Home | Posts RSS | Comments RSS | Login

Fall pirouettes

Tuesday, October 28, 2008
The last leaves are just about to fall from the trees ... and a few flakes of snow actually fell this morning ... but the sun is valiantly trying to warm our frozen fingers and wind whipped faces. Winter is not far behind ...

Though I don't relish the thought of boots and scarves and hats and mittens and gloves and bulky coats ... I love this sweater and scarf weather ... nothing feels better or healthier to me than cold red cheeks. Had a moment of non-summer bliss today as I shuffled my suede booted feet through crunchy leaves ... my brown scarf coiled around my neck ... sipping a delicious Starbucks caramel macchiato as I made my way to a meeting downtown.

I do love summer and the kiss of the sun ... but if I were totally honest ... fall is my all-time favorite season. The air seems crisper, everything looks sharper more in focus ... breathing in is a delight as the air is cold and tickles the nostrils ... and every now and again you can see your breathe puff beyond your mouth. I relish the whip of the wind ... and the sound of scurrying, grating and rattling of leaves along the sidewalks and walkways. My nostrils flare at the faint scent of a fireplace burning somewhere ...

My eyes never tire of dried berries and grapewreaths ... cornstalks, gourds, pumpkins ... and views of pieces of the city that are hidden by leaves and branches all summer long. The waves crash on the breakers beyond the shore of Lake Ontario ... and the beaches and promenades are empty except for the likes of me and the occassional dog walkers ...

It's pirouette weather ... and I love it!

Off to the races ...

Sunday, October 26, 2008
It was dark when we awoke ... and now I'm sitting here sipping my coffee as Stef gets dressed ...
I had to grab a sweater and some socks ... the floor boards are cold. I can't imagine how chilly it must be outside.

Breakfast - check.
Lunch prepared and packed - check.
Hair - check.
Last minute clothes inspection - check.
Run through the lines - check.
Cell phone, book to read, camera and money - check.

Off we go ... another Disney-esque day of delights and discoveries.

Forgotten faces of my father

Saturday, October 25, 2008
It's a thought that haunts me in the far recesses of my mind ... something that an episode of Hannah Montana last year brought to my conscious mind ...that of having forgotten details or at the time the sum total of the face of my father ... the memory of his smell or his touch ...

Chronologically his death was just a little over three decades ago ... thirty years is a long time by any stretch. And it's not like I woke up one day and all the details had been erased ... no, it was something more insidious than that ... a slow process where time eroded the sharpness and brightness of contours and details until but a blur remained ... a blur of a vague shape ... somewhat of the same size ... not a flesh and blood memory with skintone and five o'clock shadow and grey hairs ... no, something more like the chalk outline of CSIs and Law & Orders ...

Horror is an understatement to describe what rose bileous in my throat when I realized that I could not bring up the vision of my father's face ... the line of his jaw ... or the width of his shoulders. His image had fled leaving cliched memories in its place ... memories held together by the glue of words strung together ... no longer visual images ...

I pulled out every photo I still have ... and relief washed over me ... for the man captured in black and white and early Kodak colour was recognizable, my chromosones remembered him, if nothing else ... and as I flipped over photo after photo, the memories took on weight and colour and substance ... became real enough for me to step into and relive ...

I'd locked those memories away into the pages of photo albums where his likeness was also beginning to fade ... the colours more mottled and faded with the years. I vowed not to let as many years pass before visiting again ... I deliberately stroll down memory lane now ... never wanting that feeling to wash over me again, that of losing a loved one ... as in the face of my father forever ...

and maybe because I've chosen never to close that door again ... to carefully check every now and again that it is indeed ajar ... memories come to visit "out of the blue" when I least expect it. The smile of ice in an arena never fails to remind me of Dad ... as does the slicing of ice skates on Zamboni-ed ice ... a man's housecoat brings an automatic mental image of my father's blue and white checked bathrobe with him in it ... and when I'm really lucky, I'll catch a whiff of him in the air that I'm breathing ...

of Paris and love ...

Nic called ... figuratively and literally spilling over with excitement and glee and merriment at being in Paris for the next week ...
She has her own hotel room ... and therefore is sneaking away once the kids sleep to roam and to savour and drink in this magnificient city ...
She's already in love ... with the Louvre, the Seine, the artists, the people ...

And me? I'm even more in love with my child ... seeing the woman the wondrous person she has become fills me with such pride that I'm figuratively and literally spilling over with excitement and glee and merriment of my own.

I'm giggling that she made reference to her return date with a "casual" reference to "Sabrina" ... and no, not the 90s version ... the original 1954 version with none other than Audrey Hepburn.

Little did I understand when I first held her in my arms when I felt such love and protectiveness towards this small helpless creature looking up at me and believed that love could never possibly be bigger than this ... that love could be and would be ... bigger, larger, more encompassing ...

I still love her so much my heart hurts ...

The Principal's Office

Friday, October 24, 2008
... as I went to take a seat - she exclaimed, "Oh don't sit there, you won't fit" ... and as I sat myself down, rather comfortably might I add ... she tittered, "Oh ... what I meant was that's where the bad kids usually sit."

Should I read something into the fact that the chair I selected (and there were more than three to choose from) was the favorite chair of those facing the Principal for disciplinary reasons?

Regardless ... today I faced the Principal not because I'd been bad or I'd been summoned ... but because I finally felt the need to stand up for my child. To champion her rights and talk about things not easily fixed because they take too much time, are beyond the full control of the school, the Principal, the teachers ... which speak to "Lord of the Flies" and human nature ... not the beauty but the ugly side ...

Stefani is a gentle young girl ... with strong personal convictions of what is right and what is wrong. Instinctively she turns the other cheek, shares and strives to make others feel welcome, warm and cared for. Stefani is gentle and kind. That does not mean Stefani is a push-over, nor does it mean that she is a follower.

And therein lies the problem.

She will not follow ... when others are rude. She will not stay silent when others are hurt. She will not retaliate when others are cruel.

And this ... the fact alone that she has not until yesterday ever resorted to the other side's tactics ... has marked her, ostracized her, determined her often "outcast" status.

Yesterday, when being reprimanded by a school mate that she was not allowed to talk alone with another girl, when she was told that the other girl wanted to play with the person she was talking to and therefore needed to remove herself ... Stefani "exploded" ... not much of an explosion by this world's standards. But Stefani described it as an explosion and she felt shame. Shame for what you ask ... shamed that she uttered the words, "I don't think I want to be your friend anymore."

No big deal, right? Just school yard dramas which will be forgotten someday ...

I don't think so ... what happened next is the girl in question, the one trying so hard to dictate to Stefani what she should do and how to do it and when she can be friends with people and when she can't ... the leader of the pack who has been doing this for more than 2 years now ... this young girl went and complained to her teacher about how Stefani had hurt her feelings.

Enter a teacher who listened to one side of the story ... made Stefani miss a recess and reprimanded her for losing her cool, hurting someone's feelings ...

Stefani ... did not stand up for herself ... her own ideals dictated that losing her cool and saying mean things was wrong regardless of the situation ... and she listened and nodded and agreed to "be nicer" ...

So today ... I faced the Principal ... not expecting a whole lot to be done ... but if nothing else to have the record set straight that Stefani TOO has a right to say "no more" ... to stick up for herself ... and that as adults we need to ensure that we understand the context before we single out and pass judgement ...

For that teacher yesterday ... told a gentle kind girl that it was okay that others bullied and made life difficult ... but that she needed to be nicer ...

Made a "victim" responsible ...

Can you hear my anger and frustration behind these words? It's not trivial school yard dramas that are soon forgotten ...

these are dogs eating dogs eating dogs ... and personalities and self esteems being built and shattered and broken ...

Whoever said it was easy ...

Thursday, October 23, 2008
... should be shot!

There are times like this ... when the troubles and worries and uncertainties and insecurities and baggage come to the forefront to lay havoc in their wake. Perhaps it's a rite of the seasons ... our very own shedding of leaves ...

... a cleansing of sorts.

Over the years ... (could this be what wisdom sounds like) ... I've learned to let the seasons have their way and their whims ... for to all there is reason (or at least a rhyme).

... troubles and worries will fall like leaves ... and scatter about ... fly through the winds that howl and blow on the coldest of Autumn nights ...

... to be raked up into piles and discarded.

... soon enough the beauty beneath the foliage, that which is hidden in the brilliance of summer ... grasps our attention and we see the naked branches like arms held out to the sky ...

and all is right with the world once again as we prepare for the restoring sleep of winter's keep.




when the pieces just don't fit ...

Wednesday, October 22, 2008
... there are days when the pieces just don't fit ... no matter how much you prod, urge, cajole, explain, attempt, push, pull, analyse ...
... these are the days you wish you could just pull the covers back over your head and sleep through to the sound of the alarm clock on tomorrow's morning ...

Days when a peek at the alarm clock through half ajar eyelids show the same time as every morning ... and yet the same movements, routines, motions ... find you scrambling with less time to go scurrying out the door. Did the seconds simply get faster? ... or was I simply slower?

Days when the "norm" just doesn't seem to fit within what has always been the comfortable order of the day ... when words said just don't ring right come out right ... where comprehension is slowed skewed weirded.

Days when explanations drone on and on and on ... seemingly coherent and logical and based in truth and agreed upon facts ... to end in misunderstandings, rebuttals, refuttals, mixed messages, inanities, insanities.

Days when you know you're damned if you do ... and doubly damned if you don't ... and the end result is exactly the same whichever path you take.

Days when the entire day speaks and breathes of discord ...

Is it me? Is it you? Is it them? ... or is simply something in the water?

Stefani's Dreams

Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Wow! To be 8 again! But I guess I don't need to be 8 again because I live somewhat vicariously through Stef ... in a good way of course. So she dreams and works and plays and wishes and hopes and wants to be an actress singer in the "biz" more than anything in the world ... and there's one chance in a million that her dreams will come true ... but her attitude is - who cares, I'm going to try and I'm going to have fun when I'm trying and that's that.

Imagine what this world would be ... if we all had that attitude, that belief, that ability to not try to control, manipulate and just set a goal and work in that direction?

Anyways ... this weekend she got to meet Adrian from The Suite Life of Zach and Cody ... and for those of you who have no children this means nothing ... and for us ... well my goodness, the actors on that show are Disney gods. She was lucky enough to have enchanted Adrian for a few moments and he gave her a Suite Life working script (autographed of course) ... I think he gave out 4 or 5 of these ...

She's on cloud nine ...

At 8 she still savours the little things, the stops along the way ... she instinctively knows that it's the journey that matters ...

Perspective

So I survived the meeting of the minds of the charitable organization for which I work ... put 10 business managers from across the country in one room, add active members (volunteers) who know little about the daily operational issues of running the very business they strive to represent, a charming and oh so pleasant dysfunctional board (is that a prerequisite of every board?), a few staff members attempting to move forward change ... and you've got a powder keg threatening to blow at any second.

At one point, I did turn to a colleague and said, "I should have filed for the television rights ... this would make one successful reality show" ... it had everything: drama, soap box grand-standing, passive aggressive plottings and plannings, slurs, innuendos, nail-biting suspense, opposition, schemes, dreams ... tears, laughter ...

So it's business as usual ... and we'll see what happens. I was the "golden girl" ... but apparently the honeymoon phase in this organization is always this way ... we'll see how long it lasts ... can I make it last longer than others? Will it last long enough for me to meet my mandate? Stay tuned ... (or at least tune in later for further updates) ...

I guess the reason I'm even sitting down to write about this weekend at all ... is that it held a certain truth that went far beyond the weekend itself ... it spoke to me of representing life and society in a simple way ... everyone speaking and acknowledging that they are working for the same purpose while clearly taking steps that are not ... cross purposes. Are people that blind? Are people that sure that others can't see for themselves what they are really doing?

Do I care? Should I care?

I realized over lunch with my boss (whom I've been know to call many a name) and another staff member ... that I had subtly let myself be influenced by some of the descriptions and opinions of others ... and that when I thought I was seeing his actions from an open mind-set ... my open mind-set had already been coloured by those comments and suggestions and innuendos.

And so I sat at lunch ... and took the time to get the know the person behind or should I say inside the blue pin-stripe suit ... a dreamer, an artist, a gentle, gentle soul ... a musician with something to say ... actually a songwriter ... an aspiring writer penning the great Canadian novel ... a visual artist ... a peer of my generation (god he looks at least 10 years younger ... his secret? no wife ... no kids ...) ...

Puts things in perspective ...

and so it goes ...

Thursday, October 16, 2008
Another crazy few days are looming ahead ... just thinking about them makes me tired ... oh well such is the life I've chosen and I do love it ... really I do.

So in short the itinerary goes something like this:
1) Today ... finish 3 powerpoint presentations for weekend AGM ... take Stef to workshop downtown ... arrange for Mel to take Stef downtown tomorrow night and on Saturday afternoon ... pick up digital projector for AGM
2) Friday ... 9 am to 9 pm AGM
3) Saturday ... 9 am to 6 pm AGM "debates" ... okay so they call them discussions ... but in this company debates or screaming matches might be more appropriate
4) Sunday ... 9 am to noon ... more AGM stuff ... and then off to Wasaga Beach to help empty Helen's house as it's been sold ...

Just another week in the saga of our lives ... surely can't complain about boredom.

Overtired

Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Cycles ... life is all about cycles ...
Life ... death ... rebirth ... menstrual ... menopausal ... ... seconds, minutes, hours, turning to days turning to weeks to months to years ... all in the cycling of the clocks' hands around the circle of time ... over and over and over again the hands turn ... tick, tick, tick ...
A journey towards the ultimate game buzzer of them all ... "time's up" ...

But I digress, I came here to talk about cycles ... some people cycle according to their menstrual cycle, others the moon ...
I cycle the Energizer Bunny route ...

I recharge the batteries ... and wind the wind-up key .... and start ... and I'm going and I'm doing and I'm doing more and more and still more ... and somewhere along the way the very much turns to much and then a lot a lot and then some ... and then slowly the wind-up key slows down ... as I wind down ...

Time to recharge the batteries ...

It'll be time enough to wind the wind-up key tomorrow ...

Turkey day ...

Tuesday, October 14, 2008
... or turkitty day as we ended up calling Thanksgiving (which was yesterday for those who may not know) since Mel has adopted two new kittens - Newton and Einstein. And naturally the smells of turkey, extra feet, extra arms to be held in ... had the little balls of fluff in kitty heaven.

There's Einstein checking out the view from atop Mel's fridge!
Jen (Nic's best friend) came over ... it was the first time any of us had seen her since Nic left for France ... and speaking of Nic and France ... here's a picture of her and Benjamin (her "charge" as they would say in France ... well, one of the two)

... and while I'm at it ... here's another ... Benjamin and Naomi ... both "charges" together ...

So all in all in was a great turkitty day ... good food, family, laughter ... and we knew that Nic and Will and Ashley were with us in spirit ...


I am blessed ...

Life as a Tourist

Saturday, October 11, 2008
... been working on saying "hello" to myself again through fun self-improvement games such as the 101 things to do in 1001 days ... in working on #11. Write my personal manifesto of beliefs ... I've come to the understanding that I want to live the rest of my life as though I were a tourist in this life of mine ...

... the kind of tourist I am when I go somewhere new ... excited, eager to see and do everything, touch everything, feel everything ... appreciate, examine, experience, explore, discover ... savour, enjoy ... in wide-eyed wonder ...

... sounds good to me, how about you?

stolen moments ...

It's been a whirlwind ... and this blog place became a whirlish hell as well. There I was wanting to maintain my self-made resolution to write something as close to everyday as possible ... to delve into the little issues, to vent, to meander through thoughts, feelings, circumstances ...

and as I sit here, with my cup of coffee by my side, savouring the early morning hours while the rest of the house still sleeps ... seeing the whirlwind of Saturday's necessary comings and goings looming ever closer as the hands of the clock keep ticking time away ... I can't help but wonder if I really want this place to be "bastardized" by hurried ramblings depicting the chaos of a particular day or week ... or do I want it to be a place to come to when I really have something to say.

It's all a moot point really ... because this is a journal, isn't it? ... and naturally it's going to reflect the moods of the day, the calm or whirls of any particular time period ... and isn't this posting kinda' my own navel lint pondering ... turning a non-issue into an issue ... because the body is tired and the mind is tired ... so why not give myself the illusion of actually tackling something worth discussing ... making a mountain out of a piece of belly button lint ...

So a quick recap of today to get to the reality snapshot of today ... was up at 6:30 AM when Carol (sister-in-law) came to the door ... I volunteered to drive her to Dave's firestation this morning so they could set off on their journey to Sudbury from there (it's closer to the 401) ... Tim and Carrie get married today ... weatherman promises sunshine and warm fall weather to bless their celebration. Stefani has a call-back from her audition last week ... so we've got to be downtown by 1:30 PM ... should be home by 5 PM and I should stop for groceries on the way home (we'll see if that happens as I absolutely detest grocery shopping!! To tell you the truth, if there wasn't such a surcharge on ordering electronically and having it delivered ... I would take the route, no questions asked ... even factoring in all the electronic and human error that would come into the picture ... might even be fun to see the "mistakes" made ... huh? cow tongue? ... what am I supposed to do with a cow's tongue?) ... then I've got more work to do on the presentations I'll be giving next week at the AGM ... and I want to catch up on writing half done and neglected ... and I was also thinking about sprucing up the kitchen with a fresh coat of paint (Faded mint is the colour of choice) ...

a glutton for punishment, I am, I am ... but then when I don't have enough to do ... I get outta sorts and grumpy and grumbly ... and I don't like being that way ... so this is ultimately the way I like to be ... the happiest me I can be for me ... I guess I like my self-prescribed chaos ...

and I can sit there in the midst of it all ... peaceful ... from within the eye of the hurricane.

and can you believe it? ... more feasibilities ...

Friday, October 10, 2008
So the hectic whirlwind continues ...
barely made it to the airport on Wednesday morning ... arrived in Quebec City on time ... couldn't find a taxi (what?? don't all cabbies hang around airports? how else is someone to get into town? walk? with a laptop, a bag, a purse, unsuitable shoes and no idea what direction to take??)
The conference was educational and definitely worth my while ... who'd have thought that there were that many facets to "Leisure" (as in recreation, sports, etc) ?
Spent the just right amount of time with Mom ... polished off a bottle of wine with my brother (who's now completely grey and he's younger than me!) ...
... and so I landed back in Toronto today ... made it home by 1 PM ... actually debated taking a nap but something drew me to the computer and my email. Should have listened to my first impulse ... because I ended up having to finish another version of one of the feasibilites I'd thought I'd finished earlier this week ...
... it's now almost 7 PM ... and I'm just settling in ...

and more feasibility studies ...

Wednesday, October 8, 2008
... so the first draft of a completed study - fundraising has seen the light of day ... how many hours have I been working ... is it Saturday, Sunday? ... yipes ... it's Tuesday. (and you think I jest) ...

soo ... off to bed for some shut eye ... tomorrow Quebec City ... which means my mom and Gary ... back Friday morning.

feasibility studies ...

Sunday, October 5, 2008
that's what today was made of ...
a study of corporate sponsorship possibilities for a new sport (well not really new just not well known in this part of the world) ... another study of assessments of the viability of a capital fundraising campaign ... and finally, the study of the feasibility of doing two days work in one sunday ...
it's actually all feasible ... hooray!

burning up the telephone lines ...

Saturday, October 4, 2008
Ever had one of those days ... when no matter what you had planned to do ... the day just has a mind of its own? Well I'm having one of those ... arrrggghhh.

So the day actually dawned bright and sunny ... a slight fallish nip greeted me as I stepped out onto the back deck to sip at my morning's coffee. That was at 7:15 am. Just Peanut Butter and I surveying the latest leaf droppings upon the still surface of the pool ... the birds on the high wires to the right over the field flocking together, sitting there twittering excitedly about their upcoming trip down south ...

And as with most mornings, as I sip and look and listen ... I sat and listened to the rumblings and the grumblings of this aging body ... today I noted a slight ache behind my shoulder blades ... too much Pilates? or just a reminder that each day brings some new twinge or ache or reminder?

whatever ... that's not what I came here to vent about ... it's how the rest of this first half of the day so well planned last night has just unravelled ... into a twisted skein of yarn at my feet. And though I'm annoyed and upset and frusterated (so much more emphatic than frustrated) ... I can't help but laugh ...

... at the best laid plans of mice and men ...

so Kyla had her crisis at work caught between two bosses ... one a wimp the other a bitch ... and her own inability to keep her mouth shut and watch what she says and promises and divulges and ... her tendancy to say that she understands when she doesn't and move forward without thinking and then slip and fall and not remember what actually happened or how it happened ... and then ... throws her hands up in the air and screams HELP ... but unable to truly explain what she needs help for ... and oops she has to leave right now or she'll be late for work #1 ...

... that brought the clock to about 8:30 am ...

did I tell you that I had planned my morning to ensure that I finished the one-page summary documents of the two independent feasibility studies done for the organization I work for ... to send to CEO for commentary and changes and edits prior to Monday morning ... so that he could then look good Monday afternoon sending out all this written effort backing up his miraculous capacity improvement plan and prevent his impeachment? ... oh well, that's another story ... for another time I'm sure ...

and then Jonathan prepares to leave the house for a trial day as a store merchandiser ... a job to help him feel useful and capable and able again ... and he needed some extra tending, approbation and other "tion" ending words ...

and then the clock neared 9:00 am and the two sleeping beauties awoke ... Dave and Stef ... one groggy and subdued and other bouncing about as if on a giant spring ... breakfast, details, hugs, stories and tellings and plans and sync-ing of watches and schedules ...

and then the phone rang ... now 9:15 am and Maija has the chicken pox and is restless and won't stop talking about Stefani ... so can Maija accompany Ginga and Stefani and along with her mommy come for the ride downtown for Stefani's audition at 3:00 PM ...

9:30 am ... and a couple of words get written on summary report #1 ... as I wonder if he (CEO) is going to turn around and expect the full-fledged documents to be ready in edited form on Monday ... and is that even something I can possibly achieve ... oh my, oh me ... maybe it's time for another walk around the back yard with Peanut Butter ...

but before that can happen ... 9:41 am ... the phone rings and it's sister-in-law #1, Carol and she needs a break from all the post-funeral, splitting up the household drama and exploding minefields and pitholes of power struggles between brother #1, Mike and sisters #2 and #3 ...

so I listen and make soothing noises ... as she tells me tales of sister #2 suing her #1 son ... and sister #2 "stealing" bed room sets and food processors and brother #1 not wanting to share the details of the will ... and he's the executor ... and she just wants to jump off a bridge ... or can she come over?

10:41 am ... sorry ... maybe tomorrow ... okay ... now Dave leaves to promote and sell cars and such (side-line jobs beyond fighting fires and saving lives) ... and Stefani is chatting with Jessica her friend on the front porch looking for a way to make the morning go away so that the afternoon will be here and she can do what she loves ...

10:45 am ... the phone rings and it's Jonathan ... mom I don't know if I can do this ... yes you can ... why don't you talk to your supervisor ... and the fear builds up within me as I wonder, are we headed there again?

11:00 ... back to the words on the screen and a quick run downstairs to throw laundry in and take laundry out ... fold, put away ... clean the kitchen, the living room, tidy up beds and bathrooms and floors ...


noon ... an apple snatched from the bowl ... okay let's try again and get some work-work done ...


sit myself down, look at the screen, the words before me ... telephone again ... this time it's sister-in-law #3, Deborah ... poor me, I miss my mom so ... my siblings are all idiots ... I hate them all, don't you hate them all, how can you not hate them all ... did I tell you my daughter called the cops on me last night ... I think she's taking drugs ... but I'm not sure ... what would you think if you found syringes under her bed ... she says she just wanted to try drawing blood to find out whether she could do it or not ... it could be that, couldn't it?


at this point I'm ready to scream ...!!

It's 12:45 ... the time is ticking ... and now I'm here ... letting the air of the scream, out of the unravelled plans ... somewhere other than my head. Maybe I'll get an hour of work done before Maija and Melanie arrive ... and then Maija, Melanie, Stefani and I head downtown ... and hopefully I'll be able to give them my full attention and not just think about that page, that screen that at 5 PM upon my return will still only have 197 written words ...

(oh and now it's about 1:27 pm ... Jonathan came home and is confused, Kyla called for more explanations and confirmations and affirmations ... and Dave just walked in the door ... sheesh ... just another day at the zoo)



tick tock ... and the mouse ran up the clock ...

101 Things to do in 1001 Days

Wednesday, October 1, 2008
So … I double-dare me to accept the challenge … to complete 101 tasks in a period of 1001 days.
If you're interested ... visit the home of the 101 things to do in 1001 days project.

My Mission: Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days. Tasks must be specific (non-ambiguous) with a measurable or clearly defined result … as well as be realistic and a hefty percentage of which can’t be realized in the space of a day or with too much ease.

Start: October 1, 2008

Completion Date: June 29, 2011

Personal / self-improvement
1. Take at least one photograph every day of the 1001 days. (o/1001)
2. Write at least one piece and submit to a writing contest per year. (0/4)
3. Write a minimum of 100 pages of a novel.
4.Compile the lyrics of 100 favorite songs. Make them into a spiral-bound book.
5. Experiment with cooking by trying two new dishes a month. (0/66)
6.Learn 50 new words and use them. (3/50)
7.Print my favorite 100 digital pictures printed and assemble them in an album or albums.
8. Plan every meal for two full weeks and follow-through.
9. Make a list of 101 things that bring me pleasure. Display it. Remember. (completed October 11, 2008)
10. Avoid being sarcastic or biting for a full twenty-four hours per month. (if that is possible, do it again). (0/33)
11. Write my personal manifesto of belief.
12. Really try to get a magazine article published.
13. Read 10 books of non-fiction (biographies are allowed).
14. Make my own Christmas cards.
15. Give a sincere compliment to one person a day for 5 consecutive days (must be a different person each time).
16. Participate in three consecutive Sunday Scribblings per year.(0/12)
17. Document a “day in the life” with photos.
18. Go see an author read from his or her work.
19. Buy a coloring book and color every picture.
20. Organize quotes I love into a quote book. Add at least one a week. (0/143)
21. Watch all the available seasons of Boston Legal.
22. Read 150 books. (1/150)
23. Write a children’s book.
24. Put $5 in bottle for each completed task. Donate $10 to charity for every incomplete task.
25. Volunteer 101 hours.
26. Get new glasses.
27. Relearn the piano as I teach Stefani.
28. Mail a secret into PostSecret.
29. Get a passport.
30. Sing karaoke at least once.
31. Buy myself a silver charm bracelet and buy myself six charms to celebrate me.
32. Sell an image to iStock.
33. Fly first class.

Fitness / Health
34. Cleanse or follow a detox regine for 7-10 days.
35. Lose 10 pounds and keep it off for 6 months.
36. Walk every day for at least 30 minutes for one month. (0/31)
37. Purchase a bicycle.
38. Practice yoga every day for a month. (0/31)
39. Do Pilates every day for a month. (0/31)
40. Give up sugar for a week. (0/7)
41. Complete a marathon.
42. Eat breakfast every day for 30 days. (0/30)
43. Get Bronze Medaillon (lifeguard).
44. Visit the dentist regularly. (0/6)
45. Do an advanced set of Pilates 100’s properly.

Cultural / New
46. Buy tickets for the theater (play) and attend.
47. Visit and tour a winery and attend a wine tasting.
48. Have a picnic outside in a park or near a lake, river, stream.
49. Visit the AGO and really look at every exhibit.
50. Visit the ROM and really look at every exhibit.
51. Visit 5 new places. (0/5)

Fun
52. Fly a kite.
53. Ride a horse.
54. Stay overnight at a bed and breakfast.
55. Dress up for Halloween.
56. Play golf or hit balls at the range at least once a week weather permitting.
57. Build a snowman by myself.
58. Canoe on a river.
59. Sleep outside; in a tent or under the stars.
60. Take a girls get-a-way with all my beautiful daughters.
61. Attend a comedy show or comedy hour.
62. Take a ride in a hot-air balloon.
63. Go to a PGA event.
64. Go Christmas carolling.
65. Attend a murder mystery party/dinner.
66. Buy sexy underwear for me.
67. Go to 4 live concerts. (0/4)
68. Make love somewhere unusual.
69. Climb a mountain.
70. Dance in the moonlight.

Giving spirit
71. Make a recipe book of tried-and-true and family favorites. Make copies and give to the kids.
72. Donate or toss 101 items. (0/101)
73. Donate 50,000 grains of rice through freerice.com (3,240/50,000)
74. Donate to 4 charities. (0/4)
75. Adopt a family for Christmas.

Financial / Savings
76. Put $50 a week into savings or a cookie jar. (0/$7,050)
77. Have 250 “no spending” days. (0/250)

Work / Business
78. Get personal business cards made up.
79. Write and complete an entire To-Do List for 10 To-Do-Days. (0/10)
80. Work two simultaneous consultant projects.
81. Market myself as a non-profit, development/sponsorship consultant.
82. Get CPR certified.
83. For one work day a month, do nothing but work all work-day. (0/33)

House / Home / Family
84. Buy a piece of original art for the wall.
85. Bake puulla four times. (0/4)
86. Set up indoor or outdoor herb garden for fresh herbs all year long.
87. Surprise my husband once a week. (0/143)
88. Go sledding with Stefani.
89. Go to a pumpkin farm.
90. Make fondue.
91. Keep the car clean inside and out for a whole month. (0/30)
92. Go on a waterside family vacation.
93. Go on a camping trip.
94. Go on a golfing vacation with Dave somewhere warm.
95. Dance with Dave twice a year. (0/8)
96. Prepare nice Sunday dinner every week. (1/143)
97. Have a backyard perennial garden.
98. Clean the basement and laundry room.
99. Get a family portrait taken.
100. Paint and fix up bedroom.
101. Write a “to be read” letter for Dave and kids. **

** Start another 101 things …

Wordless Wednesday

right back at cha'