this on how being a writer really means you’re a thief and an artist.
this on bravery and inspiration.
this on self-worth.
this GPS induced life lesson.
this on not comparing yourself to others.
this picture.
this set of pictures from antarctica.
this recipe which changed my mind about brussels sprouts.
that moment when your landlord calls to say he’s at your apartment and has “tried everything” but can’t find the leak under the kitchen sink and when you explain exactly what you’ve witnessed (left side, the horizontal diamond shaped knob) and he goes “oh the hot water.” how is only running the cold water “trying everything”?
that moment when you’ve offered on four condos and have been beat out on all four by cash offers or offers that waive all contingencies and you wonder if you’ll ever be able to afford a place to call your own where you deal with the leaks under the kitchen sink on your own.
that moment you count the days and figure out it’s been 35 days of your car in the shop having been listed at totaled, not totaled, again and again, and you wonder when the madness will stop?
that moment you work up a sweat pulling on freshly laundered jeans just to remember your local gym is closed for the (extended university) holiday and you work up a sweat pulling on freshly laundered jeans.
that moment where tuesday is wearing its monday costume.
i’m thankful for a full house, no privacy, constant action, tae kwan do practice, new recipes, new heights, long walks, laughter, generations of family, seeing how I’m like my mother, sister E is like brother G, niece MMM is like sister E, learning, reading, goodnight hugs, our hearts all beat with the same blood.
me: “why are there 2 girls and 4 boys in that dance?” nephew A: “because there are.” when did he become the adult with the short clipped answers and when did i become the kid with the pointless questions?
different time zone. different climate. same crazy morning bed head.
chihuly exhibit. swirls of glass. sunbursts of glass. cotton candy puffs of glass. an ocean of glass. a mountain of talent. all made by the breath and touch of humans. gasps of awe stuck in my throat. daytime light vs twilight. seeing the same things drenched in a different perspective.
having the last name i do + a popular band with the same name = i’ve been picking up comments left and right…
“do you have any sons?”
“your kids are pretty talented.”
“you should have some daughters.”
“you’re not related to mumford and sons, are you?”
of course, within the family, we have our own comments, such as “and we’re off, like a herd of turtles.”
and in other parts of my name, when you add the “dear” salutation in front of my first name, it becomes immediate fodder for advice. i can’t tell you the number of times i’ve opened an email to see “dear abby… (sorry, couldn’t resist.)”
does your first or last or middle name or any combination thereof inspire others to make silly or serious remarks to you?
because i only speak english, i’ve long been enchanted by foreign idioms. i love the word play of literal vs. figurative and how a combination of seemingly normal words can mean something totally different.
bulgarian: big cloud, little rain. (translation: all bark, no bite.)
brazilian: i have nothing to do with the fish. (translation: beats me.)
montana: all hat, no cattle. (translation: all bark, no bite.)
german: aller anfang ist schwer. (translation: all beginnings are difficult. the first step is the hardest.)
argentine: es un papa. (literal translation: it’s a potato.) (figurative translation: piece of cake.)
italian: in bocca al lupo. (literal translation: into the wolf’s mouth.) (figurative translation: good luck! break a leg!)
french: coup de foudre (literal translation: a bolt or flash of lightning.) (figurative translation: love at first sight.)
do YOU (yes, you) have any sayings i can add to my vocabulary?
Abigail Mumford 