Do Whatcha Wanna...

This is the title of the last episode of Season 2 of 'Treme'.  If you haven't seen the HBO series...and if you love Blues music, drama and don't mind hearing the 'F' word a lot- watch it!  The series begins in New Orleans just 3 months after Hurricane Katrina.  The people in the stories whose lives intersect are just trying to get their lives back together.  It's awesome and it left me searching my library catalog for other material written about the culture of New Orleans and the impact of Katrina on the people there.

'Do Whatcha Wanna'....

This is a hard concept for me and many people like me.
We understand the concept of getting a good education, striving to get a 'good' job, amassing wealth for long-range security (imaginary?) and juggling that with giving the best to your family and enough to your community.
Whew...what's left to 'Do Whatcha Wanna'?

For many of us, having a couple hours a week to pursue our passions is all there is.  If you are like me, carving out even a couple hours a week to 'create' feels like a luxury.  Sometimes there is a guilty feeling attached to taking time for myself to create something that will have no tangible value.

I envy those people who seem to know at an early age what they want to do - what they need to do - and are willing to sacrifice most other things in order to pursue that need.

I'm on the downhill slide towards 50.  It's taken me longer to realize that my life won't fully be lived unless I make time to 'create'.   Still now, it's hard to justify spending an afternoon painting or felting or writing when there is a to do list waiting and people or animals needing something from me.

Thinking about that earlier in the year, I connected with some like-minded artistic women to form a little art group.  We met once and shared some ideas and inspiration.  Great supportive women all of them.  We even made a silly name for the group.  The decision was made that we could arrange the time around my schedule of work and family life - since the rest are empty-nesters who are retired from their paying jobs.

Guess what?  I haven't arranged the second meeting.  No excuses.

What do YOU do to make sure you make time to 'Do Whatcha Wanna'?

Blogger Fun!

It's been a long February, it seems.  I took my last post seriously and have been laying pretty low, accomplishing very little, trying to find my mojo as the days get longer and there is a hint that spring may be coming around the corner.

I've been tagged to join in on a little blog fun by Farmer over at Hidden Meadow Farm.

Here are the rules...
1. Post these rules.
2. Answer the 11 questions from the person who tagged you.
3. Create 11 new questions for the people you tag.
4. Tag 11 people and link them to your post.
5. Let them know that you tagged them.

Here's my answers to Farmer's questions.
.

1. are you living your dream? if not what is your dream?

No, I am definitely not living my dream because I woke up this morning and the household help has still not washed the dishes from last night's supper.
My dream is to live creatively, in everything I do.
I'm finding the little things like laundry, school meetings, dust buffaloes and needing paid wages gets in the way.

2.what are you passionate about?

I'm passionate that all children deserve a permanent family that makes them feel loved and a community that values each equitably.

3.do you come from a big family?
5 siblings and somewhere around 32 first cousins.  Normal in the 60s and 70s...pretty big by today's standards.

4.what is your favorite food?
Cheese and anything made with cheese. In my world, chocolate is a sort of cheese.

5.If you could have dinner with anyone who would it be?

George Clooney....but no one has to talk....or eat.....

6.describe yourself in seven words

angry, rubber boot wearing mama who spins

7.why do you blog?

The same reason people (mostly rural women, I suspect) had penpals prior to internet.  I like the connection to others with similar interests.  Also, I'm a frustrated writer.

8.where is your favorite place to be?

Sitting on a rock looking over the lake, surrounded by sun and pine trees.

9.what is the bravest thing you ever had to do in your life?

admitted to myself that I made a serious mistake

10.favorite time of day?

morning

11.favorite animal?
dog (this from a currently dog-less woman)

My 11 interesting people.

1.  Lise at http://woolyknitsnbits.blogspot.com/

2.  Donna at http://ourforesthaven.blogspot.com/

3.  Leigh at http://my5acredream.blogspot.com/

4.  The RedNeck Mommy at http://www.theredneckmommy.com/

5.  gafarmwoman at http://georgiafarmwoman.blogspot.com/

6.  Carol at http://divineknits-infiknit.blogspot.com/

7.  Prudence Puddleduck at http://puddleduckgrange.blogspot.com/ 

8.  Kate at http://livingthefrugallife.blogspot.com/

9.  Heather at http://azureislandsdesigns.blogspot.com/

10.  Kristin at http://getting-stitched-on-the-farm.blogspot.com/

11.  Shari at In The Pines

Here's the questions for those 11 people to answer on their blog...

1.       What was the best gift you’ve ever received?

2.       Who do you want to be like when you grow up?

3.       What is your favourite mode of transportation?

4.       How many animals do you share your life with currently?

5.       If you were given an extra hour today when the rest of the world stopped, what would you do in that hour?

6.       Tell me something that someone said to you lately that made you feel good.

      7.       Does your living space reflect who you are?

8.       When was the last time you laughed until your belly hurt?

       9.       When was the last time you changed your hairstyle?

       10.    Tell us about your favourite teacher in school.

        11.   How do you take your coffee?

Today, I Don't Feel Like Doing Anything

Do you know The Lazy Song by Bruno Mars?  It's a catchy tune.  If you don't know it, Google it.

The first time I heard it, my...ahem...middle-aged (yes, it's true, I can hardly admit it!) mind lamented about that aimless young person who thought it was okay to lay in bed all day and do nothing.

I heard it again on another day...while driving from one appointment to the next and trying to remember to pick up cat food and call the insurance company and hoping that I got to work on time while trying to decide which major project I should be devoting my time to and and reminding myself that it had been ages since I had paid a visit to my elders and pannicking that I had left my agenda at home...I turned up the radio trying to drown out the thudding boom, boom, boom of my blood pressure. 

I thought - HEY...this kid might have something here.

Imagine a day when you could just shut everything and everybody out and do nothing....

Would the world collapse?

In the end, would it matter?

I have been a person with To-Do lists.  Yes, plural.

There's the annual goals and aims list. (Yes, I do this...on paper....and post it where I can check in.  It does sound rather......yes, it does.  In my defense, it actually helps me prioritize, make decisions and cut the unnecessary crap from my life.)

I always have a big paper notebook that is my life on paper...if I lose it, I may cease to exist.

Then there is the monthly To-Do list in four sections Art, Yarn Business, Farm, Home/Family.

So, at the start of each week, I make a week list, hopefully that along with the usual chores, work, and obligations can attack some of the monthly To-Dos.  I try to schedule some of the Art to-dos on there.

And yes, daily there is a list...this includes tasks towards to monthly goals but also the stuff of mothers and small business owners (pick up toilet paper, update Etsy listing).


My name is Norma and I have an illness.

Actually, I am in recovery.  I have the big goal list.  I made a January To-Do list, but I haven't looked at it mostly.  I haven't made a 'real' week list or a today list for a couple months now.
I began to realize that I tend to put too much on my list to accomplish, and it left me breathless.

The other day, someone posted this on Facebook. (There was no credit given, so thanks to somebody out there in cyberland.)

I'm guessing it was an ad in the window of a yoga studio.

I think it is BRILLIANT.

It's at the top of my list every day.
Which means that I will always accomplish something and if I don't accomplish this...then nothing else matters.


And...TODAY, I'M NOT DOING ANYTHING!!!

(okay...I did help with the barn chores, and I may read, knit or watch reruns of ER...perhaps a load of laundry or two...)

Miracles Happen: An Update

I was thinking of someone the other day, when I was reminded of the theme of my post from last Christmas, called Miracles Happen.
So I reread it.

Here's an update...

The young man in the hospital beat incredible odds and a dismal prognosis.  He came home.

The soldier whose last tour in Afghanistan ended just before last Christmas is expecting my friend's first grandchild!

My friend who spent last Christmas worried about her diagnosis was told that the cancer treatments worked.

And the weight that was on my shoulders is lightened by others.  There are angels among us.

Sometimes, miracles happen.

I still Believe.