Sailing on waves of gratitude

I feel like the luckiest woman I could possibly

imagine! My beautiful friends have shown me so much love and also have given me the money that will help me get better. I still have a chronic illness and I still use a walker and a wheelchair sometimes, but a load has been lifted from my shoulders. Now I will be able to see a counselor to deal with the stress that has been crushing me. Also, the causation of the stress has been greatly lessened. n addition to the appointment with the counselor, I will soon be seeing a neuro-ophthalmologist to see what can be done to ease my maddening case of nystagmus.

I'm glad to report that I will be using a pedometer (free app, yay!) to exercise and strengthen my legs in conjunction with my the treadmill downstairs. My next body adventures are re-commitments to Pranayama and stretching.

I am also inspired to put energy into singing again, due to your outpouring of support!

I wish to thank Leslie Sharp. Lee Maier. Robbie Richard Warinner, Diane Haslam, Sonya Green, my mystery heroes, and, of course, Rupa Chatterji, who was the mastermind of the campaign!

Thank you all so much!

Jodi

Grilled meats + fresh produce = Urgent responsibility

I am a lucky, lucky woman! My roommate/life partner made me a bundle of easy-to-prepare meals! A boatload of grilled chicken and burgers and bagged salad. Fantastic!! It looked so wonderful that my senses completely left me and I didn't plan properly how and when I was going to ingest it all. An embarrassment of riches indeed!

Lesson learned: When given such a glorious cornucopia, freeze ⅔ to ¾ of all things freezable, then dive into the produce like an animated rabbit.  :-D

Yay for plenty!!

Jodi

Separating wheat from chaff

I’m trying hard to restructure my life. Tricky for everyone to do. Everyone has their own challenges. Mine are a brain that is a little flaky, (well a new sort of flaky with the growing number of scars in it) and a body that would rather sit than stand, rather lay than sit.  Nystagmus makes sure that the world is always jumping and spinning. Who needs Kings Island when when your own  brain creates this sort of ride?

Here I am, 43 years old – and yet I'm a brand-new baby skeptic! I'm turning with a critical eye to everything. Religion, politics, philosophy– Everything is up for review. My theology has faded until is now no more than a wisp of smoke from a newly extinguished birthday candle. I'm turning a critical eye toward politics so that I may be honest and educated about my vote. Philosophy is actually new territory for me and it is rather exciting. Something left over from my childhood which I will not give up entirely is being a romantic. There is something addictive and beautiful and warm about fantastic harmony underneath beautiful poetry. I love song!

Song is, to me, a complete culmination of religion, politics, and philosophy. When you combine these very important ideas with clever turns of phrases and exquisite changes in harmony, some sort of magic happens. Pulses quicken. Breath catches. Tears fall. Imaginations ignite. Hearts swell. Ideas are born.

I have compiled a Spotify playlist that somehow makes me feel like a teenager. My health is restored– As well as my hope. Badly needed tears fall to open my eyes to wonder and opportunity. I admit it's only in my imagination, but it is like a drug to me - a legal high with no dangers.

If you would like to peer into my soul (if you dare), listen to this list. You might need some help, I'm weird.

Love so much it aches

I'm no sports fan, but I'm making a sport of my life!!

Now, with 14 billion eyes on the world cup (give or take), I must confess that I really don't give a rat's ass about the games, or any sports for that matter. There's only one game I have anything invested in. My life. I find that I have invested poorly and my ass (not a rodent's) is on the line. I'm in over my head in so many ways, that it is a great stroke of luck that I'm not on the bottom of that infamous creek with lungs full of sewage!

New plan. (Yeah, again...) I'm gonna play my life like the only game I've ever cared about. I've even created my own scorecard. Ooohh- I'm such a dork. It's a spreadsheet called "Scorecard for the Big Game." Yeah, I'm a big dork, but I'm charming as hell. The sheets included in the spreadsheet are: Upper Body, Lower body, Every day, Stretching. Money. It is important that I don't fill out every cell, just that there is a record. This is the rub. I'll fail if I make it impossible not to. Does that make sense?

So, my friends, You are an inspiration to me! If you kinda like my rantings, let me point you to a woman who is far more artful than I. She's the awesome author of http://initfortheparking.com/.

Keeping it real,

Jodi

The new me

I recently came across a quote from Pete Seger,  He says, "If it can't be reduced, reused, repaired, rebuilt, refurbished, refinished, resold, recycled, or composted, then it should be restricted, redesigned or removed from production.”

That is about as sobering as I can allow it to be. I choose to think of it is a chance to redesign, streamline, and make it more elegant.

That is the way I choose to make living with disability not only bearable, but also creative. So there!

Fun realization

Today, I came to my senses (well those that are left). I have no guilt about time between posts. I'm not making excuses to anyone, including me. This blog is here to serve me. So here I go.

I am taking steps to make myself as healthy as possible. I have for years spent more money than I had on snake oils to make me healthy, get rich quick schemes to make me wealthy (irony), and read books to make me more spiritual.

Now I say FUCK IT!

I'll follow doctor's orders, do physical therapy, eat healthfully (most of the time),  read and watch what I want , talk to those that make me happy, and do what I damn well please!!

I already feel better.

Later,

Jodi

Sticking with a habit

I am dealing with a life-long battle with inconsistency. Here I come again with my blog. The good part (always digging for that silver lining) is that my posts are always a surprise for my readers. My blogs are like a box of chocolates in the home of a chocoholic: not only do you not know what you're gonna get - you're never sure the box even has one! Ah well, accountability is tricky for a brat like me. Habits feel like limits- like straight jackets limiting creativity. However, music theory has rules in place that don't limit creativity. It just lays a foundation. What am I composing today?