4, 3, 2 Down to One

Happily down to one, I find myself on my way to my next adventure in four days. This time, I'm looking forward to getting on a plane and let it take me to three mindless days two states away. This is a weekend to reconnect, even though it begins on a Monday.

My single self has single behavior. I cooked my dinner and then ate it out of the pan. I have never done this in my life, but couldn't fathom dirtying a dish. And it made me laugh.

Spent a great portion of the day writing and it was an alphabet aphrodisiac.

The gauntlet is to be published, and a personal goal. But I have extreme writer's disquitetude about my words. Don't want them read, but realize I have to expose myself.

Getting in the flow is getting easier with the book in the oven and my classes and the peer groups are offering confidance. Vickie and I have a challenge as to who will be published first. I am stubbornly determined.

My day concluded with Cowboy wisdom, poetic words, pink skys and a big moon.

And last word, you can talk brilliantly about a problem, but once you invoke action, expect a masterpiece born from the wisdom thereof.

Nothing for granted

This probably borders on child abuse, but she had a soft place to fall.

I abused my employees a bit today in demanding they complete 200 externals in 1 shift. They are complete. It took 14 hours and my brain now echos with the grumbling and complaints that were free flowing around about 2 PM. I have no sympathy, as none of them started with me at 5 AM. That was a task!! This proved to myself these difficult deadlines are obtainable, as they were all along. Honest labor bears deep satisfaction at the days end.

Miss Emma came to work today!! And we have the complaints from Drazena to prove it!

She was a bright spot in every one's day! She had a word or two of wisdom for everyone and when no one was listening, she simply danced. She has an entire choreographed routine that made us stop and laugh. She has an enchanting way of engaging people. If you sit back and watch her, she eminates pure joy. I sat back a lot today, and watched. Most people have an almost infinite capacity for taking things for granted. Emma teaches me another way. Live intensely in the present moment. We have nothing else.

Under Construction

I hate weekends and this one is particularly hard. I won't let this be a source of discouragement, but rather, fresh stimulus. So I am easing my way along this treacherous path which I now find myself. Some days its great big planes and open sky. And other times, the scary road and snow. It's snowing like crazy tonight and that road is scaring the hell out of me. But a wise man recently told me, while on that road, just put on blinders and keep going.

Michel and I had an amazing day. It started with my bad mood towards his laziness. I couldn't help but make my feelings known while he stared at a mindless TV while I scrambled to get him ready for this trip. I finally threw up my hands and shared a few words with him. I can't say he sprung in to action, but he got it. We stood at the kitchen counter, the spot in the corner where all messages are left for one another. Together we formulated a game plan to get him on his way and then we got on our way to get it all done. Starting at the bank we changed dollars into Euros and got over the shock of the bad change it was, $1,000 US = $731 Euros. Stopped at the optometrist to order contacts for 3 months and then let our stomachs do the talking. We went to Cheesecake Factory before the anticipated shopping trip......

And as we sat there at that table in the round room in the back looking across from each other, he just started talking. And there was no stopping the flood of words. It was the most honest communication we have ever shared. We talked. He told me of his teachers and how he feels about higher education. He talked about his friends and the mistakes they have made and the things they do. He went in to his imagination of what he would do after high school and pondered the changes that were coming. He talked about France and surmised that he would lose much weight there, because he was apprehensive of the food he might encounter. We talked about girls and girlfriends. He told me lengthy stories and bad jokes. We ate. We shared calamari and fries.

The entire afternoon flowed in to a sweet memory that I will always have. I forced him to shop for clothes and he pretended to hate it. The result was exceptional!! He is ready to go, as far as garments. The top of the day, was the haircut. This is a sore subject, as he wants it to grow with wild abandon and never comb or care for it. The result makes him look like "cousin it". So I took him to Teresa. His experience in her shop was great. When I enter Teresa's shop, there is just an air of everybody talks to everybody and we mingle and laugh. She is such a pure soul. We entered, she hugged me, she assessed Michel's hair and sat him right down. And the entire shop, employees and clientele, became involved in his story of "going to France". It was a half hour of shop talk. He was comfortable and she did a great job!! He feels good about himself and I am thoroughly satisfied about the day.

I called Phil to tell him about the successful day, because it was a milestone for Michel and I wanted to share his son's enthusiasm. He was less than interested and I was sorry I called. How a parent leaves a child for their own selfish reasons, I will never grasp. Michel has been given a big life to overcome, as both of his parents have now done this to him. As with Vickie, I had to spend time with the man to get to the child on the other side that needed me. I was supposed to be here for Michel. Here I am.

There are times in every ones life when something constructive is born of adversity..... when things seem so bad you've got to grab your fate by the shoulders and shake it!

Good Gourd

The essence of life in my plants is the first thing I see each day. My groggy self wanders around my yards first thing every morning. I bid everything good morning, and they bid me right back. Complete satisfaction is watching something or someone grow. I ask each morning as I wander around my living environment, what's in store for me now. The answer seems to be; dare to ask, be willing to listen, and prepare to act.

I am humbled by my blessings, even though I scramble still to hold myself together. These emotions that insist upon pouring out are the stuff of great books or at least a blog entry or two.

Michel leaves for Europe in 9 days. He's the last person left that will leave me. It's unsettling, yes. I have no one else to take care of. I'm sure it's now meant to be that I take care of myself. I am really ready for this new era. Poingnant promise of something new.

I have such good friends to lean on while I make this journey. Whatever our struggles, our doubts, and our fears, we are never alone.

Thank You D.

Conclusions

Paperwork today put and end to what I thought was the rest of my life. But a signature and a check concludes that. I am in awe of the destiny that life has for me. It's apparently more than I saw coming myself. And so, I am just going to be grateful for heartache's inspiration and the constant flow of writing that now occupies my nights as a result. My life is so much bigger than before. I have been wrenched in to getting to know me. And we are getting to be good friends.

The lesson served up is, it's my own fault I choose to live for everyone else and put myself in the backseat.

So on the return trip now, the message is to slow down. Life has big things to offer if you ask. Though you don't always like the answer, its simple truth. Acceptance is my path.

Stepping in to Tomorrow

An afternoon with Wayne Dyer has provided me with a complete shift in perception.

His energy is contagious and I walked away from this with a renewed energy of my own. The message he delivered, though profound and extremely quotable, left me with the realization to just not take life so seriously. Life's moments are always going to exist. It's how we react to them that makes us the kind of person we are going to be. Acceptance was the key that he gave me. Trying to understand, plot and plan my life, grappling with constant details, making rules and regulations, putting everything in to order is like, grasping a handful of water. It's a fruitless quest. Just be one with life. It's already decided.

So I decide to live in the flow. Let it happen. I can't stop a thing. I am an observer, a humble witness and grateful participant.

Singing at the top of my lungs

Living alone is kind of liberating. There are simply no obligations. Kitchen is a mess? Who cares. Laundry is piling up, so be it. And though I have not cooked in months now, I find myself preparing food with a different mindset. It's not because I feel like I should, but it's because I want to. I am no longer trying to prove myself. I am getting to know me. I am trying to impress myself, and I think I am falling for me.

Emma was here today. To put in to words the feeling that I have for that child is simply impossible. She is more enlightened than us all. She prefaces everything that she says with; "Grandma" Grandma you OK?, Grandma where's Mike? Grandma I love you.

We started the day dancing in the great room. She learned to twirl in country style and I learned to live in the moment. We went to the lake to feed ducks but it was so hot we quickly concluded that... and chatted all of the way home about the sun.

We tended her garden and she watered the bamboo. Once again, everything makes sense.

Stuck in a Moment

At 3 AM there is lazy apathy for any enthusiasm. Had an amazing weekend and I would love to be lost in those two days forever. My return home brought back the ugly flood of emotion, anger and pain. But given the hour and lack of sleep, it's only for a moment.

My reality is the return of spirit and faith. I simply feel happy. Now I have another problem,

happiness is now not good enough for me. I demand euphoria!

Taking the Leap

I've never traveled. I've never ventured out and I have certainly never done it on my own. Times are a changing. I leave Friday morning for a souful destination and head toward liberty. This part of this is for sure a lesson in my growth. Life is change, growth is optional. I intend to choose wisely.
Happy Birthday Emma. I love you

Talking in the Dark

There's something to be said for the night. This is where inspiration lives. There is just a deeper quiet available to the soul. It's not a new thing. For centuries folks have told stories around campfires where minds and words flow free.

My campfire story tonight is one of calm discontent. I still can't help but feel a little bit lost but I am no longer grasping for emotional air. Before long instead of a few good days, I will be counting a few good weeks and finally letting it dissolve in to the learning experience it simply was, however bittersweet. My center of emotional gravity is shifting and I will be better than before.

Looking forward to the upcoming jaunt up north. It's an "out of my comfort zone" sort of weekend and now just 3 days away. It's nice to have anticipation for something again. My mind is making lists of list of things I need to do to prepare. If only my mind would shut up once in awhile a let me free fall. This excursion is pretty close to wild abandon. It's the perfect anecdote to recent pain.

Sweet D, thanks for pushing me over the edge.

I am ashamed of my recent mental self indulgence.

I surrender to the flow of divinity

Marathon Moments

We walked.

The spirit of an event like this becomes a lasting memory. It was upbeat and inspiring. It was an emotional walk around the streets of downtown Phoenix.

There are so few moments that have so much meaning.

Write on

Simply getting serious about getting on, I am once again a college student. The only difference this time is that I actually have enough wisdom born from hard living. You can't learn this stuff in any school!

I just need structure, feedback and the discipline to write.

Current assignment, an inspirational piece. Thank God! Fiction and I are not friends. I can write about stuff of life, because I have lived so much of it.

My nights are now spent devouring the Thesaurus and meeting new words that will eventually be woven into the yarn of my life. It's my goal to articulate my soul and hopefully, inspire another.

To make it all really real, I have a shiny new notebook computer that is barely 8 hours old. I feel so technologically advanced to have dumped the PC (on which I am currently writing, because old habits and all). Now my words and I can go wherever we need to and I am no longer tied to desk and chair, but can rely on a mountaintop and my lap. Freedom continues to make it's presence know in my life.

I intend to become polished with some professor's guidance and one day, be quotable, but for now I do borrow a bit from the masters. I prefer to think of it as word education. As Ralph Waldo Emerson so graciously states; Genius borrows nobly.

In the arena of my evolution, I have put so much distance between then and now, I feel hope again. I am walking the walk with the pride of a victor! My friends keep telling me they are proud of me. It's only when I can be proud of myself that the healing begins. I have embraced this concept and will - soon. I just have to experience this process. I suppose we can never really be prepared for that which is suddenly new, but we should prepare for times of drastic change. This is life, handing you an accolade for your growth and spurring you on to the next greatest thing.

Just another Tuesday

When the unbearable nature of our existence becomes raw enough we are finally able to see the humor in it, and laugh at how seriously we take ourselves. I think I am feeling the bubble burst now and can look forward. I have been looking back for so long that I couldn't see where I was going.

A quest for hiking boots today turned in to the most frustrating and then humiliating experience. Needless to say, I have yet to find the elusive little things. I guess I will turn to the internet and hope I have enough time for delivery before my grand hike into freedom.

I did no work today except for feeble attempts at breather bars. I have to harness a bit more discipline tomorrow. Of course, once I made up my mind to be miserable for a while, nothing else mattered. And then Emma called to babble endlessly about lady bugs and parties and all things of an enlightened two year old. It was an afternoon blessing. I needed that reminder, that there is always a bit of holy inside the most ordinary of days.

Field of Mud

Spent the better part of tonight musing about changes. I sought out distractions as the best coping mechanism for today. An impromptu dinner invitation and a walk around the mall were welcome relief from the usual rambling around this big house that holds no destination for me anymore. I find myself having a hard time sprucing up my daily rituals.

Now that the moment is three months old, I feel hard-pressed to put any of my life, these days, into words. Which is something I see as simultaneously great and disturbing. I used to adore rantings of hope and progress and daily moments that were delightful. But am now left to abhore the inspiration born from human discontent of which I was the victim. I can’t let my grief crowd out any of the laughter that is yet to be shared.

There is much more to relay, so to make it easier on the old brain, I will categorize.

1. The garden is absolutely ravishing as of late. It's with soulful melancholy that I know I am bidding it farewell as we spend our last season together. The grapevines are just magnificent, as if to be the ones to vie for my attention over everyone else. They are proud to be so bold in only their second season here. They appear to be outshining the morning glory corner, which is a secret garden in itself. This little spot is always my favorite, even though it takes up most of my attention, these glorious beings challenge me as they require daily discipline or will otherwise run wild with sweet abandon. We have a lot in common. I hope someone will love this little spot of earth that I once claimed as my own.

2. Travel destinations, hotel bookings, airline tickets and all things foreign to me are my new reality. I have a new mindset for visiting planet earth starting with Sedona, Az in just 11 short days. This trip marks my 48th birthday and the beginning of my life. Followed by a less than inspirational jaunt to backwoods Kentucky where I will reconnect with my true soul mate as we are once again together for a few days, to sit on her porch and philosophize the days away. And then, like a movie plot that I never saw myself in, I will rent a car and travel the short 6 hour distance to my 30th high school reunion in South Whitley, Indiana. This is the stuff of life and, after all, I am still alive.

3. The sadder notes that currently ring are the details of divorce and division of heart and hard assets. I took the big leap into the attorney arena today and can't yet convey the emotions that are witness to this, but I operate on instinct now and I knew that sooner or later, we just had to give up the ghost and get dirty. I hope that grace guides my footsteps on this journey.

Retrospective and Reality

I have to publically acknowledge the amazing people that now wander through my life. Vickie, you are my other half. Damn you for that. If only you were tall, dark and handsome, oh yeah, and a MAN!

But, in lieu of that, I have this.

The current characters in my play are: Myself - leading lady. Vickie, best supporting role. Michel, greatest male actor. Dan, something surreal and inspirational.

Teresa, Maureen, Lou, Katie and Nancy- lifeline friends.

Corey - amusing distraction.

Debbie, a renewed friendship and next travel destination.

My splintered family

and pereferial characters: Roxanne, Marlene & Frank, Lori

and even Damon gets a nod as he was something in this.

Thanks people! Each and every one of you just saved my life.

Unraveling my latest mistake

I simply can't find the rewind button and therefore have no option but to watch what is currently playing.

Days are becoming whole again, about half way through. The beginning seems insurmountable and then the noon welcomes promise and night seems to embrace me, as I have lived the challenge of another day. Funny thing "time. It's a powerful healer and I welcome every minute. Would be nice if I could buy a little, just to be further down the path, but I can't seem to find the right currency.

Like a poorly knitted sweater, I am slowely unraveling the yarn of the last decade and rolling it back in to a fresh ball of promise to be re-knitted in to something new. I have imagination for my new project, it's not quite formulated yet, but my mind is finally working on it.

My blessings are immense

That face brings nothing but happiness to my soul. Emma has inspired me to always plaster a happy grin on my face. No matter what. She radiates pure joy. So shall I.

Happy Birthday to us. We are getting ready to celebrate our birthday again. She will be two, going on 22 and I will be 48, going on 22. Let youth wash over me.

5K Walk for Peace

Being that all things are new in my life, I am doing all new things. My current project is the upcoming 5K walk to end Domestic violence, sponsored by Arizona Foundation for Women. I intend to raise $500 for this cause as I prepare to walk for Vanessa.

On April 28th, I will participate in my first marathon ever, on her behalf and on behalf of all women that find themselves in similar situations.

Vanessa is the daughter of a friend that was murdered in her bed at the age of 19 when an enraged boyfriend took her life. Teresa, her mother, decided to use this tragic instance in her life to serve others. And she is inspiring to me. I met her at the height of her grief and marveled at her strength while she walked through it. Her faith never waivered.

And so now, 2 years later, as Teresa marches for this cause with the conviction of an angel, I am honored to walk beside her. We are grateful for your support.

If you can join us as we celebrate the night, you can sign up here:
Voices 4 Vanessa for 2007 Walk to End Domestic Violence.
http://www.active.com/register/index.cfm?event_id=1386246&subevent_id=770495&team_id=323078

Our Organization: http://azfoundationforwomen.org/dv-walk/afw.html

Contributions:
http://www.active.com/donate/enddomesticviolence/azwalkTOrtiz

Meanderings nothing more

I sit down to empty my thoughts onto this black and white forum each evening. Tonight is just a quiet room with the fan swirling overhead. The sliding glass door is open and the night smells good. The pool is gurgling because the pump is on and there are sounds of the night beckoning for me to listen. It is a perfect playground for a distracted mind; I skip from one thought to the next and before long I am not interested in writing anything. It seems I am still nurturing the pain that was born out of the events of this last year.