I have been so reluctant to write for the last couple of months and I’ve honestly questioned whether I would return at all. Every time that I take a leave of absence from blogging, I feel like I should play catch up on the details of life. I know that’s virtually impossible to do but I still feel compelled to document the passing days and months. Today, it’s quiet at work and absolutely beautiful outside. It’s torture to be constricted to an office on days like this. But the warmth in the air has me daydreaming of kayaking over clear waters and feeling sand between my toes. It’s a sign that summer is finally upon us and that before long the bounty of the garden will be overflowing with green.

Days like that make it easy to write because they induce a euphoria in my mind that is pure bliss. And who wouldn’t want to share that? With the recent passing of Lach’s dad, it’s been more trying to find adequate words to express the emotions and uncertainties that death inevitably brings upon us. I suppose it helps to mentally process those types of traumatic events and that, in turn, alters our focus. For one, it’s brought me a greater appreciation of home and how vital our comfort zone is to the healing process. I’ve consciously tried to alleviate stresses and focus on the array of good things that define our life. Read the rest of this entry »

Every year around this time, I typically take a break from blogging. There is something about the pace of the world around me during the holidazeâ„¢ that makes me want to slam on the brakes and just slow down. It’s a good time to reflect on the year we are leaving behind and begin to plan for the new year of adventures ahead. In that spirit, Lach and I have been thinking about some new goals and some new traditions of our own.

Mentally, I’ve been craving some new interactions. I’ve been participating in some local discussion groups for a while and am going to my first ever book club meeting tonight. I’m excited to meet some new people that I’ve only communicated with online. The current book up for discussion is The Zookeeper’s Wife. I haven’t read as much into it as I’d like to but hopefully I will have covered enough to participate.

Physically, It’s been nearly two months since I last bought a pack of cigarettes. I still crave them occasionally but it’s been a lot less painful than I would have ever imagined. Now that I have traversed that hurdle, I’m thinking more about getting the rest of me (especially the crooked part) in better shape. We have the perfect area in the basement with a weight bag already set up. Now, we just have to make a few adjustments to the space and our diet, then get on a routine.

Professionally, I don’t feel like I have any right to complain because I am one of the lucky Americans that is still employed. Even so, I feel like there is so much more meaningful work that I could be doing. I have gotten to this place many times in my career but it’s no longer feasible for me to drive to Mexico and then stay off the grid for a few months afterwards. I want to get my portfolio site put back together again but haven’t been able to find the time or the energy to give it what it deserves.

Creatively, I’m running on fumes. I have to admit that being an artistic being can be exhausting. No matter where I look, my eyes fill in the negative space. Every room I walk into I can see what I want to be there, reminding me of all the projects I have yet to complete. Working in the creative world makes it that much harder to find the mental capacity for my many not-for-profit creative endeavors.

Spiritually, I miss tending the garden and talking to the dirt (and my food) every day. (Ever seen the bumper sticker “Tree Hugging Dirt Worshiper”?) What can I say, I’m still a southerner at heart but with a NW passion for sole food. I think I would find the peace of mind that I seek, in finding a balance between all of the above and my desire to live more harmoniously with nature. It’s about time to plant some garlic to talk to through the winter.

So, don’t mind my absence while I spend some time realigning our priorities closer to where we want them to be. If I’m not around before then, I hope that you all have a wonderful Winter Solstice, Christmas, Hanukkah or Festivus as you so choose. Cheers!

I can’t help but feel like the world is moving a break neck pace these days and I’m running on fumes, trying to keep up…

Work is wearing me out. I’m the gatekeeper right now on a huge project that has zapped me of all ability to do anything else. It’s interesting that I can get into the “production/management zone” OR the “creative zone” but those two zones in no way overlap. Once I have one side of my brain charged up, I can not seem to reroute.

The economic crisis is wearing me out. It’s been an emotional roller coaster for some time now and it’s difficult to see an end in sight. It’s really disheartening to be an observer on the sidelines while our investments battle it out. Every time the market drops, I think, there went my new couch, new stove and that fancy showerhead for the basement remodel. I know I have got to get out of that mindset and at times, I regret that I’m not blissfully ignorant.

Politics are wearing me out. I wish that this election would be done with already so we can stop talking about how we are going to fix things and actually START fixing some things. I don’t know if I have the energy to watch the last debate tonight. I’ve made up my mind and, like most people, nothing at this point could change it.

My crooked neck syndrome is also wearing me out. My beloved LMT is recovering from a bulging disk herself right now so she can’t see me. I need to go back to PT, back to my chiropractor and perhaps seek out an acupuncturist. I’m afraid, at this point, that any of the above will severely incapacitate me with my muscles being as kinked up as they are right now. Any idea how difficult it is to work on a computer 40 hrs a week when you can’t feel your hand? Just trust me, it’s not pleasant.

So yeah, if you’ve been wondering why it’s so quiet around here lately- I’ve just been busy being worn out.

Economics a period during which business, employment, and stock-market values decline severely or remain at a very low level of activity. See the Great Depression.

Psychiatry a condition of general emotional dejection and withdrawal; sadness greater and more prolonged than that warranted by any objective reason.

Geography an area completely or mostly surrounded by higher land, ordinarily having interior drainage and not conforming to the valley of a single stream.

Warning: An economic depression may lead to emotional depression, and make you want to crawl into a physical depression. Read the rest of this entry »

I feel like I need play catch up a bit, as time has just gotten away from me a lot lately. We’ve had an awesome weekend, between the incredible food/heavy drinking Friday night and the Uppity celebration last night. Lach is out playing soccer today and I’ve been trying to get a few things done around the house, although I don’t feel like I’ve made much progress. We were able to get our new stereo mounted this morning which is thumping quite nicely, I must say.

As Lach recently mentioned, I decided to get some red highlights in my hair. Maybe it was the fat ass talking but sometimes a girl just needs a makeover to feel better. My hair had gotten wildly out of control but thankfully it’s much more manageable now…

I began a long post a while back entitled “Gardening in Siberia” when it was actually colder here in Seattle than in freaking Siberia. Sadly, I kept editing it until it had warmed up and my garden outgrew the update. My tomatoes also outgrew me since I’ve last reported. (Insert boxing announcer voice) “Standing in at over 5ft tall, with a lingering temptation of hitting the skillet daily, I give you- biiiiig assssss tomatooooooooooes!”

House projects have taken over my brain. I think I’ve been dreaming about laying concrete last night- hopefully no one was underneath it… Thanks late night HGTV! I have so many ideas that I can’t decide where to go next. I’ve gotten the back yard in a nice state of bliss but the front still needs some love. And there’s soooo many plans for the basement. But then again, I reeeally want the romantic bedroom that we’ve never had. Actually, we’ve never even had a headboard… seriously, after 5+ years together. I guess Lach is lucky she hasn’t come home to me nailing up an old door at some point. What can I say, I have an obsession with home projects. I know that one of these days, this is going to be me and well, I’m cool with that.

A constant staple throughout my childhood (and into adult life) has been my Grandma’s vegetable soup. Every year, she cans massive amounts of it to last through the winter. This year, my cousin is helping out with the job and she sent me these photos.

Click to Embiggen

I can’t even explain the emotional impression that seeing those jars has left on me. At first sight, I could smell the tomatoes boiling in the summer heat and taste hot cornbread melting in my mouth. I craved the taste of black eyed peas and it instantly brought tears to my eyes and a knot to my throat. Read the rest of this entry »

… as in, where in the world am I? My mind has been going in a million different directions lately but I’ve not been able to focus this energy very well. I thought I’d take a cue from my honey and just spit it all out at once so perhaps I can get back into the groove again…

The Housewarming Party! Wow, it was just awesome. The draft post that kept running through my head was “Recipe for a perfect housewarming”. Take 30 of your closest friends, 5 coolers of beer and drinks, several bottles of wine- Mix well- serve chilled on a summer night. Add grilled hamburgers, brats, portobellos, vegetables, salads, cheesecake and strawberry shortcake until perfectly round around the edges. Garnish with Rock Band (add groupies for additional zest) and enjoy!

Speaking of San Diego We will be spending an extended labor day weekend there and I can’t even begin to tell you how excited we are to make the trip! I’m sure I’ll have to elaborate more on this in the coming weeks but for now, check out the sweet hotel we booked! The Italian design comes complete with a goose down feather bed, LavAzza espresso machine and an adjacent wine bar.

Photo Op As a favor to our bestest friends, Texass & Teach, I am taking senior photos for Teach’s cousin. We made our first ever adventure to Mt Rainier last Sunday (certainly not our last) and the scenery made for some amazing shots. I’ve not been doing a lot of photography lately but I’m very happy with the results from this shoot. Hopefully over the weekend I will get some of the landscapes that I took uploaded. It’s such an incredible area and next time, I’d like to stay in a cabin and enjoy it all for longer than a day trip. It was supposed to be 68 degrees and ended up 82 instead. The cool mist off the glacial waterfalls were the most heavenly thing I’ve felt since Maui. Read the rest of this entry »

A couple of nights ago, I came home with a blazing headache that nearly escalated to a full on migraine. Thankfully I got it under control but the senior party going on next door did not help matters. So I called my mom and this conversation transpired…

Bayou: “I am beginning to wonder why you did not kill us when we were seniors.”

Mom: “The thought crossed my mind a few times.”

B: “I would imagine it did.”

M: “Especially when they called and told me you’d missed 54 days of school that year.”

B: “54 days?! I did?”

M: “Yup.”

B: “Um, sorry about that.”