June 10

So far, so good. The usual procrastination. And the usual slide on Thursday into Friday. Yet I got some good stuff done.

1965

Last real day of school! The reason I haven't written much is that nothing has happened. It's all review and study - BLAH! We got our yearbooks. It's a nice one - black and gold. Bob, of course, is the best-looking guy in the class. All that's left now is exam week.

1973

Got roaring, tipsy, sick drunk last night. Muy hungover. Na’etheless…This is my last day at the Sheraton, forever.My goodness, it doesn’t feel it. But it is. 

I called Mom…she seems unhappy. She didn’t want to talk about it on the phone, but obviously there’ve been hard times with Dad lately. Also she heard from Sacramento that Grandfather Stennfeld is dying. After his surgery he developed gangrene and pneumonia, and it’s just a matter of time…the shorter, the better. I’m so glad we got a chance to see him, especially when he was looking so well.

I guess it’s time to get dressed and get to work.

1978

It was a better-than-average Saturday, despite the fact that Jim and I both rolled out of the wrong side of the bed. We argued testily, made up and went on with the day. To wit:

1) groceries

2)clean bike wheel (gad, my social life is dizzying)

3) sleep 1 hr/ (Couldn’t help it. Took antihistamine and it made me drowsy.)

4) eat lunch

5) Chinese painting show - co-worker of Jim’s was one of the exhibitors. Very nice, if awkward.

6)National Gallery new building again, to see the building itself. It’s beyond description; I could move in tomorrow.

7) soccer game on TV

8) dinner (Hot dogs and salt, very sophisticated.)

9) Made second director’s chair cover, tidied bedroom

10) watched last hour of extremely odd movie, trying to figure out the plot. Failed.

I want to shed some possessions. Maybe throw out some magazines or fabric. (Ya-ha!)

Tomorrow I must:

Practice piano (haven’t in two days)

Write to Jack and Bob

Plant seeds!! (Lettuce, show peas, basil and mint)

Read French

THIMK! Just stop and think.

Comment 2024
That is not a typo. I meant “thimk”.

1981

{Measurements: W no change, H no change, Th -}

The big problem is still HIPS. But I am more than halfway to my goal on my waist and thighs. I really, really feel in control of my body.

1985

And now, I’m in a period of thinking “yes, more…but later”. When Kiddo is 5, and it’s not so much of a rush, not so inconvenient. The year she’s not yet in school would be a mess, toodling kids to two daycares! If only I didn’t feel so worried about potential problems. Why am I so concerned that my offspring are perfect and problem-free, which is impossible. Do I love Kiddo because she is smart? Because she’s beautiful? Or do I love her because she’s Kiddo? I loved her when I worried that she was developmentally delayed because she was so slow to respond. I loved her when I worried she might be deaf because I couldn’t wake her up with a bomb. 

1986

We had an extremely fine vacation last week at Busch Gardens/Williamsburg. It wasn’t very long, as we decided to minimize costs and only stay three nights. But the weather was cooler and drier, which was a relief, and the motel was really super. (A two-bedroom apartment for $79 a night!) Kiddo had a super time at Busch Gardens, as did we all. Williamsburg was the usual. Can’t tell where reality leaves off and fantasy picks up. 

Friday we took Kiddo to school and spent the morning working around the house, then went to a movie “Hannah and her Sisters) in the afternoon. A very pleasant long weekend, ending with a trip to Baltimore for genetic counseling. (Prior to amniocentesis.) Basically, my only risk factor is age, which isn’t bad. They are going to check for the most common abnormalities. I must admit, it scares me.

2016

My head is spinning. My nose is dripping. The spinning is good; my head is spinning with ideas. There's only one thing I need to do today and that is to finish the article for Vestoj. There is so much left undone I am not sure I will make it. It seems unlikely, but then again if I just knuckle down I might make the deadline.

I have my lively playlist on and it is energizing. I also did play Candy Crush for about 10 minutes.

I am feeling kind of bad for my reaction to X last night. But he was mansplaining my own research to me. In all fairness, he does the same thing to everyone. So maybe it is just Xplaining. Maybe mansplaining isn’t sexist, just pretentious. Must tweet that. Ha ha. Must. not. tweet.

If I finish the article today I can watch Baazigar tomorrow and post about it as a “first date”. I rewatched Chalte Chalte this week and liked it more the second time around. I still dislike angry SRK, but it was the script’s fault. Both Raj and Priya seemed to get angry so fast. Why not a slow burn of resentment? Why not show that as carefully as they show the falling-in-love story? There's a story.

Falling in, falling out. Like cracking the safe, with the clicking of tumblers, until suddenly the lock opens and the door swings free. Falling out is a Sandcastle slowly disintegrating, losing its shape until it is just a low mound of wet sand. Talk about mixed metaphors. I need to read two articles in Vestoj to decide which way to write mine. Right now I am tending toward my blog voice. It's more accessible and less jargon.

Tarot: 10 of disks, communal achievement. Not feeling it this morning, feeling very alone, and liking it that way.

2019

It's been so long since I did morning pages. But I am trying to restore my work habits. Who knew that retirement would be so hard? The brain dump begins. Don't rush. Keep it legible. This is not a race. The idea is to get the words flowing so I can write later. And now SiriusXM is serving a talk show that is seriously distracting. Talking, loud, fast, annoying. Talking about slurping oysters. To which I said “ick”. And my pen is dying. No! Don't die. Goodbye pen, you were a good and faithful companion while you lasted. But wait! It's trying to revive. I do believe this pen is refillable.

I am listening to pop music. Current pop music. Look at me! Of course, I have no idea who these artists are. The question in my mind is: do today's young artist have anything to say to me? Teach me about love, long hair and break ups? I am very intrigued about J's masculinity class. Looking forward to talking to him about it. When I went swimming last week I started thinking about the next book. The one I am calling “Man Up”, which would do for baby boomer men what I'm doing with women. I have so much of the work done already. Or should it be a big book called Growing Up Boomer? Oh, my, I am in such a pickle. And now I am speeding up and trying to get these pages done. What's the hurry, Jo? What's the rush? I have just a few things to do today, and a free evening. Imagine! So glad to have this weekend behind me. This weekend is the auction item, and the only big errand I have is the trip to Supreme Core Cider. I need to keep the fare light so I don't have to stress out over preparations, since Jim will be gone. It is telling that I have been clenching my left fist so hard it is sweaty and stiff. My fingernails have left marks in my palms. Am I empty yet? I am never empty. That is not the problem. The problem is that I am so full of thoughts there is no room for them to slosh around and so I play iPad games and check Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Google myself, etc. Not a good thing. The good news is that somehow I lost 2 pounds last week. What?? I reward myself for a job well done on Ashley's ordination. I swore I wouldn't do that again, but, like childbirth, it is already faded away. I realize that becoming one of those church ladies who organizes events is not so bad. Not like being on a committee. Ick. Worse than oysters! I have the homecoming weekend at UUCSS on September 9 to think about now. Must keep everyone involved and start recruiting in July not now! Not now! Now is for writing and not just morning pages. I have nine days before vacation. And while I might get writing done on the book at Star Island, that won't happen at Connie and Jack's. And if past experiences any indication, I won't get a whole lot done on Star Island, either. Maybe brainstorming, maybe notetaking maybe a poem or two. And now I am done hooray

2020

So far, so good. The usual procrastination. And the usual slide on Thursday into Friday. Yet I got some good stuff done.

Comment 2023

Lordy, how did I do it all and stay sane?