Taken in Clearwater Beach, Florida - this is a reminder of one of my favorite metaphors for life after college....there really should be a required class for all college students about life after college. :)
Thursday, February 28, 2008
No Lifeguard on Duty!
Taken in Clearwater Beach, Florida - this is a reminder of one of my favorite metaphors for life after college....there really should be a required class for all college students about life after college. :)
Welcome to Wherever You Are
It's been a little while - clearly I'm about as good at this whole blogging-thing as I am at keeping up with a journal. Whether it was the small nudge from a dear friend of mine who insisted that one entry does not a blog make, or the desire to get some of the "crazy" out - one can't be too sure, but no matter what the motivation, here I am!
So, what's on your mind?
Lately, I've been thinking a lot about where I am in life and why I'm here. As you could probably guess, I have a lot better handle on the where than the why - but one of my favorite Bon Jovi songs suggests that I'm right where I'm supposed to be, which is an idea I've been working hard as of late, to embrace.
I'm at an interesting crossroads in my own head - nearing the 31st anniversary of my birth and still, on occasion, grappling with the notion of being divorced, childless, and while gainfully employed, still not quite sure I've yet discovered my life's work. Adding all that up, it's hard to believe sometimes that I am right where I'm supposed to be - but as those wise NJ boys say, I do feel caught between who I am and who I want to be....
Where did all of this come from today?
Once a month, my beloved college on the hill sends out an online alumni update - which is chalked full of wedding and birth announcements....a virtual brag book of accomplishments. While I try very hard to see those through the lens of being proud of and happy for my fellow alums (some of whom are good friends), it's tough to be in a different place than I imagined I would be at nearly 31.
So -- before I break out the invitations for a very unnecessary pity party - let me clarify that most of the time, I'm quite happy with where I am in life and can definitely appreciate the silver linings and blessings of the unanticipated paths I've traveled.
Anyone out there have any advice about embracing the here and now while having faith that I'm right where I'm supposed to be?
So, what's on your mind?
Lately, I've been thinking a lot about where I am in life and why I'm here. As you could probably guess, I have a lot better handle on the where than the why - but one of my favorite Bon Jovi songs suggests that I'm right where I'm supposed to be, which is an idea I've been working hard as of late, to embrace.
I'm at an interesting crossroads in my own head - nearing the 31st anniversary of my birth and still, on occasion, grappling with the notion of being divorced, childless, and while gainfully employed, still not quite sure I've yet discovered my life's work. Adding all that up, it's hard to believe sometimes that I am right where I'm supposed to be - but as those wise NJ boys say, I do feel caught between who I am and who I want to be....
Where did all of this come from today?
Once a month, my beloved college on the hill sends out an online alumni update - which is chalked full of wedding and birth announcements....a virtual brag book of accomplishments. While I try very hard to see those through the lens of being proud of and happy for my fellow alums (some of whom are good friends), it's tough to be in a different place than I imagined I would be at nearly 31.
So -- before I break out the invitations for a very unnecessary pity party - let me clarify that most of the time, I'm quite happy with where I am in life and can definitely appreciate the silver linings and blessings of the unanticipated paths I've traveled.
Anyone out there have any advice about embracing the here and now while having faith that I'm right where I'm supposed to be?
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Introduction
I've recently discovered that somewhere along the way, I developed a really bad habit of jumping into a conversation with the inherent assumption that the people I'm talking with are on the same page as I. When you think about it - that's either blissfully nieve or incredibly self-centered. I'm not sure which, but I'm not so jazzed about either prospect. Lest I continue that trend here, allow me to introduce myself, tell you a little bit about why I've decided to take the blogging plunge and give you some background on what I chose this particular blog name.
As for me - I'm a thirty-something, dog-owning, wanna-be writer/photographer/creative spirit who longs to be self employed, to live in an artsy-fartsy town and to split her time between the beaches and mountains of the great state of North Carolina. A northern transplant, I have been living in the south for the better part of the last 10 years and I'm not sure if there's much that would pursuade me to trade in the mild winters, beautiful blue skies and close proximity to both the sea level and higher elevations for any other state. I also oscillate between identifying myself as being divorced and opting to let that part of my life slip away unnoticed. That mini-identity crisis is rooted in being commited to not wanting to define my life by that one event, but also not wanting to be disingenuous about an important part of my life gone-by.
What prompted me to jump into the blogging pool? I have been admiring others' blogs from a distance for quite some time but have been hesitant to air my thoughts publicly. I tend to be a private person and have even strayed away from keeping a personal journal for fear of my private thoughts falling into even otherwise well-meaning hands. Despite that, my leap has been inspired by my friend matildasue, whose blog is fabulous. I've always admired her creativity and it reignited my desire to write - so I figured having my own blog would be a pretty damn good excuse to write, yes?
I felt a lot of pressure to choose a unique, but interesting name for my blog. It felt like naming a business or a child or a dog (none of which are on equal playing fields in the naming biz, I realize), but I didn't want to mess it up. I've been listening a lot to an amazing folk artist, Antje Duvekot, who has a beautiful song called "Merry Go Round." The lyrics are filled with much hope and are so beautifully crafted - so much so that they even caught the attention of my favorite financial institution, Bank of America. See for yourself below:
Merry-Go-Round
Someone is tossing petals in a stream
Somewhere someone is standing at the foothills of their dreams
Someone got a paintbrush, is painting over doubts
Someone opened up his eyes and saw the sun coming out
Someone was captive and found the courage to get off
From a boulder in the well somewhere the rain has stopped
Someone is finding the place where they belong
Everyday is summer somewhere in the world
And the summer boys are headed for the falls to kiss the girls
With their impatient hands groping honey breasts and curls
They are filled with desire
And high in the hills there's a baby being born
As forgiveness and peace wash over bruises and sores
People bridging the distance over nettles and thorns
Everyone aboard on the merry-go-round
Some things will rise up so that others come down
If the devil don't dance, heaven won't shine
It's a mighty thick haze and it's a pretty thin line
If the facuet is tightened up the love won't flow
If the love isn't bright enough the corn won't grow
If the night isn't dark enough the moon won't glow
A rich man counting money, a tired man counting sheep
While the safe man counts his blessings, the hungry man has beans
There's a million people praying, raising up their eyes
To what turns out to be the same god, the same sky
We are slightly scared of death, a little bit afraid
So we celebrate everything we can think to celebrate
We shall sing out loud to keep the hounds away
Everyone aboard on the merry-go-round
Some things will rise up so that others come down
If the devil don't dance, heaven won't shine
It's a mighty thick haze and it's a pretty thin line
If the facuet is tightened up the love won't flow
If the love isn't bright enough the corn won't grow
If the night isn't dark enough the moon won't glow
Prisons will crumble and governments will fall
It's the order of freedom to be preceded by walls
Cause the truth would be worthless if no one ever lied
So we carry our shame in the interest of pride
And we have all these questions to make us go roam
And we’ve got all this distance to make us come home
As the sun burns, a child learns, the tide churns, the world turns
Everyone aboard on the merry-go-round
Some things will rise up so that others come down
If the devil don't dance, heaven won't shine
It's a mighty thick haze and it's a pretty thin line
If the facuet is tightened up the love won't flow
If the love isn't bright enough the corn won't grow
If the night isn't dark enough the moon won't glow
As for me - I'm a thirty-something, dog-owning, wanna-be writer/photographer/creative spirit who longs to be self employed, to live in an artsy-fartsy town and to split her time between the beaches and mountains of the great state of North Carolina. A northern transplant, I have been living in the south for the better part of the last 10 years and I'm not sure if there's much that would pursuade me to trade in the mild winters, beautiful blue skies and close proximity to both the sea level and higher elevations for any other state. I also oscillate between identifying myself as being divorced and opting to let that part of my life slip away unnoticed. That mini-identity crisis is rooted in being commited to not wanting to define my life by that one event, but also not wanting to be disingenuous about an important part of my life gone-by.
What prompted me to jump into the blogging pool? I have been admiring others' blogs from a distance for quite some time but have been hesitant to air my thoughts publicly. I tend to be a private person and have even strayed away from keeping a personal journal for fear of my private thoughts falling into even otherwise well-meaning hands. Despite that, my leap has been inspired by my friend matildasue, whose blog is fabulous. I've always admired her creativity and it reignited my desire to write - so I figured having my own blog would be a pretty damn good excuse to write, yes?
I felt a lot of pressure to choose a unique, but interesting name for my blog. It felt like naming a business or a child or a dog (none of which are on equal playing fields in the naming biz, I realize), but I didn't want to mess it up. I've been listening a lot to an amazing folk artist, Antje Duvekot, who has a beautiful song called "Merry Go Round." The lyrics are filled with much hope and are so beautifully crafted - so much so that they even caught the attention of my favorite financial institution, Bank of America. See for yourself below:
Merry-Go-Round
Someone is tossing petals in a stream
Somewhere someone is standing at the foothills of their dreams
Someone got a paintbrush, is painting over doubts
Someone opened up his eyes and saw the sun coming out
Someone was captive and found the courage to get off
From a boulder in the well somewhere the rain has stopped
Someone is finding the place where they belong
Everyday is summer somewhere in the world
And the summer boys are headed for the falls to kiss the girls
With their impatient hands groping honey breasts and curls
They are filled with desire
And high in the hills there's a baby being born
As forgiveness and peace wash over bruises and sores
People bridging the distance over nettles and thorns
Everyone aboard on the merry-go-round
Some things will rise up so that others come down
If the devil don't dance, heaven won't shine
It's a mighty thick haze and it's a pretty thin line
If the facuet is tightened up the love won't flow
If the love isn't bright enough the corn won't grow
If the night isn't dark enough the moon won't glow
A rich man counting money, a tired man counting sheep
While the safe man counts his blessings, the hungry man has beans
There's a million people praying, raising up their eyes
To what turns out to be the same god, the same sky
We are slightly scared of death, a little bit afraid
So we celebrate everything we can think to celebrate
We shall sing out loud to keep the hounds away
Everyone aboard on the merry-go-round
Some things will rise up so that others come down
If the devil don't dance, heaven won't shine
It's a mighty thick haze and it's a pretty thin line
If the facuet is tightened up the love won't flow
If the love isn't bright enough the corn won't grow
If the night isn't dark enough the moon won't glow
Prisons will crumble and governments will fall
It's the order of freedom to be preceded by walls
Cause the truth would be worthless if no one ever lied
So we carry our shame in the interest of pride
And we have all these questions to make us go roam
And we’ve got all this distance to make us come home
As the sun burns, a child learns, the tide churns, the world turns
Everyone aboard on the merry-go-round
Some things will rise up so that others come down
If the devil don't dance, heaven won't shine
It's a mighty thick haze and it's a pretty thin line
If the facuet is tightened up the love won't flow
If the love isn't bright enough the corn won't grow
If the night isn't dark enough the moon won't glow
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