well-being
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Family photos at Bodega Bay in the fog, August 2011I absolutely loved taking a week offline. We were in Colorado for a family reunion, so there were lots of other computers around and people to look up useful information like the location of public pools in Boulder, where it was in the 90s (which we loved after camping in the 60-degree Bodega Bay fog earlier in the month). I wasn't trying to get away from the practical aspect of the Internet, which certainly is useful. I was trying to get away from the "always-on" nature of the Internet, the need to constantly monitor, respond, update, and communicate, the lure of online entertainment, and how quickly I can go from looking up useful information to mindless website-hopping that cuts into my already limited sleep.I did not turn my computer on for an entire week, definitely a record for me in the last 5 years. I took the week off from my grantwriting work, and I did really feel OFF in a different kind of way than if I had ... more
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Rebecca - - One responseElan, March 2011 I love my computer. I really do. But I've noticed lately how much time I spend on my computer, even when I'm not actually working, how I'm always checking emails, reading blogs, looking at the news. I'm so often distracted by my computer -- by my work, by always needing to be in the know and always responding so fast to everything. You know what I mean, most likely, since you're reading this blog. I've also been noticing how much we are all ... more
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Rebecca - - 2 responsesGrasses in shadow, San Diego, July 2011 Why is it, on some days, I feel like I can tackle anything? Bring it on is my mantra for the day. I can dash from one task to another, checking things off my list, even managing dashes of creativity in the midst of busyness. And then other days, I feel like I am slogging through life, like just finding the energy to put the socks away is difficult. I look around the chaos of my house and ... more
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Rebecca - - No responsesWe bought a new couch. It was rather an impulse purchase. Now that Mikhail has A New Job, we are celebrating the ability to make purchases again, impulse or not. We knew we needed a new couch sometime soon, though the first month of The New Job, after 18 months of semi-employment, wasn't the ideal time for non-essential purchases. But then I looked on Craigslist "to see what's out there," and found a really great leather couch and a lot of not-great leather couches, the kind with all the slouchy ... more
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Rebecca - - No responsesGrasses, San DiegoYou know those days when we fall and can't manage to right ourselves again? I'm talking metaphorical falls here -- those days when one trip, a hiccup on any other day, turns into a series of cascading slips and slides until we finally land, not gracefully, ending the day with a thump or a bang, or a slow run-down stop, the energy wrung out of us? I had one of those days today. I'm not sure how it started, or why. There's ... more
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Rebecca - - One responseMikhail went on his first (of many to come) business trip last week. It was trial by fire for me: 5 full days, 4 and a half nights of doing the parenting-2-children thing on my own. Luckily for me, my sisters-in-law took Elan for one night so that I had one night and morning of only having Emry, which was quite luxurious and relaxing. I do so love living close to family!Emry in the Ergo, camping, MayThe week went pretty well on the whole. ... more
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Rebecca - - One responseCamping with my boys, May 201110 a.m., heating up my coffee, my house quiet and peaceful. The baby asleep for his morning nap, Elan at school. I've already been out in the windy, sunny morning - dropping Elan off at preschool, him running right in, immediately absorbed by some glue-intensive art activity, walking to the Cheeseboard to buy challah and a morning treat, Emry in the Ergo, dropping my chin into his fuzzy baby head simply to inhale him. Mikhail's at work, exciting and ... more
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Rebecca - - No responsesMikhail got a new job! Many happy dances were done.He started a little over a week ago, and it's a one of those jobs that you can characterize as a really great opportunity. He is really excited about it, and I'm really excited about it. Even our houseplants are excited about it.Gift from Mikhail's new boss, a money tree -- a houseplant we're really going to try not to kill!And now, it's time for me to figure out how to to arrange all the ... more
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Rebecca - - No responsesFarmer's Market, SeattleLast year around this time I had thoughts of doing Apartment Therapy's Spring Cure, a kind of group support structure for cleaning/organizing/purging/redecorating your space. Except I was suffering through my never-ending first trimester, so I bought the book and that's as far as I got. (In fact, just thinking about that book brings back the nauseous feel that I can still remember so clearly from all the months it sat on my bedside table, mocking my energy-less, dry-heaving state.)But this ... more
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Rebecca - - One responseWe are waiting for some big job news. Some big, long-awaited job news. My hubby has been semi-employed for 15+ months, and we're hoping that will change. Soon. But for now, we're in waiting land, limbo land, promising-and-hopeful-but-nothing's-certain land.It's hard to wait.I wish I were more patient. It appears that is a theme for me lately.The distracted feel of the past few days reminds me of how I so often felt early in my pregnancy with Emry: promising and hopeful, but nothing certain. I couldn't be blissfully trusting after ... more
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Rebecca - - No responsesNew Year's Resolution: Lose 20 pounds. Months 3-4.I've been thinking a lot about patience. Before I became a mother, I knew that patience would likely be one of my biggest challenges once I had kids (that, and getting up early in the morning). And lo and behold, I was right! (A plus to having children in your 30s instead of in your bounce-back, energetic, can-get-no-sleep-and-still-function-just-fine-thank you very much 20s: you know yourself better).There's having patience with my kids, which some days is hard, and then there's having patience with myself, ... more
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it’s a boy!We are so thrilled to welcome our baby boy to our family! Emry Isaiah Brams Davis October 22, 2010 7 lbs 15 oz, 20.5 inches Emry is a Welsh name…
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the end of an eraToday my grandfather, Popa Al Alper, passed away. He was 101 and a half. June 2008 Back when he turned 99, many of you sent him postcards in the mail.…
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new story published!New story in print for the first time in a looonnng time I am happy to say that I had a story published in The Stonecoast Review, Issue 8. It’s… -
In DecemberIt is December now, and I notice that for the past several months I have maintained silence here on my blog about how I have continued to deal with the…
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a goalYesterday I spent a lot of time thinking and writing about what kinds of habits or practices I could put in place that will support my vision of myself as…
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All The Rest Is Just Icing30 weeks Warning: this post involves vomit. You might want to put down your sandwich. I might have mentioned before that I am not a puker. I have not vomited…
