Moving Along

Does anyone else find time is different these days? Something about economic change provides great clarity. It's quite impressive. It may change the very nature of this blog. I don't know how. We'll see.

I am doing two of my things I said I would do. I'd link the post where I wrote about this, but can't search for it now. Something about goals with dates.

I am doing yoga every day. Even if it's only 15 minutes. I am taking time to sit and meditate (theoretically) before or after. It's still not at a great time of day for such, but I figure starting is harder than improving. So I have started.

Homeschooling amounts to at least one serious outside class or co-op each day. We will be adding more at-home (vs. in car) work in Nov. We've never done it this way, but the kids are loving all the interactive, out of the house stuff. For K we have marine biology, fine art, chem lab, geo bee, Latin, Am. hist, algebra, caluculus, economics, theatre. B does most as well, or younger versions. It's a beautiful thing. D toodles around.

Business has become both simpler and more complex.

I am part of an intense women's networking and mentoring group. It is outstanding. It's also taking more time than I previously gave to this sort of endeavor, but proving extremely worth it.

I'm still making glyco for friends, but haven't moved forward on marketing.

I'm still a Melaleuca member, quite happy, but not working it as a business. Considering it, but not there yet. And just started taking Shaklee's resveratrol cocktail. I figure they've got the discoverer on board, and the science all looks great, so I'm in. I still haven't signed up for my free store. Why? I need time for a brainstorm. It occurs to me the interest in all things green, this national obsession, goes beyond Gaiaism, or liberal hubris. It's actually about frugality. It's cheaper to pay for good vitamins and supplements and not get sick as often or as seriously. It's cheaper to use concentrated cleaners. But that's not sexy.

Frugality needs a makeover like librarians had. We need to move from our depression-era grandma image to the sexy-smart woman who knows what she wants, and it's synonymous with green: it's cheap and pleasant to use. So I'm working on image ideas, and figuring out how to present these fairly dorky products and business models with some sex appeal. Watch this space.

This project ties in with my goal of treating the house like a business. I'm going for healthy, wealthy and wise. Women's groups for support and learning. Check. Meals organized with Let's Eat Dinner and bulk cooking. Check. Household clean using Flylady's ideas and no harsh chemicals (and potentially getting paid for using them...). Check. Desk in a bag using google calendar and Franklin-Covey style notebook. Getting there.

I still need to pick up the guitar. I still need a kayak date with T. But the house is coming under control, just a few more pushes and we'll be able to entertain. Just in time for season. I've even been polishing silver with the kids. It's sparkly. Ahh.

(Does anyone know how to reconcile yahoo calendar with google? Or both with 30 boxes? I refuse to buy Outlook.)

I'm off to do calendar things and teach art.

Opulence, Change

Driving over the bridge from Naples to Marco I was struck by the view. I know it's stunning. Off to the East it's just outstanding. It seemed downright decadent for such beauty to exist for birds and a very few people. The luxury of creation. Amazing.

It is the season of the red dragonflies. They are so vibrant it hardly seems possible for them to exist. Again, such decadence. A mere insect, with a small season of flight, and such a color. A color I see in my moments of utmost happiness. And there it is, on a bug that will reproduce and die within a month.

My 20th High School reunion in NYC was less than it could have been as an event. But I saw so many people I wanted to see, even though I missed a few, it was an outstanding trip. It would be great to make another attempt to see more of them. K and I decided we just have to go back. Soon. And T and I decided we're making our way back part time in three to five years.

Hey, even if it takes us ten, it's worth it.

So many people were so lovely to us, it seems like a wonderful world indeed. I hardly know where to start. I guess the purchase of thank you notes is next. Hand written notes are so nice to receive.

My meditation is a moving one lately. I am paring down, eliminating, deciding, making priorities. It's good. Some clothes, some furniture, some books, some shoes, some tchotchkes, and away they go. Did I mention it's good?

The next growing season has begun. I'll be thinking thoughts of plants. This is specifically because I love home grown delights, and because I don't think changing one's middle name to Hussein or getting one's panties all in a bunch over someone's middle name are productive uses of time or equity. I prefer to plant tomatoes upside-down and avoid attachment to any particular person or persons in any given political race. They are never worth the effort of bumper-sticker removal, nor even brain space. The simply are the choices. Maybe I'll go nutty and put signs in the yard. I'll vote on the day. Either way, I expect the tomatoes to have much more of an effect on my life.

Who else is making gigantic decisions they thought they would never make due to the economy? Giving up a house? Taking in boarders? Switching schools? Downsized? What are your stories? What kind of things are you doing to make this economy work for you?

We've got a full house, and several business plates in the air. We have decided it is quite possible to be comfortable with change, uncertainty, and flexibility for much longer than we expected, and that some decisions may seem large, but are no big deal in the grand scheme of things. We are all healthy, happy and whole. We are nimble, and making a new way.

This time is an opportunity. We are taking it. Why not us?