booandbunny

Anyone who checks in here, consider yourself tagged if you like and please share five things we should know about you. If not, don’t worry about me passing this chain on. I think we all get enough junky e-mail that we know we can take or leave things out here. PB-Rock (knowing I had no idea what I might write today) tagged me and I took it as an opportunity to challenge myself, so here it is.

1. I recently was reminded I was born in the year of the dog. It’s funny to me now often these things are actually true about a person. I share my canine tendencies first because they offer background for items 2-5. (“Dogs are loyal, faithful and honest … except for the occasional ‘little white lies’ the Dog tells in order to make things go more smoothly. The Dog's mantra seems to be, Live right, look out for the little people and fight injustice whenever possible. Dogs can also be very temperamental; mood swings characterize its emotional life and often the Dog needs to run off to be alone in order to recuperate. Part of the problem is the result of the Dog’s load of irrational fears that turn into niggling anxieties that turn into hurt feelings and occasional grouchiness.”) As far as my being an Aquarius, I am never so at peace as I am when I am near water … not necessarily in water, but near it. The smell, the sounds, the colors soothe my soul. And no, the Mississippi River doesn’t count, but Lake Michigan does. All this goes along with the Life Path Number I found thanks to kat, which also has several true things in it and, ironically is the same number I got when I punched in hubby’s birthday.

Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif" style='color:black; font-size: 14pt;'> Your Life Path Number is 9

Your purpose in life is to make the world better You are very socially conscious and a total idealist. You think there are many things wrong with the world, and you want to fix them. You have a big idea of how the world could be, and you'll sacrifice almost anything to work toward this dream. In love, you can easily see the beauty in someone else. And you never cling too tightly. You are capable of great love, but it's hard for you to focus your love on one person or relationship. You have a lot of outward focus, and you tend to blame the world for your failures. You are often disappointed by the realities of life - it's hard for you to accept the shortcomings of the world.

2. This year belongs to this dog. (I’ve also read that we dogs can be a bit selfish. J) I’ve been at home with my kids since 1999. I still wear clothes from 1999. I went to the salon the other day for the first time since 2004. I looked at my stylist and explained that this whole rebirth started when my sister-in-law took me shopping. “We have got to get you out of those mom shorts,” she said. And so we did. Life outside the mom shorts gets a little pricey, but it’s sparked a regular workout routine, rejuvenated my confidence, invigorated my marriage (which, I confess for awhile was coming in a distant second to my momming) and rekindled my creativity (thanks to my taking time to find blog buddies). This August the youngest of the three kids starts Kindergarten, which doesn’t mean less work as a mom, only less time in which to do it (after school and on weekends as he will not be home during the week). So the hours he’s away will continue to be invested in freelance writing and editing as well as in a concentrated effort on my Boo and Bunny children’s books and a more adult story I’m trying to get out of my head and into people’s hearts. I’ll need the whole year!

3. I am married to my best friend. We have been married for almost 14 years. We have been friends for almost 18 years. Who else would have tried so hard to understand all that concentrated momming? Who else would have worked so hard to help me realize who I am is not genetically (or environmentally) predestined? I do not have to be my mother. I do not have to define myself by my children. All these things are part of me, but they are not all of me. Thank you, thank you for being my best friend, the smartest person I know and the sexiest man I’ll ever see.

4. If I could convince people of something I would like to convince them that food isn’t just about refueling your body. I would like to convince them of the statistics: That kids (especially girls) who eat regular family meals are less likely to suffer from body image issues and eating disorders; less likely to fall prey to substance abuse and less likely to suffer from emotional illnesses such as depression. Fewer than one third of American families eat meals together regularly. Yes, food is about powering the body. But meals can be about empowering your spirit. I would like to convince people that sharing a meal is sharing yourself, and taking in what others share with you while you take in the food your body needs.

5. Maybe it’s because I love history. Maybe it’s because I love food. Maybe it’s because I love the hubby and it was the first time in 10 years we’d truly been alone together on a trip. But I love New Orleans and my heart was broken last summer. Some say it is a home to debauchery and indulgence. Maybe it is … alongside a mountain of gifts to American culture. I choose to say it is a place of free expression. Somewhere south of Baton Rouge you cross a line where it’s OK to let your inner artist paint, feed your inner chef unknown wonders, buy yourself a Hurricane at Pat O’Brien’s and dance in the streets. I know it will come back, even if it takes a very long time, and I’m going to continue to do what I can to help, even if it is just buying coffee and spices.

So, I guess I am a pretty good dog. I’ve been honest here and suffered a mood swing while writing this. I’ve stayed on my path. (You can see from No. 4 how disappointed I can get!) And I wound my way back to water, even it was down the Mississippi River.

Woof.