April 8th, 2013 → 5:30 am
“How can I then return in happy plight
That am debarred the benefit of rest?
When day’s oppression is not eased by night
But day by night and night by day oppressed.” – Sonnet 28
It was a wonderful weekend, with warm sunny weather, children’s laughter in the park, tart lemonade and homemade fried chicken… But it was also exhausting with hours in the sun, screaming children, plates overflowing with food… To be prepared for work today, I really need more sleep.
Filed under: Blog & Self/My Life
April 5th, 2013 → 6:16 am
“Men’s vows are women’s traitors.” – Cymbeline
I love my husband, but I hate it when he promises to do something, and then doesn’t. Don’t say “yes, dear,” if you really mean “whatever, I’m not listening to you right now dear.” Grrrr…
Filed under: Blog & Other & Self/My Life
March 25th, 2013 → 6:01 am
“I tax not you, you elements, with unkindness.” King Lear
I’ve been at a conference the last few days and yesterday, Sunday, I was supposed to fly home. Then came this crazy winter storm and I got stranded in the Chicago airport when my flight was cancelled. I thought about getting a hotel and waiting it out, like I was supposed to do, but I missed my son so much. I was dying to kiss and hold him after days without his adorable cuddle so instead I rented a car, drove through the storm, passed at least 50 cars stranded or skidded off the side of the road, and made it to my baby at 11pm last night. This morning I woke with the cold realization of how stupid I was, but what the hell is it doing snowing like this at the end of March?!?!?
Filed under: Blog & Other & Self/My Life
March 17th, 2013 → 6:18 am
“Time’s the king of men;
he’s both their parent, and he is their grave,
and gives them what he will, not what they crave.” – Pericles
I never seem to have enough time. Enough said.
Filed under: Blog & Self/My Life
March 13th, 2013 → 5:17 am
“The barge she sat in, like a burnished throne
Burned on the water; the poop was beaten gold.” – Antony and Cleopatra
A former student came to see me in my office yesterday. Within five minutes she was crying, spilling the story of her breakup with her boyfriend, segueing into the heartache of the death of her father… I started to wonder why she’d come to see me of all people, when she suddenly explained that when her life was a mess, she liked to seek out people who had their shit together. This time, she thought of me and coming to hang out with me. It was a huge complement, of course, though rather surprising. My seat is not a burnished throne, and my poop most certainly is not gold. But if I can talk to someone for forty-five minutes and make them feel even a little bit better about life, well, that’s an awesome thing.
Filed under: Blog & Self/My Life
March 9th, 2013 → 6:16 am
“‘Tis one thing to be tempted, Escalus,
Another thing to fall.” – Measure for Measure
Ways in which I am tempted: junk food, extra sleep, denigrating idiots, spoiling my baby, blaming my husband, ignoring the laundry, hating my enemies
Ways in which I fall: junk food (often), extra sleep (rarely), denigrating idiots (sometimes), spoiling my baby (all the time), blaming my husband (now and again), ignoring the laundry (not enough), hating my enemies (too obsessively)
That’s not the worst track record, is it?
Filed under: Blog & Self/My Life
February 25th, 2013 → 5:17 am
“He’s all my exercise, my mirth, my matter;
Now my sworn friend, and then mine enemy;
My parasite, my soldier, my statesman, all.
He makes a July’s day short as December,
And with his varying childness cures in me
Thoughts that would thick my blood.” – The Winter’s Tale
It was a weekend of fun with my son, Vincent! We had birthday parties to go to, Magic Houses to visit, Purim carnivals to attend. Phew! We even built two snowmen in the back yard – one more of a snow monster, but that’s ok, he only scared away the rabbits.
Filed under: Blog & Self/My Life
February 16th, 2013 → 8:41 am
“My heart
Leaps to be gone into my mother’s bosom.” – Pericles
Today is my mother’s birthday and, 14 years after her death, I still wake up thinking about her on this day. She would have been 64 years old today. Happy Birthday Mom! Sometimes, when I am cuddling my son in the early hours of the morning and he has his warm, sleepy face pressed into my breast, I imagine he is me and I am you and we are clasped in a loving embrace like I remember, and treasure, from many, many years ago…
Filed under: Blog & Self/My Life
January 30th, 2013 → 8:01 am
“Honor, riches, marriage blessing,
Long continuance, and increasing
Hourly joys be still upon you!” – The Tempest
My niece just got engaged and is getting married in less than four short months! Congratulations Jackie, we’re all looking forward to the May wedding!
Filed under: Blog & Other & Self/My Life
January 28th, 2013 → 8:22 am
“What is a man, if his chief good and market of his time be but to sleep and feed? a beast, no more. – Hamlet
My life feels so busy, as though all I do is sleep, feed, work, and take care of my family. I haven’t found time to write in ages… Is such a life beastly? Devoid of higher purpose? If so, I imagine most of humanity is indeed rather beastly…
Filed under: Blog & Other & Self/My Life