Category Archives: Personal Issues

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: January 8, 2017

Posted on by

For Today… January 8, 2017

Simple Woman's Daybook

Looking out my window… dark. We’ve had rain on and off today and it’s supposed to be cold enough tonight for any moisture on the ground to freeze into ice. I’m really hoping that my route to school isn’t an ice rink tomorrow morning!

I am thinking… about things for my Records Management class.

I am thankful… to be back to school. Though I’ll be very busy this quarter, it will give me something to focus on as I’m working through everything involved with the divorce.

One of my favorite things… quiet. Unfortunately, my precious sweetling is being obnoxious and screaming right now. *sighs* I’m about to resort to the clean version of THAT book.

I am wearing… jammies. Church clothes today were this dress and black cardigan, black tights, and my black flats. The rest of the day found me in jeans and my Cougars shirt. (Yes, I’m a Huskies fan and I was wearing a shirt from the Evil School. In my defense, it’s a warm shirt!!!)

I am creating… an Excel file with all the pertinent calculations for filing my taxes. (Self-employment taxes suck. Thankfully, there’s TurboTax Home and Business.)

I am reading… My Badass Book of Saints: Courageous Women Who Showed Me How to Live by Maria Morera Johnson.

I am hoping… the little beast stops screaming before I lose my hearing.

I am learning… about retail business accounting this quarter. Wheeeeee!!!

In my kitchen… Mom made broccoli and beef in the slow cooker.

In the school room… Daniel is back to school and loving it.

Post Script… some happy stories for your day.

Shared Quote… “Do not, under any circumstances, belittle a work of fiction by trying to turn it into a carbon copy of real life; what we search for in fiction is not so much reality but the epiphany of truth.”
— Azar Nafisi, Reading Lolita in Tehran

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

Pray For Me

Posted on by

I’m signing the papers for my divorce judgment this week.

Pray for me and for Jon. This is going to be painful for both of us.

I’ll be back in this space next week. Right now, I’m needing to be quiet, pray, and cry.

Comments are off because this is one of those things that should not be up for discussion.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: January 1, 2017

Posted on by

For Today… January 1, 2017

Simple Woman's Daybook

Looking out my window… dark. I don’t think it’s snowing right now — it’s just down in the low 20’s.

I am thinking… about how to get all of my school errands done on Tuesday in addition to everything else on my plate. I have to buy books and get another parking pass.

I am thankful… that Daniel goes back to school on Tuesday morning. Kiddo has cabin fever.

One of my favorite things… quiet time in a dark room. Daniel just woke up so my chances of that for the rest of the night are shot.

I am wearing… jammies. Clothes today for church and the rest of the time were a charcoal grey/white speckled shirt, jeans, and my black boots. I usually dress up for church but we had enough new snow and the prospect of crappy roads so I decided to keep it simple.

I am creating… socks for my mom.

I am reading… The Abbey by James Martin, S.J.

I am hoping… using my phone as an e-reader ends up being helpful for me. (My NOOK died tonight.)

I am learning… how to drive in snow again.

In my kitchen… mom made pork chops, risotto, and salad for dinner tonight. Dessert was a Grand Marnier bundt cake.

In the school room… Daniel goes back to school on Tuesday and I start back on Wednesday.

Shared Quote… “Books are like mirrors: if a fool looks in, you cannot expect a genius to look out.” — J.K. Rowling

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

Highlights of 2016

Posted on by

It has admittedly been a tough year for me in my personal life and in the life of our country but I thought I’d end this year with my highlights.

[+] The Warriors had the best record in the NBA and made it to the NBA Championships AGAIN!!!

[+] CLEVELAND LOST THE WORLD SERIES!!! (For those who aren’t aware, hating on Ohio sports teams is one of my core values after living in central Ohio for 2 1/2 years and dealing with Ohio sports fans hating on my teams.) My Warriors have been avenged!!!

[+] The Cubs had one of the biggest gatherings in human history for their victory parade. Not to mention, the Cubs winning the Series is so much of a BETTER ending than it would be if Cleveland had won because the Cubs have had the longer drought and were a much better team.

[+] I achieved one of my dreams of living in Washington when I moved up here in June 2016.

[+] Hillary Clinton was the first female to win the nomination of a major political party and won the popular vote.

[+] I was able to go back to school this fall, discovered a deep love of Accounting, and had a 4.0 for my first quarter!

[+] My Huskies made it to the semi-final game against Alabama!

[+] My Giants made it to the play-offs.

[+] THE DODGERS SUCKED IN THE NLCS!!!!

[+] MY NINERS HAVE A BETTER RECORD THAN THE CLEVELAND BROWNS! (Granted, they have the second worst record in the NFL but at least they’re better than the Browns.)

[+] I rocked the Write 31 Days challenge!

[+] I got a Fitbit (finally!!!!) and won a few challenges.

[+] I got to introduce my little beach boy to snow!

[+] I discovered that my school district here in Washington had a YUGE team ready to work with Daniel when we arrived. TWELVE PEOPLE were at the IEP meeting SPECIFICALLY for Daniel. His PT and OT were at his parent-teacher conference and are positively smitten with my little monster. 🙂

[+] I joined a FABULOUS parish up here. I’m seriously still being sustained by the joy from the Christ Mass on Christmas Eve night.

[+] Daniel WILLINGLY takes his ADHD meds without us having to restrain him. He just asked for peanut butter and meds. 🙂 (Granted, he asked for M&M’s two seconds after getting his meds but I’ll allow that.)

I’m looking forward to a FABULOUS 2017!

7 Quick Takes: Things I Resolve To Do in 2017

Posted on by

7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

Make healthier choices. I’ll be doing a plank challenge with some friends starting on January 1st and I’ll be trying to hit my college’s gym once I get over this stupid cold. I’m also going to try and cook more of my own food from scratch.

— 2 —

Annoy the crap out of T-Rump and his administration. I have the freedom to petition and I plan on making good use of it. 🙂 All of my favorite petition sites are locked and loaded and I have plans to attend a few protest marches.

— 3 —

Fill out a boatload of scholarship applications. I don’t qualify for grant-based aid because I already have a B.A. and I’d like to get as much of my Accounting program paid for without having to take out loans.

— 4 —

Get through as much of my Accounting program as I can. I am soooo excited for classes to start next week!!! I’m taking the second classes in my Practical Accounting series, a class on records management, and a class on Microsoft Word. The class on Word should be easy but I’ll appreciate that with two other classes.

— 5 —

Participate in Write 31 Days again. I have had so much fun in the last two years of participating in the challenge that I’d really like to do it again.

— 6 —

Finish some crocheting projects. I’d like to start some new projects but that means finishing some other ones first! First on the list to finish: my mom’s Christmas socks from last year.

— 7 —

Not eat any yellow paint. This one is a tribute to my friend Rick. He passed away four years ago and he used to resolve not to eat any [insert color] paint every year.

For more Quick Takes, visit Kelly at This Ain’t The Lyceum.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: December 25, 2016

Posted on by

For Today… December 25, 2016

Simple Woman's Daybook

Looking out my window… dark. We still have some of the snow we got on Friday.

I am thinking… about the coming week and what we’ll be doing with Daniel at home.

I am thankful… for an amazing Christmas Eve Eucharist last night. I definitely arrived home filled with joy at the birth of Christ.

One of my favorite things… NCIS reruns.

I am wearing… jammies. Clothes for today were a long-sleeved black shirt from Lands’ End and jeans from Kohl’s.

I am creating… some socks for my mom.

I am watching… an NCIS rerun where Gibbs returns to his hometown for the first time since he left to join the Marines. I heart Gibbs and Abby.

I am hoping… the pharmacy is open tomorrow so I can get my Effexor refilled.

I am learning… that Patons Kroy Socks Yarn is a pain to unravel.

In my kitchen… shrimp pasta, salad, garlic bread, a homemade gingerbread stout cake, and maple ice cream.

In the school room… Daniel is off until the 3rd.

Post Script… this piece on defeating terrorists with religious extremism is amazing.

Shared Quote… “The movement in our relationship to God is always from God to us. Always. We can’t, through our piety or goodness, move closer to God. God is always coming near to us. Most especially in the Eucharist and in the stranger.” — Nadia Bolz-Weber in Pastorix

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

{five favourites}: Things Keeping Me From Getting Too Grinchy

Posted on by

#5Faves

Those who know me in real life know that I really don’t *LIKE* December very much. I hate the materialistic aspect of Christmas, decorating the house is ONE MORE THING TO DO (probably why I haven’t decorated on my own in years and usually delegated it to Jon), I loathe secular Christmas music, and besides, IT’S FREAKING ADVENT, PEOPLE!!! CHRISTMAS DOESN’T START UNTIL THE 24TH.

Having said all that, here are some of the things that are keeping me from being *TOO* grinchy this holiday season.

One

My Jacquie Lawson Advent Calendar. If you don’t know about Jacquie Lawson, you need to surf over RIGHT NOW! She does interactive cards with beautiful artwork and music. Every year, she puts out an amazing Advent calendar which is under $5 to download onto your computer. This year, it’s a seaside Christmas and I know I’m always excited to see what I’ll be opening every morning. She also has an ornament smashing game which is great when I need to think something through but need to be doing something brainless to do it.

Two

My church’s “Advent game”. On the first Sunday of Advent, they were handing out envelopes with slips of paper in them. The game is simple: take out one slip of paper each day and do that activity with your family or on your own. There are ideas for prayer, suggestions for things like building a fire and roasting marshmallows, writing a letter to someone you haven’t talked to in a while, read the O Antiphons, etc. Even though I missed a few days (OK… more like a week), it’s given me an interesting Advent.

Three

My Advent playlist. It’s nice having music that fits the season and what we’re focusing on in church.

Four

Family gatherings. With the amount of pain that has happened in my family this year (not just my divorce but other things), it has been really helpful to gather for things like celebrating my cousin’s graduation. We have a Christmas dinner we’re not having to host on Friday and it will be good to see everyone.

Five

Getting to write the prayers we’re using for Christmas. My priest asked if I wanted to write the prayers being used for Christmas worship. This should be fun and definitely will help me get into the spirit of what the season is all about.

Go love up Bonnie, DeBalino, and the others.