An Introduction to 2014

ImageThis afternoon I sat at my computer crying, fingers paralyzed to asdf jkl; wondering if I’d ever be able to write again. A little extreme? Perhaps. But when I lack inspiration for writing, it can bleed over into other areas of my world where I lack initiative and wonder if I will ever be the same creative person I was before my world turned topsy-turvy four years ago. So I cried, too scared to start, knowing that if I did it would just be crap. And then I did. I just did. And once I did, it flowed. And when I was finished I felt good. No. I felt great. So, yeah. I’ve written a post for 2014. And I can’t double post, so I’m including the link to it here at my sister’s and my blog over at Crossing the Streams. Hate to make you double click, but I think it’s worth it…and it just might inspire you, too.

I love you all, some more than others…

Seven Sentences for Sunday: The Oddly Thankful Edition

A few weeks ago when I was visiting my sister in L.A., I visited her MOPS group. Along with their monthly teaching, they also did a craft project where they decorated mugs with things that they were thankful for that you might not necessarily be thankful for in the moment. With that in mind, here is my list of my oddly thankful things.

  1. I am thankful for sassy mouths…because it means my children have the power to reason with their strong vocabularies.
  2. I am thankful for middle of the night nursings…because those moments are so fleeting, and I know that it’s the only time that my baby will rely on me alone for nourishment. (respectfully borrowed from my sister, Lacey.)
  3. I am thankful for early morning wakeup calls during the school week…because it means I can make fried egg sandwich for R and see her and J off to school.
  4. I am thankful for past mistakes—the ginormous ones and the only mildly big ones…because they guide me through the stumbling blocks that are sure to continue to line my life path.
  5. I am thankful for heartbreak…because it makes me appreciate the swooning of a new relationship that much more.
  6. I am thankful for afternoon kindergarten…because it means I get special time with Ez every morning, even if it means stretching the budget just a bit tighter so I can stay home with her until she enters school full time next year.
  7. I am thankful for apartment living…because maintenance issues are not my own and because the kids have fun, understanding neighbors who don’t mind our loudness on occasion. 

I love you all, some more than others.

Seven Sentences for Sunday: The Steve’s Playlist Edition

Steve, the complete and utter romantic that he is, made me a playlist—something that is akin to the mix tapes of yore. It’s impossible to pick my top 7 favorites, but here are 7 that make my heart melt (in no particular order). I’ve included YouTube links for those who wish to get all mush-butt like me, just click on the song title.

  1. Chicago, “Make Me Smile”
  2. Eels, “I Like the Way This Is Going”
  3. Brandi Carlile, “Closer To You”
  4. Herb Alpert, “This Guy’s In Love With You”
  5. Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova, “Falling Slowly”
  6. Norah Jones, “I’ve Got To See You Again”
  7. Corinne Bailey Rae, “Are You Here?”

I love you all, some more than others.

Seven Sentences for Sunday: The 7 Random Facts About Destiny Edition

  1. I eat ice cream from a mug. It tastes better and it feels like I’m getting more.
  2. I have a strong suspicion of anyone who can’t use chopsticks.
  3. Sliding Doors and Almost Famous are my two favorite movies of all time.
  4. Writing and quoting poetry to me are a fantastic way to get to second base.
  5. Heaven forbid, if I had to choose between being deaf, blind, or mute, I’d choose mute. I already clam up around people I don’t know, so I imagine it wouldn’t be too far of a stretch. Besides, I think I’d make a really cute mime.
  6. I love being kissed on New Year’s Eve. This year I plan on being kissed with my favorite band playing in the background—double score.
  7. I’d forgotten how often you have to do things one handed when you are carrying a sleeping/nursing newborn until I went to visit my 5 week old nephew last week. Not really a point of interest, but a fact nonetheless.

I love you all, some more than others.

Seven Sentences for Sunday: The Simple Rules Edition

Seven Rules for Dating Destiny, now that I’m online dating (eek!).

1. Thou shalt not reveal anything sexually about yourself on (or before) the first date that you would not tell your mother…or at least your best friend from college. Seriously, keep that shit to yourself until, say, I know more about you than what your favorite band is.Image

2. Thou absolutely positively shall not ever, never, tell me that you love me on the first date. Creepy to the nth degree, I don’t care how much of a romantic you are…

3. Thou shalt not even think about making me feel guilty for not rounding the bases before I am ready. I am wearing my “chastity belt” (unshaven legs) for a reason…deal with it.

4. Thou shalt respect the fact that I have children, that they are of utmost importance in my life, and that perhaps you should ask about them on occasion instead of ignoring that they exist.

5. If thoust want a response to your profile after thoust has checked out mine, send me an email with more than “hey…” And while we’re at it…if I have put myself out there by adding a few profile pics, you can add a few of your own. Don’t be a chickenshit.

6. Thou must understand that I am terrible at small talk…I will have revealed this before our date. So if thou can’t take the lead, then let’s do something action oriented, like putt-putt or bowling, where we can smack talk and have fun instead of staring at each other awkwardly over the dinner table.

7. Finally, don’t yell at me or otherwise talk down to me at any point during our budding relationship, because that will be the end of it right then and there. I went to a women’s college, I can stand up for myself.

I love you all, potentially one more than others…

Seasons Change and So Do I

ImageSo Sam has a new girl. And while I am wildly happy for him, I am also selfishly a little sad. Sad because whenever someone new is introduced, it always means there is a shift in a relationship. While I had been one of Sam’s primary sources of entertainment (and he mine) pretty much since we broke up last summer, there is now someone else who has his attention. I’m not jealous by any means—seeing him happy makes me happy—but I do have to confront this shift in our relationship from hanging out every time neither of us had the kids to me deliberately having to ask for Sam-time when I need it. Continue reading →

16 Reasons to Date a Single Mom Like Me

  1. We’ve got that nurturing thing down. Whether it be to dry a tear or just give a hug for no reason other than to say I love you, that quality is innate in us.
  2. You may not be as cool as Bon Jovi, but we’ll still be your biggest fan. (I take that back—your kids will probably take first prize for a little while, but then we’ll move into first place when puberty hits.)
  3. We don’t need grand romantic gestures. Snap a picture of a cool cloud or a pretty flower and text it to us just to let us know you think of us occasionally. Continue reading →

Seven Sentences for Sunday: The Quotable Quotes Edition

1. “Your breath smells like dog penis.” –Ez not so delicately telling me I needed to brush my teeth during story time.

2. “I was just trying to figure out which breed…perhaps a retriever from the plains of Minnesota.” –someone special upon smooching me hello, after I told him about Ez’s insult.

3. “Ez, why did you draw on your window with cheetos and oreos?” “Because I’m an artist.” –Ez.

4. “Mom, I got stung by a jellyfish and it hurt. REALLY bad.”–J, checking in from the beach.

5. I found some love notes that Sam wrote me when we were dating. I won’t quote them, but I will say that even though I am glad to have him as a bestie, a tiny wee little part of me misses the romance. Water under the bridge.

6. “I used to be love drunk, but now I’m hungover…”—Boys Like Girls in one of my favorite lyrics ever.

7. “But of all these friends and lovers, there is no one who compares with you….” The Beatles, in a song that I’ve sung to J since the day she was born. It still makes me tear up.

I love you all, some more than others.

**Bonus 8. For those of you in the Cincinnati area, consider coming out next weekend to support the 21st annual Cincy Blues Fest. It’s an awesome time with national and international acts. Sawyer Point, Friday and Saturday. Be there! More info at http://cincybluesfest.org