Today's been one of those days.
Started early...was good... then it was great...then it was okay...then it sucked...and now I am having some hot tea and it's okay again.
When the time came to put the chickens to bed, they all cuddled together and said "mom, read to us!"...so, I grabbed a book off the shelf.
"Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" by Judith Vorst
As I started reading, the irony wasn't lost on me.
So, instead of just "reading", I discussed.
"Do you guys ever have days like this?" Yes, mom, we do.
"Do you think Alexander has a good attitude?" No, he's whining.
"Why don't you think anyone is paying any attention to him?" Because he's whining!
Alexander always says he's going to Australia whenever he is upset.
So I asked the kids to each tell me the name of an animal that lives in Australia (you can take the mom out of the zoo but you can't take the zoo out of the mom!)
Gabe: Wallaby
Jackie: Kangaroo
Will (via mom's whisper in ear): Echidna
At the end of Alexander's day, his mom says: "Some days are like that"
At the end of the day, (even the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad ones), there is always something good.
You just have to choose to see it.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
No You Can't. Oh...YES I can.
The unemployment in this country is 9%. I'm (un)happy to report that I've done more than my share in the past year to contribute statistically. I've done my time as a number.
I hear it all the time...Get A Job. Even my own kids like to use my unemployed status as a TKO. "You don't have a job, mom". Hey, guess what? You still have more of everything than you need and WAY more than you deserve, so shut it!! I am up at 6am most days and doing my job search as if it were a job. And it is.
But I've grown tired of the job search and now it's time to re-define how to do this.
Yesterday I sent my resume for a job with my "dream company"...The International Society of Arboriculture. The world headquarters are located in Champaign, IL where Mike lives...the first time I visited Champaign, I passed the offices of the ISA. The drool coming out of my mouth at the mere sight of that unassuming little building was enough to drown myself and the kids in the car as we drove by. Working for the ISA would be amazing, but my guess there are a ton of other people who are thinking the very same thing.
There must be a way to re-define this again.
So, like any super-inspired job seeker, I Googled it.
What I found was intriguing. The man's name is Jeff D. Opdyke and he wrote a really interesting piece about how he defined his dream job. And then he told everyone about it until he found it. The foundation of his article was that your dream job may well not exist...except in the mind of someone, somewhere. And they may be in the same boat...they have an amazing idea for new direction but no one to manage it. Eventually, this guy received a phone call from a company who wanted him to do what he wanted to do...and a dream was fulfilled for two people.
My dream job is to combine my two passions: environmental education and trees. I want to be more than a community forester or a consulting arborist. I want to work professionally, educating people on how trees work and why arboriculture, silviculture, agriforestry and dendrology in general are all so important. Time to perfect this in a letter, hone the resume, and start sending it out out to whomever will pay attention!
Time to do more than look at the trees...time to shake the crap out of them!
You can read Mr. Opdyke's article at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB128001685283920691.html
I hear it all the time...Get A Job. Even my own kids like to use my unemployed status as a TKO. "You don't have a job, mom". Hey, guess what? You still have more of everything than you need and WAY more than you deserve, so shut it!! I am up at 6am most days and doing my job search as if it were a job. And it is.
But I've grown tired of the job search and now it's time to re-define how to do this.
Yesterday I sent my resume for a job with my "dream company"...The International Society of Arboriculture. The world headquarters are located in Champaign, IL where Mike lives...the first time I visited Champaign, I passed the offices of the ISA. The drool coming out of my mouth at the mere sight of that unassuming little building was enough to drown myself and the kids in the car as we drove by. Working for the ISA would be amazing, but my guess there are a ton of other people who are thinking the very same thing.
There must be a way to re-define this again.
So, like any super-inspired job seeker, I Googled it.
What I found was intriguing. The man's name is Jeff D. Opdyke and he wrote a really interesting piece about how he defined his dream job. And then he told everyone about it until he found it. The foundation of his article was that your dream job may well not exist...except in the mind of someone, somewhere. And they may be in the same boat...they have an amazing idea for new direction but no one to manage it. Eventually, this guy received a phone call from a company who wanted him to do what he wanted to do...and a dream was fulfilled for two people.
My dream job is to combine my two passions: environmental education and trees. I want to be more than a community forester or a consulting arborist. I want to work professionally, educating people on how trees work and why arboriculture, silviculture, agriforestry and dendrology in general are all so important. Time to perfect this in a letter, hone the resume, and start sending it out out to whomever will pay attention!
Time to do more than look at the trees...time to shake the crap out of them!
You can read Mr. Opdyke's article at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB128001685283920691.html
Thursday, January 13, 2011
A Time To Heal
Once upon a time, there was a man. Everyday, for ten years, he went to the same bar. He spent time with the same people and drank the same drink. One day, the man decided he was going to become sober. So sure was he of his need to be free from his addiction, that he told everyone of his plan and entered AA.
A few days later, on a Sunday, his buddy called him. He asked him to meet him at the bar and watch the game. The man thought about it, and was sure he could handle it; he would go to the bar, see his friends, watch the game and leave.
That Sunday, the man went to the bar. He sat down with his buddies and began watching the game. Before the end of the fourth quarter, the man had many beers and had squarely convinced himself that he was happy with his life at the bar.
So, what happened? Why did he go back? Why couldn't he say no to the beer?
This story isn't about a man with an alcohol problem. Well, it could be, but this is a parable about life. It's a story about how we must take the time to heal ourselves and recognize that we deserve that time. In our lives, with any dysfunctional situation, there is a time to heal. How long that time is depends on the individual and the situation. We cannot return to a place or a situation until we have the coping skills to functionally manage it and come out happy and empowered.
In 2011, give yourself some time to heal.
Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is bliss, taste it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.
~ Mother Teresa ~
A few days later, on a Sunday, his buddy called him. He asked him to meet him at the bar and watch the game. The man thought about it, and was sure he could handle it; he would go to the bar, see his friends, watch the game and leave.
That Sunday, the man went to the bar. He sat down with his buddies and began watching the game. Before the end of the fourth quarter, the man had many beers and had squarely convinced himself that he was happy with his life at the bar.
So, what happened? Why did he go back? Why couldn't he say no to the beer?
This story isn't about a man with an alcohol problem. Well, it could be, but this is a parable about life. It's a story about how we must take the time to heal ourselves and recognize that we deserve that time. In our lives, with any dysfunctional situation, there is a time to heal. How long that time is depends on the individual and the situation. We cannot return to a place or a situation until we have the coping skills to functionally manage it and come out happy and empowered.
In 2011, give yourself some time to heal.
Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is bliss, taste it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.
~ Mother Teresa ~
Monday, January 10, 2011
Go ahead, knock me down
2010. What a year.
Kicked to the curb and got up. Scratched my head, was very scared, figured it out and moved on.
Got kicked again. This time I was pissed off, knew what to do, made a plan and jumped. So far, I'm happy to report, I am still flying over and laughing at 2010.
2011.
Started out with a bottle of champagne in an aptly named city and woke up the next day feeling good. Came back to Topeka and decided that this year is going to be about me. What I want, what I need, what my kiddos need.
It's not going to be about the opinions of others or their issues. When I jumped off a building in October and spread my wings, it wasn't to crash land. It was to live and learn, find myself. That might mean more photography, my first tattoo, a short 'n sassy haircut (love it!!) and a new job somewhere else.
It meant that yesterday I taught myself how to replace both the toilet seats in my house and later this week I will learn some more handywoman skills and then call a realtor for this house.
This year is about doing it by myself because no one is going to do it for me.
It's about knowing that people are going to hurt me only if I give them permission. So...you can't. If you try, you'll be using your energy, not mine.
This year I will survive because I want to and I will enjoy life while I fly above and laugh.
Kicked to the curb and got up. Scratched my head, was very scared, figured it out and moved on.
Got kicked again. This time I was pissed off, knew what to do, made a plan and jumped. So far, I'm happy to report, I am still flying over and laughing at 2010.
2011.
Started out with a bottle of champagne in an aptly named city and woke up the next day feeling good. Came back to Topeka and decided that this year is going to be about me. What I want, what I need, what my kiddos need.
It's not going to be about the opinions of others or their issues. When I jumped off a building in October and spread my wings, it wasn't to crash land. It was to live and learn, find myself. That might mean more photography, my first tattoo, a short 'n sassy haircut (love it!!) and a new job somewhere else.
It meant that yesterday I taught myself how to replace both the toilet seats in my house and later this week I will learn some more handywoman skills and then call a realtor for this house.
This year is about doing it by myself because no one is going to do it for me.
It's about knowing that people are going to hurt me only if I give them permission. So...you can't. If you try, you'll be using your energy, not mine.
This year I will survive because I want to and I will enjoy life while I fly above and laugh.
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