Two posts in a day--but I have to celebrate this somewhere!

Friday, June 26, 2009

My daughter C was very happy in her job at a suburban YMCA until a new director came in recently to head up her program--& sure enough C was fired a week & a half ago. She was excited to get a phone interview with a Y in another state; that's coming up this Monday. But . . .

This afternoon she was offered a job in the country of her birth, Colombia!!! She will (if everything works out) be a PE teacher at a bilingual school where she served as an assistant teacher in an internship after she graduated from college. Her work would start August 10! The principal has already offered her the position & wants her to call this coming Tuesday at a certain time. It's great that she can test out her inclination to choose the Colombia job by first going through the Y interview on Monday.

Even though I'll miss her a LOT when she goes, I am just thrilled for her. This is not just making do; it represents growth for her, & a clarifying of her sense of calling. Yay!!!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

PJBOKC 8/20/2009 10:04PM

We can always be comforted that there is a plan much bigger for our lives than we can imagine. God is in control, and he has a plan for C. Report Inappropriate Comment

SHANSHE 6/27/2009 11:10PM

Sooo happy for you and your daughter! Great that she could do this and you would CERTAINLY miss her, but it is nice to have some celebratory news in the midst of everything else, right? Hugs, Shan Report Inappropriate Comment

CZARINA_TV 6/27/2009 4:04PM

Congratulations Ruth! I'm sure she'll figure out if she's up for it, but it really sounds good. Report Inappropriate Comment

CTEMPLE 6/27/2009 4:36AM

Oh Ruthie, so good and so far! What a bag of mixed feelings. Colombia es tan dificil. Claudia Report Inappropriate Comment

There's always a letdown

Friday, June 26, 2009

After that amazing week in the writers' workshop, it's not at all surprising that this past week has been a hard one for me. Financial issues too complicated to describe, tangles & knots that aren't yet worked out . . . also insomnia & a small crisis (now resolved after some late-night & early-morning phone conversations) in our solidarity work. I haven't yet actually put on the summer exercise clothes I put out in the bathroom last Sunday night!

It appears that at least in times of stress, my current hormone balance gets messed up if I even drink half a glass of wine with supper. So I'm off alcohol completely for now; hopefully this state of affairs won't last long. Sigh.

I'm going to stick with it all--poetry, solidarity, exercise, eating properly. And especially, I'm going to keep praying.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

SHANSHE 6/27/2009 11:07PM

Sorry to hear about all the chaos in your life, I totally know how that feels! Keeping on praying is definitely the BEST solution! Shan Report Inappropriate Comment

CTEMPLE 6/27/2009 4:35AM

Hear Hear! And yes it's so unfair how our hormones get messed up if a fly comes in the window. ARGGHHH! Claudia Report Inappropriate Comment

CZARINA_TV 6/26/2009 4:38PM

Keep going Ruth! My week has been up and down too, but all we can do is plow through. Report Inappropriate Comment

A week of poetry--& collage

Sunday, June 21, 2009

I got back from the writing workshop--including the manuscript class--today. Too much to tell, but it was fabulous. The manuscript reviews (not just mine but my classmates' too) were really, really helpful; I have a clear list of the things I need to do to get my manuscript ready to submit to a publisher. I'm thinking it might take the rest of the summer, or maybe into the fall.

Our teacher, an eminent Latino poet, gave rigorous constructive criticism but also let us know that he really believes in our work. He promised to write a blurb for my book when the time comes! I am so jazzed about that--it will help to be able to tell an editor that Martin Espada himself will endorse the book. He also suggested giving the book the same title as one of my favorite poems in the set, Soap Is Political. Love it.

I went out running twice while I was away but also did a lot of walking. My shoulder is still bunged up but generally bothers me only when I need to reach behind me for something. I do need to start doing PT for it again . . .

An elective workshop this week got me doing a fabric collage--wonderful to set aside brain work for a while & mess with textures & shapes. I love what I came up with--a rainforest scene. It may even serve as cover art for my book someday!

By the way, the "senior" in my job title on my evaluation was a mistake. My boss told me she woke up in the night realizing that she had messed up. With the economic situation as it is, there will be no promotions or raises just yet, but she is eager to make it happen for me as soon as possible. So for now I'm just thankful for the very positive evaluation she gave me.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

SHANSHE 6/23/2009 5:06PM

on no promotion, but glad she WANTS too! Exciting news about your book manuscript and truly, the criticism helps us grow, right? That is why it is CONSTRUCTIVE criticism!!!! haha. I love the name he suggested for your book and that collage sounds gorgeous too! Sounds like a fun and productive week! WOO HOO! So happy for you! Shan Report Inappropriate Comment

CTEMPLE 6/21/2009 2:18AM

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Getting better

Monday, June 08, 2009

Slowly but surely my arm/shoulder is improving after last week's fall. Though both sides were jarred equally, it's the left side that has really shown effects, as that was the arm/shoulder injured in my ice fall in January. By now I can NEARLY straighten my left arm, & I don't have to ask for my husband's help with getting dressed & undressed. The pain overall is much less too--except after strains on that arm, such as during the drive to & from our women's retreat this weekend when I had to stretch to reach for toll tickets in Indiana.

During the retreat I didn't push myself physically, just took two pleasant slow hikes through the woods & thoroughly enjoyed the leaves, blooms, sunlight. This morning, back home, I even hoped to go out running again (on the campus track). It turned out that instead I needed a full 8 hours of sleep after being a bit short both retreat nights. But hopefully tomorrow morning! And in a few minutes I'm going to do today's bootcamp video routine.

Confession: yesterday I had a medium Brownie Batter Blizzard at Dairy Queen at a tollway rest stop!! It was WAY huger than I needed, but I ate the whole dang thing. I just checked: 950 calories!! Sheesh. We stopped there because the friend riding with me had a yen for a blizzard, & her decision to get a medium instead of a small (about 300 cals. less) definitely influenced me. As we got about halfway through, we agreed that we would have enjoyed a small one more & ended up completely satisfied anyway. I'm hoping to learn from this (less is often more, just because a friend is indulging in something extra doesn't mean I should, it's OK to throw away the part of a dessert that I don't need--etc.).

On another front: My supervisor just gave me my performance evaluation in advance of our meeting for that tomorrow, & she put me down as a SENIOR editor! Was it a slip of the pen because she was writing that job title on several of my colleagues' forms? (I'm still one of the newer editors in the department.) Or is she going to tell me that I'm being promoted?!! I guess I'll find out tomorrow.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

CTEMPLE 6/9/2009 4:19AM

! Do not worry too much about the brownie, just eat a bit less in the following days, it's the weekly average that counts. Claudia Report Inappropriate Comment

SHANSHE 6/8/2009 11:36PM

Woo Hoo! Senior editor, that would be too cool! Maybe it comes with a pay raise too? are you using some of your physical therapy exercises for your arm or is it not ready for that yet? It sounds like the retreat was really nice, i am glad you enjoyed yourself. i do that thing too with different things like you did on the blizzard... We will get better! Hope things work out well for your run tomorrow. Take care, be careful and do not fall this time, K? :) Shan Report Inappropriate Comment

Well, dang.

Tuesday, June 02, 2009

Ilyse, thanks for asking about my accident. It happened on a sidewalk on my way home from the lakefront. I must have tripped on a jutting crack: suddenly I found myself flying straight forward & down.

I lay there for a bit saying "Oh oh oh" & trying to collect myself. My palm pads & knees stung, one finger was bleeding, & there was pain but it was not super intense. Soon I heard "Are you OK?" A young man approached to help, asking if he should call anyone. No need for that, but I did accept his help as I slowly stood back up. I thanked him, proceeded home, & assessed the damage.

Fortunately it was a cool morning so I was wearing long lightweight sweats instead of shorts (& fortunately they are old, so it's no big deal that the knee areas now have little holes). I needed three band-aids--big ones on my palms & right knee, small one for that cut fingertip. My shoulders were jolted a bit, fortunately my right one more than my left (which had been injured in my fall on ice in January). I just took my second pair of ibuprofen tablets; they do help a bit.

So I'm wearing loose pants to work today rather than tights & a skirt. It could be much worse, but I do feel vulnerable. And feeble--sigh. I fell once last summer while running, & then had the nasty January fall.

Of necessity I will revert to just walking for my cardio for a while--& when I'm ready to run again I think I'll go to the nearby campus track, which is in the open air. Much more boring than running along the lakefront or in the neighborhood, but the surface will be better for me to run (& maybe fall) on.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

CTEMPLE 6/3/2009 10:32PM

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SUPERMOM17 6/3/2009 6:09PM

Sorry to hear about your fall. I wish you a quick recovery. Report Inappropriate Comment

SHANSHE 6/2/2009 2:29PM

Oh wow! You are not feeble, but I understand you feeling that way... I hope things heal quickly and there are no lasting repercussions from this fall. Take care of yourself... Shan Report Inappropriate Comment