Bric a Brac
Yesterday was busy with a Capital “B” at work, so my brain cells are a bit depleted.
Hence, this post of odds and ends.
Regular programming will resume tomorrow or later today if that J-O-B will leave me alone long enough to blog properly.
This is what’s been happening in my little arena called life:
1- I got news that my brother’s unit in Afghanistan is under heavy attack. I worry beyond belief. War is ugly.
2- I made it through the first year of my Mom’s death and think I will be okay without her.
No more grieving, only remembrance.
3- Have kept to my workout routine @ 530 (am people, as in o’dark thirty) and will sport a bathing suit this summer and not board shorts as in years gone past.
4-Received an invitation to be the Guest Artist at a Literary festival in my beloved Outer Banks, North Carolina this August. Me an artist, that’s debatable. I’m just a word-slinger.
5- Made the decision to start dating (that will be a longggg blog post I’m sure) after 4 years of single-dom.(Before I get a correction in my email, seeing someone a few times a year is not dating, it’s well, seeing someone a few times a year)
6- Starting to get my thoughts and meals in order for my upcoming challenge, “Live below the line”.
7- Wrote 2 poems and a prose piece while I was on a getaway this past weekend. I really like the direction they took.
8- I am reading one of the best books I think to ever grace my eyes,
“A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius”.
9- I have decided to look for my brother. 26 years is too long. I miss him.
10- The Coup de Grace for the week is, (insert brief drumroll) Ashton Kutcher & Anderson Cooper replied to my tweets.
Pretty damn snazzy if I must say so myself.
Ok, that’s it.. If you expected juicy, earth-shattering news, well I apologize in advance. I save those for single posts!!
Here’s a picture I took. I like this horse. I want to ride a horse, like him.
oh, so it’s no big deal when i respond to your tweets? thanks. thanks a lot. just kidding of course.
Well first you gotta tweet me (that sounded odd, yes? lol)
PS- almost done reading your story.. am enjoying muchly!
not odd at all….
good.. I only 2 coffees into the day.. (read note on other reply about your story)
yes ma’am. which story are you trudging through? i’m on my first coffee.
The Curse…
that’s the one currently in the quarterfinals of the amazon.com breakthrough novel award. as i revised it last month, i found enough mistakes to know that i likely won’t get past the next round, but i’ll get a full review from publisher’s weekly magazine.
Afghanistan is ugly for everyone
Hope he will be ok.
Don’t worry about the grieving. Take as long as it needs. One day, you wake up and forget to think they (her/him) aren’t there any more. And as you say, then it becomes remembrance. Took me much longer than a year though. Very hard.
Does getting up to make sandwiches and salad at 6am count as a work-out?
Congrats on the Guest Artist, that’s great.
Dating. Uh! sounds such a 50s word to British me
You know I am looking forward to LBTL
Sharing the weekend work anywhere?
Another book to look up. Author?
Same brother or a different one?
I had to look up AK, and felt too old and out of touch to look up AC!!
The horse is nice. Best, I like to see them happily running free. (Ha, my dog posted a horse pic on his blog from the weekend too!)
Yes indeed getting up at 6am to do anything counts!!
Dating, ugh,.. I will post about my views on love and romance soon.. not the normal way (but I think you & I think alike on this)
The work I will probably submit to a few of my favorite publications, but if they get rejected, they will become Blog posts.:-)
The book is amazing..Actually was a runner up for Pulizter and the Author is Dave Eggers. The preface simply says, “This was uncalled for”..great read.
Different brother…another post one day when I get the courage up to write about him (same one who gave me the subscription to Rolling Stone
Haha.. In the states everyone knows Mr Kutcher…PS- AC is Gloria Vanderbilt’s son.
Have a wonderful day Miss Gib!!!
Ms Gib
Touche’!!
wowww you did have a busy day! sounds like a lot of good changes… minus the first thing– sending prayers for your brother. I am a early riser to worship the running gods- but I enjoy it and have always liked getting up early. Good for you for getting workouts done in the AM- I know if I don’t do it in the morning, I sure as heck won’t be doing it later. I”m sure you will look beautiful in a bathing suit, board shorts, or whatever your heart desires to wear to the beach.
I will have to look up that book…. and speaking of the horse (I really really want to ride some and eventually own a few when I ‘grow up’)– ‘The Soul of a Horse’ by Joe Camp is an amaaaaazing book about a man and his journey of owning horses. It is a short read, but one of the best books I have ever read. IT’ll make you want to go all Pocahantas and tame a wild beast and name him Thor and feed him apples.
Oh that was not all in one day, that is from last Friday..LOL..
Thanks for the high-fives.. and yes indeed, no workout by 7am, it’s not happening that day..
and I will definitely check that book out.. I want to be all Pocahantas like and run through the forest on a speeding horse..
Have a great day/week:-)
I really really really look forward to meeting you in person. You inspire me!
Hey you.. Oh I can’t wait to meet you too.. NOLA better get ready.. Shoot me an email and bring me up to date on PC..
Oh goodness, where to start…
First, prayers for your brother in Afghanistan, then good luck in your search for other brother. Congratulations on the guest artisting! And to your poet’s heart, both so fragile and so strong, I am sorry for your losses and heartaches of the past, but yes I hope you do go date, go dance, go… be happy with someone wonderful. I hope you find a good beach to frolic on, too, with your bathing-suit bod.
Cheering you on! ~ Lily
Thanks mucho, mucho for the good vibes on everything..I’ll keep you posted on how it all works out Lily
Lynne,
Congrats on being invited as a guest jury. That’s wonderful.
And so many positive thoughts to you concerning your mom.
As for dating, their asses are yours.
And congrats on your French, too! Not bad!
Le Clowm
Le Clown,
you always drop off good vibes my way and I really appreciate that..
Ha my French came via Le Google Translate (love that little tool) did you know they have Swahil and such?
L
Strangely, this is one of my favorite posts.
So many hopeful aspirations.
I’m worrying about your brother too.
If I don’t have hope and keep my chin up through the stormy weather, well then I’m just quittr and my Daddy did not raise a quitter
Hmmm… I think I may have to start some sort of petition to force you to recant the following “Me an artist, that’s debatable. I’m just a word-slinger.” from number 4 and replace it with “I am an awesome artist, who can out-word you in ten paces. Now reach for that keyboard, if you feel lucky punk”
haha.. I have absolutely no witty comeback..I’m picturing myself pulling a keyboard out of a holster vs a gun ..you are too funny..
What a post! I learned so much about you in its randomness. I hope you find your brother. You know why. I absolutely love that book! I might have to read it again. You are an artist. Maybe even an artiste. I too want to ride that horse; but first, feel the softness of his muzzle.
I try to share pieces of me so that people will know me more than a “peace symbol gravatar picture”
The book is amazing and I’m quite certain I will re-read it at some point.. so damn witty and wise..I rode a horse once, well rode is a strong word more like sat upon. I would like to ride one and yes, his muzzle is beautiful..
hope your doing well:-)
I’ve always found that when I put more focus on the positive things that happens in my life, it spills over on the negative. And it makes my life easier. War is ugly, and I hope your brother is ok. Grief is normal and natural, so are your feelings. Don’t let anyone tell you anything different (I work as a grief counsellor as well as a life coach). Looking forward to hear more about your dating, as I am back on the dating scene as well,
. Take care!
Grief is a fickle beast.. We can be going along fine for months, then BAM out of no where the dark cloud hovers.I have learned (through practice) when that happen to allow it then counter-attack it with good memories..So far, so good.
Ah the “dating” scene…been a long time so trying to find new approaches..maybe we can brain-storm together..:-)
Absolutely, I love brainstorming
I love this post! I pick up on people’s vibes very easily and what I was feeling was a creative, determined, positive energy jumping right off my computer screen. I wish I could surround myself with people like you. I felt charged up reading this. (Especially your commitment to shed the board
shorts – I can relate!) Good for you. I’m admiring your bric a brac all the way from Chicago!
Oh I’m a so serious about ditching those shorts.. Doubt I’ll be sporting a bikini, but hey, at least a snazzy one piece
You might be in Chicago and me in Florida, but vibes are vibes..besides we both are Bisquick fanatics!! Have a great weekend Miss Chi-Town!
I consider this post to be “juicy, earth-shattering news”. Holy hannah….
My life is so not earth shattering so I guess this is as good as it gets
(glad to see you here..thanks mucho
Enjoy life you only live once, so #5 is good and I can highly recommend riding a horse; it’s good fun
A window into your life.
Thank you. 