writing

Mr. Wang

Recently I noted that my 2013 Facebook posts were more like my 2008-2009 pre-divorce ones…chipper, full of insights into this quirky world, lots of anecdotes from the kiddos. Of course my wall was still filled with tons of lyrics, but that has become normal for me as a way to track the upward and downward swings of my life. Some may shake their heads at the way I just throw out a random lyric, but I know exactly what I was thinking when I put it up there—no matter how much time has passed. The difference I’d like to see in 2014 is that I replace some of those words of others with thoughts and reflections of my own. Continue reading →

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.

Respect the Ebb

It has been a thunderstormy kind of day. We’ve had two big ones pass through, much to my delight. In my book, there are few things better than a mid-summer thunderstorm; they often make me dig deep and think about my life. But I’ve been doing a lot of that lately, perhaps too much. So I enjoyed the storms, watched the clouds clip by as the rain fell, and tried not to think so much. Continue reading →