What would Judi do?

I was going to title this a Good News Friday post.  But it's more than that. I've been getting burned out lately.  I don't really feel like interpreting and it's visible in my product.  Actually, it's more than that.  It's not that I don't feel  like it at all.  It's that I'm distracted.  I'm inundated with deadlines and paperwork for various activities and school related requirements.  I'm overwhelmed with overdue dental, orthodontist, and just about every other kind of doctor my kids need appointments for.  I'm sinking in paperwork related to the care of my mother.  I'm in a relationship that I love but one that requires time and effort (not a complaint).  It used to be that work was a relief from all of that.  When I was working I developed tunnel vision (or tunnel feeling?).  The outside distractions turned off and all was good with the world. As my "distractions" become more severe and require more emotion and brain

I didn't hit all my goals this week.  I'm not happy about that but it is what it is.  I did go walking every day and did see lots of things.  I wasn't on metro this week so there were no people to meet, no stories to hear.  I did work in some places I haven't worked at in recent years so that was fun.  But it wasn't particularly eventful. So, what did I see? I asked my daughter, A, to clean the sand out of the utility sink in the basement.  One day when I needed a few more steps to hit my goal, I walked all around my house, including in the basement.  I went down to find she left her mark in the sand.  I guess that's her way of "cleaning" it. Last weekend, my girls and I went to Eastern Market, one of our favorite places.  We found a great vendor who had hats and all sorts of things that called to us.  The only weird thing about this vendor stand was the super creepy mannequins.  This one wasn't the only one.  There were more.  

There's a book I used to love to teach children's sign language classes.  It's called "I Went Walking".  It's basically: I went walking What did I see? I saw a green duck Looking at me I like it because you substitute anything for a green duck.  As I'm walking all over the place to get my good vibration (see earlier post), I pass things that make me smile and meet unusual folks.  While on metro this week, a woman sat next to me and wished me a "wonderful day."  Normally people don't talk to me.  So that made me happy.  Yesterday a man confided that he had found someone's credit card and ID.  He wanted me to send a prayer so he'd do the right thing " because the devil is on my shoulder. "  I wonder if he ended up doing the right thing. I think I'll start a weekly post series for a while.  Maybe it'll encourage me to walk.  Maybe.... The owl isn't real but it took me by surprise when I look

I found something that has, at least temporarily, changed my life.  It's purple and plastic and ugly.  But it motivates me. I had been thinking of getting a Fitbit for a while but just never got around to it.  I'd see my friends post their stats on facebook and thought no, I can't do that.  I don't want the world to see my progress (or lack thereof).  Then the ex got one and started bugging me about it.   Come on!  Get one!  I was still seeing the facebook posts and was kind of intrigued.  So I did it. Picking a color from ugly choices wasn't easy but I picked the one that made the most sense for me (purple).  Boyfriend got one (not a bracelet), too.  I have plenty of motivation around me now. So, how has this changed me?  I walk my 10,000 steps more often than not.  I park down the hill and around the block instead of in the closer parking garage.  I walk around the buildings between jobs.  When I drop the girls at school (if there's time) I walk arou

I went to Lansdale this weekend for my (drum roll) thirty year high school reunion.  Yes, I am actually that old.  Horrifying, isn't it?  I don't feel old enough to have been out of high school for thirty years.  I can't believe I've been away from Lansdale for over 20 years.  It doesn't seem that long ago I moved here. It was weird being home.  It's been a couple of years since I've been there. Normally going to a reunion stresses me out - seriously stresses me.  Not this year.  Part of that probably has to do with facebook.  I figured everyone knows what I look like because I post a gazillion pictures.  Everyone knows I'm no longer married.  And everyone knows I have kooky kids. It was nice to see my best friends from back then.  Some have known me since I was five, others I met in junior high or high school.  Any way you look at it, it's a long time.  I was thrilled that people came and told me that seeing me was one of the reasons they showed

So.....I haven't posted for a while.  I didn't want to write about the endless doctor appointments, hospital visits, feelings of banging my head against an uncaring ER's wall (for my mom) - none of that.  I also didn't want to write about the never-ending drama of raising two moody teens.  I didn't want to write about the craziness of running a business or the freaking out at the loss of a major contract.  Nope, those weren't topics I cared to address here. I wanted to write something happy.  Maybe even perky.  But every freaking day I keep thinking the same thing:  why are you (whomever you might be) entitled to be such an ass?  Mostly this happens when I take my kids to school.  Why are you, a fully able-bodied parent with fully able-bodied kids, parking in the handicap access parking spot?  I know you know there are disabled kids in this school.  But you don't give a shit.  Why? Why are you in the left turn lane at the corner of Wayne and Sligo Creek

Today at lunch, I was talking with a co-worker.  We were talking about our kids and their attitudes.  She was relaying a story about one of her children who was complaining that her life was tough.  My friend reminded her that her life wasn't tough but rather it was busy - a choice she made. I've been thinking a lot about that statement:  "You choose to be {busy/bored/whatever it is you're feeling}.  It's true.  Life is a bunch of choices. I was feeling sorry (sort of) for myself recently.  I still feel like my life is in limbo - that it's spent getting my kids to and from camp and activities while trying to make sure my mom is okay and has all she needs and fitting in enough work hours to feed everyone.  My brother, ex and boyfriend have all talked to me about taking time for myself - making sure I'm okay, too.  There are not enough hours in the day. Then I realized, in the middle of my conversation at lunch, that this is indeed a choice.  I am makin

I've been quiet here for the last month or so.  I've started to write a lot of posts but none of them make me happy.  I started to write about the ineptitude of medical personnel and the rudeness they exude.  I started to write about what it feels like to have a life stuck in limbo.  I started to write about what it feels like when the only parent you have left is in peril.  None of those were fun. So I decided to take a break and go to my happy place for a day.  I made the ride to Ocean City, New Jersey last week alone to go meet a friend and see the Indigo Girls play at the Music Pier.  One of my favorite bands was playing in one of my favorite places.  How could I be anything but happy? Then I got to thinking about it.  Why do I like the Indigo Girls (IG)?  I'm not like the rest of their fan base.  I'm not gay.  I don't like folk music (at all).  I do like female vocals (a lot).  I had a lot of time to think about it on the ride up. They were the first show

I love fireworks. No, I mean it.  I LOVE  fireworks.  They blow up in the sky like a big electric flower.  There is no such thing as a bad firework, though some are better than others.  This weekend I got oh so lucky.  Three - count 'em - THREE  - nights of fireworks.  Thank you, Mother Nature, for making Thursday's weather bad enough so some fireworks displays were postponed.  Woo hoo! The first night we went to Greenbelt Park.  I've never seen fireworks there.  They did a nice job!  There were lots of families and even more fireflies.  It was beautiful.  A picnic dinner made for a special evening. The second night was in Laurel.  The Very Good Boyfriend braved the traffic to find a spot for us to watch the fireworks.  There were lots of cars and lots of phone/electric lines but it was still a good time.  They had fireworks in the shape of hearts and smiley faces.  Odd, but as I've said before, there is no such thing as a bad firework. Last night

My kids are Dr. Who fans so the topic of time travel is a fairly regular occurrence.  Sort of out of the blue, I ended up having one of my favorite conversations ever with them. M: I wish I could travel through time.  I would go back to your middle (junior high) school.  I would be your best friend. My heart melted. A: Oh!  I would want to go back, too.  I want to ice skate with you.  We would have so much fun. Yes, we would. M: We'd get in trouble together.  That would be awesome. We get in trouble now.  That's not enough? No, sometimes you're like a regular parent.  It would be different if we were the same age. I wonder if my 13 year old girls would like the 13 year old me.  I wasn't as smart as they are.  Or rather, I was smart in a different way.  I have good common sense/street smarts.  They are book smart.  I hope I would teach them about music.  I also hope I wouldn't teach them to smoke, which I did with a few other kids in the bike shed whe

It amazes me how quickly things change.  Growing up, my kids didn't know who was older.  There was one minute between them - it's not like one is significantly older than the other.  We had a system - A and M days.  On A days, A would sit in the seat behind the driver (the one where they could still see things in the rear view mirror), push the grocery cart, whatever the thing was they tended to fight over - and it was the day she was oldest.  The next day it was M's turn.  It worked out nicely. Until we met the bitchy cashier in Target.  I still don't like her. She asked all the usual questions:   Are you twins?  Are you fraternal?  Do you think the same thoughts?  And then there was the kicker:   Who's oldest?   We don't tell them that.   Well, that's stupid.  It's obvious who's older.  It's HER! (pointing to A).  Bitch! This started us down the bad road.  They wanted to know the truth.  I called their dad and conferred and we decided eno

A friend of mine posted a picture of a large (as in huge) rubber duck that was visiting the harbor in Hong Kong a while ago.  I knew I wanted to see it. When it made its appearance in the US, I knew I had to see it.  It went to Pittsburgh but apparently no one felt the need to tell me about it. But when I saw a news report saying it would be in Norfolk, I knew I needed to visit. Andrew and I made the trek to visit the biggest duck I've ever seen.  Now, anyone who knows me know that ducks are sacred in my world.  I wouldn't eat one and I go out of my way to go see them when I can.  This is the happiest duck I've ever seen.  And I've never seen a duck make others so happy.  It's that odd. I love the reflection of the duck in the water.  He's just so happy! The duck knows how to photobomb. Peek-a-boo duck. Squish Your Head duck. It was such a perfect weekend.  All the things I really enjoy were crammed into about 36 hours.  We too

My mother taught me to "act as if".  It used to make me nuts.  Sometimes I'm in a pissy mood or just know I can't do something or whatever.  Those are the times, my mother said, to act as if.  Act as if it's all okay.   Act as if I can do (whatever it is).  Act as if. So this week has pretty much sucked.  Nothing life changing (mostly) but sucky nonetheless.  So I'm going to act as if it's been a really good week.  I'm going to act as if this was a great day, which it was not. 1.  My girls got their Silver Award through Girl Scouts.  This is a real thing, not an act-as-if thing.  It was great to hear the opportunities that await my girls as they progress through scouts.  And it got me into a church for the first time in a long time.  The pew didn't sizzle.  That's a good thing. My girls and their awesome troop leader. 2.  I like my saw on a stick.  Oh, that's right, I've been corrected.  It's a pole saw.  After a few

I'm such a slacker.  I've been forgetting to post my Good News Friday posts.  Sigh....but I'm back! Let's see....it feels like it's been a busy week.  I know there are some good points in there somewhere. 1.  I was able to work with some of my favorite people this week.  It doesn't happen often but when it does, it makes me happy.  Two of my favorite interpreters and Favorite Client #1.  Good work week! 2.  "I have a good life!"  M announced to me this week.  When asked to elaborate, she said "I have good friends, I read good books, I like good tv shows and I have a good family."  That's a good way to feel and made me feel oh so good as a parent.  I needed that. 3.  I celebrated Russian easter.  This made me surprisingly happy.  I don't have many holiday traditions and never had much of one regarding easter.  This year, I missed having a family.  I saw everyone's pictures of family celebrations on facebook and wanted one m

I don't like this music (Marillion). Why? It's metallic colored. Huh? It sounds like silver or gold. I have to think about that a bit. What color is Mika (a favorite of theirs). He's rainbow! What color are the Beatles? Yellow. Elton John is also yellow. What color is Ozzy Osbourne? Orange. What music is red? Punk Rock Girl (dead milkmen) is red and black. I don't know much red. Also Taylor Swift, but not because the album is titled red.  Country music is red.  Different shades of red. What music is green? Green Day! What music is white? Wedding music. I never thought of white music. Oh!  Celine Dion! What is One Direction? Pink for happy music, gray for sad ones. What color is Jason Derulo? Dark orange! (said with a scowl!) What color is Sleeper Agent? Purple or electric blue! What color are the Indigo Girls? Lilac. What about the music from Frozen? Blue, white and silver. Justin Timberlake? Rainy gray. Lorde?