A Love Affair With A Tape Gun

August 30, 2012 by 4 Comments

I chose you for your padded handle, your cheery red colour and your heavy duty label. I was excited to get you home and start working together.

I wanted us to be ready. Ready for whatever making boxes together would take us.

We started slow, just a few boxes every week. Tidying up old toys and knick knacks that I’ve never liked. We had fun in those first weeks.

Soon we got busier. It made me confident that we were a team. But your teeth cut me. You made me bleed. I put you on a shelf while I healed.

My cut healed quickly but my broken spirit took longer. By the time I needed you again you were lost to the mess of the basement.

I found you and we got back to work.

And work we did. We were full speed ahead in operation move to a new house. We made and sealed boxes together in sync. You were like a 5th limb. I could sense where you were in the house when you were not in my hand. We added a rainbow of sharpie markers to our team.

Oh, those were happy days.

When moving crunch time hit we lost our rhythm. Suddenly you couldn’t keep up, you lagged behind. You let tape get stuck in your feeder and double over on itself. I lost precious time untangling and re-feeding tape. Then your teeth, your aggressive side, gave up all together.

It’s like you gave up before the job was finished. Are you a quitter pretty red tape gun?

There’s only 1 day left. Can we meet in the middle today? I promise to take it slow if you promise to do your best. Then you’ll get a long rest, maybe even on your own shelf instead of jumbled together with the other tapes.

And anyway I’ve got my eye on someone new now.

He looks pretty sharp.

 

Filed Under: Moving to a new house

What Blogging Means To Me

August 14, 2012 by 15 Comments

I’ve been distracted.

There was the buying of a house, which was way more emotional than I expected. Then there was the cleaning and staging of my house, which was exactly as dull as I expected. Then I went to BlogHer, which was not as fun as I expected. Then there was the offer on our house, which was harder than I expected.

It turns out that selling your house feels a little like throwing out a member of your family. There might be something in there about expectations too, but that’s another post.

And through all this I had Olympics to watch.

Like I said, distracted. When your emotions are on a rollercoaster and you have to shine your bathroom fixtures every 3 hours, you need to empty your plate a little to keep your sanity. What I mean is I had to take a blogging vacation because I couldn’t fit everything in.

Blogging takes time and it takes work, it’s like exercise that way. It’s easy to take a break, not so easy to get started once you’ve let it slide for a little too long.

I like blogging. I like it because it reminds me of who I am and who I want to be. I like sharing my stories. I like the reminder to be open and vulnerable. That reminder stays with me long after I’ve left the screen.

When I stop blogging, even just for a week, I forget about sharing my story and I forget about being vulnerable. Very quickly I become somebody I don’t want to be. Someone who withdraws inside of myself.

For me blogging isn’t about who is listening. I love comments and retweets as much as anyone but that’s not what is most important to me. For me blogging is a reminder to share who I am, all the time.

So I am going to carry on blogging. Through the packing and the move and the unpacking because to give it up and take a break means I am taking a break from who I want to become.

No new house is worth that.

 

Filed Under: launching into greatness, Life as I know it Tagged With: , , ,

What I Learned At BlogHer ’12 Or I’m Not As Young As I Once Was

August 7, 2012 by 19 Comments

I am home in one piece from a 5 day trip to New York City for BlogHer ’12. Barely. In no particular order here’s some tidbits I learned -

Some cab drivers are fascinated by a conference for bloggers and will ask for your business card so they can email you for help setting up their own blogs. And for help debugging their computers.

Those same cab drivers, once they understand what a blog is, will start giving you post ideas about a troupe of singing and dancing Russian grandmothers.

If you don’t have a somewhat nutritious balanced gluten free meal, and you have my money for that meal, it’s going to take me a long time to forgive you.

Blogger rock. Each and every one of them.

Sock failure will lead to blisters. Choose function over fashion for marching around cities in the sweating hot.

The validity of your message decreases the more you start selling. Share yourself and your experience and I will listen, pour on propaganda and I will start playing cards on my phone.

I like Martha Stewart, more than I thought I would. See above.

Kristin, the podcast – coming soon.

Kristin, the app – not coming ever.

So many ideas, so very tired.

Wifi is not to be counted on, buy roaming otherwise the only way people can find you is by yelling your name in the crowd.

Always pee before getting on a plane, you will be grateful when your plane sits on the runway for 4 hours.

Always bring water and snacks on a plane otherwise you will be dying of thirst and hunger during that 4 hour delay. Bring earphones too.

I love the friends that live in my computer. I miss them. Next year friends, next year.

The excitement I felt about New York City in my younger years is gone. Thanks for everything NYC, but I’m done with you now.

Nothing welcomes you home like a nice young family offering to buy your house.

 

If click over to Julie at Dutch Being Me or Alex at Late Enough, you might spy me, perhaps making nerdy faces. Now if you will excuse me I have to scrounge around town for boxes and start filling them.

 

 

Filed Under: I have awesome peeps, Life as I know it

Clean Like Muggles

July 26, 2012 by 13 Comments

Our house is officially on the market. It is both a blessing and a curse that people are calling and wanting to walk through my house.

In readiness for all these visits we spent the weekend cleaning and packing. Then packing and cleaning. For your viewing pleasure I videoed it. You are very welcome.

 

Once we finished all the packing we had to shove it all into the crawl space. I videoed that too. I’m generous like that.

 

 

 

If you can identify where I took the title from I will give you a hug. And you have to be more specific than Harry Potter.

Filed Under: Cleaning my act up, Moving to a new house Tagged With: , , ,

How To Have Fun At A Blog Conference

July 24, 2012 by 13 Comments

BlogHer ’12 is coming up and the internet is flooded with opinions on how best to enjoy your time at blog conferences. A lot of these opinions are in the you should category, telling us what is the right and the wrong way to have fun at a conference.

  • How to dress, how not to dress.
  • Go to private parties, don’t go to private parties.
  • Hug, no hugging
  • Buy new shoes, wear flip flops
  • For the love of all that is holy DO NOT get excited about swag, hooray for swag

BlogHer ’12 will be my 4th blog conference so I am just going to go ahead and declare myself an expert. Also I have opinions and I like to share them, so much that I have a whole category called “I have an opinion”.

Here’s my vote on how to enjoy a blog conference -

Do whatever makes you happy.

  • Skip the sessions and party all night – go for it.
  • Want to bring 2 extra suitcases for swag – great, I’ll give you mine too.
  • Totally excited to buy a new BlogHer wardrobe – Yay!

Only you are the boss of you and who cares what everyone else says about what you should be doing.

Maybe you want to sit quietly in your room and enjoy the Olympics without anyone interrupting you for snacks every 30 seconds. This is a very tempting option.

As for me?

I’ll be packing a small carry on sized suitcase and bringing home very little extra stuff. I’ve RSVP’ed to the Hasbro party and will make room for some toy swag should it be provided. If not I will make my way to FAO Schwarz for gifts for my littles.

I’ll be at all the sessions and as many parties as I can manage before my eyes close.

I’ll be packing the clothes I already own and a sweater. (The AC is freezing, pack a sweater!) I’ll be wearing 2 pairs of comfortable shoes, mostly of the sandal variety. I will perhaps paint my toes, if I can find where I packed my nail polish.

Mostly I’m just going to go where the wind takes me. Chat with the people around me. And cheer on Team Canada at the Olympics

Come talk to me at BlogHer '12.

 

Filed Under: I Have an Opinion

Consumed (And Obsessed)

July 18, 2012 by 22 Comments

I am lost to MLS. To the insatiable need to find the house. The house that is mostly perfect for us. It’s taking over my life.

To be fair it is really hot out and it’s doubtful that I would be doing much cooking or cleaning anyways. Chips for everyone! And coffee, lots of coffee.

School starts in September and if we are going to move this year I want to be in and settled before school gets going. Or close to it. We’re on a new house deadline. I can’t say that this deadline is making me fun to live with.

I’m learning that house shopping is 5% determination, 25% imagination and 70% dumb luck. Come on dumb luck!

Part of the problem is I am shopping for a house that has it all. And I do mean all!

  • Acres, with a pool.
  • Private and away from the hustle and bustle but still close to school and town.
  • More space but self-cleaning space.
  • And for the love of all that is Holy, please a kitchen at the back of the house. Preferably overlooking the pool.
  • A rec room for toys and playing.
  • A craft room for me.

All that with an ensuite and a mudroom. Wrapped with a bow if you please. Oh ya, and an office for Ken to work in. I guess we need that too.

If you are singing “You can’t always get what you want” to me, you wouldn’t be the only one and I won’t be insulted. It’s the theme song at my house.

 

UPDATED: It’s very possible that our house searching is coming to an end. The stars have aligned and we’ve found a house. A house with a pool and a creek. The pool hasn’t been functional for 3 years and it’s very possible that it is in danger of falling down into the creek. But those kind of engineering details will not sway me.

It has nearly everything we need and want, and the whole thing needs gutting and renovating. I”m overjoyed! And hysterical with excitement. Or it could be the excess coffee.

We are getting an offer ready this morning. Stand by friends, stand by. Send pixie dust or whatever you’ve got.

TO COME: A blog post, or maybe vlog, series called “OMG, my house is a freakin’ mess and it has to go on the market for sale tomorrow!” Followed by a few posts about “My house is beautiful and in a great school district, would you like to buy it?”

 

Filed Under: Moving to a new house Tagged With: ,

Deep Fried Potato Rock Bottom, Again

July 9, 2012 by 14 Comments

Remember this -

Well, I’m there again. Only this time it’s potato chips and french fries.

Also maybe refined sugar, including HFCS, food colouring, hot dogs. And the most difficult to admit – coffee.

I’ve overdosed on my beloved iced coffee. Heartbreaking isn’t it?

The craziest part is that I hated coffee until I was 37, which FYI was 2 years ago. Now I can not survive without it.

I’ve always loved potato chips. But the thought of eating them today turns my stomach. It’s the second week of Canadian summer and I’ve overdone it on all my favourites.

I’m seriously considering a sugar free deep dry free diet. I think.

 

Filed Under: Life as I know it Tagged With:

Everything I Learned About Life I Learned From Bloggers

June 27, 2012 by 8 Comments

Bloggers are a good bunch of folks. Wise and funny, insightful and savvy. If there’s something you need in life there’s a blogger who can inspire and teach you.

Like say, learn to knit socks. Yes I am totally plugging myself and I am ok with that.

Here’s a few bloggers that I’ve learned some especially helpful bits from.

  1. Taming Insanity – Life isn’t meant to be sane and best learn to tame the insanity before it takes you over. Also Kristin has a great name.
  2. My Points of View – By seeing life through Sara’s point of view I remember to be a conscious parent, with purpose. And I remember to laugh at myself when I totally botch that up.
  3. Funny or Snot – Poppy’s tagline is “seeing the funny under the snot”, a requirement for all parents. Poppy makes me run too, which I hate and love at the same time.
  4. Be Nice or Leave – An excellent motto that we can all learn from. Mara is a fellow book lover and has introduced me to some great reads.
  5. Blogging with Amy – Amy is a wealth of knowledge about blogging. Whenever I have a technical glitch Amy has the answer, sometimes even before I ask it.
Which blogs to you learn from?

 

 

Filed Under: I have awesome peeps

Remembering Why I Run

June 25, 2012 by 5 Comments

Remember when I was a healthy blogger and leading the healthy parade?

When I retired Peace, Love and Muesli I might of also retired many of my strict healthy eating guidelines. I might of also started eating potato chips with abandon and given up all forms of exercise.

I have a really good excuse.

I was emotionally bereft. I couldn’t possibly exercise my body while all my energy was being used in mending my broken spirit. Right?

But then my pants stopped doing up. I can’t admit that I enjoyed that. So I started running, again.

And it hit me. I wasn’t running because I was a healthy blogger, I was running because it makes me feel good. And capable and smart and fit. Running is also excellent for healing a broken spirit.

I believe those are called AHA moments. Especially gratifying when they come with the added benefit of doing up your pants.

Last year at BlogHer in San Diego I signed up for and ran the 5K, both mornings. This year my BlogHer conference goal to stay up past 8pm and maybe even do a little dancing. I decided there would not be enough room for running shoes in my carry on suitcase. Dancing shoes only.

Then I remembered the high fives from the hardore runners while I completed my first 5K run and the friends I met during the run. It’s not dancing but it’s a pretty fun time.

Move over dancing shoes and make room for my sneaks.

Just to be sure I wouldn’t change my mind I joined Run. Blog. Give. with Jamie from Chosen Chaos, she’s encouraging us to collectively run the distance from San Diego to New York City. And to donate money per mile or kilometer to a charity of your choice. There’s no losing!

If you are coming to BlogHer join me and log your kilometers with Jamie.

Now if only someone could do something about this heat wave.

P.S. I just finished reading Ashley Judd’s memoir and she had great things to say about Women for Women International, a charity supporting women survivors of war. I’ll be donating my money there.

 

 

Filed Under: I like action

The State Of My Hair

June 20, 2012 by 14 Comments

I’m not sure how you’ve all survived this far in life without this full feature documentary about my hair.

Filed Under: Cleaning my act up
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