Sticking to the Point

A Meme!!

I found this meme this morning, by way of Shutter Sisters, my blog crush of the moment.

why did you start a blog?

I started blogging four years ago, (hard to believe), on a whim. I read an article about Dooce in the NY Times and at first, I was like, "come on, a blog about you and your family?" But I couldn't stop reading. And I really liked the comments - that's how I found most of my first favorites. I started wanting to comment and the rest, is history.

how did you come up with your blog name?

I wanted a play on my being an acupuncturist. And the fact that I can ramble and babble and I need to remember to stick to the point I'm making. Because I didn't know what I was doing, I made my nickname part of the URL; I often want to change it.

do your friends and family know about your blog?

I keep my blog self and my real self fairly separate. Like George Costanza, I don't care for my worlds colliding. My dad and H know about my blog, although they don't read here much. My BFF knows about it and goes in and out of reading. And I have one internet friend from ages ago that used to read regularly, Schultz are you still here? Recently my friend and neighbor asked if I keep a blog and I admitted that I do, without giving away any information. I suppose it's only a matter of time before she finds me.

how do you write your posts?

I do a combo of writing stream of consciousness and then writing posts that I keep in the queue. I often pre-date posts, especially my Friday Love posts. I usually scan multiple strippies and then plunk them into pre-dated posts. I don't have the words, but the images are lined up and waiting.

have you ever had a troll or had to delete unkind comments?

Funny this question comes up. Up until this past Tuesday, I haven't had a troll or unkind comment; an excellent track record I think.

I didn't delete the comments because I wanted to comment back. If you suddenly have a lot of hits in your blog stats from North Carolina, it's the troll.

do you check your stats? do you care how many people read your blog? if you do care, how do you increase traffic?

I rarely check my stats although they've been very helpful this week with the troll. I've had a good laugh when I see how obsessively she's come to my blog, especially when she comes here through google. Other than that, I couldn't care about my stats and I'm not trying to increase my traffic because the more people that read, the bigger the chance of my world collision, which I'd rather avoid.

what kind of blogs/posts interest you?

I love artistic and introspective. I love a glimpse into your world and I love to read a good meme. I like smart and out-spoken and most of all I like passion. A good laugh works like a charm.

what do you like and dislike about blogging?

I love the opportunities I've had to meet and read the loveliest of ladies (and one man), with a wide range of interests and a commonality that I look for in my everyday world.

I don't like the snarky bits of blogging. No good comes from being nasty and karma kicks back; there's always a lesson to learn.

Kiki :: the mememoir

Lovely Rachel tagged me to post my memoir in six words. Stretching the rules a wee bit, I choose to illustrate my life not as a memoir, but as a work in progress. As in, right now.

a butterfly spirit, longing to soar.

And now for the fun part. The tagging of five every, lovely lady whose story I'd love to read. Tag you're it.

A walk down memeory lane

KC, one quarter of my wicked foursome, tagged me for a lovely meme. You all know how much I love a good meme, how can I resist?

Here are the rules:

Go back through your archives and link to your five favorite posts.

Link one: about the familia

Link two: about friends

Link three: about yourself

Link four: about something you love

Link five: your choice

Tag five other people (two should be people you'd like to get to know better)

So here goes...

Familia: Sing, sing a song. 10.2005

(a walk down memory lane - i love to read about my girl before she turned six and became a tween.)

Friends: Flying Solo. 7.2006

(on meeting my BlogHer kindreds)

Moi: Provide, Provide. 2.2008

(my transformation and favorite poem)

Love: It's Friday Love #72. 8.2007

(my wedding day)

My choice: Follow your Dreams. 8.2007

(my hopes and dreams for the future of our girls)

Tag, you're it:

Kirsten of Live, Love, Laugh

Caroline of My Pocket

Nicole of Sometimes Everything Girl

Neen of Can We Kick the Bar Here?

Rachel of The Metaphorical Magpie

Because it's been awhile

I know I always say this, but seriously, this is the most random meme you will ever read.

GENERAL

• is your 2nd toe larger than your first?   left foot yes, right foot no. never knew that, now i have weird feet.
• do you have a favorite type of pen?  pilot precise v5 extra-fine point, black ink.
• what color are your toes usually?  in the summer very bright and in the winter very natural
• what was the last thing you highlighted?  i highlight my appointments for work
• what color are your bedroom curtains?  we have blinds
• what color are the seats in your car?  black
• what is the last thing you put a stamp on?  bills
• do you know anyone in wyoming wisconsin?  i do and i love her.
• why did you withdraw cash from the ATM the last time?  i can't even remember when i last withdrew money because i often get paid with cash (instead of checks).
• who is the last baby that you held?  baby G
• do you like cinnamon toothpaste?  no thank you
• what kind of car where you driving 2 years ago?  the same one that i'm driving now
• do you have wallpaper in your house?  no
• closest thing to you that is yellow:  my floral mousepad
• last person to give you a business card?  jen
• who is the last person you wrote a check to?  my office partner, for the phone bill
• are you ticklish?  not much
• last time you had a krispy kreme donut? never, i don't like donuts.
• who was the last person to leave you a message on your cell?  it was a patient, looking to make an appointment for last wednesday evening
• do you have any pickles in your fridge?  relish only
• who has the prettiest eyes you know of?  my girl
• last time you saw a semi truck? yesterday
• do you remember ugly kid joe?  of course
• do you have a little black dress?  i do and it's amazing.
• my name is:  kristen
• this morning i was (friday):  at work
• i'm afraid of:  spiders
• i dream about:  crazy, seemingly random and very vivid situations
• last time you had someone cook for you?  tonight
• do you play air guitar?  no
• last time you used hand sanitizer?  today at work
• what color are the blinds in your living room? we have curtains
• what is the last pizza pie you ordered?  vegetarian
• what is the last thing you stapled?  a book that miss A wrote  titled, "the big wide earth of love"

HAVE YOU EVER...

• been in love:  i have
• cried when someone died:  yes
• lied:  too much
• fallen for your best friend?  i wouldn't say fallen, but tried to date and it didn't work
• rejected someone: yes
• cheated on someone: yes
• been cheated on: yes (that would be karma)
• done something you regretted:  unfortunately, yes

WITH THE OPPOSITE SEX...

• what do you notice first?  a beautiful aquiline nose
• last person you slow danced with:  my man
• worst question asked:  how many people have you slept with?

DO YOU...

• save emails?  yes
• wish you were a member of the opposite sex?  hell no
• cry: it doesn't take much
• pray? i do
• color your hair: it's not even an option to go without, my bff is loreal
• habla espanol:  it's in the plans
• fight with your family:  i wish the answer was no
• have friends you've lost touch with: see answer above
• feel happy? i like to believe my world is the cup half full
• trust easily?  i want to believe the best, it's not always best

FINAL QUESTIONS (I promise)

• what's your favorite candy?  fruity or chocolate, i love it all
• what's your favorite fruit?   banana
• sunrise or sunset?  both are stunning
• coke or pepsi?  either if i'm drinking soda which i'm usually not
• i want:  to get outside of my head
• i wish:  i could get outside of my head
• i love:  my job and family
• i miss:  seeing live music
• i fear:  too much
• i hear:  the click of my keyboard
• i smell:  margaritas
• i wonder:  why i hang on when clearly, it's time to let go

Fall over

First LeS posted hers, then Andrea played along. As a lover of lists, treasure hunts and Fall, I decided to play along.

This show will be a perfect introduction to a world I miss visiting.

A class here.

I'd love this. And I have loved this for a long time.

These would be a nice addition to my mostly brown and black collection.

I'd love to see these guys. These guys would be fun too. I'd like to listen to her read again.

I'm excited about this and also this. This might be fun (he's my boyfriend just so you know), and definitely this.

I'd love to learn to make this. Also this.

So much to do this Fall - what's on your list?

five, ten a big fat hen

Milking my birthday weekend and keeping my mind distracted from thinking about my CT scan scheduled for this Wednesday, I give you another meme.

september 1997

how old were you?  33.

in school? where? First semester of acupuncture school in Manhattan.

where did you work? I'd quit my job three months prior as a space planner. I designed (if you can even call it that, pfft) buildings full of worker-bee cubicles in 1/8" scale minutia.

where did you live? Manhattan.

where did you hang out? On solo adventures, bookstores. Date nights involved dinners out or the movies and we loved the neighborhood  hotel bars for a nightcap.

did you wear glasses? No.

who was your best friend? Megan.

tattoos? 4

piercings? Ears

car? Nope. Our feet got us around, and a yellow cab now and again.

single/taken/married/divorced? Married 13 months.

september 2002

how old were you? 38

where did you work? I was a new graduate and had my own private acupuncture practice in Manhattan on Broadway and 13th.

where did you hang out? Mostly Brooklyn.

did you wear glasses? Nope.

who was your best friend? H-girl

any new tattoos or piercings? Not a one.

car? 2002 Honda CRV

single/taken/married/divorced  married, 6 years

september 2007

how old are you? 43

where do you work? I have a private acupuncture practice in a deep-pocketed town

where do you live? In suburbia

do you wear glasses? Probably

where do you hang out? At the roller rink, in my car and still, bookstores

do you talk to your old friends? some yes, some no

new tattoos or piercings? Nose re-pierced and 3 tattoos. Mid-life crisis much?

car? A beetle and a station wagon

single/taken/married/divorced  married, 11 years

8 random things: The BlogHer edition

KC tagged whomever wanted to play and I haven't tortured you all with a meme in at least two weeks. With BlogHer less than a week away, I thought I'd copy Neen and KC with random information that will give you a heads up before we meet.

1. I am much shorter than you think. Of average height, I think I project taller and when you meet me, you'll find that I'm actually petite.
2. I'm horribly shy. I get quiet and sometimes I'll just disappear rather than be tortured making small talk. I do much better in small groups of people and then, I won't shut up.
3. I also tend to skulk along the walls at cocktail parties. If you see me doing this, come talk to me.
4. I don't like beer much and I hate Jager. I love Baileys, margaritas and lemon drop shots. And I'll never say no to a Bloody Mary.
5. I've been known to drink my dinner in social situations.
6. There are many photobooth locations in and around Chicago. My hope is to get you ladies (yes YOU), into the booth with me. I don't even have to share the strips here. Just knowing I have them and had the experience with you in the booth will be enough. Seriously.
7. I'm affectionate. I like to hug you when we first meet and I might even kiss your cheek.
8. I hate to fly. Since I've been with M, I haven't been on an airplane alone. That's 11 years of traveling with someone and I'd be lying if I said I'm not anxious about that. And here lies my conundrum. Mama's little helper makes flying bearable for me, but with an early morning flight do I pill and arrive at BlogHer groggy or do I  fly with tears streaming down my cheeks, white-knuckled and terrified?

Queen of the meme

Once a long, long, time ago, lovely Leah tagged me for a meme and you know how I feel about listing facts about myself.

Here's how to play.

First, remove the blog in the top spot from the following list and bump everyone up one place. Then add your blog to the bottom spot like so.

susie j

i still see a spark in you

yoga glam girl

creative everyday

sticking to the point

Next, select 5 people to tag.

Um, I know bloggers I'd like to tag but don't like memes, so if you want to play, please consider yourself tagged. Just let me know you've played, I do like to read memes as well.

Now the questions.

what were you doing 10 years ago? I was obsessed with an exercise class called Team Training. Boot camp style training before it was popular, there were 12 of us that worked out together as a team twice a week. Jumping rope, squat thrusts, mountain climbers and agility drills, we were training our bodies like athletes without a specific sport. 25 regulation push-ups were nothing for me. 16% body fat, I was strong and lean and became one of the strong, star-ish team members. Having never been jock-like, it was an incredible rush to be good at something physical, not to mention fighting thin. I'm shallow like that. I like my body fighting thin, my brutally honest revelation for a Sunday morning.

what were you doing 1 year ago? I know I was spending a lot of time here

And a lot of time thinking about joining roller derby as a ref. I bought my first pair of quads in July 2006 and started practicing, searching the vault for the ability to rollerskate, the last time at least twenty years prior.

five snacks you enjoy you're enjoying this summer

1. peaches
2. nectarines
3. cherries
4. popcorn
5. decaf skim, iced orange mochas

five songs to which you know all the lyrics

1. you could be mine
2. rio
3. pale shelter
4. careless whisper
5. under the bridge

you so want to go sing karaoke with me don't you?

five things you would do if you were a millionaire

1. give money to my sister and dad
2. buy a building so i can have an office without worrying about a 90 day opt-out
3. travel, travel, travel
4. set aside money for miss A to go to college and graduate school if she wants
5. donate

five bad habits

1. picking
2. fretting
3. foul-mouthed driving
4. impatient
5. critical

five things you'd never wear again

1. stirrup pants
2. a string bikini
3. a tube top
4. a body suit
5. short shorts

five favorite toys

1. camera
2. roller skates
3. train pass and a subway card
4. sewing machine (when it works)
5. i-pod

Game playing

I've been off the radar with blog reading and have been playing catch up this week. Last weekend, Deb had a fun game of Scattegories going. Each answer has to start with the same letter as the first letter of your name and if an answer is a place name it should be real, not fictional. I'm game.

YOUR NAME: kristen

A TYPE OF TREE OR SHRUB: kew tree

SOMETHING AN ASTRONAUT WOULD STUDY:  kennedy space center

EIGHT-LETTER WORD: kalliope

A SPORTS TEAM (any sport): kansas city royals

A CHARACTER IN A MOVIE OR PLAY: kermit

A NICKNAME (OR ENDEARMENT) FOR SOMEONE YOU LIKE: kitten

SOMETHING THAT COULD GET YOU ARRESTED: kleptomania

SOMETHING YOU'D TAKE TO A PICNIC: ketchup

A REASON SOMEONE MIGHT GET AN AWARD, MEDAL OR TROPHY:  karate

SOMETHING THAT MAKES YOU SMILE:  kites

A Journal Swap and 5 more questions

Over at Create a Connection the swap for April was journals. I was delighted when my package arrived from Vicki on Friday. Beautifully wrapped, I was careful to open the package. Notice the moo card/rose tag and also the hand-made tag on the outside.

Inside the cool zebra wrapping, more treasures awaited. There was this card

inside this envelope

Here's the journal, pretty nice right?

Many of the inside pages are adorned as well and in the back of the book, there was a cool rectangular card and envelope. So many treats, I can't thank Vicki enough. Swaps are fun!

~~~~~~~

Deb offered 5 questions and never one to pass up a good meme, I asked to play.

You've been told that you must leave the country and live abroad for exactly one year, but you have your choice of any other country in the world to live during that time. Where would you go for a year and why?

Immediately I thought I'd go live in Italy, because what would suck about that? But then practicality set in and I realized this is an opportunity so instead I'm choosing China. I'd go live in Bejing and I'd find myself a mentor to shadow for a year to learn acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. I'm dying to see the Great Wall and I'd also get to honor my dream of visiting Vietnam and Cambodia.

If you could briefly go back in time and give a bit of advice to your younger self, what age would 'you' visit and what would you tell this younger version of yourself?

This one is really hard to write. I feel ashamed to share here but since I always do so with honesty, here goes. I'd go back to visit my teen-aged self. The girl who gave herself physically, without much self respect or self love, because she was desperate for just that. The girl who ditched school and didn't try, punishing herself because she couldn't punish anyone else in a life that was clearly out of control. I'd tell myself that loving yourself is the only way you'll be able to love someone else. That sex doesn't equal love and that going to school and getting a good education is the way to freedom.

When I say the word 'exhilerating' what's the first thing you think of?

Experiencing the unknown.

A mysterious benefactor offers to give you a million after-tax dollars if you'll go out right this minute, with absolutely no further thought or planning and get a new tattoo. Would you do it, and if you so, what would you get and where?

Of course I'd get a new tattoo! I'm also embarrassed to admit this one, but I really love Angelina Jolie's global coordinates tattoo. I'd get the global coordinates of the Marais in Paris (that's where miss A was conceived). The tattoo would be sepia-colored ink, on my lower right leg, above the orange aries symbol, blue star and purple Chinese character.

What's something about being a mother that's completely different (for better or worse!) than you imagined it would be before you had miss A?

I had no clue that being the mama is all encompassing. I've got a great partner in M. He's a very hands-on Daddy and from the time our girl was 3 weeks old, I was back at school finishing my intern shifts in the clinic and he was daddy-on-duty every Saturday. Even to this day, I work most Saturday's and he's in charge without a word.

But at the end of the day, it's all about mama and that was very hard to get used to. As the mama I'm the one that stays home from work when A is sick. If M has something unexpected with work or travel, I make arrangements for a sitter, or I change my plans. Don't get me wrong. I'm grateful for this role, I wouldn't have it any other way, but it took some getting used to.

In all honesty, those first three months of A's life were really hard on me. If I'm going to be really, really honest, I'd have to admit that there were times I devised my exit plan. Because if I was going to have to be the one anyway, than why not do it 24/7. I planned on usin my 401k earnings as our escape money, to get us the hell out of there and I planned where we'd live and what I'd do for work. Those were some dark times friends. Post-partum depression does some fucked up things to your brain. Thankfully I never acted on those impulses and now my 401k earnings really are a nest egg.