Beating a dead horse...but couldn't help it...

Accenture must want a refund, big time...their whole campaign plays into these jokes way too easily.  Oh well... 

I don't think the fame and money we throw at our celebreties is good for anyone.  It's not good for them, it's not good for kids who grow up thinking they have to be megarich/megasuccessful/megabeautiful to have made it...  What's that song out right now?  Drake? "I just wanna be, I just wanna be successful..."  He sings about how he wants the money and the cars and the clothes, and he equates that with being successful.

I bet Tiger Woods doesn't feel very successful.  He's the epitome of success, but he's failed himself and his family.  I feel for him, though.  If from the time you are young, you are meant to feel like a god, invicible, you're going to start believing it.  It's not healthy.  That's not to say he doesn't have free will, but I think we can find more examples of "successful" celebrities that are really just a big hot mess, than the examples who have used their fame and fortune to live good, healthy lives.  It's human nature.

Our celebrities are kind of like our false gods...yet our worship for them is what ends up destroying them.  It's kind of interesting to see.  We chew them up and spit them out when we no longer have any use for them.

Dance, monkey, dance!

It's no wonder child stars end up being the dregs of society.  What else have they been set up for?  They are hearing they are the center of the universe during their formative years, and then the reality is that no one has any use for them anymore, and the highlight of their life was at age 5 or 8 or 14.  The rest of life is a giant disappointment. 

Part of my job involves compensation strategy.  We look at the market, the job duties, etc... and we deterimine what each job is worth.  Generally, with more responsibility, comes greater compensation.

Not that I think government should regulate compensation, but how is it that a paramedic, responsible for saving lives, is paid half of what a customer service rep at Verizon makes?  Why does the president of the US make far less than a CEO of any old company in the US?  Why do our actors and athletes make millions more than the scientists and researchers who are responsible for curing cancer, or national defense?

Why do we even allow athletes and actors to make 10s of millions of dollars, when we could just take a fraction of their salaries and feed the hungry?  It seems a bit corrupt and immoral or at least amoral, when you look at it that way.

In the mean time, our misguided values will create and destry more Tiger Woods', Charlie Sheen's and Britney Murphy's.

Holiday travel

I tend to avoid situations that are unpleasant, so as of yet, I have never flown anywhere in peak travel times.  In general, I take my vacations Wednesday to Wednesday because it's a good day to travel.  I almost never fly on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday because I know they are such high volume days.  When we flew to Dallas 2 weekends ago, we flew out on a Friday night and back on a Sunday afternoon.  The flight was one of the only direct flights from Boston to Dallas, so it was packed, as you can imagine.  There flights were sold out, and Darcy and I couldn't even sit next to each other on the way home. 

That's generally not how I roll.  I think that we can cut out a lot of the annoyances of life, just by planning to do so.  I know that we are wired to think a vacation lasts from one weekend to the next, but why not book a trip mid week to mid week?  Airfare is cheaper, and planes are less crowded.  Plus, you get 2 half weeks of work shouldering the trip, so it's kind of like a longer vacation.  ;-)

Today, we are flying to Atlanta.  It's 2 days before Christmas, and the airports are still playing catch up from the cancelled flights from the weekend.  I can't imagine how busy the airport is going to be, but I'm mentally preparing myself already.  We are already checked in, with boarding passes printed up, and we aren't checking any luggage, but we plan to arrive at the airport 2 hrs before take off. 

That should give us plenty of time to get through security, and if we have extra time, we can enjoy a relaxing meal before we depart.  Philadelphia may be a bit more dicey.  We have a layover there, and our flight has a winter advisory attached to it.  I know they were hit worse with the snow, so I'm sure it will be a zoo.  We don't have a ton of time to get from one plane to the next, but we never check any luggage, so all we need to worry about is getting ourselves to the gate on time.

I always prepare myself for the worst, while hoping for the best.  If our flights get cancelled, we'll make it there eventually, and everything will be just fine.  I do not understand worry.  Worry changes nothing, while inhibiting your ability to flex with change.  How is that useful?

In life, I try to avoid situations that could be stressful.  It's easier than you would think.  When potentially stressful situations are unavoidable, I find a plan to manage the possible variances up front.  There are always going to be things that are out of our control, and that's fine too.  Things in our control, however, can be managed in a way to reduce stress and limit worry.  Why leave things to chance that don't need to be?

Limiting stress and anxiety is within our control.  Planning and organization are key components, but also finding the ability to let go...  "Don't sweat the small stuff...and it's all small stuff"  ?? - exactly.  :)

The Holiday Spirit

We are winding down with our holiday work, as we have cookie exchanges, team breakfasts, gift swapping and the like.  It's a fun time of year, when people cast aside the layers of trouble and stress and we can all focus on what it means to be alive and to love...so why is everyone so stressed out?

I have talked to so many people already today, and the overall theme has been stress!  How will they finish shopping?  How can they accommodate all the extra guests who are coming?  How can they possibly fit it all in???!!!

Are we missing the point here?  Just a little bit?  I know my observations are nothing new, so why are we still here?  Loved ones, I promise you that I don't care what you get me for gifts.  I do appreciate the thought and the efforts, but I'm far more interested in spending time with you, enjoying the holiday spirit, following old traditions and creating new ones...  I don't care if the turkey is dry (not that we're having turkey, and certainly not that anyone in my family would ever make a cooking error!  LOL), and I don't mind if the houses I visit are not perfectly neat....nobody does.  :)

If I ever start to stress out over something that is meant to be a time of peace, love and goodwill, I will no longer celebrate the holidays because I will have clearly missed the point.  Our kids will not remember the Zhu Zhu pets they received or the tickle me elmo or the crazy eyed stuffed toy that was so popular years back.  They will remember the things we remember from our childhoods - the smell of apple cider in the crock pot, the way Mrs. Post used to corral us to drink her wassail bowl, the big green and red felt "Merry Christmas" sign Mom would hang each black Friday, the straw from the manger scene that I sometimes picked off the roof of the manger when playing with the first family, the songs we would sing that warmed our hearts and souls, the wax from the Christmas Eve candles that would drip through the cups onto our hands, the Christmas Eve gift I would open each year that would always turn out to be warm, cuddley pajamas, Mrs. Porbundawala's lemon bread and the feeling of profound love for my family and celebration as we remembered the story of the birth of Christ.

No amount of advertising or media pressure can take that away from me.  That is Christmas to me.  The rest of it, I chalk up to accessories to our memories, and they should be treated as just that.

I'm flying to Atlanta for Christmas this year.  I'm doing all of my shopping on 12/24.  I realize to some, that would cause stress, but I'm not worried about it.  Last year, all the gifts I ordered online didn't arrive in time, so I had to do all of my shopping all over again at the last minute when I arrived in Georgia, and it was fine.  I won't have the time to hunt down that perfect present for everyone, but who cares?  I haven't seen my sister and her family in a year - that's all that matters. 

So, gentle readers, if you have been plagued with a bit of the yuletide yucks, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and remember the holidays through you childhood eyes. 

Be well!

Mastering the Art of French Cooking

On the off chance that you happen to live under a rock, and yet still manage to follow this blog, "The Art of French Cooking" is the cookbook that not only put Julia Child on the map, but also transformed the way we cook and eat in America.  It consists of 536 recipes, and I've often heard that once you have been able to cook your way through this book, you can cook just about anything.  The skills you learn in this book will enable you to master Italian, Mexican and any other cuisine out there.  I've always wanted to cook my way through this book, but who has the time?

This weekend, I finally had a chance to watch Julie and Julia - the tale of a blogger who cooked her way through Julia's cookbook in one year, blogging all the way, and now has a book and movie deal.  I had asked for the cookbook for my birthday this year, because I knew when I saw the movie, I would need to cook my way through the cookbook as well.

Yesterday, I took my first step into cooking french cuisine.  I ended up making 3 recipes from the book, since one of them was dependent upon another.  I made Sauté de boeuf à la Parisienne with Champignons Sautés Au Beurre and Pommes de Terre Sautés.  Everything sounds so much better in French.  Really, what I made was Beef Sauté with Cream and Mushroom Sauce with Mushrooms sauteed in butter and herbs and potatos sauteed in butter.  LOL - Healthy!  :)  Here is a picture of the finished product:

I believe these were some of her easier recipes, and I probably spent at least 90 minutes preparing the meal.  Normally, I *never* follow any receipes - I'll take ideas from recipes, but I just do my own thing, and everything usually turns out quite well.  The kind of cooking I do, however, and the kind of cooking   described in this book are not the same thing at all.  It's like the difference between coloring in a coloring book and learning to paint from Picasso.  Seriously.  But Picasso has somehow learned to teach someone with only skills to color, how to paint pretty close to a professional level. 

Julia's genious was not in her cooking, although it was certainly there, but more in relating the most exquisite of techniques into layman's terms.  I had a wonderful time following the recipes, and it was a bit challenging.  I can only imagine the more robust recipes that are in my future.  I can't wait to cook all of them. 

The food was absolutely phenomenal.  I can say that because I give full credit to Ms. Child.  It was abolutely fine dining restaurant quality food that I would confidently serve to any guest I would ever have.  I can't believe the difference using the techniques taught in this book makes. 

I was supposed to work all day yesterday, but we had a snow storm, and I decided to cook and enjoy wonderful food instead of working.  I do not regret my decision at all, even though I'll have to work extra late tonight - we had a *wonderful* day, and I learned a lot!

Friends rock

When I walked in from the airport yesterday, I was greeted by this BEAUTIFUL bouquet of flowers with all of these cute CD cut outs of the face of my CD.  Thank you so much, Alison!

It really made my day, and I brought one of the cut outs to work with me and taped it to my wall.  :)

Oh what fun...

We decorated for Christmas when my parents were here, but we didn't get a tree yet.  I think today is going to be the day!  It's supposed to snow tonight, and I thought it would be fun to play Christmas songs, have cider or egg nog, and decorate the tree with the backdrop of snow falling.  How very Norman Rockwell...

We are going to Noel's Tree Farm in Litchfield to cut down our own tree.  They also have hayrides, hot chocolate, marshmallow roasting, live animals and more.  I'm excited!  I heard their trees are a little on the short side, but that's okay with me.  I usually buy a giant tree for the great room, and it always looks dwarfed, in addition to being a giant nuisance.

This year, we are going to put the tree in the parlor room (LOL), near the fireplace.  I think it will be very cute there...possibly even darling.

I can't wait! 

Public Speaking

I have spent a great deal of time this week giving presentations, and I don't see that ending any time soon.  In my new role, it seems they want me to talk a lot.  I don't mind, but it can be hard to get work done if I'm constantly "performing."

I wonder to myself...am I going to have some role or some next step in life that involves a lot of public speaking?  Is that why I'm suddenly in public speaking bootcamp?  Now, as you know, I've done a good share of public speaking for years, but over the next few months, I'll be doing about 4 presentations each week, on various topics, to various audiences.

I'm wondering if Oprah is behind all this, somehow grooming me to take her place.  Oh, O, that is so you!

I gave one presentation this morning, and it went well, and the people were so interested in the topic, that I launched into a condensed version of a separate presentation after, and did both for them.  Tadaaaaa!

Look what I can do!

haha

I've been invited to speak at the local prison to help the inmates with job seeking skills when they are released.  I think it's a great program, and naturally, I love the opportunity to visit a prison, and of course, I'm bringing TJ.  I knew he'd want in on this action too. 

It's a great experience to be able to speak to all different kinds of audiences.  In fact, perhaps I am the answer to Palin's 2012 run? 

LOL - no thanks, Oprah makes way more money and is way more respected and beloved than any president.  ;-)

Delusions of grandeur aside, I'm wondering when I'm supposed to get all my work done when I'm presenting or planning for presentations all the time. 

Hmmmmmmmm.....

Oh well - I'll git er done.

Oh my, I am a loser

I'm an envelope pusher.  We know this.  I like to know how far I can go - I like to know where my boundaries are.  So I have a newish car, and I thought I remembered that it wasn't as generous on the empty side as my BMW that seemed to run for 100 miles once it was on E (no exagerration).  As it turns out, my memory was correct, and the Mercedes means business when it hits E!

Now, in fairness to my new car, the E light probably went on 3 days ago, but it wasn't until yesterday that it actually hit the bottom line.  Still, I drove to and from work to my house, but it wasn't very far under that bottom line, so I thought I'd see if I could make it to work (today, my office was only 3 miles away) with the gas that I had, and I'd stop to refuel on the way home.

When I was 2 blocks from the office, I sat at a red light for what seemed like an eternity when my car stalled out.  I was also only 2 blocks from a gas station, so I put my hazards on, thanked my lucky stars I had cash with me b/c I didn't have any credit cards on me, and I had just spent my "emergency" car cash on the movies the other day.

It was cold, but not freezing, so I walked to the gas station, bought a gas container (I have about a thousand at the house) - it was just a one gallon one, and it may as well have been a rocket ship, because it was that confusing to use.  The very nice attendant showed me how to assemble it, and work all the gears (yes, there were gears on the thing!!), and I got my gallon of gas and headed back to my car.

I finally figured out how to pump the thing, and I released the lonely gallon of gas into my car.  While I was doing this, a few nice people asked if I needed help because NH is a nice state to live in.  With the gallon of gas in the tank, I climbed into the drivers' seat and turned the key....nothing.

It turned over, but it kept dying.  I called a friend who's a mechanic to ask him if perhaps I just hadn't put enough gas in, because it was *so* empty, that the one gallon wasn't enough for it to go vroom.  He said that was doubtful.

I have emergency roadside assistance that I could have used, but naturally, I didn't believe the mechanic.  Of course I know more about cars than someone who has worked on them his whole life.  After sitting in the car for a while to let it dry out (worried I'd flooded it with all the attempts to start it), it still wouldn't start.  Rather than calling my roadside assistance (still), I went back up the hill to the gas station, and bought another gallon of gas.

It was getting colder and windier out, and I was uncomfortable in my attire.  My suit looks perfectly fine, but our wonderful new dryer makes all of my shirts too short, so the shirt I had on underneath the suit was only acceptable under the best of conditions.  Hiking up hills and bending over to assemble a gas container on a windy day were not compatible conditions to this outfit.  I reminded myself how it's so important to wear nice, comfortable clothing that is not dependent upon perfect conditions.  LOL

I couldn't open the contraption, so I had to go back into the store (for a third time) to ask the attendant to help me with it.  I'm not a person who likes to ask for help, but I didn't suppose I could abandon my car and just go home, so I didn't have much of a choice.  I sucked it up, and he helped me.

I brought my second gallon of gas back to my car, emptied it into the tank, and voila - it worked.  I was right about this, at least. 

Now, this is how much of a loser I really am.  When I came back with the first gallon, I had thought to myself that I'd just go to work and fill the tank on my way home.  I was going to drive around with less than one gallon in a tank that I had already managed to empty this day.

I think it was karma slapping my face that the first gallon didn't work.  ;-)  By the time I emptied the second gallon in and it worked, I drove directly to the gas station and filled my tank to the brim.

I have learned my lesson.  The Mercedes likes to run on a full tank - you get better gas mileage that way anyway.

I will continue to push envelopes, but not with gas tanks, and not with shirts that need to be longer.

:)

My first webinar

Yesterday, I presented to my first webinar audience.  It probably would have been better if I had given my first webinar within my own company, or in a more familiar forum, but I'm kind of a jump in feet first type of person, so of course, I presented my first webinar to over 300 people from all around the US.  I really didn't know what to expect, because I haven't even attended many webinars, but I figured I'd get the hang of it.

When we did our trial run, I realized that the software we were using didn't allow some of the formatting I'd planned for in my powerpoint presentation.  I also learned that because of the group size, interactivity was limited to poll questions and questions that were typed up that I could read on the side of my screen as I presented, rather than just asking the audience a question and listening to their answers.

There's a lot more multi-tasking that goes into a webinar than a live presentation, I quickly found.  I thought that presenting to a group over the phone would be easier than an in person presentation, but I found that was not the case at all.  I can't see anyone, so I have no idea if they are with me or not.  When I'm presenting, I look for eye contact, nodding of heads, etc... to let me know if I'm on the right track.  If certain topics seem to be losing people, I shift gears.

There was none of that.  It was me, in my office, talking to a computer screen.  Very odd.  The whole process made me feel quite old, actually.  LOL. 

In the end, it turned out very well, as I mentioned, I had over 300 attendees, and only 5 left during the presentation, which is very good for a group that size.  You can see the amount of attendees in the top screen, and I've attended webinars that have lost half their audience, easily.  People are dialing in from work, and if they are called away, or if the material doesn't resonate, it's very easy to just sign off.

I was really surprised how many people stayed with it.  In the end, the feedback I received was very favorable, and they've asked me to present again shortly.  As much as I don't love doing these things, I'm sure I will agree to do it again.

It's a good thing to push yourself out of your comfort zone.  As humans, we can adapt to just about anything, and each new experience is an opportunity to grow and learn and connect.  I saw the movie "Yes, Man" a while back, and while the premise of saying yes to *everything* you are presented with is a bit implausible, saying yes to things that you may not be comfortable with, can be a great life experience for you.

All of our life experiences prepare us for our future, and the greater our capacity, the more we can accomplish. 

Achieving Zen

Thankfully, I'm not overwhelmed as I was when I last posted here.  I still have plenty of reasons to feel overwhelmed, but I am not giving them space in my psyche.  I am a busy person, and I can only do what I can do.  I will do my best, and I will use my time wisely, but I will be peaceful in my efforts.

As I've said many times, worry and anxiety are wasted emotions.  I think achieving a zen like state or a state of peace and serenity can be reached in many ways.  ...sometimes through prayer, other times through meditation and quiet, sometimes in nature, and even times in music or art...

I started to feel a bit of anxiety earlier today.  I'm doing a webinar for hundreds of participants online this afternoon, and as usual, I'm not as prepared as I'd like to be.  I just finished making edits to the presentation an hour ago, and my pre-meeting is in one hour - the webinar starts in 2.  I haven't been through the entire content yet as a dry run, and I've never done a webinar before, so I don't really know exactly what to expect.

I do know that due to the group size, it won't be interactive, which is what I rely on quite a bit when I present.  I like to build interest in the topics I discuss by asking questions and hearing from the participants.  Since that isn't the case here, I will basically be lecturing for an hour.

I don't love presenting, but I know it's good for my career, and I also like to share what I've learned with others.  The more I do it, the less I mind it, but still, it's one of those things that I'm never 100% comfortable with because I never have enough time to prepare as one should.

I was in a public speaking training a few years back, and the coach suggested that you should rehearse a presentation up to 20 times before giving it live.  I'm lucky if I can get one full run through, let alone more than that.

Still, I stopped my anxiety from rising.  I'm good at what I do.  I know my subject matter.  If I don't talk for a full hour, that is fine too.  In the scheme of life, this, like most things, is not a big deal...at all...

I want to fit it all in - work, school, play, music, art, tv show, fitness....and sometimes I'm not able to.  Sometimes I can only do my best.  That is okay.  This life of ours is very short, and we only get one shot to make it count.  You are in charge of your own attitude.  Do not let stress or negativity poison your wonderful stay here on earth. 

:)

Overwhelmed

It's hard not to feel overwhelmed sometimes.  I have a high capacity for work and stress, but even I feel overwhlemed...sometimes.  Today is one of those days.  I have a mountain of work to do, homework that is past due, classes to register for, holiday flights I need to book, presentations I need to plan, a CD to follow up on (because the ball keeps getting dropped!)...and honestly, if I wasn't feeling under the weather, I don't think I'd even notice.

Most days I have a million things to do, and that's just how I roll, but when I'm feeling sick and tired, it just feels like it's all too much.  Life is short, and I try to fit it all in.  I do choose joy, and I choose vitality, but sometimes I wish I could take a break from myself.  I look at the way some other people life, going to work a fairly mindless job, coming home, doing errands, having dinner, watching tv, doing stuff around the house on the weekends, and that's the gig - sometimes I think that would be a nice way to live...but I know I just don't have it in me.

I have too much to say, to express...too much ADHD possibly - LOL...  I may just be destined for a very busy life, and even though I'm busy, I still always find time for me as well, because balance is so important.  On a day like today, however, I just wish I could take a pass, clear my busy little brain, and have things a little less complicated.

That's not going to happen, though, and I know I'm only feeling that way because I don't feel well and I'm tired, and I have so much to do, so rather than continuing to feel overwhelmed, I'm going to make a list of everything I need to do for work and home and school and everything else, and I'm going to finish everything on that list today.  I'm not going to go to bed until it's all done.

That's my plan.  Having a plan already makes me feel like I can breathe.  Ahhhh....

...al...most....there......

I met with my academic advisors yesterday, and we spent a looong time going over all my credits and looking at all the courses/requirements I still need to complete to finish.  I switched my major 10 times (at least), so as a result, some of the classes I took just didn't fit into any slots - others had expired - and others I managed to take multiple times because I was never very organized about my approach to completing.

I really didn't care.  I just knew I should be in school and at some point, I was bound to finish.  Apparently, it takes slightly more planning.  LOL.  It's just been such an after/after/after/after thought of mine.  Anyway, we compared my expertise and knowledge base to my remaining requirements, and apparently, I only have 2 classes left. 

I've known I was close for a while, but without having an organized approach, it could have taken me another decade or so.  As long as those 2 classes are available during the winter intensive session, I will be done with my classes in January.  After that, I'll need to prepare porfolio upon portfolio to satisfy all the other requirements.  They have warned me that these projects are very labor intensive, but I have a feeling it won't be so bad.

I can't apply for graduation until all of my portfolios have been submitted, and I have to apply for graduation 6 months before it actually happens, so the Good Lord only knows when that will be, but the important thing here is that I'm almost done.

I'm thinking of really shooting for the stars and getting a substandard graduate degree next.  Watch out!

Working for the weekend

I haven't been used to working in the same office 5 days/week, and it's been an adjustment for me.  I have always worked long hours, but I've had the flexibility to work from home or Panera bread or from any number of offices...  I feel very restricted in this regimented schedule, and I just need to make it work for me.  It's the reality of my life for the next few years.

For the first time in years, I am religiously looking forward to the weekend, because I equate the weekend with freedom.  Monday - Friday, I have to be in the office early every morning, put in about a 10 hr day, get home, work out, do homework, sometimes do more work, and then watch tv.  What a horridly boring existance!!  It's depressing!  I don't know how the workforce puts up with this. 

So I've joined the ranks of those working for the weekend.  I've written off Monday - Friday afternoon as wasted life, and I pin all my hopes on Friday night - Sunday night...but even though I don't have to be in the office on the weekend, I still have to work and do homework, and run errands, and pay bills, and get the house in order, and work out, and it's just a never ending cycle of soul draining activities.

There really is a point here about choosing joy...  LOL

I need to stop looking at my life in those terms.  If all the things I spend my time on are soul draining, I need to think about if that's the best way I should be spending my time.  I know I have to work, but maybe I don't need to work so many hours.  I know I need to work out, but maybe if I worked out in the AM before work, I wouldn't feel like my whole night was taken up.  I have to finish school (even though I think it's silly), but I should set aside specific times I do homework, so that I don't have a little bit hanging over my head every night.

I haven't been able to work on any of my projects lately, and I'm disappointed about that.  This is the stuff I enjoy, and I need to get my office ready, so that when I go home from work, I can do the things that do feed my soul.  I also want to plan to do more fun things during the week, like having people over for dinner, going out to eat, going to the movies, and other things that will break up the time.  Sure, I have to get up early every day, and I have to follow the same routine, but if I limit work to even 9 hours/day, and I spend 11 sleeping, working out, getting ready and winding down, I still have 4 hours that I can use for me time.

I don't want to work for the weekends anymore.  I want to start making each day a good one!

Self portrait

Things are moving along with the TV show.  I'm trying to get a TM on "choosing joy," but it may not be available, so I"m exploring other options - Joy is a Choice, etc...  Kitty is working with me to register possible domain names that I may want, and she's also going to be working on the logo, etc...

It's just one of many projects that I have to do, but as my office gets closer and closer to being finished, I'm going to have more time and space to work on all of this...stuff!

Tomorrow, the closet should be finished, which means I can figure out what I need to store, what I need actively around me, and what additional desks/surfaces will fit with the closet installed.  I can't wait to get my area organized again.  It's making me crazy.

I hung my pictures this weekend, and the internet is set up with a temporary fix for now, but everything is still a mess, and I don't like it. 

Tomorrow, after the closet is done, I'm going to do my best to get the office in order.  I believe we are having company tomorrow night, so I'm not sure if I can fit it all in, but I'm going to try!

Choosing Joy - the show

I needed to move on from Living Well.  Kitty emailed me that there was a local station with a similar program, and it sounds like too many other things out there.  My mind quickly went to Choosing Joy.  I have the blog, I'm writing the book, and I'm trying my best to live the life.

I don't see why Choosing Joy can't encompass all the other things I mentioned, and then also have new components such as little tips on finding joy/choosing joy - things to be joyful about, etc... 

Alison emailed me today suggesting that I do a show on Choosing Joy, so then I decided it's now a trend.  Two of us thought of it, so now I'm posting it for the general public to weigh in on.

Yes, the general public of 4.  Don't hate.

:)

What are your thoughts?  Is it too cheesy? 

Let me know!

Does this look like joy to you??

Okay - DISCLAIMER:  Not my actual home office, but not far either.

We have been having construction on my new home office, off and on, for the past 2 weeks.  The upstairs is all torn apart, as is our bedroom that is home to overflow of stuff, and the downstairs is covered in tarps to protect from all the dust/junk from the project.  It is a rather unsettling way to live.

I can't pay bills - I have no idea where they are.  I am having trouble doing my homework, because I can't find my books.  It's almost impossible to relax in this space, and I don't know how I thought adding this office was going to help me choose joy!

:)

I kid, but it has been a tough few weeks.  As far as I know, they will be finishing the project today, except for building the closet which I will desperately need to get organized, but for now, I think I can manage.  I am hoping Darcy can put most of humpty dumpty together without me, since I have a very busy week planned, but some stuff I will have to do myself, and I won't be able until Saturday.  I can't wait to get organized!

I know I'm in the home stretch, but I can't wait for this to be done!

The set

This is an example of a cooking show set.  All I need to do is pick out some sets for my cooking segments, book club segments, interviews, etc...  What fun!  Darcy and I toured the station on Saturday, and it was really cool.  I think the show is going to be called Living Well, but let me know what you think.  I want to capture the idea of well rounded, healthy, local living.  If you think of something better, or have comments on the name, let me know.

I left my sister a message asking her for help with a show title.  I described the format:  in these difficult times, I want to bring a show about healthy, inexpensive, well-rounded living - sometimes doing cooking segments, book clubs, exercise tips, features about local businesses and farms to support, restaurant reviews, interviews, etc...  She called back and suggested I call the show, "The Oprah Winfrey Show, by Kristen Carroll."  LOL!!!  She is a funny girl.

All systems are a go.  The first piece will be to film the intro and finalize the name. Then we'll put together a shooting schedule.  I'm starting with a monthly show, and then if I have more time, I'll do it weekly.  Although the show is monthly, I'll film weekly 5 minute segments to air during the daily "news," which will also be a promo for the show.

My plan is to block off a Saturday, and film 3 episodes at a time - that way there won't be a constant time commitment.  For the intro, I'm thinking of a montage of local pictures, set to a theme song that I'll compose.  Pretty simple.  Let me know if you have other ideas.  I plan to start filming in November.

I'm super excited, and I can't believe this didn't occur to me sooner!

Self portrait

JK - That's about one fifth of me.  :)

I was more referring to the nerd aspect...

This morning I put together a power point presentation to take to the cable station with me.  I have drafted a mission statement, purpose, format, etc...  I think we're in good shape. 

I'm not sure how this works.  I think I may need to find people to film and edit the show for me.  Darcy can film it, and she can probably edit it too - I don't see why not.  She's pretty good with technical stuff.

I have the time to put the show together and tape it, but I don't have the time to edit it, so hopefully we can figure that piece out when we meet today.

Inching closer into your living rooms!

I have my first meeting with the local TV station tomorrow AM. They said my idea is very doable, and they are looking forward to getting started. Me too!! I'm tempted to fly my sister up to do the first cooking show with me. I think that would be a good thing.

Oh, Stephanie! You in??

:)

I think the prospect of having a healthy living TV show is very, very fun. It will also be just another venue to keep me on the straight and narrow with my own healthy living goals.

Move over Tyra, here I come! ;-)

KC - soon to be in your living room

That's right, folks!  I'm in the process of setting up a local cable access show.  I find the idea *quite* humorous, and I think it would be a lot of fun too.  The idea I've pitched is a Living Well/Choosing Joy show - either weekly or monthly.  Sometimes it will be a healthy cooking show, other times it will be a book club, sometimes it will be a local restaurant review, maybe even a local guide for fun things to do in the area...possibly an art show...possibly a panel show to talk about local issues, etc...

I can't wait to hear back from them, and I will keep you posted!

Breast Cancer Walk

The tool bar at the top of this blog window isn't populating, so no picture - sorry! Imagine this: a gray, rainy day, a large crowd of people with red cheeks and noses traipsing up a medium incline hill, smatterings of umbrellas and few smiles to be seen: that is what the breast cancer walk looked like this past Sunday. LOL

It was 30 something degrees out, but with the wind chill factor it felt much colder. We tried to avoid the large puddles as much as possible, but some could not be avoided, so our feet were wet, our ears were burning cold, our clothes were soaked, our lungs were hard to fill from the cold and of course, it was worth every minute.

We ended up doing the 3 mile walk, rather than the 5 mile walk we had planned on, since it was so cold and rainy. I hope none of my sponsors mind! As I walked, I thought about all the people I know who have been touched by breast cancer.

One friend of ours from Goffstown had quite an episode with breast cancer in her 20's, and now, 15 years later, she is having a severe relapse. Tomorrow, she is having a double mastectomy, and after that, she faces an aggressive regimin of chemo and radiation. I just learned about her relapse the day before the walk, so she was most on my mind on Sunday.

We have made great strides to fight breast cancer, but the work is not yet done, by a long shot. It's just one of so many battles we face, but since I'm not gifted with a scientific mind to personally find cures, I can give of my time and my resources to try to help out in the little way that I can. I can also choose to live a healthy life, and work to honor my body.

I would still like to do the breast cancer 3 day walk, and I'm thinking that next year may be the year.

Quality, Comfort and Price...That's Nice!

I made my first Bernie and Phyl's furniture purchase yesterday.  We are redoing the upstairs, and in our new TV nook, we won't have a ton of room, so we decided to get theater seating.  LOL - yesterday, we bought 2 of the very obnoxious chairs pictured above.  Let me tell you, they are SUPER comfortable, and it's a motorized recliner...with 2 cupholders!  We didn't get the wedge between the 2 chairs because they will be separate, but if we change our minds, it's only $200 more, and it has a cooler in it.  LOL - how funny.

I can't wait to have my sweet set up, and I think I'm going to paint a red accent wall, and hang movie theater posters on it to go with the theme! 

Today, Raul is building the 3rd bedroom, which will have storage built in (hallelujah!), and I'll have plenty of surfaces for my computers and keyboard.  It's all coming together!

Dress for Success

I was driving to work this morning, and the sun was out, the leaves were changing colors, and overall, I finally felt (almost) like I imagine people in the movies do when they are driving to work in a good mood with the sun out, listening to tunes...I also romanticize about how nice it must be to head to work in such an upbeat way.

In New England, it's usually either dark, rainy, foggy or snowy on the way to work.  Sunny mornings are not always the usher to our workplaces, and they cannot be taken for granted.  I was thinking that the one thing that would make my experience totally movie fabulous was if I liked my outfit.

Since I lost a bunch of weight and I was only working in an office a few days a week, I don't have enough clothes in the rotation.  Also, I'm really sick of a lot of them, and some of the clothes I wear are just plain ugly, such as the outfit I have on today.  I look like a librarian, and I'm so *not* a librarian...I hardly know how to read.

I *hate* to buy clothes now while I'm losing, but I'm thinking of getting a few new jackets that I can coordinate with dress pants and shirts I already have.  If I buy jackets just a little on the small side, I should be able to get 6 months use out of them, and as long as I buy them on sale, that's good enough for me.

Liking the way you look is very central to feeling good about yourself, and of course, choosing joy.  I make sure my face and hair looks good each day, and I should take more caution with the rest of the package.  I just ordered a few new things online, and it's a start.  I can't buy a new wardrobe today on a whim...can I?  ;-)

I can't wait until the day when I can fit into exactly whatever I want to wear, and I don't have to buy clothing that I know is only going to be temporary.  That will be a great day!

Making a house a home

I've always moved around... a lot. I averaged one move per year since I was 18 until a few years ago. I've lived at my current house for almost 3 years - quite a record for me. I do have flights of fancy, and if the market were different, I probably would have sold the 2 housed and moved into one really nice house (that was still cheaper than the 2 separate houses), but I'm stuck.

When I moved into the house in Lynn, we worked really hard to upgrade the place, and we spent time giving thought to decorating. People would tell us it was a cozy place, and I liked that. When we moved into the house in NH, it was already furnished, so we moved in with our suitcases and that was that.

It was a weekend/summer home, so we put up with the inconveniences that came along with moving into, basically, someone else's home. The owner before had used the home for a tryst of his, and while I gain amusement from that scenario, I gain no functionality in the house at all. When we moved in, the only full bath was off the master bedroom upstairs - completely insane.

There is absolutely *no* storage, and it's not practical as a full time home, which it has turned into for us. Despite how much I love living on the water, and I love the proximity to the big city (LOL), I have never thought of this place as a long term home for me. It's filled with furniture that someone else bought, and it's just not designed to be a full time home.

I often have the desire to move. I feel like this housing crisis is holding me back, but really, what else would I be doing? Yes, I'd love to have a home in Florida or somewhere warm, but that can wait until I'm more financially stable. I think I need to embrace the fact that I'm going to be "stuck" here for a while, and I need to make my house a home.

I've started making it more functional, by adding the shower and a full size washer and dryer in the downstairs bathroom, and next weekend, we're starting work on the 3rd bedroom that will also be my (much larger) office, that I so desperately need.

Over the weekend, I ordered a couple new TVs for the place, and a stereo system for downstairs. Next, I'm going to see if my dear friend Karen wants a job painting. We need to make it ours, both in functionality and style. Perhaps if I feel like the house is a candidate for long term living, I won't be so tempted to want to move.

It really is a beautiful house, and I'm blessed to have it. Now, I just need to make it a home.

Peace of mind

There is never enough time. The only time I take to rest (usually) is when I don't feel well. I don't know how other people have time to argue with Amazon.com about incorrect charges - I end up kissing the $600 goodbye, because who has the time?? Who has the time to read their mail? I can't imagine. Seriously.

I have taken on a bit much, as usual, and my first step in clearing the insanity away is getting more organized at home. I need a bigger office. I have sooooo many projects I'm working on, in addition to the jobs, school work, bible study, lake association, etc..., and I need space for all of them.

I am a creative being, and my creativity gets stifled in all the clutter that I surround myself with - mentally and physically. My CD is being held up because there are a few administrative things I have to do on my end, and I just haven't had the chance to - who has the time?? :)

I just emailed TJ's awesome contractor, who I have used before, to see if he can come up here asap to build the 3rd bedroom/office for me. I have found someone to take the gargantuan entertainment center for free (a $4000 value - who has the time to sell it?), and all I need is a giant desk. Actually, I'm thinking of just having Raul (contractor) build me one for the room, but I'm open to his thoughts. He usually talks me out of my bad ideas.

The bedroom doesn't work for me either. The furniture is huge, but I still have way too much stuff for it. Maybe I should simplify, rather than buying more furniture. Yeah, probably. I suppose I don't need 500 hats and 3000 t shirts...don't get me started on the shoe problem.

I think part of mental health is a well organized house/life. I hope I am feeling up to the challenge to take on sorting out my clothes/house/life this weekend, so I'll be better prepared to fight Amazon.com, get my CD finalized (finally), and do the rest of the stuff I was put on this earth to do.

Choosing Joy

TJ emailed me and said that I've been choosing joy less and less lately. LOL. That was a funny way to put it.

Just know, dear readers, that I am very much choosing joy still, even though I don't update my blog daily.

I just returned from a wonderful birthday weekend. It was so much fun, and the weather on Saturday was absolutely perfect.

Today I am dragging a bit, but it was worth it. :)

So happy birthday to me. I am now 33. Surely, I was supposed to be a grown up by now. Hmmm....

Thank you to everyone for my wonderful gifts, and calls, and good times. I am blessed.

I love weekends

I really should give thought to saving money at some point in my life. That way I can have a glimmer of hope related to retirement. I love being able to do whatever I want with my time, even if that means working. I don't love following a schedule that it's exactly up to me. I've been back to a full time normal job for one week, and now I'm thinking of retirement. LOL.

Friday night we were both tired, so we just stayed in and had a quiet night of TV...very relaxing. Saturday, I got up at 6:30 and I came into the office and worked for 5 hours or so, and then I went home, worked on some grant applications for the lake association, did some homework, prepared for my Bible study, and by 4PM I was on the hammock reading my book. It was so relaxing just reading, knowing I had accomplished a ton, and just listening to the sounds the water makes, and silly boys in a canoe singing Janis Joplin songs.

Saturday night, we went for dinner at Stephanie and Carolyn's house, and it was fantastic.

Sunday, we had Bible study, then we went out for a phenomenal lunch at one of my favorite restaurants, followed by the movie "All About Steve" (adorable - LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Sandra Bullock)...when I got home, I read on the hammock for a while, and then I started making dinner, and reading while it cooked. I finished my good book (always feel a loss after that), and we had a very yummy dinner.

I watched TV for a little while, went to bed, and here I am. Tippy Tappy Typing my weekend update for you. LOL

I actually feel GREAT today. Not physically, I'm sore, and my allergies are bothering me, but mentally and emotionally, it's a great day. I'm so glad I got so much work done over the weekend, because I can enter the week ahead of the game.

I can accomplish a full week of work, spending 5 hours in the office when no one else is there. It's amazing. On the school front, I have all 100's so far, on my first 3 assignments/tests. I'm not focused on the grades that much, but it's nice to see the A's rolling in.

That's my update. I'm continuing to actively choose joy in my life, and I'm loving it.

How are you?? :)

I like my job

Howdy. I'm 3 days into my new full time role, and I am really enjoying it so far. I regret that I haven't had as much time to spend on it as I've wanted to, due to other commitments, but I'm going to do my best to free up my schedule next week. Also, I'm going to come in on Saturday to plow through a bunch of things.

I'm working on so many projects that I'm excited about, and I only wish I had more time to get them all done asap, but I suppose I shouldn't work myself out of a job just yet... ;-)

HOLLYWOOD!! (Florida, that is)

Well friends, once again I'm writing to say how tough life has been lately.

No, that sounds snotty. I'm not snotty. I'm just happy and very blessed...and one of the few people who will drop everything and prepare a speech at the last minute to fill in when there's been a cancellation...so there's that...it's not all just good fortune.

There are a few different pools to choose from at the *amazing* resort we are staying at (for free). This one is totally cool in that the water goes over the top of the stone that you can see, and drips down the side, which then funnels and flows into a fountain into a giant pool/lagoon at the level below. This pool also has a large glass circle in the middle of the floor so you can see down to the pool below. Also, when you're in the pool below looking up at the people through the glass circle, it looks like you are checking out humans at an aquarium. Very funny/cool.

They sky was amazing and about 12 different blues today. I need a better camera.

Hi!

This is the "endless" flowing pool I told you about earlier.

Those are all pictures from the vast, gorgeous lobby.

Why doesn't anyone want to sit next to me on the plane??

LOL. We're having a great time. I worked for most of the morning, and I finished my presentation as well. I also did a dry run through, and I feel very comfortable with it. I'm actually looking forward to presenting tomorrow. That's a nice feeling. I remember when I wasn't so nuts about presenting.

Tonight we are going to checkout the Hollywood Boardwalk, which I blogged about this past January (http://phatband.blogspot.com/2009/01/beautiful-goodbye.html) We loved Hollywood, and we're so happy to be back so soon!

Going back into an office full time is going to be an adjustment, but I certainly went out with a bang. (Looking forward to going to the cape in 2 weeks!) :)

Be well.

Jamaaaaaica

I'm not sure why I haven't yet retired to an island yet...what am I waiting for? Why isn't this a more immediate goal of mine? I'm not sure. :)

I'd like to live on an island, painting, composing, singing, swimming, boating and the like. Is that too much to ask? I don't see why. We can do whatever we want in life. It's probably a good thing (for my career) that I'm saddled with 2 mortgages right now, or else I would consider becoming a poor artist...even if it was just for a while...

We had a wonderful time in Jamaica. The resort was beautiful, the water was amazing, the sights we saw were so unique... Other than being ripped off by every local I met, I have absolutely no complaints.

The food wasn't great, actually, but I wasn't expecting it to be. It was an all inclusive resort, so it is what it is... it was fine, though. It was just as I expected, so I wasn't let down or delightfully surprised.

I loved the glass bottom boat - we were way out, and the water was so clear, you could see 30 and even 60 feet down! I saw lots of cool coral, fish, an octopus and even a shipwreck! We went into one of the poor villages nearby, and I couldn't believe the poverty. They didn't even really have walls to their houses, and certainly no running water or electricity.

We toured a nearby farm as well - that was really neat. I'll post more pictures later. We asked our driver to take us to local places, avoiding tourist traps, and he did a great job of that. I know it was sketchy going off with a strange man with no cell service, but he was old, I suspected diabetic, and I knew I could take him. :) As it turns out, he was very nice and he says we'll be friends for life now. Very cute. He wants me to send him a copy of my CD as soon as possible, and that he's going to go to the post office every day until it arrives.

Darcy didn't want to leave, but I was ready. I missed my Henry, and I wanted to have some time back home to recoup before going back to work (in an office) full time next week. It will be an adjustment.

That's all for now!

New Red Neck Fun for Me!

Darcy, Henry and I went off roading in the golf cart today. LOL. It was SO MUCH FUN!! We are such rednecks, I know, but I don't care. It's a blast.

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There are all these trails near our house where four wheelers go, and there are bumps and hills and places where you can drive up almost sideways. I was impressed how well the golf cart handled it all!

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Off roading tires will be our next purchase. Too funny.

Thou shalt not covet

TJ is going to Bermuda next week, and I'm extremely jealous! I've never been, and I've heard it's fabulous!

I am taking the first week of September off for vacation, and that should be nice. I thought of going to the Cape or the Hamptons, but I've decided to stay home. I've traveled a lot this year, and because the summer and weather have been so strange, I really haven't had a chance to enjoy my own waterfront home.

I also have a ton I want to get done before returning to a full time, office bound job. I will definitely make time to relax, though. That's for sure.

My parents are heading to Hilton Head next week, also a wonderful vacation. They are celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary. Congratulations, you crazy kids!

I suppose I shouldn't feel too bad about my staycation since I'm heading to Italy in 2 months. !

Just say no

Once again, I've decided there's WAY too much television watching in my life. I know you may wonder how that's possible since I'm so busy, but trust me, it's possible. At night when I'm working, often I'll sit in front of the TV and work with the TV on in the background. As soon as I decide I finally need to veg out at the end of the day, I plop myself in front of the television.

I've lost entire days, just gazing into that silly little machine. It's crazy, and it needs to stop. There's hardly anything good on right now (except for SHO/HBO!!), so this is a good time to take a break. I'm going to try to greatly reduce the amount of time I spent in front of the TV.

I tried it last night, and believe me, it's way more enjoyable relaxing on a hammock, reading a book, than sitting in a hot house in front of a lame TV show...in a chair that's practically conformed to my every bump and curve.

I think TV can be quite entertaining, but right now, it's just not adding to my overall quality of life in anyway, so that's that.

A Celebration of Life

On Sunday we celebrated Sally's life. Some of the pictures above, begin to capture the beauty of the day, but they don't do it justice. I should have taken more after all the flowers, tables and decorations were set up. At least I have a lot of it on video.

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The bench above was built, painted and donated by some neighbors on the river...so sweet...Sally loved to garden, and this bench will set in her garden at her house. Lanie made the seed packets that are placed on the bench, so that we could all plant wildflowers, Sally's favorite, in our own gardens as a tribute...

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Amanda loaned us her memory tree, that's on one of the tables above, so that we could all write messages to Sally and her loved ones, placing them on the branches of the tree, and then given to the family.

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Lanie and Amanda donated all the beautiful flowers, and there were TONS. It was really wonderful to see so many people get together to help plan, and give of their time and money freely to make Sunday a beautiful day.

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I can't help but think what a shame it is that we do these things after people have gone...

My parents used to throw spontaneous love parties for us when we were growing up, and we could throw love parties for our Mom and Dad too. It was just a party in your honor, with your favorite food, games, and some fun presents...just because! I love that idea, and while my friends would probably commit me if I tried something like that now, I think we can at least learn from the principle...

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You never need an excuse to show someone how much they mean to you. I'm going to continue to try to do a better job of that.

Wow - I missed a whole week?!

The picture above is Fiji. When I couldn't fall asleep last night, I was picturing vacationing in a hut in Fiji. That would be nice. Do you have any idea how expensive it is to rent one of those huts? It's crazy. I'm sure it's worth it too.

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I could never justify spending the money, so I've found cheaper huts in still beautiful locations (just not Fiji) where you can stay in a hut over the water with a glass bottom floor for like $300 or $400/night. It's still a lot of money, but at least it's not monopoly money like the Fiji huts.

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I need a vacation. I'm working two full time jobs, while I film a documentary and get my CD going. When anything extra comes up, all bets are off. We're having the memorial for Sally at our house and Krissy's house this weekend. It's turning out to be a lot of work, which I'm more than happy to do, but it's just hard to find the time.

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It makes sleeping a challenge because I never feel like I've taken care of everything I'm supposed to. I think if I take a vacation, I'll probably just use it to work on other things, but I'm still thinking of taking the first week in September off, and possibly the last week in August. We'll see.

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TJ thinks I can't be happy unless I'm going in a million directions...maybe he's right, but I think it's also just that I have so much I want to do - how can I possibly pair down the list more? I've already put so many things on hold.

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This is what happens when you lose your job. You remember all the other things you wanted to do with your life, and you have the freedom and flexibility to just go for it.

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Hopefully when I start my full time job in September, I can go back to my life of quiet desperation. ;-)

Day off

Even though I had a million things to do, I decided to take the day off yesterday. I had such a busy week, by the time Saturday came around, I was completely exhausted. I was out with friends until almost midnight for a birthday celebration the night before, and I had to be out of the house by 7:30 AM Saturday morning. I didn't sleep well Friday night, so by the time 6AM came on Saturday morning, I was TIred.



I had many stops along the way, and I didn't get home until around 11 on Saturday night. I can't believe I made it that long. When I got up yesterday, I spent about 5 hours sorting through things I'd picked up at the house in MA the day before, looking for pictures, things for my documentary. It was something that needed to be done, but it was relaxing, so at least the day wasn't a total waste.



Other than that, I moved out of my office in Manch., and we went to the movies. At home, I watched tv and ate junky food, so I have a food hangover today, and I feel gross, but at least I'm well rested!



I've been cruising along with my work all morning, and I know I'll get more done this week since I took a day off

...........

This is a picture from one of our lake web sites. It's technically a dammed up lake, created from a river. We locals still affectionately refer to it as the rivah/river, depending on where we're from. The river is a community, our own little dysfunctional family. There's quite a spectrum of people from the lifers to the slumming yuppies to the rather colorful characters, and a whole cast and crew.

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We all know each other, and we all care about each other, and we all get annoyed with each other from time to time. Sometimes it's like living in a fishbowl, but as I've talked about so many times before, these people are family. If anyone ever needs anything, these neighbors and this family is there for you - without even giving it a second thought - just as if you had known them all your life.

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Yesterday, a member of our river family passed away. She was young, and it was very unexpected, and we're all profoundly sad by this loss. I know she had been going through a rough time lately, and it is devastating for me to think about how she probably never would have known how much of a loss her passing created, and how many people loved her.

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It makes me think about how easy it is to take people for granted in life - assuming they'll always be there. We can't go through life with kid gloves on, worried that everyone around us is frail, but we, or at least I, can do a better job of letting the people in my life know that I love them. ...taking it easier on people, being a better listener, and trying to bring joy into the lives of the people we love, and the people we don't yet know...

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I try to bring joy into the lives of the people I know, but I have room for improvement. I know that what I'm taking away from this tragedy doesn't even remotely compensate, but I do try to be introspective in times like these, and in the spirit of self awareness and self improvement, I'm taking away a renewed desire to share joy and happiness, to be more present with people, and the reminder to tell my loved ones that I love them.

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So loved ones, you know who you are, I love you!

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Be well today. Each day is a gift.

So far, so good

I'm having a really good week. I love the work I'm doing for our new client, and I love working with an organization with such a wonderful and altruistic mission. I'm such a bleeding heart, it's true.

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My parents tried to return me when they realized what a little liberal I was becoming as a young adult but it was too late. ;-) You're all stuck with me!

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Anyway, I'm loving the work, and even though I've been extremely busy, I've had a great feeling of accomplishment, and I've been learning a lot too.

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I ended up working from home yesterday, and I'll spend Friday in the office. It was a good thing I did because I never would have made it through the volume of work I had to do with the usual office distractions. I always find it odd that I can get so much more work done at home, as opposed to at work.

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Our house is kind of hot. None of the AC's work very well, and by 10AM yesterday, I was getting quite lethargic from the heat. It was no problem, though. I put on my swim trunks and ran outside and jumped into the water!

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Well, not exactly...but that's how I envisioned it happening. In all actuality, with my bum knee, I hobbled down the walkway into the water, but once in, I totally jumped off of one foot. Henry joined me, and it was FUN.

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I was only in the water for a few minutes, but I went back up to my office and worked in my wet trunks and t shirt for the next few hours. It cooled me right off! When I got hot again in the afternoon, I did it again.

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I'm in my very warm office today, and I'm really wishing there was some sort of dunk tank here.

It's occurring to me now that Alison's pool is only about 5 minutes from here. I think I'm going to do some lunchtime swimming next week if it's still this hot. I hate to take a break for lunch, but if I'm hot, I'm going to. I get more done if I'm not melting into my chair.

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Oh! Also good news, my boat is fixed, and I think I'm going to have it back tonight! It was only $300 or so to fix it, and that's a relief. I hope it's all set for the rest of the year, because I'm ready to do some yachting! ;-)

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We have plans to meet up with friends later tonight, but if I have my boat and it's sunny out, I'll be on the water! I think it's time for me to take a night off from work....although I need to check my Friday deadlines first!

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On the health front, I think my eye is getting better. My knee is very slowly getting better. I hope it's fixed in 2 more weeks.

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I hope you are all well!