I feel real bad about another re-post. I don’t know why I keep doing it. NO! I know why! Because: Tired.   Despite resistance from my non-linear brain, I like to be organized. I despise clutter and for mental sanity, need everything in its place. However, nothing has a place in my home, because I [...]

Originally posted March 4, 2010, but I’ve had a number of very recent conversations with women that make my soul feel I should post this again.   Since I’ve been thinking lately about boundaries, I thought I’d explore the serious side. As a woman who never learned to set personal boundaries, I’ve paid a price. [...]

Me, texting another mom: Playdate today?   Mom: I’m sorry. Who is this?   Me: Toots’ mom. You want to get together later?   Mom: Toots who?   Me: Ha ha! If you want just you and me can have a playdate. After 5.   Mom: I’m not sure who this is.   Me: San [...]

I decided “TidDates” was better than “UpBits.”   Of course I did. Because why say Updates when you can say something weirder?   So here are the weekend things:   You know when you are somewhere bored out of your mind and trying not to tap your foot too obviously or stare into space too [...]

I thought of this again yesterday after one of “those” conversations with my seven-year-old daughter, Toots…   First she asks how Johnny Appleseed died, then Christopher Columbus. Eager to encourage her learning, even if it is morbid, we look up the details. Appleseed gave in to pneumonia at age 72; Columbus suffered a heart attack [...]

Sip by Lydia Ondrusek   When the rain doesn’t fall, it’s only all right for a little while. The planted stuff bargains with the ground.   Drawings made with brown crayons on crumpled grocery sacks. A constant phantom smell of burning.   When the rain doesn’t fall, and doesn’t fall, you begin to wonder if [...]

Do you remember the bathing suit project? I was off to a running start. Working out several times a week, eating pretty good, cleansing my liver, and then… yesterday happened.   Yesterday, which began innocuously enough, culminated in a marathon of 15 mini cupcakes, 10 Oreos, an In n’ Out Burger, three orders of fries, [...]

It was 1994. My flying phobia filled every part of me, but it was Christmas and I wanted to go home for the holidays. A few weeks before I decided to fly to San Francisco from Chicago, a plane corkscrewed into a midwestern farm field with hundreds of people aboard and I couldn’t sleep for [...]

I recently was contacted to do some blogging* for Dannon, and help moderate a healthy living board here. Since I’ve re-committed to health and a bathing suit, I thought this gig would be an excellent fit. Mainly because it’s everything I believe in: getting healthy in mind, body, soul (even if I’m not so good [...]

Hello! It’s summer vacation over here. Playdates and pools and no time oh my! So what I’m trying to say is this week’s prompt will be pretty much here it is, goodbye. Because kids running ramshod all over my house.   Meanwhile… Today’s writing prompt is:   I can’t believe the time I…   First [...]

It’s been two weeks since I publicly declared I planned to get into shape and eat better. So I figure it’s about time to post a follow-up and a new picture.   But first, here’s what’s been happening: I’ve been going to the gym three-to-four times a week, and spending 20 minutes on the treadmill [...]

The below is in response to the Indie Ink Writing Challenge. This week, I was challenged by T with the prompt, “sticks and stones.” For the same, I challenged Bewildered Bug, with the prompt, “road trip.”     It’s a rod, I suppose. Purposeful, erect, unbending, secured in flesh, knotted in spine. It knows what [...]

“I hate to tell you this,” he said with the hint of a grin, “but…”   But what?   Please post your submission in the comments OR post in your blog and leave a link to your blog in the comments.   First time to PROMPTuesday? Read a bit about it here. Want to see [...]

We grew close in college, sharing a certain goofiness not easily found in others. Attending school in the Midwest — Milwaukee no less — meant beer, beer, beer. (What can I say? Our dorm was within spitting distance of the Pabst Mansion.) And so much beer, beer, beer, engendered in us a kleptomaniac, chimichanga-eating, Def [...]

Authenticity means the world to me. I try hard to be real. I don’t always succeed, to be sure, but I certainly set “being real” as a goal.   I think this is why it’s so hard for me to see certain online behaviors that are anything but transparent and authentic.   I know that [...]

Today a post I wrote about my move to the suburbs is up at The Smartly SoCal. It’s been awhile since we made the transition, and we now love it here. Goodbye street cred!  

Thinking about pilates? Here’s a good deal for those in the North County: Half-off 10 pilates lessons at a Carlsbad studio.

Yesterday’s post raised some interesting body image questions for me. I thought I’d come pretty far from the below (re-posted from March 2008 for your reference and laughs), but maybe I haven’t? What I know is that I feel unhealthy and I want THAT to change, whatever my body looks like in the end.   [...]

I’ve been very unhealthy the last two years. Not taking my vitamins, drinking all the time, eating a proliferation of cheeses. I kind of buried my head in the sand with it all because that’s easy to do when you’re busy and working all the time. I have to admit that I’ve completely ignored the [...]