Welcome to my new, old home place. I did a little remodeling around here. I've been having way too many issues getting my new WordPress site up and running. Actually, there are only a few issues. The problem is, I haven't taken the time to research a solution. My time spent Googling (did "Google" just become a verb???) for a resolution has left me scratching my head and throwing my hands up in the air. Rather than waste any more time running in circles, I decided to purge the prattle in my head here at my old residence and I eased the itch for something new with a quick design redo.
Truth be told, Friday afternoons are THE worst for me at work. By 3:00 pm, my head has already left for the weekend. I usually leave mundane chores like sorting and filing for the final 2 hours of my work week.
This week?
I decided playing around on Blogger would be way more fun.
Hope you all like the new look. Couldn't help but include a sunrise in my header. Nothing better to symbolize the awesome potential a new day brings...
Wishing you a most wonderful weekend!!!
Be back soon! - Lisa
Friday, June 29, 2012
Monday, June 25, 2012
She's A Star
Last summer Keri found herself knee deep in Math courses at UGA. Super high level Math courses.
Math courses that would give me nightmares.
And I'm pretty good at numbers.
But that is beside the point. The summer session was overwhelming to the point of becoming life consuming. Keri is an excellent, focused student so she weathered it well but it still left a mark. One she will always carry with her.
During the first days of classes, one professor issued instructions for a project. He emphasized his high expectations, even apologizing to those who had to present their projects first as they wouldn't have the benefit of extra time to prepare. Wouldn't you know, Keri not only had to present her's on the first day of presentations, she was chosen as the first presenter.
The pressure was on.
With only a few days to prepare, she put her creative thinking cap on and came up with this video. She wanted to find a way to share her knowledge of a famous Greek philosopher, Pythagoras. The end result was this amazing video. It made me laugh yet made me proud. I've wanted to share since last year. As a way of celebrating her graduation, I thought it high time I let you in on my girl's off-the-wall approach to learning.
Here is the link should the embedded video not work.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZHYE8lOIe4)
If ever there was a question as to whether or not we are related, this video proves the mother/daughter connection. We both like to be unique. We both take chances....even if it means we don't always seem "normal".
By the way, her video was a memorable mega-hit! Not only did she receive a perfect score and high praise, her professor used it at a conference as an example of creative teaching methods. Pretty cool...don't ya think?
Math courses that would give me nightmares.
And I'm pretty good at numbers.
But that is beside the point. The summer session was overwhelming to the point of becoming life consuming. Keri is an excellent, focused student so she weathered it well but it still left a mark. One she will always carry with her.
During the first days of classes, one professor issued instructions for a project. He emphasized his high expectations, even apologizing to those who had to present their projects first as they wouldn't have the benefit of extra time to prepare. Wouldn't you know, Keri not only had to present her's on the first day of presentations, she was chosen as the first presenter.
The pressure was on.
With only a few days to prepare, she put her creative thinking cap on and came up with this video. She wanted to find a way to share her knowledge of a famous Greek philosopher, Pythagoras. The end result was this amazing video. It made me laugh yet made me proud. I've wanted to share since last year. As a way of celebrating her graduation, I thought it high time I let you in on my girl's off-the-wall approach to learning.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZHYE8lOIe4)
If ever there was a question as to whether or not we are related, this video proves the mother/daughter connection. We both like to be unique. We both take chances....even if it means we don't always seem "normal".
By the way, her video was a memorable mega-hit! Not only did she receive a perfect score and high praise, her professor used it at a conference as an example of creative teaching methods. Pretty cool...don't ya think?
Monday, June 18, 2012
I Fry... Then I Freeze
What's up with the temperatures lately?
And I don't mean temperatures relating to weather or the thermostat.
I'm talking about my internal temperature.
Holy Hotness...then Coldness... Batman!
I knew my cancer post treatment drug would cause side effects. I was forewarned of a few. One side effect doctors consistently mentioned was hot flashes. Of course I had thought I was several years away from this dreaded female milestone. But when weighing menopause against cancer recurrence, the scales tipped heavily in favor of a swan dive into hormone hell. To be perfectly honest, my self-confidence was riding high on how well I had weathered the previous year. Cancer treatment was a witch with a capital "B" yet I got through it. There was no way the maintenance phase could be any worse. Each and every time hot flashes were mentioned to me, I thought "No big deal. What's a hot flash or two?"
Any menopausal women out there laughing your ass off right about now? I know! I know! How stupid was I? They are pure torture! And what's up with the "moment" after? I'm not sure all hot flashes end this way but I rapidly descend from an internal temperature of 178 degrees to one more closely associated to arctic weather.
I sweat.
Then my teeth chatter.
It's funny.
Then again, it's not.
Most menopausal women can attest to the fact there is nothing like a hot flash. It begins at the very core of your being as an intense spark that ignites an aggressive inferno. One that shoots flames throughout your body. No part of your physical landscape is spared. The time it takes to internally engulf a human in flames is all of a fraction of a second. It comes without warning. And it is gnarly!
Other than literally being set on fire, a hot flash must be the closest experience one can have to truly knowing what it means to "burn in hell". After a few of these experiences, you can bet I am now working extra hard to avoid any and all activities that would sentence me to an eternity lived "down below".
Fortunately, my moments of frying-from-the-inside-out have been reasonably tolerable. I don't have them often and they tend to subside rather quickly. Most often I find myself bundled up and shivering before I have time to deal with the burn. Still, I cannot express how unpleasant these high heat moments can be.
You want no one near you... nothing touching you.
Clothes are burdensome. Even tiny little things like a purse strap or sunglasses are a source of agony.
You need your skin to "breathe". You need to escape. You frantically try to run from the flames.
It is seriously so bad I've come close to disrobing...
in public!
Isn't that a scary thought?
Getting arrested for indecent exposure is not on my list of must-do's. Heck, it doesn't even make my wanna-do list. I wonder if ever a woman has been arrested for such a thing only to plead insanity due to menopause? A jury of similar aged women would acquit in 3 seconds flat!
Back to my point...as if there really is one. Basically, I'm rambling. I suppose my point is to merely say I get it. Hot flashes are a total pain in the ass... as well as all other body parts!
So...
From henceforth I do solemnly swear:
Should I see a woman with that all telling look...a woman who has a mustache of sweat breaking out across her upper lip... a woman fanning herself with anything she can get her hands on while grabbing at her attire as if trying to break free...
trust I will eye her with empathy and sympathy.
I will say a little prayer she survives without combusting.
And I will walk on by with a sense of dread knowing it will be only a matter of time before I am her all over again.
And I don't mean temperatures relating to weather or the thermostat.
I'm talking about my internal temperature.
Holy Hotness...then Coldness... Batman!
I knew my cancer post treatment drug would cause side effects. I was forewarned of a few. One side effect doctors consistently mentioned was hot flashes. Of course I had thought I was several years away from this dreaded female milestone. But when weighing menopause against cancer recurrence, the scales tipped heavily in favor of a swan dive into hormone hell. To be perfectly honest, my self-confidence was riding high on how well I had weathered the previous year. Cancer treatment was a witch with a capital "B" yet I got through it. There was no way the maintenance phase could be any worse. Each and every time hot flashes were mentioned to me, I thought "No big deal. What's a hot flash or two?"
Any menopausal women out there laughing your ass off right about now? I know! I know! How stupid was I? They are pure torture! And what's up with the "moment" after? I'm not sure all hot flashes end this way but I rapidly descend from an internal temperature of 178 degrees to one more closely associated to arctic weather.
I sweat.
Then my teeth chatter.
It's funny.
Then again, it's not.
Most menopausal women can attest to the fact there is nothing like a hot flash. It begins at the very core of your being as an intense spark that ignites an aggressive inferno. One that shoots flames throughout your body. No part of your physical landscape is spared. The time it takes to internally engulf a human in flames is all of a fraction of a second. It comes without warning. And it is gnarly!
Other than literally being set on fire, a hot flash must be the closest experience one can have to truly knowing what it means to "burn in hell". After a few of these experiences, you can bet I am now working extra hard to avoid any and all activities that would sentence me to an eternity lived "down below".
Fortunately, my moments of frying-from-the-inside-out have been reasonably tolerable. I don't have them often and they tend to subside rather quickly. Most often I find myself bundled up and shivering before I have time to deal with the burn. Still, I cannot express how unpleasant these high heat moments can be.
You want no one near you... nothing touching you.
Clothes are burdensome. Even tiny little things like a purse strap or sunglasses are a source of agony.
You need your skin to "breathe". You need to escape. You frantically try to run from the flames.
It is seriously so bad I've come close to disrobing...
in public!
Isn't that a scary thought?
Getting arrested for indecent exposure is not on my list of must-do's. Heck, it doesn't even make my wanna-do list. I wonder if ever a woman has been arrested for such a thing only to plead insanity due to menopause? A jury of similar aged women would acquit in 3 seconds flat!
Back to my point...as if there really is one. Basically, I'm rambling. I suppose my point is to merely say I get it. Hot flashes are a total pain in the ass... as well as all other body parts!
So...
From henceforth I do solemnly swear:
Should I see a woman with that all telling look...a woman who has a mustache of sweat breaking out across her upper lip... a woman fanning herself with anything she can get her hands on while grabbing at her attire as if trying to break free...
trust I will eye her with empathy and sympathy.
I will say a little prayer she survives without combusting.
And I will walk on by with a sense of dread knowing it will be only a matter of time before I am her all over again.
Monday, June 11, 2012
Head Over Heels
I'm in love.
Lust really.
It happened this weekend.
A weak moment + a chance encounter = a moment to remember.
What (cause you know it "ain't" a who) is the object of my affection?
Feast your eyes on this.
Almonds.
Chocolate.
Dark chocolate to be exact.
Total bliss.
The most beautiful part?
I can indulge without guilt.
Now show me a woman who can have her chocolate guilt-free and I'll show you one happy-ass woman!
Guess that means my ass is happy.
Yes...oh, yes it is...
Monday, April 30, 2012
The "M" Word
I've recently discovered a new "bad" word. It ranks right up there with the best of the bad. In fact, the infamous "F" word might as well accept its newly claimed status as second on my list of never-to-be-uttered-in-public terms as this new word is far more foul.
What's the word?
MOVING!
Yes, my friends, I have discovered moving is NOT for the faint of heart.
One large house, almost fifteen years and 4 hoarders equals a don't-ever-do-it combination.
While I may be exaggerating on the "hoarding" part of the equation, it is amazing what I discovered I had labelled worthy of saving/keeping/storing over the past 15 years. When all was said and done, we filled one super large trash container (a dumpster to be exact), donated truck loads to Goodwill, several more to Salvation Army and many, many loads to the local Children's Home. I gave items to friends and family and even managed to sell quite a few things. In the end I was left with more than a moving truck's worth of bounty to carry into my new home.
So much stuff.
Yet I never felt the situation was as bad as it really was.
I suppose it was one of those times where I saw only what I wanted to see.
Fortunately, my children took responsibility for purging and storing anything that belonged to them. My daughter had no problem parting ways with her excessive loot. Only seconds of consideration was given to each item. Keep...donate...trash...all easy decisions for her.
My son?
The process wasn't so easy for him. I actually fear he has the makings of a true hoarder. What seemed like hours passed as he weighed the sentimental value of one thing after another. His "keep" pile kept growing...and growing...and growing. He finally went so far as to purchase a storage container to keep all the items he couldn't bear to let go of. Toys, stuffed animals, tools and random "stuff"...all had enough value to warrant saving.
In his defense, he is living in a one bedroom garage apartment leaving him with very little space for storage. So the storage container is a necessity. It's the keeping of so much stuff that gives me pause. I suppose I can't totally blame him for being the way he is. I was much the same in my younger days. You never know what you might need one day. Right? After moving all the crap around for a while, I finally learned to let go of LOTS of "things"...although this move has left me realizing I still have some learning to do. I'm sure his time will come. If not...well...all I can say is it is now his problem. Ha!
A few snags occurred with the move. Would you expect less? To summarize, a few days prior to closing, I was informed my new place would not be ready. I spent 5 days in a hotel with all my belongings sitting on a moving truck. This wasn't the only problem I experienced but nothing has been worthy of a breakdown of any sort. I'm just rolling with it as it comes.
As of tomorrow, I will have been in my new home a full week. All but a few boxes have been emptied and much of the decorating has been done. Work has been overly demanding lately and we have been celebrating birthdays (mine, my daughter's, a good friend's 50th) in marathon style. Very little time to tackle the job at hand. My plan is to be settled by the end of the week. I only took one day off work to move in or I would already proclaim the job done. I've been burning the candle at both ends trying to rid myself of the clutter of the moving boxes.
I can officially say I am exhausted!
So...
Do you understand why the "M" word is no longer welcome in my vocabulary?
Really...I throw up in my mouth a little bit every time I even think of the word.
Such a gross thought...
but I cannot tell a lie...
Until next time...
What's the word?
MOVING!
Yes, my friends, I have discovered moving is NOT for the faint of heart.
One large house, almost fifteen years and 4 hoarders equals a don't-ever-do-it combination.
While I may be exaggerating on the "hoarding" part of the equation, it is amazing what I discovered I had labelled worthy of saving/keeping/storing over the past 15 years. When all was said and done, we filled one super large trash container (a dumpster to be exact), donated truck loads to Goodwill, several more to Salvation Army and many, many loads to the local Children's Home. I gave items to friends and family and even managed to sell quite a few things. In the end I was left with more than a moving truck's worth of bounty to carry into my new home.
So much stuff.
Yet I never felt the situation was as bad as it really was.
I suppose it was one of those times where I saw only what I wanted to see.
Fortunately, my children took responsibility for purging and storing anything that belonged to them. My daughter had no problem parting ways with her excessive loot. Only seconds of consideration was given to each item. Keep...donate...trash...all easy decisions for her.
My son?
The process wasn't so easy for him. I actually fear he has the makings of a true hoarder. What seemed like hours passed as he weighed the sentimental value of one thing after another. His "keep" pile kept growing...and growing...and growing. He finally went so far as to purchase a storage container to keep all the items he couldn't bear to let go of. Toys, stuffed animals, tools and random "stuff"...all had enough value to warrant saving.
In his defense, he is living in a one bedroom garage apartment leaving him with very little space for storage. So the storage container is a necessity. It's the keeping of so much stuff that gives me pause. I suppose I can't totally blame him for being the way he is. I was much the same in my younger days. You never know what you might need one day. Right? After moving all the crap around for a while, I finally learned to let go of LOTS of "things"...although this move has left me realizing I still have some learning to do. I'm sure his time will come. If not...well...all I can say is it is now his problem. Ha!
A few snags occurred with the move. Would you expect less? To summarize, a few days prior to closing, I was informed my new place would not be ready. I spent 5 days in a hotel with all my belongings sitting on a moving truck. This wasn't the only problem I experienced but nothing has been worthy of a breakdown of any sort. I'm just rolling with it as it comes.
As of tomorrow, I will have been in my new home a full week. All but a few boxes have been emptied and much of the decorating has been done. Work has been overly demanding lately and we have been celebrating birthdays (mine, my daughter's, a good friend's 50th) in marathon style. Very little time to tackle the job at hand. My plan is to be settled by the end of the week. I only took one day off work to move in or I would already proclaim the job done. I've been burning the candle at both ends trying to rid myself of the clutter of the moving boxes.
I can officially say I am exhausted!
So...
Do you understand why the "M" word is no longer welcome in my vocabulary?
Really...I throw up in my mouth a little bit every time I even think of the word.
Such a gross thought...
but I cannot tell a lie...
Until next time...
Monday, April 2, 2012
For Real???
Has it really been 4 months since I last posted? I swear I only thought it had been a few weeks. But as it usually does, Life is rolling along at lightning speed.
So much has happened.
So much to share.
While I will spare you the details of the past 16 or so weeks, I think it's high time I share a few of the "big" events". The biggest being...
I'm Moving!!!
Yes, my friends, I'm packing up and moving on!
And oh has this been a long time coming.
When I suddenly became a single girl 7+ years ago, I knew there would come a day when I would move from our oversized "family" home. Initially, I wavered as to when I should make the move (don't ya just love puns?) and sell the house. The main consideration was how the sale would affect my kiddos. I rather quickly decided to do my best to stay put so my children would have home to come home to as long as they were still coming home.
In other words, I felt it best to keep the house until my youngest graduated college and started life on her own.
That was a major undertaking to say the least. A big house to clean, heat and maintain along with an excessively landscaped yard is not my idea of fun. Think weeds, weeds and more weeds to be sprayed, pulled and cursed. Just when I would think the yard work had ended for another year, an abundance of trees made for the raking of some 55 gazillion leaves. Three levels of flooring to vacuum, 5 toilets to clean, appliances to repair, drainage issues to address, a lightning strike that created electrical problems...I'm tired just typing it all.
Maintenance and repairs have tried to get the best of me but I have survived. All this has made the idea of "maintenance free living" provided by a townhouse a dream come true.
Now the time has come. Keri will be graduating in May and I can officially claim "empty nest" status in every sense of the word. Roughly 8 months ago I listed my house and prayed for a sale. Those prayers were answered a few weeks ago. An offer came through and I'm finally making the transition from "family" mega-house to a much smaller "single girl" townhouse.
I'm so excited...
Overwhelmed...
And a little bit (okay a lot) sad.
Fourteen plus years of memories made in our home makes the goodbyes all the more bittersweet. But bigger things are on the horizon. And the best thing of all... memories have no address. They belong to me and follow me wherever I go.
Before I sign off to go pack a few more boxes, I wanted to share another bit of news.
I am also moving from my cyber home. My timing is impeccable. Don't you think? Two moves for the price of one. (ha!) The past few months I have been working with a web designer creating my new internet address. My desire was to wait to make the announcement when the design was complete. But I'm too excited to keep quiet. We have a few more items to tweak so I will continue to post here for the time being.
Should you feel so inclined, you can check out my new space at My Extraordinarily Ordinary Life.
I hope Life is being good to all of you. Please leave me a note and let me know of your latest and greatest!
Much love,
-L
So much has happened.
So much to share.
While I will spare you the details of the past 16 or so weeks, I think it's high time I share a few of the "big" events". The biggest being...
I'm Moving!!!
Yes, my friends, I'm packing up and moving on!
And oh has this been a long time coming.
When I suddenly became a single girl 7+ years ago, I knew there would come a day when I would move from our oversized "family" home. Initially, I wavered as to when I should make the move (don't ya just love puns?) and sell the house. The main consideration was how the sale would affect my kiddos. I rather quickly decided to do my best to stay put so my children would have home to come home to as long as they were still coming home.
In other words, I felt it best to keep the house until my youngest graduated college and started life on her own.
That was a major undertaking to say the least. A big house to clean, heat and maintain along with an excessively landscaped yard is not my idea of fun. Think weeds, weeds and more weeds to be sprayed, pulled and cursed. Just when I would think the yard work had ended for another year, an abundance of trees made for the raking of some 55 gazillion leaves. Three levels of flooring to vacuum, 5 toilets to clean, appliances to repair, drainage issues to address, a lightning strike that created electrical problems...I'm tired just typing it all.
Maintenance and repairs have tried to get the best of me but I have survived. All this has made the idea of "maintenance free living" provided by a townhouse a dream come true.
Now the time has come. Keri will be graduating in May and I can officially claim "empty nest" status in every sense of the word. Roughly 8 months ago I listed my house and prayed for a sale. Those prayers were answered a few weeks ago. An offer came through and I'm finally making the transition from "family" mega-house to a much smaller "single girl" townhouse.
I'm so excited...
Overwhelmed...
And a little bit (okay a lot) sad.
Fourteen plus years of memories made in our home makes the goodbyes all the more bittersweet. But bigger things are on the horizon. And the best thing of all... memories have no address. They belong to me and follow me wherever I go.
Before I sign off to go pack a few more boxes, I wanted to share another bit of news.
I am also moving from my cyber home. My timing is impeccable. Don't you think? Two moves for the price of one. (ha!) The past few months I have been working with a web designer creating my new internet address. My desire was to wait to make the announcement when the design was complete. But I'm too excited to keep quiet. We have a few more items to tweak so I will continue to post here for the time being.
Should you feel so inclined, you can check out my new space at My Extraordinarily Ordinary Life.
I hope Life is being good to all of you. Please leave me a note and let me know of your latest and greatest!
Much love,
-L
Monday, December 5, 2011
Adventures In Green Juice - Part 1
Every morning I use this...
to make this...
It is oh so tasty...
and good for me...
BUT.
That's a lot of produce and a lot of work for a small glass of juice....
and produce is expensive...
especially organic produce.
SO.
When I have one of those days I so frequently have...
you know, one of those days...
a day where I know why I wear the self-imposed label of super klutz.
It's days like these when I sometimes find myself crying a river...
A green river...
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