From the other side of the pond:

Wahoo! Arrived safely in Maryland. Albeit 35 minutes late due to departing delays and a couple hours of turbulence just south of Iceland. Good God, crosswinds of 155 mph are scary. It felt like a 2 hour roller coaster ride with 150 of my closest strangers.

There were some totally weird things that happened today. I think I will leave that for tomorrow's post though, can barely keep my eyes open and feel dizzy because I don't think four hours of sleep is enough for ten hours of travelling.

Short version: I've arrived, I'm safe, I'm warm and fed. Now off to bed, off to bed.

Glad to be in Maryland.

Poemday.

The Red Wheelbarrow

so much depends
upon

a red wheel
barrow

glazed with rain
water

beside the white
chickens.

-William Carlos Williams


I know I have mentioned my love of Mr Williams (& his poetry before). But ah! the simplicity. The imagery! LOVE!

Happy Sunday, one and all! I am off tomorrow. Don't worry, I will be posting for the last 8 days of NaBloPoMo from one of my parents' abodes (or t'other).

Everybody's working for the weekend.

Today was the longest day ever. Also my brain is barely fuctioning, I am so excited about my trip to Maryland.

So this is for NaBloPoMo. It is not much substance. But I am here, my voice in my little corner of the interwebs.

In no particular order, things that happened today:

* I cut my finger whilst chopping potatoes
* Up early to shop at the ski outlet store.
* Chicken and vegetable pasty for lunch. NOM.
* Thought about leaving work early today, it was SO boring.
* Told everyone at work who would listen about my trip.
* Made lots of photocopies, planning for future activities and completed some word searches.
* Visited some friends for a few laughs and tea.

Friday Five

As you are all aware, I have not had the best of weeks. But, TGIF. Some good things happened in with the bad things I was so focused on.

1. Making brownies.
2. Only the weekend to go, then I'm off to Maryland.
3. Lunch with a friend from my old office.
4. Skype w/ Lindsay. Sweet.
5. New plants in the garden from Chris' mum. She also brought me a beautiful necklace which was her grandmother's and then her mother's. I was really touched.

So yay Friday. Bring on Monday & Maryland!

IALAC.

I really hope that next week is the week I need to sort my head out. I am losing steam with everything lately. Well, just about everything. The gym and planning sessions are still going nicely and I'm still excited about them.

I am totally off my game this week. First, I realised I was slacking with the menu because I have very little inspiration to cook outside my comfort zone, yet want more new and interesting food. Then, it was 'lose your head if it's not attached to your body' because I was all over the place yesterday.

Today was ok. I accomplished some small tasks and made some plans for tomorrow. But I have had enough of this week and NaBloPoMo feels like it is kicking my butt. I am starting to find it hard to gather up the motivation and courage to post every day. Only 11 days to go though.

I will follow through with this post a day business. 11 days. Things will get better.

Next week is for me. I will come back to England, to C, to work, to menu planning and all the other nuances that make up my life with the ability to be better, do better and accomplish more. In the words of my high school health teacher, Mrs Susan Euker, 'I am loveable and capable'. Life will go on, I will strive to be better at holding onto it with both hands, instead of letting it drag me along.

Remember: I am loveable and capable.

Today should have been a duvet day.

I am supposed to start work at 10:30 a.m. This means I need to leave my house no later than 10 a.m. What time did I wake up this morning? Why yes, that would be 10 a.m. I'm not sure why I overslept because my alarm went off at its usual time, I got out of bed, brushed my teeth, etc. And GOT BACK IN BED!!!

So I jumped up at 10 a.m., dressed and put my hair up and ran out the door. I got to work with one minute to spare. And, wait for it...FORGOT MY UNIFORM. So drop my bag off and run home. Grab the uniform I left just inside the door and run back to work.

Finally clocked in, 30 minutes late. Thank dog for flex-time.

There were myriad things that just threw the day further into turmoil (at some point I sent an FML text to C). But the first few issues really had me frustrated. Because honestly, I should be in control of that stuff. And it frustrates me when I am forgetful and lazy and things just seem to be going wrong for no reason.

The day improved with the help of some of the lovely residents I work with and taking the time to let go of this morning's antics. How do you deal with days where the odds seem to be stacked against you?

There has got to be more than this.

I am stuck in a rut. A dinner rut, that is. I rotate the same ten or twelve meals and frankly, I am getting sick of it. Not sure whether C cares, but I'm sure he would be happy to have more variety.

Things I cook on a regular basis:

-Chicken Broccoli stir fry
-Mexican Beans and rice
-Chili
-Chicken, Mashed Potato and [insert vegetable]
-Turkey (or beef) burgers, wedges and raw vegetables
-Soup and toast or sandwich
-Mexican inspired food that fits in a tortilla
-Chicken and vegetable Curry
-Vegetarian Lasagne (C is not overly keen on this and then I end up with a lot of food leftover)
-Pasta

I need to find some inspiration for new, easy (and healthy!) dinners. Do you have a favourite dinner? Share the love? In the meantime, I guess I will pore over my cookbooks, Google and Martha Stewart for inspiration.

Back to reality.

After such a wonderful weekend, today was a bit tough to swallow. Even though I love my job.

Mondays are my long day and today was just like other Mondays, with extra assignments and questions to boot.

Some highlights of the fun:

-Whilst doing a 'quiz' with the residents, they were asked to complete the proverb given. I said, 'Every dog...' And one of the women said 'I know!' When asked what the rest of the proverb was she responds, "Every dog has a silver lining!"*

-We made Christmas cards today! It was fun to make a mess, be creative and play with scissors and glue.

-This evening I did a 'creative thinking' exercise based on Ernest Hemingway's short story: Baby shoes, for sale, never used. (Those six words are the entire story...) One of the residents told this story in six words: Car loses wheel, chauffeur takes charge. Another resident's story was 'wrought iron fence supports driver failure.'

And so things improved. When C picked me up, I was even happier. Friends and pub quiz made the night. I am glad that I am in a good spell now! Lots of goings on and laughing. Back to life, it is good.


*The correct answer was 'every dog has his day'. But the combining of 'every cloud has a silver lining' and 'every dog has his day' reminded me of Boondock Saints:

Doc: You know what they say: People in glass houses sink sh-sh-ships.
Rocco: Doc, I gotta buy you, like, a proverb book or something. This mix'n'match shit's gotta go.
Doc: What?
Connor: A penny saved is worth two in the bush, isn't it?
Murphy: And don't cross the road if you can't get out of the kitchen.

Another Sunday Poem

The October Garden
by Molly Fisk

If you were zinnia, still bright
in the October garden and I the last
orange cosmos. If you were catmint blue
draping yourself over the cinder block wall
and I the weed coming up through gravel.
If you were the bamboo pole, listing
under the weight of late green tomatoes
that will never ripen now, and I
the frayed string that binds them. If
you were heavy purple grapes dangling
over the canted railing and I the feasting
thrush. If you were summer's echo
in yellow coreopsis and I the tall sedum,
autumn-flushed. If you were the sun
breaking slant over that little grove of aspens
across the street, if you were hummingbird's
quick wing, if you were winter coming on
or the studious worm and I the turned
earth, the patch of moss beneath an oak,
the oak's sharp-edged leaf ready to crackle
underfoot, the white-throated sparrow's
familiar three descending notes in a minor
key, oh, if only I were sometimes
you and you were me.

-

This was a marvelous weekend. It was filled with gales of rain and laughter, cuddles and pie. We had family time and wedding time and couple time and alone time. And it was perfect.

American Pie

There has always been music in my life. And I think I can safely say that there will always be music in my life. I didn't grow up listening to 'kid' music. Sure, my brother and I had some Raffi tapes and we all know and love Baby Beluga.

I remember being about six years old, in the ski lift with my dad at Wisp Ski Resort in Deep Creek, Maryland. The lift was stopped and we were suspended in mid-air above the snow covered mountain (pretty sure it's a big hill, if I'm being honest). To keep me occupied and pass the time, Dad started singing. At first it was a bunch of songs I knew, 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall, The Ants Go Marching, etc. But then my dad started singing a song that I'd heard before not knowing the words. It was a sad song, one my dad loved and probably still loves. I love it, too, just because of this memory.

A long, long time ago / I can still remember / how that music used to make me smile / and I knew if I had my chance / that I could make those people dance / and maybe they'd be happy for awhile...

On that ski lift I learned the words to American Pie by Don McLean. And when my dad was finished singing, I asked him what the song was about. I can't remember what his response was* but I remember feeling very sad and cold. Maybe the cold was more about dangling in mid-air in winter weather. I digress.

But February made me shiver / with every paper I delivered / the bad news on the doorstep / I couldn't take one more step / I can't remember if I cried when I read about his widowed bride / but something touched me deep inside / the day the music died.

And until I moved to England, whenever my dad and I would go skiing, if we were stuck on the ski lift, we began to sing this song.

So bye bye miss American pie / drove my Chevy to the levee / but the levee was dry / and them good ol' boys were drinking whiskey and rye / singing this'll be the day that I die / this'll be the day that I die

I haven't been skiing for four years. I have seen my dad probably a dozen times since I moved and we have never sang American Pie or any other songs during any of those visits. Nor have we gone skiing.

Hopefully I can change that when I see my dad next week. Think it's too early for skiing?



*in the years since I asked what the song was about, I have learned. If you're curious, see the Wikipedia article here.

Happy Friday the 13th!

Did you know that today, 13 November 2009, is the third Friday the 13th this year? And that three is the maximum number of times Friday the 13th can occur in any given year?

If not, now you do! And if you did, well done, have a hug or a biscuit.

Now for the Friday Five!

1. I have a three day weekend.
2. It has been raining for two days. And I love it.
3. I am planning some really cool things for our wedding and I am so excited about them. And so excited to be marrying C.
4. C and I are so incredibly happy together that it is disgusting sometimes. I wonder how I even got this lucky? I sometimes feel like I am cheating life, because there is no way I deserve this.
5. Maryland in 10! (TEN!!!!) 10 days. So very excited.

Day 12: Where did you get your name?

Following on from my post last Saturday, about changing my name, I wanted to talk about my forenames. How I got them, what they would have been had I been a boy and why my parents chose those names.

My first name, as you all know, is Danielle. Yes, it is my actual name. No pseudonyms here.

According to the story my dad tells, he always knew I was a girl. As a child, my dad's best friend was a boy named Daniel and my dad always enjoyed Daniel's company and thinks highly of him. He chose my name based on his respect and love for Daniel. My first name means 'Judged by God'.

My middle name is even more straightforward. My mother gave me her middle name, Marie. So simple, such a popular middle name. No story or heartwarming detail.

I have always liked my name. There were those times that people mispronounced my first name (Danny-yell instead of Dan-yell) and I wished I had a name easier to pronounce, like Jennifer or Anna. But on the whole, I embraced my name. I like that there are other Danielles in the world, my name is not too original, nor is it commonplace.

Had I been a boy, my name would have been Samuel Tyler. First name after my late paternal grandfather. Not sure about the why on Tyler.

As I said last week, I have enjoyed my years as Danielle Marie Lastname. I like my name.

How did you get your name? How did you decide to name your pets? Your children? Are you, your siblings, your spouse or your children named after anyone?

Do you think romantic chemistry is instant or evolving?

Have you ever given someone a second (or third) chance and lived to regret it? Have you ever fallen in love with someone you didn't particularly like or desire at first?

I think romantic chemistry can be both instant and evolving. Some people meet their significant other and have an instant connection that never waivers. Others take their time, either for personal or social reasons, to get to know and love someone.

I have never been the girl who immediately falls head over heels in love. I have never been in love at first sight with any of my ex-boyfriends. I did not fall in love with C at first sight (it probably helps that I was in a relationship with someone else when I first met C. The other relationship had concluded long before we got together.)

Giving second (and third) chances is also not really something I have done. I tend to make important decisions like that and stick with them. I don't think it is (or would be) fair for me to date someone I did not like (even platonically) more than once. If I think it's going somewhere, I say. If I don't, I try to be gently honest.

Around the time I graduated high school, there was a guy that I hadn't really taken any notice of. At our first meeting, I was not at all impressed with him. In fact, I recall that I thought he was a waste of time and a bit conceited. One of my friends was quite into him, but he was not into her. He convinced me to go on a few dates with him and I realised that we had similar goals and aspirations. I enjoyed spending time with him and I did fall in love with him. Unfortunately, falling in love with him cost me a friend. And he did end up breaking my heart.

But without him, I never would have met, befriended and fallen in love with C. We have been together 4 and 1/2 years and I hope that we are able to build a great, happy life together.

Day 10: A Recipe

Today was a long day. I have a cold. I am so happy and lucky to have the job I do, because I work with a bunch of nurses. And they take good care of everyone.

Even so, I had to come home and eat dinner. I didn't want C to eat cereal or toast, even though I know he can and would eat either happily (he can also cook, but he has been doing a lot lately).

Something quick and healthy was important. I decided to make a staple dish in our house, 'Mexican Beans and Rice'.

Mexican Beans and Rice

1 cup cooked brown rice
1 16 oz tin black beans, drained and rinsed
1 16 oz tin corn, drained and rinsed
1 cup spring (or green) onions, finely chopped
Cumin*
Paprika*
Cayenne pepper*
Cilantro (or Coriander)*

*spices to taste

Mix all ingredients together and heat through. Serve as tacos or burritos, or as a nacho topping. Also delicious with shredded grilled chicken. Garnish with salsa, cheese or other favourites!

Enjoy.


(picture is from www.mccormick.com as I could not find a good picture of this recipe on my laptop.)

20 things

The following are a list of things I would like to accomplish in my life. Brought to you by the fact that I am sick.


1.Be published. (Again.)
2.Have a happy, successful and committed marriage.
3.Travel to New Zealand.
4.Run a half-marathon.
5.Travel around Europe in an RV.
6.Follow the Tour de France.
7.Learn another language (Italian, German or Welsh).
8.Read 52 books in one year.
9.Go camping in the Peaks or Scottish Highlands.
10.Have and raise children.
11.Knit a big project (i.e. shawl or sweater)for myself.
12.See the fjords in Scandinavia.
13.Visit British Columbia.
14.Have a large garden.
15.Get a DSLR and learn/teach myself to take good photographs
16.Grow my hair really long, just because.
17.Have a library in my house.
18.Attend Michigan Womyn's Music Festival
19.Drive across North America.
20.Build a greenhouse.

Sunday Poem

This Is Just To Say
by William Carlos Williams

I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox

and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold


The above is my favourite poem. I love its simplicity. The image of a cold refrigerator, cold, crisp, ripe plums. I imagine that this poem was a note on the kitchen table, an apology for taking his wife's delicious breakfast, which he enjoyed. It conveys imagery, a sincere apology and an appreciation for the fruit.

"All endings are also beginnings..." -Mitch Albom

When I lost my job at the end of June, I was devastated not so much about the job itself, but about the possibilities that it had closed for me. I felt very lost for a few days or a week and it felt strange to wake up in the morning and get dressed, only to stay at home.

After that first week of shock, I began to get into a routine of job searching, CV (or resume) updating/editing, going into town to pass my CV to anyone who was considering taking new employees and baking furiously.

I had a new beginning after the loss of my job when I really appreciated the time I spent at home (and job searching). When I started my current job, another transition occurred.

Switching jobs is only one type of ending and beginning. There are obviously other endings and beginnings that happen throughout life.

The big ending and beginning that is fast approaching for both C and I is our wedding next year. Yes, it is only one day. Yes, it should be an important day. It is not going to be "THE" most important day in our lives.

This is my issue with the wedding, and mine alone. It really comes to the heart of the question, what's in a name?

It is important to me because I will end my years as Danielle Lastname and begin my years as Danielle Hislastname. I am simultaneously looking forward to this ending and dreading it. The new beginning as C's wife and the beginning of our family together is exciting. I am glad to be choosing him. I am glad he chose me.

But changing my name seems so scary! My childhood nickname which was based on LastName will no longer apply. I am afraid to lose my father's last name, one that my brother and I share. Changing my name frightens me because somehow I feel I won't be as close to my father or brother, if I do not share their last name. I realise this is irrational and ludicrous, but it is one of my fears about all the changes that will occur when I marry C.

I am glad to have this new beginning with C. I choose him as my new 'first' family and I am (for the most part) happy to take his name. I will be sad to 'lose' my childhood name, but that name will always be mine and a part of me. I am not just Danielle Lastname. My identity transcends my name. The last name I share with my father and brother will always be mine and a part of me.

When I take C's last name, it will be for 'our family'. For us. For the children we may bring into the world one day. I choose C and I choose his last name. An ending for me. A beginning for us.

Friday Five

Each Friday, I will be posting five things that were good about the week. These could be really exciting or fairly mundane. I do this list every week in my notebooks or in my day planner. It really helps me to see all the good things in my life.

1. A great fiance, who does dishes, takes out rubbish and takes me to the supermarket at 9 p.m. to buy cake.
2. The gym at the end of my road. Making it easier to get healthy (forget what I just said about cake, ok?) and there are no excuses because it is so close!
3. A job that makes me laugh everyday. (I will share some funny stories soon!)
4. Phone calls from my mom. Even though I know she misses me, she still finds the strength to encourage me to pursue and live my dream every day.
5. My day off on Fridays. I love waking up a little bit later, going to the gym, lounging in my pajamas and then running errands and doing housework. I would be a great stay at home person.

Share your Friday Five on your blog or in the comments! Hope you've had a good week!

my confession and a memory.

On average, it rains 200 days per year in England. Over that two-hundred or so days, it rains more than 30 inches.

I love rain. I love the way it sounds, the way it feels, even the way it smells. I love rolling thunder and waiting for giant webs of lightening to cover the sky. The damp, earthy smells that rise during the rain make me feel happy and alive.

Many of my childhood memories include rain. Or snow. But mostly rain.

The first time I realised how much I love the rain, I was four or five years old. It was one of those sticky summer nights, where the humidity is hanging in the air. Suddenly, a crisp breeze came through the window and cut through my bed sheet. I remember shivering, tingling like I had just swallowed minty ice cream. There was a growling and grumbling sound from the sky; thunder. CRACK! Lightening lit up the sky and the yard. Rain hurled from the sky soaking everything. The thunder and lightening continued. I lay in my bed and watched intently. I wanted to be closer.

I climbed out of bed, brushed the toys from my bedside table, climbed back onto the bed, and stepped gingerly on the top of the table. I had to stand on the table to see out of my windows! The small rectangular windows were two thirds of the way up my bedroom walls and only a foot high. I needed to inspect the storm more closely and my bedside table was the best tool for the job.

Standing on the table, peering out of the window, I stood for what seemed like hours, admiring the storm. Just as quickly as it came, it was gone. I stood on the table, looking out of the window, willing the storm to come back. When it did not, I reluctantly climbed down and into bed.

Still, decades later, I have a love affair with rain and storms. If bad storms are predicted, I wait almost impatiently for their arrival. I sit in the window, watching, occasionally narrating what is happening. If I am caught out in a storm and I feel it is safe (little/no lightening), I will sometimes just keep walking in it until I am soaked. Soaking in rainwater, droplets running off my nose and eyelashes and hair is my agnostic confessional. Except I don't have to talk or repent. The rain just washes everything away for me.

Friends.

Do you have a best friend? I'm sure you do. Most people do, even if they don't call them by that term. Maybe your best friend is your sister, brother, cousin or even your significant other or spouse. That person is your go-to person, the person you laugh with, cry with, shout at (sometimes for no particular reason).

I have been so lucky in life, to have grown up with my best friend. I also had a small group of close friends. The five (or six, depending on when) of us were together in some permutation most of the time. Sometimes, I miss those days.

And other days, I blame those days because I know what I am missing in my current 'community' and living situation. How does one make new friends? My partner is a wonderful person and very supportive, but he is not the beginning or the end of my life. I need more friends and a good network, like the one I had growing up.

Damn, I miss those girls. D'you hear me?! I miss YOU!

I get plenty of socialisation at work. The problem is, I need more socialisation with people my own age. For instance, when C is not home or out with his friends, can I call someone or have made plans in advance? Since there are only one or two people to call and they are also busy people, this makes me feel a nuisance. If I had more of a group to hang out with, I would feel less like a bother to the few people I do know.

Good Evening.

I think I need to do a bit of planning for these posts. Right now, I am totally 'winging' it. Almost afraid I wouldn't be able to post today, we went to a gig in London. Clutch would have been totally worth missing a day of NaBloPoMo for, since they are one of the best bands. Very loud and quite catchy, if I do say so.

Shameless promotion of a fine rock band from Maryland, USA: www.pro-rock.com



What kinds of music do you like? Recommend some music? Tell me about it in the comments!

In other news, today was a better day at work. Also, I am going to see my mom in 3 weeks!

second verse same as the first.

I have said it before, I love my job. The hours are great, the people mostly wonderful. The only thing that could be better is the pay. But honestly? I still love it.

My job requires me to plan and execute activities for elderly people suffering from Parkinson's, dementia and stroke. I work in a local nursing home; it is always challenging and mostly fun.

I was ill at the weekend, finally well today, I was excited to go to work since I missed my Saturday shift. Maybe I am still recovering from the weekend, or maybe I woke up without all my patience, but at several points today I wished I had stayed home in bed.

Here is my rant about work:

01.It is harder to reason with octogenarians with most of their mental faculties than it is to reason with a two year old.
02.I hate being asked the same question by the same resident everyday. S/he knows the answer, because they start the conversation "I know you said X about Y, but I just wanted to know if I could do Y?" Ummmm, no. The answer is the same as it was the last time you asked.
03.People that ask if we can do G activity because it 'sounds interesting and fun' or 'that was nice the last time we did it' and then DO NOT TURN UP to the aforementioned activity. The next day/week some of these people will say, why didn't we get to do G activity?

The things I love about work:

01.I get to be fairly creative on a daily basis.
02.I speak to a variety of people each day, all with varying needs, wants, interests, abilities and limitations.
03.All of the things I dislike as well as the variety of people I am with on a daily basis keep me constantly engaged and challenged at work. Even if there is not a feasible solution.
04.Things at work make me laugh a lot. The people are funny, sometimes the situations are funny.
05.My supervisor is great. People think she is hard to get along with, but really, just DBAD and you will be fine.

My shifts on Mondays are 10:30 A.M.-5:30 P.M. and 7 P.M.-9 P.M. I stay at work between shifts, and have dinner, prepare activities for the evening and assist with supper for residents (if necessary).

By 8:30 P.M. tonight, I was losing my patience in a big way with one of the residents (Resident S). And obviously, you must endeavour to be kind and patient all the time with all the residents, so I was walking out of the room to get away from Resident S and s/he follows me!* So I retreat back to the room I just came from, and one of the other residents says, "You can't get any peace around here, can you?"

"I am just running out of energy to deal with Resident S right now."

"Then you won't ever get peace...not for love nor money!" (Laughs).

I start laughing. Resident S is now back in the room and thinks I am laughing at him/her.

I realise that I am fighting a losing battle trying to communicate and reason with Resident S. So I prepare Resident D to go back to his/her room and say good-bye to Resident S.

I have never felt so relieved.




This post brought to you by: the people at work who drive me up a wall.




*Resident S, due to their limitations has difficulty holding a 'normal' conversation. S/he will repeat and repeat and repeat a story, statement or request until s/he gets a response. Offering alternatives or solutions is a lost cause. S/he will respond "Oh no, I could never do that because X. But don't tell anyone." What?! Why is anyone going to care about that? Basically, everything in Resident S' life is a crisis, that s/he has no control over and no one can help with, though we are supposed to pander to each crisis. But by being sympathetic, s/he says 'Oh you have no idea how hard Z is or what I have to do for Y." It is a constant uphill battle with Resident S and after being at work for ten hours, it is extremely wearing.

NaBloPoMo

And so, it is November 2009. Time flies.

This November, I have committed to NaBloPoMo. My aspirations are to become one of those 'bloggers'; writers who put their craft into cyberspace each day. A lofty goal, I know. A joke, perhaps?

I have always been a writer, preferring paper and pen to typing on a computer. Somehow, the words seem to flow, like extensions of my own mind, my own body, through ink. The computer has always seemed more forced. I tried using a typewriter for several years, it was fun and challenging, but never the same as pen and paper.

As a child, I wrote short stories with illustrations and told my grandmother I'd be famous for writing one day, as she hole-punched my creations and bound them with a shoelace.

So here is my own challenge, along with all the other daily things that need to be accomplished. I will be posting each day this month. An anecdote here, my weekly recap on Fridays, my adventure at the end of the month back to the United States for a visit with my family...follow on the journey, as I figure out how to write each day with a computer instead of my trusty pen.