Wednesday, January 30, 2008
My First At-Home I.V.!
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Finished! "Eat Pray Love"
Finally! 3 1/2 months after I started it. (I distract easily).
I can honestly say that it is, so far, the most honestly written memoir I've read to date and for that it's amazin.! i under-lined many, many sentences in the book and I think I'm going to re-read just those parts before i put the book down to rest.
WARNING: If you haven't read it and don't want anything to cloud your judgment, please don't read the rest of this paragraph and the next!!! I did want more closure at the end given the fact that I know liz gilbert goes on to buy a home and live in northwestern NJ & marries Felipe ~ she ends the book before anything concrete like that happens. I also tended to lose interest and get a bit bored during what I know refer to the 'history lessons' she gives in the book as backgrounds on different places and religious practices becauseIi felt it got a bit too academic (for my taste!) and lengthy.
I also tended to lose interest at times when I felt I couldn't relate to some of the 'frou frou' spiritualism of it. Now before you get annoyed at me, please keep reading! I'm not saying that people can't actually be that kind of spiritual and believe that's what they're going through ~ I'm not saying people can't truly have experiences like that. I just can't relate because I haven't experienced anything to that degree and don't expect to. That's just not me. But, that's okay on both sides of the coin! ("I'm ok, you're ok!")
It's been an interesting and emotional read and as usual, I'm a bit sad that it's now over. I wonder, "now what?!"
Anyhoo, here's the review I gave it on goodreads.com:
"** spoiler alert ** Though I heard of this book in 2006 (see who I say recommended it to me), by the time my interest peaked enough to actually read it, I was also very hesitant to do so because of all the "hype" about it! Then I why did I go & buy the book? Because the waiting list at both our local libraries is over a year long and once I saw Liz's first appearance on Oprah in October (2007), I couldn't resist the book any longer. (Curiosity killed the cat as they say).
Usually, this isn't my type of book, but I can honestly say that it is, so far, the most honestly written memoir I've read to date and for that it's amazing. (That's the main reason I gave it to 3 of my girlfriends for Christmas 2007). I under-lined many, many sentences in the book that I relate to or which stuck a chord with me.
I lost interest at times when I felt I couldn't relate to some of the, what I call 'frou frou' spiritualism aspects of it. Now before you get annoyed at me, please keep reading! I'm not saying people can't truly have & believe they have had experiences like that. I just can't relate because I haven't experienced anything to that degree and don't expect to. That's just not me, but, that's okay on both sides of the coin. ("I'm okay, you're okay!")
I also lost interest & got bored during what I call her 'history lessons' that she gives in the book as backgrounds on different places and religious practices because I felt it got a bit too academic (for my taste) and at times too lengthy. I did want more closure at the end given the fact that I know Liz goes on to buy a home and live in western NJ & marries Felipe ~ she ends the book before anything concrete like that happens, but I know that life is never truly finished while living it and hope she'll share more in the future.
Okay, dare I say this?! (Puts on full body armor & holds up shield). Here it goes: Because of most of the comments "Richard from Texas" made to her, I think he's a condescending *&^%$!#! (My humble opinion).
It's been an interesting and emotional read and as usual, I'm a bit sad that it's now over. I wonder, "now what?!"
PS~ I watched both of Liz's Oprah appearances and what worries me after watching the 2nd is the rush to use this book as ones ultimate life guide or "bible," as some viewers kept calling it. That's not what she intended when writing it. (I assume given her reactions to those viewers!)
I realized in my late 20's that no matter how much you look, there's no one book (or even many books) that will give you all of the answers you need. By all means, take some things to heart, challenge your views and file away things as suggestions you can try, but if you take a book like this and use it strictly as guide for your own life, I feel you're still going to end up back where you were before you read it. (Been there & done that, let me tell you!) Liz's path is not the same as mine or yours or anyone's and that is okay! It may be a long & painful road but we'll all get to where we want to be eventually & all in our own ways.
I have battled severe depression for many years now and have been in abusive relationships (I'm not saying hers were) and I think many do not like this book because they cannot relate to that kind of deep & overwhelming pain and being lost, therefore, they feel that she's being selfish, self-absorbed, hopped up on self pity, etc.. I've also come across a bit of jealousy when others say they dislike the book because they may not have the financial means Liz had to be able to do what she did and therefore, they feel she's ungrateful or self indulgent.
Around 2000, I was handed a cushy trader job with a powerful and well known financial company in Manhattan where I'd be making oodles of money and working on the 78th floor of Tower 2 at The World Trade Center. I've always dreamed of working in the city! But, it was NOT what I wanted to do, nor did I have the confidence in myself to handle everything it would've entailed, so I backed out of the job ~ much to the utter dismay of friends & co-workers.
on September 11, 2001, I was at home that morning, sitting on my living room floor with my back against the couch because I'd thrown my back out. I turned on the TV to see Tower 1 of The World Trade Center in Manhattan "on fire." They didn't actually know yet what had happened. a few moments later, I watched a plane fly into tower 2. My tower. My floor. Later I found out that only 2 people from the 78th floor of Tower 2 made it out alive. 2. I feel in my soul that if I'd been there, I would've died that day.
Just because one seems to have "everything," sometimes the price for that "everything" doesn't make it worth having after all.
(Completed 1st time, 1/24/08 after beginning in Oct 2007)
(Started again for CoL group read October 2009, finished November 2009)."
I can honestly say that it is, so far, the most honestly written memoir I've read to date and for that it's amazin.! i under-lined many, many sentences in the book and I think I'm going to re-read just those parts before i put the book down to rest.
WARNING: If you haven't read it and don't want anything to cloud your judgment, please don't read the rest of this paragraph and the next!!! I did want more closure at the end given the fact that I know liz gilbert goes on to buy a home and live in northwestern NJ & marries Felipe ~ she ends the book before anything concrete like that happens. I also tended to lose interest and get a bit bored during what I know refer to the 'history lessons' she gives in the book as backgrounds on different places and religious practices becauseIi felt it got a bit too academic (for my taste!) and lengthy.
I also tended to lose interest at times when I felt I couldn't relate to some of the 'frou frou' spiritualism of it. Now before you get annoyed at me, please keep reading! I'm not saying that people can't actually be that kind of spiritual and believe that's what they're going through ~ I'm not saying people can't truly have experiences like that. I just can't relate because I haven't experienced anything to that degree and don't expect to. That's just not me. But, that's okay on both sides of the coin! ("I'm ok, you're ok!")
It's been an interesting and emotional read and as usual, I'm a bit sad that it's now over. I wonder, "now what?!"
Anyhoo, here's the review I gave it on goodreads.com:
"** spoiler alert ** Though I heard of this book in 2006 (see who I say recommended it to me), by the time my interest peaked enough to actually read it, I was also very hesitant to do so because of all the "hype" about it! Then I why did I go & buy the book? Because the waiting list at both our local libraries is over a year long and once I saw Liz's first appearance on Oprah in October (2007), I couldn't resist the book any longer. (Curiosity killed the cat as they say).
Usually, this isn't my type of book, but I can honestly say that it is, so far, the most honestly written memoir I've read to date and for that it's amazing. (That's the main reason I gave it to 3 of my girlfriends for Christmas 2007). I under-lined many, many sentences in the book that I relate to or which stuck a chord with me.
I lost interest at times when I felt I couldn't relate to some of the, what I call 'frou frou' spiritualism aspects of it. Now before you get annoyed at me, please keep reading! I'm not saying people can't truly have & believe they have had experiences like that. I just can't relate because I haven't experienced anything to that degree and don't expect to. That's just not me, but, that's okay on both sides of the coin. ("I'm okay, you're okay!")
I also lost interest & got bored during what I call her 'history lessons' that she gives in the book as backgrounds on different places and religious practices because I felt it got a bit too academic (for my taste) and at times too lengthy. I did want more closure at the end given the fact that I know Liz goes on to buy a home and live in western NJ & marries Felipe ~ she ends the book before anything concrete like that happens, but I know that life is never truly finished while living it and hope she'll share more in the future.
Okay, dare I say this?! (Puts on full body armor & holds up shield). Here it goes: Because of most of the comments "Richard from Texas" made to her, I think he's a condescending *&^%$!#! (My humble opinion).
It's been an interesting and emotional read and as usual, I'm a bit sad that it's now over. I wonder, "now what?!"
PS~ I watched both of Liz's Oprah appearances and what worries me after watching the 2nd is the rush to use this book as ones ultimate life guide or "bible," as some viewers kept calling it. That's not what she intended when writing it. (I assume given her reactions to those viewers!)
I realized in my late 20's that no matter how much you look, there's no one book (or even many books) that will give you all of the answers you need. By all means, take some things to heart, challenge your views and file away things as suggestions you can try, but if you take a book like this and use it strictly as guide for your own life, I feel you're still going to end up back where you were before you read it. (Been there & done that, let me tell you!) Liz's path is not the same as mine or yours or anyone's and that is okay! It may be a long & painful road but we'll all get to where we want to be eventually & all in our own ways.
I have battled severe depression for many years now and have been in abusive relationships (I'm not saying hers were) and I think many do not like this book because they cannot relate to that kind of deep & overwhelming pain and being lost, therefore, they feel that she's being selfish, self-absorbed, hopped up on self pity, etc.. I've also come across a bit of jealousy when others say they dislike the book because they may not have the financial means Liz had to be able to do what she did and therefore, they feel she's ungrateful or self indulgent.
Around 2000, I was handed a cushy trader job with a powerful and well known financial company in Manhattan where I'd be making oodles of money and working on the 78th floor of Tower 2 at The World Trade Center. I've always dreamed of working in the city! But, it was NOT what I wanted to do, nor did I have the confidence in myself to handle everything it would've entailed, so I backed out of the job ~ much to the utter dismay of friends & co-workers.
on September 11, 2001, I was at home that morning, sitting on my living room floor with my back against the couch because I'd thrown my back out. I turned on the TV to see Tower 1 of The World Trade Center in Manhattan "on fire." They didn't actually know yet what had happened. a few moments later, I watched a plane fly into tower 2. My tower. My floor. Later I found out that only 2 people from the 78th floor of Tower 2 made it out alive. 2. I feel in my soul that if I'd been there, I would've died that day.
Just because one seems to have "everything," sometimes the price for that "everything" doesn't make it worth having after all.
(Completed 1st time, 1/24/08 after beginning in Oct 2007)
(Started again for CoL group read October 2009, finished November 2009)."
New Yarns for the Stash!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
i was voted in charge of coming up with the topic this month for the writing group and i initially suggested writing about "what we want to do with 2008."
then i became inspired by barbara abercrombie's "kitchen tables" post on her blog writing time.net! (www.writingtime.net) barbara talked about how the idea for the site was cooked up (so to speak!) one day at the kitchen table w/her daughter. another inspired woman wrote about how she wrote on her blog about how her front porch is magical when she puts pen to paper. overall it made me think about where i do my writing at home. (i say "at home" because out of my own doing, i generally do not have the opportunity to write away from home).
so i then emailed the girls and told them of being inspired and suggested that in addition to or instead of my original topic, why not write about "where we feel most inspired" to do writing or just come up with idea's?!
so, here's the piece i wrote and emailed to them today: (we voted on a "cyberspace" email meeting in lieu of getting together at whole foods today!)
Wednesday, January 23, 2008 11:21:37 AM (partially written on 1/22/08)
I’ve always tended to be the “I write when and where the mood strikes” kind of gal, though lately I’m more likely to be struck by lightning than the urge to write! And when I think about it, I’m not sure where I feel the most inspired because when I’m feeling anything but inspired it’s difficult to recall those creative times! (Yes, even when inspiration appeared less than a week ago!)
I will say that I tend to feel more comfortable trying to write in an area that’s clean & straitened up and not only because it distracts me to the point where I feel I have to clean instead of write! (Cluttered surroundings, cluttered mind!) Come to think of it, this may account for why I don’t have a specific area here at home where I write because the house is never clean and straitened up as a whole at the same time ~ ever!!! (Something I am making an effort to change in 2008!) This goes for when a room is in transition too.
I’ve written in nearly every room of our house except the spare room and bathroom! (Yup, I’ve even written in the basement ~ not the crawl space under us! Our basement is in the building directly across from us!) I’ve had idea’s come to me while lying in bed, trying to fall asleep or after waking but before being up & about. I’ve been compelled to type away at the computer (also in our bedroom) and I’ve hand written page after page sitting at the kitchen table or out on the patio.
Speaking of the kitchen table, there must be something about our kitchen beyond the cooking, the food and the make-shift office area for the apartment complex! Many, many times I spread out and set up shop in here to write and read. (Even though these chairs aggravate my back and my legs in general! Yes, I’ve heard of cushions! I just never think of them when I’m out shopping!)
At the risk of sounding corny and cliché, there’s just a good vibe in here! Friends and family tend to gravitate and congregate in here regardless of the fact our living room can easily sit more than 8 people at one time! The cats spend a good portion of their days in here too, plastered to the patio doors sniffing the air and watching birds, squirrels and the occasional wood rat stop by for bird seed and old bread & chips.
The patio doors double as floor to nearly ceiling windows which let in lots of natural light and help to make it feel bigger. Vic built and hung a rack underneath the cabinets over the sink, so my favorite mugs are always on display. There are all sorts of chachki’s on shelves and the walls. The walls themselves are a work in progress since my beautiful pale garden green turned out looking like minty pistachio ice cream! (A color I have nothing against, it’s just not what I wanted!)
In writing this, I have realized that I need to expand myself beyond the boundaries of our home when it comes to writing. I do so when we’re away for a few days, why not just in general?! I love taking walks, but I don’t usually think about writing while doing it. Why not?! I also love spending time in garden nurseries in the spring & summer. Nothing leaves me feeling more inspired, alive and connected! So why not write while still riding that high?! (More to make an effort on in 2008!)
then i became inspired by barbara abercrombie's "kitchen tables" post on her blog writing time.net! (www.writingtime.net) barbara talked about how the idea for the site was cooked up (so to speak!) one day at the kitchen table w/her daughter. another inspired woman wrote about how she wrote on her blog about how her front porch is magical when she puts pen to paper. overall it made me think about where i do my writing at home. (i say "at home" because out of my own doing, i generally do not have the opportunity to write away from home).
so i then emailed the girls and told them of being inspired and suggested that in addition to or instead of my original topic, why not write about "where we feel most inspired" to do writing or just come up with idea's?!
so, here's the piece i wrote and emailed to them today: (we voted on a "cyberspace" email meeting in lieu of getting together at whole foods today!)
Wednesday, January 23, 2008 11:21:37 AM (partially written on 1/22/08)
I’ve always tended to be the “I write when and where the mood strikes” kind of gal, though lately I’m more likely to be struck by lightning than the urge to write! And when I think about it, I’m not sure where I feel the most inspired because when I’m feeling anything but inspired it’s difficult to recall those creative times! (Yes, even when inspiration appeared less than a week ago!)
I will say that I tend to feel more comfortable trying to write in an area that’s clean & straitened up and not only because it distracts me to the point where I feel I have to clean instead of write! (Cluttered surroundings, cluttered mind!) Come to think of it, this may account for why I don’t have a specific area here at home where I write because the house is never clean and straitened up as a whole at the same time ~ ever!!! (Something I am making an effort to change in 2008!) This goes for when a room is in transition too.
I’ve written in nearly every room of our house except the spare room and bathroom! (Yup, I’ve even written in the basement ~ not the crawl space under us! Our basement is in the building directly across from us!) I’ve had idea’s come to me while lying in bed, trying to fall asleep or after waking but before being up & about. I’ve been compelled to type away at the computer (also in our bedroom) and I’ve hand written page after page sitting at the kitchen table or out on the patio.
Speaking of the kitchen table, there must be something about our kitchen beyond the cooking, the food and the make-shift office area for the apartment complex! Many, many times I spread out and set up shop in here to write and read. (Even though these chairs aggravate my back and my legs in general! Yes, I’ve heard of cushions! I just never think of them when I’m out shopping!)
At the risk of sounding corny and cliché, there’s just a good vibe in here! Friends and family tend to gravitate and congregate in here regardless of the fact our living room can easily sit more than 8 people at one time! The cats spend a good portion of their days in here too, plastered to the patio doors sniffing the air and watching birds, squirrels and the occasional wood rat stop by for bird seed and old bread & chips.
The patio doors double as floor to nearly ceiling windows which let in lots of natural light and help to make it feel bigger. Vic built and hung a rack underneath the cabinets over the sink, so my favorite mugs are always on display. There are all sorts of chachki’s on shelves and the walls. The walls themselves are a work in progress since my beautiful pale garden green turned out looking like minty pistachio ice cream! (A color I have nothing against, it’s just not what I wanted!)
In writing this, I have realized that I need to expand myself beyond the boundaries of our home when it comes to writing. I do so when we’re away for a few days, why not just in general?! I love taking walks, but I don’t usually think about writing while doing it. Why not?! I also love spending time in garden nurseries in the spring & summer. Nothing leaves me feeling more inspired, alive and connected! So why not write while still riding that high?! (More to make an effort on in 2008!)
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
And I Thought I Put the Heater On For Me! (THIS IS MY 300TH POST!!!)
Silly human!
(who knew this would be my 300th post?!?! (g)jw, 1/23/08)
Monday, January 21, 2008
Too Cute!
Sunday, January 20, 2008
A Lazy Day at Home with Hubby!
Monday, January 14, 2008
Desperate Times, Desperate Measures!
I cannot take this sinus infection with its waves of face and head pain, nausea, fever, eye pain, fatigue and absolute misery! I have been like this nearly a week and there does not seem to be an end in sight! Ironically, the day before this set in, I was watching a repeat of Dr.Oz on Oprah and they were talking about and demonstrating the Neti Pot (to rinse out your sinuses) and I thought to myself that I should try it some time. Last night, Hubby and I stopped at Whole Foods and picked one up. I used it once last night and once today - not much difference as of yet, but we shall see!
(didn't realize that knife was on the counter when i took the pic! how funny given the title of this post!!!)
Friday, January 11, 2008
journey for 2008
as i sit here typing this by our bedroom window, a few rumbles of thunder have sounded off in the distance, the balmy air is kicking up into a breeze and rain has begun to fall again. there was thunder early this morning too, while i slept, it woke me just enough.
we're at an odd spot here for weather ~ the bay only a mile or 2 behind us and the ocean to its' right, only a few miles to our side, (though it's really all the same water, isn't it?!). we've been here just over 2 years and most of the time i still cannot tell in which direction the clouds are really moving! much of the time, storms circle over head because of those bodies of water and out front, seem to be going this way and out back, seem to be going that way!
i have wanted to write about what i want to do with 2008 for some time, but i've been finding it very difficult to translate what i'm feeling into concrete, specific words that don't sound hokey (to me!)! i can tell you that these feelings i have been having are strong, confident and not fleeting ~ they have been the exact opposite in the past.
i have said before that i have been given the gift of time, but i don't feel that i've used it wisely or even at all, especially in 2007, a year that i feel that i wasted in so many ways. i have been aimless and drifting, using the uncertainty of my social security disability process and assorted health & emotional obstacles to justify not making more of an effort.
i am not going to belittle myself or beat myself up though. what's done (or not done!) is in the past and that's ok! not much, if anything at all, can be done about the past and that's ok as well! i am looking forward ~ plenty can be done about the 'here & now' and the furture!
i will tell you that i've always had a problem with budgeting and managing time ~ i just don't know how! but i am right now in the process of trying to figure out exactly what i want & need to do each day and then i'm going to learn how to come up with some sort of schedule that fits me, as well as fits the collective needs of myself and hubby! time management just isn't a cut & dry, one size fits all kind of thing!
this year, i want to and need to focus on becoming me, becoming whom i've always known i am supposed to be! i'm not entirely sure on the specifics yet, to be honest, but that doesn't scare me this time around!
more to come ~ stay tuned!
we're at an odd spot here for weather ~ the bay only a mile or 2 behind us and the ocean to its' right, only a few miles to our side, (though it's really all the same water, isn't it?!). we've been here just over 2 years and most of the time i still cannot tell in which direction the clouds are really moving! much of the time, storms circle over head because of those bodies of water and out front, seem to be going this way and out back, seem to be going that way!
i have wanted to write about what i want to do with 2008 for some time, but i've been finding it very difficult to translate what i'm feeling into concrete, specific words that don't sound hokey (to me!)! i can tell you that these feelings i have been having are strong, confident and not fleeting ~ they have been the exact opposite in the past.
i have said before that i have been given the gift of time, but i don't feel that i've used it wisely or even at all, especially in 2007, a year that i feel that i wasted in so many ways. i have been aimless and drifting, using the uncertainty of my social security disability process and assorted health & emotional obstacles to justify not making more of an effort.
i am not going to belittle myself or beat myself up though. what's done (or not done!) is in the past and that's ok! not much, if anything at all, can be done about the past and that's ok as well! i am looking forward ~ plenty can be done about the 'here & now' and the furture!
i will tell you that i've always had a problem with budgeting and managing time ~ i just don't know how! but i am right now in the process of trying to figure out exactly what i want & need to do each day and then i'm going to learn how to come up with some sort of schedule that fits me, as well as fits the collective needs of myself and hubby! time management just isn't a cut & dry, one size fits all kind of thing!
this year, i want to and need to focus on becoming me, becoming whom i've always known i am supposed to be! i'm not entirely sure on the specifics yet, to be honest, but that doesn't scare me this time around!
more to come ~ stay tuned!
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Takin' A Walk! Part 3!
Takin' A Walk! Part 1
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
We're Havin' A Heat Wave...!
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
New Year's Day 2008!
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