When I was a teenager I was gifted a big leather bound folio of Shakespeare's works. I loved reading it the way other people read romance novels. I thoroughly enjoyed the witty insults and the comedies, and got a sense of history from the tragedies. I read a LOT of the plays, maybe 80%. You'll find me unusually well-educated in things Shakespearian ( Read more... )

On Wednesdays I smash the patriarchy. It's kind of a long-term goal and I chip away at it bit by bit. But as I focus on stretch goals, on long-term ways to better myself, I've got a bunch like this stewing around in my head. These are actual goals, not dreams: I know the difference. Hence my work with Strategic Coach (see that last entry about ( Read more... )

I am reading "Essentialism" by Greg McKeown and thinking about my Big Rocks. How to focus on the essential when I have seven core values? What is my main priority? Because, as McKeown points out, for several hundred years the word "priority" was only ever singular.

How will I spend my one wild and precious life, as Mary Oliver asks ( Read more... )

I remember when I had two grandmothers, a step-mother, a mother-in-law, and a bio-Mom. I'd get a bunch of cards and marshall the children to sign or draw a picture and get them all in the mail in a timely fashion and, voila, Mother's Day Achievement Unlocked ( Read more... )

I got new clothes! Yay! I just bought a new pantsuit outfit at one store, and then went to a really nice dress shop where I bought two fancy dresses. One I'll wear on my birthday. One I'll wear to my nephew's wedding. I'm unhappy about my size right now, but happy to get some nice new clothes ( Read more... )

My mother-in-law (the one who I consider "dead to me"), gave me a gift for Christmas, somewhat to my surprise ( Read more... )

Next time you go to spray a bottle of something take a look at the label ( Read more... )

My father-in-law has dementia, but still loves us ( Read more... )

I'm just back from visiting a most amazing place.  I always come back from there with deep culture shock.  If you live there you don't know what I'm talking about.  You probably don't know my world exists.  But there is one four-lane divided highway within 30 miles of me.  I buy my food primarily from farmers who grew it (with possibly a dairy co- ( Read more... )

It was brutally hot today.  It was over 90 by 9 AM.  After that I stopped paying attention, but I've heard it hit 100 here on our little island in the north Atlantic.  That's beyond bizarre.  I've never been on the island on a day this hot.  We started the day by installing an air conditioner in the Octogenarian bedroom.  I brought a table in and ( Read more... )