Year of Austere

Blog posts 234-366/366: The Lost Gospels.

yearofaustere — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 18:01:07 +0000

So, apparently, “taking a blog break” roughly translates to “never blogging again” or thereabouts. Personally, I blame Chloe for the whole numbering thing. When we began this journey, she liked the concise feel (OCD much?) of the blog post countdown look. I did, too, but clearly we need to evolve or die. A metaphor for life if ever there was one. Therefore, we are evolving. No more daily blogging. We will blog if and when we feel we have something to say. Hopefully something positive and inspiring, but at this point, a good old rant would do, too.

Until next time, s. xoxo

p.s. We’ve missed you.

Blog post 233/366: Perk Up Your Day! :)

yearofaustere — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 18:36:57 +0000

Goooooood morning! I have no clue what to write about once more, and I am starting to be very happy that I am almost done playing catch up!! So for this post I am simply going to post some happy quotes that will hopefully make everybody’s days just a little bit better. … xoxo Chloe

Blog post 232/366: To Live…

yearofaustere — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 05:31:48 +0000

Good evening! I realize that it is already nearing half past ten, and this is my first post of the day. Those of you that are crazy intelligent may have realized by now that I will not be writing all three of my outstanding posts! However, I will finish them tomorrow morning, I promise! I have actually been rather busy – I am catching up on the things I have managed to lose passion for throughout the summer. My mom and I finally started an Etsy account to post our tutus on, I started knitting once more, I wrote a list of all the things I want to get done this school year, I started watching a new show and I’ve even started writing again!

All of a sudden, I feel as if all the time I have been wasting ’enjoying my time off’, has been far too many. I wish I had seized those hours at the time and used them to my advantage, so I could look back on this summer and feel like I had accomplished so much! I’m vigorously trying to make up for lost time – I even applied for jobs today!!! Yes, that’s right. I finished my resume and cover letter, printed them off and handed them out at our nearby shops. Hopefully I will get a job out of the time I put into it today, everybody cross your fingers for me!

Luckily, I have learned a little something or other out of my lack of production this summer. From now on, I have decided that I don’t want to waste anymore time, I want to do what I want to do when I want to, and actually get things done! I am determined to make this the best year so far, and I will do whatever necessary to make that so! I will not look back and think ‘I wish I had done that’, ‘why didn’t I do that’, ‘that would have been fun’. I will look back and remember all the fun things I did and all the wonderful times I had doing them!! No more austerity of life, I want to live to the fullest! Mark my words, this is my year… xoxo Chloe

Blog post 231/366: Entering Spiritual Rehab

yearofaustere — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 21:08:51 +0000

One of my recent posts spoke to my need to re-centre myself. This year I have been up and down with respect to my spiritual balance. Perhaps more down than up. I have allowed myself to live a rutted existence; falling into negativity, which has this mean ability to nourish and build upon itself. I’m done with that. I’m placing myself into rehab. Not in the hopes of finding external assistance, but with the determination of finding balance from within. Because in the end, this is the only place true peace can be found.

Glenn

Blog post 230/366: Remembering Our Blessings…

yearofaustere — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 19:55:11 +0000

If this doesn’t put into perspective how fortunate we are, I don’t know what will. It certainly speaks to me. In the end, the Year of Austere is all about living with Less. Yet, no matter how much progress we make this year (and any progress is good), we will never know what living with Less really is. We must never forget the suffering in this world, and perhaps the biggest contribution we can make is appreciate what we have, and do what we can to help the less fortunate out there. They are our fellow human beings, and they need us!!

Glenn

http://bitchville.me/post/470047800/read-this-by-whatshername13

Blog post 229/366: Love Life. Live Life.

yearofaustere — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 05:39:36 +0000

The diagnosis is in. I am enduring manopause. Now, of course this is not a physician’s diagnosis because, well, that would involve actually visiting a physician which, as a man, I am loathe to do. No, this is the general consensus of all around my home lately. Thinking that this was unfairly levelled at me, I went searching for a definition of this so-called “condition”, intent on blowing these accusations out of the water. Being partial to the Urban Dictionary, this is what I found..

“Man-o-pause: A time when a man’s chemical balance becomes shifted and he has a breakdown and/or becomes an asshole. Symptoms include- Irritability, mood swings, thoughts of suicide, depression, over sensitivity, paranoia, and feelings of helplessness.“

Holy crap. As I read this I was convinced that there would be a photo of me directly below it, with an arrow and a caption…”Photo of a typical manopausal man”. While I may be far from suicidal (I truly love my life), pretty much all of these other descriptors are on the mark. It has been an up and down year, no doubt about that. But as I look forward to the remainder of this year, austerity of negativity is definitely in order. I owe this to my family. I owe it to you, who are kind enough to read these posts. I owe this to me.

I was on StumbleUpon today, in search of positivity. I came across an excerpt from a book by Ron Padgett entitled “How to be Perfect”. I have taken from this a few pointers as to how to move forward in a positive fashion…

Be Friendly. It will make you happy.
Hope for everything. Expect nothing.
Be nice to people before they have a chance to behave badly.
Calm down.
Imagine what you would like to see happen, and then don’t do anything to make it impossible.
Don’t be depressed about growing older. It will make you feel even older. Which is depressing. (This one really hit home!)
Be good.
Love life.

Love life. I DO love life, but sometimes lately the day-to-day gets me down. I’d better watch it, or the days will be gone and the life that I love will be as well! Time to make the best of every day, even if it kills me .

Yours in (future) positivity,

Glenn

Blog post 228/366: An Austerity Game Plan.

yearofaustere — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 00:49:55 +0000

I need a kick in the derriere to get my austerity mojo going again, so here I am, hoping that blog accountability will do the trick. Here’s a list of all the things I hope to do between now and the end of September (That gives me a month with the kids back at school…. Sorry, if they are available for hanging out, I am hanging out with them.)…

Number one’s a biggie… Finish sorting through my mom’s belongings that live in our garage. I gave up last year when it got to be too much. I think I can face it again now.
With regard to #1, there is a dresser of hers that is just waiting for a coat of paint (leftover from one of the bathrooms) and new knobs (purchased over a year ago). Glenn and I can then each have our own dresser. Married almost 24 years and we still share a dresser.
Pare down Nick’s belongings. The kid is sentimental about certain possessions he’s outgrown and needs a little nudge to part with toys he no longer plays with. It’s time.
Complete the book purge. Glenn did his part nicely and then I choked. Maybe I need to send out invitations and have a book exchange. I could even stay within austerity guidelines (such a purist) and make it potluck. (Ginnie!!)
Get creative and work on Glenn’s birthday present which I will need in October. (sssshhhh….)
Release my inner Julia Child. Put a cork in my inner Nigella. A cork, not a cupcake.

And that’s about it. I’m a realist. I could keep coming up with things, but it would make doing anything on the list a slim reality. I should also say that it is my intention not to miss another blog post, but, in theory, that goes without saying. ;) s. xoxo

p.s. While surfing around looking for a fun list-ish image to post, I found the following list that I thought I’d share. I enjoyed it.

Blog post 227/366: An Enviable Life.

yearofaustere — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 18:02:02 +0000

This post is dedicated to my BFF, Ginnie. She will kill me for writing this so you may not hear from me in awhile. Wait. If I’m dead, that would be ever. See, this is how my brain works. (Remember those anti-drug ads with the egg… “this is your brain”….. cracked in the frying pan… “this is your brain on drugs”….. Replace menopause for drugs and there you have it.)

Glenn was working in Victoria this week and the kids and I tagged along. Yes, we had to pay for our own ferry and meals, but the room was covered and we are desperate for a few days away. Sue us. The first thing I do when going to Victoria is let Ginnie know we’re coming…. “Hey, Gin! We’re coming to town… Want to get together??” (aka Please please please invite us for dinner….) When the invitation comes back, I feel like Charlie ripping open that chocolate bar to reveal a golden corner! YES!!!!

From the moment we walk in her door, I am green. A nice green though. Maybe emerald?? The whole family is beautiful, witty, intelligent. Her house is gorgeous. Her garden is lovely (Seriously, Gin, artichokes? Awesome.). The food is beyond amazing. And, wait…. That gorgeous new painting in the living room? She painted it. The tile backsplash? He installed it. The handsome young man walking in the door? They gave birth to him. I mean really. Enough is enough. YOU’RE MAKING ME LOOK BAD.

A trip to their house is SO inspiring, I can’t even tell you. I have an infinite number of ideas to bring home and get to work on. Now I just have to run them through my austerity filter and see what dribbles out. Pretty sure most of my plans will have to wait until next year. Helllllloooo, 2013!!!

The long and short of this post (austerity aside) is that I love these people. They inspire me. They make me thankful that I bought a quirky little house two doors down, all those years ago. Seriously, I love you guys. And, thanks for dinner! It was FABULOUS, as always. s. xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

p.s. If you want to check out the maven of style that is Ginnie, you may do so here.

Blog post 226/366: A New Measure of Success.

yearofaustere — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 04:39:37 +0000

I have to say that this moved me. And it encouraged me. I have little hope of being a screaming success in the business world after being a stay-at-home mom for 10+ years. I will NEVER make it as a singer. Just ask my family. Super model? Pretty sure that’s out. Too short…

But this – this I can endeavour to do my level best at. s. xo

Blog post 225/366: Positivity!

yearofaustere — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 16:27:07 +0000

Hey gang! Sorry about not posting a third post last night, but I didn’t know what to write about and then we got home late from visiting family friends!! This morning, I still don’t know what to write about, so I am going to post a picture that I think is very, very true. Hope everybody has a fantastic week, and I will talk to you all again on Saturday… xoxo Chloe