Renovations on Life

One of my favorite sayings it the title. I am working on something. Something that scares me, something that gives me anxiety. Yet in the same breath I am so excited for it and so passionate about. I have to have it done by March first. I am making a presentation to the principal at the school I work in to create something. This is so different and it doesn’t exist anywhere in any of our schools or even in this area in other schools. I have researched it and it does exist in other schools in other states. I am a very quiet keep to myself kind of person, but I still want to help people. I want to teach people that they do not have to go through life feeling stress or burned out and drowning in anxiety. So today I had sometime I was going to sit and work on my google slide presentation and add some music to it. I began listening to the music and giving it life within the slides, trying to figure out which song would work best. Which notes felt like the slides, which notes would make the listener feel positive feelings about what I was presenting. First I listened to Agnes Obel and thought maybe her September song would be good. My ears filled with notes and tones and sometimes the piano just seems to massage my ear drums. Then I went to Chad Lawson who’s music I simply adore. Mental health is important to him so I feel a connection there. I scrolled through the slides listening to the hammers strike the cords into beautiful melodies. For a second I thought what am I doing? Why do I want to present this? I let doubt creep in and questioned my ability. Which led me here. I come to sort my thoughts and get back on track sometimes. Today I feel very raw and open. I am not sure where its coming from or why. I feel vulnerable to feeling. Tears well up for no reason. I try to choke them back. Sometimes I just look around my home and I am so grateful for what I have and what surrounds me I cry. I suppose it could all be hormones too, hahahha. Ya never know. I originally wanted to do this presentation in February. I ended up picking the date 3/1/23. I can only hope that is a lucky day for me. I have never gone out on a limb like this before but sitting here thinking about it I get the waves of anxiety in my belly. My hyper competitiveness always gets the better of me. The worst they can say is no, and then I still have my job. But in the fall of 2023 I will be getting my BA in psychology. I will then pursue my master’s to become a LMHC. I want more for myself than paper pushing and answering the phone. However that also scares me too. But I haven’t gotten to the root of why. I suppose it’s change, but it seems to be change I would like and I am aiming for. So I go to iTunes and think Hilary Stagg. His music is amazing and his story is tragic. Died to young, we needed to hear more of his music. I might go with that. This presentation is create a Zen Den within our high school. I want to create it an run it. A place for students and staff to be able to hit a reset button during the day. A place to learn about tools to keep with them in times of stress or anxiety that they can go back and reference. Tools the teachers could share with their students if they seem them struggling. A place for student to come for 10 minuets to regroup so they can make it through the day instead of going home. I place of calm, quiet and respite. Why do we let self doubt creep in? Let’s try to do better together with this…I need to have more practice. I know my ideas for this space would blow it out of the park and I know I could do it and make it amazing. Yet somehow there is a little voice, or a big voice, depending on the day that suggests otherwise. These are the days when I wish I lived near the ocean to clear my head. So, I listen to the waves, I put my feet in the sand in my mind. I feel the ocean air on my face and I smell the saltiness all around me.

Trying is such an odd word isn’t it? I mean there is trying, like you tried to learn to knit. Then there is trying like you tried to get a 100 on your midterm. Or there is trying like today has been trying. Actually today hasn’t been trying, it didn’t try hard at all, in fact it failed at trying. You know what I mean, trying as in taxing or annoying…I am always digressing…work was swamped. When I say swamped I went through an entire pad of passes sending people home sick. It settle down around 1230 but damn. I left early for a doctor appointment, it was supposed to be in person but got switched to a phone call. Kind of an important visit, my second rheumatologist visit with a possible diagnosis of Lupus. I can go with the flow though, so ok the phone it is. He called 20 minutes late, ok. He apologized for it not being in the office. The phone call went on and it was clear he was flustered and not connected and was short a few times with my questions. Not the same person I saw in the office. Granted when I saw him in the office it ended up being an around an hour after my appointment time. He mentioned having a family emergency so he couldn’t be in the office. I would have preferred to reschedule with how the call went. It was frustrating and completely draining. My point is, I am here writing because it drained me. I was sitting here trying to work on my papers for a class and kept shaking my head. This is the best time for me to get some writing done for school but I am a little fried. Sigh… deeep breaths. I think I am going to feed the dogs and go to Marshall’s s and look for a new notebook. I have senioritis with school…4.5 classes left and I want done. But I think I mentioned that in the last post. Don’t be surprised it it keeps popping up…Anyways. sometimes things are just trying and you need to regroup. How do you regroup? Walk away, take a walk, change the scenery. Take some deep breaths and move on by finding things that change your mindset and bring joy or a smile. Tomorrow is a new day folks…seize it.

Here we are. 2023. This is an interesting year. When you are kid you look at the year of your birth and it’s a number. You maybe think about the numbers when you would be an adult and they seem so far away or even unbelievable. So, yeah, 2023 is weird. I will be 50 this year. Also weird. I was told I need a knee replacement. Yikes. It’s not happening anytime soon. Getting to the title of this post. I had a mortar and pestle I kept from the shop. We used it a lot for grinding spices. It’s nothing fancy plain white. I was making meatballs that call for ground fennel but that didn’t seem to exist in the spice isles I was in. I ground my own. No biggie. It’s therapeutic in a way The meatballs were great. In fact I made them two weekends in a row. But the tool got me thinking about life. Sometimes we just need to grind it out right? Push and trudge to get to where we want to be. I just thought life is interesting and how we deal with it. I am in a new class for my bachelors that I love, but I have senioritis. I only have four classes after this one and I want to be done soooo bad. Then I am hoping for a small break before I begin the masters program.

My physical therapy for the nervous system is amazing. Yesterday I went, I was feeling horrible. I had been sick for a few days, sometimes my stomach just gets off, it’s always been that way. It was upset for about three days. By the time I got to PT I was tired and felt terrible because it’s the end of the day. Sometimes we do rigors work and other times we focus on slow breathing and touching certain spots on my arms and legs. This was a quiet reset day. My stomach was in nots and upset and just a mess. It was like fireworks in my gut before I got on the table. As the session progressed I began to feel less of all of that. By the time we were ending and she said sit up slowly and take some deep breaths, how do you feel? I sat up and was in awe because right at the end before I sat up all that feeling in my stomach seemed to move to the center and it felt like it turned hard so to speak. As if I could just scoff it off my belly before I sat up. While sitting up it had gone. I took care to step to my coat and pay close attention to my body and how it felt. It felt light and airy in a good way finally….I felt like it was lifted. I went home and had pizza. I felt fine. Our bodies are amazing, we just need to be aware listen and give it what it asks for. ( I suppose the pizza was for me and not my body.) I digress.

Today the sky was full of magnificent morning colors. ( I had to put the date in the title because I got all behind…) So they sky… omg the colors were amazing and all my photo people on facebook were posting the same sky even though they lived in a different city or state it was still the same colors and was so beautiful. We have to stop on the sidewalks and take these pictured either with our minds or the cameras. It’s imperative we begin to stop and appreciate what is around us. It will bring peace and clarity to your life. Please give it a try.

This morning I got out of my car, and as I always do I looked at the sky. This is a practice I have done for a few years now. It’s a form of a mini meditation. I like to see the ripples in the clouds or the spaces of blue and the light just peering up over the horizon. The sky this morning was unbelievably beautiful and menacing. We have a storm coming and at work we are all hoping for a snow day…Please universe hear our calls. Hahaha…so…I haven’t been here in a while. I’ve been working on my physical self for awhile. Being sick this past year has taken a toll. I finally saw a rheumatologist and he thinks I have Lupus so we are working with that. I also found a physical therapist that deals with resetting the nervous system. She is absolutely wonderful and is working miracles. It’s a lot of breath work and some other functional activities. My whole point in coming here to write today is to say that life is fleeting. We need to have grace for others, find joy in our days, and move. Movement is important as well as being in nature. So, if you do anything move for five minutes and take a look at the sky when you are out and about. If you begin these little changes and keep them up you will see amazing changes in your attitude. Be well.

Yep, just like on Netflix, click that button and skip the intro. My last post was pathetic. I needed to get it out though. You absolutely cannot hold your feelings in ever but be constructive in how you let them exit you! So, in skipping the intro…I am feeling a bit better but the doctor put me on prednisone again. I hate that drug and understand its necessary but it causes havoc. Like yesterday I ran out of my hot tea I usually have so I reached for one with caffeine, what a mistake. Down the predi with the tea with caffeine and bounce off the walls for hours. ZERO concentration but could play tennis and beat Serena Williams. I thought I might explode. Pile on some peri-menopause pms with all this and I am just a big fluffy ball of sunshine. Deep breath, let the lady type not the meds…So I am (hesitant not to jynx it) feeling a bit better. My body aches are less, my level of tiredness is less but I do feel it when I do too much. My gut is being kind to me. My feet still are not right but they don’t HURT like they did. They still look odd and the range of motion is not right but the pain I was having was everyday all day and night. I am waiting for some rechecks on blood work and then trying to decide which direction to take this in. Should I see a rheumatologist? I am not sure. All my autoimmune tests keep coming back negative. I shrug my shoulders a lot. I shake my head a lot. I take a lot of deep breaths. We are winding down the summer here and that means one thing…

Back to work. I have some tools and some ideas in how to handle things in hope to keep the stress level down. I got a new chair finally after two years…That will help. I will have a make believe hatch/portal thing under my desk I can open and slide down to get out of the office and land right on my favorite beach on cape cod which a local web cam will be loaded on one page of my browser at all times to view the tide and “remove” myself. How’s that! I actually can’t wait to visualize it. I might even get an actual floor sticker too…lol. School work for myself is going well. I got an A in my latest class, which I feel like I could’ve gotten a bit more out of the class but it’s hard when it’s all online. I am pretty sure I have a week off in between classes next week so that is a sweet break. My job this summer was to refill my tank and take it easy. It’s been really hot and I dislike heat and humidity. But I did manage to do a bit of my school work out back on our patio. I hung out with the dogs and some old friends. Made it to the beach to recharge, went to some great concerts, and ate some great food. I need to clean the basement…it’s terrible to me down there. I am considering attacking it next week. I just need a game plan and when I look at it I can’t find a game plan…haha. So that is my job over the next few days, find a game plan…that and figure out which haircut I want. I always want a change and then I just get the same fucking thing every time. This is where I encourage you to all take a small risk, get a different haircut, it’s hair and it wil grow back. Let’s jump together. I bid you peace, love and light.

Did you sing the title? If you didn’t then go back and sing it just like they do in the movie. This is a frustration post. It will be short and full of anger and malaise and whine. My A1C is back up, my sugar is up, my body is irritated at something. I am mad. I am frustrated. I want a different body. I want the body I had this time last year. What the fuck happened. Whhhhhyyyyy. Ya know what, I don’t even want to know why this time. I just want it all fixed. I want to be able to move again comfortably, I want to not feel tired all the time, I don’t want the pain in my feet anymore. Ugh…for fucks for all the fuck’s sakes….

Yep you read that right…chubby toes. I still don’t have all the answers for my body and why it’s doing what it’s doing. Waiting on some more tests. It’s been a week today but some of these tests take two weeks so I try not to think about it. I’ve been taking my time all week, since last Thursday. We took a vacation just the hubby and me. Kids were busy. One off in Italy for a school trip and one working. It was so different without them but it was so nice to just take our time and do what we wanted to do. We ate some nice seafood and some great salads. We had some really nice quality time together. It was nice. We sat on the beach, we saw seals, collected shells and skipped rocks into the Atlantic. I love the ocean, it is fully of energy and is such a great place to recharge. When I got out of the car the smell of the salty air hit me like an old friend slapping your back. “Hey pal! Where’ve ya been?” I actually stopped when I stepped out turned and looked at the ocean for a minute, I needed to take it all in because I couldn’t believe we had made it finally. It had been at least seven years since we were at this place. We had gone to the ocean to other places but this place just fills and fits. I soaked every minute of it in, including the day it was way too hot and my purse strap bled onto my white shirt. Good thing the purse was pale yellow…so annoying. It came out and I can wear that great outfit again. Something was nagging at me a couple days before the trip to buy a dress. Ummmm, I never wear a dress unless it’s an absolute pressing matter. I don’t know why, I suppose because they usually look like bags on my shape. Anyhow…I found one. I wore it out to dinner one night, and it felt so wonderful. Going back next year.

When we came back we picked up our son from his trip. He had an amazing time and all his luggage and things made it back with him. I had my appointment with my new doctor last week this time. It went well. No ego, just the need to help heal me. That was nice. Creeping into module six of my assessment class in school. It’s been an interesting class, not my favorite but thought provoking. This week was talk about intelligence and how to measure it and if it’s nature or nurture or both. This module was a good one.

Today I painted my nails and finished a show I was working on. Haven’t painted my nails in a while. I had gone to the salon and got a dip manicure but that ruined my nails, so I have to file and grow them for awhile. They are okay now, but still healing. Tonight I am going to the park with a friend. I think I haven’t seen her in like a year? We always get busy, but she has a big family and lots of kids so she is more busy. It will be nice to catch up. I have a book to read about auto immune foods and what to eat and what not to, so I have that work on. When It cools off I’d love to work on my cello more, but it’s way too hot to sit out there and try to strip it now. I have it propped in the living room all naked and unstrung. this reminds me of how I want to transform it and how I want to play it.

My daughter decided to go back to school. I couldn’t be more happy for her. It was as if a switch got flipped and she just found something she was interested in decided to go for it. Now if we could win the mega-millions tonight everything would be wonderful. Hahahaha… no, really, I am serious. I still have to get tickets…stay tuned.

A few things have happened…since the last post. I have had no real plans, I have taken my time. I had an amazing weekend with my husband. I was just being. It was a theme I was trying to carry on form my time sitting on the bench at the lake. It mostly worked. Still haven’t gotten all my bloodwork back yet, but the ones that did come back said relief to me. No celiac, no gluten intolerance. Probably no PCOS. Hormones are suck tricky little buggars. The ringing in my ears went a way for one night. In all honesty I did get high that afternoon with the hubs so it could’ve been that. Either way a good time has had by all, which was really only two of us. This morning I took my time. I folded some laundry and watched this silly show I have been into. Then I sat there and watched some more and hung out with the dogs. I did some more laundry, put mine away and went to wash up.

All the usual things, brush teeth, wash face, deodorant…you know… then I put on serum and moisturizer for my face and get the make up out. I always look at myself in the mirror. Do you? Sure we all glance… when I was on my weight loss journey I would look at myself every day, I would tell her she was beautiful and to keep going and that she was doing great. Where did my cheerleader self go? I had wondered that for months. Actually maybe even a year. But today, when I looked in the mirror and saw something I hadn’t seen in a verrrrryyy long time. I saw her. She was shocked, she was beautiful, she was like girrrrl where have you been. If it was two friends it was one of those instances where one says- ” Are you mad at me?” I still am in awe that I saw her.

Stop isn’t something I am good at unless its a traffic sign and then I am only mildly participant. Really, the kids get on my case all the time. Today I stopped. The world didn’t stop and everything was still there waiting for me when I returned. I left laundry in the hallway, crumbs on the table (actually left by my son). It’s all still here. I was told to stop, I was told to slow down, listen to your body, feed it (not food), find things that make you happy. Today I did that. I did my school work this morning over coffee and morning news with the hubby. Then I saw my son and waited to see what he was up to for the day. He left, then I left. I was on my way to my favorite park from when I was a child. Beaver Lake. It’s such a cool little slice of heaven. It has all these mulched soft walking paths. I have two favorite paths. One is the lake loop and I never walk the whole thing because there is one spot I love to just sit and watch. The other one is the bog trail which is a wood planked walkway through basically the swampy area, but it’s so fun. The plants are stunning. I did the lake loop. There is a spot that has a half circle of benches, I have seen a wedding there. just in front of the service benches is an area that is cleared out to see the water and there is a single bench right at the shoreline. My favorite spot. I sat down, I think it was 1030. I didn’t get up until almost noon. I caught up on some conversations and I looked across the lake. I let the memories from when I was a kid wash over me. My grandparents used to take me there, it was so much fun. My grandpa taught me what I know about birds out in the open. My gramma had books about birds and I would always look through them selecting the ones I wanted to see. We would look up at the trees and the canopy. We would look down at all the low foliage. This was the first place I saw a chipmunk, it was on a school field trip. The touch garden is even still there. Full of herbs and lams ears and things that just feel good between the skin on your finger tips. This was what I needed. I cried. I smiled. I took deep breaths. I could probably still be there but the bugs were coming out as it was getting warmer. Bugs and I do not get along, it irritates my husband to no end, I flail about and make noises and shout for them to go away. It’s comical and tragic all at the same time. The time spent there was fulfilling and felt so good, I might make this a weekly thing…or find other parks with similar atmospheres. I saw birds, squirrels, chipmunks, deer, and bugs. Saw my favorite little red tree squirrels scurrying about. Then, there was a fly that wouldn’t leave me alone…yes, I was flailing… so I was like, fine, I can go, it’s been awhile anyways. So, I got up and started walking to the path. As I reached the path there was a deer across it eating some greens. So, I stopped and whipped out the trusty iPhone camera as usual. I still was battling this fly, finally it landed haphazardly on my shirt and I swatted at it and shouted go away. I mean, for the love of god can you see this! I am an idiot. Just as this happened the deer galloped towards me as if she wanted to help. She then proceeded to swirl her way through the service benches and stood across from me with a few benches in between us. Staring at me with her big brown eyes, I could see her lashes when she blinked. At this point the fly had left the area, thank god. Then she laid down. Right in between the benches so that her placement was still able to be eye to eye. Now the flies were bothering her, she would shake her head and twitch her big deer ears. As I began to walk away, she continued her constant eye contact. She followed me walking away with her eyes for as long as we could see each other. I wish I had an apple to give her, but we shared a few important moments and maybe that was something we both needed. I went to the building and sat in the rocking chairs by the bird windows for a few minutes. Not much action other than the usual rodents on the ground. Saw some gold finches, a grosbeak, and a ton of woodpeckers. Take me to the water any day and I will feel one hundred times better. I think the next trip will be the great lake near me. It has a really cool shore of rocks. I have this affliction to rocks, I am fascinated by them.

It was always my intention to share images here on these pages too, but sometimes time gets the better of me. So here are a few from today…including my deer friend.

Deep cleansing breaths. I sit here again knowing I should be vacuuming or mopping, but I will do that after. I Have ONE MORE MODULE in the stats class from hell. I currently have an A minus even though one assignment was an F. Good Grief. I just need to get out of it. The comments form the professor are great but I feel as though I have no clue. I must have a minor clue, lol…but still don’t feel it. I still can’t find anything for my hands to do. I have gone through this once before when I had PTSD really bad. It’s like too much for my brain to even think about being creative. It’s an odd feeling being a person who likes to create things. So, I decided to watch some trash on TV. Hahahaa, yep, trash. I work in a high school so there was mention of the guidance office dressing all in pink one day and talking about the movie Mean Girls. I was like well, there’s trash number one. It was funny. Trash number two I am embarrassed to say I even thought of because I always said I would never watch. Fifty Shades, and I am committed to the trilogy, lol. I am at the beginning of the third one. It’s pure entertainment. Not believable and slightly raunchy but I needed all of the above. I suppose my husband will reap the benefits when he returns home, haahahaa. Really though, let’s be brutally honest, the power of an orgasm to clear your head or make you feel better should not be underestimated. More people should talk about sex and the power of the orgasm, it’s amazing. Appreciate your body has this capability of a kind of mini reset. When I was a kid no one talked to me about sex and it’s surroundings. I figured things out for myself. A conversation with someone in my life lead to orgasms, and I was asked how she would know. I said, you can’t not know, it ‘s like you feel everything all at once and then empty of anything negative. It’s like a tidal wave of pleasure washing over you.

So, I leave you with that whilst I go clean up some pet hair and mover around some other pet hair. Life is precious, slow down, take moments to look around. Get the bird app called Merlin. It’s amazing. #reset #breathe #livelife