Some days I'm better than others

Things I am thankful for today:
-a quiet day at work
-oatmeal with home made apple sauce for breakfast
-remembering to take all of my meds today
-getting some new music that I'm a fan of
-other morning guards who are willing to switch around with me

Really slipping on this

Wednesday:
- A good frirst day of the apprenticeship
- A good group of kids
-Progress on the book
-Insurance! (even though I end up taking less home from each paycheck)
-Being able to book appts online

Thursday:
-Relief who shows up on time
-Being productive at work
-Being able to watch hulu while being productive at work
-Not being in any accidents or being delayed by them all that much
-The fact my insurance has no copay.

Friday:
I'm thankful for movie dates with friends, a full work week (hour wise), a day off, shoveling as a work out, being able to stay in my pj's until late in the day, finally being able to say that I've seen Christmas Vacation, Kim Crawford Savingion Blanc and my friends.

Saturday:
I'm thankful for: going contra dancing again, remembering water, finally fixing my shoes that have been needing it for 5 years, the good dinner I made and working my way through a few movie series.

I'm working on this.

Today was one of those days when nothing goes according to plan.  Now usually that means it was the worst sort of day possible.  But ironically enough, that wasn't today.  I went into work early to prep for a meeting and because I was doing a favor for a friend in the afternoon which ment I was going to have to leave for a while.  The short version is that both of those things didn't end up happening so I was able to leave work by 4:00 as opposed to closer to 5:30 if they had.

So, I am thankful for people who call meetings off early, remembering to wear my waterproof work boots to work, and fun conversations while at work.  I am also thankful for finding the pictures I thought I'd lost and having a better handle on what we want the book to look like.

On that note my bed is on so it's time to double check my photos, read a little bit and then head to bed.  Maybe pilates or the gym in the morning if I get motivated.

Today I am thankful for:
- morning guards who are willing to switch around with me.
- remembering to bring work out clothes to job number 1 this morning
- a quiet day at work
- a fantastic yoga class after work
- enough leftovers for dinner.
- T for suggesting such a fantastic book (Judgment Ridge: The True Story Behind the Dartmouth Murder)

So three in one is becoming a theme

Friday:
I am thankful for siblings that live close enough that I can hang out, comfortable futons, "date night" with a good friend, five guys burgers & fries and surprisingly good movies.

Saturday:
I am thankful for:
-lazy mornings
-mini golf in the middle of the winter (inside of course)
-for once not being the worst at mini golf
-New Haven style pizza closer than an hour away
-off the line Krispy Cream glazed donuts

Sunday:
Today's things to be thankful for:
-waking up early (even if I didn't do anything)
-getting visitors (other staff members) at work
-remembering to bring an extra set of headphones to work
-having otc meds that aren't expired
-leftover pizza for my dinner.


One of these days I'll get around to sharing this blog with others.

And I'm already slipping.

But it's been a busy week so far.  And I am trying to catch up.

Tuesday:
Things to be thankful for: finally sending an email about help on the protest book started, getting a response, Glee with AEU (even if its a rerun!), snow days that are called the day before and eating leftovers.

Wednesday:
The good things today are: Roommates who get up early to shovel, ~13" of snow, getting a great (free) work out in, free dinner because we shoveled and winning trivia for the first time in AGES!

Thursday:
I am thankful for, copy machines that work when they are needed, having enough work to do to keep me busy, meetings that are set up, work for a little while tomorrow and a dinner date with my brother.


And tomorrow is excitement with AEU!  I'm looking forward to The Green Hornet and dinner out.

Getting back on the wagon

So as with many things, I've forgotten about this blog.  Well not forgotten about completely.  More like got out of the habit of updating.  And what better a day to bring this blog back to life than today on the 1 year anniversary of Ariel's passing.

Today I am thankful for:
-MB being my gym buddy for the morning.
-New Yankee Candle purchases making my apartment smell good.
-Workouts from T that I've actually put to use.
-A free yoga class at work later today
-Finding the check I thought I'd lost.

Wednesday:

I am thankful for: a part time job ending (however bizarre that may sound), having a solid other job, my ability to see the silver lining.

Thursday:

I am thankful for: unexpected visits, my apartment and a having a running car.

Time to hang with AEU et al for a while before sleeping in Pawcatuck tonight. Last day at Don's tomorrow...

A two for one, again

Monday:

I am thankful for co-pilots, not much traffic on the way to JFK and the Taconic State Parkway

Tuesday:

I am thankful for movies with friends, discovering old photos, caffeine, actually having lunch and my mother paying my car repairs.

Just to put it out there, driving Mystic to Providence to Mystic to JFK to East Nassau to Mystic is a LOT of driving from 9:30am on Sunday until noon today...

And on that note, time to work on the work project for a little while longer before its bed time.

Thankfulness

So, this might seem a little random, but it's all related to Ariel. She would write in a thankfulness journal every day. And there has been movement from those who were very effected by her loss to try and turn in into something meaningful. One of the ideas that I really like is the idea of starting a similar thankfulness journal. And this is mine...

Friday:
I am thankful for book club, friends funny children, being able to bake.

Saturday:
I am thankful for sleeping in, Ikea runs with friends and good wine.

Sunday:
I am thankful for my brother, being a light packer, my CT friends.

Inspiration

I've been meaning to start an actual blog for sometime now... That being said, here goes nothing.

When I started seriously looking at colleges, there was only one I wanted to go to. I received a scholarship there during my Junior year. It was the only school I applied to, and I got in. To this day I couldn't tell you exactly why WC drew me in. I knew that I wanted to be a person to my professors, not just a number. And while there are a number of small colleges out there, it was WC that I choose.

I've had my issues with WC. But then again, what WW(wells woman) hasn't? There were the usual and unusual ups and downs through out my time there. And when I graduated I was ready to be done with college. I was ready to move on to something else, but what I didn't know. I knew that the people I wanted to stay in touch with I would. The rest I didn't care that much about. I would say up until last Friday there were about 15 WW that I kept in touch with. Some on a weekly basis, some if I was lucky I'd hear from them every year or so . But it didn't matter how often we talked, she was a person I could count on for whatever whenever. And it went both ways.

And then there was the text which turned into a phone call late last Friday night into early Saturday morning. One of the WW I knew was in an accident. I didn't know exactly how bad it was, just that she'd been in the hospital in Syracuse since mid morning. As soon as I hung up, I immediately let others who I knew know. There were a number of texts back along the lines of "Who is this?". But that's what you get when you don't keep in close contact with some people that often. But each and everyone of them reacted the same way, by keeping Ariel in their thoughts.

Ariel was not one of the people I kept in contact with. Not that I didn't like her, more that she and I never really hung out on campus. She had a different set of friends than I did. But we did play soccer together for two of the years I was at WC. And thanks to facebook I had a vague idea of what she had been doing since graduation and where she was living.

When the call came Saturday afternoon that the decision had been made to not resuscitate her my heart went out to her family who had flown in from various places to be with her and her partner. As soon as I could, I let other WW know. When I heard that there was going to be a memorial in Aurora on last Monday night, I seriously considered going back for it. But I couldn't justify the 12 hour round trip drive with everything going on at work. Since there was going to be another memorial in NYC I decided that was where I was going to spend my Monday night. Despite transportation issues getting there, I did make it at least to the important part of any WC function, the drink(s) after.

One of the things I have come to realize in light of all of this is what it means to be a WW and be part of the sisterhood. It's the fact that there were 500 people in Phipps that night and about another 20 or so in NYC. As T has said, where else could this sort of thing occurred and had such a response as quickly? We are a unique bunch of people, mostly women, who have a strong bond.

Here's to sister Wells...


http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theithacajournal/obituary.aspx?n=ariel-grace-lawson&pid=138446933 Obituary
http://wellscollege.wordpress.com/2010/01/10/remembering-ariel/ WC's post
http://vimeo.com/8744884 The WC Memorial on campus