My Mother

I need to start a blog of "shit my mom says", or at least write more things down for you to laugh with me about. Sheila is full of hysterical statements. Wind up, throw her information, and what she spits out is always a surprise.

Her concern of 2009 has been the big O. OBAMA. He is going to ruin the world as far as she is concerned. During the 2008 election, she made it clear to me many times that she thought he was a terrorist. And I quote "Someday he's going to shake his finger and say 'Ha Ha Ha I fooled you all' and blow up buildings". This year, given the tough economy, she is convinced Obama has some master plan to bankrupt everyone and become an all powerful dictator. For Christmas she wanted a $500 Cake Plate. Yes, my mother, who does not eat or bake, needed a display piece to sit in her cupboards gathering dust... in this economy?

Further, despite her worries that Obama is going to take all of her money - she has continued her bottled water habit. My estimate is it costs her and my father $50 a week. At home, or their office, they NEVER drink tap water. To compound the ridiculousness, they DO NOT recycle. Yes. About 60 Bottles a week end up in a landfill somewhere because keeping recycling is "smelly and unnecessary" [her words, not mine]


It surprising she is surviving in this Obama-Near=Apocolyptic Economy...

five senses

I popped some popcorn on my Stir Crazy yesterday and was reminded of how amazing our five senses are. The sound of popcorn popping brings an immediate smile to my face, and the aroma lingers for hours as a quick reminder of the delicious fluffy treat. Taking the time to enjoy a single kernel in your mouth creates a silly and strange flavor exploration.


This week I am going aim to explore new things with my five senses and test their boundaries.

open, honest, and approachable

When I lived in Pittsburgh, my home was a rock hostel, taking in touring bands in search of a place to do the 4 S's: Sleep, Shower, Shit, and Shave. Paying forward my love of music to starving musicians with food, beer, and comfort, those who graced my floors and couches, were nothing but respectful and thankful. I learned to make Kraft Macaroni n Cheese 5 boxes at a time, bought beer that tasted closer to canned water than lager, and found enjoyment in random 2am conversations with people I'd just met.

Some people are amazed that I'm so trusting: how could I ever let strangers into my home? The lesson I've learned, is that the bond of music/rock 'n' roll transcends traditional boundaries. I respect the battle musicians face with constant touring. Often multiple men shoved in a van, their small home on four wheels, trekking across the country - with little money for food, much less lodging. My realization of the touring band struggle, is met with great appreciation and a respect that I'm willing to sacrifice some of my own comfort to provide for well being of others. The romance of it all, is that the bands I love, and pipe through my speakers constantly, were only able to get music into my ears, because of others like me, who have extended a hand.

Somewhat resistant to go out, because of how I've felt with this cold, I met my friend Derek at a show last night. I missed the musician he had came to see, but after all the bands had played, said musician appeased us by playing a few more songs. We invited him for a slice of pizza and a few beers across the street- he kindly joined. It made me smile, to share open, honest, conversation with a stranger again. To talk music, people, and life while enjoying a new point of view, something more challenging than every day banter with friends. I extended my home to him, and after a few hours we all ended at my place sipping a few cheap beers and chatting. A gracious, kind and approachable guy - here is where I plug his music and encourage you all to catch a show or put him up as he journeys across the country. I am inspired again, and hope that during 2010 I do my best to extend my home to those on the road and make this new place in Des Moines the Rock Hostel 2.0.

Impossible Decisions

I went to the grocery store the other day and had a near anxiety attack in the cracker and cookie aisle. My sister had brought me some Trader Joe Hummus as a holiday gift (godbless her, I could live off the stuff) - and I was looking for a cracker to enjoy it with. I stood in front of the Hy-Vee shelves, 7 high, 30 some feet wide. Ritz, Club, Triscuit, Wheat Thin, Saltine. My head began to fill with pressure and I was totally overwhelmed. I left the store crackerless, unable to make a decision about what crisp little creature would pair well with my hummus.

Why the indecision?

I began looking at labels, really looking. They say you shouldn't buy something if you cant pronounce each of the ingredients or count them all on your fingers, but who really pays that much attention (other than my mother). Ingredient lists make you feel like an informed consumer - but I didn't know anything about anything in any of the crackers. Partially Hydrogenated Oils, high fructose this and that, dextrose, so and and so forth. Further, I don't really know anything about Nabisco. For all I know they could be enslaving african villages to get the salt perfectly placed upon every Premium saltine.

Our world is full of so much that even buying crackers becomes difficult if you really get down to it. We have been trained to make quick decisions and carry on our way. The Big Boxes thrive on the idea that we accept and move on. Most people listen to whatever is plugged into the radio, buy what ever is on sale and repeat whatever the media has held up as truth. Nobody asks questions, they just walk on.

The idea of being an informed consumer is such a joke. How much can you really find out about anything before you buy it? How much do you really want to know?

2010

I don't like calling my plans for the new year "resolutions", since it seems to be a synonym for "goal you never follow through with and its totally acceptable". Instead, I present to you 2010 goals:

Abbie's 2010 Goals:

Daily:
1. Meditate.
The wold passed me by so quickly in 2009, my 2010 focus is to stop, relax and be present.
2. Floss.
I despise flossing, but its probably time I grow up and accept that its a habit I should do daily instead of weekly.
3. Only hit snooze once.
My name is Abbie, and I am a snooze addict. I did not find love in the power of snooze until coming to law school. It is time to break the cycle, or at least only allow myself one snooze cycle.

Weekly:
1. Blog.
In a few years I'll want to look back and see what I was thinking, hearing, watching, doing in 2010, so it's due time for me to get back on the blog train.
2. Listen to a new record in its entirety.
I couldn't even compile a "best records of 2009" list because I listened to so few I don't feel a credible judge of the best. Music rocks my world and I'm ready to pump new music into my ears.
3. Clean up my inbox.
I haven't seen zero in my inbox in far too long. A weekly clean-up will help me stay on top of things, and purge the clutter from my e-life.

Monthly:
1. Read a book.
I haven't read a book for fun since coming to law school. I'm so ready for some literary genius to nom away in my head. No more Supreme Court Opinionage - bring on the fiction
2. Devote a day to Abbie.
Law School work is always there. Friends are always there. Family is always there. And they all seem to need something from me, constantly. Alas, I need to give myself a day to just enjoy spending time with myself (which I am quite good at).
3. Deposit $100 into my savings account.
I no longer have any money in my savings account. Thank you Law School and Holidays. Time to build it back up. I was so thrifty in college, now its time to return to those ways and put money away instead of thriving off every last penny in my checking account.

share. simplify. perfection

Everyone goes on about how the Holidays are all about giving. This is true, but more importantly- the holidays are an opportunity to simplify. For those Christian (err Christmas) celebrating folks out there, you will spend December 25th indulging in excess. Lots of food, and lots of stuff. Presents pile up, we accumulate more, but at what point to we eliminate the excess in our lives and stop the hoarding?

The Reality: Owning excess is easy in America. If I owned x things, my best guess is I use .20*x.

The Math: American Dream = bigger house/condo/loft/apartment/(trailer?) = more space = more accumulation = STUFF.

The Big Picture: Today, while looking around my room, I realized how said STUFF has piled up in my life.

The Action Plan: As soon as my final is over on Thursday (okay maybe on Friday, since I will enjoy a cocktail or five on Thursday night) - I am going to being the great purge of 2009 so that before Christmas, I will be a lady with a lot less baggage (err stuff). The purge will include 3 bankers boxes of random stuff and at least 2 kitchen sized trashbags of clothing/shoes.

Join Me?: Lets simplify together. Truck/car/bus/deliver all your excess to an organization that could no doubt use a little extra before the holidays. Might I suggest the DAV, local churches, or Goodwill. Hell, get on Ebay if you wanna make some bones on your swag, just PURGE IT!

2010: I so resolve that in 2010, I will add daily to a "goodwill" basket/bin/pile - which will at months end be donated. This basket will be the comb which helps me keep my life free of the tangles of STUFF.

Ready. Set. Go.

direction

I have a soft spot for music videos, but rarely the ones they show 10 second clips of on MTV and VH1. This music alone would normally bore me but the complicated tale and unique split screen shots had me totally sucked into the story. Peep:

The Delfields - Le Ciel Sous Vos Pieds (William Kaufman)

The sixth track off of the group's latest release, "Sooner Than You Think".