January Generosity - week 2

[Rusty]

January Generosity - week 2

Good Morning Friends,

TDN-I wrote you a long email last night and it did not go through! Sooo...I just got done writing you another email so please check your inbox.

Sooty-how is your exercise class working out? Is it having a positive effect on your mood?

Dill-thank you for that quote. I will share it with my mother, and will print it out and put it in your file.;-)

Well, guess what? I am quoting some NEW business today. I was getting very nervous about how I would support myself but I think things may be working out.

To everyone else I didn't mention, happy Thursday!

Rusty

[Rusty]

January Generosity - week 2

Ooppps....Hi Lav, cross-post. I am at home today so I will probably PM you later.

[Kaslo]

January Generosity - week 2

Hello Zen Doppelgangers... Star you HAVE to spill on the eating plan. I am now officially built like a planet. Pretty soon I will have my own gravity and things will start sticking to me. I will be registered an given a number by the International Astronomical Convention; KZ54088712.

I am also thinking I would like to learn more about how not to make work the centre of my existence. I would like someone to tell my recent client about this too. First he told me I would not be needed till January February, then he changed his mind and moved that up to Dec 18, AFTER I booked a holiday. Then Dec 28, Then Jan 3, and now he wants it all by the end of next week. The only thing saving this is that it is really actually important and interesting.

Its very hard to balance life work when you are a consulting specialist. On the one hand you can make your own schedule, but on the other our lives dont belong to us a lot of the time. I am getting better at what Lav has learned to do though, which is not allow people who have hurt me in the past to live in my brain rent free, taking up space with their feet up on the furniture. I KNOW I drank to silence that, but the unfortunate thing is when not drinking of course the voices are louder, so now, with almost two years under my belt, its amazing what I dont allow in.

TDN, I for one will be very glad to see you enjoy the priveledge of driving again.

I have one of my summer awards (contract) as of yesterday, one more and I officially shut down garnering as I am still trying to pretend I am partially retired. I dont know if I told you all but I was given an assemble-yourself greenhouse for Christmas, its an 8 by 6 and I am so looking forward to ripping down the old blue pool shed and turfing all the crap in there and setting up my hard polymer "glass' house. Its 4 degrees above zero, and the birds are everywhere out there in the snow.

Love to all, Kas

[Lavande]

January Generosity - week 2

Hey Rusty!
Good luck with the new biz, very cool indeed

Kas, I think we all feel a bit 'larger' after the holidays regardless of how carefully we chose our meals.....I think it's the cookies :H
If you are still enjoying your job then that's great! But we do need to learn to say NO & forget about it without getting a case of the guilts. Balance, balance, balance! You see what happened to YB. He was a happy go-lucky, even somewhat laid back individual back in the day then sudden;y turned into a total work-a-holic Definitely no balance left in him.
Believe it or not, 12 years ago he was offered a 'used' greenhouse. He actually took the thing apart, piece by piece, dragged it all home (to our former house) & rebuilt it on a fresh concrete slab & attached it to the garage. It was AWESOME! We had use of it for about 1 year then sold the house & built this one. I wish I still had a greenhouse like that - enjoy yours
I understand that the people who bought our house filled up the entire garage & greenhouse full of JUNK, ugh, what a waste.

I just ran over to check on my grandson, he has some sort of viral thing. He was in pretty good spirits & was happy to receive his MiMom treats

[cyntree]

January Generosity - week 2

Hello all! I'm alive! I'm just now writing from a coffeehouse with internet. Long story short - I went to see my Mom for Xmas, flew east on the 27th, stayed over in NYC to see nephews on 28th, on 29th welcomed my sister-in-law for a stay until the 30th; in the revolving door came another friend from NYC to spend the 31st and 1st. January 2nd we packed the car and readied the house to be gone for 3+ months. On the 3rd we started driving x-country - 6 days to the desert. Arrived 1 day ago, but the rental apartment doesn't have internet yet.

Have been missing everyone madly - hope all are OK. Sooty, how wonderful to see your bright flower on this page! Hopefully will get internet today, and will get caught up with everyone.

Cheers!!!

[cyntree]

January Generosity - week 2

X-post Lav! Can't wait to hear how everything is - good luck with the grandson ---

[Lavande]

January Generosity - week 2

Well no wonder we haven't seen you around cyn :H
Goodness woman ~ you are busy!!!!!
Take care of yourself

[Rusty]

January Generosity - week 2

Good Evening Friends,

Well, I have been hard at work all day, and still have work to do so I decided to go to one of our local restaurants where they have free internet, good food, decent music and people will leave me alone. Well, um, not tonight. This lady in her seventies, quite drunk, came over and started to ask me all kinds of questions about my work as I am typing furiously to get an audit schedule out to a client. UGH. A woman with all white hair, blitzed on beer and slurring her words. I could have been she had I continued on my slide down into alco-hell. :yuk:

Cyn-wow, you busy woman! Thanks for checking in. Thank you for giving us your signature "to the light." Following your wise lead, Dill has adapted your outtake and has sprung us into 2013 with "Choose the Light," as our tacit mantra. AF will keep us choosing the light. AL has proven to us time after time, there is no light there, only darkness.

Star-:goodjob: on losing all the holiday pounds. Please do share on how you are succeeding.

Lav- PLEASE tell the story about your grandson at the restaurant. Please please please. I read about it on the Daily Thread and just howled. Um...are you sure his middle name isn't Rusty?:H For all of you who don't lurk on the Daily Thread, the topic was embarrassing things that little kids do/say that embarrass or horrify their parents/grandparents. I have never had children but I went to a wedding once where right during the saying of the vows, the little kid in the pew ahead of me yelled, "MOM, I GOTTA GO POOP!!!!" The crowd erupted in a blast of laughter and the vows were never heard because the laughter drowned out their words.

Kas-I have my own consulting business as well and I found that the more UNAVAILABLE you seem to be to your clients, the nicer they treat you because then they know you are busy and are so much more grateful when you graciously say you'll "squeeze them in" or "let me see if I can rearrange some things to accommodate you." Ohhhhh....it goes a LONG way, believe me. These tips are not original, though....I learned these from my ex-beau, a lawyer. The balancing part is soooo hard because I feel guilty, too, when I'm not working. I am getting better at that, though....setting boundaries for myself.

Chill-tell us about your work. What have you been up to? Have you spoken to your friend's family....your dear friend who passed away....are they doing ok?

TDN-I did send you that email today. Fingers crossed for you on getting your license back.

I have had the most amazing day....I got ANOTHER consulting lead....and a new training client....my calendar is filling up!!!

Ok, back to work. I love you guys. Thank you for being here for me.:h

[Guitarista]

January Generosity - week 2

Greetings generators of luurve, madness, but above all, inspiration!

Hiya Rusty!

Great stuff on the work front. Hope you're not working toooo hard and getting some 'me' time.

So cool to see you Sooty, and Cyntree!

Magnificent here, and embracing the new year with quiet action. Have a beaut end of week everyone.

L8tr, Yo! :h

[Catbuddy]

January Generosity - week 2

Hi all, it's Thursday already!

TDN, I also watch Modern Family; was the episode last night good? I didn't see it yet. Good luck on your license.

Cyn, why have you moved across country? What is this adventure?

I have so many projects I want to start (greenhouse sounds great). I'm going to be planning some out for the Spring. In the meantime, I'm getting things back in order after the holidays.

Just a wee marker - at 101 AF days today. So I'm now in the triple digits, and that feels significant somehow. Happy, happy joy joy.

:l Cat

[Rusty]

January Generosity - week 2

Catbuddy Has 101 Days!!!

CONGRATULATIONS, CATBUDDY ON 101 AF DAYS!!!:yay::wd::happy: Cat, your story of caring for your husband while staying AF and focused in your recovery is inspiring to all of us....whether we are posting, reading, lurking, struggling, or dying to be AF. Thank you for giving us your time, thoughts, words, and deeds.

[ladybirdheart]

January Generosity - week 2

Welcome back to the desert, Cyn. I believe your desert, however, is a LOT warmer than my desert; we are going into single digits although I can't complain as last year it was -9F(whimper). The sun usually shines anyway, everyday, just no rain or snow, and it seems this drought has settled down deep into the land already changing some things forever. Speaking of plant material, Kas, I am so jealous of your greenhouse. I would buy one but on this small inner city lot that is heavily planted wall to wall, I have no room for anything bigger than a homemade-to-fit little cold frame or two. Even my dogs are microscopic. Rusty, you certainly seem to have managed the change in your work like a trooper. I hope you have time to sit by that fireplace, I know I have mine blazing at the moment. The last few years of my work when I was a consultant i found that instead of having my own time, I was always poised for an assignment, worried if I didn't get one, and then easily overwhelmed if I did. I liked being a cash cow but I missed the predictability and structure of a more conventional work environment; I admire all of you who are self employed for being able to modulate your energy better than I. I admire you for all sorts of other things as well. I had another day of winter sorting, uneventful except for an explicably empty tax folder from 2003. When I got married in 1997, Lord Bird Heart took over the taxes as his were complicated, he enjoyed doing them, and he is seven years younger and really good at math. Every marriage has some booboos. While we hired a tax attorney after the Nightmare of 2009, in 2003 he was still insisting even though he had experienced two large heart attacks a couple of months before and was still befuddled if not near death. I KNOW the income tax forms were filed, but there is NOTHING in the folder except for seven empty envelopes, an unopened generic tax booklet, four copies of the same little tax information brochure from limited partnership investments, and three separate handwritten Household Employee tax packets along with the the employer receipt from a fourth for our housemaid, a lovely and then not quite eighty year old, almost blind, non English speaking lady I had "inherited" from a former boyfriend in the 'eighties. She really hadn't been a functioning maid in years but she loved to mess around with the brooms and dusters and I loved her. I helped her get citizenship, Social Security, and Medicare (no easy task as while she had worked here for years, she somehow was on a "homeland security" risk list), but then she died within a year. In any case, she was quite alive in 2003 and Lord Bird Heart was looking out for her interests if not for the rest of his file. I hope this evening find each of you warm and less confused than I have been today. Congratulations KittyCatB. Love, Ladybird.

[Stargazerlily]

January Generosity - week 2

Good morning to all...

Cat, congrats on the continued AFness, it just gets better and better, healthwise and emotionwise. No more restless horrible nights, unending panic and anxiety, and feeling like a sick puppy. Instead, managing your life and making good decisions. Feeling good more often. So happy for you.

OK, the eating plan. I only gained six pounds over Christmas, and I ate really badly. I have been reading the China study, Paul Furman's Eat to Live and finally Neal Barnards 21 Day Jump Start Plan. So, limiting fats, not cooking with oils, no sugar, no meat, no eggs. Breakfast: 1/2 cup oatmeal, water, chopped apple, two tablespoons golden raisins, and cinnamon unlimited. Fruit for a snack. Lunch, homemade veggie soup with a little pearl barley, fruit for a snack and something vegan for dinner. Popcorn at night if needed. Lots of water, maybe occasionally a Zero Sprite, I am not a purist. I am in this for the long term, so went out for Chinese last Friday, and will do my best for the next few months. Staying away from Pizza, my downfall. No exercise yet, just walking twice last week. I am doing what I know, I think Chill has been doing this eating plan for years. Hope it helps. Oh, I do not feel hungry or sick like I did at first. I think I OD'd on fat, sugar, and just bad food over the holidays. One of the best things about eating like this is the fiber, it keeps things moving and no stomach upsets. Amazing. I had horrible stomach pain over the holidays and was taking Tagamet often. Now now. Feedback from everybody if you have time.

Cyn, good to hear from you, my you travel often. Hope you get your internet soon.

Lav, so interesting how we change over time. I am referring to YB. Also, you, as you have changed too. My husband and I have changed completely during our time together. It is not easy to work through things. I am all about balance, too. I have to have time to just BE, and maybe it is boring, but essential for me. I can tell you are pretty much the same. The books and ideas you have recommended have made a huge impact on my life. Thank you.

Rusty, how great cool and wonderful you are getting more business. Yay. Pretty soon you will be too busy and having to turn things down. How sad about the drunk old lady. I do not want to be that drunk old lady either. Instead, I picture myself sober, in decent shape and looking the best I can with what I have been given. I was visiting my Dad a few years ago and there was a drunk lady in the community, she was fat, sloppy, and sitting alone. So sad. We have the power to remain AF and have dignity and respect.

LBH, I too have tons of records from way back, hope I never need to look for them. A greenhouse would be so great to have. Your property sounds so lovely and proportioned. Tiny can be good.

Hello to Chill, Dill, Kaslo, Pap, MrG, Rustop, Sooty, and all, have a great Friday.

[Lavande]

January Generosity - week 2

Good morning everyone!

Twas awfully dark out at 6:45 this morning but Matilda had to go out
Rain & warmer weather on the way, so I hear.

LBH, tax season is upon us, yuck! Our taxes are so confusing that only an accountant can do them properly. The last time YB decided he could do them he ended up making some costly mistakes - what a nightmare! I hope you get yours sorted without too much problem.

Rusty - the obnoxious toddler story was about my son - circa 1982ish!
We were in a diner with my SIL, having a fun pancake dinner. We were sitting in a booth but my son spent the entire time standing on the seat with his arms folded up on the backrest, staring at the people sitting behind us. I kept telling him to stop, sit down & eat but he ignored me. All of a sudden we heard him say (in the loudest voice possible) HEY LADY - YOU UGLY!!!!! :H :H
That was the first but not the last time my son nearly pushed me over the embarrassment cliff :H

Hello Mr G & the Triple Digit Cat!!!!

Star, your eating plan sounds good!
I have a huge problem with salt.....have to reduce my intake anyway possible so for me eating Chinese food out is a no-no anymore. I have a few Chinese style recipes that I make at home. I use Braggs Liquid Aminos in place of soy sauce, much lower in sodium. I know I have consumed too much salt when my socks leave rings around my feet & ankles, oh yeah.

Rusty, a drunk old lady is bad. A smoking drunk old lady is even worse IMHO.
I plan to be neither!

OK, off to Curves & whatever else I get around to doing today. Have a great AF Friday everyone!
Lav

[Catbuddy]

January Generosity - week 2

Hi all, and happy Friday.

I'm having a nice day working from home, and was able to hike after drop-off of my son this morning. It is very cold here (for us), but felt so good to be moving. My little dog was absolutely jumping with joy down the trail.

Rusty, I missed your question on what prompted my son to ask about AL. The night before, we were watching a movie and the actor mentioned he did advertising for the tobacco and alcohol industries. My son explained that was why he was asking. He is very young nine, but curious about stuff that is now coming up. I need to remember to give simple answers; I was just very excited to face the question as a non-drinker.

Back later after work,

Cat