Keepin' It Old School

The idea of taking my kids to see The Lorax movie in a giant, climate-controlled, overpriced, palm-kernel-oil smelling, $15-popcorn-charging cinema? Turns my stomach.

There. I said it.

Nora's Find, Autumn 2011

So here is what I have been thinking about and playing with as I become skilled in meditation:

Events themselves have no inherent meaning. It is through personal filters of experience, values, knowledge, interests, and relationships that we create our unique and purely individual reality.

Talk amongst yourselves. Or not. Either way, we're cool.

Dear Everyone:

You and I, my friend, are not broken things that need to be fixed. And we must never let anyone convince us otherwise.

Hiking in the north woods, January 2012

Today's Other Carpe Diem Post

This is a post about seizing the day, but not that popular one from HuffingtonPost that has been making the rounds. I'm less of a Big Deal.

In the past two months within my circle of friends in their 40s there has been a heart infection, an emergency gallbladder surgery, and a stroke. People, this is call to action. We must not only Carpe our Diems, but also take steps to ensure that we have many more Diems ahead of us. To that end I have done the following:

• Pulled out my half-marathon novice training plan and done three days of training (I do this nearly every January and I have run exactly one 25K race and one 10 mile, no half maries. Whatevs. Judge if you must.).
• Purchased brand new Asics Gel Kayano running shoes so that my knees last for all my Diems.
• Started meditating. (I'm up to five minutes. Go, me.)
• Made reservations here and here.

Yes, I am spoiled and privileged. I get that. But I'm serious and my guilt is overpowered by my drive to live well and to want you to do the same. We may only get this one go 'round, friends. Find some awesome way RIGHT NOW to take good care of yourself. Do it! Now! Please?

Sometimes I worry, panic even, that I've run out of things to say.

Seriously.

Momma Always Told Me There'd Be Days Like This

It's as challenging some days being an 11-year-old girl trying to find her way in the world as it is being a 41-year-old woman trying to find her way in the world.

Sometimes what helps most is a dose of unconditional love.

I know that. Nora knows that. Apparently Pocket Puppy knows it too because Monday, the first day back to school after a two-plus week break, he climbed onto Nora's back (and didn't start chewing her hair) when she collapsed in tears on the couch.

The ultimate lesson all of us have to learn is unconditional love, which includes not only others but ourselves as well. —Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Why Are My Kids So Weird?

I'm doing a little moonlighting blogging about kids and life and the madness that is parenting over at ParentFurther.com.

http://www.parentfurther.com/blog/kids-do-weird-stuff