Life, Work, , ,

Part of what I do at my new job is a kind of blogging. There is a specialized social network for Real Estate Agents called ActiveRain. I work on that site both as myself (rarely) and as my boss (all day long). I comment and come up with content to write for him, then share it and other things to his other social accounts (Twitter, Facebook, Google+, etc). It is what has sparked my interested in my personal blog again.

One thing I have been doing regularly on my personal ActiveRain blog, is posting about weekend activities where we live. There is a specific type of posts called “Local Events” and I post something in that category every Friday. I lean heavily on the AMAZING Columbus Underground to get information about the events. It is something that a lot of the realtors on this site do and I haven’t seen anyone else covering the CMH area much. So anyway, here is my post from today. Because I’m not a “paid” member of ActiveRain, my posts are not public, so I had to cut and paste to here. But you get the idea.

Needless to say, I am enjoying my new job!!

This Weekend in Columbus! March 13-15, 2015

BY
Services for Real Estate Pros

If I’m gonna get back into using this blog I need it to look right.

So bear with me as make a million and a half changes in the next 48 hours until I’m happy with it.

In the meantime, enjoy this tiny dog with a mustache.

0c7b72cb60b09f6b167a1f88e407df89

“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.”

~ Socrates

I realize that, once again, I disappeared from my blog. I continue down this road of hot and cold on my writing, usually leaning more toward cold than anything, and it makes me feel bad about myself. It’s a pretty good metaphor for my life in general. I have grand ideas and basically zero follow through. At some point, something has gotta give. I need to either step up and live up to my own expectations, or lower my expectations.

Well, in a cruel twist of irony, my inability to manage my life has caused some pretty major upheaval and change in said, poorly managed life, requiring me to get my shit together and manage my life.

Now, I started this post with the Socrates quote for a reason. I spent the first several months of this period of change, fighting the change. Well, to be specific, depending on the hour I was either actively fighting the change or manically embracing it. Which, considering that my struggles with Bipolar Disorder are the center of this whole mess, seems pretty appropriate.

Now I find myself in a place where almost everything is new. It is intimidating. And exhilarating. And scary as hell. But I am committed to embrace this change and run with it. One of the benefits of my new situation is that on a daily basis, I am writing. I’m blogging and managing social media and learning a lot and really, really hope to apply what I am doing now at work to my life. And while it isn’t a guarantee that this blog will now become a little more active, it is a hope. I’m going to build on the new. Wish me luck!

Chip Off The Old Writer’s Block

Life, The Kids, , ,

As I begin to consciously work on writing on a regular basis, I am drawn to a comment on my son’s report card from this, his 4th grade year.  Under the comments in the Language Arts section, his teacher writes:

He also wrote several wonderful life stories which he was so proud of because they were several paragraphs long.  He included dialogue, inner monologue and emotion.”

I have always recognized Jamison’s vivid imagination.  He can sit for long stretches with a blank page and a couple of crayons and sketch out some very detailed battle plans for his Lego armies.  He will alter and make changes to the sketch, as his story evolves.  Recently he has taken a strong interest in Lego stop-animation and really wants to make a short film.   He has story ideas and will surf on YouTube for hours watching other films to get ideas.  He has found a handful of Lego sites and he will scour them looking for the precise pieces he will need for his movie.

For a couple of years now I have been pleased that he seems to have inherited my love of reading and he will always volunteer to come with me to a bookstore or the library, simply to browse.  He even gained my twisted love of office supply stores!  It seems we also share an interest in telling stories, both those about our lives and those we dream up.

I can’t wait to see what he will come up with next!

How I Spent my Summer Vacation

Life, , ,

Summer is here!  My favorite season by far.  Not really the best season to love when you live in Ohio, because those other seasons seem to get in the way every year, but I do love summer.

While I never wrote the How I Spent my Summer essay in school, I am taking an idea from the wonderful Zoot and compiling a list of things I’d like to accomplish this summer.

  • Teach Jamison how to ride a bike
  • Go to Zoombezi Bay
  • Start running again
  • Sing in the top ten with my chorus, SVC
  • Read a schload of books
  • Go to the Park of Roses
  • Visit the new Columbus Commons downtown.
  • Go to a Clippers game
  • Watch my husband and son get a medal with The Alliance
  • Invite friends over for a party
  • Clean out the garage
  • Spend a day on the lake with the family
  • See my niece play softball
  • See my nephew play baseball
  • Go to Dawes Arboretum
  • Get a pedicure
  • Watch my husband win  gold medal with The Allies
  • Start writing again
  • Go to The Wilds
  • Go for a run with Alexa
  • Take a road trip to see something new

Many of these things are easily doable.  Some may be wishful thinking.  But … I’d better get started, summer never lasts nearly as long as I’d like it to.

It’s Real In My Mind

Down The Rabbit Hole, , ,

I know it has already been established that I have some of the crazy in me.  I have the music too … but alas, I do have the crazy.  While I am “touched,” there are some things I’m pretty sure of.  At least I’ve convinced myself of these things.  One of the things I have convinced myself of, is the existance of an unusual side effect to one of the medications I am on. 

I am on Cymbalta.  And I have a side effect that I attribute to this drug.  It gives me shoulder pain and stiffness, neck stiffness and an unconcious habit of clenching my jaw.  For reals.  I attribute this to Cymbalta because I had to go off of it for a couple of weeks and the pain and stiffness went away during that time.  I also was heavy into Autumn Quarter and I originally thought my symptoms were from note taking and general stress.  But now, I’m on winter break, and the pain is back.  Weird right?

I am pretty sure I read somewhere on The Internet that others on Cymbalta had these same problems.  And you know, everything on the Internet is real yo.  Like those talking cats that play pattycake. 

Anyway, since this is what is known as an “non-labeled” side-effect, I am thinking of giving the combination of muscle wackness an official name and making an official-because-mom-said-so side effect.  Now I just need a good name for my side effect. 

“Clench Shoulder.”  “Jaw Neck”  Ideas??

Double T

Random Crap, ,

I’m a huge fan of Top Chef.  This “All Star” season is full of the awesome.  I am enjoying seeing lots of my all time favorite chef/personalities (Richard!  Antonio!  Fabio!) and also getting a chance to hate a few people all over again (Spike!  Dale T!  Marcel!).  Then there is the guy from the only season that I didn’t see (Season 1) who, all I can say is:  WTF is going on with this Stephen guy?

While I am having fun reliving the love and hate of seasons past … the best part of this season is what I am lovingly calling: “Double T.”

I have already professed my eternal love for Tom Colicchio.  I have a soft spot for bald men (sorry Stu – I love you even with all of your hair).  Add in that he cooks and can be a total smart-ass – total bonus.

And then.  Be still my heart …..

Tony Bourdain.  I. Love. Him.

The combination of amazing chef, talented writer and possibly the most foul-mouthed, snarky, hilarious man on earth … he really turns me on.  I mean really.  He is a big, mean, hysterical, rough, talented, gnarly teddy bear.  LOVE HIM!

I have now caught up on the first two episodes and cannot wait to see how it plays out going forward.  I love that Antonio and Richard continue to create some awesome stuff.  I’m glad that Jen left (I may have a soft spot for snarky, smart-assed men, I do not have a soft spot for mean, bitchy women).  This Stephen guy continues to baffle me.  He’s like a weird version of Clay Aiken – but more geeky, strange and over the top.  If that is even possible.  Antonia and Dale L are both as adorable as ever and Casey, who I wasn’t sure about the first time, is starting to grow on me.  It should be a fun season.  I get to watch excitement in the kitchen while great chefs make awesome food and also get a side of Double T on top.