Hiatus

It's been awhile.

I even forgot my password here on the Patch and had to reset it.

Lately I've felt strangely drawn to a move to a pig farm in somewhere like Iowa. Or maybe some little town in, tax-free-shopping, Oregon. Someplace where people don't rant about topics like too many items in an express checkout lane, competitive youth athletics, ghosts in frequented hiking paths or attacking good candidates who all seem to have the community's best interests in the forefront of their minds. I’ve been daydreaming of simpler times…. but of course I’ve had my period, a momentous birthday, a horrific self-inflicted haircut, bad allergies, and a really awful headache from this awful wind & daylight change. So maybe lately I’ve just been particularly sensitive?

Still, I’ve envisioned small markets with local produce where everyone recycles and composts. Where people are called honey or sweetie and no one is purposely offended or unpleasant. Where every car thanks another for being let in with a well-intended friendly wave and where no deer vie for a blade of grass or pray to cross a street unharmed. Not the Truman Show, the boy in the bubble or The Stepford Wives, but maybe Leave It To Beaver or Brady Bunch’esque even.

I’ve been irritated by the faux-names and anonymous attacks here on the Patch. The often subjective and unkindly written opinions with you+him = all sorts of confusion and I thought, "Enough Belmontians - grow up and play nice. Or, get a life and turn off your computers."

Then I spent a memorable and reflective day at Barrett with my kids. And later a brief afternoon at the Belmont Tattoo parlor.

One taught me that we are all raw and real and in need of companionship. The other that we are also kinda hip and real and it’s fun to laugh at where life lands for us, differently though curiously the same. Thus my hiatus has ceased. Apologies in advance.

At Barrett I spoke with a man who had recently lost the love of his life and yet forces himself to refresh daily, refusing to quit and give up. Broken-hearted and bright, willing to step out and embrace his feelings of loss and pain and to refocus because he simply has no other option. I think of him often and know people like he are good examples of why we should stop and appreciate what we love the most.

But we (and I most certainly include myself) write and scream and complain often without proper processing about things that matter little, while forgetting the best.

“To those we love the best we say the least.” –John Ray

Then I turned 40 and decided I had to pierce my nose with a tiny little CZ stud because I needed to be reminded that I am not just a suburban housewife and mother, but an independent individual city-girl with choices to make, all on my own. So I dragged a friend with me into (the very clean and professional) Belmont Tattoo on El Camino. I had a wonderful time feeling young and empowered, as I was one of the only ones not in need of an adult signature while altering my body. Enlightening. And weird.

So while I still like pigs and the idea of a quiet life on a farm, for now I will simply enjoy playing ball at Barrett and enjoying others' company and perspectives. I’ll try to write and say nice things to others and continue to feel pride in my little sparkly booger-collector which now adorns my nostril.