April Madness

It's been months since my last blog entry - what gives? I feel like I've been living in a fog. Life has been good in so many ways, heartbreaking in others. It's the good and the bad of divorce and finding a new place in life.
Today I've been thinking a lot about forgiveness and what it takes to get past mistakes that people make. Recently, someone very close to me hurt me very much. I'm having a difficult time getting past it. Apologies were made, reassurances given, but the tenor of our relationship is, I fear, changed forever. At the very least it will take time for me to once again feel as confident as I did just days ago.
Yesterday's horoscope encouraged me to take off the rose colored glasses and see people for who they really are. And who are we? Flawed, all of us. We all make mistakes - huge ones, sometimes. We all hurt one another for reasons that seem reasonable at the time, unfathomable later. So, why is it so hard to forgive?
Perhaps we expect too much from one another. No one is perfect, least of all me. I know I just need to let it go and move forward or it will be ruined forever.

A bugs eye view of the superbowl....LOL.....

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Sent from my Helio Ocean

Great Music Weekend

This weekend was a terrific music weekend in our area.  We stopped for "a drink" on the way home at Lopps but was told about an interesting musician performing at Malarkey's downtown Friday night, so decided to give it a whirl, despite the fact that it isn't exactly our favorite venue.  Pat MacDonald was playing, onetime member of the 80's band Timbuk 3.  He has an interesting style and performed Friday with a cellist who had an incredible style and voice.  Her rendition of Come Together was amazing and we loved it.  Shot this photo with my cell phone - low light but you can see her very cool electric cello.  We'd love to see them again.

Saturday night we checked out our friend Cuda playing with the Mumblers at Intermission.  John Greiner was the guest on sax and it sounded superb.  One thing about Wausau, there is a surprising amount of quality music up for grabs in the area and there's almost always something to do - not always true of other communities this size.

Image of the Day

Happy New Year

This year, I broke away from tradition and celebrated New Year's Eve with Darren at the Jefferson downtown.  We bought tickets to the Swing Shift fundraiser for Community Theater where John Greiner (not - as the sign said - JIM Greiner!) and his Big Band played - Dana sang and did a beautiful job as always.  It was elegant and wonderful and I'm still sore from dancing.  We stayed at the hotel for the night so we wouldn't have to drive or worry about cabs, and it was a great time!  The kids all had overnight parties to attend, so the whole family did something new and different this year - and it worked out well!  New Year's Day we stayed at the hotel until about noon - then watched football by the fireplace until it was time to return to reality.  

I know that 2009 will bring many changes and some will be difficult to get through.  But I'm so blessed with friends, family, and love, that I am truly optimistic about the future and what it holds.

As for resolutions?  The big one for me is not to worry incessantly about those things I have no control over.  I intend to enjoy my life, and live one day at a time.

Christmas 2008

Hard to believe, but Christmas has come and gone, and now we're staring 2009 square in the face.  Where did the time go?  Looking back on the year, it's amazing how many changes have come to our lives.

Christmas was really nice this year.  Darren and Megan spent the holiday with us.  Darren made a great meal, we opened gifts and went to church, then stayed up until 4 AM talking to my brother and his girlfriend.  Reminiscing, telling stories.  It was a nice first Christmas together.

Christmas Day we had lunch at my mom's and dinner with Darren's family while the boys went with their dad.  Darren's dad makes beautiful wooden pens and gave me a set of two - I was really touched by the gesture.

Of course on Christmas night we had to meet up with our friends at Loppnow's for a holiday drink and the funniest thing of the week walked in the door in the form of our friend Derek, who lost a bet and was forced to wear nothing but long johns and a pimp jacket to the bar.  You've gotta love THAT photo - hysterical!

After six days off for me and five for Darren, it's back to work as usual, though we are looking forward to spending New Year's Eve at the Jefferson for John Greiner's Big Band celebration.  2009, here we come.

Rowan Scores....

Rowan scored his first ever points tonight at his basketball game.  He's worked really hard to improve his game and I'm so proud of him for reaching beyond his comfort zone and going out for a sport.  When I look at these pictures of him I can hardly believe how grown up he's getting.

Choraliers Concert Photos

Holidays Are Coming....

It seems like just yesterday that we were lounging by the pool enjoying the heat. Now, the temperature is 4 below zero with a wind chill of 20 below. Crazy. Why do we live here? Someone remind me!
Here at the house we're getting ready for the holidays. I've decided to pare down my shopping considerably this year and I'm almost done. The last two Christmases have been difficult, to say the least, but I find myself looking forward to this one with unexpected optimism. We've had plenty of events to get us into the holiday mood. Nutcracker was last week, the boys were in their Choraliers Christmas concert last night, and tonight we'll head to the Grand to see Megan in the Wausau West choir concert.
The tree is up and decorated and I managed to throw some lights on the bushes outside, so the house looks ready. This weekend we plan to lay low and just bake some cookies, enjoy our families together. Though this year has brought so many changes - not all of them good ones - I do find myself happier and more content than I have been in a long time. I just wish my dad was here to share in it with all of us.

Free Starbucks Today

Free Starbucks coffee today for voters (and liars, as my friend Ed Bove supposes) - just head on in, tell 'em you voted, and get a free cuppa joe. Not sure if this makes them liberal or conservative, but it sure is nice of 'em.

Halloween

Another Halloween has come and gone - it's one of my favorite holidays.  Always fun to dress up and be someone else for a night - and see the craziness everywhere.  This year I was Marilyn Monroe to Darren's Joe DiMaggio.  We had tickets to the very ill-attended Copper Box Halloween Party on Artsblock, then went to City Grill, Lopps, and finally Mountain Lanes. Kind of a weird night - not as many people out and about as I would have thought.  The kids all went trick or treating together and had a good night of fun.  I've never seen so much candy in this house, I swear.

I've been thinking a lot about how damaged past relationships can make us.  How we cling to fear - the fear of history repeating itself.  I don't know how to get past that, at times.  I suppose it all just takes time.

This is my final weekend off until my vacation in December, so we're making the most of it by having a complete "do nothing" day.  The sun is shining, the air is warm, and I think it's just really going to be a great day.

Una Notte Bella a Success

The planning is over and the 26th annual Una Notte Bella fundraiser for the Wausau Conservatory was a success.  150 people attended this event, and thousands of dollars were raised for scholarships at our school.  I co-chaired this year's event with Amy Plier.  French Milwaukee based musician Robin Pluer provided the entertainment to match the french theme, and our french dinner was superb.  The kids both sang with Choraliers for the event as well.  Darren and I had a great night.

Thriller - the Scramble

It's that time of year again - when Halloween is near, it's time to put together the soundtrack for Wausau Dance Theatre's annual production of THRILLER - a Dance SpookTacular.  Always fun - but always hectic!  This year's script is a good one and I think the show will be great.  Devon will have a cameo walk on role but nothing too big, which is good, we are far too busy this year to be running to a million practices.  I'm still waiting on one more piece of music to come in to make the final podcast.....and I'm trying not to pull my hair out by the handful.

Unwritten Rules for Men - from Men's Health

Oh, these are good for men OR women.....

• Never ask a woman if she wants to have sex by asking her if she wants to have sex.
  
• It is more important to have good health insurance than good health.
  
• Don't bluff more than once in a poker game with friends.
  
• When one of the big bosses at work unexpectedly says something really cheery and friendly to you, he means absolutely nothing by it. Not even if he's your father.
  
• Wear as much black as you can. It makes you look slimmer and cooler. But avoid black jeans, they just look silly.
  
• When someone in your family is going through a divorce, always side with the blood relative.
  
• Pointedly praising something unusual a person owns or has done will make you appear far smarter in his eyes than a 10-minute discourse on world events.
  
• Be aware that most people are operating on a very condensed version of the 10 Commandments: the part about murder.
• Be careful about publicly discussing your hobbies, as most hobbies strike people as somewhat pathetic: most notably, collecting stamps, coins, or anything else, bird-watching, bowling, rockhounding, spelunking, table tennis, poetry, dog shows, chat rooms, polka music, yoga, herpetology, marathon running, and religion. The only hobbies you can safely own up to when among people you need to impress are fly-fishing and golf.
  
• Never buy anyone a gift at a kiosk.
  
• When choosing a bottle of wine to bring to a dinner party, spend between 10 and 15 dollars. That's for a bottle, not a gallon.
  
• The person who sincerely says to you, "I want to get to know you better," is a person you don't want to know at all.
  

Sunday - not FunDay

There are days when it just doesn't pay to get out of bed. You know the kind.
Spilled her coffee, broke her shoelace.....smeared the lipstick on her face.....she left a note and said I'm sorry, I......had a bad day again.....
Ah, Fuel. But, I digress.
I seem to be a bit of an emotional wreck these days, on a rollercoaster that just won't stop. After being comfortably unhappy for so long, it's hard for me now to be......oh, I don't know.....someone who gives a shit. Because good grief, now I worry about everything. 
Some days I find myself missing my dad so much. I wish he was here to talk to, to run things past. I wish he could whisk in and take over, helping the boys with their homework and unloading the dishwasher. I wish I could have had just one more year, one more chance to learn all I could from him, because he was always so wise, and always seemed to have the answers. Now, all I have is my memories.
I really did have a great weekend, but now the work week starts anew, the running begins, the hectic schedule, the getting up at 6AM. Sometimes I just feel as though the work never ends.

Something To Keep In Mind for Valentine's Day

Megan's First High School Dance

This weekend was Wausau West homecoming, and Megan went to the dance. We shopped together for her dress and had a great time picking out the perfect thing. We were so happy for her to go - how fun. And she looks absolutely beautiful!

SNL Weekend Update

Gas Signs Truth in Advertising

Here's A Tip.....

DO NOT FLIP OFF A SHERIFF'S DEPUTY _ A man was arrested over the weekend after he gave a Dodge County, Wisconsin, sheriff's deputy the middle finger. The deputy was driving along in his squad car when Ronald Whatley gave him the middle finger after driving past the officer. The deputy conducted a traffic stop and Whatley was arrested for operating on a suspended driver's license and for having open intoxicants in the vehicle. The deputy later stated, "One would think that if you do not have a valid driver's license and have open intoxicants in the vehicle you may not want to attract attention to yourself."
Special thanks to Interprep for that little tidbit.