I often struggle with finding my purpose because there are just so many things I like or want to do. I'm doing my very best to become better at paring that down in order to best use the time I've got here on this planet. That said, I met a lady this week that is totally living one of my dreams!
She is a former professional writer and a full time mom and wife to a military doctor. When he's not off doing super brave things for the nation in other countries, he's taking care of kids and their folks in Monroeville, AL. She decided to combine her small town doctor wife status with her creative writing degrees from such Southern traditions as LSU and Ole Miss and opened up the Bee Hive Coffee Shop and Book Store right off the town square. She focuses on independent and regional authors (with other personal faves thrown it). Just in case you weren't aware, this is absolutley perfect because Monroeville is the home to literary legends Truman Capote and Harper Lee. She often hosts writers in her shop and is part of the Alabama Writers Festival and such. She also makes a mean salted caramel latte.
There are also these nifty post cards to pick up and mail back, including a part of your own story. The post card comes with the following hint: "We're pretty serious about writing in the South, so take your time and get it right. Be specific. Be colorful. Be southern. And if you're ever stuck, make sure you mention your mama or an old hound dog, or your mama's old hound dog."
I stood in her bookstore, totally wanting to live inside it, and thinking "why oh why am I not a published Southern author?! Or the owner of a darling book shop or bakery?!" Then I realized, um, maybe because I haven't written a book and haven't even tried to and the reason I was in town was to do the rural doctor stuff I get paid for.
The point of my rambling is: you need to go to the Bee Hive. She doesn't have her website stuff all figured out quite yet, but here is a link to a story about Jo Bonner having a community meeting there and getting his picture taken with the rural hospital administrator - which kind of ties all of these elements together :)
http://www.mchcare.com/mc.nsf/View/CongressmanJoBonnervisitsMonroeville
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Moms
I haven't written anything in a while - which you might have noticed if you're out there. My church is in the process of a 21 day fast and one of the things I planned to give up was blogs. Not actually writing on my blog, but reading others. There are so many wonderful things out there to suck me in and I find so many blogs to be much more interesting than the work I should be doing. However, I didn't know what these 21 days had in store for me. Or what January had in store.
First, I was a pretty sick chica. Then, there was ice all over Alabama. Next, my Momma was being sick and stubborn. Next thing I knew, she was in the hospital. Then we nearly lost her and she was in the ICU for 10 days. She's still in the hospital, but with a much brighter story than 11 days ago.
Eleven days ago, I very quickly discovered that I still need my Momma and I wasn't ready to let her go.
She lost her own mother at age 14, and this week she told me that she still needs her own mother, so that never goes away.
My sister is a stepmother to seven children that observed the tenth year anniversary of their mother's death on Friday, and my sister had to be away from the hospital because they found they needed a mother.
When I first picked up my dog from my friend's house where she'd been staying, she was so excited and didn't want me out of her sight. After a couple more days of other people feeding her and letting her out, I took her with me to run an errand and she started shaking, petrified that I was going to drop her off somewhere and abandon her, because the vet says she thinks I'm really her mother.
Another friend with children my age is at another hospital right now, struggling with the very real possibility of saying goodbye to her own mom.
And still another friend is trying with all her might to forgive her mother to change the relationship time they have left.
So, I don't know what my grand point is, I'm just thinking an awful lot about mothers and what all the nature of that relationship means. We all need one, and we've all got one somewhere. This relationship defines our lives regardless of ourselves. I'm very glad mine is still here, even if she's dreaming to get out of the hospital so she can go around shooting coyotes from her golf cart. Maybe even because of it ;).
First, I was a pretty sick chica. Then, there was ice all over Alabama. Next, my Momma was being sick and stubborn. Next thing I knew, she was in the hospital. Then we nearly lost her and she was in the ICU for 10 days. She's still in the hospital, but with a much brighter story than 11 days ago.
Eleven days ago, I very quickly discovered that I still need my Momma and I wasn't ready to let her go.
She lost her own mother at age 14, and this week she told me that she still needs her own mother, so that never goes away.
My sister is a stepmother to seven children that observed the tenth year anniversary of their mother's death on Friday, and my sister had to be away from the hospital because they found they needed a mother.
When I first picked up my dog from my friend's house where she'd been staying, she was so excited and didn't want me out of her sight. After a couple more days of other people feeding her and letting her out, I took her with me to run an errand and she started shaking, petrified that I was going to drop her off somewhere and abandon her, because the vet says she thinks I'm really her mother.
Another friend with children my age is at another hospital right now, struggling with the very real possibility of saying goodbye to her own mom.
And still another friend is trying with all her might to forgive her mother to change the relationship time they have left.
So, I don't know what my grand point is, I'm just thinking an awful lot about mothers and what all the nature of that relationship means. We all need one, and we've all got one somewhere. This relationship defines our lives regardless of ourselves. I'm very glad mine is still here, even if she's dreaming to get out of the hospital so she can go around shooting coyotes from her golf cart. Maybe even because of it ;).
Monday, January 10, 2011
Oh yeah...
A great reminder for today from One Year Bible:
"If God has the hairs of your head numbered (Matthew 10:30), He can surely do a better job of running your life than you can. If you lean upon your own understanding, you face an endless, impossible task. But God, who is infinite in understanding, can quickly bring a positive solution to the assignment."
"If God has the hairs of your head numbered (Matthew 10:30), He can surely do a better job of running your life than you can. If you lean upon your own understanding, you face an endless, impossible task. But God, who is infinite in understanding, can quickly bring a positive solution to the assignment."
Sunday, January 9, 2011
What day is it again?
I haven't had a whole lot to say this week. I'm completely disoriented between the holidays, then being out from work most of this week because of some serious crud, and now a snow day! I'm needing some serious all around shape up. And the use of a day-planner. And to remember that it's 2011 now. Oh, and some serious post holiday/sickness house cleaning.
On a bizarre grown up note, for the very first time, I had to make a weather statment to my students about whether they were released from their clerkship duties and how they should stay safe and not drive on ice and all that. When I first got the email asking what I planned to tell my students I was like "What do you mean? Why would I tell them anything and why does it matter? Won't the students hear it from James Spann, just like me?" Then I remembered that I had new responsibilities and that these were med students, so the usual wake up in the morning for the weather guy doesn't really apply to them. I felt like I was posing or pulling a prank to send an email to a bunch of people telling them to stay home and not work, but it was just another one of those new opportunities to grow up and move towards something bigger.
Here's to a productive, fun, and safe snow day!
On a bizarre grown up note, for the very first time, I had to make a weather statment to my students about whether they were released from their clerkship duties and how they should stay safe and not drive on ice and all that. When I first got the email asking what I planned to tell my students I was like "What do you mean? Why would I tell them anything and why does it matter? Won't the students hear it from James Spann, just like me?" Then I remembered that I had new responsibilities and that these were med students, so the usual wake up in the morning for the weather guy doesn't really apply to them. I felt like I was posing or pulling a prank to send an email to a bunch of people telling them to stay home and not work, but it was just another one of those new opportunities to grow up and move towards something bigger.
Here's to a productive, fun, and safe snow day!
Monday, January 3, 2011
sick :p
Being sick when you're a grown up is totally different than being sick when you're a kid. Especially when you're a single grown up with a real job.
I think about this a lot because I've always gotten sick a lot. It's annoying. And on days like today, the first day back to work after the holidays, I find it extra annoying because 1.) I was wanting to start the new year and new projects off right, and 2.) It makes me look like a big 'ol fake slacker. But if I was elated to wear mis-matched socks because they were the first two I saw on the laundry pile, then maybe I shouldn't be at work. And by mis-matched, I mean one fuzzy one with neon stripes and one gray athletic sock. Man, are they toasty.
When you were a kid and you were sick, it usually meant a lot of care and attention. You knew you couldn't get up and fix your drink to take your medicine or make your sandwich, but you knew somebody else would and it would all be ok. As an adult, it's all you. If I was married, maybe I could make my husband do it, but then he would have to endure the above mentioned socks and quite possibly me eating macaroni and cheese with my hands because I'm too tired to hold a fork, and there's no way that's attractive. If I had kids, I'm guessing it wouldn't matter that I was sick because I'd still have to be Mommy. Then I'd be like my coworkers that come to work sick so that they can be away from their kids and rest.
For now, I guess I'll keep working on teaching my dog how to open the refrigerator and balance a food and medicine tray on her head. She needs to earn her keep somehow.
I think about this a lot because I've always gotten sick a lot. It's annoying. And on days like today, the first day back to work after the holidays, I find it extra annoying because 1.) I was wanting to start the new year and new projects off right, and 2.) It makes me look like a big 'ol fake slacker. But if I was elated to wear mis-matched socks because they were the first two I saw on the laundry pile, then maybe I shouldn't be at work. And by mis-matched, I mean one fuzzy one with neon stripes and one gray athletic sock. Man, are they toasty.
When you were a kid and you were sick, it usually meant a lot of care and attention. You knew you couldn't get up and fix your drink to take your medicine or make your sandwich, but you knew somebody else would and it would all be ok. As an adult, it's all you. If I was married, maybe I could make my husband do it, but then he would have to endure the above mentioned socks and quite possibly me eating macaroni and cheese with my hands because I'm too tired to hold a fork, and there's no way that's attractive. If I had kids, I'm guessing it wouldn't matter that I was sick because I'd still have to be Mommy. Then I'd be like my coworkers that come to work sick so that they can be away from their kids and rest.
For now, I guess I'll keep working on teaching my dog how to open the refrigerator and balance a food and medicine tray on her head. She needs to earn her keep somehow.
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