Inspiration visits less frequently when busy. It doesn't like to be put in a box. These past few weeks I've been so focused on getting it done that I seem to have lost my desire for what if and why. There's a lot rolling around in my head, and no one idea can seem to make it's way out. In all fairness there's a lot going on in my head these days, and with it also being swollen from the ceiling fan accident a few months ago (dumbest. fucking. thing. I. ever. did.) it's hard to make sense of anything other than checks in boxes. Which I'm really good at doing. Checks in boxes, that is. Take for example, last night. I got home after a full day of making lines through tasks to find my boyfriend down and out and sickly. Well, seeing as our plans to design costumes were shot, I decided to clean the house (all of it), do the laundry (all of it) and prepare a homemade Pumpkin and Roasted Butternut Squash soup.  And I did pilates while the floors dried. Yesterd...

I spent the first half of my week exercising my brain and working to revolutionize the staffing world with a fabulous client. I've spent the latter half bruising my knees, making silly faces and giving raspberry's till my lips were numb, chasing my 11-month old niece around. Both very busy but in very different ways. It's Saturday, and I got up at 7:45. I don't think I got up this early all week, less flight days. I definitely don't do conference calls before 10am. But I had no problem waking to expend more energy in three hours than I do most days to play with her. While my trip is short, and bundled with a conference in the city, it's a refreshing break from the adult world to cuddle and be silly with a precious little one. The perfect way to ease stress during this busy time of year. And even though it meant juggling 100 balls and working after she went to bed last night in order to be here and spend some quality time, it was immediately all worth...

Busy busy busy week ahead. Three, count 'em, three days with the client for some hard core strategery. Immediately followed by a morning of doctor's appointments and an afternoon of conference calls. Then hoping a plane again, this time to Philly, for a conference this weekend, precluded by a little family time with my growing-up-way-too-fast-while-I'm-not-there niece. I may or may not get to blogging, depends on the availability of wifi on my airplanes. And my ability to keep my eyes open. Thankfully I had a wonderfully relaxing weekend with great friends, and I'm about to cap it off with some Pumpkin Curry soup (recipe courtesy of L. Rutherford) and grilled cheese. Can't think of a better way to prepare.

I spend a lot of time convincing people I have their best interest at heart. When you work for an advertising agency, or any service provider for that matter, you typically take on the role of "vendor" -- such an ugly word -- in new client relationships. This classification infers that you a) charge too much, b) aren't trustworthy, and c) only know what you're talking about when your client says you do. I've struggled with this from day one. And I've been doing it 13 years. As a service provider, aren't you hired for your expertise? Isn't the goal to partner with the client for the best possible mutual outcome? I know this. And the clients with whom I have cultivated relationships with over the years know this, too. But when presented with new clients (or even worse, thrown into current clients who hate us where it's my job to save the business) it can be a real challenge to achieve partnership status. I can't simply walk in there and s...

I met the neurologist yesterday. Turns out, it's 85% likely that I am suffering from classic (also known as complex) migraines. Which means I experience a myriad of neurological symptoms along with the headache like lost vision, numbness, disorientation, and speech impediment. And there is no cure. Awesome. I have no family history of migraines. I have never had one previously. I don't have any extremely stressful things happening in my life. So why now? Because I...am an idiot klutz. Two months ago, I hit my head on a ceiling fan while attempting to clean a window over a bed. While it was on. High. It whacked me pretty good in the back of the head -- I was stunned, got a little dizzy and nauseaous, but then went on with my day. Flash forward two months and here we are. Trauma-induced migrainous (it's a word) activity. Apparently these things take time to appear. So now it's on to an MRI -- one that has to be cleared with my insurance company -- to confirm this ...

As a female, it's hard to believe this but I am really not a fan of shopping. Except in the case of essentials for things like groceries and household items. Why? Because I suffer from a terrible disease known as buyer's remorse. Most people experience this emotion when purchasing big ticket items or things they simply don't need. Me? I regret $40 at Target on t-shirts, and then spend hours justifying it. It's truly ridiculous. About two years ago, it took a turn for just plain crazy when I stopped buying things, period. I've maybe spent $1,000 on clothes -- total -- in two years. I haven't really bought any household items (outside of necessities) because I haven't owned a home. Needless to say, I have a lot of savings. So last night, a new catalog came to the house and I found a few items I'd really like, and quite honestly at this point probably need. The idea of losing another 10 pounds to fit into old clothes (and thus a new wardrobe)  is the ...

I had the pleasure of spending the weekend in the North GA Mountains in a cabin rather appropriately named Seclusion. Which was exactly what I was looking for in this last minute weekend escape. One hour and three thousand worlds away. We stopped at Food Lion (that's a grocery store) on the way in to pick up our essentials. There was a real live "it" in a rusted out pick-up in the parking lot. Full grown adult, sex still unknown. But definitely inbred. It was so cliche I almost didn't believe it. My first official inbred sighting. Seems there is some truth to that Deliverance movie. I felt much better after we left town -- a town which makes Cumming feel like a booming metropolis full of highly cultured people -- and headed to our cabin. Steep, unpaved, one-lane mountain roads that wound all the up to the very top and end where our cabin sat...beautiful, new and perfect. Just me, Scott and Gizmo. No internet access, very little phone access and not much TV eithe...