I do.

Needed a little boost, cuz I do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADeU6qz37B4

Why, oh why.

Did I look at my email? See the work-related message? Get a design directive I completely don't agree with?

Look at my brother's blog? See a chair with four bullet holes in it? That I didn't need to see...

Am I dragging my feet right now? Not getting dressed and ready to go?

Well, I guess when you're going to a funeral service you'll find any excuse...

Whu...what?!

"Mom, I still think I want to be a veterinarian, but I think maybe I'll be a veterinarian, waitress in a restaurant or...president."

Did anybody write down what I said when I was seven??

So....seriously.

Looks like there's a new leader in the over-used word category. So, according to a New York Times article yesterday, we are all saying "so" so much. It's our new sentence starter, sentence "enhancer" if you will. It's how we start sentences to show of course we know what you mean and we're actually listening (and not checking other emails, playing games on our iPhone and watching TV at the same time) so we'll just recap and move forward. And, um, well, it does sound a little smarter than those other two in this sentence.

So, do you do it?

Somewhere over....there.

This is what feels nice...out in the front yard gazing at the double (you can't quite see the bigger, more faint one in the pic) rainbow with the kids..."I see all of Roy G. Biv!!"...beautiful.

Quandaries, quizzes, and things no one else can quite understand.

Quandary. My brother had one on Friday. LIkely he's still in "a state of perplexity or uncertainty over what to do in a difficult situation."

So, I was quizzed. W-W-you-D? My answer was along the lines of supporting the personal-life decision. The client was not really being reasonable. They had addressed the client's concerns, and everything would be just fine if this deadline that was getting in the way of a valuable life session of fun was moved. Until later. So my brother could go join everyone (else) (I'm not going there then) (wait, that's not fair) in Seattle.

But here I am. On a Saturday night. Doing something not many others can quite understand. I'm working. Because I want to. On a project. Because I'm loving it and I feel strongly that it needs to be the very best it can possibly be. Where did he and I get this drive? This push-it-at-all-costs passion?

I don't know, but now I think I'm in a quandary. It seems kind of hypocritical to advise him to not make a sacrifice, adjust his personal life, so he can continue to pursue his passion.

Capisci?

Rain or shine.

I think I mentioned once how much R reminds me of my brother. Always wants to wear pants. Always pretty sure he's always...uh, right.

And now the walking. Always walking. Rain. Shine. Walking. "I don't want to ride in a car. That's wasteful and damaging to the planet."

Of course, he's right.

Seriously.

You know how the word of the last half of last year was "Absolutely." Well, seriously, now, it's "seriously." And G has picked it up. Seriously. "Seriously" out of the mouth of a 7-year-old just makes me laugh. Seriously.

Which reminds me...the best times of my life have been when I have taken life NOT so seriously. Join in. It's fun. Seriously.

Well, it's that time of year again.

Time flies. When your heart is working...

Tomorrow marks the fourth anniversary of my brother's heart surgery. The siblings gathered last weekend in Chicago to share a little time, food and drink with each other to celebrate. Well, maybe a lot of food. And a fair amount of drink. (Although why was I the only one having a liquid lunch on Saturday??) (It was already 2.30 in the afternoon??!!)

So, here's to you Dave. Happy heart-versary.

Checking in.

With a little inspiration from my little (!) brother, I seem to always try these various tracking sites: daytum is really pretty neat and you should check out the 2009 Feltron Annual Report if you like lists and nitty-gritty info. It's all fascinating. And beautiful. So the latest test was foursquare. I thought I might get hooked a little deeper after being named Mayor of the Kirkwood Y after only checking in there twice. But my whole day went by today and I couldn't even fathom dealing with checking in places. Let's face it, it all goes back to my earlier thoughts on how much time should we spend on documenting the minutiae when there are so many big things to do. But here I am, checking in (and home and your office don't count):

Kirkwood Y, Acme Printing, Saint Louis Bread Company in Old Webster, McCarties' house, Bristol Elementary, mailbox on the corner, Saint Louis Bread Company in Brentwood, FedEx Office in Brentwood, Whole Foods, credit union drive-thru, McCarties' house.

But it makes me laugh.

Is this appropriate to have around in a child-filled house?

My measuring cup was half full.

Or, what a difference a cup makes. Or why multi-tasking really isn't all it's cracked up to be. Speaking of cracked up, I did get both eggs in the batter. Along with the sugars and vanilla. Then a break to pick up G at her friend's house. Then home and a phone call. Get the latte order figured out (2%, no whip). Then back to baking. Oh, wait, move the mixing bowl b/c now G is home and C was doing all the baking and the bowl is in G's way to eat the Moonpie she got at school today (no, really, she did).

So we're putting in the dry ingredients and then hand mixing in the chips and everyone wants a spoonful (3 of mine + 1 friend). Fast forward 9 minutes -- they're flat! As pancakes! Hmmm. I don't know says MM. But they sure do smell good!

Okay, now it's just back to me and C. Did we put in two big cups and one small cup? No, mom, it was one big cup and one small cup. Oops. Well, we can take care of that.

It really was a lovely afternoon....at least that's how I'm choosing to look at it.

Quote of the day.

Actually from last week....but when discussing the health care reform bill that passed, and showing video of people who were against it saying, "I can't ask my constituents to pay for something they believe is morally wrong." Oh, but except it's legal. Which leads to The Daily Show: "It's not like I can walk into the zoo with its $20 admission fee and say, here, here's $18.50, I don't like zebras."

What I learned today from my 6-year-old.

That those four little boys in that book aren't really jumping over that tree. It's probably that the tree is really far away. (Wow, I think, someone had to explain perspective to me in maybe, junior high??) This made me very proud.

That it's still cool for a six-year-old boy to hold his mom's hand all the way to school. This made me very happy.

That there is a cuss word that's the f-word. Eff. You. See. Kay. That's right. He spelled it right out. So unfortunately I learned that there aren't many grown-up secrets in this world that six-year-olds don't know already. The innocence of children is lost. This deeply saddened me.

Doesn't anyone else think this is not okay?

Surely you've heard about the pilots who blew right past the airport they were supposed to land at. Surely you've heard, "No, we weren't sleeping." Perhaps you've seen this cool map (thanks Dave) with the loop-de-loop flight path. But, really, come on, why isn't anyone talking about the fact that air traffic controllers lost contact with this plane at THE BORDER OF NEW MEXICO and nothing was done about it until they passed by the Minneapolis airport and ended up in WISCONSIN? Seriously?? There is no other way to perhaps reach the flight crew in the passenger section? And with the history we live with that people still TALK about all the time, why wasn't there ACTION way before then? They have no response after repeatedly attempting to reach these pilots with their subsequently unbelievable story but don't take any other action until they end up over WISCONSIN?? Well that sure doesn't make me feel good.

+2 = -2

This unfortunately seems to be the new math. One weeknight school district meeting + one weeknight elementary school meeting = one completely spaced-on girl scout event + one completely blown-off chess club. Hmmm. Feel free to nominate me for a mother-of-the-year award at any time...

Ha.

Where would we be without laughter. Tonight, comedian on Dave: "People with kids can be so annoying. They say, 'You don't know what it's like to bring a life into the world!' 'Yeah, right. But you don't know what it's like to take two naps in one day.'"

My brother's roller shade snapped up.

Or, rather, really, he got, close to, what he deserved. I feel like we got some personal health care reform. I'd like to talk to the person that made the right decision today. But, really and truly, actually, the insurance company should not pay for the technical problem of a medical device company. But neither should my brother. I just am so happy and relieved. But I'm still very disturbed by this whole process that makes no sense to any level of common sense of how the world should function. Seriously. It is really messed up.

But we'll go ahead and take this round.

Life's work.

The other day I was reminded to watch how I answer questions posed by the IRS. Apparently, question number one is "Do you enjoy your job?" Whatever you do, don't say "yes." Only IRS accountants would consider enjoying your profession to be a declaration that it's really just a hobby.

So, I won't say it out loud, but I am up to 2am formatting a book -- multi-leveled text, tables, diagrams -- ah...order, organization, information, details, the beauty of a display font.

Well, my other "employers" are going to be awake in a few hours. Just don't make me answer question number one about that job....

You don't have to say it twice.

Once will work. Like, "x with vanilla bean custard and orange chocolate sauce." Or maybe custard with a raspberry sauce. Or maybe with ice cream and chocolate, but that's not really my favorite. Now, when my brother saw Food&Wine say this, well, he truly didn't have to say it twice to me. Let's just say it out loud...."Hazelnut profiteroles with blue cheese and grapes." There will be a lot to be thankful for.