gurgle gurgle glub glub

That is the sound of me drowning...
You can probably tell from the amount of dead space since my last posting a few weeks ago that either I have fallen off the planet, or 'gone dark' for some bizarre reason, but actually it's because I don't even have time to put 2 sentences together!  but how does it happen?  Suddenly things just spinnnnnn out of controllllll and there does not seem to be enough hours in a day to get it all done.  I have moments where I visualize a brain surgeon cutting my head open and he is able to see pictures of all the things I'm juggling.  I have thought about making an illustration of it, but then I get overwhelmed with the thought of adding that onto my do list.  My business partner has said more than once that my head will one day spin right off.  He might be right about that but so far it's still attached and functioning fairly well most of the time and I guess I have not gone completely under water because I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and therefore I'm back to write this entry.  Honestly, this overwhelming feeling used to happen to me more often, especially when the kids were younger, where I would actually have RECURRING DREAMS in which I was drowning!  Scary, yes,  and I'm not exaggerating.  I can still picture the dreams vividly because, as mentioned, they kept recurring night after night so they are embedded in my brain (with all the other things I'm mentioned that are crammed in there).
Whew.
Good news.... a dance party date is set so stress relief is on the way..... DURBO TIME!
"Pound the Alarm" by Nicki Minaj

magic on 19th street

Sometimes you meet someone and it's like 'spontaneous combustion'.... I'm not talking about a sexual thing (but I guess that would also apply) - in this case I'm talking about female friendship.  I'm not sure if it's a matter of having more experience... maybe I have become more open to embracing new people?  In fact it should be the opposite, that I might be less likely to be open to new people because I have more of a clear picture about the type of person I want to spend time with... but yesterday, while walking down 19th Street on such a gorgeous day headed to a nearby bank, I randomly starting chatting with a woman about some funny dogs we both happened to observe and it was honestly like an "instant friendship" moment.  This is not because we are both wild about dogs (as mentioned in another posts, I like my dog enough, but I'm not over the top about animals) and my new friend Carol does not even have any pets.  She just moved up to the city from NC and is starting a new job the next week and we ended up having an express conversation on the street corner and we didn't have an incredible amount in common, but we had a connection.  We exchanged business cards and are going to get together soon for lunch and I know that we actually ARE going to get together - it was not an empty promise, but just a simple fact.  I am very much looking forward to it!  And oddly enough, at the end of the day heading home down that very same street, I ran into a friend of Tommy's from college whom I had just been asking him about a few days before and whom I have not seen in over a year!  So I guess 19th Street had some special powers yesterday!  Here's my favorite version of an old song: "Strange Magic" by Darren Hayes

9/11

There are some events that remain as emotional upon reflection no matter how many years pass.  9/11.  I was in the city that day, I watched the towers fall in front of my eyes with the strangers around me on Fifth Ave and 23rd Street as we all cried and hugged each other.  I watched the thousands of people walking uptown in a daze covered in dust.  I rollerbladed to Tom's office to see if he was ok and to tell him I was ok since we could not reach each other by phone.  I remember it as if it was yesterday.  Every year, I watch the television coverage and cry no matter how many times I view the same program.  I think about the magnitude of what that day was for our country and our lives.  No words can truly describe the emotion.  

knee repair

I wonder why, even when it's a hot summer day, the hospital waiting room is always as cold as a meat locker?  And the funny part is that they offer you a 'blanket' which is like putting on a large paper towel... seriously?  Anyway, Tom is having knee surgery done by the "rock star knee surgeon" who walked in wearing scrubs, white Converse sneakers, so much men's cologne I thought he might be going directly from the operating room to a kickin' dance club and a full-of-himself attitude that might be reserved for Jesus himself, but I guess that's who he thinks he is.  After reviewing the surgery with us, he walked away and all Tom and I could do was crack up.  so funny.  We are hoping he has Jesus's skills in the operating room.  Now I'm sitting in the chilly room watching Good Morning America where they are featuring a news story about Prince Harry who is on a 'secret mission' on the front lines in Afghanistan and I'm thinking, if it's a secret, why are there cameras covering it for GMA??  Maybe I'm just tired from waking up at 4:30 am to be here at 5:30 am, but I'm finding lot of little things funny.  So I'm all buddled up with MY OWN blankets that happened to be in the car from the beach weekend... cozy as a clam and ready to nurse my man back to health.  And that is probably the funniest thing of all.... the nurse type I am NOT.  "Doctor Doctor" by Robert Palmer

yes yes yes it's b-t-s!

Did you notice all the moms walking around today with big smiles on their faces??  Christmas might be the best day of the year for kids, but surely the first day of school is the best day for moms!  And it makes no difference if you work outside the home, or inside the home, it is joyous for one and all to have "structure" back in our lives!  (quoting sister Camille)  Over the years, and much to the annoyance of my kids, I have always taken the first-day-of-school photo, with each of them holding a little sign which I would write saying what grade they were entering (yes, I'm a nerdy one)..... I will admit that when they hit high school, I finally ditched the sign, but my daughter was ready for me this morning as I approached her with my camera in hand...  she even smiled.  And don't worry, she put cute little flip flops on before she walked out the door.  In her honor, here's a little High School Musical throwback for ya'll:  We're All In This Together - cast of High School Musical

go fish

What is it about GUYS AND FISHING???  Rarely able to be peeled away from his video games, Jonathan actually agreed to go fishing with the men this weekend.  He arrived home with a big crooked smile reporting that he had caught 20 fish.  At first I thought he was telling a big fish tale, but it was actually true!  Too bad they were not keepers or we would have enjoyed a nice flounder dinner.  Way to go Jon... see what happens when you get away from the xbox for a few hours?  "Shark in the Water" by VV Brown

let loose or lose it!!

I have finally figured out what the most misspelled word in the english language is:   Lose

Not that you would know this from my postings, but some people call me the grammar queen and I am pretty particular about grammar on work-related emails and such.  Somewhere around 6th grade I remember coming pretty close to winning a spelling bee so I have credentials.  :)  But seriously, I need to say this if it only helps one person out there:

LOSE is when you lose a game, or lose a contact lens, or lose someone's phone number, or when you have nothing to lose, or you want to lose yourself in the music, or (on a happy note) when you LOSE WEIGHT!!

LOOSE is when you've lost weight and then your pants are too LOOSE!!!  or the lid on the jar is loose, or you want to "let loose" and have a good time, or when the noose around your neck is (hopefully) loose!  Easy to remember loose rhymes with noose.

Next lesson will involve:  their, they're and there.  But for now:  "Lose Yourself" by Emimem

paddle day in nj

Wow, it was breathtaking and unexpected.  Our neighbors down the street recently purchased paddle boards and asked if I wanted to take one out.... I figured why not so out I paddled in the hopes of success and it was amazing!  The key is to look straight ahead and not down at your feet... it also helps to try it when the water is calm, but there were some swells out there which made it a little more exciting when I would scale each wave and remain standing!  Overall, I was thrilled to pieces and paddling along when I turned my head to see an entire school of dolphins a few yards away!!!!!  it was breathtaking.  I shouted to the surfers so they wouldn't miss it and paddled over as close as I could get to watch them playfully flap their tails each time they dove under in unison.  For whatever reason, it was a little emotional because it was such a purely unplanned moment.  Not like going to Disney World where they are caged up in the little pools for the petting thing... this was just random and special.  Hard to find the words, but I felt very blessed to have chosen that moment to try the board.  I still can't get over it.  Seeing dolphins at the jersey shore is not exactly an every day occurrence, though they do appear now and again, but to be IN THE WATER THAT CLOSE TO THEM BY CHANCE was just spiritual!  ahhhhhhh.  I love nature and I love summer!  Listen to this awesome summer song, it will make you happy:  "Summer Vibe" Walk the Earth

I'm really doing it!!!!!

My sister's bf - look how close the dolphins were!!