What I hope 2013 brings

After spending much of 2012 sick (sorter that I am, I calculated that I spent more than 10% of the year well under the weather – that’s pretty significant), I’m hoping that 2013 is healthier. I tried getting things off to a good start by taking a walk with Sam yesterday morning. While it wasn’t a long walk, I decided to focus on not letting perfection be the enemy of done and to just go ahead and walk to the library and back, even if it was the closest library. (Or, rather the second closest library, since I’m lucky enough to have a Little Free Library in my front yard.)

I then spent the afternoon, sadly, convalescing. On the bright side, I ended the day with cabbage and black-eyed peas for good luck, in the form of pea fritters, sauteed cabbage, and jiaozi (Chinese dumplings). Also on the bright side, this morning: 6 am at the gym! (Complete with copious amounts of snot. More than you needed to know.)

For several reasons, including the ever-present but non-specific sickness mentioned above, I hope to reduce my stress, or at least better cope with it, this year. Just one resolution. Ha.

The sub-resolutions, or the action plan, include:

• More regular exercise
• Healthier food
• Earlier bedtime on a regular basis
• Prayer
• Writing
• Less procrastination

We’ll see how it goes.

Soccer mom

This soccer season has been one of firsts. MrMan had not only a longer weekly game, but also a weekly practice and a weekly clinic. That’s soccer three days a week, for those following along at home. At this level, we’re not really supposed to keep score. But we do. And the games are definitely more competitive and more fun than at the lower level.
Today, we had an end of the season tournament. Seventeen teams facing off in pairs, working to the final faceoff. MrMan’s team started off at 9 this morning. Won. Brief break. Won again. Longer break. By the end of game three, the parents sort of sighed about the win, as it meant continued time on the field. But then the kids moved into game four, and within ten minutes, you could feel that the energy had changed, at least for the parents – we’d made it this far, we wanted to win. Such excitement when we (or really our kids) won! One last game:the final. They played hard but…. Oh, such a sad group of kids we had when the other team won.
It’s hard to figure out the right comfort to provide. Rationally, we can tell our kids that we’re proud of how hard they played and that we’re proud of their teamwork. We can tell them how impressive it is that, with all of these teams, they made it to the final game. But,emotionally, it’s hard to come so close and not come out the winners. Even though they’re winners, there’s that one team that won one more time than they did. And that hurts.

A way to use MrMan’s Halloween candy?

I really love Thanksgiving and the opportunity it provides to spend time with family. In an effort to build more fun into this week’s festivities, I proposed a turkey pinata. Despite what my brother thinks, it is not a pinata filled with turkey (or giblets), but one in the shape of a turkey. You probably figured that out on your own. I finally started constructing it today and am pleased with how it’s shaping up. If all goes well (and maybe even if it doesn’t), expect a tutorial.

Too much of a good thing

I like velcro well enough. It can be pretty convenient. It’s inspired some memorable lines and situations in movies (Girls Just Want to Have Fun, Garden State). But I often wish it weren’t so ubiquitous,especially in the winter. The number of sweaters, hats, and tights that have been marred by velcro snags make me pout.

More than I want to Swype

I have got to find a routine for writing here. I have things I want to say, about water, dystopian YA, innovation, and my quirks. But I don’t really want to do so on my phone, while about to go to sleep. Like I said, I need a routine.

Floor!

One of the nice things about this house is all the storage space downstairs. One of the challenging things about this house is all the storage space downstairs. Since moving in at the beginning of May, we haven’t really felt compelled to fully unpack, since we’re not tripping over boxes, and have a functioning kitchen and clothes to wear.
At the end of August, though, that changed a little. In anticipation of Hurricane Isaac, we moved some more of our water-sensitive things, like files and other papers, upstairs. No particular place, however. One thing I’ve learned about myself this year is that I’m good at functioning in space that isn’t really settled. This could be a strong point, in that it means I’m flexible about my surroundings. But it really doesn’t compel me to unpack and organize. Today, two and a half months after Isaac, I finally started working toward seeing more of the floor in our office. Satisfying!I hope the satisfaction of seeing floor instead of boxes keeps me going.

Stinking fresh air

Tired. Probably because of all the the time spent outside today. An area of the west bank important to my parents in their pre-me life. Late soccer game.

Title is reference to The Parent Trap. Though I didn’t want to get out of the air.