Tattoo #4!

I have several tattoo ideas lined up, and decided that on my 45th b-day last week I'd go and get one of 'em. I opted for the one that's been brewing the longest: a crescent moon with nautical star. I'd sketched up a rough draft and sent it to mah girl Julie at Yoni Tattoo. She took my idea and made it look 10,000 times more awesome, as always.

I'm thrilled with how it came out!

p.s. Because I know people are curious: The shoulder hurt more than I thought it would. Not as bad as the ankle, but not as easy as the upper arm.

p.p.s. The earrings in the last photo were a b-day gift from my friend Kendra. :-)

The Fool.

Happy Birthday to me, I'm a damn fool.

Guess I should be proud. I made it farther than I thought I would before going stark-raving batshit crazy.

::sigh::

Wish I weren't starting my 45th year in such a state of... chaos. Uncertainty. Maudlinity. Un-moored-ness. (I don't know if those last two are words.)

But, as my father once told me, "You made your bed; now you can lay in it." And as my (living) sister once told me, "You lack coping skills."


Beautiful artwork of 'The Fool' Tarot card courtesy of hellobaby on deviantart.

Birthdays.

I have a birthday next week! I will be 45 years old.

I'm not sure how I feel about that.

I guess I'm kind of baffled. How can *I* be 45?! ::shrugs:: Wasn't I JUST running around with feathered hair, in Dolfin shorts and dangly day-glo plastic earrings, listening to Men Without Hats?! I dunno. I don't think I FEEL 45, but how is one supposed to feel at this age?

Time just flies. I look in the mirror, and I still see that young, generally happy, somewhat daffy young woman, struggling to make sense of the world. Trying -- and often failing -- to make sense of the people around her. But then I look at photos of myself, and I think, "Who is THAT?! She looks OLD and EXHAUSTED. Girlfriend need to CHILLAX."

I guess if you'd asked me 20 years ago, "How do you think you'll feel at 45?", I would not have expected the answer to be "powerless, ineffectual, disconnected, lost, perplexed, tired, worried." I used to think, as you get older, stuff just gets better and better, easier and easier, right?! While that's true in many ways (I like myself more now than ever, curiously; I'm so proud to be a parent; I am more wise about life and people; I have some financial security), in other ways, I have become a slave of sorts... a slave to responsibility. A slave to getting through each day while keeping my head above water. It is, in fact, my only goal each day. (Not very lofty, is it?) So, yeah, I guess I would have thought I'd be more "together" by now. I did not factor in how exhausting life is, and how it kinda wears one down. I would have thought I'd be in a better place mentally and emotionally, and thus able to accomplish more for myself, my family, and my friends on a daily basis.

But alas. This is all I have to offer at this point in time. Head above water? Check.

I hate for this to sound depressing. I don't mean it to be. I'm more just... musing to myself. I'm hopeful that things will improve for me, and I really am grateful for what I DO have: a stable job with good benefits (as of this moment, anyway); my boys and I have our health (kenahora); I have truly lovely, amazing friends who overlook my many shortcomings and help me get through my days. I feel so lucky to have these things. So very lucky...

And so, next week, when I turn 45, I will do as I always have: Just keep swimming. And when life perplexes me, I'll write about it. ;-)

(The image I used for this post is "The Star" tarot card, art by Thalia Took. The image upside down, or reversed, represents hopelessness. Look here for a more complete description.)


The Circle Game by Joni Mitchell

Yesterday a child came out to wonder
Caught a dragonfly inside a jar
Fearful when the sky was full of thunder
And tearful at the falling of a star

Then the child moved ten times round the seasons
Skated over ten clear frozen streams
Words like when you're older must appease him
And promises of someday make his dreams

And the seasons they go round and round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We're captive on the carousel of time
We can't return we can only look
Behind from where we came
And go round and round and round
In the circle game

Sixteen springs and sixteen summers gone now
Cartwheels turn to car wheels thru the town
And they tell him take your time it won't be long now
Till you drag your feet to slow the circles down

And the seasons they go round and round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We're captive on the carousel of time
We can't return we can only look
Behind from where we came
And go round and round and round
In the circle game

So the years spin by and now the boy is twenty
Though his dreams have lost some grandeur coming true
There'll be new dreams maybe better dreams and plenty
Before the last revolving year is through

And the seasons they go round and round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We're captive on the carousel of time
We can't return we can only look
Behind from where we came
And go round and round and round
In the circle game


© Siquomb Publishing Company

12th Birthday!

The Boy seemed to enjoy his birthday...

He got many awesome prezzies from many generous friends & family members, and he got one of Daddy's yummy homemade chocolate cakes!

He also got his dream-gift: The Nintendo DSi-XL. So, yes. He was surprised and happy!

Such an appreciative little fella... He's fun to buy for.

One more year 'til he's officially a teen! Jeebus help me...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, EVAN!!!

Happy birthday

my beautiful boy
my trusty sidekick
my Scooby Doo
my greatest contribution to the world

You make me SO proud, EVERY. DAY.!!!

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

My "baby" turns 12 tomorrow!

Let's take a stroll down memory lane, shall we?

Here are highlights from Ev's b-days past.

Tomorrow, we celebrate #12!

::sigh::

Can somebody slow this ride down? I think I'm gonna barf if it goes any faster...

On the Edge of Seventeen

Heck, this kitteh isn't on the EDGE of Seventeen... SHE'S 17 YEARS OLD.

HARD. TO. BELIEVE.!



Click here to see how she celebrated her Sweet 16!

The Getty Center

For Mr. Siegel's birthday, we decided to go to The Getty Center. We hadn't been there since shortly after it opened, and we'd NEVER taken The Boy!

I must say, the museum is much improved from when it first opened. (For starters, the tram was working this time, so we didn't have to walk down the hill on our way back to the parking garage. HA!) Not only is the collection more impressive now, but the facility and gardens are just breathtaking. The buildings, the exhibits, the grounds, the views, the cafes ... Everything was really wonderful!

Thank you, J. Paul Getty!

"ANOTHER birthday?! Whaaa...?!"

Well, you have not aged A DAY!!!

Hope you have a WONDERFUL day today, Honey. xoxoxo

Birthday Fun!

It's not everyday a gal turns 44. I decided to celebrate MY day by spending it thrift-shoppin' with the husband!

Thrift shops are SO awesome. I don't really understand people who think they're weird, or yucky, or wonder why you'd want to buy stuff that had been owned by someone else. Heck, don't buy any of it if you don't want! Just LOOK at it! There are amazing treasures at every turn!

Here are just a few of the delightful items we saw... we even bought a few of 'em.

After a day of thrift shoppin', sustenance was in order. We had some fabulous Chinese food from Golden Hunan for dinner, and then came dessert! YUM!

I had a great b-day.

The Happiest Place on Earth

For The Boy's b-day, we took him to Disneyland! We hadn't been there in a few years. It was a beautiful, if hot, day, and we had TONS of fun! The Boy even discovered a newfound love of rollercoasters -- he went on Thunder Mountain TWICE (Mom could only stand it ONCE), and the Toon Town coaster once.

We had a really great day.

More pix will follow later after Mr. Siegel offloads 'em from the Badass Gnarly Camera; these were taken with my fone-cam.