58 | 365

It was a gray day. I went to the doctor, then had New Orleans style lunch with Lesley.
We ate beignets and drank cafe au lait. So good.

57 | 365

Days like today I envy my cat's life.

Taming the Tongue

I have a confession: I'm not as careful with my words as I ought to be. As much as I strive to be nice and kind, I find myself just as often being critical and judgmental. A coworker gave up complaining about and criticizing others for Lent, and the past two days have shown me how much I complain and criticize (because he no longer joins in -- or is trying his darnedest not to). Then, today I came across this post about taming the tongue, straight out of the book of James, and I was totally convicted.

For Lent, I gave up falling asleep on the couch with the TV on, a bad habit I've wanted to kick for months. But I'm thinking that this Lenten season would also be a good time for me to reread James and think twice about what I'm about to say.

56 | 365

Listening to Death Cab for Cutie.
Making homemade pizza and croutons.
Waiting for Lost to start.

55 | 365

Had lunch outside with coworkers today.
Was extremely unproductive, but got thank you notes written.
Skipped the Mardi Gras festivities downtown.

54 | 365

Had a date with Adam tonight.

We ate wings, talked about parenthood, and planned our busy weekend.

Adventures in Baking

Every weekend, lately, has been filled with baking therapy. I'm sure this goes without saying, but it's deeply satisfying to take ingredients and mold them into something delicious. And making it for people I love is all the better. After a week of feeling like I got little accomplished, a morning in the kitchen baking can make up for it. And choosing recipes where I have most of the ingredients on hand helps our budget.

So, we now have homemade snickerdoodles and granola. I especially love the granola -- I added almonds and raisins -- as cereal in the mornings. I had also planned on making whole wheat bread again but the weekend got away from me. I made bread last weekend, and Adam and I were in heaven. He requested that we never buy bread again, which I'm all for as long as I have three or so free hours to make it every week.

The rest of the weekend, I was either really busy or passed out on the couch. I think the third trimester is finally catching up with me. Yesterday, I went downtown with some friends to get lunch, see a parade, and say hi to Adam who was working, and was totally exhausted after walking and standing for three hours. The parade was fun and I got a lot of beads and other Mardi Gras stuff, but, honestly, I'm glad to be back into the work week. Hopefully, I can relax a bit.

[Lesley and me, after the parade Sunday]

53 | 365

Joe Cain Day.

Went to the "people's parade" with friends.
Was exhausted when I returned home.

52 | 365

Made granola and snickerdoodle cookies, both for the first time.

The kitchen is a mess, and I'm headed out to watch [maybe play] stickball.

51 | 365

Unusually busy day at work.

Survived a workout and a brief trip to the store.
Roasted broccoli and pasta for dinner.
Ah, the weekend.

Mardi Gras on The Curator

Today, I have another article up at The Curator, which you can read here. This time I wrote about Mardi Gras's origins in Mobile, Alabama, and the 2008 documentary, The Order of Myths, about Mobile's Mardi Gras celebration. Not being from this part of the country, I knew very little about Mardi Gras, how it's run, and its cultural dynamics. The Order of Myths was especially interesting as it focuses on the role that race relations play in the yearly celebration, something of which I was completely ignorant. I have learned an incredible amount about Mardi Gras, and have to thank a coworker who is in a Mardi Gras society for filling in all the gaps that my research left.

Have a happy Friday, everyone! May your day be filled with beads and peanut butter Moon Pies.

50 | 365

Sometimes, in order for things to look up, you have to actually look up.

Accomplishments

I have a running list of the many, many things I'd like to accomplish. But very little is actually being accomplished. I had hoped at the beginning of this year to change things up, which I have to a certain extent. I am still trying to take things slow, to cook meals from scratch (though I'll admit to eating a bowl of cereal and air-popped popcorn for dinner once this week), to clean up instead of letting messes sit, to make the bed, and to be kind.

But I'll be honest, I don't do nearly as much as I'd like. Between being pregnant and Adam being in class every night, I get home from work and feel totally unmotivated to do much of anything. This week has been particularly bad because I've been choosing TV watching over doing much else. I even have thank you notes for my shower a month ago that still need to be written and sent.

Adam assured me that this is all no big deal, and if I need to rest and be lazy, I should. He can be so wise -- and definitely knows how to make me feel better.

What I'm waiting for is that nesting instinct to kick in. A friend told me that once it does, I'll have the cleanest toilets on the block. I don't care much about my toilets, but I would like to get a few things done.

49 | 365

I went to the gym for the first time in a month. I love endorphins.

48 | 365

Seven months today.

I am so glad our baby will be born in the spring.

47 | 365

I often wonder when my passions and my employment will intersect, if ever.

Be Mine

Friday night, Adam and I celebrated Valentine's Day early with dinner at the Bakery Cafe. It's 100 yards from our front door, but we don't often go there because it's pricey. But with part of our tax refund, we decided to splurge a bit on our last fancy dinner for quite a while. No candy or roses for us, though there was some amazing bread pudding.

It was a lovely evening.

46 | 365

Most of the day spent in the kitchen.

I'm thankful -- the sun came out this afternoon.

45 | 365

First Mardi Gras parade of the season. I love beads.

44 | 365

Dinner at the Bakery Cafe for Valentine's (a day early).

Stuffed chicken, steak, bread pudding.
Absolute bliss.

43 | 365

My body can feel the sun set. A quiet night lays ahead.

Motherhood: The Great Unknown

The weeks seem to be flying by, yet every day feels like it goes so slowly. There is so much to do, and sometimes I get so overwhelmed and tired that I just don't do anything. I am incredibly thankful that I live close enough to work that I can go home for lunch each day, and that I can take a nap on days like today that just drag on and on.

The last few days I've been freaking out a bit about motherhood and the fact that I will actually have to push a human being out of my body in two and a half months. Mostly I've been thinking about all the unknowns, about the baby and about life in general. Life is never going to be the same. When I said this to Adam, he said that it wasn't any different when we got married -- life was never going to be the same after we tied the knot. But this is different. I'm going to be in charge of another person and I'm not going to have time for all my selfish endeavors and my body is being used in all sorts of unfamiliar ways.

When I start thinking about all of this, I have to pray. I also have to realize that obedience to God supercedes my own selfish desires and that becoming a parent doesn't mean my life is over (this sounds more dramatic than I mean). The unknown of all of it is difficult because I can't wrap my mind around it. I just don't know what's going to happen.

As I type this, I am as much trying to communicate what I mean as convince myself to believe it. I should look at this as an adventure, that there is so much life to be lived and joy to be had. And I really am looking forward to becoming a mother. I just wish I knew what to expect.

I know, I shouldn't worry so much.

(Any mothers out there, please feel free to chime in with encouragement. I'd really appreciate it.)

42 | 365

Adam planted seeds and cooked a chicken dinner.

I spent most of the day wondering what it will be like to be a mother.
Frankly, it makes me a bit nervous.

41 | 365

The Mardi Gras Christmas tree.

The neighbors are much more festive than we are.

No Kitty Here

It's been a busy couple of days, but I've survived. Both of the articles that had to get written are finished. I hope never to get sick right before deadlines again. I also hope to get a handle on my procrastinating. I'm certainly not making things easy on myself.

Our little kitten, Scooter, went to the vet this morning to get spayed and declawed. All weekend, she meowed day and night and rubbed herself all over the floor, the doorframes, Adam's shoes, me. It was quite evident that we had waited a bit too long to get her fixed, but thankfully our tax refund comes in this week and part of it will pay for her surgery. I hate having to get her claws removed, but we decided it was best in order to avoid any accidents with the baby. So, tonight Scooter stays at the vet, and Adam and I will hopefully get a full and quiet night's rest.

40 | 365

Busy day and lots of writing.

Came home to find three packages: books and literature on natural childbirth.
Too tired to read tonight. Maybe tomorrow.

39 | 365

Spent the day with Adam's grandparents, visiting from New York for one day.

Sat outside for lunch and got a sunburn, ate great bread pudding, and enjoyed the company.

38 | 365

I'd rather be drinking coffee than rushing around.

37 | 365

The last of a string of cold days.

All of our firewood is burned.
Met the new neighbor. She seems quite nice.

Take a Walk

Getting back into the swing of things after being sick for a week is easier said than done. I have gotten little accomplished beyond reading half of Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods and watching a few movies from Netflix. The house is a mess and the spare room is an explosion of baby stuff surrounding the extra bed we haven't had time to take to the Salvation Army. To add to the insanity, I have an article due, thank you notes to write, and Adam's grandparents are driving in for a one-day visit on Sunday.

But everything will get done, and I'm sure I'll even be able to squeeze in a bit more reading. Considering that taking a walk this week wasn't in the cards, reading A Walk in the Woods was a good substitute. My only complaint is that the sections talking about the role of the U.S. Forest Service and the vegetation on the Appalachain Trail can get a bit long winded, and I find I have to pull myself back in for a landing once my mind starts wandering. But the narrative is engaging and often hilarious, and I spent about three hours reading it last night.

I've become a big fan of walking since we got Penny two years ago and, especially, since I got pregnant. Right now, it's one of the only exercises I can do with minimal pain. When my friend Caroline was pregnant, she said her mom practically chanted a mantra of walking at her, insisting it's the best thing a pregnant lady can do, particularly near the end.

But walking city streets is nothing like hiking through the woods, and the trails here are nothing like the ones I'm used to in Upstate New York. I like the idea of reconnecting with nature and the simplicity of needing nothing but a decent pair of shoes and, maybe, a decent companion (man or little dog). Perhaps this is a bit off the wall, but walking just feels more grounded than other activities. It's one foot in front of the other on the actual ground -- a novel idea for a society where the average person walks approximately less than five miles a week and is usually encased in metal and rubber.

Personally, I have no desire to hike the entire Appalachain Trail, but I admire what Bryson and his companion did. And my plans include lots of walks and hikes and runs (can't wait to be able to run again!) with a little one in tow. Maybe I'll even be able to sneak a walk or two in this weekend. Hopefully.

36 | 365

It was one of those days at work, everyone at each other's throats.
We had pancakes for lunch with lots of maple syrup.

35 | 365

The new neighbors peek on me from their window.
They are drinking beer, and I want one.
The dog won't come.
I tire of calling her.

A Photo for Every Day

[January 5]

[January 7]

[January 10]

[January 21]

[January 22]

[January 26]

[January 29]

It's a little over a month into the 365 project, and I thought I would share some outtakes. Some days I end up taking a bunch of pictures and have a hard time choosing just one to fit the day. Other days, I feel like I'm scrambling around trying to take a picture of anything remotely interesting, especially before the sun goes down. (And then there's being sick, but that's a different story.)

In January, I uploaded 155 photos to Flickr, a mere representation of what I've actually taken. It's been at least twice that, if not more -- partly due to my attempt to take a "perfect" picture, partly so I have lots of options to choose from, partly because digital pictures are extremely forgiving.

I usually have a concept (albeit, a vague one most often) of what I want to shoot, but that's not frequently been the best picture of the day. What I've noticed is that the happy accidents and unplanned shots usually outdo the photos where I'm trying to achieve something. (I think there's a metaphor for letting go in there.)

Overall, the project is challenging, especially with a little point-and-shoot camera, but in a good way. It's forcing me to think about angles, light, composition. It's getting me to examine the simplicity in life with fresh eyes and pause daily to notice what's around me. It's not a bad way to look at the world.

34 | 365

Went to work this morning.
Left early and took a long nap fireside.

Woe Is We

Adam and I have both been under the weather for the last four days, me moreso than him. I had lofty plans to get a lot accomplished this weekend, but could muster barely enough energy to get to the drug store for cough medicine and the library to rent a season of Scrubs and one of Seinfeld. I'm feeling a teensy bit better and plan to be back to work and the land of the living tomorrow, even if I'm still totally drained.

Thanks for the kind words about my Curator article. I can't wait to share my next one!

33 | 365

Vicki called to check in on me.
I'm still under the weather.
She sang a song she wrote about people in the waiting room at the doctor's office.
It made me laugh.