Inclusive Nature

Naomi: You want to come play magic fairies?
Me: Hmmmm, I’m not sure.
Naomi: Are you a little nervous?
Me: Nervous?
Naomi: We’re nice fairies.
Me: I don’t doubt it. You’re a nice kid too.
Naomi: Yeh, we even say it’s ok to let grownups into our forest.
Me: How gracious.
Naomi: I know.

Merely A Flesh Wound

Finishing up my morning run early I showered-up, got dressed, and pushed through the heavy glass door of the gym onto the sidewalk. I’d love to brag about suddenly morphing into wicked fast runner. I can’t even type that phrase without laughing. Nope. My half-marathon training crested this past week, so the daily running regimen is pretty relaxed from now until race day. With this relaxed routine, I finished up early.

I pushed outside, turned toward my parked car, and took up a clip to my stride, mentally ticked with the day’s to-do list: switch the laundry, wake up Naomi, start the coffee pot, pack my lunch…and…for an instant I breathed “thank-you” to no one in particular.

I fell last week. Carrying a heavy box of file folders to my car. Missed the curb, twisted my ankle. No big deal, but, because I was carrying this box I didn’t have my arms to counter-balance my clumsiness and took a face-plant into the pavement. File folders flew everywhere. The dry wind kicked up. I crawled around on my skinned up my knees to re-assemble the papers before they blew away. The bodily injuries while ugly to look are nothing severe. A day or two of ice-packs. Slacked off with the running routine to make sure everything was a-okay.

I was glad to realize I’d be able to still run the half-marathon. Resumed my running habits on Sunday. This morning, walking along 11^th St, pre-occupied with my to-do list I thought of the capable, if breakable, body that indulges my half-marathon ambitions. The physics of mobility the possibility of motion seeming effortless.

Thank-you, I breathed.
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Currently Reading: The Woman Behind the New Deal by Kristin Downey
Dinner Line Up: Southwestern Corn & Pepper Pot, Tortilla Chips, Guacamole
Weekend Soundtrack: Freedom Sessions by Sarah McLaughlin (Mmm-hmmm, it was a moody weekend)
Naomi’s Latest Offering: I’ve recently asserted that Sunday is family cleaning day. My daughter observes that hard labor helps her imagine being an orphan.

It's a Girl

The newest member of the Landis family arrived at 2:59 this morning. Sofia Grace was welcomed into this world by her loving parents Jen and Matt Landis.

Impatient for Spring

I'm just so done with the cold, gray sky. If only the chilly wind would return the favor, and be done with me, we could all move on along here. Shesh! In my zeal for Spring I raked up the oak leaves from our yard last week. Aerated the ground, and stopped to stare, expectantly, at the bare earth.

The tulips, garlic and parsley shoots took pity on me and sprouted. Tiny wisps of green. A hint, a hope of more to come.

Naomi has been on Spring Break all week. Freed from her classroom my girl trekked out to the Pioneer Park Nature Center everyday. She scrambled into my back seat each day with mud caked shoes and socks, pink cheeks and an excited chatter.

Exciting as it is to spend time outside, under any conditions, we are aching for the ground to open up its box of colors.

C'mon, I'd shout out to Spring if I thought it would help. Get a move on. We're waiting already!

Some Assembly Required

Every year Lincoln Electric System (LES) pulls together a glossy Annual Report which essentially is a brag book about our programs and accomplishments. It’s a document LES circulates to bond agencies, board members, and customer-owners. I’m low enough on the totem pole that I’ve never had a hand in authoring the report, but have been pleased to read it when my copy arrives in the mail.

This year the Annual Report is profiling specific areas and people within the company. Somebody, somewhere plucked me out of the LES landscape as a person to profile.

I had lunch with someone from Corporate Communications. Jimmy John’s sandwich bribery was in full swing. I tried not to speak with my mouthful while we gabbed. She took notes. In case I said something printable I’ll be some blurb in the Annual Report. The part of this profiling gig nobody mentioned at the get-go was the photo shoot.

I show up, yesterday morning, having done my best to look presentable. I had double-brushed my teeth, slapped on what make up I could locate, and skipped my morning coffee because I’m a notorious coffee-slosher.

I stood outside the brightly-lit photo room and gave myself a little pep talk like I do before getting a flu shot. It won’t be so bad. Twenty minutes and it’s all over. Checking my sweater one, last time, for toothpaste or globs of food I walked into the room.

Get this: somebody hired a stylist.

I fidgeted nervously under her fixed gaze. This wasn't much like a flu shot. It was different somehow. We talked about her career. How high-definition imagery has changed make up in the stylist industry. With one last brush of the powder puff, the stylist said all done. She handed over a mirror. I didn’t look like Cleopatra or anything. It was just me. A better assembled version of me anyway. Sans the shiny forehead, and sporting a more flattering lip gloss. But still me.

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Currently Watching: 30 Rock (Season 1)
Currently Reading: 1215: The Year of the Magna Carta by D. Danziger & J. Gillingham
Recently Enjoyed: Reprise (2006)
Daily Soundtrack: That Time (Regina Spektor)
Early Morning Treadmill-Television Habit: Charlie Rose on PBS

But Don't Tell Anybody

It's coooooool being seven!
- Naomi

Naomi: So, mom, do I get a cake?
Me: Today?
Naomi: Yeh. A birthday cake.
Me: Oh....ummm.....maybe. You'll, for sure, have one at your party on Saturday.
Naomi: But my birthday is today.
Me: I know your birthday is today. I just didn't know you wanted a cake today.
Naomi: Well I do.
Me: Well, OK. I'll see if I can't make that happen.
Naomi: With candles.
Me: If the "maybe" cake gets baked today, it will have candles.
Naomi: When I was a kid I used to wish I could fly.
Me: You'd wish that on your birthday candles?
Naomi: Yeh.
Me: But you don't wish that anymore?
Naomi: Well...sometimes...but don't tell anybody. I'm seven now and that kid stuff, well, it's kind of embarrassing.

Storybook Parade

N recently participated in the Storybook Parade at school. She was dressed as Cindy Loo Who from The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. Prescott's Media Specialist (Denise Ebeler) pulled the event together and I took time off from work to attend and take photos for the website. While my Cindy Loo was a show stopper in the heart and mind of her mother, I have to say the whole parade was just a hoot.