Spring has sprung. It's about time. This winter really just needs to go away. I felt that SADD syndrome thing where the bleak gray sky mimicked my bleak outlook. Today the sun is shining and things are more doable.
As a writer, I'm filled with idiosyncrasies--self destructive tendencies and I allow myself to get side-tracked.
Somehow the sun wipes all that away. I didn't write today in winter, compounds that "I'll never do it." but a sunny day, not writing means -- well I went for a walk and feel good.
Go out and get a little Vitamin D, too.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Blush is off the Rose
Okay Can we bring the dog back? This is the prevailing question this week after Daisy -- no longer dainty and should be more like DayZEE -- has been biting. Not just puppy isn't-that-cute nibbling. But out and out growling and provoking us, challenging all in the house to a yell off.
I got news for you dog, this here's my house and my bite is worse than my bark.
We had dinner with Bob and Arlene Levinson last night from Nassau Community's Dylan Radio show. They had us hooting and laughing about pet catastrophe stories. It takes time I guess, but the honeymoon's over. Now the training begins.
I got news for you dog, this here's my house and my bite is worse than my bark.
We had dinner with Bob and Arlene Levinson last night from Nassau Community's Dylan Radio show. They had us hooting and laughing about pet catastrophe stories. It takes time I guess, but the honeymoon's over. Now the training begins.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Old dog learns new tricks
Erin Go Bragh!!!
It's amazing how fast a habit can form--whether good or bad. In just over a week I'm up earlier, monitoring the input and output levels of yet another creature in our family and I'm more aware of my tone of voice.
This morning I actually had my shoes by the back door ready and waiting. I deftly unlocked the crate door scooping a slightly bigger Daisy up in my arms. We scurried out the door before I put her down--before the accident can happpen. See Daisy, I can learn new tricks.
Daisy is getting the rhythm of our human life. Being the only animal in the house, she seems fascinated by the coffee making in the morning, the sound of my guitar. She wanders around looking for the children when they're at school and goes CUJO-nuts when they arrive home.
As I'm reading all the doggie books, I realized you can apply these techniques to children, too.
--Never let them sleep on your bed. They get confused as to who the boss is.
--The owner eats first. The biggest and lead dog always fortifies him/herself FIRST
--Walk out the door, first. Make them follow your lead.
--Crate them at night (well, this one might be hard. Robert is tall these days)
Sometimes during dinner, the lack of manners makes me feel like I am raising wolves.
All in all, Daisy's like putty gluing our family together in a common fascination. We're learning to see things through puppy eyes.
It's amazing how fast a habit can form--whether good or bad. In just over a week I'm up earlier, monitoring the input and output levels of yet another creature in our family and I'm more aware of my tone of voice.
This morning I actually had my shoes by the back door ready and waiting. I deftly unlocked the crate door scooping a slightly bigger Daisy up in my arms. We scurried out the door before I put her down--before the accident can happpen. See Daisy, I can learn new tricks.
Daisy is getting the rhythm of our human life. Being the only animal in the house, she seems fascinated by the coffee making in the morning, the sound of my guitar. She wanders around looking for the children when they're at school and goes CUJO-nuts when they arrive home.
As I'm reading all the doggie books, I realized you can apply these techniques to children, too.
--Never let them sleep on your bed. They get confused as to who the boss is.
--The owner eats first. The biggest and lead dog always fortifies him/herself FIRST
--Walk out the door, first. Make them follow your lead.
--Crate them at night (well, this one might be hard. Robert is tall these days)
Sometimes during dinner, the lack of manners makes me feel like I am raising wolves.
All in all, Daisy's like putty gluing our family together in a common fascination. We're learning to see things through puppy eyes.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Early mornings
I'm still missing that hour. Daylight sayings might save some farmer some time (or so the reason goes), but it's not helping my sleeping cycle. That, combined with the arrival and invasion of a little 10-week old puppy into my daily routine. So practically every morning, I've been up at 5:55 which is really 4:55 day hour "time" to my body clock and a whole hour and a half earlier than my natural awaking rhythm which is -- you do the math. A LOT earlier than it should be.
Plus, I'm in menopause having night sweats and hot flashes and racing heart palpitations...
They say dogs are wonderful for your health, lowering blood pressure and adding years, yes--years to people's lives.
Hopefully we'll get there because right now I feel I've aged a year in one week. In dog years, of course.
Plus, I'm in menopause having night sweats and hot flashes and racing heart palpitations...
They say dogs are wonderful for your health, lowering blood pressure and adding years, yes--years to people's lives.
Hopefully we'll get there because right now I feel I've aged a year in one week. In dog years, of course.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Puppy love
We're in love. Everyone in our family has that new love glow. The children are eagerly picking up after themselves so as not to "hurt" our new pup Daisy as she sinks her baby teeth into anything and everything she can. I enjoy her company on my walks, having someone underfoot and following me through the house all day long who isn't yelling, asking for juice or insisting they won't eat that, mom.
Tom even walked her this morning with a little skip in his step humming happily. In just three short days, we're in puppy love. Hard to believe. Robert hasn't even looked at guitar hero in days, Melanie is growing less and less afraid even as Daisy gets really frisky and growls biting her chew toys. Kelly is as nurturing and loving as ever. It's brought all of our cuddly wuddly sides out as time seemed to lengthened with new habits forming these past few days.
Here's to Daisy for bringing us closer together.
Tom even walked her this morning with a little skip in his step humming happily. In just three short days, we're in puppy love. Hard to believe. Robert hasn't even looked at guitar hero in days, Melanie is growing less and less afraid even as Daisy gets really frisky and growls biting her chew toys. Kelly is as nurturing and loving as ever. It's brought all of our cuddly wuddly sides out as time seemed to lengthened with new habits forming these past few days.
Here's to Daisy for bringing us closer together.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Meet Daisy
It happened fast. I don't have any deadlines this week and I'm not actively writing on the novel. The economy is nose-diving. The print industry is reshuffling hourly. I have the time and now's as good a time as any. I work at home. My husband, Tom, works at home.
Friday Tom and I thought we'd found a dog we liked for our family. It was a Welch Springer Spaniel mixed with who knows what else available for adoption through ARF--Animal Rescue Foundation out in the Hamptons.
Saving something or someone is always a good thing to me.
So, after advice from our friend Mark who fund raises for ARF, we heard the Springer Spaniel was bigger than we'd have liked and she was spoken for already. BUT, two Clumber Spaniel mixes--a brother and sister, 10 week old--would be available Saturday morning. Come fast. Spaniels go quickly. We didn't tell them and packed the kids up, blankets and all. "Just lets go for a ride." We drove deep into the country of Long Island, past the Pine Barrens and wine vineyards to a well-kept ARF to "visit" Mark and maybe pet some puppies and leave, as we've been known to do.
Jude was all white and jumpier of the two. He barked loud and bared his little baby teeth scaring Melanie too much. Her name was Tracey. She was white sprinkled with carmel coloring on her ears, head and spotted nose. She was sweet, trying to run away from Jude and trembled as I held her.
"Pick one," we said to the delight of the children. It was an easy, unanimous choice as well as picking her name--Daisy Buchanan--from Fitzgerald's Great Gatsby. (Well, to me.) She's Daisy Delilah to the children. (They love Plain White Ts song Hey There Delilah.)
We all fell in love and signed the papers making her our official first family dog.
Friday Tom and I thought we'd found a dog we liked for our family. It was a Welch Springer Spaniel mixed with who knows what else available for adoption through ARF--Animal Rescue Foundation out in the Hamptons.
Saving something or someone is always a good thing to me.
So, after advice from our friend Mark who fund raises for ARF, we heard the Springer Spaniel was bigger than we'd have liked and she was spoken for already. BUT, two Clumber Spaniel mixes--a brother and sister, 10 week old--would be available Saturday morning. Come fast. Spaniels go quickly. We didn't tell them and packed the kids up, blankets and all. "Just lets go for a ride." We drove deep into the country of Long Island, past the Pine Barrens and wine vineyards to a well-kept ARF to "visit" Mark and maybe pet some puppies and leave, as we've been known to do.
Jude was all white and jumpier of the two. He barked loud and bared his little baby teeth scaring Melanie too much. Her name was Tracey. She was white sprinkled with carmel coloring on her ears, head and spotted nose. She was sweet, trying to run away from Jude and trembled as I held her.
"Pick one," we said to the delight of the children. It was an easy, unanimous choice as well as picking her name--Daisy Buchanan--from Fitzgerald's Great Gatsby. (Well, to me.) She's Daisy Delilah to the children. (They love Plain White Ts song Hey There Delilah.)
We all fell in love and signed the papers making her our official first family dog.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Lists and birthdays
I got my list. Melanie, our little one, will be 7 in a few weeks. Experts say it's the age of reason. Oh boy, that couldn't be more true. She's one sharp cookie.
"Mommy, do you have the right list?" she asked point blank first thing this morning. She knew I planned to go shopping today to buy her birthday presents.
"Yes, I have the 8th version."
"The one with the yellow highlights?"
"Yes," I nodded pulling my bathrobe on while padding to the bathroom. I hadn't even had a sip of coffee yet and was being asked to think on my feet already.
"Don't forget the yin and yang necklace at Clarie's."
"I won't." Oh Jeez, I already did. Note to self, yin and yang necklace. where was that again, I visualized the store in my mind
"...and the Pet Shops in Target."
Think fast, my brain fired as I washed and dried my hands and left the bedroom with Melanie following me like a CEO's assistant that only has a few minutes a day to catch the boss's attention and rambles off a to do list.
"Pink shirt at Limited, Too?"
"Check," I said opening the refrigerator searching for the can of coffee.
"The one with the guitar NOT the peace sign,"
"Yup, the guitar," I said.
"It's Justice now, Mommy." She pouted and set down the list on the kitchen table, scratched off Limited, Too and came next to me clutching the list while I poured two scoops of coffee grains into the coffeemaker's top. "How do you spell justice?"
As I answered her stream of questions, it was evident that I won't ever have to worry about her not getting her needs met.
--
Later she kissed me goodbye. "Have fun today mommy," like we had a little secret. She knew what I'd be doing today and I knew as I would shop, she'd be at her desk below the hand-made red hearts strung from the celing, visually checking items off the birthday list.
"You too, Mel," I whispered into her ear as we hugged.
We broke apart and shared a smile. Then turned and went our separate ways.
"Mommy, do you have the right list?" she asked point blank first thing this morning. She knew I planned to go shopping today to buy her birthday presents.
"Yes, I have the 8th version."
"The one with the yellow highlights?"
"Yes," I nodded pulling my bathrobe on while padding to the bathroom. I hadn't even had a sip of coffee yet and was being asked to think on my feet already.
"Don't forget the yin and yang necklace at Clarie's."
"I won't." Oh Jeez, I already did. Note to self, yin and yang necklace. where was that again, I visualized the store in my mind
"...and the Pet Shops in Target."
Think fast, my brain fired as I washed and dried my hands and left the bedroom with Melanie following me like a CEO's assistant that only has a few minutes a day to catch the boss's attention and rambles off a to do list.
"Pink shirt at Limited, Too?"
"Check," I said opening the refrigerator searching for the can of coffee.
"The one with the guitar NOT the peace sign,"
"Yup, the guitar," I said.
"It's Justice now, Mommy." She pouted and set down the list on the kitchen table, scratched off Limited, Too and came next to me clutching the list while I poured two scoops of coffee grains into the coffeemaker's top. "How do you spell justice?"
As I answered her stream of questions, it was evident that I won't ever have to worry about her not getting her needs met.
--
Later she kissed me goodbye. "Have fun today mommy," like we had a little secret. She knew what I'd be doing today and I knew as I would shop, she'd be at her desk below the hand-made red hearts strung from the celing, visually checking items off the birthday list.
"You too, Mel," I whispered into her ear as we hugged.
We broke apart and shared a smile. Then turned and went our separate ways.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Sister-Brother Can You Spare A Job?
Yesterday Robert wasn't feeling well. "Mommy, I have a headache, sore throat and feel like I'm gonna puke," he said looking pale and greenish. I did the mommy assessment and determined, "Okay kid, stay home."
Puke gets me every time. Does he know this at 10? Maybe. But he really seemed out of it. This is a double-edged sword. On the one hand I'm glad to be here to be able to let him stay home without calling a million people to cover for me, but by the same token that means I'm not working. Well, I work at home. But in this economy I'm truly--not working. I pitch and write and create ideas and send them everywhere. Folks like the concepts and genuinely say, "But Mary Ellen, I can pay $75.00 for a 2,500-word article" and I contemplate it. Well it's exposure. Something to show in print for 2009. Work is drying up.
There is a huge shift like tectonic plates underground realigning in a major earthquake. Print media is dying. Hearst laid off heaps of writers/editors. A start-up magazine I was going to write for never got off the ground. What's happening? Is it just a readjustment in an industry that needed it? Lets face it, the publishing industry has been a dinosaur whose time for change and a move on the social media Internet has come. Musicians have already made the transition to indie labels first, then to do-it-yourself mode producing quality work in their own studios and then marketing their music themselves to gain a following. Writers need to as well. I read somewhere yesterday that Amazon's e-book on Kindle (and Kindle 2) reading books online will become the only way to read in the next decade. Saves trees. So help? Brother / Sister can you spare a writer some work online?
Puke gets me every time. Does he know this at 10? Maybe. But he really seemed out of it. This is a double-edged sword. On the one hand I'm glad to be here to be able to let him stay home without calling a million people to cover for me, but by the same token that means I'm not working. Well, I work at home. But in this economy I'm truly--not working. I pitch and write and create ideas and send them everywhere. Folks like the concepts and genuinely say, "But Mary Ellen, I can pay $75.00 for a 2,500-word article" and I contemplate it. Well it's exposure. Something to show in print for 2009. Work is drying up.
There is a huge shift like tectonic plates underground realigning in a major earthquake. Print media is dying. Hearst laid off heaps of writers/editors. A start-up magazine I was going to write for never got off the ground. What's happening? Is it just a readjustment in an industry that needed it? Lets face it, the publishing industry has been a dinosaur whose time for change and a move on the social media Internet has come. Musicians have already made the transition to indie labels first, then to do-it-yourself mode producing quality work in their own studios and then marketing their music themselves to gain a following. Writers need to as well. I read somewhere yesterday that Amazon's e-book on Kindle (and Kindle 2) reading books online will become the only way to read in the next decade. Saves trees. So help? Brother / Sister can you spare a writer some work online?
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Overwhelmed
Yikes!! I'm on facebook. I'm on Twitter. I'm trying to keep up with the onslaught of stuff out there. LIVE. Everything is instantaneous in this world. I had my head in the sand for a few years as I was doing the mom thing from '98 to 2004 and I stopped working in Public Relations and freelance writing. As I slowly came up for air, the world completely changed.
In five years, it has exploded. Where will we be in five years?
In five years, it has exploded. Where will we be in five years?
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Blah winter
There's a white blanket coating the world outside. The kids drank hot chocolate yesterday after bundling up twice to play in the snow. Boots, hats, coats zippered, ski gloves carefully layered over sleeves; I watched them from the window. Robert, 10, led the charge through the snow as they rolled a snowman (well the girls Kelly 9 and Melanie almost 7 insisted snowwoman) and tied a scarf around its head.
I love snow. It's an excuse not to do anything; to hang back, play and just be. Spring is around the corner, and although I can't wait for those first daffodils (and later my blue hydrangeas) to bloom, spring in our house is a crazy time with three different kids and various sports.
So for now, enjoy the snow.
I love snow. It's an excuse not to do anything; to hang back, play and just be. Spring is around the corner, and although I can't wait for those first daffodils (and later my blue hydrangeas) to bloom, spring in our house is a crazy time with three different kids and various sports.
So for now, enjoy the snow.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Let it snow, let it snow
I'm glad to be home with the kids today. On Long Island, we got at least a foot.
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