I remember thinking that facts would be recorded but what would be lost was the FEELING of that day. The confusion. The fear. The unknown. I decided that night to write down everything i could recall for my niece and nephew. To try and truely capture what that day felt like.
I wish i had continued writing in the days and weeks that followed. As a hairstylist i became a sympathic ear. I heard COUNTLESS stories from people that knew people. This was a day that affected EVERYONE in this country.
this is my word for word account written on 9/11/2001
The day before i hadnt been feeling well. When i woke up on tuesday i was still a little achy. I got dressed for work and then laid down to watch tv. I didnt have to leave for work til 9:30. At 9 i switched from vh1 back to cnn headline news. They had a live shot of the world trade center towers in ny. There was smoke rolling out of the building.not at the top but through the sides.
The anchors were calm but in disbelief speculating that there was an air traffic control accident. Then as they were talking, another plane appeared, turned slightly and flew right into the other tower.
i just sat on my bed with my mouth open.what the hell was going on? Smoke ROLLING out of both buildings. People were JUMPING OUT of the buildings. The heat was probably overwhelming.the buildings were over 100 stories. These people jumping were not going to survive. There were no words. I was overwhelmed.
i ran downstairs and turned on the tv while getting ready for work.
i had to go to work. I couldnt be alone. The horror was like nothing else.i ran to my car and immediately turned on howard stern since he broadcasts out of new york.they were discussing how bizarre it was and robin was saying the city wont be the same if those buildings are gone. You could tell they were in shock. No one could really get their mind around it.
on the way to work i first tried to call my friend kevin, who is a newshound. I think i just needed to hear someone else say they saw it. I couldnt get through though, it said all circuits were busy. Then i thought, my dad is at work. I didnt know if he had access to tv or radio. He was a riverboat pilot. On the boat 2 solid weeks and worked in 6hr sessions. Sometimes the circuits were busy, sometimes no answer.
When i walked into work the radio was on. Thank god. Michael was on the phone so i just mouthed the words"holy shit" and pointed to the radio speakers.
michael had a terrible look on his face. His wife used to be in the secret service. She knew people in the wtc. Also her sister lived a few blocks from there.the next hour or 2 were a complete blur. It was like being in a time warp.all sorts of reports were coming through within minutes of each other. Some true. Some ,it later turned out, were not.
A plane flew into the pentagon, reports of smoke at the white house ( the pres was in florida), smoke at the capital building. I cant even remember the order for sure. Congress evacuated. All flights in the entire country were grounded. If they were in the air they had to land at the nearest airport.
All nyc tunnels,bridges, and subways were closed.
a plane crashed 80miles south of pittsbutgh.
i finally got hold of my dad. The connection was bad. I said dad have you seen or heard the news? He said no. I could tell he was sort of confused. I said 2 planes flew into the world trade center and the pentagon. There is a major terrorist attack! There is fire in the white house and the capital. A plane crashed near pittsburgh. Where are you? He said he was near gallopolis. He said thanks for the good news. Sarcasn was the only way to deal at the moment. I hung up so he could go to the pilot house.
I later found out that his work phones werent working. Verizon had a major antenna on the wtc.
there was a moment when we thought camp david had been hit.
Then my friend kevin called to say wtc tower 1 collapsed.
kellys husband who was in the reserves called to say he was getting the kids out of school.
kelly dashed home to get her tv. During that time clients had come in and my friend lori was supposed to do a class. We all just stood around listening.
kevin called again to say downtown columbus was being evacuated. There are so many federal and state buildings. The police dept closed roads around the police station.
When kelly arrived w/her tv she looked horrified. Her first words were we have to call the red cross and collect food. There will be thousands of homeless people.
we set up the tv with no idea if the attacks were finished. for all we knew every city in the country could have been attacked.
Shortly after the tv was turned on we saw the rerun of the 1st tower collapsing. It was mind boggling. Just incomprehensible. There were people still in there, calmly going down the steps.
also hundreds of firemen and police were in or around the building. Most likely dead.
the dust cloud looked like a nuclear mushroom. There already was a tremendous billowing of smoke.
the most common camera shot was from jersey city across the water.you could see the city and the biggest billowing of smoke. WAY bigger than the smoke stacks around the river.
If i hadnt seen the other buildings i would have thought the whole city was on fire.
after the building collapsed in a very slow motion way. People on the street started running. You could see the dustcloud following them. People were grabbing people they didnt even know and pulling them behind cars.
people were walking around covered in cement dust. Couldnt see. Could hardly breath. Millions and millions of pieces of office paper covered the streets.
shortly after this replay the second tower collapsed. eventually you hear a quiet high piched sound. I found out later it was the emergency sensors on firemens suits when they went down.
My mind was about to shut down. I couldnt conceive anymore horror.
I went outside for a minute. One of the guys from the bank came out. (our salon was a suite in a bank building) he said he had been working like crazy to lock in loan rates that he had in process. The bank headquarters are in zanesville. He said people were clearing out their bank accounts. I had a check for $175- i decided to cash it just in case. I was out of cash and things were still very uncertain. Keep in mind it wasnt even noon!!
all during this time my fever was intensifying and even though i really wanted to stay around people during this time- i just couldnt.
By 12:30 we found out the vice pres was in the war room in the basemeny of the white house.the pres was in air force one somewhere over america.
earlier when i was outside i saw a plane in the air. It was def not going to columbus. The timing was about right but ill never know if it was the plane that crashed outside of pittsburgh.
everytime we heard sirens we all sort of jumped and then look around to see if anyone was laughing. No one was.
i decided to go home around 1 and laid on the couch. The neighborhood was so quiet. You could hear the soft words of other peoples televisions.
I slept a little but only out sickness not calmness.
when i woke building #5 in nyc was on fire. The pentagon was still burning and partially collapsed. I watched for hours, unable to pull away. Who knew if they were finished.
i have two friends in brooklyn, a client who is a flight attendant for united and aunts who work in the District- one in a hospital.
Dc was shutdown. I learned later that my aunt linda had ended her hospital shift (sibley hosp) that morning, but aunt nancy and aunt lou were working. They were ok but by evening they werent home yet. All of the metro lines had been shut down.
my 5:30 appt cancelled so i stayed home until 6. I cant remember if it was before or after leaving my house-but building #5 collapsed and others were still on fire.
mayor gulliani of ny was a pillar of strength. Several times he had missed disaster by minutes. the port authority, many investment firms, restaurants, hotels and the mayors emergency office were all in the wtc. He made many statements without speculating on death toll. Only that it will be more than we can bear. He mourned the police and firefighters
But also commended them as being the best in the world.on my way to work it was surreal. Driving down 70e at 6pm should have been a nightmare. There was almost no traffic. The city was closed. They had shut down the malls, cancelled baseball games, soccer games,rescheduled football. All amusement parks including disneyland and disneyworld- closed.
The gas stations however were booming. Every station had lines down the street. The sky had been the color of this paper all day. Under normal circumstances- a day to celebrate.
i may not have noticed the lack of airplanes in the air but for the first time in my life i looked to the sky and only saw blue. Not a single white exhaust stream from planes anywhere!
The whole time i was listening to the radio tv reporters were on almost every station.
then i saw a man walking down the road with a baby stroller and i thought - how odd. Does he not know? Why isnt he completely absorbed like the rest of us? People are all so different.
in the salon we all did hair with our chairs facing the tv. That night when i left it was dark. I drove down the street to the bp station. Traffic was fairly heavy at 8:30. It was all the gas stations. I spoke to my mother on the phone but hung up to hear the prez. The lines for the gas stations were eerie. In a somewhat self absorbed , high income side of town, no one was making a sound. No horns honking, no yelling or cutting people off. A very orderly dispertions of cars at the pumps. Some people were filling gas cans as well. The fear was the price would sky rocket. Some parts of the country were reporting as high as $5 a gallon .we were still at $1.49 and only slightly higher the next day. The credit card machines outside werent working so everyone quietly walked to the store. They were giving away free cookies but it was no party. I left and then went to the grocery store for cat food. It wasnt crowded or cleaned out. I was surprised. I did decide to buy a little extra because i have no idea what the dollar will do in the near future. On my way home i saw a light in the sky. Please let it be a police helocopter.
I watched tv when i got home. There was a truck in jersey with explosives in it. No idea if they were related or opportunists
wed morning there was another building smoking but i think under control (nyc)
Michael still cant get on any websites. They are just packed. The 24 hr news coverage continues. Church signs all simply say pray.
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Thursday, October 3, 2013
the best laid plans...
Hi everybody;-) It's blog-o-rama time! lol It's been kind of weird these last couple of weeks soo THATS WHAT THE BLOG IS ABOUT! of course lol
One of the things that I've always known and MOST of the time can do is - MAKE A PLAN! Now, of course, I'm not the only variable in my plans and THAT is occasionally the problem! lol The past 2 weeks luckily have NOT been thrown out of whack by anyone in particular and more importantly- nothing intentional!!
Tonight I'm sitting in my livingroom, no wait, I'm pacing through my sewing room, no wait, I'm walking my dog, no wait, I'm starting to clean the... no wait! What I'm ACTUALLY doing is trying to make peace with the fact that on my new life path I am ALWAYS fluctuating between TOO MUCH FREE TIME and being completely FRAZZLED with TOO much to do!!!
At first I really didn't see how this would have ANYTHING to do with my blog topics. I figured its just the weird way I roll. ;-) But then I realized anyone out there that is contemplating changing course and going from career path to life path would probably encounter this same situation!
For YEARS on my career path my work time was very defined and while it still had a lot of variable during the day; when it was over each night, it was over. I did still did things like teach classes, and write employee manuals and have meetings but it was generally all still in the same mind set.
So now I find myself in the (what most people,including my former self would call enviable) position of having a shitload of unstructured, self managed time!!
Now I already talked about how to FIND time to start making something happen in the 168 hrs we all have each week. THIS is about the self focus of using my time wisely when I have MORE of it than EVER before!!Its also about KEEPING YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME, for lack of a better term! lol
I have ALWAYS worked on straight commission. I CLEARLY get the idea of no work/no pay! I sorta got the concept of what I call "investment time"; prep-work, planning, training etc.
WHAT DO YOU DO when your primary paying job (hairstylist) is SLOW!? I'm not as busy as I used to be or I wouldn't be on this AWESOME new life path but sometimes its even SLOWER than what I can mentally handle!!!
I get SCARED!! Worrying about what I know my minimum needs to be. I suddenly have more free time than I know what to do with!! And THAT, ladies and gentleman, is where I find myself this week hahahaha!! I can't prove it but I know I'll be ok and 95% of the time I can handle it just fine!!
Exhibit A- 2 weeks ago I was at a breaking point!!! I hadn't had 2 days COMPLETELY OFF in...I can't even tell ya how long!;-) Short and erratic days just don't mentally revive me as well as straight time off. I know. boohoo. Lots of people have multiple jobs, or crazy home lives with no help or balance at all but still...
So anyway! LAST week was so slow and I was so grateful!!! Very little income but my house is finally clean and my sewing work room (clio&matty on facebook;-)) is organized and I'm well rested and I wasn't even worried!!! THIS week has ALSO been slow... I know its a cycle. If I do my monthly or annual numbers I know I'm about on track. BUT NOW I'M WIGGIN'!! NOW I'm too freaked and restless to use my time wisely and do more sewing. I did start working on our online store for clio&matty. But seriously. Collectively. I ain't done shit.
MY WHOLE POINT! FINALLY- when you are in this process of change and before, if you can, KNOW THYSELF! Know your financial minimums you must make. That is for real! lol However you'd probably be shocked to see what you can eliminate and still feel ok because you're HAPPIER!
Also, equally important, know how YOU operate. You probably know how to work under pressure or unhappily but how do you SELF MOTIVATE?! Just DON'T LET THIS BE AN EXCUSE NOT TO FIND A WAY TO ENJOY YOUR DREAM!
Maybe it's realizing you would function best if you made time for a fulfilling HOBBY. Or maybe you are an all or nothing kind of person. KNOW YOURSELF BUT PUSH YOURSELF!!.
If you keep doing things the same way you WILL keep getting the same results (at best!)
BEING BRAVE ISN'T THE SAME AS BEING CRAZY! hahaha
*** totally unrelated funny story***
I do the dumbest/goofiest shit ALL the TIME! I'm usually by myself so you would think- OH COOL nobody saw that! Oh HELL NO! The first thing I do is tell on myself!! I've almost never had anything happen that was so horrifying that I COULD'T tell. I mean there's a small window of TMI but other than that... Ill let you decide if this story has gone over that line lol
In the mid '90s I saved up and went on my DREAM trip to Ireland. All by myself!! It was FREAKIN AWESOME!! 10 days with a rental car and a minor itinerary. My rhythm was to decide what town I wanted to end up in each night and see things along the way. AMAZING (in case I haven't made that clear lol) Each evening I would check into a B&B and walk over to a pub for dinner and Guinness and sometimes music and conversation. ONE NIGHT I kinda forgot that my B&B was farther away than usual and I kinda had more beers than usual and I kinda, REALLY needed to pee. So I sat down on a little stone bridge to collect myself and look around for nature coverage lol While in my planning stage... I FREAKIN peed my pants!!! International pant pissing incident!!! I wasn't drunk enough to not care but I was still a half mile from the B&B! Thank God I had a jacket to tie around my waist!
Keep Calm and Carry On!! lol
ps Yes, I did also take a nature pee beside a prehistoric burial site. DAMMIT. Not nearly enough public toilets!!
MORAL OF THE STORY- travel off season like I did. WAY less witnesses hahahaha;-)
One of the things that I've always known and MOST of the time can do is - MAKE A PLAN! Now, of course, I'm not the only variable in my plans and THAT is occasionally the problem! lol The past 2 weeks luckily have NOT been thrown out of whack by anyone in particular and more importantly- nothing intentional!!
Tonight I'm sitting in my livingroom, no wait, I'm pacing through my sewing room, no wait, I'm walking my dog, no wait, I'm starting to clean the... no wait! What I'm ACTUALLY doing is trying to make peace with the fact that on my new life path I am ALWAYS fluctuating between TOO MUCH FREE TIME and being completely FRAZZLED with TOO much to do!!!
At first I really didn't see how this would have ANYTHING to do with my blog topics. I figured its just the weird way I roll. ;-) But then I realized anyone out there that is contemplating changing course and going from career path to life path would probably encounter this same situation!
For YEARS on my career path my work time was very defined and while it still had a lot of variable during the day; when it was over each night, it was over. I did still did things like teach classes, and write employee manuals and have meetings but it was generally all still in the same mind set.
So now I find myself in the (what most people,including my former self would call enviable) position of having a shitload of unstructured, self managed time!!
Now I already talked about how to FIND time to start making something happen in the 168 hrs we all have each week. THIS is about the self focus of using my time wisely when I have MORE of it than EVER before!!Its also about KEEPING YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME, for lack of a better term! lol
I have ALWAYS worked on straight commission. I CLEARLY get the idea of no work/no pay! I sorta got the concept of what I call "investment time"; prep-work, planning, training etc.
WHAT DO YOU DO when your primary paying job (hairstylist) is SLOW!? I'm not as busy as I used to be or I wouldn't be on this AWESOME new life path but sometimes its even SLOWER than what I can mentally handle!!!
I get SCARED!! Worrying about what I know my minimum needs to be. I suddenly have more free time than I know what to do with!! And THAT, ladies and gentleman, is where I find myself this week hahahaha!! I can't prove it but I know I'll be ok and 95% of the time I can handle it just fine!!
Exhibit A- 2 weeks ago I was at a breaking point!!! I hadn't had 2 days COMPLETELY OFF in...I can't even tell ya how long!;-) Short and erratic days just don't mentally revive me as well as straight time off. I know. boohoo. Lots of people have multiple jobs, or crazy home lives with no help or balance at all but still...
So anyway! LAST week was so slow and I was so grateful!!! Very little income but my house is finally clean and my sewing work room (clio&matty on facebook;-)) is organized and I'm well rested and I wasn't even worried!!! THIS week has ALSO been slow... I know its a cycle. If I do my monthly or annual numbers I know I'm about on track. BUT NOW I'M WIGGIN'!! NOW I'm too freaked and restless to use my time wisely and do more sewing. I did start working on our online store for clio&matty. But seriously. Collectively. I ain't done shit.
MY WHOLE POINT! FINALLY- when you are in this process of change and before, if you can, KNOW THYSELF! Know your financial minimums you must make. That is for real! lol However you'd probably be shocked to see what you can eliminate and still feel ok because you're HAPPIER!
Also, equally important, know how YOU operate. You probably know how to work under pressure or unhappily but how do you SELF MOTIVATE?! Just DON'T LET THIS BE AN EXCUSE NOT TO FIND A WAY TO ENJOY YOUR DREAM!
Maybe it's realizing you would function best if you made time for a fulfilling HOBBY. Or maybe you are an all or nothing kind of person. KNOW YOURSELF BUT PUSH YOURSELF!!.
If you keep doing things the same way you WILL keep getting the same results (at best!)
BEING BRAVE ISN'T THE SAME AS BEING CRAZY! hahaha
*** totally unrelated funny story***
I do the dumbest/goofiest shit ALL the TIME! I'm usually by myself so you would think- OH COOL nobody saw that! Oh HELL NO! The first thing I do is tell on myself!! I've almost never had anything happen that was so horrifying that I COULD'T tell. I mean there's a small window of TMI but other than that... Ill let you decide if this story has gone over that line lol
In the mid '90s I saved up and went on my DREAM trip to Ireland. All by myself!! It was FREAKIN AWESOME!! 10 days with a rental car and a minor itinerary. My rhythm was to decide what town I wanted to end up in each night and see things along the way. AMAZING (in case I haven't made that clear lol) Each evening I would check into a B&B and walk over to a pub for dinner and Guinness and sometimes music and conversation. ONE NIGHT I kinda forgot that my B&B was farther away than usual and I kinda had more beers than usual and I kinda, REALLY needed to pee. So I sat down on a little stone bridge to collect myself and look around for nature coverage lol While in my planning stage... I FREAKIN peed my pants!!! International pant pissing incident!!! I wasn't drunk enough to not care but I was still a half mile from the B&B! Thank God I had a jacket to tie around my waist!
Keep Calm and Carry On!! lol
ps Yes, I did also take a nature pee beside a prehistoric burial site. DAMMIT. Not nearly enough public toilets!!
MORAL OF THE STORY- travel off season like I did. WAY less witnesses hahahaha;-)
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
walkin dogs or how 1 part time job saved 2 people!
Hi I'm back!! I hope the last few weeks have been great!
The last time I wrote it was about being aware of how you use your time! The idea was that not many people can just jump off the cliff from career path to life path lol BUT there IS time to get something started... HOLY CRAP lol I just got distracted by the first XMAS ad for kmart layaway!! I don't care how many hours there are in the week!! This is too soon hahahaha ANYWAY...well I had planned to start writing again last week but I ended up using my free portions of the 168 hrs a week to work on my side project (with my friend sheila) Clio&Matty. Baby blankies, burpies, drool bandannas, and bibs- half cut, sewn, and stacked ALL over the place hahahaha! (check it on facebook sometime.) I realized though, that writing this blog is something I enjoy so I need to back in the swing!!
After the BIG salon closed and I was working at the small salon in Powell I started my first side project! I designed my own reusable grocery tote and started sewing! It was fun but ultimately not much money was made and much money was needed! ;-) So my friend Lynne had listened to me talk(whine) about my career/money problems and started talking to me about dog walking! She owned a dog walking & pet sitting biz and I... owned a dog! I was desperate and she was really wanting to go back to school to finish prerecs for nursing school! We both found ourselves on the brink of change. At the time, I wasn't as aware of how big this was for her but I was terrified to lose everything I had worked for! I've written before about my state of identity crisis at this point. I was embarrassed to not be able to make enough money on my career path!!
Well, I took her up on her offer. * side note* I have a personal saying "every new experience is a new wardrobing opportunity" hahaha the thing is- I really believe this! I was in Chicago at a work trade show and bought a super cute pair of white flats onatsuka tigers at Nordstrom (clearly I hadn't adjusted to broke girl status yet lol) that look like little golf shoes. I envisioned myself as this bouncy cute dogwalker. HAHAHAHAHA!! if there is something more emphatic than TOTAL OPPOSITE than that would have been the reality of me as a dog walker.
Lynne started my training with me shadowing her and meeting the dogs; but it was so much more than I realized!! People had to trust me to have their house keys, alarm codes, parking passes and their precious baby dog!One thing that really helped me was the time issue. When each appointment is 20 or 30 mins and then you have to get to the next dog and they ALL have to be done between 10:30ish and 4ish you HAVE to stay on sched!! Just like a busy HAIRSTYLIST! Also I was already very familiar with the area where I would have most of my dogs! I can and will go on to tell you lots of funny stories about this adventure but for now...
My friend Lynne had the nerve to buy the dog walking biz after she had career changes that were out of her control. I realize now that we had alot in common careerwise. Then she had the nerve to hire her hair stylist to work for her! hahaha ridiculous! She was alittle desperate;-)
Eventually I was working almost the entire schedule 2 or 3 days a week and sometimes petsitting in my house. Now THATS fertile ground for blog stories lol.
She paid me fairly. I worked hard. We became even better friends, especially since we lived in the same neighborhood!Lynne busted ass to get great grades AND she also started dating a guy whose dog had spent the night at her house before he did ;-) His dog Foster was also the first dog that my dog would walk with and not freak out!!
Im not kidding when I say that we ALL grew exponentially during those few years! I was hired back with the new owner of the dog business and, oh yea, Lynne sold it! Shes quite happy in FL with her former client- owner of Foster the dog! ;-) She took a chance to change her career path because an amazing life path opened up!!
I still love walking my 5 or 6 dog walk clients but I only petsit Lulu and Bronx. Its one thing to not do something because you're afraid. Its another to try your best and realize you DON'T LIKE IT! Petsitting random dogs- not for me lol
So I really didn't expect to tell someone elses story tonight but I realized as I wrote that Lynne was at the same crossroads as me! I think I mentioned in a previous post, I have some REALLY interesting and brave friends!!;-)
** so tonight I don't really have a totally random story. Im just going to hit ya with random phrases about my experience as a dog walker. Maybe I'll elaborate later hahaha
* pee on foot* screaming house alarm* walking on paper towels*tire blowout* knocked over* talkin to homeless dudes* bird dog chasing an airplane* empty poop bags in every pocket of every article of clothing* losing keys*THE FLU* show must go on* cats scaring dogs* two hands to pick up st bernard poop*writing funny notes to people ive never met*learning to carry wet wipes because some bags have holes...* talkin to cops* becoming a regular in my fav neighborhood* ;-)
The last time I wrote it was about being aware of how you use your time! The idea was that not many people can just jump off the cliff from career path to life path lol BUT there IS time to get something started... HOLY CRAP lol I just got distracted by the first XMAS ad for kmart layaway!! I don't care how many hours there are in the week!! This is too soon hahahaha ANYWAY...well I had planned to start writing again last week but I ended up using my free portions of the 168 hrs a week to work on my side project (with my friend sheila) Clio&Matty. Baby blankies, burpies, drool bandannas, and bibs- half cut, sewn, and stacked ALL over the place hahahaha! (check it on facebook sometime.) I realized though, that writing this blog is something I enjoy so I need to back in the swing!!
After the BIG salon closed and I was working at the small salon in Powell I started my first side project! I designed my own reusable grocery tote and started sewing! It was fun but ultimately not much money was made and much money was needed! ;-) So my friend Lynne had listened to me talk(whine) about my career/money problems and started talking to me about dog walking! She owned a dog walking & pet sitting biz and I... owned a dog! I was desperate and she was really wanting to go back to school to finish prerecs for nursing school! We both found ourselves on the brink of change. At the time, I wasn't as aware of how big this was for her but I was terrified to lose everything I had worked for! I've written before about my state of identity crisis at this point. I was embarrassed to not be able to make enough money on my career path!!
Well, I took her up on her offer. * side note* I have a personal saying "every new experience is a new wardrobing opportunity" hahaha the thing is- I really believe this! I was in Chicago at a work trade show and bought a super cute pair of white flats onatsuka tigers at Nordstrom (clearly I hadn't adjusted to broke girl status yet lol) that look like little golf shoes. I envisioned myself as this bouncy cute dogwalker. HAHAHAHAHA!! if there is something more emphatic than TOTAL OPPOSITE than that would have been the reality of me as a dog walker.
Lynne started my training with me shadowing her and meeting the dogs; but it was so much more than I realized!! People had to trust me to have their house keys, alarm codes, parking passes and their precious baby dog!One thing that really helped me was the time issue. When each appointment is 20 or 30 mins and then you have to get to the next dog and they ALL have to be done between 10:30ish and 4ish you HAVE to stay on sched!! Just like a busy HAIRSTYLIST! Also I was already very familiar with the area where I would have most of my dogs! I can and will go on to tell you lots of funny stories about this adventure but for now...
My friend Lynne had the nerve to buy the dog walking biz after she had career changes that were out of her control. I realize now that we had alot in common careerwise. Then she had the nerve to hire her hair stylist to work for her! hahaha ridiculous! She was alittle desperate;-)
Eventually I was working almost the entire schedule 2 or 3 days a week and sometimes petsitting in my house. Now THATS fertile ground for blog stories lol.
She paid me fairly. I worked hard. We became even better friends, especially since we lived in the same neighborhood!Lynne busted ass to get great grades AND she also started dating a guy whose dog had spent the night at her house before he did ;-) His dog Foster was also the first dog that my dog would walk with and not freak out!!
Im not kidding when I say that we ALL grew exponentially during those few years! I was hired back with the new owner of the dog business and, oh yea, Lynne sold it! Shes quite happy in FL with her former client- owner of Foster the dog! ;-) She took a chance to change her career path because an amazing life path opened up!!
I still love walking my 5 or 6 dog walk clients but I only petsit Lulu and Bronx. Its one thing to not do something because you're afraid. Its another to try your best and realize you DON'T LIKE IT! Petsitting random dogs- not for me lol
So I really didn't expect to tell someone elses story tonight but I realized as I wrote that Lynne was at the same crossroads as me! I think I mentioned in a previous post, I have some REALLY interesting and brave friends!!;-)
** so tonight I don't really have a totally random story. Im just going to hit ya with random phrases about my experience as a dog walker. Maybe I'll elaborate later hahaha
* pee on foot* screaming house alarm* walking on paper towels*tire blowout* knocked over* talkin to homeless dudes* bird dog chasing an airplane* empty poop bags in every pocket of every article of clothing* losing keys*THE FLU* show must go on* cats scaring dogs* two hands to pick up st bernard poop*writing funny notes to people ive never met*learning to carry wet wipes because some bags have holes...* talkin to cops* becoming a regular in my fav neighborhood* ;-)
Thursday, August 22, 2013
168
Good Morning! Yes I know its thursday... not wednesday. Yesterday I went to The Wilds with a couple friends! I LOVE that place! I think its wonderful that these animals are in a preserve not a zoo cage, although it is a division of Columbus Zoo. Some of the animals there are extinct in the wild! You should seriously consider a trip!!
So last week I talked about the idea of contentedness. I also realized that considering what you think about the idea of content is the first step in planning your trip from career path to life path! I did not have a planning phase! lol My job/ career changed without my consent ;-) HOWEVER, looking back, I made choices to act or not act that made me see that I had been devising a plan without totally realizing it!!! I think we all have wondered what we would do if we had MORE TIME or MORE MONEY. Think about it. Really. What would it be? Live somewhere else? lose weight? see the grand canyon? go to walmart before 11pm? lol have your own bakery? have a b&b? teach yoga? have a horse? be in love?volunteer for habitat for humanity? become self employed?get a promotion?drive a lexus?
Why did I choose these specific choices? BECAUSE I KNOW PEOPLE WHO MADE THESE THINGS HAPPEN!!! Not on the news. Real people in my life. Everyone one of their stories could be told 2 (at least lol) ways!
1 way- They are so lucky. Things fall into their lap. HOW DOES SHE HAVE TIME TO DO THAT? ETCETCETC. Thats REALLY not how it happened!!!
2.How about this. Each one of these people 1. realized what their dream was.2. decided to make a plan. 3 TOLD PEOPLE!! (my personal weakness. its amazing what comes to you when you put it out there!!) 4had their eyes open because they knew what they wanted. 5 looked for an opportunity, or even just a tiny opening to stick your toe in and kick open that F-ing door!!! THEY TOOK IT!! They are making it happen.
Here's the thing. MAYBE not every career path to life path is a total 180. Maybe you just wish you had time to add an hour of something you love or have always wanted to try! SAME PROCESS!! ITS YOUR LIFE!! Even if you happily share your life with someone YOUR CONTENDEDNESS AND HAPPINESS IS YOUR RESPONCIBILITY! Everyone around you will enjoy you alot more if your happy hahahaha. What people do you try to avoid? UNHAPPY BITCHERS THAT NEVER DO ANYTHING TO CHANGE WHAT THEIR BITCHING ABOUT... but i digress hahahaha. ANYWAY are you wondering why the blog is titled 168? Let me hit you with this. Prepare to be amazed;-)
There are 168 hours in a week.
subtract 56 hours ( 8 hrs a day for sleep... if your lucky ;-) HEY! maybe thats your plan! just to consistently get a freakin nights sleep!!
subtract 50 hrs for work ( a good average I think considering part time, full time, over time and/ or commuting)
SO NOW WE'RE AT 62 HRS. WHAT THE FUCK ARE WE DOING WITH THESE 62 HOURS A WEEK?!?! If I lost $62 a week I would be PISSED!! Instead I PISS away (at least) 62 HOURS A WEEK!!!
Ok, I know we all need to grocery shop, cook, have family time, walk the dog, write out the bills, catch up on tv, keep the house clean, mow the f-ing grass (obviously not my fav lol) BUT once again there are 2 ways to see this!!
1. I never have time to do anything fun or for me because Im always taking care of all of this shit!! Believe me! I have thought that! Who hasn't?! But seriously. These are the moments life is made of!!!
2. I love winding down from work by walking my dog for a half an hour, then cooking dinner with the kids 3 times a week and carryout 2times so I have time to clean the house after and then enjoy some tv... HMMM. This could work p.s. that is an EXAMPLE I do NOT have kids!! How do you think I have time to write this blog? hahahaha;-)
I had an epiphany walking into work at the BIG SALON one day. Of course I felt sick and miserable and I said out loud "I cannot let work dictate my happiness" This was new for me because my career path had ALWAYS been some of my greatest happiness!! I said this mantra every morning and sometimes during the day too lol My brain began to accept and believe it!! My stress level started to change and I started thinking about the value of my non work time!!! DUH! Like I said before- Im a slow learner ;-) Not long after, I got my beloved dog.
SO ANYWAY AGAIN! A couple days ago I read a quote from the founder of Stella and Dot accessories company- I don't remember word for word. Basically she said NO SUCCESSFUL PERSON BEFORE HER HAS EVER HAD MORE THAN 24HRS IN A DAY!!
OMG sooo obvious but profound!
SO MY POINT today is this is step 2. YOU DO HAVE TIME. Decide if what you want in your life path is major or minor, ,make a plan for the first step by using your time more CONSCIOUSLY!! ITS YOURS USE IT!
See Ya next week!!
**semi related funny story**
Do you seriously think I have this shit mastered?! Hell NO! I def do things WHILE I watch tv BUT yesterday I took, probably, 90 mins of work and dragged it out over a few hrs because I was half watching a CASTLE mini marathon...which I don't really love anyway! Good Lord people!! I'm writing this blog to help keep ME on track too!!! oh yea and also... one time my skirt fell OFF when I was walking my dog. TTYL ;-)
So last week I talked about the idea of contentedness. I also realized that considering what you think about the idea of content is the first step in planning your trip from career path to life path! I did not have a planning phase! lol My job/ career changed without my consent ;-) HOWEVER, looking back, I made choices to act or not act that made me see that I had been devising a plan without totally realizing it!!! I think we all have wondered what we would do if we had MORE TIME or MORE MONEY. Think about it. Really. What would it be? Live somewhere else? lose weight? see the grand canyon? go to walmart before 11pm? lol have your own bakery? have a b&b? teach yoga? have a horse? be in love?volunteer for habitat for humanity? become self employed?get a promotion?drive a lexus?
Why did I choose these specific choices? BECAUSE I KNOW PEOPLE WHO MADE THESE THINGS HAPPEN!!! Not on the news. Real people in my life. Everyone one of their stories could be told 2 (at least lol) ways!
1 way- They are so lucky. Things fall into their lap. HOW DOES SHE HAVE TIME TO DO THAT? ETCETCETC. Thats REALLY not how it happened!!!
2.How about this. Each one of these people 1. realized what their dream was.2. decided to make a plan. 3 TOLD PEOPLE!! (my personal weakness. its amazing what comes to you when you put it out there!!) 4had their eyes open because they knew what they wanted. 5 looked for an opportunity, or even just a tiny opening to stick your toe in and kick open that F-ing door!!! THEY TOOK IT!! They are making it happen.
Here's the thing. MAYBE not every career path to life path is a total 180. Maybe you just wish you had time to add an hour of something you love or have always wanted to try! SAME PROCESS!! ITS YOUR LIFE!! Even if you happily share your life with someone YOUR CONTENDEDNESS AND HAPPINESS IS YOUR RESPONCIBILITY! Everyone around you will enjoy you alot more if your happy hahahaha. What people do you try to avoid? UNHAPPY BITCHERS THAT NEVER DO ANYTHING TO CHANGE WHAT THEIR BITCHING ABOUT... but i digress hahahaha. ANYWAY are you wondering why the blog is titled 168? Let me hit you with this. Prepare to be amazed;-)
There are 168 hours in a week.
subtract 56 hours ( 8 hrs a day for sleep... if your lucky ;-) HEY! maybe thats your plan! just to consistently get a freakin nights sleep!!
subtract 50 hrs for work ( a good average I think considering part time, full time, over time and/ or commuting)
SO NOW WE'RE AT 62 HRS. WHAT THE FUCK ARE WE DOING WITH THESE 62 HOURS A WEEK?!?! If I lost $62 a week I would be PISSED!! Instead I PISS away (at least) 62 HOURS A WEEK!!!
Ok, I know we all need to grocery shop, cook, have family time, walk the dog, write out the bills, catch up on tv, keep the house clean, mow the f-ing grass (obviously not my fav lol) BUT once again there are 2 ways to see this!!
1. I never have time to do anything fun or for me because Im always taking care of all of this shit!! Believe me! I have thought that! Who hasn't?! But seriously. These are the moments life is made of!!!
2. I love winding down from work by walking my dog for a half an hour, then cooking dinner with the kids 3 times a week and carryout 2times so I have time to clean the house after and then enjoy some tv... HMMM. This could work p.s. that is an EXAMPLE I do NOT have kids!! How do you think I have time to write this blog? hahahaha;-)
I had an epiphany walking into work at the BIG SALON one day. Of course I felt sick and miserable and I said out loud "I cannot let work dictate my happiness" This was new for me because my career path had ALWAYS been some of my greatest happiness!! I said this mantra every morning and sometimes during the day too lol My brain began to accept and believe it!! My stress level started to change and I started thinking about the value of my non work time!!! DUH! Like I said before- Im a slow learner ;-) Not long after, I got my beloved dog.
SO ANYWAY AGAIN! A couple days ago I read a quote from the founder of Stella and Dot accessories company- I don't remember word for word. Basically she said NO SUCCESSFUL PERSON BEFORE HER HAS EVER HAD MORE THAN 24HRS IN A DAY!!
OMG sooo obvious but profound!
SO MY POINT today is this is step 2. YOU DO HAVE TIME. Decide if what you want in your life path is major or minor, ,make a plan for the first step by using your time more CONSCIOUSLY!! ITS YOURS USE IT!
See Ya next week!!
**semi related funny story**
Do you seriously think I have this shit mastered?! Hell NO! I def do things WHILE I watch tv BUT yesterday I took, probably, 90 mins of work and dragged it out over a few hrs because I was half watching a CASTLE mini marathon...which I don't really love anyway! Good Lord people!! I'm writing this blog to help keep ME on track too!!! oh yea and also... one time my skirt fell OFF when I was walking my dog. TTYL ;-)
Friday, August 16, 2013
the struggle with contentment
Hi welcome back again!! I'm sure you've noticed that once again I did not hit my goal of a wednesday morning post lol I'll be honest. I didn't feel like it. I've been off my game this week! I didn't feel like being an achiever. I'll also admit that one of the only downsides to being self employed and having so many pans in the fire is sometimes its more of a smolder than a fire hahahaha!! Thats ok! I know if I have a real deadline or people counting on me. Thats totally different! But, having said that, I'm committed to this blog and I'm going to make it a real deadline! ;-)
Soooo, this week I've been thinking about the concept of being content. I struggle with this! Do you?
I don't want to settle! I want to make my life path of choosing my projects and forms of income to be successful financially BUT I'm content to not be chasing after my old goals and career path!!
My handy dictionary app says- content- satisfied with what one is or has; not more or anything else.
Hmmm that sounds like some of the inner peace type stuff that some of my friends talk about. It sounds like the way we should feel about ourselves. We are good the way we are. BUT ...I don't WANT to ALWAYS be content!! There are so many things I would not/ will not experience if I'm content!!! DAMMIT! Whats a girl to do?! I DO think it's a good question to ask yourself though!! Before you stick with a job that you don't love, or a PERSON that you don't love OR BEFORE you begin a big career path to life path change. YOU have to decide if being content is ok. I think some times it is! AND sometimes its a perfect excuse!!!
Its really step 1 of deciding how you will redirect your life path!!! Think about it!!!
So I wanted to share more about 1 of my new life path business projects! It's called Clio & Matty! My friend Sheila and I decided to make baby blankies,bibs, burpies, and drool bandanas! I design and sew. She brands, markets and sells. It's a cool idea! Im enjoying it... but I gotta tell ya- I sometimes feel like a sister wife sitting at home makin' clothes for the babies!!! WHO AM I??? My entire dining room is my sewing room- which is no big deal since I only eat at that table every few yrs for friends thanksgiving lol. I have discovered that terrycloth is card to cut. Who Knew? that those old jeans with the blowout from thigh chaffage make great denim baby bibs! That if you're at Joann fabrics ALL the time they'll be a bit liberal with the coupons!! whoo hoo! that there are multiple ways to adhere tiny cut out flannel designs to bibs making them exponentially cuter and they are ALL a PAIN IN THE BUTT!! and just how many people are excited to give me insight and ideas for this new project i.e. droolie bandanas! ;-) Most of all WHO KNEW that I would be content spending time sewing baby crap!! ;-)
My whole life my mom has been a sewer. We have COMPLETELY different styles so we didn't collaborate alot ;-) As a matter of fact even as a little kid I was PISSED one summer when she made my sister and I each learn how to make a shirt! (I still don't do clothes. too complex) I fought the stereotype of "girls" classes all through school. Straight up REFUSED to take home ec. No. Damn. Way.
Sooo the irony is not lost on me lol.
But I choose to use and develop any skill I even sorta have!! Most people I know don't have a degree in the field they eventually have come to work in. So if I know a little about sewing than I can learn more. Trial and error and you tube videos!! I know alot more about sewing now :-)
Do I want this to become the main way I earn money? NOPE. I don't want to sew all day every day!! But I enjoy it! Why not take what you enjoy, don't be too content, and MAKE IT HAPPEN!!!
I think I'll always struggle with the concept of contentedness BUT I'm content to be making my own way! Maybe that's what its really about ;-)
** totally unrelated funny story***
I have a beagle mix 13.5 yr old dog who I completely adore! However beagles have an absolutely disgusting streak!! They will eat ANYTHING and I do mean ANYTHING, except for expensive, organic baby carrots purchased just for her!! She has eaten- cat shit,cat food,bird food, human food, dog food, rabbit poop, deer poop, bugs,grass,BREAD, paper, underwear, and is obsessed with CICADAS!!! (hey pure protein. What the hell), toenails, rotten food, dead birds,dead squirrels, trash, recycling... I call her my baby goat!! Miraculously she doesn't get sick so I roll with it!
one year we had a blizzard and we decided to go for a walk and assess the situation. ;-) Everyone is always nice to each other right in the midst of a storm... thank God. We stopped to help multiple people push a car. Another guy laid down his bag from the gas station... a little too close to the dog!! While we were working miss clio had snatched the guys loaf of bread!!! right in the middle of the loaf!! it was probably the LAST one on the shelf too!! she was SCARFING it down because she knew her time was limited hahahaha Luckily the guy was cool! probably too shocked to realize what just happened hahahaha
dogs! hours of entertainment... or embarrassment;-)
Have a great week!! see ya on wednesday!;-)
Soooo, this week I've been thinking about the concept of being content. I struggle with this! Do you?
I don't want to settle! I want to make my life path of choosing my projects and forms of income to be successful financially BUT I'm content to not be chasing after my old goals and career path!!
My handy dictionary app says- content- satisfied with what one is or has; not more or anything else.
Hmmm that sounds like some of the inner peace type stuff that some of my friends talk about. It sounds like the way we should feel about ourselves. We are good the way we are. BUT ...I don't WANT to ALWAYS be content!! There are so many things I would not/ will not experience if I'm content!!! DAMMIT! Whats a girl to do?! I DO think it's a good question to ask yourself though!! Before you stick with a job that you don't love, or a PERSON that you don't love OR BEFORE you begin a big career path to life path change. YOU have to decide if being content is ok. I think some times it is! AND sometimes its a perfect excuse!!!
Its really step 1 of deciding how you will redirect your life path!!! Think about it!!!
So I wanted to share more about 1 of my new life path business projects! It's called Clio & Matty! My friend Sheila and I decided to make baby blankies,bibs, burpies, and drool bandanas! I design and sew. She brands, markets and sells. It's a cool idea! Im enjoying it... but I gotta tell ya- I sometimes feel like a sister wife sitting at home makin' clothes for the babies!!! WHO AM I??? My entire dining room is my sewing room- which is no big deal since I only eat at that table every few yrs for friends thanksgiving lol. I have discovered that terrycloth is card to cut. Who Knew? that those old jeans with the blowout from thigh chaffage make great denim baby bibs! That if you're at Joann fabrics ALL the time they'll be a bit liberal with the coupons!! whoo hoo! that there are multiple ways to adhere tiny cut out flannel designs to bibs making them exponentially cuter and they are ALL a PAIN IN THE BUTT!! and just how many people are excited to give me insight and ideas for this new project i.e. droolie bandanas! ;-) Most of all WHO KNEW that I would be content spending time sewing baby crap!! ;-)
My whole life my mom has been a sewer. We have COMPLETELY different styles so we didn't collaborate alot ;-) As a matter of fact even as a little kid I was PISSED one summer when she made my sister and I each learn how to make a shirt! (I still don't do clothes. too complex) I fought the stereotype of "girls" classes all through school. Straight up REFUSED to take home ec. No. Damn. Way.
Sooo the irony is not lost on me lol.
But I choose to use and develop any skill I even sorta have!! Most people I know don't have a degree in the field they eventually have come to work in. So if I know a little about sewing than I can learn more. Trial and error and you tube videos!! I know alot more about sewing now :-)
Do I want this to become the main way I earn money? NOPE. I don't want to sew all day every day!! But I enjoy it! Why not take what you enjoy, don't be too content, and MAKE IT HAPPEN!!!
I think I'll always struggle with the concept of contentedness BUT I'm content to be making my own way! Maybe that's what its really about ;-)
** totally unrelated funny story***
I have a beagle mix 13.5 yr old dog who I completely adore! However beagles have an absolutely disgusting streak!! They will eat ANYTHING and I do mean ANYTHING, except for expensive, organic baby carrots purchased just for her!! She has eaten- cat shit,cat food,bird food, human food, dog food, rabbit poop, deer poop, bugs,grass,BREAD, paper, underwear, and is obsessed with CICADAS!!! (hey pure protein. What the hell), toenails, rotten food, dead birds,dead squirrels, trash, recycling... I call her my baby goat!! Miraculously she doesn't get sick so I roll with it!
one year we had a blizzard and we decided to go for a walk and assess the situation. ;-) Everyone is always nice to each other right in the midst of a storm... thank God. We stopped to help multiple people push a car. Another guy laid down his bag from the gas station... a little too close to the dog!! While we were working miss clio had snatched the guys loaf of bread!!! right in the middle of the loaf!! it was probably the LAST one on the shelf too!! she was SCARFING it down because she knew her time was limited hahahaha Luckily the guy was cool! probably too shocked to realize what just happened hahahaha
dogs! hours of entertainment... or embarrassment;-)
Have a great week!! see ya on wednesday!;-)
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
taking time...
Thank you all for joining me again this week! This weeks post has a bit of a different feel. I want to celebrate the life of a recently lost friend. You've probably noticed that I don't use names in my posts but today I am!
I met Danielle Terrance maybe 2 years ago. She was friends with Michael Oxley and I later learned she was friends and a co-worker with other friends of mine. It is a small world! Michael has always been a wonderful cheerleader for me as a hairstylist and he sent Danielle in to see me.
I'm a professional I can find a way to "click" with alot of different types of people but it wasn't hard to "click" with Danielle! What an infectious and easy laugh! It was like we had known each other for a long time.
What took longer to uncover was how BRILLIANT and GIVING she was!! I wouldn't say modest because she was happy to talk about her work but, maybe modest in the downplayed WAY she talked about it!!
I know I don't know her whole story but here is what I DO know.
Danielle was a Native American (Mohawk) woman in her mid 30's. I find Native cultures very interesting and we would talk about different things. I always knew that her ethnicity, her culture, and her people were very important to her but not the ONLY thing about her!! So we also discussed everyday life- for better or worse lol
Danielle was a college student, I think she finished her masters and was getting ready for Ph.d, She also worked at OSU and taught a class on plurality at Columbus State all the while having a part time job at The Home Depot. She was a strong woman with a bold vision! AND she actually took action!!
She grew up partly in Buffalo, NY and partly on the Reservation. She knew first hand how few opportunities were available to Native people especially girls. In itself it was an amazing feat to have studied at Cornell and OSU but I began to realize she had a much greater mission!
Danielle always had funny stories about her trips around the country, mostly out west.Again I began to realize what she was doing. I'm not sure which organization she was working with but she was going to reservations and talking to kids about the importance of education and how to get it!!! As a Native American. Teaching them and their tribal leaders about keeping their culture strong and still getting into the world and having opportunities!!!
I am so blessed to have known such an amazing, intelligent, enjoyable, humble and giving person!! She truly knew how to blend her CAREER PATH and her LIFE PATH!
I remember telling her all about my recent visit to the Smithsonian American Indian museum!She listened to detail after detail! (I LOVE that museum! You should def check it out!) She smiled and said she had been asked to be the liason / assistant to the President of the museum for the opening week! hahahaha I laughed my ass off! Here I am telling HER and she was there from the beginning!!
A month or so before Danielle's initial cancer diagnosis she was in for a haircut and excitedly showed me a book. It was about integrating Native Americans into college life. SHE HAD BEEN ASKED TO WRITE AN ENTIRE CHAPTER! PUBLISHED!! What an accomplishment!
For sometime she had been telling me about a job interview she had on the reservation. While she was there her cousin, a secretary in the tribal office, told her about another job! Long story short- she also applied for DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION for her tribe. THIS. WAS. BIG!.
The next time I saw her she had 2 pieces of news for me. SHE GOT THE JOB!! and would be moving in a month or so. I love when my friends succeed!! I love when life takes them along their hard worked for path!! I would miss her but was SO happy for her! We even planned a shopping trip the next time I was in Syracuse! So Danielle!
The second bit of news was... she had ovarian cancer. This was April 2013.
We cried and laughed. We made plans for a haircutting party... and cried a little again.
Her cancer diagnosis changed and became more dire. Her medical story is too long and really not the point. I went to the hospital a few times to style her hair and to chat... or just sit when her pain meds kicked in and she would drift off.
Her family came down from Buffalo in small groups, going from optimistic to realistic in a short amount of time. The Columbus friends tried to chip in to help with gas money and we were trying to plan a caravan to take her back home for treatment.
The Tribal Leader of the Reservation said they would wait for her! She was the one they wanted.
When it became clear that Danielle had a very dire prognosis they stepped in and paid for her have a medical helicopter transport back to her family in Buffalo. This had to have been immensely expensive and once again showed how important and respected she was.
Danielle died this week surrounded by her family and knowing that she had lived well. She accomplished what she set out to do! She worked SO hard for her mission and she saw it beginning to happen!
I admired Danielle from the start and I believe MANY people did! Because of her work she has built a strong foundation for others to build on. Education and knowledge of opportunities for ALL Native Americans. What a legacy.May we all live so well and so boldly.
I hope you all have an inspiring and intentional week!! If its not so great don't feel defeated! It just means there are more steps to go in your process of figuring out what you want and how to get it!!! ENJOY THE PROCESS. ENJOY LIFE ;-)
I met Danielle Terrance maybe 2 years ago. She was friends with Michael Oxley and I later learned she was friends and a co-worker with other friends of mine. It is a small world! Michael has always been a wonderful cheerleader for me as a hairstylist and he sent Danielle in to see me.
I'm a professional I can find a way to "click" with alot of different types of people but it wasn't hard to "click" with Danielle! What an infectious and easy laugh! It was like we had known each other for a long time.
What took longer to uncover was how BRILLIANT and GIVING she was!! I wouldn't say modest because she was happy to talk about her work but, maybe modest in the downplayed WAY she talked about it!!
I know I don't know her whole story but here is what I DO know.
Danielle was a Native American (Mohawk) woman in her mid 30's. I find Native cultures very interesting and we would talk about different things. I always knew that her ethnicity, her culture, and her people were very important to her but not the ONLY thing about her!! So we also discussed everyday life- for better or worse lol
Danielle was a college student, I think she finished her masters and was getting ready for Ph.d, She also worked at OSU and taught a class on plurality at Columbus State all the while having a part time job at The Home Depot. She was a strong woman with a bold vision! AND she actually took action!!
She grew up partly in Buffalo, NY and partly on the Reservation. She knew first hand how few opportunities were available to Native people especially girls. In itself it was an amazing feat to have studied at Cornell and OSU but I began to realize she had a much greater mission!
Danielle always had funny stories about her trips around the country, mostly out west.Again I began to realize what she was doing. I'm not sure which organization she was working with but she was going to reservations and talking to kids about the importance of education and how to get it!!! As a Native American. Teaching them and their tribal leaders about keeping their culture strong and still getting into the world and having opportunities!!!
I am so blessed to have known such an amazing, intelligent, enjoyable, humble and giving person!! She truly knew how to blend her CAREER PATH and her LIFE PATH!
I remember telling her all about my recent visit to the Smithsonian American Indian museum!She listened to detail after detail! (I LOVE that museum! You should def check it out!) She smiled and said she had been asked to be the liason / assistant to the President of the museum for the opening week! hahahaha I laughed my ass off! Here I am telling HER and she was there from the beginning!!
A month or so before Danielle's initial cancer diagnosis she was in for a haircut and excitedly showed me a book. It was about integrating Native Americans into college life. SHE HAD BEEN ASKED TO WRITE AN ENTIRE CHAPTER! PUBLISHED!! What an accomplishment!
For sometime she had been telling me about a job interview she had on the reservation. While she was there her cousin, a secretary in the tribal office, told her about another job! Long story short- she also applied for DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION for her tribe. THIS. WAS. BIG!.
The next time I saw her she had 2 pieces of news for me. SHE GOT THE JOB!! and would be moving in a month or so. I love when my friends succeed!! I love when life takes them along their hard worked for path!! I would miss her but was SO happy for her! We even planned a shopping trip the next time I was in Syracuse! So Danielle!
The second bit of news was... she had ovarian cancer. This was April 2013.
We cried and laughed. We made plans for a haircutting party... and cried a little again.
Her cancer diagnosis changed and became more dire. Her medical story is too long and really not the point. I went to the hospital a few times to style her hair and to chat... or just sit when her pain meds kicked in and she would drift off.
Her family came down from Buffalo in small groups, going from optimistic to realistic in a short amount of time. The Columbus friends tried to chip in to help with gas money and we were trying to plan a caravan to take her back home for treatment.
The Tribal Leader of the Reservation said they would wait for her! She was the one they wanted.
When it became clear that Danielle had a very dire prognosis they stepped in and paid for her have a medical helicopter transport back to her family in Buffalo. This had to have been immensely expensive and once again showed how important and respected she was.
Danielle died this week surrounded by her family and knowing that she had lived well. She accomplished what she set out to do! She worked SO hard for her mission and she saw it beginning to happen!
I admired Danielle from the start and I believe MANY people did! Because of her work she has built a strong foundation for others to build on. Education and knowledge of opportunities for ALL Native Americans. What a legacy.May we all live so well and so boldly.
I hope you all have an inspiring and intentional week!! If its not so great don't feel defeated! It just means there are more steps to go in your process of figuring out what you want and how to get it!!! ENJOY THE PROCESS. ENJOY LIFE ;-)
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
being as cliche as I can- CHOICES ;-)
Welcome Back!! Hope you had an awesome week! Let me ask you... are you thinking about what to do with your life ? lol I used to think about that a lot more when I thought I was on my career path than I do now that I'm on my Life Path! HOWEVER! I don't want to give anyone the wrong idea. I'm not breezing through life without a care in the world! I'm just more satisfied with the way I view and conduct my life! AND ANOTHER THING! ;-) I most certainly would not have been ready for THIS LIFE much sooner than when it occurred!! I'm very happy with everything I accomplished but I found myself in my late 30's wondering what the hell just happened!! lol Sooo with that - I'm still on my ONE THING LEADS TO ANOTHER kick ;-)
I've realized that I have a long history of GOOD TIMING/ GRABBING OPPORTUNITIES. I'm no pollyanna that's for damn sure! But I see no point in looking for the BAD side in an experience!
So here's another LIST! I knew it! You've been dying for a list of lists! ( why isn't there a sarcasm font!?)
1. 10th grade boring tour of vocational dept. eyes rolling into the back of my head and SUDDENLY beauty school!! When I tell you it had never before crossed my mind I mean- I had only had 2 professional haircuts in my life!! 1 at Doris' salon ( small town granny shop lol) and a perm and cut at JC Penny! whoo hoo. I wanted my hair to look like the chick from USA's Night Flight videos... I looked like a mullet boy with a grandma perm.
2. One of the last days of beauty school a friend was on the payphone declining a job offer( ahh YEA I was eaves dropping. duh!) and I grabbed the phone from her and said I was interested what time should I come in! That was the NEW ME! I had something to be passionate about!
3. First time in Columbus was for my stateboard tests. We stepped on to High st at noon and it felt like a real city! ( I had been to D.C. too many times to count) A year or so later my 18 yr old cousin and I came to Columbus for a weekend so I could find a job and apt. I took a job at an old chain salon called Christines. NOT FOR ME. But I stayed a couple mos while I read the want ads! ( PS THANKS TO MY PARENTS FOR LAUNCHING ME INTO THE WORLD WITH 3 MOS PAID RENT!!!)
3. Got all glammed up for an interview at the "society" salon downtown. At that time. At that moment. It was COOL AS HELL!! Halfway through the interview I realized they weren't hiring a STYLIST but an ASSISTANT. I really didn't know what the hell that was but I just shifted gears right there. I NEEDED TO BE IN THAT SALON!! Got the job;-) It was exactly what I needed. High drama clients (very city. in my mind;-)) SUPER HIGH DRAMA salon owners. ( some stereotypes are true lol) I absorbed EVERYTHING!! good and bad! This salon is where I became a city girl. By then I lived in a newly redone apt at High and 2nd- BEFORE the short north went up that far! lol I HAD MADE IT!!! It was such an imperfect, melodramatic situation I would have been bored if it was anything less!!!
So another day I will continue with my list of CHOICES! But I feel like those were 3 VERY pivotal moments for me! That was the window of time where you get scared and go back to what you know or you get OVER IT and forge ahead!! I can't imagine my career/life without those 3 CHOICES!!
MY POINT for you today- If you're trying to figure out what to do NEXT. Think back to what you did FIRST! Get your MOJO back ( I really don't know what the hell mojo actually is but you know what I mean hahaha) Get your excitement back! You don't have to change the world... but it is your CHOICE!!
*** SEMI RELATED FUNNY STORY**
The guy I worked for as an apprentice knew his shit... when it came to hair. Not always a genius in other realms. Now I will admit when you talk ALL day to clients you can begin to ramble or not pay a lot of attention to what you're actually discussing BUT One day he was discussing new skin and beauty treatments with a client. ( most of them were on first name basis with their plastic surgeons) She was saying something about a Japanese treatment and he said... hold on its gonna be good... " oh yea its that whole euthanasia thing... "EUTHANASIA IS NOT THE SAME THING AS YOUTH IN ASIA!!! The client and I did not make eye contact.;-)
HAVE AN AWESOME WEEK!! AND IF ITS NOT GOING YOUR WAY- ITS YOUR CHOICE TO CHANGE IT!!
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