Weekend Coffee Share, Living Beneath My Means

Welcome to my Weekend Coffee Share,  hosted by Natalie the Explorer.  Thanks for visiting! It’s a green tea day for me and warm out, but come along and enjoy your favorite daytime beverage! If we were having coffee, I’d tell you what’s on my mind.

I’ve been testing my students throughout last week, and students overall are getting excited for the holidays. Needless to say, last week was tiring. So, I didn’t do much in my writing life, but I got to meet with my News Club kids, and they made great strides!

One of the rewards this week offered was the most beautiful sunset after Monday night’s club meeting. (I wait until the last student gets picked up).

Friday, my car began lurching on the way to work. It was very slow on the pickup and shaky. I stubbornly kept driving to work and carefully drove it home that evening. My son and his dad called around about where to take it in. At 1 o’clock I took it to the Toyota dealership. Sometimes I avoid then, as they cost more and always suggest I trade it in.

The last thing I want is a new car payment. I paid it off only two years ago! Now’s the time to save up for retirement; I certainly need to be happy with less. I want more experiences (travel) and less things!

Thus is my quest to move toward minimalism. I told the mechanic I used to drive a used Toyota Camry until it reached 200,000 miles. The current one only has 103,000 miles and is a Corolla. I think 200,000 is a great goal!

We’ll see if my methods help me save. I plan to retire before age 60. I have a few years to go….

I’m willing to listen to and entertain any wise minimalist ideas you all may have. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

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Weekend Coffee Share. An Insomniac’s Diary/ Slice of life

Welcome to my Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Antoinette T. You can find her site and Weekend Coffee Share at https://antoinettetrugliomartin.com/2019/12/06/tis-the-season/  **It is half a cup of hazelnut coffee for me, and whatever you would like as I share my partial sleep/lack of sleep diary for the week.   It’s not as funny as Bridget Jones’ diary, but I think I am just as honest, so there’s that.  🙂  I am hoping some of you may have similar experiences.  Truly, there were several things competing for the heaviest weight on my mind this week.  My physical health and my quality of sleep are two of those things.  I’ve been sharing a lot on Facebook about it, partly because I know a few people who at times will post that they can’t sleep or can’t believe they are up at 4 a.m. and can’t get to sleep again.  I have found one or two friends who will chat with me on Messenger when I can’t sleep.  It helps to know you are not the only one with insomnia.

Why is this happening, though? I started physical therapy 8 days ago, and I have leg exercises to do morning and night.  The first two days I was so energized and waking up early.  However, I suspect I should do the night exercises earlier, maybe before dinner.  It will just take some shuffling of my schedule, and I am vowing to bring less work home.  The sad news of a friend’s passing was also something I had to mentally process.  May he rest in peace.

The week in a nutshell:

12/02: Woke up at 4:30 a.m.  Maybe it was the recent news of a dear friend/co-worker losing his battle with cancer.   This is such a big loss for my school and the community.  Maybe it was also partly a change of energy due to having started physical therapy this past week.  My mind was definitely a bit too busy after I woke and tossed/turned from sciatica ( a frequent occurrence).  FB post reads:  Insomniac thoughts: Nothing to see here, my brain is just rattling its cage. #overthinkersareus  

12/03: From my post:  I slept in until 5:23, I have a busy brain and a full cup of coffee, and this student artwork ( blue and pink origami bird) waits for me at my work computer. Started PT for the back and it’s going well. Should be working on the shoulder in the next few weeks. I feel stronger. It’s worth the investment, and I’m trying to work on my mindset. My body must keep up with my brain or they’ll ruin each other. I think my energy level is better, but yesterday was rough due to emotions and lack of sleep.

12/04:  Woke up at about 4:30 a.m. again.  Sciatica.  My doctor and I will discuss this tomorrow.  Scoured Facebook for something to lighten my thoughts and make me laugh.  Posted a funny meme of a rebellious woman not heeding her boyfriend’s command to ‘not drink the whole bottle of wine and act retarded.‘ She sports cut-off denim shorts, an empty wine glass, and Batman cape and mask.  Good for her!  I hope her boyfriend crawled away in shock and shame that he can’t handle this free-spirited girl.  I checked, and my boyfriend totally would not stop me if I wanted to do this. 🙂

12/05- Did not post about my sleep, but I think I slept through the night, so tired.  I did post about my friend who passed, as his visitation was going to be that evening.  Spoke to my doctor in the afternoon appointment about my sleep issues and leg pain.  He agrees the PT is the best thing, staying active is the best thing for arthritis and recurring pain.   For now, I am going to try melatonin at night.  I just spilled out all about my friend’s passing and the many things in the last three years that could have caused my pain: emotional family events, a car accident in ’16 that set off my nerves.  This is good.

12/06- I don’t think I got any actual sleep Thursday night.  My legs and sciatica were bugging me and I could not find my sciatic magnet therapy cuff.  It was cold in the air but I knew I couldn’t make it too hot in the house.  That, and I’d had the PT and a doctor’s appointment in the afternoon, lots to think about after the Dr. appt., and the PT included new exercises for the hips, which are pretty unbalanced, by the way (so I’m not used to the hip work that was introduced I probably really need it though).  The visitation for my friend occurred Thursday evening.  I got to meet his family, tell them why he was important to me.  There were so many co-workers I hadn’t seen in years except maybe Facebook, and we did some catching up and laughing about the best memories we have of Ron.  He was loved by so many.  The next morning’s post was me giving myself a pep-talk:

Ah, morning. Despite my lack of sleep, I will make the best of today! I plan to appreciate the students who like to give me hugs, the girls who are writing their paranormal version of the story I’m teaching them, the kids who just started Scholar Bowl and were so excited to tell me about it, and the awesome co-workers I get to work with. From brave new teachers who teach despite horrible news and opinions of teachers these days, to seasoned teachers who keep coming back due to their unstoppable warrior spirit that is, above all, fueled by love for their fellow man and hope for a better future. Life is good!

 Sunrise of hope.

I have been working through this.  I am not the kind who stays home to deal with my emotions.  The lack of sleep didn’t stop me, I liked being around the energy of middle schoolers.  My boss spoke to me early in the week and seemed very understanding of the processes I’m going through.  I’m still pushing through the PT and I know that my mental state is always the best when I feel strong physically, and my physical state is affected if I allow myself to become a bundle of nerves.  One of my relief mechanisms, writing, will not work if sitting in the computer for too long causes me back pain, which it does despite buying a special cushion for the sits bones.  By the way,I mentioned melatonin.  I started that Friday night.  Of course, I was so super tired.  I did my leg exercises from 7:30 to 8, and I fell asleep shortly after the dog-walking right after 10 o’clock.  So melatonin might have helped. I will be repeating and observing its effectiveness.

If you have read all of this, thank you for the patience.  I feel self-centered, but it has helped for me to get the events all together and the possible triggers/antecedents.  Perhaps some of you have been through some of these things? Please share if you are comfortable doing so.  I actually hope my Insomniac’s Diary does not go on a long time, I do not really want enough material for a whole book. 🙂

That was my week.  How was yours?

 

 

 

Rage Against Limits of Age. #poetry

Rage Against Limits of Age, (c) 2019 by Pamela Schloesser Canepa

 

Lines at my eyes don’t bother me,

‘cuz I already fell from the tree.

I’ll raise a glass and tell you my age,

Since that makes lying men run away.

 

Some say to wear more makeup,

Some say you should wear less.

Which will make me look younger?

I supposed it’s anyone’s guess.

 

When out, I’ll wear hoop earrings and my Blondie tee

With those special fit jeans that cost a pretty penny.

I’m ‘wowing’ the town in my not-cougar ensemble,

But I’ve gotta wear Nikes, so I don’t take a tumble.

 

Though I no longer do Ben-Gay-Zumba these days,

I still do the plank pose, modifed, okay?

And some may think I count for less,

Rage against the whimps who can’t handle this mess

Who raise a brow at what I wear,

question the true color of my hair

 

Rage against high-priced age creams

Products promising to fulfill our dreams….

Rage against those who try to limit me with age

I decide how much to do before turning the page.

Do  not sit quietly and age.

Do all you still can, and hysterically.  Girl, rage!

 

Friday Fictioneers, “A Storyteller Must Tell.” #amwriting #flashfiction

PHOTO PROMPT© Jan Wayne Fields

“Billy, that’s it!”  Roma pointed.  “They said she’s a famous author.  She’s been staying here three months.”

“Can’t be that famous.  Why isn’t she at the Hilton?”

Freshman in college, they both felt wise to the ways of the world.

“What’s that whispering?”  A middle aged woman with wild hair came out.

“Mrs. Frederici?  There’s a bonfire.  You should come.”

The woman smiled appreciatively, grabbing a walking stick.  “No one ever asked before.  I’ll go.  I only get one good hour of writing a day.  Arthritic hands.”

Roma asked, “Could you tell a story?”

Mrs. Frederici winked. “I’d love to.”

100 Words.

 

Rules:  Write a complete story in 100 words or less, based on the provided photo.  Remember, all photos are property of the photographer, donated for use in Friday Fictioneers only. They shouldn’t be used for any other purpose without express permission. It is proper etiquette to give the contributor credit.   Include the photo prompt and link your story to through the Inlinkz button at https://rochellewisoff.com/2017/08/23/25-august-2017/

Readers, feel free to share your own at the link above and to check out other Flash fiction stories!

Yeah, the cliff-hanger was inevitable, though I do think Billy and Roma will resurface in future stories.  (This is their second adventure in my land of fiction :))

P.S. It took me all week to devise this story.  I’ve been quite unfocused, but I am so grateful that Billy and Roma came to my rescue.  Characters do that, you know.