The past couple of months I've been a little off...down...whatever one wants to call it, but just not alive. Sure, I woke up every morning and checked my breath on the mirror to make sure I was still breathing (and yes, there was fog), but inside things just were me. Then I woke up Friday and some of the excitement had returned. Saturday, I woke up ALIVE! My body zinged with anticipation of what lay ahead that day. Along with that excitement for life, my joy in writing has returned.
I remember why I plop in front of the computer and spend hours with my fingers on the keyboard. And I also remember the joy of just 'being' with family and friends. Not sure if this returned sense of life is because of my effort to be more positive, but I'm attributing that as part of it and will continue on that quest. I love not just being alive, but truly LIVE.
Have a great week all. I'm buried in babysitting and a deadline. Next week, more Babe-a-licous tips.
Lizzie
Monday, March 29, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
Off to see the wizard
A trip to Oz would be good! Maybe I too, like the Cowardly Lion, would develop the courage needed to achieve some of the things I need to do. There are days when a lot of us may face this issue, but my stretch seems never ending lately. Or maybe I'm the Scarecrow who needs a brain. A brain would help with decisions, right? Instead, I sit on the fence, afraid to fall when what I really need to do is jump in with both feet and accomplish.
How about you? Do you ever have these periods in your life? If so, how do you move forward?
Lizzie
How about you? Do you ever have these periods in your life? If so, how do you move forward?
Lizzie
Monday, March 15, 2010
What is Youth Now?
Marilyn Suzanne Miller describes youth in her book How to be a Middle-Aged Babe like this:
“Youth is now a teeny, tiny, hard-to-locate segment of time between “Baby” and “Other”.
She even has a diagram to explain the trend.
Later she goes on to say,
“Youth, then, once ballyhooed as the epicenter of fun, hot dogs, hot sex and marvelous dope-smoking good times, is now defined as follows: that period before death, characterized by smooth skin and ill-formed ideas. And indeed, as anyone can see by talking to a typical, deeply annoyed thirteen-year old, from twenty-one on, we’re all middle-aged.”
Marilyn may have something on the thirteen-year old thought, but maybe she’s only been exposed to those teens who have not been brainwashed properly. Take for example, my situation. My almost twelve-year old granddaughter comments anytime the middle or older age subject comes up, “Nana, how often do I have to tell you, you’re never going to be old?”
Well duh…every day works for me. I spent a lot of years programming that idea into her head and now intend to reap the full benefits. Of course, she’s not thirteen yet, so check back with me in another year. We’ll see if the brainwashing was complete.
Until next week….
Lizzie
“Youth is now a teeny, tiny, hard-to-locate segment of time between “Baby” and “Other”.
She even has a diagram to explain the trend.
Later she goes on to say,
“Youth, then, once ballyhooed as the epicenter of fun, hot dogs, hot sex and marvelous dope-smoking good times, is now defined as follows: that period before death, characterized by smooth skin and ill-formed ideas. And indeed, as anyone can see by talking to a typical, deeply annoyed thirteen-year old, from twenty-one on, we’re all middle-aged.”
Marilyn may have something on the thirteen-year old thought, but maybe she’s only been exposed to those teens who have not been brainwashed properly. Take for example, my situation. My almost twelve-year old granddaughter comments anytime the middle or older age subject comes up, “Nana, how often do I have to tell you, you’re never going to be old?”
Well duh…every day works for me. I spent a lot of years programming that idea into her head and now intend to reap the full benefits. Of course, she’s not thirteen yet, so check back with me in another year. We’ll see if the brainwashing was complete.
Until next week….
Lizzie
Monday, March 8, 2010
Babe-a-licious
I’m currently smiling my way through a book by Marilyn Suzanne Miller on How to Be a Middle-Aged Babe. I thought over the next few weeks I’d share some of highlights of this book here and hopefully bring a smile to your day. Or who knows, maybe well all learn how to become Babes!
Marilyn starts off in the Introduction by asking What is a Babe and then sharing her insight on the who and what. Bottom line, “a Babe is everything. She is happier, prettier, nicer, smarter and better than all other people.”
She goes on to show pictures of various women and asks which are Babes? Her answer may surprise you, but then we get into middle age and what it is. Middle-aged is what your parents were, or older, unpleasant people that you come across. “The only time you use middle-aged is to make a tragic point about themselves.” I loved the, “I have zits and wrinkles, I guess I’m etc.” and other points she used to demonstrate how we get into the rut of thinking about ourselves.
Also, her thoughts, “on Middle Age, God has a little “makeover,” like in the fashion magazines, for women who allow things to just “go along” and make no effort to become “Middle-Aged Babes.”’ The pictures she shows to demonstrate this had me laughing and my husband wanting to know “what’s so funny.”
So, you’ll have to excuse me since it’s time for me to go wage my war against becoming one of her pictures and God's little makeover. I’ll share more with you next week and after we get through this book, we’ll all view middle age as something to aspire toward.
Lizzie
Marilyn starts off in the Introduction by asking What is a Babe and then sharing her insight on the who and what. Bottom line, “a Babe is everything. She is happier, prettier, nicer, smarter and better than all other people.”
She goes on to show pictures of various women and asks which are Babes? Her answer may surprise you, but then we get into middle age and what it is. Middle-aged is what your parents were, or older, unpleasant people that you come across. “The only time you use middle-aged is to make a tragic point about themselves.” I loved the, “I have zits and wrinkles, I guess I’m etc.” and other points she used to demonstrate how we get into the rut of thinking about ourselves.
Also, her thoughts, “on Middle Age, God has a little “makeover,” like in the fashion magazines, for women who allow things to just “go along” and make no effort to become “Middle-Aged Babes.”’ The pictures she shows to demonstrate this had me laughing and my husband wanting to know “what’s so funny.”
So, you’ll have to excuse me since it’s time for me to go wage my war against becoming one of her pictures and God's little makeover. I’ll share more with you next week and after we get through this book, we’ll all view middle age as something to aspire toward.
Lizzie
Monday, March 1, 2010
My Body Exhausted, My Heart Delighted
Returning from “the trip” with a cold and a battle against a sinus infection (I won!), let’s just say I wasn’t the Good Humor Kid. Add to that, a long stint of babysitting that I hoped to survive without getting sicker and being a total grouch, a long week loomed ahead of me.
I’m not sure if it was a “time heals all” or the fact that my days were filled with the delight of a 21 month old, but I did mend. Sure, I feel into bed each night exhausted after a day full of “Hand. Show me.” Which translates into “let me lead you to where I want you to play with me,” I still felt better.
When her older sisters hit the door after school, then it was snack time, homework overseeing and preparing dinner…all in between trips of “show me” and I delighted in the smile it brought to the little face staring at me with the huge grey/blue eyes. It was even difficult to be angry at 2 a.m. when she woke up and decided to talk me/her back to sleep.
So, yes I’m happy to be back home in my world of make believe, but seeing the world through the eyes of a toddler and a couple of pre-teens not only brought joy to my heart, but also material for the YA novel I started recently…evil Nana.
My hat is off to mothers, like my daughter, who juggle it all and keep MOST of the balls in the air. How quickly we forget when the children move on.
And yes, I slept for twelve hours my first night home!
Here's hoping your world is filled with delight of some kind.
Lizzie
I’m not sure if it was a “time heals all” or the fact that my days were filled with the delight of a 21 month old, but I did mend. Sure, I feel into bed each night exhausted after a day full of “Hand. Show me.” Which translates into “let me lead you to where I want you to play with me,” I still felt better.
When her older sisters hit the door after school, then it was snack time, homework overseeing and preparing dinner…all in between trips of “show me” and I delighted in the smile it brought to the little face staring at me with the huge grey/blue eyes. It was even difficult to be angry at 2 a.m. when she woke up and decided to talk me/her back to sleep.
So, yes I’m happy to be back home in my world of make believe, but seeing the world through the eyes of a toddler and a couple of pre-teens not only brought joy to my heart, but also material for the YA novel I started recently…evil Nana.
My hat is off to mothers, like my daughter, who juggle it all and keep MOST of the balls in the air. How quickly we forget when the children move on.
And yes, I slept for twelve hours my first night home!
Here's hoping your world is filled with delight of some kind.
Lizzie
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