Do you drink the Sleepytime tea? I swear, that stuff is almost like ambien for me. It’s the craziest thing. I was drinking it a few weeks ago and literally falling asleep before 8pm-9pm every night. I thought I was just exhausted, which is very plausable. Looking back, I’m sure it was the tea.
I bought more today.
EXTRA Sleepytime.
because…Eff that moderation.
I just filled out a pre-adoption application for a corgi rescue group.
This pleases me and gives me butterflies too.
Cookies are here. My life is cookies. I’ll tell you more about the bullshit teapartyrightwingbullshit that’s making the media rounds in my Council this week. I’ll tell you about it later. I haven’t had to deal with it directly yet, but I’m sure it’s coming.
Listen To Your Mother is coming along nicely. I have much to write about that topic and yet…
After many months of squinting and struggling to see through glasses that had a 5 year old script, and contacts that were just not working anymore I fished through the insurance details and made both Mark and I an eye appointment.
We arrived, filled out our paperwork, sat in the waiting area answering work emails by the second.
“I wonder if when we have appointments together we go back together?”
“Surely not,” I scoffed. “It’s not a couple’s massage.”
And then we were called back together, prepped in the same room, filed through the respective tests and put back into the same room to wait on the Doc. Together. It was kind of strange at first, but truly the most efficient doctor appointment I’ve ever had.
We got our tests, made jokes about growing older and my impending bifocals (I’m getting closer but not there yet) and our duel astigmatism and strangely similar sight deficincies. The Doc was fun and kind and professional and efficient and we were both seen and ushered out with a new script for glasses and me wearing fresh contacts in about an hour.
It was interesting. Glimpses of our future. Together, maintaining health…together.
Next up…dentist.
But I’m drawing the line at any future couples-appointments.
Right now, I’m lying in bed with hot coffee on my side table, the Mr next to me working his crossword puzzle in the Sunday paper and watching what should be CBS Sunday Morning but instead we have non-stop news due to our snow/winter weather that is happening outside.
Norman is getting hit hard, less than I’d be seeing if I still lived in the Village. It’s beautiful. Huge, puffy flakes of snow. Today I’m mindful of the minutes and how fast they fly. Today I get centered and still before the week.
Yesterday we were productive. We made progress on the sticks in the yard, Mark put our speakers back together and hooked up his turntable. We took a trip downtown to the record store to prep for the impending baby shower that we are hosting next weekend.
How long has it been since you’ve been in a record store? Flipping through the dollar bin looking at all of the records that take you right back to childhood? Kenny Rogers’ The Gambler was the first one I saw. I scooped that one up. I was buying for our nephew that is coming in March, buying for decorations. I didn’t realize that our turntable was going to come to life that same afternoon or I’d have bought that Mac Davis and that Dolly Parton, and several of those Barbra Striesands. I would’ve never left that Barbara Mandrell or that The Way We Were soundtrack. These recoreds that I remember my parents playing, the Statler Brothers, Elvis, all of this music so tactile now, sturdy and delicate combined.
Needless to say, I will be going back.
The groceries were procured yesterday, the chili was made last night. We have everything we need for SuperBowl watching tonight.
Today I imagine will contain some Listen To Your Mother work, some laundry, some baking while listening to some records. Very likely it will be Shawn Cassady with a mix of Night Ranger and whatever else I can find in Mark’s extensive recored collection.
Who’s ready for easy? Just…anything easy. One day of easy.
I’m raising all of my appendages. For sure.
This week is short for me work-wise as I’ll be heading to Eastern Ok to be with Dad during his hip replacement surgery on Thursday. I’ll probably go up Wednesday night and then try to get home Friday evening. If I need to go back for the weekend then I can. If I’m here, I’ll be unloading a ridiculous amoung of cookies at our OKC wearhouse on Saturday.
Work has deadlines that are making me nuts.
Yesterday wore me out…I was asleep by 8:30 after two glasses of wine and some delicious Thai takeout. Just crashed.
BUT today is gorgeous outside! (we go from upper 60’s to 20’s tomorrow.) We went out for breakfast, did a quick grocery shop, and I’m catching a movie this afternoon. Tonight the Sibley’s are playing at the Depot. It’s not a restful Sunday, especially for a one day break from work. But it’s fun.
Sometimes fun trumps easy.
Someday fun and easy will happen at the same time.
Until that day…I’ll take fun.
It’s hard to get up and get FIRED UP during this time of year. The days are short. They are bitter cold. It feels as if I never get anything completed. Tasks and events and planning and POOF the day is over. Mid day crisis that requires phone calls and emails and soothing via Facebook and texts.
Remember when I first started my job and it was weeks that I didn’t need an Ambien to sleep from exhaustion? I’m still exhausted, but I can’t get my brain to shut off. I dream of recruitment events and getting new leaders trained. I dream of mean girl volunteers and how I can fix the issues with them. I wake up a million times and sometimes I dream about camping and hiking and being in the mountains but those are few and far between.
I’m not the only one. Everyone is just kind of murking along trying to put one foot in front of another. Trying to find inspiration and excitement to get them through until Spring. I’ve been Pinterest-ing garden ideas and seed catalogues that have been lost in the move are re-ordered and finding their way to Tulsa St. LTYM:OKC is coming right along, more time this weekend will be focused on that.
OKC Public Schools are closed today due to the bitter cold temps, though by the end of the day we’ll see high 40’s. Which is good because I’ll be in line with 99 others to see Patty Griffin at The Blue Door tonight. I’m so excited…It was at her concert over a year ago that Mark first held my hand.
*cue “Awwwwwwwwwww”
Tomorrow is our Annual Meeting at GS West OK. It’s a pretty serious and big deal. We have delegates from all of our Districts representing and participating. I’ll be in full blown uniform which is a navy blue suit, GS Scarf, and my GS pins. Thank God for Ann Taylor Loft. I’ll be helping to lead focus groups after it’s over and then will have to meet about a touchy internal issue after that. It’s a 8+hour workday. On a Saturday.
Sunday night brings us the Sibley’s at the Depot.
I’ve never heard them but Mark & Co. swear by their awesomeness, as they have seen them play at Four Corners many times. I’m looking forward to it.
I’d like to go see Dallas Buyers Club Sunday afternoon if I can find a running buddy. *hint hint Mandrea. Michael.
Next week is a short week for me work-wise and there is much to be accomplished and I feel edgy. Thurs/Fri will be spent with Dad as he undergoes hip replacement surgery. Taryn and I will both be in Tulsa with him and will be working out the details this week.
Cookie sale is upon us. Feb 7th in our council. That’s a whole nuther bag o’crazy.
With this much on my calendar, Spring will be here in no time, right? Seeds will be planted, flowers will be blooming and the light will return.
I got up at the crack of hmmm-hmmm this morning because I was scheduled to speak at the National Alpha Phi Omega convention being held on the OU campus.
As most of you know I live mere blocks from campus, so this wasn’t a horrible gig. I did the prep yesterday, I had flyers and pens and handouts.
And cookies.
Because why go anywhere representing Girl Scouts without cookies, right? Duh.
It was fun and fine and while it didn’t eat up my whole weekend, it did start me off…wonky. I missed my yoga class this morning because of it and my schedule is just…off.
I have watched a few eps of Orange is the New Black. I put some LTYM badges on the blog. See? Look over there to the right side. Nice, eh? I am not working tonight, (I thought I was going to have to go to a Cookie Rally in Pottowatomie County) and Mark has to work at 5am tomorrow…we’re just sideways a bit.
Finally, it’s 4pm and we’re getting it together. Tomorrow hopefully a hike in the Wichitas. This afternoon we’re going to go walk around the Home & Garden show.
The weekend is happening, I’ve just been awfully slow to get my groove on.
The nice thing is I have people in my staff that recognize the signs and send out feelers to make sure I’m not hitting burnout. I get a lovely phone call and support. And then I get affirmations from other volunteers that what I am doing matters, that it’s a better environment than before and that we are moving forward and on the right path.
They make up for the soul-bruising three hours spent in front of women who are mean. Flat out hateful.
You know what else makes it better?
Happy hour with this man sitting next to me trying to tell me the relation between dewpoint and humidity.
(I don’t care)
So mark your calendars folks. The Wagon lasted 17 days in 2014.
Next year someone remind me that it’s a stupid ass idea to quit drinking during cookie season.
I have been asked to speak at an organization’s annual luncheon in Tulsa in April. I immediately felt anxious and nervous so I accepted. It’s been awhile since I’ve done something that scared me. It’s time.
We are neck deep in planning FamilyPalooza 2014, the Girl Scout Cookie Sale, and Listen To Your Mother 2014. Lot’s of pieces to juggle, to connect, to plan. I also was informed last night that this year is my high school’s 25th Reunion year. So it’s time to convene the coven…committee.
What kind of bullshit shenannigans is THAT I ask you? 25????
This week has been chock full at work. It’s one of those weeks where I’ve been able to help place girls and get them aligned to sell cookies, present at a leadership meeting, have lunch with different friends (that does my soul good) and feel generally like I’m winning. I did get a wee little raise, which is nice. It came on the same day that the Shriver Report on women was published. Women are *still making .70 to every dollar a man makes. And I promise you this, those women working at a non-profit? It’s stunning. I was so pleased to get rewarded monetarily, but I was stunned to find out just how little money I was actually making.
I believe in this mission, however. I believe I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be in my life’s work. I am also buying a lottery ticket this week.
This week has been a gross reminder as to how little I move during days filled with meetings and emails. My Fitbit has been a great tool and I’m still loving it. It’s actually helped me to see I’m going to have to rearrange my day to get these steps in. One of the other agencies at my office is opening a bigger space that will be equipped with exercise elements for their clients. They are going to open it at some time to other agencies in the building. Hopefully I can run down and walk for 20-30 minutes a day and get some extra in until the time changes. Since I’ve been working until late, not getting home until 9pm this week there isn’t any walking time left in the day. So. That’s where we are with that.
I’ve been having prison dreams. The last few nights, I’ve dreamed I was locked up. Once with Channing Tatum as a fellow prisoner. Last night Audra was with me in another apartment/cell. I remember it being really scary at first but then just settling in and reading a lot.
I blame Orange Is The New Black for this. But I haven’t even had time to watch an ep this week so it must really be in my subconscious or it means other things. Who knows.
It’s time to get going. I’ve got reports to work, a lunch meeting, afternoon meetings at Council and then a CST meeting in Chickasha tonight. While I’m excited for a three day weekend, I’m speaking at an event at OU on Saturday morning so there’s still a bit of work left.
Misti Ridiculous 