Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Instructions For A Bad Day


"Be aware that as the instant now passes it exists now as then."
 - Shane Koyczan 
(Instructions For a Bad Day)


I'm going to let this video - a poem entitled Instructions For A Bad Day by Canadian, spoken-word poet, writer and performer Shane Koyczan -  speak for itself.

Because it does.







Shane Koyczan
Follow the instructions.

Then do it again tomorrow.

Smiles,

Lora

Friday, January 10, 2014

2013: A Year of Change



"They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself."
 - Andy Warhol


Hey peeps! How are ya? It's been a while!

Hi again!

Yes...it has...yet again...been a long while since my last post.

Life has been busy.

But I figured it was time to wax poetic about this past year.

2013 has been - in a nutshell - crazy.

So many ups and downs. So many twists and turns.

This time last year, I told myself that this would be a year of transformation. And while that has been true - more accurately it has been a year of transition.



Let's start with a little re-cap shall we?

I started off the year by transitioning from a stay-at-home mom (while doing some writing on the side), to getting back into the full-time, work-force.

By late spring, my husband of over 13 years and I made the difficult and mutual decision to separate. This was not a hasty move. We have three beautiful sons and were together for 17 years.

My boys 


The summer was a busy haze of mediation appointments, lawyer consultations, house selling, house hunting, telling the kids and everything else that comes along with the break-up of a marriage.

The end of the summer saw me moving into a new home - a 4 bedroom townhouse. Nothing spectacular, and in a old development, but the inside had been totally gutted and re-done, so it suits me and my kids for the time being.

The fall brought all of the things that comes with figuring out how to raise and co-parent young children effectively in a 50-50, joint custody arrangement.. Especially when there are lots of extracurricular activities (read: hockey!) to consider as well as a toddler who never sits still...it has been challenging to say the least.

And sometimes things happen along the way that you never saw coming. Dating was the farthest thing on my mind as I was trying to navigate becoming a single, working mother of three. Just finding the time to have a shower was a feat!

But to make a long story short, in early September I reconnected with an old acquaintance from high school on-line. Chats turned into longer chats turned into phone calls turned into a decision to meet up for a coffee since we seemed to hit it off so well.

Well...coffee turned into...more coffee...and now, not only am I dating, but I am in a relationship again.

BOOM!

Yup!


I never expected this to happen - especially this soon - and nor did he. But we connected.

We look and sound like polar opposites - what with the suburban, hockey mom, 9-5 job, Old Navy wearing me and the long-haired, eye-brow pierced, tattoo-covered, goateed, guitar-paying, motorcycle-riding him. But cerebrally we seem to have something that is strong and we are both passionate about life, love, the arts and a number of other things.

There we are!

It is still early...too early to know what the future holds...so we enjoy time together when we can, and we are taking things one day at a time.

And then the holidays.

I have been pushing myself so hard over the past few months that my body finally rebelled and I find myself sitting here in bed with pneumonia. My Christmas with my boys consisted of an hour of opening presents while my folks helped out.

My blue & green Christmas tree in my new home.


I missed Christmas Eve with my parents and brother, Christmas dinner with my entire family, holiday cheer with my boyfriend and his family and I had to miss a big hockey tournament in Ottawa with my eldest son Julian.

But as I sit here in bed - over a week after the new year - still recovering from being sick, I am reminded how lucky I am.



I have my health (in general), my family, my friends, a job, a home and a whole, new year to make my own!

And 2014 - I pronounce you the "Year of Transformation". Mind, body and spirit, I am setting out to get stronger in all areas.

Let's do it!


So there you have it.  Crazy shit, right?

No wonder I got sick!

So am I happy to say goodbye to 2013? Damn straight I am!

Word!


I'm ready for a new start.

2014...here I come!


Who knows what is right around the corner? We never do.

But I'm excited to find out!

Smiles,

Lora