I Write To Understand. I Write To Stop Time
Wee One is a toddler. So truly a toddler, and it’s only going to get more toddler-y as she goes. I’m more afraid of this phase than any other, I think. I’m afraid I’ll lose my patience or my way, that we’ll lose our bond or connection, and that we will start a lifetime of not liking each other. I wanted to keep positive details about toddler in my mind. To this end, I googled, “in praise of toddlers,” and sadly, didn’t find much.
So I’m writing something.
When we moved to Seattle in June, we had one month of corporate housing. I packed a suitcase for me and Wee One with everything we would need. Then we got our apartment and got the rest of our belongings.
When we left Seattle in September the following year, I again packed a suitcase for me and Wee One. However, since it was September, its a season with temperature changes. Also, since we’re living with his folks and not in corporate housing, we have longer than one month to find housing. Which is a good thing, because buying a house is challenging. However, this means I only have so many clothes, and sadly, I am not quite prepared for the coming cold.
If we were having coffee, we would share a long hug, as it has been a long time. It’s a new shop we’re in, a new town. I have been to this shop before, outside of Columbus, and the chai is truly superb. I came here just recently, the first mom date I had with people since moving. This one went alright, but there will be more. It takes time to connect with people and find my group. I miss my friends in Seattle, and we toast to their health: Courtney, Lydia, Jenny, Midori, Beckie, Jessica, others and all the littles.
It is part of my 52/52 Challenge of 2016 to do small research projects on unexpected things that catch my interest.
Intrigued by this story, I wanted to learn more about a haka. What I knew is that it is a traditional Maori ritual, something the All Blacks do to intimidate their enemy, hence the wide eyes and tongue out. But seeing it filmed from a wedding was confusing. Were they mad because the groom wasn’t, in their eyes, right for the bride?  Then I saw him join in and match them, and then that precious forehead greeting.
Here in Columbus, Ohio, toddler story time is offered four times a week. (In Seattle, it was just once. This is nicer.) When we go, they sing different songs that have little motions to them, and one of them is called “Finger Poppin’,” set to the tune of a big band tune I can’t name. As you sing, you do a little things with your fingers, like you’re trying to flick water in someone’s face. (Is that just me?)
But I have a problem with that.
For #TBT, let’s talk about that time I had purple hair. It was so beautiful.
It was just after Christmas break my freshman year in college, and I used some of my roommate’s hair dye. It was a Dark and Lovely Purple Something that and her black hair had a beautiful sheen to it when the light caught it right.
Get a beer for this one, friends, ’cause it’s got some stories to it.  In 2004, I worked for the Missouri PIRGs (a left wing political action group) and that was a hell of a summer in Sahara’s life. I’m glad I had it, but I’m glad I’ll never have to learn those lessons again.
But, when I left, I made a mix CD for myself and some of my friends from some music we had all shared that touched on some of the warmer memories of that year, and even when I listen to it now, I still remember. I wrote about one of these songs a few weeks ago, but I want to tell you about the rest.
Won’t you come see the melodious highlight memory reel??? /insert wavy back in time lines/
To begin this year’s NaBloPoMo, I am going to do something I’ve never done before: formulate a picture of the person I am trying to reach. Of my typical reader. Of you.
Hi, you.
Today, this article about protecting your writing time really spoke to me. The author of this article was also a parent and lived “a highly regimented life,” as I often feel I do, and didn’t feel like they had time to write after being done with responsibilities.
I Didn't Just Wake Up This Morning With A Craving 