My New Favorite Toys.

When you can sell these and make a living, you must live in the best country in the world.

Spirits in Camphooperville.

Despite total exhaustion, oppressive heat and mosquitos, and a vacation TOO far away in the future, the ladies of Camphooperville are hanging in there with not too much to report, other than a possible spirit infestation in the homestead.

Here is recap of our other-worldly run-ins of the past 5 days:
1. Montana wakes up at 3am to hear her iTunes blaring Elliot Smith from the room where Oliver and Sprout sleep. The keyboard is stowed beneath the desk and there is no reason iTunes should spontaneously be playing at any time....

2. Red and Fox, who sleep in their comfy box, bust out and come wake us up at around 5:30am. The box is latched and there is no way they could unfasten it, without assistance.

3. I make coffee on Saturday night so that on Sunday morning, all I have to do is hit "on"....I wake up and do so, only to return to see the water streaming all over the counter. I am CERTAIN that the basket was in place when I hit "on." Certain.

All I can figure is that whatever is going on....whatever spirit, energy, what-have-you is going on in our home, it must like dogs, coffee and music. Go figure.

the Girl effect.

beautiful, simple execution...great message. design at its finest.

Go Cynthia, Go!

My boss' wife, who owns Pink Magazine, recently edited *ahem* "Men at Work" signs around town. It has resulted in this article in the AJC as well as over 40 pages of "colorful" responses. Too many of these are hate-filled verbal vomit....I think we should all respond in support of someone who is bold enough to go after seeing a problem and demanding a solution.
this, from another enlightened Georgian:

and yet....more dead things.

This evening, while cooking dinner, Red, the trusty dead-thing-retriever brought a dead bird inside....and, of course, laid it on my side of the bed.

Nancy Grace isn't the only Nancy I love.

Brought to you by NPR, one of my favorite childhood book series....Nancy Drew....
"I loved Nancy Drew because of her curiosity, a fascination with assembling clues — or facts — into a story and her certain recklessness. For me those qualities add up what it takes to be ... a reporter." ....or a designer :)

Kill update.

This is what I woke-up to this morning from my beautiful beagle, Red.

A dead rat....................on. my. bed.

catching up....sort of.

Whoa, were those two of the lamest. posts. ever? Yeah, well that is what you get when you are balls-to-the-wall busy. Sadly, I must report that my weekend included neither margaritas nor a pool. On the upside, I did see the new Sex in the City movie...and it was fab. Made me want to run off and live in NYC...that is, until my beagle kindly brought a dead bunny into the house...onto the couch...and I realized this could never happen in the middle of Manhattan. Aah, domestic bliss.

my new favorite youtube.

weekend bliss.

This is what I want for the weekend.

a few things about me.

50 odd things about me:

1. Do you like blue cheese? Yes

2. Have you ever smoked heroin? uh, no....

3. Do you own a gun? not yet.

4. Your favorite song? currently, I am into bluegrass and Lucinda Williams.

5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? only when I've had unprotected sex

6. What do you think of hot dogs? they are only good with beer at a festival

7. Favorite Christmas song? Oh Holy Night

8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? coffee with real half and half (color just slightly darker than brown paper bag)

9. Can you do 10 push ups? YES!

10. Favorite thing about the 80's? that it's over.

11. What's your favorite jewelry? my watch and rings...

12. Favorite hobby? cooking

13. Secret weapon to get the opposite sex? hmmm.....in my case, being a lesbian.

14. Do you have A.D.D? not right now.

15. What is one trait you hate about yourself? I can be controllling and demanding.

16. Middle name? Caldwell

17. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment? I want a nap. I hope Oliver (my cat) is okay. It is FRIDAY.

18. Name 3 things you bought yesterday? Taco seasoning, chips, refried beans.

19. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink? red wine, water, coffee.

20. Current worry right now? A broken washing machine and a sick cat.

21. Current hate right now? gas prices and mosquitos

22. Favorite place to be? home and at the beach

23. How did you bring in the New Year? champagne, food and friends.

24 Where would you like to go? Spain....or the beach.

25. Name three people who will complete this: people who feel like wasting a good chunk of time.

26. Do you own slippers? Yes

27. What shirt are you wearing? white v-neck t-shirt

29. Can you whistle? Yes

30. Favorite color? orange

31. Would you be a pirate? no, they are mean and have beards

32. What songs do you sing in the shower? whatever I wake up with in my head

33. Favorite girl's name? I don't know

34. Favorite boy's name? Cooper. Harry.

35. What's in your pocket right now? nothing

36. Last thing that made you laugh? my co-workers

37. Best bed sheets as a child? plain ol' white ones....they smell like my mom's linen closet.

38. Worst injury you've ever had? I fell into a rusty pipe on the playground in 7th grade a busted a hole in my shin.

39. Do you love where you live? Completely

40. How many TVs do you have in your house? 1

41. Who is your loudest friend? Amy

42. Do you have a dog? 3: Red, Fox, and Pfeiifer

43. Does someone have a crush on you? my beagle....but it's mutual.

44. Favorite cartoons? watched Spongebob the other day...pretty funny.

45. Who is your favorite author? Don't have one specific

46. What is your favorite candy? reeses peanut butter cups

47. Your favorite Sports Team? LSU

48. What song do you want played at your funeral? Go forth into the world in peace....whatever, i'm cheesy today.

49. What were you doing 12 AM last night? looking for my cat in the yard.

50. What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? it's FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dreams.

WHY do I continue to have dreams of planes crashing? Last night, I dreamt plane after plane after plane after plane crashed to the ground...some just couldn't make it into the sky, some got about half-way through ascent and crashed, but I just stood there watching.

This is what DreamMoods.com says:
To dream that a plane crashes, suggests that you have set overly high and unrealistic goals for yourself. Your goals may be too high and are impossible to realize. You are in danger of having it come crashing down. Alternatively, your lack of confidence, self-defeating attitude and self-doubt toward the goals you have set for yourself is represented by the crashing airplane; you do not believe in your ability to attain those goals. Loss of power and uncertainty in achieving your goals are also signified.

Well I say FUCK THAT.

Yup, it's Monday.

I know...I am the worst blogger ever. I have been utterly slammed at work and my Lady and I spent the entire weekend putting ourselves through the ultimate relationship challenge: assembling an oversized piece of IKEA furniture. We survived, but the endeavor left me tattered and bruised not to mention exhausted and longing for an extended beach vacation. I did, however, purchase some new NIKE running shoes in honor of my friend, Audrey, who is moving to Portland today to work for NIKE...plus, my knees are basically turning into two piles of sawdust, so it is time for some new kicks. Not that anyone really cares, but I need fodder for this entry.
Which brings me to today.
Monday.
The most important nugget of wisdom I can proffer to my kind readers is to ALWAYS make sure that, when ingesting vitamins, one must do so on a FULL stomach. Wow, who knew vitamins on a banana and OJ could create such disharmony in one's gut.
Cheers and Happy Monday!

Justice is Served.

Thank God.

public transit.

"Somebody git my hair so I can GO!"

Catching up....

Whew, has it been nearly 2 weeks since my last post? Crazy how life goes by so fast. I am sad to say that I have been mourning the passing of my hard drive....it crashed about 2 weeks ago and I have been struggling to catch up with and restore my digital life. It is crazy how much we rely on these little metal boxes. A gentle reminder to BACK your work up because when it is gone it is GONE. In the meantime, Montana's mom was in town for her birthday...much fun has been had and many brain cells killed over Grand Marnier and dice. (see below photograph).

I'm sure there is much more interesting news to report, but i am easing back into blogging....I wouldn't want to strain myself.

Please be patient.

Yes

This is "leveraged" blog content from 37 Days, but so beautiful and so perfect for. right. now.

Yes

It could happen any time, tornado,
earthquake, Armageddon. It could happen.
Or sunshine, love, salvation.

It could, you know. That's why we wake
and look out - no guarantees
in this life.

But some bonuses, like morning,
like right now, like noon,
like evening.

- William Stafford

New Painting.

Here is a new painting I am working on....it may be finished....I'm not sure. Hope you like!

incredible.

This is amazing! The human form is absolutely incredible and these brothers from Poland (I think?!) do things I did not think were humanly possible.

Lauren Greenfield

Wasting time on the internet, I came across this site today: Lauren Greenfield Photography.. A very happy find and VERY relevant to my previous post. Here is a little bit about Ms. Greenfield:

"Acclaimed photographer Lauren Greenfield is considered a preeminent chronicler of youth culture as a result of her groundbreaking projects Girl Culture and Fast Forward. Her photographs have been widely exhibited and are in many museum collections including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the San Francisco Museum of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the International Center of Photography. She was named by American Photo as one of the 25 most influential photographers working today."

what?

I am, by no means, a prude. I think human form is beautiful. I paint it, I photograph it, I don't have any freaky-weird hang-ups about nudity, but I have a serious problem with this company. (No offense, Lonny....my friend who works for Abercrombie and Fitch and has launched this new sub-brand). The first glimpse we get at this new arm of Abercrombie and Fitch is a "promotional" video on their website which, by the way, you have to submit your age in order to view. The video is a montage of naked, anorexic-looking young women and buffed, tan men swimming, dancing, flirting and hanging up laundry in the great outdoors. My problem with this is that the target audience for A&F consumers is usually 18 and under (partially because of the style and partially because no one with an actual ass or thighs could wear their clothes otherwise)...the women featured in this video could not be older than 18, IF they were even that "old." What I want to know is WHY do we need to use sex to sell to girls that are 14? I mean, seriously, that is so ridiculously unimaginative and lame. 14 year old girls have neither the ability nor the maturity to understand these messages or make informed choices regarding what this brand is telling them. Do I think they should be banned? Absolutely NOT, but I don't think A&F supports or endorses healthy, substantive role-models for young women and uses ideas and images that send inappropriate and confusing messages to young women (and men). I just wonder who makes decisions to put these images and messages out there and why. It is not smart, it is not anything new, and it feeds a social beast that eats away at the self-esteem of so many women. Where is ANY sense of responsibility?

Life Lessons.

I have learned something VERY important in the past 3 months. I will never be a "suit." I'm curious and interested in what happens in the "world of business" and I completely understand that it directly relates to what we do as designers and consultants, but my strengths are definitely in the realm of creativity, innovation, putting things together in new and different ways, aesthetics, and visual communication. That is where I find joy, meaning and purpose. I find myself, at times, feeling inadequate....like I don't know enough (not that one ever really does) or that my skills are less important than those of us more skilled in business. That is a tough one for me because I never want to be perceived as "not smart enough" and, honestly, I feel that more than not these days, but you can't be EVERYTHING in this world. Maybe some people can, but in that race to be first in everything, I will probably expire from exhaustion and frustration. I suppose as a curious person, I will go down the rabbit hole from time to time, get lost in worlds I know very little about and then start to question how I got there in the first place...perhaps that is where I am now and it is just a matter of finding my way back to MY home. Maybe it is really just as important to know who you are NOT as it is to know who you are. Alas, you will not find me at Talbots shopping for a new navy blue business suit anytime soon.

So true.

This is a hilarious parody of what would happen if Microsoft were to design the iPod packaing...further proof that the best design is reductive in nature and reason #3490 that Mac will always be the designer's tool of choice.

Bobos.

A book I recently read and love:

If you've ever wondered why our culture has become obsessed with stores like Starbucks, REI, Anthropologie, Whole Foods and Volvo...read this book. It is a non-judgemental, humorous, and insightful look into how we have become a culture of principled, borderline snotty, over-intellectualized (at times), capitolism-loving, bag-of-contradiction embodying consumers. A must read for ANYONE in creative, culture-defining vocations, a shocking reflection of self (for some), but absolutely critical in understanding the values and principles of a population who is driving much of our country's policies and cultural values.

Yeah, take a minute to soak that in.

BrightHouse Excellence.

Not to bombard my kind readers with assorted video footage, but this is a work-video I put together for my most dynamic boss, Joey, on his ideas around "soulful excellence," the complementary business practice to "operational excellence." Let me know what you think and don't be TOO jealous of my video editing skills!

Happy Monday :)

Joke Friday

I am going to attempt to start a Friday tradition. I'm going to call it "Joke Friday" and I will broadcast a video of myself telling a joke that I think is pretty funny. It may suck, but I am willing to take a creative risk. Let me know what you think!!

Chilling.

WATCH THIS STORY
What is so alarming about these photographs, is, exactly what the commentator says, that these were REAL people, with REAL lives, families, and pets...they were just like anyone else. But they were responsible for exterminating millions of people, simply because they were different. Group-think is such a scary phenomena...it happens today, all over the place, in the US, in our schools, in our communities...we should ALWAYS question EVERYTHING. Always dig deeper, always go to the source, make your own decisions, take the time to figure out the TRUTH. I think that is what is really missing in our current culture. We exist on headline news, commentary from blogs, powerpoint-condensed information but seldom do we take the time to really go to the source and decide for ourselves what to think. It takes time, it takes energy, it takes a willingness to be wrong, to look at things differently, but the truth is the most important thing we can seek. Perhaps if more people had looked deeper, questioned authority, questioned themselves, this horrible atrocity would have never happened.

Lucky.

These are the cookies I made yesterday for my co-worker, Ashley. She is awesome and it was her birthday on Sunday.... At BrightHouse we usually get cakes and champagne for people's birthdays but Ashley doesn't like cake so I made peanut butter-cookie sandwiches. Don't you wish you worked with me? I'll post the recipe because they are mmmm, mmmm, good.
Don't be TOO jealous.

a couple of observations....

1. Spring Forward Tonight. Yes folks, daylight savings time happens tonight and I could not be more pleased. I didn't realize how much I loathed the darkness and cold temperatures until I was forced to face them as a result of having a 9-5 job that prevents interaction with the sunlight during the week. Whoa, I could NEVER live in the north where it is, more often than not, cold and darkness prevails. Kudos to those of you who do.

2. Current Fashion. My lady and I went shopping yesterday and all I have to say is what the FUCK? I don't know if I am getting to that point in my life where I look at current trendy fashions and don't identify anymore....maybe this is a sign that I am getting older, not identifying with the "youth culture," but I need some things. I need some shirts, some skirts, some pants....and I refuse to wear skinny jeans (I mean, seriously, who can wear those things?), I don't want a lot of ruffles and I hate these poofy-sleeved shirts that are reminiscent of the 60's. I just want simple things. Simple lines, a nice color pallete, nothing too crazy, but things that look good on my body. Yesterday's outing was nothing short of humiliation....I did, however, get a new pair of glasses that I am pretty excited about. I'll debut them here soon....once I spend the one million dollars to have my super-sonic lenses created due to my near-blind vision.

3. Dogs. I think that dogs are the best thing on the planet. People who do not like dogs, I just don't trust. They are such perfect little souls that require so little of us but love, food and petting. Is anything in life really that simple? I think not....

Hillary.

This just in....compelling new photographic montage of democratic presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton from DanzFamily.com.

Whoa.

Liars and Brains and Dogs, oh my!

On my way to work today, I was listening to this program via my local NPR station and the topic was, "the brain of a liar." I was struck by how similar a liar's brain is to a creative's brain in it's ability to quickly parse and assimilate information. I've never been a good liar...I've tried but failed more often than not which is why I believe (for the most part) that, despite our biological tendencies, the one thing that does separate us from animals is our ability to choose...to make thoughtful, rational choices. This may not be as accurate when it comes to things such as mood but it certainly does when we talk about behavior. If not, then there is no difference between human beings and dogs....not that I'd mind being a dog...Lord knows, I love dogs....but what do you think?

Milton Glaser

So, for my "March Forth" I decided to start a series of "paintings/illustrations" of "famous" designers....or, better said, designers that I think are exciting, smart, inspirational and interesting. My first one is Milton Glaser....I've been reading Debbie Millman's book and decided that in a future life, I would like to come back as Milton Glaser's daughter/best friend/maid/whatever. What an amazing man.

New Favorite.

This is my new favorite blog.

March 4th. BrightHouse Style.

As you may know, we celebrate a special holiday, March 4th. We don't take the day off, we take it on and March 4th on our dreams. This year, together with Campus MovieFest and Phyzix Concepts and Choreography, we created a short film. We hope it inspires you to share it, to make your dream a reality, and even to post your own video response on youtube of what you did on March 4th. Enjoy the film and the holiday.

books.

I am notorious for reading about 10 books at a time. I am lucky to finish any of them within 6 months but so far this year I'm doing pretty well. I've read the first 3 books of "Tales of the City" which a co-worker told me I must read before I could consider myself TRULY gay. Who knew? Certainly not me...and how foolish could a homosexual feel being schooled by a heterosexual on how to be an authentic gay. Truth be told, I started reading them about 4 months ago...but they are a very fast read.

I just finished "Confederacy of Dunces." I would have to say it is probably the funniest book I have ever read. I LOVED it....completely loved it. Having lived in Baton Rouge and frequented New Orleans a lot during the years I was there, it made me think of a lot of really good memories and made me a little sad that the New Orleans I loved is not the same. I'm almost ready to read it again...except that it does make me laugh out loud which does not help lull to me into sleep at night.

For a good sleeper, try Molecules of Emotion...whoa, great topic but probably the most boring read I've ever encountered....I've been gnawing away on that book for over 2 years now and am STILL not finished.

So, what is anyone else reading that is interesting? Care to share?

BrightHouse!

This is a video from BrightHouse, where I work....you'll see a cameo of me riding a scooter in here.
Pretty cool.

Dreams.

This is a short film....my first film with a purpose...about Dreams...sort of a "work" project, sort of not.
I'd like to thank my wonderful girlfriend, Montana, our pets and the Beatles (for letting me use their song, "Flying" for this film.)
Enjoy!

LIFE.

There must be something in this theme of "timing" these days...repetition is usually an indication that life is handing us a lesson.

A quote by Carl Jung.
"There are as many nights as days, and the one is just as long as the other in the year's course. Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word 'happy' would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness."

ONCE

Anyone who knows me knows that I am, probably, the most movie-illiterate individual on the planet. Blame it on my undiagnosed ADD, but my ability sit and stay long enough to watch a movie has created a real information/culture deficit in the stockpile of otherwise worthless information that taken over the majority of my grey matter. That said, through the amazing convenience of NETFLIX, I have started to watch many more movies. True, I mostly watch documentaries....most recently, Ayn Rand:A Sense of LIfe (I give it 4 stars...watched it twice), C.S. Lewis and The Chronicles of Narnia (I give it 1 star, it was really quite boring and didn't illuminate anything truly interesting about this amazing author and thinker), My Architect: A Son's Journey (I give it 4 stars....it is about Louis Kahn, a famous architect....very interesting), The Nazis: A Warning from History (definite 4 star rental....so interesting and offered a different perspective on one of the most profound tragedies of our recent history).

Last night we saw ONCE. For a movie with not MUCH of a story line, there is something most amazing and spectacular about this movie. Perhaps, it is the music....which is amazing....I just downloaded the soundtrack. I would say, more than likely, what makes this film so special is its authenticity and emotion. Maybe it is just that life is about timing. And, really, the older I get, the more I realize that everything comes down to timing. It is one of those things that makes life so amazing and confusing and mysterious. In hindsight, perhaps everyone of us can look to a situation, a relationship, an experience and say, IF ONLY the timing had been different...if only I had been older, younger, more mature, less mature, braver, less scared, if only things had been different...but they weren't. And that is life. I guess things don't always work out the way we want them to, they don't happen when we want them to, they come together and fall apart in moments that don't make sense. What I do get is that our timing, our need to have things the way we think we should have them is not always the way we are supposed to experience our lives. Maybe this is the "divine" plan that we are intended to live. I don't know...maybe that is just a way to have peace with the "bad" timing. Whatever it is, I am endlessly curious in trying to figure it out and I guess I'll be busy trying to figure it out for the rest of my life as I don't think there really is an answer or a reason or a theory that will satisfy my concerns.

Don't laugh.

Okay, so lately I have been suffering from incessant insomnia. I mean...up all night tossing and turning, twitching, jerking, not getting any rest. Needless to say, I am a bit crabby and borderline insane. Has it helped my creativity? No. So, for those of you who think insanity lends itself to creativity, I am here to tell you that it does not.

While surfing iTunes today to find some "relaxation" music/pod-casts/whatever, I came across this: a PurrCast. If you simply search (not that anyone other than a sleep-deprived lesbian would) "purrcast" on your iTunes, you will find it and WOW it is so relaxing. I don't recommend listening to it while at work the day after you have not slept the night before but I am going to give it a whirl if I wake up during the night tonight.

I'll let you all know how it goes.

BS.

I don't mean to be insensitive...really, I don't. I have such respect for anyone who struggles with mental illness...I have seen too many friends and loved ones suffer at the hands of depression, bi-polar disorder, eating disorders, anxiety...you name it. It can be debilitating. Your life can be literally ruined by something that doesn't cause you to bleed, lose your hair, or cause you to run a fever. Mental illness is misunderstood, underestimated and discounted in its destruction.
It is not, however, an AMERICAN TRAGEDY.
COME ON, Rolling Stone. This is not the Dalai Lama...it is Britney Spears. She is a girl who suffered from arrested development which clearly developed into some SERIOUS mental health issues. Uh, shocker?! What would you expect? The ONLY reason we care is that she is a celebrity...but what a heinous over-statement.

Super? Tuesday.

Well, unless we have a composer-candidate...looks Iike I am screwed for this election...here's where I fell politically acoording to Political Compass

ME:

THE COMPOSERS:

THE 2008 CANDIDATES:

My favorite Superbowl Ad.

Save My Rawhide!

This could very well be the Beagle, Red once senility sets in....or it could be me in a few years due to my declining mental health. God save us all.

Takin' care of business.

Yes folks, I finally got around to ordering my business cards for work...we have to choose words to describe us...to give people a sense of who we are...I think mine are pretty accurate? What do you think?

Hmmmmm......

Who should I vote for for president in 2008?

	Bill Richardson - 66 match You must be looking for a moderate liberal with impressive credentials. If you live in Iowa or New Hampshire, you could have voted for Bill Richardson. Otherwise, you're out of luck. After finishing 4th in both states, Richardson dropped out of the presidential race. Experienced in state, national, and international politics, Richardson has been a Congressman, an ambassador to the United Nations Security Council, and is now the governor of New Mexico. He is pro-choice, strongly favors rights for the LGBT population, advocates for affirmative action in government contracts, and even championed the idea that Congress should revoke the original authority it gave to go to war with Iraq. Richardson also supports the death penalty and gun ownership rights.
	Ron Paul - 63 match Congrats, you have very socially conservative Libertarian...err... Republican points of view. Ron Paul, who is known in Washington as "Dr. No" because of consistently rejects proposals that do not adhere strictly to the original constitution, was once the Libertarian Party's pick for President till he changed sides a few years ago. He's a favorite of technologists and the Internet community mostly for his hands off approach to... well anything.
	Barack Obama - 58 match You must be ambitious and idealistic, like Barack Obama. Obama is a liberal democrat who, unlike his rivals, opposed the Iraq war from the start. With only 3 years in the Senate, his inexperience worries some and sometimes reveals itself in the debates, but he also has the charisma and popular support that the others lack.

Take the test.

and the winner is....

American Cities That Best Fit You:

60% Atlanta 60% Honolulu 60% Washington, DC 55% Austin 50% San Francisco

Which American Cities Best Fit You?

Sunny and Warm?

Well, it has been a cold one here in Atlanta. Believe it or not, we got snow. That's right folks, snow....the white stuff. I don't know about you, but when the temperature says "feels like 3 (degrees)," that is a signal to me to stay inside, cook pot roast, make stuff on my sewing machine and read blogs which is precisely what I did yesterday. For the dogs, however, snow means something else entirely. Fox and Pfeiffer thoroughly enjoyed racing around in the snow, getting completely soaked and frozen while Red (the coveted Beagle) was more into lounging on the couch, sipping on some hot cider and protecting his smoked pig's ear. Per usual, the cats were unimpressed. Does anything ever impress a cat? I think not. My lady, being from the great state of Montana very much enjoyed the snow and thought my snow-ball snowing skills were a bit sub-par. Well people, that's what you get when you combine a Louisiana Native with no sporting skills or eye-hand-coordination.

Fox, playing in the snow.

Our cozy home, covered in snow.

All of the kids in the backyard....I think Red is looking for his buried rawhide.

I heart Diane Keaton

Let me just say, for the record, I want to have Diane Keaton's spirit when I am in my 60's...no doubt, if I ever get the chance to be interviewed on national television, I will drop the f-bomb, too. She F@#*kin rocks!!!

Real Age!

Busily working today, my co-worker and I took this test to determine our "real age." Happily, I discovered that I am really much younger than my years suggest. It appears that wearing one's seatbelt, multiple pet ownership, a happy "marriage" (albeit illegal in most states in our united states of america), eating breakfast, flossing, education level and NOT drinking and driving can contribute to a healthier state of being. Who knew? I guess opting not to sip a dirty ketel one martini while maneuvering my gas-guzzling beast of a vehicle through the congested streets of Atlanta has a health pay-off.
Mondays are so exciting.

PGDCM

This is my word for today. Wanderlust. Lately, I have been ready for an adventure. I realized I was suffering from a little post-graduate-degree-completion-malaise...it appears to be a common condition. Its signature symptoms are low-grade depression along with a feeling of "is that all there is?"..."now what?"..."I'm bored." I believe it is caused by the sudden halt of momentum that goes along with being in a program where there is constant stimulation and pressure to think and create. And it is all on YOUR shoulders. At times that is overwhelming and entirely too stressful, but mostly it is fuel for doing really good work once you determine a strategy for good time and stress management. Now here I am. I have a job I love and life has really settled down which is wonderful, but I find myself sniffing out a new challenge. Will it be taking a class? Teaching a class? Joining an organization? Volunteering? Going on a trip? Setting myself on fire? Who could know? I certainly do not. I recently joined the gym so that, on my lunch hour, I can get out of my office and move. Movement is very important to creativity. Sitting all day, breathing in the same recycled air, looking at the same screen, listening to the same music is a recipe for creative death. So that is my immediate cure for digging my way out of my PGDCM (post-graduate-degree-completion-malaise). Does anyone else have any good suggestions?