Deuces

Well I guess so!  That must explain why I found myself driving without remembering where I was going... why my mind feels asleep at the wheel, and why I am on some sort of existential journey lately. But I got Jeanette looking out for me, and sending me great "brace for it" articles. http://galadarling.com/article/how-to-survive-mercury-retrograde/ Mercury is this Gemini's ruling planet- so- you know- I'm fixin' to get it. But I am enjoying this retrograde period- the "Let it Go, Let it Go" and momentary pauses, lingering, sleepy and procrastinating minutes in bed each morning with Sayler, the uninspired and numb coolness that envelops my being. The "q ué será, sera"  of 2015. Yes, That's what I'll call it.

"Please don't fall asleep!" my daughter pleaded as I curled up into the over-sized sofa, the fire lulling me into slumber as we discussed baby dolls and tower-building.   It is only 6:30 p.m. and though the day has been full, from a 7 a.m. run to a late afternoon, very successful, Christmas shopping session I am nonetheless inexplicably exhausted.   I vaguely recollect my husband making mention of much ado about coffee earlier in the day (it's possible I wasn't listening as intently as a good wife should).   And so, moments ago I sluggishly made way to the garage, where I could hear his circular saw whirring.  I peered into the cold, concreted room that houses all his tools- many of them purchased as gifts over the years- often settling on the Bosch tools, seeming to fit Lloyd's capable personality.  I am, quite surprisingly, a bit of a tool-snob.  I momentarily marveled at his latest under-taking- a hand-crafted piece of furniture- th...

There wasn't any negotiating involved. My daughter and I sat on the kitchen floor with a bag of Dum Dums, her small hands clutching it tightly, possessively.  I asked her to choose one for me and as she carefully sifted through the bag of flavors, I anticipated her M.O. "Do you want a brown one?" she quizzed.. To which I unenthusiastically huffed, "sure", while rolling my eyes. Sayler likes to give me the flavors she does not like, and that is how I ended up with a boring butterscotch dum dum, and she ended up with an amazing cherry dum dum. We enjoyed our suckers while this video uploaded to YouTube.  Lloyd and the infamous #icebucketchallenge It was fun watching Lloyd pour a bucket of ice over himself for charity, and less fun watching his mood deteriorate when I told him we'd have to film it again because I hadn't managed to capture the video. Obviously I did capture it and I wasn't trying to be a prankster...I just really thought I ...

Okay, I read the books so I think I can safely have an opinion that reflects my indifference and lack of interest in the 50 Shades movie. I might have rolled my eyes as I watched the scenes unfold on my laptop. I might have gotten into overly-lengthy discussions with my wonderfully beautiful and intelligent girlfriends about what makes a man sexy (on Facebook, of course- as it is the CNN of all intelligent social conversations...) And even though my horoscope says I am about to have a rockin' weekend where love is concerned I am convinced it won't be because I am in any way swayed by the beguiling (if not awkward) stare of Christian Grey. What am I missing here, friends?  Why can I not swoon?  Why am I incapable of finding Mr. Grey's broody demeanor in any way intoxicating? Am I the only female alive that finds moody, complicated men selfishly annoying? Am I the only one who sees this photo and wonders why they look painfully ...

My work BFF sends me a lot of astrology-related stuff lately and I can't help but feel bemused by his sense of wonder for everything in the stars.  But, of course, like all people I admire who think beyond the factual he effectually now has me checking my astrology every single day.  Blasted.     And once I've read my own and wondered what its life implications are I read Lloyd and the "moonchild's" horoscopes, and, on occasion, I'll even send screen shots of her reading via text, because I want Ariel to know I am inside her head and I've got her astrological number.  And when Lloyd or Ariel are having "off" days, astrologically speaking, I try to be a better version of myself to them because we could all use some kindness on our less-than-spectacular days. I hold in high regard people who believe in what they can only feel or intuit.  I laud their conviction and consistency.   And maybe I am p...

I can almost feel the return to the old me.   It's the one who knows all the lyrics to the K-Day afternoon line-up.   It's the version of me that washes laundry and dishes in the middle of the night.   It is the unapolgetic mother who spends a little more time in non-sense conversations with her toddler than in sensible ones with adults.   It is the me that tries to carefully plan the weeks ahead, but is careful to not plan the years.   I don't have it all figured out,   and it's nice to get back to the version of me that loves that.   And my daughter reminds me of all that ain't too shabby with me.   "Don't worry mommy, it was an accident..."   And I both shake my head and smile when she says it, and she says it several times each day.   I don't know how to be upset when she forgives herself, or me.   When she becomes so entranced in her Monster's Inc. movie that our potty-trained daught...

It's got to be the mall's fault. Ariel and I were reconnecting after several days apart so we decided the healthiest way to spend that time was by doing a significant amount of cardio via shopping (extensive lifting of new clothing items and trying new things on can wear a girl down).   And everywhere I looked I was reminded that Valentine's Day is coming. And ever since then I can't get all the baby-making jams out of my head.  Little known facts: Historians actually attribute the first RnB songs to San Valentín, the patron saint of getting it on.   He and Keith Sweat wrote "Make it Last Forever" on a napkin while riding a train with Marvin Gaye.    It's true.  Look it up. And it started with a tame, romantic visit to this new XO song...  which I love. But things started to escalate with Janet Jackson's Anytime, Anyplace. and I have been teetering back and forth between old skool Jodeci and my singer crush...

I have been thinking of pancakes and eggs. I don't know why. But the craving hasn't subsided, though I cannot say it has intensified... it just remains... in appetite purgatory. I have craved this pairing a few days now. And I am not a pancakes kind of gal, so I am a bit befuddled by it creeping into my psyche, every day, throughout the day. I wouldn't call it torture or taunting, I would call it unfinished business. And today I couldn't help but wonder whether it was the pancakes and eggs I wanted, or whether what I wanted was the idea of a long, leisurely breakfast with someone. And as I sit here, at midnight, unable to sleep before an early a.m. flight, I know that there is something more meaningful worth writing about, and yet, these pancakes and eggs won't leave me alone... Because a long, indulgent, carbohydrate-rich breakfast is usually shared by people who have time to sit and enjoy one another's company. ...

'Twas 2013,  December the Twenty, When good friends, together, Were laughing a plenty, Roll call was such: Lizzy, Amber, Melissa, Lisa, Jess Plus one more hostess we'll dub the "hot mess", We drank a little too much, we did our clothing exchange, and then what happened, was something quite strange, In a moment of drunken wisdom, we decided it best, to take out the camera, and put timer to test, Here's what ensued, (judgmental, don't be) This is just how, We likes to partee.

Dear John, The morning light hasn't quite crept in yet, but I already know I cannot go through this day without you.  And yesterday, when I least expected to want you... I did. I was suffering from the dull, sharp malaise of another debilitating headache... where these headaches came from, I do not know.  And as I watched my trusty Ariel take on the task of decorating our Christmas tree while I rowed with the other work slaves of the world, you crossed my mind and I knew I just had to have you.... right then.. right there... You were the remedy I sought. How do you do this to me, John?  Year after year... I always come back to you.... always. It's true. No matter how many other amazing songs come into my life, I cannot shake the love I have for John Cougar Mellencamp's  Hurts So Good . It just makes me a better person. When my day is low, when my face is throbbing from a work-induced headache, or when I just need a pick-me up... a trusted 'd...

I went to last night's class, so kleverly titled "Killer Kardio" at the gym because I didn't have the oomph to get to Bootcamp, held outdoors, in the blistering cold. And I enjoy the indoor kardio class every once in a while. The trouble I have is that, try as I may, I cannot help but let the rhythm consume my being when I'm in that large room with all the spotless mirrors and the booming beats that echo from the sound system. And somehow the One Direction/Ludacris mashup brought out all my best steps, despite how off-putting and non-inspiring as that sounds (trust me: I know). I cannot help it. And once the stream moved to David Guetta: Forget it... I owned that stage classroom. And in the mirror I couldn't help but feel guilty that I managed to master the steps set forth by the instructor, with gusto, while the others fell a step behind despite their perfect attendance schedule. Not that I'm bragging. Because seriously wh...

Saturday morning.... Taking breaks from cleaning and purging my home.  This was a good break. Saturday night... Russo's Dirty Thirty Sunday afternoon... Running inspiration from "Dirty Diana" Sunday Night... Pearl Jam Monday... Recuperating and working... Highlight: Pearl Jam playing "Future Days" and Lloyd saying it could almost make him cry. Pearl Jam: Future Days

Loved these ones... From the grateful... ...to the inspirational... ...and motivational.. ...the wise... ... To the truth, yo'

It was on Friday night. We laughed a lot, perhaps made delirious by the sweet smell of men that were familiar-yet-elusive and desirable. It could have been the wine,  it could have been the great company of old friends and conversations and shared opinions with other women. I disagreed with Ariel more than once, though... "Too sweet" or.... "smells like a jelly bean...." The ones I couldn't put down were the ones that smelled like a man's deodorant, hidden among 75+ samples that scattered in baskets around the coffee table. There we sat around a table full of scents as we sampled the fragrances from a friend's Scentsy collection, eager to fill out our order forms for the smells that would soon promise to envelop our homes. I opted for the "Iced Pine" option, which always reminds me of the home I have not yet lived in and lingered around the fragrances that smelled of citrus and orange peels.  The idea of the smell of "Orange...

Text-Talk Work-Stuff Music Stuff Family Lovin' and one photo bomber Celebrations with naked babies Running fatigue P.S. I love you.

There are those things that I just can't get enough of lately- these are 5. 1.  Chobani yogurt. Seriously: I purchase so many the cashier at Super Target probably thinks I have IBS.  I swear I don't: I just totally can't get enough (especially that chocolate mint one and the classic strawberry).  Yogasm. 2. The new Lorde album.  Ariel: big smooch your way for introducing me to them, you hip, hip, hip girl.  I am slightly troubled by the band's name, but they keep bringing out the bangerz so I can't complain. 3. Running in my new Skora kicks. My feet have never felt so amazing- my runs so effortless.  5 miles logged today all while pushing the most problematic umbrella stroller and 25 pound sleeping beauty (my jogger broke-damnit!) Please add a new pair of Skora Cores to my Christmas list.  Oh, and I am eyeing the Brooks Ghost 5 (or 6) Running Shoes. Size 7.5 please, please, please. I'll be your best friend.  If it turns out I can run...

I spend too much time thinking. Lloyd says I create my own anxiety, to which I respond with some anxiety. I spend too much time multi-tasking.  When I have only one thing to do, I am lost.  And then I decide to write.  So if you are seeing an inordinate amount of posts from me, give me something to do.  (Cleaning your floors not included in this trial offer). I spend my jogging sessions thinking about work.   And also trying to block out thoughts about work because I know that somewhere, some fitness guru is advising people to utilize their exercising as a way to block out stuff like work but I just can't seem to manage.   I spend my mornings cuddled up in bed with my daughter. She is extremely silly in the mornings and her smile is infectious enough to almost make me forget I need coffee. Almost. I spend my weekend mornings cocooning.  You are not familiar with cocooning.  This is my way of saying that I stare at a wall and t...