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Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Great Idea . . . Now What?

So . . . I came up with a really terrific idea this week. I have spent a couple of hours putting together lists and brainstorming ideas and getting really excited. I think this business would stay relatively small, but be profitable and fun and provide a great service for all letter writers/penpallers/writers out there.

Now what?

I have the ideas, the prices, the inventory, the name--but I don't know how to follow through. I don't think an Etsy account would work for what I am doing, and I don't have the money to hire someone to do a website just for this. I am checking in with friends for bartering free ads, posted something about it on Facebook and will even create a sales sheet to send to those wonderful personal correspondents of mine.

But, what else? How can I get word out further?

I will figure it out. I will be in bed tonight, trying to sleep and instead making lists in my head of possible avenues.

Hmmmmm. Great idea, Tami . . really. Now what?

Monday, July 22, 2013

Perfect Example

Ok, I admit our family has a perverse and somewhat wicked or illicit sense of humor. I should perhaps be ashamed, but now the kids are all too old for Child Services to come around, I really can say I'm proud of it.

Perfect example.
Last night, dinner time was approaching. For a million stressful reasons, there was nothing in the house to make and the usual cook (Joseph) wasn't feeling his best. Tummies were rumbling, so Nicole went online and got a tasty looking paleo recipe. Together we made a list of the few ingredients we needed and didn't have. She and Caspian went to the store and got them, brought them home, and cooking commenced.

45 minutes later a delicious looking meal was on the table.
We all took a bite and . . . frowned.
We took another  and . . looked at each other.
What was wrong with it? Chicken . . ok. Pineapple .. ok. Red pepper . . ok. Carrots . . ok. It didn't taste spoiled, it tasted incredibly BITTER. EVEN THE TEENAGE BOYS COULD NOT EAT IT. Proof it was inedible right there.
(We finally realized it was the grated fresh ginger. Although we had just gotten it, apparently the store had had it a while and it had turned very bitter.)

So, yes, we were all very disappointed--and still quite hungry. A waste of money, food, and time. How did the Orr family respond, however?

Joseph started it by saying, "It was bad ginger that did it."
Me: Bad Ginger? Sounds like a porn movie title.
Kids start laughing.
Me: Tonight's triple-X feature, "Bad Ginger" .  . . . watch what she can do to YOUR chicken.

Okay, perhaps inappropriate to some. But we finished the meal laughing and sharing a watermelon between the five of us.

It made me smile. Perfect example of the Orr sense of humor.

Sunday, July 21, 2013

I Can Say . . .

Do you have times where you just feel "off"? Where things seem to hurt more (emotionally and physically), when humor is harder to find, when worries are louder, when your self-esteem dips, and where you feel a little lonely even though you're surrounded by people who truly love you? That pretty much describes my last week. I have many causes to point my finger at (and yes, I just ended a sentence with a preposition, but I'm feeling feisty so gimme a break).

I can say it is because I just stopped a medication and even though it was at the doctor's recommendation, I've taken it twice a day for more than two months and I think I can feel the impact.

I can say it is because, despite daily exercise and eating very carefully, my weight loss has stalled for weeks.

I can say it is because, despite all of the above, my blood pressure has been creeping back up for reasons I don't understand. (Well, other than the LIST of reasons in this post, eh?)

I can say it is because my husband is very stressed right now because of the roofing job and other pressures and we are SO connected that when he goes internal and quiet, I feel somewhat adrift as he is often my anchor. His way of handling stress is right for him, but I honestly feel like my soulmate disappears for a while, and goodness, I miss him.

I can say it is because Coryn is leaving in six weeks for Europe and I already miss him. I can also add the stress of worrying about getting enough money for it to order that ticket next week. A number of people have been quite kind, but we are still short of what we need to click "purchase ticket" and every passing day, the price climbs a little.

I can say it is because of this rotten, rotten headache I have that I can't seem to shake for days. I feel sure the neurologist on Tuesday will give me the all clear, but I do wish I knew why the headache (which started three days before the seizure).

I can say that my self-esteem took a hit this weekend. How I look in my head, especially after losing 26 lbs., is not how I looked in our family pictures. (And yes, it took me TWO HOURS to decide what to wear, with input from the entire family, and if I could do it all over again, I would change in a heartbeat.)

I can say that when a friend snapped a pic of me during our neighborhood walk (hair up, sweaty, shorts) and put it online, my confidence slipped lower. I can add that trying to explain to my husband why this was upsetting to me right now was futile. He just looks at me with complete confusion, and while I never doubt he LOVES me, sometimes, being a MAN you know, he just doesn't GET me.

I can say all of this and every statement is true. But I know that each one will pass. Each one will be weathered or disappear or be resolved, and I will feel better. But right now . . . I'm feeling a bit low. I can say that, right?

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Family Picture Day

My friend Susan came over today and graciously put up with our shenanigans as we had family pics taken. Are you as picky about photos as I am? I know how I look in my head and then I never look like that in pictures. Ah well. We can't all be supermodels, right? Anyway, my beautiful family looks wonderful and I wanted to share the new pic with you. How did I end up so much shorter than everyone else?

This shot was supposed to be like "Charlie's Angels". I think we look terrifying--mostly because we are insane, not because we are dangerous. Thoughts? 

And finally, because we can never do NORMAL pics all the way through (and because Susan is so patient with our odd requests), we have the attack of the killer vines.


Thursday, July 18, 2013

My Boy's Fundraising Project

In case you aren't on Facebook (there must be a few people left that aren't  . . . ), this is my son's current project for raising the funds he needs for his trip to Belgium Take a look at it and see what you think.
 http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/send-coryn-to-belgium. Leave a comment and if you have a few spare bucks with nothing to do, that would be wonderful as well. Thanks!

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Most of us . . .. on a Sunny Oregon Afternoon

Here is a picture a neighbor took today. Coryn wasn't with us, so missed the chance, but thought you'd like to see how great the kids are doing.

Saturday, July 6, 2013

A Little Smug?

I am feeling pretty pleased with myself of late. I've stuck to the diet . . . no, sorry . . . LIFESTYLE change . . . for almost 7 weeks now. When I started walking, I could go to the end of the street and back. Now I'm on the track 4-5 times a week, doing as many as six laps (1.5 miles) in a day, plus the walk there and back. In between, I walk throughout the neighborhood, plus I've been doing the Health Rider 3 times a week.

Weight loss continues, although slower as my body adjusts to what I'm doing (which is why I keep doing different exercises) and I'm down 24.5 lbs.  My blood sugar numbers are staying between 97 and 125 and my blood pressure is fine on about 1/4 of the medicine I used to take. Now, if I can ace this upcoming MRI and get my eyes to the point where I can read again, I will consider this "reboot" officially a good thing.

Work is going well . . . I'm behind, but not to the point of tears yet. I"m JUST keeping up, but I need to because I've got a staggering $14,000 in medical bills to pay, plus a roof to finish.

So, just for the moment, I gotta admit, I am feeling a little bit smug. Is that allowed?

Thursday, July 4, 2013

The Fourth and Memories

Today was the fourth of July. It's a day I associate with lots of memories. I loved going to the fireworks growing up and I remember many years out in the high school field watching the explosions overhead. I remember one in particular that was great fun, spent with my family and a dear, dear friend of mine. He and I lost touch after high school. I called him up about 15 years ago and we had a great talk. A couple of years ago, I dreamt about him and decided to search for him online. When I did, I found that he had committed suicide three days earlier. I still cry when I think about it.

The fourth reminds me of when I broke up with my boyfriend of 4 plus years. Painful. Liberating, Scary.

The fourth reminds me of being in labor with Jasmine and not knowing it. Going to dinner at my in-law's house and wondering why I felt uncomfortable every few minutes. By the time we got back home, I was having contractions every 3-4 minutes. She arrived in the early hours of July 5th. It was supposed to be at home, but ended up in the hospital for reasons I would know better to change today, but was clueless then. Coming home on the 5th with that precious, tiny bundle and desperately hoping I would know how to take care of her. The loving part of her was easy.

The fourth reminds me of the year Nicole was in Alaska and we talked by phone as I watched the colors in the sky, through tears because I missed her.

This year, I came up with a new idea--every day, I go to the local high school track and walk. The view is amazing--clear sky in every direction. So tonight, we went early and took chairs. We walked laps and then set up the chairs and watched fireworks in seven different places across the sky. It was the most amazing thing ever. Of course, we celebrated with Oreos--a tradition that began 26 years ago. I haven't had sugar in 6 weeks, but I had one cookie because heck, it's a TRADITION. We sat in chairs and laughed and talked and oooohed and ahhhhed and even shivered a little as a brisk wind came through.

It was all about family. And really, that is what all of my memories of the 4th were about. I look forward to future July 4ths and making even more to add to the list. Happy Independence Day to all.