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Thursday, 08 September 2011

  • Push Harder

    I'm working with a life coach. I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. The first session was great, the follow up is a bit different. At first I envisioned a life coach as someone who would help me keep on track for the tasks that I assign to myself. I wanted a little more accountability, a little cheer leader, and part therapist. I have a list of things that I want to get accomplished, that usually somehow disappears and is left undone. Sorta like that lone sock that never quite makes it into the hamper- or the wash- or ever back into the drawer. Yes, I think I have issues. I'm getting caught up in laundry metaphors. 

    This is not to say that I haven't done anything. I'm organizing two events solo, working on an event with my partner, picking up the pace work, and sorta packing things up to go back to Miami. But yet I feel the need to do more. Not sure to what end though, since I'm getting a little lost when I'm trying to figure out what exactly "More" means.

    Maybe I'm a workaholic? It might not be the goal that's important, but the constant state of action. Which does explain why sometimes I can end up in rockinghorse syndrome- a lot of energy exerted, and nothing to show for it. I of course know that i need to work smarter, and not just harder. I think I'm going to have to put more strategic thought in my master plan. 

Friday, 17 June 2011

  • Loves of my life...

    I used to say that it's important to keep up the activities that make you happy. There are things that you do for yourself that anchor you, that give you the energy to get through the doldrums of life. For me, it was climbing, capoeira, dancing, sailing, swimming and reading. I'd include drinking, but boozing should be a happiness enhancer.  "Never drink to feel better; drink to feel even better." - it's always fun to quote Reese Witherspoon. When I was happiest, I was able to find time to do all of that. Letting my brain (and my body) deteriorate while I watch TV- both off my DVR and Hulu was never on that list. I notice that there's negative relationship between TV and engaging activities and being happy. 

    Changes are a-coming, and I'm getting back to the core of who I am before I lose who I am.

     

Monday, 23 May 2011

  • overcoming the obstacles

    Everyone can cry, whine, and bitch about the obstacles in life. That's just too easy. What separates us all is how we're able to transcend that experience. How do we handle stressful situations? Sometimes, you are faced with an uncomfortable situation and it's all about working through it. Be clear, speak deliberately, and just keep in mind that it's going to be the worst while navigating through the currents.

    It's easy to be swept up and make things worse. When it involves other people, it's important to be organized and calm. That gives off the confidence that you'll be able to fix things and move forward. 

Thursday, 12 May 2011

  • Texas Swagger

    I work in boys club, and I like it. If you fuck up, they tell you. You don't get pats on the back for keeping up the good work, because that's what you're paid to do. You get points for falling on the sword, owning it, and licking your wounds and moving on if something went wrong.

    People get chewed out where I work, and I wouldn't have it any other way. This is not some sort of corporate evangelism... it's more of a breath of fresh air instead of the office politics and passive aggression that goes on. If you don't get rewarded here, you know why. And I like that.  We're not belligerent. It's not like management goes around causing un-necessary stress in hopes of a productivity transcendence. Managers who create superficial stress and expect people to grow from those environments are just sadistic fuckers. The people I work with tell it like it is. Yes, it stings sometimes, and sometimes I go all girl mode and stagger into the nearest bar to drink my sorrows away. But what comes out of the haze after a fifth of scotch is a resolve from having the opportunity to fix things. That there's no behavior patter that can't be unlearned with the right dedication and attention- assuming you knew that it needed fixing to begin with.

    If I fuck up, my boss has my back. Not in an, aww, that's okay, people are human way. It's more like a message to our bosses saying, we're responsible, and we're dedicated to resolving this together. If there's a sticky situation, it's enough for him to say to his bosses, "We've talked about it and found a resolution." 

    I think it's because our words mean something here, and it's a message that carries through our organization. We're here to do a job, and do it well. We are dedicated to providing the best services with the best people. That only happens when there is a true commitment to identifying problems and fixing them. As an organization, and as professionals- we call out what is wrong and fix it. Our confidence comes through in knowing that if something were wrong, we'd be told... and that we've been through the wringer a few times to know that we're pretty darn solid. 

    I'm happy where I work, because I know where I stand. If I'm on a chopping block, I'd be told. If I were on a stunted career track, I'd definitely be told what I needed to do to get into shape. We don't carry driftwood here... and maybe it's that Texas swagger.

     

     

Tuesday, 10 May 2011

  • A mother of two... a mother to you.

    I have two healthy children that brighten my days. I never once regret them in my life. AC impresses me with her spirit, her intelligence, and her will to be my equal. WC warms my heart with his sweetness, affection, and purity of emotions. I have a loving husband, and a supportive family. Life is good.

    I've gone through the process of signing up for life insurance, and I've been evaluating my life. Every little bit adds up to make a big impact. I've spent my 20's living it up, and I don't regret it. I've been thinking a lot about making sure things are in order. I've re-evaluated my goals- financial, career, etc. and am working through a plan for my goals. 

    But what about at the end of my days? What would I do if knew I had a terminal illness. What would my thoughts be. Starting at the end, I'm working my way backwards to formulate a plan for my life. Seems morbid, but it's a way to make sure that I'm not caught off guard. I'd want my life to be documented, so my children would know me. Not just as the mommy... but as a multi-faceted person who has dreams, insecurities, and convictions. I'd want them to know the real me that we may be afraid to show the world. That's always been one of the motivating factors of having a blog. I would want my children to know who I am at the different stages of my life. And it also helps to be reminded of an earlier, more innocent me. I'd want them to know that I had no reservations about being who I am, but sometimes I wasn't sure. i'd want my kids to know that I love them with all my heart. That they bring joy to my life in more ways that could be articulated by the written word.

    If I were to pass suddenly in the night, I'd want my children to sleep through and be told in the morning. I imagine my spirit entering their dreams to say good bye. If it was during the day, I'd want the adults to internalize and be calm before my kids knew. I've always thought it was important to be strong for the people you care about. I'd want them to hold tightly to the moments of happiness while the grieve... so hopefully it will pass quickly. I'd want them to know just because the pain of loss has lost its edge, doesn't mean that they loved me any less. And that I know, with every bit of my existence, that I was loved by my husband and children.

    If I happen to come down with a terminal illness, quality of life is very important to me. I'm a numbers gal, and I don't want to undergo procedures for a 1 in a 100,000 chance that things will get better. To what end? To extend a few months of my life while i'm hooked up to breathing tubes and zoned out on pain killers? It's not about giving up- its about understanding how much time you have left and making the most of it. I'd want the time to say everything i wanted to say to all the people who are dear to me- while I was still lucid. I'd want to have an image of a smiling me still fresh in their minds when I passed. I wouldn't want to be on life support for too long. I'd want to be there for everyone to share themselves with me, but more importantly, I'd want everyone to find their peace and let me go so they can live their lives.

    I'd want my husband to remarry a good person. I'd want my children to have a mother figure, and my husband to have a companion in his later years. I want my children to be there for each other, always. At the end, I want everyone else to resume their lives, as soon as they're ready to.

    Letting Go: What should medicine do when it can’t save your life?
    Read more http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/08/02/100802fa_fact_gawande#ixzz1Lyt7CSp8

paulaboo

  • Visit paulaboo's Xanga Site
    • Location: United States
    • Birthday: 4/16/1977
    • Gender: Female
    • Member Since: 5/6/2003
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Places I'm going

Argentina, Chile, Easter, Island, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Morocco, Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Israel, Jordan, Egypt, India, China, Japan, Korea, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand

About Me

  • The beauty of a flower results in the nurturing it has received from its world. We see true beauty as a result of the good taken in, and reflected out back into the world.