiety over the amount of plastic used by humanity.  I recently moved to a product of laundry detergent sheets (see Earth Breeze) and actually ordered a whole years’ worth to cut back on carbon emissions of monthly deliveries.  But now I’m going through 1-3 large gallon bottles of water a week – in plastic of course – because I can’t decide what kind of water filter I want to use.  It’s a conundrum I tell you. I get very anxious when I go shopping with my son and he buys cases of bottled water.  It makes me hyperventilate. He likes to tell me his shirt is made from recycled plastic bottles to make me feel better.  I’m not buying it (the shirt or the argument).

I had drops in my eyes today for an eye appointment (see above neck massage suggestion) – keeping my eyes open hurts.  Looking at this screen hurts.  The sunlight coming through my very large windows hurts. It is VERY bright today. I can’t watch TV – that will hurt.  However, this is not like a concussion (like a friend has) as there is no headache or brain mush to accompany it.  Well, the brain mush is questionable. Maybe a podcast is the way to go.

Feeling the need to share and just say no to plastic.

xoxoxo