The start of something big...

OK, we just moved into a new townhouse. Well, it's not exactly new - it's 12 years old - but it's new to me. It's me and my two boys, whom I call Boogie and Spesh. The older one, Boogie, is on his way to becoming the next Quentin Tarantino, and the little one, Spesh, is never without a smile on his face (and a stain on his shirt). They are fabulous, intelligent boys -- I wouldn't trade them for anything. I just wish they knew how to do something other than eat and Xbox (yes, that's a verb in this house -- it implies that they are actively "doing" something).


And then there are the two dogs, whom I often refer to as Dammit 1 and Dammit 2.
Their real names are Kaya and Kiba, but sometimes all I can say is "Dammit!" (Ya know, after you see a chewed up sandal or a carefully hidden pile of poop in your closet.)


Anyway, it's the 5 of us in the house, and we are getting settled in. I've given myself some goals and objectives for the next 12 months. And hitting each one of those monthly goals will make this house a home that much faster. (Right now, it's a just four walls and roof of debt!)

There's no particular order to the goals right now, it's basically just a list at this point. The first task to tackle is (drum roll.....): Giving to Others. Don't get me wrong, I donate things all the time, but usually it's crap I don't want anymore (shirts and jeans from 1985 or the pair of socks with the holes in them -- crappy stuff like that). Starting this month, though, I'm putting together a stack of things that I do still want, but have no room or use for: Some really nice furniture, Gap jackets the boys have outgrown or never even wore, a blender I never used, etc...
I'm proud of myself. I feel like the stuff I'm giving away will maybe go to a family that really needs them. As I get more settled into the house, and unpack the boxes that are waiting in the garage, I hope to find more things to donate to a needy household. Why don't you take an afternoon to walk through your home too? Pack some things in a box and call The American Rescue Workers, or the Salvation Army or your own local charity. You'll feel good.

But I thought you were scared of water...

Get this, I woke up early this morning. It's Sunday, and I usually don't see the light of day until well after 11 o'clock. But today, I decided to get up early and take the dogs out for a run. They never get enough exercise, so in the spirit of the "New Me", I thought it would be a good idea to do something good for them. As soon as I grab my shoes and their leashes, they are crazy with anticipation. They're jumping all over and racing me to the door. (I thought to myself, "wow, this is like a rare treat or something. I should be ashamed." But I wasn't ashamed, I was sleepy dammit.)

OK, so we start out on the path toward this beautiful lake down the street. (I swear I love this neighborhood. It's gorgeous.) I grab a couple of poop bags and from the dispenser on the corner and we are on our way. The sun is shining and the air is crisp. I'm starting to feel more alert and I'm even thinking that this is something I could do everyday. (Good for you, Gayle. Way to seize the day.) We creep off the path and walk onto the grassy edge of the lake. The water is alive with tiny fish and turtles and tadpoles. Oh, and there's a bunch (gaggle?) of geese swimming nearby. I'm entranced.

I feel a tug on one of the leashes and I realize that Kiba is about to poop. So I let Kaya's leash go so I can get the bag out of my pocket and pick up after Kiba. I should explain that Kaya is a rottweiler/lab mix that we adopted about 4 years ago. Despite the fact that she's part lab, she can't stand water. Won't go near it. So I thought nothing of letting her loose so near the lake.
I'm now stooping to gather a handful of dog poop, when I hear barking and splashing from my left. It's Kaya. In the damn water. Goofball ran into the water to try to get the birds. Either she suddenly realized she hated water or the lake was deeper than she thought, because before I could call her, she had already turned around and was trying to get the hell out of there. It was hilarious. (Picture the pit bull running after the guy in "No Country for Old Men".) I was cracking up.

So Kaya runs over to me like "help, I'm wet" and she immediately does that shake thing that dogs do. Now I'm wet. And dirty. Who knows what microscopic flesh-eating bacteria are living in that damn water?
So believe it or not, I'm not angry. I didn't curse or scream or anything. I laughed out loud. It was a beautiful morning, and we were surrounded by nature, and dammit, it was funny.

We ran back to the house and I forced her big behind into the tub for a bath. (Yeah, then she acted like she was being showered in kryptonite -- so the bathroom looked like a crime scene when we finally finished.)

We got cleaned up and I spent the next hour sweeping and mopping and vacuuming after our adventure but you know what? I wouldn't have traded this morning for all the sleep in the world. It was great to be up and outside playing with the dogs, and I even got a funny story to share with my friends.
My challenge to you today: Don't Sleep. Get Up, Get Out, Do Something.

half empty or half full?

Take a look at the vessels (courtesy of a Pottery Barn catalog); think of them as your life. One is empty and the other is overflowing with fruit. 
The lives we live are ours and ours alone. We can't live for anyone else and we can't waste what time we have on the "nothingness" that consumes us each day. Does it really matter if you have the latest model car or the house with the biggest square footage? Does it really matter if your shoes have genuine red soles or if you're sporting the new "it" bag of the season?
What should matter most is how you live your life and the contributions that you are making.
What will people say during your eulogy? Did you inspire anyone? Did you make a lasting impression? Are you doing what you were meant to do? Diane Von Furstenberg, a woman known for her vision, creativity, and influence, once said, "I didn't know what I wanted to do but I knew the woman I wanted to be." How powerful is that? Are you living your best life as the person you want to be? It's not too late to make a change and make a difference.

You know what they say: your headstone has a BORN date and a DIED date, it's what you do with the hyphen in the middle that counts.
Think about that. I am.