The Friday Five!
"pick yourself up, brush yourself off, start all over again"---my mom
Y’all: this last week was a doozy career-wise. I probably should not write about this. Present that upbeat, confident persona that is what social media is all about. But I know I am not alone. And years ago, I was told that when a door shuts—-or slams—-to look for the window. So I will. If you’re also in that place, join me. We’ll at least have some laughs while we wait.
This week on the way to the beach, we stopped for gas on our way out of town. My husband started the pump and went inside. I got out to go to the trunk to get something, tripped over the hose, and went down hard and sprawling onto the pavement. I had that moment: am I hurt? Something broken? Nope and nope. This old man walking to his truck looked at me. “You okay?” At the same time, the cashier worriedly staring at me through the window. And at the counter? My husband. He looked horrified. It occurred to me that after the week I’d had it was almost metaphorical that I would go down so spectacularly, like the cherry on the universe’s sundae. So there I am, literally on the ground, with all these people looking at me. A beat. Then I just scrambled to my feet, laughed, shot my husband a thumbs up. “I’m fine!” I sang out, then hobbled back to the car. We laughed all the way out of town. The next morning I had scrapes and the kneecap I broke a few years back was throbbing. But I’ll be fine. And at least I am not on the ground anymore.
3. On the way to the beach, we listened to Seth Rogan’s Yearbook on audio. Y’all: it was SO good, and we laughed so hard during the last chapter we almost had to pull over. I know I mentioned it before but seriously: if you are a fan, you must listen. Another great discovery was the show High School. It’s about the singers Tegan and Sara and their own adolescent experience and it is SO incredible and unique. Find out more on their site. And finally, I raced through Grant Ginder’s Let’s Not Do That Again, which was intricate and hilarious and kept surprising me. So good!
While I am throwing it all out there (so to speak) a little PSA for the ladies reading. Are you in your mid to late forties and suddenly feeling angry and sad and not at ALL like yourself? Is your family wondering why you are so quick to fly off the handle? Have you had an embarrassing meltdown that affected your professional life? Do you feel like a dried up husk of your former self? Please, please, talk to your doctor about menopause. I know, I know. This is a youth obsessed culture and no one want to volunteer as Old. But I suffered SO MUCH for years before finally getting the care I needed. It is literally like a new life. So please, ask for help. And if your doctor waves you off, or tells you to take vitamins, google Menopause Doctor Near Me and keep trying. I’ll be cheering you on.
I feel like I have shared a LOT this Five (my poor agent) so maybe let’s end with something a bit less personal. How about raccoons? Yep, we moved our camera and found it was not a bear or aggressive squirrels throwing my feeders all over the place. It was these two. I got so discouraged I swore I was going to quit the entire thing. But then I calmed down and just started taking the feeders inside at night. See, there are solutions! Until they start breaking into the garage.
Have a good weekend, everyone!