I’m cutting it close. I’m finally learning music for the classes I’m supposed to teach and never before have I left it this close. I have always known that I’m better under pressure, but the amazing thing is, although it has been stressful trying to squeeze the music and the choreography into my head, I’ve spent in total far less time learning it this time around than any other time before. I thought the last time I did this was cutting it close, but it seems that I haven’t quite gotten truly that close. Who’d have thunk?

Is it better to be 2-3 times more stressed but spend far less time learning, or is it better to be less stressed, but spending more than double or the triple the time? I guess that depends on your tolerance for time and stress and what the value of each is. Obviously, I’m pushing the envelope on stress over time, so its very possible I haven’t hit my stress limit yet and am preferring the stress pressure over the time one.

I can’t wait till next week and this will all be over and done with until the next quarter.

- Daisy

there’s a fork in the road
a literal fork and spoon
and you used to see the humour in that
though that laughter seems lost now

its another person’s life you’re living
and i’m so afraid you’ll find
at the end you will be successful
in achieving their daily misery

the path has so many choices
filled with much laughter
and tons of errors to make
why make theirs, when you can make your own?

somewhere along the way
you lost sight that this was the very thing
you desperately wanted to avoid
and i watch with dismay at your life dismissed

one day i hope you will notice
the forks and spoons are still everywhere
and i’m here if you wish
to begin to live your own life

- Daisy

I am probably one of the biggest age whiners around. To say that I have a problem with aging would be a minor understatement. At mid twenties, I thought a quarter century must be somewhat aged. Then thirty was a year long fiasco. And probably another year long fiasco for forty. I don’t care to think about the next plateau for the time being. My issues are my issues and they will only continue but with greater strength as I use the ol memory banks to recall all about the ways things used to be. However I am well aware that being stuck in what has been is likely the fastest way to grow old and become extinct like the dinosaurs. Instead I try my best to understand the world as is and accept that just about every single thing has changed.. everything except human nature of course.

I watch some of my peers who seem to struggle immensely with the fact that products and services are no longer like when we were younger… the fact that things aren’t made the same way anymore. No guff. The world is different and the faster we recognize that, the easier it is to change and/or adapt our behaviour to suit the new place we live in. Why rail against the masses unless you have intentions to bring it back and/or rally government to bring it back. If it is only to complain, then you may as well age yourself another few decades and be ready for extinction sooner rather than later.

I used to think my peers were those in my generation with similar experiences. I only realize now that my peers are no longer just my age – they grow and expand to include those generations that I never really understood before but am finding more and more of that common ground.

This must be aging.

I only wish I could do it with more grace.

- Daisy

I found this most amusing email from summer of last year.  It’s one of those notes that make you laugh, smile, and bring joy to 2012.  Thanks Michael for your lovely note, and I do apologize that I never replied, however, as I’m sure you’ll understand, I don’t fit your criteria.    If I ever need a cardiologist, I will for sure look you up.  Thanks once again for reaching out to me.  I hope you found what you were looking for in 2011.

 

P.S. I don’t believe for a second that the real Dr. Michael **** emailed me, but whoever is using his name, his status, and his life, has got to get credit for creativity.

 

Hello Daisy

Hello Daisy . how are you doing today, with hope you are doing good. Am Dr. michael *** by name i live in Canada Toronto where i have my own business, Due am just a new member to this site, but went through your profile and i really like to get to know more about you if that did not get you upset my dear …. am a 49years old man who have never been married before, but am hoping someday i will meet with that right woman to spend the rest of my life with….. but first i will like to be a friend if that is okay by you, then i can tell you more about myseif after you must have written back to me or you can as well add me up on your yahoo messager so we can chat because am always online even while working from my office.

If you must know am a Doctor of cardiologist i work with *****  hospital located at, ********  Toronto Ontario, *** *** Canada… so always feel free to ask me any question and i will get back to u dear.

Pls if you are married or have a boy friend i can not make you a friend of mine because i wanna talk to those whom are not married or dating someone, i like to be honest and i hate to lie so i want the same from people too……….here is my yahoo id…. *****@*****. or you can as well write to the same id and i will get back to you.

I must let you know that you have a very good looking pic here in your profile and i will love to hear from you sooner…… again always feel free to write to me and i will reply back to you.
Dr. Michael *****.

2011 has been one of those funny years.  It certainly hasn’t been one of the worst, but also, not one of the best.  I attribute much of the stress due to the ongoing and multi-year issues associated with the stuff that pays the bills.  It’s clear with the continuing tumbleweeds which keep growing here that I am unable to be what I once was – happier and much more relaxed.  However, it also amazes me that I haven’t quite given up.  I still have hope for 2012, and lots of it.  The way I see it, it just can only get better since there’s no way I can have another ill year with those kinds of stresses, right?  Don’t answer that please. 

I am very hopeful for 2012.  One reason is that despite a less than stellar year, I discovered some pretty amazing things in 2011 including:

1. Photography lives in me and now I finally have the equipment to allow it to grow.  I am proud of the stuff that’s coming out, plus the speed with which the improvements are coming out.  I wow me every so often.
2. Photoshop is a tool that allows yet another creative side to flourish.  I don’t have any ability to use paint, nor charcoal, nor pencil, other than to scribble words on a napkin.  However, now with photoshop, I am able to create something that may have only existed in my head prior.  Its no longer locked away, but can now exist more concretely for all to see.
3. Technology amazes me.  I just got a new phone, and have been exposed to Swype (and love it).  It’s possible for someone who considers herself accepting of the speed with which things change, that for the first time, the speed of change in technology for 2011 actually took my breath away.  I must be at middle-age.

I know there’s tons more, and I had a much longer list earlier today, however, as the night grows later, and the boys are back in the house, there’s no way I can write anything remotely coherent so I may as well say adieu, until 2012.  Let’s hope there are fewer tumbleweeds in 2012, and more joy everywhere.  I hope you have a very happy new year.

- Daisy

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My creative side was discouraged when I was young, and in some ways, I must be making up for lost time. Experimenting with colours, texture, and the overall “feeling”, I’m happy to realize that where there’s a will, there is a way, even if it takes a few decades to be realized.

Here are my first few tries playing with my photographs and photoshop.

- Daisy

I was sent a link that I have to admit I found quite interesting and disturbing at the same time.

With all the times in the past I have written about orchids, who would have thought that someone else would also have written about it? Scientific American in fact, and now I wonder if I came to my own conclusions, or if I read something, and plagiarized the concept without realizing it. Or perhaps I have a 6th sense, and saw it in my crystal ball? I honestly don’t know the truth of how this came about, but it seems there are minds who have actually done the work and come up with concepts regarding the orchid child that takes what I thought and provides data too.

Not only does orchid child exist, and prosper in that ideal environment, orchid child can also wither in that not-so-ideal environment. Plus, rather than alfafa sprouts or weeds they have termed others, the dandelions. I have to admit, dandelions are a pretty good description. I have lots of thoughts rumbling through my head as a result of this article and I have as of yet, been unable to put in writing, much of those thoughts. So, rather than wait until my head clears, I thought I’d simply share the link, and perhaps add my take at a later date. Thanks to jono for the link.

- Daisy

Facebook friends are nuts. They are always “doing” stuff, non-stop. Sometimes, I can’t tell if what they do is “normal” because at times, I just think they must be living on another planet. How could they possibly find the energy to drink and party that often? Do they really enjoy doing that? Or is it facebook theatre?

Perhaps I’m the odd one out instead, since I’m clearly spending my hours on other ‘stuff’. Perhaps they are the “normal” ones as they enjoy others company, and I’m the one from Mars enjoying my world with a choice few.

I have been taking oodles and oodles of pictures. I’ve discovered and rediscovered a love of mine that I have never fully been able to develop better until recently. I’m playing at all hours, and even better, my lil kiddo is enjoying hanging out with me as we go on adventures with the camera to discover and capture images in nearby locations. We’ve done “ghost” pics and night pics and are only scratching the surface. My idea of a cool time is looking for a cool location to visit that’s near enough for a day trip, and cheap enough ($0 is best) to leave from should it be less than stellar.

I’d much rather spend memories with my kiddo walking than going to yet another place eating/drinking/partying. No wait. I like the eating part. How about “I’d much rather spend memories with my kiddo walking and eating, but not at the same time.”

- Daisy

So we are madly trying to reduce cycle times and we are looking underneath all kinds of rocks for good potential. Sometimes, the dooziest gets uncovered this way.

Apparently, there is a yellow form that doesn’t fax well – whether due to colour or texture of form, I’m not sure. Rather than using their collective heads and IQ’s that must together be over 100, the jobs were delayed a few more days waiting for the white original. I simply said, “can you photocopy the yellow sheet and then fax it in?”

Sent via BB