Monday, August 31, 2009

35

Thirty-five started with a bang.

Thirty-five so far has been: a cold in the head at the worst time, traveling to a lovely island to play music, double-accordion jamming on the ferry ride home, a cd release party in a blue taffeta dress watched by family and friends. It's been: getting to play in and play out my birthday, with gigs on either side of it, like a cushion. It's been sleepless nights and stuffy noses and hot sex and being broke and cakechipswinetequilashotsvodkawaterwaterwater.

I've packed more living into the past 48 hours than I often do in a week or more.

I want the whole year to feel like that.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Why I love living on Commercial Drive: reason # 386


(overheard outside Mark's Pet Stop; said in a sexy European accent):
"Do you have anything for a really arrogant cat?"

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Taste!

Summer time is the perfect time to really taste life. Scent and taste are heightened by the heat: cheese left on the counter is runny and ripe, not rubbery and boring like it is is if it's straight from the fridge. In honour of this lovely summer day I am trying to savour things, not easy for someone like me, who tends to swallow food-and life- without really chewing sometimes.

Today I am relishing the creamy feel of good Brie on the back of my tongue (a decadent treat, thanks to a couple of babysitting gigs); the sharp bite of Gipsy salami, a hair-ruffling breeze as I walk home, the peace of my empty apartment which I have to myself this afternoon. One thing that hanging out with small children has reminded me: they live almost utterly in the moment.

Not a bad thing to try every once in a while.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Body, give me a break already!

Jane the cat was curled up in her cat-nest in the flower beds by the front door of our building as I returned from grocery shopping this afternoon. Old, half-blind, half-deaf and weighing all of about three pounds, she has taken to snuggling in my arms every time I pick her up after months of running from me as if I had the plague. Owned by one of the apartment's crazy cat ladies (there are quite a few), she'll probably end up as a tasty hors d'oevre for a passing coyote one of these days, but I hope not.
Cuddling Jane was the nicest part of a walk/grocery shop with a low point that included honestly feeling like I was going to pass out in the SuperValu, which would have been embarrassing to say the least. I still feel vaguely nauseous and wrung-out. I'm trying to figure out if my body is protesting:
  • the cleanse I'm on
  • the fact that I've quit taking the Pill for a while because I figured it was time to give my body a break and maybe this is causing some weirdness as my hormones re-align
  • That Time of the Month: the first post-Pill Curse
  • all of the above
I'm trying to turn over a new leaf, folks. Trying to focus on the positive, save my money and get healthy. So Body, cut me a break here! I need some energy, some pep to wake up with. Feeling like a limp french fry (white, slightly sweaty, limp) is NOT conducive to Getting Things Done, alright?

Thursday, August 13, 2009

point form is all I have the energy for right now.

  • Am halfway through a new (but temporary) job, which I thought I wouldn't like but actually I do. Suffice it to say that my child-wrangling skillz are slowly improving.
  • Fighting- I don't know what? Mild depression? Lethargy? Merely the onset of a cold/flu-like illness? Not sure. All I know is that it's hard to get out of bed right now (might be something to do with having to get out of bed so early these days!)
  • To counter-attack the lethargy and tendency to nest and hermit rather than go out, I am concentrating on improving my budgeting/banking skillz. Realize that I am starting basically from scratch in this area, which is depressing at almost 35. Did you know that I have never made and followed through on a budget? Ever?
  • I've started a new blog to chronicle my ongoing efforts to gain money and get fit. I'm not going to link to it. Yet. We'll see how it goes for a while. I may want that one to stay more anonymous. No names and locations are mentioned on that blog to protect the not-so-innocent (me) from being rumbled as Financially Foolish and Physically Flabby. Am excited to see if I can follow through on this self-improvement kick. For once.