Busy Bee

AH!! Life is crazy - work is non-stop - since this blog is meant to be my therapy, I'll find the time soon...

"You're alive. Do something. The directive in life, the moral imperative was so uncomplicated. It could be expressed in single words, not complete sentences. It sounded like this: Look. Listen. Choose. Act."

- Barbara Hall

Spread The Love

Instead of saving all your love for The One, give your heart a la carte.

UNH Meets Boston: A Reunion Story!

There's nothing better than a reunion of friends.

Thanks to our wonderful hostess, Sabrina, a night out with my UNH girls was finally made possible. It was just the pick-me-up I was looking for! When the eight of us get together, no matter how much time has passed, we pick right up where we left off. The sarcastic banter ensued from the moment I walked in the door, and a night of wine, laughter, whoopie pies, tequila, dancing, and reminiscing began. The love I have for this group of women is incomparable. Let's do it every weekend??

Idea Catchers

• Take a long drive going nowhere
• Dare yourself until you scare yourself
• Mind-map a problem or pipe dream
• Roam outside your range
• Don't leave home without a blank page
• Turn off streaming video/tune into stream-of-consciousness
• Make something with your hands to give your left brain a rest
• Ignore nay-sayers and they-sayers
• Free associate
• Hit mute more often
• Be open to enlightenment in your driveway, astonishment at your desk, inspiration at the supermarket
• Work until it hurts
• Always be en route to Eureka!

The Underrated Gift Of Hope

"Anyway, with the economy six feet under and Christmas running on about three and a half reindeer, it's nice to know that one of the best presents you can give is still absolutely free. Hope."

- Rick Reilly

• http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?section=magazine&id=3789373

Escape

Somedays I want to runaway...

Soundtrack For Life:

A hymn of praise when morning has broken.
Kind of blue for a lonely day.
Bach to water the bone-dry deserts of grief.
Blues for breaking up.
Bed chamber music for making up.
Opus #1 when life is all about "me, me, me."
Rap for talking back.
Hum Hum Hum when you're tuning someone out.
A Greek chorus of mothers to sing "I told you so" along the way.
Classic rock to keep you forever young,
Country to keep you grounded,
Reggae for the Roots Woman in you.
Got respect? Check!
Whether you're playing solo or part of a duet...
Write the lyrics to your own life and belt it out.
LIP SYNCHING IS FOR SISSIES!

Detours = Your Destination

Get off the grid.
Take a trip that scares your pants off.
Pack a treasure map instead of a road map.

Let go of happy endings and live an imperfect life.

Be unprepared.

Improvise.

What would happen if you disconnected? From CNN, Facebook, email, breaking news?

Make DETOURS your DESTINATION

The Gang's All Here

What made the holidays for me this year?

Having all of my friends home...and together...for our annual get-together.

Their company is one of the best things in my life.

UNrules

Clean the kitchen.

Fold the laundry before it wrinkles.

Be a team player.

If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all

Floss, floss, floss.

Save, save, save.

Rules, rules, rules.

We need some UNrules to help us UNwind.

Tired of being sweet?

The UNrule: Say what you think instead of sugarcoating difficult conversations.

Are you always a peacemaker?

The UNrule: Drop out of friend dramas and let them work it out or go to war without you.

Putting your life on hold until you have enough security?

The UNrule: Safety is subject to instant change.

Plan for the future but make your present perfect.

Start being unruly, truly you.

Longing For Christmas' Past

Just as they are every year, the holidays were a crazy whirlwind. Only this year, they lacked something once again: Christmas cheer.

Since Thanksgiving it has felt as if a dark cloud has made a permanent home over 667 Webster Street - a cloud I've tried to ignore - but you can only overlook such a feeling for so long...

For the second year in a row, I felt the ache of missing her more than ever. The house was decorated with Christmas carolers galore, a tree that took over half of the living room, and delicately wrapped presents awaiting the inevitable fate of being torn open on Christmas morning. I thought all of this would help. It didn't.

My dad isn't himself, and hasn't been for a very long time. I want to help him, but have learned that the troubles go far beyond anything I have power over.

Yes, I miss my mom every day. I miss my dad, too, though.