What a week!

Wow... So in the last week Tabi (one of my pseudo-nieces) was in the hospital overnight on IV fluids (she's fine now), I found a lump on Jackson's chest and tried to convince myself he didn't have cancer (he doesn't and is perfectly healthy), and as of right now my mom is is New Jersey visting my aunt and her husband and their cat are at their house in Fallbrook ignoring a mandatory evacuation order while the fires rage around them. Add this to the continuing breakup mess and trying to replace everything I need to go on with life and just trying to figure out how things work now that I'm single... Some days all I can do is just keep going, and that takes considerable effort.

Quotes for the day

Just a couple things I ran across recently...

You mustn't give your heart to a wild thing. The more you do, the stronger they get, until they're strong enough to run into the woods or fly into a tree. And then to a higher tree and then to the sky. -- Holly Golightly, in Breakfast at Tiffany's

"Change and growth take place when a person has risked himself and dares to become involved with experimenting with his own life. " —Herbert Otto

Another found item...

Love this one too.

http://www.foundmagazine.com/comments/559

The haircut

So this is intended to be a bit of a poll. I've always had kind of mixed reaction when I do this to myself. So here are the pics -- let me know what you think.

I scare myself a little in this one.

Crying

Crying is good. I've wanted to cry (usually for no good reaon) all weekend and have been fighting it. Tonight I watched Extreme Makeover Home Edition and there were kids with cancer and I cried a whole bunch. Good release. I don't think I could be any more of a train wreck without trying.

Found...

I love the found website -- there's a link to the site over there on the left under "Fun Things to Look At". You have to read all the comments too... I really really liked this particular found item though. I think I may make myself an Action! List! tonight...

http://www.foundmagazine.com/comments/472

Mini-road trip...

Today I went to go take a couple photos of a house for work (the office job). Not sure I've even mentioned that on here really. I'll have to check. Anyway, I went out to Ridgefield, WA which is pretty much out in the country as far as I'm concerned. My opinion is supported by the following things I saw on my way:

I believe this to be a llama (or possibly an alpaca)

And this I think is a donkey

I saw cows too but the pictures were all blurry because I was moving.

I was trying to take a driving picture that showed my shaved head but none of them really turned out. (Yes, I shaved my hair to 1/8 inch.) I like this one though...it's mysterious and atmospheric :)

I need to take a photo of the head so I can see what people think. It's generally not very popular but it feels good to cut it off. A fresh start if you will. And I like rubbing it.

I also legitimately made dinner tonight for the first time in a month. It felt good. And tasted good. It also felt good not to do it for a month. I needed the break.

Amy and Ron have baby news for those of you following that. Check Amy's blog if you're one of them.

I think I've lost 10 lbs in the last month -- essentially all the weight I gained in the month before that. I'm working on making sure I eat enough. And the not smoking isn't going so well. Trying again tomorrow.

On a lighter note, I'm all into watching America's Next Top Model this season because one of the girls has Asperger's syndrome. And she's gorgeous. Totally rooting for her.

Wag more, bark less

I keep seeing these bumper stickers around town that say "Wag more, bark less". I always kind of wondered what the story was and they seem to be becoming more and more common all the time. (Not sure if that's the case in other parts of the country but I'm curious to know...) Since I've been pretty introspective lately -- really looking at everything in my life --the other day I saw one and it really made an impression on me. I had already realized that I had become very serious and a bit angry about various things in the last couple/few years. In particular a client sent me an email about her daughter and it ended with "You must meet her. Robin lives to laugh.". I thought, what a great thing, to live to laugh. And I used to laugh a lot more. I know I'll never be one of those people who's ALWAYS happy. They make me nervous. You have to feel your feelings, even the bad ones. A little barking is necessary. So long story short, I really like the idea of wagging more and barking less. I ordered some stickers and will put one on my truck if it ever stops raining. I may even take off one of the angry ones. (I may not :)) You can get your own here: http://www.agathaandlouise.com/servlet/the-Wag-More-Bark-Less/Categories Or I have a few extras if you're local.