Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from August, 2018

"What's in the box?"

"The past beats inside of me like a second heart." -John Banville, The Sea My memory is long. It is vivid. It is unforgiving. For better, it is remembering song lyrics, movie quotes, important dates and fun times. For worse, it is remembering every embarrassment, hurt and traumatic childhood moment. With both, something will trigger me (a song, smell, a feeling) and *poof*, I'm right back in it. Does this happen to you? Do you think of comebacks years later in the shower? Do you dwell on that time you fell in front of all of those people? Do you still get a rush when you think about that first kiss with your honey? It's something I've come to depend on. (Especially when competing in trivia) And I've never really understood how it feels to not have this ability. My Mother used to get very frustrated with me because I remembered everything she said; even when she didn't. She once said to me, "I hope you have a daughter one day with that memory!&qu

"Smile! It increases your face value!"

I'm usually in a pretty good mood. * I'm usually quick to smile; quick to laugh. I like to say "hi" to people on the street. I like to hug good friends. I like to kiss my husband. I like to keep it light and try not take it all so seriously. It's a conscious decision, albeit not always an easy one. Most days, though, I'm pretty good at NOT giving into the bullshit. Recently, in my Kickboxing class, (my new passion!!) I was paired with a 20-something girl for the partner drills. I greeted her with a smile. Nothing. I cracked a lame joke about how we should try to NOT punch each other in the face. *crickets* (Does she not realize I'm a delight?!) Then we started our exercises; me with a mid-level intensity and steady beat to the Flo Rida song booming over the sound system; her with an intense fervor like she was training for her next MMA fight. Now, I kept up. (Awwwww yeeeeahhhhh!) But I was (at first) more than a little annoyed. I wanted to say, "Y

Mommy Dearest

"Mother is the name for God in the lips and hearts of little children."                                                                                        - William Makepeace Thackeray Yeah....no pressure. Today as I'm getting ready for work, applying my makeup and straightening my clothes, a little voice in the distance says, "You look beautiful, Mommy." She's told me this before and I always thank her and accept the compliment. This time, however, it struck me particularly hard because as I was looking at myself in the mirror, I was thinking everything opposite to her sentiment; I am PMSing=bloated, I have a zit on my chin, I need to wax my upper lip and I perpetually want to lose about 20 pounds. Yet somehow, with all my insecurities, this sweet little soul thinks I'm beautiful. It's enough to make this premenstrual girl emotional. It took me a long time to get to a place where I could even accept a compliment from anyone for anythin