Author Archives: Christene

The Ironic Vacation

Next weekend I will be in San Francisco for four wonderful days! I have been wanting to go back for years.

I am currently planning the trip and trying to fit in as many different places each day as I can. I am pretty sure I have more things in mind than there are hours in the day for, but nevermind that.
This is my list so far:
I definitely want to stop by Fisherman’s Wharf (last time I was there they had amazing bread bowl clam chowder, and I have never forgotten in).
I want to climb down the stairs of Telegraph Hill (and actually take pictures this time!)
Walk around Haight-Ashbury.
I want to go to the Museum of Modern Art.
There are half a dozen cafes I want to try. And at least two restaurants.
Go to the Palace of Fine Arts.
Eat chocolate at Ghirardelli Square.
Visit the Japanese Gardens.
Oh, and I want to go into Berkeley too! See all the little shops I miss, and find that poster shop that has the pictures I want to frame. Even though they probably sold years ago.
As the week progresses I am sure this list will grow exponentially and get completely out of hand. I will have to wield my unruly list all weekend. Darn.

Wordless Wednesday

My little art project…. I can crop and use a filter. Yes, I did this in MS Paint. That is as high tech as I am getting.

Tanya’s baby shower. She doesn’t want to know the sex of the baby. I got her a bunch of pink things.

Cute little booties for the baby. Adorable.
So many blankets…
More adorableness.
Focusing intently on the conversation.
Unwinding after the party. Finally got something to eat.
Jason and Ian took pictures of me from all angles. There are 55 of them. I will spare you.

Gravity

People seem to feel I don’t understand what is happening. They question how I can just prattle on about GRE’s, work, and all sorts of whimsy matters when, according to them, it is the end of the world. Except for me, it is not. Yes, divorce is hard. Unbelievably hard. Throw in a couple of kids, a house, and all sorts of other things, and you get a never ending migraine.

But it is not the end of the world, and life doesn’t come to a stand still. Exams don’t go away, doctoral programs don’t wait for you to be in a better state of mind, work doesn’t stop, responsibilities don’t disappear. And I can’t stop living.

Do I focus on a lot of these things as a form of distraction from the brutality of what is going on? Of course. I deal in distractions – they are my favorite coping mechanism. But all of these things get me through the day. The happy songs in the morning. The moments of dancing in the bedroom with my kids as I am putting on my jewelry and getting ready for work. The concentration on practice tests that dwindle the hours. The drinks with friends. The reading. The blogging.

What would you have me do? Bemoan my fate from morning til dusk? Rail against the unfairness of life, blaming others for decisions I consciously made? Obsess over…. over what?

Yes, I understand the gravity of what is happening. I am neither stupid nor oblivious. I take it as it comes. And then I go on.