Dancing in the rain.

For sale: baby shoes, never worn ...

Sun, 10 Feb 2008 14:16:23 GMT

above is Ernest Hemmingways six word story.

Not quite what I was expecting, a collection of six-word memoirs. Smith Magazine asked it's

online readers to write the story of their life in a six word sentence and ended up with this delightful book.

If I were asked to write the story of my life in just six words, I would either write:

"I shouldn't have married a Coonass."

or...

"I'm still dancing in the rain."

Believe me when I say, the first story started 26 years ago and is closely related to the second one.

What would your six word story be?

Koosh

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 03:56:36 GMT

I went to Atlanta for a few days to visit my daughter ... it was fun catching up.

My favorite photo was of Koosh, Mandy's kitty. Awwww ...

*** Coy ***

Alone last night ...

Sun, 04 Nov 2007 02:30:04 GMT

I spent a few hours at Barnes & Noble last night pouring over art books and actually choose a new watercolor book. The tables at the coffee shop were full so I wandered upstairs and found an empty chair at a table in the FAU section to spread the books out on.

Interesting chatter as people around me were studying different subjects together. Real estate talk at one table, algebra tutoring at another and a group of girls studying child development at the table directly in back of me. Sometimes being in the midst of a crowd, makes me feel less alone, but not last night.

After I looked through about a dozen books to find one to bring home with me, I picked up a book off the top of a pile that someone before me left on the table. The book was called "On My Own, The Art Of Being A Woman Alone by Florence Faulk. After reading the paragraph below, I decided to buy the book, I'll let you know how it goes.

In as much as all of us find ourselves alone, not once but many times during our lives, I use the term " Woman Alone" to refer to all women. By default, choice or necessity, we all experience our own particular life crossings that set us apart. Whether we prefer it or not, feel shame or pride in being there, this means that we may be separated, divorced, widowed, homeless, unmarried, never married, between partners, a gay woman, a welfare mother, a single mother, an aborting or miscarrying woman, childless, sick, old or dying, a jilted woman, a depressed woman, or alone in a loveless or troubled relationship. A woman may feel alone when she finds herself a seat in a crowded movie theater, waits in a hospital corridor for radiation treatment, or makes love with her partner in dull silence. For among the species of aloneness, one of the most painful to endure is to be in the presence of someone who arouses a need but does not satisfy it; another is the unblinking stare of indifference, which repels the the exchange of concern, love or compassion between people. A woman- any woman- is alone when she feels emotionally or spiritually separate and apart from others and herself

Sort of sums up the way I was feeling, by myself in a crowd in a bookstore on a Friday night.

*** Coy ***

What's old is new ...

Thu, 18 Oct 2007 02:17:52 GMT

So, I'm no longer among the unemployed. Thanks for the suggestions but no ... I'm not going to be marketing my photos, selling Avon or useing my talent and chutzpah to find the dream job that offers plenty of time, money and freedom.

For a moment, I did consider the whole starving artist thing , you know ... she sacrifices her material well being in pursuit of her art. Instead, I decided to accept a new management position in the lead center, at the same company I've known and loved all of these years.

I won't try to make rhyme or reason out of the unusual chain of events that started that strange Friday afternoon on October 5th. I will say ... I'm really happy not to be faced with a full fledged job search right now and happy that I will be making a little more money than I was before this started.

What's old is new ...

*** Coy ***

Wanted ...

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 19:57:02 GMT

a brand new opportunity that will offer plenty of time, money and freedom so I can do

what I want, when I want and rediscover how just to be me

Any suggestions?

*** Coy ***

Ahhh... Sanibel

Sun, 14 Oct 2007 20:49:16 GMT

OK, so I survived the first week without work. No alarm clock, no schedule, no deadlines. Taking a few days off to visit Sanibel didn't hurt, it was perfect timing but tomorrow is Monday. Unemployment will kick in $275 per week YIKES, it will help but obviously I'm not going to be able to afford to stay out of work long.

I know I'm not the only one out there looking right now. With everything that's going on in the housing market unemployment is up and recession is even a possibility.

My first reaction would be to take the first thing that comes along, maybe even a lower paying job with the same company. I am being advised by friends not to do that, I guess I'll have to play it by ear.

Sometimes a life altering event like this gives us opportunity to take inventory of our lives, and our priorities and sometimes leads to greater happiness ... that's sort of what I'm counting on. It's still a little early in the game to hear my inner voice, I'm still at that panic stricken point where all I really want to do is go back to the job and the routine that I have known and loved all these years.

This will be a journey of sorts, it's not like I'm in an industry where one just moves from one job to the next in lateral motion. The home improvement industry is a little different and who knows ... maybe I'll decide to move in an entirely different direction.

I don't write at my best when I'm under stress or duress, but I am hoping to find the desire to post here more often now that I have a little time on my hands, maybe it will help in my search for something new.

*** Coy ***

Tags: Sanibel, unemployment, inner voice

What a difference a day makes

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 00:50:34 GMT

Have not felt much like talking about it, but Frday I lost my job. If you've ever lost a job unexpectidly before, then you know exactly how I feel. I've been with this company for over 10 years.

Some people write better when they are under stress, not me. I did however try to express how I feel in the water color above today and just felt like posting it.

I'm going to get out of the house for a couple of days and will have to start a job search on Monday, I'm going to Sanibel with my friend Karen, that island must be my favorite place on earth. If this doesn't cheer me up then nothing will.

*** Coy ***

It's been ...

Sun, 30 Sep 2007 23:35:41 GMT

raining on and off for days here in Not So Sunny South Florida! The rain is welcome ... last year was exceptionally dry and it has had enormous effect on everything here. Dried up lakes, forest fires, unnatural eating patterns for our wildlife. I say let it rain, we need it!

I've used the rain day as an opportunity to stay home, play a little with watercolors and to do a some catching up on what's new in some of my favorite journals.

Now that everyone is all spread out, it's not as easy as it once was but today I had plenty of time on my hands and here is what I found ...

Kat <- celebrates Yom Kippour, has lunch and a show with Nancy and transplants some of her favorite flowers in her new garden in NY. BTW ... she has a dog.

Suzy <- is re crowned as the dog food goddess while she confuses the cable guy that tells her she has an intermittent signal.

Mort <- mentions that work has been a little slow, he is missing the Missed America Pageant again this year, and laughs when the Iranian Prez says there are no homosexuals in Iran like we have here in America.

Connie <- sips coffee on the front porch swing as she mentions the smell of fall in the air and reminds us that the leaves will be changing color soon.

The Blog Father <- makes it to Chicago, links us to some award winning science photos and mentions the story of the black bear found clinging for his life on the Rainbow Bridge.

Sam <- seems to be taking a break. The busy Dock Master loses his summer staff this time of year and still faces the final dog days of summer. I'm sure we all agree that he deserves to put his feet up and relax for a while, we'll look forward to reading new tales from the docks when it's time.

Steven <- shares a new Cosmo shot and a really nice one of Pickle as well.

Alpha Woman <- reminisces about the good old days here in J-Land and reminds us of some old friends we really miss.

Albert <- continues to sprinkle his Glinka dust around, today I found him painting a larger than life St Francis.

Robbie <- has been a little quiet these days, must be busy like me.

Trish <- is continuing her journey to peace. Right now she seems to be focusing on a budget and business plan for her new CD.

GiGi <- gives a high tech tutorial called "Geek Like Me"

Paul <- visits Rockport and gives us an up close glimpse at one of the most photographed and painted buildings in the country.

Judi <- is still accepting entries for this months Artsy Essay.

Astaryth <- posted the cutest photo of Morgan when she was just a few weeks old, awwwww ...

And me ... I just enjoyed having a little time to play catch up.

*** Coy ***

Dancing In The Rain

Sun, 16 Sep 2007 21:40:48 GMT

I spent a little time revisiting some early Rain entries today, the very first entry I wrote (March 2004) was called In Search Of Me <- click. At the time, I had no idea how important Rain and and the people I would meet here would become as I searched.

It's been quite a journey, I was able to find so much of the pleasure, adventure, truth, ideas, creative inspiration and friendship that I was searching for but I'm feeling a little stuck right now. Maybe today is a good time to start the journey over and continue Dancing In The Rain.

*** Coy ****

If seventy is the new forty

Sun, 09 Sep 2007 16:30:46 GMT

and sixty is the new thirty ... does that make forty-five the new fifteen? If so, then why do I feel so ooooooold these days?

Maybe old isn't the right word but stress, fatigue, depleted energy level and urealistic demands being place on me at work, really seem to be taking there toll these days.

I do have about 160 hours of vacation time built up ... maybe I should take a whole month off and do something fun and relaxing, or ... maybe not.