Friday, February 17, 2012
3 Gratitudes - Week 1
I began the practice of writing down 3 gratitudes every work day to keep myself positive. It is working INCREDIBLY well and wanted to share. I feel like this has been crucial to the sudden rejuvenation I have felt this week. Do it!
2/10/12-
1. I am grateful for my ability to take criticism to make myself better.
2. My relationship with my child
3. Friends who promote positivity in me and others
2/13/12-
1. I am grateful for having a job when so many don’t.
2. I get to have adventures and pretty much do the things I want to do.
3. Music
2/14/12-
1. To have my parents still with me
2. To have such a close relationship with my sister
3. Marlon
2/15/12-
1. My independence
2. Still feeling like a teenager sometimes
3. Having a strong support system
2/16/12-
1. To be relatively healthy
2. For growing up with a church family
3. The serenity that comes from knowing you have people that love you.
2/17/12-
1. Family time
2. Finding something that works for you
3. Liz Phair’s songwriting
2/10/12-
1. I am grateful for my ability to take criticism to make myself better.
2. My relationship with my child
3. Friends who promote positivity in me and others
2/13/12-
1. I am grateful for having a job when so many don’t.
2. I get to have adventures and pretty much do the things I want to do.
3. Music
2/14/12-
1. To have my parents still with me
2. To have such a close relationship with my sister
3. Marlon
2/15/12-
1. My independence
2. Still feeling like a teenager sometimes
3. Having a strong support system
2/16/12-
1. To be relatively healthy
2. For growing up with a church family
3. The serenity that comes from knowing you have people that love you.
2/17/12-
1. Family time
2. Finding something that works for you
3. Liz Phair’s songwriting
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
XXXVI
One day away from your 36th birthday one can't help but be a little sentimental. It has been 20 years since I was sixteen. Wow. Sorry, Mellencamp. I held on to sixteen just as long as possible and somehow I got to be 36. I am actually kind of excited about entering my late 30's, officially. As part of this new sentimentality, I have been finding strange milestones in my life. For example, I have now been Katie McCormick only 4 years less than I was Katie Leach. Bizarre. I have been married for 15 years, only two years less than my parents made it. Weird. In 7 years I will have a child in college. Unthinkable. The thing I glean from all this reflection is that even with all the changes in plans and circumstances throughout my life there is almost nothing I would change. My childhood was about as idyllic as a kid from my generation could’ve had. (Yes, the parents broke up, but sadly, that was part of the normal track for generation X.) I loved my friends, the closest of whom are still my friends today. I had a teenage love affair with the sweetest boy in the world like something straight out of a John Hughes movie complete with dancing to a car radio. by a stream. in the moonlight. And the will-they-or-won’t-they-end-up-together conflict somewhere in the middle. I went off to college and had a helluva good time. I married the aforementioned sweet boy and had a lovely baby girl who is becoming an opinionated, good-hearted young woman whose father I love more than I did when we were dancing by that car.
What would I have changed? I would have been kinder to some. I would have thought more about how the things I said or did affected others. I would have studied more in college. But until Doc Brown actually gets that DeLorean working, I cannot change the past so I have to take comfort in the fact that I did my best. The things I did wrong were never out of malice, just ignorance or youthful oblivion. The future will be what it is gonna be. I always loved what June Carter Cash always said when asked how she was doing. “I’m just trying to matter,” she would say and I find that motivating. So here I sit on the last day of my 35th year and the only thing I know for sure is that I’m lucky and trying to matter. And in this exact moment, happy.
What would I have changed? I would have been kinder to some. I would have thought more about how the things I said or did affected others. I would have studied more in college. But until Doc Brown actually gets that DeLorean working, I cannot change the past so I have to take comfort in the fact that I did my best. The things I did wrong were never out of malice, just ignorance or youthful oblivion. The future will be what it is gonna be. I always loved what June Carter Cash always said when asked how she was doing. “I’m just trying to matter,” she would say and I find that motivating. So here I sit on the last day of my 35th year and the only thing I know for sure is that I’m lucky and trying to matter. And in this exact moment, happy.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Laziness ensues
You know how you have the best intentions everytime you start a project? I refuse to let a year go by before my next blog. I will have something interesting to write. At the moment I am too sick to even think, but will come up with something brilliant soon.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Grrrrrr
I think I am going to have to stop reading the news (I am an internet girl) because it is seriously affecting my stress level. If it isn't Tea Partiers complaining that President Obama still hasn't found a church to attend (as if that is what he should be focusing on) it's people like Torry Hansen. She is the Tennessee woman who adopted a son from Russia and when things went haywire, sent him back. SENT HIM BACK!!!
I understand that it is obvious he had some psychological problems and she was scared. Any parent who sees their child having issues gets scared, but most of us don't put them on a plane to meet a COMPLETE STRANGER IN ANOTHER COUNTRY!! As I read yesterday, this child changed his life, language, country, etc. in a six month time period. How can you expect a normal reaction? Who goes from, "I was screwed over by this Russian orphanage and my son is going to be a much bigger challenge to raise," to "I should email some guy in Russia to pick him up at the airport and drop him off somewhere with a note." SERIOUSLY?!
I have never adopted a child, but I know people who have and they love these children as much (and sometimes maybe more) than if they had come from their own body. My brain cannot compute the "parent" that could so easily cast off a child. Even if she hated this kid- even if she was terrified of him, there are so many other options. Grrrrrrrrrr!
I understand that it is obvious he had some psychological problems and she was scared. Any parent who sees their child having issues gets scared, but most of us don't put them on a plane to meet a COMPLETE STRANGER IN ANOTHER COUNTRY!! As I read yesterday, this child changed his life, language, country, etc. in a six month time period. How can you expect a normal reaction? Who goes from, "I was screwed over by this Russian orphanage and my son is going to be a much bigger challenge to raise," to "I should email some guy in Russia to pick him up at the airport and drop him off somewhere with a note." SERIOUSLY?!
I have never adopted a child, but I know people who have and they love these children as much (and sometimes maybe more) than if they had come from their own body. My brain cannot compute the "parent" that could so easily cast off a child. Even if she hated this kid- even if she was terrified of him, there are so many other options. Grrrrrrrrrr!
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
I'm so proud of you!!
I know the official Hollywood version of high school is that it is a horrible place where the jocks hate the nerds and vice versa. It is humiliating and boring and tantamount to a living hell. That was not my experience. I am one of the big dorks willing to admit I loved high school. I had a ball and made friends I have kept my whole life (so far). I had some amazing teachers who really cared and read all the classics (I started all of them anyway). I do recognize that I did not go to the average school. We were a compilation of hippies and gangsters, and everything in between. It was an odd mixture, but mostly seemed to work. Johnston High (R.I.P.- it is now called the awful “Eastside Memorial High”) was tucked away in a corner of Central East Austin, surrounded by houses in a multitude of conditions- some neat and tidy, others reaching crackhouse status. Because we were sort of secluded there were lots of scary stories passed around other Austin campuses. When I told people I went there, there was usually a grim pursing of the lips and an “Oh.” That was always funny to me because I never felt unsafe there. I think I was lucky to be there when I was, 1990-1994. I met some of the most creative and intelligent people I have ever known. Even as teenagers, they had lots of interesting things to say and really wanted to know things. Working in a high school now has shown me that that is somewhat rare. (I love teenagers, but they have changed a lot.)
Well before facebook popped up, I kept up with people. I am a person who needs people, as Barbra would say. In the 20 years since I first walked the halls at JHS, I have seen many of these people become parents (during and after high school), graduate from prestigious universities, travel and live amazing, quirky lives. They are artists, designers, writers, photographers, musicians, firefighters, teachers, moms, dads and a million other things. Lately, I have found myself feeling an almost parental sense of pride in their achievements. I’m not sure if that is normal or if my maternal instinct is on overload. I love to read their writings, listen to their music and hear about their lives. I have not followed the path I had in mind at 17 years old. I don’t really know anyone that has. It has meandered and changed directions completely along the way. I fell in love early, had too much fun in college and studied too little, married young and had a surprise baby at 24. I am who I am because of all of it so to regret anything would be silly. So I sit here on a Tuesday afternoon in my supremely ordinary job inspired and full of excitement for what my friends and even what I will do next.
(just a very few of the many examples)
www.ilovesweetmeat.com
beautytipsforthebereaved.blogspot.com
www.bentleya.com
www.lucianread.com
just google Farhana Ali- wow!
Well before facebook popped up, I kept up with people. I am a person who needs people, as Barbra would say. In the 20 years since I first walked the halls at JHS, I have seen many of these people become parents (during and after high school), graduate from prestigious universities, travel and live amazing, quirky lives. They are artists, designers, writers, photographers, musicians, firefighters, teachers, moms, dads and a million other things. Lately, I have found myself feeling an almost parental sense of pride in their achievements. I’m not sure if that is normal or if my maternal instinct is on overload. I love to read their writings, listen to their music and hear about their lives. I have not followed the path I had in mind at 17 years old. I don’t really know anyone that has. It has meandered and changed directions completely along the way. I fell in love early, had too much fun in college and studied too little, married young and had a surprise baby at 24. I am who I am because of all of it so to regret anything would be silly. So I sit here on a Tuesday afternoon in my supremely ordinary job inspired and full of excitement for what my friends and even what I will do next.
(just a very few of the many examples)
www.ilovesweetmeat.com
beautytipsforthebereaved.blogspot.com
www.bentleya.com
www.lucianread.com
just google Farhana Ali- wow!
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Really?! with Seth and Katie (well without the Seth)
Okay, it is bothering me how much this Sandra Bullock thing is bothering me. I don’t know her. It is really none of my business, but I keep finding myself really feeling hurt for her and so sad. What is that about!? Maybe because she is an Austin transplant. Maybe because my family swears she was playing a dark-haired version of me in “The Thing Called Love”. I don’t know. My husband says I get too involved in other people’s problems and, apparently, this now extends to random celebrities I’ve never met (or Ms. Bullock’s case, met only once).
I dabble in the more respectable tabloids, People, etc. for fun and entertainment, but there is nothing fun or entertaining about this. Maybe I should start reading something less depressing, like the Wall Street Journal. First, I sort of felt for Mr. James. Everyone can make a mistake and he seemed truly grief stricken about it. I truly believe that you can be unfaithful for reasons that don’t make you a terrible person. The man broke America’s Sweetheart’s heart- he was going to be in for it no matter what. But now the hoes (how do you pluralize that word) are coming out of the woodwork and the previously settled sexual harassment lawsuits are coming to light and it is just so disheartening. A one-time mistake is a whole other thing from spreading it around town. I refuse to be one of those women that contend that all men are dogs. I just don’t generalize that way, but with the Tiger thing just cooling down and now this dominating the press, and any one of the “he done me wrong” stories you can hear from 1 out of 10 women on the street, it makes one wonder.
I recognize that men are very different than women, especially when it comes to sex, but REALLY?! Is it really so difficult? If a man is so distracted by and interested in and actually getting with so many different women, why not just stay unmarried? Why pull wives and kids and grandparents and family pets into the mix to be hurt? It’s just not logical. Then again, what about love and sex and emotion is logical? I know I don’t want to be with someone that doesn’t want to be there. I don’t think anyone does, but what is so sad is that some of these guys must want to be there on some level, but just not enough. So, Sandra I say to you, since of course you are reading my blog, keep your lovely head up. Remember it really isn’t you, it’s him and I hope you handle this in whatever way you see fit. Oh and you were fabulous in Hope Floats- just sayin.
I dabble in the more respectable tabloids, People, etc. for fun and entertainment, but there is nothing fun or entertaining about this. Maybe I should start reading something less depressing, like the Wall Street Journal. First, I sort of felt for Mr. James. Everyone can make a mistake and he seemed truly grief stricken about it. I truly believe that you can be unfaithful for reasons that don’t make you a terrible person. The man broke America’s Sweetheart’s heart- he was going to be in for it no matter what. But now the hoes (how do you pluralize that word) are coming out of the woodwork and the previously settled sexual harassment lawsuits are coming to light and it is just so disheartening. A one-time mistake is a whole other thing from spreading it around town. I refuse to be one of those women that contend that all men are dogs. I just don’t generalize that way, but with the Tiger thing just cooling down and now this dominating the press, and any one of the “he done me wrong” stories you can hear from 1 out of 10 women on the street, it makes one wonder.
I recognize that men are very different than women, especially when it comes to sex, but REALLY?! Is it really so difficult? If a man is so distracted by and interested in and actually getting with so many different women, why not just stay unmarried? Why pull wives and kids and grandparents and family pets into the mix to be hurt? It’s just not logical. Then again, what about love and sex and emotion is logical? I know I don’t want to be with someone that doesn’t want to be there. I don’t think anyone does, but what is so sad is that some of these guys must want to be there on some level, but just not enough. So, Sandra I say to you, since of course you are reading my blog, keep your lovely head up. Remember it really isn’t you, it’s him and I hope you handle this in whatever way you see fit. Oh and you were fabulous in Hope Floats- just sayin.
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