So if a new toothbrush can make me giggle with delight, a new blender is sure to make me shiver. I picked the most powerful one I could find…700 watts. It has 3 positions, fast, faster and pulsate. The one I’m throwing away has 10 buttons of which I only ever used 2. Serious overengineering.
Back to my regular smoothie mornings tomorrow. Life is good. Maybe it will be a pina colada weekend. Crushed ice anyone…I can’t wait to pulsate.
I’ve done a terrible thing. I forgot to water the flower Korey planted and presented so proudly to me on Mother’s Day. He sobbed uncontrollably, convinced the two-night sleepover at his Dad’s had resulted in the loss of one of the two fledgling sprouts. “It was just a baby. It didn’t even have a chance to grow.” My heart broke for him, but his empathetic reaction warmed my mother soul.
The truth is there was only one sprout to begin with. I convinced him there were two because Justin gave me two sunflower sprouts. The sight of which made Korey’s shoulders fall like a shocked cake.
It’s a slippery road to good intentions.
I spent yesterday and today at an internet marketing conference. Because I don’t own a handheld, yet, I was unable to keep up with Sweet | Salty. Yesterday I learned Liam was having heart surgery sometime this week. As it turns out, today was the day. Tonight I read both posts…when he went in and when he came out. I’m so glad I was incommunicado. I’m not sure I could have stood the suspense or the painful, nervous hoping. Of course Kate and Justin endured it real time, they seem so superhero-ish to me. I’m amazed by the human spirit and the outpouring of global love from those known and unknown to them. Keep putting the corners around it Kate, we’ll be here soaking up your strength and pouring it right back to you.
As for the conference, it was well done. Well organized. An interesting mix of topics. Some light some enlightening. For the first Atlantic event, it was heavily attended and the key message was clear. A highly usable, task oriented website is the most important tool in your belt—it builds efficient business processes, your brand and great customer experiences. Say, have you met Bob and Carol? They love great experiences. Congrats ISL on your new corporate identity, your exceptional exposure at the conference and your new website…I’m still crushing on it.
Next year when I register, I hope I can select from 3 options:
1. Give me the basics
2. Give me more than the basics
3. All meat and no potatoes please
What I really want is a glimpse of tomorrow. I’m already having a blast in the past.
Dale Jr. is leaving Dale Earnhardt Inc. (Theresa) and becoming a free agent at the end of this year. The marketing machine is poised to go over the wall. The colour chips are jockying for position. Numbers hope to be the chosen combination. Manufacturers are smoozing. Owners are dreaming and fans are waiting to be “brand loyal”. As for the objects of our affection affixed with the number 8, they will be safely packed away, adjacent our shrine to number 3.
I was NASCAR when NASCAR wasn’t cool and I’ve enjoyed watching clever marketing push a southern, red-neck sport to mainstream popularity. Both NASCAR and Nextel have done well to bring in new markets and use technology to deliver the excitement to fans across the continent, in a relevant way. Its paid off. NASCAR is the most watched spectator sport in North America.
I can tell you from experience, a live NASCAR race is like nothing else. The rush of adreneline starts on the approach to the track. With branded hats waving, fans will their driver to the front of the pack, and pray the race won’t end under caution. As a spectator, it’s powerful to have 100,000 people follow your lead as you jump to your feet with a barely audible “uh-oh”. While a scrape or two keeps things interesting, I don’t think crashes are favoured like a fight in hockey. NASCAR fans have seen too many bad outcomes and losing “your” driver is like a kick in the stomach, or lower. It takes a long while to regain your wind for the sport.
For most Senior fans, Junior filled the void left by his father. But Junior too is an intimidator, when he’s allowed to be. I can’t wait to see it happen, and get a new
t-shirt.
Related Link: An amusing commentary on the Dale Jr. DEI split.
Sometimes I just stare at them like everyone else and manage a little smirk as they rush past. Is it so terrible of me to pretend they aren’t mine, smile and shake my head at the behaviour some mother has let spiral out of control.
Eventually I’m discovered at the checkout, repeating the rules and removing any further impulse purchases. But, somewhere between the OK button and collecting my forage, trauma is replaced with pride, and we run and skip our way out…free of the judging eyes, the sneers and worst of all, the tsk, tsks. The latter makes me want to programme my duo to heat-seek all those uptight teeth suckers and frazzle them till they forget the most important item on their well-organized list.
The wave is tumbling me head over heels. We are not alone for long in this life. Eventually someone will walk in and change our perspective, bring some new focus or outlook or force you to redefine yourself. If only I weren’t so sponge-like these days, I could avoid potential problems. If only I were a brick. Then, I’d stand still and let the wave rush over me, not budging, stuck, safe and sound. But that approach sounds like opportunity lost. So, I gather my brick and bring it tumbling with me. When I reach the other end, I’ll be strong again.
My focus has shifted. I feel lost, hitchhiking a deserted road back to my centre. I’ve moved away from orderly chaos to a place where everything feels clumsy. I think of my friend Kate and her little boys so often. Perhaps this is tipping me off balance. If so, it’s no sacrifice, it’s the least I can do from my helpless position. I actually feel purposeful sending light and love their way. Scouring her blog and flickr for news and photos, listening to every comment as though we are conversing in a room together. Showering Kate and Justin with surplus strength in case their tandem load runs low.
Inevitably, as we pour ourselves into the lives of others, we snag an edge and hang around for a while, sometimes enjoying the break, sometimes envying freedom. Patience to this, move with the riptide and come out the other end with a deeper knowledge of what life is about.
My most recent homework is to determine my perfect career. Since I rescheduled this week’s appointment with my life coach—even my hair is taking precedence—I’ve given myself space on this. But, driving to work this morning, the words business development popped into my mind and something around that made me feel hopeful that I may be onto something.
Oh, and Heathertoo told me I looked slimmer…I hugged her.
My 3 year old has inherited the gab gene. Like a firefly, his light flicks randomly from his mouth, eyes, ears and often his nose, without pattern, without flow. His inability to wrangle his tongue around any word beginning with an ‘s’ reminds me that even with all his insight, he’s just a little boy with so much learning and growing to do. I want to hold him to infinity. Tonight he took me on a bouncy trip to yesterday, last week, the other day, one day and tomorrow. The scenes were electric, my guide a delight.
Sitting waiting for word
a new string of text that brings news, any news
Prospecting the milk trail for new meaning, new depth.
Thinking, hoping, praying and hoping, more hoping
Grasping the gravity.
Exhilarated by the gold rush.
Amazed by the human body.
In awe of the strength
In awe of the mama.
Redefining love.
Justin wouldn’t stay off the road tonight, with his bike or his hockey stick.
Korey wouldn’t do his homework.
Justin wouldn’t get out of the sandbox and come in the house for dinner.
Korey wouldn’t stop asking for just one more candy.
Justin wouldn’t stop taking the bikes out of the shed.
Korey wouldn’t stop crying because Mandy ate his salad.
Justin wouldn’t stop saying Korey was a baby.
Both cried because it was time for bed.
Neither would stop asking for one more kiss.
No complaints.
